Reading this week

Finished

Surviving Adam Meade by Shannon Klare

The Other Side of Lost by Jessi Kirby

Auschwitz Lullaby by Mario Escobar

The Love Knot by Karen Witemeyer

The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse

Reading

Catwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J Maas

From Twinkle, with Love by Sandhya Menon

Shattered at Sea by Cheryl Hollon

Non-fiction reading

House of Dreams by Liz Rosenberg

Classic

Audio on the Way to Work

Getting ready to read

The Red Door Inn by Liz Johnson

Five Days in Skye by Carla Laureano

Whiskey When We’re Dry by John Larison

Deputy Daddy by Patricia Johns

Reviewing

Murder at the Flamingo by Rachel McMillan

Swell Time for a Swing Dance by Cindy Vincent

Devotional reading

When God Calls the Heart by Brian Bird

Did not Finish

Reviews Posted this week

Reading this week

Finished

Then There was you by Kara Isaac

Live and Let Chai by Bree Baker

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel society by Mary Ann Shaffer

The Magically Mysteriour Adventures of Noelle the Bulldog by Gloria Estefan

The Ship of the Dead by Rick Riordan

Death Over Easy by Maddie Day

The Race to Save the Romanovs by Helen Rappaport

Reading

Surviving Adam Meade by Shannon Klare

The Other Side of Lost by Jessi Kirby

Non-fiction reading

Classic

Audio on the Way to Work

Getting ready to read

Auschwitz Lullaby by Mario Escobar

Catwoman: Soulstealer by Sarah J Maas

The Red Door Inn by Liz Johnson

Five Days in Skye by Carla Laureano

The Unbinding of Mary by Miriam McNamara

Deputy Daddy by Patricia Johns

Reviewing

Murder at the Flamingo by Rachel McMillan

Devotional reading

When God Calls the Heart by Brian Bird

Did not Finish

Reviews Posted this week

Review of Once Upon a farm

Title: Once Upon a Farm: Lessons on Growing Love, Life and Hope on a new Frontier

Author: Rory Feek

Pgs: 248

Genre: nonfiction Memoir

Rating: 3 Stars

     Once Upon a Farm is Rory Feek’s newest book that I did enjoy reading though I didn’t love it as much as his first book. This Life I live.  Once Upon a Farm read like a series of blog posts rather than one complete memoir, so you are able to read it at your own pace, put it down and come back to it.  I did enjoy reading more about Rory’s life and reading updates on Indy.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Review of Fawkes

Title: Fawkes

Author: Nadine Brandes

Ch: 49

Pgs: 448

Genre: Historical fantasy

Rating: 3 Stars

I discovered one thing while reading Fawkes that historical fantasy isn’t a genre that I really don’t like. Give me either fantasy or historical fiction. That being said Fawkes was an interesting read. It was a novel about the Guy Powder plot to kill King James of England, but with a fantasy twist. The novel was well written and Nadine Brandes does an awesome job of weaving history, fact, myth with fantasy to give u a unique story.  

Even though I didn’t love it I would still recommend it to anyone who don’t mind historical fiction mixed with fantasy.  Thomas and Emma were characters that despite their faults were easy to like. They both had a lot to overcome and growing to do and by the end of the of the book you can she the growth. They are different at the end of the book than they were are the beginning. 

Just because I did not like this book doesn't mean I am not looking forward to Nadine's next book. Just because someone doesn't like one book by an author that you’re going to dislike all books by that author. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Reading this week

Finished

Called to Protect by Lynette Eason

A Dark and Twisting Path by Julia Buckely

Princess Margaret by Christopher Warwick

Read and Gone by Allison Brook

Shelved Under Murder by Vicotira Gilbert

The Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan

Reading

Then There was you by Kara Isaac

Live and Let Chai by Bree Baker

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel society by Mary Ann Shaffer

The Magically Mysteriour Adventures of Noelle the Bulldog by Gloria Estefan

Non-fiction reading

Classic

Audio on the Way to Work

The Ship of the Dead by Rick Riordan

Getting ready to read

The Red Door Inn by Liz Johnson

Five Days in Skye by Carla Laureano

The Unbinding of Mary by Miriam McNamara

Deputy Daddy by Patricia Johns

Reviewing

Murder at the Flamingo by Rachel McMillan

Death Over Easy by Maddie Day

Devotional reading

When God Calls the Heart by Brian Bird

Did not Finish

Furyborn by Claire Legrand (DNF)

Reviews Posted this week

Title: Twelve Angry Librarians 

Author: Miranda James 

Chapters: 35

Pages: 272

Series: Cat in the Stacks book 8

Genre: cozy mystery 

Rating: 4 stars 

In Twelve Angry Librarians Charlie and Diesel are back for their eighth mystery.  Charlie is the interim librarian for the college library. With the Southern Academic Libraries Association conference getting ready to be held there Charlie has his hands full. When Charlie's old school nemesis  Gavin Fong is found murdered and Charlie becomes a suspect, but he's soon joined on that list by every librarian that Gavin had come in contact with over the years. Hence the title of the book. 

It's up to Charlie to clear his name along with everyone else, but that's going to be easier said than done. 

I've always loved mysteries since I was a kid and discovered my first Nancy Drew mystery. As an adult not much has changed though I tend to lean more towards cozies.  The Cat in the Stack cozies have everything a mystery, a cat, a library and a librarians making it the perfect cozy. Diesel tends to be my favorite character he's the one  with the most personality and spirit in the series. And as always I look forward to the next one in the series. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Review of Grilled for Murder

Title: Grilled for Murder 

Author: Maddie Day 

Pages: 304

Series: Country Store Mysteries book 2

Genre: cozy mystery 

Rating: 4 stars

Grilled for Murder by Maddie Day is the second book in the Country Store Mystery series. Robbie Jordan has turned a run down store into a successful restaurant and has one solved murder under her belt when another body is found in her store. With her friend and baker Phil the prime suspect.  Robbie most work to clear Phil's name before she becomes the killer's next victim.   

