Month: September 2022

Review: In the Shadow Garden

Title: In the Shadow Garden
Author: Liz Parker
Genre: Fantasy, Contemporary
Publisher: Forever
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: September 13, 2022
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Three generations of witches must discover where their magic went wrong as secrets resurface that could solve a twenty-year-old mystery in this riveting debut, perfect for fans of Practical Magic and Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe.

There’s something magical about Yarrow, Kentucky. The three empathic witches of the Haywood family are known for their shadow garden—from strawberries that taste like chocolate to cherry tomatoes with hints of basil and oregano. Their magic can cure any heartache, and the fruits of their garden bring a special quality to the local bourbon distillery. On one day every year, a shot of Bonner bourbon will make your worst memory disappear.

But twenty years ago, the town gave up more than one memory for the year; they forgot an entire summer. One person died. One person disappeared. And no one has any idea why.

As secrets from that fateful summer start to come to light, there must be a reckoning between the rival Haywood and Bonner families. But the only clue Irene Haywood has is in her tea leaves: a stranger’s arrival will bring either love or betrayal…

Review:

The town of Yarrow, Kentucky is filled with magic. The Haywood family has a shadow garden, where they take the bad feelings from people and feed them to the garden. The fruit from the garden goes to the Bonner bourbon distillery, though the Haywoods and Bonners don’t get along. The Bonner distillery has a festival every year where they invite people to give up one bad memory, so it’s gone from their lives. However, twenty-five years ago, the town gave up the memory of an entire summer. No one can remember anything from that summer, when a lot of life changing things happened. When the patriarch of the Bonner family dies, a stranger returns to town, sending the Haywoods on a path to remember everything. 

This was incredible story of three families in a small town. They had a history of disputes, though the details of them were foggy. The way that everyone forgot an entire summer, when so many important things happened, was disturbing to me. Everything was explained and came together perfectly at the end, and all of the clues were meaningful to the plot. 

This is the kind of book that it’s hard to describe without giving anything away. If you like stories of interwoven generations, you’ll love this. 

Thank you Forever for sending me a copy of this book!

What to read next:

The Witches of Moonshyne Manor by Bianca Marais

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna

Have you read In the Shadow Garden? What did you think of it?

Review: The Stand-In

Title: The Stand-In
Author: Lily Chu
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablana
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: May 3, 2022
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Gracie Reed is doing just fine. Sure, she was fired by her overly “friendly” boss, and yes she still hasn’t gotten her mother into the nursing home of their dreams, but she’s healthy, she’s (somewhat) happy, and she’s (mostly) holding it all together.

But when a mysterious SUV pulls up beside her, revealing Chinese cinema’s golden couple Wei Fangli and Sam Yao, Gracie’s world is turned on its head. The famous actress has a proposition: due to their uncanny resemblance, Fangli wants Gracie to be her stand-in. The catch? Gracie will have to be escorted by Sam, the most attractive—and infuriating—man Gracie’s ever met.

If it means getting the money she needs for her mother, Gracie’s in. Soon Gracie moves into a world of luxury she never knew existed. But resisting Sam, and playing the role of an elegant movie star, proves more difficult than she ever imagined—especially when she learns the real reason Fangli so desperately needs her help. In the end all the lists in the world won’t be able to help Gracie keep up this elaborate ruse without losing herself…and her heart.

Review:

After Gracie Reed is fired by her inappropriate boss, she’s left wondering what’s next. She needs to make money to get her mother with Alzheimer’s into a better nursing home. One day, she’s approached by China’s golden couple of cinema, Wei Fangli and Sam Yao. Fangli offers Gracie a fortune to act as her stand-in for events since they look nearly identical. Gracie accepts, and must be escorted to events by Sam Yao, the most attractive man she’s ever met. However, living the life of a world famous superstar isn’t as easy as it looks. Gracie must navigate the life of an actress while dealing with a possible romance and the paparazzi. 

I love stories with a twin theme and a fake element. Though Fangli and Gracie weren’t twins, they looked so much alike they could have been. It adds so much tension when someone is pretending to act as someone else, especially someone they don’t know personally. It was also fun to see the lifestyle of a famous movie star, that wasn’t actually so glamorous on the inside. 

