tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72147242251550373042024-03-19T02:33:45.750-04:00Girl Who Readsyour online source for book reviews and author newsGirl Who Readshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12567066995224650190noreply@blogger.comBlogger4812110tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7214724225155037304.post-82676276855280844332024-03-18T06:30:00.003-04:002024-03-18T06:30:00.142-04:00Good Half Gone by Tarryn Fisher ~ a Review<div><b>By Susan Roberts</b></div><div><br /></div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8ayi34iufMs5G8sPzr2HZF5fPs4Jk0fyOQyQLaa_WgsmqlRm_BO6Ejs1LeaTOZyYc_tENpdhmqOvvK7svn9DuHw25udRelfAtDupINAxS5uDEGcY_zJ3LAZXv7h2ujoh6XC0AYN-niofd977nsSVGsRvklf13k8jgmyKXaoiMtc9yHXS3ZbouL9nsVw/s500/Quite%20the%20page%20turner.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR8ayi34iufMs5G8sPzr2HZF5fPs4Jk0fyOQyQLaa_WgsmqlRm_BO6Ejs1LeaTOZyYc_tENpdhmqOvvK7svn9DuHw25udRelfAtDupINAxS5uDEGcY_zJ3LAZXv7h2ujoh6XC0AYN-niofd977nsSVGsRvklf13k8jgmyKXaoiMtc9yHXS3ZbouL9nsVw/s16000/Quite%20the%20page%20turner.png" /></a></div><br />Iris Walsh saw her twin sister, Piper, get kidnapped—so why does no one believe her?</div><div><br /></div></div><div><i>Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.</i></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_4uQKKattve-rSoB4uko9KUL4pGl55mSr3ssiRiG4PcqzLLAHKwWO8Bgz_8jd3cTbn3SK4cQsZlqydMdVcxSI8j8yg5hwijEoPYF7olvybkNtXpAaDK2UYp_wzlKtXDDi8_LGe4cKcX3ykhDmumHifk6rZr20eNm1C0OEqjILqtVZ8u1Q19d2qSidXLc/s2400/136340537.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="book cover of domestic thriller Good Half Gone by Tarryn Fisher" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1594" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_4uQKKattve-rSoB4uko9KUL4pGl55mSr3ssiRiG4PcqzLLAHKwWO8Bgz_8jd3cTbn3SK4cQsZlqydMdVcxSI8j8yg5hwijEoPYF7olvybkNtXpAaDK2UYp_wzlKtXDDi8_LGe4cKcX3ykhDmumHifk6rZr20eNm1C0OEqjILqtVZ8u1Q19d2qSidXLc/w266-h400/136340537.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">March 2024; Graydon House; 978-1525831553<br />audio, ebook, print (304 pages); domestic thriller</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Iris and Piper are twins. At 15, Piper is the pretty one and the popular twin and is always willing to try something new and dangerous. Iris is the quiet twin who always feels like she needs to protect her sister and keep her safe. They are being raised by their grandmother because their mother is unfit due to drug and alcohol use. One evening, the twins meet some male friends at the movies but along with the person they know are several men that they don't know. By the end of the evening, Piper has been kidnapped and disappeared. When Iris calls the police, they are not really helpful, believing that a 15-year-old girl probably ran away and wasn't kidnapped. Iris continues to look for clues to her sister's disappearance for years. As an adult, she still lives with her grandmother and her son Cal. She has gathered clues over the years and is sure that she knows that the man who kidnapped her sister is in a mental hospital. She gets an internship at the hospital and plans to find proof that he was involved with the kidnapping. Once there, she finds more mystery and people who aren't being honest with her. Will she be able to find out about her sister or has she put herself into danger that she can't escape from.</div><div><br /></div><div><b style="font-style: italic;">Good Half Gone</b> kept me turning pages. Even though I assumed very early on that Iris would never find Piper alive, I was hoping that she could find proof to give to the police who were basically uninterested in solving the case. Iris needed to put all of this behind her so that she could relax and enjoy life with Cal. Her grandmother is getting old and having health problems and may not be able to take care of Cal much longer but she felt that she had to make this one last attempt to find out what really happened to her sister.</div><div><br /></div><div>I always enjoy books about sisters and understood Iris's need to find out about her sister. The book is full of twists and turns and even when I thought I had it all figured out, I'd find out that I was off track. There is a huge surprise at the end that I didn't see coming that tied up all of the loose ends. Tarryn Fisher is a new author for me and I've already ordered some of her older books.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Buy <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3vbQLFH" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Good Half Gone</a></i> at Amazon</b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b></b></div><blockquote><div><b>Susan Roberts</b> grew up in Michigan but loves the laid-back life at her home in the Piedmont area of North Carolina where she is two hours from the beach to the east and the mountains in the west. She reads almost anything but her favorite genres are Southern Fiction and Historical Fiction. </div><div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div><br /><i>Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by <a href="https://follow.it/girl-who-reads?action=followPub">following us</a>.
