Month: August 2023

Audiobook Review: Bright Lights, Big Christmas

BonnieReadsAndWrites4 Comments

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

Kerry and her brother Murphy head to New York City during the holiday season in order to sell Christmas trees from their family’s farm. While there, they are staying together in a tiny trailer by their Christmas tree lot. Kerry is between jobs and uncertain about her future, but new friends and new opportunities are just around the corner.

This is a wonderful holiday tale about making friends and letting others help you. The characters are all endearing in their own way, even the grumpy Heinz. Kerry’s romance with Patrick is a nice touch, but Patrick’s son Austin steals the show. The broken-down trailer the siblings are staying in has a name–Spammy–and it is almost a character of its own. Their older friend, the irritable and closed-off Heinz, has a lot of secrets to tell, and his story is revealed in a heart-touching way. There are also hints of sabotage as someone is trying to keep Kerry and Murphy from selling their trees. The reader is immediately transported to New York City during the Christmas season, and the Christmas spirit is evident throughout the book. This is a fun and joyful holiday read.

Kathleen McInerney does a great job portraying all of the characters in the audiobook version.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from MacMillan Audio via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

MARY KAY ANDREWS is the New York Times bestselling author of 30 novels (including The Homewreckers; The Santa Suit; The Newcomer; Hello, Summer; Sunset Beach; The High Tide Club; The Weekenders; Beach Town; Save the Date; Ladies’ Night; Christmas Bliss; Spring Fever; Summer Rental; The Fixer Upper; Deep Dish; Blue Christmas; Savannah Breeze; Hissy Fit; Little Bitty Lies; and Savannah Blues), and one cookbook, The Beach House Cookbook.

A native of St. Petersburg, Florida, she earned a B.A. in journalism from The University of Georgia. After a 14-year career working as a reporter at newspapers including The Savannah Morning News, The Marietta Journal, and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where she spent the final ten years of her career, she left journalism in 1991 to write fiction.

She and her family divide their time between Atlanta and Tybee Island, GA, where they cook up new recipes in three restored beach homes. Mary Kay is also an intrepid treasure hunter whose favorite pastime is junking and fixing up old houses.

BUY LINKS

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple Books | Google | Kobo

It’s Monday. What Are You Reading?

BonnieReadsAndWrites25 Comments

It’s Monday, What What Are You Reading is hosted by: The Book Date.

Update: Doug and I spent Saturday and Sunday in Bryson City and then back home, a whirlwind trip. We’ve both agreed we’re too old for that stuff.

We’ve realized that since we’re one year from moving, it’s time to start to sort our possessions and decide what to sell, give away, or throw away. I’ve been talking about it, but doing nothing, and that has to change. One year is not that long. We’re downsizing from 2600 square feet to 1000 square feet! Wish us luck.

What Am I Reading?

Just finished: The Reformatory

I just finished The Reformatory by Tananarive Due. This is a powerful book about a reform school for boys that is a chamber of horrors, especially if you are not white. Sadly it’s based on a school that actually existed.

Currently Reading: Exodus Team: New Roads

They aren’t paranormal investigators, just ordinary believers who dare to follow God into dark places.

For Maj Newhouse, life revolves around her faith, her friends, Aimee and Kevin Cole, and her projects at the old barn-but that was before Jason Knight walked through the door. The handsome businessman from Chicago has a problem; he has staked his career on rehabilitating a haunted hotel. An encounter with Kevin has led him to the old barn, and Maj is shocked to learn that Knight expects to hire her and her friends as exorcists for his property! Will Maj’s distrust of the charming stranger and her own self-doubt cripple the newly formed Exodus Team before it starts?

This is a fun mix of Christian and paranormal!

Next up: Enola Holmes and the Mark of the Mongoose

In May of 1890, Enola Holmes is finally fully on her own and, no longer hiding from her older brothers Sherlock and Mycroft, attending classes and occasionally pursuing her chosen profession as a scientific perditorian, a finder of lost things and people.

Wolcott Balestier, the representative of an American book publisher, arrived in London on a singular mission—to contract with English authors for their latest works. When Balestier disappears on the streets of London one day, his great friend – Rudyard Kipling—bursts into Enola’s office looking for help in finding him. Brash and unwilling to hire a young woman, instead he turns to Sherlock Holmes. Convinced that evil has befallen Balestier, at the hands of rival American publishers who pirate the works of English authors, he sets the elder Holmes on the trail.

But Enola is not one to accept defeat, especially not to her brother, and sets off on her own—determined to learn the truth behind the disappearance of the young American. Can book publishing truly be so ruthless and deadly or can the missing man be rescued from his apparent fate and returned to his friends and loved ones?

That’s what my current reading plan looks like. How was your week and what are you reading?

