Tag: audiobook

ARC Book Review: A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang

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Rating: ★★☆
Audience: Historical Fantasy Romance
Length: 336 pages
Author: Ann Liang
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Release Date: October 1st, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Inspired by the legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China, A Song to Drown Rivers is an epic historical fantasy about womanhood, war, sacrifice, and love against all odds.
Her beauty hides a deadly purpose.

Xishi’s beauty is seen as a blessing to the villagers of Yue—convinced that the best fate for a girl is to marry well and support her family. When Xishi draws the attention of the famous young military advisor, Fanli, he presents her with a rare opportunity: to use her beauty as a weapon. One that could topple the rival neighboring kingdom of Wu, improve the lives of her people, and avenge her sister’s murder. All she has to do is infiltrate the enemy palace as a spy, seduce their immoral king, and weaken them from within.

Trained by Fanli in everything from classical instruments to concealing emotion, Xishi hones her beauty into the perfect blade. But she knows Fanli can see through every deception she masters, the attraction between them burning away any falsehoods.

Once inside the enemy palace, Xishi finds herself under the hungry gaze of the king’s advisors while the king himself shows her great affection. Despite his gentleness, a brutality lurks and Xishi knows she can never let her guard down. But the higher Xishi climbs in the Wu court, the farther she and Fanli have to fall—and if she is unmasked as a traitor, she will bring both kingdoms down.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the gifted copy.

I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO TELL Y’ALL.

I am sitting here to write this review after finishing it the previous day and I still haven’t figured out how I feel about it and what I want to do about it. I DID enjoy the audiobook. If you want to read ASTDR I would definitely recommend that avenue. Loved the narrator, no issues on that front.

My main issue stems from how short this book felt. It is barely over 300 pages and for a standalone fantasy that can be hit or miss. I thought things were moving TOO FAST and I couldn’t keep up with the speed of the timeline. It also made the main romance line feel off-kilter. I would have loved more connection and time between them.

I didn’t mind the plot. It’s one I’ve read before, but do enjoy often. But, as the story went one it took some final turns that have me in a befuddled state. I think it boils down to this not being the style of fantasy romance I personally like.

I’ve enjoyed Ann Liang’s previous books in the YA Contemporary Romance category, and I would still read her next book.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical fantasy romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: make-outs; low innuendo
  • Violence: moderate-high
  • Content Warnings: weapons violence, poisoning, attempted murder, actual murder, loss of life, war themes

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Book Review: The Spy Coast (The Martini Club #1) by Tess Gerritsen

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Spy Thriller
Length: 341 pages
Author: Tess Gerritsen
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Release Date: November 1st, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A retired CIA operative in small-town Maine tackles the ghosts of her past in this fresh take on the spy thriller from New York Times bestselling author Tess Gerritsen.

Former spy Maggie Bird came to the seaside village of Purity, Maine, eager to put the past behind her after a mission went tragically wrong. These days, she’s living quietly on her chicken farm, still wary of blowback from the events that forced her early retirement.

But when a body turns up in Maggie’s driveway, she knows it’s a message from former foes who haven’t forgotten her. Maggie turns to her local circle of old friends—all retirees from the CIA—to help uncover the truth about who is trying to kill her, and why. This “Martini Club” of former spies may be retired, but they still have a few useful skills that they’re eager to use again, if only to spice up their rather sedate new lives.

Complicating their efforts is Purity’s acting police chief, Jo Thibodeau. More accustomed to dealing with rowdy tourists than homicide, Jo is puzzled by Maggie’s reluctance to share information—and by her odd circle of friends, who seem to be a step ahead of her at every turn.

As Jo’s investigation collides with the Martini Club’s maneuvers, Maggie’s hunt for answers will force her to revisit a clandestine career that spanned the globe, from Bangkok to Istanbul, from London to Malta. The ghosts of her past have returned, but with the help of her friends—and the reluctant Jo Thibodeau—Maggie might just be able to save the life she’s built.

WELL THAT WAS A RIDE.

This book wasn’t on my radar whatsoever until my Dad mentioned it to me, and told me, “it has plenty of romance.” Famous last words.

NOW. I wouldn’t call this a romance, at all (there is a sub plot dynamic that does play into the larger theme). I did like the dynamic though and was intrigued by where the story would go.

This book gave me Red 2 vibes. But add in flashback chapters and focus on mostly one character. I did love that this had multi-POV and felt that all of the POV’s played a part and made sense for the story. The audiobook was great too, definitely recommend that format.

The twists and turns of the second half were fantastic. I usually don’t love thrillers because it often comes across as, a lot of bad people doing bad things. I loved that this did have some good guys who were trying to do the right thing. Even with complications and mistakes, I loved having someone to root for.

