Category: Ballantine Books

The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki, Translated by Jessie Kirkwood

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books

Date of publication: August 20th, 2024

Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Magical Realism, Japan, Japanese Literature, Cats, Asia, Asian Literature, Animals, Novels

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

Translated from the Japanese bestseller, this charming and magical novel, inspired by the myth of cats returning favors to those who care for them, reminds us that it’s never too late to follow our stars.

In Japan, cats are a symbol of good luck. As the myth goes, if you are kind to them, they’ll one day return the favor. And if you are kind to the right cat, you might just find yourself invited to a mysterious coffee shop under a glittering Kyoto moon.

This particular coffee shop is like no other. It has no fixed location, no fixed hours, and seemingly appears at random to adrift young people at crucial junctions in their lives.

It’s also run by talking cats.

While customers at the Full Moon Coffee Shop partake in cakes and coffees and teas, the cats also consult them on their star charts, offer cryptic wisdom, and let them know where their lives veered off course.

Because every person who visits the shop has been feeling more than a little lost. And for a down-on-her-luck screenwriter, a romantically stuck movie director, a hopeful hairstylist and a technologically challenged website designer, the coffee shop’s feline guides will set them back on their fated paths. For there is a very special reason the shop appeared to each of them…

First Line:

It was early April and my apartment windows were wide open.

Important details about The Full Moon Coffee Shop

Pace: Medium

POV: 1st person (Mizuki, Akari), 3rd person (Takashi, Satsuki)

Content/Trigger Guidance: The Full Moon Coffee Shop contains themes of infidelity and death.

Language: The Full Moon Coffee Shop contains no swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is mild sexual content in The Full Moon Coffee Shop.

Setting: The Full Moon Coffee Shop is set in Kyoto, Japan.

My Review

I am a sucker for books that contain cats. Recently, I have also become very interested in reading Japanese literature. So, when I read the blurb for The Full Moon Coffee Shop and saw that it contained cats and Japanese literature, I knew I wanted to read it. And I am glad I did because this book was a cute read and a little strange.

The Full Moon Coffee Shop’s synopsis centers around four individuals (Mizuki, Akari, Satsuki, and Takashi), their current lives, and how they ended up at the coffee shop. The book was very well written, and I had zero issues following the storyline.

I warn that you might wonder how everything is connected (I certainly did wonder). The author does a beautiful job of gradually explaining the connections between the people. The connection between the cafe and the main characters isn’t fully explained until the end of the book.

The main characters were flawed, but not in a way that would ruin the book. The author did have each character have an awakening of sorts, which carried over into the other storylines.

The cats and the astrology made the book. I liked that the cats were named after the planets. I also liked that the author included drawings of each person’s astrology chart. It was nice to see a layout of what each cat (and there were four that gave the main characters TED talks) was talking about. I was able to visualize it. Also, I liked that the author didn’t fundamentally change the cats. Instead, they were furry creatures who stood on their hind legs, did astrology, and served up custom-made coffee/tea/desserts to the shop patrons.

The end of The Full Moon Coffee Shop was interesting. The author shows how the main characters changed because of their interactions at the coffee shop. In addition, the way the main characters met and the good deeds that they did together were explained. I was in tears reading that. They weren’t sad tears but happy tears. I wish I could tell you all more!!

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books, NetGalley, and Mai Mochizuki for allowing me to read and review The Full Moon Coffee Shop. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The Full Moon Coffee Shop, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Mai Mochizuki

The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books

Date of publication: July 16th, 2024

Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Magical Realism, Adult, Books about Books, Mystery, Contemporary, Magic, Adult Fiction, LGBT

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

Inspired by C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, this wild and wondrous novel is a fairy tale for grown-ups who still knock on the back of wardrobes—just in case—from the author of The Wishing Game.

As boys, best friends Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell went missing in a vast West Virginia state forest, only to mysteriously reappear six months later with no explanation for where they’d gone or how they’d survived.

Fifteen years after their miraculous homecoming, Rafe is a reclusive artist who still bears scars inside and out but has no memory of what happened during those months. Meanwhile, Jeremy has become a famed missing persons’ investigator. With his uncanny abilities, he is the one person who can help vet tech Emilie Wendell find her sister, who vanished in the very same forest as Rafe and Jeremy.

Jeremy alone knows the fantastical truth about the disappearances, for while the rest of the world was searching for them, the two missing boys were in a magical realm filled with impossible beauty and terrible danger. He believes it is there that they will find Emilie’s sister. However, Jeremy has kept Rafe in the dark since their return for his own inscrutable reasons. But the time for burying secrets comes to an end as the quest for Emilie’s sister begins. The former lost boys must confront their shared past, no matter how traumatic the memories.

Alongside the headstrong Emilie, Rafe and Jeremy must return to the enchanted world they called home for six months—for only then can they get back everything and everyone they’ve lost.

First Line:

The drive from Emilie Wendall’s house in Milton, Ohio, to Bernhelm Forest outside Louisville took a good two and a half hours.

Important details about The Lost Story

Pace: Fast

POV: 1st person (The Narrator), 3rd person (Emilie, Rafe, Jeremy)

Content/Trigger Guidance: The Lost Story contains themes that include homophobia, child abuse, physical abuse, domestic abuse, kidnapping, violence, alcoholism, death of parent, death, emotional abuse, hate crime, mental illness, physical abuse, abandonment, violence, injury, injury detail, panic attack/disorders, grief, medical content, suicide, bullying, drug use, addiction, terminal illness, blood, war, cancer, and trafficking.

Language: The Lost Story contains mild swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is mild sexual content in The Lost Story.

Setting: Dead Tired is set in West Virginia and the fictional country of Shanandoah.

My Review

I was very excited when I saw that Meg Shaffer had a new book coming out. I loved The Wishing Game and was very curious about The Lost Story. So, when Random House sent me a widget, I jumped on it. I didn’t even read the synopsis. I hit accept and then downloaded so fast that I think it might have confused my computer (there was a pause).

Because I was so excited about this book, I went into reading it with a little trepidation. I have been burned in the past by being excited and then the book not living up to my expectations. Well, The Lost Story did live up to my expectations and then some.

