Tag: australia

Mini-Reviews: Ghosts, Secret, Masked

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Katherine Arden, The Warm Hands of Ghosts

The Great War has left Laura Iven an orphan. Her parents were recently killed in the Halifax Explosion of 1917, and now she’s received word that her only sibling, Freddie, is missing presumed dead after the Battle of Passchendaele. But if he’s missing, how could she have received his uniform and identification tags? Something doesn’t add up, so Laura goes to Europe looking for answers. This novel alternates between Laura’s story and Freddie’s, which takes place a few months earlier and reveals how he escaped the war’s horrors only to fall prey to something even worse. This book is beautifully written and emotionally harrowing; Arden’s depiction of the war and its all-consuming effects is relentlessly grim and graphically vivid. I found it a very hard read at times, but I’m glad I persevered and came to a whisper of hope in the end. I also loved how the story engages with literature and legends about the devil, who is very much present in the book. Highly recommended if you’re in the mood for something dark!

Benjamin Stevenson, Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret

Ernie Cunningham gets involved in a “holiday special” murder when his ex-wife, Erin, calls on him for help: Her current boyfriend, Lyle, was killed in their home, and she’s been arrested for the murder. Ernie’s investigation centers around Lyle’s philanthropic work at a theater in the Blue Mountains, which is currently staging a famous magic act. This means Ernie is surrounded by people familiar with stage magic and skilled in the art of misdirection—in other words, the perfect set of suspects. Can he clear Erin’s name and find the real murderer in time for Christmas? This novella is a fun installment of the series that makes good use of the time-honored detective novel trappings of theater, magic, and of course Christmas. I was able to guess the murderer but didn’t unravel the whole plan, and I enjoyed Ernie’s conviction that there are rules for holiday specials as well as for mysteries. Recommended if you’ve enjoyed previous books in the series.

Genevieve Cogman, The Masked City

Irene is happy with her new job as the Librarian-in-Residence in a steampunk version of Victorian London. But when her apprentice, Kai—the youngest son of a noble dragon family—is kidnapped, she must leave her (relatively) comfortable new position to rescue him and prevent an all-out war between dragons and Fae. To do so, she travels to an unfamiliar, extremely chaotic world that’s dominated by the Fae: a fairytale version of Venice where it’s always Carnival. This book is a pretty good follow-up to The Invisible Library, with exciting action scenes and some fun snark about the Fae’s addiction to storytelling tropes. I enjoyed Irene’s cleverness and practicality, though I missed Kai and Vale, who didn’t get a lot of page time in this installment. But overall, it’s a fun read, and I’m looking forward to book #3 next month.

Mini-Reviews: Mirror, Unsent, Train

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Carol Berg, The Soul Mirror

Four years ago, Anne de Vernase lost everything when her father was convicted of evil sorcery and treason. Her mother is mad, her brother is in prison, and her younger sister has just died in a magical “accident” that might not be so accidental. Now Anne has been summoned to the royal court, where she is immediately plunged into various intrigues, including the murder of a noblewoman. She ultimately learns some shocking truths about both her own gifts and the magical conspiracy threatening the kingdom. This book really builds on the events of The Spirit Lens and sheds new light on its mysteries. I particularly enjoyed seeing the main characters from the first book through Anne’s eyes—understandably, she neither likes nor trusts Portier at first! This book thankfully doesn’t suffer from the “second-book slump” that is common with trilogies; rather, it moves the plot along nicely and actually resolves a lot of loose ends from book 1. I’m excited to read book 3 and see how things develop from here.

Lia Louis, Better Left Unsent

Millie enjoys her peaceful, low-drama, conflict-avoidant life. But when she’s feeling angry or frustrated, she vents by writing emails; she’ll never send them, of course, just consign them to the purgatory of her drafts folder. That is, until a server glitch sends out all her emails—the angry rants to rude coworkers, the hurt feelings about a friend’s behavior, the heartbreak over the ex who dumped her and is now engaged to someone else. Horrified, Millie just wants to apologize and pretend like it never happened, but eventually she learns that sometimes it’s OK to speak up about her needs and feelings. I’ll be honest, it took me a while to get past the fact that she was drafting all these emails from her work account! It’s such a monumentally stupid move! But once I got beyond that, I did enjoy the book. I could relate to Millie’s people-pleasing tendencies, and I was glad when she started to see herself and others in a new light. There’s also a nice, low-conflict romance, although the love interest is a bit too bland and perfect. Overall, this is enjoyable women’s fiction, but it’s not destined to be a favorite.

