Format: Paperback

#BookReview Lost Girls by Angela Marsons @WriteAngie @GrandCentralPub #AngelaMarsons #LostGirls #DIKimStoneSeries

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#BookReview Lost Girls by Angela Marsons @WriteAngie @GrandCentralPub #AngelaMarsons #LostGirls #DIKimStoneSeries Title: Lost Girls

Author: Angela Marsons

Series: DI Kim Stone #3

Published by: Grand Central Publishing on Oct. 12, 2021

Genres: Mystery/Thriller, Police Procedural

Pages: 448

Format: Paperback

Source: Grand Central Publishing

Book Rating: 10/10

Two girls go missing. Only one will return.

The couple that offers the highest amount will see their daughter again. The losing couple will not. Make no mistake. One child will die.

When nine-year-old best friends Charlie and Amy disappear, two families are plunged into a living nightmare. A text message confirms the unthinkable; that the girls are the victims of a terrifying kidnapping.

And when a second text message pits the two families against each other for the life of their children, the clock starts ticking for and the squad.

Seemingly outwitted at every turn, as they uncover a trail of bodies, Stone realises that these ruthless killers might be the most deadly she has ever faced. And that their chances of bringing the girls home alive, are getting smaller by the hour…

Untangling a dark web of secrets from the families’ past might hold the key to solving this case. But can Kim stay alive long enough to do so? Or will someone’s child pay the ultimate price?

Review:

Brilliantly plotted, incredibly captivating, and cleverly spine-chilling!

Lost Girls is a dark, suspenseful, gripping police procedural that brings every parent’s worst nightmare to life and explores the terror, chaos, and distress a ruthless set of kidnappers with no conscience, a lot of savvy, and sadistic tendencies can wreak.

The writing is tight and intense. The characters are intelligent, multi-layered, and tenacious. And the plot starts with a bang and quickly unravels into a perilous tale full of twists, turns, red herrings, secrets, lies, fear, obsession, greed, violence, kidnapping, and murder.

I have to say that in a time when mysteries and thrillers seem to be churned out quicker and quicker, and storylines seem to be getting more predictable and rote, Angela Marsons is like a breath of fresh air. She creates characters I can’t get enough of and complex, gritty stories that suck me in and make me feel like a participant and not just an observer. She writes with great depth and a lot of insight, and every time I finish one of her books, I’m left unnerved, entertained, and disturbingly satisfied and Lost Girls is no exception. What more can I say if you haven’t read any of the novels in the DI Kim Stone series, you really need to.

 

This book is available now.

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

            

 

 

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

 

About Angela Marsons

Angela Marsons is the USA Today bestselling author of the Detective Kim Stone series, and her books have sold more than four million copies and have been translated into twenty-seven languages. She lives in the Black Country, in the West Midlands of England, with her partner and their two Golden Retrievers. She first discovered her love of writing at junior school when actual lessons came second to watching other people and quietly making up her own stories about them. Her report card invariably read “Angela would do well if she minded her own business as well as she minds other people’s.” After writing women’s fiction, Angela turned to crime — fictionally speaking, of course — and developed a character that refused to go away.

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#BookReview The Girls in the Stilt House by Kelly Mustian @KellyMustian @Sourcebooks @sbkslandmark #TheGirlsintheStiltHouse #KellyMustian #bookmarkedbylandmark

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#BookReview The Girls in the Stilt House by Kelly Mustian @KellyMustian @Sourcebooks @sbkslandmark #TheGirlsintheStiltHouse #KellyMustian #bookmarkedbylandmark Title: The Girls in the Stilt House

Author: Kelly Mustian

Published by: Sourcebooks Landmark on Apr. 6, 2021

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 384

Format: Paperback

Source: Sourcebooks Landmark

Book Rating: 8.5/10

Set in 1920s Mississippi, this debut Southern novel weaves a beautiful and harrowing story of two teenage girls cast in an unlikely partnership through murder—perfect for readers of Where the Crawdads Sing and If the Creek Don’t Rise.

Ada promised herself she would never go back to the Trace, to her hard life on the swamp and her harsh father. But now, after running away to Baton Rouge and briefly knowing a different kind of life, she finds herself with nowhere to go but back home. And she knows there will be a price to pay with her father.