The main storyline of The Lost Story follows Emilie, Jeremy, and Rafe on their quest to find out what happened fifteen years earlier and what happened to Emilie’s older sister (she disappeared in the same forest a couple of years before the boys went missing). The storyline was well-written and well-fleshed out. But, I was getting frustrated by what I thought at the time was a lack of information or insight into Jeremy and Rafe’s past. That frustration lasted until they found Shanandoah again and Jeremy could explain everything to Rafe. And when I say everything, I mean everything. I’m not going to say much past that because of spoilers.

Every so often (usually when things get serious), the Narrator interrupts and explains situations or gives humorous outtakes of what is happening. Usually, I wouldn’t say I like the shift in POV or character, but in this case, it worked. I giggled over some of the things the Narrator said or alluded to. Of course, the Narrator’s identity is revealed at the end of the book; honestly, I wasn’t shocked at who it was. I had my suspicions, and the reveal confirmed them.

The Lost Story touches upon some heavy topics (suicide, drug use, child abuse) throughout the book. The author handled those topics with grace. I was also very thankful that only a little detail (other than what happened the night Jeremy and Rafe disappeared) was given.

The main characters brought so much to this book—Emilie, with her determination to hire Jeremy to look for her sister. Jeremy was the stable one whose line of work exposed him to the horrors of missing children, teens, and adults. And Rafe, well, he was damaged, and the author wasn’t afraid to show it.

The fantasy angle of the book was terrific. This book was inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia, and it showed. Everything in Shanandoah was vivid and looked like a child had created it. Because of how vividly the author described it, I would have been happy with just a book set in Shanandoah.

The romance/LGBTQ angle was perfect. I won’t go into it except to say that I loved how the author wrote the love story. It was heartbreaking, poignant, and heartwarming all at once.

The end of The Lost Story brought tears to my eyes. The author brought closure to many of the storylines but left some open. It made me wonder if another book would be written in this world, and the end certainly made it seem that way.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books, NetGalley, and Meg Shaffer for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Lost Story. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The Lost Story, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Meg Shaffer

The Gathering by C.J. Tudor

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books

Date of publication: April 9th, 2024

Genre: Horror, Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Vampires, Mystery Thriller, Paranormal, Adult, Crime, Suspense

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

A detective investigating a grisly crime in rural Alaska finds herself caught up in the dark secrets and superstitions of a small town in this riveting novel from the acclaimed author of The Chalk Man.

In a small Alaska town, a boy is found with his throat ripped out and all the blood drained from his body. The inhabitants of Deadhart haven’t seen a killing like this in twenty-five years. But they know who’s responsible: a member of the Colony, an ostracized community of vampyrs living in an old mine settlement deep in the woods.

Detective Barbara Atkins, a specialist in vampyr killings, is called in to officially determine if this is a Colony killing—and authorize a cull. Old suspicions die hard in a town like Deadhart, but Barbara isn’t so sure. Determined to find the truth, she enlists the help of a former Deadhart sheriff, Jenson Tucker, whose investigation into the previous murder almost cost him his life. Since then, Tucker has become a recluse. But he knows the Colony better than almost anyone.

As the pair delve into the town’s history, they uncover secrets darker than they could have imagined. And then another body is found. While the snow thickens and the nights grow longer, a killer stalks Deadhart, and two disparate communities circle each other for blood. Time is running out for Atkins and Tucker to find the truth: Are they hunting a bloodthirsty monster . . . or a twisted psychopath? And which is more dangerous?

First Line:

It would be wrong to say that life had passed Beau Grainger by.

The Gathering by C.J. Tudor

Important details about The Gathering

Pace: Fast

POV: 3rd person (Beau, Barbara, Tucker, Athelinda, unknown girl in basement)

Content/Triggers: The Gathering contains themes of child death, death, gun violence, violence, religious bigotry, murder, body shaming, child abuse, pedophilia, racism, sexual assault, and sexual violence. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

Language: The Gathering contains graphic swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is no consensual sexual content in The Gathering. But there is moderate nonconsensual sexual content as well as pedophilia (the pedophilia is not explained but referred to).

Setting: The Gathering is set in Deadhart, Alaska. 

My Review:

When Random House sent me an email containing the widget for The Gathering, I knew I needed to read this book. Why? First, the cover. It was (and still is) striking and having finished the book, it suits it. Secondly, I have a slight, tiny, eeny vampire obsession. I usually don’t review anything with vampires (and, of course, this book and the book I just finished will cast me as a liar). Those books are for my pleasure (no reviews/reading challenges). Thirdly, I can count on one hand the times I read a book set in Alaska during the winter. So, all of those reasons made me accept the widget.

The main storyline of The Gathering follows Barbara as she travels to Deadhart to investigate the murder of a teenage boy by a vampyr from the neighboring Colony. But, once she gets to Deadhart, the townspeople and her boss pressure Barbara to authorize a cull of the Colony. Not wanting to jump the gun, Barbara continues with her investigation, and what she finds surprises her. Not only did the Colony not kill the boy, but there is a vampyr hate group active in town. She also sees similarities to a murder committed over twenty years previously. With tensions in the town and the Colony rising daily, Barbara must find out who the murderer is and the reasons behind it before the vampyres and townspeople clash.

I found the storyline fascinating and nerve-racking. The book takes place in the dark because the sun never rises in Alaska during that part of the year. And, I will tell you, it made the horror parts much creepier, mainly because you can’t see who or what is coming for you in the dark.

The storyline is broken into three parts. The first part follows Barbara and her investigation. In the beginning, it was a little boring, but that didn’t last long at all. As Barbara enters town, things start happening and get creepy fast. There are flashbacks to Barbara’s past and her friendship with a vampyr named Mercy. I was also in awe over how calm Barbara was with people. Some of the things said and done to her were awful. But, again, her childhood and friendship with Mercy were a massive factor in how she was able to keep calm.

The second storyline follows Athelinda, the Colony, and the connection to the town. There was a minute where I was convinced that maybe one of her people had something to do with the death, but that was quickly put to rest. Everything Athelinda does in this book is for the good of her people, regardless of how it plays out. Her past also damaged Athelinda. The things she was forced to do were horrendous, and the implications made me gag. I won’t get into it because of spoilers, but I was sick when I read those paragraphs. But I also gained a better insight into Athelinda’s dealing with humans, and you know what? I don’t blame her for the things she did.

