Can't Wait Wednesday: Diamond in the Rough (American Heiresses #2) by Jen Turano

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm featuring Diamond in the Rough (American Heiresses #2) by Jen Turano releasing September 3. 

About the Book
To save her family from financial ruin, Miss Poppy Garrison accepts an unusual proposition to participate in the New York social season in exchange for her grandmother settling a family loan that has unexpectedly come due. Ill-equipped to handle the intricacies of mingling within the New York Four Hundred, Poppy becomes embroiled in one hilarious fiasco after another, doomed to suffer a grand societal failure instead of being deemed the diamond of the first water her grandmother longs for her to become.

Reginald Blackburn, second son of a duke, has been forced to travel to America to help his cousin, Charles Wynn, Earl of Lonsdale, find an American heiress to wed in order to shore up his family estate that is in desperate need of funds. Reginald himself has no interest in finding an heiress to marry, but when Poppy's grandmother asks him to give etiquette lessons to Poppy, he swiftly discovers he may be in for much more than he bargained for.

Why I Need It
Jen Turano always injects so much humor into her novels. I usually have a permanent smile on my face when I'm reading one of her books. I'm so excited for this one. I imagine the etiquette lessons will be quite amusing!

What upcoming release are you excited about?
 

Review: Spark by Sarah Beth Durst

About the Book

When a shy girl and her dragon-like companion discover their country’s idyllic weather comes at a steep—and secret—cost, they recruit fellow students to defy authority and attempt to spread the truth.

Storm beasts and their guardians create perfect weather every day, and Mina longs for a storm beast of her own. But when the gentle girl bonds with a lightning beast—a creature of fire and chaos—everyone’s certain it’s a mistake. Everyone but Mina and the beast himself, Pixit. Quickly enrolled in lightning school, Mina struggles to master a guardian’s skills, and she discovers that her country's weather comes at a devastating cost—a cost powerful people wish to hide. Mina’s never been the type to speak out, but someone has to tell the truth, and, with Pixit’s help, she resolves to find a way to be heard.

Amazon / Goodreads

My Thoughts

She liked to think this was one of the secrets about being quiet: when you finally speak, everyone assumes you have something important to say. And I do, she thought.

Mina is the shy, quiet girl who stays in the background, overlooked by everyone, even her family. And she's comfortable with that. She doesn't like the spotlight, being the center of attention. But everything changes when she bonds with a lightning beast and then discovers a terrible secret. One that many powerful people would be very upset if it were revealed. Can Mina find her voice, make herself be heard, and tell a truth that must be told?

I'm a grown woman, but my gosh, this book spoke to me so much. I was that shy, quiet girl in the background, still am to an extent, and would've loved to have read about a heroine like Mina when I was a kid. She's so relatable. It was nice to have a quiet girl be the brave one in the story. To show that you can be quiet, yet courageous at the same time.

This was a beautiful book. One that celebrates being true to yourself. Accepting yourself for exactly who you are. Learning that it's okay to be different and realizing that, sometimes, that's exactly what the world needs.

“Just because she’s quiet doesn’t mean she isn’t brave.”

4.5 Stars

Book Beginnings + Friday 56: The Curse of Misty Wayfair by Jaime Jo Wright

Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your ereader and share a non-spoilery sentence or two.

This week I'm featuring a book I recently finished, The Curse of Misty Wayfair by Jaime Jo Wright. So creepy, yet so good!

About the Book

Left at an orphanage as a child, Thea Reed vowed to find her mother someday. Now grown, her search takes her to Pleasant Valley, Wisconsin, in 1908. When clues lead her to a mental asylum, Thea uses her experience as a post-mortem photographer to gain access and assist groundskeeper Simeon Coyle in photographing the patients and uncovering the secrets within. However, she never expected her personal quest would reawaken the legend of Misty Wayfair, a murdered woman who allegedly haunts the area and whose appearance portends death.

A century later, Heidi Lane receives a troubling letter from her mother--who is battling dementia--compelling her to travel to Pleasant Valley for answers to her own questions of identity. When she catches sight of a ghostly woman who haunts the asylum ruins in the woods, the long-standing story of Misty Wayfair returns--and with it, Heidi's fear for her own life.

As two women across time seek answers about their identities and heritage, can they overcome the threat of the mysterious curse that has them inextricably intertwined?

Book Beginning

Melancholy was a condition of the spirit and the soul, but also of the mind.

Friday 56

Thea had no idea where this was going, but a restlessness inside her made her edge her way to the door. Toward the escape. But Mr. Fritz followed like a horsefly on a hot, muggy day.

What have you been reading lately?

Review: A Witch to Remember (A Wishcraft Mystery #9) by Heather Blake

About the Book

Not even a witch can keep her secrets safe in the sizzling ninth installment of national bestselling author Heather Blake’s Wishcraft series.

Wishcrafter Darcy Merriweather’s enchanted wedding plans are put to the test when murder invites itself to her bridal luncheon…

The Enchanted Village always has a touch of magic about it, but the buzz of excitement over the wedding between wish-granting witch Darcy and Police Chief Nick Sawyer is positively electric. With every spellbinding detail planned to perfection all that’s left is to sit back and let wishes come true. But Darcy’s dream wedding is threatened when the Divinitea Cottage, the tea room hosting her bridal luncheon, goes up in flames, revealing the strangled body of the owner, Leyna Noble.

