Category: 9/10

#BookReview Midnight Black by Mark Greaney @BerkleyPub @PenguinRandomCA #MidnightBlack #GrayManSeries #MarkGreaney #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

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#BookReview Midnight Black by Mark Greaney @BerkleyPub @PenguinRandomCA #MidnightBlack #GrayManSeries #MarkGreaney #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: Midnight Black

Author: Mark Greaney

Series: Gray Man #14

Published by: Berkley on Feb. 11, 2025

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 528

Format: Hardcover

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 9/10

With his lover imprisoned in a Siberian gulag, the Gray Man will stop at nothing to free her in this latest entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.

A winter sunrise over the great plains of Russia is no cause for celebration. The temperature barely rises above zero, and the guards at Penal Colony IK22 are determined to take their misery out on the prisoners–chief among them, one Zoya Zakharova. Once a master spy for Russian foreign intelligence, then the partner and lover of the Gray Man, she has information the Kremlin wants, and they don’t care what they have to do to get it.

But if they think a thousand miles of frozen wasteland and the combined power of the Russian police state is enough to protect them, they don’t know the Gray Man. He’s coming, and no one’s safe.

Review:

Edgy, propulsive, and charged!

Midnight Black is a sinister, action-packed thrill ride featuring the tenacious former CIA contract agent Courtland Gentry who, after his lover and one-time Russian spy Zoya Zakharova is captured and imprisoned in Russia, will do whatever it takes, no matter who or what stands in his way, to find her and free her.

The writing is compelling and tight. The characters are skilled, persistent, and resourceful. And the plot is an intense, suspenseful tale filled with twists, turns, mayhem, coercion, politics, power, obsession, espionage, secrets, revenge, and murder.

Overall, Midnight Black is an addictive, tortuous, fast-paced tale by Greaney that’s another fantastic addition to the Gray Man series with its multilayered characters, intricate storyline, impressive body count, consistent sense of urgency, and satisfying conclusion.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

 

Thank you to Berkley for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Mark Greaney

Mark Greaney has a degree in international relations and political science. In his research for his novels, he traveled to more than thirty-five countries and trained alongside military and law enforcement in the use of firearms, battlefield medicine, and close-range combative tactics. He is also the author of the New York Times bestsellers Tom Clancy Support and Defend, Tom Clancy Full Force and Effect, Tom Clancy Commander in Chief, and Tom Clancy True Faith and Allegiance. With Tom Clancy, he coauthored Locked On, Threat Vector, and Command Authority. His first novel, The Gray Man, was made into a major motion picture starring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans.

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#BookReview The Day I Left You by Caroline Bishop @calbish @SimonSchusterCA #TheDayILeftYou #CarolineBishop #SimonSchusterCA

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#BookReview The Day I Left You by Caroline Bishop @calbish @SimonSchusterCA #TheDayILeftYou #CarolineBishop #SimonSchusterCA Title: The Day I Left You

Author: Caroline Bishop

Published by: Simon & Schuster Canada on Feb. 18, 2025

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback

Source: Simon & Schuster Canada

Book Rating: 9/10

For readers of The Secrets We Kept and Jill Santopolo comes an epic love story about Greta and Henry, who by chance meet in 1982 East Berlin and find a love that’s meant to last a lifetime—until Greta vanishes.

I’m sorry. I can’t stay.

East Berlin, 1982. When Greta Schneider meets Henry Henderson, she is instantly smitten. An engineer on a work visa from Britain, Henry offers Greta a taste of the world beyond the Iron Curtain, a world that she yearns to explore as a translator once she finishes university. For Henry, Greta is simply perfect—bold and beautiful, her lively and inquisitive nature adding a vital spark to his everyday life.

But their time together is limited. Henry can’t stay once his visa expires, and Greta is forbidden from going beyond the Berlin Wall. It’s only been a few weeks, but they know how they feel about each other, so when Henry proposes, Greta accepts—and is given permission to start a new life with Henry in England. And for a time, everything is perfect. Until, one day, out of the blue, Greta walks out the door of their Oxford home, leaving a simple note behind.

Decades later, Henry still has unanswered questions. Greta loved him, and he loved her. They surmounted the odds to be together, and in his heart, he knows their marriage was happy. So why did she leave? How well did he really know his wife? When a young mother visits Henry’s antique restoration shop, she unknowingly brings with her a clue that sends Henry on a journey to find out what happened to the love of his life all those years ago.