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Girl Who Readshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12567066995224650190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7214724225155037304.post-24987703114358197892024-03-17T06:30:00.005-04:002024-03-17T06:30:00.133-04:00A Death in Venice by Verity Bright ~ a Review<b>by Donna Huber</b><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjNYlZNyawA-jC8zd2uT2H_zZkT92imtxvtUewkyYNsZOB9oTXsNgptBBQ9nNZZ2I2DYuHnnsMZ65ivI4bVidOxELJ4uJasqh6I-0RAt97EWjJsjrOhrYHqf9WVoDmJyIixXxCTvLGP6XtqIW1UgzvLP6ofPuIfczayQPmkyLG2kNc0O2rERrs8-OyjgI/s500/A%20fun%20read.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjNYlZNyawA-jC8zd2uT2H_zZkT92imtxvtUewkyYNsZOB9oTXsNgptBBQ9nNZZ2I2DYuHnnsMZ65ivI4bVidOxELJ4uJasqh6I-0RAt97EWjJsjrOhrYHqf9WVoDmJyIixXxCTvLGP6XtqIW1UgzvLP6ofPuIfczayQPmkyLG2kNc0O2rERrs8-OyjgI/s16000/A%20fun%20read.png" /></a></div><br />Stunning views across the Grand Canal and a hotel suite fit for royalty… Lady Eleanor Swift is having a jolly good time on her Italian vacation, until a gondola ride is cut murderously short!</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.</i></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiQPXB4Dgrv1gpO8x2eJi7dGZe4Zvu9kigmJCdlCbgVV8k1EvAhFnYNVrnFSILmrsi9f-E84NHquZWXoqz_YBVSuuAsnGrkiGkDxPSzfkNHxyedc6Sx1PXYyzaZ49SV6vaWAKUrGrXKNisxg-w3BXQo4HhHNncC2-g4_2nNGskljqTdghxRH9uXMHMqWU/s500/202067903.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="book cover of cozy mystery A Death in Venice by Verity Bright" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="324" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiQPXB4Dgrv1gpO8x2eJi7dGZe4Zvu9kigmJCdlCbgVV8k1EvAhFnYNVrnFSILmrsi9f-E84NHquZWXoqz_YBVSuuAsnGrkiGkDxPSzfkNHxyedc6Sx1PXYyzaZ49SV6vaWAKUrGrXKNisxg-w3BXQo4HhHNncC2-g4_2nNGskljqTdghxRH9uXMHMqWU/w259-h400/202067903.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">March 2024; Bookouture; 978-1835255360<br />ebook, print (298 pages); cozy mystery</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Who is ready for a holiday? Venice sounds like a great place to go and reading about it in the pages of Verity Bright's latest novel <i style="font-weight: bold;">A Death in Venice</i> made me want to go. However, I doubt it would be much like the Venice Lady Eleanor Swift visited in 1924. </div><div><br /></div><div>This is a fun read. It is book 17 in the series, but you can read this one on its own. I've been reading this series for a while (since book 3) and still really enjoy it.</div><div><br /></div><div>The relationship between Eleanor and her butler Clifford is changing and I like that he is becoming more of a friend and partner. Sometimes when Eleanor travels we don't get to see her other downstairs employees known collectively as "the ladies", but they have been given a holiday in Venice too. They make brief appearances throughout the story but I always want more because they are just so much fun.</div><div><br /></div><div>It isn't all fun and games (and shopping!). It looks like someone wants to restart the feud between two prominent families and Eleanor is caught in the middle of it. I enjoyed the mystery and it lets us see some different parts of Venice - those off the tourist typical path.</div><div><br /></div><div>Whether you are dreaming of a beach vacation or just want a fun mystery, you can't go wrong with this novel.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Buy <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3TDwIcq" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Death in Venice</a> </i>at Amazon</b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b></b><blockquote><b>Donna Huber </b>is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of how-to marketing book <i>Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour</i>. </blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><i>Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by <a href="https://follow.it/girl-who-reads?action=followPub">following us</a>.
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</div>Girl Who Readshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12567066995224650190noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7214724225155037304.post-16231807257511604292024-03-16T06:30:00.004-04:002024-03-16T06:30:00.131-04:00Hypnotized by Love by Sariah Wilson ~ A Review<div><b>by Susan Roberts</b></div><div><br /></div><div><i><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9tFnnG4Sz2k29f0QtUzrPuPopkTbX9c93xwlq7bfojqnKdpp8y_2591f741SQaOL74WL0gJV88w9gByhc2jYfDTJwo4M-58QwUS4nMZWNHSRPn586GUPsqtrVFSJAOyCAiiiS0_wFAGjL5x_Thvw_S-GoEddFaypmFNfBu5aeECu2AIeyKuMqWP4h5oo/s500/Fun%20read.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9tFnnG4Sz2k29f0QtUzrPuPopkTbX9c93xwlq7bfojqnKdpp8y_2591f741SQaOL74WL0gJV88w9gByhc2jYfDTJwo4M-58QwUS4nMZWNHSRPn586GUPsqtrVFSJAOyCAiiiS0_wFAGjL5x_Thvw_S-GoEddFaypmFNfBu5aeECu2AIeyKuMqWP4h5oo/s16000/Fun%20read.png" /></a></div><br />Hypnotized by Love</b></i> is a fluffy, easy-to-read romance with main characters who were friends in high school, became enemies after high school, and have met again as adults. Do they still dislike each other or is there still some love between the two of them?</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.</i></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3pe8ifi0fdvKIXjP9DAxDP1glVbabbutccmcbwVq95Va1j6oRDKPOLKJHtfpwNwId6wrEnoLBLtX3NBdKSYu5PCBrwpAT-p4EfVbRlkcyrJ-e5sxsf6O1thyphenhyphen3gVDldBx-IDaMoLQw9yMri3nfcNf2Yo9P1XXs73NbUjsBow7aznftTa77QqA3t_-Puo/s2550/136990889.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="book cover of romantic comedy novel Hypnotized by Love by Sariah Wilson" border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1650" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3pe8ifi0fdvKIXjP9DAxDP1glVbabbutccmcbwVq95Va1j6oRDKPOLKJHtfpwNwId6wrEnoLBLtX3NBdKSYu5PCBrwpAT-p4EfVbRlkcyrJ-e5sxsf6O1thyphenhyphen3gVDldBx-IDaMoLQw9yMri3nfcNf2Yo9P1XXs73NbUjsBow7aznftTa77QqA3t_-Puo/w259-h400/136990889.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">March 2024; Montlake; 978-1662514227<br />audio, ebook, print (299 pages); romantic comedy</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Savannah is a hypnotist who works to help her clients overcome the negatives in their lives from anxiety to addiction. She has a sister and a best friend and is very upset after almost losing her medical license when Mason shows up back in town which makes her life even more unsettled. She and Mason had been best friends in high school until he started a vicious rumor that painted her in a bad light. Even though it's been years since she's seen him, she still hates him for his betrayal. Mason wrote a bestselling book and is now back in town to write a negative article about hypnosis. Of course, he has to be hypnotized to write the article and of course, he turns to his old friend Savannah. After the session, the always negative Mason faces the world as a different person - sunny and happy with life. Savannah worries that she made a mistake during the session and tries to spend more time with him to protect him from himself. Of course, the more time they spend together, the more that the sparks fly between them. Will they become lovers after such negative feelings about each other for so many years?