Carries Book Reviews

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Title: Compass and Blade

Author: Rachel Greenlaw

Publisher: Inkyard Press

Publication Date: February 27, 2024

Page Count:  299

My rating: 3 stars

About the book:

For fans of Fable by Adrienne Young or To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo, this romantasy debut is filled with sirens and mysterious magic, swoony romance and cutthroat betrayal.

This world of sea and storm runs deep with bargains and blood.

On the remote isle of Rosevear, Mira, like her mother before her, is a wrecker, one of the seven on the rope who swim out to shipwrecks to plunder them. Mira’s job is to rescue survivors, if there are any. After all, she never feels the cold of the frigid ocean waters and the waves seem to sing to her soul. But the people of Rosevear never admit the truth: that they set the beacons themselves to lure ships into the rocks.

When the Council watch lays a trap to put an end to the wrecking, they arrest Mira’s father. Desperate to save him from the noose, Mira strikes a deal with an enigmatic wreck survivor guarding layers of secrets behind his captivating eyes, and sets off to find something her mother has left her, a family secret buried deep in the sea.

With just nine days to find what she needs to rescue her father, all Mira knows for certain is this: The sea gives. The sea takes. And it’s up to her to do what she must to save the ones she loves.

Compass and Blade by Rachel Greenlaw is a young adult fantasy novel. I believe this one may be just the beginning of a series but not totally certain on that as it’s listed like a standalone for now on most sites, there is mention of it being a trilogy though.

Mira has grown up on the remote island of Rosevear where she has learned to be just like her mother once was a powerful swimmer and one with the water. Mira is one of seven that are sent out to shipwrecks to plunder them but it’s Mira’s job to rescue any survivors.

One day however the Council set in motion a plan to stop the wrecking and obtain Mira’s father taking him away. Mira becomes determined to do whatever she can to rescue her father before he is executed so she teams up with a survivor of the latest shipwreck and set out to find her father before it’s too late.

Compass and Blade by Rachel Greenlaw was compared to a couple of other young adult fantasy novels that I really enjoyed and I’ve read this author before so I had to take a chance and try this one out. I’m always a bit hit or miss with young adult fantasy though and this one while not bad wasn’t a total hit for me either. I just felt the pacing on this story was a little slow for my taste which is one of my biggest drawbacks to a lot of fantasy, wanting more. Compass and Blade wasn’t a bad read by any means but for me just came in at average at three stars but I do seem to be in the minority so if it sounds good to you I’d suggest checking it out.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Find this book online:

Goodreads  /  Amazon

About the author:

Rachel Greenlaw grew up in North Cornwall, surrounded by wild moorland and studied creative writing at university before moving to an island in the middle of the Atlantic, with all the allure of tropical palm trees in the summer and spine-tingling storms in the winter. When she’s not wandering the beaches and nature trails, she’s dreaming up her next story. She is the author of One Christmas Morning and the Compass and Blade trilogy.

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The Model’s Last Pose
Nancy Pennick
(The Pearl Hotel Cozy Mystery Series, #1)
Publication date: March 26th 2024
Genres: Adult, Cozy Mystery

In a cozy tearoom of a prestigious five-star hotel, three friends embark on a mission to solve a murder along with a koi that appears to read minds.

Faced with a severe case of writer’s block, best-selling author Serena Tate seeks help from her close confidant, Mia, a popular fashion designer. Mia suggests that Serena observe the inner workings of her forthcoming fashion show for inspiration. What unfolds is beyond her wildest expectations—a shocking murder of a supermodel. Together with their tech-savvy friend, Lily, the unlikely trio embarks on a mission to uncover the truth.

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

Two koi swam away, but a majestic red one with white fins and tail stayed. “Oh, I see how it is. They’re loyal to Nina. But you?” Serena pointed to the fish. “Have sympathy for everyone.” She threw her head back and blew air through her lips. “Where do I begin?”

