Rachel Reads & Reviews

History Mystery P2

The second half of the series gets a little bit darker. The mysteries involve dangerous individuals whose actions are not explained away as a misunderstanding or bitterness. Often there is real hate or greed motivating them, and they have the weapons to back them up if others get in their way. There is more exploration of darker subjects like war, PTSD and indigenous genocide and the girls have to realize that the world is not always a fair or just place. Thus the second half of the series is always one I look forward to when I reread it. It has so many good books.
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January 20, 2025

Book Suggestions

#alisonhart, #americangirl, #barbarasteiner, #betrayalatcrosscreek, #circleoffire, #dangeratthewildwestshow, #dangstersatthegrandatlantic, #elizabethmcdavidjones, #enemyinthefort, #evelyncoleman, #ghostlightongraveyardshoal, #historicalfiction, #historymystery, #kathleenernst, #kathrynreiss, #middlegrade, #mysteryatchilkootpass, #mysteryonskullisland, #pleasantcompany, #rachelreads&reviews, #riddleoftheprariebride, #sarahmastersbuckey, #scholastic, #thestrangecaseofbabyh, #whistlerinthedark
History Mystery P1

I have discussed this a little bit in my historical fiction pages but as I’m rereading this for the first time in years, I thought I’d go a little more in-depth with my thoughts.

For those that are not in the know, History Mystery was a 1997 spin-off of Pleasant Company’s very popular American Girl collection of books. While American Girl has six books dedicated to each girl in a specific time period within the 7-9 age range, History Mystery was for middle readers who wanted more excitment in their historical tales.

22 tales in the series, each book was a stand-alone, and the historical periods were more varied. The end of the Wild West, the San Francisco Earthquake, War of 1812, you get the idea. The twelve-year old protagonists tend to come from more perilous circumstances and must contend with gamblers on the run and the deceit of adults around them with their wits and skills.

So here are my random thoughts on the first half of the series.
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January 12, 2025

Book Suggestions

#eleanorae.tate, #elizabethmcdavidjones, #evelyncoleman, #historymystery, #hollyhughes, #hoofbeatsofdanger, #katherineayers, #kathleenernst, #meganmcdonald, #middlegrade, #mysteryatthedarktower, #rachelreads&reviews, #sarahmastersbuckey, #scholastic, #secretsof26thstreet, #shadowsintheglasshouse, #smuggler’streasure, #theminstrel’smelody, #thenightflyers, #troubleatfortlapointe, #undercopp’shill, #voicesatwhisperbend, #watcherinpineywoods
Reading Goals 2025

I’m beginning this year with my feel-good favorite by Steve Kluger, My Most Excellent Year. This is the tenth year in a row I’ve read it and just the sort of comfort-reading one needs when faced with so much uncertainty in the world.

This year I truly mean it when I say I want to cut back on the reading. I really hope to get a job this year and I also have to buckle down and write my thesis. To aid me, I’m avoiding the biggest temptation-the library. Instead I will focus on all the historical fictions in my house-American Girl and its spin offs, Dear America, Dear Canada etc.

I won’t be reading all 35 Dear America books in 17 days like last time, that was a baaaad idea. Even if it was kind of a cool skill to type half-blind because of the eye strain, it’s not worth it.

I won’t let myself know of any more new releases. I’ll also be muting the bookstagram accounts I follow to ensure this.

That is I won’t get into any new books this year. In the historical romance section, they’re releasing conclusions of four series I adore.

Herrera’s The Tropical Rebel Gets Her Duke is one I’ve been waiting for over a year!!! And I have just one more month to go! It will be taking a little longer for de la Rosa’s end of The Luna Sisters with Gabriela and the Gentleman coming in August. Same with Peckham finally telling Elena’s story after several years absence with The Rogue I Ravished tentively planned for October. Grossman will also be releasing her next book in the Once Upon a Eastend series this year too with Seduce Me in Secret.

In the contemporary romance section, there is more in story with Daria finishing the Primas of Power with Along Came Amor. Ryan is breaking out with the third book in the Skyland series, Can’t Get Enough in May. I plan to stay ontop of Kim-Lam’s next release in March, Something Cheeky which features a little more showmanship so I’m excited. Just as excited for Sutanto’s Worth Fighting For from the Meant to Be series, a contemporary romance based on Mulan and Shang! Yay, they need more love. Nava is also coming out with her next indigenous romance with Love is a War Song in July.

