This historical fiction is a really slow start. The entire first half of the book leads to one “main event.” The second half is much better but the very slow start brings it to the three stars.

This book was wonderful! I loved the characters and I just enjoyed their incredible fun story! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

This book grabs you from the first few pages and definitely keeps your attention until the last. I love the way the story develops as we get to know Archie, Penny and Josephine and understand the importance of the “excitements” that Archie delivers to keep his aunts entertained. The adventures and misadventures of Penny and Josephine’s lives define the entire story and there are definitely surprises which makes it even better. As we follow along we learn about how women were treated, but also how resilient and determined they were and the impact of war. This has so many fun twists and turns, including Penny’s big secret, that makes this book so enjoyable. I do wish we had a little more on Jinx as this storyline just seems to appear and disappear without much background. Overall a great book! I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley and appreciate the opportunity to provide feedback - this did not impact my opinion.

Dive into 'The Excitements,' and you'll be whisked away on a rollicking adventure with Britain's most vibrant nonagenarian sisters, Josephine and Penny Williamson. These ladies aren’t just war heroes—they're the life of every party they crash into.

Author C.J. Wray masterfully blends the guts and glory of wartime espionage with the sprightly antics of two sisters who refuse to let age define them. Imagine if Miss Marple met James Bond and decided to throw a party—that’s 'The Excitements' for you!

Josephine and Penny, our spirited protagonists, aren’t your typical senior citizens. They’ve got more zest for life at 97 and 99 than most people have in their twenties. They’re off to Paris to receive the Légion d’honneur, but this isn't just a trip down memory lane—it's a covert mission to settle old scores. And trust me, these ladies have scores aplenty.

Archie, their devoted great-nephew, is the unsung hero of the story. He’s the anchor to their zeppelin of zaniness, trying his best to keep these audacious aunts from going completely off the rails. He’s like a charmingly overwhelmed ringmaster in a circus of sass and spy-craft.

As for the story itself, it's a whirlwind of intrigue, humor, and a dash of melancholy. The narrative flips between their thrilling war days and their current escapades, weaving a rich tapestry of their lives. You’ll find yourself chuckling at their escapades one minute and tearing up at their past sacrifices the next.

'The Excitements' is a reminder that life doesn't end at retirement. It's a tribute to living life to the fullest, no matter your age. If you're in the mood for a story that combines heart, humor, and a touch of historical espionage, then buckle up and join the Williamson sisters on their latest adventure. Just remember to pack your sense of humor—you're going to need it.

Even though this book was fabulous, it took quite a while to reach that point.

Some of the issues I had with this novel were:
The language-thank goodness my Kindle has a translator. The old-fashioned British language also threw me for a loop at times.
The chapters jumped from year to year, century to century, and not in a straightforward manner.

All this aside, the story was riveting. There were so many secrets, some that I figured out independently and some that just floored me when I found out.

The ending kept me riveted, and I wish there were more to the book so we could have had some solid tie-ups for some of the secondary characters.

I loved this book, and it will be going on my re-read shelf!

ARC was supplied by the publisher, HarperCollins, the author C. J. Wray, and NetGalley. My thanks

The story of sisters Penny and Josephine is most entertaining, filled with quirky characters enmeshed in historical events over decades. Penny and Josephine are accompanied by their nephew Archie to go to Paris and receive the Legion d’Honneur. As the story progresses, there are flashbacks to their times visiting their godmother in Paris, their activities during WWII, and so much more. Both women have kept secrets, even from each other, and those secrets help define their lives. I loved this book, the characters, and highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

The Excitements
By: CJ Wray
Review Score: 4 Stars

Boogie’s Bulletpoints
-No spoilers, but the start of this book honestly had me cracking up.

-I loved Penny and Josephine. It was so interesting to see their stories evolve.

-There are A LOT of plot twists in this story.

-This book felt chaotic at times, but I felt like that added to the story.

——
The Excitements was kindly provided as an ARC by Netgalley and William Morrow. Thank you for allowing me to enjoy this wonderful book!

Release Date: 1/30/24

When I read the synopsis on this book, I knew I had to check it out. 2 sisters in their 90’s who are receiving an award in Paris for their bravery during World War 2? Add in a ton of hidden family secrets and a bit of chaos, and you have this book.