</div><div><br /></div><div>This was a fun easy book but I have to admit that several times I just wanted to reach into the pages and shake Savannah. She was quick to judge Mason in a negative way and was unwilling to listen to his side of things. Mason was more level-headed but was pretty blinded by his feelings for Savannah. If they get their happily ever after (and you have to read the book to find out), I see a bumpy ride ahead for their marriage.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Buy <i><a href="https://amzn.to/4addMqp" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hypnotized by Love</a></i> at Amazon</b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b></b><blockquote><b>Susan Roberts</b> grew up in Michigan but loves the laid-back life at her home in the Piedmont area of North Carolina where she is two hours from the beach to the east and the mountains in the west. She reads almost anything but her favorite genres are Southern Fiction and Historical Fiction. </blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><i>Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by <a href="https://follow.it/girl-who-reads?action=followPub">following us</a>.
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Girl Who Readshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12567066995224650190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7214724225155037304.post-26193247272168171402024-03-15T06:30:00.005-04:002024-03-15T06:30:00.132-04:00Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray ~ a Review<div><b>by Susan Roberts</b></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCfZ35Wlnw2WhDt3zMewzT5ZGEz-rOb9eVZxaP0dh1q9W4c8tbCM1wDJ1tXFGd38GPASVbJKFvWHLSbmhRky89WvfIsNfUL7t8UGwT69zREYbmU3R5NsIEW4oaRbwLSpC-lVf7GT_UyIp-8ED6uL5yBf8Iqvsa7JCO6HdtZ3fZ-uln74NjRrrFOokgiHc/s500/Review%20(78).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCfZ35Wlnw2WhDt3zMewzT5ZGEz-rOb9eVZxaP0dh1q9W4c8tbCM1wDJ1tXFGd38GPASVbJKFvWHLSbmhRky89WvfIsNfUL7t8UGwT69zREYbmU3R5NsIEW4oaRbwLSpC-lVf7GT_UyIp-8ED6uL5yBf8Iqvsa7JCO6HdtZ3fZ-uln74NjRrrFOokgiHc/s16000/Review%20(78).png" /></a></div><br />She took on titans, battled generals, and changed the world as we know it…</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.</i></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJy9vE1l5lwxm_ShiaAfi7iiwHybActjpb21T4aETfyhBvuyF4hJdqU9-vAtiQKiJ7A3Mue4ltB0bN4fbyvAX-20tm_VVqrKszMQa7UKapS7pc_J0HqHfIPpjFWuL0jlCkFcNVFZgQRESwz8bA2bYsDdlqAuTwL1-6hvidoHOoMoyHTrWhh6f1t-CgxN8/s546/177192295.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="book cover of historical fiction novel Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray" border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="363" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJy9vE1l5lwxm_ShiaAfi7iiwHybActjpb21T4aETfyhBvuyF4hJdqU9-vAtiQKiJ7A3Mue4ltB0bN4fbyvAX-20tm_VVqrKszMQa7UKapS7pc_J0HqHfIPpjFWuL0jlCkFcNVFZgQRESwz8bA2bYsDdlqAuTwL1-6hvidoHOoMoyHTrWhh6f1t-CgxN8/w266-h400/177192295.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">March 2024; Berkley; 978-0593437056<br />audio, ebook, print (528 pages); biographical fiction</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I had heard about The New Deal and the Civilian Conversation Corp and other programs that started in Franklin Roosevelt's time as President but I have to admit that I had never heard or read anything about Frances Perkins. She dedicated her life to helping other people and was determined to make a difference when she arrived in New York City at the turn of the century. She got involved in politics and supported FDR and he nominated her to be the first female Secretary of Labor- a post she held from 1933-1945. She was a strong woman and it was amazing all of the progress she was able to make considering that she was looked down on since she was a woman. </div><div><br /></div><div>Frances arrived in New York City determined to help improvised women and children. She had come to New York to write her thesis on child malnourishment in the tenements of Hell's Kitchen. She worked on projects like child labor and the long hours that women had to work. After witnessing the Triangle Shirt Factory fire, she worked on safety in the work place. She met many wealthy women who were volunteering to help other people and one of the people she met was FDR - who she did not like. But in 1929 when he was governor of New York, he appointed her to the role of state labor secretary and when he became President he appointed her as the first female cabinet member. During FDR's administration, Frances became responsible for the formation of the CCC's and other programs that helped the poor. She was also largely responsible for the plan to start Social Security, a program that is still being used to help the elderly today. With her husband often in a mental hospital and her daughter needing attention, she often had to make a decision whether to be a mom and wife or to attend to the president and the needs of the government. She may not have always made the right decisions where her family was concerned but she definitely made a difference in her quest to help the poor and make the work place safer for everyone.</div><div><br /></div><div>As always with Stephanie Dray's books, the research was intensive and the story was well written. Frances Perkins was so well written that it was easy for the reader to feel like she was a friend. We not only learned about her successes in her life but also learned about her problems and the times that she questioned what was important -- her family or the people of the United States. Be sure to read the Author's notes at the end where she talks about her research.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you enjoy reading historical fiction about strong women who made significant changes that affect us today, don't miss this chance to learn about Frances Perkins and the work she did to help the nation.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Buy <i><a href="https://amzn.to/49IB3B1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Becoming Madame Secretary</a></i> at Amazon</b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b></b><blockquote><b>Susan Roberts</b> grew up in Michigan but loves the laid-back life at her home in the Piedmont area of North Carolina where she is two hours from the beach to the east and the mountains in the west. She reads almost anything but her favorite genres are Southern Fiction and Historical Fiction. </blockquote></div><div><br /></div><br /><i>Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by <a href="https://follow.it/girl-who-reads?action=followPub">following us</a>.
