Review: Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade

Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade by Nancy Springer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 out of 5 stars - If you ask, I'll tell you to read it

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for this advanced copy.

In this 8th installment of the Enola Holmes series, we actually revisit the characters from the 2nd and 4th mysterie, Lady Cecily Alastair and her family. I do love the crazy escapades that Enola gets up to in order to rescue her friend, and the story tells the sad truths of history and a woman's place.

One struggle I have is that these are to be YA books, but so often there are obscure words that make me happy I'm reading with my Kindle and can look them up.

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Review: The Lager Queen of Minnesota

The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3 out of 5 stars - It was ok

I had a hard time following the timeline, as it jumped around between people as well as time in history. It didn't help that the chapter names were all dollar amounts, so I couldn't even look back at the chapter headings in my kindle to figure out where I was in time.

I think the thing I was most disappointed in was the ending. I just found it extremely unlikely.

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Review: The Suite Spot

The Suite Spot by Trish Doller
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 out of 5 stars - I'll tell you to read it, if you ask me

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for this advanced copy. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

 

Book Summary:

Rachel Beck works at a Miami Beach luxury hotel as an overnight concierge. When there’s a situation of “he said, she said” with a rich and powerful guest, Rachel is immediately let go. In order to support herself and her child, Rachel reaches out about a position at a brewery hotel on a tiny island in Lake Erie called Kelleys Island that a friend informed her about. She accepts the job, simply because it is a source of stability.

Mason, her new boss, is a handsome, reclusive man who knows everything about brewing beer and nothing about running a hotel. Rachel finds the hotel is bare bones and definitely not ready for guests. She also finds that her accommodations are a room in Mason’s home on the property. It may not be what she was expecting, but she jumps at the chance to help repair her life and build the hotel from the ground up.

Review:

I really liked getting to know the characters in The Suite Spot. I could relate to Rachel’s situation about unwanted advances in the service industry. Sadly, I could also totally see a company firing her due to “he said, she said” BS when the other side is a rich and powerful man.

The characters were fun and lively, the drama was something I could totally see happening, and I was brought back to my business trips to Sandusky, OH. I definitely looked up maps more than once to reference the locations mentioned in the book.

I enjoyed the book so much that I went back and read the first book in the series about Rachel’s sister!

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Review: Once Upon a December

Once Upon a December by Amy E. Reichert
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 out of 5 stars - I'll tell you to read it, if you ask me

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this free copy. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Book Summary:
To Astra Noel Snow, holiday spirit is a way of life. After her recent divorce, she's ready to cut loose and have some fun with her friends at their annual weekend visit to the Milwaukee Christmas Market. There she meets a handsome stranger who works in his family's bakery in the Julemarked and saves the best kringle (pastry) for her.

Jack Clausen lives in the Julemarked, with its snowy lights and charming shops that always stays the same. The world outside the Julemarked changes, as the inhabitants of the Julmarked magically leap from one December to the next every four weeks. He’s never minded this life until he meets Astra and shows him life outside of the magical alley.

After many dates during the month of December, some Yuletide magic, and the unexpected glow of new love, Astra and Jack must decide whether this relationship can weather all seasons, or if what they’re feeling is as ephemeral as marshmallows in a mug of hot cocoa.

Review:
As always, I really enjoyed the story written by Amy Reichert. I love the way she weaves in local information that makes me want to go wander around in nearby Milwaukee.

Even though it was May when I read it, the feeling of Christmas and the holiday cheer was ever present. I really enjoyed meeting the two main characters, but I loved most of the supporting cast (both major and minor). It was really hard to like the ex-husband even the littlest bit, so obviously he was written perfectly! I liked the little bit of magic thrown into the story without making it so out there it was unreadable.

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Review: Room and Board

Room and Board by Miriam Parker
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3 out of 5 stars - It was ok

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for this advanced copy. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Book Summary:

Gillian is a successful publicist in Manhattan who gets wrapped up into the #MeToo movement and scandal ensues. Forced to leave her line of work and find a new start, she accepts a job at her former boarding school as a "dorm mom". She settles into life there as a mentor to the students and friend to a teacher. She even runs into her old high school crush, now a parent of one of the students (and single!) When scandal on campus ensues, she has to figure out how to keep everything moving forward without causing more problems.

Review:

While I totally understood where the initial scandal came from, I had trouble relating to the characters. The rich privileged kids seemed to be complete stereotypes. The love interest always seemed kind of shady and untrustworthy. While the story was a good escape from reality, I wasn't totally enthralled with it.

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Review: When You Trap a Tiger

When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 out of 5 stars - I'll tell you to read it without even asking!

I read this for the 2022 PopSugar Reading Challenge.

Book Summary:

This is the story of Lily and her family. Her mother moves her sister and her to go live with their halmoni (Korean for grandmother), who is sick. While there, Lily starts seeing a magical tiger who forces her to learn more about herself and her family history. The story is that Halmoni once stole something from the tigers, and now they want it back. The tiger offers Lily a deal, the stolen items in exchange for healing her grandmother.

Review:

I loved the fact that this story is based on Korean folklore stories, yet is completely relatable in modern times. The relationships between and within the generations are completely relatable. The book is told from Lily's perspective, and it shows the way she interacts with family, new friends, and acquaintances. I fully admit to tears while reading, but they were totally worth it.

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Review: Killer Content

Killer Content by Olivia Blacke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4 out of 5 stars - I'll tell you to read it, if you ask me

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this free copy. All opinions expressed are completely my own. 

Book Summary:

Odessa Dean has recently come to Brooklyn to cat-sit for her aunt, where she got a job at Untapped Books & Café, a shop selling books and craft beers. While working a shift and covering for a coworker who snuck out quickly, Odessa hears about a death caught on camera during a flash-mob and going viral. While watching the video, she realizes that the death was her coworker. The police write it off as an accident, saying she fell off the overhead walkway, but Odessa doesn’t believe that. She is determined to take matters into her own hands and find the killer.

Review:

This book was a fun, relatively quick read. There were quirky characters throughout, and you couldn’t help but root for Odessa as she worked her way through the clues. I loved hearing about how Odessa was figuring out her way around the city, the personalities of her coworkers, and new friendships she made. I really hope there will be a second book and this turns into a series!

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