This was a good writing week! Five fiction sessions, and three book reviews: The Housekeeper’s Secret, by Iona Grey, How to Fall for a Scoundrel, by Kate Bateman, and The New Camelot, by Robyn Schneider.
Happy writing!
Author: tamaramorning
Book Review: The Break-Up Pact, by Emma Lord
Title: The Break-Up Pact
Author: Emma Lord
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5
June and Levi were best friends as teenagers—until the day they weren’t. Now June is struggling to make rent on her beachside tea shop, Levi is living a New York cliché as a disillusioned hedge fund manager and failed novelist, and they’ve barely spoken in years.
But after they both experience public, humiliating break-ups with their exes that spread like wildfire across TikTok rabbit holes and daytime talk shows alike, they accidentally make some juicy gossip of their own—a photo of them together has the internet convinced they’re a couple. With so many people rooting for them, they decide to put aside their rocky past and make a pact to fuel the fire. Pretending to date will help June’s shop get back on its feet and make Levi’s ex realize that she made a mistake. All they have to do is convince the world they’re in love, one swoon-worthy photo opp at a time.
Two viral break-ups. One fake relationship. Five sparkling, heart-pounding dates. June and Levi can definitely pull this off without their hearts getting involved. Because everyone knows fake dating doesn’t come with real feelings. Right?
This was a cute read! I loved the banter between June and Levi, and their interactions were both sweet and funny. So many good secondary characters in this! These added a lot of believability to the story, so June and Levi weren’t operating in a bubble. I love the idea of the tea shop, although some of the scone flavors mentioned—Red Bull?—were not to my taste. A fun weekend read!
Emma Lord is a bestselling author. The Break-Up Pact is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)
Book Review: The New Camelot, by Robyn Schneider
Title: The New Camelot
Author: Robyn Schneider
Genre: YA
Rating:
Everything is finally going right for Emry Merlin. Now that Arthur is the king and her wayward magic is under control, she’s enjoying life as Camelot’s official court wizard—and as Arthur’s girlfriend.But when an unexpected visitor arrives at court, Emry finds her hard-won position threatened. And Arthur is torn between listening to his advisors and following his heart. Even more troubling, war is on the horizon, with King Yurien’s access to dark magic ensuring Camelot’s doom. That is, unless Emry, Arthur, and Lance can find a way to defeat the evil sorceress Bellicent with magic from her own world. But undertaking a quest to Anwen is perilous business, and our young heroes will face many obstacles on their journey—from dangerous beasts to suspicious nobles to cursed maidens determined to find someone to marry. Can Emry and Arthur save their kingdom and fix their relationship, or will they have to choose between their future and Camelot’s?
I haven’t read the other two books in this trilogy, but this was a lot of fun! I liked how the Arthurian mythos was twisted and modernized. Some of it really made me laugh! What if King Arthur wasn’t so impressed with his job, and Merlin was a big faker? This was a quick, fun read.
Robyn Schneider is a bestselling author. The New Camelot is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Penguin Group in exchange for an honest review.)
Book Review: How to Fall for a Scoundrel, by Kate Bateman
Title: How to Fall for a Scoundrel
Author: Kate Bateman
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5
As a founding member of King & Co., London’s most successful private investigation firm, studious Eleanor Law delights in secretly proving that women can solve crimes just as well as men. When a charming con man pretends to be her fictional boss, “Charles King,” Ellie knows he’s lying, but accepting the scoundrel’s offer of help might just be the key to cracking her new case and recovering a priceless manuscript.
“Henri Bonheur”—or “Harry” as he asks to be called—claims his criminal past is behind him, but a man who steals and seduces with such consummate ease can never be trusted. As the investigation draws them deeper into danger and desire, Ellie’s infuriated to realize she’s developed feelings for her law-breaking accomplice. How can she love the scoundrel when she doesn’t even know his real name? And what will happen when Harry’s past finally catches up with him?
This was a fun read! I liked the basic premise of the three girls secretly investigating crimes, and they were a ton of fun to read. Ellie and Henry were a lot of fun to read together, and I enjoyed their adventure.
Kate Bateman is from England. How to Fall for a Scoundrel is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)
Book Review: The Housekeeper’s Secret, by Iona Grey
Title: The Housekeeper’s Secret
Author: Iona Grey
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Duty, desire, and deception reside under one roof.
