Charlotte Illes Is Not a Detective by Katie Siegel (Bibliolifestyle Book Tour)

 

Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @kensingtonbooks for the review copy of Charlotte Illes Is Not a Detective by Katie Siegel.

Who is your favorite detective from children’s fiction?  My favorite was Nancy Drew growing up, although I read many other mysteries that I also enjoyed. 

Charlotte Illes was a famous child detective.  She is now in her twenties and not sure what to do with her life.  Did she hit her peak in life in middle school?  She is jobless and still living with her Mom.  One day her old phone line rings . . .. it’s her brother with a mystery for her solve.  She visits her brother and his girlfriend Olivia in New York City to solve the mystery.  She is definitely not a detective, but why does she find herself pulled to the mysteries?

Charlotte Illes Is Not a Detective was a slow read for me, but I enjoyed it.  I really liked the premise of child detective hitting her peak while young struggling to move on into the adult world. I also really enjoyed Charlotte’s best friend and crime solving partners Lucy and Gabe.  They make up her “scooby-doo” gang.  They are supportive and I like how they talk to her about a variety of issues.  The friendships and fun humor were my favorite parts.  The mystery itself was slow to me, but I liked its resolution.  This was a fun cozy mystery.

I found out in the acknowledgements that there are a series of related TikTok videos that I need to check out.

This book had great LGBTQ representation.  I was trying to read it for June, but I got behind on my reading.

This book was published on June 27, 2023.

Accidental Presidents: Eight Men Who Changed America by Jared Cohen

 

Title: Accidental Presidents:  Eight Men Who Changed America

Author:  Jared Cohen

Narrated by:  Arthur Morey

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Length: Approximately 16 hours and 57 minutes

Source: Review Copy from Simon & Schuster Audio.  Thank you @simonandschuster #BookClubFavorites for the free books!

Who has been your favorite vice president? One of my favorite vice presidents was Teddy Roosevelt who became President after the assassination of William McKinley. There have been eight times in our history where the vice president has taken over as the president. This riveting audiobook delves into the history around these eight periods of time, the president that died in office, and the vice president that took over for him.  Sometimes the vice president was not the right person for the job and our democracy hung in the balance (example – Andrew Johnson), while others stepped up the challenge and were great presidents (Teddy Roosevelt and Harry Truman).  Four of the presidents died from an illness and four were assassinated.

I thought it was very interesting that John Tyler was the first vice president to assume the office once William Henry Harrison became the first president to die in office after only 32 days as president.  The constitution did not have anything written about what would happen if the president were to die in office, and there was much confusion.  Tyler had a difficult time as president and was called “his accidency.”

I was a little sad that one of my favorite vice presidents that became presidents, Gerald Ford, only got a brief mention at the end.  He didn’t meet the criteria of assuming the presidency after the death of the incumbent.  I would argue that he was actually the most accidental president of them all.

I listened to this audiobook in the car with my family over many road trips.  My two sons (ages 17 and 15) enjoyed this audiobook, and my husband Ben liked it as well.  He really enjoyed the narrator, Arthur Morey, and was only disappointed to discover he was not the author as he seemed so personable.

Overall, Accidental Presidents was a fascinating way to look at American history and was a good audiobook to listen to and discuss with my family.

 

Starring Adele Astaire by Eliza Knight (Bibliolifestyle Book Tour)

 

Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @williammorrowbooks for the review copy of Starring Adele Astaire by Eliza Knight.

Do you have a favorite Fred Astaire movie?  Did you know he had a famous sister named Adele?  I did not and I enjoyed learning about her in this wonderful novel.

In the 1920s, brother and sister duo Fred and Adele Astaire had taken New York by storm.  After starring on Broadway for six years, they take their latest show to London to try out the British public.  While Freddie is a taskmaster, Adele is a “good time Charlie.”  She loves to dance and to socialize, but she also dreams of marriage and children.  Will Adele be able to realize her dreams?

Starring Adele Astaire is a dual narrative novel.  The other story is of the fictional character of Violet Wood.  Violet is a very poor girl in London who dreams of dancing.  After being noticed and befriended by Adele Astaire, she gets her chance to finally dance in a production and to become a star.  The path towards stardom does not run smoothly for Violet and she has her ups and downs in life.

I really liked the juxtaposition of these two stories.  While Adele was up, Violet was down and vice versa.  It really showed the hard work it took to be a successful dancer.  I loved the setting in the 1920s and the appearance of so many famous people that intersected with Adele.  I sure wish I could have seen her dance.  The story continues into the 1940’s. 

