Pride and Papercuts by Staci Hart

 Pride and Papercuts was one of the November Selections of the JASNA Northwoods Book Club.

 Pride and Papercuts is a modern-day reimagining of Pride and Prejudice.  Laney Bennet is the only sister in the Bennet family.  She doesn’t want to be a part of the family flower business and is instead marketing at a bookstore chain, wasted words.  When a new PR firm takes over, she instantly dislikes the man in charge, Liam Darcy.  Will the two be able to work together to create a new campaign for Wasted Words?

 I see this is part of a series, but I read it fine as a standalone.  We agreed as a book club that this was a fine retelling of Pride and Prejudice.  It changed enough of the original story to keep it fresh.  I got kind of confused by some of the side characters that weren’t in the story that much and keeping track of them. Maybe if I would have read the series, maybe the side characters would have meant more to me. I did like the story of Darcy’s sister Georgie and Laney’s story Jett.  I wanted a spin off book for them!

 Overall, Pride and Papercuts is an enjoyable modern day Pride and Prejudice.

 Book Source:  Purchased on Amazon.com

 

Tahira in Bloom by Farah Heron (TLC Book Tour)

 

What is your favorite young adult novel?

Tahira Janmohammad is seventeen and very goal oriented to become a fashion designer.  She works on using her social media to give her a presence, but she knows she needs a good internship.  When her planned internship falls apart, she instead decides to work in her aunt’s boutique in the small town of Bakewell, in Ontario.  Moving from Toronto to Bakewell, the flower capital of the world, is a culture shock.  Tahira is allergic to flowers, but she’s also very annoyed by Rowan Johnston.  Rowan is an attractive recent high school graduate that is obsessed with gardening and is very irritated about Tahira and her seeming social media obsession.  When a major contest can help both Tahira and Rowan’s future careers they decide to work together with their group of friends to try to win.  Will they learn to see eye to eye?  Will they win this contest?

 I enjoyed this young adult novel.  I’ll admit, my favorite part of the novel was that Tahira and Rowan’s enemies to lovers narrative was very Austenesque.  They seemed a lot like a modern-day Lizzie and Darcy.  I LOVED it.  I really loved Tahira’s pluck.  She definitely has setbacks, but she has real goals, and she works towards them.  She was a great character.  I liked how Tahira, and Rowan talk about racism at times through the book and how it has impacted them.  I will admit that I felt personally affronted when Rowan’s sister Juniper is made fun of by his ex-girlfriend for her Bookstagram and YouTube channel talking about books.  Juniper sounds like she would have been my high school friend.    I love the chapter titles.  They were both witty and fun.  The cover is very beautiful as well.

 Overall, Tahira in Bloom is an enjoyable young adult novel with very strong Austenesque vibes.  I loved it!

 Book Source: Review Copy from Amazon Publishing and Skyscape for being a part of the TLC Book Tour.  Thank-you!  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.  

From the Publisher:

Life is full of surprises in a winning novel about a girl dreaming big during one unexpected small-town summer.

When seventeen-year-old aspiring designer Tahira Janmohammad’s coveted fashion internship falls through, her parents have a Plan B. Tahira will work in her aunt’s boutique in the small town of Bakewell, the flower capital of Ontario. It’s only for the summer, and she’ll get the experience she needs for her college application. Plus her best friend is coming along. It won’t be that bad.

But she just can’t deal with Rowan Johnston, the rude, totally obsessive garden-nerd next door with frayed cutoffs and terrible shoes. Not to mention his sharp jawline, smoldering eyes, and soft lips. So irritating. Rowan is also just the plant-boy Tahira needs to help win the Bakewell flower-arranging contest–an event that carries clout in New York City, of all places. And with designers, of all people. Connections that she needs!

No one is more surprised than Tahira to learn that floral design is almost as great as fashion design. And Rowan? Turns out he’s more than ironic shirts and soil under the fingernails. Tahira’s about to find out what she’s really made of–and made for. Because here in the middle of nowhere, Tahira is just beginning to bloom.

About Farah Heron

After a childhood filled with Bollywood, Monty Python, and Jane Austen, Farah Heron constantly wove uplifting happily ever afters in her head while pursuing careers in human resources and psychology. She started writing her stories down a few years ago and is thrilled to see her daydreams become books. The author of Accidentally Engaged and The Chai Factor, Farah writes romantic comedies for adults and teens full of huge South Asian families, delectable food, and most importantly, brown people falling stupidly in love. Farah lives in Toronto with her husband and two teens, a rabbit named Strawberry, and two cats who rule the house. She has way too many hobbies, but her thumb is more brown than green. For more information visit www.farahheron.com.

