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3/19/2023

Weekly Book Wrap-Up #246 – Spring Is In Full Bloom


With the Weekly Book Wrap-Up, I give you a bit of an insight into all the new books that have arrived at my place. No matter if I won a giveaway, got approved for a reviewer´s copy, an ARC, or just bought one myself. Everything that I add to my shelves, in what way ever and read during the past week or am still reading, I will write about it. And maybe I tell you a bit about the upcoming things on Inkvotary, that is if I don´t forget it and have something to share with you *smile*

I am linking up with Caffeinated Reviewer and Reading Reality and hope you´ll have fun reading it and maybe get the one or the other book inspiration.



Stacking The Shelves #246

I had some new releases in the mail. Thank you S. Fischerverlage.


Review Copy











Sunday Post #203

Currently, I am not very active on my blog. I will answer all your comments as soon as I am able to get five minutes of quiet. But at the moment I am struggling to keep myself up and functioning. The past few days I couldn´t even get myself to work in the garden, despite the fact that we had days with beautiful sunny weather. I feel tired all the time and could sleep all day long.




I get up with the chickens, do what I can find the energy for (which isn´t very much) and literally go to sleep with the chickens again. Somehow, I managed to finish a book and put the review online. Today, Sunday, I thought, I could start the next one. Well, didn´t happen so far. Instead, I wrote this post, watched Biathlon, and spent over an hour with my stepbrother on the phone. My dad’s dementia has taken a turn for the worse, again.




It has become very warm during the past few days. Too warm for this time of year, according to the weather forecast. Across the big pond, California is drowning in snow, here Spring seems to be only a matter of hours.




I see spring flowers everywhere and the tweeting of the birds starts early in the morning. Sometimes I wish I could turn them off so that I can sleep a bit longer. Well, good luck with that…



How was your week? Stay safe and healthy



Happy reading

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3/16/2023

Die Geschichtenwandler-Magische Tinte by Kristen Perrin


I admit it, the cover caught my eye first. And together with the summary, I thought this could be a wonderful read. Well, not quite. I either didn´t pay the needed attention to the story, while reading or something else disturbed me. The plot wasn´t what I had expected and the novel itself is weird, confusing, and many other things I can´t put into words. I didn´t mind the fact, that the inside of this book is all green. Yes, you read that right. Every word of the print inside is green. Even the illustrations are green. Refreshingly different, yes, but also something you need to get used to while reading.


Die Geschichtenwandler-Magische Tinte*
by Kristen Perrin
Die Geschichtenwandler Trilogy #1
Translation Fabienne Pfeiffer
Illustration Helge Vogt
Publisher Fischer Sauerländer on March 15, 2023
Genre Children 11+
Pages 308
Format Hardcover
Source Fischer Sauerländer
Goodreads
✶✶✶

If you change a book, you change the whole world.
In her mum's bookshop, Enna can't believe her eyes: a man is scribbling with an old quill pen on the most expensive book in the shop! The weird guy with the crazy green top hat rewrote the ending of the book! And then Enna falls into a card with shimmering green letters: an invitation to the entrance exam for the secret society "Emerald Ink". Enna soon finds himself in the middle of an adventure involving emerald ink and the magic that comes from stories. Can she prevent the dangerous effects of this magic on the real world?
Story
Enna wants nothing more but to learn more about the Emerald Ink Society. A Society she believes is bad and wants to destroy the world. Not only her personal world but the entire world. But with every riddle she has to solve, Enna gets more frustrated. Her family and friends are no help at all and so she turns to Mel, another participant. But can Mel help her get everything right again or is she the one who´s responsible for all the evil?

Style
On the one hand, the writing style is simple and clear, on the other hand, after just a few pages, it gets pretty confusing and weird. Gaps suddenly appeared, both in the course of the action and in Enna's behavior, which I couldn't really explain. At first, I was really excited about Kerstin Perrin's style of speaking. There was a lot of humor, irony, and wit between the pages. Just the way Enna dealt with her grandmother, so relaxed, funny, and touching, inspired me. Unfortunately, that got lost completely after a few chapters. And that was definitely not the plot. I kept asking myself if I might have overlooked something. Went back again only to find again that I was missing something on the logic side. To this day I can't say if that's because of the translation (which shouldn't be and would be very unfortunate) or if it was already planned and written that way by the author. It just read awkwardly. Which is a shame for the book considering the fast ending. Because that read absolutely well and successfully.

Another detail that sets this book apart from the others is the color. The cards at the beginning and end of the novel, as well as the text itself. Everything is green. That stands out, no question. But it also takes some getting used to when reading.

Characters
Enna is a girl I really like. For a 12-year-old, she's incredibly keen not only to help her grandmother but also to straighten out the imbalance that the world has found itself in. It's not an easy task if you don't know where to start but have to rewrite the wrong thing in many places to make it right again. And the fact that Enna then trusts the wrong girls and doesn't know where her own worth lies don't make things any better. Her inner turmoil of staying true to herself while saving the world was delightful to watch. She's unconventional, yet deliciously normal and lovable.


Conclusion
As I said before, this story is weird, confusing, and in many places more than strange in my opinion. Whether I like the change in the plot, I can't say yet. The novel left me with a big question mark and I'm not sure I can in good conscience recommend the book to a 12-year-old. But Enna, the main figure is one heck of a great girl.



