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ARC Book Review: Debating Darcy by Sayantani DasGupta

ARC Book Review: Debating Darcy by Sayantani DasGupta

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars; Debating Darcy by Sayantani DasGupta; Scholastic Inc.; Pub Day: April 19, 2022 CWs: depictions of sexism, sexual harassment/assault, racism, colorism, and homophobia (approached critically and appropriately for YA readers) Many thanks to Scholastic Inc. and the author for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Ok, Debating Darcy is one of my Top 2 books of 2022 thus far,…

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Book Review: Ocean State by Stewart O'Nan

Book Review: Ocean State by Stewart O’Nan

⭐⭐ 2/5 stars; Ocean State by Stewart O’Nan; Atlantic Monthly Press; published March 15, 2022 CWs: graphic sexuality; sexual activity between minors (teens); mature language; some gore; disrespectful? rep of a person with Down’s syndrome I won a finished copy of this book in a giveaway hosted by the publisher. Many thanks to Atlantic Monthly Press & the author. Cross-genre (lit fic + thriller +…

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Book Review: Landscape in Sunlight by Elizabeth Fair

Book Review: Landscape in Sunlight by Elizabeth Fair

⭐⭐2/5 stars; Landscape in Sunlight by Elizabeth Fair; A Furrowed Middlebrow Book from Dean Street Press; originally published in 1953 CWs: several uses of the slurs “gypsy” and “midget” This was the March middlebrow book club pick, many members taking the title as the promise of a cheerful reprieve from recent winter blues. I did my best to finish the book by 5:30PM PST and was a whopping ten…

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ARC Book Review: The Wolf Den (Wolf Den Trilogy #1) by Elodie Harper

ARC Book Review: The Wolf Den (Wolf Den Trilogy #1) by Elodie Harper

⭐⭐ 2/5 stars; The Wolf Den (Wolf Den Trilogy #1) by Elodie Harper; Union Square & Co., released March 2022 Many thanks to Union Square & Co. for sending me a free ARC of The Wolf Den in exchange for an honest review CWs: sexual assault/violence; physical abuse; child neglect/abuse; blood/gore; suicide; mentions of contraceptive methods/abortion; mature language Summary: It’s 74 AD and Amara, a…

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Book Review: Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts by Erika Lewis

Book Review: Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts by Erika Lewis

⭐⭐⭐ 3/5 stars; Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts by Erika Lewis; Starscape (MacMillan), released March 2022. Many thanks to Starscape/MacMillan for sending me a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review CWs: mild violence and gore; depictions of child neglect and bullying From the publisher: “The Otherworld is at war. The Academy for the Unbreakable Arts…

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Book Review: Sundial by Catriona Ward

Book Review: Sundial by Catriona Ward

⭐⭐ 2/5 stars; Sundial by Catriona Ward; Tor Nightfire, released March 2022. Many thanks to the author and Tor Nightfire for sending me a free ARC of Sundial in exchange for an honest review! I’m grateful I had the opportunity to read it. CWs: domestic violence, child abuse/death, animal abuse/death, pregnancy trauma, gore From the publisher: “All Rob wanted was a normal life. She almost got…

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Family mini-book review: The Storm Runner (book 1) by J.C. Cervantes

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Storm Runner (Book 1) by J.C. Cervantes ✨ It’s an incredible story and made for a fantastic read-aloud. First, my kids’ thoughts (some of which are a little spoiler-y so proceed with caution):💕 12yo: “The way the author depicted the gods, especially Ah-Puch because he’s not the typical villain. Also, Bird and Jordan are annoying and arrogant but MEMORABLE. I liked all the…

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Favorite Author Feature: Maeve Binchy

✨ As someone who’s staunchly secular and several generations removed from true Irish ancestry, it feels strange to say Happy St. Patrick’s Day. Instead, I’d like to introduce you to one of my favorite authors who just happens to be Irish! Maeve Binchy. Oh man, I wish I’d discovered her books years earlier. I’ve collected and read a big stack of them and so far, here are my Top Four in no…

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Briefly: book quote, reading update, tbr

