Showing posts with label France. Show all posts
Showing posts with label France. Show all posts

Monday, January 10, 2022

Top Books of 2021

I may have already posted my top books of the year on Instagram (and I'm pretty sure anyone reading this, is also following me there), but for traditions sake, wanted to also post them here!
2021 was another really strong reading year for me. After staying home most of 2020, doing pratically nothing, I kept the habbit of reading a ton, even as life got more back to normal. I didn't read as much as I did in 2021, but it was quite close. This year I read 84 books, and 30,853 pages. (In comparison, durring 2020, my strongest reading year ever, I read 88 books and 32,314 pages.) So here's my top 11, in the order I read them.
1. Meet Me in Bombay by Jenny Ashcroft
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway, and it was such a pleasant surprise. The majority of it take places in India durring World War I. There's a romace that's a bit heartbreaking. I reminded me a bit of one of my favorites, A Little Princess. Even thought I read it durring early January, it's one that stayed with me.
2. Happily Ever Afters by Elise Bryant
I won this one too, although from another Bookstagramer. It's a YA, and under normal circumstances, I would have enjoyed it. However, it took place in my hometown of Long Beach, California. Getting to read and experience my hometown through a book was amazaing. It brought back memories of high school, and it had such a feeling of nostolgia for me.
3. Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson
Yes, another one I won in a Goodreads giveaway. (I promise this is the last one for a while!) This book is heartbreaking, and it's hard to say you enjoy it. But it's one that stays with you. It takes place in Virginia durring slavery. It isn't an easy read, but definitely one I'd recommend.
4. Yellow Springs Road by Janie Chang
Last year I really enjoyed Janie Chang's newest book, Library of Legends. I had loved her debut years ago (This is the post I wrote about it), so this year decided to purchase (yes, I actually bought this one!), her last book which I had missed. I've loved all her books so much! They all take place in China, and while historical, each has a bit of magic mixed it. They're a bit hard to describe, since there's nothing really like them, but I've loved them each so much.
5. Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon
I know so many people love Rachel Lynn Solomon, but this was much first book by her. It's a YA, and aspects of it reminded me of my college experience. The reason it spoke so much to me though, is a lot due to the Jewish representation. I don't remember reading a lot of books about Jewish girls growing up (besides those that were historical), and wish books like this had been there for me.
6. Enchantress by Maggie Anton
I discovered Maggie Anton years ago with her Rashi's Daughter trilogy. (Here's the post I wrote years ago when I finished reading the trilogy.) She hasn't writtin much else, but did write two books that take place in biblical times. There's nothing else out there really like her books! It's such a unique period in history especailly seeing these aspects of Judism.
7. Well Played by Jen DeLuca
This is a second in a Romance trilogy, the first of which was on my favorites list last year. I love how these books take place at the Renassiace Faire, and it brings me back to all the years I spent going to our local faire.
8. Moloka'i by Alan Brennert
Another historical fiction so heartbreaking at times, that's it hard to use the word love. It takes place in Hawaii, in a leporasy colony. It spands several decades, and it such an amazing story. It's one you don't forget.
9. Frankie & Bug by Gayle Forman
Another Goodreads win! The last of those on the list. This was full of nostalgia for me (clearly a theme that gets books on this list for me). It takes place in the 80s in L.A.. It's deeper than I realized it would be, but given the time and location, it shouldn't have been too much of a surprise.
10. The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray
This is the 4th year a book by Stephanie Dray has been on one of my lists. (To be fair, one year she wasn't in the top 10, but made my honorable mention list.) Like her others, this was in historical. It's told over three timelines, the American and French Revolutions, World War I, and World War II. Each was such a unique persepcetive, and even with it's length it's one I couldn't put down.
11. The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer
A Romance about Hanukkah?!? Such an amazing idea to me! This felt just like a Hallmark Holiday Movie, except centered around Hanukkah. Like many others on this list, It's one I loved because of how I related to it, and saw so much of myself and culter within its pages.

To see my favorite books from years' past go here:
2020
2019
2018
2014
2013
2012

Saturday, December 29, 2018

Best Books of 2018

There's a lot of things I miss about blogging regularly. I use to love sitting down and writing book reviews after finishing a book, as something to refer back to on why I might have loved it so much. (But the last one I posted was back in 2016!) Also, I used to love wrapping up a year reflecting back on what occurred. (The last time I did one of those was even longer in 2015!) So on a whim I decided to bring them both back with a list of my favorite reads from the past year. In years past I've actually ranked books where #1 was my absolute favorite, but for simplicity sake, I just have them all in the order I read them.

1. Apprentice by Maggie Anton
I LOVED Anton's Rashi'a Daughters Trilogy and was so excited to read another one from her. It's a time period that I haven't read much about (Persia in 300s), and I found everything fascinating. There is a sequel to it, which I can't wait to pick up.

2. Juniper: The Girl Who Was Born Too Soon by Kelley Benham French and Thomas French
This is such an incredible memoir about a couple recollecting their duaghter's premature birth. Thankfully, everything worked out for the family and they now have a healthy daughter years later. I just remember not being able to put this down, because even though you know how it works out, you just had to see the journey there.

3. The Forgotten Room by Karen White, Lauren Willig, Beatriz Williams
This was a fun book written by 3 different authors told over three time periods. Of the authors, I had only read Willig before (whose Pink Carnation series I love!), but I've heard great things about Williams especially. It was definitely fun trying to match either author up with the story they likely guided the most. Each story centers around a room in a NYC house and features a different love story. It was so fun trying to figure out how the characters and stories were all interwoven.

4. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
So far, I've loved everything I've read by Rowell. Which actually is now only two, but I'm still excited to read the rest. I felt like this book so captured the feeling of being in college. I also loved the fan fiction aspect of it, which brought me back to when I used to read and write it back in high school. (Yes, seriously! Backstreet Boys fan fiction in case you had to know! Sadly, or maybe not so, anything I wrote no longer exists.)

5. The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
I feel like I'm so late to this one! But like everything else, reading has also dropped off lately. I picked this up just in time for The Royal Wedding. It really was just as good as everything said, and I'd love to read a sequel to check in on Nick and Bex.

6. Somerset by Leila Meacham
After reading Roses by Meacham years ago, I've been meaning to read more by her. This was actually the second by her I read this year (the first being Titans), but the one I liked better. It had such an interesting perspective. It is another epic family story. I loved some of the details, things like the discovery of dinosaur bones and the idea of adoption in the early 1900s. Actually this was one of many books I read this years that discussed adoption in the early 1900s, definitely a bit of a rabbit hole I fell into.

7. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Another epic family historical story. This one though taking place in Korea and Japan. Like many of the others, it's a period I knew little about which is part of the reason I loved it. There are a lot of characters and a lot of time passing in this book, which meant certain aspects weren't as developed as they could have been. Still I absolutely loved the book and getting to hear the family's story.

8. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
I remember being intrigued by this one when it came out, and can't believe it's taken me so long to read. It's an interesting perspective of WWII, one I hadn't read before. There's 2 separate stories told throughout, and I loved how they finally intertwined at the end.

9. Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
Another one I know I'm crazy late on! I haven't seen the movie yet, but based on the previews, I'm not sure it can compare to the book. The title of this one definitely lives up to its name. I've since gone on and finished the trilogy and while I loved them all, I think the first is the best because you really go into it not knowing what to expect.

10. Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
Remember a couple of paragraph's ago mentioning how I read several books about adoption, this is one of those. (The other big one was The Orphan Train, which just missed this list.) It's another one with two story lines that intertwine by the end. I actually loved the historical one so much more than the present day story, although I do realize the importance of having the other perspective.

11. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
I just couldn't stop at 10, and for those of you that have read this, you understand why. It's a book you start and don't quite get, but as you continue to read and understand the story it's heartwarming and one you can't put down.

I feel like 2018 was the first year in a while where I really, really loved what I read. Hence the reason I wanted to write this post. I didn't hit my goal of 52 books in a year, although assuming I finish the book I'm currently reading, will be only 7 books away. I'm hoping that now that the babies are getting older and I'm starting to feel a bit more like myself again, I can get back to reading and blogging more often!