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Girl Who Readshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12567066995224650190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7214724225155037304.post-60440601269461913592024-03-14T06:30:00.004-04:002024-03-14T06:30:00.284-04:00In the Orbit of You by Ashley Schumacher ~ a Review<div><b>by MK French</b></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDCKHhvlKutGsxoXDbdknImWYtIFF1wtC_aRvCm1DgiZB7Xcc5kEDaW85Q2Tb782qnGVf_Ihk7dCOcR-DThnBPf3bMbR5N322dx1C1DLj3l-U-8OP21cPzYf7g9A9Mmsl2OOi089bwyiH1PL1zaMsWLpUITymkn10ZQuvQpTud2sy6qe1NE3elea4AGV4/s500/Review%20(77).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDCKHhvlKutGsxoXDbdknImWYtIFF1wtC_aRvCm1DgiZB7Xcc5kEDaW85Q2Tb782qnGVf_Ihk7dCOcR-DThnBPf3bMbR5N322dx1C1DLj3l-U-8OP21cPzYf7g9A9Mmsl2OOi089bwyiH1PL1zaMsWLpUITymkn10ZQuvQpTud2sy6qe1NE3elea4AGV4/s16000/Review%20(77).png" /></a></div><br />Nova had once been friends with Sam, and didn't understand why he had bruises and cuts he didn't talk about. Before he moved away, they promised to find each other when older. Now they meet again in high school, but Sam has forgotten about that old promise and is now following The Plan set in front of him: get a college football scholarship, date his girlfriend Abigail, and never show that he might want something else. But a schoolwide personality test matches Nova and Sam at 99%, putting them back in each others' orbits.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.</i></div><div><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlerI_x8qTd1er8uFcZFi75V5D5iH_uuIg8wqUFgFMjSU2ryq7dx1Y3x5zCll61f_0Hw-cpvqUMFOY09MoQcN1p3Yr8FxzI87rtBBe-7E9BHC-XH3PxOpV2ZHYKKyVlsolEIHwnpYtmPM3qJ4q0-AgsmBsjFjdAnHGTTk-YLvb-731VoUWiyjDxZrh4Y/s1520/127305939.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="book cover of young adult romance In the Orbit of You by Ashley Schumacher" border="0" data-original-height="1520" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMlerI_x8qTd1er8uFcZFi75V5D5iH_uuIg8wqUFgFMjSU2ryq7dx1Y3x5zCll61f_0Hw-cpvqUMFOY09MoQcN1p3Yr8FxzI87rtBBe-7E9BHC-XH3PxOpV2ZHYKKyVlsolEIHwnpYtmPM3qJ4q0-AgsmBsjFjdAnHGTTk-YLvb-731VoUWiyjDxZrh4Y/w264-h400/127305939.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">March 2024; Wednesday Books; 978-1250886040<br />ebook, print (320 pages); YA romance</td></tr></tbody></table><br />After an opening where we see the little versions of Nova and Sam, we see their teen selves. Nova has moved around so much due to her mother's job that she's been in multiple high schools and tried on different personas. She's going to be in this particular high school for two months and plans to coast along since she doesn't know what she wants for her future despite increasing pressure at school to figure it out. She recognizes Sam right away, but he has a picture-perfect life. As much as he doesn't enjoy it, he's determined to follow through so that no one thinks he's ungrateful for the opportunities given to him.</div><div><br /></div><div>Trauma hits people in different ways. Sam was the recipient of physical abuse and did whatever he could to avoid rages by being agreeable, and it carried through into his life afterward. He became what he thought would make other people happy, even if it wasn't a life that he was pleased with. "It looks good on paper" or "I should be happy with this" became his goal, and he avoided any kind of confrontation. His girlfriend Abigail is a sweet girl, and very much not the kind of popular girl that excludes others. She tries to loop Nova into their circle, for however long she'll be there, and tries to get Sam to talk. Sam and Nova both realize that the emotional connection between them could jeopardize his relationship with Abigail and are determined not to do that. Of course, things never go according to plan, with literal acts of nature continuing to push Sam and Nova together. </div><div><br /></div><div>The book follows many beats of romcoms, but still dealt with serious subject matter and never once downplayed what happened in the book. I liked that they both acknowledged how awkward it was, and that they weren't trying to sneak around and hurt Abigail for their own benefit. Emotions can be sticky, tangled things, but it only hurts people to keep them bottled up. Once everyone was able to speak freely, it allowed them to grow and be who they needed to be.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Buy <i><a href="https://amzn.to/4c1BBDo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">In the Orbit of You</a></i> at Amazon</b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote>Born and raised in New York City, <b>M.K. French</b> started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever.</blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><i>Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by <a href="https://follow.it/girl-who-reads?action=followPub">following us</a>.
