Author Archives: Carol

June 2022 Reading Wrap Up

 June 30, 2022

 June 2022 Reading Wrap Up

 

June 2022 Reading Wrap Up (collage of covers)

How was your June reading?

June was good to me! Out of 9 books completed, all but one was a 4 or 5 star read. I had three 5-star reads, two 4.5-star reads, three 4-star reads, and one 3-star read.

The most memorable reads of the month were Last Summer on State Street by Toya Wolfe (for its look into a world so different from my experience), A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus (exceptional MG lit with The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley vibes), and The Thread Collectors by Shauna Edwards/Alyson Richman (for Civil War content from an African American perspective).

Did we read any of the same books?

***This post contains Amazon affiliate links.
Titles are Amazon affiliate links or my linked reviews.
ARC=Advanced Readers Copy (complimentary copy for review before pub date)

Last Summer on State Street by Toya Wolfe

5 Stars. A compelling, gritty, and poignant coming-of-age story. Memoir-like. Diverse read. My review of Last Summer on State Street here.

The Thread Collectors by Shauna J Edwards and Alyson Richmen (ARC)

5 Stars. (ARC) Civil War Historical Fiction from an African American perspective. Review coming 8/30/2022.

A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus

5 Stars. Middle-Grade Historical Fiction. WW11 England. My review of A Place to Hang the Moon here.

The Last Dress From Paris by Jade Beer (ARC)

4.5 Stars. (ARC) Historical Fiction. My review of Last Dress From Paris here.

The Librarian Spy by Madeline Martin (ARC)

4.5 Stars. (ARC) WW11 Historical Fiction by the author of The Last Bookshop in London. Review coming 7/26/2022.

A Dress of Violet Taffeta by Tessa Arlen (ARC)

4 Stars. (ARC) Historical Fiction. Fashion. Review coming 7/11/2022.

Love & Saffron by Kim Fay

4 Stars. Women’s Fiction. Epistolary. Reflective. Friendship and Food. Not yet reviewed.

Remember the Butterfly by Rebecca Marsh

3.5-4 Stars. Women’s Fiction. A heartfelt story of infertility, foster care, and adoption. Not yet reviewed.

The Tobacco Wives by Adele Meyers

3 Stars. Southern Historical Fiction. Underwhelmed. Not yet reviewed.

QOTD:

What was your favorite June read?
Did we read any of the same books?
Which of these books is on your TBR?

ICYMI:

June Blog Posts:

The German Wife Review
Summer 2022 TBR
Chasing Dreams at Hedgehog Hollow Review
6 Favorite Historical Fiction in 6 Months
The Last Dress From Paris Review
Recommendations For Historical Fiction With a Side of Thriller
All the Devils Are Here Review
Flying Solo Review
Last Summer on State Street Review
A Place to Hang the Moon Review
Red Sky Over Hawaii Review
Nora Goes Off Script Review
Book Lovers Review
Secret Daughter Review
The Messy Lives of Book People Review

Happy Reading Book Buddies!

“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.”
~Rainer Maria Rilke

“I love the world of words, where life and literature connect.”
~Denise J Hughes

“Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad ones.”
~Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

“I read because books are a form of transportation, of teaching, and of connection! Books take us to places we’ve never been, they teach us about our world, and they help us to understand human experience.”
~Madeleine Riley, Top Shelf Text

Let’s Get Social!

Thank you for visiting and reading today! I’d be honored and thrilled if you choose to enjoy and follow along (see subscribe or follow option), promote, and/or share my blog. Every share helps us grow.

Find me at:
Twitter
Instagram
Goodreads
Pinterest

***Blog posts may contain affiliate links. This means that at no extra cost to you, I can earn a small percentage of your purchase price.

Unless explicitly stated that they are free, all books that I review have been purchased by me or borrowed from the library.

Book covers and photos are credited to Amazon or publisher websites.

