Review: The Friends We Keep by Jane Green

This is a book that I might have passed on if it hadn’t been for the thoughtful card from the author included in my pitch request.

I have been reading a ton of women’s fiction lately and while so many of them are good, there are some that are just ok. And as I have been reading so many lately, I am trying to be a little more selective.

This book arrived with the coolest welcome package ever, a makeup bag full of chocolates (and not the cheap kind either!), a fun bracelet, the book (dah!), and a hand written note for Jane Green herself!

I appreciate little things like that and the effort that authors or publishers go to to make a personal connection with their readers. And it wasn’t just a ‘hey thanks for reading this book’ generic note, it was a personalized note made out to me with thoughtful words of thanks.

So hell yes I will read this book. If an author and publisher took the time to think of me to read their book, I am going to do whatever I can to fit that book into my schedule for reviews. Continue reading “Review: The Friends We Keep by Jane Green”

Review: Murder Once Removed (Ancestry Detective #1) by S.C. Perkins

I’ve read a lot of cozy mysteries and I love discovering new series that might end up being a long time favorite. The trick seems always be finding something new and different.

This book is the first in a new series featuring Lucy, a genealogist. I had to pause and reread this particular part. I was very intrigued by the genealogist part and was curious to see how that played out in the mystery.

My mom is really into genealogy and I have to say that it’s not the most exciting filed of study in my opinion, but I do love history and uncovering unique characters in family lineages is always fun and exciting. In this case, Lucy discover a murder in a family tree, but I was curious to see how that was going to be relevant in the modern story. Continue reading “Review: Murder Once Removed (Ancestry Detective #1) by S.C. Perkins”

Review: The Alchemist of Lost Souls (Bianca Goddard Mysteries #4) by Mary Lawrence

As many of you know, I have a weakness for historical mysteries. I adore them and can’t get enough. However, so many of them are written during Victorian or Edwardian era England that often the books blend together, no matter how well written they are.

That’s why this book set itself apart for me….it’s set in Tudor England. When I think of historical mysteries, I don’t think of Tudor England as an optimal setting, but rather a period full of obstacles to detecting/investigating, so I was eager to see how the author used this to her advantage.

I haven’t read any of the other books in the series, so I was a little wary of reading this book with already 4 books into the series. However, the author assured me that it could read as a standalone book. Continue reading “Review: The Alchemist of Lost Souls (Bianca Goddard Mysteries #4) by Mary Lawrence”

Review: Resistance Women by Jennifer Chiaverini

This book showed up on my desk for review a few months ago and I was absolutely in love with the cover!

It reminded me of spring and it was elegant and had a lot of visual interest. The summary also sounded like something I would love, as I especially love war time stories.

Chiaverini has written a variety of different books, with her most widely known book being Mrs Lincoln’s Dressmaker as well as a women’s fiction quilting series called, Elm Creek Quilts.

This book seemed completely out of her normal genre. Her signature genre seemed to be historical fiction with crafting and women’s fiction with crafting so I wondered how this book about resistance women in WWII was going to come together and be different than her usual stories! Continue reading “Review: Resistance Women by Jennifer Chiaverini”

Take Two Review: The Storm Sister (The Seven Sisters #2) by Lucinda Riley (Audible)

So as some of you know, I am going back through the Seven Sisters series by Lucinda Riley but this time listening to them on audiobooks. Right now it’s kind of an ‘at your own pace’ type of deal since I am listening to them in my car when I run errands so it’s taking forever to make my way through.

But I love Lucinda Riley so I am eager to keep listening and enjoying her books. When I first reviewed this book, I had a hard time with it mostly because it was so sad. While it was still enjoyable and a testament to Riley’s writing abilities, I just felt so sad while reading through it the first time.

That’s why I was most eager to re-read this one and see if I felt the same thoughts this time around. Continue reading “Take Two Review: The Storm Sister (The Seven Sisters #2) by Lucinda Riley (Audible)”