The Library of Flowers (Deluxe Edition) by L.C. Chu

 Book Excerpt:

"For centuries, the Hua women have held sway over the courts of emperors and billionaires with their magical perfumes able to stir hearts and ensure fortunes. And in every fifth generation, an eldest daughter is born with the rarest gift of all: the ability to summon true love.

As a long-awaited fifth daughter, Lucy was supposed to be the miracle her exacting mother had been waiting for. But when her magic failed, Lucy fled Vancouver, her legacy, and the expectations that had nearly broken her. Now, years later, she runs a tiny perfume shop tucked away in Toronto's Kensington Market—crafting beautiful, perfectly ordinary scents and keeping her extraordinary past firmly behind her. That is, until a death in the family brings her home...and saddles her with an unwelcome inheritance: the centuries-old Hua family register, brimming with secrets, formulas, and forgotten truths.

As Lucy unravels the stories of the women who came before her—including the mother whose complicated heart she never could understand—she must confront the tangled threads of love, power, and identity...and ask herself whether her magic was ever truly gone, or simply waiting for her to decide for herself what it means to be a daughter of the House of Hua."

Title:  The Library of Flowers

Author:  L.C. Chu

Publisher:  Sourcebooks Landmark

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating: Four

Review:

"The Library of Flowers" by L. C. Chu

My Review:  

'The Library of Flowers' was about the women of the Hua family, past and present, which was a very interesting read about their family, which involved their culture, history, emotion, and even some magic that went back several generations. Now, what was this magic family's trade...Perfumers by trade. Be ready for characters like Lucy and Ana, who will be quite interesting in the story. It was nice seeing a family finding themselves.

If you would like a story about strong women, this one is for you.

Thanks to Netgalley for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Good Joy, Bad Joy, by Mikki Brammer

 Book Excerpt:

"For over eighty years, Joy Bridport has played by the rules: she's been a devoted wife and mother, contributing to the community in her small Hudson Valley town. But her quiet existence is jolted when she learns that her best friend, Hazel, only has months left to live. Hazel has always been the more adventurous one of their duo, and she seems at peace with all that she's squeezed out of her long life. Yet Joy realizes she can't say the same.

Determined to live boldly and make the most of the time that she and Hazel have left together, Joy steps outside of her comfort zone—and into a bit of trouble. But as her foray into rule-breaking escalates into petty crime, Joy must consider what kind of legacy she wants to leave behind and whether there's a way to embrace the liberation that "Bad Joy" offers without losing all she holds dear.

Is it ever too late to become who we're meant to be? With laugh-out-loud hijnks and emotional heft, Good Joy, Bad Joy is a heartwarming and wise celebration of the choices we make, the friendships we cherish, and the lengths we go for love."

Title:  Good Joy, Bad Joy

Author:  Mikki Brammer

Publisher:  St. Martin's Press

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating: Five

Review:

Good Joy, Bad Joy by Mikki Brammer

My Review:

'Good Joy, Bad Joy' was a beautiful, good read. The reader will fall in love with Joy, who was eighty-nine years old, and I don't want to forget to mention Hazel, Joy's best friend. This will be a story that keeps one turning the pages, thanks to the author's ability to bring it to life for the reader.

This story was about a 'lifelong friendship, sisterhood, love, life, and even regrets'. This is one of those stories that will leave one pondering long after the read, even leaving one in tears.   

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Young King The Making of Martin Luther King Jr. by Lerone Martin

 Book Excerpt:

"From a preeminent King scholar, the origin story of the man, minister, and civil rights hero who would lead the nation and change the world.

We know who Martin Luther King, Jr. became, but who was he at the beginning of his life? How did his youth inform his outlook and activism?

Before Martin Luther King, Jr. was a civil rights leader, a Nobel Laureate, and a global hero, he was an emotional boy, a middling high school student devoted to fashion, dancing, and dating. Lerone A. Martin, Faculty Director of the Martin Luther King Institute at Stanford University, traces these roots to develop a fuller understanding of the influential preacher's emotional life, his youthful confusion about his future and career direction, his teenage missteps, and his inspiration to fight for justice."

Title:  Young King...The Making of Martin Luther King Jr.

Author:  Lerone Martin

Publisher:  Amistad

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating: Five

Review:

"Young King...The Making of Martin Luther King Jr.

My Review:

This author, Lerone Martin, did a wonderful job telling a powerful story about Martin Luther King Jr. In fact, Martin Luther King Jr. is one person I can truly say was important throughout his life. From his childhood, family discipline, education, to his early encounters with racial things that showed the power of what went on with him in his life.  

This is one of those well-written reads that, once you start reading, you will find it will be hard to put down due to all that is in the remarkable read, as you are pulled into MLK Jr.'s life. Be ready for many interesting details, and you will find out a lot about his personal life.

If you are interested in a good biography that involves American history, you have come to the right place, because this non-fiction read will give you that and so much more.

Thank you to Netgalley and Amistad for the early read.

An Unexpected Spark Kindle Edition by Delaney Diamond

 Book Excerpt:

"It's never too late to learn from our mistakes...

Tallulah Washington believes in energy, intuition, and the healing power of sage. Jamison Harris believes in efficiency, logic, and arriving fifteen minutes early. When their kids announce a whirlwind engagement, these two complete opposites are forced together—and it’s a disaster from the start.

But disaster has a funny way of turning into chemistry.

Between cake tastings gone wrong, dance lessons, and one very inconvenient spark, Tallulah and Jamison discover that maybe they don’t hate each other as much as they thought.

The two least likely people might be the ones to prove that love is worth the risk."

