All posts by skyebjenner

Grave Dance by Kalayna Price

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Grave Dance (Alex Craft, #2) by Kalayna Price

Title: Grave Dance
Author: Kalayna Price
Series: Alex Craft #2
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Fae, Ghosts, Grim reapers, Paranormal romance
Dates read: 16th – 26th April 2021
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Roc
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: Small, large, winged, floral, too-many limbed, too-few – they were a dizzying display rarely seen on the streets.

Synopsis

Whoever said dead men tell no tales obviously never met Alex Craft…

After a month spent recovering from a vicious fight with a sorcerer, grave witch Alex Craft is ready to get back to solving murders by raising the dead. With her love life in turmoil, thanks to the disappearance of Fae Investigation Bureau agent Falin Andrews and a shocking “L”-word confession from death himself, Alex is eager for the distractions of work. But her new case turns out to be a deadly challenge.

The police hire Alex to consult on a particularly strange investigation in the nature preserve south of Nekros City. The strange part: There are no corpses – only fragments of them. A serial killer is potentially on the loose, and Alex has no way to raise a shade without a body, so she’ll have to rely on the magic of others to find leads. But as she begins investigating, a creature born of the darkest magic comes after her. Someone very powerful wants to make sure the only thing she finds is a dead end – her own.

Thoughts

It doesn’t matter how many times I read these novels… I love them each and every time. This read through was absolutely no different. It was fun and quirky and just an impossible to put down journal. I love Price’s writing and find myself irrevocably drawn in each and every time. It helps that I notice different parts of the storyline with each reading…

Alex seems to just keep getting herself further and further into trouble everytime I pick up one of her stories. I can’t wait to see what more trouble she gets into (I’ve only ever read up to Grave Memory before). She seems to be one of those characters that blunders into problem after problem, unable to quite stop herself. Which, of course, makes it a fun and entertaining adventure to be on with her. And seriously, very exciting. One of my favourite fast-paced books on my shelves.

I’d like to say that the love triangle in this story is getting far more complex. But, really, it’s not a triangle… it’s some kind of weird, squiggly line. But ultimately, Alex keeps finding herself stuck between two amazing guys. Honestly, I want her to end up with Death. But I’m actually not entirely sure that she will. Some series, it is easy to see who the final love interest will be. But in this one… I have no damn clue. And I love that fact. Aside from the fae politics, her ancestry and all sorts, it’s the love squiggly that makes me want to keep diving headfirst into this series.

Not only is this an amazing, kind of fast-paced story, it’s also one that is perfectly setting up many future battles and complications for the characters. It’s bringing all of the complexities of the fae courts into the complexities of attraction, debts, friendship, cops… there is so much groundwork being laid and it makes this story all that much more intriguing.

<- Grave WitchRuby Red ->

Image source: Goodreads

First Comes Scandal by Julia Quinn

Book Review, , ,
Overview
First Comes Scandal [Large Print] :HarperCollins Australia

Title: First Comes Scandal
Author: Julia Quinn
Series: Rokesbys #4
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Historical romance, Regency romance
Dates read: 25th – 26th April 2021
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Avon
Year: 2020
5th sentence, 74th page: “Certainly unethical.”

Synopsis

She was given two choices…
Georgiana Bridgerton isn’t against the idea of marriage. She just thought she’d have some say in the matter. But with her reputation hanging by a thread after she’s abducted for her dowry, Georgie is given two options: live out her days as a spinster or marry the rogue who has ruined her life.

Enter Option #3
As the fourth son of an eral, Nicholas Rokesby is prepared to hart his own course. He has established himself in Edinburgh, where he’s close to completing his medical studies, and he has no time – or interest – to find a wife. But when he discovers that Georgie Bridgerton – his literal girl-next-door – is facing ruin, he knows what he must do.

A Marriage of Convenience
It might not have been the most romantic of proposals, but Nicholas never thought she’d say II no. II Georgie doesn’t want to be anyone’s sacrifice, and besides, they could never think of each other as anything more than childhood friends… or could they?

But as they embark upon their unorthodox courtship, they discover a new twist to the age-old rhyme. First come scandal, then comes marriage. But after that comes love…

Thoughts

As the final story in the Rokesbys series, I was kind of expecting a little more drama in this story… I was completely floored by the fact that there was pretty much no drama whatsoever in this story. As in. None. At all. Actually, it was one of the most pleasant, happy and drama free stories I’ve read in a long time. And even though it wasn’t fast-paced and there wasn’t much drama… I still couldn’t put this down and forget about it. It was just that amazing!