Happy reading








*This book was kindly provided to me by Fischer Sauerländer in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.


Deutsche Rezension

Stil
Einerseits ist der Schreibstil einfach und klar, auf der anderen wird es schon nach wenigen Seiten reichlich konfus und schräg. Da tauchten plötzlich Lücken auf, sowohl im Handlungsverlauf als auch im Verhalten von Enna, das ich mir nicht so richtig erklären konnte. Anfangs war ich regelrecht begeistert über den Sprachstil von Kerstin Perrin. Da war eine Menge Humor, Ironie und Schlagfertigkeit zwischen den einzelnen Seiten. Allein die Art, wie Enna mit ihrer Großmutter umging, so locker, witzig und rührend, hat mich begeistert. Leider ist das nach einigen Kapiteln komplett verloren gegangen. Und das lag definitiv nicht an der Handlung. Immer wieder habe ich mich gefragt, ob ich vielleicht etwas überlesen hatte. Ging wieder zurück, nur um erneut festzustellen, dass mir da von der Logikseite her etwas fehlte. Bis heute kann ich nicht sagen, ob das an der Übersetzung liegt (was nicht sein sollte und sehr unglücklich wäre) oder von der Autorin schon so geplant und geschrieben wurde. Es las sich einfach unrund. Was gemessen am rasanten Ende für das Buch sehr schade ist. Denn das hat sich absolut rund und gelungen gelesen.

Ein weiteres Detail, dass dieses Buch von den anderen unterscheidet, ist die Farbe. Die Karten am Anfang und Ende des Romans sowie der Text selbst. Alles ist Grün. Sticht heraus, keine Frage. Ist aber beim Lesen auch gewöhnungsbedürftig.

Charaktere
Enna ist ein Mädchen ganz nach meinem Geschmack. Für eine Zwölfjährige ist sie unglaublich darauf bedacht, nicht nur ihrer Großmutter zu helfen, sondern auch die Schieflage, in der sich die Welt neuerdings befindet, wieder gerade zu rücken. Keine leichte Aufgabe, wenn man nicht weiß, wo anfangen, aber an vielen Stellen das Falsche wieder zum Richtigen umschreiben muss. Und die Tatsache, dass Enna dann noch den falschen Mädchen vertraut und nicht weiß, wo ihr eigener Wert liegt, macht die Sache nicht besser. Ihr innerer Tumult, sich selbst treu zu bleiben und gleichzeitig die Welt zu retten, war herrlich zu beobachten. Sie ist unkonventionell, und doch köstlich normal und liebenswert.


Resultat
Diese Geschichte ist, wie vorhin schon gesagt, in meinen Augen schräg, konfus und an vielen Stellen mehr als merkwürdig. Ob ich den Wandel in der Handlung mag, kann ich noch nicht sagen. Mich hat der Roman mit einem großen Fragezeichen zurückgelassen und ich bin nicht sicher, ob ich das Buch guten Gewissens einer Zwölfjährigen empfehlen kann.


Kristen Perrin
Kristen Perrin ©Leo Wilkinson






Kristen Perrin is originally from Seattle, USA, where she spent several years working as a bookseller before immigrating to the UK to do a Masters and PhD. She is passionate about children's literature while also working on projects for different age groups, from picture books to young adult books - anything that could be funny, magical, or mysterious. She lives with her family in Surrey, southern England, where she enjoys browsing antique shops, stamping in the mud with her two children, and collecting too many plants.


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3/05/2023

Weekly Book Wrap-Up #245 – Northern Lights & Hello March


With the Weekly Book Wrap-Up, I give you a bit of an insight into all the new books that have arrived at my place. No matter if I won a giveaway, got approved for a reviewer´s copy, an ARC, or just bought one myself. Everything that I add to my shelves, in what way ever and read during the past week or am still reading, I will write about it. And maybe I tell you a bit about the upcoming things on Inkvotary, that is if I don´t forget it and have something to share with you *smile*

I am linking up with Caffeinated Reviewer and Reading Reality and hope you´ll have fun reading it and maybe get the one or the other book inspiration.



Stacking The Shelves #245

I received a blogger box from the German publisher Fischer. Yay.


Review Copy






Sunday Post #202

I haven´t written a Sunday Post in almost a month. And no, I have no real answers to why I didn´t do it. I am not that much of a reader lately. Writing a review takes me longer than it used to and I don´t have new releases piling up on my desk. During the last three weeks, I enjoyed the rare view of the Northern Lights being visible over Germany. It was quite an experience. Sadly, my smartphone camera wasn´t able to create good enough pictures to share with you all. Sorry.

I was working a lot in the backyard of the house. Taking out a lot of weeds, and until last Tuesday, I was busy cutting the hedges and other things I needed to get done before the end of February. All in all, February was a weird month. Like something is brewing in the air. Do you know that feeling? So, with the start of March, I hope things will improve.



How was your week? Stay safe and healthy



Happy reading







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3/02/2023

Jeder Moment Für Uns by Lilian Kaliner


I have read the other three Bennett books, so it was clear to me, that I wanted to read this fourth installment too. But unfortunately, it wasn´t as good as the former two volumes have been. This fourth is too quiet, too pale at some points, and too much alcohol during some scenes. Though it was nice to see Kat and all the other characters again, even when they weren´t as active as they used to be in other volumes of this series. But I missed the special wit, the Bennetts books usually contain. Not here.


