Fortune Favors the Sparrow ~ Review

Fortune Favors the Sparrow

Agents of the Convent #1

By Rebecca Connolly

Clara Harlow's life is dedicated to her students and her fellow teachers at Miss Masters Finishing School. But her skills as an artist and her command of the French language are about to introduce her to a side of the school she never imagined existing. All too soon she finds herself assuming the identity of the late Duke of Kirklin's ward to gain access to his estate in Kent and puts her artistic skills to work. She never expected to meet the new Duke of Kirklin...

George (Hawk) Russell is bored with the life of a duke. His late uncle's estates all but run themselves, leaving him with nothing to occupy his time. Worse than living a boring life, Hawk finds that he bores himself. But what's a Duke to do? Why break the rules of convention, of course. As Hawk begins the annual tour of his estates he never expected to find a most captivating young lady residing within the walls of Kirkleigh. And soon he finds himself reluctant to out of Clara's presence. Her company has brought something into his life and he doesn't want to give it up.

But when Hawk learns of her deception will their connection be severed? Or will she just disappear when her mission is completed, leaving him with a broken heart?

This book continues with the plot uncovered in To Sketch a Sphinx and the effort to thwart the overthrow of the English government by those with French sympathies. This is the first book in Rebecca Connolly's new series Agents of the Convent, and fans of her previous works will not be disappointed. This Regency Era book can be read as a standalone if you have not read the author's previous series as it features, for the most part, characters new to this world.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion if I choose. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

Mischief is as mischief does...

Clara Harlow is perfectly content with her life as a teacher of art and French at the Miss Masters Finishing School, so nothing startles her more than to discover that the school is far more than it seems, and its purposes more complicated than anything she could have imagined. She finds herself accepting an assignment from the highest powers in England to use her talents for a particular mission: to impersonate the ward of the late Duke of Kirklin, gain access to the estate, and to discern how a strip of the Kent coastline there is being used against the security of England.

The present Duke of Kirklin, George Russell, better known as Hawk, does not know what to make of the appearance of the former ward of his late uncle, but he is captivated by her. Her skills in art are unlike anything he has ever seen, and her company grows more agreeable with every passing day. His boring, bachelor life grows less and less appealing, and the company within his walls more perfectly suited for the place than he ever dreamed.

What could possibly go wrong?

Beauty Among Ruins ~ Review

Beauty Among Ruins

By J'nell Ciesielski

Narrated by Kate Rudd

Lily Durham has flaunted her lack of regard for societal rules for the last time. Her mother won't allow her to further endanger the family's standing with her carefree, thoughtless behavior and thus banishes her to spend the summer in England. But war with Germany extends Lily's exile, trapping her on the island nation. What's a girl to do? Why take up nursing and help care for the convalescing soldiers.

But Lily's skills as a nurse are sadly lacking and her American ways do little to endear her to the matron or the family who have given their home over to serve as a convalescent home. 

Kinclavoch Castle has fallen on hard times, debt has allowed it to deteriorate, though the current laird, Alec MacGregor, is doing all in his power to preserve and hold onto his family's ancestorial lands and provide a home for those who have served. Alec wants to remain in the shadows and out of the judgmental eye of any who may disapprove of his lack of service. Though contact with the family is strictly prohibited Lily somehow manages to get lost and always ends up exactly where she shouldn't. But sometimes that is exactly where one needs to be.

As Lily comes to love and care for the stark beauty of the land that has become home to her, she grows into a person that she never could have been surrounded by the wealth and society she had been born into. And she finds her heart softening towards a certain laird who is determined to go it alone as his world crumbles around him. Can two opposites find common ground in their loneliness and their love of the land they stand upon? But someone has targetted Alec and Kinclavoch seemingly with an intention to destroy them both. 