The third storyline was also the most mysterious one. There is no date or location, but it is centered on a teenage girl kept captive in a basement by her Captor. At first, I wondered why this girl was kept down there, but that was explained quickly. Then I wondered where this basement was and who the Captor was. I did have a suspect, but I was wrong about that. When the author revealed who it was, my mouth dropped open. It was the last person I expected.

The book also goes into the murder of another teenage boy, twenty-five years previously. But, unlike this murder, it was pretty cut and dry. But the fallout was felt years later. I couldn’t understand why Beau kept the heads and didn’t give them back to Athelinda. It is explained, but it was so wrong. Also, the more that was revealed about the night the teenage vampyr was killed (along with his father and uncle), the more I disliked Beau. But it also made me love Tucker (he tried to do the right thing and paid for it dearly).

The mystery angles of The Gathering were terrific. The author was able to keep me from figuring out who the killer was until Barbara and Tucker figured it out. That was twist number one. The second twist was who killed the town doctor and high school teacher and why. The reason for the town doctor’s murder was apparent, but the teacher, not so much. That leads to the third and most shocking twist. It involves the murder of the teacher and the girl in the basement. As I said above, I was shocked. It was the last person I would have thought. But, looking back, it did make sense, and the author dropped some tiny hints.

The end of The Gathering was interesting. The author wrapped everything up and explained every death in the book. Then the epilogue happened, and again, I was shocked. I was also hoping that this meant there would be a book 2. What was written was a heck of a cliffhanger.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books, NetGalley, and C.J. Tudor for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Gathering. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The Gathering, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by C.J. Tudor

All We Were Promised by Ashton Lattimore

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books

Date of publication: April 2nd, 2024

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Race, Adult, African American, Adult Fiction

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

A housemaid with a dangerous family secret conspires with a wealthy young abolitionist to help an enslaved girl escape, in volatile pre-Civil War Philadelphia.

The rebel . . . the socialite . . . and the fugitive. Together, they will risk everything for one another in this “beguiling story of friendship, deception, and women crossing boundaries in the name of freedom” (Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Lost Friends).

Philadelphia, 1837. After Charlotte escaped from the crumbling White Oaks plantation down South, she’d expected freedom to feel different from her former life as an enslaved housemaid. After all, Philadelphia is supposed to be the birthplace of American liberty. Instead, she’s locked away playing servant to her white-passing father, as they both attempt to hide their identities from slavecatchers who would destroy their new lives.

Longing to break away, Charlotte befriends Nell, a budding abolitionist from one of Philadelphia’s wealthiest Black families. Just as Charlotte starts to envision a future, a familiar face from her past reappears: Evie, her friend from White Oaks, has been brought to the city by the plantation mistress, and she’s desperate to escape. But as Charlotte and Nell conspire to rescue her, in a city engulfed by race riots and attacks on abolitionists, they soon discover that fighting for Evie’s freedom may cost them their own.

First Line:

The city of Philadelphia wasn’t what it claimed to be.

All We Were Prominsed by Ashton Lattimore

Important details about All We Were Promised

Pace: Medium but does pick up to fast by the end

POV: 3rd person (Charlotte/Carrie, Nell, Evie)

Content/Trigger Warnings: Lost & Hound contains themes of slavery, violence, confinement, hate crime, racism, kidnapping, grief, classism, racial slurs, violence, sexual assault*, sexual harassment, white supremacy, child abuse, physical injuries, fire & arson, physical assault, and riots. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

  • Sexual assault—There are scenes where Charlotte and Evie are made aware that Missus Kate can sell them to her brother. He is known for his brutal treatment of enslaved people. There is also an understanding that he regularly raped and impregnated his slaves.

Language: All We Were Promised contains no swearing but does contain language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is no consentual sexual content in All We Were Promised

Setting: All We Were Promised is set in Philadelphia, PA, and features memories of Evie and Charlotte’s time on the plantation in Maryland.

My Review:

All We Were Promised storylines (there are three) are centered around three individuals: Carrie/Charlotte (the escaped slave), Nell (an upper-class free woman of color), and Evie (a slave and Charlotte’s friend). The storyline was well-written and compelling. I was immersed in all three women’s plights and was an anxious mess during the last half of the book. I will warn you all that this book does not hold back when it comes to the treatment of black people (both slaves and free) pre-Civil War.

The storyline that centered on Carrie/Charlotte was sad. Charlotte and her father, James, escaped from slavery four years before the book started. James, or Jack as he was known to his former owners and Evie, could pass as a white man. He took advantage of that and built a thriving woodworking business. But, for Charlotte, it was torture. She was kept on a short leash and couldn’t interact with anyone but her father and the cook (who was a free man of color). It drove her up the wall and was why she started going to Nell’s reading club and sharing her abolitionist views. Charlotte was sympathetic, but I felt she took some unneeded risks. Like not telling Nell the whole truth about herself and how she knew Evie. Or risking her freedom to attend speeches by famous abolitionists. She also blamed her father for everything that went wrong, which also factored into her behavior.

The storyline that centered on Nell was interesting. She was a free woman of color who was also upper-class and whose family held considerable power in Philadelphia. Nell did come across as a pampered, spoiled woman sometimes, but you could tell her heart was in the right place. Meeting Charlotte and getting involved with her quest to free Evie opened her eyes. I did have some unanswered questions about her (mainly about the engagement and whether she learned anything from what happened to her).

The storyline that centered on Evie caught my heart and my attention. Evie was the personal slave of Missus Kate, and what she endured was awful. His mother and brother were both sold, leaving her alone on the plantation with Kate and a handful of slaves. I couldn’t get past the cruelty that was so casual or Kate’s lack of empathy. My draw dropped when Kate told Evie her plans for her after Kate’s marriage and where she was going (the brother’s manor for reeducation). I was caught up in this storyline and was rooting for Evie to leave.

This book takes place thirty years before the start of the Civil War. Every event mentioned in the book is accurate, and the author explains everything in a beautifully worded afterword.

Philadelphia did not live up to its City of Brotherly Love motto during this time. There was racial tension and rioting that seemed to be almost every day. It was a stressful time to live in.

The end of All We Were Promised was a little bittersweet. The author did not cement the futures of the three girls. I want to think that Evie and Charlotte could live freely and happily. I’d also like to believe that Nell kept to her values and what she wanted to do (be active in the abolitionist movement and not marry).

