Review: Road Queens

Road Queens by MaryJanice Davidson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
3.5 stars

This is a book with a lot going on. One thing I especially liked was learning about motorcycles and the women who drove them, throughout history. I was a bit of a rider in my younger days!

As I'm sure you are aware, domestic violence is a large part of the theme of this novel. Actually, there are several themes: DV, motorcycles, murder, romance, and the reuniting of three long-time friends.
I didn't find this book to be as frothy, amusing, or sexy as some of this author's other series, but it was a novel that kept my interest, albeit with a lot of eye rolls.

I don't know how to explain why I wasn't TOTALLY thrilled with this book, but I did feel that it could have been just a touch better had it been shortened a bit. There was a lot of unnecessary and unfunny interplay between the friends. I can see why it might have been needed -perhaps to keep the book from being a bit too serious. It just made for a more difficult read for me.

I also am wondering if this is the start of a trilogy.

*ARC supplied by the publisher Montlake, the author MaryJanice Davidson, and NetGalley.


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SYNOPSIS:" From the bestselling author of the Undead series comes a ride through the lives of three estranged friends as they’re reunited by murder (possible frame job) and mayhem (just the way they like it). Operation Starfish has one to remove domestic violence survivors from danger. But when a mission backfires in tragedy, the band of bikers who founded OpStar dissolves the organization and their ride-or-die friendship. Five years later Amanda, Sidney, and Cassandra are brought back together by the same thing that tore them apart when the man who victimized his wife is murdered, and all signs point to Cassandra. Circumstances being what they are—in a dire —the trio reignites their bond, if only to shut and barricade the door to their past once and for all. Their tentative sisterhood is infiltrated by Investigator Sean Beane, whose intentions aren’t as clear as they should be, but even so he’s too tempting for his (or Amanda’s) own good. Despite all reservations, regrets, and blossoming romance, it’s time for these biker babes to strap on their helmets and hit the road—before the real murderer can run them off it."

329 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication November 28, 2023

Review: Be the Serpent

Be the Serpent by Seanan McGuire
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An interesting book that ends on a cliffhanger.

So many side characters and people that I would have read about in the earlier books that I have forgotten about. After all, the series has been ongoing for fourteen years. Unless you have re-read these books often, you, too, may not remember every nuance and person in this book. Or in any of the later books, actually.

Luckily the next installment in this series will be out September 5, 2023, Sleep No More- so we don't have to wait long to read what is going to happen to Toby. Yes, the cliffhanger in this book revolves around Toby. The book after "The Innocent Sleep" should revolve more around Tybalt.



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October Daye is finally something she never expected to be: married. All the trials and turmoils and terrors of a hero’s life have done very little to prepare her for the expectation that she will actually share her life with someone else, the good parts and the bad ones alike, not just allow them to dabble around the edges in the things she wants to share. But with an official break from hero duties from the Queen in the Mists, and her family wholly on board with this new version of “normal,” she’s doing her best to adjust.

It isn’t always easy, but she’s a hero, right? She’s done harder.
Until an old friend and ally turns out to have been an enemy in disguise for this entire time, and October’s brief respite turns into a battle for her life, her community, and everything she has ever believed to be true.

The debts of the Broken Ride are coming due, and whether she incurred them or not, she’s going to be the one who has to pay.

Review: Sleep No More

Sleep No More by Seanan McGuire
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

For some reason, I am not as enthralled with this book as others are. I still don't like the fact that the author spends more time with inner dialoguing than she does on any action. This makes the book seem like it is too long. It isn't, but that is what it feels like to me.

I feel that there is much that needed to be written in this book and wasn't and much that was written that shouldn't have been. I'm not sure if you could call this a cliffhanger or not. It just left me very confused about some things, especially if you read the novella at the end.

I wonder when Titania is going to show back up and what she will do for revenge? And will Oberon ever get off his hind end to really help make things better for the Fae? Will Maeve come back, and if so, will that be the end of the series?


Well, it seems that I have more questions than answers, so as much as I did not LOVE this book, I did enjoy it enough to keep reading to find out the answers.

Well, onto the next arc in this series. I'll keep you posted.

