Category: characters

Book Review: Ladies of the Lake, by Cathy Gohlke  

Image belongs to Dreamscape Media.

Title:  Ladies of the Lake (audio)    
Author:  Cathy Gohlke   
Genre: Historical fiction, Christian    
Rating:  5 out of 5

When she is forced to leave her beloved Prince Edward Island to attend Lakeside Ladies Academy after the death of her parents, the last thing Adelaide Rose MacNeill expects to find is three kindred spirits. The “Ladies of the Lake,” as the four girls call themselves, quickly bond like sisters, vowing that wherever life takes them, they will always be there for each other. But that is before: Before love and jealousy come between Adelaide and Dorothy, the closest of the friends. Before the dawn of World War I upends their world and casts baseless suspicion onto the German American man they both love. Before a terrible explosion in Halifax Harbor rips the sisterhood irrevocably apart.

Seventeen years later, Rosaline Murray receives an unsuspecting telephone call from Dorothy, now headmistress of Lakeside, inviting her to attend the graduation of a new generation of girls, including Rosaline’s beloved daughter. With that call, Rosaline is drawn into a past she’d determined to put behind her. To memories of a man she once loved . . . of a sisterhood she abandoned . . . and of the day she stopped being Adelaide MacNeill.

I enjoyed this so much! Addie was such a wonderful character, and the friendship between the ladies was wonderful to see. I did not care for Dorothy, though. She was so selfish, and she grated on my nerves. Even the adult Dorothy struggled with this, although she was better than her younger self.

I truly felt the pain Addie experienced, the fear, the hurt. Her emotions were so vividly embodied on the page, and I enjoyed reading her story. I’d never heard of the Halifax explosion—this must have been such a horrific experience. This is a wonderful read, that I highly recommend.

Cathy Gohlke is a bestselling author. Ladies of the Lake is her newest novel.

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

Book Review:  Thief Liar Lady, by D. L. Soria

Image belongs to Random House Publishing.

Title: Thief Liar Lady        
Author: D. L. Soria    
Genre:  Fantasy   
Rating: 4 out of 5

I’m not who you think I am.

My transformation from a poor, orphaned scullery maid into the enchantingly mysterious lady who snagged the heart of the prince did not happen–as the rumors insisted–in a magical metamorphosis of pumpkins and glass slippers. On the first evening of the ball, I didn’t meekly help my “evil” stepmother and stepsisters primp and preen or watch forlornly out the window as their carriage rolled off toward the palace. I had other preparations to make.

My stepsisters and I had been trained for this–to be the cleverest in the room, to be quick with our hands and quicker with our lies. We were taught how to get everything we want in this world, everything men always kept for themselves: power, wealth, and prestige. And with a touchingly tragic past and the help of some highly illegal spells, I would become a princess, secure our fortunes, and we would all live happily ever after.

But there’s always more to the story. With my magic running out, war looming, and a handsome hostage prince–the wrong prince–distracting me from my true purpose with his magnetic charm and forbidden flirtations, I’m in danger of losing control of the delicate balance I’ve created…and that could prove fatal.

There’s so much more riding on this than a crown.

This was an interesting read—if a bit confusing at times. I liked Ash a lot, and the other characters were a lot of fun. This is only loosely a retelling of Cinderella, and I enjoyed the differences a lot. I would say this was fun read, although the characters frustrated me at times, too. Worth spending a weekend reading, even if you aren’t into fairy tale retellings.

D. L. Soria lives in Birmingham, Alabama. Thief Liar Lady is her newest novel.

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

Sundays Are for Writing #234

Work was crazy again this week, so I didn’t get much reading or writing done. I DNFed two books, Forever Hold Your Peace, by Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke, and Good Fortune, by C.K. Chau (In both cases, I didn’t like the characters, so I only made it to 5% before getting bored). I wrote a review of Hello Stranger, by Katherine Center, which was a wonderful read.

I’m hoping this week has less crazy in it.

