Lightning In A Mason Jar by Catherine Mann

 

My thoughts

This book was a pleasure to read. It had a tough subject matter but overall it was a beautifully written story of women, friendships, being there for each other, and moving pass abusive relationships. It is in two different time periods that eventually meet. I enjoyed this book so much. Even the hard parts were good. Not hard to read. 

Back in the early seventies women were still predominantly reliant on men. To have a home. Money. Children. Everything. Who wants to go back to that? Uggg 

When Winnie goes missing and is presumed dead Bailey Rae is devastated. Winnie had been the best thing to ever happen to Bailey Rae. Even though they were not blood relations they loved each other like they were. Bailey Rae was like the daughter Winnie never had. 

Winnie had fled an abusive marriage. Her husband had put her in an institution. Not because of losing a child. Not because she was mental in any way. Because he could. She was just in his way. When she managed to escape she faked her death and went to South Carolina. Once there she was able to get help to start her life over. She met several ladies who had come there for the same reason. Made some friends. Deep friends. Ones that understood what she had endured and why she fled. 

This book will make you shed some tears. It will also have you rooting for the women. For them to get past things that happened. These women had gone through so much. Some way worse than others. But still it was the ultimate sacrifice to lose your name and start over with a whole new identity. To leave behind all that you once thought would be such a good and happy life. To make new memories. New dreams. A whole new life. And in most cases, never look back.

This book was tough but also it was filled with so much love. I throughly enjoyed reading it. I loved getting to know the women and the dog. Yes I loved that dog. When it grabbed that bullies leg I cheered. 

Great book. Well written. A real page turner with lots of intense scenes and, yes, a love story too. 

Thank you to the publisher for this ARC. 

About

In South Carolina, a woman discovers her aunt’s profound secrets in an emotional novel spanning decades about trauma, survival, and the bonds of female friendship by a USA Today bestselling author.

Since Bailey Rae Rigby’s adoptive aunt Winnie passed, Bent Oak, South Carolina, doesn’t have much of a hold on her anymore. So it seems.

Bailey Rae aims to settle the small estate and, armed with her aunt’s inspiring personal cookbook, buy a food truck with an ocean view in Myrtle Beach. Everything goes awry when a distraught young mother arrives in town clutching a copy of that same cookbook. Embedded inside is a code that promises a safe place in Bent Oak for desperate women on the run. For Bailey Rae it opens up a world of questions. Who really was the beloved aunt she’s known most of her life?

Winnie Ballard’s story reaches back fifty years—one of a Southern debutante’s harrowing marriage, of her escape and reinvention, and the galvanizing friendship of three resilient women who overcame their traumas, created a shelter, and found purpose. But there’s more to Winnie’s deliverance and long-held secrets than Bailey Rae imagines.

With each revelation, Bailey Rae draws on her aunt’s courage to find purpose herself. For now, whatever threats may come, Bailey Rae isn’t going anywhere.

The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb

 

My thoughts

I gave this book five stars. Not because I loved it. I hated it. I think the author did a fantastic job of writing it. I think he did a fantastic job of making it emotional. It was such a sad book though. I cried so much while reading this book. It is definitely a heartbreaking tearjerker. It's definitely shattering. 

If you have lost a child do not read this book. If you have a loved on in prison maybe don't read it. If you love a good hard gut wrenching read, read it. I finished this book but good grief did it hurt. 

You meet Corby and Emily along with their two twin children. A boy and a girl. Corby lost his job and is a stay home dad taking care of the children. What a wonderful thing for him to do. Except that Corby has secrets. Bad secrets. He's addicted to prescription drugs and alcohol. He drinks during the day in hopes that his wife, Emily, won't know. Then a tragedy strikes and Corby is sent away to prison. He only got five years, to serve three, and three years probation. Not nearly enough for what he did. 

While in prison you get to see what life is like for Corby now. It's not pretty but still it's much easier than he deserves. I absolutely hated him but I did feel sorry for him in places and for certain reasons. I hated him for what he did. For the drinking and drugs and driving. For what to me seemed he didn't consider other people's feelings enough. He was so selfish. But still this book is very well written and the feelings it causes are so real. You truly will feel the emotions and sorrows and sadness that you should. Like you are part of this families lives.

Emily on the other hand was understandably filled with so much anger towards Corby. I didn't much like her either though. I think she should have gone to see Corby more and taken their child to see him. Yes she had every right to be angry. Every right to hate him. Though she didn't hate him. I would have. I did actually. She was just a bit selfish though. Both were. I do understand Emily more though. I felt bad for her. I can't say that she lost so much without acknowledging that they both lost so much. It was Corby's fault though. Yes Emily should have said something when she had her suspicions. But she was not his keeper exactly. Though if she did know or suspect she certainly should have made sure her children were not allowed in a vehicle with him. Period!!!

This is a very emotional book. It's sad. It's horrible. But it's also a good story. It's well written. It had an ending that gutted me in so many ways. And the letter from Corby's dad.... That was so so sad also. Good book but way to sad. 

Thank you to the publisher, #SimonElemont for this ARC. It is also a BOTM choice for me. 

About

Corby Ledbetter is struggling. New fatherhood, the loss of his job, and a growing secret addiction have thrown his marriage to his beloved Emily into a tailspin. And that's before he causes the tragedy that tears the family apart.

