Review: With Love from Wish & Co.

With Love from Wish & Co. by Minnie Darke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell for this advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

This is the story of Marnie, owner of Wish & Co, a personalized gift buying service used by the wealthy. She researches the gift recipient to find the best gifts for them. Until it all goes wrong and she accidentally sends gifts to the wrong people, a customer's wife and mistress.

I have always loved the idea of being a personal shopper for someone. I like shopping and helping to find the right thing, but I never considered the moral issues that could come up!

I enjoyed getting to know the characters of this story. I will have to keep my eyes open for other books by this author.

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Review: The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women

The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 out of 5 stars - I'll tell you to read it, even if you don't ask

Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. It is this reason that I often read history books, memoirs, and biographies. We can learn things from those who came before us.

The Radium Girls were the young ladies employed by various watch companies in the 1910s and 1920s to paint radioactive numbers on watch and dial faces to allow them to glow in the dark. These women endured unspeakable pain and suffering, but it is because of them that OHSA and other worker protections were put into place.

I found this story very relatable. The author made you care about the women by introducing you to them as more than just workers and names in a court case. We learned their hopes and dreams, their families, and much more. The research was thorough, with access to letters and diaries in addition to court records, depositions, and much more.

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Review: Mother Daughter Traitor Spy

Mother Daughter Traitor Spy by Susan Elia MacNeal
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

5 out of 5 - I'll tell you to read it, even if you don't ask me

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Bantam for this advanced copy.  All opinions are my own.

This is the story of a mother and daughter duo who infiltrate the Nazi movement in California in the 1930s and 1940s to try to take them down from the inside. Based on the true story of Grace and Sylvia Comfort, this book takes some literary license and changes names, but the author takes care to discuss at the end what was true and what was changed.

I really enjoyed learning more about what was happening on the homefront prior to WWII. While I knew there were inklings of this story in history, I had no idea how prevalent and deep rooted the plans were for a Nazi led America. This has made me more interested in this side of history and I will be looking for more information.

For more information about the original mother and daughter, I found this article.
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-x...

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Review: Drunk on Love

Drunk on Love by Jasmine Guillory
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the advanced copy. All opinions shared are my own.

This is the story of Margot and Luke. Margot and her brother own a winery in Napa and while she's on a business trip, Margot's brother hires a new employee for the tasting room without her input. In her frustration, Margot ends up at her friend's restaurant for a drink and dinner. While there, her friend dares her to flirt with the guy on the next bar stool. The flirting and conversation go well, one thing led to another, and Margot went back to Luke's apartment for the night. Only to learn when they both arrive at work the next morning that Luke was the new hire at the winery. There's some frustration and holding back of feelings while they're working together, to stay professional. In the end, we all know they'll end up together.

I enjoyed this book. It was a great escape for a few days. I enjoyed the cameo at the winery by characters from Jasmine Guillory's other books. It was fun to see some of the behind the scenes of running a winery and publicizing a small family business with memberships and exclusive parties. It was also great to have the background stories on why Luke was working at the winery and why he might or might not go back to his old job.

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Review: By the Book

By the Book by Jasmine Guillory
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

This was a fun retelling of "Beauty and the Beast". The story and characters were engaging, and the story was mostly light and fluffy (which was just what I needed).

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Review: I Need a New Butt!

I Need a New Butt! by Dawn McMillan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

I'm not sure what was so wrong with this story that would cause an Assistant Principal to be fired. The only thing I can see that could be seen as even slightly inappropriate are illustrations of various butts. I found it cute, and I can see why kids would find it entertaining.

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Review: Enola Holmes and the Boy in Buttons

Enola Holmes and the Boy in Buttons by Nancy Springer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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

This was a cute little novella that delved a little deeper into one of the side characters of the Enola Holmes stories. Joddy works as her porter in her boardinghouse. When he gets sick, his younger brother Paddy fills in. One night, Paddy doesn't come home after working. Enola quickly jumps into action to find him.

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