book review – Page 13 – Jill's Book Blog

Review: Romancing Mister Bridgerton (Bridgertons #4)

Title: Romancing Mister Bridgerton (Bridgertons #4)
Author: Julia Quinn
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
Publisher: Avon
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback, Audiobook
Release Date: July 1, 2002
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Penelope Featherington has secretly adored her best friend’s brother for . . . well, it feels like forever. After half a lifetime of watching Colin Bridgerton from afar, she thinks she knows everything about him, until she stumbles across his deepest secret . . . and fears she doesn’t know him at all.

Colin Bridgerton is tired of being thought of as nothing but an empty-headed charmer, tired of the notorious gossip columnist Lady Whistledown, who can’t seem to publish an edition without mentioning him. But when Colin returns to London from a trip abroad, he discovers nothing in his life is quite the same—especially Penelope Featherington! The girl who was always simply there is suddenly the girl haunting his dreams. When he discovers that Penelope has secrets of her own, this elusive bachelor must decide . . . is she his biggest threat— or his promise of a happy ending?

Review:

Penelope Featherington has finally accepted her status as a spinster. She’s been in love with Colin Bridgerton for years, but he hasn’t acknowledged her. Colin is sick of reading about himself in Lady Whistledown’s column. When he returns home from another trip abroad, he suddenly sees Penelope in a new light. However, her deepest secret threatens to break up their new romance. They must decide if their love can survive the biggest scandal of the ton.

Penelope is one of my favourite Bridgerton characters. Ironically, I’ve never really liked Colin. I really wanted to see Penelope’s dream of marrying Colin come true, so I was rooting for them. I listened to the audiobook for a lot of this book, and I really enjoyed it! The secret behind Lady Whistledown was threatened in this story, which made for some intense dramatic scenes. I’m curious to see how the dynamics of the series will change after this book.

Romancing Mr. Bridgerton is a great historical romance!

Other books in the series:

The Duke and I (Bridgerton #1)
The Viscount Who Loved Me (Bridgerton #2)
An Offer From a Gentleman (Bridgerton #3)
To Sir Philip, With Love (Bridgerton #5)
When He Was Wicked (Bridgerton #6)
It’s In His Kiss (Bridgerton #7)
On the Way to the Wedding (Bridgerton #8)

Have you read Romancing Mister Bridgerton? What did you think of it?

Review: Cry Wolf (The Raccoons)

Title: Cry Wolf (The Raccoons)
Author: John Peel
Genre: Children’s
Publisher: Candy Jar Books
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback
Release Date: March 28, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

“Why Scaeffer, what big teeth you have!Why Bert, what big fibs you tell…”

There’s been a tornado in the Evergreen Forest! Schaeffer the sheepdog has gone wild! And there are gangsters at Cyril Sneer’s mansion!

Or maybe Bert Raccoon’s imagination is getting the better of him. Perhaps his quest to become the best (and only) news reporter in the forest means fiction sounds better than fact. It’s certainly not Sneer’s three Pig henchmen making the young Raccoon cry wolf.

Nope, no one will believe Bert’s crazy tales anymore.

But Bert really does have a the biggest thing to ever hit the Evergreen Forest. Cyril intends to pave paradise and put up a parking lot…

The classic TV series returns in these brand new storybooks!

Review:

Bert Raccoon is a reporter in the Evergreen Forest, but he wants to be the best reporter. He wants to write a front page news story, but he has trouble finding one. He thinks he sees a tornado, a wild dog, and gangsters going into a mansion, but none of those stories turn out to be what he expected. Bert doesn’t give up though, and he eventually goes undercover to find his biggest story yet.

This was such a great chapter book. It is based on Canadian 80s The Raccoons TV series. The story can be read as a stand-alone without watching the TV show first. The story was great, and there were some fun additions to the book as well. The book had 7 chapters, meant for children to read one chapter a day for a week. There were also QR codes in the book, including one in the middle of the book that leads to a cooking scene from the TV show that also appeared in the story. It was fun to see a scene played out on the TV show after reading it in the book.

Cry Wolf is a great children’s book!

Thank you Candy Jar Books for sending me a copy of this book!

Other books in the series:

The One That Got Away
Blast From the Past

Have you read Cry Wolf? What did you think of it?

