Bt's bookshelf: all en-US Wed, 19 Mar 2025 07:30:23 -0700 60 Bt's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[Lady Emily's Matchmaking Mishap (Merry Spinsters, Charming Rogues, #5)]]> 215571413 A pretty impostor. A devil of a duke. A dangerous game of deception�

When a scheming spinster is determined to help her sister find a match, she gets herself hopelessly entangled in a game of deception that will undoubtedly lead to disaster�.or to love. Don’t miss Emily’s story in the next instalment of the Merry Spinster, Charming Rogues series!

Escape into the world of Sofi Laporte’s Regency ton, where spinsters are merry, rakes are charming, and no one is who they seem.

The books in this clean, sweet and cheeky Regency romcom series are standalones that can be read in any order:

Lady Ludmilla's Accidental Letter
Miss Ava's Scandalous Secret
Lady Avery and the False Butler
Miss Louisa's Final Waltz]]> 360 Sofi Laporte Bt 3 regency 4.44 Lady Emily's Matchmaking Mishap (Merry Spinsters, Charming Rogues, #5)
author: Sofi Laporte
name: Bt
average rating: 4.44
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/19
date added: 2025/03/19
shelves: regency
review:

]]> Lea and Camila 26371920 171 Lisa Yee 1609587405 Bt 0 to-read 4.11 2016 Lea and Camila
author: Lisa Yee
name: Bt
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Happy New Year, Julie 1974 (American Girls: Julie #3)]]> 1840745

This book is the third in a series of six historical books filled with inspiring lessons of compassion, courage, and friendship. Julie s entire book set includes: Meet Julie; Julie Tells Her Story; Happy New Year, Julie; Julie and the Eagles; Julie s Journey; and Changes for Julie.

]]> 88 Megan McDonald 1593692919 Bt 2 3.96 2007 Happy New Year, Julie 1974 (American Girls: Julie #3)
author: Megan McDonald
name: Bt
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2007
rating: 2
read at: 2025/02/13
date added: 2025/02/13
shelves:
review:
This book doesn't have much plot but it's fine. But after just finishing a Felicity book where Felicity is helping the patriot militia uncover a plot in the American Revolution, this is a big step down in terms of excitement. Also as other reviews said, nothing in the story feels specific to the 1970s, you could tell me it was set in 2020s and I wouldn't know the difference. I like that they are introducing readers to Chinese New Year but it did seem like things were too perfectly token Chinese... we're lost in Chinatown but grandpa just happens to be playing mahjong right there and will now lead us to the fortune cookie factory!
]]> <![CDATA[Happy Birthday, Felicity! A Springtime Story (American Girls: Felicity, #4)]]> 664135
Book Details: Format: Paperback Publication Date: 7/1/1992 Pages: 88 Reading Level: Age 8 and Up ]]> 88 Valerie Tripp Bt 3 3.96 1992 Happy Birthday, Felicity! A Springtime Story (American Girls: Felicity, #4)
author: Valerie Tripp
name: Bt
average rating: 3.96
book published: 1992
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/13
date added: 2025/02/13
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Felicity Learns a Lesson: A School Story (American Girls: Felicity, #2)]]> 215801 69 Valerie Tripp 1562470078 Bt 3 3.95 1991 Felicity Learns a Lesson: A School Story (American Girls: Felicity, #2)
author: Valerie Tripp
name: Bt
average rating: 3.95
book published: 1991
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/18
date added: 2025/02/07
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Meet Felicity: An American Girl (American Girls: Felicity, #1)]]> 420159 69 Valerie Tripp Bt 3 3.92 1991 Meet Felicity: An American Girl (American Girls: Felicity, #1)
author: Valerie Tripp
name: Bt
average rating: 3.92
book published: 1991
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/18
date added: 2025/02/07
shelves:
review:

]]> My Happy Marriage, Vol. 4 75253535
A browbeaten and mistreated daughter is cast out of her home and sent to audition as a bridal candidate for the heir to one of the most powerful families in the land�

Miyo Saimori, the eldest of her clan and yet unblessed by the supernatural talent that graced her father and half sister, is sent off to marry into the Gifted Kudo clan. The young and aloof clan leader, Kiyoka Kudo, finds himself intrigued by this girl who stands worlds apart from the spoiled, social-climbing women who usually vie for his hand. All too soon, Kiyoka comes to regard Miyo with affection.

Kiyoka and Miyo make their engagement real and official, but Miyo still worries she lacks the training to be a wife worthy of the Kudo clan. Enter Kiyoka’s older sister, Hazuki, who takes it upon herself to tutor Miyo—and tease Kiyoka along the way!

Suddenly, Miyo and Kiyoka encounter a mysterious man named Arata Tsuruki. What does he want, and what connection does he have to the enigmatic and powerful Usuba clan that Miyo’s mother hailed from?]]> 224 Rito Kohsaka 1646097262 Bt 4 4.34 2022 My Happy Marriage, Vol. 4
author: Rito Kohsaka
name: Bt
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/02
date added: 2025/02/03
shelves:
review:

]]> War Horse 5414394 I want you to do yourself proud, Joey. You go and drive those Germans back where they've come from, and then come home to me.

At the outbreak of World War one, Joey, young Albert's beloved horse, is sold to the cavalry and shipped to France. Caught up in enemy fire, fate takes Joey on an extraordinary odyssey, serving on both sides before finding himself alone in no man's land. But Albert cannot forget Joey and, still not old enough to enlist, he embarks on a treacherous mission to find him and bring him home.

Nick Stafford's adaptation for the stage of the celebrated novel by the Children's Laureate (2003-05) Michael Morpurgo leads us on a gripping journey through history. War Horse premiered at the National Theatre, London, in October 2007.]]> 98 Nick Stafford 0571240151 Bt 2 4.25 War Horse
author: Nick Stafford
name: Bt
average rating: 4.25
book published:
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2025/01/12
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Forgotten Duke (Viennese Waltz Book 1)]]> 210626297 When a penniless Viennese musician is told she may be an English duke’s wife, a quest for lost love begins.

Amid the glamour and intrigue of the Congress of Vienna, Lena Arenheim and her musical family perform at aristocratic soirees to make ends meet. When, out of the blue, the sister of the arrogant Duke of Aldingbourne proclaims Lena to be her brother's long-lost duchess, her safe but small world is turned upside down. Amid opulent ballrooms and echoes of forgotten memories, Lina embarks on a quest to uncover the secrets of her past.

For Julius Stafford-Hill, Duke of Aldingbourne, the wounds of a tragic loss still linger after eight long years. When he encounters a woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to his late wife Catherine, he will do anything to uncover the truth, even if it means immersing himself in her world and facing the everyday challenges of a common middle-class life.

Can the lost Duchess be found, and can they rebuild a love that transcends the boundaries of time and circumstance?


This is a sweet and clean Regency romance and the first book of the Viennese Waltz

Set against the backdrop of Vienna’s 1814 elegance, diplomacy, and intrigue, this series twirls through the entwined destinies of friends, enemies, and lost lovers in charming tales of love, desire and courtship.

My Lady, Will you Dance?]]> 350 Sofi Laporte Bt 4 4.42 The Forgotten Duke (Viennese Waltz Book 1)
author: Sofi Laporte
name: Bt
average rating: 4.42
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/10
date added: 2024/12/10
shelves:
review:

]]> Scarlett and the Dark Woods 140298818
When her grandmother is cast out as unworthy after facing Hamelin’s annual Shunning, Scarlett knows she must brave the dangers of Darkwood Forest if she will have any chance of saving her grandmother. Her perilous adventure becomes a race against time. She needs to find Gran before the previously shunned get to her first.

Scarlett’s efforts came too late. As her magic dwindles the farther into the forest she ventures, she becomes hopelessly lost, and is forced to accept help from Greyson, the shapeshifting wolf who is stalking her every footstep—and who Scarlett suspects of knowing Gran’s location.

If she manages to save her grandmother, Scarlett is faced with another impossible join Gran and live her life as an outcast or return to the rest of the elect, safe but alone. As she struggles to find the right path forward, Scarlett realizes that more than her grandmother’s future is at stake. Her heart is too.

Can Scarlett resist her inexplicable, rising attraction to the shunned wolf she despises long enough to protect the woman who raised her?

Scarlett and the Dark Woods is a part of the Autumn Fairy Tales, a collection of eight cozy retellings of your favorite fairy tales. Each stand-alone book can be enjoyed in any order. Snuggle under your favorite blanket and get ready to “fall� in love with the romance, pumpkin spice, and everything nice of these sweet and clean novellas!]]> 203 Mary Mecham Bt 2 (generic spoilers ahead)

Girl lives in a society with family and friends. Her society is at odds with another major society which is depicted as scary, evil, and murderous.

Girl follows family/friends into an encounter with said evil society, with the intent of defeating enemies and saving loved ones.

Girl slowly realizes that this new society seems much kinder and more civilized than she thought, but she is still very suspicious

Girl begins falling for an optimistic, charming, somewhat happy-go-lucky man who is a representative or leader of this new society. This man also has the magical ability to turn into an animal form, and is therefore called by the girl as "[Animal] Boy" (Fish Boy, Bird Boy, Wolf Boy)

The two get to know and like each other with flirting disguised as insults. The animal form and man's connection to his society make the girl suspicious but she is forced to work together with him to achieve her goal of dismantling his society.

Just when she might be changing her mind and ready to love him/his society, the girl faces a betrayal by said man and learns an upsetting secret or two about him. She goes running back to people from her original society.

But all is not well there, and she discovers the evil/negative aspects in her original society (possibly in an even bigger betrayal). In the end it's the man and her relationship with him that saves her. Now she knows she will stay with him and be a part of his society.


It's not that it's a bad storyline but it's soooo weird how the last 3 books I've read by this author have it so similar (the books are Scarlett and the Dark Woods, Assassin of Fire and Sacrifice, and Hunting Sirens). It's getting old, it feels recycled! This book was the weakest of the 3 to me and I had a bit of trouble finishing it, as I was getting bored. ]]> 4.46 Scarlett and the Dark Woods
author: Mary Mecham
name: Bt
average rating: 4.46
book published:
rating: 2
read at: 2024/08/31
date added: 2024/11/22
shelves:
review:
I've read a few books by this author now with reallllly similar plots:
(generic spoilers ahead)

Girl lives in a society with family and friends. Her society is at odds with another major society which is depicted as scary, evil, and murderous.

Girl follows family/friends into an encounter with said evil society, with the intent of defeating enemies and saving loved ones.

Girl slowly realizes that this new society seems much kinder and more civilized than she thought, but she is still very suspicious

Girl begins falling for an optimistic, charming, somewhat happy-go-lucky man who is a representative or leader of this new society. This man also has the magical ability to turn into an animal form, and is therefore called by the girl as "[Animal] Boy" (Fish Boy, Bird Boy, Wolf Boy)

The two get to know and like each other with flirting disguised as insults. The animal form and man's connection to his society make the girl suspicious but she is forced to work together with him to achieve her goal of dismantling his society.

Just when she might be changing her mind and ready to love him/his society, the girl faces a betrayal by said man and learns an upsetting secret or two about him. She goes running back to people from her original society.

But all is not well there, and she discovers the evil/negative aspects in her original society (possibly in an even bigger betrayal). In the end it's the man and her relationship with him that saves her. Now she knows she will stay with him and be a part of his society.


It's not that it's a bad storyline but it's soooo weird how the last 3 books I've read by this author have it so similar (the books are Scarlett and the Dark Woods, Assassin of Fire and Sacrifice, and Hunting Sirens). It's getting old, it feels recycled! This book was the weakest of the 3 to me and I had a bit of trouble finishing it, as I was getting bored.
]]> <![CDATA[The Parlor Game (Noble Charades #3)]]> 210402041
After enduring a loveless marriage, Anne, the widowed Lady Daventry, hopes to find happiness with her first love, Miles, upon his return from India. Knowing his plans to settle in London, she accepts an invitation to a house party in Town, hosted by the eccentric Lady Tottenham. When the first night of the party consists of a scandalous secret parlor game, she finds an unwelcome guest amongst the group: Miles's scoundrel of a younger brother, Alexander. 

Alexander Holland came to London with one objective: take back the money his brother stole from him. Becoming embroiled in a lavish party full of riddles and matchmaking schemes hadn't been part of the plan. Appalled by Anne's loyalty to Miles, Alexander suggests a wager over a game of chess. To be sure she truly loves Miles, she must court a man of Alexander’s choosing prior to Miles’s return.

Certain her feelings will never change, Anne accepts the terms of the arrangement. It would be nothing more than a game—a fake courtship with a strict set of rules. She could easily resist any pompous, preening man Alexander chooses just to prove him wrong.

But Alexander has no intention of being proven wrong, and there’s only one man he would trust to steal Anne's heart in so short a time. Himself.

The Parlor Game is a sweet regency romantic comedy, the third book in the Noble Charades series by Ashtyn Newbold. The series is best enjoyed when read in the order below:

1. The Earl Next Door
2. The Duke's Diary
3. The Parlor Game]]> 309 Ashtyn Newbold Bt 3 regency 4.47 The Parlor Game (Noble Charades #3)
author: Ashtyn Newbold
name: Bt
average rating: 4.47
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/11/20
date added: 2024/11/22
shelves: regency
review:
I enjoyed it but it won't be particularly memorable
]]> <![CDATA[A Convenient Sacrifice (Butterton Brides Series)]]> 199477044
Did waves of evil carry her to the altar--or is there something else entirely at work?

As she begins to love the tall, mysterious baron that is now her husband, news of her family surfaces from the wreckage, leaving both lies and truth at stake. Will she decide to trust her husband? Or is he part of the evil that brought about her family's demise?

From the delightful village of Butterton to Cornwall's unforgiving coast, Elaina finds life, love, and family.]]> 222 Ann Elizabeth Fryer Bt 3
One of the main problems of this book to me was that it didn't have much of a climax. Things build up decently well... and then fall flat, it just kind of ends suddenly. A lot of the most exciting stuff happens off the page. For instance, [spoilers removed] but we follow heroine who is sitting at home and hero doesn't even really talk about what happened.

And at the end, it was very sudden and unexplained and a let down with [spoilers removed] I thought we were building up to this big confrontation or fight scene with him. That was the big climax I was waiting for! I thought he was going to outsmart them one more, big time, and they would have to figure out what to do and win! But nope, the momentum just splatted, and the main characters got a quick and easy out.

That being said, I was really glad the book didn't end "too happy" with everything coming out sunshine and rainbows for everyone.

It also seemed like this book needed some editing help. There are things that I think the book thought were explained, but I was just left confused. By the end, I still didn't understand all about who had done what and what their motivations were, though the main characters were saying they understood. There were also times in the book where someone seemed surprised to learn information, yet they had already learned it earlier in the book (or could have inferred it easily from what they knew). And the two main characters had some odd unfinished conversations and lapses in their communication, considering that they seemed to be portrayed as good communicators. Plus a few grammar/spelling things needed editing.

I did like how Christian faith was portrayed in this book, I thought it was interesting and realistic, without being preachy. I also thought the book did a good job making the villains seem realistic and scary or bad enough to propel the story. And I liked the two main characters pretty well (though I would have liked to "know" them better/more).

I think overall I just wanted "more" from this book. Some of the characters and plot threads felt like they just didn't go anywhere or pay off. I thought this book must be just be leaving things hanging on purpose to try to set up a sequel, but it seems the next book focuses on a different character. I don't know, there was some good stuff here, but I just wanted more - more excitement, more depth in the relationship and characters, more making sense, more payoff.]]> 3.56 2023 A Convenient Sacrifice (Butterton Brides Series)
author: Ann Elizabeth Fryer
name: Bt
average rating: 3.56
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/01/02
date added: 2024/10/29
shelves:
review:
I really liked the atmosphere of this book - had that gothic feel especially at the beginning with the shadowy corridors and freezing winds and shapes in the night. That was the best part to me, the atmosphere, including the somewhat cozy feeling within the larger unknown.

One of the main problems of this book to me was that it didn't have much of a climax. Things build up decently well... and then fall flat, it just kind of ends suddenly. A lot of the most exciting stuff happens off the page. For instance, [spoilers removed] but we follow heroine who is sitting at home and hero doesn't even really talk about what happened.

And at the end, it was very sudden and unexplained and a let down with [spoilers removed] I thought we were building up to this big confrontation or fight scene with him. That was the big climax I was waiting for! I thought he was going to outsmart them one more, big time, and they would have to figure out what to do and win! But nope, the momentum just splatted, and the main characters got a quick and easy out.

That being said, I was really glad the book didn't end "too happy" with everything coming out sunshine and rainbows for everyone.

It also seemed like this book needed some editing help. There are things that I think the book thought were explained, but I was just left confused. By the end, I still didn't understand all about who had done what and what their motivations were, though the main characters were saying they understood. There were also times in the book where someone seemed surprised to learn information, yet they had already learned it earlier in the book (or could have inferred it easily from what they knew). And the two main characters had some odd unfinished conversations and lapses in their communication, considering that they seemed to be portrayed as good communicators. Plus a few grammar/spelling things needed editing.

I did like how Christian faith was portrayed in this book, I thought it was interesting and realistic, without being preachy. I also thought the book did a good job making the villains seem realistic and scary or bad enough to propel the story. And I liked the two main characters pretty well (though I would have liked to "know" them better/more).

I think overall I just wanted "more" from this book. Some of the characters and plot threads felt like they just didn't go anywhere or pay off. I thought this book must be just be leaving things hanging on purpose to try to set up a sequel, but it seems the next book focuses on a different character. I don't know, there was some good stuff here, but I just wanted more - more excitement, more depth in the relationship and characters, more making sense, more payoff.
]]> <![CDATA[A Convenient Sacrifice (Butterton Brides Series Book 1)]]> 183059804
Did waves of evil carry her to the altar--or is there something else entirely at work?

As she begins to love the tall, mysterious baron that is now her husband, news of her family surfaces from the wreckage, leaving both lies and truth at stake. Will she decide to trust her husband? Or is he part of the evil that brought about her family's demise?

From the delightful village of Butterton to Cornwall's unforgiving coast, Elaina finds life and love.]]> 199 Ann Elizabeth Fryer Bt 3
One of the main problems of this book to me was that it didn't have much of a climax. Things build up decently well... and then fall flat, it just kind of ends suddenly. A lot of the most exciting stuff happens off the page. For instance, [spoilers removed] but we follow heroine who is sitting at home and hero doesn't even really talk about what happened.

And at the end, it was very sudden and unexplained and a let down with [spoilers removed] I thought we were building up to this big confrontation or fight scene with him. That was the big climax I was waiting for! I thought he was going to outsmart them one more, big time, and they would have to figure out what to do and win! But nope, the momentum just splatted, and the main characters got a quick and easy out.

That being said, I was really glad the book didn't end "too happy" with everything coming out sunshine and rainbows for everyone.

It also seemed like this book needed some editing help. There are things that I think the book thought were explained, but I was just left confused. By the end, I still didn't understand all about who had done what and what their motivations were, though the main characters were saying they understood. There were also times in the book where someone seemed surprised to learn information, yet they had already learned it earlier in the book (or could have inferred it easily from what they knew). And the two main characters had some odd unfinished conversations and lapses in their communication, considering that they seemed to be portrayed as good communicators. Plus a few grammar/spelling things needed editing.

I did like how Christian faith was portrayed in this book, I thought it was interesting and realistic, without being preachy. I also thought the book did a good job making the villains seem realistic and scary or bad enough to propel the story. And I liked the two main characters pretty well (though I would have liked to "know" them better/more).

I think overall I just wanted "more" from this book. Some of the characters and plot threads felt like they just didn't go anywhere or pay off. I thought this book must be just be leaving things hanging on purpose to try to set up a sequel, but it seems the next book focuses on a different character. I don't know, there was some good stuff here, but I just wanted more - more excitement, more depth in the relationship and characters, more making sense, more payoff.]]> 4.09 2023 A Convenient Sacrifice (Butterton Brides Series Book 1)
author: Ann Elizabeth Fryer
name: Bt
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2024/10/29
shelves:
review:
I really liked the atmosphere of this book - had that gothic feel especially at the beginning with the shadowy corridors and freezing winds and shapes in the night. That was the best part to me, the atmosphere, including the somewhat cozy feeling within the larger unknown.

One of the main problems of this book to me was that it didn't have much of a climax. Things build up decently well... and then fall flat, it just kind of ends suddenly. A lot of the most exciting stuff happens off the page. For instance, [spoilers removed] but we follow heroine who is sitting at home and hero doesn't even really talk about what happened.

And at the end, it was very sudden and unexplained and a let down with [spoilers removed] I thought we were building up to this big confrontation or fight scene with him. That was the big climax I was waiting for! I thought he was going to outsmart them one more, big time, and they would have to figure out what to do and win! But nope, the momentum just splatted, and the main characters got a quick and easy out.

That being said, I was really glad the book didn't end "too happy" with everything coming out sunshine and rainbows for everyone.

It also seemed like this book needed some editing help. There are things that I think the book thought were explained, but I was just left confused. By the end, I still didn't understand all about who had done what and what their motivations were, though the main characters were saying they understood. There were also times in the book where someone seemed surprised to learn information, yet they had already learned it earlier in the book (or could have inferred it easily from what they knew). And the two main characters had some odd unfinished conversations and lapses in their communication, considering that they seemed to be portrayed as good communicators. Plus a few grammar/spelling things needed editing.

I did like how Christian faith was portrayed in this book, I thought it was interesting and realistic, without being preachy. I also thought the book did a good job making the villains seem realistic and scary or bad enough to propel the story. And I liked the two main characters pretty well (though I would have liked to "know" them better/more).

I think overall I just wanted "more" from this book. Some of the characters and plot threads felt like they just didn't go anywhere or pay off. I thought this book must be just be leaving things hanging on purpose to try to set up a sequel, but it seems the next book focuses on a different character. I don't know, there was some good stuff here, but I just wanted more - more excitement, more depth in the relationship and characters, more making sense, more payoff.
]]> The Marsh King's Daughter 500290 408 Elizabeth Chadwick 0751524107 Bt 0 to-read 3.97 1999 The Marsh King's Daughter
author: Elizabeth Chadwick
name: Bt
average rating: 3.97
book published: 1999
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Frost Fair 40627006
When a gentleman is found dead on a fishmonger’s doorstep in Regency London, a rugged Bow Street Runner has to pair with the man’s elegant noble nephew to solve the crime. They both find unexpected help—and infatuation—with the fishmonger’s very unusual young widow.

Individually, each has a reason for getting to the bottom of the mystery. And, as a trio, they find they are uniquely effective detectives with the ability to accomplish something few others solve a crime by scouring London, from its glorious heights of luxury to its rankest depths of depravity.]]> 289 Edith Layton 1949135101 Bt 0 to-read 4.62 Frost Fair
author: Edith Layton
name: Bt
average rating: 4.62
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Lady Elizabeth's Comet 12912863 246 Sheila Simonson 1601740468 Bt 1 couldnt-finish
I read, like, the first 30% of this book and then started skimming. I was really interested at first, but I gradually realized that nothing was ever going to happen. I skimmed until the end, and I was right: it was very boring and nothing surprising or interesting happened. Too bad.]]> 4.23 1985 Lady Elizabeth's Comet
author: Sheila Simonson
name: Bt
average rating: 4.23
book published: 1985
rating: 1
read at:
date added: 2024/09/20
shelves: couldnt-finish
review:
Nothing happened in this book. It was so boring. There was nothing dangerous and hardly any conflict. The biggest threat seemed to be getting annoyed by somewhat flaky relatives. I didn't really like any of the characters. Some of them were fine, but they didn't make me love them. The guy was super boring. Also, all of the men in this book used the exact same type and style of witty banter. There was little difference between their voices.

I read, like, the first 30% of this book and then started skimming. I was really interested at first, but I gradually realized that nothing was ever going to happen. I skimmed until the end, and I was right: it was very boring and nothing surprising or interesting happened. Too bad.
]]> <![CDATA[Around the World in Eighty Days]]> 13003651
To go around the world in eighty days, some might say, is impossible. But that's exactly what Phileas Fogg sets out to do. With a wager of L20,000 riding on his success, Phileas travels by train, steamship and even elephant - but will he make it back to London in time to collect his winnings?

This timeless classic will thrill readers old and new.]]> 288 Jules Verne 0192758209 Bt 3 victorian-novels 4.00 1872 Around the World in Eighty Days
author: Jules Verne
name: Bt
average rating: 4.00
book published: 1872
rating: 3
read at: 2013/08/01
date added: 2024/08/31
shelves: victorian-novels
review:

]]> <![CDATA[To Shatter a Slipper (The Shattered Tales)]]> 138604207
Kirsi Allerednic was never one to enjoy balls, corsets, or fake smiles. She would much rather chat with the charming servant, Caden, than catch the eye of a prince who is already far more interested in a girl with glass slippers. However, her father insists Kirsi takes every opportunity to elevate her status, even when that opportunity comes in the form of a conveniently sized shoe.

When Kirsi discovers she fits the slipper of the prince’s proclaimed love, her father doesn’t hesitate to take advantage of the mistake. Kirsi could always confess that she never met the prince, but her father has threatened to destroy Caden’s life if she dares speak the truth. To protect the ones she loves, Kirsi must steal the life of a nameless girl. It shouldn’t be too difficult to mirror a girl the prince barely knows... unless a mysterious godmother has something to say about it.

Will Kirsi be able to escape what her sole has bound her to? Or will she be forced to steal another’s happily ever after?

To Shatter A Slipper is a retelling of Cinderella. It is one of twelve novellas in The Shattered Tales, a collection of twelve fractured retellings of your favorite fairy tales. They can be enjoyed in any order, so fall in love with the swoony sweet romance, magical adventures, and tale-shattering twists one happily-ever-after at a time!]]> 184 Abigail Manning Bt 1
My favorite one of this Shattered Tales series has definitely been the Sleeping Beauty one which has a more unique/unusual setup.]]> 4.24 To Shatter a Slipper (The Shattered Tales)
author: Abigail Manning
name: Bt
average rating: 4.24
book published:
rating: 1
read at: 2024/08/25
date added: 2024/08/25
shelves:
review:
I dunno, the beginning was interesting but then it just got boring. It was predictable, main girl was making dumb decisions and/or not using her brain to try to think of smart ways out of her situation (she was pretty helpless and just let herself be pushed around for most of the story), and main guy didn't have much personality. I did a lot of skimming in the second half of this and everything went how I expected.

My favorite one of this Shattered Tales series has definitely been the Sleeping Beauty one which has a more unique/unusual setup.
]]> <![CDATA[To Rival a Reflection: A Snow White Retelling (The Shattered Tales, #10)]]> 142297180
As the daughter of the king’s ambassador to Appledale and the prettiest girl in Jardonia, Snow White has always believed herself worthy of a prestigious destiny. When an Enchantress appears to Snow White through a mirror and offers her enchanted gifts and the promise of queendom, she is eager to accept the honor of being the Fairest One of All. There is just one catch: should someone fairer come along, she must forfeit her position as Fairest One—and lose the chance to marry a prince and become queen.

When her reflection begins to fade until it disappears altogether and shows up at her door as the new Fairest One, Snow White begins to see the curse beneath the Enchantress’s empty promises. With her own reflection vying for a place on the throne, Snow White must fight to protect Jardonia from this wicked rival and to keep the love of the prince who has captured her heart.

Will Snow White be able to overcome the curse of the magic mirror? Or will she forever suffer from the bitter poison of her own conceit?

To Rival a Reflection is a retelling of Snow White with inspiration from The Shadow. It is one of twelve novellas in The Shattered Tales, a collection of twelve fractured retellings of your favorite fairy tales. They can be enjoyed in any order, so fall in love with the swoony sweet romance, magical adventures, and tale-shattering twists one happily-ever-after at a time!]]> 226 Selina De Luca Bt 0 to-read 4.02 To Rival a Reflection: A Snow White Retelling (The Shattered Tales, #10)
author: Selina De Luca
name: Bt
average rating: 4.02
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[To Curse a Black Swan: A Swan Lake Retelling (The Shattered Tales, #8)]]> 140215813 What if the black swan was in love with the prince?

Ayane has never admitted her love for her best friend, Prince Bo, until Lady Cordelia moves into town. When Ayane starts working as Cordelia’s maid, Cordelia seems like the sister Ayane never had. But after all Ayane’s secrets are shared, Cordelia turns on her, weaving lies and twisting the truth about Ayane to the rest of the kingdom.

Now shunned and rejected, Ayane is sick of Cordelia’s cruel treatment. As a royal ball arises–one in which Prince Bo must choose a bride–Ayane discovers one of Cordelia’s secrets, one that could turn the tables in Ayane’s favor. Ayane has never been the unkind one, but the sweet taste of revenge is too tempting to resist.

When Ayane’s revenge goes awry, she must make a choice or others will suffer the consequences. Can Ayane make things right before it’s too late?

“To Curse a Black Swan� is part of The Shattered Tales, a collection of twelve fractured retellings of your favorite fairy tales. They can be enjoyed in any order, so fall in love with the sweet romance, magical adventures, and tale-shattering twists one happily-ever-after at a time]]> 164 Leialoha Humpherys 1959157035 Bt 0 to-read 4.23 To Curse a Black Swan: A Swan Lake Retelling (The Shattered Tales, #8)
author: Leialoha Humpherys
name: Bt
average rating: 4.23
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[To Capture a Beauty: A Snow Queen Retelling (The Shattered Tales, #12)]]> 144716938 208 Kimberly Pearl Bt 0 to-read 4.37 To Capture a Beauty: A Snow Queen Retelling (The Shattered Tales, #12)
author: Kimberly Pearl
name: Bt
average rating: 4.37
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[To Defy a Dream: A Sleeping Beauty Retelling (The Shattered Tales, #4)]]> 139109528
Princess Aurelia’s kingdom is plagued by the Eternal Slumber, a disease progressively ensnaring the minds of her subjects. After Aurelia wishes for the means to revive her brother, her sinister fairy godmother presents an ominous Aurelia must stab herself with a poisoned spindle.

Accepting this fate plunges Aurelia into a nightmare where victims of the Eternal Slumber are being held hostage by a dark djinni. However, Aurelia’s brother isn’t the only familiar face she finds herself reunited with; Everett, the love of her life who mysteriously disappeared years ago, is there as well. As the djinni’s power grows, Aurelia must decide who to save before the djinni escapes and enters the waking world.

Failing on her quest could trap her in the dream world forever. Will she forgo her chance at a happily ever after and protect her brother, or will she choose to rescue herself and the man she loves?

No matter who she chooses, someone will be doomed to remain in the nightmare that never ends.

To Defy a Dream is a retelling of Sleeping Beauty. It is one of twelve novellas in The Shattered Tales, a collection of twelve fractured retellings of your favorite fairy tales. They can be enjoyed in any order, so fall in love with the swoony sweet romance, magical adventures, and tale-shattering twists one happily-ever-after at a time!]]> 166 Mary Mecham Bt 4 4.31 To Defy a Dream: A Sleeping Beauty Retelling (The Shattered Tales, #4)
author: Mary Mecham
name: Bt
average rating: 4.31
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/24
date added: 2024/08/24
shelves:
review:

]]> Followed by Frost 24524971 256 Charlie N. Holmberg 150391321X Bt 0 to-read 4.29 2015 Followed by Frost
author: Charlie N. Holmberg
name: Bt
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Midsummer Night (A Timeless Romance Anthology, #23)]]> 44909543
Featuring Wall Street Journal bestselling author Charlie N. Holmberg, with Julie Wright, Annette Lyon, Jane Redd, Amber Argyle, and Luisa Perkins.

ILLUSIONS OF LOVE by Charlie N. Holmberg:
Aster has worked as the great magician Celtin's assistant for two years and has been in love with him nearly as long. After hearing he'll be looking for a wife at the house ball, Aster disguises herself as a high-class woman so she can woo him away from other bachelorettes. But not everything goes according to plan...

DANCING WITH THE MOON by Julie Wright:
A girl may love a ghost, but where would they live? When a ghost who insists he isn't dead shows up in Grace's shed, he begs for her help. If they cannot reunite his spirit and body before the full moon rises, Arell will die in actuality and so will the royal family. The race against the moon becomes more frantic when Grace realizes she loves him and will die alongside him if she loses him. But can a ghost with no heart return her love?

THE TRUEST TREASURE by Annette Lyon:
(summary coming soon)

THE ISLE OF ROSE by Jane Redd:
Cornelia's greatest secret is that she can read minds. When her sister elopes with another man, Cornelia must stand in her sister's stead to marry Lord Moss, a man with the same gift, who has the power to expose her.

FIRE AND FOUNTAIN by Luisa Perkins:
Historian Lucie Tremblay loves studying Québec’s past, but when she accidentally travels back in time through a magical St. John’s Eve bonfire, she finds that life in 17th-century New France is far more complicated than it seems in books. As colonist Nicolas Beaubien tries to help her find a way back to 2019, Lucie finds herself falling for him—and must choose between her old life and new love.

LADY OF SHADOWS by Amber Argyle:
Every year, girls go missing in the night—taken by the beast of the Forbidden Forest. A beast that has haunted the town of Hamel for centuries. A beast that is now coming for Caelia.

Midsummer Night is a Timeless Romance Anthology® book

More TIMELESS ROMANCE ANTHOLOGIES:
#1: Winter Collection
#2: Spring Vacation Collection
#3: Summer Wedding Collection
#4: Autumn Collection
#5: European Collection
#6: Love Letter Collection
#7: Old West Collection
#8: Summer in New York Collection

Timeless Romance Anthology® is a registered trademark of Mirror Press, LLC]]> 349 Charlie N. Holmberg Bt 0 It was sweet. I liked the world / magic building that was in the short story. Liked the characters. And I always like the magician's assistant type of setup. I wish the last chapter was in story form rather than letter form (I don't particularly like it when stories randomly make their last chapter a letter... I wonder how that got started? some book must have done it first)

Isle of Rose -
Too far fetched. I gave up.
He's a mind reader who can only read women's minds and at one point he says it never occurred to him that a woman might be the one trying to assassinate him so he never bothered reading women's minds to find out... what?!?! even if it is a man, likely a woman or two will have some info! For it never to occur to him? So dumb!
Also he didn't immediately hear the mom's thoughts of hoping he didn't recognize it's the wrong daughter marrying him? (she'd be thinking that of course) Later he decides the family may be trying to kill him, so why doesn't he just read the mom's thoughts to see if it's a trap? And who in their right mind, after seeing an unknown wrong bride arrive on their wedding day, decides to marry this random person anyway "to keep enemies closer"
People were just not behaving logically or with brains.

Lady of Shadows-
Ehh the way the warrior hero dude appeared in the forest to save her just in time was tropey, I stopped at that point. ]]> 3.80 2019 Midsummer Night (A Timeless Romance Anthology, #23)
author: Charlie N. Holmberg
name: Bt
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/17
shelves:
review:
Illusions of Love -
It was sweet. I liked the world / magic building that was in the short story. Liked the characters. And I always like the magician's assistant type of setup. I wish the last chapter was in story form rather than letter form (I don't particularly like it when stories randomly make their last chapter a letter... I wonder how that got started? some book must have done it first)

Isle of Rose -
Too far fetched. I gave up.
He's a mind reader who can only read women's minds and at one point he says it never occurred to him that a woman might be the one trying to assassinate him so he never bothered reading women's minds to find out... what?!?! even if it is a man, likely a woman or two will have some info! For it never to occur to him? So dumb!
Also he didn't immediately hear the mom's thoughts of hoping he didn't recognize it's the wrong daughter marrying him? (she'd be thinking that of course) Later he decides the family may be trying to kill him, so why doesn't he just read the mom's thoughts to see if it's a trap? And who in their right mind, after seeing an unknown wrong bride arrive on their wedding day, decides to marry this random person anyway "to keep enemies closer"
People were just not behaving logically or with brains.

Lady of Shadows-
Ehh the way the warrior hero dude appeared in the forest to save her just in time was tropey, I stopped at that point.
]]> <![CDATA[Betraying Korth: A Villainous Goose Girl Retelling (Legends of Neverland #3)]]> 202220782 Traitorous spies don’t deserve happily ever afters. Dahlia has always known her life would end at the bottom of a hangman’s noose. But treason seemed a small price to pay if it meant a chance to free her people from the iron grip of their oppressive sultan. Dahlia can’t fail the rebellion now. Dahlia’s time playing the role of obedient handmaiden to Odette, the sultan’s entitled daughter, comes to an end when Odette is sent to marry her betrothed and Dahlia strikes without mercy. After a swift mutiny en route to Haven Harbor, she forces the sultan’s daughter to trade places and upon arrival, masquerades in her mistress’s place. If she can ensure Haven Harbor’s loyalty to her rebellion, the sultan’s tyrannical reign could end. But the princess’s fiancé, Korth, isn’t the man she expected, and her original plan of using and disposing of the prince becomes ever more sickening as she begins to fall for him. Continuing the façade will force Dahlia to betray Korth, but to reveal the truth spells her own treasonous demise.Is a life of lies better than no life at all? Betraying Korth is the third book in the Legends of Neverland series but can also be read as a stand-alone novel.]]> 294 Mary Mecham Bt 0 to-read 4.60 Betraying Korth: A Villainous Goose Girl Retelling (Legends of Neverland #3)
author: Mary Mecham
name: Bt
average rating: 4.60
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/13
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Hunting Sirens: A Gender-Flipped Little Mermaid (Legends of Neverland, #2)]]> 134805535
Trapped on an island nation and surrounded by bloodthirsty sirens, the starving people of Haven Harbor are losing hope. Treva, a Deaf blacksmith immune to the tempting call of the sirens lurking in the deep, steps into the perilous role of Siren Hunter. If she can rid the waters of enough sirens, her people could be free at last.

Unbeknownst to her, another creature dwells in the sea, even more ferocious than the dreaded sirens. When Treva faces the monster and loses, her life is saved by a handsome siren who has no voice. Can mortal enemies set their differences aside long enough to unite their nations? Or will Treva ignore her growing feelings and finish what she started?

Treva is certain of one thing—that the famed Siren Hunter of Haven Harbor would never fall for one of her prey.

Hunting Sirens is the second book in the Legends of Neverland series but can also be read as a stand-alone novel.]]> 316 Mary Mecham Bt 4
I didn't like how toward the end she was willing to most likely get many humans killed by arming the mermaids, just so she could get her boyfriend (I was glad it backfired on her since it was a bad plan). It went against what Bayne said he liked about her (that she put her people first). I thought she was going to go after the kraken since that was the other option they gave her. I'm not sure what stopped Bayne from being honest with her before he got captured. He said he was going to stop lying and tell her something and then just didn't, even though it seemed like a good time.

To me the second half was kind of repetitive. Like we have a lot of pages of Teva going in circles about her feelings. I don't mind some of that but it just kept going. Teva and Bayne kept having similar conversations over again too.

Also to me, in some ways she forgave Bayne too easily. I wanted to know when he was lying vs being his true self. Because like I said, the deserted island was a favorite part, but was he "acting" almost the whole time? Also why did he never tell the truth once he loved her... he must have known it would come out since all the sirens can communicate with her and some other humans? I wanted to see Bayne work harder to win her back or do something that really proved to Teva that he wasn't still lying... rather than Teva just basically finding herself attracted no matter how much he betrayed her.

Also I understand why Captain Hook's ship is in the story because of the previous book, but all of them pirates etc felt extraneous to me and I would have preferred the story without them. All they really did was distract from the main storyline and perform a couple just-in-time rescues where I would have rather seen the main characters find a way out themselves.

Oh and another favorite part of the book was seeing Teva's role as a Deaf person in her community and how that played out and how it affected her. It was something unique in this book that I thought was really cool. ]]> 4.42 Hunting Sirens: A Gender-Flipped Little Mermaid (Legends of Neverland, #2)
author: Mary Mecham
name: Bt
average rating: 4.42
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/13
date added: 2024/08/13
shelves:
review:
Liked the first half better than the second half. Like when they were at the desert island, figuring out how to survive and getting to know each other and throwing coconuts, that was really nice. The beginning, with getting to know the main characters, and that part were my favorite.

I didn't like how toward the end she was willing to most likely get many humans killed by arming the mermaids, just so she could get her boyfriend (I was glad it backfired on her since it was a bad plan). It went against what Bayne said he liked about her (that she put her people first). I thought she was going to go after the kraken since that was the other option they gave her. I'm not sure what stopped Bayne from being honest with her before he got captured. He said he was going to stop lying and tell her something and then just didn't, even though it seemed like a good time.

To me the second half was kind of repetitive. Like we have a lot of pages of Teva going in circles about her feelings. I don't mind some of that but it just kept going. Teva and Bayne kept having similar conversations over again too.

Also to me, in some ways she forgave Bayne too easily. I wanted to know when he was lying vs being his true self. Because like I said, the deserted island was a favorite part, but was he "acting" almost the whole time? Also why did he never tell the truth once he loved her... he must have known it would come out since all the sirens can communicate with her and some other humans? I wanted to see Bayne work harder to win her back or do something that really proved to Teva that he wasn't still lying... rather than Teva just basically finding herself attracted no matter how much he betrayed her.

Also I understand why Captain Hook's ship is in the story because of the previous book, but all of them pirates etc felt extraneous to me and I would have preferred the story without them. All they really did was distract from the main storyline and perform a couple just-in-time rescues where I would have rather seen the main characters find a way out themselves.

Oh and another favorite part of the book was seeing Teva's role as a Deaf person in her community and how that played out and how it affected her. It was something unique in this book that I thought was really cool.
]]> <![CDATA[Labyrinth of Lies and Sacrifice]]> 204930146
In this place, madness reigns. The monsters—both real and imagined—are all ruled by a terrible force that feeds on fear. Vera must keep her wits about her as she navigates this deadly place, searching for a way out.

When she meets another mortal trapped within, she doesn’t know if she can trust him. But as their paths continue to cross, it seems as if the maze is forcing them to work together. Can they help each other defeat the monsters and survive in this nightmare world? But in the Labyrinth, nothing is as it seems.]]> 266 C.F.E. Black 1962066088 Bt 0 to-read 4.23 Labyrinth of Lies and Sacrifice
author: C.F.E. Black
name: Bt
average rating: 4.23
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Ugly: The Stepsister's Story 63095420
No one ever remembers that it wasn't just Cinderella's father who died. Mine did too. No one asks why I am considered ugly or remembers that I fell in love with Prince Curtis years before that fateful night at the ball. No one wonders what my family was doing while Cinderella was cleaning. But I am here to tell you. I am the ugly stepsister, and this is my story.]]> 316 Mary Mecham Bt 0 to-read 4.39 Ugly: The Stepsister's Story
author: Mary Mecham
name: Bt
average rating: 4.39
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/12
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Assassin of Fire and Sacrifice]]> 204623723 To assassinate her target, she must marry her enemy.

Azora has dedicated her life to exacting revenge on the phoenix shifters who murdered her parents. When Prince Tarquin of Pyren demands a bride as part of a peace treaty, the elite strike squad of assassins Azora belongs to agree—she’s the perfect candidate to eliminate the monstrous shifter.

The traces of Pyrenese blood flowing in her veins grant her immunity to fire and will allow her to slay Tarquin, for a phoenix can only be destroyed by one descended from Pyren. The safety of all Termarth is dependant on Azora to maintain her cover; her true identity must never be discovered.

With the tantalizing offer of peace on the altar, Azora weds Tarquin, knowing that as soon as the peace treaty is broken, either bride or groom will be the first casualty. But just as Azora begins to uncover the man behind the monster, skirmishes erupt throughout the land. When the time arrives to finally eliminate the threat to Termarth, Azora’s loyalties are torn.

She intended to gamble her life away, not her heart.


Assassin of Fire and Sacrifice is book 5 in the Sacrificed Hearts multi-author series, a collection of stand-alone fantasy romances inspired by monsters of legend and packed with strong heroines, swoony heroes, and sacrificial themes.]]> 248 Mary Mecham Bt 4 4.34 Assassin of Fire and Sacrifice
author: Mary Mecham
name: Bt
average rating: 4.34
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/12
date added: 2024/08/12
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Millennium Approaches (Angels in America, #1)]]> 92250
The play is a complex, often metaphorical, and at times symbolic examination of AIDS and homosexuality in America in the 1980s. Certain major and minor characters are supernatural beings (angels) or deceased persons (ghosts). The play contains multiple roles for several of the actors. Initially and primarily focusing on a gay couple in Manhattan, the play also has several other storylines, some of which occasionally intersect.]]> 119 Tony Kushner 1559360615 Bt 1 plays-i-read, plays-all 4.27 1993 Millennium Approaches (Angels in America, #1)
author: Tony Kushner
name: Bt
average rating: 4.27
book published: 1993
rating: 1
read at: 2014/01/30
date added: 2024/08/06
shelves: plays-i-read, plays-all
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Dìlseachd - A Stolen Crown (Princess of the Highlands, #1)]]> 60029172
Six years since the Danes invaded Scotland, slaying her finest men.

Five since the Highland King married one of the enemy, betraying his countrymen and losing the Lowlanders� support.

Three since the king died and the Danes imprisoned the remaining blood heir to the throne.

Her crown stolen, her country desolated, Fiona McCurragh now faces the looming threat of execution.

The Lowlanders, weary of enemy rule, seek to free their stolen homeland. With the aid of a blind harper, they attempt to rescue their Highland princess when the Danes ride in on Lowlander territory, shattering the fragile peace. The Scots are left with no choice except to launch a war in the face of the coming winter. If they do not attack now, the Scots—and their princess—may not live to see the spring.

In the face of despair, Fiona McCurragh finds courage in friendship with two chief’s sons. Yet conflict lies on more than one side, and for some of the Scots and their allies, loyalty no longer has any meaning.]]> 306 Cheyenne van Langevelde 173675873X Bt 0 to-read 4.54 2022 Dìlseachd - A Stolen Crown (Princess of the Highlands, #1)
author: Cheyenne van Langevelde
name: Bt
average rating: 4.54
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Illuminare 57317627 A knight, an immortal, and an actor walk into a palace—the immortal doesn't walk out.

The City of Bones has a mother in Death.

And no one believes this more than Sir Desmond Edenry. For four years he has fought the imperial city's wars. And now with the passing of an estranged uncle, Desmond finds himself inheriting enough gold to dam the sea. But once in the imperial city itself to collect this new fortune, Desmond is thrown into a game of cat and mouse. A relic of his homeland has gone missing, and duty demands he get it back.

Crowns are cages.

Laudilas de Glas is trapped by his family's royal ambitions. He is an actor who wants nothing more than to return to the stage with its scripted lines and loud applause. But when the diary of a long-forgotten queen is stolen right out from underneath its keeper's nose, Laudilas is ordered to retrieve it. But something's wrong. This is no ordinary theft. Laudilas has been the puppet of greater men for long enough to know when the strings are being pulled by someone who has planned their game too well—or for too long.

With immortality comes curiosity.

But what Kennet Zur wants is revenge. One thousand years ago, the imperial city made him bleed, and now he wants to break the blade that cut him forever. But he can't do it alone. So, as the hourglass sands slide into the Night of the Red Lady, Mother Death, he sets his pawns loose. Two men. One stolen book to find. Ten centuries worth of waiting.

Riyria meets Medici in this epic fantasy/dark comedy mashup where a heist gone wrong on the night of an imperial city's most macabre holiday will forever change three impossibly different lives.]]> 192 Bryn Shutt Bt 0 to-read 4.20 2022 Illuminare
author: Bryn Shutt
name: Bt
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Miss Louisa's Final Waltz (Merry Spinsters, Charming Rogues, #4)]]> 200188118 When a proud beauty weds a humble costermonger, their worlds collide with challenges and secrets that only love can conquer.Miss Louisa Highworth is celebrated not just for her stunning beauty, but also for her unwavering pride. Suitors from near and far seek her hand, only to be dismissed with a haughty demeanour that leaves them humiliated. Yet, it is the hundred-and-first suitor who would change the course of her life forever. After a heated confrontation with her exasperated father, Louisa, in a fit of anger, declares that she will marry the first man she encounters�....who happens to be a modest costermonger from the streets...This is a sweet and enchanting Regency Romance, loosely inspired by the timeless fairy tale King Thrushbeard.Escape into the world of Sofi Laporte’s Regency ton, where spinsters are merry, rakes are charming, and no one is who they seem.Other books in the Merry Spinsters, Charming Rogues Ludmilla’s Accidental LetterMiss Ava’s Scandalous SecretLady Avery and the False Butler]]> 300 Sofi Laporte Bt 3 king-thrushbeard, regency
I liked the first part where they were working by their hands in the village together the best. I wish the story had stuck with that a lot longer. Once they moved into the big house and Robert had all the soldiers at his beck and command, the story was less interesting and lost tension and momentum. By the last pages, I was actually getting a bit bored.

And I didn't really like the climax of Robert clearing his name. "Will"s thievery just hadn't been made a big deal of throughout the story... We follow the character of Louisa, and she doesn't think about the potential theft until halfway through the story, and when she does, she doesn't seem concerned about it (she isn't feeling betrayed or suspicious of him or whatever, it doesn't seem to tarnish her love of him). So I assumed he was either innocent or had a good reason, and he was pretty young anyway. So therefore, making resolving this be the big climax just didn't seem warranted. I wanted something more exciting than pretty much friendly people just chatting about the past in a room, too... there was no danger in that except George sneering at him.

Also I thought it was more interesting when he wasn't Will and she had to move on (I wondered if he would turn out to be George?). I just think some more curveball would have more interesting, since him being Will was the most obvious answer. Laporte did do well with a bit of misdirection, but I wanted the real answer to be more interesting or unusual.]]> 4.13 Miss Louisa's Final Waltz (Merry Spinsters, Charming Rogues, #4)
author: Sofi Laporte
name: Bt
average rating: 4.13
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/07/16
date added: 2024/07/16
shelves: king-thrushbeard, regency
review:
Was excited to see another Sofi Laporte book out, I always enjoy her books! I did enjoy this one, but I liked the first half better than the second. King Grislybeard may be my favorite less-popular Grimm's Fairy Tale so when I quickly saw that was the story here, I was excited to see what Laporte would do with it.

I liked the first part where they were working by their hands in the village together the best. I wish the story had stuck with that a lot longer. Once they moved into the big house and Robert had all the soldiers at his beck and command, the story was less interesting and lost tension and momentum. By the last pages, I was actually getting a bit bored.

And I didn't really like the climax of Robert clearing his name. "Will"s thievery just hadn't been made a big deal of throughout the story... We follow the character of Louisa, and she doesn't think about the potential theft until halfway through the story, and when she does, she doesn't seem concerned about it (she isn't feeling betrayed or suspicious of him or whatever, it doesn't seem to tarnish her love of him). So I assumed he was either innocent or had a good reason, and he was pretty young anyway. So therefore, making resolving this be the big climax just didn't seem warranted. I wanted something more exciting than pretty much friendly people just chatting about the past in a room, too... there was no danger in that except George sneering at him.

Also I thought it was more interesting when he wasn't Will and she had to move on (I wondered if he would turn out to be George?). I just think some more curveball would have more interesting, since him being Will was the most obvious answer. Laporte did do well with a bit of misdirection, but I wanted the real answer to be more interesting or unusual.
]]> <![CDATA[The King's Captive (Gate of Myth and Power, #1)]]> 64401958
It’s a fun magic, except in a world filled with vampires and werewolves, it doesn’t exactly make me a powerhouse. Instead, the supernatural community has classified me as an outcast, which means one thing: Picking on me is open season all day, every day.

The local fae are the worst of all, and it’s during one of their regular “capture the cat-girl� sessions that I shift into my cat form and meet HIM for the first time.

Noctus is so powerful his magic radiates off him like a sun, and my fae captors can barely look in his general direction. And then my life gets even more terrifying when Noctus decides to take me with him. As a pet.

Why did he pick today to “adopt don’t shop� a cat?

It gets worse when I realize he’s an elf, a ruling race of supernaturals that was supposedly killed off centuries ago.

But he’s not just any elf, no. He’s an elven king, with heaps of secrets to protect. Secrets that I am quickly learning since he includes his new pet in everything from breaking into buildings to inspect classified paperwork to tracking down sketchy supernaturals.

All this means if he gets even a hint that I’m not a real cat, I’m going to find out firsthand how elves treat their prisoners.

So, escaping Noctus is priority #1. How hard can it be? (Answer: very.)

King’s Captive is the first book in the Gate of Myth and Power urban fantasy trilogy, and is part of the Magiford Supernatural City world. It features elves, fae, werewolves, and vampires, and contains an adventure-filled and hilarious take on the Hades and Persephone myth. It’s packed with humor, battles, and a sweet, slow burn romance between an outcast magic user and the deadly king of the elves.]]> 340 K.M. Shea Bt 0 to-read 4.29 2022 The King's Captive (Gate of Myth and Power, #1)
author: K.M. Shea
name: Bt
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/07
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Girl from the Papers 63063901 Inspired by one of America's most notorious couples, Bonnie and Clyde, Jennifer L. Wright delivers a riveting tale set during the public enemy era of the Great Depression.

Beatrice Carraway has dreams. Although she's aged out of the childhood pageant circuit, she's intent on carrying her talents all the way to the big screen--if only she can escape the poverty of West Dallas first. But as the Great Depression drags the working class further and further under, Beatrice struggles just to keep herself, her mother, and her younger sister afloat. After a string of failed auditions, she feels defeated.

And then in walks Jack Turner. Though Beatrice is determined to pull herself up by her bootstraps, Jack has decided on a different path out of the gutters. It isn't long before Beatrice is swept into an exciting and glamorous life of crime beside the man she loves. Keeping one step ahead of the law, she sees her dreams of fame come true when her name and picture are plastered in newspapers across the country. Yet as their infamy grows, the distance between them widens. While Jack begins seeking bigger payouts and publicity, Beatrice starts to long for a safe, quiet life and something deeper to fill the emptiness in her soul. But when the danger of Jack's schemes ratchets up, Beatrice fears her dreams--and her future--will end up going down in a hail of bullets.]]> 384 Jennifer L. Wright 1496477588 Bt 0 to-read 3.98 2023 The Girl from the Papers
author: Jennifer L. Wright
name: Bt
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Yumi and the Nightmare Painter]]> 60531416 #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson brings us a gripping story set in the Cosmere universe told by Hoid, where two people from incredibly different worlds must compromise and work together to save their worlds from ruin.

Yumi comes from a land of gardens, meditation, and spirits, while Painter lives in a world of darkness, technology, and nightmares. When their lives suddenly become intertwined in strange ways, can they put aside their differences and work together to uncover the mysteries of their situation and save each other’s communities from certain disaster?]]> 480 Brandon Sanderson 1938570375 Bt 0 to-read 4.45 2023 Yumi and the Nightmare Painter
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: Bt
average rating: 4.45
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Courting Scandal (Fairchild, #3)]]> 27403313

Laura Edwards took to the stage to support her brother’s medical career. Now he’s established he wants her to turn respectable, landing her in the country, hiding in plain sight from one of her biggest admirers. And her alter ego, celebrated actress Gemma Holyrood, would be having so much more fun�


Caught in the English countryside amidst Jasper’s dazzling and dizzyingly complicated family, it’s no place to let Laura’s secret come out.]]> 295 Jaima Fixsen Bt 3
I liked the first half of the book better than the second half. I skimmed over parts of the book I found boring - especially parts from the POV of relatives, which seemed to me to slow down the story and not add much. I thought the ending plot was too far-fetched and would like the story to have been more concise.

But overall I did think the theater setup and the main characters and the trajectory of the story was interesting. I wish these same bones could be made into a better, more exciting story though (my preference would be more theater intrigue and a more interesting/mysterious/unpredictable villain).]]> 4.17 2015 Courting Scandal (Fairchild, #3)
author: Jaima Fixsen
name: Bt
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2024/07/05
date added: 2024/07/05
shelves:
review:
Read this because I was in the mood to read a historical with a theater setting, and this turned up in a search. I liked that it took seriously Laura's theater career and the issues with that in her society (some stories with similar settings gloss over that). I still would have liked to see even more depth and detail about all of that and about her life in the theater.

I liked the first half of the book better than the second half. I skimmed over parts of the book I found boring - especially parts from the POV of relatives, which seemed to me to slow down the story and not add much. I thought the ending plot was too far-fetched and would like the story to have been more concise.

But overall I did think the theater setup and the main characters and the trajectory of the story was interesting. I wish these same bones could be made into a better, more exciting story though (my preference would be more theater intrigue and a more interesting/mysterious/unpredictable villain).
]]> The Troupe 11737656
But sixteen-year-old pianist George Carole has joined vaudeville for one reason only: to find the man he suspects to be his father, the great Heironomo Silenus. Yet as he chases down his father's troupe, he begins to understand that their performances are strange even for vaudeville: for wherever they happen to tour, the very nature of the world seems to change.

Because there is a secret within Silenus's show so ancient and dangerous that it has won him many powerful enemies. And it's not until after he joins them that George realizes the troupe is not simply touring: they are running for their lives.

And soon...he is as well.]]> 500 Robert Jackson Bennett Bt 0 to-read 3.86 2012 The Troupe
author: Robert Jackson Bennett
name: Bt
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Sherwood Ring 420427 272 Elizabeth Marie Pope 0618150749 Bt 5 4.14 1958 The Sherwood Ring
author: Elizabeth Marie Pope
name: Bt
average rating: 4.14
book published: 1958
rating: 5
read at: 2024/07/05
date added: 2024/07/05
shelves:
review:
updating from 4 to 5 stars 7/5/24 because this book has stuck with me so much. I don't care about the frame story that much, but I love all the revolutionary war parts and remember those well (I think I've gone back and read just those parts a couple times before too).
]]> <![CDATA[Betting on the Best Friend's Brother]]> 128605433
My roommates say I’m a workaholic. But when my boss temporarily suspends my extra lab time, my best friend and bossiest roommate makes fixing my love life her summer project.

My love life is non-existent, but makeover schemes and blind dates with her weird library patrons are not the answer. When she takes drastic measures and calls in her brother, Joey—one of Austin’s hottest heartthrobs—to consult, it’s my worst nightmare.

I fell for Joey when I was fourteen, and no other guy has ever measured up.

I’ll do anything to keep Joey from finding out—including putting up with a bombshell transformation—if it hides my true feelings when he looks at me. He rejected me once, and it nearly broke me. I’ll never give him that chance again.

Opposites attract in this swoony romcom. A brilliant geneticist versus a hotshot trendsetter she's secretly loved more than half her life. Dive in for meddling roommates, quirky neighbors, Ahab the cursing parrot, found family, a sneaky matchmaker, and makeover shenanigans.

Betting on the Best Friend's Brother follows characters introduced in Book 1 of the Betting on Love series but is written as a standalone.]]> 276 Melanie Jacobson Bt 2 4.12 Betting on the Best Friend's Brother
author: Melanie Jacobson
name: Bt
average rating: 4.12
book published:
rating: 2
read at: 2024/06/07
date added: 2024/06/07
shelves:
review:
Eh. I didn't really like it. Read it because I liked book 3 in this series and decided to go back to book 2. But I'm not feeling the main couple and didn't like either of them that much. The guy was kind of annoying. They were fine and they did feel like real fleshed out people. But it seemed rushed, and I [spoilers removed]
]]> <![CDATA[Betting on the Brainiac (Betting on Love)]]> 175970133
But the sparks fly anyway when Madison Benedict offers Oliver Hayes a quiet space to work in the daylight hours of Austin's premiere nightclub where she makes major bank working bottle service for VIPs.

Oliver sees more to Madison than she ever shows the rest of the world, and as he begins to challenge her choices, she finds it harder and harder to hide...herself. Her ambitions. Her dreams.

And her feelings.

But Oliver isn't the only one who sees past the exterior everyone else takes for granted. Madison sees a man driven by secrets, and she's determined to uncover them.

Will their determination to see behind the other's mask send them each further into hiding? Or will their teasing and scorching kisses draw them deeper into a relationship each of them is sure they don't want?]]> 344 Melanie Jacobson Bt 4 4.23 Betting on the Brainiac (Betting on Love)
author: Melanie Jacobson
name: Bt
average rating: 4.23
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/05/25
date added: 2024/06/06
shelves:
review:

]]> My Fair Lacey 59252804
In "A Perfect Fit" Rallison Jojo Halifax believes that winning Echo Ridge's float competition is just what her fledgling art career needs. And if that means giving her ex-boyfriend, Anthony, a second chance so she can be a designer on his team, well, she's willing to make the sacrifice. But when a lost bet leads to a blind date with her brother's friend, Wyatt, she begins to have second thoughts about second chances. Wyatt is handsome and charming and just might have been paid to make her forget about Anthony. Is falling for his charm worth the risk or should she take Anthony back again?]]> Janette Rallison Bt 3
The first one, I liked where it was going, but then it ended abruptly and felt underdeveloped. We missed the whole part where the Henry Higgins character gets his own comeuppance. That guy was being helpful but I also thought he was being arrogant and stuffy to her. Like having her read all the classics she couldn't understand - I thought he needed to compromise with her more and learn that some "incorrect" or slang/modern English can be good in it's own way. I didn't realize the "A Perfect Fit" was going to be a separate story, so it seemed like there was so much book left, and then I was surprised Lacey's story just ended. It really felt underdeveloped.

Also, I didn't get Lacey's (original) speech patterns - the story said she was from East LA but that didn't seem like real East LA speech to me. I thought maybe she should have been from somewhere with a heavier accent - but also correcting someone's speech like that can get into classism and racism issues - which weren't addressed much in this story, and I think there could have been more of an interesting look at that.

The second story, I thought was sweeter and I enjoyed the main guy's style and teasing and the way he interacted with the family. The art guy felt real to me too, I have known people just like that. The second story was just nicer than the first one, in my opinion. I don't read many modern romance stories, but this one was sweet. ]]> 4.19 My Fair Lacey
author: Janette Rallison
name: Bt
average rating: 4.19
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/04/30
date added: 2024/05/01
shelves:
review:
I liked the second story (A Perfect Fit) better than the first one.

The first one, I liked where it was going, but then it ended abruptly and felt underdeveloped. We missed the whole part where the Henry Higgins character gets his own comeuppance. That guy was being helpful but I also thought he was being arrogant and stuffy to her. Like having her read all the classics she couldn't understand - I thought he needed to compromise with her more and learn that some "incorrect" or slang/modern English can be good in it's own way. I didn't realize the "A Perfect Fit" was going to be a separate story, so it seemed like there was so much book left, and then I was surprised Lacey's story just ended. It really felt underdeveloped.

Also, I didn't get Lacey's (original) speech patterns - the story said she was from East LA but that didn't seem like real East LA speech to me. I thought maybe she should have been from somewhere with a heavier accent - but also correcting someone's speech like that can get into classism and racism issues - which weren't addressed much in this story, and I think there could have been more of an interesting look at that.

The second story, I thought was sweeter and I enjoyed the main guy's style and teasing and the way he interacted with the family. The art guy felt real to me too, I have known people just like that. The second story was just nicer than the first one, in my opinion. I don't read many modern romance stories, but this one was sweet.
]]> The Wizard's Mark 209419445 He was her first love. Now he’s her deadliest adversary.

By day, Marcella pretends to be a highborn lady, but at night, she’s a thief for the renegades, a group whose goal is to help servants escape their noble masters.

That isn’t her most dangerous secret. In a land where only men are wizards, she’s able to wield magic.

Marcella grew up as a serving girl in the castle where young wizards train. Falling in love with Ronan, the most promising apprentice, was a bad idea from the beginning. He’d made it clear he never planned on a future with her. It would’ve stood in the way of his ambitions.

Now the renegades want Marcella to go to the king’s court where an assassination might prevent a war, but then she’ll be back in Ronan’s path. This time as enemies.

He's dangerous. He knows her secrets. Despite the sparks that always fly between them, he could easily destroy the mission and her.

And yet she might still be in love with him anyway.

Fans of Sarah J Maas will love this page-turning romantasy, with adventure, romance, witty banter, and a happily ever after—well, at least happy for the right characters. There are no guarantees for the others…Snatch up this binge-worthy story today!]]> 360 Janette Rallison Bt 5
I found the story engaging and the plot interesting, and I ate this book right up in 2 evenings. ]]> 4.32 The Wizard's Mark
author: Janette Rallison
name: Bt
average rating: 4.32
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/04/24
date added: 2024/04/24
shelves:
review:
Really liked this one! Fun likeable characters and I liked the system of magic. [spoilers removed]

I found the story engaging and the plot interesting, and I ate this book right up in 2 evenings.
]]> <![CDATA[The Vicomte's Masquerade (Georgians in Paris)]]> 200203596
Sent to Paris with her elderly chaperone, Miss Melinda Finlay resists her arranged marriage to a haughty French vicomte. The headstrong beauty would rather drown in the channel than marry the odious man! Fate intervenes when a dashing English traveler crosses their path, offering assistance and a carriage ride to Paris. Little does Mellie know that this charming stranger carries his own burden of lost love and hidden truths.

As their enchanting adventure unfolds amidst the splendor of the Tuileries and Versailles, Mellie and Philippe discover a passionate connection that neither anticipated. Yet, as the shadow of Mellie's impending nuptials looms over them, she faces an impossible choice.
Will she have the audacity to defy the shackles of societal convention and follow her heart? ♥The Vicomte's Masquerade is a light-hearted, sweet & clean Georgian Romance � Other books in the Georgians in Paris
* These books can be read out of order.]]> 182 Sofi Laporte Bt 4 4.21 The Vicomte's Masquerade (Georgians in Paris)
author: Sofi Laporte
name: Bt
average rating: 4.21
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/04/21
date added: 2024/04/22
shelves:
review:

]]> Moonraker's Bride 19498 . 352 Madeleine Brent 0285620649 Bt 5 rr, favorites 4/17/20 - adding to my favorites shelf. I see I first read this 10 years ago (have probably read 2 other times since then that's not marked, and have read my favorite scenes countless times). This book has really stood the test of time with me and I've thought of it so many times over the past 10 years. I remember when I first read it, I felt like the middle was boring and I thought Nick was going to be bad the whole time and she'd end up with Robert. I didn't even know what to think at the end. Now of course I love the way it ends up. And I think the middle moves along pretty well, and I especially like the parts with Matthew. Great book. ]]> 4.32 1973 Moonraker's Bride
author: Madeleine Brent
name: Bt
average rating: 4.32
book published: 1973
rating: 5
read at: 2024/04/10
date added: 2024/04/17
shelves: rr, favorites
review:
12/30/20 - updated to 5 stars from 4
4/17/20 - adding to my favorites shelf. I see I first read this 10 years ago (have probably read 2 other times since then that's not marked, and have read my favorite scenes countless times). This book has really stood the test of time with me and I've thought of it so many times over the past 10 years. I remember when I first read it, I felt like the middle was boring and I thought Nick was going to be bad the whole time and she'd end up with Robert. I didn't even know what to think at the end. Now of course I love the way it ends up. And I think the middle moves along pretty well, and I especially like the parts with Matthew. Great book.
]]> The 39 Steps (Stage Play) 7391807 106 Patrick Barlow 0573697140 Bt 3 plays-i-saw, plays-all 3.90 2005 The 39 Steps (Stage Play)
author: Patrick Barlow
name: Bt
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2005
rating: 3
read at: 2013/11/23
date added: 2024/04/16
shelves: plays-i-saw, plays-all
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Lord St. Claire's Angel (Lords and Ladies, #1)]]> 1880031 Love was a game for the devil-may-care Lord Justin St. Claire -- until he met Miss Celestine Simons. Justin never thought he could be felled by cheerful good sense and intelligent conversation. He'd set out to give the plain, timid miss an innocent thrill under the kissing bough -- becoming smitten with the gray-eyed beauty was the least of his intentions. But the more he denied his aching heart, the more he yearned to make Celestine his

]]> 256 Donna Lea Simpson 0821764497 Bt 2 3.50 1999 Lord St. Claire's Angel (Lords and Ladies, #1)
author: Donna Lea Simpson
name: Bt
average rating: 3.50
book published: 1999
rating: 2
read at: 2024/03/25
date added: 2024/03/26
shelves:
review:
It was fine. Forgettable and not that unique, but fine. Definitely went on too long and had boring parts. Would have been better half the length. I was skimming parts.
]]> <![CDATA[When We Were Kings (The Wolf of Oberhame, #1)]]> 31948693 Librarian's Note: Alternate-cover edition for ASIN B015QX2DZU

Tossed into the gladiator arena, everyone expected the delicate girl in the fancy pink dress to be the first to die. Leyli had other plans. Surviving was at the top of her list. Revenge was a close second.

Having grown up behind the sheltered walls of the Oberhame Palace, she knew what the crowd wanted. Norihame had built their culture from the scraps of their neighbors. Gladiators were just one part. Evidently, political coups were another, and she'd just become a pawn in the games of men. But why was she still alive? They'd killed her brother, the heir to the throne. Had they gotten to her father? Was the king dead?

In the cell beside her, the Lion of Lenlochlien was impressed. The first day, they all cried. Men, women, it didn't matter. But this one was different. Her tears didn't slow her down, they just made her stronger, and when he looked in her eyes, he saw it. Her desperation was feral. It meant she wouldn't hesitate to do what she had to. She might be cornered, but that bitch was the kind that would bite.

When he offered advice, she took it. When he told her how to be better, she tried. When she kept coming back after each round, he dared to hope that she'd survive. He had no idea that he was about to become her best weapon. Leyli didn't just want to live through the games, she wanted to protect her father's throne, but to do that, she had to become someone else. She couldn't be the Princess of Norihame. The Lion had to make her a Wolf.

Chained side by side, he'll show her how to be a killer. She'll give him a reason to keep fighting. Together, they'll learn that it takes a friend to survive.

**When We Were Kings is a complete novel without a cliffhanger ending.**]]> 430 Auryn Hadley Bt 3
So I mostly skimmed over all the gory sad killing parts. I'm gonna say again, the body count was just so high! And actually their country's whole system of the gladiators doesn't really make sense to me, they kill so many champions, it seems like how can there be any left. I believe in real-life Rome, once gladiators got famous, a lot of times they were not doing matches to the death anymore.

As a story overall, I liked it. I liked Leyli's growth (although I don't think it's that believable she'd really survive all that, but I'll accept it). I liked her and Tristan's relationship and how respectful they are of each other and how comfortable they are with each other. How they grow to trust and love each other but still keep boundaries in place. They really have a deep relationship forged out of need and hard times, and I really liked that aspect.

I do think there are some plot holes. Why did the cousin kill the brother and maid immediately but kidnap leyli and put her in the games - a roundabout way to kill her? Why does it take them so long to find where Tristan is fighting (can't they just have soldiers wait at each arena to see where he shows up)? What does Leyli mean when she says that Tristan would kill her in the arena if they faced each other and she told him her secret (wouldn't knowing she's princess make him extra not want to kill her?)? Since they immediately detain Tristan's owner for questioning, why can't they also detain the cousin, who is accused of worse crimes? ]]> 4.11 2015 When We Were Kings (The Wolf of Oberhame, #1)
author: Auryn Hadley
name: Bt
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2015
rating: 3
read at: 2024/03/24
date added: 2024/03/25
shelves:
review:
Somewhere between 3 and 4 stars. I reeeeeally didn't like to see them constantly killing all these innocent people in the arena. I understand they rationalize it that it's kill or be killed, and those people are often also trying to kill them. But it's just sad. But the story wouldn't have worked without it and I get it. Reminded me of Hunger Games in that regard (but Hunger Games has WAY WAY less killing - I think they killed at least 100 people in this book!). Especially when they were killing the debtors that just had to make it to the middle to live, and weren't trying to kill them, I didn't like that.

So I mostly skimmed over all the gory sad killing parts. I'm gonna say again, the body count was just so high! And actually their country's whole system of the gladiators doesn't really make sense to me, they kill so many champions, it seems like how can there be any left. I believe in real-life Rome, once gladiators got famous, a lot of times they were not doing matches to the death anymore.

As a story overall, I liked it. I liked Leyli's growth (although I don't think it's that believable she'd really survive all that, but I'll accept it). I liked her and Tristan's relationship and how respectful they are of each other and how comfortable they are with each other. How they grow to trust and love each other but still keep boundaries in place. They really have a deep relationship forged out of need and hard times, and I really liked that aspect.

I do think there are some plot holes. Why did the cousin kill the brother and maid immediately but kidnap leyli and put her in the games - a roundabout way to kill her? Why does it take them so long to find where Tristan is fighting (can't they just have soldiers wait at each arena to see where he shows up)? What does Leyli mean when she says that Tristan would kill her in the arena if they faced each other and she told him her secret (wouldn't knowing she's princess make him extra not want to kill her?)? Since they immediately detain Tristan's owner for questioning, why can't they also detain the cousin, who is accused of worse crimes?
]]> The War of Art 1319 168 Steven Pressfield 0446691437 Bt 4 3.95 2002 The War of Art
author: Steven Pressfield
name: Bt
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2002
rating: 4
read at: 2024/03/08
date added: 2024/03/08
shelves:
review:
I like the no-excuses-allowed approach to daily work of fulfilling our purpose on earth.
]]> Echo North (Echo North, #1) 40046030
In his enchanted house beneath a mountain, each room must be sewn together to keep the home from unraveling, and something new and dark and strange lies behind every door. When centuries-old secrets unfold, Echo discovers a magical library full of books-turned-mirrors, and a young man named Hal who is trapped inside of them. As the year ticks by, the rooms begin to disappear, and Echo must solve the mystery of the wolf’s enchantment before her time is up, otherwise Echo, the wolf, and Hal will be lost forever.]]> 394 Joanna Ruth Meyer 1624147151 Bt 2
My favorite part of the story was definitely the book mirrors. Those made a really cool world, and the rules made sense. I loved how readers could interact with the main characters or just go exploring and hang out in whatever the author had thought of. I don't think I've ever seen an idea quite like that before; the closest thing I can think of is the holodeck on Star Trek, but it's different. I wish I could explore book mirrors of many of my favorite books!! I sensed that this book may be going in a strange direction, but meanwhile I was happy just basking in the stories of the book mirrors. :)]]> 3.82 2019 Echo North (Echo North, #1)
author: Joanna Ruth Meyer
name: Bt
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2019
rating: 2
read at: 2024/02/26
date added: 2024/02/26
shelves:
review:
Huh. That ending was weird. Would've given the book 4 or 3 stars before that but the end was just weird and kinda came out of nowhere and made me not like one of the main characters at all anymore. [spoilers removed]

My favorite part of the story was definitely the book mirrors. Those made a really cool world, and the rules made sense. I loved how readers could interact with the main characters or just go exploring and hang out in whatever the author had thought of. I don't think I've ever seen an idea quite like that before; the closest thing I can think of is the holodeck on Star Trek, but it's different. I wish I could explore book mirrors of many of my favorite books!! I sensed that this book may be going in a strange direction, but meanwhile I was happy just basking in the stories of the book mirrors. :)
]]> <![CDATA[Recorder (Children of the Consortium, #1)]]> 58046023
Recorder has no family, no friends, and no name. Donated to the Consortium before birth, her sole purpose is to maintain and verify the records. A neural implant and drone ensure compliance, punishing for displays of bias.

Suddenly cut off from controlling technology, Recorder tastes what it means to be human. But if the Consortium discovers her feelings, everyone she knows will be in danger.

With no name, no resources, and only an infinitesimal possibility of escape, Recorder's time is running out.]]> 354 Cathy McCrumb 1621841995 Bt 3
Overall, I thought the worldbuilding was really cool, and enjoyed Recorder's journey and the characters. The book brought me into the world and I was always engaged with it. I liked recorder's voice and logical personality. And also enjoyed the anecdotes it gave us into other character's lives, those were always interesting.

I was hoping for a little more action towards the end. Because the most exciting action scenes are some of the first scenes. I wish the ending felt a little fuller in general; I felt it was a little quick and wanted it to be more exciting and surprising. [spoilers removed]

A book this reminded me of, with some similarities, is Stephanie Meyer's The Host.

-edit-I read/skimmed the second book in this series and found it boring, and felt like the characters and plotting weren't as good as before. It didn't go in a direction that was fun or interesting to me, or that upped the stakes. So I'm downgrading this first book to 3 stars from 4, because this book doesn't "stick the landing" or lead to a sticked landing. ]]> 4.27 2021 Recorder (Children of the Consortium, #1)
author: Cathy McCrumb
name: Bt
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2024/02/24
date added: 2024/02/25
shelves:
review:
Hmmm. I wish this book worked as a standalone because I did like it but don't really want to read 2 more books to see what happens and get the closure on the story.

Overall, I thought the worldbuilding was really cool, and enjoyed Recorder's journey and the characters. The book brought me into the world and I was always engaged with it. I liked recorder's voice and logical personality. And also enjoyed the anecdotes it gave us into other character's lives, those were always interesting.

I was hoping for a little more action towards the end. Because the most exciting action scenes are some of the first scenes. I wish the ending felt a little fuller in general; I felt it was a little quick and wanted it to be more exciting and surprising. [spoilers removed]

A book this reminded me of, with some similarities, is Stephanie Meyer's The Host.

-edit-I read/skimmed the second book in this series and found it boring, and felt like the characters and plotting weren't as good as before. It didn't go in a direction that was fun or interesting to me, or that upped the stakes. So I'm downgrading this first book to 3 stars from 4, because this book doesn't "stick the landing" or lead to a sticked landing.
]]> <![CDATA[Daughter of Light (Follower of the Word, #1)]]> 24832354 here.

What if with one touch you could see inside the soul?

As the Shadonae rise in the west and war threatens the north, a young woman discovers she is not human . . .

Rowen Mar finds a strange mark on her hand, and she is banished from her village as a witch. She covers the mark with a leather glove and seeks sanctuary in the White City. She lives in fear that if she touches another person, the power inside her will trigger again, a terrifying power that allows her to see the darkness inside the human heart . . .

But the mark is a summons, and those called cannot hide forever. For the salvation of her people lies within her hand.]]> 472 Morgan L. Busse 1935929496 Bt 0 to-read 4.27 2012 Daughter of Light (Follower of the Word, #1)
author: Morgan L. Busse
name: Bt
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2012
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/02/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Orphan's Song (The Songkeeper Chronicles, #1)]]> 23263425
Every generation has a Songkeeper � one chosen to keep the memory of the Song alive. And in every generation, there are those who seek to destroy the chosen one.

When Birdie's song draws the attention of a dangerous Khelari soldier, she is kidnapped and thrust into a world of ancient secrets and betrayals. Rescued by her old friend, traveling peddler Amos McElhenny, Birdie flees the clutches of her enemies in pursuit of the truth behind the Song’s power.

Ky is a street–wise thief and a member of the Underground—a group of orphans banded together to survive . . . and to fight the Khelari. Haunted by a tragic raid, Ky joins Birdie and Amos in hopes of a new life beyond the reach of the soldiers. But the enemy is closing in, and when Amos� shadowed past threatens to undo them all, Birdie is forced to face the destiny that awaits her as the Songkeeper of Leira. Book one of the Songkeeper Chronicles.]]> 304 Gillian Bronte Adams 1621840352 Bt 0 to-read 4.19 2014 Orphan's Song (The Songkeeper Chronicles, #1)
author: Gillian Bronte Adams
name: Bt
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2014
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/02/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Brand of Light (The Droseran Saga, #1)]]> 52767763
Tertian Space Coalition has blessed every planet in the quadrants with high technology, save one: Drosero. But in spite of their tenuous treaty with the ruling clans, TSC has plans for the backward planet. And they're not alone.

After a catastrophic explosion, Kersei Dragoumis awakens in a derelict shuttle, alone, injured, and ignorant of the forbidden technology that has swept her into a nightmare. The brand she's borne since childhood burns mysteriously, but the pain is nothing to that when she learns her family is dead and she is accused of their murders.

Across the quadrants, Marco Dusan responds to the call of a holy order-not to join them, but to seek a bounty. Gifted-or cursed-with abilities that mark him a Kynigos, a tracker sworn to bring interplanetary fugitives to justice, Marco discovers this particular bounty has nothing to do with justice and everything to do with prophecy. One that involves the hunter as much as the hunted.]]> 388 Ronie Kendig 162184093X Bt 0 to-read 4.17 2019 Brand of Light (The Droseran Saga, #1)
author: Ronie Kendig
name: Bt
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/02/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Crystal Witness 335069 276 Kathy Tyers 055327984X Bt 0 to-read 3.76 1989 Crystal Witness
author: Kathy Tyers
name: Bt
average rating: 3.76
book published: 1989
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/02/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Of Fire and Ash (The Fireborn Epic, #1)]]> 58262577 She rides a fireborn, a steed of fire and ash, trained for destruction.

Ceridwen tal Desmond dreams of ruling like her father over the nation of Soldonia, where warriors ride to battle on magical steeds—soaring on storm winds, vanishing in shadow, quaking the earth, and summoning the sea. After a tragic accident claims her twin brother, she is exiled and sworn to atonement by spending her life—or death—for her people.

But when invaders spill onto Soldonia’s shores and traitors seize upon the chaos to murder her father, Ceridwen claims the crown to keep the nation from splintering. Combatting overwhelming odds and looming civil war, she begins to wonder if the greatest threat to the kingdom may, in fact, be her.

With fire before her and ash in her wake, how can she hope to unite instead of destroy?

Flames rage and oceans rise in this explosive first installment of The Fireborn Epic as the exiled heir, a novice priest, and a reluctant rebel wage war against a hidden power that threatens to shake the world.]]> 496 Gillian Bronte Adams 1621842037 Bt 0 to-read 4.33 2021 Of Fire and Ash (The Fireborn Epic, #1)
author: Gillian Bronte Adams
name: Bt
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/02/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Calor (The Nightingale Trilogy #1)]]> 64405752
The world-that-was is gone, lost to everything except living memory . . . but remembering comes at a terrible price. Sixty-two years after the apocalypse, a new society has emerged from the ashes of the old world where highly valued memories are traded and nostalgia is worth dying—and even killing—for.

Enslaved by a cruel master, Sephone Winter is forced to use her rare ability to manipulate memories to numb the darkest secrets of the ruling aristocracy.

Then Lord Adamo appears, speaking of a powerful relic capable of permanently erasing memories and recovering Sephone’s own lost childhood. But not everything about the young lord is as it seems, and soon Sephone must choose between helping Lord Adamo forget his past or journeying deep into the land of Lethe, where the truth about who she really is might finally be revealed . . . and a long desired future restored.


The Nightingale Trilogy is a fantasy transformation of Hans Christian Andersen's beloved 1843 tale The Nightingale, with echoes of the myths of Hades and Persephone.]]> 392 J.J. Fischer Bt 0 to-read 4.60 2022 Calor (The Nightingale Trilogy #1)
author: J.J. Fischer
name: Bt
average rating: 4.60
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/02/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Dream of Kings 61223392
In the glacial nation of Norgard, Jolan the Dream Teller serves every seeker, whether peasant or high lord. Though she loves using her gift, she struggles to navigate the corrupt and dangerous court and the jealousies of the Guildagard.

When an old man’s nightmare imparts a dire warning, Jolan realizes her entire nation is in danger. But before she can sound the alarm, she is betrayed by the guilds and sold into slavery in a rival kingdom far to the south. As a slave in a foreign land, at first Jolan can’t see beyond her singular focus: return home to warn Norgard of the coming calamity. After facing new dangers, making new friends, and forgiving old wrongs, she must fulfill the purposes the Provider has set before her.

Only then can she face a decision that could cost her the man she loves, her calling, and her freedom—all to save a people who abandoned her.]]> 0 Sharon Hinck 1685922554 Bt 0 to-read 4.85 Dream of Kings
author: Sharon Hinck
name: Bt
average rating: 4.85
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/02/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Scarecrow King 18597268
A very, very bad traveling minstrel.

But Alek isn’t what he seems like on the surface, and neither is Rinda. She won’t take this marriage lying down, and schemes to find herself a new husband � a king. But as she and Alek travel together, they learn that not only are appearances deceiving, but goals can change in the blink of an eye, and love can get in the way of the strongest plans�

The Scarecrow King is a romantic retelling of the King Thrushbeard fairy tale.]]> 226 Jill Myles Bt 4 king-thrushbeard
One of the main things that bothered me was that [spoilers removed]

One of my favorite things about the book was [spoilers removed]

This book was a great way to spend a few hours (an evening and a morning) and I'm glad I got to read this fun, sweet story.]]> 3.95 2013 The Scarecrow King
author: Jill Myles
name: Bt
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2024/02/22
date added: 2024/02/23
shelves: king-thrushbeard
review:
I haven't read a solid fairy tale adaptation in a long time, and this was a cute one. King Thrushbeard is my favorite lesser-known fairy tale, and Myles did a really good job with it. I liked all the characters and enjoyed the story the whole way through, and I was always interested to see where Myles was going to go with it. She did a good job with the setting, and I liked the Birthright magic, which was unique and interesting. I also thought the story had good pacing and good character relationships/dynamics. And it was just very pleasant to read: each scene was interesting, and the characters were always doing their best to make things better.

One of the main things that bothered me was that [spoilers removed]

One of my favorite things about the book was [spoilers removed]

This book was a great way to spend a few hours (an evening and a morning) and I'm glad I got to read this fun, sweet story.
]]> <![CDATA[Princess without a Palace: A King Thrushbeard Fairy Tale]]> 30817084 Once upon a time...

Princess Liesel is adamant that the last thing she would ever want is to have to leave her splendid palace and marry a prince. But after she scorns one too many suitors, her father loses his temper with her spoiled ways and declares that she must marry the next man who dares to seek her hand! Unfortunately for her, the next man who proposes - albeit unintentionally - is only a humble, traveling minstrel.

Now, cast off and penniless, she finds herself at the mercy of her handsome betrothed who intends for her to become a proper peasant. But after a lifetime of being pampered, ordinary chores and tasks are not as easy as she expected, and she soon realizes she will need her prospective husband's help if she hopes to salvage anything of her future. Will the two strangers be able to find a way to work together and perhaps free themselves from their forced betrothal? Or might they find that "happily ever afters" sometimes happen in unexpected ways?...

(A retelling of the timeless Grimm fairy tale King Thrushbeard. This book is a clean and proper romance.)]]> 272 Kristen Niedfeldt Bt 0 to-read 3.95 2016 Princess without a Palace: A King Thrushbeard Fairy Tale
author: Kristen Niedfeldt
name: Bt
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/02/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Just Stab Me Now 195500935
Caroline Lindley is determined that her new romance novel will be her best one yet. Fantasy! Formal gowns! Fencing! And, of course, a twentysomething heroine to star in an enemies-to-lovers plot with all of Caroline’s favourite tropes.

But Lady Rosamund Hawkhurst is a thirty-six-year-old widow with two children, her sole focus is facilitating a peace treaty between her adopted nation and her homeland, and she flatly refuses to take the correct approach to there being Only One Bed.

What’s an author to do?

Based on her popular Fantasy Heroine YouTube Shorts series, Jill Bearup’s debut novel brings us the best of worlds both meta and medieval-inspired. Terry Pratchett aficionados will enjoy the political intrigue paired with convivial, tongue-in-cheek satire. And then there's the slow-burn, fade-to-black romance too . . .

If you loved Stranger Than Fiction and The Princess Bride, you will soon find yourself cheering on enemies-to-BFFs Rosamund and Caroline as together they learn what it means to be the hero of your own story.]]> 309 Jill Bearup Bt 0 to-read 4.29 2024 Just Stab Me Now
author: Jill Bearup
name: Bt
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/02/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Oathbound (The Royal Rose Chronicles, #1)]]> 55026019 Beware the waters. The dangerous deep brings ruin to all.

Emme has spent her life avoiding anything to do with pirates. But the fates are cruel, and now a hidden sickness leads her to partner with pirates for the one thing that can save her—a cure on an island none are certain exists.

The pirate captain’s secrets are darker than the deep and threaten to kill them all. His obligations are tinged with betrayal, for his oathbind must be fulfilled. To ignore it is to invite peril of unimaginable destruction.

As the adventure unfolds, the sea takes more than she expects and the sea gives more than he wants.]]> 339 Victoria McCombs Bt 4 3.91 2022 Oathbound (The Royal Rose Chronicles, #1)
author: Victoria McCombs
name: Bt
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/02/21
date added: 2024/02/21
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Storyteller's Daughter (Storyteller's Series, #1)]]> 50182335 His shadowed face lit by flames,
Rumpelstiltskin is my name...

For as long as anyone can remember, every child in Westfallen has been born with a Gift, and these Gifts defined them.

Then Cosette is born, Giftless.

An attempt to hide her misfortune brings her before the King, who entraps her to use her Gift as a pawn in his war.

Caught in a lie, Cosette desperately searches for a power strong enough to free her. Intrigued by whispers of an old king and a dark curse, she calls upon Rumpelstiltskin and finds him trapped in a magic deeper than she bargained for. Now, Cosette must fight to reclaim her freedom from the King and break Rumpel’s curse. When time runs out, she’ll lose more than her heart. She’ll lose her life.



THE STORYTELLER’S DAUGHTER is the perfect introduction to YA that will satisfy fans of Gail Carson Levine’s ELLA ENCHANTED, as well as Jessica Day George’s DRAGON SLIPPERS and PRINCESS OF GLASS, and Cameron Dokey’s THE WORLD ABOVE.]]> 360 Victoria McCombs Bt 0 to-read 3.77 2020 The Storyteller's Daughter (Storyteller's Series, #1)
author: Victoria McCombs
name: Bt
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/02/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Mortal Queens (The Fae Dynasty, #1)]]> 164794237
Each year on the center island, one girl is chosen to be the next Mortal Queen of the idolized fae. The mortals praise these lucky girls, but their daughters are never seen again.

The fae realm is eternal night, where disputes are settled by chess matches, power is acquired through the most devious kinds of trickery, and seven illusive kings roam. The fae hide their faces behind masks and guard their glass hearts to keep them from shattering. But beyond the veil of this luxurious paradise, a dark secret simmers, for their Queens have disappeared.

When aspiring artist Althea is selected, she is desperate to avoid the same mysterious fate. With no one to trust, she conceals messages in paintings and receives anonymous replies from a stranger who slowly reveals the tale of a girl who outwitted the fae. Only if she is clever enough will Althea survive the fate of the Mortal Queens. As long as the king who cannot love does not claim her first."]]> 320 Victoria McCombs Bt 4 4.26 Mortal Queens (The Fae Dynasty, #1)
author: Victoria McCombs
name: Bt
average rating: 4.26
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/02/19
date added: 2024/02/19
shelves:
review:

]]> Dawnsong 56385995 Light creates shadows, better to die in the dark.

Once, Lilias Khove was someone else, a dancer revered and applauded. Now, she guards a city.

Once, Prevecost was something other, a city strong and renowned throughout the world. Now plague stalks her streets and steals her citizens.

But the city has secrets and so does the dancer.

In a time as dark and silent as the death it fears, these secrets will save or they will damn.

Dawnsong is a prequel novelette and contains four original character illustrations by acclaimed artist Irina Plachkova]]> 52 Bryn Shutt Bt 3
I would not recommend this to anyone until the full-length books are written... it's like reading the first few chapters of a story but then there are no more chapters.

If there was more, I'd keep reading to see where it goes, but currently I feel let down with the non-ending. I did like the main characters, setup, and world-building. I'd read more focusing on Lilias.

Unfortunately there are also some clarity issues with the writing, where I'd be confused what was happening while reading. For instance, I don't know if [spoilers removed] Sometimes I couldn't tell who was speaking, etc. I think it needed a little more editing.]]> 4.24 2021 Dawnsong
author: Bryn Shutt
name: Bt
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2024/02/19
date added: 2024/02/19
shelves:
review:
Hmmm. I was expecting this to be a full story, but it turned out to be a novella which sets up an interesting world but feels unfinished. I guess the point is that there will be full length books later, but none are written yet (3 years later) or seem to have release dates. This novella seems more like a trailer for the later books, in that a lot of intriguing stuff is thrown out there but not explained at all. We meet or hear of interesting characters, and then they disappear.

I would not recommend this to anyone until the full-length books are written... it's like reading the first few chapters of a story but then there are no more chapters.

If there was more, I'd keep reading to see where it goes, but currently I feel let down with the non-ending. I did like the main characters, setup, and world-building. I'd read more focusing on Lilias.

Unfortunately there are also some clarity issues with the writing, where I'd be confused what was happening while reading. For instance, I don't know if [spoilers removed] Sometimes I couldn't tell who was speaking, etc. I think it needed a little more editing.
]]> <![CDATA[Queen of Shifting Sands (Instanolde Chronicles Book 1)]]> 200394278
The stars have aligned in the kingdom of Instanolde, or so Lystra believes as she eagerly awaits her wedding day. Her beloved, the king, is everything her heart desires, but when a brutal attack leaves her betrothed dead and Instanolde on the cusp of collapse, she finds her future in ruins, and the throne beyond her reach. With invasion looming across the desert, Lystra refuses to let grief keep her from defending her kingdom—even if that means forging a marriage alliance with Elerek, the brother of her lost love, a prince shrouded in secrets.

Elerek, now heir to the throne, has spent his life waiting to die. An untouchable curse lurks beneath his skin, and though he aches to see its suffocating hold severed, he’s long given up hope. When his brother’s death drags him from the shadows, Elerek must find the strength to shoulder the crown’s burdens and secure a queen—a wife to protect his kingdom after the curse claims him. With the adoration of the people already in the palm of her hands, Lystra is the ideal candidate. But even if she doesn’t spurn him for his ruinous curse, he’ll need to protect her from its dangers—and his heart as he finds himself steadily drawn to the girl’s unbreakable spirit. With death on the horizon, Elerek must become the king he never planned to be and save Instanolde before his time runs out.

Lystra and Elerek only have one summer to prepare their kingdom for invasion, but more than one threat prowls their desert, and the cost of survival might just destroy them all.

Queen of Shifting Sands is a fantastical romance adventure where duty and endurance grapple amid the sands of chaos. Lovers of intrigue, high stakes, and slow-burn romance will fall in love with this adult (with YA crossover appeal) fantasy. Escape into the rich, immersive world of the Instanolde Chronicles.]]> 451 Kaitlyn Carter Brown Bt 0 to-read 4.09 Queen of Shifting Sands (Instanolde Chronicles Book 1)
author: Kaitlyn Carter Brown
name: Bt
average rating: 4.09
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/02/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Duke's Diary (Noble Charades #2)]]> 200187083 She only meant to read one page...until she saw her name.Rather than being forced to marry the vile man her father intends for her, Nora Rothwell plans to escape. With the help of her brother and his best friend, Timothy, the Duke of Heywood, she finds her way to the Duke’s abandoned hunting lodge, where she will be kept safe and hidden until she comes of age—at which time she will be whisked off to London in the hopes of finding a suitable match who might secure her a place far from her father’s reach.

Secluded from society, Nora enlists Timothy’s help as she prepares for her London debut. Ever serious and unromantic, he teaches her the essential skills of catching a husband, leaving her with no question that he sees her as he always has—a friend, a child—perhaps even a sister.

But when she discovers an old diary in the library, everything she thought she knew is called into question.

It’s Timothy’s diary.

And if its contents are to be believed, he isn’t unromantic in the slightest.

...and he most certainly doesn’t see her as a sister.***Book 2 in the Noble Charades series by Ashtyn Newbold, The Duke's Diary is a sweet regency romantic comedy. Each book can be read alone, but are best enjoyed in the order The Earl Next Door2. The Duke's Diary3. The Parlor Game (Coming soon)]]> 328 Ashtyn Newbold Bt 2
Newbold is hit or miss for me, most often meh but with cute moments. "Lies and Letters" is my favorite of hers. ]]> 4.28 The Duke's Diary (Noble Charades #2)
author: Ashtyn Newbold
name: Bt
average rating: 4.28
book published:
rating: 2
read at: 2024/02/17
date added: 2024/02/18
shelves:
review:
Ehh. Boring. Skimmed. I liked the main characters well enough but it was just slow and they needed to communicate better. I also really don't like the [spoilers removed]

Newbold is hit or miss for me, most often meh but with cute moments. "Lies and Letters" is my favorite of hers.
]]> <![CDATA[The Lily of Ludgate Hill (Belles of London, #3)]]> 157024794 Fortune favors the bold—but is a confirmed spinster daring enough to loosen the reins and accept a favor from the wicked gentleman who haunts her dreams?

Lady Anne Deveril doesn’t spook easily. A woman of lofty social standing known for her glacial beauty and starchy opinions, she’s the unofficial leader of her small group of equestriennes. Since her mother’s devastating plunge into mourning six years ago, Anne voluntarily renounced any fanciful notions of love and marriage. And yet, when fate puts Anne back into the entirely too enticing path of Mr. Felix Hartford, she’s tempted to run…right into his arms.

No one understands why Lady Anne withdrew into the shadows of society, Hart least of all. The youthful torch he once held for her has long since cooled. Or so he keeps telling himself. But now Anne needs a favor to help a friend. Hart will play along with her little ruse—on the condition that Anne attend a holiday house party at his grandfather’s country estate. No more mourning clothes. No more barriers. Only the two of them, unrequited feelings at last laid bare.

Finally free to gallop out on her own, Anne makes the tantalizing discovery that beneath the roguish exterior of her not-so-white knight is a man with hidden depths, scorching passions—and a tender heart.]]> 400 Mimi Matthews 0593337182 Bt 0 to-read 3.84 2024 The Lily of Ludgate Hill (Belles of London, #3)
author: Mimi Matthews
name: Bt
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/01/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Funny Story 194802722 A shimmering, joyful new novel about a pair of opposites with the wrong thing in common, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry.

Daphne always loved the way her fiancé, Peter, told their story. How they met (on a blustery day), fell in love (over an errant hat), and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. He really was good at telling it... right up until the moment he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend Petra.

Which is how Daphne begins her new story: stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a children’s librarian (that barely pays the bills), and proposing to be roommates with the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak.

Scruffy and chaotic—with a penchant for taking solace in the sounds of heart break love ballads—Miles is exactly the opposite of practical, buttoned-up Daphne, whose coworkers know so little about her they have a running bet that she’s either FBI or in witness protection. The roommates mainly avoid one another, until one day, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship and a plan. If said plan also involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their summer adventures together, well, who could blame them?

But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex... right?]]> 400 Emily Henry Bt 0 to-read 4.21 2024 Funny Story
author: Emily Henry
name: Bt
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/01/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Reluctant Wife 35651980
Her father has had enough of her spoilt, selfish ways and has banished her from his kingdom.

Cast out from a luxury castle to a lowly cottage, from privileged princess to scullery maid � could life get any worse?

Can she learn the lessons that will change her hard heart? Can she learn the meaning of love, and who would want to teach her�?

The Reluctant Wife: a romantic fairy tale.

Sometimes it takes a broken heart to make a whole heart.]]> 250 Nina Clare Bt 2 king-thrushbeard 3.75 2017 The Reluctant Wife
author: Nina Clare
name: Bt
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2017
rating: 2
read at: 2024/01/07
date added: 2024/01/06
shelves: king-thrushbeard
review:
I enjoyed the atmosphere of the second half. But I found the first half (when she's a baby/kid) to be boring and too much exposition. And there really wasn't enough explanation at the end about the prince [spoilers removed]
]]> Mistletoe for Felicity 199404771 A Yuletide romance where fate, duty, and the magic of Christmas intertwine.

Lady Felicity Winters, having lost the last of her family, is alone in the world. Theodore "Tad" Harcourt, a merchant's son is thrust into navigating the complexities of high society. The two are bound in an arranged marriage—both a boon and a challenge.

As winter's chill gives way to holiday warmth, Felicity and Tad tentatively explore their new life together. From snowball fights with village children to the sparkle of a grand Christmas ball, their journey turns into a heartwarming adventure filled with newfound trust and festive cheer.

Yet questions remain—does Felicity see beyond her role as a dutiful wife, and can Tad truly find his place in her world? This tender, closed-door Regency romance unfurls beneath mistletoe and candlelight, where love dispels all doubts, and Christmas joy resides in the most unexpected corners. Open this cozy tale and let it melt your heart this holiday season.]]> 198 Sally Britton 1685270409 Bt 0 to-read 3.98 Mistletoe for Felicity
author: Sally Britton
name: Bt
average rating: 3.98
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/01/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Christmas Forevermore 123283448
“A Family Christmas� by Sally Britton: After years abroad, Cyril Grant worries about relating to his highborn relatives at the family’s holiday celebration. But an unexpected connection with a member of the household staff opens his heart―in more ways than one.

“Christmas Forevermore� by Sarah M. Eden: In this reimagining of the beloved Charles Dickens tale A Christmas Carol, spinster Minna Schofield is inadvertently ensnared by a local matchmaker whose meddling launches Minna on a journey of self-reflection that could lead her to unexpected love.

“Christmas at Cranfield� by Ashtyn Newbold: Though childhood friends Hannah and Samuel secretly adore one another, fate conspires to keep them apart. But after years of shared holidays and missed opportunities, this Christmas brings the hope that their stars will align.

“A Thrill of Hope� by Karen Thornell: After a devastating loss, Christmas holds little appeal for Isabel Reid. But when a snowstorm traps her in the company of a surprising traveling companion, the perpetual winter of Isabel’s heart may just begin to thaw.]]> 400 Sally Britton 1524424455 Bt 0 to-read 4.13 2023 Christmas Forevermore
author: Sally Britton
name: Bt
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/01/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Pirate King's Thief (Realm of Dragons and Fae #3)]]> 203141303
A lady thief. A Fae pirate turned bard. A dragon's hoard of secrets.

Lina spends her days as the perfect noble lady and her nights robbing the type of men her father demands she wed. She wants gold to bribe her way onto a ship and flee her gilded cage.

Zavi is cursed. To regain his wiped memories, the Fae pirate must sneak into a nobleman's ship and find a magic object. If he fails, he will never know what happened to his brother.

Lina and Zavi could attempt the heist—to cure him and free her—only if he can convince her he isn't the villain in this story.

But neither of them know the secret that will turn everything upside down...

If you love adorable dragons, banter, found family, a cozy vibe but with higher stakes, secrets, a dash of spice, tension, and tattooed males with pointy ears, this fantasy romance standalone is perfect for you.

***This novel is upper YA/NA and contains mature situations.

***The story takes place in the same world as The Fae King's Assassin, The Unseelie King's Rebel, and Bound by Dragons. You may begin with this book.

"What a fantastic story! A fiery thief, a handsome fae bard, and a group of fierce best friends you can’t help but root for. The twists and angst punched me in the heart in the best kind of way, and the romance had the perfect balance of spice, sweetness, and swoon. I heartily recommend!"

~Tessonja Odette, author of the bestselling Entangled with Fae series]]> 352 Alisha Klapheke Bt 0 to-read 3.78 The Pirate King's Thief (Realm of Dragons and Fae #3)
author: Alisha Klapheke
name: Bt
average rating: 3.78
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/01/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic (Adenashire, #1)]]> 195213451
In the heart of Adenashire, where elfish enchantments and dwarven delights rule, Arleta Starstone, a human confectionist works twice as hard perfecting her unique blend of baking and apothecary herbs.

So when an orc neighbor secretly enters her creations into the prestigious Elven Baking Battle, Arleta faces a dilemma.

Being magicless, her participation in the competition could draw more scowls than smiles. And if Arleta wants to prove her talent and establish her culinary reputation, this human will need more than just her pastry craft to sweeten the odds.

While competing, she'll set off on a journey of mouthwatering pastries, self-discovery, heartwarming friendships and romance, while questioning whether winning the Baking Battle is the true prize.

Escape to for a delightful cozy fantasy where every twist is a treat and every turn a step closer to home.]]> 313 J. Penner Bt 0 to-read 3.89 2023 A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic (Adenashire, #1)
author: J. Penner
name: Bt
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/01/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Sweet Talk (Love Lines, #2) 57386055 Listening Length: 5 hours and 42 minutes

Stay up all night with this funny, surprising romantic comedy from Audie Award-nominee Cara Bastone � scripted exclusively for audio!

It’s officially booty o’clock, I’m alone again in my kitchen choking down a slice of terrible chocolate cake…and I’m pretty sure I just got drunk texted by the man I have a ginormous crush on.

I’ve been daydreaming about Eliot Hoffman’s dimples for two months, and even though I’m sure this was a mistake on his end, it doesn’t mean it’s not an opportunity on mine. It’s the middle of the night, and I just wanna talk to him. So I text him back.

And then somehow we keep talking…ALL NIGHT. We’re both insomniacs, so talking all night soon turns into talking EVERY night.

And talking about nothing soon turns into talking about something.

And here we go from in-depth analysis of reality TV to my relationship with my family to his amazing artwork. There’s no topic we don’t cover�

Except for who I really am. It’s the only question of his I won’t answer.

As my crush turns into an avalanche of Eliot, I think of him all the time now. But if he knew who I was, the entire house of cards we’ve built this relationship on would come toppling down. I want him to be mine, but we might never be more than just a sweet dream�.]]> 6 Cara Bastone Bt 0 to-read 3.91 2021 Sweet Talk (Love Lines, #2)
author: Cara Bastone
name: Bt
average rating: 3.91
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Fool's Masquerade 22585306
Valentine Ardsley disguised herself as a teenage boy to take a job as groom on the magnificent Yorkshire estate of the arrogantly self-assured, imperiously handsome Lord Diccon Leyburn, But her daring escape from the narrow confines of young ladyhood did not last long.

Valentine was unmasked by Lord Leyburn with shameful ease. Even worse, when Leyburn made her an offer of marriage, he made it insultingly clear that this was a matter of duty on his part, and certainly not desire.

Never would Valentine accept such an odious offer. Instead she would go to London to find a gentleman who would really love her � even if this meant pretending she could love any man but the infuriatingly irresistible Lord Leyburn in return �


Reviews for other Joan Wolf Regency Regency novels ...

The Guardian ...
The Belles and Beaux of Romance
“Joan Wolf always delivers a stellar reading experience. � The latest treasure by Joan Wolf is The Guardian. Set in Regency England it is a tale about an extraordinary woman and how she deals with family secrets, deceit, and the great love of her life.

The Arrangement ,,,
Another winner…wonderfully written�.Whether your favorite Joan Wolf story features Regency heroes, strong heroines, or marvelous Regency era settings, you'll find it all here in The Arrangement.
Sherry Crane � Compu-Serve Romance Reviews

The Deception �
What with the resurgence of interest in Jane Austen, Regency romances are enjoying a renewed popularity. Veteran novelist Wolf (best known for her prehistoric The Reindeer Hunters), turns in her own delightful addition, one that combines sensuality and passion with a spirited first-person narrative. When Kate Fitzgerald's horse-trader father is killed, she's placed with her malicious uncle, who spitefully maneuvers her into marriage with Adrian, Earl of Greystone. Waterloo hero Greystone accepts the unfortunate situation, but Kate falls deeply in love. Against the colorful racetrack background of the running of the Guineas at Newmarket, she schemes to entrap the aristocrat who murdered her father.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY


Joan Wolf is a USA TODAY bestselling author, whose acclaimed Regency romances have earned her national recognition as a master of the genre. Her many historical and contemporary romances have been highly praised by reviewers and authors alike. Publisher's Weekly reviewed one of her novels as "historical fiction at its finest." Joan was born in New York City but has lived most of her life in Connecticut with her husband, two children and numerous pets. An avid rider and horse owner, she enjoys featuring horses in her novels.]]> 224 Joan Wolf Bt 0 to-read 4.21 1984 Fool's Masquerade
author: Joan Wolf
name: Bt
average rating: 4.21
book published: 1984
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Book Lovers 58690308 One summer. Two rivals. A plot twist they didn't see coming....

Nora Stephens� life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.

Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters� trip away—with visions of a small-town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.

If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.]]> 377 Emily Henry 0593334833 Bt 0 to-read 4.09 2022 Book Lovers
author: Emily Henry
name: Bt
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[To Marry Is Madness (Supposed Scandal, #3)]]> 59516858
Abandoned by her family because of a well-kept secret, Miss Charity Oakley plans to live out her spinsterhood alone in her family's country house. But when her mysterious illness begins to worsen, she wonders just how long she will live at all. When Mr. Sidney Delamar, a presumed madman and mischief-maker finds his way to town, Charity does all she can to avoid him. What she didn’t expect, however, was to find him begging for refuge at her door. Striking a bargain with a madman is a dangerous task, but so is refusing one, especially since Mr. Delamar offers something she desperately needs in return. 

Their seemingly perfect plan is interrupted when Charity is discovered harboring Sidney. With marriage as a daunting solution, Charity must face a difficult decision: Marry a supposed madman and solve the mysteries surrounding Oakley Manor, or maintain her independence but suffer from a ruined reputation. Only madness could cause her to choose the first option. Or, perhaps, love. 

***

To Marry is Madness is a sweet and clean regency romance, and can be read as a sequel to An Unwelcome Suitor by Ashtyn Newbold, or as part of the multi-author Supposed Scandals series. The books in the series can be read in any order.

Her Unsuitable Match by Sally Britton
Mischief, Mayhem, and Marriage by Rebecca Connolly
To Marry is Madness by Ashtyn Newbold]]> 248 Ashtyn Newbold Bt 2 regency
One thing that I didn't like is that the characters kept making promises that would be outside of their control (like "I promise I'll save you"... well, you can't know for sure that you can save someone...). Also the characters made too many quick assumptions about who the bad person was without real proof.]]> 4.15 2022 To Marry Is Madness (Supposed Scandal, #3)
author: Ashtyn Newbold
name: Bt
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2022
rating: 2
read at: 2022/06/19
date added: 2023/12/29
shelves: regency
review:
Meh. Ashtyn Newbold's characters were sweet as usual, and I find her prose and stories much more readable than a lot of (dare I say, most) authors in this genre. This book was fine but doesn't stand out to me in a sea of similar books. I guess it's good that I made it to the end though, and the book stayed in my good graces until then. But I did skim a fair amount.

One thing that I didn't like is that the characters kept making promises that would be outside of their control (like "I promise I'll save you"... well, you can't know for sure that you can save someone...). Also the characters made too many quick assumptions about who the bad person was without real proof.
]]> <![CDATA[A Lily in Disguise (Wycliffe Family, #1)]]> 54705701 One woman.
Three identities.
A handsome lord trying to unmask them all.

To escape the scandals tied to her name, Lillian Markley has gone by an alias for eight years. It was the only way for her to get a reputable job and save enough money to reunite with her sister in America. But when Lily is suddenly let go just as she’s about to reach her goal, she’s offered a salary she can’t refuse in exchange for the unthinkable:

She must masquerade as an heiress at a country estate for the summer.

Being exposed means facing prison, or worse—never seeing her sister again. Run-ins with kidnappers, a suspicious young boy, and a dangerous gentleman who knows her secret quickly has Lily spouting lies as often as she sips her tea—all while battling her growing feelings for Peter Wycliffe, the smiling host who seems to best her at every turn.

Nothing is as simple as it seems. And as the falsehoods begin to mount, Lily must use her arsenal of wits to keep her three facades separate, while preventing Peter—and herself—from discovering the true woman beneath them all.]]> 312 Jessica Scarlett Bt 3 regency
I enjoyed reading it and it kept my interest all the way through... but I don't think I'll remember it in a few months. The characters aren't quite unique or 3D enough for that to me. And I prefer when books have a little more plot action or adventure, and maybe a little more voice or insight in the prose.

That said, I do think it's pretty well written, and better than some other stuff in the genre I've read. One of the best, if not the best, I've read with a disguise plot... a lot of times those plots are dumb. And it's really great for a debt novel. For me, I just don't think it quite has that sparkle to make it great... but I'd try another book by this author! ]]> 4.40 2020 A Lily in Disguise (Wycliffe Family, #1)
author: Jessica Scarlett
name: Bt
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2022/10/17
date added: 2023/12/29
shelves: regency
review:
It was nice, I enjoyed it. The description for 3 stars says "I liked it" and that's right. No particular complaints really. It's funny at times, and the two leads are pretty good. I like how they joke around and make each other laugh a lot. My favorite character was Matthew, the guy's astute and bookish younger brother.

I enjoyed reading it and it kept my interest all the way through... but I don't think I'll remember it in a few months. The characters aren't quite unique or 3D enough for that to me. And I prefer when books have a little more plot action or adventure, and maybe a little more voice or insight in the prose.

That said, I do think it's pretty well written, and better than some other stuff in the genre I've read. One of the best, if not the best, I've read with a disguise plot... a lot of times those plots are dumb. And it's really great for a debt novel. For me, I just don't think it quite has that sparkle to make it great... but I'd try another book by this author!
]]> <![CDATA[The Earl Next Door (Noble Charades, #1)]]> 61999635
When Miss Henrietta Dixon wants something, she finds a way to have it. When an incident in London sends her and her sister to Bath, she can think of no better opportunity to reunite her sister with the man she has always loved by inviting him to stay at the last available townhouse next door in the Royal Crescent. Her plan is coming along splendidly until The Earl of Guildford walks—or rather, saunters—into town, and steals it from under her nose.

Charlie can see only one way to save his sister from the horrible marriage his father has planned for her. He has to marry an heiress, Lady Eleanor, who has taken up residence in Bath. In order to secure the final place in the Royal Crescent, he has no choice but to offer any price it takes. He only has to stay for long enough to woo Lady Eleanor, but when a remarkably vexing young woman next door refuses to leave him in peace, he cannot help but declare war. A war of wits, a war of schemes, and most unexpectedly…a war against his obstinate heart. Miss Dixon is not only vexing, but she is intriguing and beautiful in a way he has never seen before. Whether she likes it or not, he’s keeping his place in Bath. But whether he can keep his heart is another matter entirely.

***

The Earl Next Door is a sweet regency romantic comedy. It is the first book in the Noble Charades series by Ashtyn Newbold.

1. The Earl Next Door
2. The Duke's Diary (Fall 2023)
3. (to be announced.)]]> 326 Ashtyn Newbold Bt 3 regency
Also, I get that the main couple thinks each other are really funny and always have a witty remark and are very physically attracted to each other... but I wasn't totally convinced their relationship would last after a while. Maybe or maybe not. I don't think they have the real experience and knowledge of each other day in and day out that you need to be engaged, though they are a cute couple (and I know it's kind of par for regencies that the couple doesn't know each other that well).]]> 4.27 2023 The Earl Next Door (Noble Charades, #1)
author: Ashtyn Newbold
name: Bt
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2023/04/18
date added: 2023/12/29
shelves: regency
review:
I enjoyed it, but it was relatively forgettable. I thought the "big problem" was a little far-fetched and the solution at the end was dumb. [spoilers removed]

Also, I get that the main couple thinks each other are really funny and always have a witty remark and are very physically attracted to each other... but I wasn't totally convinced their relationship would last after a while. Maybe or maybe not. I don't think they have the real experience and knowledge of each other day in and day out that you need to be engaged, though they are a cute couple (and I know it's kind of par for regencies that the couple doesn't know each other that well).
]]> <![CDATA[At First Sight (Business of Love)]]> 62203654
After her grandmother’s death, Fanny Clarke will soon be left destitute. With the scars left on Fanny’s face from a house fire, her grandmother has chosen the most suitable sort of man to be her husband: A blind man. With little choice in the matter, Fanny agrees to her grandmother’s scheme. But when her new husband proves to be more vexing than she bargained for, she wonders if destitution would have been a better fate.

With nearly all of his staff gone, Percy Wellington is in need of a caregiver of sorts. After losing his sight, he can no longer live properly without one, or so his cousin Harry insists. When Harry presents Percy with the idea of a marriage of convenience to a shy, agreeable woman, Percy reluctantly agrees. But it isn’t until after their wedding that Percy discovers she is anything but shy, and far from agreeable.

What begins as a war of sorts, slowly transforms to reluctant understanding. Can Percy and Fanny find common ground, or even love? Or will the scars of their past prevent both their hearts from seeing clearly what is right in front of them?

At First Sight was previously published in the Unexpected Love: A Marriage of Convenience Anthology. Small changes have been made, but the story remains the same. It is a sweet regency romance novella.

Books in the series can be read in any order:

1. At First Sight by Ashtyn Newbold
2. Ashbrook Abbey by Heather Chapman
3. First Comes Marriage by Paula Kremser]]> 105 Ashtyn Newbold Bt 2 regency 3.95 2022 At First Sight (Business of Love)
author: Ashtyn Newbold
name: Bt
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2022
rating: 2
read at: 2023/05/15
date added: 2023/12/29
shelves: regency
review:
Eh. I liked it ok at the beginning but then I got a bit bored and the "bad guy"s plot was completely ridiculous. I didn't feel like the characters were fleshed out either or behaved very realistically. [spoilers removed]
]]> <![CDATA[Miss Robinson and the Unsuitable Baron (Wishing Well Seminary #2)]]> 125598292 When Ellen Robinson seeks out Baron Edmund Tewkbury in London to deliver his ward, he wheedles her into staying—as his wife.

Edmund Graves, Sixth Baron Tewkbury, is in a pretty pickle after lying to his friend about being married. To save face, he must introduce a fictitious wife at a high-society house party. But where does one obtain a wife at the snip of one’s finger, especially when one isn’t keen on being married?

Miss Ellen Robinson is a respectable school mistress with no prospects of marriage. All she wants is to deliver Baron Tewkbury’s ward and return to her beloved seminary in Bath. When the baron makes her a shockingly improper proposal in exchange for assistance with her own family troubles, she finds it impossible to resist.

As she gets sucked into a whirlwind of scandal and deceit, Ellen discovers a most surprising thing: behind the mask of the nincompoop hides a very different man. Navigating the duplicity of their fake marriage, Ellen and Edmund realizes their feelings for each other might not be as feigned as they thought. But how can true love prevail in this web of lies?

This is the second book of the Wishing Well Seminary Series, which can be read as a standalone.]]> 266 Sofi Laporte Bt 5 regency 4.35 Miss Robinson and the Unsuitable Baron (Wishing Well Seminary #2)
author: Sofi Laporte
name: Bt
average rating: 4.35
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2023/07/13
date added: 2023/12/29
shelves: regency
review:

]]> Aurora 59017543 “I think the women of your acquaintance have done you a great disservice by allowing you to continue in your deceit. Perhaps next time you meet a lady you will not be so quick to think she is only interested in fortune and matrimony!�

Miss Aurora Wesley is a lady who never allows a seemingly insurmountable problem to overwhelm her. Blessed with irrepressible optimism and ingenuity, she knows how to set about achieving her goals without the burden of excessive scruples. Whether it is establishing a brother to his rightful place in society, rescuing a young heiress from the clutches of her guardian, or match-making for a reticent spinster, Aurora has her hands full sorting out other people’s lives, with little thought for her own.

Until, after one extraordinary encounter, she discovers an overmastering desire to amuse herself by provoking the formidable Duke of Rothworth and turning his well-ordered, respectable existence on its head.]]> 285 D.G. Rampton Bt 4 regency I enjoyed the book. I laughed out loud quite a few times.
The main thing that's making it lose a star is I wanted a little more from the end [spoilers removed] I liked the beginning and middle better than I liked the end. The end seemed to drag out a bit. [spoilers removed]]]> 4.58 Aurora
author: D.G. Rampton
name: Bt
average rating: 4.58
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2023/11/10
date added: 2023/12/29
shelves: regency
review:
As the author says in the epilogue, the heroine reminds one of Heyer's The Grand Sophy.
I enjoyed the book. I laughed out loud quite a few times.
The main thing that's making it lose a star is I wanted a little more from the end [spoilers removed] I liked the beginning and middle better than I liked the end. The end seemed to drag out a bit. [spoilers removed]
]]> <![CDATA[My Lady, Will You Dance? (Viennese Waltz)]]> 201783385 A Lost Love. A Cold Marquess. A Fateful Christmas Country House Party�

Mirabel’s dreams are shattered when her bridegroom vanishes without a trace from her little village in Cornwall. With a determined heart, she embarks on a journey to London to find him, only to find herself in humble service in a noble household. As time passes, the memory of her lost love lingers, defying the odds. When an unexpected opportunity arises to attend a lavish country house party as a companion, Mira seizes the chance.

Enter the enigmatic Lord Atherton, a sought-after bachelor known as the 'Cold Marquess.' His icy demeanour belies a longing for connection. At the opulent London opera, he's captivated by the exquisite Mira and resolves to make her his own. As Christmas approaches, a festive country house party sets the stage for a tale of lost love, concealed identities, and the promise of second chances. Will Mira's heart find the love it yearns for amidst the glistening snow and warm glow of Christmas?

This enchanting story serves as the prequel to the "Viennese Waltz" series, introducing a world of captivating characters and timeless romance.]]> 186 Sofi Laporte Bt 4 regency 4.33 My Lady, Will You Dance? (Viennese Waltz)
author: Sofi Laporte
name: Bt
average rating: 4.33
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2023/12/08
date added: 2023/12/29
shelves: regency
review:

]]> A Regency Christmas Feast 824792
MARY BALOGH tells of lost love found when a betrayed beauty and a jealous lord learn how hard it is to resist each other.

SANDRA HEATH stirs up embers of a past passion between a dashing sea captain and a mysterious governess with heartwarming results.

EDITH LAYTON leads a divinely handsome, strangely bedeviled duke by his taste buds to a woman he does not suspect he hungers for.

BARBARA METZGER sets a beautiful young widow free to break all the rules and come out a winner at last in the marriage game.

PATRICIA RICE weaves a glowing tale about a woman who must decide whether to defy her ferocious father and take a second chance at love.

Rich and heady with the spirit of the season, this Yuletide treasury satisfies your appetite for the very best.]]> 352 Mary Balogh 0451190467 Bt 0 3.81 1996 A Regency Christmas Feast
author: Mary Balogh
name: Bt
average rating: 3.81
book published: 1996
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/29
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Lady Avery and the False Butler (Merry Spinsters, Charming Rogues #3)]]> 123238138
Lady Avery has never been kissed. The staunch spinster has never had a season, visited the theatre, danced the waltz, or been in love. As Avery sets out to check off each item on her list, she relies on her butler for assistance—only to discover that he may not be the man she always believed him to be. As she finds herself embroiled in a splendid adventure of danger and intrigue, she discovers that love is found in the most unexpected places�

A lively and romantic tale of love against all odds.]]> 274 Sofi Laporte Bt 5 regency 4.20 Lady Avery and the False Butler (Merry Spinsters, Charming Rogues #3)
author: Sofi Laporte
name: Bt
average rating: 4.20
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2023/12/26
date added: 2023/12/26
shelves: regency
review:
Loved it! Might be my favorite by Sofi Laporte now and I've really liked a lot of her books.
]]> <![CDATA[The Viscount and the Vicar's Daughter]]> 43413698 A WORLD-WEARY RAKE

After years of unbridled debauchery, Tristan Sinclair, Viscount St. Ashton has hit proverbial rock bottom. Seeking to escape his melancholy, he takes refuge at one of Victorian society’s most notorious house parties. As the Christmas season approaches, he prepares to settle in for a month of heavy drinking…until an unexpected encounter changes his plans—and threatens his heart.

A PRIM VICAR'S DAUGHTER

Valentine March is not the drab little spinster she appears to be. When her new job as a lady’s companion lands her smack in the middle of Yorkshire with England’s most infamous rake, she resolves to keep her head down and her eyes fixed firmly on her future—a future which most definitely does not include a sinfully handsome viscount.

A MATCH MADE IN SCANDAL

A friendship is impossible. An affair out of the question. But when one reckless act binds them together, will two star-crossed souls discover there’s more to each other than meets the eye? Or will revelations from the past end their fragile romance before it begins?]]> 232 Mimi Matthews Bt 2
I didn't like strongly dislike it or find it objectionable; I just didn't particularly like it. Forgettable. ]]> 3.80 2018 The Viscount and the Vicar's Daughter
author: Mimi Matthews
name: Bt
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2018
rating: 2
read at: 2023/12/04
date added: 2023/12/04
shelves:
review:
Eh. The characters weren't that 3D and interesting. The whole last half is drawn out by them not really talking to each other. I wish we'd heard more about the girl's faith (or lack of) and how it was motivating her desire to be a missionary, her desire to paint the Bible stories, etc. I'd have liked to see that explored in more depth. And, most importantly, getting engaged to someone you've known for less than one day and had two short conversations with... I don't find that romantic, just kind of stupid.

I didn't like strongly dislike it or find it objectionable; I just didn't particularly like it. Forgettable.
]]> <![CDATA[A Beautiful Disguise (The Imposters, #1)]]> 62611264
Sir Merritt Livingstone has spent a decade serving the monarch in the most elite guard, but when pneumonia lands him behind a desk in the War Office Intelligence Division just as they're creating a new secret intelligence branch, he's intent on showing his worth. He suspects a man of leaking information to Germany as tensions mount between the two countries, but needs someone to help him prove it, so he turns to The Imposters, Ltd. No one knows who they are, but their results are beyond compare.

Lady Marigold is determined to discover the truth for her friend's sake, and she's more determined still to keep her heart from getting involved with this enigmatic new client . . . who can't possibly be as noble as he seems.]]> 400 Roseanna M. White 0764240927 Bt 0 to-read 4.16 2023 A Beautiful Disguise (The Imposters, #1)
author: Roseanna M. White
name: Bt
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/11/30
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[What the River Knows (Secrets of the Nile, #1)]]> 65213381
When she receives word of their tragic deaths, Inez inherits their massive fortune and a mysterious guardian, an archeologist in partnership with his Egyptian brother-in-law. Yearning for answers, Inez sails to Cairo, bringing her sketch pads and an ancient golden ring her father sent to her for safekeeping before he died. But upon her arrival, the old world magic tethered to the ring pulls her down a path where she soon discovers there’s more to her parent’s disappearance than what her guardian led her to believe.

With her guardian’s infuriatingly handsome assistant thwarting her at every turn, Inez must rely on ancient magic to uncover the truth about her parent’s disappearance—or risk becoming a pawn in a larger game that will kill her.

The Mummy meets Death on the Nile in this lush, immersive historical fantasy set in Egypt filled with adventure, a rivals-to-lovers romance, and a dangerous race.]]> 416 Isabel Ibañez 1250803373 Bt 0 to-read 3.83 2023 What the River Knows (Secrets of the Nile, #1)
author: Isabel Ibañez
name: Bt
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/11/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Stolen Heir (The Stolen Heir Duology, #1)]]> 61198133 A runaway queen. A reluctant prince. And a quest that may destroy them both.

Eight years have passed since the Battle of the Serpent. But in the icy north, Lady Nore of the Court of Teeth has reclaimed the Ice Needle Citadel. There, she is using an ancient relic to create monsters of stick and snow who will do her bidding and exact her revenge.

Suren, child queen of the Court of Teeth, and the one person with power over her mother, fled to the human world. There, she lives feral in the woods. Lonely, and still haunted by the merciless torments she endured in the Court of Teeth, she bides her time by releasing mortals from foolish bargains. She believes herself forgotten until the storm hag, Bogdana chases her through the night streets. Suren is saved by none other than Prince Oak, heir to Elfhame, to whom she was once promised in marriage and who she has resented for years.

Now seventeen, Oak is charming, beautiful, and manipulative. He’s on a mission that will lead him into the north, and he wants Suren’s help. But if she agrees, it will mean guarding her heart against the boy she once knew and a prince she cannot trust, as well as confronting all the horrors she thought she left behind.

#1ĚýNew York Times bestselling author Holly Black returns to the opulent world of Elfhame in the first book in a thrilling new duology, following Jude's brother Oak, and the changeling queen, Suren.]]> 356 Holly Black 0316592706 Bt 0 to-read 3.92 2023 The Stolen Heir (The Stolen Heir Duology, #1)
author: Holly Black
name: Bt
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/11/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Assistant to the Villain (Assistant to the Villain, #1)]]> 123257687
ASSISTANT WANTED: Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, levelheaded assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem and terror, and other Dark Things In General. Discretion a must. Excellent benefits.

With ailing family to support, Evie Sage's employment status isn't just important, it's vital. So when a mishap with Rennedawn’s most infamous Villain results in a job offer―naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don’t find evil so attractive, Evie.

But just when she’s getting used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the odd squish of an errant eyeball beneath her heel, Evie suspects this dungeon has a huge rat…and not just the literal kind. Because something rotten is growing in the kingdom of Rennedawn, and someone wants to take the Villain―and his entire nefarious empire―out.

Now Evie must not only resist drooling over her boss but also figure out exactly who is sabotaging his work…and ensure he makes them pay.

After all, a good job is hard to find.]]> 342 Hannah Nicole Maehrer 1649375808 Bt 0 to-read 3.88 2023 Assistant to the Villain (Assistant to the Villain, #1)
author: Hannah Nicole Maehrer
name: Bt
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/11/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Unmaking of June Farrow 66087062 A woman risks everything to end her family’s centuries-old curse, solve her mother’s disappearance, and find love in this mesmerizing novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Spells for Forgetting.

In the small mountain town of Jasper, North Carolina, June Farrow is waiting for fate to find her. The Farrow women are known for their thriving flower farm—and the mysterious curse that has plagued their family line. The whole town remembers the madness that led to Susanna Farrow’s disappearance, leaving June to be raised by her grandmother and haunted by rumors.

It’s been a year since June started seeing and hearing things that weren’t there. Faint wind chimes, a voice calling her name, and a mysterious door appearing out of nowhere—the signs of what June always knew was coming. But June is determined to end the curse once and for all, even if she must sacrifice finding love and having a family of her own.

After her grandmother’s death, June discovers a series of cryptic clues regarding her mother’s decades-old disappearance, except they only lead to more questions. But could the door she once assumed was a hallucination be the answer she’s been searching for? The next time it appears, June realizes she can touch it and walk past the threshold. And when she does, she embarks on a journey that will not only change both the past and the future, but also uncover the lingering mysteries of her small town and entangle her heart in an epic star-crossed love.

With The Unmaking of June Farrow, Adrienne Young delivers a brilliant novel of romance, mystery, and a touch of the impossible—a story you will never forget.]]> 320 Adrienne Young 0593598679 Bt 0 to-read 4.13 2023 The Unmaking of June Farrow
author: Adrienne Young
name: Bt
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/11/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries (Emily Wilde, #1)]]> 60657589
Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world's first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party--or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, and the Fair Folk.

So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily's research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.

But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones--the most elusive of all faeries--lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she'll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all--her own heart.]]> 336 Heather Fawcett 059350013X Bt 0 to-read 3.99 2023 Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries (Emily Wilde, #1)
author: Heather Fawcett
name: Bt
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/11/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Bookshops & Bonedust (Legends & Lattes, #0)]]> 65213543 When an injury throws a young, battle-hungry orc off her chosen path, she may find that what we need isn't always what we seek.

In Bookshops & Bonedust, a prequel to Legends & Lattes, author Travis Baldree takes us on a journey of high fantasy, first loves, and second-hand books.

Viv's career with the notorious mercenary company Rackam's Ravens isn't going as planned.

Wounded during the hunt for a powerful necromancer, she's packed off against her will to recuperate in the sleepy beach town of Murk—so far from the action that she worries she'll never be able to return to it.

What's a thwarted soldier of fortune to do?

Spending her hours at a beleaguered bookshop in the company of its foul-mouthed proprietor is the last thing Viv would have predicted, but it may be both exactly what she needs and the seed of changes she couldn't possibly imagine.

Still, adventure isn't all that far away. A suspicious traveler in gray, a gnome with a chip on her shoulder, a summer fling, and an improbable number of skeletons prove Murk to be more eventful than Viv could have ever expected.]]> 336 Travis Baldree 1250886104 Bt 0 to-read 4.13 2023 Bookshops & Bonedust (Legends & Lattes, #0)
author: Travis Baldree
name: Bt
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/11/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Aphrodite 59218934 70,000+ readers have already discovered the Regency Goddesses Series. The books, which can be read in any order, are regularly in the U.S. top 20 for Historical Romance and Humor & Satire.

#1 Amazon Best Seller, Regency Historical Romance
#1 Amazon Best Seller, British Humor & Satire
#6 Amazon Best Seller, Kindle Store (all genres)

� a Regency Christmas
� a masterful heroine
� a betrothed hero
� a match-making grandmother (and retired courtesan)

“I fail to see why you expect me to put up with your acerbic charm? Others of your acquaintance might be inclined to do so, but I, strange creature that I am, will not!�

When the beautiful Miss April Hartwood arrives in London to be introduced to Regency high society, she hopes for some fun and frivolity after a life spent in rural obscurity in Cornwall. Unfortunately for her, her grandmother has other ideas...marriage.

Lively and strong-willed, April does not appreciate being compelled to catch a husband. Yet, before long, she finds herself courting the affections of the Duke of Claredon, while struggling with a wholly inappropriate attraction to the insufferable Mr Royce.

In the lead up to Christmas, in the year 1820, a delightfully devious campaign is orchestrated to bring together two people destined for one another, regardless of the obstacles to be overcome and the inconvenient tendency on the part of the protagonists to resist their attraction...until they are finally brought to realise they cannot escape fate, or the meddling of one determined grandmother!]]> D.G. Rampton Bt 5 regency 4.39 2019 Aphrodite
author: D.G. Rampton
name: Bt
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2023/11/17
date added: 2023/11/16
shelves: regency
review:

]]> Meriden Park 61135337
Despite her genial nature, Mary is received with suspicion by the villagers. For his part, however, Mr. Robert Markham is intrigued by the curious new beauty in town. Determined to make her acquaintance, he offers Mary a bargain she can't
refuse: a hot cross bun for a kiss. That seemingly innocent exchange is the first of many encounters between Robert and Mary, whose friendship blossoms into love during long walks in the privacy of Sherwood Forest. But the shadows of the forest hide a sinister secret, one Mary fears Robert might be a part of. As the mystery of the recent string of murders creeps closer and closer, Robert and Mary are drawn into a dangerous game, and unless she can unearth the truth, the couple risks losing one another forever.]]> 240 Julie Daines Bt 3 regency 3.95 2022 Meriden Park
author: Julie Daines
name: Bt
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2023/09/17
date added: 2023/11/10
shelves: regency
review:
I liked the first third of this book best. I liked the setup with Sherwood forest, and the murder in the woods, Mary's mixed (half Indian, half English) heritage she's dealing with, and the first couple meetings with the main guy. Unfortunately, I found the pacing a little slow after that, felt main guy got less charming, and did not prefer the whole development with the trial as an ending - I was hoping for lots more adventure in Sherwood forest and a more action-y conclusion in the woods. The end was slow to me and often not that interesting.
]]> <![CDATA[The Prince and the Sea Witch (A Villain's Ever After, #11)]]> 58044793
She makes potions instead, earning a reputation as a witch and becoming a social outcast. When a little mermaid asks for a potion that can reunite her with the human she loves, Briony reluctantly agrees. But there is more to the mermaid’s plan than a quest for love. The more Briony interacts with the human prince the mermaid wants to claim, the more she suspects that he never loved the little mermaid at all.
Discover a retelling that turns the classic fairytale inside out and upside down. Where mermaids lure men to their deaths with siren songs and the sea witch will be the hero if she survives the final battle.

The Prince and the Sea Witch is one of twelve short novels in A Villain's Ever After, a collection of standalone stories featuring villainous twists on some of your favorite classic fairytales. Read the series in any order for magical adventures . . . and fall in love with villains as you’ve never seen them before. Who said villains can’t have happily-ever-afters?]]> 126 A.G. Marshall Bt 2 4.16 2021 The Prince and the Sea Witch (A Villain's Ever After, #11)
author: A.G. Marshall
name: Bt
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2021
rating: 2
read at:
date added: 2023/11/03
shelves:
review:
Skimmed this novella. A bit boring but also cute in parts. Didn't go way off the rails or anything. The community of killer mermaids was interesting. The magic seemed a bit too easy and didn't always make sense. I read this quickly because I mostly wanted to see how the story was handled.
]]> <![CDATA[The Stepsister and the Slipper (A Villain's Ever After, #4)]]> 58235552
Lady Charlotte needs a rich husband, and fast. Good thing she has plenty of beauty and charm, with no foolish ideas of love to get in the way of her plans. When the chance to catch the wealthiest, most eligible bachelor in the kingdom appears, she will do everything in her power to win such a prize; even if she must break a few hearts along the way. But in the end, it is her own heart that's troubled. Perhaps true love really does exist, but if so, it’s not with the man she has caught�

The Stepsister and the Slipper is one of twelve short novels in A Villain's Ever After, a collection of standalone stories featuring villainous twists on some of your favorite classic fairytales. Read the series in any order for magical adventures . . . and fall in love with villains as you've never seen them before. Who said villains can't have happily-ever-afters?]]> 139 Nina Clare Bt 4 4.04 2021 The Stepsister and the Slipper (A Villain's Ever After, #4)
author: Nina Clare
name: Bt
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2023/10/25
date added: 2023/10/25
shelves:
review:
Really sweet. Enjoyed reading it.
]]> <![CDATA[Juniper Bean Resorts to Murder (Happily Ever Homicide, #1)]]> 102777361
There’s just one problem: she can’t seem to stop killing off her main characters.

After accepting that a genre change is in order, Juniper sets out to do some research. What’s the best way to carry a dead body? How exactly does one pick a lock? Juniper is going to find out—with the unwilling help of her new roommate, Aiden.

But Juniper’s plans go haywire when she stumbles across an actual, real-life dead body—and before she knows it, she and Aiden are thrust into the middle of a murder mystery that seems suspiciously tied to Juniper’s past.

Who killed the girl in the woods? Can Juniper ever get the hang of mystery writing? And, perhaps the biggest question of all: Why the heck does Aiden look so good in a tweed jacket?]]> 368 Gracie Ruth Mitchell Bt 0 to-read 4.02 2023 Juniper Bean Resorts to Murder (Happily Ever Homicide, #1)
author: Gracie Ruth Mitchell
name: Bt
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/10/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Willow and the Harvest Moon 144032571 213 Kayla Eshbaugh Bt 2
That being said, I found the writing juvenile - like the prose is not very interesting or complex and the characters and story don't have the time they need to react realistically to what's going on. I liked the beginning better than the middle, where she finds out she's the fairy princess. I liked it better when it was more grounded, and she was just a girl living in the woods with more realistic problems. The characters are not 3D and the main couple are verrrry repetitive with their feelings of insecurity and not wanting to talk to the other person.

The vibe is great though, it's a 5 star vibe. But I had to skim the middle and end a lot because a lot of the story is boring. The setup is the best part.]]> 4.24 Willow and the Harvest Moon
author: Kayla Eshbaugh
name: Bt
average rating: 4.24
book published:
rating: 2
read at: 2023/10/22
date added: 2023/10/22
shelves:
review:
Loved the setup and her home in the tree and the animals, and how Thomas always came to visit her. And the upcoming Harvest Moon festival they are thinking about. So adorable and such a lovely cozy fall vibe.

That being said, I found the writing juvenile - like the prose is not very interesting or complex and the characters and story don't have the time they need to react realistically to what's going on. I liked the beginning better than the middle, where she finds out she's the fairy princess. I liked it better when it was more grounded, and she was just a girl living in the woods with more realistic problems. The characters are not 3D and the main couple are verrrry repetitive with their feelings of insecurity and not wanting to talk to the other person.

The vibe is great though, it's a 5 star vibe. But I had to skim the middle and end a lot because a lot of the story is boring. The setup is the best part.
]]>