Matilda, daughter of a sharecropper, is from the other side of the Trace. Doing what she can to protect her family from the whims and demands of some particularly callous locals is an ongoing struggle. She forms a plan to go north, to pack up the secrets she’s holding about her life in the South and hang them on the line for all to see in Ohio.

As the two girls are drawn deeper into a dangerous world of bootleggers and moral corruption, they must come to terms with the complexities of their tenuous bond and a hidden past that links them in ways that could cost them their lives.

Review:

Gritty, immersive, and powerful!

The Girls in the Stilt House is a captivating, moving tale that sweeps you away to the heat, humidity and stickiness of the 1920s Mississippi swamplands and into the lives of two teenage girls, Ada Morgan, a young white girl, pregnant and alone, who with nowhere else to turn reluctantly returns home to a sadistic father with a penchant for cruelty, and Matilda Patterson, the black daughter of a sharecropper who spends her time writing of the ongoing prejudice and poverty found in the south while dreaming of moving to the north, two girls from completely different backgrounds who after a moment of shared violence are bound together forever.

The prose is eloquent and descriptive. The characters are raw, tormented, and fragile. And the plot is a heart-tugging tale of life, love, violence, hardship, terror, racism, dreams, resilience, loss, hope, redemption, and survival.

The Girls in the Stilt House is a perceptive, compelling, fabulous debut by Mustian that is an excellent reminder that compassion, kindness, and strength come in many forms that ultimately transcend socioeconomics, skin colour, and the deepest, darkest of realities.

 

This book is available now.

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

           

 

 

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

 

About Kelly Mustian

Kelly Mustian grew up in Natchez, Mississippi, the southern terminus of the historic Natchez Trace. Her work has appeared in numerous literary journals and commercial magazines, and her short fiction has won a Blumenthal Writers and Readers Series Award. She is a past recipient of a Regional Artist Grant from the North Carolina Arts and Science Council. Kelly currently lives with her family near the foothills of North Carolina. The Girls in the Stilt House is her debut novel.

Photo by Rachelle Thompson.

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#BookReview The London House by Katherine Reay @Katherine_Reay @harpermusebooks @BookSparks #TheLondonHouse #KatherineReay #FallPopUp

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#BookReview The London House by Katherine Reay @Katherine_Reay @harpermusebooks @BookSparks #TheLondonHouse #KatherineReay #FallPopUp Title: The London House

Author: Katherine Reay

Published by: Harper Muse on Nov. 2, 2021

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback

Source: BookSparks

Book Rating: 8.5/10

Uncovering a dark family secret sends one woman through the history of Britain’s World War II spy network and glamorous 1930s Paris to save her family’s reputation.

Caroline Payne thinks it’s just another day of work until she receives a call from Mat Hammond, an old college friend and historian. But pleasantries are cut short. Mat has uncovered a scandalous secret kept buried for decades: In World War II, Caroline’s British great-aunt betrayed family and country to marry her German lover.

Determined to find answers and save her family’s reputation, Caroline flies to her family’s ancestral home in London. She and Mat discover diaries and letters that reveal her grandmother and great-aunt were known as the “Waite sisters.” Popular and witty, they came of age during the interwar years, a time of peace and luxury filled with dances, jazz clubs, and romance. The buoyant tone of the correspondence soon yields to sadder revelations as the sisters grow apart, and one leaves home for the glittering fashion scene of Paris, despite rumblings of a coming world war.

Each letter brings more questions. Was Caroline’s great-aunt actually a traitor and Nazi collaborator, or is there a more complex truth buried in the past? Together, Caroline and Mat uncover stories of spies and secrets, love and heartbreak, and the events of one fateful evening in 1941 that changed everything.

In this rich historical novel from award-winning author Katherine Reay, a young woman is tasked with writing the next chapter of her family’s story. But Caroline must choose whether to embrace a love of her own and proceed with caution if her family’s decades-old wounds are to heal without tearing them even further apart.

Review:

Captivating, immersive, and mysterious!

