Books from the Backlog - The Secret to Southern Charm

Today I'm linking up with Carole from Carole's Random Life of Books for Books from the Backlog.  I really enjoy the chance to feature a book that's been hiding in the piles of books for far too long!

Goodreads:  The Secret to Southern Charm by Kristy Woodson Harvey

Blurb:  Leaving fans “practically [begging] for a sequel” (Bookpage), critically acclaimed author Kristy Woodson Harvey returns with the second novel in her beloved Peachtree Bluff series, featuring a trio of sisters and their mother who discover a truth that will change not only the way they see themselves, but also how they fit together as a family.
After finding out her military husband is missing in action, middle sister Sloane’s world crumbles as her worst nightmare comes true. She can barely climb out of bed, much less summon the strength to be the parent her children deserve.

Her mother, Ansley, provides a much-needed respite as she puts her personal life on hold to help Sloane and her grandchildren wade through their new grief-stricken lives. But between caring for her own aging mother, her daughters, and her grandchildren, Ansley’s private worry is that secrets from her past will come to light.

But when Sloane’s sisters, Caroline and Emerson, remind Sloane that no matter what, she promised her husband she would carry on for their young sons, Sloane finds the support and courage she needs to chase her biggest dreams—and face her deepest fears. Taking a cue from her middle daughter, Ansley takes her own leap of faith and realizes that, after all this time, she might finally be able to have it all.

Why It Needs to Come Off the Shelf:  I read the first book in this series back in 2024 and couldn't wait to read the next book.  So I bought it - and then promptly put it aside and forgot about it.  With the temperatures warming up it looks like the perfect time to pull this one off the shelf.

Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block - Fiction Review

Goodreads:  Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block by Jesse Q Sutanto

Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  Retirement should mean long-awaited trips to the sapphire waters of Santorini or careening down a sand dune in Dubai. For sixty-three-year-old Mebel, retirement means her husband of more than forty years announcing that he's leaving her for their private chef. Mebel isn’t sure who's the bigger loss.

Not to worry, Mebel has the perfect plan: she’s going to win back her husband. No one knows what he needs better than her—after all, she's been anticipating his needs their whole marriage. And if he wants a wife who can cook (why else would he leave her for a chef?), she will simply go to cooking school. Luckily, class at the renowned Saint Honoré School of Culinary Arts in France starts in just four days!

However, Mebel quickly realizes that her culinary school is not in illustrious Paris but rather in England—and some small village outside of Oxford no less. Despite the less-than-warm welcome from her much younger classmates, Mebel manages to befriend Gemma, the breakout star of the program, who offers to help Mebel on their first day. When Gemma stops showing up to class, Mebel knows she must figure out what—or who—caused her friend’s sudden disappearance. After all, Mebel may not know the first thing about how to cut a potato, but she certainly knows how to identify a fraud, and there’s definitely something fishy going on.

Genre: Fiction 

Why I Picked This Book:  I loved the Vera Wong books by this author and I can't resist a main character starting over kind of story.

My Impression:    I enjoyed this read. Sutanto has the ability to make the most flawed characters sympathetic and thoroughly likable.  I loved reading about Mebel's journey with learning to cook as well as understanding the different place she has ended up in with a culture so very much different from her own.

I think the book suffers a bit in comparison to the Vera Wong series.  Mebel has a surface level similarity to Vera.  She's completely sure in her own opinions and not afraid to use the age card to guilt people into doing what she wants.  However, there's no mystery here so the focus especially at the beginning is very much on Mebel.  While I grew to love Mebel as the book went on at the beginning it took me a bit to warm to her and to get involved in the book.  

This is a great story with an interesting dynamic - young vs old, East vs West, rich vs poor - all with a touch of humor and a bit of grace.  Once I got into it I thoroughly enjoyed it and am looking foward to reading more from her.  If you're finding this a bit of a slow start or not loving Mebel give it a bit longer.  I don't think you'll regret it.  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Yes!  I've enjoyed everything I've read by this author and am looking forward to reading more.

Would I Recommend this Book?  Absolutely though I do recommend a little patience at the beginning.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Books from Previous Spring TBRs That I Still Haven't Read

Today I'm linking up with Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl which is all about lists.  Since lists are one of my favorite things this is one of my favorite linkups!  Today's topic is a Freebie.  When I made my Spring TBR for this year I started wondering just how many books on previous Spring TBRs I have yet to read.   I figured I could easily get 10 books off my lists from the last 10 years.  However, once I started looking it turns out I apparently crush Spring TBRs so I went with Spring related TBRs that I have yet to read.

Spring TBR

1. Kills Well With Others by Deanna Raybourn (2025)

2.  Looking for Love in All the Haunted Places by Claire Kann (2025)

3.  Bitter Spirits by Jenn Bennett (2020)

4.  Be Afraid by Mary Burton (2015)

5.  The Body in the Birches by Katherine Hall Page (2015)

Spring Reading Retreat - 2025

6.  A Morbid Taste for Bones by Ellis Peters

7.  The Stormy Petrel by Mary Stewart

8.  Christa Comes Out of Her Shell by Abbi Waxman

Springy Covers on My TBR - 2023

9.  The Glass Kitchen by Linda Francis Lee

10.  The Forever Girl by Jill Shalvis

Do you have any books from Spring-y TBRs that you haven't gotten to quite yet?