Jeder Moment Für Uns*
by Lilian Kaliner
Firefly Creek Series #4
Publisher Fischer TB on January 25, 2023
Genre Novel
Pages 336
Format Paperback
Source Fischer TB
Goodreads
✶✶✶½


Finally, holidays! How Anne looked forward to visiting her best friend Ethan Bennett and his family in tranquil Firefly Creek. There's just one thing she didn't expect - that Ethan's brother River looks delicious. However, he is a few years younger than Anne and exactly the type of man she has sworn off forever: messy, charming, and a little too wild. When River kisses her out of the blue, it's finally over for Anne. But soon she has to go back to Sydney, far away. Your relationship would have no future anyway - or would it?
Story
Anne is happy to visit Ethan and his family to become his daughter's godmother. But she also knows instantly, that living in Firefly Creek is no option for her. She needs some culture in her life, the ability to visit a museum, walk into a gallery or even just do a bit of shopping without having to drive for hours to do so. And River knows by instinct, that Firefly Creek can´t be everything he has ever seen in his life. So when Anne makes it clear to him, that she won´t be staying, no matter how hot the sex with him is, he has to make a decision. One that will change his life forever.

Style
On the one hand, it was very nice to be part of the turbulent everyday life of the Bennetts again. On the other hand, this time it was too quiet for me, both in terms of tone and action level. Too dignified. That certain something was missing. Admittedly, it was a kind of reading pleasure during some scenes and dialogues, but unfortunately, that didn't last for the entire novel.

It's a shame because the author has remained true to her gentle writing style. The only thing that didn't convince me was the change in River. He was stuck somewhere between an alcoholic and a child's head and hasn't changed there either. Should that be so? Should he be remembered for the rest of the series as a childish alcoholic man? Hope not.

Characters
The author didn't pull any breathtaking characters out of a hat here. Ethan's former town friend comes to Firefly Creek as his daughter's godmother but doesn't really stand out from the crowd of characters. She was too pale and insipid for me, although sympathetic in a way. River, on the other hand, is a hothead, a complete slob, and drinks far too much alcohol for my liking. Should he become an alcoholic or even represent one? If so, I don't think so at all.

What I found good, on the other hand, was the fact that one finds happiness off the beaten track and normal rules and lives it. However, the mother of the twins did not convince me. Neither in terms of their description nor their behavior. In my opinion, she was miles away from a hippie.


Conclusion
Unfortunately, the novel didn't quite convince me at the end. As I said, I was missing that certain something. Sure, it was nice to see the Bennetts again. But the cheeky humor, the quirky charm that was felt in the last two volumes was missing here. And unfortunately, the author couldn't compensate for that with her landscape scenes and sometimes wonderful dialogues. A pity. A real shame. Maybe in the next volume?



Happy reading







*This book was kindly provided to me by Fischer TB in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. The book was, at the time this review was published, only available in the German language.


Deutsche Rezension

Stil
Einerseits war es sehr schön, wieder am turbulenten Alltag der Bennetts teilzuhaben. Auf der anderen Seite war es mir diesmal aber sowohl vom Tonfall als auch vom Actionlevel her zu ruhig. Zu gediegen. Das gewisse Etwas hat gefehlt. Zugegeben, es war auf eine gewisse Art Lesevergnügen während einiger Szenen und Dialoge, aber über den kompletten Roman hat das leider nicht gehalten.

Schade, denn ihrem sanften Schreibstil ist die Autorin durchaus treu geblieben. Nur war für mich die Wandlung bei River nicht überzeugend. Der hing irgendwo zwischen Alkoholiker und Kindskopf fest und hat sich da auch nicht verändert. Sollte das so sein? Soll der für den Rest der Serie als kindischer dem Alkohol verfallener Mann im Gedächtnis bleiben? Hoffe nicht.

Charaktere
Die Autorin hat hier keine atemberaubenden Figuren aus dem Hut gezaubert. Die ehemalige Stadtfreundin von Ethan, kommt als Taufpatin seiner Tochter nach Firefly Creek, sticht aber nicht wirklich aus dem Reigen an Figuren heraus. Sie war mir zu blass und zu fade, wenn auch auf eine gewisse Weise sympathisch. River hingegen ist ein Hitzkopf, kompletter Chaot und trinkt für meinen Geschmack viel zu viel Alkohol. Soll der zum Alkoholiker werden oder einen gar darstellen? Wenn ja, finde ich das überhaupt nicht gut.

Was ich hingegen gut fand, war die Tatsache, dass da einer sein Glück abseits der gewohnten Pfade und normalen Regeln findet und es auch lebt. Allerdings hat mich die Mutter der Zwillinge nicht überzeugt. Weder was ihre Beschreibung angeht noch ihr Verhalten betrifft. Von einem Hippie war die meiner Ansicht nach meilenweit entfernt.


Resultat
Leider konnte mich der Roman am Ende nicht ganz überzeugen. Wie schon gesagt, mir fehlte das gewisse Etwas. Sicher, es war schön, die Bennetts wieder zu erleben. Aber der freche Humor, der knitze Charme, der in den letzten beiden Bänden zu spüren war, der hat hier gefehlt. Und mit ihren Landschaftsszenen und teilweise herrlichen Dialogen konnte die Autorin das leider nicht auffangen. Schade. Wirklich schade. Vielleicht beim nächsten Band?


