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.)

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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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.

A Couple of Thrillers You Won't Want to Put Down

by MK French

Are you ready to get your blood pumping? I don't mean the new exercise routine you've resolved to start. I'm talking about a couple of thrillers that you won't want to put down.

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