#Kindle – Donna's Reading Chair

Book Review: This Time Around

Thank you to The Author Agency for my advance copy of This Time Around by Marina Pirlimpou in exchange for my honest review.

This book was such a breath of fresh air for me! We have Madison who nearly collides with a car on a busy city street as Nate, a blast from the past, saves her. Everything goes black and she wakes up in her childhood bedroom. She sees Nate at school and he wants to know what she did to him, they’re now trapped in their past selves!

As the story goes on, Nate and Madison start spending more time together. They start to get closer and then boom, Madison wakes up at the hospital. Will the romance they had living their life as teenagers take hold to the present time? Well…Nate simply has no recollection and leaves when he sees she’s ok.

Can they find what they had? Did they really have it after all? I was so nervous during the present part of this book I was pretty much yelling at Nate to get his act together. Thankfully his friends step in and help jog his memory a little. What would we do without our friends?

4 stars. This is an absolute slow burn complete with spicy scenes at the end. I don’t think you’ll regret reading this one!

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Title: This Time Around

Author: Marina Pirlimpou

Genre(s): Fiction, Romance, Slow Burn

Publisher: Independently Published

Release Date: June 11, 2025

Find it here on Goodreads

Book Review: Catch

Thank you to The Author Agency for my advance copy of Catch by Katie Rae in exchange for my honest review. This is out TODAY!

Loxley has had it. She’s in the middle of a tour and can’t take it any longer so she does what anyone would do in that situation…”borrows” a car and takes off. She is unsure where she is going and what she’s going to do when she’s pulled over in Harmony Haven by Mr. Police Officer Easton.

Easton ends up realizing who she is and takes her to his house so she can lay low. He is determined to make sure no one knows she’s staying there…as well as not allowing himself to fall for her. Will he be able to make both happen?

Things get a little dicey when his boss gives him information that Loxley is missing and he wants him to help look for her. He stays determined and lets Loxley do her thing. The swoon and spice in this one…but will there be a happy ending?

5 stars. This one is a quick read which will have you begging for more. It’s the second book in the Harmony Haven series, but it is a standalone. You’ll just get some bonus content with Easton’s family if you read the first one (which I highly recommned you do as well!). It’s out today, what are you waiting for, go snag it!

Title: Catch

Author: Katie Rae

Genre(s): Fiction, Romance, Slow Burn

Publisher: Independently Published

Release Date: June 10, 2025

Find it here on Goodreads

Book Review: Give Me A Sign

I chose this book as I participate in a monthly bingo in one of the many reading Facebook groups I’m in. One group had a square for a disability being represented and another had a square for flowers on the cover…I have been wanting to read this one for awhile so I decided it was time!

This was an absolutely FANTASTIC YA read which followed Lilah as she attended a camp for those who are blind and Deaf. Living as a Deaf girl with hearing parents, she has never really been exposed to Deaf culture and finds herself immersed in it. I’m so proud of Lilah in this book!!

I was very eager to read this as I work closely with a colleague who is Deaf. I’ve been picking up sign and challenge myself to learn at least 1 new sign a day. This book helped put some things into a different perspective for me as well. Side note: today I learned the sign for awkward!

I highly recommend this one, the author did FANTASTIC with how she wrote this and I strongly recommend you NOT listen to the audiobook for this, you’d miss a lot! When they’re signing she writes with italics and when people are speaking to Lilah she uses dashes to represent what Lilah doesn’t understand or misses. I thought that was brilliant! I couldn’t tell you how many times I would get frustrated and I thought, wow, great job really getting someone who is hearing to gain a different perspective! Great read!

4 stars. Lilah’s growth was incredible. I thought this book also portrayed everything in this book in a real manner. From how Lilah finds herself, to how Lilah and her friends get treated out in public, and just the overall feel to the book. I look forward to reading more by Sortino!

Title: Give Me A Sign

Author: Anna Sortino

Genre(s): Fiction, Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Reads

Release Date: July 23, 2023

Find it here on Goodreads

Book Review: The Day After The Party

Thank you to the Facebook Group I Just Want To Do Book Nerd Stuff With My Friends for selecting this as our book club pick for the month of April! I would have never read this one otherwise!

That being said, this was fairly predictable, with the exception of the twist at the end. Overall the book kind of felt rushed in general. This is the first book I’ve read by Nicole Trope so I’m not sure if this is her style…shorter, faster paced books with less details, or if that was a one off (if you’ve read her before, let me know).

Katelyn loses memory of her birthday party. Her best friend and husband seem to be hiding something from her. Supposedly her memory went missing from traumatic information and she believes her husband has a secret he’s failing to tell her. I did enjoy getting to know the backstory of Katelyn and best friend Leah and if I’m honest, it’s all weird how they’re both connected to Katelyn’s husband as well. Reminded me a little of Vanderpump Rules, haha.

