Review: The Last Dance of the Debutante

The Last Dance of the Debutante by Julia Kelly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4.5 stars.

If you have read [book:The Last Debutantes|56026883] you will find this a uniquely different debutante book. This book deals not with the height of the deb era but what is most likely the last season.  I learned even more about how the  British came out with this book than I did with The Last Debutantes.  But what is even better, this book is filled with mystery and intrigue.  I was amazed at the ending and even did a little cheer for Lily, Katherine, and all of their friends.

The backstabbing and snarking were abundant; the descriptions of the clothes were mouth-watering, the parties sounded like I would have like to have been there.

All in all,  Ms. Kelley did a great job entertaining me, teaching me a bit of history, and giving me a mystery to solve.

I recommend this book highly to anyone who loves historical fiction, books about ambitious women and their mama's, and romance. 

*ARC supplied by the publisher Gallery Books, the author, and ATTL/Edelweiss.

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SYNOPSIS: 'The author of the “sweeping, stirring, and heartrending” (Kristin Harmel, author of The Room on Rue Amélie) The Light Over London returns with a masterful, glittering novel that whisks you to midcentury Britain as it follows three of the last debutantes to be presented to Queen Elizabeth II.

When it’s announced that 1958 will be the last year debutantes are to be presented at court, thousands of eager mothers and hopeful daughters flood the palace with letters seeking the year’s most coveted invitation: a chance for their daughters to curtsey to the young Queen Elizabeth and officially come out into society.

In an effort to appease her traditional mother, aspiring university student Lily Nichols agrees to become a debutante and do the Season, a glittering and grueling string of countless balls and cocktail parties. In doing so, she befriends two very different women: the cool and aloof Leana Hartford whose apparent perfection hides a darker side and the ambitious Katherine Norman who dreams of a career once she helps her parents find their place among the elite.

But the glorious effervescence of the Season evaporates once Lily learns a devastating secret that threatens to destroy her entire family. Faced with a dark past, she’s forced to ask herself what really matters: her family legacy or her own happiness.

With her signature “intricate, tender, and convincing” (Publishers Weekly) storytelling, Julia Kelly weaves an unforgettable tale of female friendship amid the twilight days of Britain’s grand coming out balls."

Review: Mile High with a Vampire

Mile High with a Vampire by Lynsay Sands
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This is a fast reading, hot and sexy vampire 'romance.

I adore Lynsay Sands early vampire novels and all of her historicals. The earlier novels relied more on comedy; for instance, The Accidental Vampire or Single White Vampire. These are the types of books that started this series. Now, I know that no long-running series can rely on only certain tropes and remain fresh and popular, but I have to say that the last few books I've read rely more on sex and violence than anything else. If that is your thing, the darker aspect of vampire romance, then you are going to adore this book.

Mile High With a Vampire starts quite strong; very exciting and stays that way for a certain amount of time, then because we are immediately thrust into sexual situations. I won't tell you why because that would be a spoiler. But you will figure it out soon enough; believe me, it's obvious.

Something that bothers me is that we start with certain characters that seemed to be playing important roles -and then we never hear about them again. That seemed to be a bit of inadvertently unfinished business and annoyed me a bit.

Also, I'm not sure if I missed a book or not, but we never truly get the full story on Quinns' change -the why's of it. Did I miss a book?


I think that I really need to step back from reading my comfort Argeneau books if I am going to continue this series. That or I need to drop at least 20 years! LOL!

*ARC supplied by the publisher, Lynsay Sands, and NetGalley.


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SYNOPSIS: "In the latest Argeneau novel from New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands, an immortal and her mortal pilot are on the run from hungry vampires...and discover they’re life mates along the way. 

Jet Lassiter likes being a pilot for Argeneau Inc. Perks included travelling to exotic locations and meeting interesting people, even if they are the blood-sucking kind. He’s living the good life, until his plane goes down in the mountains and four of his passengers are gravely injured. They need blood to heal... and Jet is the only source.

