Home » Fiction (Page 8)
Category Archives: Fiction
The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels–strange mystery
The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels
By Janice Hallett
This work of fiction is about a true crime writer investigating a closed case that she thinks worth exploring as does her publisher. It turns out to be a complicated story that did not appeal to me for several reasons.
First, it appears to be a twenty-first version of epistolary text. Instead of traditional letters, it bounces back and forth between, text messages, transcribed interviews and phone calls, and pages torn from fictional books purportedly written about the “Alperton Angels.” This is a cult that weirdly seems to want to protect a certain baby to later sacrifice it because it is the antichrist. As I am not fond of epistolary writing, I found that aspect particularly unappealing. At 25% I almost didn’t finish, but I plugged on thinking it would get better. It didn’t.
Second, there was not a single character that I liked in The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels. They were all lying and deceptive people. Full of mixed motivations, none of them were people I wanted to know, root for, or care about in any way. Perhaps for the right reader this would be appealing, but it just didn’t work for me.
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: Thriller, Crime, Fiction
Notes: Epistolary
Publication: January 23, 2024—Simon & Schuster
Memorable Lines:
“Take away talk of angels and demons and you’re left with a very depressing but nonetheless run-of-the-mill story.”
“Electrical and magnetic energy are invisible but we know they exist, right? They can be stored and released at will. Could the force of evil, of negativity, generate an energy that is similarly controlled?”
“He was a lifelong fraudster but needed someone young, pliable, and with no police record to take all the risks.”
The Divine Proverb of Streusel–family roots
The Divine Proverb of Streusel
By Sara Brunsvold
My first reaction to the title of this book is “What an odd title for a book! What will it be about?” Amazingly, it is about negotiating the river rapids of dysfunctional families and relationships. It is about trusting God to bring something good out of bad things that happen. It is about love and forgiveness.
When the school year ends, high school literature teacher Nicki Werner should be riding on a high. Instead she finds herself emotionally overcome by actions of her father who leaves his family with no regard for anyone else. When Nicki finds herself driving aimlessly to escape her pain, she ends up across the state at her father’s family homestead, now occupied by his brother Wes. This uncle takes Nikki in giving her space and time to process the chaos in her life.
As she seeks distance from her father, she finds herself immersed in learning about her heritage from the people of the town and from a handwritten notebook she finds that contains proverbs and other thoughts, each section followed by a recipe reflecting her German ancestry. For example, the recipe for Scalloped Cabbage (Kohl jus Eddner) begins with “You can either look at what you don’t have and yearn, or you can look at what you do have and give thanks.” Working through the recipes, attending church, talking to her uncle, and getting acquainted with her grandmother’s sister through emails all shed light on her father’s background and gives her some understanding of why he is the way he is.
There are other subplots along the way. Nikki’s sister and mom are hurting too. Nikki’s inability to open up to her boyfriend and her sudden departure cause a rift almost as big as the Grand Canyon. Uncle Wes may be a retired soldier, but fear seems to overtake him when he gets near a certain woman from his younger years. They are clearly attracted to each other, but this is one conflict Wes wants to avoid.
The Divine Proverb of Streusel is a good book to read if you enjoy a Christian book that deals with the problems people have and throws in some romance. Along the way, you get some good advice, read some Scriptures, fantasize about some great cooking, and perhaps find that you are a better person for having internalized some of the proverbs.
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, Christian, Women’s Fiction
Publication: January 16, 2024—Revell
Memorable Lines:
“There’s a big fat zero percent chance that her showing up at your door was a coincidence. What’s that Bible verse about God comforting us in our pain so that we can comfort others? You have been specially selected for an important role in this season of her life precisely because you understand.”
This world gives enough reasons to fret. Be not one of them. Be the help. Smile to coax a smile from others. Laugh to stoke hope. Extend a gift of butter baked in sugar to invite friendship to grab hold. As the sun melts away the storm, so shall your help bring life into the vale of grief, and warmth into the shivering sounds of the weak.
No joy could be brighter than that of forgiveness received—and given.
