Home » Fiction (Page 22)
Category Archives: Fiction
Run, Rose, Run–country western songwriter and singer
Run, Rose, Run
by Dolly Parton and James Patterson
What do you get when a country music legend collaborates with the world’s best selling author? If the pair is comprised of Dolly Parton and James Patterson, then the creation is Run, Rose, Run. The two authors draw on each other’s strengths to write a fascinating thriller about a young singer-songwriter with the talent and drive to make it to the top. AnnieLee Keyes, unfortunately, has a past that haunts her present as she desperately tries to outrun some evil men. Her secrets are so painful that she can not bear to share them with anyone.
AnnieLee gradually goes from homeless to having a peek at what life could look like if she were successful in the tough music industry. She had the good fortune to meet Ethan who is also struggling financially and emotionally, but who is immediately attracted to this beautiful, talented “firecracker.” He introduces her to his famous boss Ruthanna Ryder who has retired from public singing and releasing new works, but continues to write songs and sing them in her private studio.
Run, Rose, Run moves from focusing on AnnieLee’s survival to her career development and back to survival again as she is physically attacked several times. She conceals on each occasion who is attacking her and why increasing the suspense for the reader.
Patterson brings storytelling skills and experience as an author to the book, and Parton contributes knowledge of how the music industry works. The reader gets glimpses of what success looks like, what is involved in attaining it, and how fame affects people. Quite unfamiliar with the music industry, I found myself looking up a few terms and was surprised by the difficult life endured by those at the bottom of the ladder. Without a doubt, parts of Ruthanna’s character are based on Dolly Parton’s life, especially her efforts to get books in the hands of children. Also Dolly Parton and the characters Ruthanna and AnnieLee have in common a love of song writing. I picture Ruthanna as a fictional Dolly Parton from her folksy, direct Southern expressions to her adherence to expensive clothes, full makeup, and glitzy stage costumes. Run, Rose, Run is a fun trip behind the scenes to learn how country music stars are made, told via a dramatic mystery that kept me turning pages and, at times, holding my breath.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery and Thriller
Notes: 1. Contains lots of swearing.
2. Dolly produced an accompanying album. You can listen to the music composed by the characters in the book if you seek it out on YouTube.
Publication: March 7, 2022—Little, Brown, & Co.
Memorable Lines:
“If time is money, my friends,” she said in conclusion, “just think of all I’ve saved you by not rambling on and on. So be generous tonight, please, and help us give books to kids who need them. Who crave them. And whose lives will be forever changed by them. Because books, my friends, are true magic bound between two covers. Thank you.”
Ethan was funny, though, and Ruthanna had quickly developed a soft spot for him, partly because he thought he was so tough. One of these days she was going to tell him that a bullet wound and a Purple Heart didn’t make him hard as nails. They made him just like everyone else. Sometimes you could see the scars and sometimes you couldn’t. But everybody had them.
But Ethan had seen AnnieLee in her kitchen, and as far as he could tell, she barely knew a colander from a cantaloupe, Left to her own devices, she’d probably survive on canned beans, Pringles, and the occasional multivitamin at best.
Honeymoons Can Be Hazardous–greed!
Honeymoons Can Be Hazardous
by Amanda Flower
Where you see zany, flamboyant Lois, an Englisch grandmother who helps out in her granddaughter Darcy’s café, you will probably also find Millie, her Amish best friend from childhood. Millie tries to stay within the rules of her Amish district, but it’s hard when Lois encourages her as the “Amish Marple” to pursue investigations. This time the victim almost literally falls in their laps in a particularly bizarre means of murder.
There are personal complications also as one of Lois’ many ex-husbands shows up in the little town of Harvest with his new bride of two days. What a shock for Lois to see “Rocksino-Guy” again and in her own hometown. The bride is very interested in Amish furniture specially designed with secret compartments. Millie and Lois investigate three local furniture makers to try to discover what the compartments might be used for.
Millie is an unofficial matchmaker, and she is called on by various Amish locals to determine if a match is suitable. She doesn’t go out looking for people to match, but she has a good feeling about whether a couple is compatible or not. If asked she will give her opinion, but she never offers it unsolicited or charges for her service. Even Millie’s matchmaking skills are an important thread in this mystery.
Harvest is always supporting some community event. In this story, it is a Valentine’s Day Spaghetti Supper that is a fundraiser for a drug counseling treatment program. Both the Amish and the Englisch citizens are concerned about the rising drug problem in Holmes County especially following the recent overdose death of an Amish teenager.
Millie and Lois, in their late sixties, find themselves in dangerous situations as their investigations draw them ever closer to discovering the truth. With someone slinking around the widowed Millie’s isolated farm and the discovery of a threatening note, Lois and chief deputy Brad determine to get the district bishop Yoder to allow Lois better phone access for emergencies. Even Ruth Yoder, the bishop’s strict wife, softens up to Lois and encourages the pair in their investigations.
A visit to Harvest wouldn’t be complete without Jethro, the pot-bellied pig, who puts in an appearance. Millie’s mischievous goats have prominent roles and even come to Millie’s rescue. Honeymoons Can Be Hazardous is a good cozy mystery with lots of threads and humor. The series always shows the ways the Amish and Englisch can work together with respect despite their differences.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #4 in the Amish Matchmaker Mystery Series, but could be read as a standalone.
Publication: December 27, 2022—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
What I saw was a man with bloodshot eyes, sunken cheeks, and a heart shattered into a thousand shards.
Even with her zany Englisch ways, my parents welcomed her onto our farm and let her stay as long as she wished. They knew she needed a safe place to go.
“I can speak to bad marriages. They are hard. In fact, I can’t think of anything about the single life that’s as awful as a bad marriage.”
Death in the Margins–student dance production
Death in the Margins
by Victoria Gilbert
Amy is the director of the Taylorsford Public Library which is a more than full time job as she has to fill in when one of her two part time assistants or volunteers is unable to work their shifts. She is married to Richard Muir, a contemporary dancer, choreographer, and instructor at Clarion University. The book starts out with action as Meredith Fox, Richard’s ex-fiancée and also a dancer, stirs up conflict at a rehearsal and soon after is discovered murdered.
Taylorsford is a smallish community where there are few secrets, lots of relationships, and rampant gossip. Amy doesn’t believe that the young man accused of the crime is guilty so she informally interviews local residents and uses her library research skills to discover other potential suspects. She reports back to the chief deputy who is allowed to only assist on the case because it is not in his jurisdiction. Other major threads that tie into the murder involve art theft, blackmail, and expensive horses. Meanwhile, Richard and his dance partner Karla are consumed with preparations for a presentation featuring younger students, university students, and some professionals. It will benefit the student dance program in the local school system.
Amy is highly observant but perhaps too trusting. I sometimes question why she would believe certain characters’ statements.
Often she changes her opinion about the individuals on her list of suspects based on what they say about their location at the time of the crime as well as their motivations and involvements with others in the community. Her trust endangers her on more than one occasion.
This is an all-round, solid, good cozy mystery with just the right amount of personal interactions between the characters. The dance classes include children who have various kinds of disabilities and a girl who is on the autistic spectrum. These students are minor characters, but I appreciate their being included. Kids just automatically love to dance when they are allowed to abandon themselves to music. I have a life-long love of libraries, dance, and children so this book appeals to me in a number of ways.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: Death in the Margins is #7 in the Blue Ridge Library Mystery Series. I have read some, but not all, of the books in the series and had no trouble enjoying this one as an “almost” standalone. As with most cozy mystery series, reading them all in sequence would probably be best. This is a good series which I recommend.
Publication: December 6, 2022—Crooked Lane Books
Memorable Lines:
“I would’ve dressed up a little if I’d known I could use my feminine wiles to extract more information out of him.” Kurt laughed. “Do you really think you have any of those, my dear? Don’t you know your charm lies in the fact that you’re so direct and lacking in what some would call feminine guile?”
I didn’t mind managing the library solo. It allowed me to indulge in one of my favorite fantasies—that the collection of books and other materials, as well as the comfortable, wellworn space, were all mine. My own private sanctuary, filled with light and enough reading material to keep me entertained and informed for years and years.
“Why, Aunt Lydia, if I didn’t know better, I’d suspect you of watching some of those mob-inspired TV shows.” “I may have seen one or two,” she replied airily, “but also plenty of noir films from the forties. There’s sadly no time-frame limitation on crime and violence, you know.”
Standoff–my first audiobook
Standoff
by Patricia Bradley
My first foray into the world of audiobooks was on a recent roadtrip by myself. Because I am a newbie to this medium, I was going to forgo a review. By the time I got to the end of Standoff by Patricia Bradley, however, I realized I do have some insights to share.
- Although the format, an audio book, is interesting, I don’t think it will ever replace actually reading the book. Just as I enjoy print copies and e-books, audiobooks are another tool in my toolbox but not my favorite at this point.
- You need uninterrupted alone time to be able to enjoy an audiobook.
- I listened to this book because I had read # 4 (Deception) in the series and wanted the backstory. That is not what I got. I discovered the series is composed of four different protagonists with some overlap in minor characters. These books can truly be read as standalones.
- As a newcomer to audio books, but not to dramatic arts, I hesitate in my judgement of Rachel Dulade, the book’s reader. She had a difficult task as she spoke in a deep South, Louisiana accent for a variety of characters, both men and women. It was difficult to distinguish her male characters from each other. Her narrator voice was without accent and well done.
- The plot itself was excellent. The book started out a bit slow, but by the end the pace was heart-thumpingly fast.
- My favorite supporting character is Daisy, an elderly neighbor of Brooke, the protagonist. Daisy is a wise and independent woman who hovers on the brink of needing extra help in her daily activities.
- There are a lot of moral and ethical issues the characters must face. Suspicion casts its shadow on a number of Rangers and political standouts. It is hard for Brooke to know whom to trust. The reader is also given an inside peek at the many ways people deal with grief.
- I recommend this book and series in whatever format you prefer.
Rating: book—5/5, audio—4/5
Category: Mystery, Suspense, Christian Fiction
Notes: #1 in the Natchez Trace Park Rangers Series, but is a standalone novel.
Publication: May 4, 2020—Baker Publishing, Tantor audio
Authentically, Izzy–love of books
Authentically, Izzy
by Pepper Basham
There are many enjoyable, bookish novels that have a bookshop or library setting or feature a writer, book club, or writer’s retreat. That kind of book appeals to me, and I have read a lot of them. Authentically, Izzy, however, is the most delightful and thoroughly bookish story I have encountered; and because it is epistolary (emails and texts), the reader finds that words, quotes, and puns play a major role.
I smiled and laughed my way through the tale of shy library assistant Isabelle in the Appalachians who, despite having her heart truly and fully broken two times, is convinced by her cousin Josie into going on blind dates and using an online dating service. An added complication is that Izzy grew up with her cousins after the untimely death of her parents. They are wonderful people, but Izzy has never been quite sure of her role as a cousin/sister.
Brodie, whose family has a chain of bookstores on the island kingdom of Skymar near Great Britain, signs on to the same service. His initial goal is to entice someone to come work in his country. Brodie is single, good looking, speaks English with an adorable accent, and is a book aficionado. His family could use the financial stipend their country offers to citizens who hire employees from outside the country to fund his little sister’s much needed surgery and to shore up their bookstore chain. Employment would be the incentive, but could romance be an added bonus?
Reading the interactions of these two total book nerds is an absolute delight, but there are many barriers to a happily ever after. They include a fear of flying, a long distance courtship, and a professor/author in the U.S. who is also pursuing Izzy. There are hints that certain potentially disastrous situations will catch up with the couple. One reveal happens fairly soon, but then the reader is left waiting for the other shoe to drop. What a pleasurable suspense! It is impossible to read this book without hoping for all to work out well in the end!
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance, Christian Fiction
Notes: This book is considered a standalone, but another epistolary novel will be published in August 2023, that focuses on Izzy’s cousin/sister: Positively, Penelope. I can’t wait to read it!
Publication: November 15, 2022—Thomas Nelson
Memorable Lines:
I have found fiction to meet me at the most poignant of times in my life. I learned the power of imagination through Narnia and the intimacy of true friendship in The Lord of the Rings. I found courage from Atticus Finch and an unexpected camaraderie with Emma’s Knightley…Fiction, at its best, speaks to the heart.
“There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.” Can you believe Charles Dickens wrote that? I always thought of him as a dreary sort of fellow since he seemed to spend so much time thinking about ghosts and orphans and women who wear wedding gowns for much too long.
(Why do I keep renewing my passport if I’ve never used it? I think something needs to change. After all, Josephine says flying is the safest way to travel, though I’d prefer a magical wardrobe or even a portkey.)
The Whittiers–family ties
The Whittiers
by Danielle Steel
If you want to relax with a good story, nothing too heavy, and one that doesn’t try to change the world, you might enjoy The Whittiers. The theme is family. A devastating accident occurs that changes the Whittier family forever. Although they share the same basic values, the three bothers and three sisters seek out individual paths to happiness Rather than rendering them bitter, the accident results in strong familial bonds.
The reader of The Whittiers meets each of the family members at the beginning of the book, and then romantic interests are gradually added to the mix. Amanda is the wife of Lyle, the oldest of the siblings. It becomes clear early in the book that she loves only herself and her initial attraction was not to Lyle but to his money. As much as you will dislike Amanda, you will love Benjie, the young sibling who will always have special needs and require an adult’s supervision. Everyone else piles in to make a crazy, lovable family.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: General Fiction, Women’s Fiction
Notes: contains mild swearing
Publication: November 22, 2022—Delacorte Press
Memorable Lines:
Their father had worked hard too, though maybe not as hard as they did, in a less crazy publishing world, at a more gentlemanly time. The modern world moved at a much faster pace. Computers and the Internet had changed everything for all of them. Their father often said he was glad he wasn’t working now.
Annabelle watched the screen intently and then looked away. She wasn’t sure how she felt about the image, except she was shocked to see that it looked like a baby, not a blob. It suddenly made it all so real.
Her life was a filled to the brim with people who loved her. It shone in her eyes, and she had unlimited love to give as a result.
Neighbors To Die For–motivation for murder
Neighbors To Die For
by Linda Lovely
This cozy mystery begins with an intimidating list of characters, but the author notes “No worries. You’ll meet them gradually.” That is in fact what happens. I had no trouble keeping up with the characters who are well-described and interesting. The protagonists are all associated with the Welch HOA Management Company. Most of them are older adults. Ted Welch owns the company, and Kylee Kane is his security consultant. Both are retired government employees. Grant, Ted’s son, is home from the Citadel for Thanksgiving vacation. Kylee’s mom Myrtle is a retired nurse who also works for the company. Many of the issues brought to the HOA’s are minor like the color of landscaping materials, but it doesn’t stay that way!
The story is narrated by these characters and by one other mysterious individual who is represented by the term “The Leader.” He has a nefarious plan, but to distance himself from criminal activities he hires three not very bright thugs. He calls himself Q. The plot moves along quickly with fairly short chapters that will keep you turning pages as the protagonists rescue a group abandoned overnight on an island and trace down others who have been kidnapped. Is the Leader really part of Neuter1, an environmental terrorist group, or is that camouflage to deceive his thugs and others? To what lengths will the Leader go to cover up his activities?
Neighbors To Die For is a fun cozy mystery with a South Carolina Lowcountry setting. If you are interested in yachts, there are descriptions of various types. The book has interesting characters and the perfect amount of adventure right up to the end. When the major threads are tied up, there are still a few surprises for the reader.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1. #2 in the HOA Mystery Series, but I read it as a standalone with no problems.
2. It contains some profanity, more than is typical in a cozy mystery.
Publication: November 8, 2022—Level Best Books
Memorable Lines:
No one makes a sound. We barely dare to breathe. It is so quiet I imagine I could hear dust bunnies doing a dance routine.
“…your dad and I always preached that when you see wrongs, keeping silent, doing nothing is the same as giving your blessing.”
“How come I always have to chop onions?” “We’ve shed a lot more tears than you,” Mom replies. “Onions let you catch up without any of the heartache.”
Sandcastle Hurricane–joy from a hurricane
Sandcastle Hurricane
by Carolyn Brown
Two adult cousins, Tabby and Ellie Mae, with dysfunctional family backgrounds are reunited when their Aunt Charlotte decides to retire from the B&B she owns in the little beach town of Sandcastle, TX. Although she has moved away from hurricane country to snow country, she is a constant source of encouragement and advice to her nieces through phone calls and statements sprinkled throughout the book as the cousins can almost hear her talking.
Tabby and Ellie Mae have only been at the B&B for a few weeks when they find themselves boarding up windows in response to warnings of Hurricane Delilah. Aunt Charlotte arranges for her friend Alex to help them as he always helped her and for the trio to take in four residents from an assisted living center who have no family.
The story is very character driven as we learn the backgrounds of all of them and how life’s events have affected them. Tabby and Ellie Mae are both battling grief. Neither has a positive relationship with their families for good reason. The four elderly characters are a study in contrasts. The author shows how it is possible to change, grow, and stand up to overwhelming problems. Although humor is not a mainstay of this book, there are amusing situations and dialogue that lighten the tone of some serious issues and confrontations.
There are romantic scenarios for Tabby and Ellie Mae. The events at the end of the book lead to good things for the characters even though they would not have planned the turns that happen in their journey. Sandcastle Hurricane is about people struggling to do their best, misunderstandings, and family. It deals with the problems that can accompany mixed race marriages and their offspring as well as the joys of color-blind friendships.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: General Fiction, Romance
Notes: Contains about a dozen instances of mild swearing
Publication: November 8, 2022—Montlake
Memorable Lines:
Why can’t my dad and his brother get along like Homer and Frank? Ellie Mae bit back a sigh. Because they never had to go through tough times together. That builds character and teaches people to depend on each other, Aunt Charlotte whispered softly in her ear.
A woman who has lost her husband is called a widow. Children who lose their parents are orphans.. But there is no word for mothers who lose children, because the grief is too hard to put a name on it.
“We just have to believe what is happening now is for a good reason, and what brought us to this day has shaped us into the people we are.”
Sundown–bioterrorism
Sundown
by Susan May Warren
This action packed Christian romance centers around triplets Dodge, Colt, and Ranger. Each of these men served their country in a different branch of the military; they continue to find themselves involved in rescue operations. Sundown is the third book in the Sky King Ranch series and it focuses on Colt, a daredevil since childhood. There are also women in the book who play an important role in each man’s story. For Colt, it is the beautiful, intelligent Dr. Taylor (Tae) Price whose research is sought after by the Russian mafia to provide a bioweapon for terrorism.
The characters go through a lot physically, mentally, and spiritually as they face off with deadly terrorists, the hauntings of their own backgrounds, and relationship struggles. All of their issues eventually lead them back to the role of God in their lives.
I like Sundown and recommend it; but because each book introduces a different brother, there are a lot of characters and backstories to catch up with if you start with this third book. Author Susan May Warren does a good job of inserting information from previous books, but the initial chapters were a struggle for me. My advice is to read all three books in sequence: Sunrise, Sunburst, and Sundown.
My other issue is that Tae’s research deals with recreating a lost strain of smallpox that could destroy the world and then devising a vaccine for it. The whole process was rushed through so that this untested vaccine could be “approved” by the FDA. As has been shown in recent years, the untested vaccine could be as deadly or more so than the disease. Without the history of the last few years, I could have more easily accepted the premises as fiction and just enjoyed the story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Romance, Christian, Fiction, Suspense
Notes: As this is #3 in the character rich Sky King Ranch series, I suggest you not read this as a standalone.
Publication: November 1, 2022—Revell (Baker Publishing)
Memorable Lines:
“You’ve always belonged here. But until you forgive yourself, you’re going to keep running, going to keep believing that you’re trouble. Until you let God tell you how much he loves you, how much he has done for you, you’ll believe you’re not worth saving.”
“In the Bible, God is repeatedly with his people when they’re fighting evil. I think there is such a thing as a righteous battle, and when we are on the side of saving lives…well, God is about life and truth, so I think that puts us on his side.”
“I used to think that way. That if God didn’t answer me, or not in the way I wanted, that he didn’t care or even like me. But that’s not true. I’ve started to see God at work all over my life. Now and in the past. He wasn’t ignoring me. I just didn’t see his work until I wanted to.”
Grilled 4 Murder–not up to par
Grilled 4 Murder
by J.C. Eaton
The husband and wife team known as J.C. Eaton have written several cozy mystery series. I have read, enjoyed, and recommend two of the series: The Wine Trail Mysteries and The Sophie Kimball Mysteries (of which this book is a part). I had been looking forward to reading Grilled 4 Murder. As it turns out, some of the standbys of character, humor, and plot in this series fell flat in Grilled 4 Murder.
On a positive note, the authors immediately bring returning and new readers up to date on the main characters. Phee, the accountant for Williams Investigations, has gotten married to Marshall, a detective in the small company. Her mother Harriet and the book club ladies are seniors who are always ready for shenanigans and go gung ho in protest of a garbage transfer station in Sun City West, home to many snowbirds. Herb and his pinochle playing buddies are competing in a BBQ grill-off, and Harriet’s dog Streetman has adopted a kitten. And by the way, there is a murder with all the expected potential motives for the suspects.
It feels like the murder takes a back seat to the hubbub of the other plot threads that seem very much like distractions. Those diversions felt dull to me. Harriet and Streetman are usually funny, but I found them irritating in this book. Harriet’s friends typically provide comic relief, but the seniors in Sun City West seemed more like a chorus in a Greek tragedy. The two local detectives were depicted as bumbling fools, but they really were on the case and interacted professionally with the P. I.’s of Williams Investigations despite having to follow the required procedures for law enforcement officers.
The thing that bothered me the most about this cozy mystery was the food. A lot of the word count was consumed with descriptions for each meal for every day. In addition to breakfast, there was a break each morning for more cups of coffee and bakery goods. It seemed important to the authors for the reader to know the lunch selections either in a restaurant or brought to the office as takeout. Although they usually dined out in the evenings, there were occasional dinners at home before Marshall and Phee dropped into bed with exhaustion. The reader was “treated” to detailed descriptions of all of these meals.
The day was also interrupted by frequent phone calls from Harriet to Phee. They could have been funny, but they weren’t. Having read ten good books in this series, I will stick around for the eleventh having high hopes for a return to a solid plot and humor that is actually amusing.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 3/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: #10 in the Sophie Kimball Mystery Series with the authors providing necessary background.
Publication: November 8, 2022—Beyond the Page
Memorable Lines:
“I’ll be up at the crack of dawn anyway so we’ll be on the same schedule—comatose.”
Subtle, What happened to subtle? This is about as subtle as a sledgehammer banging on a concrete wall.
He opened the fridge and took out an iced tea. “I’ll be floating by midnight but honestly, it’s like I can’t get enough liquid in me. I knew Arizona was hot, but this is, well…” “Like Satan’s living room?” “More or less.”
education pathways 