Lilian Kaliner
Lilian Kaliner ©Katrin Greiner





Lilian Kaliner, born in 1984, lives with her husband, two children, a dog, and lots of chicken in a small town near Freiburg. With her current husband, she traveled through Australia in an ancient camper van. They picked cherries at just under forty degrees to finance the trip, stayed on lonely beaches, were surprised by the cold in Tasmania – and got married shortly afterward. When she got the idea for a series of novels with a turbulent extended family, it was clear that she would be set in Australia.


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2/24/2023

Die Frauen Vom Lindenhof-Ein Neuanfang Für Uns by Katharina Oswald


I have no clue why I wanted to read this novel. The cover is not really what I call a beautiful design but somehow it spoke to me. And after reading the summary I was curious enough and asked for it. I am still trying to figure out what exactly it was that got me. The wonderfully created figures or the way how the author duo describes the setting or was it the dialogues? I cannot tell what it is that is fascinating to me about this story. But one thing I know. The author duo has touched a nerve and given me some wonderful reading moments. This book is one of the few ones that doesn´t need a loud voice to be heard.


Die Frauen Vom Lindenhof-Ein Neuanfang Für Uns
by Katharina Oswald
Die Lindenhof Saga #1
Publisher Fischer TB on January 25, 2023
Genre Novel
Pages 459
Format Paperback
Source Fischer TB
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶✶


There is magic in every new beginning.
Hohenlohe 1953: After the death of her father, Marianne, her mother, and her little sisters can barely make ends meet. The old carpentry shop, once the pride of the family, is falling into disrepair. But Marianne does not want to surrender to fate. She loves the smell of the workshop too much, the gentle warmth of the wood under her fingers. She wants to rebuild the family business and dare something completely new. But who do you trust as a woman in these times? Marianne has to fight for her dream. But then she falls in love with the traumatized war returnee Alexandre of all people...
Story
After the war, Marianne wants to rebuild her father’s carpentry to finish the doll house and use it to create her own doll furniture. But as a woman, no bank is giving her the money she needs to fix the roof or to buy wood. But when her mother tells her about her grandfather's past, she starts to see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Style
I really like how this book draws attention with soft tones. Yes, there is also a character here who causes trouble and upset, and yes, after a short time, she got on my nerves a lot. But the rest of the story is absolutely coherent. The author duo writes sensitively about a time that has almost become alien to us today. Despite my great enthusiasm for the first part of this trilogy, there is one downer. Why a teenager who is barely fifteen years old is allowed to show himself alone in public and be out and about with a man who is a few years older than that, I still can't get my head around.

Characters
A family where shortly before the end of the war the father was drafted and unfortunately never came home was nothing unusual at the time. Unfortunately. Here the novel has a tone that still largely determines the life of the main character even after the war.

Marianne fascinated me from the start. She knows what she wants, fights incredible odds, and learns to assert herself in a male-dominated world. Your inventiveness is impressive. How she treats her fellow human beings too. And the way she treats a character, in particular, made me laugh more than once. Oh yes, Marianne rocks the novel in her very own way.


Conclusion
Admittedly, the cover isn't really my thing. But what is between the two book covers, all the more so. Here, the subject of war and the post-war period is dealt with in a very sensitive way, without losing sight of the entertainment value. Great cinema in my opinion.



Happy reading







*This book was kindly provided to me by Fischer TB in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. The book was, at the time this review was published, only available in the German language.


Deutsche Rezension

Stil
Mir gefällt es sehr, dass dieses Buch mit leisen Tönen die Aufmerksamkeit auf sich zieht. Ja, es gibt auch hier eine Figur, die für Ärger und Verstimmung sorgt und ja, die hat mich schon nach kurzer Zeit sehr genervt. Aber trotzdem ist der Rest der Geschichte absolut stimmig. Das Autorenduo schreibt feinfühlig über eine Zeit, die uns heute fast schon fremd geworden ist. Einen Wermutstropfen gibt es allerdings trotz meiner großen Begeisterung für den ersten Teil dieser Trilogie. Warum ein kaum fünfzehnjähriger Teenager sich mit einem um einige Jahre älteren Mann so ungeniert in der Öffentlichkeit allein zeigen und unterwegs sein darf, das will mir auch jetzt noch nicht in den Kopf.

Charaktere
Eine Familie, wo kurz vor Kriegsende der Vater doch noch eingezogen wird und leider nicht mehr nach Hause kommt, das ist damals nichts Ungewöhnliches gewesen. Leider. Hier gibt es dem Roman einen Ton, der das Leben der Hauptfigur auch nach dem Krieg noch maßgeblich bestimmt.

Marianne hat mich von Beginn an fasziniert. Sie weiß, was sie will, kämpft gegen unglaubliche Widerstände und lernt sich in einer von Männern dominierten Welt zu behaupten. Ihr Ideenreichtum ist beeindruckend. Wie sie mit ihren Mitmenschen umgeht auch. Und wie sie mit einer Figur im Besonderen umgeht, das hat mir mehr als einmal ein Lachen entlockt. Oh ja, Marianne rockt den Roman auf ihre ganz eigene Art.


Resultat
Zugegeben, das Cover ist jetzt nicht so meins. Aber das, was zwischen den beiden Buchdeckeln steckt, dafür umso mehr. Hier wird auf sehr sensible Art mit dem Thema Krieg und der Nachkriegszeit umgegangen, ohne dabei den Unterhaltungswert aus den Augen zu verlieren. Ganz großes Kino meiner Ansicht nach.


Katharina Oswald
Katharina Oswald ©Roland Grosch





Andrea Bottlinger and Claudia Hornung write together as Katharina Oswald. Both were born in Baden-Württemberg and love to imagine the fate of women from different decades. They have known each other for a long time and complement each other perfectly when writing: Andrea always pays attention to the structure of the story and Claudia delves deeply into the details and emotions. Together they have created a gripping family saga.


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2023 New Release Challenge, Die Frauen Vom Lindenhof Saga, Ein Neuanfang Für Uns, Fischer TB, Katharina Oswald, Novel, Post War Period
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2/23/2023

Herz Über Kopf In Vegas by Catherine Bybee


I was in the mood to discover a new to me author. And I applied for a reading fun but never thought that I would be one of the lucky readers to get a free copy. Well, I got one. But unfortunately, the novel turned out to be one of the palest and most boring reads I have ever read. As sad as it is, I cannot recommend this author, or the novel itself. This is a superficial romance novel with pale figures and a weird way to call the female reproductive organ. I wondered if she´s used the exact words while talking with female patients the way she wrote here about it.


Herz Über Kopf In Vegas
by Catherine Bybee
Ein D´Angelo Zum Verlieben Series #2
Original Title Be Your Everything
Publisher Montlake on February 28, 2023
Genre Novel
Pages 379
Format Paperback
Source Lovelybooks/ Montlake
Goodreads
✶✶✶


Hot kisses in Vegas, a real lightning wedding, and the winding roads to great love.

Chloe loves her extended Italian family more than anything. Even if she constantly talks into her life. That's why Chloe is determined not to let her siblings find out about her secret crush on Dante Mancuso, who she's been in love with since high school. Because he is her brother's best friend and not only for this reason absolutely taboo. A trip to Vegas changes everything: Chloe and Dante end up in one of the many wedding chapels in the middle of the night. Chloe wakes up the next morning with a ring on her finger and a new husband. Dante and Chloe agree their little adventure was a huge mistake. But they can't get out of the number that easily...
Story
Chloe´s brother is about to get married and wants to celebrate his last weekend as a single man in Las Vegas. Both enjoy their trip with their friends to the fullest. And with lots of alcohol Vegas becomes more than a memorable trip. But Chloe is shocked when she discovers that the alcohol not only gave her a bad headache but also a wedding ring on her finger.

Style
The language of this novel is bland, pale, and anything but imaginative. The author reaches deep into the cliché box and downright sugarcoats her story with it. But why she then deviated from her otherwise simple writing style in some dialogues and had to stage the female reproductive organs obscenely is not clear to me. And why in the end this artificial aggression had to be built in by a male character, too. That was unnecessary and anything but good.

Characters
It is well known that an Italian family ticks differently than a French or German one. But what was offered here was too much even for me. Chloe's brothers behave in abusive ways and show with their hasty behavior that they are obviously not very smart.

This behavior got on my nerves after just a few pages. What was probably intended as an amusing note by the author went horribly wrong. At least for me. On the other hand, what I really liked was what Chloe came up with to get away from her brothers' abusive behavior. She shows humor, wit, and a great sense of the unusual. And her time in Bali set my head cinema in motion. Great pleasure.


Conclusion
Unfortunately, this novel wasn't for me. Too much kitsch, and too predictable and the characters lack any depth. There were no surprises here, and the slips of the tongue regarding the female reproductive system seemed more obscene than refreshing. A pity. I was definitely expecting too much from the story.



Happy reading







*This book was kindly provided to me by Lovelybooks/ Montlake in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.


Deutsche Rezension

Stil
Sprachlich ist dieser Roman fad, blass und alles andere als einfallsreich gestaltet. Die Autorin greift tief in die Klischeekiste und überzuckert ihre Geschichte regelrecht damit. Warum sie in einigen Dialogen dann aber von ihrem ansonsten einfachen Schreibstil abgewichen ist und die weiblichen Fortpflanzungsorgane obszön in Szene setzen musste, ist mir nicht klar. Und warum am Ende auch noch diese künstliche Aggression durch eine männliche Figur eingebaut werden musste, auch nicht. Das war unnötig und alles andere als gut.

Charaktere
Es ist allgemein bekannt, dass eine italienische Familie anders tickt. Aber was einem hier geboten wurde, war selbst mir zu viel. Chloes Brüder verhalten sich übergriffig und zeigen mit ihrem vorschnellen Verhalten, dass sie offenbar nicht allzu klug sind.

Mit hat dieses Verhalten schon nach wenigen Seiten genervt. Was wohl als amüsante Note der Autorin gedacht war, ging gründlich daneben. Zumindest bei mir. Was mir hingegen gut gefiel, war, was Chloe sich alles hat einfallen lassen, um eben diesem übergriffigen Verhalten ihrer Brüder zu entkommen. Da beweist sie Humor, Witz und viel Sinn für das Ungewöhnliche. Und ihre Zeit auf Bali hat bei mir das Kopfkino in Gang gesetzt. Herrliches Vergnügen.


