A Resistance of Witches by Morgan Ryan

 

My thoughts

This is a debut book and it's so good. Very well written and puts a whole new spin on witchcraft and WW2. 

Could Witches have help to make or break WW2. Could Hitler have taken over the world if they would have helped him?

This isn't really a book that goes into what happened during that time period. It's a story of what might have happened had witches been involved. Had some of them been followers of Hitler. Had they wanted to help him take over everything. The fallout that would have caused. 

History is an amazing thing. Writing is also very amazing. When an author writes a debut that keeps you wanting to know more then you can bet it's a good book. But thank goodness it is only a story and not what happened. This book will keep you turning the pages. 

A coven of witches are tasked with finding a book. A book called Grimorium Bellum. It's a book of what I'd call horrors. Not a good thing by any means. And it's up to Lydia to find this book. To bring it back with her so the Nazi witches can't use it's power for evil. Or destroy it. Whichever way is best. 

Lydia is on a mission to save the world. She has some selfish reasons for doing what she does too. The loss of her best friend being one. 

When Lydia Polk, Rebecca Gagne, and Henry Boudreaux all meet this story is on a whole other level. They go through a lot of fighting and pain. Henry also has some magic. He and Lydia seem to like each other. They fight to help each other until the very end. 

A story that will make you laugh out loud and cry hard ripping tears. A lesson in trust. Friendship. Family. A lesson steeped in magic and bloodshed. 

I enjoyed this book from start to finish. It was very good and as a debut this author has to feel very proud of her work.

Thank you Penguin Group Viking Penguin for this ARC.

4.5 stars 

About

RESISTANCE IS MAGIC

“War II meets A Discovery of Witches…I raced through this one.” —Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Briar Club

“Historical fantasy at its absolute best.” —Alexis Henderson author of The Year of the Witching and An Academy for Liars

As World War II rages around her, a witch abandoned by her coven must journey to find a book of unspeakable power before it lands in Nazi hands

Stubborn, plain-spoken and from an unimpressive family, Lydia Polk never expected to be accepted into the Royal Academy of Witches. Now, with Hitler’s army rampaging across Europe, the witches of Britain have joined the war effort, and Lydia is key to the she must use her magic to track down magical relics before Hitler and his sycophants can. When a Nazi witch infiltrates the Academy with heart-breaking consequences, the coven is left shaken, exposed and divided. The elder British witches have no interest in further loss of coven life in service of a government that has forced them into hiding for decades, no matter the consequences to the world. But with the discovery of the Grimorium Bellum, an ancient book that leaves a trail of death and destruction wherever it goes, Lydia knows her mission has never been more urgent.

Alone and woefully outnumbered, Lydia makes her way to the heart of occupied France, where she finds allies in Rebecca Gagne—a fierce French resistance fighter chockful of secrets—and Henry Boudreaux—a handsome Haitian-American art historian with a little magic of his own. Together, they traverse the country, stalked by the natural and supernatural alike, in search of the grimoire. But, as Lydia soon discovers, finding the book is only half the battle—the Grimorium Bellum has a dark agenda all its own. Lydia must subdue it before the Witches of the Third Reich can use it—but she’ll have to survive the book herself, first.

The Lost Story of Eva Fuentes by Chanel Cleeton

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 My thoughts

Another excellent book by Chanel Cleeton. I loved her last book, The House on Biscayne Bay, very much. I look forward to more by this author. 

A book about a book. What could be better? Not much. This one is told in three timelines by three women. They are very different and at the same time so alike. How this book touches each woman is woven perfectly into this story. From start to finish I was captured. 

It starts out in London the year 2024. Margo is a very ambitious young lady who finds lost items for people. In this case it's a book. She is hired to find a book titled A TIME FOR FORGETTING by Eva Fuentes. 

Then we go to Havana in the year 1966. Pilar just lost her husband to the horrors of Cuba's leader Fidel Castro. He was taken into custody by the secret police. Her neighbor was getting out of Cuba but had a book that she wanted Pilar to take to it's author. The book was A TIME FOR FORGETTING.... Eva read the book several times. And she does go in search for Eva Fuentes to return this book.

Eva Fuentes lives in Havana. In 1900 she is a teacher who goes to the US to Harvard to study. While there Eva meets a man and falls hopelessly in love. Of course there is a man right... Things don't quite go as planned with him. Once she returns to Cuba she finds herself in trouble. Eva returns to the US and when she can't work things out with James she starts writing a book. A TIME FOR FORGETTING.

This book was so touching. Kept me wanting more and I hated for it to end. There are a lot of emotions in this book. A big mystery too. A little bit of a thriller in places too. A very well written book that kept me turning the pages. 

Be sure and read the Author's Notes at the end. A bit of good info there. An excellent book that I think anyone who loves a good historical will appreciate. 

Thank you @Berkley for this ARC.

4.5 stars 

About

London, 2024: American expat Margo Reynolds is renowned for her talent at sourcing rare antiques for her clients, but she’s never had a request quite like this one. She’s been hired to find a mysterious book published over a century ago. With a single copy left in existence, it has a storied past shrouded in secrecy—and her client isn’t the only person determined to procure it at any cost.

Havana, 1966: Librarian Pilar Castillo has devoted her life to books, and in the chaotic days

following her husband’s unjust imprisonment by Fidel Castro, reading is her only source of solace. So when a neighbor fleeing Cuba asks her to return a valuable book to its rightful owner, Pilar will risk everything to protect the literary work entrusted to her care. It’s a dangerous mission that reveals to her the power of one book to change a life.