© http://www.ReadingLadies.com

 

The German Wife [Book Review]

June 29, 2022

The German Wife by Kelly Rimmer

The German Wife by Kelly Rimmer (cover) Image: a young woman with bobbed brown hair and wearing a teal coat looks to her right

Genre/Categories/Settings: Historical Fiction, Operation Paperclip, Dust Bowl, WW11 and 1950, Germany, Oklahoma, and Alabama

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

Welcome to my stop on the Harlequin Trade Publishing Summer Blog Tour for Historical Fiction. Thanks #NetGalley @HTPBooks @ClubBookish #GraydonHouse for a complimentary eARC of #TheGermanWife upon my request. All opinions are my own.

2022 Historical Fiction Blog Tour (collage of covers)

The United States operated a secret intelligence program called Operation Paperclip that arrested and employed former Nazi scientists after WW11.  The German Wife tells the story of how Jürgen and his wife Sofie Rhodes became participants in the program, came to live in the United States and were eventually pardoned. Jürgen was granted a position in America’s space program. Tensions rise as Lizzie Miller and her friends/neighbors begin to hear rumors that Jürgen and Sophie were former Nazis.

My Thoughts:

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Summer 2022 TBR #toptentuesday

June 28, 2022

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Books on My Summer 2022 TBR

Summer TBR #TopTenTuesday

Image Source: Canva

top ten tuesday

I’m linking up today with That Artsy Reader Girl: Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Books on My Summer 2022 TBR.

With all the books on my radar on a given day, it’s nice to pick out a few for an official TBR. Ten still leaves room for library holds that come in, occasional ARCs, or some mood reading.

One question you may ask is “Are these beach reads?” Many readers have differing opinions of what comprises a beach read: some want light and fluffy, some look for thrillers/suspense/mysteries, some seek out escapist reads, while others like to tackle large tomes or serious content during the summer when they have more time. It’s my opinion that any book you read at the beach is a beach read (just like a body at the beach is a beach body). For my summer reads, I look for the types of books I look for all year: memorable, thought-provoking, and unputdownable. This summer I actually have more light women’s fiction on my TBR than in the past. (I’m also an incorrigible mood reader)

cartoon: 2 people lying on the beach reading: "Don't Tell anyone but this is really my winter reading."

Keep in mind that I’m not yet recommending the books on this list…..check back often though because I will provide updates and links to reviews as I read them. For now, these are the reads that are on my summer 2022 reading radar.

And….Happy Winter reading to my friends and followers in the Southern Hemisphere!

*Titles are Amazon affiliate links.

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Chasing Dreams at Hedgehog Hollow [Book Review] #Series

June 27, 2022

Chasing Dreams at Hedgehog Hollow by Jessica Redland

Chasing Dreams at Hedgehog Hollow by Jessica Redland (cover) Image: a young man and woman sit on a blanket on a grassy field with a large farm house across the yard

Genre/Categories/Setting: Women’s Contemporary Fiction, Complicated Relationships, Animal Rescue, Rural UK

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

Thank you #NetGalley @BoldwoodBooks @BooksandTonic for a complimentary eARC of #ChasingDreamsAtHedgehogHollow by Jessica Redland upon my request. All opinions are my own.

Chasing Dreams at Hedgehog Hollow is #5 in the Hedgehog series. While Samantha and Josh are the main characters in book one of the series, each of the subsequent installments features a family member or a character in the community who is close to the couple. In this story, we learn about Lauren with a few chapters from Samantha’s point of view. In each installment, the author keeps us up to date with Samantha and Josh and the hedgehog rescue operation.

hedgehog

My Thoughts:

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6 Favorite Historical Fiction in 6 Months [2022] #6BooksIn6Months #ThrowBackThursday

June 23, 2022

6 in 6 [2022]

6 Best Histfic in 6 Months (collage of covers)

The Six in Six is a meme created by Jo at The Book Jotter At the end of June, we are halfway through the year,  so the idea is to share the books we have read in these first 6 months. When I looked at my list of the top 6 so far this year, I realized that they were all Historical Fiction. You’re not really surprised, are you?!

I’m also linking up today with Davida @ The Chocolate Lady’s Book Review Blog for #ThrowBackThursday (since I’ve previously reviewed 4 of the 6 titles).