The London House is an uplifting, pensive tale that sweeps you away to England and Paris during WWII, as well as present-day London, and into the lives of the Payne family as they delve into all the strained relationships and enduring secrets, loss, tears, wounds, misery, grief, and anger that has surrounded them for generations.

The prose is eloquent and expressive. The characters are complex, scarred, and authentic. And the plot is a sweeping saga filled with familial drama, introspection, love, loss, life, family, friendship, mystique, heartbreak, romance, secrets, hope, passion, sisterhood, as well as a little insight into some of the iconic fashion produced by the house of Schiaparelli over the years.

Overall, The London House is an informative, romantic, alluring tale by Reay that does an exceptional job of highlighting the incredible impact war had on the personal lives of those it touched both at home and away and the significant contribution women played during those dark and tumultuous times.

 

This novel is available now.

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

                

 

 

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

 

About Katherine Reay

Katherine Reay is a writer, wife, mom, continually rehabbing runner, compulsive vacuumist and a horrific navigator…

She graduated from Northwestern University and earned an MS in Marketing from Northwestern as well. She then worked in marketing and development before returning to graduate school for a Masters of Theological Studies. Moves to Texas, England, Ireland and Washington left that degree unfinished as Katherine spent her time unpacking, raising kids, volunteering, writing, and exploring new storylines and new cities.

The Reay family (with a great sense of permanency) now resides outside Chicago, and Katherine pursues writing with more focus. She writes character-driven stories and non-fiction that focuses upon examining the past and how it influences our present experiences.

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#BookReview #Audiobook The Perks of Loving a Wallflower by Erica Ridley @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub @HachetteAudio #ReadForever #Forever2021 #ThePerksofLovingaWallflower #EricaRidley #TheWildWynchesters #HachetteAudio

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#BookReview #Audiobook The Perks of Loving a Wallflower by Erica Ridley @readforeverpub @grandcentralpub @HachetteAudio #ReadForever #Forever2021 #ThePerksofLovingaWallflower #EricaRidley #TheWildWynchesters #HachetteAudio Title: The Perks of Loving a Wallflower

Author: Erica Ridley

Narrator: Moira Quirk

Series: The Wild Wynchesters #2

Published by: Forever, Hachette Audio on Oct. 26, 2021

Genres: Historical Romance, LGBTQIA

Pages: 346

Length: 10 hrs 27 mins

Format: Audiobook, Paperback

Source: Forever, Hachette Audio

Book Rating: 9/10

Fans of Bridgerton will love this Regency romp in which a proper Society miss recruits a very improper lady grifter in a quest for vengeance, only to find love instead.

As a master of disguise, Thomasina Wynchester can be a polite young lady—or a bawdy old man. Anything to solve the case. Her latest assignment unveils a top-secret military cipher covering up an enigma that goes back centuries. But when Tommy’s beautiful new client turns out to be the highborn lady she’s secretly smitten with, more than her mission is at stake . . .

Bluestocking Miss Philippa York doesn’t believe in love. Her cold heart didn’t pitter-patter when she was betrothed to a duke, nor did it break when he married someone else. All Philippa desires is to rescue her priceless manuscript and decode its clues to unmask a villain. She hates that she needs a man’s help—so she’s delighted to discover the clever, charming baron at her side is in fact a woman. Her cold heart . . . did it just pitter-patter?

Review:

Captivating, mysterious, and seductive!

The Perks of Loving a Wallflower is an enticing, passionate tale that takes you back to London during 1817 and into the life of Thomasina Wynchester, a young lady with many faces who is bound and determined while helping her family solve the mystery involving the wartime cipher to finally introduce her true self to the bluestocking she yearns for, the lovely Miss Philippa York.

The prose is witty and sweet. The characters are strong-willed, determined, and resourceful. And the plot is an arousing combination of friendship, family, secrets, determination, action, adventure, societal expectations, desire, acceptance, tender moments, and unconditional love.

Overall, The Perks of Loving a Wallflower is a charming, seductive, heartwarming romp by Ridley that does a fabulous job of taking the historical romance genre and spicing it up with a little gender-bending, some sapphic love, a touch of mystery, and such a unique and intriguing cast you can’t help but cheer them on. I was once again lucky enough to not only read this novel but also listen to the audio, and I have to say if you get a chance, give this one a listen as Moira Quirk, the narrator, does an incredible job of bringing not only this story but these characters to life.

