Alice’s Adventures Under Water by Lenny de Rooy

September 27, 2021 By 1 Comment


Alice’s Adventures Under Water by Lenny de Rooy
Publisher: Millennyum Publications
Genre: Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure, Historical
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

If you enjoyed Lewis Carroll’s books “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There”, this is the book for you! Finally, there is a third story in the ‘Alice’ series – written in Carroll’s familiar style, but packed with a great number of completely new puns, parodies, and poetry. This time, Alice explores an under-water world, in which she meets new characters who again make her wonder about their strange logic and behaviour. The story can be enjoyed by everyone, even those who have never read Carroll’s books. However, the more familiar you are with them, the more references you will recognise in this exceptionally clever tale…

Anything can happen during a boat ride.

The storyline was every bit as delightful and occasionally nonsensical as I was hoping it would be. Honestly, many of the chapters could have worked as standalone stories, and yet they still all came together in the end to explore deeper subjects that kids might not quite understand yet but adults would pick up on.

Ms. de Rooy captured the essence of Alice and her adventures beautifully. This tale contained all of the magic that was included in the original Alice books. I especially loved the subtle modern twists the author added in her references to public figures, songs, and more. She struck the perfect balance between copying the original tone of this series and including things that would appeal to the sensibilities of twenty-first century readers.

I was thrilled to see how many different age groups this was written for. It’s not easy to write for middle schoolers, teenagers, and adults simultaneously, but the author did a wonderful job of speaking to all three of these groups by including multiple levels of meaning in her writing. This was something I’d love to read aloud to a classroom or at an extended family reunion. It truly had something for everyone.

One of my favorite things to do while reading this story was to take note of as many cultural references as I could find and find out where they came from. It certainly wasn’t necessary to figure out all or even any of them, but it was a great deal of fun to determine which classic poems inspired a lighthearted underwater version of itself here or why certain characters had such unusual names.

Alice’s Adventures Under Water was an incredible adventure I’d recommend to kids and adults alike.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Guardian by Joan Wolf

September 23, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Guardian by Joan Wolf
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

Gentle Reader:

My husband is dead and my four-year-old son is the new Earl of Weston. Perhaps even more catastrophic, however, is the news that my husband named his brother, Stephen, the guardian of Giles and of all the immense Grandville estate.

Five years ago, Stephen was banished to Jamaica and now he is coming home. Once the thought of Stephen coming home to me was all I wanted out of life. But not anymore. I have made my life without him. I have my son, my horses, my home.

There are some things that are unforgivable, as Stephen will find out if he thinks he can take up where he left off with me.

My fondest regards,
Annabelle Grandville

Chapter one, first sentence, “My God, my God, my God, he’s reading Gerald’s will.” What an amazing start! I know my eyes bugged out and I was immediately engaged into further reading the story. I was already intrigued after reading the synopsis. I’m officially a fan of Joan Wolf so I knew I wasn’t going to be able to put the book down with a start like that.

This is a historical romance which is one of my favorite genres. I am however a reviewer that doesn’t get stuck on how accurate an author is or not in the time period that she is writing. I read for pure entertainment purposes so if you are a reader that enjoys historical accuracy then I can’t testify to that. However, I can testify that this book was very entertaining.

The romance between the hero, Stephen and the heroine, Annabelle, was sensual and dangerous. There is a plot thread wrapped around their relationship that was suspenseful and mysterious. I didn’t feel this story was predictable. I felt like there were many moving parts that kept the story flowing at a steady pace.

The synopsis says “There are some things that are unforgivable, as Stephen will find out if he thinks he can take up where he left off with me.” I don’t usually quote a synopsis very often but in this case, it was called for. I enjoyed reading the love relationship between Stephen and Annabelle. It was fun to see how perceptions can be misleading. It’s interesting how lies and secrets can be manipulated in certain circumstances.

