Tag: reading

Book Review: When I’m Dead, by Hannah Morrissey   

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

Title:  When I’m Dead     
Author: Hannah Morrissey   
Genre: Thriller    
Rating: 3.0 out of 5

On a bone-chilling October night, Medical Examiner Rowan Winthorp investigates the death of her daughter’s best friend. Hours later, the tragedy hits even closer to home when she makes a devastating discovery—her daughter, Chloe, is gone. But, not without a trace.

A morbid mosaic of clues forces Rowan and her husband to question how deeply they really knew their daughter. As they work closely to peel back the layers of this case, they begin to unearth disturbing details about Chloe and her secret transgressions…details that threaten to tear them apart.

Amidst the noise of navigating her newfound grief and reconciling the sins of her past, an undeniable fact rings true for Rowan: karma has finally come to collect.

I’m not sure why I decided to read this after I DNFed the first book in the series, but I did. I wanted to DNF this for the first third of the book, and probably should have, as I just didn’t care for the characters. Man, the setting here is so absolutely bleak and depressing and the characters are, too. This was an okay read, but I wasn’t a fan of the characters.

Hannah Morrissey lives near Milwaukee.  When I’m Dead is her newest novel.

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

Book Review: The Predictable Heartbreaks of Imogen Finch, by Jacqueline Firkins    

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title:  The Predictable Heartbreaks of Imogen Finch     
Author:   Jacqueline Firkins  
Genre:  Fiction   
Rating: 4 out of 5

Imogen Finch has just been through her seventeenth breakup. She saw it coming, so she’s not as crushed as she might be, but with all seventeen of her exes leaving her for other partners, she’s come to believe a prediction her well-intentioned and possibly clairvoyant mother made over twenty years ago: that Imogen would never come first at anything or to anyone. Is her love life failing due to a magical curse? Insufficient effort? Poor timing or personality mismatches? Everyone has opinions on the matter. Imogen’s ready to give up altogether. But when Eliot Swift, her secret high school crush, returns to their small coastal town after a decade of nomadic travels, Imogen has new motivation to try again. Eliot’s full of encouragement. He suggests that her curse is not only imagined, it’s easily breakable. All they need is one win–any win–and she can believe in love, and in herself again.

From trivia games to swimming races to corn-shucking contests, the pair sets out to snag Imogen her first first. But when victory proves more elusive than Eliot anticipated, and when his deep-seeded wanderlust compels him to depart for far away places, Imogen fears she’s destined to remain in second place forever. Fortunately for them both, sometimes magic lingers in the most unexpected places. And love is far from predictable.

I’m just going to say it:  maybe if Imogen hadn’t hopped into bed with every random guy that showed her a bit of interest, she might have had more luck in the romance department. I mean, the signs are all there in her flashbacks, she just refused to see them. Which brings me to what bothered me about this book:  it’s all about the guys’ issues, even Eliot’s, but there’s not a whole lot of talk about Imogen’s clear problems. It’s’ mentioned a little bit, but mostly glossed over. So, yeah, books are better when both MCs grow and learn from their mistakes.

That being said, I liked the friendship between Imogen, Eliot, and Franny a lot. Actually, Franny and Imogen’s friendship and support of one another was fantastic. Eliot almost lost me immediately with the man bun, but he ended up being a pretty good character, too. This ended up being a solid read, just don’t expect everyone to be well-adjusted and self-aware.

Jacqueline Firkins works at the University of British Columbia. The Predictable Heartbreaks of Imogen Finch is her newest novel.

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

Book Review: Highlands Christmas – Wishes Come True, by Amy Quick Parrish

Image belongs to Flying Cactus.

Title: Highlands Christmas – Wishes Come True  
Author:  Amy Quick Parrish   
Genre: Romance    
Rating:  3 out of 5

Christmas wishes do come true.

Melissa MacKenzie is an American interior designer with a seemingly happy life — until her husband Dave reveals he’s been cheating on her and wants a divorce and the house. But when a letter informs her that she will inherit a home in Scotland, things start looking up. At the airport she inadvertently meets Colin McGregor, a charming Scottish-American lawyer who happens to be her husband’s divorce lawyer. She’s taken by his sexy Scottish accent and charm and, as fate would have it, he’s on Melissa’s flight to Edinburgh … and on her train to Inverness, and happens to live in the same town where she’s inherited her home.