Review: The Ghostkeeper

Title: The Ghostkeeper
Author: Johanna Taylor
Genre: Graphic Novel, Young Adult, Fantasy, LGBTQ
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: July 23, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Perfect for fans of everything from Lockwood & Co to The Haunting of Hill House, this gothic graphic novel follows a young medium with the gift—or curse, as some might say—to communicate with the dead.

Dorian Leith can see ghosts. Not only that, he listens to their problems and tries to help them move on to the afterlife. It’s a gift that’s made him an outcast to everyone in town. That is except for his dearly departed grandmother, who he’s partnered with to turn this paranormal ability into an honest living, and the local bookshop owner, who seems to be the only non-deceased person willing to give him a chance. But it’s all worth it to Dorian, who feels like he’s been given a bigger purpose. A chance to save those who cannot save themselves.

Then one day, the key to Death’s Door is stolen, trapping all the ghosts in the land of the living. Since he’s only one who can see them, the spirits rely on Dorian to retrieve the key before it is too late. If they can’t move on, they’ll soon be consumed by a ghostly rot that has begun to plague them.

As it continues to fester and spread, and the ghosts become desperate for relief, Dorian must do whatever it takes to find a way to bring peace to the restless dead—even if that peace comes at the cost of his own….

Review:

After a brush with death as a child, Dorian Leith could see and speak to ghosts. He listens to their problems and helps send them to the afterlife. However, this gift has made him an outcast in town. There are plague doctors who want to get rid of the ghosts using potions, rather than helping them find peace like Dorian does. The local bookshop owner is the only person in town willing to help Dorian. One day, the key to Death’s Door is stolen by the ghost of a young girl, which prevents any ghosts from passing through to the afterlife. Dorian must find a way to retrieve the key before the ghosts rise up and destroy everyone in town.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel! I love stories about people who can communicate with ghosts. This story had a Victorian style setting, which is one of my favourite book settings. There was a lot of tension and heartbreak around the ghosts. Some had quite tragic endings, such as the little girl who stole the key. There were some positives with the ghosts, though, like Dorian spending time with his grandmother’s ghost since he didn’t know her when she was alive.

The Ghostkeeper is a great paranormal graphic novel!

Thank you Penguin Teen for providing a digital copy of this book.

Content warnings: death, death of child, death of parent

Have you read The Ghostkeeper? What did you think of it?

Review: Meet Me at the Starlight

Title: Meet Me at the Starlight
Author: Rachel Hauck
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
Publisher: Bethany House Publisher
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: July 2, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Eighties supermodel Harlow Hayes seeks solace in a quaint Florida beach town to hide and heal from a heartbreak that shattered her entire world. To her surprise, she encounters Matt Knight–a Hollywood A-lister with a bad-boy reputation–who has returned to his hometown to help his plucky grandmother, Tuesday, save her century-old skating rink, the Starlight.The Starlight holds a special place in the hearts of the community, once acting as a refuge for Depression-era families and bringing the town together with gatherings and celebrations. Tuesday’s determination and resilience even protected her beloved rink from her husband’s shady business dealings. Yet when the Starlight is threatened with demolition, Tuesday may not be able to stop it. As Matt and Harlow plot with Tuesday to save the Starlight, they find themselves on a journey of surprises, self-discovery, and the kind of healing that leads to love. New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hauck weaves a heartfelt tale of romance, perseverance, and the enduring power of community.

Review:

1932: Tuesday Knight has always loved the Starlight, a roller skating rink near her house. She is struggling to raise her sons on her own, as her husband goes away for weeks at a time to a mysterious job. One day, he gifts Tuesday with the deed to the Starlight, making it her own.

1987: Supermodel Harlow Hayes moves to a small town in north Florida to get her life together. She reunites with her former costar, Matt Knight. Matt is in town to try and help his grandmother save the Starlight from being torn down by the mayor. Harlow and Matt have to overcome a lot from their personal lives that they’ve moved to Florida to escape, while helping Tuesday save the Starlight.

This was a great multi-POV historical fiction story! The story alternated between Tuesday’s life as a young adult and Harlow’s and Matt’s current POVs in 1987. As the story went on, there was a lot of suspense created from the plot points and secrets that were left out of the narrative. By the end of the story, I didn’t want to leave this world and these characters. They felt like real people.