Resultat
Für mich war dieser Roman leider nichts. Zu viel Kitsch, zu vorhersehbar und die Figuren ohne jeglichen Tiefgang. Hier gab es keine Überraschungen, und die sprachlichen Ausrutscher in Bezug auf die weiblichen Fortpflanzungsorgane wirkten eher obszön als erfrischend. Schade. Von der Geschichte hab ich mir eindeutig zu viel erwartet.











This novel was published in the English language by Montlake on November 15, 2022 



Catherine Bybee
Catherine Bybee ©private





Catherine is a #1 Wall Street Journal, Amazon, and Indie Reader bestselling author. In addition, her books have also graced The New York Times and USA Today bestsellers lists. In total, she has written thirty-nine beloved books that have collectively sold more than 10 million copies and have been translated into more than twenty languages. Raised in Washington State, Bybee moved to Southern California in the hope of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full time and lives happily divorced in San Diego.


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2/12/2023

Weekly Book Wrap-Up #244 – Sun And Lots Of Ivy


With the Weekly Book Wrap-Up, I give you a bit of an insight into all the new books that have arrived at my place. No matter if I won a giveaway, got approved for a reviewer´s copy, an ARC, or just bought one myself. Everything that I add to my shelves, in what way ever and read during the past week or am still reading, I will write about it. And maybe I tell you a bit about the upcoming things on Inkvotary, that is if I don´t forget it and have something to share with you *smile*

I am linking up with Caffeinated Reviewer and Reading Reality and hope you´ll have fun reading it and maybe get the one or the other book inspiration.



Stacking The Shelves #244

No new books.





Sunday Post #201

It is already February, and Valentine's Day is just around the corner. The past two to three weeks my daily routine has been literally the same. And I was to lazy to write every week about the same boring stuff. The past week I finished the bed edging in front of the house, noticed that the neighbor kids don´t like it because they are knocking it down every chance they get and started ripping out the Ivy in the back garden. The soil there is wonderfully dry, finely crumbly and it is almost child's play to rip out the invasive plant. The FFP2 mask that I need for this is less beautiful. But necessary. The spores are not harmless *sigh*




The other side of the garden is quite the opposite. Frozen ground and I see all day long the white frost. I took out all the dead leaves, cut back the ornamental grass and saw that most of the spring flowers are already visible. The Lenten roses, the crocuses, the tulips, the snow drops, some daffodils and some Muscari. It just makes me happy to see that everything is growing despite the still frozen ground. At least one positive thing. The weather is still very cold but sunny and it seems as if we are getting warmer temperatures next week. Not sure about that though.




On Saturday I was up early and walked to the bank for some cash. Yes, I started using real money again to pay for my groceries. It was incredibly crowded at the supermarket. They say, the inflation is going down, but all I see are soaring prices. No matter where I look. Back home, I took a little break, wrote some reviews, and went back into the garden to rip out some more Ivy. The result, today, Sunday, after two straight days ripping out that invasive plant, I feel muscle cramp.



How was your week? Stay safe and healthy



Happy reading







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2/10/2023

A Place To Love by Lilly Lucas


I got hooked by the summary. The cover was a plus for me, to apply for this novel. In the end, I borrowed it from the library to see how things would unfold and end for the main figure. Well. I am disappointed. This book wasn´t at all what I had expected. The plot was foreseeable, the characters seemed to live in whatever century ever but not in the present. And I wondered why the author used one word so many times.


A Place To Love
by Lilly Lucas
Cherry Hill Series #1
Publisher Knaur on May 22, 2022
Genre Novel
Pages 333
Format Paperback
Source Library
Goodreads
✶✶✶


Since the sudden death of her father three years ago, Juniper (June) McCarthy has been running the family fruit farm, Cherry Hill, with her mother and sisters. The 25-year-old loves the farm in rural Colorado and feels responsible for the family business that meant so much to her father and is struggling financially. That's why she dumped her great love Henry under a pretext so as not to stand in the way of his future plans in Wales. However, when he turns up at Cherry Hill one day, he plunges June into an absolute emotional chaos... (personal translation by ©Vi at Inkvotary).
Story
Juniper is convinced that she can only save her heritage and her family if she sacrifices herself. She works day and night to keep the farm running. Fun is a word she doesn´t know. But the moment her husband arrives she is thrown out of her daily routine and life. But what can she do to keep him secure and make him live the life, she believes is the best for him? Correct. Nothing.

Style
The author put this novel into words in a very gentle, almost boring way. In places, Lilly Lucas reaches very deeply into the cliché box in order to bring out scenes and dialogues. After only a few chapters, I was annoyed by the attitude of the main character Juniper toward life in general and her legacy in the orchard.

I am far from the absolute enthusiasm that others feel for this novel. The obviously limited vocabulary of the author and the openly displayed naivety and short-sightedness regarding general knowledge or the famous "thinking outside the box" also contributed to the fact that I asked myself in which century this story actually takes place. Because here the customs from the fifties were obviously lived and presented.

Characters
I'm slowly but surely fed up with female protagonists who feel they have to give up themselves and their lives, so to speak sacrifice themselves so that the family business can continue. Who doesn't have fun in life, no balance in their daily work, and no Friends? At least none she is in regular contact with. Juniper, the protagonist, does just that. And the fact that she croaks in almost every dialogue only made it worse. Didn't the author find enough synonyms to make it more varied?