Sentenced to prison, Corby struggles to survive life on the inside, where he bears witness to frightful acts of brutality but also experiences small acts of kindness and elemental kinship with a prison librarian who sees his light and some of his fellow offenders, including a tender-hearted cellmate and a troubled teen desperate for a role model. Buoyed by them and by his mother's enduring faith in him, Corby begins to transcend the boundaries of his confinement, sustained by his hope that mercy and reconciliation might still be possible. Can his crimes ever be forgiven by those he loves?

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab

 

My thoughts

When I requested this book I didn't notice that it was just a sneak peek. I would not leave a review until I listened to the whole thing so went and bought an audio of it. 

This book is very good. While it can't hold a candle to The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, it is good. It held my attention and kept me wanting more. While it does start out just a bit slow it picks up quickly. There are three narrators and two were excellent. One didn't hold up quite as well and since I have no idea whose voice was for each person I can only say that it was the voice of Alice that was a bit of a let down. Other than that you can't go wrong if you love a good vampire story in audio. 

This one deals with basically three characters. Each has a story and a reason. Their stories start out with the year they died. You learn all about them and how they are turned. What sadness and happiness they each hold. How they are turned. 

The ending was very good. I think the author is excellent. She seems to give her books so much structure and feeling. I can't wait for a new book by this author.

Thank you #MacmillianAudio and #NetGalley for this audio arc. So good I highly recommend it. 

I also made it my BOTM choice and added it along side Addie LaRue to my personal library. 

About

From V. E. Schwab, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue: a new genre-defying novel about immortality and hunger.

This is a story about hunger.
1532. Santo Domingo de la Calzada.
A young girl grows up wild and wily—her beauty is only outmatched by her dreams of escape. But María knows she can only ever be a prize, or a pawn, in the games played by men. When an alluring stranger offers an alternate path, María makes a desperate choice. She vows to have no regrets.

This is a story about love.
1827. London.
A young woman lives an idyllic but cloistered life on her family’s estate, until a moment of forbidden intimacy sees her shipped off to London. Charlotte’s tender heart and seemingly impossible wishes are swept away by an invitation from a beautiful widow—but the price of freedom is higher than she could have imagined.

This is a story about rage.
2019. Boston.
College was supposed to be her chance to be someone new. That’s why Alice moved halfway across the world, leaving her old life behind. But after an out-of-character one-night stand leaves her questioning her past, her present, and her future, Alice throws herself into the hunt for answers . . . and revenge.

This is a story about life—
how it ends, and how it starts.

The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau By Kristin Harmel

 My thoughts

This book will definitely be in my top ten book of the year. It was perfection. A story that kept me turning the pages. Kept me in tears and even a laugh or two. Mostly it made me believe in life. As hard as things are now and were back then, there is always hope for the future. Never give up...

This is the story of a family. Or a mother and her daughter. Colette is so young when her mother, Annabel, starts teaching her about the family "tradition." They are descendants of Robin Hood. We have all heard of him right? They steal from the rich. The ones that do harm and have little regard for others, and use it to help the underprivileged. The ones who need it most. In this case it's the underground helping the Jews to escape the Germans. 

This story is told in two timelines. Back in the early/mid 1930s/1940s, and then in 2018. Told before and during the time Colette's mother is captured by the Germans for stealing. When Colette's little sister is taken by someone and murdered. When she herself and her father are also arrested. The guilt that follows Colette. She blames herself for Liiane's abduction and subsequent death. 

This is also a story of much hope. Of a love story that was never allowed to blossom. Colette met a boy named Tristan when she was only fourteen and it seems they fell in love. What an innocent age. Tristan was a Jewish boy though. When the Nazi's came and put the Jews in prisons and shipped them off to concentration camps, Tristan was one of them. Colette lost him. She dedicated her life to helping the weak and finding the man who took her sister.

This book is so emotional and so good. It's about a family and shows that blood is not always what makes a family. Sometimes it's being there for others. Though blood family is very much at the center of this story too. Colette was a strong woman. She never gave up trying to find the man who took Liliane. It all starts with a bracelet. The exacte twin to the one Colette has. Whoever own it had to be the one who took Liliane. 

This book is one of the best I have read. This author can write a story that always pulls you in and captures your heart. Her research is impeccable.  She puts her whole heart in each story she writes. 

Please read the AUTHOR'S NOTE at the ending too. It's well worth it. I'm so glad Kristin Harmel got her writing abilities back. So very glad. 

Don't forget to get those mammograms ladies. They can be lifesaving. May 21st was mine. Please get them every year!!

Thank you to #NetGalley, and #GalleryBooks, for this ARC. 

About

Kristin Harmel, the New York Timesbestselling author who “is the best there is at sweeping historical drama” (Kelly Harms, author ofThe Seven Day Switch), returns with an electrifying new novel about two jewel thieves, a priceless bracelet that disappears in 1940s Paris, and a quest for answers in a decades-old murder.

Colette Marceau has been stealing jewels for nearly as long as she can remember, following the centuries-old code of honor instilled in her by her mother, take only from the cruel and unkind, and give to those in need. Never was their family tradition more important than seven decades earlier, during the Second World War, when Annabel and Colette worked side by side in Paris to fund the French Resistance.

