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 Most Anticipated Books Releasing in the First Half of 2022. Here’s my list:
1. Gallant by V.E. Schwab
2. Only a Monster by Vanessa Len
3. The Book of Living Secrets by Madeleine Roux
4. This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi
5. The Maid by Nita Prose
6. The Last Grand Duchess by Bryn Turnbull
7. Reputation by Lex Croucher
8. Four Aunties and a Wedding by Jesse Q. Sutanto
9. The Rumor Game by Dhonielle Clayton and Sona Charaipotra
10. The Lady Tempts an Heir by Harper St. George
(All book covers from Goodreads)
What’s your list of books on your Top Ten Tuesday?
Title: My Darling Husband Author: Kimberly Belle Genre: Thriller, Contemporary Publisher: Park Row Source: Publisher via NetGalley Format: Ebook Release Date: December 28, 2021 (paperback will be published March 8, 2022) Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Jade and Cam Lasky are by all accounts a happily married couple, with two adorable kids, a spacious home and a rapidly growing restaurant business. But their world is tipped upside down when Jade is confronted by a masked home invader. As Cam scrambles to gather the ransom money, Jade starts to wonder if they’re as financially secure as their lifestyle suggests, and what other secrets her husband is keeping from her.
Cam may be a good father, a celebrity chef and a darling husband, but there’s another side he’s kept hidden from Jade that has put their family in danger. Unbeknownst to Cam and Jade, the home invader has been watching them and is about to turn their family secrets into a public scandal.
With riveting twists and a breakneck pace, My Darling Husband is an utterly compelling thriller that once again showcases Kimberly Belle’s exceptional talent for domestic suspense.
Review:
Cam Lasky is a famous chef in Atlanta with a few high-priced restaurants. He arrives at his biggest restaurant to find that it’s burned down. While he’s dealing with the insurance, his wife, Jade, is confronted with a masked intruder who has trapped her and her two children in their home. The kidnapper is asking for a specific amount in ransom, which Jade thinks won’t be a problem for her successful husband to put his hands on in a few hours. However, Jade doesn’t know about the secrets her husband has been keeping from her, that could determine if anyone gets out of this situation alive.
This was a fast paced and suspenseful thriller. There were great cliffhangers at the end of chapters that made me keep reading. It was really hard to put down because I needed to know how it ended.
There were a couple of surprising twists at the end of the story. However, some of the subplots weren’t related to the main plot. I won’t mention them and give them away, but they were really good subplots, yet they didn’t really add to the main plot. I would have loved it if all of these plot threads came together at the end.
My Darling Husband is a fast paced thriller!
Thank you HarperCollins for providing a copy of this book.
What to read next:
Tell Me My Name by Erin Ruddy
Dear Wife by Kimberly Belle
About the author:
Kimberly Belle is the USA Today and internationally bestselling author of seven novels, including her latest, My Darling Husband (December 2021). Her third novel, The Marriage Lie, was a semifinalist in the 2017 Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Mystery & Thriller, and a #1 e-book bestseller in the UK and Italy. She’s sold rights to her books in a dozen languages as well as film and television options. A graduate of Agnes Scott College, Belle divides her time between Atlanta and Amsterdam.
Have you read My Darling Husband? 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 My Darling Husband by Kimberly Belle.
What I’m currently reading:
I’m currently reading Love at First Spite by Anna E. Collins.
What I’m reading next:
Next I will be reading Compass to Vinland by Dani Resh.
What are you guys reading this week? Have you read any of these books?
The meme that dares to ask what book has been in your bed this morning? Come share what book you’ve spent time curled up reading in bed, or which book you wish you had time to read today! This meme is hosted by Midnight Book Girl.
This Sunday I’m reading My Darling Husband by Kimberly Belle.
Goodreads Synopsis:
Jade and Cam Lasky are by all accounts a happily married couple, with two adorable kids, a spacious home and a rapidly growing restaurant business. But their world is tipped upside down when Jade is confronted by a masked home invader. As Cam scrambles to gather the ransom money, Jade starts to wonder if they’re as financially secure as their lifestyle suggests, and what other secrets her husband is keeping from her.
Cam may be a good father, a celebrity chef and a darling husband, but there’s another side he’s kept hidden from Jade that has put their family in danger. Unbeknownst to Cam and Jade, the home invader has been watching them and is about to turn their family secrets into a public scandal.
With riveting twists and a breakneck pace, My Darling Husband is an utterly compelling thriller that once again showcases Kimberly Belle’s exceptional talent for domestic suspense.
Title: Honest June Author: Tina Wells Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers Source: Publisher via NetGalley Format: Ebook Release Date: November 9, 2021 Rating: ★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
For June Jackson, middle school is hard enough–but it’s even harder when a fairy godmother grants her the ability to only tell the truth ALL THE TIME! Is it a blessing… or a major curse? June’s charming story will inspire big laughs and even bigger love for a new heroine for our times.
