Tag: Historic Fiction

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

Review: No Life for a Lady by Hannah Dolby

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Review: No Life for a Lady by Hannah Dolby

When this one came up for review it sounded cute and charming. Like it might be a little bit cozy mystery with a little bit of romance which made me excited to read it. Though the cover doesn’t scream ‘cozy mystery’ to me—in fact the cover felt a little blah. But what the cover lacked in eye catching detail, the summery made up for and I was excited to check this debut novel out! I am always a sucker for historical mysteries (cozy or otherwise) and I thought this one sounded like it would be something new to check out.

One thing that surprised me about this book was it’s a standalone. So many historical mysteries are long standing series and while I love revisiting favorite characters again and again, sometimes it’s nice when things wrap up after just one book. That said I think this book left some options open for additional stories so if you indeed love this book, there is a possibility for future books to revisit favorite characters, but again it’s not necessary for this book to become a series.

With sunny days ahead, it’s nice to read something that makes you feel happy and that’s just what this book did, it was entertaining, charming, and had a lit bit of everything but ultimately it made me feel content and happy which is what I love about reading! If you are looking for something fun to read this spring, this book might be just the ticket for you!

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

Review: Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl by Renee Rosen

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Review: Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl by Renee Rosen

Last year I was part of this cover reveal and since then I have been eagerly awaiting this book! Like many many many girls, the makeup brand Estee Lauder is considered the gold standard in skin care and cosmetics. Growing up, my mother and grandmother always wore Estee Lauder make up and perfume. It was expensive for a girl who was experimenting with makeup but as I grew up, and became an adult with more of a ‘style’, it was also my go to brand.

This was the book that I didn’t know I needed. I never once considered the person behind this famous cosmetics brand until this book came across my desk for review. As soon as I saw the book, I knew it was one that I needed to read because I love a good old fashion story of hard work and perseverance. The woman who became Estee Lauder sounded like she had this amazing tale of hard work and sacrifice that was just itching to be told!

Renee Rosen is also such a phenomenal story teller and I knew that this book would feature great research as well as a well crafted story. If you haven’t read anything by Rosen, this is an excellent opportunity to read about a truly remarkable women in history and see first hand how much research Rosen has done for a book like this. A couple of years ago, I read The Social Graces by Rosen and loved it, this book lived up to my expectations and I cannot recommend this book enough!

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Special Feature: Murder on Bedford Street (Gaslight Mystery #26) by Victoria Thompson

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If you are a cozy mystery fan then you not doubt have seen Victoria Thompson and her Gaslight Mystery series SOMEWHERE! Her series is incredibly popular with historical cozy fans and with good reason! I have read a few throughout the series over the years and they are always a well constructed mystery with likable characters and tons of Victorian charm! Thompson has branched out to other book series as well but this one remains her most popular, as we are on book number 26 in the series.

I have been able to jump around in the series for the most part but like with any well established series, there are characters and relationships that are established throughout the books. I don’t know that I would say reading the books in order is an absolute must, but obviously helpful to understand the more broad themes of the books, plot and characters. For those of you who do not want to go back and read 25 books before this one, I think that the author generally does a good job focusing on the mystery and explaining important parts of character relationships and how they connect to the larger storylines. So not required but encouraged to read the series as a whole.

For this particular book I wasn’t able to fit it into my review schedule but I can say that early readers are loving this one! Many are noting that the book has lots of twists and turns that will keep readers engaged and entertained. I know that Thompson does spin a great mystery and no doubt this one delivers on the well crafted mystery part! If you are a cozy fan, this book series needs to be on your radar. This latest installment is out now so be sure to pop by and take a look!

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

Review: The Countess of the Revolution by Lana Kortchik

by The Lit BitchLeave a Comment on Review: The Countess of the Revolution by Lana Kortchik

Russia and Eastern Europe have been rife with conflict for years. There have been regimes and empires that have risen and fallen throughout history and it is an area in history that I have such limited knowledge and understanding. Whenever I see historical fiction books set in Russia or Eastern Europe, regardless of the time period, I am usually really interested in. I know that I will learn something new and explore unknown to me history. When this one came up for review, naturally I was intrigued.

Lana Kortchik is not stranger to historical fiction, she has written two other books that are set in WWII, both of which are focused on the Eastern European experience (Ukrainian region) during the war. That is one of the things that makes this book stand out for me. There are so many books set in WWII that focus on the occupations of France and Belgium, as well as the experiences of England, America, and France. Right away I could tell this book was different just based on the description and I was eager to see what sorts of historical tidbits I could glean from this one.

This book is actually set earlier the WWII so it will be a new time period for this author, and a favorite time period of mine! I couldn’t wait to start reading this one and am so excited to bring a review to you guys today! This book is out now so do not miss it especially if you are a historical fiction fan looking for something a little off the beaten path historically.

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Special Feature: The Secret Service of Tea and Treason (Dangerous Damsels #3) by India Holton

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India Holton burst onto the historical romance scene a couple of years ago with her quirky series about pirates, damsels in distress, and tea. I read the first book in the series and thought is was charming, if a bit confusing at first, but overall I thought it was a refreshing new read with interesting content! I missed the second book as I wasn’t able to fit it into my review schedule but when I saw this one was coming out, I decided to download the second book on Audible to listen to it so I could read this one when it comes out!

The series is funny, adventurous, charming, and romantic and I am eager to check this book out as but all accounts it has been labeled one of the funniest books in the series thus far. I love how unique this series is and how much humor goes into the plots. Theres magic, romance, history, and so much humor and charm that they make for great reads.

While this book is part of a series, I think the books can be read independently of each other. Some of the other nuances of the larger narrative would be helpful to have from the other books, I don’t think it’s absolutely necessary. Listening to the second book now, the author does a great job explaining the world and how things work etc so if I were a new reader jumping in with book two, I would be able to understand the world and characters etc. I cannot wait to read this one a little later this spring but for now it’s out and available to purchase now so if you love dashing hero and a unique story reminnsisat of the Princess Bride, this is a great series for you!

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