Review: On Gin Lane

On Gin Lane by Brooke Lea Foster
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm not quite sure how I would describe this book - as women's fiction? A coming-of-age novel? A mystery? Or all of the above? This book has a bit of it all, about the only thing lacking is a murder! As I was reading, I kept forgetting that this book was set in 1957. I was getting so frustrated with Lee's, well, shall we say, naivete. How she allowed everyone to walk all over her. Then it would dawn on me that it was '57, and they were upper-class, which would pull me back into the story.

It is difficult for me to gush about this book since all of the characters (at least all the main ones and most of the secondary and tertiary ones, too) were quite unlikeable and unrelatable.

There is plenty of mystery for those looking for such and just a dab of horror.

I might have liked this book better had it been about 100 pages shorter or the writing a bit more concise; less introspection/inner angst.

A worthy book for those who like seeing the wealthier (but non-famous people) side of the mid-last century, with a hint of the upcoming hippy era thrown in for good measure.

*ARC supplied by the publisher Simon & Schuster, the author, and ATTL/Edelweiss.

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SYNOPSIS: "After her fiancé whisks her off to the glistening shores of Southampton in June of 1957, one young socialite begins to realize that her glamorous summer is giving her everything—except what she really wants—in this new novel from the author of Summer Darlings, “one terrific summer read” ​(Elin Hilderbrand, #1 New York Times bestselling author).

Everleigh “Lee” Farrows thinks she finally has life all figured out: a handsome fiancé named Roland, a trust in her name, and a house in Bronxville waiting for her to fill it with three adorable children. That is, until Roland brings her out to the Hamptons for a summer that will change everything.

Most women could only dream of the engagement present Roland unexpectedly bestows on Lee—a beachside hotel on the prized Gin Lane—but Lee’s delight is clouded by unpleasant memories of another hotel, the Plaza, where she grew up in the shadow of her mother’s mental illness. Shaking off flashbacks, Lee resolves to dive into an unforgettable summer with poolside Bellinis, daily tennis matches, luncheons with her Manhattan circle, and her beloved camera in tow. But when tragedy strikes on the hotel’s opening weekend, the cracks in Lee’s picture-perfect future slowly begin to reveal themselves, and Lee must look deep within herself to determine if the life she’s always wanted will ever truly be enough.

From the regal inns to the farmland, the well-heeled New Yorkers to the Bohemian artists, the East End of Long Island is a hodge-podge of the changing American landscape in the late 1950s—and the perfect place for Lee to discover who she really is."

Review: The Rabbit Factor

The Rabbit Factor by Antti Tuomainen
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

If you like Finnish humor or even quirky humor, you may find a gem in this book.

I, for one, could not find a thing in this book (I'm at 33%) funny, quirky, or even giggleworthy. It must be my Hungarian lack of humor coming out in me!

Okay, an actuarial scientist inherits an adventure park... sounds like the opening line to a great joke, doesn't it? To try to recoup money that his brother seems to have gambled away, the mathematician comes up with a new scheme - loans for the tickets (don't ask me; I didn't write this stuff!) Throw in some fighting and death - well, may I remind you - I did not make this stuff up!

Perhaps someone like Carl Haaison could have pulled this off. Or perhaps I'm just having a bad day, and I'm not going to find anything funny...

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Review: The Seamstress of New Orleans

The Seamstress of New Orleans by Diane C. McPhail
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Frustrating, beautiful, repetitious -these are the thoughts that come to me when I try to think of how to describe this book.

Ms. McPhail is a lovely wordsmith but lacks a little something in knowing when enough is enough department. Repetition, or 'the beating of a dead horse/horses,' becomes somewhat tedious after about the first third of the book.


The authors' descriptions of the making of the gown are exquisite, but the mystery/s are quickly figured out in the first quarter of this book. I kept reading, though, at times, I wanted to DNF. I needed to see how everything was resolved, which says something about this novel. I was a little disappointed with the ending; there was one huge secret that never came out. I would have loved to see how this secret could have come to light and what changes it might have on everyone's relationships.

For me, this was a good read that had me doing a lot of skimming---but I think most people will love this book for many different reasons. I learned a lot about the era and what women were doing to change them. Of course, these were wealthy women, and the ways they tried to change things seemed a bit frivolous to me. A Mardi Gras Ball? However, what the women were doing for the orphans and half orphaned girls was an exceptional storyline.

*ARC supplied by the publisher #Kensington Publishing Corp, the author. and #NetGalley.

