Posted on by Maureen

Brightwood by Tania Unsworth

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I received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Brightwood is a middle grade novel written by Tania Unsworth. This was originally published under the title The Secret Life of Daisy Fitzjohn, but the name was changed for the American edition.

Daisy Fitzjohn is a young girl living in a manor house in England. Her life is quite unconventional. To begin with, she has never left Brightwood Hall; this is a modern story, so never having left her house is unusual. Daisy has wondered about the outside world, but she is content to remain at home while her mother leaves the house for provisions. And if being isolated from the outside world was not enough, it is immediately clear that Daisy’s mother is a hoarder. Daisy is unfazed by the unconventional lifestyle; after all, she doesn’t know that anything is amiss. She is content to converse with her friends, like the rat named Tar and a topiary horse. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

A Proposal to Die For by Vivian Conroy

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I received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I love historical fiction and mysteries, so I was very excited about the opportunity to read A Proposal to Die For. This is the first entry in Vivian Conroy’s new series featuring Lady Alkmene Callender, a young socialite in 1920s London.

When Silas Norwhich, a wealthy man, dies under suspicious circumstances, Lady Alkmene feels compelled to investigate. It doesn’t really matter to her that she has no experience or much of a connection to the deceased; she knows that something is not quite right, and she is determined to uncover the truth.

Alkmene crosses paths with a reporter named Jake Dubois, and at first, he sees her as an annoyance, and that she sees detective work as something to do to pass the time while her father is out of the country. Alkmene quickly realizes that he is not entirely incorrect; there is a great deal that she does not know about the way the world works. However, Jake must admit that Alkmene’s status provides her with admission to places that he would not be able to reach on his own. The two form an unlikely partnership. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Poppy by Mary Hooper

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I received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, so I was very excited about the opportunity read Poppy by Mary Hooper.

Poppy Pearson is a young woman living in England during World War I. She is working as a maid in a grand house, but she has bigger dreams. Poppy did well in school, but she needed to take the position in the de Vere household to help supplement her family’s income.

Poppy receives the opportunity to train as a Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) nurse. The bulk of the novel deals with her experiences working in a hospital in England that receives injured soldiers as they return from the battlefields in France. Hard work and taking orders are not as much of an adjustment for her as they are for some of the girls who come from more affluent backgrounds. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Crowned and Dangerous by Rhys Bowen

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I have been a fan of Rhys Bowen’s books for a couple of years, and I always look forward to new releases. All of her books are lovely, but I must admit that her Royal Spyness series is my favorite. If you’re not familiar with this series, here’s a brief explanation: the books take place in 1930s England, and Georgiana Rannoch is 35th in line for the throne. She is an astute young woman, and she often receives royal requests for help. Of course, one cannot refuse the Queen of England. Georgie has all sorts of adventures, and solves mysteries.

Crowned and Dangerous is the 10th book in the Royal Spyness series. When we last encountered our heroine Georgie, she was attending the wedding of her cousin Prince George to Princess Marina. As the story begins, she has been swept away by her enigmatic beau Darcy O’Mara, who after several years of casual dating, intends to take her to Gretna Green and marry her.

Alas, fate intervenes and Darcy sees a newspaper bearing grim tidings: his father, Lord Kilhenny has been arrested for the murder of the wealthy American man who bought the Kilhenny estate several years ago. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

The Wicked Boy by Kate Summerscale

51qebdodpflI received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoy reading about Victorian history, so I was very excited about the opportunity to read The Wicked Boy by Kate Summerscale. This is my first experience with her, and I will definitely look for her other Victorian books in the future!

During the summer of 1895, a pair of brothers named Robert and Nattie Coombes told their neighbors and relatives that their mother had gone away for awhile. They invited a family friend to stay with them for company; instead of staying in the upstairs bedrooms, they camped out downstairs. They took trips to Lord’s to see a cricket match, and they sent their family friend to pawn some household items. Eventually, relatives began to doubt the veracity of the boys’ tale and entered the locked bedroom. Mrs. Coombes was found dead, and the boys were arrested for murder. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

The Unexpected Duchess by Valerie Bowman

51makvpi-clA couple of months ago, I received the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Valerie Bowman’s The Untamed Earl. I have been reading historical romance novels for many years, but that was my first experience with Bowman’s books. I enjoyed The Untamed Earl, and was excited when I remembered that I had a couple of her other books on my Kindle. I tend to collect books when they are on sale, and come back to read them later.

I decided to start with The Unexpected Duchess, the first entry in the “Playful Brides” series. I had mentioned in my review of The Untamed Earl that there were some scenes with the hero’s sister and her friends, and that I would have had a better appreciation for their friendship if I had read the previous books in the series. So what better place to start than the beginning?

Lady Lucy Upton is a very loyal friend. Her friend Cass declares that she does not want to marry war-hero-turned-duke Derek Hunt, but she is too shy to tell him herself. Lucy takes it upon herself to speak for her dear friend Cass, and tell the new aristocrat that Cass is just not interested. She tries an indirect approach: speaking for Cass in a scene reminiscent of Cyrano de Bergerac, and she tries a more direct approach too. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

The Memory of Us by Camille DiMaio

51-g1gh-lflI received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Memory of Us was written by debut author Camille DiMaio. One of the first scenes involves protagonist Julianne visiting her twin brother at the institution that serves as his home. Julianne is not supposed to know that her brother exists; not only is she aware of him, she also makes regular clandestine visits to spend time with him. This defiance of convention and of parental wishes sets the tone for the rest of the book.

It is at Bootle House that Julianne first encounters Kyle McCarthy. Julianne is accustomed to moving in the upper echelons of Liverpool society, and Kyle is completely like any of the other boys that she knows. Not only is he an Irish Catholic, but he also attends a seminary and intends to become a priest. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

I Thee Wed by Celeste Bradley

517cudu1fqlI received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review

I have not read any of Celeste Bradley’s books before, but I enjoy historical romances set in the Regency era, so I was excited about reading I Thee Wed.

This is the fourth book in the Wicked Worthingtons series, which follows the exploits of the Worthingtons, a family with eight children. Each book is devoted to one of the siblings, and follows his/her love story.

The books function reasonably well as stand-alones. I did not have to read the previous books in the series to get the sense that Orion Worthington wants to distance himself from his family. He loves his family, of course, but he has chosen a career in science, and that is very different than their penchant for being free-spirited. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle by Janet Fox

41ijyi-d4ulI had been eagerly awaiting The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle, and was very excited when I finally had time to read it. This middle grade novel was written by Janet Fox.

Katherine Bateson and her siblings are sent to north to Scotland and Rookskill Castle to escape the London Blitz. They are joined by several other children, and they are all the guests of Lady Eleanor, who had graciously turned her manor house into a school for the children. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

The Girls in the Garden by Lisa Jewell

611eueyzcylI received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  The Girls in the Garden will be available on June 7th, 2016.

The Girls in the Garden is author Lisa Jewell’s latest book, and begins with the discovery of a young girl in a London park. She has been hurt, and possibly also assaulted. Who could have done this to her?

The plot shifts to “Before” the incident. Sisters Pip and Grace have just moved with their mother Clare to a new home that opens up to a private park. They meet the other families who live in the nearby houses; there are several other children around the same age as the girls, and friendships are formed. Read more