I have no clue how to rate or review this book. On one hand, it was a great book with a killer cliffhanger for the ending. It was enough to really havI have no clue how to rate or review this book. On one hand, it was a great book with a killer cliffhanger for the ending. It was enough to really have me looking forward to the next book. On the other hand, I really disliked the main character Zo ( and yes, that is what she prefers to be called). I found her to be childish in the extreme; as much as she was an adult taking care of her ailing mother, she was selfish when it came to other things. She never wanted to listen to anyone who might know more about what was happening; she never wanted to hear what was good for her. I did, however, love a lot of the other characters in this book.
The chapters were filled with Zo's angst, sexual thoughts, and long-winded ramblings, which I found annoying to the extreme. However, when there was someone else there or some action going on, it was a great book that allowed me to get lost in it. Unfortunately, those sections were few and far between. It was still enough for me to 'like' this book and to want to see what happens next.
*ARC was supplied by the publisher William Morrow, the author, and NetGalley. My thanks to all.
This was a charming story about twin boys who wish for "THE" mother. Yes, that's correct.This is a two-in-one "book" re-issue.
All I Want for Christmas
This was a charming story about twin boys who wish for "THE" mother. Yes, that's correct. They want "THE" mother, not "A" mother. They call her THE mother because they have everything all picked out, plus they want to share her with their father! So they write to Santa for THE mother. And guess what happens? Yep. This short novella was super cute, and I loved the happily ever after! I needed something sweet and relaxing after reading a bunch of violent books in the last few days.
Captivated
Captivated is a short book, not a novella like the first one. It is not a Christmas book or even a holiday book. It is basically about witchcraft and sex. This was as far from the style of the first novella as you can get! It didn't hold my attention like the first book did, and I couldn't find a way to actually like the characters or the storyline in this one.
*ARC supplied by the publisher Silhouette/Harlequin, the author, and Edelweiss/ATTL....more
I admit that I doubt if I am the proper audience for this novel. I acknowledge that I have never read anything by this author, so I really had no greaI admit that I doubt if I am the proper audience for this novel. I acknowledge that I have never read anything by this author, so I really had no great expectations. However, based on the recap, I expected something a little different from what I got. This book was compared to Lessons in Chemistry, and I can wholeheartedly say that that is a bunch of bull poop.
This heavy-handed novel does not have me living these females' lives. I fully expected some true history based on real women's hotels with a lot of fiction mixed in. Instead, I got endless paragraphs of repetitive drivel that did nothing but ramble. There is nothing cohesive about this novel....more
The young Amish woman, Phoebe, knows everyone thinks she is a bit odd. After all, she can't read or write and is a bit clumsy. We do learn the most liThe young Amish woman, Phoebe, knows everyone thinks she is a bit odd. After all, she can't read or write and is a bit clumsy. We do learn the most likely reason for her issues.
Widower Seth Beiler is in over his head. He has his five orphaned brothers to take care of, along with his business and their farm. He had someone helping him until she broke her wrist; now, he needs another housekeeper.
Phoebe is asked to come help out at Seth's farm, and despite her misgivings, she takes on the job.
This story is set just after Thanksgiving and during the rest of the Christmas holidays. While Phoebe is taking care of the brothers, she gains a lot of confidence and brings a lot of joy to this family. During these few weeks, Phoebe and Seth learn to care about each other, yet they don't show it until it is almost too late.
This excellent novel is filled with humor, joy, and a big helping of learning about Amish life. I'm looking forward to reading the next novel in this trilogy (?), and I'm assuming that it will be about the next oldest brother, Levi.
*ARC is supplied by the publisher Forever/Grand Central Publishing, the author, and NetGalley....more
This is the perfect book if you need some simple pre-holiday escapism. It is a clean novel. Every situation is heartwarming; the people (and there areThis is the perfect book if you need some simple pre-holiday escapism. It is a clean novel. Every situation is heartwarming; the people (and there are many)are very kind and very sweet, the town is quaint, and even the horror of a house fire turns into a lesson in loving your fellow man.
This is a very worthy read.
However, I could not connect with the main characters of Sheila and her best friend. I couldn't even figure out what age bracket they were supposed to be in. A tiny bit of this story was just a tad too sweet for me, even when Sheila and Tucker have their little spat toward the end of the book.
I don't regret reading this book, though - we all need some sweetness with our sour!
*ARC was supplied to me by the publisher, St. Martin's Griffin, the author, and NetGalley for pre-reading and reviewing purposes....more
If you are looking for a light, comforting Christmas read, this book may not be precisely the type of Christmas book you are look2.5 Stars rounded up.
If you are looking for a light, comforting Christmas read, this book may not be precisely the type of Christmas book you are looking for. While this is a lovely book describing Norway and all of her holiday customs and food, it is very, very heavy on the narration, and it isn't until the last 40% of the book that anything to make the reader sit up and take notice happens to advance the story. However, don't despair; nearly everyone gets their own happily ever after- or as close to it as possible.
Typically, I fly through holiday reads because of the 'lite' factor, but because this book was much heavier and more profound with many tragedies and possible tragedies, it took me much longer to get into.
I was grateful to find a glossary of foods, holidays, terms, and even recipes at the back of the book.