The ending of this story was adorable. There was a twist that I didn’t see coming but it tied the story together very well at the end. There was lots of fun and tension throughout the story but it had a sweet, heartwarming ending. 

The Stand-In is a fun rom com!

What to read next:

Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Have you read The Stand-In? What did you think of it?

Sponsored Review: Simone LaFray and the Chocolatiers’ Ball

Title: Simone LaFray and the Chocolatiers’ Ball
Author: S.P. O’Farrell
Genre: Middle Grade, Mystery
Publisher: Brandylane Publishers, Inc.
Source: Author
Format: Paperback
Release Date: May 13, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Simone LaFray had never questioned one thing – the character of her father. A fourth generation chocolatier and proprietor of a world famous patisserie, in her eyes he could do no wrong. However, her eyes were trained to see everything that was wrong. A covert agent with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this extraordinary 12-year-old was living a double life, walking in the veiled footprints of her mother, icing eclairs, dusting pastries, and darting between the shadows. What could be sweeter? When a notorious thief returns to Paris seeking revenge against her mother, a series of unforeseen and potentially devastating events ensue, leaving Simone to question everything. Her father can’t be the man they say he is, can he? Her concealed life is evaporating, the store hangs in the balance . . . and did I mention she needs a ball gown? Life in a French patisserie may not be as sweet as you thought. Simone LaFray and the Chocolatier’s Ball pulls the invisible girl out of the shadows and into the spotlight, but is she ready?

Review:

Simone LaFray is a twelve-year-old spy from a family of chocolatiers. She works with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where her mother also works as an agent, while her father runs a chocolate patisserie. When an art thief returns to Paris to seek revenge on her mother, Simone takes charge of the investigation. The hunt for the thief leads her through art galleries and ultimately to the chocolatiers’ ball, where her father’s reputation is on the line. 

I was instantly drawn into this story with the evocative descriptions. Paris is a vibrant setting for a novel, and it felt like I was there while reading this book. The descriptions of the chocolate and sweet treats made my mouth water!

There were many layers to the mystery in this story. Simone had to investigate a notorious art thief, who had a rebellious reputation similar to Banksy. The mystery came close to home when Simone’s family was targeted by a thief. In the final chapters of the novel, I could tell that this was just the beginning of a larger mystery that would be continued in more stories. 

Simone LaFray and the Chocolatiers’ Ball was a fun middle grade mystery novel!

Thank you S.P. O’Farrell and Bookstagrammers.com for sending me a copy of this book!

What to read next:

Simone LaFray and the Red Wolves of London by S.P. O’Farrell

Other books in the series:

  • Simone LaFray and the Red Wolves of London

Have you read Simone LaFray and the Chocolatiers’ Ball? What did you think of it?

Happy Pub Day – September 6

Happy Pub Day to these authors!

The Bachelor and the Bride by Sarah M. Eden

1-2-3-4, I Declare a Thumb War by Lisi Harrison and Daniel Kraus

Angelika Frankenstein Makes Her Match by Sally Thorne

The House with the Golden Door by Elodie Harper

Destination Unknown by Bill Konigsberg

Meet Me in Mumbai by Sabina Khan

Monsters Born and Made by Tanvi Berwah

The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas

Space Trash, Vol. 1 by Jenn Woodall

Do You Take This Man by Denise Williams

The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson

Daughters of the Dawn by Sarena and Sasha Nanua

Rules of Engagement by Stacey Abrams

The Boy with the Bookstore by Sarah Echavarre Smith

The Girl from Guernica by Karen Robards

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn

The Most Likely Club by Elyssa Friedland

Shades of Rust and Ruin by A.G. Howard

Lotus Bloom and the Afro Revolution by Sherri Winston

The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas

The Fortunes of Jaded Women by Carolyn Huynh

Spy School Project X by Stuart Gibbs

Don’t Let in the Cold by Keely Parrack

Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake by Mazey Eddings

Blood of Troy by Claire M. Andrews

A Pocket Full of Posies by Shawn Sarles

Coven by Jennifer Dugan and Kit Seaton

The First Thing About You by Chaz Hayden

Almost There by Farrah Rochon

The Gathering Dark edited by Tori Bovalino

Funeral Girl by Emma K. Ohland

Self-Made Boys by Anna-Marie McLemore

What books are you most excited for this week?

