Book Review: House of Earth and Blood

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J Maas 🎧

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 Star Rating

The Summary:

Bryce Quinlan had the perfect life—working hard all day and partying all night—until a demon murdered her closest friends, leaving her bereft, wounded, and alone. When the accused is behind bars but the crimes start up again, Bryce finds herself at the heart of the investigation. She’ll do whatever it takes to avenge their deaths.

Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose—to assassinate his boss’s enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he’s offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach.

As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City’s underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion—one that could set them both free, if they’d only let it.

🌙

It’s safe to say that what Sarah J Maas thinks is sexy/romantic and what I think is sexy/romantic are not the same thing. 

😬

Cringey sex scenes and inner monologues about how much dirty sex one character wants to have with the other character aside, this is the best SJM book I’ve ever read. I personally found the writing of all of the ACOTAR books to be super lazy and admittedly only decided to give the Crescent City series a chance as a direct result of peer pressure, but I liked this more than expected.

🤷🏻‍♀️

I should also clarify that this is four stars compared to other Sarah J Maas books I’ve read. If I had to rate it without overlooking the cringe level of the “romance” aspects and all the swearing for the sake of swearing, it would be a solid three stars for me. However, I am willing to add the extra star simply because I knew full well what I was getting myself into with a book written by Maas. She has yet to deviate from a very distinct formula - only the characters and settings seem to change, but the key elements of the story remain the same.

🌙

I keep hearing that the second book in this series has an EPIC ending, so I’m definitely going to press on and read House of Sky and Breath soon. Also because Ruhn Danaan.

💜

 

Book Review: Bone Deep

 

Bone Deep by Charles Bosworth, Jr. & Joel J. Schwartz 🎧

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 Star Rating

The Summary:

First responders concluded that Betsy was dead for hours when Russ discovered her. No blood was found implicating Russ, and surveillance video, receipts, and friends’ testimony all supported his alibi. Yet incredibly, police and the prosecuting attorney ignored the evidence. In their minds, Russ was guilty. But prominent defense attorney Joel J. Schwartz quickly recognized the real killer.

Bone Deep takes readers through the perfect storm of miscalculations and missteps that led to an innocent man’s conviction—and recounts Schwartz’s successful battle to have that conviction overturned. Written with Russ Faria’s cooperation, and filled with chilling new revelations and previously undisclosed evidence, this is the story of what can happen when police, prosecutor, judge, and jury all fail in their duty to protect the innocent—and let a killer get away with murder.

🔪😵💀 

I went into this audiobook having no prior knowledge of the murder case it details. I like the occasional true crime book or documentary and decided to give this one a listen.  The first half of this audiobook was tedious at times because it’s basically a transcript of Russ Faria’s hours long interrogation by police. At just over the halfway mark, the overall vibe changes when the court proceedings begin to unfold. That is when this story went from “meh” to downright insane!  

😱

This is a must read for true crime fans and I promise you that the second half of the book more than makes you for the shortcomings of the first. It wasn’t until near the end that I realized this is the same murder case that has inspired the new NBC mini-series “The Thing About Pam”, starring Renee Zellweger - the trailer for which I had already seen and planned to watch.

Thank you to the authors along with NetGalley and Tantor Audio for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. 

Book Review: The Spanish Love Deception

 

The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas 🎧

⭐️⭐️⭐️3/5 Star Rating

The Summary:

Catalina Martín, finally, not single. Her family is happy to announce that she will bring her American boyfriend to her sister’s wedding. Everyone is invited to come and witness the most magical event of the year.

That would certainly be tomorrow’s headline in the local newspaper of the small Spanish town I came from. Or the epitaph on my tombstone, seeing the turn my life had taken in the span of a phone call.

Aaron Blackford. The man whose main occupation was making my blood boil had just offered himself to be my date. Right after inserting his nose in my business, calling me delusional, and calling himself my best option. See? Outrageous. Aggravating. Blood boiling. And much to my total despair, also right. Which left me with a surly and extra large dilemma in my hands. Was it worth the suffering to bring my colleague and bane of my existence as my fake boyfriend to my sister’s wedding? Or was I better off coming clean and facing the consequences of my panic induced lie?

