ARC Review: Wired by Julie Garwood

Title: Wired
Author: Julie Garwood
Publisher/Publication Date: Berkley; July 4, 2017
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Source/Format: First to Read; eARC

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

A beautiful computer hacker and a bad-boy FBI agent must collaborate—in more ways than one—in the sizzling new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Garwood...

Allison Trent doesn’t look like a hacker. In fact, when she’s not in college working on her degree, she models on the side. But behind her gorgeous face is a brilliant mind for computers and her real love is writing—and hacking—code. Her dream is to write a new security program that could revolutionize the tech industry. Hotshot FBI agent Liam Scott has a problem: a leak deep within his own department. He needs the skills of a top-notch hacker to work on a highly sensitive project: to secretly break into the FBI servers and find out who the traitor is. But he can’t use one of his own. He finds the perfect candidate in Allison. Only, there’s one problem—she wants nothing to do with his job and turns him down flat. What Liam doesn’t know is that Allison is hiding secrets that she doesn’t want the FBI to uncover. But Liam will do nearly anything to persuade her to join his team, even break a few rules if that’s what it takes. A temptation that could put his job—and both of their futures—on the line and longing for more . . .

My Thoughts:

When I first saw the synopsis for Wired, I was immediately interested because it sounded like a good story. Despite my high hopes for this one, Wired turned out to be just okay.

Wired tells the story of Allison Trent who was a model, college student, and hacker with secrets. She gets involved in case after being approached by the FBI. At times, this story seemed a little busy. Some of the conflicts were resolved almost too quickly, just as I was getting into that part of the story. There was the plotline with the leaks, as well as another that directly stemmed from Allison’s genius level accomplishments/creations. However, I wish that the story would have found its focus and spent more time on the first conflict. Despite that, Allison’s being a hacker was a highlight of Wired. For the most part, I liked the way Garwood portrayed her character. I particularly liked the scenes when Allison was in the zone, because she displayed a clear confidence in her abilities.

Wired was more of an average read, but I would be open to checking out other books by Julie Garwood.

Rating 3/5

This copy of the book was provided by First to Read (publisher) for this review, thank you!

About the author...

Born and raised in Kansas City, MO, Ms. Garwood attributes much of her success to growing up in a large family of Irish heritage. "The Irish are great storytellers who relish getting all of the details and nuances of every situation. Add in the fact that I was the sixth of seven children. Early in life, I learned that self expression had to be forceful, imaginative, and quick," says Ms. Garwood. She began her writing career when the youngest of her three children entered school. After the publications of two young-adult books, she turned her talents to historical fiction. Her first novel, GENTLE WARRIOR, was published by Pocket Books in 1985. Since then, she has branched into other genres including contemporary romantic suspense. Today, her name appears regularly on the bestseller lists of every major publication in the country, and her books are translated into dozens of languages around the world. Her bestselling novel FOR THE ROSES was adapted for the HALLMARK HALL OF FAME television movie ROSE HILL. Ms. Garwood lives in Leawood, KS and is currently working on her next novel...

ARC Review: The Shark Club by Ann Kidd Taylor

Title: The Shark Club
Author: Ann Kidd Taylor
Publisher/Publication Date: Viking; June 6, 2017
Genre: Fiction; Mystery
Source/Format: First to Read; eARC

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

A novel about love, loss, and sharks by the New York Times bestselling coauthor of the memoir Traveling with Pomegranates...

On a summer day on the Gulf of Mexico in 1988, two extraordinary things happen to twelve-year-old Maeve Donnelly. First, she is kissed by Daniel, the boy of her dreams. Then, she is attacked by a blacktip shark. Eighteen years later, Maeve is a world-traveling marine biologist studying and swimming with the very animals that once threatened her life. Known among her peers as the “shark whisperer,” Maeve is fearless in the water. On land, however, Maeve is dogged by unresolved wounds and indecisive about the path her life will take. After a particularly inspiring assignment abroad, Maeve returns to the small island off Florida’s coast where she grew up and to her childhood home—the legendarily charming and eccentric Hotel of the Muses, where she was raised by her grandmother. There, she is greeted by troubling news.

An illegal shark-finning operation has moved into town, and hundreds of sharks are dying. As Maeve fights to protect the fate of the animals so dear to her heart, she finds that her twin brother may be about to make it big as a novelist, using her love life as his jumping-off point. Will she confront her feelings about her brother’s betrayal—and forgive her childhood sweetheart, Daniel, the missteps of their youth? Or will she dive headlong back into her work and open her heart to Nicholas, her colleague who shares her passion for the ocean? Set against the intoxicating backdrop of palm trees, blood orange sunsets, calypso bands, and key lime pies, The Shark Club is a love story, an environmental mystery, and an exploration of a woman’s mysterious kinship with the sea and the sharks that inhabit it...

