What Are We Reading and Reviewing in July 2021?

Feel The Power and Read a Book..or Two..or Three...or......just tell us what they are.

What Carol is reading in July
📌 - ★
📌Girls of Brackenhill - Kate Moretti- ★ (Pick A Winner)
📌And So It Begins - Rachel Abbott - 4.5★
📌Perfect Remains - Helen Fields - 5★
📌Before She Was Found - Heather Gudenkauf - 5★
📌Never Have I Ever - Joshilyn Jackson- 2.5★
📌Confessional - Blake Harte - Robert Innes -4.5★
📌The Best Corpse For The Job - Charlie Cochrane - 4★
📌The Look Alike - Erica Splinder - 4★
📌One Night Gone - Tara Laskowski - 4.5★
📌The Perfect Son - Lauren North - 5★
📌Truth Will Out K.C. Wells - 5★
📌Shadows Edge - S.C. Wynne - 5★
📌I’m Traveling Alone - Samuel Bjork - 4.5★
📌Jefferson Blythe, Esquire - Josh Lanyon - 4★
📌What Doesn't Kill Us - David Housewright - 4.5★
📌The Beautiful Dead - Belinda Bauer - 4★
📌The Last Picture Show - Larry McMurtry - 4★
📌The Whispering Dead - Darcy Coates - 5★
📌A Ghost of A Chance- Elizabeth Eagan Cox- 4★
📌Witchbane - Morgan Brice - 5★
📌Tallowwood - N.R. Walker - 5★
📌Southernmost Murder - C.S. Poe - 5★
📌Training Season - Leta Blake - 4★
📌The Mystery of Nevermore - C.S. Poe - 5★
📌Devil's Hour - Aimee Nicole Walker- 5★
📌Burn - Witchbane #2 - Morgan Brice - 4.5★
📌The Mystery of the Curiosities - C.S. Poe- 5★
📌Darkness First - James Hayman -5★
📌Three Months To Forever - Hudson Lin - 4.5★
📌Badlands - Morgan Brice – 5★
📌Ripples - Robert Innes 5★
📌The Bear and The Nightingale - Katherine Arden - 4.5★
📌Sucker Punch - Laurell K. Hamilton - 3★
📌The Haunting of Brynn Wilder - Wendy Webb - 5★
📌The Mystery of The Moving Image - C.S Poe - 5★
📌The Hate Project - Kris Ripper - 3★
📌Don't Twunk With My Heart - Renae Kaye - 4★
📌Loving Jay - Renae Kaye - -4.5★
📌Prodigal - TA Moore -5★

Tallowwood . N.R. Walker (Australia)
5 -★
Cold cases, murder, lies, and an unimaginable truth. Sydney Detective August Shaw has spent the last decade of work solving cold cases. His work is his entire life, and he's convinced a string of unsolved cold-case suicides are linked to what could be Australia's worst ever serial killer. Problem is, no one believes him. Senior Constable Jacob Porter loves his life in the small town of Tallowwood in northern New South Wales. He runs summer camps for the local Indigenous kids, plays rugby with his mates, has a close family, and he's the local LGBTQIA+ Liaison and the Indigenous Liaison Officer. When human remains are found in the camping grounds at Tallowwood Reserve, Jake's new case turns out to be linked to August's cold cases, and Jake agrees they're not suicides at all. With Jacob now firmly in August's corner, they face one hurdle after another. Even when more remains are found, they can't seem to gain ground. But when the body of a fellow police officer turns up under the same MO, it can't be ignored anymore. August and Jake must trace the untraceable before the killer takes his next victim or before he stops one of them, permanently.

N.R. Walker is one of my favorite authors. She is truly one amazing writer and Tallowwwod is just one more of her gifts to us...the readers. It keeps you guessing as to who the murderer is. The characters of August and Jake will own your heart before you are very far into the story. The ending will make you cry. This story has all of the things that keeps bringing me back to this author...love...heartache... corruption...murder... and that my two book bringing friends buy all her books and bring them to me is just an added addition. LUCKY, LUCKY ME!!!

Girls of Brackenhill - Kate Moretti - (New York)
4★
When Hannah Maloney’s aunt dies in a car accident, she returns to her family’s castle in the Catskills and the epicenter of a childhood trauma: her sister’s unsolved disappearance. It’s been 17 years, and though desperate to start a new life with her fiancé, Hannah is compelled to question the events of her last summer at Brackenhill. When a human bone is found near the estate, Hannah is convinced it belongs to her long-lost sister. She launches her own investigation into that magical summer that ended in a nightmare. As strange happenings plague the castle, Hannah uncovers disturbing details about the past and startling realizations about her own repressed childhood memories. Fueled by guilt over her sister’s vanishing, Hannah becomes obsessed with discovering what happened all those years ago, but by the time Hannah realizes some mysteries are best left buried, it’s too late to stop digging. Overwhelmed by what she has exposed, Hannah isn’t sure her new life can survive her old ghosts.

The mystery begins when Hannah's dog digs up a human bone...and she learns for the first time about the history of missing girls and unusual deaths that are the legacy of Brackenhill. She is fully convinced that the bone belongs to her sister whose disappearance has never been explained. A great deal of the story is devoted to Hanna's attempt to make sense of that disappearance. It’s an exciting, and enjoyable read until it ends... abruptly! Loose ends are left to dangle.... important question that would solve the primary mystery remain unanswered. It’s almost like part of the book was left unpublished. Good writing and great character development up to this point. There is nothing to indicate that this is a cliff hanger nor does it appear to be the beginning of a series. It just abruptly ends, and in that, Moretti has done her readers a real disservice. I will give it 4 stars for an excellent start.

Southernmost Murder - C.S. Poe - (Florida)
5★
Aubrey Grant lives in the tropical paradise of Old Town, Key West, has a cute cottage, a sweet moped, and a great job managing the historical property of a former sea captain. With his soon-to-be-boyfriend, hotshot FBI agent Jun Tanaka, visiting for a little R&R, not even Aubrey's narcolepsy can put a damper on their vacation plans. But a skeleton in a closet of the Smith Family Historical Home sure does throw a wrench into the works. Its identity drags Aubrey and Jun into a mystery with origins over a century in the past. They uncover a tale of long-lost treasure, the pirate king it belonged to, and a modern-day murderer who will stop at nothing to find the hidden riches. And if a killer on the loose isn’t enough to keep Aubrey out of the mess, it seems even the restless spirit of Captain Smith is warning him away. The unlikely partnership of a historian and special agent may be exactly what it takes to crack this mystery wide-open and finally put an old Key West tragedy to rest. But while Aubrey tracks down the *X* that marks the spot, one wrong move could be his last.

There’s a skeleton in the closet...literally. Meet Aubrey Grant...a diminutive thirty-something with bleached hair... narcolepsy...and all the street smarts of his native New York. He’s a passionate historian and manages Captain Smith’s historic house museum with professional expertise. On the day his soon-to-be boyfriend, FBI agent Jun Tanaka, arrives for vacation, Aubrey finds the skeleton. This leads to funny and eerie events. It’s not exactly a story of finding love...it’s more about giving love a chance to happen. People keep dying and then there’s the ghost of a long-dead pirate that may be causing all the trouble. This was really a fun ride from beginning to end. I loved Jun and Aubrey finding how they would fit into one another's lives and the mystery was really good also.

The Beautiful Dead - Belinda Bauer - (England)
4★
TV crime reporter Eve Singer’s career is flagging, but that starts to change when she covers a spate of bizarre murders—each one committed in public and advertised like an art exhibition. When the killer contacts Eve about her coverage of his crimes, she is suddenly on the inside of the biggest murder investigation of the decade. But as the killer becomes increasingly obsessed with her, Eve realizes there’s a thin line between inside information and becoming an accomplice to murder... possibly her own.

It begins with the stabbing of a woman who made the mistake of working on a Saturday when her office building was deserted...except, that is, for a verse-spouting serial killer. First to arrive on the scene of the murder is Eve Singer, who works for one of London’s TV news networks specializing in “if it bleeds it leads” reporting. I didn’t particularly care much for Eve. She was a member of the press that we have far too much of today. Get the story, report the story...never mind who the story might hurt. Her news agency didn't have many morals either. Eve’s editor kept threating to replace her with a younger, (Eve is a ripe old 30), reporter...preferably a blond. The killer welcomes Eve’s publicity at first...but that soon changes. As the murders...each staged as an “exhibition”... mount up, the killer’s game with the police and Eve grows more suspenseful. The reader begins to suspect we are going to be handed another predictable ending...again we are wrong.

All Quiet On the Western Front – Erich Marie Remarque
Book on CD narrated by Frank Muller.
4****

From the book jacket: “I am young. I am twenty years old; yet I know nothing of life but despair, death, fear, and fatuous superficiality cast over an abyss of sorrow.” This is the testament of Paul Baumer, who enlists with his classmates in the German army during World War I. They become soldiers with youthful enthusiasm. But the world of duty, culture, and progress they had been taught breaks in pieces under the first bombardment in the trenches.

My reactions;
Many have called this the “greatest war novel of all time.” I’m not certain I agree with that superlative, but it IS a powerful, emotional, gripping, disturbing, enthralling, and honest exploration of war and its affects on the young who become the pawns of their leaders.

Remarque was himself a soldier in World War I, so he was intimately acquainted with both the romantic adventure that lures many a young person to enlist and the despair and terror of the horrors witnessed on the battlefield.

Frank Muller’s performance on the audio book is perfect. He is in turns eager, excited, confused, terrified, gentle, compassionate, ruthless, defeated, or hopeful.

Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands / Chris Bohjalian
3.75 stars

Emily (grade 11) was at school when it happened. There was just a couple more days until the end of the school year. Both her parents worked at the nuclear plant in town. The kids at school only knew that sirens were going when they were loaded on to buses and taken away. Emily kept overhearing things about her parents, about how her drunk father had caused this. She needed to disappear. She didn’t want anyone to know she was their daughter, since they were being blamed for the meltdown.

Emily, who since changed her name to Abby, is telling the story in hindsight, and going back and forth in time, and she does jump around, as it’s kind of a conversational tone. There is one dividing line that makes it easier to tell when in time you are as you read: B.C. and A.C. (Before Cameron and After Cameron). Cameron is a young runaway boy that she takes under her wing, as they are both homeless on the streets of Burlington, Vermont.

The book is rough as it shows the life of a homeless teenage girl. I did cry a few times, usually in reference to Maggie, the dog Emily had left behind in the radioactive zone (not that she had a choice). I had to laugh at the “connection” between Emily Dickinson’s poems and the “Gilligan’s Island” theme (and then I sang the poems as they came up in the book)! I quite liked this and it got just a bit more interesting toward the end, but I’m not sure I liked it as much as others I’ve read by Bohjalian.

Witchbane - Morgan Brice - (Virginia)
Witchbane series Book #1
5★
Seth Tanner and his brother Jesse's fun evening debunking local urban legends ends with Jesse's gruesome murder. Seth vows revenge on Jesse's killer - too bad the murderer has been dead for a hundred years. Seth uncovers a cycle of ritual killings that feed the power of a dark warlock's immortal witch-disciples, and he's hell bent on stopping Jackson Malone from becoming the next victim. He's used to risking his neck. He never intended to risk his heart.

I really like a good paranormal story and this book really delivered. From the very beginning it pulls you in with action and intrigue not to mention creatures that you would NEVER want to encounter anywhere. It’s a sad time in the life of one of the main characters...but it helps to build the story and gives an insight into the man Seth is now...as well as leading to making the storyline as believable as a story of this genre can be. The ending was open ended enough to let the reader know and look forward to a sequel. This may be one of the best series of this genre that I have ever read. I have managed to acquire the next two in the series and can't wait to start again with Seth and Evan.

