Author: tamaramorning

Book Review: The Bane Witch, by Ava Morgyn  

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title: The Bane Witch
Author: Ava Morgyn        
Genre: Fantasy        
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Piers Corbin has always had an affinity for poisonous things—plants and men. From the pokeweed berries she consumed at age five that led to the accidental death of a stranger, to the husband whose dark proclivities have become… concerning, poison has been at the heart of her story.

But when she fakes her own death in an attempt to escape her volatile marriage and goes to stay with her estranged great aunt in the mountains, she realizes her predilection is more than a hunger—it’s a birthright. Piers comes from a long line of poison eaters—Bane Witches—women who ingest deadly plants and use their magic to rid the world of evil men.

Piers sets out to earn her place in her family’s gritty but distinguished legacy, all while working at her Aunt Myrtle’s cafe and perpetuating a flirtation with the local, well-meaning sheriff to allay his suspicions on the body count she’s been leaving in her wake. But soon she catches the attention of someone else, a serial killer operating in the area. And that only means one thing—it’s time to feed.

I wasn’t too sure about this at first. It started off slow for me—or I had trouble connecting with Piers at first. But somewhere on her flight to the mountains, I became invested in Piers’ story. I actually didn’t care for her aunt or the other Bane Witches at all, and the small-town kind of gave me the creeps, but Piers herself was a joy to read. I may never look at mushrooms the same way again!

Ava Morgyn lives in Houston. The Bane Witch is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Spring Fling, by Annie England Noblin  

Image belongs to Avon and Harper Voyager.

Title: Spring Fling  
Author: Annie England Noblin         
Genre: Romance        
Rating: 4 out of 5

Spring is in the air and Mylie has everything she could ever want: her tackle shop is thriving and employs a third of Clay Creek, Arkansas, and she lives with her beloved Granny and little sister Cassie, who both keep her on her toes. As tourists pour into town for the annual fishing tournament, Mylie is in her element and ready to bring her all-women team to victory.

After moving to Chicago, Ben never thought he would return to Clay Creek. But with both his grandfather and mother gone, he’s left to deal with their estate. His plan is simple: come in quietly, fix up his lakeside childhood home, sell it quickly, and get out. He underestimates how quickly his arrival will stir up the local gossip, and how intensely his unresolved feelings for Mylie, his childhood best friend, will resurface.

Amid the buzz of competition and the rhythm of small-town life, Mylie and Ben find themselves unable to ignore their shared history. They tentatively explore a future together, despite the impending sale of Ben’s house and Mylie’s insistence on staying put in Clay Creek. Flings are easier said than done, and Mylie and Ben will have to address their clashing lifestyles before their feelings get away from them.

I liked Mylie and Ben. This made living in small-town Arkansas sound appealing—and I’ve been there and done that and have no desire to repeat the experience. The characters really made this read fun—all the characters, not just the main two. The raccoon was hysterical! This was a fun, sweet read, perfect for a weekend binge.

Annie England Noblin lives in Arkansas. Spring Fling is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Avon and Harper Voyager in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: The Keeper, by Charles Martin

Image belongs to Thomas Nelson.

Title:  The Keeper  
Author: Charles Martin
Genre:  Fiction    
Rating: 5 out of 5

Bones–Murphy Shepherd’s teacher, mentor, priest, and friend–is gone. Devastated by the loss and unsure how to continue the rescue work they started, Murph has no choice but to jump back in when the worst happens. His longtime friend and current United States vice president, Aaron Ashley, has been a silent partner in the fight against trafficking. But in spite of having the best security available, his three daughters have been taken bound and blindfolded from their home by an extraction team that left no clues and no trace–just an empty house, a bereft mother, and nine dead Secret Service agents. Only Murph and his team have a hope of finding them.

Bones may have made the ultimate sacrifice taking down his own brother and the dark network he led, but there are still others in this network where evil is the currency and power is the prize. Soon Ashley drops out of the presidential race and a new candidate emerges–someone who is ready, too ready, to step into the race and the Oval Office.

