When Jamie Wesley released Fake It Till You Bake It, I was excited to read it. Now, the series continues with A Legend in the Baking, starring Sugar Blitz co-owner August and Donovan's younger sister, Sloane. Sloane has just been passed over for a promotion she deserved, so she quits and decides to pursue a... Continue Reading →
After reading three of Suzanne Allain's books, I'm happy to say that her newest release is my favorite so far. The Wrong Lady Meets Lord Right is out today, and it's the perfect balance of whimsical and scintillating. Since being orphaned at only three years old, Arabella Grant has lived with her sweet cousin Isabelle... Continue Reading →
As soon as I heard about Duchess Material by Emily Sullivan, I was intrigued. A historical romance with a healthy dose of mystery? Love it! And that it takes place in the 1890s is also appealing, partly because I've read so few books set in this decade. I loved seeing how different things were, especially... Continue Reading →
I've adored the Belles of London series from Mimi Matthews, so it's bittersweet to have read the fourth and final book. In The Muse of Maiden Lane, Stella Hobhouse gets her happily ever after with Teddy Hayes, a character who previously appeared in the Parish Orphans of Devon series. Stella Hobhouse has completed two seasons... Continue Reading →
I loved One Night in Hartswood, the first in Emma Denny's Barden Series, and was excited to read its sequel, All the Painted Stars. This time, the sisters get a chance at love. Jo de Foucart is due to marry, and a tournament to celebrate her young brother's rise to earldom is also a chance... Continue Reading →
For the past two years I've been excited to read One Night in Hartswood by Emma Denny. Though it came out in the US a full year ago, now that its sequel is out, I figured it was time to finally dive in. Set in 1360, it follows Penn (William) de Foucart and his impending... Continue Reading →
As a kid, I absolutely loved horses. From my numerous Breyer horses to the book series I read (The Black Stallion; Phantom Stallion; Pony Pals; many more!), I was a horse girl through and through (minus the budget for riding lessons, sadly). To this day, I love horses and am drawn to anything involving them.... Continue Reading →
Every fall I'm on the lookout for some good horror and thrillers to feed my spooky season cravings. One book I had been eagerly awaiting was Del Sandeen's debut novel, This Cursed House. It's summer 1962 when Jemma has faced a series of difficulties at home in Chicago. From the death of her adoptive father... Continue Reading →
Jane Eyre but with more spice and more dark magic? Yes please! That’s what the marketing copy for Erin Elle's The Baron’s Demons promised, and that’s what instantly had me sold. Julia Woodrow is desperate to escape her abusive father's home, but has little opportunity to do so. She's lucky when a stranger, Gabriel, Baron... Continue Reading →
Last year I absolutely loved The Pomegranate Gate, the first in Ariel Kaplan's Mirror Realm Cycle trilogy. Set during the Spanish Inquisition but in a differently named world and a whole Mazik realm, it was a book that was a little bonkers and a ton of fun. Now, the second installment is here: The Republic... Continue Reading →
Fans of Jane Austen and historical mysteries won’t want to miss Murder in Highbury, the first in Vanessa Kelly's new Emma Knightley Mystery series. Now married to George Knightley, Emma is off of matchmaking and on to... solving crimes! When she and Harriet Martin stumble across the body of Mrs. Elton, it's immediately clear to Emma... Continue Reading →
Today Raquel Vasquez Gilliland releases her second Wild Magic novel, Lightning in Her Hands. This book follows middle sister Teal, a volatile woman whose gift is changing the weather according to her moods. But she was four when her mother abandoned the family, taking a piece of Teal's magic with her; Teal has never had... Continue Reading →
Tomorrow Raquel Vasquez Gilliland releases her second Wild Magic book, of which I have an ARC... but I hadn't yet read the first installment! Witch of Wild Things had been on my TBR since it came out last year, and I'm glad I read it first. In Witch of Wild Things, Sage is back home... Continue Reading →
Last winter, I enjoyed reading The Lighthouse Witches by C. J. Cooke, so I was excited to read more from her. This week she released her newest novel, The Book of Witching. Divided between two timelines, it deals with a mysterious group known as the Triskele on the Orkney Islands of Scotland. In 1594, Alison... Continue Reading →
One of my most anticipated books this fall was The Lightning Bottles by Marissa Stapley. Set in the Seattle grunge scenes of the 1990s, this dual-timeline novel is about star-crossed lovers—Elijah Hart and Jane Pyre—torn apart by fame and addiction. But when Elijah goes missing in Iceland in late 1994, Jane is forced to carry... Continue Reading →
I always love a book that weaves in music somehow, and that's what first drew me to Showmance by Chad Beguelin. Noah Adams has just had his Broadway debut... but his musical, Stage of Fools, is an immediate flop. He goes back to his small hometown in Illinois to be with his parents after his... Continue Reading →
Last year I loved Dominic Lim's debut novel, All the Right Notes, so I was excited to get an early copy of his new book, Karaoke Queen. As before, the romance here is between Filipino men and involves a ton of music. This time, though, instead of Broadway musicals and high school choirs, these characters... Continue Reading →
I've been enjoying Amalie Howard's Taming of the Dukes series and was excited for Effie's love story in the third installment, The Worst Duke in London. More concerned with her animal shelter than with finding a husband (especially after becoming an outcast during her first season), Lady Evangeline Raine has sworn off the whole marriage... Continue Reading →
It's back-to-school season, fall is almost here, and that makes it the perfect time to read Kristyn J. Miller's new novel, Given Our History. This dual-timeline, second chance romance is about two history professors (and former best friends) who haven't spoken in several years but are now back in each other's orbit. Clara and Teddy... Continue Reading →
Last year I absolutely loved My Roommate Is a Vampire, and I couldn't wait to continue the My Vampires series. Now Jenna Levine is back with My Vampire Plus-One, this time starring Reginald Cleaves (introduced in the first book) and a new character, Amelia Collins (Cassie's best friend Sam's sister). Amelia is tired of her... Continue Reading →
Karina Halle is an author I enjoyed several years ago (she wrote some of the first adult romances I'd ever read, including Love, in English, its sequel Love, in Spanish, and The Pact). I've been wanting to read more from her for a while, and at long last, I'm back with her newest release, The... Continue Reading →
I didn't know what to expect going into A Song to Drown Rivers, the adult debut from Ann Liang. It's a retelling of the legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China, though I was not familiar with that legend. This book has also been labeled as fantasy, though I would... Continue Reading →
Matchmaking, fake dating, a grumpy/sunshine dynamic, and Desi culture: All that and more is in Sunshine and Spice, the debut novel by Aurora Palit. I was first drawn to this book for its cute cover and the title, but the joy only grew as I began reading it. Set in Kelowna, British Columbia, it's about... Continue Reading →
I'm a sucker for a good horror story, especially when dolls are involved. So The Doll's House by Lisa Unger immediately captured my attention. This short story follows Jules, recently widowed, and her teenage daughter, Scout. Both are still grieving, but Jules is already with a new man, Kirin, and they're moving into his house.... Continue Reading →
Amanda's Book Corner 