Maple Sugar Crush review

Title:  Maple Sugar Crush

Author:  Beth Labonte

 Ch: 23 plus prologue and epilogue

Pg:  184

Series: An Autumnboro Sweet Romance

Genre:  Romance, Rom Com, Sweet Romance

Rating: 4 stars

 

Maple Sugar Crush by Beth Labonte is the companion sequel novel to Pumpkin Everything. I do recommend reading the books in order otherwise you will spoil yourself for the first book. This one focuses on Riley and Josie and Thanksgiving. A Thanksgiving rom com isn’t something that I’ve read before so this was a nice change. Just like the first book in the series this one is a fairly clean romance. Though Josie does think a few thoughts you wish she didn’t. And since the book is told from her point of view you’re in her head. But it is still a sweet read. After meeting both Riley and Josie in the first book it’s nice that they get their own book.

Reading this week

 

Books Finished

Maple Sugar Crush by Beth Labonte

Captain America: The Death of Captain American by Ed Brubaker

Dying in a Winter Wonderland by Vicki Delany

Rebel Rose by Emma Theriault

Joy to the World by Carolyn Miller

 

Physical Book

Fortune and Glory by Janet Evanovich

 

 

Kindle Book

 

Audio book

 A Heart’s Revolution by Roseanna M White

 

Nonfiction

Classic

 

Review Book

 

DNF

First Line Friday

Hosted by Hoarding Books Blog

“There is a razor-thin edge between Justice and revenge  , where the two easily blur if left unchecked.”

A bittersweet Thanksgiving

 

Holidays do get a little easier each year after a love one passes. But there’s always one that remains hard to get through no matter how many years have passed.

For me that’s always going to be Thanksgiving. Yes for me Thanksgivings giving is the hardest holiday since losing my mom. For many reasons but the main one being her birthday was around Thanksgiving and we celebrated her birthday at Thanksgiving complete with a pumpkin pie her favorite with candles in it instead of cake. So this holiday in a sense is two losses my mom loved every holidays and she loved having a birthday at a time that got her favorite dessert the only dessert she my actually really liked.

Pumpkin pie was one ode the first things I learned to bake and it’s been four years since I’ve baked one because it’s been too hard. But one of these days I’ll bake one again and I’ll smile because I’ll have the wonderful memories that go with it.

Dorothy and Jack: The Transforming Friendship of Dorothy L. Sayers and C.S. Lewis review

Title: Dorothy and Jack: The Transforming Friendship of Dorothy L. Sayers and C.S. Lewis

Author: Gina Dalfonzo

Ch: 7

Pg: 208

Genre:  Nonfiction, Biography

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Publisher: Baker books

 

I knew that Dorothy L. Sayers was a mystery author who rivaled Christie mostly because her mysteries novel graced my mom's bookshelves. And I knew that C.S. Lewis was an author however I was not introduced to Lewis's writing as a kid with the Narnia books (a book series I still haven't read). I was included to his writing with A Grief Observed which I read as adult after losing my mom.  As well as an introduced in the historical fiction novel Becoming Mrs. Lewis: The Improbable Love Story of Joy Davidman and C. S. Lewis by 

Patti Callahan

 

     So I knew nothing of the friendship between Dorothy L. Sayers and C.S. Lewis so I was willing to pick this one up and learn more. I have to say I was not disappointed.  Reading this and learning more about both C.S. Lewis and Dorothy L. Sayers I know want to read her mysteries books and pick up some more Lewis's nonfiction and possibly finally read The Chronicles of Narnia.

 

Cause I mean Lewis was the one who said "Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.” and “A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest.” I take that to mean a well written children's book can be read and enjoyed by anyone. 

. 

 

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.

 

Quotes from C.S. Lewis as found listed on Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/1069006.C_S_Lewis

Nacho Average Murder review

Title:  Nacho Average Murder 

 Author:  Maddie Day

 Ch: 56

 Pg: 324

 Series: Country Store Mystery book 7

 Genre: Cozy Mystery

Rating: 3.5 stars

Publisher:  Kensington

     Robbie's not in Indiana anymore, in book 7 of the Country Store mystery series. In which Robbie is back in California for  her high school reunion where she is hit with questions about her mother's death.  Determined to get answers she starts investigating  only to get sucked into another mystery. 

    The California setting was a nice change, but I will admit I miss the small Indiana town in which the rest of  the books in this series is set. This wasn't  my favorite of the series but I still enjoyed it. It was a little slower paced that other books in the series. I do look forward for the next book in the series and hopefully back in Indiana. 

 

 

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. 

Things We Didn't Say review

Title:  Things We Didn’t Say

Author:  Amy Lynn Green

Ch: 13 plus Postscript

Pg:  405

Genre:  Christian Historical Fiction

Rating: 4 Stars

Publisher: Bethany House

 

Things We Didn’t Say is a debut novel by Amy Lynn Green about a little known part of US that isn’t talked about in schools. At least it wasn’t in my history classes. But it was a part of history that my parents made sure I learned about.

