12 Short Stories to Get You Out of a Reading Slump

by Susan Roberts

I've been in a major reading slump lately.  Even though I missed reading, I just couldn't concentrate, and I kept trying new books with no luck.  Someone suggested that I try reading some short stories, and even though I don't normally like short stories, I was willing to give it a try.  One of my favorite authors had a book published by Amazon Original Stories - these are short stories by popular authors that are only available on Amazon Kindle. Each one can be read in an hour or less.  I decided to try short stories by some of my favorite authors, and I ended up reading 12 short stories, and my reading slump has ended!! 

NOTE:  All of these books are available on  Kindle Unlimited, and most are part of Amazon Prime Reading too (with free listening).

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. 

Messenger Cat Café by Nagi Shimeno ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

Tabby cat Fuuta has passed into the afterlife and will do anything to see his human again . . . if only he can not disrupt the balance of the universe.

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

A Forest, Darkly by A.G. Slatter ~ a Review

by MK French

Mehrab the witch lives in the forest alone. When a young woman fleeing the godhounds for possessing magic seeks help, Mehrab lets her in and agrees to teach her how to control her magic. In the local village, children are disappearing. If they return at all, they are changed. Mehrab finds offerings on her doorstep and shadows in the trees as the villagers turn hostile and the godhounds close in. It's up to Mehrab to save the soul of the forest and save her newfound family.

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

Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett ~ a Review

by MK French

Widow Agnes Aubert manages a cat rescue charity and must find a new home for it. The only landlord who will rent a space to a cat rescue is a mysterious man called Havelock, who also runs an illegal magic shop out of his basement. There are rumors of Havelock's dark past, so Agnes absolutely refuses to consider him anything else but her landlord. When a magician comes looking for Havelock, the magic shop and the cat shelter are in jeopardy. To save the shelter, Agnes will have to team up with the magician who nearly ended the world and may now be trying to steal her heart.

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

The Second World by Jake Korell ~ an Audiobook Review

by Donna Huber

Mars has declared its independence from Earth. But building a country takes more than a new flag, an arena-worthy anthem, and naming Pluto the donkey the national animal. As the Red Planet spirals into political upheaval, Flip Buchanan—the irreverent, reluctant son of the most powerful man on Mars—stumbles through two tumultuous decades of alien discoveries, killer clones, and the chaos of a new nation still working out the kinks.

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

Bad Asians by Lillian Li ~ a Review

by MK French

Diana, Justin, Errol, and Vivian followed the checklist to success: They worked hard, got A's, and attended a good university. Because of the Great Recession of 2008, they're unemployed and back in their hypercompetitive Chinese American community. So when Grace—once the neighborhood golden child, now a Harvard Law School dropout—asks to make a documentary, they agree, not thinking it would go anywhere. The video “Bad Asians” goes viral, and now millions of people know them as cruel caricatures, each full of pent-up frustrations with the others. Attempts at damage control don't work, so now the friends must face harsh truths about themselves and coming of age in the new millennium.

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

Happy Valentine's Day! Here's a gift for you...

by Donna Huber

I'm single, so I'm celebrating with a date for 1. I'm going on a hike, and then I'll curl up with a book tonight. If you are alone (or just not interested in going out), you can still celebrate. Grab a box of chocolates and treat yourself to a free ebook.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site.

Keeper of Lost Children by Sadeqa Johnson ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

Toggling between the lives of three individuals, Keeper of Lost Children explores how one woman’s vision will change the course of countless lives, and demonstrates that love in its myriad of forms—familial, parental, and forbidden, even love of self—can be transcendent.

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

Maybe This Once by Sophie Sullivan ~ a Review

by MK French

Charlotte “Charlie” Ashford left behind a life with famous parents to become a counselor. A viral video disrupts that plan, and she's considering learning more about her late father. Grayson Keller is content with his life as the owner of Get Lost Lodge, finally with steady profit after three years. When Grayson meets Charlie, the attraction is instant, but trust is hard to come by. They decide to date and avoid anything serious. But maybe this once, they can see what the future has in store for them.

