Review: The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Armin

The Enchanted April

by Elizabeth von Armin

Pages: 232

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Four women, all strangers, escape the dismal English weather for a month-long retreat in an Italian villa. Once there, the company of the other women along with the "wisteria and sunshine" brings each character to a heartening realization about herself.


Kritters Thoughts:  A classic that I had never read (don't be fooled, I haven't read that many!)  I read this book in preparation to read the modern retelling (review to come tomorrow).  

As the description above explains, there are four women who are strangers all end up in a vacation home together.  The storyline was great.  These four women had such great personalities and throwing them in a home was sort of like watching the classic Real World before the drinking and the sex got out of hand!  

As most classics go, the language in this book was difficult and not an easy weekend read; I had to spend many hours slowly reading this one, so my hopes is that the modern retelling just reads easier.  But the classic presented a great story and as I read was modern for the time for women to vacation without their husbands.  I loved reading this book as a "progressive" book.

I can't wait to share my thoughts tomorrow on Enchanted August.


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Viking/Penguin.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: Second Life by SJ Watson

Second Life

by SJ Watson

Publisher: Harper

Pages: 432

Format: ARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  She loves her husband. She's obsessed by a stranger.

She's a devoted mother. She's prepared to lose everything.

She knows what she's doing. She's out of control.

She's innocent. She's guilty as sin.

She's living two lives. She might lose both . . .


Kritters Thoughts:  This isn't your typical woman enters an affair and everything goes awry - this one is different.  Julia loses her sister in a murder and ends up in a sticky situation "trying" to find the killer and justice.

This will be a hard review to write without giving away too much.  So first, let me say that this is my first SJ Watson read and as this story was unfolding through Julia's viewpoint, I had no idea SJ was a male and I didn't find out til 3/4 in and I am amazed.  I don't mean to do it, but I don't read a ton of male authors and beyond that I don't read a ton of male authors who use females as their main narrators - and SJ did the women right. 

Second without spoiling the story - the ending!  This story twists and turns and ups and downs and ends very abruptly.  I had to triple check that there weren't more pages, but I loved it!  I liked the cliffhanger and the ability to make my own decision as to where Julia may have gone and what decision she made - I felt powerful as the reader.

If you don't read books where women go out of the marriage - don't preconceive notions - read this one.  


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from TLC Book Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: The Hummingbird's Cage by Tamara Dietrich

The Hummingbird's Cage

by Tamara Dietrich

Publisher: NAL

Pages: 352

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Everyone in Wheeler, New Mexico, thinks Joanna leads the perfect life: the quiet, contented housewife of a dashing deputy sheriff, raising a beautiful young daughter, Laurel. But Joanna’s reality is nothing like her facade. Behind closed doors, she lives in constant fear of her husband. She’s been trapped for so long, escape seems impossible—until a stranger offers her the help she needs to flee....
 
On the run, Joanna and Laurel stumble upon the small town of Morro, a charming and magical village that seems to exist out of time and place. There a farmer and his wife offer her sanctuary, and soon, between the comfort of her new home and blossoming friendships, Joanna’s soul begins to heal, easing the wounds of a decade of abuse.
 
But her past—and her husband—aren’t so easy to escape. Unwilling to live in fear any longer, Joanna must summon a strength she never knew she had to fight back and forge a new life for her daughter and herself....


Kritters Thoughts:  If you have read too many abusive husband books, don't shy away from this one.  It is different.  (Weird beginning to review, but hold tight)

Joanna is an interesting character.  She is putting up with a horrible husband while at the same time trying her hardest to protect her daughter.  A few events unfold and she isn't sure she can keep it up - so she plans an escape and her life takes a major turn.  Of course, I can't share what happens or I will ruin your reading experience, but to send out a warning - magical realism a bit.

Let's talk about magical realism.  Usually I am not a fan because the whole book is magical realism and I like just reality at its finest, but this book was different and it was ok for me.  As Joanna escapes her husband, she ends up in this town and as you read you find out this town is a little different and there are some magical elements, but they are quirky and cute.  I liked how the clues slowly unfolded throughout the second part of the book and then the third book you get a very satisfying conclusion.

If you are like me and don't completely love when magic and reality get together - try this one, I enjoyed the hints of it, but still felt like I was reading a full and true story.