Complete Birds of North America by National Geographic (TLC Book Tour)

 Do you have any bird lovers in your family or are you a bird lover yourself?  National Geographic has a new third edition of the Complete Birds of North America.  It has more than 1,000 species of birds detailed in it.

 I used to love watching for birds out of my Great Grandparents window.  They had a dog-eared field guide they would check to determine what any unknown bird was.  This book is a large hardcover book with beautiful glossy pages.  It is not a field guide, but more an encyclopedia of everything you would like to know about birds. There is a great introduction of bird watching that shows a map of north America and the range for birds.  It explains taxonomic organization, plumage variation, feather topography, and abundance terms and codes.  Beautiful artwork of the birds is included and is mostly from the 2017 edition of the book. 

 The book is split up into families. The start of each family section gives information in general about the family.  Then there are separate entries about each species. The entries have a map showing where the bird is found, a nice drawing of the bird, how to identify the bird, flight, similar species, voice call, status & distribution, migration, rare status, dispersal, and population.   

 I thought it was interesting that the last species included was the Pied Wheatear a stray from Eurasia that came to North America the summer of 2018.  My daughter is obsessed with owls and is having a fun time looking through this book.

 Overall, Complete Birds of North America is a great book for a bird lover or anyone who would like to know more about birds.

 Book Source:  Review Copy from Hachette Book Group for being a part of the TLC Book Tour.  Thank-you.  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Debutante’s Code by Erica Vetsch (Book Tour and GIVEAWAY)

 What is the best new author that you’ve read recently?

 I recently posted that Regency romance is my escapism reading.  What could be even better than a Regency historical mystery with a subtle romance?

 The Debutante’s Code is truly a delightful novel.  It’s been a very stressful month at work and on the home front and this was a perfect novel to read right now.  Lady Juliette Thorndike has just returned to London from a Swiss boarding school with her best friend Agatha.  She is surprised when her ne’er-do-well Uncle Bertie shows up to pick her up at the dock rather than her parents.  It has been years since she has seen them.  Her parents had an emergency at their country estate and have left Juliette with her Uncle and an elderly Duchess to be her chaperone as she embarks on her first season with Agatha.  After a theft at her very first party, Juliette makes some shocking discoveries about her family. 

 Mr. Daniel Swann is a dashing Bow Street Runner and is the man sent to the high-class party to investigate the theft.  He disturbs the ton by including them in the investigation and not just the servants.  When a murder swiftly follows the theft, Daniel knows that there is much more to this case than meets the eye.  Daniel is the illegitimate child of a housekeeper and was plucked from obscurity by a mysterious benefactor to obtain an education and explore the career of his choice.  Who is his benefactor?  Will he be able to solve this case?  And why does the beautiful Lady Juliette perk his interest?

 The Debutante’s Code is the first book in the Thorndike and Swann Regency Mysteries series.  I loved it and can’t wait to read the next book in the series.  The mystery had enough twists and turns to keep me guessing.  I just really loved the characters, especially the two main characters Juliette and Daniel.  Juliette is a strong woman and very smart.  I love that she rose up to the challenge.  Daniel is an interesting character in his own right and I loved his determination.  I read that this book is Jane Austen crossed with Sherlock Holmes and I think this is an accurate description.

 This is a Christian novel and both main characters work through moments of doubt in their faith through the novel.

 Overall, The Debutante’s Code is an excellent Regency historical mystery novel and I highly recommend it.

 Book Source: Review Copy from Kregel Publishing as part of the I Read with Audra Book Tour.  Thank-you.  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

 

About the book:

 Jane Austen meets Sherlock Holmes in this new Regency mystery series

 Newly returned from finishing school, Lady Juliette Thorndike is ready to debut in London society. Due to her years away, she hasn't spent much time with her parents, and sees them only as the flighty, dilettante couple the other nobles love.But when they disappear, she discovers she never really knew them at all. They've been living double lives as government spies--and they're only the latest in a long history of espionage that is the family's legacy.

 Now Lady Juliette is determined to continue their work. Mentored by her uncle, she plunges into the dangerous world of spies. From the glittering ballrooms of London to the fox hunts, regattas, and soirees of country high society, she must chase down hidden clues, solve the mysterious code her parents left behind, and stay out of danger. All the while, she has to keep her endeavors a secret from her best friend and her suitors--not to mention the nosy, irritatingly handsome Bow Street runner, who suspects her of a daring theft.

 Can Lady Juliette outwit her enemies and complete her parents' last mission?

