I've got to be truthful here. I really thought I would love this book. In the end I just liked it.
Ok there's an intricate spy story going on throughoI've got to be truthful here. I really thought I would love this book. In the end I just liked it.
Ok there's an intricate spy story going on throughout the book and the story is good and unravels piece by piece. My problem lies with the story being complicated and confusing for me. I listened to the audio and it was very well done by one of my favourites - Saskia Maarleveld but unfortunately she couldn't save it for me. I don't think I would have enjoyed reading it as well as it would have needed a lot of note taking to keep everything together. I don't enjoy that. I like to just read or listen and let the story flow.
It's a dual time line story and those are among my favourites. There's one taking place in 1952 post-war Paris. I did mostly enjoy this one. The second timeline is 1943 in Boston and then 1943 in Paris during the war years. These timelines were interesting but there were more than one POV in each timeline. I found it confusing although they were marked very well in the chapters. It was just hard to keep track with who was who and what was what. The story did get interesting and I liked that ending! Julia Child makes some cameos and that was fun!
If you like a good spy war story with strong female leads and you don't mind taking notes than chances are you will really enjoy this one.
*I'd like to reference that I think this book is wrongly labelled as "Christian Fiction." I don't usually read that genre and I didn't realize it was until I started it. There really were no faith elements in the story and it probably shouldn't have been labelled as that. Just an FYI.
I'd like to kindly thank NetGalley and Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for granting me access to this Advance Listener's Copy....more
Breakneck Bay is adaptly named. It's an amusement park that is a little run-down and the place to be for teenagers in the summer. Warning signs are poBreakneck Bay is adaptly named. It's an amusement park that is a little run-down and the place to be for teenagers in the summer. Warning signs are posted everywhere in the park.
"Ride at your own risk - thrills aren't for wimps!"
It's 1982 and the summer is hot. Kit is newly married to Mitch, the Manager of the park. One day an ugly crime scene is found in Mitch's office. There's blood splattered everywhere and some missing teeth found at the scene. Also one of the teen girls that works there has not shown up for her shift. This one will keep you guessing! There are some chapters that go back in time.
There's plenty of 1980's nostalgia and it's quick paced. I was entertained! I did want more from the theme park aspect though. The best part was buddy reading this with Darlin' Darla. Be sure to check out her review and thoughts.
If you sign-up for the author's newsletter you will get access to an epilogue from a certain character's point of view. I'm excited to read that.
Published July 24, 2025
I'd like to thank NetGalley and Mirror House Press for granting me access to this Advance Reader's Copy....more
Don't let this beautiful and carefree cover fool you! This book is heart-rending. I was engrossed from start to finish.
The story centres around women'Don't let this beautiful and carefree cover fool you! This book is heart-rending. I was engrossed from start to finish.
The story centres around women's soccer ⚽️ and two sisters. Mia and Cricket Lowe are raised by a single mother who unfortunately gave up her budding soccer career. She teaches her two young girls to play soccer. While Mia begins to emerge as a star she has to stop playing in order to help raise Cricket. She makes many sacrifices for her while Cricket becomes a star player. The story also goes back in time as we learn about their mother Liz and her backstory.
What the girls face is heartbreaking and thought provoking. It's a story of sisters, mothers and daughters and how the ties bond them all together. It's a good one!
This book is the July 2025 selection for Reese's book club.
I'd like to kindly thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for granting me access to this Advance Reader's Copy....more
This is my, "Christmas in July" book. What a treat reading a Christmas story right smack in the middle of a heatwave This is my, "Christmas in July" book. What a treat reading a Christmas story right smack in the middle of a heatwave ...more
This was charming! It's the first book of a 2 book series originally published in 2013 and now updated and re-issued in print and audio by a new publiThis was charming! It's the first book of a 2 book series originally published in 2013 and now updated and re-issued in print and audio by a new publisher. I listened to the audio and was thoroughly entertained. Great narration!