The Island Club - Fiction Review

Goodreads: The Island Club by Nicola Harrison

Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  1956: On idyllic Balboa Island, just off the California coast, life seems peaceful and welcoming. But when the lives of three women begin to unravel in shockingly different ways, an unlikely friendship―and the game of tennis―may be the only thing that can save them.

Milly Kinkaid's plan to fix her crumbling marriage seems to be falling apart before it even begins. She believed that moving her young family from Hollywood to Balboa Island might entice her increasingly distant husband to come home earlier after work. Instead, he's barely coming home at all.

Society matriarch Sylvia Johnson and her husband have been pillars of their community for decades, and have just recently begun a new business venture: The Island Club, a place for members to swim, play tennis and dine in style. But when she learns that he has been risking their financial security and putting their family's future in grave danger, she's not only poised to lose the club, but the entire community she holds dear.

Meanwhile, standoffish loner Adele Lambert's entire world is on the brink of being destroyed if the dark secrets of her past and her hidden identity is revealed. Twenty years ago, she ran from a shameful scandal and left behind the only thing she ever loved. Now, terrified that the anonymity she's spent decades guarding will be exposed, but desperate to stay afloat, she risks everything to return to the game that brought her to her knees all those years before.

Set against the sun-drenched beaches of Balboa Island, with its prim and proper 1950s facade, The Island Club is a story of love, loneliness and the lies we tell ourselves―and what can be gained when the truth is finally revealed.

Genre: Fiction 

Why I Picked This Book:  I've read another book by this author and enjoyed it - plus the blurb really appealed to me.

My Impression:  This author has the fantastic ability to really make settings and characters come to life.  I could visualize the island and the club and all the characters who made up the world of the book.  I didn't always like the characters.  They made decisions that didn't make sense or their reactions were emotional and sometimes a little petty (or in some cases way more than a little).  But Sylvia, Milly, and Adele all felt like real people.  

The story was at times frustrating, at times sad but always real.  All three women are somewhat powerless in steering their lives but are all doing the best they can with mixed results.  Sylvia's situation and her husband's attitude especially were absolutely maddening even though I was very much rooting for her.  I connected the most with Milly but was interested in all the characters.

This was interesting and very readable book with characters that feel very real and a world that comes alive.  The story isn't always easy but it's always interesting.  This is an author I'm looking forward to reading more from.  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Yes!  I've enjoyed both books I've read by her and am looking forward to reading more of her books.

Would I Recommend this Book?  I would - especially if you enjoy reading stories of women's lives.  

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

A Caribbean Mystery - Classic Mystery Review

Goodreads:  A Caribbean Mystery by Agatha Christie

Rating: Really Liked It! (4.5 Stars)
Source:   Purchased

Description:   There is no rest or relaxation for Miss Marple. Agatha Christie's most appealing sleuth returns in this classic baffler of a vacation-turned-deadly.

Nephew Raymond West has given his favourite aunt a vacation at a beautiful resort in the Caribbean. While there she encounters an old wind-bag. One of his stories is about meeting a murderer. He has a snapshot. Suddenly he hesitates, and gets flustered. By the next morning he is dead, seemingly of natural causes. Miss Marple has doubts.

And well she should.

Genre: Mystery - Classic

Why I Picked This Book:  This was the April pick for the Read Christie 2026 Challenge and it is one I was especially looking forward to as I don't remember the last time I read it.

My Impression: I always forget just how much I love this book.  This is Miss Marple is at her best.  She should be out of her element at a resort on a Caribbean island, but Miss Marple is always a wonderful observer of human nature and a resort is peak people watching.  Her thoughts on each of the other characters was at time funny but always incredibly accurate.  I also really enjoyed how restless she's feeling at the beginning of the book as there's nothing to do.  I'm sure her nephew would be appalled by that thought.

The mystery is an intriguing one.  It's a bit of a locked door as well as a death that could easily be natural causes.  The solution is a good one though the thought processes getting there can be a little muddy at times.  The cast of characters all have their own dramas which add to the interest and the good pace of the book.  

While I wouldn't say this is one of Christie's best written books it is a fun read with excellent pacing and an entertaining cast of characters.  On a fun sidenote - if you're a fan of BBC's Death in Paradise the town in that show Honore is a nod to the island in this book St. Honore.  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Of course!  I'm looking forward to May's book which is The Labours of Hercules for the category of Best Short Story Collection.  I'm not sure it's my favorite short story collection but it is a lot of fun and one I'm looking forward to revisiting.  

Would I Recommend this Book? Absolutely!  This is one of her best later books and a thoroughly enjoyable read.  It's a fantastic appearance by Miss Marple.  

Friday Fives - Five Quick Reviews for Books I've Read Recently

I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd start making random five lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much. This week I'm sharing 5 quick reviews for books I've read recently.

