Book Critic
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Special Feature: Have We Met? by Camille Baker
This hot new release was featured last month on Amazon’s First Reads program and so many readers fell in love with Camille Baker’s writing style! This is Baker’s debut novel and it promises to be a good one sure to draw fans who enjoy women’s fiction as well as romance. I am so excited to read this one later on this summer but right now I want to share about this one and I also have a giveaway happening over on my IG where you can win a copy of this book! This debut promises heart, romance, social relevance, as well as humor and that sounds like an incredible mash…
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Review: Incense and Sensibility (The Rajes #3) by Sonali Dev
Sonali Dev clearly has a love for Jane Austen! I have had the pleasure of reading the Rajes books that each feature their own unique Austen novel retelling. Naturally, when I saw this one coming out I jumped on it. While Persuasion is my favorite Austen novel, Sense and Sensibility boasts my favorite heroines. I love the contrast between the two Dashwood sisters and I was eager to see how that plays out in the Rajes family in this book. Dev adds so much spice, flair, and uniqueness to her novels that will leave readers desperate for more. When I first saw that Dev was working her way through the…
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Review: In Royal Service to the Queen: A Novel of the Queen’s Governess by Tessa Arlen
Tessa Arlen is an author that I don’t think get’s enough credit or recognition. She’s a wonderful author who I always feel like is on the fringes of the historical fiction genre. She’s written a few mysteries series that I have enjoyed over the years and whenever I see that she has a new book coming out, I am always excited. Yet I don’t see her books getting the same hype as other historical and historical mystery writers. Which means—-she is a diamond in the rough! She writes smart mysteries with wonderful historical details. I especially love her Poppy Redfern series for historical details. When I saw that she has…
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Review: Love Your Life by Sophie Kinsella
I have only read Sophia Kinsella’s Shopaholic books and even then, I have only read like the first two. I read the first book when it was released back in 2000 and I recall LOVING IT. I laughed so hard many many times and I remember thinking how much I had in common with the main character, especially at that time being a young college student. I love seeing that the series has continued with nine more books, but as I said I only read like the first two but it wasn’t for want of trying—I just got on to another book and/or series and forgot about the Shopaholic books.…
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Re-Share Review: We Are All the Same in the Dark by Julia Heaberlin
Last year my book club picked up this unique book. I had seen a lot of praise for it and it was often called ‘THE thriller to read if you only read one this year’. What I loved about it was that each character was so impossibly flawed and damaged. Not just emotionally but physically too and I loved watching how that unfolded and impacted the story. It wasn’t a perfect read for me and it earned a three star review from me which puts it firmly in the ‘good’ category when people ask me if I liked it. But what I think is so important about this book and…
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Review: A Peculiar Combination (Electra McDonnell #1) by Ashley Weaver
I have really enjoyed Ashley Weaver’s Amory Ames books so when I saw she was coming out with a new lady detective series and with a heroine by the name of Electra (Ellie for short), I knew this was going to be a great, great read! Clearing my schedule, I added this one to my early summer reading list and I am so glad that I did! The Amory Ames series has been fun and I have liked the books I have read, but this book felt so much more complete for some reason (I will get to my thoughts on that in a minute!). Historical mysteries are my favorites,…
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Review: The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels (Dangerous Damsels #1) by India Holton
A historical romance with pirates, sassy ladies, dashing heroes, assassins, and all the tea? Ummm yes yes yes please! I needed little persuading when it came to reviewing this one. I was so excited for this hot new historical romance and I cracked my ARC open instantly! This one has been on so many top anticipated lists this summer and clearly it was also on mine! I am always looking for historical romances that have funny plots and snappy dialogues, not to mention charming heroes so this one sounded like a great place to start. But truth be told, I have been in a reading funk lately and I was…
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Review: The Photographer by Mary Dixie Carter
This book has been high up on my TBR list for the better part of a year. I have been so excited to read it since I was part of the cover reveal last year and since then I received the coolest book package for this one and it only brought my eagerness to a fever pitch! One of the things that appealed to me so much about this one was its relevance and relatability especially for me as a mom. Thanks to social media and over the top reality tv, the desire to create the ‘perfect photo op’ is at an all time high. When I had my son,…
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Review: Because of Miss Bridgerton (Rokesbys #1) by Julia Quinn
After binge reading the Bridgerton books this winter, I immediately went out and bought a bunch of other Julia Quinn books and I couldn’t wait to dive in and read them! But I wasn’t really sure where to start. When it was time for our Arizona vacation, I thought this would be the perfect book to take with me since it was a light read that I could set down if I needed to. We were flying with a four year old so I wanted to make sure I had a book that I could set down and pick up five minutes later and not have to go back and…
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Review: The Hunting Wives by May Cobb
When I first saw this one as a Book of the Month pick….I couldn’t click the ‘make my book of the month’ button fast enough. Not only is the cover eye catching and memorable, but the description sounded tantalizing. I have been on the look out for a really good domestic thriller lately, something in the vein of Samantha Downing and this one sounded perfect! I am sure many of you have seen this book on a number of ‘hot releases’ or ‘most anticipated’ lists this spring and all the buzz made me equally excited and wary. I mean clearly I bought into the hype since I couldn’t get my…