Bones taught Murph that the needs of the one, the lost one, outweigh those of the ninety-nine. In his first rescue without Bones beside him, Murph’s fight against human trafficking takes him across the globe and through the halls of government to destroy the network and save the lives and souls of those taken.

This book. Charles Martin is my favorite author, and I love the Murphy Shepherd books, so I was desperate to read this. And it did not disappoint me. The ending of The Record Keeper destroyed me in all the best possible ways—how was this going to live up to that? It did.

There was a lot of action, of course, as befits this series, but we got to spend a lot of time in Murphy’s head, too, watching as he struggled with what he’d been taught—the value of the one—and what he felt. His anguish and confusion and doubt spilled onto the page and the reader wrestled with them just as he did. Layer that with the action of the race to find the three girls and to figure out just who was behind the darkness that took them and this book was absolutely riveting, Charles Martin at his best.

Charles Martin is a bestselling author. The Keeper is his newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review.)

 

Sundays are for Writing #320

I was out of town most of the week for some training, which threw everything off, but I still managed to get several books reviews written: Some Like It Scot, by Pepper Basham; Boys with Sharp Teeth, by Jenni Howell; and The Summer of You and Me, by Denise Hunter, all coming in April.

Happy writing!

Book Review: Mother of Rome, by Lauren J. A. Bear

Image belongs to Berkley Publishing Group/Ace.

Title: Mother of Rome   
Author: Lauren J. A. Bear      
Genre: Fantasy   
Rating: 4.2 out of 5

The names Romulus and Remus may be immortalized in map and stone and chronicle, but their mother exists only as a preface to her sons’ journey, the princess turned oath-breaking priestess, condemned to death alongside her children.

But she did not die; she survived. And so does her story.

Beautiful, royal, rich: Rhea has it all—until her father loses his kingdom in a treacherous coup, and she is sent to the order of the Vestal Virgins to ensure she will never produce an heir.

Except when mortals scheme, gods laugh.

Rhea becomes pregnant, and human society turns against her. Abandoned, ostracized, and facing the gravest punishment, Rhea forges a dangerous deal with the divine, one that will forever change the trajectory of her life…and her beloved land.

To save her sons and reclaim their birthright, Rhea must summon nature’s mightiest force – a mother’s love – and fight.

All roads may lead to Rome, but they began with Rhea Silvia.

Going into this, I expected to DNF it because my attention wandered due to slow pacing. That is not what happened. Instead, I binge-read this in one sitting. Rhea was a fascinating character, and I enjoyed her point of view so much! She grew a lot through the course of this book, and it was fascinating to read through her journey. Antho was also a great story, and I enjoyed her story very much. Definitely recommend this read!

Lauren J. A. Bear lives in Seattle. Mother of Rome is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Berkley Publishing Group/Ace in exchange for an honest review.)

 

Sundays are for Writing #319

Since I was off Monday and Tuesday this week post-surgery, I had plenty of time to read. I wrote four book reviews this week, too: A Drop of Corruption, by Robert Jackson Bennett, The Notorious Virtues, by Alwyn Hamilton, While We’re Young, by K. L. Walther, and All the Stars Align, by Gretchen Schreiber.

Happy writing!

Book Review: My Big Fat Fake Marriage, by Charlotte Stein

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title: My Big Fat Fake Marriage
Author: Charlotte Stein        
Genre: Romance       
Rating: 3 out of 5 

Connie has always distrusted nice guys. In her experience, they’re just waiting to reveal some horrible secret. And then she meets big, adorable, Henry Samuel Beckett—editor extraordinaire, lover of bow ties, sweet and so cheery she struggles to believe he’s real.

Until Henry Samuel Beckett—or Beck, as he’s known to most—tells her the secret underneath his sunny surface: He’s been single all his life. But in a moment of panic, he’s told everyone at his publishing house that he’s married. And when Connie, an aspiring writer herself, can’t help defending him, she ends up being the fake wife he doesn’t actually have.

When they head off on a writing retreat, surrounded by people convinced this must be a ruse, both of them can’t help but agree. Until they share their first kiss, their first touch, their first time in only one bed. Side by side, every night, as the simmering tension builds…Connie starts to wonder if this might be real after all.

