Author: tamaramorning

What I Read in January (2022)

Books Read in January: 21
Books Read for the Year: 21/250

Topical Books/Monthly Goal Books:
Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone, by Diana Gabaldon (TBR). I have no words for how much I love this series.
Eye to Eye:  Facing the Consequences of Dividing Israel, by William Koenig (spiritual). This seemed very monotonous after a while, though the topic itself was intriguing.
Seeing Jesus from the East, by Ravi Zacharias (spiritual). This viewpoint was very intriguing.
The Case for Christ, by Lee Strobel (spiritual). This was fascinating.
She Reads Truth, by Raechel Myers (spiritual). I loved the conversational, talk-between-friends tone of this.

For Review:

The Sorority Murder, by Allison Brennan. This was a decent thriller read. I wasn’t surprised by the killer or the ending, but I enjoyed the read.

Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves, by Meg Long. This was a unique and compelling scifi read. I ended the book with a lot of questions remaining, but the writing was solid and it felt new and fresh.

The Last House on the Street, by Diane Chamberlain. The book almost broke me. I wouldn’t consider this a thriller, but historical fiction. Highly recommend.

Bad Luck Bridesmaid, by Alison Rose Greenberg. I wanted to like this—and parts were funny—but the MC was a touch on the…unlikable side.

Anatomy: A Love Story, by Dana Schwartz. I enjoyed this historical YA about a girl determined to become a surgeon when women aren’t allowed to be doctors…until the end, which took a sharp and disappointing turn.

Her Hometown Hero, by Jacquelin Thomas. These characters felt like talking heads, with no setting or character descriptions (I rarely had a picture of what they were doing), and the male MC just basically sat around and felt sorry for himself and acted like a jerk.

The Storyteller, by Kathryn Williams. I really enjoyed this story of a girl trying to discover if her great-aunt, who left a trunk full of old diaries, really was the lost Princess Anastasia.

Must Love Books, by Shauna Robinson. I liked this, buuuuutt the fact that the MC thought it was okay to lie, cheat, and steal did not sit well with me and detracted from the otherwise fun read. The banter between her and the love interest was great, but I found her character lacking.

One True Loves, by Elise Bryant. The MC was a bit much initially, but when she calmed down a little, I found this to be a fun read.

Getting His Game Back, by Gia De Cadenet. I liked these two characters a lot, and I think the author did a good job of giving a realistic picture of depression.

Feather and Flame, by Livia Blackburne (review forthcoming, due to changed pub date). I enjoyed this a lot. Mulan is my absolute favorite Disney cartoon, and I kept seeing those characters in my mind.

Made in Manhattan, by Lauren Layne. This was an okay read, but it was pretty predictable.

The Iron Sword, by Juklie Kagawa. Loved this, just like I love everything the author writes in this world. I do wish that it had been in Puck’s POV again, though.

A Lullaby for Witches, by Hester Fox. I really enjoyed this author’s other books, but the historical character in this one was a horrible person.

Just Because:
Parable of the Talents, by Octavia E. Butler. I have to be honest:  I did not like either the narrator or her daughter. Olamina was so self-absorbed and narrow-minded I could barely tolerate her, and her daughter was not much better. Fascinating narrative, but the characters weren’t for me.

The Good Shepherd (Gateway Church devotional). It’s always good to start the year off right.

Left Unfinished:

The Appeal, by Janice Hallett. I didn’t make it very far into this, because the format didn’t work for me. The plot sounded interesting enough that I wanted to give it a try, but in the end, reading the story in emails/text/etc. just didn’t work for me.

How to Love Your Neighbor, by Sophie Sullivan. I might have made it to 15% in this book, but Noah was such an arrogant jerk I couldn’t stand to read more.

Desolation Canyon, by P.J. Tracy. I read 10% of this, but I didn’t feel a connection to any of the characters, so I stopped reading.

Such a Pretty Smile, by Kristi DeMeester. I made it about 15% in this, but the characters and the vibe were pretty dark and unlikable for me.

