Literary Criticism

  • Review: An Unexpected Peril (Veronica Speedwell #6) by Deanna Raybourn

    I have been a fan of Veronica Speedwell since the very first book. I adore the slow burn chemistry between Veronica and Stoker (her love interest) and the mysteries are always satisfying. Deanna Raybourn is such a great writer, I read her Lady Julia series as well as some of her standalone books and all have been so delightful! One of the things that makes this series stand out to me more than some other historical mysteries is that both Veronica and Stoker have unique professions. Veronica is a butterfly scientist/hunter and Stoker is a taxidermist—although he has had quite a few other jobs in his life so maybe it’s…

  • Review: The Paris Dressmaker by Kristy Cambron

    I have only had the pleasure of reading one of Kristy Cambron’s novels but I have many of them on my TBR of course. I loved The Painted Castle which I read back in 2019 and I was really excited to see that this one was coming out! When it came up for review I was ecstatic and I loved the cover! Easy yes right here! There are a lot of wonderful WWII novels that come out every year and I try and squeeze in as many as I can. Many are set in Paris or feature unlikely female heroines turned spies or resistance fighters and while the genre is…

  • Review: Shipped by Angie Hockman

    This is a book I bought all thanks to ‘the gram’. This book has been all over my Instagram and I finally caved and bought it. I thought the cover was cute and I was looking for a quick easy read that I would enjoy and escape for a little while and since I am dealing with a major case of wanderlust, I thought this book would tick all the boxes. The cover is adorable and the enemies to lovers troupe is one of my favorites. The two characters, Henley and Graeme, are up for the same promotion and I thought that scenario might bring up some interesting competitiveness between…

  • Review: The Family Ship by Sonja Yoerg

    I am eternally grateful for Sonja Yoerg reaching out a few years ago asking if I wanted to review her debut novel, House Broken. I fell in love with it and knew that Yoerg was going to be one to watch! I have since read all of her books and am always excited to see when her next book is going to drop. Her books are always well written with powerful story telling that will draw readers in. Basically it’s a no brainer when I see one of her books come up for a review—-yes! I saw the cover for this one and was instantly drawn curious about what was…

  • Re Share Review: The Diabolical Bones (Brontë Sisters Mystery #2) by Bella Ellis

    I never met a Bronte novel that I didn’t like. I love the Bronte’s and when I saw a series of books about the Bronte’s as detectives was coming out, I was chomping at the bit to dive into it! But I did have some hesitations. There was part of me that was thrilled for a new take on the Brontes, but another part of me was worried it would be a hokey series. But after reading the first book, I was pleasantly surprised by how well written and developed the characters and plot were! I thought the first book was wonderful and was really looking forward to the second.…

  • Review: Do No Harm by Christina McDonald

    If you are a fan of Breaking Bad, then this might be a book you would be interested in. I have only watched a couple of Break Bad episodes but I love the idea a regular every day person faced with an unprecedented choice to sell drugs to try and save themselves or someone they love. This book caught my eye for that reason, the main character Emma, decides to sell drugs to fund her son’s cancer treatment and as a mother I can say that I would do anything if it meant saving my son’s life. I could immediately sympathize with the main character before cracking open the book…

  • Review: In the Garden of Spite by Camilla Bruce

    A story about a female serial killer? Say no more. This book was on my radar for weeks and I couldn’t wait to start reading it. It sounded deliciously dark and creepy with so much promise. My book club picked this one to read for our February book because it sounded so amazing. I was fully ready for this book to be on the darker side. In fact I expected it to be one of my more darker reads with a lot of nuance and atmosphere. On the surface this book was primed to be one of my favorite reads of 2021 and I couldn’t wait to start reading this…

  • Top 10 Romances to Read for Valentines Day

    Whether you are gearing up for a romantic date night with your significant other or if you prefer to celebrate galentines or brotines instead, I have a list of some wonderful romances in honor of Valentines Day! I never met a romance I didn’t like and with the release of Bridgerton on Netflix, I think more and more people are embracing romance novels and HEA like never before. I know thatI have been reading all the romances I can get my hands on lately. I love romance and I love watching my favorite heroines get their HEA. However the road to HEA isn’t always easy, direct or simple. Sometimes there…

  • What to Read After Bridgerton

    If you have been following me on Instagram, then you will know that I have been binge reading the Bridgerton books. I watched the show in one sitting and was instantly obsessed with not only the Netflix series, but I knew that I needed to read the book. I subsequently devoured all eight books in less than a month. Actually I read The Duke and I back in the spring of 2020, but the other seven books were all ready in less than three weeks, that’s how much I loved them. Now here I am with a massive book hangover. I picked up another book to read and instantly felt…

  • Review: The Heiress Gets a Duke (The Gilded Age Heiresses #1) by Harper St. George

    Let’s start off by acknowledging the fact that this cover is simply stunning. When second I laid eyes on this cover, I knew I needed to read it. It’s gorgeous and it promises to capture the feeling of opulence in the Gilded Age. This was an easy yes to review! I have never read anything by Harper St George before but she has written a number of romances so I was eager to see how she compared to some of the other historical romances I have been reading lately. I instantly fell in love with this one and the characters not to mention to luxurious setting! I could easily have…