Set against the backdrop of the Cold War, The Day I Left You is a gorgeous, spellbinding story about the nature of love, the memories we cling to, and the hurts we must leave behind to move forward.

Review:

Immersive, intriguing, and affecting!

The Day I Left You is a vivid, captivating tale set in Europe during 1982, as well as 2018, that is told from two different perspectives. Greta, an East German woman who, after falling in love with a British man and with the help of some acquaintances, flees the Iron Curtain for marriage and a life in the UK, until one day she just ups and leaves, and Henry, a lovelorn man who has never forgotten the love of his life he lost more than thirty years ago.

The prose is polished and expressive. The characters are independent, troubled, and vulnerable. And the plot is an evocative tale of life, loss, love, self-discovery, manipulation, secrets, determination, betrayal, family, espionage, and romance.

Overall, The Day I Left You is a rich, evocative, tense novel by Bishop that grabs you from the very first page and is sure to be a big hit with historical fiction lovers everywhere.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

        

 

 

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Caroline Bishop

Caroline Bishop is a journalist, an editor, and the author of two novels, The Other Daughter and The Lost Chapter. For the past fifteen years, she has written about travel, food, and theatre for many publications, including The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, and BBC Travel. A British-Canadian, she currently lives in Switzerland.

Photo courtesy of S&S website.

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#BookReview The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens @aeskens @mulhollandbooks @HBGCanada #TheQuietLibrarian #AllenEskens #MulhollandBooks #HBGCanada

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#BookReview The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens @aeskens @mulhollandbooks @HBGCanada #TheQuietLibrarian #AllenEskens #MulhollandBooks #HBGCanada Title: The Quiet Librarian

Author: Allen Eskens

Published by: Mulholland Books on Feb. 18, 2025

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 320

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: HBG Canada

Book Rating: 9/10

After the murder of her best friend, a librarian’s search for answers leads back to her own dark secrets in this sweeping novel about a woman transformed by war, family, vengeance, and love, from award-winning writer Allen Eskens.

Hana Babic is a quiet, middle-aged librarian in Minnesota who wants nothing more than to be left alone. But when a detective arrives with the news that her best friend has been murdered, Hana knows that something evil has come for her, a dark remnant of the past she and her friend had shared.

Thirty years before, Hana was someone Nura Divjak, a teenager growing up in the mountains of war-torn Bosnia—until Serbian soldiers arrived to slaughter her entire family before her eyes. The events of that day thrust Nura into the war, leading her to join a band of militia fighters, where she became not only a fierce warrior but a legend—the deadly Night Mora. But a shattering final act forced Nura to flee to the United States with a bounty on her head.

Now, someone is hunting Hana, and her friend has paid the price, leaving her eight-year-old grandson in Hana’s care. To protect the child without revealing her secret, Hana must again become the Night Mora—and hope she can find the killer before the past comes for them, too.

Review:

Compelling, suspenseful, and fast-paced!

The Quiet Librarian is an intense, ominous tale that takes us into the life of Minnesota librarian Hana Babic who, after her best friend is murdered, prepares herself for the past to collide with the present when one of the depraved men she was brutalized by during the Bosnian war seems to have suddenly reappeared.

The prose is meticulous and tight. The characters are persistent, scarred, and resourceful. And the plot is a raw, menacing tale about life, loss, tragedy, danger, desperation, cruelty, secrets, survival, manipulation, betrayal, deception, revenge, violence, and wartime brutalities.

Overall, The Quiet Librarian is an absorbing, mysterious, disturbing tale by Eskens that does a wonderful job of interweaving historical facts and compelling fiction into an insightful, sinister tale that is intriguing, haunting, and highly entertaining.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

        

 

 

Thank you to HBG Canada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Allen Eskens

Allen Eskens is the USA Today-bestselling author of The Life We Bury, The Guise of Another, The Heavens May Fall, the Deep Dark Descending and The Shadows We Hide. He is the recipient of the Barry Award, Rosebud Award, Minnesota Book Award, and the Silver Falchion Award and has been a finalist for the Edgar Award, Thriller Award, and Anthony Award. His work had been published in 21 languages and his debut novel, The Life We Bury is being developed for a feature film.

Allen lives with his wife, Joely, in greater Minnesota and is represented by Amy Cloughley of Kimberley Cameron and Associates, and is published by both Seventh Street Books and Mulholland/Little Brown.