Daisy McCrae has lost her job in the financial world in DC. Her family bakery in Alexandria is struggling and she goes back to help. She's a little lost in the world and has always felt a little out of place with her Irish family. She's adopted. There's a story to her adoption and when one day an elderly customer and long standing Alexandria resident passes away she leaves a journal for Daisy. What could it mean for her? Perhaps finally she will have some questions answered about her heritage.
I enjoyed every bit of this story and could easily see it turned into a tv series. It has a little bit of everything. Some history, mystery, hint of romance, and a loving family. One of the best parts - at the end there are recipes included! The Union Street Bakery sugar cookies, carrot cake cupcakes, biscuits and chocolate espresso torte. I've copied the recipes and the first one I'll make will be the sugar cookies! Mmm can't wait! ...more
Ok I had to totally look up, "tradwife." I'm not up-to-date with all these social media terminologies. It's basically just a "traditional wife" 3.5 ⭐️
Ok I had to totally look up, "tradwife." I'm not up-to-date with all these social media terminologies. It's basically just a "traditional wife" but not your normal everyday housewife. There's a twist. They are controlled by the men in their lives. Makes for a good story for books but not for real life.
Madison March is an instagrammer with over 1 million followers. She seems to have the perfect life living as a a "traditional wife." She is married to a rich Montana rancher, has 4 children (she home schools), cooks and keeps her house all nice and beautiful. Is it all true? She has Lori who is helping her with cooking and Cally who is the tutor for the children while Madison minds her account. We are also introduced to Brianna who is a teenager who has run away from home to live on a homestead with her boyfriend. Brianna seems to idolize the “tradwives” sites on-line. In alternating chapters we hear from Madison, Lori, Cally, and Brianna. The narrator did a very fine job!
I was entertained all throughout this story. It reminds me a bit of a LifeTime movie. That's not bad but just not as "thrilling" as I usually like although the ending was rather dramatic. I liked that I didn't guess the twist. It was good!
I'd like to kindly thank NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for the Advance Listeners Copy.
I listened to this memoir narrated by Jeremy Renner himself. I could feel all his emotions running straight through me!
This is a relatively short memoI listened to this memoir narrated by Jeremy Renner himself. I could feel all his emotions running straight through me!
This is a relatively short memoir. Running about 6.5 hours on audio. It's all about his near-fatal snow plow accident (Snow Cat) on New Year's Day. He was crushed by the machine when trying to save his nephew from being run over. The audio shares snippets of the 911 call and it's horrifying to listen to as you can hear Jeremy moaning and suffering. Truly heartbreaking ...more
I previously read this author's debut, "All is not Forgotten" and enjoyed it quite a bit. At the time I rated it 4 stars. This Another kindle backlog!
I previously read this author's debut, "All is not Forgotten" and enjoyed it quite a bit. At the time I rated it 4 stars. This one started off with a great premise but just did not quite take off for me.
Two sisters, Emma and Cassandra have disappeared into the night. Now, three years later the younger one, Cass has suddenly re-appeared with an unbelievable story. Dr. Abby Winter was working with the FBI when the sisters had first disappeared and this case has haunted her in more ways than one. Now she's working hard to piece together Cass' story and find out where exactly Emma is. Is someone hiding secrets?
It was a great premise but parts of the story started to confuse me with a lot of going back and forth in time for the sisters and Dr. Winter. Sometimes I wasn't sure who or what was being referred to. The twists didn't really excite me all that much.
I'd still read something else by this author as I've enjoyed her in the past. I just don't think this was her best work.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this 2017 publication....more
This is another one from my kindle backlog! I rated, "Beartown" 5 stars when I read it. This is the second book in the series This is another one from my kindle backlog! I rated, "Beartown" 5 stars when I read it. This is the second book in the series ...more
I've waited too long to read a Catherine Ryan Howard novel! While digging through some old kindle ARC's I found this. Her debut novel. I was thrilled!I've waited too long to read a Catherine Ryan Howard novel! While digging through some old kindle ARC's I found this. Her debut novel. I was thrilled! Once again why did I wait so long to read it⁉️
This has many suspenseful and twisty elements to it. It's basically a cruise ship mystery/thriller ...more
I remember Christie from the 80's. Who can forget she was the face of "CoverGirl?" She was in all the magazines. Then she popped up in, National3.75 *
I remember Christie from the 80's. Who can forget she was the face of "CoverGirl?" She was in all the magazines. Then she popped up in, National Lampoon's Vacation as "the girl in the red Ferrari." She was one of the most popular models at that time and then she started dating Billy Joel and married him. As a big Billy fan I kept up with the couple and loved seeing her in his videos. So I was very intrigued to listen to her memoir. I learned a lot about her. She's not just a, "pretty face" but quite intelligent and worldly. She speaks fluent French and has a great love for France and even lived in Paris for many years.