As sparks fly between Melissa and Colin, he agrees to help her secure the Scottish home that she believes she’s entitled to. They dive right into Scottish culture — and each other’s arms — as love and a new home seem within reach. Will they be able to succeed in both missions? Or will everything fall apart?

Highlands Christmas is a romantic and delightful story that will set hearts afire. In a fairy tale as captivating as the Loch Ness monster, Melissa and Colin must cross an ocean to end up right where they belong… because home is where the heart is.

This is a novella, so it’s a quick read. And I like the setting. Those are pretty much the only positives I can come up with. This was predictable. Melissa was naïve and clueless to a ridiculous extent—a relative you’ve never heard of dies and you just hop on a plane without determining if the “inheritance” you’ve been emailed about is legit? Really? She comes across as willfully gullible and without an ounce of common sense. Colin is too good to be true, as are the rest of the secondary characters. This just wasn’t a good fit for me. I’m all for HEAs and charming reads, but they have to be believable and well-drawn, which I didn’t find this to be.

Amy Quick Parrish is from Michigan. Highlands Christmas—Wishes Come True is her newest novel.

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

Book Review:  Unholy Terrors, by Lyndall Clipstone  

Image belongs to Macmillan Children’s/Henry Holt and Co.

Title:  Unholy Terrors   
Author: Lyndall Clipstone    
Genre: Fantasy, YA    
Rating:  4 out of 5

Everline Blackthorn has devoted her life to the wardens—a sect of holy warriors who guard against monsters known as the vespertine.

When a series of strange omens occur, Everline disobeys orders to investigate, and uncovers a startling truth in the form of Ravel Severin: a rogue vespertine who reveals the monsters have secrets of their own.

Ravel promises the help she needs— for a price. Vespertine magic requires blood, and if Everline wants Ravel to guide her across the dangerous moorland, she will have to allow him to feed from her.

It’s a sin for a warden to feed a vespertine— let alone love one— and as Everline and Ravel travel further across the moorland, she realizes the question isn’t whether she will survive the journey, but if she will return unchanged. Or if she wants to.

This felt like a very atmospheric novel:  dark, secretive, a gloomy landscape. I never did really understand the culture and its history, so I never had a good feel for the characters and the why behind all their rituals. While the characters were moving from place to place, I f let like they were just going in circles—and the idea that these two opposing forces had strongholds located so very close together didn’t make sense to me, either.

I would have liked to see more character development:  Everline was the only one I had any sort of insight in, and her rash impulses never made sense to me, either, not for someone who’s supposed to be such a warrior and focused on being a good little warden. I enjoyed the read, but it was lacking in some areas.

Lyndall Clipstone is from Australia. Unholy Terrors is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Macmillan Children’s/Henry Holt and Co. in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: The Unmaking of June Farrow, by Adrienne Young    

Image belongs to Random House/Ballantine.

Title: The Unmaking of June Farrow    
Author: Adrienne Young    
Genre:  Mystery, fantasy   
Rating:  4.5 out of 5

In the small mountain town of Jasper, North Carolina, June Farrow is waiting for fate to find her. The Farrow women are known for their thriving flower farm—and the mysterious curse that has plagued their family line. The whole town remembers the madness that led to Susanna Farrow’s disappearance, leaving June to be raised by her grandmother and haunted by rumors.

It’s been a year since June started seeing and hearing things that weren’t there. Faint wind chimes, a voice calling her name, and a mysterious door appearing out of nowhere—the signs of what June always knew was coming. But June is determined to end the curse once and for all, even if she must sacrifice finding love and having a family of her own.

After her grandmother’s death, June discovers a series of cryptic clues regarding her mother’s decades-old disappearance, except they only lead to more questions. But could the door she once assumed was a hallucination be the answer she’s been searching for? The next time it appears, June realizes she can touch it and walk past the threshold. And when she does, she embarks on a journey that will not only change both the past and the future, but also uncover the lingering mysteries of her small town and entangle her heart in an epic star-crossed love.