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Girl Who Readshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12567066995224650190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7214724225155037304.post-19208963068202649282024-03-13T06:30:00.003-04:002024-03-13T06:30:00.247-04:00Rhythm and Clues by Olivia Blacke ~ a Review<b>by Donna Huber</b><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcKrimxmAw4ECZ707Pa2IXd0konSBCNc3L6pr66ePmD1FGVX6Ks7W2AVhBl-NkUQVNLVHsYs9vge6Lnk1fosihiAZbilvZ3fiu9cR314ivEO8xysSN11JYUIkj5syT5TztWElnd_5mMNy-9w8ELEUzy_-Tp1Jr4t-zjgR8K2W5UVcIfWPvKsa_hGZhuWU/s500/Review%20(76).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcKrimxmAw4ECZ707Pa2IXd0konSBCNc3L6pr66ePmD1FGVX6Ks7W2AVhBl-NkUQVNLVHsYs9vge6Lnk1fosihiAZbilvZ3fiu9cR314ivEO8xysSN11JYUIkj5syT5TztWElnd_5mMNy-9w8ELEUzy_-Tp1Jr4t-zjgR8K2W5UVcIfWPvKsa_hGZhuWU/s16000/Review%20(76).png" /></a></div><br />The rhythm is gonna get you. It’s been five whole months since the last murder in Cedar River, Texas, and Juni Jessup and her sisters Tansy and Maggie have been humming along when disaster strikes again.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.</i></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div><i style="font-weight: bold;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMJmOSpLVxT6kqU4eFgrcBjNEZjs6AgYIz-y_foEWLRwmFoAx4mls0BISzvz_EF7tg1joSXfWcllMnYEl-loGUGwT1pwIuIE1hRWtEFaLrWjhoLpjlHgmcVKX08rp0gn0avWCzOQqsPrDeCVkEqKnBRjlcgWb8YTMazoqvQOr3lrB4tCE2jDMPASB4AUE/s400/127279828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="book cover of cozy mystery Rhythm and Clues by Olivia Blacke" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="244" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMJmOSpLVxT6kqU4eFgrcBjNEZjs6AgYIz-y_foEWLRwmFoAx4mls0BISzvz_EF7tg1joSXfWcllMnYEl-loGUGwT1pwIuIE1hRWtEFaLrWjhoLpjlHgmcVKX08rp0gn0avWCzOQqsPrDeCVkEqKnBRjlcgWb8YTMazoqvQOr3lrB4tCE2jDMPASB4AUE/w244-h400/127279828.jpg" width="244" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">March 2024; St. Martin's; 978-1250860125<br />audio, ebook, print (304 pages); cozy mystery</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Rhythm and Clues</i> is book 3 in the Record Shop Mystery series. I don't think you need to have read the first two books in the series to enjoy this one. I have read <i><a href="https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2023/01/vinyl-resting-place-by-olivia-blacke.html" target="_blank">Vinyl Resting Place</a></i> and <i><a href="https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2023/07/a-fatal-groove-by-olivia-blacke-review.html" target="_blank">A Fatal Groove</a></i> and I enjoyed them. The whole series is a quick read so you have time to catch up if you are just now learning of the series.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is a solid cozy mystery. The main character Juni reminds me of Hannah Swensen complete with a love triangle. Thankfully, it doesn't look like Blacke is going to draw out the love triangle for long (unlike Hannah's never-ending love triangle). </div><div><br /></div><div>If you are a fancy coffee drinker then you will enjoy the recipes and descriptions. I don't drink coffee but I did like the names of the drinks - a play on words of song titles. They are cute. If you are a music fan then you will probably like the mention of concert t-shirts and albums.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm neither a coffee drinker nor much of a music fan, but I still like this series. The characters are great though they are starting to feel a little stereotypical rather than unique individuals that you would run across in real life. </div><div><br /></div><div>The mystery is interesting and you get to learn more about the businesses and people in Cedar River. There are a few red herrings so it wasn't easy to figure out who did it. </div><div><br /></div><div>If you are looking for a quick, fun read, then pick up this book.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Buy <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3v1Hf81" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rhythm and Clues</a></i> at Amazon</b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b></b><blockquote><b>Donna Huber </b>is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of how-to marketing book <i>Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour</i>. </blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><i>Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by <a href="https://follow.it/girl-who-reads?action=followPub">following us</a>.