Juniper is a young woman in her early twenties who sees herself as a self-sacrifice in order to save her family legacy and those she loves from a "difficult fate" at her side. It would have been bearable for me as a reader if she had at least asked the relevant people if that was ok. But no, Juniper simply decides, acts accordingly, and then bravely endures its oh-so-difficult fate. She must not have any fun or even joy in her life. God forbid, that could be the downfall of her inheritance, for which she works day and night and still can't get out of her money worries. Why might that be? Certainly not because of their eagerness to work. Juniper is convinced of that. That was an admirable attitude at the beginning of the book. I found the protagonist to be refreshingly different. After a few chapters, the opposite was the case. Unfortunately.


Conclusion
For me, that was unfortunately only mediocre, often cheesy average. After a great start in terms of both story and characters. After that, unfortunately, it only went downhill. A pity. Wasted time. Don´t think that I will read the other books.



Happy reading








Lilly Lucas
Lilly Lucas ©Wundertoll Fotografie





Lilly Lucas was born in Ansbach, Germany, in 1987 and studied German in Bamberg. Today she lives in Würzburg with her husband, her son, and countless books. Her romance novels became Spiegel bestsellers. When she is not writing novels about love and life, she prefers to see the world, stick her nose in books or live out her addiction to films and series on the couch at home.

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2/09/2023

Verschwiegen by Eva Björg Ægisdóttir


The black, white, and red cover design, the card of Iceland inside, and the summary made me want to read this crime novel. But unfortunately, it couldn´t live up to all the positive praise and excitement I had heard in the blogger sphere about this novel. To add something positive the protagonist Elma is one heck of a woman. She rocks this soft, long stretched story with her personality and proves that sometimes it is quite good to be different from all the rest. It was she who made me read and finish this book. Not the case she had to solve or the story in the background between all the other figures. What the author couldn´t achieve, Elma achieved with her incredible way of handling things.


Verschwiegen*
by Eva Björg Ægisdóttir
Mörderisches Island Series #1
Translation Freyja Melstedt
Original Title Marrid I Stiganum
Publisher Kiepenheuer & Witsch on January 12, 2023
Genre Crime
Pages 364
Format Paperback
Source Kiepenheuer & Witsch, Lovelybooks
Goodreads
✶✶✶


In the small town of Akranes, everyone knows everyone, and everyday life runs smoothly. Until one day an unknown dead person is found at the lighthouse, the symbol of the city. Policewoman Elma, who recently returned to her hometown from Reykjavik, takes over the investigation. And soon she comes across a secret from the dead's past, the consequences of which are still having an impact today.
Story
Elma is back in Akranes, where she grew up and right away confronted with a corpse nobody knows. Her mother is happy to have her back even though Elma isn´t answering any of her questions. The past is too painful for Elma and so she puts all her concentration into her new case. So many things don´t fit together, and so many questions she can´t put in context. The only thing Elma knows for sure is that nothing is as it first appears.

Style
The author's writing style is easy to read, despite all the Icelandic names and doesn't demand much of the reader's attention or thought. The reading pace is very leisurely, too much for my taste. You have to be careful not to fall asleep with all the almost uneventful chapters. The police investigation is dragging on accordingly. For me, the thriller, unfortunately, became a long, average act of reading strength, which left me with many unanswered questions in the end. Because the author has occasionally thrown details into the room, which she then either forgot in the end or didn't think were worth mentioning, let alone worth clarifying. A lot just went down there. A no-go for me, as the case is declared “solved” by the police at the end. Which doesn't really matter to me as a reader. No matter from which point of view. Sadly, Iceland's grandiose scenery couldn't make up for all its weaknesses. And the disagreements and problems in the main character's private life were not suitable for this either. Conflicts were shown that I was or am familiar with from real life, but the fictional backgrounds in Elma's family were not mentioned here. Which left me with a stale aftertaste in the end. Will that be revealed in the other two parts and processed by the main character? Let's hope so.

Due to a few hints by the author during the plot, it quickly becomes clear. who has to come into question as a perpetrator here. And if you follow the rules of a detective story or know about them, you can actually only read how the police finally come to the same conclusion. Although I didn't like it at all that a character got away with his wrong behavior.

Characters
The author doesn't bother with great descriptions of her characters. In return, they show through their actions how they tick and why they behave the way they do. And that's what excited and convinced me about the main character Elma.

Elma sees things completely differently than the people in her direct and indirect environment. She questions things where her colleagues already have faits accomplis in their heads. The protagonist never wanted to be average, never conform, conform to the crowd, or even be well-behaved. She has an incredibly edgy character and is at the same time the epitome of femininity. She struggles with her curves because she doesn't live up to the cliché of blonde beauty. And it was precisely these contrasts that fascinated me from the start. The fact that she goes it alone from time to time gives her job as a police officer an additional plus. And in the one scene where she acts with her older sister in the parents' kitchen, that was just wonderful. I couldn't help but laugh at that.


Conclusion
It is thanks to the main character Elma that this thriller didn't completely fail me. I only read this book in its entirety because I was really impressed by the main character. The story itself didn't really convince me. Too many things remained unexplained, and too many things were literally thrown onto the pages by the author and then unfortunately not finished. In short, the book was just too long for me. Just an average novel for me. It's a shame, I expected more of that.



