Malicious Intent by Lynn Blackburn review

 Title: Malicious Intent

Author: Lynn Blackburn

Ch: 42

Pg: 363

Series: Defend and Protect book 2

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Revell

While I did enjoy the suspense in this one as well as The Princess Bride mentions and quotes. But especially Gil calling Ivy Buttercup was precious. And I loved that Ivy was a woman in science. Quite frankly we need more women in STEM in fiction books. I didn’t like this one as much as the first book in the series.

Mainly because to me the suspense and mystery was a little on the slow side. But it was still good and it kept me on my toes the whole the time I was reading. But more importantly I didn’t figure out The Who done it. I love when mysteries and suspense keep me guessing till the end. And I look forward to the next book in the series.

 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher a part of a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone. 

 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

The Planner by Jess Mastorakos review

Title: The Planner 

Author: Jess Mastorakos

Ch: 24 plus epilogue

Pg: 237

Series: Brides of Beaufort book 2

Genre: Rom Com

Rating: 5 stars

Publisher: self

I don’t know how Jess Mastorakos does it but she’s done it again with The Planner and that’s to get me to fall in love with book that has a romance trope I normally hate. And in The Planner is the brother’s best friend trope. I’m beginning to think it’s a combination of her writing style and the fact that the majority of her heroes are Marines including Will the brothers best friend.

Aria is a strong and sassy wedding planner and I loved her. Along with Will but then they were secondary characters in The Proposal. This one ended being sweeter than I thought it would be and I loved that.

I also enjoyed that the epilogue set up the next book in the series and I can’t wait for The Bridemaid.

I received a complimentary copy   from the author. I was not required to provide a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness review

Title: Shadow of Night

Author: Deborah Harkness

Ch: 42

Pg: 583

Series: All Souls Trilogy

Genre: Paranormal romance time travel

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Penguin

Shadow of Night is the second book in the All Souls trilogy and picks up immediately where A Discovery of Witches ends with that cliff hanger.  So it's very important that you read that one first. In Shadow of Night I grow to love Diana and Matthew more than I thought I could.  In this book you learn more about Matthew's past.  And in doing so the reader becomes more sympatric   to    the reason he is the way he is with Diana. But on the same note Diana starts to learn who she truly is in this one and come into her own. 

I loved the fact that they are in Tudor England for the majority of the book so that made this history nerd happy as well as seeing Tudor era Holy Roman Empire.  Though that's about all I can say about this one without giving much of the first book away.  And like A Discovery of Witches this one ends with a cliff hanger as well.  And I can't wait to pick up The Book of Life the final book in the trilogy though I'm sad to see it end I can't wait to find out what happens to Diana and Matthew and everyone they love. 

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Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

 Title:  Number the Stars

Author:  Lois Lowry

Ch: 17

Pg:  137

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Rating: 5 stars

Publisher: Houghton Miffin Barcourt

 

As C.S Lewis once said, " A Children's Story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest." And while I wouldn't consider Number the Stars by Lois Lowry a children's book that one would enjoy reading do to the nature of the story. It is one that is not just for children therefore making it a good children's story.  Though this book is 33 years old having first been published in 1989 and going on to win the Newbery Medal in 1990 it is still a book that relevant today. 

 

How I feel about this book having read it as an adult now is still the same way I felt when I first read it 25 years ago as a 10-year-old. The same age Annemarie and Ellen were in the book.  It hit me harder than my classmates as a fifth grader because my best friend is Jewish, and I could easily put myself in Annamarie's shoes and that still holds true today. But at 10 I hoped that if put in Annemarie's shoes I would act the way she did. This book was my introduction to the Holocaust and WWII as part of my fifth grade reading list. I have to say this book still needs to be read today and it needs to remain on elementary reading list. The main characters are 10 years old and the book is written for 10 year old in a way that they can grasp the subject.  

 

 

First Line Friday

 Hosted by Reading is my Superpower

 

Chapter 1

 Unu

“Fear Arrived at Five o’clock.”

At Love's Command by Karen Witemeyer review

 Title:  At Love’s Command 

Author:  Karen Witemeyer

Ch: 37 Plus Epilogue

Pg:  377

Series: Hangers Horseman book 1

Genre:  Christian Historical fiction western, romance

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Bethany House

 

Hanger’s horseman established by the hero to make up for failures he feels he made while serving in the cavalry. And the horseman are made up of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Jonah you thought I was going John didn’t you. Dr Josephine Burkett is woman in a man’s world who ends up hiring the horseman to recuse her brother and ends up getting more than she bargained for.

Reading this book reminded me why I fell in love with Karen Witemeyer in the first place. This book was a combination of western, adventure, and rom com. I loved the banter between Jo and Matthew. Matthew wanted to protect Jo, but he also let her stand on her own. Which makes him my favorite kind of hero. I look forward to the next book in the series.

 

 

Beautiful Little Fools by Jillian Cantor review

 Title:  Beautiful Little Fools 

 Author:  Jillian Cantor

 Pg:  336

 Genre:  Historical mystery, classic retelling

 Rating: 4 stars

 Publisher: Harper Perennial

 

I have to say this is the first The Great Gatsby retelling that I have actually enjoyed. Though I've only read three this one being the third one. I didn't finish one and I muddled through the other one only to be disappointed.  But Beautiful Little Fools by Jillian Cantor was everything I wanted in a Gatsby retelling.  Including the title being taken from my favorite line in the book. And being told from the point of view of the women in the novel. Daisy, Jordan, Catherine, and Myrtle. 

