Category: Literary Criticism

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

Review: The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor

by The Lit Bitch1 Comment on Review: The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor

When you first glimpse the cover of this book, it doesn’t shout ‘magical realism’. It shouts ‘family saga’. At least to me it does.

Admittedly, I skimmed the review pitch very lightly and didn’t really pay close attention to it because like it or not, I knew I would review this one based on the cover and title.

It just sounded like a title that said ‘family saga’ in the vein of Kate Morton for some reason. Then you add in that cover and there you have it, I was convinced at face value that this was a family saga (something that I love).

So imagine my surprise when there were fairies and magic in this book.

Continue reading “Review: The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor” →

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

Review: The One That Got Away by Melissa Pimentel

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Review: The One That Got Away by Melissa Pimentel

Unlike most Jane Austen fans, Pride and Prejudice is NOT my favorite by her Austen novel. Nor are the other more popular novels: Emma, or Sense and Sensibility. My favorite Jane Austen is the lesser known Persuasion.

Of course all of her novels are fantastic and her heroines memorable, but none stood out to me more than Anne Elliot and her ever so charming, Captain Wentworth. So when I saw that the novel by Melissa Pimentel was a retelling of Persuasion, I was all eyeballs.

Ruby and Ethan were perfect for each other. Until the day they suddenly weren’t.

Now, ten years later, Ruby is single, having spent the last decade focusing on her demanding career and hectic life in Manhattan. Continue reading “Review: The One That Got Away by Melissa Pimentel” →

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

Review: The Library of Light and Shadow (Daughters of La Lune #3) by M.J. Rose

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Review: The Library of Light and Shadow (Daughters of La Lune #3) by M.J. Rose

MJ Rose has a talent for writing romantic, magical, and passionate historical fiction novels. I love her Daughters of La Lune series even if at times, the books didn’t end on a high note, overall they are really fun to read and have progressively improved between book I and book II.

I was super excited to see this one come up for review, ironically I had just been wondering when the next Rose book was due out and I was thrilled to see that it was this one!  Her writing style is sensual and lyrical and the story is almost always a promising romance, so you can’t go wrong with one of her books!

In the wake of a dark and brutal World War, the glitz and glamour of 1925 Manhattan shine like a beacon for the high society set, which is desperate to keep their gaze firmly fixed to the future.

Continue reading “Review: The Library of Light and Shadow (Daughters of La Lune #3) by M.J. Rose” →

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

Review: Impossible Views of the World by Lucy Ives

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Review: Impossible Views of the World by Lucy Ives

Person disappears in a museum? A museum mystery? With maps? Yes, yes and yes! Is what went through my mind when this one came up for review.

The summary promised lots of tantalizing elements which is what drew me in for a review.

Stella Krakus, a curator at Manhattan’s renowned Central Museum of Art, is having the roughest week in approximately ever. Her soon-to-be ex-husband (the perfectly awful Whit Ghiscolmbe) is stalking her, a workplace romance with “a fascinating, hyper-rational narcissist” is in freefall, and a beloved colleague, Paul, has gone missing.

Strange things are afoot: CeMArt’s current exhibit is sponsored by a Belgian multinational that wants to take over the world’s water supply, she unwittingly stars in a viral video that’s making the rounds, and her mother–the imperious, impossibly glamorous Caro–wants to have lunch. It’s almost more than she can overanalyze.

Continue reading “Review: Impossible Views of the World by Lucy Ives” →

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

Review: The Luster of Lost Things by Sophie Chen Keller

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Review: The Luster of Lost Things by Sophie Chen Keller

When I got this book in the mail, the sweet dog on the over sitting with a little boy totally did me in. We all know how I feel about covers with animals on them…I’m a complete and utter sucker!

What a way to lure readers….so cute and charming was this cover. Plus I love the blue and gold accents. Basically this was an easy yes for a review based on the cover.

But the question for me was when can I work it in to my schedule? I was already pretty tight for early fall reviews so I had planned on Oct for this one.

But the cover just kept coming to mind on a regular basis so I decided to make room and read this book so I could stop seeing a cute golden dog with his little boy in my mind every time I opened a new book!  Continue reading “Review: The Luster of Lost Things by Sophie Chen Keller” →