Thank you to Bart Yates & Kensington Books for the copy to review.
I was intrigued by the description of the book and very excited to start reading itThank you to Bart Yates & Kensington Books for the copy to review.
I was intrigued by the description of the book and very excited to start reading it. However, I don't think this book and I were a good pairing. The overall premise of the book is simple: a person's life seems ordinary in lived time, but can be extraordinary to others. The main character lives a typical life from his perspective, but becomes part of major historical events such as being stationed on the USS Houston as a war correspondent. I still think the premise of the book is a good one and could have been told in an engaging way.
However, the characters of the book are flat and are detached. Pair that with a dry writing style and the book just doesn't work for me.
Having said that, I did see that the book has high marks from other readers, so that leads me to the conclusion that we weren't the best fit at this time. ...more
Thank you to Emily Carpenter and Kensington books for the ARC copy for review.
Gothictown poses the question of what happens when a family accepts an iThank you to Emily Carpenter and Kensington books for the ARC copy for review.
Gothictown poses the question of what happens when a family accepts an invitation from a town to join their community through purchasing a house at a really good price. The offer reaches the Hope family at a time when the Billie, the wife, is struggling with losing her restaurant due to COVID and is struggling with her relationship with her mother. The family is sold on the idea of a safer life in a small town. They get the home and land they want for $100. But is the town what they dreamed?
The start of the book moved slowly. Setting up the characters and the points of drama seemed to take a slow pace. I'm not sure if the author was trying to recreate a Southern feel (long, slow stories) or not. The middle sped along. There was something devastatingly unsatisfying about the ending. In thinking about the ending, there probably were only 3 logical outcomes for the characters. The one selected didn't quite feel true to the characters, but I'm not sure where the "blame" rests for that.
Overall, the characters are written well enough to keep the reader's attention. The townspeople are different from Billie's old life, but not in a wacky way. They are very understated Southern Gothic. The resolution of some character issues seems to happen as if by magic and there doesn't seem to be much legitimate character growth.
However, having said that, the middle of the book was a good read, nicely paced, and worth the slow start....more
Thanks to Goodreads, Maddie Day and Kensington Books for the review copy.
Overall, I enjoyed this cozy mystery. It's the second book in the CeCe BartonThanks to Goodreads, Maddie Day and Kensington Books for the review copy.
Overall, I enjoyed this cozy mystery. It's the second book in the CeCe Barton Mystery series. CeCe is works at a wine tasting establishment. When her electrician is murdered, she is drawn in to the investigation trying to save her friends and co-workers from being arrested.
The book was an easy and quick read. The characters were enjoyable. The only potential issues I had with the book, and these are minor, is that it felt like there were too many suspects and that some of the characters didn't seem fully developed....more
Thank you to Goodreads, Jean-Luc Bannalec and Minotaur Books for the ARC version of Death of a Master Chef for review.
Commissaire Georges Dupin is sThank you to Goodreads, Jean-Luc Bannalec and Minotaur Books for the ARC version of Death of a Master Chef for review.
Commissaire Georges Dupin is sent to Saint-Malo for a police training/conference and finds himself driven to help solve a murder that happens while he is shopping at the local market. The death of victim, Blanch Trouin, is a well-known regional chef, surprises the town. The suspects include family, friends, and rivals (sometimes fitting in more than one category).
While the primary focus of the book is on how the police team (three members from different divisions) work together to solve the crime, the highlight of the book for me was reading the descriptions of the food Dupin indulged in. Even if you aren't a fan of police procedural novels, reading this just for the food would be worth it. ...more
Thank you to Goodreads, Sarah Perry, and Mariner publishing for the advance reader's edition of this book.
I really wanted to like this book, but unforThank you to Goodreads, Sarah Perry, and Mariner publishing for the advance reader's edition of this book.
I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately that was not the case. The book tells the story of Thomas Hart and Grace Macaulay as they try to reconcile their faith with their lives. Neither character was interesting or had any personality for me. The side story of Maria was the most interesting, but that story was overtaken and corrupted by Thomas's story.
Perry's writing style was not appealing. While there were spots of well-written prose, there were other spots that appeared rough which caused me to struggle to figure out what was going on.
Having said that, I'm sure this book is going to be popular with some people. ...more
First, thank you to Avon books, Jill Shalvis, and Goodreads for the advanced reader's copy.
