Danita Reads

A Latte Like Love

by Michelle C. Harris

coming March 17, 2026

(3 / 5)

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the free review copy of this book! All opinions are completely my own.

This one is a tough one to rate. At first I really enjoyed the book and was easily pulled into the story. But somewhere along the way it lost me. I think a lot of it was that the book just felt so much longer than it needed to be, especially since not a lot seemed to be happening with the plot. The biggest conflict was in a flashback, so it felt pretty anticlimactic when I reached the epilogue. The epilogue itself was very long, rehashing things that had already happened from a different perspective. For me, it just felt a little repetitive. As for the relationship between Audrey and Theo itself, I was rooting for them, but then things really seemed to move alarmingly fast, especially considering Theo’s mental state. A lot of the story centers on Theo’s recovery after an accident and coming to terms with significant scarring. I was glad to see growth in Theo’s character over the course of the story, though Audrey didn’t really seem to develop very much. In the end, the book had a lot of promise but just didn’t quite deliver for me.

In Time With You

by Kristin Dwyer

coming March 3, 2026

(4.5 / 5)

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the free review copy of this book! All opinions are completely my own.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It’s one of those books that breaks you and then puts you back together again. It starts out quite sad, as our FMC Nieve is attending a funeral for her boyfriend that just died. Her emotions through this were so raw and authentic, making her feel real. Then imagine being able to relive a year of your life after something terrible has happened… what would you do differently? This book was so thought-provoking as it explored this idea. The ripple effect that happened in this time loop was different and unexpected. The portrayal of this disorienting and terrifying situation through Nieve’s perspective was done really well. It was interesting to see how Nieve’s perceptions about things changed during the 2nd timeline, especially when it came to Carter (the boyfriend that dies) and Max (his best friend). I kept thinking about how it was a great example of how “hindsight is 20/20”. I also appreciated how many different types of relationships were explored and how they evolved through this fluid reality situation. The progression of Nieve’s changing feelings for Max felt natural and not rushed. Some of the quiet moments between them were incredibly intimate, and I couldn’t help but hope for a happy ending for them. I had a really hard time putting this book down and couldn’t stop thinking about it even when I wasn’t reading. It’s my first book by the author but it won’t be my last!

January 31, 2026 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Young Adult 0

The Heat of the Moment

by Camilla Isley

coming February 16, 2026

(4 / 5)

First off, thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the free review copy of The Heat of the Moment! All opinions are completely my own.

The Heat of the Moment was a romance that was quick to read, kept my interest well, and was enjoyable to read. It’s the 2nd book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. I liked this one even more than the first book! Both of the main characters, Lily and Josh, were likable, and I had a lot of respect for both of their professions as a nurse and firefighter. Lily’s daughter was also a fun character. The California setting was a nice escape, and I especially enjoyed the nature scenes. The plot didn’t really have any big surprises, but honestly it wasn’t something I went into the book expecting. It definitely had a sad undertone to it since Lily is a widow still grieving her late husband. Needless to say, it made the romance understandably complicated, but I thought it was handled well with a natural progression. There were some very intense scenes of emergency situations, so this was one of those books that really pulls at your emotions!

January 26, 2026 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance 0

The Roommate Arrangement

by Samantha Markum

coming January 27, 2026

(4.5 / 5)

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, Margaret K. McElderry Books, RBmedia, Recorded Books, and NetGalley for the free review copy of The Roommate Arrangement! All thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

In The Roommate Arrangement, we follow Blair who is just starting college. When her best friends tell her that she can’t share an apartment with them with very little notice, she has to take what she can find. Except, it turns out that now one of her roommates will be her brother’s best friend, Jamie, and let’s just say that these siblings do not get along at all.

This was a book that I absolutely devoured and was sad when it was over. The text was so descriptive and immersive. Blair was a very relatable character. While on the surface the book is a young adult romance, it really dives into some tough subjects for teens. Through the book, Blair has to navigate changing friendships, a strained sibling relationship, controlling parents, a chaotic living arrangement, academic struggles, mental health, and a budding relationship that would not be approved of by others. Her journey to self acceptance and standing up for herself was enlightening. I liked the romance, and while it eventually turned sweet, the bickering at the start was quite entertaining. The supporting characters were diverse and I liked how they added depth to the story.

I really enjoyed the opportunity to experience the audiobook version of this book! The narrator did a great job, and I especially loved how each character had a different voice.

January 22, 2026 by danimae1981 Audiobook Fiction Kindle Romance Young Adult 0

The Beasts We Raise

The Broken Citadel #2

by D. L. Taylor

coming February 24, 2026

(4 / 5)

First off, thank you to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, Henry Holt and Co., and NetGalley for the free review copy of The Beasts We Raise! All opinions are completely my own.

