Rachel Reads & Reviews

Happy Anniversary!

I wish I had something more meaningful to say on this three year anniversary for my blog. Honestly, I forgot it was today, but for anyone who is reading, I hope you enjoy these book reviews and suggestions and that it has potentially added some new and interesting novels to your shelves. I, for one,…

rachelbeerwoman

March 1, 2025

Uncategorized

With Love, Miss Americanah Review

Enore Adesuwa doesn’t dive into things, she walks in carefully. So when she, her mother, and her sister move from Nigeria shortly after her father’s death, she wants to be extremely prepared before attending high school in America. Her cousin doesn’t have time to explain the ins and outs to her but, luckily, he recommends…

rachelbeerwoman

February 24, 2025

Reviews

#comingofage, #feiwel&friends, #immigrantexperience, #janeigharo, #nigeria, #rachelreads&reviews, #withlovemissamericanah, #woc, #YA

Dark Ascension: The Wishless Ones Review

Before Jafar became Agrabah’s grand vizier, there were two brothers wishing for a different life. Living in the shadow of their mother’s death and their father’s cruel whims, Jafar only longs to protect one person–his soft-hearted younger brother, Rohan. But Jafar knows he is destined for more, and if he has his way, he’ll soon…

rachelbeerwoman

February 23, 2025

Reviews

#aladdin, #darkascension, #disneyhyperion, #fantasy, #hafsahfaizal, #rachelreads&reviews, #thewishlessones, #YA

Book Highlight: What Jews Look Like

Too many Jews have been told: “You don’t look Jewish!” It begs the question, “What does Jewish look like?” Well, there are over fifteen million Jews in the world, which means there are more than fifteen million ways to look and be Jewish. It can look like setting out menorahs on tribal land, adding kimchi to the seder plate, organizing for…

rachelbeerwoman

February 22, 2025

Book/Author Highlight

#africanjews, #ashkenazi, #asianjews, #carolinekusinpritchard, #conversos, #harpercollins, #jewishhistory, #latinamericanjews, #lisakleinrock, #lowergrade, #mizrahi, #nonfiction, #sephardic, #whatjewishlookslike

Romance Novels: The Spice Factor

Here’s another question that will hopefully spark some discussion. I’ve noticed as I read historical romances that the steam factor increases book by book. I’ll use Joanna Shupe’s Fifth Avenue Rebels as an example as it’s the series that I really began to notice the trend. The first book almost always features a virginal heroine…

rachelbeerwoman

February 4, 2025

Uncategorized

#evaleigh, #fifthavenuerebels, #historicalromance, #joannashupe, #kink, #lastchancescoundrels, #mayrodale, #regencyromance, #romance, #sexinhistoricalromance, #sexinromance, #spice, #steam, #unionofrakes

Contemporary vs Historical Romance: Which do you prefer?

No review or rankings this time, I just thought I’d put a question out there. I know, it’s unlikely since I don’t get many comments but if you want to comment, please comment!! Anyway, on to my question, in a recent poll on instagram I asked if people prefer historical romance or contemporary romance? Contemporary…

rachelbeerwoman

February 3, 2025

Uncategorized

#contemporaryromance, #historicalromance, #question, #regencyromance, #romance, #whichdoyouprefer

The Queen’s Council: A Sword in Slumber Review

Briar Rose loves her life in the small Austrian town of Hausach, where she sings, dances, and runs wild through the woods with her best friend Frieda. But with her curse broken and Maleficent slain, Briar must leave her happy enclave to take her rightful place as Aurora, princess of Austria and betrothed of Prince…

rachelbeerwoman

February 2, 2025

Reviews

#aswordinslumber, #disneyhyperion, #fantasy, #rachelreads&reviews, #sararaasch, #sleepingbeauty, #thequeen'scouncil, #YA

Emmett Review

Emmett Woodhouse, handsome, clever and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence and had lived nearly eighteen years in the world with very little to distress or vex him. Emmett knows he’s blessed. And because of that, he tries to give back: from charity work to letting…

rachelbeerwoman

February 1, 2025

Reviews

#contemporaryromance, #emma, #emmett, #janeausten, #levacrosen, #littlebrownbooksforyoungreaders, #rachelreads&reviews, #retelling, #YA

Book of the Month: Lace

“Which one of you bitches is my mother?”Four elegant, successful, and sophisticated women in their forties are called to New York’s Pierre Hotel to meet Lili — a beautiful, young, and notoriously temperamental Hollywood movie star. None of the women knows exactly why she is there; each has a reason to hate Lili and each…

rachelbeerwoman

January 31, 2025

Book/Author Highlight

#80s, #feminism, #harcourtpress, #lace, #rachelreads&reviews, #shirleyconran, #soaopera, #women’sfiction

Roz Demir is Not the One Review

Ros will do whatever it takes to get the guy. At least… she thinks she will. Sixteen-year-old Ros is a go-getter. When she wants something, she makes sure she gets it. But a lingering rumor (and maybe some ambivalence about her half-Turkish heritage) has kept Ros from achieving the kind of reputation she deserves. So,…

rachelbeerwoman

January 30, 2025

Reviews

#comingofage, #contemporary, #holidayhouse, #leylabrittan, #rachelreads&reviews, #realisticfiction, #rosdemirisnottheone, #YA