This is told in dual POV with Katelyn and Leah, but in 3rd person, and with how rushed everything kind of was, didn’t really execute well. By the time you get to the end it’s like, wait, that’s it? Surprising, but, that’s it? Also, it doesn’t read like a thriller, more like a domestic drama.

3.5 stars. I’m not mad I read it, but it was just eh. If it falls into your lap, it’s a worth a read, but I wouldn’t seek it out. The ending made me bump it up a half star, so not a terrible book, but not a great one. Just a middle of the road one! Anyway, onto the next read!

Title: The Day After The Party

Author: Nicole Trope

Genre(s): Fiction, Mystery, Thriller

Publisher: Bookouture

Release Date: October 30, 2023

Find it here on Goodreads

Book Review: Heartbreak Beach

Thank you to the author, Bailey Thomas, for an advance copy of Heartbreak Beach in exchange for my honest review!

I was lucky enough to get an advance reader copy of Heartbreak Beach in exchange for my honest review! It’s out on April 25th!!

The book is about the reality TV show Heartbreak Beach, and it’s down to the final contestant, Elise, who has fallen in love with the main guy, Jared. She can’t believe they found love and is excited that he’s going to ask her to leave with him…until the producer lets Elise know she’s going to break his heart because that will bring in higher ratings.

Elise doesn’t want to break his heart, she’s in love, but she’s also reminded that in her contract it says she is to do as told! She’s so conflicted she starts to stray away from Jared, but eventually he gets the information out of her and they come up with a plan to stay together!

It’s a cheesy romance, a light, fun read, with a shocking ending. It’s a quick read absolutely packed with adventure. 3.5 stars from me!

Title: Heartbreak Beach

Author: Bailey Thomas

Genre(s): Fiction, Romance

Publisher: Bailey Thomas Books, LLC

Release Date: April 25, 2025

Find it here on Goodreads

Amazon & The Kindle: Revisiting Part 5 Kindle Unlimited #Amazon #Kindle #KU #Ebooks #KindleUnlimited

I originally published a 6 part Amazon & The Kindle series back in 2019. I wanted to revisit the post I created about Kindle Unlimited because since 2019, I have drastically changed my opinion of it! I hope you enjoy the information I have to tell!

Kindle Unlimited

When I first posted this, I was not a subscriber and had NO interest in it. Now…I’m a subscriber and LOVE it. Currently it’s $11.99 a month. I still have a crazy huge Kindle library, but like my bookshelves in my living room, I need options!! I have also increased the amount I read making $11.99 for Kindle books a money saver for me!

You can browse books in the Kindle store and if you see Kindle Unlimited above the book title it means it is within the Kindle Unlimited library. Essentially you are paying $11.99 a month for the ability to borrow up to 20 books at a time. You do not get to keep them and once you stop paying the monthly fee you lose access to all of those books. Browse Kindle Unlimited books here.

They offer a 30 day free trial so you can try it before you start to commit to it. Authors get paid by the pages you read, so that is how they make their money when they offer their books to the Kindle Unlimited library. A few times a year Amazon will offer a 3 month subscription for 99 cents and that’s an even BETTER deal. Keep an eye out if you’re curious and that’s a deal you would try!

Fan of audiobooks too? If you see the headphone symbol on the book, that means you also get the audiobook through KU. Simply download the Audible app, log in with your Amazon account, and it will appear in your library. You do NOT need an Audible subscription for this feature!

Currently I have the follow books checked out on KU that are also in my Audible library: Happy After All by Maisey Yates, Royal Savage by Victoria Ashley, and What Lies Between Us by John Marrs. Also, sometimes when you have the book checked out on KU, it is available for purchase on Audible at a discounted rate!

Are you a member of Kindle Unlimited? Do you enjoy it? Any other questions? Reach out and I will do my best to answer them! I hope this helped you decide if Kindle Unlimited could be right for you!

Book Review: Courier

I love Kindle Unlimited (KU), to the point I usually have always maxed out my borrow amount because there’s soooooo much I want to read! I made myself start to actually read the books I borrowed through KU so I can have room to add more, this was one that was on there that I decided to dive into, and I am SO happy I did!

Woah…Courier by Zoe Rosi is a creepy stalker novella that is a true, absolute must read. What makes this even creepier is the stalking…because it’s nothing out of the ordinary and is absolutely something anyone could do to any random person 😮. I may have peeked outside my blinds when I finished this one…

By the way I finished this in ONE day. ONE DAY. It’s only 173 pages and with each page turn the story escalates just a little more. Short chapters written in a manner that have you craving for what Bob (our stalker) does next…

So Bob was a delivery man and drops off an order to a house and decides that the husband is a bad guy and needs to save the wife. He stalks her and makes it his mission to save her. It’s unbelievable the information he can find and how he keeps an eye on her.

I don’t want to give too much away, but the ending 🤯🤯🤯, oh my. My jaw was on the floor! This is what made this get 5 stars from me!! If you enjoy darker reads, you MUST pick this one up!