1.  Murder in the Crypt by Irina Shapiro - I love a good historical mystery and the premise of this one (English constable/American army surgeon who is also heir to title and manor solve crimes) so I couldn't resist giving this one a listen.  I liked this one pretty well.  The mystery was an interesting one with a pretty good twist as well as a solid motive.  The main characters complimented each other and were able to explore different avenues of investigation.  What kept it from being a winner for me was there was just too much description which slowed the pace and kept me from really being pulled into the story.  My Rating: Liked It (3 Stars)

2.  The House on Blackberry Hill by Donna Alward - This was a reread for me though it had been so long it barely counted as I remembered just about nothing.  Overall, I enjoyed it.  I really liked the story of the house and the Foster family and I also liked Tom's family.  I would have liked more ghosts and more focus on the house but it is a romance and not a ghost story so the focus makes sense.  I never really warmed to Abby and Tom as it seemed like neither was really ready for a serious relationship.  I did like the community and it was a quick enjoyable read but not one that I will probably reread.  My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)

3.  The Blackout Murders by Anna Elliott and Charles Veley - This was so fun!  This is set during World War II in a small English village.  Newly widowed (and American) Evie has recently inherited her grandmother's cottage/tea shop and has come to Crofter's Green to heal.  When the local air raid warden is found dead she is drawn into the investigation and the village itself.  I loved all the characters and was completely caught up in the mystery.  This is a series I'm really looking forward to continuing (and is the only reason I haven't canceled my Audible account as it's on Audible Plus).  My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

4.  The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams - I really wanted to love this one.  I was excited at the inside look at the fairly recently abdicated Duke of Windsor and I loved the World War II Bahamas setting.  Unfortunately, it just wasn't a favorite.  I didn't warm to any of the characters and there were so many different storylines I never felt really connected to any of them.  This probably would 3.5 Stars but I really didn't like the ending.  There was a major twist that was never fully explained and a major plot point that was only partially resolved with very little explanation.  I was left feeling pretty unsatisfied and with more questions than answers.  My Rating: Just Okay (2.5 Stars)

5.  The Dead Sea Cipher by Elizabeth Peters - Peters' standalone books are a lot of fun.  Are they realistic?  Not in the slightest and they're a bit formulaic as well but they are always a fun read.  This book takes place in 1960s (maybe 1970s?) Beirut and features solo traveler Dinah van der Lyn who is shocked to hear a murder happen in the hotel room next door to hers.  Next follows an adventure full of hidden agendas, misunderstandings, and secrets all with the goal of uncovering lost biblical scrolls.  My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)

Books from the Backlog - Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey

Today I'm linking up with Carole from Carole's Random Life of Books for Books from the Backlog.  I really enjoy the chance to feature a book that's been hiding in the piles of books for far too long!

Goodreads:  Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle by The Countess Carnarvon

Blurb:  The real-life inspiration and setting for the Emmy Award-winning Downton Abbey , Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey tells the story behind Highclere Castle and the life of one of its most famous inhabitants, Lady Almina, the 5th Countess of Carnarvon. Drawing on a rich store of materials from the archives of Highclere Castle, including diaries, letters, and photographs, the current Lady Carnarvon has written a transporting story of this fabled home on the brink of war. Much like her Masterpiece Classic counterpart, Lady Cora Crawley, Lady Almina was the daughter of a wealthy industrialist, Alfred de Rothschild, who married his daughter off at a young age, her dowry serving as the crucial link in the effort to preserve the Earl of Carnarvon's ancestral home. Throwing open the doors of Highclere Castle to tend to the wounded of World War I, Lady Almina distinguished herself as a brave and remarkable woman. This rich tale contrasts the splendor of Edwardian life in a great house against the backdrop of the First World War and offers an inspiring and revealing picture of the woman at the center of the history of Highclere Castle.

Why It Needs to Come Off the Shelf:  It's been on my TBR for years and I had kind of forgotten about it but I find it no less fascinating now than I did when I first came across it.

Reading What I Love - The Frozen People by Elly Griffiths

The last few years I've made a list of 10 books - 5 books off my shelf, 5 books from the library - that I'm really wanting to read.  There's no real rhyme or reason.  I just go through my library list and my shelves and pick the books that are calling to me.  My focus in 2026 is reading books I think I'll love - or at least really enjoy.

Goodreads:  The Frozen People by Elly Griffiths

Blurb:   Ali Dawson and her cold case team investigate crimes so old, they’re frozen—or so their inside joke goes. Nobody knows that her team has a secret: they can travel back in time to look for evidence.
The latest assignment sees Ali venture back farther than they have dared before: to 1850s London to clear the name of Cain Templeton, an eccentric patron of the arts. Rumor has it that Cain is part of a sinister group called The Collectors. Ali arrives in the Victorian era to another dead woman at her feet and far too many unanswered questions.

As the clock counts down, Ali becomes more entangled in the mystery, yet danger lurks around every corner. She soon finds herself trapped, unable to make her way back to her beloved son, Finn, who is battling his own accusations in the present day.

Could the two cases be connected? In a race through and against time, Ali must find out before it’s too late.

