Lost and Found: A Logan McKenna Mystery Book 9 by Valerie Davisson My rating: 4 of 5 stars This author delivers another powerful read! Our sonata-playing sleuth solves murderous mysteries that almost always seem to find her. We have an undocumented immigrant who gets forced into a crime via threats to his family. Readers will […]
Necromancy the Musical by Debbie Hibbert My rating: 5 of 5 stars Not a musical. Set in New Orleans, a city of magic, and of dark magic. A single-dad homicide detective whose secret weapon is a slightly magical teenage daughter. Drama camp romance. Best friends. Young love. Of course, there is a nemesis. Then again, […]
Sarge by Stuart Ledwith My rating: 5 of 5 stars I loved getting to read the backstory of this enigmatic hero. Readers can be inspired by the hope that comes from seeing the caring adults who step in and step up to help a teen become a man. It was interesting to see the paths […]
Hot Flashes and Hockey Slashes by Marika Ray My rating: 4 of 5 stars Oh, my stars, this sure was funny! I can’t imagine having to attend my ex-husband’s wedding. But then again, my ex tied the knot the very day our divorce was final. I love how the main characters were both over forty. […]
Melt My Heart by Alicia Street My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is excellent escapism. The hero is a veteran with PTSD issues. The heroine has her own baggage. They connected through the rescue of an injured dog. Life in a small town where everyone knows everyone else’s business causes conflict in their budding […]
My Murder Year by Kate Larkindale My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is a wonderful read. It contains sensitive subject matter, though. When a mother is found murdered, her teenage daughter is suddenly in the midst of a complicated custody battle. What is the definition of family? Throw in the who-done-it aspect of the […]
Tears into Gold by Cori Cooper My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is a love story. It is also a new take on the tale of King Midas. It’s a cautionary tale about yearning for what you think you lack. There is magic, so much magic, and the author seems to be saying that […]
The Moon That Fell from Heaven by N.L. Holmes My rating: 4 of 5 stars This book is full of historical details. I was captivated by the history enmeshed within the story. Poetry from an ancient civilization is featured. In a diplomatic mission gone awry, a poet inadvertently finds himself cast as a hero, if […]
Lies That Bind by Valerie Davisson My rating: 4 of 5 stars This book explores the theme of man versus man, and the devastation that family secrets can leave in their path. From the time of Prohibition, two separate families began lying. Some of the lies were innocuous. Generations later, their descendants are still dealing […]
Wondogfilled: Look, a Dog! The story for children who love dogs between the ages of 0-8. A perfect addition to home and classroom libraries. by Dr. Kimberlie Harris My rating: 4 of 5 stars This book is narrated by a precious young toddler. He loves dogs. He is convinced that each animal he encounters is […]
Safe Harbor: Logan McKenna Book 5 by Valerie Davisson My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is another stellar mystery. It is bookended with visits from a long-lost parent. The main character finds herself drawn into the aftermath of another nefarious murder. Being an amateur musician myself, I found myself enthralled with the musical details […]
Faking the Fall: A Buckeye Falls Novel by Libby Kay My rating: 4 of 5 stars I first encountered the main character as a supporting character in a previous book in this series. I enjoyed learning more about her. It was also nice to revisit the small town in which this series is set. What […]
Devil’s Claw: A Logan McKenna Mystery/Thriller Book 3 by Valerie Davisson My rating: 4 of 5 stars My middle child, now in her twenties, used to be obsessed with sea otters when she was little. We had to have a sea otter birthday cake, and we had to watch sea otters on the Monterey Bay […]
Gumshoe Goes To A Quinceanera by Laura Hawks My rating: 4 of 5 stars This book has everything. It is a young adult book, so teens are the main characters, aside from the title character. There is a quinceanera, so readers learn a bit about this special tradition for young Latina women. There are some […]
The Hand of God: From Oppenheimer to Hypersonics – A Crash Course on Nuclear Weapons and Humankind’s Most Dangerous Game by Paul McCarthy My rating: 4 of 5 stars Without being too heavy on the scientific details, this book was a good read. The author provided enough details for me to feel good about my […]