Boston, 1900: For Cuban school teacher and aspiring author Eva Fuentes, traveling from Havana to Harvard to study for the summer is the opportunity of a lifetime. It’s a whirlwind adventure that leaves her little time to write, but a moonlit encounter with an enigmatic stranger changes everything. The story that pours out of her is one of forbidden love, secrets, and lies… and though Eva cannot yet see it, the book will be a danger and salvation for the lives it touches.

The Widow by John Grisham

 

My thoughts

I throughly enjoyed this book. John Grisham has talent for pulling a reader in. This one seemed to be dragging until I realized that without all of it you had nothing. As the story shapes and molds, you have to know exactly who Eleanor Barnett truly was. To see who Simon Latch was. You had to know all the details.

This book had me holding my breath. Not a thriller but a what is going on here. Who did this awful thing. Will it turn out to be the lawyer? 

Greed pulled Simon in. Murder had him wishing he had never met Eleanor. This was a chance of a lifetime for Simon. He was in a horrible marriage. In the process of divorce. He has three children who he loves with all his heart. His law practice is barely keeping him afloat and he seems to gamble to much. But Simon is a good guy. Isn't he?

As this story progresses you find out a lot about Simon and Eleanor. Also about how many innocent people are wrongfully convicted in this country. You learn a little about the law and a lot about how prosecutors and cops consider a case closed once they find a defendant. Once they say you are guilty their jobs are basically over. Well not the prosecutor. They have a lot to do and will go to any measure to convict.

You get to know the people in this story. Simon's children. His exwife. His girlfriend from college. And the Widow Eleanor Barnett. You also get a good look at her two stepsons. They are true pieces of work. There is a lot that goes on in hospitals that you learn about. Maybe more than you want to know.

I did enjoy this novel. It was an eyeopener for me in so many ways. I thought I had it all figured out but I was way off base. Of course maybe Mr Grisham planned it that way. ha ha

Thank you to the publisher for the ARCs. Both a hardcopy and an ecopy. This book was very good. 

4.5 stars 

About

Simon Latch is a lawyer in rural Virginia, making just enough to pay his bills while his marriage slowly falls apart. Then into his office walks Eleanor Barnett, an elderly widow in need of a new will. Apparently, her husband left her a small fortune, and no one knows about it.

Once he hooks the richest client of his career, Simon works quietly to keep her wealth under the radar. But soon her story begins to crack. When she is hospitalized after a car accident, Simon realizes that nothing is as it seems, and he finds himself on trial for a crime he swears he didn’t commit: murder.

Simon knows he’s innocent. But he also knows the circumstantial evidence is against him, and he could spend the rest of his life behind bars. To save himself, he must find the real killer….

The Book Of Lost Hours by Hayley Gelfuso

 

My thoughts

I'm at a loss here. Totally blown away. I don't want to give anything away so will have to say... This is a great book. It's so good. It will definitely be in my top 10 books for this year. It was a BOTM and I got an ARC. 

If you are looking for a book that will knock your socks off this is it. I highly recommend it. It's that good.

What happens to memories? We have memories. Memories that we accumulate throughout our lives. What happens to them once we are no longer here? Once we pass on to wherever it is we go too. This book tells a story of what may happen to them. A beautiful, touching, loving, story. 

Back when the world turned dark. During the times of the Nazi's and Hitler and death, murder, removal of a race of people. Or the attempt to erase said race there was a man. A man who made watches. He had a secret. They wanted to know his secrets. They wanted to know how he did what he did. How the watches worked exactly. So when they came to his door he pushed his young daughter through a door and pulled it closed. He would do whatever he could to protect her. 

That is how you meet Lisavet  Levy. She is living in what appears to be a library. But not your usual library. This one is a library of memories. Lisavet is only eleven years old and has no idea what to do or how she is to survive. But through many years she does learn. She doesn't have to sleep or eat. She meets people. Some not so good. Some who come to destroy memories. Memories that need to be saved. So begins Lisavet's journey of saving memories. 

Lisavet meets a man. A living man. They fall in love. They go through a lot. Ernest becomes someone she needs. Someone she loves more than anything. He was one that started out burning memories. Until he met Lisavet and she told him not to do that anymore. It's a bit more complicated than that but that is what this story is about. Lisavet and Ernest. When they are and when they aren't. 

Lisavet would have spent her whole life inside this book world. Filled with so many bookshelves that are filled with many books. Lisavet discovers a whole world that she had no idea existed. Things that happened. Things that the outer world want everyone to forget.... Lisavet is determined that no one will forget. 

The Book of Lost Hours is what I have to call perfection. Between the covers of this book is a story like none I have ever read. It's beautiful. It's inspiring. It's so full of hope and love. Yes there are bad things. There are tears to be shed. But this author did such a good job with this one. It's just beyond words for me. 

I enjoyed this book so much. I didn't want to put it down. It's a page turner filled with lots of emotion. I can't say enough how much I enjoyed reading this one. 

Thank you @BOTM, @Atriabooks, for this book. 

5 big stars 

About

For fans of The Ministry of Time and The Midnight Library , a sweeping, unforgettable novel following two remarkable women moving between postwar and Cold War-era America and the mysterious time space, a library filled with books containing the memories of those who bore witness to history.