Beauty Among Ruins takes the reader to the lowlands of Scotland during the height of the Great War, the War that was to end all wars. The world is in a time of upheaval and change, and it is in this world that Lily comes into her own. She brings light and joy to a world that has lost its way brightening the life of Alec and the soldiers by giving them hope.

The narration by Kate Rudd is well done. The pacing suits the story, moving it forward as we are introduced to the various characters. In no way does her presentation detract from the story. 

I have not previously had any familiarity with the author's works and was more than a little pleased to discover a new to me author. J'nell Ciesielski has a delightful way with words and I for one plan on further discovering her works - her previous work The Socialite is already on my tbr list for 2021.

I was provided a complimentary digital text copy of this work but purchased the audio version to complement my daily commute. All thoughts expressed are my own.

About the Book:

In Ciesielski’s latest sweeping romance, an American heiress finds herself in Scotland amid the fallout of the Great War, and a wounded Scottish laird comes face-to-face with his past and a woman he never could have expected.

American socialite Lily Durham is known for enjoying one moment to the next, with little regard for the consequences of her actions. But just as she is banished overseas to England as a “cure” for her frivolous ways, the Great War breaks out and wreaks havoc. She joins her cousin in nursing the wounded at a convalescent home deep in the wilds of Scotland at a crumbling castle where its laird is less than welcoming.

Alec MacGregor has given his entire life to preserving his home of Kinclavoch Castle, but mounting debts force him to sell off his family history bit by bit. Labeled a coward for not joining his countrymen in the trenches due to an old injury, he opens his home to the Tommies to make recompense while he keeps to the shadows. But his preference for the shadows is shattered when a new American nurse comes streaming into the castle on a burst of light.

Lily and Alec are thrown together when a series of mysterious events threaten to ruin the future of Kinclavoch. Can they put aside their differences to find the culprit before it’s too late, or will their greatest distraction be falling in love?

Hunger ~ Cover Reveal

 It's time for another cover reveal!

The second book in Jill Williamson's Thirst Duology is

about to be revealed. And it is an excellent companion look

to Thirst.

But before we get to the cover, I'm sure you want

to know a little about the book first.

In the wake of a pandemic, Eli and his friends find a thriving community that offers free housing, food, and thankfully, safe drinking water. But something is amiss. The residents spend most of their time partying and attending concerts. No one seems concerned that the virus is still out there. When Eli tries to leave, he discovers a fence has been built to keep him, and everyone else, inside.

Hannah is tired of running. When she is conscripted to work in the hospital, she hopes she’s finally found a place to belong, but Admin’s disregard for a doctor’s pledge to “First do no harm” is unsettling.

As Hannah starts to wonder if she will ever be safe again, Eli clings to his hope for freedom. In a world filled with lies, can they learn to trust each other? Or will their hunger for safety trap them in a world that’s not so safe after all?

Now Thirst is scheduled to be released on April 8, 2021, in hardcover, paperback, and eBook.

If you are planning on going the eBook route, you can preorder it at:

https://amzn.to/39JUziM

You can learn more at:

www.JillWilliamson.com/thirst

Now it is time to check out the cover.

Lethal Intent ~ Review

Lethal Intent

By Cara Putman

This book features several of the characters from The Hidden Justice series, so I'm assuming it is, if not part of the numbered series, a companion book that continues following the lives of lawyers who call the D.C. area home.

In this book, we get to know Caroline Bragg, who has just started a new job as legal counsel for Praecursoria, where she is tasked with keeping the company on the right side of the law as they develop new genetic therapies. But the drive to save kids who are succumbing to cancer can be a powerful temptation to cross the line.

Brandon Lancaster has been Caroline's best friend for years and she admires his dedication to providing a home to foster children who otherwise would lose contact with their siblings. When one of his foster kids starts to lose her battle to the cancer wracking her body, Brandon will do all in his power to help her fight it. And Praecursoria's newest trail offers hope that Brandon has been looking for. 