Mr. Barsins’ Toy Emporium by Lois Wickstrom My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is an atypical story concerned with a toy store for atypical toys. There is nothing mundane or ordinary in this story. What you will find are interlocking tales of families working together and children learning to make difficult choices. Characters learn […]
A Death on Fools Lane by Jane Suen My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is a well-crafted mystery. The characters are believable- they are real enough to be fallible. I enjoyed the fact that the characters were able to minister to others in times of great sorrow. Readers who have not personally encountered tragedy […]
The Secrets of Arkaim by B. E. Padgett My rating: 5 of 5 stars Another gripping installment in a fascinating series. The setting is a boarding school for students who possess extraordinary abilities. The main characters are a set of gifted twins from a family of both gifted and non gifted family members. The family […]
Lucky Break by Lee Wood My rating: 5 of 5 stars I can’t get enough of this series! This starts off as a typical who-done-it, however it is anything but typical. The author weaves characters and motives throughout the tale with the deftness of a master weaver. I like the policeman who went the extra […]
Rocketship Made of Stars: Naming Constellations by Lois Wickstrom My rating: 4 of 5 stars The main character brings an alien to school with her. There are no security hoops to jump through in order for this to happen. The main character has classmates who are kind to their class visitor. The teacher and the […]
Xenia Navarro and the Magic Ants by Lois Wickstrom My rating: 4 of 5 stars This book is a heartbreakingly beautiful story. Parts of it are ripped from today’s headlines. The author gives a nod to various conspiracy theories. The main characters, two siblings along with their cousin, must use a science experiment to help […]
The Guardsman by Cat Treadgold My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is a great book for anyone who likes suspense with a little bit of romance involved. The characters are sweet, without being saccharine, yet realistic without being too gritty. The storyline crosses continents. Readers quickly become absorbed in this family saga. I recommend […]
I Am An Outer Space Alien by Lois Wickstrom My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is a delightful tale of a young girl who hates her name. She has an imaginary (or is she real after all?) alien friend. The story is out of this world, as is the artwork! The two youngsters must […]
Sage Advice by Cori Cooper My rating: 5 of 5 stars The author takes readers back in time to senior year of high school. Readers get to experience the highs and lows of teen romance. The heroine is protecting her heart. At the same time, she is dishing out advice to her peers anonymously through […]
Complicated Choices by Risa Nyman My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is a wonderful story. A high school senior sacrifices her summer and her senior year. Her single mother is suffering a severe depression following an unplanned pregnancy. The heroine experiences judgment from all sides, as people assume she is a young teen mother. […]
Mr Lucky by Lee Wood My rating: 5 of 5 stars This was a fabulous book! Having been homeless myself, the storyline really resonated with me. The protagonist and the antagonist had actually crossed paths several times. The theme of irony is prevalent throughout the story. I made it to the very end of the […]
Back to the 80’s by S.E. Reichert My rating: 4 of 5 stars I laughed. I cried. There was romance, and heartbreak. There was a secondary, behind-the scenes romance. The author explored the theme of hanging onto the past versus living only for the future. The characters were amazingly well-thought-out and developed. What a collaboration! […]
How to Catch Little Boys and Eat Them by Lois Wickstrom My rating: 5 of 5 stars This book is hysterical! The premise of the book is ingenious. I find the pop culture references quite amusing. The artwork is incredibly beautiful. It reminds me of the forest witch luring children to her candy-adorned hut in […]
Hole in the Rock by Rebecca Bischoff My rating: 4 of 5 stars This book is so hilarious! The story begins when the main character makes a fateful decision. Everything else simply seems to snowball from there. Our reluctant heroine learns the value of honesty. She also learns about unity. I didn’t even realize this […]
Parisian Intrigue by Kimberly Mullins My rating: 5 of 5 stars The author takes readers on a trans-Atlantic voyage to a World’s fair-type of expo, held in Paris in 1889. The details about the exposition were interesting. I especially enjoyed the details concerning the Eiffel Tower. Two mysteries overlap within this tale. Readers will enjoy […]