In the YA vein, I have to read Stone’s conclusion to her Dear Martin series, Dear Manny coming out in March. As well as the new releases from Lee coming in Aug, The Cuffing Game which is another retelling of P&P as well as Chao’s X Marks the Spot that came out yesterday. I may also read Delia Adhler’s YA backlog of Home Field Advantage, and Cool for Summer in preparation for her May relase of Come As You Are. But that’s it, only six.

As for Disney, I still need to catch up five books like Queen’s Council, Sword in Slumber, and the new releases like The Wishless Ones, and How Far I’ll Go but those don’t come out for awhile. I certainly can’t miss Bemused, it’s a fantasy fiction based on the Muses from Hercules. How can I not?

The one catch is I may have to actually buy the Be Prepared Twisted Tale instead of getting it from the interlibrary loan because it only released in Australia. So annoying, and just doesn’t make sense marketing wise. They just released that Mufasa movie, why are they only releasing a Lion King book in the UK and Australia? Do they think the US won’t like it or something? Just weird and a missed marketing opportunity for all eyes on the new movie to also be diverted to the shelves.

Finally, I have my eye on for the newest Clique book by Lisi Harrison and Ellen Marlow. Yes, the Clique is back a decade later and we’ll see how the Pretty Committee has succeeded or failed in their adult lives! Just yes!! I knew, I knew in my heart that the Clique would come out in the era of sequels and reboots and I hope it comes out this year! Now if, Secrets of My Hollywood Life would come to the sequel game, my reading life would be complete.

I also hope to read the new Gargoyles comics. I meant to do it last year but Dynamite kept pushing back the release date so who knows if that will hold up. I mean I interviewed Jake Freidman about Disney Afternoon: The Making of a Television Renaissance release two years ago, and it’s still being pushed back to late 2025. What’s the hold-up?

Finally, there’s the book club which we’ll be starting with Shirley Conran’s immense 80s novel of excess and luxury, Lace, which starts with the infamous opening line-“Which one of you bitches is my mother?” Dramatic, right?

So I probably won’t be posting as much but there will be some new things in store. Not to mention I plan to revamp this website a little to something nicer to look at. Fingers crossed, I’ll be able to do that without accidentally deleting all my hard work.

Have a happy new year!

January 1, 2025

Book Suggestions

#contemporaryromance, #disneyhyperion, #fairytales, #harpercollins, #historicalfiction, #penguinrandomhouse, #rachelreads&reviews, #regencyromance, #retelling, #scholastic, #simon&schuster, #YA
Reading Log 2024

1, 212 books! Or 1, 213. I forgot if added The Making of Gone with the Wind to my count as the last book of the year, and I’m too tired to recount everything again. Still, you read that right. Over a 1,000 books in one year. If you don’t believe look down below at the list I’ve been keeping.

Hey, remember when I said in the beginning of the year I was going to cut back on reading. . .

Well, to be fair, at least 200 of these are children’s books making it easy to read through in one day before getting to work. Which was great. I found I can apparently read books my own age and not get any work done. Or go through a nostalgia trip through childhood and complete over 70 chapters on my own works in progress.

Either way, I feel very productive writing-wise and reading-wise. Not to mention, I got 15 interviews this year! Some with debut writers like Lina Girgis, and Candice Jalili and some with reigining favorites like Peter Vronsky and Vanessa Riley.

But it was cool to go down nostalgia lane and see what books still held up (Magic Tree House, Coco Simon’s works, Fairy Chronicles) and which ones need to let go after a decade of milking the cash cow (Rainbow Magic, Dork Diaries, Thea Stilton). There was a special focus on fairies (it’s really a versatile subgenre) that I was obsessed with as a kid, but I also got in a few mermaid books that I never finished like Donnelly’s Deep Blue quartet. I also discovered Natasha Bowen and I love her combination of Yoruba mythology with mermaid fantasy.

As one can see I decided to go through my whole nonfiction women’s history collection, and read some memoirs from inspiring women of today to the point some women feel redundant.

I also got into historical fiction, specifically the Hamilton phenomena after the musical made a hit and publishers wanted to play on that success. Some were worthy additions going more in-depth into Hamilton’s past (My Dear Hamilton) while some tooking a more fictional, romance route that sometimes felt out of character (Alex and Eliza trilogy).

I also got back into the romance game with more gilded age romances instead of the classic regency period which was a fascinating era on its own. But I was a bit disappointed by the number that included British lords instead of focusing on American magnate tycoons. I get the appeal of a duke, but I also like a rags to riches story too.