Book Review: The Beautiful Risk by Lynn Hightower

BonnieReadsAndWrites4 Comments

BOOK DESCRIPTION (AMAZON)

Her husband died in a plane crash in France. It was a tragic accident. These are the simple facts. Except someone’s not telling the truth.

After nine months of sorrow and grief, Junie Lagarde is gradually accepting life without her beloved husband Olivier, who died in a tragic plane accident over Mont Blanc. If only she could have found her loyal hearing-dog Leo, who ran off in the terrifying aftermath of the crash, before she had to return home to America.

But then Junie receives an unexpected call from France. Capitaine Philippe Brevard, the man in charge of investigating Olivier’s death, has seen recent CCTV footage which shows Leo being held by a man who closely resembles Olivier, right down to his distinctive jacket. It’s not Olivier. It can’t be . . . can it?

BOOK REVIEW

Junie has lost her husband in a plane crash on Mount Blanc, and her German Shepherd, Leo, who was with him, is missing. When Leo is sighted in the company of a man who resembles her husband, but is not him, Junie heads back to France to find Leo.

This is a unique but interesting thriller that is full of surprises. The protagonist Junie has hearing loss, and since I have hearing loss as well I completely identified with that aspect of her character. There are things that those of us with hearing loss deal with on a daily basis and it was great to see that highlighted in the book. I loved the idea that Leo was her hearing dog. I admired her determination to find him and the new hope that he gave her once she realized he was still out there.

Leo’s bravery and big personality steal the show, of course, but the investigation into the reason behind Olivier’s death is compelling as well. The corruption and secrets are revealed slowly, and the plot is very complex. It is an engaging, unstoppable, gripping read.

Fans of thrillers, and of course, German Shepherds, will enjoy this book.

I received a free copy of this book from Severn House via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The author of numerous thrillers, including the Sonora Blair and Lena Padget detective series, Lynn Hightower’s internationally-bestselling novels have been included in The New York Times List of Notable Books, the London Times’s bestseller lists, and the WH Smith Fresh Talent Awards.

Hightower’s books have been published in numerous foreign countries, including Great Britain, Australia, Japan, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Israel, and The Netherlands.

Hightower has a degree in Journalism from the University of Kentucky, where she studied creative writing with Wendell Berry. She teaches Master Novel classes in the UCLA Extension Writer’s Program and works with private clients as a manuscript consultant and writing coach.

Hightower spends ridiculous amounts of time curled up reading and wandering around garden centers, is brilliant at cooking new dishes but terrible at remembering these spur-of-the-moment recipes. She loves small sports cars, tame horses, opinionated cats, and big dogs.

Hightower is witty after one glass of wine. She has studied French and Italian, but is only fluent in Southern. She has no sense of direction and is often lost. Hightower is a Kentucky native and lives in a small Victorian cottage with a writing parlor. Her yard is too small to get lost in.

You can find Lynn on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

BUY LINKS

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple Books | Google | Kobo

Posted in Uncategorized

Free Christian Poetry Ebooks!! #Freebooks #Poetry

BonnieReadsAndWrites17 Comments

Louise Belanger’s wonderful Christian poetry ebooks are free for a limited time! Your Words, Your Heart is free today and tomorrow only. Your Words, Your World is free until August 31st.

Click on the cover of each to get these wonderful books for free!

After you read these wonderful books, be sure and leave a review. Reviews are so important to authors.

Book Review: Through the Snow Globe #KensingtonBooks #GroundhogDay #Christmasbooks

BonnieReadsAndWrites8 Comments

Christmas reviews are coming in. I will have quite a few to share in the coming weeks! Here’s one I LOVED.

This is a feel-good Christmas book and I loved it. Diana is a home health worker who believes that she should care for her patients, but not share their personal problems. She is also scared about letting her fiancé Linus’s family get too close to her because her mother disappointed her so many times. When Linus is in a serious accident and lies in the hospital in a coma, Diana’s world turns upside down. As she is wishing for one more chance to make things right, an enchanted snow globe changes everything..

This is such a delightful book with lessons about opening up and trusting others after being hurt. There is a definite Groundhog Day vibe, and the book rightly pays homage to the movie as Diana repeats the same day over and over, trying to prevent Linus’s accident. It was a joy from start to finish. It wasn’t complicated or hard to figure out. It was just a Christmas pleasure. It’s not a complex book. It’s a pleasing holiday story that everyone will enjoy.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via NetGalley. My review is voluntary, and the opinions expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Annie Rains is a USA Today Bestselling author of small-town contemporary romances full of hope and heart. After years of dreaming about being an author, Annie published her first book in 2015 and has been chasing deadlines and happily ever afters for her characters ever since.

