Category: characters

Book Review:  This Vicious Grace, by Emily Thiede

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title:   This Vicious Grace   
Author: Emily Thiede
Genre: YA, fantasy  
Rating:  5 out of 5

Three weddings. Three funerals. Alessa’s gift from the gods is supposed to magnify a partner’s magic, not kill every suitor she touches.

Now, with only weeks left until a hungry swarm of demons devours everything on her island home, Alessa is running out of time to find a partner and stop the invasion. When a powerful priest convinces the faithful that killing Alessa is the island’s only hope, her own soldiers try to assassinate her.

Desperate to survive, Alessa hires Dante, a cynical outcast marked as a killer, to become her personal bodyguard. But as rebellion explodes outside the gates, Dante’s dark secrets may be the biggest betrayal. He holds the key to her survival and her heart, but is he the one person who can help her master her gift or destroy her once and for all?

This was such a fantastic read! Alessa’s snark is so much fun—and it only gets better when Dante shows up. I really loved their interactions and banter. The world and culture were quite unique to me, and, while it isn’t really a culture I’d want to live in—or visit—the world-building was vividly realized and fascinating to read. I highly recommend this, and I can’t wait to read what happens next.

Emily Thiede lives in Virginia. This Vicious Grace is her newest novel.

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

Book Review and Blog Tour:  Here for the Drama, by Kate Bromley

Image belongs to Harlequin,

Title:  Here for the Drama  
Author:   Kate Bromley
Genre:  Romance
Rating:  4.5 out of 5

Becoming a famous playwright is all Winnie ever dreamed about. For now, though, she’ll have to settle for assisting the celebrated, sharp-witted feminist playwright Juliette Brassard. When an experimental theater company in London, England, decides to stage Juliette’s most renowned play, The Lights of Trafalgar, Winnie and Juliette pack their bags and hop across the pond.

But the trip goes sideways faster than you can say “tea and crumpets.” Juliette stubbornly butts heads with the play’s director and Winnie is left stage-managing their relationship. Meanwhile, Winnie’s own work seems to have stalled, and though Juliette keeps promising to read it, she always has some vague reason why she can’t. Then, Juliette’s nephew, Liam, enters stage left. He’s handsome, he’s smart, he is devastatingly British…and his family ties to Juliette pose a serious problem, forcing Winnie to keep their burgeoning relationship on the down-low. What could go wrong?

Balancing a production seemingly headed for disaster, a secret romance and the sweetest, most rambunctious rescue dog, will Winnie save the play, make her own dreams come true and find love along the way—or will the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune get the best of her?

Winnie’s dramatics made me laugh so many times while reading this! Normally, people who go looking for drama get on my nerves, but her heart was in the right place, so I actually enjoyed her antics. The repartee between her and Liam was spot-on, and I couldn’t wait to see where their banter went next. Juliette was a bit much for me, and I don’t know how Winnie put up with her. Even the secondary characters in this novel—like Oscar—were a delight. This is a great vacation read—or work day escape.

Kate Bromley lives in New York City. Here for the Drama is her newest novel.

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

Book Review:  The Blue Diamond, by Leonard Goldberg

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books.

Title:  The Blue Diamond    
Author: Leonard Goldberg
Genre: Historical fiction  
Rating: 4 out of 5

During a critical stage in World War One, the Governor-General of South Africa journeys to London for a meeting of The Imperial War Conference. Days prior to the conference, the Governor-General is scheduled to have an audience at Buckingham Palace at which time a most precious blue diamond will be presented to King Edward as a symbolic gesture of the colonies’ resolute and never-ending allegiance to England.

The flawless blue diamond, with its magnificent luster, weighs nearly 3000 carats which renders it one of the world’s largest and most valuable gems. On the Governor-General’s arrival, he is ensconced at the fashionable Windsor Hotel under the tightest security, with his entire entourage and formidable security team occupying the entire penthouse floor. All entrances and exits are locked down and closely guarded, and no one is allowed entrance after 6 PM.