🇪🇸✈️ 💒 

I have to say that I enjoyed most of this book. The enemies to lovers + fake dating tropes = pages of awkward hilarity. I love both main characters independently and enjoyed all of their interactions leading up to the actual “romance”.  I just could not get behind these two as a couple and I can’t really pinpoint why.

Imagine seeing an attractive person from across the room. You’re taking in all of their fine features and thinking “ummm… yes, please” when - record scratch - your great aunt Cheryl is suddenly standing right in front of you, introducing this hottie as your second cousin, once removed. Those butterflies in your stomach turn to piranhas in half a heartbeat, right?  That’s akin to how I felt when Lina and Aaron finally started to hook up.  The slow burn was great fun and I was totally there for it, but by the time everything began to spice up, it was no bueno for me.  The more Aaron called Lina “baby”, the more I internally cringed. 

Book Review: Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead by Elle Cosimano 🎧

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5/5 Star Rating

The Summary:

Finlay Donovan is―once again―struggling to finish her next novel and keep her head above water as a single mother of two. On the bright side, she has her live-in nanny and confidant Vero to rely on, and the only dead body she's dealt with lately is that of her daughter's pet goldfish.

On the not-so-bright side, someone out there wants her ex-husband, Steven, out of the picture. Permanently. Whatever else Steven may be, he's a good father, but saving him will send her down a rabbit hole of hit-women disguised as soccer moms, and a little bit more involvement with the Russian mob than she'd like.

Meanwhile, Vero's keeping secrets, and Detective Nick Anthony seems determined to get back into her life. He may be a hot cop, but Finlay's first priority is preventing her family from sleeping with the fishes... and if that means bending a few laws then so be it.

With her next book's deadline looming and an ex-husband to keep alive, Finlay is quickly coming to the end of her rope. She can only hope there isn't a noose at the end of it...

📚🕶

Oh, Elle Cosimano, you clever woman! Where is the petition I sign to guarantee at least a dozen books in the Finlay Donovan series? I just never want it to end!  Now, buckle upas I proceed to gush about this book.

🤷🏻‍♀️

WOW, so full disclosure, I did not really expect this follow up to Finlay Donovan Is Killing It to be quite as good as its predecessor. I mean, how often does an author publish a single perfect, genre bending novel in her lifetime - let alone TWO of them?! I have never been so happy to say I was wrong! Finlay Donovan Knocks Em Dead is just as great as - dare I say even better than - the first book! Seriously, I can't even apologize for all of the exclamation points in this review because how else will I convey MY UNDYING LOVE FOR THIS BOOK?!

🕵🏻‍♀️💻

As with the first Finlay Donovan novel, Cosimano delivers a hilarious contemporary murder mystery with enough suspense and romance to keep any reader enthralled. I listened to the audiobook and have to give narrator Angela Dawe all the heart eyes for a job brilliantly done. Thank you Elle Cosimano for knockin’ us dead with this incredibly entertaining book and added thanks to you, NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for a free audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: The White Ship

 

The White Ship by Charles Spencer 🎧

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5/5 Star Rating

The Summary:

The sinking of the White Ship is one of the greatest disasters in English history. Here, Sunday Times bestselling author Charles Spencer tells the real story behind the legend to show how one cataclysmic shipwreck changed England’s course.

In 1120, the White Ship was known as the fastest ship afloat. When it sank sailing from Normandy to England it was carrying aboard the only legitimate heir to King Henry I, William of Ætheling. The raucous, arrogant young prince had made a party of the voyage, carousing with his companions and pushing wine into the eager hands of the crew. It was the middle of the night when the drunken helmsman rammed the ship into rocks.

The next day only one of the three hundred who had boarded the ship was alive to describe the horrors of the slow shipwreck. William, the face of England’s future had drowned along with scores of the social elite. The royal line severed and with no obvious heir to the crown, a civil war of untold violence erupted. Known fittingly as ‘The Anarchy’, this game of thrones saw families turned in on each other, with English barons, rebellious Welsh leaders and Scottish invaders all playing a part in the bloody, desperate scrum for power.

