Blog Break + July Quick Reviews

Just a quick note that I'll be taking a brief break from the blog next week!  Now, onto this week's reviews!

A Thousand Letters by Staci Hart (2017)

High school sweethearts Elliot and Wade broke up when he enlisted in the Army and she refused to follow him.  Now, 7 years later, the two have to face their unresolved feelings for each other when Wade returns home to help his father after a terminal diagnosis.

I've read a couple books by Staci Hart now, and this one felt like such a departure.  Unlike her rom-coms, this story is somber and full of angst.  There's the element of Wade's father discovering he has terminal brain cancer and how the other characters react to it; this part was heartbreaking and felt so real.  However, I really didn't enjoy the Elliot-Wade relationship drama.  Neither has moved on in 7 years; there is such a frustrating lack of communication between them, both then and now.  I couldn't help but roll my eyes at how many times each assumed they knew what the other was thinking, and they were completely wrong.  Elliot is a huge doormat for all the other characters, when she's not fading into the background altogether.  And way too much repetitive purple prose!  2.5 stars

The Viscount and the Vicar's Daughter by Mimi Matthews (2018)

Valentine March is a lady's companion; Tristan, Viscount St. Ashton, is a notorious rake who has hit rock bottom.  When they meet, it's love at first sight, but will their pasts stand in their way?

This was a sweet Victorian romance.  My favorite thing about this novella was Tristan; even though he has quite a scandalous past, the moment he meets Valentine, he's a changed man.  He wants to prove himself worthy of her.  Valentine, though, is unsure, because she has secrets of her own.  The relationship moved quickly, especially on Tristan's part, but I don't think that was necessarily out of place for the time period.  I enjoyed Matthews' writing, and I just wish the story had been longer!  4 stars

Love Scene, Take Two by Alex Evansley (2015)

An actor and a teen author fall for each other but find it difficult to navigate a relationship in the spotlight in this adorable YA romance.

Although there were parts of this book that have to be taken with a grain of salt, I still really enjoyed it.  Teddy is an up-and-coming actor who gets hired for his dream job; the movie is based on the wildly successful series by teen author Bennett Campbell.  Although I enjoyed Bennett's drive and realism, Teddy was the star of this show.  I loved that he wasn't the typical perfect YA boyfriend.  He has flaws, doesn't take himself too seriously, and is kind to everyone.  The writing is very readable, and I breezed through the story in a day.  The movie set setting was really fun, and there are plenty of amazing side characters as well.  4 stars

Cover Reveal: The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

Today I am so excited to be a part of the cover reveal celebration for New York Times bestselling author Kate Quinn's upcoming release, The Rose Code, on sale March 9, 2021!

About the book:

The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Huntress and The Alice Network returns with another heart-stopping World War II story of three female code breakers at Bletchley Park and the spy they must root out after the war is over.

1940. As England prepares to fight the Nazis, three very different women answer the call to mysterious country estate Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes. Vivacious debutante Osla is the girl who has everything—beauty, wealth, and the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses—but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, and puts her fluent German to use as a translator of decoded enemy secrets. Imperious self-made Mab, product of east-end London poverty, works the legendary codebreaking machines as she conceals old wounds and looks for a socially advantageous husband. Both Osla and Mab are quick to see the potential in local village spinster Beth, whose shyness conceals a brilliant facility with puzzles, and soon Beth spreads her wings as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts. But war, loss, and the impossible pressure of secrecy will tear the three apart.

1947. As the royal wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip whips post-war Britain into a fever, three friends-turned-enemies are reunited by a mysterious encrypted letter--the key to which lies buried in the long-ago betrayal that destroyed their friendship and left one of them confined to an asylum. A mysterious traitor has emerged from the shadows of their Bletchley Park past, and now Osla, Mab, and Beth must resurrect their old alliance and crack one last code together. But each petal they remove from the rose code brings danger--and their true enemy--closer...

And now, for the cover!

Isn't it gorgeous?!

Preorder The Rose Code

Add The Rose Code to your Goodreads shelf

Sign up for Kate Quinn's newsletter

 

Top Ten Tuesday: Books With Colors in the Titles

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.  This week's topic is books with colors in the title - initially I thought this was going to be pretty difficult, but when I started going through my books, I found quite a few!

Did any of these make your list?

 

Month in Review: July 2020

Another month gone!  July was pretty quiet - we had a couple stretches of really hot weather, so honestly, we spent a lot of time inside!  We're both still working from home, too.

The 4th of July was spent at my sister's house - she had a very small family gathering and we spent most of the day poolside.  It was just so nice to have everyone together!

I watched way too much TV this month.  Along with the rest of the world, we watched Hamilton on Disney+.  We would never be able to find or afford tickets to the actual show, so it was pretty cool to finally watch it and see what all the hype was about!  I have to say, I really enjoyed the music - and I think King George was my favorite character!  #sorrynotsorry.  I also watched The Baby-Sitters Club, which totally brought me back to my childhood.  My sister and I loved those books when we were younger and were always buying them.

I attended my first virtual book event this month!  Taylor Jenkins Reid interviewed Katherine Center for the release of her new book, What You Wish For.  Katherine was so bubbly and personable, and I really enjoyed learning about her inspiration for the book.  And I just love TJR, so that was a big draw for me as well!