Sunshine After the Rain–family heartbreaks
Sunshine After the Rain
by Jessica Redland
Can there be “sunshine after the rain” or will tragedy and bad choices just keep pushing Mel down with no hope of escape from her past? Mel is a conservation architect. She specializes in the “preservation of historic buildings.” She worked alongside her husband Flynn who handled the construction end of the business until the untimely death of their son. Mel needed answers; she wanted to blame someone. In a totally irrational response to the death, she left her husband and her home. She thought she needed time and space so she cut almost all ties with her family, not considering that all of them were grieving too.
Mel grew up in a village near Derwent Water in the Lake District National Park. Seven years after her split from Flynn, a trip back to Willowdale to celebrate her mom’s eightieth birthday cracks open the tough shell Mel has built around herself. She discovers that the owners of the historic Willowdale Hall, a local landmark, are embarking on a reconstruction. This would be a dream job for Mel. There are a lot of characters who have ties to Willowdale Hall. Many of those characters have been previously introduced in the Escape to the Lakes series, and the author uses their kindness to bring together a supportive structure for Mel as she heals. There is another large piece of sadness in the story that adds to Mel’s struggles.
There is so much grief, despair, and despondency in Sunshine After the Rain that at times it is difficult to read. At the same time, it is uplifting to see familiar characters who have gone through tough times themselves reaching out to help Mel. In addition to the obvious themes of grief and loss, there are also themes of enduring and steadfast love and hope for a better tomorrow. There is a lot of symbolism as Willowdale Hall is being transformed from a place with a lot of past sorrow into a place of restoration. There is also a motif of broken vessels being repaired to a new state of beauty.
I particularly identified with the characters’ love of the library at Willowdale Hall along with another small reading room introduced later in the book. I would love to spend time in either room surrounded by books!
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: Women’s Fiction, Romance
Notes: #4 in the Escape to the Lakes series. By the time you get to this fourth book, there are a lot of characters and relationships. I recommend you start at the beginning of the series and keep going. You will be happy you read them in sequence. Redland is aware of how many characters are involved at this point, and she includes a “Cast of Recurring Characters” as a reference for readers.
Publication: May 15, 2025—Boldwood Books
Memorable Lines:
The biting cold wind whipped my hair across my face and took my breath away. The lake was choppy but the sound of the water slapping against the beach was both mesmerizing and comforting. Closing my eyes, I breathed in several deep lungfuls of fresh air, trying to quieten the battle inside my head.
Georgia laughed at me when I told her I could hear old buildings breathe, which was rich from somebody who talked to books. I loved the phrase if walls could talk. I wish! The things these walls must have seen—the good times and bad, the joy and the pain.
Even the things that seem the most broken can be fixed with enough time, love and will.
The Best is Yet to Come–complicated relationships
The Best is Yet to Come
by Jessica Redland
When Jessica Redland ended the second book in the Escape to the Lakes series with a huge hook, I decided that I needed to read the third book immediately. In the Prologue, Redland satisfactorily reveals the identity of the mysterious “C” while reviewing some of the characters in the first two books. Then, much to my disappointment, the author appears to abandon the whole plot line with the first chapter and introduces a new protagonist, Emma, who is leaving her long term career as a teacher to go with her boyfriend Grayson to help him on his newly acquired tenancy on a Beatrix Potter plot. Redland developed these new characters, and I came along suspecting that Redland is too good an author not to circle back around.
The plot and character relationships only get more complicated as the threads do, in fact, cross. Redland takes the reader on the ups and downs of Emma’s life, gradually disclosing her secrets and nudging her along the path of mending her twice-broken heart. Behind all these relationship issues are The Magnificent Seven, a band of rescue alpacas that become Emma’s focus, the center of her reimagined life. The setting and characters, especially the alpacas, come to life with Redland’s skillful pen. I allowed myself to be carried along and feel rejection, longing, and healing along with Emma. There are people from her past that she learns to leave in the past because “the best is yet to come.”
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: Women’s Fiction, Romance
Notes: #3 in the Escape to the Lakes series. By the time you get to this third book, there are a lot of characters and relationships. I recommend you start at the beginning of the series and keep going. You will be happy you read them in sequence.
Publication: September 23, 2024—Boldwood Books
Memorable Lines:
I couldn’t seem to stop my emotions bouncing around all over the place. One minute I’d be so overwhelmed with hurt that I could barely breathe, the next I’d be shaking with anger and feeling like such an idiot.