Photograph courtesy of Author's Goodreads Page.

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#BookReview The Ghosts of Rome by Joseph O’Connor @EuropaEditions @PGCBooks #JosephOConnor #TheGhostsOfRome #RomeEscapeLineTrilogy #PGCBooks

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#BookReview The Ghosts of Rome by Joseph O’Connor @EuropaEditions @PGCBooks #JosephOConnor #TheGhostsOfRome #RomeEscapeLineTrilogy #PGCBooks Title: The Ghosts of Rome

Author: Joseph O'Connor

Series: Rome Escape Line Trilogy #2

Published by: Europa Editions on Feb. 14, 2025

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 400

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: Publishers Group Canada

Book Rating: 9/10

In the final months of World War II, a clandestine group known as The Choir smuggles thousands of escapees out of Nazi-occupied Rome via a secret route known as the Rome Escape Line. When an unidentified airman falls from the sky, The Choir is plunged into lethal danger and the survival of the Escape Line itself is threatened.

The Choir is riven with internal tensions and infighting. The organization is in danger of falling apart, which would leave thousands of escaped allied soldiers, POWs, Jews, and objectors stranded in a Rome that is ruled with vicious efficiency by the Nazis. Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty, the architect of the Escape Line and acknowledged leader of The Choir, broods inside the Vatican, seemingly paralyzed by what he sees as the intolerable risks of keeping the Escape Line in operation.

One man has been given the task of definitively destroying the entire operation and the price of his failure is high—SS Commander Paul Hauptmann’s wife and children are under Gestapo supervision in Berlin. Hauptmann is ordered to stay on in the city he both loathes and loves and to dismantle the Escape Line, or watch his family perish. Into this deliriously thrilling melee steps the Contessa Giovanna Landini, a reckless, audacious, and magnetic member of the Italian Resistance who has the nerve to challenge Hauptmann’s authority.

A beautifully written and expertly crafted historical suspense novel that is bursting with action, atmosphere, and unforgettable characters, The Ghosts of Rome is the thrilling follow-up to Joseph O’Connor’s best-selling My Father’s House.

Review:

Charged, emotional, and action-packed!

The Ghosts of Rome is a fascinating, enticing tale that picks up right where My Father’s House left off, taking us back to Vatican City during WWII and into the lives of a handful of individuals known as “The Choir” who now find themselves doing whatever they can to help a shot down, wounded allied airman evade capture while also getting him the life-saving surgery he desperately needs.

The prose is smooth and expressive. The characters are selfless, reliable, and resourceful. And the plot unravels and intertwines briskly into a sweeping saga of life, loss, bravery, strength, loyalty, espionage, grit, determination, deception, secrets, and survival.

Overall, The Ghosts of Rome is an intricate, suspenseful, captivating tale by O’Connor based on real-life events that does a wonderful job of interweaving historical facts and compelling fiction into a thrilling, heart-tugging tale that is atmospheric and highly absorbing.

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

 

 

Thank you to Publishers Group Canada for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Joseph O'Connor

Joseph O’Connor was born in Dublin. He is the author of the novels Cowboys and Indians (short-listed for the Whitbread Prize), Desperadoes , The Salesman , Inishowen , Star of the Sea and Redemption Falls , as well as a number of bestselling works of non-fiction.

He was recently voted ‘Irish Writer of the Decade’ by the readers of Hot Press magazine. He broadcasts a popular weekly radio diary on RTE’s Drivetime With Mary Wilson and writes regularly for The Guardian Review and The Sunday Independent. In 2009 he was the Harman Visiting Professor of Creative Writing at Baruch College, the City University of New York.

Photograph courtesy of Author's Website.

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#BookReview A Calamity of Souls by David Baldacci @davidbaldacci @GrandCentralPub #DavidBaldacci #ACalamityofSouls #GCPInsider

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#BookReview A Calamity of Souls by David Baldacci @davidbaldacci @GrandCentralPub #DavidBaldacci #ACalamityofSouls #GCPInsider Title: A Calamity of Souls

Author: David Baldacci

Published by: Grand Central Publishing on Feb. 11, 2025

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 512

Format: Paperback

Source: Grand Central Publishing

Book Rating: 9/10

Set in the tumultuous year of 1968 in southern Virginia, a racially-charged murder case sets a duo of white and Black lawyers against a deeply unfair system as they work to defend their wrongfully-accused Black defendants in this courtroom drama from #1 New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci. 