Quinn Peters never wanted to be immortal. Once a renowned heart surgeon, she was turned against her will and now she has to drink blood to survive. Before she can ask how her “life” can get any worse, she’s in a plane crash. One of the few survivors, Quinn is desperate to get the mortal pilot to safety before her fellow immortals succumb to their blood lust and drain Jet dry.

But hungry vampires are the least of their worries—the crash wasn’t an accident, and someone is trying to kill Quinn. Will she and Jet find their happily ever after as life mates, or will her assassin find her first?"

Review: A Reckless Match

A Reckless Match by Kate Bateman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a sweet, sexy, typical enemy to lovers' romance. I loved the feuding idea; it is one of my favorite themes. Throwing in several life-threatening scenes was a good plot device. This light, fluffy, and sexy read was just what I needed during the heat of the summer. I have never read anything by this author, but since I do like historical romances, I will be picking up several more books by Ms. Bateman to add to my ever-increasing 'to-be-read' book pile. *ARC supplied by the publisher - St. Martins Press, the author, and NetGalley.

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SYNOPSIS: "The first in a new regency romance series about two feuding families and reunited childhood enemies whose hatred turns to love.

Maddie Montgomery's family is in debt, and her hope rests on the rival Davies clan missing their yearly “pledge of goodwill,” ceding the land that separates their estates. With Maddie's teenage nemesis, Gryffud “Gryff” Davies, Earl of Powys, away, hope is in reach.

But then, Gryff shows up and is stunned that the tomboy he once teased is now a woman. When Gryff and Maddie discover contraband on their land, they realize it can benefit both families. But they've also uncovered a dangerous plot, and they need to work together to get out alive. Soon, their hatred for each other starts to feel more like attraction.

Kate Bateman brings crackling banter, steamy romance, and a dash of adventure into the first book in the Ruthless Rivals series."

Review: The Island

The Island by Ben Coes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4.5 stars rounded up.

I am having a difficult time reviewing this book. Since I have never read anything else written by Ben Coes, I had no preconceived notions about how this book and its characters should be written.

I like thrillers with kick-butt heroes, and yes, with this book, I did get a thriller, but the author seems to have forgotten the 'kick-butt hero' until the end of the book.

I have never read a book that affected me in this manner - it was written so effectively that I actually found myself hating a nation of people that I have no business hating. I found myself debating the eternal question, 'what would I do'?

This was one of the most graphic novels I have ever read. It was a fast read with many very short chapters. It was bloody and cruel and evil. I couldn't take my eyes off it. I can imagine this book as a movie.

The romance, well, we could have done without it. It just seemed to be filler. Totally wasted pages.

So here I remain, not sure whether to recommend this book highly or to say run far from this book as it will leave you questioning your morals and empathy.

I recommend this book to those that have a high tolerance to anything anti-American, who can read about horrors that are so cruel and left so many dead and injured, who have an imagination for the fictional parts of the book, and have a high tolerance to repetition.

*ARC supplied by the publisher MacMillan, the author, and NetGalley.

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 SYNOPSIS:  "CIA operative Dewey Andreas is America's last line of defense when terrorists take over Manhattan, targeting the U.N. and the President himself in The Island, the latest in this New York Times bestselling series by Ben Coes.

America is about to face the deadliest terrorist attack on it's soil since 9/11. Iran has been planning a revenge attack for years, with three goals in mind. Bring America to its knees. Assassinate the popular U.S. President J. P. Dellenbaugh. And neutralize their most successful agent, Dewey Andreas.

The first pre-emptive attack against Dewey Andreas fails but it worries the head of the CIA enough that he sends Dewey out of town and off the grid. But as intelligence analysts work as fast as they can to unravel the chatter on terrorist networks, Muhammed el-Shakib, head of Iran's military and intelligence agency, launches a bold strike. When the President arrives in New York to address the U.N., embedded terrorist assets blow up the bridges and tunnels that connect Manhattan to the mainland. Taking control of the island with it's hidden forces, they race to the U.N. in search of Dellenbaugh and to launch an even deadlier attack that will wreak unimaginable destruction on the country itself.

While a shocked country struggles to mount a counter-attack, a hopeless, outmanned and outgunned Dewey Andreas sneaks onto the island of Manhattan to fight a seemingly impossible battle.