Even though the police want her to stay out of it and leave the crime solving to them; Robbie can't let her friend take the fall.  As the second book in a series, the main characters as well as the setting a small southern Indiana town somewhere between Bloomington and the IU campus and French Lick.   I enjoyed this one more than the first one and look forward to reading the rest of the books in the series. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Review of River to Redemption

Title: River to Redemption 

Author: Ann H. Gabhart

Chapters: 36

Pages: 336

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction 

Rating: 4 stars 

After being orphaned by a cholera epidemic in 1833 Springfield Kentucky Adria Starr is first taken in by a slave named Louis and Tillie. They were one of the few people who stayed behind to tend the sick and dying when everyone fled.  Louis single-handedly buried the 57 dead.  Once word got out that people were returning to the town and the school teacher's widow would be taking over the school; Louis convinces her to take in Adria as it wouldn't be proper for him and Aunt Tillie to raise the her. 

But Adria never forgot the kindness that Louis and Tillie showed her after her parents died in the epidemic. As a young woman she is determined to find a way to repay Louis. Her plan is simple find a way to buy Louis's freedom. This is something that isn't going to go over too well in 1840s Kentucky.  

The Events of Adria's life have shaped her made her the woman that she is. If it hadn't been for Louis she wouldn't have lived, to her Louis and Tillie are like an loving uncle and aunt despite Adria having a different skin color than them. Blood and looking alike doesn't make you family love does. 

In her historical novels Ann H Gabhart doesn't shy away from the hard stuff and River to Redemption is no different. That's what I love about her novels.  That even in south central Kentucky in the 1840s there was a pocket of people who knew slavery to wrong and where willing to do something about it; no matter what it cost them. Though Adria Starr is a fictional character the story is based on real life events.

Fans of historical fiction will enjoy this novel. Everyone should read it as Louis's story deserves  to be heard. But a fair warning it will make you cry. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Review of Hunting Prince Dracula

Title: Hunting Prince Dracula 

Author: Kerri Maniscalco 

Pages: 434

Series: Stalking Jack the Ripper book 2 

Genre: teen historical fiction steampunk 

Rating: 4 stars 

Hunting Prince Dracula is the second book in the Jack the Ripper series. This book opens with Audrey and Thomas on a train bound for Romania and a medical school there.  Both hope to get one of the few spots available and as a female she's looked down upon and no one thinks she can make it. 

I loved that in this second book in the series I didn't get the dreaded second book slump.  Hunting Prince Dracula had the same fast paced action and story of the first book.   While this isn't a true sequel to Stalking Jack the Ripper but a companion novel it is best if you read the books in order. The events of the first novel shape the beginning events in this novel and allow you to understand why Audrey basically ran to Romania in the first place. 

Hunting Prince Dracula combines the myths and legends behind the story of Dracula with early forensic medicine and forensic investigation to  create another unique novel. And just like with the first book in the series I look forward to the next book in the series.  

Reading This Week

Finished

Letting Go of Gravity by Meg Leder

Game of Secrets by Kim Foster

Sisterchicks on the Loose by Robin Jones Gunn

A Study in Treason by Leonard Golderg

Princess: The Early Life of Queen Elizabeth II by Jane Dismoere

Reading at home

Then There was you by Kara Isaac

Kindle Reading

Called to Protect by Lynette Eason

Reading at Work

A Dark and Twisting Path by Julia Buckely

Non-fiction reading

Princess Margaret by Christopher Warwick

Classic

Audio on the Way to Work

The Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan

Getting ready to read

The Red Door Inn by Liz Johnson

Five Days in Skye by Carla Laureano

The Unbinding of Mary by Miriam McNamara

Reviewing

Read and Gone by Allison Brook

Shelved Under Murder by Vicotira Gilbert

Murder at the Flamingo by Rachel McMillan

Devotional reading

When God Calls the Heart by Brian Bird

Did not Finish

Furyborn by Claire Legrand (DNF)

Reviews Posted this week

Review of Stalking Jack the Ripper

Title: Stalking Jack the Ripper 

Author: Kerri Maniscalco 

Pages: 326

Series: Stalking Jack the Ripper book 1

Genre: Teen historical fiction steampunk 

Rating: 4 stars 

In Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco we meet Audrey Rose Wadsworth a lord's daughter in  Victorian England.  She's not your typical Victorian girl she doesn't care about needle point and learning how to be a wife. She's more interested in the art of forensic medicine. A skill that she is slowly learning at the side of her uncle. She dresses as a boy to attend his lectures at the university.   It's there that she meets one of his students Thomas Cresswell who is close to her equal in book knowledge and skills. 

Then her uncle is asked by the police to help investigate the Jack the ripper killings.  Audrey wants to help  her uncle and first refuses and she goes behind his back almost gets killed and is rescued by Thomas.  Something he won't let her live down.   

Stalking Jack the Ripper puts a new spin on the Jack the Ripper story that I didn't think was possibly but yet we have Stalking Jack the Ripper.  As the Jack the Ripper murders remain one of the criminal justice systems biggest mysteries, because till this day they really don't know who did it.  I loved that Audrey Rose was a woman a head of her time.  That I would like to think that if they had had women police officers, detectives doctors, medical examiners and  forensics that weren't in its infancy they may have caught Jack the Ripper in the Victorian times. I look forward to the next book in the series.