Enter the time space, a soaring library filled with books containing the memories of those have passed and accessed only by specially made watches once passed from father to son—but mostly now in government hands. This is where eleven-year-old Lisavet Levy finds herself trapped in 1938, waiting for her watchmaker father to return for her. When he doesn’t, she grows up among the books and specters, able to see the world only by sifting through the memories of those who came before her. As she realizes that government agents are entering the time space to destroy books and maintain their preferred version of history, she sets about saving these scraps in her own volume of memories. Until the appearance of an American spy named Ernest Duquesne in 1949 offers her a glimpse of the world she left behind, setting her on a course to change history and possibly the time space itself.

In 1965, sixteen-year-old Amelia Duquesne is mourning the disappearance of her uncle Ernest when an enigmatic CIA agent approaches her to enlist her help in tracking down a book of memories her uncle had once sought. But when Amelia visits the time space for the first time, she realizes that the past—and the truth—might not be as linear as she’d like to believe.

The Book of Lost Hours explores time, memory, and what we sacrifice to protect those we love.

The Perfect Hosts by Heather Gudenkauf

 

My thoughts

I always enjoy this author's books. She has never let me down. 

The Perfect Hosts is another great one. Edge of your seat last few chapters and guessing all the way through.

This book is about a gender reveal party. A party for the rich, ultra rich, couple who are having a baby. Everyone is there. Even some that were not invited. The couple are Wes and Madeline Drake. It's also about a horrible thing that happened thirty or so years prior. When a teen girl went missing and her brother was beaten almost to death. So in a way it's two stories in one with the main focus being on the gender reveal...

Madeline and Wes have been married eleven years. They seem like the ideal couple... Until they don't. A lot of secrets come out. A few people show up after the explosion that have big surprises for the Drakes. One being Madeline's step sister Lucy. The other is a young women Mellie, who was hurt at the gender reveal explosion. She was a waitress at the event. She has secrets and intends to have what she wants no matter what. 

You get a sense of all the characters and why they do what they do. You pretty much know them pretty well by the end. At first I didn't much like Lucy but did understand why she might be angry at her sister. Until I found out what she was really intended. Then I kind of thought she was a great sister. 

This book is literally explosive. It holds your interest. It keeps you wanting more. To know who did what and why. 

There is spousal abuse in this one so be warned.

Another well written page turner from one of my favorite authors. 

Thank you @harlequintradepublishing & @harlequinaudio for this book.

4.75 stars 

About

A couple’s gender reveal party turns deadly and everyone is a suspect in this gripping thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of The Overnight Guest.

Is it a boy or a girl? They would die to know…

Madeline and Wes Drake have invited two hundred of their closest friends and family to their sprawling horse ranch for the most anticipated event of the year: a “pistols and pearls” gender reveal party so sensational it is sure to make headlines. But the party descends into chaos when the celebratory explosive misfires, leaving one woman dead and a trail of secrets.

As the aftershocks of the bloody party ripple across the small town, Agent Jamie Saldano is brought on the scene to investigate. Battling his own demons from the past, Saldano unearths a web of deceit spun around the Drakes. The appearance of some unexpected houseguests only deepens the mystery. And as tensions mount, it becomes clear that the explosion wasn’t just an unlucky accident. But who was the target, and why? As the shadow of a killer looms, the happy parents-to-be must unravel the truth before it’s too late.

The Wives of Hawthorne Lane by Stephanie DeCarolis

 

My thoughts

This book was great. It was a mix between a mystery/thriller and a soap opera. Through in a little Desperate Housewives and you have this book. It's a page turner. I started it one day and finished it the next. I didn't want to put it down.

You meet four women. Four very different women. They all live on Hawthorne Lane with their husbands. One is newly separated; Libby. One is newly married; Hannah.  One living a big secret; Audrey. One living a lie; her life is far from perfect; Georgina. 

And there is the other couple. Dean and Maggie. Maggie is a hard working young lady. Dean is a grumbler. He complains about the people living on the other side of town. The rich people. He hates them. Maggie works as a nanny there. Dean resents anyone doing better than him. Maggie has a secret. 

This book pulled me right in. It held my attention and I didn't figure out who did what to whom or who was whom. I tried. I had so many guesses. I was definitely surprised by two things. Two very big things. 

I loved the ending too. It was like icing on the cake. 

This book has several instances of domestic abuse. Horrible domestic abuse and some sexual abuse. It should have that in the beginning of the book. 

But it's still good. 

Thank you @penguinrandomhouse, @ballantine, for this ARC.

FIVE stars.... 

About

In this twisty tale of domestic suspense, four neighbors become the prime suspects in a murder investigation that reveals the sinister underside of their picture-perfect community.

Hawthorne Lane is the perfect place to live. Its tree-lined street and stately homes are the envy of the town. Every Halloween the residents of Hawthorne Lane come together to host their famous Fall Festival. But this year, someone won’t survive the night.

As a murder investigation ensues, it quickly becomes clear there’s more going on behind closed doors on Hawthorne Lane than meets the eye. And four women, each with secrets worth killing for, find themselves at the center of it all.

There’s Georgina, the perfectionist and reigning Queen Bee, who pays a high price for her elevated status. There’s Audrey, the bold and beautiful neighbor with the high-flying corporate career, but whose marriage is on the rocks. There’s Libby, the working mother who is struggling to come to terms with her recent divorce while parenting her teenage son. And finally, Hannah—the newcomer with a mysterious past that’s returning with a vengeance.

As the clock ticks down to Halloween, their lives will cross in the most unexpected ways. And soon only one question remains: Who will pay the ultimate price for the lies they all tried so hard to bury?

