4 Fantasy Novels to Read

by MK French

Fantasy novels are so fun to read. Today I have 4 to add to your reading list. If you are participating in the Big Book Summer Challenge at Book by Book, then you are going to want to pick up the first two but if you are looking for a shorter read then the last two will fit the bill.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

The Wedding Veil by Kristy Woodson Harvey ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

I've been wanting to read a book by Kristy Woodson Harvey because Susan always raves about them. I've hesitated only because I'm not as partial to southern fiction as Susan is. When I saw that The Wedding Veil had a plot line involving Edith and Cornelia Vanderbilt, I knew that this would be the book I read.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

The Path of Thorns by A. G. Slatter ~ a Review

by MK French

Asher Todd becomes the Morwood family governess, with secrets and revenge in mind. The home itself is a dark place, and she soon grows fond of the children and the people in the village. People will be hurt if she carries out her revenge, but the plan is going out of control.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Murder at the Country Club by Helena Dixon ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

Kitty Underhay and Matt Bryant are one of my favorite cozy mystery couples. I love them more with each book. Murder at the Country Club is the ninth book in Helena Dixon's Miss Underhay series. I started reading this series with book 4 so you can start this series without having read the previous books. 

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

The Sweet Life by Suzanne Woods Fisher ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

 

"You can't buy happiness.  But you can buy ice cream and that is pretty much the same thing." (p 38)

"Ice cream is cheaper than therapy."  (P 61)

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Fake it Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley ~ a Review

by MK French

Jada Townsend-Matthews turned down a proposal on a reality dating show, earning public ire. Coming home to San Diego, she bumps into professional football player and bakery owner Donovan Dell. They're mistaken for an item, and decide to use that to help the bakery's popularity and repair Jada's image. But a fake relationship might not be so fake after all.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

2 Books to Add to Your Vacation Reading List

by Susan Roberts

Women's fiction is one of the most popular genres for beach reads. Beach reads start hitting shelves in April so by the time you are taking your vacation in June and July, either you list is so long you don't know where to start or you have forgotten the book you so wanted to read when it came out. Today, I have two books that should be on your vacation reading list if they aren't already, and if they are on your list you should move them to the top. 

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

The Key to Deceit by Ashley Weaver ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

The Key to Deceit by Ashley Weaver is the second book in her Electra McDonnell mystery series. I did read book one, A Peculiar Combination (read my review), but I don't think it is necessary to have read it as I didn't remember much and still enjoyed this book.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman ~ an Audiobook Review

by Elisabeth Scherer

Do you ever wonder what happens to people with certain skills as they age? The popular move RED and RED 2 showed us what retired spies might just do with their free time. Take a former labor activist “Red” Ron, a psychologist named Ibrahim, a former nurse named Joyce, and, Elizabeth, who is an enigma of her own, and throw in a cold case murder case and you have what is Richard Osman’s brilliant debut, The Thursday Murder Club (Thursday Murder Club #1).

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Breaking Time by Sasha Alsberg ~ a Review & Excerpt

by MK French

Klara feared she hit the strange Scotsman with her car, but Callum is from another time entirely. Klara is the last Pillar of Time, an anchor point in the timeline and a hiding place for magic. Callum must protect her, especially after he was unable to protect the previous Pillar. A force is hunting the Pillars to claim the power within them. Klara and Callum must learn to trust each other and work together to stop that force, and they may create a tighter connection.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

2 New Suspense-Filled Novels That You Won't Want to Put Down

by Susan Roberts

 

Do you have a vacation coming up or perhaps just a long weekend off work? It would be a great time to pick up these two suspense-filled novels as once you start you won't want to put them down.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

If you are looking for a summer blockbuster read, then this is the book to pick up. Wow is all I got to say.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Far Side of the Moon by Liisa Jorgensen ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

Far Side of the Moon: Apollo 8 Commander Frank Borman and the Woman Who Gave Him Wings is the story of the decades-long love story of a NASA commander and the leader of the Astronaut Wives Club.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Death by Beach Read by Eva Gates ~ an Audiobook Review

by Donna Huber

Back during the early days of the pandemic, I really got into listening to audiobooks as a way to turn off the news while working from home. One of the books I picked up was book three in Eva Gates's Lighthouse Library Mystery series - books 1 and 2 were not available through the digital library. I enjoyed it so when I saw her new book in the series Death by Beach Read I knew I could pick it up without a problem even though I had read any more of the books in the series.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free audiobook was provided for an honest review.

3 Books for Fans of Historical Fiction

by Susan Roberts

Today I have three works of historical fiction for your reading pleasure. The first is a dual timeline story that traces mothers and daughters through the generations. The second is a free read for Kindle Unlimited subscribers. And finally the last novel on my list today is about a country that has been in the news a lot lately and will give you some understanding of current events by providing a historical perspective. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

2 Young Adult Novels for Readers of Any Age

by MK French

Whether you are looking for something new to read for yourself or for your teenager who is already bored this summer, I have a couple of great young adult novels that anyone will enjoy regardless of age.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

Iconoclast by Laurie Buchanan ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

Iconoclast, book two in the Sean McPherson series, takes the reader back to Pines & Quill, a writer's retreat in Washington State. Sean's sister, Libby,  and her husband Niall run the retreat.  Every month they host four writers at the retreat who want to spend uninterrupted time on their books.  Sean, an ex-cop who got hurt when his partner was killed,  is Libby's brother and works as a handyman at the retreat until he can get back into law enforcement.  He's also living with Emma, a writer he fell in love with in book one.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Can You Solve the Mystery in These Two Twisting Thrillers?

by Donna Huber

Do you like being able to solve the mystery before the characters or are you just along for the thrilling ride? These two thrillers had a lot of twists and turns making it almost impossible to guess what happened. One had me on the edge of my seat the entire time and the other had me singularly focused on the story.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

Woman of Light by Kali Fajardo-Anstine ~ a Review

by MK French

Luz Lopez is left to fend for herself in 1930s Denver after a white mob runs her brother out of town. She begins to have visions of her Indigenous ancestors’ origins, how her family flourished, and how they were threatened in nearby Lost Territory. It is now up to Luz to save her family's stories.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

3 Thrillers to Read on Vacation

by MK French

When most think of beach reads they think of romantic stories. However, thrillers are great vacation reads. You can get sucked into the twist and turns and you don't have to worry about regular life making you put down the book. Just don't forget the sunscreen!

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

3 Books with Strong Women Characters

by Susan Roberts

Strong women main characters show up in every genre of fiction.  We no longer just have stories about damsels in distress who need to be rescued.  Instead, we have strong female characters who can take care of themselves and those around them.  Today I have reviews of a suspense novel, a historical fiction novel, and a women's fiction that all show the strength of women when faced with problems

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for honest reviews.

The Boardwalk Bookshop by Susan Mallery ~ a Review & Excerpt

by MK French

The Boardwalk Bookshop is a bookstore, gift shop, and bakery all rolled into one, Bree, Mikki, and Ashley's combined business. That's going well, but not their personal lives. Bree is emotionally wounded and is determined to protect herself from further heartbreak, especially from Ashley's brother. Mikki is still friends with her ex and her in-laws, but a new man changes everything she thought she knew. Ashley's love never intends to marry, destroying her dream of being a wife.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

The French for Murder by Verity Bright ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

The French Riviera is the place to be this summer. I know it is the off-season as it can be unbearably hot, but more and more people are vacationing there earlier. I just saw the Lord and Lady Grantham there when I watched the second Downton Abbey movie a couple of weeks ago. Now Lady Eleanor Swift and her staff have taken a villa on the seaside to enjoy a nice, quiet rest.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

The Fae Keeper by H.E. Edgmon ~ an Excerpt

Below is an excerpt from H.E. Edgmon's new young adult fantasy novel The Fae Keeper. Be sure to check out MK's review.