When Praecursoria has a rash of tragic events occur within a short period of time, Caroline has some suspicions but no way to prove them. Is someone out to damage Praecuroria or is it just a coincidence what has been happening? Can she protect the company and Brandon while keeping the confidence the law requires? 

Lethal Intent is a legal romantic suspense that will keep you guessing as to who is doing what. We are shown glimpses of the person working against Preacursoria but not enough to discern their identity. Who is the killer's next target? Caroline needs to walk carefully if she hopes to outwit an opponent who seems to be waiting for her next move. Another good read that is not to be missed.

I found some of the background information that all the science that was going into the treatments being developed/ Some of it is a bit beyond what I remember from High School science but it all has a plausible feel to it.  I found this to be an easy read that is the perfect choice for a long weekend. You won't regret reading this one.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion ~ All thoughts expressed are my own

About the Book:

If they expected silence, they hired the wrong woman. 

Caroline Bragg’s life has never been better. She and Brandon Lancaster are taking their relationship to the next level, and she has a new dream job as legal counsel for Praecursoria—a research lab that is making waves with its cutting-edge genetic therapies. The company’s leukemia treatments even promise to save desperately sick kids—kids like eleven-year-old Bethany, a critically ill foster child at Brandon’s foster home. 

When Caroline’s enthusiastic boss wants to enroll Bethany in experimental trials prematurely, Caroline objects, putting her at odds with her colleagues. They claim the only goal at Praecursoria is to save lives. But does someone have another agenda? 

Brandon faces his own crisis. As laws governing foster homes shift, he’s on the brink of losing the group home he’s worked so hard to build. When Caroline learns he’s a Praecursoria investor, it becomes legally impossible to confide in him. Will the secrets she keeps become a wedge that separates them forever? And can she save Bethany from the very treatments designed to heal her? 

This latest romantic legal thriller by bestseller Cara Putman shines a light on the shadowy world of scientific secrets and corporate vendettas—and the ethical dilemmas that plague the place where science and commerce meet.

Shadow ~ Cover Reveal

 Enclave Publishing has revealed the cover to the second Heirs of Neverland book

Peter Pan has crash-landed back on Neverland.
But this is not the island he remembers.

Desperate to rescue Claire and the fractured Lost Boys, Peter must unravel what truly tore his dreamland apart. But with each step, he is haunted by more of his own broken memories. Not even Pan himself is what he seems.

Claire Kenton is chained to a pirate ship, watching the wreckage of Neverland rocked by tempests. When she finally finds her brother, Connor is every bit as shattered as the island. Claire may have pixie dust flowing in her veins—but the light of Neverland is flickering dangerously close to going out forever.

To rescue Neverland from the inescapable shadow, the boy who never grew up and the girl who grew up too fast will have to sacrifice the only thing they have left: each other.

Available as a limited-edition hardcover in July 2021

Mark your calendar

On July 13,2021,

Kara Swanson's 

Shadow

 will be released

Thinking About ~ L.M. Montgomery

By Unknown author - Wikimedia

 Thinking About

Lucy Maud Montgomery

aka L.M. Montgomery

 Anyone familiar with L.M. Montgomery's works knows her as  the author of the Anne of Green Gables books. She brought Anne Shirley, that is Anne with an "e" to life, and we, the readers for several generations, were allowed to live for a time on Prince Edward Island and Green Gables home. Now I do have to admit I preferred Anne before she became a mother, I think she lost something of herself when she had her children and sort of faded into the background. But I loved the final book in the series Rilla of Ingleside though it was filled with the heartbreak of loss as the war in Europe claimed some of the characters we had come to love. 

As much as I loved Anne, Diana, Gilbert, Rilla, and Walter I have to say my favorites come from Lucy's other books. My absolute favorite is the Emily Trilogy - Emily of New Moon, Emily Climbs, and Emily's Quest. I just loved Emily, her friends Ilse, Teddy, Perry, Cousin Jimmy, Aunt Elizabeth, and Aunt Laura. Every summer I would reread these books as soon as summer vacation began. I savored life with Emily as she went from the despair of losing her father to the new life she claimed when she moved to New Moon. Emily's life touched something within and made me want to visit her every year.

