Tag: books

Book Review:   A Promise of Forgiveness, by Jo Ann Brown

Image belongs to Harlequin.

Title:    A Promise of Forgiveness
Author:    Jo Ann Brown
Genre:    Romance
Rating:  4 out of 5

Every little secret is a chain to the past…

 For Amish widow Naomi Ropp, moving back to her parents’ Bliss Valley home—with her boisterous twin toddler boys—is a chance to start over and bury the painful secrets of her marriage forever. But her life is turned upside down once again when she learns she’s not the only one hiding things. The parents she believed were always open and honest have been keeping a secret her whole life. And now her only confidant is her father’s new employee—a handsome Amish man who was once her childhood tormentor.

 Samuel King knows more than anyone should about mistakes—and the way he treated Naomi is at the top of his list. But the shock of seeing her pretty face again is quickly overshadowed when they find a slumbering boppli abandoned on his porch. Caring for the sweet newborn together is finally bringing some peace to their troubled pasts. But when a spark leads to growing feelings as they start to look toward the future, Samuel must find a way to convince Naomi to trust the man he’s become…and the promise of new love.

I enjoyed this romance, but Naomi really had a problem with holding a grudge. Like, to the extreme. And over something that seemed so childish and immaterial, too. She didn’t feel the slightest bit bad about wanting Samuel kicked out of her dad’s house. That really made it hard for me to like her, honestly. Despite that, I did enjoy this read.

Jo Ann Brown is a bestselling author who lives in Florida. A Promise of Forgiveness is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review:   The Burning Pages, by Paige Shelton

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title:    The Burning Pages
Author:    Paige Shelton
Genre:    Mystery
Rating:  4 out of 5

One winter’s night, bookseller Delaney Nichols and her coworker Hamlet are invited to a Burns Night dinner, a traditional Scottish celebration of the poet Robert Burns. She’s perplexed by the invitation, but intrigued. The dinner takes place at Burns House itself, a tiny cottage not far from the Cracked Spine bookshop but well hidden. There, it becomes clear that Delaney and Hamlet were summoned in an attempt to make amends between Edwin, Delaney’s boss, and one of the other invitees, who suspected Edwin for burning down his own bookshop twenty years ago after a professional disagreement.

 But after the dinner, there’s another fire. The Burns House itself is burned to the ground, and this time there’s a body among the ruins. When Hamlet is accused of the crime, Delaney rushes to prove his innocence, only to discover that he might actually have a plausible motive…

This is the second Scottish Bookshop Mystery I’ve read, and it was a lot of fun. Not too light and fluffy, as some cozy mysteries are, but definitely an engaging read. I loved all the characters, and it makes me want to run away to Scotland right now. I don’t know anything about Robert Burns, so finding out more about him and the traditions associated with him was very interesting. This is a solid read!

 Paige Shelton lives in Arizona. The Burning Pages is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review:   The Echo Man, by Sam Holland

Image belongs to Crooked Lane Books.

Title: The Echo Man
Author:  Sam Holland
Genre:  Thriller
Rating:  4.5 out of 5

Detectives Cara Elliott and Noah Deakin are on the case of a series of seemingly unconnected murders, each different in method, but each shocking and brutal. As the body count increases, they can’t ignore the details that echo famous cases of the past—Manson, Kemper, Dahmer, and more. As Elliott and Deakin get closer to unmasking the killer, the murders are moving closer to home.

 Meanwhile, Jessica Ambrose is on the run. She’s been implicated as the arsonist who killed her neglectful husband and injured her young daughter. With the help of disgraced and suspended detective Nate Griffin, Jess discovers a shocking link between her case and that of the ultimate copycat killer working on his horrifying masterpiece.

In the name of transparency, I’ll tell you I almost put this down at 10%. I didn’t find Jessica very likable at all to start with, and that trait in an MC is an almost guaranteed DNF for me. But I’m glad I persevered. Jessica improved a lot, and it was fascinating trying to figure out who the killer was. This is a very bloody and dark novel, so if you have a weak stomach, you might want to pass, but it ended up being pretty riveting as things progressed.

Sam Holland loves the dark and macabre. The Echo Man is his debut novel.

(Galley courtesy of Crooked Lane Books in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review:   In a Garden Burning Gold, by Rory Power

Image belongs to Random House/Ballantine.

Title:    In a Garden Burning Gold
Author:    Rory Power
Genre:  Fantasy
Rating: 4.2 out of 5

Rhea and her twin brother, Lexos, have spent an eternity helping their father rule their small, unstable country, using their control over the seasons, tides, and stars to keep the people in line. For a hundred years, they’ve been each other’s only ally, defending each other and their younger siblings against their father’s increasingly unpredictable anger.

