Captivating Catch-Up | ARC Edition Pt. 5

As I read some last year, but took a break for “maternity leave”, I have many reviews to catch up on. Because of that, and until I can catch up, I decided to start a bulk review post–hence, “Captivating Catch-Up”. The reviews will be quick, to-the-point, but also give my complete, honest opinion.

This batch is another group of some of the ARCs that I got last year (or years before) and failed to review.

The Workhouse: The People -- The Places -- The Life Behind Doors Published by Pen and Sword History by Simon Fowler
on March 9, 2007
Genres: Nonfiction, Historical
Pages: 314
Source: Netgalley
Format: ARC, eBook
Find the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

ISBN: 1905615035
Rating:

After watching Call the Midwife, I was really curious as to what workhouses were really like. From everything I’ve ever heard they were horrible and those that were lucky to outlast them, always carried the trauma with them.

I found this book incredibly well-done. Fowler seemed to have done his research in spades. The picture painted was one of absolute suffering. Before reading this I thought I knew how awful the Victorian workhouses were–I came away with a whole new appreciation for what those stuck in them went through. Fowler did a great job of bringing the reader into what life was like.

The Iron Warrior Returns Published by Harlequin Historical by Michelle Willingham
on April 26, 2022
Genres: Romance, Historical
Pages: 288
Source: Netgalley
Format: ARC, eBook
Find the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

ISBN: 1335407790
Rating:

Bestselling author Michelle Willingham returns with this medieval friends-to-lovers romance!

A fight to save his people


A kiss to save his heart…

To regain his stolen lands and save his people from suffering, Robert of Penrith has returned to marry his enemy’s daughter. To Robert’s surprise, his dearest friend, Morwenna, helps him win the heiress’s hand—despite the danger to them both. The fierce, beautiful miller’s daughter has stood by him throughout his exile. But a single kiss ignites a passion that threatens to upend all Robert’s plans…
From Harlequin Historical: Your romantic escape to the past.
The Legendary Warriors
Book 1: The Iron Warrior Returns

These Harlequin Historicals always serve as a dish of entertainment. They’re not too deep but they still manage to draw me into the whatever historical setting the author is writing about.

The Iron Warrior Returns is full of the usual romance, mystery, and the third act drama that one can expect. But I really did enjoy the characters in this one. They were not the two-dimensional archetypes that you can sometimes get, which was welcome.

Ask for Andrea Published by Dynamite Books by Noelle W. Ihli
Series: Ask for Andrea #1
on April 15, 2022
Genres: Horror, Mystery, Paranormal, Suspense, Thriller
Pages: 295
Source: Netgalley
Format: ARC, eBook
Find the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Rating:

Meghan, Brecia, and Skye have just one thing in common.
They were all murdered by the same man.
He hunted them online, masquerading as an eligible bachelor. Then he played the perfect gentleman, a thick layer of charm and a thousand-watt smile hiding the fact that his first dates end in shallow graves.
He’s gotten away with murder three times now.
The only thing that might keep him from killing again? The women he murdered.
Meghan, Brecia, and Skye might be dead, but they’re not gone. They’ve found each other. And they won’t rest until they find a way to stop him.
The haunt is on.

What I LOVED about this one: The plot was really quite unique. Which, admittedly, is what drew me to this book in the first place. The protagonists of this story were surprising–I’ve never read a book with dead main characters before. The story was told from their differing perspectives which kept everything fresh.

I’m really sorry it just took me so long to read this delightful little story. This was a compelling thriller that took me just a couple of days to devour.

The Mitford Affair Published by Sourcebooks Landmark by Marie Benedict
on January 17, 2023
Genres: Adult, European Literature, British Literature, War, WW II, Historical
Pages: 352
Source: Netgalley
Format: ARC, eBook
Find the Author: Website, Facebook, Goodreads, Instagram
Find the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

ISBN: 1728229367
Rating:

From New York Times bestselling author Marie Benedict—she'll have to choose: her country or her sisters?
Between the World Wars, the six Mitford sisters dominate the English political, literary, and social scenes. Though they've weathered scandals before, the family falls into disarray when Diana divorces her husband to marry a fascist leader and Unity follows her sister's lead, inciting rumors that she's become Hitler's own mistress.
Novelist Nancy Mitford is the only member of her family to keep in touch with Diana and Unity after their desertion, so it falls to her to act when her sisters become spies for the Nazi party.
Probing the torrid political climate of World War II and the ways that sensible people can be sucked into radical action, The Mitford Affair follows Nancy's valiant efforts to end the war and the cost of placing loyalty to her country above loyalty to her family.

Having heard of the Mitford sisters before–and generally loving this particular time period in history–I was so drawn to this novel from the moment I read the synopsis.

A story of a large family, at its core, I found myself immersed into the lives of the six Mitford sisters during the rise of WWII. The story revolves around three of the sisters; Nancy, Unity, and Diana. It was fascinating reading about their lives during this time and how each of their choices led to incredible outcomes. Fascism, scandal, intrigue, danger–the story was full of it all.

This was truly an incredible story.

Daughters of Victory Published by William Morrow by Gabriella Saab
on January 24, 2023
Genres: Adult, Russia, War, WW II, Historical
Source: Netgalley
Format: ARC, eBook
Find the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

ISBN: 006324649X
Rating:

From the acclaimed author of The Last Checkmate comes a brilliant novel spanning from the Russian Revolution to the Nazi occupation of the Soviet Union and following two unforgettable women…their fates intertwined by ties of family and interrupted by the tragedy of war. Perfect for readers of Kate Quinn, Pam Jenoff, and Elena Gerokhova.
Russia 1917: Beautiful, educated Svetlana Petrova defied her stifling aristocratic family to join a revolution promising freedom. Now, released after years of imprisonment, she discovers her socialist party vying for power against the dictatorial Bolsheviks and her beloved uncle, a champion of her cause, was murdered by a mysterious assassin named Orlova. Her signature? Blinding her victims before she kills them. Svetlana resolves to avenge his death by destroying this vicious opponent, even as she longs to reunite with the daughter she has not seen in years.
USSR 1941: Now living in obscurity in a remote village, Svetlana opens her home to Mila Rozovskaya, the eighteen-year-old granddaughter from Leningrad she has never met. She hopes to protect Mila from the oncoming Nazi invasion, but when the enemy occupies the village, Svetlana sees the young woman fall under the spell of the resistance—echoing her once-passionate idealism. As Mila takes up her fight, dangerous secrets and old enemies soon threaten all Svetlana holds dear. To protect her family, she must confront her long-buried past—yet if the truth emerges victorious, it holds the power to save or shatter them. A risk Svetlana has no choice but to take.

This book takes place during two harrowing times in history; Russia, 1917 during the Revolution, and USSR, 1941 right around the time of the Nazi invasion.

I think I felt this novel more due to the fact that it was based on real people and real circumstances. The characters were written very well. I found myself easily falling into the story and becoming invested. The only thing that kept this one from a four-star for me, was the fact that there were some slow times in the story that would keep me from ploughing through the story. It did get better in the last 30% or so.

All-in-all a fine read about two very interesting time periods.

 

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