I actually haven’t done any writing or reading this week—work has been absolutely too busy.
Happy writing!
Tag: writing
Book Review: The Queen of Roses, by Julia Kelly
Title: The Queen of Roses
Author: Julia Kelly
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
1960: Frustrated reporter Theresa Johnson’s life changes when she receives a phone call from a Miss Pearce who claims her obituary about one of Pasadena’s last great hoteliers is wildly inaccurate. Seeking the truth, Theresa drives to the mysterious Rosewood House nestled high in the Altadena foothills. Even more intriguing than the house’s beautiful garden is Miss Pearce’s proposal that Theresa help her settle old scores by writing her biography.
1903: Beautiful but haughty, Adele Pearce is reluctant to leave the London Season and her last hope of a proposal. When she arrives in California, she discovers the startling truth of why her mother has called her her father has squandered his fortune and Adele must marry a wealthy American to save the family.
Stifled by expectation as Pasadena’s newest doyenne, Adele’s only comfort is Rosewood House and the beautiful garden she creates with the help of taciturn gardener Alexander Macalister. However, as Adele’s feelings for Alex flourish, a fire ignites in the San Gabriel Mountains above Rosewood House, threatening everything Adele holds dear, while in 1960, Miss Pearce learns that history has a terrible habit of repeating itself.
I do love Julia Kelly’s books, and this was no exception. I knew absolutely nothing about this era/place in America, but it was an interesting read. I’m not big on social “rules,” so that’ always a challenge for me to read about, and I’m very independent—so the reality of it being a man’s world so exclusively was a challenge, too.
I didn’t really like Adele much at first, but she grew on me a bit. Very much the Ice Queen, but…her mother was not a nice person. And we won’t talk about her husband. I did love the 1960 timeline even more and found that story to be completely engrossing. This is an excellent read!
Julia Kelly is a bestselling author. The Queen of Roses is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Gallery Books in exchange for an honest review.)
Sundays are for Writing #394
This was a decent writing week. I wrote two book reviews, The Paris Files, by Eva Jurczyk and Sunderworld, Vol. 2: The Unfortunate Responsibilities of Leopold Berry, by Ransom Riggs.
Happy writing!
Book Review: This Shattered Tempest, by Thea Guanzon
Title: This Shattered Tempest
Author: Thea Guanzon
Genre: Sci-fi/fantasy
Rating: 5 out of 5
When the storm swallows the world, who will be left standing?
Throughout their political marriage, Alaric and Talasyn struggled to resist the undeniable pull between them, even as rising tensions forced them on opposite sides of a looming war. Hand in hand, they vanquished the cataclysmic threat of the Moonless Dark—and started to hope for a future together.
That hope is shattered when a devastating attack sets off a chain of events that tears them apart once more. Now, as two rival nations prepare for a final, decisive clash, the Master of the Shadowforged Legion and the last Lightweaver fight to find their way back to each other. But the odds are stacked against them, and time is running out…
Is love enough to rewrite destiny? Can a new beginning rise from the ruins of the past? Or are Alaric and Talasyn doomed to meet as enemies on one last battlefield? This explosive third and final book brings the beloved Hurricane Wars series to a stunning conclusion—where passion and power collide, and the fate of a divided world hangs in the balance.
I really enjoyed this trilogy! Yes, the first book especially gave me Star Wars déjà vu, but I ended up loving these characters and worlds for themselves. So much intrigue here! And lies. Everyone is playing a game, telling lies, and manipulating everyone around them. That’s probably a very accurate picture of the lives of politicians, but it was disturbing to me. I enjoyed how everything wrapped up, even though there was a lot to be sad about, too.
Thea Guanzon is a bestselling author. This Shattered Tempest is her newest novel.
(Galley courtesy of Avon and Harper Voyager | Harper Voyager in exchange for an honest review.)
Sundays are for Writing #393
This was a good writing week: I wrote three book reviews. Strange Lights, by Mira González (quirky and a step above meh), Fallen Beauty, by Astrid Scholte (very meh), and This Shattered Tempest, by Thea Guanzon (I enjoyed this very much!).
Happy writing!
Sundays are for Writing #389
This was an excellent writing week! I wrote five book reviews this week: Immortal Rose, by Alexandra Bracken, Night Songs, by Alli Dyer, Fire Power, by Mir Benitz, Sunderworld, Vol. I: The Extraordinary Disappointments of Leopold Berry, by Ransom Riggs, and The Oxford Guide to Scandal and Lies, by Kate Westbury.
Happy writing!
Sundays are for Writing #387
This was a decent writing week. I wrote three book reviews, The Lion & the Deathless Dark, by Carissa Broadbent, Hawk & Sparrow, by Ayana Gray, and The Gods Will Sing Our Song, by Autumn Krause. I have some time off, so I’m trying to catch up on reading and life.
Happy writing!
Sundays are for Writing #386
This week was a decent writing week. I wrote two book reviews, A Trade of Blood, by Robert Jackson Bennett, and The Women in White, by Sarah Pekkanen. The jury is still out for whether I’m getting any fiction writing done. My head space isn’t quite right for writing.
Happy writing!
Sundays are for Writing #385
My life continues to be chaotic, so I only wrote one book review this week, Violet Thistlewaite Is Not a Villain Anymore, by Emily Krempholtz. I’m tired and completely out of energy, so it’s unlikely any fiction writing will happen this weekend, either.
Happy writing!
Sundays are for Writing #384
Still not much reading time, so I only wrote one book review, The Mortal Enemy Murder Club, by Gloria Chao. Some fiction work was done. And naps were a priority when I had the opportunity. I’m really over the 100+ degree Texas heat. I’m ready for fall…
Happy writing!
