This week, I wrote two book reviews,The Spy’s Daughter, by Bianca M. Schwarz and The Forest Grimm, by Kathryn Purdie. They were both solid reads, but nothing that just blew me away (live tomorrow).
Happy writing!
Category: book review
Book Review: The Spy’s Daughter, by Bianca M. Schwarz
Title: The Spy’s Daughter
Author: Bianca M. Schwarz
Genre: Historical fiction, mystery, romance
Rating: 4 out of 5
Emily March, the illegitimate daughter of Sir Henry March, has all she needs: bountiful wealth, ample beauty, and abundant talent. But will this be enough to secure the one thing she truly a loving marriage and her own family? However, it’s not her illegitimacy that stands in her way, but a mystery her father—an agent of the crown—has never been able to solve.
Max Warthon has twice rescued Emily from the machinations of his sinister grandfather, the Earl of Warthon, enemy of Sir Henry. Max knows that getting too close to his daughter will lead to certain peril, but he cannot resist her. Played out in front of London’s high society, their whirlwind romance attracts everyone’s attention — and raises the ire of the Earl.
With old secrets standing in their way, will Emily and Max be able to unravel the mystery of an ancient hatred and unmask the true enemy? Their happiness and their lives depend on it.
I’ve read all of The Gentleman Spy Mystery series and enjoyed this one. This was a solid read and a nice wrap-up to the series. I thought Max and Emily’s romance was a bit too easy—I expected more obstacles—but it was about what I expected from this series. I don’t really have any problems with the novel. It is what it promises to be: a romance in a historical setting, and I never felt like the characters were in any danger. I expected the HEA ending, and that’s what I got.
Bianca M. Schwarz was born in Germany but now lives in L.A. The Spy’s Daughter is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Central Avenue Publishing in exchange for an honest review.)
Book Review and Blog Tour: Main Character Energy, by Jamie Varon
Title: Main Character Energy
Author: Jamie Varon
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5
Poppy Banks would rather be writing mysteries than writing listicles for her dead-end job at Thought Buzz. But after a series of rejections, she’s ready to accept life on the sidelines as a plus-size woman. Her aunt Margot is the one person unwilling to give up on her niece’s dreams and tells her so at their secret yearly lunches.
But all of Poppy’s beliefs about herself are challenged when her beloved aunt dies and leaves her niece a grand surprise—a trip to her villa in the French Riviera. There, she learns her aunt intends to leave her stunning villa and secretive writer’s residency to Poppy—if she can finish her novel in six months.
When the writing countdown begins, Poppy realizes she has more to confront than her writer’s block. Family drama, complicated romances and self-doubt all threaten to throw her off course. In this fun and heartwarming debut, Poppy must decide if she can live up to her aunt’s—and her own—desire to be the main character in her own life.
This was a solid romance read. I liked that Poppy won her own mental and emotional battles and learned how to be herself without apology—but also to see things from others’ points-of-view. There weren’t really any surprises in this novel. I figured out Margot’s big secret about page five, but it was a fun read.
Jamie Varon lives in California. Main Character Energy is her debut novel.
(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/Park Row in exchange for an honest review.)
Book Review: The River Runs South, by Audrey Ingram
Title: The River Runs South
Author: Audrey Ingram
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
When Camille Taylor’s husband dies unexpectedly, the carefully constructed life she worked so hard to build in Washington, DC, shatters. After struggling for almost a year, she reaches a breaking point, packs up her daughter, and heads for the Alabama coast where she grew up.
The salt air and slow rhythms of the coast soothe Camille’s spirit, but when she meets local fisherman Mack Phillips, she learns that things have changed in her hometown. Runoff from an abandoned development site is polluting the water, and Mack has brought a suit against the site’s owners—Camille’s father among them.
Battling her own fears for the fragile ecosystem of her beloved Mobile Bay, Camille joins her father’s defense team, but the more she learns, the more she wonders if she’s landed on the right side of the fight. Meanwhile, Camille is slowly drawn to Mack’s fearless resolve, his sterling ideals, and finally to the man himself.
Faced with blurred lines between right and wrong, Camille must decide for herself what the next chapter of her life will bring.
Initially, I wasn’t sure I liked Camille. Even though she’d just lost her husband, she came across as cold and unfeeling. Her daughter, however, was adorable, so I kept reading. And I’m so glad I did! I do love a good Southern fiction, and the author really brought life on the Alabama coast to shimmering life. I immediately wanted to visit! I like that the environmental issues weren’t just glossed over, and that Camille could really look at things from both sides. Loved these characters and this read.
Audrey Ingram is from Alabama. The River Runs South is her debut novel.
(Galley courtesy of Alcove Press in exchange for an honest review.)
Sundays Are for Writing #241
I was off most of this week, which was wonderful, and I got a lot of reading done. Not as much writing done, but I’m good with that. I reviewed The River Runs South, by Audrey Ingram and Main Character Energy, by Jamie Varon. I also unearthed an old manuscript of mine and have been reading over it.
Happy writing!
The Best Books I Read in August (2023)
In August, I read 17 books, bringing my total for the year to 135 books read. Of those books, a few were standouts.
The River Runs South, by Audrey Ingram. This was an excellent Southern fiction read, and a debut novel from this author. I wasn’t too sure if I liked the main character at first, even though she was going through a very tough time, but I ended up loving her—and her adorable daughter. I also loved the setting so much and thought it was portrayed so well.
Touch of Power, by Maria V. Snyder. I’m a big fan of this author and I’d read this before, but I remembered almost none of it. I enjoyed the characters so much! They were so memorable and believable and made the rest of the story truly magical.