When she isn’t writing, Annie is usually spending time with her husband and 3 children, bingeing Netflix, or reading a book by one of her favorite authors.

Sign up for Annie’s newsletter to stay informed about new releases and sales here.

You can find Annie online on her Website or on Instagram, X, or Facebook

BUY LINKS

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Apple Books | Google | Kobo

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Historical Fiction

BonnieReadsAndWrites43 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s topic is a genre freebie. I’m going to choose the Top Ten Historical Fiction books that I’ve reviewed on this blog. I’ve really got about a Top 20 in no particular order and there are so many to choose from that I’ll probably do this again later and choose another top ten. Historical Fiction is my go-to, and a natural for this list. If you click on each cover, it will take you to my review. Here are my choices.

A Catalogue of Catastrophe is a mix of historical fiction and science fiction about a group of time-traveling historicans. It is book 13 of the Chronicles of St. Mary’s series.

Songbird is the first book of the Jax Diamond series by Gail Meath. This is a cozy mystery series about a 1920s detective and his German Shepherd partner.

A peculiar combination by Ashley Weaver is the first book in the Electra McDonnel series about a family of criminal safecrackers turned spies to help the Allies during WWII.

Set on a Colorado peach farm and surrounding wilderness in the 1960s, this is the story of a young woman’s fight for survival in the midst of racism and hatred.

Faby Gauthier lives in a small town in Vermont in the 1920’s. She is bored with small town living and fascinated by Vaudeville and the showbiz life. When she meets Slim White, a dancer in a traveling Vaudeville show, she quickly gets pregnant and caught up in a marriage that happens before she knows it. We follow Faby on the Vaudeville circuit, travel with her on uncomfortable train trips, and stay with her in cheap hotels as we learn about the less glamorous side of showbiz.

This is a mashup of historical fiction and the paranormal. In Chicago, 1928, Ruby is the popular daughter of the State’s Attorney. But she is also a mind reader who can spot dangerous murderers before they commit their crimes.

In the Prohibition Era, Sallie Kincaid is the daughter of the charismatic, wealthy Duke Kincaid, head of a powerful family dynasty. Her mother has died, and when her father remarries and has a son, she begins to fade into the background and is eventually cast aside. This is her coming-of-age story.

Forced out of her job as a riveter in Los Angeles in post WWII, Hazel finds herself in Laguna Beach, working as an assistant to a brilliant but complicated artist.

In London in 1860, Amelia Amesbury is a countess and widow, having lost her husband to illness after a short marriage. She also has a secret. She writes an advice column for a London paper under the name Lady Agony, doling out clever answers to readers’ questions about romance, family, fashion, and more.

Tabitha, a former “Rosie the Riveter” in Detroit, moves to Paris to stay with her wealthy “Grandpere” after she loses her job to men returning from war. She is fortunate to be living next door to Paul and Julia Child. Paul is a diplomat at the U.S. Embassy and Julia is taking classes at the famous cooking school, Le Cordon Bleu. When a woman is murdered behind their building, the murder weapon is found to be Julia’s own chef’s knife. Knowing that someone at a party in Julia’s apartment during the night of the murder had to be the killer, Tabitha begins to investigate.

How about you? What is your favorite genre?

Sunday Post: Back Home

BonnieReadsAndWrites32 Comments

Sunday post is hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

Our senior dog, Holly, resting at home, like me.

After a long work trip, I’m back home. My blogging slowed the last two weeks so I’ll be catching up a lot. I didn’t realize how tired I was until I got up for a few hours and then had to take a long nap. Hopefully I’m all caught up on my sleep now.

Last week I turned 59. That means I’m officially one year from retirement! I hope the year passes quickly. Doug and I also had our 41st wedding anniversary because we got married on my 18th birthday. We are celebrating both today since I’m back home.

During my two weeks in Missouri, my Macbook Air started to fail, and with Doug’s blessing I picked up a new computer. It’s a Macbook Pro! My Air was at least 8 years old so it was time for a new one and I’m liking it so far. Everything from my Air transferred directly to the new computer so I haven’t lost anything.

LAST WEEK

I participated in Sunday Post, did a blog tour for Adventures About to Begin, and yesterday reviewed The Girl Who Lied.

NEXT WEEK

Monday I will review Through the Snow Globe by Annie Rains.

Tuesday I will participate in Top Ten Tuesday. This is a genre freebie. The challenge is to pick a genre and build a list around it.

Thursday I will review The Beautiful Risk by Lynn Hightower.

Friday I will participate in Book Blogger Hop and answer the question: Has a book ever enticed you to read more work by the same author?

On the weekend I’m back to Indie Weekend after an absence due to my schedule.

