Literary Criticism
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Review: The Hacienda by Isabel Canas
THIS BOOK! This book was at the top of my TBR list for months. The second I read the description, I KNEW this book would be right up my alley! It’s been described as a cross between Rebecca and Mexican Gothic, both of which I loved for different reasons and I think this is absolutely an accurate description of the story. I would also recommend it to anyone who loves Simone St James—-if you love her ghost stories, you will love this book! I wanted to bust into this book the second it came in the mail, but I held off until it was a little closer to the release…
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Review: West Side Love Story by Priscilla Oliveras
The second I saw this cover for the cover reveal, I nearly swooned! It’s so pretty and I absolutely love the colors—plus the pose was absolutely eye catching. I couldn’t WAIT to start reading it! I was never a fan of West Side Story, I think I watched the film once in high school and just never felt invested in the story, even though it was a Romeo and Juliet retelling. However, I could totally get excited for this book even if it was a retelling of Romeo and Juliet/West Side Story. I couldn’t wait to see the story come to life in the pages of this book. Plus mariachi…
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Review: Book Lovers by Emily Henry
Emily Henry earned a spot on my auto buy author list after Beach Read! I absolutely fell in love with her! She is charing witty and her story telling style is second to none. I love how her rom-com characters interact and have so much chemistry together. People We Meet on Vacation was equally as charming a follow up to Beach Read and absolutely put me in the mood to travel! ‘ When I saw this book was coming out—one I needed NO convincing to read this not with a title like Book Lovers! For me personally I love an enemies to lovers trope over the friends to lovers troupe…
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Review: A Perilous Perspective (Lady Darby Mysteries #10) by Anna Lee Huber
Ten books?! How in the world are we are ten books already in this series?! I cannot believe it! It seems like just yesterday that I found this series and devoured all the books (at that time five) in like one sitting! This series overall has been completely solid. There were books I liked better than others and for different reasons but I would rate this entire series as five stars. SOLID! I love Anna Lee Huber’s writing style and other books she has written but the Lady Darby books stand out above the others and I cannot say enough good things. Some of the books you can jump around…
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Review: When Blood Lies (Sebastian St Cyr #17) by C. S. Harris
The Sebastian St Cyr mystery series has been a favorite of mine for quite some time. I started off reading the series randomly and our of order and then I went back and started from the beginning and read them all again in order. I absolutely love this series even if at times it feels a little scripted meaning it follows a formula. I still have loved the mysteries and characters so much and every time I see a new book is coming out I absolutely rearrange my calendar for it! If you like smart historical mysteries with some grit that doesn’t transition over into ‘disturbing’ then this is a…
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Review: As Good As Dead (A Good Girls’ Guide to Murder #3) by Holly Jackson
Say hello to the worst book I have read this year—-and frankly, the last decade. I have had books that I did not finish and books that just left me feeling lukewarm or even disappointed but none have left me feeling absolute shock and frustration. The second book in the series had me feeling a little bland about Pip as a main character so when this one came out, I wasn’t really chomping at the bit to read it but a friend of mine read it and basically said it was awful but she wanted to discuss with someone—-so here we are, thank you peer pressure. As you move into…
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Review: The Long Weekend by Gilly Macmillan
Author Gilly Macmillan is known for writing some darker mysteries so when this one came up for review, I was intrigued enough to check it out. I know that a lot of psychological thriller and mysteries tend to be more twisty and dark and I love reading mysteries like that. For me my favorites are either classic Agatha Christie style mysteries or the dark twisty modern psychological thrillers! This one actually sounded like it might blend both the classic mystery with the darker twists that more modern thriller are known for so I was super excited see how the two merge together. I haven’t read a mystery in a while…
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Review: The Wedding Veil by Kristy Woodson Harvey
Kristy Woodson Harvey has written a number of contempo lit/women’s fiction novels over the years and I have been a massive fan ever since I read her first book years ago! I have read almost all of her books and each one is always well written with charm, wit, and excellent story telling. I have recommended her books to so many of my friends and I have yet to meet someone who was disappointed in her novels. This book is her first foray into historical fiction and sometimes the crossover doesn’t go smoothly for some writers. Most writers pick a genre and stick with it and historical fiction writers are…
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Review: On A Night Like This by Lindsey Kelk
Raise your hand if Cinderella was your favorite Disney princess growing up! Personally I loved Sleeping Beauty but Cinderella was certainly a close second. I loved the idea of a commoner marrying a prince and finding love with someone completely unexpected and outside of her social rank and standing. As I have moved into adulthood, I have gravitated toward romance novels that feature this classic troupe. Rich lord meets commoner and marries her anyway, even if it feels unlikely it always seems to draw me in. Over the years my favorite group of Cinderella romance has been replaced with enemies to lovers troupes but there is still a soft spot…
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Review: The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St James
I can’t even begin to tell you how much of a fan I am of Simone St James! I have read every single one of her books and she is absolutely an auto buy author for me. I had her latest novel pre ordered for MONTHS in advance. I am just a massive fan girl. Her books (especially the more recent ones) are the perfect mix of murder, ghosts, horror, and gothic. I can’t say enough good things about her books just read them if you haven’t already! Especially the newest books like The Broken Girls and The Sun Down Motel. I didn’t think a book could top The Broken…