I've discovered that Fiona Davis writes the kind of book that I just want to curl up in and stay for awhile.  The Chelsea Girls absolutely gave me all those feelings.

Hazel Riley and Maxine Mead meet when they are both serving as actresses in a USO tour in Naples, Italy.  The events that they witness and become a part of during that tour irrevocably change their lives all while forging a bond between them.  

After the war ends, their paths diverge and it is many years before they encounter each other again at the Chelsea Hotel in New York City.  Hazel is getting ready to mount her play on Broadway based on their experiences in Naples and Maxine manages to secure herself the lead role.  The novel provides insight into the McCarthyism prevalent during the time and also draws back the curtain on how Broadway was effected by it.  I loved learning more about the Chelsea Hotel itself and its history.  One of the things I appreciated the most was how the author kept surprising me with plot turns.  I also particularly enjoyed the way the relationship was depicted between the two women.  It felt real and genuine.  I alternated between sympathizing with Hazel and then relating with Maxine.  The book also excellently portrayed the strength and courage these women showed during that time period.  

This was a terrific five star read for me.  Fiona Davis is quickly securing a spot on my must read author list.  I highly recommend this engaging novel.  

I received this book courtesy of Dutton Penguin Group through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A few years ago, my family and I were visiting Kansas City and I wanted to go by Rainy Day Books, a wonderful independent bookstore. They were having an author talk and book signing that night for Laura McHugh and her first novel The Weight of Blood.  I hadn't read the book and didn't know anything about it, but decided it would be fun to go.  I'm so thankful that we attended that night because Laura McHugh has quickly gained a spot on my favorite authors shelf.  

The Wolf Wants In is a suspenseful read that will keep you turning pages as you try to determine what factors are at play in the rural town of Blackwater, Kansas.  Sadie Keller just isn't satisfied that her brother died of natural causes.  His untimely death just doesn't ring true to Sadie.  While police try to tell Sadie everyone grieves differently, there seems to be something off about the way her sister-in-law is acting.  As Sadie digs deeper, the questions just keep stacking up and the answers aren't coming.  18 year old Henley Pettit just wants to escape the small town.  Henley thought her mother Misty had finally conquered her drug addiction, but Misty hasn't been home in days and Henley is beginning to worry.  Then a child's skull is found in the woods and the story keeps twisting and turning as the plot thickens.  

I could not read this book fast enough.  Laura McHugh does a great job of truly drawing you into the story and her pacing is phenomenal.  I truly enjoyed this book and it was a five star read for me.  

I received this book courtesy of Spiegel and Grau through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

Viola Shipman's previous novels The Charm Bracelet, The Recipe Box and The Hope Chest, have been among some of my favorite summer reads, filled with family, tradition and touching stories.  The Summer Cottage takes its place among them with good standing.  

Adie Lou Kruger has so many fond memories of her days at her family's cottage on Lake Michigan but she finds herself in the midst of a divorce and pressure being placed upon her to sell the property to settle her recently deceased parents estate.  Adie Lou finds that she can't part with the property that easily and sets a course to renovate the Cottage and her life in the process as she tries to leave her old life behind and start new.  

The Summer Cottage follows the journey that Adie Lou and the Cottage itself take.  There are many wonderful nostalgic pieces to the novel and it truly does make you wish for a summer on the lake.  Without giving away any spoilers, I did struggle with some portions of the storyline that dealt with unearthing historic items from the home, as I felt those were a little outside of the plot line, and there were times that I felt the book didn't flow as well as some of the previous books that I have read by Viola Shipman.  That being said, I did enjoy the cottage rules and how those were incorporated into the book.  Adie Lou is a very memorable character and it was interesting to watch her evolve and grow over the course of the novel.

I received this book courtesy of Graydon House through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Heather Gudenkauf novels are always suspenseful and Before She Was Found was certainly no exception.  

12 year old Cora Landry is having her friends Violet and Jordyn over for a sleepover so how does that end up with Cora found beaten and stabbed in the abandoned train yard, Violet covered in Cora's blood and obviously traumatized from what occurred and Jordyn back home but not quite acting normal.  Did the girls turn against each other or was some other person stalking them and responsible for Cora's injuries.  

Before She Was Found weaves a very tangled web that kept me turning pages at a rapid pace and guessing until the very end.  For those reasons, I rated this a four star read, however I was disappointed in the ending and without revealing any spoilers, I didn't quite feel that all the threads were connected or answered.  The ending left me a little underwhelmed and with unanswered questions, but the rest of the book had me on the edge of my seat.  

I received this book courtesy of Park Row through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

We've all watched the beautiful weddings of the royal family over the last several years, and I remember watching Princess Diana and Prince Charles wedding as well, so naturally a book about Princess Elizabeth's wedding gown intrigued me.  

