Book Review – Majestic Hills by Dawn Turner

 

Majestic Hills by Dawn Turner is about a professional Black couple who decide to leave their city life behind for the suburbs.

Dr. Langdon Blaque is an ER doctor who wants to escape city life. He feels burned out and exhausted by the constant drama, death, and despair that come with his job. He dreams of finding a place where he can leave all of that behind and spend quiet time with his wife in peace.

Langdon loves his work but believes a move to the suburbs could help revitalize his spirit. His wife, Josephine, a lawyer, is much more hesitant about leaving the city. She grew up hearing her father’s horror stories about sundown towns and the Jim Crow South, which makes her wary of suburban life. Even so, she eventually agrees to Langdon’s plan with one condition: they will stay for one year, and if they do not love it, they will move back to the city.

The couple relocates to Majestic Hills, a predominantly white neighborhood where the neighbors initially seem welcoming and friendly. However, when a crime occurs close to home and the illusion of safety is shattered, Josephine and Langdon find themselves caught in the middle of the fallout. Neighbors are pitted against one another, exposing deep-rooted prejudices in the community. Will Langdon and Josephine be able to truly make Majestic Hills their home?

I thought the book was an okay read overall, but it felt kind of bland to me. I kept waiting for unexpected twists or turns that never really came. The storyline felt very predictable, and not much happened that kept me fully engaged. The book was marketed as both a mystery and a thriller, but I personally didn’t feel like it had many elements of either genre. I did like Langdon and Josephine as characters and thought they were written well.

Book Review – Agents of Change: The Women Who Transformed the CIA by Christina Hillsberg

 

Agents of Change: The Women Who Transformed the CIA by Christina Hillsberg is an exploration of the pioneering women who changed the male-dominated world of espionage, as told by a former intelligence operative.

I was looking forward to reading this book because I enjoy reading about strong women. However, I was a bit disappointed because the author teased many of the missions that she and other women participated in but couldn't provide many details since much of the information is still classified. I felt like we only got surface-level descriptions, and that wasn't enough to hold my interest.

I also didn't really care for reading about all of the sexism because, unfortunately, much of it still exists today.

While the author included a glossary of intelligence terms, I found it difficult to remember them all. The pacing also felt uneven, and the writing was somewhat choppy. It was hard for me to stay engaged because so many people were introduced throughout the book, and I struggled to remember who they were and how they related to each chapter. I also felt that because the author couldn't go into detail about many of the missions, the stories became repetitive and began to blur together.

Overall, I thought it was an okay book. It was fairly forgettable, and I barely remember much of it after finishing. However, I'm giving it 3 stars instead of 2 because I liked the subject matter and the effort to highlight the contributions of these pioneering women.

Book Review – Milton Makes a Move by Jonathan Graziano

 

 

Milton Makes a Move by Jonathan Graziano is about a newly adopted pug who finds his forever home.

The children's book is a short and easy read. It features fun, colorful illustrations that bring Milton's journey to his forever home to life. The story teaches young readers about being brave, embracing new adventures, and the importance of friendship. It is a heartwarming read that is perfect for fans of Noodle and animal lovers alike.

 Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and were not influenced by the publisher or author.

Book Review - A Good Person by Kirsten King

 

A Good Person by Kirsten King is about a woman named Lillian who puts a hex on her ex-boyfriend and then he unexpectedly dies. Lillian and Henry have enjoyed spending time together, especially in bed, during the four months they’ve been dating. Lillian’s best friend, Jamie, insists that what they have is a “situationship,” not a real relationship. Determined to lock Henry down, Lillian decides she will be the best, most accommodating version of herself until he falls in love with her.

But Lillian is blindsided when Henry suddenly breaks up with her. Devastated, she drinks to numb her anger and, while drunk, decides to perform a hex on him. She fully expects Henry to come crawling back once he realizes his mistake. Instead, she learns he has been murdered and she is the prime suspect.