I’m a huge fan of this author’s YA books. I wasn’t quite such a fan of her first adult novel, but this one was so good! I was just as confused as June during parts of this, and my mind was spinning, trying to figure out what, exactly, was going on. The women in the Farrow family are such strong characters, and all of them fascinated me. I can’t imagine having to make the choices June had to make. This was an excellent read, and I read it straight through in one sitting.

Adrienne Young is a bestselling author. The Unmaking of June Farrow is her newest novel.

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

Book Review: The Hurricane Wars, by Thea Guanzon  

Image belongs to Avon and Harper Voyager.

Title:  The Hurricane Wars   
Author:  Thea Guanzon   
Genre: Fantasy
Rating:  4.0 out of 5

 The heart is a battlefield.

All Talasyn has ever known is the Hurricane Wars. Growing up an orphan in a nation under siege by the ruthless Night Emperor, Talasyn has found her family among the soldiers who fight for freedom. But she is hiding a deadly secret: light magic courses through her veins, a blazing power believed to have been wiped out years ago that can cut through the Night Empire’s shadows.

Prince Alaric, the emperor’s only son and heir, has been forged into a weapon by his father. Tasked with obliterating any threats to the Night Empire’s rule with the strength of his armies and mighty Shadow magic, Alaric has never been bested. That is until he sees Talasyn burning brightly on the battlefield with the magic that killed his grandfather, turned his father into a monster, and ignited the Hurricane Wars. In a clash of light and dark, their powers merge and create a force the likes of which has never been seen.

Talasyn and Alaric both know this war can only end with them. But a greater threat is coming, and the strange new magic they can create together could be the only way to overcome it. Thrust into an uneasy alliance, they will confront the secrets at the heart of the war and find, in each other, a searing passion–one that could save their world…or destroy it.

I’m not going to lie: I was intrigued by the setting and culture all along, but the Reylo fanfiction aspect was almost too much for me to take. It wasn’t even disguised as anything else, frankly, and that was almost enough to make me put the book down. Thankfully, that improved. I liked both characters, although Talasyn’s unbridled anger was a bit wearying. Like, please just stop being furious for 30 seconds, okay?

The characters grew on me, and the culture of the islands was fascinating. I’d love to read more set in this world, but I hope there’s some character growth in the next book, so the hatred doesn’t grate on my nerves and destroy my enjoyment of the story.

Thea Guanzon is from the Philippines. The Hurricane Wars is her debut novel.

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

Book Review:  The Scarlet Alchemist, by Kylie Lee Baker  

Image belongs to Inkyard Press.

Title: The Scarlet Alchemist
Author:  Kylie Lee Baker   
Genre: Fantasy    
Rating: 5 out of 5

Zilan dreams of becoming a royal alchemist, of providing for her family by making alchemical gold and gems for the wealthy to eat in order to stay young forever. But for now, she’s trapped in her impoverished village in southern China, practicing an illegal form of alchemy to keep food on the table—resurrecting the dead, for a price.

When Zilan finally has the chance to complete her imperial exams, she ventures to the capital to compete against the best alchemists in the country in tasks she’ll be lucky to survive, let alone pass. On top of that, her reputation for raising the dead has followed her to the capital, and the Crown Prince himself seeks out her help, suspecting a coming assassination attempt.

The more Zilan succeeds in her alchemy, the more she gets caught in the dangerous political games of the royal family. There are monsters lurking within the palace walls, and it’s only a matter of time before they—and secrets of Zilan’s past—catch up with her.

I enjoyed this so much! There were several surprises here:  I was always guessing what would happen next—and I was usually wrong, which is refreshing for a reader who is rarely surprised. Zilan is a character I really liked and empathized with, and I was wholly invested in her struggles. I also really enjoyed the Crown Prince, and can’t wait to find out what happens next.

Kylie Lee Baker grew up in Boston. The Scarlet Alchemist is her newest novel.

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

Best Books I Read in September (2023)

In September, I read 19 books, bringing my total for the year to 154 books read. Of those, most of them were either meh reads or solid reads, but a handful were great.