Why I Think I'll Love This One:  I adore a cold case investigation and this looks like an interesting twist on that.

My Thoughts:  I love the concept but when it comes down to it I'm just not a big fan of time travel.  Ali going back to 1850 seemed so overly risky to me that it leaned into TSTL territory pretty heavily.  I wasn't fully satisfied with the solution to the cold mystery itself.  It looks like that a continuing plot line so hopefully it will be resolved in later books.  As well, while the solution to the modern day mystery did make sense one major aspect seemed a bit unnecessary.  Griffiths' pacing is excellent and her writing style kept me engaged even when I wasn't really enjoying the story.  I probably won't continue with this series but I will read more by this author.  My Rating: Liked It (3 Stars)

Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Books I'd Read on a Rainy Day in April

Today I'm linking up with Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl which is all about lists.  Since lists are one of my favorite things this is one of my favorite linkups!  Today's topic is April Showers and I'm doing ten books on my shelves that I'd read on a rainy day in April.  

1.  Murder in the Family by Cara Hunter - This sounds like a fast paced mystery with a few interesting twists and written in the style of a documentary.  It sounds like such a good read!

2.  The Wandering Season by Aimie K. Runyan - I've read one book by this author which I really loved and this one sounds amazing.

3.  Our Woman in Moscow by Beatriz Williams - I usually really enjoy Williams' books and this looks a bit different and very intriguing.

4.  The Shop on Royal Street by Karen White - I could use a virtual trip to New Orleans right about now!  It's been too long.

5.  What Happens in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand - I read the first book in this series about a family discovering that everything is not what it seems with their father and absolutely loved it.  I've been really excited to read the second book but haven't picked it up yet.  A rainy day seems like the perfect time.

6.  The Amalfi Curse by Sarah Penner - Did I get this book because the cover is gorgeous and there are sprayed edges involved?  Absolutely.  Thankfully, the story does look good and it looks like it'd be a good read for a rainy day.

7.  Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan - This is a short book that I've heard wonderful things about.  

8.  At the Coffee of Curiosities by Heather Webber - I always love Webber's books and this one is on my shelf.

9.  Hardcastle's Spy by Graham Ison - I loved another book in this historical mystery series and had to pick up the first one.  I'm really looking forward to it.  

10. Lost Among the Living by Simone St. James - And we have to end a rainy day reading binge with a bit of eerie atmosphere that St. James does so well.

What books would you pull off your shelves to read on a rainy April day?

Our Extraordinary Summer - Contemporary Fiction Review

Goodreads: Our Extraordinary Summer by Lori Wilde

Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  Calista and Athena Dempsey were once inseparable until their father’s ambition drove a wedge between them. When a very public betrayal shattered their bond, Calista walked away from her family, determined to rebuild her life on her own terms. Athena stayed behind, shouldering the weight of expectations and guilt in silence.

Now, with their mother gone, the sisters are summoned to Hobby Island, a secluded retreat where their mother spent her final days, with one final come together and make peace. But the past isn’t so easily buried.

Especially when Calista comes face-to-face with Reid Thornton, the man who once held her heart and then upended her life. He says he wants to make things right. But can she believe him? And can she forgive Athena when the scars between them still run deep?

As secrets surface and loyalties are tested, Calista and Athena must make a pivotal choice. Will they honor their mother’s last wish and find their way back to each other, or let their shared past destroy what little remains of their bond?

Genre: Fiction - Contemporary

Why I Picked This Book:  Honestly, I got this confused with an author of a similar name but I really like the sound of the book so I'm not sad I grabbed it by accident.

My Impression:  I love a book about sisters and this was very much that.  Calista and Athena had a very messed up childhood with a father determined to pit them against each other and keep them from their mother.  Every event in their childhood and young adulthood was a power play with a father whispering in one ear and then the other.  Now as adults it's been years since they've spoken until they are reunited after their death of their estranged mother.  

Hobby Island was a magical setting with interesting characters.  It's a place of a healing and grief and reconnecting and Eloise Hobby is right in the center steering those around her.  Athena and Calista's story is heartbreaking and so frustrating and my heart broke for them and for their mother.  I enjoyed seeing how this whole story evolved.  There is a romance but it definitely feels like a subplot and while I did enjoy it I was much more focused on the story of the sisters.

This is the first book by this author and it won't be my last.  I'm looking forward to going back and reading the first Hobby Island book.  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Definitely.  I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.  

Would I Recommend this Book?  If you enjoy books involving family relationships, I definitely recommend this one.  

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always, my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

Jane of Lantern Hill - Classic Middle Grade Review

Goodreads:  Jane of Lantern Hill by L.M. Montgomery

Rating: Loved It! (5 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  For as long as she could remember, Jane Stuart and her mother lived with her grandmother in a dreary mansion in Toronto. Jane always believed her father was dead until she accidentally learned he was alive and well and living on Prince Edward Island. When Jane spends the summer at his cottage on Lantern Hill, doing all the wonderful things Grandmother deems unladylike, she dares to dream that there could be such a house back in Toronto... a house where she, Mother, and Father could live together without Grandmother directing their lives — a house that could be called home.

