The Bitter Truth by Shanora Williams

 

Have you ever learned that there is a new subgenre that is a perfect way to describe a book that you just read?  I just learned that a “popcorn thriller” is a “light, entertaining, and not too heavy suspense novel.”  That is a perfect description of The Bitter Truth by Shanora Williams.

Jolene feels like her husband, Dominic, the current Governor of North Carolina, is hiding something from her.  When a mysterious woman starts showing up at campaign events, what secrets will start to come out?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This book kept me up way too late at night.  It kept me guessing throughout the novel – it was a roller coaster of a novel.

·       The story was told in alternating viewpoints that kept the story fresh and kept the reader guessing.

·       This was a domestic thriller with the story dealing with a married couple, their friends, and a few others in their orbit.

·       This was the first book I read by Shanora Williams, and it won’t be my last.

·       I listened to the Between the Chapters Book Club interview with the author this week.  It was interesting.  I learned a lot about the author and her writing process

·       I enjoyed that in this book everything was not as it appears, and the surprises kept coming. 

·       The author has a note at the beginning of the novel that discusses possible triggers in the novel.

·       I liked that the chapters were very short, which made this book very easy to read.

The Bitter Truth by Shanora Williams is a perfect fun suspense thriller for the summer.

Book Source:  Giveaway copy from Kensington Books and the Between the Chapters Book Club. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

All the Summers in Between by Brooke Lea Foster

 Title: All the Summers in Between

Author:  Brooke Lea Foster

Narrated by:  Emily Ellet

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Length: Approximately 11 hours and 27 minutes

Source: Review Copy from Simon & Schuster Audio.  Thank you!

What is your favorite thing about summer?  I love so many things about summer – camping, bonfires, flowers, water, vacations.  I also love to read summer themed books in the summer.

In 1967, Thea and Margot meet each other while working in a record store in a seaside vacation town in the Northeast.  Thea is a poor local girl while Margot is part of a wealthy family.  They bond and dream of leaving to travel to San Francisco.  In 1977, Margot came back and asks Thea to hide her.  Thea is a housewife with a young daughter, while Margot has married the wrong guy and has lost it all.  Will Margot and Thea be able to determine what makes them happy in life?  What happened in 1967 that broke apart their friendship?

My thoughts on this book:

·       The narrator, Emily Ellet, of this audiobook does a good job of having a different voice for the two main characters.

·       Thea is struggling with what she wants from life in 1977.  She wants more than being a housewife.  I was frustrated with her at times as I wanted her to just talk to her husband about her thoughts.  Luckily, she finally does.  In 1967, you can see her and her husband’s relationship blossom.

·       I liked that while Thea had a troubled relationship with her stepdad, they were able to have a better relationship in 1977.  Thea understood him better and helped him out.

·       I didn’t understand why Thea thought Margo was a better friend than Midge in 1977.  Margo was only her friend for a few months in 1967 while Midge had been her friend for years.

·       This book was a mellow book for me which was interesting to listen to, but I didn’t feel tied to the characters if that makes sense. 

Overall, All the Summers in Between is a story of friendship and family relationships through good and bad times.  It was a good summer audiobook and an interesting historical suspense novel.

The Windsor Conspiracy by Georgie Blalock (Bibliolifestyle Book Tour)

 

Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @williammorrowbooks for the review copy of The Windsor Conspiracy by Georgie Blalock.

Do you have a favorite color of flowers?  I love all flower colors, but red is one of my favorite colors.  I really like my red lilies that are blooming right now in my garden.  My lilies have been having a hard time this year as I have a couple of rabbits that are eating them.