*The ARC was supplied by HarperVia, the publisher, the author, and NetGalley. It was first published in 2022 in the original Norse language....more
Publication date -October 8th 4.5 stars rounded up.
If you belong to a book club, be sure to get this book for discussion. This is a powerful look intoPublication date -October 8th 4.5 stars rounded up.
If you belong to a book club, be sure to get this book for discussion. This is a powerful look into internet privacy, influencers, and the first generation of kids to have their whole lives spread out on the 'net for strangers to follow...whether the kids want it out there or not.
Although sometimes clumsily written with secondary and tertiary storylines that aren't always necessary, it is worth the read.
This story tells us about one family ( a widowed mother, twins, a teenager, and a boy who never knew his father) who is in the social media spotlight. The mom is an influencer who lays it all out there for the world to see, even pictures of her dead husband in his coffin. The mom makes a great living off of her posts etc. But this also tells the story of her teenage daughter, who has had enough of her privacy being invaded. And the daughter takes some drastic steps to get her mother to stop.
I have to say that at first, I was against what the daughter was trying to do; after all, the mom was trying her best to keep her family afloat. I'm from that nasty generation who sometimes still feels that children should be seen and not heard!
This is definitely one book that will be discussed...a lot.
*ARC was supplied by the publisher William Morrow Paperbacks, the author, and NetGalley....more
I love historical fiction, and what better era to choose than the Gilded Age? This was a time when women were starting to realize their worth, yearninI love historical fiction, and what better era to choose than the Gilded Age? This was a time when women were starting to realize their worth, yearning for equality, and fighting for the rights of all. This was a very liberal era in certain circles. Of course, it sure helped if you had money!
Ms. Noble was certainly able to blend fact with just a touch of fiction and did it with elegance. She chose a complex subject, spun a tale (most of it historically factual), and pulled the reader into the era in a way that made me feel as if I were making history.
It is a perfect blending of fact and fiction.
*ARC was supplied by the publisher William Morrow Paperbacks, the author, and NetGalley. ...more
This was a charming, fast-paced read appropriate for all ages. It is perfect for Christmas when you have so much else to do that you may try to ski3.5
This was a charming, fast-paced read appropriate for all ages. It is perfect for Christmas when you have so much else to do that you may try to skip the pleasures of reading about the holidays.
It has lovely Christmas themes and an interesting tiny mystery added to keep you on your toes. The romance is adorable and wholesome. I must say that I would have loved to see their romance evolve and, of course, end in marriage, but it wasn't to be. Maybe there will be a part 2!
*ARC was supplied by the publisher G.P. Putnam's Sons, the author, and NetGalley....more
This book, at times, was as slow as a well-fed gator in a Louisianna bayou! It is not until you get to the last 30 percent or so that the story picks This book, at times, was as slow as a well-fed gator in a Louisianna bayou! It is not until you get to the last 30 percent or so that the story picks up, and you can see where all the twists and turns are leading. This was a very descriptive novel that has you almost smelling the bayou yet, at times, was over-filled with description.
While this book was not my glass of wine, I think many people looking for a gentle escape will love this novel.
*ARC was supplied by the publisher Penguin Publishing Group/Dutton, the author, and NetGalley....more
This book will be on the shelves as of September 10, 2024.
This was an interesting novel that delved into the life of Claire Eiffel, daughter of GustaThis book will be on the shelves as of September 10, 2024.
This was an interesting novel that delved into the life of Claire Eiffel, daughter of Gustave Eiffel, the Architect of the world-renowned Eiffel Tower. The book starts shortly after Claire's mother dies and deals with how Claire stepped into her mother's shoes and became her father's sounding board and part-time secretary.
This book gives us a rich look into the time period of Belle Époque and just slightly beyond. A lot of history went into the making of this novel, and I enjoyed learning what it took to run a family such as this one along with Claire.
Also, learning how the Eiffel Tower came to be and why it did was quite a history lesson for me.
This book will be perfect for those looking to learn more about this time period, have a smattering romance, and those who want to immerse themselves in the Parisian culture of that era.
*ARC was supplied by the publisher William Morrow, the author, and NetGalley....more
Well, this book certainly did not live up to its title! I admit, though, that it follows loosely, vaguely "The Princess Bride," and those parts were iWell, this book certainly did not live up to its title! I admit, though, that it follows loosely, vaguely "The Princess Bride," and those parts were interesting to figure out. (I loved the movie!). I have to say that adding a modern twist to this sort of novel was intriguing and kept me on my toes. For instance, having an ancient type of Uber or Lyft, using a tapestry as a cell phone, and various other technological/magical instances of modern meets magic.
Now comes the complaining part - If you don't mind that over 50% of the book is the three main characters bemoaning about how they hate themselves or angsting about their love lives or lack thereof, then jump right in. Even when a couple of them do finally get together for some nookie, they are still miserable. And that "quest" that the Queen asks them to go on seemed to be just haphazardly thrown in to keep us reading. Although, in the end, the fighting and the magic bits were quite interesting.
I would have given up on this very frustrating and, dare I say, sometimes boring novel if it wasn't for a hint I got in another reviewer's spoiler.
It is interesting to note that E.B. Asher is really three different author's, and it does show.
*ARC was supplied by the publisher Avon/HarperCollins, the author, and NetGalley. My thanks to all....more
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