Author: tamaramorning

Book Review: Silver in the Bone, by Alexandra Bracken  

Image belongs to Random House.

Title:  Silver in the Bone   
Author: Alexandra Bracken    
Genre: Fantasy, YA    
Rating: 5 out of 5

Tamsin Lark didn’t ask to be a Hollower. As a mortal with no magical talent, she was never meant to break into ancient crypts, or compete with sorceresses and Cunningfolk for the treasures inside. But after her thieving foster father disappeared without so much as a goodbye, it was the only way to keep herself—and her brother, Cabell—alive.

Ten years later, rumors are swirling that her guardian vanished with a powerful ring from Arthurian legend. A run-in with her rival Emrys ignites Tamsin’s hope that the ring could free Cabell from a curse that threatens both of them. But they aren’t the only ones who covet the ring.

As word spreads, greedy Hollowers start circling, and many would kill to have it for themselves. While Emrys is the last person Tamsin would choose to partner with, she needs all the help she can get to edge out her competitors in the race for the ring. Together, they dive headfirst into a vipers’ nest of dark magic, exposing a deadly secret with the power to awaken ghosts of the past and shatter her last hope of saving her brother. . . .

I read this entire novel in one sitting—yes, all almost-500-pages—if that tells you anything. I found the setting and worldbuilding fascinating, with the mixture of fantastical elements and the mundane everyday swirled together. Tamsin is frequently kind of a jerk, even if I can understand why she’s so prickly. I loved her relationship with her brother, and the snark between her and Emyrs was great. Some of this was creepy as heck, but I loved what the author did with the King Arthur mythos, and I would read the next book in a hot second.

Alexandra Bracken is a bestselling author. Silver in the Bone is her newest novel.

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

Book Review: The Sinister Booksellers of Bath, by Garth Nix    

Image belongs to HarperCollins.

Title: The Sinister Booksellers of Bath      
Author: Garth Nix   
Genre: Fantasy, YA    
Rating:  4 out of 5

There is often trouble of a mythical sort in Bath. The booksellers who police the Old World keep a careful watch there, particularly on the entity that inhabits the ancient hot spring.

This time trouble comes from the discovery of a sorcerous map, leading left-handed bookseller Merlin into great danger, requiring a desperate rescue attempt from his sister, the right-handed bookseller Vivien, and art student Susan Arkshaw, who is still struggling to deal with her own recently discovered magical heritage.

The map takes the trio to a place separated from this world, maintained by deadly sorcery and guarded by monstrous living statues. But this is only the beginning. To unravel the secrets of a murderous Ancient Sovereign, the booksellers must investigate centuries of disappearances and deaths. If they do not stop her, she will soon kill again. And this time, her target is not an ordinary mortal.

I think I might have enjoyed the first book in this series a bit more than this one, but it was close. Merlin is, of course, my favorite character again, as he’s so over-the-top and just fun in general. I found the mythology here a bit convoluted and confusing, but the world itself was fascinating. This was a solid adventure to read.

Garth Nix lives in Sidney. The Sinister Booksellers of Bath is his newest novel.

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

Sundays Are for Writing #220

This was a solid writing week: I wrote two book reviews, Fateful Words, by Paige Shelton and The Sinister Booksellers of Bath, by Garth Nix. I also wrote three posts over on A Little Bit Greener: taking the time, Gardening is greener, and I discovered. And, I did a tiny bit of brainstorming on the potential new fiction project.

Happy writing!

Book Review:  Fateful Words, by Paige Shelton   

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title: Fateful Words       
Author: Paige Shelton     
Genre: Cozy mystery   
Rating:  4 out of 5

When Edwin, Delaney’s boss at the Cracked Spine bookstore, leaves town on secret business, Delaney is called upon to guide his yearly literary tour around Edinburgh. But on the first night of the tour, at the inn where the tour group is staying, the inn manager falls—or is pushed—off the roof of the inn, and killed. Then, one of the tour members disappears, leaving a trail of puzzles in her wake.

In a race against the clock, Delaney sets out on the expedition of her life, following clues around Edinburgh to get to the bottom of this mystery. Exploring sights from Greyfriars Bobby to the Royal Mile to the Sir Walter Scott Monument, she’ll have to put the pieces together quickly, or the bookstore’s survival could be on the line…as well as her own.

This was a solid read. I love the bookstore setting—and the family of employees there. I feel like the people on the tour, and Delaney herself, were willfully overlooking some obvious tells and warning signs here, and I really didn’t find it believable about her calling the inspector every other second, but this was a fun read, with a lot of cool details about Edinburgh.

Paige Shelton lives in Arizona. Fateful Words is her newest novel.