June Jackson is an expert at exceeding people’s expectations. She can’t help it; she’s a people-pleaser! She’ll do everything she can to be the perfect student, daughter, and friend, even if it means ignoring her own feelings sometimes. Cue Victoria, June’s secret fairy godmother, who blesses June with the ability to never tell a lie in the hopes that June will finally be honest with her loved ones. Instead of telling them the truth to their faces, June turns to a secret online blog–the only place she can write out her true feelings without hurting people.
When all of her responsibilities start to pile on–field hockey, the school paper, family responsibility, her friends–June begins feeling so overwhelmed that sometimes it feels hard to breathe. Not to mention June is desperately trying to figure out how to overthrow the spell at the same time! When the pressures reach new heights, will Honest June finally be able to break free and tell whole truth and nothing but?
Review:
Sixth grader June is always focused on pleasing everyone around her. That means that she often tells white lies to impress and please her friends and family. However, her own feelings get pushed aside as she tries to make everyone else happy. One day, Victoria, June’s fairy godmother, arrives and puts a spell on June that forces her to tell the truth. She can no longer lie about liking her mother’s cooking or wanting to follow in her dad’s footsteps to become a lawyer. June tries to get around this by creating a private blog to type up the truth so that she doesn’t have to speak it. June must learn the importance of the truth so the spell can finally be lifted.
This story had an important message about telling the truth, that is for adults as well as children. It’s so easy to tell little white lies that end up snowballing into bigger lies. Even just saying “I’m fine,” when you aren’t, is a lie that June was caught up in a few times.
June felt a lot of pressure from her family to do well in school. Her father had her entire life planned out for her when she was eleven-years-old, but she didn’t know what she wanted to do in the future. This could be very relatable for many readers. Once she finally spoke the truth and talked to her parents about what was bothering her, she was able to begin to solve her problems.
Honest June is a great middle grade novel!
Thank you Random House Books for Young Readers and TBR and Beyond Tours for providing a copy of this book.
Tina Wells is the founder of RLVNT Media, a multimedia content venture serving entrepreneurs, tweens, and culturists with authentic representation. Tina has been recognized by Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business, Essence’s 40 Under 40, Cosmopolitan’s Fun Fearless Phenom, and more. She is the author of nine books, including the best-selling tween fiction series Mackenzie Blue, its 2020 spinoff series, The Zee Files, and the marketing handbook, Chasing Youth Culture and Getting It Right.
Title: An Offer From a Gentleman (Bridgerton #3) Author: Julia Quinn Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance Publisher: Avon Source: Purchased Format: Paperback Release Date: July 1, 2001 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Sophie Beckett never dreamed she’d be able to sneak into Lady Bridgerton’s famed masquerade ball—or that “Prince Charming” would be waiting there for her! Though the daughter of an earl, Sophie has been relegated to the role of servant by her disdainful stepmother. But now, spinning in the strong arms of the debonair and devastatingly handsome Benedict Bridgerton, she feels like royalty. Alas, she knows all enchantments must end when the clock strikes midnight.
Who was that extraordinary woman? Ever since that magical night, a radiant vision in silver has blinded Benedict to the attractions of any other—except, perhaps, this alluring and oddly familiar beauty dressed in housemaid’s garb whom he feels compelled to rescue from a most disagreeable situation. He has sworn to find and wed his mystery miss, but this breathtaking maid makes him weak with wanting her. Yet, if he offers her his heart, will Benedict sacrifice his only chance for a fairy tale love?
Review:
Sophie is the illegitimate daughter of an Earl, who is left in the care of her stepmother when he dies suddenly. She disguises herself and goes to a masquerade ball at the Bridgerton home, where she meets Benedict Bridgerton, the second son. When Benedict sees the mysterious girl at the ball, he instantly falls in love with her. However, she leaves before he can find out who she is. Now, two years later, Sophie is working as a maid. She and Benedict meet again when he saves her from being attacked by a group of men. Benedict insists on helping Sophie find another job, though he doesn’t know that she’s the woman he fell for years ago. He needs to marry soon, and he likes Sophie, but his heart still belongs to the mysterious woman from the ball and Sophie is a much lower social status. They have to figure out if their love is strong enough to get past these differences.
This Bridgerton novel didn’t disappoint! The first couple of chapters were a Cinderella story. Sophie was left with her stepmother and stepsisters after her biological father died, though he never claimed her as his own so she didn’t benefit from being his daughter. She had the chance meeting with her Prince Charming at a masquerade ball, but then she had to flee before her stepmother returned home. I love it when fairytales are part of a story. This fairy tale part was only in the first couple of chapters but it was an entertaining entrance to the story.
The only thing I didn’t find believable was how much Benedict and Sophie loved each other at first sight. They didn’t know anything about each other and they couldn’t even see what they really looked like since they were wearing masks. This felt like a forced relationship at the beginning because they were head over heels in love without actually knowing the other person. By the end, I was rooting for them, but their love felt forced in the beginning.
An Offer From a Gentleman is a great Bridgerton romance!