Amelia Montague is a young cousin of Wallis Simpson.  After a personal tragedy of her own, Amelia leaves America to be a private secretary to her cousin Wallis in Europe.  She arrives just in time to witness Wallis Simpson marry Edward VIII after he has abdicated the throne of England.  The now Duke and Duchess of Windsor remain exiled in France.  Amelia at first is eager to learn about her new role and is touched at how Wallis helps her out of her difficulties.  As the world inches towards WWII, Amelia becomes concerned about the relationship between the Duke and Duchess and their friends in Germany.  Are they giving military secrets to the Germans?  Why are they banished to the Bahamas?  Are they still spying even in their banishment?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I have always found the love story between Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson to be so romantic.  This story definitely took the stars out of my eyes as it detailed the callous way that Wallis treated the Duke as well as their traitorous activities with the Germans.  Both Wallis and the Duke were very self-centered people.

·       In the acknowledgement section at the end of the novel, author Georgie Blalock details the very real history she used to put together the story of the Duke and Duchess.  She also used various books about people who worked for the Duke and Duchess to come up with the fictional character of Amelia.

·       I especially enjoyed it when Amelia became a spy for MI5 and the FBI.  I did feel stressed though as Amelia spied on Wallis and tried to get the information to the proper people.

·       There is a light romance in this novel between Amelia and Robert, an employee at the American embassy.  I adored it.

·       The characters were very interesting and richly imagined.  It was quite the time to be living.  I found myself at first liking Wallis and then greatly disliking her.  She was an interesting multi-layered character.

·       I read this book quickly.  It was engaging and fascinating to read.

·       Favorite quote, “Wallis had said the best revenge was a life well lived.  She’d been right.”

Overall, The Windsor Conspiracy is an engaging story set before and during WWII focused on the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and their traitorous activities.  I enjoyed Cousin Amelia’s spunk as she investigates them.

Rose Cottage by Mary Stewart

 

Title:  Rose Cottage

Author:  Mary Stewart

Narrated by:  Samantha Eggar

Publisher: Phoenix Books, Inc.

Length: Approximately 3 hours and 14 minutes

Source: Checked out with Hoopla through the Kewaunee Public Library.  Thank-you!   I also purchased a hardcover copy of this book at the Milwaukee Public Library used book sale many years ago.

Do you like to read at the library?  I used to when I was younger, but now I go to the library to pick up books or attend book club meetings and read elsewhere.

Kate (Kathy) Herrick returns to her childhood home, Rose Cottage, on an errand from her Grandmother to receive some family treasures from a safe in the wall.  When Kate arrives, she discovers the treasures are missing.  Who took them and why?  Will family secrets from the past be resolved?

I read this book for a Mary Stewart Buddy Read that @deesreads put together on Instagram.  I’m late in the game, but I was glad to join.  Rose Cottage was the book for June, and I got to it a bit late at the start of July.  I read a lot of Mary Stewart’s novels when I was in college.  I found them to be great escapism reading for taking my mind off my engineering studies.

My thoughts on this novel:

·       Rose Cottage is light romantic suspense set in the 1940s after WWII.

·       This novel was written towards the end of Mary Stewart’s life in the 1990s.  This novel was much more of a cozy read than her earlier works.  The entire novel had a sense of nostalgia woven into the story.

·       The mystery was ever evolving.  First it was, what happened to the valuables in Grandma’s safe, but overall, it was, who is Kathy’s father?

·       The romance was sweet but was more in the background of the story.

·       The book was a very short and quick read.

·       There was great character building and background in this short novel.  I enjoyed all the characters in the small village.  It was great for Kate to return to the place she grew up in after being widowed in WWII.

·       The audiobook was excellent.  Narrator Samantha Eggar did a great job of acting out the characters voices.

Overall, Rose Cottage is a short light romantic suspense novel that is a good comfort read.

One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware

 

Title: One Perfect Couple

Author:  Ruth Ware

Narrated by:  Imogen Church

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Length: Approximately 14 hours and 25 minutes

Source: Review Copy from Simon & Schuster Audio.  Thank you!

 

If you could be on a reality TV show, which would you like to be on?  I always thought it would be fun to be on The Amazing Race.