My Thoughts:

I went into The Shark Club by Ann Kidd Taylor with little to no expectations. This is the first novel I’ve read by this author, so I wanted to keep an open mind about the story. And, you know what? The Shark Club wasn’t half bad. There were a lot of things I particularly liked about this story. The Shark Club is a character driven novel. A lot of time was devoted to developing the characters and their relationships. There was even a little bit of a mystery going on.

This book was mainly about the main character, Maeve Donnelly, returning home to her life after a research trip where she got to study sharks up close and personal. The Shark Club focused on Maeve’s relationships—both new and old—between friends, family, and old loves. At some parts, this book felt like a lot of other contemporary novels that I’ve read, but Maeve’s background and occupation is what made the story interesting. I don’t see marine biologists portrayed in fiction very often. I’ve seen it mentioned in passing, but I rarely come across a book that specifically deals with it in the way The Shark Club did. The plotline with the sharks was interesting, and I wish there would have been more of the technical stuff involving Maeve’s job.

The mystery was there. However, just like the marine biology side of the story, the mystery seemed to take a step to the side when considering other aspects of the story. Still, the mystery was pretty good.

Overall, I enjoyed The Shark Club.

Rating 3.5/5

This copy of the book was provided by First to Read (Publisher) for this review, thank you!

About the Author...

Ann Kidd Taylor is the coauthor of Traveling with Pomegranates, a memoir written with her mother, Sue Monk Kidd. Published by Viking in 2009, it appeared on numerous bestseller lists, including the New York Times list, and has been published in several languages. Sue Monk Kidd, is the award-winning and bestselling author of the novels The Secret Life of Bees, The Mermaid Chair, and The Invention of Wings. The Shark Club is Ann’s first novel. She lives in southwest Florida with her husband, son, and two dogs...

ARC Review: The Girl Who Knew Too Much by Amanda Quick

Title: The Girl Who Knew Too Much
Author: Amanda Quick
Publisher/Publication Date: Berkley Books; May 9, 2017
Genre: Historical; Romantic Suspence
Source/Format: First to Read; eARC

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Amanda Quick, the bestselling author of ’Til Death Do Us Part, transports readers to 1930s California, where glamour and seduction spawn a multitude of sins…

When Hollywood moguls and stars want privacy, they head to an idyllic small town on the coast, where the exclusive Burning Cove Hotel caters to their every need. It’s where reporter Irene Glasson finds herself staring down at a beautiful actress at the bottom of a pool. Seeking the truth, Irene finds herself drawn to a master of deception. Oliver Ward was once a world-famous magician—until he was mysteriously injured during his last performance. Now the owner of the Burning Cove Hotel, he can’t let scandal threaten his livelihood, even if it means trusting Irene, a woman who seems to have appeared in Los Angeles out of nowhere four months ago. With Oliver’s help, Irene soon learns that the glamorous paradise of Burning Cove hides dark and dangerous secrets. And that the past—always just out of sight—could drag them both under…

My Thoughts:

You know, I felt like I was expecting more from The Girl Who Knew Too Much by Amanda Quick than what I actually got. It was an okay story, but I have some thoughts about this one. At first glance, The Girl Who Knew Too Much has a very interesting premise. I was interested more in how the mystery would work with the time period this book was set in. 1930s California, that’s what the synopsis said, and I did see hints of elements that alluded to the time period.

This is definitely a romantic suspense novel. On top of the both mysteries, there was a heavy emphasis on the romance. It didn’t start out that way. The beginning was really good. I got the sense of urgency that the character felt, and the danger was front and center. But as the story progressed, the focus seemed to shift a little. There was a lot going on—and I mean A LOT—and I almost feel like some aspects of the story weren’t given enough time. That brings me to the conflict. The initial start of the whole thing was incredible. It wasn’t necessarily packed to the brim with action, but the opening chapters set up an atmosphere of suspense. However, the end was just okay—and a little anticlimactic—which makes me kind of sad because the beginning was so strong.


Irene Glasson was an okay character. I liked her more in the beginning, some of her decisions were just kind of meh, but her character development turned out to be alright. The rest of the characters were pretty interesting, but I just don’t have anything to say about them.

Overall, The Girl Who Knew Too Much was a pretty average read for me, and I would definitely consider picking up another book by this author.

Rating 3/5

This copy of the book was provided by First to Read (Publisher) for this review, thank you!

About the author...

Pseudonym of Jayne Ann Krentz

The author of over 40 consecutive New York Times bestsellers, JAYNE ANN KRENTZ writes romantic-suspense, often with a psychic and paranormal twist, in three different worlds: Contemporary (as Jayne Ann Krentz), historical (as Amanda Quick) and futuristic (as Jayne Castle). There are over 30 million copies of her books in print. She earned a B.A. in History from the University of California at Santa Cruz and went on to obtain a Masters degree in Library Science from San Jose State University in California. Before she began writing full time she worked as a librarian in both academic and corporate libraries. Ms. Krentz is married and lives with her husband, Frank, in Seattle, Washington...

ARC Review: Gone: A Girl, a Violin, a Life Unstrung by Min Kym

Title: Gone: A Girl, a Violin, a Life Unstrung
Author: Min Kym
Publisher/Publication Date: Crown Publishing Group; April 25, 2017
Genre: Memoir; Nonfiction
Source/Format: First to Read; eARC

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

The spellbinding memoir of a violin virtuoso who loses the instrument that had defined her both on stage and off -- and who discovers, beyond the violin, the music of her own voice...

Her first violin was tiny, harsh, factory-made; her first piece was -Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star.- But from the very beginning, Min Kym knew that music was the element in which she could swim and dive and soar. At seven years old, she was a prodigy, the youngest ever student at the famed Purcell School. At eleven, she won her first international prize; at eighteen, violinist great Ruggiero Ricci called her -the most talented violinist I've ever taught.- And at twenty-one, she found -the one, - the violin she would play as a soloist: a rare 1696 Stradivarius. Her career took off. She recorded the Brahms concerto and a world tour was planned. Then, in a London cafe, her violin was stolen. She felt as though she had lost her soulmate, and with it her sense of who she was. Overnight she became unable to play or function, stunned into silence. In this lucid and transfixing memoir, Kym reckons with the space left by her violin's absence. She sees with new eyes her past as a child prodigy, with its isolation and crushing expectations; her combustible relationships with teachers and with a domineering boyfriend; and her navigation of two very different worlds, her traditional Korean family and her music. And in the stark yet clarifying light of her loss, she rediscovers her voice and herself...

My Thoughts:

A while ago, I mentioned that I was going on a bit of a hiatus from reading nonfiction. Well, that’s obviously over. It’s cancelled. I’m going to leave it at that, because when I saw Gone by Min Kym up for review, I was more than interested. Gone sounded like the kind of book I would love to read, and my initial assessment was right. Gone was truly a fantastic memoir that was worth the time I spent reading it.

I’ve read a couple of memoirs here and there, but Gone was something else. The subject dealt with music, which I rarely read about. Still, this seemed like such and authentic book because of the writing—which was engrossing—but also because Kym herself is the violinist. Min Kym wrote about her personal experiences. She talked about the expectations that were placed on her because of her obvious and natural skill with a violin and how her early lessons and learned habits ultimately affected her life. Gone detailed some of the most pivotal times in her life—both emotionally and professionally—and painted an honest picture. It was written from the perspective of a person who was a child prodigy from their perspective, not told by someone else. Gone was as much about the violin that was unjustly taken as it was the violinist behind the bow. And let me tell you, the result was powerful.

I could write more about Gone, but I’m not trying to summarize the whole memoir. There wouldn’t be a point to it. You’d have to read it to truly understand. That’s all I can say.

Now, I have looked up more about Min Kym and discovered that there is an album that was released as a companion to this book. I have listened to it. And it has reminded me of why I still, to this day, enjoy listening to classical music.

So, if you read the memoir also listen to the companion album too. That’s my recommendation. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have music to listen to.

Rating 5/5

This copy of the book was provided by First to Read (Publisher) for this review, thank you!

ARC Review: The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

Title: The Bear and the Nightingale
Author: Katherine Arden
Publisher/Publication Date: Del Rey; January 10, 2017 
Genre: Fantasy
Source/Format: First to Read; eARC

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

At the edge of the Russian wilderness, winter lasts most of the year and the snowdrifts grow taller than houses. But Vasilisa doesn’t mind—she spends the winter nights huddled around the embers of a fire with her beloved siblings, listening to her nurse’s fairy tales. Above all, she loves the chilling story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon, who appears in the frigid night to claim unwary souls. Wise Russians fear him, her nurse says, and honor the spirits of house and yard and forest that protect their homes from evil.

After Vasilisa’s mother dies, her father goes to Moscow and brings home a new wife. Fiercely devout, city-bred, Vasilisa’s new stepmother forbids her family from honoring the household spirits. The family acquiesces, but Vasilisa is frightened, sensing that more hinges upon their rituals than anyone knows. And indeed, crops begin to fail, evil creatures of the forest creep nearer, and misfortune stalks the village. All the while, Vasilisa’s stepmother grows ever harsher in her determination to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for either marriage or confinement in a convent. As danger circles, Vasilisa must defy even the people she loves and call on dangerous gifts she has long concealed—this, in order to protect her family from a threat that seems to have stepped from her nurse’s most frightening tales...

My Thoughts:

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden is one of my most anticipated 2017 releases. I was very excited to finally start this one and wasn’t disappointed with what I read. The Bear and the Nightingale was a fantastic book. It is my new favorite thing. The writing was descriptive and atmospheric. The story, while slow to begin, was ultimately engaging and compelling, and the setting gave the book a fairytale like ambiance. I’ve come to the conclusion that The Bear and the Nightingale was just my kind of book.