Title: A Conjuring of Light (Shades of Magic #3) Author: V.E. Schwab Genre: Fantasy Publisher: Tor Books Source: Purchased Format: Hardcover Release Date: February 21, 2017 Rating: ★★★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Witness the fate of beloved heroes – and enemies.
THE BALANCE OF POWER HAS FINALLY TIPPED… The precarious equilibrium among four Londons has reached its breaking point. Once brimming with the red vivacity of magic, darkness casts a shadow over the Maresh Empire, leaving a space for another London to rise.
WHO WILL CRUMBLE? Kell – once assumed to be the last surviving Antari – begins to waver under the pressure of competing loyalties. And in the wake of tragedy, can Arnes survive?
WHO WILL RISE? Lila Bard, once a commonplace – but never common – thief, has survived and flourished through a series of magical trials. But now she must learn to control the magic, before it bleeds her dry. Meanwhile, the disgraced Captain Alucard Emery of the Night Spire collects his crew, attempting a race against time to acquire the impossible.
WHO WILL TAKE CONTROL? And an ancient enemy returns to claim a crown while a fallen hero tries to save a world in decay.
Review:
The darkness of the other Londons has bled through to Red London. Kell must focus on saving his brother and protecting his world. Lila has new magic that she has to learn how to control. Alucard returns to a place he thought was lost. They all must work with an unlikely ally to save London from the darkness that threatens to take over.
This was a fantastic conclusion to the Shades of Magic trilogy. It was action packed and fast paced. The short chapters made it easy to read.
Despite the fast pace, the beautiful, poetic writing made me want to savour it. There are so many great quotes in this series. My favourite one in this book was, “A myth without a voice is like a dandelion without a breath of wind. No way to spread the seeds.”
A Conjuring of Light is a wonderful book. I can’t wait for the story to continue in future books.
What to read next:
Shades of Magic, Vol. 1: The Steel Prince by V.E. Schwab
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 Dreams Lie Beneath by Rebecca Ross.
Goodreads Synopsis:
Perfect for readers of The Hazel Wood and The Night Circus, this lush and layered story about magic and the captivating power of dreams is delivered with acclaimed author Rebecca Ross’s signature exquisite style.
A curse plagues the realm of Azenor—during each new moon, magic flows from the nearby mountain and brings nightmares to life. Only magicians, who serve as territory wardens, stand between people and their worst dreams.
Clementine Madigan is ready to take over as the warden of her small town, but when two magicians challenge her, she is unwittingly drawn into a century-old conflict. She seeks revenge, but as she secretly gets closer to Phelan, one of the handsome young magicians, secrets begin to rise. Clementine must unite with her rival to fight the realm’s curse, which seems to be haunting her every turn.
Have you read this book? What did you think of it?
Title: How to Pick a Fight Author: Lara Kaminoff Genre: Young Adult, Graphic Novel Publisher: Nobrow Source: Publisher Format: Paperback Release Date: October 5, 2021 Rating: ★★★
Goodreads Synopsis:
Scrappy young Jimmy is a pro wrestler in the making, and he’s up for taking on anyone and anything. From his own family, his schoolwork, wild animals and pirates, he’s challenging the world one small fight at a time, but can his hopes and dreams take him all the way to stellar success? Or will his fists finally get him into too much trouble?
Jimmy dreams of one day being recognised as JIMMY RUCKUS, world famous featherweight, beloved by all but in his eleven-strong house, Jimmy is the last thing on anyone’s minds. He knows he’s destined for greatness, so he sets off to seek his fortune. What he finds are circus animals, painters, pirates and heavyweight champs, each one challenging Jimmy’s idea of success. By the end of it, Jimmy realises he has to decide whether living life fist first is all it’s cracked up to be. Lara Kaminoff’s stellar art style and sharp characters give us a snappy, fresh story about a scrappy kid who means well, but never quite gets it right.
Review:
Jimmy dreams of becoming a pro wrestler, like his idol Pimmy. When he’s constantly ignored by his large family, he decides to run away and make his dreams a reality. He goes on a journey where he encounters circus animals, pirates, a painter, and a castaway. Each of these encounters make Jimmy question if his dream is really the only path to success.
This graphic novel had a really good premise. Jimmy felt overlooked by his family, so his solution was to run away. However, it wasn’t as easy to follow his dream of becoming a pro wrestler as he thought it would be. He saw a lot of people who had worked hard all their lives yet hadn’t reached the levels of success that he expected.
By the comical cover and exaggerated look of Jimmy’s hair, I expected this story to be funnier. There were some serious learning moments that I wasn’t expecting. There was a surprising twist near the end, but I found the ending to be too open ended. I would have liked to see a more positive and concrete ending to Jimmy’s story.
How to Pick a Fight was a good graphic novel.
Thank you Nobrow Press for providing a copy of this book.
What to read next:
Girl Haven by Lilah Sturges
Have you read How to Pick a Fight? What did you think of it?
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