On The Same Page discussion

These are all books I have gotten from being a Book of the Month subscriber. I am going to try and read more books I own this year (I'm pretty sure I say that every year.... but I MEAN it this time!) =)

BOTM
9/16

CURRENTLY READING

1.) Phantasma COMPLETED 7-19/25- 5 STARS
2.) The Wedding People COMPLETED 1/21/ 4 STARS
3.) Kill for Me, Kill for You COMPLETED 7/21/25- 3.5 STARS
4.) The Connellys of County Down COMPLETED 3/29/25- 4 STARS
5.) The Attic Child
6.) Queenie
7.) The Return of Ellie Black COMPLETED 3/1/25- 3.5 STARS
8.) A Little Hope
9.) Don't Cry for Me COMPLETED 2/18/25 3 STARS
10.) River Sing Me Home COMPLETED 5/10-25- 3 STARS
11.) Upgrade
12.) The Summer Place COMPLETED 7/4/25- 3 STARS

Alts:

1.) Interesting Facts about Space COMPLETED 6/17/25- 3.5 STARS
2.) The Winter Sister
3.) Darling Girl
4.) Sign Here

I like a good book cover.

I also have none of these on my tbr, so, I will definitely be looking forward to your reviews. I'll scope them out though... 😬

Good luck and happy reading

I don't think I've read any of these and I have shelf of TBR Book of the Month picks as well. Look forward to hearing your thoughts as you get through these.
Happy Reading!

YAY you mean I might be destroying (AKA adding on) someone else's TBR shelf for a change??? haha

I have a few of these on my TBR, but haven't read any of your selections. Good luck with your challenge.

I soooooo love the multiple lists!!!!! The Wedding People and The Return of Ellie Black are also on my lists.... hint, hint.... buddy read... and I'm sure I'll end up getting few others sometime next year. Lol

Hmmm. I haven’t read many of these but now I’m thinking I might need to join the book of the month club. Good luck with the list Alissa!

Lindsey wrote: "I soooooo love the multiple lists!!!!! The Wedding People and The Return of Ellie Black are also on my lists.... hint, hint.... buddy read... and I'm sure I'll end..."

duly noted ;-)

Michelle wrote: "Hmmm. I haven’t read many of these but now I’m thinking I might need to join the book of the month club. Good luck with the list Alissa!"

I've been a BOTM member now for 4 years and I love it/hate it (love it.. bc yay books once a month! hate it bc .... do I read them when I get them... clearly not haha)

Hmm, I've only read Upgrade (it was good) and I have a few others on my TBR, The Return of Ellie Black included. If you ladies are doing a buddy read, count me in.
Happy reading!

Ioana wrote: "Hmm, I've only read Upgrade (it was good) and I have a few others on my TBR, The Return of Ellie Black included. If you ladies are doing a buddy read, count me in.
Happy reading!"

sounds good! =)

Michelle wrote: "Hmmm. I haven’t read many of these but now I’m thinking I might need to join the book of the month club. Good luck with the list Alissa!"

Me too, Michelle. I've been avoiding this book of the month club because I'm afraid to add to my TBR, but then I see an awesome list like this and think about all the good books I could be reading. :-)

Alissa wrote: "YAY you mean I might be destroying (AKA adding on) someone else's TBR shelf for a change??? haha"

Oh, please. My TBR has been completely out of control since I met you, and I'm pretty sure that 95% is directly your fault. Of course, I didn't have hardly any of these books on my TBR, but now I do. Thanks...I think! :-)

Lea wrote: "Alissa wrote: "YAY you mean I might be destroying (AKA adding on) someone else's TBR shelf for a change??? haha"

Oh, please. My TBR has been completely out of control since I met you, and I'm pret..."

I regret nothing ;-)

This is such an awesome idea! I am sooo guilty of hoarding books and TBH a large majority of them are BOTM picks!! I may have to join you on the double lists for 2025. I did read The Wedding People and it was one of my higher rated books of the year! Enjoy!

Amalia wrote: "This is such an awesome idea! I am sooo guilty of hoarding books and TBH a large majority of them are BOTM picks!! I may have to join you on the double lists for 2025. I did read The Wedding People..."

DO ITTTT ;-)

Id love to see which BOTM books you are hoarding lqlol

Good luck with your selections, Alissa. Enjoy your 2025 reading.

I have one of these books on my tbr. Good luck with your list.

First book from this list will most likely be (*waves at Lindsey*)

Completed my first book of my 2nd 12+4 list!

The Wedding People by Alison Espach



4 STARS
Book

A depressed, down on her luck woman decides to escape her mundane life and try to forget her sham of a marriage , and books one night at a scenic hotel to get away. What ends up in front of her is the Wedding People- the entire hotel is booked for Lila and Gary's wedding. These two are CHARACTERS, especially Lila- I both adored her and wanted to smack her repeatedly. As both sides of the family trickle in, more and more ridiculous and loving family members/ friends are introduced. But in the heart of this story is the unlikely friendship that builds between a woman who feels she has nothing to live for and a woman who doesn't know if she's living the life she really wants.

Alissa wrote: "First book from this list will most likely be (*waves at Lindsey*)"

OMG I LOVED this book so much!!!! 😍

Alissa wrote: "Completed my first book of my 2nd 12+4 list!