I have to be honest:  this felt like a badly-disguised, cliched bit of porn. The characters felt more like tropes than actual people—Connie/not really Connie and her extreme skepticism of all men, Beck’s nerdy/oblivious personality—without much of a believable explanation as to why, so I could buy into the whole thing. This just really wasn’t a good fit for me.

Charlotte Stein’s new novel is My Big Fat Fake Marriage.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: While We’re Young, by K. L. Walther

Image belongs to Random House/Delacorte

Title: While We’re Young
Author: K. L. Walther      
Genre: YA    
Rating: 4 out of 5 

Grace, Isa, and Everett used to be an inseparable trio before their love lives became a tangled mess. For starters, Grace is secretly in love with Everett, who used to go out with Isa before breaking her heart in the infamous Freshman Year Fracture. And, oh yeah, no one knows that Isa has been hanging out with James, Grace’s brother—and if Grace finds out, it could ruin their friendship.

With graduation fast approaching, Grace decides an unsanctioned senior skip day in Philadelphia might be just what they need to fix things. All she has to do is convince Isa to help her kidnap Everett and outmaneuver James, who’s certain his sister is up to something.

In an epic day that includes racing up the famous Rocky steps, taste-testing Philly’s finest cheesesteaks, and even crashing a wedding, their secrets are bound to collide. But can their hearts withstand the wreckage?

This was a cute, fun book. Grace and Isa were both a lot of fun and I enjoyed their viewpoints a lot. The adventures in Philadelphia were fun and I enjoyed reading those parts a lot. I liked James and Everett and enjoyed their viewpoints, but I liked the girls better. This was a cute—and quick—read, perfect for a weekend binge.

K. L. Walther is from Pennsylvania. While We’re Young is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Random House/Delacorte in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: The Filling Station, by Vanessa Miller

Image belongs to Thomas Nelson.

Title: The Filling Station  
Author: Vanessa Miller         
Genre: Historical fiction       
Rating: 4 out of 5 

During Jim Crow America, there was only one place Black Americans could safely refuel their vehicles along what would eventually become iconic Route 66. But more than just a place to refuel, it was a place to fill up the soul, build community, and find strength. For two sisters, the Threatt Filling Station became the safe haven they needed after escaping the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.

After looking in the face of evil and leaving her whole world behind, Margaret Justice wants nothing more than to feel safe and hold tight to what she has left. Her sister, Evelyn, meanwhile, is a dreamer who longs for adventure and to follow her heart, even though she’s been told repeatedly to not dream too big.

As they both grapple with love, loss, and racism, Margaret and Evelyn realize that they can’t hide out at the filling station when Greenwood and their father’s legacy needs to be rebuilt. Going back will take strength they’re not sure they have. But for the love of Greenwood, they will risk it all and just may be the catalyst to bring Black Wall Street back to its former glory.

This was not a light and fluffy read. I found it horrifying and sad—but the ending was full of hope and uplifting. For some reason, I had trouble keeping the two sisters straight in my mind. I kept getting their names mixed up. The book blurb was a little misleading, as Evelyn did not want to go back to Greenwood after the traumatic events and instead wanted to stay as far away as possible. Margaret was very strong, sometimes to her own detriment, but her strength got her through the hard times.

Vanessa Miller is a best-selling author. The Filling Station is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review.)

The Best Books I Read in February (2025)

In February, I read 23 books, bringing my total for the year to 42 books read. Several of those were really excellent reads.

The Lost Passenger, by Frances Quinn. I really enjoyed this historical fiction read about a woman in a loveless marriage who loses everyone but her small son when The Titanic sinks, and she uses the opportunity to create a new life for herself and her son. Such a good read!

Holy Terrors, by Margaret Owen. I loved Vanya’s voice and snark in this. Her wry observations on life and the people around her made this such a great read.

The Wandering Season by Amie K. Runyan. I love a good travel novel and I love Ireland. Combine that with the foodie aspect of this story, and this was definitely a winner for me.