Review: The Elephant Girl

Title: The Elephant Girl
Author: James Patterson, Ellen Banda-Aaku, Sophia Krevoy
Genre: Middle Grade
Publisher: jimmy patterson
Source: Publisher
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: July 25, 2022
Rating: ★★★★

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Goodreads Synopsis:

James Patterson and award-winning author Ellen Banda-Aaku deliver an unforgettable story of a girl, an elephant, and their life-changing friendship. 
 
Clever, sensitive Jama likes elephants better than people. While her classmates gossip—especially about the new boy, Leku—twelve-year-old Jama takes refuge at the watering hole outside her village. There she befriends a baby elephant she names Mbegu, Swahili for seed. 
 
When Mbegu’s mother, frightened by poachers, stampedes, Jama and Mgebu are blamed for two deaths—one elephant and one human. Now Leku, whose mysterious and imposing father is head ranger at the conservancy, may be their only lifeline.    
 
Inspired by true events, The Elephant Girl is a moving exploration of the bonds between creatures and the power of belonging.  

Review:

Twelve-year-old Jama likes to spend time with elephants more than her classmates. She escapes to a watering hole after school, where she’s befriended a herd of elephants. She names the baby elephant Mbegu and becomes close friends with her. When Mbegu’s mother is killed for killing a human, Jama feels like she must defend the innocent elephants. Jama blames a ranger who pays off poachers, who angered the elephants by killing one of their own. Jama has to find a way to protect the elephants and save them from the people who are meant to protect them. 

This was an emotional story. Jama went through so much trauma in her young life. She was a bit of an outsider, which made her bond with the elephants. She witnessed animal abuse and death. It was quite difficult to read these scenes. However, this does happen, so it was an authentic representation of harm that can come to animals. 

The Elephant Girl was an emotional story with an uplifting ending. 

Thank you Little Brown Books for Young Readers for sending me a copy of this book.

What to read next:

Berani by Michelle Kadarusman

    Have you read The Elephant Girl? What did you think of it?

    Review: Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1)

    Title: Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1)
    Author: Richelle Mead
    Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
    Publisher: Razorbill
    Source: Purchased
    Format: Paperback
    Release Date: August 16, 2007
    Rating: ★★★★

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    Goodreads Synopsis:

    ONLY A TRUE BEST FRIEND CAN PROTECT YOU FROM YOUR IMMORTAL ENEMIES…

    Lissa Dragomir is a Moroi princess: a mortal vampire with a rare gift for harnessing the earth’s magic. She must be protected at all times from Strigoi; the fiercest vampires – the ones who never die. The powerful blend of human and vampire blood that flows through Rose Hathaway, Lissa’s best friend, makes her a dhampir. Rose is dedicated to a dangerous life of protecting Lissa from the Strigoi, who are hell-bent on making Lissa one of them.

    After two years of freedom, Rose and Lissa are caught and dragged back to St. Vladimir’s Academy, a school for vampire royalty and their guardians-to-be, hidden in the deep forests of Montana. But inside the iron gates, life is even more fraught with danger… and the Strigoi are always close by.

    Rose and Lissa must navigate their dangerous world, confront the temptations of forbidden love, and never once let their guard down, lest the evil undead make Lissa one of them forever…

    Review:

    Rose Hathaway is a dhampir, a guardian of vampires. She must protect her best friend and princess, Lissa Dragomir. The girls ran away two years ago, but the guards from Vampire Academy finally catch up with them and bring them back to the school. Rose and Lissa have to navigate drama with their peers, while also facing dangerous threats to their lives. 

    This story wasn’t what I expected. It was quite dark and intense. There was animal cruelty, animal death, bullying in the form of “slut shaming,” self harm, and attempted suicide. 

    I did enjoy this book, but I wasn’t expecting it to be so dark. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series!

    What to read next:

    Frostbite by Richelle Mead

    Other books in the series:

    • Frostbite (Vampire Academy #2)
    • Shadow Kiss (Vampire Academy #3)
    • Blood Promise (Vampire Academy #4)
    • Spirit Bound (Vampire Academy #5)
    • Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy #6)

    Have you read Vampire Academy? What did you think of it?