Special Feature: The Last Checkmate by Gabriella Saab

Last Christmas season I became obsessed with the Queen’s Gambit on Netflix! I think there were many many many in the same boat. The show was amazing and I of course instantly downloaded the book and bought a chess board. Now have I read said book and played said chess board—-no but I still loved the movie and am slowly trying to learn how to play chess.

That is why this book caught my eye—it is another historical fiction chess book! I am so excited to read this one, I couldn’t fit it on my October review calendar but I couldn’t pass up a chance to share a bit about this one and explain why I am so excited for this book! The content sounds fantastic and interesting not to mention the chess parts!

A few years ago my husband and I visited a concentration camp while we were in the Czech Republic and while it wasn’t anything like an Auschwitz, it was still sobering and impactful. It was probably the most meaningful and important historical site I have ever visited and will continue to resonate in my memory for a lifetime. I feel like I am primed to have a connection with this book and I am just so excited to share it all with you today! It is out now and you definitely want this book on your radar—spoiler, it’s getting lots of 5 star reviews already so don’t miss it!

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Special Feature: Sophie Valroux’s Paris Stars by Samantha Verant

Something about a book set in Paris just makes it all the more romantic and interesting for me. I have been to France twice and while it hasn’t been may favorite city in Europe, there is no doubt it has a distinct romantic feel to it and the food—oh the food! While I am far from a foodie, there is no doubt Paris is home to some delicious pastries and savory dishes.

One of the things that interested me in this book was not just the setting but that the main character, Sophie, is a chef who loses her sense of small. At first glance I thought it was metaphorical but in reading the description further it was clear that it was literal. I thought that sounded intriguing and would be an interesting take on a classic French foodie story. The more I kept reading the summary though the more interesting it sounded. While this book looks like it’s part of a series, many have said it can be read independently as a stand-alone.

I love character driven books with the main character in a personal crisis on a journey to not only find themselves but to also resolve their personal crisis. This book sounds like it’s going to fit the bill and I am so thrilled to share a bit with you guys today! If you love women’s fiction with an exotic setting and no doubt some amazing food references, then this will be a great option for you. It’s being met with rave reviews too so be sure to check it out!

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Special Feature: Ghostland: An American History in Haunted Places by Colin Dickey

It’s the bewitching time of year and it is also my favorite time of year! I absolutely love Halloween and all the spooky reads, especially this time of year. But to be perfectly honest, I can read a good ghost story any time of year. While I normally don’t read a lot of non fiction, sometimes truth IS stranger than fiction and I for one couldn’t pass on sharing a bit about this spooky non fiction read this Halloween season!

Last year for Christmas I actually bought this book for my sister and she absolutely loved it! Her an I both love ghost stories and when I saw this one I knew she absolutely needed it! I can’t wait to read this one and explore some of America’s haunted history. If you have a ghost story fan in your family this is a great gift not only for Christmas but you can always trick or treat someone with this lovely little number this Halloween!

It sounds like Dickey really digs into some creepy places here in America as really researches some of this history of these haunted buildings, locations, and homes. If you are looking for a spooky read this season but maybe fiction isn’t your thing, this would be an excellent choice, but even for us fiction fans it’s always fun to read about real haunted places. Keep reading for all the details—-if you dare!

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Review: The Woman at the Front by Lecia Cornwall

A WWI battlefield nurse romance? Yes please! I saw this cover and was instantly like YES WWI nurse romances are where it’s at for me! But as I dove into this one it was about a female doctor not a nurse which added a feel of newness for me to a tried and true genre. Lecia Cornwall has written a number of other romances so I was eager to see how much of a romance this book would be.

I would say it contained a fair bit of romance but that wasn’t necessarily the focus—the focus was more about the main character, Eleanor’s, journey from fresh new doctor to battle tested doctor. It was an interesting journey and one that I rather enjoyed as I breezed through this one in a matter of one sitting! It was such a wonderful read and I simply had to know what happened next.

WWI romances are totally my jam and I loved how this one unfolded. If you haven’t read anything by Cornwall, I would certainly start here and move on to her other romances which is what I plan on doing next! This was on top of my most anticipated for fall this year so I am so thrilled that I was able to be an early reader for this one because it was just such a wonderful read!

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Special Feature: In the Company of Witches (Evenfall Witches B&B #1) by Auralee Wallace

It’s the bewitching time of year and what better way to spend the haunting season than with a cozy witchy murder mystery! This is the first in a new series by seasoned author Auralee Wallace and I am so excited to share a bit with you guys about the book today! Wallace is best known for her Otter Lake Mystery series which boasts five books and a devoted fan following.

The thing that attracted me to this new series by Wallace was not only the cover with the sweet black cat, fun witch hat, and classic haunted house but the summary sounded positively charming. Magic, mystery, paranormal, ghosts, and of course witches, sounds like the perfect book for the Halloween season! I love the setting (a charming New England town) and the characters sound colorful and dare I say it—bewitching.

Beyond the characters, setting, and cute cat though, a new series by a seasoned cozy mystery writer sounds like just the thing for me. Lately I have been reading a lot of historical romances and now that October is here, I want to read something that has more of a fall and Halloween feel to it. But I also want to read something that I know will be good. Since Wallace has written another successful series, it makes me want to try out this new one! If you love Halloween books as much as I do then be sure to check this one out! It’s out now and waiting to be read with a bag of candy corn!

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