Genre: Middle Grade - Classic

Why I Picked This Book:  I've been wanting to reread this one for awhile as I remember it being one of my favorites.  

My Impression: This was just a delight.  Jane is miserably unhappy in her home in Toronto that is tightly controlled by her grandmother.  She's not sure why her parents are no longer together but is quite sure it is her fault.   She's awkward and clumsy and just not sure where she belongs - that is until a letter arrives summoning her to Prince Edward Island for the summer.  There she meets her dad and more importantly gets to know herself.  Her adventures aren't particularly dramatic but with each one Jane becomes more comfortable with herself which was truly enjoyable to read about.

Jane is a bit different from the typical Montgomery heroine.  She's not a dreamer or particularly ambitious.  She has farm more common sense than whimsy but she's incredibly kind and thoughtful with a bit of spunk to her.  I loved her return to Toronto and how her life changes.  Montgomery does a fantastic job here with two bullies.  The first - Grandmother Kennedy - is a fairly typical villain.  She's cold and controlling and determined to have things her way.  The second is a very different kind but one I think we've all encountered.  She's oh so sweet but everything she says is guaranteed to make the person she's speaking to feel a little less confident and just in general a little less.  The ending is a bit trite but I loved the book so much that I wasn't sad about it.  I'm so glad I took the time to revisit this one and I enjoyed it just as much as I remembered.  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Of course!  Montgomery is one of my favorite authors and I always enjoy a reread.  I'm thinking of picking up one of her short story collections next.  

Would I Recommend this Book? Yes, definitely.  It's a bit different from the typical Montgomery book but is an absolutely delightful read.  

Friday Fives - Five Series I'm Hoping to Continue

I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd start making random five lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much.  I love series and always have a bunch going at a time.  Unfortunately, sometimes that means I discover a series I really enjoy and then it gets lost in all the others.  Here are 5 I want to focus on next.

1.  The Wayward Children by Seanan McGuire - The first book in this series kind of blew my mind and I'm really looking forward to reading the rest of this series.

2.  When in Rome by Sarah Adams - This is a four book series with each book focusing on a sibling.  I'm so excited to read the rest of the books - and there are only four so I can potentially get through it fairly quickly.

3.  Her Majesty the Queen Investigates by S.J. Bennett - I've read the last two books in the series and thoroughly enjoyed them.  I'm excited to go back and read the earlier books.

4.  Peter Shandy by Charlotte MacLeod - The first book in this series was so entertaining and a good mystery.  I'm looking forward to seeing how the character develops - and MacLeod's mysteries never disappoint.

5.  Vera Stanhope by Ann Cleeves - I've heard good things about this series for years and thoroughly enjoyed the first book.  I'm looking forward to reading more of Vera and then starting the show.

Do you have any series that you are looking forward to reading but get lost in the piles of books? 

Stay for a Spell - Cozy Fantasy Review

Goodreads: Stay for a Spell by Amy Coombe

Rating:  Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  Princess Tanadelle of the Widdenmar is disillusioned with life as a princess. She longs for real conversation, the chance to build a life of her own making, and uninterrupted reading time.

During a routine royal visit to the town of Little Pepperidge, Tandy’s dream comes true when she finds herself cursed to remain in a run-down bookshop until she unlocks her heart’s desire. Certain that someone will figure out how to break the curse eventually, and delighted by the prospect of an entire bookstore of her own, Tandy settles into life among the stacks. She finds it easy to exchange balls and endless state dinners for teetering piles of books and an irritatingly handsome pirate who seems bent on stealing her stock.

She even starts to believe she's stumbled into her very own happily ever after.

There's just one, minor problem: as Tandy's royal duties go unfulfilled, her frantic parents start sending princes to woo her, each one of them certain their kiss will break the curse. After all, what more could a princess want but a prince?

Genre: Fantasy - Cozy

Why I Picked This Book:  I've really been enjoying cozy fantasy and this one looked lovely.

My Impression:  This was a lovely read.  Right from the start Tandy is a likable main character.  She's a nice person who is a bit of people pleaser and who also loves to read.  While shocked she's not super upset to find herself cursed and unable to leave a 3-story bookstore overflowing with books.  The bookstore is the stuff dreams are made of.  Stacks and stacks of books overflowing shelves with no end in sight.  I think most readers and book organizing lovers could happily spend days sorting and inventorying and reading.  And that is exactly Tandy's thoughts as well.

I really enjoyed this.  In addition to perhaps one of the best settings I've come across in a while I really enjoyed watching Tandy adjust to her new reality.  I'm a sucker for a main character (especially a likable one) figuring out exactly what they want in life and this had that in spades.  I also really enjoyed the side character in the book - even the princes but especially Sasha and the pirate.  This is my first book b this author but it was a nice read with characters I enjoyed spending time with. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Absolutely!  This was a delightful read and I can't wait to see what other worlds the author imagines.

Would I Recommend this Book?  Yes, definitely!  This would be an especially good choice if you're looking for a break from more intense books.  

