October 19, 2020

REVIEW: Sylvia’s Lovers by Elizabeth Gaskell

JennieA- Reviews / Book Reviews / Recommended Reads19th century literature / classic literature / English Literature / whaling1 Comments

I first became aware of Elizabeth Gaskell through television adaptions of her works Cranford and North and South; I then went on to read and enjoy those books. Sylvia’s Lovers is, by my count, the sixth Gaskell book I have read (I think I only have two left after this, ... more >

October 6, 2020

JOINT REVIEW: A House East of Regent Street by Pam Rosenthal

JennieB+ Reviews / Book Reviews / Recommended Readsbargain / BDSM / brothel / business arrangement / businessman / courtesan / Erotic-Romance / historical romance / house / joint review / novella / Regency England10 Comments

Jennie: When Janine mentioned this expanded novella, and suggested we review it together, she asked if I’d read it when it originally came out in 2004. My book log says no, but my brain says yes. If I didn’t read it I must’ve read a lot about it back when it was ... more >

October 6, 2020

REVIEW: Murder on Cold Street by Sherry Thomas

JennieB+ Reviews / Book Reviews / Recommended Readsmurder mystery / POC author / Series / Sherlock Holmes / Victorian mystery6 Comments

Disclosure from DA reviewer Janine: Author Sherry Thomas is my friend and critique partner. Jennie, who wrote the review, has no personal relationship with her, however.-Janine Blurb time!: Charlotte Holmes, Lady Sherlock, investigates a puzzling new murder case that implicates Scotland Yard inspector Robert Treadles in the USA Today bestselling ... more >

September 9, 2020

REVIEW: The Risk by Elle Kennedy

JennieB- Reviews / Book ReviewsBriar U Series / College Hockey / New Adult4 Comments

Dear Ms. Kennedy: I recently read the first book in your Briar U series, The Chase, and gave it a B+, mostly on the strength of an appealing heroine. The heroine of The Risk first appears in The Chase as Summer’s friend Brenna, and the hero, Jake, is featured in ... more >

August 19, 2020

DUELING REVIEW: The Switch by Beth O’Leary

JennieB+ Reviews / Book Reviews / C Reviewscontemporary fiction / English countryside / joint review / London / older hero/heroine / slice of village life / Womens-Fiction12 Comments

Jennie: I was alerted to the terrific debut The Flatshare by Janine’s review last year, and read it myself earlier this year. Janine gave it an A-, but I liked it so much I gave it a straight A, which is rare for me. When she suggested we review O’Leary’s ... more >

August 7, 2020

REVIEW: Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons

JennieA Reviews / Book Reviews / Recommended ReadsBritish humor / classic fiction / Satire8 Comments

After I finished Little Women, a book it somehow took me five months to read, I wanted to read something a bit lighter, quicker, and funny. Applying my self-created rules for classic literature reads, “lighter, quick and funny” don’t abound. The vast majority of classics that I read are 18th ... more >