Title: An Unexpected Spark
Author: Delaney Diamond
Publisher: Garden Avenue Press
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
'An Unexpected Spark' by Delaney Diamond

My Review:

'An Unexpected Spark' was a nice romance, with Tallulah and Jamison finding love. Now the story will get even more interesting, as the story centers on an older couple who meet when their children fall in love and plan to marry as the story continues.

The story will keep one's attention from the beginning to the end, showing how it all comes together for both couples. By the end, you are given a good love story.

Before We Were Strangers Kindle Edition by Brenda Novak

 Book Excerpt:

"New York Times–Bestselling Author: "I loved this twisty tale of friends, enemies, lovers, liars, and a family fractured by secrets." —Susan Wiggs

Five-year-old Sloane McBride couldn't sleep that night. Her parents were arguing again, their harsh words heating the cool autumn air. And then there was that other sound—the ominous thump before all went quiet.

In the morning, her mother was gone.

The official story was that she left. Her loving, devoted mother! That hadn't sat any better at the time than it did when Sloane moved out at eighteen, anxious to leave her small Texas hometown in search of anywhere else. But not even a fresh start working as a model in New York could keep the nightmares at bay. Or her fears that the domineering father she grew up with wasn't just difficult—he was deadly.

Now another traumatic loss forces Sloane to realize she owes it to her mother to find out the truth, even if it means returning to a town full of secrets and lies, a jilted ex-boyfriend, and a father and brother who'd rather see her silenced. But as Sloane starts digging into the past, the question isn't whether she can uncover what really happened that night—it's what will remain of her family if she does . . ."

Title:  Before We Were Strangers

Author:  Brenda Novak

Publisher:  Mira

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating: Four

Review:

'Before We Were Strangers' by Brenda Novak

My Review:  

'Before We Were Strangers' was quite an interesting Thriller that kept me turning the pages to see what was coming next, with romance, mystery, family drama, and even a murder. Be ready for lots of twists and turns in this story that will keep you turning, shaking your head, and saying, "I didn't see that coming," along with a lot of guessing. There were many interesting characters with flaws all over the place. By the end, this was a good, interesting story.  

Save the Date A Novel by Mallory Kass

 Book Excerpt:'

"A romantic comedy of manners about a lavish wedding weekend gone very, very wrong with the slow-burn romance of Emily Henry and the fizzy humor of Sophie Kinsella.

The Bride: Beautiful, seemingly carefree Marigold is tired of being treated like a shallow it-girl. That's one of the many reasons she's excited to marry Jonathan—the handsome, kind, respectable doctor of her dreams. So when a shocking secret from her past threatens to ruin her wedding, she'll do anything to make it disappear...even if it means tracking down a man she vowed to avoid forever.

The Maid of Honor: As the bride's best friend, all Natalie wants is for this wedding to go off without a hitch. There's only one problem: Natalie has secretly been in love with the groom since college. When Marigold disappears, Natalie is forced to ask whether she can keep burying her feelings for the sake of friendship...or if she's ready to risk everything to pursue her own happy ending.

The Sister: Olivia has spent her life cleaning up Marigold's messes. So she's determined to keep the wedding on track for the sake of their mother, who's battling cancer and longs for one last perfect weekend. But when Jonathan's best man—a prickly academic with a heart of gold—ropes her into a fake dating scheme, sparks unexpectedly fly. Will Olivia sacrifice her own happiness again, or could this fake relationship turn into the truest choice she's ever made?

Heartwarming, hilarious, and sparklingly romantic, Save the Date will have you cheering for love in all its messy, unexpected glory.

Title:  Save the Date

Author:  Mallory Kass

Publisher:  Atria Books

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating: Five

Review:

"Save the Date" by Mallory Kass

My Review:

'Save the Date' was a beautifully told romantic comedy, funny, full of heart, and full of chaos. The three main characters give us much, being about family and friends, and the story gives the reader a sense of realism, plenty of humor, and the messiness that came with it, along with the hurt, chaos, and love.

'Save the Date' was a good novel to pick up and read. The reader will get a lot from all that goes on in this well-written story.

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @atriabooks for this wonderful ARC! 

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @atriabooks for this wonderful ARC! 

Love by the Book A Novel by Jessica George

 Book Excerpt:

"Friendship is the love story you can count on.

Remy is lucky. Her debut novel, based on her three best friends, became an instant bestseller when it was released, and her agent and publisher are clamoring for a follow-up. But just as Remy's creative inspiration seems to leave her, so too do her friends: one moves to New York, one gets pregnant, and one gets back together with her (awful) boyfriend. After an ill-advised one-night stand complicates matters further, Remy is left deeply alone—and unable to find her next book idea.

Simone is successful. A Kindergarten teacher with a passion for kids, and a well-paying side hustle that affords her all the material comforts she desires, she doesn't have time for a robust social life. All Simone needs is her close-knit family—but after the true nature of her work is revealed, they cut her off, and she realizes for the first time just how isolated she is.

When Simone and Remy bump into each other (literally) in a bookstore, it isn't exactly soulmates at first sight. Simone is guarded and prickly, Remy is insecure and heartbroken, and each woman is harboring a secret. And yet they might just be the missing piece the other has been searching for—if only they can let each other in.

Can Simone help Remy make one of the most important decisions of her life—and can Remy help Simone recover all that she's lost? In Jessica George's heartwarming, funny, and soulful second novel, she explores the restorative nature of female friendship and the life-changing power of platonic love."

Title:  Love by the Book

Author:  Jessica George

Publisher:  St. Martin's Press

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating: Five

Review:

"Love by the Book" by Jessica George

My Review:

  

"Love by the Book" by Jessica George is a delightful and deeply engaging read that explores the profound nature of female friendship. The characters are wonderfully crafted and well-developed as they navigate themes of secrets, pressure, and loneliness.

The story beautifully captures the strength of their friendship and the love they share.

 Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.