I am super late sharing my July reads, but couldn’t let it slide. I read some great books!!


MY REVIEW:
I enjoyed seeing some of the same characters in this story that I met in the previous book, “Bridge To Nowhere.” It was like visiting with old friends at the newspaper office. But the major characters in this story are new. I immediately liked bestselling crime writer, Brody Thompson. Up until now, he’s only written murder mysteries, not been involved in one. But he can’t resist the intrigue of solving a real crime, and offers to help Trevor find out who had murdered his father. There are a lot of breadcrumbs to follow throughout the story and each one reveals a new possibility. Another character I enjoyed meeting was Trevor’s mother, Arlene, who has a plethora of secrets to protect. I won’t share what they are, but will tell you she is a strong character with an even stronger motivation for all the lies.
But the most intriguing and mysterious character is simply known as The Poet. He is a complex character. His poems are honest and disturbing with strong messages for those who exploit others. He focuses most of his poems on the Viet Nam war and how the soldiers were used a guinea pigs for testing of chemicals such as agent orange. The poems are impassioned and Willow did a great job creating them. They add so much to the depth of the story.
At one point, I thought I’d figured who the bad guys were, only to be disappointed that I wasn’t right. The author did a great job of keeping me guessing. The stakes are high, and there are a lot of players at the table. If you’re a fan of murder mysteries with intriguing characters, you are sure to enjoy Dan and Willow’s new collaboration.

MY REVIEW:
I’ve always loved fairy tales, but this one is so much more. The symbolism throughout the story is magnetic and leaves the interpretations up to the reader. The things I enjoyed about this book besides the incredible interwoven story are the characters. Lisa is just a little girl. And her mother is dying. She’s extremely sad and would do anything to save her mother. So when Jonathan shows up with a magical music box, the journey Lisa embarks on takes her through unimaginable scenarios. Along the way, she meets The Craftsman, The InsideOut Man, The Gardener and the darkness of Acrid. I was mesmerized by this story and how it aligns with so many of my spiritual beliefs. Perhaps it’s not meant to be spiritual, but that’s how I saw it. The infinite battle between light and dark rages. I loved the rainbow birds who sacrificed their lives for the cause. There is just so much in this book that touched me. If you are a lover of fairy tales with a strong message, then this book is for you. I highly recommend it!

MY REVIEW:
There were several aspects to this story that drew me in and held my attention, but the setting really appealed to me. Who wouldn’t love to live in a slow moving riverside town with a steamboat that makes daily runs down the river. I want to visit!
The characters are well-developed and relatable. Maya and Noah are the main characters and I loved each of them differently. I loved Maya’s simplicity and honesty as well as her amazing artistic talent. Noah is every girl’s dream. Handsome, successful and yet down to earth. The side characters are unforgettable and each could have their own story. The is the first book in a series, so it’s possible that some of them may get a chance in the spotlight.
Maya is recovering from a devastating break-up and has secluded herself from everyone except closest friends while throwing herself into her work and rebuilding a business that got destroyed. She’s dedicated and talented. But her family and friends constantly worry that she’s hiding from life and most of all from love. When circumstances throw her and the debonair Noah, who is a famous actor, together her guard is up. And the fake dating pact they make is a safety zone for them both. They have a lot of obstacles to overcome on their way to finding love. The author threw in some surprising twists, so it’s not exactly predictable. If you are a fan of love stories with some surprises, this book is for you!

MY REVIEW:
There is so much to say about this book. The characters come to life through the words and at times, I was right there with them. Landon is a hero’s hero. I love him. He doesn’t back down from doling out justice and making right the wrongs. There are a lot of different twists throughout the story as Alissa attempts to make the land rush and stake a claim alone with her little six-year-old brother. Their father met his end with a bullet fired from Landon’s gun. Truth be told, their father was a good-for-nothing gambler and anything but a loving father. But the reason behind his death came as a surprise.
Zach is Alissa’s brother, but he’s a pint-sized hero in his own right.
As Landon and Alissa fall in love and gather up a menagerie of misfits and cast-outs, their single focus to grab some land and settle gets stronger with each obstacle.
All of the characters are wonderful. I loved Jake’s tenacity and Jenny’s ability to keep going even after her family discarded her like an old worn out shoe. But the character that I really fell in love with was the wagon train cook, Jasper Jolly. He was a major player in the small circle and proved his worth.
I won’t spoil any of the story, but I will tell you, this is a wonderful compelling read and I highly recommend it to any fans of high-octane westerns and ‘against all odds’ romance. It is well-written and engaging from beginning to end!