Briefly: book quote, reading update, tbr

And when I was your age I thought everybody over thirty was practically dead. But we don’t feel like that. We find ourselves just as interesting as we ever did and what happens to us seems just as important.Chatterton Square by E.H. Young Timely as I count down the hours to my 33rd birthday. Chatterton Square is this month’s Middlebrow Book Club pick and I’m very glad to have been introduced to…

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Book Review: Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka

Book Review: Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka; William Morrow Books, released January 2022. Many thanks to the author and William Morrow Books for sending me a free ARC of Notes on an Execution in exchange for an honest review! I’m grateful I had the opportunity to read it. “This is the reason the reporters still appear… the reason Ansel is granted space in the newspapers. He is captivating.…

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Book Review: The Woods in Winter by Stella Gibbons

Book Review: The Woods in Winter by Stella Gibbons

⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Woods in Winter by Stella Gibbons; published by Dean Street Press, Furrowed Middlebrow imprint The Woods in Winter (1970) is my introduction to Gibbons’ writing, the irony being that it was the last novel she submitted to her publisher. It’s beautiful and melancholic and has made me want to read all of her work. Where do I begin? For a small book The Woods in Winter contains a large…

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Book Review: The Woods in Winter by Stella Gibbons

Book Review: The Woods in Winter by Stella Gibbons

⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Woods in Winter by Stella Gibbons, A Furrowed Middlebrow Book from Dean Street Press Last autumn I was fortunate enough to meet another avid reader who introduced me to “Middlebrow” books and extended an invitation to check out a monthly reading club she had started entirely dedicated to the genre. It turns out I was familiar with a few Middlebrow authors already, namely Barbara Comyns…

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Book Review: The Widow Queen (The Bold #1) by Elżbieta Cherezińska

Book Review: The Widow Queen (The Bold #1) by Elżbieta Cherezińska

Many thanks to Forge Books and the author for sending me an advanced reader’s copy of The Widow Queen in exchange for an honest review. It was an absolute pleasure to read. On sale today, April 6, 2021! To all the anonymous, forgotten princessesThe nuns, wives, mothers, and rulers about whom history is silentThe girls marked in biographies of dynasties with a sad “N.N.” Elżbieta Cherezińska’s…

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SPOILER-FREE BOOK REVIEW: A Splendid Ruin by Megan Chance

A Splendid Ruin by Megan Chance ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5Release day: 1/1/2021Genre: Adult gothic/historical fiction (content warnings for physical abuse and neglect; mild sexual content, more suggestive than explicit; constructively addressed racist attitudes/statements) I discovered A Splendid Ruin in December 2020 as part of Amazon’s First Reads program and chose it as my free ebook for the month. This is the…

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BOOK REVIEW: The Mysterious Affair at Styles (Hercule Poirot #1) by Agatha Christie

BOOK REVIEW: The Mysterious Affair at Styles (Hercule Poirot #1) by Agatha Christie

Photo by Mary Beth, originally posted at TinyBookFort on Instagram The Mysterious Affair at Styles (Hercule Poirot #1) by Agatha Christie ⭐/5Originally published October 1920Genre: Mystery, crime fiction (CW: racist slurs) The first installment in Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot series (her first novel ever, in fact), The Mysterious Affair at Styles is a locked-room mystery featuring a rather…

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*Spoiler-free* BOOK REVIEW: Vasilisa (Old Rus, Book One) by Julie Mathison

*Spoiler-free* BOOK REVIEW: Vasilisa (Old Rus, Book One) by Julie Mathison

Vasilisa (Old Rus, Book One) by Julie Mathison, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Release day: Tuesday, February 23, 2021Genre: middle-grade fiction/magical realism, ages 9-12 ✨ Many thanks to Edelweiss, Starr Creek Press, and Julie Mathison for giving me a free eARC of Vasilisa in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely love fairytales and retellings. Growing up watching Disney’s Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast…

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Book Recommendations: 12 Curious and Adventurous Tales for Kids

Book Recommendations: 12 Curious and Adventurous Tales for Kids

Photo by Mary Beth, originally posted at TinyBookFort on Instagram I’m excited to present a list of twelve amazing, adventurous books and book series to spark curiosity and imagination in the mind of any child. These are straight from my family’s shelves, stories and art that my own children, ages 11, 7 and 4, have greatly enjoyed. (Links will take you to that title’s or series’ Goodreads…