I always love a good author’s note and enjoyed learning what was real history and what was fictionalized in this novel.  I loved learning Adele’s story. 

One of my favorite Fred Astaire movies is Royal Wedding as it has the famous dance scene where he dances on the ceiling.  I enjoyed learning in this novel that Adele dated Prince David and was friends with Queen Elizabeth’s parents. 

I enjoyed the fictional gossip news clip that the author wrote to start each chapter.  They were a fun start to each chapter and gave a preview of what was to come.

This novel was published on June 6, 2023.

Drowning by TJ Newman

 

Title:  Drowning

Author:  TJ Newman

Narrated by:  Steven Weber and Laura Benanti

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Length: Approximately 7 hours and 43 minutes

Source: Review Copy from Simon & Schuster Audio.  Thank you @simonandschuster #BookClubFavorites for the free books!

 What is your worst disaster related fear? Mine is of being trapped underwater . . . which makes Drowning by TJ Newman the perfect book to play into my fears.

Six minutes after takeoff from Hawaii, Flight 1421 crashes into the Pacific Ocean.  As the crew and passengers attempt to escape from the plane, engineer Will Kent realizes that they have a better chance of surviving by staying in the plane.  Together with his daughter Shannon, and 10 other people, they end up trapped inside a plane, underwater, perched on a sea cliff.  Will they survive?

Will’s wife, Chris, is a professional diver and underwater welder/construction worker.  After the death of their other young daughter, Will and Chris have not been able to keep their relationship on track.  On the verge of divorce, Chris is annoyed at Will for insisting on traveling with Shannon on her trip to California.  Once she finds out what has happened, she is intent on being part of the rescue.  Will Chris be able to help her husband and daughter?

Drowning is a dual narrative novel with Will and Chris narrating alternate chapters.  I enjoyed Steven Weber and Laura Benanti’s narration as Will and Chris in the audiobook.  Steven had a very distinctive voice which I enjoyed.

Drowning is the perfect adventure novel for a drive – I couldn’t stop listening to it!  I had a lot of driving for work this month and this audiobook kept me very entertained.  It is basically like an action movie, with a riveting plot and great characters.  Plus, I always love reading about #engineersinfiction.  Will may use the line “I’m an engineer!” followed by another life saving tip for the passengers.  Dubious at first, they finally realize it’s best to follow the advice of the engineer.

I really liked how the accident made both Will and Chris separately evaluate their lives and put things into perspective.  What is the most important thing for their family?  Do they still love each other?  I also liked the stories of all of the other passengers.  Even though it was an action story, several characters did give me a good laugh.

I read and enjoyed Falling by TJ Newman last year.  If you enjoyed Falling, you will definitely enjoy Drowning.

The Game She Plays by Siena Sterling (Bibliolifestyle Book Tour)

Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @williammorrowbooks for the review copy of The Game She Plays by Siena Sterling.

Do you have a group of high school or college friends that you still get together with?  It definitely gets harder as the years go by!

In The Game She Plays by Siena Sterling, American Nicola has just had a whirlwind romance with Englishman James.  They are both invited for a weekend of shooting at the fabulous estate of James friends from Cambridge.  Nicola is starting to get to know everyone and finally feel welcomed when the mysterious Juliet arrives from Hong Kong.  Juliet was James college girlfriend.  She is beautiful, witty, and the life of the party.  She acts like she cares about everyone and just wants to help them out. Nicola struggles to feel a part of the crowd with Juliet around.  She starts to suspect that Juliet may not be all that she seems to be.  Is Nicola imagining things or is there a devious plot at play?

I enjoyed this character drive novel, and it was the perfect read for a weekend away.  I would call this a slow-burn suspense novel. It hooked me right away and I kept making theories about what I thought would happen. There was a lot of action at the end of the book. I thought I had this figured out, but I was a bit surprised by the ending overall and it definitely made me want to read a second book. 

I kept feeling Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier type vibes as I read this novel.  I was excited when Rebecca was referenced with Juliet as the Rebecca type person.  I loved it!

I thought it was interesting that this book was set in 1980.  I liked that is was in the not so distant past and I liked the look at the English upper crust of that era.  It was hard to fit in when you didn’t know the rules.  I liked how while Nicola was from America, another girlfriend of a friend, Bella, was from the north and also didn’t understand the unwritten rules.

This book was published on June 6, 2023.

Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See

 

Title:  Lady Tan’s Circle of Women

Author:  Lisa See

Narrated by:  Jennifer Lim and Justin Chien

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Length: Approximately 13 hours and 15 minutes

Source: Review Copy from Simon & Schuster Audio.  Thank you @simonandschuster #BookClubFavorites for the free books!