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books, NetGalley, and Ashton Lattimore for allowing me to read and review this ARC of All We Were Promised. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to All We Were Promised, then you will enjoy these books:

Lost & Hound (“Sister” Jane: Book 15) by Rita Mae Brown

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books

Date of publication: October 24th, 2023

Genre: Mystery, Fiction, Animals, Cozy Mystery, Conservation, Mystery Thriller

Series: “Sister” Jane

Outfoxed by Rita Mae Brown—Book 1

Hotspur by Rita Mae Brown—Book 2

Full Cry by Rita Mae Brown—Book 3

The Hunt Ball by Rita Mae Brown—Book 4

The Hounds and the Fury by Rita Mae Brown—Book 5

The Tell-Tale Horse by Rita Mae Brown—Book 6

Hounded to Death by Rita Mae Brown—Book 7

Fox Tracks by Rita Mae Brown—Book 8

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie by Rita Mae Brown—Book 9

Crazy Like a Fox by Rita Mae Brown—Book 10

Homeward Hound by Rita Mae Brown—Book 11

Scarlet Fever by Rita Mae Brown—Book 12

Out of Hounds by Rita Mae Brown—Book 13

Thrill of the Hunt by Rita Mae Brown—Book 14

Lost & Hound by Rita Mae Brown—Book 15

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

When a body is found curiously displayed on “Sister” Jane Arnold’s foxhunting grounds, members of her hunt club realize someone is sending them a dire message, in this exciting mystery from New York Times bestselling author Rita Mae Brown.

Early fall in Virginia means shorter days, cooler temperatures, the blooming milkweeds of summer giving way to fields of fluffy seeds—and of course, the start of fox hunting season. It’s “Sister” Jane Arnold’s favorite time of year. And this year, the Jefferson Hunt Club is busier than ever, organizing a fundraising drive to help with the upkeep of their beloved hunting grounds.

But the festive season is interrupted by the appearance of a dead body, tied to a chair and placed directly in the path of an early-season hunt. No one recognizes the victim, but the intentional placement makes it clear that someone is sending a message. Then, one huntsman’s valuable stamp collection is stolen, and they discover the victim was also a stamp collector. Sister suspects a connection, which is confirmed when just one stamp is found taped to the garage door of her friend and treasurer of the hunt club Ronnie Haslip. Could Ronnie have been involved in either the murder or the theft, or has he been marked as the next victim? Sister must uncover who has been sending these cryptic signs to her friends—before any of them wind up dead.

First Line:

The long slanting rays before sunset illuminated the dancing milkweed seeds, silver white, turning them gold, then scarlet, and finally a rich lavender.

Lost & Hound by Rita Mae Brown

Important details about Lost & Hound

Pace: Medium

POV: 3rd person (mainly Sister but also from various members of the hunt group)

Content/Trigger Warnings: Lost & Hound contains themes of murder, classism, racism*, blood, physical injuries, eyeball trauma, hospitalization, dead bodies, mutilation, death of a child*, grief & loss depiction, blackmail, gun violence, attempted murder, physical assault, hunting*, animal injury, and animal cruelty*. Please read carefully if any of these triggers you.

  • Racism—is remembered
  • death of a child—graphic and in the past
  • hunting—fox hunting, and the group does not kill the foxes. They run them to their dens and then call off the dogs.
  • animal cruelty—one of the main characters is using his organization as a front for the shipping of endangered reptiles (to and from China). While the reptiles in this person’s care were well cared for, the shipped ones were not.

Language: Lost & Hound contains no swearing or language that might offend some people.

Series: Lost & Hound is the fifteenth book in the “Sister” Jane series and can be read as a standalone.

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in Lost & Hound.

Setting: Lost & Hound is set in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia.

My Review:

I love it when I open a book and see that the author has included a glossary of terms used in the book. That is helpful because sometimes, mainly in fantasy, I need clues about what those words mean. In this book, it was helpful because I am not familiar with foxhunting. Having a list of what the different sayings mean and how they are used is beneficial. The author also went a step above and gave a list of characters—humans and animals.

Lost & Hound is the fifteenth book in the Sister Jane series. It can be read as a standalone, but I strongly suggest reading the previous books first. There are backstories and relationships that I could have used better insight into while reading, and there are also references to previous books that left me confused.

The main storyline in Lost & Hound focused on Sister, the Hunt Club, and the various relationships between the members. Strangely, the murder and the investigation were not the focal points of the book. There was little to no insight into the investigation until halfway through the book. However, the storylines were interconnected and well-written.

I was not familiar with foxhunting until I read Lost & Hound. Foxhunting is a sport that I thought was exclusively in England, and I was surprised that people did the hunts in America. The author did a fantastic job of explaining what goes into running a hunt club. As stated in the first paragraph, the author has a glossary of terms that gives more insight into the different terms and positions in the hunt. Also, to clarify, no foxes are harmed in the book. The author also makes that very clear.

The author did something different, including the animals’ POV throughout the book. Seeing how the animals interacted (the whole cow conversation was hilarious) and their insights into their people was often funny and exciting.

The author kept the mystery angle to the background until well past the middle of the book. There were no hints or clues about why the person was killed or who would even want to kill him. So, when the reveal came, it was a huge surprise because it came out of nowhere. Yes, Sister did some digging and revealed the man’s name and occupation. But there were no suspects or reasons.

The end of Lost & Hound was confusing. The reveal of the murderer and the reason behind it was chaotic. I was truly surprised by who killed the man and why. At the risk of repeating myself, it was entirely out of left field, and I was not too fond of that. I also got the impression that there will be a book 16.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books, NetGalley, and Rita Mae Brown for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Lost & Hound.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Lost & Hound, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Rita Mae Brown

The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books

Date of publication: March 12, 2024

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Books about Books, World War II, Historical, War, British Literature, Adult Fiction, Chick Lit

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | Kobo | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

When the Blitz imperils the heart of a London neighborhood, three young women must use their fighting spirit to save the community’s beloved library in this heartwarming novel from the author of The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir

When new deputy librarian, Juliet Lansdown, finds that Bethnal Green Library isn’t the bustling hub she’s expecting, she becomes determined to breathe life back into it. But can she show the men in charge that a woman is up to the task of running it, especially when a confrontation with her past threatens to derail her?

Katie Upwood is thrilled to be working at the library, although she’s only there until she heads off to university in the fall. But after the death of her beau on the front line and amid tumultuous family strife, she finds herself harboring a life-changing secret with no one to turn to for help.