Despite the extreme precautions, the famous diamond is stolen from the Governor-General’s suite in the middle of the night, with no clues left behind. With Scotland Yard baffled, Joanna and the Watsons are called in to investigate the theft and it becomes clear that the crime is not simply the work of a master thief, but one that could greatly aid the Germans and turn the tide of war in their favor. Time is of the essence and the blue diamond must be recovered before it begins its travels which could cause irreparable damage to the allied war plans.

I enjoyed this read, although, as always, I feel a bit slow when reading (or watching, for that matter) a Sherlock adventure of any sort. I also enjoy locked room mysteries, and this more or less fits the bill. There was enough action to keep me interested, and enough time with all the characters that my brain didn’t go numb from all the introspection and deductions going on. This is the second book I’ve read in this series, and I do recommend it.

Leonard Goldberg is from Charleston. The Blue Diamond is his newest novel.

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

Book Review:   Nora Goes Off Script, by Annabel Monaghan

Image belongs to Penguin Group Putnam.

Title:    Nora Goes Off Script
Author:   Annabel Monaghan
Genre:    Romance
Rating:  4.5 out of 5

Nora’s life is about to get a rewrite…

Nora Hamilton knows the formula for love better than anyone. As a romance channel screenwriter, it’s her job. But when her too-good-to work husband leaves her and their two kids, Nora turns her marriage’s collapse into cash and writes the best script of her life. No one is more surprised than her when it’s picked up for the big screen and set to film on location at her 100-year-old-home. When former Sexiest Man Alive, Leo Vance, is cast as her ne’er do well husband Nora’s life will never be the same.

The morning after shooting wraps and the crew leaves, Nora finds Leo on her porch with a half-empty bottle of tequila and a proposition. He’ll pay a thousand dollars a day to stay for a week. The extra seven grand would give Nora breathing room, but it’s the need in his eyes that makes her say yes. Seven days: it’s the blink of an eye or an eternity depending on how you look at it. Enough time to fall in love. Enough time to break your heart.

I really enjoyed this! I found Nora’s voice to be eminently relatable and hysterically funny. Her reactions were priceless and almost exactly what I’d have done myself. This was sweet and snarky, emotional and believable, and I binge-read it in one go!

Annabel Monaghan lives in New York. Nora Goes Off Script is her newest novel.

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

The Best Books I Read in May (2022)

In May, I read 16 books, bringing my total for the year to 98 (I’m a tiny bit behind schedule). I also DNFed 6 books. Of the 16 books I finished, three of them were really excellent.

A Perilous Perspective, by Anna Lee Huber. This is the 10th Lady Darby Mystery, and I loved it as much as I loved the other books in the series. The characters are just so well-done, and I love the setting and the premise, too.

The Black Witch, by Laurie Forest. This was a re-read of a novel that I’d somehow forgotten about. I loved this book when I read it the first time, and it popped into my head recently, so I picked it up again. Incredible world-building and cultures, and it’s just all-around excellent.

Part of Your World, by Abby Jimenez. This had me laughing from the very first page, and it didn’t stop. A quick, fun read with loads of humor.

What I Read in May (2022)

Books Read in May: 16
Books Read for the Year:  98/250
Topical Books/Monthly Goal Books:

God is Able, by Priscilla Shirer (spiritual). I enjoyed this re-read.
The Raven Spell, by Luanne G. Smith (TBR). This was a bit odd at first, but I liked the characters.
A Perilous Persepctive, by Anna Lee Hubbard (TBR). I didn’t even realized this was about to come out, but I loved it, just like I’ve loved the entire series.
The Black Witch, by Laurie Forest (re-read). I’d forgotten how GOOD this was!
Anne of Manhattan, by Brina Starler (TBR). Not a fan of this re-telling.

For Review:

Veil, by Dylan Farrow. I hadn’t read the first book in this series, Hush, but I don’t think that mattered much. It was a decent fantasy read.

Part of Your World, by Abby Jimenez. I loved this read! I was laughing on the first page. The snark, sarcasm, and banter were fantastic. Calling Spanx “Satan’s underwear” really set the tone for this read. Highly recommend!

It Could Be Anyone, by Jaime Lynn Hendricks. Talk about a cast of characters that are just all horrible people! The only reason I finished reading this was because it was a quick read.

Herrick’s End, by T. M. Blanchet. I enjoyed this fantasy. It was unique and intriguing, and I loved the MC and all his flaws.

