I really enjoyed this exploration through the pages of friendship. What a difference that can make in a person's life. This is an emotional read, as you feel the pain of loss, fear, guilt, secrets, and healing. And the friendship between the ladies is a tool to help Elisavet heal. The Bridge Between Friends is not just a physical bridge, Cora, Megan, and Gladdie go to share their friendship. It also represents a link from the past to the present and a connection from friends

It does not get much better when you are given the opportunity to read a book about a library that centers around friendships. The Croatian Island Library is full of a delightful and varied cast of character characters. The ability to experience summer days while sailing from one island to another aboard the floating library would be a dream come true for me. Getting to know this group of people who developed such a strong and heartwarming connection and experiencing the reve

The title and synopsis of this book caught my attention and I knew it was a had-to-read book. However, it was just an okay read. It did not grab me and hold me captive until I had finished reading it. The characters are well developed and are pretty much what drives the storyline. There is no real wow factor. It is just a story of friendships between the women. Their three POVs is interesting and the way they truly care for each other is touching. I think the best way to desc

I really enjoy historical fiction and especially when it revolves around books. This book took a while to have me invested in the story. I enjoyed reading about the three sisters, Olivia, Daphne, and Celia. Observing them running a bookstore in the early 1900s ... a time when men would have been in that role. Each sister has a focus and it was interesting to explore their lives and the secrets they kept from each other. Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Paperbacks for

The true-crime element of this book was intriguing. But I felt like I was plodding through the pages to get to the twists that pulled me into the story. A lot of characters and it was hard to remember who was who. I typically enjoy dual timeline books. But this one made it hard to keep track. An okay read for me. But there are enough very positive reviews, so it may appeal to you. Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my advanced review copy. All opinions and though

I have to admit that I struggled reading this book. It took a while for me to become interested in the storyline. But it did finally catch my interest. There were twists and a slow build in the tension of the book that helped keep my attention. An okay read but I am not sure whether the struggle to force myself to finish it was worth the time I spent in the book. Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own. For

This is definitely an emotional read that will have you angry at how society treated women in the early 20th century. Their treatment at the institutions was horrendous and eye-opening. The fact that the book is based on real events is appalling. A very difficult and uncomfortable read, but also important that we learn about this type of unacceptable treatment of women in the hopes that history does not repeat itself. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for my advance

I enjoy reading historical fiction books and especially when they take place during the WWII time period. The dual timeline aspect of this story was an added plus. There are some deep subjects covered throughout the pages ... mental illness, persecution of the Jews, mistreatment of residents of an insane asylum. The author does a wonderful job of creating two separate timelines but merges them together that is so subtle I had to spend time thinking about the connection. Thank

I love historical fiction books and especially those that are about books. The magical aspect of this particular story flowed well with the historical fiction focus. The characters are well developed and the mystery pulled me in and kept my interest. There is a touch of romance and I really wanted to discover where the relationship between Lillian and Harry would go. This book will take you on a journey into another time and place with mystery and intrigue. Thank you to NetGa

This was an interesting read. I found it interesting to see Lacey’s being a part of the community of women who lived together in an effort to raise their children. I cannot imagine Lacey’s willingness to immediately trust and rely on the women in the “mommune.” While touted as a mystery thriller, I felt like that is an overstatement. It definitely had some surprises that are revealed through the pages. A story that displays the many facets of motherhood. Thank you to NetGalle

This was an eye-opening look into the life of Zarna Garg, an immigrant from Mumbai, India. I learned a lot about her life growing up in a wealthy family and what she endured by a domineering and often cruel father. Her life in America and adjustments was interesting. She is a strong and determined woman and it was interesting to see her mature into the woman she is today. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballatine Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my

Storm Publishing has become one of my favorite publishers and I seem to really enjoy the books they release. This was a sweet and lovely short story that features delightful characters during the Christmas season ... specifically Twelfth Night. There is a bit of time travel and magic. I loved both the present day characters of Freya and Callum as well as Imogen from the past. While this is the fifth book in the Mandeville series, I felt like it worked fine as a standalone. Bu

I have really enjoyed the books in the Emma Langley series by Emily Organ. I love spending time with Emma Langley and Penny Blakely. They each have their own lives but work well together to solve mysteries. Such strong, independent, and intelligent women. And as was true during the Victorian time period, they were not valued as major contributors to society. There were lots of clues and possible suspects that kept me invested in the story and wondering who was guilty of murde

I have read quite a few of the books in the Booktown series by Lorna Barrett. I was not as invested in this book as others I have read. As many reviewers have commented, the bickering between the sisters is getting old. And while I have never cared for Angelica, I feel like she redeemed herself slightly at the end of the book. I cannot imagine having Tricia and Angelica’s parents. It is amazing they turned out as normal as they did. The mystery was interesting and kept my att

If you are in the mood for a light and fun rom-com, this is the perfect book for you. And as seems to be the case for most of this type of book, it is filled with well-to-do people who are misbehaving. For me, I think this type of book is not appealing. The author does a good job with character development and the storyline is interesting. But the romance aspect was awkward, the mystery was just okay, and I did not care for many of the characters. So for me, this was a lot of

The synopsis of this book caught my interest and I looked forward to the character development. However, I could not connect with any of them. The story did not pull me in and hold my attention. I felt like it was a slow plod through the pages and I found myself struggling to finish the book. There appear to be many reviewers who really enjoyed the book. So I would encourage you to read it and decide for yourself if it appeals to you Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books

I have enjoyed previous books by the author, T. Greenwood. I liked the dual timeline focus. The storyline was handled well. It did seem to plod along more than I like in books. Experiencing Edie’s pain and guilt was emotional. This is a book I think many readers will enjoy. Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own. For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000

I love historical fiction books and especially those that deal with books and libraries. So many magical things can happen in the pages of a wonderful book. So this one caught my attention and I looked forward to time spent with Lily. The history of the American Library in Paris was interesting and I enjoyed getting to know the many characters featured in the book. The shelves of books and the comfort of friendship makes this a story worth exploring. Thank you to NetGalley an

The title alone caught my attention and I thought it was a book I would enjoy reading. I do not mind quirky books, but this one was too over the top in that regard. I do not feel that this book delivered enough to make me care about the characters, the story, the ... anything. Thank you to NetGalley and Pantheon for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own. For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 review

I am sorry that I committed to reading this book before I discovered it was of the fantasy and magical realism genres. There must be a new trend for books with that focus because, unfortunately, I have been trying to read quite a few lately. However, even though I was not the intended audience, I did enjoy the book. The characters were well-developed and I learned a lot about restaurant management. I have never contemplated what it would take to be a Michelin restaurant inspe