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Berkley NAL.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: Pieces by Maria Kostaki

Pieces

by Maria Kostaki

Publisher: She Writes Press

Pages: 209

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  When her mother, Anna, abandons her to move abroad with her new husband, Sasha is passed around her three grandparents in Cold War-era Moscow, attending first grade with a Lenin star pinned to her breast. Five years later, Anna and her husband reappear and whisk Sasha off to a better life in Athens, Greece. But they are not the gallant rescuers they first appear to be, and Sasha soon finds herself caught between a violent stepfather and a psychologically abusive mother. In her struggle to survive in her new world, Sasha turns to a world of invisible friends even as she continues to long for something real. At turns haunting and uplifting, Pieces is the story of one girl s survival and self-discovery and her continual search for love in a world where she has been given none."


Kritters Thoughts:  Sasha spends the first few years of her life being raised by her grandparents until her mother has remarried and decides that she wants to raise her herself.  She leaves everything she has known to move in with her half brother, step-father and mother and her life is forever changed.

Sasha was quite an interesting character.  At times, I didn't trust her to provide the whole story and although it was obviously coming from her thoughts and feelings; there were moments where I would have loved someone else's point of view.  

As this book is essentially a letter to her now deceased step-father, it was just very unique and different.  It was not told chronologically which at times was confusing and frustrating.  Without too much of a spoiler - her step-father is shown as a horrible person, but her letters and the way she tells the stories to him do not show the pain that she endured in her childhood - and I hated that.  I wanted to feel more pain and without it, the book and her stories didn't feel honest.

I loved the international feel of the book and hopping from country to country and hearing of the cultures melding, but this love didn't outweigh the character of Sasha and how frustrating she was as a narrator.


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Booksparks PR.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: Under a Dark Summer Sky by Vanessa Lafaye

Under a Dark Summer Sky

by Vanessa Lafaye

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Pages: 400

Format: ARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Huron Key is already weighed down with secrets when a random act of violence and a rush to judgment viscerally tear the town apart. As the little island burns under the sun and the weight of past decisions, a devastating storm based on the third-strongest Atlantic Hurricane on record approaches, matching the anger of men with the full fury of the skies. 


Kritters Thoughts:  A historical fiction with a southern racial twist that kept me intrigued from beginning to end.  A small town in Florida gets turned upside down when a load of veterans are sent their way to build a bridge, but with temporary housing in a hurricane zone, this may not be the best of situations.

I loved the combination of southern racial with a historical event.  There was romance, drama and mother nature all tied up in this book!  Before reading this book, I had no idea that the veterans were organized and put to work like this and am intrigued to find out if this happened often and where - does anyone know when and where else this happened?  

The thing that made this book for me was the slow build.  I knew that there was going to be a hurricane and it was going to be intense, but I loved that the hurricane didn't hit on page one and instead the reader was given the chance to get to know the characters and the town before it hit and caused destruction.  

If you are an avid historical fiction reader, this one felt different and new.  Be aware this large cast of characters had me making a chart to keep everyone straight!


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2015 Challenge: 37 out of 100

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Booksparks PR.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

It's Monday, What are you Reading?

A quiet reading week with The Romanov Sisters being a hefty book!  A day at the pool this weekend made for some good reading!

A meme hosted by Sheila at BookJourney. 

Finished this past week:

The Romanov Sisters by Helen Rappaport
A New Hope by Robyn Carr
The Hummingbird's Cage by Tamara Dietrich
The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Armin

Currently Reading:

Summer Secrets by Jane Green

Next on the TBR pile:

Enchanted August by Brenda Bowen

Review: All the Single Ladies by Dorothea Benton Frank

All the Single Ladies

by Dorothea Benton Frank

Publisher: William Morrow

Pages: 368

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  In this charming, evocative, soul-touching novel, she once again takes us deep into the heart of the magical Lowcountry where three amazing middle-aged women are bonded by another amazing woman’s death.

Through their shared loss they forge a deep friendship, asking critical questions. Who was their friend and what did her life mean? Are they living the lives they imagined for themselves? Will they ever be able to afford to retire? How will they maximize their happiness? Security? Health? And ultimately, their own legacies?