Kagen the Damned, by Jonathan Maberry. This took me a really long time to read, but I enjoyed it. The different culturers were fantastic, and the banger between Kagen and his friend was absolutely hysterical.

Sweet Home Alaska, by Jennifer Snow. This was just a “meh” read about people who didn’t bother to communicate with each other.

An Affair at Stonecliffe, by Candace Camp. I enjoyed this sweet romance.

The Honeymoon Cottage, by Lori Foster. Another “meh” read with the MCs family being just absolutely horrible people—and pointlessly so.

Bloomsbury Girls, by Natalie Jenner. This started off slowly, but I ended up really enjoying it. I loved all three women’s stories, and their willingness to step outside the boxes society put them in.

Fatal Flowers, by Jess Dylan (review forthcoming). This was a light, cozy mystery read.

Happy Happy Happy, by Nicola Masters (review forthcoming). Despite Charlie’s overwhelming selfishness and her refusal to see truth, I ended up enjoying this quite a bit.

Left Unfinished:

The Treehouse on Dog River Road, by Catherine Drake. I found the main character pretty frivolous and unlikable.

Starry-Eyed Love, by Helena Hunting. I barely finished the book before this about these characters, and I gave up really early on in this. The characters were just too much for me.

My Wife Is Missing, by D.J. Palmer. I’m not sure how, but I read 33% of this before realizing I didn’t like either of the MC and I didn’t care at all what happened to them.

The Summer Place, by Jennifer Weiner. I read about 10% of this, but didn’t feel the slightest connection with or interest in these characters.

The Boardwalk Bookshop, by Susan Mallery. This just wasn’t a good fit for me. I liked Mikki and Ashley, but I could not stand Bree and her absolute self-absorption, so I didn’t make it very far into this.

It All Comes Down to This, by Therese Anne Fowler. I tried. I read about 20%, but these sisters were so…self-absorbed and superficial I couldn’t stand it.

Book Review:   Bloomsbury Girls, by Natalie Jenner

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title: Bloomsbury Girls
Author:  Natalie Jenner
Genre:  Fiction
Rating:  4.5 out of 5

Bloomsbury Books is an old-fashioned new and rare book store that has persisted and resisted change for a hundred years, run by men and guided by the general manager’s unbreakable fifty-one rules. But in 1950, the world is changing, especially the world of books and publishing, and at Bloomsbury Books, the girls in the shop have plans:

Vivien Lowry: Single since her aristocratic fiance was killed in action during World War II, the brilliant and stylish Vivien has a long list of grievances – most of them well justified and the biggest of which is Alec McDonough, the Head of Fiction.

Grace Perkins: Married with two sons, she’s been working to support the family following her husband’s breakdown in the aftermath of the war. Torn between duty to her family and dreams of her own.

Evie Stone: In the first class of female students from Cambridge permitted to earn a degree, Evie was denied an academic position in favor of her less accomplished male rival. Now she’s working at Bloomsbury Books while she plans to remake her own future.

As they interact with various literary figures of the time – Daphne Du Maurier, Ellen Doubleday, Sonia Blair (widow of George Orwell), Samuel Beckett, Peggy Guggenheim, and others – these three women with their complex web of relationships, goals and dreams are all working to plot out a future that is richer and more rewarding than anything society will allow.

I think this got off to a little bit of a slow start, but it ended up being very good. I loved The Jane Austen Society, and it was so much fun seeing some of those characters again. I loved all three of the main female characters, and I was fully invested in their stories. It was lovely to see famous literary characters come to life, as well as the secondary characters in the bookstore itself.

Natalie Jenner is a bestselling author. The Bloomsbury Girls is her newest novel.

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

Book Review:   Kagen the Damned, by Jonathan Maberry

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title:    Kagen the Damned
Author:    Jonathan Maberry
Genre:    Fantasy
Rating:  4.5 out of 5

Sworn by Oath

Kagen Vale is the trusted and feared captain of the palace guard, charged with protection the royal children of the Silver Empire. But one night, Kagen is drugged and the entire imperial family is killed, leaving the empire in ruins.

