Last month I was in a major book slump and DNFing right and left! I needed something to break the slump and I reached for this middle grade book, which absolutely did the trick and sucked me in. Narnia meets Peter Pan in this adventurous tale. In The Land of Roar, action and adventure carry the story, but the sibling dynamic between the twins adds a sweet and more serious aspect. The only thing better than the story itself is the amazing illustrations- both on the cover flaps and throughout. Click through below for some of the beautiful illustrations. Summary from the publisher: When Arthur and Rose were little, they were…
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10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston
10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston Book Review. When Sophie breaks up with her boyfriend two weeks before Christmas, her family think they have the perfect plan to cheer her up. Ten members of her very large Italian family each choose and plan ten blind dates. You know when you have the flu and you hate everything? Well somehow I read this while I had the flu and I completely adored it! It was the perfect escape and I read it in one day. I loved the family dynamics, the dates, and the romance. I could get a bit nit picky about a few things, but I’m just too grateful…
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The Quiche of Death by M.C. Beaton
The Quiche of Death by M.C. Beaton Book Review. Dear Agatha, We’ve had our ups and downs. Your book was suggested to me many times, but each time I picked it up I set it back down. The synopsis just sounded a bit silly. Finally I decided to give it a chance. It was slow going at first and, I’m not going to lie, I found you very unlikable. I also have very little patience for someone who doesn’t fully appreciate their cottage in The Cotswolds! I was about to give up on you, but then I remembered that many suggested to try your story on audiobook. Agatha, you did…
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Our Rainbow Queen by Sali Hughes
Our Rainbow Queen by Sali Hughes Book Review. I adore this petite (like the Queen!) book. Broken down by color and pattern, it shows hundreds of pictures of the Queen’s most memorable outfits. It’s in the style of a coffee table type book (but smaller), so there are just short paragraphs or a few sentences giving some info on each one. I’ve always loved learning about the way the royals use fashion for diplomacy and Hughes points these out throughout. This is a great gift for a fan of the British Royal Family! I had it on my wishlist, but then couldn’t wait and bought it for myself… oops! I…
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Named of the Dragon by Susanna Kearsley
Named of the Dragon by Susanna Kearsley Book Review. Literary agent, Lyn, joins one of her authors for a Christmas getaway to South Wales. Her relaxing week away is interrupted by a recurring dream and the young widow next door. She is convinced Lyn is there to protect her child from danger. Lyn gets caught into a mystery stemmed in Celtic folklore. I really enjoyed Named of the Dragon. It’s a tad bit slow and feels a little repetitive, but its short enough that it in no way drags. The story is cozy read and the setting is rich. I wanted to be curled up by the fire in the…
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How to Walk Away by Katherine Center
How to Walk Away by Katherine Center Book Review. In August I’d read so many books in a row that we’re just… meh. I was getting close to a slump and needing something with more substance. Browsing through audiobooks available from my library, I saw that How to Walk Away was available. I got totally and completely sucked into the story. It was so nice to be reading something that made me think and feel! This is one of those audiobooks that made me actually just want to stop and listen, not just listen to as I cleaned, cooked, etc. Its a beautiful story of finding inner strength, overcoming extreme…
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The Gifted School by Bruce Holsinger
The Gifted School by Bruce Holsinger Book Review. This story follows four women and their families interested in the upcoming opening of a gifted school in their affluent Colorado town. Jealousy, deceit, and a whole lot of bad behavior ensue. The quote “With friends like these, who need enemies?” definitely came to mind while reading this one. I tend to not like books where I don’t like any of the characters, but this book is proof that there are exceptions to that. At the beginning I struggled getting into story, because I had a hard time keeping all the characters straight. I decided to make a character chart to help…
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The Bookman’s Tale by Charlie Lovett
The Bookman’s Tale by Charlie Lovett Book Review. “He closed his eyes for a moment, imagining the cocoon of books shielding him from all danger, inhaling deeply the familiar scent of cloth and leather and dust and words.” Antiquarian Bookseller, Peter Byerly, is reeling from the death of his wife. Moving to the English countryside he is daunted by the idea of beginning his life over again. In an old book he finds a Victorian watercolor portrait of a woman who looks like his late wife and it starts him on a journey. In seeking the truth behind the watercolor, Peter stumbles upon what may be one of the greatest…
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Hate to Love Romance
Hate to Love Romance. Once upon a time… I did NOT like hate to love books. That was pretty much an immediate pass for me. Then I joined bookstagram and saw so many people gushing about how it’s their favorite trope. I figured I just might have been reading the wrong books. Turns out I was correct on that one. There are still times I start and have to DNF an enemies to lovers romance because they feel too overdone, but there are some really fun ones too. Here are some of my favorites I’ve read this year… Well Met by Jen DeLuca This hate to love rom-com is set…
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The Other Half of Happy by Rebecca Balcárcel
The Other Half of Happy by Rebecca Balcárcel Book Review. Twelve year old Quijana is trying to navigate a lot of difficulties- starting seventh grade at a new school, making new friends, her first crush, and now her dad is trying to get her to embrace her Guatemalan heritage. The problem with this is that he’s raised Quijana totally Anglo, never teaching her Spanish or much about her heritage. When some of her Guatemalan relatives move nearby all of a sudden he wants her to be more like her cousins. She’s trying to deal with that, her problems at school and now her beloved grandma is sick. I really adored…