Lyla is a post-doctoral researcher.  Her boyfriend Nico is an actor.  He receives an opportunity to join the cast of a new reality show, One Perfect Couple, but only if Lyla goes with him.  She decides to join him to help out his career.  They must compete against four other couples for a prize.  Unfortunately, Lyla finds out that individuals are voted off and that the point of the show is to recouple.  She is not happy that Nico left this detail out of the explanation.  A horrific storm hits the island where the show is filmed in the Indian Ocean, and all of the teams are cut off from the world on a desert island with limited food and water.  As people start dying one by one, are there more sinister forces at play?

My thoughts on this book:

·       This book is survivor meets Lord of the Flies meets Agatha Christie’s And then There are None.

·       This was a very engaging audiobook.  I enjoyed the thrilling suspense.

·       Lyla is the narrator of the story, and Imogen Church did a great job of providing her voice in the audiobook.

·       Lyla is also my favorite character.  As a woman in STEM myself, I enjoyed her perspective on everything, even though I wanted to sit down and have a serious talk with her about her relationship with Nico.

·       I loved the tropical Indian Ocean setting. 

·       I enjoyed the surviving while deserted on the island scenario as well as the bonding between the characters that took place on the island.

·       All the couples have various problems that come to head in such a tense situation.

·       I don’t want to get too much into the plot and ruin the story.  I finished this audiobook quickly and greatly enjoyed the thrill of the story.

·       I wasn’t wowed by the ending, but it worked okay for me.

Overall, One Perfect Couple is another great suspense thriller from Ruth Ware. 

 

You Never Know by Tom Selleck

 

Do you have any comfort shows? 

During the COVID shutdown, my family rediscovered the original Magnum PI series from the 1980s.  I hadn’t watched it since I was a kid.  It held up well as a fun show with mystery and heart.  We all especially loved the Vietnam flashbacks.  I jumped at the chance to review Tom Selleck’s autobiography.

You Never Know is Tom Selleck’s personal story of his life and career mostly focusing on his acting career from the start through the 1980s. 

My thoughts on this memoir:

·       The book had a riveting start detailing an accident that Tom Selleck was in as a high schooler.  He was lucky to survive.  Did I hear the Magnum PI theme song in my head as I read this?  Yes, I did.

·       Selleck detailed his time as a college basketball player and in the National Guard.  He had moving thoughts on his college friend who died in Vietnam and finding his name on the Vietnam Memorial.

·       This book was an easy going read which matches Tom Selleck’s personality.

·       Great pictures were included.

·       This book detailed his acting career, mostly at the start and 1980s.  There is a little about his personal life including his ex-wife and son.  There was a lot more on the romance with his second wife; meeting, dating, and marriage.

·       The book had a lot of detail on the making of Magnum PI.  It was perfect for a lover of Magnum PI with all the details on how the overall show and individual episodes were made.

·       In the last chapter, Blue Bloods and the rest of his life is discussed.  Will there be a book two with more detail on his life after the 1980s?

·       I found it all to be fascinating.

·       It was fun reading about all the stars he worked with including a date with Mae West when he was a young man.

·       This was a polite book and I liked that.  Don’t read this book looking for dirt.

Overall, You Never Know by Tom Selleck is a fun, fascinating memoir for anyone that loves Tom Selleck and/or Magnum PI.

Book Source:  Review copy from Deyst an imprint of William Morrow Books. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean

 

Title: The Return of Ellie Black

Author:  Emiko Jean

Narrated by:  Mizuo Peck, Tessa Albertson, Nicole Lewis, Rebecca Lowman, Joy Osmanski, Angel Pean, Shaun Taylor-Corbett, Erin Ruth Walker, CJ Wilson

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 11 minutes

Source: Review Copy from Simon & Schuster Audio.  Thank you!

Do you prefer books with one POV or multiple POVs?  I like both.

Ellie Black disappeared two years ago.  The trail went cold until one day, she appeared alone on a trail.  Detective Chelsey Calhoun receives the call about Ellie’s return.  She tries to get more information from Ellie on what happened, but Ellie is a closed book.  Chelsey’s own sister met a violent end, and she becomes obsessed with the case of Ellie Black.  Where was Ellie Black at for two years and were other missing girls at the same location?