I will say, there is A LOT in this book. Like, there are some storylines that maybe didn’t need to be in the book. It made the book feel chaotic. Now, I didn’t mind that, as I feel it added to the story, but I could see that being a turn off for some people.

Regardless, I really enjoyed this book. I loved all the chaotic elements, and think it’s a fun twist on a story.

#bookstagram #books #readingnow #boogiereadsbooks #fivekeyfeels #audiobooks #audiobook #fiction #arcreview #netgalley #boogiesbulletpoints #theexcitements #cjwray #williammorrow

Josephine and Penny Williamson are two nonagenarians who have lived surprisingly exciting lives. The sisters came of age at the start of World War II, both joining the war effort after moving from the sleepy family estate to London. But the Blitz was only the beginning of their "excitements."

We meet them in the present as they are about to be awarded medals for their work in supporting the French Resistance. Despite their advanced ages, they still get out and about with their nephew Archie, a London gallery owner. And while Archie always enjoyed their company, he had no idea just how exciting his aunts’ lives were.

The book uses multiple timelines and points of view to tell the sisters’ incredible stories, full of intrigue, deception, family secrets, and revenge.

I loved the characters of Josephine and Penny. And the two main locations of London and Paris, both during the war and in present day, were well handled.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Paperbacks for the opportunity to read an advance review copy of this book.

I loved this book. Granted there is A LOT going on and some may have trouble following the chronology, but it is well worth it. We start in the present with Archie taking his 99-year-old Aunt Josephine and 97 year old aunt Penelope out to lunch. He has been having "adventures," which they call "excitements" with them since he was 6 years old.
The sisters are some of the last WWII veterans, and throughout the book we learn of their visits to relatives in France, which contain very important plot points.
We also follow them into WWII when Josephine enlists in the WREN's, and Penelope follows 2 years later as a FANY.
There are spies, jewel thieves, crooked cops, gangsters, hostage takers, Jewish round ups in France, and much, much more. There is also love, laughter, and tears.
Archie's love and protection for his great aunts is the glue that holds this book together. I think you will love them as much as I did.
This book will be published on my birthday, January 30th.
I plan to recommend this book to all of my bookclubs. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the EARC. This is my honest review.

Thanks to William Morrow for an advanced copy of The Excitements by CJ Wray.

This was such a fun book! I absolutely loved Josephine and Penny . These sassy 90-year-old women are two great characters and are always looking for their next excitement. They are both WWII veterans and will be honored in Paris with the Légion d’Honneur and their trip sets off a great adventure. Their great-nephew Archie goes along and this trip may not be all that it seems.

I loved the aspect of "Toujours Gai" and that was the sisters' attitude. This book was part historical fiction, part thriller and 100% fun. My only complaint was a lot was going on between the current-day story with the Parisian adventures and both sisters' flashbacks to their war years and beyond, there was a lot to keep track of.

But I really loved this book. It had me laughing and it was fun to read a funny historical fiction book. Highly recommend!

This is much to admire about The Excitements, a story of two daring, decorated, WWII veterans and a story of secrets. Sisters Josephine and Penny are now in their late 90s, still relatively healthy and mobile, and full of life. When they receive an invitation to receive the French Legion of Honor, they are escorted by their outwardly worldly, always courteous, seemingly not fearless, gay, and apparently not confident great nephew Archie. Most of the story takes place in Paris, before, during, and after WWII and in 2022. Both sisters had been married, but neither marriage yielded any offspring. Wray's writing is crisp but the story's tempo wanes and waxes and some of the duo's exploits, including their ability to function as spryly as they do, stretches reality. The story might have been more realistic if it had been set in the late 1980s or early 1990s rather than in 2022. In the end I thought that the characters were a little too "stock" and the story a little too predictable, despite everyone having secrets. Many twists and turns can be anticipated, although the ending was done quite well. The Excitements will appeal to readers who like quirky characters, to older readers, and to some readers of historical fiction. Wray shows promise and I look forward to her further development and growth in future novels. 3.5 rounded to 4.