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

Valentine's Day Reading: The Improbably Meet-Cute Second Chances series

by Donna Huber

Do you have a hot date for Saturday? Are you going to hang out with friends for Galentines? Or are you looking forward to a quiet night at home by yourself, finding love in the pages of a book? Whatever your plans for the weekend, you should check out this romantic collection of novellas. They are short enough for you to fit in a little reading before the date. You could have a little book club with your girlfriends, with each reading a different one. With 6 books, you can binge-read to your heart's content while you enjoy pizza, ice cream, and/or chocolates in your pajamas.

Bonus: If you are an Amazon Prime member, you can read/listen to the series for FREE!

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site.

Books & Bewitchment by Isla Jewell ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

In this cozy, witchy romcom, a young woman works to turn a run-down small-town video store into the bookshop of her dreams, only to discover a powerful magic that’s been lying dormant—and a forbidden love she can’t resist.

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

A Day of Breath by Darby Cox ~ a Review

by MK French

Oly is the Champion of Niawa, a warrior with magical strength to protect the kingdom from demonic hordes that emerge from a rift between realms. She has served the longest, and her powers are fading. Heir Fallon is not chosen to be the next ruler of Niawa, and wants to change his fate. The Day of Breath is the one day a year demons can't breach the rift. Fallon asks Oly to come with him and leave the Edge. He plans to ask for rule, and Oly wants her strength to be renewed. The plan derails when demons arrive on the one day it should be impossible. As Oly grows weaker and Fallon struggles to take the throne, they have until midnight to find a way to stop the carnage before the rift opens again. 

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

Who Am I to Judge? by Emily Hanlon ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

When a priest confesses to the murder of a parishioner, everyone in the wealthy waterfront town of Pequot Bays is convinced of his guilt-everyone, that is, except Marya Cook, a Bible-quoting, lavender-clad octogenarian known to locals as the Purple Pest.

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

I Told You So! by Matt Kaplan ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

An energetic and impassioned work of popular science about scientists who have had to fight for their revolutionary ideas to be accepted—from Darwin to Pasteur to modern-day Nobel Prize winners.

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

The Forsaken and the Fated by Camilla Raines ~ a Review

by MK French

Gabriel Hawthorne is missing, and psychic Miles Warren is terrified of the prophecy that said he might die. He hopes to break the Hawthorne curse and prevent Gabriel's murder, but he must find him first. Miles' parents are furious that he is willing to help at all, and the feud between their two families is likely the key to saving them all.

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

Two Books for Readers of Historical Fiction

by Susan Roberts

The genre Historical Fiction encompasses so many different types of stories. Today, I have two novels that delve into history. The first one is based on a real person and the second one features themes that are often found in women's fiction.

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

The Nantucket Inn by Pamela Kelley ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

The Nantucket Inn is the first book in the Nantucket Beach Plum Cove series. It is a re-release of a novel published originally in 2019.

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

The Apple and the Pearl by Rym Kechacha ~ a Review

by MK French

The travelling ballet company performs "The Apple and the Pearl," and every dancer and musician has dedicated their lives to it. They must perform the show to perfection for the Fae, who are eager to take the members to the Otherworld.

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

This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

A woman receives an unexpected gift from the man she loved and lost—a year of books, one for every month—launching a reading-inspired journey to live, dream, and love again in this glimmering and heart-stopping novel.

Twelve books. Twelve months. One chance to heal her heart…

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

The Charmed Library by Jennifer Moorman ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

The Charmed Library invites you into a world where words come alive, secrets are steeped in magic, and lives are transformed one story at a time.

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

The Witching Hours by Heather Graham ~ a Review

by MK French

With her ability to see the past, Skye McMahon is summoned by Special Supervisory paranormal investigators Jackson and Angela Crowe. Outside historic Salem, Alicia Bolton found her grandfather-in-law murdered, her nanny and young son vanished without a trace, and her infant daughter terrified and crying in her playpen. Skye is partnered with Zachary Erickson, and she begins to have visions of a wicked witch creeping up on her new victims on a lonely Salem road. The pair uses their abilities, growing closer as the case progresses. The city's sinister history threatens the present, and only this pair can stop it.