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

Book Review: Divine Rivals, by Rebecca Ross   

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title: Divine Rivals     
Author: Rebecca Ross     
Genre:  Fantasy, YA   
Rating:  4.5 out of 5

After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again …

All eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow wants to do is hold her family together. With a brother on the frontline forced to fight on behalf of the Gods now missing from the frontline and a mother drowning her sorrows, Iris’s best bet is winning the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

But when Iris’s letters to her brother fall into the wrong hands – that of the handsome but cold Roman Kitt, her rival at the paper – an unlikely magical connection forms.

Expelled into the middle of a mystical war, magical typewriters in tow, can their bond withstand the fight for the fate of mankind and, most importantly, love?

This started off a bit slow, but it got going quickly. I would have liked to know a bit more about the history of the culture/the gods and how things ended up quite they were with the war and everything going on, but the not-knowing didn’t detract much from the story. I loved the typewriters and their history! That part was really cool. I liked Iris and Roman a lot, and watching their enemies-to-friends-to-lovers journey was a grand adventure. I can’t wait to read more!

Rebecca Ross lives in Georgia. Divine Rivals is her newest novel.

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

Book Review: Oxford Star, by Laura Bradbury  

Image belongs to Grape Books.

Title: Oxford Star       
Author: Laura Bradbury    
Genre:  Romance   
Rating:  4 out of 5

JACK

Rock stars shouldn’t suffer from debilitating panic attacks, but I’m barely hanging on by my famous fingernails. That’s why I leverage the name I despise to study my childhood love of astronomy. Just one term at Oxford? Problem solved.

Too bad my pre-stardom life reappears to haunt me in the form of Lucy Snow, the sharp-tongued, opulent-bodied woman I can’t seem to forget. This would be the perfect opportunity to make amends for stealing her fantasy four years ago, except Lucy’s love for me has turned to loathing.

When she refuses my financial help, I have a wonderful, dangerous idea…

LUCY

Jack Seary stole my dream of a singing career and made it his reality. When he trampled my heart, he also taught me a lesson: being selfless and hardworking makes me Cinderella without the goddamn glass slipper.

Now this infuriating thief of a man thinks I’ll pretend to be his girlfriend to dispel tabloid rumors? Ha!

This was a quick, fun read. Lucy’s mother’s neediness absolutely infuriated me—as did Lucy’s being chained to her phone in case her mother couldn’t figure out how to breathe on her own. I loved the skulk—Lucy and Jack’s friend group—and thought they were the best. Lucy and Jack’s interactions were great, too, and I liked how they both changed over the course of the story. This would be a great weekend read.

Laura Bradbury has a law degree from Oxford, and now splits her time between France and Canada. Oxford Star is her newest novel.

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

Book Review:  When You Wish Upon a Star, by Elizabeth Lim  

Image belongs to Disney.

Title: When You Wish Upon a Star
Author: Elizabeth Lim    
Narrated by: Carlotta Brentan
Genre: Fantasy    
Rating:  4 out of 5

“Starlight, star bright, first star I see tonight . . . ” so begins the wish that changes everything—for Geppetto, for the Blue Fairy, and for a little puppet named Pinocchio. The Blue Fairy isn’t supposed to grant wishes in the small village of Pariva, but something about this one awakens some long-buried flicker within. Perhaps it’s the hope she senses beneath the old man’s loneliness.

Or maybe it’s the fact that long ago, before she was the Blue Fairy, she was a young woman named Chiara from this very village, one with a simple wish: to help others find happiness. Her sister Ilaria always teased her for this, for she had big dreams to leave their sleepy village and become a world-renowned opera singer. The two were close, despite their differences. While Ilaria would give anything to have a fairy grant her wish, Chiara didn’t believe in the lore for which their village was famous.

Forty years later, Chiara, now the Blue Fairy, defies the rules of magic to help an old friend. But she’s discovered by the Scarlet Fairy, formerly Ilaria, who, amid a decades-long grudge, holds the transgression against her sister. They decide to settle things through a good old-fashioned bet, with Pinocchio and Geppetto’s fate hanging in the balance.

Will the sisters find a way back to one another? Or is this, like many matters of the heart, a gamble that comes with strings?

I really liked the narrator of this audiobook. I enjoyed her different voices and her varying inflections. I loved the relationship between Chiara and Ilaria and how close they were growing up—but I honestly didn’t care for Ilaria much. She was so selfish and self-absorbed that I had real trouble relating to her. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Pinocchio, so I came to this story with fresh eyes, and I enjoyed this new take on an old Disney classic.

Elizabeth Lim lives in New York City. When You Wish Upon a Star is her newest novel.

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

The Best Books I Read in March (2023)

I March, I read 21 books, bringing my total for the year to 54. Of those, several were excellent reads. My favorites were:

Off the Map, by Trish Doller. This was such a fun book! I’ve read the other, connected books by this author and loved them, but I think this was my favorite so far. The Irish setting might have had something to do with that…. But I love all the travel and adventures here. So much fun!