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

Too Close to Home - Mystery Review

Goodreads: Too Close to Home by Seraphina Nova Glass

Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  Nothing in this idyllic community is quite what it seems…

Those lucky enough to live in the elite lakefront community of Cloverhill Lakes are drawn to it for its safety and top-notch school district. The moms meet for coffee at the park while their kids play, they’re heavily involved in the PTA, and the summers are filled with chardonnay, brunch, sundresses, and backyard bonfires.

But everything changes when Regan Hoffman’s car explodes at the annual Labor Day party. The wrong person is killed, but it was meant for her. As the carefully crafted walls of her community begin to crumble, Regan tries to keep it together—something made infinitely harder when she sees her dead husband…alive.

When a Cloverhill Lakes resident suddenly goes missing, dark secrets begin to surface from underneath the idyllic veneer of their beautiful community—and the truth threatens to destroy them all as Regan finds herself in a fight for her life.

Genre: Mystery

Why I Picked This Book:  I loved this author's previous book so of course I had to pick this one up.

My Impression:  This was quite a page turner!  The first half of the book was super stressful as plots slowly evolved around the three main women - Sasha, Andi, and Regan.  There's a lot more going on than the blurb implies as each of the three women have their lives teetering towards a downfall.  For a bit it felt like neither Sasha, Regan or Andi could make a sensible decision to save their lives (literally in a few situations).  While this is never a slow read the first half is all development with no answers which at times was a little frustrating.  But once we start getting answers it is a wild ride to the finish and I was completely hooked.  

I flew through this one - especially the last half and was completely surprised by the ending.  There is a bit of suspending disbelief but not a ridiculous amount.  This was an intense read from start to finish that never got too graphic or gore-y.  I really enjoyed it even when my blood pressure and pulse rate were way up!  This is an author I'm really looking forward to reading more from.  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Absolutely!  I'll be looking for her next book and looking forward to reading through her backlist. 

Would I Recommend this Book? If you like mysteries and thrillers but don't like too much graphic violence this author is a perfect pick for you.  All of the tension with none of the gore.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Books That Have Been Important to Me

Today I'm linking up with Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl which is all about lists.  Since lists are one of my favorite things this is one of my favorite linkups!  Today's topic is Book Titles That Describe Me/My Life.  I couldn't come up with anything that fit that so I'm going with Books That Have Been Important to Me (in the last 15 years or so).  I figure that's a pretty good window into me and my life!

1.  The Mother Tongue by Bill Bryson - This is one of the first books that my husband and I discussed together.  We read very different things and very different amounts but it was still fun to discover that he read as well and that we had this book in common.

2.  Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas - I read this (and the rest of the Hathaway series) when I had a toddler and not much time to read and I remember it bringing such joy.

3.  Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card - I read this for a very short lived book club I was in and it was one of the few books that really got a good discussion.  Then my husband read it and we still discuss it occasionally.  It's one I have such strong feelings about because I thoroughly enjoyed the book until a very unnecessary epilogue that kind of tanked how I felt about the book as a whole.  

4.  Where the Heart Is by Nora Roberts - This book collection taught me a very important lesson - that just because I love an author does not mean I'm going to love every book they've ever written.  After this one I gave up trying to read her early books.

5.  The Apple Orchard by Susan Wiggs - This is the first book I read on any kind of e-reader.  I had gotten a Kindle Fire and took it with me on vacation and discovered just how convenient it was not to have to haul around stacks of books.

6.  The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright - I adored The Four Story Mistake by this author as a kid but never knew of any other books by her.  I found my old copy when my mother moved and looked up the author up online and discovered a whole bunch more books in the Melendy family series.

7.  Guidebook to Murder by Lynn Cahoon - This is one of my early review books and it was such fun getting in early on a beginning cozy series.  

8.  Goodnight June by Sarah Jio - This book really cemented my love of letters and voices from the past in books.  I don't think I had really nailed that down and verbalized it until this point.

9.  Crushed Velvet by Diane Vallere - This is the book that showed me that reading a cozy mystery series in order really can improve my enjoyment of the book as a whole.  

10. The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen - This is the first magical realism book I ever read and it showed me just how much I enjoy that genre.

What books have been important in your life?

When the Wolves Are Silent - Historical Mystery Review

Goodreads: When the Wolves are Silent (A Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery #21) by C.S. Harris

Rating:  Really Liked It (4 Stars)
Source:   Publisher

Description:  London, 1816: When a notorious young aristocrat is burned alive on a windswept hill popular with neo-Druids, former cavalry officer Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, finds himself plunged into a murder investigation shadowed by tales of ancient human sacrifices and long-buried secrets.

The victim, Marcus Toole, was the only son and heir of a prominent nobleman. His closest friend—Sebastian’s own nephew, Bayard—claims to have passed out drunk before the attack and remembers nothing. But when Sebastian and his brilliant wife, Hero, delve deeper into the sordid activities of Bayard and his friends, they come to realize that Bayard may not be as innocent as he pretends. Following a tangled trail that leads from a disaffected former soldier-turned-highwayman to a beautiful, courageous journalist and a Jamaican-born fencing master with ties to a radical political movement, Sebastian begins to suspect that Bayard and his friends are being targeting in revenge, by victims who believe they have no other recourse.