This is the first book I've read by Shalvis and there are sFirst, thank you to Avon books, Jill Shalvis, and Goodreads for the advanced reader's copy.
This is the first book I've read by Shalvis and there are some entertaining points. The grandmother and DZ were absolutely charming. Overall, the characters were entertaining. However, my enjoyment of the book was in the dwelling on trust/abandonment issues that the main characters faced. Although, I'm not sure that's exactly the way to put it. I liked the characters in the book immensely. They were flawed but also struggling to make their way in their world. However, their emotional issues took up too much of the book and overwhelmed their ability to be charming.
The plot is one that has been done before, but the quirky characters help compensate for that. Simply put, Luna runs the farm. The owner dies and leaves her half the farm. He leaves the other half of the farm to a man he helped raise. The two fall in love. Complications happen. Secrets are revealed. Farm is saved. Happily ever after. None of that is any surprise.
Shalvis has a way with dialogue, but still the character's inner emotional turmoil overpowers that. I think I would have found this book more enjoyable if about half of the inner turmoil was cut out and there was more of a focus on the relationships between the characters. ...more
Thank you to Kensington Books for the free review copy.
Overall, the plot of Tatum Comes Home is sweet and is one that is easy relatable. There's a stThank you to Kensington Books for the free review copy.
Overall, the plot of Tatum Comes Home is sweet and is one that is easy relatable. There's a storm, Tatum gets scared and runs away. In his attempts to return home, he encounters nice, but broken, people who help to reunite him with his family. As they help him, he helps bring love into their lives.
However, I absolutely had such a strong hatred for the tone/style of the author, Mica Stone, that it overshadowed everything else in the book. It feels as if the author never had a clear picture of who the reader was so the tone varies from sounding as if they as speaking to children to speaking to older audiences. Additionally annoying was the treatise on how to become social media famous (in other words, how to be an Influencer) towards the end of the book. ...more
Thank you to Kensington Publishers, Andrea Penrose and Goodreads for the free advance reader's edition for review.
The Diamond of London is a fictionalThank you to Kensington Publishers, Andrea Penrose and Goodreads for the free advance reader's edition for review.
The Diamond of London is a fictional telling inspired by the life of Lady Hester Stanhope. As such, readers are entertained by the author's interpretation of real-life characters and events.
I found this book, for the most part, an enjoyable read. Some of the plot felt tired, but that may be a reflection more of the time than the story. The plot focuses on the Hetty's loves and learning how to help Pitt navigate though the political intrigues.
Although the book is not a quick read, it is definitely an enjoyable one. The author writes well and her interpretation of Hetty's obstacles are intriguing.
If I had to point out one flaw, it would be that the majority of the characters "sound" the same. Only Brummell has a unique sound to him.
Despite that, the book is worth the time one will spend with it. I do miss Hetty now that the book is done....more
Thank you to the publisher, author, and Goodreads for the advance copy of The Frame-Up to review.
I was thoroughly captivated by this book after the fThank you to the publisher, author, and Goodreads for the advance copy of The Frame-Up to review.
I was thoroughly captivated by this book after the first 30 pages. The plot centers on Dani Poissant, art thief, being hired by Archer to steal a portrait of himself that is hanging in a personal art collection about to be sold. The book is sectioned so that it counts down the days until the heist, which gives Oceans 11 vibes (in a good way). As the story continues, readers learn about Dani's history, relationship with her mother, reconnecting with her team, and Archer's dark past.
The characters are completely engaging and relatable. For example, Mia's desire to be part of the heist more than she normally is and how she devises a way to contribute more completely fits in with the plot and the character.
Although the ending of the heist is somewhat predictable to people who have familiarity with this type of book, it is handled in a way that feels right for the characters.
Definitely a "must read" for an enjoyable and romantic grand theft novel. ...more
**spoiler alert** Thank you to Goodreads, Henry Holt & Co, and Katherine Howe for the advanced reader's copy of The True Account: Hannah Masury's Souj**spoiler alert** Thank you to Goodreads, Henry Holt & Co, and Katherine Howe for the advanced reader's copy of The True Account: Hannah Masury's Soujurn Amongst the Pyrates, Written by Herself in return for this review.