Book Review:  Hello Stranger, by Katherine Center  

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title:  Hello Stranger      
Author: Katherine Center  
Genre: Romance    
Rating:  4.5 out of 5

 Love isn’t blind, it’s just little blurry.

Sadie Montgomery never saw what was coming . . . Literally! One minute she’s celebrating the biggest achievement of her life—placing as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition—the next, she’s lying in a hospital bed diagnosed with a “probably temporary” condition known as face blindness. She can see, but every face she looks at is now a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features. Imagine trying to read a book upside down and in another language. This is Sadie’s new reality with every face she sees.

But, as she struggles to cope, hang on to her artistic dream, work through major family issues, and take care of her beloved dog, Peanut, she falls into—love? Lust? A temporary obsession to distract from the real problems in her life?—with not one man but two very different ones. The timing couldn’t be worse.

If only her life were a little more in focus, Sadie might be able to find her way. But perceiving anything clearly right now seems impossible. Even though there are things we can only find when we aren’t looking. And there are people who show up when we least expect them. And there are always, always other ways of seeing.

I enjoyed Katherine Center’s latest read very much! It was worthy of binge-reading until 1 a.m. after a hellish day at work, if that tells you anything. Sadie was a little bit whiny at first, which got on my nerves, but I ended up liking her a lot. Why can’t I have a helpful/cute neighbor like Joe? Sadie had “strangers” popping out of the woodwork—like her horrible stepsister—but she also was surrounded by kindness. Her character growth was fun to watch, and I just enjoyed this book so much (even if the big surprise wasn’t really a surprise to me).

Katherine Center is a NYT bestselling-author. Hello, Stranger is her newest novel.

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

The Best Books I Read in June (2023)

In June, I read 14 books. Of those, some mere meh, most were solid, and three were exceptional.

The Study of Poisons, by Maria V. Snyder. This is Poison Study from Valek’s POV, and I loved it! It’s been so long since I first read these books, but now I want to re-read all of them.

Morgan Is My Name, by Sophie Keetch. I love King Arthur mythology, and this was a riveting read! From the very first page, when Morgan was seven years old, her voice and personality captivated me. I had trouble putting this down to sleep!

Beach Read, by Emily Henry. I loved the dialogue in this novel! The banter was so witty and had me in stitches so many times. This would make and excellent weekend read—or let’s be hones: a great beach read!

What I Read in June (2023)

Books Read in June: 14
Books Read for the Year:  98/225

Topical Books/Monthly Goal Books:
Beach Read, by Emily Henry (TBR). The banter in this was fantastic! I thoroughly enjoyed this read.
Unravel the Dusk, by Elizabeth Lim (TBR). I still love the magic in this.
Heartbreak Bay, by Rachel Caine (TBR). I’ve been putting off reading this for for a while because I’m so sad that Caine passed away. This book. Man. I’ve enjoyed these books so much, but this one messed with my mind! The people lurking in the shadows, harassing Gwen and blaming her ex-husband’s actions on her, and thinking it’s okay to torment her. That is NOT okay. And the little funhouse of horrors at the end…I’m lucky it didn’t give me nightmares. Yet.
The House at the End of the World, by Dean Koontz (TBR). Another one of Koontz’s the-government-is-not-our-friend thrillers.
The Study of Poisons, by Maria V. Snyder (TBR). How could I resist reading the story of Poison Study from Valek’s POV? LOVED THIS.
The Delusion: We All Have Our Demons, by Laura Gallier (audio). This was pretty fascinating.

For Review:

The Little Italian Hotel, by Phaedra Patrick. I enjoyed this novel of self-discovery, although Ginny got on my nerves a bit before she started making decisions for herself.

Same Time Next Summer, by Annabel Monaghan. This book. This book was fantastic! I was sucked in from the very first page and could not put it down until I devoured every single word!

Charm City Rocks, by Matthew Norman. I enjoyed this romance about a guy who gets a chance with the rockstar he’s admired for decades.

Famous in a Small Town, by Viola Shipman. I enjoyed the first half of this, but the second half felt like an unfinished, messy draft, which did not work for me.

