Content warning: death of spouse mentioned; miscarriage mentioned; death of young child discussed.
The Bachelor Earl is a prequel novella to Darcy BurkContent warning: death of spouse mentioned; miscarriage mentioned; death of young child discussed.
The Bachelor Earl is a prequel novella to Darcy Burke’s The Untouchables series, which I’ve read most of and really enjoyed! Genie is a really likeable heroine, and I liked this expansion of her character (she is the stepmother of Titus, the hero of the first book in the series) – this is sort of a second chance romance, but not as you might have seen before. She doesn’t want to marry again after the death of her beloved husband, Jerome, but when she’s tricked into attending a house party designed for matchmaking amongst older singletons, she finds that actually, she’s strongly attracted to the Earl of Satterfield; he for his part has been in love with her since they were both in their twenties, but never told her. The two of them have phenomenal chemistry, and it’s a pleasure to watch them fall in love – the novella length means this has a great pace and few dramatic obstacles beyond Genie’s reservations. Four out of five cats!...more
I was so hopeful for this book to be as Diana Wynne Jones-ish as the blurb sounded, but it's a very different kettle of fish. Where DWJ's books are chI was so hopeful for this book to be as Diana Wynne Jones-ish as the blurb sounded, but it's a very different kettle of fish. Where DWJ's books are character-focused and charmingly, dryly British in their humour, The House at the Edge of Magic is a loud, zany book with humour derived from a lot of yelling, bat droppings and trolls in aprons. Characters shout and exclaim almost every line, and the whole thing is suffused with high energy and surprises popping out every which-way, to the point that it actually felt like an effort for me, an introvert, to read. The silly humour and tone were not my cup of tea at all, but it will definitely entertain kids of about 7-10 looking for a riotous read. The oddball cast of characters are amusing caricatures that all have interesting quirks, but they were under-developed and barely seemed to go through any growth.
What frustrated me was that I could see the bones of a clever middle grade fantasy here, but it's all a bit shallow - the plot races along too fast to get invested in and too choppily for any substance to stick to it, so I was left feeling disappointed. I really wasn't expecting to finish this inside 40 minutes! It definitely feels like one for the younger end of middle grade, and I'm very surprised to see other reviewers comparing it to Sophie Anderson's thoughtful, deep books. I think this is just not right for me, since I prefer my MG fantasy smart rather than silly, and character-focused rather than centred on crazy occurrences - but I would recommend to those looking for a lighter, louder read. 3 out of five stars....more
Content warnings: death of spouse/mother mentioned; hero has facial scars which are discussed by him and others negatively; hero is injured badly at oContent warnings: death of spouse/mother mentioned; hero has facial scars which are discussed by him and others negatively; hero is injured badly at one point; war and violent death discussed; kidnapping.
A Marquis In Want Of A Wife was a very sweet marriage of convenience story that had lots of heart. I loved how starkly practical both characters were, and their journey to falling in love after their marriage. Though at first they treat their marriage as a strictly business practice, with Ross gaining a mother for his son, and Prue gaining protection after a romantic indiscretion, they slowly warm to each other in a very fulfilling way. I did find that the plot got a little bit farfetched in places, once the war against Napoleon was brought in as a major plot point – I would have preferred the stakes to stay smaller, and have focused more on the emotional danger the two found themselves in, but that is my personal preference for most romance, and overall this was very enjoyable.
Also, it’s a small thing, but I appreciated the detail put into having a baby in the story – there is plenty of discussion of his nursemaid and wet nurse, which is not something you often see in historical romance, but certainly something that would have had to be considered for a baby without a mother! It helped to make the story feel more realistic for me, as I often find babies to be little more than window-dressing in these sorts of books; here, Jon is a real part of the family and having that realism made it easier to connect with both Ross and Prue’s love for him. Three and a half cats!...more
Content warnings: Secondary character is an alcoholic; mention of death of spouse/mother; parental neglect/abandonment; brief mentions of violence in Content warnings: Secondary character is an alcoholic; mention of death of spouse/mother; parental neglect/abandonment; brief mentions of violence in war.
