That was Unexpected

 The Queen of Paris by Pamela Binnings Ewen 

My dislike for Coco is not factoring in to my rating of this book because 1) I did not realize I did not like her until I read this book and 2) my issue with the book is stylistic. It is well written, but the switching from third to first person and back was unappealing and frankly confusing as I was listening to the book. I am a fan of historical fiction and I like that the majority of the story was based in truth, that the fictional parts included some of the rumors surrounding Coco and that some of the dialogue had to be made made. But, the narration change was not working for me. We start the book believing that Coco is a sympathetic character. I was ready to ride at dawn for this woman (and by that I mean go out and start buying No.5 whether or not I like how it smells) since she was being cheated out of her name, her company, and her perfume that she created all on her own. Then we get her backstory about being abandoned by her father after the death of her mother. Then we find out that she was a kept woman. All of this is interspersed with her time during the war, which she thought was fake. Even when she was living in a German occupied hotel she still thought it was fake. She saw a Jewish woman being drug away from her family and she didn't speak out. I understand the women who slept with the German soldiers to keep themselves safe; for many it was the only way they could stay alive. But not Coco. She did it because they were old friends and why not. She was quite possibly the most self centered person I have ever read about. Her being a Nazi spy, which based on this book appears to have been under duress to protect her nephew (who might have actually been her son), I can understand. But her refusing to see what was really happening, refusing to believe what was really happening. All because "what can I do?" was despicable. Getting her nephew/son out of the prison camp and to safety and then taking care of her maid after she was attacked just because she was her maid. The book ends with her having a meeting with her business partner, the one who owned 90% of the company and caused her so many problems, showing up with a a bank statement showing how much money she has made since he moved the company to America and them being friends again. We also find out that he was the one who got her out of France and to Switzerland, where she was staying at the end of the war. He was a good character, a good person, and deserved better than Coco. I realize this is historical fiction, but I learned a lot about Coco Chanel during this book and while some of it was sad, most of her troubles were of her own making and I cannot feel bad for her.

Good, but Not Worth the Hype

 Twisted Love by Ana Huang

I have heard that the other books in the series are better, not sure if that means better written or better stories, but I enjoyed this one so that gives me something to look forward to. This was not a literary marvel, but it was enjoyable.  I am mad at myself for not realizing that Michael Chen, Ava and Josh's father was the man that Alex was working to bring down for so long. And I am mad at myself for not realizing that it was really his uncle Ivan who was the real mastermind behind the death and destruction of his parents and sister all along. But I was surprised. And like Ava I was heartbroken when Alex said he was just using them, using her. Bridget coming to the rescue and getting them back together, indirectly, was great. Watching Ava learn to conquer her fears has made me want to conquer some of mine. Was this book worth they hype? No. Did I enjoy it? Yes. Will I be continuing the series? Also yes.

Just Not Good

 Fae: Lost by Eva Blackwing 

This is probably the most poorly written book I have ever read. There were so many inconsistencies with the main character and the plot was so obvious. Now, I still listened to the entire thing and sent my bestie updates as I listened, but it was not good. I enjoyed my outrage more than I did the book. More (Maureen) is 24. She went to school to be a teacher but can't find a job so she's back in her hometown working at the coffee shop her brother owns with no future and no prospects. In walks a hot guy and she starts spilling her guts to him. Her brother comes in as she is sitting with her head down and fires her and tells her she has a week to find a new place to live. Well, hot guy goes home with her and offers to let her move in with him. So she does. But, one of the guys didn't know so when he gets home he has a fit and she leaves only to get kidnapped by her own family. She is told she will marry John (who cares that she doesn't want to, that he's horrible and will cheat on her) and that she has to marry him in a week. She is taken to a wedding dress fitting and the dress is horrendous. But, in walks the super hot guy and his equally hot brothers (not actual brothers, they just call each other that). They save her and take her home. Attacks on the house happen. She finds out they are fae, each of a royal house and each controlling one element. she helps one avoid an arranged marriage. Gifts keep showing up at the house, but they have spells and protections so nobody should be able to get to the house so there's a contradiction for you. Also, she has never had sweets, no birthday cake no nothing, but her favorite snack is popcorn with reese pieces and when she has a bad day she drowns her sorrows with a pint of ice cream. Make that make sense. She goes to work with them; they own a car shop that's giving Magic Mike vibes. She gets arrested because her parents are looking for her. The judges sentences her to a 24 hour psych evaluation but not at the state hospital, no at a super fancy one that her parents are donors for. Well, the doctor there tells her that she will be there as long as it takes and that her parents wishes supersede that of the judge because they are his personal benefactors.  Then he literally tortures her, but he has to protect her brain and uterus. Meanwhile, one of the hot fae has compelled the police to search her parents house and computer where they find all kinds of incriminating evidence about this plot, how since they adopted her they get to marry her off for business connections, and how they are going to torture her at this hospital. Oh, and the doctor isn't even a medical doctor, he has a Ph.D. in philosophy. The police show up and free her while arresting the doctor and two male nurses who have been molesting and torturing her. The guys take her home. They put a bigger bed in her room so they can all sleep in the same bed. Hot guy #1 has his parents and older brother show up to help since they get attacked again. They come up with a plan. She finds out she is the mate to all 4 of them. They plan to use her as bait to lure out the attackers, who happen to be her brother and not-fiance, John. John is a human who is mulitple hundred years old because he's a magic user. Also, weird things keep happening around More so everyone assumes she is a human mage, which means eventually she will go crazy. Nobody even considers that she might be fae disguised as human. So, they set the trap and John falls for it. She gets him talking and we find out that they have to marry before she turns 25 because it will be harder for him to steal her powers then; he has been systematically hunting down her family for hundreds of years, stealing their powers and then killing them. His plan is to take her power then force her to give him heirs so he can rule both fae and the world. But, he waits to long and when he attacks her powers are breaking free and she is able to fend him off. But, he gets away. When this is over Hot Guy #1's parents go on bended knee and say "Happy Birthday, Your Majesty" and that's where the book ends. This book was so predictable. And inconsistent. I did not enjoy it. It irritated me immensely. I will be listening to book 2 because I will enjoy being irritated at it. 

Two of my LEAST Favorite Tropes

 The Scoundrel in her Bed by Lorraine Heath 

I do not like age gap romances. I realize that with most historical romance novels there's going to be an age gap to keep with the times, but that doesn't mean I like it. Especially when their first meeting occurs when she is 15 and he is 21. They form a friendship and nothing happens until she is 17, of age (at the time). It's still gross. Especially since in the future timeline we realize that the delivery we witnesses was not his, but hers with his child. That's right. They have a kid together. And Finn doesn't find out until seven years after the fact. I was correct in that book 2 set up book 3. This is Finn and Lavinia's book. And this story jumps from the aftermath of her leaving Thorn at the alter to the past. The "future/current" story is fine, enjoyable even. The past story line is not. So, she leaves Thorn at the alter and runs away to Whitechapel where she is living in a convent, buying by-blows from the baby farmers. Finn catches her, follows her, saves her. They build a friendship but she can't go back to him because too much has happened. We finally find out that they planned to run away together, that she was late and he wasn't there. She believes that he gave up and abandoned her. His version is that he showed up and her father was waiting; he told him he would never see her again and had him sent to prison. Aiden made sure he didn't get sent to the Australia by getting their father to pull some strings in return for 60% of the profits from his club for eternity. So Finn spent 3 (maybe 5? can't remember) years in prison. Once they clear the air they are friends again, but they still have feelings for each other. Finn is opening his own club, for ladies, and he makes her a partner in the club, and moves her into the rooms above it. Then she finally tells him about the child. He goes to his father to ask who his mother was but he doesn't even remember. Finn almost kills him, but gets him to give up his holdings in Aiden's club. He and Vivi both end up at her brother's house, the house she grew up in. She is demanding answers from her mother about the baby; her brother had no idea any of this even happened and is flabbergasted that he was so blind. But her mother is horrid and refuses to tell her anything other than that she gave it (the baby) to a footman and had it disposed of. Meanwhile, Finn showed up on his own and is interrogating the staff. They know nothing. We find out later that her brother moves their mother out of the house and into the cottage because he can't stand to be around her anymore either. They go home and get a visitor; it's one of the footmen from her past. He was the one give the baby, but he didn't take it to a baby farmer, he gave it to his sister and her husband because they couldn't have children and desperately wanted one. It's a girl and they love her and treat her wonderfully. Vivi is ecstatic; she is determined to go and get her child. Finn, is glad she survived, but as someone who was raised by an adopted mother he can't fathom taking a child away from the only home they have known. They fight and Vivi quits. Finn goes to Gilly's and ends up talking to one of his brothers about what they would have done if their real family showed up to take them away; they agreed that they would have run away back to their mom Edie Trewlove. Finn shows up to go with Vivi to see their daughter. She is tall and blonde and adores her parents. Vivi realizes that she can't take her, but asks if they can come by and see her again. Everyone is happy; Finn and Vivi get to be part of their daughter's life, and her parents get to keep her. Finn and Vivi make up and get married. Their marriage makes the lands that Thorn wanted hers, so she sells them to him and she and Finn buy land where they build an orphanage and a horse farm. Fast forward two years, she is pregnant with a child they will keep. They first building of the orphanage is full and they are building another. And they still get to see their daughter; she calls them Auntie and Uncle. Second chance romance is in my bottom for preferred tropes. This book had 2 of my least favorites: age gap and second chance. So, while I am glad they got their happily ever after I could have done without. Also, this book did not set up the next book so I'm not sure which sibling it will be.