Review: The Limits of Limelight

The Limits of Limelight by Margaret Porter
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I'm so sorry to say that while this book held my interest enough to finish, the writing didn't invest me emotionally in the characters. Instead, the narrative felt stilted and forced. And the writing seemed fixated on telling us unnecessary details.

I found some of the name-dropping interesting, especially when the movies got a little more towards the 1940s and the author's pages at the end of the book were fascinating. I love hearing how Ms. Porter researched this book. However, this was the only redeeming value for me. 

 I know that this book is a bit fictional (the conversations at the very least), But the rest was biographical. If this is true, and I've no reason to doubt this, Ginger Rogers and her Mother, Lela was selfish and spoiled. But I suppose that was the era and the manner in which these women grew up.

There was so much tragedy in this novel.

At any rate, if you like fictional biographies of old-time stars, I think you will like this book much more than I did. On that note, I do recommend this book to those who loved Ginger Rogers-this book was so very much about her, really.

*ARC supplied by the publisher, the author, and NetGalley. 

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SYNOPSIS: "Hollywood turned Ginger Rogers into a star. What will it do for her cousin?

Pretty Oklahoma teenager Helen Nichols accepts an invitation from her cousin, rising movie actress Ginger Rogers, and her Aunt Lela, to try her luck in motion pictures. Her relatives, convinced that her looks and personality will ensure success, provide her with a new name and help her land a contract with RKO. As Phyllis Fraser, she swiftly discovers that Depression-era Hollywood’s surface glamor and glitter obscure the ceaseless struggle of the hopeful starlet.

Lela Rogers, intensely devoted to her daughter and her niece, outwardly accepting of her stage mother label, is nonetheless determined to establish her reputation as screenwriter, stage director, and studio talent scout. For Phyllis, she’s an inspiring model of grit and persistence in an industry run by men.

While Ginger soars to the heights of stardom in musicals with Fred Astaire, Phyllis is tempted by a career more fulfilling than the one she was thrust into. Should she continue working in films, or devote herself to the profession she’s dreamed about since childhood? Which choice might lead her to the lasting love that seems so elusive?"

Review: Breaking Badger

Breaking Badger by Shelly Laurenston
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

OKAY, WHEN IS THE NEXT BOOK COMING OUT??? I can't believe that I just finished this book and I want the next one. It is probably because not all of our questions are answered, so we need the next darn book...as a matter of fact, not all of our questions have been answered from the first three books! Is this some sort of evil test on behalf of the author???

The first three books in this new series have dealt with the MacKilligan sisters (there were only three until a new one showed up, and boy, oh boy, she really does have her father's screwed up genes! You'll see!).

This next part of the series will be about the Malone brothers (Siberian Tigers) and the friends of Max (one of the MacKilligan sisters). Unfortunately, we don't get to see much of the sisters' new lovers, but we do get a very healthy dose of the girls, and I loved that.

This book CAN be read as a stand-alone since it does have a goodly amount of backstory. We have a wonderful mystery, a slow-burning affair, and more with the baking for the neighborhood bears. We also learn a lot about Max's friends and teammates, and wow, they are something. I will admit that while the loves scenes are HOT-there really is only one full-length one. This book, the whole series, has more to do with mysteries and fighting than romance.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that really loves kick-ass women and the men who lust after them.

*ARC supplied by the publisher (Kensington Books), the author, and NetGalley. Thank-you.

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SYNOPSIS: "Back with more sexy shape-shifting antics, New York Times bestselling author Shelly Laurenston's outstandingly witty, snarky, steamy, world-building Honey Badger Chronicles continue...

It's instinct that drives Finn Malone to rescue a bunch of hard battling honey badgers. The Siberian tiger shifter just can't bear to see his fellow shifters harmed. But no way can Finn have a houseful of honey badgers when he also has two brothers with no patience. Things just go from bad to worse when the badgers rudely ejected from his home turn out to be the only ones who can help him solve a family tragedy. He's just not sure he can even get back into the badgers' good graces. Since badgers lack graces of any kind...

