September – Fall for a New Book!
Do you have that “back to school feeling”? Time to stop the play of summer and get back into the grown-up routine?
The lazy days of summer have faded, but the promise of a crisp, golden autumn is beguiling us. And she is whispering- “Time to explore a new book!”
I’m delighted to share my reviews of these newly released books, available now on all major retail sites and places! Add to your Autumn reading stack and enjoy!
Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins UK, MacMillan-Tor/Forge, One More Chapter, St.Martin’s Press, and Pau Hana Publishing.
JENA’S REVIEW
Hearth Fires by Bibiana Krall
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Are you ready to encounter the supernatural, the mystical and magical? Do you sense the moody and evocative cover of Hearth Fires beckoning you? Well-known and talented authors Bibiana Krall and Veronica Cline Barton have placed their hands on the planchette of their Ouija Board and have asked the Spirits to speak to us through this collection.
I suggest you read these six original stories as if you are part of one of my favorite scenes in the book- two friends, sipping Scotch, (perhaps not absinthe) sharing tales by the warm fire that occasionally sputters and spurts. Watch out!
The Ouija or “spirit board” is the theme that ties each story together and the Ouija Board appears in different and clever ways in each story. It is intriguing and fun to see how it shows up and what its effects are.
“The board is not a game. The board is for those who need to listen. It whispers to those who are troubled and carries away the pain.”
Each story takes place in a different locale and the mood, culture and ambiance of each story come alive. Are you brave enough to travel to the Deep South and then to Savannah, places known for their pain and ghostly shadows? How about Salem, Massachusetts where the aura of witches abounds or the shadowy Northwest? Have you always wanted to travel to Scotland or Paris- be careful!
Each story is just the right length. Gentle humor and wit are paired with troubling events and then the tension mounts. Each character is memorable and shows the accent, culture and attitude of the place. What happens when their vivid personalities and dreams of success and relationships face peril and betrayal?
“Old age is the ravage of time, the l’oiseau that one days simply stops singing its song.”
Did I have a favorite story- hard to choose! But I do know that this is just the book you need when the wind and rustling leaves beckon you to meet the shadows as the nights grow longer and colder. Hearth Fires is subtitled The Haunted Book 1, so I hope Book 2 will be coming soon!
Thanks to the authors for an advance digital review copy. This is my honest review.
Before the Crown by Flora Harding
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What a pleasure it was to read this charming and heartfelt historical romance, based on the life of Princess Elizabeth, before she wore the crown as Queen. The story is as pure as the lavender soap that the Princess loved, yet never have I felt so romantically moved.
By telling the story in the present tense, we become Elizabeth’s shadow as she lives through the devastation of the WWII years, harboring her love for an ambitious navy officer, Prince Phillip of Greece. (We also get to peer in to Phillip’s heart as well.) Princess Elizabeth takes a deep breath before she begins the long walk down the aisle at Westminster on her wedding day, amid the roll of drums and trumpet voluntary. But, she has all ready faced a long journey to her wedding day and she has grown stronger for it.
Learning the everyday details of life at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and Balmoral was a pleasure. And we travel with the Princess and the royal family on the White Train during their visit to South Africa. I highly recommend this beautiful story. Thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for an advance digital review copy. This is my honest review.
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars Sneak Peek by Christopher Paolini
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The author Christopher Paolini is a popular writer in the science fiction world. I’ve decided to read more in this genre, so I thought this book would be a good place to start. And it was!
The story takes place several hundred years in the future. It is now possible to travel faster than the speed of light, so human colonies have been established across many galaxies. Kira is the main character. When the story begins, she is a scientist working for a company that scouts planets and moons in preparation for new colonies. Her team which includes her boyfriend are finishing this job and will be traveling to a new place, somewhere in the far-flung heavens. Kira and her boyfriend decide to get married; their future looks bright…until…
…an organism appears and wreaks havoc on Kara and her team. Are there intelligent aliens trying to take over?? The thrills and excitement begin and speed us to the moment when the fate of the human world rests on Kira. Is Kira more than a scientific geek? Is she more than a human?
I liked that this book quickly got to the romance and then the exciting parts, with a minimum of world building or intricate tech. The plot is swift and easy to understand. Kira is an appealing character and I wish her well. I don’t know how the story ends, because this was a partial advance galley. Looking forward to the publication of this book! Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan-Tor/Forge
Ghouls’ Night Out by Amy M. Reade
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Ghouls’ Night Out, Book 4 in the Juniper Junction Holiday Mystery series, is a yummy treat by USA Today bestselling author Amy M. Reade. I’m sorry I missed the first 3 books in the series, all of which have clever titles, too. However, I bonded with main character Lilly and her friends and family just fine- I even went to a neighborhood Hallowe’en block party with them!
What makes a good cozy mystery? The main character! Lilly owns a jewelry story. Lilly is also a delightful amateur sleuth. She solves crimes just by being a good and loving friend. Her pleasant and competent nature work to her advantage in this story- one of the “bad guys” even confesses to her!