Perfect Remains - Helen Fields (Scotland)
DI Callanach series Book #1
5★
On a remote mountain in the Scottish Highlands, the body of Elaine Buxton is burning. All that will be left to identify the respected lawyer are her teeth and a fragment of clothing. In the concealed back room of a house in Edinburgh, the real Elaine Buxton screams into the darkness....Detective Inspector Luc Callanach has barely set foot in his new office when Elaine’s missing persons case is escalated to a murder investigation. Having left behind a promising career at Interpol, he’s eager to prove himself to his new team. But Edinburgh, he discovers, is a long way from Lyon, and Elaine’s killer has covered his tracks with meticulous care. It’s not long before another successful woman is abducted from her doorstep and Callanach finds himself in a race against the clock...or so he believes.

This debut novel features DI Luc Callanach and his team. Luc is new to the area and new to the job. The first hurdle he encounters is one that he can do absolutely nothing about. The fact that he’s half French and half Scottish does nothing to endear him and it seems that everyone on his team is holding that against him. He is eager to prove himself to his new team...but that also meets resistance. He has barely had a chance to settle into his new office when a missing person's case suddenly becomes a homicide... and, ready or not, the game is on. Luc is an absolutely terrific character. We learn so much about him when the author blends his professional life with his personal life and we learn the things that brought him to where he is now. If you like Angela Marston’s books...you will soon become an equal fan of Helen Fields

The Mystery of Nevermore - C.S. Poe - (New York)
Snow & Winter series Book #1
5★
It’s Christmas in New York City, and all antique shop owner Sebastian Snow wants is for his business to make money and to save his floundering relationship with closeted CSU detective, Neil Millett. But when Snow’s Antique Emporium is broken into and a heart is found under the floorboards, Sebastian can’t let the mystery rest. He soon finds himself caught up in murder investigations that echo the macabre writings of Edgar Allan Poe. To make matters worse, Sebastian’s sleuthing is causing his relationship with Neil to crumble, while at the same time he’s crushing hard on the lead homicide detective of the case, Calvin Winter. Sebastian and Calvin must work together to unravel the mystery behind the killings, despite the mounting danger and sexual tension, before Sebastian becomes the next victim. In the end, Sebastian only wants to get out of this mess alive and live happily ever after with Calvin.

Sebastian Snow...for all the trouble he gets into and all the kinks in his brain, is an adorably character. His closeted...everyone in this book is it seems...older...and supposedly an ice-cold detective-pursuer-protector. Calvin Winter, is a semi-closeted, ex-military who has a strict moral code...and a weakness for helpless-looking booksellers. He’s a nice counterbalance to Sebastian's increasingly estranged deeply-closeted detective boyfriend Neil, who really does provide some catalytic moments. The anchor here is Sebastian's father, who is clearly drawn and perfectly adept at solving everyone's problems with a word or two from his academic past. The culprit was fairly easy to spot right away but I was happy to go along with this as the story progressed. This is without a doubt the most clueless bunch I think I have ever encountered...but this is forgiven because the story is well written... completely satisfying...absolutely fun book with unexpected twists and turns.

Maisie Dobbs / Jacqueline Winspear
2.5 stars

In 1929, Masie Dobbs is opening up a detective agency and gets her first case. It’s not long before she solves this one, then the book takes us back in time to when she was younger and had to take a job as a servant, where she was not only treated well, but she was helped with an education. Then WWI hit, and she became a nurse.

This might not be a great summary, as I listened to the audio and missed much of it. I was interested at the start, then sort of missed the going back in time (although it did say the year at the start and I sort of wasn’t thinking, as I do – vaguely – recall hearing the new date). From there to the end of the book, what I paid attention to was patchy.

I was somewhat interested again for part of her time during the war. There were very few characters that I remembered who they were when mentioned again later in the book, though. I did like Simon and Maisie’s relationship with her father, Frank. They are pretty much the only other characters I remember (oh, and Lady Rowan – Maisie’s employer when she was a servant). I got the idea that there was another mystery at the end of the book, but I really had no clue what was going on there – apparently (based on other reviews), there was a murder – I had no idea! See how much I missed!? Although it’s considered a mystery, there is next to no time spent on a mystery in the book. Needless to say, I will not be continuing the series.

Burn; Witchbane 2 - Morgan Brice - (Pennsylvania)
Witchbane series Book #2 (Novella)
4.5★

One hundred years ago, a sheriff's posse killed dark warlock Rhyfel Gremory, but his witch-disciples escaped, and their magic made them nearly immortal. To keep their power, each year one of the witch-disciples kills a descendant of one of the men in the posse, a 12-year cycle that has cost dozens of lives, including that of Seth Tanner's brother, Jesse. Seth uncovers a cycle of ritual murders that feed the witch-disciples' power, and he saves Evan Malone, one of the warlock's potential victims. Neither Seth nor Evan expected to fall in love, but when the dust settles, they find themselves on the run and on the road together, heading toward Pittsburgh, on the trail of the next killer. Seth wonders whether Evan will come to regret his choice to stay together, now that he's living the reality of Seth's nomadic life and the risks that come with it. He wants Evan to stay, but he's afraid that Evan would be better off without him, living a normal life. Evan's whole world has been upended, but there's one thing he's sure of, his love for Seth. Evan worries that he's a liability, not yet able to hold his own in Seth's rough-and-tumble world, but determined to do whatever necessary to have Seth's back. On the way to face the next warlock, supernatural threats abound, forcing them to learn to fight as a team.

This is actually listed as Book #1.5 in the series but it is actually book #2 even though only 120 pages in length. What it lacks in length it more than makes up for in content. This series really does need to be read in order...so we pick up from the end of Witchbane.#1. Seth and Evan are trying to recover and move forward in their relationship, which is having its ups and downs. Seth worries about how he can protect Evan and goes too far in the other direction. I believe that Evan needs to confront his insecurities and the bigger than life changes that have taken place in his life. Throughout it all we get to follow along as they battle creepy nasties of all types, which I highly enjoyed. We have enough “nasties” in our world and certainly don’t need anymore. As in the last book, there was a lot of action in this story. Wish it had been longer.

The White Umbrella – Brian Sewell
4****

Opening line: Mr B, a wiry little man of fifty with white hair was sitting in the back of a big white Land Rover when he saw the donkey.
The television documentary filmmaker leaps out and comes to the rescue of the poor animal which is laden with a burden far too heavy for her tiny frame. They are in Pakistan and scheduled to leave the next day, but Mr B will not leave without the donkey and declares he will walk back to England if necessary. And so, he sets out, with a knapsack filled with a few essentials and one change of clothes, and his large white umbrella for shade.

This is a charming fable of one man’s devotion. Along the way Mr B and Pavlova (so named because of her long legs) encounter kind strangers and a few sketchy criminal types. Still, everyone seems enthralled with the little donkey and the crazy Englishman’s determination. A pharmacist treats Pavlova’s wounds, a lorry driver offers a lift, a merchant opens his home and garden, even the drug smuggler gives them a lift.

It was an engaging, gentle read, with a totally satisfying ending. A perfect escape from the hectic and stressful present day situation.

Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike
Phil Knight
4/5 stars
What a well written book by Phil Knight, who maps out his journey to build a shoe brand and form his own company, NIKE with the help of his family and friends. This is definitely very inspirational for those building their own company but very readable for those who like a good biography.

Devil’s Hour - Aimee Nicole Walker - (Georgia)
Zero Hour Series Book #2
5★
Born on the wrong side of the tracks, Royce Locke is no stranger to scrapping and fighting for the things he wants. What he desires most is Sawyer Key - his partner on the force and the man he's falling in love with. After asking Sawyer to take a chance on him, Royce will need to back up his pretty words with fearless action instead of being his own worst enemy. Someone is harassing the mayor of Savannah, and Locke and Key are tasked with finding out who. The investigation quickly takes a twisted turn, leading them to an enemy who thinks purification by fire is the only way to save the city. Scarier than The Purists' elusiveness is their ability to turn public opinion in their favor, creating unrest and threatening anarchy by fanning flames and fear. When menace becomes murder, the two detectives will race the clock against the devil to save their beloved city from becoming a raging inferno. Royce will need to draw on his grit now more than ever if he hopes to realize the dreams that are finally within reach. The rag is lit, the Molotov cocktail is tossed, and the zero hour is upon them. Challenge received and accepted.

Don’t you just love the characters names...Locke & Key. What are the chances of partners having names like that?? These two are imaginative and remarkable. This story is fast paced and Royce and Sawyer are unstoppable. I really liked that I couldn’t figure out who the bad guy was...but neither could Locke and Key until almost the very end. It was fun to keep guessing though. The chemistry between the two guys is 100% combustible and the way they tease and banter back and forth gives them depth and personality. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

And So It Begins - Rachel Abbott
4.5★
When I met Mark, I knew I had to make him mine. Thoughtful and sensitive, Mark lived in the most breath-taking house I’d ever seen – all glass and perched on the clifftop, with mesmerizing views across the waves below. It was where his first wife had died tragically, but it would be our promising new start. When our gorgeous daughter Lulu was born, our perfect life was complete. But then I started having accidents at home. A broken hand… a black eye… Mark’s sister thought I was doing it for attention, but she had no idea how scared I was of who I had become. If I told you what my life with Mark has turned into, I doubt you would believe it. But I need you to listen because you’re the only hope Lulu and I have left. And if I can make you see the truth, then maybe there’s a chance I can save my precious daughter…

It has one of the most twisted plots I have ever read. “Engrossing”...” Dark”... "Unique”...and “Excellent... would be appropriate adjectives to describe it in a nutshell. The only drawback I could see in the book was that perhaps the author spent just a little too much time emphasizing the relationship between the 3 main characters', but that didn’t take anything away from a well written...well told, story. The strong theme of family forces the reader to think about just how far you would go for your loved ones...and if the ends...in this particular case can ever justify the means.

Darkness First - James Hayman - (Maine)
McCabe and Savage series Book #3
5★
The mutilated body of a young woman. The town doctor lying comatose in the road. And 150 tablets of Canadian OxyContin. This is the havoc that a merciless killer has wreaked on a sleepy Maine seaport. As detectives Maggie Savage and Michael McCabe investigate, they realize the man they are after does not exist. Nobody knows his real name. Nobody has seen his face. But everybody fears his blade. The only one who may know the murderer's true identity is an 11-year-old girl - who has vanished into thin air.

Michael McCabe and Maggie Savage are drawn into another bizarre and savage murder mystery. Dr. Emily Kaplan is savagely attacked and shortly after this a young girl...a stranger...arrives at her clinic but then flees in fear. Emily follows her in an attempt to help her. The girl is brutally murdered, and Emily is almost killed. Thus, begins a story that revolves around the drug Oxycontin. There were multiple blind alleys as the story unfolded and you just can’t help exploring each one looking for the answer to the mystery. A good one, Mr. Hayman...and well worth the time spent with McCabe and Savage.

Honolulu / Alan Brennert
4 stars

Named “Regret” by her parents, this little Korean girl so wanted an education but it was forbidden. As a teenager, though, she managed to get permission to travel to Hawaii as a “picture bride”. Immediately upon arrival, along with four other Korean girls she met on the ship, and now self-named Jin (meaning “Gem”), they married their new husbands before being allowed entry into their new country. Jin’s hope had been that her husband would be able to get her an education in Hawaii, but she was sorely disappointed (to put it mildly), not only with this, but with many other things, as well.

I really enjoyed this. I not only learned about the life of a picture bride, I learned about Hawaii in the early 20th century, and about Korea and the interactions with Japan that I really knew nothing about. I was impressed with how many real-life people Brennert brought into the story.

Before She Was Found - Heather Gudenkauf - (Iowa)
5 ★
For twelve-year-old Cora Landry and her friends Violet and Jordyn, it was supposed to be an ordinary sleepover—movies and Ouija and talking about boys. But when they decide to sneak out to go to the abandoned rail yard on the outskirts of town, little do they know that their innocent games will have dangerous consequences. Later that night, Cora Landry is discovered on the tracks, bloody and clinging to life, her friends nowhere to be found. Soon their small rural town is thrust into a maelstrom. Who would want to hurt a young girl like Cora—and why? In an investigation that leaves no stone unturned, everyone is a suspect and no one can be trusted—not even those closest to Cora.
Before She Was Found is a timely and gripping thriller about friendship and betrayal, about the power of social pressure and the price of needing to fit in. It is about the great lengths a parent will go to protect their child and keep them safe—even if that means burying the truth, no matter the cost.