One incredible shipwreck and two decades of violent uncertainty; England’s course had changed forever.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🤴🏻

Full disclosure: I’m a huge fan of Medieval History. If that’s not your jam, this book may not be as enjoyable for you as it was for me. This is a brilliant piece of nonfiction work from Charles Spencer. The sinking of The White Ship is an event I was mildly familiar with (Didn’t we all read Beowulf in junior high?), but this book was very educational. Wait! I mean that in the absolute best way! It was an enjoyable read and I never once felt bogged down by the details.  

🏰⚔️

This well written account covers the pivotal years at the end of William the Conqueror’s line before the Plantagenet reign began.  I’ve found that there is a more bountiful offering of enjoyable but historically accurate books about the Plantagenet and Tudor Dynasties than the preceding royal bloodlines.  I highly recommend this to anyone interested in England’s monarchy in the High Middle Ages. 

Book Review: A Letter to Three Witches

A Letter to Three Witches by Elizabeth Bass 🎧

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5/5 Star Rating 

The Summary:

Bewitched meets Practical Magic in this sparkling and quirky rom-com with an enchanted twist. When romance problems cause their powers to go berserk, a trio of witches whose family was banned from practicing magic risk getting in serious trouble with the Grand Council. Can they get their magic—and their love lives—in order before it’s too late?

 

🧹🧙🏻‍♀️🧙🏻‍♀️🧙🏻‍♂️

I absolutely loved this book! So many rom-com novels follow the same recipe these days  and it has become just plain boring to me. This story was a new, fresh idea and was executed flawlessly.  I also appreciate how A Letter To Three Witches was a ”spice free” read without sacrificing the chemistry between the two characters with the burgeoning romance. Above all else, I had no idea what an enjoyable ride this book would be and I particularly loved the witty dialogue & hilarious hijinks our three witches got up to. 

Thank you 🙏🏻 to the author along with NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this audio arc in exchange for my honest review. 

Book Review: A Brush with Love

A Brush with Love by Mazey Eddings

⭐️⭐️💫2.5/5 Star Rating

The Summary:

Harper is anxiously awaiting placement into a top oral surgery residency program when she crashes (literally) into Dan. Harper would rather endure a Novocaine-free root canal than face any distractions, even one this adorable. 
A first-year dental student with a family legacy to contend with, Dan doesn’t have the same passion for pulling teeth that Harper does. Though he finds himself falling for her, he is willing to play by Harper’s rules.
So with the greatest of intentions and the poorest of follow-throughs, the two set out to be “just friends.” But as they get to know each other better, Harper fears that trading fillings for feelings may make her lose control and can't risk her carefully ordered life coming undone, no matter how drool-worthy Dan is.
Blood, gore, and extra-long roots? No problem. The idea of falling in love? Torture.

 🪥❤️

Unfortunately, this one was a miss for me. The back and forth between Harper and Dan from “just friends” to “I can’t live without you” and back again was very frustrating to me. While I liked both main characters, I reached a point of liking them better apart and no longer rooting for them to be together. 

To be fair, this is a debut novel for Mazey Eddings and I think there was a lot of potential here. I would definitely give future novels by the author a fair chance because it is so satisfying to witness an author’s growth as they hone their craft. Sadly, most of the issues I had with A Brush with Love can be chalked up to “first book flaws”.

🥴

Thank you to the author along with NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review. 

Book Review: A Million Junes

 

A Million Junes by Emily Henry 🎧

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5/5 Star Rating

The Summary:

For as long as Jack “June” O’Donnell has been alive, her parents have had only one rule: stay away from the Angert family. But when June collides—quite literally—with Saul Angert, sparks fly, and everything June has known is thrown into chaos.

Who exactly is this gruff, sarcastic, but seemingly harmless boy who has returned to their hometown of Five Fingers, Michigan, after three mysterious years away? And why has June—an O’Donnell to her core—never questioned her late father’s deep hatred of the Angert family? After all, the O’Donnells and the Angerts may have mythic legacies, but for all the tall tales they weave, both founding families are tight-lipped about what caused the century-old rift between them.