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

Murder Your Darlings by Jenna Blum ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

For every woman who’s ever fallen for a bad man comes a hilarious and eviscerating tale of love, loss, and deadlines.

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

Tom Paine's War by Jack Kelly ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

In 1776, one man’s words—and the determination of American patriots—allowed our nation to survive its first crisis.

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

3 More Books for Fans of Fantasy

by MK French

Here we are at the end of the month, and there are still a few more books in the fantasy genre that you will want to add to your reading list. These run a little darker than the earlier fantasy books I've reviewed this month, though the last one has elements of a romantasy. 

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

Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

 

Date night goes off the rails in this hilariously insightful take on midlife and marriage when one unhappy couple finds themselves at the heart of a crime in progress

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

Terminal Velocity by M.P. Woodward ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

Jack Ryan Jr battles terrorists in the disputed mountains of Kashmir to save a comrade.

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

Les Normaux Volume Two by Janine Janssen and S. Al Sabado ~ a Review

by MK French

Young wizard Sébastien is starting to understand his demisexuality and has growing feelings for his neighbor Elia, the hot supermodel vampire. This is the second volume of the webtoon turned manga.

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

The Secret Twins of Paris by Suzanne Kelman ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

'You must find her, my darling girl.' Lily's mother whispers, pressing a small brass key into her palm. 'You must find my twin sister, before it is too late...'

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

A Bookworm's Tips for Preparing for Winter Storms

by Donna Huber

Are you in the path of Winter Storm Fern? In my area, we are just over 24 hours out from when they say it will start. It will be an ice storm - a major ice storm is likely. They are using words like catastrophic, crippling, and destructive. Yeah, they could be using those words to increase ratings, but even the National Weather Service is using these words. They are also predicting up to an inch (2.5 cm) of ice. I can't remember weather people using those terms or predicting that much ice. So I'm getting prepared to hunker down. Here are my bookish tips. (This list is meant to be fun. Please follow the advice of experts when making your winter weather plans.)

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site.

Anne of a Different Island by Virginia Kantra ~ a Review

by MK French

Anne Gallagher loves the book Anne of Green Gables and feels kinship with the titular heroine. She would love to fall for her own storybook hero, but a number of real-life negative events bring her back to the island she couldn't wait to leave. She's back in her childhood home, seeing everyone she left behind. This includes Joe Miller, who once called her a pest. Anne is now left to figure out what she wants and how to write her own happy ending.

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

The Salt Keeper's Daughter by Kimberly Thomas ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

"Salt doesn't just preserve food-it preserves time itself, holding the essence of something valuable until it's needed again."

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

The Fair Weather Friend by Jessie Garcia ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

It's always sunny in Detroit for Faith Richards. The popular TV meteorologist, endearingly referred to as "The Fair Weather Friend" by her viewers, has the world by the tail. But one night, Faith leaves work on a dinner break and never returns. Her body is found the next morning.

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

2 New Novels for Fantasy Fans

by MK French

Are you looking for solid fantasy novels to read? Then you will want to add these two books to your list. If you want a little more romance with your fantasy, check out my review of Romantasy novels from earlier this month.

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

Love Stories from Lilac Lake by Judith Keim

by Susan Roberts

The Lilac Lake series is a spinoff from Judith Keim's popular Lilac Inn series. Each book in the series is a story about one of the summer kids who has moved back to Lilac Lake and found love. This is another of   Judith Keim’s series with strong women facing challenges and finding love and happiness along the way.

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

Detour by Jeff Rake and Rob Hart ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

A space shuttle flight crew discovers that the Earth they’ve returned to is not the home they left behind.

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

A Year Without Home by V. T. Bidania ~ a Review

by MK French

Eleven-year-old Gao Sheng grew up in Laos. Her father is a Hmong captain in the Lao Army who fought with Americans against the North Vietnamese. If he’s caught, he’ll be killed. The adults make plans, and a good daughter would never question or complain. Gao Sheng and her family eventually arrive at a refugee camp in Thailand. Over the next year, Gao Sheng learns who she is and how to rebuild home.