Two elderly sisters, both British WWII veterans, are always game for new adventures which they call Excitements. Josephine and Penny Williamson are in their late 90s but are still fairly spry and are realistic about life and death as Penny rationalizes, "if you don't drink, smoke or have sex, you won't live forever." Under the guidance of Archie, their great-nephew, the sisters ready themselves to be honored for their wartime service in Paris with the Légion d’honneur. What starts out as a light-hearted romp, with the sisters constantly demanding more alcohol in their drinks, morphs into life flashbacks and secret dramas Josephine and Penny have hidden for decades. Although The Excitements is funny and poignant, the finale may bring tears.

The synopsis of this story caught my attention , so I requested it from Netgalley and was approved.

The main plot of this one is really cute - and I love that it's two women (of advanced age), having one last caper.

The more I moved through the pages, the more convoluted their world became, and it lost me for a bit. I reconnected two-thirds in, but then the numerous other situations and secondary happenings pulled me away from the ladies, and their fun.

I did enjoy the read, and parts of this book are really entertaining. If you like a lot of details, and sub plots - this one's for you! I recommend this book, and thank HarperCollins Publishing and Netgalley for my free ARC.
I voluntarily leave my review.

The two Williamson sisters are British World War II veterans. Although they’re in their 90s, they are still spry, engaged, and always looking for new thrills. They find such “excitements” when they’re invited to accept an accolade in France. Accompanied by their devoted great-nephew, Archie, the sisters use the trip as an opportunity to settle a few scores. As readers get a peek into the sisters’ storied pasts and best kept secrets, we learn the about the importance of living with gusto and passion.

The Excitements was just the book I needed to read. Life had gotten very stressful and I was looking for a book to escape into that would brighten my day. This was it! The story revolves around Archie and his two great aunts. Archie is a history buff but he knows very little about the role Penny and Josephine played in World War 2. It was fascinating to read about women's roles during the war. Of course we all know about Rosie Riveter but The Excitements gives us a look into a woman's role that most of us probably aren't familiar with. I can only say I hope when I'm in my '90s. I am as sharp and energetic as Penny and Josephine. My only complaint, if I have to have one, would be the use of the French language. Since I speak literally no French I would skip over those parts. I may have lost some of the storyline doing this but c'est la vie!
I voluntarily received a copy of this book from netgalley.

This book ended up being quite fun but was very slow to start. Once it gets going, I was hooked on the story of Penny and Josephine but that took more than 30% of the book. So be warned that it my take a bit to get hooked by it.
But I thoroughly enjoyed the flashbacks and antics of the women. Though it very much felt like Jinx should have taken up more of the story. Maybe a spin off for her.
Recommend!

Engaging from the get-go and full of lovable and endearing characters, this book was a lot of fun to read. Funny yet poignant, this is a good book to help you bust out of a reading slump.

Nonagenarian sisters and British WWII veterans, Penny and Josephine are getting yet another award. Their nephew takes them to Paris where they plan a heist to settle some debts and seek some revenge. Deserving of the word "caper", The Excitements brings intrigue, history, silliness, cleverness together in a satisfying and fun tale.

What a totally fun read!
Nothing like 2 90 year old female WWII vets leading their nephew Archie on a merry chase through Paris. What could be more enticing? Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read and give a review.
Archie is escorting his aunts to Paris to receive medals for their service during WWII. Both ladies had very interesting jobs that we learn more about through flashbacks scattered throughout the book. It reveals their past so the reader begins to see the impact on the present madcap situation. It was a little confusing at first but all was revealed in a most clever way.
I loved their attitude toward life and was often laughing out loud while reading. Their spirit and spunk was contagious. The sacrifices that they made were stunning and inspiring. The role of women during the war was definitely highlighted.
My new mantra is "toujour gai" along with the ladies. Excitements are great!.
Highly recommended if you are looking for a truly fun read with alot of depth and "excitement" thrown in.

You might think that a book about a middle-aged single nephew taking care of this 90 year old aunts would be a boring read- not hardly. These ladies may be old in age but they are definitely young at heart and are always looking for new adventures ("excitements"). Some of their antics and the plots that they come up with are astounding. Especially Penny who has a special talent that she has perfected, and being a little old lady just helps it along.
The flashbacks to their service in WWII gives the reader some insight into what these ladies had to endure as well as the duties they performed during the war. It is only fitting that these two ladies are recognized for their dedication and service to the country. Their trip to Paris to receive their next award is an adventure in itself.
This book is entertaining, informative and just a fun read. I would highly recommend it!

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an opportunity to read this ARC .