In the true spirit of the 6 in 6 meme, we are asked to share 6 books in 6 categories. Coming up with 36 books will take more brain power than I have available right now, so I will share 6 of the best (most memorable) historical fiction books I’ve read so far this year. Bonus: At the end of the post, I’m sharing 6 books in 6 more categories!

If you need to fill your beach bag or your summer TBR, I hope you’ll find something here to match your reading taste! I highly recommend each one!

***Titles are links to my reviews or Amazon affiliate links.

a cartoonish number 6

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The Last Dress From Paris [Book Review]

June 21, 2022

The Last Dress From Paris by Jade Beer

The Last Dress From Paris by Jade Beer (cover) Image: the back view of a youing woman in a long red gown standing

Genre/Categories/Setting: Historical Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Romance, Complicated Relationships, Fashion, Paris

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

Thank you #NetGalley @BerkleyPub #BerkleyWritesStrongWomen #BerkleyBuddyReads for a complimentary e-Arc of #TheLastDressFromParis upon my request. All opinions are my own.

In dual timelines (2017 and 1952), The Last Dress From Paris is a page-turning story of family secrets, romance, and couture. In the present-day timeline, Lucille’s grandmother asks her to go to Paris and retrieve a priceless Dior dress for her. Upon Lucille’s arrival in Paris, she realizes that there’s more than one dress and a mystery involving her grandmother’s past to solve.

My Thoughts:

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Recommendations For Historical Fiction With a Side of Thriller #WhatsOnYourBookshelfChallenge #WOYBC

June 17, 2022

Do you have a histfic with a side of thriller on your bookshelf?

Historical Fiction With a Side of Thriller (white text over a background picture of a stack of hardback books)

Today for the June #WhatsOnYourBookshelfChallenge I’m focusing on Historical Fiction with a side of Thriller.

First, thrillers are not my go-to genre. I’m an HSP (highly sensitive person/reader) and susceptible to nightmares. However, I don’t mind a side of a gentle thriller as a mashup with another genre.

(Kate Quinn is the queen of histfic/thriller mashup!)

***Titles in this post are links to my reviews or Amazon affiliate links.

Recommendations For Historical Fiction With a Side of Thriller

(in no particular order)

The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn

The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn (cover) grayscale cover....a woman in a dark long coat walks into a grove of tall trees (red and black text)

The Huntress by Kate Quinn

The Huntress by Kate Quinn (cover) Image: black and white image of a woman with her back to the camera walking into a shadowy room

Rose Code by Kate Quinn

a woman dressed in a rose dress stands with her back to the camera overlooking a balcony and a gold wall

The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner

The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner (cover) Image: blue-toned picture of a woman and young girl holding hands and walking down railroad tracks with backs to camerai

The Invisible Woman by Erika Robuck

The Invisible Woman by Erica Robuck (cover) Image: a woman stands with her back to the camera and shadows of airplanes on the ground surround her

Code Name Helene by Ariel Lawhon

Code Name Helene by Ariel Lawhon (cover)

Woman 99 by Greer Macallister

Woman 99

Mrs. England by Stacey Halls

Mrs. England by Stacey Halls (cover) Image: a young woman in a long white dress peeks around the corner of an open door

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys (cover) Image: grayscale image of a man standing outside a building holding a blue/yellow/red torn flag

QOTD:

Do you have a favorite histfic with a side of thriller to share?

 I’m linking up with Deb @ Deb’s World and Sue @ Women Living Well After 50, Donna @ Retirement Reflections, and Jo @ And Anyways…. for the June installment of #WhatsOnYourBookShelfChallenge.

Whats On Your Bookshelf Challenge

Happy Reading Book Buddies!

“Ah, how good it is to be among people who are reading.”
~Rainer Maria Rilke

“I love the world of words, where life and literature connect.”
~Denise J Hughes

“Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad ones.”
~Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

“I read because books are a form of transportation, of teaching, and of connection! Books take us to places we’ve never been, they teach us about our world, and they help us to understand human experience.”
~Madeleine Riley, Top Shelf Text

Let’s Get Social!

Thank you for visiting and reading today! I’d be honored and thrilled if you choose to enjoy and follow along (see subscribe or follow option), promote, and/or share my blog. Every share helps us grow.