Abandoned by the Gods

Haunted and broken, Kagen is abandoned by his gods and damned forever. He becomes a wanderer, trying to take down as many of this enemies as possible while plotting to assassinate the usurper–the deadly Witch-king of Hakkia. While all around him magic–long banished from the world—returns in strange and terrifying ways.

Fueled by Rage

To find the royal children and exact his vengeance, Kagen must venture into strange lands, battle bizarre and terrifying creatures, and gather allies for a suicide mission into the heart of the Witch-king’s empire.

Kings and gods will fear him.

This book took me a long time to read. Like, two entire weeks. The different cultures were so vivid and realistic, and I very much enjoyed that part of the story. The first third or so seemed to drag on a bit, although I liked Kagen enough to keep reading. I liked Tuke and his colorful language the most, though. Kagen spent a solid amount of time drinking himself into oblivion and feeling sorry for himself, so he kind of got on my nerves at times. I’d definitely keep reading this series though, just to find out how it all plays out.

Jonathan Maberry is a bestselling author. Kaen the Damned is his newest novel.

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

Book Review:  This May End Badly, by Samantha Markum

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books.

Title:   This May End Badly
Author:   Samantha Markum
Genre:   YA
Rating:  5 out of 5

Pranking mastermind Doe and her motley band of Weston girls are determined to win the century-long war against Winfield Academy before the clock ticks down on their senior year. But when their headmistress announces that The Weston School will merge with its rival the following year, their longtime feud spirals into chaos.

To protect the school that has been her safe haven since her parents’ divorce, Doe puts together a plan to prove once and for all that Winfield boys and Weston girls just don’t mix, starting with a direct hit at Three, Winfield’s boy king and her nemesis. In a desperate move to win, Doe strikes a bargain with Three’s cousin, Wells: If he fake dates her to get under Three’s skin, she’ll help him get back his rightful family heirloom from Three.

As the pranks escalate, so do her feelings for her fake boyfriend, and Doe spins lie after lie to keep up her end of the deal. But when a teacher long suspected of inappropriate behavior messes with a younger Weston girl, Doe has to decide what’s more important: winning a rivalry, or joining forces to protect something far more critical than a prank war legacy.

This book was just good, plain fun!  Sure, Doe did some pretty crappy things—and I never really understood her animosity towards Three—but I enjoyed this book from the very first page. Doe’s group of friends was great, and I liked that the guys were actually good guys, too, even if the girls couldn’t see that at first. Doe grows a lot in this story, and while sometimes that change was painful, I enjoyed the story very much. Especially the interactions between Doe and Wells. Her “stranger danger” made me laugh a lot.

Samantha Markum lives in St. Louis. This May End Badly is her debut novel.

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

Book Review and Blog Tour:   Fool Me Once, by Ashley Winstead

Image belongs to Harlequin/Graydon House.

Title:    Fool Me Once
Author:    Ashley Winstead
Genre:    Romance
Rating:  DNF

Lee Stone is a twenty-first-century woman: she kicks butt at her job as a communications director at a women-run electric car company (that’s better than Tesla, thank you) and after work she is “Stoner,” drinking guys under the table and never letting any of them get too comfortable in her bed…

 That’s because Lee’s learned one big lesson: never trust men. After four major heartbreaks set her straight, from her father cheating on her mom all the way to Ben Laderman in grad school—who wasn’t actually cheating, but she could have sworn he was, so she reciprocated in kind.

 Then Ben shows up five years later, working as a policy expert for the most liberal governor in Texas history, just as Lee is trying to get a clean energy bill rolling. Things get complicated—and competitive as Lee and Ben are forced to work together. Tension builds just as old sparks reignite, fanning the flames for a romantic dustup the size of Texas.

I read less than 10% of this before stopping. Lee might have learned never to trust men, but she sure hasn’t learned anything from her own bad behavior, and I just can’t stand to read any characters that are horrible people. And Lee qualifies. So no, thank you. I prefer characters that are decent human beings, not caricatures of a “twenty-first century woman” which, in this case, seems to be code for “selfish, hurtful, and completely frivolous”—and showing no sign of redemption.

 Ashley Winstead lives in Texas. Fool Me Once is her newest novel.

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