The way the story unfolds will be confusing to some readers. It’s told through text messages...journal entries.... therapists' notes... as well as various family members' perspectives. All aid the reader in learning more about the girls and their relationships with each other as well as the small mid-western town they call home. Heather Gudenkauf does an excellent job of using social media and urban legends to give the “fear factor” to the story. The characters are all engaging. That combined with a really terrifying...entirely too real topic.... combine to create a story of suspense set in a small Iowa Midwestern town that you will be compelled to read to the very last word...and wish there was more

Confessional- A Blake Harte Mystery - Robert Innes - (Scotland)
Blake Harte series Book #2
4.5★
St Abra’s church is harboring a dark secret. Several elderly parishioners have been found dead in the church’s confessions booth, all appearing to have suffered fatal heart attacks. But when another, much younger body is discovered in exactly the same way, Detective Sergeant Blake Harte must investigate how it is possible for the confessions booth to be killing off its occupants. Dark forces are at play, forcing Blake to believe it’s more than just tragic coincidence. Are the deaths a punishment for the sins confessed, or are there ulterior motives in play? In a race against the clock, only Blake can discover the long-kept secrets and lies hiding in the shadows before they tear apart the sleepy village of Harmschapel.

This is fast becoming a favorite series for me. It appeals to the murder mystery side of me as well as “The Ghost Story Junkie” that dwells inside and often demand attention. The main characters from the first book...Blake and Harrison are improving. It was a mild suggestion in the last book that Harrison would be Blakes’ love interest...but becomes quite obvious in this one. I hope that Mr. Innes gives Harrison a bit more personality in the future writings. The plot was intriguing and well done. The question for the reader to solve became not WHO the murder was, but WHY. I will find book #3. They are difficult if not impossible, for some city libraries to order...mine included... as they seem to be published to/for Amazon only and many city libraries can only order from certain sites assigned to them.

Never Have I Ever - Joshilyn Jackson - (Florida)
2.5 ★
In this game, even winning can be deadly... Amy Whey is proud of her ordinary life and the simple pleasures that come with it—teaching diving lessons, baking cookies for new neighbors, helping her best friend, Charlotte, run their local book club. Her greatest joy is her family: her devoted professor husband, her spirited fifteen-year-old stepdaughter, her adorable infant son. And, of course, the steadfast and supportive Charlotte. But Amy’s sweet, uncomplicated life begins to unravel when the mysterious and alluring Angelica Roux arrives on her doorstep one book club night. Sultry and magnetic, Roux beguiles the group with her feral charm. She keeps the wine flowing and lures them into a game of spilling secrets. Everyone thinks it’s naughty, harmless fun. Only Amy knows better. Something wicked has come her way...a she-devil in a pricey red sports car who seems to know the terrible truth about who she is and what she once did. When they’re alone, Roux tells her that if she doesn’t give her what she asks for, what she deserves, she’s going to make Amy pay for her sins. One way or another. The most terrifying thing is that even if she wins...she loses.

I really like this author so I was a bit surprised that I found the story on the disturbing side...and not in a good way. I’m not a prude by any means but the sex scenes between the woman and the young boy traveling with her was a little too much to absorb and certainly not condone. The “secret” that was going to be reveled happened when Amy was still a child. Admittedly... it was serious enough that she probably should have told at least her husband...but instead she allowed it to became a control that was used to blackmail her. I grew irritated with her for even engaging with this depictable individual. Considering the big build up about the “secret” the ending was really disappointing.

The Last Picture Show - Larry McMurtry-(Texas)
4★
It’s both a rambunctious coming-of-age story and an elegy to a forlorn Texas town trying to keep its one movie house alive. Adapted into the Oscar-winning film, this masterpiece immortalizes the lives of the hardscrabble residents who are threatened by the inexorable forces of the modern world.

For those of you that have never read the book but perhaps have seen the movie...you should know that there is 100 miles of differences between the two. The book was published in 1966, five years before the movie was produced. I was amazed that the book is literally filled with surprisingly far more explicit sex than almost any novel that has been written today...55 years later. There are MANY...and I do mean many... scenes in the book that describe sex between the characters in very erotic detail. One of the things that struck me particularly odd about this novel was the lack of romance in the way that McMurtry dealt with all this steamy sex. This is diffidently not a book that everyone will enjoy but I had to give it a 4 star rating for the very nerve of the author to write this at that time.

The Mystery of the Curiosities - C S Poe - (New York)
Snow and Winter series Book #2
5★
Life has been great for Sebastian Snow. The Emporium is thriving and his relationship with NYPD homicide detective, Calvin Winter, is everything he’s ever wanted. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, Sebastian’s sole concern is whether Calvin would enjoy a romantic date. It’s only when an unknown assailant smashes the Emporium’s window and leaves a peculiar note behind that all holiday plans get pushed aside in favor of another mystery. Sebastian is quickly swept up in a series of grisly yet seemingly unrelated murders. The only connection tying the deaths together are curiosities from the lost museum of P.T. Barnum. Despite Calvin’s attempts to keep Sebastian out of the investigation, someone is forcing his hand, and it becomes apparent that the entire charade exists for Sebastian to solve. But with each clue that brings him closer to the killer, he’s led deeper into Calvin’s official cases. It’s more than just Sebastian’s livelihood and relationship on the line - it’s his very life.

In this second book of the series “Snow and Winter”. The dynamic of the couple is now firmly in place, so it's mostly all about the mystery. Which is not to say there isn't plenty of time with the two guys. Their dynamic is a big part of what is making these stories such good reads. The mystery is quite interesting, and chock full of red herrings. The final reveal is definitely one of those “I should have seen that coming” moments. The bad guy is not as easily recognized as the one in the first book. I love this series. I especially liked the coffee shop “Tall, Dark & Bitter” with the murder names for the menu items. Think I’ll have the “Dead bird on the freeway with brains” on the side. (Turkey burger and curly fries) :) The mysteries are always multi-layered and well thought out with loads of fascinating background detail. Another series that I will hate to see end.

The Look Alike - Erica Spindler
4★
Sienna Scott grew up in the dark shadow of her mother’s paranoid delusions. Now, she's returned home to confront her past and the unsolved murder that altered the course of her life. In her mother’s shuttered house, an old fear that has haunted Sienna for years rears its ugly head―that it was she who had been the killer’s target that night. And now, with it, a new fear―that the killer not only intended to remedy his past mistake―he’s already begun. But are these fears any different from the ones that torment her mother? As the walls close in, the line between truth and lie, reality and delusion disintegrate. Has Sienna’s worst nightmare come true? Or will she unmask a killer and finally prove she may be her mother’s look-alike, but she’s not her clone?

This is a chilling novel that explores perhaps one of our deepest fears...that danger is always closer than we think. The whole premise of this just sounded fascinating. The main character...Sienna Scott...stumbles across a dead body when leaving her college library late at night. She is haunted by the similarities between herself and the victim...so much so that she flees to London where she remains for ten years. Eventually though, she has to return home to take care of her mother who suffers from a paranoid personality disorder. Almost immediately she starts having more reason to think she actually had been the intended victim all along. The book does a really good job of getting into your head and making you start to question just who you should believe. I really liked the story but the book isn’t perfect. The writing felt a little juvenile at times, and the romance...even though there was nothing objectionable to it... was just unnecessary in making the story. I would have to say that it was a thoroughly enjoyable read and kept me on the edge of my seat guessing the killer and the motive until the very end.

A Night Divided / Jennifer A. Nielsen
4 stars

Overnight, one night in 1961, a barbed wire fence went up in the middle of Berlin. It was the beginning of the Berlin Wall, which of course, was built up as a concrete barrier in later months. Gerta is only 8-years old, and her father and middle brother were in West Berlin at the time. They have no way back. When Gerta is 12, she sees her brother on the other side of the wall as she is walking to school. When she sees her father a few days later, he tries to signal something to her: he wants her to dig her way to escape.

This was really good. I have to admit I really knew very little about the Berlin Wall (beyond that it came down in 1989) or the politics surrounding it, so this was interesting to learn. And heartbreaking for those families who were separated. In an interview with the author at the end of the book, it seems that most families were eventually reunited, but the exceptions were those people who were “dissidents” (as Gerta’s father is in the book) – those who were known to not agree with how things were being run.

Hana / Lauren Oliver
3.5 stars

This is a short story in the Delirium series. Hana is coming up to the time she will be “cured” – that is, she will not be able to love. In the months leading up to that time, however, she has discovered an underground of young people who have not yet been cured. They party, dance, and love before they will no longer be able to.

This was good. Very short, but a quick capture of one of the characters in the series. I have read the first in the series and there are more short stories following different characters, as well as at least two more full-length books in the series.

The Perfect Son - Lauren North
5★
"Mrs. Cass, we were hoping your son could answer a few questions about the girl who disappeared last night..." Erika Cass has a perfect family and a perfect life. Until the evening when two detectives show up at her front door. A high school girl has vanished from Erika's quiet suburban neighborhood. The police suspect the worst--murder. And Erika's teenage son, Liam, was the last person to see the girl alive. Erika has always sensed something dark and disturbed in her seemingly perfect older child. She wants to believe he's innocent, but as the evidence mounts, she can't deny the truth--Liam may have done the unthinkable. Now she must ask herself: How far will she go to protect her son?

The questions that no parent wants to consider...EVER. Do you know any members of your family and what would you do if you suspected your child in a psychopath? I am an avid psychological thriller reader and generally can figure out the killer or the plot fairly early on...but not this one. I only began to sort the entire mess out at the last few pages of the book. An excellent, engrossing and intriguing read. I seldom recommend books since everyone has varied tastes and expectations of a book that don’t always correspond with mine...however if you are a fan of books like Lionel Shriver’s We Need To Talk About Kevin, or William Landy's Defending Jacob…you will want to make this one a place on your reading list.

Strange Bedpersons / Jennifer Crusie
3 stars

Tess and Nick broke up a while back. When Nick shows up at Tess’s door, he needs a favour. In order for a big promotion at his work (he’s a lawyer and his work (and money) has always been his priority), he needs someone to pose as his fiancee for a weekend event and he’s hoping Tess will help him out. They never had much in common beyond a wild attraction, and although Tess hesitates, she agrees. Not only that, she convinces her best friend to accompany Nick’s friend/fellow lawyer (Park) to the same weekend gathering, although she really can’t stand Park.

This was ok. Romance is not usually my “thing”, but sometimes the chick lit has enough other in it that it can be fun and light and enjoyable to me. There were attempts at humour that didn’t really make me laugh in this one, and I’m not sure I really liked any of the characters. There was a secondary plotline that was kind of interesting with a bit of a twist in it, which I liked. This was short and will be forgotten fairly soon, I’m sure.

The Best Corpse For The Job - Charlie Cochrane - (England)
Lindenshaw Mystery Series Book #1
4★
Tea and sympathy have never been so deadly. Schoolteacher Adam Matthews just wants to help select a new headteacher and go home. The governors at Lindenshaw St Crispin’s have already failed miserably at finding the right candidate, so it’s a make or break this second time round. But when one of the applicants is found strangled in the school, what should have been a straightforward decision turns tempestuous as a flash flood in their small English village. Inspector Robin Bright isn’t thrilled to be back at St. Crispin’s. Memories of his days there are foul enough without tossing in a complicated murder case. And that handsome young teacher has him reminding himself not to fraternize with a witness. But it’s not long before Robin is relying on Adam for more than just his testimony. As secrets amongst the governors emerge and a second person turns up dead, Robin needs to focus less on Adam and more on his investigation. But there are too many suspects, too many lies, and too many loose ends. Before they know it, Robin and Adam are fighting for their lives and their hearts.