Nicholas and Georgie work so beautifully together. I love that of the four Rokesby stories, three ended up with Bridgertons. This is also the only one that mentions Violet Bridgerton, along with the three eldest boys from the Bridgerton series – Anthony, Benedict and Colin. It finally made this actually feel like the prequel series that it supposedly is and tied everything in perfectly. I love that there is this constant sense of interconnectedness throughout the series that makes you urgently reaching for the next book.

This was a seriously quick friends to lovers moment. I was expecting a little more resistance to the idea, but I kind of like how quickly Nicholas and Georgie fell for one another. It made me smile frequently and happily throughout. Definitely the kind of quick falling in love that I prefer – one that is built on years of friendship and camaraderie. It also meant that those frequent moments in which Georgie is being independent and pig-headed are totally expected by Nicholas, and kind of endearingly loved.

As with many of Quinn’s books, I loved the epilogue at the end. I love how Georgie’s interest was nurtured by Nicholas and helped them grow into the perfect pair. I kind of want to see them in more Quinn books in the future… they’re just so simply glorious together.

<- The Other Miss BridgertonMore Julia Quinn ->

Image source: HarperCollins Australia

The Little Breton Bistro by Nina George

Book Review,
Overview
The Little French Bistro by Nina George

Title: The Little Breton Bistro
Author: Nina George
Rating Out of 5: 2 (Managed to read it… just)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary
Dates read: 25th April 2021
Pace: Slow
Format: Novel
Publisher: Abacus
Year: 2010
5th sentence, 74th page: In short, despite his testosterone imbalance, our chef is back to top form.

Synopsis

From the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of The Little Paris Bookshop, an extraordinary novel about self-discovery and new beginnings.

Marianne is stuck in a loveless, unhappy marriage. After forty-one years, she has reached her limit, and one evening in Paris she decides to take action. Following a dramatic moment on the banks of the Seine, Marianne leaves her life behind and sets out for the coast of Brittany, also known as the end of the world.

Here she meets a cast of colorful and unforgettable locals who surprise her with their warm welcome, and the natural ease they all seem to have, taking pleasure in life s small moments. And, as the parts of herself she had long forgotten return to her in this new world, Marianne learns it s never too late to begin the search for what life should have been all along.

With all the buoyant charm that made The Little Paris Bookshop a beloved bestseller, The Little French Bistro is a tale of second chances and a delightful embrace of the joys of life in France.

Thoughts

I seriously struggled trying to read this book. I wanted to love it. I wanted to really enjoy it – the premise was fantastic and I’ve seen so many great reviews of it. But, alas, it didn’t happen.

In fact, I ended up putting this aside after 150 pages (my usual cut off if I can’t get into a book). I couldn’t even skim read this and feel slightly intrigued by what happens next. I very rarely DNF a book because my curiosity tends to make me at least skim through it… but I still didn’t do that.

I may not have loved this book, but ultimately, there was nothing actually wrong with it. The writing was good, the idea had merit. I just couldn’t get excited about the storyline. Or feel connected to the characters… maybe I’ll try again in the future.

<- More Standalone NovelsMore Contemporary ->

Image source: Goodreads

The Switch by Beth O’Leary

Book Review, , ,
Overview
The Switch by Beth O'Leary

Title: The Switch
Author: Beth O’Leary
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance, Family
Dates read: 14th – 25th April 2021
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Quercus
Year: 2020
5th sentence, 74th page: Had she given up?

Synopsis

LEENA IS TOO YOUNG TO FEEL STUCK
EILEEN IS TOO OLD TO START OVER
IT’S TIME FOR THE SWITCH…

After blowing a big presentation at work, Leena takes a two-month sabbatical and escapes to her grandmother Eileen’s house for some overdue rest. Eileen is newly single and about to turn eighty. She’d like a second chance at love, but her tiny Yorkshire village doesn’t offer many eligible gentlemen… A life swap seems the perfect solution.

But with a rabble of unruly OAPs to contend with, as well as the distractingly handsome local schoolteacher, Leena learns that switching lives isn’t straightforward. In London, Eileen is a huge hit with her new neighbours and with the online dating scene. But is her perfect match nearer to home than she first thought?

