Blog Tour: The Lady and the Highwayman

About the Book:

Elizabeth Black is the headmistress of a girls’ school and a well-respected author of “silver-fork” novels, stories written both for and about the upper-class ladies of Victorian society. But by night, she writes very different kinds of stories—the Penny Dreadfuls that are all the rage among the working-class men. Under the pseudonym Mr. King, Elizabeth has written about dashing heroes fighting supernatural threats and dangerous outlaws romancing helpless women. They contain all the adventure and mystery that her real life lacks.
 
Fletcher Walker began life as a street urchin, but is now the most successful author in the Penny Dreadful market, that is until Mr. King started taking all of his readers--and his profits. No one knows who King is, including Fletcher’s fellow members of the Dread Penny Society, a fraternity of authors dedicated to secretly fighting for the rights of the less-fortunate.
 
Determined to find the elusive Mr. King, Fletcher approaches Miss Black. As a fellow-author, she is well-known among the high-class writers; perhaps she could be persuaded to make some inquiries as to Mr. King’s whereabouts? Elizabeth agrees to help Fletcher, if only to insure her secret identity is never discovered. 
  For the first time, Elizabeth experiences the thrill of a cat-and-mouse adventure reminiscent of one of her own novels as she tries to throw Fletcher off her scent. But the more time they spend together, the more she loses her heart. Its upper-class against working-class, author against author where readers, reputations, and romance are all on the line. (Summary from the publisher)

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this Victorian Romance. I loved the dual perspectives. I loved the Penny Dreadful writing in between the story. I liked learning more about this style of writing. I loved the Dreadful Penny Society and how they helped children escape from the terribleness of life and gave them hope. I love how the network of children looked out for each other. I enjoyed the school life and the discussion of education females. I enjoyed the banter between Elizabeth and Fletcher. Lots of secrets, danger, and action kept me turning the pages to discover what was going to happen next.

About the Author:

Sarah M. Eden is a USA Today Bestselling author of witty and charming historical romances, including Foreword Review’s 2013 “IndieFab Book of the Year” gold medal winner for Best Romance, Longing for Home, as well as 2014 Whitney Award winner for "Best Novel of the Year," Longing for Home: Hope Springs. Combining her obsession with history and affinity for tender love stories, Sarah loves crafting witty characters and heartfelt romances set against rich historical backdrops. She holds a Bachelor's degree in research and happily spends hours perusing the reference shelves of her local library. Sarah lives with her husband, kids, and mischievous dog in the shadow of a snow-capped mountain she has never attempted to ski. 

Picture Book Review: Halloween Books (2)

I needed to update our library Halloween collection, so I purchased several popular characters books. Here are some that I've purchased for the library and some sent for review.

I reviewed a bunch last week, check out that post here.

Clever Little Witch:

What happens when you wish to get rid of your little brother but the spell backfires?

You might find out he's not so terrible after all.

Happy Halloween Little Critter:

A lift the flap book shows off Little Critter's friends at a Halloween Party.

Creepiest Sleepover Ever:

I enjoyed this sleepover about friendship, Ghoul Guides, and secrets. What might be scary to you isn't always scary to someone else.

At the Old Haunted House:

A Counting book where three children head into an old house, with monsters getting ready for a party. A really fun book with great illustrations.

Halloween or Bust:

What happens when your cute costume becomes a disaster?

Fancy Nancy finds a way to make it all work. Fans of this series will enjoy this Halloween party story.

Most Terrible Monster of All:

This book goes from bad to worse with a new addition to the monster clan, bad behavior, and a coemption to see who can be the worst monster. A sweet funny story. It isn't directly about Halloween, but it fits with the monster theme.

Trick or Pete:

A lift the flap book revealing things that could be spooky, but are not. Fans of Pete will enjoy this one.

Micky's Halloween Treat:

Mickey and his friends are invited to a party, but they have to follow the clues to get there before the moon is full. A lift the flap book helps reveal the answers. A fun interactive story.

There's a Monster in Your Book:

Not a Halloween story, but it works because of the monster. A really fun interactive story about trying to get the monster Out of the book...mostly. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Books that make me Crave Food

This week's topic is Books that make me Crave Food when I'm reading them. Here are the books that I've read this year that make me crave something yummy.

I always crave cupcakes when reading this series

I wanted a chocolate filled croissant and hot chocolate while wandering the streets of Paris

Pie - all the pie

Anything in the bakery

I wanted to start a club just like this one - after of course I baked a bunch of cookies

Cocktails on the porch overlooking the ocean

A Sundae with hot fudge and marshmallow sauce

Anything picked from the farm 

Clearly I read a lot of books about bakeries and food!