Benjamin Stevenson, Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect

After the success of his “memoir,” Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone, Ernest Cunningham has been invited to an Australian mystery writers’ festival, which is taking place on a luxury train called the Ghan. Ernest is struggling to find inspiration for his second book, but fortunately, there are plentiful tensions among the train passengers that soon result in a murder. Ernest is excited to have another mystery to solve, but he soon realizes that with several other mystery writers on board, he’s not the only would-be detective on the case. This book has a very similar flavor to its predecessor but is even more metatextual, as Ernest talks about the aftermath of his first book, how it’s been received by the public, Goodreads reviews, and so on. I liked the twists and turns of the plot, and I liked that Ernest is still devoted to the Golden Age “rules” for mysteries – even as he learns that the rules don’t always cover every situation. All in all, this is a good sequel that should appeal to fans of the first book, though the series should definitely be read in order.

Mini-Reviews: Scarlet, Pointe, Locked

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Anne Gracie, Marry in Scarlet

Lady Georgiana “George” Rutherford isn’t a typical society lady: She rides astride, prefers dogs and horses to people, and has no interest in marriage. Hart, the duke of Everingham, doesn’t particularly want a wife either, though he knows he must marry to secure an heir. And after being jilted by Lady Rose Rutherford, he certainly isn’t looking to her family for a bride. But as George and Hart encounter each other at various society events, they’re reluctantly attracted to one another and are forced to wed when they’re caught in a scandalous embrace. I enjoyed this book more than I expected to…while the seemingly cold and closed-off Hart is my kind of hero, I don’t generally enjoy “feisty,” anachronistic heroines like George. But she won me over with her honesty and firm loyalty to her family. I actually wish the book were a bit longer—I felt like the transition from grudging attraction to feelings happened too quickly, and I wanted to really see them falling in love. That said, this is definitely my favorite book in the series, and I may be keeping it on my shelves for a while.

Chloe Angyal, Pointe of Pride

Chaotic, hot-tempered Carly and pedantic, uptight Nick seemingly have nothing in common. But in fact, both are floundering in their careers: Carly is a ballerina who desperately wants to be promoted to soloist, while Nick’s post-dancing photography career hasn’t taken off. Nick agrees to take photos of Carly that will boost her Instagram following, making her a more attractive candidate for promotion, and get his work into the public eye. As they work together, their hostility transforms into attraction. Like its predecessor, Pas de Don’t, this is a well-written contemporary romance with a beautifully depicted Australian setting. There’s not a lot about ballet in it, which I found disappointing, and the reason for the third-act breakup felt a little flimsy to me. But I did like the inclusion of Carly’s medical condition that makes penetrative sex extremely painful; there aren’t many romance novels where the sex is anything less than perfect and magical. Overall, I liked this book fine but am not particularly excited about it.

Ashley Weaver, Locked in Pursuit

In this fourth installment of the Electra McDonnell series, Ellie hasn’t seen her military handler, Major Ramsey, in months. They were both almost killed in their last mission, in which they also shared a passionate kiss that they agreed never to repeat. But when Ellie suspects that a high-profile London robbery might be a cover for espionage activity, she and Ramsey must work together once more. As their investigation leads them to a murdered woman and a valuable map, Ellie also pursues answers about her father, who might have been a spy for the Germans in the last war. I’m still really enjoying this historical mystery series; it’s an entertaining mix of WWII atmosphere, plot, and romance. The series-long stories make some real progress, as Ellie becomes more proactive in investigating her parents and examines her feelings about both Ramsey and longtime friend Felix. If the premise sounds interesting to you, I’d definitely recommend this series, though it’s best to start with book #1, A Peculiar Combination.

Mini-Reviews: Fate, Bigger, Don’t

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Stella Riley, A Trick of Fate

Max Brandon has a problem: Someone has been purchasing expensive goods and running up bills in his name, which he’s now being asked to pay. This minor nuisance becomes a major problem when the thief’s actions harm Frances Pendleton, Max’s first love. Now Max and Frances must team up to find the thief, and their quest leads them on a wild-goose chase throughout England and Scotland. After loving Stella Riley’s Rockliffe series, I had to continue with the spinoff Brandon Brothers trilogy (Max is Arabella’s brother from Cadenza). I don’t think you have to read any of the Rockliffe books to follow this one, but the two series are definitely set in the same universe. The love story in this book is a bit lightweight; while the obstacles originally dividing Max and Frances made sense, there was no reason for them not to be together in the present. But I love Riley’s writing and enjoyed the book anyway — especially since it also provides a peek at Elizabeth and Sherbourne, a couple from Cadenza whose story I’d wanted more of. I’d definitely recommend this book and author to historical romance fans and am eager to continue with the series.