Even though the book talks about the POW camps of German soldiers and Japanese internment camps of Japan Americans German American also faced the same issues. Because of my own family history of being German Americans who fought for America and to angelize their German last name and were still treated like traitors. I could understand what Peter and his family went through even though he was Japanese American and fictional.

Johanna Berglund was a character that I didn’t like at the beginning but through the course of the novel she grows and changes.

Amy Lynn Green has done her research in order to write a compelling story about a time in US history that most would want to forget. I love forward to future books from this author she’s proved to be an author to watch.

Paris is Always a Good Idea

Title:  Paris is Always a Good Idea

Author:  Jenn McKinlay 

Ch: 26 plus epilogue

Pg:  334

Genre:  Women’s Fiction

Rating: 4 Stars

Publisher:  Berkeley 

 

I normally don’t like chick lit and main stream women’s fiction but this one stood out to me and I really stood out to me and the main character of Chelsea was easy to relate to. It’s been a few since Chelsea lost her mom and she finds it hard to move on since losing her. She doesn’t know who she is anymore. So she decides to recreate her year aboard by going to Ireland, France and Italy. Hoping to find herself again.

Chelsea’s easy to relate to anyone who’s lost a parent and the pain that goes with it. As well as the fears and worries that one has involving the remaining parent.

But more than anything is a story of a young woman finding out who she is and who she loves. Though there is a few steamy scenes and language it’s still a good read. That I think would make a good movie.

Reading in the last three weeks

I got behind in posted one of these.

 Books Finished

Paris Never Leaves you by Ellen Feldman (work)

Dorothy and Jack: The Transforming Friendship of Dorothy L. Sayers and C.S. Lewis by Gina Dalfonzo

Out of Circulation by Heather Day Gilbert

Candy Cane Crime by Amanda Flower

Above the Fold by Rachel Scott McDaniel

Nothing Short of Wondrous by Regina Scott

The Escape by Lisa Harris

Haunted Homicide by Lucy Ness

The Family Tree German Genealogy Guide: How to Trace your Germanic Ancestry in Europe by James Beidler

A Literary Holiday Cookbook by Alison Walsh

A Very Merry Holiday Movie Guide by Rachel McMillan

Things we Didn’t Say by Amy Lynn Green

Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden

Dying in a In a Winter Wonderland by Vicki Delany

 

 

Physical Book

Rebel Rose by Emma Theriault

 

 

Kindle Book

The Enigma Game by Elizabeth Wein

Joy to the World by Carolyn Miller

 

Audio book

 A Heart’s Revolution by Roseanna M White

 

Nonfiction

The Family Tree German Genealogy Guide: How to Trace your Germanic Ancestry in Europe by James Beidler

Classic

 

Review Book

 

DNF

First Line Fridays

Hosted by Hoarding Books Blog

Chapter  One

March 10, 1922

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

“Soot-stained windows filtered the morning light, casting an ashen shadow on the crowded courtroom and darkening the sting of judgement.”

For Whom the Book Tolls review

 Title:  For Whom the Book Tolls

Author:  Laura Gail Black

 Ch: 36

 Pg:  364

Series: An Antique Bookshop Mystery book 1

 Genre:  Cozy Mystery

 Rating: 3.5 Stars

Publisher:  Crooked Lane Books

     For Whom the Book Tolls is the first book in the An Antique Bookshop Mystery series by Laura Gail Black. This cozy mystery is set in small town Hokes Folly North Carolina.  I have to say that this one was a fairly quick read.  I finished  this one in a day.  That while this one wasn't my favorite, I'm starting to thank that I'm getting burnt out on cozy mysteries set in small town and bookshops I did enjoy it.  Plus I guess the suspect before the book was even finished.   But I guess that's to be expected when you read a lot of cozy mysteries.   I do however love the puny titles cozy mysteries have.

For a first book in the series the plot didn't drag and the character development was pretty fast.  And I like most of the characters. Expect for the one who turned out to be the villain.  I guess that played a part in me figuring out who done it before the amateur sleuth  in the book did.  I do look forward to the next book in the series to see what else Jenna Quinn and the gang get up to. 

 

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. 

Killer Kung Pao review

 

Title:  Killer Kung Pao

 Author:  Vivien Chien

 Ch: 30 Plus epilogue

 Pg:  304

 Series: A Noodle Shop Mystery book6

 Genre:  Cozy Mystery

 Rating: 4 stars

 Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

 

Killer Kung Pao is the sixth book in the A Noodle Shop Mystery book series by Vivien Chien, and I just love Lana Lee. I love her sass and her sarcasm . This series is the only cozy series that I've read that centers around a Chinese restaurant with both an author and main character that has Chinese  heritage.  I wish we had more diversity in the cozy mystery genre. So for now I'm going to enjoy the mysteries that Lana gets herself into involving the Noodle Shop and the entire Asian Village and it cast of characters.  

