Reading
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Review: She Regrets Nothing by Andrea Dunlop
Lately I have had a desire to read a few more contemporary novels that are out of my traditional review genre. I have been particularly interested in books about ‘lifestyles of the rich and famous’ but with a darker twist. That was what caught my eye about this book…..it sounded like something a little more complex than regular contempo lit. I liked that it featured the wealthy and privileged society but at the same time showed the seedier side of money. It was not a hard sell for me to read this book. In the tradition of The Emperor’s Children and The House of Mirth,the forgotten granddaughter of one of…
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Review: Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
While recovering from surgery on my foot, I had my TV and book lineup ready for six weeks of unadulterated reading and TV watching time. One of the TV shows on the top of my list was the HBO series BIG LITTLE LIES. My sister raved about how good the series was and I was intrigued by the description, that was until I saw that it was based on a book. I immediately changed up my reading lineup so I could read this book before watching the show. I have been reading a lot of historical fiction and historical mysteries lately and I actually got excited about reading something more…
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Review: The Phantom’s Apprentice by Heather Webb
This book has been on my radar since I finished Webb’s cowritten novel, THE LAST CHRISTMAS IN PARIS. I loved that book and was eager to read more by her. Plus throw in that Phantom of the Opera is indeed one of my favorite films/operas and you have a reader who was EXTRA eager to read this book. This book is told from Christine’s perspective which intrigued me. I have never read the original Phantom of the Opera novel by Gaston Leroux, but I’m curious about how much of the original influenced this retelling. Christine Daaé sings with her violinist father in salons all over Paris, but she longs to…
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Special Feature: An Argument of Blood by J.A. Ironside & Matthew Willis
An Argument of Blood by J.A. Ironside & Matthew Willis Publication Date: June 19, 2017 Penmore Press Paperback & eBook; 369 Pages Series: Oath and Crown, Book 1 Genre: Fiction/Historical/War William, the nineteen-year-old duke of Normandy, is enjoying the full fruits of his station. Life is a succession of hunts, feasts, and revels, with little attention paid to the welfare of his vassals. Tired of the young duke’s dissolute behaviour and ashamed of his illegitimate birth, a group of traitorous barons force their way into his castle. While William survives their assassination attempt, his days of leisure are over. He’ll need help from the king of France to…
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Review: Still Me (Me Before You #3) by Jojo Moyes
As many of you know, I have been a huge fan of Jojo Moyes novels for quite some time. I loved the first book in this series, Me Before You, and many of her other books have indeed been my guilty pleasure over the years. So for me, Me Before You did not need a sequel or to be made into a series. For me it ended on a high note and I didn’t think that it needed to be followed up by any more books which is why I didn’t really want to read After You. In fact I didn’t read the second book in this series. Which begs…
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Review: Killer Choice by Tom Hunt
The first thing that caught my eye about this book was the description. I liked the premise and thought it sounded different and unique. I wasn’t prepared for how quickly I would read it nor how much I would get hooked on the plot after only a few pages. His wife is sick. He needs $200,000 to save her. A mysterious man offers to give him the money with just one catch: He has to murder someone to get it. Gary Foster’s life is finally heading in the right direction. After years of trying, his wife, Beth, is pregnant, and he recently opened a business with his brother. But one…
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Review: Another One Bites the Crust (A Bakeshop Mystery #7) by Ellie Alexander
I recently reviewed one of Ellie Alexander’s novels and I loved how she incorporated unique locations in her book. One of her books was based in Leavenworth Washington which is basically the Christmas town of the Pacific Northwest. That was the reason I agreed to review this one….this time Alexander has us in Ashland Oregon. I live in Oregon (in Salem, the capital) which is about 5 hours north of Ashland but I have been to Ashland many times and I loved the charming town. They host a yearly Shakespearean festival there which I have attended before and the quality of acting is superior to man festivals. Plus the theater…
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Special Feature: The Moral Compass (Shaking the Tree, Book 1) by K.A. Servian
The Moral Compass (Shaking the Tree, Book 1) by K.A. Servian Publication Date: October 17, 2017 Sweetpea Publishing Paperback & eBook; 285 Pages Genre: Fiction/Historical/Romance/Victorian Florence lives like a Princess attending dinner parties and balls away from the gritty reality, filth and poverty of Victorian London. However, her world comes crashing around her when her father suffers a spectacular fall from grace. She must abandon her life of luxury, leave behind the man she loves and sail to the far side of the world where compromise and suffering beyond anything she can imagine await her. When she is offered the opportunity to regain some of what she has…
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Review: The Pearl Sister (The Seven Sisters #4) by Lucinda Riley
I have been a huge fan of Lucina Riley’s novels for quite some time, although I think I missed one back in 2016, THE SHADOW SISTER, which makes me sad because I love her books. I simply must go back and read that one before the year is out and the next book comes out! That said, I don’t feel like I missed a whole lot by skipping around within the series. Every story is unique and independent of the series as a whole, but that said they are all connected by central characters and other plot points, but again it’s not necessary to read them in order but it…
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Review: The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
What did I just read? This book was all over my Instagram and Twitter the last few weeks and I was intrigued when one of my favorite authors was reading it as well. It’s been a long time since I have read a book like this one. A lot of people compared it to Gone Girl, but I thought it was better than that. Gone Girl for me was kind of meah. This one was better. A novel of suspense that explores the complexities of marriage and the dangerous truths we ignore in the name of love. When you read this book, you will make many assumptions. You will assume…