Jill lives in Toronto, Canada. She has studied English, Creative Writing, and Publishing. Jill is the creator and content producer of Jill’s Book Blog, where she has published a blog post every day for the last four years, including 5-7 book reviews a week. She can usually be found with her nose in a book.
TBR Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Kimberly Faye Reads, where you post a title from your shelf or e-reader and find out what others think about it.
My pick this week is Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins.
Goodreads Synopsis:
Can Anna find love in the City of Light?
Anna is happy in Atlanta. She has a loyal best friend and a crush on her coworker at the movie theater, who is just starting to return her affection. So she’s less than thrilled when her father decides to send her to a boarding school in Paris for her senior year.
But despite not speaking a word of French, Anna meets some cool new people, including the handsome Étienne St. Clair, who quickly becomes her best friend. Unfortunately, he’s taken —and Anna might be, too. Will a year of romantic near misses end with the French kiss she’s waiting for?
Have you read this book? What did you think of it?
Title: Kingdom of Sea and Stone (Crown of Coral and Pearl #2) Author: Mara Rutherford Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy Publisher: Inkyard Press Source: Publisher via NetGalley Format: Ebook Release Date: October 6, 2020 Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Ever since Nor was forced to go to a nearby kingdom in her sister’s place, she’s wanted nothing more than to return to the place and people she loves. But when her wish comes true, she soon finds herself cast out from both worlds, with a war on the horizon.
As an old enemy resurfaces more powerful than ever, Nor will have to keep the kingdom from falling apart with the help of Prince Talin and Nor’s twin sister, Zadie. There are forces within the world more mysterious than any of them ever guessed—and they’ll need to stay alive long enough to conquer them…
Review:
Nor has returned to her ocean village after trading places with her twin sister to go marry the future king, Ceren. Her return is short lived when the king’s brother, and her boyfriend, Talin arrives. Prince Ceren survived the knife wound that Nor thought killed him. He not only survived, but he’s now more powerful than ever. Nor, Talin, and her twin sister Zadie have to travel to find allies to fight against Ceren.
This was one of my most highly anticipated books of the year. I loved the first novel. This one moved away from the first story, since most of that tension in that book was from Nor going to the city to marry the prince. That book ended with a bang, with Nor attacking Ceren to escape, but that turned out not to be what it seemed since he survived the fatal blow.
This story had steady pacing all the way through. There weren’t many heart pounding moments until the end. I think this steady pacing was because most of the characters got what they wanted, or what they expected. There weren’t many twists like there were in the first novel.
I really enjoyed this story. I’m excited to see what Mara Rutherford writes next!
Thank you Inkyard Press for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What to read next:
Ash Princess by Laura Sebastian
Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin
About the author:
Mara Rutherford began her writing career as a journalist but quickly discovered she far preferred fantasy to reality. Originally from California, Mara has since lived all over the world with her marine-turned-diplomat husband. A triplet born on Leap Day, Mara holds a master’s degree in cultural studies from the University of London. When she’s not writing or chasing after her two sons, she can usually be found pushing the boundaries of her comfort zone, whether at a traditional Russian banya or an Incan archaeological site. Mara is a former Pitch Wars mentee and three-time mentor
Have you read Kingdom of Sea and Stone? What did you think of it?
This is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. In this post we highlight a book that’s highly anticipated.
The book that I’m waiting on this Wednesday is Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer. The expected publication date is November 3, 2020.
Goodreads Synopsis:
In this young adult contemporary romance, a girl is suddenly gifted with the ability to cast instant karma on those around her—both good and bad.
Chronic overachiever Prudence Daniels is always quick to cast judgment on the lazy, rude, and arrogant residents of her coastal town. Her dreams of karmic justice are fulfilled when, after a night out with her friends, she wakes up with the sudden ability to cast instant karma on those around her. Pru giddily makes use of the power, punishing everyone from public vandals to karaoke hecklers, but there is one person on whom her powers consistently backfire: Quint Erickson, her slacker of a lab partner and all-around mortal enemy. Soon, Pru begins to uncover truths about Quint, her peers, and even herself that reveal how thin the line is between virtue and vanity, generosity and greed . . . love and hate.
Title: Spy x Family, Vol. 2 Author: Tatsuya Endo Genre: Manga Publisher: VIZ Media Source: Publisher via NetGalley Format: Ebook Release Date: September 1, 2020 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
An action-packed comedy about a fake family that includes a spy, an assassin and a telepath!
Master spy Twilight is the best at what he does when it comes to going undercover on dangerous missions in the name of a better world. But when he receives the ultimate impossible assignment—get married and have a kid—he may finally be in over his head!
Twilight must infiltrate the prestigious Eden Academy to get close to his target Donovan Desmond, but does his daughter Anya even have the academic prowess to get in to the school? But perhaps the truly impossible mission is making sure Anya becomes a school scholar and befriends Donovan’s arrogant son, Damian!
Review:
Twilight is a master spy who has created a fake family to infiltrate an exclusive private school. Twilight’s daughter, a secret telepath, was sent to the private school so she can become friends with his target’s son. However, she has a big fight with the boy on the first day. This mission is much harder than Twilight expected.
This was another fun spy story in this series. This story jumped right into the action, since all of the characters were introduced in the first one. The story in this book seemed to have a faster pace than the first one, probably because the action began right on the first page.
Twilight’s daughter, Anya, was adorable. She can read people’s minds, but her parents don’t know that. Sometimes she would get overwhelmed by listening to her parents’ thoughts and their conflicting feelings. Though she had these complex thoughts, she was still just a little girl. When she got her new uniform she had to run around the park and show it off to everyone there. She was a sweet little character.
This is a great story. It ended with a cliffhanger, so I’m excited to see what happens next.
Thank you VIZ Media for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and it is now hosted by The Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s theme is Book Covers with Fall Colours/Vibes. Here’s my list:
1. Fable by Adrienne Young
2. Iphigenia Murphy by Sara Hosey
3. Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power
4. Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell, Faith Erin Hicks
5. Lobizona by Romina Garber
6. Mayhem by Estelle Laure
7. The Unready Queen by William Ritter
8. The Lost Queen by Signe Pike
9. Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie
10. The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones
(All photos taken from Goodreads)
What’s your list of books on your Top Ten Tuesday?
Title: Premeditated Myrtle (Myrtle Hardcastle Mysteries #1) Author: Elizabeth C. Bunce Genre: Middle Grade, Mystery, Historical Fiction Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers Source: Publisher via NetGalley Format: Ebook Release Date: October 6, 2020 Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Twelve-year-old Myrtle Hardcastle has a passion for justice and a Highly Unconventional obsession with criminal science. Armed with her father’s law books and her mum’s microscope, Myrtle studies toxicology, keeps abreast of the latest developments in crime scene analysis, and Observes her neighbors in the quiet village of Swinburne, England.
When her next-door neighbor, a wealthy spinster and eccentric breeder of rare flowers, dies under Mysterious Circumstances, Myrtle seizes her chance. With her unflappable governess, Miss Ada Judson, by her side, Myrtle takes it upon herself to prove Miss Wodehouse was murdered and find the killer, even if nobody else believes her — not even her father, the town prosecutor.
Review:
In 1893, Myrtle Hardcastle is a twelve-year-old girl who loves to study crimes. Her father is a prosecutor and her mother studied medicine. One evening, she notices some strange activity at her neighbour’s house. She calls the police and they find that her elderly neighbour has died. They think it was natural causes but there are too many clues that suggest to Myrtle that this was murder. With the help of her governess, Miss Judson, Myrtle investigates the murder of her neighbour.
Myrtle is a clever young girl. She reminds me of Nancy Drew and Flavia de Luce. Her family life was also similar to those classic detectives, since she lived with her father and her mother died when she was a child.