The characters, well, there were some that I just didn’t enjoy reading about as much as others, but for the most part, they were great. Vasilisa was the main character of The Bear and the Nightingale. This was her story and it showed. I liked her personality. Most of all, I liked how she was just herself despite all that happened to her. Also, the horses—I won’t get into their role too much since it would be a spoiler, but they were fantastic and I loved them.

I think what I liked most about this book was the pace of the story. Typically, if a story moves too slowly it runs the risk of losing my interest. The Bear and the Nightingale was far from boring. This story had layers of detail found in the folklore and traditions. It had a lot going on, both in the character’s everyday lives, and the story that slowly unfolded around them. Religion and faith was one of the more prominent elements of the story, and I did like how it was incorporated into the lives of the characters.

The Bear and the Nightingale isn’t that short of a book, but I felt like it flew by so quickly. It was easy to get lost in the story, and those are the best kinds of books in my opinion. By the time the book ended, I was already wishing for more. I’m really impressed with this book, and I’m definitely going to continue on with this series.

Rating 4.5/5

This copy of the book was provided by First to Read (Publisher) for this review, thank you!

ARC Review: Better Late Than Never by Jenn McKinlay

Title: Better Late Than Never
Author: Jenn McKinlay
Publisher/Publication Date: Berkley; November 1, 2016
Genre: Mystery
Source/Format: First To Read; eARC

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

In the latest Library Lover’s Mystery from the New York Timesbestselling author of A Likely Story, a decades overdue book puts library director Lindsey Norris hot on the trail of a cold case...

When the Briar Creek Public Library holds its first overdue book amnesty day—no fines for late returns—the volume of incoming materials is more than Lindsey and her staff can handle. In a bind, Lindsey drafts the crafternoon ladies to help check in and sort the stacks of books.

But one tardy tome catches her attention—a copy of J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, twenty years past due. When Lindsey looks up the borrower, she’s shocked to discover it was a murdered school teacher named Candice Whitley, whose killer was never found.

Candice checked out the novel on the day she was murdered. Now Lindsey wonders if it could provide a clue to the decades-old cold case. No one noticed who brought the book back in, but could it be Candice’s killer? Lindsey is determined to catch the culprit one way or another, because justice for Candice Whitley is long overdue...

My Thoughts:

When I finally sat down to give Better Late Than Never (BLTN) a read, I wasn’t aware of the fact that this was part of a series—book seven to be exact. Regardless of what I didn’t know about the series, I still enjoyed the book.

Two of my favorite things are books and the library. I haven’t used my local library as much lately, but that’s beside the point. What I’m getting at is that Better Late Than Never by Jenn McKinlay seemed like my kind of book. And I was right. The main character was a librarian, the Briar Creek Public Library played an important role in the plot, and the mystery was established early on in the book.

One of my favorite aspects turned out to be the mystery surrounding the overdue library book. McKinlay did a good job with her use of the typical cozy mystery elements—amateur sleuth, small town setting, a mystery that finds its way into the hands of the main character, etc.. I found it hard to put the book down.

The characters were wonderful. I really liked Lindsey, the sleuthing librarian. Her perspective was interesting, and I liked how she approached the case, even if she was asked to stay out of it. I also like how McKinlay established the relationships between the characters—from friends, to family, and even romantic interests.

At the end of the day, BLTN is definitely one of the best books I’ve read in 2016. Now I kind of want to see where Lindsey’s adventures all began. 

Rating 5/5

This copy of the book was provided by First to Read (publisher) for this review, thank you!

About the author...

Jenn is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of several mystery series and will be debuting a new women's fiction series in June 2017, starting with the title About a Dog. She lives in sunny Arizona in a house that is overrun with kids, pets and her husband's guitars...

