Reading Fanatic Reviews
Books to Add to Your TBR list... or Not!Hey, ya’ll! I’m VERY behind getting my reviews up on the website! I’ve increased the reading and reviewing, leaving less of my leisure time available to update this website. I’ll do weekly posts with links to my reviews at Amazon; you can also check out my Amazon and Goodreads profiles.
By the way, I’m now a top 50 Amazon.com reviewer (#12 currently) and the top 8 US reviewer of all time on Goodreads (and top 9 in the world)… and the #6 US reviewer and #8 in the world in the past year. Cool stuff!
I hope to make updates to this site soon!
Today Dauphine, Tomorrow Nothing by Sage Hillbom
Available at Amazon only
Not with Kindle Unlimited
NOTE: This may all change after the book has been published for a few days.
Today Dauphine, Tomorrow Nothing*
Unusual Look at the Court of the Sun King
This book takes place at the court of the Sun King of France at the turn of the 18th century (the late 1690s to early 1700s). We see it through the eyes of Adelaide, who is to be the king’s granddaughter-in-law. The book spans some 20 years. Life at court is a far more complicated than the Dauphine (as she was known) could have imagined. Her marriage isn’t what she thought it would be, and there are those who have ill intent for her. She does find a loving relationship that is forbidden in more ways than one.
While I found this look at France’s court to be a fascinating one, I felt that the author did too much telling rather than showing. Since so much time elapses during the novel, the author felt the need to summarize much of what happens. She might have been better off having a few scenes that showed what happened with smaller snippets of description of the elapsed time. The scenes that are written are well done, showing what Adelaide and Colette go through during their lives. Thankfully, the author does give a directory in the front of the book to the real historical characters that this book references. Adelaide was, in fact, the Dauphine; this is a fictionalized account of her story.
The Redemption of Evalisa Trooge by Lauren M. Flauding
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
The Redemption of Evalisa Trooge*
Modern Spin on Classic Christmas Tale
This short story is a modern-day take A Christmas Carol. Instead of Ebenezer Scrooge, we have Evalisa Trooge. She is very much like the original with just a few modern spins. In this version, she redeems herself in multiple ways, personally, professionally, and romantically. But she does have a trip—mental and physical—to get there!
The book follows the standard format of looking at the past, present, and future. Realization builds for Evalisa. Because this book is so short, I didn’t feel like the backstories of each segment were fully realized. Sometimes, characters just seem to emote out of the blue. Some dialogue was a little clunky. There were definitely issues with grammar, punctuation, and spelling. But if you enjoy the themes of the original A Christmas Carol, you might enjoy this very short modern take on it.
Saving Mr. Darcy by Rebecca Preston
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, and Indigo (Chapters)
Saving Mr. Darcy*
Plodding and Tedious JAFF
I am a massive fan of Jane Austen fanfiction. In fact, when I first got my Kindle years ago, I just about read it exclusively! So, I’m always on the lookout for my next JAFF fix. I was hoping to find it with this book. Unfortunately, I found the plot to be rather plodding to start and actually rather tedious. What made it tedious? Many scenes seemed to be just filler, with no substance that drives plot or shows character, like the visit that Elizabeth had with Charlotte at the start of the book. We didn’t even see Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth converse—though we did hear after the fact that they danced at the ball that takes place at the beginning of the book–until after the 15% mark or so. The book is also full of all sorts of strange errors with grammar, punctuation, usage, and spelling, much more so than the average independently published book. Commas were used either too often or not enough. Tenses were sometimes wrong, and even now and then there wasn’t subject-and-verb agreement. There were enough errors that it was distracting. While I do indeed love Jane Austen fanfiction, I do not feel that I can recommend this book.
Destiny of a Warrior by Mary Morgan
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Google Play, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, Indigo (Chapters)
Destiny of a Warrior*
Exquisitely Written Tale
This is the first book that I’ve read by this author, and I am completely blown away! She has a way of writing that pulls you right in and allows you to visualize this sometimes strange world that she has constructed so beautifully. She shows rather than tells, and we really get to know the characters and their struggles in an intimate way that feels real. The level of the prose is exceptional. It is lyrical and poetic but still accessible. The writing just flows and charms you so that you willingly follow the magical, fantastic journey. Rarely have I read such exquisitely written paranormal fantasy romance. I love, in this book, the blend of Irish mythology and stories with 1980s Scotland. Two of my favorite places to visit! Aiden and Rose came across as so real in their goals, motivations, and conflicts. Their chemistry was there in spades. The tension, both romantic and otherwise, was palpable and seemed true to the characters and the story arc. I read and review a lot of books, and this is one of the times that I actually went and bought several of the author’s books so I can continue to live in the world that she creates. Just exceptional. I am looking forward to more!