Over Yonder by Sean Dietrich

 

My thoughts

I read Kinfolk by this author and loved it. This one is even better, in my humble opinion. What this author brings out is such a story. It touches you in many ways. Leaves you breathless. This story captured my heart in so many ways and gave me ALL the feels of a great novel. I laughed, cried, cringes, got angry, and oh my when the ending came I wept. This book is so good. I highly recommend it to everyone.

I listened to the audio while reading. Sean Dietrich narrated it and he did a fantastic job. Of course it's his book so why wouldn't he right. He captured my heart in so many ways. Kept me turning the pages. 

You meet Woody when he leaves prison. He has been there for ten years. You don't know immediately why he was there but you do know he was a priest. I adored Woody. I felt he was a great main character. He finds out he has a daughter by his first wife. His daughter, Caroline, is pregnant. Her boyfriend, Tater, was a hoot. He made me laugh so hard. They were not a matched pair by any means. You also meet Woody's dad. Woody is sixty and his dad is in his eighties. Caroline is only seventeen. Woody had another daughter, Rachel. Rachel was born while Woody was in prison and her mother is Woody's second ex-wife, Elizabeth. I loved all of these characters.

This book takes you on a wild ride from Alabama to Tennessee and back to Alabama. Bad people are after Caroline as her, Woody and Woody's dad. They think Caroline has something that belongs to them. Actually him. One guy who is bent of getting back what is his at any cost. 

The descriptions in this book were so good. I live in N. AL and could easily picture where he was taking about. Especially the Epilogue as the setting there is Huntsville, AL and that is where I was born and grew up. Still live actually, just out in the countryside. 

I highly encourage you to grab this book. If you love good southern novels with settings that will keep you wanting more this one is it. I will read anything this author writes now. He is definitely in my top ten favorites. 

Thank you @thomasnelsonfiction, @thomasnelsonandzondervanfictionaudio, for this ARC.

Five stars 

About

With the same dry humor and compassion for his characters as Fredrik Backman, Sean Dietrich's latest novel highlights the good of humanity and the light that's always just around the corner.

Ex-con Woody Barker lives on a houseboat (the Ship Happens) off the Gulf Coast and spends his days bickering/flirting with his ex-wife and attending doctor appointments about his malfunctioning ticker. He's already survived several heart attacks and is debating the merits of quitting smoking so he can get on the organ donor waitlist. But he gets the surprise of a lifetime when an old girlfriend reveals on her deathbed that Woody has a seventeen-year-old daughter he never knew, Caroline.

Caroline is pregnant and trapped in an endless loop of bad choices. Her good-for-nothing boyfriend, "Tater," is the only "reliable" person in her life. But when her estranged dying mother begs her to go back to her singlewide trailer to dig up the bathroom vanity subfloor to "get something that needs to be gone yesterday," Caroline finds herself at the center of a very dangerous plot that--if she survives--has the potential to turn her world upside down in a positive and seismic way.

While Woody and Caroline don't know or trust each other yet, they instinctively know they can't (and don't want to) go through the world alone any longer.

Beloved Southern writer Sean Dietrich, also known as Sean of the South, once again brings people and places to life in this lyrical song-turned-story about found family, second chances, and the poignant power of love and forgiveness.

The Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens

 

My thoughts

I listened to the audio of this book along with reading it. I was not as happy with the person who narrated for Alice but the one for Jenny did great. Alice's narrator just seemed to list each sentence instead of making them flow smoothly. 

This is my first book to read by this author. I will be looking for more now. This was a very scary and very emotional story. My emotions were all over the place by the time I finished it. In a good way though.

When Alice and Tom head out for a trip to Canada to see the Olympics little do they know how much their lives will change. In the next few weeks they will help a young couple who seem to be struggling.

 

Simon and Jenny are on the road. Running away from things they would much rather forget ever happened. Jenny is pregnant and only eighteen years old. They seem to be so in love. 

When Alice and Tom give Blue and Ocean a ride the kids seem very grateful. They are young and seem deeply in love. What could go wrong?

When Alice sees a newspaper article with Blue and Ocean's pictures. They are wanted for murder. The murder of Ocean's, who is really Jenny, mother and stepdad. Blue is the name Simon had. Now what does she do? How can she tell Tom they are helping out two people wanted for murder. Cold blooded murder. 

These four go on a road trip no one wants. Simon seems quick tempered with others except Jenny. He is more kind and gentle with Jenny. But along the way to wherever they are going a list of beat and hurt people are left behind. Simon was fully capable of murder but Alice thought Jenny seemed way to scared and meek to be a killer. Could she be so wrong about a young lady?

When all of this comes to a head you get the real story. I never liked Simon. He just didn't seem like a good person to me. Though he did love Jenny. No doubt about that. Jenny I liked. I felt sorry for her. I felt she had more on her plate than just being pregnant and running. I had a feeling about her and what happened to her. I was right....

This book is a good thriller. No mystery as you know right up front who is who and what they are capable of doing. Except you might find out that one of these four does have a big secret. One may be more than they seem.

I loved how this book ended. It pretty much left no loose ends. It was one that I didn't want to put down. 

Thank you @stmartinspress and @macmillanaudio for this ARC.

4.75 stars 

About

The open road beckons.
A chance for them to reconnect.
Then they make a fatal mistake.

It’s the summer of 1976 and Alice and Tom set out on the remote Canadian highways in their new RV, hoping to heal their broken hearts after a devastating tragedy.

They’ve planned the trip perfectly, taken care of every detail. Then they meet two young hitchhikers down on their luck and offer them a ride. But Simon and Jenny aren’t what they seem. They’ve left a trail of blood, destruction, and madness behind them.

