Re-Share Review: We Are All the Same in the Dark by Julia Heaberlin

Last year my book club picked up this unique book. I had seen a lot of praise for it and it was often called ‘THE thriller to read if you only read one this year’. What I loved about it was that each character was so impossibly flawed and damaged. Not just emotionally but physically too and I loved watching how that unfolded and impacted the story.

It wasn’t a perfect read for me and it earned a three star review from me which puts it firmly in the ‘good’ category when people ask me if I liked it. But what I think is so important about this book and why you would want to read it is because there is so much to discuss! Of all the books I read this last year, this one has consistently stood out to me. I recall the story and characters so well and I think we had one of our best book club discussions about the characters and their flaws.

It’s memorable and unique and now that it’s out in paperback, I thought I would re-share my original review with you guys so you could see what we thought of this one! Even if it’s not perfect, I think that’s the whole point and spirit of the book itself. If you are a fan of thrillers this is one you should have on your list!

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Special Feature: A Rogue’s Company (Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery #3) by Allison Montclair

The Sparks and Bainbridge series is relatively young in its inception. I read the first two books but couldn’t get this one in this month—though I do plan on reading it later on this year. The series, overall, has been solid with loads of four and five star reviews flooding Amazon and Goodreads (mine among them!). Montclair is a talented writer when it comes to murder mysteries but one of the things I enjoy most about her books is the way that the mystery unfolds.

It’s always thought out and polished. Since this series is still new, the author does a great job catching new readers up to speed with characters and other side plots while still maintaining the focus on the mystery itself. Since this is only the third book, it’s easy for readers to go back and catch up on other books in the series if they are so inclined.

I feel confident recommending this new installment, as the other two have been solid and wonderful to read! If you are unsure if you should pick this one up mid series, I feel confident that readers will quickly find their bearings and become invested in the series. If you love historical mysteries with smart lady detectives, you don’t want to miss this one! It’s a wonderful new series and this installment promises to give readers something to enjoy over the summer!

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Review: A Peculiar Combination (Electra McDonnell #1) by Ashley Weaver

I have really enjoyed Ashley Weaver’s Amory Ames books so when I saw she was coming out with a new lady detective series and with a heroine by the name of Electra (Ellie for short), I knew this was going to be a great, great read! Clearing my schedule, I added this one to my early summer reading list and I am so glad that I did!

The Amory Ames series has been fun and I have liked the books I have read, but this book felt so much more complete for some reason (I will get to my thoughts on that in a minute!). Historical mysteries are my favorites, especially when it includes a little romance between the murder and investigating. But as many historical fiction/mystery readers know, WWII and the Victorian era are saturated with books.

So the question becomes how does an author distinguish their new lady detective series? It’s a tough question, for me the thing that caught my eye about this one was the name of the heroine. I loved her flashy and memorable name, it conjured images of a brazen, bold heroine that I just couldn’t get out of my head. That was what made me pick this one up in the sea of WWII historical mysteries!

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Special Feature: Ruined by The Bachelor Marquess (The Bachelor #2) by Cecilia Rene

Publication Date: May 21, 2021

Series: The Bachelor Series, Book 2
Genre: Historical Romance

Will a second chance at love be enough to heal old wounds?

He failed everyone…especially her.

Henry Livingstone, the Marquess of Heartford, was destroyed by the fire that claimed his sister’s life. Haunted by her death, he fled his home and the woman he loved. When he finally returns to restore his family’s wealth, he’s met with his demons, both old and new, including Lady Julia St. John, his former fiancée and the woman he scandalously abandoned at the altar.

Once a diamond of the first water, Lady Julia St. John is a victim of cruel gossip and shunned from society. To salvage her pride, she focuses on family and rediscovers a passion for painting. Never did she imagine that she would ever see the Marquess of Heartford again…or face her utterly unresolved feelings for him. She should hate him…but hate is the last thing she feels.

When sparks fly under the same roof and attraction eclipses heartbreak, Henry and Julia are left with a choice—take the risk and fight their way to a second chance at love, or walk away forever.

Available on Amazon

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Special Feature: The Oath by A.M. Linden

Publication Date: June 15, 2021
She Writes Press
Paperback & eBook; 336 pages

Series: The Druid Chronicles, #1

When the last of members of a secretive Druid cult are forced to abandon their hidden sanctuary, they send the youngest of their remaining priests in search of Annwr, their chief priestess’s sister, who was abducted by a Saxon war band fifteen years ago. With only a rudimentary grasp of English and the ambiguous guidance of an oracle’s prophecy, Caelym manages to find Annwr living in a hut on the grounds of a Christian convent.

Annwr has spent her years of captivity caring for the timid Aleswina, an orphaned Saxon princess who was consigned to the cloistered convent by her cousin, King Gilberth, after he assumed her father’s throne. Just as Caelym and Annwr are about leave together, Aleswina learns that Gilberth, a tyrant known for his cruelty and vicious temper, means to take her out of the convent and marry her. Terrified, she flees with the two Druids–beginning a heart-pounding adventure that unfolds in ways none of them could have anticipated.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | IndieBound

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