 Now, with an independence movement gaining ground and their father’s rule weakening, the twins must take matters into their own hands to keep their family—and their entire world—from crashing down around them. But other nations are jockeying for power, ready to cross and double cross, and if Rhea and Lexos aren’t careful, they’ll end up facing each other across the battlefield.

This was…I’m not sure how to describe it. It felt very different from anything I’d read before, and the setting and culture were fascinating to me. This family was pretty horrible, for the most part. Their sister was actually nice, but very sheltered, the dad was horrible, their emo-ish brother was a bit much. I didn’t care for either twin initially, but Rhea grew on me as she started to become an actual person instead of some automaton who did everything her father expected. I’m interested to see where the next book takes them.

Rory Power is a bestselling author. In a Garden Burning Gold is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Random House/Ballantine in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review and Blog Tour:   Fool Me Once, by Ashley Winstead

Image belongs to Harlequin/Graydon House.

Title:    Fool Me Once
Author:    Ashley Winstead
Genre:    Romance
Rating:  DNF

Lee Stone is a twenty-first-century woman: she kicks butt at her job as a communications director at a women-run electric car company (that’s better than Tesla, thank you) and after work she is “Stoner,” drinking guys under the table and never letting any of them get too comfortable in her bed…

 That’s because Lee’s learned one big lesson: never trust men. After four major heartbreaks set her straight, from her father cheating on her mom all the way to Ben Laderman in grad school—who wasn’t actually cheating, but she could have sworn he was, so she reciprocated in kind.

 Then Ben shows up five years later, working as a policy expert for the most liberal governor in Texas history, just as Lee is trying to get a clean energy bill rolling. Things get complicated—and competitive as Lee and Ben are forced to work together. Tension builds just as old sparks reignite, fanning the flames for a romantic dustup the size of Texas.

I read less than 10% of this before stopping. Lee might have learned never to trust men, but she sure hasn’t learned anything from her own bad behavior, and I just can’t stand to read any characters that are horrible people. And Lee qualifies. So no, thank you. I prefer characters that are decent human beings, not caricatures of a “twenty-first century woman” which, in this case, seems to be code for “selfish, hurtful, and completely frivolous”—and showing no sign of redemption.

 Ashley Winstead lives in Texas. Fool Me Once is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/Graydon House in exchange for an honest review.)

 

Book Review and Blog Tour:  Crimson Summer, by Heather Graham

Image belongs to Harlequin/MIRA.

Title: Crimson Summer
Author:    Heather Graham
Genre:    Thriller
Rating:  4 out 5

They’re not going down without a fight.

 When FDLE special agent Amy Larson discovers a small horse figurine amid the bloody aftermath of a gang massacre in the Everglades, she recognizes it immediately. The toy is the calling card of the apocalypse cult that Amy and her partner, FBI special agent Hunter Forrest, have been investigating, and it can only mean one thing: this wasn’t an isolated skirmish—it was the beginning of a war.

 As tensions between rival gangs rise, so does the body count, and Amy and Hunter’s investigation leads them to a violent, far-right extremist group who are in no hurry to quell the civil unrest. With a deadly puppet master working to silence their every lead, it’s a race against the clock to figure out who’s been pulling the strings and put a stop to the escalating cartel turf war before the Everglades run red.

I’ve really enjoyed the Larson & Forrest books so far. Just creepy enough to keep my attention without being gory enough to gross me out. The characters—both the two main characters and the supporting characters—are solid and interesting, and I love how they work out exactly what’s going on with the crimes. I’d definitely recommend this!

Heather Graham is a bestselling author. Crimson Summer is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/MIRA in exchange for an honest review.)

 

 Book Review:  Sense and Second-Degree Murder, by Tirzah Price

Image belongs to HarperCollins.)

Title:   Sense and Second-Degree Murder
Author:   Tirzah Price
Genre:   YA, historical, mystery
Rating:  4 out of 5

When eighteen-year-old aspiring scientist Elinor Dashwood discovers her beloved father slumped over the desk of his office study, she knows his death means dire straits for the Dashwood women. To make matters worse, an outdated will entails his estate—including Norland & Company, the private investigation firm where her younger sister Marianne worked as her father’s partner and protégé—to their half-brother and his haughty wife, who waste no time in forcing the Dashwoods out of their home and into a cramped apartment on London’s Barton Street. 

But before they go, the Dashwood sisters make a startling discovery that points to foul play, and the killer might be family.

 Obviously, the girls must investigate. It could be dangerous; it could ruin their reputations; and most importantly, it won’t bring back their father. But if the Dashwood sisters can combine their talents and bring their father’s murderer to justice, it may bring them all some comfort—and it might even lead to love.

This was a fun read. I forgot how much Marianne annoyed me—in this and the original—but she really got on my nerves for the first 3/4ths of the book. The supporting characters were very well-done, and I loved the combination of the original storyline and the ladies having their own interests and ambitions. This is definitely a good weekend read.