But one night in 1942, it all went wrong. Annabel was arrested by the Germans, and Colette’s four-year-old sister, Liliane, disappeared in the chaos of the raid, along with an exquisite diamond bracelet sewn into the hem of her nightgown for safekeeping. Soon after, Annabel was executed, and Liliane’s body was found floating in the Seine—but the bracelet was nowhere to be found.

Seventy years later, Colette—who has “redistributed” $30 million in jewels over the decades to fund many worthy organizations—has done her best to put her tragic past behind her, but her life begins to unravel when the long-missing bracelet suddenly turns up in a museum exhibit in Boston. If Colette can discover where it has been all this time—and who owns it now—she may finally learn the truth about what happened to her sister. But she isn’t the only one for whom the bracelet holds answers, and when someone from her childhood lays claim to the diamonds, she’s forced to confront the ghosts of her past as never before. Against all odds, there may still be a chance to bring a murderer to justice—but first, Colette will have to summon the courage to open her own battered heart. 

Before Dorothy by Hazel Gaynor

 

My thoughts

This was such a fun book. Yes it was intense and in places it was very emotional. But it was still a fun one. You get to know about Auntie Em. From when she was young and single. To when she met and fell in love with Uncle Henry. How Dorothy came to live with them. What happened to Dorothy when she went to Oz.... If she did.

This book if full of Easter Eggs from The Wizard of Oz so be sure and look for them. They are placed throughout and I enjoyed them.

Auntie Em was born in Ireland. Her parents and two sisters traveled to the US as immigrants. Both parents died and the oldest sister married and moved to California. Emily and her sister Annie stayed together and were very close. Then Annie married. Annie's husband was a cousin to Uncle Henry and that is how Auntie Em met him. Annie was also Dorothy's mother. 

When Henry and Em go to Kansas to make a home they have no idea what awaits them. For a few years they are successful and prosperous. But then the tornadoes and dust storms come at them hard. No rain for such a long time. And they had to take in Dorothy when her parents were killed in an accident. Not that they considered Dorothy as anything less then a blessing. They tried hard to make a go of things. Together they could do anything. Almost.

You really get to know Emily and Henry. What they struggled with and the many losses. How much they love each other and how much they cherish Dorothy. She was the child they couldn't seem to have. 

There are a few secrets in this story. Annie has one major one and Emily keeps it. Emily also has a few secrets. Sometimes there just are just some secrets you have to keep to yourself. 

The people in the town of Liberal, KS are so nice. Very friendly and Emily fits right in with the ladies there. There is one who is a bit of a mean witch but what town doesn't have one of those, right. 

This story takes you on a trip through Auntie Em's life. Through the things that she and Uncle Henry go through. And the life they gave Dorothy. The love. Dorothy had a great life with them. 

I loved this book. The history that was told throughout was wonderful to read about. Though it was sad and showed what a hard life people had during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. The author kept those true to form. Do not skip the Historical Note and the Author Note at the end. Some good info there.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #Berkley,  for this ARC. It was wonderful.  

About

Long before Dorothy visits Oz, her aunt, Emily Gale, sets off on her own grand adventure, leaving gritty Chicago behind for Kansas and a life that will utterly change her, in this transporting novel from New York Times bestselling author Hazel Gaynor.

As featured in People ∙ Us Weekly ∙ Woman's World ∙ and more!

Chicago, 1924: Emily and her new husband, Henry, yearn to leave the bustle of Chicago for the promise of their own American dream among the harsh beauty of the prairie. But leaving the city means leaving Emily’s beloved sister, Annie, who was once closer to her than anyone in the world.

Kansas, 1932: Emily and Henry have established their new home among the warmth of the farming community in Kansas. Aligned to the fickle fortunes of nature, their lives hold a precarious and hopeful purpose, until tragedy strikes and their orphaned niece, Dorothy, lands on their doorstep.

The wide-eyed child isn’t the only thing to disrupt Emily’s world. Drought and devastating dust storms threaten to destroy everything, and her much-loved home becomes a place of uncertainty and danger. When the past catches up with the present and old secrets are exposed, Emily fears she will lose the most cherished thing of Dorothy.

Bursting with courage and heart, Before Dorothy tells the story of the woman who raised a beloved heroine, and ponders the what is the true meaning of home?

The Secret Library Of Hanna Reeves by Christine Nolfi

 

My thoughts

Christine Nolfi is an automatic read for me. Her books never disappoint. They are always thought provoking and emotional, with an ending that never leaves you hanging. 

This is about a woman, Claire, who takes a job cataloging antiques to sale. They belong to Hannah Reeves. A very rich woman who has been almost elusive since her father's death many years prior. While working, Claire, learns there is a secret library in the mansion. She is adamant about finding it. 

This book will make you want to keep reading well into the night. It was so hard for me to put down. I wanted to know everything. All the secrets. The characters are so wonderful and likable. Everyone that works for Hannah is so protective of her. Everyone who works there is a descendent of someone who had already worked there. Or at least most all. Hannah it seems is also very protective of her employees. You'll learn enough about each to get to know them. And a few other characters. 

The story is so well written and pulls you in from page one. There is nothing about it that will let you down. It was one that I absolutely loved. A heartfelt story of a woman who helped out people without wanting anything in return. From her heart. The love story part made me weep. I do mean Hannah's love story.

I look forward to the sequel to this one. Please hurry and get it written.... 