Wrapped in Rain, by Charles Martin (audio). Another lovely book by my favorite author. This one made me cry, but it was so good!

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa. I forgot how much I loved this world and these characters! This was just plain fun to re-read.

The Roaring Days of Zora Lily, by Noelle Salazar. I do love reading about the 1920s, and this was such a good read! I loved all the details about life and culture during this times. The romance was so well-done, and I even enjoyed the fashion descriptions. Which is really saying something, considering my complete disregard of fashion.

The Scarlet Alchemist, by Kylie Lee Baker (review forthcoming). I enjoyed this read a lot! Love the magic system and the characters—I found the Crown Prince to be so endearing in his…uselessness. This was a strong fantasy read with vibrant characters, and I’m looking forward to reading more.

Book Review and Blog Tour: The Roaring Days of Zora Lily, by Noelle Salazar

Image belongs to Harlequin/MIRA.

Title: The Roaring Days of Zora Lily     
Author: Noelle Salazar    
Genre: historical fiction   
Rating:  5 out of 5

2023, The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History: A costume conservator is preparing an exhibition featuring movie costumes from the 1920s to present day. As she gingerly places a gown once worn by Greta Garbo on a mannequin, she discovers another name hidden beneath the designer’s label, leaving her to wonder—who is Zora Lily?

1924, Seattle: Poverty-stricken Zora Hough spends her days looking after her younger siblings while sewing up holes and fixing hems for clients to bring in extra money, working her fingers to the bone just to survive. But at night, as she lies in the bed she shares with one of her three sisters, she secretly dreams of becoming a designer like Coco Chanel and Jeanne Lanvin.

When her best friend gets a job dancing in a club downtown, Zora is lured in by her stories of music, glittering dresses and boys. She follows her friend to the underground speakeasies that are at once exciting and frightening—with smoke hanging in the air, alcohol flowing despite Prohibition, couples dancing in a way that makes Zora blush and a handsome businessman named Harley. It’s a world she has only ever imagined, and one with connections that could lead her to the life she’s always dreamed of. But as Zora’s ambition is challenged by tragedy and duty to her family, she’ll learn that dreams come with a cost.

This was a fantastic read! Granted, the 1920s are one of my favorite time periods to read about, but Zora captivated me from the very first page. She is so determined to move past her present and make a life that she loves for herself, but she also remains loyal to her family and those who helped her. It’s a testament to the writing and story that the fashion details fascinated me instead of boring me, but Zora herself is truly the reason I couldn’t put the book down. This is so well done, and I would recommend it to everyone!

Noelle Salazar lives in Washington. The Roaring Days of Zora Lilly is her newest novel.

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

Book Review:  The Last Exchange, by Charles Martin  

Image belongs to Thomas Nelson.

Title:  The Last Exchange
Author:  Charles Martin   
Genre:  Fiction   
Rating: 5 out of 5 (Actually, more like 6 out of 5).

When MacThomas Pockets finished his last tour as part of the Scottish Special Forces, he was hired to consult for a film director to finesse some scenes that weren’t working. In a twist he never saw coming, he ended up moving to L.A. to work as the bodyguard for movie star Maybe Joe Sue.

It didn’t take long for Pockets to realize there were two Joe Sues: The Joe Sue the public saw with her perfect life and her Hollywood husband. And the private Joe Sue: the one with the traumatic youth that no amount of pills could cover up, who desperately wanted a child of her own.

Even after their paths diverged, he continued to track Joe Sue’s life. Only a few would notice when the bottom fell out. But he did. And that’s when he stepped in.

Yes, Charles Martin is my favorite author and I love everything he writes, but dang. This book. I laughed and cried while reading this—and I binge-read the entire thing in one afternoon. Martin’s characters are always so quirky and larger-than-life and Joe and Pockets are no exceptions. I loved how their friendship grew and the secrets they were both hiding made it even more tangible and real. (The scene with the Queen!) As always, Martin manages to illustrate the beautiful truth of the Gospel while weaving a beautiful, moving story, and that’s why he’s my favorite author.

Charles Martin is a bestselling author. The Last Exchange is his newest novel.

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