Erle Stanley Gardner, The Bigger They Come

Most people know Erle Stanley Gardner as the author of the Perry Mason books, but he also wrote another series, featuring private detectives Bertha Cool and Donald Lam, under the pseudonym A.A. Fair. Narrated by Lam, this first book in the series describes how he got the job with Bertha Cool’s detective agency. It also details Lam’s first assignment: He’s tasked with serving divorce papers to an unfaithful husband, but no one seems to know where the man is. As Lam searches, he uncovers various secrets and even a murder — and demonstrates how, using a legal loophole, a person can commit murder and get away with it. This book is an enjoyable noir novel with plenty of fights, femmes fatales, and damsels in distress. The mystery itself isn’t terribly innovative, but Lam’s humorous narration keeps things light, and the book moves at a quick pace. I didn’t love the constant negative commentary on people’s sizes — part of the book’s “humor” comes from the fact that Bertha is a large woman, while Lam is a shrimpy guy — but I suppose that’s of its time. Overall, I liked the book and am interested in trying more by Gardner at some point.

Chloe Angyal, Pas de Don’t

Heather Hays’s dance career is finally taking off when she learns that her fiancé, a world-famous dancer in the same NYC ballet company, has been cheating on her. Desperate to get as far away as possible, she accepts a guest position with the Australian National Ballet. There she meets Marcus Campbell, a dancer recovering from an injury and grieving the recent death of his father. The two are immediately attracted to one another, but the ballet company has a firm no-dating policy. Will Heather and Marcus risk their jobs to follow their hearts? I have absolutely zero dance ability, but I’ve always enjoyed movies and TV shows about dancing, so the premise of this book intrigued me. I might have liked all the ballet background more than the actual romance, which is fine but a bit pedestrian. I did like the third-act conflict between Heather and Marcus, which felt realistic given the setup, and I enjoyed the resolution as well. A sequel is coming out in May, featuring Heather’s best friend, and I plan to get it from my library when it’s available.

Mini-Reviews: Sounded, Only, Wed

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Nina Kenwood, It Sounded Better in My Head

Eighteen-year-old Natalie is having a rough time: She’s waiting to find out whether she’s been accepted to university. Her best friends, Zach and Lucy, have recently begun dating each other, making her feel like a third wheel. Worst of all, her parents have just told her they’re breaking up, and she never suspected a thing. As she deals with these challenges and her overwhelming feelings about them, she also develops an unexpected crush on Zach’s older brother, Alex. But her insecurities and lack of experience threaten to derail their romance before it begins. This YA novel, told from Natalie’s POV, really captures the big and urgent and sometimes painful feelings of adolescence. It’s also quite funny, and I both liked and related to Natalie. So if you enjoy the occasional young adult book with a bit of romance, I’d recommend this one.

Lacie Waldon, The Only Game in Town

The idyllic town of Redford, Georgia, gets a shake-up when its eccentric benefactor, Jasper Wilhelm, dies. His will leaves $10 million to an unspecified Redford resident, and the townspeople must compete in a series of bizarre challenges to win the fortune. Freelance editor Jess Reid has big plans for that money, but she’s dismayed to be teamed up with her longtime nemesis, Nikki. Meanwhile, Jasper’s grandson, Carter, is visiting from Atlanta and gets roped into the game also. Jess and Carter are drawn to each other, but the competition, plus the fact that Carter will eventually leave town, may prevent their romance. This novel really goes all in on small-town charm and quirky-yet-lovable townspeople. I thought it was cute (caveat, I’ve never lived in a small town), but others may find it too saccharine or too unrealistic. I liked that the book jumps between several points of view, including that of seemingly villainous Nikki. And the Jess/Carter romance is sweet, though a bit sidelined for all the Westing Game-esque hijinks. Overall, I liked this one and may try another book by the author.

Susanna Craig, Better Off Wed

Outraged by men who sexually harass and rape their female servants, Laura Hopkins has decided to fight back. Using the alias Lady Sterling, she infiltrates the lives of these men and learns their blackmail-worthy secrets so that they’ll never repeat their crimes. En route to her latest target, Laura meets British intelligence officer Jeremy Addison — who also happens to be Lord Sterling. His assignment is to find out what she’s up to and possibly offer her a job. As the two work together, they’re forced to pretend to be married, but their fake relationship soon becomes all too real. I’ve enjoyed the previous books in this series, and I liked this one too, but nothing about it really stands out to me. Fans of historical romance who want a light, undemanding read they can finish in an afternoon will probably enjoy the book, but I’m not feeling particularly enthusiastic about it.