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SYNOPSIS: "Set against the backdrop of the first all-female Mardi Gras krewe at the turn-of-the-century, the acclaimed author’s mesmerizing historical novel tells of two strangers separated by background but bound by an unexpected secret—and of the strength and courage women draw from and inspire in each other.

The year 1900 ushers in a new century and the promise of social change, and women rise together toward equality. Yet rules and restrictions remain, especially for women like Alice Butterworth, whose husband has abruptly disappeared. Desperate to make a living for herself and the child she carries, Alice leaves the bitter cold of Chicago far behind, offering sewing lessons at a New Orleans orphanage.

Constance Halstead, a young widow reeling with shock under the threat of her late husband’s gambling debts, has thrown herself into charitable work. Meeting Alice at the orphanage, she offers lodging in exchange for Alice’s help creating a gown for the Leap Year ball of Les Mysterieuses, the first all female krewe of Mardi Gras. During Leap Years, women have the rare opportunity to take control in their interactions with men, and upend social convention. Piece by piece, the breathtaking gown takes shape, becoming a symbol of strength for both women, reflecting their progress toward greater independence.

But Constance carries a burden that makes it impossible to feel truly free. Her husband, Benton, whose death remains a dangerous mystery, was deep in debt to the Black Hand, the vicious gangsters who controlled New Orleans’ notorious Storyville district. Benton’s death has not satisfied them. And as the Mardi Gras festivities reach their fruition, a secret emerges that will cement the bond between Alice and Constance even as it threatens the lives they’re building . . .

Story Locale: 1900, New Orleans "

Review: The Grand Design

The Grand Design by Joy Callaway
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I usually love learning about famous people under the guise of history/fiction. I admit that learning about Greenbrier was fascinating -my husband knew more about this resort than I did because of some old-time famous golf tournament! I thought that learning about the famous decorator, Dorothy Draper, would be fascinating too, but it was not. She seems to be or at least was portrayed as a selfish, whiny, argumentative, *itch. I know that women with aspirations back in the early '40 really needed to be assertive, but between the two stories...I found I just did not like Dorothy. I could not connect with her, I could not find any sympathy for her, and the more I learned about her, the less I cared. The dual timeline was frustrating for me. The multiple characters in both timelines were equally frustrating. I'm being frank when I say that this was a disappointing read for me. *ARC supplied by the publisher Harper Muse, the author, and ATTL/Edelweiss.

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SYNOPSIS: "She has one last chance to prove she chose the right course for her life.

In 1908, young Dorothy Tuckerman chafes under the bland, beige traditions of her socialite circles. Only the aristocracy’s annual summer trips to The Greenbrier resort in West Virginia spark her imagination. In this naturally beautiful place, an unexpected romance with an Italian racecar driver gives Dorothy a taste of the passion and adventure she wants. But her family intervenes, sentencing Dorothy to the life she hopes to escape.

Thirty-eight years later, as World War II draws to a close, Dorothy has done everything a woman in the early twentieth century should not: she has divorced her husband—scandalous—and established America’s first interior design firm—shocking. Now, Dorothy returns to The Greenbrier with the assignment to restore it to something even greater than its original glory. With her beloved company’s future hanging in the balance and brimming with daring, unconventional ideas, Dorothy has one more chance to give her dreams wings or succumb to her what society tells her is her inescapable fate."

Review: Lucie Yi Is Not a Romantic

Lucie Yi Is Not a Romantic by Lauren Ho
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I'm just not sure how to write a review that makes the most of this book. I was ready to DNF at 85%, to tell you the truth. The storyline was interesting, but I could not connect with most of the characters, especially Mark.   The idea of matching up sight nearly unseen to have a baby without the mess of marriage was intriguing, but it got a little stale after a while. Adding romance to this book by bringing back an unfaithful lover was just the icing on the poop storm this book was turning out to be.

Mark was just such a d*ck head, and Collin was sometimes a tad too sweet and naive. 

This book did let me know how another culture, and especially how Lucie's family feels about unwed motherhood and divorce. Don't get me wrong; I know that there are still people in the USA who think of this subject in the same manner as some other cultures do. However, I have never read a book that spoke so plainly about it.

I truly started feeling apathetic about this book after about 50% but stuck it out as it was getting so many wonderful reviews...I should have given up then and not pushed myself. I am just not in the age bracket that this book needs to be marketed to. Also, I didn't particularly appreciate reading some of the agist comments the author had some of the characters spouting.

 *ARC supplied by the publisher G.P. Putnam's Sons, the author, and NetGalley.

