Review: The Faithful Executioner: Life and Death, Honor and Shame in the Turbulent Sixteenth Century

The Faithful Executioner: Life and Death, Honor and Shame in the Turbulent Sixteenth Century by Joel F. Harrington
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I shouldn't be surprised that executions were a hot ticket back in the day. This was based on a journal by Franz Schmidt who worked as an executioner for roughly 45 years. He not only did executions, but also torture to get confessions. Torture happened all the time, executions happened periodically throughout the course of the year. Interesting, but sad & depressing.

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Review: Cunk on Everything: The Encyclopedia Philomena

Cunk on Everything: The Encyclopedia Philomena by Philomena Cunk
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have yet to check out this Netflix show, but I've heard good things! After this book, I will be checking it out. This was so funny! So full of fun "facts." Read this if you need something escapist to read. And totally not serious!

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Review: This Will Be Fun

This Will Be Fun by E.B. Asher
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Beatrice and Elowen are best friends and are involved in a quest with Galwell (Elowen's brother) and Clare (Beatrice's friend/lover/enemy) to save their country.  They succeed, but at a high cost and become heroes.

Fast forward 10 years later.  No one is in touch with the other.  Beatrice refused her heroes pension and married into money.  She is now divorced.  Elowen has his herself away and avoided must human interaction.  Clare has meaningless one night stands.  Each is dealing with grief.  They are reunited because the princess, now Queen Thessia is getting married.  And as it turns out, they are needed for another quest to save the day.

I did like the setting; this is a romantasy with several different elements.  Think people enjoy their TV shows/movies/soaps on a tapestry, coffee shops, etc.  It had an interesting start and then got slow.  It did pick up.  I wasn't crazy about the ending.  

2nd chance romances are not a favorite trope of mine, this has 2 of them (Beatrice and Clare & Elowen and Vandra).  I thought each couple got into their feelings too much which resulted in too much back and forth.  I also thought, in general, everyone read as younger.  However, everyone was 30 or older.  

Smart Bitches Summer Bingo:  Magic or 30+

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Review: Fake It Till You Make It

Fake It Till You Make It by Siera London
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Amarie dumps her cheating fiance and decides to leave everything behind. She had to, since she lives with her ex, worked for her ex (she managed his (doctor) practice), and he controlled the money. She took a job at a small town, struggling vet practice. Eli is the hot, local vet. He also happens to have an ex-wife who is manipulative.
Amarie is able to put her social media skills to good use and vastly help Eli's practice gain a solid footing. Good chemistry and characters. I disliked Amarie's parents. Slow start, but picked up.

Smart Bitches Bingo- small town 

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Review: Paper Doll: Notes from a Late Bloomer

Paper Doll: Notes from a Late Bloomer by Dylan Mulvaney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I remember how some on the far right got all butt-hurt over her Bud-light sponsorship/endorsement. It showed the level of pettiness, ridiculousness, and general assholery of some people.
I enjoyed learned about Dylan and the person she is (and is growing to be). Lots of ups, downs, struggles.


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Review: The Mistake

The Mistake by Elle Kennedy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Excellent new adult book!  John Logan is a star hockey player.  He dreams of going pro, but family obligations keep him from formally going for it.  Grace, a psych major, falls for Logan.  When he does an insensitive thing (well, says something), he has to grovel.  

I liked the main characters, I liked their interactions.  They felt authentic.  Good secondary characters too.

Smart Bitches Summer Bingo- published in your birth month (April)

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Review: An Extraordinary Union

An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Simply wonderful. I loved Elle. She was born and slave and was freed along with her parents. She now is part of the Loyal League and devotes her time to helping the Union bring down the Confederacy. Her current role is a mute slave in the house of a Confederate Senator in Richmond. Malcolm is a spy for the Pinkerton agency. He is currently posing as a Confederate officer and gains access to the Senator's home to glean any helpful information he can pass on.
The romance was believable; Elle and Malcolm's inner dialogue helped to see where they were and how they were getting there. Without the inner dialogue as a guide, the romance would have been hard to believe I think (a Black woman and a White man in 1862). Both are great characters that grow throughout the book.
This had a good mix of historical info and action. I liked how it showed, at the time, everyone thought that the war would be over soon. The book's prologue takes place in April 1861 after the South fired on Fort Sumter with the main events happening Jan and ending in April 1862. We know the war ended 3 years later in 1865.
Another thing I really loved was the Author's Note at the end; Elle, Malcolm were based (in part) on real people and her explanation of the "why" write historical romance with POC.

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Review: Your Mom's Gonna Love Me

Your Mom's Gonna Love Me by Matt Rife
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I wanted something funny with all the shit going down in the world. I wasn't super familiar with this comedian, and was pleasantly surprised. Nice mix of both humor with some serious stuff too.

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Review: Master of Me: The Secret to Controlling Your Narrative

Master of Me: The Secret to Controlling Your Narrative by Keke Palmer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

There is nothing that Keke Palmer can't do. I liked her confidence in herself and her honesty. She is an excellent roll model. And a note; this book was a mix of self-help, advice, and memoir.

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