tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78332947830414403352024-03-18T00:42:50.412-07:00Books n'WhatnotWhere I Babble On And On About Books More Books And An Occasional Moviestepfordmomto2@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18247229526727893129noreply@blogger.comBlogger1917125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833294783041440335.post-16158429576350137972024-03-18T00:00:00.000-07:002024-03-18T00:00:00.368-07:00The Frozen River<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjj3BKyy7Mjz5DyGM1t-byHXeF1ecoBgb1DbKXyUuKcs5YSSA6aCV2LASW5YfQiawsnZZ6UYH5t6XMK-6ds0ofcOwJZU06shhKUgCFDOq-f3PcLf4tmSwt7KHa2969iYJBhDboYdrjvINfDXSaiIQgbFMg0JCot7IbYUv3ImNrZZh5xX2U4ZsfCmE5D9Uc" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="316" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjj3BKyy7Mjz5DyGM1t-byHXeF1ecoBgb1DbKXyUuKcs5YSSA6aCV2LASW5YfQiawsnZZ6UYH5t6XMK-6ds0ofcOwJZU06shhKUgCFDOq-f3PcLf4tmSwt7KHa2969iYJBhDboYdrjvINfDXSaiIQgbFMg0JCot7IbYUv3ImNrZZh5xX2U4ZsfCmE5D9Uc" width="158" /></a></div>
<strong>Title: </strong>The Frozen River<br />
<strong>Author: </strong>Ariel Lawhon<br />
<strong>Published: </strong> December 5, 2023 by Doubleday<br />
<strong>Format: </strong> Kindle, Hardcover, 432 Pages<br />
<strong>Genre: </strong> Historical Fiction<br />
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<b>First Sentence:</b> The body floats downstream.
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<b> Blurb:</b> Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community. Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town’s most respected gentlemen—one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own.
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Over the course of one winter, as the trial nears, and whispers and prejudices mount, Martha doggedly pursues the truth. Her diary soon lands at the center of the scandal, implicating those she loves, and compelling Martha to decide where her own loyalties lie.
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Clever, layered, and subversive, Ariel Lawhon’s newest offering introduces an unsung heroine who refused to accept anything less than justice at a time when women were considered best seen and not heard. The Frozen River is a thrilling, tense, and tender story about a remarkable woman who left an unparalleled legacy yet remains nearly forgotten to this day.
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<b>My Opinion:</b> After a slow start with too many characters to keep straight, the Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon turns into a captivating fact-based historical mystery that immerses the reader in the life and times of Martha Ballard, a true-to-life gutsy and clever midwife who solved a murder in 18th-century Maine. Lawhon used her little-known story to expertly weave fact and fiction, creating a rich and authentic portrait of a remarkable woman who defied the norms of her society and left a lasting legacy.
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A legacy that not only included the delivering of over 1,000 births without losing a single mother to being the great-aunt of Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross, and also being the great-great-grandmother of Mary Hobart, one of the first female physicians in the United States.</i></div>
stepfordmomto2@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18247229526727893129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833294783041440335.post-50391920151117340072024-03-14T00:00:00.000-07:002024-03-14T00:00:00.142-07:00The Fatal Folio<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEje0lV3YNcrTUniBJAtcrYr8eZ5qTehToTCnUp-MSZq4WI15Ti3YKWz9HS-0gXDcmcXkBgFawUARPX_UKfF5X5onNFUpvIRw7XudSSp9zz5_vTW_SrNHd9YprXN2T-eMSzKmLXy6fXRuGQLK8b3e8mbAgnMBF2BpSshjvx_LadXP_a6aKRc_MeBeJjJPcI" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="594" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEje0lV3YNcrTUniBJAtcrYr8eZ5qTehToTCnUp-MSZq4WI15Ti3YKWz9HS-0gXDcmcXkBgFawUARPX_UKfF5X5onNFUpvIRw7XudSSp9zz5_vTW_SrNHd9YprXN2T-eMSzKmLXy6fXRuGQLK8b3e8mbAgnMBF2BpSshjvx_LadXP_a6aKRc_MeBeJjJPcI" width="149" /></a></div>
<strong>Title: </strong>The Fatal Folio<br />
<strong>Author: </strong>Elizabeth Penney<br />
<strong>Published: </strong> October 24, 2023 by St. Martin's Paperbacks<br />
<strong>Format: </strong> Kindle, 320 pages<br />
<strong>Genre: </strong> Amateur Sleuth<br />
<strong>Source: </strong> My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. <br />
<strong>Series: </strong>The Cambridge Bookshop Series #3<br />
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<b>First Sentence:</b> November had arrived in Cambridge, bringing with it crisp, cool air, the emergence of mufflers and wool coats from closets and -- new to me, as an ex-pat American -- Guy Fawkes day.
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<b> Blurb:</b> After moving to Cambridge, England, Molly Kimball has found a lot to love, including—of course—her family’s ancestral bookshop, Thomas Marlowe-Manuscripts and Folios. And though she’s not quite ready to use the “L” word when it comes to her boyfriend Kieran, she’s definitely fallen for his intimidating family’s library.
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His family is paying her handsomely for an updated catalog when Molly discovers the original manuscript of a Gothic novel, A Fatal Folio by the pseudonymous Selwyn Scott. Kieran’s cousin Oliver, a professor specializing in Gothic literature, is eager to publish a paper on the mystery—especially because a troublesome student, Thad, is threatening to file a complaint against him and prevent his long-awaited promotion.
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On Guy Fawkes Night, Molly, Kieran, and her friends set out to enjoy the costumes, fireworks, and fun—at least until a stray firework starts a panic, and the group stumbles upon a prone body, their face covered by a mask. It’s Thad, and he’s been stabbed to death.
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It soon becomes clear Oliver isn’t the only one with a motive, and Molly must once again put on a few masks of her own to sleuth out Thad’s killer, prove Oliver’s innocence, and discover what Selwyn’s novel might have to do with this most atmospheric mystery. (GoodReads)
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<b>My Opinion:</b> A book, within a book, within a book. The latest edition to the Cambridge Bookshop series by Elizabeth Penney. Set in Cambridge, England, among the historical colleges, Molly Kimball, a bookshop owner, stumbles upon a Gothic manuscript and opens the door to murder and a long-buried secret.
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The author weaves together mystery, family legacies, and murder while drawing the reader into the dark atmosphere and showing how the multiple storylines weave in a journey to uncover the truth behind the ancient folio.</i></div>
stepfordmomto2@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18247229526727893129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833294783041440335.post-64504521207849406692024-03-11T00:00:00.000-07:002024-03-11T00:00:00.149-07:00Forests, Fishing & Forgery<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRo-OTukjwsqnhlaXtXWP9tkOioagBi1pZv-7xWVMJu3mGD_7wh8hh4OTsFUv-xrc3IoI8haZYYqdUvhfiTxBHtH--ondEQf4OfUpfqHMyNagNf4mFXCyEQ1AWGJ8KH3q1Rh7fkaDC_lMYVx72Ka3qDOeHq-nltPemvetvgplrsHMCBfCPbYAPisU23Tc" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1734" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRo-OTukjwsqnhlaXtXWP9tkOioagBi1pZv-7xWVMJu3mGD_7wh8hh4OTsFUv-xrc3IoI8haZYYqdUvhfiTxBHtH--ondEQf4OfUpfqHMyNagNf4mFXCyEQ1AWGJ8KH3q1Rh7fkaDC_lMYVx72Ka3qDOeHq-nltPemvetvgplrsHMCBfCPbYAPisU23Tc" width="163" /></a></div>
<strong>Title: </strong>Forests, Fishing & Forgery<br />
<strong>Author: </strong>Tonya Kappes<br />
<strong>Published: </strong> July 31, 2018 by Tonya Kappes Books<br />
<strong>Format: </strong> Kindle, 174 Pages<br />
<strong>Genre: </strong> Amateur Sleuth<br />
<strong>Series: </strong>Campter & Criminals #3<br />
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<b>First Sentence:</b> “Welcome to Happy Trails Campground and to our party.”
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<b> Blurb:</b> It's Labor Day weekend in Normal, and if you know anything about camping and RVing, you know it's one of the busiest times of the year. Unfortunately, Daniel Boone National Park is in danger of being closed due to a drought and local businesses are scrambling for ideas to survive a possible shutdown.
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Happy Trails Campground is at the center of a murder in which campers as well locals are suspects. It looks likely that a local resident is responsible for the dastardly deed since the victim is the one person who had the power to shut down the national park, which would be devastating to Normal’s small businesses.
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<b>My Opinion:</b> The perfect series to jump in and out of between other books. Full of southern charm and lovable characters. Camper & Criminals is a quirky and cozy series set in the charming small town of Normal, Tennessee and the Happy Trails Campground located in the Daniel Boone National Park.
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Unfortunately, this outing was slow and then suddenly it was over. For me, the novella needed less middle rambling and more in the conclusion so the tying up wasn’t so abrupt.
That doesn’t mean I won’t go back and read the next in the series since everyone needs a little Mae West in their lives. </i></div>
stepfordmomto2@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18247229526727893129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833294783041440335.post-64565902436882177052024-03-07T00:00:00.000-08:002024-03-07T00:00:00.140-08:00What Harms You<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJZw3hhaiMwBZwn3DhtlW5bU2KEaQQV2_m1Onoli5awl-gyHP82ZM37UC0v8KXYLHmRbIFW-TPc78E-61Oiy-RiN5fH8HqbeV9uXF51uFdDHGYW9C5mGf5IivuBFx5wtubES9kCT0I8NdRTetyNxcHc3lfthR0GhRsKGLJzOhayCjUJDUcMD9ggsagBVg/s499/Harm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="331" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJZw3hhaiMwBZwn3DhtlW5bU2KEaQQV2_m1Onoli5awl-gyHP82ZM37UC0v8KXYLHmRbIFW-TPc78E-61Oiy-RiN5fH8HqbeV9uXF51uFdDHGYW9C5mGf5IivuBFx5wtubES9kCT0I8NdRTetyNxcHc3lfthR0GhRsKGLJzOhayCjUJDUcMD9ggsagBVg/w164-h248/Harm.jpg" width="164" /></a></div>
<strong>Title: </strong>What Harms You<br />
<strong>Author: </strong>Lisa Black<br />
<strong>Published: </strong> July 25, 2023 by Kensington<br />
<strong>Format: </strong> Kindle, Hardcover 320 Pages<br />
<strong>Genre: </strong> Psychological Thriller<br />
<strong>Source: </strong> My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. <br />
<strong>Series: </strong>Locard #2<br />
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<b>First Sentence:</b> Ellie Carr waved her brand-new keycard at the mounted sensor a second time. Still nothing.