ARC Review: Just Fine with Caroline by Annie England Noblin

Title: Just Fine with Caroline Author:  Annie England Noblin Publisher/Publication Date:  William Morrow; Oct. 11, 2016 Source/Format:  Publisher; Galley Genre:  Fiction Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Depository     Goodreads   Book Summary... Twenty five year old Caroline O’Connor is doing just fine. Four years ago and two semesters shy of her college degree, a little thing called life upended her carefully laid plans to leave small town shenanigans behind, and she found herself right back in the place she vowed to escape: Cold River, Missouri. Helping to care for her mother ailing with Alzheimer’s, and coping with her father—the beloved local doctor frustrated he can’t cure his own wife—Caroline’s only escape are the hours she steals away at the local fishing hole. That is, until her secret retreat is discovered. Noah Cranwell has a chip on his shoulder. Seeking solace from his nomadic career in the Navy, he returns to his boyhood home, the one place he ever felt at peace: Cold River, Missouri. Focused on repairing the family’s general store, and his heart, Noah finds himself drawn to Caroline—and her mostly deaf, three legged dog Yara—for support. Soon their relationship starts to blossom into something more, making Caroline realize there could be much more to life than being ‘just fine.’ Yet Cold River isn’t without its closeted skeletons and sometimes life’s greatest surprises happen closest to home...  Praise for Annie England Noblin... “Readers of Debbie Macomber will enjoy poet and nonfiction author Noblin’s first novel. It’s an enjoyable story full of laughter, tears, and just plain fun.”— Library Journal on Sit! Stay! Speak! “Noblin’s fish-out-of-water story combines food, family, suspense, and romance into one delightful read. [... ] a comfort read that’s perfect for a summer night. A cozy read that’s full of dogs, romance, and small-town charm.”— Kirkus Reviews on Sit! Stay! Speak! “Full of southern charm and colloquialisms, Noblin’s first novel explores the curious bond between man and beast. A warm, emotionally grounded story that will delight fans of Mary Kay Andrews and contemporary women’s fiction.”— Booklist on Sit! Stay! Speak!­­ My Thoughts: Just Fine with Caroline by Annie England Noblin has a serious tone as Caroline is tasked with helping her father take care of her mother who has Alzheimer’s disease. It was a story centered on the lives of several characters and takes place in a small town with small town values where everyone knows everyone; yet, there are secrets that won’t stay buried as the story unfolds—Secrets that resulted in Caroline questioning everything she believed to be true. I liked the fact that Noblin included real life issues in the story, which resulted in tremendous character growth in the end. Noblin excels at depicting the relationships between the characters, which was everything from the bonds between family and strained relationships. She also does a good job of depicting the emotional turmoil felt by Caroline, a young adult, dealing with caring for her mother while trying to navigate life. Overall, I enjoyed Noblin’s style of writing. She managed to set up mostly plausible situations that resulted in an engaging story that had me rooting for the characters along the way. Rating 3.5/5 I received an ARC of  Just Fine with Caroline from the publisher in exchange for an honest review! Find the author online... Twitter     Facebook     Goodreads

ARC Review: The City Baker's Guide to Country Living by Louise Miller

Title:The City Baker's Guide to Country Living
Author: Louise Miller
Publisher/Publication Date: Pamela Dorman Books; August 9, 2016
Genre: Contemporary
Source/Format: First to read; eARC

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

A full-hearted novel about a big-city baker who discovers the true meaning of home—and that sometimes the best things are found when you didn’t even know you were looking...

When Olivia Rawlings—pastry chef extraordinaire for an exclusive Boston dinner club—sets not just her flambéed dessert but the entire building alight, she escapes to the most comforting place she can think of—the idyllic town of Guthrie, Vermont, home of Bag Balm, the country’s longest-running contra dance, and her best friend Hannah. But the getaway turns into something more lasting when Margaret Hurley, the cantankerous, sweater-set-wearing owner of the Sugar Maple Inn, offers Livvy a job. Broke and knowing that her days at the club are numbered, Livvy accepts. Livvy moves with her larger-than-life, uberenthusiastic dog, Salty, into a sugarhouse on the inn’s property and begins creating her mouthwatering desserts for the residents of Guthrie. She soon uncovers the real reason she has been hired—to help Margaret reclaim the inn’s blue ribbon status at the annual county fair apple pie contest.

With the joys of a fragrant kitchen, the sound of banjos and fiddles being tuned in a barn, and the crisp scent of the orchard just outside the front door, Livvy soon finds herself immersed in small town life. And when she meets Martin McCracken, the Guthrie native who has returned from Seattle to tend his ailing father, Livvy comes to understand that she may not be as alone in this world as she once thought. But then another new arrival takes the community by surprise, and Livvy must decide whether to do what she does best and flee—or stay and finally discover what it means to belong. Olivia Rawlings may finally find out that the life you want may not be the one you expected—it could be even better...

My Thoughts:

Lately, I’ve read a lot of good contemporary novels, mainly ones released in 2016 like Break in Case of Emergency by Jessica Winters and I Almost Forgot About You by Terry McMillan. Both were pretty great. So, I was extremely excited to read Louise Miller’s debut novel. And for a book about baking and finding out what really matters in life, The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living was one heck of a charming and engaging novel. The beginning offered a glimpse into the life of the main character. Before getting to the point of the novel, a city baker abruptly dropped into country life after a mistake that lands her in hot water.

It was a pretty good premise that had a strong opening. The first chapter alone was enough to catch my interest and hang on to it. I liked Miller’s style. Her writing had an easy kind of flow to it. She got to the point yet managed to put in enough details to develop both the characters and setting. Speaking of the setting, I really loved it. The town of Guthrie, Vermont, was idyllic, and wonderfully developed. I could get a real sense of the seasons, and the everyday life of the residents, even if the majority of them were mentioned in passing. The descriptions helped with that. I could basically picture the landscape as the main character, Livvy, was seeing it. Another thing I enjoyed was the annual events put on in Guthrie. It was a nice detail, and I liked the way it added to the development of the setting.

