My Review:
A name can be an identity, a future, and power.
Coin has made a living on the streets, a Nameless in a caste system of Royals, Legals and Nameless. She doesn’t know her real name, but when she is impossibly named the heir to the throne, she must fight for her life and for the lives of her people.
A engaging young adult read from debut author Rebecca McLaughlin, set in a well constructed world, with surprising twists and allies along the way.
Coin is a clever heroine, having survived on the streets by her own wits for years when suddenly a new destiny is thrust upon her. She is emotionally distant from others, and doesn’t trust anyone, but over the course of the book we see her long held standards challenged. I admired her determination, fighter’s spirit, she doesn’t back down, and isn’t afraid to play the long game.
There were many fantastic characters, especially strong females. I really liked Esther, Devil, and Hat, with her child-like innocence and enthusiasm. But of course Glenquartz was a fantastic character, and rather unexpected.
Well written, engaging, with great world building, and characters, with a compelling concept and subsequent consequences. I also really liked how this book proved that you don’t need a romantic storyline to tell a killer story, instead focusing on strong themes of friendship, family, power, and identity. Lots of action, and political intrigue, with a satisfying ending.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Review: I loved it!
Prudence, Victoria, and Rowena are three young ladies who find their life horribly disrupted upon the death of Sir Philip Buxton.
Prudence is forced to face her parentage, Rowena struggles to keep control of what was once theirs, while Victoria searches for answers to their cloaked past.
Each of them experiences more than they bargained for at Summerset Abbey.
Definitely a book written for the fans of Downton Abbey, with a great representation of the two different worlds within one household, with the upstairs and downstairs. I loved how well Ms. Brown’s writing style blended with this era, it was so perfect for the tone and plot of the story.
I think that my favorite character was probably Victoria, because she was willing to go out there and find answers, she wasn’t the typical lady and she wasn’t counting on her wealth and title to define her. All of the characters were well developed and brought to life, even the side characters. Prudence and Rowena were also great heroines, and I understood their logic in why they did what they did. Andrew was a loyal friend to Prudence through everything, and I liked how he was humble with big dreams!
As for content, this was a pretty clean book. Sometimes I don’t know what to expect when picking up a new book, but this one surprised me pleasantly. The only thing I will mention is that I counted four instances of swearing, but that was it. The tales of scandal were told with minimal detail, yet just enough so that you knew what probably happened.
Overall, a well written and entertaining read, with admirable heroines, and a riveting plot (I thought I had it all figured out since the beginning–but I didn’t! Talk about red herrings!) There were also love triangles, and plenty of romance! A book I immensely enjoyed, I would totally read the sequels if I could get my hands on them!
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Lucie’s Review:
Peter is a widower, and father of two daughters, he is also the heir of his uncle, Lord Elliott Mayfield. Lord Mayfield didn’t want his nieces and nephews to repeat his martial mistakes so in order to claim his inheritance, Peter must make a good match.
Peter has no intention of marrying again, and has no need to to claim his inheritance portion, and has little to do with society. But he does need some help with his daughters, and would like to hire a nanny.
Julia Hollingsworth likes being a nanny, her new boss is handsome and a good involved father with his daughters. But her mother warns her against having affections for Peter, and disapproves of Julia working for him.
Julia is a hardworking and kind young woman, she has been through society and was unsuccessful in finding a husband, she just wants to make her own way in the world and is happy to do so. She was close to her father and knows about raising dogs, which is one of Peter’s passions. Julia loves the girls and does her best to nurture and care for them in ways that recognizes their differences and talents. Leah and Marjorie adore her in return. Julia is competent and is proud of her independence.
Peter finds Julia entirely too beautiful and not strict enough, he can’t seem to stop thinking about her. Meanwhile Julia can’t figure out why her mother seems to be sabotaging her new job at every opportunity that she gets. Peter is an honorable man. He and Julia work together to care for the girls and his many dogs that he raises.
A bit slow to start, but it quickly picked up. I really enjoyed the story, as well as the many well done characters, great dialog, and adorable children. There is drama, and past secrets that threaten Julia and Peter’s chance at a future, and overall a very enjoyable read.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising.”
My Review:
Annaleigh and her sisters are proud of their Salt nobility, raised to respect the waters of the sea. Once twelve, they are now seven, as one by one tragic accidents claim the lives of her mother and sisters, and it is rumored that their family is cursed.
Each death upends their family again and again, as well as their father’s recent remarriage to a young second wife. Nightly balls distract the sisters from their sorrow, as nightmare, reality, and daydream blend together into a maddening fray where Annaleigh doesn’t know who to trust, or what is real or just illusion.
A spellbinding and engrossing read that takes a familiar tale adding elements of seaside life and darker otherworldly elements. This is a strong debut, with defining attention to detail that made each of the seven sisters stay distinct in my head. This story was very good at keeping me guessing, with red herrings, blending mythology with the psychological. Annaleigh is a admirable young woman who never asked to be a heroine or bear her family’s grief, she loves her family fiercely, and fights to bring them all together again.
A wonderfully told tale, with characters flawed in ways that brought them to life realistically. Powerful world building, mystery, intrigue, fantasy, and even romance, this book has a lot going for it. I really enjoyed the differing dynamics between the different sisters, as well as how they grieve and deal with the changes in their lives in their own ways. Even though there were some moments of more adult content, I felt like in the context of the story it was dealt with well in that it wasn’t overly explicit. I stayed up way too late reading this one, so to say that it was gripping would not quite do it justice as I am a person who values good sleep. This surpassed my expectations, and I will definitely be on the lookout for future releases from Erin A. Craig. If you are a fan of YA fantasy with a fairy tale twist and don’t mind them taking a darker turn than the original, then this one is for you!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This book is considered Young Adult General/Romance/Fantasy Fiction.
Content to consider — May contain spoilers: Elements of madness, supernatural hauntings that manifest themselves in very startlingly violent images of deceased loved ones. A couple is walked in on while in the midst of copulation, moans, the character is aware that they are unclothed–but we are spared explicit detail. There are underworldly beings that harass humans, striking shocking bargains. One character consummates a bargain with such a creature, and violently this happens again to that character’s shocking demise.
My Review:
Charlotte Edmonds is the privileged young lady of the manor, from all appearances she has everything that a young lady could possibly want, expect one thing: adventure.
Jane Seward is a lowly kitchen maid, who dares to dream of more. When Charlotte unexpectedly recruits her, drawing her into her web of secrets and adventure, Janie finds herself the target of the disgruntled staff.
What secrets will this unexpected friendship bring to light?
A fast paced read, with two heroines both longing for something bigger, and adventure. Well written, this book quickly grabbed my attention and didn’t let go. Engaging characters, from the mysterious Aunt Beatrice, to the all too charming Lawrence, and the ever loyal Harry, brought this novel to life.
Good dialogue and fascinating characters, as well as a healthy amount of surprise and secrets!
Overall, a wonderful read, with solid characters, this made for an enjoyable read, with nothing objectionable that I noticed. I’m desperately hoping for a sequel to this charming and intriguing tale!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising.”