There are many layers in this story among the cast of characters. I felt the characters were well developed and relatable. I was given the sense of a strong loyal family with a few dysfunctional relatives. They all lived in a community where everyone knew each other. I didn’t have any trouble following along with the story line.

I appreciated that the book ended with an epilogue. Every detail was wrapped up in a pretty bow. I was sad to see the story come to an end.

I definitely would read this book again. I encourage others to give it a try. Happy Reading!

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

What Passes as Love by Trisha R. Thomas

September 21, 2021 By Leave a Comment


What Passes as Love by Trisha R. Thomas
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Genre: Historical, Suspense/Mystery/Thriller
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

A young woman pays a devastating price for freedom in this heartrending and breathtaking novel of the nineteenth-century South.

1850. I was six years old the day Lewis Holt came to take me away.

Born into slavery, Dahlia never knew her mother—or what happened to her. When Dahlia’s father, the owner of Vesterville plantation, takes her to work in his home as a servant, she’s desperately lonely. Forced to leave behind her best friend, Bo, she lives in a world between black and white, belonging to neither.

Ten years later, Dahlia meets Timothy Ross, an Englishman in need of a wife. Reinventing herself as Lily Dove, Dahlia allows Timothy to believe she’s white, with no family to speak of, and agrees to marry him. She knows the danger of being found out. She also knows she’ll never have this chance at freedom again.

Ensconced in the Ross mansion, Dahlia soon finds herself held captive in a different way—as the dutiful wife of a young man who has set his sights on a political future. But when Bo arrives on the estate in shackles, Dahlia decides to risk everything to save his life. With suspicions of her true identity growing and a bounty hunter not far behind, Dahlia must act fast or pay a devastating price.

Only when they’ve lost it all do they find a new beginning.

What Passes as Love is a rapid page-turner that is so thought-provoking, and poetic at times. I didn’t want to stop reading… I was that mesmerized. Dahlia Holt takes readers on her pursuit of freedom. Though the story is told from Dahlia’s and Bo’s viewpoint there are memorable life lessons and conversations that were had with Papa Sap and Mother Rose that stuck with me. Papa Sap was the elder voice of reason to young Bo. “You can’t ask why if you want any peace. You just gotta let ‘em go.” And thanks to Mother Rose and her love for Dahlia, Dahlia was able to learn to read, write and other valuable things becoming of a lady.

Dahlia and Bo both were motherless children and shared a bond at an early age. Dahlia didn’t fit in in the slave quarters and her two sisters didn’t make her feel welcomed in their father’s, slave owner Lewis Holt’s home. With the desire in her heart for freedom Dahlia takes the opportunity that became available to get just that. Dahlia was my favorite character. She is strong willed and set on finding her identity, and her freedom. She can be careless but she is also brave. Dahlia has the power to exploit the ignorance and lies of her captors but she is wise beyond her years and use the information when necessary.

Timothy Ross seemed to be a free spirit that also took advantage of an opportunity available to him. Dahlia is soon to find out. Dahlia doesn’t let this ruin her sight on freedom she starts working on another plan. With a bounty on her head and once again being judged for her choice of actions and for her skin color by those in the slave quarters bringing about more adversity. Dahlia didn’t waver in her quest for freedom. Cleo was another favorite character. She was a voice of reason for Dahlia and saw things from Dahlia’s point of view where others of Color didn’t. She also tried to keep Dahlia in character as a lady of the house and how she should act. I was glad that Dahlia had someone looking out for her.

There was something about Ryland and I wasn’t sure if I trusted him but I wanted to. He knew Dahlia’s secret and still wanted to be with her and in the end, he loved her enough to let her go.

I didn’t like Essie and I knew she would be trouble. Was it jealousy? While reading, of any of those that judged Dahlia for her choices, I wondered what would they do if they were in her shoes? I feel the author was going for something deep and soulfully beautiful. This was an emotional book that I can tell the author put so much heart into creating.