Speaking of collections, I also went into my Archie collection. The count I did not include in the final book count. One, I do not hate myself enough to count all of it, it is too immense. Two, I decided the only graphic novels to count as full books in my count are the ones that have 30+ pages of continuous stories like Love Showdown by Dan Parent or the Scar #1-4 mini-series by Chuck Brown rather than the regular anathology-collection digests.

I also have some thrillers and mysteries here thanks to book club, adding some noir flavor to my reading tastes. It was so much fun to be able to discuss it with someone else and I’m eager to start again next year.

Anyway, down below you can read the proof of my 1, 212 book list and if you want to check out my thoughts on them, click on the corresponding author # in the hashtags.

Enjoy!
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December 31, 2024

Uncategorized

#abigailhingwen, #agathachristie, #aishasaed, #aislaross, #aladdinpaperbacks, #alexhirsch, #aliwong, #amyignatow, #angiethomas, #anitakunz, #anitasarkeesian, #annemazer, #annm.martin, #annmartin, #annmccallumstaats, #annshen, #archiecomics, #avi, #barbaradee, #barbarahambley, #barbarahambly, #beatrixpotter, #beverlybond, #blairimani, #bonniegarmus, #bradmeltzer, #briannajoannie, #caitlindonohue, #candicejalili, #cassandracalin, #cathrynvalentine, #cathyhapka, #celiawilkins, #chandlero'leary, #charitytahmaseb, #chelseaclinton, #chrisclaremont, #chrisduffey, #chrisgrabenstein, #christinadiazgonzales, #christinasoontornvat, #chuckbrown, #cicelymarybarker, #comics, #courtneysheinmel, #craigyoe, #crepellavoncacklefur, #cynthiavoight, #daisymeadows, #daniellehigley, #danparent, #dawnquigley, #debbietung, #deborahheiligman, #declanshelvey, #denenemilner, #dennislehane, #dianalopez, #dianeknapp, #dianevonfurstenberg, #disney, #disneyfairies, #disneyhyperion, #dollyparton, #dynamitecomics, #ebonyadams, #edgarthortonburgess, #elenafavilli, #elizabethcobbs, #elizabethcodacallan, #elizabethlim, #elizabethpeters, #elizabethweitzman, #elliotkahn, #emikojean, #emilyrodda, #endotatsuya, #enidblyton, #ericsmith, #erindowing, #fantasy, #farrahrochon, #fashion, #feliciagrossman, #felicitybrown, #femmemagnifique, #fernandoruiz, #fionawaters, #francescacavallo, #fullmetalalchemist, #gabriellecharbonnet, #gabriellemoss, #garypaulsen, #geckokeck, #gennmcmenemy, #georgeo'connor, #georgesullivan, #gradyhendrix, #graphicnovel, #gregpak, #harpercollins, #harperst.george, #hbgilmour, #heatheramery, #heidieystemple, #hillaryclinton, #hiromuarakawa, #hollyblack, #howIsurvivedmiddleschool, #hudafahmy, #jadearmstrong, #jaimielrotante, #jamespatterson, #janeyolen, #janfields, #jarretkeene, #jarrettjkrosoczka, #jasonporath, #jblynn, #jencalonita, #jendarcy, #jenniferdonnelly, #jennylundquist, #jennywilliamson, #jeremymccarter, #jerrycraft, #jessicaburkhart, #jessicaspotswood, #jessicaspring, #jewelkingdom, #jhsweet, #jillianbrooks, #joanholub, #joannafunke, #joannajohnston, #joannashupe, #josiecampbell, #jowhitmore, #joyagoffney, #joyharjo, #judyblume, #julieandrews, #juliemerberg, #julioanta, #kamigarcia, #karenkarbo, #karenscheeman, #kateschatz, #katherinepeterson, #kathleenkrull, #kathrynormsbee, #kazoomagazine, #kelleyarmstrong, #kellymckain, #kellythompson, #kellyyang, #kodykeplinger, #krisswaldherr, #kristinhannah, #laurabergan, #laurakamoie, #lauraruby, #lauraschiffler, #laurendestefano, #laurenmarino, #laurenmyracle, #lauriecalkhoven, #leonardmarcus, #lesleyarfin, #lianadelarosa, #libbabray, #lilywilliams, #linagirgis, #linmanuelmiranda, #linseymiller, #lisagreenwald, #lisakroger, #lisapapademetriou, #lmelliot, #louisamayalcott, #ludwigbemelmans, #mackenzilee, #maggiethrash, #magicschoolbus, #manga, #margaretstohl, #margueritebennet, #marimancusi, #marlenegellerwagerman, #marnibates, #martabreen, #marvelcomics, #marypopeosborne, #marywilcox, #masonawalton, #meganmcdonald, #melanieranderson, #melissadelacruz, #memoir, #michaelbuckley, #michelleobama, #mikkikendall, #mirandakenneally, #miriamklienstahl, #mollybooth, #mollymuldoon, #mystery, #mythology, #nancyekrulik, #nataliasylvester, #natashabowen, #nathanferriola, #nicstone, #noelstreatfield, #nonfiction, #pancooke, #patriciacutright, #penelopebagieu, #pltravers, #poetry, #prettytough, #rachelbloom, #rachelignotofsky, #rachellynnsolomon, #rachelreads&reviews, #rachelreneerussell, #rachelveil, #randireisfield, #randyribay, #reamshukairy, #reneewatson, #rexogle, #rhonacleary, #rhondastapleton, #richardbarrios, #ritamoreno, #robbuyea, #robinha, #robinwasserman, #rozellakennedy, #rupikaur, #samiraahmed, #sammaggs, #sandralawrence, #sarabiren, #sarahsilbersteinswartz, #sarasaedi, #scarlettpeckham, #shannonhale, #sharoncreech, #sheilamoeschen, #shelleymoorethomas, #siblymiller, #simon&schuster, #sloandeforest, #soolee, #spyxfamily, #stephaniecooke, #stephaniedray, #stephaniekatestrohm, #stephanietruepeters, #stephenlee, #stephenyoung, #stevekluger, #stevewilson, #suzannenelson, #suzannewilliams, #svetlanachmakova, #sweeneyboo, #tamorapierce, #tcm, #terrilibenson, #terryblas, #terrynewman, #theastilton, #thegirlwhocircumnavigatedfairylandinashipofherownmaking, #theresamoorey, #thriller, #tiffanydjackson, #tommyperkins, #tonyditerlizzi, #tonyviehmann, #verabrogsel, #victorgorelick, #victoriajamieson, #vivianalcock, #vivianfrench, #wendymass, #women's books, #womenshistory, #wonderfulwomenoftheworld, #YA, #zingtsjeng, #zoraidacordova, $darcyvance, $ibtihajmuhammad
Dec Books