The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living also touched on adultery. For the most part, Miller handled that element pretty well, and framed the situations as something of a learning experience. It put the characters in situations where they really had to think about their decisions and where they were in their life.

Baking was also a large aspect of this book—it’s in the title after all. Miller demonstrated her know-how of baking, and it translated well into the story. Half the stuff Livvy baked, I wanted to try too. That’s probably the best reaction I can have to a book that features food.

For the most part, I liked Olivia (Livvy) Rawlings. She was a good narrator for the story. Her reactions to the rapidly unfolding changes in her life were as entertaining as her interactions with the secondary characters. For me, one of the best parts of this book was definitely the least expected friendships that Livvy formed. And one of my favorite characters from the story was definitely Margaret Hurley, the owner of the Sugar Maple. She was fantastic, and I liked seeing how Margaret and Livvy interacted.

So, to close out this review I’ll admit that I had no idea what to expect from this book. From the start, the synopsis sold the book as something I would enjoy. And honestly, The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living ended up being a new favorite. It’s one of the best books I’ve read this year. 

Rating 4.5/5

This copy of the book was provided by Penguin First to Read (publisher) for this review, thank you!

About the Author...

Louise Miller is a pastry chef who lives and works in Boston, MA. She received a scholarship to attend GrubStreet’s Novel Incubator program, a yearlong workshop for novelists. She is an art school dropout, an amateur flower gardener, an old-time banjo player, an obsessive moviegoer, and a champion of old dogs. The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living is her debut novel...

ARC Review: Break in Case of Emergency by Jessica Winter

Title: Break in Case of Emergency: A novel 
Author: Jessica Winter
Publisher/Publication Date: Knopf, July 12, 2016 
Genre: Womens Fiction, Chick Lit, Fiction
Source/Format: Publisher (First to Read), eARC

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

An irreverent and deeply moving comedy about friendship, fertility, and fighting for one’s sanity in a toxic workplace...

Jen has reached her early thirties and has all but abandoned a once-promising painting career when, spurred by the 2008 economic crisis, she takes a poorly defined job at a feminist nonprofit. The foundation’s ostensible aim is to empower women, but staffers spend all their time devising acronyms for imaginary programs, ruthlessly undermining one another, and stroking the ego of their boss, the larger-than-life celebrity philanthropist Leora Infinitas. Jen’s complicity in this passive-aggressive hellscape only intensifies her feelings of inferiority compared to her two best friends—one a wealthy attorney with a picture-perfect family, the other a passionately committed artist—and so does Jen’s apparent inability to have a baby, a source of existential panic that begins to affect her marriage and her already precarious status at the office. As Break in Case of Emergency unfolds, a fateful art exhibition, a surreal boondoggle adventure in Belize, and a devastating personal loss conspire to force Jen to reckon with some hard truths about herself and the people she loves most...

My Thoughts:

With this one, I had an interesting reading experience. Sometimes I was a little bored, at other times I was entertained by the antics of the characters, and the sheer ridiculous things that went on and were said. There were also moments that were serious and dealt with issues that directly concerned the characters. And, yeah, I had a few slight laughs, but even still, Break in Case of Emergency was an average read for me.

The book was basically about Jen who had reached a rocky point in her life and struggled with attempts to have a baby, job loss, and new employment—all while trying to navigate life at its best and worst. Along for the ride are Jen’s friends—Pam and Meg—and coworkers at a foundation supposedly meant to encourage/help woman.

Some of it was genuinely humorous, but at some points I felt like the book was trying too hard to be funny and didn’t really achieve the kind of effect it could have had. So, forced humor aside, there were parts that I really enjoyed. The story itself wasn’t actually bad, and the exploration of the various relationships and changes in Jen’s life were actually the highlights of Break in Case of Emergency. The relationships felt almost real and absolutely normal in a refreshing kind of way with believable ups and downs.

The foundation that Jen ended up working for was a source of occasional humor, but it was a toxic work environment. Really, the relationships are what kept me reading despite everything else, because I was curious to see where each character ended up by the end. The ending itself was alright, but I was already expecting it just based off everything I’d read up until that point.

So, Break in Case of Emergency wasn’t bad. And while it did fall short in some aspects, the family and friendship dynamics were great. So, this book had its highpoints, and I’ll give it that.

Rating 3/5

This copy of the book was provided by the publisher (First to Read) for this review, thank you!

ARC Review:City of Blades by Robert Jackson Bennett

Title: City of Blades
Author: Robert Jackson Bennett
Publisher/Publication Date: Broadway Books, January 26, 2016
Genre: Fantasy
Source/Format: First to Read, eARC

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

The city of Voortyashtan was once the domain of the goddess of death, war, and destruction, but now it’s little more than a ruin. General Turyin Mulaghesh is called out of retirement and sent to this hellish place to try to find a Saypuri secret agent who’s gone missing in the middle of a mission, but the city of war offers countless threats: not only have the ghosts of her own past battles followed her here, but she soon finds herself wondering what happened to all the souls that were trapped in the afterlife when the Divinities vanished. Do the dead sleep soundly in the land of death? Or do they have plans of their own?

