Tag: fiction

Book Review:   The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door, by H. G. Parry

Image belongs to Redhook Books.

Title:  The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door  
Author:  H. G. Parry        
Genre:  Fantasy       
Rating:  4 out of 5

All they needed to break the world was a door, and someone to open it.

Camford, 1920. Gilded and glittering, England’s secret magical academy is no place for Clover, a commoner with neither connections nor magical blood. She tells herself she has fought her way there only to find a cure for her brother Matthew, one of the few survivors of a faerie attack on the battlefields of WWI which left the doors to faerie country sealed, the study of its magic banned, and its victims cursed.

But when Clover catches the eye of golden boy Alden Lennox-Fontaine and his friends, doors that were previously closed to her are flung wide open, and she soon finds herself enmeshed in the seductive world of the country’s magical aristocrats. The summer she spends in Alden’s orbit leaves a fateful mark: months of joyous friendship and mutual study come crashing down when experiments go awry, and old secrets are unearthed.

Years later, when the faerie seals break, Clover knows it’s because of what they did. And she knows that she must seek the help of people she once called friends—and now doesn’t quite know what to call—if there’s any hope of saving the world as they know it.

I loved this setting and world and found it fascinating. The whole magic school premise has been overdone, but this story focuses on the characters and their friendship, not the minutiae of what’s happening in the classroom, and that sets it apart. I loved that friendship was the center of this book, without getting distracted by romance and flirtation. I was drawn into the story from the beginning and found it hard to put it down when I had to go do something else.

H. G. Parry lives in New Zealand. The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door is her newest novel.

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

















































Website:      https://hgparry.wordpress.com/Amazon:    https://www.amazon.com/Scholar-Last-Faerie-Door-ebook/dp/B0CTZVT4NG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=UB4Y11NXMXOQ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.W5eKafWFGHJ67Mh2g_jQ_w.zigeTOhQcqFY3H6YaZNjmyKTtAtWfI59tC2GUkp6Y_4&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+scholar+and+the+last+faerie+door+by+h.+g.+parry&qid=1729873009&sprefix=The+Scholar+and+the+Last+Faerie+Door%2C+by+H.+G.+Parry+%2Caps%2C603&sr=8-1 Title:  The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door  Author:  H. G. Parry        Genre:  Fantasy       Rating:  4 out of 5  All they needed to
break the world was a door, and someone to open it. Camford, 1920. Gilded
and glittering, England’s secret magical academy is no place for Clover, a
commoner with neither connections nor magical blood. She tells herself she has
fought her way there only to find a cure for her brother Matthew, one of the few
survivors of a faerie attack on the battlefields of WWI which left the doors to
faerie country sealed, the study of its magic banned, and its victims cursed. But when Clover catches
the eye of golden boy Alden Lennox-Fontaine and his friends, doors that were
previously closed to her are flung wide open, and she soon finds herself
enmeshed in the seductive world of the country’s magical aristocrats. The
summer she spends in Alden’s orbit leaves a fateful mark: months of joyous
friendship and mutual study come crashing down when experiments go awry, and
old secrets are unearthed. Years later, when the
faerie seals break, Clover knows it’s because of what they did. And she knows
that she must seek the help of people she once called friends—and now doesn’t
quite know what to call—if there’s any hope of saving the world as they know
it.
 I loved this setting
and world and found it fascinating. The whole magic school premise has been
overdone, but this story focuses on the characters and their friendship, not
the minutiae of what’s happening in the classroom, and that sets it apart. I
loved that friendship was the center of this book, without getting distracted
by romance and flirtation. I was drawn into the story from the beginning and
found it hard to put it down when I had to go do something else. H. G. Parry lives in
New Zealand. The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door is her newest novel.
 (Galley courtesy of Redhook
Books in exchange for an honest review.) Book Review:   The
Scholar and the Last Faerie Door, by
H. G. Parry

Book Review: Sleep in Heavenly Pizza, by Mindy Quigley

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title:    Sleep in Heavenly Pizza
Author:  Mindy Quigley        
Genre: Mystery        
Rating:  3.8 out of 5

Pizza chef Delilah O’Leary and her kitty companion, Butterball, get into the holiday spirit as Geneva Bay, Wisconsin hosts the nation’s premier snow sculpting championship. The annual event transforms the charming resort town into a wonderland of snow castles, ice rinks, and cozy cups of cocoa. On the eve of the festival though, a too-good-to-be-true Chrismukkah catering gig brings some frosty tidings and heralds an unexpected visit from Delilah’s high-intensity older sister. Suddenly it seems that the holidays may not be the hap-happiest season of all. And when a missing party guest’s frozen corpse turns up inside one of the town’s snowy sculptures, murder threatens to put the celebrations—and Delilah’s crew—on ice for good.

