I had some great reads in March and the first part of April and want to share them with you. I only post 4 and 5 star reviews, and opinions stated are strictly my own. I hope you see something you can’t live without.
A classic ‘whodunit.’ I knew the identity of the killer fairly soon in the story, but it was fun watching Nick and Laurel unravel the mystery.
Someone is targeting musicians who are tall, lean and have long sandy brown hair. Why? That is the crux of the story. I couldn’t help but feel empathy for the killer. Did any of the musicians deserve to die? No. They just fit the profile.
The author did a good job of unraveling the mystery one piece at a time and kept me engaged. The details of every meal they ate got a little repetitious but not enough to make me stop reading. I wanted Nick and Laurel to succeed. I also loved the romance that bloomed with some of the side characters. If you enjoy a good murder mystery, you will enjoy this book.
In this second book in the Defiant Sisters Series, we see Izzy and Renee dealing with their mother’s funeral, worries about their little brother and trying to work through their tenuous relationship.
I love the growth I see in both girls. They both have strong walls to break through and in this story, we get glimpses of how close they were at one time, growing up. Will they ever completely mend their fences?
Another big aspect of this story is the budding relationship between Izzy and Jay. There is no question about their love for each other, but so many secrets, unsaid things and miscommunications thwart their progress at every turn.
If you are a fan of family drama with a touch of romance, you will love this entire series. I do suggest you start with the first book, The Sister Pact, to get the background. However, I do feel this book works well as a standalone. It is well-written and engaging and I read it in one sitting.
Wow! What a story! At some point I realized why the author chose the title he did for this book. Nothing fits it more.
Zach Amstead has a gift, although there are times he wonders if it’s a gift or a curse. He has the ability to actively participate in lucid dreaming, even to the point he can bring back small physical items with him from inside a dream.
He’s all set to enjoy retirement and the freedom that brings.
Only now the FBI wants him. They want his help to bring down a mafia family, but the complication comes in with it being the people who bought Zach’s father’s bowling alley many years ago and he feels a certain loyalty and friendship with the DeLito family.
Yet, the FBI insists on his assistance and threatens to reveal secrets that could land him in prison. So, Zach unwillingly helps to spy on the targets through his lucid dreaming. And oh my goodness, the predicaments he finds himself in. I do not want so leave any spoilers here so I won’t go into any details, but this story kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved seeing the open and honest relationship between Zach and his daughter, Abbie. I liked her immediately.
And let’s not forget Zach’s best friend from grade school, Billy. He shows up in a big way in this story, using his gift of clairvoyance to protect Zach. It was also great to see the life Billy has built for himself. While this is the second book in this series, it works as a standalone. Still, I was glad I had read the first book to establish the characters and their nuances. Another character I enjoyed was Zach’s brother, Mike. The story moves at a steady pace and it kept me turning the pages. If you like a story with realism mixed with magic, you’ll enjoy this entire series.
I had read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek and found it to be super compelling, so I wanted to read about her daughter. The daughter, Honey, isn’t a full blue like her mother. Blues were people with a skin condition with no cure which made them look blue. Honey’s hands and feet betrayed her Blue heritage.
These stories are set in Kentucky at a time period when women had no rights, and certainly not Blues. Honey is devastated as the book opens when both of her parents are arrested and imprisoned for marrying. It was forbidden for a white man to marry a Blue and they’d managed to stay hidden after his release from prison the first time. But the law caught up with them and the brutality shown to the loving couple is incomprehensible.
That left Honey on her own at the age of 16, which by Kentucky law, meant she was subject to being imprisoned in a work prison until she turned 21. The entire story is built around her trying to gain and keep her freedom. I cheered for her when the landed a job as a pack horse librarian, as her mother had been. Now, she has income and a chance at freedom, if only she can stay out of the crosshairs. I admired her courage and tenacity. She was wise beyond her young years. Two other characters stand out in the story to me. The first being Junia, a stubborn mule that is fiercely protective of Honey, as she had been of Honey’s mother. The second character was another independent woman, age 19, who was manning the fire lookout for the forestry service. Pearl turned out to be not only a loyal friend, but the two girls grew as close as sisters. While this book didn’t grab me like the first one, it is still a most compelling read. It’s horrible what women were subjected to during that time. I’m so glad things have changed. If you like a story that will consume you, I highly recommend either of these books. The historical accuracy is amazing. It’s obvious the author did a tremendous amount of research, as she confirms in her closing statements. Fantastic!