The Christie Affair, by Nina de Gramont. The POV was far too distant in this to keep my attention, despite reading almost 20%.

Book Review and Blog Tour:  A Lullaby for Witches, by Hester Fox

Image belongs to Harlequin.

Title:   A Lullaby for Witches
Author:   Hester Fox
Genre:   Historical fiction
Rating:  3.8 our of 4

Augusta Podos has just landed her dream job, working in collections at a local museum, Harlowe House, located in the charming seaside town of Tynemouth, Massachussetts. Determined to tell the stories of the local community, she throws herself into her work–and finds an oblique mention of a mysterious woman, Margaret, who may have been part of the Harlowe family, but is reduced to a footnote. Fascinated by this strange omission, Augusta becomes obsessed with discovering who Margaret was, what happened to her, and why her family scrubbed her from historical records. But as she does, strange incidents begin plaguing Harlowe House and Augusta herself. Are they connected with Margaret, and what do they mean?

 Tynemouth, 1872. Margaret Harlowe is the beautiful daughter of a wealthy shipping family, and she should have many prospects–but her fascination with herbs and spellwork has made her a pariah, with whispers of “witch” dogging her steps. Increasingly drawn to the darker, forbidden practices of her craft, Margaret finds herself caught up with a local man, Jack Pryce, and the temptation of these darker ways threatens to pull her under completely.

 As the incidents in the present day escalate, Augusta finds herself drawn more and more deeply into Margaret’s world, and a shocking revelation sheds further light on Margaret and Augusta’s shared past. And as Margaret’s sinister purpose becomes clear, Augusta must uncover the secret of Margaret’s fate–before the woman who calls to her across the centuries claims Augusta’s own life.

This was well-written, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as I did the author’s other books. Mainly because I thought Margaret was a terrible person; very selfish and self-absorbed. I enjoyed Augusta’s POV very much, as she sort of grew into the person she’d kept hidden for years and learned to stand up for herself. The touch of romance was nicely done and didn’t become the priority. I did like the glimpses of life in the past, I just thought Margaret was terrible.

Hester Fox lives in Virginia. A Lullaby for Witches is her newest novel.

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

Book Review and Blog Tour:  The Iron Sword, by Julie Kagawa

Image belongs to Inkyard Press.

Title: The Iron Sword    
Author:   Julie Kagawa
Genre:   YA, fantasy
Rating:   5 out of 5

As Evenfall nears, the stakes grow ever higher for those in Faery…

Banished from the Winter Court for daring to fall in love, Prince Ash achieved the impossible and journeyed to the End of the World to earn a soul and keep his vow to always stand beside Queen Meghan of the Iron Fey.

Now he faces even more incomprehensible odds. Their son, King Keirran of the Forgotten, is missing. Something more ancient than the courts of Faery and more evil than anything Ash has faced in a millennium is rising as Evenfall approaches. And if Ash and his allies cannot stop it, the chaos that has begun to divide the world will shatter it for eternity.

I really love anything the author writes in this world, and this was no exception. I enjoyed the continuing story of Ash and Meghan, although I did enjoy Puck’s POV very much in the last book. Lots of action, intriguing magic, and hints of romance made this a perfect mix that I practically devoured. Highly recommend!

Julie Kagawa is a bestselling author. The Iron Sword is her newest novel.

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

 

Sundays are for Writing #158

I only got two book reviews written this week, but…well, there’s a lot going on. I have surgery on Tuesday, and my mental space was a bit flighty this week, due to lack of sleep. Hopefully next week will be better.

Happy writing!

Book Review:  Made in Manhattan, by Lauren Layne

Image belongs to Gallery Books.

Title:   Made in Manhattan
Author:   Lauren Layne
Genre:   Romance
Rating:  3.8 out of 4

Violet Townsend has always been a people pleaser. Raised in the privileged world of Upper East Side Manhattan, she always says the right things, wears the right clothes, and never rocks the boat. Violet would do anything for the people closest to her, especially her beloved grandmother. So when she asks Violet to teach the newly-discovered grandson of her friend how to fit in with New York City’s elite, Violet immediately agrees. Her goal? To get Cain Stone ready to take his place as heir to his family company…but to say he’s not exactly an eager student is an understatement.