When Serena looked at the pond again, the koi hadn’t budged. “I loved him, you know. Madly. Passionately.” She stared at the fish. “Who am I talking about, you ask? My ex-husband, Justice Tate. He was a bad boy, and I loved bad boys. He owned a motorcycle, and we’d go on day trips, seeing parts of the state I’d never seen before. We had fun together, so much fun. When he asked me to marry him, I think I fainted. Not literally. But in my mind, I did.”

The koi’s mouth formed in the shape of an “O”. He, because Serena decided it must be a male, seemed interested in the story. “You want to hear the rest? It gets uglier. Sadder. I can’t really label it.”

Other fish swam by, distracting the red and white koi. He turned away but reappeared after a dip underwater. “What do you like to eat?” Serena asked. “Next time I’ll come prepared.”

The fish seemed to like her statement. Serena swore he nodded. They sat in silence for a moment, and she decided he was waiting to hear more of her sad tale.

“Okay,” Serena finally said. “Fine. I’ll tell you. We were young when we got married. Twenty-one, to be exact. We had two great years together, then I got pregnant with twins. Girls. Justice wanted to name the girls Jade and Jewel like the shiny, precious gems they were, and so we did. At first, everything was fine. Justice was the typical doting dad. But they cramped his style. We couldn’t take off at a moment’s notice with a double stroller. That didn’t fit on the back of a

motorcycle. We needed a practical car. I encouraged Justice to choose whatever he wanted so he’d feel invested. Once the girls started school, I thought things would get better.” She paused and shook her head. “Nope.” She put emphasis on the ‘p’. “They got worse.”

 

Author Bio:

Nancy Pennick grew up and still lives in Northeast Ohio. After a career in teaching, she began writing young adult and romance books. The Waiting for Dusk series includes a historical fiction prequel, Broken Dreams. The sci-fi romance series about time travel has three books-Waiting for Dusk, Call of the Canyon and Stealing Time. The Swedish influences in the series come from her mother whose parents emigrated from Sweden.

Her second YA series-Twenty Nine-had slowly developed over time. One Leap Year, an idea came to her and she created the characters and story based on that special day, February 29.

Nancy has branched out into historical romance with her Clan MacLaren series and romantic suspense, The Secret Billionaire Society and Billionaire’s Bride series.

Nancy is married and has one son who helps her when she’s challenged by tech, which may be more often than he likes!

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Title: Falling for Alaska

Author: Belle Calhoune

Publisher: Forever

Publication Date: March 26, 2024

Page Count:  304

My rating: 4 stars

About the book:

Don’t miss the first trip to Moose Falls, Alaska where a down-on-his-luck football player and a sassy restaurant owner find themselves going from enemies to lovers in this small-town romance — perfect for fans of Brenda Novak and Annie Rains!

A small-town restaurateur and a big city former football player go head-to-head in this heartfelt enemies-to-lovers romance . . .
 
As the oldest of three brothers, former pro-football player Xavier Stone is no stranger to making tough calls. Like returning to his small hometown of Moose Falls, Alaska to help run his grandmother’s hard cider company and gastro pub. He agrees to keep an open mind, but between working with his estranged father and confronting heavy childhood memories with his brothers, Xavier’s ready to rush back to civilization. Even the stunning woman who runs his grandmother’s restaurant seems to instantly dislike him . . .

True Everett knows better than to let a ridiculously handsome man distract her, especially when it’s the same guy who stands between her and owning Northern Exposure, the tavern she manages. She didn’t pour her soul into the restaurant just for Xavier to swoop in and snatch away her dreams. But amid all the barbs—and, fine . . . all the sparks—flying, True glimpses the man beneath the swagger. That version of Xavier, the real one, might just steal True’s heart.

Falling for Alaska by Belle Calhoune is the first book in the new contemporary romance Moose Falls, Alaska series. For this opener of the Moose Falls series we have an enemies to lovers romance that is told from both points of view of the main couple.

Xavier Stone and his two younger brothers have returned to Moose Falls, Alaska at the request of their grandmother with her health failing her to help run her family business. Xavier never expected a clause to be thrown at he and his brothers that they would also have to work with their estranged father and it took all of his energy to not pack up and go at that news.

True Everett did the exact opposite of the Stone brothers and chose to stay in Moose Falls and make a life for herself there. Over the years True has taken the reigns of Northern Exposure, a restaurant/tavern that is a part of the Stone family businesses. True isn’t excited to see the boys return home but vows to not let the handsome Xavier Stone get in the way of her dreams of owning Northern Exposure herself.

Having read several books by author Belle Calhoune I was excited to dive right into this new series and see what adventure awaited on the pages. Thankfully this one lived up to my expectations with likable characters in a charming small town setting which I enjoy. I can sometimes be a bit iffy with enemies to lovers with making one or other of the couple be a bit too overdone on the enemy side but the conflict here made just the right amount of tension to let me root for an HEA between the pair. Will look forward to see what comes next in the series in the future.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Find this book online:

Goodreads  /  Amazon

About the author:

Publisher’s Weekly Best Selling Author Belle Calhoune was born and raised in Massachusetts, one of five children. Growing up across the street from a public library fed her hunger for books, particularly romance novels and mysteries. A member of the RWA (Romance Writers of America) Honor Roll, Belle has written over 40 books. Her novel, An Alaskan Christmas, has been made into a television movie by Brain Power Studios, to be featured on UPtv in October of 2019.

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Title: Off the Air

Author: Christina Estes

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Publication Date: March 26, 2024

Page Count:  295

My rating: 2 1/2 stars

About the book:

Equal parts thought-provoking and entertaining, Off the Air introduces Jolene Garcia in Emmy Award–winning reporter Christina Estes’s Tony Hillerman Prize–winning debut.

Jolene Garcia is a local TV reporter in Phoenix, Arizona, splitting her time between covering general assignments—anything from a monsoon storm to a newborn giraffe at the zoo—and special projects. Stories that take more time to research and produce. Stories that Jolene wants to tell.

When word gets out about a death at a radio station, Jolene and other journalists swarm the scene, intent on reporting the facts first. The body is soon identified as Larry Lemmon, a controversial talk show host, who died under suspicious circumstances. Jolene conducted his final interview, giving her and her station an advantage. But not for long.

As the story heats up, so does the competition. Jolene is determined to solve this murder. It’s an investigation that could make or break her career—if it doesn’t break her first.

Off the Air by Christina Estes is a debut mystery novel. This one may be considered by some as a cozy mystery but I really didn’t get that overall cozy vibe with the main character being a professional journalist and their job to chase down leads and crime.

Jolene Garcia is a television reporter working in Phoenix, Arizona where she covers all kinds of news and stories. Jolene is always looking for the next big break when she finds out there was a death at a local radio station. Jolene immediately dives into the story trying to find out just who died and if it was a possible murder.

Author Christina Estes is making her debut with doing exactly what she should with following the old advice write what you know. You see before taking the leap as an author Christina Estes has spent twenty years in journalism and that fact was obvious within the pages of Off the Air. Now as much as really knowing your stuff could be a good thing I found with Off the Air it fell a little on the it’s a bad thing side because I would often feel I was reading a how to in journalism. I wanted the characters and story to speak for themselves more than they did with the almost step by step instruction going on. Overall that said this one landed at two and a half stars for me.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Find this book online:

Goodreads  /  Amazon

About the author:

Christina Estes received the Tony Hillerman Prize for Best First Mystery Set in the Southwest for Off the Air. Her novel featuring a Phoenix TV reporter investigating the murder of a controversial talk show host was inspired by Christina’s award-winning reporting career.

During 20-plus years in Phoenix, Christina has covered presidential campaigns, public policy, education and business. Her stories have ranged from the whimsical – like a fish visiting a dentist – to the weighty – such as witnessing a lethal injection. Having worked for several local TV stations, Christina now reports for the NPR member station in Phoenix.