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</div>Girl Who Readshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12567066995224650190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7214724225155037304.post-91167649130499590072024-03-12T06:30:00.005-04:002024-03-12T06:30:00.238-04:00Those Beyond the Wall by Micaiah Johnson ~ a Review<div><b>by MK French</b></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgodayrkETP_Ac5AnRfMxx3RS8sQxsoWVVtMaHYCWFDjM8nFV9ReQ9rFZH16EBobShjwu_ZD9myLaqtPyd-li74SJhmx5ASRuL7WAdq_jP_kNymZYwQbcfYE_XXKgHisBD5hKGdULcqa99vmoSazOx-QRhRunqgacq7d6jAuppG1ytniIOFiVeXkaPzXYo/s500/Review%20(75).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgodayrkETP_Ac5AnRfMxx3RS8sQxsoWVVtMaHYCWFDjM8nFV9ReQ9rFZH16EBobShjwu_ZD9myLaqtPyd-li74SJhmx5ASRuL7WAdq_jP_kNymZYwQbcfYE_XXKgHisBD5hKGdULcqa99vmoSazOx-QRhRunqgacq7d6jAuppG1ytniIOFiVeXkaPzXYo/s16000/Review%20(75).png" /></a></div><br />There is the walled Wiley City and neighboring desert community of Ashtown, which Wiley City has tried to beat into submission. The Emperor rules Ashtown tightly and relies on Scales in her roles as mechanic or fighter to keep people in line. An invisible killer is on the loose between both places, so Scales must now work with a partner from Ashtown and a scientist from the City to track down the killer. Answers will dredge up secrets not just of the City, but about Scales herself.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.</i></div><div><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLadmKKlRfU070FSYmE1IX6rCgME_k7WrO3xOJ7JqaEZM63YIaE69uO8HYYKAsLXAj6mZ8vPZP7eE8zQE-4wiYux71ebSR0TWMcjHgiLqlwfmECb-TEAYnaEyToWi5mX31yTvI9VZ4oJUtJmIpOs8IUpJ3VUpAGP0TqgHnQvFTN-lhY_b14xLDA0rX8ck/s2560/177186086.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="book cover of science fiction novel Those Beyond the Wall by Micaiah Johnson" border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1685" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLadmKKlRfU070FSYmE1IX6rCgME_k7WrO3xOJ7JqaEZM63YIaE69uO8HYYKAsLXAj6mZ8vPZP7eE8zQE-4wiYux71ebSR0TWMcjHgiLqlwfmECb-TEAYnaEyToWi5mX31yTvI9VZ4oJUtJmIpOs8IUpJ3VUpAGP0TqgHnQvFTN-lhY_b14xLDA0rX8ck/w264-h400/177186086.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">March 2024; Del Rey; 978-0593497500<br />audio, ebook, print (384 pages); science fiction</td></tr></tbody></table><br />In a world with a sharp divide between the rich of Wiley City and the poor of Ashtown, stories carry multiple layers of meaning. Scales is angry, and her origin is told and retold in different ways. She is sent to investigate the deaths, which had occurred in both cities and has complicated relationships with the people closest to her. She wants to be needed, to be important without being in the spotlight. The deaths are troublesome, with bodies crumpled and barely recognizable. It turns out to be the precursor to travel between dimensions, with people trying to enter their world, but unable to do so if there's already a version of them present. </div><div><br /></div><div>If that sounds vaguely familiar, it's because multiversal travel was the heart of Micaiah Johnson's first novel, <i><a href="https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2020/08/the-space-between-worlds-by-micaiah.html" target="_blank">The Space Between Worlds</a></i>. Don't worry if you haven't, this makes sense without reading that book because Scales doesn't know all the details anyway. Nik Nik is the Emperor, and he and his runners had been present before. Cara and Dell are back, but in bit parts compared to the first novel. It's ten years later, and Cara has a strained relationship with her sister Esther. We see more clearly what it's like living beyond the wall surrounding the city, not just the flashes when Cara visited her family before. The trauma of living in Ashtown on a regular basis, of being in the shadow of privileged Wiley City, is not an easy life to live. There's hardship of different types in Wiley City, different abuses, and things to fear. Scales plays off this fear, and would rather fight than give in to softer emotions. She must be the tough runner, the enforcer, to protect the secrets in Ashtown. </div><div><br /></div><div>We have a lot of action as the secrets slowly unfold. There are also emotional beats as well, even though Scales doesn't like to acknowledge anything but anger. This is her way of dealing with past trauma, and it influences how she sees the world and reacts to it. Ashtown shaped her, and Ashtown has her loyalty. Seeing it through her eyes, we understand why it's home, and why it's worth saving. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Buy <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3wOthqC" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Those Beyond the Wall</a></i> at Amazon</b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote>Born and raised in New York City, <b>M.K. French</b> started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever.</blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><i>Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by <a href="https://follow.it/girl-who-reads?action=followPub">following us</a>.
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Girl Who Readshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12567066995224650190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7214724225155037304.post-1855566797654764902024-03-11T06:30:00.008-04:002024-03-11T06:30:00.132-04:00Say You'll Be Mine by Naina Kumar ~ a Review<div><b>by Susan Roberts</b></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTI-YKe4l8NratXn-VixOLkaK9UB9ml6B3n8_EqLbdDmqE8tG_XySTcMAL_kwPAprfmakgtyzEeOH0QZxIvKPKf4DXPSWEs2nmz-hvmmzi4340vrrRBjXAAc7JZDzh_f9LBdNYNdJM3aDZ-l35kXPUl_9Nd8Xc7x2HAcFdRM7P2dzqTWHTNf4bfBxexck/s500/really%20enjoyed%20this%20romance.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTI-YKe4l8NratXn-VixOLkaK9UB9ml6B3n8_EqLbdDmqE8tG_XySTcMAL_kwPAprfmakgtyzEeOH0QZxIvKPKf4DXPSWEs2nmz-hvmmzi4340vrrRBjXAAc7JZDzh_f9LBdNYNdJM3aDZ-l35kXPUl_9Nd8Xc7x2HAcFdRM7P2dzqTWHTNf4bfBxexck/s16000/really%20enjoyed%20this%20romance.png" /></a></div><br />In this utterly charming debut romance, a teacher with big dreams joins forces with a no-nonsense engineer to survive an ex's wedding and escape matchmaking pressure from their Indian families. Their plan? Faking an engagement, of course.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.</i></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div><b><i><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEKXsoozf7240DE8ylJMxk-MKQ_IRfN3_F_nImsrD7Zf8QKnFBCM-sqHUGK-douwv2wu-SBXh3X0Dwge0DCbzFBN0RvbHF0NhODGtrcIYW3Mbq0Vai-NjJVCoUT-8lgM58NlmueXfDSn3ZL4Th-jsCtYTeSQCNCEXdvD_SjX_z6M9zWToIHpIY9wRZ-A8/s500/134117190.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="book cover of women's fiction novel Say You'll Be Mine by Naina Kumar" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEKXsoozf7240DE8ylJMxk-MKQ_IRfN3_F_nImsrD7Zf8QKnFBCM-sqHUGK-douwv2wu-SBXh3X0Dwge0DCbzFBN0RvbHF0NhODGtrcIYW3Mbq0Vai-NjJVCoUT-8lgM58NlmueXfDSn3ZL4Th-jsCtYTeSQCNCEXdvD_SjX_z6M9zWToIHpIY9wRZ-A8/w266-h400/134117190.