As Saul and June’s connection grows deeper, they find that the magic, ghosts, and coywolves of Five Fingers seem to be conspiring to reveal the truth about the harrowing curse that has plagued their bloodlines for generations. Now June must question everything she knows about her family and the father she adored, and she must decide whether it’s finally time for her—and all the O’Donnells before her—to let go

✨

Basically, Emily Henry is a witch! Already, she proved to be a master author of the contemporary romantic comedy (IMO).  Now, I find that her sorcery is no less powerful in the YA fantasy realm.  How, Emily? HOW?

This story was flawless. The magical realism was intoxicating and the characters were three dimensional and relatable.  They made me care and feel so much!  This is one of those times when I finish an audiobook and I’m like, “OOF, I need a copy of this book on my shelf!”

I can’t recommend this book enough. Also, Emily Henry just went from being “one of my favorite romcom writers” to simply one of my favorite authors.  

Book Review: Any Way the Wind Blows

 

Any Way the Winds Blows by Rainbow Rowell 🎧

⭐️⭐️⭐️3/5 Star Rating

The Summary:

In Any Way the Wind Blows, Simon and Baz and Penelope and Agatha have to decide how to move forward.

For Simon, that means deciding whether he still wants to be part of the World of Mages -- and if he doesn't, what does that mean for his relationship with Baz? Meanwhile Baz is bouncing between two family crises and not finding any time to talk to anyone about his newfound vampire knowledge. Penelope would love to help, but she's smuggled an American Normal into London, and now she isn't sure what to do with him. And Agatha? Well, Agatha Wellbelove has had enough.
Any Way the Wind Blows takes the gang back to England, back to Watford, and back to their families for their longest and most emotionally wrenching adventure yet.

This book is a finale. It tells secrets and answers questions and lays ghosts to rest.

☹️

That is an accurate depiction of my face upon reaching the end of this book. I just… expected more. There were a number of things that I needed to be addressed in the final book in this trilogy that were never even mentioned! I’ve sat on this review for a full 24 hours and finally decided to keep it short and sweet because I’m not here to spark a debate with the diehard fans, but I just didn’t like this book. The Simon Snow Series itself was just okay for me, with Wayward Son being my favorite of the three books by far. 

🤭

I still love Rainbow Rowell, but I would recommend you read some of her standalone books because I don’t believe this series is the best she has to offer. My top three favorites of her books would be: Fangirl, Landline, and Eleanor & Park.  Read one of those and then drop me a line, I’d much rather talk about one of those with you.

🤷🏻‍♀️

Book Review: Lucky Leap Day

Lucky Leap Day by Ann Marie Walker 🎧

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫3.5/5 Star Rating

 The Summary:

After one-too-many whiskeys, fledgling screenwriter Cara Kennedy takes a page out of someone else’s script when she gets caught up in the Irish tradition of women proposing on Leap Day. She thought she might have dreamt everything, until she wakes the next morning with a hot guy in her bed and a tin foil ring on her finger. Her flight is in four hours, her clothes are all over the room, and she has the most important meeting of her career in exactly two days—and on top of everything else, her husband has a dog who thinks Cara is a perfect surrogate mother, despite the fact that she has never been much of an animal lover…

Deciding to work things out stateside, Finn and her new fur baby accompany her to LA, where Finn spends his days going on auditions and his nights charming his new bride, leaving Cara to wonder whether this is real love, or if Finn is another aspiring actor just after her Hollywood connections? With limited time on his tourist visa, will Finn be able to convince Cara that she’s the right girl for him, or will time run out on their Hollywood ending?

🍀

This one was super cute, y’all.  I was very excited about receiving this audio arc from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media in exchange for my honest review. For me, so many boxes were ticked before I even began listening: 

cute cover ✔️ 

love interest with a swoon worthy brogue ✔️

accidental marriage (after which hilarity ensues) ✔️

and the cute Irish dude has a dog that loves our quirky heroine ✔️

So much to love here and it delivered on all of those fronts.  However, I was just not buying into the conflict when it finally popped up. I mean, Finn was basically perfect for most of this book and then the conflict that was finally presented felt contrived to me.  While the book started out strong, I feel like it fizzled out in the third act.