Mads knows her teammates aren't about to forgive the cats that were so rude to them, but moody Finn isn't so bad. And he's cute! The badger part of her understands Finn's burning need to avenge his father's death--after all, vengeance is her favorite pastime. So Mads sets about helping Finn settle his family's score, which has its perks, since she gets to avoid her own family drama. Besides, fighting side by side with Finn is her kind of fun--especially when she can get in a hot and heavy snuggle with her very own growling, eye-rolling, and utterly irresistible kitty-cat..."

Review: Reasons for Avoiding Friends

  Reasons for Avoiding Friends by Megan Leavell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars 4 1/2 Stars

I didn't seem to have many of the issues with this book as others did. Perhaps it is because of my age so my mindset is quite a lot like the characters. Especially with Gwen. I am a lot like her but without the children. Yes, I have body issues. And yes, quite recently I have reconnected with a childhood friend of mine.

This book was slow to get off of the ground and sometimes I felt it dealt a tad too much with Gwen's problems while Iris was just avoiding her problems. However, I liked it like that. Too many times we get the glamourous second/third wife's perspective and forget about the 'frumpy housewife'. This book showed us that Gwen's problems were just as important as anyone else's.

I liked the slow build and the final true reconnection. I also found a lot of comedic/ironic areas in this book that some people may have missed.

I recommend this book especially to those who have taken a different path in life and have become a housewife, and to those who have a career but may be somewhat older than the norm for books of this type. Geez, I hope that made as much sense to you reading this, as it did in my head!

*ARC provided by the publisher Cedar House Press, the author Megan Leavell, and NetGalley.

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Description

"Growing up, Gwen and Iris were the best of friends, even if they couldn’t have been more different. Now Gwen is living her hometown dream, or so she reminds herself while juggling endless parenting drama, an unemployed husband, and a neighborhood pyramid scheme. Never mind that at age thirty-nine, her social circle still resembles middle school. Her life is everything she ever wanted it to be, but nothing like she had planned.

Iris was never destined for the ordinary. When she moved to Manhattan, she shed her old life for a better one—but not without a cost. From a distance, Iris’s life couldn’t be more charmed, but no one knows about the cracks in the image she’s worked so hard to cultivate. No one knows the real Iris at all. Except for Gwen. But Iris and Gwen haven’t spoken for years. Until…

When Iris’s past catches up with her, she turns to the one person she could always count on—but she isn’t the only one keeping secrets, and as Gwen scrambles to preserve an illusion of domestic bliss, she finds herself wondering when they went from telling each other everything to sharing nothing. Now, a little wiser, and most certainly a little older, Gwen and Iris discover that the truest of friends accept you just as you are, and that loving yourself is sometimes the best way to find happiness."

Review: The Siren

The Siren by Katherine St. John
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This novel was a heck of a ride. Slow to start and slow for me to get into the characters (other than a pure dislike for them), but as the story goes on and the characters develop and the, shall we say, the plot thickens, it all becomes worth the time to read this thriller/mystery.

There is a lot of back and forth in time going on, so that may throw some of you into a loop, but at about halfway (maybe less), everything becomes a tad clearer and easier to understand.

There are some trigger issues in this book, but they are fairly subtle, so may not make anyone over-anxious. But, just in case, rape is kind of hinted at and then clearly discussed.

Be aware, not everyone is who they seem to be and that's all I have to say about that!!!

*ARC supplied by the publisher, the author, and NetGalley.

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Synopsis: "From Katherine St. John, author of The Lion's Den, comes another sublimely escapist thriller: When dangerously handsome megastar Cole Power hires his ex-wife Stella Rivers to play opposite him in his son's film, he sparks a firestorm on an isolated island that will unearth long-buried secrets-and unravel years of lies.

In the midst of a sizzling hot summer, some of Hollywood's most notorious faces are assembled on the idyllic Caribbean island of St. Genesius to film The Siren. Written and directed by Cole Power's son, the thriller promises to entice audiences with its sultry storyline and intimately connected cast.