The plot is nicely interwoven with a few mysteries, clues slowly trickling in and reveals that are just WOW at times. Robin and Adam are attracted but there is the fact that Robin is working the case and Adam is a witness that is stopping them for going further. We watch them learn about one another and find a relationship beyond the attraction in the terms of friendship first. They learn to trust and respect one another. They lean on each other and help one another out before they act on the attraction. When they do act on the attraction, it is very understated in the book so it doesn’t take away from what the main plot is about. The author sticks nicely to the main plot about Robin solving the murders and how he goes about doing this. I had never read anything by this author but will find more as I would like to see more of Robin and Adam.

What Doesn't Kill Us- David Housewright - (Minnesota)
PI Mac McKenzie series Book #18
4.5★
Rushmore (Mac) McKenzie, former St. Paul police detective and unexpected millionaire, does the occasional, unofficial private detective work―mostly favors for friends. He's faced kidnappers, domestic terrorists, art thieves, among others, and had a hand in solving some of the most perplexing mysteries of the Twin Cities. But this time, his prodigious luck and intuition may have finally failed him: He was shot in the back by an unknown assailant and lies in a coma. His childhood friend, Lt. Bobby Dunston of the St. Paul Police Department, assigns his best detective to the case while other figures―on both sides of the law―pursue the truth. What was McKenzie investigating, what did he learn that so threatened someone that they tried to kill him? What do a sketchy bar in the wrong part of town, the area's prominent tech millionaire family, drug dealers, investment bankers, and a mysterious woman who left an unknown package for McKenzie all have in common? As time slowly begins to run out, the answer to those questions might be what stands between life and death.

This is the story of how the friends of McKenzie investigate his shooting. McKenzie is a former policeman who is now rich. But he still does investigative favors for his friends. What was he investigating the night he was shot, and for whom? The answer involves an extremely troubled family from the rich side of Minneapolis. The plot is twisty. The story is really well done considering that the “star” of the series spends most of the book in a coma but still manages to lend us his thoughts throughout...so, the reader knows he will eventually awaken without brain damage spoiling a major plot point. It was good to see his friends ...and some not so much friends...gather to help find the shooter.

One Night Gone - Tara Laskowski - (New Jersey)
4.5★
It was the perfect place to disappear...One sultry summer, Maureen Haddaway arrives in the wealthy town of Opal Beach to start her life anew—to achieve her destiny. There, she finds herself lured by the promise of friendship, love, starry skies, and wild parties. But Maureen’s new life just might be too good to be true, and before the summer is up, she vanishes. Decades later, when Allison Simpson is offered the opportunity to house-sit in Opal Beach during the off-season, it seems like the perfect chance to begin fresh after a messy divorce. But when she becomes drawn into the mysterious disappearance of a girl thirty years before, Allison realizes the gorgeous homes of Opal Beach hide dark secrets. And the truth of that long-ago summer is not even the most shocking part of all.

The story is told in alternating voices thirty years apart, Allison the weather girl, and the carny girl Mauren...with a mysterious past. I usually don’t care for stories told in alternating voices or timelines decades apart but this all worked very well in this book with the author doing an excellent job of bringing the two timelines together and weaving them beautifully. There is a surprise regarding who was the biggest, evilest villain and who was actually pulling the strings from the beginning.

Advise and Consent
Allen Drury
4/5 stars
Drury’s book published in 1959 revolves around Washington politics. The Secretary of State needs to be replaced and the President’s nominee is not a popular one. The story unfolds through the eyes of four politicians as they deal with the nomination and the potential scandal behind the nominee. Amidst the nomination storyline is also the space race storyline between the US and Russia. This is a very long book but I thought it was well written and interesting.

The Whispering Dead - Darcy Coates
Grave Keeper series Book #1
5★
Homeless, hunted, and desperate to escape a bitter storm, Keira takes refuge in an abandoned groundskeeper's cottage. Her new home is tucked away at the edge of a cemetery, surrounded on all sides by gravestones: some recent, some hundreds of years old, all suffering from neglect. and in the darkness, she can hear the unquiet dead whispering. The cemetery is alive with faint, spectral shapes, led by a woman who died before her time…and Keira, the only person who can see her, has become her new target. Determined to help put the ghost to rest, Keira digs into the spirit's past life with the help of unlikely new friends, and discovers a history of deception, ill-fated love, and murder. But the past is not as simple as it seems, and Keira's time is running out. Tangled in a dangerous web, she has to find a way to free the spirit...even if it means offering her own life in return.

“There’s something evil here. Something evil...something evil... something evil...” I ask you...how could any “ghost story junkie” resist after that? I have yet to read anything by this author that I have not absolutely loved...this one is no exception. The reader has plenty of mysteries to sort out. Who is Keira? Why is someone hunting her? Who are they? Why can Keira do the things she can do? You usually don’t have characters that are all fun. The main characters are delightfully quirky and so entirely likeable. Makes you think of the best grandparents in the entire world. Not all the questions were answered in this one... but that certainly leaves something to grab book #2 for.

Little Big Man – Thomas Berger
Audible Audio performed by David Aaron Baker, Scott Sowers, and Henry Strozier.
3.5***, rounded up

Berger’s novel purports to be a memoir/autobiography of Jack Crabb, written with the help of ghost writer Ralph Snell. “Snell” opens the prologue thus: It was my privilege to know the late Jack Crabb – frontiersman, Indian scout, gunfighter, buffalo hunter, adopted Cheyenne – in his final days upon this earth. He goes on to relate how he learned of the reportedly 111-year-old man living in a nursing home, who claimed to be an eyewitness to Custer’s Last Stand at the Battle of Little Bighorn. The bulk of the novel is Crabb’s first-person account is life experiences from about 1852 to 1876. Snell then returns in an epilogue to explain that Crabb died shortly after relating that last chapter (Little Bighorn), and he regrets that he was unable to learn more of Crabb’s many exploits through the decades.

I was completely entertained by this novel of the American West. Berger gives the reader quite the raconteur in Crabb, with a gift for story-telling and colorful language. By the narrator’s own account, he certainly has a gift for landing on his feet, managing to get out of more than one potentially deadly scrape by his wits or sheer dumb luck. As he grows from boyhood Crabb is kidnapped / adopted by a Cheyenne tribe, taken in and sheltered by a minister and his wife, “works” as a gambler and gunfighter, hunts buffalo, marries a Scandinavian woman who speaks limited English, and eventually becomes a scout for George Armstrong Custer, thereby witnessing the US Army’s defeat at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Along the way he rejoins the Cheyenne tribe numerous times, listening to the advice of Old Lodge Skins, and relating much of the culture and traditions of that Native tribe, as well as what life was like for the European settlers during that time period.

If the scenarios stretch credulity, well that is part of the fun. We have always looked on the American West with a sort of awe and wonder, elevating many of the historical figures to the level of superhuman legends. Berger sprinkles Crabb’s recollections with a number of these people: Wild Bill Hickock, Wyatt Earp and Custer, among others.

In the epilogue Snell writes ”I leave the choice in your capable hands. Jack Crabb was either the most neglected hero in the history of this country or a liar of insane proportions.. It’s fun to imagine that some “everyman” did witness so much history first hand. His exploits could easily be the inspiration for “Forest Gump.”

The audiobook is performed by a talented trio: David Aaron Baker, Scott Sowers, and Henry Strozier. I do not know which narrated which sections, but they were all good.

Truth Will Out - K.C. Wells - (England)
Merrychurch Mysteries Book #1
5★
Jonathon de Mountford’s visit to Merrychurch village to stay with his uncle Dominic gets off to a bad start when Dominic fails to appear at the railway station. But when Jonathon finds him dead in his study, apparently as the result of a fall, everything changes. For one thing, Jonathon is the next in line to inherit the manor house. For another, he’s not so sure it was an accident, and with the help of Mike Tattersall, the owner of the village pub, Jonathon sets out to prove his theory—if he can concentrate long enough, without getting distracted by the handsome Mike. They discover an increasingly long list of people who had reason to want Dominic dead. And when events take an unexpected turn, the amateur sleuths are left bewildered. It doesn’t help that the police inspector brought in to solve the case is the last person Mike wants to see, especially when they are told to keep their noses out of police business. In Jonathon’s case, that’s like a red rag to a bull.

If you're looking for a comfortably teasing romance, (same sex couple) ... and a really good mystery, combined with all the pettiness, backstabbing and deep secrets of a typical English village...then this one will be just what you are looking for. We have a terrific couple of main characters in their late-20s like world class photographer Jonathan and early 40's ex-Detective Inspector now pub and inn owner, Mike, whose coy then sweetly pursued then fiery love story keeps things moving along. Then you have Jonathan's uncle Dominic, who winds up dead on his nephew's arrival for holiday. Then we are let in on a few of Jonathan's family secrets, primarily through his uptight wealthy father and his own revelations. There's an abundance of clues thrown around here in just the right way in addition to a bevy of supporting characters ranging from Mike's sister to an inspector shipped from London to steal the spotlight from Mike and the local constables. The inspector didn't need to be quite as blatantly obnoxious but other than that a really good beginning to what I hope will have more than 3 or 4 books...as m/m romances have an obnoxious habit of being.

Started The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of the Donner Party by Daniel James Brown.

Shadow’s Edge -S.C. Wynne
Psychic Detective Mysteries Book #1
5★
Liam Baker can see things. Dead people like to visit him and tell them how they were wronged. Some might call it a gift, other’s a curse. But either way this ability makes him useful to Los Angeles homicide detective Kimball Thompson. Some madman is slitting the throats of young male prostitutes and then dumping their bodies in the desert with vague clues of pink feathers and the number five. Usually, Liam can talk to the spirits of the dead. But someone is blocking him. Someone is taunting him. The case is rapidly deteriorating into a violent, psychic pissing contest and Liam can’t see far enough ahead to figure out who wins or who dies.

One thing I have found about Wynne’s characters is that they are always sarcastic...very often damaged...but they always get their “happy ever after”, thus making for a better than just “good” story. I loved Liam and Thompson. Liam is a psychic, who is still grieving the loss of his lover, William...9 months ago. Thompson is a cop and partner with Liam as they track down the guy that has been killing young male prostitutes. Another “secret” romance. Thompson cares for Liam, but it a little slow to realize it. Good Heavens man...just tell him!!! The book was a little too short...why are these genres always “short??? In spite of that, the story was still great. The plot was fast-paced, with mystery...action....and yes there was romance. The ending was simply awesome! I am glad that there is a next book.

The Midnight Bargain / C.L. Polk
3.5 stars

Beatrice wants to spend her life learning magic, doing magic, and becoming a mage. With this, she wants to help her merchant father. Unfortunately, society (and her father) have other plans for her: marriage and children. And as soon as a woman is married, on goes the collar to stifle all magic because it might hurt any forthcoming children. So, women don’t get to do magic (only men) until they are beyond childbearing years.

In a bookstore, as Beatrice hunts for grimoires (textbooks) to help her learn magic, she runs into a brother and sister from a wealthy family who could have an influence on her father’s business. The sister, Ysbeta, wants the same grimoire Beatirce has her hands on. Playing peacemaker, Ysbeta’s brother suggests Beatrice and Ysbeta learn together, but Ysbeta buys the book and walks out without providing an invitation/calling card for Beatrice to meet her to study. In the meantime, it is bargaining season when the eligible men come to woo the eligible daughters and/or bargain with their fathers.

This was good. Fantasy can be hit or miss for me, depending on the type of fantasy. This was urban fantasy, so more my “thing”. There is also a romance mixed in, but not too much romance for my liking, either. Overall, I liked it.

The Sun Down Motel / Simone St. James
4 stars

In 1982, Viv arrives in Fell, New York, and starts working the night shift at the Sun Down Motel. It’s not long before she learns of the visitors (some alive, some not) to the motel. As she learns more about the murders (and deaths) that happened in the previous few years, she does some investigating and comes up with a theory about what happened. But, not long after, Viv herself disappears.

In 2017, Viv’s niece Carly arrives in Fell. Carly has a fascination with true crime, and with her mother (Viv’s sister) recently passed away, Carly feels like she can investigate what happened to Viv. Following in her aunt’s footsteps, Carly also starts working at the Sun Down Motel… only to discover some of those same visitors to the motel.

I listened to the audio. There were two different voices for each of the main characters. It didn’t hold my attention 100%, but I was interested enough that plenty of times, I “rewound” to hear what I’d missed. There was some good atmosphere, with some creepy happenings.

I’m Traveling Alone - Samuel Bjork (Norway)
3.5★
Two detectives must hunt down a vengeful killer--and uncover the secret that ties each of them to the crime A six-year-old girl is found in the Norwegian countryside, hanging lifeless from a tree and dressed in strange doll's clothes. Around her neck is a sign that says "I'm traveling alone." A special homicide unit in Oslo re-opens with veteran police investigator Holger Munch at the helm. Holger's first step is to persuade the brilliant but haunted investigator Mia Kruger, who has been living on an isolated island, overcome by memories of her past. When Mia views a photograph of the crime scene and spots the number "1" carved into the dead girl's fingernail, she knows this is only the beginning. Could this killer have something to do with a missing child, abducted six years ago and never found, or with the reclusive religious community hidden in the nearby woods? Mia returns to duty to track down a revenge-driven and ruthlessly intelligent killer. But when Munch's own six-year-old granddaughter goes missing, Mia realizes that the killer's sinister game is personal.

This is the author’s U.S. debut novel. The story may be a bit too gruesome for some readers since it deals with the kidnapping and horrible murder of a 6-year-old girl. The murder scene is described in graphic details that leave very little to the imagination. With that warning out of the way...the title was a bit of a mystery to me until we learn that the discovery of the crime and the girl... who was found hung from a tree with a tag around her neck that read "I'm Traveling Alone". Sometimes a single character will carry a story and make the entire book an adventure...this is true with the character of Mia Kruger, a former member of the violent crimes team who was always considered to be the best in her field. Mia Kruger is absolutely fascinating, a brilliant woman with a sixth sense but also with a troubled past... a past that drove her out of Oslo and into isolation in a small town in the North of Norway. This complex mystery has many twists...reaching back into the pasts of the two detectives and impacting their futures. It keeps you guessing until the very end. Just something to be aware of...the translation from Norwegian to English suffered some setbacks but not enough to affect the enjoyment of the book.

Jefferson Blyth, Esquire - Josh Lanyon - (Paris, Rome)
4★
Twentysomething, Jefferson Blythe gets lost, gets found, falls in love and comes out…all in the span of one wild summer. After his first relationship goes disastrously awry, Jeff Blythe uses his savings to tour Europe...the old-fashioned way. Armed with his grandfather's1960 copy of Esquire's Europe in Style, ...Jeff sets off looking for adventure but finds much, much more than he bargained for. In London, dodging questions from shady criminals about a mysterious package he most certainly does not have is simple. Losing the gunmen who are convinced he's someone else is not. And when George, an old friend, offers him help...and a place to stay... and perhaps something more...things become complicated. Is George really who he seems? And is Jeff finally ready to act on his attraction? From Paris to Rome and back again, Jeff and George fall for each other, hard, while quite literally running for their lives. But trusting George at his word may leave Jeff vulnerable—in more ways than one.

Can you ever truly make up for hurting someone you love? That’s what Jefferson Blythe is about to find out. There is a mystery here that isn’t easily unraveled... not by the characters or the reader. In addition, there are a number of quirky secondary characters that provide a lot of comic relief, in between murders. Jefferson Blythe is a reluctant hero...to use the word loosely. He’s no super-sleuth by any stretch of anyone’s imagination. He stumbles into the mystery and spends most of the book bumbling his way through it. George, his old friend and new love interest... seems like truly unlikely boyfriend material...and sometimes an unlikeable human being. Having so many familiar archetypes doesn’t necessarily detract from the story. It’s probably why the story seems so complete with only 200 printed pages. It’s a pleasant read and different in tone from this author’s usual writings.

The Bluest Eye
by Toni Morrison
3.5/5 stars
This story, set in Ohio in 1941, revolves around the preteen Pecola Breedlove, an African American who is living in a foster home. Her biggest wish is to have blue eyes. She believes that if she has blue eyes that she will be loved. But things don’t go her way and she struggles with her life. This was Morrison’s first novel.

A Ghost of a Chance - Elizabeth Eagan Cox -(California)
Shannon Delany Paranormal Mystery Series Book #1
4.5 ★
Shannon Delaney has no idea that her temporary home, the Victorian-era Blackthorne House is a portal to a century-old mystery. On her first night a ghostly encounter entangles her in the spectral mission of the mansion’s original owner-Eric Blackthorne, master magician. Complicating matters is Alex Blackthorne, handsome and charming descendent of the ghost. Also, there’s Zach Zavala, who has guy-next-door good looks and a straightforward manner. Plus, Zach’s grandfather Francisco is a retired detective and a kindred spirit who appreciates Shannon’s apprehension about her paranormal experiences. Things-that-go-bump-in-the-night clues haunt Shannon’s sleep. By daylight eerie occurrences make it crystal clear what path Shannon must take. After solving the Blackthorne House mystery, Shannon is left with the biggest question of all… What about Alex and Zach, must she choose between them?

The five main characters in the story try to determine what happened to Eric Blackthorne, the magician, over 130 years ago. Did he just disappear or was he really murdered? The story builds throughout the book as the team resurrect clues from varying sources. The excitement of discovery and meaning of each clue is contagious to the reader. Many of the clues appear to Shannon in the night. Is she dreaming them or are they manifestations? Is there a ghost helping her? Are the hilarious appearances in the night truly clues at all? All these questions come to bear on the case and play roles in the team solving the mystery. I really liked the author's way of incorporating not only clues but humor in the story. It flowed well.... the discoveries of the past weave throughout the present day smoothly... and the reader's interest is constantly being built. There are hints of jealousy and romance and it seems to end with a promise of more about to come with the continuation of the series... but of course, not without complications.

Up in Smoke - Annabeth Albert (Oregon)
Hot Shots series Book #4
3★
Freewheeling smoke jumper Brandt Wilder thrives on adrenaline. He’s never met a parachute he can’t repair or a dangerous situation he couldn’t wrangle his way out of. He’s popular and fun-loving and not at all looking to settle down or form lasting relationships. It’s a lifestyle that’s served him well…right up until the day he finds a baby on his doorstep. Shane Travis is used to putting his country music career—and his own happiness—on hold after his sister rolls through his life. Like last spring when she convinced him to try skydiving for his birthday—and she walked away with the hot parachute instructor. Now he gets to deliver the piece of news that will upend Brandt’s carefree life: he very well might be a dad. Shane’s niece is safe in Brandt’s strong, capable hands, but too many questions remain unanswered. Co-parenting while they sort it out leads to late-night talks, and soul-bearing confessions lead to a most inconvenient attraction. Still, Shane can’t leave this makeshift family behind—even if it means playing house with the one man he can’t resist.

I’ve read almost everything that Annabeth Albert has written and enjoyed them all immensely, including the first three books in this series. I was surprised that I didn’t especially care for the this one...not the story or the characters. Without really knowing why, I just felt that it was a weaker entry than the others. I don’t really care to have babies a part of a m/m romance... or maybe it was there was way too much plot for this book, and not enough time to go into depth...giving the story an unbalanced feel that leaped from point to point without any rhyme or reason. Whatever the reason...could have just been me... I was a bit disappointed in this entire story.

In Island Christmas – Nancy Thayer
Book on CD narrated by Tanya Eby
3***

From the book jacket In this enchanting holiday novel, … friends and family gather on Nantucket for a gorgeous winter wedding with plenty of merry surprises in store.

My reactions:
‘Tis the season for improbable holiday romances with ice skating, decorating a Christmas tree, hot cocoa, snow, at least one person who is “not into Christmas and/or kids,” and one or more missteps on the road to that happy-ever-after ending.

I have to admit that Jilly, the mother of the bride, irritated me no end with her histrionics. The bride, youngest daughter Felicia, knew how to handle her, especially with the help of her older sister, Jilly’s “perfect” daughter, Lauren. The men were less irritating, but also less present. They tended to go off on poorly thought-out adventures with resulting trips to the ER. But all’s well that ends.

If it isn’t already a Hallmark Christmas movie, it would make a good one. Fun, fast, holiday read.

The audio version is capably narrated by Tanya Eby. She has clear diction and set a nice pace. Once or twice I was a bit confused about who was speaking, but it didn’t take long to catch up.

Ripples - Robert Innes
Blake Harte series Book #3
5★
When Detective Sergeant Blake Harte is given the opportunity of a relaxing week away at a spa manor, he jumps at the opportunity. He can take one person with him - and who more than Harrison Baxter deserves time away from Harmschapel after everything he has been through? But once at the Manor of the Lakes, the rest and relaxation they both crave is quickly brought to an end, when Blake and Harrison witness a man being murdered, by a mysterious hooded figure who appears to have the ability to walk on water. How is it possible for someone to defy the laws of physics? And Blake’s problems are only just beginning. The visit to the manor finds him coming face to face with figures from his past – and one in particular who could ruin any chance of Blake and Harrison ever being happy together. The ripple effect is well and truly in play.

If you are a true fan of this series, like yours truly, you will thoroughly enjoy this third book. You not only have to enjoy a good mystery but also have to be willing to accept the paranormal as more than just a "maybe". BBC should really take a look at this series and see if they could bring it to the TV screen and have it take its place along side Midsomer Murders...which is a fabulous long running BBC series. This series just gets better with each book and it is a series that diffidently needs to be read in order. The only disappointment is that Blake and Harrison have yet to come to terms and admit their feelings. Talk about a cliff hanger!! Come on guys...get it together.

Three Months To Forever - Hudson Lin – (Hong Kong)
4.5★
Ben is looking for an adventure when he accepts a temporary assignment in Hong Kong, but he never anticipates how his life might change when he meets a sophisticated, intriguing man named Sai. Their initial attraction is sizzling and soon grows into more as Sai takes Ben on a tour of the city’s famous landmarks and introduces him to the local cuisine. Sai stimulates Ben’s intellect and curiosity, and for jaded corporate lawyer Sai, Ben’s innocent eagerness is a breath of fresh air. It would be so easy to fall in love….But nothing is that simple. Sai’s job forces him to do things that violate his morals, and the difficult dynamics with his family is a major obstacle to any lasting relationship with Ben. For Ben, he misses his family back in Toronto, and can he really leave behind his home for a man he’s only known a short time? With the clock ticking, they must decide whether to risk it all and turn three months into forever.

Ben can only be described as “sweet” and is absolutely perfect for Sai. Sai is rich and reserved, burdened with expectations...but allows himself to get pulled along with Ben’s enthusiasm for life. Sai is a lawyer that is trapped by his culture. He can’t refuse his parents, even when they have him doing questionable and unethical things for some of their “richer than God”, friends. Things that could lose him his law license or even send him to prison. Ben...a Canadian in Hong Kong for his company only for three months, falls hard for Sai but doesn’t understand the Chinese tradition that demands that grown children submit to their parent’s wishes. He also is very worried about Sai's future. The story is mainly about finding your own happiness especially when what you want conflicts with cultural expectations. It’s a great read. As it seems to be my wish for all of these books...I wish it had been longer.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
4****

This story, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and soul-stirring wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried near the Pyramids. Along the way he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself king, and an alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the direction of his quest.

A deceptively simple book with a journey of self-discovery that resonates on many levels. Young Santiago is perfectly content to graze his sheep along their yearly path through Andalusia, and he yearns after a merchant's daughter whom he plans to marry. He thinks that his life will go as he has planned, and then he meets the old man.

From the wisdom and the riddle of the old man, he takes the fork that leads him to further adventure which also includes some difficulties. How many of us have done something so bone-head stupid that we look back and shake our heads at our lack of understanding? When we don't listen to our intuition, even when it is telling us something in a language we may not understand?

Yet Santiago finds a way out of his dead-end through keeping the dream of his Personal Journey alive despite the odds against him. And as expected, this opens new paths and choices that he had never expected as he journeys to the Pyramids. He learns that oases are grander than he thought and Alchemists are not just those with book-learning, and war and love and reading the vast desert.

Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents / Isabel Wilkerson
3.75 stars

In this book, African-American author, Isabel Wilkerson, argues that the United States has a caste system with African-Americans at the bottom. She makes comparisons to the caste system in India (with Untouchables at the bottom) and with the Nazi regime in Germany. Caste is a bit different from social class in that you are born into your caste and you can never get out of it.

This was interesting. I was particularly drawn in by the Nazi comparisons, and I think that’s what I will remember the most of this book. I have to admit I unlikely to remember the list of “pillars” of the system (she did a chapter on each). I’d like to say the first half (which included those pillars) wasn’t as interesting, but it just depended on what she was talking about at the time. She has plenty of anecdotes through history, including her own. She also discusses politics, particularly the 2016 election, as well as the elections that brought Barack Obama to power. Of course, there is a lot about slavery, the Jim Crow laws, and the Confederacy, as well. She does do a really good job explaining and making the comparisons. This is – most definitely – well worth reading.

Training Season - Leta Blake (Montana)
Training Season series Book #1
4★
Can a cowboy’s firm hand discipline this feisty figure skater - on and off the ice?
Matty Marcus fears he doesn’t have what it takes to achieve his Olympic dream. His self-esteem is at an all-time low after figure skating coaches and skating judges have told him he’s not skinny enough, good enough, or masculine enough to win. Matty wishes he could afford the kind of coach he needs, a top-notch one who specializes in keeping their skaters focused. But those coaches are ridiculously expensive, and Matty is financially strapped. Until a lucrative house-sitting gig brings him to rural Montana. And to Rob. No one has ever looked at Matty the way rural cowboy and single dad Rob Lovely looks at him. No one has ever touched him, loved him, and healed him from the inside out. No one has ever made him feel so valuable and adored. Worthy. Strong. No one has ever taught Matty how to fly. Or how to lose. Rob might be a cowboy who knows nothing about figure skating, but after only a few months, he’s trained a new kind of bravery into Matty’s soul. However, to achieve his Olympic dream, Matty will have to face the ultimate test. Has he truly learned what it means to win - on and off the ice - during his training season?

This book deals with many difficult themes and issues...but Leta Blake did a fabulous job of addressing them all. Matty and Rob are both very flawed men who have their own insecurities and demons to deal with. Somehow, they have to figure out how to deal with these issues together in order to move forward. Their relationship is fascinating. There were a lot of learning “where we are going together” scenes that are tempered with beautiful emotional scenes. I had never read anything by this author but I loved this story with all its kinks...humor...and love.

Badlands - Morgan Brice - (South Carolina)
Badlands series Book #1
5★
A psychic and a skeptical homicide cop team up to hunt a supernatural killer in Myrtle Beach. Medium and clairvoyant Simon Kincaide owns a Myrtle Beach boardwalk shop where he runs ghost tours, holds séances, and offers private psychic readings, making a fresh start after his abilities cost him his lover and his job. Jaded cop Vic D’Amato saw something supernatural during a shootout and reporting it nearly cost him his badge. He’s still skeptical about the paranormal. But when the search for a serial killer hits a dead end, Vic battles his skepticism to ask Simon for help. As the body count rises, Simon’s involvement makes him a target, and a suspect. But Simon can’t say no, even if it costs him his life and heart

It's a mystery with a paranormal twist...a cop and a psychic working together....well a bit more than just "working" :) This was a great start to a new series that I am definitely looking forward to. The book introduces us to the good-hearted but cynical workaholic cop...Detective Vic D'Amato...and the kind of nerdy...but so very sweet, former professor...currently paranormal shop owner, and ghost tour guide... Simon Kincaid. There is nothing fake about Simon’s abilities to speak with the dead and receive messages...nor how he feels about the sexy homicide detective. I really liked also hearing from two of my favorite characters from the Wolfbane series by this same author. Hope she continues to include Seth and Elliott in the story. Overall...it’s a great romance and a really superb mystery.

The Bear and The Nightingale - Katherine Arden -(Russia)
Winternight series Book #1
4.5★
Winter lasts most of the year at the edge of the Russian wilderness, and in the long nights, Vasilisa and her siblings love to gather by the fire to listen to their nurse’s fairy tales. Above all, Vasya loves the story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon. Wise Russians fear him, for he claims unwary souls, and they honor the spirits that protect their homes from evil. Then Vasya’s widowed father brings home a new wife from Moscow. Fiercely devout, Vasya’s stepmother forbids her family from honoring their household spirits, but Vasya fears what this may bring. And indeed, misfortune begins to stalk the village. But Vasya’s stepmother only grows harsher, determined to remake the village to her liking and to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for marriage or a convent. As the village’s defenses weaken and evil from the forest creeps nearer, Vasilisa must call upon dangerous gifts she has long concealed - to protect her family from a threat sprung to life from her nurse’s most frightening tales.

I have mixed feeling about this story. I believe the author truly set out to write a story that showed how Vasya and her siblings was entertained by the stories that she and her siblings listened to every night...and then the new step-mother was on the scene and the spirits of the household were no longer honored. However...the presentation of the remainder of the story bordered on things that many readers may find offense and an attack on well-held beliefs. I gave the book 4.5 stars because I have a tendency to take fiction for what it is...fiction. I thought the story was well written and the author seems to have done a great deal of research. The thing that I found the most offsetting is that Christianity is presented here in the form of charismatic priest Father Konstantin... as primarily a religion of fear. Perhaps that is a true view to the spirits of the house and the people of the region. Of the only two characters who can see the spirits...Vasya finds most of them friendly and treats them with kindness and respect... but to Anna, who is obsessed with the
“new religion”...Christianity... they are all demons. I believe this is a book that everyone is going to have an opinion about...good or bad, but never in the middle. You can enjoy it if you remember that it is fiction.

The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of a Donner Party Bride
Daniel James Brown
3.5/5 stars
Daniel James Brown deals with the tragedy of the Donner party and their trek to make it to California. The book revolves around Sarah Graves and her family when her father, mother and 8 brother and sisters decide to try their luck in California. Disastrously, they take the advice of a Stephen Meek who told them a route which would be easier to take. However, this man never took this route but trusting him, the party followed his directions and so begins their harrowing trip followed by starvation, freezing temperatures, snow and death of several members of the party. Well written and thoroughly researched!

The 9th Judgment / James Patterson
3 stars

There is someone out there killing mothers and their babies. Also, there is a thief robbing people; after a high profile robbery (an actor), the actor’s wife is murdered and it appears that the robber is also the murderer.

I listened to the audio and overall, this was ok. It seemed like every time there was a focus on the women’s personal lives, it was all about sex. Ugh! Did they even meet up beyond the one time at the end of the book? I’m at a point where it may not be worth it to continue on. The audio had my attention sometimes.

The Great Beanie Baby Bubble: Mass Delusion and the Dark Side of Cute
Zac Bissonnette
4/5 stars
This is the story of Ty Warner who created the buzz that fueled the need to own, sell and trade Beanie Babies and oh what an interesting tale the author Zac Bissonnette weaves. I remember that time period, the looking for and buying beanie babies for my daughter though we never sold or traded any. Anyone who remembers that time period would probably be interested in reading this book.

Sucker Punch - Laurell K. Hamilton
Anita Blake series Book #27
3★
A brutal murder, a suspect in jail, and an execution planned - but what if the wrong person is about to be killed? When a fellow US Marshal asks Anita Blake to fly to a tiny community in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula on an emergency consult, she knows time is running short. When she arrives, there is plenty of proof that a young wereleopard killed his uncle in the most gruesome and bloody way possible. As the mounting evidence points to him, a warrant of execution is already under way. But something seems off about the murder, and Anita has been asked for her expert opinion on the crime scene. Despite escalating pressure from local cops and the family’s cries for justice for their dead patriarch, Anita quickly realizes that the evidence doesn’t quite add up. Time is against Anita, as the tight-knit community is up in arms and its fear of the supernatural is growing. She races to uncover the truth and determine whether the Marshals have caught the killer or are about to execute an innocent man - all in the name of justice.

I haven't read a book in this series in at least five years. I was intrigued with the series and the characters so when I needed a fantasy book for a challenge I thought this would be a good time to catch up with Anita and the strange people/things that she hangs out with. You can imagine how surprised I was to discover that either Anita Blake had changed...or I had changed. A good change was that this one actually had an honest to goodness plot and a pretty solid murder mystery. For that it will get a reluctant 3 stars from me. However that isn't what I had read the series for in the past. In the past Anita was a wild card and her numerous boyfriends were scary and unpredictable. Something was always happening...going to happen...shouldn't be happening...who knows how it will happen... but now Anita is almost boring. The book served it's purpose but I think I will let Anita retire now. Rest in peace, Anita.

The Haunting of Brynn Wilder - Wendy Webb – (Minnesota)
5★
After a devastating loss, Brynn Wilder escapes to Wharton, a tourist town on Lake Superior, to reset. Checking into a quaint boardinghouse for the summer, she hopes to put her life into perspective. In her fellow lodgers, she finds a friendly company of strangers: the frail Alice, cared for by a married couple with a heartbreaking story of their own; LuAnn, the eccentric and lovable owner of the inn; and Dominic, an unsettlingly handsome man inked from head to toe in mesmerizing tattoos. But in this inviting refuge, where a century of souls has passed, a mystery begins to swirl. Alice knows things about Brynn, about all of them, that she shouldn’t. Bad dreams and night whispers lure Brynn to a shuttered room at the end of the hall, a room still heavy with a recent death. And now she’s become irresistibly drawn to Dominic―even in the shadow of rumors that wherever he goes, suspicious death follows. In this chilling season of love, transformation, and fear, something is calling for Brynn. To settle her past, she may have no choice but to answer.

Brynn Wilder is going on a summer vacation which may turn out to be the vacation from Hell. Soon after settling in... she meets two other “guests"” and soon after the strange noises begin. The characters are interesting and a really great addition to the haunting. Some of them are a little strange to put it mildly but all have a perfect place in the story. My personal favorite is a guy called Dominic James. It is just what the ‘ghost story junkie” wants.... intriguing...haunting... and suspenseful. After reading about Brynn’s vacation, you might want to be careful what you wish for when heading out for your summer vacation.

The Mystery of The Moving Image - C.S. Poe
Winter and Snow series Book #3
5★
It’s summer in New York City, and antique shop owner Sebastian Snow is taking the next big step in his relationship with homicide detective, Calvin Winter: they’re moving in together. What should have been a wonderful week of playing house and celebrating Calvin’s birthday comes to an abrupt end when a mysterious package arrives at the Emporium. Inside is a Thomas Edison Kinetoscope, a movie viewer from the nineteenth century, invented by the grandfather of modern cinema, W. K. L. Dickson. And along with it, footage of a murder that took place over a hundred years ago. Sebastian resists the urge to start sleuthing, even if the culprit is long dead and there’s no apparent danger. But break-ins at the Emporium, a robbery, and dead bodies aren’t as easy to ignore, and Sebastian soon realizes that the century-old murder will lead him to a modern-day killer. Even with Sebastian’s vast knowledge of Victorian America and his unrelenting perseverance in the face of danger, this may be the one mystery he won’t survive.

I certainly hope that C.S. Poe is moved to write more of this series. At this time there is only one more...so please get with it. If same sex couples are not your cup of tea...just skip over those parts and immerse yourself in one very good mystery with lots of clues and red herrings. There is even two wonderful dogs in the stories now. I read this one in a day and it was just so intriguing with the detailing of film history and how the device...the Kinescope... which was delivered to Sebastian fit into it all. I also wonder if a new series is forthcoming featuring Sabastian’s former boyfriend and Calvin's fellow cop, Neil and a new character Lee. Neil will have to do a lot of changing before he will fit into any series this good but we’ll see. He’s really working on becoming a better person than it was when he was with Sebastian. The lore and history surrounding the mystery is meticulously researched and so well carried out until the very end. You learn something new and interesting with each new book.

The Mystery of The Bones - C, S. Poe – (New York)
Snow and Winter series Book #4
5★
It's been a full year since the mystery that brought together antique shop owner and part-time amateur sleuth Sebastian Snow with homicide detective Calvin Winter. Patience, sanity, and their very lives have been put to the test, but love has persevered. Although Sebastian is now New York City's best-known busybody, he's finished with crime solving and wants nothing more than to plan a romantic budget wedding. Then Snow's Antique Emporium receives a decapitated human head in the mail and the holidays are gory once again. Sebastian patently disregards the mystery of a lifetime because he is done with death and danger--but the killer escalates. Before Sebastian knows it, his closest friends and family are dragged into a series of horrific murders with antiquated clues hinting to the infamous Victorian American Bones Wars. The clock is ticking to recover a long-lost artifact linked to paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope and to capture a murderer. But it's not Sebastian who may become the next target--it's Calvin.

This series has not only attached to the storyline, a hot romance...but also an extremely good mystery with a lot of historical background. This one involves deliveries of body parts that confound the police but, of course, are intriguing to Sebastian...and he is off and running...well, maybe stumbling...to solve the mystery. This becomes unbearably serious when someone close to him becomes the target. This is the last book in this series and I am going to truly miss Sabastian and Calvin. I can’t understand why authors of m/m romance books can’t seem to write more than 4 books in a series.

Angry Weather / Friederike Otto
3.5 stars

Scientists are now able to study (some? most?) weather events and be able to determine how much more likely that event was made by climate change (or if climate change even made it more likely at all)! That is, they do it quickly, before the event fades from people’s memories and other events have happened in the meantime. This is unusual, since for scientists, peer review is important before publishing results of studies, but this can take months to do.

This book explains how they do that, primarily using models. There is a very small group of scientists worldwide who are currently doing this; the author is one of those scientists. She also looks at a few specific weather events and explains how they came up with their findings.

I thought this was good. There’s more to it than I’ve mentioned in my summary, and I can’t explain it well, but I did find it interesting. It may have been particularly interesting because about a month ago, there was an extreme heat wave where I am in Alberta, as well as in British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest. I had actually heard a couple of weeks ago that they had determined that this heat wave WAS more likely due to climate change and that it was 2C warmer than it would otherwise have been without climate change; when I heard that, I had no idea that a book I’d planned to pick up this month was going to look at that very thing! And, checking online, it was this group of scientists who came up with that.

Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman
342 p. - ★ ★ ★ ★

Erin is documentary film maker and her husband is an unemployed investment banker. She is working on a film about three prisoners who will soon be released. Erin and Mark go to Bora Bora for their honeymoon. One night, there is a severe storm, and next day, they find a bag floating in the water. They tried to give it to the divemaster, but a miscommunication sends the bag to their room. Out of curiosity, they open it up, and find it filled with cash, diamonds, a cell phone, and a flash drive. They know they should turn the contents in . . . but the money would afford them financial freedom. What would be the price of that freedom?

I started this book over a year ago and struggled to complete it. In fact, I returned it to the library before I finished it. I finally figured out that if I don't find anything redeemable or likeable about the main characters, I have a hard time reading the book. That's where I was with this one. And then my friend/public librarian Janene selected this book for our book club. So I tried reading it again. I picked up a little before where I had left off earlier. I will say that the last third of the book flew and was really engaging - it just took a while to get there. I'm not sure it is a four-star read, but I think it is higher than a three-and-a-half star read.

One other small piece I had a problem with: I loved the line about "how long does it take to dig a grave" but I think the author underestimated the time. Erin dug the grave in something like two hours. If I were digging the grave, it would take me all freaking day!

The Hate Project - Kris Ripper
The Love Study Series Book #2
3★
This arrangement is either exactly what they need--or a total disaster. Oscar is a grouch. That’s a well-established fact among his tight-knit friend group, and they love him anyway. Jack is an ass. Jack, who’s always ready with a sly insult, who can’t have a conversation without arguing, and who Oscar may or may not have hooked up with on a strict no-commitment, one-time-only basis. Even if it was extremely hot. Together, they’re a bickering, combative mess. When Oscar is fired (answering phones is not for the anxiety-ridden), he somehow ends up working for Jack. Maybe while cleaning out Jack’s grandmother’s house, they can stop fighting long enough to turn a one-night stand into a frenemies-with-benefits situation. The house is an archaeological dig of love and dysfunction, and while Oscar thought he was prepared, he wasn’t. It’s impossible to delve so deeply into someone’s past without coming to understand them at least a little, but Oscar has boundaries for a reason—even if sometimes Jack makes him want to break them all down. After all, hating Jack is less of a risk than loving him.

Almost this entire tale is told by Oscar. Since I started with book 2...maybe the first one and the last one will let us hear more from Jack. I don’t really see how anyone could possibly put themselves in the position to try to love either of them. We learn right off that Oscar has anxiety and depression.... big time! It didn’t say... but I think low self-esteem should also be on that list. I found myself feeling compassion for him, but have to wonder why his friends didn’t try harder to encourage him to find help along with the pills.... not JUST with the pills. I sincerely hope that medical offices are not really just handing these meds out and not seeing that the people they are giving them to are damaged beyond what a mere pill could ever hope to cure. I liked Jack, but I didn’t understand why he accepted Oscars’ behavior as anything resembling “normal”. Being around Oscar for any length of time is simply exhausting for the reader. Jack’s grandfather was a hoarder...making “collections” for 20 or more years...so I found it almost impossible to believe that when his grandfather died Jack would actually still live in the house with that mess...let alone give/pay someone as emotionally unstable as Oscar the task of cleaning out the house. It seemed an unrealistic task for someone with Oscar's problems. I did find places in the book that was humorous but I’m not sure if I’m up to the task of tackling the other two books.

Don’t Twunk With My Heart - Ranea Kaye - (Australia)
Loving You series Book #2
4★
Kee Smith isn’t sure who he is anymore. He knows who he used to be—the ignored gay son who chose a blue-collar job just because no one expected it, the submissive bottom who enjoyed large, masculine jocks who put him in his place, the sleek, fashionable twink who partied all night. But after his ex-boyfriend assaulted him, Kee retired from the social scene. Back after a year’s hiatus, Kee still doesn’t know where he fits. His friends say he’s a twunk—a twink who put on muscle and turned into a hunk—but Kee is searching for… something. He doesn’t know what, but he wants to be comfortable in his own skin now. Instead of going back to his usual type, Kee hooks up with twink Tate Stevens—a fashion-industry professional who works the image hard. It proves to be the best decision he’s ever made, and not just because he’s starting to regain his sexual confidence. With Tate, Kee can open up about his fears and confusion without ridicule. Tate has his own fears about putting on weight and getting old. It will take work to make a relationship of opposites succeed, but they begin to realize the compromises will be worth it if they can be together.

Kee is back in the scene after a year hiatus because of domestic violence. First night back at a club...he found Tate as his first hook up even though Tate is totally not his type. A big part of the story is about Kee getting back and spending time with his friends and meeting and dating Tate. I was surprised that Tate was so open about his worries about age and weight. He was sometimes over the top conscious about himself and Kee's minor PTSD. The issues may sound heavy. The book was both amusing and romantic with Tate being a bit kinky about almost everything and with Kee being like a fish out of water most of the time. He did give the story a sometimes-comical flavor. I think they’ll be good for one another. Kee deserves some peace after “Matt the Rat”, his ex and abusive boyfriend. I still have to wonder... is ‘twunk” even an actual word in the English language????

The Almost Sisters / Joshilyn Jackson
3 stars

When 38-year old graphic novel writer/artist Leia discovers she is pregnant, she is not unhappy. But she is single and this is the result of a one-night stand with someone she knows only as “Batman”, whom she met at a comic convention. Before she gets a chance to tell any of her family, she discovers her brother-in-law has been cheating and has left her sister, AND her grandmother is in bad shape with dementia. She must go see her grandmother, Birchie. Birchie is a rich woman who lives in a town that bears her family name and her best friend Wattie has been living with her for a long time, taking care of her.

I listened to the audio and it was ok. It held my interest more the further I got into it. The author herself read it, and she did a good job. I could have done without the entire plot of Leia’s graphic novel, though; that bored me, and there was too much of it. But overall, I’m calling this one “ok”. Nothing overly exciting or special, but it wasn’t bad.

Never Saw Me Coming / Vera Kurian
4 stars

Chloe is a psychopath. She will be attending university in Washington, D.C. She chose this school for two reasons: 1. she was able to get into a program where a resident academic/psychologist (or psychiatrist?) is studying psychopaths, and her tuition is paid; 2. Will goes to school there. Chloe needs to find Will, and she is counting down from 60 days to what will happen once she’s found him…

Andre is also in the program, but actually managed to fake his way in! He is not really a psychopath, but had other psychological issues when he was a bit younger (that, in many cases, does lead to a later diagnosis of psychopathy), and he applied as a joke. When he was accepted, it was hard to turn down the free tuition. There are five other psychopaths in Dr. Wyman’s program.

I’ve been reading a lot of mystery/thrillers lately (it has overtaken historical fiction as my current favourite genre), but many of them blend together a while after I finished. What I liked about this one is it’s a bit different with multiple psychopaths running around. The main viewpoint is Chloe’s, but Andre’s POV is followed, as well as a few others as the story goes on. I didn’t quite believe that someone would be able to fake their way in to the program with someone who has studied psychopaths for decades, but I put that aside to “enjoy” the story.

>64 Carol420: "TWUNK": Here's What This Word Really Means -https://linguaholic.com/linguablog/the-word-twunk-demystified A twink is a slender, gay man, who is probably in his late teens, early twenties, while a hunk, also known as a beefcake is a muscular man. So, twunk is used to refer to a muscular twink. Twunk can also be added to other words to describe someone, derogatorily or not.

>67 JulieLill: Thank you Julie. I guess I'm never too old to learn something new. My problem is remembering it after I learn it:)

Pride and Prejudice and Kitties / Pamela Jane, Deborah Guyol, Jane Austen.
3 stars

This is a (partial) rewrite of “Pride and Prejudice” with all the characters as cats.

It was cute; it was silly; it was ok. There were some parts that made me smile or laugh. It’s a short, fast read. There were cat photos included with subtitled phrases from the book to fit the photo; the photos were taken specifically for the book (and they thanked the people and cats in the acknowledgments at the end; I thought one of my cats had an unusual name, but it was kind of fun to see one of the photographed cats also has his name: Io.) Some of the actual text of P&P was included, as well. It went back and forth between the characters as cats and the actual text (which didn’t take away from the characters as cats – that is, it still “fit”). The text of the original is in italics, so easy to tell.

Loving Jay - Ranea Kaye (Australia)
Loving You series Book #1
4.5★
One thing Liam knows for sure is that he's not gay—after all, his father makes it very clear he’ll allow no son of his to be gay. And Liam believes it, until a chance meeting with Jay turns Liam’s world upside-down. Jay is vivacious and unabashedly gay—from the tips of his bleached hair to the ends of his polished nails. With a flair for fashion, overreaction, and an inability to cork his verbal diarrhea, Liam believes drama queen Jay must have a screw loose. An accident as a teenager left Liam with a limp and a fear of driving. He can’t play football anymore either, and that makes him feel like less of a man. But that’s no reason to question his sexuality... unless the accident broke something else inside him. When being with Jay causes Liam’s protective instincts to emerge, Liam starts to believe all he knew in life had been a convenient excuse to stay hidden. From intolerance to confrontations, Liam must learn to overcome his fears—and his father—before he can accept his sexuality and truly love Jay.

I felt rather sorry for Liam but also exasperated with him in his inability to accepted that his sexual orientation was more than likely bi and that his father’s bigoted opinions didn’t matter. His antics were sometimes very comical and Jay?... he was just a sweetheart that made the book warm and funny. I liked that he was smart...and at very at home in his skin. I tried to think how my two “book bringing” gay friends compared to Jay and will have to say that I am 150% sure there was no way either of them would be caught dead wearing lipstick of any shade or bright red plaid pants. But hey...it suited Jay just fine. I couldn’t wait for Liam to just accept Jay for who he was and get on with the program. Somehow the author made these two sometimes kinky and exhausting character work.

Christmas On the Island – Jenny Colgan
Digital audiobook narrated by Sarah Barron
3***

Originally published in the UK as An Island Christmas

From the book jacket: It’s a time for getting cozy in front of whisky-barrel wood fires, and enjoying a dram and a treacle pudding with the people you love – unless, of course, you’ve accidentally gotten pregnant by your ex-boss and don’t know how to tell him…. Will Flora find the nerve to reveal the truth…? Meanwhile Saif, a doctor and refugee from war-torn Syria is trying to enjoy his first western Christmas with his sons on this remote island where he’s been granted asylum. … Travel to the beautiful northern edge of the world and join the welcoming community of Mure for a Highland Christmas you’ll never forget!

My reactions
There’s quite a lot going on in this book, #3 in the Mure series. I think I might have had an easier time of it had I read the first two books before tackling this one, as Colgan generally builds relationships over the course her series.

I do like the characters around which she builds her plot. Flora and Joel, Lorna and Saif, and the many residents of Mure who form a tight-knit community and are always ready to help out. Not every story line has the perfect HEA ending, but that’s true to life. It’s still a charming, story set against a holiday season that raises expectations and sometimes sees our dreams come true.

Sarah Barron does a fine job of narrating the audiobook. There are many characters to voice and she has the skills to pull it off.

The Old Gringo – Carlos Fuentes
1*

The novel is framed as the reminiscence of a woman. An old journalist heads to Mexico during the time of the Mexican Revolution seeking, not a story, but his death. He joins with a band of Pancho Villa’s guerilla fighters, led by General Tomas Arroyo, and witnesses events as they destroy all but the mirrored ballroom of a great hacienda. There he encounters a white woman, Harriet Winslow. Harriet had been hired as a governess for the owner’s children, but they had all fled by the time she arrived from the US, and now she is stranded and yet determined to stay and defend the property as best she can.

There has been much praise for this work; it was the first translated work by a Mexican author to become a bestseller in the United States. But I had great difficulty engaging with the characters and the plot, such as it was.

Fuentes interrupts the action with long stream-of-consciousness soliloquies by each of his characters. Some of these consist of one long sentence that takes more than a page of text to get through. Now, I’ve read other works with a similar technique – Jose Saramago’s works come to mind – and I’ve enjoyed them. But in this book, I felt that these interludes did nothing so much as interrupt the meager story and make me like the book even less.

Then there are the sex scenes. I’ll say this for Fuentes, he doesn’t pull any punches. But he also has NO IDEA how women think or what motivates them to act the way they do. These are nothing but a macho man’s fantasy. Enough said.

The Old Gringo in the story is based on Ambrose Bierce, an historical figure who disappeared shortly after he travelled to Mexico during that country’s revolution. But the name is mentioned only once towards the very end of the book.

One final note about the title of the English translation. The originally titled book in Spanish is Gringo Viejo, which does NOT include an article. So, the English title should not have that leading “The” either. A small irritation.

Oops ... seems I forgot to post this one earlier ...


Where We Come From – Oscar Cásares
4.5****

The setting is Brownsville, Texas, a border town with a mean reputation as a haven for human traffickers and drug runners. Some of the reputation is based in fact. But it’s also a community of hard-working, middle-class people who want nothing but a safe home for their children, decent schools, good roads, a thriving business district and reliable city services. Cásares focuses on one such family.

Nina is the only daughter, and now in her early 60s finds herself living with her invalid mother, having been forced by her older brothers (who are all married with families of their own) to abandon her teaching career and her own house to “do her duty as the only girl.” When her maid asks for a favor, Nina agrees. A small pink house at the back of their property was to be a rental property, but it’s empty, and Rumalda wonders if her sister-in-law and niece could stay there for a day or two. Nina agrees and becomes ensnared in a group of human smugglers. When her 13-year-old godson comes for an extended visit, she’s in a panic lest he discover her secret.

I really enjoyed this exploration of a complex issue. There are multiple layers to the novel and much fodder for discussion, from the many instances of mother/child relationships in all their variety and nuance, to the vivid descriptions of a landscape that is very familiar to me, to the bursts of humor, to the fear of discovery, to the loneliness each of them suffers, and to the fanciful flight of parrots who cross the man-made border at will. (Yes, the river is natural, but it’s man who made it a border between nations.)

I had the pleasure of participating in an author event via Zoom courtesy of my local independent book store. That discussion made me appreciate the novel even more.

Utopia Avenue
David Mitchell
4/5 stars
This story revolves around the band Utopia Avenue and follows the story of the members of the band as they try to break into the main stream music business during the hey days of rock and roll in late 1967 and early 1968. The author also has them interacting with real musicians from that time period. Mitchell doesn’t disappoint in his latest novel.

The Marrow Thieves / Cherie Dimaline
3.5 stars

It’s sometime in the future, and Indigenous people are being hunted by non-Indigenous for their bone marrow, as there is something in it that helps people dream, and Indigenous are the only ones who are now able to dream. Frenchie, a 16-year old(?) Metis boy, has lost both his parents and his older brother, so he’s on his own until he comes across a group of Indigenous people travelling north.

This was good. I had a bit of trouble getting into it at the very start, but it only took a couple of chapters. I didn’t like one of the decisions Frenchie made near the end of the book, but that ended up working out better than I’d expected. I also thought the very end was unrealistic, but it was good up to that point. It’s a pretty fast read.

Prodigal - TA Moore - (West Virginia)
Lost and Found series Book #1
5★
Fifteen years ago Sammy Calloway disappeared on his way home from school. Now he’s back… or is he? Boyd MacCabbee has spent his life second-guessing his actions on that fateful day. What if he’d done something differently? Maybe Sammy would have made it home safe and never become Cutters Gap’s most tragic famous son. Or would it have been Boyd who was never seen again? When the police find new evidence on the disappearance, Boyd hopes to finally get some answers. The last thing Morgan Graves needs is to be dragged into some old case about a missing kid. He doesn’t know why police hit on his DNA, but he’s not Sammy Calloway. He thinks he’d remember being kidnapped. He knows he’d remember firefighter Boyd. Drawn into the complex web of suspicion, grief, and anger that has knit Cutters Gap together in the years since Sammy’s disappearance, Morgan struggles to hang on to himself when everyone already assumes they know him. And somewhere, the truth about Sammy Calloway is waiting.

I have found from her “Digging Up Bones” series...which I loved... that this author comes up with great concepts and writes interesting stories with a bunch of fabulously hot characters. As with her Bones series, we try to figure out the clues to solve the mystery. Like exactly what happened 15 years ago...who Morgan really is... and what does everyone else in the town want and what lengths they will be willing to go to get it. It doesn’t seem to be the same style that Ms. Moore used for the Bones series but it certainly is as compelling and as capable of drawing you in and keep you reading. Can’t. wait to see where this series is headed.

Heaven, Texas – Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Digital audiobook read by Anna Fields
ZERO stars

Book # 2 in the Chicago Stars romance series.
From the book jacketIt’s Gracie Snow’s job as a new motion picture production assistant to get the legendary ex-football player, Bobby Tom Denton, back to his Texas hometown to begin shooting his first movie. Good luck with that. A head-spinning battle of the sexes – with Beauty waging war against Brains – except this male beauty has a fine intelligence, and brainy Gracie isn’t nearly as ordinary as she thinks.

My reactions:

No. Just No.

A “gentleman” does NOT play mind games for his own amusement to trick a virgin into succumbing to him so that he can then drop her like a hot potato when the fun is over. (Even if eventually, he will fall in love with her and propose, his intention from the outset is to just use her.) Past hurt does not give a man a free get-out-jail card to blackmail a woman into having sex (of course, he has secretly admired her for decades and would never “really” hurt her). There is nothing remotely romantic or appealing about these scenarios. Shame on Phillips for propagating such a misogynistic message.

Anna Fields does a reasonably good job of narrating the audiobook. She handles the many characters with skill and kept up a good pace. Too bad she had such dreadful material to perform.

Ghostwriter by Noreen Wald
3***

Jake O'Hara never expected a seance at a New York apartment to be part of her job. Jake had signed on as a ghostwriter, secretly writing for a grande dame of mystery fiction whose talent died before she did. The author's East Side residence was impressive. But her entourage--from a Mrs. Danvers-like housekeeper to a lurking hypnotherapist--was creepy. Still, it was all in a day's work--until a killer started going after ghostwriters, and Jake suspected that she was chillingly close to the culprit.

Well. It sounded interesting. And it started off interesting: a 12-Step Group for Ghostwriters, those unsung heroes and heroines of the publishing world who write without their own names. And it could have been a look into a cozy mystery whodunit for bibliophiles.

Sadly, though, it began to fall into a guidebook for New York City (does everyone take taxis??), its different streets in the borough: "that walk from 71st and First to 59th and Third" is a typical bit of information that really doesn't seem to matter to the plot, only to the guidebook style that bugs me. And the amount of time spent with Jake, our heroine and sleuth, as she frets with her make-up and hair made me do too many eyerolls.

There were interesting characters, though too many to make an effective plot, and lent the plot an air of being scattered. The mystery is solved, but it was too sloggy for my taste.

The Great Shame by Thomas Keneally
5*****

In the nineteenth century, Ireland lost half of its population to famine, emigration, and forced deportation to penal colonies in Australia for infractions as minor and common as stealing food. Thomas Keneally's Irish forebears were among the victims of that tragedy, and in this book he chronicles the Irish diaspora with all the authority of a brilliant historian and all the narrative grace of a great novelist. Here are new and important insights into the impact of Irish exiles in America, Canada, and Australia, based on years of painstaking research among little-used primary sources--including personal letters, court transcripts, ships' manifests, and military documents. The result is a fresh, vivid saga of heroes and villains, from Great Famine protest leaders to Civil War generals to great orators and politicians.

And . . . I finished it!!! Those who have been part of this group on LT have seen me bring this book, year after year, into a new thread, and I would painstakingly review a chapter, every few months. The book is an incredibly dense 600 pages and probably is printed on 6 or 7 point. But it was worth reading; my timeline for this book shows that I started it in 2013, and I finally, finally finished it this month. Below is my (lengthy) review:

I really have to give this book 5 stars. It is densely packed with personal stories, history, background, and so many different continents that anything less would not do it justice.

Kenealy turns his brilliance in storytelling and research to his own Irish ancestry, and this is no "Danny Boy" warbled in a Boston pub. This is the gritty, realistic shame of the British penal system that sent rebellious Irish off to colonies in Van Diemen's Land (modern Tasmania) regardless of marital status (Keneally's married ancestors never saw one another again) or whether they had a reason for their actions. There were many rebellions and many transports, and the "Great Shame" of the book is manifold: the Irish who were never able to flourish in their own country, the treatment of the Irish by the British government, and the achievements of many of the transported Irish in their new countries.

There were landholders in the burgeoning Tasmanian and Australian Outback posts, including Perth, Civil War leaders (yes, on both sides), a Governor of Montana, and the rise of such movements as the Fenians. And these many stories, continuing with the Young Irelanders, is what makes this book so dense. As Keneally's ancestor lived in Van Diemen's Land, Keneally weaves in the life of other Irish conscripts forced to make a new life in a new land far from their homeland. Then he moves to Australia, prisoner escapes and the details it took to get them smuggled onboard ships, their reception by the Irish in San Francisco, their rise to prominence in New York and New York's politics, and he does not stint in the details. Some of the men were good, and some not so much: one Young Irelander became a Tennessee slaveholder, not seeing the parallels between his oppressing of other humans and his own oppression in Ireland.

I found it necessary to read a chapter at a time; others may be able to read this book at one sitting, and I salute them. It was worth the time and effort, though, that went into this book.

The Most Precious Substance on Earth / Shashi Bhat
3.5 stars

Nina is an East Indian girl, growing up in Halifax, Nova Scotia. It is mostly vignettes of her life, starting in grade 9 in the 1990s and continuing through high school and beyond, as she becomes a teacher and navigates online dating.

I thought this was good. I liked Nina’s parents, and I liked many of the pop culture references. I was a bit confused that there was something at the beginning that never seemed to be tied up, though. I kept wondering if it would resurface later in the book, but it didn’t – unless I missed it.