As Lillian tries to process the news, she’s hit with another bombshell: Henry had a long-time girlfriend he never told her about. Desperate to control the narrative and clear her name, Lillian also believes she’s been robbed of her rightful role as Henry’s grieving girlfriend. As she tries to uncover the truth, she spirals into a dangerous tailspin that threatens to destroy everything.

I read the author’s note before starting the book, where she mentions that Lillian may be unlikeable but is, at her core, someone who just wants to be loved. I tried to keep that in mind while reading about Lillian’s shenanigans, but staying neutral was an uphill battle.

Lillian is narcissistic, mean, self-absorbed, and a bully. Despite that, I found the book enjoyable. I liked reading Lillian’s deluded thoughts and watching her dig herself deeper into trouble through her own misguided ideas. The novel was a quick, entertaining read. It felt like watching a car crash in slow motion, and I couldn’t look away. Did I want to see Lillian crash and burn? Maybe just a little. This is the author’s debut novel, and I’d be open to reading more from her in the future.

Book Review – Church of Marvels by Leslie Parry

 

Church of Marvels by Leslie Parry is about a woman, Odile Church, searching for her sister, Belle, after their mother dies in a fire.

Set in 1895 New York, Sylvan Threadgill works as a night soiler, cleaning out the privies near tenement houses. While working one night, he discovers a newborn baby abandoned in the muck. Since Sylvan was once an orphan himself, he takes pity on the child and rescues her. Determined to help, he sets out to find a safe place for the baby.

Odile and Belle Church are twins who were raised in the Church of Marvels, a sideshow act in Coney Island. After a tragic accident, their home burns to the ground with their mother inside. Odile is devastated when she learns that Belle has fled to Manhattan without a trace, and she becomes desperate to find her sister.

Meanwhile, Alphie, a young woman, wakes up across the river in Blackwell’s Lunatic Asylum. At first, she has no idea where she is until she remembers that her husband’s cruel mother had her committed. While trapped in the asylum, she meets another beautiful young woman who refuses to speak to anyone. However, Alphie soon discovers that the mysterious woman has a hidden talent that might help them escape.

I thought the book was an okay read overall. It is told through alternating perspectives, which was a lot to keep track of in the beginning. The book did have a few unexpected twists that I didn’t see coming. However, I also felt like it was slow and boring at times, and the constant narrator changes could feel jarring. I never really connected with or cared much about any of the characters. While we were given some backstory for each of them, I didn’t feel like it was enough to make me truly root for them. Overall, it was an okay book, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to read another book by the author.

Book Review – Windswept Way (Hope Harbor, #9) by Irene Hannon

 

 

Windswept Way (Hope Harbor, #9) by Irene Hannon is about two people, Ashley Scott and Jonathan Gray, who learn to let go of the past and find happiness again.

Ashley Scott never planned on buying a haunted house, but after being presented with an interesting opportunity, she decides to take a chance. She travels across the country to Hope Harbor on the Oregon coast to start fresh.

Jonathan Gray isn't quite sure what to make of his attractive new neighbor, but he decides it's none of his business until he is roped into helping her with an ambitious project. As the pair spend more time together, Jonathan finds himself growing attracted to Ashley, but he is hesitant to open his heart to love again.

I thought the book was an okay read. It didn't have any unexpected twists or turns, but I liked that recurring characters from previous books made a reappearance. This is the ninth book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. Fans of the earlier books will likely enjoy revisiting familiar characters and the clean, heartwarming romance.

 

Book Review – The Lure of Wolves and Whispers Amanda Connolly

 

 The Lure of Wolves and Whispers by Amanda Connolly is about a young woman, Maeve, who risks everything to save her gravely injured older sister and protect everyone she loves.