*ARC supplied by the publisher DAW Books/ Astra Publishing House, Inc., the author, and NetGalley

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October is very happy with her life as the second daughter of her pureblood parents, Amandine and Simon Torquill. Born to be the changeling handmaid to her beloved sister August, she spends her days working in her family’s tower, serving as August’s companion, and waiting for the day when her sister sets up a household of her own. Everything is right in October’s Faerie. Everything is perfect.

Everything is a lie.

October has been pulled from her own reality and thrown into a twisted reinterpretation of Faerie where nothing is as it should be and everything has been distorted to support Titania’s ideals. Bound by the Summer Queen’s magic and thrust into a world turned upside down, October has no way of knowing who she can trust, where she can turn, or even who she really is. As strangers who claim to know her begin to appear and the edges of Titania’s paradise begin to unravel, Toby will have to decide whether she can risk everything she knows based on only their stories of another world.

But first she’ll have to survive this one, as Titania demonstrates why she needed to be banished in the first place—and this time, much more than Toby’s own life is at stake.

Review: The Innocent Sleep

The Innocent Sleep by Seanan McGuire
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Okay then. Here is how I saw The Innocent Sleep. It was nearly a copy of Sleep No More, but from Tybalt's point of view. This book could have been a longer novella. Somewhere in the two hundred pages or so range.

I will amend that a bit-it is Tybalt's point of view right from the very first month of when October was missing. That means that the first half of the book (or a little more) really had nothing to do with what October was going through. The first half was sad for me because I am a crazy cat lover, and to know that the cats were in big trouble and why, made me very upset. Not all of these cats were magical shapeshifters. The first half was a bit bland and boring. Enough said.

The second half of the book picks up a bit but then eventually starts getting bogged down near the end when the two books really are 'copied.'

We do know that anything bad that happened to October and Tybalt will never permanently go away -so there you have it.

*ARC supplied by Daw, the publisher, the author, and Edelweiss.

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For one bright, shining moment, Tybalt, King of Cats, had everything he had ever wanted. He was soon to set his crown aside; he had married the woman he loved; he was going to be a father. After centuries of searching for a family of his own, he had finally found a way to construct the life of his dreams, and was looking forward to a period of peace—or at least as much peace as is ever in the offing for the husband of a hero.

Alas for Tybalt and his domestic aspirations, fate—and Titania—had other ideas. His perfect world had been complete for only a moment when it was ripped away, to be replaced by hers. Titania, Faerie’s Summer Queen, Mother of Illusions and enemy of so many he holds dear, has seized control of the Kingdom, remaking it in her own image. An image which does not include meddlesome shapeshifters getting in her way. Tybalt quickly finds himself banished from her reality, along with the Undersea and the rest of the Court of Cats.

To protect his people and his future, Tybalt must find the woman he loves in a world designed to keep her from him, convince her that he’s not a stranger trying to ruin her life for no apparent reason, and get her to unmake the illusion she’s been firmly enmeshed in. And he’ll have to do it all while she doesn’t know him, and every unrecognizing look is a knife to his heart.

For Tybalt, King of Cats, the happily ever after was just the beginning.

Review: Happily Ever After on Huckleberry Hill

Happily Ever After on Huckleberry Hill by Jennifer Beckstrand
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

s book was a tad frustrating for me. Omi (short for Naomi) and Ruth are identical twin sisters. To make a long story short, I'll start with this - Ruth is a selfish, entitled young lady who thinks she is in love with Nebo (Bo for short). Omi has been in love with Bo since fifth grade but hasn't told anyone about it. Omi is a bit on the judgemental side and is generally perfect.

One night Ruth asks Omi to switch places with her and to let Bo Take Omi home and to allow him to think it was Ruth. Ruth just wanted to go and have some fun with a boy who had a car. Bo isn't fooled, and things escalate from there.

What irked me is that Ruth and Omi's parents can't see that things aren't right with the sisters. The other thing that irked me is that Ruth would have been called the "B" word if this hadn't been a religion-based book. Then again, we might also say that Omi has a bit of a stick up her back-side.

But don't despair; things do work out for the best all around with a little help from Fenty and Anna, Bo's grandparents.

Another winning novel for the Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill!

*ARC supplied by the publisher Zebra Books/Kensington Publishing Corp, the author, and NetGalley.  This review is based solely on my opinion.