Thank you to the publisher for this ARC. 

About

An antiques dealer and an enigmatic heiress embark on a revelatory friendship in a haunting and hopeful novel about family ties, secrets, and belonging by the bestselling author of A Heart Like Home.

Cautious Claire Shelton, employee at a Maine antique shop, is surprised when she’s recruited to catalog the treasures of reclusive Hanna Reeves, sole descendant of the state’s most colorful shipbuilders and industrialists. Hanna’s retreat from society years ago is just one of many mysteries behind the walls of Rose Hill, her fabled estate.

Settling into Rose Hill’s carriage house, Claire finds Hanna, nearing eighty, to be a still-formidable woman. She’s demanding, judgmental, and protective of a mansion that is a veritable shrine to her ancestors. Then, diving into her work, Claire discovers a hidden library that is the stuff of legend among locals. An avid booklover, Claire is in heaven. More enthralling are Hanna’s leather-bound family journals that open Claire up to the past—and soon forge a rich and unexpected bond between two very different women.

A legacy is coming to light. All of Maine is talking. Because the revelations in the journals are enlightening enough to unite old friends, lovers, and families. And shocking enough to tear them apart forever.

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark

 

My thoughts

I loved this author's book THE LIES I TELL, and this one is even better. I devoured it.
This one had me guessing all the way through every time I thought I had it figured out something else happened and I WAS SO WRONG. I didn't know until the end. Or know as much as it allowed us to know.

Olivia is on the verge of losing everything. She was a successful writer who asked the wrong question at the wrong time. It was hard enough being a female in the writing world, but to call out a male for anything just ruined your career. He sued. She has to pay. She's broke.... Until she gets the call to ghostwrite a memoir. Not just any memoir either. Her father's memoir.

Back in 1975 two siblings were murdered in their family home. Their parents were out and the middle child, a brother, was with his girlfriend. Someone murdered Danny and Poppy Taylor and people have always believed it was Vincent. Olivia's father. A successful author himself. Did he do this heinous thing or was it a stranger? Could he have done it and if so why?

This story takes you back to the 1970s. The way kids were back then. Running free and being brave. Having bon fires. Living the good life. Until tragedy hits. You'll find throughout this story bits and pieces to make you have many guesses. You'll have enough to think you have solved the murders. Until the end when you find out what probably happened. Ok, you don't get a strong finality but you do get closure. At least I feel like I did. I loved the ending. It was very emotional. It was just the right kind of ending.

This book touches on rape and molestation. It was not strongly written about. Not where you should have a hard time reading it. Just know that it happened. Just enough and not too much.

I enjoyed reading this book so much. It is a page turner for sure. It had everything I love in a good thriller. Thrills of course. Some romance. Family. Drama. Oh boy the drama. And of course murder with a who done it twist. Also reunion of daughter and father. That was a good part for sure.

Thank you to the publisher for this ARC.

About

June, 1975.

The Taylor family shatters in a single night when two teenage siblings are found dead in their own home. The only surviving sibling, Vincent, never shakes the whispers and accusations that he was the one who killed them. Decades later, the legend only grows as his career as a horror writer skyrockets.

Ghostwriter Olivia Dumont has spent her entire professional life hiding the fact that she is the only child of Vincent Taylor. Now on the brink of financial ruin, she's offered a job to ghostwrite her father's last book. What she doesn't know, though, is that this project is another one of his lies. Because it's not another horror novel he wants her to write.

After fifty years of silence, Vincent Taylor is finally ready to talk about what really happened that night in 1975.

The Expat's Affair by Kimberly Belle

 

My thoughts

Definitely one of my favorite authors. I always want to read a Kimberly Belle book. And I'm never disappointed. 

This story is set in Amsterdam. It's about two women. One married to a very rich man. One who recently moved to Amsterdam after a divorce. This is about how diamonds may not always be a girls best friend....

When Rayna wakes to find a body in the shower she runs. Of course she does. Wouldn't you. It was just a night of drinking and meaningless sex. A man she met on Tinder. Xander works for a very rich family. He also knows how to make or grow diamonds. Perfect diamonds. Diamonds that you can't tell from the real thing. Could that have gotten him killed? What does Rayna know? 

Willow is married to Thomas Prins. Thomas Prins is the CEO of the diamond company. Willow has many secrets. But would she have had reason to kill Xander. Yes they kind of had a fling. Sorta of. Yes she has kept something from her husband. But he has secrets too. Maybe he is the killer. Or possibly it's his sister Fleur. She's angry at Thomas but is she angry enough to do this?

A story of an unlikely friendship. A family who seem to only care about money and standing. Someone either killed or had Xander killed. But could it have been one of the Prins? And the diamonds. Are they fake or the real thing? 

I enjoyed this book from start to finish. I loved the characters. I did figure out who the stalker was but that was ok. It didn't take away from the story at all. I didn't trust anyone they were all suspects to me. lol This story kept me guessing about some things though. Kept me turning the pages all the way. There was a secret unveiled that I didn't see coming and was so glad of the way it played out. I can't tell you what it is though. Just know the story ends good. 

Kimberly Belle always delivers for me. Well written and edge of your seat thrills. Family drama. A few lies and a murder. What more do you need? It's one I do highly recommend.

Thank you to the publisher for this ARC.  

