"Tranquil Heights" by Megan Speece is an atmospheric and creative story!
The first-born daughter in the last three generations of Katie Edgecomb's fami"Tranquil Heights" by Megan Speece is an atmospheric and creative story!
The first-born daughter in the last three generations of Katie Edgecomb's family died in a horrific accident on her twenty-fifth birthday. Katie never took it seriously and always thought it was just a far-fetched story her mother told her. That is until her twin sister, Elizabeth died on their twenty-fifth birthday making it a curse through four generations!
Now Katie is driven to find out everything she can about the history of this curse and what took place at Tranquil Heights many years ago. Wilhelmina Darrington, Katie's Great-Great Grandmother, was a private duty nurse at Tranquil Heights when it was a hospital for wayward girls and women in the 1930's! Is that the connection?
Katie wants answers. She just found out she's pregnant and she's convinced her baby is going to be born a girl!
This story is told in two distinct timelines: - Present: Katie's researching for the answer to the curse. - Past: Wilhelmina's journal entries from 1934-1935.
The setting of Tranquil Heights is atmospheric, and the history of the facility is stuff made of nightmares. It's creepy, a bit ghostly and a ghastly place where women were treated deplorably during this period in history, all in the name of 'necessary and secretive' care.
I love the blended genres of Suspense and Horror with a bit of Mystery just in time for Halloween. The premise is creative, and the backstory is well presented. However, the ending felt a bit predictable, and it lacked a connective feel through the ‘past’ timeline.
This the first book in the Tranquil Heights series from this author and I believe she has a lot to offer to the reader. I am interested to see what she comes up with next and will definitely be watching for book #2!
Thank you to BookSirens and Megan Speece for a free digital ARC of this book. It is my pleasure to give my honest and voluntary review.
Merged review:
"Tranquil Heights" by Megan Speece is an atmospheric and creative story!
The first-born daughter in the last three generations of Katie Edgecomb's family died in a horrific accident on her twenty-fifth birthday. Katie never took it seriously and always thought it was just a far-fetched story her mother told her. That is until her twin sister, Elizabeth died on their twenty-fifth birthday making it a curse through four generations!
Now Katie is driven to find out everything she can about the history of this curse and what took place at Tranquil Heights many years ago. Wilhelmina Darrington, Katie's Great-Great Grandmother, was a private duty nurse at Tranquil Heights when it was a hospital for wayward girls and women in the 1930's! Is that the connection?
Katie wants answers. She just found out she's pregnant and she's convinced her baby is going to be born a girl!
This story is told in two distinct timelines: - Present: Katie's researching for the answer to the curse. - Past: Wilhelmina's journal entries from 1934-1935.
The setting of Tranquil Heights is atmospheric, and the history of the facility is stuff made of nightmares. It's creepy, a bit ghostly and a ghastly place where women were treated deplorably during this period in history, all in the name of 'necessary and secretive' care.
I love the blended genres of Suspense and Horror with a bit of Mystery just in time for Halloween. The premise is creative, and the backstory is well presented. However, the ending felt a bit predictable, and it lacked a connective feel through the ‘past’ timeline.
This the first book in the Tranquil Heights series from this author and I believe she has a lot to offer to the reader. I am interested to see what she comes up with next and will definitely be watching for book #2!
Thank you to BookSirens and Megan Speece for a free digital ARC of this book. It is my pleasure to give my honest and voluntary review....more
Update 4/23/23: This review, from 2021 has mysteriously disappeared from GR TWICE. I was able to retrieve it once with all comments and likes attacUpdate 4/23/23: This review, from 2021 has mysteriously disappeared from GR TWICE. I was able to retrieve it once with all comments and likes attached. This time, after several weeks and despite being able to finally re-post, all the love from the comments and likes have simply disappeared! Poof!!...more
"52 Award-Winning Titles Every Book Lover Should Read" by the American Library Association is a one-year journal combined with a recommended reading l"52 Award-Winning Titles Every Book Lover Should Read" by the American Library Association is a one-year journal combined with a recommended reading list from the ALA.
I was interested in this journal and list as a tool to broaden my reading experience in 2022. The introduction describes this as an "...experience of the creme de la creme of books published in recent years."
From various genres, a title is introduced weekly with a brief synopsis from the ALA, along with a specific question to get your reading juices flowing and generate your thoughts as you read. Each book is labeled with one of the following awards and year it was received: * Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and Non-fiction. * The Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in YA Literature. * The John Newberry Medal for Children's Literature.
Also included are blank pages with each title for taking notes as you read, a log to list your all-time favorite books and a reading log for everything else you're reading.
Although I probably won't read every title listed, it has generated my interest in a couple of books: * Moonglow by Michael Chabon * The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates * The Round House by Louise Erdrich * Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly * We Are Okay by Nina LaCour * The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
This is a great tool for you to use or to gift to a book loving friend! I highly recommend and wish you happy reading in 2022!
Thank you to Sourcebooks Early Reads and the American Library Association for a finished copy of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review. This is now available....more
"Travels with Charley: In Search of America" by John Steinbeck is a travelogue of his 1960 camping trip across America!
This is my last read and review"Travels with Charley: In Search of America" by John Steinbeck is a travelogue of his 1960 camping trip across America!
This is my last read and review of 2021! It's also the December '21 selection for the community book club I belong to and I'm so glad we picked it. It was the perfect book for a great end of year discussion!
John Steinbeck! Yes, that is a complete sentence. He's an author who writes stories about our country and its people, but at the age of fifty-eight, he felt he had lost touch with what he writes about and wanted to experience America and its people first hand.
There is debate over this book being non-fiction versus fiction, that Mr. Steinbeck did not travel and camp across America with his pooch. But, let's face it, this man is a novelist. He's creative, he imagines, he makes stories up, that's what he does. So why is it so shocking that this trek across America didn't actually happen?
To me, it doesn't matter. I don't feel snookered, it makes me smile. This story is creative and I was enthralled and entertained by each chapter. A book written by John Steinbeck, traveling America in his truck with a camper top and his dog by his side, talking to the 'folks' he met along the way, what's not to love?
What I discovered while listening to this audiobook was how much Mr. Steinbeck cared about our county, the people, and how in touch he was with what was happening during the 1960's and how insightful he was about our future. He spoke of the environment, loss of regional differences and uniqueness throughout our country. As a lifelong observer, he clearly understood the progression of things to come.
John Steinbeck is driving, I'm a passenger with Charley between us. He's sharing his thoughts, I'm listening and fascinated while Charley, his standard poodle, sleeps most of the way and most likely takes up most of the seat! The audiobook felt that real and was expertly narrated by Gary Sinise.
After I finished listening it occurred to me that perhaps John Steinbeck wasn't 'in search of America' as much as he was searching for himself. It is said that he was depressed, in poor health and you can feel the low points in his writing, especially towards the end.
This book was published in 1962 the same year he won a Nobel Prize for Literature. Sadly, John Steinbeck died of heart failure in 1968 at the age of sixty-six.
It's exciting to end 2021 on such a high note with a 5 star read! I highly recommend this creative and entertaining book!...more
"The 13th Day of Christmas" by Jason F. Wright is a worthy family read/listen for the Holiday Season!
Life for nine year-old Charlee Alexander is about"The 13th Day of Christmas" by Jason F. Wright is a worthy family read/listen for the Holiday Season!
Life for nine year-old Charlee Alexander is about to change. Her family is experiencing tough times financially and need to move where there is work for her father. The biggest change is moving to a new town and living in a trailer park where Charlee doesn't know anyone!
Charlee soon strikes up an unexpected friendship with an elderly widow who lives next to the trailer park. Charlee and Miss Marva form a special bond that soon encompasses the entire Alexander family.
Change is in the air once again that will challenge Charlee's family even more. Then along comes the traveling elves...
This is a squeaky clean 'G' rated Christmas story that can be read/listened to by the entire family, no matter the age. It's about the important things that matter in life and the true spirit and meaning of Christmas. The audiobook narrator Dawn Harvey does a great job with the voicing!
A bit sad but hopeful with a religious-message ending that I wasn't expecting. I realize this is fine for some but may feel a little over-the-top and preachy to others. None-the-less this is a worthy family read/listen for the Holiday Season!
"Mark's Merry Mayhem" by Mark Tufo is an interesting mix of humorous, creepy-good, gory, Horror fun!
Listening to this collection of seven short storie"Mark's Merry Mayhem" by Mark Tufo is an interesting mix of humorous, creepy-good, gory, Horror fun!
Listening to this collection of seven short stories gave me a glimpse into this author's unique writing style. I found it jammed packed with humor and it pulled me in quickly because he writes like he's having a conversation with the reader!
I love how he includes his 'Zombie Fallout' series character Michael Talbot and his family, along with his two bulldogs, and his BFF BT into these stories. All are characters that are familiar to his devoted reader base!