Then two more of Bayard’s friends are killed, their murders staged to echo the ritual sacrifices of the ancient Celts. With the palace shaken by the fear of riots and one horrifying death following another, Sebastian must race to stop a ruthless plot that threatens the lives of innocents and could rip his troubled nation apart.

Genre: Mystery - Historical

Why I Picked This Book:  I have really enjoyed the other books that I've read in this series so of course I had to pick this newest book.

My Impression: I have really enjoyed this series even though I started it in the middle.  Sebastian is an interesting character with a complicated relationship with his family - especially his sister.  While he is heir to an earldom it is only following the death of his older brother and considering the Earl is not technically his biological father this makes things especially complicated.  While he has a healthy relationship with his father his relationship with his sister is anything but healthy and positive.  The book starts with Sebastian's nephew, Bayard, stumbling onto a body and Sebastian learns that this is the second of Bayard's close group of friends to be found dead under mysterious circumstances.  

This may be the most sympathetic group of victims to ever exist and while I never actively root for violence I wasn't sad when another few friends come to a not so nice end.  The mystery was interesting, complicating and at times infuriating as Sebastian followed one thread after the other always learning more but never finding the answer.  When everything comes to light it makes sense and is well explained though it is seriously grim and a bit heartbreaking.  

All of this is taking place against of background of extreme disparity of life and rumblings of uprising as well as actions from those in charge trying to control the situation using deception and violence.  This is incredibly well done.  Harris doesn't get preachy, heavy handed or info dump but instead weaves the issues through the story both with Sebastian's investigation and Hero's interviews.  This series in general isn't a cozy one and while there isn't on page violence the issues discussed are very dark but very well handled.  I really enjoyed the reading experience of this book and look forward to reading more from this series.  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?  Absolutely!  I will definitely pick up the next book and look forward to going back to the beginning of the series to read the ones I've missed.

Would I Recommend this Book?  Yes, though I do recommend starting earlier in the series.  The characters have complex lives and relationships and the earlier you start the easier it is to make sense of it all.

* I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  As always my opinions and impressions are completely my own. *

Soyangri Book Kitchen - Fiction Review

Goodreads: Soyangri Book Kitchen by Kim Jee Hye

Rating: Really Liked It! (4.5 Stars)
Source:   Library

Description:  With good books, good food and companionship, the Book Kitchen fills people's tired souls. Yoojin, who grew up in Seoul, opened the Book Kitchen by chance in Soyangri, a village two hours from Seoul by car. The Book Kitchen functions as a bookshop and cafe. The second function of the Book Kitchen is a Book Stay, where one can stay overnight in one of the building’s four complexes.

Over the course of one year, multiple characters each find comfort and hope at Yoojin’s Book Kitchen. From a music idol facing an identity crisis, to a promising lawyer beset by an unsettling medical diagnosis, to a young, failed music director who has had to rein in his dreams, they happen upon Soyangri at pivotal moments in their lives.

Genre:  Fiction

Why I Picked This Book:  This just caught my eye on the library shelf so I decided to give it a try.

My Impression:  This was an absolutely lovely read.  The structure is very similar to What You're Looking For is in the Library with very loosely connected short stories all centering around the Soyangri Book Kitchen.  The stories are quiet with characters who need something in their life to change but the corner they turn is not always dramatic.  It is always meaningful, however.  The setting is beautiful and so calming.

The book is a bit surface level.  While the characters are frequently dealing with tough issues we don't know much more about them then their conflict.  Sometimes it was a little hard to keep track of who is who though I'm not sure if that's because of the translation or just the nature of the shorter stories.  That said reading this book really forced me to take a breath which I desperately needed.  It also made me think about my reading.  I'm very goal oriented and love a good check list and that's usually how I treat my reading.  In my head I have daily chapter goals and yearly objectives and all kinds of things and most of the time that suits me.  This isn't the kind of book you can do this with.  It's quiet and undramatic with a focus on books as healing.  Flying through it greatly diminishes it and kind of misses the point of it.  The book references alone were fantastic with several of my favorites mentioned and the attitude towards books in general was just delightful.

I'm planning on buying a copy of this book so that I can reread it and really savor it.  It's a good reminder that not every book is about rushing to the finish.  

Would I Read More of this Series/Author? Absolutely!  If I see a book by this author at the bookstore I will be buying it.

Would I Recommend this Book?  Yes, though I would keep in mind this is a slow read.  

Friday Fives - Five Quick Reviews for Series I'm Reading

 

I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd start making random five lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much.  I'm working on catching up on series and decided to put a few reviews of them all together here.

