⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars) If you enjoy wartime fiction with strong female leads, add The Call of the Wrens to your reading list. Jenni L. Walsh takes us on a ride—literally—through two world wars with dual heroines who sign up for the Women’s Royal Naval Service, better known as the Wrens. Marion is an orphan in WWI who finds purpose as a motorcycle dispatch rider. Evelyn is a wealthy young woman in WWII, born with a clubfoot and aching to break free from expectations. Their stories are told in alternating timelines, and I found both characters really likeable and well-drawn. I was especially moved by how their paths ultimately connect in a meaningful […]
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Timely Tension and Tactical Thrills
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Andrews and Wilson’s second entry in Clancy’s Jack Ryan series (following Act of Defiance) is a top-notch geopolitical thriller centered on rising tensions between China and the United States. When China’s new hardline president sets plans in motion for an invasion of Taiwan, U.S. President Jack Ryan must navigate diplomacy, military strategy, and international fallout—all while working to extract a high-ranking Chinese defector. Though technically a military thriller, this book focuses more on strategy and global maneuvering than nonstop action. There’s some danger and suspense, but it’s the behind-the-scenes planning and diplomatic brinkmanship that drive the story. I appreciated how current the storyline felt—it could’ve been lifted from today’s […]
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Edge-of-Your-Seat Espionage: The Beijing Betrayal Ends the Ryker Series with a Bang
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you love political thrillers that move fast and hit hard, Joel C. Rosenberg’s The Beijing Betrayal should be at the top of your list. This is the final installment in the Marcus Ryker series, and Rosenberg doesn’t just stick the landing—he lights the runway on fire. Ryker’s latest mission sends him to Pakistan to hunt down the world’s most dangerous terrorist. What he finds instead is a nightmare scenario: a cutting-edge lab, a deadly virus, and a sinister plan that could wipe out millions. Meanwhile, Washington is distracted by tense trade talks with Beijing—unaware that China is quietly prepping for a full-scale invasion of Taiwan. What follows is […]
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A Gritty Slice of Oregon History
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Kristina McMorris has a gift for blending history and heart, and her latest novel, The Girls of Good Fortune, digs deep. Set in 1888 Portland, the story opens in the city’s infamous Shanghai Tunnels, where Celia, a young woman of mixed heritage, awakens in a drugged haze, disguised and imprisoned. She’s about to be shipped off as forced labor—shanghaied into a nightmare that pulls no punches. Celia’s struggle to piece together how she ended up there takes readers on a twisting journey through corruption, injustice, and survival. As a half-Chinese woman passing as white in a time of deep anti-Chinese sentiment, her very existence is a balancing act. The […]
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Wanted to Love It — Settled for Liking It
⭐️⭐️⭐️ I recently read Neruda on the Park by Cleyvis Natera, and I’m a little bummed. This was one of those books where the premise reeled me in right away: a Dominican-American mother and daughter facing off over the gentrification of their neighborhood. Yes, please. But while it had all the ingredients for a knockout debut, it didn’t quite land for me. The story follows Eusebia, a neighborhood matriarch secretly sabotaging luxury condo development, and her daughter Luz, who falls for one of the developers. It’s a setup that promises rich drama and layered themes—but the execution never quite came together. I struggled with the disconnect between the two narrators and found […]
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Pretty Threads, Uneven Weave: A Promising Idea That Doesn’t Fully Stitch Together
⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Liberty Scarf tells the story of three women—each in a different place and phase of World War I—linked by a single silk scarf. The idea is lovely: that a handmade item, stitched with care and hidden messages, could travel across borders and connect lives. And for the most part, it works… just not as smoothly as I hoped. Iris, the Liberty scarf designer with big dreams and a guarded heart, was the standout for me. Her chapters were full of hope, creativity, and a touch of romance. Geneviève, a French-Canadian Signal Corps recruit, brought up timely questions about assimilation and identity, but her story felt rushed. Clara, a […]
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Secrets, Surprises, and a Story Within a Story: A Refreshing Turn for Rimmer
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Midnight Estate is a fresh departure for Kelly Rimmer, and I was here for it. Known for emotional historical fiction, Rimmer shifts gears with a dual-timeline mystery full of family secrets, buried truths, and a book that just might know too much. When Fiona inherits her family’s crumbling estate, she also discovers an unfinished manuscript that echoes her own life. The story-within-a-story device is a fun twist and adds another layer of intrigue. I appreciated how the timelines played off one another, slowly revealing hidden connections and long-held grudges. While some call it “gothic,” I didn’t really get that vibe. Yes, there’s an old house and some dark […]
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Lost Books, Found Ambition: A Look at The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections
⭐️⭐️ I’ll admit it—if a book involves a library, I’m probably going to read it. So Eva Jurczyk’s The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections had me from the title alone. It’s set in a dusty, prestigious university library where a rare manuscript disappears, and a quiet, second-in-command librarian named Liesl suddenly finds herself in charge. The mystery is a good one. The missing books aren’t just generic plot devices—they’re authentic historical works, and Jurczyk (a librarian at the University of Toronto herself) clearly knows the world she’s writing about. That behind-the-scenes look at special collections was easily my favorite part. Where it fell short for me was tone and cohesion. […]
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A Parade of Hedonism I Regret Marching In
⭐️⭐️ I don’t say this lightly: I loathed this book. Macallister’s writing is fine—it’s her subject that’s the problem. Aimee Crocker is about as appealing as a hangover. A real-life Gilded Age heiress, she indulges in everything: sex (threesome included), booze, drugs, the occult, and all things paranormal. There’s no emotional arc, no humility, and not a shred of remorse. Just page after page of debauchery wrapped in arrogance. I kept waiting for some glimmer of depth or self-awareness, but it came too late. Even the supporting cast felt like a lineup of deplorables. Yes, themes of female autonomy and rebellion peek through, but they’re buried under so much indulgence […]
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Royals, Rascals, and a Rattled New Mom: We Three Queens Is a Cozy Escape Worth the Read
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rhys Bowen’s We Three Queens is a delightful entry in the Royal Spyness series, blending royal intrigue, murder, and new-mom chaos. Lady Georgiana Rannoch has barely figured out how to burp her baby when she’s asked to hide someone far more troublesome—Wallis Simpson. Yes, that Wallis. As Georgie tries to keep the soon-to-be Duchess of Windsor out of sight, a film crew shows up to shoot a period drama about Henry VIII. Cue the chaos: egos, costumes, and a murder on set. Between diaper duty and damage control, Georgie has her hands full. I alternated between the eBook and audiobook, and the audio version was extraordinary. The narrator nailed […]
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