 Born and raised in rural Louisiana and now making his own way in New Orleans, Cain Stone is only playing along for the paycheck at the end. He has no use for the grandmother he didn’t know existed and no patience for the uppity Violet’s attempts to turn him into a suit-wearing, museum-attending gentleman.

 But somewhere amidst antagonistic dinner parties and tortured tux fittings, Cain and Violet come to a begrudging understanding—and the uptight Violet realizes she’s not the only one doing the teaching. As she and Cain begin to find mutual respect for one another (and maybe even something more), Violet learns that blindly following society’s rules doesn’t lead to happiness…and that sometimes the best things in life come from the most unexpected places.

 This was a decent read:  predictable and there weren’t any surprises (except for one incident towards the end of the book). It was also a quick read, or I probably would have put it down; not because it was bad, but because it wasn’t distinctive enough to be truly attention-grabbing. But, if you’re looking for an opposites-attract romance with an HEA, this is a good bet. It just wasn’t what I felt like reading at the moment.

Lauren Layne is a bestselling author. Made in Manhattan is her newest novel.

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

Book Review:  Getting His Game Back, by Gia De Cadenet

Image belongs to Random House/Ballantine.

Title:   Getting His Game Back
Author:   Gia De Cadenet
Genre:   Romance
Rating:  4 out of 5

Khalil Sarda went through a rough patch last year, but now he’s nearly back to his old self. All he has to do is keep his “stuff” in the past. Real men don’t have depression and go to therapy–or, at least they don’t admit it. He’s ready to focus on his growing chain of barbershops, take care of his beloved Detroit community, and get back to being the ladies’ man his family and friends tease him for being. It’ll be easy . . . until Vanessa throws him completely off his game.

Vanessa Noble is too busy building a multimillion-dollar tech career as a Black woman before age thirty to be distracted by a relationship. Not to mention, she’s been burned before, still dealing with the lingering hurt of a past breakup. Besides, as her friends often remind her, she’ll never find a man who checks all the boxes on her famous List. Yet when she desperately needs a shape-up and happens upon one of Khalil’s barbershops, the Fade, he makes her reconsider everything. Khalil is charming, intelligent, sexy, and definitely seems like he’d treat a woman right . . . but he’s not Black.

 Vanessa may be willing to take a chance on Khalil, but a part of him is frustratingly closed off, just out of her reach. Will old patterns emerge to keep them apart? Or have they both finally found a connection worth throwing away the playbook for?

 I really enjoyed this read! The portrait of depression is sadly accurate (in my experience), and the author did a good job of drawing the reader into what Khalil was experiencing. I enjoyed his romance with Vanessa and how unsure they both were when they met and realized their attraction. The cover makes this look like it’s a romcom, but this story has depth.

Gia De Cadenet is from Florida but lives in France. Getting His Game Back is her newest novel.

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

Book Review and Blog Tour:  Light Years from Home, by Mike Chen

Image belongs to Harlequin/MIRA.

Title:   Light Years from Home
Author:   Mike Chen
Genre:  SciFi
Rating: DNF

Every family has issues. Most can’t blame them on extraterrestrials.

 Fifteen years ago while on a family camping trip, Jakob Shao and his father vanished. His father turned up a few days later, dehydrated and confused, but convinced that they’d been abducted by aliens. Jakob remained missing.

 The Shao sisters, Kass and Evie, dealt with the disappearance end ensuing fallout in very different ways. Kass over the years stepped up to be the rock of the family: carving a successful path for herself, looking after the family home, and becoming her mother’s caregiver when she starts to suffer from dementia. Evie took her father’s side, going all in on UFO conspiracy theories, and giving up her other passions to pursue the possible truth of life outside our planet. And always looking for Jakob.