Sofie Baumann, a young Jewish refugee, came to London on a domestic service visa only to find herself working as a maid for a man who treats her abominably. She escapes to the library every chance she can, finding friendship in the literary community and aid in finding her sister, who is still trying to flee occupied Europe.

When a slew of bombs destroy the library, Juliet relocates the stacks to the local Underground station where the city’s residents shelter nightly, determined to lend out stories that will keep spirits up. But tragedy after tragedy threatens to unmoor the women and sever the ties of their community. Will Juliet, Kate, and Sofie be able to overcome their own troubles to save the library? Or will the beating heart of their neighborhood be lost forever?

First Line:

“Hurry, Sofie!” Her sister’s voice floated through the open door, echoing past the bookcases lining the walls.

The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan

Important details about The Underground Library

Pace: Medium

POV: 3rd person (Juliet, Kate, Sofie)

Trigger Warnings: The Underground Library contains themes that include pregnancy, classism, poverty, refugee experiences, religious persecution, sexism & misogyny, indentured servitude, abandonment, childbirth, involuntary pregnancy, blood & gore depiction, body horror, dead bodies & body parts, death of a friend, grief & loss depiction, disappearance of a loved one, infidelity, explosions, and war themes & military violence.

Language: The Underground Library contains mild swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in The Underground Library.

Setting: The Underground Library is set in and around WWII-era London, England.

My Review

I am a big fan of reading books set in WWII. It is a time that fascinates and scares me. So, when I get widgets or see books on NetGalley that hint about WWII, I grab them. This was the case with The Underground Library. Random House sent me a widget, and I downloaded it. Now that I have read this book, it was a good read.

The Underground Library follows three women (Juliet, Kate, and Sofie) as they navigate life in a country at war. Juliet is the oldest of the three, and she is ambitious. But Juliet’s past threatens to derail everyone she worked so hard for. Kate is a young woman who is waiting for word from her fiancee, who is fighting in Africa against the Nazis. Her world is turned upside down when she is told he is missing in action. Sofie is a Jewish refugee working as a maid/cook in the vicinity of the Bethnal Library. Forced to leave Berlin by her sister and father, Sofie agonizes over not knowing what happened to her family. The three women meet at the library and soon become instrumental in setting up an underground library in the Tube tunnels, used as a makeshift bomb shelter. Over a few months, their lives will change for better and worse.

As I mentioned above, there are three separate storylines in The Underground Library. Usually, I’m not too fond of multiple storylines (or POV), but in this case, it worked. It only worked because the author could integrate all three storylines together at different points in the book but simultaneously keep them separate (if that makes sense). I was not confused by whose storyline I was reading (the author did label chapters with names). That made for a delightful read.

I liked Juliet. I liked that she was smart and wasn’t afraid to go after what she wanted (the book club, children’s hour, and eventually, the library). Her backstory was sad with her fiancee going MIA in France. The more I read her storyline, the more I liked her. I wouldn’t say I enjoyed reading about a love triangle between her missing fiancee and her landlady’s nephew (who she also knew from school). It was pretty obvious who she was going to end up with. But everything does work itself out in the end.

I thought Kate was adorable. Her absolute devotion to her fiancee shone through the book, as did her devastation when she learned he was missing in action, presumed dead. The pregnancy was a neat twist that the author threw in there. When Kate’s mother found out about her pregnancy, I could see why she was so upset. During that era, girls didn’t get pregnant without being married (you and I know that this isn’t true, but people liked to believe it). But what Kate’s mother proposed and what she forced Kate into doing made me take a step back and go, “Whoa.” All I have to say is that she was desperate, looking for a way to keep her husband with her, and it would cost Kate. I was a little glad that this storyline ended the way it did (and the twist that came at the very end was heartwarming).

I pitied Sofie. Because of the Nazis, she was forced to leave her father and sister behind in Berlin (the near miss on the train took my breath away). It was explained that her sister got her a visa to work in England (her English was excellent). Sofie was going to be a live-in maid to an upperclassman who was willing to sponsor her. That wasn’t what Sofie wanted and not what she was used to (she came from a very wealthy family). The first half of her storyline details her job and how she deals with it (she has been there for over a year). The second half of her storyline got a little more exciting. Her inquiries into her sister’s location were answered, and she fell in love. Of the three storylines, hers was the one I enjoyed most.

The author included a note explaining the actual underground library that inspired the book at the end of the book. She tweaked some events, but everything that happened was mainly factual.

The end of The Underground Library was one of hope. I liked how every one of the characters got their HEA. I also liked that the author included some secondary characters in the HEAs. As I stated above, Kate’s storyline had a neat twist.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books, NetGalley, and Jennifer Ryan for allowing me to read and review an ARC of The Underground Library. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The Underground Library, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Jennifer Ryan

I Am Rome (Julius Caesar: Book 1) by Santiago Posteguillo

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books

Date of publication: March 5th, 2024

Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Novels, Italy, Roman, Literature, Ancient History

Series: Julius Caesar

I Am Rome—Book 1

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

The runaway international bestseller–part sweeping historical epic, part legal thriller–following the trial that shaped the life of the young Julius Caesar and gave root to an immortal legacy.

Every legend has a beginning.

Rome, 77 B.C. Senator Dolabella, known for using violence against anyone who opposes him, is going on trial for corruption and has already hired the best lawyers and even bought the jury. No man dares accept the role of prosecutor–until, against all odds, an unknown twenty-three-year-old steps out to lead the case, defend the people of Rome, and defy the power of the elite class. This lawyer’s name is Caius Julius Caesar.

Masterfully combining exhaustive historical rigor with extraordinary narrative skills, Santiago Posteguillo shows us the man behind the myth of Caesar as never before, taking us to the dangerous streets of Rome where the Senate’s henchmen lurk on every corner, submerging us in the thick of battle, and letting us live the great love story of Julius Caesar and his wife, Cornelia. 

After Julius Caesar, the world was never the same. I Am Rome tells the tale of the early events that shaped this extraordinary man’s fate–and changed the course of history itself.

First Line

The woman spoke quietly to her baby as she rocked him.

