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9/04/2023

Die Windsor Akte by Dirk Husemann


My first book written by Dirk Husemann. I love the cover. It has an atmosphere and the mix of dark colors and sepia matches with the title. Inside the novel history mixes with war, emotion, and fiction. I can´t say what is fiction and what not, but the brutality of some of the scenes gives you a feeling of how things must have been during World War II. And it is a bit shocking to know that the Duke of Windsor could have been one of the reasons, why the war took that turn back then.


Die Windsor Akte
by Dirk Husemann 
Publisher Lübbe on August 25, 2023
Genre Historical Novel
Pages 375
Format Paperback
Source Lübbe, Lesejury 
Goodreads
✶✶✶½ 

A young Scot. A king who abdicates for love's sake. And the last secrets of the Windsor’s.

A mysterious visitor turns the life of student Ajax Doggerton upside down. An agent of the British secret service asks him to work as a servant for the abdicated King Edward. He enjoys life in Paris and on the Côte d'Azur with his middle-class wife, Wallis. But there is a shadow over the glamor because Edward is suspected of wanting to ally himself with Adolf Hitler. With the help of Ajax, the British are trying to find out whether the ex-king wants to betray England to the Nazis. When Ajax makes a fatal mistake in Paris, a tug-of-war begins over Edward that threatens to become a crucial test for the whole of Europe... 
Story
Ajax and Lydie work in Paris as servants for the former King of England. A dangerous job because they both think Edward is about to exchange secret information with Hitler and that is exactly what the British government wants to avoid. Edward's life is in danger and Ajax needs to secure him. 

Style
On the one hand, an entertaining novel. On the other hand, the plot loses some of its tension after a few chapters and the main character Ajax turns pale. The story itself revolves almost entirely around Edward and Wallis, presenting them to the reader as cold, selfish, and extremely calculating. I cannot judge whether the ducal couple had the same character in real life. The author has only listed the true historical facts at the end of the novel. Which I personally really liked.

The style of writing makes the novel easy to read. Towards the end, things get a little unbelievable. A princess can suddenly master something she has never done before. However, it brings some movement back into the plot that has become bland. And what's happening in the port of Lisbon somehow comes out of the blue. Otherwise, a solid novel. 

Characters
Lydie is pure madness! What a woman. She doesn't let the princess take the butter off her bread and also shows her what she thinks of her in other ways. Lydie helps Princess Katharina out of many a sticky situation and is completely unimpressed by her behavior. What tears did I have when Lydie rescued the two women from a more than precarious situation and then, with an impassive expression, sat a bit disheveled and no longer presentable in the new means of transport. Splendid.

Ajax, on the other hand, loses color. A great character with wit and esprit at the beginning, but he gradually loses depth and gets really boring. And how it annoyed me that he and Lydie always miss each other by a hair's breadth. That got boring quickly.


Conclusion
All in all, a good novel that clearly could have done with less filler in some places. Towards the end, it became illogical and unbelievable for me. But I loved the happy ending. My guess has come true. And if you are curious about my hints, just read it yourself.



Happy reading







*This book was kindly provided to me by Lübbe/ Lesejury in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you. Therefore, the cover of the German edition is shown first in this review. The book was, at the time this review was published, only available in the German language.


Deutsche Rezension

Stil
Einerseits ein unterhaltsamer Roman. Andererseits verliert die Handlung nach einigen Kapiteln einiges an Spannung und die Hauptfigur Ajax wird blass. Die Geschichte selbst dreht sich fast ausschließlich um Edward und Wallis und präsentiert diese dem Leser als kalt, egoistisch und äußerst berechnend. Ob das Herzogspaar im wahren Leben charakterlich ebenso ausgeprägt war, kann ich nicht beurteilen. Der Autor hat am Ende des Romans nur die wahren geschichtlichen Fakten aufgelistet. Was mir persönlich sehr gefallen hat. 

Vom Schreibstil her ist der Roman einfach zu lesen. Zwar wird gegen Ende einiges etwas unglaubwürdig. Da kann eine Prinzessin plötzlich etwas beherrschen, was sie zuvor noch nie gemacht hat. Es bringt jedoch wieder etwas Bewegung in die fade gewordene Handlung. Und was da im Hafen von Lissabon passiert, kommt irgendwie auch aus dem Blauen heraus. Ansonsten ein solider Roman.