The Gown goes back and forth between London in 1947 and Canada in 2016.  Ann Hughes and Miriam Dassin are two embroiders for fashion designer Norman Hartnell.  When news of Princess Elizabeth's engagement breaks, everyone is speculating if Mr. Hartnell will be designing the gown.  Ann and Miriam are tasked with the intricate embroidery on the special dress and they bond over this shared time together.  Their friendship evolves so beautifully during the novel and we learn more about the hardships they have both had to endure in their past.  

Fast forward to 2016, Heather Mackenzie has just learned that her beloved Nan passed away, leaving her with a box of embroidered pieces that remarkably resemble Queen Elizabeth's famed wedding gown.  Heather embarks on a journey to learn more about how her grandmother came to have these items and what their significance might be.  

I so enjoyed this historical fiction novel.  I felt that I was offered a glimpse into the fashion houses of the 1940s and the excitement over the royal wedding after such a bleak time of war.  My book club also selected this as one of our monthly reads and I think it will offer some interesting discussion.  The novel is so descriptive that I could picture the gown in my mind, but I did search the internet after reading the book to see pictures of the wedding.  I felt that deepened my appreciation for the novel.  The Gown is a wonderfully developed story that I will remember for some time.  A strong four star read for me.  I'm looking forward to reading other books by Jennifer Robson.  

I received this book courtesy of William Morrow through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.  

Fredrik Backman has become one of my favorite authors.  His writing is just so on point and he is truly an exquisite wordsmith.  Things My Son Needs to Know About the World is a novel very different from his previous writings, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.  The way he can take the every day experience and look at it in a way that I hadn't thought about before is just a gift.  Any parent can sympathize with the sentiments in this book and relate to each and every page.  It would make a perfect gift for any father or mother, new or experienced.  I know this is a book that I will enjoy re-reading again and again.

I received this book courtesy of Atria Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

Twenty years ago, four teenagers planned a night of fun, but it all ended very differently than they expected, or did one of them actually have something sinister planned.  That question has plagued several of them over the years and now three of them are coming back together. Will any of their doubts or questions be answered or will they continue to be haunted by that night so many years ago.

I typically am a fan of Lisa Scottoline's work, but I was disappointed with Someone Knows. I felt parts of the novel were predictable and then just when I thought it was a perfect twist at the end, I felt it was one twist too many for me which made it less believable.  Still a three star read but was just hoping for a bit more.  

I received this book courtesy of G.P. Putnam & Sons through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.  

The Library of Lost and Found is a charming story with colorful characters that leap from the page. Martha Storm's life is filled with helping others, whether it is through her job at the library or completing her long "to-do" list of other people's projects.  But her world gets turned on its axis, when she discovers a book of fairy tales inscribed to her by her grandmother, but the date is after her grandmother's date of death.  Martha delves into the search for more information and it takes her on a journey like no other. 
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There are several unique and intriguing characters in the book and I really enjoyed the way the story evolved. I certainly routed for Martha throughout the novel and enjoyed each page.  A solid four star read for me!

I received this book from Park Row through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

I am a true lover of Southern Fiction and Glory Road by Lauren K. Denton has all the hallmarks of a great Southern Fiction novel.  The cover itself had me before I even turned a page.  

We have three strong female characters: Jessie, Evan and Gus.  38 year old Jessie McBride runs her own garden shop but thinks it's too late for love in her life.  Suddenly she finds herself questioning that when her high school love is back in town and she's also being courted by the dashing and wealthy Sumner Tate.  Jessie's mother Gus is growing more concerned about her own recent lapses in memory.  Is it just normal aging or something else?  Jessie's daughter Evan is just entering high school and testing her limits. To complicate matters, she has developed a crush on Nick who happens to be the son of Ben Bradley, her mother's high school love.  

Glory Road develops all three of these narratives so well and I was equally engaged in all of them. I appreciated the three strong female characters all at different points in their lives but connected by their family bond.  This is the third novel I have read by Lauren K. Denton and I have truly enjoyed them all.  A strong four star read for me.  

I received this book courtesy of Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review.  

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres to read and The Huntress by Kate Quinn earns a top spot on my historical fiction shelf.  I've read many World War II novels but The Huntress provided a unique perspective and was steeped in historical accuracy.  

Told in three narratives, The Huntress introduces us to Nina Markova, a Russian female bomber pilot; Ian Graham, a British journalist who tracks down war criminals for prosecution; and Jordan McBride, a 17 year old aspiring photographer who doesn't quite buy into the persona her new stepmother is putting forth.

The character development throughout the novel is phenomenal.  I too vacillated back and forth between whether Jordan's stepmother was truly evil or just misunderstood.  The ending of the book really solidified the entire story for me and I particularly enjoyed the author's note detailing her research.  It was a truly captivating story that provided me with another viewpoint into the war and all the lives touched by it.  A solid four star rating from me.

I received this book courtesy of William Morrow/Harper Collins through Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.