Learn more about Christina at http://www.christinaestes.com

**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**

Title: Maya’s Laws of Love

Author: Alina Khawaja

Publisher: MIRA

Publication Date: March 26, 2024

Page Count: 320

About the book:

Maya Mirza’s unlucky-in-love past seems to be turning around when she ends up in an arranged marriage to the on-paper perfect man. But as she heads to her wedding in Pakistan, she finally meets the man of her dreams—and what could be more unlucky than that?

Murphy’s Law is simple: anything that can go wrong will go wrong, and no one knows that better than Maya Mirza.

Maya Mirza has always been unlucky in love. When she was in grade one, one of the mean girls told her crush that she liked him and he loudly proclaimed he hated her because she had cooties. When she was in grade six, she wrote her new crush an anonymous love letter, only to realize later she signed her name without realizing it. In grade twelve, she gathered the courage to ask out her crush, only to hurl all over him. Bottom line—romance sucks.

However, it seems like Maya’s luck may finally be turning up when she secures a marriage proposal from Imtiaz Porter. Imtiaz has everything—good family, great job, charming personality; everything, except Maya’s heart. But that’s okay. Love can grow after marriage, right?

Just when Maya thinks she’s finally broken her curse, it all comes crashing down when she gets on a plane to go to Pakistan for her wedding and ends up sitting next to Sarfaraz, a cynical divorce lawyer who clashes with her at every possible turn. When an unexpected storm interrupts her travel plans, Maya finds herself briefly stranded in Switzerland, and despite their initial misstep, she and Sarfaraz agree to stick together until they reach Pakistan.

Over the several days they travel together, disaster after disaster happens, from their bus crashing to having to travel on foot to getting mugged. However, the more time they spend together, the more Maya realizes she and Sarfaraz may have more in common than she thought. But of course, this is when she realizes her unlucky in love curse will always be with her—because how unlucky is it that she may have finally met the man of her dreams while on her way to her own wedding?

Find this book online:

Goodreads  /  Amazon  /  HarperCollins / Bookshop.org  / B&N 

Excerpt:

1

Maya’s Law #1:

Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

“Dr. Khan, you know how desi families are when it comes to weddings.” I lift my head from the back of the loveseat I’m lounging on. “Everything is an emergency. I feel like I spent all my breaks during the school year planning for this wedding. Once this whole fanfare is over, I’ll be able to focus on me for a change.”

My therapist’s office is very Zen, which I suppose all therapist’s offices should be. Three pale blue walls, with the last wall behind her desk being white. The desk, which she rarely sits behind during sessions, is long and gray. There’s some clutter: stray pens, a file stuffed with papers, a coffee cup that’s half-empty and looks like it’s been sitting there for a while. Hanging on the white wall are three white canvases with gorgeous Arabic calligraphy in shades of cerulean and gold. The only thing that seems out of place is the bright orange loveseat; it’s such a strange color for an office scheme, but according to my therapist, Dr. Zaara Khan, it was a gift from her uncle who leases the place, so she couldn’t refuse it. I hated the color when I first started coming here, but it’s grown on me so much I would defend it to anyone.

“Well, you know how much I love it when you take ‘me time,’” Dr. Khan says. She pushes her dark brown hair over her shoulder, and the fading sunlight streaming in through the window gives it a golden glow. “You need to be more aggressive about it.”

“Dr. Khan, I’m the daughter of a Pakistani,” I say, disbelief underlining my words. “I was raised to be a people pleaser.”

Dr. Khan winces, but she can’t contradict me. Her understanding of how Pakistani Muslim families work is exactly why I picked her over the other therapists my family doctor recommended. Dr. Khan knows what our culture is like, so she knows not to recommend certain things, and she also knows how to navigate situations when I barge into her office frantic about whatever my mom did this week to push my buttons. She straightens up. “And how are you feeling about the wedding?”

I bite my lip. “I’m excited.”

She flashes me a look of disapproval. “Maya, every time I ask you how you feel about your wedding—or about the details of your relationship—you brush it off.” She taps her pen against her notebook. “Now, as your therapist, I can’t push you to talk about it before you’re ready to, but we’ve been seeing each other for three months now, and nothing.”