 Best-selling author Erica Vetsch is back with a rollicking, exciting new series destined to be a hit with Regency readers who enjoy a touch of mystery in their love stories. Fans of Julie Klassen, Sarah Ladd, and Anne Perry will love the wit, action, and romance.

 Click here to read an excerpt.

 

About the author:

Erica Vetsch is a New York Times best-selling and ACFW Carol Award–winning author. She is a transplanted Kansan now living in Minnesota with her husband, who she claims is both her total opposite and soul mate.

Vetsch is the author of many novellas and novels, including the popular Serendipity & Secrets Regency series and the new Thorndike & Swann Regency Mystery series

Vetsch loves Jesus, history, romance, and sports. When she’s not writing fiction, she’s planning her next trip to a history museum and cheering on her Kansas Jayhawks and New Zealand All Blacks.

Learn more about Erica Vetsch and her books at www.ericavetsch.com. She can also be found on Facebook (@EricaVetschAuthor), Instagram (@EricaVetsch) and Pinterest (Erica Vetsch).

 

The Wedding Wager by Eva Devon (TLC Book Tour)

 

The Marquess of Halford has decided that he needs to get his eldest bluestocking daughter, Victoria, wedded by wagering her hand in marriage at the gaming table.  Derek Kent, the Duke of Chase is horrified when he sees a notorious lecher winning this bet and takes over to win it for himself.  He needs a wife to stop society mothers from chasing him to marry their daughters.   Why not Victoria who is the daughter of a Marquess, but is known as unattractive with a sharp mind of her own?

Victoria loves archaeology, but she feels awkward at the social settings that the ton requires.  She doesn’t want to be married and would love a career in archaeology.  She has helped her father with archaeology in the past and is shocked when he suddenly wants her married off.  When she meets Derek, the Duke of Chase, she realizes that she might be able to get the independent life she has always craved by becoming his wife.  But will she be able to live in a marriage without love?  Why has her father suddenly decides to marry her and her sister off?

I loved this novel.  The Wedding Wager definitely had hints of Bridgerton:  The Duke and I.  I really wanted to know why Derek did not want to marry and have any children.  I loved Victoria.  She was very matter of fact about everything and just wanted to be able to pursue her own passions.  She could care less about balls and things that society wanted her to care about.  She loved history and wanted to travel the world looking for new archaeological treasures.  Derek was a great guy as well, posing as a rake in order to help out women in impossible situations in Regency London.

Both characters had troubled relationships with their fathers and dealt with them in completely opposite ways.  I loved that in this book, it’s the female lead, Victoria, who remains level headed and provides the logic and calm.  Derek has much more angst and reacts in not always the most rational way.

This was a book I couldn’t put down and found myself enjoying when I needed an escape read.  This was a marriage of convenience trope book.  I love that trope.  There are a couple of steamy scenes in this book.

Favorite Quotes:

“The laws of England are barely coherent, and they make it very clear that ladies are indeed chattel.”

The truth was, he liked her confidence, her self-assurance, and her clear sense of capability.  Few people had that in his experience.”

“As society will one day find, often the work of women is behind what men believe to be the greatness of other men.”

“What is the point of living this life if we do not attempt to improve ourselves.”

Book Source:  Review Copy from Netgalley and Entangled Publishing as part of the TLC Book Tour.

The 21st Century: Photographs from the Image Collection by National Geographic (TLC Book Tours)

 

Do you love looking at beautiful photographs?  I know I do.  The 21^st Century is a wonderful collection of images from the National Geographic Society.    The photographic archives of the National Geographic Society holds tens of millions of images including 11.5 million physical objects in their vault and 50 million on their digital servers as told by Editor-in-Chief Susan Goldberg in the foreword.  She also has an interesting tidbit that there were no photographs in the first few issues of the National Geographic magazine when it was first printed in 1888.  When pictures were first put into the magazine, a few individuals resigned from the board as they thought it was so low brow.

 The goal of this book is to show our “shared history told through photography” of the last twenty years.  The start of the century has National Geographic photographer Robert Clark’s iconic images of the World Trade Center being hit.  These photographs will give me a punch in the gut no matter how many times I see them.  I loved the quotes from the photographers on why photography is important to them such as “Photography is a weapon against what’s wrong out there.  It’s bearing witness to the truth.” – Brent Stirton.

 This book is split into four chapters, each covering approximately five years starting in 2000 and ending in 2021.  The book is coffee table book size and has beautiful glossy pictures.  The pictures are from around the world of nature, ordinary people, and some historic events or people.  Pope Francis has an iconic picture at the start of the book.  Each picture has a short description with the photographer, year, and place.  I also like the “through the lens” sections that are interspersed through the book with thoughts from the photographer about the picture that they took.  There are brief bios of all of the photographers at the end of the book.