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">January 2024; Dell; 978-0593723883<br />audio, ebook, print (352 pages); women's fiction</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Say You'll Be Mine</i></b> was an interesting romance that wasn't really a romance...or was it. It was based on families from India and I learned a lot about Indian food and customs. Both of the main characters were straddling the fence between being Indian and following their customs or being American which was made more difficult by two sets of parents who believed in things like arranged marriages and a strong work ethic.</div><div><br /></div><div>Meghna's parents wanted her to be an engineer - something that her mother continued to bring up every chance she got. Meghna wanted to be a teacher and eventually a playwright - professions that her parents didn't think highly of. When she finds out that her writing partner and best friend from college is engaged to be married, she is devastated. Seth never realized what a crush Meghna had on him but he continued to keep in touch with her over the years because she always had good suggestions about the songs he was writing. She decides that it's time to get on with her life and allows her parents to set up a meeting with a potential suitor - something that can lead to an arranged meeting. She's very unimpressed with Karthik who tells her that he has no intention of ever getting married but was letting his mom set up matchmaking meetings to make her happy. After they meet the first time, he calls her and asks her to go along with a fake engagement between the two of them. This will make his mother quit matchmaking and for her, she'll have a plus one for Seth's wedding. The more time they spend together, the more they begin to rely on each other. Is there a chance that the fake engagement will become real or will their initial impressions keep them apart?</div><div><br /></div><div>I really enjoyed this romance. Both Meghna and Karthik knew what they wanted out of life. She wanted Seth and a happily ever after and Karthik wanted to remain single after living through the kind of marriage that his parents had. Every time it seemed that they may be falling in love, a disagreement or a remark pushed them away from each other again. I loved the way their relationship evolved from strangers to lovers with lots of growth for both of them along the way.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is a debut novel by Naina Kumar and based on this novel I look forward to her future books.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Buy <i><a href="https://amzn.to/48O2oQL" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Say You'll Be Mine</a></i> at Amazon</b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b></b><blockquote><b>Susan Roberts</b> grew up in Michigan but loves the laid-back life at her home in the Piedmont area of North Carolina where she is two hours from the beach to the east and the mountains in the west. She reads almost anything but her favorite genres are Southern Fiction and Historical Fiction. </blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><i>Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by <a href="https://follow.it/girl-who-reads?action=followPub">following us</a>.
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Girl Who Readshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12567066995224650190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7214724225155037304.post-72220081232276874192024-03-10T06:30:00.005-04:002024-03-10T06:30:00.131-04:00The Phoenix Bride by Natasha Siegel ~ a Review<div><b>by MK French</b></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3BCIYroxnp4Ne4krC357k9YnkMRGKxefmIio2o6kR1gOPQnUFX-4hl-GkP14dT412AHpwwMfDG5gAfm4brOQSb81HIK5n5PtByXqnnFU4Q6bqvy6Z3SL8MSrp-BmYIHZQIDTooG8MNb42lUyE8Hg84x6W34ZnuSN5gsNQLICT4kuWyka9tlpy-snBths/s500/Vivid%20&%20Gorgeous%20Writing.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3BCIYroxnp4Ne4krC357k9YnkMRGKxefmIio2o6kR1gOPQnUFX-4hl-GkP14dT412AHpwwMfDG5gAfm4brOQSb81HIK5n5PtByXqnnFU4Q6bqvy6Z3SL8MSrp-BmYIHZQIDTooG8MNb42lUyE8Hg84x6W34ZnuSN5gsNQLICT4kuWyka9tlpy-snBths/s16000/Vivid%20&%20Gorgeous%20Writing.png" /></a></div><br />In 1666 London, widow Cecelia Thorowgood is trapped in her older sister’s townhouse. Doctors are impatient to cure her grief, and her sister finally turns to a new Jewish physician to save Cecilia. David Mendes fled Portugal so he could practice his faith and medicine freely, but still is unhappy in this strange land. Of all people, he knows there is no easy cure for grief. He understands Cecelia's pain and grows attached to her, torn between his heart and his practice. The great plague had come and gone, but the Great Fire is coming...</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.</i></div><div><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3DblQhBlxeSFEQEiS8fhgnLBUSmJykfkkZDX0EEl4bJ-r0gFypXOJ_A3nyvk9aJWb9KepRXd8JF8xaKWoQLc51AjYL7RATGnGAn0SzcOgcQnp4oj3agM1k-ybxht6-0QHx-G7uY1axcsYYs-I1OBzVeJzF0mxl4y0tkaj45e7NjlNXj6wZ__U8HoDJgM/s2400/177185888.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="book cover of historical fiction novel The Phoenix Bride by Natasha Siegel" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1556" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3DblQhBlxeSFEQEiS8fhgnLBUSmJykfkkZDX0EEl4bJ-r0gFypXOJ_A3nyvk9aJWb9KepRXd8JF8xaKWoQLc51AjYL7RATGnGAn0SzcOgcQnp4oj3agM1k-ybxht6-0QHx-G7uY1axcsYYs-I1OBzVeJzF0mxl4y0tkaj45e7NjlNXj6wZ__U8HoDJgM/w259-h400/177185888.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">March 2024; Dell; 978-0593597873<br />audio, ebook, print (336 pages); historical fiction</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Cecelia had the good luck to marry for love, while her twin sister married for money and prestige. After her husband died, she fell into grief so profound, we would recognize it as depression. This is what leads to meeting David, who is separated from his mother and much of his community after their deaths in the plague. The two immediately have a connection, as strong as love, but the prejudice against Jews is strong in London, for all that he can practice his faith. There are other aspects he hides about himself that we don't learn until later, but he has a melancholy streak himself. </div><div><br /></div><div>The picture we have of life in 1666 London is very vivid, and the turns of phrase in this novel are gorgeous. "We all have empty rooms in our hearts. Better to fill them, surely, than to lock their doors and hope they are forgotten." Grief, anxiety, and depression all manifest, and the Great London fire throws it all into sharp relief. We get to see what matters most to Cecelia and David, as well as their closest friends. Fear can make a prison that's difficult to escape from, and learning to move past that fear will allow happiness to shine through again. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Buy <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3Tt389v" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Phoenix Bride</a></i> at Amazon</b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote>Born and raised in New York City, <b>M.K. French</b> started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever.</blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><i>Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by <a href="https://follow.it/girl-who-reads?action=followPub">following us</a>.
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Girl Who Readshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12567066995224650190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7214724225155037304.post-36392639460988787502024-03-09T06:30:00.005-05:002024-03-09T06:30:00.241-05:00A Feather So Black by Lyra Selene ~ a Review<div><b>by MK French</b></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmGzVACrpEwVKvNYGCOnn5PXxeYZBCR1BAb0c7jHicguXc2OGebTTRsI-FTGSvUGZyFyJcpsNA8VIizcR7n3ps0IGdM7oHsqSV-wlEUnzAnivUbW-1WMPTxygytsEOv6NxrHsSagAWK201pY9dPI42P_a6d5FgJijX7ps8QNuz262Zl_fi8haNe9fpoI/s500/reviews.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqmGzVACrpEwVKvNYGCOnn5PXxeYZBCR1BAb0c7jHicguXc2OGebTTRsI-FTGSvUGZyFyJcpsNA8VIizcR7n3ps0IGdM7oHsqSV-wlEUnzAnivUbW-1WMPTxygytsEOv6NxrHsSagAWK201pY9dPI42P_a6d5FgJijX7ps8QNuz262Zl_fi8haNe9fpoI/s16000/reviews.png" /></a></div><br />Fia is a changeling, left behind by Fair Folk when they stole the High Queen's daughter Eala, and retreated behind the locked gates of Tír na nÓg. The Queen raises Fia as a daughter, training her to be a spy. In Tír na nÓg, Eala is cursed to become a swan by day and girl by night. When a doorway between realms is discovered, Fia is tasked with finding Eala. Along with her is Prince Rogan, Fia's friend, and Eala's betrothed. Fia’s mission is complicated by her feelings for Rogan and her unexpected attraction to the fae lord holding Eala captive. Irian might be a monster, but he understands Fia in a way no one ever has. Time is running out to break her sister's curse, but Fia questions the mission.</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.</i></div><div><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div><br /></div><div><b><i><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqAJT61g5-R2Snb5CMnF403j_i0MgeJmJRkqqh_p_BMEqOckCcK53Pf_d9a3AegPWRwJ0fH7tT5I6gGUAGngzl5FmaZEAamXBRDbboMzSYDcVcm3a2GthaPy3Y7OSuBTKRI6eU0liTDqpxDz75-R345bTZ3pvlJQecNDfpk6hRSS0he9OWIqAEsNX5Gc/s1542/182761396.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="book cover of romantic fantasy novel A Feather So Black by Lyra Selene" border="0" data-original-height="1542" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRqAJT61g5-R2Snb5CMnF403j_i0MgeJmJRkqqh_p_BMEqOckCcK53Pf_d9a3AegPWRwJ0fH7tT5I6gGUAGngzl5FmaZEAamXBRDbboMzSYDcVcm3a2GthaPy3Y7OSuBTKRI6eU0liTDqpxDz75-R345bTZ3pvlJQecNDfpk6hRSS0he9OWIqAEsNX5Gc/w260-h400/182761396.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">March 2024; Orbit; 978-0316564960<br />audio, ebook, print (496 pages); romantic fantasy</td></tr></tbody></table><br />A Feather So Black</i></b> is the first book of the Fair Folk series. It is heavily influenced by Celtic mythology and the story of the twelve princesses. Fia, as a changeling, has magic blood that allows her to open the hidden gate between realms. Eala and eleven other girls had been taken from the human realm, and all are cursed. With the full moon, Fia can break open the gate to pass through, and Rogan tries to get to know his betrothed as Fia tries to find a way to break the geas keeping them trapped. Stories are told regarding the gate, the Fair Folk and the Gentry, those who rule in Tír na nÓg. The stories the humans told aren't quite true, and neither are the ones that are told among the Fair Folk. </div><div><br /></div><div>I love the fairy tale aspect of this book, the stories within stories, and the way it's impossible to tell what the truth really is. That gives weight to the passage of time and means that what Fia and the reader think is true might not be. Fia was born in Tír na nÓg and spent thirteen years with humans who hated her or tried to make her into something else. Eala was born human as a princess meant to secure her mother's throne, then spent thirteen years among the fae. Neither of them is what they expected to be, so Fia's choices at the end aren't, either. This is a story about identity, love, and magic. This means hard choices an ending worthy of fairy tales and a series of books to explore the fallout. </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>Buy <i><a href="https://amzn.to/3wMUo5o" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Feather So Black</a></i> at Amazon</b></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote>Born and raised in New York City, <b>M.K. French</b> started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever.</blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><i>Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by <a href="https://follow.it/girl-who-reads?action=followPub">following us</a>.
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Girl Who Readshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12567066995224650190noreply@blogger.com0