This was a great mystery. It could be read by middle grade children or adults. It had some mature themes, with murder and poisoning, though nothing too graphic. One part that was disappointing was that one of the major clues was glossed over at the end. A character’s past wasn’t fully explained. I even went back to reread that section but I don’t think there was a clear answer to that clue.
This is a great start to a new mystery series!
Thank you Algonquin Young Readers for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Title: How to Get Away with Myrtle (Myrtle Hardcastle Mysteries #2) Author: Elizabeth C. Bunce Genre: Middle Grade, Mystery, Historical Fiction Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers Source: Publisher via NetGalley Format: Ebook Release Date: October 6, 2020 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Before the train has left the station, England’s most accomplished new detective already is on a suspect’s trail, and readers will be delighted to travel along.
Myrtle Hardcastle has no desire to go on a relaxing travel excursion with her aunt Helena when there are More Important things to be done at home, like keeping close tabs on criminals and murder trials. Unfortunately, she has no say in the matter. So off Myrtle goes—with her governess, Miss Judson, and cat, Peony, in tow—on a fabulous private railway coach headed for the English seaside.
Myrtle is thrilled to make the acquaintance of Mrs. Bloom, a professional insurance investigator aboard to protect the priceless Northern Lights tiara. But before the train reaches its destination, both the tiara and Mrs. Bloom vanish. When Myrtle arrives, she and Peony discover a dead body in the baggage car. Someone has been murdered—with Aunt Helena’s sewing shears.
The trip is derailed, the local police are inept, and Scotland Yard is in no rush to arrive. What’s a smart, bored Young Lady of Quality stranded in a washed-up carnival town to do but follow the evidence to find out which of her fellow travelers is a thief and a murderer?
Review:
Myrtle Hardcastle, her Aunt Helena, and her governess Miss Judson have been sent on a vacation in a seaside town. As soon as they board the train, Myrtle can sense a mystery coming. A priceless tiara is on display on the train, with an insurance investigator on board to protect it. However, the tiara is stolen during a power outage on the first night. Myrtle and the insurance investigator, Mrs. Bloom, search the train for clues. The next day, Mrs. Bloom can’t be found. Her body is eventually found in the luggage car when they arrive at their destination. The murder weapon points to Myrtle’s Aunt Helena. Myrtle doesn’t trust anyone else to investigate the connection between the robbery and Mrs. Bloom’s murder, so she takes the investigation into her own hands.
I enjoyed this story more than the first Myrtle Hardcastle mystery. The first one was a good introduction to the characters. This one had a clear, straight forward mystery to solve.
I loved the classic setting of a train. It is an enclosed setting that limits the people who can be involved. The murderer has to be on the train with everyone else because there isn’t any way to escape the train without getting hurt. This is a great classic setting.
I’m looking forward to reading more Myrtle Hardcastle books in the future!
Thank you Algonquin Young Readers for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What to read next:
The Body Under the Piano (Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen #1) by Marthe Jocelyn
As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust (Flavia de Luce #7) by Alan Bradley
About the author:
Elizabeth C. Bunce grew up on a steady diet of Sherlock Holmes, Trixie Belden, and Quincy, M.E., and always played the lead prosecutor in mock trial. She has never had a governess, and no one has ever accused her of being irrepressible, but a teacher did once call her “argumentative”—which was entirely untrue, and she can prove it. She lives in Kansas City with her husband and their cats. Premeditated Myrtle is her first book for middle-grade readers. You can find her online at elizabethcbunce.com.
Have you read Premeditated Myrtle or How to Get Away with Myrtle? What did you think of it?
This blog meme is hosted by Book Date. It is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment, and er… add to that ever growing TBR pile!
What I just finished:
This weekend I finished How to Get Away with Myrtle by Elizabeth C. Bunce.
What I’m currently reading:
I’m currently reading Kingdom of Sea and Stone by Mara Rutherford.
What I’m reading next:
Next I will be reading Ghost Squad by Claribel A. Ortega.
What are you guys reading this week? Have you read any of these books?
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