Hello, friends. I’m back with some more catch-up reviews from my summer reading. Enjoy!!
MY REVIEW:
This was not my favorite Lucy Score book, but I enjoyed it. Riley Thorn is a psychic and all she wants is to be normal. Visions are strong and make her physically ill. So when she sees a vision predicting the murder of her neighbor, what can she do to stop it?
Nick Santiago is a typical bad boy/good guy. He’s an ex-cop and a private investigator, and devastatingly handsome.
He is hired to investigate the neighbor’s murder, and that is how his path crosses with Riley. The mystery surrounding the murder unfolds one layer at a time.
I was surprised when the identity of the killer was revealed and how people in power came into play. Artfully done, I read this book in two sittings. Great murder mystery with a strong romantic thread.
MY REVIEW:
If you are looking for a lighthearted, feel-good book, this is not it. This collection of short stories, as the title indicates, all deal with death in one form or another. The stories are diverse and some even include a dual timeline. They are well written and I love that the author included a brief explanation about the inspiration behind the tale, at the end of each story.
I have to give a shout-out for the final story in the collection, All That Glitters Is Not Gold. This story touched me deeply. Women working in factories during and following World War I were exposed to deadly amounts of radiation that resulted in horrific deaths. In this story, the author shows the effects of that exposure and how it finally culminated in a lawsuit against the U.S. Radium company. This is based on truth, not fiction and maybe that’s why it affected me so, but I cried at the injustice, the continuing corporate greed and government’s lack of concern for people. Not only does this story encompass the Radium Girls and their horrifying story, but a young soldier who died in the trenches, and his ghost that lingers seeking justice. This line expresses exactly my sentiments as well, “…how easily we common people are manipulated by our governments and their propaganda campaigns.” Kudos to this author for her raw and honest approach to life and death.
MY REVIEW:
While I enjoyed this book and read it in two sittings, the trope is almost too common. Ex-Navy Seal is part of special ops team with the goal of bringing down terrorists. Add in a beautiful and brilliant scientist that is key to eliminating the terrorist before thousands are wiped out, and you have the story setup.
Cason Driggs is used to going it alone, even though he is part of the Delta 6 special ops team. His military training has made him a invincible force and the last thing he needs or wants in life is a woman to protect. So, when he kidnaps the esteemed scientist, Dr. Yara Yates, in order to flush out the terrorist, he finds himself in the exact situation he’s fought years to avoid. Not only does he need to protect her, but feelings develop that no amount of training could prepare him for. While there is a ton of action, tension and life-threatening danger, the romance adds another delicious layer to it. If you are a fan of ex-military men who continue to fight for justice in the world, and strong women who are capable of taming these men, this is the book for you.
MY REVIEW:
This is the first book I’ve read from this author, but it certainly won’t be my last. This story touched me deeply. There is nothing more awful than being an orphan and feeling unwanted. In this story, we have an adult and a child whose lives are running parallel as both are orphans and both adopted by the same man and his lovely wife. The story has so many twists and turns.
It is called a novel of self-discovery and that could not be more accurate. There are heartbreaking moments and events as well as things worthy of celebration. It runs the gamut of emotions. If you enjoy stories with well-developed characters, a haunted past and uncertain future, you’ll enjoy this novel.
If I could give it more than five stars, I would. It’s that good! Highly recommend it.
MY REVIEW:
I love the time period this story is set in—the 1920s. So much was changing, especially for women during that time period and the author depicts that very well. The most popular form of entertainment at that time was vaudeville acts. This story is about Faby, a young lady, just graduated from high school, and her obsession with vaudeville. So, it’s no wonder that when a performer known as Slim White (America’s favorite hoofer) shows interest in her, she’s beyond star struck. But things take a turn when Faby gets pregnant with the performer’s baby and has nowhere to turn. Set in a small town in Vermont, the shame of an unwed mother weighs heavy on the family. So, when Slim shows up and marries her in a quick ceremony, then whisks her off on a train to the next show, she discovers that show business is nothing as it appears on the stage. It’s a long run of train rides, cheap hotel rooms, bad food and bad luck.
In this coming of age story, the author did a wonderful job of showing how someone so young and innocent can be treated poorly, afraid to speak up and scared to go back home. I won’t leave any spoilers, but this story lingers with me long after the last page. My heart broke for Faby and for what could have been her life. If you are a fan of historical fiction told in a realistic and believable way, you will enjoy Faby’s story.
That’s it until next week. I’ll eventually get all the reviews caught up, but I hope you found something today you can’t pass up.
Hi Jan, thank you so much for this wonderful review of And the Grave Awaits. I am delighted you enjoyed the story about the radium girls. I’m happy that you enjoyed Telling Sonny. Liz is a great writer.
When I saw light-hearted and feel-good used in Robbie’s review, I thought, “Wait a minute…” – and then I read the rest of the sentence, lol. A nice variety of books, Jan – thanks for the recs!
Thanks, Teri. Yes, that first sentence definitely would not fit Robbie’s book for sure. 🙂 I’m glad you stopped by and thanks for leaving a comment!
Fantastic books and reviews Jan, thanks for sharing with us. I’m off to check out a few. 🙂 x
Wonderful, Debby! Thanks for stopping by!
🙂
More great books I’ve added to my huge reading list. 🙂 Thanks, Jan!
Lol, Mary. We cannot resist the lure of a good book. I love it! Thanks for visiting!
A few of those (like Robbie’s book) make me revisit the enjoyment of reading them. Good list.
Thank you for your comment, Jacqui. I love that terminology “revisit the enjoyment of reading them” as that describes these books perfectly. I’m happy you stopped by!
A wonderful variety of genres. I hadn’t heard of The Dead Guy Next Door. It sounds like a good mystery story!
It was a good mystery with a heavy emphasis on romance. I enjoyed all of these books, but Chasing Fireflies…Wow! It was an amazing story. Thank you for stopping by, Priscilla!
I enjoyed your reviews, Jan. I loved Robbie’s book. I have Lucy Score’s on my kindle, but with so many TBR’s on my list I just haven’t gotten to it. The other two are new authors to me. Thanks for sharing!❤️
I totally relate, Joy. My Kindle is bulging. So much to read…so little time. 🙂 I’m glad you enjoyed the reviews and thank you for adding your recommendation for Robbie’s book!
I’ve read three of your four and loved them: Cheadle, Martin, and Gauffreau – all 5-stars. Thank you for sharing your reviews, Jan. 🌞
Wasn’t Chasing Fireflies an outstanding story, Gwen? So different and so well written. Thank you for adding your recommendations for Robbie and Liz’s books! And thank you for visiting!
Really enjoyed Liz’s and Robbie’s books and thanks for some new to me authors and their books ♥
Thank you, Sally, for adding your recommendation for Robbie’s and Liz’s books. I just love discovering new authors. Thankfully, the Charles Martin book was on KU, otherwise I wouldn’t have read it. I appreciate you stopping by!
I need to get to a couple of these.
Yay! Glad something grabbed your attention, Craig. Thank you for visiting!
Telling Sonny is such a wonderful book. I’m glad you enjoyed it too. And the Grave Awaits is an interesting collection with great historic detail. You read some awesome books!
I totally agree, Darlene. Each of these books was outstanding! Thank you for adding your recommendation for Telling Sonny and The Grave Awaits. I appreciate you stopping by!
Thank you so much for your book reviews/recommendations! These look good!
Happy to share, Kymber! Thanks for visiting!