Tag: historical fiction

ARC Book Review: The Cuban Heiress by Chanel Cleeton

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Historical Fiction
Length: 336 pages
Author: Chanel Cleeton
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: April 11th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In 1934, a luxury cruise becomes a fight for survival as two women’s pasts collide on a round-trip voyage from New York to Havana in New York Times bestselling author Chanel Cleeton’s page-turning new novel inspired by the true story of the SS Morro Castle.

New York heiress Catherine Dohan seemingly has it all. There’s only one problem. It’s a lie. As soon as the Morro Castle leaves port, Catherine’s past returns with a vengeance and threatens her life. Joining forces with a charismatic jewel thief, Catherine must discover who wants her dead—and why.

Elena Palacio is a dead woman. Or so everyone thinks. After a devastating betrayal left her penniless and on the run, Elena’s journey on the Morro Castle is her last hope. Steeped in secrecy and a burning desire for revenge, her return to Havana is a chance to right the wrong that has been done to her—and her prey is on the ship.

As danger swirls aboard the Morro Castle and their fates intertwine, Elena and Catherine must risk everything to see justice served once and for all.

Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for an eARC.

LET ME TELL Y’ALL.

This is my new favorite Cleeton book. I have continually enjoyed her books over the years and this is once again, no different. I devoured this in two sittings because I could NOT put it down. I love the way the author put together this fast paced story yet with gorgeous writing had me completely connected to the characters and wondering what was going to happen next.

The plot follows a bit of a murder mystery on a ship vibe. With a swoony gem thief and an heiress with a secret. I loooved the way all of these secrets started coming to light. They were well timed pieces that would have me trying to read even faster not knowing how it would all end. I loooved both Elena and Catherine. I love anything that has a women supporting women vibe and these two + their tight friendship helped bring necessary justice to many wrongs.

Historical wise, I had never heard of this ship and one of my favorite parts of historical books is reading the note at the end about the specifics the author drew from. This felt fresh and unique in the historical fiction genre and I know is one of the best books I’ve read recently.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Fiction + Romance
  • Language: a little
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: gun violence, multiple attempted murders, drownings, arson, loss of parents (recounted)

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Monthly Reading Wrap-Up: March 2023

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

I had a GREAT READING MONTH Y’ALL. 45 books, so many five stars. I’m reading for spring!

Favorites this month!

  • Last Violent Call
  • Pleasantly Pursued
  • Betting on the Boy Next Door
  • Blackmoore
  • Kulti
  • The Bear and the Nightingale
  • The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi
  • When the Day Comes
  • The Serpent and the Wings of Night (Reread)
  • Things We Never Got Over
  • Along a Breton Shore
  • Return to Satterthwaite Court
  • Six Scorched Roses
  • Juniper Bean Resorts to Murder
  • Lady of Darkness
  • The Girl in the Tower
  • The Winter of the Witch
  • Tilly in Technicolor
  • Kissing for Keeps
  • Wicked Walking

Least favorites:

  • The Impossible Princess
  • Trial of the Sun Queen
  • A Crown of Swords
  • [Novella] Last Violent Call (Foul Lady Fortune #1.5) by Chloe Gong
  • Pleasantly Pursued (Bradwell Brothers #2) by Kasey Stockton
  • The Heir and the Spare by Kate Stradling
  • One Iridescent Night (The Iridescent Series #1) by Brianne Wik
  • Infinity + One by Amy Harmon
  • [ARC] Betting on the Boy Next Door (Betting on Love #1) by Melanie Jacobson
  • [Reread] Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson
  • [ALC] Long Live the Elf Queen (The Elf Queen #2) by J.M. Kearl
  • [ARC] When Tomorrow Came by Hannah Linder
  • Gentleman Jim (Somerset Stories #2) by Mimi Matthews
  • [Reread] Kulti by Mariana Zapata
  • [ARC] Oxford Star by Laura Bradbury
  • [Reread] The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy #1) by Katherine Arden
  • The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi (Amina al-Sirafi #1) by S.A. Chakraborty
  • The Impossible Princess by Kiera Dominguez
  • When the Day Comes (Timeless #1) by Gabrielle Meyer
  • [ARC] Legends and Liars (Echoes and Empires #2) by Morgan Rhodes
  • [Reread] The Serpent and the Wings of Night (Crowns of Nyaxia #1) by Carissa Broadbent
  • The Fire in the Glass (The Charismatics #1) by Jacquelyn Benson
  • Sir Andrew and the Authoress (Clairvoir Castle Romances #3) by Sally Britton
  • Things We Never Got Over (Knockemout #1) by Lucy Score
  • [ARC] Along A Breton Shore by Arlem Hawks
  • Trial of the Sun Queen (Artefacts of Ouranos #1) by Nisha J. Tuli
  • A Crown of Swords (The Wheel of Time #7) by Robert Jordan
  • Nightbirds (Nightbirds #1) by Kate J. Armstrong
  • [ARC] Return to Satterthwaite Court (Somerset Stories #3) by Mimi Matthews
  • A Companion for the Count (Clairvoir Castle Romances #2) by Sally Britton
  • The Prince of Prohibition (Fae of the Roaring Age #1) by Marilyn Marks
  • Oathbound (The Royal Rose Chronicles #1) by Victoria McCombs
  • [ARC/Novella] Six Scorched Roses (Crowns of Nyaxia #1.5) by Carissa Broadbent
  • [ARC] Juniper Bean Resorts to Murder by Gracie Ruth Mitchell
  • Lady of Darkness (Lady of Darkness #1) by Melissa K. Roehrich
  • [Reread] The Girl in the Tower (The Winternight Trilogy #2) by Katherine Arden
  • [Gifted] Love Redesigned (Some Kind of Love #1) by Jenny Proctor
  • Lunar Love by Lauren Kung Jessen
  • Lady of Shadows (Lady of Darkness #2) by Melissa K. Roehrich
  • This Time It’s Real by Ann Liang
  • Seven Faceless Saints (Seven Faceless Saints #1) by M.K. Lobb
  • [Reread] The Winter of the Witch (The Winternight Trilogy #3) by Katherine Arden
  • [ARC] Tilly in Technicolor by Mazey Eddings
  • The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest
  • Battling the Bluestocking (The Donovans #3) by Martha Keyes
  • [ARC] Kissing for Keeps (Sheppard’s in Love #1) by Martha Keyes
  • [Gifted] Wicked Walking (Fallow Creek #2) by Claudia Cain
  • The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre by Natasha Lester