How to Lose an Alien in 10 Days by Fiona Roarke
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Scribd, 24 Symbols, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, Indigo (Chapters)
How to Lose an Alien in 10 Days*
How Do I Love This Series? Let Me Count the Ways!
This is the third installment of this delightful, humorous romantic sci-fi series that I have read. I continue to be absolutely charmed by this aliens-on-Earth series. In this particular installment, Cam—the chief security officer for the alien way station on Earth—meets an intriguing young woman when he goes just outside of Alien’s borders to a karaoke bar. This is his little secret getaway that he likes to do on occasion; close enough to home that he can be contacted if needed but a world away otherwise. Unbeknownst to him, this girl is actually a runaway from a spaceship that has just recently come to the way station. She wanted to experience a little bit of life on Earth and perhaps get away from her affianced. A marriage has been arranged for her, and she is not happy with the choice of groom.
As always in these books, there is a lot of delicious humor and wordplay. The romance really did seem to be ramped up in this one but in a believable way. I like how the heroine tests Cam to go beyond his gotta-play-by-the-rules mentality. The romance is a lovely one to follow, and given the circumstances as they get more and more complicated, it’s hard to see their way to a proper HEA. But that’s the fun of reading a romance! I so enjoyed these characters and their story. I am very much looking forward to my next trip to Alienn, Arkansas.
Are You Afraid of the Dark Rum? by Sam Slaughter
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Google Play, Scribd, 24 Symbols, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, and Indigo (Chapters)
Are You Afraid of the Dark Rum?*
Simply Fun Cocktail Book for Millennials (and Maybe Gen X!)
In this whimsical and fun cocktail book, cultural icons of the 1990s are invoked to inspire the children of that decade, now grown up, to explore the world of mixed drinks. The book is colorful, both in the many photographs and the playful design of the pages. The book starts with a little background on tools, glassware, basic mixing methods, and building a proper bar. The recipes are often twists on classic cocktails, while others are more original. The names of the drinks reflect the cultural milieu of the 1990s, often with a pun, like the Kimmy Gimlet (for Kimmy Gibbler of Full House) and Livin’ La Vida Coco. Even the title of the book refers to a 1990s TV show. The book ends with a few more helpful chapters about syrups and infusions as well as a 1990s playlist and a very short list of drinking games.
While I wasn’t a 1990s kid, graduating from high school in 1985, I recognized enough of the references to make me smile. As I said above, the book is beautifully photographed. The colors jump out at you, and you get a good look at what finished drinks look like. Reminding me of MTV’s Behind the Music, sometimes the pictures have little bubbles with trivia about the particular 1990s reference of the drink. The recipe headers also often talk about the 90s reference or about the cocktail itself.
The only thing I find strange is that measures like a half ounce and quarter cup are given in decimal rather than in fractions, and the decimals don’t have leading zeros. As one who has read a gazillion cookbooks, this just looks strange to me.
That being said, I think this is a fun collection of cocktails that any 1990s kid, or 1980s kid, might enjoy for both nostalgia and the fanciful drinks.
Ask a Suffragist by April Young Bennett
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Ask a Suffragist*
Wonderful Addition to the Canon of Feminist Literature
If you have an interest in women’s history or feminism, this book is a wonderful addition to others on the subject. It brings together the voices and stories of the suffragists who made forward strides for gender equality and ultimately triumphed in getting women the vote in the US in the early 20th century, though the stirrings of the movement began nearly a hundred years before. In this book, the author poses a set of questions that is as valid today as it was back in the early days of feminism, like how do we make our voices heard, what is men’s role in feminism, how do we balance family life with activism, and how do we break the glass ceiling. In some of my own reading and documentary watching, I’ve become familiar what did deeper stories of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, but some of the other women referenced in this book were less well-known to me; I enjoyed learning both about their perspectives on feminism and their lives.
For each question, the author begins with quotes and then an extended essay that draws upon the lives and the activism of the suffragists using a lot of their own words (and others about them), pulling from their public and private writing. I found many of these stories, like the courtship of Lucy Stone, the Bloomers, and the first National Woman’s Rights Convention, quite compelling. Like us, these women lived complex lives, and they struggled against a society that vilified them and tried to make them go away. While women’s lot has much improved, there is still so much that needs to be done for true equality, as the current fight for equal wages for equal work and for respectful treatment in the workplace and beyond will attest.
The author has done an incredible amount of research. There are just shy of a thousand citation notes! Using so much of the living record adds an immediacy to this work that makes it more than just essays on feminist questions. Instead, it brings us into the real lives and work of these path-breaking women. The author does include a timeline in the back, which is handy.
Whether you have an interest in feminism from a historical standpoint or from what it could mean to us today, you will most likely find much of interest in this well-researched and inspiring book.
