So many words. So little time.
Author: tamaramorning
Despite traveling/being gone for work this week, it was still a solid writing week. I got in five fiction sessions, and three book reviews: Expiration Dates, by Rebecca Serle (not sure how I feel about this read), The Last Bloodcarver, by Vanessa Le (excellent read), Sincerely, the Duke, by Amelia Grey (solid romance read). I also wrote my March reading post, and my best books of March post.
Happy writing!
Title: Sincerely, The Duke
Author: Amelia Grey
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5
Miss Edwina Fine has one shot at finding a husband before the ton learns her secret. With red hair, green eyes and being one of triplets, she knows the superstitions and rumors about women like her. So when a marriage proposal from the Duke of Stonerick arrives by mail, Edwina jumps at the chance to solve her problems. But nothing could prepare her for the attraction that sparks between them when they finally meet. It will take more than Edwina’s wit to navigate her past, reservations about marriage and the passion that ignites within her for the irresistible duke.
Rick, Duke of Stonerick, enjoys his life exactly as it honing his expert marksmanship, playing cards and fencing with his friends. He even enjoys exchanging affectionate humor with his mother about his lack of matrimonial engagement. But when a recurring illness reminds Rick he has no heir, he picks a name from the list of prospects his mother presents and writes a simple marriage proposal. Then he forgets about it—until that very lady with an iron will and breathtaking bravery shows up at his doorstep, ready to accept. Edwina tempts him like no other and suddenly, marriage doesn’t seem much of an inconvenience after all. But will keeping his illness a secret cost him her love?
I could not get on board with Edwina being so afraid to tell anyone she was a (red-haired, green-eyed) triplet—although I know the superstitions that existed around this. It just felt so trivial to me it was hard to keep myself anchored in the time and place of the setting. This was a me problem, not a problem with the book.
I liked Edwina and Rick both and enjoyed seeing their relationship grow. I found the secondary characters to be just as fascinating as the primary, and this was a solid romance read.
Amelia Grey is from Florida. Sincerely, The Duke is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)
Title: The Last Bloodcarver
Author: Vanessa Le
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Nhika is a bloodcarver. A cold-hearted, ruthless being who can alter human biology with just a touch. In the industrial city of Theumas, she is seen not as a healer, but a monster that kills for pleasure.
When Nhika is caught using her bloodcarving abilities during a sham medical appointment, she’s captured by underground thugs and sold to an aristocratic family to heal the last witness of their father’s murder.
But as Nhika delves deeper into their investigation amidst the glitz of Theumas’ wealthiest district, she begins to notice parallels between this job and her own dark past. And when she meets an alluring yet entitled physician’s aide, Ven Kochin, she’s forced to question the true intent behind this murder. In a society that outcasts her, Kochin seems drawn to her…though he takes every chance he gets to push her out of his opulent world.
When Nhika discovers that Kochin is not who he claims to be, and that there is an evil dwelling in Theumas that runs much deeper than the murder of one man, she must decide where her heart, and her allegiance, truly lie. And — if she’s willing to become the dreaded bloodcarver Theumas fears — to save herself and the ones she’s vowed to protect.
I really enjoyed this world and these characters! This was dark, but compelling, and I ended up staying up far too late trying to finish this. The culture was fascinating, and the characters are vivid, flawed, and relatable. Love the magic system—it’s one of the more fascinating magic systems I’ve read, and I was engrossed in this from very early on.
Vanessa Le is from the Pacific Northwest. The Last Bloodcarver is her debut novel.
(Galley courtesy of Macmillan/Roaring Brook Press in exchange for an honest review.)
Title: Expiration Dates
Author: Rebecca Serle
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4.0 out of 5
Being single is like playing the lottery. There’s always the chance that with one piece of paper you could win it all.
Daphne Bell believes the universe has a plan for her. Every time she meets a new man, she receives a slip of paper with his name and a number on it—the exact amount of time they will be together. The papers told her she’d spend three days with Martin in Paris; five weeks with Noah in San Francisco; and three months with Hugo, her ex-boyfriend turned best friend. Daphne has been receiving the numbered papers for over twenty years, always wondering when there might be one without an expiration. Finally, the night of a blind date at her favorite Los Angeles restaurant, there’s only a Jake.
