The novel has triggers of domestic abuse, violence, strong feelings of anger and frustration. In spite of its strong portrayal of violence, there are many instances where the reader will find laughter and tears. Strong commitment to friendship between friends are felt. Many people will find feelings of “I should have known” or “Really” while trying to seek solutions to problems in kindergartners and abuse. 4.25/5⭐️

A novel with a group of people who are trying to infect the public with a new deadly epidemic. Such a frightening thought. Covid 19 made this story seem very realistic. 4/5⭐️

The first book in a series written by Taylor Stark. FBI agent Carly Phoenix is sent to Chicago to investigate cold cases. A very determined Carly is searching for answers to a murder, then connections to other murders are uncovered. How many young women have been killed by this serial killer? 3.75/5⭐️

A slow moving mystery. Some of the characters were a bit quirky. Very not earth-shattering story. I will read the second in the series to see how the novels are tied together. 4/5

Who would have guessed moss and learning about moss would be such an interesting topic. I have enjoyed reading this book. Definitely a 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read.

In this time of influencers who seem to be everywhere, this novel hits the nail on the head. Pettiness runs rampant. The characters were exactly as I expected. 4/5⭐️

As Alua says, “Holy f***ing shit!” I love the way Alua shares what she hopes for as she envisions of her own death. This memoir is well written and beautifully she gives us examples how those with whom she has coached during their deaths. A death doula walking a special path with others during such an emotional process. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A cozy mystery. Claire Harris has always dreamed of owning her own candle shop. This little British town would be the perfect place. The owner of the community‘s candle factory is pushed to her death. The mystery deepened when her lover is also murdered. Who is the killer? Will the murderer be caught before another person is killed? A quick read.
4.25/5⭐️

A novel about an author named Grady Green. Grady is having a difficult time trying to write a new book. He‘s not been able to sleep for the better part of a year. His wife disappeared. Hoping to be able to get back on track he goes to a quiet isolated island. What happens there is the stuff of bad dreams….3.75/5⭐️

Another novel in the Cork O‘Connor series. I really enjoy read William Kent Krueger‘s novels. I like the stories about the native people, aka First Nation People. The very old Ojibwe leader Henry Meloux always plays an important character. The story takes place in Minnesota and in Canada among the lakes and waters there. 4.25/5⭐️

Shari Lapena has written a thrilling novel which kept my attention. A nine year girl goes missing. Suspects include her father and some neighbors. How long until she‘s found? Will she be dead or alive? Twists and turns make it a book for those who like suspense. 4/5⭐️

A quick short novel. The author certainly knows how to tell a tale. The characters were somewhat amusing and entertaining. I read it in one afternoon. 4/5⭐️

Pre-WWII Vienna is the setting for most of this novel. The characters were realistic and interesting. I could feel connections and understood the concerns of the people. 4/5⭐️

A fun novel dealing with magic. The characters seemed very realistic. 4/5⭐️

This novel brought to mind what ICE is currently doing in this country. The story is heartbreaking with a mother and son trying desperately to escape the horrors of Cartel violence and certain death. Many people have been lost, killed and broken while making this or similar journeys. 4.75/5⭐️

A YA thriller novel dealing with a murder. Summer vacation has kids relaxing and enjoying themselves.
Girls seeing somethings they are not supposed to see in a place they shouldn‘t have been. They make decisions they aren‘t really qualified to make. 3/5⭐️

Many aspects of this book were difficult because of my total hatred of slavery. Dana a modern young black woman travels back in time to save a white boy. Dana is pulled back time after time to save the boy/man. I found the novel to be well written. I disliked many of the characters. 3.75/5⭐️

The true stories of many of the children who were adopted through the Tennessee Children‘s Home Society in Memphis. Georgia Tann was a horrible person who sold children from 1920-1950s. The novel by Lisa Wingate, Before We were Yours (fictional) account) was the coauthor. Well worth the time to read this nonfiction book. 4.5/5⭐️

A historical fiction based on the mother of Camille Pissarro, the father of Impressionism. A well written novel! The characters were interesting and felt very much alive. I really enjoyed this book. 4.5 /5 ⭐️

The essays in this short book focused on resistance, the collective power in the age of climate change. Well voiced and thought provoking, making me feel as if the world really needs to hear the words of the indigenous peoples of this world. 5/5⭐️

A novel with lots of layers, with unexpected twists and turns. I felt as if I had read a book similar many years ago. The residents of the building seemed to have odd opinions and ideas. The author has a way to keep the reader engaged. 3.5/5⭐️

A fast-paced thriller with a female protagonist who is breaking into houses to steal expensive items. A serial killer is hunting for the thief. A chase across the country and some unexpected surprises occur. Will either survive? 4/5⭐️

A different book with focus on “strings” giving the recipient a chance to see how long they would live. I found the way individuals reacted interesting. I like the characters and think this book will remain with me for a long while. 3.75/5⭐️

People disappear where do they go? Is there a killer running around amongst them? Young women seemingly connected yet maybe not. So many unusual twists. 3.75/5⭐️

A love story with both sugar and spice. Archer is an inexperienced young man in his early 20‘s. Bree is a young of about the same age. Archer is in a horrific accident when he was seven. Bree is looking a quiet place to help her get over some difficult circumstances. 4/5⭐️

A short sweet love story with three main characters. Gail Baines a long time divorced woman, Max Baines the ex-husband, and their adult daughter Debbie. Gail is having a hard day. Debbie is getting married. Max is going with the flow. 3.5/5⭐️

One of the best books I‘ve read this year. I loved the characters, both human the animals. 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I enjoyed this novel. The characters were interesting and the plot was intriguing. I liked Marissa. She was full energy and had some OCD issues. The young girl detectives were fun. I would read a sequel if Elizabeth Little wrote one. 4/5⭐️

An unsolved mystery from ten years ago seems to have ties to current murders. DI Chase is trying to find answers to the question of body parts found by fishermen in the Avon River. The entire department is looking for clues. Will they solve this case before the current missing man is among the dead? 4/5⭐️

Not your typical James Patterson novel. This novel was more sci-fic genre than any of his other books. Scientific experimentation on human beings has been tried. I found myself wondering how it would end. 4/5 ⭐️

A historical fiction story depicting the life of Robert Louis Stevenson and his wife Fanny. I enjoyed reading this novel. The health issues of Stevenson had kept them traveling the world in the hopes of the ideal location for his concerns. They spent time in Switzerland, England, the south seas. 4/5⭐️

A collection of Vonnegut‘s short stories. Some were very enjoyable, some were mediocre. I actually laughed while listening to a few3.75/5

A Texas fair was the scene of beginning of this novel. The main characters were a children‘s book author named Elle Portman. She took her son to the fair. Calder Hudson also attended the fair. An unknown shooter opened fire and a mystery needing to be solved unfolded. The detectives had a lot to investigate before they had any answers. the twists kept it interesting. 4.25/5⭐️

Pike Island, Minnesota is the setting of this thriller. Four high school friends go out to the lake to celebrate. Of the four, Andy Harrison Leonard is by far the one with the golden tongue. Twenty years later he‘s a congressman and a smooth talker. The truth about what happened at Pike Island may be about to spill forth. What happened? Will it interfere with the future plans of Congressman Leonard? 4/5⭐️

The first novel I‘ve read of this author. An interesting tale of indigenous peoples of the southwest. The story kept my attention. I liked the main character Nicky Matthews & following along as she went about solving the mysteries of those missing and those who died. 4/5⭐️

The giant turtles, tidal rivers and a drowned girl are the main characters in this fun addition to the series. The characters are interesting. The plot takes Nadya on a trip through in her life with the three different mothers she has experienced. 4.5/5⭐️

A story with lots of thrilling moments, some quite scary. Dr Emory Charbonneau, a pediatrician disappeared on a run in the mountains. A man who won‘t give his name may be involved or the Dr‘s husband. Is it kidnapping or worse. The wrongness of actions may not matter depending on what happens next. 4.25/5⭐️

I love the humor of Fredrick Blackman! This short story had me laughing out loud. The seriousness of the situation was evident and the solution so simple, yet the committee made everything difficult. If you‘re looking for a few reasons to laugh, give this a read. 4/5⭐️

Another historical fiction with such a heartfelt plot. I really enjoyed reading the story even when the tears fell. The timeframe begins as the Germans start WWII. The winemakers of France are trying to save their country. The love and memories broke my heart. One of the best stories I‘ve read this year. 4.5/5⭐️

Stream of consciousness style takes the reader through the day of Mrs Clarissa Dalloway. She is preparing for a party. Clarissa is reviewing her life as she reflects her past choices and contemplating her future. 3.75/5⭐️

In the desert scientists were working on a secret gadget. The story was set in Las Alamos 1943. The families the scientists were not told anything about what went on the hill. Gertie, a teenage girl and Christine, a young married woman became friends. Gertie‘s father and Christine‘s husband both worked on the gadget. Loneliness was common and the desert bleak. Historical fiction and the making of the bomb to end WWII. 4.25/5⭐️

The plot and its characters were perfect in this setting. As the story went back and forth from present day to 1830, it was interesting. I really liked Rose and Norris. 4/5⭐️

This novel took place in Puerto Rico. It was an interesting look at what was described as visions of life events of dead storytellers. The characters were different. I liked Isla Larsen Sanchez, the main character. The tale begins when Isla was a child and takes us through her summers on the island. 4/5 ⭐️

Race and civil rights in the early 1960s in LA are the setting for this historical thriller. I found the characters interesting. There were discussions of the Korean War, a photographer and part time server of warrants. Martin Luther King was involved near the end of the book. Harry was the photographer who was capturing history in his pictures. 3.5/5

The first book I‘ve read by DW Buffa. A novel involving two judges who were murdered by the same method yet couldn‘t have been killed by the same person. Court room drama was quite good. I enjoyed the plots and the characters. 4/5⭐️

This was a real plot twisting novel. I didn‘t know what to expect, but wow! The ending was not at all expected. Three year old boy is missing. What happened? An accident, did he fall into the river, was he abducted? The characters were all had flaws. The story was a slow in some parts. 4/5⭐️

This novel is in the series with the Attorney Bennie Rosato in it. Her law firm is Rosato and Associates. Bennie is acused of murder. Bennie is determined to prove she is innocent and find the killer. The pace is quite fast and lots of action. The author has never disappointed me. 4/5⭐️

A novel about adoption and the connection between the adopted person and birth parents. The emotional aspects of sealed records and struggles are often overlooked in what people hope will be a kind if “new love” for the adopted person and her/his birth parents. A reporter named Jane becomes involved in helping her friend Tuck. What follows is dangerous and more than a bit difficult. 3.75/5⭐️

It‘s a thriller with a young woman (Tara) who awakens from a medically induced coma without the ability to communicate. She learns to communicate with her eyes first. Then she can answer yes & no questions with eye blinks. Tara‘s sister leaves law school to try to assist her mom & step-dad while waiting for Tara to become aware. It appears Tara may have seen or knows something because someone is trying to kill her. 3.75/5⭐️

A thriller takes on football. A teenage girl is murdered and the boyfriend, football star, along with the coach and his estranged brother are trying to discover who the killer is. I liked the style of the writing and all the sideline scenes made the novel have lots of depth. I‘ll be reading more of his books in the future. 4/5⭐️