JayneB- Reviews / Book Reviews1950s / England / family relationships / older woman / rural setting7 Comments

Mrs. Belchamber was not invited but Mrs. Belchamber came to stay. The changes she introduced into Scotty’s topsy-turvy Kentish farmhouse were past belief. But though Christopher could not help feeling some concern that he had landed on his friend a woman of character as well as three lively French children, ... more >

JayneB Reviews / Book Reviews1940s / family relationships / fathers and daughters / Historical / wedding / wedding planning3 Comments

Poor Mr. Banks! His jacket is too tight, he can’t get a cocktail, and he’s footing the bill…He’s the father of the bride. Stanley Banks is just your ordinary suburban dad. He’s the kind of guy who believes that weddings are simple affairs in which two people get married. But ... more >

JayneB- Reviews / Book Reviews18th-century / American historical / American Revolution / American Revolutionary War / First-Person / healers / Historical / Magical Negro / religion / road novels / strong heroine / War / Military / women's rightsNo Comments

In January 1778, Anna Stone is a twenty-nine-year-old healer, wife of a rebellious Baptist-preacher-turned-soldier, and mother of three. Her husband, Benjamin, writes from Valley Forge with worrisome tidings. Anna’s brothers, Henry and Jeremiah, who are in Benjamin’s unit, have contracted smallpox. Benjamin downplays the severity of their illness in his ... more >

JayneBook Reviews / C- Reviews#ownvoices / 1920s / colorism / Dancer / dancer heroine / dual-timeline / First-Person / Historical fiction / Jazz Age / organized crime / POC / POC author / racism3 Comments

1925: Chicago is the jazz capital of the world, and the Dreamland Café is the ritziest black-and-tan club in town. Honoree Dalcour is a sharecropper’s daughter, willing to work hard and dance every night on her way to the top. Dreamland offers a path to the good life, socializing with ... more >

KaetrinA Reviews / Book Reviews / D Reviewshorror / Shifters / Urban fantasy / werewolves14 Comments

CW: sexual assault, incest, infanticide, forced pregnancy, child death, graphic violence, pet death Dear Patricia Briggs, I’ve been a big fan of your books for many years now. In fact, in the hell year that was 2020, I did a comfort re-read of all of the Mercy Thompson world books ... more >

JayneB+ Reviews / Book Reviews / Recommended Readsacceptance / animals / cats / children's book / friendship / picture books / self-expression2 Comments

From bestselling superstar duo Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham comes a delightful kitty and unicorn story that celebrates the magic of friendship—and being exactly who you want to be! Kitty thinks she might be a unicorn. She feels so perfectly unicorn-y! “Neigh!” says Kitty. But when Unicorn clop clop clops ... more >

JayneB Reviews / Book Reviewschildren's book / Friends / friendship / picture booksNo Comments

What does it mean to be a best spuddy? Spend the day with Pugtato and his very best spuddies and find out! A best spuddy likes to play and listen, share, and give a helping hand. Spend time with Pugtato and his very best spuddies as they show us exactly ... more >

JayneA- Reviews / Book Reviewschildren's book / friendship / picture booksNo Comments

Join Pugtato and his adorable “spuddies” in their first ever adventure in this clever and heartwarming picture book. When Pugtato accidently digs up a mysterious item, he can’t wait to find out what it is. But on his quest to discover its identity, Pugtato learns a thing or two about ... more >

JayneB+ Reviews / Book Reviews / Recommended Readsarranged-marriage / business / Business woman / England / London / matchmakers / non-fiction / World War II5 Comments

A riveting glimpse of life and love during and after World War II—a heart-warming, touching, and thoroughly absorbing true story of a world gone by. In the spring of 1939, with the Second World War looming, two determined twenty-four-year-olds, Heather Jenner and Mary Oliver, decided to open a marriage bureau. ... more >

SiriusBook Reviews / C Reviews / C- Reviewsfantasy m/m romance / Historical Fantasy4 Comments

Don’t miss the stunning conclusion to Allie Therin’s Magic in Manhattan series! New York, 1925 Arthur Kenzie is on a mission: to destroy the powerful supernatural relic that threatens Manhattan—and all the nonmagical minds in the world. So far his search has been fruitless. All it has done is keep ... more >