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<b> Blurb:</b> What happens when a serial killer goes to CSI school?
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The Locard Institute is a state-of-the-art forensic research center where experts from around the world come together to confront and solve the world’s most challenging and perplexing crimes. When Dr. Ellie Carr arrives for her first day as an instructor at the prestigious facility, the buildings glimmer amid the brilliant fall foliage on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay. But within hours a colleague, Dr. Barbara Wright, is found dead on the floor of a supply closet. Her death appears to be an accident—but Ellie and her new supervisor, Dr. Rachael Davies, suspect a more sinister explanation.
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A young woman attending a professional training program then disappears, only to be found in a gruesome tableau. Other than their link to the Institute, there seems to be no connection between the student and Dr. Wright. Although forensic traces are elusive, Ellie and Rachael are determined to find the bizarre link between the violent and diverse deaths.
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As reporters shatter the privacy of Ellie’s new workplace, she searches old files and finds evidence of a crime that feels much too personal. But who, among those dedicated to justice, could be the threat? No matter how skilled she and Rachael may be in uncovering the truth, they may not be able to prevent a well-schooled killer from striking again.
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<b>My Opinion:</b> I had a hard time getting into this book. The previous book, ‘Red Flags’ was published more than a year ago, and the reader could have benefited from a paragraph or two refresher at the beginning instead of a couple of chapters in.
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Read the first third, skimmed the middle, and read the final third. This series is dependent on what you came for. Very high in the science parts, low on the mystery, and the conclusion gathered the bits and parts along the way.
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The who in ‘What Harms You’ was obvious from the beginning. The ‘why’ was the basic serial killer stuff.</i></div>
stepfordmomto2@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18247229526727893129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833294783041440335.post-27794762798736974072024-03-04T00:00:00.000-08:002024-03-04T00:00:00.146-08:00The Crown's Fate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7W3R411VAAVbhSCVrBH1Gd-sVHWWDN9B9qWu7x6igsMGJC66HDU59sUBbxj22SqY-cABANHg2ZqRzl7xNkqfo7a9E3KyOXKO72yDZBHo0J34X1ikr1mluXh80RcZWqVhq6LwS2-4dEybfzWE4NR6UHTD4GHw3TWiVMrr_o9ZsvWgA6qy7oSXVJHVdDrI" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1208" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7W3R411VAAVbhSCVrBH1Gd-sVHWWDN9B9qWu7x6igsMGJC66HDU59sUBbxj22SqY-cABANHg2ZqRzl7xNkqfo7a9E3KyOXKO72yDZBHo0J34X1ikr1mluXh80RcZWqVhq6LwS2-4dEybfzWE4NR6UHTD4GHw3TWiVMrr_o9ZsvWgA6qy7oSXVJHVdDrI" width="159" /></a></div>
<strong>Title: </strong>The Crown's Fate<br />
<strong>Author: </strong>Evelyn Skye<br />
<strong>Published: </strong> May 16, 2017 by Balzer + Bray<br />
<strong>Format: </strong> Hardcover, 425 pages<br />
<strong>Genre: </strong> Historical Fantasy<br />
<strong>Series: </strong>The Crown's Game #2<br />
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<b>First Sentence:</b> Vika Andreyeva was a confluence of minuscule bubbles, streaming through the wintry dusk.
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<b> Blurb:</b> Russia is on the brink of great change. Pasha’s coronation approaches, and Vika is now the Imperial Enchanter, but the role she once coveted may be more difficult—and dangerous—than she ever expected.
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Pasha is grappling with his own problems—his legitimacy is in doubt, the girl he loves loathes him, and he believes his best friend is dead. When a challenger to the throne emerges—and with the magic in Russia growing rapidly—Pasha must do whatever it takes to keep his position and protect his kingdom.
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For Nikolai, the ending of the Crown’s Game stung deeply. Although he just managed to escape death, Nikolai remains alone, a shadow hidden in a not-quite-real world of his own creation. But when he’s given a second chance at life—tied to a dark price—Nikolai must decide just how far he’s willing to go to return to the world.
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With revolution on the rise, dangerous new magic rearing up, and a tsardom up for the taking, Vika, Nikolai, and Pasha must fight—or face the destruction of not only their world but also themselves.
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<b>My Opinion:</b> Slow start, but the tension builds.
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The Crown’s Fate is the sequel to The Crown’s Game, a historical fantasy set in an alternate Russia. The book follows the three main characters, Vika, Nikolai, and Pasha, as they face political intrigue, dark magic, and personal dilemmas, all the while, encompassing history, culture, and magical twists.
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The characters are well defined with each showing strengths and flaws. The reader will be riding the rollercoaster of identity, power, loyalty, and love, and how, together, they shape the fate of a leader and a nation.
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The Crown’s Fate is the conclusion to the duology, with an ending that has you holding your breath and full of hope for Vika, Nikolai, Pasha, Yuliana, and Renata.
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I am still new to this genre, so I can’t say if I will stick with it, but I did enjoy this series.</i></div>
stepfordmomto2@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18247229526727893129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833294783041440335.post-58293330482093733732024-02-29T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-29T00:00:00.269-08:00Murder at the Blarney Bash<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisg5Otf2qcjQHJ65kAsOMPO1AnJ549hc1KiWaLiozVAcXGbSrda8aDRrIw4lyR8K1KFUJodrKZYo4ZI0UoFgFx4YVhMj-_JHxhbAHMCXet6lsoAGmiwbUBK9PhVX2zgnlJ9cQWJ12yTnU0Vstka-YdFes7VLqJisXdJjwQDPt5mg7Vd3HEcpudz4BXCgE/s400/Blarney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="244" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisg5Otf2qcjQHJ65kAsOMPO1AnJ549hc1KiWaLiozVAcXGbSrda8aDRrIw4lyR8K1KFUJodrKZYo4ZI0UoFgFx4YVhMj-_JHxhbAHMCXet6lsoAGmiwbUBK9PhVX2zgnlJ9cQWJ12yTnU0Vstka-YdFes7VLqJisXdJjwQDPt5mg7Vd3HEcpudz4BXCgE/w161-h264/Blarney.jpg" width="161" /></a></div>
<strong>Title: </strong>Murder at the Blarney Bash<br />
<strong>Author: </strong>Darci Hannah<br />
<strong>Published: </strong> January 23, 2024 by Kensington<br />
<strong>Format: </strong> Kindle, 352 Pages<br />
<strong>Genre: </strong> Amateur Sleuth<br />
<strong>Source: </strong> My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. <br />
<strong>Series: </strong>Beacon Bakeshop #5<br />
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<b>First Sentence:</b> “Wellington!” My adorable, fluffy Newfoundland dog was still on the groomer’s table as I entered Peggy’s Pet Shop and Pooch Salon.
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<b> Blurb:</b> Lindsey is baking up a storm—shamrock sugar cookies, Guinness chocolate cupcakes, Irish soda bread—for the well-timed grand opening of the Irish import gift shop, the Blarney Stone, owned by her boyfriend’s uncle, Finnigan O’Connor, recently relocated from the Emerald Isle.
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But it’s Uncle Finn himself who seems full of blarney when he gleefully reveals a pot of real gold he claims he stole from an actual leprechaun. And Finn’s fortune takes a turn for the worse when he’s arrested for the bludgeoning of a small unidentified man dressed as a leprechaun—the murder weapon alleged to be his now-missing shillelagh.
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Eccentric Uncle Finn may enjoy believing he’s outwitted a leprechaun, but he would never be so deluded as to clobber one with his walking stick. Now Lindsey will need more than the luck of the Irish to seize a golden opportunity to catch the real killer
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<b>My Opinion:</b> A quirky storyline that falls short. Cozy mysteries do not always have depth, but Murder at the Blarney Bash is too superficial and the plotting is repetitious and slow. There is a blend of humor yet the mystery element feels forced and I began to wonder if Darci Hannah had any idea where she was going with the plotting since it culminated in an out of nowhere conclusion.
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I have enjoyed the previous book in this series, but I should have DNF’d this one. </i></div>
stepfordmomto2@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18247229526727893129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833294783041440335.post-77518660164766284872024-02-26T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-26T00:00:00.146-08:00Meet Me in the Margins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3io1jOuZRxehAY2-YrujX0_cFMPs8Jp4qe-j_q5OxcqRVXu3Ch_cGrjlNcubJlwEI9F4M2mVXkmFCGe8dePZtGdgnXMo1ZGjjgwVLfq3l9K7LVzAI7eY_wWQ0ndwXSMCBxk5SwJDLtIBGGL9oB_fkA3ojZ4gFnfxdfRwBbrcmVQC3Tz2F_ELoezlNfIc" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="260" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg3io1jOuZRxehAY2-YrujX0_cFMPs8Jp4qe-j_q5OxcqRVXu3Ch_cGrjlNcubJlwEI9F4M2mVXkmFCGe8dePZtGdgnXMo1ZGjjgwVLfq3l9K7LVzAI7eY_wWQ0ndwXSMCBxk5SwJDLtIBGGL9oB_fkA3ojZ4gFnfxdfRwBbrcmVQC3Tz2F_ELoezlNfIc" width="156" /></a></div>
<strong>Title: </strong>Meet Me in the Margins<br />
<strong>Author: </strong>Melissa Ferguson<br />
<strong>Published: </strong> February 15, 2022 by Thomas Nelson<br />
<strong>Format: </strong> Kindle, Paperback 309 Pages<br />
<strong>Genre: </strong> Romance<br />
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<i>
<b>First Sentence:</b> Prologue: Savannah, Have you made any more progress on that book idea you brought up to me at conference last year?