Now Alice and Tom are trapped, prisoners in a deadly game, with nowhere to turn. As the tension builds, the lines blur, and the question becomes, In whose heart does evil truly lie? What secrets are Jenny and Simon hiding? And who will live another day?

A chilling, twist-laden ride to the final page, THE HITCHHIKERS is that rare novel that will break your heart as well as hold you in suspense. The author of the classic thrillers STILL MISSING and THOSE GIRLS has delivered her next breathtaking novel.

The Last Witch by C. J. Cooke

 

My thoughts

This is possibly the best book I've read about Witches and Witch trials. It is a bit emotional in so many ways. Also based on actual facts. This really happened. Back in 1485 women were accused of being witches and burned alive. All it took was for one person to accuse them.

The saddest part of this to me is how other women would believe the lies told. How they would sit in judgement of their fellow women as a bishop brought these women to trial. Said the horrible things he said. How "women" are born evil. Born witches. Born sneaky and liars. He truly hated women. I have to wonder what he truly thought about his own mother. How can anyone have faith in the things preached when it seems to me that all religions love to point fingers. Sit in judgement of others. Condemn people to hell for all eternity. Just who do they all think they are? This is why I do not believe in any organized religion. 

In this book you meet seven women who are accused of being witches. All except one had someone accuse them and they were able to face their accusers. One, the main character Helena Scheuberin, had no one to face. She did not know who her accuser was. Not at first. These women were of many ages. Even in one case a six year old child was burned with her mother. Helena was accused because she stood up to this awful bishop. Heinrich Kramer was his name. Seems he hated women something awful. He also had a terrible infatuation with male body parts. If you read this book do not skip the Author's Note. Explains so much and shows how researched this book is.

This is truly a good book. Yes it keeps you on edge in many places. Has you holding your breath. Shedding tears. But it's really so good. I didn't know how awful organized religion has always been until I read this. How a person can claim to be godly and do the things this man did and tried to do.

This is a good story. A story based on actual events. Even most of the names are real. This author did a magnificent job in this story. Her research is impeccable. Her writing is not to be beat. If you love a good witch trial story grab this one. You won't be disappointed. 

@cjcooke, @berkelybooks @netgalley

5 stars 

About

Will she be damned by flame… or cursed by magic?

Helena Scheuberin should be doing what every other young wife is keeping house, supporting her husband, bearing his children. But when her husband's footman, Leopold, with whom she was having an affair, is found dead, Helena is accused of killing him. Worse, she is accused of being a witch.

Imprisoned with six other women, Helena is plunged from her bejewelled life of comfort into a world of terror. When a cursed witch totem is smuggled into the prison, the prisoners attempt to use it to conjure escape. But the totem is the severed hand of a murdered woman, and Helena's life is in danger both inside and outside the dungeon.

Does Helena risk her life and the lives of others by standing up to a man determined to paint her as the most wicked of all? Or is the world beyond this one the real threat?

Based on a real-life event, this historical horror offers a jewel-bright portrait of female power in a period of wide-spread female disempowerment, a thrilling addition to the canon of witcherature and silenced voices from the past.

The Hidden Daughter by Soraya Lane

 

My thougths

Another winner for Soraya M. Lane.

This book takes you through three generations. It's very heart wrenching and promising all at once. A love story for the ages. Two love stories actually. Both interconnected and both just as touching.

When Charlotte's grandmother calls her and tells her there will be something delivered to her Charlotte has no idea how much her life is going to change. Charlotte is a Chef at a very prestigious hotel in London. It's her last night and she is making a special dinner for her co-workers. She is also to be met by Mia. Mia is the woman who is bringing her a delivery. Meant for her grandmother but accepting for her. 

In 1950 things were a bit different for females. In Norway a young couple meet and fall deeply in love. Oskar and Amalie. They met at the hotel Oskar's parents own. Oskar is from a very rich and influential family. Amalie's family have no money. They are hard workers but of very meager means. When Amalie finds herself in the family way she is frightened. Not of how Oskar will react. How his family will take it. How her family will take it.

Charlotte and Harrison meet when Charlotte goes to Norway to check out another Chef's position. This time at a brand new hotel that has not even opened yet. Harrison designed this one and the owner wanted Charlotte as the head Chef. Of course they meet and fall head over heels in love. But things are not so smooth.

You get to know the characters in this story well. You may not like some, at least one, at first. But most are great. The two love stories are perfection. Yes the one between Amalie and Oskar is so sad. The love between Charlotte and Harrison is not perfect either. This is one of those books that you have to put down so your eyes can recoup. At least I did. I cried so much reading this story. Sad tears and happy tears. Some angry tears too. It's just a great story that will keep you filled with so much hope for both couples. For all the family members.

I can't wait for the nest book. I've been wanting to know Hope's story and if you've read any of this series you know who Hope is.

Thank you Bookouture and Soraya Lane for this ARC. 

5 stars. 

About

Norway, 1951: ‘I need you to know how much I love you, Amalie. I never wanted us to be parted, and I will do whatever it takes to come back to you and our baby. Please wait for me.’

London, present Everything in Charlotte’s life is about to change. As she clutches a small box in her palm containing a diamond ring and a Norwegian crest, she knows she must return home to be reunited with her beloved great-grandmother Amalie and her Norwegian family.

Accepting her dream job as a head chef at Norway’s most prestigious hotel, Charlotte is welcomed by the hotel’s head designer, Harrison. For years, Charlotte sacrificed everything for her career. As she tours her new surroundings with Harrison, she soon starts to see a way of focussing on her heart too.