To see my favorite books from years' past go here:
2014
2013
2012

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Another Daughter of La Lune {Giveaway}

The Secret Language of Stones by M.J. Rose
(historical fiction)
Published: July 19, 2016 by Atria Books/Simon & Schuster
Series: The Daughters of La Lune #2
ISBN: 978-1-4767-7809-9
320 pages
Author’s page | Goodreads
I was pleasantly surprised when I started this book to realize it was the next in The Daughters of La Lune series. Not that I would have missed out by not reading the first since each one stands on its own as each is about a different member of the family. But still, it was nice to catch up with Sandrine from The Witch of Painted Sorrows and see how her life turned out.

With this book we're in the midst of WWI in Paris. Opaline is Sandrine's daughter and makes jewelry. Except being a Daughter of La Lune, she has a bit of a magical ability that she's not too sure of. What she does know is that she's able to use her power to help others talk to their dead loved ones after creating pieces of jewelry for them.

This book had all I've come to expect with Rose's books. A bit of eerie magical-ness mixed with historical fiction. There's a few passionate love scenes, and of course it ends with a somewhat surprising ending.

Overall I really enjoyed my time in Paris (with a trip to England actually) with Opaline. Except the book read kind of slow to me. I can't quite put my finger on why though. But maybe it was a good thing, since I got to stay wrapped up in the world a little longer. Either way I know I'll be coming back to Rose's work again, and I especially can't wait to read what she writes about Opaline's future daughter (because you know that has to be what's coming!).

4.5/5

SYNOPSIS

AS WORLD WAR I RAGES AND THE ROMANOV DYNASTY REACHES ITS SUDDEN, BRUTAL END, A YOUNG JEWELRY MAKER DISCOVERS LOVE, PASSION, AND HER OWN HEALING POWERS IN THIS RICH AND ROMANTIC NOVEL BY NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR M.J. ROSE.

Nestled deep within Paris’s historic Palais Royal, safe inside La Fantasie Russie’s once-bustling workshop, young, ambitious Opaline Duplessi spends her days making trench watches for soldiers at the front and mourning jewelry for the mothers, wives, and lovers of those who have fallen. Opaline has a rare gift, a form of lithomancy that allows her to translate the energy emanating from stones. Certain gemstones enable her to receive messages from beyond. In her mind, she is no mystic, but merely a messenger giving voice to soldiers who died before they were able to properly express themselves to loved ones. Until one day, one of these fallen soldiers communicates a message—directly to her. So begins a dangerous journey that will take Opaline into the darkest corners of wartime Paris and across the English Channel, where the exiled Romanov dowager empress is waiting to discover the fate of her family.

Full of romance, seduction, and a love so powerful it reaches beyond the grave, The Secret Language of Stones is yet another “entrancing read that will long be savored” (Library Journal, starred review).
“Spellbinding.” —Alyson Richman, author of The Lost Wife
 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

M.J. Rose grew up in New York City exploring the labyrinthine galleries of the Metropolitan Museum and the dark tunnels and lush gardens of Central Park —and reading her mother’s favorite books before she was allowed.

She is the author of more than a dozen novels, the co-president and founding board member of International Thriller Writers, and the founder of the first marketing company for authors, AuthorBuzz.com. She lives in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Please visit her website, her blog: Museum of Mysteries.
Subscribe to her mailing list and get information about new releases, free book downloads, contests, excerpts and more.
Or send an email to TheFictionofMJRose-subscribe at yahoogroups dot com

To send M.J. a message and/or request a signed bookplate, send an email to mjroseauthor at gmail dot com

Follow her on Facebook and Twitter

Buy the book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound | Books A Million

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You can enter the global giveaway here or on any other book blogs participating in this tour.
Be sure to follow each participant on Twitter/Facebook, they are listed in the entry form below.

Enter here

Visit each blogger on the tour: tweeting about the giveaway everyday of the Tour will give you 5 extra entries each time!
[just follow the directions on the entry-form]

Global giveaway open to US residents only:
9 participants will each win a print copy of this book.

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