Books, Books, Books, and a Cat

  This was one of the best books I have read this year!  I have absolutely fallen in love with this series and I hope there will be many more books to come.  This is the second book in the series and I would recommend reading the first book, "Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries," before reading this novel.   This books is extremely unique in that it has a blend of so many different elements.  It takes place in the early 1900s yet the world is not quite like ours because people know that the fae exist.  Women also have more equality and rights in this world. Emily is a professor and scholar of faerie and has dedicated her life to studying them.  Not only does she study them but one of them is her friend, partner, and love interest, Wendell.   In this novel, Wendell, a faerie royal who has been hiding in the mortal world for ten years after his step mother took his rightful throne is trying to find his door back to his kingdom.  Hi...

Viking's Captive was a steamy time travel romance set in the 8th century in Norway. Donna is an attorney who works to secure women's rights in present day New York City. At a trial she sees an ex who burned her in the past and caused her to swear off any man that might take advantage of women. Before the trial begins a woman gives her a spindle and she finds herself transported to the time of Vikings. There she meets Sigurd the jarl of his community and he also dismisses women as being weak and distrustful. These two are an unlikely pair but we end up with an action packed novel with lots of romance. This novel is part of a series and I had not read the other books. It did not diminish my enjoyment of the novel. The novel was also a very quick read. There were times when I did find Sigurd an overbearing male and I wanted Donna to smack him over the head. I read a lot of historical fiction and I think the author did a great job with the time period. It was easy to visualize. Ove...

 It is impossible not to love "With Love, from Cold World."  It is a contemporary romance with unique characters that you will not want to stop reading about. The novel is set in a theme park in Florida which is all about cold weather.  I loved the irony here.   Lauren and Asa both work for the theme park but the two of them cannot stand each other.  Both of them have back stories that really make them easy to connect with. The writing alternates between Lauren and Asa so you find yourself wanting to keep reading to find out what the other character is thinking.  Lauren is a bookkeeper for the theme park but she is also a former foster child who wants to give back to other kids in the same situation.  Asa has worked at Cold World for ten years and considers it a safe place like a second family. Asa was kicked out of his house when he turned 18 due to his parents'strict values so Cold World helps fill a void for him.  These two characters have...

 I fell in LOVE with "Love, Holly".  This is a romance story that explores the power of fate and reminds you about the power of forgiveness.  Holly is driving with her sister and stops at a small cafe to get a coffee.  While there she randomly meets a handsome stranger.  Little does she know that her life is going to change dramatically in the next few hours.  This story had an emotional impact to me as I had a loved one in the same situation as Emma.  I did shed a few tears along the way but I really enjoyed this story.  It was a wonderful novel that had so many wonderful connections and I loved how the characters were all intertwined in ways I couldn't imagine.  A great read for anyone looking for a book that will touch your heart strings especially one set during Christmas. 

  This was a moving love story about a woman who has run away from a toxic relationship only to be left homeless and hopeless.  She finds shelter in a vacant house and fully expects to be kicked out any day while she scrambles to get on her feet.  She never expects the kindness that she encounters from the new owner of the home.  In an effort to still have an affordable place to stay, Jess agrees to help the new homeowner, Gethin, with his renovation projects.  What she doesn't expect is how she will be drawn to him as she tries to make her life right.  There were many things I loved about this novel.  Jess has an interesting back story and was a relatable character.  Both Gethin and Jess were in their 40s which always helps to draw me in because I feel like so many novels are written for 20 year olds. The setting took place in Wales and I loved reading about what life was like there.  The novel was very enjoyable and different from your typi...

 One Night is a thriller that will keep you wondering who really killed Meghan.  Megan died ten years ago and now her entire family and the man who spent 10 years in jail for her murder has been invited to their old family's summer house to get answers.  The novel switches points of view so you are constantly guessing as to who is guilty or who knows more than they are saying.  The end of each chapter is a cliff hanger so the reader wants to keep reading to find out what is going to happen.  I must admit that I definitely did not foresee the ending of this book. Overall I would recommend this book for people who enjoy a good thriller and something a little darker.