<br />
<br />
<b> Blurb:</b> Savannah Cade's dreams are coming true. The Claire Donovan, editor-in-chief of the most successful romance imprint in the country, has requested to see the manuscript Savannah's been secretly writing while working as an editor herself—except at her publishing house, the philosophy is only highbrow works are worth printing and commercial fiction, particularly romance, should be reserved for the lowest level of Dante's inferno. But when Savannah drops her manuscript during a staff meeting and nearly exposes herself to the whole company—including William Pennington, new publisher and son of the romance-despising CEO herself—she races to hide her manuscript in the secret turret room of the old Victorian office.
<br />
<br />
When she returns, she's dismayed to discover that someone has not only been in her hidden nook but has written notes in the margins—quite critical ones. But when Claire's own reaction turns out to be nearly identical to the scribbled remarks, and worse, Claire announces that Savannah has six weeks to resubmit before she retires, Savannah finds herself forced to seek the help of the shadowy editor after all.
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<br />
As their notes back and forth start to fill up the pages, however, Savannah finds him not just becoming pivotal to her work but her life. There's no doubt about it. She's falling for her mystery editor. If she only knew who he was.
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<br />
<b>My Opinion:</b> I remember reading about this book a while back and thought it sounded cute. It has its moments, but also had me shaking my head when a mystery character (which isn’t a mystery) leaves editorial comments on a manuscript Savannah is writing letting her know that her scenes read like a Hallmark movie. Duh, this whole book reads like a Hallmark movie with all the usual tropes. The only parts missing were the returning to a small town and having a dog, but still, it’s a Hallmark movie.
<br />
<br />
As the story drones on, I found myself checking the page count wondering when it would be over. And just when I thought we hit the final mediocre scenes, Melissa Ferguson added an epilogue. Romance books do not need epilogues. That is the part where the readers design their own happily ever after.</i></div>
stepfordmomto2@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18247229526727893129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833294783041440335.post-52416922349604120772024-02-22T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-22T00:00:00.148-08:00Night Owl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaBleSudVDyPLOv6zpf3GowjwVEzTquLm8pKM9YtzJBghIRNJCqbmxMeWOnJZvT98Xoo3QNmepTCwvizl-xgSqw9et5J-pbforNkWIdRz99tuOU_9YfgMcO3WqS4YrhNmKg0r8KqijYaJqa2kcb-LhDed4Ym26biJCFGUCCgem_SM_8JPFZCNeYopp-nw/s500/Night%20Owl.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="324" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaBleSudVDyPLOv6zpf3GowjwVEzTquLm8pKM9YtzJBghIRNJCqbmxMeWOnJZvT98Xoo3QNmepTCwvizl-xgSqw9et5J-pbforNkWIdRz99tuOU_9YfgMcO3WqS4YrhNmKg0r8KqijYaJqa2kcb-LhDed4Ym26biJCFGUCCgem_SM_8JPFZCNeYopp-nw/w172-h266/Night%20Owl.jpg" width="172" /></a></div>
<strong>Title: </strong>Night Owl<br />
<strong>Author: </strong>Andrew Mayne<br />
<strong>Published: </strong> December 1, 2023 by Thomas & Mercer<br />
<strong>Format: </strong> Kindle, 321 Pages<br />
<strong>Genre: </strong> Thriller<br />
<strong>Source: </strong> My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. <br />
<strong>Series: </strong>Trasker #1<br />
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<i>
<b>First Sentence:</b> Prologue: Her smile was made sincere by her remarkable restraint.
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<br />
<b> Blurb:</b> After three decades in counterintelligence, Brad Trasker is retired, disillusioned, and dealing with a tragic loss. Spy games are behind him until he attends the launch of a next-generation aircraft. When the project of innovative aerospace CEO Kylie Connor explodes on the tarmac―nearly killing her in the process―Trasker is pulled back into the line of fire.
<br />
<br />
The mystery of the sabotage quickly deepens. All Kylie’s data has been wiped from the server. One of her engineers has disappeared. A seed investor has died in a suspicious car accident. And a cold-blooded murder raises the stakes even higher.
<br />
<br />
To discover who’s pulling the strings behind a dangerous conspiracy, Trasker needs to find a motive. Corporate espionage, revenge, or something he can’t yet see? Targeted by assassins, he finds himself overmatched when he realizes he can’t trust anyone―including Kylie. Too long out of a game he no longer understands, Trasker must adapt or die. (GoodReads)
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<br />
<b>My Opinion:</b> Theo Cray has always been my favorite Andrew Mayne character, but Brad Trasker is a close second. Well, maybe his mother is second and Brad third, but it’s close. He is unfailingly human and his mother is an interesting onion to peel.
<br />
<br />
A captivating thriller that thrusts retired spy Trasker into the middle of a deadly conspiracy. The intense plotting, with just-in-time tangents, added to cold-blooded murder, keep readers on edge.
<br />
<br />
Unexpected twists, gasps, and laughter make this a must-read for fans of espionage and suspense.</i></div>
stepfordmomto2@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18247229526727893129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833294783041440335.post-7038922989354218362024-02-19T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-19T00:00:00.168-08:00Ill-Fated Fortune: A Magical Fortune Cookie Novel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRNzahulkm9y9jB35sbRvyiKKyuwxX17_w3pwSlhWdAUvQgieaMuIwY6yNFPLPJrqI3smmWus-ytR-Xfiq2i2cWCm271VIvW956uJnhzRMjamlyUxkF1Or3YFFR8vj9-CfcVhnjNCsOibgNUezdhEVLH-AKK8L03jdtWyxr73wRpTl7bUob3dj-dcRpGM" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="244" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRNzahulkm9y9jB35sbRvyiKKyuwxX17_w3pwSlhWdAUvQgieaMuIwY6yNFPLPJrqI3smmWus-ytR-Xfiq2i2cWCm271VIvW956uJnhzRMjamlyUxkF1Or3YFFR8vj9-CfcVhnjNCsOibgNUezdhEVLH-AKK8L03jdtWyxr73wRpTl7bUob3dj-dcRpGM" width="146" /></a></div>
<strong>Title: </strong>Ill-Fated Fortune: A Magical Fortune Cookie Novel<br />
<strong>Author: </strong>Jennifer J. Chow<br />
<strong>Published: </strong> February 20, 2024 by Minotaur Books<br />
<strong>Format: </strong> Kindle, 320 Pages<br />
<strong>Genre: </strong> Amateur Sleuth<br />
<strong>Source: </strong> My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. <br />
<strong>Series: </strong>Magical Fortune Cookie #1<br />
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<i>
<b>First Sentence:</b> It only took twenty-eight years and one bad take-out meal to unlock my superpower.
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<br />
<b> Blurb:</b> Felicity Jin grew up literally hanging onto Mom’s apron strings in their magical bakery in the quaint town of Pixie, California. Her mother’s enchanted baked goods, including puffy pineapple buns and creamy egg tarts, bring instant joy to all who consume them. Felicity has always been hesitant in the kitchen herself after many failed attempts, but a takeout meal gone wrong inspires her to craft some
handmade fortune cookies.
<br />
<br />
They become so popular that Felicity runs out of generic fortunes and starts making her own personalized predictions. When one customer’s ill-fated fortune results in his murder, Felicity’s suspiciously specific fortune has the police focusing on her as the main culprit. Now Felicity must find a way to turn her luck around and get cleared from suspicion.
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<br />
<b>My Opinion:</b> I was disappointed by this novel written by Lefty Award-nominee, Jennifer J. Chow. The premise sounded promising, but the execution was lacking. The characters were flat, the plot was predictable and full of holes and inconsistencies, and the writing was bland and repetitive. The magical element was interesting but felt forced and inconsistent, and the killer was obvious too early and easily.</i></div>
stepfordmomto2@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18247229526727893129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833294783041440335.post-7731116611693954502024-02-15T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-18T15:30:59.619-08:00Holmes, Marple & Poe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDDiLOzTFqhEL9jYXe4h0JC6ehx0_hl7bc88JHM3jIptdASGIlubL2VPTGMPNbJFCfX2jUnVcoMSJFXe7ZpozmhkMEWTEc7zFohZGr7JlUK2lq0pvZxVtjThafqnJuCHuWNnBiGnFzfcAhSsuvsuPHjxRVzklmcMJycGn6-Kcnu6x_9nBxLbjh_J8EXcU" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1706" data-original-width="1100" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDDiLOzTFqhEL9jYXe4h0JC6ehx0_hl7bc88JHM3jIptdASGIlubL2VPTGMPNbJFCfX2jUnVcoMSJFXe7ZpozmhkMEWTEc7zFohZGr7JlUK2lq0pvZxVtjThafqnJuCHuWNnBiGnFzfcAhSsuvsuPHjxRVzklmcMJycGn6-Kcnu6x_9nBxLbjh_J8EXcU" width="155" /></a></div>
<strong>Title: </strong>Holmes, Marple & Poe<br />
<strong>Author: </strong>James Patterson, Brian Sitts<br />
<strong>Published: </strong> January 8, 2024 by Little, Brown and Company<br />
<strong>Format: </strong> Kindle, 352 pages<br />
<strong>Genre: </strong> Police Procedural<br />
<strong>Source: </strong> My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. <br />
<strong>Series: </strong>Holmes, Margaret & Poe #1<br />
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<i>
<b>First Sentence:</b> The vacant industrial space that realtor Gretchen Wik was trying to unload was located in a recently gentrified Brooklyn neighborhood called Bushwick.
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<br />
<b> Blurb:</b> The three detectives make a formidable team, solving a series of seemingly impossible crimes which expose the dark underbelly of the city; from priceless art theft, a high-stakes kidnapping, and a decades-old unsolved murder, to a gruesome subterranean prison, and corruption and bribery at the highest levels of power.
But it's not long before their headline-grabbing breakthroughs, unconventional methods - and untraceable pasts - attract the attention of the NYPD and the FBI.
After all, it's no surprise that there's a mystery or two to unravel in the city that never sleeps . . . not least, who really are Holmes, Marple and Poe? (Goodreads)
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<br />
<b>My Opinion:</b> New York City has its fair share of unique personalities, but a trio of mysterious private investigators opens Holmes, Marple & Poe Investigations. Their names evoke legendary detectives and a bit of side-eye, while their pasts remain a mystery.
<br />
<br />
Brendan Holmes, Margaret Marple, and Auguste Poe. Their methodology and headline-making cases attract the attention of NYPD Detective Helene Grey. As she investigates the shadowy newcomers, the echoes of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, and Edgar Allan Poe resonate through the pages. The stakes rise, secrets unravel, and the line blurs between fiction and reality.
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<br />
“Holmes, Marple & Poe” weaves classic mystery elements with modern-day strategies, promising a thrilling nonlinear ride through multiple storylines.</i></div>
stepfordmomto2@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18247229526727893129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833294783041440335.post-68773619867062084622024-02-12T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-12T00:00:00.164-08:00Fatal First Edition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-L6y9q7cztsKTm5QRV1RMBHyoWJdR8E5RbLj4wH_gYNXjRoNBKyGHCgvW9cHaOl6zJy-_n1yn63Tr3CwwLbJSyxlcLAKGYGdh7c1Lw1BvOzqCrPDeBoydt4jcceaorn2GUh9Dkq90pdQCqcZGu8_A3INg-rEYRj2_hi1GOKSlTQFRWkHWZpg8c5TptOA" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-L6y9q7cztsKTm5QRV1RMBHyoWJdR8E5RbLj4wH_gYNXjRoNBKyGHCgvW9cHaOl6zJy-_n1yn63Tr3CwwLbJSyxlcLAKGYGdh7c1Lw1BvOzqCrPDeBoydt4jcceaorn2GUh9Dkq90pdQCqcZGu8_A3INg-rEYRj2_hi1GOKSlTQFRWkHWZpg8c5TptOA" width="155" /></a></div><strong>Title: </strong>Fatal First Edition<br />
<strong>Author: </strong>Jenn McKinlay<br />
<strong>Published: </strong> February 13, 2024 by Berkley<br />
<strong>Format: </strong> Kindle, 304 Pages<br />
<strong>Genre: </strong> Amateur Sleuth<br />
<strong>Source: </strong> My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. <br />
<strong>Series: </strong>Library Lover's Mystery #14<br />
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<i>
<b>First Sentence:</b> "How's the windy city?: Nancy Peyton asked.
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<br />
<b> Blurb:</b> Briar Creek Library director Lindsey Norris and her husband, Sully, are at a popular library conference in Chicago to hear book restoration specialist Brooklyn Wainwright give a keynote address. After the lecture, Lindsey looks under her seat and finds a tote bag containing a first edition of Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train , inscribed to Alfred Hitchcock. Brooklyn determines the novel is one of a kind and quite valuable, so Lindsey and Sully return the book to the conference director, not wanting to stir up any trouble.
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<br />
But just hours after the pair boards the train back to Connecticut, rumors that the Highsmith novel has gone missing buzz amongst the passengers, and they soon find the conference director murdered in his private compartment. And worse—the murderer planted the book in Lindsey and Sully’s room next door, making them prime suspects. Now, they must uncover the murderer and bring them to the end of their line, before they find themselves booked for a crime they didn’t commit.
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<br />
<b>My Opinion:</b> Though the story surrounds a missing first edition of Stranger on a Train by Patricia Highsmith with notes from Alfred Hitchcock, Fatal First Edition begins with all the usual characters and feelings of Murder on the Orient Express. This book could have been a closed-room mystery, but Jenn McKinley conveniently brought the train to Briar Creek Station so her friends could be part of the adventure.
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<br />
The second crack in the story was that Sully had gone missing while delivering groceries to people on the surrounding islands during a blizzard -- in his water taxi. Nope. That didn’t work. Islanders would know to be prepared and not need a last-minute grocery run. That part didn’t sit well with me. But how else could McKinley throw in a subplot?
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<br />
Is the who-done-it obvious from the beginning? Not necessarily, I had my suspicions, but there was a slight twist and a convoluted explanation. Good thing reliable Robbie was there to re-explain it.
<br />
<br />
By the end, this could have been a novella. The story contained too much fluff, backstory, and twisty conclusion. By the 14th book in a series, followers already knew a quarter of what was on these pages.</i></div>
stepfordmomto2@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18247229526727893129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833294783041440335.post-53844107157532270042024-02-08T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-08T00:00:00.139-08:00The London Bookshop Affair<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-juP7ravG-DiciEm4dd_C2PXQ42_g2_IcfWkhloMDWGUHlMg2xfd8JViA4HJN2MLErx7qegpl_loFDIlkOuo4TP5RsGqsrCjlhjMk1cS4PShdOgLQQ4wLr0uZG0Wi2WQgZznFsyAxg_PY2VOOP6otgMQSekxOsvY4YPl6K_T_1OtjeGfzTVNjYkAk4ZA" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="976" data-original-width="648" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-juP7ravG-DiciEm4dd_C2PXQ42_g2_IcfWkhloMDWGUHlMg2xfd8JViA4HJN2MLErx7qegpl_loFDIlkOuo4TP5RsGqsrCjlhjMk1cS4PShdOgLQQ4wLr0uZG0Wi2WQgZznFsyAxg_PY2VOOP6otgMQSekxOsvY4YPl6K_T_1OtjeGfzTVNjYkAk4ZA" width="159" /></a></div>
<strong>Title: </strong>The London Bookshop Affair<br />
<strong>Author: </strong>Louise Fein<br />
<strong>Published: </strong> January 16, 2024 by William Morrow<br />
<strong>Format: </strong> Kindle, Paperback 416 Pages<br />
<strong>Genre: </strong> Historical Fiction<br />
<strong>Source: </strong> My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. <br />
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<div style="background: rgb(248, 248, 248); border: 10px double rgb(184, 92, 35); color: #5c4033; font-size: 16px; line-height: 23px; margin: 0px; padding: 15px; text-align: justify;">
<i>
<b>First Sentence:</b> Prologue: Jeannie. London 1942: The air was chocking, thick with a heady mix of cologne, sweat, liquor, and smoke from the hundred Lucky Strikes.
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<br />
<b> Blurb:</b> London, 1962: The world is teetering on the brink of nuclear war but life must go on. Celia Duchesne longs for a career, but with no means or qualifications, passes her time working at a dusty bookshop. The day a handsome American enters the shop, she thinks she might have found her way out of the monotony. Just as the excitement of a budding relationship engulfs her, a devastating secret draws her into the murky world of espionage.
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<br />
France, 1942: Nineteen-year-old Anya Moreau was dropped behind enemy lines to aid the resistance, sending messages back home to London via wireless transmitter. When she was cruelly betrayed, evidence of her legacy and the truth of her actions were buried by wartime injustices.
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<br />
As Celia learns more about Anya—and her unexpected connection to the undercover agent—she becomes increasingly aware of furious efforts, both past and present, to protect state secrets. With her newly formed romance taking a surprising turn and the world on the verge of nuclear annihilation, Celia must risk everything she holds dear, in the name of justice. (Publisher)
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<br />
<b>My Opinion:</b> Though there are early sparks, the book doesn’t get interesting until the final third. I was hoping that “The London Bookshop Affair” would have grabbed me in the way “The Hidden Child” had, but this novel was missing the fascination that had me turning pages in Louise Fein’s previous book.
<br />
<br />
Historical fiction that tries to combine romance, mystery, and espionage but fails to deliver any of them in an interesting manner. The plot is slow and the writing is dull and clichéd. Unfortunately, the book should have done more justice to the historical context of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and it wasn’t until the end and the author’s notes that a more fascinating story unfolded.</i></div>
stepfordmomto2@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18247229526727893129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833294783041440335.post-82575581101505227102024-02-05T00:00:00.000-08:002024-02-05T00:00:00.354-08:00Weyward<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgT8_6oe1FhKbSSLRXKp5ZiTn6kIU0HXueOJfZvSof3ZZ1cWDedPYnAbwzPOTMFjl_wBczGA8AFhcbjFDrn8qnrYGfdfVFgP7MWtLCyoTS-u-mEU3bsQsH-fnZ8Q9oWqGqywcYc9SrV713X0adQ4-c0hUQdr74UoqMe25tXCXV8Z8FPEVP8zw6uGcqOyMo" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1368" data-original-width="900" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgT8_6oe1FhKbSSLRXKp5ZiTn6kIU0HXueOJfZvSof3ZZ1cWDedPYnAbwzPOTMFjl_wBczGA8AFhcbjFDrn8qnrYGfdfVFgP7MWtLCyoTS-u-mEU3bsQsH-fnZ8Q9oWqGqywcYc9SrV713X0adQ4-c0hUQdr74UoqMe25tXCXV8Z8FPEVP8zw6uGcqOyMo" width="158" /></a></div>
<strong>Title: </strong>Weyward<br />
<strong>Author: </strong>Emilia Hart<br />
<strong>Published: </strong> March 7, 2023 by St. Martin's Press<br />
<strong>Format: </strong> Hardcover, 329 pages<br />
<strong>Genre: </strong> Historical Fantasy<br />
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<i>
<b>First Sentence:</b> Prologue. Altha 1619. Ten days they’d held me there. Ten days, with only the stink of my own flesh for company.
<br />
<br />
<b> Blurb:</b> 2019: Under cover of darkness, Kate flees London for ramshackle Weyward Cottage, inherited from a great aunt she barely remembers. With its tumbling ivy and overgrown garden, the cottage is worlds away from the abusive partner who tormented Kate. But she begins to suspect that her great aunt had a secret. One that lurks in the bones of the cottage, hidden ever since the witch-hunts of the 17th century.
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<br />
1619: Altha is awaiting trial for the murder of a local farmer who was stampeded to death by his herd. As a girl, Altha’s mother taught her their magic, a kind not rooted in spell casting but in a deep knowledge of the natural world. But unusual women have always been deemed dangerous, and as the evidence for witchcraft is set out against Altha, she knows it will take all of her powers to maintain her freedom.
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<br />
1942: As World War II rages, Violet is trapped in her family's grand, crumbling estate. Straitjacketed by societal convention, she longs for the robust education her brother receives––and for her mother, long deceased, who was rumored to have gone mad before her death. The only traces Violet has of her are a locket bearing the initial W and the word weyward scratched into the baseboard of her bedroom.
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<br />
Weaving together the stories of three extraordinary women across five centuries, Emilia Hart's Weyward is an enthralling novel of female resilience and the transformative power of the natural world. (GoodReads)
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<br />
<b>My Opinion:</b> I can’t be the only person who wishes there was a family tree spelled out somewhere in this book. Altha, Violet, and Kate. The Weyward women and where they descend from. Their stories overlap and draw the reader in with the very first words on the page.
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<br />
When I was down to the final 100 pages, I wanted to put the book down. Walk away. I didn’t want it to end. The power of the Weyward women is palpable. They will stay with you. As you fall into the final words, you will want to go back to the beginning to reread their stories and relive the trials that had made them the women they were.</i></div>
stepfordmomto2@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18247229526727893129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833294783041440335.post-74461956832534607042024-01-29T00:00:00.000-08:002024-01-29T00:00:00.133-08:00Cunk on Everything: The Encyclopedia Philomena<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijd134Uo7hrfzs8kY1tuBVUf-HVBRUdnfACBesreWEb0-aLoVQkoDRPIXw2F2qo9Q-gZKj2m0Nfjfd7RhaD_LnlNKAmQBt76Lu9_pIynGf4mQ_Y0QLV4skXxMmZFB7OqYxmIqMSOM9b6GwQsuAUyM78chqqOCrLNPtTuUD3AMWmTYVpAfRYfpxASZ2QAg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2175" data-original-width="1528" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijd134Uo7hrfzs8kY1tuBVUf-HVBRUdnfACBesreWEb0-aLoVQkoDRPIXw2F2qo9Q-gZKj2m0Nfjfd7RhaD_LnlNKAmQBt76Lu9_pIynGf4mQ_Y0QLV4skXxMmZFB7OqYxmIqMSOM9b6GwQsuAUyM78chqqOCrLNPtTuUD3AMWmTYVpAfRYfpxASZ2QAg" width="169" /></a></div>
<strong>Title: </strong>Cunk on Everything: The Encyclopedia Philomena<br />
<strong>Author: </strong>Philomena Cunk<br />
<strong>Published: </strong> September 24, 2024 by Grand Central Publishing<br />
<strong>Format: </strong> Kindle, Paperback 304 pages<br />
<strong>Genre: </strong> Comedy<br />
<strong>Source: </strong> My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. <br />
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<i>
<b>First Sentence:</b> Preface: When I was asked to write this book, I remember thinking. It was a good feeling.
<br />
<br />
<b> Blurb:</b> Philomena Cunk is one of the greatest thinkers of the 21st century, and in Cunk on Everything she turns her attention to our biggest why are there so many books? Wouldn't it be better if there was just one? This is that book — an encyclopedia of all human knowledge, delving into not only life's greatest mysteries but our most important political figures and cultural touchstones. (GoodReads)
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<br />
<b>My Opinion:</b> A collection of short chapters covering various subjects like literature, politics, sports, and love can be read in any order or skipped entirely or skipped if the subject is uninteresting. The book is perfect for reading or listening, or whenever the mood strikes for a good laugh.
<br />
<br />
Cunk on Everything by Philomena Cunk is written in the style of Cunk’s popular TV documentaries, where she asks absurd questions and makes absurd observations. The book is full of funny and sarcastic humor, as well as some surprising insights and truths. A fun and easy read that will make you laugh out loud and think differently about the world around you.</i></div>
stepfordmomto2@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18247229526727893129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833294783041440335.post-18425271271194920952024-01-22T00:00:00.000-08:002024-01-22T00:00:00.127-08:0012 Months to Live<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcInoKmwj6hhnsLzaEodtAr_F7M2VIlVftvm9iwOOMNU1k8ENGTFkASCsAxFy6fMqSY8igkogEBzXX7-qbdeasMXNw2f0Yc_NxSmC9CEC-XKZCGXQgfYbbXg7IQJo7uN8vmfJZpeJAEv-UDtnpAnGFrP1-8XV7vtRM9IQ38sJF26mz9_lVRNXnpG7iXjY" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="224" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcInoKmwj6hhnsLzaEodtAr_F7M2VIlVftvm9iwOOMNU1k8ENGTFkASCsAxFy6fMqSY8igkogEBzXX7-qbdeasMXNw2f0Yc_NxSmC9CEC-XKZCGXQgfYbbXg7IQJo7uN8vmfJZpeJAEv-UDtnpAnGFrP1-8XV7vtRM9IQ38sJF26mz9_lVRNXnpG7iXjY" width="155" /></a></div>
<strong>Title: </strong>12 Months to Live<br />
<strong>Author: </strong>James Patterson and Mike Lupica<br />
<strong>Published: </strong> September 18, 2023 by Little, Brown and Company<br />
<strong>Format: </strong> Kindle, 400 Pages<br />
<strong>Genre: </strong> Legal Thriller<br />
<strong>Source: </strong> My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. <br />
<strong>Series: </strong>Jane Smith #1<br />
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<div style="background: rgb(248, 248, 248); border: 10px double rgb(184, 92, 35); color: #5c4033; font-size: 16px; line-height: 23px; margin: 0px; padding: 15px; text-align: justify;">
<i>
<b>First Sentence:</b> “For the last time,” my client says to me. “I. Did. Not. Kill. Those. People.”
<br />
<br />
<b> Blurb:</b> Criminal attorney Jane F. Smith, tough as nails, has received a terminal diagnosis and doesn't have much time. Is her own client trying to kill her first?
<br />
<br />
Her name is Jane Smith. To friends and foes, she's Jane Effing Smith.
<br />
<br />
Why? Because she's the best criminal defense attorney in the Hamptons—the elite world of New York's rich and infamous. Because she's as good an investigator as she is a lawyer. Because she's tough. She's strong. A competitive athlete who never settles for second place.
<br />
<br />
As Jane is preparing to defend a high-profile client accused of a triple homicide, she's also hired to revive a cold case—a cluster of unsolved murders.
<br />
<br />
Then another bombshell lands: a devastating medical diagnosis. Terminal. She’s given twelve months to live.
<br />
<br />
But first, she has a trial to win. Unless one of her many enemies kills her first. (Goodreads)
<br />
<br />
<b>My Opinion:</b> This was a twisty ride. I started with the audio and then switched to the book so I could keep track of all the characters.
<br />
<br />
Criminal defense attorney Jane Smith is in for the ride of her life and possibly the last trial of her career. She had a successful career with a track record of never losing a case. However, everything might change when she meets Rob Jacobson and the roadblocks his case presents. In her heart, she knows he is guilty, but her job is to give the defendant the best defense she can. This man might cost her everything she has fought for, but that is the job, and with her own life sentence hanging in the balance, what does she have to lose?
<br />
<br />
The ending is the perfect setup for book number two, ’8 Months More’. Now, we will have to wait until next summer to see where Jane, Jimmy, Rip, and Dr. Ben will go from here.</i></div>
stepfordmomto2@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18247229526727893129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833294783041440335.post-33082122006395208992024-01-15T00:00:00.000-08:002024-01-15T00:00:00.134-08:00A Winter in New York<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaDQFxOnBXpyZugP2NrDVrzTdetyTEDrI1d0BPzr-AHfSO8DgKsq3weUrQn2XtWCzHBlXe8FuJOtm8QHntNuT4D6wWjMzLPUGtJ5CGmrqRzK-JfifhbVqeFawi5N7_ADvxIkF73GhK1_VpvDFbbatLmcQurZDkY3uMzL749JgucBvpFkr_MBqlsjTctVo" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1556" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaDQFxOnBXpyZugP2NrDVrzTdetyTEDrI1d0BPzr-AHfSO8DgKsq3weUrQn2XtWCzHBlXe8FuJOtm8QHntNuT4D6wWjMzLPUGtJ5CGmrqRzK-JfifhbVqeFawi5N7_ADvxIkF73GhK1_VpvDFbbatLmcQurZDkY3uMzL749JgucBvpFkr_MBqlsjTctVo" width="156" /></a></div>
<strong>Title: </strong>A Winter in New York<br />
<strong>Author: </strong>Josie Silver<br />
<strong>Published: </strong> October 3, 2023 by Delacorte Press<br />
<strong>Format: </strong> Hardcover, 384 pages<br />
<strong>Genre: </strong> Romance<br />
<strong>Source: </strong> My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. <br />
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<div style="background: rgb(248, 248, 248); border: 10px double rgb(184, 92, 35); color: #5c4033; font-size: 16px; line-height: 23px; margin: 0px; padding: 15px; text-align: justify;">
<i>
<b>First Sentence:</b> You know when a high-octane scene in a movie goes slo-mo for dramatic effect, and you hold your breath and ask yourself will the person on the screen leap the burning chasm between high-rise buildings or catch the priceless vase before it shatters into a hundred pieces?
<br />
<br />
<b> Blurb:</b> A young chef stumbles on a secret family recipe that might lead her to the love—and life—she’s been looking for in this stunning novel.
<br />
<br />
When Iris decides to move to New York to restart her life, she realizes she underestimated how big the Big Apple really is—all the nostalgic movies set in New York she’d watched with her mom while eating their special secret-recipe gelato didn’t quite do it justice.
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<br />
But Bobby, Iris’s best friend, isn’t about to let her hide away. He drags her to a famous autumn street fair in Little Italy, and as they walk through the food stalls, a little family-run gelateria catches her eye—could it be the same shop that’s in an old photo of her mother’s?
<br />
<br />
Curious, Iris returns the next day and meets the handsome Gio, who tells her that the shop is in danger of closing. His uncle, sole keeper of their family’s gelato recipe, is in a coma, so they can’t make more. When Iris samples the last remaining batch, she realizes that their gelato and her gelato are one and the same. But how can she tell them she knows their secret recipe when she’s not sure why Gio’s uncle gave it to her mother in the first place?
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<br />
Iris offers her services as a chef to help them re-create the flavor and finds herself falling for Gio and his family. But when Gio’s uncle finally wakes up, all of the secrets Iris has been keeping threaten to ruin the new life—and new love—she’s been building all winter long.
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<br />
<b>My Opinion:</b> What begins strong, bogs down with repetition in the middle, then finishes with tears and laughter.
<br />
<br />
I’m not usually a romance reader, but there is something about Josie Silver’s books that has me waiting in anticipation of her new releases. My practical side has me typically talking to the book, but I always hold on, knowing that there will be something around the next corner that will draw me back in and make her moments resonate with truth and beauty.
<br />
<br />
If you aren’t a regular romance reader, Josie Silver just might open you up to the genre and a different way of looking at the sweetness in life.</i></div>
stepfordmomto2@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18247229526727893129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833294783041440335.post-11383088991867039992024-01-11T00:00:00.000-08:002024-01-11T00:00:00.149-08:00The Book of Silver Linings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNDMfSc18jLsJ_xHkBtAzox_ZU_5IaKZqO4fXQggg5N57orw-nqrYVUA6YBCQZW5VwTv1lGf64LfM3JjhW590nMq3vaYS3GFXT6jgtLmwTZ3sVrsqMN4KLJecTb-HtQKseBMpEMCD-FvBcsqbTrN8hyt86OJlVxPxsTu668qdr1LdtROtTeEpVTz7mtQk" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhNDMfSc18jLsJ_xHkBtAzox_ZU_5IaKZqO4fXQggg5N57orw-nqrYVUA6YBCQZW5VwTv1lGf64LfM3JjhW590nMq3vaYS3GFXT6jgtLmwTZ3sVrsqMN4KLJecTb-HtQKseBMpEMCD-FvBcsqbTrN8hyt86OJlVxPxsTu668qdr1LdtROtTeEpVTz7mtQk" width="155" /></a></div>
<strong>Title: </strong>The Book of Silver Linings<br />
<strong>Author: </strong>Nan Fischer<br />
<strong>Published: </strong> August 15, 2023 by Berkley<br />
<strong>Format: </strong> Kindle, Paperback 384 pages<br />
<strong>Genre: </strong> Women's Fiction<br />
<strong>Source: </strong> My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. <br />
<br />
<div style="background: rgb(248, 248, 248); border: 10px double rgb(184, 92, 35); color: #5c4033; font-size: 16px; line-height: 23px; margin: 0px; padding: 15px; text-align: justify;">
<i>
<b>First Sentence:</b> “Yoga speed dating? You can’t be serious!”
<br />
<br />
<b> Blurb:</b> Within the margins of an antique book, a timeless love waits for a young woman on the precipice of a terrible mistake in this enthralling new novel from the acclaimed author of Some of It Was Real .
<br />
<br />
Constance Sparks always says yes …when her capricious best friend needs money; when her boss gives her more responsibility without a raise; and when her boyfriend, Hayden, who is very kind but also secretive, asks her to marry him.
<br />
<br />
While planning their wedding—and struggling with anxiety about the right course for her future—Constance researches the history of her antique engagement ring and unearths the name of a man who might be connected to it, plus his tragic love story. When she finds a book of letters in her library’s old manuscript section written by the long-dead man, Constance is deeply touched by his words and leaves a note for him confessing her uncertainty and doubts. She’s shocked days later to find a response tucked among the pages.
<br />
<br />
As the notes continue to arrive, Constance finds herself quickly falling in love with a ghost and putting her real-life relationship in jeopardy. Will a bond based on letters impossibly sent from the past derail her future? Or will Constance discover her voice and risk everything for the chance to somehow connect with her true soul mate?
<br />
<br />
<b>My Opinion:</b> I would have given up on this book if I hadn't switched to the audio version. Nan Fischer abruptly changes thoughts and sometimes makes statements that are not fully developed, making some parts of the book read like a rough draft. Moreover, when reading the book in one sitting, character and location inconsistencies become more apparent.
<br />
<br />
Overall, the writing felt stilted only to pull on heartstrings with a discussion on rescuing animals which felt designed to draw the reader back in with a warm feel-good moment. That tactic started to wear thin.
<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, the book is too long and repetitive and could have used the kindness of a good editor.</i></div>
stepfordmomto2@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18247229526727893129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833294783041440335.post-60263857733691093432024-01-08T00:00:00.000-08:002024-01-08T00:00:00.133-08:00The Sentence<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqac02SsJC9pTLzVWfovS0RFJ--p29OplUkUF4yoS1p0dNPIqCTFtVJoEnTcD1U3He6r8UZpWFDZXyK9ahmqKUxAzODIU5LUGIjSWRP0MvGI4cdG11Om-2puBOvViEAtS3WCoHnM6GMwj9OlWGjL_wj1Rfzx1JX_YtkPzuXRP-y2EhpzO53lUSYtAY_t8" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="226" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqac02SsJC9pTLzVWfovS0RFJ--p29OplUkUF4yoS1p0dNPIqCTFtVJoEnTcD1U3He6r8UZpWFDZXyK9ahmqKUxAzODIU5LUGIjSWRP0MvGI4cdG11Om-2puBOvViEAtS3WCoHnM6GMwj9OlWGjL_wj1Rfzx1JX_YtkPzuXRP-y2EhpzO53lUSYtAY_t8" width="157" /></a></div>
<strong>Title: </strong>The Sentence<br />
<strong>Author: </strong>Christina Dalcher<br />
<strong>Published: </strong> August 17, 2023 by HQ<br />
<strong>Format: </strong> 336 pages, Kindle Edition<br />
<strong>Genre: </strong> Political Thriller / Dystopian<br />
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<div style="background: rgb(248, 248, 248); border: 10px double rgb(184, 92, 35); color: #5c4033; font-size: 16px; line-height: 23px; margin: 0px; padding: 15px; text-align: justify;">
<i>
<b>First Sentence:</b> Death Row Inmate #39384. If I wasn’t going to die, this story would end here.
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<br />
<b> Blurb:</b> Prosecutor, Justine Boucher has only asked for the death penalty once, in a brutal murder case.
<br />
<br />
In doing so, she put her own life on the line. Because, if the convicted are later found innocent, the lawyer who requested the execution will be sentenced to death.
<br />
<br />
Justine had no doubt that the man she sent to the chair was guilty.
<br />
<br />
Until now.
<br />
<br />
Presented with evidence that could prove his innocence, Justine must find out the truth before anyone else does.
<br />
<br />
Her life depends on it.
<br />
<br />
<b>My Opinion:</b> So disappointing. The premise was good, unfortunately the novel didn’t live up to it.
<br />
<br />
I have previously enjoyed Christina Dalcher's dystopian novels. Although this novel is listed as a political thriller, it lacked the necessary highs and political writing to keep me engaged. I was expecting more dystopic elements since the premise is -- if an attorney seeks the death penalty and the convicted is later found innocent, the attorney who requested the execution will be sentenced to death.
<br />
<br />
Sure, Justine was in a bad place when she asked for the death penalty for the crime that Jake Milford was charged with, but she had no idea that everyone surrounding his trial was lying and withholding evidence. Then she reads his journal. What is she going to do now that the truth has been revealed?
<br />
<br />
Jake’s journal entries were the only spark in this drawn-out book. The rest was a bit meh for me.</i></div>
stepfordmomto2@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18247229526727893129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833294783041440335.post-72562430707443356182024-01-04T00:00:00.000-08:002024-01-04T00:00:00.135-08:00The Christmas Jigsaw Murders<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikj6k2eQIovdMj3XEtTROwrsiWIbL2es5s8Hioao1nF3b4ihsQ9e7q2tSVTphOzEA9N8j-pbquCIHwwvbWtDWVihj6dmonxpPJeZWuUqAiYc82hGiclHUCK4jsbHv_-EG4dZrMZLYrkNPVQ0BT5wOkDB95Y6JzknCLeECtghjvaGOGXC9rp-GxxbSrI5E" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="288" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikj6k2eQIovdMj3XEtTROwrsiWIbL2es5s8Hioao1nF3b4ihsQ9e7q2tSVTphOzEA9N8j-pbquCIHwwvbWtDWVihj6dmonxpPJeZWuUqAiYc82hGiclHUCK4jsbHv_-EG4dZrMZLYrkNPVQ0BT5wOkDB95Y6JzknCLeECtghjvaGOGXC9rp-GxxbSrI5E" width="155" /></a></div>
<strong>Title: </strong>The Christmas Jigsaw Murders<br />
<strong>Author: </strong>Alexandra Benedict<br />
<strong>Published: </strong> November 9, 2023 by Simon & Schuster UK<br />
<strong>Format: </strong> Hardcover, 351 pages<br />
<strong>Genre: </strong> Holiday Fiction<br />
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<div style="background: rgb(248, 248, 248); border: 10px double rgb(184, 92, 35); color: #5c4033; font-size: 16px; line-height: 23px; margin: 0px; padding: 15px; text-align: justify;">
<i>
<b>First Sentence:</b> December 19th: No one was dead, not to begin with.
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<br />
<b> Blurb:</b> On 19th of December, renowned puzzle setter, loner and Christmas sceptic Edie O’Sullivan finds a hand-delivered present on her doorstep. Unwrapping it, she finds a jigsaw box and, inside, six jigsaw pieces. When fitted together, the pieces show part of a crime scene – blood-spattered black and white tiles and part of an outlined body. Included in the parcel is a message: ‘Four, maybe more, people will be dead by midnight on Christmas Eve, unless you can put all the pieces together and stop me.’ It’s signed, Rest In Pieces.
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<br />
Edie contacts her nephew, DI Sean Brand-O’Sullivan, and together they work to solve the clues. But when a man is found near death with a jigsaw piece in his hand, Sean fears that Edie might be in danger and shuts her out of the investigation. As the body count rises, however, Edie knows that only she has the knowledge to put together the killer’s murderous puzzle.
<br />
<br />
<b>My Opinion:</b> I didn’t like how the preface started. Alexandra Benedict let the reader know that she had planted references to Great Expectations and Christine McVie’s lyrics and wanted the first person who had found her quotes to send her an email to win a prize. That took away from the beginning of the book since my brain was trying to figure out the “gifts”. That part wasn’t for me; I wanted to enjoy the story.
