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Best of 2019

Recent Reviews

Be My Guest by Priya BasilThe Wicked Lord's Mistress by Scarlett JamesonTrying to Score by Kendall RyanNothing More Dangerous by Allen EskensThe Family Upstairs by Lisa JewellThe Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae by Stephanie ButlandThe Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay AdamsThe Poppy Wife by Caroline ScottThe Christmas Party by Karen SwanThis Earl of Mine by Kate BatemanStealing Kisses in the Snow by Jo McNallyRight after the Weather by Carol AnshawNotting Hill in the Snow by Jules WakeMoonlighter by Sarina BowenReach for a Star by Kathryn FreemanThe Summer Queen by Margaret PembertonA Family by Christmas by Viv RoyceAlex by A.M. SalingerDown Too Deep by J. DanielsDead Guilty by Michelle Davies

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Instagram post 2175516072978056217_5563974836 🎉 It’s Tuesday! Happy Publication Day! 🎉⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ So today I’m sharing my review for 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 by 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐄𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐧s. This was the first novel I’ve ever read by Eskens and to say I enjoyed it would be an understatement. In fact, I enjoyed his writing so much I’ve already gone out and bought his previous novel 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝗪𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐲.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ And now without further ado here are my thoughts on 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬!⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ Review: ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ Impactful, atmospheric, and hauntingly realistic!⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ In this latest novel by Eskens, 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬, he transports us to Jessup, Missouri, a small, midwestern town that suddenly finds itself turned upside down when an unsolved case of embezzlement, a missing, young, African-American employee, depressing economics, and a strong underlying racist mentality tests and unearths all the hidden, longstanding alliances, relationships, and friendships within it.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ The prose is gritty and descriptive. The characters are vulnerable, raw, and impulsive. And the plot is an immersive journey of life, loss, poverty, coming-of-age, familial drama, friendship, courage, morality, loyalty, community, self-preservation, racism, and violence.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Overall, 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 is a sincere, pensive, ominous tale 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 transcend skin colour and socioeconomic status.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣Thank you to @hbgcanada for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Have you read a Nothing More Dangerous or anything else by Allen Eskens?⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ What are you reading now?⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ #bookish #bookreview #bookhoarder #bookishlife #bookishlove #booklover #mystery @thriller #bookobsessed #bookaholic #bookrecommendations #whatsbetterthanbooks⁣ #hbgcanada #nothingmoredangerous
Instagram post 2174868783439707378_5563974836 🌺 Happy Remembrance Day, Everyone! 🌺 ⁣ ⁣ So just over a year ago one of the bloggers ( @whatcathyreadnextbookblog ) I follow featured a Q&A with @angellepetta_author about her novel 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐫 and I was so intrigued that I ordered a copy. ⁣ ⁣ I know it’s sat on my bookshelf a long time but I am so happy that I finally picked it up this weekend and had the opportunity to read such a compelling, poignant, emotional story. It was the perfect story for this time of year and I hope if you love historical fiction as much as I do and you get a chance, give this 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 story a read and let me know what you think.⁣ ⁣ 𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬:⁣ ⁣ Two young men come of age and fall in love, set against the backdrop of true events during World War II.⁣ ⁣ It’s 1938. Bastian Fisher and Max Amsel meet at an American-Nazi camp, Siegfried. Neither have any idea what to do with their blooming, confusing feelings for one another. Before they can begin to understand, the pair is yanked apart and forced in opposite directions. ⁣ ⁣ Five years later, during the heart of World War II, Bastian’s American army platoon lands in Salerno, Italy. Max is in Nazi-occupied Rome where he has negotiated a plan to hire Jews on as ‘extras’ in a movie—an elaborate ruse to escape the Nazis. Brought together by circumstance and war, Bastian and Max find one another again in Rome.⁣ ⁣ Exploring the true stories of Camp Siegfried and the making of the film, La Porta del Cielo, The Artist and the Soldier is intense, fast moving, and sheds light on largely untouched stories in American and Italian history.⁣ ⁣ Have you read a great story lately? What do you recommend?⁣ ⁣ #bookish #bookrecommendations #bookreview #bookhoarder #bookishlife #bookishlove #booklover #historicalfiction #bookobsessed #bookaholic #whatsbetterthanbooks⁣
Instagram post 2174145600285794892_5563974836 More books! What? I couldn’t resist. Even though I absolutely do not need any more books right now. These finds at my local @indigo were too good to pass up. ⁣Has anyone read any of these?⁣ Have you found any good book deals lately? ⁣⁣⁣ #bookstagram #bookblogger #reading #tbr #bookstoread #books #mystery #thriller #bookishlove #bookphotography #books #booksbooksbooks #bookishlife #bookstagrammer #lovetoread #readersofinstagram #bookworm #bookish #whatsbetterthanbooks⁣ #chaptersindigo
Instagram post 2172666294472607242_5563974836 🌸 Yeah! Friday! I don’t know about everyone else but I’m really looking forward to a nice relaxing weekend. 🌸 Today I’m sharing my 5 🌟 review for:⁣ ⁣ The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ Creepy, dark, and unsettling! The Family Upstairs is a well-crafted, gritty novel that takes you into the lives of the Lamb family, specifically Lucy, a mother of two scrounging to make ends meet, Harry, a middle-aged man with a chilling, childhood story to tell, and Libby Jones, a young woman who suddenly finds herself the inheritor of a Chelsea mansion with a wicked past. The writing is intense and intricate. The characters are troubled, vulnerable, and deceptive. And the plot told from multiple perspectives and alternating between timelines quickly unfolds into a complex story full of mind games, manipulation, obsession, jealousy, abuse, unforeseen twists, well-timed surprises, violence, and pure evil. Overall, The Family Upstairs is a disturbing, gripping, eerie tale by Jewell that once again highlights that when it comes to writing menacing, intelligent, tortuous, psychological thrillers she's one of the best. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ Thank you to @simonschusterca for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review. Have you had a chance to read The Family Upstairs or anything else by Lisa Jewell?⁣ ⁣ What did you think?⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #bookstagram #bookblogger #reading #tbr #bookmail #bookstoread #books #mystery #thriller #psychologicalthriller #bookishlove #bookphotography #books #booksbooksbooks #bookishlife #ARC #bookstagrammer #lovetoread #readersofinstagram #bookworm #bookish #whatsbetterthanbooks⁣ #simonschusterca
Instagram post 2171993768218286308_5563974836 💗 Review Time 💗 Today I have my 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 review for:⁣ ⁣ The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae by Stephanie Butland ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ Moving, inspiring, and heartfelt! The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae is a pensive, tender novel that takes us into the life of the courageous, optimistic Ailsa Rae who after living a sheltered, timid life due to a congenital heart defect is struggling to recover, adapt, relearn, and become more adventurous after a heart transplant saves her life. The writing is direct and sincere. The characters are charming, authentic, and amusing. And the plot using an intriguing mixture of narration, letters, newspaper articles, blog posts, and emails is a delightfully witty, bittersweet tale about life, love, loss, family, friendship, self-discovery, happiness, and taking chances. Overall, The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae is a thought-provoking, romantic, touching tale by Butland that does an exceptional job of highlighting the demand, necessity, and importance of organ donation, and has just the right amount of laughs, tears, endearing characters, and heartfelt storyline to be completely absorbing. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ Have you had a chance to read The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae?⁣ ⁣ What did you think?⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #bookstagram #bookblogger #reading #tbr #bookmail #bookstoread #books #contemporaryromance #womensfiction #bookishlove #bookphotography #books #booksbooksbooks #bookishlife #ARC #bookstagrammer #lovetoread #readersofinstagram #bookworm #bookish #whatsbetterthanbooks⁣ #stmartinspress
Instagram post 2171131164008583274_5563974836 🌼 Happy Hump Day! 🌼⁣ ⁣ Today I have my 4+ 🌟 review for:⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐛 by 𝘓𝘺𝘴𝘴𝘢 𝘒𝘢𝘺 𝘈𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘴⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ Quirky, humorous, and refreshing!⁣ ⁣ The Bromance Book Club is a lighthearted, charming read that takes us into the life of Gavin Scott, a successful, professional baseball player who after learning his wife wants a divorce decides to do whatever it takes to win her back, including taking advice from his friends, fellow teammates, and the seventh Earl of Latford.⁣ ⁣ The prose is playful and fun. The characters, including all the supporting characters, are amusing, bawdy, and engaging. And the plot told from alternating POVs is a sweet, flirty tale full of tricky situations, tender moments, hilarious mishaps, friendship, family, miscommunication, self-discovery, determination, and a little steamy, regency romance.⁣ ⁣ Overall, The Bromance Book Club is an alluring, easy, spicy read by Adams that has characters you can’t help but root for and a storyline that is highly entertaining.⁣ ⁣⁣ Thank you to @penguinrandomca for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ Have you had a chance to read The Bromance Book Club?⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ What did you think?⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ #bookstagram #bookblogger #reading #tbr #bookmail #bookstoread #books #contemporaryromance #bookishlove #bookphotography #books #booksbooksbooks #bookishlife #ARC #bookstagrammer #lovetoread #readersofinstagram #bookworm #bookish #whatsbetterthanbooks⁣ #thepoppywife #bromancebookclub #penguinrandomca #berkley
Instagram post 2170493415211412448_5563974836 🎉2019 #goodreadschallenge completed! Yay! Just keep reading, reading, reading!⁣ ⁣ How are you doing on your reading challenges this year?⁣ ⁣ #bookstagram #bookblogger #reading #tbr #bookmail #goodreads #goodreadschallenge2019 #bookstoread #books #bookishlove #bookphotography #books #booksbooksbooks #bookishlife #bookstagrammer #lovetoread #readersofinstagram #bookworm #bookish #whatsbetterthanbooks⁣
Instagram post 2170162973228878629_5563974836 🎉 Review Time 🎉 Today I am so excited to share my 5 🌟 review for a book I absolutely loved.⁣ ⁣ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝗪𝐢𝐟𝐞 by 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘚𝘤𝘰𝘵𝘵⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ Poignant, insightful, and profoundly moving!⁣ ⁣ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝗪𝐢𝐟𝐞 is predominantly set in the French countryside during 1921, as well as 1917, and is told from two different perspectives. Edie, a young British wife who after receiving a picture of her missing husband journeys to France to find him, dead or alive, and discover his fate wherever he may be, and Harry, the youngest of three brothers who endeavours to help his sister-in-law and others find some form of closure even while his own experiences and memories of war still plague and haunt him day and night.⁣ ⁣ The prose is poetic, expressive, and stunningly vivid. The characters are damaged, determined, and courageous. And the plot is a heartrending, utterly absorbing tale about life, love, loneliness, familial relationships, heartbreak, war, loss, grief, guilt, hope, loyalty, and survival.⁣ ⁣ Overall, 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝗪𝐢𝐟𝐞 is a beautifully written, exceptionally atmospheric novel that transports you to another time and place and immerses you so thoroughly into the personalities, feelings, and lives of the characters you can't help but be affected. It is without a doubt one of my favourite novels of the year that reminds us of the horrific consequences of war and the thousands of nameless men who still remain scattered underneath a savage battlefield. It's emotive, powerful and as Kipling so iconically stated, "lest we forget."⁣ ⁣ Thank you to @harpercollinsca @williammorrowbooks for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ Have you had a chance to read The Poppy Wife?⁣ ⁣ What did you think?⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #bookstagram #bookblogger #reading #tbr #bookmail #bookstoread #books #historicalfiction #bookishlove #bookphotography #books #booksbooksbooks #bookishlife #ARC #bookstagrammer #lovetoread #readersofinstagram #bookworm #bookish #whatsbetterthanbooks⁣ #harpercollinsca #thepoppywife #williammorrowbooks
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Zoe's bookshelf: read

Mister O
really liked it
Mister O
by Lauren Blakely
This is a steamy, contemporary romance novel. The characters are quirky, charming, and engaging. And the story is smart, sexy, and at times laugh-out-loud funny. This is truly a hot rom com, that mixes interesting characters, a comic b...
Property of a Noblewoman
liked it
Property of a Noblewoman
by Danielle Steel
Danielle Steel is an icon in the contemporary romance genre. And although this wasn't my favourite, it was a good read. This is, ultimately, a story about discovery. The discovery of not only priceless jewels, but also family secrets, l...
Miller's Valley
really liked it
Miller's Valley
by Anna Quindlen
This is a very interesting and intriguing story. It is a sobering novel that reminds us that life is short and precious, and that everyone and everything that enters our life shapes us in some way and makes us who we are today. It touc...
Friction
really liked it
Friction
by Sandra Brown
I would give this 4.5 stars! This is a great mystery. In fact, it is one of my favourite reads, in this genre, so far this year. It is a riveting, intense, suspenseful story, with a side of romance, that starts with a murder in a court...
Wrong Place, Right Time
really liked it
Wrong Place, Right Time
by Elle Casey
Elle Casey writes great contemporary romance. I really enjoyed the first book in the Bourbon Street Boys series and this one was just as good. It has everything you want, and more, in a romance novel. It is flirty, fun, and packed full ...

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