Lily has many problems, and walks with her doggie Barney help her to sort things out. Her mother’s dementia is progressing, her brother and his girlfriend are rubbing each other the wrong way, her daughter is not acclimating to college and her boyfriend Hassan has problems with his next door neighbor Michelle. When Michelle becomes body #1, Hassan is the prime suspect. Is a hate crime part of the equation that Lilly must solve?
What else does a cozy mystery need? Well, a charming small town, of course. And Juniper Junction, Colorado, is about as cozy and picturesque as they come. Hobbies are another part of cozy mysteries and good cooking is a special part of this book. Be sure to look for the tasty recipes at the end of the book.
Finally, we all love an intriguing mystery and Author Reade is an engaging storyteller. She writes with a clear voice that moves the mystery at a “I must keep reading” pace. Happy Halloween and have spooky fun with this book.
Be Careful What You Wish For by Vivien Brown
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I loved the characters and the warm vibe of the story. “Warm vibe” may surprise you, as this story is billed as a psychological mystery thriller. If you are in the mood for well-drawn and real characters that you will get to know inside and out, and truly care about, plus cozy country scenes and views of London- I highly recommend this book.
If you are looking for a psychological thriller, the mystery part of the book is intriguing but tame, and not nearly as entertaining as the lives of Madi, Prue and the people they meet. Madalyn Cardew is a fun and fabulous character. She is in her sixties, has had a successful stage career and lives in a nice flat in London. Due to a health challenge and some unsettling events, she decides to swap places with Prue, who lives in a cottage in the small village of Shelling, Norwich. Prue is young and sheltered and when a romantic episode blows up, she moves to Madi’s flat. Apparently, there’s an app for home swappers!
How do the city mouse and the country mouse fair? Quite well. Madi is a poised and confident woman and easily makes friends with Prue’s Mom, and the nice older man next door and various village folk, including the owner of the general store. She participates in village life and begins to feel better and more optimistic. Prue, a pleasant young woman, also has a positive experience in London. She makes friends with a young guy in her building, takes photos all over London and may even have found a beau who is handsome and passionate.
The story is told in the third person, and the chapters alternate between Madi and Prue. I liked each character equally, and I was invested in their lives and situations, so I didn’t mind the switching of viewpoints- each chapter was lovely.
Now about the mystery- someone is stalking Madi and the stalker’s thoughts are included throughout the story. The mystery of who the stalker is and why she hates Madi makes sense, but for me, it was not the highlight of the book.
This book was hard for me to put down- a delightful read. Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK One More Chapter for a digital advance review copy. This is my honest review.
Eudora Honeysett is Quite Well, Thank You by Annie Lyons
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
“Eudora Honeysett is Quite Well, Thank You” (I believe it will be called “The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett” in the US) is classified on Amazon as “Women’s Friendship Fiction”. Friendship Fiction sounds lovely, and this book has many endearing moments. It just wasn’t my cup of tea, even though all the characters make and drink tea all the time.
Eudora has for the most part lived a cold and quiet life. Through flashbacks, we see the sadness and tragedy that has consumed her life. She is a no-nonsense type person, lives alone in the house she grew up in, and fine with that. Now 85, she knows her own mind and is prepared to travel to Switzerland to die. “My death, my way”. Then one day, new neighbors move in next door and watch out Eudora! You have a new BFF- Rose, a marvelous ten- year-old who wears a sparkly t-shirt with “Be More Unicorn” in big letters.
The characters in this book are the best part- you will love each one. Picture “Anne of Green Gables”. Rose is Anne, and she loves Eudora, who is like Marilla Cuthbert, and Stanley, the widower down the street who is like Matthew Cuthbert. Of course, in this book, Rose has a great Mom and a Dad, and many other heart-warming characters are encountered. Plenty of ear-jerking moment, and gentle humor also abounds.
Of course, you know how the story will end, but you will enjoy the journey and the life lessons. This is a pleasant read, I just wasn’t keen on the death part of it.
I received an advance digital review copy from Harper Collins UK and One More Chapter. This is my honest review.
Good Morning, Monster: A Therapist Shares Five Heroic Stories of Emotional Recovery by Catherine Gildiner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Catherine Gildiner is a bestselling memoirist, a novelist, and a psychologist who practiced privately for 25 years. From all her cases, she chose five heroes, men and women who overcame horrific abuse and shared their stories in this book. These are well-told and honest stories, compassionate and riveting but not sensational or lurid. The writing voice is calm, positive and hopeful.
All of the individuals presented met with Ms. Gildiner for four to five years. You will get to see what therapy is like, which is fascinating. You will also be astounded at how horrible people can be to young children. Each of these individuals was tortured in some way, mentally or physically, on a daily basis by their parents. (Perhaps all people should go through therapy before they become parents!) One young girl was left at age 9, alone in a cabin with her younger siblings, for 6 months! And that was just one experience in her life. That these heroes were even able to function as adults is a testament to their own personal strengths. To read how brave they were to overcame their crippling conditions is empowering.
Highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance digital review copy. This is my honest review.
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