 

This one I have to say is my favorite of the series, though I'm beginning to think that I say that about each new book I read in the series, but that just shows that each new book is better than the last. And as always I look forward to the next book in the series.  As well as anything else Vivien Chien writes. 

 

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.

Above the Fold review

Title:  Above the Fold

Author:  Rachel Scott McDaniel

Ch: 29 plus epilogue 

Pg:  255

Genre: Christian Historical Romance   

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Smitten Historical Romance

 

Elissa Tillman wants to not only keep her father’s Pittsburgh newspaper afloat but she’s wants to also run it someday even though it’s a man’s world. Cole Parker knows he messed up in the past but now he wants to prove to Elissa that’s he’s changed.

I enjoyed this debut by Rachel Scott McDaniel. I loved that Elissa wanted to do something more with her life, but more importantly I love the faith and forgiveness journey she went on. Not to mention the 1920s Pittsburg setting was something I hadn’t read before and I love a good 1920s novel it’s one of my favorite time periods in history. I look forward to Rachel’s next book.

Haunted Homicide review

Title:  Haunted Homicide

Author:  Lucy Ness

Ch: 23

Pg:  294

Series: A Haunted Mansion Mystery

Genre:  Cozy Mystery 

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Berkeley

 

Avery Morgan is now the manager of the Portage Path Women’s club. What she didn’t know was that less than twenty four hours on the job she finds a dead body and a possible murder. As well as discovering that the club is haunted by Clemmie Bow a flapper from the 1920s.

I generally don’t like cozy mysteries with ghosts in them but for some reason I enjoyed this one and I think it’s because the ghost was a woman from the 1920s and she brought some of that twenties feel to the story with the language and her use of twenties slang.

I love the main character Avery she was a strong heroine and it was a cozy mystery in which the heroine wasn’t a suspect for long. The only thing I didn’t like about the mystery was that I figured out who did it before the end mainly to me it was because it was easy to see who had the most motive and most to loss. But still an enjoyable read I look forward to the next book in the series.

 

First Line Fridays

Hosted by Hoarding Books Blog

Chapter  one

Yellowstone National Park, September 1886

“What was it about men and Danger? Did they all want to die?”

The Code for Love and Heartbreak

 

Title: The Code for Love and Heartbreak   

Author:  Jillian Cantor

Ch: 33

Pg:  304

Genre:  Teen Chick lit, classic retelling

Rating: 4.5 stars

Publisher:  Inkyard press

 

The Code for Love and Heartbreak by Jillian Cantor is a Jane Austen retelling of Emma. As Emma is my favorite Jane Austen I was thrilled to finally get a modern young adult retelling. In this one Emma Woodhouse is a socially awkward coding nerd and a senior in high school. And George Knightly is her sort of friend and co-Captain of the coding club.

I love that the author brought Emma’s matchmaking attempts into the modern age with a dating app. Emma still has many of the same quirks as the original Emma. The main points of the original novel are still here though Emma’s father isn’t as clingy in this retelling.

And even though it wasn’t as good the original I loved it and wish that an YA Emma retelling had been around when I was a teen. Or at least something other than Clueless. I’m hoping this is the first of many Emma retellings. Janes romantic comedy i don’t care what anyone says.

A Death Long Overdue review

Title:  A Death Long Overdue

Author:  Eva Gates

Ch: 26

Pg:  372

Series:  A Lighthouse Library Mystery book 1

Genre:  Cozy Mystery

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher:  Crooked Lane Books

 

A Death Long Overdue by the Eva Gates is the 7th book in the A Lighthouse Library mystery series. And even though it's fictional I love the whole library in a lighthouse, and Charles the library cat is still my favorite character.  I love that Lucy's finally settled into life in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. 

 

With this being the 7th book in the series it's hard to describe much without giving to much of the plot of previous books.  But I do have to say something happened in this book that I've been wanting to happen since book four.   So I am defiantly looking forward to the next book 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. 

The Escape Review

Title:  The Escape

Author:  Lisa Harris

Ch: 35

Pg: 327

Series: US Marshals  

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense   

Rating: 4 stars

Publisher: Revell 

The Escape by Lisa Harris is the first book in the US Marshals series. When a prisoner transport goes horribly wrong and the place crashes marshals Madison James and Jonas Quinn find themselves stranded in the middle of nowhere with a fugitive to catch.

I’m not going to lie this book me a bit of The Fugitive vibes with the plane crash and escaped prisoner. The book started off slow but picked up pace as the book went on. Madison was my favorite of the two characters . However both characters change and grow over the course of the novel. And as a reader who likes her romantic suspense to be more suspense than romance The Escape was the perfect balance between the two.

While the main suspense of the book wrapped up nicely the secondary suspense thread left a bit of a cliff hanger that allows for a possible set up for the second book in the series.

 

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

 

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.