The book centers around two plot lines: 1. the story of Hannah Masury and 2. the story of Marian Beresford and her ambitious student Kay. Taken together, the two storylines showcase the difficulties women faced throughout history. Hannah starts her story as a servant who sneaks out out of work to see a pirate being hanged. After that, a series of events happen so that she must flee in order to save her life. So, in typical fashion, Hannah assumes the role of a boy, hops on a pirate ship, and sails the seas seeking adventure but finding violence and love. Marian's story is actually the sadder of the two. She is a professor struggling to escape her father's influence and reputation. Kay, her student, brings her a great discovery, Hannah's journal and convinces her to get funding from her father's club and run off in search of buried treasure.
Overall, the book was interesting, in parts, and really annoying in other parts. Hannah is presented as a smart woman while the university professor, Marian, is presented as a simpering idiot. The sub plot of Marian's sexuality contributes nothing to the story other than adding another reason to want to smack the character on the head. The fact that a university professor would arrange to travel the world in search of buried treasure with an untrained student is ridiculous. Kay, who happens to be the most interesting character in the "modern" plot turns out to be a self-centered fraud. The storyline of the female professor trying to overcome a male professor's shadow is tired and tiresome.
It is clear that the author was influenced (as she admits) by past pirate stories and personal family narratives. Because of this influence, the plot with the pirates and Hannah feel more developed and, perhaps, more cherished than the Marian-Kay-Father storyline. The endings of both plots were predictable.
This is the second novel I've read by Katherine Howe. Although I cannot say that I like her writing style, her story ideas are entertaining. She is not a quick read author, but one that needs the reader to spend time with the story....more
**spoiler alert** Thank you to Goodreads, Nora Roberts, and St. Martin's Press for the advance review copy of this book in return for my honest review**spoiler alert** Thank you to Goodreads, Nora Roberts, and St. Martin's Press for the advance review copy of this book in return for my honest review.
This was my first Nora Roberts read (although I was familiar with the author's work before this). While the start made me cringe a bit (the old story of a woman finding out her finance wasn't what she thought he was even though the signs were there for her to see), the book quickly turned into a fascinating ghost story, a quest for 7 rings, and finding the truth about family. The story pulls the reader in and you find yourself caring for the characters, both dead and alive.
Sonya's struggle with what she learns is a haunted house is both interesting and logical. The reader goes along with her disbelief to acceptance of what is happening. The quirks of the ghosts are entertaining. I was pleasantly surprised that the big baddie wasn't depicted as ugly and the way the characters treated that information. The book started to drag a little for me when the romance storyline started to overtake the ghost storyline.
Some minor drawbacks to the book, as it stands without the perspective of the full trilogy...The feeling that the residents of the town are in on a secret beyond the fact that the house is haunted becomes a bit annoying over time. Since this is the first book of the trilogy, I'm not sure if something comes of the feeling or if it will be discarded. Also, as with many books, there were a few (okay, 3 that really pulled me out of the story) remaining type-o's (including referring to the main character by a different name). While that will probably not bother many readers, they were enough to pull me out of the story for a bit.
The book was one I didn't want to put down, even with the above issues. I am eagerly looking forward to the next two books in the trilogy....more
Thank you to Goodreads and Scribner for the advance readers copy of The Science of Spin: How Rotational Forces affect Everything from your Body to JetThank you to Goodreads and Scribner for the advance readers copy of The Science of Spin: How Rotational Forces affect Everything from your Body to Jet Engines. The book is an overview of how rotation (spin) is used in a variety of items that impact humans' everyday life. The author does a great job at reaching the reading public with a complex topic using lay terms. However, while appealing, this also left me with the belief that the information presented was either overly simplified or missing much more than presented.
The first part focused on explaining how rotation works on the world, specifically focusing on planet Earth. I was a bit disappointed with the spin in technology chapter, specifically the bit about using drop spindles/creating yarn. This section starts by referencing the incomplete/inaccurate assumptions of the past regarding "women's work," but then only spends approximately 2 pages on using a drop spindle. In some sudden shift, the drop spindle becomes a child's toy, the YoYo. The last half of the book focused on spin related to the human body and sports, which was interesting....more
I received The Crow Valley Karaoke Championships as part of a Goodreads giveaway. Based on the publisher's blurb, I expected a "rip-roaring romp aboutI received The Crow Valley Karaoke Championships as part of a Goodreads giveaway. Based on the publisher's blurb, I expected a "rip-roaring romp about a small town and the fires we all fight in life" (quoted from back cover). If there was comedy in the book it was lost on me.