Do you have a “circle of women?”  Family, friends, coworkers, a book club that support you?  Or would you like to have a supportive group?

Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See is the story of a real 15^th century doctor in Chian, Tan Yunxian. The story starts with Yunxian as a small child. She loves her mother, but after her mother dies from a foot infection, she goes to live with her grandparents.  Both of her grandparents are doctors and they train her with their skills.  Being a doctor in the 15^th century is much different than now. The doctor was not allowed to touch any blood or bodily fluids. Male doctors couldn’t even be within sight of their female patients, which is what made it so invaluable to have a female doctor.  Grandmother pairs Yunxian with a young midwife, Meiling. The two have a great friendship that spans their lives through marriage and ups and downs.

Lady Tan’s Circle of Women was a very engaging audiobook – I couldn’t stop listening.  I loved learning about the culture, but I also loved the mystery that was laced throughout the story that Yunxian solved at the end.  It was overall a great story of female friendship.  Jennifer Lim was a great narrator and Justin Chien narrated a short part at the end.

I loved the note at the end of the book that discussed that the real medical book that Tan Yunxian had written had started to go out of print, but her descendant found a copy of it in a private collection and had it reprinted.  This book uses that medical book and the scant details of her life to create a beautiful story. Author Lisa See fills in all of the details and has great descriptions of the era.  I have always enjoyed her books in the past.

The book does go into detail about foot binding.  I remember when I first read about foot binding in Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See.  From our modern times, it is still hard for me to figure out how binding feet until they rotted could have been considered attractive.  It sounds so painful and hard for a woman to actually walk.  I wonder who thought of this in the first place?  I wonder what beauty regime from now will be looked upon as strange in the future.  Any thoughts?

Favorite Quote:

“For much of my life I felt alone, but over the years a circle of women came to love me and I came to love each of those women in return.”

The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin

 

Title:  The Last Bookshop in London

Author:  Madeline Martin

Narrated by:  Saskia Maarleveld

Publisher: Harlequin Audio

Length: Approximately 8 hours and 13 minutes

Source: Checked out with Hoopla through the Kewaunee Public Library.  Thank-you!

Do you like stories of found families?  Do you have a favorite book, show, or movie that features a found family?

The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin is a found family story and was the June pick for the Pageturners Bookclub at the Kewaunee Public Library.  I enjoyed the book and was looking forward to book club.  Sadly, a work meeting ran late and I was unable to attend.

Grace Bennett moves to London in 1939 with her friend Viv.  They had hoped London would be fun, but as the blitz starts, they find themselves in a different type of situation.  Grace finds a job at a bookstore and helps the owner to improve the bookstore to make it successful.  As the blitz takes over the city, Grace helps her community with books and through the love of reading to keep hope alive.  Together Grace, her landlady, and her friends make their own supportive community and family.

I loved how Grace made new friends and helped people out.  I also enjoyed how she became a reader and discovered great literature through reading some of my favorite books, The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, Emma by Jane Austen, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, Dickens, etc. throughout the novel.  I loved when she would read aloud and comfort people in the tubes during bombing raids.

I am aways looking for #engineersinfiction.  I was happy to discover that the love interest was George, an engineer.  George shares The Count of Monte Cristo with Grace and helps to develop her love for reading.  They enjoy discussing books together.  George joins the miliary and is away fighting in WWII through most of the book.

I always really enjoy books where the main character works in a bookstore and makes changes to improve sales.  This book reminded me at the start of A Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan and Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner for the first part of the book.

I also thought this novel did a good job of describing how the blitz affected ordinary people that were living and working in London.  It was a very hard time for everyone.  Grace’s work as an air raid warden was interesting as well.  Author Madeline Martin did great research and included many details that day to day living during the Blitz that I had never heard about before.

Saskia Maarleveld was a good narrator and I enjoyed listening to this audiobook.  I especially enjoyed her British accent.  I loved the relationships in the novel, the talk of books, and the realistic look into the impacts of the blitz.  It was a good book.

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

 

Do you ever wonder about your ancestors?  Have you researched your genealogy?  I think genealogy is fascinating and have dabbled with it.

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi was our May book club pick for the Rogue Book Club.  I have been wanting to read this book for a long time and was glad to finally get to read it.

In the 18^th century, two half sisters are born in Ghana and go on to live very different lives.  Effia marries an Englishman and lives in the Cape Coast Castle.  Her husband has a wife back in England and is involved in the slave trade.  Esri is captured in the basement of the Castle and is shipped to the United States as a slave.  The novel traces the lives of the descendants of the two sisters as they live their lives through turbulent times in Ghana and the United States.

I’ll admit when the book first switched from the sisters to their descendants, I had a hard time trying to figure out what was going on.  Each chapter tells the story of a new descendant, although some characters are in the stories of their descendants as well.  I got used to the format and I also really liked the family try at the start of the book.  I didn’t really feel the true genius of the novel until I got to the end of the novel.  It perfectly ties up the entire story.

It reminded me of Roots, but I liked that it showed how the families differed between who stayed behind in Africa and who went to the United States.  I liked the unique format and the journey.

Book Source: Purchased from Barnes and Nobles.  Thank-you!

 

Kismet by Becky Chalsen

 

Are you a twin or do you wish you had a twin?  I’ve always enjoyed reading stories with twins in them starting with Sweet Valley Twins as a kid.

Amy and Jo are twins that are both turning 30 this summer.  Jo has decided to have her wedding over fourth of July weekend on Fire Island, which is also the twins’ thirtieth birthday weekend.  Amy arrives trying to put the best face on everything, but she and her husband, Ben, have been having marital problems.  When her old college boyfriend from freshman year shows up as the best man, Amy is torn. Should she go after her old love or try to repair things with her husband?  Will Jo’s wedding be able to go off without a hitch with all of the personalities at play?

Kismet is a perfect sun-soaked beach read with plenty of family drama.  I’ll admit I did get annoyed by Amy as her angst against Ben dragged on, but luckily the story unfolded for me to learn about the entirety of Amy and Ben’s relationship.  I enjoyed the slight mystery of finding out what the problem was.  The entire wedding party learns about how it is better to be open with each other and to believe in the power of love.  I really liked how this story wrapped up and concluded.  I thought it was very heart warming.

I also loved the setting of Fire Island.  It sounds beautiful and I had to look it up after I finished the book last month.  It sounds like I need to check this out next time I find myself in New York.

Book Source:  Book Source: Review Copy from Penguin Random House and Netgalley.   Thank-you! Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

 

Timeless Western Collection: A Wyoming Summer by Carla Kelly, Christine Sterling and Heather B. Moore (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

What is the weather like where you live?  It’s been a mild, but dry spring and early summer here along Lake Michigan in Northeast Wisconsin.  We are heading to Minnesota later this week and the high temperatures look shocking to us!

I have read entries in the Timeless Regency and Timeless Georgian collection, but this was my first read of a Timeless Western Collection.  It was a similar reading experience with three gentle romance novellas set in times past.  I greatly enjoyed reading this book during a hectic period at work and in life.  I also thought it was interesting that the time period, set in the early 1900’s is when my Great-Grandparents were born.

Ellen Found by Carla Kelly is the story of a young woman who was an orphan working at a derelict eating house in Butte.  She decides to apply for a new job at a hotel being built in Yellowstone and leaves with her cat in tow.  Her joyful spirit and new ideas help to bring cheer to the work crew and all around her.  She also finds herself the object of affection for two very different men.  There really wasn’t a mystery of who she would end up with, but there were some tense moments from living life in the American wilderness.  The true hero of the story was Plato the Cat and I loved reading about him.

The Widow of Daybreak by Christine Sterling was more of a gunslinger type western. Doris Whistler recently witnessed her husband being gunned down by an outlaw who has taken over their small town.   Even worse, days later the outlaw shows up in her store telling her that she will become his wife or more will die.  She had written a letter of desperation to her brother asking for help.  He sends his friend Buck to town.  Will he be able to bring law back to their small Wyoming town?  I enjoyed this story as well, although the love between Doris and Buck seemed too quick after her husband’s murder.  Doris did have qualms about this so that helped me out as their love grew over time.

May I Kiss the Bride?  By Heather B. Moore was the final tale in this trilogy.  After a failed engagement, Viola Delany has been shipped off to stay with her aunt in a small town in Wyoming.  On the way she spots a handsome cowboy on the train, who she never expects to see again.   Life has other plans.  I loved this story.  It had a great sweet romance and the pursuit of dreams that included a bakery. I enjoyed that Viola found her strength and had her own coming of age in this story. 

Overall, this was a wonderful anthology.  I loved the clean, sweet romance.  The characters were wonderfully developed and interesting.  I enjoyed the plots of all three stories and liked that they were all unique.

Favorite Quote:  "She marveled that such a small body could hold something as enormous as death."

