I will be the first to admit that I looked at my phone more than I planned to during January. But, I definitely went no social media, and stayed off my laptop! Instead, I read. 13 books all the way through, and a couple more that I abandoned. Here are my favourite books of the month!
Phantom's Daughter - by Ashley Nikole
This story is about 'Ebony Hunter' the daughter of famous outlaw Terrence North - leader of 'Phantom'.
How she came to be in the group, she can't remember. But she knows this isn't the life she wanted.
When Hunter is forced to run for her life, she collides with the man who holds the answers her memory has long hidden—the man who has been hunting her down for years—the bane of her existence, but very likely, her only hope—U.S. Marshal Ethan Fellows.
The plot to this story is fast paced and keeps you on the edge of your seat. There are mysteries that keep you holding your breath till the last page. {metaphorically not literally} It's full of colourful characters, and redemption and hope. For a full breakdown, read my review here.
The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society
London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she's never met, a native of the island of Guernsey, who has come across her name written inside a book by Charles Lamb...
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society—born as a spur-of-the-moment alibi when its members were discovered breaking curfew by the Germans occupying their island—boasts a charming, funny, deeply human cast of characters, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all.
Aside from awesome characters this book has a great plot. It is interesting from a historical standpoint and a storytelling standpoint.
The setting is written well, although it is through letters it really helps you imagine the place and feel as though you are there.
Full review here.
The Little Women Letters - by Gabrielle Donnelly
This book follows the descendants of Jo March. Three sisters, LuLu - a young woman trying to figure out what to do with her life, Emma - busy planning a wedding, and Sophie - a budding actress.
Lulu loves her sisters dearly and wants nothing but the best for them, but she finds herself stuck in a rut. When her mother asks her to find a cache of old family recipes in the attic of her childhood home, Lulu stumbles across a collection of letters written by her great-great-grandmother Josephine March.
I started with a mentality that Lulu = Jo, Sophie = Amy, and Emma = Meg. But quickly I realized that although there are parallels and similarities, each character is unique and I liked them independent of 'Little Women.
This book now ranks among my favourites. It is reminiscent of Little Women in all the best ways while not being a poorly done parody. I definitely recommend it!
Full review here.
The Inheritance - by Michael R. Phillips
Loni Ford is enjoying her rising career in a large investment firm in Washington, DC. Yet in spite of her outward success, she is privately plagued by questions of identity. Orphaned as a young child, she was raised by her paternal grandparents, and while she loves them dearly, she feels completely detached from her roots. That is until a mysterious letter arrives from a Scottish solicitor. . . .
The death of the clan patriarch has thrown the tiny Shetland Islands community of Whale's Reef into turmoil. Everyone assumed MacGregor Tulloch's heir to be his grand-nephew David. But when it is discovered that MacGregor left no will, David's grasping cousin Hardy submits his own claim to the inheritance. The courts have frozen the estate's assets while the competing claims are investigated, leaving many of the residents in financial limbo. The future of the island--and its traditional way of life--hangs in the balance.
I read this book in one sitting, not realizing how late it was - because I had to finish it before I went to bed! All the characters had depth and seemed real. The plot was interesting and well paced. Full Review here.