The Regency Belles of Bath is a fun and fluffy series set around Belle’s, a wonderful biscuit shop in Bath. In the first book, An Unconventional Countess, Henrietta Gardiner was a naive girl who nearly got into a lot of trouble with a dashing rake; this book may take place only six months later, but she’s done a lot of growing up in that time, thanks to her brush with danger. She’s wary of men and their flirting, which puts her in a bit of a pickle when Sebastian Fortini (brother to our previous heroine, Anna) returns to the biscuit shop for the first time in years, and sparks feelings in her she was hoping to avoid. Sebastian, for his part, is baffled to find out how much has changed in his absence, and feeling rather directionless after leaving the navy, can’t help but be drawn in by the beautiful and kind Henrietta…
As with the previous book, this is a sweet story that sticks to quieter stakes, really allowing the characters to get to know one another and help each other grow. A large part of the plot revolves around Henrietta dealing with her three nephews after her brother, David, who is struggling badly with alcohol after the death of his wife. At first, Sebastian resolves to give her a hand in the shop so she has time to look after the boys, but it’s wonderfully good fun to watch him come up with excuse after excuse to himself to stick around and spend time with her! There really isn’t much more to the plot than that, but that isn’t to say that it’s boring – actually, this is my favourite kind of romance, without the bells and whistles of mysteries or kidnappings or elaborate marital schemes. The characters are more relaxed, and if they’re well-written, which they are here, you get to see exactly what makes them tick and watch them grow into themselves through their interactions with others, rather than their responses to drama. It makes things very cozy and enjoyable – proper Sunday afternoon books.
I loved both Henrietta and Sebastian. They’re both a little bit adrift – not unhappy, but not quite sure that this is where they want to be – and in each other, they find something that helps them to work out how life should feel. After Henrietta’s subplot in An Unconventional Countess, I thought her development here was spot on, as she learns to trust Sebastian; it made perfect sense that she was so averse to flattery and flirting, and I found her matter-of-factness with Sebastian about it very refreshing. For his part, he was the perfect gentleman, but more than that, he really seemed to understand why she was uncomfortable, and go out of his way to make her feel more at ease with him. Jenni’s heroes are just so wonderfully considerate, respectful, and kind – they really are the sort of characters I love to read about. It’s such a treat to read a historical romance where everyone is so emotionally literate and, well, nice!
Normally in a historical romance I’m all about, well, the romance, and I don’t pay too much mind to the subplots, but here I found myself rather touched by the plot involving Henrietta’s nephews. I’ve been struggling a little to adjust to life with a baby, and I read this on a day I was feeling very down, but the love Henrietta has for those boys (and the way their plotline resolves – no spoilers) left me happy-crying and thinking about how much I love mine. It sounds silly, but sometimes it’s nice just to sink into a book filled with good feelings – it can help you get a handle on your own life!
This is a real comfort read and one I can see myself returning to again and again. I’m really excited for the last two books in the series – I saw some hints in this one as to who we’ll be seeing fall in love next and I can’t wait! If you’re in need of a bit of escapism (and who isn’t, at the moment?) then this is definitely one you should preorder and spend Christmas Eve curled up with. Five out of five cats!...more
Content warnings: murder and death; mention of death in childbirth; quite a bit of discussion of spousal and parental abuse.
I'm not usually a fan of Content warnings: murder and death; mention of death in childbirth; quite a bit of discussion of spousal and parental abuse.
I'm not usually a fan of historical romance that also incorporates mystery plots, but I was tempted to this one by the sound of the dynamic between the leads. I ended up really enjoying the sparks between them, but I felt like their romance had so little page time between the various murders! I would have liked a lot more scenes between them as they tried to hide their budding romance from the rest of the characters, and a lot fewer scenes repeating information about the murders. It's definitely not the 'fun and flirty... rom-com' it's billed as. But if you're a fan of the mystery side of things, there's a lot to enjoy here. Three and a half stars, rounded up for NetGalley....more
This might be the cutest book I’ve read all year! It definitely doesn’t stand alone, so you’ll want to go back to Snowspelled to start at the beginninThis might be the cutest book I’ve read all year! It definitely doesn’t stand alone, so you’ll want to go back to Snowspelled to start at the beginning of the Harwood Spellbook series, but you should do that anyway because if you haven’t, you’re missing out on a brilliant fantasy of manners. You can check out my review of book three, Moontangled, here, for a hint at what the series is like – it’s wonderful comfort reading. This epilogue, Frostgilded, is set around two years after that first book, so beware, spoilers from hereon out… We rejoin Cassandra Harwood at Thornfell, the school for female magicians she successfully set up across the series – and as Cassandra has come to realise, success comes with a certain amount of chaos. Her house is full of visitors, from students to in-laws, and all she wants to do is sneak away to set up an anniversary surprise for her husband, but she just keeps getting interrupted!