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SYNOPSIS: "An ambitious career woman signs up for a co-parenting website only to find a match she never expected, in this unflinchingly funny and honest novel from the author of Last Tang Standing.

Management consultant Lucie Yi is done waiting for Mr. Right. After a harrowing breakup foiled her plans for children—and drove her to a meltdown in a Tribeca baby store—she’s ready to take matters into her own hands. She signs up for an elective co-parenting website to find a suitable partner with whom to procreate—as platonic as family planning can be.
 
Collin Read checks all of Lucie’s boxes; he shares a similar cultural background, he’s honest, and most important, he’s ready to become a father. When they match, it doesn’t take long for Lucie to take a leap of faith for her future. So what if her conservative family might not approve? When Lucie becomes pregnant, the pair return to Singapore and, sure enough, her parents refuse to look on the bright side. Even more complicated, Lucie’s ex-fiancé reappears, sparking unresolved feelings and compounding work pressures and the baffling ways her body is changing. Suddenly her straightforward arrangement is falling apart before her very eyes, and Lucie will have to decide how to juggle the demands of the people she loves while pursuing the life she really wants."

Review: Bloomsbury Girls

Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was a wonderfully detailed account of the lives and times of working women during post-war London. Three different women all want different things, yet they also want the same thing. They want equality, they want to love, and they want control over their lives. This was also a great look into the lives of some of the most renowned authors of that era. I have not read the first book that started it all, The Jane Austen Society  , but I had no problems following this book. Natalie Jenner certainly has a way of keeping you turning the pages! *ARC supplied by the publisher St. Martin's Press, NetGalley, and the author Natalie Jenner

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 SYNOPSIS:"The internationally bestselling author of The Jane Austen Society returns with a compelling and heartwarming story of post-war London, a century-old bookstore, and three women determined to find their way in a fast-changing world.

Bloomsbury Books is an old-fashioned new and rare book store that has persisted and resisted change for a hundred years, run by men and guided by the general manager's unbreakable fifty-one rules. But in 1950, the world is changing, especially the world of books and publishing, and at Bloomsbury Books, the girls in the shop have plans:

Vivien Lowry: Single since her aristocratic fiance was killed in action during World War II, the brilliant and stylish Vivien has a long list of grievances - most of them well justified and the biggest of which is Alec McDonough, the Head of Fiction.

Grace Perkins: Married with two sons, she's been working to support the family following her husband's breakdown in the aftermath of the war. Torn between duty to her family and dreams of her own.

Evie Stone: In the first class of female students from Cambridge permitted to earn a degree, Evie was denied an academic position in favor of her less accomplished male rival. Now she's working at Bloomsbury Books while she plans to remake her own future.

Review: Queen of the Darkness

Queen of the Darkness by Anne Bishop
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

2022- This is an addendum to my original review. To 'new to this series' readers, please note that this does not end as a trilogy as first advertised. As of last year, this is a 10-book series including short stories/novellas books. And be aware that there will be some surprises with books 9 and 10!






This is one of the most emotional novels I have ever read. Remember that these novels, and more importantly this trilogy, borders, if not leaps over the border at times, of horror.

Jaenelle finally decides she has had enough of the horrific murders, sadism, and cruelty that the realms are going through via Dorothea and Hekatah and finds a way to do something about it. Unfortunately, not everyone will understand exactly WHY she has to do it this particular way.

As I said, at times, this is a gut-wrenching horror read, and other times, it is a love story that will make you weep...a lot!

Again this is written quite richly -if I had any complaints, it would be that the backstory is pulled out sometimes a little too much for me. Perhaps, this little quirk would not annoy me if I had not read this when all the books were in place.

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SYNOPSIS: "

Jaenelle Angelline now reigns as Queen-protector of the Shadow Realm. No longer will the corrupt Blood slaughter her people and defile her lands. But where one chapter ends, a final, unseen battle remains to be written, and Jaenelle must unleash the terrible power that is Witch to destroy her enemies once and for all.