Thoughts

There are just so many dang levels of adorable throughout this book. It is incredibly sweet and fun. Very, very cute and such a delight to read. It was the perfect book to read while I was taking a bit of a weekend break from reality. Something about this granddaughter-daughter duo, the sleepy little English village and the feeling of love in the air made me seriously happy and content. It was most definitely an amazing book, and I’m glad that it was suggested for the Reading Women Challenge.

This novel might be a romance, but it is also a great story about strong women and family. The three generations in this family are tied together, even when they feel like they’re falling apart. It creates a wonderful atmosphere and story. One that made me want to ring up my own mother and just give her a verbal hug through the phone. It’s a fantastic story which reminds you that even in the darkest moments, good family (whether it’s the one you are born into or choose) are there for you.

I found that for me, the focus of the story was on the two Eileens. In particular, their journey to figure out who they are in their altered realities. It’s such a beautifully powerful journey. One that reminded me (again, at a good point), that sometimes the path we think we should be on isn’t necessarily the right one. And that it’s okay to take a major detour and find a new destination. All (hopefully) with the support of a kick ass grandmother…

Hank is such a great character… I’m a sucker for any story which features a dog, so a rambunctious and excitable Lab… that’s going to be my happy place. The fact that his owner is by all accounts dreamy and hard to forget… yum…

Then there is Eileen and Anthony. I love their arguments and the ways that they constantly rib one another. Again, it is just an adorable and fun relationship to top off all of the other adorable and fun relationships in this novel… unforgettable and wonderful.

<- The Road TripMore Beth O’Leary ->

Image source: Goodreads

Oklahoma Christmas Blues by Maggie Shayne

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Oklahoma Christmas Blues (The McIntyre Men, #1) by Maggie Shayne

Title: Oklahoma Christmas Blues
Author: Maggie Shayne
Series: Bliss in Big Falls #0.5
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Christmas, Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Dates read: 18th – 24th April 2021
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novella
Publisher: Thunderfoot Publishing Inc.
Year: 2015
5th sentence, 74th page: How the heck do you know that?

Synopsis

Darryl is on a quest for peace. His chance at fatherhood was taken from him long ago, and an IED in Iraq ensured he’d never get another. In Big Falls, the McIntyre brothers hire him to keep an eye on their beautiful cousin Sophie in case her criminal ex shows up. He doesn’t expect to fall head over heels.

Sophie McIntyre’s life was blown apart by a drug dealing ex who cost her her job and nearly her medical license. She comes to Big Falls because she has nowhere else to go. And the minute she gets there, things start to get better.

Is it because of that letter to Santa her Aunt Vidalia convinced her to write?

Within days she meets a beautiful man with a deeply wounded soul. And oddly, she finds herself giving him the same advice the town Santa gave to her—try believing again, and if it’s too much to believe, then just try hoping.

Love, magic, and miracles ensue.

Because this is Big Falls, Oklahoma. Miracles are an everyday occurrence around here. Especially at Christmastime.

Thoughts

This is an incredibly cutesy and easy read. It’s simple, fun and just all round enjoyable. Just the kind of thing to read on the kobo late at night. The fact that it has the backdrop of Christmas and a gorgeous little town… well, that made everything all that much better for my happiness.

I really enjoyed how Sophia found her own place in a new world that she’s created. It’s hard to start over and carve out your own reality, and Sophia’s ability to do so is a thing to behold. There are also all of the wonderful little miracles that help her along the way…

This story is all about romance and Christmas miracles. It was a bit of a weird time of year to be reading this… but I really liked the way that miracles and that feeling of hope were inspired throughout this story. It was all very good fun and incredibly… innocent.

I struggle with reading ebooks. But this is one that I enjoyed. And I’ll definitely be adding more of the series to my wish list… I can’t wait to see what else happens in Big Falls!

<- More Maggie ShayneOklahoma Moonshine ->

Image source: Goodreads

Marry in Scandal by Anne Gracie

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Marry In Scandal by Anne Gracie - Penguin Books Australia

Title: Marry in Scandal
Author: Anne Gracie
Series: Marriage of Convenience #2
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Historical romance, Regency romance
Dates read: 18th – 24th April 2021
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Berkley
Year: 2018
5th sentence, 74th page: “No, of course not.”

Synopsis

Shy, young heiress Lady Lily Rutherford dreams of true love and a romantic courtship. But when disaster strikes, she finds herself facing a scandal-forced marriage to her rescuer, Edward Galbraith, a well-known rake. In the gamble of her life, she agrees to marry him, hoping to turn a convenient marriage into a love match.