My state is slowly starting to open up, although our governor is still being cautious and has no qualms about pausing specific phases of the reopening if he sees things getting out of control.  My mom and I did a little shopping at the mall and Barnes & Noble one weekend; it was nice to get out of the house for awhile!

The Books

You Were There Too (review to come) // Reflection // A Thousand Letters (review to come) // The Deep

The Ship of Dreams // Mr. Nobody // Lady in Waiting (review to come) // The Viscount and the Vicar's Daughter (review to come)

The Splendid and the Vile // Glass Slippers, Ever After, and Me (review to come) // Rogue Princess (review to come) // The Betrothed (review to come)

Little White Lies (review to come) // The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires (review to come) // The Season (review to come) // Love Scene, Take Two (review to come)

Charlie Glass's Slippers (review to come) // Blood Countess // Lucky Caller // In Five Years (review to come)

Coming Up Roses

The Posts and Reviews

June Quick Reviews
Top Ten Tuesday: My Most-Read Authors 
Can't-Wait Wednesday: What You Wish For 
Backlist Mini-Reviews 
2020 Goals and Challenges Mid-Year Check-In 
Can't-Wait Wednesday: Paris Is Always A Good Idea 
Quick Reviews: Longest on My TBR
Down The TBR Hole #13 
Can't-Wait Wednesday: Midnight Sun 
Fiction/Nonfiction Mini-Reviews: The Titanic Edition 
Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Have Been on My TBR The Longest 
Can't-Wait Wednesday: Louisiana Lucky 

How are you doing?  How was your July?

Can't-Wait Wednesday: Louisiana Lucky

Can't-Wait Wednesday is hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

Louisiana Lucky
Julie Pennell
Expected publication date: August 4, 2020

From the critically acclaimed author of The Young Wives Club, a “heartwarming story about friendship, heartache, and self-discovery” (Karen White, New York Times bestselling author), comes a charming novel reminiscent of the works of Mary Alice Monroe and Kristy Woodson Harvey, about three sisters who win a huge lottery prize and learn what it truly means to be lucky.

Lexi, Callie, and Hanna Breaux grew up in small-town Louisiana, and have always struggled to make ends meet. For years, they’ve been playing the lottery, fantasizing about how much better life would be if they had the money.

For Lexi, it means the perfect wedding; for Callie, it means having the courage to go after her career dreams; and for Hanna, it means buying a house that isn’t falling apart and sending her bullied son to private school. When the incredible happens and the Breaux sisters hit it big—$204 million dollars big—all their dreams come true. Or so they think. Because it’s actually not a cliché—money isn’t the answer to everything, and it often comes with problems of its own.

Heartfelt, engaging, and featuring characters you’ll root for from the first moment you meet them, Louisiana Lucky is a satisfying page-turner from a rising star in women’s fiction. - from Goodreads

I love stories about sisters, and this one makes me think about what I would do if I won the lottery!

Top Ten Tuesday: Books That Have Been On My TBR The Longest

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.  I recently reviewed three books that had been on my TBR for a long time, so since today's TTT topic is a freebie, I thought it would be fun to look at some of the other books that have been on my TBR the longest!  Maybe it will inspire me to finally get to them!

Have you read any of these?  Where should I start?

 

Fiction/Nonfiction Mini-Reviews: The Titanic Edition

The Deep by Alma Katsu (2020)

In 1912, Annie Hebbley is a stewardess on the Titanic; in the days before its tragic loss, she and other passengers experience some strange happenings.  In a dual timeline, it is 1916 and Annie crosses paths with other Titanic survivors aboard the hospital ship Britannic during WWI.

I loved how atmospheric this book felt.  Katsu does an incredible job of setting the scene aboard the Titanic, bringing together historical details and figures with an eerie feel that something isn't quite right aboard the ship.  Could something be calling from the ocean?  Could there be a demon among the passengers?  The supernatural elements didn't feel over the top.  The fact that Hebbley is quite the unreliable narrator only added to the mysterious feel.  Although I enjoyed Katsu's writing, my biggest issue with this book was the pacing.  I remember having a similar issue with her previous book, The Hunger.  It takes forever for the story to set up, and unfortunately the payoff came too little, too late.  By the time everything was explained, it felt both convoluted and rushed.  3 stars

The Ship of Dreams: The Sinking of the Titanic and the End of the Edwardian Era by Gareth Russell (2019)

In The Ship of Dreams, Gareth Russell explores the tragic end of the Titanic through the stories of six passengers and posits that the disaster helped mark the end of the Edwardian era.

I have mixed feelings about this one.  On one hand, I don't think Russell proved at all that the sinking of the Titanic marked a major change in society.  Considering that WWI was only a few years away, changes were already happening in the world.  Although I enjoyed his writing, I though the formatting was challenging at times - the paragraphs were entirely too long and there was extraneous detail.  However, I love learning about the Titanic and even though some of the information I already knew, there were plenty of new things here, too.  I enjoyed the in-depth look at some of the passengers, especially ones I didn't really know about before, and Russell did a great job dispelling some common myths about the ship, as well.  His detailed description of the ship's last hours even brought me to tears a couple times, knowing how things would end for so many of the passengers.  4 stars