Author: tamaramorning

Book Review: Letters from My Sister, by Valerie Fraser Luesse  

Image belongs to Revell.

Title:  Letters from My Sister      
Author:  Valerie Fraser Luesse  
Genre: Historical fiction    
Rating:  4.5 out of 5

At the turn of the twentieth century, sisters Emmy and Callie Bullock are living a privileged life as the only daughters of a wealthy Alabama cotton farmer when their well-ordered household gets turned upside down by the arrival of Lily McGee. Arrestingly beautiful, Lily quickly–and innocently–draws the wrong kind of attention. Meanwhile, Callie meets a man who offers her the freedom to abandon social constraints and discover her truest self.

After Lily has a baby, Callie witnesses something she was never meant to see–or did she? Her memory is a haze, just an image in her mind of Emmy standing on a darkened riverbank and cradling Lily’s missing baby girl. Only when the sisters are separated does the truth slowly come to light through their letters–including a revelation that will shape the rest of Callie’s life.

This was a tiny bit slow to start off, but Callie was such a great character that I kept reading, and I’m so glad I did! The Bullock family was so fascinating to read about. I enjoyed every one of them! This book made me laugh out loud several times—and cry. I was immersed in the lives of the characters and the dreams of the sisters, and I ended up enjoying this very much.

Valerie Fraser Luesse lives in Birmingham. Letters From My Sister is her newest novel.

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

Book Review: Her Radiant Curse, by Elizabeth Lim    

Image belongs to Random House/Knopf Books for Young Readers.

Title:  Her Radiant Curse     
Author: Elizabeth Lim    
Genre:  Fantasy, YA  
Rating:  4 out of 5

One sister must fall for the other to rise.

Channi was not born a monster. But when her own father offers her in sacrifice to the Demon Witch, she is forever changed. Cursed with a serpent’s face, Channi is the exact opposite of her beautiful sister, Vanna—the only person in the village who looks at Channi and doesn’t see a monster. The only person she loves and trusts.

Now seventeen, Vanna is to be married off in a vulgar contest that will enrich the coffers of the village leaders. Only Channi, who’s had to rely on her strength and cunning all these years, can defend her sister against the cruelest of the suitors. But in doing so, she becomes the target of his wrath—launching a grisly battle royale, a quest over land and sea, a romance between sworn enemies, and a choice that will strain Channi’s heart to its breaking point.

I enjoyed this like I’ve enjoyed Elizabeth Lim’s other novels. The rich cultures and diverse settings fascinate me, and she’s skilled at depicting intricate relationships of all sorts. I love Channi and Vanna’s relationship with all its history and complexity. I was engrossed in watching the sisters come into their own and become who they were meant to be.

Elizabeth Lim is a bestselling author. Her Radiant Curse is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Random House/Knopf Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.)

Sundays Are for Writing #239

I don’t even want to talk about this week at work….but, I did manage to squeeze in writing one book review this week, so it’s a win: Codename Charming, by Lucy Parker. This was a solid read, and made me laugh out loud several times.

Happy writing!

Book Review: Codename Charming, by Lucy Parker

Image belongs to Avon and Harper Voyager.

Title: Codename Charming   
Author:  Lucy Parker   
Genre: Romance    
Rating:  3.8 out of 5

Petunia De Vere enjoys being the personal assistant to lovable, bumbling Johnny Marchmont. But the job has its share of challenges, including the royal’s giant, intimidating bodyguard, Matthias. Pet and Matthias are polar opposites–she’s spontaneous and enthusiastic, he’s rigid and stoic–but she can sense there’s something softer underneath that tough exterior…

For Matthias Vaughn, protecting others is the name of the game. But keeping his royal charge out of trouble is more difficult than he imagined because everywhere Johnny goes, calamity ensues, and his petite, bubbly assistant is often caught in the fray. Matthias hates the idea of Pet getting hurt and he’s determined to keep everyone safe, even if it means clashing with his adorable new coworker.