Charaktere
Lydie ist der pure Wahnsinn! Was für eine Frau. Die lässt sich von der Prinzessin nicht die Butter vom Brot nehmen und zeigt ihr auch sonst, was sie von ihr hält. Lydie hilft Prinzessin Katharina aus so manch brenzliger Situation und ist ganz unbeeindruckt von deren etepetete Verhalten. Was hab ich Tränen gelacht, als Lydie die beiden Frauen aus einer mehr als prekären Situation rettet und anschließend mit unbewegter Miene etwas derangiert und nicht mehr präsentabel im neuen Fortbewegungsmittel sitzt. Herrlich.

Ajax hingegen verliert an Farbe. Zu Beginn noch eine großartige Figur mit Witz und Esprit, verliert er nach und nach an Tiefe und wird richtig langweilig. Und wie es mich genervt hat, dass er und Lydie sich immer um Haaresbreite verpassen. Das wurde schnell langweilig. 


Resultat
Alles in allem ein guter Roman, dem an einigen Stellen weniger Füllmaterial eindeutig gut gestanden hätte. Gegen Ende wurde es unlogisch und für mich unglaubwürdig. Aber das Happy End fand ich klasse. Meine Vermutung hat sich bewahrheitet. Und wer jetzt neugierig auf meine Andeutungen ist, einfach selbst lesen.



Dirk Husemann
Dirk Husemann



Dirk Husemann digs up stories as a science journalist, archaeologist, and writer. He studied prehistory and early history, classical archeology, and ethnology in Münster. In addition to historical novels, he writes non-fiction and reports, for example about the pink stones of Stonehenge, fish in the Sahara or the starry sky under the pyramids of Mexico.



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9/03/2023

Weekly Book Wrap-Up #260 – Summer Is Back


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 #260

The past few weeks, I had quite some book mail in my mailbox.


Review Copy

      

       

        



Sunday Post #217

I haven´t written a Weekly Book Wrap-Up in weeks. A lot has happened these past weeks and to be honest, I wasn´t in the mood nor did I have the energy to write every Sunday a post.

A pile of books, nine in total, towers on my desk but reading has become a bit of a challenge. My reading speed has slowed down a lot. And when the weather is changing, I get a headache while reading. Annoying.

   
      


Yesterday, Saturday, I mowed the lawn. Exhausting. The garden isn´t flat and it took me over an hour to get it done. After that, I needed a shower and something to eat.

Today, Sunday, the sun and some clouds were visible, and it was deafening in the neighborhood. Next week, summer is supposed to come back. With temperatures in their 30+. I don´t need that *lol*



And how was your week?



Happy reading

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8/25/2023

King Of Battle And Blood by Scarlett St. Clair


It was my first Scarlett St. Claire novel and not my last. The cover caught my eyes first. The summary was another thing that made me curious. This fantasy novel is not like any other fantasy book. You will find a mixture of fantasy, mystery, and reincarnation presented in a fresh way. A strong princess with a unique style. The plot is very dark, and bloody, and shows a cruel vampire court. One, that is filled with drama and passion.


King Of Battle And Blood
by Scarlett St. Clair
Adrian & Isolde Trilogy #1
Publisher LYX on May 23, 2023
Genre Fantasy
Pages 432
Format Paperback
Source LYX
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶


Their union is his revenge.

Isolde de Lara considers her wedding day to be her death day. To end a years-long war, she is to marry vampire king Adrian Aleksandr Vasiliev, and kill him. But her assassination attempt is thwarted, and Adrian threatens that if Isolde tries to kill him again, he will raise her as the undead. Faced with the possibility of becoming the thing she hates most; Isolde seeks other ways to defy him and survive the brutal vampire court. Except it isn't the court she fears most-it's Adrian. Despite their undeniable chemistry, she wonders why the king-fierce, savage, merciless-chose her as consort. The answer will shatter her world.
Story
Isolde is the only solution her father, the king, sees to stop the long war. She is supposed to kill the vampire king Adrian and with that, hopefully, her marriage too. But soon, she starts feeling things, she doesn´t want to. She sees something in the mirrors at the Red Palace and feels that there is more to her feelings and the fact, that she knows things she never heard or saw in her life.

