Tag: book review

Sundays are for Writing #310

Last year, my goal was to get in five fiction sessions a week. Which I did except maybe three times. That sounds positive, but in the end, I ended up rehashing a lot of words and not accomplishing a lot, so I decided to make my goal a bit different this year: write every day (same as last year), but it can be any kind of writing. Fiction, book reviews, prayers, journaling (Yeah, that’s the headspace I’m in right now.)

This week, I’ve gotten a ton of writing done! I did get in one fiction session, but I also wrote my December reading post, my best books I read in December, What I Read in 2024, and four book reviews: Here Beside the Rising Tide, by Emily Jane, A Sea of Unspoken Things, by Adrienne Young, Capitana, by Cassandra James, and All Better Now, by Neal Shusterman (all forthcoming).

I also did three journaling sessions, so there was a ton of writing happening over here. How about you?

What I Read in 2024

My goal for the year was to read 215 books. I read 238.

January: 15 books.
February: 12 books.
March: 20 books.
April: 22 books.
May: 21 books.
June: 20 books.
July: 17 books.
August: 23 books.
September: 19 books.
October: 24 books.
November: 20 books.
December: 25 books.

The Best Books I Read in December (2024)

In December, I finished 25 books, bringing my total for the year to 238 books. Of those, several were just okay, most were good, and a few were excellent.

The Metempsychosis Collection, by Nicholas Conley. I don’t generally read short story collections, but these were all engaging and unique, and I enjoyed reading them.

The Stolen Queen, by Fiona Davis. I thoroughly enjoyed both timelines of this archeological/finding yourself novel, and couldn’t wait to find out what happened next.

A Language of Dragons, by S. F. Williamson. The dragon/human politics and dynamics were fascinating to me, and the culture just kept getting more interesting the further I read. The MC was completely clueless about reality at the beginning, but soon got a clue or two.

What I Read in December (2024)

Books Read in December: 25
Books Read for the Year:  238/215

Topical Books/Monthly Goal Books:
The Blue Parakeet, by Scott McKnight (audio, TBR): Audio wasn’t the best choice for me with this.
The Hexed and the Hunted, by Melissa Marr (TBR): I enjoyed this read.
Silent on the Moor, by Deanna Rayburn (TBR): Still loving this series!
Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry, by Joya Goffney (TBR): I DNFed this very quickly, because the MC wasn’t a likable person, and there wasn’t any reason for so much animosity between her and the main guy character. Just ugly to each other.
Totally Folked, by Penny Reid (TBR): This was a solid read.
I Heard God Laugh, by Matthew Kelly (TBR): I enjoyed this a lot!
Unleashing Echoes, by Meghan Ciana Doidge (TBR): Quite an ending for this trilogy.
The Eyes of Tamburah, by Maria V. Snyder (TBR): Loved the world/setting of this.
For Review:

The Metempsychosis Collection, by Nicholas Conley. I don’t usually read scifi or short story collections, but these tales were al unique and kept me engaged. This was a good read!

The Last Fashion House in Paris, by Renee Ryan. I do love WWII historical fiction, and I really enjoyed this. Even the fashion parts were fascinating!

The Stolen Queen, by Fiona Davis (review forthcoming). I enjoyed this a lot! Both timelines were fascinating.

What Happened to the McCrays? by Tracey Lange  (review forthcoming). This should have felt slow, but it didn’t. Instead, I was drawn into the characters’ lives and histories from the very first page.


A Language of Dragons, by S. F. Williamson (review forthcoming). Really enjoyed this military/alternate history fantasy adventure.

Work in Progress, by Kat Mackenzie (review forthcoming). The MC was really a terrible person for a long time–for no discernible reason–but she eventually improved.

Earl Crush, by Alexandra Vasti (review forthcoming). This was a sweet, fun read, perfect for a weekend or a long afternoon.

Only in Your Dreams, by Ellie K Wilde (review forthcoming). This steamy second-chance romance was a solid read.

Brewing Up a Bad Boy, by Katherine Garbera (review forthcoming). Don’t bother. This was solidly in the meh category, and needed another in-depth editing pass to make it consistent.

Here Beside the Rising Tide, by Emily Jane (review forthcoming). I can’t say that I recommend this. It was like a bad B-rate movie.

A Sea of Unspoken Things, by Adrienne Young (review forthcoming). This was a wonderfully-written story, and I read it straight through in one sitting.

Just Because:

Blessed Endings, Beautiful Beginnings, by Nicki Koziark.
The Tony Evans Study Bible
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
God is with You Every Day, by Max Lucado.
Bedtime Blessings, by Charles Swindoll
Champagne and Commitments, by Melissa Marr. I enjoyed this novella.
Lowcountry Lost, by T.I. Lowe. Sweet Southern fiction.

Left Unfinished:
Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry, by Joya Goffney (TBR): I DNFed this very quickly, because the MC wasn’t a likable person, and there wasn’t any reason for so much animosity between her and the main guy character. Just ugly to each other.