 

This novel is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from the following link.

               

 

 

Thank you to Forever, Grand Central Publishing, and Hachette Audio for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Erica Ridley

Erica Ridley is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of historical romance novels. When not reading or writing romances, Erica can be found riding camels in Africa, zip-lining through rain forests in Costa Rica, or getting hopelessly lost in the middle of Budapest.

Photo courtesy of Forever website.

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#BookReview Meant to Be My Cowboy by R.C. Ryan @ReadForeverPub @GrandCentralPub #ReadForever #ReadForeverPub #ReadForever2021 #RCRyan #MeanttoBeMyCowboy #WranglersofWyoming

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#BookReview Meant to Be My Cowboy by R.C. Ryan @ReadForeverPub @GrandCentralPub #ReadForever #ReadForeverPub #ReadForever2021 #RCRyan #MeanttoBeMyCowboy #WranglersofWyoming Title: Meant to Be My Cowboy

Author: R.C. Ryan

Series: Wranglers of Wyoming #3

Published by: Forever on Aug. 24, 2021

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 329

Format: Paperback

Source: Forever

Book Rating: 8.5/10

A woman on the run must trust her family’s sworn enemy in this thrilling tale by one of the best in cowboy romance.

The cowboy she can’t have . . . is the one she can’t resist.

Annie Dempsey has two rules for her new life in Devil’s Door, Wyoming: no romance and no drama. Fresh off a bad breakup, she’s already avoiding love. And as long as she steers clear of the Merrick clan—her family’s sworn enemies—avoiding drama won’t be a problem. But when a charming stranger steps in to protect Annie from a sudden threat, both her rules fly out the door. Because Annie’s mystery hero . . . is a Merrick.

Jonah Merrick won’t allow anyone—even a Dempsey—to be harmed on his watch. It doesn’t hurt that sweet, gorgeous Annie makes his heart beat like never before. Against his family’s objections, Jonah insists Annie hide out with him at his ranch while they try to outwit a dangerous pursuer. But as the days turn into weeks, Jonah realizes he’ll stop anyone who tries to harm Annie . . . or the loving future they’re building together.

Review:

Suspenseful, appealing, and sweet!

Meant to Be My Cowboy is a warm, lighthearted tale that takes you back to Devil’s Door, Wyoming, and into the lives of Annie Dempsey, a young woman on the run from her dangerous ex who isn’t content to just let her flee with all his secrets, and the reliable, attentive, Jonah Merrick who’s willing to do whatever it takes to protect this newcomer who has stolen his heart even if she is a member of the detested Dempsey family.

The prose is crisp and tight. The characters are intriguing, multilayered, and persistent. And the plot is an enticing mix of family, friendship, danger, drama, instant attraction, sizzling chemistry, smouldering tension, and delicious heat.

Overall, Meant to Be My Cowboy is a passionate, sinister, entertaining tale by Ryan that has all the elements you look for in a western, romantic suspense novel, and even though it’s the third book in the Wranglers of Wyoming series, it is more than enjoyable as a standalone novel.

 

This novel is available now.

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

            

 

 

Thank you to Forever & Grand Central Publishing for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About R.C. Ryan

New York Times bestselling author R.C. Ryan has written more than a hundred novels, both contemporary and historical. Quite an accomplishment for someone who, after her fifth child started school, gave herself the gift of an hour a day to follow her dream to become a writer.

In a career spanning more than thirty years, Ms. Ryan has given hundreds of radio, television, and print interviews across the country and Canada and has been quoted in such diverse publications as the Wall Street Journal and Cosmopolitan. She has also appeared on CNN News and Good Morning America.

R.C. Ryan is a pseudonym of New York Times bestselling author Ruth Ryan Langan.

Photograph by Jennifer Berry/Studio 16.