On Your Radar: Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation

Title: Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation

Author: Stuart Gibbs

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

Release Date: September 17, 2019

Reasons It Should Be On Your Radar:

* Girl Genius

* Albert Einstien

* Thriller

* Danger

* Action

* Plot Twists

* Family

* CIA

* Clues

* Saving the World

** BEA ARC 2019

I couldn't put this book down; it's a must have book for school and public libraries!

Review: The Wonder of Now

* Book 3 in the Sanctuary Sound Trilogy *

Peyton wishes she could go back  to life before - before cancer and maybe before she hurt her best friend. But wishes don't come true. She's embarking on a European book tour with her memoir about her darkest moments battling cancer. Peyton's not sure she can do it.

She's not thrilled about sharing her most private moments. She doesn't want to relive the pain and the fear again. But she has a job to do, as her publicist reminds her. He's there to make sure she stays on track; his no-nonsense ways are getting under her skin. They say opposites attract, could there be something brewing between them?

My Thoughts: I was really curious about this book because it the previous book, Peyton isn't really likable. Of course, Jamie Beck masterfully takes an unlikable character and turns her into someone you can understand, sympathize with, and root for. I loved seeing Peyton travel the countryside, eating in her favorite places. I loved how she bravely spoke about cancer, giving hope to those with cancer or their family members. I appreciated how she didn't want to talk about herself and her trials - how talking to bloggers wasn't her priority.  I can't imagine going through all that. I like how she worked to repair her relationship with Claire. It was nice seeing favorite characters appear again. I really liked Mitch. I enjoyed the banter between Mitch and Peyton. They were great at pushing each other's buttons and make each other see different points of view. I couldn't put this book down. I can't wait to read what Jamie Beck writes next.

Cover Thoughts: I love how it matches both Peyton and the other books in the trilogy.
Source: ARC sent for review
Library Recommendation: Jamie Beck should be on your library shelves.

Cozy Review: Dying for Devil's Food

* Book 11 in the Cupcake Bakery series *

Mel is so not interested in her fifteenth high school reunion. But Angie convinces her to go - and not just because the reunion hosts want to hire the bakery for the cupcakes. Angie knows that Mel needs closure on her demons from high school - she wants Mel to look everyone in the eyes and show them how successful she turned out. Mel doesn't care what those people think about her.

When Mel arrives with her handsome fiancé on her arm, she does find a certain amount of satisfaction standing up to the people who made her life miserable - until the Queen Bee turns up dead in the bathroom. A note written in lipstick makes Mel the prime suspect. She's not about to go down without a fight.

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this addition to this charming series. Of course, I'm with Mel. I'm not interested in attending any high school reunions and I can see why she didn't want to either. But I was impressed with her bravery and her courage to attend. It was interesting to see how people grow and change since high school - and even the ones that stay the same. The cast of characters was entertaining if not the nicest bunch of people. This book contains all the fun of the others in the series - some romance, strong friendship, witty banter, and loveable characters. So looking forward to the next book in the series.

Cover Thoughts: Delicious as always
Source: My Library
Library Recommendation: If you don't have this series in your library's mystery section, you're really missing out (and so are your patrons)

Up Next: Coming April 28, 2020

Review: There's Something About Sweetie

* Book 2 in the Dimple and Rishi series *  

Ashish Patel has lost his swagger. His girlfriend broke up with him and is now dating someone else. He feels lost. When his parents state they can find him a nice Indian girl like they found his brother Rishi, Ashish doesn't believe he has anything left to lose.

Enter Sweetie. She's from a great family, is kind, and respectful. His mother seeks out Sweetie and her mother at the market. But when she brings up the idea of Sweetie dating her son, Sweetie's mother rejects the idea. Sweetie is fat and fat girls don't date boys who look like Ashish.

Sweetie's used to her mother's insults, but that doesn't make them right. She sets out to prove to her mother (and herself) that being fat doesn't have anything to do with being Fabulous.

They begin to date. The more time they spend together Ashish starts to think that...there's something about Sweetie.

My Thoughts: I adored this book. I loved Sweetie - for her big heart, her kindness, and her Sassy Sweetie project. I loved how she challenged Ashish to a race and how that turned out. I love her acceptance of her body and knowing her body didn't change her. I loved her moment in the spotlight singing. I loved her insightfulness, her banter, her determination, her strength. I love how she and Ashish brought out the best in each other. I really liked the dating contract and the type of dates the pair could go on. I like that Ashish lost his swagger - in dating and on the basketball court. I enjoyed his change after dating Sweetie. I loved his parents, especially his mother. I loved both sets of friends, especially Oliver and Elijah and their love story.  Of course I loved seeing Dimple and Rishi again. I can't wait for Pinky's story!

Cover Thoughts: Perfect, the model captures Sweetie
Source: My Library
Library Recommendation: A must have diverse, body positive swoony romance book for your school and public library.