Book Source: Review Copy from Mirror Press.   Thank-you! I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

QUICK FACTS

·       Title: A Wyoming Summer

·       Series: Timeless Western Collection (Book 4)

·       Authors: Carla Kelly, Christine Sterling, & Heather B. Moore

·       Genre: Historical Romance, Western Romance, Inspirational Fiction

·       Publisher: Mirror Press (June 20, 2023)

·       Length: (330) pages

·       Format: Trade paperback, eBook, & audiobook 

·       ISBN: 978-1952611322

·       Tour Dates: June 19 – 30, 2023

 

BOOK DESCRIPTION

A Wyoming Summer is the fourth book in the Timeless Western Collection, a bestselling anthology series from Mirror Press. The book features three novellas from acclaimed historical romance authors whose stories ask if true love can survive the changing seasons?

“Ellen Found,” by Carla Kelly

Set n location of Old Faithful Inn, 1903-4. Working in a discouraging café, Ellen escapes an awful situation in rough and tumble Butte, Montana, and goes to work as second in command to a wary cook in the shell that will become Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone Park. She meets Charles Penrose, head carpenter on the massive project of Old Faithful Inn, which is being finished in a harsh Wyoming winter. Will it really open June 1, 1904? Can Ellen start to trust the other workers? What will she learn about the other employees? And Charles. He's a widower with a young daughter there, too. Like Ellen, he wants more.

“The Widow of Daybreak,” by Christine Sterling

Doris Whistler is learning how to survive in a town taken over by outlaws. When the leader of an infamous gang murders her husband, her choices are to tuck tail and run, or stand her ground and make Daybreak as promising as its name. It proves to be a difficult task with the good citizens in fear of the corrupt mayor and godlessness that abounds. What she doesn't expect is the support of a traveling lawman who believes in her and the tiny town she loves so much.

“May I Kiss the Bride,” by Heather B. Moore

Viola Delany is not happy about being sent to the middle-of-nowhere, small town Wyoming. Yes, it will be good to let the gossips find something else to talk about other than her failed engagement. And yes, it will be nice to spend the summer with her Aunt Beth. But as Viola sits on the train heading for Wyoming, wondering how she'll ever occupy her time in such a small town, none other than a real-life cowboy sits across the way. She can't help but take peeks at him, noting that the condition of his unpolished black boots and scuffed rawhide jacket seem to be authentic . . . All right, so he might be tall, dark-haired, and handsome if a woman doesn't mind green eyes and a dangerous-looking scar, but this man certainly has nothing to do with her. Besides she'll never see him again. What are the chances he's traveling to the same middle-of-nowhere small town?

ABOUT THE SERIES

Since 2015, Mirror Press has been presenting the Timeless Romance Collection, a curated anthology of novellas and short stories featuring bestselling authors from the contemporary and historical romance genres. The collection has hit the USA TODAY bestselling list and charted at #1 at Amazon.com. Learn more about the series and other anthologies published by Mirror Press at their website.  

ADVANCE PRAISE

·       5 STARS – “…my new favorite of the Timeless Romance Anthologies.”— Maria Thomas, Goodreads

·       5 STARS – “Another wonderful collection from the Timeless Romance Anthologies...A perfect read for your summer enjoyment that just might have you planning some trips to Wyoming or another western historical feeling location. ”— Julie Carpenter, Goodreads

·       5 STARS – “A clean, fun, well-written collection by three talented authors.”— Lorieah, Goodreads

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON | BOOKBUB | GOODREADS

AUTHOR BIOS

Carla Kelly started writing Regencies because of her interest in the Napoleonic Wars. She like writing about warfare at sea and ordinary people of the British Isles, rather than lords and ladies. In her spare time, she likes to read British crime fiction and history, particularly the U.S. Indian Wars. She is a former park ranger, and double Rita Award and Spur Award winner. She currently lives in Utah, has five interesting children and four grands. Carla’s favorite authors include Robert Crais and Richard Woodman.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

Christine Sterling is a USA Today best-selling author who writes small-town inspirational romances with a touch of humor. Most of her stories take place in the plains of Nebraska or Colorado, but she will write wherever there are cowboys needing to find love. Her favorite stories involve tight-knit families, and you will often find that her characters cross over in many of her stories.

She lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, four dogs, and one spoiled cat, aka The Floof. She can often be found in her garden with a notebook and a cup of tea.

BOOKBUB | BOOKFUNNEL | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS

Heather B. Moore is a USA Today best-selling and award-winning author of more than seventy publications, including The Paper Daughters of Chinatown. She has lived on both the East and West Coasts of the United States, as well as Hawaii, and attended school abroad at the Cairo American Collage in Egypt and the Anglican School of Jerusalem in Israel. She loves to learn about history and is passionate about historical research.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS