A beautiful prologue

The characters weren‘t particularly well developed. The only interesting parts were Devin‘s confrontations with the spirit. The rest of the book, in my opinion, did not hold my interest.

I think a younger reader will find this book much more interesting than I did. I think middle-grade readers can relate to the characters in the book better than I did.

Told in dual timelines, this is the story of a remarkable friendship between three women set in the Vietnam War era, and in present-day 2019 the strength of sisters Abbie and Clara.

There is no factual documentation of this family, and no one knows what happened to them, making the book mostly fiction. I think this is why I could not get into the story. I had no strong positive feelings for any of the family members, I just felt disgust. But the author did create a good fictional story of this highly dysfunctional family. The members of the family just disappeared.

This book was difficult to get into. I was about halfway through it before it sparked my interest. It also seemed really disjointed, not flowing smoothly. Fortunately, I was already familiar with Varian Fry‘s work so that held my interest. But from the beginning, I loved Nanée‘s canine companion Dagobert.

Her humorous tales of growing up in an immigrant Pakistani family had me chuckling. I especially loved reading about the political history of Pakistan and its culture.

I am sure many people can relate to her family plying her with unhealthful foods (after all, love is food, right?) while, at the same time, being concerned about her being overweight. It was interesting to read of reactions to her weight when she would visit Pakistan as a child.

I loved “Behind the Lens,” the first book in this series, and was thrilled to get to visit the memorable characters once again. Annie, Cerelli, and Sawyer had lingered in my memory. Annie Hawkins Green is smart and tenacious but also has her flaws. She at times lets her heart rule her head. Cerelli is the “knight in shining armor.” And Sawyer is the loyal, trustworthy sidekick.

This is a raw and emotional account of Kearns descent into alcoholism and her determination to overcome it. She lays it all out there as she describes her blackouts, her lost moments with her children, and the past that brought her to this moment.

This book was so much more than I expected. I thought it was just the story of identical twin Vietnamese girls (Loan and Hà) separated while still infants. One was given to an orphanage and adopted by an American family, while the other twin was given to her aunt to raise. The girls didn‘t know the other one existed until they were older. That in itself made for an interesting story.

I enjoyed this dual-timeline story (1944 and 2009) with its history and family dynamics. This is a story many of us encounter, that of not recognizing our mothers had a life before we were born. I loved that Kathy was determined to get her mother the recognition she deserved, even though her mother denies being a WASP.

The author has delivered a real page turner! A story of love, sacrifice, and resilience. This story is very raw with emotion. The author has very realistically presented a character going through the stages of grief – facing the loss of the life he had, trying to build a new life, the blow to his self-esteem, and the perception of how others may now see him.

A must-read for people who truly love books. To quote from the book: “Bookstores attract the right kind of folk. Good people...And I like talking about books with people who like talking about books. I like paper. I like how it feels, and I like the feel of a book in my back pocket. I like how a new book smells, too.“ Gabrielle Zevin must love books in order to write that. It really gets to the meat of things.

I am a huge Jan Moran fan, always excited by a new release by her. I have been patiently waiting for the next book in this series, and it was worth the wait! I always look forward to a visit with the residents of Summer Beach. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! You can always count on Jan for a “feel good” sweet romance.

I really enjoyed this great story of friendship, family, loss, healing. I laughed my way through much of it.

The characters are awesome! Marjette Lewis, a divorced strong Southern, Baptist, Black woman, lives next door to newly widowed Noa Abrams, who happens to be Jewish. Noa‘s daughter Esty is in Marjette‘s kindergarten class. Then there is Noa‘s hot brother Max. Marjette‘s longtime bestie Judy. These characters felt so real!

A small town with warm and friendly residents filled with the Christmas spirit…well, don‘t you think you need to visit Wishing Tree?

Susan Mallery writes beautiful family-themed stories with happily-ever-after endings. Just what is needed for the holidays!

You will enjoy this book if you enjoy novels with close-knit families, some romance, and humor.

I am an avid historical fiction fan, so I really enjoyed this book. I relished the historical details of life at that time – the foods, the celebrations, the fine artistry of the silverwork created by Liana‘s father. And then the destruction of Smyrna, the Great Fire of Smyrna, and the fear of the people fleeing for their lives. It was all so vivid.

I cannot even imagine the situation our male teenage protagonist finds himself in. Hans is German, safe from Hitler. Or so he thought. Suddenly, a skeleton in his family‘s closet is revealed – his grandparents on his mother‘s side were Jews who converted to Christianity. Stunned and feeling a bit lost and wanting to know more about his Jewish ancestry, he befriends Rebecca, the only Jewish girl he knows. Then he falls in love with her.

I love Sabeeha Rehman‘s intimate & often witty account of her 6 years of working in Saudi Arabia. Even though she is a devout Muslim, she still encountered instances of culture shock. Much of that was eased by living in a compound that was free of the restraints upon dress and social interactions. While she was often frustrated by the insular patriarchal society, the friendliness and helpfulness of the people enabled her to enjoy her time there.

Beloved by his desert neighbors for always fixing their prickliest problems, has Quirky, magic-potion-making Dr. Pete the Porcupine finally found a prickly problem he can‘t solve?

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I always enjoy Jan Moran‘s books. They are a bit of escapism for me. While immersed in these Love, California books, I get a taste of the “jet set.” I know her books will provide a great (and clean romance) with a “happily ever after” ending.

The illustrations are magnificent! They are sure to make everyone smile. Be sure to take your time looking at each colorful spread. They reflect the foods and clothes of each culture.

Oh, Scarlett! Why do you not listen to Sir Bogart! He warned you in the first book; he warned you in the second book. Now he warned you again. Girl, you need to heed his warnings!

This is a lighthearted, fun series with a cast made up of the ideal best friend, friendly neighbors, a cook and butler who are ghosts, an aloof ghost feline, and Sydney. I am totally loving the ghosts.

This book was pure delight! I love that Hana is able to show off her personality and style and that she finds a way to share her talent with others in a delightfully unique way. This book really put a smile on my face.

The illustrations are magnificent! Young girls will enjoy lingering over the pictures to perhaps spark their own sense of creativity.

Another fun cozy for those who love mysteries, cats, and haunted houses. I absolutely loved it!

A quick read. I was immediately drawn into the beautifully written story, especially by Bogey, and found it hard to put down until I reached the end. I am looking forward to future escapades with Sydney and her ghostly crew.

I really enjoyed the characters – Orchid, her best friend Mandy, Phoenix, his brother Caleb, and wounded vet Tammy. This is a story of compassion, overcoming trauma, secrets, and learning to trust.

This book starts out with a bang and set me up to expecting much more than it delivered. I loved the first part of the book when the Bennett family is dealing with their tragic losses…together. But the second part of the book was disappointing. When Jason decides to “take matters into his own hands,” I felt the story lost its family drama appeal. But it did have a lot of action.

The book had a slow build, and I found myself setting it aside frequently and then having to re-read portions. It just never held my interest. I was really disappointed as I was intrigued by the story of the Nazi movement in the US. I have never read much about it. The topic was of interest, but the writing did not support it.

Never did I imagine a book about ghosts would have so much heart to it. I was immediately enthralled with the story. I laughed at portions (two ghosts throwing vases at each other) and cried at others. I truly loved this book!

Orchid was witness to a tragedy in her childhood, and now occasionally experiences episodes of PTSD in her adult life. This project with the wounded veterans will help her learn to overcome her episodes of PTSD. Working with Phoenix, she gains self-confidence and increases her Mandarin skills. Even though she is strongly attracted to Phoenix, she tells herself that they will keep it strictly professional.

This book was just too much like Stephen King‘s “Misery,” but with a reversal of gender roles.

I was quickly drawn into this historical fiction story and was captivated to the last page. It is an emotional read as the cruelty of both the war and the life of the slaves is clearly spelled out. My heart broke at such senseless loss of lives. This is a beautifully written story that embodies family and friendship.

This is a delightful book about a little red fire engine that, while at first is loved by all, is forgotten as it ages and becomes rusty. But one hot summer day Reddy/Rusty endears himself once again to his community. This is an actual story that Mr. Fisher told his children when they were young. The jingles are very catchy and sure to thrill your children.

I absolutely loved this book! Loaded with wonderful characters that made me laugh, made me cry, and made me feel lots of emotions.

I loved this quote: “It used to be the family all looking out for one another but it‘s not like that anymore…It used to be neighbours kept an eye on you but people like to keep themselves to themselves now”.

This book was very interesting. I loved reading about the customs, foods, superstitions, and daily lives of the Jewish community of Rhodes. This is a world that disappeared as a result of the Holocaust. Thankfully, Stella Levi shared her memories of her life as a young girl in Rhodes. So fascinating!

Violet loves nature but is appalled at the trash she observes in the sea. When she realizes all that trash presents a danger to sea life, she decides she has to help clean it up and help to prevent further damage.

I love the colorful illustrations. Very educational. Lots of resource information in the back of the book.

Loaded with action! Got my heart racing. This was a fun “escape read.”

It was her backstory of why she became a spy that I most enjoyed. This is where I found the emotional connection with her.

I laughed so hard reading this book, but I also found myself at times with teary eyes. I absolutely loved it!

Dara Rabinowitz is a third-generation Jewish matchmaker. Through the online dating platform, she created she has helped many find their matches. But she hasn‘t been able to find love herself.

One of my favorite books this year! Kept me on the edge of my seat with suspense.

I cannot even begin to imagine how it would be to be in Liv Reese‘s shoes. For the past two years, her memories are erased every time she falls asleep. She does everything she can to stay awake, but a severe lack of sleep wreaks havoc on one physically and mentally.

In the first chapter of this book, there is a very powerful quote from Lucie‘s father - “There‘s no such thing as doing nothing. Doing nothing is still a choice. A choice to stand aside and let it happen.”

I had just finished reading the first book in this trilogy (“Reckless Beginnings”) and immediately jumped right into the second one. Tammy Mellows is one strong and determined woman! After her disastrous marriage to Steven, I was thrilled when she found love with Dwayne.

This is a heart-breaking story of two families on opposite sides during WWII. It is a story of two women fighting to protect their families in some of the worst of times. Sometimes the choices made have devastating consequences.

When you start to read a book by Katherine Center, you can expect three things: a lot of humor, light romance, and a feel-good story. Always perfect for a beach or weekend read. Not surprising that she is known as “the reigning queen of comfort reads.” I thoroughly enjoyed “The Bodyguard.”

Susan Lentigo‘s 7-year-old daughter Amy was raped & murdered 20 years ago., & now she is on her way from upstate New York to North Dakota to witness the convicted killer‘s execution. Her road trip does not go smoothly., as along the way, her car breaks down & her money is stolen. Loved the road trip portion of the book was really interesting as it revealed what a courageous, determined woman Susan was. I was emotionally invested in this character.

A riveting read for YA and adults. This book is a mishmash of historical fiction, romance, thriller, paranormal, fantasy.

This is a dark story with spirits and curses that the sisters struggle to understand. The ghosts of the slaves are demanding to be heard, to be freed. There are strong secondary characters that the sisters will need to help them fight the family curse.

We all make bad decisions, and Tammy made some big ones. It was obvious that Tina Hogan Grant poured her heart into this book. I felt Tammy‘s turmoil throughout the story. It was quite a rollercoaster of emotions. From a forbidden love affair to a relationship based on lies and deceit, Tammy didn‘t do too well with her choice of men. But she was determined to protect her baby son.

Overall, this book just didn‘t do it for me. I enjoyed the mystery/thriller thread that ran throughout the book. Wondering what happened to Elle. Who tried to kill her and is still after her? Will she regain her memory? And what was the mystery behind Adam‘s isolation in the town of Gothic, “The City of Lost Souls”. This is a very dark mystery, and that is what kept me reading.

A cute book with gorgeous illustrations. Children will enjoy the mystery behind what is causing the dancers to have hot, red, and itchy skin. Dr. Marsha, an Australian-based kangaroo, and her “staff” are asked to come to Hawaii to assist in this strange case. The various characters‘ alliterative names are very catchy. The story will teach children in a fun way about sunburn.

When I heard about this book, I knew I just had to read it. I was the Program Manager for the Department of Defense‘s network of solar observatories. That made this book a quick read for me. I really enjoyed it, especially the scientific portions dealing with the Coronal Mass Eruptions (CME).

The magical sisters are enrolled in an etiquette class when their manners are not fit for the king and queen of the enchanted land of Harmony. Can Elizabeth the Emu help the royal sisters?

The premise of this book really caught my attention. All over the world everyone aged 22 and over receive a box with a string in it. The string denotes the length of time they have left to live. So where would the story go from here? I had no idea! But it turned out to be so much more than I could have expected. I LOVED it!