Even so, she cannot stand alone. Somewhere, long lost in madness, is Daemon, her promised Consort. Only his unyielding love can complete her Court and secure her reign. Yet, even together, their strength may not be enough to hold back the most malevolent of forces. "

Review: The People's Princess

The People's Princess by Flora Harding
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I started reading this book with a bit of trepidation but soon found myself engrossed in the lives of Diana Spencer, a Princess that was never Queen, and Princess Charlotte of Wales (1796-1817), the Lost Queen. We have a book split into equal parts, one showing Diana's relationship with Charles during their engagement and leading up to and including their marriage. The other half of the book deals with the life of Princess Charlotte of Wales, following her engagements and subsequently her marriage and untimely death. Do you see a parallel here? Two Princesses destined to be Queen, two Princesses losing their lives tragically and before their time. Two princesses, one that had a horrid life and one whose life was so-so. I truly don't know enough about Diana to make any assumptions about her childhood. This book ensnared me and kept me reading until done. The author had a wonderful way of juxtaposing these two lives and making them come to life. I urge you to read the writer's notes at the back of the book. I did, and I find that I am curious enough to read more about these two Royals. *ARC provided by the publisher HarperCollins Publishers Limited, ATTL/EDELWEISS, and the author.

 
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SYNOPSIS: "Buckingham Palace, 1981

Her engagement to Prince Charles is a dream come true for Lady Diana Spencer but marrying the heir to the throne is not all that it seems. Alone and bored in the palace, she resents the stuffy courtiers who are intent on instructing her about her new role as Princess of Wales…

But when she discovers a diary written in the 1800s by Princess Charlotte of Wales, a young woman born into a gilded cage so like herself, Diana is drawn into the story of Charlotte’s reckless love affairs and fraught relationship with her father, the Prince Regent.

As she reads the diary, Diana can see many parallels with her own life and future as Princess of Wales.

The story allows a behind-the-scenes glimpse of life in the palace, the tensions in Diana’s relationship with the royal family during the engagement, and the wedding itself."

Review: Magic Binds

Magic Binds by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It is killing me to wait until the next (and last book) that is coming out tomorrow! Reading the last book of this series will be like losing a limb--you will always be looking for the next book in the series, but it won't be there!

This book did a lot to push the plot to the finale, and it did a lot to strengthen Kate and Curran's relationship/marriage.

I'm certainly hoping that, considering the events of this book, that we might get novellas (at the very least) of Kate and Curran's life after the last book...I would also love to see a book that involves Kate, Curran, Hugh, and Elara in a mundane circumstance (with a little kick-ass mixed in) (view spoiler)[ perhaps once the baby is born (hide spoiler)].

Although it breaks my heart to say goodbye to this series -it was a really wonderful ride.

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SYNOPSIS: "Mercenary Kate Daniels knows all too well that magic in post-Shift Atlanta is a dangerous business. But nothing she’s faced could have prepared her for this…

Kate and the former Beast Lord Curran Lennart are finally making their relationship official. But there are some steep obstacles standing in the way of their walk to the altar…

Kate’s father, Roland, has kidnapped the demigod Saiman and is slowly bleeding him dry in his never-ending bid for power. A Witch Oracle has predicted that if Kate marries the man she loves, Atlanta will burn and she will lose him forever. And the only person Kate can ask for help is long dead.

The odds are impossible. The future is grim. But Kate Daniels has never been one to play by the rules… "

Review: Iron and Magic

Iron and Magic by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow, just wow! I know I should have written a review the first time I read this book, but I really wanted to let this all sink in.

Who knew that Hugh could be *ahem* human? With emotions...errr well, sort of.

Who knew that Elora was going to hit the nail on the head with her observation of Kate and Hugh's relationship, ---not a sexual relationship but a brother/sister relationship.

Who knew that Hugh could feel the slightest bit of guilt --- see Hugh and
Raphael's scene---.

Do I think that Hugh really would fight against Roland on Kate's side? Well, I'm still a little unsure about that, but I believe in my bones; yes, I think he will be fighting alongside Kate and Curran.

And this brings me to a little conundrum I'm having-If Hugh does take the right side(LOL) against Roland, I want to see a novella with Kate, Curran, Hugh, and Elora spending some time together. Maybe fighting, but hopefully not. After all, Kate will eventually have her baby, and the baby will have to meet its Uncle Hugh, doesn't it???

This was a great book and gave Hugh a chance to be everything he could have been, just like Kate, -the two most messed up people in the south. *sigh*

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SYNOPSIS:"No day is ordinary in a world where Technology and Magic compete for supremacy…But no matter which force is winning, in the apocalypse, a sword will always work.

Hugh d’Ambray, Preceptor of the Iron Dogs, Warlord of the Builder of Towers, served only one man. Now his immortal, nearly omnipotent master has cast him aside. Hugh is a shadow of the warrior he was, but when he learns that the Iron Dogs, soldiers who would follow him anywhere, are being hunted down and murdered, he must make a choice: to fade away or to be the leader he was born to be. Hugh knows he must carve a new place for himself and his people, but they have no money, no shelter, and no food, and the necromancers are coming. Fast.