As heir to a title, Galbraith knows he must wed, but that doesn’t mean he has to share his secrets with his tender-hearted young bride. When he spurns Lily’s efforts to get close to him, she retreats to the place he’s avoided for nearly a decade: his childhood home. To reclaim his new bride, Galbraith must confront the darkness of his past, face a future he never expected – and discover that love is the ultimate prize.

Thoughts

Lily had a great introduction as a character in Marry in Haste. Which meant that reading her novel was always going to be seriously looked forward to. Really, same as Rose and George, but they’re next in line… I did wonder how Lily would get her happily ever after. And honestly, it was nothing like what I expected. Which I’m not really sure why that’s surprising… that seems to be the trend with many of the stories that I’ve been reading lately.

Lily’s greatest flaw and failure is hinted at in Marry in Haste – she can’t read or write properly. It was interesting how this was built upon in Lily’s story – after all, this is all set in a time that would make this seriously inconvenient and horrible. Yet, she is a great female lead. She is filled with patience and understanding, this great sense of hope and wonderful wisdom. Alright, she’s also a little naïve. But that naivety stems from her hope that things will work out perfectly. I think that all of us jaded people could take a page out of her book…

Nixon and Sylvia were both brilliant and horrible villains in this tale. Which, ultimately is what a villain should be in my books. The poetic justice that they receive at the end is brilliant. It’s bloodthirsty and kind of horrible. But it left me grinning (let’s not think too deeply about what that says about my psyche)…

This is yet another great Regency romance – light, easy and fun. With just enough horribleness and intrigue to really pull you in and make it impossible to put down. Definitely falling for Anne Gracie’s writing more and more with each story that I read.

<- Marry in HasteMarry in Secret ->

Image source: Penguin Books Australia

Anna: A Teenager on the Run by Anna Podgajecki

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Anna: A Teenager on the Run by Anna Podgajecki

Title: Anna: A Teenager on the Run
Author: Anna Podgajecki
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Biographies, Memoirs, War
Dates read: 2nd February – 23rd April 2021
Pace: Slow
Format: eBook, Novel
Publisher: Amberly Publishing
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: The unfinished building had two giant windows facing the yard where the murderers were standing, but above me there was an attic.

Synopsis

Part of a new Holocaust remembrance series of important testimonies and memoirs from the unique collections of Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Centre.

Anna Podgajecki was born in Korzec, on the Polish–Russian border. As life for the Jews became steadily worse, Anna’s parents insisted that she, the oldest of their seven children, try to escape, survive and report to the world on the atrocities that were taking place.

For three years Anna lived in constant fear of discovery. She wandered from place to place and found work as a translator, a housekeeper and finally a nurse on the Russian front. Through luck, good timing, personal charm, a talent for languages and her special beauty, she was able to avoid death.

Anna’s reflections on her escape and survival are both remarkable and touching, arousing our curiosity about the human instinct to survive, despite all odds.

Thoughts

This novel is fucking brutal and heartbreaking. In a way that I can’t even begin to describe. It is just…. Wow. Not for the faint of heart. And even difficult for people with a strong spine. It took me forever to get through because I could honestly read a maximum of three chapters in one hit before I started getting dragged into a really dark place. Which, honestly, is kind of exactly what this story should be doing. After all, it’s about the holocaust.

I’ve read a few stories about World War II and the holocaust. And even accounts of other wars. But this is most definitely the most brutal I’ve read. Other stories offer an almost sense of hope, and you can see where certain aspects of the tale are kind of glossed over. That is not the case with Anna’s writing (I can’t even use her last name like I do with many other reviews because of the honesty). Anna takes you right into the heart of her heartbreak and horror. And she leaves no stone unturned. There is zero glossing over and nothing, and I mean nothing, is hidden.

This tale doesn’t just talk about what Anna experienced to survive as a Jew in WWII, but it also talks of the aftermath. After all, even though the war was over and occupation ended, there were (and still are) many scars and divisions that were left behind. It took her a long time to be able to feel safe even admitting that she was a Jew – even though technically she could.

Even writing this review, I can feel that uncomfortable swelling in my chest that was my companion throughout this whole story. Reading a war memoir should never be comfortable. But the horrors that are recounted in this writing… I just don’t have the words.