Storm: Dawn of a Goddess by Tiffany D. Jackson

Storm is my favorite Marvel superheroine. In fact she may have been the first Marvel superhero I was exposed to. I mean she’s just so striking with the white hair, the glowing eyes, the weather powers. She’s so awesome, the goddess moniker is well earned.

But when you’re a six year old in a new country, having white hair being so visibly different is awful. She was taunted by her peers in NY and it’s no different in Egypt even though her mother assured her that being special is good. It means there are great things in her destiny.
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December 30, 2024

Book Suggestions

#appleinthemiddle, #marvel, #northdakotastateuniversitypress, #rachelreads&reviews, #simonandschuster, #stormdawnofagoddess, #tiffanydjackson, #unbecoming, #xmen, #YA
Book of the Month: Hitwoman #3-4

We did it! We did it! We finished our final book club selection, making it twenty books in one year. Yay us! Well technically, it’s twenty one as #3 of the Hitwoman series, The Hitwoman gets Lucky is a novella of 80 pages so it made sense to continue on to #4 which is a full length book.

Since The Hitwoman gets Lucky is a novella, you can tell this is more filler. The plot is light-Patrick enlists Maggie’s help to steal a harddrive in Atlantic City- and serves to set up two major chekhov’s gun. One, is it provides Armani the opportunity to gift Maggie a shark tooth, and two, it brings Patrick and Maggie to a major kiss that is promptly rejected.

Still, it’s a fun novella with the usual humor that comes from God piggybacking in Maggie’s bra, prompting lots of confused looks when tourists hear her boobs squeaking, the true identity of the harddrive owner, Lucky O’Hara, and Armani’s Barry Manilow obsession is in full fruit. I also enjoyed how it gives Maggie a chance to show off her quick-thinking during the “worst fake stick-up in history.” She may not have all her marbles, but she’s no idiot.

Now this is where things get really exciting! After building it up in the first two books we finally see corrupt Paul Kowalski’s true colors when he breaks Mr. Lee out of jail and goes after Maggie to get the mysterious family jewels.

It was enjoyable to see the disparate plot threads of Mr. Lee, Paul, and Marlene come together in a truly twisty mystery. The last two twists were a real surprise as it’s obvious where Paul and Mr. Lee stand on the robbery gone wrong but everyone else is a big question mark.

Like Patrick, after the rejected kiss, Maggie is trying to move on but she also can’t let go of the knowledge that Patrick is attracted her despite his best instincts. It’s great to see things move forward in their complicated relationship, but the the brief moment of passion between them in Maggie’s old bedroom felt out of character. Not them hooking up, but the descriptors felt more fitting for a purple-prose historical romance than the quick-paced narration that defines the series.

Outside of Patrick, Maggie begins to realize that maybe she had her Dad partially wrong in regards to his parental affection for his daughters, and that maybe Templeton is not so much of a rat as she thought when he saves her from Paul with a croquette mallet. (An aside, I know the assault scene was played for drama and it showed how dangerous Paul is but the inclusion of the croquet mallet automatically made it hilarious to me)

The humor is top-notch as usual with the federal agents having no idea how to deal with the three witches, and Maggie gaining another stray animal to feed, a one-eyed, southern belle of a cat dubbed Piss.

The ending leaves readers off with another cliffhanger and I’m eager to see who done it, and how Maggie’s returned sister, Marlene, fits into the whole deal. My friend thinks she’s going to be a lone wolf after being out on the streets for the past decade. I think that Marlene will stay away a bit but eventually be brought back into the fold. We shall see in The Hitwoman and the Neurotic Witness which I’ll get to sometime next year.

December 29, 2024

Book/Author Highlight

#actioncomedy, #avonbooks, #confessionsofaslightlyneurotichitwoman, #jblynn, #rachelreads&reviews, #thehitwomanandthefamilyjewels, #thehitwomangetslucky, #theneurotichitwomanseries
Dahlia Adler Interview

Dahlia Adler is the author, editor, anathologist among other hats for The Radleigh University trilogy, Cool for the Summer, His Hideous Heart anathology, Going Bicoastal and other YA books specializing in queer, Jewish representation. She graciously took the time before Hannakuh to answer my questions about representation, behind the scenes process to anathologies and what’s coming next. Enjoy!

1. To start off with a light note, what are your favorite tropes to write?

I don’t end up writing my favorite, to be honest. Like, I’d love to write a really good enemies-to-lovers, but I feel like it just comes off as flirty banter no matter what.

Meanwhile, I don’t think of myself as loving second-chance romance, but I’ve written it twice. For me, my favorite is really about pairing, and that’s straitlaced guy/chaos girl. Love love love.
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December 24, 2024

Interview

#comeasyouare, #coolforthesummer, #dahliaadler, #girlsinsports, #goingbicoastal, #hishideousheart, #homefieldadvantage, #jewishrep, #queerrep, #rachelreads&reviews, #underthelights, #YA
Asgardians: Thor Review

As Thor attempts to traverse a river, he is forced to prove to a grouchy, mysterious old man that he is truly the one and only, mighty Thor!
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December 23, 2024

Reviews

#asgardians, #firstsecondbooks, #georgeo'connor, #graphicnovel, #norsemythology, #rachelreads&reviews, #thor
Ranking The Gilded Age Heiresses

The last romance series of the year brings the former colonies to its English roots with the Crenshaw family touring England for a vaction. Unbeknowst to the girls, the true intention behind the trip is for their social climbing parents to marry them off to entitled gentlemen.

Well, August and Violet aren’t going down without a fight. They’ve seen the cold, brutal marriage betewen their best friend and her stuffy, 50 year old husband and they will do anything to avoid that fate. They have work and other dreams to accomplish first.

But what if the men they’re pushing away may be the happiness they’re chasing all along?
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December 21, 2024

Rankings

#avonromance, #gildedageromance, #harperst.george, #historicalromance, #rachelreads&reviews, #thedevilandtheheiress, #theduchesstakesahusband, #thegildedageheiresses, #theheiressgetsaduke, #theladytemptsanheir
Star Power

As part of my nostalgia year, I decided to finally look at a series that keeps popping up on Goodreads suggestions when I filter Hollywood, celebrity etc. It was for lower schoolers in the vein of Hannah Montana and such. After all these years of reading the summaries I had to find out what they were about.

Unfortunately, Cathy Hapka’s Star Power series was published so long ago (in the ye olde 2000s), I scoured cheap ebay copies. Even then two of the books are out of print and unavailable to buy.
Still the six I were able to buy were entertaining and such a nostalgia rush for the 2000s.
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December 19, 2024

Book Suggestions

#cathyhapka, #celebrity, #hollywood, #lowergrade, #rachelreads&reviews, #starpower