🤷🏻‍♀️

All in all, if you’re looking for a fast paced rom com of a story, I definitely recommend Lucky Leap Day. Kudos to Ann Marie Walker for choosing to keep this story clean when so many authors add unnecessary spice to simply appeal to the masses.  Also internet high five for that epilogue because it was such a fun little twist!

Book Review: The Man in the Brown Suit

 

The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie 🎧

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫3.5/5 Star Rating

The Summary:

Newly-orphaned Anne Beddingfeld is a nice English girl looking for a bit of adventure in London. But she stumbles upon more than she bargained for! Anne is on the platform at Hyde Park Corner tube station when a man falls onto the live track, dying instantly. A doctor examines the man, pronounces him dead, and leaves, dropping a note on his way. Anne picks up the note, which reads "17.1 22 Kilmorden Castle". The next day the newspapers report that a beautiful ballet dancer has been found dead there-- brutally strangled. A fabulous fortune in diamonds has vanished. And now, aboard the luxury liner Kilmorden Castle, mysterious strangers pillage her cabin and try to strangle her. What are they looking for? Why should they want her dead? Lovely Anne is the last person on earth suited to solve this mystery... and the only one who can! Anne's journey to unravel the mystery takes her as far afield as Africa and the tension mounts with every step... and Anne finds herself struggling to unmask a faceless killer known only as 'The Colonel'.

🚢

Confession: this is the first ever Agatha Christie novel I’ve read. First. Ever.

🤦🏻‍♀️

I quite like the murder mystery genre and have no excuse as to why I have never explored the world of Agatha Christie before now, but I intend to add at least one of her books to my TBR each month for the rest of this year.

My takeaway from this novel was not life changing, but the female MC was a competent, capable, and delightfully witty young woman & I just loved her!  I realize I’m late to the party, but it’s safe to say I’ve found another author to binge.

😬

Book Review: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid 🎧

 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5/5 Star Rating

The Summary:

Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?

Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.

Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.

💍💍💍💍💍💍💍

This is the fourth book I’ve read from Taylor Jenkins Reid and by far the most enjoyable for me.  As a fan of historical fiction, I was quickly drawn in by Evelyn’s storytelling of her life as an up and coming actress in the Golden Age of Hollywood.  When she discloses the name of who she considers to be the love of her life, the plot thickens and it soon became clear that there was so much more to this story than the seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

🎥

I tend to have a soft spot for any story that can genuinely surprise me with a plot twist - bonus points if it happens a bit late in the game 🙌🏻 Let’s just say that Evelyn Hugo serves one up just the way I like it! I loved everything about this book and believe it to be the best Taylor Jenkins Reid has written to date.  I highly recommend this to lovers of historical fiction and contemporary romance. 

Book Review: Good Girl Complex

Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy 🎧

⭐️⭐️⭐️3/5 Star Rating

The Summary:

Mackenzie "Mac" Cabot is a people pleaser. Her demanding parents. Her prep school friends. Her long-time boyfriend. It's exhausting, really, always following the rules. Unlike most twenty-year-olds, all she really wants to do is focus on growing her internet business, but first she must get a college degree at her parents' insistence. That means moving to the beachside town of Avalon Bay, a community made up of locals and the wealthy students of Garnet College.

Mac's had plenty of practice suppressing her wilder impulses, but when she meets local bad boy Cooper Hartley, that ability is suddenly tested. Cooper is rough around the edges. Raw. Candid. A threat to her ordered existence. Their friendship soon becomes the realest thing in her life.

Despite his disdain for the trust-fund kids he sees coming and going from his town, Cooper soon realizes Mac isn't just another rich clone and falls for her. Hard. But as Mac finally starts feeling accepted by Cooper and his friends, the secret he's been keeping from her threatens the only place she's ever felt at home.

