Tag Archives: martha waters

Monthly Reading Summary – October 2023

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Top Book of the Month – ‘Trouble’ by Lex Croucher

Book Club Book This Month – ‘Hallowe’en Party’ by Agatha Christie

Books Read This Month:

Books Bought This Month:

  • ‘Hex and the City’ by Kate Johnson
  • ‘The Mysterious Affair at Styles’ by Agatha Christie
  • ‘The Murder of Roger Ackroyd’ by Agatha Christie
  • ‘Death in the Clouds’ by Agatha Christie
  • ‘Death on the Nile’ by Agatha Christie
  • ‘After the Funeral’ by Agatha Christie
  • ‘Cat Among the Pigeons’ by Agatha Christie
  • ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ by Agatha Christie
  • ‘Hallowe’en Party’ by Agatha Christie
  • ‘Hunting the Falcon: Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and the Marriage that Shook Europe’ by John Guy & Julia Fox

Statistics:

  • Books Read – 5
  • Currently Reading – 2
  • TBR – 223
  • Fiction – 4 (80.00%)
  • Non-Fiction – 1 (20.00%)
  • Male Author – 1 (20.00%)
  • Female Author – 3 (60.00%)
  • Non-Binary Author – 1 (60.00%)
  • Multiple Authors – 0 (0.00%)
  • Paperback – 5 (100.00%)
  • Hardback – 0 (0.00%)
  • eBook – 0 (0.00%)
  • Audiobook – 0 (0.00%)
  • Total Pages Read – 1,495
  • Average Pages Per Book – 299
  • Hours Listened – 0.00
  • Average Star Rating – 3.6

‘To Swoon and to Spar’ by Martha Waters

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Genre: Adult Fiction – Historical Romance

Published: 2023

Format: Paperback

Rating: ★★★

I’m enjoying this series by Martha Waters. It’s lovely relaxing reading, and you know these books are always going to have a happy ending, which I need at the moment. Waters is great at writing character pairings that seem to bounce off each other.

This one is a little different to the previous three in the series as it introduces a new character as a main character – the previous three in the series, ‘To Have and to Hoax’, ‘To Love and to Loathe’ and ‘To Marry and to Meddle’ focused on characters that had been introduced in the first book – Violet and Audley, Diana and Willingham, and Emily and Belfry. Jane is introduced in this one and she adds a different element to the established character dynamics.

It’s an arranged marriage, so that Penvale can get back his ancestral home, Trethwick Abbey. This wasn’t my favourite in the series, my least favourite so far if truth be told. The faking of a haunting just seemed too weird and it didn’t quite seem to work in terms of the story, or in terms of Penvale’s reaction to it. Trethwick Abbey was an interesting location, again very different to previous stories. I wish we had more of group dynamics like Violet, Audley, Willingham, Diana, Emily, and Belfry. I missed those group interactions which were fewer in number in this book.

I absolutely cannot wait for West and Sophie’s story in book 5 ‘To Woo and to Wed’! I feel like it’s the story we’ve been waiting for since book 1. I believe that is the end of the series though, which is sad, but also makes sense.

‘To Marry and to Meddle’ by Martha Waters

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Genre: Adult Fiction – Historical Romance

Published: 2022

Format: Paperback

Rating: ★★★★

Martha Waters is such an engaging writer, really humorous and great with characterisation. This is the third in her Regency Vows series. It’s based on a marriage of convenience as Julian owns a controversial theatre and needs some kudos with the ton in order to make his theatre more respectable. Emily is determined not to follow the path set out by her parents and be squired around by the man holding her father’s debts.

I adore both Emily and Julian! The progression of the romance seemed a little forced at times which dropped my review from 5* to 4* but the characters really made the story for me. Emily’s realisation that she didn’t need to be who her parents wanted her to be anymore was great, especially when she stood up to her mother at the dinner party. Julian’s family relationships were quite screwed up, but a big part of the story was how those relationships interplayed with the rest of the story.

At least there is no break-up three-quarters of the way through as happens with a lot of romance novels! And the gatherings of Violet, Diana, and Emily all together are comedy gold for these novels. The three are so different to how we generally think of Regency women, and it’s just so open and funny. I also loved the extra glimpses of Sophie and I believe the final book in the series coming out in 2024 is her and West’s story, which I’m very excited about.

The world of Julian’s theatre is interesting, and Emily’s determination to be within that world which is so important to her husband. I absolutely cannot wait to read the final book in the series, but I also don’t want the series to end!

Monthly Reading Summary – September 2023

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Top Book of the Month – ‘Red, White and Royal Blue’ by Casey McQuiston

Book Club Book This Month – ‘Our Wives Under the Sea’ by Julia Armfield

Books Read This Month:

Books Bought This Month:

  • ‘The Roughest Draft’ by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka
  • ‘Red, White and Royal Blue’ by Casey McQuiston
  • ‘Accidental Magic’ by Iris Beaglehole
  • ‘To Swoon and to Spar’ by Martha Waters
  • ‘A Lady’s Guide to Fortune-Hunting’ by Sophie Irwin
  • ‘Our Wives Under the Sea’ by Julia Armfield
  • ‘Roomies’ by Christina Lauren
  • ‘The Christmas Murder Game’ by Alexandra Benedict
  • ‘Trouble’ by Lex Croucher
  • ‘The Running Grave’ by Robert Galbraith

Statistics:

  • Books Read – 7
  • Currently Reading – 2
  • TBR – 219
  • Fiction – 5 (71.43%)
  • Non-Fiction – 2 (28.57%)
  • Male Author – 2 (28.57%)
  • Female Author – 4 (57.14%)
  • Non-Binary Author – 1 (14.29%)
  • Multiple Authors – 0 (0%)
  • Paperback – 1 (14.29%)
  • Hardback – 1 (14.29%)
  • eBook – 5 (71.42%)
  • Audiobook – 0 (0%)
  • Total Pages Read – 1,974
  • Average Pages Per Book – 282.00
  • Hours Listened – 0.00
  • Average Star Rating – 3.86

Monthly Reading Summary – July 2023

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Top Book of the Month – ‘The Cat Who Saved Books’ by Sosuke Natsukawa

Book Club Book This Month – None

Books Read This Month:

Books Bought This Month:

  • Jenn McKinlay – Summer Reading
  • Evie Woods – The Lost Bookshop
  • Phillipa Ashley – A Secret Cornish Summer
  • Richard Osman – The Bullet That Missed
  • Conor Byrne – Lady Katherine Grey: A Dynastic Tragedy
  • Sosuke Natsukawa – The Cat Who Saved Books
  • Martha Waters – To Marry and to Meddle
  • Carol Ann Lloyd – The Tudors by Numbers: The Stories and Statistics Behind England’s Most Infamous Royal Dynasty

Statistics:

  • Books Read – 5
  • Currently Reading – 1
  • TBR – 199
  • Fiction – 3 (60%)
  • Non-Fiction – 2 (40%)
  • Male Author – 2 (40%)
  • Female Author – 3 (60%)
  • Multiple Authors – 0 (0%)
  • Paperback – 3 (60%)
  • Hardback – 2 (40%)
  • eBook – 0 (0%)
  • Audiobook – 0 (0%)
  • Total Pages Read – 1,443
  • Average Pages Per Book – 288.6
  • Hours Listened – 0.00
  • Average Star Rating – 4.6

‘To Love and to Loathe’ by Martha Waters

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Genre: Adult Fiction – Historical Romance

Published: 2021

Format: Paperback

Rating: ★★★★★

“Willingham, if you continue to speak, I am going to stab you with a hairpin”.

I really loved this book! Laugh out loud funny, so much so that I was sending quotes to a friend while I was reading it. It’s lovely, bright, and refreshing to read on bright summer nights and just cheer you up whatever else is going on. You forget what is going on around you as you read.

The relationship between Diana, Lady Templeton, and Jeremy, Marquess of Willingham, was great. When I read the first book ‘To Have and to Hoax’ I really hoped the next book would be Diana and Jeremy’s story, as even there you could tell that the pair would be more than frenemies. As Diana says, the pair can barely go three sentences without disagreeing, which makes for a really fun dynamic with plenty of sparks and they certainly fly here.

Violet and Emily were back and the trio with Diana was great as they all supported and teased each other. Lady Helen Courtenay was really interesting, as it was quite obvious that she had some kind of ulterior motive but when it was revealed it really wasn’t what I was expecting! I enjoyed that even a romance where you know how the story will end still had the ability to make me spit out my hot chocolate.

Some absolutely great comments regarding love, frustration, and the emotional toll of love – “I’ve no idea why considering he’s vain and maddening and I can barely converse with him without wanting to stab him with a fork, but apparently that’s what love looks like for me”. And Jeremy’s reaction to realising he’s fallen in love “bloody buggering fuck”.

If you enjoy a good historical romance, plenty of sparks with a little bit of spice, then I’d really recommend diving into this one!

Monthly Reading Summary – January 2023

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Top Book of the Month – ‘The Princess Saves Herself in This One’ by Amanda Lovelace

Book Club Book This Month – ‘The Witch’s Heart’ by Genevieve Gornichec

Books Read This Month:

Books Bought This Month:

  • ‘The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic’ by Sophie Kinsella
  • ‘Shopaholic Abroad’ by Sophie Kinsella
  • ‘Shopaholic Ties the Knot’ by Sophie Kinsella
  • ‘Shopaholic and Sister’ by Sophie Kinsella
  • ‘Shopaholic and Baby’ by Sophie Kinsella
  • ‘Mini Shopaholic’ by Sophie Kinsella
  • ‘Shopaholic to the Stars’ by Sophie Kinsella
  • ‘Shopaholic to the Rescue’ by Sophie Kinsella
  • ‘Christmas Shopaholic’ by Sophie Kinsella
  • ‘Three Sisters’ by Heather Morris
  • ‘The Witch’s Heart’ by Genevieve Gornichec
  • ‘The Marlow Murder Club’ by Robert Thorogood
  • ‘The Princess Bride’ by William Goldman
  • ‘The Elizabethans’ by A.N. Wilson
  • ‘The Plantagenets: The Kings That Made Britain’ by Derek Wilson
  • ‘Rattle His Bones’ by Carola Dunn
  • ‘The Reign of Henry VIII: Politics, Policy and Piety’ by Diarmaid MacCulloch
  • ‘Lady Jane Grey: A Tudor Mystery’ by Eric Ives
  • ‘Henry VIII: The Heart and the Crown’ by Alison Weir

Statistics:

  • Books Read – 8
  • Currently Reading – 3
  • TBR – 174
  • Fiction – 7 (87.5%)
  • Non-Fiction – 1 (12.5%)
  • Male Author – 3 (37.5%)
  • Female Author – 5 (62.5%)
  • Multiple Authors – 0 (0%)
  • Paperback – 5 (62.5%)
  • Hardback – 1 (12.5%)
  • eBook – 0 (0%)
  • Audiobook – 2 (25%)
  • Total Pages Read – 1,878
  • Average Pages Per Book – 313
  • Hours Listened – 11.68
  • Average Star Rating – 4.00

‘To Have and to Hoax’ by Martha Waters

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Genre: Adult Fiction – Historical Romance

Published: 2020

Format: Paperback

Rating: ★★★★

I’ve wanted to read this for a while. I’ve had the second one in the series ‘To Love and to Loathe’ for months and months but didn’t get the first one until Christmas so I finally got to dive in, and I wasn’t disappointed! It’s quite reminiscent of Julia Quinn I have to say in the story and character formation, which I really like.

The rivalry between Violet and James was comedic and offered some of the best moments of the book. What I will say was that the sickness sections seemed to drag on for a bit too long, and it took away from the overall tone and pace of the story. The characters were being immature and childish, but I think that was part of the fun of it. To see them realise how childish they were being and watch them realise it and mature.

It frustrated me that it took so long for us to know why Violet and James had been estranged for four years. I think that, had that been revealed earlier on in the story, it would have helped our understanding of the characters’ actions rather than making me frustrated that this four-year estrangement was constantly being alluded to but never explained.

It was just a lovely fun read to begin my year with and I’m really glad I’ve read it and look forward to reading the second book in the series as well.

Monthly Reading Summary – December 2022

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Productive month for me generally, though I do wish I’d read more; there’s just been a lot going on! Got some good books for Christmas though and my eyes on a few more so let’s see what the new year holds! Our book club read for this month was ‘The Hygge Holiday’ by Rosie Blake.

Books Read This Month:

Stacy Willingham – A Flicker in the Dark ★★★

  • Paperback, 2022, HarperCollins
  • Adult Fiction, Thriller

Anthony Horowitz – A Line to Kill ★★★★

  • Paperback, 2021, Penguin Books
  • Adult Fiction, Crime & Mystery

Rosie Blake – The Hygge Holiday ★★★★

  • eBook, 2017, Sphere
  • Adult Fiction, Chic Lit

Shaun Bythell – Remainders of the Day: More Diaries from The Bookshop, Wigtown ★★★★

  • Hardback, 2022, Profile Books
  • Adult Non-Fiction, Literature

Brian Lake – Librorum Ridiculorum: A Compendium of Bizarre Books ★★★★★

  • Hardback, 2022, HarperCollins
  • Adult Non-Fiction, Literature

Ryan Holiday & Stephen Hanselman – The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance and the Art of Living ★★★★★

  • Paperback, 2016, Profile Books
  • Adult Non-Fiction, Psychology & Sociology

Books Bought This Month:

  • Brian Lake – Librorum Ridiculorum: A Compendium of Bizarre Books
  • Martha Waters – To Have and to Hoax
  • Stephanie Laurens – The Time for Love
  • Stephen McGann – Call the Midwife: A Labour of Love
  • Shonda Rhimes & Betsy Beers – Inside Bridgerton

Statistics:

  • Books Read – 6
  • Currently Reading – 2
  • TBR – 159
  • Fiction – 3 (50%)
  • Non-Fiction – 3 (50%)
  • Male Author – 3 (50%)
  • Female Author – 2 (33.3%)
  • Multiple Authors – 1 (16.7%)
  • Paperback – 3 (50%)
  • Hardback – 2 (33.3%)
  • eBook – 1 (16.7%)
  • Audiobook – 0 (0%)
  • Total Pages Read – 1,886
  • Average Pages Per Book – 314.3
  • Hours Listened – 0
  • Average Star Rating – 4.17