Meet Me at the Starlight is a great historical fiction story!

Thank you Bookinfluencers.com, Bethany House Fiction, and Rachel Huack for providing a copy of this book for a sponsored campaign!

Content warnings: war, death, body shaming

Have you read Meet Me at the Starlight? What did you think of it?

Review: Astra Remade

Title: Astra Remade
Author: Elizabeth Lowham
Genre: Fantasy, Retelling
Publisher: Chanter Press LLC
Source: Author
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: May 1, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

How hard can it be to get one lost prince out of a fairy tower?

Astra has made a terrible wish—to be so beautiful that wealthy men propose at the sight of her. In Everspring, her magical parade of wealthy suitors quickly becomes a violent mob, and worst of all, the king himself sets his sights on her. But the king possesses dark magic of his own, and when Astra displeases him, she finds herself banished to the deadly fairy realm.

Her only refuge is another outcast more trapped and lonelier than she.

Dust was born to be the heir of Everspring, but his isolated tower in the fairy realm is the only home he’s ever known. Astra’s arrival means his first real chance at escape, if he can only trust her to help, but Dust was raised by fairies, and the first rule of fairy culture is to never trust anyone.

Dragons and depthfiends are not the worst dangers they’ll face, but if Astra and Dust can find a way to work together—to be honest with each other when they’ve never been honest with themselves—they may find true freedom and emerge from their prison remade.

Review:

Twenty-five year old Astra Acton wants to get away from her family’s struggles, so she makes a wish to be so beautiful that wealthy men propose at the sight of her. However, she quickly becomes the target of the King. When she rejects his proposal, she is banished to the fairy realm. While there, she finds a tower with no doors. Dust is living at the top of the tower. He was the heir to the throne, until an unfortunate wish landed him in the fairy realm, to be raised by the untrustworthy fairies. Astra and Dust decide to work together to find freedom from their prisons.

This was a great gender reversed retelling of Rapunzel. Dust was a Prince who was cursed to be stuck in a tower. Astra wanted to move higher in life, after her family went bankrupt years before. This book is a sequel to Beauty Reborn. It could be read as a stand-alone, but there is a spoiler for Beauty Reborn if you want to read that one first.

Astra Remade is a great fairytale retelling!

Thank you Elizabeth Lowham for sending me a copy of this book!

Content warnings: death of parent (off page)

Other books in the series:

Beauty Reborn

Have you read Astra Remade? What did you think of it?

Review: One Perfect Couple

Title: One Perfect Couple
Author: Ruth Ware
Genre: Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Source: Tandem Collective
Format: Paperback
Release Date: May 21, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A high-tension and ingenious thriller following five couples trapped on a storm-swept island as a killer stalks among them.

Lyla is in a bit of a rut. Her post-doctoral research has fizzled out, she’s pretty sure they won’t extend her contract, and things with her boyfriend, Nico, an aspiring actor, aren’t going great. When the opportunity arises for Nico to join the cast of a new reality TV show, The Perfect Couple, she decides to try out with him. A whirlwind audition process later, Lyla find herself whisked off to a tropical paradise with Nico, boating through the Indian Ocean towards Ever After Island, where the two of them will compete against four other couples—Bayer and Angel, Dan and Santana, Joel and Romi, and Conor and Zana—in order to win a cash prize.

But not long after they arrive on the deserted island, things start to go wrong. After the first challenge leaves everyone rattled and angry, an overnight storm takes matters from bad to worse. Cut off from the mainland by miles of ocean, deprived of their phones, and unable to contact the crew that brought them there, the group must band together for survival. As tensions run high and fresh water runs low, Lyla finds that this game show is all too real—and the stakes are life or death.

A fast-paced, spellbinding thriller rife with intrigue and characters that feel so true to life, this novel proves yet again that Ruth Ware is the queen of psychological suspense.

Review:

Lyla is a scientist who is struggling with her research. When her boyfriend, Nico, an aspiring actor, asks her if she wants to go on a reality show with him, she reluctantly agrees. They travel to an island in the middle of the Indian Ocean to film the new reality show, One Perfect Couple. Lyla expects to be voted off the show first, since she doesn’t like reality shows. After a storm the first night, everything goes wrong. Their communication from the rest of the world is cut off, and they have limited supplies. Now, the couples don’t have to worry about being eliminated from the show. They must worry about surviving.

