TV Season Review: Bridgerton Season

 

Netflix

Having read the books 10+ years ago, I don't remember most of the details, but I LOVED them. 

I do think the show captures those feelings!

Things I Loved:

Polin

The moments between Penelope and her mother

The final ball  

Release the Bugs!

Eloise and Pen making up

Dowager Bridgerton and Lady Danbury

Francesca and John

Penelope and Madame Delacroix 

Benedict and Eloise moments - especially on the swings

the fight over the macarons 

Things I Wished:

That Colin wasn't so annoying over Lady Whistledown discovery and that he asked Penelope to give it up

More Polin scenes (less angry scenes)

I wished we saw more of Colin falling in Love

More scenes between Penelope and the Bridgertons

The mentioned why Daphne wasn't at either wedding

Kate and Antony's trip to India seemed strange

I didn't mind how Lady Whistledown ended - because I feel that Penelope will still be writing.  And that will be shown in the next series.

Overall, I really enjoyed the show. I hated that they split up the season. It's annoying.
I'm also not crazy about waiting 2 years for the next season. It's only 8 episodes. 

BookTok: Favorite Adult Authors

Yesterday, I talked about my love for Ally Carter. Here are a few other adult authors I will always read

 

@yabooknerdlibrarian Adult authors I will always read - who are your favorites? #booktok #romancebooks #favoriteauthor #mustread #Inverted ♬ original sound - Jennifer @YA Book Nerd 📚📚📚

Top Ten Tuesday Spin-off

 This week's topic was all about books from the past. I shared a TikTok video of my YA reads, here are my middle grade reads and my adult reads. 

Middle Grade Reads:

I read several Babymouse graphic novels, the Sleuth or Dare trilogy, the On the Run series, and was addicted to the Canterwood Crest series. (PS. if you were too, there's a spin-off series coming soonish)

Adult Books:

I read all the Bridgerton books, thanks to someone in the Sarah MacLean line at BEA, started by adoration of Jill Shalvis books, loved the Shana Galen series, and was still big into cozies.

It was super fun going down memory lane!

What books do you remember reading 10 years ago?

Book Lists: Duke Books

Yesterday, I reviewed the Duke Heist and I thought about all the duke books I enjoyed.

So I created a list.

Here are a few - many of these are part of a series, but not necessarily the first in a series. And maybe of these are by my favorite historical romance authors. 

Duke and I by Julia Quinn

Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Duke's Heart by Sarah MacLean

Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare

It's Hard Out Here for a Duke by Maya Rodale 

When You Give a Duke a Diamond by Shana Galen 

I Married the Duke by Katherine Ashe 

Not Pictured: 

How the Duke was Won by Lenora Bell

What a Difference a Duke Makes by Lenora Bell

Duchess by Design by Maya Rodale

No Good Duke Goes Unpunished by Sarah MacLean

How the Dukes Stole Christmas by Tessa Dare, Sarah MacLean, Sophie Jordan, and Joanna Shupe 

Duke in Shining Armor by Loretta Chase 

My American Duchess by Eloisa James

Two contemporary reads:

Duke by Default by Alyssa Cole

Duke, Actually by Jenny Holiday 

Have you read any of these?

Review: First Comes Scandal

* Book 4 in the Rokesbys prequels * 

Georgianna never expected she would end up a scandal. Now because a man decided he wanted to marry her and not wanting to ask for her hand but instead kidnap her, she's ruined. Nevermind that as soon as they got to a hotel, she kneed him in the groin, tied him up, and escaped. The damage was already done.

Now she has two choices, lives as a spinster in disgrace or find herself a husband immediately. Georgie's not really interested in either option. But something has to be done.

Friends of the family present the ideal solution: marry her childhood friend Nicholas Rokesbys. He's been studying to become a doctor in Scotland. But is she willing to sacrifice both their lives?

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. I loved the friends to lovers moments. I loved learning about medicine. I loved the two Butlers. There was a long scene that made me cry with laughter. I loved the cats, especially how they traveled. The moments of family togetherness are always wonderful in this series - lots of love, laughter. and teasing each other. There were so many great moments in the book.

Cover Thoughts: Cute
Source: My Library
Library Recommendation: Grab this entire series (Both parts) for your library BEFORE the Netflix show starts!

Romance Review: Four Weddings and a Sixpence

Four best friends from Madame Rochambeaux’s Gentle School for Girls find a sixpence in their mattress. They determined that it will be their lucky sixpence and help them find a special suitor.
Anna needs to marry in a hurry in order to save her inheritance. She's running out of time and love doesn't seem to be in the cards for her.

Cordelia invented a fiance to keep her aunt from throwing her into the path of men. Now that she's invited to a wedding, she must show up with the man, but first she'll have to convince him of the scheme.

When it's Elinor's turn for the sixpence, it's stolen from her. The man who took it isn't going to give it up - unless it's for a price.

Beatrice doesn't believe in the luck of the sixpence, but she's promised her friends to give it a try. Could the rude man in the shop be someone of interest? 