The Great Gatsby has been one of my favorite books since I first read it as high school junior sitting in classroom in the same town Daisy and Jordan grow up in. Heck I even had my senior prom at the hotel were Daisy gets married in the book.  After reading Gatsby I wanted more about Daisy I wanted her backstory. And Jillian Cantor gave me that even though I'm pretty sure it's not the backstory that Fitzgerald would have given her, but I loved it.  Though I will admit it doesn't change the opinion my sixteen-year-old self had of Daisy but It did help me understand her.  

 

I hope Beautiful Little Fools is just a taste of The Great Gatsby retellings we have to look forward to. Since this is a mainstream historical fiction there is language and some steamy scenes.

 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

 

 

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys review

Title:  I Must Betray You

Author:  Ruta Sepetys

Ch: 81 plus Epilogue

Pg: 317

Genre:  YA Historical Fiction

Rating: 5 stars

Publisher: Penguin

 

It’s hard to believe that a book that takes place in 1989 is historical fiction seeing as it was only 33 years ago. And I was alive when said events took place, granted I was only two. But that’s what I must Betray you by Ruta Sepetys is. Set in communist Romania and told through the eyes of teenage Cristian Florescu.

I don’t tend to cry reading YA but I must Betray You had me in tears, but it also had me laughing and celebrating with the characters. Ruta Sepetys is the queen of YA historical fiction, she writes the history from the point of view of teens living through it. But it’s doesn’t feel like your reading YA. It’s written in a way that anyone from teens and up can get something from the story learn something.

While I learned about the Cold War and Communism in Europe, though my history teachers in high school skimmed over it my mom filled in the gaps as did my history professors in college I didn’t learn about how the conditions were in Romania. I mean I knew that they had a dictator and unlike most of my western peers I knew that Dracula was a work of fiction but that Transylvania is indeed a region of Romania.

As a reader you cannot read I Must Betray You and not be affected. You won’t be the same reader you where before I know I’m not. I didn’t not what to make of the quote “some believe that Dracula is the most frightening character associated with Romania. When they learn the truth, will it haunt them?” In the Beneath the Gilded Frame section when I started the book but did I understand by time I closed the book.

The Thief of Blackfriars Lane by Michelle Griep review

 Title:  The Thief of Blakcfriars Lane

Author:  Michelle Griep

 Ch: 33

 Pg:  320

Genre:  Christian Historical mystery, romance

 Rating: 4 stars

 
Publisher: Barbour

 

I’m not going to lie I picked the one of because the title and cover were giving me Sherlock Holmes vibes. But The Thief of Blackfriars lane was so much more than that. I was hooked for the first page. But while reading it also gave me Oliver Twist vibes as well.

Constable Jackson Forge had a chip on his shoulder, and he was trying to prove himself. Kit Turner’s an “thief” with a heart of gold. Neither trust the other but they’re going to need each other to solve a crime and save Jackson’s job.

But I have to say Kit Turner was my favorite I loved her spunk and her sass. Historical fiction needs more sassy and spunky heroines. And I wish this one had a sequel. I want more Kit and Jackson adventures.

Fans of Rachel McMillan’s Herrington and Watts mysteries will enjoy this one.

 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

 

Crimes and Covers by Amanda Flower review

 Title:  Crimes and Covers

Author:  Amanda Flower

Ch: 28 Plus Epilogue

Pg:  304

Series: A Magical Bookshop mystery book 5

Genre:  Cozy Mystery

Rating: 5 stars

 Publisher: Crooked Lane books

 

Crimes and Covers by Amanda Flower is the fifth book in the A Magical Bookshop mystery series and it's the book I been waiting for since I started this series.  Though I liked how the book ended I do hope it's not the end of the series and Violet's mystery solving. I loved this book and series because of the bookshop setting and the little bit of romance. I am one of those cozy readers who enjoys a bit of rom com with my mysteries.  I look forward to the next book by Amanda Flower and hopefully the next book in the A Magical Bookshop Mystery series. 

 

 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

 

February Wrap Up

 I’m starting the month with (65) unread books Bought (3) book(s) Got (2) book for review Won a book in a giveaway Got my owlcrate book(1) Got books for gifts () which brought my total to (71). Read (3) owned books. (1) DNF’d book Read (1) Kindle books I own DNF’d kindle book (). () DNF’d series (1) finished series.  So I am ending the month at books (67) unread books. (50) unfinished series and hoping to get back on track with the whole read 5 physical books before I buy anymore.  I read a total of (18) books across (3686) pages and listened to (33.66) hours of audio books

 

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (library)

Ribbing and Runes by Nancy Warren (audio)

Up to No Gouda by Linda Reilly  (netgalley)

Black Widow: Vol 1 The Ties that Bind by Kelly Thompson (library)

The Lady of Galway Manor by Jennifer Deibel (owned)

Beautiful Little Fools by Jillian Cantor (netgalley)

Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin (owned)

At Love’s Command by Karen Witemeyer (library)

The Thief of Blackfriars lane by Michelle Griep (kindle)

The Vampire Book Club by Nancy Warren (audio)

Royal Valentine by Jenn McKinaly (library)

Chapter and Curse by Nancy Warren (audio)

Once More with Chutzpah by Haley Neil (library)

A Spelling Mistake by Nancy Warren (audio)

Hollywood Horrors: Murders, Scandals, and Cover-ups from Tinseltown by  Andrea Van Landignham (library) (nonfiction)

I Must Betray You by Ruta Septeys (owned)

The Storyteller by Kathryn Williams (library)

Black Widow Vol 2: I am the Black Widow (library)

 

 

 

DNF’S

The Christie Affair by Nina De Gramont (owned)

The Department of Rare Books and Speical Collections by Eva Jurcyk

Anatomy A Love Story by Dana Schwartz

Her Hidden Genius by Marie Benedict