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    The first thriller by the indie studio that created the million-selling RUNAWAY saga! A psycho is...

French Kiss (Flying into Love #1) by C.F. White
French Kiss (Flying into Love #1) by C.F. White
C.F. White | 2022 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
FRENCH KISS is the first book in the Flying Into Love series and, as the title suggests, the first country we land in is France. We have a tale of opposites as our two main characters try to figure out how to move forward.

It really is an opposites attract book! You have city vs. country, England vs. France, city slicker vs. lumberjack, and even easy-to-like vs. hard-to-like. Valentin saved this book for me as Dale was a little too contrary for me. He held onto his secret past for reasons, although explained, that still doesn't make 100% sense to me. He was completely self-centred and quick to jump to conclusions. Valentin, however, was a hardworking drifter with a strong work and personal ethic who wanted nothing more than to put down some roots. He managed to do that for a while caring for Dale's dad but that is in question with Dale wanting to sell the place.

The pacing was smooth, the story was sweet, and the bedroom scenes were steamy! The best bit for me was the descriptions of the cottage, plus the storm. It does make me laugh though as everyone in the city wants to 'escape to the country' and those who live there, usually want out.

An enjoyable read and I look forward to more stories in this series. Definitely recommended by me.

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
May 28, 2022
  
Sweetness in the Skin
Sweetness in the Skin
Ishi Robinson | 2024 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry, Young Adult (YA)
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Sweetness in the Skin by Ishi Robinson is a heartbreaking AND a heartwarming story. It’s about Pumkin Patterson, a 13 year old girl living with her grandmother, Aunt Sophie and her mother. They live together in a tiny 2 bedroom house on the wrong street in Kingston, Jamaica.

Pumkin has a dream to follow her aunt to live in Paris and open a Patisserie. She just has to get the grades at the school paid for by her aunt. But things conspire against Pumkin, and she has to work harder to get what she wants. She works hard at school, and on top of that, she has to make money by baking and selling her frankly delicious sounding cakes.

I couldn’t help but cheer Pumkin along and hope that she would achieve what she wanted. She’s such a strong character, with some of that fiery teenage attitude (particularly towards her French teacher!).

I listened to this and read it in parts, too, which I’m glad I had the opportunity to do. The spoken Jamaican English was much easier to understand when I listened to it, spoken by Deja Bowens (the narrator). I think it’s important, when possible, to hear the rhythm and cadence of a language and/ or dialect to really understand it.

This was a really strong story with some serious themes - if it’s a YA book, I would be inclined to keep it to older teenagers. Pumkin does suffer some physical abuse at the hands of her mother.
I loved reading about Pumkin’s determination to leave a difficult life behind her - she’s an admirable, courageous character.
  
His Majesty's Dragon
His Majesty's Dragon
Naomi Novik | 2006 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.8 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Set during the Napoleonic War, British officer and gentleman Captain William Laurence has his life turned upside down after seizing a rare dragon egg from a captured French vessel. Led by an unwavering sense of duty and a growing affection for his new dragonet, Temeraire, he must leave behind everything he knows to join the mysterious and disreputable Aerial Corps.

Naomi Novik knows her stuff. This book is chock full of amazing worldbuilding. Her mastery of naval maneuvers, English society, and the history of the Napoleonic wars is immersive in its completeness. She wastes no time coddling the reader with infodumps or explanations, although the drawback is that it is occasionally so detailed and alien to me that my eyes would glaze over and slide completely past a paragraph filled with information about where Napoleon's forces were and what they were doing.


Laurence himself gets flack as a character for being stiff and "unprogressive", but I feel this is somewhat unwarranted. He's compelling precisely because he exhibits a mindset that would be entirely normal for a man of his station in his time, and slowly has to adjust everything he thinks about class, gender, and duty. His stiffness and reserve can seem alien at times, but we empathize completely with his love of the bright and lovely Temeraire.


This book does have some pacing problems. It is slow in places, particularly during their training and Loch Laggan, and in others cuts chapters far too early, leaving one feeling a bit of whiplash as the next chapter starts up.


Still, the premise is amazing, the dragons are glorious, and I spent an entire night reading this book cover to cover. If you like Bloody Jack, or wondered what How To Train Your Dragon would look like if it were set during the Napoleonic war, you'll definitely enjoy this one.