My Thoughts: I picked this one up because I adore Julia Quinn and I was so happy I did. I really enjoyed these girls and their stories. I would have liked more interaction between the friends. I loved seeing them meet their romantic interests. I liked that they were spirited. I loved Beatrice for her love of astronomy. An entertaining read!

Cover Thoughts: Not my favorite, but I can see it's appeal
Source: My Library

Adult Mini Review: Because of Miss Bridgerton

* First in a new series *

Billie Bridgerton can't believe the scrap she just got herself into trying to help a cat. Now she's stuck on top of a roof with a hurt ankle and no way down. She's waiting for someone to come along - but of course the one person who comes along is the one person she can't stand.

George Rokesby is an old family friend. Unfortunately Billie and he have never been friends. She adores his brothers, but George seems condescending and annoying. But once he becomes her white knight, emotions begin to shift.  

The Good:
* The start of a new series, so we'll see these characters again
* The banter between Billie and George
* Billie's tomboy ways
* Billie's knowledge of the land and her working the land
* Billie wearing breeches
* Billie's way with the Rokesby brothers
* The Pall Mall game
* The mallet of the death
* The closeness of the families
* Mother maniupalation tricks
* Enemies to Lovers
* Slow romance

The Bad:
* We have to wait for more news about Edward

Final Thoughts: Get yourself to a library or bookstore and grab this one up if you love historical romances.

Cover Thoughts: Love it
Source: My Library
Fun Fact: In anticipation for this book, I wrote up a post on the BookBub blog about what books to read while waiting for this one, but it also works with what books to read afterwards.

BookBub and Julia Quinn

My first post at the BookBub Blog is up and I'm talking about what to read while you're waiting for the new Julia Quinn. The list of thirteen books includes some of my favorite historical romances.

Check it out!

Books I'm Dying to Read: March Edition

With cooler weather, I'm looking forward to reading these books on the longer nights inside, maybe in front of the fire with some adult hot chocolate and a snuggling dog.

 
What You Always Wanted: High School theater romance
The Way I Used to be: Compared to Speak - debut novel
Tyranny of Petticoats: 15 Short Stories of girls who kick ass
Burning Glass: One girl can sense potential assassins and becomes very useful to the king
Lifeboat Clique: A party goes horribly wrong and now Denver is stuck in a boat with her ex-BFF

Map of Fates: Really Enjoyed Conspiracy of Us, looking forward to finding out more.

A Study in Charlotte: Descendants of Watson and Holmes framed for murder
Into the Dim: Time Traveler romance where she's trapped in the 12th century
The Girl Who Fell: Love isn't always fantastic - sometimes it hurts and it's wrong
In Real Life: Best friends meeting for the first time - what could possibly go wrong?
Leaving Season: Sounds like a heartbreaking love story

Girl in the Tower: Just read this - fantastic!
Classy Crooks Club: What happens when your grandmother's bridge club is a secretly a heist club?
Where You'll Find Me: Finding yourself in 8th grade isn't easy
Will Wilder: Excited about this Indiana Jones type book
Charmed: Loved the first book in this fairy tale series - can't wait to see how the battle shapes up
Isabel Feeney, Star Reporter: Middle Grace mystery set in the 1920s Chicago 

Nobody But You: Jacob returns to Cedar Ridge
Home on Apple Blossom Road: life in Icicle Falls proves difficult to former BFFs who jointly inherit something
Girl's Guide to Moving On: Mother and Daughter both start over together
Sleepless in Manhattan: Tackling a new company - with an old crush as your biggest client
Come on Closer: The baker finds love this in this small town romance series

I Kissed a Rogue: Brook gets his story!
Because of Miss Bridgerton: More in the Bridgerton family series!

Killer Reunion: Savannah returns home for her high school reunion - and becomes a murder suspect of her nemesis
NYPD Red 4: A murder and high stakes robbery has the big guns called in to work the case

Books I'm Dying to Read: January Edition

Here are the books I'm looking forward to reading this month. It's a new year full of fabulous possibilities! 

 

I Was Here: I really loved Just One Year and Just One Day

We Can Work It Out: Also Loved The Lonely Hearts Club - looking forward to the sequel

TombQuest: Love the cover - not a lot of details about this one yet...

Zodiac: Curious about this one by Stan Lee

The Secrets of Sir Richard Kenworthy: last book in the quartet - I adore Julia Quinn!

A Single Kiss: A start of a new series - adult contemporary romance surrounding lawyers

The Prey: Start of a new dystopian series 

Firefight: Loved Steelheart - so looking forward to what happens next.

When: Interesting twist on a murder mystery

Conspiracy of Us: Secret Society, Balls, and similar to the Da Vinci Code

Breaking the Ice: Love watching figure skating and this sounds good

Snow Way Out: Snow globes and murder

Feta Attraction: A missing husband, a dead rival, and Greek food

All the President's Menus: Love this series set in the White House with the chef.

Rogue Wave: Loved Deep Blue - looking forward to reading what happens next after that cliff hanger