<br />
<br />
In the first couple of chapters, I thought the author was trying too hard to impress readers with vocabulary. Then again, Edie O’Sullivan is described as a local celebrity when it comes to puzzles, and as you read along, the word usage no longer bothers you.
<br />
<br />
When Edie receives jigsaw puzzle pieces containing threatening messages from a killer, she tries to conceal them until the first body appears and then tries to stay a couple of steps ahead of her detective nephew, whom she has raised since he was an infant, in finding the person behind the puzzle pieces.
<br />
<br />
By the end, you realize that Alexandra Benedict hasn’t held anything back; it was all laid out in a twisty way that had the reader trying to put all the pieces together and, at the least, trying to stay only a step behind Edie. Along the way, you also realized that you had stopped looking for the “gifts” and found yourself not only trying to figure out the “who-done-it” clues but are drawn into the backstories of Edie and Sean.</i></div>
stepfordmomto2@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18247229526727893129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833294783041440335.post-49826683239145124262024-01-01T00:00:00.000-08:002024-01-01T00:00:00.148-08:00The Crown's Game<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgb7mr2LCYeUo-kwBTv5_e4kOylBrvdQhthN-N1hUntqxt1wIL2wctX0pKyWrjLeadaKEEf2zBzXI0Fgw-mH17wl6RpncG_kq0SXJ-qYFdl32MEnhuq1efh9cCtBrRHgLNherlk18TwXWitXxyWtAveHO64dB9ThQJk0hgjT3CP42WyJN23nnedHIqVdxY" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="428" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgb7mr2LCYeUo-kwBTv5_e4kOylBrvdQhthN-N1hUntqxt1wIL2wctX0pKyWrjLeadaKEEf2zBzXI0Fgw-mH17wl6RpncG_kq0SXJ-qYFdl32MEnhuq1efh9cCtBrRHgLNherlk18TwXWitXxyWtAveHO64dB9ThQJk0hgjT3CP42WyJN23nnedHIqVdxY" width="159" /></a></div>
<strong>Title: </strong>The Crown's Game<br />
<strong>Author: </strong>Evelyn Skye<br />
<strong>Published: </strong> May 17, 2016 by Balzer + Bray<br />
<strong>Format: </strong> 407 pages, Hardcover<br />
<strong>Genre: </strong> YA Historical Fantasy<br />
<strong>Series: </strong>The Crown's Game #1<br />
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<div style="background: rgb(248, 248, 248); border: 10px double rgb(184, 92, 35); color: #5c4033; font-size: 16px; line-height: 23px; margin: 0px; padding: 15px; text-align: justify;">
<i>
<b>First Sentence:</b> The smell of sugar and yeast welcomed Vika even before she stepped into the pumpkin-shaped shop on the main street of their little town.
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<b> Blurb:</b> Vika Andreyeva can summon the snow and turn ash into gold. Nikolai Karimov can see through walls and conjure bridges out of thin air. They are enchanters—the only two in Russia—and with the Ottoman Empire and the Kazakhs threatening, the tsar needs a powerful enchanter by his side.
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And so he initiates the Crown’s Game, an ancient duel of magical skill—the greatest test an enchanter will ever know. The victor becomes the Imperial Enchanter and the tsar’s most respected adviser. The defeated is sentenced to death.
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Raised on tiny Ovchinin Island her whole life, Vika is eager for the chance to show off her talent in the grand capital of Saint Petersburg. But can she kill another enchanter—even when his magic calls to her like nothing else ever has?
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For Nikolai, an orphan, the Crown’s Game is the chance of a lifetime. But his deadly opponent is a force to be reckoned with—beautiful, whip-smart, imaginative—and he can’t stop thinking about her.
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And when Pasha, Nikolai’s best friend and heir to the throne, also starts to fall for the mysterious enchantress, Nikolai must defeat the girl they both love…or be killed himself.
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As long-buried secrets emerge, threatening the future of the empire, it becomes dangerously clear—the Crown’s Game is not one to lose.
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<b>My Opinion:</b> Historical fantasy set in an alternative 1825 Imperial Russia.
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Fantasy has never been a genre that I have searched for. I tend to like novels with more pragmatism, but I think that might have changed after this book. Maybe it’s because there was a historical factor or the fact I could pronounce the names, but this book grabbed me from the beginning, and by the end, I was searching out the second book, The Crown’s Fate, of this series.
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In this first book, a couple of tidbits were not tied up in neat little bows, and I have to find out if the author was purposely leaving clues for the future or if there was something more going on. Plus, the ending had a nice but foreseeable punch that could lead the three characters in multiple directions, and I want to see which path they will take since decisions need to be made and rules must be followed.</i></div>
stepfordmomto2@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18247229526727893129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833294783041440335.post-8950542440515796952023-12-31T11:53:00.000-08:002023-12-31T11:53:59.174-08:00Anthem <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg38Q9e0EiXvXOr4o4sSfGU8VcsxTpU5W3KPuttI87g7LF4yXySeRz290SI-L3ASkqKg81uEoCmUhg8ij5gndLe9HuQj5E1SMAT_dHDBuzPt8fDEywsWE5dnzyH-CtHvLJ0DaXKAfWeSyMVq3Okbuom3Jyht7kx6bYVwERbGlG7-6F5VZBTLEBAN31qDFM/s522/Anthem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="324" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg38Q9e0EiXvXOr4o4sSfGU8VcsxTpU5W3KPuttI87g7LF4yXySeRz290SI-L3ASkqKg81uEoCmUhg8ij5gndLe9HuQj5E1SMAT_dHDBuzPt8fDEywsWE5dnzyH-CtHvLJ0DaXKAfWeSyMVq3Okbuom3Jyht7kx6bYVwERbGlG7-6F5VZBTLEBAN31qDFM/s320/Anthem.jpg" width="199" /></a></div>
<strong>Title: </strong>Anthem<br />
<strong>Author: </strong>Ayn Rand<br />
<strong>Published: </strong> First Published in 1938 by Cassell<br />
<strong>Format: </strong> Kindle, 112 pages<br />
<strong>Genre: </strong> Dystopian Novella<br />
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<b>First Sentence:</b> It is a sin to write this. It is a sin to think words no others think and to put them down upon a paper on others are to see.
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<b> Blurb:</b> In Anthem, Rand examines a frightening future in which individuals have no name, no independence, and no values. Equality 7-2521 lives in the dark ages of the future where all decisions are made by committee, all people live in collectives, and all traces of individualism have been wiped out.
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Despite such a restrictive environment, the spark of individual thought and freedom still burns in him--a passion which he has been taught to call sinful. In a purely egalitarian world, Equality 7-2521 dares to stand apart from the herd--to think and choose for himself, to discover electricity, and to love the woman of his choice.
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Now he has been marked for death for committing the ultimate sin. In a world where the great "we" reign supreme, he has rediscovered the lost and holy word--"I." (Amazon)
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<b>My Opinion:</b> A short and powerful dystopian novella that explores the idea of individualism (“I”) versus collectivism (“we”) and ends with ego. The story follows a man (Equality 7-2521) who lives in a society where everyone is equal and has no identity or choice, even when it comes to occupations. He rebels against this system after discovering what was left behind, and in doing so, discovers his own self and the word “I”.
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For me, the novella was engaging and terrifying. Others claim it has flaws and biases, and some of the events are unrealistic, but isn’t that prevalent in all dystopic novels?</i></div>
stepfordmomto2@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18247229526727893129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833294783041440335.post-60640815747376630452023-12-28T00:00:00.000-08:002023-12-28T00:00:00.245-08:00Having a Fudgy Christmas Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqvQAdYqf9nHsG9O5mMZ1J7VvcuzZicMxHFm3vMiigDT2mFkYv3AUEb9EbUSyhXXRcLTIKB_zWtgsirDBBfDGdrpEcbql0uihcwIXmk70Gp_1hoZpgsfXaB22TNNjX_wEgLKXkNBGWnnDRIsxp5jEvkO0-DgWoqpZBQAdXULjpztVP2sy67FeH4P1SQ60" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqvQAdYqf9nHsG9O5mMZ1J7VvcuzZicMxHFm3vMiigDT2mFkYv3AUEb9EbUSyhXXRcLTIKB_zWtgsirDBBfDGdrpEcbql0uihcwIXmk70Gp_1hoZpgsfXaB22TNNjX_wEgLKXkNBGWnnDRIsxp5jEvkO0-DgWoqpZBQAdXULjpztVP2sy67FeH4P1SQ60" width="160" /></a></div>
<strong>Title: </strong>Having a Fudgy Christmas Time<br />
<strong>Author: </strong>Nancy Coco<br />
<strong>Published: </strong> September 26, 2023 by Kensington Cozies<br />
<strong>Format: </strong> Kindle, 132 pages<br />
<strong>Genre: </strong> Amateur Sleuth<br />
<strong>Source: </strong> My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. <br />
<strong>Series: </strong>Candy-Coated Mystery Series #11.5<br />
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<b>First Sentence:</b> I’ve lived my whole life on Mackinac Island, and I think there’s no place better in the world.
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<b> Blurb:</b> Carol Tunisian is looking forward to finishing plans for the Mackinac Island Senior Center Christmas Ball. But when she arrives at the center, she finds the door jimmied open and a dead man inside. The victim is a local senior who seems to have been sleeping in the center at night—but why? Although she promises Officer Rex Manning not to involve her book club in solving the mystery, Carol finds a way to fudge around that. Rallying her troop of silver-haired sleuths—and with some support from Ally in between her batches of Christmas fudge -- Carol sets out to discover which grinch tried to steal this Christmas. All she wants from Santa is to get this case wrapped up with a bow!
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<b>My Opinion:</b> A nice filler novella that has Carol Tunisian as the amateur sleuth instead of Allie and her ever-present Bichonpoo Mal. To be honest, I needed a break from the usual protagonist and her trusty sidekick that can sniff out a dead body miles away. Don’t get me wrong, I love dogs, but this one has more skill than Sherlock Holmes.
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This quick read novella hits all the right cozy and wintery spots. I did question a few things, but that is what cozies are, friendly books that might have a few things that make you wonder, but are woven with enough antics to make you easily forget about the “whys” and the “would a person really do that” parts.
