The Queen's Fortune: A Novel of Desiree, Napoleon, and the Dynasty That Outlasted the Empire by Allison Pataki

The Queen's Fortune: A Novel of Desiree, Napoleon, and the Dynasty That Outlasted the Empire by Allison Pataki
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many thanks to Mary McGrath and her mom for recommending this awesome historical fiction book, I read it in 2 days, could not put it down! I am definitely going to read her other books as well, The Traitor's Wife is next! I loved the story of Desiree and Josephine, Napoleon's machinations, and the lush times they found themselves in France. Pataki's eye for detail, historical significance, as well as penning a darn good story will have many readers thoroughly enjoying this sizzling historical novel!

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The Last Castle: The Epic Story of Love, Loss, and American Royalty in the Nation's Largest Home by Denise Kiernan

The Last Castle: The Epic Story of Love, Loss, and American Royalty in the Nation's Largest Home by Denise Kiernan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a DNF, I could not get into the whole Biltmore Hotel and all the famous people; I was uninterested in the WEALTH, the people, and there really was no epic story of love so I did not Finish this audiobook, read by the author.

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The Huntress by Kate Quinn

The Huntress by Kate Quinn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Excellently narrated by Saskia Maarleveld (loved all of her voices both male and female!!!), thanks so much to Pat Graham for recommending The Alice Network and then others telling me I must read The Huntress. OMG, it was 18 hours long and I still did not want it to end. I was thoroughly invested in the story, the characters, the suspense and Kate Quinn delivered! Written back and forth between WWII and years later in Boston and narrated back and forth by Ian, Nina and Jordan, Ian and Tony are hunting for a cool, heartless killer (the Huntress) who shot Polish children and Tony's brother after befriending them and feeding them. Jordan's dad has fallen for Anna and her daughter Ruth, proposing marriage. Nina's story was thoroughly crazy, Russian Dad who tried to drown her, crazy pilot skills and "family" of sisters she flies with. The hunt for the huntress was full of suspense, psychological daring do, lots of angst and the way these characters lived and breathed made me fall in love with them all, except the bad ones! This is a must read for any who love WWII stories, Holocaust stories, and the hunt for justice after the Holocaust!

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Small Great Thing by Jodi Picoult

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow, I could not stop reading this gut wrenching book but Jodi Picoult's suspenseful plot kept me turning the pages, cringing, yet daring to be hopeful for Ruth and Edison. I really liked how Kennedy confronts her own racism and how it changes her relationship with Ruth. I loved Kennedy's husband, Michah; what a great guy, understated yet right on point. He was a huge supporter of Kennedy who was able to make her see things in a different way than Ruth made her see things. The white supremacists- Brit and Turk and Brit's father, were totally scary in their original approach to racism beating up gays, blacks, whoever they deemed a target for their wilding. But what was even more heinous was their underground movement through the internet; it really makes one think and be really, really, scared! I loved the courtroom drama, the hospital turning on Ruth, and Ruth's family. Picoult's book is thought provoking and a must read!

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The Damned (The Beautiful, #2) by Renee Ahdieh

The Damned by Renée Ahdieh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I could not put this 2nd book in the The Beautiful series down---all of the drama going on between Celine, now vampire Bastien, and the supernatural family members of Nicodemus Saint Germain. Hold onto your book because the suspense begins at page 1 and does not let up!!! I can't wait for the 3rd book in this series based upon the intriguing ending of this vampire, ethereal, and demonic creatures action packed novel!!!

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Let the Wind Rise (Sky Fall, #3) by Shannon Messenger

Let the Wind Rise by Shannon Messenger
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I disliked the 2nd book in this series so much I almost did not want to read it----enough with the torturing of EVERYONE, especially Audra, Vane, Solana and Gus! But in this 3rd book, the torturing still continued but there was growth between the main characters and also bad guy with all the holes through him by Raiden! I liked the way they worked together, really began listening to the wind, and become a force in each one's right. I loved the way Audra and Vane fought for each other, stopped being small-minded, they knew what they wanted and would not let characters like Cos push them around. A thrilling end, I could not stop turning the pages and I will definitely miss Audra and Vane but not their endless torture.

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Go With Your Heart by Savannah J. Frierson

Go with Your Heart by Savannah J. Frierson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In 1870s Oklahoma Shiloh, a freed black woman and Nashoba, an Indian in the army and how he befriends her and teaches her and her brothers how to defend themselves. Slowly Nashoba falls for Shiloh but he always keeps control because he does not want to scare her off. Shiloh comes off as shy but happy to be alone and she blooms under Nashoba's gentle ways. A short novella that I absolutely loved!!!

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Loving vs. Virginia: A Documentary Novel of the Landmark Civil Rights Case by Patricia Hruby Powell

Loving vs. Virginia: A Documentary Novel of the Landmark Civil Rights Case by Patricia Hruby Powell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I LOVED this illustrated novel in verse about the love story and fight to stay married between black Mildred Jeter and white Richard Loving who grew up together in Virginia. What a testament to race relations, enduring love, marriage, and family. Patricia Hruby Powell's novel in verse was delivered with raw emotion, drawing on legal proceedings, as well as the historical background of the times. A must-read by all!

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Let the Storm Break (Sky Fall, #2) by Shannon Messenger

Let the Storm Break by Shannon Messenger
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really did not like this 2nd book in the series; maybe because of covid; there was so much horror, meanness, brutality and hopelessness, I could not take what was happening to Vane and Audra; they were being punished over and over again, their bond was being strained; Raiden is even more of an unstoppable awful force. But I do love the narration by Nick Podehl , Kristen Leigh, I just don't like the storyline. I will read the 3rd book in the series, there was no audiobook, I wonder why? So I will get it on my kindle and keep my fingers crossed this 3rd book is hopeful and affirming like the first book!