This was a quick cozy mystery read, but I have to admit, Delilah is just too darned nosy for me. I mean, everybody else’s personal life just isn’t your business, so stay out of it. People like that get on my nerves, so it was really hard for me to forget I was annoyed and just enjoy the story. There were a lot of side plots going on here and I figured out who the killer was about halfway through, but it was a decent enough read.

Mindy Quigley lives in Virginia. Sleep in Heavenly Pizza is her newest novel.

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






































Website: http://mindyquigley.com/       Amazon:    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1250326281?ref_=dbs_m_mng_rwt_calw_tmmp_3&storeType=ebooks Title:    Sleep in Heavenly PizzaAuthor:  Mindy Quigley        Genre: Mystery        Rating:  3.8 out of 5 Pizza chef Delilah
O’Leary and her kitty companion, Butterball, get into the holiday spirit as
Geneva Bay, Wisconsin hosts the nation’s premier snow sculpting championship.
The annual event transforms the charming resort town into a wonderland of snow
castles, ice rinks, and cozy cups of cocoa. On the eve of the festival though,
a too-good-to-be-true Chrismukkah catering gig brings some frosty tidings and
heralds an unexpected visit from Delilah’s high-intensity older sister.
Suddenly it seems that the holidays may not be the hap-happiest season of all.
And when a missing party guest’s frozen corpse turns up inside one of the
town’s snowy sculptures, murder threatens to put the celebrations—and Delilah’s
crew—on ice for good.
 This was a quick cozy
mystery read, but I have to admit, Delilah is just too darned nosy for me. I
mean, everybody else’s personal life just isn’t your business, so stay out of
it. People like that get on my nerves, so it was really hard for me to forget I
was annoyed and just enjoy the story. There were a lot of side plots going on
here and I figured out who the killer was about halfway through, but it was a decent
enough read. Mindy Quigley lives in
Virginia. Sleep in Heavenly Pizza is her newest novel.
 (Galley courtesy of St.
Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.) Book Review: Sleep in
Heavenly Pizza, by Mindy Quigley 

Book Review:  Fondue or Die, by Korina Moss

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title:  Fondue or Die
Author: Korina Moss
Genre:  Cozy mystery      
Rating: 4 out of 5   

The lazy, hazy, dairy days of summer are coming to a close in the Sonoma Valley. . . and so is someone’s life.

The small town of Yarrow Glen’s neighbor, Lockwood, hosts an annual Labor Day weekend bash: Dairy Days. And Willa Bauer and her cheese shop, Curds & Whey, refuse to miss out on the fun. Willa is thrilled to celebrate her favorite thing—she is a cheesemonger after all—and this festival goes all out: butter sculptures, goat races, cheese wheel relays, even a Miss Dairy pageant. Too bad the pageant runner, Nadine, is treating Dairy Days prep like it’s fondue or die and is putting everyone around her on edge. When Willa finds Nadine’s dead body under years’ worth of ceramic milk jugs, the police aren’t sure whether the death was an accident. But fingers are pointing at Willa’s employee, Mrs. Schultz, who steps in to help the pageant after Nadine’s death. Someone wanted Nadine out of the whey, and Willa is going to find out who.

This was a cute cozy mystery story—and all the cheese references made me hungry! The setting here, a cheese shop in a small town, and the people associated with the shop, make this quirky and fun. Nosy people get on my nerves, so in any other situation, Team Cheese would be super annoying to me, but they manage to pull it off and keep me entertained as they try to solve another murder mystery.

Korina Moss is an award-winning author. Fondue or Die is her newest novel.

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

Book Review: For She Is Wrath, by Emily Varga

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title:  For She Is Wrath  
Author:   Emily Varga       
Genre: YA, fantasy, romance  
Rating: 4 out of 5

Three hundred and sixty-four days.