Cute Title

 The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee 

I picked this up because the title was cute. That's it. I had no idea what I was getting into with this book. I figured it would be sometime from the 1700s-late 1800s/early 1900s and I was correct. I was not expecting a gay coming of age (although I should have since it was in the YA section of half price books) adventure story. Henry is the son of an earl. His best friend, Percy, is light skinned mixed race bastard who was raised by the man who sired him until his death and was then raised by relatives. Felicity is the younger sister of Henry and while she was desperate to go to school, she meant real school and not finishing school. The three of them set off on an adventure with a chaperone. Monty (Henry) and Percy are going on their Tour before Percy enters law school in Holland. Felicity is joining them for part of the trip as she will be dropped off at her finishing school on the way. They go to France. Monty meets a girl. Before they start discarding clothing he takes a small puzzle box from the desk. They get caught before things start but not before he is completely naked. He flees and gets seen by everyone. The trio leave the party and with their chaperone they flee France. On the drive they get attacked by highwaymen and get separated from their chaperone and servants. They walk until they can find people. Percy has a seizure; nobody knew he had epilepsy until that moment. They get help from a shop keeper who lets them stay on his boat until Percy is well. But, the highwaymen were really the Duke and his men, the same man Monty stole the puzzle box from. Percy goes to the bank and flirts with the teller to get money; turns out their chaperone already made it to the bank and left them a note about where to find him. But, they don't go there. Instead they set off to find an alchemist to help Percy. They find his house and are told he died, but his children let them stay the night. Then stay for a while. They go to an event and Monty meets a man who turns out to be the "dead" father's jailer. They confront the son and he tells them the truth. They plan for Monty to get arrested so he can talk to the father; it works. He makes friends with the father who tells him about his family, how to open the puzzle box, and where his dead not dead wife is. They stow away on a ship that gets attacked by pirates. They pirates help them and they help the pirates. They get to where the dead not dead wife is and plan on how to get to the sinking tomb. But the Duke shows up and captures Monty. They go to the tomb. Percy and Felicity show up. The daughter burns the heart. Monty gets shot. They all escape, except for the Duke. Percy, Monty, and Felicity get back to the pirates. Felicity saves Monty. The captain of the pirate ship offers Felicity a job as the ships surgeon. They sail to Greece. Monty and Percy decide to stay. Monty is going to learn how to live without the money and title. Percy doesn't want to go to an asylum; he was never going to law school, his family was sending him away because of the seizures. The book ends with Monty writing a letter to his father saying he's not coming back. Of course, since this is a coming of age story there was a lot of pining, slight touches, and longing looks. Plus miscommunication. I hate miscommunication as a plot device, but this was unintentional, not knowing what to say or how to say it, or saying the wrong thing. They finally learned how to talk to each other and admitted that they may make mistakes but that they want to learn and grow together. It was a fun adventure story with a sweet romance. And I am interested enough to read the next book.

I Need a Follow up Book!