1.  Heirs and Graces by Rhys Bowen - This is the 7th book in the Royal Spyness series around great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria, Georgianna (Georgie) Rannoch.  In this book Georgie has landed on her feet at an estate of a misbehaving Duke and his newly discovered heir.  When tensions finally explode there is a dead body found and an investigation begins.  Georgie and Darcy are quickly caught up in it as they try and keep the innocent from being accused.  This was a fun read with an odd mix of characters.  Thankfully, while Queenie, Georgie's maid, is present her role is very small.  If I made a list of top 5 least favorite side characters she would definitely be on it.  The reveal was well done and a bit of a surprise.  I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.  My Rating:  Really Liked It (4 Stars)

2.  A Cookbook Conspiracy by Kate Carlisle - This is a fun series with lots of gorgeous bookish mentions and talks of bookish restoration.  I like Brooklyn and Derek and how they work together.  This one focused on Brooklyn's sister, Savannah, who is a professionally trained chef and a group of former colleagues as one of them opens a new restaurant.  The mystery was an interesting one with an end that did surprise me a bit.  What kept me from enjoying this was basically that Savannah is a brat.  Brooklyn is trying to express perfectly reasonable concerns or ask logical questions and Savannah seems to almost always react like a cranky toddler.  If I was Brooklyn, I'd have left her to her own devices and let her restore her own book and figure out who the killer was.  This isn't one of my favorite series but I do enjoy it and look forward to the next book in the series.  My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)

3.  Keeper of the Castle by Juliet Blackwell - This is book 5 in the Haunted Home Renovation series and Mel finds herself leading a reconstruction of an ancient Scottish castle being rebuilt to be a wellness retreat in California.  There's a couple of ghosts who are causing serious trouble and the who reason Mel is now in charge is because the previous lead is in jail accused of murdering a building inspector.  No one believes he did and nothing is making sense - including the ghosts.  I enjoyed the mix of historic restoration, ghost hunting, and investigation.  Mel's a fun main character and I like that she's genuinely good at her job and cares about those around her.  This was a quick read in a series I always enjoy though I'm very glad I don't have deal with unsettled ghosts!  My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)

4.  Panic Button by Kylie Logan - I am not a crafty person and my grandmother finally gave up on teaching me how to sew or quilt after multiple attempts.  My interest in buttons is also pretty low but I thoroughly enjoy this series.  Josie runs the Button Box and is in the middle of appraising an heirloom button string when the owner changes her mind and demands to take the string home.  When the owner is found dead her mentions of a curse suddenly don't seem quite so silly.  With some help from her police detective maybe boyfriend Nev, Josie dives into the victim's past and investigates all who knew her.  It turns out the victim wasn't exactly who she seemed and almost everyone who knew her has a motive to kill her.  Josie does cross the line into overly nosy a time or two but it worked with the premise and the characters.  This was a fast paced read and a fun cozy.  I have one more book in the series and am looking forward to reading it.  My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

5.  Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon by Donna Andrews - Meg is back with her signature chaos and hijinks.  While I was not a huge fan of the previous book in this series this was has reconfirmed this series as one of my favorite cozy mystery series.  This time Meg is temping at her brother's tech company trying to figure out if there is a mole among the group.  Things quickly go off the roles when the office prankster is found dead on the mail cart.  There's also rogue therapists, an assortment of animals, Meg's dad, and a cast of rather quirky programs - some with a secret or two.  The mystery was a fun one and I love that we meet Chief Burke who becomes a regular in the series moving forward.  There were some red herrings and a surprise reveal.  This series has a big cast of characters and while you don't need to read all of them it would probably make this one more enjoyable if you read at least the first book just to understand who is who.  I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series and will be keeping an eye out for new books.  My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

Books from the Backlog - Swept Away

Today I'm linking up with Carole from Carole's Random Life of Books for Books from the Backlog.  I really enjoy the chance to feature a book that's been hiding in the piles of books for far too long!

Goodreads:  Swept Away by Beth O'Leary

Blurb:  Lexi is looking for no-strings-attached fun with a stranger. She deserves one night for herself, doesn't she?
Zeke is looking for love. But for one night with a woman like Lexi, he'll break his rules . . .

Sparks fly at the pub, one passionate kiss leads to another and they end up stumbling home to the marina together.

The next morning, hungover and shaken by an amazing night together, Lexi is more than ready for Zeke to leave. There's just one small problem . . . the houseboat they stayed on has been swept out to sea.

As their supplies start to run dangerously low, and the waves pick up, Zeke and Lexi soon realise there's much more on the line than their new relationship.

How long can they really survive on a drifting houseboat in the North Sea? Will search and rescue find them? And who will they be if they both make it back to dry land?

Why It Needs to Come Off the Shelf:  It's been high up on my TBR since it came out and it looks like a fun bit of escapism.

What I'm Reading - April 8

I always have a few books going.  Here is what I'm reading and what I'm thinking about them.

Ebook

Too Close to Home by Seraphina Nova Glass - I'm enjoying this one but it is a bit stressful.  I really don't love thrillers or tense mysteries where children are even loosely involved.

Print Book:

Soyangri Book Kitchen by Jee-Hye Kim - So far, I'm really enjoying this one.  It's set up in a connected short story format and I love all the book references.

Audio Book:

The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth - This took me a little bit to get into but I'm about 24% in and am hooked.

Slow Read:  

A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna - I'm really loving this though I had to take a break from it while I was struggling through a couple of books.  I'm hoping to finish it soon or I'll have to take another break because I'm starting a new book that sounds like it has a similar feel.

What are you reading today?