I Am Rome by Santiago Posteguillo

Important details about I Am Rome

Pace:  Slow

POV: 3rd person (numerous people but mainly from Julius Caeser)

Trigger Warnings: I Am Rome contains themes that include rape, sexual assault, slavery, torture, war, classism, arranged marriage, divorce, alcohol consumption, childbirth, pregnancy, teen pregnancy, blood & gore depiction, body horror, dead bodies & body parts, knife and sword violence, murder & attempted murder, whipping, massacres, military service, and military violence.

Language: I Am Rome contains mild swearing and language that might offend some people.

Sexual Content: There is moderate sexual content in I Am Rome.

Setting: I Am Rome is set in and around Rome, Italy.

My Review

Julius Caesar is one of those historical figures that have fascinated me ever since I could remember. But, when I tried to read books (mainly nonfiction) that described his reign over the Roman Empire, it would bore me. I also couldn’t find a historical fiction that stuck to the facts. Because of that, I was hesitant to accept the widget when Random House sent me it. But I did, and oh boy, I am glad that I did. This book was fantastic.

I Am Rome is well-written, well-researched historical fiction that captivated me from the prologue. This book is over 600 pages long, and its length can be slow. I normally cannot deal with a slow, long book, but in this case, it worked. I could process the different parts of Julius Caesar’s life without getting overwhelmed by the information given.

The story of Julius Caesar is told in two storylines. The first storyline revolves around Julius Caesar and the trial where he prosecuted Senator Dolabella, a morally and politically corrupt politician. The second storyline follows Julius Caesar from birth to the years before he took the Senator Dolabella case. I was interested in the trial storyline (I liked how Caesar pleaded his case and presented the witnesses/evidence against Dolabella), but it was a little dry. The second storyline explained almost everything brought up in the first storyline. Yes, I know that what I said is phrased awkwardly, but it will make sense if you read the book.

What I loved about this book is that the author included footnotes at the end of each chapter. He also gave direct quotes about where cities would be in the present day and other interesting tidbits of information, so I was not left wondering about anything.

The undercurrent of I Am Rome is a love story between Cornelia and Caesar. I don’t know if Caesar truly loved Cornelia in real life, but he adored her in this book. And she returned his feelings. They did run up against a few obstacles, but love trumped everything. I adored reading their interactions because Caesar truly seemed to consider what Cornelia said.

I Am Rome is violent and bloody. The author didn’t attempt to sugarcoat the violence. He laid it all out there. Some scenes made me retch, and others made me furious. But, I kept in the back of my mind that it was in context with the period in which it was written. I did provide a list of trigger warnings above.

The end of I Am Rome was very suspenseful. The author merged the two storylines at the perfect moment. While the trial ended in a way that I expected, I was not expecting what happened after. The author left the book open for book 2; I can’t wait to read it!!

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine, NetGalley, and Santiago Posteguillo for allowing me to read and review this ARC of I Am Rome. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to I Am Rome, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Santiago Posteguillo

Acts of Forgiveness by Maura Cheeks

Publisher: Random House Publishing Book – Ballantine, Ballantine Books

Date of publication: February 13th, 2024

Genre: Fiction, Contemporary, Literary Fiction, Adult Fiction, Race, Family, Adult, Historical Fiction, Literature

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this stirring, tender-hearted debut about ambition and inheritance, a family grapples with how much of their lineage they’re willing to unearth in order to participate in the nation’s first federal reparations program.

Every American waits with bated breath to see whether or not the country’s first female president will pass the Forgiveness Act. The bill would allow Black families to claim up to $175,000 if they can prove they are the descendants of slaves and for ambitious single mother Willie Revel the bill could be a long-awaited form of redemption. A decade ago, Willie gave up her burgeoning journalism career to help run her father’s struggling construction company in Philadelphia and she has reluctantly put family first without being able to forget who she might have become. Now, she’s back living with her parents and her young daughter while trying to keep her family from going into bankruptcy. Could the Forgiveness Act uncover her forgotten roots while also helping save their beloved home and her father’s life work?

In order to qualify, she must first prove that the Revels are descended from slaves, but the rest of the family isn’t as eager to dig up the past. Her mother is adopted; her father doesn’t trust the government and believes working with a morally corrupt employer is the better way to save their business; and her daughter is just trying to make it through the fifth grade at her elite private school without attracting unwanted attention. It’s up to Willie to verify their ancestry and save her family—but as she delves into their history, Willie begins to learn just how complicated family and forgiveness can be.

With powerful insight and moving prose, Acts of Forgiveness asks how history shapes who we become and to consider the weight of success when it is achieved despite incredible odds—and ultimately what leaving behind a legacy truly means.

First Line:

Marcus Revel was willing to trade the illusion of his sanity to keep his home.

Acts of Forgiveness by Maura Cheeks

Important things you need to know about Acts of Forgiveness:

Pace: Medium

POV: 3rd person (Willie and Paloma).

Trigger Warnings: Acts of Forgiveness contains racism, medical content, classism, alcoholism, infidelity, rape, slavery, abandonment, and violence. If any of these trigger you, I suggest not reading the book.

Language: There is moderate swearing in Acts of Forgiveness. There is also language used that might offend some people.

Setting: Acts of Forgiveness is set in Philadelphia and New York City. A few chapters are set in Mississippi when Willie researches her family’s past.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Struggling to keep her family’s business afloat and to keep her father from doing business with a morally corrupt company, Willie Revel is looking for a miracle. And she might have found it with the Forgiveness Act. This bill will allow African American families, who can prove they are descended from enslaved people, to claim up to $175,000 per household. Willie could use that money to keep the business from going under. Using the skills she honed in journalism college, Willie starts researching her history.

Meanwhile, her daughter, Paloma, struggles to stay under the radar at her elite private school. As one of the only African American children there, she is singled out by students and teachers alike. Can Willie trace her heritage back to slavery? Can Paloma keep herself under the radar? Will the backlash from the Forgiveness Act die down?

My review:

Acts of Forgiveness was one of the most challenging books I have read this year. I wasn’t surprised by what I read; I had expected the content from the blurb. But it still packed a punch. I found myself tearing up in parts and, in other parts, being unbelievably angry over what Willie found out and what she had to endure growing up. The casual racism shown throughout the book sickened me, but it was true. People still act like this (especially in the South, where I live).

Acts of Forgiveness’s main storyline centers around Willie, Paloma, and the Forgiveness Act. Willie wasn’t likable, but I stress she was shaped that way. The shaping began when her parents moved into an all-white neighborhood. So, I didn’t let her grouchiness get to me or affect my enjoyment of the book. On the other hand, Paloma was the sweetest thing. Reading what happened with the Forgiveness Act and its backlash from a child’s POV was interesting.