Tirzah Price Grew up in Michigan. Sense and Second-Degree Murder is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review.)

Sundays are for Writing #167

This was a great writing week! I wrote seven book reviews, my March reading post, and the best books I read in March. Back to work tomorrow, so I’m sure there will be significantly less reading and writing this week.

Happy writing!

The Best Books I Read in March (2022)

In March, I read 20 books. A few of those were really excellent reads. All are fantasies this month.

In a Garden Burning Gold, by Rory Power. This was a unique tale (to me). I liked the culture and world, but the main family was mostly unlikable. However, Rhea really grew on me as she became her own person instead of her father’s puppet. Definitely a solid read!

A Magic Steeped in Poison, by Judy I. Lin. I was hooked from the very first page! Setting, culture, characters, I loved it all. I think linking tea and tea ceremonies with magic is so unique, and as a tea fanatic, I really appreciated it.

A Forgery of Roses, by Jessica S. Olson. This was another good fantasy read. I liked the magic system, and the characters were both relatable and likable.

What I Read in March (2022)

Books Read in March: 20

Books Read for the Year:  67/250

Topical Books/Monthly Goal Books:

The Hiding Place, by Corrie ten Boom (spiritual). This was an incredible story.

Beginning a Praying Life, by Paul E. Miller (spiritual). Interesting take on prayer. I learned some things.

The Water Keeper, by Charles Martin (TBR). This was SO good! I just loved it.

Autopsy, by Patricia Cornwell (TBR). I haven’t read this series for probably a decade, so it was a bit odd revisiting the characters.

Not Even for a Duke, by A.S. Fenichel (TBR). I enjoyed this series wrap-up.

Fortune and Glory, by Janet Evanovich (TBR). Just pure enjoyment. And too much Joe.

For Review:

Hideout, by Louisa Luna. Alice Vega is not an easy character to like. She’s hard. But she gets stuff done. Despite all the hatred she encounters, I enjoyed this read.

The Paradise Tree, by R.A. Denny. This was a fitting ending to Daniel and Peri’s story.

The Shadow Glass, by Josh Winning. This was a fun, kind of campy tale that reminded me of the movie The Labyrinth.

The Kaiju Preservation Society, by John Scalzi. I’m not sure what I was expecting from this, but I did enjoy the read.

A Forgery of Roses, by Jessica Olson. I enjoyed this story of magic and art. Loved the characters!

A Magic Steeped in Poison, by Judy I. Lin. This was an incredible read! I was hooked from the very beginning, and I can’t wait to read the second book in the duology.

The Lighthouse on Moonglow Bay, by Lori Wilde. This was a very “meh” read for me. I liked one of the sisters, but the other was completely self-absorbed and selfish. There was also a pretty big scene at the end that was totally disconnected from the rest of the narrative (involving a character we’d seen once, early on, and then not the slightest hint of through the rest of the novel.). This just didn’t work for me.

Savage City, by L. Penelope. This was an intriguing concept, but the characters felt a little flat to me.

Crimson Summer, by Heather Graham. I’m really liking these books with the main characters. Lots going on here, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Sense and Second-Degree Murder, by Tirzah Price (review forthcoming). I forgot how much Marianne annoyed me in the Austen book, but this was still a solid, entertaining read.

In a Garden Burning Gold, by Rory Power (review forthcoming). This was unique and intriguing, with characters that I wasn’t sure I liked (and most of them, no, I didn’t).

The Echo Man, by Sam Holland (review forthcoming). This started off a bit slow, but I ended up staying up until 2 a.m. to find out who did it!

The Burning Pages, by Paige Shelton (review forthcoming). This was a fun cozy mystery read—and I’m all about the books.

Just Because:

Mysteries of the Messiah, by Rabbi Jason Sobel. This was a fascinating read!

Left Unfinished:

Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell, by Taj McCoy. I thought this was going to be more of a learning-to-embrace-yourself-warts-and-all type of book, but the 15% I read made it clear that wasn’t the case. Savvy’s boyfriend was a total jerk, but she just let him act like a selfish pratt and make her feel bad about herself, and she still let him have that power over her. I was hoping she grew past that, but I was too annoyed to keep reading and find out.

The Younger Wife, by Sally Hepworth. Yeah, these characters are a hard no for me. Annoying, unlikable, and I could not have cared less about them after reading 15%. Good writing, but not a good fit for me.

Fool Me Once, by Ashley Winstead. I read less than 10% of this before stopping. Lee might have learned never to trust men, but she sure hasn’t learned anything from her own bad behavior, and I just can’t stand to read any characters that are horrible people. And Lee qualifies. So no, thank you. I prefer characters that are decent human beings, not caricatures of a “twenty-first century woman” which, in this case, seems to be code for “selfish, hurtful, and completely frivolous”—and showing no sign of redemption.