This is my new favourite Ruth Ware book! It was so creepy and intense. There was a bit of a behind the scenes look at the making of a reality show, but most of the book was about survival. I couldn’t guess what would happen next so I was really kept on the edge of my seat!

One Perfect Couple is an intense summer thriller!

Thank you Tandem Collective and Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book!

Content warnings: death, murder, suicide, blood, drowning, diabetes

Have you read One Perfect Couple? What did you think of it?

Review: The Lightning Circle

Title: The Lightning Circle
Author: Vikki VanSickle, Laura K. Watson (illustrations)
Genre: Young Adult, Poetry
Publisher: Tundra Books
Source: Publisher
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: March 26, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

An intimate coming-of age novel for teens, told in verse with delicate line art, chronicling the beauty, magic and transformative power of summer camp, for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo and Judy Blume.

After having her heart broken, seventeen-year-old Nora Nichols decides to escape her hometown and take a summer job as an arts and crafts counsellor at an all-girls’ camp in the mountains of West Virginia. There, she meets girls and women from all walks of life with their own heartaches and triumphs. Immersed in this new camp experience, trying to form bonds with her fellow counselors while learning to be a trusted adviser for her campers, Nora distracts herself from her feelings, even during the intimate conversations around the nightly campfires. But when a letter from home comes bearing unexpected news, Nora finds inner strength in her devastation with the healing power of female friendship. Presented as Nora’s camp journal, including Nora’s sketches of camp life, scraps of letters, and spare poems, The Lightning Circle is an intimate coming-of-age portrait.

Review:

Seventeen-year-old Nora wants a break from her hometown this summer after having her heart broken, so she goes to a summer camp as a counselor in West Virginia. She meets young women, both campers and counselors, from different backgrounds with their own heartaches. Nora must learn to open herself up to new friendships to begin healing.

This was a beautiful book. It is written in verse, which suits the emotional time Nora is experiencing. Each section of the story was concise, but also evoked the teenage emotions of the story. There were also beautiful illustrations in a sketch style that accompanied the verses.

The Lightning Verse is a beautiful summer camp story.

Thank you Tundra Books and Penguin Teen Canada for providing a copy of this book.

Content warning: eating disorder

Have you read The Lightning Circle? What did you think of it?

Review: The Bone Season (The Bone Season #1)

Title: The Bone Season (The Bone Season #1)
Author: Samantha Shannon
Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction
Publisher: Bloomsbury Books US
Source: Publisher
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: August 22, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Welcome to Scion. No safer place.

The year is 2059. For two centuries, the Republic of Scion has led an oppressive campaign against unnaturalness in Europe.

In London, Paige Mahoney holds a high rank in the criminal underworld. The right hand of the ruthless White Binder, Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare and formidable kind of clairvoyant. Under Scion law, she commits treason simply by breathing.

When Paige is arrested for murder, she meets the mysterious founders of Scion, who have designs on her uncommon abilities. If she is to survive and escape, Paige must use every skill at her disposal – and put her trust in someone who ought to be her enemy.

Review:

2059: The Republic of Scion has ruled the world for two centuries. Paige Mahoney is a clairvoyant, a person with special powers who is the enemy of Scion. She holds a high rank in her underground criminal group because she is a rare dreamwalker. After a chance encounter leaves a Scion agent dead, Paige is arrested for murder. She ends up in the hands of the creators of Scion, who want to harness her special abilities. Paige must do her best to survive, which may mean trusting the enemy.

I’ve wanted to read this book for years so I was so excited to get the opportunity! When Paige uses her abilities, she gets a migraine. I’ve had chronic migraines for years, so I could relate to her pain. The magic world of this story was a little confusing at first. After I read a couple of chapters, I found out that there are two prequel short stories that have a great introduction to the world. I highly recommend checking those out along with this first book in the series.

The Bone Season is a great fantasy!

Thank you Bloomsbury Books US and Bookinfluencers.com for providing a copy of this book as part of a sponsored campaign.

