Two quick recommendations...

 

The Lady and the Lionheart by Joanne Bischof

It was the 1890s circus setting that first made me want to read this one, because I've always been drawn to circus/carnival stories. And this one did not disappoint. I loved Charlie Lionheart, the lion tamer, and his faith, and the sacrifices he made to keep his little niece safe. And I loved watching Ella's cautious friendship with him grow into something deeper. This is a heartwarming and sweet romance. (Thank you, Ashley, for recommending this one!)

The Other Bennet Sister by Janice Hadlow

First lines:  "It is a sad fact of life that if a young woman is unlucky enough to come into the world without expectations, she had better do all she can to ensure she is born beautiful. To be poor and handsome is misfortune enough; but to be penniless and plain is a hard fate indeed."

Who knew Mary Bennet could be so interesting? She's one of Jane Austen's duller, less memorable characters, but Hadlow has done an excellent job of turning her into a very sympathetic heroine of her own story. (Thank you, Cath, for your review, which made me want to read this one in the first place.)

Happy Reading! 

Top Ten Tuesday

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.

This week's theme:  WATER.

I had fun with this one. See if you can guess my watery theme. 

Ingo by Helen Dunmore

The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler

Goddess of the Sea by P.C. Cast

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

Lost Voices by Sarah Porter

Deep Blue by Jennifer Donnelly

Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn Dolamore

Wake by Amanda Hocking

Fish Out of Water by Mary Janice Davidson

The Last Mermaid by Shana Abe

Happy Reading!

The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley by Courtney Walsh

 "The best portion of your life will be the small, nameless moments you spend smiling with someone who matters to you."  --Ritu Ghatourey

 

Things to know about Isadora:

• She's super smart.
• She works as a university researcher.
• She's also an introvert...and a bit socially awkward.
• Her last boyfriend broke her trust...and her heart.
• She doesn't have many friends.
• She's lonely.
• And she just turned 30.

A random magazine article titled "Thirty-One Ways to Be Happy" inspires Isadora to conduct her own personal research project and try out each item on the list to see if they really result in that promised happiness. She's sure she'll end up disproving the entire article, justifying her own unhappiness. And at first, nothing she tries makes her feel any different. Especially not those yoga classes! But then some new people enter life, including her 10-year-old neighbor, Delilah, and Cal, the new (and handsome!) psychology professor at work. As her experiment continues, her quiet, lonely life starts to change for the better. Is it possible the magazine article was right and she's found happiness after all?

I loved this book! Isadora's journey of self-discovery was both poignant and humorous. There were times her past heartaches and self-doubt made me cry. But the way her boisterous neighbor barged into her life totally made me laugh. And Cal's cute flirting, kind compassion, and unwavering support of Isadora made me like him so much. This is a very charming and heartwarming romance! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

The One by John Marrs

 

Do you believe in soulmates? That there's one perfect person out there just for you? In The One, finding your soulmate is not only possible, but easy. All you have to do is take a simple DNA test and then wait to be matched. But for Mandy, Jade, Christopher, Nick, and Ellie, getting matched with their soulmates may bring instant attraction, but there's no guarantee it will lead to true love or a happy ending. For any of them.

My thoughts: This novel is both entertaining and engrossing. Told through five POVs, the chapters are very short, which made this book read very fast. And I quickly got drawn in to each of these characters' journeys to connect with their soulmates. They're all very different, though in the very beginning it was a bit of a struggle to keep them all straight. But then the plot picks up and secrets start being revealed. And all the unexpected twists along the way are so good! None of these characters' stories played out like I thought they would. And that's what made this book so fun. But it makes it hard to talk a lot about the plot, because I don't want to give anything away. It's best to go in not knowing too much so you can just enjoy the ride. Which I did. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Melody and I read this one together, so be sure to check out her review, and her questions to me below. 

Happy Reading!

Melody's question to me...and my answers:

1) Do you think this Matched DNA concept has any similarity to "love at first sight"? After all, some people do find an instant attraction to someone whom they haven't met. Do you believe in love at first sight? 

I kind of do believe in love at first sight...that unexpected spark of recognition and attraction you sometimes feel when you first meet someone. (I've even felt it once.) But I also believe that feeling doesn't mean it's going to turn out to be a forever kind of love; it might, but it might not. I think real, lasting love requires more commitment and work than just one glance. 

2) Which couple's story did you enjoy reading the most? Do you think their life would be any different if they've not been matched? 

I think Nick's story ended up being my favorite because his match with Alex was so completely unexpected for both of them. And their relationship NEVER would have happened if they hadn't been DNA matched like they were. I also liked Jade's story a lot, and how she and her match both tried to put someone else's happiness above their own. I was glad she got her happy ending with her match at the end. 

Top Ten Tuesday

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.

This week's theme is a FREEBIE.

So, I decided to go with Paranormal Cozies because I've never done a list with any of these books before. I've read the first three series, but none of the others.

Any book in Kristen Painter's Nocturne Falls series...

(except maybe don't start with the first one; it's my least favorite.)

Annable Chase's Spellbound Series ... another fun one!

Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye by Victoria Laurie

It Takes A Witch by Heather Blake

A Charmed Death by Madelyn Alt

Deeply, Desperately by Heather Webber

Southern Spirits by Angie Fox

Poison, My Pretty by Amity Allen

Spells and Shelves by Elle Adams

Any Witch Way You Can by Amands Lee

Pumpkin Pies & Potions by Polly Holmes

 

Happy Reading!

Haiku Reviews...

 

Life's Too Short by Abby Jimenez

She  brings him joy. He's 

her calm in the storm. It's love--

but she might be dying.

Romance .... 350 pages .... 4.5/5 stars.

(Poignant and funny. I loved Vanessa's and Adrian's relationship!)

Roots of Wood and Stone by Amanda Wen

A historic home,

an old diary, and faith

lead to love and family. 

Romance .... 280 pages .... 4/5 stars.

(I really enjoyed Garrett's and Sloane's relationship, and the whole family history aspect of this one. Thanks for recommending this one, Cindy.)

High Country Justice by Nik James

Marlowe straps on his guns

to save Doc and his daughter from

a group of outlaws.

Western .... 272 pages .... 4/5 stars.

(Sometimes I'm just in the mood for an action-filled Western where the good guy wins.)

Happy Reading!

The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams

 

This is a thoughtful and poignant novel about how books and reading can provide help, healing and hope, bring people together, and create lasting friendships. And I loved it.

It begins with Mukesh Patel, a lonely and grieving widower, whose wife loved books; Mukesh wants to connect with his granddaughter, Priya, but doesn't know how. An overdue library book of his wife's leads him to the local library where he meets Aleisha, a lonely teen working at the library for the summer who doesn't actually read much, and who has no idea what book to recommend to Mukesh. 

But then she's given a list of eight books with the heading: "Just in case you need it," and she starts to read them...and recommend them to Mukesh. And these books help Mukesh connect with his granddaughter, and with Aleisha, and pushes him to socialize more; they also help Aleisha connect with her mentally ill mother, and with a boy she meets on the train. Many other lives are touched in this book because of this one reading list. 

The Reading List is a captivating novel that touched my heart and kept me reading all day long. I loved the characters. And the ending totally made me cry. It's a good one...and another book that's perfect for Susan's Bookish Books Reading Challenge.

Happy Reading!