 Overall, The 21^st Century:  Photographs from the Image Collection by National Geographic is a beautiful book full of gorgeous images.  I find it relaxing to peruse through them and it’s a wonderful book to look out for company to share.

 Book Source:  Review Copy from Hachette Book Group for being a part of the TLC Book Tour.  Thank-you.  I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Haunting Season by Bridget Collins, Natasha Pulley, Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Elizabeth Macneal, Laura Purcell, Andrew Michael Hurley, Jess Kidd, Imogen Hermes Gowar

 

What is your favorite ghost story, novel, or movie?

 The Haunting Season was the perfect book to read over Halloween weekend.  I meant to post this review last weekend, but the weekend got away from me!

 The Haunting Season is “eight ghostly tales for long winter nights.”  I loved them.  Most of the stories were set in the past, in particular, Victorian times, but there were also some modern stories.  They were very spooky and inspired by telling spooky stories around a fire in winter.  They are very atmospheric type of old-fashioned stories and I enjoyed them.

 My favorite stories in the collection were:

  ‘A Study in Black and White’ by Bridget Collins which is a story about a man coming to a village and seeing a mysterious house with a chess theme to the gardening.  He decides to rent it and soon finds out that the chess loving former owner may still be around.

 ‘Thwaite’s Tenant’ by Imogen Hermes Gowar is the story of a woman who has taken her son and left her cheating husband.  She soon discovers that leaving with her father may not have been a good idea.

 ‘Lily Wilt’ by Jess Kidd tells the tale of a photographer that falls in love with the dead girl who he has been sent to take pictures.  What will he do to bring her back?

 ‘The Chillingham Chair’ by Laura Purcell is the story of a girl in a wheelchair getting ready to celebrate the wedding of her sister.  She soon starts to realize that the wheelchair may be haunted, and that her sister’s fiancé may have secrets of his own.

 ‘The Hanging of the Greens’ by Andrew Michael Hurley is a spooky story that involves Christmas holly in a way I’ve never heard from before.  I liked how the story was told in a unique way.

 My least favorite story was ‘The Eel Singers’ by Natasha Pulley.  I had a hard time figuring out what was happening in this story.  I looked it up and saw that in involves characters from other books she’s written.  If you like her books, then this story is for you.  Otherwise, not really.

 Overall, The Haunting Season is the perfect book of spooky stories to read by the fire.

 Book Source:  Review Copy from Pegasus Crime.  Thank-you!

The London House by Katherine Reay (Austenprose Book Tour)

What would you do if you learned a family member may have been a Nazi sympathizer?

 Caroline Payne is shocked to learn that a great-aunt she thought died of polio as a child may have run off with her German lover during World War II. Bound and determined to clear her name, Caroline travels to her family home in England, the London House. There she sorts through her grandmother’s journals and letters from her great aunt to try to piece together the story of what happened to her aunt.  With the help of her old flame, journalist Mat Hammond, she is determined to clear her family name.  What really happened to her great-aunt and why did it remain secret?

 The London House was a very engaging novel.  I really liked how the dual timeline involved the story being told in a contemporary setting and the flashbacks to World War II being told through the journal entries and letters.   I wanted to solve the mystery of Aunt Caro!!  I love learning more about Aunt Caro, her fraught relationship with her sister Margo, and the love triangle that ensued.  I couldn’t put this book down.  I also loved the contemporary story as Caroline tries to figure out a path forward with her parents, Mat, and her own pain on the premature death of her sister.

 I’ve read and enjoyed The Austen Escape and The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay in the past.  The London House dove more into historical fiction than those two and I enjoyed it as well for its differences.  It also made me think about how we may have mistaken impressions of our own ancestors from stories that have been passed down or not told. 

 Favorite Quote:

 “There are very few of us who have heart enough to really be in love without encouragement.”

 Overall, The London House was an engrossing read and I highly recommend it!

 Book Source:  Review Copy from author Katherine Reay as part of the Austenprose Book Tour.  Thank-you!

QUICK FACTS

·       Title: The London House: A Novel

·       Author: Katherine Reay

·       Genre: Historical Fiction, Women’s Fiction

·       Publisher: Harper Muse (November 2, 2021)

·       Length: (368) pages

·       Format: Trade paperback, eBook, & audiobook 

·       Tour Dates: November 1-28, 2021

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

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.