My thoughts on this book:

·       Wow!  I thought I was very smart and had this book figured out and then it took a hard left at the end.  I enjoyed the thrills!  There were many twists and turns in this story, and it was very engaging.

·       Even more impressive was that this was the debut novel of author Emiko Jean.

·       Detective Chelsey was an intriguing figure.  An adoptive daughter of a past police chief, she feels she is always trying to live up to impossible standards.  As an Asian female cop, she knows people underestimate her.  She is haunted by the tragic death of her sister, and it drives her to figure out the mystery of Ellie Black to potentially help other victims.

·       The novel had an interested discussion on how the disappearances of women of color are not treated the same as the disappearances of white women. Ellie Black is Native American.

·       The story was told through multiple points of view. There were different narrators in the audiobook for each point of view which worked great.

·       There were disturbing scenes of violence in this book.  It was creepy and scary at times.  It left me feeling unsettled.

·       I don’t want to give too much of the plot away as it is great to discover it on your own.

If you are looking for an engaging thriller that you can’t put down, I highly recommend The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean.

The Lady Glass by Anneka R. Walker (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

What is your favorite fairy tale?  My favorite fairy tale is Beauty and the Beast and my daughter’s favorite fairy tale is Cinderella.

The Lady Glass is the third novel of the “Enchanted Regency Romance Series.”  It combines two of my favorite things – Regency romance and fairy tales.  After reading The Lady Glass, I really want to go back and read the first two novels in the series.

Theresia Dvorak is an orphan, and her stepmother has taken all of her inheritance.  She has spent many years at Mrs. Stone’s Distinguished Ladies’ Seminary but has returned to her childhood home looking for a beautiful glass vase that her father, a master glass maker, had crafted and gifted to her for her dowery.  She discovers that her stepmother is giving it away to someone at a house party and she decides she will go to the party and retrieve her inheritance.  It is not quite so easy, and she finds herself caught up in an international intrigue.  Will she find her glass vase and will she also find love along the way?

My thoughts:

·       The first chapter hooked the reader into the story immediately when Theresia tries to help an elderly man who is beset by a thief, but they both are saved by a mysterious gentleman, Rolland.

·       I enjoyed Theresia’s Bohemian background and the discussion about glassmaking, although I wish there was even more detail on glassmaking and Bohemia.  I’m ready to research this more.

·       I enjoyed that this was a retelling of the Cinderella story in a very inventive way.  It was a fun and romantic story.  I liked seeing all the elements of the Cinderella fairy tale pop up in fun ways.  For example, a trunk of beautiful clothes appear for Theresia right before the ball.

·       I also like historical mystery and this story had an interesting mystery story as well.  I liked the intrigue and espionage and how it was related to the Vienna Congress.

·       Rolland and Theresia had a great romance, and I loved their verbal sparring.  I would call this story an enemies to lovers’ trope.

·       Theresia plays the violin, and I loved learning about lady violin players of that time.

·       This was a clean read.

·       The Lady Glass is part of a series but can be read as a standalone novel.

·       I loved the beautiful cover of this book and the beautiful illustration between each chapter.

Overall, The Lady Glass by Anneka R. Walker is a delightful regency romance that blends fairy tale with mystery into a new and unique tale.   I enjoyed this novel and I highly recommend it.

Book Source:  Review copy from Covenant Communications, Inc. as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Theresia Dvorak has nothing left of her parents—nothing save her dowry, a priceless crystal vase stolen and sold by her own stepmother. Theresia will do anything to secure what is rightfully hers—even assume a false identity and steal her future back. When she gains entrance to a house party and has a memorable run-in with the handsome naval captain Rolland Reese, her mission is compromised. She swore never to trust an Englishman again, but when he makes a daring proposal she cannot refuse, she must work side by side with him if either of them is to achieve their aim.

Rolland is stunned when his homecoming from the war takes a decidedly deadly turn. The quickest solution is to throw a house party and invite all the suspects. With the stakes incredibly high, Rolland must root out the killer before they turn their sights to the next potential victim: his own father. The mysterious Theresia is undoubtedly the most suspicious of his guests, but against all odds, he finds himself risking everything to protect her. As Rolland unravels a tangle of clues, he faces the greatest threats of all: a heart of fire and a future as fragile as glass.

AUTHOR BIO

Anneka R. Walker is a best-selling author of historical and contemporary romance. With humor and an abundance of heart, she crafts uplifting stories you won't soon forget. She is the winner of the Swoony Award, the LDSPMA Praiseworthy Award, and various chapter contests. Her books have received praise from Publishers Weekly, Historical Novel Society, Midwest Book Review, and Readers Favorite. She graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in English and history and hopes to never stop learning. She is a blessed wife, proud mother of five, lover of Jesus, connoisseur of chocolate, and believer in happy endings.

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center

 

Title:  Hello Stranger

Author:  Katherine Center

Narrated by:  Patty Murin

Publisher: MacMillian Audio

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 39 minutes

Source: Audiobook purchased from Amazon.com. 

What is the last book that you read that you think should be made into a movie?

I have been meaning to read a Katherine Center book for a while now, so I was very happy that Hello Stranger by Katherine Center was selected for the July book for the Page Turners Book Club at the Kewaunee Public Library.  Hello Stranger was a truly delightful book and I really enjoyed listening to it on audiobook during some long drives for work.  Sadly, I missed book club due to work, but hopefully I’ll still be able to discuss this book with them in the future.

Sadie Montgomery is a struggling artist who has just found out that she has been selected to be in a prestigious competition for portrait artists.  On her way to celebrate, she has a seizure on the street and is rescued by a stranger.  It is discovered that she needs brain surgery immediately.  Afterwards, she discovers she has a condition called Face Blindness (Prosopagnosia) from the swelling in her brain.  Will she recover from this condition to be able to finish the portrait for the competition?  How will this affect her relationships, especially as she meets two men she is very interested in?

My thoughts on this book:

·       I enjoyed Sadie’s journey.  She evaluated how she has been moving through life, while also determining what caused her mother’s death and how she was treated by her father, stepmother, and stepsister afterwards.  She figured out what were the most important items for her life and how to change her life to work towards her own happiness.

·       It was a great plot point having a portrait artist that can’t see faces.  It made me really feel for Sadie and the stress she was facing in life.

·       All of the characters were great in this novel.  I particularly loved Sadie’s best friend Sue and her parents Mr. and Mrs. Kim.

·       I did figure out quickly what the big reveal would be in this novel, but I truly enjoyed the journey to this conclusion.

·       I loved the extras at the end explaining face dysplasia and how reading romance makes us all happy.

·       Hello Stranger reminded me of some of my favorite romcom movies and I could see this as a fun movie on its own.

·       This was a great comfort read that was entertaining to read during a stressful time at work. 

·       Patty Murin was a great narrator and I enjoyed listening to this in an audiobook.

·       I am ready to read more novels by Katherine Center in the future!

·       There was romance, but it was not spicy.

Overall, Hello Stranger by Katherine Center is a delightful and sweet romcom that is a very enjoyable read.

Meeting Her Match by Jen Turano (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

What is blooming in your neighborhood?  My hydrangeas and lilies look lovely in my yard. My purple clematis is growing on my house right now too.  We’ve had such a rainy summer that some plants are not doing as well as others.  These three flowers are doing fine with the rain.

Camilla Pierpoint and her paid companion Lottie are nearly kidnapped by highwaymen and mistake a man who tried to save them as one of the highwaymen.  When the dust settles Camilla discovers that Mr. Owen Chesterfield has traveled to seek her help as a matchmaker for his beloved sister, Luella.  Luella is a “ragamuffin” who has found herself a social outcast and shunned by the man she loves.  Camilla is a member of the elite New York City “400,” and Owen hopes that she will help Luella to rehabilitate her social standing.  Camilla decides to help as she loves a challenge and wants a change of scenery to thwart would be kidnappers.  Will Luella be rehabilitated?  Will Camilla discover who is trying to kidnap her?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I love the cover of this novel.  I really like when covers show an entire person including their face.  Her purple gown is striking and beautiful. It really made me want to pick this book up!