I felt really comfortable with him, as though I could tell him anything and he’d understand, but I just couldn’t do it. I’d spent too many years telling an edited version of my story and it was too difficult to give the full truth.
“…Aoife and I were able to show him a different path. Up to him whether he took it or not but it’s easier to do that when someone gives you a little push and tells you the only stop sign is the one you put there.”
A Breath of Fresh Air–very tangled family relationships
A Breath of Fresh Air
by Jessica Redland
I have really enjoyed Redland’s books; they are clean romances. I had many interruptions as I was reading this one, but I was always eager to pick up where I left off. My one warning is that A Breath of Fresh Air ends with a very large and surprising hook—big enough that I will be revising my reading queue to move on quickly to the third book in the series. At the end, I turned the page to learn who the mysterious “C.” is only to discover that this person’s identity is still hidden. Several of the main characters have been working for a number of months to bring this person’s name to light, but as the book closes it is still a mystery to the reader.
A Breath of Fresh Air is the story of Rosie who manages the stable on a large, but run down, property. She cares for the horses and gives riding lessons to groups and individuals with the help of her mother. Mam is emotionally crippled by a very serious accident and can not make herself leave the estate grounds. Mam has raised Rosie on her own and has never disclosed to Rosie, or anyone, who Rosie’s father is.
There is a lot of heavy baggage that the characters have to carry. Rosie was badly bullied in school, but the most painful break was with her long time friend, Ollie. What in his background would cause him to join with the “Populars” in making fun of her?
There are a lot of themes that the author explores including dysfunctional families composed of tortured people. Bullying is a huge issue as well as secrets that hurt but are supposed to protect. Paternity issues and the treatment of unwed mothers play a major role in this book. The novel includes second chance romances and recovery from PTSD. In the midst of all of these negatives are folks of good character, a supportive friend, and people who dream and work to make their dreams a reality.
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, Women’s Fiction
Notes: #2 in the Escape to the Lakes series, but could be read as a stand alone.
Publication: January 10, 2024—Boldwood Books
Memorable Lines:
Confidence could be such a funny thing. If I was at the stables, I could happily chat to anyone—any age or walk of life, but being surrounded by horses was my comfort zone, my domain, my safe space. This couldn’t be further from that.
“Your capacity to forgive is astonishing, you love your friends and family with a ferocity that’s so touching, and you inspire me every day to want to be a better person.”
Things happened—unexpected, horrendous, life-changing things—but what was important was how we picked ourselves up after them, made our peace and moved on.
Meadow Falls–trusting again
Meadow Falls
by Carolyn Brown
Angela Marie Duncan inherits the largest peanut farm in Texas from her father. That might be overwhelming to some, but Angela Marie has been working the peanut farm since she was a child so she knows everything there is to know from planting to harvesting to accounting.
Meadow Falls recounts Angela Marie’s blossoming after her indifferent father passes away. She depends on Mandy her 95 year old nanny and Mandy’s granddaughter Celeste for support as makes choices to shed her old life and rebuild. Celeste has been Angela Marie’s close friend from childhood. Celeste is reeling from a divorce, and Angela Marie has learned that men can be attracted to her for her money. Both have understandable trusts issues with men. Devon enters her life at just the time she needs someone to handle the many mechanical issues that arise on a peanut farm. He brings along his cousin Jesse who is an excellent carpenter who is hired to remake much of the large home. Tongues are wagging in the little town with a big gossip mill. Angela Marie and Devon encourage the rumors to keep unwanted attention away from her. This fake boyfriend trope works, but boundaries can blur.
I enjoyed the characters, plot twists, and romance in this clean novel. Mandy and her friend Polly add a welcome multigenerational vibe. If I had one criticism of this book, it would be that the characters “giggle” and “chuckle” too much. Laughing is great, but let’s pull out the thesaurus and vary the words a little! Otherwise, it was a good read, and includes a mystery of sorts—possible relationships that are suspected based on timeline and photos. It takes DNA samples to suss out the truth.
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: Women’s Fiction, Romance
Publication: January 9, 2024—Montlake
Memorable Lines:
My thoughts kept running around and around in my head like young squirrels chasing each other around and around the tree.
“You don’t forgive to make the other person feel better. You do it to get that hard spot out of your heart. Hate and love cannot abide together. Hate is darkness, and love is light. Love produces peace. Hate eats away at you until there’s nothing left but a dark hole inside your chest that nothing will cure.”