BOOK HAUL

Five Years After is a post-apocalyptic (EMP) thriller. One Christmas Morning is another Christmas book with a “Groundhog Day” style theme. This is my second one of those in the last couple of weeks. I’ll be reviewing the other one, Through the Snow Globe, tomorrow. So Long As It’s Wild is Barbara Jenkins’ memoir of a famous trek across America she made in the 1970s and what was really going on behind the scenes.

That’s how I’ve been doing. How was your week?

Mini Review: The Girl Who Lied

BonnieReadsAndWrites5 Comments

*Mini Reviews contain a book description, review, and buy links.

AUDIOBOOK DESCRIPTION

There’s a blood moon rising over the tiny Maine town of Coyote Cove when Chief Maggie Riley comes across the body of a man, blood seeping from stab wounds into the damp forest floor. As she desperately struggles to secure the scene as an approaching storm threatens to destroy all evidence, Heather, a local teenage girl, emerges from the woods terrified, a silent scream on her lips.

Maggie, a decorated former homicide detective and more than over-qualified for a two-horse-town police chief, has been hiding from her past for the last four years. The quiet of Coyote Cove was everything she needed after… what happened. But with this murder, the life she left behind has found her. Who is the killer? Why was Heather out in the woods that night? And what dark secret is the girl hiding? To uncover the truth, Maggie must use the skills, and contacts, of her former world, however painful that will be.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

The Chief Maggie Riley Series starts out strong! This is a complex, clever thriller with many twists, turns, and surprises you won’t see coming. Maggie, the main protagonist, is complicated and flawed, as are we all. The story is told from multiple points of view, but it never gets confusing. The setting in the small Maine town and Maggie’s backstory promise lots of intrigue and suspense to come. The multi-layered characters will keep everyone guessing.

If you like to read about situations that are not what they seem, this might be the book for you. I am looking forward to Book 2. If you like Thrillers, try this one!

I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a good job of portraying the characters, especially Maggie and Heather.

I received a free copy of this audiobook via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

BUY LINKS

AMAZON | AUDIBLE

Blog Tour and Book Review: Adventures About to Begin

BonnieReadsAndWrites6 Comments

BOOK DESCRIPTION

After the death of his grandfather, Noah’s life is thrown into chaos as he faces a repressed past that threatens everything he believes to be true. In the course of trying to come to terms with his loss, Noah must also navigate a difficult relationship with his sister, Kelly, as they reflect on their turbulent childhood – when they were taken from London to live in the Kent countryside following the breakdown of their parents’ marriage.

Set between the 1970s and the more recent past, Adventures About To Begin chronicles a collapsing marriage as experienced by its children and reflects on how memory shapes our decisions at crucial junctures during our lives.

It is both funny and touching, as well as a sensitive insight into British family life during a period of great social and cultural change.

BOOK REVIEW

Adventures About to Begin starts off on a humorous note and is funny, alarming, and incredibly sad at times.  The time period changes from 2005 to 1976 as Noah deals with the death of his grandfather and remembers the breakup of his parents’ marriage.  The differences with which members of the same dysfunctional family deal with difficult times are well portrayed.  This book is very, very British, but there is a wonderful appendix in the back (Noah’s cultural appendix) that provides definitions and references for Americans like me.  The mingled tones throughout of humor, irony, and sadness were very well done.  Warnings:  Racism and abuse.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Aside from writing fiction, Allen Therisa also writes for blogs on everything from popular culture to politics, outside of his working life in the world of social media and website design. Adventures About To Begin is his debut novel.

Allen’s Social Media: Facebook | Twitter (X) | Website

BOOK LINKS

Goodreads

Buy Links

Sunday Post: Time to Rest

BonnieReadsAndWrites20 Comments

Hosted by @CaffeinatedReviewer

I’ve been out of town for work and working overtime, so I didn’t post much last week. I still have some reviews to post that I was going to do last week.

It’s Sunday, my one day off this week so I am going to rest all day, as Doug and I always try to do on Sunday.

This is my plan today. Harold is a good rester. I return home Friday, when things should go back to normal.

Last week on the blog I only had time for Book Blogger Hop, where I answered the question: Do you have a reading routine?

Next week I have a blog stop for Zooloo’s Book Tours and I hope to get two reviews up that I was going to do last week.

BOOK HAUL

The Princess is a story about Diana Spencer before she became Princess Diana. Thank you Tessa at TessaTalksBooks for letting us know about this one.

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard: In 1917 Mizza Bricard is fighting for a career as a fashion designer. In the 1970s, Astrid Bricard is a fashion designer competing in the famous Battle of Versailles fashion show. She is trying to stay out of the shadow of her famous mother. Then she simply disappears. In the present day, Blythe Bricard is not interested in a fashion career at all, but then she learns more about her legendary mother and grandmother.

I Used to Be: This is a Christian book from Revell about navigating losses in your life.