Freya by Celeste Barclay
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Freya*
Repetitious, Emotionally Overwrought Tale
When I read the first book of the series, Leif, I actually asked the author if she was going to do a book about Freya because I so enjoyed her character in her brother’s book. I was thrilled to see this novel listed at one of my favorite book reviewer sites. Unfortunately, I am disappointed in this book, though I do I seem to be in the minority. We do know from the last book that Freya is a brave and strong shieldmaiden, but in this book—while we do see some of that—that is overshadowed by her mercurial emotional states.
I found this book to be very repetitious. Freya and Erik seemed to repeat their mental and emotional meanderings both verbally and in thought, and the substance of these rarely changed as the book progressed. They both seem to have crazy jealousy that doesn’t make sense in the first part because they don’t yet mean anything to each other. I rolled my eyes at how many times each described or was caught up in the gorgeousness of the other or reflected on how much every member of the opposite sex desired the other. In other descriptions, too, everything about them is superlative to the other: fiercest, biggest, etc. Really… please.
Erik seems to be smitten right from the start, and he just seems over-the-top, deeply in love in a way that just seems unbelievable from what happened in the last book and what is happening this book. Can he truly love a woman whom he doesn’t really know (in part because she rebuffs him all the time)? Especially to the extent that he either thinks or states. He is willing to take whatever Freya is willing to offer, and he is supports her positions and decisions that have to do with the greater story and series arc.
Freya pulls away for several reasons, including the fear that her warriors will respect her less and the fear that Erik will move on once he has satisfied himself physically with her. (Both of these fears come up repeatedly, even when they initially appear to be resolved.) Given that Freya has been led her father’s warriors and battled at their side for some time, it just seems strange to me that respect would be a concern that would keep her from Erik. Over the years, shouldn’t she have garnered their respect, no matter what man interests her? I also found Freya’s character to be a little too spiky emotionally; it seemed like any little thing could set her off, and she always interpreted what Erik said wrong.
There is quite a bit of head hopping in this book. Sometimes, it happens within a paragraph or alternating paragraphs. Sometimes, too, the narrator shifts briefly to the omniscient perspective. There are some issues with punctuation (commas), grammar, and word choice/spelling (e.g., whether for weather); hopefully, this was cleared up before publication, as I did receive an ARC copy. I didn’t feel like the plot was well-balanced. For at least half the book, even though they were on a scouting raid, the focus was on the emotional turmoil of the romance. I would have liked to have seen that balanced out better with the plot about Hakin and Inga.
Grits, Gamblers, and Grudges by Paula Lester and Lisa B. Thomas
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Grits, Gamblers, and Grudges*
Skeleton in the… Basement?
I’ve enjoyed the two previous installments in this series, and this one was just as delightful. It’s got all the things that I love about paranormal cozy mysteries: a beleaguered heroine, quirky cast of characters, a small town that is more than it seems, a little supernatural flair to take it out of the ordinary, and a mystery that has a few surprises that make it fun to follow. Paige certainly had a rough go right from the start. Not only did she need to take out a loan for plumbing repairs, but the plumber finds a skeleton. An inspector comes out to look at the plumbing but discovers Paige has been living there in a commercial-only zone; she gives Paige two weeks to get out, or she’ll be fined and the bookshop closed. Could deceased Aunt Nora actually be responsible for the skeleton found in the basement of the bookshop? I enjoy the author’s writing style, as I can just slip right back into the world she has created as if I never left. Looking forward to more in the series.
Missing You by Shereen Vedam
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Missing You*
Spy Heroine in Cozy Mystery?
I am a big fan of cozy mysteries, so I was intrigued by this book. Cozies usually take place in small, made-up towns full of quirky characters; the mystery of themselves can be either silly or serious. I found I didn’t particularly like this book because I just couldn’t get behind the idea of cozy mystery heroine being an actual spy. Whenever the heroine mentioned her job, it just didn’t ring true for a cozy mystery. It seemed to make the whole book too serious for a cozy. Also, parts of the book took place outside of a small town (yes, I know it is listed as a travel mystery!); to me, that is one of the requirements of a cozy (that and an amateur sleuth). The concept just didn’t work for me. The writing itself is fine, at times humorous though not as often as is usually the case for a cozy mystery. It took a while, too, to get to the actual mystery of the book; it felt like the book meandered for quite a while without much purpose (or interest). The romance line fell flat for me as well. I’ve read other books by this author and enjoyed them, but this one was not my cup of tea.
Jamie Brydone-Jack
Reader, Editor, Writer
I’m an avid reader, for both fun and work/business. I enjoy a wide variety of books, including literary fiction, romance, thrillers, cozy mysteries, and fantasy for fiction and history, contemporary issues, philosophy, music, medicine, and cookbooks for nonfiction. I’m a freelance copyeditor who also does beta and alpha reading. I have two websites that are all about romance and mystery. You can also follow my reviews at Amazon, Goodreads, and Bookbub.
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