But when Charlotte takes the box to Amalie, everything Charlotte thought she knew about her family changes in an instant. As Amalie clutches the ring that she thought had vanished forever, she reveals a tragic love story and a precious secret that stayed buried for years.

When Charlotte discovers the huge sacrifice Amalie made to keep her family safe, will it give Charlotte the strength she needs to follow her heart? Or will she leave Norway forever?

An utterly heart-warming and stunning story about the importance of following your heart and never being afraid to find your new beginning. Perfect for fans of Santa Montefiore, Lucinda Riley and Victoria Hislop.

Alchemised by SenLinYu

 

My thoughts

This book is getting so much attention. I've read how devastating it is. How it will rip your heart out. How utterly sad it is. I saw none of that myself. It was good but not earth shatteringly sad or heartbreaking or devastating. Things did happen to give me emotion. But overall it was just a very interesting read. A very LONG one.

This book is a dark romance with a lot of war. Not that it's really that graphic with either. No big love scenes to give you the chills. No big war scenes to make you cringe. But enough of both to keep you reading. To keep your attention. 

There is a lot of, what I call, the walking dead. The male main character, Kaine, is dead but can be brought to complete life again. Or so they say. The female, Helena, was a healer with other gifts. They fell in love and it was so obvious that was going to happen. It was a good love story. A bit gory though. 

This book is in three parts. Part one happens actually after part two and part three is right where it should be. The order takes nothing away from the story. It it what it is. You'll either love it or not. It's very long and one I could put down easily.

 I also listened to the audio and have to say the narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, did a fantastic job. She was able to change her voice so each character was done to perfection. I enjoy it when that happens. 

Overall this is a good story but a bit to long. A bit gory in some places and there are a lot of dead people running around. Read it if you dare.

Oh and I didn't read any of the Harry Potter books so it being a fanfic of that was in no way important to me. I don't think it makes or breaks this one.

3.75 stars. 

About

In this riveting dark fantasy debut, a woman with missing memories fights to survive a war-torn world of necromancy and alchemy — and the man tasked with unearthing the deepest secrets of her past.

"What is it you think you’re protecting in that brain of yours? The war is over. Holdfast is dead. The Eternal Flame extinguished. There’s no one left for you to save."

Once a promising alchemist, Helena Marino is now a prisoner—of war and of her own mind. Her Resistance friends and allies have been brutally murdered, her abilities suppressed, and the world she knew destroyed.

In the aftermath of a long war, Paladia’s new ruling class of corrupt guild families and depraved necromancers, whose vile, undead creatures helped bring about their victory, holds Helena captive.

According to Resistance records, she was a healer of little importance within their ranks. But Helena has inexplicable memory loss of the months leading up to her capture, making her enemies wonder: Is she truly as insignificant as she appears, or are her lost memories hiding some vital piece of the Resistance’s final gambit?

To uncover the memories buried deep within her mind, Helena is sent to the High Reeve, one of the most powerful and ruthless necromancers in this new world. Trapped on his crumbling estate, Helena’s fight—to protect her lost history and to preserve the last remaining shreds of her former self—is just beginning. For her prison and captor have secrets of their own . . . secrets Helena must unearth, whatever the cost.

The First Time I Saw Him by Laura Dave

 

My thoughts

This is the best sequel I've read in, well possibly, forever. It cleared up a lot. It lets you get to know some of the secondary characters from the first book. And you get to see just how strong Hannah really is. How much her relationship with Bailey has grown. Her feelings for what Owen did. And how she comes to feel about Nicholas.

This book really does pick right up where the first one, The Last Thing He Told me, ended. You won't feel lost in any way and no it is not a standalone. You must read the first book. 

Hannah and Bailey are coming to grips with Owen disappearing. Hannah is trying in every way to keep Bailey and herself safe. Getting to know Bailey's grandfather Nicholas too. And his son. Bailey has family that she didn't know anything about. Their life is fairly peaceful five years after Owen's sudden disappearance. They have no idea where he is. 

Nicholas died. That changed everything. 

Then a text comes for Hannah. "Get out of the house. Now." Hannah doesn't give it a second thought. She has planned for this day and planned well. She grabs what she needs, texts Bailey, and leaves. Now they are about to begin a whole other kind of life. One that should possibly, hopefully, make them stop having to run. Stop having to worry. 

The rest of this story is an excitement you won't believe. Told from several people and gives you so much insight into what is happening along with what did happen. Back when Nicholas's daughter and Owen's wife was struck and killed. How it changed everything. What lengths Owen was willing to go to in order to keep Bailey safe. The animosity that Nicholas feels toward Owen for taking his granddaughter away. To not get to know her. 

Is Nicholas willing to help Hannah though.? Help her find the way for a life without fear? From the start to the finish this book keeps you turning the pages. I didn't want it to end but had to know what happened too. Maybe there will be a third, though I honestly can't see any being as good as this one.

This author takes her story to a whole new light. The descriptions make you feel the intense hostility. The love. The loss. The beauty of walking up to a party that will change a family forever. One way other the other. The story is truly beautiful even through the most intense parts. From the US to France and a few more places you take this journey with Hannah, Bailey, Nicholas, and Owen. 

I loved most all of these characters. My favorite being Hannah. She's one strong woman. She knows what she wants and she fights for it. I also loved Nicholas after getting to know him better. Maybe found a soft spot for Owen and why he ran. And Frank. Frank who was best friends with Nicholas. As much as an organized crime boss can have a best friend.

