August Book Reviews #AlexCraigie @janice_spina @lindabroday.bsky.social #RussellCowdrey #ChrysteenBraun

I read a lot. I joined Goodreads in 2013 and since it started tracking me in 2014, I’ve read 745 books. 🙂 I found some nuggets in the books I read in August. Hope you enjoy my thoughts on these.

MY REVIEW:

This story is one of the most masterfully woven psychological thriller/mystery I’ve ever read.

Gwen Meredith suffers from low self-esteem and carries a burden of guilt that has weighed her down since childhood. Because of her, both of her parents are dead. At least, that’s what she thinks. It was her fault.

The book opens with a slow burn and I grew irritated with Gwen when she suffered humiliation and became the victim of bullying both on social media and physically, but instead of fighting back, she cowered inside her home. When a incriminating photo is circulated on social media, it looks as if Gwen is openly having a tryst with the married school master, her boss. She knows the truth. Then when she witnesses child abuse and refuses to stay quiet, another character shows up and he wants revenge over losing his children. I grew impatient with her and wanted her to grow a backbone.

Gwen’s history comes into play, going back to the guilt she carries over the deaths of her parents. It doesn’t help she lives with a crabby grandmother who has dementia and calls her ‘stupid girl’ at every turn. Her brother is her only ally. Gethin is the one she’s always leaned on. So when he comes home, she is sure everything is going to work out.

A new neighbor, Ben, is a character I immediately liked. Anyone who owns a spunky dog named Atticus has to be a good guy, right. But is he? Gwen falls in love with him, even while having doubts.

The list gets long of players who are attempting to destroy Gwen. I honestly could not guess who was behind all of it until the author reveals the identity at the end of the book. Thank goodness for Gwen, the story does end on a satisfying note. If you like psychological thrillers with multiple plot twists, you’ll devour this story.

MY REVIEW:

This is a collection of four short stories that span over decades with one thing in common — haunted land and a haunted well.
As different families move onto the sixty-acre farm, they all experience an encounter with the ghosts that haunt the house and the well. In the third story, the author introduces a fairy that lives lives in the well. What happens with that encounter changes the course of the rest of the people who inhabit the farm.

Each story is unique with different characters all at different ages, from young families just starting out to an old couple living out their last days on the farm.
It’s hard to pick a favorite, but I’d have to say the last story in the book is at the top of the list. “The Old Woman” brings all the other stories into a full culmination that is both satisfying and believable.

If you are a fan of well-told horror stories, you will enjoy each of these.

MY REVIEW:

This Christmas story touches the heart and offers hope where there is none.

Calder Jackson is drifting. He’s weary and longs for a place to settle, but keeps moving, hoping to outrun the nightmares of war that haunt him.
When he arrives in Jubilee, he’s cold, hungry and desperately in need of respite.
A young boy pounding nails into a room-for-rent sign catches his eye. This looks like a good place to stay for a few days, at least long enough to get past Christmas.

When Kate Walsh discovers her brother has rented the room to a man, she’s hesitant. After all, it isn’t proper. But it’s done, and she has no choice but to welcome Calder.
This family is fighting to survive after the death of their father. The full responsibility falls on her shoulders. Money from the boarder will help.

I love all the characters in this story, but the boy, Micah, stole my heart. He has struggles beyond what normal kids deal with. He’s bullied and ostracized because he’s ‘different’. He and Calder grow close quickly. The boy is hungry for someone to accept him, to actually see him. When he wants to build a lantern to bring those in need to their door for Christmas, Calder jumps in to help.
In a short time, Calder becomes an integral part of this family, but more importantly, steals his way into Kate’s heart.

The way this story is woven together keeps the reader turning the pages to see how it will all turn out. In true Linda Broday fashion, there are some nail-biting moments mixed in with a sweet blossoming romance. I highly recommend it!

MY REVIEW:

Louisa Sophia was born an outcast in Greece. She was an extraordinary young girl and under the tutelage of an uncle became a talented thief with an uncanny ability to scale walls and conquer towers.
This book opens with Louisa using her abilities to “break and enter” in order to change school records so that she won’t be forced to participate in a chaperoned “husband hunting” voyage along with the other students from the all-female school, Legion of Honor in France.
That is our introduction to this adventurous seventeen-year-old.
There are some extraordinary things about this book that make it a stand-out read. The characters are all well-developed and the plot keeps the readers turning pages. I like that the chapters are short. Somehow that makes for easier reading. Still trying to figure that one out.
Louisa, Eugenie, Virginie, Marie and Catherine make up the Clan of the Dissipated. And, oh, the adventures these girls have. There are bullies who delight in trying to destroy Louisa and the clan.
The nuns in charge of the school have stories of their own. I loved that the author painted them realistically.
Then there’s Joao, who is easy to dislike. But he has a touch of elfin magic, which makes for an interesting plot twist.
I won’t leave a spoiler here, because I want you to read this book yourself. The research the author put into this included a physical visit to the country to learn more about this unique and historically documented school. I learned a few French words reading this book. Again, the author went a step beyond and added a glossary in the back of the book, outlining each character, their roles (whether they were fictional or based on a real person) and interpreting unfamiliar words. If you are looking for a Historical YA with plenty of adventure, you will enjoy this tale. My hat is off to Mr. Cowdrey for this huge undertaking.

MY REVIEW:

This is a wonderful character-driven dual-timeline story that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Annie has recently purchased seven cabins from widower, Sam, and she uses her design skills to make them attractive yet fully functional. The setting for this story is absolutely beautiful and the author put me there. A small mountain town is the perfect setting for the story to unfold. The first part of the book is mostly about Annie and Carrie. They have no idea the ties they have to Cabin Number Three until history reveals itself. I loved both of these characters and the men in their lives. Annie is freshly divorced and in a solid relationship with Noah. That is until wealthy Grayson hires her to redecorate his large cabin in Montana. I wanted Annie to stay strong, but that is the human aspect of the story. It doesn’t take long for the man to show his true colors.

Carrie is a successful author, taking care of her aging mother whose health is declining. Before her mother dies, she tells Carrie she will find out some things she didn’t know about her and Carrie’s father. The secret she discovers shakes her to the core. It’s that secret that leads directly into the last segment of the book with her mother, Elizabeth’s story.

I love the friendship that develops when Carrie hires Annie to redecorate the house.

I honestly enjoyed Elizabeth’s story the most. I am a sucker for stories set in the prohibition period, when the mob controlled the liquor business. The love story between Elizabeth and Thomas is both uplifting and heart wrenching. Elizabeth proved her value in all aspects of her job and interaction with movie stars as well as mob bosses.

The stories all tie in together with a common connection to Cabin Number Three. Now that I’ve finished this one, I want to go back and catch the first book in the series. The writing is immersive. The author puts you in the scenes with these strong, successful women and the obstacles they face.

That’s it for August. I hope you found something that interested you!