A plan is conceived and unfurls with each turn of the tide during one sweltering summer on the Isle of Palms. Without ever fully realizing how close they were to the edge, they finally triumph amid laughter and maybe even newfound love. 


Kritters Thoughts:  Three women end up single and living in Charleston, SC through different circumstances.  They each need the others to help provide stability and a unit to get through the highs and lows in life.  

With three main characters that are potentially in their silver years, I didn't completely connect with them and this was probably the main reason why this book just didn't do it for me.  I am a fan of Dorothea Benton Frank and will continue to read her books, but may pay a little closer attention to the synopsis next time!  If you are a reader who may be older than me or enjoy characters who are, then this could be right up your alley.

I did love the setting!  Charleston is a great city and the reader gets the feeling of this fantastic city from page one to the very last sentence.  The Southern charm oozes throughout the book.  Although the characters weren't it for me, the setting definitely made up for it!


Rating: enjoyable, but didn't leave me wanting more


Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from TLC Book Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review and Giveaway (CLOSED): The Romanov Sisters by Helen Rappaport

The Romanov Sisters

by Helen Rappaport

Publisher: St Martin's Press

Pages: 

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  They were the Princess Dianas of their day—perhaps the most photographed and talked about young royals of the early twentieth century. The four captivating Russian Grand Duchesses—Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia Romanov—were much admired for their happy dispositions, their looks, the clothes they wore and their privileged lifestyle.

Over the years, the story of the four Romanov sisters and their tragic end in a basement at Ekaterinburg in 1918 has clouded our view of them, leading to a mass of sentimental and idealized hagiography. With this treasure trove of diaries and letters from the grand duchesses to their friends and family, we learn that they were intelligent, sensitive and perceptive witnesses to the dark turmoil within their immediate family and the ominous approach of the Russian Revolution, the nightmare that would sweep their world away, and them along with it.

The Romanov Sisters sets out to capture the joy as well as the insecurities and poignancy of those young lives against the backdrop of the dying days of late Imperial Russia, World War I and the Russian Revolution. Rappaort aims to present a new and challenging take on the story, drawing extensively on previously unseen or unpublished letters, diaries and archival sources, as well as private collections. It is a book that will surprise people, even aficionados. 


Kritters Thoughts:  The Romanov family may be one of the most famous families in history, but I always wondered if all the stories I had heard about them were anywhere near the truth.  I was intrigued by this book when I received the pitch and was excited to see a bibliography that was many many pages knowing that this author sought out the truth to write her book.  

With a few stories in a history class and a Disney movie, I knew that the little "facts" that I had from their history could be a little off.  I knew of Rasputin and knew of the finale, but didn't know how Rasputin was involved in the downfall of their family.  

This book was FULL of details.  With 381 pages full of details.

The book started with some back story on the mother of the children, which was interesting to read how she was raised and then see her raise her own family.  Then after the two chapters of back story, the reader is taken into the dating and marriage of Nicholas and Alexandra.  Then the children come along and the story goes up and down and then really down.  

The one thing that maybe I missed, but would have liked was a little bit more of a story as to why and when Russia as a country decided that Nicholas wasn't doing his job and what the rest of the country was feeling.  As this book centered around the family, as a reader I could feel the isolation that the family felt and maybe the exclusion of the outside world and the stories that were there was the author's choice.

If you have any interest in the Romanov family, click the giveaway below to enter to win a copy of your own.


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from St Martin's Press.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thank you to St Martin's Press for providing a giveaway of 3 copies.  The giveaway ends on June 17th and is only open to US residents.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: The Medea Complex by Rachel Florence Roberts

The Medea Complex

by Rachel Florence Roberts

Publisher: Berkley NAL

Pages: 368

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  1885. Anne Stanbury wakes up in a strange bed, having been kidnapped from her home. As the panic settles in, she realizes she has been committed to a lunatic asylum, deemed insane and therefore unfit to stand trial for an unspeakable crime. But all is not as it seems….

Edgar Stanbury, her husband as well as a grieving father, is torn between helping his confined wife recover her sanity and seeking revenge for his ruined life. But Anne’s future rests wholly in the hands of Dr. George Savage, chief medical officer of Bethlem Royal Hospital.