 The Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore 

I adored almost everything about this book. I wish it was longer, or that there was a follow up. It was that good. This is one continuous story but every 6 or so chapters the perspective changes to a different member of the book club. It was a really interesting narrative choice. Starting with Sloan was perfect; she is so relatable (maybe too relatable). her background and how it made her be practically invisible even in her own life hit home. While I haven't lost a sibling, I understand wanting to fade into the background at times. I liked that she reached the conclusion that she didn't actually love her fiance, but didn't tell anyone. Her compassion for Arthur and the subsequent friendship that developed was adorable. That she willingly gave up her dream job to take care of him was so brave, and the right thing to do. Masie was heartbreaking. A single mother without custody of her daughter, desperate to form some kind of bond with her. She needed the book club more than any of them and watching her be able to nurture so many people was sweet. As was the growth she experienced individually and with her child. Mateo, when first introduced, seemed happy go lucky and his turn as narrator really showed how the seemingly happiest individuals can be hiding depths. He really needed the time with Arthur to help him grown and stop being afraid of greatness. That it saved his relationship was nice. Greg. Sweet, shy Greg. I loved him from the beginning. He was desperate to meet his grandfather, but terrified all the same. The growth he experienced in that relationship and the relationships he formed with the rest of the book club were everything. I just wish he and Sloan had ended up together. They were so obviously perfect for each other and that they didn't was one of the things I didn't like about the book. Then we have Arthur. An angry curmudgeon if ever there was one. He never recovered from the death of his wife and it ruined all of his relationships, especially the one with his daughter. During his turn as narrator we find out that he wanted her to stay and raise her baby (Greg; we never find out the father) but she was desperate to get away from Arthur and his temper so she left and never saw him again. During Greg's turn we find out that her dying wish was that he go and try to build some kind of relationship with Arthur. During Arthur's turn we find out how much that meant to him. Arthur reunites with an old friend turned enemy. And when he finds out that Nigel is dying it causes Arthur to be sent back to the hospital. This is unfortunate because he comes clean to Greg and Nigel about how much Sloan means to him and they help him devise a plan to tell her, so that if she moves to Boston with her fiance she will at least know how loved she is. Back to Sloan as narrator. Sloan is listed as Arthur's emergency contact so she runs out to the hospital to see him. Her fiance drives her because she is in no shape to drive and when they get there they have a very serious talk and finally break up. She goes inside and is hurt because she hears laughter and then sees everyone in the room having a book club meeting without her. She finally goes off on them and they spill the beans about the going away present. Each of them has highlighted passages of her favorite book, in different colors (one for each person), that show what she means to them. She cries. They all make up. She tells them she broke it off with her fiance. And that's where the book ends. They are all together and happy. We don't see Nigel die. We don't see Arthur die, which I am grateful for. I could not survive that. But, we also don't see Greg make a move. We don't see Masie make progress with her daughter. We don't see Mateo start his new career as a singer. I desperately want to know what happened to these characters. I. Want. More.

I like to think I could be Brave

 The White Rose: Munich, 1942-1943 by Inge Scholl 

This book was written by the younger sister of two of the founding members of the White Rose. She uses conversations, letters, and the pamphlets to construct a narrative of what happened during the year-ish that the White Rose was active. The White Rose was an underground movement, comprised mostly of college students, who were engaging in resistance against Hitler and his regime. Led by Hans and Sophie Scholl, they distributed leaflets and/or pamphlets discussing the horrors committed by the Nazi's; they also addressed the need to be brave and reject the Nazi ideals. The Scholl siblings were 24 and 21 when they died. They went to their executions calmly, their only goal was to not have any of their friends die with them. They did not succeed; one other was executed on the same day as them and for the next two years more members were either executed or sentenced to years in jail. I would like to think I could be brave in the face of danger, but I don't think I could be as brave as Sophie, who did not cry and saw the sunny day as a good day to die. When we teach about WWII we focus on Hitler and his actions, never the resistance. I did not even know about the existence of the White Rose until about a year ago when it was mentioned in a different audiobook, which led me to searching for books about it. These brave young men and women were barely out of childhood when they decided to take a stand for what was right, knowing that if they got caught it would mean their lives. Learning about the impact that the White Rose, and subsequent deaths of the founders, had is inspiring. And devastating.