·       This is Book 3 in The Matchmakers series.  I’ve read Book 2, but not Book 1.  They work well as standalone novels, although I do still want to read the first book. There is a good excerpt of Book 1 at the end of this novel.  Characters such as Camilla appear in the other books.

·       I love the Gilded Age setting of this novel.  It helped to fill my void waiting for another season of the show, The Gilded Age.

·       The West Virginia setting for part of the novel was unique and fun.

·       Speaking of fun, this novel was a lot of fun.  It had me laughing out loud at several points.  The story drew me in immediately with the action-packed kidnapping in the first chapter.  The action soon turned into humor as Camilla and Owen have their misunderstanding.  The madcap comedy reminded me of some of my favorite screwball comedies from the 1930s or favorite romcoms from the last thirty years.  The banter between the characters was great.

·       The characters were three dimensional and interesting including both the leads and the secondary characters.  I enjoyed all of them, especially the leads Camilla and Owen, but also Meemaw and Luella as well.

·       Even the animals were great characters and hilarious.  Esmeralda the pig has a grand entrance to the story, and I also enjoyed El Cid the cat squaring off against the pig.

·       This novel is a clean read with romantic kissing only.

·       Owen went to school for engineering!  I always love finding engineers in fiction.

·       I just love stories with matchmakers in them.  I am not sure why, but I think it’s fun when a matchmaker is trying to bring a couple together, and inadvertently finds love for herself.  Maybe it all goes back to my love of Emma by Jane Austen.

·       This book had a lot of fun tropes including a fake engagement, forced proximity, and enemies to lovers.

·       Great first line, “Being chased by highwaymen was certainly cause for concern, as was the idea she was in imminent danger of losing her seat because riding sidesaddle, and while dressed in the most fashionable of riding habits, was not exactly conducive to escaping from a most dire situation.

·       Life is still super busy and stressful for me lately and reading this novel was a great escape.  It was a lot of fun and I enjoyed spending time with these characters.

Overall, Meeting Her Match by Jen Turano was a fun historical romantic comedy that I greatly enjoyed reading.  It has wonderful characters, banter, and a fun story line.  I highly recommend this novel.

This book is coming out today!!

Book Source:  Review copy from Bethany House and NetGalley as part of the AustenprosePR Book Tour. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Miss Camilla Pierpont, a renowned matchmaker and influential member of the New York Four Hundred, has vowed never to marry after suffering a devastating heartbreak during her debut years ago. However, when she is nearly abducted along the Hudson River, she finds herself rescued by an annoyingly outspoken, albeit fascinating, gentleman who challenges her in a manner she wasn't expecting.

After learning that Camilla Pierpont has enjoyed success with taking wayward young ladies in hand, Mr. Owen Chesterfield travels to the Hudson River Valley determined to convince Camilla to sponsor his sister, who is in desperate need of social rehabilitation.

Knowing her life is in danger, Camilla agrees to Owen's proposition and travels with him to West Virginia, finding herself charmed by the less-than-formal attitude of his small hometown, as well as by Owen himself. But danger waits in the shadows, disrupting what she knows would be the most spectacular match she's ever made--her own.

AUTHOR BIO

Named one of the funniest voices in inspirational romance by Booklist, Jen Turano is a USA Today bestselling author known for penning quirky historical romances set in the Gilded Age. Her books have earned Publishers Weekly and Booklist starred reviews, top picks from RT Book Reviews, and praise from Library Journal. She's been a finalist twice for the RT Reviewers' Choice Awards and had two of her books listed in the top 100 romances of the past decade from Booklist. She and her family live outside of Denver, Colorado. Readers can find her on Facebook, Instagram, and X, and at JenTurano.com.