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SYNOPSIS-"Huckleberry, Wisconsin’s very own Amish matchmaking grandparents, eighty-somethings Anna and Felty Helmuth, continue to meddle into love lives—and bring faithful hearts together, in the USA Today bestselling author’s inspirational romance series. Will appeal to fans of Charlotte Hubbard, Amy Lillard, and Emma Miller.

Sensible and cautious, Naomi Coblenz lives to help everyone else be happy—particularly when it comes to her twin sister, Ruth. So Omi certainly can’t admit she’s always loved handsome Bo Helmuth, since he and Ruth have begun courting. To look out for her sometimes-thoughtless sister, Omi even poses as Ruth on a ride home alone with Bo. But it doesn’t take Bo long to see the truth—and really notice Omi for the first surprising, hopelessly-wonderful time . . . 
 
Bo thought he was in love with the vivacious Ruth. But he can’t stop thinking about Omi’s kindness and understanding, especially since she refuses to hurt her sister. And he can’t figure out a way to tell Ruth they aren’t really suited for each other. His only hope is that his
ever-resourceful Dawdi and Mammi can help faith guide the way—and at last claim a happy ending for all.
 
“The lighthearted tone and witty banter amuse.  Fans of Wanda Brunstetter will want to check this out.”
-- Publishers Weekly on The Amish Quiltmaker’s Unconventional Niece

Review: A Beautiful Rival: A Novel of Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden

A Beautiful Rival: A Novel of Helena Rubinstein and Elizabeth Arden by Gill Paul
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oh, my dear. This was one of the most vitriolic books I have ever read. Give me a good book about rivals, add in a tiny bit of back-stabbing, and I'm thrilled. Think Southern rivalry books!  But this book had so much backstabbing that I'm surprised that there were even bodies left! I still loved this book.

 The author did plenty of research, and I did some myself to see if just half of these things could have been true, sadly to say Yep! They were as business-driven as they were made to be in this book.

I do also understand that this book is also fiction-so the conversations, while a little iffy, are apropos.   I loved it.

I bled for both of them with the Nazi's and their overseas families. I've read books about the camps and ovens before, but for some reason, this book made it a tad more realistic. Maybe because we are seeing it from the survivor's side

This book sure made me rethink my beauty regimen!

*ARC provided by the publisher William Morrow, the author, and NetGalley.  

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SYNOPSIS "In this stunning new novel, bestselling author Gill Paul reveals the unknown history of cosmetic titans Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein and their infamous rivalry that spanned not only decades, but also broken marriages, personal tragedies, and a world that was changing dramatically for women—perfect for fans of Fiona Davis, Marie Benedict, and Beatriz Williams.

Who would have guessed that the business of making women beautiful was so cutthroat?

They could have been allies: two self-made millionaires who invented a global industry, in an era when wife and mother were supposed to be the highest goals for their sex. Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein each founded empires built on grit and determination…and yet they became locked in a feud spanning three continents, two world wars, and the Great Depression.

Brought up in poverty, Canadian-born Elizabeth Arden changed popular opinion, persuading women from all walks of life ­to buy skincare products that promised them youth and beauty. Helena Rubenstein left her native Poland, and launched her company with scientific claims about her miracle creams made with anti-ageing herbs.

And when it came to business, nothing was off-limits: poaching each other’s employees, copying each other’s products, planting spies, hiring ex-husbands, and one-upping each other every chance they had. This was a rivalry from which there was no surrender! And through it all were two women, bold, brazen, and determined to succeed—no matter the personal cost.

In this sweeping novel from the bestselling author of Jackie and Maria and The Manhattan Girls, two larger-than life fashion icons come alive with all their passion, bitterness, and ambition as they each try to live the American dream.

Review: All the Dead Shall Weep

All the Dead Shall Weep by Charlaine Harris
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Well, it sure looks as if this is going to be a longer series than I thought. There is a HUGE namedrop at the end, and if our intrepid fighters come across him, there are going to be many problems. Something to look forward to for sure!

This book I told in two different voices, Lizabeth Rose's and Felicia's, and it really works.

There are several surprises in this book, and one is most certainly not the good kind.

This was a fun, fast read, a perfect beach or long plane trip read, taking about 4 hours of non-stop reading to finish. It is only 256 pages in ebook form.

All the Dead Shall Weep does give hints as to what is coming in the future, but it also doesn't explain fully what an army is doing in Lizabeth's hometown. Nor do we really find out for sure about Eli and Peter. I may have to re-read the ending to make sure I didn't miss something in my excitement.

*ARC supplied by the publisher Gallery / Saga Press and will be released September 5, 2023, by the author and ATTL/Edelweiss—my many thanks.

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SYNOPSIS: "#1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author returns with the fifth installment in the bestselling Gunnie Rose series as sisters Lizbeth Rose and Felicia as well as brother Eli and Peter, are reunited in Texoma only to break apart before the Wizard’s Ball held in San Diego, which will determine all their fates.

Following the murderous events of the “gripping…thrill-ride” (Karin Slaughter) Serpent of Heaven, Lizbeth Rose is awaiting the arrival of her sister Felicia and her husband’s younger brother Eli in Texoma. Both needed to leave the seat of the Holy Russian Empire in San Diego after Felicia’s burgeoning wizardly power in death magic became the reason for kidnapping and assassination attempts from her mother’s family of high-powered wizards in Mexico.

Yet bad news has traveled ahead of them, as Eli is called back to San Diego, taking Peter along with him, splitting them apart in more ways than one as their enemies’ plans for revenge come to fruition. In this fifth installment in the beloved and bestselling Gunnie Rose series, #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Charlaine Harris has crafted a family drama of murderous and magical thrills.

256 pages, ebook

Expected publication September 5, 2023

Review: Lavender's Blue

Lavender's Blue by Jennifer Crusie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh my goodness! This is the best book that I've read all week! Funny, romantic, huge mysteries (yes, more than one), and devilry abound! If you liked/loved Agnes and the Hitman, you are most definitely going to love/like this book. It is quite similar, just a little steamier. I loved it so much that I have already pre-ordered the next two books. And you can't beat the price. 4.99 for full-length novels by famous authors!

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Review: Confessions of a Forty-something F##k Up

Confessions of a Forty-something F##k Up by Alexandra Potter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Re-Print/Re-Issue

I'm not sure how I feel about this novel. I don't know if I should be offended or jump up and down with glee. I suppose I could say I'm a 65 (soon to be 66) year-old f**k up since I never had kids. But I know I'm not. I have to question why age 40 seemed to be the catalyst since I found my 40's to be the best years of my life---but that is just me.

What I didn't like was the angst. I understand why it was needed; I grasp the fact that it is used to get the point across that Nell felt like a failure because she didn't have what she thought was 'the' perfect life. And for this, I blame the internet! For the first 3/4 of the book, I just felt so totally depressed both for Nell and for myself! If it wasn't for 80-something Cricket and Nell's landlord Edward, I might have given up on this book before I finished.

What I did like was Cricket-I adored her. She proves that with age comes wisdom and belief in yourself. You still may f**k up, but it is on your terms now! The ending was a little pat, one that could be seen a mile away, but I applaud the author's trip down this road.

The happy ending wasn't as perfect as some would have liked, but I think it strengthened the book. It would have been too much had Nell's life turned into that false interpretation of what a happy life should be.

This book is a little deep to be a typical beach read, but it is still worth it.

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


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SYNOPSIS: "Nell Stevens’ life is a mess.

When her business goes bust and her fiancé with it, Nell’s happy ever after in California falls apart and she moves back to London to start over. But a lot has changed since she’s been gone. All her single friends are now married with children, sky-high rents force her to rent a room in a stranger’s house and in a world of perfect instagram lives, she feels like a f*ck up. Even worse, a forty-something f*ck-up.

But when she lands a job writing obituaries, Nell meets the fabulous Cricket, an eighty-something widow with challenges of her own, and they strike up an unlikely friendship. Together they begin to help each other heal their aching hearts, cope with the loss of the lives they had planned, and push each other into new adventures and unexpected joys.

Because Nell is determined. Next year things are going to be very different. It's time to turn her life around.

A book for anyone who’s ever worried life isn’t going to plan, Confessions of a Forty-Something F##k Up by Alexandra Potter will make you laugh and it might even make you cry. But most importantly, it will remind you that you're not alone, because we’re all in this together.

Time to fall in love with your life.