⚓️

This was my first read from Elle Kennedy and I have heard great things about her previous works.  Unfortunately, this book just didn’t grab me.  I believe that fans of Kennedy’s books may still enjoy this new release because the writing was quite good. My difficulty with this story lay with the hero - I just did not like him.  A common romance trope, it ticks a lot of boxes, but my inability to like Cooper even the slightest bit prevented me from fully enjoying this book. That being said, there were some deliciously funny moments in this story and I would still recommend it for fans of contemporary romance novels with a heaping helping of sexy times.

😏

Thank you 🙏🏻 to the author along with Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: Under the Whispering Door

 Under the Whispering Door by T.J. Klune 🎧

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4/5 Star Rating

The Summary:

When a reaper comes to collect Wallace Price from his own funeral, Wallace suspects he really might be dead.

Instead of leading him directly to the afterlife, the reaper takes him to a small village. On the outskirts, off the path through the woods, tucked between mount'ains, is a particular tea shop, run by a man named Hugo. Hugo is the tea shop's owner to locals and the ferryman to souls who need to cross over.

But Wallace isn't ready to abandon the life he barely lived. With Hugo's help he finally starts to learn about all the things he missed in life.

When the Manager, a curious and powerful being, arrives at the tea shop and gives Wallace one week to cross over, Wallace sets about living a lifetime in seven days.

🫖☕️

This book was an absolute unexpected delight! It’s the first book I have read by T.J. Klune and has inspired my decision to read more.  It tackles some heavy topics and the overall theme is beautiful, but dang, was it funny!  I mean, these characters were so perfectly quirky, that their dialogue and interactions with one another were an absolute riot at times.  I’m not sure what I was expecting a “T.J. Klune novel” to be, but this wasn’t it.  I did not expect to find myself laughing out loud while listening to this audiobook, but it happened numerous times.  It speaks volumes about the brilliance of a book when it is equal parts thought-provoking and hilarious.  I very much enjoyed this audiobook and will be adding The House in the Cerulean Sea (also by Klune) to my TBR list for March. 

💜

Book Review: The Rose Code

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn 🎧

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5/5 Star Rating

The Summary:

1940. As England prepares to fight the Nazis, three very different women answer the call to mysterious country estate Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes. Vivacious debutante Osla is the girl who has everything—beauty, wealth, and the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses—but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, and puts her fluent German to use as a translator of decoded enemy secrets. Imperious self-made Mab, product of East-End London poverty, works the legendary code-breaking machines as she conceals old wounds and looks for a socially advantageous husband. Both Osla and Mab are quick to see the potential in local village spinster Beth, whose shyness conceals a brilliant facility with puzzles, and soon Beth spreads her wings as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts. But war, loss, and the impossible pressure of secrecy will tear the three apart. 

1947. As the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip whips post-war Britain into a fever, three friends-turned-enemies are reunited by a mysterious encrypted letter—the key to which lies buried in the long-ago betrayal that destroyed their friendship and left one of them confined to an asylum. A mysterious traitor has emerged from the shadows of their Bletchley Park past, and now Osla, Mab, and Beth must resurrect their old alliance and crack one last code together. But each petal they remove from the rose code brings danger—and their true enemy—closer...

🌹

Kate Quinn never disappoints! I have thoroughly enjoyed each of her three historical fiction novels that I’ve read and am looking forward to her next offering, The Diamond Eye.  Not only is the story itself near perfect, her accompanying Author’s Note was a gem 💎 

I can always count on a Kate Quinn novel about resilient women during 1940’s wartime to be a FIVE STAR read! 

 

Book Review: A Flicker in the Dark

A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham 🎧

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 Star Rating

The Summary:

When Chloe Davis was twelve, six teenage girls went missing in her small Louisiana town. By the end of the summer, her own father had confessed to the crimes and was put away for life, leaving Chloe and the rest of her family to grapple with the truth and try to move forward while dealing with the aftermath.