Framed for a crime she didn’t commit, Dania counts down her days in prison until she can exact revenge on Mazin, the boy responsible for her downfall, the boy she once loved—and still can’t forget. When she discovers a fellow prisoner may have the key to exacting that vengeance–a stolen djinn treasure–they execute a daring escape together and search for the hidden treasure.

Armed with dark magic and a new identity, Dania enacts a plan to bring down those who betrayed her and her family, even though Mazin stands in her way. But seeking revenge becomes a complicated game of cat and mouse, especially when an undeniable fire still burns between them, and the power to destroy her enemies has a price. As Dania falls deeper into her web of traps and lies, she risks losing her humanity to her fight for vengeance–and her heart to the only boy she’s ever loved.

I found the culture and setting of this story to be a fascinating mix of different elements that kept me intrigued. Danie was a strong character—and one I enjoyed getting to know more. She’s tough and capable, and so afraid to let anyone close enough to betray her again, but she gradually realizes that she can trust some people. This felt like a dark fantasy, but there was hope there as well.

Emily Varga lives in Canada. For She is Wrath is her debut novel.

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

 















































Website:      https://emilyvargabooks.com/about/Amazon:    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CQHL8HKV/ref=x_gr_bb_kindle?caller=Goodreads&tag=x_gr_bb_kindle-20 Title:  For She Is Wrath  Author:   Emily
Varga       
Genre: YA, fantasy, romance        Rating: 4 out of 5 Three hundred and
sixty-four days. Framed for a crime she
didn’t commit, Dania counts down her days in prison until she can exact revenge
on Mazin, the boy responsible for her downfall, the boy she once loved—and
still can’t forget. When she discovers a fellow prisoner may have the key to
exacting that vengeance–a stolen djinn treasure–they execute a daring escape
together and search for the hidden treasure. Armed with dark magic
and a new identity, Dania enacts a plan to bring down those who betrayed her
and her family, even though Mazin stands in her way. But seeking revenge
becomes a complicated game of cat and mouse, especially when an undeniable fire
still burns between them, and the power to destroy her enemies has a price. As
Dania falls deeper into her web of traps and lies, she risks losing her
humanity to her fight for vengeance–and her heart to the only boy she’s ever
loved.
 I found the culture and
setting of this story to be a fascinating mix of different elements that kept
me intrigued. Danie was a strong character—and one I enjoyed getting to know
more. She’s tough and capable, and so afraid to let anyone close enough to
betray her again, but she gradually realizes that she can trust some people.
This felt like a dark fantasy, but there was hope there as well. Emily Varga lives in
Canada. For She is Wrath is her debut novel. 
 (Galley courtesy of St.
Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.) Book Review: For She Is
Wrath, by Emily Varga   

Book Review:  The Christmas Cookie Wars, by Eliza Evans

Image belongs to Penguin Group Putnam.

Title:  The Christmas Cookie Wars  
Author:   Eliza Evans       
Genre: Romance        
Rating: 4 out of 5

Melody Monroe will do anything to help her nine-year-old twin boys muster up the holiday spirit. Especially since they lost their father, the boys have started questioning the point of Christmas at all.

So, when Melody learns the school’s Yuletide Cookie Club has disbanded due to dissension in the top ranks, she knows she must take over the cookie club herself, even if it means dealing with the infuriating school principal, Jonathan Braxton.

But when a small argument turns into a town-wide bake-off between her and Jonathan, Melody finds that her competitive spirits have turned romantic. Love can’t be in the cards. Her focus is on her boys, and saving Christmas. This year, will Melody be willing to let go of the past and embrace the magic of the holidays for herself?

This was a cute, fun read. Melody’s fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants way of living made me laugh—but kind of made me shudder, too. Jonathan came off as very buttoned-up at first, but it was nice to see him let his guard down. This was a quick read that had me laughing as I breezed through it.

Eliza Evans is a bestselling author. The Christmas Cookie Wars is her newest novel.