But as Jake and Daphne’s story unfolds, Daphne finds herself doubting the paper’s prediction, and wrestling with what it means to be both committed and truthful. Because Daphne knows things Jake doesn’t, information that—if he found out—would break his heart.
This was a bit hit-or-miss for me. I loved the premise and thought it was awesome, but how Daphne used it as an excuse to just check out and not get emotionally invested was pretty…cowardly, frankly. Jake seemed nice, but the two of them together felt very bland, while her friendship with Hugo was fantastic and compelling. I was supposed to be rooting for jake and Daphne, but I really wasn’t. I just wanted Daphne to wake up and realize what had been waiting for her all along, while she was busy shutting everyone out.
Rebecca Serle is a bestselling author. Expiration Dates is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Atria Books in exchange for an honest review.)
Title: The Underground Library
Author: Jennifer Ryan
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
When new deputy librarian, Juliet Lansdown, finds that Bethnal Green Library isn’t the bustling hub she’s expecting, she becomes determined to breathe life back into it. But can she show the men in charge that a woman is up to the task of running it, especially when a confrontation with her past threatens to derail her?
Katie Upwood is thrilled to be working at the library, although she’s only there until she heads off to university in the fall. But after the death of her beau on the front line and amid tumultuous family strife, she finds herself harboring a life-changing secret with no one to turn to for help.
Sofie Baumann, a young Jewish refugee, came to London on a domestic service visa only to find herself working as a maid for a man who treats her abominably. She escapes to the library every chance she can, finding friendship in the literary community and aid in finding her sister, who is still trying to flee occupied Europe.
When a slew of bombs destroy the library, Juliet relocates the stacks to the local Underground station where the city’s residents shelter nightly, determined to lend out stories that will keep spirits up. But tragedy after tragedy threatens to unmoor the women and sever the ties of their community. Will Juliet, Kate, and Sofie be able to overcome their own troubles to save the library? Or will the beating heart of their neighborhood be lost forever?
This was a lovely read! I love World War II historical fiction, strong female characters, and books, so this hit a lot of high notes for me. I loved Juliet and Sofie’s points-of-view, although Juliet was a bit too gullible for me. Sofie was such a strong person, and I loved her journey. Katie’s naïveté was…a lot. I can’t imagine feeling so powerless and helpless, though, and it was lovely to see her grow.
Jennifer Ryan grew up in England. The Underground Library is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Random House/Ballantine in exchange for an honest review.)
In March, I read 20 books, bringing my total for the year to 45, and DNFed 14 books. Of those, some were really excellent, while others were very good. My four–sorry, can’t narrow it down to three–favorites were:
The Iron Traitor, by Julie Kagawa. I can’t remember it this was a re-read or not, but I still love this world and these characters. The author is so great at creating believable characters and worlds, and I’m always so immersed when I read her books.
Heir, Apparently, by Kara McDowell. Do you know how excited I was to get approved for this galley? This book (and the one before it) was just so much fun to read! Completely unrealistic, but entertaining on all levels, and I loved it.
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry, by Fredrik Backman. I was just as transported on this, my second reading of this book, as I was the first time. I love the characters in this, and all the stories are so vivid to me! Can’t recommend this enough.
A Life Intercepted, by Charles Martin (audio). Yes, Charles Martin is my favorite author. And let me tell you why: I do not like football in the slightest, but he made football sound fascinating and compelling in this read, and his characters, like always, are both flawed and so interesting that it’s hard to put it down.
Books Read in March: 20
Books Read for the Year: 47/215
Topical Books/Monthly Goal Books:
A Life Intercepted, by Charles Martin (audio). This book. Like all of Martin’s works, it just blew me away. I don’t even like football, and he made it fascinating.
Brown Boy Nowhere, by Sheeryl Lim (TBR). This was a decent read.
Treasures, Demons, and Other Black Magic, by Meghan Ciana Doidge (TBR). Another fun entry in this series.
Rogue, by Rachel Vincent (re-read). I’m enjoying re-reading this series…which I basically remember nothing about.
Crossed, by Allie Condie (re-read). Enjoyed this re-read.
The Iron Traitor, by Julie Kagawa. I can’t remember if this is a re-read or not, but I loved it.
The Bad Weather Friend, by Dean Koontz (TBR). Koontz’s gift for words sometimes makes me just sit there and stare at the page for a few seconds in wonder.