Morgan Is My Name, by Sophie Keetch. This was a fantastic read! I’ve always loved Arthurian legends, and Morgan’s voice brought this to such vivid life! Uther Pendragon and Merlin creeped me out quite a bit, but Morgan was wonderful!

Whispers at Dusk, by Heather Graham. I usually enjoy Graham’s books, especially the Krewe of Hunters books, but this felt both rough and disconnected. The transitions as the characters got to know each other felt beyond rushed.

A Rogue at Stonecliffe, by Candace Camp. I enjoyed this second-chance romance.

A Shadow in Moscow, by Katherine Reay. This started off a bit slow, but it ended up being such a good read! The spycraft from a woman’s point-of-view was so fascinating. Highly recommended!

Left Unfinished:

The Last Drop of Hemlock, by Katharine Schellman. I didn’t get very far in this. The pacing was just too slow.

The Chaperone, by M Hendryx. I read about 20% of this before just accepting I was bored, annoyed, and didn’t care about the characters or what happened.

Cassandra in Reverse, by Holly Smale. I tried to like this enough to finish reading it, because the concept was interesting. No such luck. I found Cassandra unlikeable enough to be unreadable to me—even making allowances for the legitimate issues she clearly has.

The Broken Hearts Club, by Susan Bishop Crispell. The main problem I have with the 20% of this that I read is Imogen’s propsensity to and normalization of lying. I cannot stand liars, so reading about a person whose go-to response is lying, is a no-go for me.

Ciao for Now by Kate Bromley. Violet and her friends just felt superficial and flighty to me, and I had no desire to finish reading this.

Book Review and Blog Tour: A Rogue at Stonecliffe, by Candace Camp    

Image belongs to Harlequin/Canary Street Press.

Title:  A Rogue at Stonecliffe    
Author: Candace Camp  
Genre:  Romance   
Rating:  4 out of 5

When the love of her life left without any explanation, Annabeth Winfield moved on despairingly, knowing she’d never have a love as thrilling as her first ever again. Sloane Rutherford was roguish and daring, but as Annabeth grew up, she realized that their reckless romance was just a passing adventure, never meant for stability. Twelve years later, Annabeth is engaged to someone new, ready to start her life with a dependable man.

That’s when Sloane returns. And he brings with him a serious warning: Annabeth is in trouble.

After spending the past dozen years working as a spy, Sloane thought he’d left espionage behind him. But now a dangerous blackmailer is after Annabeth. Sloane offers to hide his former lover at Stonecliffe, the Rutherford estate, but stubborn Annabeth demands to be part of the investigation. As the two embark on a dangerous and exciting journey, memories of their past romance resurface. Sloane and Annabeth aren’t the wide-eyed children they used to be, but knowing they’re wrong for each other makes a nostalgic affair seem very right…

I enjoyed seeing this continuation of the Stonecliffe series. This was filled with mysteries, secrets, and red herrings, and I thoroughly enjoyed the read. Annabeth’s grandmother was definitely the scariest character in the novel, but she was such a great character! I loved how even the secondary characters were so vivid and believable. This is a solid romance read, perfect for a lazy weekend afternoon.

Candace Camp is a bestselling author. A Rogue at Stonecliffe is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/Canary Street Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review and Blog Tour: Whispers at Dusk, by Heather Graham   

Image belongs to Harlequin/MIRA.

Title:   Whispers at Dusk     
Author: Heather Graham    
Genre:  mystery/thriller   
Rating:  3.5

When darkness falls, there’s nowhere to hide.

Four bodies have been discovered along Europe’s riverbanks, placed with care—and completely drained of blood. Pinpricks on their throats indicate a slender murder weapon, but DNA found in the wounds suggests something far more sinister. Tasked with investigating, the FBI recruits Agents Della Hamilton and Mason Carter to Blackbird, an international offshoot of the Krewe of Hunters. If you want to catch a vampire killer, you need agents who can speak with the dead.

