I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. And I never lie about books...

I fell in love with this book very early on. There is some very beautiful writing here. I love the language the author uses. She just puts everything out there so easily. Word choices are not canned or commonplace. Things are described in a way that makes the reader easily understand and sympathize with Mary. I felt at home reading this book. Though the topic of the plot wasn't always a comfortable one, it was written in a way that made me feel as if I had been welcomed into the character's home and life.

All of the characters were full and real. They interacted realistically with one another and for the most part responded realistically. I thought she did a wonderful job portraying a full picture of Mary, both as her own person and in terms of the roles she plays...mother, wife, etc. The supporting characters are written just as well. None of the characters featured felt like an afterthought; they all served their purpose and the writing fully committed to completing their portions of the story.

There seemed to be little to no force in the forwarding of the plot. It progressed very naturally without feeling boring or trite. The balance of Mary's past and present life are woven into the story line very well. There were no instances where the juxtaposition felt odd or left me confused.

Overall, I think this book managed to remain engaging without being extravagant. I could definitely go for a sequel to follow the events after the close of this book, but I didn't feel that the ending lacked any sense of reasonable closure.

(Disclaimer: I received this book as a copy from NetGalley in exchange for a review. My reviews are always honest and my own opinion...I never lie about books.)

I loved this book. She is funny and real. She is self-deprecating without becoming whiny or pathetic. I did not want to put this book down. I love her irreverent humor. Her analogies and quips are hilarious and imaginative. Her narrative feels like talking to a friend. I read this all in one sitting, taking a break only to make and eat dinner. This one was a total win.

See full review on Erratic Project Junkie

This one was SOOOO good. I liked it right way. The writing is great and the back and forth (Before/After) from chapter to chapter works really well - something that's very difficult to do. I liked the characters (though I did dislike Sawyer quite a bit for the majority of the book). It's a very emotionally charged read, but very much worth it.

I really loved this book. It's a great for giving a little bit of a darker twist on the magical school trope. The writing style is definite developed with the older middle grade set in mind and the movement of the plot and development of the characters match with the intended audience. But there are some dark and slightly more mature pieces that make me think it would be better suited for YA readers.

The plot is fun and twisty with lots of entertaining moments. There are admittedly some annoying quirks to the protagonists and they are delivered in a bit of a heavy-handed way, but I just had a lot of fun reading this. It challenges the typical fairy tale tropes and I think gives a great lesson in not accepting that you have to be what everyone tells you that you are. It's inspirational in that way, but with a very flippant kind of approach. I was caught off-guard by how much I enjoyed this. I need to be grabbing the sequel soon.

Wow. I stayed up VERY late reading this one, only putting it down when my eyes refused to stay open. After months of slugging my way through books, I finished this in less than 3 days. Excellent writing and a good plot. It feels like a blending of so many good stories, but still holds its own. Reminiscent of a bit of Hunger Games and Divergent with an added air of Tudor England as well as Roman gladiator days. I can't wait to read the next book in this trilogy. It can't come out fast enough.

Paula McLain's writing is always so lyrical and beautiful. She captures the beauty and danger of early 20th century Kenya so incredibly well. Following the life of Beryl Markham, the first woman horse trainer in Africa, this is a slow burn read that inches its way into your soul.

Beryl is a sympathetic character, despite her flaws. In fact, that's one of the things I liked about this novel so much. All of the characters are unapologetically imperfect. There were things that I definitely did not like about Beryl as a person, but I was still very interested in her journey and invested in her accomplishments.

The story celebrates Beryl's successes as well as wanders through her struggles and failures in her bid for independence, something quite difficult for a woman in her day and age. The narrative is very atmospheric throughout with a methodical inclusion of conflict every few chapters, keeping things interesting from start to finish.

Circling the Sun generated a strong interest in me to know more about this period of time and specific group of individuals. I plan to follow this read up with Beryl's autobiography as well as Isak Dinesen's Out of Africa in the future.

Full review to come, but...

I loved this book! It is creepy and weird but completely addicting. Hawkins has developed a whole new existential world that is incredibly intriguing. The author has been incredibly vague over whether or not he will be creating a full sequel to the book. There NEEDS to be one. I need to know more. I need to read more.

Full review to come, but...

I absolutely adored this book. It has become one of my all-time favorites. Beautiful writing, richly developed characters, and a heart-wrenching love story. I'm not typically a sap when I read, but this one had me. It is one that I will read over and over again. It gave me all the feels...

This book was a blast! I highly recommend the audiobook. The writing is super snarky and the narrator brings that through so incredibly well. The plot is imaginative and moves super fast, with a lot of action and commentary that had me snorting from laughing so hard. I breezed right through my read and finished the over 500 pages in three days. I didn't want to put it down.

I am a huge fan of historical fiction, but this made it even more fun. A blend of historical fiction and fantasy (with large liberties taken as to historical fact), there was so much to love about this read. I am amazed at how seamless the writing is with there having been three authors working together. It's really quite impressive when you think about it. The voice comes through incredibly solid and feels extremely cohesive.

The characters are a lot of fun. There is a mix of historical accuracy along with some strong character personality in the dialogue and it removes the edge of stuffiness that sometimes accompanies historical reads. I ended up really loving the majority of the characters and I'm extremely thrilled that this is a series (along with another still releasing companion series).

Two thumbs up with a very high recommendation!!

I am continuously impressed by Kristin Hannah's writing. I have adored everything I've ever read by her and this may be my favorite yet. If you have read and enjoyed The Alice Network then this will be a FANTASTIC read for you.

Hannah's prose is beautiful and incredibly atmospheric. I always feel totally immersed in her stories. This feels like WWII France in every little detail and it's just amazing. There are several different lifestyles and experiences that are explored and it a complete rollercoaster of emotions.

Be prepared. This book pulls NO punches. It is a terribly emotional read and not a pretty story. It faces the worst of war head on and completely gut punched me more than once.

This was amazing, engrossing, and full of historical references in the best of atmospheric ways. I will need to read this again in the future. It's a read that will stick hard in my mind.