Age Gap, but it's Appropriate This Time

 When a Duke Loves a Woman by Lorraine Heath

 I liked this book much better than the previous one. It focuses on Gilly, the oldest sister (but 5th child). There is still an age gap, but it's not uncomfortable; he is 36 and she is 29 for the majority of the story.  After closing her tavern for the night Gilly hears a scuffle and when she investigates she sees 4 men attacking one. He's hurt pretty badly but she gets him upstairs to her apartment and then send Robin, the orphan who lives in her tavern, to get the doctor. After the doctor tends to him she takes charge of his care and nurses him back to health, or a close approximation to it anyway. A few days later she borrows Mick's carriage to return him home, not knowing anything other than he goes by the name Thorn. Mick of course, waits and sees her loading him into the carriage and once it leaves he questions her. She tells him what happened and that's that. She doesn't expect to see him again, but that night he shows up to her tavern to thank her. And he keeps showing up. Some of it is so she can help him search for his fiancee that left him at the alter. This evolves into him looking for her not to get her back but to make sure she is okay and to let her know that he won't marry her. Meanwhile, Thorn and Gilly develop a friendship, then a romance. She finds out that he is a Duke and realizes that nothing can ever be between them, but she can have the now. His mother throws a ball so he can pick out a new bride and he says Gilly, Mick, and Aslyn get invited or he won't be there. She consents. Gilly gets her first gown. She goes to the ball and it wonderful to everyone, charming. But his mother doesn't like her. Some of the girls are gossiping about her. And his so-called friend propositions her so she punches him. After she and her family leave Thorn announces to everyone how he came to meet her, and there is stunned silence. He shows up at her place that night and she is waiting for him; to tell him that this is their last night together. They enjoy their night together and he leaves. A month goes by and Gilly realizes that she is pregnant. She goes to see her mum and tells her that she's keeping it. She starts making plans to close her tavern because she knows she will be shunned. Meanwhile, Thorn is depressed. He has realized that he loves her and he is looking at all of the marriage proposals sent from fathers wanting to marry off their daughters. His former fiancee shows up, tells him she is safe but that she can't go home because she doesn't know how her brother will react, and that she was not exactly chaste; that she loved another but can't be with him, and that if he ever finds love to not marry for anything less. Back at Gilly's Finn, Aiden, and Beast all take turns proposing to her. They make sure to say they won't expect the marriage bed but they don't want her to be ostracized and that they will make good husbands. We also learn that Finn is the man that Thorn's former fiancee is in love with. Gilly turns down all of her brothers. Her bar man, Roger, overhears that she's pregnant and starts mothering her, making her sit; it's cute. Then Thorn shows up. They start talking and he asks her to marry him. When he finally sees her whole body (she was hidden by the bar) he immediately realizes that she's pregnant. He's hurt that she didn't tell him, but he doesn't care, he just wants to marry him. She agrees, if they can have a small wedding (just friends and family). But, the next day his mother shows up. Gilly expects that she is going to try to warn her off, their first meeting didn't go very well, but it's just the opposite. She tells her that if she is going to be a Duchess there are certain expectations, and the first is a big wedding at St. Georges. Gilly agrees and they get married. Fast forward, the baby is born and it's a girl. Thorn's mother rants at him for not being able to produce an heir, but they tell her not to worry, they will get right on it. Also, Thorn's mother tries to adopt Robin; he declines but it's an open invitation. I liked that Gilly was story 2; she was already fairly well developed in book 1 and she is (currently) my favorite of the siblings. This sets up Finn and Livinia to be book 3, but I'm not sure if that will happen or if they will have to wait. I liked the gradual development of the relationship in this book better than the secret based one in the previous.

Give. Me. Book. Three!

 Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo 

It's been a while since I read book 1 so I had to go back and look at that review to remind myself of things. I was more prepared to the time changes because of that. This book is all about how Alex and Dawes are working to save Darlington. There is some rewind to her characters from her former life, some things with the societies and her job, and even some class work (since she is at Yale to go to classes). But, the majority is about Darlington. They try a spell and it goes wrong. Michael Aslem, one of the board members shows up and saves them with a cover up. But, the spell backfired and Darlington is trapped in a salt circle at Black Elm. Except it's him and not him; it's the gentleman demon. He has horns. And the only person he will talk to or interact with is Alex. They get a new head and not only is he a misogynist, but he is a stickler for the rules as well. Meanwhile, there have been two murders and Turner calls Alex to look at them because something is off. She agrees but can't figure out what. Darlington gives her clues, about the murder and how to find the Gauntlet, in the form of riddles because demons love puzzles. Alex gets called by the head drug dealer from back home (she killed his cousin). He finds video of her waking with the bat and forces her to be his enforcer or he will kill her mom. She does one job easily. The next one turns out to be a vampire. We were all surprised. She leaves Darlington's car there because she is freaked out. Understandably. Dawes finally finds enough info about creating the Gauntlet; they need 4 murderers. Lo and behold, Turner is willing to help. And they force Tripp (he was in book 1, kind of stupid, mostly harmless) to help as well. They descend. Things aren't going great; they all relive each others murders; they make it to Darlington and then get attacked. He fights off the wolves and tells Alex he will wait for her and they get pulled back to the real world. Turns out Aslem interrupted the ritual. Then he kicks Alex and Dawes out of Lethe, bans them from the houses, and storms off. Everyone goes home. Oh, Alex told Mercy and now she's helping. they go to class and Alex sees Hellie. Except it's a demon wearing her face. Turns out the 4 murders all got a demon that looks like the person they killed. She goes back to Black Elm and ends up locked in the basement with two dead bodies. It's Darlington's parents. She uses their strength to break out. Aslem is there. It's problems. Darlington finally breaks out of the salt circle and we realize that Aslem is not really himself. He has been consumed by a demon. Darlington's demon lord. Darlington fights him off then he and Alex go back to the circle and she jumps into hell and takes Darlington's soul into her own to get him out of hell. Then they have to open the Gauntlet again to return the demons. They can't find Tripp so Darlington goes in his place. They return 3 of the 4 demons; can't return Tripps' without him. But, someone has to stay. They argue and while that is happening the drug dealer shows up and Alex pulls his soul into hell and puts the cuff on him. Then she gets everyone out of hell. The go back to Il Bastion because she wasn't really kicked out of Lethe since Aslem was a demon. Darlington can turn into the demon at will. He has cuffs on that connect him to Alex. He will serve her until the end of days. They still haven't kissed and I was literally yelling at the book for them to just be together. They are both so desperately in love with each other it is not even funny. On the escape from hell Aslem bites Alex and uses her blood to prop open the door to hell so he can get out and cause mayhem. The book ends with her and Darlington charging off to find him. This book is very open ended and there is no follow up in sight. I NEED book 3. There are so many questions left unanswered. And Alex and Darlington are linked together but still aren't together. I need them to be together. I need book 3!!!

Ghosts, but Make it Cute

 The Kindred Spirits Supper Club by Amy E. Reichert 

She can see ghosts. He is trying to establish himself independent from his real estate tycoon family. They fake date to help her with her old school bully. Love and shenanigans ensue. I still don't really understand the concept of a Supper Club. Why is it only open seasonally? Why not all year? It doesn't make any sense. I really did not like Ray's mother; was to much of a bully. And then at the end to say they knew about the will all along and didn't say anything to him because they wanted to make sure he could handle it? When they had a first hand look at his ability when he was in New York? No. But she was sweet with Sabrina's nieces and nephew and she liked Sabrina and her family so she redeemed herself a bit. Ray was great. He never rushed the relationship. He learned from his mistakes. When necessary he gave a clear and specific apology. He was himself and supported Sabrina without trying to change her; he let her grow on her own. Sabrina was great too. She was so open about her fears and she developed enough trust in Ray to let him see her and be with her when she was at her worst. Then she finally not only told him about the ghost thing, but included him in it and fully embraced her family legacy. And then there's Molly. I'm glad she finally got reunited with her long lost love and got her happy ending. But her goodbye with Sabrina was so sad. I really enjoyed this book. I could see it becoming a series, easily. Either the next book focuses on Lucy and her love story or it continues focusing on Sabrina and Ray and her ghost business. Either way, as a stand alone or a series, it was super cute.