I went into reading A Gentleman in Moscow with mixed feelings. Why I decided to read A Gentleman in Moscow A Gentleman in Moscow had been on my reading radar for years. While I generally love stories set in Russia, I've never been particularly inclined to go for this one. I think it largely has to do with the fact that the person who recommended I read A Man Called Ove -- one of my favorite books EVER -- also recommended...
The Lost Apothecary is one of my favorite books of 2021. BOOM! I’ve said it. What's The Lost Apothecary about? There's a lot of story packed into The Lost Apothecary. This novel explores two timelines. There's 1700s Nella, who runs an apothecary shop that sells poisons for women to use against the awful men in their lives, and 12-year-old Eliza, who helps in Nella's shop. And, then there's present-day Caroline, who's visiting...
Tracy Chevalier’s novels are absolutely beautiful, and her latest book, A Single Thread, is no exception. This might be my new favorite title by this author. What's A Single Thread about? The shadow of WWI looms over everything in A Single Thread -- every person, every conversation, every interaction. Main character Violet's life is forever changed when both her fiancé and her brother are killed in WWI. At 38 years old and...
I really wanted to fall deliciously deep into Rhapsody. But, this book was a DNF for me. I feel extra bad about saying this, too, since author Mitchell James Kaplan sent a personalized note on lovely, thick, cream-colored stationary along with the ARC. But, I'm all about the honest reviews, so....here goes. What's Rhapsody about? Set in Jazz Age NYC, Rhapsody is the story of composer George Gershwin's love affair with Kay...
Well, Tartlets, we're rounding out a year of reading by heading back to Ballybucklebo with another book in the Irish Country Novels series: An Irish Country Family. And, I'm happy to report that I enjoyed this book much more than the last one in the series. Author Patrick Taylor mercifully toned down the in-depth discussion of Irish politics, And, while Barry and Sue's infertility issues continue to plague them, that plotline, too, has...
I was giddy with anticipation about The Book of Longings from the moment its publication date was announced. And, I'm thrilled to report that author Sue Monk Kidd did not disappoint with her newest novel. What's The Book of Longings about? It's long been debated whether Jesus (yep, as in "Christ Superstar") had a female partner. (Hello, The Da Vinci Code.) The Book of Longings takes this controversial idea and runs with...
Jerusalem Maiden by Talia Carner is going to piss off the feminists among us. Apart from that, though, this is a really good book! What's Jerusalem Maiden about? The main character in Jerusalem Maiden is Esther, an early 1900s woman from an ultra-Orthodox sect of Judaism called Haredi. So, to say that Esther has limited freedom is putting it mildly. Esther exemplifies all that a "Jerusalem Maiden" goes through in order to...
It's not often I yell out "Holy Crap!" while reading historical fiction. But that's exactly what I did smack in the middle of The Exiles. Let's just say the story took a very unexpected turn. Bravo, Christina Baker Kline, for such a bold move. What's The Exiles about? The Exiles follows three resourceful young women. There’s Evangeline and Hazel, the English prisoners, and Mathinna, a native inhabitant of Australia. Each...
The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James gave me mixed feelings. I'd been eagerly anticipating this one for months, especially after seeing SO much love for it from readers and other book bloggers. I was so excited when it came in from my local library just before they closed down because of COVID-19. I was quarantined, but I figured, Hey, I got THE book I was waiting for, so NBD. Ehhh, not quite. What's The Sun Down Motel...
Here's a fun fact: I've had this Quick Look Books list of Historical Fiction recommendations planned for, oh,...over a year? Something like that. I've been meaning to post it. Really, I have. Just...something always got in the way. However, since the last few weeks have been pretty history-defining, I figured now's the time to debut this particular book list. To remind us of what people have faced, fought against, and, against all odds, overcome...