My Thoughts:

The wait was worth it. There’s no question about it. I read the City of Stairs back in August of 2014, and I remember really liking it. I was pretty ecstatic when I heard about a sequel, and I’ve been waiting for it ever since.

City of Blades was fantastic. I liked it even better than City of Stairs.

The story takes place some years after the end of City of Stairs, with characters from book one occupying very different positions. Some have dealt with it better than others, but it was interesting to see where they ended up. However, the story focuses on General Turyin Mulaghesh, one of the memorable characters from book one. There, of course, was a new conflict involving the Divine. Trouble ensues because wherever there are things that can’t be explained, well, it usually ends very badly. And Mulaghesh gets wrapped up in these troubles after getting called out of her retirement. The setting was pretty much limited to Voortyashtan, but it was an interesting city that fit with the story.

The concept is just one element that I enjoyed about Cities of Blades and City of Stairs, and again, it was nice to see it play out. The treatment of the fantasy elements combined with the quickly developing world was just awesome. There were cars and trains, weapons and so on, but then, there were also the lingering scars of the time from before the first book, where the Divine held a big sway over the world. There were still things that couldn’t be explained. And that’s what made these books so great—the combination of elements.

I’m really glad that Mulaghesh got her own story. One of the best parts was getting to see things from her perspective as she handled situations in her own way. She was a great character throughout and is one of the reasons that I enjoyed City of Blades so much. Her reactions were some of the best parts. There were other characters—some I was already familiar with—but there were some new faces. The new characters were just as great.

City of Blades was a fantastic sequel. So yeah, the wait was worth it. It really was.

Rating / 5/5

This copy of the book was provided by First to Read (publisher) for this review, thank you!

About the Author...

Robert Jackson Bennett is a two-time award winner of the Shirley Jackson Award for Best Novel, an Edgar Award winner for Best Paperback Original, and is also the 2010 recipient of the Sydney J Bounds Award for Best Newcomer, and a Philip K Dick Award Citation of Excellence. His fifth novel, City of Stairs, is in stores now. He lives in Austin with his wife and son. He can be found on Twitter at @robertjbennett.

ARC Review: The House of Shattered Wings by Aliette de Bodard

Title:The House of Shattered Wings
Author: Aliette de Bodard
Publisher/Publication Date: ROC, August 18, 2015
Genre: Mystery, Fantasy, Paranormal 
Format/Source: eARC, Penguin First to Read (publisher)

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

In the late Twentieth Century, the streets of Paris are lined with haunted ruins. The Great Magicians’ War left a trail of devastation in its wake. The Grand Magasins have been reduced to piles of debris, Notre-Dame is a burnt-out shell, and the Seine has turned black with ashes and rubble and the remnants of the spells that tore the city apart. But those that survived still retain their irrepressible appetite for novelty and distraction, and The Great Houses still vie for dominion over France’s once grand capital. Once the most powerful and formidable, House Silverspires now lies in disarray. Its magic is ailing; its founder, Morningstar, has been missing for decades; and now something from the shadows stalks its people inside their very own walls. Within the House, three very different people must come together: a naive but powerful Fallen angel; an alchemist with a self-destructive addiction; and a resentful young man wielding spells of unknown origin. They may be Silverspires’ salvation—or the architects of its last, irreversible fall. And if Silverspires falls, so may the city itself...

My Thoughts:

Going into this book, I knew I was there for the story and to satisfy my curiosity about the concept hinted at in the synopsis. And I have to say that The House of Shattered Wings was pretty good.

The setting of post war Paris, a city literally on the brink of total ruin, was fitting. Throughout the novel there were tiny glimpses of what the place used to be like, and it was in stark contrast to how it was portrayed during the current story. There was a big focus on what happened with the houses, which ultimately shaped the city and directly affected the characters front and center in the story. House Silverspires and its dependents seemed to be at the center of the trouble. It was one giant mess, that’s the only way I can say it. So, the mystery aspect was handled well, I did guess a few things ahead of the reveals, but mostly I was surprised by how the story played out. And that’s a good thing. However, there were parts that got a little repetitive and seemed to slow to a crawl—mostly concerning some of the internal dialogue of the characters—but overall it wasn’t too big of an issue.

Now, the concept was definitely my favorite part and offered a different take on fallen angels. I have read numerous novels involving angels/fallen angels, but this was the best twist I’ve seen so far. And while the ending left me with a lot of questions, I do want to check out the sequel only because I want to see what happens to the characters next.

Rating 4/5

I received this copy of the book from Penguin First to Read (publisher) for this review, thank you!