About

An American expat‘s startling discovery plunges her into the glamorous but deadly world of Amsterdam’s diamond industry.

Following a nasty divorce, Rayna Dumont came to Amsterdam for a fresh start. She’s never been the type for a one-night stand, but this move is all about adventure, and Xander is handsome and successful and more than willing to go along for the ride. Until the morning after, when Rayna finds him dead on the shower floor and millions of dollars’ worth of diamonds missing from his safe.

From her lavish home in the heart of the city, Willow Prins is captivated by the news. Her husband is Xander’s former boss and heir to a diamond house, and the scandal strains their already-rocky marriage. As the house comes under scrutiny, Willow wonders if her life is about to implode—and how much of the blame she can place on Rayna. Soon, Willow and Rayna are dragged into the dark and dangerous underbelly of the diamond market, where they’ll have to uncover the truth to survive. Who killed Xander? Where are the missing diamonds? And who can you trust in a strange and unfamiliar city thousands of miles from home?

The Famine Orphans by Patricia Falvey

 

My thoughts

This was my first read by this author. I will look for more.

Quote on the last page that got to me:

"We are emigrants and we exist in two worlds, one past, one present, and we are nourished by both."

I enjoyed this book a great deal. It started out a little slow for me. To much on the ship I think. Though it was a necessary part of the story. 

The Irish potato farms were hit by a plague. The potatoes were rotting and people were starving. Most had to give up everything and join workhouses just to survive. Some didn't even survive that. This is a story of what happened to the many orphans were starving in Ireland. The ones who were sent to Australia to become a servant. Hopefully to find a job with a good family. 

This is the story of a group of young girls on a ship called the Sabine. A group who worked together on the ship to survive and hopefully get a good report so they would be hired. In this story you meet Kate Gilvarry. Kate left Ireland after the death of her mother. She left behind a younger brother. Kate works hard but seems to have horrible luck at every turn. Some didn't like her and to me it was just very unjust. Kate was smart and worked hard. But she also endured a lot. She was definitely a fighter. A survivor. 

You get to know other girls who were in Kate's small group also. What happened to each and how they ended up. This story does not leave you hanging. It has closure on all counts. Kate is the one telling this story and what a story it is. 

From 1848 on she tells about all the tribulations and triumphs she and her friends endure. There is a love story in here also. While I liked both men to an extent, one really captured my heart. I was glad Kate ended up happy after all she went through. Also the other girls. Bridie, Patsy, Mary, Lizzie, and Sheila. Lizzie and Sheila had the strongest friendship of them all but all were friends. Bridie was my favorite character besides Kate. She was just that kind of person who you want in your corner.

I will never as long as I have lived and may still live, understand why being an orphan makes people want to be cruel. It's not like they can help what happened to them. They have lost everyone and then face cruelty???

This book is based on the truth. Well researched and descriptive. It will hold your heart in many places. It is one that I do highly recommend.

Thank you to the publisher for this ARC.

About

A powerful, captivating novel of historical fiction from the acclaimed author of The Titanic Sisters, based on the little-known story of the thousands of young women sent from Irish workhouses to Australia after the Famine.

1848: The girls, 4,000 in all, come from every part of Ireland—from the shores of Galway to the Glens of Ulster and Belfast’s teeming streets—to board ships bound for Australia. All were chosen from Ireland’s crowded workhouses. Most are orphans. The Earl Grey Scheme was presented as an opportunity for young women to gain employment as domestic servants in the Colony. But there is another, unstated purpose—the girls are to “civilize” the many men sent there as convicts, so that settlements can be built.
 
Kate Gilvarry has spent six months in a Newry workhouse, subsisting on a diet of watery porridge. She knows there’s no future for her either within its walls or outside, in a ravaged, starving land. But once Kate’s ship completes the harrowing voyage, she and her companions find their reception in Sydney dismayingly unwelcoming, as anti-Irish sentiment grows. Homesick, and disillusioned by love following a shipboard crush, Kate strives to fit in, first as the servant of a demanding English woman, then as a farmer’s bride in the Outback.
 
When heat and drought force her husband to leave for long periods to work on a sheep ranch, Kate is left alone to fend off wild animals, drifters, and her aching loneliness. She longs to return to Ireland. But first, this beautiful, unforgiving country will teach her about resilience and survival, and the limitless possibilities that come with courage and love.
 
Evocative and compelling, The Famine Orphans is a testament to the young women whose pioneering spirit left an enduring legacy in a land so far from home. 

Marguerite By The Lake by Mary Dixie Carter

 

My thoughts

This is the second book I've read by this author. I believe this is her second book. Though it was fairly good, it was also a bit of a let down for me. Not bad, but not one that wowed me either. It kept me turning the pages and guessing what was coming though. That was a good thing.

I totally disliked the main character, Phoenix. She may have known flowers and other plants but was sorely lacking when it came to people. I didn't care for Marguerite either. She was to self-centered and came across as the "I'm better than you", type. She could be so condescending and obnoxious. Especially towards Phoenix. I understand why partly but not when Phoenix saved Marguerite's husbands life. Was she not grateful to the young lady? I didn't like him, Geoffrey, either. He seemed like the type that just used people to get what he wanted. I guess the only one I really liked was Taylor, the Gray's daughter. She at least seemed to care about people. She didn't much care for Phoenix though and I fully understand that.