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Shadows of Berlin by David R. Gillham ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

 

"You didn't have a single person in your family poisoned in a gas chamber." (p 59)

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Wolf Catcher by Anne Montgomery ~ a Review

by MK French

In 1939, a tomb in Ridge Ruin was uncovered, containing the remains of a man dressed with fine turquoise jewelry and intricate beadwork, surrounded by myriad pots, arrow points, and fine mineral specimens. Wooden swords with handles carved into animal hooves and human hands that the Hopi workers explained identified him as a magician. Kate Butler, a former television reporter, researches the remains, finding different characteristics in his bone structure from those living in the area. Her research takes her into the area as it was nine hundred years before, as well as the modern-day black market for antiquities.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

3 Biographical Fiction Stories to Read

by Susan Roberts

In the United States, many people are spending time with friends and family cooking out, visiting the beach or pool, and maybe enjoying some fireworks later tonight to kick off the unofficial start of summer. But Memorial Day is about so much more than just some fun. We are remembering and honoring the men and women who answered the call to defend our country. Historical fiction can be a great way to learn about some of these people. I read a lot of WWII fiction, which is one of the most popular sub-genres of historical fiction. It seems like it would be easy to repeat the same stories and just change the names but authors keep finding new ways to address the war.  I've recently read 3 books that take a different look at the heroic women who did their part to win the war.  Each of these books looks at a different aspect of the war.

Angels of the Pacific is about the war with Japan

Sisters of Night and Fog has an American woman who stays in France to help the resistance

The Diamond Eye is about a Russian female sniper

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. 

4 Books for Fans of Horror Novels

by MK French

I can read horror and dark fantasy any time of year, but I know some people prefer to only read it when it is bright and sunny outside. Today, I have books regardless of which category you fall in. Two are new books and two are older titles you might have missed.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

The Omega Factor by Steve Berry ~ an Audiobook Review

by Donna Huber

I love Steve Berry's books. They are full of history and conspiracy and suspense. His new book comes out in a couple of weeks and I couldn't wait to tell you about it.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free audiobook was provided for an honest review.

An Affair at Stonecliffe by Candace Camp ~ a Review

by MK French

Widowed Noelle Rutherford's entire world revolves around her son Gil now that her beloved husband is dead. His family never liked that he married for love, and they send Carlisle Thorne to give Noelle money in exchange for Gil being raised at the Rutherford estate Stonecliffe. Horrified, Noelle and Gil go on the run, Carlisle following behind her. Over the next five years, the two match wits in a battle for Gil, determined to protect his best interests.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Myracles in the Void by Wes Dyson ~ a Review

By Elisabeth Scherer

Living out on the remote “island” of cobbled together driftwood called Hop, life can be tough. Gaiel (Gai)Izz and his sister, Lynd, have been toughing it out ever since their Pa set out to leave Hop behind. Hop is the place where nothing goes to waste, and every citizen seems to scrape by with the bare essentials.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

The Tyrant's Daughter by J. C. Carleson ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

The library system recently changed its policy and now I can get audiobooks from any library in the state. That's great news for me because it will allow me to catch up on some of my older Netgalley titles. The Tyrant's Daughter by J. C. Carleson is one of those titles.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

The Lioness by Chris Bohjalian ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

"Oh, I can't speak for the dead.  And I won't speak for the missing.  I can only tell you what I think happened.  Others - the dead and the missing - would probably have their own versions.  Blame, I can tell you firsthand, is every bit as subjective as truth." (loc69-70)

 Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Bloomsbury Girls by Natalie Jenner ~ an Audiobook Review

by Donna Huber

Bloomsbury Girls is the second book by Natalie Jenner. It isn't billed as a sequel to her first novel The Jane Austen Society but a few characters from the first novel make an appearance in the second. 

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free audiobook was provided for an honest review.

First Time for Everything by Henry Fry ~ a Review

by MK French

Danny Scudd left small-town life for London, and after five years he has a stable career as a journalist, a relationship with pretentious Tobbs, and roommates he likes. Unfortunately, it seems that Tobbs wasn't faithful and Danny's roommates want to kick him out to start a family. This leaves Danny moving in with his best friend Jacob, a nonbinary artist living in an East End commune. Navigating queer life, therapy, work, and relationships, Danny must learn who he actually is after all.

Amazon affiliation links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

The Memory Keeper of Kyiv by Erin Litteken ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

May we never forget, lest history repeats itself.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

2 Women's Fiction Stories Featuring Women of Color

by MK French

Women's fiction is one of the hottest genres for summer beach reads. If you are looking to add women of color to your lineup this summer then these are great books to toss into your beach bag.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

We Shall Not Shatter by Elaine Stock ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

An unforgettable story of friendship, family, and hope as two courageous young women face one of history's most horrific tragedies.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Antipodes: Stories by Holly Goddard Jones ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

I'm not a big fan of short stories, but I really enjoyed Holly Goddard Jones's The Salt Line when my post-apocalyptic book club read it a couple of years ago. I hadn't read any of her other works, but I know she often writes about motherhood. So I expected that to be the theme of her short stories.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Heat Up Your Spring With These Hot Romances

by MK French

The sun is shining brightly and romance is in the air. If you are looking for romance in the pages of a book, then you should take a look at these new books.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

What Happens in Greece by Sue Roberts ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

Buying a rundown cottage in Greece. A crazy, wine-fuelled idea, or the best decision she’s ever made?

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

It's Alive! by Julian David Stone ~ a Review

by Elisabeth Scherer

Grab your fanciest clothes, your fedora, and your favorite drink because it is time to dress to the nines and attend a party only Hollywood could throw!

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Two Terrific Thrillers to Move to the Top of Your TBR List

by Donna Huber

I enjoy the traditional beach reads that are hitting shelves already but I really love reading gritty thrillers in the summer. I recently read two that are just terrific and would be great for summer reading. If you haven't picked them up yet, you will want to move them to the top of your to-be-read list.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

Start Summer with Mary Kay Andrews's Newest Book: THE HOMEWRECKERS

by Susan Roberts

A new book by Mary Kay Andrews means that summer is just around the corner.  She is one of the few authors that I pre-order her new books without knowing anything about them and she's never let me down.  Her books are always a reflection of people and places in the South along with a bit of mystery and a bit of romance, tears, and laughter, and a plot that keeps me reading while I ignore the world around me.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Son of the Deep by K. B. Hoyle ~ A Review

By Elisabeth Scherer

Everyone in the sea knows that no one from under the waters can go above the water's surface.  Everyone on land knows that there are no such things as other people in the sea, in the air, or in magic. An accidental encounter between these worlds changes everything.

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Pillar of Salt: A Daughter's Life in the Shadow of the Holocaust by Anna Salton Eisen & Aaron Eisen ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

"You can't do it alone.  You must let other people help you.  And when you're better, then  you go and help someone else."  (p 148)

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao ~ a Review

by MK French

Zachary Ying's mother works hard and can't teach him about his Chinese heritage. All he learns at school are Western classics, so Zack is unprepared to host the spirit of the First Emperor of China in order to seal the leaking portal to the Chinese underworld before the upcoming Ghost Month blows it wide open. Unfortunately, the spirit binds to his AR set and botches the mission from the start. When Zack's mother's soul is stolen by demons, he must learn to wield the emperor's powers and search for artefacts. If he can't get this right, he loses his mother for good.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Dark Circles by Caite Dolan-Leach ~ a Review

by MK French

After a very public meltdown, Olivia Reed goes to the House of Light in upstate New York for a spiritual retreat. A local warns her that nothing is what it seems and that no one will listen to her. Olivia figures she can use her celebrity status for good, but Olivia starts to wonder if anything is what it seems.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Nonna Maria and the Case of the Missing Bride by Lorenzo Carcaterra ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

Lorenzo Carcaterra is a seasoned writer but this is the first book by him that I've read. The cover and the description of Nonna Maria and the Case of the Missing Bride caught my attention. And I'm glad I got a copy of it.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

The Master Craftsman by Kelli Stuart ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

When I read that this book was about the Faberge eggs that were gifted to the Czar of Russia and his family, I knew that I had to read it.  Several years ago, I was on a tour and was able to go the Faberge museum in St. Petersburg to see the remaining eggs.  It was amazing to see them and to realize how beautiful and intricate they were.  This dual timeline book gives readers an in-depth look at the shop of Karl Faberge and the political climate in Russia right before their revolution.  I ended up spending lots of time looking up pictures of all of the eggs that were mentioned in the book and they brought back memories of seeing them in Russia.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.