This book is so deep and thought provoking. Yes similar stories have been written, but Dahlia’s character distilled the heartache of not having a mother’s love, separated from those that are called family because of the brutality of humanity that reveals the evil and selfish greed that man is capable. Dahlia’s story can also reveal the pure love that can unite us in times of such brutality. The author certainly knows how to craft a tense scene with sharp dialogue, and such visual scenes.

There were sexual situations, thankfully without much description. The pace is even and has a good balance of tension and suspense as it carries you along to find out what Dahlia is doing and how will she recover.

What Passes as Love was everything I wanted, and so much more. I would highly recommend this beautifully written account of a lowly human spirit having the courage and resilience to fight for her liberty and her freedom to love.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Reluctant Earl by Joan Wolf

September 21, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Reluctant Earl by Joan Wolf
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

The Reluctant Earl is the story of Claire and Simon, who desperately want to get married, despite all the obstacles that stand in their way. Their biggest hurdle is the fact that Simon is the son and heir of the Earl of Welbourne, while Claire is the daughter of the earl’s Irish horse trainer. The youngsters are keenly aware that their parents would violently oppose such an unequal union—which is precisely why they never confide in those parents.

Then there is Simon’s father, who, for reasons Simon has never understood, clearly hates his son. Then there is the mystery of Simon’s mother’s death, and the fact that he has never met a single member of her family. Then a miracle happens—Simon learns about a trust fund left to him in his mother’s marriage settlement.

Once the money is in his pocket, Simon and Claire decide to elope…and the simmering pot that is Welbourne Abbey and its inhabitants explodes.

The Reluctant Earl’s synopsis sparked my interest and the prologue further engaged me to want to read more. I enjoyed the writing style with the time jumps such as two hours later, one year later, and the epilogue, ten years later. Talk about keeping the pace flowing at a steady momentum! It was splendid having a plot with twists and turns mixed with a well-developed cast of characters that were mostly relatable. This was the perfect recipe for an entertaining romance book with all the plot threads tied nicely into a pretty bow.

The romance between Simon, the hero, and Claire, the heroine, was young and sweet. I was reminded of the movie “Pretty in Pink”. I was cheering them on the entire time, hoping they’d reach their happy ever after. Simon’s dad and his wife were stinks. They deserved what came their way. On the other hand, Claire’s parents were the ideal parents. I don’t want to give any spoilers but I was happy when Simon’s uncle, Richard Jarvis, came on the scene.

If you are looking for a fun, sweet historical romance then this one fits the bill. Happy reading!

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

The Old Woman by Joanne Schwartz

September 15, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Old Woman by Joanne Schwartz
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

The Old Woman is a beautiful portrait of an old woman who lives contentedly with her dog, from award-winning author Joanne Schwartz and illustrator Nahid Kazemi.

An old woman shares her home with a scruffy old dog, her best friend and constant companion.

One fall day, they go for a walk and the woman throws sticks for the dog. She loves hearing the autumn leaves under her feet and the wind in the trees. She looks up at a crow in the sky and imagines what it might feel like to fly. As the wind comes up and the light begins to fade, she remembers playing outside as a child, never wanting to go in. Suddenly she notices a stunning harvest moon against the darkening sky. The next morning, as she sits outside to watch the sun rise, she looks forward to spending a new day with her friend.

Gentle illustrations accompany this portrayal of an elderly person who lives peaceably with her dog, appreciating what each moment brings.

Even the quietest patch of forest is filled with interesting things to observe for anyone who takes the time to look around them.

I adored the gentle atmosphere of this story. The main character and her dog were both getting older and moving more slowly than they used to. Seeing them take the time to marvel at the beautiful scenery around them on their walk made me smile. They were both good at spotting all of the little things that can make visiting the woods as the trees change colour and the wildlife gathers that last bit of food for the winter so rewarding.