Now twenty years later, Chloe is a psychologist in Baton Rouge and getting ready for her wedding. While she finally has a fragile grasp on the happiness she’s worked so hard to achieve, she sometimes feels as out of control of her own life as the troubled teens who are her patients. So when a local teenage girl goes missing, and then another, that terrifying summer comes crashing back. Is she paranoid, seeing parallels from her past that aren't actually there, or for the second time in her life, is Chloe about to unmask a killer?

😱 I… I just. 😱

To debut author Stacy Willingham, I just have to say: BRA-VO!

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

This book was a beautifully crafted psychological thriller. The story is told to us from the point of view of a convicted serial killer’s daughter who self medicates for the post traumatic stress she still suffers from, 20 years after her father’s arrest.  Needless to say, Chloe was a hot mess even before we realize there’s a copycat killer on the prowl.

😬

There are many twists and turns as the mystery unfolds - my head is still spinning- and I loved every second of it.  I must confess that I had confidently sussed out the killer twice (so I thought) but Willingham spins such an intricate web that I was nowhere near to solving the puzzle.  With such an impressive debut, I will be watching this author closely, impatiently awaiting her next novel.

🤗🤗🤗

Do yourself a favor and get your hands on a copy of this book right now!

Thank you 🙏🏻 to the author along with MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. 💜

 

Book Review: Death in Cornwall

Death in Cornwall by G.M. Malliet 🎧

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 3.5/5 Star Rating

The Summary:

To celebrate their engagement, DCI Arthur St. Just and Portia De’Ath visit the quiet village of Maidsfell in Cornwall. Upon arriving they find the villagers in an uproar over plans to redevelop the local seafront.

The fishermen want to build a new slipway to aid their business, but many residents worry it will spoil the view for the tourists who help drive the economy. After a heated village meeting on the issue, St. Just overhears an argument involving Lord Bodwally – an unpopular aristocrat staunchly opposed to the plans. Later, Bodwally’s lifeless body is discovered. It’s murder.

Although Bodwally was disliked, who’d go so far as to kill him? St. Just, although an outsider from Cambridge, feels compelled to help local authorities investigate. Is Bodwally’s death linked to the seafront, his suspect business dealings, or a secret from the past? One thing is certain, the fallout threatens to change Maidsfell forever...

🕵️‍♀️ 🔍

This book is the fourth in a series of St. Just Mysteries but never having read the previous installments did not make this read any less enjoyable.  I quite like the detective mystery genre and this novel ticked all the appropriate boxes.  The setting is very cozy and DCI St. Just himself is competent and easy to like.  I believe the author did a brilliant job of creating a host of intriguing characters turned suspects and infusing just the right amount of humor throughout. 

😱🔪 

This story appeals to anyone who enjoys a classic murder mystery  I’m happy to have found myself a new detective to track and plan to go back and read the previous three novels in this series. My only complaint is that this book was a bit too long. At just over 11 hours in length, it was a few hours longer than I prefer novels of this genre to be.

Thank you 🙏🏻 to the author, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for providing me the audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

 

Book Review: The Christie Affair

The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont 🎧

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 Star Rating 

The Summary:

Every story has its secrets.

Every mystery has its motives.

“A long time ago, in another country, I nearly killed a woman. It’s a particular feeling, the urge to murder. It takes over your body so completely, it’s like a divine force, grabbing hold of your will, your limbs, your psyche. There’s a joy to it. In retrospect, it’s frightening, but I daresay in the moment it feels sweet. The way justice feels sweet.” 

The greatest mystery wasn’t Agatha Christie’s disappearance in those eleven infamous days, it’s what she discovered. 

London, 1925: In a world of townhomes and tennis matches, socialites and shooting parties, Miss Nan O’Dea became Archie Christie’s mistress, luring him away from his devoted and well-known wife, Agatha Christie.

The question is, why? Why destroy another woman’s marriage, why hatch a plot years in the making, and why murder? How was Nan O’Dea so intricately tied to those eleven mysterious days that Agatha Christie went missing?

