Rachel Kovaciny's Blog, page 57

"Sixteen Brides" by Stephanie Grace Whitson (again)

This is such a delightful book.  I loved it the first time I read it, and I loved again this time through.

Don't be worried by the thought of sixteen main characters to follow.  Whitson does not put her readers (or herself) through that sort of Tolstoy-esque torment.  Although there are indeed sixteen women travelling to Nebraska to claim homesteads, the story focuses on only five of them.

Most of these ladies are widows.  All are unmarried.  One widow brings along her adolescent son.  None of the...

"Miss Kopp Just Won't Quit" by Amy Stewart

This was such a fun, fast read!  I am happy to report that I liked it MUCH better than book three in this series, Miss Kopp's Midnight Confessions .  Largely because this was once again written in first person in Constance Kopp's voice, which is so delightful.

Like the previous three books, this book is based on the actual lives and adventures of Constance, Norma, and Fleurette Kopp in New Jersey just prior to World War One.  Constance's job as female deputy at the Hackensack...

Want to Participate in the "One Bad Apple" Cover Reveal?

Yes, you read that correctly!  The cover for One Bad Apple will be revealed soon!!!

How soon?  On Tuesday, May 26.  Only two weeks away! 

If you would like to join me in showing off the cover on your blogs or in social media that day, please email me at rachelkovaciny at gmail dot com with "One Bad Apple cover reveal" in the subject line.  All participants will receive my gratitude, fake internet points, and an imaginary hug :-)  And get to see what...

"Reservations for Two" by Hillary Manton Lodge

Well, that's it.  I'm a firm fan now of Hillary Manton Lodge.  Giving her a label here on my blog and everything.  I'm going to have to buy the last two books in her backlist that I don't already have, and I just might be elevating her to auto-buy status, right under Katherine Reay.

Cuz man, oh man, do I love her storytelling.  Particularly her characters and her dialog.

Yeah.  So, this is book two of the Two Blue Doors series.  I've already read books three...

"The Enchanted April" by Elizabeth von Arnim

Oh my goodness.  What dear, sweet, charming book!  I loved it so much!  In fact, it is one of my favorite new-to-me reads of the year so far!

Back in the 1920s (when this was written), four women from London decide to go on holiday to Italy together.  It all starts when dowdy, weary Lotty Wilkins sees an advertisement offering that people can rent an Italian castle for the month of April for a reasonable price.  She knows she could never afford it herself, and asks a...

"Wade McClusky and the Battle of Midway" by David Rigby

This was a very cool book, especially since I love the new Midway  (2019) movie so much.  This book really helped round out Wade McClusky as portrayed by Luke Evans in the movie and let me understand even better the pivotal part he played in winning the Battle of Midway during WWII.

Although the book title would suggest that this focuses solely on his role in that particular battle, it's actually a full biography of McClusky, going from his boyhood through his early naval career, and...

"Be Free or Die: The Amazing Story of Robert Smalls' Escape from Slavery to Union Hero" by Cate Lineberry

I first learned about Robert Smalls on Facebook, of all crazy places.  I can't believe I knew nothing about him!  Especially since he was quite famous during the Civil War.  Hmm.

Born a slave in South Carolina, Robert Smalls was working on a paddle-wheel steamer in Charleston harbor when he hatched a daring plan of escape.  He and the other crewmembers, also slaves, smuggled family members and friends aboard the steamer one night and chugged boldly past multiple Confederate...

"A Table by the Window" by Hillary Manton Lodge

Have you ever read the last book in a trilogy first? I accidentally read book 3 of the Two Blue Doors series first ( Together at the Table ).  And I thought I could get the first two books from the library and that would be all okay... but then the library closed up.  Argh.  So I did what any self-respecting bookworm would do, and bought all three from Barnes & Noble's website because even a pandemic is not going to stop me from reading this series!

Turns out it was a good...

"Mary Russell's War and Other Stories of Suspense" by Laurie R. King

You likely know I'm a fan of Laurie R. King's novels of suspense featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes.  I've read all of them.  And now I've also read this perfectly charming collection of short stories that also feature that delightful detective duo.

I'd read about half of the stories in this collection before, as King has released some of them for free or for very low prices as ebooks over the past few years.  But there were several here that were new to me... and even...

"Befriending the Beast" by Amanda Tero

This book has a nifty premise:  what if the beast isn't a romantic interest for Belle, but instead is her father?  I really enjoyed that particular twist to this story, as it led the characters away from the "true love will cure your problems" trope and into "what does love between a parent and child mean" instead.

Amanda Tero couples that idea with the question: What if instead of having been changed into a literal monster, it's only his behavior that is beastly?  No magic...