Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Book Review Quickies: The Wedding Bees, The Radleys, Lowcountry Boil

Title: The Wedding Bees 
Author: Sarah-Kate Lynch
Source: Librarything Early Reviewers

I was previously unfamiliar with Lynch's work; now that I have read this one, I know that I want to read more. This book was delightful, fun, and enjoyable. I enjoyed the bee trivia that would pop up, as well as the cast of characters. They were all very vivid, with quirky issues that made them utterly likable. The main character Sugar, is a positive, upbeat beekeeper, who charms not only her bees but everyone she meets. She is keeping a secret though, that is slowly revealed bit by bit. It is not as dark as you might imagine though, and at the end of the book, everything is happy happy hunky-dory. Which was exactly how I wanted this book to end. Happy endings all around.




Title: The Radleys
Author: Matt Haig
Source: My own copy

This book was so fun!! I was reminded of the Addams Family, or of a vampiric version of the Cleaver family, complete with white picket fence and respectability. Peter and Helen Radley live with their two children in suburbia, and only Peter and Helen know the truth of what they are: abstaining vampires. Unfortunately, their subterfuge backfires, and their carefully laid out life begins to blow up around them. At the beginning of this book, it seems everyone is yearning for something they don't have; by the end, they all find out what it is that they really want.

I really enjoyed this take on vampires, and I also enjoyed all the author name dropping.


Title: Lowcountry Boil
Author: Susan M. Boyer
Source: Nadia at A Bookish Way of Life

This book was a pleasant surprise! I am a HUGE fan of books set in the south, and when Nadia mailed this book to me, I was very excited. Unfortunately, it took me longer to get to than I anticipated, but I finally read it, and enjoyed it!  Pure southern charm wrapped in a mystery, this book is for anyone looking for a relaxing, escapist read. I read it during the brief spring we had last week, and it was perfect! It would also be a perfect beach read too. The main character Liz, is a private investigator, who is smart, savvy, and brave. She is a great depiction of a strong woman character, who doesn't take no for an answer or let the men in her life boss her around. She does what she wants when she wants. It ended on a bit of a romantic cliffhanger, and I need to know what happens next! I will be looking for the second book in the series very soon!

10 comments:

  1. These books sound like just the type of reading I'm looking for right now (as I deal with the late winter doldrums): escapism and happy endings (preferably set in warmer places than I am now!).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, I think these books definitely suit your needs, especially The Wedding Bees, and Lowcountry Boil. :) I think I needed them too, same reasons. We are in the midst of a blizzard here today!

      Delete
    2. A blizzard! Oh no. We were 68 degrees today, but a storm is coming in tonight that will drop the temperature by 40 degrees. It will be a high of about 26 tomorrow. March is always iffy in my neck of the woods, but this is a bit extreme for us. I organize a early Spring 5K as a fundraiser for my kids' preschool, and I'm so worried that it'll be icy!

      I've added The Wedding Bees and Lowcountry Boil to my TBR list! Thanks for the recommendations!

      Delete
    3. 68 degrees! That sounds like heaven! Lol. Today is a beautiful 40 degree day here in the D., and everyone is running around in short sleeves and shorts. Lol. I'm not, but I did leave my coat behind. :)

      Delete
  2. I have The Radleys on my TBR, and it does sounds delightfully kooky - looking forward to reading that.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I always enjoy short snippet reviews - I'm never any good at writing these kinds of reviews myself though! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, The Radley's made it on to my wishlist.
    :-)
    Bits & Bobs

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Radleys was really good! It addresses a few more serious things too- the characters all seem to be yearning for something more, or different, and in the end they realize what it is that they really want.

      Delete
  4. I loved The Wedding Bees! There really wasn't anything dark about it and I loved that. I was in the mood for a sweet, happy read when I picked this up, so I thought it was perfect.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Did you know you can shorten your links with AdFocus and make cash from every visitor to your short urls.

    ReplyDelete

I love hearing from people, don't be shy! I would love to hear what you think! I always reply back, although it takes me a bit longer these days due to the little guy.