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

Women of a Promiscuous Nature by Donna Everhart ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

Accused of “promiscuity” in 1940s North Carolina, a young woman unjustly incarcerated and subjected to involuntary medical treatment at The State Industrial Farm Colony for Women decides to fight back in this powerful, shockingly timely novel based on the long-buried history of the American Plan, the government program designed to regulate women’s bodies and sexuality throughout the first half of the 20th century.

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

The Bookbinder's Secret by A. D. Bell ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

A young bookbinder begins a hunt for the truth when a confession hidden beneath the binding of a burned book reveals a story of forbidden love, lost fortune, and murder.

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

Detour by Jeff Rake and Rob Hart ~ a Review

by MK French

When Ryan Crane saves John Ward, a billionaire with presidential aspirations, from an assassination attempt, he is invited to join a manned mission to Saturn’s moon Titan. He would be part of a group of civilians accompanying three professional astronauts on the two-year expedition. His wife's encouragement and an exorbitant paycheck to cover his disabled son's care send him into space. The journey will forever change his life and the lives of his crewmates. 

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

The Memory Library by Kate Storey ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

 

For forty-two years, Sally Harrison has been building a library.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. 

A Deadly Clue by Victoria Gilbert ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

Cameron Clewe and Jane Hunter, lovers of all things bookish, are slowly cataloging Cam’s private collection of first edition books acquired from the deceased patriarch of the wealthy Stewart family. When Jane finds a note from Kimberly Stewart Ward, one of the daughters of the Stewart patriarch—who supposedly committed suicide—she discovers someone was actually targeting her with the intention of killing her.  

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

The Art of Thor Ragnarok by Eleni Roussos ~ a Review

by MK French

This art book shows production sketches, comic panels, and includes snippets of interviews by the art team. We have an introduction giving us the comic history for Thor's character, as well as the MCU version. The very different vision for Thor is explained there and in the foreword by director Taika Waititi. Jack Kirby's brightly colored art for the original comics was deliberately brought into the designs for Sakaar,  and the story in the movie was heavily inspired by the 1983-4 comic run.

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

Twice by Mitch Albom ~ A Review

by Susan Roberts

What if you got to do everything in your life —twice?  The heart of Mitch Albom’s newest novel is a stunning love story that dares to explore how our unchecked desires might mean losing what we’ve had all along. 

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site.

No Rest for the Wicked by Rachel Louise Adams ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

In one Halloween-obsessed Midwestern town, everyone’s on red alert after a local politician goes missing. Little do they know it’s only the beginning.

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

3 Romantic Comedy Novels to Give You Feel Good Vibes

by MK French

Romantic comedies are a fun way to spend a few hours. Here are a few that are coming out this month.

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

Skylark by Paula McLain ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

A mesmerizing tale of Paris above and below—where a woman’s quest for artistic freedom in 1664 intertwines with a doctor’s dangerous mission during the German occupation in the 1940s, revealing a story of courage and resistance that transcends time.

 

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

Once There Was a Town by Jane Ziegelman ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

By the close of World War II, six million Jews had been erased from the face of the earth. Those who eluded death had lost their homes, families, and entire way of life. Their response was quintessentially Jewish. From a people with a long-history of self-narration, survivors gathered in groups and wrote books, yizkor books, remembering all that had been destroyed. Jane Ziegelman’s Once There Was a Town takes readers on a journey through this largely uncharted body of writing and the vanished world it depicts.

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

3 New Romantic Fantasy Novels

by MK French

This month is full of fantasy new releases. I'm breaking them up by subgenres and starting with Romantic Fantasy or Romantasy. One was an okay read, but the other two were great. 

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

Susan's 2025 Reading Wrap Up

by Susan Roberts

2025 was a good year for reading books.  I had some extra time because I quit watching the news and cut back on most other TV.  As I get older, I've found that I enjoy my quiet times with books!  Here are some interesting facts about my 2025 reading results.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site.

The Murder at World's End by Ross Montgomery ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

A new year is a great time to start a new series, and this murder mystery novel is a great one to start with.

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