Standing in the remote windswept moors of Northern England, Coldwell Hall is the perfect place to hide. For the past five years, Kate Furniss has maintained her professional mask so carefully that she almost believes she is the character she has created: Coldwell’s respectable housekeeper.
It is the summer of 1911 that brings new faces above and below the stairs of Coldwell Hall―including the handsome and mysterious new footman, Jem Arden. Just as the house’s shuttered rooms open, so does Kate’s guarded heart to a love affair that is as intense as it is forbidden. But Kate can feel her control slipping as Jem harbors secrets of his own.
I enjoyed this historical fiction read! Even the reader didn’t know Kate or Jem’s secrets all at once, and the gradual reveal was well-done and immersive. The servants’ lives in the early 1900s was fascinating to read about, and even the secondary characters tugged on my heartstrings.
Iona Grey is an award-winning author. The Housekeeper’s Secret is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)
The Best Books I Read in August (2024)
In August, I read 23 books. Most of these were solid reads, some were “meh,” and a few were excellent.
Where the Forest Meets the Stars, by Glendy Vanderah. I liked this read that had been lingering on my TBR for far too long. It felt like a touch of magic, and the cover is gorgeous.
Cast in Atonement, by Michelle Sagara. I’ve loved all 18 books in this series, so this was a no-brainer. Kaylin’s adventures are always engrossing—and usually good for a laugh or two.
The Story Collector, by Evie Woods. I enjoyed The Lost Bookshop so much, and couldn’t wait to read this. Loved these characters–in both timelines–and had a hard time putting this down. I definitely recommend it.
What I Read in August (2024)
Books Read in August: 23
Books Read for the Year: 147/215
Topical Books/Monthly Goal Books:
Gods and Ends, by Devon Monk (audio, TBR): I really enjoyed this on audio! Loving this series so far.
Where the Forest Meets the Stars, by Glendy Vanderah (TBR): I really enjoyed this book! It felt very magical.
Elsewhere, by Dean Koontz (TBR): The ending felt a little rushed, but I always enjoy Koontz’s work.
Awaken Me Darkly, by Gena Showalter (TBR): THe ending of this was rushed, and a little too good to be true. While I enjoyed the first 75% of this read, the ending made me decide I don’t want to read more of the series.
The Grandest Game, by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (TBR): Love this new spinoff!
Artifacts, Dragons, and Other Lethal Magic, by Meghan Ciana Doidge (TBR): Another fun read in this series.
For Review:
My Favourite Mistake, by Marian Keyes. I didn’t really like the MC—she was too whiny for me—but I enjoyed the writing, the setting, and the secondary characters so much that I kept reading.
Second Tide’s the Charm, by Chandra Blumberg. This was a fun read! I enjoyed the chemistry between the characters, and the setting was a new one for me, keeping me hooked.
The Fiance Dilemma, by Elena Armas. This had me snorting with laughter! So many shenanigans! I didn’t understand why the MC was so against marriage, though.
Serenity by the Sea, by Jennifer Vido. I loved the setting here, but the transition from enemies to friends to more was so abrupt it felt choppy.
Ne’er Duke Well, by Alexandra Vasti. I enjoyed this a lot! Bright characters and a lot of spiciness.
It’s All Relative, by Rachel Magee. The MC was a bit annoying and selfish, but I enjoyed this read.
The Thirteenth Husband, by Greer Macallister. This was an interesting read, although it felt a bit plot-less.
Here Lies a Vengeful Bitch, by Codie Crowley. Entertaining in a campy way, although the MC was a bit of a…well, the title says it all.
Medici Heist, by Caitlin Schneiderhan. I enjoyed this historical fiction quite a bit. I love a good heist story, and this fit the bill perfectly.
Strange Folk, by Alli Dyer. This was solidly “meh” for me. It was pretty dark, and I really didn’t care for it much.
The Story Collector, by Evie Woods. I’ve really enjoyed this author’s work, and I loved this one, too. Both timelines were intriguing, although I wished for a slightly different ending in the historical one.
Cast in Atonement, by Michelle Sagara. As with the rest of the books in this series: I loved this.
The Winged Tiara, by J’nell Ciesielski. I really enjoyed this historical fiction/jewel heist caper. Lots of fun!
Fire and Bones, by Kathy Reichs. I’ve enjoyed most of the reads in this series, and I liked this one, too, although Tempe was a bit much in a couple of places.
Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies, by Abigail Hing Wen. This was a cute read. Felt a bit like a tween movie on the scale of believability, though. I liked the male POV. That was a nice change from a lot of YA reads.
The Housekeeper’s Secret, by Iona Grey (forthcoming). I really loved this read! I was invested in the characters from the start, and couldn’t wait to see what happened.
How to Fall for a Scoundrel, by Kate Bateman (forthcoming). This was a fun and charming romance!
Left Unfinished:
The Bookshop Sisterhood, by Michelle Lindo-Rice. These characters got old really quick.
A Great Marriage, by Frances Mayes. This was just too leisurely-paced for me.
Magical Meet Cute, by Jean Meltzer. This is the third book by this author I’ve DNFed, so I probably just need to stop trying, but I couldn’t get behind the idea of the MC being “Jewitch.”
Our Narrow Hiding Places, by Kristopher Jansma. The beginning felt very slow and I couldn’t get into it.
Till Death Do Us Part, by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn. I made it about 25% of the way before realizing 1) I was bored, and 2) I didn’t like any of the characters.
A Pair of Wings, by Carole Hopkins. I just didn’t care for the writing style in this.
Sundays are for Writing #292
This was a good writing week! I got in five fiction sessions, and four book reviews: Magical Meet Cute, by Jean Meltzer, The Winged Tiara, by J’nell Ciesielski, Fire and Bones, by Kathy Reichs, and Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies, by Abigail Hing Wen.
Happy writing!
Book Review: Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies, by Abigail Hing Wen
Title: Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies
Author: Abigail Hing Wen
Genre: YA
Rating: 4 out of 5
After a magical kiss at Prom, best friends Tan Lee and Winter Woo agree to cool it off, a plan that goes awry when their parents jointly head off to Hawaii and leave Tan and Winter to babysit Tan’s sister Sana together. If that isn’t complicated enough, Tan’s ex-girlfriend from Shanghai arrives on his doorstep with money stolen from her billionaire father and thugs on her heels.
Tan soon finds himself on the run, trying to out-manuever international hackers and protect his friends, family and sister – and his own heart.
Okay, the premise sounded a little bit far-fetched to me, but this was a fun read. I liked Tan and Winter a lot, and Sana was such a handful! If you’re looking for a cute, fun read with a happy ending, this would be perfect. Fortunately, there wasn’t a lot of talk of code to eliminate the fun
Abigail Hing Wen is a bestselling author. Kisses, Codes, and Conspiracies is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Macmillan’s Children’s Publishing in exchange for an honest review.)
Book Review: Fire and Bones, by Kathy Reichs
Title: Fire and Bones
Author: Kathy Reichs
Genre: Thriller
Rating: 4 out of 5
It’s never easy working fire scenes.
Called to Washington, DC to analyse the victims of a mysterious arson attack, Tempe quickly finds her misgivings justified. The fire site is in Foggy Bottom, a neighbourhood with a colourful history, and as the pieces start falling into place, the property’s ownership becomes more and more suspicious.
Sensing a good story, Tempe teams up with a new ally, telejournalist Ivy Doyle. Delving into the past, the duo learns that back in the Thirties and Forties the home was the hangout of a group of bootleggers and racketeers known as the Foggy Bottom Gang. Though interesting, this fact seems irrelevant – until the son of one of the gang members is shot dead at his farm in Virginia.
When another Foggy Bottom Gang-linked property burns to the ground, claiming one more victim, what might have been coincidence starts to look more like targeted attacks. As she and Ivy dig deeper, Tempe’s instincts point towards the somehow, her every move since coming to Washington has been anticipated in advance. And every path forward brings with it a lethal threat.
As all of Reichs’ books are, this was a solid read. I liked the different levels of mystery going on—the current mystery, the historical, Foggy Bottom Gang mystery, and the mystery of the other, unidentified body. Tempe is an interesting character to me. She’s so smart, sees things others don’t, yet knows she’s hit-or-miss with the people skills. This was a good read that I blew through in a single day, although I did see some hints of the actual culprit peeking through.
Kathy Reichs is a bestselling author. Fire and Bones is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Scribner in exchange for an honest review.)
Tomorrow Is Another Day 