West with Giraffes, by Lynda Rutledge. I loved this! I listened to the audio book, and the narrator was great, but this story was just so much fun! I loved all the characters, and couldn’t wait to find out what happened to the giraffes.

Arcana Rising and The Dark Calling by Kresley Cole. I’ve been re-reading this series in preparation for the final book in the series coming out in a couple of weeks, and I just loved all of these. I can’t wait to read the final book—and this is the only time in my life while reading a love triangle that I do not have a favorite I’m hoping will fin.

Sundays Are for Writing #219

This has been a great writing week! I wrote four book reviews: Five Fortunes, by Barbara Venkataraman, Once We Were Home, by Jennifer Rosner, Zora Books Her Happy Ever After, by Taj McCoy, and Oxford Star, by Laura Bradbury. I also wrote my March reading post, and my top three books I read in March. I also wrote a post over on A Little Bit Greener. I’m very happy with writing this week!

Happy writing!

What I Read in March (2023)

Books Read in March: 21
Books Read for the Year:  54/225
Topical Books/Monthly Goal Books:

Topical Books/Monthly Goal Books:

West with Giraffes, by Lynda Rutledge (audio book/TBR). This was such a good read! I enjoyed the narrator, but the story was absolutely wonderful.

Look Up!, by Jimmy Evans (TBR, spiritual).

The Fellowship of the Ring, by J.R.R. Tolkien (re-read).

Little White Lies, by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (re-read). This sucked me right in! Again.

Arcana Rising, by Kresley Cole (re-read). I had forgotten so much about this series!

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, by C.S. Lewis (re-read). Loved this.

The Silver Chair, by C.S. Lewis (re-read).

The Dark Calling, by Kresley Cole (re-read)…only a few more weeks until the final book in the series….

For Review:

Off the Map, by Trish Doller. I loved this read, just like I’ve loved the others in this linked standalone series. Highly recommend! I was ready to leave for Ireland immediately.

The Lost English Girl, by Julia Kelly. I didn’t enjoy this quite as much s I have other books by this author, but it was a good read. Hard, in places, but good.

Whistleblower, by Kate Marchant. This was a solid read, but I reel like it tried to hard to be inclusive—instead of just being inclusive.

A Novel Proposal, by Denise Hunter. This was a sweet read. Sadie was a little—a lot—to extroverted for me, but I loved the beach town setting and all the secondary characters.

You Wouldn’t Dare, by Samantha Markum. The friendships in this book were fantastic! Juniper was very self-centered and self-absorbed, not to mention overly dramatic, but she was a (mostly) fun character to read.

Hotel of Secrets, by Diana Biller. I really enjoyed this! The setting was something I hadn’t read before, and, while the family drama was a bit much for me, I loved the characters. Plus, the cover is gorgeous!

Yours Truly, the Duke, by Amelia Grey. I very much enjoyed this! I liked how the characters grew and changed, and the children added a lot of fun to the story.

When You Wish Upon a Star, by Elizabeth Lim (forthcoming). I enjoyed the narrator of this audio book very much! Loved the relationship between the sisters a lot—even if I didn’t care for Ilaria at all.

Please, Sorry, Thanks, by Mark Batterson. This was a thought-provoking read. Such a simple concept, yet so impactful.

Five Fortunes, by Barbara Venkataraman. A quick, fun read about a group of five friends.

Once We Were Home, by Jennifer Rosner. This was a deep and emotional book. Difficult to read because of the subject matter, and I feel like it really left one of the characters unresolved.

Zora Books Her Happy Ever After, by Taj McCoy (forthcoming). The first third of this read was solid: I liked the characters, the family dynamic was awesome, and I was invested in what was going on. Then it became obvious that the characters were very hypocritical, neither of the two male leads was really a good guy, and the big “secret” was about as hidden as Mount Rushmore. So, no, I do not recommend this. I enjoyed the author’s previous book, but this one wasn’t for me.

Oxford Star, by Laura Bradbury (forthcoming). This was a cute, fun read. I loved all the members of the skulk!

Left Unfinished:
When in Rome, by Liam Callanan. The premise of this absolutely intrigued me, but Claire got on my very last nerve with her indecisiveness and let-life-happen-to-me attitude instead of taking some initiative herself, so I stopped reading at 15%. I wasn’t willing to be annoyed for the other 85% of the book.

Beyond That, the Sea, by Laura Spence-Ash. Solid writing in this and interesting premise, but in the end, the multiple POV characters and leisurely pacing just didn’t hold my attention. Not a good fit for me at this time.

The London Seance Society, by Sarah Penner. I made it to 20% because I loved The Last Apothecary, but this felt disjointed and erratic, and the content wasn’t what I expected.