Elara Harper is a creature who should not exist. Her enemies call her Abomination; her people call her White Lady. Tasked with their protection, she's trapped between the magical heavyweights about to collide and plunge the state of Kentucky into a war that humans have no power to stop. Desperate to shield her people and their simple way of life, she would accept help from the devil himself—and Hugh d’Ambray might qualify.

Hugh needs a base, Elara needs soldiers. Both are infamous for betraying their allies, so how can they create a believable alliance to meet the challenge of their enemies?

As the prophet says: “It is better to marry than to burn.”

Hugh and Elara may do both."

Review: Magic Triumphs

Magic Triumphs by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4.5 stars---->Full review to come with the second reading ---sorry it was a lot to for me to take in.

Mostly I'm happy with this book and the ending of the series, but there are some threads (such as with Julie) that I'm not so sure I'm happy with. I'm not so thrilled that so many of our beloved secondary character's got left off of the roster, but I can understand why -the book would have been a thousand pages long plus we had to make room for our surprise characters! So I'm going to read it again this weekend.

(view spoiler)[I did love the baby and since I have new kittens..................*grin* (hide spoiler)]

On second and third reading -I find that this book gets better and better. As I said before, a lot of our normal characters get left out or get short shrift, but it works for this type of book.
Many people got upset with Curran (in the last book and in this one) because of, uhm, what he was consuming...well now we know why he did it. And it made me cry!

I hated losing our only secondary, long-running character but then again this is the last book so we don't really have to mourn him too much.

I have a feeling that this won't be the last of this series that we will be seeing (and I mean over and above The Iron Covenant) and I wish the authors would let us know when the next book in that series is coming out!!! Though I do have a feeling that anything left of this series will be turned into something for young adults.

I already miss this series and have a hole in my heart that there will be no more Kate and Curran conflicts with the pack, Atlanta, and Daddy!

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SYNOPSIS:"Kate has come a long way from her origins as a loner taking care of paranormal problems in post-Shift Atlanta. She’s made friends and enemies. She’s found love and started a family with Curran Lennart, the former Beast Lord. But her magic is too strong for the power players of the world to let her be.

Kate and her father, Roland, currently have an uneasy truce, but when he starts testing her defenses again, she knows that sooner or later, a confrontation is inevitable. The Witch Oracle has begun seeing visions of blood, fire, and human bones. And when a mysterious box is delivered to Kate’s doorstep, a threat of war from the ancient enemy who nearly destroyed her family, she knows their time is up.

Kate Daniels sees no other choice but to combine forces with the unlikeliest of allies. She knows betrayal is inevitable. She knows she may not survive the coming battle. But she has to try.

For her child.

For Atlanta.

For the world."

Review: Blood Heir

Blood Heir by Ilona Andrews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5 Stars---- Dear Gods and Goddesses, when will Goodreads allow half stars as LibraryThing does???

I am not as enamored with this book as everyone else seems to be, and I'll tell you why. There is really no difference between this book and the Kate and Curran books. Well, except for the fact that Kate had to fight a lot more for her power's. We even have the trope that there is no ending to the bad guy; Julie can't 'expose' herself, so she goes under an AKA and has also had a, well, so I don't spoil things -a total make-over. Julie is a reincarnation of Kate only perfect *snort*.

I enjoyed the book, but I didn't LOVE the book. I will do a second read to see if I feel less like I'm reading a copy of the K and C books, and hopefully, I'll find something fresher about this one.

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SYNOPSIS:"Atlanta was always a dangerous city. Now, as waves of magic and technology compete for supremacy, it’s a place caught in a slow apocalypse, where monsters spawn among the crumbling skyscrapers and supernatural factions struggle for power and survival.

Eight years ago, Julie Lennart left Atlanta to find out who she was. Now she’s back with a new face, a new magic, and a new name—Aurelia Ryder—drawn by the urgent need to protect the family she left behind. An ancient power is stalking her adopted mother, Kate Daniels, an enemy unlike any other, and a string of horrifying murders is its opening gambit.

If Aurelia’s true identity is discovered, those closest to her will die. So her plan is simple: get in, solve the murders, prevent the prophecy from being fulfilled, and get out without being recognized. She expected danger, but she never anticipated that the only man she’d ever loved could threaten everything.

One small misstep could lead to disaster. But for Aurelia, facing disaster is easy; it’s relationships that are hard."