 When atmospheric readings from Evie’s network of contacts indicate a disturbance event just like the night of the abduction, she heads back home. Because Jakob is back. He’s changed, and the sisters aren’t sure what to think. But one thing is certain — the tensions between the siblings haven’t changed at all. Jakob, Kass and Evie are going to have to grow up and sort out their differences, and fast. Because the FBI is after Jakob, and possibly an entire alien armada, too.

I liked the premise of this story, but the writing style and characters just weren’t for me. I read about 10% and didn’t feel any sort of connection to any of the characters, so I stopped reading. This isn’t a reflection on the story itself or the quality of the writing, it just wasn’t a good fit for me.

Mike Chen lives in the Bay Area. Light Years from Home is his newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/MIRA in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review:  One True Loves, by Elise Bryant

Image belongs to HarperCollins.

Title:   One True Loves
Author:   Elise Bryant
Genre:   YA
Rating:  4 out of 5

Lenore Bennett has always been a force. A star artist and style icon at her high school, she’s a master in the subtle art of not giving a . . . well, you know what. But now that graduation is here, she’s a little less sure.

 She’s heading to NYU in the fall with a scarlet U (for “undeclared”) written across her chest. Her parents always remind her that Black kids don’t have the luxury of figuring it out as they go—they have to be 110 percent prepared. But it’s a lot of pressure to be her ancestors’ wildest dreams when Lenore’s not even sure what her dreams are yet.

 When her family embarks on a post-graduation Mediterranean cruise, her friend Tessa is sure Lenore’s in for a whirlwind romance. But Lenore knows that doesn’t happen in real life. At least not to girls like her.

 Then she meets Alex Lee. After their parents bond over the Cupid Shuffle, she ends up stuck with him for the remainder of the cruise. He’s a hopeless romantic and a golden boy with a ten-year plan. In short, he’s irritating as hell.

 But as they get to know each other during the picturesque stops across Europe, he may be able to help her find something else she’s been looking for, even if she doesn’t want to admit it to herself: love.

I enjoyed this read! Lenore was a bit over-the-top at first, with her brashness and in-your-face attitude, but when she tamped it down a bit, she was much more relatable. She’s under a lot of pressure from her family, and I felt sorry for her in that respect. It was good to see some character growth from her, as she slowly started to figure out who she is and what she wants from life.

Elise Bryant is from California. One True Loves is her newest novel.

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

Sundays are for Writing #157

This was a tough week: I had a consult with a surgeon to find out about an upcoming surgery, which is scheduled for February 1st, and my best friend’s father passed away. She and I have known each other since we were seven years old, so I’ve known that man most of my life.

Despite my lack of focus, I got four book reviews written.

Happy writing!

Book Review:  Must Love Books, by Shauna Robinson

Image belongs to Sourcebooks Landmark.

Title:   Must Love Books
Author:   Shauna Robinson
Genre:   Fiction
Rating:  3.8 out of 5

Meet Nora Hughes—the overworked, underpaid, last bookish assistant standing. At least for now.

 When Nora landed an editorial assistant position at Parsons Press, it was her first step towards The Dream Job. Because, honestly, is there anything dreamier than making books for a living? But after five years of lunch orders, finicky authors, and per my last emails, Nora has come to one grand conclusion: Dream Jobs do not exist.

 With her life spiraling and the Parsons staff sinking, Nora gets hit with even worse news. Parsons is cutting her already unlivable salary. Unable to afford her rent and without even the novels she once loved as a comfort, Nora decides to moonlight for a rival publisher to make ends meet…and maybe poach some Parsons’ authors along the way.

 But when Andrew Santos, a bestselling Parsons author no one can afford to lose is thrown into the mix, Nora has to decide where her loyalties lie. Her new Dream Job, ever-optimistic Andrew, or…herself and her future.

I liked the style and writing of this novel, and I enjoyed Andrew and Nora…except that Nora thought it was okay to be unethical, lie, and steal (authors). She was under a lot of stress, but that doesn’t excuse poor morals. So no matter how much I enjoyed her and Andrews’s banter, that made the whole book much less enjoyable than it should have been.

Shauna Robinson lives in Virginia. Must Love Books is her debut novel.

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