This book is an eclectic combination of stunning art, photographs, videos, fondant art, poetry and flash fiction that was a true pleasure to read. Robbie’s talent is awe-inspiring. The poems are deep and invoke emotions.I love this author’s outlook on life. This is a quote from the book, “I see myself as a wave on the beach, in constant motion and unable to ever be still.” She speaks a lot through her poetry about how human progress threatens animal’s habitats. Greedy hunters kill for tusks and trophies. But her poems also reflect life in general.
I picked a few poems to share in my review.
Newborn child’s clock starts
Elderly person’s clock stops
Yet time marches on.
To me, this one represents the turbulent political climate of the world.
Cry for help
Or real withdrawal
Power play
Or despair
When leadership disappoints
Some quit silently
This one spoke to me in a big way.
One lie
Destroys trust
Displaces belief
Rocks confidence
Disturbs harmony
Unsettles visions
Turns lifegiving water
To acid
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention this author’s young son, Michael’s poems inserted in the book. They are deep and filled with soulful longings of a young man.
This is a beautiful book. I cannot recommend highly enough. If I could give it more than five stars, I would. If you love poetry, a unique and honest view of life and gorgeous visuals, this book is for you!
That’s it. Hope you see something you like! Happy Reading!
Sorry I’m late commenting, Jan. Thank you so much for this fantastic review on Finding Me! I’ve read Robbie’s poetry collection and agree she’s amazing. Congrats to all the authors. I see a few more for my towering TBR 🙂
You are so welcome, Jacquie. I really enjoyed the second book with these two sisters. They have a lot to work through, but they made some progress in this book. So glad you found some more books to add to your TBR, and I SO relate to the word ‘towering!’ Thank you for visiting!
Such a good variety, and some are new to me. Thanks for the recs, Jan, and congrats to the authors on the reviews!
My pleasure, Teri. Glad you see some new authors. I love reading a variety of authors and genres. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, Jan. Thanks for these reviews. I see a couple that are new to me, and can’t wait to explore. I agree on the rest. Jacquie’s family series is beautifully written. Everything Robbie touches is golden.
Sometimes the middle book in a series is weak, but that is not true of this gem from Dan. The whole series is great. Congratulations to all these fine authors. Hugs all around.
Yay! So glad you saw a couple of books that are new to you. I agree about Jacquie and Robbie. And Dan’s middle book is fantastic! I will get around to reading the rest in the series. Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment! Hugs!
I haven’t read a lot of these but The Book Woman’s Daughter is one I’ll never forget. I really loved Honey’s tenacity and fierce determination. She was a great character and yes Junia the mule too. Love you, Sister.
I’m so glad you enjoyed these book reviews, sister. Yes, Honey was a great character, especially considering she was only sixteen. So wise beyond her years. Thank you for stopping by!
What a good selection. You have my attention on a few of them, Jan. Have a great week!
Great, Jacqui. I can easily recommend any and all of them. Thanks for visiting!
Thanks for sharing these with all of us.
My pleasure, Craig!
Hi Jan, I thought I’d left a comment but it’s disappeared. Thank you very much for this delightful review of Square Peg. Reading the lovely reviews has boosted Michael’s confidence as a poet a great deal.
That is awesome, Robbie. He is definitely a naturally talented poet. His expressions were profoundly moving. Thank you for stopping by and I loved your new collection!
Your reviews are awesome, Jan! I can’t wait to read these! 🩷🌷🌺
I’m so glad you enjoyed the, Kymber! Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you so much for the review! Greatly appreciated. And good luck with your new book A BEGGAR’S BARGAIN. Twelve 5-star reviews. Awesome!
Thank you, Judi! I enjoyed your story. I appreciate you stopping by and thanks for the good wishes!
I enjoyed these reviews, Jan. All these books sound great for different reasons, and since I’ve read two of them, I know those two are great!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the reviews, Priscilla. You are right in that the books were all good for different reasons. Thank you for stopping by!
These all look like terrific reads. Thanks for sharing with us Jan. I have a few of these books already awaiting me and your reviews make them something to look forward to. Congrats to all. <3
Fantastic, Debby! Glad you enjoyed the reviews!
You read some awesome books. I have Finding Me, Square Peg in a Round Hole, and The Book Woman’s Daughter on my Kindle waiting to be read!! I also enjoyed Dan’s book.
Great reading minds think alike, Darlene. Thank you for stopping by!
Wonderful reviews, Jan. Thank you for sharing them. Have a great weekend.
My pleasure, Gwen. So glad you stopped by!