Jack Lee is a white lawyer from Freeman County, Virginia, who has never done anything to push back against racism, until he decides to represent Jerome Washington, a Black man charged with brutally killing an elderly and wealthy white couple. Doubting his decision, Lee fears that his legal skills may not be enough to prevail in a case where the odds are already stacked against both him and his client. And he quickly finds himself out of his depth when he realizes that what is at stake is far greater than the outcome of a murder trial.
 
Desiree DuBose is a Black lawyer from Chicago who has devoted her life to furthering the causes of justice and equality for everyone. She comes to Freeman County and enters a fractious and unwieldy partnership with Lee in a legal battle against the best prosecutor in the Commonwealth. Yet DuBose is also aware that powerful outside forces are at work to blunt the victories achieved by the Civil Rights era.  
 
Lee and DuBose could not be more dissimilar. On their own, neither one can stop the prosecution’s deliberate march towards a guilty verdict and the electric chair. But together, the pair fight for what once seemed impossible: a chance for a fair trial and true justice.

Over a decade in the writing, A Calamity of Souls breathes richly imagined and detailed life into a bygone era, taking the reader through a world that will seem both foreign and familiar.

Review:

Impactful, atmospheric, and hauntingly realistic!

A Calamity of Souls is a fast-paced, sinister tale that takes you into the life of small-town white attorney Jack Lee as he suddenly finds himself partnering with the well-known, indomitable Black lawyer Desiree DuBose on the case of his life when he agrees to defend Jerome Washington, a local Black man who, after being found near the bodies of an influential white couple, is automatically presumed guilty.

The prose is gritty and descriptive. The characters are vulnerable, raw, and impulsive. And the plot is an immersive, absorbing tale of life, loss, poverty, familial drama, friendship, courage, morality, loyalty, community, self-preservation, bigotry, racial injustice, violence, and murder.

Overall, A Calamity of Souls is a sincere, ominous, pensive tale by Baldacci that not only highlights the ugliness and weakness of group mentality and the ease with which it allows one to behave with ignorance, intolerance, and even participate in the most unforgivable of crimes, but also reminds us that kindness and compassion is the base of humanity that should ultimately always transcend skin colour and socioeconomic status.

 

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or one of the following links.

             

 

 

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About David Baldacci

David Baldacci is a global #1 bestselling author, and one of the world’s favorite storytellers. His books are published in over 45 languages and in more than 80 countries, with over 130 million worldwide sales. His works have been adapted for both feature film and television. David Baldacci is also the cofounder, along with his wife, of the Wish You Well Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting literacy efforts across America. Still a resident of his native Virginia, he invites you to visit him at DavidBaldacci.com and his foundation at WishYouWellFoundation.org.

Photograph by Allen Jones.

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#BookReview First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #FirstTimeCaller #HeartstringsSeries #BKBorison #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

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#BookReview First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #FirstTimeCaller #HeartstringsSeries #BKBorison #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: First-Time Caller

Author: B.K. Borison

Series: Heartstrings #1

Published by: Berkley on Feb. 11, 2025

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 448

Format: Paperback

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 9/10

A hopeless romantic meets a jaded radio host in this cozy, Sleepless in Seattle-inspired love story from beloved author B.K. Borison.

Aiden Valentine has a secret: he’s fallen out of love with love. And as the host of Baltimore’s romance hotline, that’s a bit of a problem. But when a young girl calls in to the station asking for dating advice for her mom, the interview goes viral, thrusting Aiden and Heartstrings into the limelight.

Lucie Stone thought she was doing just fine. She has a good job; an incredible family; and a smart, slightly devious kid. But when all of Baltimore is suddenly scrutinizing her love life-or lack thereof—she begins to question if she’s as happy as she thought. Maybe a little more romance wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

Everyone wants Lucie to find her happy ending… even the handsome, temperamental man calling the shots. But when sparks start to fly behind the scenes, Lucie must make the final call between the radio-sponsored happily ever after or the man in the headphones next to her.

Review:

Sweet, touching, and romantic!

First-Time Caller is a tender, insightful tale that takes you into the life of the disillusioned Baltimore romance radio host Aiden as he struggles to juggle a disheartening career, philophobia stemming from childhood trauma, a new addition to his late-night show, and the budding attraction he feels for Lucie, a caller who has her heart set on finding magic.