Three very different women arrive on set, each with her own motive. Stella, an infamously unstable actress, is struggling to reclaim the career she lost in the wake of multiple, very public breakdowns. Taylor, a fledgling producer, is anxious to work on a film she hopes will turn her career around after her last job ended in scandal. And Felicity, Stella's mysterious new assistant, harbors designs of her own that threaten to upend all their plans.

With a hurricane brewing offshore, each woman finds herself trapped on the island, united against a common enemy. But as deceptions come to light, misplaced trust may prove more perilous than the storm itself.

Review: Her Perfect Life

Her Perfect Life by Hank Phillippi Ryan
My rating: 2 of 5 stars


336 pages, and the best part of this book was the last 10%. So often I wanted to give up, but I pushed on. Yes, the ending was worth it; it wasn't something I came close to expecting. But to spend this much on a book that is only exciting for so little of it...well, that just isn't right.

The characters are all supposed to be adults, except Cassie, whose story is told in the past -yes, this book is told by three of the characters. I can understand some of Cassie's mistakes during her segments of this book; she was a young teenager. But as far as Greer went, she just seemed to be a backbiting *itch. And Lily...well, what can I say about her? She had her snobbish moments. Did Li.y or Greer never once think (or rather I should say the author) that they had an actual money-making job to do? Nope, we never seemed to have that piffle work its way into the story.

It still will most likely be a good book for those who follow this author. This was my first novel by her, and I am not sure if I'll try another. I don't particularly appreciate feeling dragged through a story by my hair.

*ARC supplied by the publisher, the author, and NetGalley.

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SYNOPSIS: "The next thrilling standalone novel by USA Today bestselling author Hank Phillippi Ryan.

Everyone knows Lily Atwood—and that may be her biggest problem. The beloved television reporter has it all—fame, fortune, Emmys, an adorable seven-year-old daughter, and the hashtag her loving fans created: PerfectLily. To keep it all she has to do is protect one life-changing secret.

Her own.

Lily has an anonymous source who feeds her story tips—but suddenly, the source begins telling Lily inside information about her own life. How does he—or she—know the truth?

Lily understands that no one reveals a secret unless they have a reason. Now she’s terrified someone is determined to destroy her world—and with it, everyone and everything she holds dear.

How much will she risk to keep her perfect life? "

Review: Claimed

Claimed by J.R. Ward
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars rounded down. There is a bit of a cliffhanger to this book, and I'm unsure if this will be a long-running series or a trilogy. I'll have to do a little more research on that. I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't more information given to the readers.

I have not read a book by Ms. Ward in several years since she decided that her books needed to go off in many different threads instead of mainly concentrating on the main characters. Still, this book sounded interesting, so I thought I'd give it a try. I'm glad I did. Even though people from her other series are in this book, this can be read as a stand-alone. I can see where they will most likely combine probably at the end of this trilogy/series.
I will immediately re-read this book, so I can pick up some more of the nuances. This is definitely a book that needs to be read twice. There are so many twists and turns. And there are many red herrings and a lot of steamy sex-though that doesn't happen for quite a while-somewhere after the 50% mark.
This is the perfect summer read and will inject some new fresh ideas into future books.

*ARC supplied by the publisher, the author, and ATTL/Edelweiss. Thank you.

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SYNOPSIS: "A heart-pounding new series set in the Black Dagger Brotherhood world, with a scientist fighting to save the timber wolves—and getting caught in a deadly trap herself...

Lydia Susi is passionate about protecting wolves in their natural habitat. When a hotel chain develops a tract of land next to the preserve, Lydia is one of the most vocal opponents of the project—and becomes a target.

One night, a shadowy figure threatens Lydia’s life in the forest, and a new hire at the Wolf Study Project comes from out of nowhere to save her. Daniel Joseph is both mysterious, and someone she intrinsically wants to trust. But is he hiding something?

As the stakes get higher, and one of Lydia’s colleagues is murdered, she must decide how far she will go to protect the wolves. Then a shocking revelation about Daniel challenges Lydia’s reality in ways she could never have predicted. Some fates demand courage, others require even more, with no guarantees. Is she destined to have true love... or will a soul-shattering loss ruin her forever?"