Well done. So well done. 

Thanks to Scribner for this ARC. 

Five huge stars. 

About

Laura Dave continues Hannah Hall’s pulse-pounding journey in the riveting and deeply moving sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling blockbuster and Apple TV+ show, The Last Thing He Told Me.

Five years after her husband, Owen, disappeared, Hannah Hall and her stepdaughter, Bailey, have settled into a new life in Southern California. Together, they’ve forged a relationship with Bailey’s grandfather Nicholas and are putting the past behind them.

But when Owen shows up at Hannah’s new exhibition, she knows that she and Bailey are in danger again.

Hannah and Bailey are forced to go on the run in a relentless race to keep their past from catching up with them. As a thrilling drama unfolds, Hannah risks everything to get Bailey to safety—and finds there just might be a way back to Owen and their long-awaited second chance.

A gripping, rich, and deeply moving novel about the power of forgiveness, The First Time I Saw Him picks up right where the epilogue for the “genuinely moving” (The New York Times) The Last Thing He Told Me left off, giving listeners the eagerly awaited and absolutely exhilarating sequel to Dave’s global blockbuster.

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

My thoughts

OMG this book was so good. I didn't want to put it down. I had to read it before I can read the next book in this series. 

When Owen goes missing his wife Hannah, and his daughter Bailey, are left with the fallout. The many questions. And it seems the lies. The cover up. Hannah takes Bailey to Austin, TX on a whim. Their lives are never the same after this. So many unanswered questions but also so many are answered. Or figured out. 

This book will grab you and hold you. It holds your heart. Makes you want to know what it is that Owen is hiding and how Hannah will deal with it. How Bailey will learn to live without her father. She's lost her mother already. She seems to dislike Hannah. Until she sees that Hannah has her best interests at heart. That Hannah really cares more for her than anyone. And that Hannah is not going to leave her. 

Hannah and Bailey find a life that they never ever saw coming. But where is Owen. What happened to make him leave them. What kind of secret can possibly be worth leaving your family for???

I can't wait for The First Time I Saw Him. The much anticipated sequel to this book....

About

Before Owen Michaels disappears he smuggles a note to his beloved wife of one year: Protect her. Despite her confusion and fear, Hannah Hall knows to whom the note refers—Owen’s sixteen-year-old daughter, Bailey, who lost her mother tragically as a child and wants nothing to do with her new stepmother.

As Hannah’s increasingly desperate calls to Owen go unanswered, as the FBI arrests Owen’s boss, as a U.S. marshal and federal agents arrive at her Sausalito home unannounced, Hannah quickly realizes her husband isn’t who he said he was. Bailey just may hold the key to figuring out Owen’s true identity—and why he really disappeared.

The Devil's Advocate by Steve Cavanagh

 

My thoughts

I read this book and held my breath in many places. The awful things going on made my skin crawl. It's sad but it is happening every day in this country now. In this state. I live in AL and have no doubt there is so much corruption and unlawful things going on. I wish things were different but it's at the very top so that may take a good long time. 

This book takes us to a small town close to Mobile, AL. A young black man is on trial for murder. His life hangs in the balance. A very corrupt prosecutor has every intention of seeing this young man go to his death for a murder that he, the prosecutor, knows he didn't commit. He loves to see people die. He lives for that. He's a very sick man. And he is getting away with it. Over and over. AL is a death penalty state. 

When Eddie Flynn and his gang go to Alabama to take on the defense of Andy Dubois they are heading into the midst of one of the worst places in AL. They are going to find so much corruption and evil. Andy is a young black man. He was friends with the young lady, Skylar Edwards, who was murdered. She left work and hitched a ride. She thought she was safe with the man she got the ride from. It was her last day alive.

This case takes you through a lot of bigotry and violence. Through several murders, some covered up and others left to be found. Warnings for Flynn and his associates. Things look very bleak for Andy. 

With the New York attorney and the other people with him maybe Andy stands a chance at least. Andy has been beaten. He's been starved. Glass put in his food. Awful things happened to him. He signed a confession under duress. They told him he could go home. See his mother. That no harm would come to her. 

This was a bit hard to read because of all the things that happened. But it was realistic for a small town in AL. At least the way I've seen it or heard about things in this state. There is corruption in all areas but I have no doubts that in small southern towns where bigots live it's worse. 

Eddie has his work cut out for him. And the jurors. 

Thank you to Atria for this ARC. 

4.75 stars rounded up to 5.  

About

This high-octane legal thriller from the international bestselling author of Kill for Me, Kill for You will “make your palms sweat and your blood run cold” (The Times, London) as it follows a highly successful lawyer who is hiding a deadly secret.

He’s won every trial…because he’s behind every murder.

Ambitious District Attorney Randal Korn lives to watch prisoners executed. Even if they are not guilty.

An innocent man, Andy Dubois, faces the death penalty for the murder of young girl. Korn has already fixed things to make sure he wins a fast conviction. The one thing Korn didn't count on was Eddie Flynn.

Slick, street smart, and cunning, the former con artist and now New York lawyer has only seven days to save an innocent man against a corrupt system and find the real killer.

In a week the judge will read the verdict, but will Eddie be alive to hear it?

The Sea Witch by Eva Leigh

 

My thoughts

This book should have been a DNF for me but I trudged on and finished it. The last fourth was pretty good. Filled with more action. I listened to the audio and the narrator did a pretty good job. I think she may have done better but still. Sometimes an audio makes me enjoy a book more. Not in this case. 

