An Unconventional Lady by Sarah E. Ladd

 

My thoughts

A first for me by this author. I enjoyed it so much and hope to read more of her work.

This is the story of Ella Wilde. Ella lost her mother at the age of ten. Being raised only by her father Ella was well educated and well loved. Ella's mother wanted her to be educated as she was. Ella wanted to prove that her mother did not commit suicide and she wanted to follow in her mother's footsteps in other areas. 

Ella's father became sickly and thought it best for Ella to be married so she would not lose the school for boys that her mother's father started so many years ago. He thought if Ella married a man who could take it over and take care of her things would be ok. Ella had different thoughts about this though and fell in love with a different man. She didn't want to be in a loveless marriage to a much older man. 

This book has a few things going on. Ella's best friend falling in love with a bad man. Of course she didn't know he was bad but Ella had her suspicions. Also a friend from the past comes and turns Ella's world upside down. Well sort of. She falls in love with him. Confides in him. 

There is suspense in this story, love, kidnapping. It's one that will keep you turning the pages to find out what comes next. To see if Ella can find her true love and solve her mother's mysterious death. Helping her best friend who was taken in by a house guest of the Wilde's. Just being there for her. Phoebe and Ella have been lifelong friends and let a man come between them. The faces of love.

This was a fun read that taught me about phrenology. A subject I had not heard about. It was the main setting for this story. The Phrenology is the theory that a person's traits and intellectual abilities can be found by learning the shape and size of their skull. How ridiculous is that? But at this time it was believed to be true. 

A very enjoyable read/listen. This is a clean romance story. At times it was intense. Other times it was a bit romantic. A well written regency era story.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson Fiction, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for the ARCs. Also thank you to Uplit Reads for choosing me for this.

4.5 stars 

About

One woman works to expose a scientific fraud while also finding love in the latest sweet Regency romance by Sarah Ladd. Perfect for fans of Julie Klassen, An Unconventional Lady delivers what Publishers Weekly calls Ladd's "pitch-perfect blend of suspense and sweetness" (The Cloverton Charade).

She faces the worst ultimatum possible for a woman--marry a man she detests or lose the future she's always imagined.

Charming and headstrong, Ella Wilde always knew she was different than other women. Thanks to her unorthodox upbringing as the daughter of Keatley Hall School for Young Men's headmaster, Ella has long dreamed of opening a school for girls that would meet the needs of inquisitive, brilliant, unconventional young women just like her--girls who longed for the education exclusively reserved for boys. But there's just one Unless she marries before her father dies, Keatley Hall will pass into the hands of a distant cousin. In that case, Ella will be left destitute, and at this point her only option appears to be an undesirable marriage.

Ella's family had long been proponents of phrenology, the belief that an individual's personality and dispositions were predetermined by the shape of their head. Shortly before her death, however, Ella's mother's views on phrenology changed, and she endeavored to expose phrenology as nothing more than a fraudulent parlor trick. Consequently, she earned the wrath of phrenologist community, who called her "unstable," "bizarre," even "dangerous"--and branded her daughter the same.

Now, renowned phrenologist Thomas Bauer is about to arrive at Keatley Hall to speak at the Natural Philosophers' Society gathering, and Ella embraces the opportunity to clear her mother's name--and her own--once and for all. And her partner in crime? None other than her childhood friend Gabriel Rowe, who's grown into an ambitious, handsome London solicitor.

Gabriel has his own scores to settle, and when he learns that Thomas Bauer is visiting Keatley Hall, he jumps at the chance to prove himself and right past wrongs. As he is drawn deeper into the unusual happenings, it's clear that he and Ella must work together if they want to unmask the truth. Over time, Gabriel's attraction to Ella's beauty and wit becomes impossible to ignore, and as the lines between professionalism and passion blur, they both must decide what they're willing to risk for happiness.

Dawn of the North by Demi Winters

 

My thoughts

Book three of the Ashen Series and boy is it good. Another jaw dropping book. And with three love stories what more do you need. There is of course the edge of your seat battle. It also has some parts to make you laugh. And others to make you shed tears. Some happy tears and some not so happy tears. 

You don't mess with a sister. You better watch your back if you do. You should know that sisters will die for each other. Fight to the end. Even ones who have been apart most of their lives. Sisters are a whole other force of nature...

In this book you get to know more about Silla and Rey. Saga and Kass. Hekla and Eyvind. 

Three women and three men. They all battle demon's of their own but together are a force to be reckoned with. Love knows not bounds. Though Hekla swears she will never marry again she does have strong feelings for Eyvind. 

You'll read about flying horses and a whole colony of female warriors. A squirrel who only wants to free his mistress and needs help. The undead and how to stop them hopefully. There is a lot going on in this series.