Like I say, this is pure fluffy sweetness. It is so wonderful to get a glimpse into how the characters I’ve come to love are getting on, and even though this is only a short read, there are so many delightful moments of interaction between Cassandra and her family and students. It’s just a book that filled me with warmth! When I describe this series to people, I often liken it to sinking into a hot bath, because they’re so comforting – from the feminist twist to the historical setting, to the wit of the characters and Cassandra’s narration, to the mix of fae politics and family issues, this is everything I like to read. This book in particular has that cozy holiday fanfic feel – which I use as a huge compliment! – and I really loved seeing Cassandra and Rajaram’s marriage as a continuing relationship, after the happily ever after. One of my favourite things to read is couples who have a genuinely strong line of communication, and though this book hinges on miscommunication, it’s all in good fun and you can tell they are so good for each other. It’s so romantic!
Even though I’m sad this is an end to the series, Frostgilded is a wonderful send-off, a window into a happy moment that I can see myself returning to time and again. Five out of five cats, obviously!...more
Content warnings: Murder investigation; discussions of poisoning, violence, natural death; discussion of flesh decomposition; death of parent (in pastContent warnings: Murder investigation; discussions of poisoning, violence, natural death; discussion of flesh decomposition; death of parent (in past, but grief discussed).
Myrtle Hardcastle's father is a Court Prosecutor, and she longs for nothing more than to follow him into the study and practice of law. Sadly for her, though, she's a twelve year old girl in Victorian times, so it's hardly an acceptable life goal - but that's not going to stop Myrtle! When her next door neighbour, the eccentric lily-breeding spinster Miss Wodehouse, is found dead, Myrtle is sure there's foul play involved, even if the authorities don't believe her, so she sets out to solve the murder and find out what really happened on that night. What follows is an engrossing adventure of a mystery, with a strong and smart heroine you can't help but love.
The story is told in the first person, and Myrtle's narrative voice is brilliant, full of dry humour and irrepressible enthusiasm. She's full of pluck, and committed to learning everything she can, and you end up dragged along with her energy - part of this was the excellent narration, but I also think this would be a delight to read on paper as it strikes the perfect balance between historical accuracy and modern ease. While Myrtle was easily my favourite character (and one I think will be beloved by younger readers for her no-nonsense attitude), I also loved her governess, Miss Judson - capable and witty, she's a combination of mother figure and best friend to Myrtle, and their warm relationship really made me smile. They're a great investigating team! Myrtle's father, too, is a loving parent, even if he is slightly baffled by how his daughter has grown up so similar to him - so often kids' books happen despite the adults in the story, but I really liked how strong and supportive the adults around Myrtle were. Plus, every book is better with a cat, and the late Miss Wodehouse's pet Peony makes plenty of appearance - and the narrator's interpretation of her 'meow's was wonderful and funny!
The mystery itself is twisty and fun, and kept me guessing. I really liked Myrtle's investigations for their practicality and the contemporary science they included - for example, there's some discussion of the brand new techniques for fingerprint identification, which I found very entertaining. There are several footnotes throughout the book where Myrtle explains legal or medical concepts that might be outside the knowledge of the reader, and these are well-explained in her fun voice. At times it gets a little bit too red-herring-y, with a bit of obvious misdirection, but I am coming at it with years of mystery reading under my belt so a younger reader might not notice this, and it certainly didn't take away from the joy of it.