Mini-Reviews: Emerald, Everyone, Temporary

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Lauren Willig, The Deception of the Emerald Ring

Geoffrey Pinchingdale-Snipe, a spy working with the Pink Carnation, has been in love with the beautiful Mary Alsworthy for years. But when he accidentally compromises her younger sister, Letty, the two are forced into a hasty marriage, after which Geoff immediately leaves for Dublin on Carnation business. An upset Letty pursues him, hoping to convince him that she didn’t intend to trap him into marriage, but she soon gets pulled into the Pink Carnation’s mission as well. Now Geoff and Letty have to deal with an Irish rebellion and continued threats from the Black Tulip — not to mention their own growing feelings for each other. I don’t remember this being one of my favorite installments of the series, but this time around I felt there was a noticeable improvement in both Willig’s writing style and the plausibility of the plot. Geoff is more believable as a spy than either Richard or Miles, and the story—while still light and fun—feels a bit more grounded in reality than the previous books. Looking forward to book four even more now!

Benjamin Stevenson, Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone

Ernie Cunningham is approaching his family reunion at an Australian ski resort with some trepidation. The reunion is meant to welcome back his brother Michael, who’s about to be released from prison — but it’s Ernie’s testimony that put him there. At the resort, things go from bad to worse when a murdered body is found on the slopes, and Michael is the prime suspect. Ernie feels compelled to investigate, partly to clear Michael’s name and partly because, as the book’s title indicates, everyone in his family has killed someone. This novel lets you know right away that it’s going to play with the conventions of Golden Age mysteries: Ronald Knox’s “commandments” are reproduced at the beginning of the book, and Ernie promises he’s going to be a reliable narrator. So this is a bit of a meta mystery, and part of the game is also figuring out whom all the Cunninghams have killed and why. Stripped of these gimmicks, the central mystery isn’t all that unique (and actually quite reminiscent of a certain Agatha Christie novel), but it’s still a good read that I’d recommend if the premise interests you.

Mary Balogh, The Temporary Wife and A Promise of Spring

In The Temporary Wife, Anthony Earheart marries the prim and plain-seeming Charity Duncan solely to anger the father he despises. After a few weeks of visiting his family to rub his marriage in his father’s face, he plans to set up a separate establishment for Charity, which she needs to support her impoverished siblings. Visiting his family reopens old wounds, but it also may bring healing and even love. In A Promise of Spring, Grace Howard is left destitute when her brother dies. She is rescued by a gallant proposal from the lively, charming, 10-years-younger Peregrine Lampman, but secrets from her past threaten their marriage. I’m a Balogh fan and enjoyed both of these novels, though The Temporary Wife is the standout. I loved Anthony’s slow transformation from anger and emotional repression to vulnerability. I’m glad I picked up this volume and will definitely be keeping it on my shelves!

Mini-Reviews: Rival, Weaver, Scandal

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Sarah Mayberry, Her Favorite Rival

Audrey Mathews and Zach Black are both smart, talented, and ambitious — and since they work in the same office, they’re each other’s biggest competition. But when they’re paired on an important project, they also discover a mutual admiration and attraction. As they struggle with whether to act on their feelings, a new manager comes in and immediately starts restructuring and laying people off. Will their newfound romance jeopardize their careers? I really enjoyed this rivals-to-lovers story, which is reminiscent of The Hating Game (though this version came out first!) but with more emotionally mature main characters. Audrey and Zach actually communicate pretty well and act like adults, even when they’re at odds. They both have excellent reasons for their devotion to work and their reluctance to commit to a relationship. The book is too sexually explicit for my taste, but otherwise I really liked it, and I am definitely interested in trying more by this author!

Carol Berg, The Soul Weaver

***Warning: SPOILERS for previous books in the series***

Karon and his Preceptors have finally come up with a plan to free their enslaved brethren and defeat the Lords of Zhev’Na, but a traitor in their midst ruins everything at the last minute. Reluctantly, Karon concludes that Gerick must be responsible and therefore that he must be killed. To escape — and to prevent himself from inadvertently hurting anyone else — Gerick flees to a mysterious world called the Bounded, whose strange inhabitants want to make him their king. With the help of old friends and new, Gerick must confront his demons and accept his true destiny. I’m continuing to enjoy this series, although Gerick’s time in the Bounded felt like a bit of a side adventure. I also wanted more of Seri, who’s somewhat sidelined in this installment. Still, I liked it overall and am eager to see how things turn out in the final book!