This book was well written though it left a few things unanswered. For me at least. If I say what though it will give away some things that are important to the story. I did not like the ending. To me it did not sum up anything to well. I wanted some answers. I also wanted to see someone pay for what happened to Marguerite. 

This book had some horror overtures going on. Maybe a little gothic in the living picture. lol It didn't make me cringe though. It was just part of the story. Phoenix was losing her ever loving mind. What she stayed for is beyond me. But stay she did. And at the end I was just a bit confused. Did she burn the trees or herself. Or maybe herself and the trees. 

Thank you to the publisher for this ARC. 

About

From Mary Dixie Carter comes an atmospheric, tense novel about the death of a wealthy garden designer, her lonely widower, and the scrappy young gardener who smoothly steps into her life.

Marguerite Gray is a lifestyle icon known for her garden parties, high-end business ventures, and being the muse behind the famous Serge Kuhnert painting, Marguerite by the Lake. Her presence is overpowering, her taste, legendary. For the last few years, Phoenix has been the gardener on the famed Rosecliff grounds, home of the Gray Marguerite and her husband Geoffrey. Phoenix came from humble beginnings, and now she works hard to craft the landscape that underpins Marguerite’s brand.

When a storm threatens the launch party for Marguerite’s latest book, it’s Phoenix who spots the danger to the guests and rushes to Geoffrey’s side to save him from a falling tree. Geoffrey is grateful—perhaps too grateful. Marguerite is . . . jealous. Phoenix senses the danger of being drawn deeper into their lives but can’t resist the attention, becoming embroiled in an affair that could destroy her career.

But soon after the affair begins Marguerite falls to her death, from the same high point at Rosecliff where she posed for Marguerite by the Lake. Now Phoenix has another secret, one that haunts her even as Geoffrey invites her to move into the manor with him. A secret that Detective Hanna and Marguerite’s daughter—her spitting image—are circling closer and closer to. Phoenix tries to put it all behind her and find her rightful place at Rosecliff. But as every gardener knows, nothing stays buried forever.

Death At A Highland Wedding by Kelley Armstrong

 

My thoughts

I've enjoyed this series so much. I already look forward to the next book. I am rooting for Gray and Mallory to end up together. Though she has gone back 150 years in the past and basically decided to stay there Mallory pretty much has fallen for Gray. 

In this book the group go to the Cranstons estate for a wedding. While there they encounter a few things that will make you cringe. And there is a murder. The murder of the groom's best friend. All is not as it seems though. While trying to find out who the murderer is Gray and Mallory uncover some pretty dark and sinister things. Things that the deceased may have done and the grounds keeper is part of. 

I enjoyed this book so much. It was a real page turner. It keeps you guessing and keeps you on edge. The things going on are of a touchy nature. Or I should say things there went on. There are a few love tangles along the way. Some scandals also. Even back in this time period women were held responsible for anything that may happen to them of a sexual nature that they may not have wanted. Pretty much the same is today.

There are quite a few secrets revealed. A murder of course. Attempted kidnapping possibly. There are a few who could be guilty. I can't say I was shocked at who the murderer was even though I didn't guess. The reason fit. 

My favorite character in this book was Fiona. She was just fun. And so honest. My least favorite was Muller. He was a cad of the worse kind. I look forward to reading more about Gray, Mallory, Isla, and McCreadie. Where they will end up next. I think this is my favorite book of this series so far. All are great though. This author knows how to write a story that pulls you in and keeps you wanting more.

Thank you to the publisher for this ARC.

About

Death at a Highland Wedding is the fourth installment in New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong's gripping Rip Through Time Novels.

After slipping 150 years into the past, modern-day homicide detective Mallory Atkinson has embraced her new life in Victorian Scotland as housemaid Catriona Mitchel. Although it isn’t what she expected, she's developed real, meaningful relationships with the people around her and has come to love her role as assistant to undertaker Dr. Duncan Gray and Detective Hugh McCreadie.

Mallory, Gray, and McCreadie are on their way to the Scottish Highlands for McCreadie's younger sister's wedding. The McCreadies and the groom’s family, the Cranstons, have a complicated history which has made the weekend quite uncomfortable. But the Cranston estate is beautiful so Gray and Mallory decide to escape the stifling company and set off to explore the castle and surrounding wilderness. They discover that the groom, Archie Cranston, a slightly pompous and prickly man, has set up deadly traps in the woods for the endangered Scottish wildcats, and they soon come across a cat who's been caught and severely injured. Oddly, Mallory notices the cat's injuries don't match up with the intricacies of the trap. These strange irregularities, combined with the secretive and erratic behavior of the groom, put Mallory and Duncan on edge. And then when one of the guests is murdered, they must work fast to uncover the murderer before another life is lost.

New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong’s unique time travel mystery series continues to entertain as Mallory adjusts to life in the 1870s. 

Letters From Strangers by Susan Walter

 

My thoughts

I read and listened to this book. The narrators did such a good job. It felt like I was right in the middle of the drama. And boy was there drama. But it was so good. A well written story. It will make you stop and think about what you would do in this situation. Both as the mothers and as the child. 

This is a story of love and grief. Of loss and finding. A story of family. 

It's told from a few different points of views and different timelines. 

Jane's dad died and she found letters in his desk from another woman. Not from her mother. Jane's parents never separated or divorced so this is a shock to her. Jane takes the letters to her house and reads them. She finds that her dad may have fathered a child by this other woman who is only know by initials GM. And she lives in Boston, MA. 

Apparently Jane's dad has been seeing this woman for many years. She knew he was married but still had a lifelong affair. I did not like her. She should have had better sense than that. How dare she. And yes part of me felt sorry for her. He was her first love and seems they both loved each other deeply. But he married someone else so how much could he really have loved her? Or respected her. Or himself.

You read some letters to a child that was given up for adoption almost seventeen years prior and letter from the mother to the child. Also the love letters from GM to Richie, the married man. 

I didn't like Jane's husband either. He was not in the least supportive about her and finding out about this other woman. He was not supportive to her in her quest to find a possible half brother. I never believed he wanted a child either. He was just a jerk. 

I think Jane's mother was a bit mean but I kind of understood her feelings. In a way. She had been done wrong throughout her marriage. She had two children by this man and he was seeing another woman almost the whole time. 

I enjoyed reading this book even though parts sure made me mad. I liked the son, Adam and I loved Rowan. Though I do think he and Jane rushed into sex way to fast. I still liked him. I liked Jane and her brother Kenny. I finally liked her mother but it took a while. I didn't like Richie or GM. 

This story keeps you turning the pages to find out who is who and what happened back then. Also what is going to happen now. It has a big surprise that I personally did not see coming for some reason. But I did love it. Well played... 

This book hits on abortion, death, loss of baby, adoption, weight problems(both losing and gaining). It shows that people have real problems. Lots of real problems. 

Thank you to the publisher and author for the arc of this book. 

About

From the creator of the 2017 film All I Wish comes the heartbreaking story of two strangers searching for the truth about their families—and discovering a secret that will change their lives forever.

Jane’s father is far from perfect. But his sudden death brings crushing grief. As Jane grapples with her pain, life delivers another a stack of letters pointing to a secret life. A life her father shared with another woman…who may have had his child.

Across the country, sixteen-year-old Adam is self-destructing. His adoptive parents never intended to show him the unsigned letters from his birth mother, but he is desperate for answers, even if they hurt.

Jane and Adam are on a collision course, but not for the reasons we might suspect. Because the letters do not tell the whole story. What is true is that Adam and Jane are both looking for a woman who does not want to be found.

A family saga spanning two decades, this emotional story explores how good things can grow from the ashes of old scars.

Little Child Gone by Stacy Green

 

My thoughts

This is the best series I've read. The best thriller series. I'm so glad there will be more Nikki Hunt books. This author knows how to pull you in and keep you turning the pages. Holding your interest and making you feel like you are there. Stacy Green is one fantastic thriller/mystery writer. 

In this, book #10, Nikki Hunt has a couple of cases going. One a cold case. Two bodies found in a boarded up apartment in a house. The other a boy is missing. Actually there are a couple of boys missing around the same age. 

Ms Smith and her three children move in with Karl Hendrickson. Not in a romantic way but to work. To help him and have a safe place to live. Karl cared deeply for Ms Smith. Like the daughter he always wanted he said. He had a daughter but she was a bit cruel. She didn't care about anyone else and hated Ms Smith and her children. She accused them of sponging off her father and stealing from him. She said they were using him to get money. Karl told his daughter to leave and never return. 

When Christy and Jared's son goes missing Nikki wonders if it's possibly related to two other freshman boys who went missing. One was found washed up on the creek bed but the other was still missing. Taylor was mad at his mom and she figured that was the reason he didn't come home. Until she finds out he never showed for work. And he never contacted anyone. 

There is a whole lot going on in this book but I promise it's easy to follow. You hear all about each family. Both the cold case and the newly missing boy. Nikki and her team work hard to find out who the bodies in the closet are and who took Taylor. Or if Taylor ran away. She investigates all the involved parties and uncovers a few things that these people didn't want her to know about. Or anyone to know about. 

This author always writes books that keep you guessing but rarely will you figure out who did what and why. At least with this one I didn't. The descriptions are so well done and the edge of your seat thrills are perfection. Stacy Green always produces the best thriller books.

Thank you to the publisher for this ARC. 

About

The wind from the storm outside blows through the house, making Nikki’s eyes sting. The secret room is hidden behind a wardrobe in the dusty, abandoned living room. A light flickers to reveal a dark stain on the floor, and two sets of fragile bones…

Standing in the old farmhouse, Special Agent Nikki Hunt holds her breath as the smell of bleach overwhelms her. She can’t take her eyes off the blue baby toys scattered around the floor as her team examine the remains. A housekeeper and her three children disappeared from the property ten years ago. Do the bones belong to two of them? Did the other two survive?

But before Nikki has a chance to investigate further, she receives a panicked call from the local sheriff begging for her help: fourteen-year-old Taylor Hall has gone missing. In the boy’s grand family home, Nikki finds his mother and father utterly distraught, but there are whispers about his mother’s drinking habit. Despite the younger children’s rosy cheeks, and the plates of homemade fudge, is this family hiding secrets?

While digging into Taylor’s life, Nikki spots a crumpled note sticking out of his locker at school. Her finger traces the exact date the housekeeper went missing from the old farmhouse, and a “Bailey”. Is this Taylor? As a child, did he survive what happened all those years ago? Or is someone playing a cruel game with Nikki?

The truth about Taylor’s real family is deadlier than Nikki could imagine, and he will have to dig deeper than ever before to save him. Can she unravel the terrible events of the past and protect more than one innocent life before her time runs out?

Fans of Lisa Regan, Mary Burton and Kendra Elliot will be up all night reading this electrifying thriller from USA Today bestseller Stacy Green.

The Girls Of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris

 

My thoughts

By the author of SOLD ON A MONDAY, which was my all time favorite by this author. This one pulls you right in and keeps you wanting more. 

You meet Celia in prison at the beginning of this story. Set in the late 1800's and told from before Celia's imprisonment and after. You get to know her and how she became a prisoner. And why. 

Celia is a housekeep for a very rich family in Oregon. Her and the couple's son are madly in love. Stephen has to go abroad for school but vows that he and Celia will marry when he returns. Celia holds on to that while suffering a devastating loss. Her father, a Chinese man, was killed in a slaughter at a gold mine. Celia finds out she's with child and the Bettencourt's, Stephens parents, send her away. They don't want to believe that she is truly pregnant by their son. She's half Chinese and a maid. And they are upper class and a bit snobbish. 

Celia goes through so much once she has to leave. They've sent her to a brothel to be a maid and she works hard. She gives birth and ends up being taken away for a bit. She's on an adventure that no young woman needs to be on. You find out why she was put in jail and how she managed to get out. How she survived the whole ordeal and got back to her baby. Only to find her precious Pearl gone...

This book is heartbreaking and heartwarming. It deals with bigotry and hatred. Towards the Chinese. You will be rooting for Celia and Stephen to find their way back to each other. And for justice for what happened along the way. 

I enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it. This author did a great job of researching the time period and she left a couple of recipes at the end that sound good. I'll have to try them.

Thank you to the publisher for this ARC.

About

The New York Times bestselling author of Sold on a Monday and The Ways We Hide shines a light on shocking events surrounding Portland's dark history in this gripping novel of love, lore, and betrayal. 

She came from a lineage known for good fortune…by those who don't know the whole story. 

Oregon, 1888. Amid the subterranean labyrinth of Portland's notorious Shanghai Tunnels, a woman awakens in an underground cell, drugged and disguised. Celia soon realizes she's a "shanghaied" victim on the verge of being shipped off as forced labor, leaving behind those she loves most. Although well accustomed to adapting for survival—being half-Chinese, passing as white during an era fraught with anti-Chinese sentiment—she fears that far more than her own fate hangs in the balance.

As she pieces together the twisting path that led to her abduction, from serving as a maid for the family of a dubious mayor to becoming entwined in the case of a goldminers' massacre, revelations emerge of a child left in peril. Desperate, Celia must find a way to escape and return to a place where unearthed secrets can prove deadlier than the dark recesses of Chinatown.

 A captivating tale of resilience and hope, The Girls of Good Fortune explores the complexity of family and identity, the importance of stories that echo through generations, and the power of strength found beneath the surface.

The Man Made of Smoke by Alex North

 

My thoughts

This book absolutely captivated me. I had no idea where it was going at first but couldn't put it down. 

 

You follow Dan Garvie from when he was just a kid who escaped a serial killer at a rest stop. Dan was with his parents and his best friend Sarah. He always felt guilty that he didn't save the little boy that was with this man. The boy with the haunted eyes. The scared child that it seemed everyone turned their backs on. 

You meet Dan and his childhood friend and the bully who became the sheriff after Dan's dad retired. You hear from Dan's dad also. Dan was called to come home because it appeared his dad committed suicide. Dan is a prison psychologist. He listens to the worse of the worse as they try to come to terms with things that happened to them. Dan feels so much guilt over the little boy from his childhood. 

Dan and his dad didn't have such a good relationship. He mother left shortly after what happened at the rest stop. Each had their own problems. 

This is a very intense story. One that will captivate you. Hold your interest all the way. Parts made me cry and near the end it made me weep. I forgot about the letter that 

You'll be trying to figure out who the Pied Piper is. Who the killer is. And what happened to all the children. All the adults. Why is this guy doing these things? What happened to him to make him so cruel. And he is cruel. 

The Pied Piper always said, "Nobody sees. Nobody cares". But my favorite line in this book was at the end... "We See. We care."

This author knows how to write a good thriller/horror story. This one had me on the edge quite a lot and I did not guess who he was. I did have a few guesses of course. I was always wrong. 

If you like a page turner thriller with a touch of horror wrapped in you need to grab this one. 

I received an ARC via NetGalley and a physical copy from the publisher. This is my honest opinion of this book. 

I'll be looking for more by this author. 

About

The latest gripping serial killer thriller from the New York Times bestselling author Alex North.

Dan Garvie’s life has been haunted by the crime he witnessed as a child—narrowly escaping an encounter with a notorious serial killer. He has dedicated his life since to becoming a criminal profiler, eager to seek justice for innocent victims. So when his father passes away under suspicious circumstances, Dan revisits his small island community, determined to uncover the truth about his death. Is it possible that the monster he remembers from his childhood nightmares has returned after all these years?

With his signature shock and suspense, Alex North brings us The Man Made of Smoke. In turn emotional, introspective, and utterly terrifying, this is a story of fathers and sons, shadows and secrets, and the fight we all face to escape the trauma of the past.