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28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand

28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book but did not love the way two wonderful people who should have been happy with each other their whole lives only had 1 Labor Day weekend each year. Yes Mallory and Jake agree to this but I felt it did a big big disservice to both of them, compromising their happiness, forcing lies and secrets! I did not like Mallory's supposed best friend, Leland. She was awful and when she becomes involved with another woman, her nasty character shines through. Also, I found it tedious that Jake stayed with Ursula for all the wrong reasons which he went over again and again. Yes Jake is honest with Ursula and tells her as an adult she is not a nice person, self-absorbed, cranky BUT he stays with her! Mallory never marries because she truly loves Jake and Jake truly loves Mallory so I was upset time and time again when Ursula was in the story, mucking things up. I cried at the end for Jake and Mallory but I was hopeful when Mallory's son meets Jake's daughter, I am rooting for those two to do something their parents did not! I loved the time Mallory and Jake spent together each Labor Day, the food, games and rituals they celebrated; I just wish they had a lifetime of each other, not just 28 Summers!

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The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand

The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh did I love this mystery romance involving a wedding on Nantucket between Benji and Celeste; fun thing though as the wedding gets closer, Celeste is stuttering, falling for Shooter, the best man and she finds her maid of honor, Merritt, face down in the ocean on the morning of their wedding. You will turn the pages as the many guests are interviewed, many couples once seemingly perfect are now so not perfect, and as the reader goes back and forth in time and the present, a delightful, drama-filled scene, lives of characters cracked open and secrets spilled; they will be hanging on til the last page. Highly recommended!

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Burn by Patrick Ness

Burn by Patrick Ness
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was an interesting book awesomely Narrated by Joniece Abbott-Pratt. I loved the audiobook version of this historical fiction book that also weaves in drag0ns, humans, goodness/evil, Russia and satellites. I loved Sarah and Jason both good, kind, honest teens who are hated by the locally racist sheriff because Sarah' mom was black and Jason's parents are Japanese. But life in 1957 is not always fair and Sarah's dad hires a dragon to burn their fields. But this blue dragon is highly intelligent, has a message for Sarah, and has evil forces working against them. When Sarah, Jason, the sheriff and the dragon clash, something awful happens, and that brings an assassin into the picture too. Malcolm is a Believer, who has been groomed to kill someone. He is great with knives and dangerous. As he falls in love with another man; another no no from the racist sheriff; they run away together and are pursued by law enforcement. I loved this book until they arrived in a new alternate universe and then the story just got bogged down bringing the reader up to speed in the new world. Evil was raging here and with Covid I find some books and what happens in them really turn me off, just like this book.

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The Lovely and the Lost by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

The Lovely and the Lost by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh did I love this compelling must read about search and rescue dogs, a missing girl (plus Kira was found as a child in a ravine), keeping secrets, protecting family and a thrilling plot that kept me turning the pages. I was riveted to Kira's story, how she has come from wildness under Cady's loving hands and her vast knowledge of search and rescue dogs saved Kira. Kira's family of Jude and Free, teens close in age to Kira and their dogs, NATO, Silver, and Saskia were smart, fierce and knew their jobs, in addition to loving their human masters. It is when a little girl goes missing that the mystery deepens and secrets begin to spill. A must read for animal lovers!

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Faith Taking Flight by Julie Murphy

Faith: Taking Flight by Julie Murphy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Right after I read and LOVED Dear Sweet Pea by Julie Murphy, this book arrived in the mail! Faith is a teen who has gone through some drama; her best friends are away for the summer and she goes to the Harbinger Foundation and learns to fly and that she is not a psiot and there are BAD people trying to identify who these teens are!?! So she gets back to school with her friends, meets a teen actress she has a crush on and the show is being filmed in her town. But with all of that going on she works for a vet, loves animals, and blogs about the show in town, The Grove. Living with her grandmother, Faith begins to worry about her grandmother's memory lapses causing great concern. On top of that, cats and dogs seem to be missing, then kids in her high school are too. What will Faith and her flying mean to the mysteries taking place in her home town? I love anything Julie Murphy writes and am looking forward to another Faith book!

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A December Bride (A Year of Weddings #1) by Denise Hunter

A December Bride by Denise Hunter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Will Layla and Seth forge a bond as they work toward separate goals? I loved Seth and his caring, deep belief in Layla’s business and rooted that Layla would trust Seth and maybe more? A novella romance I could not put down!

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Let the Sky Fall (Sky Fall, #1) by Shannon Messenger

Let the Sky Fall by Shannon Messenger
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book awesomely Narrated by: Kristen Leigh , Nick Podehl. I can't wait to listen to the rest of this fantasy about slyphs, windwalkers, gale winds and saving the world from evil Radan. The story of Vane and Audra, who knew each other as youngsters when tragedy strikes them, then pulls them apart. For 10 years Vane has dreamed of Audra while Audra has been his invisible guardian, protecting Vane. What happens when Audra must reveal herself and tell Vane who he really is and how they must prepare for battle? I loved this book and know I will love this series!

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Marathon (Jonathan Stride #8) by Brian Freeman

Marathon by Brian Freeman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Number 8 in this series kept me reading with the thrilling plot, old beloved characters and new good/bad characters! Stride is now married to Serena, YAY!!! Maggie has a boyfriend YAY!!! Cat enters a new time in her life all the while the Duluth Marathon is destroyed by a bomber; according to Dawn Basch #noexceptions, who whips the masses into believing a terrorist is responsible and then when Michael M tweets out the wrong bomber's picture, OMG, hold on for a gripping, sad, sometime hateful plot that kept the detectives chasing leads and forming their own hypothesis; I could not put this book down! Highly recommended!

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