“That’s because there’s nothing really to tell,” I insist. I sit up straighter in my seat. “Imtiaz and I met at university. We were in the same sociology class because we both needed a social science credit, and we were friendly to each other for the whole semester. But we weren’t great friends or anything; we sat next to each other and occasionally texted to ask for notes. He went on to med school, I went to teacher’s college, and then two years later when I wanted to teach abroad in South Korea, Ammi wouldn’t let me unless I got engaged first. And by a wild coincidence, Imtiaz was the first suitor my mom found. We remembered each other from school, and we remembered getting along well enough, so we went for it. It’s not exactly a fairy-tale romance, but it’s good enough for me.”

“And why isn’t it a fairy-tale romance?” Dr. Khan wonders, setting her chin on top of her fist. “By your own admission, you and Imtiaz met at a time in your lives when you were trying to figure out who you were as people and then went in two different directions, and then he ends up being the first rishta your mom finds for you.” She tilts her head. “Doesn’t that sound like fate to you?”

I squirm in place. “I guess,” I allow. “That doesn’t matter now anyway. Imtiaz is great. He’s kind, funny, and he’s going to be a surgeon, so job security.”

“I’m sure the security must make you feel really good,” Dr. Khan says. “I know how committed you are to having a plan for everything.”

“Of course.” I square my chin. “When you’re cursed like me, you have to think of every disaster scenario first.”

Dr. Khan’s sigh fills the office. “Maya, what did we talk about?”

I bite the inside of my cheek, but at her incessant stare, I give in. “It’s not the power of the curse, it’s the power you give the curse,” I recite.

Dr. Khan grins. “Exactly. You can think your bad-luck curse is real, but it all depends on how much you allow it to control you.”

I barely refrain from an eye roll. At least Dr. Khan didn’t try to dissuade me from my personal affirmation that I was cursed. My older sister, Hibba, thinks it’s all in my head, but I’ve grown up with the worst luck anyone could ever have.

Especially when it comes to romance. I’m twenty-eight, and I’ve never been in a real relationship. Okay, that’s also because dating is technically haram in Islam, so any time I even tried thinking about a boyfriend when I was a teen, Ammi would shut me down. Then, somehow, she was confused when I entered my twenties and couldn’t make conversation with boys.

“That’s what I have my laws for,” I remind Dr. Khan.

My laws—which all started with Murphy’s Law, the idea that anything that can go wrong will go wrong—are the only things that kept me sane while growing up. When I was a kid, it was mostly a joke; it was the only way I could make sense of all the bad stuff that happened to me. But eventually as I got older and bad things kept happening—especially in my love life—they were all I had.

“Why don’t we change the subject?” she suggests in a polite tone. “Tell me about Imtiaz. He must be excited to see you.”

“He only left a few days ago,” I start. “I’ll see him in a couple of days. My flight leaves on Sunday, so I’ll be in Pakistan by Monday.”

My therapist quirks a brow. “And are you ready to get married?”

I wrinkle my nose. “Of course I am. I wouldn’t be getting married if I weren’t. I thought that was obvious.”

“I’m being serious, Maya,” Dr. Khan says with a deep frown. “In the few months we’ve been together, you’ve rarely mentioned Imtiaz. You only talk about him when I bring him up. Don’t you wonder why that is?”

“It’s because I’m happy and comfortable about that area of my life,” I respond. “Why shouldn’t I be? If I had a problem with it, I’d talk about it.”

“And you don’t have a problem with it?”

“No!” I swallow back my frustration. “After spending my whole life wanting love but thinking I’m cursed to be alone forever, I found this great guy who, for some reason, wants to be with me.”

“Why is it for some reason?” Dr. Khan questions. “Usually, that reason is because he loves you. Does Imtiaz not love you?”