The writing is smooth and genuine. The characters are lonely, quirky, and supportive. And the plot is a captivating, touching blend of introspection, friendship, self-depreciating humour, awkward situations, sweet moments, dating woes, misunderstandings, patience, intimacy, and unconditional love.

Overall, First-Time Caller is a charming, heartwarming, spirited tale by Borison that had just the right amount of emotion, angst, and passion to make this an easy, lighthearted, enjoyable read that I highly recommend and absolutely adore.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

 

Thank you to Berkley Romance for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About B.K. Borison

B.K. Borison is the author of cozy, contemporary romances featuring emotionally vulnerable characters and swoon-worthy settings. When she’s not daydreaming about fictional characters doing fictional things, she’s at home with her family, more than likely buying books she doesn’t have room for. Lovelight Farms was her debut novel.

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#BookReview Deep End by Ali Hazelwood @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #DeepEnd #AliHazelwood #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads

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#BookReview Deep End by Ali Hazelwood @BerkleyRomance @PenguinRandomCA #DeepEnd #AliHazelwood #Berkley #BerkleyPartner #PenguinReads Title: Deep End

Author: Ali Hazelwood

Published by: Berkley on Feb, 4, 2025

Genres: Contemporary Romance, New Adult

Pages: 464

Format: ARC, eBook

Source: Berkley Publishing

Book Rating: 9/10

A competitive diver and an ace swimmer jump into forbidden waters in this steamy college romance from the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis.

Scarlett Vandermeer is swimming upstream. A Junior at Stanford and a student-athlete who specializes in platform diving, Scarlett prefers to keep her head down, concentrating on getting into med school and on recovering from the injury that almost ended her career. She has no time for relationships—at least, that’s what she tells herself.

Swim captain, world champion, all-around aquatics golden boy, Lukas Blomqvist thrives on discipline. It’s how he wins gold medals and breaks records: complete focus, with every stroke. On the surface, Lukas and Scarlett have nothing in common. Until a well-guarded secret slips out, and everything changes.

So they start an arrangement. And as the pressure leading to the Olympics heats up, so does their relationship. It was supposed to be just a temporary, mutually satisfying fling. But when staying away from Lukas becomes impossible, Scarlett realizes that her heart might be treading into dangerous water…

Review:

Lighthearted, charming, and angsty!

Deep End is a sweet, steamy, sexy sports romance featuring the intelligent, focused Scarlett, who is struggling to recover from a tragic accident that almost ended her diving career, and the hot, successful Lukas, who may have finally found the one girl who not only likes the kinky things that he likes but makes him want more.

The writing is honest and emotive. The characters are warm, supportive, and endearing. And the plot is an alluring blend of friendship, family, drama, emotion, attraction, heat, insecurities, self-discovery, happiness, competition, taking chances, tender moments, mental health, romance, and the pressures of being a varsity athlete.

Overall, Deep End is another addictive, salacious, delectable STEM treat by Hazelwood that left me delightfully satisfied and yearning for a whole lot more. 

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

 

Thank you to Berkley Romance for this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Ali Hazelwood

Ali Hazelwood is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Love, Theoretically and The Love Hypothesis, as well as a writer of peer-reviewed articles about brain science, in which no one makes out and the ever after is not always happy. Originally from Italy, she lived in Germany and Japan before moving to the US to pursue a PhD in neuroscience. When Ali is not at work, she can be found running, eating cake pops, or watching sci-fi movies with her three feline overlords (and her slightly-less-feline husband).

Photo by Justin Murphy / Out of the Attic Photography.

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#BookReview The Girls of the Glimmer Factory by Jennifer Coburn @JenniferCoburn @Sourcebooks @sbkslandmark #TheGirlsOfTheGlimmerFactory #JenniferCoburn #bookmarkedbylandmark

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#BookReview The Girls of the Glimmer Factory by Jennifer Coburn @JenniferCoburn @Sourcebooks @sbkslandmark #TheGirlsOfTheGlimmerFactory #JenniferCoburn #bookmarkedbylandmark Title: The Girls of the Glimmer Factory

Author: Jennifer Coburn

Published by: Sourcebooks Landmark on Jan. 28, 2025

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 480

Format: Paperback

Source: Sourcebooks Landmark

Book Rating: 9/10

From the author of Cradles of the Reich comes a poignant and inspiring tale of resistance, friendship, and the dangers of propaganda, based on the real story of Theresienstadt, for fans of The Forest of Vanishing Stars and The German Wife.