When a clumsy moment leads to a questionable tabloid photo, the press begins to speculate that Pet is romantically involved with Johnny. To put an end to the rumors, the royal PR team asks Pet and Matthias to stage a fake relationship and the two reluctantly agree. But as they spend more time together outside of work, they begin to wonder what real emotions this pretend connection might uncover. Especially when a passionate kiss leaves both of their heads spinning…

Parts of this read were quite funny—the parrot, in particular—including Johnny’s accident-prone self. I enjoyed the two main characters, but some of it felt a bit forced or off—like Pet’s propensity for impractical footwear in a job that seems to require quick and safe movements. The quirky royal family were fun to read, too, but in the end this just ended up being an okay read.

Lucy Parker live in New Zealand. Codename Charming is her newest novel.

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

Sundays Are for Writing #238

As I thought last week, this week was not a productive writing week: I only wrote one book review, The Secret Recipe of Ella Dove, by Karen Hawkins. I DNFed The Breakaway, by Jennifer Weiner because I really couldn’t stand the MC and her whole life attitude. This is the second Weiner book I’ve DNFed for the characters, so I just need to accept her writing just isn’t for me.

Happy writing!

Book Review: The Secret Recipe of Ella Dove, by Karen Hawkins  

Image belongs to Gallery Books.

Title: The Secret Recipe of Ella Dove       
Author: Karen Hawkins    
Genre:  Fiction   
Rating: 4 out of 5

Ella Dove is an acclaimed baker whose desserts spark vivid, cherished memories in those who taste them. A restless soul, Ella goes wherever the wind takes her—but driven by a haunting dream, she’s coming home to Dove Pond for an extended visit. Ella believes the dream is a sign it’s time she confront and reconcile with her mentor, Angela Stewart Harrington. Years ago, Angela falsely accused Ella of stealing her coveted family recipe book, known as the Book of Cakes.

Angela has her own share of amends to make. Her daughter Jules has never forgiven her for divorcing her father, and they’ve been estranged ever since. But just as Angela begins to hope that she and Jules might mend their tattered relationship, a miscommunication turns into a lie that could destroy everything.

Meanwhile, Jules’s son Gray is shocked that Ella, his first love and his first heartbreak, has returned to Dove Pond. But even though he knows Ella is a wanderer and will soon leave, he’s unable to stop himself from falling for her once again. Can Gray find a way to convince Ella to give him, and their town, a serious chance? Or is he once again on the road to a broken heart?

With so much at stake, Ella, Angela, and Gray must learn to accept each other—flaws and all—forgive the many mistakes of their pasts, and trust that love can, and will, always find a way. For fans of Alice Hoffman and Sarah Addison Allen, The Secret Recipe of Ella Dove is a delicious and magical read that will warm your heart and charm your senses.

I did not enjoy this quite as much as the other Dove Pond books, but Angela and Jules were pretty unlikable to me—like really unlikable:  selfish and hateful and judgey. I loved reading about Ella and her sisters’ lives and the quirky people in Dove Pond, but I found Ella’s dreams about the giant cupcake chasing her a bit ridiculous, when I think the author might have been going for cute. This was a solid read; I just didn’t like it as much as the first two books in this series.

Karen Hawkins is a bestselling author. The Secret Recipe of Ella Dove is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review.)

Sundays Are for Writing #237

This was a great writing week! I wrote three book reviews: The Keeper of Hidden Books, by Madeline Martin, The Bone Hacker, by Kathy Reichs, and The Secret Recipe of Ella Dove, by Karen Hawkins. I also wrote my What I Read in July (2023) post and my The Best Books I Read in July (2023) post. I DNFed Deadlock, by James Byrne because it just didn’t hold my attention. I don’t foresee this week to be anywhere near that good.

Happy writing!

Book Review: The Bone Hacker, by Kathy Reichs  

Image belongs to Scribner.

