I picked this ARC up for the title, which delighted me, and for the setting, which centres around a charity school for Wayward Girls in Georgian England that is in fact a secret training ground for young women on a mission to bring justice to corrupt aristocrats. The Virgin who Ruined Lord Gray straddles the line between traditional historical romance and romantic suspense, and I found it an enjoyable, but flawed read. This story centres … Continue reading The Virgin who Ruined Lord Gray by Anna Bradley →
Well reader, I was wrong. I read this book up to the 31% mark and figured it was a DNF due to an over-reliance on clichés. However, I started skimming the middle of the book and had to back up and read the whole thing. Jane in Love is a wildly uneven book which I expect will be a love it or hate it book for readers. I enjoyed Jane Austen as a curious and insightful … Continue reading Jane in Love by Rachel Givney →
With its brooding hero, numerous ghosts, a charming-yet-haunted old house, multiple historical murder mysteries, and the beautiful but dangerous moors of England, A Stitch in Time was a fun and engaging book to start out my spooky season reading. Was it somewhat derivative and convoluted? Yes. But it was also delightfully atmospheric and endearingly quirky in its delivery of a number of gothic and paranormal romance tropes. It sort of reminded me of Crimson Peak … Continue reading A Stitch In Time by Kelley Armstrong →
Every year around the holiday season, I see people squee about Love, Actually and I’m reminded all over again how much I hate half of it and how meh I feel about the rest of it. But then I remember Lindy West’s infamous takedown of it and I don’t feel alone. So, you can imagine how thrilled I was when I heard about Shit, Actually: The Definitive, 100% Objective Guide to Modern Cinema. Its recap-style … Continue reading Shit, Actually by Lindy West →
I reviewed the first book in this series, Poppy Redfern and the Midnight Murders, and when I received an email from the book’s publicist that book two was available, I leaped on it. While there were some elements about the first book that were present in the sequel and just as annoying as they were the first time, I really enjoyed visiting Poppy again. Tagging along as she and her merry band of mammals (her dog, Bess), … Continue reading Poppy Redfern and the Fatal Flyers by Tessa Arlen →
I read Empire of Wild and I am so not ok but in…a good way? This #OwnVoices novel about a woman who tries to save her husband from a supernatural threat is the horror novel you need for Halloween. It’s a quick read but rich in language and detail, right down to a grandmother keeping her magic supplies on top of her fridge in one of those blue tins that cookies come in. Joan is … Continue reading Empire of Wild by Cherie Dimaline →
Eventide is an atmospheric story with an unusual setting and plot complications that I did not see coming. This book is simply but descriptively written and the hinted supernatural element is suitably creepy, but the plot doesn’t quite hang together and some threads are resolved too easily. I’m getting cranky about books that promise me a haunt and end up pulling a Scooby Doo instead, so here’s a quick spoiler as to whether the book … Continue reading Eventide by Sarah Goodman →
Vera “Nick” Nicholson is an underpaid and overworked lawyer. After nearly seven years, she’s still at the bottom of the ladder at Turner, Witherspoon, Anders, and Tyler, PA. (*slow clap* for the initialism of her employer’s name, which is the first sign that this romcom often has its tongue planted firmly in its cheek.) One day, Nick is given a weird job: tracking down a missing Mercedes-Maybach S560 belonging to one of the firm’s top … Continue reading The Big Tow by Ann McMan →
A Princess for Christmas is the literary equivalent of a cozy sweater, a warm hug, and a rich cup of cocoa. It is funny, sweet, and comforting without being overly cutesy. I was almost ridiculously charmed by this book which brought me so much joy in mid-pandemic meltdown. It’s December in New York City, where Leo Ricci is the superintendent of the apartment building where he lives with his eleven-year-old sister, Gabby. He’s been taking … Continue reading A Princess For Christmas by Jenny Holiday →
This guest review comes from Rhoda Baxter! Rhoda writes contemporary romantic comedies about smart women and nice guy heroes. She also writes multicultural women’s fiction as Jeevani Charika. Her latest book is That Holiday in France . Rhoda can be found on her website or on Twitter (@rhodabaxter). … I’m new to K-drama (but not new to Asian teledramas as such: we used to watch Oshin – dubbed into Singhalese – when I was a … Continue reading Guest Squee: Crash Landing on You (Netflix) →
I adored this book so much, but it’s not a light or easy read. This historical fantasy about three sisters in 1893 does not permit them to take an easy route on their journey towards a decent life. There are two romances, but they are not central to the book, which keeps its focus on the sisters as they struggle for autonomy and power for women in a ferociously patriarchal world. Here’s the plot description … Continue reading The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow →
