The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World

Title: The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World
Author: Stephen Brusatte
Published: April 24th 2018 by William Morrow
Format: Hardcover, 404 pages
Genre: Science

This is not a quick or easy read, but a book that should be slowly digested. A book that will have you running to your computer for photos or more clarification. A book that opens wonderful watercooler conversations and a craving for further reading and understanding.

Gradually explaining the layers, of both earth and time, Steve Brusatte combines science and personal stories to bring the multiple eras to life. Without preaching or condemning, he helps the reader to visualize what is going on during this part of evolution. Laying out in a scientific approach, he explains what the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods entailed. How the rise and fall of each species brought about a wondrous growth and understanding until, without warning, it all came to a devasting end. An end, yes, in some respects, but also a new beginning that has put us on the path to the sixth extinction.

As the author answers questions, he leaves us with more. A longing to know what is next. What is in store for humans? What is the next step in our evolution? Review Here***

They Call Me the Cat Lady

Title: They Call Me the Cat Lady
Author: Amy Miller
Published: April 26th 2019 by Bookouture
Format: eBook, 266 pages
Genre: women's Fiction
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for an opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Surrounded by her cats, named after those that she loved best, Nancy’s story is painstakingly revealed and with each devastation, her life comes into sharper focus for the reader.

Being the sort of person that she is, Nancy has always put people and animals before herself. It’s not that she collects the broken, but more along the lines that she wants to be the person that helps other to put their lives back together in a way that she has not been able to do for herself. After the end of her marriage and the death of her daughter, she was broken. She did not have a path or a vision for the future so she shut down her life in a ramshackle home with her cats and a part-time position at the local school.

Not needing anyone to know her business, she kept to herself but when she takes a young boy who is the subject of a bully under her wing and starts a cat-sitting business, which brings her face to face with her daughter’s best friend, Nancy’s life begins to open in an unimaginable way.

As I said, this is a sad book, but hopeful in that you can see the characters growing, accepting, and optimistic for a future that was not obvious from the start. You can feel Nancy’s pain and trepidation as each new situation arises, but at the same time, you can feel her burden lighten and with her, you have hope for her future.

Death Waits in the Dark

Title: Death Waits in the Dark
Author: Julia Buckley
Published: April 2nd 2019 by Berkley Books
Format: Paperback, 304 pages
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Series: A Writer's Apprentice #4

Oh gosh, oh gee, oh golly. I swear I was ready to wall bang this book. How can a character come across anymore immature and naïve than Lena London? I understand the need for wholesome characters, but Julia Buckley is taking this one over the top.

Lena has been an apprentice to gothic suspense novelist Camilla Graham for a while now, but still has a problem with living her life on her own. Caught somewhere between the pretend world of Camilla’s characters and the real world, which includes boyfriend Sam West, Lena spends her days dreaming, creating, and sleuthing when bodies tend to find their way to her doorstep.

When Jane Wyland, an old acquaintance of Camilla’s threatens to expose a 40-year-old secret (which honestly no one would care about today) is later found dead, Camilla automatically thinks that she will be considered a suspect. Lena, wanting to protect her friend, decides that they must find the killer, but other ideas are going on when they are run off the road and Lena is left with amnesia and Camilla is no help at all.

This convoluted story of secrets, outdated morals, and likely town gossip, leads nowhere other than to an old-fashion who done it with a less than exciting conclusion.

The Silver Ladies of Penny Lane

Title: The Silver Ladies of Penny Lane
Author: Dee MacDonald
Published: April 24th 2019 by Bookouture
Format: eBook, 314 pages
Genre: Women's Fiction
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for an opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

The last thing I want to do is call this book a romance since there is so much more going on, yet the reader is left with a burgeoning question of “is happily ever after imaginable if you open yourself up to all possibilities”.

Tess and Orla, best friends and business partners, decide that they have had enough with their boring lives and after looking into a mirror at their less than svelte figures, decide on two things. Joining a weight-loss club and an online dating service for those over 50.

At 62, Tess realizes that both ideas will be an uphill battle but with her daughter’s wedding quickly approaching, she needs to both lose weight and find a man to escort her. Thus, begins the wacky escapades that bring these two women both excitement and adventure.

There are hard lessons learned and new friendships made, but what resonates on these pages is resilience. There are many times that Tess could have given up, but she was determined. She was going to win her battles with her weight, with a less than honest dating service, and she would make the entrance into the wedding remarkable even if there was no man at her side.