Each chapter is told from a different point of view, which is an intriguing style of writing. However, there are either too many characters or the characters are too similar to keep track of them easily. The characters are defined by their sadness and how they cope with their disappointments in life. It is difficult label one character as the protagonist. Instead, each character is immersed in their own story until the last chapter(s) when some resolution is brought to their stories.
The book does a good job at showing how interconnected people's lives can be in a small town and how those people do care about each other, to some extent.
It may be that the book is trying to be like Winesburg Ohio by Sherwood Anderson, but it lacks the charm and purpose that Anderson's work has. ...more
*This book was received free as part of the Goodreads giveaways*
If you like Hallmark Movies, you'll enjoy this book. Becca Kinzer takes readers on a j*This book was received free as part of the Goodreads giveaways*
If you like Hallmark Movies, you'll enjoy this book. Becca Kinzer takes readers on a journey of misunderstandings and misrepresentations which ultimately lead to romance. While the main characters are somewhat typical (the female lead was in a difficult marriage and has sworn off romance and the male lead is struggling to prove himself), the rest of the characters are quirky and cute in a small-town way.
The book is well-written and a quick read. The only disappointment with the story itself is that while most of the book reads as secular, there are parts where one is hit over the head with "God providing." While I understand this book is published by a Christian publishing company, the addition of the religious elements do not fit smoothly into the overall story and come off as preachy. I wouldn't recommend using the discussion questions at the end of the book as they are superficial and really don't work as discussion starters.
However, the book is an entertaining read and a fun Hallmark Movie style romance....more
I received this book as part of a giveaway in return for the review.
Sunshine Nails is Mai Nguyen's first book. One can find nods to her background as I received this book as part of a giveaway in return for the review.
Sunshine Nails is Mai Nguyen's first book. One can find nods to her background as a journalist, such as incorporating a news story as part of one of the story lines and her style of writing. While adding the news story to the storyline is intriguing, the journalistic style of writing (telling vs showing) is a bit of a disappointment.
There are three plotlines in the book: mom & pop store vs. mega store, a news story about abuses in the nail industry, and a story about a family that has lost itself and their deeper ties to their culture. The first plotline is typical of what one would expect. The actions of their customers at the end somehow managed to be both predictable and misplaced. The reader didn't have enough interactions with the Trans and their customers to make the actions "fit" well.
The second was an intriguing addition, but needs to be developed more throughout to make it meaningful. While the news article was mentioned a few times throughout the novel and reactions to the article were told to the reader, there wasn't much else done with the story. Shock, horror, and misunderstanding was all that was conveyed.
The third plotline was, perhaps, the most interesting of them all. The points where the family interacted with their culture and their reactions to those points made the reader think deeper about the immigrant experience. However the characters were not very likeable throughout most of the novel. Towards the end of the novel, when the characters and their culture realigned seemed to provide some likeability points with the characters. However, one wonders about whether or not any change will really happen to them or if they would return to their original states if the story continued.
Some of the issues I had with this book I anticipate going away with future novels by Nguyen as they are typical of many first novels, especially first novels by journalists. I do look forward to seeing what her next novel entails. ...more
Thank you to the publisher for providing a review copy of this book.
I first stumbled on the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series during the pandemThank you to the publisher for providing a review copy of this book.
I first stumbled on the Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery series during the pandemic when looking for an audio book to pass the time. This series has been a delight since book 1. The main characters are well thought out and have grown over time. The supporting characters develop quickly and have enough personality so that they are strong characters, not just plot devices.
Overall the series is entertaining and well-written. Lauren Elliott knows how to tell a well-paced murder mystery. The entire series is an enjoyable read that is difficult to put down....more
As mentioned in the title, By her Own Design tells the story of Ann Lowe, a designer who has overcome a variety struggles to create art through designAs mentioned in the title, By her Own Design tells the story of Ann Lowe, a designer who has overcome a variety struggles to create art through designing dresses. This work of historical fiction pulls the reader in for a quick and enjoyable read.
The most powerful sentence in the book appears towards the end and still resonates today: "For, to be able to see someone, to see them as a human being, to see them for what they can contribute in this world, to be a light, to be a force or an influence in someone else's life, is all that we need" (p. 366). It is clear that through this book, Pipe Huguley helps us see Ann as a human, as a designer, and as a light for women as they encounter struggles.
Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy of this book. ...more