Review: The Glorious Guinness Girls

The Glorious Guinness Girls by Emily Hourican
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I love historical fiction, especially when it deals with real people from the past. This novel sounded like it was going to be right up my alley. You have the heiresses to the Guinness stout fortune, a perfect time in history-the roaring twenties, and an abundance of tragic circumstances since this was about Ireland and in the early 20th century. This should have been an exciting or at least informative book about the Guinnesses, right? But, no, it was not.

The debutantes are seen through a fictitious person's eyes, and she (Felicity or Fliss as they nicknamed her) was the most boring of narrators. The only interesting thing going is what happens between Fliss and her brother Hughie, which seems to be a bit on the incestuous side but without the sex (at least that we know of).

This bok was filled with enough ennui, rants about poor over-privileged me, words that were just filler, drugs, alcohol, and stupid parties. The girl's mother was sick through this entire book- did the author deign to tell us what the problem was? No. Did the author flood this book with enough florid prose to make you want to tear your hair out? Yes.

I'm sorry, but no, just no. I do admit to having enough interest to finish this ARC, though.


*ARC supplied by the publisher.

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SYNOPSIS: "From London to Ireland during the 1920s, this glorious, gripping, and richly textured story takes us to the heart of the remarkable real-life story of the Guinness Girls—perfect for fans of Downton Abbey and Julian Fellowes' Belgravia.

Descendants of the founder of the Guinness beer empire, they were the toast of 1920s high society, darlings of the press, with not a care in the world. But Felicity knows better. Sent to live with them as a child because her mother could no longer care for her, she grows up as the sisters’ companion. Both an outsider and a part of the family, she witnesses the complex lives upstairs and downstairs, sees the compromises and sacrifices beneath the glamorous surface. Then, at a party one summer’s evening, something happens that sends shock waves through the entire household.

Inspired by a remarkable true story and fascinating real events, The Glorious Guinness Girls  is an unforgettable novel about the haves and have-nots, one that will make you ask if where you find yourself is where you truly belong.

Review: We Know You Remember: A Novel

We Know You Remember: A Novel by Tove Alsterdal
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I haven't read much Swedish Noir, so when I heard about this book, I decided to broaden my fiction genres. So I am glad I chose this one. The translation was excellent. I had absolutely no problems reading this. Well, except for the Swedish words, they were a little difficult for me. The mystery/s were complex, with some threads being easier to figure out than others. That in itself made this a pleasure to read. However, some threads in this book made me very angry, but you will have to read it to see why since I don't want to spoil anything for you. Likable characters made for a pleasant change of pace for me. The only problems I did have with this novel were the number of characters, not knowing anything about this country, and the fact that though you know who dun it when you get to the end, you have to reach that conclusion on your own. At least it felt that way to me. I highly recommend this book to mystery lovers, lovers of Swedish fiction, and those who like books that combine cold cases with new ones. *ARC supplied by the publisher, the author, and ATTL/Edelweiss. Thank you.

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SYNOPSIS: "A missing girl, a hidden body, a decades-long cover-up, and old sins cast in new light: the classic procedural meets Scandinavian atmosphere in this rich, character-driven mystery, awarded Best Swedish Crime Novel of the Year, that heralds the American debut of a supremely skilled international writer. 

It’s been more than twenty years since Olof Hagström left home. Returning to his family’s house, he knows instantly that something is amiss. The front door key, hidden under a familiar stone, is still there. Inside, there’s a panicked dog, a terrible stench, water pooling on the floor. Upstairs in the shower, the father Olaf has not seen or spoken to in decades is dead.

For police detective Eira Sjödin, the investigation of this suspicious death resurrects long-forgotten nightmares. She was only nine when Olof Hagström, then fourteen, was found guilty of raping and murdering a local girl. The case left a mark on the town’s collective memory—a wound that never quite healed—and tinged Eira’s childhood with fear. Too young to be sentenced, Olof was sent to a youth home and exiled from his family. He was never seen in the town again. Until now. 

An intricate crime narrative in which past and present gracefully blend, We Know You Remember is a relentlessly suspenseful and beautifully written novel about guilt and memory in which nothing is what it seems, and unexpected twists upend everything you think you know."