Find me at:
Twitter
Instagram
Goodreads
Pinterest

***Blog posts may contain affiliate links. This means that I can earn a small percentage of your purchase price at no extra cost to you.

Unless explicitly stated that they are free, all books that I review have been purchased by me or borrowed from the library.

Book Cover and author photos are credited to Amazon or an author’s (or publisher’s) website.

© ReadingLadies.com

All the Devils Are Here [Book Review] #ThrowBackThursday

June 16, 2022

All the Devils Are Here by Louise Penny
#throwbackthursday

Genre/Categories/Setting: Contemporary Fiction, Mystery/Detective/Thriller, Paris

Welcome to Throwback Thursday where I highlight an older review or post a current review of an old read. Today, I’m re-sharing a story from a mystery/detective series, All the Devils Are Here by Louise Penny.

I’m linking up today with Davida @ The Chocolate Lady’s Book Review Blog for #throwbackthursday. Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is one of my favorite literary detectives and the imagined Canadian village of Three Pines is one of my favorite settings. Although each installment in this loosely connected series can be read as a stand-alone (with a satisfactory conclusion for the central case), each book is a richer reading experience when read in publication order because of the overall character arcs. Some installments I like better than others and this one is among my favorites.

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

The title references a line from the work of William Shakespeare: “Hell is empty, and all the devils are here.”

All the Devils Are Here, #16 in the Inspector Gamache Series, is set in Paris. The death of Armand Gamache’s godfather is made to look like an accident, but Gamache and his family suspect it is a deliberate murder. Soon the entire family is involved in searching for the truth, unraveling a web of lies and deceit, and facing danger from many directions. Can Gamache trust his beloved godfather? His son? His instincts? His past?

….Mystery/Detective with a side of Thriller…

Continue here for my full review of All the Devils Are Here…

QOTD:

Have you read All the Devils Are Here or is it on your TBR?
Are you an Inspector Gamache and Three Pines fan?

Flying Solo [Book Review]

June 14, 2022

Flying Solo by Linda Holmes

Flying Solo by Linda Holmes (cover) Image: a graphic picture of a small house by a lake....ducks swim in the lake and one flies overhead

Genre/Categories/Setting: Contemporary Women’s Fiction, Romance, Chick Lit, Maine

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

Thank you #NetGalley @RandomHouse #BallantineBooks for a complimentary e ARC of #FlyingSolo upon my request. All opinions are my own.

On the heels of her unexpectedly canceled wedding, Laurie returns to her small hometown in Maine to recover from the disappointment and to handle the estate of her great-aunt. At the bottom of a storage chest, Laurie finds a hand-carved decoy duck and a love letter to her never-been-married aunt. These mysterious items cause a great deal of curiosity and send Laurie on a hunt to uncover the secrets in her aunt’s life. In the process, she reconnects with her old high school friend/boyfriend and begins to reevaluate her decisions about marriage and children.

carved wooden duck decoy

My Thoughts:

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Last Summer on State Street [Book Review]

June  13, 2022

Last Summer on State Street by Toya Wolfe

Last Summer on State Street by Toya Wolfe (cover) Image: black text over a colorful graphic of large apartment buildings

Genre/Categories/Setting: Contemporary “Own Voices” Fiction, Coming of Age, Friendship, Gang Life, Poverty, Family Life, Chicago Housing Projects, African American Women’s Fiction, Diverse Reads

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

My Summary:

Thanks #Netgalley @WmMorrowBooks @WilliamMorrowBooks for a complimentary e ARC of #LastSummerOnStateStreet upon my request. All opinions are my own.

In 1999, twelve-year-old Fe Fe Stevens lives with her mother and older brother in the 4950 Building of Chicago’s Robert Taylor Homes, and her high rise is next in line to be torn down by the Chicago Housing Authority. Fe Fe and her three friends attempt to stay away from the gangs and all the danger in their community by playing a lot of double dutch (jump rope), hiding from bullets, and avoiding crack addicts. They find safety at school, church, and with some of their mothers and trusted adult friends. As the girls begin to lose their childhood innocence, it becomes more difficult to avoid the realities of life and the girls begin going their separate ways.

My Thoughts:

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