I read some good books this month and some just okay books. I also read my most anticipated book of the year, and it did not let me down. I'm kind of in a book haze right now. Hopefully it will lift soon, and I'll find some more great reads. Here are the books I read this month and my thoughts about them.
I love books about book stores. I love books with dual timelines. This book had both of those things, so I found it delightful. And it's set in England. Let's just say it oozes charm. It also deals with some weighty issues like infidelity and domestic abuse. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy women's fiction.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for the purpose of review.
If you are a fan of biblical fiction, you won't want to miss this exciting retelling of the life of Daniel. Mesu Andrews is a wonderful story teller. She includes a lot of historical details that enrich the biblical account. The story is told through the eyes of a fictional character named Abigail. I enjoyed her character development and story line. She added an interesting female aspect to what would have been an all male story.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of review.
Flights of Fancy
This book was cute and a little silly at times. If you enjoy historical and rom-coms you'll probably enjoy this author. I thought some of the banter was really funny, but I wasn't really a fan of all of the physical comedy. Still, it was a fun read overall. I'll pick up the next one in the series when it comes out.
How to Walk Away
I'm not usually into contemporary romance, but this one was really good. There's a lot of F bombs, so if that bothers you you'll want to steer clear. I loved the character development and the family drama. It was funny without being silly. I thought the end was a little too "Hollywood rom-com" ending, but I really appreciated the epilogue. Recommended if you enjoy contemporary novels with a little more meat to them.
The Last Year of the War
So, this is going to be my favorite book of the year. I just don't see anything else I read effecting me the way this book has. I loved it. I love Susan Meissner's writing and characters. I love that the ending to the story was satisfying but a little ambiguous. I ugly cried in the middle. These people really struggled, and had every right to be angry. I love hard hitting historical fiction, and this checked all my boxes. Highly recommended if you love World War Two fiction and don't mind a good cry and an ambiguous ending.
Castle on the Rise
I really like the premise of Castle on the Rise. I'm there for mysterious castles and romantic heroes. For the most part I enjoyed this book. I think all three of the plot lines are interesting. Unfortunately, I feel like each story isn't getting the time it deserves. Every time I feel like I'm getting comfortable with the characters and the plot, it's time to move on to the next one. I wish more time was spent on each time period or maybe one of the stories was told through letters. This is just my opinion, and like I said, it's a great premise. I recommend checking the book out for yourself.
I received this book from Netgalley for the purpose of review.
Flights of Fancy
This book was cute and a little silly at times. If you enjoy historical and rom-coms you'll probably enjoy this author. I thought some of the banter was really funny, but I wasn't really a fan of all of the physical comedy. Still, it was a fun read overall. I'll pick up the next one in the series when it comes out.
How to Walk Away
I'm not usually into contemporary romance, but this one was really good. There's a lot of F bombs, so if that bothers you you'll want to steer clear. I loved the character development and the family drama. It was funny without being silly. I thought the end was a little too "Hollywood rom-com" ending, but I really appreciated the epilogue. Recommended if you enjoy contemporary novels with a little more meat to them.
The Last Year of the War
So, this is going to be my favorite book of the year. I just don't see anything else I read effecting me the way this book has. I loved it. I love Susan Meissner's writing and characters. I love that the ending to the story was satisfying but a little ambiguous. I ugly cried in the middle. These people really struggled, and had every right to be angry. I love hard hitting historical fiction, and this checked all my boxes. Highly recommended if you love World War Two fiction and don't mind a good cry and an ambiguous ending.
Castle on the Rise
I really like the premise of Castle on the Rise. I'm there for mysterious castles and romantic heroes. For the most part I enjoyed this book. I think all three of the plot lines are interesting. Unfortunately, I feel like each story isn't getting the time it deserves. Every time I feel like I'm getting comfortable with the characters and the plot, it's time to move on to the next one. I wish more time was spent on each time period or maybe one of the stories was told through letters. This is just my opinion, and like I said, it's a great premise. I recommend checking the book out for yourself.
I received this book from Netgalley for the purpose of review.
