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

Review: Starry-Eyed Love (Spark House #2) by Helena Hunting

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Review: Starry-Eyed Love (Spark House #2) by Helena Hunting

Last year I read Helena Hunting’s first book in the Spark House series, When Sparks Fly. It was ok (came in at 3 stars for me) and while I didn’t LOVE it in the way that I had hoped, I was invested enough in the story and characters that I felt excited to try another book by Hunting. I liked the sound of this one as it sounded like a cross between a missed connection and workplace romance. Overall I thought it sounded cute and just a nice breezy read going into the spring.

So I said yes (obviously!) to reviewing this one and I was glad I did. While this book is part of a series, I would not have been lost in the story if I skipped over the first one. This book has new characters and storylines, the connecting part centers around Spark House and that’s about it—save for the occasional character cross over etc. So if you are worried about reading this one out of order, I would not worry you will be absolutely fine jumping in this series with this one instead of the first book.

If you love more contempo romances, Hunting has quite a few romances under her belt and this book will leave your romance reader heart feeling full! I am glad I decided to give another book by Hunting a go, I did find that I liked this one better than the first book I read by her. I love when that happens!

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Special Feature: Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak

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I am always a sucker for books about haunted houses. When I see things like ‘The Haunting of Hill House meets The Perfect Nanny’ then naturally you have my interest! When I read the email caption as this one came across my desk all I could think of in my mind was “ok I’m listening!” I was immediately interested in this book and was eager to read it. But my review calendar always fills up quick so I opted to do a feature instead but as I was working on the feature, it was clear this book was going to work it’s way up my TBR list.

The premise of this story really calls to me, not just as a mom but as a fan of classic horror. I hate slicer dicer horror but bring me all the haunted houses, ghost stories and classic horror! As a mom, I love that one of the main characters, Teddy, is a five year old boy (same age as my boy!). It makes the creep factor feel so so real for me and it gives me something to connect with. Basically what I am saying is this book is calling my name!

If you love classic horror stories you need to get this one on your radar. Judging from the summery it sounds like there might be a little bit of a romantic element to the story too which I personally enjoy in books regardless of genre so I am really excited to have this one on my TBR list for the fall. This is a mystery book with some clear supernatural vibes so if you love books like that then you won’t want to miss this one but even if horror or paranormal isn’t your think, it sounds like there is a mystery too so I wouldn’t write this one off if horror isn’t for you, it sounds like there is a lot more going on than meets the eye!

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Special Feature: Emma Project (The Rajes #4) by Sonali Dev

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Special Feature: Emma Project (The Rajes #4) by Sonali Dev

I have read and enjoyed all three of the Rajes saga so far and I was so sad I couldn’t fit this one in my review schedule for the spring. But I WILL be reading this one as we get into the fall. I have really loved how the author has taken the classic Austen books and turned them on their head and made them more modern and with an Indian flair. The one I am looking forward to as a retelling is Northanger Abbey—can’t wait to see what Dev does with that one!

Emma is still such a readable and relatable classic, more than any of the other Austen books in my opinion. It’s such a great book for teens and naturally it’s been remade time and time again in various different styles. I was thrilled to see that Dev is going to not only put a modern and Indian twist on this one but she is making the Emma character into the male lead! I cannot wait to see how Vansh makes Emma’s classic character into something completely different but yet still familiar!

If you love classic Austen but are wanting something fresh and new, this is the series for you. I have loved getting to know the Rajes family and I love seeing what magic Dev does with each of the respective novels. While part of a series, I feel that each book can be read as a standalone so new readers should not feel like they need to go back and read the other books first. I am so excited to share this one with you guys and am looking forward to reading it and sharing some. thoughts with you guys in the fall!

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

Review: The Hacienda by Isabel Canas

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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 day. And let me just tell you that was so hard! I loved the book so much, that I also downloaded the Audible version so I could compare how reading the story was different from listening to it. Personally I liked the Audible version better but reading it was just as exciting.

This book has been on many many top recommended lists and also was featured on Book of the Month. I can say with absolute conviction that this book was absolutely worth all the hype. I loved how rich it was with folklore, religion, and socioeconomics of the time period. This is much more than just a ghost story or a horror story—it had a lot of topics that I think would also work for book clubs. This is the rare book that really works for a lot of people even if you are not a fan of horror or ghost stories.

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Special Feature: The Summer Place by Jennifer Weiner

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I have only read one of Jennifer Weiner’s books but I thought it was absolutely wonderful and such a fun little summer read! Her books are usually about family drama with some humor—I love the balanced blend of humor and seriousness. It really makes for a fun, quick, and refreshing read! When I saw that she had this one coming out, naturally I was interested in it!

What drew my eye is that it gave a nod to the pandemic which I think will make the book relevant and relatable for readers. I know a lot of authors have shied away from writing the pandemic into their stories for a number of reasons, but I like that Weiner decided to include it in some way in this latest book. I am sure the pandemic is not the focus of the book, but I liked that the main character’s step daughter gets engaged to her pandemic boyfriend and that is the catalyst for the story. Personally I think it adds relevance and something for readers to immediately connect with!

Weiner is known for writing wonderful beach reads and she has a large fan following. As a tried and tested author, I know that her books are quality and always a fun read! This book promises family drama, secrets, and a romance the perfect formula for a beach read. If you are looking for something to read on vacation this year, check out this seasoned author for a quick and easy escape!

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