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s sorry, by Fredrik Backman (re-read). This book. On my second read, it still ranks in my top ten list of books. Just such gloriously well-done characters.
For Review:
Heartless Hunter, by Kristen Ciccarelli. I enjoyed this very much! Loved the world, the characters, and the story itself.
In Which Margo Halifax Earns Her Shocking Reputation, by Alexandra Vasti. This was a fun audio read. Margo is a bit much at times, but I liked her—and Henry.
Kilt Trip, by Alexandra Kiley. This was a fun read! By halfway through, I was ready to pack and run away to Scotland!
Heir Apparently, by Kara McDowell (review forthcoming…in July). Okay, so here’s what happened: I tried—and failed—to read seven books in a row and ended up DNFing Every. Single. One. That’s definitely a record for me. So, I decided to console myself by reading this one (Read the first one a couple of months ago and was immediately distraught I had to wait months until this one came out). This was the perfect pick-me-up read! It was funny, it was cute, it was romantic…it was perfect!
The Summer She Went Missing, by Chelsea Ichaso. I love a good YA and a good mystery, and this was both! Add that to the in-love-with-her-best-friend’s-brother trope, and I thoroughly enjoyed the read.
An Unlikely Proposition, by Rosalyn Eves. This was just a meh read. I felt like I was watching a mediocre telenovela.
A Feather So Black, by Lyra Selene. Oh, I really loved this! The world with it’s different cultures was fascinating, and Fia was a character I really related to: never belonging anywhere and always looking for the place she belongs—or the person she belongs with. Can’t wait to read more of this!
Bad Like Us, by Gabriella Lepore. This was a quick, pseudo-locked room murder mystery read. The victim wasn’t a likable person, so I honestly didn’t care much who killed her.
The Berlin Letters, by Katherine Reay. I’d never read anything set in this time/place, so I found it fascinating.
The Underground Library, by Jennifer Ryan (review forthcoming). I loved the strong female characters, the setting was fascinating, and of course I loved all the books.
Expiration Dates, by Rebecca Serle (review forthcoming). This was a fun read!
Just Because:
Welcome to the Basement, by Tim Ross (audio). I’ve been a fan of Tim Ross’s since he was a pastor at my church, and I love The Basement podcast, too. He makes everything so relatable, and I love that he narrated this.
Left Unfinished:
Promchanted, by Morgan Matson. Stella was so annoyingly self-centered I couldn’t get through very much of this.
The Trouble with You, by Ellen Feldman. This felt like it was dragging to me, and Fanny felt so passive at life. She might have changed later in the book, but my attention kept wandering and it just didn’t hold my interest.
Death in Hilo, by Eric Redman. I didn’t make it very far in this. I just wasn’t a fan of the narrative style.
Ill-fated Fortune, by Jennifer J. Chow. This really just seemed like all fluff and no substance. I needed a bit more to keep my attention.
I Only Read Murder, by Will and Ian Ferguson. I don’t like unlikable characters…and Miranda wasn’t interesting enough to carry off being a horrible person.
A Tempest of Tea, by Hafsah Faizal. Arthie was a bit of a dud, and I refuse to waste my time reading about a boring main character. The setting was also confusing, and that’s a death knell for a book.
Kindling, by Traci Chee. Second-person-POV books are hard to pull off, and this…failed, coming across as chaotic and confusing. Also not a fan of the unmentioned LGBTQA rep. Not everyone wants to read it, so why not tag it as such?
I am Rome, by Santiago Postguillo. This was probably an excellent book, but the pacing and style just didn’t work for me and made my attention wander. The irony is not lost on me that I stopped reading this on the Ides of March.
Good Half Gone, by Tarryn Fisher. I made it about 20% of the way through this, but…it was a struggle. The writing was solid, no problems there. But the characters just didn’t work for me. I didn’t like either sister in the past, and I didn’t care for Irish in the present, either. Ergo, this was a no-go for me. I didn’t like the characters, so it didn’t keep my attention.
Maya’s Laws of Love by Alina Khawaja. This just wasn’t for me. The MC wasn’t for me. I don’t know very much about this faith and culture, but the first 10% just didn’t feel like it lined up with what I do know.