This book was fun and very intense. Parts had me holding my breath and others made tears come to my eyes. It's a full on fantasy, romantasy, romance, fiction story that will keep you wanting more. 

This whole series has been a joy. There is more coming too. More battles it seems. 

The Volsik sisters still have more to come. 

Thank you Ballantine/Delacorte Press for this ARC.

About

A new age begins in the Kingdom of Íseldur in this sizzling third installment of the Viking-inspired Ashen romantasy the series.

The lost Volsik heir has finally returned to the people of Íseldur, and even with the warrior who’s captured her heart standing by her side, Silla’s task is monumental. She must earn the loyalty of the northern jarls to drive Ivar Ironheart from the throne and restore peace in the kingdom. But the secret she vigilantly guards threatens to ruin all her plans: A shard of a god lives in her mind, twisting her thoughts and deeds to His will.

Meanwhile, held captive on the mysterious isle of Zagadka, Saga Volsik fights to return to her sister in Íseldur. But when King Ivar sets his sights on the Zagadkians, she’s forced to make an impossible choice: fight for the man who stole her—and is now hell-bent on marrying her—or let the innocent people of his kingdom die.

As a poisonous mist threatens the realm, the sisters will delve into the unknowns of their magic to battle against evil. Return to the land of ice and fire, where a god awakens, a queen finds her power, and sisters must unite against the darkness threatening their realm.

Women Of A Promiscuous Nature by Donna Everhart

 

My thoughts

Another winner from Donna Everhart. This one is a heartstopping, heartbreaking, historical about how females were treated when the government decided they were causing servicemen to catch STDs. Not the men being treating any such way, just the females. Even in cases of rape and incest. All those innocent men.... Right!!

In this story you meet several females from various ages. Each placed in a detention center for being promiscuous. Or possibly being promiscuous. They all seemed to have STDs even if they had not done anything of a sexual nature. They were just taken and placed in a place where they were treated lower than the lowest. Some even being sterilized without consent. Sometimes it was a spouse who put them there. I guess they just weren't cooperating enough. Not doing exactly what they were told by their husbands. 

Stella was a child. A fifteen year old who did nothing wrong. Her father impregnated her. Forced her to do what he wanted. She was a very poor girl. Her mother was a basket case who was not there for her. Her dad was the lowest excuse ever. 

Ruth was a single woman who was minding her own business. Walking to work. When a cop approached her. He forced her to go with him to a doctor who said she had a STD and had to be taken away. To protect the service men. She was only twenty four. She was just a single woman who had not done anything wrong. 

There are several females in the Colony. You'll meet a few and hear parts of their stories. The main ones though are Stella and Ruth. And some of the staff. 

Dorothy Baker came to work at the Colony after losing her job at another home that had been set on fire. She was a hard hearted woman. She tended to blame all women for what her ex-husband did. She caught him in their bed with another woman. She was the type to blame women instead of standing by them and fighting for women. I didn't like her at all. Even after hearing her entire story I did not like her. The only thing she did that was possibly kind was being kind of nice to Stella.

This author did a wonderful job of making me feel the pain these females went through. She did great research and put her heart into this story. You can feel the pain of these young women. How hard they tried and what they felt at their weakest periods. The isolation they felt when put in rooms for extended lengths of time to think about what they did. All the emotions are so raw and realistic. It hurt to read this book. It's heartbreaking. 

To think that this actually happened is beyond comprehension. More than my mind can take. It can happen again too. Never think it can't. 

Well written. Realistic. Real. Heartfelt. Heartbreaking. Sad. There is so much going on. So much emotion. 

Thank you Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. 

About

The day Ruth Foster’s life changes begins the same way as many others—with a walk through her North Carolina hometown toward the diner where she works. But on this day, Ruth is stopped by the local sheriff, who insists that she accompany him to a health clinic. Women like Ruth—young, unmarried, living alone—must undergo testing in order to preserve decency and prevent the spread of sexual disease.

Though Ruth has never shared more than a chaste kiss with a man, by day’s end she is one of dozens of women held at the State Industrial Farm Colony for Women. Some, like 15-year-old Stella Temple, are brought in at their family’s request. For Stella, even the Colony’s hardships seem like a respite from her nightmarish home life.

Superintendent Dorothy Baker, convinced that she’s transforming degenerate souls into upstanding members of society, oversees the women’s medical treatment and “training” until they’re deemed ready for parole. Sooner or later, everyone at the Colony learns to abide by Mrs. Baker’s rule book or face the consequences—solitary confinement, grueling work assignments, and worse.

But some refuse to be cowed. Against Mrs. Baker’s dogged efforts and the punishing weight of authority, Ruth and other inmates find ways to fight back, resolved to regain their freedom at any cost . . .

Such A Clever Girl by Darby Kane

 

My thoughts

This was a confusing book. The problem being to many characters. I can usually keep up with them with no problem but not this time. They didn't connect like I hoped they would. They didn't even seem to like one another. They needed each other at times but didn't seem like friends. 