Mr. Tufo refers to this selection as a "...small glimpse into the things that keep me up at night." It's further brought to life by the audiobook narration of Sean Runnette and his Boston accent. The mix between the writing and the narration blew me away!
A quick description of my favorites of the seven shorts: - "Mayan Prophecy": Mike's vision of a December Zombie Apocalypse. - "Henry's Story": Henry doing what 'Man's Best Friend' does best. - "A Visit From That B!tch Elisa": "The Night Before Christmas" twist!
I know, I know! It seems like a crazy way to spend part of my Christmas Eve listening to Horror stories! But, you know what? I loved it! I will definitely check out this author's back-list. 3.75 stars rounded up! ...more
"Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead" by Elle Cosimano is Book 2 in this series I have anxiously been anticipating!
Someone wants Finlay's ex-hubby, Steven"Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead" by Elle Cosimano is Book 2 in this series I have anxiously been anticipating!
Someone wants Finlay's ex-hubby, Steven, dead and is willing to pay a bundle of money to ensure it happens. Even though he's a cheating, failure as a husband, Steven's a great dad to their two kids, who are crazy about him!
Now Finlay's on the hunt, with her trusty sidekick-nanny and self-appointed-accountant, Vero, to find out who is out to get Steven and why.
Is Finlay prepared to take this one on? Will she still be able to finish her next novel on time? Even though she's struggling with another case of 'writer's block'?
I was super excited for the second book in this series and it gets off to a hilarious start with the familiar bantering back and forth between Finlay and Vero. They really do seem to complete each other. If one doesn't come up with a crazy, 'brain-gas' idea you can be sure the other one will.
I loved meeting Finlay's mom, Susan, and Vero's cousin, Ramon. Besides Finlay and Vero, Susan is my next favorite character. She just lets her thoughts rip from her brain to her mouth, without skipping a beat, all while she's cooking a fabulous meal. I love moms who care this much!
This story ends in a fun way with the last sentence laugh-out-loud hilarious and so unexpected. I just love reading about Finlay's and Vero's outlandish escapades and the epilogue suggests there's more of them to come! Yay!
If you're looking for a fun, humorous, light read think about squeezing this series into your 2022 reading year. Be sure to read Books 1 & 2 first, so you're ready when Book 3 arrives! I highly recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and Elle Cosimano for a free ARC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review. ...more
"Cracked Post" by Heather Tucker is An Ari Appleton Novel, Book 2.
OH, MY HEART!! I was blown away by the first book, 'The Clay Girl'. I read it to pr"Cracked Post" by Heather Tucker is An Ari Appleton Novel, Book 2.
OH, MY HEART!! I was blown away by the first book, 'The Clay Girl'. I read it to prepare for this one and I'm so glad I did. It was a wonderful reading/listening experience!
Ari Appleton is the sixth daughter of an alcoholic, drug addicted mother and a perverted father. When I first met Ari she's eight years old. As this book opens she is now seventeen years old.
The family Ari is born into is cruel, unloving, not nurturing. Ari strives to keep her life afloat as her family environment continues to deteriorate.
As others begin to fall, Ari falls prey to the unexpected, too but remains strong and a force of hope to others around her. Vulnerable yet resilient, Ari carries on one catastrophe after another, develops a plan, and comes out the other side brighter, wiser and better.
Ari creatively begins to develop her own family through her teenage and young adult years. Her rekindled relationships with her five older sisters, her two stepbrothers, her aunts, even her boyfriends, all become pieces and parts of Ari's new family and her future.
Stone is rigid and unbending but Ari is made of clay. Clay can be shaped into many things. Stone can break a clay pot but the fragments can be gathered, pieced together and reshaped into something different, something better. And so it is with Ari...
You can feel Ari winding down and moving on to the next stage in her life. She's so bright, so hopeful, and it's so exciting to see her grow into herself. I continued to love her story to the very end.
I fell in love with this author's writing style. It's a poetic, witty, and magical journey as she takes me through not quite 15 hours of listening time with the wonderful narrator Laura Kyswaty. I didn't want it to end but I like the way it did! Thank you, Heather Tucker!
Thank you to NetGalley, ECW Press Audio, and Heather Tucker for a free ALC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review. This audiobook is now available....more
"The Clay Girl" by Heather Tucker is an achingly beautiful story!
Eight-year-old Hariet Appleton and her five older sisters watched their father blow h"The Clay Girl" by Heather Tucker is an achingly beautiful story!