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#BookReview Mistletoe Season by Michelle Major @michelle_major1 @KayePublicity @HarlequinBooks #MistletoeSeason #MichelleMajor #CarolinaGirls

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#BookReview Mistletoe Season by Michelle Major @michelle_major1 @KayePublicity @HarlequinBooks #MistletoeSeason #MichelleMajor #CarolinaGirls Title: Mistletoe Season

Author: Michelle Major

Series: Carolina Girls #2

Published by: HQN Books on Oct. 26, 2021

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 288

Format: Paperback

Source: Kaye Publicity

Book Rating: 8.5/10

Spend the holidays in Magnolia, North Carolina, where two lonely hearts find exactly what they need for Christmas.

Anji Guilardi needs a man for Christmas—at least, according to her mother. What she really needs is to grow her fledgling catering business. Partnering with Magnolia’s Wildflower Inn holds promise, but when her mother falls ill, Anji’s drawn back to the responsibility of the family restaurant. Balancing work and her eight-year-old son, she has no time for romance…until Anji runs into Gabriel Carlyle.

Temporarily helping at his grandmother’s flower shop, Gabriel doesn’t plan to stick around, especially after he bumps into Anji, one of his childhood bullies. Sure, she’s all grown up and gorgeous now, and when they find themselves under the mistletoe, their chemistry is undeniable. But it’ll take more than a Christmas miracle for Anji to break through the defenses of Gabriel’s well-guarded heart and find a love built to last.

Review:

Stirring, compassionate, and charming!

Mistletoe Season is a heartfelt, magical tale that takes you to Magnolia, North Carolina and into the life of the overwhelmed, single parent Angi Guilardi as she juggles the family restaurant, her mother’s recuperation, a catering career she is truly passionate about, a son who seems to be the target of some nasty bullying, and an unexpected attraction to the man she turned her back on all those years ago, Gabriel Carlyle.

The prose is smooth and sweet. The characters are anxious, hardworking, and tentative. And the plot is a delightful tale of life, loss, love, drama, family, friendship, community, self-discovery, parenthood, strength, acceptance, undeniable chemistry, happiness, and moving on.

Overall, Mistletoe Season is another winsome, uplifting, cosy tale by Major that’s a lovely addition to the Carolina Girls series with its endearing characters, heartening storyline, and festive cheer.

 

This novel is available now.

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

            

 

 

Thank you to Kaye Publicity for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Michelle Major

Michelle Major grew up in Ohio but dreamed of living in the mountains. Soon after graduating with a degree in Journalism, she pointed her car west and settled in Colorado. Her life and house are filled with one great husband, two beautiful kids, a few furry pets and several well-behaved reptiles. She’s grateful to have found her passion writing stories with happy endings.

Photograph courtesy of Author's Goodreads Page.

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#BookReview Christmas in Peachtree Bluff by Kristy Woodson Harvey @kristywharvey @uplitreads #christmasinpeachtreebluff #kristywoodsonharvey

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#BookReview Christmas in Peachtree Bluff by Kristy Woodson Harvey @kristywharvey @uplitreads #christmasinpeachtreebluff #kristywoodsonharvey Title: Christmas at Peachtree Bluff

Author: Kristy Woodson Harvey

Series: Peachtree Bluff #4

Published by: Gallery Books on Oct. 26, 2021

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback

Source: Uplit Reads

Book Rating: 9/10

“When the Murphy women are in trouble, they always know they can turn to their mother Ansley. So when eldest daughter Caroline and her husband James announce that they are divorcing—and fifteen-year-old daughter Vivi acts out in response—Caroline, at her wits end, can’t think of anything to do besides leave her with Ansley in Peachtree Bluff for the holidays. After all, how much trouble can one teenager get into on a tiny island?

Quite a lot, as it turns out.

When the “storm of the century” heads toward Peachtree Bluff, Vivi’s recklessness forces her, along with Ansley and her husband Jack, to shelter in place during the worst hurricane Peachtree has ever seen. With no power, no provisions, and the water rising, the circumstances in Peachtree Bluff become dire very quickly…and the Murphy sisters soon realize it’s up to them to conduct a rescue mission.

With Caroline’s boat the Starlite Sisters in tow, Sloane and Emerson set sail loaded with supplies. When they arrive, they find not only their family in need, but also an entire community desperate for help. Putting aside their own plans for December, they decide to stay in Peachtree, rebuilding their beloved town—as well as their family—just in time for the yuletide season.