“He…does,” I say, though I don’t know how true that statement is. He’s said it to me, but sometimes it feels like it’s more out of obligation than anything, or else it feels platonic. “Plus, love isn’t always necessary in brown marriages. My mom always told me she fell in love after she got married.” I set my jaw. “Not that it did her any favors when Dad left.”

“Your dad may have left, but from what you’ve told me, it seems like she managed just fine raising two daughters,” Dr. Khan points out.

A smile graces my face. “Oh, yeah, she did a great job. My mom worked two jobs to keep the lights on and keep us fed. And even despite working all the time, she still found time to come to school events and spend time with Hibba Baji and me. She had to put providing for us first, yes, but she also prioritized being present in our lives. It must’ve really worried her to think that I was going to end up alone as I got older and had no success in finding a husband.”

Dr. Khan tilts her head. “And what’s so wrong with being alone?”

I snort. “You’re kidding me, right?”

When she stares at me in an I’m-not-kidding way, I gnash my teeth. “Dr. Khan, in the desi community, if you don’t get married, there’s something wrong with you.”

“What could possibly be wrong with someone not wanting to be married?” she asks.

“It reflects badly on you and your parents. My mom already doesn’t have the greatest track record in our community thanks to the whole spousal-abandonment thing. Do you know the kind of rumors people spread about her?” Heat rushes to my face. “That my mom was a cheater, that she was so annoying she drove him away, that there was something wrong with her for a man to have left her alone with two young daughters.”

I clench my hands into fists, my nails biting into the soft skin of my palm. “All of that aside, I just don’t want to be alone.” I sink back into the cushiony couch. “As much as I hate when she’s right, Hibba Baji mentioned once that Ammi isn’t going to be around forever, and I can’t stick to my sister’s side. She has her own family, and I want one, too, someday. And I don’t want to do it alone.”

Dr. Khan clicks her pen. “I think before you start worrying about other people loving you, you should consider loving yourself.”

“What do you mean?” I ask. “I love myself.”

She gives me a dubious look. “When’s the last time you did something for yourself?”

“I gave my mom a head massage yesterday.”

“And how was that something for you?”

“It meant I had a couple hours of quiet while she napped on the couch.”

I expect Dr. Khan to be upset with me because I am very obviously dodging her question, so I’m surprised to see her curl her lips inward while her breath hitches, like she’s trying hard to keep a laugh in. After a beat, she’s back to being professional. “Don’t think I don’t see what you’re doing. Be serious, please.”

I set my jaw. “I’m doing absolutely fine. I’m going to Pakistan in a couple of days. I’m having a destination wedding. I’m getting married. I’m the happiest I could ever be.”

Dr. Khan leans back in her seat. “Who are you trying to convince? Me or you?”

I open my mouth, but no sound comes out. Just as a stutter bursts from my throat, the timer on Dr. Khan’s phone goes off, signaling the end of our session. Dr. Khan sighs, but she presses Stop on the alarm.

I get to my feet before she can speak. “I’ll book another appointment when I get back from Pakistan.” I don’t make eye contact as I gather my things. “But I’ll be so wrapped up in postmarital joy that I don’t know when I’ll be able to see you again.” 

“That’s fine,” she assures me. “I hope all goes well with the wedding.”

“Thanks,” I mumble in her direction. I grab my purse and head for the exit.

Dr. Khan’s voice stops me at the door. “But remember this, Maya,” she says. I steel myself, then look over at her.

She offers me a kind look, her fingers laced together. “No one is incapable of love, but we all have the ability to sabotage our own happiness, even if we don’t realize it.”

Excerpted from Maya’s Laws of Love by Alina Khawaja, Copyright © 2024 by Alina Khawaja. Published by MIRA Books.

About the Author:

Alina Khawaja is an author from Ontario, Canada, with a never-ending love-hate relationship with the snow. She is a graduate from the University of Toronto, where she majored in English and double minored in History and Creative Writing, and is now pursuing a Master’s degree in the Literacy of Modernity at Ryerson University. Alina can be found studying, writing, or bingeing k-dramas when she is not sleeping.

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