I had a great time with this book, and Myrtle is exactly the kind of heroine I'd want kids to read about - she's practical, funny, and has a great sense of justice. I think this would be great for those who are looking for something a bit more youthful than Sherlock Holmes (I was obsessively into them aged 11, but they are a bit archaic), or perfect for fans of the Murder Most Unladylike series who would be interested in something historical. Although they aren't supernatural, it also gave me the same kind of vibes as Gail Carriger's Finishing School books, with a smart Victorian girl making use of her unconventional knowledge with great flair. I'm really looking forward to the next book, How To Get Away With Myrtle! Five out of five cats. ...more
Aliens are out there, and every single one takes a trip to Earth on their 300th birthday. They take the form Content warnings: Scene of near-drowning.
Aliens are out there, and every single one takes a trip to Earth on their 300th birthday. They take the form of an Earth creature and spend one month learning as much as they can about the world. One alien in particular is so excited to become a forest ranger at Yellowstone National Park, but there’s a mix up in the transfer, and he ends up nowhere near Yellowstone – and worse, not as a human, but as a cat! His cat-self is not at all well-equipped to deal with the enormous storm he lands in, but luckily for him, he’s rescued by Olive, a girl spending the summer with her gruff grandmother. She gives him a home, and the name Leonard, and helps him to experience all the Earth things he was hoping to – but although Leonard starts to really connect with her, he has to convince her to take him across the country to Yellowstone in time for the rendezvous with his people, so he isn’t trapped on Earth forever…
I knew the moment I picked this one up that it was going to make me bawl like a baby. The book starts with a flash-forward, with Olive and Leonard racing towards the rendezvous point, and the emotional stakes are high from the very first page. Olive teaches Leonard about human life, but he also helps her to come into her own; she feels weird, has no friends, and lacks confidence, but Leonard’s friendship helps her to learn to love herself, and it’s joyous to see. As someone who’s completely besotted with my cat, I found the love between Olive and Leonard very touching, and the thought of them parting really tugged on my heartstrings – seasoned readers may suspect a twist in the tale from the off, but I found that didn’t lessen any of the emotional impact for me. The gorgeousness of this book isn’t in the plot, but in the heartfelt connection between characters, and the honesty of the feelings depicted. This was true for I, Cosmo as well, so I think being able to write about love in a realistic, intense, but non-sappy way is a real strength of the author. Also like I, Cosmo, this isn’t a book you need to worry about giving to a young animal lover, as no animals come to any harm!
I couldn’t help but fall in love with Leonard’s voice. Though this is an emotional book, it’s also a very funny one, and much of the humour derives from Leonard’s outsider observations of human behaviour, and the lengths Olive goes to in her attempts to conceal his alienness from others. His alien nature makes him philosophical and smart, but there are also brilliant moments where he can’t resist his body’s cat reflexes, and it’s so cute! This might not be a straightforward cat book, but there’s still plenty of feline loveliness that should satisfy even the biggest cat lover.
My Life As A Cat is a wonderful read – it’s sweet, heartwarming, and full of a kind of existential hopefulness that will leave you emotional, but happy. I really recommend it to anyone looking for kids’ fiction with a lot of heart – just make sure you have tissues. A very apt five out of five cats!...more
Content warning: parental abuse; childhood bullying about appearance.
I can’t believe Ten Days With A Duke is the penultimate book in the 12 Dukes of CContent warning: parental abuse; childhood bullying about appearance.
I can’t believe Ten Days With A Duke is the penultimate book in the 12 Dukes of Christmas series! I really enjoyed this second chance romance, as I’ve enjoyed the whole series, but it hasn’t knocked Dukes Actually or Never Say Duke off their top spots. I love a nerdy hero, so botanist Eli ticked a lot of boxes for me, and I enjoyed the dynamic between the main couple a lot. They are the children of two archenemies, and Eli humiliated Olive when they were teenagers, leaving her with lasting effects to her self-confidence, so it’s really to see how they can possibly come back from the animosity between them when they’re forced to consider marrying each other. Though the bulk of this book is great, the thing I didn’t like was the redemption of Eli’s father, whom I found utterly disgusting in his behaviour – seeing him get anything like a happy ending felt unsatisfying and undeserved to me. It really put a downer on the end of the book for me – but I’m looking forward to the final instalment! Three out of five cats....more
Loading...
