Category: book review

Book Review: The Make-Up Test, by Jenny L. Howe

Title: The Make-Up Test
Author: Jenny L. Howe
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3 out of 5

Allison Avery loves to win. After acing every academic challenge she’s come up against, she’s finally been accepted into her dream Ph.D. program at Claymore University, studying medieval literature under a professor she’s admired for years. Sure, grad school isn’t easy—the classes are intense, her best friend is drifting away, and her students would rather pull all-nighters than discuss The Knight’s Tale—but she’s got this. Until she discovers her ex-boyfriend has also been accepted. Colin Benjamin might be the only person who loves winning more than Allison does, and when they’re both assigned to TA for the same professor, the game is on.

What starts as a personal battle of wits (and lit) turns into all-out war when their professor announces a career-changing research trip opportunity—with one spot to fill. Competing with Colin is as natural as breathing, and after he shattered her heart two years ago, Allison refuses to let him come out on top. But when a family emergency and a late night road trip—plus a very sexy game of Scrabble—throw them together for a weekend, she starts to wonder if they could be stronger on the same team. And if they fall for each other all over again, Allison will have to choose between a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and what could be a twice-in-a-lifetime love.

I usually enjoy second chance romances. This one…the level of competitiveness between Allison and Colin was almost too much for me. Allison came across as almost hateful sometimes (to Colin and to any random person she didn’t like), sometimes despite the other person being perfectly nice to her. She was extremely judgmental and rarely made any effort to see anything from someone else’s point-of-view. I enjoyed the body positivity and Allison’s unapologetic views on her life, but she came across as very selfish, rude, and pushy.

Jenny L. Howe is a professor. The Make-Up Test is her debut novel.

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

Book Review and Blog Tour: The Girl from Guernica, by Karen Robards

Title: The Girl from Guernica
Author: Karen Robards
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5

On an April day in 1937, the sky opens and fire rains down upon the small Spanish town of Guernica. Seventeen-year-old Sibi and her family are caught up in the horror. Griff, an American military attaché, pulls Sibi from the wreckage, and it’s only the first time he saves her life in a span of hours. When Germany claims no involvement in the attack, insisting the Spanish Republic was responsible, Griff guides Sibi to lie to Nazi officials. If she or her sisters reveal that they saw planes bearing swastikas, the gestapo will silence them—by any means necessary.

As war begins to rage across Europe, Sibi joins the underground resistance, secretly exchanging information with Griff. But as the scope of Germany’s ambitions becomes clear, maintaining the facade of a Nazi-sympathizer becomes ever more difficult. And as Sibi is drawn deeper into a web of secrets, she must find a way to outwit an enemy that threatens to decimate her family once and for all.

I was hooked on this from the very first page! All the characters were so vivid and so believable, and the author did such a great job with them that I felt like I was right there with Sibi through everything, grieving and struggling and determined to do what was right—no matter what. I cannot recommend this highly enough!

Karen Robards is a bestselling author. The Girl from Guernica is her newest novel.

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

Book Review: Monsters Born and Made, by Tanvi Berwah

Title: Monsters Born and Made
Author: Tanvi Berwah
Genre: Fantasy, YA
Rating: 4.2 out of 5

Sixteen-year-old Koral and her older brother Emrik risk their lives each day to capture the monstrous maristags that live in the black seas around their island. They have to, or else their family will starve.

In an oceanic world swarming with vicious beasts, the Landers―the ruling elite, have indentured Koral’s family to provide the maristags for the Glory Race, a deadly chariot tournament reserved for the upper class. The winning contender receives gold and glory. The others―if they’re lucky―survive.

When the last maristag of the year escapes and Koral has no new maristag to sell, her family’s financial situation takes a turn for the worse and they can’t afford medicine for her chronically ill little sister. Koral’s only choice is to do what no one in the world has ever dared: cheat her way into the Glory Race.

But every step of the way is unpredictable as Koral races against contenders―including her ex-boyfriend―who have trained for this their whole lives and who have no intention of letting a low-caste girl steal their glory. When a rebellion rises and rogues attack Koral to try and force her to drop out, she must choose―her life or her sister’s―before the whole island burns.

She grew up battling the monsters that live in the black seas, but it couldn’t prepare her to face the cunning cruelty of the ruling elite.

I enjoyed this read a lot! The culture this is set in is very dark and depressing—basically hopeless—and Koral’s struggles to save her family were set amidst that darkness. Though dark, the culture is vividly portrayed, with hints at centuries of history that hide many secrets. Of course this story will draw Hungry Games comparisons because of its very nature, but I found it compelling in its own right.

Tanvi Berwah graduated from the university of Delhi. Monters Born and Made is her debut novel.

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

Sundays Are for Writing #189

This was a good writing week: three book reviews, my August reading post, and the best books I read in August. I’m off for a long weekend with family in town.

Happy writing!

Book Review: Don’t Let In the Cold, by Keely Parrack

Title: Don’t Let In the Cold
Author: Keely Parrack
Genre: Mystery/thriller
Rating: 4.0

It was supposed to be just one night in the cabin: one night for Lottie and her brand new stepsister, Jade, to try to get along. When a solar flare causes a massive blackout―no power or cell signal―Lottie knows they’ve got a long night ahead of them.

Then, in the dark, someone else shows up at the cabin―a stranger named Alex, claiming to be lost and needing shelter from the coming snowstorm. But later that night, Lottie spies him in the driveway talking to two mysterious men in a pickup truck, and she’s sure he’s lying about why he’s here.

Before Lottie can find out more, a fire forces her, Jade, and Alex out into the blizzard, where they must rely on one another to get to safety―wherever that is. In the remote, freezing Tahoe wilderness, they have to survive more than just the elements. Soon it becomes clear that Alex’s accomplices are hunting for all three of them, in a scheme that’s gone too far and taken a chilling, deadly turn.

This was a decent read—but only because I’m not reading it in the winter! To me, Alex was a red flag from the very beginning, but I liked him well enough, eventually. I liked how the story was so focused on these three characters and their world—all the drama was condensed into a small, concentrated package.

Keely Parrack lives in San Francisco. Don’t Let in the Cold is her newest novel.

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

The Best Books I read in August (2022)

In August, I read 22 books, bringing my total for the year to 159 books. I also DNFed 12 books—that’s a LOT. There were some solid reads, some “meh” reads, and a handful of really good reads. The three I liked the most were:

Unwritten, by Charles Martin. I haven’t read many of Martin’s books—yet. I’m definitely going to plow through his backlist, because I’ve adored everything I’ve read of his, and this is no exception. His stories and characters just draw me in from the very first page.

Hello, Goodbye, by Kate Stollenwerck. This was at times an emotional read, but I enjoyed every single day. Gigi was such a great character, and I just loved her.

Lucy Checks In, by Dee Ernst. It was so nice to read a middle-aged MC for a change. One that’s having adventures, changing her world, and growing as a person. A lovely read!

What I Read in August (2022)

Books Read in August: 22
Books Read for the Year: 159/250
Topical Books/Monthly Goal Books:

I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, by Norman L. Geizler (spiritual). This was fascinating!

Beyond Opinion, by Ravi Zacharias (spiritual). Pretty sure I’m not smart enough to have retained even half of this.

John’s Story, by Tim Lahaye (spiritual). Loved this.

The Demon Tide, by Laurie Forest (TBR). Continuing to love this series.

Unwritten, by Charles Martin (TBR). SO GOOD.

For Review:

How to Date a Superhero (And Not Die Trying), by Cristina Fernandez. Honestly, this was just a meh read for me. The MC was pretty selfish and self-absorbed, and that got on my nerves.

Don’t Go to Sleep, by Bryce Moore. The descriptions of New Orleans a hundred years ago were fascinating, but the concept itself didn’t work for me (the MC’s mental connection with the axe murderer). I also didn’t really like that there was no resolution as to why he was killing people.

Love and the Dream Come True, by Tammy L. Gray. I really enjoyed this sweet romance.

Hello, Goodbye, by Kate Stollenwerck. Parts of this book absolutely wrecked me! I enjoyed the MC from the very first page, and her relationship with her Gigi was so wonderful!

Bend Toward the Sun, by Jen Devon. The MC was occasionally really self-absorbed, but I enjoyed this, and I’d absolutely read more books about this family.

The Memory Index, by Julian Ray Vaca. This felt like a bad, predictable—yet kind of nonsense—80s movie.

Lucy Checks In, by Dee Ernst. I LOVED this! It was wonderful that Lucy was front and center, and her journey, not the romance, was center stage.

Would You Rather, by Allison Ashley. This was a lot of fun! Definitely fun, likable characters.

A Venom Dark and Sweet, by Judy I. Lin. I didn’t enjoy this quite as much as the first book in the duology. The second half felt very rushed, almost skimming over thing.

Surrendering to Hunt, by Jennifer Ryan. This was a solid read, despite the almost-insta-love plot.

The Thread Collectors, by Shaunna J. Edwards; Alyson Richman. This was a great read! I enjoyed both points-of-view a lot.

Our Little World, by Karen Winn. I’d say this was a step above meh. The MC was quite self-absorbed and bratty, so it ruined it a bit for me.

Just Because:

Who Ate Lunch with Abraham? by Asher Intrater (spiritual). This was fascinating.

After the Rapture, by David Jeremiah (spiritual).

Who Made God? by Ravi Zacharias (spiritual).

Winning the War in Your Mind, by Craig Groeschel (spiritual/audio). This has some excellent tips in it.

How Happiness Happens, by Max Lucado (spiritual/audio). I enjoyed this! Excellent narrator.

Left Unfinished:

Twice as Perfect, by Louisa Onome. I liked this…except for the obsession with Skeleboy and acting like he was a god. That was too annoying to continue to read. It’s possible I’ll re-visit in the future.

Hearts of Briarwall, by Krista Jensen. To me, the female characters were vapid and silly. I stopped at 20%.

The Stars Between Us, by Cristin Terrill. The MC was just a terrible person and I couldn’t stand to read more about her.

The Last of the Seven, by Steven Hartov. This just wasn’t a good fit for me.

Mr. Perfect on Paper, by Jean Meltzer. These characters didn’t work for me. Dara’s anxiety was described in such excruciating detail it bogged everything else down, and Chris…well, the first time he meets Dara, there’s no sign he even notices her. A few minutes later he’s remembering his physical attraction to her…that wasn’t even hinted at in that first meeting.

Wild is the Witch, by Rachel Griffin. The first 15% of this seemed pretty dark to me, with a lot of negativity between Iris and Pike.

The Art of Prophecy, by Wesley Chu. Frankly, I didn’t get too far in this, because I found Jian annoyingly entitled, spoiled, and ineffectual.

The Neopolitan Sisters, by Margo Candela. Okay, the bridezilla sister was so selfish and self-centered I wanted to smack her. The second sister wasn’t much better. And I didn’t keep reading to meet the third.

The Monsters We Defy, by Leslye Penelope. I read 10% of this and it just didn’t catch my attention, so there was no point in reading more.

Small Town, Big Magic, by Hazel Beck. Emerson got on my very last nerve with her constant assurance that SHE was right and everyone else was wrong. I was intrigued enough to read 20%, but then I realized I’d been annoyed by her the entire time, so I just stopped reading.

Die Around Sundown, by Mark Pryor. I just couldn’t connect with the MC, so it didn’t catch my attention.

Earning It, by E.F. Dodd. Rae just didn’t work for me. She wasn’t likable enough for me to continue reading.

Book Review: Our Little World, by Karen Winn

Title: Our Little World
Author: Karen Winn
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 3.8 out of 5

July 1985. It’s a normal, sweltering New Jersey summer for soon-to-be seventh grader Bee Kocsis. Her thoughts center only on sunny days spent at Deer Chase Lake, evenings chasing fireflies around her cul-de-sac with the neighborhood kids, and Max, the boy who just moved in across the street. That and the burgeoning worry that she’ll never be as special as her younger sister, Audrina, who seems to effortlessly dazzle wherever she goes.