Title: The Bone Hacker    
Author: Kathy Reichs   
Genre:  Thriller
Rating: 4 out of 5 

Called in to examine what is left of a body struck by lightning, Tempe traces an unusual tattoo to its source and is soon embroiled in a much larger case. Young men – tourists – have been disappearing on the islands of Turks and Caicos for years. Seven years ago, the first victim was found in a strange location with both hands cut off; the other visitors vanished without a trace. But, recently, tantalizing leads have emerged and only Tempe can unravel them.

Maddeningly, the victims seem to have nothing in common – other than the strange locations where their bodies are eventually found, and the fact that the young men all seem to be the least likely to be involved in foul play. Do these attacks have something to do with the islands’ seething culture of gang violence? Tempe isn’t so sure. And then she turns up disturbing clues that what’s at stake may actually have global significance.

It isn’t long before the sound of a ticking clock grows menacingly loud, and then Temper herself becomes a target.

This was a solid thriller read, as the Temperance Brennan books usually are. The opening scene was quite dramatic and hooked me in, although it had very little to do with the rest of the story. I enjoyed the setting of Turks and Caicos, although I felt the setting was left pretty hazy, and I didn’t get a feel for it or the culture there, which would have been fascinating. All in all, a solid read, and I finished the book in one sitting.

Kathy Reichs is a bestselling author. The Bone Hacker is her newest novel.

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

Book Review and Blog Tour: The Keeper of Hidden Books, by Madeline Martin

Image belongs to Harlequin/Hanover Square Press.

Title: The Keeper of Hidden Books        
Author:  Madeline Martin   
Genre: Historical fiction    
Rating:  5 out of 5

All her life, Zofia has found comfort in two things during times of hardship: books and her best friend, Janina. But no one could have imagined the horrors of the Nazi occupation in Warsaw. As the bombs rain down and Hitler’s forces loot and destroy the city, Zofia finds that now books are also in need of saving.

With the death count rising and persecution intensifying, Zofia jumps to action to save her friend and salvage whatever books she can from the wreckage, hiding them away, and even starting a clandestine book club. She and her dearest friend never surrender their love of reading, even when Janina is forced into the newly formed ghetto.

But the closer Warsaw creeps toward liberation, the more dangerous life becomes for the women and their families – and escape may not be possible for everyone. As the destruction rages around them, Zofia must fight to save her friend and preserve her culture and community using the only weapon they have left – literature.

This was such a good read! I loved how the author focused on a microcosm of the war and the struggles of less than a handful of people, with only occasional mentions of the larger struggle going on. This made it seem so personal and relatable. What Zofia—and Janina—went through was horrible, but it was inspiring to see their determination and faith as they struggled to save parts of their heritage from the Nazis and preserve the past for the future.

Madeline Martin is a bestselling author. The Keeper of Hidden Books is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/Hanover Square Press in exchange for an honest review.)

The Best Books I Read in July (2023)

In July, I read 19 books and DNFed eight, making my total for the year 117 books read. Several of these were truly excellent reads, and I cannot narrow it down to my usual three. So, this month, you get six.

The Last Exchange, by Charles Martin. This book. Man. Charles Martin writes such phenomenal characters, and this was no exception. The story of Pockets and Maybe Joe was absolutely riveting.

Demons of Good and Evil, by Kim Harrison. I love all the Hollows books, and I had real trouble putting this down to go to sleep. #teamJenks

Hello Stranger, by Katherine Center. This was sweet, cute, and funny, as Center’s books usually are. I can’t imagine having facial blindness!

Ladies of the Lake, by Cathy Gohlke. A lovely historical fiction read about friendship and facing your past so you can embrace the future.

Chasing Fireflies, by Charles Martin. The setting in this one was fascinating and Uncle Willie was so vivid I felt like he was the one telling me the story. I listened to this on audio and ended up in tears driving to work one morning. My only complaint is we didn’t figure out what happened to Jack!

The Keeper of Hidden Books, by Madeline Martin. Another lovely historical fiction read! I loved reading about Warsaw during World War II—and how people fought to preserve their history and books.