-
Special Feature and Excerpt: Jane and the Year Without a Summer (Jane Austen Mysteries #14) by Stephanie Barron
I am so happy to see how well this series is doing! Fourteen books into the mystery series and it’s still going strong! This is a series that has floated around my radar for a while now and it’s been so fun to watch it grow and mature over the years since the first book was published in 1996! That to me shows this series has staying power! I am so thrilled to bring you guys a sample of the latest book in the series, Jane and the Year Without a Summer. I mean what could be better than Jane Austen with a murder mystery?! Some times I am wary…
-
Review: Homicide and Halo-Halo (Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery #2) by Mia P Manansala
I recognized this cover art almost immediately when the book came across my desk for review! The cover art on the Tita Rosie’s Kitchen books are recognizable and stand out with their bold colors and fun graphics. The first book in the series is Arsenic and Adobo which was a Book of the Month selection last year when it first came out. I snatched it up but then basically forgot about it until this follow up book came across my desk. The pops of color and the cute done on the front inspired me to pick it up and give it a go……regardless if I had read the first book…
-
Review: Circus of Wonders by Elizabeth Macneal
I read Elizabeth Macneal’s debut novel, The Doll Factory, a couple of years ago and loved it. I was super excited to see this book was coming out and I absolutely love the cover. The cover is eye catching and bright and just screams ‘circus theme’ and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. Honestly the cover and title implied that it would be a lot more whimsical and happy then it actually was. Having read her previous novel, I was not entirely surprised that this book was a bit more serious than the cover implies. Macneal has a great way of capturing the atmosphere of late Victorian…
-
Special Feature: The Lobotomist’s Wife by Samantha Greene Woodruff
There are so many hot new historical fiction releases this upcoming spring and I cannot with all these great titles! This book hit my radar a few months ago and I have been so excited to bring it to you guys! This book follows the early days of the psychological field but through the eyes of the wife of a leading psychologist. This book is based on real life events and I am so here for it! Mental health is on a lot of peoples radar right now with the pandemic and such, so a book like this that looks at some of the early treatment of mental patients really…
-
Review: The Next Ship Home: A Novel of Ellis Island by Heather Webb
Heather Webb is such an incredibly gifted writer. I have read and loved many of her novels, she has written independent novels and cowritten novels with Hazel Gaynor. All of them have been wonderful reads and I always look forward to her upcoming novels. This book was obviously no different. I had this one on my radar for months! When I was a little girl I was fascinated by Ellis Island. I recall learning about is in 5th grade and really romanticizing the idea of coming to a completely new country and having to navigate a new culture, in many cases a new language, and to try and make a…
-
Review: The Night Train to Berlin by Melanie Hudson
Ya’ll know how much of a sucker I am for WWII romances and historical fiction (which generally includes some kind of romantic element). I just can’t say no and that lovely cover just drew me in. Lately I’ve been reading some easy romances and a couple of solid thrillers so I haven’t really been in the mood to snag a more emotional war time novel but this one just stood out and I knew it was something that I would most likely love. I also love the Cornish coast so any book set there is a win-win for me. Author Melanie Hudson’s debut novel, The Last Letter from Juliet, was…
-
Special Feature and Excerpt: A Lullaby for Witches by Hester Fox
I first discovered Hester Fox a couple of years ago and absolutely fell in love with her gothic/supernatural romances. I have read almost all of them and naturally I have this one on my radar to read a little later this year. If you love witchy books then this one needs to be on your TBR list! Fox has such a wonderful way of incorporating history into her books and making it come alive in the story. I have every hope and expectation that this book will follow Fox’s pattern of interesting gothic feeling history mixed in to a supernatural romance. This book sounds like it’s going to follow two…
-
Review: How to Love Your Neighbor by Sophie Sullivan
You all know how much I love a great rom-com right?! Whether it’s a movie, tv show, or book, I am always down for romantic comedies. If you are a fan of the genre, you will also know that the market is full of great rom-coms and I feel like there is always a hot new release just begging for me to read it. It is always so hard for me to pick which ones I want to read first. So how do I decide which ones to pick? Sometimes it’s by feel and if I have openings on my calendar, other times I have to choose based on my…
-
Review: The Siren of Sussex (Belles of London #1) by Mimi Matthews
Mimi Matthews has been a long time auto-buy author for me. I’ve read all her books and have loved each and every one of them. Watching her author journey from early on has been so exciting and rewarding but in some ways sad. For me she was my best kept secret in the historical fiction genre and now the secret is out about how amazing she is with this big publishing house release! Matthews is a master at creating realistic female characters with charming heroes that come together with electric chemistry. I have raved about her books to friends, family, and all over my social media! She’s amazing and I…
-
Review: Tough: Building True Mental, Physical and Emotional Toughness for Success and Fulfillment by Greg Everett
If you have been following my blog for any length of time you will know one thing—I do not review and/or read self improvement books. I have nothing against self improvement or motivational books I just simply don’t read them. They aren’t really my thing…..if they are yours, that’s awesome. They just aren’t typically for me. I like reading for escape and distraction not necessarily for self betterment if that makes sense. So why this book and why start now? Many of you know that I also do competitive weightlifting. The last couple of years I have invested a lot more time, resources, and intension into the sport. It is…