October Book Reviews @lizgauffreau.bsky.social @supermegawoman @stacitroilo @PriscillaBettis @KarinaBartow

Hello, friends! I had another fun and varied month of reading. I only share four and five star reviews. And of course, opinions expressed are solely my own. Enjoy!

PURCHASE LINK

MY REVIEW:

This book captivated me from the start. While it is a fictionalized account of the Sheldon Poor Farm in Vermont, the setting AND the characters are very real.
Most of the story is told through Hazel, who wound up being the caretaker of the poor farm, along with her husband, Paul. Hazel’s story is heartbreaking from the start. The devastating losses she experienced at such a young age were enough to scar her for the rest of her life. Instead, she found a strength and resilience that made her not only capable but also compassionate. She genuinely cared about the people who ended up in their care and did her best to provide for their needs. She is a strong relatable character.
However, the character I related most to was Claire. She lived in Louisiana, and had everything she’d been told she was supposed to have—a husband who provided and didn’t abuse her, a teenage daughter who loved her despite the typical age related angst. But something was missing. Her discontent grew. Sleep evaded her. Something strong pulled her. So, she sat outside after her family went to bed and listened night after night. At first she couldn’t tell where the music came from, but it drew her, until powerless against it, she had to find it. A Quonset hut tucked away from the road gave her what she longed for. She hid in the shadows and listened as the music soothed her ragged soul. Then, something extraordinary happened. I’m not going to give you details, but when Lightnin’ Hopkins showed up, I got a big goofy grin on my face. Maybe it’s because I love the blues, or maybe it’s because of the way the author depicted this character in such a way I knew it was the real him. That was the beginning of Claire’s downfall that eventually landed her at the Sheldon Poor Farm in Vermont.
There is so much that happens through the pages of this book. It is slated to be one of the top reads for me for this entire year. It is so well written, well researched and well developed from the historical facts to the characters and the storyline. I highly recommend it!

PURCHASE LINK

MY REVIEW:

I loved joining Amanda on another adventure. This twelve-year-old has a knack for finding trouble wherever she goes. This time, her cousin’s bride-to-be has gone missing, and right before the wedding. Amanda follows clues and suspects and even puts herself in danger as she tries to help finding the missing bride.
The author returned me to the beautiful Emerald Isle through her descriptive settings, sights, sounds and the food. I can still taste the Irish Stew and soda bread.
Amanda visited ancient castles, towers, explored museums and got a scary introduction to the Bog, in this story. I won’t give away the plot, but I will say it had a couple of twists I didn’t see coming. I thoroughly enjoyed this addition to Amanda’s adventure series and highly recommend it to anyone of any age!

PURCHASE LINK

MY REVIEW:

This book starts with a bang and doesn’t let up until the conclusion! I loved Detectives Paxton and Walsh in the first book of this series but got to know them even better in this one. Their work lives and family lives are intertwined and that sets their relationship apart. Not only are they work partners, but their families are friends as well and help support each other.
The author did a great job showing the difficulties law enforcement faces when it comes to juggling time between their jobs and their loved ones. In this story, it was impossible to separate the two.

The opening scene sets the tone for what is to follow, when a prison transport is ambushed and Detective Walsh is the first on the scene, even though he’s not officially back on the clock after a vacation. Had he known it would set him up for not only a emotionally charged discovery, but also as a murder suspect, he might have chosen to ignore the call. But he didn’t and it put him in the thick of it all.
As the story unfolds, the author also shows the struggles the men face with aging bodies that don’t respond like they did in their younger years. Detective Paxton is constantly reaching for antacids to calm his burning stomach while Detective Walsh struggles to recover from injuries received at the crash scene and subsequent events that follow.

I also love how the author gave us a glimpse into the lives of the women, Melanie and Sarah, who married these men, knowing full-well they would be dedicated to their jobs—to keeping the bad guys off the streets. There are many different emotionally charged events throughout this story and the detectives are faced with separating personal feelings from their professional duties.

This book is more than a crime novel or a mystery. It’s also a psychological journey into a brilliant mind of a character that could have been used for incredible good, if he’d chosen. There are lots of characters and I enjoyed meeting them, especially Detective Slater from another precinct. His character loomed larger than life. If you’re looking for a mystery/crime novel that will keep you riveted and guessing about the bad guys, this is it. I highly recommend this brilliantly written story!

PURCHASE LINK

MY REVIEW:

This is a well-balanced collection of short stories and poems that takes the reader on a journey through heartbreak and redemption. Each story and poem carries a strong message of faith and how a true connection with spirit can bring peace in the darkest of situations.

While each story explores a different terrain, they carry a universal spiritual message. And each story also delves into a different aspect of the human psyche with topics from grief and one man’s unwillingness to let go, to the grips of addiction to a bit of insanity.

“Prayers Heavy with Smoke” has such a beautiful and ‘human’ message. But the final story and book title, “Whispers of A Southern Moon,” made me stop and think. It has been said there is a fine line between reality and insanity. Some would say Lysanias leaned more toward the side of insanity, but his undying love for a beautiful aging dancer defied all odds. Sorrow may have also lingered a bit on the edge of insanity herself, but Lysanias offered hope and a shelter from her storms. Through it all, Lysanias never lost his faith in God.

The author’s testimony at the end of this collection touched me deeply. She is the perfect example of how a soul can triumph over tragedy and trauma through faith.
I’ll share this poem as it moved me in a powerful thought-provoking way:
My Reflection
Sometimes I think I catch
My grown-up self in the mirror
Confident, competent, cognizant
Wrapped in my lover’s arms
But when I stop to look
There is only fractured glass
And long shadows

If you are looking for an eclectic faith-based collection of stories and poems, I highly recommend you give this a try.

PURCHASE LINK

MY REVIEW:

The concept of this story is what first drew me to it. But as I read, I became totally immersed in the unfolding of a complex and unlikely situation.
Lorelei Carmichael is a highly successful photo journalist. But she’s compelled to return home when her aging uncle is admitted into a nursing home at her brother’s insistence. Her uncle Reed is more than an just an uncle. He took both Lorelei and her brother Harley to raise when their parents, Reed’s brother and sister-in-law, perished in a fire. What Lorelei never fully understood was how much her uncle sacrificed when he placed his life on hold to take care of them.
It is through a roll of undeveloped film Lorelei discovers something so big she is forced to explore it further.
Her uncle had also been a highly successful photo journalist and had been sent to Alaska to report on the devastation of the historic 1964 earthquake. He was there when he received word of his brother’s death and the need to take the two children. But there was so much more. And that’s what Lorelei discovered.
Now, she’s being sent back to Alaska to do a story on the fifty-year anniversary of the quake. And it gives her the perfect opportunity to explore what she discovered on that roll of film.
This story is well-written and emotional. I love the bond between Lorelei and her uncle. The other characters in the story are well-developed and memorable. The author did a fantastic job world-building and unfolding this story in such a compelling way. If you love family stories with plenty of secrets and nuances, you will no doubt enjoy this story! I highly recommend it.

**The author’s personal story shared at the end of the book touched my heart. She suffers from cerebral palsy and only has the use of one hand. Yet, she manages to create and publish compelling stories despite the challenges she faces. My hat is off to this resilient, determined lady!**


That’s it for this month. Can’t wait to see what entertainment is in store for me in November! I hope you found something that can add another dimension to your own reading life.

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

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