She's quite candid about her upbringing. She talks lovingly about her parents and especially about the man who adopted her. She has always thought of him as her Father. She's very open about her lovers and husbands (she's had 4.) Perhaps a little too open. I love reading celebrity memoirs but I'm always a little taken aback when too much is revealed. She spent a lot of time on her marriage to Billy Joel (they were married for 9 years) and talked a lot about her daughter with him, Alexa Ray. It seems that she is on friendly terms with him. I wanted to know what became of her first husband (a Frenchman) whom she said was her first love. Her last two husbands were just horrible. She didn't talk as much about her son Jack and daughter Sailor. It seemed a little odd.
She's had a surreal life and always tries to find the good in things. Even the horrific helicopter crash that she survived. This one just seemed too long. Almost 15 hours. Parts of it was filled with fluffy and unbelievable things. She's a warm and happy woman who seems content with her life. Overall a good memoir....more
I love Daisy Wood's writing. I've read all of her books except for one (The Royal Librarian..but I do want to read that one as well.) All her books arI love Daisy Wood's writing. I've read all of her books except for one (The Royal Librarian..but I do want to read that one as well.) All her books are so well researched. I was very excited when the publisher granted me an early copy. I was not disappointed!
It's a dual time line story. Freya's life is changing in 1930's Berlin. Her beloved mother has just died and she must take over her sewing business. It's not something she really enjoys. She loves the arts and writing in particular. She gets a job in a prestigious Berlin theatre and begins to sew the costumes and makes new friends. She's frustrated with her father and brother and leaves to live in the theatre. Times are changing in Germany and Hitler's regime is causing havoc for many people. Freya finds herself resisting the regime and doing things she never thought she'd have to do. In the present timeline Maddie is visiting her Grandfather in California. She's helping to cleanup his apartment and they find her Great-Grandmother's diary written in German. This puts Maddie on a quest to find out about her and her heritage. She will discover many things. I liked the twist at the end!
This book was a welcome change for me as it focused on pre WW II and Germany and when Hitler was fear mongering his own people. He was imposing curfews and trying to control freedom of speech through the banning and burning of books. Stories like this are still important today. This is a reminder to us all to never make these same mistakes again.
I'd like to thank NetGalley and Avon Books UK for granting me access to this Advance Reader's Copy.
I did like the story. It just didn't completely grab me. The writing is good and the premise was very enticing.
Audrey Wade lives in Sheffield, EnglandI did like the story. It just didn't completely grab me. The writing is good and the premise was very enticing.
Audrey Wade lives in Sheffield, England. It's 1946 and the war has ended and she is dreaming about running away to Hollywood with her best friend Freddie. Unfortunately Freddie has a secret and is banished from her life by her strict Father. By early 1950 Audrey is distraught. She decides to run away to Hollywood by herself. She finds a job as a secretary for a popular talent agent. There she meets one of the biggest stars of the time- Rex Trent. She's immediately infatuated. Before she knows it she's married to him and living her dream life. Or is she?
The idea of this story is very loosely based on Rock Hudson and his marriage to a secretary. I enjoy stories about old Hollywood and all its glamour. There's also a dirty side to Hollywood and it's exposed in this story. It's sad for both parties. Audrey in particular was very naive and innocent but I'm happy she finally got a back bone by the end of the novel.
Published March 28, 2025
I'd like to kindly thank NetGalley and Boldwood Books for granting me access to this Advance Readers Copy....more