The Wedding People by Alison Espach



4 STARS
Book

A depressed, down on h..."

Great review of this book!!!

Currently reading as part of my planned books for Black History Month. I can already tell this book is gonna be emotional and I'm looking forward to it.

Completed Don't Cry for Me by Daniel Black



3 STARS
Book

Oof. My heart.
Each chapter is a different date as a dying black father is writing a final letter to his estranged gay son before he dies.

This was a very sad and sobering story but I am glad that I read it.

Diving in to !

Alissa wrote: "Diving in to !"

I can't wait to hear wha you think. I loved this book! ❤️

Alissa wrote: "Diving in to !"

Yay!!

Completed The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean



3.5 STARS
Book

BANANAS. That is the first word I thought of when I finished lol. There were so many crazy moments and characters involved and there were some times I was like "....where is this going?????"

A girl missing for two years and thought to be dead ends up running out of the woods extremely malnourished, traumatized, dirty and desperate, but something is "off" with Ellie Black.

I would have rated this higher but the one twist made me roll my eyes and I thought it wasn't needed. But overall, a crazy good story!

Started

Completed The Connellys of County Down by Tracey Lange



4 STARS
Book

Oh to be a fly on the wall with this family. Such a mess, such love, such anger, such vulnerability. If you like family drama with a tug at your heartstrings, this one is for you <3

Alissa wrote: "Completed The Connellys of County Down by Tracey Lange



4 STARS
Book

Oh to be a fly on the wall with this fam..."

I really liked this book. You're right - oh to be a fly on wall with this family!

Alissa wrote: "Completed The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean



3.5 STARS
Book

BANANAS. That is the first word I thought of ..."

Kudos on your progress, and I added this book to my tbr and a couple of others, because why not and you all seemed to enjoy it.

Completed River Sing Me Home by Eleanor Shearer



3 STARS
Book

I read this book as a buddy read with Lindsey, and man- it is HEARTBREAKING. It was also an eye opening experience learning about the slave trade and its impact on freed slaves trying to reunite with their stolen children. I learned a lot about it, especially in the islands of Barbados, Trinidad as well as British Guiana.
This was a great story but not really a happy one.

Alissa wrote: "Completed The Connellys of County Down by Tracey Lange



4 STARS
Book

Oh to be a fly on the wall with this fam..."

Perfectly said - to be a fly on the wall. 🤣 Loved this book!!

Alissa wrote: "Completed River Sing Me Home by Eleanor Shearer



3 STARS
Book

I read this book as a buddy read with Lindsey, and man- i..."

It was heartbreaking. I found the Author's note fascinating with her ties to the storyline. It was hard fo read, but definitely worth it.
And i always love our buddy reads!!

Started Interesting Facts about Space

Completed Interesting Facts about Space by Emily R. Austin



3.5 STARS
Book

This BOTM choice was a quiet win for me, as I don't recall why I chose it for my pick that month but I am glad I did. Enid has a lot of problems, some self-inflicted, some not, and the way she deals with them are hilarious but also really sad. I was rooting for her attempting to find her place in her little world as she attempts to deal with work, her depressed mother, her newfound half siblings, her love life, and avoiding getting murdered. (You'll have to read it to learn more about that haha)

Alissa wrote: "Completed Interesting Facts about Space by Emily R. Austin



3.5 STARS
Book

This BOTM choice was a quiet wi..."

This sounds good; I'll check it out. And I loved River Sing Me Home. It was sad, but I loved the characters and their determination. I appreciated it even more after reading the author's note. An important part of a good historical fiction.

Starting reading

Completed The Summer Place by Jennifer Weiner



3 STARS
Book

This was a decent story but also oh so confusing! It is disguised and marketed as a beach read but there were so many different layers to it - lost love, family secrets, found family, a wedding- and it was a bit confusing to remember who was who and who was related to who and who did what to whom .

Overall it was fine but definitely NOT a beach read.

Completed Phantasma by Kaylie Smith



5 STARS
Book

Woweeeee was this fun!! This is probably my favorite fantasy/dark romance combo so far that I've read. When I say dark romance, I am saying the smexy scenes are.... Phewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww lol but if those scenes make you feel an ick, don't let that discourage you from reading this- you can skip/skim those parts.

But this story- takes place in New Orleans. There are necromancers. There are devils. There are phantoms. There's an enchanted mansion that's basically a haunted house. And there's a deadly game based on the 9 circles of hell.

And apparently the sequel, Enchantra is BETTER????

Bravo girl ***applause***

Completed Kill for Me, Kill for You by Steve Cavanagh



3.5 STARS
Book

There's so many retellings of Strangers on a Train , and you would think I would get tired of it, but I don't. I eat them uppppp/. This one had an interesting twist that I didn't see coming, so I highly recommend this one if you're looking for a twisty-turvy fun ride!

Just wanted to stop by with a Kudos for your progress, Alissa! You are doing great with these challenges.

Alondra wrote: "Just wanted to stop by with a Kudos for your progress, Alissa! You are doing great with these challenges."

You're so sweet, thanks for the love! =)

Alissa wrote: "Alondra wrote: "Just wanted to stop by with a Kudos for your progress, Alissa! You are doing great with these challenges."

You're so sweet, thanks for the love! =)"

Always.....