Style
In this novel, a combination of fantasy and mysticism is offered, which in the course of the action mixes more and more into a unique combination. The main character Isolde is idiosyncratic and sees the possibility of sitting on the throne as the first sole ruling queen. A dream that unfortunately does not come true as hoped. The writing style is easy to read and the reading speed is quick. The plot is varied and you never know what will happen on the next page.

Characters
Many unexpected things happen. A father wants to kill his daughter because she doesn't act the way he wants. A man tries to steer his princess just because he doesn't trust her own thinking and a lot of things don't go as hoped either.

Isolde is headstrong, strong, clever, and very beautiful. She knows how to assert herself and sees things that others don't see. But when she has to realize that her own father wants her bad and that she can't do anything about it, she has to decide what to do. And that's painful.


Conclusion
That was a fantasy novel of a different kind. The theme of reincarnation for the main character as the background theme for the plot was interesting and well-implemented. The story itself was varied and very entertaining. Highly recommended.



Happy reading








*This book was kindly provided to me by LYX 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
In diesem Roman wird eine Kombination aus Fantasy und Mystik geboten, die sich im Handlungsverlauf mehr und mehr zu einer ganz eigenen Kombination vermischt. Die Hauptfigur Isolde ist eigenwillig und sieht für sich die Möglichkeit, als erste alleinherrschende Königin auf dem Thron zu sitzen. Ein Traum, der sich leider nicht so erfüllt wie erhofft. Der Schreibstil ist schlicht einfach zu lesen und das Lesetempo zügig. Die Handlung ist abwechslungsreich und man weiß nie, was auf der nächsten Seite passiert.

Charaktere
Es geschehen viele unerwartete Dinge. Da will ein Vater seine Tochter umbringen, weil diese nicht so handelt, wie er es möchte. Da versucht ein Mann, seine Prinzessin zu lenken, nur weil er ihr eigenes Denken nicht zutraut und auch sonst geht vieles nicht so, wie gehofft.

Isolde ist eigenwillig, stark, klug und sehr schön. Sie weiß sich zu behaupten und erkennt Dinge, die andere nicht sehen. Als sie aber erkennen muss, dass ihr eigener Vater ihr Böses will und sie dagegen nichts machen kann, muss sie entscheiden, was sie macht. Und das ist schmerzhaft.


Resultat
Das war mal ein Fantasyroman der etwas anderen Art. Das Thema Reinkarnation für die Hauptfigur als Hintergrundthema für den Plot war interessant und gut umgesetzt. Die Geschichte selbst war abwechslungsreich und sehr unterhaltsam. Sehr empfehlenswert.











*This book was published in the English language by Bloom Books on November 30, 2021 



Scarlett St. Clair
Scarlett St. Clair ©Scarlett St. Clair






Scarlett St. Clair lives in Oklahoma with her husband. She has a degree in Library Science and is obsessed with Greek mythology, books, and the afterlife. Anyone who shares this passion with her will love her books.


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8/24/2023

In Meinen Träumen Bei Dir by Lilian Kaliner


Well, the cover alone wasn´t the reason why I wanted to read the fifth volume in the Firefly Creek series. I had read all the other books so it seemed natural to read this one as well. Because I like to close things. Here, it meant to discover the story about Evie and Quentin. And over the first half, it was a thrilling novel about love, secrets, and a gorgeous woman called Evie. The other half wasn´t as exciting anymore. But read and judge for yourself.



In Meinen Träumen Bei Dir*
by Lilian Kaliner
Firefly Creek Series #5
Publisher Fischer TB on April 26, 2023
Genre Novel
Pages 407
Format Paperback
Source Fischer TB
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶


Finally, in Firefly Creek - that cute little town Evie has heard so much about. Will she find answers here to the questions that have plagued her since her mother's death? And is it permissible to while away the time with new acquaintances while she looks around the town? There's this cheeky, not entirely unattractive guy named Quentin who wants to show her the fireflies... But after the first kiss, things suddenly get very complicated, because the two have more in common than they thought. Can Quentin and Evie put the past behind them? And do they have a chance of a future together?
Story
After her mother’s death, Evie wants to know who her father is. But all she has is a picture and a name. Harry. And when she finally stands right in front of him, she is nervous and wants nothing but to go. But Harry knows the truth and when he tells her about it, Evie realizes that not everything in life is how she wants it. And her father is one of those things.

Style
It was clear that bad guy Richard Smith had to do something good in this series as well. That's the only thing I really like about Harry and Richard's feud, and it seems logical. The rest seems a bit artificial.

As in the other parts, the language is easy to read. The plot brings a lot of surprises to light. What I didn't like so much was that the story didn't read well after half of it. There's quite a bit of unnecessary filler, and it gets a bit long-winded and boring at times. The scenes and settings are different, and it goes from winter to summer, and still not everything is that simple.

Characters
The Bennetts now live quite scattered around the farm. A lot of things aren't that easy anymore, and yet they are all still affectionate. And things are getting tight for Harry. Because Evie wants to get to know her roots and Harry is a part of that.

Evie is a remarkable woman. She works as a veterinary assistant and helps Kat in the office in whatever way she can. It's clear that she wants to find out everything that's going on in Bennett's family. But when it becomes reality, it's a completely different thing that worries her.


Conclusion
On the one hand a successful novel, on the other hand, something similar. A few clichés are used, a grandiose landscape is presented, and the characters are presented in a varied way. And yet I was a bit disappointed from halfway through.



Happy reading







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


Deutsche Rezension

Stil
Es war klar, dass der Fiesling Richard Smith in dieser Serie auch noch etwas Gutes hervorbringen muss. Das ist das Einzige, was mir an der Fehde von Harry und Richard wirklich gefällt und logisch erscheint. Der Rest wirkt teilweise etwas künstlich.

Wie schon in den anderen Teilen ist die Sprache gut zu lesen. Die Handlung bringt einiges an Überraschungen zutage. Was mir weniger gut gefiel war, ab der Hälfte liest sich die Geschichte nicht mehr rund. Da gibt es einiges an unnötigem Füllmaterial und es wird stellenweise etwas langatmig und langweilig. Die Szenen und Settings sind zwar unterschiedlich und es geht von Winter zu Sommer und trotzdem ist nicht alles so einfach.

Charaktere
Die Bennett´s wohnen mittlerweile ziemliche verstreut rund um die Farm. Vieles ist nicht mehr so einfach und trotzdem sind sie sich alle noch herzlich zugetan. Und für Harry wird es langsam eng. Denn Evie will ihre Wurzeln kennenlernen und Harry ist ein Teil davon.

Evie ist eine bemerkenswerte Frau. Sie arbeitet als tiermedizinische Assistentin und hilft Kat in der Praxis, wo sie nur kann. Das sie in Bennetts Familie alles herausfinden will, was geht, ist klar. Doch als es Wirklichkeit wird, ist es eine ganz andere, was ihr da Sorgen macht.


Resultat
Einerseits ein gelungener Roman, auf der anderen Seite etwas Einheitsbrei. Es werden einige Klischees bedient, eine grandiose Landschaft aufgefahren und die Charaktere abwechslungsreich dargeboten. Und trotzdem war ich ab der Hälfte etwas enttäuscht.



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 afterwards. 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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8/21/2023

Im Schutz Der Nacht by Nora Roberts


Usually, Nora Roberts is a safe bank when it comes to buying and reading a book blind. This time not. I am so disappointed. Only the characters were able to keep this novel from absolute reading failure. And I have no idea why she failed here so wholly. The author knows how to write great books. She knows how to create tension and figures that bring a story to life. So why didn´t you do it here, too? In the end, the single characters saved this story from a total disaster. So, no. Nightwork isn´t what I had hoped for.


Im Schutz Der Nacht*
by Nora Roberts
Translation Margarethe van Pée
Original Title Nightwork
Publisher Blanvalet on March 1, 2023
Genre Novel
Pages 606
Format Hardcover
Source Blanvalet
Goodreads
✶✶✶


Harry Booth was just a child when his mother was diagnosed with cancer. In order to be able to pay the horrendous medical bills, he resorts to unusual means: he breaks into vacant houses under cover of night. When his beloved mother dies years later, Harry begins an unsteady wandering life. He has long seen himself as a thief with fixed rules: never attract attention, never stay long, only take from those who can afford it. Until he meets Miranda Emerson and forgets all caution about his love for her. Just then, Carter LaPorte, a former client, and his greatest enemy, tracks him down. Harry knows how little time he and Miranda have before LaPorte ruthlessly hunts them down. He makes a lonely decision...
Story
When Harry Booth must learn that no matter how fair his mother plays in life and no matter how hard she works to make ends meet, things just don´t play out the way they want them he decides that sometimes you must give it a little twist too. But one day, one man is a bit too much in need of his help, and within no time, Harry’s life changes again. Not in the way he wanted it but in a way, he can live with. Well, at first at least.

Style
The incredibly atmospheric note, which was particularly captivating at the beginning of the story, is used up after just a few chapters. The author shows the ordeal of a woman suffering from cancer, whose son starts a more than unusual career as a thief in order to be able to pay the bills. What worked wonderfully in another of the author's novels goes completely wrong here. Sure, the story has a certain charm, and the humor is not neglected either and the characters show the typical loyalty and family love. And so far, everything is good. But the evil is too defiant, too vain and the plot just seems too much sunshine here.

No question, the writing style is clearly that of Nora Roberts. The structure, the design, everything fits. Unfortunately, the story between the pages didn't convince me at all this time. This book only shows sophistication in the thieves that the main character plans and carries out. Otherwise, it is only a pale habit of presenting details, landscapes, and scenes.

Characters
The individual characters are ultimately the reason that saved the novel from the rating crash. Strength and willpower are shown that are simply convincing. Well, Nora Roberts doesn't omit a cliché that I don't usually see her do, but it seems to work here. While it doesn't elevate the story above average, that's better than a zero number.


Conclusion
Unfortunately, not a novel that I can recommend without hesitation. The plot is far too predictable, the characters have little depth despite all the tragedy, and that certain something is completely missing. For a Nora Roberts book, this story is surprisingly bland and uneventful. A pity. Despite the humorous components, this novel is disappointing and this time remains only average for me.




Happy reading







*This book was kindly provided to me by Blanvalet 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
Die unglaublich stimmungsvolle Note, die besonders zu Anfang der Geschichte gefesselt hat, ist schon nach wenigen Kapiteln aufgebraucht. Die Autorin zeigt den Leidensweg einer krebskranken Frau, deren Sohn eine mehr als ungewöhnliche Karriere als Dieb startet, um die Rechnungen bezahlen zu können. Was in einem anderen Roman der Autorin wunderbar funktioniert hat, geht hier komplett daneben. Sicher, die Geschichte hat einen gewissen Charme und der Humor kommt auch nicht zu kurz und die Figuren zeigen die typische Loyalität und Familienliebe. Und so weit ist auch alles gut. Aber das Böse ist zu trotzig, zu eitel und auch der Plot wirkt hier einfach nur zu alles eitel Sonnenschein.

Keine Frage, der Schreibstil ist klar der von Nora Roberts. Der Aufbau, die Gestaltung, es passt alles. Die Geschichte zwischen den Seiten konnte mich nur leider diesmal gar nicht überzeugen. Raffinesse zeigt dieses Buch nur bei den Diebeszügen, die die Hauptfigur plant und durchführt. Ansonsten ist es nur blasse Gewohnheit im Präsentieren von Details, Landschaften und Szenen.

Charaktere
Die einzelnen Figuren sind letztlich der Grund, die den Roman vor dem Rating-Absturz bewahrt haben. Da werden eine Stärke und Willenskraft gezeigt, die einfach nur überzeugt. Gut, Nora Roberts lässt kein Klischee aus, was ich normalerweise nicht von ihr kenne, aber hier scheint es zu funktionieren. Es hebt die Geschichte zwar nicht über die Durchschnittlichkeit hinaus, aber das ist besser als eine Null-Nummer.


Resultat
Leider kein Roman, den ich bedenkenlos empfehlen kann. Die Handlung ist viel zu vorhersehbar, die Figuren haben trotz aller Tragik kaum Tiefgang und das gewisse Etwas fehlt komplett. Für ein Nora Roberts Buch ist diese Geschichte erstaunlich blass und ereignislos. Schade. Trotz der humorigen Bestandteile enttäuscht dieser Roman und bleibt für mich diesmal nur Durchschnitt.

 

 







*This book was originally published by St. Martin´s Press on May 24, 2022



Nora Roberts
Nora Roberts ©Bruce Wilder






Nora Roberts, born in Silver Spring, Maryland, is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels. During the now-famous blizzard, she pulled out a pencil and notebook and began to write. It was there that a career was born. Several manuscripts and rejections later, her first book, Irish Thoroughbred, was published by Silhouette in 1981. Having spent her life surrounded by men, Ms. Roberts has a fairly good view of the workings of the male mind, which is a constant delight to her readers. It was, she’s been quoted as saying, a choice between figuring men out or running away screaming. Nora is a member of several writer’s groups and has won countless awards from her colleagues and the publishing industry. Recently The New Yorker called her “America’s favorite novelist.” She is also the author of the bestselling futuristic suspense series written under the pen name J. D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.


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7/26/2023

Waiting On Wednesday #208 – The Minute I Saw You by Paige Toon


is a weekly event that was originally hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This meme is a place that spotlights upcoming releases that we´re eagerly anticipating with pure joy. There are a lot of new books coming out each year and some of them catch my attention and will get a spotlight in my Waiting on Wednesday post. While some of them will finally end up here at my place, others won´t. I am joining Tressa at Wishful Endings and her meme Can´t-Wait Wednesday.

Paige Toon has become an author I like to read very much. She writes about life, and things we all discover, and shows that not everything in life is as we would like it to be. And yet there is still something you don´t expect to happen. A novel about love at first sight? Well, not the first book I´ve read about it but for sure the first one Paige Toon writes about it. So let me see what happens…




Ich In Deinen Augen
Author Paige Toon
Publishing Date October 25, 2023
Publisher Fischer Krüger
Format Paperback
Goodreads




When Hannah meets Sonny, she's irresistibly drawn to him: he's sexy and confident, but only in town on holiday. That's fine with Hannah - she doesn't do long-term relationships. And luckily for her, neither does Sonny. But before they can even so much as kiss, Sonny receives some shocking news and commits to making serious life changes - ones that can't and won't include romance. With even a short fling now off the cards, Hannah and Sonny settle for being friends. But as summer hots up and their chemistry shows no signs of cooling, they start to question their reasons for shutting each other out. Are they both too broken to find love? And if they tear down the walls between them, will they still like what's on the other side?



The English edition was published on August 6, 2020, by Simon & Schuster UK.


And what are you waiting for? Let me know your thoughts about this one or leave me the link to your WoW and I check it out.



Happy reading & waiting on







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7/23/2023

Weekly Book Wrap-Up #259 – Lavender Harvest


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 #259

No new books this week.





Sunday Post #216

The past week was a mix of everything. Mixed weather, mixed feelings, and Wednesday night I was finally ready to call for help. And the police were very helpful, believe me. After that, I had a quiet night.

Thursday and Friday I was busy cleaning my apartment. Getting fresh fruits and veggies for the weekend and was caught by a rainfall Friday night. My shoes are broken now. The rain was so cold, I couldn´t walk with bare feet. Ah well…

Saturday, I went grocery shopping again, some stuff was only then on sale, ate some lunch, and then went into the garden around three. I harvested the lavender (huge bag), ripped out the weed, and later mowed the lawn and helped my elderly neighbors. It is always fun. He is sitting on his balcony, taking care of God knows what while chatting with me, and when he needs something, he lets me know *lol* The garden looks now neat, without all the wild grass. After that, I wanted a Radler beer (alcohol-free) and had to walk to the supermarket again, to get me one. Well, sometimes *lol*

And today, Sunday, I slept long. After another restless night, I thought why not. The afternoon was filled with scrapping off all the lavender blossoms from the stalk. After about four hours, my head hurt, and I had to take some painkillers. My entire apartment smells like lavender soap. And I noticed that I don´t like that smell. The pure lavender smell in the garden, yes. But that one? No. Guess, next year I will leave it for the bees and other insects.



And how was your week?



Happy reading







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7/19/2023

Waiting On Wednesday #207 – The Isles Of The Gods by Amie Kaufman


is a weekly event that was originally hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. This meme is a place that spotlights upcoming releases that we´re eagerly anticipating with pure joy. There are a lot of new books coming out each year and some of them catch my attention and will get a spotlight in my Waiting on Wednesday post. While some of them will finally end up here at my place, others won´t. I am joining Tressa at Wishful Endings and her meme Can´t-Wait Wednesday.

I love reading Amie Kaufman's books. She has a wonderful fantasy style and always knows how to create a new world that captures her readers' eyes and own fantasy. And when I read that a figure has saltwater running through her veins, I was like oh? How comes? Guess, the only way to find out about the why is by reading this novel.




The Isles Of The Gods
Author Amie Kaufman
Publishing Date October 25, 2023
Publisher Fischer Sauerländer
Format Hardcover
Goodreads




When Selly's father leaves her high and dry in the port of Kirkpool, she has no intention of riding out the winter on land while he sails to adventure in the north seas. But any plans to follow him are dashed when a handsome stranger with tell-tale magician's marks on his arm boards her ship, presenting her and the crew with a dangerous mission: to cross the Crescent Sea without detection so he can complete a ritual on the sacred Isles of the Gods. What starts as a leisure cruise will lead to acts of treason and sheer terror on the high seas, bringing two countries to the brink of war, two strangers closer than they ever thought possible and stirring two dangerous gods from centuries of slumber....


The English edition was published on May 2, 2023, by Knopf Books For Young Readers.


And what are you waiting for? Let me know your thoughts about this one or leave me the link to your WoW and I check it out.



Happy reading & waiting on







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7/17/2023

Am Ende Gibt Es Nur Uns by Paige Toon


Not sure if I would have read this novel if I´d known about the content in its entity. Yes, I´ve read the summary before asking for it, and yes, it sounded promising. But the true character of this story only became visible to me while reading it page by page. And to be honest, it was bliss and pain all in once. No other Paige Toon novel is so painful to read. No other book written by the author goes so deep into the personal life of a reader as Only Love Can Hurt Like This does. And still, I would reread it anytime soon.


Am Ende Gibt Es Nur Uns*
by Paige Toon
Translation Andrea Fischer
Original Title Only Love Can Hurt Like This
Publisher Fischer Krüger on April 26, 2023
Genre Novel
Pages 412
Format Paperback
Source Fischer Krüger
Goodreads
✶✶✶✶✶


Nothing hurts like love. But she also has the power to heal...
Watching the moment her fiancé falls in love with someone else, Wren flees her hometown and moves in with her father on his farm in America for the summer. There Wren falls in love with the quiet Anders. He lost his wife and is still mourning. And now Wren bursts into his world. But Anders has a secret, and if he gives in to his growing feelings for her, there will be terrible consequences for those around him. Above all for Wren.
Story
Wren is at a painful turning point in her life. Her fiancé just broke up with her. Wherever she goes, her successor literally crosses her path. Her life has become the purest gauntlet run. Her father's fruit farm in America is just what she needs to gain some distance. Were it not for the unapproachable Anders. He makes her heart stumble and shows her feelings Wren didn't even know existed. But why is he so demonstratively keeping his distance from her?

Style
Paige Toon reaches deep into the drama box and unfolds a story about love, passion, and loss in front of the reader's eye, which doesn't seem so bad at first over many chapters. Well, there is heartache and, as an attentive reader, you also notice that there is something lurking in the background, but since it is a novel by Paige Toon, you don't think of anything particularly dramatic. I should have because in the end she caught me cold and shocked me beyond belief. Be sure to have a large box of tissues handy while you read. It's needed!