In “pitch perfect tones” (Publishers Weekly) and written with her signature Southern charm, Kristy Woodson Harvey explores the magic of Christmas, the power of forgiveness, and the importance of family in a tale that reminds us that, no matter the circumstances, home is always where we belong—especially during the holidays.”

Review:

Quaint, heartfelt, and evocative!

Christmas in Peachtree Bluff is a delightfully amusing, festive tale that sweeps you away to Peach Tree Bluff, Georgia and immerses you into the lives of the Murphy family, especially four strong women, as they gather to celebrate, support, interrogate, heal, grow, communicate, close doors, open new ones, take chances, and survive mother nature.

The prose is vivid and expressive. The characters are genuine, compassionate, and reliable. And the plot, including all the subplots, intertwine and unravel effortlessly into a bewitching tale of life, love, friendship, family, self-reflection, determination, community, happiness, holiday traditions, romantic moments, blossoming relationships, stormy weather, and the special bonds between sisters.

Christmas in Peachtree Bluff is another absorbing, uplifting, magical tale by Harvey that does a brilliant job of highlighting her exceptional ability to create relatable characters, idyllic places, and memorable storylines that thoroughly enchant from start to finish.

This novel is available now.

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

            

 

 

 

Thank you to Uplit Reads for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Kristy Woodson Harvey

Kristy Woodson Harvey is the USA TODAY bestselling author of six novels, including Feels Like Falling, The Peachtree Bluff series, and Under the Southern Sky. A Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s school of journalism, her writing has appeared in numerous online and print publications including Southern Living, Traditional Home, USA TODAY, Domino, and O. Henry. Kristy is the winner of the Lucy Bramlette Patterson Award for Excellence in Creative Writing and a finalist for the Southern Book Prize. Her work has been optioned for film and television, and her books have received numerous accolades including Southern Living’s Most Anticipated Beach Reads, Parade’s Big Fiction Reads, and Entertainment Weekly’s Spring Reading Picks. Kristy is the co-creator and co-host of the weekly web show and podcast Friends & Fiction. She blogs with her mom Beth Woodson on Design Chic, and loves connecting with fans on KristyWoodsonHarvey.com. She lives on the North Carolina coast with her husband and son where she is (always!) working on her next novel.

Photo by Jay Ackerman.

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#BookReview Murder at Mallowan Hall by Colleen Cambridge @colleengleason @KensingtonBooks #MurderatMallowanHall #ColleenCambridge

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#BookReview Murder at Mallowan Hall by Colleen Cambridge @colleengleason @KensingtonBooks #MurderatMallowanHall #ColleenCambridge Title: Murder at Mallowan Hall

Author: Colleen Cambridge

Series: Phyllida Bright Mystery #1

Published by: Kensington Books on Oct. 26, 2021

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 304

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: Kensington Books

Book Rating: 8.5/10

The first in an exciting new historical mystery series set in the home of Agatha Christie!

Colleen Cambridge’s charming and inventive new historical series introduces an unforgettable heroine in Phyllida Bright, fictional housekeeper for none other than famed mystery novelist Agatha Christie. When a dead body is found during a house party at the home of Agatha Christie and her husband Max Mallowan, it’s up to famous author’s head of household, Phyllida Bright, to investigate…

Tucked away among Devon’s rolling green hills, Mallowan Hall combines the best of English tradition with the modern conveniences of 1930. Housekeeper Phyllida Bright, as efficient as she is personable, manages the large household with an iron fist in her very elegant glove. In one respect, however, Mallowan Hall stands far apart from other picturesque country houses…

The manor is home to archaeologist Max Mallowan and his famous wife, Agatha Christie. Phyllida is both loyal to and protective of the crime writer, who is as much friend as employer. An aficionado of detective fiction, Phyllida has yet to find a gentleman in real life half as fascinating as Mrs. Agatha’s Belgian hero, Hercule Poirot. But though accustomed to murder and its methods as frequent topics of conversation, Phyllida is unprepared for the sight of a very real, very dead body on the library floor…

