Jane Litte's Blog, page 90

REVIEW: The New Girl by Jesse Q Sutanto

She’s a liar. A cheater. A murderer. And it’s only her first semester.

From the author of The Obsession and Dial A For Aunties comes a story of a deadly game of cat and mouse set in the halls of a school that is hiding more than secrets in its walls.

Lia Setiawan has never really fit in. And when she wins a full ride to the prestigious Draycott Academy on a track scholarship, she’s determined to make it work even though she’s never felt more out of place.

But on her first day there she witnes...

REVIEW: Good Girl Complex by Elle Kennedy

Dear Elle Kennedy,

I was so excited to read this book. It was one of my most anticipated books of the early part of the year. (I usually enjoy your books; something about your writing style just works for me.)

I did enjoy Good Girl Complex but it was not my favourite of your books, mainly because I struggled with the premise.

Mackenzie Cabot is a wealthy 20-year-old who moved to Avalon Bay in the Carolinas to attend Garnet College. She had agreed to attend after pressure from her family who had r...

DUELING REVIEW: The Runaway Duchess by Joanna Lowell

Janine: Layla and I reviewed Joanna Lowell’s last two historicals and when I saw that this one was coming out, I asked her if she would like to review it together as well. She agreed.

The Runaway Duchess is the story of Lavinia Yardley, who was engaged to Anthony, Duke of Weston and hero of The Duke Undone (book #1 in this series), much against his will. When we last saw Lavinia, Anthony had just freed himself from the engagement and exposed her father’s crimes. Lavinia disavowed her father, but...

REVIEW: A Song of Secrets by Jayci Lee

Her secret tore them apart. Will his secret reunite them?

World-renowned cellist Angie Han is desperate to save her trio’s chamber music society. So when she discovers that her ex Joshua Shin is the anonymous composer setting the classical music world on fire, she asks for his help. The sexy musician agrees to an uneasy truce to protect his secret success. But when their passion reignites, Angie’s own secrets may be exposed. Will Joshua ever trust her again? And will what’s keeping them apart ...

Friday Film Review: Falling for Figaro

Falling for Figaro (2021)
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Grade B

I was on an airplane and everyone knows that you watch movies on airplanes that you don’t normally watch at home (at least that’s true for me!). As I scrolled through the list, an image popped out at me. The cover was striking—it had beautiful colors and featured a woman’s face gazing with something between a smirk and a tender smile at the nervous face of a man across from her. Something about the interplay between them intrig...

REVIEW: Anatomy: A Love Story by Dana Schwartz

I’ve read two previous books by Dana Schwartz, Choose Your Own Disaster and The White Man’s Guide to White Male Writers of the Western Canon. Both were non-fiction(ish?) – the first a memoir with a “Choose Your Own Adventure” conceit and the second a satirical look at famous authors from the persona of Schwartz’ @GuyInYourMFA twitter account. I also enjoy her podcast Noble Blood, though I am waaay behind on it (it’s a mystery to me how people manage to make time in their lives for podcasts).

An...

REVIEW: The Good Wife of Bath by Karen Brooks

In the middle ages, a poet told a story that mocked a strong woman. It became a literary classic. But what if the woman in question had a chance to tell her own version? Who would you believe?

England, The Year of Our Lord, 1364

When married off aged 12 to an elderly farmer, Eleanor Cornfed, who’s constantly told to seek redemption for her many sins, quickly realises it won’t matter what she says or does, God is not on her side – or any poor woman’s for that matter.

But Eleanor was born under t...

REVIEW: The Shoe Diaries by Darby Baham

It’s never too late to put your best foot forward

From the outside, Reagan “Rae” Doucet has it all: a coveted career in Washington, DC, a tight circle of friends and a shoe closet to die for. When one of her crew falls ill, however, Rae is done playing it safe. The talented but unfulfilled writer makes a “risk list” to revamp her life. But forgiving her ex, Jake Saunders, might be one risk too many…

Dear Ms. Baham, 

I fell in love with this cover which, now that I’ve finished the book, truly ...

REVIEW: The Red Palace by June Hur

A young palace nurse investigates a pattern of grisly murders in this romantic YA historical mystery from the author of The Silence of Bones.

Joseon (Korea), 1758. There are few options available to illegitimate daughters in the capital city, but through hard work and study, eighteen-year-old Hyeon has earned a position as a palace nurse. All she wants is to keep her head down, do a good job, and perhaps finally win her estranged father’s approval.

But Hyeon is suddenly thrust into the dark an...

REVIEW: The Five-Day Reunion by Mona Shroff

They ended their marriage, but they never fell out of love…

Law student Anita Virani hasn’t seen her ex-husband since the ink dried on their divorce papers. Now she’s agreed to pretend she’s still married to Nikhil until his sister’s wedding celebrations are over—because her former mother-in-law neglected to tell her family of their split! The closeness they share during the marriage act gives Anita new insight into the man she once loved so deeply. And reignites Nikhil’s feelings for her…

De...