Making vows to solve the crime without delaying the nuptials, Darcy focuses on her prime suspect, and number one nemesis, wicked witch Dorothy Hansel Dewitt, a notorious firebug. But when a psychic vanishes without a trace, Darcy’s investigation shifts to Leyna’s mysteriously bewitching past. Darcy must sort through mystical claims and old, vengeful grudges to find a killer before she is forced to forever hold her peace.

Amazon / Goodreads

My Thoughts

Finishing this book was bittersweet. It was such a great ending to the series. But it was the end. This has been my favorite cozy series and to know there won't be anymore adventures in the Enchanted Village with these beloved characters has me feeling sad. But what a great way to go out.

I read it slowly, savoring it. I didn't want to rush it. I wanted to linger as long as possible. … That was the plan, at least. But once I hit a certain point, I couldn't stop and had to finish it as quickly as I could. I had to know if everything would turn out alright.

I don't want to say much more because I don't want to spoil anything. I'll just end by saying, this is a must read for anyone who has loved this series. If you haven't started it yet, grab a copy of book one and be prepared to fall in love with the quirky characters and charming village.

Four Stars

(Note: I took a star off because there were multiple instances where God wasn't capitalized. It's one of my biggest pet peeves and totally throws me out of a story. If not for that, this would've been a five star read.)

Can't Wait Wednesday: The Spice King (Hope and Glory #1) by Elizabeth Camden

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings that spotlights and discusses the books we're excited about that we've yet to read. Generally, they're books that are yet to be released. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I'm featuring The Spice King (Hope and Glory #1) by Elizabeth Camden releasing September 3.

About the Book

Gray Delacroix has dedicated his life to building his very successful global spice empire, but it has come at a cost. Resolved to salvage his family before it spirals out of control, he returns to his ancestral home to save his brother and sister before it's too late.

As a junior botanist for the Smithsonian, Annabelle Larkin has been charged with the impossible task of gaining access to the notoriously private Delacroix plant collection. If she fails, she will be out of a job and the family farm in Kansas will go under. She has no idea that in gaining entrance to the Delacroix world, she will unwittingly step into a web of dangerous political intrigue far beyond her experience.

Unable to deny her attraction to the reclusive business tycoon, Annabelle will be forced to choose between her heart and loyalty to her country. Can Gray and Annabelle find a way through the storm of scandal without destroying the family Gray is fighting to save?

Why I Need It
Elizabeth Camden always writes about really interesting, sometimes obscure, historical facts. I always feel like I learn something new when I read one of her books. And this time, I'm really looking forward to learning about the spice industry in the early 1900s.

What upcoming release are you excited about?

Remembering Sadie

This is a different kind of post for me. Not about books. But about my sweet dog Sadie. It's been a year today since she passed away. So this is, in a sense, a tribute to her.

I can't believe it's been a year. I still miss her everyday. I miss her sassiness. Her diva attitude. I miss her "high fives", her hugs, and kisses. How she had this uncanny ability to know when I was feeling bad and would come sit with me. Comfort me. How her very presence would make me feel better.

I still expect to find her sitting at the door. When it's storming, I still expect to hear her trying to bark it away. I miss her barking at the UPS man. At fireworks. Annoying neighbors. Pretty much anything she thought didn't "belong" around here.

There's never gonna be another one like her. Words can't do justice to describe how amazing and special she was.

Review: Playing Hearts by W.R. Gingell

About the Book

It begins the way it has always begun: with a card on Mabel's pillow. But Mabel has been in Underland before, and she's not so anxious to go back. No matter what name it takes, Underland is always bizarre, always mad, always dangerous.

There's the Queen of Hearts, terrifying, powerful, and possibly insane. There's Hatter, purple-eyed and undoubtedly mad. March Hare has always been one sandwich short of a picnic, and Sir Blanc is missing his wits.

And then there's Jack. Jack the aristocratic son of the Queen. Not quite mad, but not far off. Disinclined to help anyone but himself. A liar. And, thanks to an ancient ceremony performed by the Queen, Mabel's fiancé.

Fall into the rabbit hole with Mabel as she climbs through tea-pots, battles the Jabberwock, and attempts to overthrow the Queen of Hearts herself.

Don't lose your head.

And whatever you do, don't be late...

Amazon / Goodreads

My Thoughts

“You're invited. It's a very important date. Don't be late.”

What an imaginative twist on Alice in Wonderland! I was never a huge fan of the original tale, but I can't seem to resist a good retelling of it. They're so much fun and Playing Hearts is the best one I've read.

Author W.R. Gingell does an excellent job bringing to life Wonderland, or rather Underland as Mabel knows it to be, making it her own and yet still keeping it familiar.

This was a blast to read. Hatter and Hare were my favorite characters, of course. They're still as mad as ever, but there's a lot more to them if you just look close enough.

Things were a bit violent at times, but that's the nature of Underland for ya'... well, the Queen actually. She's just as ruthless and terrible as you'd expect.

If you're a fan of retellings, I highly recommend Playing Hearts. My only complaint is that it ended. I could've definitely kept reading more about Underland.

Five Stars