Talk about family drama. This story is filled with it. Murder, intrigue, affairs, hookups, suspicion on an epic level. The book has all of that. But to me it lacked emotion. I read it and never felt the usual emotions that I get from a good thriller. I figured out part of it and knew part of it. I mean get real I knew she was guilty. Not a big surprise to me. Though it was a good ending. It had that. A good ending is always useful and can make or break a book. It definitely helped.

I don't need to give a synopsis since there is one already but you will get to know these characters and how they were involved in the disappearance of a family. A whole family. All four of them. Then the father of the man who disappeared dies and it's a full on investigation of everything and everyone. Well almost. The reading of the will unveils a lot. A whole lot of secrets. 

I didn't like any of these characters. Not one. I didn't find any of them believable except maybe Aubrey and no one even liked her. She was one of those you don't like but like to hate. I didn't really hate her though. She was abused by an older man. An older married man. Good grief he should be horsewhipped. Or maybe he can run for president and win...

Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for this arc.

3 stars 

About

Darby Kane, author of the #1 international bestseller Pretty Little Wife, returns with a gripping domestic thriller in which a family goes missing and a long-buried family mystery resurfaces.

Fifteen years ago, the Tanner family vanished without a trace, leaving behind a chilling half-eaten meals, a bloodstain by the door, and a smoldering fire consuming their business across town.

The once-vibrant home stands untouched, a haunting relic of the past. As rumors fade into local folklore, the mystery of their disappearance seems destined to remain unsolved—until Aubrey Tanner returns.

Now a hardened thirty-year-old, Aubrey arrives in town with secrets etched in her silence. Why did she come back? Was she a victim of the night that changed everything, or does she hold the truth of what happened to her family? The town is rife with theories, but three women share a dangerous they know more than they’ve ever confessed.

As the past resurfaces, old alliances fray. A teacher, a café owner, and a psychologist are drawn together by memories they’d rather forget. Each holds a piece of the puzzle—and a dark secret of their own. When a new disappearance sends shock waves through the town, blackmail begins, and the stakes climb higher.

In a race against time, these women must confront the truth or risk becoming the next victims of a past they cannot escape. With tension rising and danger lurking, one thing is someone is destined to kill again.

What Tomorrow Will Be by Julianne MaClean

 

My thoughts

This is a very touching story. A story of love and loss. Of new beginnings and possible endings. Of marriage with all it's ups and downs. Children. The hardships of being a single mother while married to the man you thought loved you above all else. A story of so much hope. 

When Sienna was nineteen years old she thought she had it all. The love of her life. A wonderful life. Parents who loved her. A best friend. Then she fell....

Sienna survived that fall in many ways. But in one way she lost everything. You get to follow her life after the fall. Meet her husband and children. See what her life was all about. How it turned out. All the ups and downs of Sienna's life. Then she falls again...

This book was very good. A very emotional one. This author obviously has strong religious feelings. It's obvious as you follow what happened to Sienna and Jacob. You'll meet Jacob's sister Becky who is also Sienna's best friend. And then there is Nate, Amanda, and Connor. Each of these characters play such a huge role in this book. All are very likable. I adored Jacob but fell hard for Nate until Nate let Sienna down. Then I got angry at him and I got angry at her too. She literally tells him to go. Go to the restaurant.  That place was part of the reason they got where they were. And she said go. 

Amanda was Sienna's oldest child. She was actually very smart. At times beyond her years smart. I thought she handled herself so well in the hospital. And in life. I'm not so sure many sixteen years olds are that reseilant these days. 

And don't forget the dogs. They play a fairly big part in this book. And each sounds adorable. Just as a pup should...

This book was well written and very heartbreaking while at the same time heartwarming. There was one scene that I found to be quite silly but that is me. I don't believe any surgeon would talk to children with the medical terms the one in this story did. It would just blow their young minds...

I listened to the audio and it was pretty good. Kept great pace and did keep my interest.

Thank you Lake Union Publishers and Brillance Audio for the ARC. 

4 stars 

About

Some loves never die. But only one will shape her future…

At nineteen, Sienna MacKay believed she had it all—a promising career ahead of her and a young love destined to last forever. But a tragic accident shatters that idyllic existence, leaving her with a heartbreaking loss.

Years later, Sienna has rebuilt her life. She’s a successful designer, a devoted mother, and a woman who has dared to love again—with Nate, a passionate, rising-star chef. But as Nate drifts further into ambition, cracks surface in their once-bright marriage. A stormy confrontation ends in disaster, and Sienna becomes caught between two worlds—her near-perfect past and her more complicated present—where she must ask What is the price of true love…and is she willing to pay?