Happy reading







*This book was kindly provided to me by Lovelybooks / Kiepenheuer & Witsch in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review.


Deutsche Rezension

Stil
Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist einfach zu lesen trotz all der isländischen Namen und stellt keine größeren Anforderungen an die Leserschaft, was besondere Aufmerksamkeit oder Mitdenken angeht. Das Lesetempo ist sehr gemächlich, für meinen Geschmack zu sehr. Da muss man aufpassen, dass man bei all den nahezu ereignislosen Kapiteln nicht einschläft. Die Ermittlungen der Polizei ziehen sich entsprechend in die Länge. Für mich wurde der Krimi dadurch leider zu einem lang gezogenen, durchschnittlichen Lesekraftakt, der mich am Ende mit vielen offenen Fragen im Kopf zurückließ. Denn die Autorin hat stellenweise Details in den Raum geworfen, die sie am Ende dann entweder vergessen hat oder nicht für weiter erwähnenswert, geschweige denn für aufklärungswürdig hielt. Da ist so einiges einfach untergegangen. Für mich ein No-Go, da der Fall am Ende von der Polizei als „gelöst“ deklariert wird. Was bei mir als Leserin so nicht ankommt. Egal aus welcher Sicht betrachtet.

Traurigerweise konnte die grandiose Landschaft Islands all die Schwachstellen nicht ausgleichen. Und die Unstimmigkeiten und Probleme im Privatleben der Hauptfigur waren dazu auch nicht geeignet. Da wurden Konflikte dargestellt, die mir zwar aus dem realen Leben bekannt waren bzw. sind, aber die fiktiven Hintergründe in Elmas Familie wurden hier nicht weiter genannt. Was bei mir am Ende einen faden Beigeschmack hinterließ. Ob das wohl noch in den anderen beiden Teilen offengelegt und von der Hauptfigur verarbeitet wird? Hoffen wir es mal.

Aufgrund von einigen Andeutungen der Autorin im Handlungsverlauf ist schnell klar. wer hier als Täter infrage kommen muss. Und wenn man den Regeln eines Krimis diesbezüglich folgt bzw. darüber Bescheid weiß, liest man hier eigentlich nur, wie die Polizei schlussendlich zum selben Ergebnis kommt. Wobei es mir überhaupt nicht gefallen hat, dass eine Figur mit ihrem falschen Verhalten davon kommt.

Charaktere
Mit großartigen Beschreibungen ihrer Figuren hält sich die Autorin nicht auf. Dafür zeigen diese durch ihr Agieren, wie sie ticken und warum sie sich so verhalten, wie sie es tun. Und das hat mich bei der Hauptfigur Elma begeistert und überzeugt.

Elma sieht die Dinge komplett anders als die Personen in ihrem direkten und indirekten Umfeld. Sie stellt Sachen infrage, wo ihre Kollegen längst vollendete Tatsachen im Kopf haben. Die Protagonistin wollte nie Durchschnitt sein, nie angepasst, der Masse entsprechen oder gar brav sein. Sie hat einen unglaublich kantigen Charakter und ist dabei gleichzeitig der Inbegriff von Weiblichkeit. Sie hadert mit ihren Kurven damit, dass sie eben nicht das Klischee von der blonden Schönheit erfüllt. Und genau diese Gegensätze haben mich von Beginn an fasziniert. Ihre Alleingänge, die sie hin und wieder macht, geben ihrer Tätigkeit als Polizistin dann noch ein zusätzliches Plus. Und in der einen Szene, wo sie mit ihrer älteren Schwester in der elterlichen Küche agiert, die war einfach herrlich. Da konnte ich mir ein Lachen nicht verkneifen.


Resultat
Es ist der Hauptfigur Elma zu verdanken, dass dieser Krimi bei mir nicht komplett durchgefallen ist. Die Geschichte selbst konnte mich nicht wirklich überzeugen. Da blieben zu viele Dinge ungeklärt, zu viele Sachen wurden von der Autorin sprichwörtlich auf die Seiten geworfen und dann leider nicht beendet. Kurz und gut, mir war das Buch einfach zu lang gezogen. Für mich leider nur ein durchschnittlicher Roman. Schade, davon habe ich mir mehr erwartet.










*The title was published in the English language The Creek on the Stairs by Orenda Books on April 24, 2018 


Eva Björg Ægisdóttir
Eva Björg Ægisdóttir ©Leifur Wilberg





Eva Björg Ægisdóttir was born in 1988 and lives in Reykjavík with her partner and three children. She was born and raised in Akranes, the city where her mysteries are set. After graduating in sociology, she moved to Trondheim, Norway, where she did a Masters in Globalization. She received the prestigious Icelandic Blackbird Award for her first crime novel.



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2023 New Release Challenge, Crime, Eva Björg Ægisdóttir, Forbidden Iceland Series, Kiepenheuer & Witsch, Marrid I Stiganum, Orenda Books, The Creak On The Stairs, Verschwiegen
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I am an avid reader, book blogger, and painter who loves to talk and write about books. A day without one in my hands is a wasted one. Skilled florist with a degree in writing - oh yes, that works! I like many genres, but horror is nothing for me. Here on Inkvotary I will show my love for books, things that move me and what´s going on off the blog - called life. The personal as well as life in general.

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