A former Army nurse, Phyllida reacts with practical common sense–and a great deal of curiosity. It soon becomes clear that the victim arrived at Mallowan Hall under false pretenses during a weekend party. Now, Phyllida not only has a houseful of demanding guests on her hands–along with a distracted, anxious staff–but hordes of reporters camping outside. When another dead body is discovered–this time, one of her housemaids–Phyllida decides to follow in M. Poirot’s footsteps to determine which of the Mallowans’ guests is the killer. With help from the village’s handsome physician, Dr. Bhatt, Mr. Dobble, the butler, along with other household staff, Phyllida assembles the clues. Yet, she is all too aware that the killer must still be close at hand and poised to strike again. And only Phyllida’s wits will prevent her own story from coming to an abrupt end…

Review:

Mysterious, atmospheric, and delightfully entertaining!

Murder at Mallowan Hall is a clue-like murder mystery set in England at the home of Max Mallowan and Agatha Christie during the 1930s that features Phyllida Bright, a housekeeper extraordinaire who, after stumbling upon the body of a last-minute, previously uninvited guest to the manor, and with a lack of confidence in the local Constable and Scotland Yard inspector sent to investigate the case, endeavours to solve not just one, but ultimately two murders by using her knowledge and love of Hercule Poirot and a little extra help from some of the other members of staff.

The prose is descriptive and light. The characters, including the intelligent, independent heroine, are multi-layered, intriguing, and well-developed. And the plot is a well-paced whodunit full of red herrings, suspects, amateur sleuthing, deduction, attraction, and of course, a touch of the unexpected.

Murder at Mallowan Hall is the first book in the Phyllida Bright Mystery series, and if you love historical mysteries, this one won’t disappoint. It’s an entertaining, cosy, satisfying debut by Cambridge, and I can guarantee I will definitely be keeping my eye out for book number two.

 

This novel is available now.

Preorder now from your favourite retailer or from one of the following links!

            

 

 

 

Thank you to Kensington Books for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Colleen Cambridge

Colleen Cambridge is a pseudonym for a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author whose books have been translated into more than eight languages. She lives in the Midwest and is hard at work on her next novel.

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#BookReview Meghan and the Unmasking of the Monarchy by Andrew Morton @andrewmortonuk @GrandCentralPub #MeghanandtheUnmaskingoftheMonarchy #AndrewMorton #GrandCentralPub

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#BookReview Meghan and the Unmasking of the Monarchy by Andrew Morton @andrewmortonuk @GrandCentralPub #MeghanandtheUnmaskingoftheMonarchy #AndrewMorton #GrandCentralPub Title: Meghan and the Unmasking of the Monarchy

Author: Andrew Morton

Published by: Grand Central Publishing on Oct. 19, 2021

Genres: Nonfiction

Pages: 336

Format: Paperback

Source: Grand Central Publishing

Book Rating: 8/10

The New York Times bestselling biography of Meghan Markle, the American actress who won Prince Harry’s heart.

Women who smash the royal mold have always fascinated the public, from Grace Kelly to Princess Diana. Now acclaimed royal biographer Andrew Morton, the New York Timesbestselling author of Diana: Her True Story, brings us a revealing, juicy, and inspiring look at Meghan Markle, the confident and charismatic duchess whose warm and affectionate engagement interview won the hearts of the world.

When Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were set up by a mutual friend on a blind date in July 2016, little did they know that the resulting whirlwind romance would lead to their engagement in November 2017 and marriage in May 2018.

Morton goes back to Meghan’s roots to uncover the story of her childhood growing up in The Valley in Los Angeles, her studies at an all-girls Catholic school, and her fraught family life-a painful experience mirrored by Harry’s own background. Morton also delves into her previous marriage and divorce in 2013, her struggles in Hollywood as her mixed heritage was used against her, her big break in the hit TV show Suits, and her work for a humanitarian ambassador-the latter so reminiscent of Princess Diana’s passions. Finally, we see how the royal romance played out across two continents but was kept fiercely secret, before the news finally broke and Meghan was thrust into the global media’s spotlight.

Drawing on exclusive interviews with her family members and closest friends, and including never-before-seen photographs, Morton introduces us to the real Meghan as he reflects on the impact that she has already had on the rigid traditions of the House of Windsor, as well as what the future might hold.

Review:

Informative, intriguing, and perspicuous!

Meghan and the Unmasking of the Monarchy is the interesting, candid biography of Rachel Meghan Markle, a divorced, mixed heritage, American actress who grew up in a somewhat dysfunctional family, although supported and loved, before appearing in a successful tv series, and then ultimately capturing the heart of a British prince.

The writing is crisp and clear. The characters are influential, hardworking, and driven. And the novel is a compelling tale of one woman’s life, from a young girl in Hollywood to a grown woman with her very own real-life prince.

Overall, Meghan and the Unmasking of the Monarchy, especially this new updated novel, which includes even the most recent events involving the Monarchy in early 2021, is an insightful look into a strong, independent woman and her struggles to retain a modicum of independence, privacy, and freedom after marrying into an institution ruled by tradition, image, and responsibility.

 

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 providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Andrew Morton

Andrew Morton studied history at the University of Sussex, England, with a focus on aristocracy and the 1930s. Morton has written biographies featuring the British Royal Family as well as celebrities, including Tom Cruise, Angelina Jolie, and Madonna. His bestselling biography of Princess Diana, Diana: Her True Story, met with international acclaim as “the closest we will ever come to her autobiography.”

Photograph courtesy of GCP Website.

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#BookReview Sisters of the Great War by Suzanne Feldman @suzanne21702 @HarlequinBooks #SistersoftheGreatWar #SuzanneFeldman #MiraBooks #HTPBooks

Published on by Zoe1 Comment
#BookReview Sisters of the Great War by Suzanne Feldman @suzanne21702 @HarlequinBooks #SistersoftheGreatWar #SuzanneFeldman #MiraBooks #HTPBooks Title: Sisters of the Great War

Author: Suzanne Feldman

Published by: MIRA on Oct. 26, 2021

Genres: Historical Fiction

Pages: 400

Format: ARC, Paperback

Source: Harlequin Trade Publishing

Book Rating: 8.5/10

Inspired by real women, this powerful novel tells the story of two unconventional American sisters who volunteer at the front during World War I

August 1914. While Europe enters a brutal conflict unlike any waged before, the Duncan household in Baltimore, Maryland, is the setting for a different struggle. Ruth and Elise Duncan long to escape the roles that society, and their controlling father, demand they play. Together, the sisters volunteer for the war effort–Ruth as a nurse, Elise as a driver.

Stationed at a makeshift hospital in Ypres, Belgium, Ruth soon confronts war’s harshest lesson: not everyone can be saved. Rising above the appalling conditions, she seizes an opportunity to realize her dream to practice medicine as a doctor. Elise, an accomplished mechanic, finds purpose and an unexpected kinship within the all-female Ambulance Corps. Through bombings, heartache and loss, Ruth and Elise cherish an independence rarely granted to women, unaware that their greatest challenges are still to come.

Illuminating the critical role women played in the Great War, this is a remarkable story of resilience, sacrifice and the bonds that can never be vanquished.

Review:

Immersive, evocative, and affecting!

Sisters of the Great War is an alluring tale set in German-Occupied Belgium and France during WWI that follows two American sisters, Ruth, a nurse who yearns to be a surgeon, and Elise, a mechanic with unprecedented skills with an engine, as they head to the front lines to help transport, heal, and save as many lives as possible in a landscape littered with blood, tears, ashes, ruins, and lost men.

The prose is vivid and smooth. The characters are dependable, courageous, and resilient. And the plot is a moving tale of life, loss, self-discovery, heartbreak, determination, hope, loyalty, tragedy, survival, friendship, love, and wartime medicine.

Overall, Sisters of the Great War is an emotive, rich, absorbing tale by Feldman 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 enthralled and fully invested from start to finish.

 

This novel is available on October 26, 2021.

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

            

 

 

Thank you to Suzanne Feldman for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

About Suzanne Feldman

Suzanne Feldman, a recipient of the Missouri Review Editors' Prize and a finalist for the Bakeless Prize in fiction, holds an MA in fiction from Johns Hopkins University and a BFA in art from the Maryland Institute College of Art. Her short fiction has appeared in Narrative, The Missouri Review, Gargoyle, and other literary journals. She lives in Frederick, Maryland.

Photo courtesy of Author's Website.

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