Title: Courier

Author: Zoe Rosi

Genre(s): Fiction, Thriller, Horror, Short Story

Publisher: Lighthouse Books

Release Date: January 30, 2024

Find it here on Goodreads

Book Review: True Life in Uncanny Valley

Thank you to Netgalley, Random House Children’s, and Labyrinth Road for this advance reader copy of True Life in Uncanny Valley in exchange for my honest review! This book came out last week and is an absolutely fantastic YA read!

Eleanor is your typical teenager being raised by a single mother. She has a sister, also know as mom’s favorite, and almost lives in both their shadows. Eleanor is also obsessed with celebrity Hugo Harrison, but not for the reason you may think…you see, Eleanor’s mom had an affair with him and he’s her dad. In her spare time she enjoys spying on him and his family and wonders what could have been.

Fast forward to Eleanor running into his new wife and small child and landing a nannying job for the summer. She’s finally going to see what he’s like, but can she keep her true identity under wraps? How will she keep this from her mom?

I think any pre-teen/teen will absolutely devour this book. It has the perfect amount of teenage angst and I never found Eleanor or her friends to be annoying. It was overdone, it was just the right amount. I think at any point in time as teens we can feel lost and ignored and the author did a beautiful job at writing this story just so. I think a lot of teens will be able to directly relate to this story. There’s even a smidge of clean romance!

4 stars. Even adults will find this story unputdownable as what will the outcome possibly be? I really enjoyed this one and this should be at the top of your list if you love reading YA!

Title: True Life in Uncanny Valley

Author: Deb Caletti

Genre(s): Fiction, Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Publisher: Labyrinth Road

Release Date: March 18, 2025

Find it here on Goodreads

Book Review: One By One by Ruth Ware

Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review! Yes, this is another 4 year overdue post…but at least I’m staying committed to the cause and writing my review!

This story is one of my Roman empires…I think about this book more often than I should. It made a lasting impact on myself. The story starts off innocently as eight co-workers enjoy a mountainside chalet…and then they get snowed in thanks to an avalanche.

Someone ends up missing…then someone ends up dead. No one else is around so that means one of them has committed the crime. Even with 8 characters running about, I found it easy to keep track of who was who as each character has a distinct personality.

I enjoyed the pace of the book and the vivid descriptions. I felt like I was there in the cabin next to the fire at times. There is another twist in the mix with everything…the co-workers went there to vote on selling the company. Is this what causes people to go missing and then someone to be killed? Only time will tell…

I have such a vivid recollection of the end…and I won’t spoil it for you, but just know I think about it often. Why? I’m not 100% too sure. But I truly find myself coming to the end of this one all the time. It’s rare for me to remember such detail about a book, so take that for what it is worth!

4 stars. The book does slow a bit on the pacing at times, but I feel this is a Ruth Ware writing trait. The book does NOT disappoint and leaves us turning the pages quickly to find out who did it. Our own suspicions build, but will you choose the correct whodunit? Find out and pick this one up!

Title: One By One

Author: Ruth Ware

Genre(s): Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Mystery

Publisher: Gallery Books

Release Date: September 8, 2020

Find it here on Goodreads

Book Review: A California Christmas by Brenda Novak

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin for my advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review! This was originally released in 2020 and I promise you I read this a few years ago…I PROMISE…I just never wrote the review, YIKES!

Emery Bliss is a promising TV anchor, until she breaks up with her boyfriend (who also happens to be a colleague…which also happens to not be allowed) and then he leaks a sex tape. Don’t get me started on how angry this made me because she ends up taking all the heat and he essentially escapes scot free! UGH!

Looking to be out of the public eye in LA and where she isn’t known, she flees to Silver Springs, her hometown. She finds solace with Aiyana Turner, who ends up being like her mother figure (oh yeah, Emery’s parents are going through a crazy divorce) and helps her with her ranch and prepare for her upcoming wedding.

One by one Aiyana’s family comes to town and in walks Dallas Turner. A bachelor. A man who travels all around the world and doesn’t have time for anyone. A man who also had a crush on Emery back when they were in high school. A man who will help Emery stand up to her ex-boyfriend.

The subject of revenge porn I felt was portrayed in a realistic manner. Dallas helps Emery, even with a lot going on in Dallas’ own life. There are so many side stories to the main story in this tale, it is JAM PACKED. Novak does such a delightful job at stringing everything together and giving us all the answers we need. You’ll be cursing Dallas one moment, cursing Emery the next, then back to Dallas, and eventually you find yourself falling in love with the flawed characters and want the best for them.

5 stars. This was more than just a romance book. This has grief, pain, heartbreak, and love. While Emery is our star, Dallas is a fantastic co-star and his story is just as intriguing as Emery’s in. This is the perfect book to set up a great Christmas in July if I do say so myself! It is part of a series, but it’s a standalone! Enjoy!

Title: A California Christmas

Author: Brenda Novak

Genre(s): Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Holiday

Publisher: Harlequin, MIRA

Release Date: October 13, 2020

Find it here on Goodreads