I also loved the Pat of Silver Bush books - Pat of Silver Bush and Mistress Pat. Pat hates change and she wants to do everything she can to keep Silver Bush and all she holds dear the same but life brings changes as Pat all too soon discovers. Some changes are welcome while others have the potential of breaking our hearts.

There are several of Lucy's standalone novels that are also well worth reading. Kilmeny of the Orchard finds a young woman hidden away who doesn't speak - her family thinks she lives under a curse. The Blue Castle finds Valancy Stirling living life through the books of her favorite author but a terminal medical diagnosis finds her seeking to live life before she dies. 

This is by no means an exhaustive list of the works of L.M. Montgomery but these are my personal favorites that I have read multiple times and recommend often to others. There is something about her books that speaks to the reader's heart and mind. These aren't books that one outgrows but rather grows with. These are books that leave you with a feel-good feeling and with the current situation we find the world in we can all use a feel-good book or two or three.

Force Collector ~ Review

Force Collector

Journey to Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker

By Kevin Shinick

Narrated by Euan Morton

Karr Nuq Sin has a sensitivity to certain objects - objects that have a history that ties them to the Force. Only his grandmother believes him that touching the objects brings on visions - visions that show jumbled memories of the past. Karr's parents are convinced that he has a health issue and they drag him from one specialist to another. 

But the day he meets Maize Raynshi changes everything. For one he finally has a friend and she is about to offer him the opportunity of a lifetime - the chance to search for more Jedi artifacts and discover the truth about himself. And if he has to take part in a little rebellion, well let's just say it's time for Karr to cause a little bit of trouble.

Now this book doesn't really have much of a tie-in to The Rise of Skywalker rather it is a standalone title aimed at the YA audience. This book offers a glimpse into a world, a galaxy, that has for the most part grown-up without the Jedi. They have been feed lies about who they were. Few know that the deception perpetrated by Emperor Palpatine was not a Jedi insurrection but rather a Jedi slaughter with the Jedi as the victim. This book is a hunt for the history of the Jedi and a search for purpose. Overall a nice addition to the new Star Wars canon. 

I listened to the audio version (thanks to my library) and the book is well presented. The narration by Euan Morton has no issues - the narration is excellent with good pacing and clear speaking. I highly recommend this book especially if you are looking for a fairly quick read/listen. The playtime is just under 8-1/4 hours and in my case 2 weeks worth of commute listening.

About the Book:

Karr is a teenage boy like many others in the galaxy. He goes to school, helps his parents with the family business, likes speeders and droids. But Karr also has a secret: when he touches certain objects, he gets searing headaches and blacks out. And along with the pain sometimes come visions of people he doesn't know and places he's never been.

Karr's parents worry that he's sick; his grandmother is convinced the visions come from the Force. But it's been years since anyone has heard from the last of the Jedi-Luke Skywalker. Are there any Jedi left to guide Karr in the use of his abilities? Is anyone even willing to talk about the Jedi and what happened to them, as their memory continues to fade and the First Order rises? Stuck on his isolated home planet, Karr becomes a collector of historical artifacts, hoping to one day find an object that will give him a vision about the secrets of the Jedi.

When his grandmother dies and his parents announce they're sending him away to a school on the other side of the planet, Karr reaches his breaking point. He needs to know what his destiny holds, and whether the Jedi are involved. Accompanied by Maize, the blunt, unpredictable new girl at school with ties to the First Order, and RZ-7, Karr's solicitous droid companion, he sets off into the larger galaxy to find the truth. His adventures will take him from Utapau to Jakku to Takodana and beyond as he learns more about the Jedi than he could have expected?and about his own place in the Force.