Books
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Mastering the Art of Analyzing Literature for Captivating Book Reviews
The art of analyzing literature is akin to unraveling a tapestry of thoughts, themes, and theories woven by an author. It requires a keen eye for detail, a deep understanding of linguistic nuances, and an appreciation for the cultural context in which the literature was produced. For those who take on the mantle of writing book reviews, it becomes imperative to master this art in order to convey the essence of a work to potential readers. It is not merely about liking or disliking a book; it is about dissecting its anatomy and understanding its heartbeat. Embarking on a journey through the pages of a novel or the stanzas of…
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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…
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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.…
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Review: A Grave Robbery (Veronica Speedwell #9) by Deanna Raybourn
I discovered author Deanna Raybourn many years ago. I love all her books. She has written some wonderful historical mystery series that I will forever cherish, this series being at the top of that list. Veronica is such a wonderful character and I have loved watching her and Stoker grow together as a couple and in their friendship throughout the course of the series. Naturally this was on the TOP of my TBR list for this year. There have been times though where I have felt like maybe this series could have wrapped up but it is hard to say good bye to characters that you have become attached to.…
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Special Feature/Excerpt: Finding Jane Fairfax by Robbin J Peterson
If you have been around my blog for a while, you will know that I am a big Jane Austen fan. I love reading books that are ‘Austen Spin-offs’ if you will. Not necessarily retellings, but books that take characters from her beloved books and give them either an entirely new story or in some cases an actual story. In this case, Jane Fairfax is a character we meet in Emma and she’s mostly a blip in the larger story and the audience rarely thinks of her again. However, author Robbin Peterson gives us something to think about when it comes to Jane Fairfax in her latest book! I haven’t…
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Review: A Haunting in the Arctic by C.J. Cooke
I randomly watched a show on National Geographic about Sir John Franklin’s lost Arctic expedition days before I was pitched this book. I was fascinated by the lost expedition and when this book made it onto my desk for review immediately following the show, I was super intrigued and couldn’t WAIT to read this one! I was so excited to read a new ghost story and one that featured shipwrecks, questions, and a rugged landscape that takes on a life of its own within the story. I have really been on an Arctic kick lately, the Franklin expedition show was just the start, I got hooked on more series featuring…
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Review: Murder in Masquerade (A Lady of Letters #2) by Mary Winters
I absolutely adored the first book in this series! I loved the idea of an advice column as a catalyst for a murder investigation (which is how the first book starts!) and while I didn’t think I would like reading the advice columns at the beginning of each chapter—it grew on my and now I love it! A cozy mystery with some romance was just what I needed going into the long winter months. I started this book in early January and was done with it in a matter of days and naturally I am anxious for the next book in the series to come out and sadly I am…
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Review: A Smoking Bun (A Bakeshop Mystery #18) by Ellie Alexander
Ellie Alexander is such a solid choice when it comes to cozy mysteries! I have really enjoyed many of her cozy mystery books and while they are not historical cozies, I love all the food and charm of Ashland Oregon in the Bakeshop Mysteries! Not to mention I know Ashland well and I love how Alexander brings the town to life! That is one of the reasons I always come back to her books…..she writes with such authenticity of the region and being an Oregonian myself, I love seeing our state highlighted to such perfection! The Bakeshop Mysteries has been a series that I have jumped around in over the…
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Review: Chasing the Horizon (A Western Light #1) by Mary Connealy
A few years ago I read a book completely out of my typical historical fiction time period, Where the Lost Wander. I absolutely LOVED this book for so many reasons and I have since been looking for ‘the right’ book to read next that might fit within that time period. There aren’t a lot of popular historical fiction books set in the American West that draw me in. Don’t get me wrong I love the American West from a historical standpoint and I grew up watching all the cowboy TV shows (Dr Quinn and Young Riders I am looking at you!) but it’s typically not a genre of book that…
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Review: The Gentleman’s Gambit (A League of Extraordinary Women #4) by Evie Dunmore
This book was on my pre-order for months. Evie Dunmore has crafted such a unique world in her books and with the ‘votes for women suffragette movement’ as a historical backdrop. I was fully expecting to enjoy this book and say good bye to the series and characters of this series as this is the last installment, but when I started reading it, I found it wasn’t holding my interest in the way that I had hoped. In past years, I would have kept reading—ride or die—to complete the book. But in recent years I have been trying to be more intentional with my reading. There are some books where…