Eight-year-old Hariet Appleton and her five older sisters watched their father blow his head off! Their mother, in a constant alcoholic state and unable to cope, sends her daughters to live with relatives.
Hariet travels with her constant companion Jasper, an imaginary seahorse, to Nova Scotia to live with her two aunts, Aunt Mary and her partner, Aunt Nia. With them, Hariet discovers what it feels like to be loved and nurtured.
Hariet's mother has always referred to her as a 'bag of dirt'. She hates her misspelled name and, with the help of her two aunt's, takes on the new name of Ari. They assure her she is 'clay not dirt' and Ari learns she has the ability to shape her own life.
Her mother, now remarried, forces Ari to return to Toronto. There, she grows to love and trust her new stepfather. School is Ari's salvation where her teachers encourage her abilities as a gifted artist, poet and storyteller.
Then, with the blink of an eye, everything changes again as Ari continues to navigate through the turbulent decade of the 1960's. How does this child manage to keep joy in her heart?
What a beautiful story I've stumbled upon! Be warned though, this is not a book for the faint-of-heart. It's the story of a child finding ways to survive the dysfunctional family into which she was born. A heart wrenching story full of hope, wit and wisdom. This young girl is doing all she can to get to the other side and feel goodness in her torn life.
I love this main character who talks to her imaginary seahorse, Jasper. Ari's spirit animal, the seahorse, is symbolic for security, loyalty and devotion, all of which are lacking in her family life. So Ari creates a protector within herself, Jasper.
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Morgan Hallett whose voice of Ari was perfectly portrayed. With so many characters the gender voicing is a bit muddled but the story is so compelling and beautifully written, I never lost my way!
My heart aches with every inch of this story. Ari is a hero, a survivor and a shining light through this nightmare. A mix of historical fiction, literary fiction and, in my humble opinion, social horror! This is a stunning debut novel and one of my top reads for this year. I highly recommend!
I'm currently listening to
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Book #2 in this series, the Advanced Listening Copy is courtesy of NetGalley. It picks up right where this one ends. It was published on 12/15/21. Look for my review soon!...more
"A Good Day for Chardonnay (Sunshine Vicram, #2)" by Darynda Jones continues where Book #1 A Bad Day for Sunshine left off.
Del Sol, NM native, Sheriff"A Good Day for Chardonnay (Sunshine Vicram, #2)" by Darynda Jones continues where Book #1 A Bad Day for Sunshine left off.
Del Sol, NM native, Sheriff Sunshine Vicram, wishes just one day would be an easy day in this sleepy mountain town! Today's agenda: - A pesky raccoon on the loose... - A bar fight that turns bloody and ugly... - A convicted murder asking for a favor... - A teenage daughter, investigating a cold case... - An unsolved abduction that still haunts her with questions...
And then there's a serious distraction in the form of hunky Levi Ravinder! What's a sheriff to do? Pour an ice cold glass of Chardonnay and chill?
The small town humor, quirky characters with mystery & romance mixed in continues, along with the serious topics and non-stop action. There's also a smokin' hot sex scene that is vividly described! Yep, there's a little bit going on!
I adore the sheriff's eclectic team and the sheriff's back-and-forth banter with Quincy, her Chief Deputy, who also happens to be her BFF.
I love Sunshine's relationship with her amazing daughter, Auri and how they stay so connected. Their communication is a humorous highlight but with pointed seriousness necessary to establish, without question, who is in charge of this mother & daughter duo.
The audiobook is narrated by Lorelei King who, once again, delivers serious dialog, upbeat & humorous moments with gender appropriate voicing. It's an awesome listen with unexpected whip smart, fiery, and ornery delivery!
I'm looking forward to reading Book #3
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that has an expected publication date of 12/6/22.
"Love, Lists, and Fancy Ships" by Sarah Grunder Ruiz is a debut novel.
Jo Walker has created a 'Thirty-by-Thirty List'. It's the scary things she's afr"Love, Lists, and Fancy Ships" by Sarah Grunder Ruiz is a debut novel.
Jo Walker has created a 'Thirty-by-Thirty List'. It's the scary things she's afraid to do but dreams of doing by her thirtieth birthday. She starts right away by completing '#1: Start a Blog' so she can post updates about her list!
Jo chips away at the list until tragedy strikes. Her young nephew, Samson, is killed in an accident and all she can focus on is work. Both the blog and the list takes a back seat for a while.
Determined to get back on track, Jo plans a summer trip to Europe to complete '#30: Visit Ten Countries'. During a night out with friends and a challenge from her BFF, Nina Lejeune, to complete '#5: Kiss a Stranger', Jo meets "Hot Guy from the Bar', Alex Hayes. Great kisser!
With only eight items to complete Jo's niece's, Mia and Kitty, arrive unexpectedly for the entire summer. Jo cancels her trip to Europe and Mia and Kitty offer to help with the remaining items on her list. Will Jo, along with Mia, Kitty, and occasionally BFF Nina, be able to creatively plan and complete her list by her thirtieth birthday?
Why was I was expecting this to be a Rom-Com? It's not even close. What it is, is a well-blended mixture of Women's Fiction and Romance. There is humor inside the covers, but it embraces serious topics, too, as Jo works through her grief, healing and rediscovery.
This story is about how quickly your life and the lives around you can change. Life changing events like relationships that break or leave you broken, the loss of a family member and how you cope with that grief, and mostly, not losing yourself within it all! Yep, there's love, too!
I loved all of these characters and how they kept me connected to this story. I found a little of myself in each of them. All the emotions that surfaced, things they experienced, and how they communicated with one another makes this a very relatable story. I highly recommend to those who love Women's Fiction and Romance. Warning: Tearjerker!
I'm looking forward to book #2 Luck and Last Resorts in this series with an expected publication date of 8/9/22. Jo's BFF, Nina, is the main character and I'm hoping it's another winner!
Thank you to Elisha at Berkley for a widget of this ARC through NetGalley. It has been my pleasure to give my honest and voluntary review. This book is available now....more
"Oh.What.Fun" by Chandler Baker is a story with a moral!
"Christmas is the most magical time of the year. But you know what? It's not magical at all. "Oh.What.Fun" by Chandler Baker is a story with a moral!
"Christmas is the most magical time of the year. But you know what? It's not magical at all. It's hard work!" ~ Claire Clauster
Meet The Clauster's: 'The Responsible One', daughter, Channing is first to arrive with hubby, Doug and their twin four-year-old girl's, Lark and Sable. She's counting on Mimi Claire to entertain her girls so she can check email.
'The Boring One', youngest son, Sammy arrives minus his now ex-girlfriend, Mae-Bell. But he's on the phone with her constantly. And later plans to go out for wings and some 'friend time'!
'The Kinda Flaky One', oldest son, Tyler arrives last and late with his new boyfriend, Angel. He's absolutely positive Angel is 'The One'! All his boyfriends have been 'The One'!
'The Oblivious One', dad, grandfather, and Claire's husband is fun to be around and not afraid to be goofy. He's the one who always plays with the kids while his wife is doing what she likes to do, those things that wives and mothers prefer to do without any help at all! Right!
And lastly - 'The Unappreciated One', wife, mother, and grandmother, Claire is the one who ensures all the bells and whistles are prepped and ready for everyone every Christmas. Gosh, she's tired!
"Christmas is our mother's Super Bowl, the Masters, the Summer Olympics, and Monaco Grand Prix rolled into one." ~ Tyler, Channing & Sammy Clauster
On Christmas Eve Eve Eve Claire gifts everyone with tickets to 'Disney's Christmas Fantasy On Ice'. Thirty minutes later off they roll in two vehicles to see the show! Afterwards, Claire is missing and they realize she didn't ride in either vehicle. They head home. No Claire! And her car is gone...
This is a short, sweet Christmas story told from a bit of a different perspective. So much rings true though. A story that gives cause to pause and reflect about that special person in your family who 'does-it-all' every year. Being helpful and grateful is an easy fix!
After reading the arc it was fun to listen to it via audiobook narrated by Donna Postel and Brian Holden, who do a great job bringing this short story to life! I'm happy to report both the e-book and audiobook are equally satisfying!
Moral: Don't be either a Scrooge OR a Clauster! 3.5 stars rounded up for Claire!
Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon Original Stories and Chandler Baker for a free ARC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review. This book is available now....more
"I'll Never Tell" by Casey Kelleher is a Psychological Thriller with important topics!
Alessia is a 32 years-old wife and mother. Her husband Carl ador"I'll Never Tell" by Casey Kelleher is a Psychological Thriller with important topics!
Alessia is a 32 years-old wife and mother. Her husband Carl adores her and her young son Jacob is a blessing to their marriage. It's seems like such a perfect life!
Until - A brick crashes through their window with a note attached reading, "FOUND YOU!" Is it a coincidence this is happening on the anniversary of that awful day twenty years ago?
Then - Someone attempts to run Alessia's car off the road, a box with a dead rat inside is found at her front door and an old newspaper clipping is discovered hidden in her son's bedroom.
Alessia is convinced her childhood friend, Sarah, is back!
This story has two timelines, past and present and both are told in a third-person narrative. It begins as a multi-layered story that intrigues me. In the latter half, it dips, drags and feels predictable.
I did like the important topics within concerning abuse, personal harm and the impact trauma has on mental health. But be warned, these could be triggers for other readers!
The audiobook's narrator, Daphane Kouma's gender voicing was acceptable but her voice, as she read the third-person narrative, felt over-enthusiastic and distracting.
Be sure to check out other reviews as I have seen many high reviews for this one. Sadly, this book was not a good fit for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture Audio, and Casey Kelleher for a free ALC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review. ...more
"Romancing the Holidays Collection" by Austen Johnson is a Novella Romance Anthology.
Each novella in this collection is a standalone story wrapped ar"Romancing the Holidays Collection" by Austen Johnson is a Novella Romance Anthology.
Each novella in this collection is a standalone story wrapped around a celebrated holiday.
"Lucky Fall" (St. Patrick's Day): Sarah, and her BFF Christine, takes a trip to Dublin, Ireland to revisit her deceased parents past and the places in Sarah's cherished photographs. Any plans falling for 'Attractive, Snarky Irish Guy', too?
"Pawsitively Perfect" (Fourth of July): Veterinarian Leigh thinks she’s ready to start living again. Then her rescue dog, Pogo, slips off leash, running through gorgeous guy's potato salad. Veteran James' rescue dog Bucky is Leigh's newest patient and James is 'Gorgeous Potato Salad Guy'. Two vet's. Two rescue dogs. Is this a 'vet' match or a 'doggie' disaster?
"All Thanks to you" (Halloween): No more relationship disasters for Vet tech, Rosalie, her life is full enough! Then she meets Jonah at the 'Adopt a Black Cat' Halloween party. Is Rosalie willing to take a chance with this 'Hot Cat Guy'?
"Beaver Creek Resort" (Christmas: A crash with a handsome skier on the slopes leaves Claire stunned. A Christmas themed singles event later that night has Clair wondering why she even came. Why is she wondering if 'Mr. Handsome and Rude' is here and why is she looking for him?
What I love about these stories is the female leads are strong professional women with established careers and are living fulfilling, single lives.
What I wanted was more of a holiday feel to each story and maybe a few more pages added to each one to make that happen!
Four cute, sweet, wholesome 'HEA' stories that can easily be added in to your busy holiday schedules all year long! 3.5 stars.
Thank you to BookSirens, Lore and Lyre and L. Austen Johnson for a free digital copy of this book. It is my pleasure to give my honest and voluntary review. ...more
"And Miles to Go Before I Sleep" is written by Jocelyne Saucier and translated by Rhonda Mullins.
Gladys has taken the Northlander Train to get as far"And Miles to Go Before I Sleep" is written by Jocelyne Saucier and translated by Rhonda Mullins.
Gladys has taken the Northlander Train to get as far as she can from the town she's lived in for 50 years in Northern Ontario, Canada. Why has she left her adult daughter, Lisana, behind?
This story documents the search to find Gladys and is written by the mysterious narrator of this story. This is a book within a book, so to speak.
With a passion for trains, the mysterious narrator has thrown the same commitment into investigating Gladys' disappearance. He recalls interviews and face-to-face visits with individuals riding the same trains as Gladys. He recants the numerous phone calls to her friends and neighbors who help in the search and who are bewildered about how and why Gladys simply disappeared.
This audiobook is one of the few I haven't enjoyed this year and I was glad for the shorter listen. I found the narrator, J. Jean Elliott, to have a mostly monotone voice and his gender voicing to be virtually non-existent. Sadly, it felt longer than the actual listening time of 5 hours, 44 minutes.
What I did enjoy was Gladys' portion of the story. The most interesting parts were her history with the trains and her struggles with her chronically disconnected daughter. Listening to how much her neighbors & friends worried about her welfare and then seeing all the pieces of her disappearance come together were additional highlights for me.
What distracted me was hearing about the mysterious narrator's train stories and his love relationship with one of the characters in this story. Was this his story or was it Gladys'? This entanglement causes me to have mixed feelings about this book.
This is a much darker story than I anticipated. I had trouble making a connection with any of the characters so enjoying the story became a difficult task.
3 stars for the story, 2.5 stars for the audiobook averaging 2.75 stars rounded up.
Thank you to NetGalley, Coach House Books, and Jocelyne Saucier for a free ALC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review. This book is available now.
"Float Plan" by Trish Doller is a Contemporary Romance with adventure and a feel good lift!
Anna Beck is frozen in her life since the tragic suicide o"Float Plan" by Trish Doller is a Contemporary Romance with adventure and a feel good lift!
Anna Beck is frozen in her life since the tragic suicide of her fiancé, Ben, who fought a hard battle with depression. After being locked in self-imposed solitude for too long, Anna decides it's time to set sail for the Caribbean trip Ben had mapped out for them to take together.
On her first stop, Anna realizes she can't do this voyage on their sailboat alone and needs help. Her 'Mayday Call' comes in the form of very handsome and very Irish Seaman, Keane Sullivan, who has challenges of his own.
Are they both ready to set sale together or is this arrangement going to be a shipwreck waiting to happen?
Such an interesting premise and I love that these two main characters were brought together out of the blue. Their banter and day-to-day interaction is so entertaining. I love listening to Keane's Irish accent. It's mesmerizing! Why is it when someone speaks with an Irish accent they sound so full of wisdom and you're mesmerized by everything they say? Like every word is a song?
The journey these two characters take together is well worth checking out. It was a fun ride through the Caribbean via audiobook for me. Narrator, Sarah Naughton did an amazing job with all the voicing, whether it's gendered or Irish or the various Caribbean accents, she nails it all!
I listened to this one in preparation of reading book #2 in this author's 'Beck Sisters' series, 'The Suite Spot'
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which is due to publish 3/8/22. These are both standalone stories so no need to read them in sequential order, I just wanted to and glad I did. It's always nice slipping in a lighter read once in a while just for fun. I highly recommend!
I'll be reading the ARC of book #2 shortly. Be sure to look for my review soon!...more
"And the Bridge Is Love" by David Biro is this author's sophomore novel.
Three women meet by chance in the summer of 1991 and form an instant friendshi"And the Bridge Is Love" by David Biro is this author's sophomore novel.
Three women meet by chance in the summer of 1991 and form an instant friendship. They agree to meet every Tuesday morning at a hidden enclosure with a view of the Verrazzano Bridge through the great old oaks along New York Bay.
* Gertie: Norwegian, divorcée, former athlete and bullheaded. The oldest of the three. * Maria: Italian-American, widow, mother, grandmother and chronic meddler. * Corinna: Book-lover, whiskey drinker, hash smoker and secret keeper. Yep, she's the youngest!
Through the years their lives become entwined. They share memories of cheering Gertie on at the NY Marathon, visiting Coney Island, celebrating the birth of Maria's grandson, mourning the unexpected death of her daughter's husband, and simply shopping or sharing meals together.
Then in 2011 the wind shifts along New York Bay and everything changes!
This story is what I would call a 'Friendship Salad'. It's about hope, love, loss, and forgiveness. It reveals the tougher sides of friendship as you age, learning how to cope with arising differences and rediscovering your place in the mix. True unconditional friendship!
There are happy moments and heartbreaking one's but isn't that the way of life at any age? I appreciate finding a story that focuses on older characters. It's quite refreshing, really!
I recommend this book to those who enjoy reading about friendship, family and everyday life!
Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and David Biro for a free ARC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review. This book is available now....more
"All Her Little Secrets" by Wanda M. Morris is a fast paced and suspenseful read/listen!
Ellice Littlejohn is an Ivy League educated corporate attorney"All Her Little Secrets" by Wanda M. Morris is a fast paced and suspenseful read/listen!
Ellice Littlejohn is an Ivy League educated corporate attorney working for Houghton Transportation Company in Atlanta, GA. She's the only black attorney in the office and she's had a 'personal relationship' with her married white boss, Michael, for several years.
Ellice has tons of secrets and she's added one more to the heap. She left Michael's office on the 20th floor after finding him dead of a gunshot to the head. Fear causes Ellice to walk away like she was never there and didn't see a thing. Why would Michael take his own life?
Ellice is swiftly promoted to replace Michael's executive position. She wonders why she's chosen as his replacement. As questionable actions continue on the 20th floor, Ellice becomes increasingly uncomfortable with her work environment. Who should she trust?
Then Police Detective Bradford informs Ellice that Michael's suicide was staged and security cameras show someone using her badge to enter the building the morning of the murder. Now Bradford is asking Ellice too many questions and she doesn't want to answer any of them! Should she be concerned for her safety now, too?
I enjoyed the author's writing style and the pace of this story. It moves quickly with little downtime making it feel like a much shorter read/listen than it is. The characters, although not all likable, are well described and all add to the drama and suspense overall.
There are socially relevant and workplace issues that highlight this story. Real life situations in current time mixed with harrowing tales of Ellice's past. I love the Southern atmospheric feel of this story that creates added tension from within our American culture. This story is brimming with them!
I feel fortunate to have been gifted with both an ARC and early audiobook of this title. I was able to read/listen at the same time or alternate between the two formats for a quicker reading experience. My personal preference was the audiobook. Narrator Susan Dalian has the perfect first person voice for Ellice and her gender voicing, although not always gender distinguishable, does work for this story.
Was this story believable? Heck no! And I'm pretty sure I'm not a "Thriller or Suspense Aficionado". I'm a reader/reviewer who enjoys a creative story that hooks me in early, keeps me entertained and leaves me with a satisfying ending. This book delivers all that!
I recommend this book to those who enjoy an edgy, fast paced, suspenseful story dripping with socially relevant tension! This is the author's debut novel and I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next!
Thank you to William Morrow and Scene of the Crime for an ARC through NetGalley. I am grateful to Book Riot and Harper Audio for an early audiobook via Libro.fm. It has been my pleasure to give my honest and voluntary review of both formats....more
“Horrorstor" by Grady Hendrix is a parody on the horrors of working retail.
Ask me about the torture of retail and I will tell you it's all true. I liv“Horrorstor" by Grady Hendrix is a parody on the horrors of working retail.
Ask me about the torture of retail and I will tell you it's all true. I lived this horror for the last six years of my retail career. Pure big-box horror! It wasn't the customers or the employees that gave me the creeps. I was a master of both service and HR by then. No! It was the company culture that gave me nightmares! Still does...
Orsk Furniture Superstore in Cleveland, OH is experiencing unexplained product damage when the store is closed. Employees arrive first thing in the morning to a store in complete disarray but nothing is captured on surveillance video. Store management is in a tizzy and corporate has scheduled a visit!
The night before the 'big visit' three employees agree to spend an overnight shift in the store to investigate the strange occurrences. Will they be able to get to the cause of the reoccurring damage? Will they be safe inside the locked store? Will they still be there in the morning?
This is my second Grady Hendrix book and I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed this blast from my past! I loved how Grady Hendrix turned a 'haunted-house' story on its head and into a dark, creepy, stinky, big-box nightmare. Creative, creepy fun with humorous and twisty chapter introductions about the various Orsk products and their interesting uses.
I listened to the audiobook with voicing and narration by Tai Sammons. Bronson Pinchot narrated the creepy chapter introductions with bizarre aloofness and believability!
The ending was simply perfect and aptly portrayed the retail corporate culture for the money hungry zombies they are! ...more
"True Loaf" by Austen Johnson is a modern-day short story inspired by Balkan Folklore.
A fancy dressed man enters the small bakery where Riley works a"True Loaf" by Austen Johnson is a modern-day short story inspired by Balkan Folklore.
A fancy dressed man enters the small bakery where Riley works and makes a strange request. After all, isn't this a bakery for special requests?
The man promises to pay Riley for her efforts so she decides to venture out in search of the special ingredient. She enters the cold woods all alone at twilight. Her phone stops working as darkness falls!
Riley sees a figure approaching...
This story has a slightly 'dark fairy-tale' atmospheric feel! Words that come to mind are enchanting, delightful and a bit creepy. A mere sixteen pages on the Kindle and sixteen minutes for the audiobook.
I read a free published e-copy from BookSirens and when it ended I enjoyed it but I definitely wanted another taste. I purchased the audiobook and listening to it left me doubly satisfied. The narrator, Penny Scott-Andrews was amazing and gave life and animation to the story! What an elevated experience!
I will plan to listen to all short reads via audiobook in the future because of the experience between these two formats!
For the Kindle version, be sure to read the 'Bonus Content' at the end. The author analyzes the folklore in True Loaf and shares the inspiration behind her short story. This bonus content is not available on the audiobook.
I have read most of this authors other short reads and I continue to be a fan of her writing. The cover design of 'True Loaf' is stunning!
I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy short reads and Folklore. 4.25 stars!
Thank you to BookSirens and L. Austen Johnson for a free digital copy of this book. It is my pleasure to give my honest and voluntary review....more
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