I sat down on the top step and savored every flirty moment and every nuance. I held onto the vibes between us like I would a Fourth of July sparkler and loved every minute.
Fragile Designs–valuable history
Fragile Designs
by Colleen Coble
I woke up in the middle of the night and continued my reading of Fragile Designs. Unfortunately it did not make me sleepy as I had hoped. Instead I finished the book. I wanted to “help” put all the loose ends together, and it was worth the lost sleep time. What a good read!
The main character Carly is a really nice person, always putting others’ needs ahead of her own. Family circumstances made her take on a mothering role for her sisters, but they ended up resenting her and expecting life on a silver platter. Part of the book revolves around family drama. Several of the characters have breakthroughs and get a new perspective on life and love of all kinds.
When she becomes a widow with a new baby three years into her marriage, Carly is taken in by her grandmother Mary and offered an opportunity along with her sisters to refurbish the huge family home and transform it into a bed and breakfast with Carly as the manager giving Carly a flexible schedule with her baby and perhaps the opportunity to explore writing as a career.
Along the way, Carly becomes reacquainted with the two handsome brothers next door. The murder of her husband who was in law enforcement was never solved, but Carly discovers clues, a Fabergé egg, and a huge secret her husband had been hiding. There is a slow burn, clean romance. Carly’s neighbor Lucas is a law enforcement officer who shows a protective streak for the whole family next door, but especially for Carly and her adorable son Noah, when they are endangered by an intruder, thief, stalker, and murderer. What is worth killing over and who is doing it?
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, Mystery, Romance
Notes: standalone
Publication: January 2,2024—Thomas Nelson
Memorable Lines:
What she’d wanted to do since she was a teenager was to write historical novels. Selling collectable items had seemed a good option instead of putting a toe in the craziness of the publishing world, but the itch to create her own novel had blossomed lately. Maybe was finally ready to try.
She might have been beautiful with the perfect skin that needed no makeup, but the petulant twist of her mouth and the angry slant of her eyes erased anything attractive in her angular face.
She eased down two steps and paused to listen. The headlamps went out, and the bottom of the stairs went dark. With the bat in one hand and her phone in the other, she slipped down two more steps.
When the Waters Came–flood, fire, and disease
When the Waters Came
by Candice Sue Patterson
Often, works of historical fiction focus on a famous character, a war, or a period in history. This book has as its subject the Johnstown, PA, flood of 1889 which resulted in two thousand deaths. Add to that the destruction of most structures, thousands of animals, and deep mud everywhere. Families were torn apart, and basic services of electricity and water disappeared. Transportation came to a standstill. The stench of decomposition was overwhelming, and typhoid fever was a concern resulting from the unclean water. The government sent in resources, and Clara Barton brought medical help along with her organizational aid in arranging temporary housing and providing food.
The early part of the story focuses on Monty, a likable, handsome pastor with a secret in his background. He loses everything in the flood as most people do. Annamae is a Red Cross nurse in Washington, D.C., who travels to Pennsylvania to help in the tragedy. She had a very difficult childhood, and following the death of her father in a factory accident she is left to her own resources. She manages to become a nurse and because of her skills attracts the attention of Clara Barton. Monty and Annamae’s paths cross, and they gradually reveal their interest in each other.
Annamae and Monty both have lessons to learn about forgiveness. Annamae has a deep-felt need for revenge, and has to come to grips with acknowledging a trust in God and His justice in dealing with wrongs. While I felt for the people who lost all in this flood and were terrorized by the powerful waters, I never really connected with the protagonists. I did learn a lot about the devastation of floods and this one in particular. The descriptions of the natural occurrences and their aftermath are powerful.
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: Christian, Historical Fiction, Romance
Notes: 1. #1 in the six book series A Day to Remember featuring disasters in American history written by six different authors.
2. The author includes details explaining which parts of her work were taken from actual sources and which are fictionalized.
Publication: January 1, 2024—Barbour
Memorable Lines:
He looked in the direction the man had come from, and fear pierced his heart. Black mist rolled into the air. Then Monty saw a wall of water as tall as any building, devouring everything in its path. The dam had broken.