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A dozen books in and I’m going to stick with the characters I know since the next book in the series, ‘Three Fudges and a Baby’, is due this spring. </i></div>
stepfordmomto2@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18247229526727893129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833294783041440335.post-68605274395427130122023-12-26T18:58:00.000-08:002023-12-26T18:58:00.137-08:00The Golden Gate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNyrhkNB0znpCiTd1-7EO-tXlzdoeKUA_l9oxSkZEddXkbmtox76Sk09Nz9DI212j9gVOADKdz10bnnYpFpKDoBcx5WrIy9e2jj1L1C5TbXEuDHXH3TXhE9jyZQthjC4i-yzhtynXao1L7vZgqEtPEjuqO_55SQnqg2YLcxltovP3LJsAqrKE06_CiFsU" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="900" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNyrhkNB0znpCiTd1-7EO-tXlzdoeKUA_l9oxSkZEddXkbmtox76Sk09Nz9DI212j9gVOADKdz10bnnYpFpKDoBcx5WrIy9e2jj1L1C5TbXEuDHXH3TXhE9jyZQthjC4i-yzhtynXao1L7vZgqEtPEjuqO_55SQnqg2YLcxltovP3LJsAqrKE06_CiFsU" width="158" /></a></div>
<strong>Title: </strong>The Golden Gate<br />
<strong>Author: </strong>Amy Chua<br />
<strong>Published: </strong> September 19, 2023 by Minotaur Books<br />
<strong>Format: </strong> 384 pages, Hardcover<br />
<strong>Genre: </strong> Historical Mystery<br />
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<b>First Sentence:</b> 1930. Inside an alabaster palace one January afternoon in 1930, a six-year-old girl hiding inside a closed armoire felt truly alone for the firs time in her life.
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<b> Blurb:</b> In Berkeley, California, in 1944, Homicide Detective Al Sullivan has just left the swanky Claremont Hotel after a drink in the bar when a presidential candidate is assassinated in one of the rooms upstairs. A rich industrialist with enemies among the anarchist factions on the far left, Walter Wilkinson could have been targeted by any number of groups. But strangely, Sullivan’s investigation brings up the specter of another tragedy at the Claremont, ten years the death of seven-year-old Iris Stafford, a member of the Bainbridge family, one of the wealthiest in all of San Francisco. Some say she haunts the Claremont still.
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The many threads of the case keep leading Sullivan back to the three remaining Bainbridge heiresses, now Iris’s sister, Isabella, and her cousins Cassie and Nicole. Determined not to let anything distract him from the truth―not the powerful influence of Bainbridges’ grandmother, or the political aspirations of Berkeley’s district attorney, or the interest of China's First Lady Madame Chiang Kai-Shek in his findings―Sullivan follows his investigation to its devastating conclusion.
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Chua’s page-turning debut brings to life a historical era rife with turbulent social forces and groundbreaking forensic advances, when race and class defined the very essence of power, sex, and justice, and introduces a fascinating character in Detective Sullivan, a mixed race former Army officer who is still reckoning with his own history.
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<b>My Opinion:</b> What sets the stage:
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“Q: Mrs. Bainbridge, I’m giving you a chance to help your family. We know one of your three granddaughters is a murderer, I can convict all three as coconspirators, or you can tell me which one did it, and I’ll spare the other two”.
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For the first third of the book, I couldn’t understand the flow. The mystery would then suddenly devolve into a history of the bay area, then back to the mystery, then over to family history. It got to the point that I was ready to put the book down since, to me, it felt like Amy Chua (Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother) was just testing the waters.
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Then something happened. I got the flow; the cousins finally came into their own. The background and history added to the story and made the time and place its own character, becoming just as important as the dead guy on the bed.
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What I came to feel, not a full comparison and others might not see it, there were parts that reminded me of John Steinbeck. I know that is a reach, an maybe it is just the bay area, but my brain was linking the two authors.
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This is a book that might deserve a second read. Now that I understand the characters, the beginning, and the importance of the California history sections, I think I will appreciate it more. </i></div>
stepfordmomto2@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18247229526727893129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833294783041440335.post-17033400893342044962023-12-18T00:00:00.000-08:002023-12-18T00:00:00.170-08:00Geneva<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAoLcjLnJ0-8t81VhQ5FSFNH9QiquwqUyYm9kWXzu320KS1I7J_AEWXN2VE8ub8avl5wwv5TrE_E_z8sjM8eZKMPDrdbQnaxvW_90nLgYljGIiDphCRpkiVGs0VDKwosWqZHNIhGUAWmfGIL-eojv6HIYr3YE5dnW2lwsZ0i1fh-z83s2B9_vcIYh_I8U" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2153" data-original-width="1400" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAoLcjLnJ0-8t81VhQ5FSFNH9QiquwqUyYm9kWXzu320KS1I7J_AEWXN2VE8ub8avl5wwv5TrE_E_z8sjM8eZKMPDrdbQnaxvW_90nLgYljGIiDphCRpkiVGs0VDKwosWqZHNIhGUAWmfGIL-eojv6HIYr3YE5dnW2lwsZ0i1fh-z83s2B9_vcIYh_I8U" width="156" /></a></div>
<strong>Title: </strong>Geneva<br />
<strong>Author: </strong>Richard Armitage<br />
<strong>Published: </strong> October 12, 2023 by Pegasus Crime<br />
<strong>Format: </strong> 288 pages, Hardcover<br />
<strong>Genre: </strong> Medical Thriller<br />
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<b>First Sentence:</b> Prologue: A shard of ancient granite thrusts upwards through the white origami folds of the Swiss Alps, piercing the low-hanging cloud.
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<b> Blurb:</b> Nobel Prize-winning scientist Sarah Collier has taken a step back from work to spend more time with her family. Movie nights with her husband Daniel and their daughter Maddie are a welcome respite from the scrutiny of the world’s press. As much as it hurts, it’s good to be able to see her father more too. He’s suffering from Alzheimer’s and needs special care.
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Sarah has started to show tell-tale signs of the disease too. She’s been experiencing blackouts and memory loss. It’s early days but she must face the possibility that she won’t be there to see her daughter grow up. Daniel, a neuroscientist himself, is doing his best to be supportive but she already knows that she will have to be the strong one. For all of them.
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So when Sarah is invited to be the guest of honour at a prestigious biotech conference in Geneva she declines, wanting to stay out of the public eye—that is until Daniel shows her the kind of work that the enigmatic Mauritz Schiller has been developing.
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Flown first class to the spectacular alpine city and housed in a luxury hotel, Sarah and Daniel are thrust back into the spotlight. As they try to shut out the noise of the public media storm, in private Sarah is struggling with her escalating symptoms. And the true extent of what Schiller has achieved is a revelation. This is technology that could change medicine forever. More than that, it could save Sarah’s life.
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But technology so valuable attracts all kinds of interest. Wealthy investors are circling, controversial blogger Terri Landau is all over the story, and someone close to Schiller seems bent on taking advantage of the situation for themselves. Sarah feels threatened and does not know who to trust—including herself. Far from being her lifeline Schiller's technology may be her undoing.
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As events spiral out of control, Sarah and Daniel are faced with the ultimate question: how far would you go for someone you love?
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<b>My Opinion:</b> I found the book overly descriptive and it felt like the author was writing a screenplay rather than a novel.
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The premise was not believable, I couldn't understand why the media would be interested in stalking and photographing a Nobel Prize winner acting as an influencer for research dollars at a technology summit in Geneva. While the person hosting the summit is world-renowned, the average person would hardly know a Nobel winner in the field of science, let alone be impressed enough for photos and inside scoops.
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The book had many unrealistic details, which isn't unheard of in medical thrillers but still annoying. A quarter of the way through the book, readers can predict the plot, but Richard Armitage manages to pull off one final twist.
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By the end, there are more questions than answers, and I will continue to believe the intention all along was a screenplay rather than a novel.</i></div>
stepfordmomto2@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18247229526727893129noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833294783041440335.post-60582425566395035552023-12-11T00:00:00.000-08:002023-12-11T00:00:00.155-08:00Charlotte's Web<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgL2vZmWTOXXKPypxT4paoLnbVL63uOLeS6RMmu1Hgt5gCHONWFtkSaS9Z_3Tcd-WK3vR_d7xzvzMn58urXznf0YJ2JMUjwTNU-MTNyvjSnYSAgg5td5mxwiPQpK0T1-0mR0-InIVTktc2QCz43GWxmjat7_Q80gPGoa51wpAhgQlFG6Qbg2L3WWGn1HnU" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="318" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgL2vZmWTOXXKPypxT4paoLnbVL63uOLeS6RMmu1Hgt5gCHONWFtkSaS9Z_3Tcd-WK3vR_d7xzvzMn58urXznf0YJ2JMUjwTNU-MTNyvjSnYSAgg5td5mxwiPQpK0T1-0mR0-InIVTktc2QCz43GWxmjat7_Q80gPGoa51wpAhgQlFG6Qbg2L3WWGn1HnU" width="161" /></a></div>
<strong>Title: </strong>Charlotte's Web<br />
<strong>Author: </strong>E.B. White<br />
<strong>Published: </strong> January 1, 2012 by Harper Collins (First published October 15, 1952)<br />
<strong>Format: </strong> Hardcover, 182 pages<br />
<strong>Genre: </strong> Children's Classic<br />
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<b>First Sentence:</b> Where’s Papa going with that ax?” said Fern to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast.
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<b> Blurb:</b> Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte's Web, high up in Zuckerman's barn. Charlotte's spiderweb tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur's life when he was born the runt of his litter.
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<b>My Opinion:</b> This is the first time that I have read the book. I know, I should have read it as a child, but here we are. My first take is that it is scary and sad, maybe too much for a child. As an adult, it is just heartbreaking.
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Wilbur, the pig that should not have lived, is the one left behind to remember all the stories and can only share them with the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of those who were so important to the humble pig.
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Maybe I’m reading too much into it and it’s just a great book about the antic in a barnyard and county fair, but Wilbur is just one of those characters that will stay with the reader whether they are 5 or 50. There is just so much heart in that little runt.</i></div>
stepfordmomto2@yahoo.comhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18247229526727893129noreply@blogger.com0