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Review: The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St James
I can’t even begin to tell you how much of a fan I am of Simone St James! I have read every single one of her books and she is absolutely an auto buy author for me. I had her latest novel pre ordered for MONTHS in advance. I am just a massive fan girl. Her books (especially the more recent ones) are the perfect mix of murder, ghosts, horror, and gothic. I can’t say enough good things about her books just read them if you haven’t already! Especially the newest books like The Broken Girls and The Sun Down Motel. I didn’t think a book could top The Broken…
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Review: Circus of Wonders by Elizabeth Macneal
I read Elizabeth Macneal’s debut novel, The Doll Factory, a couple of years ago and loved it. I was super excited to see this book was coming out and I absolutely love the cover. The cover is eye catching and bright and just screams ‘circus theme’ and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. Honestly the cover and title implied that it would be a lot more whimsical and happy then it actually was. Having read her previous novel, I was not entirely surprised that this book was a bit more serious than the cover implies. Macneal has a great way of capturing the atmosphere of late Victorian…
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Review: Shadows of Swanford Abbey by Julie Klassen
I read one of Julie Klassen’s books a few years ago and absolutely loved it. She reminds me of a modern Victoria Holt and by modern I don’t mean her stories, as they are all historical fiction, but modern in that Klassen is a modern woman and she writes strong, vibrant heroines! I was super excited to check out this latest novel from Klassen so when it came up for review, naturally it was a no brainer as a YES! In the historical fiction world, there are a ton of Victoria Holt and Mary Stewart fans and for good reason. Their novels really took the small ‘Gothic romance’ genre and…
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Review: Parting the Veil by Paulette Kennedy
This book had me written all over it. Gothic romance—check. Brooding hero—check. Crumbling old creepy house on the moors—triple check. I needed this book so bad this Halloween season and I couldn’t wait to read it because it clearly had all the hallmarks of a quick read for me not to mention one that I would absolutely love for the ambiance. It literally took zero convincing for me to agree to read this book simply for all the atmosphere it promised. I think this book will delight readers who love Gothic romances (like me!) as well as historical fiction that is both familiar and yet different. This book has a…
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Review: John Eyre: A Tale of Darkness and Shadow by Mimi Matthews
Mimi Matthews is an auto buy author for me. I love all of her books and always make room for them on my calendar. She never disappoints and when I saw she was going to write a novel that was a little darker and more gothic than her standard feel good historical romances made me elated! I couldn’t say yes fast enough to this one! I know that some times when an author branches out of their typical genre to try something new, there is always hesitation that it won’t be well received, but she is such a talented writer that I knew this was going to be another outstanding…
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Review: The Stranger Behind You by Carol Goodman
Carol Goodman is an author after my Gothic heart. I haven’t read any of her other books before this one, but when this one came up for review I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it because it had this decidedly Gothic feel. Not to mention a lot of fans have called her the modern day Daphne du Maurier. I love books with a Gothic feel, especially murder mysteries so I was super excited to read this one. Goodman has written other novels that by all accounts are atmospheric and moody so I was really looking forward to this one. I also loved that it had a modern component…
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Review: The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse
Converted sanatorium urned into five star hotel—-stop right there while I clear my reading calendar! I was completely sold on this intense and atmospheric debut from the opening description. Then it was picked as a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick and that right there was enough to get me even more excited about this novel! It has been getting a ton of advanced praise and so much buzz on social media but when I started reading it, it was easy to see that all the buzz was absolutely worth it! I loved the atmosphere of this book and it was exactly what I was hoping that it would be, something…
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Review: The Vanishing at Loxby Manor by Abigail Wilson
The very first novel that I remember loving was The Silk Vendetta by Victoria Holt. I was eleven or twelve and no doubt missed all the adult nuances of the story, but what I didn’t miss was the Gothic atmosphere of the novel. I went through a lengthy Victoria Holt period in my early teens and then again as an adult. I am always looking for books that capture what I loved about Victoria Holt…..creepy, atmospheric historical fiction with a romantic element. This book sounded like exactly that—and it was! I have never grown out of my Gothic Lit phase and reading books like this, I am reminded just how…
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Special Feature: The Perfect Guests by Emma Rous
A couple of years ago, Emma Rous’s debut novel, The Au Pair, was my first read of 2019. I thought it was a wonderful novel and showed such promise for a new writer. It was a five star book for me and I couldn’t wait to see what she came up with for her next book! Well this is the next book, The Perfect Guests. It is out now and early reviewers are enjoying this one just as much as the first book! The Perfect Guests promises twists, thrills, Gothic atmosphere, and family secrets. I can hardly wait to read this one. Not only is Rous a marvelous writer but…
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Review: The Death of Mrs Westaway by Ruth Ware (Audible Edition)
Ruth Ware has been on my radar for quite some time, especially this book. I wanted to read it last year for October but then got on to something else. I have wanted to pick it up several times this year but I have heard such mixed reviews that I just wasn’t sure which book to pick as my first Ruth Ware experience. Finally, after much debate, I just decided to go for it and read this book as my first Ruth Ware book since I loved the premise of the summary. It was an interesting read for me and not quite what I was expecting but yet at the…