There was some foreshadowing in the first few scenes that was never mentioned again as well as some pacing issues later on. Based on the foreshadowing, I thought the storyline would quickly pick up speed once the old woman and her dog came home from their walk. It was disappointing to see those hints go to waste as they were well written and would have given this picture book an extra layer of depth that could make it appealing to much older readers as well as younger ones.

The author did a good job of capturing what it feels like to go on a walk in the woods in the autumn when all of the plants and animals are busy preparing for winter. There is a subtle sense of expectancy in wild places during that season that isn’t always easy to capture, but she did so beautifully.

The Old Woman was a peaceful autumn read.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,

The Show Girl by Nicola Harrison

September 13, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Show Girl by Nicola Harrison
Publisher: St Martin’s Press
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Nicola Harrison’s The Show Girl gives a glimpse of the glamorous world of the Ziegfeld Follies, through the eyes of a young midwestern woman who comes to New York City to find her destiny as a Ziegfeld Follies star.

It’s 1927 when Olive McCormick moves from Minneapolis to New York City determined to become a star in the Ziegfeld Follies. Extremely talented as a singer and dancer, it takes every bit of perseverance to finally make it on stage. And once she does, all the glamour and excitement is everything she imagined and more—even worth all the sacrifices she has had to make along the way.

Then she meets Archie Carmichael. Handsome, wealthy—the only man she’s ever met who seems to accept her modern ways—her independent nature and passion for success. But once she accepts his proposal of marriage he starts to change his tune, and Olive must decide if she is willing to reveal a devastating secret and sacrifice the life she loves for the man she loves.

She knows what she wants and she’s not afraid to get it–within reason.

Olive is a complicated girl and she’s living in a fantastical time. Nicola Harrison has written an interesting story. I like tales from the 1920s and I knew I had to snap this one up when I saw it. The writing flowed well and I was swept up in the excitement of the time. There were moments when I really did feel like I was there at the theater with her and could see the world around Olive. I had to keep reading to find out what would happen next. It kept me in my seat needing to know about Olive.

I have to admit there were times when I didn’t like Olive. I didn’t like her because of her naivete and some of her choices. That said, there were times she didn’t seem to like herself. That made her more relatable. I wanted to see her succeed and get her dreams.

This story moved along at a great clip and while there were times it wasn’t so much fun–good grief they drank a lot–I liked the struggle within Olive to be the good girl while also following her dreams.

If you’re looking for a fun story that has some heavy spots and will keep you entertained, then this is a great step into the 1920s story. Pick it up!

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

A Double Deception by Joan Wolf

September 6, 2021 By Leave a Comment


A Double Deception by Joan Wolf
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

ONE BETRAYAL SHOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH

Enchantingly lovely Laura Dalwood was little more than a girl when she was given in marriage to a man whose glittering wealth concealed a dark secret revealed to her only on her wedding night.

Now her husband’s death had freed her from that odious union—and Laura vowed never to make so grievous an error again.

But how could she reject the handsome and brilliant Mark Cheney, Earl of Dartmouth, when his proposal was one that no young woman of sense or sensibility could rightly decline?

And what could she do when, as his bride, he carried her over the threshold to allow her to discover just how much she could love a man—and then, to her distress, just how much she could fear him…

The synopsis for A Double Deception was a great advertisement that piqued my interest enough to want to pick up and read this story.

My attention was absorbed while reading this sweet romance between the hero, Mark, and the heroine, Laura. I found it easy to connect with them through their developing relationship as they discovered how to trust and love one another despite all the rumors and secrets.

Mark was serious, intelligent and, I felt, mysterious. Laura was independent, strong and compassionate. Together they made a perfect family. There was a mild suspense plot thread woven throughout the story that kept me riveted to my seat and turning those pages. I was filled with worry over Laura’s safety and the impact of this plot conflict on their relationship.