This had been no judgment day or act of God. Not in the biblical sense. The truth was that this had happened from the selfishness and indifference of the industrial kings who ran the country and spent summers recreating at the top of the mountain. But proving it would be no easy task.
“Here we are, a hundred and thirteen years after the revolution, ruled by a different tyrant. The tyrant of greed and monopoly, where payment for backbreaking work is given in company scrip that can only be used at the company stores where prices are higher than anywhere else. After years of sacrificing health and family, the reward is death.”
I’m Glad I Found You This Christmas–Romance in Scotland
I’m Glad I Found You This Christmas
By C.P. Ward
I found a Christmas story that would truly be good at any time of the year just because it is sweet and contains some “magical” charm—perhaps it was dusted by Christmas elves. The setting is Hollydell, Scotland, a minimally advertised winter resort that can only be reached by an old fashioned coal train. In fact, it is located literally at the end of the line! Renee tries to help out her long time best friend Maggie whose boyfriend of four years, Dirk, has moved to London in an important new job and seems to be distancing himself from Maggie, a lowly shopkeeper. At least that is the way she thinks of herself. Renee thinks that if Maggie invites Dirk to a romantic Christmas, he will show his true colors by either pulling a no show or asking her to marry him.
The locals and tourists are all amazing people, friendly and welcoming to Maggie introducing her to all the fun Christmasy activities. As Dirk keeps postponing his arrival, Maggie’s new friends insist that she participate in all of the events and foods that make Hollydell the only place they would want to be during the Christmas season. Henry is the very handsome, kind reindeer keeper who takes a special interest in Maggie, but as they grow closer he shares that he doesn’t do “holiday romances.” The area has some beautiful snowfalls despite Scotland not normally experiencing much snow. The setting is magnificent.
You just have to read this book to see if any romances develop and if they include Dirk. More importantly, you’ll want to find out if Santa makes an appearance.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Women’s Fiction, Romance
Notes: 1. This is #1 in the Delightful Christmas series. My research tells me the books in this series would read like standalone, because the characters and locations of these books do not overlap. The connection seems to be solely Christmas.
2. This is my first read by this author, but there are 9 books in this series and there are other seasonal books by C.P. Ward. I’ll be returning for more sweet, clean novels..
Publication: September 30, 2018—AMMFA Publishing
Memorable Lines:
“We don’t get many visitors these days, but that’s intentional. We like to keep Hollydell special for those people who need it most.” She looked up and met Maggie’s eyes. “You see, those who really need us will always find us.”
“Nothing wrong with a good, honest job,” Emma said. “We can’t all be painting church ceilings. If you love what you do, you’re sorted. Money is just a number. Happiness is uncountable.”
“Things will work out, or they won’t, but one way or another, you’ll survive.”
Murder on Tour–plot within a plot
Murder on Tour
By V.M. Burns
Samantha Washington is an independent bookstore owner in North Harbor, Michigan. As a local author with her first book, a cozy mystery, to her credit, she is invited to be on panels at the North Harbor Book Festival hosted by Michigan Southwestern University.
When a publicist is murdered, Samantha (Sam) recruits her Nana Jo and her friends from Shady Acres Retirement Village to join her in solving the crime. It turns out to be more difficult than one would imagine as Sam uncovers among the authors multiple layers of affairs and treachery that could rival a soap opera.
This series is unusual in that Sam is writing historical fiction. We witness the process in spurts as Sam turns to her laptop frequently when she is blocked or needs a break in her investigations. The occurrences in the book she is writing with a setting of 1939 mirror in some ways the current crime. The first time I read a book in this series I found the technique somewhat distracting. In Murder on Tour, however, I thought it played well. Either the author has become more skillful or I have incorporated this style into my reading mindset.
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: #9 in the Mystery Bookshop Mystery Series, but could be read as a standalone
Publication: November 28,2023—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
“But don’t discount the importance of escapist fiction. Books are subjective, and people read books for different reasons. Given everything that’s happened in the world, many of us need to escape to maintain our sanity.”
These women didn’t know a lot about mysteries, but they would defend me to the death if anyone said an unkind word about my book. Some days, you need people like that in your corner.
He stared at me for several beats…I didn’t flinch. I taught English to high school students who could smell fear a mile away. Woe to the teacher stupid enough to blink during a stare-down. But he was good. Really good.
education pathways 