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: Foul Lady Fortune (Foul Lady Fortune #1) by Chloe Gong

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Genre: YA Magical Realism + Historical Fiction Romance
Length: 528 pages
Author: Chloe Gong
Publisher: McElderry Books
Release Date: September 27th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

It’s 1931 in Shanghai, and the stage is set for a new decade of intrigue.

Four years ago, Rosalind Lang was brought back from the brink of death, but the strange experiment that saved her also stopped her from sleeping and aging—and allows her to heal from any wound. In short, Rosalind cannot die. Now, desperate for redemption for her traitorous past, she uses her abilities as an assassin for her country.

Code name: Fortune.

But when the Japanese Imperial Army begins its invasion march, Rosalind’s mission pivots. A series of murders is causing unrest in Shanghai, and the Japanese are under suspicion. Rosalind’s new orders are to infiltrate foreign society and identify the culprits behind the terror plot before more of her people are killed.

To reduce suspicion, however, she must pose as the wife of another Nationalist spy, Orion Hong, and though Rosalind finds Orion’s cavalier attitude and playboy demeanor infuriating, she is willing to work with him for the greater good. But Orion has an agenda of his own, and Rosalind has secrets that she wants to keep buried. As they both attempt to unravel the conspiracy, the two spies soon find that there are deeper and more horrifying layers to this mystery than they ever imagined.

NEW OBESSION.

I loved this book so much y’all!!!!!! It was one of my biggest releases for the year and it did not disappoint in the slightest.

All of the characters were amazing. The main leads Rosalind and Orion had me hooked on them because MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE. I loved the build they have and the way they are slowly moving from unsuspecting partners to a close bond. They, along with the other relationships that are starting (not saying because spoilers) are fantastic. I am here for it all.

The plot is captivating and I never wanted to stop listening to the audiobook. There was great pacing and the flow of writing is stellar. I was definitely shouting at my steering wheel listening to some of these scenes. Shocked doesn’t even begin to cover it. I loved all of the twists and betrayals. Never quite knowing who’s side someone is on. It reads like an incredible spy thriller and I cannot wait for more.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Historical Fiction + Magical Realism
  • Language: some
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: racism, blood depiction, medical experimentation mentioned, murder, physical violence, weapons violence

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

ARC Book Review: A Waltz with Traitors by A.L. Sowards

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Historical Fiction + Romance
Length: 328 pages
Author: A.L. Sowards
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Release Date: March 14th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Sometimes the road to freedom is a six-thousand-mile-long railroad track. Sometimes the road to love is even longer.

The Former Russian Empire, 1918

Czech soldier Filip Sedlák never wanted to fight for the Austro-Hungarian Empire. So at the first opportunity, he defected to the Russians. Now he and others like him have formed the Czechoslovak Legion. Their goal: leave the chaos of Russia, sail to France, and help the Allies defeat the Central Powers, thereby toppling a hated empire and winning an independent Czechoslovakia.

With the fall of the tsar, Nadia Linskaya’s life is in ruins. Her family is dead, her lands are confiscated, and her aristocratic world is gone forever. But Nadia is determined to elude the Bolshevik agent who destroyed her family and find a way to survive in this changed world.

When Nadia takes refuge with the Czechoslovak Legion, the last thing she expects is an ally. But when Filip proposes a sham marriage to ensure her safe passage across Siberia, she takes it. Neither Filip nor Nadia expect real love, not when the legion has to take over the longest railroad in the world—and then hold it against Bolshevik counterattacks, partisan sabotage, Allied intrigue, and a set of brutal Siberian winters. At risk is the future of Czechoslovakia, the fate of Russia—and their hearts.

Thank you to Covenant Communications and author for an ARC.

WONDERFUL READ.

This is my first A.L. Sowards book and it will officially not be my last. I was captivated from the start and continually kept wanting to read this to know what happens next. I’m picky when I pick up historical fiction because I prefer reading about less common areas and this has it. 1918 in former Russia? No I have not read any books like this and I loved learning more about this time through the book and the author’s note afterwards (and as a history nerd googling things too).

I loved Nadia’s strength. She could have easily lied down and be done with all that life was handing her, but through her faith (their is a light faith vein throughout) and the kindness of just enough people Nadia kept taking the next step forward. I also adored Filip. He had that passion and deep love for what his country and watching out for those around him. I thought their relationship was sweet (and HELLO marriage of convenience!!). The way multiple things were handled between them gave my heart all the flutters and hope.

This book surprised me by having more than two POVs and I LOVED the addition of the others! With the seeing other snippets of the people around Nadia and Filip, I quickly fell in love with the side characters too. Why I wouldn’t call every ending a happy one, it all did feel beautifully hopeful and true to the unfortunate nature of war.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Fiction + Romance
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: closed door between married couples
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: depictions/theme of war, war injuries, gun violence, disease, miscarriage, kidnapping, off-page sexual assault/rape, executions

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph