You guys! I have to admit with moving and summer craziness I have not been reading a lot lately - it's so sad! Usually I read SO much in the summer... but unfortunately not this year. So I apologize on the radio silence on books... today I am combining the books I read in July and August together in one post. The good news is that Labor Day weekend is the perfect time to catch up on some reading and this fall I can not wait to snuggle up by the fire and get down to business with some books. If you are looking for a few good books to add to your To Be Read list... consider these!
Tiffany Blues... This book opens on a scene of a large estate burning down. The history of the famed estate unfolds as the book comes full circle to how/why the home burnt down. The estate was a private mansion built by Louis Comfort Tiffany (later of the Tiffany company). The estate is a brilliant display of his creativity and work with glass, he soon converts a portion of it into an artists retreat which is where we meet our main characters. They all have secrets to keep and they are all extremely talented. This book was a little slow at some parts but I loved the setting and the characters kept me in it. Plus I had to figure out the mystery of the big fire! Overall this was a great historical fiction read that is based on some actual history. If you are interested in more stories about Louis Comfort Tiffany I highly recommend Clara & Mr. Tiffany which was an EXCELLENT read. (please note, an Advanced Review Copy of this book was provided to me complimentary in exchange for my honest opinions)
And Then There Were None... This classic Agatha Cristie read was a recent book club selection for my personal book club group. We were all a little mixed on whether we liked it or not. But if you love mysteries and you are looking to add a few more classics to your list, try this one! It was listed on the Great American Read book list - which is a great compilation of classics and must-reads. The premise of the story is that 10 strangers are summoned to a beautiful island home and as soon as they arrive they begin to die... one at a time. The guests quickly realize they are stranded on the island and by the time the police arrive... everyone is dead. This classic mystery has a great twist at the end that you will never guess!
The Death of Mrs. Westaway... When down on her luck Harriet receives a letter from a solicitor that she is a potential heir of a vast inheritance she knows it's too good to be true. She doesn't have living family and even if she did she's never known who they are. How would they know who she was? When she heads to the Trepassen House estate to meet this potential family and to escape some scary debt collectors, she realizes she is in over her head. The slow burn of this gothic mystery was a little TOO slow for me at times - I felt like the story went round and round in circles and then exploded at the end. If you love dark gothic mysteries that are extremely readable, try The Thirteenth Tale and Rebecca. Two of my all time favorite books and perfect books to read during the fall!
The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle... This is a really great book unlike anything I've read before. When the main character, Aiden Bishop, realizes he's woken up in someone else's body and in an unfamiliar country estate he has no idea what is in store for him. He realizes he's been tasked with finding out who killed Evelyn Hardcastle. At the beginning of the day she is alive but she will die each night and he has the day before him as he inhabits different peoples bodies to solve the mystery. It's time travel and a race against time all together in one of the most intriguing books I've read in a long time! I highly recommend cracking this book open on a cool fall evening and completely having your mind bent over this twisty story. (please note, an Advanced Review Copy of this book was provided to me in exchange for my honest opinion)
The Romanov Empress: A Novel of Tsarina Maria Feodorovna... I just LOVE a good historical fiction and this book did not disappoint. I've been super interested in the history of the Romanov family lately and this book follows the life of Tsarina Maria Feodorovna through her rise to Tsarina and the subsequent fall of the Romanov empire at the hand of her son. Think balls, gowns, palaces... to nothing. It's top to bottom a great telling of the end of the Romanov empire. If you too are interested in this fascinating royal family of Russia I highly recommend this book... but also you MUST check out I Was Anastasia which is probably my favorite book so far this year and I thought The Romanov Empress was a great companion read to that book. (please note, an Advanced Review Copy of this book was provided to me in exchange for my honest opinion)
Next Year in Havana... I absolutely ADORED this book cover to cover! It was a little vacation for me each time I cracked it open. With two parallel storylines we follow Elisa, a sugar barons daughter in Havana, Cuba in the 1950's and Marisol, her granddaughter that lives in Florida and is looking to shed some light on her families Cuban heritage in modern day. Both women are strong, smart and brave and easy to fall in love with as a reader. And Cuba itself is easily a dominant character in the book as well - as a reader it was difficult to know whether to love or hate Cuba. So many mixed emotions surround this country and the book covered them all! By far my favorite book of the summer you won't regret diving in to this sweet story! This book was recently picked as Reese Witherspoon's Book Club selection... and you know Reese wouldn't lead you astray!
What good books have you been reading lately! I would love to know in the comments!