On the Isle of Eireann, magic comes at a deadly price. When Maeve's older sister is gravely injured, Maeve is willing to do anything to save her. She risks everything to obtain forbidden magic that she hopes will heal her sister. However, Maeve is caught and is forced to make a deal, trading her own life for her sister's.

Bound by her promise, Maeve must do the bidding of a cunning and ruthless rebel leader. As part of her task, she is thrown into a deadly competition to become the next queen. Unfortunately, the odds are stacked against her because the competition is notorious for its bloodshed, and the prize is marriage to a prince rumored to be even deadlier and more brutal than his tyrannical father. Will Maeve be able to fulfill her promise, or will it cost her her life?

I was really excited to read this book, but I was so disappointed by it. I stopped reading at around the 60% mark because I found it boring and thought it moved at the pace of molasses. At times, the book is sparse with details about the world, while at other times it overwhelms the reader with so much information that it becomes difficult to process and keep everything straight.

I also couldn't have cared less about Maeve. I found her so boring that a doorknob would have been more interesting to read about. She says she stopped praying to the gods after her mother's death, yet every few paragraphs it's back to "Old Ones." We get it, you've made your point. It became repetitive and didn't add anything new to the story. Unfortunately, the writing, plot, and characters weren't compelling enough for me to continue reading.

 Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and were not influenced by the publisher or author.

Book Review – Forbidden City by James Ponti

 

Forbidden City by James Ponti is about a group of children spies heading to Moscow and Beijing to recruit a North Korean nuclear physicist before he falls into enemy hands.

The City Spies are ready for their next missions, once again using their unique skills and strong bonds to tackle dangerous assignments. Umbra is a sinister organization driven by greed, and they want to recruit a North Korean nuclear physicist for their own needs by any means necessary. The City Spies are sent in to stop that from happening.

The team travels to Moscow and Beijing to participate in a chess prodigy tournament. Paris is excited to compete since he is a huge chess fan. Sydney also lands her dream job as a junior reporter for a teen lifestyle website. She is tasked with following a British billionaire’s daughter and a pop band with a massive fan following. Together, the team must figure out how the billionaire, the physicist, and the recently missing missiles from a Soviet missile base are connected. Will the team be able to solve the mystery before it’s too late?

This is the third book in the series. While it can technically be read as a standalone, I wouldn’t recommend it. I’ve read the other books in this series, along with the author’s other works, and this book follows the same beloved format as the previous installments. It has action, thrills, twists, and feel-good moments mixed with humor. While I did enjoy the book, I felt like something was missing compared to the first two books. Still, I liked learning more about Mother and seeing how the team is becoming more like a family. I’m excited to read the next book in the series.

Book Review – Pranks and Prejudice by Matthew J. Gilbert

 

 

Pranks and Prejudice by Matthew J. Gilbert is about a prank that goes wrong and the unexpected consequences it has for a group of middle school friends.

The Great Prank Challenge begins at Meadowview Middle School when someone covers a teacher's desk in sticky notes. Soon afterward, every student wants to join in, making everyone and everything a potential target. Everyone is on guard because they don't want to become the next victim of a prank or be turned into a meme online.

After Norm is pranked by one of his best friends, Jordan, he decides to get revenge. Unfortunately, his prank is lame and doesn't have the intended effect. His other best friend, Mia, comes up with a prank that she believes will end all pranks. However, Mia's prank works almost too well, causing the school to close for the day and leading to a school-wide ban on pranks. Teachers and students alike are upset and determined to find the person responsible. Will Norm and Mia be able to fix the mess they caused?

This is the second book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone. The chapter book is a short, easy read with a few humorous moments that young readers will likely enjoy.

In this installment, we get to see how Norm and his friends handle internet fame while managing their friendship. I thought it was interesting that even though Jordan acted rudely, Norm was able to forgive him and move on. It was nice to see how much he had grown since the previous book. Like the first book, this one teaches young readers about accountability, friendship, and the importance of thinking about the consequences before following trends.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and were not influenced by the publisher or author.