Not disappointed at all in reading this spy book. I will be interested to see what the next book in the series will be about!

Overall audience notes:

  • Spy Thriller
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: fade to black
  • Violence: high
  • Content Warnings: murder, loss of life, gun violence, kidnapping a child, teen drug use

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Book Review: Slow Dance in Purgatory (Purgatory #1) by Amy Harmon

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Paranormal YA Romance
Length: 232 pages
Author: Amy Harmon
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: April 2nd, 2012
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Orphaned from the age of ten, 17-year-old Maggie finally finds a permanent home with her elderly aunt in a small Texas town. Working part-time at the local high school, she becomes enmeshed in a fifty-year-old unsolved mystery where nothing is as it seems. Who is the boy no one else can see? And what do you do when you fall in love with a ghost? This volatile and mismatched romance is doomed from its start, as Maggie struggles to hold on to yet another life destined to be taken from her. Secret love and hushed affections are constantly threatened by outside forces resulting in a terrifying race to stay alive.

‘Slow Dance in Purgatory’ captures the heart-ache of a love story where there can be no happy ending…

GHOSTLY.

I’m honestly a hard sell on paranormal ghost based romances and that was my biggest draw back here. Granted, I thought the way things worked out has me totally intrigued and I will be picking up the next book to see what happens.

It’s a very quick story (honestly thought it could have been one book??). I enjoyed both main characters and that we got dual POV. MY FAV. The dancing and little dates and intensely heated conversations were all great. There’s a lot to unpack throughout.

One of the side characters drove me up a wall and I wish we didn’t have any of his POV or commentary or anything else. It just came off naïve and silly and a page filler.

Otherwise, I’m loving getting the chance to work through Amy Harmon’s back list (I think this is her first released book too). It’s fun to see how writing styles have changed.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Paranormal Romance
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: make-outs
  • Violence: moderate
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: brief gun violence, losing a loved one, physical altercations, bullying

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ALC Book Review: The Christmas You Found Me (Heart of the Wilderness #1) by Sarah Morgenthaler

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Holiday Romance
Length: 304 pages
Author: Sarah Morgenthaler
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Release Date: September 24th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Sarah Morgenthaler is back with a heart-mending contemporary romance featuring a single dad you’ll fall for; a satisfying slow burn love affair; found family you’ll root for; small town holiday magic; and all the quirky animals and snowy rustic scenes your heart desires.

Sienna Naples’s family has taken care of their wild Idaho land for generations and Sienna can’t imagine any other life. But at Christmastime, with her parents gone and her painful marriage finally over, it’s full of memories…and incredibly lonely. Until a tall, handsome stranger and a little girl walk into her life and suddenly the holidays are alive again.

When single father Guy Maple shows up as the result of an ad meant to be a joke, the handsome Montana construction worker isn’t joking. Money is tight this Christmas, and Guy’s four-year-old daughter Emma has stage-five chronic kidney disease. She needs a kidney transplant, but if Guy can’t prove that he can afford Emma’s anti-rejection medications, his daughter isn’t going to stay on the transplant list. Guy’s willing to do anything, including marrying a stranger, to keep her safe. It’s an impulsive marriage of convenience, and Sienna knows this isn’t real, no matter how much she adores Emma, how well Guy fits in to the ranching life—or how much light and laughter is coming into their lives as a result. But the more time she spends with her new family, the more she fears losing the fragile, feisty little girl and the kind, devoted, hard-working, incredibly attractive man who is her husband—but is it only in name?

Thank you Dreamscape Media for the ALC.

THE FEELS.

I easily hand off five stars to any book that makes me cry because it’s really hard to do so and this book earned those tears. I was a puddle finishing it and all of the emotions that came together (don’t worry, it’s a HEA!).

I loved these flawed characters leaning on each other through hard seasons of life. I was obsessed with Guy and his endearing qualities. A man who got up and did the hard things every single day. Who loved with such fierce loyalty. I loved everything about him and how well he balanced with Sienna. And I loved Sienna’s tenacity too. Her impulsivity to help someone in need became the best decision she ever made. The journey captured my attention and I couldn’t help but pick this book up because it continually draws you in.

The audiobook narration is AMAZING. I loved it. I loved how the narrator worked with Guy’s voice and how Emma’s voice wasn’t too childlike. I loved this soft romance set on a beautiful mountain filled back drop. It is filled with all the things I love and I am so thankful that Sarah Morgenthaler wrote another book. She is one of my favorites and this is a perfect holiday gem.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Holiday Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: fade to black
  • Violence: low
  • Content Warnings: a child with kidney failure (theme throughout), divorce, mentions of PPD (side character), emesis

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