The main character Wren is still struggling with her parent's divorce drama. And when she must break off her engagement because her future husband has met the woman of his life, a new conflict is born. Paige Toon shows this in a sensitive way while a change of location is pending. For me, the plot then became personal. Because the plot that was developing suddenly became more and more like a mirror and I got the feeling of reading my own life printed on paper. Which sometimes pushed me quite to my limits.

Characters
The individual characters could not be more realistic and convincing than in this novel. From the evil and jealous stepmother to the unequal stepsisters to the hopelessly overwhelmed father, there really is everything that the range of characters has to offer in real life. Depression, suffering, love, hate, and the irrepressible urge to hurt others, it's all there. And sometimes just too much.

Wren is at a painful turning point in her life. Her fiancé has just solved this with her and wherever she goes, her successor literally crosses her path.


Conclusion
What a terrific novel! Highly emotional and incredibly touching. I suffered, laughed, and shed endless tears with the characters. The book was a roller coaster of emotions that finally caught me cold. If you like to read a lot of drama combined with absolute tragedy, this is the place for you. Congratulations to the author for this masterpiece.



Happy reading







*This book was kindly provided to me by Fischer Krüger 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
Paige Toon greift hier tief in die Drama-Kiste und entfaltet vor dem Leserauge eine Geschichte um Liebe, Leidenschaft und Verlust, die über viele Kapitel erst mal gar nicht so schlimm erscheint. Gut, es gibt heftigen Liebeskummer und man merkt als aufmerksame Leserin auch, dass da irgendwas im Hintergrund lauert, aber da es sich um einen Roman von Paige Toon handelt, denkt man an nichts sonderlich Dramatisches. Hätte ich mal tun sollen, denn am Ende hat sie mich eiskalt erwischt und unglaublich geschockt. Haltet unbedingt eine große Box Taschentücher während des Lesens bereit. Die wird gebraucht!

Die Hauptfigur Wren hat noch immer mit dem Scheidungsdrama ihrer Eltern zu kämpfen. Und als sie ihre Verlobung lösen muss, weil ihr Zukünftiger der Frau seines Lebens begegnet ist, ist ein neuer Konflikt geboren. Diesen zeigt Paige Toon auf feinfühlige Weise, während ein Ortswechsel ansteht. Für mich selbst wurde der Plot dann absolut persönlich. Denn die sich entwickelnde Handlung glich plötzlich mehr und mehr einem Spiegel und ich bekam das Gefühl, mein eigenes Leben auf Papier gedruckt zu lesen. Was mich teilweise ziemlich an meine Grenzen brachte.

Charaktere
Realistischer und überzeugender als in diesem Roman könnten die einzelnen Figuren nicht sein. Da gibt es von der bösen und eifersüchtigen Stiefmutter über die ungleichen Stiefschwestern bis hin zum hoffnungslos überforderten Vater wirklich alles, was die Figurenpalette auch im realen Leben zu bieten hat. Depressionen, Leid, Liebe, Hass und der unbändige Drang, andere zu verletzen, es ist alles da. Und manchmal einfach zu viel.

Wren steht an einem schmerzhaften Wendepunkt in ihrem Leben. Gerade erst hat ihr Verlobter eben diese mit ihr gelöst und wo sie auch hingeht, überall läuft ihr ihre Nachfolgerin buchstäblich über den Weg.


Resultat
Was für ein grandioser Roman! Hochemotional und unglaublich berührend. Ich habe mit den Figuren gelitten, gelacht und unendlich viele Tränen vergossen. Das Buch war eine Achterbahn der Gefühle, das mich am Ende dann eiskalt erwischt hat. Wer viel Drama kombiniert mit einer absoluten Tragödie lesen mag, ist hier genau richtig. Gratulation an die Autorin für dieses Meisterwerk.











*This book was published Only Love Can Hurt Like This by Penguin UK on January 1, 2023


Paige Toon
Paige Toon ©Paige Toon






Paige Toon was born in 1975 and grew up between England, Australia, and America. A philosophy graduate, she worked at teen, film, and women´s magazines, before ending up a reviews editor at Heat magazine. Paige is married, has two small children, and lives in Cambridge.


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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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