ADVANCE PRAISE

“Carefully researched, emotionally hewn, and written with a sure hand, The London House is a tantalizing tale of deeply held secrets, heartbreak, redemption, and the enduring way that family can both hurt and heal us. I enjoyed it thoroughly.”— Kristin Harmel, New York Times bestselling author of The Forest of Vanishing Stars and The Book of Lost Names

“An expertly researched and marvelously paced treatise on the many variants of courage and loyalty . . . Arresting historical fiction destined to thrill fans of Erica Roebuck and Pam Jenoff.”— Rachel McMillan, author of The London Restoration and The Mozart Code

“Reay’s fast-paced foray into the past cleverly reveals a family’s secrets and how a pivotal moment shaped future generations. Readers who enjoy engrossing family mystery should take note.”— Publisher’s Weekly

AUTHOR BIO

Katherine Reay is the national bestselling and award-winning author of Dear Mr. Knightley, Lizzy and Jane, The Brontë Plot, A Portrait of Emily Price, The Austen Escape, and The Printed Letter Bookshop. All Katherine’s novels are contemporary stories with a bit of classical flair. Katherine holds a BA and MS from Northwestern University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa, and is a wife, mother, former marketer, and avid chocolate consumer. After living all across the country and a few stops in Europe, Katherine now happily resides outside Chicago, IL.

 

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PURCHASE LINKS

 

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Ultimate Visual History of the World by Jean-Pierre Isbouts

“This book is truly a story of our species – and how, against incredible odds, despite innumerable disasters and catastrophic conflicts, humans found a way to survive, and thrive.”

 Are you looking for a Christmas gift for the history lover in your family?  You may have found it in National Geographic’s new publication, Ultimate Visual History of the World:  The Story of Humankind from Prehistory to Modern Times.  I love history as does my husband and sons.  I let my sons preview this book and they really loved the high-quality illustrations. 

 The book is coffee table book size and has beautiful glossy paper and pictures. It starts with the dawn of humankind and ends with today’s COVID crisis.  The book is split into ten chapters as follows:  Dawn of Humankind, Cultures of the Bronze Age, Cultures of the Iron Age, The Classical Age, The Age of Faith, The Age of Conflict, The Age of Discovery, Reason and Revolution, The World at War, and The Modern Age.  There is a great introduction and epilogue that rounds out the book.  There are also great maps to illustration ideas such as human migration or the spread of Christianity.  Each chapter has notable dates during that time period and cut outs with interesting facts.  The end of this book also has a great section for further reading if you want to deep dive into any of the sections.  It’s a really fun and interesting book to peruse. 

 My favorite part about this book is that it dives into history from ALL around the world.  I like this description from the introduction, “It is a story told across the full canvas of human civilization, from Asia to Africa, from Europe to the Pacific, and from the Middle East – the birthplace of human civilization – to the Americas. It is an exciting story, filled with the rise and fall of dynasties and empires, the drama of wars and conflict, the stunning impact of new discovers, the heroic deeds of men and women and, above all, the power of ideas.”  I feel like what I learned in school was primarily focused on United States and European history.  I’m still trying to learn more about the history of the broader world. 

 Overall, Ultimate Visual History of the World is a beautiful and interesting book for history lovers and those that would like to learn more about world history.

 Book Source:  Review Copy from Hachette Book Group for being a part of the TLC Book Tour. 
Thank-you!

About Ultimate Visual History of the World

• Publisher: National Geographic (October 19, 2021) 

• Hardcover: 656 pages

Follow the fascinating threads of human history in this monumental volume, amply illustrated with maps, archival imagery, and revealing photographs.

History comes to life in this comprehensive overview of humankind, from earliest times to the present day. Each page is filled with stunning visuals and thought-provoking text that make this book an instant classic. From the Babylonian Empire to the Persian Gulf War, from the Xia and Shang Dynasties of Bronze Age China to the new space race, from Egyptian hieroglyphics to the digital age?here, in vivid color and crisp narrative, is the sweeping story of the history of civilization.

Every chapter includes:

• Notable dates
• Salient quotations from the time
• Explanatory maps
• Fascinating sidebar stories
• Photographs of artifacts & landscapes
• Art works depicting dramatic scenes

Visually driven, rich and far-reaching yet friendly and browsable, with iconic National Geographic maps, illustrations, and images enhancing the pages, this new book is a history-lover’s dream.

 

You can complete your collection of recent National Geographic history books with National Geographic History at a Glance and More Bad Days in History by Michael Farquhar -- and you will treasure earlier National Geographic titles by this author, including The Biblical World,In the Footsteps of Jesus, and Archaeology of the Bible.

 

Purchase Links

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