But when Max’s little sister, Sally, goes missing at the lake, Bee’s long-held illusion of stability is shattered in an instant. As the families in her close-knit community turn inward, suspicious, and protective, things in Bee’s own home become increasingly strained, most of all with Audrina, when a shameful secret surfaces. With everything changed, Bee and Audrina’s already-fraught sisterhood is pushed to the limit as they grow up–and apart–in the wake of an innocence lost too soon.

This was definitely not a light and fluffy read. I found it pretty dark. Part of that could be that my younger brother was diagnosed with type one diabetes in 1988—about two years after Drina was—and the issues Drina had with her disease felt so, so familiar. Even leaving that out, Bee is not a happy narrator, and I felt that on every page.

Karen Winn lives in Boston. Our Little World is her debut novel.

(Galley courtesy of Penguin Group Dutton in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review and Blog Tour: The Thread Collectors, by Shaunna J. Edwards; Alyson Richman

Image belongs to Harlequin/Graydon House.

Title: The Thread Collectors
Author: Shaunna J. Edwards; Alyson Richman
Genre: Historical fiction
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

1863: In a small Creole cottage in New Orleans, an ingenious young Black woman named Stella embroiders intricate maps on repurposed cloth to help enslaved men flee and join the Union Army. Bound to a man who would kill her if he knew of her clandestine activities, Stella has to hide not only her efforts but her love for William, a Black soldier and a brilliant musician.

Meanwhile, in New York City, a Jewish woman stitches a quilt for her husband, who is stationed in Louisiana with the Union Army. Between abolitionist meetings, Lily rolls bandages and crafts quilts with her sewing circle for other soldiers, too, hoping for their safe return home. But when months go by without word from her husband, Lily resolves to make the perilous journey South to search for him.

As these two women risk everything for love and freedom during the brutal Civil War, their paths converge in New Orleans, where an unexpected encounter leads them to discover that even the most delicate threads have the capacity to save us.

I really enjoyed this read! New Orleans is one of my favorite cities, but I don’t think I’ve ever read anything with quite this setting—it was both heartbreaking and inspirational. I liked all four main characters and was invested in their journeys, and it was lovely to see such hope in the midst of such a dark struggle. I love that this is inspired by both the authors’ family histories, and I truly enjoyed this tale.

Shauna Edwards lives in Harlem and Alyson Richman lives in Long Island. The Thread Collectors is their newest novel.

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

Book Review: Surrendering to Hunt, by Jennifer Ryan

Image belongs to Avon and Harper Voyager.

Title: Surrendering to Hunt
Author: Jennifer Ryan
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4.0 out of 5

The last thing lawman Hunt Wilde ever dreamed he’d do was fall hard for a purple-haired troublemaker like Cyn Wilson. While Hunt believes in law and order, Cyn lives life fast and loose–with fast cars and wild nights. But when Cyn’s sister disappears, she surprisingly turns to him for help. Never let it be said that a Wilde man turned down a woman in distress–and on a mission.

It takes a lot for Cyn to swallow her pride and ask Hunt for anything. The man never gives her a break and is always staring at her with those perceptive eyes. But beneath Cyn’s tough exterior beats a heart as wide and beautiful as Wyoming itself–and soon she finds herself surrendering to the overpowering attraction simmering between them and partnering with him in the search for her missing sister.

She won’t rest until she learns the truth, even if that means putting herself in harm’s way. And when Hunt discovers how much danger Cyn is in because of him, he’s even more determined to take down the man who would take her out of Hunt’s life–forever.

This was a decent read—and actually made small-town, western life sound appealing—and I enjoyed it. I’d actually like to read more about the secondary characters, and since this is part of a series of linked standalones, that will probably happen. Things between Hunt and Cyn developed really quickly, and that doesn’t usually work for me, but this was pretty believable. All-in-all a good way to spend a few weekend hours.

Jennifer Ryan is a bestselling author. Surrendering to Hunt is her newest novel.

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

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