Set on the majestic, rugged coastline of Nova Scotia, What Tomorrow Will Be is a magical, emotional novel about first love, second chances, and finding the courage to stay…or the will to go.

Gone Before Goodbye by Harlan Coben & Reese Witherspoon

 

My thoughts

I absolutely loved this book. I listened to the audio and the cast did such a great job. Reese Witherspoon was the voice of Maggie. Maggie was the main character.

The authors really brought to life how humanity should work. The hearts of doctors working in countries where so many are hurt. During wartime and after. Three friends , Maggie, her husband Marc and friend Trace. One betrayed the other two in a horrible way.

This book took me from my living room to New York. To Russia then Dubai. To France. It kept me on edge through a lot of it. Hoping for something through other parts. And finally back to the US where it all started.

A lot of good characters and enough bad ones to keep me wanting to see justice.

I think my favorite character had to be Porkchop. Yep that was what he was called. Porkchop was Marc’s dad and Maggie’s father in law. He was quite the person.

I liked how they used AI in this story to help Maggie. I liked almost everything about this book. It was my first Harlan Coben book. It won’t be my last.

About

Maggie McCabe is teetering on the brink. A highly skilled and renowned Army combat surgeon, she has always lived life at the edge, where she could make the most impact. And it was all going to plan ... until it wasn’t.

Upside down after a devastating series of tragedies leads to her medical license being revoked, Maggie has lost her purpose, but not her nerve or her passion. At her lowest point, she is thrown a lifeline by a former colleague, an elite plastic surgeon whose anonymous clientele demand the best care money can buy, as well as absolute discretion.

Halfway across the globe, sequestered in the lap of luxury and cutting-edge technology, one of the world’s most mysterious men requires unconventional medical assistance. Desperate, and one of the few surgeons in the world skilled enough to take this job, Maggie enters his realm of unspeakable opulence and fulfills her end of the agreement. But when the patient suddenly disappears while still under her care, Maggie must become a fugitive herself—or she will be the next one who is ... Gone Before Goodbye

Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher

 

My thoughts

WOW!! This book knocked my socks off. I didn't read the synopsis but thought it had to be good. It's T. Kingfisher... I was right of course. 

This review is very hard to write . What can you say about a story that has you cringing about bugs. About an artist who paints these bugs. A man who studies them so intently.... This book will give you so many feelings, including laughter. Yes laughter. It's a horror, thriller, mysterious story that will have you gasping. But it does contain laughter. 

Does it contain a monster. Yes. But not where you think. Does it have a hero. Yes. A couple actually. This book was a fun and very quick read. It has everything you need for a good thriller, horror, story. 

When Sonia Wilson arrives in response to a job she accepted, she has no idea what lays in store for her. Dr Halder studies bugs. He knows everything about bugs. Or he thinks he does anyway. He's the most unpleasant person Sonia as met. His housekeeper/cook are friendly and make her feel welcome. Sonia is to draw and paint the bugs that Dr Halder is writing a book about. She's an illustrator and he expects the pictures to be perfection. He is not a nice man. He doesn't smile. He doesn't seem to like anyone. He just is...

When things take a turn for to the dark side Sonia finds herself a great odds. Does she continue with this job or run. Sonia stayed. 

This was a book about bugs, painting, cruelty, possibly murder. A story about things you truly only read about in books. This author wrote this in such a way that once you start you won't be able to stop. You'll keep turning the pages until the very end. 

It's different from any I've read but still right along with how you would except this author to write. A story that could end all stories. It's good. It's so good. Evil though. Good and evil? Possibly.

The narrator did a wonderful job with this. She brought the cringes to life. The gasps. The howls. The feelings of bugs crawling on your skin. She did a fantastic job. Mary Robinette Kowal, narrator.

Thank you Tor Publishing Group and Macmillan Audio for the ARCs. 

Five stars 

About

Something darker than the devil stalks the North Carolina woods in Wolf Worm, a new gothic masterpiece from New York Times bestselling author T. Kingfisher

“I saw the devil in these woods.”

Sonia Wilson is a talented scientific illustrator—but she is only able to follow her dream because of her father’s reputation as a renowned scientist. Such is the lot in life for a woman in science in 1899. And after his death, she is left without work, prospects, or hope.

So when the reclusive Dr. Halder offers her a position illustrating his vast collection of insects, Sonia jumps at the chance to move to his North Carolina manor house and put her talents to use.

Once there though, she encounters dark happenings in the Carolina woods, and even darker questions come to light, like what happened to her predecessor? Why are animals acting so strangely, and what is behind the peculiar local whispers about “blood thiefs?”

With the aid of the housekeeper and a local healer, Sonia discovers that Halder’s entomological studies have taken him down a twisted road. His ground-breaking discoveries come with a cost—one that Halder is paying with human flesh.

If Sonia can’t find a way to stop the monstrosity, she may be next under the knife.