I have to be honest and confess that the first two chapters felt like information overload. I had to read the first two chapters twice to process the family history of the cast of characters that were introduced by Lady Maria. Lady Maria is actually Laura’s godmother and Mark’s aunt. It helped me to draw a family tree to visually see and help me to remember who was who. It was definitely worth persevering through the beginning of the book because when Mark and Laura did finally meet in chapter five it was if I had already knew them.

In conclusion, this was a very good book. My heartstrings were pulled, my funny bone was tickled, and my romance meter was raised. I’d definitely recommend picking this book up.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

Princess and the Peas by Rachel Himes

September 3, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Princess and the Peas by Rachel Himes
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Historical
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

The Princess and the Pea gets a tasty twist in this fresh retelling of the beloved classic fairy tale.

Ma Sally cooks the best black-eyed peas in Charleston County, South Carolina. Her son, John, is a highly eligible bachelor, and three local women vie for his hand in marriage by attempting to cook as well as Ma. At the last minute, a surprise contestant named Princess arrives at the door. Princess and John are well-matched, but Princess has her own ideas. When told she has won John’s hand, she asks him to scrub the pots and pans before she’ll give him an answer. Her answer, it turns out, is that she wants to spend some time getting to know John first.

Complete with Princess’s recipe for Black-eyed Peas, Princess and the Peas is a charming, food-filled read aloud perfect for the whole family.

Before anyone lives happily ever after, they’ll need to make some smart decisions first.

One of the best things about this retelling was how well it worked both for readers who are already familiar with the original fairy tale as well as those who haven’t heard it yet. This story was different from its source material in so many important ways that it could be enjoyed by a wide variety of ages and perspectives. That isn’t something I see very often in this sub genre, and it was as delightful as it was thought provoking.

It would have been nice to have a better explanation for why Ma Sally decided to interfere with her son John’s attempt to find a wife. While her intentions seemed to be honorable, she also came across as a little overbearing to me at times because of how much influence she wanted over this decision. That was one part of the plot I’d feel the need to explain to the little ones in my life, and I’m saying this as someone who really enjoyed the storyline in general.

I adored the messages about what really makes someone a good person. The author took such a practical and wholesome approach to the question that I kept nodding vigorously as I read more scenes. They knew exactly how to dig deeply into their character’s personalities to find the most important traits for anyone to look for if they want a spouse or even a new friend!

Princess and the Peas made me smile. I’d recommend it to anyone who likes realistic retellings of classic fairy tales.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,

She’s the One Who Doesn’t Say Much by S. R. Cronin

August 30, 2021 By 3 Comments


She’s the One Who Doesn’t Say Much by S. R. Cronin
Publisher: Self
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Rated: 5 stars
Review by Rose

Olivine, the fourth of seven sisters, has been hiding a secret as she travels to K’ba to meet her artist friends. Others assume she has fallen in love with another artist, and it’s not a match Mother would consider suitable. But it’s much worse that. For on the way to K’ba is the dirt poor nichna of Scrud, a place scorned by all other Ilarians. And in Scrud is the one man who understands her.

However, Bohdan is also is a realist, and a man who recognizes the dangers posed by an impending Mongol invasion. When he learns of Olivine’s unusual visual powers, he convinces her to pick up her bow and arrow and start practicing.

She does, though she’s more concerned with producing enough art to raise the funds to run away from home and live in K’ba, where she can paint all day and see Bohdan as often as she wants. If only her sister Ryalgar hadn’t learned of what she can do and decided Olivine and her fellow long-eyes held one of the keys to defending the realm.

Then, as if life wasn’t complicated enough, Olivine learns the artist community she yearns to be part of has developed a different take on the invasion. They feel certain the only way to survive is to capitulate completely to the Mongols demands. Artists who feel otherwise are no longer welcome.

Where does her future lie? The supposed invasion is coming soon and Olivine doesn’t have much time to decide.

The newest book in the Seven Sisters series is probably my favorite to date. And l loved the other books I’ve read!

This sister, Olivine, is an artist and doesn’t share a lot about her life with her parents and sisters. Her parents assume she wants to stay in K’ba because she has found someone special that she’s afraid they wouldn’t approve of – a starving artist. Her mom, especially, wants all her girls to make good marriages (she really hopes for a royal marriage for them all!). Olivine just wants to be free to create her art. And, it doesn’t hurt that on the way back and forth to K’ba she passes Scrud (the armpit on the face of the earth according to most of the Illarians) and has met someone who really gets her.

Each book in the series gets better and better, and the reader gets a more complete picture of this land, the people, and their interactions. I especially loved how Olivine and Bohdan slowly fall in love as they get to know each other and how they are both willing to put the other’s needs ahead of their own.

It was fascinating to find out more about the far-sight that this sister has and how it was used in the preparations for defending their country as well as how she used it in her artistic life.

I’m really looking forward to meeting in more detail the rest of the sisters and how they fit into the plans. Each book ramps up my interest in finding out how all these plans are going to come together. I can hardly wait.

I really recommend this entire series!

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , ,

Mrs. Wiggins by Mary Monroe

August 27, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Mrs. Wiggins by Mary Monroe
Publisher: Dafina
Genre: Historical
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

The daughter of a prostitute mother and an alcoholic father, Maggie Franklin knew her only way out was to marry someone upstanding and church-going. Someone like Hubert Wiggins, the most eligible man in Lexington, Alabama—and the son of its most revered preacher. Proper and prosperous, Hubert is glad to finally have a wife, even one with Maggie’s background. For Hubert has a secret he desperately needs to stay hidden. And Maggie’s unexpected charm, elegance, and religious devotion makes her the perfect partner in lies . . .

Their surprising union makes the Wiggins’ the town’s most envied couple—complete with a son, Claude, whom Maggie idolizes. Until he falls in love with the worst possible fiancée. Terrified, Maggie won’t let Daisy destroy her son. And when her employer’s brother sexually harasses her, Maggie knows something needs to be done about him as well. In fact, she realizes there are an awful lot of sinning “disruptive” people who should be eliminated from her perfect world . . .

But the more Maggie tries to take control, the more obstacles are thrown in her way. And when it seems like the one person she always expected to be there is starting to drift away, Maggie will play one final, merciless game to secure what she’s fought so hard to earn . . .

How far would you go to get the family that you want? And to what extent would you go to keep that family once you have it?

Mary Monroe would be one of the authors that I would love to meet to get a first hand account on how she creates such imaginative characters and such entertaining story lines.

In the small town of Lexington, Alabama everyone knows Maggie Franklin as the daughter of a prostitute and an alcoholic. There’s also Hubert Wiggins, the son of a preacher and devoted religious parents who has his own secret to hide from his parents and the town. The two are best friends and work together to become partners-in-lies. With this combination of a marriage there is bound to be things that go wrong.

I thought Maggie and Hubert’s idea on how to have a baby was the craziest idea but I do agree it did give depth to the story. Their arrangement worked for them. Maggie and Hubert are my two favorite characters because they have trust, a deep friendship and they’ve worked hard to have something they both want, a family. As the story progresses readers will see what lengths Maggie will go to to keep their family at peace.

Once I started reading I quickly discovered in the first few paragraphs that this was definitely going to be a page turner for me. The characters were lively, and had their own personalities that I’m sure I’ll remember long after reading about them. The story takes place during a time of segregation. I loved Mrs. Dowler and the relationship that she had with Maggie.

I enjoyed the suspense. When I thought I knew what would happen the author’s creative mind gives a better outcome. Actions, even those with good intentions, have consequences. And the author gives her readers a lesson through Maggie.

I am embarrassed to say I cheered Maggie’s sinful deeds on because some of the characters were very unlikeable. The story delivered a lot and gives closure at the end. The characters dealt with spousal abuse, sexual harassment, and murder. A quick read that I highly recommend from one of my favorites authors.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , ,
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