😱

This story had layers. So many layers! Not at all what I was expecting, but in the best possible way.🤌🏻

Nan is the chief narrator of this story, spinning the yarn of her own backstory and the events that led her to cross the path of one Agatha Christie.  Agatha plays the role of a secondary character in the majority of this book, - much to my surprise -  but I felt that it worked beautifully.  We will never know the truth of Christie’s mysterious but brief disappearance, but I quite liked Nina de Gramont’s take on those events.

Thank you 🙏🏻 to the author, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

 

Book Review: The German Wife

The German Wife by Debbie Rix 🎧

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 Star Rating

The Summary:

Germany, 1939: Annaliese is a doctor’s wife, living in an elegant grey stone house with ivy creeping over the balcony. But when her husband is ordered to work at the Dachau labour camp, her ordinary life is turned upside down by the horrors of war. And Annaliese finds herself in grave danger when she dares to fight for love and freedom…

America, 1989: Turning the pages of the newspaper, Annaliese gasps when she recognizes the face of a man she thought she’d never see again. It makes her heart skip a beat as a rush of wartime memories come back to her. As she reads on, she realizes the past is catching up with her. She must confront a decades-old secret – or risk losing everything…

Germany, 1942: Annaliese’s marriage is beginning to crumble. Her husband, Hans, has grown cold and secretive since starting his new job as a doctor at Dachau. When a tall, handsome Russian prisoner named Alexander is sent from the camp to work in their garden, lonely Annaliese finds herself drawn to him as they tend to the plants together. In snatched moments and broken whispers, Alexander tells her the truth about the shocking conditions at the camp. Horrified, Annaliese vows to do everything she can to save him.

But as they grow closer, their feelings for each other put them both in terrible danger. And when Annaliese falls pregnant she has to make an impossible decision between protecting herself and saving the love of her life…

📚PUB DATE IS IN TWO DAYS📚

🥰

Full disclosure:  WWII era historical fiction is my ✨favorite✨ genre.  The title of this book caught my eye, inspired by true events on the cover caused a pitter patter of my heart, and reading the description made my soul sing!  I was absolutely giddy at having been approved for an advanced copy of this audiobook for review.  I’m talking this level of excitement:

  

I’m happy to report that this book lived up to and exceeded all of my expectations!  Every layer of this heart-gripping story is so beautifully written, I could not suggest even the slightest improvement.  But do not think for a moment that I am not picking up the pieces of my heart as I type!😭❤️‍🩹

I suppose, if hard pressed to find a fault, - if it can even be called that - I would have loved an added Author’s Note to accompany this story.  I am always fascinated to hear about the inspiration and research involved when writing such a shining piece of historical fiction.  

Thank you 🙏🏻 to the author along with Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for early access to this audiobook in exchange for my honest review 💐

 

Book Review: The Crowns of Croswald

The Crowns of Croswald by D.E. Night📱

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 Star Rating 

The Summary: 

In Croswald, the only thing more powerful than dark magic is one secret...

For sixteen years Ivy Lovely has been hidden behind an enchanted boundary that separates the mundane from the magical. When Ivy crosses the border, her powers awaken.

Curiosity leads her crashing through a series of adventures at the Halls of Ivy, a school where students learn to master their magical blood and the power of Croswald’s mysterious gems.

When Ivy’s magic - and her life - is threatened by the Dark Queen, she scrambles to unearth her history and save Croswald before the truth is swept away forever.

🪶✨

I absolutely enjoyed this book!  It’s marketed as a middle grades fantasy, which isn’t a genre I am usually drawn to, but this book appeals to all ages.  The world building is flawless and the setting was somewhat reminiscent of Hogwarts, to me. That is NEVER a bad thing, in my opinion.✨

💜

Ivy’s story reminds the reader that our self worth is not always reflected in worldly possessions. Even when we live a humble existence, we can still be destined for greatness.

The Crowns of Croswald is an ongoing series, with the fourth book’s pub date just around the corner. This first book in the series gets a definite recommendation from me for anyone who is into the magical fantasy genre. An absolute must if, like me, you have a child who falls into that middle grades category. My son and I will definitely be finishing this series together!

Thank you 🙏🏻 to the author along with Stories Untold Press and NetGalley for the free digital copy in exchange for my honest review 💜