Loretta Chase, Last Night’s Scandal

Peregrine Dalmay has just returned from a long archaeological expedition in Egypt, and he wants nothing more than to go back. But his capricious parents have decided he must instead repair the family’s crumbling castle in Scotland — and if he refuses, they’ll cut him off. Peregrine’s old friend, the scandalous Lady Olivia, has a Plan and is determined to help. As they fix up the (possibly haunted) castle and argue, they also fall in love, but can they have a future together when they’re so different? I had high hopes for this book after meeting Peregrine and Olivia as teenagers in Lord Perfect, but I found it a bit of a letdown; there was too much plot and not enough development of the romance. The characters’ internal struggles didn’t really make sense to me and needed more fleshing out. Still, it’s not a bad read, and I have certainly enjoyed my foray into Loretta Chase’s backlist! But for me, Lord Perfect is the best of this series and the only one I feel compelled to keep.

Mini-Reviews: Tongues, No-Show, Viscount

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Naomi Novik, Tongues of Serpents

This installment of the series finds Laurence and Temeraire exiled to Australia, where they are tasked with delivering dragon eggs to support the fledgling colony of New South Wales. They also get roped into exploring the interior of the continent while simultaneously pursuing a group of smugglers. Along the way, one of the precious eggs is stolen, and they experience the harsh realities of the Australian wilderness. While it’s always nice to spend time with Laurence and Temeraire, this is my least favorite installment in the series so far. Nothing happens to advance the overall plot; the characters mostly just wander around being hungry, tired, and/or lost. The middle stretch of the book, where the group is slogging through the uninhabited portion of the continent, is especially yawn-inducing. Hopefully things will pick up in the next book!

Beth O’Leary, The No-Show

This novel centers around three women who all get stood up on Valentine’s Day by the same man, Joseph Carter. Siobhan, a tough but overwhelmed life coach, sees him once a month for no-strings-attached sex, but she’s starting to want more. Miranda, a pragmatic tree surgeon, is excited about her new boyfriend. Jane, a shy, book-loving volunteer at a charity shop, is at first happy to be “just friends” with him, but she eventually develops deeper feelings. As all three women move forward in their relationships with Joseph, many secrets are revealed and past traumas resurface. A plot twist near the end explains Joseph’s behavior, but whether this book will work for you largely depends on whether you can deal with hating him for most of the novel. I personally did feel he was redeemed in the end, but I can see how others wouldn’t. And I still found much of the book frustrating, believing he was a terrible cad and thinking all three women deserved better! Siobhan, Miranda, and Jane are all wonderful characters, though, and I enjoyed getting to know them throughout the novel. So overall I did like this one — it’s probably my second-favorite O’Leary novel after The Flatshare — but I feel cautious about recommending it.

Julia Quinn, The Viscount Who Loved Me

Anthony, Viscount Bridgerton, is convinced he will die young, just like his beloved father. He knows it’s his duty to marry and sire an heir, but he has no interest in falling in love, which would make him want to fight his (perceived) fate. So he decides to court Edwina Sheffield, society’s reigning beauty; but to win her favor, he must also charm Kate, Edwina’s older sister. Kate refuses to be charmed — she knows Anthony is a rake and can’t approve of him as a suitor for her beloved sister. But ironically, the more Kate and Anthony butt heads, the more they are drawn to each other, until Anthony wonders whether he may have chosen the wrong sister. This book is pure Regency fluff, but I must say I really enjoyed it! Anthony and Kate are wonderful, separately and together, and I loved their chemistry and banter. I’m very curious to see how Bridgerton season 2 compares! (I watched the first season and had mixed feelings…it was oddly joyless for a romance adaptation, no?)