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













































Website:      https://elizaevansbooks.com/Amazon:    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CT2Z779Q/ref=x_gr_bb_kindle?caller=Goodreads&tag=x_gr_bb_kindle-20 Title:  The Christmas Cookie Wars  Author:   Eliza
Evans       
Genre: Romance        Rating: 4 out of 5 Melody Monroe will do
anything to help her nine-year-old twin boys muster up the holiday spirit.
Especially since they lost their father, the boys have started questioning the
point of Christmas at all.  So, when Melody learns
the school’s Yuletide Cookie Club has disbanded due to dissension in the top
ranks, she knows she must take over the cookie club herself, even if it means
dealing with the infuriating school principal, Jonathan Braxton. But when a small
argument turns into a town-wide bake-off between her and Jonathan, Melody finds
that her competitive spirits have turned romantic. Love can’t be in the cards.
Her focus is on her boys, and saving Christmas. This year, will Melody be willing
to let go of the past and embrace the magic of the holidays for herself?
 This was a cute, fun
read. Melody’s fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants way of living made me laugh—but kind
of made me shudder, too. Jonathan came off as very buttoned-up at first,
but it was nice to see him let his guard down. This was a quick read that had
me laughing as I breezed through it. Eliza Evans is a
bestselling author. The Christmas Cookie Wars is her newest novel.
 (Galley courtesy of Penguin
Group Putnam in exchange for an honest review.) Book Review:  The Christmas Cookie Wars, by Eliza Evans

Book Review:   The Stone Witch of Florence, by Anna Rasche

Image belongs to Harlequin/Park Row.

Title:  The Stone Witch of Florence  
Author:   Anna Rasche       
Genre:  Fantasy, historical fiction   
Rating: 4 out of 5

Ancient sorcery. Magic gemstones. Only one woman can save a city in ruins…

1348. As the Black Plague ravages Italy, Ginevra di Gasparo is summoned to Florence after nearly a decade of lonely exile. Ginevra has a gift—harnessing the hidden powers of gemstones, she can heal the sick. But when word spread of her unusual abilities, she was condemned as a witch and banished. Now the same men who expelled Ginevra are begging for her return. Ginevra obliges, assuming the city’s leaders are finally ready to accept her unorthodox cures amid a pandemic. But upon arrival, she is tasked with a much different she must use her collection of jewels to track down a ruthless thief who is ransacking Florence’s churches for priceless relics—the city’s only hope for protection. If she succeeds, she’ll be a recognized physician and never accused of witchcraft again. But as her investigation progresses, Ginevra discovers she’s merely a pawn in a much larger scheme than the one she’s been hired to solve. And the dangerous men behind this conspiracy won’t think twice about killing a stone witch to get what they want…

This was a tiny bit slow at first, but it grew on me quickly. Pretty depressing setting, unfortunately—I mean everyone is dying horrifically of the plague—but it’s well-done. Ginevra is an interesting character, if a bit naïve, but I enjoyed reading both of her timelines and seeing what made her the way she was. A solid historical fiction read.

Anna Rasche lives in Brooklyn. The Stone Witch of Florence is her debut novel.

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

Book Review:  Christmas in Chestnut Ridge, by Nancy Naigle

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title:  Christmas in Chestnut Ridge
Author:  Nancy Naigle        
Genre:  Romance       
Rating:  4 out of 5

In the enchanting mountain town of Chestnut Ridge, where tree farms blanket the hillsides and the promise of a white Christmas is ever-present, a heartwarming holiday romance is about to blossom. When Sheila’s best friend convinces her to help decorate a tree in the annual Christmas Tree Stroll fundraiser, she embarks on an unexpected journey of self-discovery, all wrapped in the cozy embrace of a tight-knit community. As she immerses herself in the joy of twinkling lights, hot cocoa, and the camaraderie of the townsfolk, Sheila’s world begins to transform, and she finds the sense of belonging she never knew she needed.

Meanwhile, Tucker, the town’s reliable fire captain, is gathering volunteers to help a family with four young children who have just lost their home to a devastating fire weeks before Christmas. Sheila offers her helping hand, and as the town rallies to support the family in their time of need, sparks of love begin to flicker between her and Tucker.

In this charming town where dreams come true, and Christmas magic is everywhere, come along for a tale of love, community, and the true spirit of the season.

I think this book can be best described as cute and sweet—and very Christmasy. It was exactly what I expected from a Nancy Naigle book, and was a fun binge read. The small town of Chestnut Ridge and its inhabitants are the real stars of the show, and it just seemed too good to be true, but I’m firmly in Sheila’s absolutely-no-small-towns camp.