The Beasts We Raise takes place several months after the first book left off and continues the story of Mance and Silver. While I didn’t like this book quite as much as the first one, I still enjoyed reading it. It had a different feel to it, maybe partially because it centered around Mance’s new ability. She just felt a bit stripped down, but ultimately it was intentional something that led to character growth. I wasn’t expecting the addition of some new points of view, but I really enjoyed seeing those perspectives. I liked the themes of acceptance and facing fears that the book dived into. Things often felt pretty dire and I wondered how the story could possibly have a happy ending. I was hoping for a bit more closure out of the ending, but I was still happy enough with the direction things went.

January 14, 2026 by danimae1981 Fantasy Fiction Kindle Romance Young Adult 0

Carnival Fantástico

by Angela Montoya

coming February 3, 2026

(4.5 / 5)

Thank you to Random House Children’s Books, Joy Revolution, and NetGalley for the free review copy of Carnival Fantástico! All opinions about the book are completely my own.

I really enjoyed reading this book! It was very immersive and pulled me in easily. I could just feel the desperation of the main characters from the start. It felt like the stakes were high. The book really captured the circus setting, with magic and wonder but also an unsettling feeling. There was plenty of action, tension, and a sense of mystery that kept me wanting to read right to the end. I also enjoyed the romance, though I wish the characters could’ve worked through the issues from their past faster. I really liked seeing their letters from when they were growing up, showing how their original relationship developed. I thought the variety of side characters were interesting and really brought the story to life. This was the 2nd book I’ve read by the author, and I’ll definitely be seeking out more in the future!

January 8, 2026 by danimae1981 Fantasy Fiction Kindle Romance Young Adult 0

A Shore Thing

by Portia MacIntosh

coming January 26, 2026

(4 / 5)

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the free review copy of A Shore Thing! All opinions are completely my own.

A Shore Thing is a romance story that takes on a Reality TV/Survivor theme. As a Survivor fan, I really enjoyed this aspect of it, even though it was pretty different from the show. I found the author’s writing to be very readable and inviting. Even though the book was shorter than most books I read, it still felt complete. I wasn’t all that surprised about some of the things that happened, and I thought the end conflict was resolved easier than expected, but those things didn’t really take away from my enjoyment of the story. While I didn’t always love how the MMC acted, I felt like his character improved, and I was glad to see an explanation about some of his more questionable actions. I was impressed with the character development of the other show contestants in the book, and grew to like them even though I didn’t think I would at first. Overall this was a fun escape, especially during the cold winter!

January 3, 2026 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance 0

2025 Wrap-Up

It’s hard to believe that the year is almost over! I haven’t been reading as much this month, but I still managed to complete 87 books this year, even better than last year! Here’s some of my favorite reads from 2025. Have a Happy New Year!

December 31, 2025 by danimae1981 General 0

A-Z Challenge 2025

I managed to complete the A-Z reading challenge for the 2nd year in a row! Some of these letters are hard to find books for, but sometimes it’s an interesting way to discover a new book. A couple of these turned out to not be quite for me, but I enjoyed doing the challenge, plus found some new favorites!

A: Any Trope But You – Victoria Lavine
B: Book Lovers – Emily Henry
C: Come As You Are – Dahlia Adler
D: Daedalus – K.R. Gadeken
E: The Encanto’s Curse – Melissa de la Cruz
F: The Floating World – Axie Oh
G: The Grandest Game – Jennifer Lynn Barnes
H: His Mortal Demise – Vanessa Le
I: The Incredible Kindness of Paper – Evelyn Skye
J: Julia Song is Undateable – Susan Lee
K: The Kiss Bet – Farrah Penn
L: The Love Haters – Katherine Center
M: Meet Me at Blue Hour – Sarah Suk
N: Not Safe for Work – Nisha J. Tuli
O: Out of Air – Rachel Reiss
P: Project Hail Mary – Andy Weir
Q: A Quiet Kind of Thunder – Sara Barnard
R: Roll for Romance – Lenora Woods
S: Sunrise on the Reaping – Suzanne Collins
T: Time Loops & Meet Cutes – Jackie Lau
U: Ugly Love – Colleen Hoover
V: Verse Book Three: The Song – Sam Beck
W: When You Bake With the Enemy – Lia Huni
X: Xolo – Donna Barba Higuera
Y: Yours Truly – Abby Jimenez
Z: Zomromcom – Olivia Dade

*Note: some books were received as a free review copy*

December 29, 2025 by danimae1981 General 0

The Swan’s Daughter

A Possibly Doomed Love Story

by Roshani Chokshi

coming January 6, 2026

(3 / 5)

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the free review copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

I’m sure this book has its audience, but honestly it wasn’t my cup of tea. It felt slow and took a long time to get to the part of the plot I was expecting. I did enjoy the world building and descriptive nature, and at first it had me feeling like I was reading a fairy tale. As I read more, though, I started to lose interest, and then I never really recovered from that. The author’s style felt verbose to me, and I think sometimes I got lost in the words and missed what they were actually trying to say. The romance in the book wasn’t really what I was expecting or hoping for either. In the end, the book had its moments that I enjoyed, but it wasn’t really for me.