Category: Book Review

Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: The Tuscan Daughter by Tessa Harris

by The Lit Bitch1 Comment on Review: The Tuscan Daughter by Tessa Harris

I have been a long time Tessa Harris fan! I read a few of her standalone books over the years and always feel like it was time well spent! I have also enjoyed her mystery series! It’s rare when an author can seamlessly cross over between different genres! She writes with knowledge on several topics and I have been looking forward to this one since I was first approached about it! I couldn’t wait to check it out!

This book takes us to Italy during WWII and gives us interesting insight into the resistance movement in Italy during that time. I don’t really have much background knowledge about the politics of Italy at the time or where they fit into WWII. Most of my own interest and research has been limited to England, France and Germany during this time. However when I saw this book was going to be set in Italy with this kind of new to me history, I was totally on board to review it!

Lately I have been kind of in this reading funk. The books I have been reading have been mostly by authors that I know I will love, but even then I have been so bogged down with work that reading has been difficult. But this book was one that I was anticipating for so long that I made sure I had time and room for it on my calendar and I am so glad that I did because it offered the escape that I desperately needed!

Continue reading “Review: The Tuscan Daughter by Tessa Harris” →
Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: What the Mountains Remember by Joy Callaway

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Review: What the Mountains Remember by Joy Callaway

I love the Edwardian era. I love the hats, the dresses, and the history! There aren’t that many books set during that time period so when I see one come up for review, I usually jump on it! This particular author is a new to me author and while I have heard of some of her books, I haven’t read any of them yet! So when I saw this book up for review, I was eager for the time period/setting and because I love discovering new to me authors!

To be honest though, this setting didn’t really appeal to me—a new hotel, the Grove Park Inn in the North Carolina mountains, seemed a little basic and uninspiring. However when I started reading about the hotel, the setting grew on me. The Blue Ridge Mountains feel more rugged and robust to me so when I started reading this book I was thinking it would be more like roughing it camping rather than ‘glamping’. Ultimately I ended up really enjoying the setting which was surprising! I thought it added an interesting change for readers!

If you are a historical fiction fan, I hope this one is on your radar! It’s a lovely novel and I think readers will find something refreshing in the pages! I know I did! I am now eager to read more books by this author! I know she has written a number of other historical fiction books set during similar time periods with promising stories that offer new and untold narratives! I cannot wait to check out some of her other books as this one was wonderful!

Continue reading “Review: What the Mountains Remember by Joy Callaway” →
Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: The Love Remedy (The Damsels of Discovery #1) by Elizabeth Everett

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Review: The Love Remedy (The Damsels of Discovery #1) by Elizabeth Everett

I always love a good historical romance novel especially when it’s part of a new series! I was super excited to read this one and knowing it was by an established author made me even more excited to read it. But I have to admit—I have been having a really hard time getting into Everett’s other series The Secret Scientists of London. By all accounts, the Secret Scientists of London should be a series that is 100% up my alley but I have tried reading the books and they just haven’t held my interest.

Now I know I am in the minority with readers of that series. But just because I couldn’t get into that series doesn’t mean that I was fully ready to write her off as an author. When this book came up for review, I was like ok here we go a fresh slate something new and different to try. This book is similar to the Secret Scientist series as it too has a STEM and science-y feel to it which has been a hot trend lately and I think that Victorian London really worked well as the setting for this book.

If you love historical romances, especially books with a STEM/science feel, then I think this book will be an exciting start to a new series. I think there are a few little things to figure out but overall I enjoyed this one more than I liked the other Secret Scientist books. Reading new series is one of the reasons I LOVE book blogging because I don’t know if I would have picked this one right right away had it not been floating around the blogosphere!

Continue reading “Review: The Love Remedy (The Damsels of Discovery #1) by Elizabeth Everett” →
Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: A Noble Scheme (The Imposters #2) by Rosanna M White

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Review: A Noble Scheme (The Imposters #2) by Rosanna M White

This author is a new to me author but I am already looking into the other books in this series! From the review pitch, I could see this was part of a series but that it could be read as a standalone which I completely agree with—it can easily be a standalone. But it was so fun and I quickly got sucked in and started looking into the series as a whole! While I know this book is only the second one, I see a third book is planned for November which I am excited to check out!

While this is a new to my author, I could see that she has written a number of successful historical fiction novels, and I really liked the sound of this book. I liked the time period the book was set in and I loved the idea of a second chance romance with the catalyst for the romance being a kidnapping. It suggested a little mystery and intrigue to go hand-in-hand with the romance parts. And let’s just take a minute to appreciate the cover of this novel! Outstanding cover design and it accomplished its task and made me want to read it!

Beautiful cover, interesting storyline, proven author—all the boxes were ticked for me when I decided to read it. I am so glad I said yes to this one, it was just the book I needed right now! Something light but not frivolous (this book had substance but wasn’t overly heavy IMO) and a book that held my interest that got me excited to pickup a new series! I cannot wait to read the first book in preparation for the upcoming third release in November!

Continue reading “Review: A Noble Scheme (The Imposters #2) by Rosanna M White” →
Book Critic, Book Review, Books, Literary Criticism, Reading

Review: Murder Road by Simone St James

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Review: Murder Road by Simone St James

Simone St James is an auto buy author for me. I have read all her books, some multiple times and she is one of my most recommended authors when people are looking for a thriller. Even if you aren’t a fan of ghost stories, her books have a strong thriller/murder mystery component that generally off set the paranormal in the book. This book has been on pre-order for me for MONTHS and I couldn’t wait to read this book. I did read it in one day which is pretty standard for me with her books.

This book had a lot of 1990s nostalgia which was a big draw for me. Being set in 1995, I was excited to time travel in a way back to my teen years and a time when things were simpler. I think the lack of technology in a book and murder mystery like this really added to the sense of ‘unknown’ for me. It wasn’t entirely unheard of for teens to hitchhike still back then, and of course there was no ‘grid’ for them to fall off of so all of this added to the undercurrent of unknown in this book.

If you love thrillers and solid mysteries, and maybe you want to dabble in some supernatural elements or perhaps you are a die hard paranormal fan, wither way there is something for readers to love in this book. I highly recommend any of St James’s books. I never feel disappointed or underwhelmed when I pick up one of her books. Naturally there are books by her that I like more than others but overall I never feel like ‘darn I wasted my time with that one’ I always feel like I read a good story and was fully entertained beginning to end!

Continue reading “Review: Murder Road by Simone St James” →