Ex Marks the Spot, by Gloria Chao. I didn’t make it very far in this, because the characters just didn’t interest me, and the animosity between Gemma and Xander just seemed to be pointless.

All the Water in the World, by Erin Caffall. I made it about 20% of the way into this, but it felt so slow. My attention completely wandered.

The Lost House, by Melissa Larsen. I read over a third of this, but it just dragged, and the MC wasn’t very likable to me.

She Doesn’t Have a Clue, by Jenny Elder Moke. Is it bad that I read 12% of this, and didn’t realize it was a romcom? Kate just seemed like a bumbling idiot, and things kept slipping side3ways into her MC’s POV with no warning. If found this jarring and off-putting.

Sundays are for Writing #309

This was a great writing week! I got in five fiction sessions, and four book reviews, Work in Progress, by Kat Mackenzie, Only in Your Dreams, by Ellie K Wilde, Earl Crush, by Alexandra Vasti, and Brewing Up a Bad Boy, by Katherine Garbera, all forthcoming in January.

Happy writing!

Book Review:  The Last Fashion House in Paris, by Renee Ryan

Image belongs to Harlequin.

Title:  The Last Fashion House in Paris  
Author:  Renee Ryan        
Genre:  Historical fiction       
Rating:  4 out of 5

France, 1942

Once, Paulette Leblanc spent her days flirting, shopping and drawing elegant dresses in her sketch pad. Then German tanks rolled into France, and a reckless romance turned into deep betrayal. Blaming herself for her mother’s arrest by the Gestapo, Paulette is sent away to begin a new life in Paris, working as apprentice to fashion designer Sabine Ballard.

But Maison de Ballard is no ordinary fashion house. While seamstresses create the perfect couture gowns, clandestine deals and secrets take place out of sight. Mademoiselle Ballard is head of a vast network of resistance fighters—including Paulette’s coworker and friend Nicolle Cadieux—who help escort downed military men and Jewish families to safety.

Soon Paulette is recruited as a spy. Working as a seamstress by day, gathering information at glamorous parties by night, Paulette at last has a chance to earn the redemption she craves. But as the SS closes in, and Nicolle goes missing, Paulette must make life-and-death decisions about who to trust, who to love and who to leave behind…

I really enjoyed this read! I felt so sorry for Paulette from the very first page. Yes, what she did was horrible, but I can’t imagine living with such guilt. The goings-on at the fashion house were fascinating, and the clandestine errands were riveting. I loved all the main characters, and really enjoyed how it tied in Ryan’s other book.

Renee Ryan is from Florida. The Last Fashion House in Paris is her newest novel.

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

Sundays are for Writing #308

This was a decent writing week. I got in five fiction sessions, and two book reviews, What Happened to the McCrays? by Tracey Lange and A Language of Dragons, by S. F. Williamson (both reviews forthcoming).

Happy writing!

Sundays are for Writing #307

This was a solid writing week. I got in five fiction sessions, but only on book review,  The Stolen Queen (review forthcoming), by Fiona Davis, because I didn’t get much reading done. Still, it was a busy week, so I’m happy with it.

Happy writing!

Book Review: A Monsoon Rising, by Thea Guanzon

Image belongs to Avon and Harper Voyager.

Title: A Monsoon Rising    
Author:  Thea Guanzon
Genre: Fantasy, romance      
Rating: 5 out of 5

After a lifetime of war, Alaric and Talasyn were thrust into an alliance between their homelands that was supposed to end the fighting; however, being married to their sworn foe feels far from peaceful. Now Talasyn must play the part of Alaric’s willing empress while her allies secretly plot to overthrow his reign. But the longer the couple are forced together, the harder it becomes to deny the feelings crackling like lightning between them. When the time comes to act, can she trust him, or must she ignore her heart for the sake of so many others?

As the master of the Shadowforged Legion, Alaric has trained for battle all his life, but marrying a Lightweaver might be his most dangerous challenge yet. With tensions between nations churning, he needs to focus on the greater threat—the Moonless Dark, a cataclysmic magical event that could devour everything. Only he and Talasyn can stop it, with a powerful merging of light and shadow that they alone can create together. But saving their world from this disaster is a mere preface to his father’s more sinister schemes, and his wife is a burning flame in the darkness, tempting both his loyalties and his desires.

The Hurricane Wars aren’t over. It’s time to choose what—and who—to fight for. The world holds its breath amidst a whirlwind of new magic and old secrets that could change everything.

I’m still loving these books! The world and mythology are fascinating to me, and I really like the two main characters. They actually start trusting each other a little bit here, but there are so many obstacles! And they can’t really trust anyone around them, adding another level of conflict. I found it very hard to put this book down!

Thea Guanzon is a bestselling author. A Monsoon Rising is her newest novel.

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

 

Sundays are for Writing #306

This was a pretty busy week. I didn’t get much reading done, so I only wrote one book review,  The Last Fashion House in Paris, by Renee Ryan (review forthcoming). I did get in five fiction sessions, though, so that’s a win.

Happy writing!