The main storyline itself was well-written. It was jumpy (going from past to present), but considering how unstable everything was, it fit in with the book. The backlash to the Forgiveness Act was what I expected, unfortunately. It was something I could see happening in real-time (not that the bill would be passed with the current people serving in both the Senate and the House).

Willie’s backstory and her search into her family’s background were a considerable part of the main storyline. The author detailed Willie’s life from when her family moved into that neighborhood to today. Willie did spend most of the book pining for what she once had. But, her research into her history and what she learned about her roots made her rethink how she lived her life. The Willie at the end of the book is different from Willie at the beginning of the book. It showed how much she grew throughout the book.

Several secondary storylines were exciting, and they did bolster the main storyline. I was happy to see Paloma finally getting the praise she deserved and needed (that play was terrific). I was also pleased that Willie came to terms with several things in her life.

Secondary characters also added to the storyline and strengthened it. All of Willie’s family (her mother, brother, and father), her best friend, her mentor, and even Paloma’s father added depth.

I loved the end of Acts of Forgiveness. I won’t get too much into it, but it was what Willie and Paloma deserved. I was happy that Paloma grew up to do what she loved. I also liked that Willie finally got some peace with everything.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books, NetGalley, and Maura Cheeks for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Acts of Forgiveness. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to Acts of Forgiveness, then you will enjoy these books:

The Ghost Orchid (Alex Delaware: Book 39) by Jonathan Kellerman

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books

Date of publication: February 6th, 2024

Genre: Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Thriller, Crime, Psychological Thriller

Series: Alex Delaware

When the Bough Breaks—Book 1

Blood Test—Book 2

Over the Edge—Book 3

Silent Partner—Book 4

Time Bomb—Book 5

Private Eyes—Book 6

Devil’s Waltz—Book 7

Bad Love—Book 8

Self-Defense—Book 9

The Web—Book 10

The Clinic—Book 11

Survival of the Fittest—Book 12

Monster—Book 13

Dr. Death—Book 14

Flesh and Blood—Book 15

The Murder Book—Book 16

A Cold Heart—Book 17

Therapy—Book 18

Rage—Book 19

Gone—Book 20

Obsession—Book 21

Compulsion—Book 22

Bones—Book 23

Evidence—Book 24

Deception—Book 25

Mystery—Book 26

Victims—Book 27

Guilt—Book 28

Killer—Book 29

Motive—Book 30

Breakdown—Book 31

Heartbreak Hotel—Book 32

Night Moves—Book 33

The Wedding Guest—Book 34

The Museum of Desire—Book 35

Serpentine—Book 36

City of the Dead—Book 37

Unnatural History—Book 38

The Ghost Orchid—Book 39

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | AbeBooks | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

Psychologist Alex Delaware and Detective Milo Sturgis are faced with their most perplexing case yet when a double homicide investigation leads them to stolen identities and long-buried secrets worth killing for in this riveting thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author.

Los Angeles is a city of reinvention. Many come to start anew, to strike it big. Many kill the person they once were, the person they left behind. And in turn, someone else can turn around and kill them, too—permanently.

A housekeeper enters a secluded, upscale home and discovers two bodies floating in the The heir of an Italian shoe empire and an unknown woman. The house is untouched, but a “double” in Bel Air certainly makes this case stand out from the usual. 

No forced entry means this could have been an inside job. After all, the woman floating in the pool is revealed to be Meagin March, a married neighbor from down the street, who lives in an even more opulent and sprawling mansion. Married woman having an affair? That’s a perfect motive.

But not everything is as it seems. At her wedding, Meagin had no family and a tip from Meagin’s mother-in-law raises their suspicions. Who was she, exactly?

Learning the truth about this mysterious woman—uncovering her identity and motivations—will take Alex and Milo on one of the most  shocking journeys of their careers.

First Line

Nearly getting killed can change your life in interesting ways.

The Ghost Orchid by Jonathan Kellerman

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: Fast and stays fast throughout the book.

POV: 1st person (told from Alex Delaware’s POV)

Series: The Ghost Orchid is the 39th book in the Alex Delaware series. Readers can read The Ghost Orchid as a standalone book. But I suggest reading the previous 38 books to understand the relationships and backgrounds of people in the book.

Trigger Warnings: There are scenes of poverty, slut-shaming, incest (off page), rape (off page), sexual assault (off page), sex-worker shaming, child abuse (off page), domestic abuse & violence (off page), foster care, sex addiction (off page), blood depiction, dead bodies, gun violence, stalking, and cheating. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book.

Language: There is moderate swearing in The Ghost Orchid. There is also language used that could be offensive to some people.

Setting: The Ghost Orchid is set in and around Los Angeles, California.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Four months after almost being killed helping his best friend, Milo, on a case, Alex Delaware is bored. So, when Milo calls and asks if Alex could meet him at a crime scene, Alex immediately accepts. Milo needs Alex’s insights to understand who could have killed two people in a Beverly Hills neighborhood.

But, when Milo starts digging into the woman victim’s background, he finds a mystery. The woman has no past and didn’t exist until a year before she married over a year ago. A painting of a ghost orchid by the victim is a tantalizing clue about who she was. It is up to Alex and Milo to unravel her past to find her (and her lover’s) killer. Can they untangle a past full of lies and stolen identities? Will they discover her killer before he strikes again?

Characters:

The main characters of The Ghost Orchid are Alex Delaware and Milo Sturgis. These are well-established, well-rounded characters who had great chemistry together. But the author did something different at the end of the last book and the beginning of this book. He had Alex almost get killed at the end of the last book and was forced to take a break for four months. And during that time, Milo and Alex grew apart. Milo had extreme guilt over Alex’s near-death experience and injuries. That kept him from visiting and, at one point, even talking to Alex. It was interesting to see them be so awkward with each other and to watch them reform their bond.

I enjoyed the extra depth that the secondary characters brought to the storyline. I liked that the author brought back characters from previous books. It made the book feel more fleshed out to me.

My review:

The storyline of The Ghost Orchid is centered around the murder, the female victim’s identity and past, and the relationship (both personal and professional) between Alex and Milo. I loved how the author kept the storyline minimal initially and then slowly added information. It made for a compelling and exciting read.

The mystery angle of The Ghost Orchid was well written. I liked how the author almost casually dropped clues about the female victim’s identity (both past and present). He also included what seemed to be two random murders and tied them to her in ways that I honestly didn’t expect. There is a twist at the end of the book that did take me by surprise. It shouldn’t have (considering what Milo and Alex discovered in the last half of the book). It also saddened me and just reaffirmed my belief that people are awful.

The end of The Ghost Orchid was interesting. I liked how Milo and Alex wrapped up the case. As I said above, it did sadden me because of what the female victim went through in her life and the lengths she went through to distance herself from everything. I hope there will be a book 40; if there is, I can’t wait to read it.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books, NetGalley, and Jonathan Kellerman for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Ghost Orchid. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The Ghost Orchid, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Jonathan Kellerman

The Book of Fire by Christy Lefteri

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books

Date of publication: January 2nd, 2024

Genre: Fiction, Contemporary, Historical Fiction, Greece, Literary Fiction, Family, Drama, Cultural, Adult Fiction, Adult

Purchase Links: Kindle | Audible | B&N | Kobo | WorldCat

Goodreads Synopsis:

In present-day Greece, deep in an ancient forest, lives a family: Irini, a musician, who teaches children to read and play music; her husband, Tasso, who paints pictures of the forest, his greatest muse; and Chara, their young daughter, whose name means joy. On the fateful day that will forever alter the trajectory of their lives, flames chase fleeing birds across the sky. The wildfire that will consume their home, and their lives as they know it, races toward them.

Months later, as the village tries to rebuild, Irini stumbles upon the man who started the fire, a land speculator who had intended only a small, controlled burn to clear forestland to build on but instead ignited a catastrophe. He is dying, although the cause is unclear, and in her anger at all he took from them, Irini makes a split-second decision that will haunt her.

As the local police investigate the suspicious death, Tasso mourns his father, who has not been seen since before the fire. Tasso’s hands were burnt in the flames, leaving him unable to paint, and he struggles to cope with the overwhelming loss of his artistic voice and his beloved forest. Only his young daughter, who wants to repair the damage that’s been done, gives him hope for the future.

Gorgeously written, sweeping in scope and intimate in tone, The Book of Fire is a masterful work about the search for meaning in the wake of tragedy, as well as the universal ties that bind people together, and to the land that they call home.

First Line

This morning, I met the man who started the fire.

The Book of Fire by Christy Lefteri

Important things you need to know about the book:

Pace: The Book of Fire had a medium-slow pace.

POV: The Book of Fire is told through Irini’s 1st person POV. The fire section of the book is told in 2nd person (it is told as a story and is broken up throughout the book).

Trigger/Content Warning: The Book of Fire has trigger and content warnings. If any of these triggers you, I suggest not reading the book. They are:

  • Fire/Fire Injury
  • Death
  • Suicide (not the actual act but after it happened. There is also a scene where someone recounts encouraging someone to kill themself by handing them a rope)
  • Grief
  • Death of a parent
  • Injury/Injury Detail
  • Xenophobia
  • War (was told as part of Irini and Tasso’s story; it was Irini’s great-grandfather recounting a war he had lived through as a child)
  • Depression
  • Anxiety/Anxiety Disorders
  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Body Horror
  • Hospitalization
  • Medical Treatment & Procedures
  • Scars
  • Death from Exposure
  • Animal Injury

Sexual Content: There is no sexual content in The Book of Fire.

Language: There is mild to moderate swearing in The Book of Fire. There is also language used that might offend some people.

Setting: The Book of Fire is set in Greece.

Age Range: I recommend The Book of Fire to anyone over 21.

Plot Synopsis (as spoiler-free as I can get):

Irini and Tasso are living their dream in Greece. Tasso is a talented artist, and Irini is a music teacher. They live in an ancient forest with their daughter. The dream was shattered when a forest fire decimated their village and the forest their house bordered. Now, Irini is struggling with the aftereffects of the fire. So, when she finds the man responsible for so much death and destruction by an old tree, she walks away. While the police investigate, Irini must summon the inner strength and courage to get her life back on track. And that means coming to terms with what happened and trying to forgive the man who started the fire and destroyed her life. Can she do it?

Main Characters:

The main character in The Book of Fire is Irini. The book is told from her POV. Her actions (or inactions) in this book have far-reaching implications. Her character growth consisted of her growing past her anger at the man who started the fire and starting down the path to forgiveness.

My review:

This is the first book I have read by Christy Lefteri, and I can confidently say it won’t be my last. After I finished The Book of Fire, I added all her books to my TBR on Goodreads.

The Book of Fire’s storyline centers around Irini, her family, their healing (emotional and physical) from the fire, and Irini’s book that she wrote called….The Book of Fire (which recounts the fire and the days after). The storyline was well-written, and I could connect emotionally to the characters. More than once, I broke down into tears because of what happened and what Irini was going through in the book.

What got me the most was The Book of Fire segments. I was horrified by what Irini, Chara, and Rosalie (the dog) went through and how close to death they all came. Chara’s injury was horrific. I also admired Irini’s outward calmness. If she hadn’t been calm and given into the turmoil in her mind (over her husband and father-in-law), I think the outcome would have been different.

This book gave what I thought was a realistic look into the trauma after an event like that. Irini and her family didn’t get off scot-free and only had a house burnt down. No, Tasso’s career as an artist was threatened by the severe burns to his fingers. And Chara’s burn on her back was horrific (as I stated above). Tasso’s father is presumed dead, one of the hundred killed when the fire ripped through the village. The trauma ran deep in this book, and there were times that I wondered if they would be able to start the healing process.

When Irini found the man who started the fire, she went through his belongings and walked away. She did feel guilty and called the police, but still. The path to forgiveness and understanding it was a tragic accident was laid during her interviews with the police. But, there is a twist in this storyline that, even though I saw it coming, still surprised and unnerved me.

The end of The Book of Fire signified hope for me. I won’t go into it because of spoilers, but I did like how the author got Irini to that point. I believe the start was the healing of the jackal pup, and it just went from there.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books, NetGalley, and Christy Lefteri for allowing me to read and review this ARC of The Book of Fire. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

If you enjoy reading books similar to The Book of Fire, then you will enjoy these books:

Other books by Christy Lefteri: