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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.”
My Elephant Is Blue–sadness
My Elephant Is Blue
written by Melinda Szymanik
illustrated by Vasanti Unka
Children sometimes have trouble verbalizing their feelings and managing them. My Elephant Is Blue was written to help children deal with sadness. “Big, heavy feelings” are represented by the crushing weight of the elephant Blue. The child’s family members try to help in various ways, and gradually the child does feel the weight of sadness lifting. This is Mental Health Awareness month, and My Elephant Is Blue is one of many picture books published by Flyaway Books to help young children and their families deal with emotions.
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: Children’s Fiction, Health
Notes: 1. Ages 3-7
2. Supporting resources linked to this book are found at http://www.flyawaybooks.com/resources. There is a Discussion and Activity Guide that helps the reader understand the symbolism in the book. This guide includes Discussion Starters, Activities, a list with links of organizations that offer support, and a coloring sheet. There is also a book trailer if you would like a preview of the book.
Publication: April 11, 2023—Flyaway Books
Memorable Lines:
They said, “Perhaps if you cheered up a bit…or smiled at it.” But it’s hard to cheer up or smile with an elephant sitting on your chest.
“It’s an elephant,” Mom and Dad said. “Surely it can’t stay forever. It’s bound to move on sometime.” I hoped sometime was soon.
Secrets in the Stacks–supporting friends
Secrets in the Stacks
by Lynn Cahoon
The Survivor’s Book Club is for women who are currently undergoing or have finished treatment for breast cancer. It was founded by Rarity, a local bookstore owner and cancer survivor. The group does not actually read books about cancer, but their background gives them an unspoken bond and perspective. When one of the club members discovers her grandmother murdered in their home, the group shifts into high gear to support their friend, clear her of suspicion, and help discover the real murderer.
As is usual with a Lynn Cahoon book, Secrets in the Stacks has an intricate plot, great characters, and a lot of surprises. Cahoon actually discovered cozy mysteries when she was going through breast cancer treatments herself and realized that writing is what she really wanted to do. She has been very successful with several popular series to her credit, but this is the first one that draws on her experiences with cancer treatment and survival.
Rarity is supported by a group of friends who are Sedona, Arizona, locals. She is close friends with Drew, a detective, but the romantic interest in the story is Archer, an athletic man who leads group hikes in the surrounding area. Rarity has her dog Killer, a Pomeranian, with her almost constantly. As the boss, she can even take her well-trained dog, who has a great instinct about people, to work with her.
The murdered grandmother was well-loved in the community, but no one seemed to know anything about her life before she and her teenaged son moved to Sedona. The group decides that something from her past could be a motivation for the crime. The deeper they delve, the more complications arise.
The ending is dramatic, action-packed, and surprising. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
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: 1. #2 in the Survivors’ Book Club Mystery Series, but could be read as a standalone as Cahoon provides any background information needed.
2. Sedona is often associated with new-age beliefs so there are several references to tarot cards as well as one to crystals and sending out good wishes through the universe. Some of the characters believe in the “mystical part” of the tarot card reading and others don’t. As a Christian, I avoid the occult, but there are few enough references and enough skepticism on the part of the characters that I am able to read this book. It is not a predominant theme.
3. Includes a recipe for Hamburger Stew.
Publication: November 1, 2022—Kensington Books (Lyrical Press)
Memorable Lines:
“…running my own business is harder than I thought it would be. Every time I think I see a light at the end of the tunnel, it turns out to be a train.”
She’d worked out her negative feelings about what Shirley had said without confronting the woman. Sometimes you just needed to realize it was you and not them.
The book club was more than just a bunch of women reading books. Or even poking their noses into an investigation, or now, two. They were there for each other.
The Story of Love–being Englisch in an Amish community
The Story of Love
by Beth Wiseman
Yvonne moves from her house in Houston to live in Amish country in Montgomery, Indiana. Her friend Eva has been ordered to bed during her pregnancy, and Eva’s father-in-law is confined to a wheelchair leaving the farm management to Eva’s husband Jake. Yvonne, a rare book dealer, had met the couple at their bookstore, and now she steps in to help her friends at their store.
Abraham is a police officer who left the Amish church on friendly terms hoping to be useful as an intermediary between the Amish and the Englisch. He met Yvonne shortly after her fiancé died and hoped that at the right time he would be able to get to know her better.
The Story of Love is a sweet story of two people trying to sort out priorities and relationships. When the tale begins, Abraham is dating a very attractive woman who is as shallow as a mud puddle. With Yvonne and Abraham trying to make honorable choices, it takes a while for the romance in the story to progress. There is the further complication of Abraham’s family’s attitudes toward both women and their continuing discomfort with Abraham leaving the Amish faith. It is a problem for him too. Interesting and important subplots center on a homeless dog and a case of domestic violence.
I really enjoyed reading The Story of Love and am looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Hopefully Ever After, to discover what lies ahead for the characters. It is a gentle book but also has some action and confronts some serious issues. The characters use some Amish terms, and through the plot I learned how the Amish celebrate Christmas and Valentine’s Day.
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: Christian, Romance
Notes: 1. #2 in the Amish Bookstore Novel Series. It would be fun to read the first book in the series, but I had no problem jumping into this one.
2. Contains a Glossary of Amish words used in the book.
Publication: October 11, 2022—Zondervan Fiction
Memorable Lines:
Brianna smiled, looking gorgeous, but now that Yvonne had seen what was on the inside, her striking appearance had lost some of its luster.
This was what Christmas was supposed to be. Gifts created out of love. Meals shared with family. And an all-knowing sense that where more than one gathered in His name, He was there.
…if she was honest with herself, she was the problem. She was unlovable, despite her outward beauty that she’d always counted on to get her through life, to land her a good man, and to enjoy the life she thought she deserved. Maybe you had to give love with genuine intent before you got it back.
Last But Not Leashed–veterinarian story
Last But Not Leashed
by Eileen Brady
Dr. Kate has taken on the practice at Oak Falls Animal Hospital while the owner is on a year long vacation. She lives in a small, connected garage apartment which is very convenient in snowy weather. Dr. Kate has been well accepted and supported by the locals including Mari, her veterinary assistant, and Cindy, her office manager. Even her next door neighbor, Pinky, makes sure she is safe since she lives alone, and he keeps the snow plowed regularly in gratitude for her life saving veterinary services to his dog.
So many threads in this book! The plot involves rescue services for a sweet pit bull used as a “bait dog” but abandoned outside the hospital. Mari convinces Dr. Kate to attend organizing workshops with her where events turn deadly. Dr. Kate and Mari take their veterinary skills to customers who are unable or unwilling to bring their animals to the hospital including one wealthy film star tucked away in a a gorgeous but almost unreachable setting on a mountaintop. Why would she need two bodyguards inside her remote, gated compound? Even Bitcoins come into play in Last But Not Leashed.
The reader meets Oak Hills locals, and there are lots of interesting characters. Romantic standouts are Luke who is Kate’s boyfriend across the miles where he attends law school and Colin, an artist with enough charms to attract all the ladies of Oak Hills. Kate relies on her Gramps by phone for support and advice. Judy owns the town’s only café which makes it a favorite hang out and a good place to gather information. Posey, a night clerk at a convenience store, is writing a “kind of Edwardian, sci-fi vampire novel,” but could it hold clues to the crazy, real life murder plots?
This cozy mystery was a fun read and author Eileen Brady is a good storyteller. As an added benefit, Brady who is a veterinarian herself shares lots of interesting tidbits about various animals, their needs, care, and health issues. These facts are included non-intrusively and never overshadow the plot. Her character Dr. Kate is likable and has a genuine compassion for her patients and their owners. I recommend this mystery for those readers who love cozies, animals, and stories centered around veterinary medicine.
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: Fiction, Mystery
Notes: #2 in the Dr. Kate Vet Mystery Series. I had not read #1 in the series so I can attest that it works well as a standalone.
Publication: September 6, 2022—Poisoned Pen Press
Memorable Lines:
“People love all the shapes and sizes of dogs. It’s only with our fellow humans that we are so judgmental and critical in unproductive ways.”
My food choice for lunch had hit a new low—a pint of fudge ripple ice cream and a diet soda. Both of my coworkers watched sympathetically as I tried to eat my way to a little happiness. We all knew that never worked, but it sure tasted good.
After working in an animal hospital for twenty years, Cindy had an iron stomach, nerves of steel, and could charm a frightened cat from a tree.
education pathways 