The Brothers Hawthorne, by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. I’ve enjoyed this series so much, and I read this entire novel in one session, on release day. It did not disappoint. The Hawthorne brothers and their antics are thoroughly entertaining, and I love the relationship between the three brothers.
What I Read in August (2023)
Books Read in August: 17
Books Read for the Year: 135/225
Topical Books/Monthly Goal Books:
The Pursuit of God, by A.W. Tozer (spiritual).
If the Tomb is Empty, by Joby and Charles Martin (audio, spiritual).
The God I Never Knew, by Robert Morris (spiritual re-read).
Get Lost, by Dannah Gresh (spiritual). This was a thought-provoking read.
A Fatal Illusion, by Anna Lee Huber (TBR). I always love the books in this series.
Mr. Owita’s Guide to Gardening, by Carol Wall (TBR). This was surprisingly good!
Cupcakes, Trinkets, and Other Deadly Magic, by Meghan Ciana Dodge (re-read). I enjoyed this re-read, although some of the cultural references were a little bit dated.
Spellbreaker by Charlie N. Holmberg (TBR). I really enjoyed this!
Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder (re-read). I have no idea how I forgot about this book. A good read!
For Review:
Codename Charming by Lucy Parker. Parts of this were quite funny, and I enjoyed the two main characters quite a bit.
Her Radiant Curse, by Elizabeth Lim. I did enjoy this fantasy read and the relationship between the two sisters, but I didn’t like the ending too much. I’d be interested to read more of this story.
Letters from My Sister, by Valerie Fraser Luesse. This started off a little bit slow, but it ended up being so, so good! Love the the sisters and their relationship, and everything about this family.
The River Runs South, by Audrey Ingram (review forthcoming). I wasn’t too sure about the MC at first, but I ended up really loving this read—it brought life in an Alabama coastal town to vibrant life.
Main Character Energy, by Jamie Varon. This was a solid romance read, though I found it pretty predictable. I did love how the MC came to accept and lover herself.
Just Because:
The Brothers Hawthorne, by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. I binge-read this in one sitting the day it came out. Love these characters and their antics.
Scent of Magic, by Maria V. Snyder. This was a re-read I did not remember reading the first time, so I thoroughly enjoyed it.
The Sacred Echo, by Margaret Feinberg. This was a very profound, thought-provoking read.
Spellmaker, by Charlie N. Holmberg. I enjoyed the first book in this duology so much, I immediately read the second one.
Left Unfinished:
Deadlock, by James Byrne. The first 10% of this just felt disjointed and choppy, and it didn’t hold my attention.
The Invisible Hour, by Alice Hoffman. I was so looking forward to reading this! I got about 30% in and realized I just didn’t care about the characters…and that was before I got to the time-travel bit that a lot of readers didn’t care for.
The Breakaway, by Jennifer Weiner. This is the second book by this author I’ve DNFed because I just don’t like the characters.
Kissing Kosher, by Jean Meltzer. I just could not make myself care about these characters. They seemed surface level, with not depth.
Dreambound, by Dan Frey. I read a third of this and was mildly interested, but the format was kind of jarring for me (switching between texts, emails, etc.,) and Byron was kind of a self-absorbed jerk, so it couldn’t keep my attention.
Book Review and Blog Tour: Kissing Kosher, by Jean Meltzer
Title: Kissing Kosher
Author: Jean Meltzer
Genre: Romance
Rating: DNF
Step 1: Get the secret recipe. Step 2: Don’t fall in love…
Avital Cohen isn’t wearing underpants—woefully, for unsexy reasons. Chronic pelvic pain has forced her to sideline her photography dreams and her love life. It’s all she can do to manage her family’s kosher bakery, Best Babka in Brooklyn, without collapsing.
She needs hired help.
And distractingly handsome Ethan Lippmann seems the perfect fit.
Except Ethan isn’t there to work—he’s undercover, at the behest of his ironfisted grandfather. Though Lippmann’s is a household name when it comes to mass-produced kosher baked goods, they don’t have the charm of Avital’s bakery. Or her grandfather’s world-famous pumpkin spice babka recipe.
As they bake side by side, Ethan soon finds himself more interested in Avital than in stealing family secrets, especially as he helps her find the chronic pain relief—and pleasure—she’s been missing.
But perfecting the recipe for romance calls for leaving out the lies…even if coming clean means risking everything.
I’m all for reading about people with real problems, but, frankly, for me, Avital’s chronic pelvic pain was a non-starter. There was no actual explanation for her not wearing underwear, which kind of grossed me out in a food prep business. And it felt contrived. Meanwhile, Ethan is willing to lie, cheat, and steal for his mean and nasty grandfather which doesn’t say much about his personality. And I can’t be bothered to waste my time reading about people I don’t like, so this wasn’t a good choice for me.
Jean Meltzer spent five years in rabbinical school before becoming an author. Kissing Kosher is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/MIRA in exchange for an honest review.)
Sundays Are for Writing #240
This has been a decent writing week. I wrote three book reviews, Her Radiant Curse, by Elizabeth Lim, Letters from My Sister, by Valerie Fraser Luesse, and Kissing Kosher, by Jean Meltzer. I DNFed the last one because the characters annoyed me so badly–that’s the second book from this author I’ve DNFed for that reason–but I enjoyed the other two reads. I have some time off this next week, so I’m hoping to do plenty of reading AND writing.
Book Review: Letters from My Sister, by Valerie Fraser Luesse
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.)
Tomorrow Is Another Day 