Hannah longs for the days when she used to be free, but now, she is a Jewish prisoner at Theresienstadt, a model ghetto where the Nazis plan to make a propaganda film to convince the world that the Jewish people are living well in the camps. But Hannah will do anything to show the world the truth. Along with other young resistance members, they vow to disrupt the filming and derail the increasingly frequent deportations to death camps in the east.

Hilde is a true believer in the Nazi cause, working in the Reich Ministry of Enlightenment and Propaganda. Though they’re losing the war, Hilde hasn’t lost faith. She can’t stop the Allied bombings, but she can help the party create a documentary that will renew confidence in Hitler’s plans for Jewish containment. When the filming of Hitler Gives a City to the Jews faces production problems due to resistance, Hilde finds herself in a position to finally make a name for herself. And when she recognizes Hannah, an old childhood friend, she knows she can use their friendship to get the film back on track.

Review:

Compelling, intense, and absorbing!

The Girls of the Glimmer Factory is a charged, intriguing tale set during WWII that takes you into the lives of Hannah Kaufman, a young Jewish woman imprisoned in the Theresienstadt ghetto, and Hilde Kramer-Bischoff, a German filmmaker who is bound and determined to produce a film that shows the world the benefits of Hitler’s Nazi ideology.

The prose is fluid and rich. The characters are resilient, courageous, and strong. And the plot is a captivating tale of life, loss, love, family, survival, sacrifice, courage, selflessness, the unimaginable horrors of war, and the dangers of propaganda.

Overall, The Girls of the Glimmer Factory is an enticing, heart-tugging, atmospheric tale by Coburn that transports you to another time and place and immerses you so thoroughly into the feelings, lives, and personalities of the characters you can’t help but be fully engrossed and completely invested throughout.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

         

 

 

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Jennifer Coburn

Jennifer Coburn is the author of Cradles of the Reich, a historical novel about three very different women living at a Nazi Lebensborn breeding home at the start of World War ll.

She has also published a mother-daughter travel memoir, We'll Always Have Paris, as well as six contemporary women's novels. Additionally, Jennifer has contributed to five literary anthologies, including A Paris All Your Own.

Jennifer lives in San Diego with her husband, William. Their daughter, Katie is currently in graduate school. When Jennifer is not going down historical research rabbit holes, she volunteers with So Say We All, a live storytelling organization, where she is a performer, producer, and performance coach. She is also an active volunteer with Reality Changers, a nonprofit that supports low-income high school students in becoming the first in their families to attend college. She specializes in college essay development, and interview prep.

Photo Credit: Killian Whitelock

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#BookReview To Die For by David Baldacci @davidbaldacci @GrandCentralPub #DavidBaldacci #The620ManSeries #ToDieFor #GCPInsider

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#BookReview To Die For by David Baldacci @davidbaldacci @GrandCentralPub #DavidBaldacci #The620ManSeries #ToDieFor #GCPInsider Title: To Die For

Author: David Baldacci

Series: The 6:20 Man #3

Published by: Grand Central Publishing on Nov. 12, 2024

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 432

Format: Hardcover

Source: Grand Central Publishing

Book Rating: 9/10

From #1 New York Times bestselling author, David Baldacci, the 6:20 Man returns, this time sent to the Pacific Northwest to aid the FBI in a case that gets more complicated with the more questions Devine asks—and he’s about to come face-to-face with his nemesis, the girl on the train.

Travis Devine has become a pro at adapting to any situation to accomplish the mission set in front of him. Whether it’s a high-powered corporate setting or small-town community, Devine will become the man for the job. His time as an Army Ranger and on the financial battlefields of Wall Street gave him the skills he needed, and he’s put them to good use. But this time it’s not his skills that send him to Seattle to aid the FBI in escorting orphaned, twelve-year-old Betsy Odom to a meeting with her uncle, who’s under investigation for RICO charges. Instead, he’s hoping to lie low and keep off the radar of an enemy that he evaded on a train in Switzerland and who has been after him ever since—the girl on the train.

But as Devine gets to know Betsy, questions begin to arise around the death of her parents. Betsy is adamant that they had never used drugs, but the police in the small rural town where they died insist the Odoms died of an overdose. Devine starts digging for answers, and what he finds points to a conspiracy bigger than he could’ve ever imagined. The question is, how do Betsy, her uncle, and various government agencies all fit into it.

It might finally be time for Devine and the girl on the train to come face-to-face, and when that happens, Devine is going to find himself unsure of who are his allies and who are his enemies. And in some cases, they might well be both.

Review:

Action-packed, menacing, and intricate!

In this gripping third instalment in the 6:20 Man series, To Die For, Baldacci has written an adrenaline-pumping thriller that now sees Ex-Army Ranger Travis Devine heading to Seattle to investigate the strange deaths of a husband and wife that has not only caught the attention of multiple government agencies but seems to have familial ties with a large racketeering organization.

The writing is descriptive and tight. The characters are astute, tenacious, and crafty. And the plot keeps you on the edge of your seat with its intense, exhilarating chapters that submerge you, page after page, into a world full of danger, deception, secrets, lies, corruption, power, violence, manipulation, malevolence, and murder.

Overall, To Die For is another cleverly woven, sinister, highly entertaining thrill ride by Baldacci with a good sense of urgency, great characterization, and a brisk pace that’s an absolutely fabulous addition to the 6:20 Man series that shouldn’t be missed.

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or one of the following links.

             

 

 

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About David Baldacci

David Baldacci is a global #1 bestselling author, and one of the world’s favorite storytellers. His books are published in over 45 languages and in more than 80 countries, with over 130 million worldwide sales. His works have been adapted for both feature film and television. David Baldacci is also the cofounder, along with his wife, of the Wish You Well Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting literacy efforts across America. Still a resident of his native Virginia, he invites you to visit him at DavidBaldacci.com and his foundation at WishYouWellFoundation.org.

Photograph by Allen Jones.

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#BookReview The Forgotten One by Catherine Bybee @CatherineBybee @AmazonPub #TheForgottenOne #TheHeirsSeries #CatherineBybee #Montlake

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#BookReview The Forgotten One by Catherine Bybee @CatherineBybee @AmazonPub #TheForgottenOne #TheHeirsSeries #CatherineBybee #Montlake Title: The Forgotten One

Author: Catherine Bybee

Series: The Heirs #2

Published by: Montlake Romance on Nov. 12, 2024

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 384

Format: Paperback

Source: Amazon Publishing, OTRPR

Book Rating: 9/10

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee spins a dazzling tale of long-lost relatives, overnight riches, and unexpected romance in the dramatic second book of The Heirs series.

Sarah McNeilly is a rare find in the tabloid industry. She won’t ignite gossip. She finds the truth. And for once, that’s what her boss wants. With her job on the line, Sarah’s latest assignment is to identify the elusive “Maximillian Smith,” unearth his connection to the billionaire Stone family, and dig up some dirt.

Yesterday Max was an ordinary workingman, concerned with little more than the price of gas. Now he suddenly has a family, jaw-dropping wealth, and an avid (if clumsy) reporter on his trail. With the press threatening to destroy his new life, he needs to release his real story strategically, and Sarah is the key—not to mention an adorable yet invaluable resource for finding his mother.

As Max and Sarah team up to peel back the ugly layers of Max’s past, they stumble heart-first into their fiery attraction. But when their research threatens their newly built trust, it’s their future that is on the line.

Review:

Absorbing, spicy, and heartfelt!

The Forgotten One is a sweet, uplifting tale that takes us into the lives of Maximillian Smith, a down-to-earth guy with a rough past who is still coming to grips with his newly inherited wealth, and Sarah McNeilly, a tabloid reporter who is determined to uncover the truth and write pieces that are meaningful and honest regardless of what her boss would prefer.

The writing is smooth and sincere. The characters are hardworking, passionate, and stubborn. And the plot is an engaging, hopeful tale full of family, drama, disappointments, tender moments, palpable chemistry, expectations, revelations, friendship, and love.

Overall, The Forgotten One is a warm, charming, addictive read by Bybee that can definitely be picked up as a standalone novel, but as someone who absolutely adores this Heirs series, I highly recommend you read them all.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links.

     

 

 

Thank you to Amazon Publishing for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Catherine Bybee

Catherine Bybee is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of twenty-five books that have collectively sold more than three million copies and have been translated into twelve languages. Raised in Washington State, Bybee moved to Southern California in hopes of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full-time and has penned the Not Quite series, the Weekday Brides series, and the Most Likely To series.

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