Mini-Reviews: Women, Coconut, Belle

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Madeleine St. John, The Women in Black

This novel follows the lives of four women who all work at Goode’s department store in 1950s Sydney, Australia. Patty, in her mid-30s, is married but unhappily childless, and her husband Frank is oblivious to her emotional turmoil. Fay is around 30 and has been going out with men for years, but somehow none of them seem to want to marry her. Lisa, a temporary hire for the Christmas season, dreams of going to university and becoming a poet, but her strict father won’t hear of it. And Magda, a glamorous Slovenian immigrant, is adjusting to a culture very different from her own. I loved this book and devoured it in a single sitting. It’s light and charming and slyly funny, and I became invested in the stories of all four women. I especially loved Magda, who enjoys the finer things in life and is generous in sharing them. There’s a bit of romance, but the main focus is on women’s experiences and relationships. The book reminds me a bit of Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, but with a slightly more satirical edge. I expect to revisit it often and would recommend it as a great comfort read!

Amy E. Reichert, The Coincidence of Coconut Cake

Milwaukee restaurateur Lou Johnson is having a run of terrible luck. First her fiancé cheats on her; then, that very night, food critic Al Waters samples her cooking — which is subpar because of her distress over the breakup — and writes a scathing review. The day the review comes out, Lou goes to a bar to drown her sorrows and meets Al. They’re attracted to each other and soon strike up a romance. The only problem is, he doesn’t realize she owns the restaurant he panned, and she doesn’t know he’s the hostile reviewer because he writes under a pen name. I’m a sucker for a You’ve Got Mail story, and this is a fun one that made me want to visit Milwaukee and eat some fried cheese curds immediately. I never quite believed in Lou and Al as characters; they seemed like stock types rather than real people to me. But I liked the setting and the overall cheerful, Hallmark-esque vibe of this novel, so I’d consider trying more by this author.

Paula Byrne, Belle: The Slave Daughter and the Lord Chief Justice

The idea for this book came from an 18th-century English portrait of two young women — one white, one black — who are portrayed as equals, almost as sisters. The black woman was Dido Elizabeth Belle, the illegitimate daughter of an English naval captain and an African slave. She grew up in the house of her great-uncle, the Earl of Mansfield, who happened to be the Lord Chief Justice and who decided several cases that would be crucial to the antislavery movement in Britain. It’s a fascinating story, but unfortunately, there’s very little about Dido in the historical record, and consequently very little in the book! Instead, Byrne focuses on the English slave trade, the status of black individuals in London, the Earl of Mansfield’s legal career, etc. It’s all interesting, but I was hoping for more biography, less history. The book does have numbered endnotes, many of which cite primary sources, yet Byrne also editorializes a fair amount. I’d say it’s more of a popular history than a scholarly one. Overall, I’d recommend it for people who are interested in the period. Apparently there’s also a movie about Dido, called Belle, which I’m interested in watching now.

Here is the portrait of Dido and her cousin, Elizabeth Murray:

Mini-Reviews: Forgotten, Kiss, Single

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Forgotten GardenIt's in His KissLast Single Girl

Kate Morton, The Forgotten Garden

It took me a while to get through this book, and I think I’m still digesting it somewhat. It tells the stories of four different women. First, Nell is found on a dock in Brisbane, Australia, in 1913. She is raised by a loving family, but when her father finally tells her that she was adopted, she feels compelled to research the mystery of her past. In 2005, Nell passes away, and her granddaughter Cassandra inherits the mystery, as well as a decaying cottage on the coast of Cornwall. She eventually travels to England to see the cottage and piece together what really happened to Nell. Finally, the book jumps to 1900 and details the lives of Eliza Makepeace, a poor orphan with a gift for storytelling, and Rose Mountratchet, a privileged and beloved young woman who befriends Eliza. As the book shifts back and forth between all these different perspectives, the true story of Nell’s origins finally emerges. I thought the mystery was interesting, I liked the writing style, and the main characters were sympathetic; but for me, the pacing was just too slow. I genuinely do think it’s a good book, but I’m not sure I will pick up anything else by Kate Morton.

Bria Quinlan, It’s in His Kiss and The Last Single Girl

Last year I read Worth the Fall, book 2 in Bria Quinlan’s Brew Ha Ha series, and was unexpectedly charmed by it. So I picked up these two e-books when they were on a free deal; It’s in His Kiss is a prequel novella, and The Last Single Girl is book 1. The novella is about Jenna, a YA writer who needs her character to have a first kiss, but it’s been a long time since Jenna experienced one herself. She meets handsome, arrogant Ben while doing “research,” but her beautiful frenemy seems to be competing with her for his attention. Book 1 has all new characters: Sarah, a girl who needs a New Year’s Eve date and meets a bunch of online suitors in a coffee shop, ends up hitting it off with John, the shop’s owner, instead. These were decent quick reads, but I didn’t find the same spark that I did with Worth the Fall. On the upside, I managed to read them both in a single night!