The Happiness Blueprint, by Ally Zetterberg. DNFed at about 10% because, if there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s anyone who sits around feeling sorry for themselves and making excuses. I don’t like people like that in real life, and I don’t like them in fiction—it’s just much easier to walk away with fictional characters than real people. These characters just weren’t a good fit for me.
Strong Like You, by T.L. Simpson. Solid writing here, but the voice just didn’t work for me.
Those Beyond the Wall, by Micaiah Johnson. Yeah, my first clue this wasn’t for me should have been the author’s note that basically said rage was a good thing. No. No, it’s not. But I kept reading, and found the style to be a bit more chaotic and confusing than I like.
The Princess of Las Vegas, by Chris Bohjalian. The MC just didn’t work for me. I don’t like superficial people, and I just couldn’t get past that.
Happy Easter!
It’s been a good writing week: five fiction sessions and three book reviews. The Berlin Letters, by Katherine Reay was an excellent read, but I DNFed Maya’s Laws of Love, by Alina Khawaja and The Happiness Blueprint, by Ally Zetterberg. The characters just weren’t for me.
Happy writing!
Title: The Happiness Blueprint
Author: Ally Zetterberg
Genre: Romance
Rating: DNF
Klara and Alex are having trouble connecting, but at least their calendars are in sync.
Klara—who’s always thought of herself as a little different, a sneaker in a world full of kitten heels and polished boots—is feeling a disconnect these days. She has type 1 diabetes, currently works in a dead-end job, and is in desperate need of a change. When her dad falls ill, Klara begrudgingly agrees to help run his small construction company while he recovers, even though it means moving back home and pushing the boundaries of her comfort zone to the extreme.
Alex has been a shell of himself since his brother died in an accident. He’s unemployed, has bills piling up, and is distant from friends and family. His therapist is encouraging him to keep things manageable by setting up a calendar, checking off tasks each day, and looking for work to help get him back on his feet. When an ad pops up for a carpenter position at a small construction company, he jumps at the chance to take a step forward.
DNFed at about 10% because, if there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s anyone who sits around feeling sorry for themselves and making excuses. I don’t like people like that in real life, and I don’t like them in fiction—it’s just much easier to walk away with fictional characters than real people. These characters just weren’t a good fit for me.
Ally Zetterberg is British-Swedish, a former fashion model, and a mother. The Happiness Blueprint is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/MIRA in exchange for an honest review.)
Title: The Berlin Letters
Author: Katherine Reay
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: 4.2 out of 5
From the time she was a young girl, Luisa Voekler has loved solving puzzles and cracking codes. Brilliant and logical, she’s expected to quickly climb the career ladder at the CIA. But while her coworkers have moved on to thrilling Cold War assignments—especially in the exhilarating era of the late 1980s—Luisa’s work remains stuck in the past decoding messages from World War II.
Journalist Haris Voekler grew up a proud East Berliner. But as his eyes open to the realities of postwar East Germany, he realizes that the Soviet promises of a better future are not coming to fruition. After the Berlin Wall goes up, Haris finds himself separated from his young daughter and all alone after his wife dies. There’s only one way to reach his family—by sending coded letters to his father-in-law who lives on the other side of the Iron Curtain.
When Luisa Voekler discovers a secret cache of letters written by the father she has long presumed dead, she learns the truth about her grandfather’s work, her father’s identity, and why she has never progressed in her career. With little more than a rudimentary plan and hope, she journeys to Berlin and risks everything to free her father and get him out of East Berlin alive.
As Luisa and Haris take turns telling their stories, events speed toward one of the twentieth century’s most dramatic moments—the fall of the Berlin Wall and that night’s promise of freedom, truth, and reconciliation for those who lived, for twenty-eight years, behind the bleak shadow of the Iron Curtain’s most iconic symbol.
This is a time period I’m not sure I’ve read anything in, but I enjoyed this! I can’t imagine what it would have been like, watching the Berlin Wall go up overnight and being separated from your family and life. Reay did such a fantastic job of placing the reader in that scene in history, and I really felt the characters’ emotions. This was an emotional but well-written novel set in a bleak time and place, but showing the hope that existed even in that dark time.
Katherine Reay is a bestselling author. The Berlin Letters is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Harper Muse in exchange for an honest review.)
Tomorrow Is Another Day 