The pair travel to Norway, where the shadowy forests of Lillehammer reveal a gruesome scene. The killer is thirsty for more victims, and the bloodless trail soon leads Della and Mason to a group that believes drinking blood is the key to immortality. To catch the culprit of such an intimate crime, the agents will have to get close. Mason’s already lost one partner; he’s not ready to risk Della as bait. But sometimes justice requires a sacrifice…

Normally, I’m a big fan of Graham’s works, especially the Krewe of Hunters books, but this one just felt rushed. Mason meets Della, and they move from being strangers to BFFs to more without any time or transition at all. It didn’t feel believable in the slightest, and that made the rest of the book feel jarringly off.

I love the ghostly helpers and the international setting, but none of the relationships in the book—not just Della and Mason, but between them and the other agents as well—felt organic and natural. Instead, they felt almost like caricatures, and that turned me off from reading any more of this series.

Heather Graham is a bestselling author. Whispers at Dusk is her newest novel.

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

Book Review:  Morgan Is My Name, by Sophie Keetch   

Image belongs to Penguin/Random Hose Canada.

Title: Morgan Is My Name       
Author: Sophie Keetch     
Genre: fantasy     
Rating:  5 out of 5

Young Morgan of Cornwall lives a happy life in Tintagel Castle until King Uther Pendragon, with the help of the sorcerer Merlin, murders her father and tricks her mother into marriage. Furious, brilliant, and vengeful, Morgan defies her brutal stepfather, taking up a secret education, discovering a lifelong affinity with the healing arts, and falling in love with a man far beneath her station. However, defiance comes at a cost. Used as a bargaining chip in her stepfather’s war games, Morgan finds herself banished to a world of isolated castles and gossiping courts, amidst the machinations of kings, sorcerers, and men.

But some desires are not easily forgotten, and the search for her independence is a quest Morgan cannot give up. As the era of King Arthur approaches, she must use all her wit, knowledge, and courage to fight against those who wish to deny her intelligence, crush her spirit, and control her body. But, in seeking her freedom, Morgan risks losing everything–her reputation, her loved ones, and her life.

I love Arthurian legends and retellings, but most are not as well-done as this one. I truly loved this read! Morgan is a fascinating character as a child, and she only grows more fascinating as she gets older. I loved her forceful personality, her wit, and her determination to live her own life. Uther Pendragon—and Merlin, too—was a horrible person in this story and he made my skin crawl. Morgan, however, is vibrant, inspiring, and had me rooting for her from the first page.

Sophie Keetch is Welsh and lives in South Wales. Morgan is My Name is her new novel.

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

Book Review: Charm City Rocks, by Matthew Norman  

Image belongs to Random House.

Title: Charm City Rocks       
Author: Matthew Norman    
Genre:  Romance   
Rating:  4 out of 5

Billy Perkins is happy. And why wouldn’t he be? He loves his job as an independent music teacher and his apartment in Baltimore above a record shop called Charm City Rocks. Most of all, he loves his brainy teenage son, Caleb.

Margot Hammer, on the other hand, is far from happy. The former drummer of the once-famous band Burnt Flowers, she’s now a rock-and-roll recluse living alone in New York City. When a new music documentary puts Margot back in the spotlight, she realizes how much she misses her old band and the music that gave her life meaning. 

Billy has always had a crush on Margot. But she’s a legitimate rock star—or, at least, she was—so he never thought he’d meet her. Until Caleb, worried that his easygoing dad might actually be lonely, cooks up a scheme to get Margot to perform at Charm City Rocks.

It’s the longest of long shots, but Margot’s label has made it clear that any publicity is an opportunity she can’t afford to miss. When their paths collide, Billy realizes that he maybe wasn’t as happy as he thought—and Margot learns that sometimes the sweetest music is a duet.

I really enjoyed this read! I’ve never had any desire to visit Baltimore, but I loved how this city was such a big character in the story, and I loved the characters themselves. Even Billy’s cardigans. The family dynamics in the novel were interesting, to say the least, and they added so much to the story. Thoroughly enjoyed getting to know these characters!

Matthew Norman is from Nebraska. His newest novel is Charm City Rocks.

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