Nancy Naigle is a bestselling author. Christmas in Chestnut Ridge is her newest novel.

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

Book Review: I Did Something Bad, by Pyae Moe Thet War

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title:  I Did Something Bad  
Author:   Pyae Moe Thet War      
Genre:  Romance       
Rating: 4 out of 5

When freelance journalist Khin Hlaing is assigned by Vogue to get a scoop on Tyler Tun, Hollywood’s hottest movie star who has returned home to Myanmar to shoot a film, she’s determined to succeed. If Khin’s able to get an explosive exclusive, there may well be a permanent position waiting for her at Vogue Singapore, and a ticket out of the city that’s felt too small since her recent divorce.

Tyler has done his very best to keep his private life private, and he doesn’t show any sign of letting down his walls for Khin. But then one night on set, a strange man follows Khin into the surrounding park grounds. When he threatens her, Tyler steps in and things escalate fast. Khin knows they can’t go to the police, even if it was self defense. And when she learns that this man seems to have targeted her specifically, she needs to do everything she can to find out why.

As Khin and Tyler work together to hide their secret and find out more about her attacker, they grow closer and Tyler finally starts opening up. The job at Vogue suddenly looks more promising, but Khin can’t help feel a twang of uncomfortable morality-related guilt. Before long, everything hangs in the balance. Will they get away with murder? Can Khin get the exposé she needs for her dream job? And is she willing to risk Tyler’s trust in the process?

This book was a lot of fun! The chemistry between Khin and Tyler was great, and I enjoyed all of their interactions and growing friendship and relationship. The friendship between Khin and her two best friends was wonderful to read, and this was just a fun read.

Pyae Moe Thet War lives in Myanmar. I Did Something Bad is her newest novel.

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

 

Book Review: The Fabled Earth, by Kimberly Brock

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title: The Fabled Earth
Author:  Kimberly Brock  
Genre: historical fiction   
Rating:  4.5 out of 5

1932. Cumberland Island off the coast of Southern Georgia is a strange place to encounter the opulence of the Gilded Age, but the last vestiges of the famed philanthropic Carnegie family still take up brief seasonal residence in their grand mansions there. This year’s party at Plum Orchard is a lively young men from some of America’s finest families come to experience the area’s hunting beside a local guide; a beautiful debutante expecting to be engaged by the week’s end, and a promising female artist who believes she has meaningful ties to her wealthy hosts. But when temptations arise and passions flare, an evening of revelry and storytelling goes horribly awry. Lives are both lost and ruined.

1959. Reclusive painter Cleo Woodbine has lived alone for decades on Kingdom Come, a tiny strip of land once occupied by the servants for the great houses on nearby Cumberland. When she is visited by the man who saved her life nearly thirty years earlier, a tempest is unleashed as the stories of the past gather and begin to regain their strength. Frances Flood is a folklorist come to Cumberland Island seeking the source of a legend – and also information about her mother, who was among the guests at a long-ago hunting party. Audrey Howell, briefly a newlywed and now newly widowed, is running a local inn. When she develops an eerie double exposure photograph, some believe she’s raised a ghost–someone who hasn’t been seen since that fateful night in 1932.

As a once-in-a-century storm threatens the natural landscape and shifting tides reveal what Cumberland Island has hidden all along, two timelines and the perspectives of three women intersect to illuminate the life-changing power of finding truth in a folktale.

I enjoyed both timelines of this novel a lot! The setting was such a large part of the story, from Kingdom Come itself, to the small town on the island, and Plum Orchard—all are vivid and memorable. I love how myth and fable are twisted into the story, adding depth and flavor, and all the characters are believable and poignant Such a good read!

Kimberly Brock is a bestselling author. The Fabled Earth is her newest novel.

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

Sundays are for Writing #297

This has been a great writing week! I got in five fiction sessions. I also wrote three book reviews, A Song to Drown Rivers, by Ann Liang, How to Help a Hungry Werewolf, by Charlotte Stein, Betrayal at Blackthorn Park, by Julia Kelly . I also wrote my September reading post and my Best Books I Read in September post.

Happy writing!