This was a book about witches and pirates. Actually pirate witches. I found it to be very slow to start. I also found the main character's use of the C word way to much. Every page it seemed. I may have exaggerated a little but still. It was way overused. C word as in women's private part. I hate that word in and of itself and then the author has the main female character using it extensively. Ruined that part of the story. 

To me this book could have been shortened and been better. It took forever for the captive and the main witch, Ben and Alys, to finally admit they had feelings for each other. Alse Ben was not a tortured captive. He was just that, a captive. No enslavement involved. Not in the sense of being a slave anyway. He was pretty much allowed to roam around most of the time. He was kept in Alys's cabin, though shackled, and not abused. 

The pirate women escaped from men who wanted to hurt them. Keep them from using their powers. Maybe if they had been allowed to use it they would have faired better. I mean when they used their witchcraft to defend themselves they were left helpless. Weak. Unable to do much. So they were not exactly a danger to anyone. Yes they could do damage but the aftermath was them needing to recharge. Rest...

I just did not enjoy this book and it's part of a series. It ended on a cliffhanger. Not one that will have me wanting to read the next book though. Sorry but I just have to be honest. I didn't enjoy this book. It seemed repetitive in areas. To much so. I dreaded picking it back up to continue. And this was an audio book. 

Thank you #Harlequinaudio for this ARC.

2.5 stars... 

About

From a world where women are forbidden to use magic and the only freedom is found on the Caribbean high seas comes a swashbuckling romantasy from USA TODAY bestselling author Eva Leigh.

Condemned as a witch, sentenced to die, Alys Tanner uses her innate magical power to flee Puritanical New England. Stealing a ship, Alys becomes captain of The Sea Witch, leading its all-female, sorcery-wielding pirate crew. But the colonial British navy is in hot pursuit. The navy fights for a choke hold on the Caribbean and will destroy anything they cannot control, especially witches.

When Ben Priestley, a headstrong naval navigator, is inadvertently captured by the lady pirates, dangerous truths are revealed. A quest that could turn the tides against the navy’s might ignites a reluctant partnership between the by-the-books prisoner and the fierce witch pirate captain. While they brave backstabbing pirates, perilous tropical islands and monster-filled seas, Alys and Ben’s mistrust grows into unexpected desire as they battle an enemy that will stop at nothing to rule the waves.

Spellcaster by Jaymin Eve

 

My thoughts

This is my first Jaymin Eve book and I highly look forward to book two. This is a good fantasy, paranormal, enemy to lover book. It has a lot of the best things going on. A bunch of witch's in college. Black magic. Monsters. Parties. What could possibly go wrong?

I read and listened to the audio. The audio was great. Both narrators did a great job. Pulled me right in and they used their voices to bring the characters to life. 

Spellcaster is exactly what the title implies. A college where witches and warlocks go to learn how to control their witchcraft. Their many powers. Where they meet each other and make lifelong friendships. And there is a lot going on. All different types of magic. 

The main character, Paisley, is the youngest of five. In her early twenties, 22 to be exact, she starts the academy where her siblings go and her father is a teacher. She just came into her powers and has to learn how to use them and what exactly she is capable of. She makes friends with someone who is being bullied right off the bat. Good for her. Bullies in any school is horrific. There are actually four girls in their group who become the best of friends. 

Logan is a powerful warlock who is starting Weatherstone Academy also. But he's not starting out as a freshman. And he is there to teach others while taking classes also. His family use to be best friends with Paisley's family. Now they only want to destroy the Hallistars. But Logan it seems has a soft spot for Paisley and won't let anything harm her. 

This book pulled me in and kept me reading/listening all the way through. It's so well written and makes you feel the emotions of the characters. I felt as though I was there on the campus. Like the monsters were right in front of me. And the tension between Logan and Paisley is so strong. Each of the secondary characters are great also. Each play an important role in what is going on at Weatherstone.

Secrets are about to be revealed but it looks like we have to wait for the sequel. I was not happy about that but it is what it is.... Wonderful book. I can't wait for the sequel now.

Thank you Harlequin Books and Harlequin Audio for the ARCs. 

4.75 stars 

About

From the bestselling author of the Shadow Beast Shifter series, Jaymin Eve, comes an all-new, intense enemies-to-lovers romantasy with steamy heat, magical creatures, fast pacing, and stakes that will keep you hooked. Dive into a world where love is as dangerous as power—and nothing is ever as it seems.

Welcome to Weatherstone College…

Don’t walk the halls late at night.
Don’t disturb the ancient magic.
And don’t, under any circumstances, ever trust a spellcaster.

When my magic bloomed at twenty-two, the last thing I expected was to receive an acceptance letter to the most prestigious witch college in the world. It’s not that I don’t have magic. It’s just…unpredictable. But with Weatherstone a part of my family legacy, I’m determined to live up to their expectations.

A task that’s almost derailed on my very first day when I come face-to-face with Logan Kingston, the son of my father’s enemy. I’m warned to avoid the powerful spellcaster at all costs, but apparently Logan did not receive the same memo. The more time I spend around him, the more I crave his unsettling attention, and as hate flirts with obsession, I’m left wondering if there’s another side to the decades-old feud between our fathers.

On top of that, Weatherstone is not at all like I expected. Built on the ancient blood of necromancers and battle, the magic here is as unpredictable as mine, and I sense a dark energy stalking my footsteps. When a monster attacks me, I have no choice but to turn to the strongest warlock in our school: Logan.

After all, to fight a monster, I’ll need a monster.