<- UnmaskedA Woman in the Polar Night ->

Image source: Goodreads

Angel’s Flight by Nalini Singh

Book Review, , , , , , ,
Overview
Angels' Flight

Title: Angel’s Flight
Author: Nalini Singh
Series: Guild Hunter Companion
In: Angel’s Flight (Nalini Singh)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Angels, Paranormal romance, Short story collections, Strong women, Vampires
Dates read: 26th March 2018 – 16th April 2021
Pace: Medium
Format: Collection
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: We need to sort this out fast.

Synopsis

In Angel’s Wolf a vampire becomes fascinated with the seductive angel who rules Louisiana. But all is not what it appears to be in her court.

In Angels’ Judgment a hunter must track one of her own gone bad, while surviving the deadly tests placed in her way by the archangels themselves. Unexpected backup comes from a stranger who might just be the most lethal threat of all…

Plus FIRST TIME IN PRINT

In Angels’ Pawn a vampire hunter faces off against two rival factions and the angel manipulating them both, and a vampire whose help is not entirely selfless…

And NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED

In Angels’ Dance an angel trapped in the mountain stronghold of the Refuge finds herself under siege by a warrior angel from a martial court.

Thoughts

I absolutely adored this collection. It took me forever and a day to get through because I wanted to read each of the novellas in the order that they take place in the Guild Hunter series. And, honestly, since I’m a bit of a series slut, I kept picking up other series in between books. Trying to work on that habit this year…

This is definitely a collection that I’ll pick up again and again to fill my happy place in reading. It is fun and wonderful and filled with very fun romances that will make you want to pick up more and more of Singh’s books. Or at least, that’s how it all feels for me.

Many of the cute couples in this story may have a happily ever after, but the part that I love the most about their connections… it’s all about acceptance. Every relationship in this collection is about accepting one another and finding a way to create their own future. It makes the romances feel far more realistic in this story…

I love that I finally got to finish this collection! But I was also kind of sad. After all, it’s a bit of a pity that it’s all over. Now I’ll just have to dive headfirst into Archangel’s Blade…

<- Archangel’s SunMore Nalini Singh ->

Image source: Goodreads

Penguins by Simon James Green

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Proud by Juno Dawson & various (9781788950602/Paperback) | LoveReading

Title: Penguins
Author: Simon James Green
In: Proud (Juno Dawson)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance, Humour, LGBTQI
Dates read: 16th April 2021
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Little Tiger
Year: 2019
5th sentence, 74th page: It’s a family zoo.

Synopsis

Cam is trying to figure out a way to come out to his family and friends. But then the damn penguins beat him to it…

Thoughts

Oh hot damn. This story is just way too cute! And funny. And just all around adorable. I spent the entirety of this story grinning and smiling. There were just so many wonderful moments throughout that I enjoyed way too much. Even sitting down to write this review, all I can think about it Cam yelling penguins at the end of the tale.

I love that throughout this story, Cam is trying really, really hard to come out to his friends and family. And ultimately finding out that it probably isn’t all that necessary – they already know. And accept him as he is. With no strings attached. It just creates an all-round feel-good tale that will make your heart grow larger and larger.

All in all, I absolutely love the ending of this tale. It was just the cute cherry on top of the cute sundae that left me grinning and clutching my heart in happiness. It was all just beautiful and fun. The most adorable of short stories.

<- Dive BarOn the Run ->

Image source: LoveReading4Kids

Friend Robin by Maile Chapman

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for xo orpheus book cover

Title: Friend Robin
Author: Maile Chapman
In: Xo Orpheus (Kate Bernheimer)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Fae, Mythology
Dates read: 16th April 2021
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Penguin Books
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: We’d seen it before we made an offer, of course, but we hadn’t been back inside since the inspection, not until after the house closed, when, keys in hand, we came to make plans.

Synopsis

I knew well that my mother had been wanting to move closer to me for some time, so when she took a fall on the sidewalk outside her senior apartment complex back east I broke her lease and brought her to Nevada.

Thoughts

I love any tale that there is about Brownies. They are just such a great form of fae. One that I am more than a little obsessed with. But I really wasn’t expecting to find a brownie story in a collection of mythology retellings. Not really sure why though…

This is a great modern-day version of the brownie tale. And a warning about thanking these fae. I love the connection between Robin and the narrators’ mother and how protective Robin is. What a wonderful modern-day version of an age-old tale.

Honestly, this is the whole reason that you should always try and honour brownies or spirits. Try not to be aggressive and disrespectful in the moments that you can be.

<- SawdustThe Veiled Prophet ->

Image source: Goodreads