Kritters Thoughts:  Told from a few perspectives, one being Anne Stansbury who wakes up in an insane asylum and is confused lost and upset, her husband who also narrates some chapters has sent her there following the death of their child.  Her doctor is the other perspective and provides an interesting side of the story as Anne is going through recovery and he is investigating what all happened to put her in his hospital.

The timing, location and premise of the story were great, but what really made this book for me was the multiple perspectives.  I loved that although Anne was an unreliable narrator, we still read from her point of view, but we were able to get other points of view that were maybe a little more reliable.  Of courses there are fantastic twists and turns and I was completely satisfied with the ending.  

This is one historical fiction not to miss and with the pace being quite brisk - it is a perfect weekend read during this summer.  I read the book in two sittings and loved how quickly the story moved.


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Berkley NAL.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: Worthy by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Worthy
by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Pages: 321

Format: ARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Virginia finally had the chance to explore a relationship with Aaron when he asked her on a date. She had been waiting, hoping that the widower and his young son, Buddy, would welcome her into their lives. But a terrible tragedy strikes on the night of their first kiss, crushing their hopes for a future together.

Nineteen years later, Virginia is engaged, though she has not forgotten Aaron or Buddy. When her dog goes missing and it comes to light that her fiancé set him loose, a distraught Virginia breaks off the engagement and is alone once again. A shy young man has found the missing pet, and although he’s bonded with the animal, he answers his conscience and returns the dog. Before long, Virginia and the young man discover a connection from their pasts that will help them let go of painful memories and change their lives forever.

Kritters Thoughts:  Virginia is living in this small town and has been eying a customer that has been coming into the diner that she works for a long time, the night that they both gain courage is the last night of their lives.  Buddy/Jody his son is impacted by this last night and is forever changed and has a very different upbringing then what was planned for him.  

Although predictable from page one, I still enjoyed the journey of these characters.  I loved Virginia and Jody and wanted to read their story even though I knew almost exactly where it was going to go!  

Virginia was great.  She seemed like a solid character but she had just as many flaws as Buddy/Jody who you would expect to have a lot of flaws with the dramatic childhood he has had by the age of 4.  I loved how both Virginia and Jody actually ended up saving each other and contributing to each other's lives.

This was my first Catherine Ryan Hyde read and it won't be my last!  


Rating: perfect beach read

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Booksparks PR.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: The Cherry Harvest by Lucy Sanna

The Cherry Harvest

by Lucy Sanna

Publisher: William Morrow

Pages: 336

Format: ARC

Buy the Book: Amazon 

Goodreads:  The war has taken a toll on the Christiansen family. With food rationed and money scarce, Charlotte struggles to keep her family well fed. Her teenage daughter, Kate, raises rabbits to earn money for college and dreams of becoming a writer. Her husband, Thomas, struggles to keep the farm going while their son, and most of the other local men, are fighting in Europe.

When their upcoming cherry harvest is threatened, strong-willed Charlotte helps persuade local authorities to allow German war prisoners from a nearby camp to pick the fruit.

But when Thomas befriends one of the prisoners, a teacher named Karl, and invites him to tutor Kate, the implications of Charlotte’s decision become apparent—especially when she finds herself unexpectedly drawn to Karl. So busy are they with the prisoners that Charlotte and Thomas fail to see that Kate is becoming a young woman, with dreams and temptations of her own—including a secret romance with the son of a wealthy, war-profiteering senator. And when their beloved Ben returns home, bitter and injured, bearing an intense hatred of Germans, Charlotte’s secrets threaten to explode their world.

Kritters Thoughts:  World War II is underway and this family has been hit hard on their farm as they don't have workers to get the cherries off the tree as the usual employees have gone to help in the war effort where there is more money.  Kate is ready to escape this farm and head to university and "make something" of herself.  She doesn't see a future for herself on the family farm, so she will do anything include be tutored by a Nazi war prisoner to pass her tests to get into school.  Her father will invite them into their farm and home to ensure that the harvest happens and they can make an income.

I thought this was an interesting concept and I loved most of the story.  The one thing that I didn't love was the few moments where this book took a little bit of a weird romantic turn - don't want to give too much away, but I would have loved this book without a few of the sexy times moments.  

The thing that I loved were reading the impact of the normal American citizen from World War II and I had no idea about how they were using the German prisoners of war to help farmers keep their farms in working condition.  I love that about historical fiction - learning something new!


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from TLC Book Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.