Content warnings: death, murder, riots, blood, death of parent, abuse

Other books in the series:

The Mime Order (The Bone Season #2)
The Song Rising (The Bone Season #3)
The Mask Falling (The Bone Season #4)

Have you read The Bone Season? What did you think of it?

Review: Love at First Knight

Title: Love at First Knight
Author: Megan Clawson
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Avon
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: April 25, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A second royal rom com from the author who had readers falling hard for royal guards, coming Spring 2024.

She’s no damsel in distress, and he’s certainly not wearing shining armour. But one knight can change everything…

Daisy Hastings has always thought she was born in the wrong era. So when she bags a summer job at the Tower of London helping to run their Knight school, it feels like a step in the right direction.

Theodore ‘Teddy’ Fairfax is a loose cannon. A disgraced distant relative of the royal family, he’s tall, dark and now (begrudgingly) helping with the Tower of London’s summer programme – and there’s nowhere he’d like to be less.

When Teddy’s oath to be an obstruction almost gets Daisy fired, she declares war. But as the two cross swords, they start to discover they both need a little rescuing…

And that maybe, just maybe, love can bloom, even on a battlefield…

Review:

Daisy Hastings loves LARPing with her family, wearing costumes and acting out fantasy stories. When she gets a job at a knight camp at the Tower of London, it seems like the perfect job for her. She’s partnered up with Viscount Teddy Fairfax, the King’s nephew who’s always in the tabloids. Teddy is always doing things to get Daisy in trouble at work, but she can’t seem to stay away from him. Daisy must try to keep her job without being distracted by the Royal who she’s falling for.

I really liked Daisy and her family who dressed up and did role playing together. They had characters and storylines they always followed. It sounded so fun! Teddy and Daisy didn’t get along from the moment they met. They went from hate to love really quick. I would have liked to see more of their romantic time together after they started to fall for each other.

Love at First Knight is a cute rom com!

Thank you Frenzy Books for sending me a copy of this book!

Have you read Love at First Knight? What did you think of it?

Review: The Return of Ellie Black

Title: The Return of Ellie Black
Author: Emiko Jean
Genre: Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Source: Tandem Collective Global
Format: Paperback
Release Date: May 7, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s life is turned upside down when she gets the call Ellie Black, a girl who disappeared years earlier, has resurfaced in the woods of Washington state—but Ellie’s reappearance leaves Chelsey with more questions than answers.

“I stayed up late into the night turning the pages until I learned the truth of what happened to Ellie—and gasped when Jean delivered a truly jaw-dropping twist.” —Jessica Knoll, New York Times bestselling author of Luckiest Girl Alive and Bright Young Women

It’s been twenty years since Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s sister vanished when they were teenagers, and ever since she’s been searching: for signs, for closure, for other missing girls. But happy endings are rare in Chelsey’s line of work.

Then a glimmer: local teenager Ellie Black, who disappeared without a trace two years earlier, has been found alive in the woods of Washington State.

But something is not right with Ellie. She won’t say where she’s been, or who she’s protecting, and it’s up to Chelsey to find the answers. She needs to get to the bottom of what happened to Ellie: for herself, and for the memory of her sister, but mostly for the next girl who could be taken—and who, unlike Ellie, might never return.

The debut thriller from New York Times bestselling author Emiko Jean, The Return of Ellie Black is both a feminist tour de force about the embers of hope that burn in the aftermath of tragedy and a twisty page-turner that will shock and surprise you right up until the final page.

Review:

Detective Chelsey Calhoun’s sister disappeared and was declared dead, when they were teens, and since then she’s been looking for missing girls. Teenage Ellie Black, who disappeared two years ago, is found wandering in the woods. Chelsey questions Ellie about where she’s been, but Ellie won’t give any answers. Chelsey worries that other girls could be connected to Ellie’s disappearance so it’s crucial that she find out where she was kept as soon as possible.

This was a great fast paced mystery. It alternated between the current story in third person, and flashbacks from Ellie’s perspective where she was held captive. A lot of things that happened when Ellie was held captive were disturbing, but implied rather than described in detail. I guessed one person who was involved, but I was surprised at the whole explanation at the end.

The Return of Ellie Black is a great thriller!

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada and Tandem Collective Global for providing a copy of this book!

Content warnings: death, divorce, cancer, rape, kidnapping

Have you read The Return of Ellie Black? What did you think of it?