MY REVIEW:
After reading Mr. Dittmer’s first book, The Valley Walker, I knew I wanted to read this one, and am glad I did. It is a thriller with a lot of added complexity I haven’t found in any other book. I loved that the setting is a real place I recently visited in Michigan.
First of all, the characters are strong and well developed.
Preston Hawke is the main character and I immediately liked him. He has an extensive military background that goes way beyond that of an ordinary soldier. His skills are unmatched and he operates off pure instinct. That’s what I admire about him.
He is a rookie FBI agent surrounded by females, including a female boss whom he’s attracted to. Deanna Tulene is tough and capable and I was a bit surprised by her open flirting with her new agent, but it fit well with the story.
Britt Gundrum is a character I won’t ever forget. She’s a big woman who guzzles coffee and chain smokes, but is as capable as any man in a battle.
But Amy is the mysterious character I struggled to figure out. It took a while for me to decide if she had ulterior motives when it came to Hawke. And who was the five-toed tigress? I also thought I had figured that out, but then got a surprise. This is a thriller that will keep you turning the pages as the FBI attempt to thwart a deadly attack on a religious rally in Michigan. There is also a side plot that ties nicely into the entire story. I love it when justice is served. I don’t want to spoil the story so won’t share any details, but will say it kept me engaged and guessing. While the coffee making and drinking, smoking and sexual innuendos were a bit overdone and could have been lessened, it kept the story human. I love the paranormal aspect of the tale. This author obviously has a strong military background as well as personal knowledge of many Middle East customs and myths. If you are looking for a story that will keep you engaged and guessing, this thriller is for you!
Did you find a book you must have? Hope so. 🙂 Thanks for visiting and supporting these talented authors!
Great reviews, Jan! Thanks for sharing!
Yvette M Calleiro 🙂
http://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com
My pleasure, Yvette!
Fun reviews, Jan! Tales of the Wandering Mists is not my normal reading genre, but it sounds adorable.
We are delighted about the review — and that it’s sparking more interest! (and I have to confess, it’s not my genre either — but I’ve been hooked by Oleg’s writing for a few years now). It’s adorable, fascinating, emotionally moving — and there’s more to come as it’s the first in a trilogy. Take a chance on it and I’m betting you’ll enjoy even if it’s not your usual sort of read.
I was intrigued by it when I saw it on one of Sally’s posts and I was not disappointed. Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks for a wonderful review (and Sally’s nudge!) It’s great to see folks taking a chance on it. As noted in another comment, it’s not my genre really, but Oleg Veretskiy is such a talented writer and just draws you into the elements. Magical, moving and layered with meaning if you care to dive into it at that level. Thank you again for treading down the unknown path!
I truly enjoyed it. I love the words you used, “magical, moving and layered.” Perfect description.
Love these, Jan! I especially enjoyed Landon. It is very well-written and the romance one I won’t soon forget. I think I might enjoy Dan’s and Willow’s book. I’ll look into it. Love you, Sister.
Thank you for visiting, sister. I really did enjoy Dan and Willow’s story. The Poet was a wonderful character. Plus the main character’s name is Brody. 🙂 I also really enjoyed Landon!
Grabbed Landon. My kind of book!
Oh, you’re going to love it, Jacqui! Such great characters! Thank you!
Terrific reviews, Jan. Congratulations to the authors.
Thanks for dropping by, John!
Wonderful reviews!
Thanks for visiting, Dawn!
So glad you enjoyed them, Dawn!
Grrat reviews and a couple I’ve read and really enjoyed. That fairytale caught my eye and added it.
Thanks for dropping by, Denise. We often end up reading the same books. 🙂 I think I first saw the fairytale book on one of Sally’s posts and it intrigued me. I really did enjoy it!
excellent reviews – I am finishing Poetic Justice – and the others sound so interesting
I am so glad you enjoyed the reviews, Yvette, and glad you are enjoying Poetic Justice.
;0)
It’s never too late to share book reviews! You’ve got a great variety, Jan. I’d also love to visit a small town and watch a steamboat meander down the river – or even be a passenger. Congrats to the authors!
I am glad you enjoyed the reviews, Teri. Each book was a great read, and I agree about the steamboat!
Thank you for the gorgeous review, Jan. So many great books to discover here! I will look them all up. X
It was my pleasure to include your newest, Lizzie! Glad you see some that catch your eye.
JAN! Bless you! I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your kind words about Landon! As you know, this book was part of a 10-book, multi-author set, and I was very proud to be included in it. Every one of these stories is a standalone story, all by WONDERFUL authors! I based my story around a true piece of Oklahoma history, one that, if you grow up in Oklahoma, you learn about from Kindergarten in re-enactments on the playground about the land run of 1889. As I was writing this story, I was worried I’d included too many details about the land run, but I felt like I needed that to make the story richer, fuller, and more in-depth. I appreciate your review so much for putting my mind at ease about the telling of Landon and Lissie’s story. I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your very kind and heartfelt review. You are much appreciated, Jan!
It was truly my pleasure, Cheryl. And I loved the details. That just made it all the more realistic. Great characters and great story!!
Thank you so much for your great reviews, Jan! I’m so glad you liked reading Five-Toed Tigress!
My pleasure, Tim. Hope my review helps get a few new readers for your book!
Thanks for the wonderful review, Jan. I’m delighted to be featured with the other authors, and I congratulate all of them. I sense my TBR pile is about to grow a bit more dangerous.
Lol! I totally understand, Dan. And it was my pleasure to read and review Poetic Justice!
All wonderful and very helpful reviews for books that seem very intriguing. Thank you for introducing me to these books.
Hi Jan I was so excited to see Poetic Justice featured in with these other brilliant books. Thank you so much for such a great review. I like Dan sense a few more TBRs being added to my pile! Congratulations and good luck to everyone on today’s reviews and once again thanks to you 💜
Hi Jan I think I accidentally sent my reply to Thomasstigwikman. So I shall repeat it for you.
I was so excited to see Poetic Justice featured in with these other brilliant books. Thank you so much for such a great review. I, like Dan sense a few more TBRs being added to my pile. Congratulations to and Good luck to everyone on today’s reviews and once again thanks to you.💜