About the Author...
(Picture courtesy of Ines de Bodard )

Aliette de Bodard lives and works in Paris, where she has a day job as a System Engineer. She studied Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, but moonlights as a writer of speculative fiction. She is the author of the critically acclaimed Obsidian and Blood trilogy of Aztec noir fantasies, as well as numerous short stories, which garnered her two Nebula Awards, a Locus Award and a British Science Fiction Association Award. Forthcoming works include The House of Shattered Wings (August), a novel set in a turn-of-the-century Paris devastated by a magical war, and The Citadel of Weeping Pearls (October), a novella set in the same universe as her Vietnamese space opera On a Red Station Drifting. She lives in Paris with her family, in a flat with more computers than warm bodies, and a set of Lovecraftian tentacled plants intent on taking over the place.

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ARC Review: The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain

Title:  The Silent Sister Author: Diane Chamberlain Publisher/Publication Date: St. Martin's Press, October 7, 2014 Genre: Fiction Format/Source: ARC, Publisher Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Goodreads Book Summary From Goodreads In The Silent Sister, Riley MacPherson has spent her entire life believing that her older sister Lisa committed suicide as a teenager.  Now, over twenty years later, her father has passed away and she's in New Bern, North Carolina cleaning out his house when she finds evidence to the contrary.  Lisa is alive.  Alive and living under a new identity.  But why exactly was she on the run all those years ago, and what secrets are being kept now?  As Riley works to uncover the truth, her discoveries will put into question everything she thought she knew about her family.  Riley must decide what the past means for her present, and what she will do with her newfound reality, in this engrossing mystery from international bestselling author Diane Chamberlain. My Thoughts I was excited when I received The Silent Sister by Diane Chamberlain. The synopsis sounded intriguing as it presented questions regarding Riley’s initial belief that her sister had committed suicide. I usually enjoy a good mystery that exposes family secrets. Although the story had an attention-grabbing start, I didn’t like some of the character depictions or the conclusion. Chamberlain presents a story of secrets, abuse, and a moment in time that thrust Riley’s family into a web of lies and a life of turmoil. I liked how the story alternated between events of the past and that of present day. The events of the past are told in third person as we get a glimpse of the shocking events surrounding Lisa’s disappearance and her experience after she disappeared. Other chapters were presented in first person from Riley’s point of view as she slowly uncovered the truth about what happened to her sister. After becoming aware of Riley’s occupation, I questioned whether Riley, who was supposed to be good at what she did, had very good problem solving skills. At times, Lisa’s as well as some of the other characters’ behaviors were perplexing and didn’t seem to fit with their initial depiction.  And there were so many familial and personal issues presented throughout the story that some of the problems lacked enough depth to wow me.  Rating 2/5 ***I received a copy of The Silent Sister from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. ***

ARC Review: Comes the Night by Cathy Marlowe

Title:  Comes the Night (An Out of Darkness Novel, #2)

Author:  Cathy Marlowe

Publisher/Publication Date: Entangled Suspense, October 6, 2014
Genre: Suspense

Format/Source: E-ARC, Publisher

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About the Book from Goodreads

The truest loves can't be forgotten... 

What should have been a romantic evening quickly turns into a nightmare for Lizzie Weston when her husband, Zach, and their infant son disappear. Convinced that her husband would never desert her or her daughter, Lizzie is certain they've been abducted. But with with $1 million missing from their security firm and a note from her husband, the police aren't so sure... 

Heartbroken and terrified, Lizzie is determined to move heaven and earth to find her husband and son, and bring them home. But it's only when Lizzie follows up on an anonymous tip that she finds herself thrown into a chaotic plot filled with subterfuge and manipulation...and the madness of one man. Now she'll have to fight not just to find her family, but to keep them alive. And in order to save her family, Lizzie must rely on a love that's stronger than memory...

My Thoughts

With the gripping beginning of Comes the Night by Cathy Marlowe, I was reeled into the story from page one. Zach and Daniel, Lizzy’s husband and son, were abducted by a madman and Lizzy had no idea why or by whom. In addition to what happened to her family questions arose regarding Zach’s past. Although you could admire the fact that Lizzy would do anything to rescue her family, I often felt like she was reactive rather than proactive in situations, which just drew her and her family deeper into the nightmare. Throughout the story Lizzy seemed to act out of fear, so I was rather shocked when some of her actions were more sensible than they first appeared. As for Zach, I liked the depiction of this hero, because although he lost his memory, he was still in protective mode—even if he didn’t always grasp why he felt the way he did. Although Zach didn’t fully understand his actions, I liked how Marlowe utilized flashbacks to help the reader understand Lizzy and Zach’s unbreakable bond. The information revealed about their past made their connection appear to be a bit more realistic.

  

Overall, this was one suspenseful story that kept me super-glued to the pages. It’s just one of those captivating books. And once you pick it up, you won’t want to put it down.

Rating 4.5/5

I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.