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Murder on West Main (A South Shore Mystery) by I.M. Foster – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

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Murder on West Main: A South Shore MysteryMurder on West Main: A South Shore Mystery by I.M. Foster
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Murder on West Main is Book Two in the South Shore Mystery Series. It is a historical cozy mystery set in a small town in the early 1900’s. This book will grab you from the first few pages as the main character, Colin, is implicated in the murder of his boss. All clues, including an earlier altercation with his boss and his fingerprints on the body seem to point to him as the prime suspect. However, Colin’s sister Kathleen, and the local coroner’s assistant, Daniel, have their doubts as to his guilt so his sister Kathleen decides to conduct her own investigation. As she delves into the clues things quickly take a dark and dangerous turn. It is soon discovered that Colin’s boss was not a popular man, and the list of suspects grow. This book had strong characters, a great storyline, an amazing book cover and was packed full of crime, drama, action, suspense, mystery, murder, and old-fashioned sleuthing.

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This Night Has Ended (Vampire State Book 5) by Alexander Charalambides – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

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This Night Has EndedThis Night Has Ended by Alexander Charalambides
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Night Has Ended is Book 5 in the Vampire State Series. Rowena’s fate is hanging in the balance as she struggles to keep a dark secret to herself. She finds herself often doubled over in pain and battling frequent seizures as her transformation continues. Rowena cannot let the pain slow her down because the Empire is in chaos and the fate of the human population of Sanguinia is precarious at best. Sanguinia is in desperate need of a new Emperor and Rowena has a plan, but will anyone listen to her or go along with her plan?

The story was well written, the characters were relatable and the world of Sanguinia was described so vividly that I felt as though I was there. I loved the character of Rowena and found her strength and courage in the pursuit of her plan to be admirable. She never allowed anyone or anything to get in her way or stop her from pursuing her plan. I found the character of Vincenzo to be smart, determined and it was obvious that he loved Rowena and would do anything for her. Luka was a character that you love to hate. He is bloodthirsty and angry at the world for how his life has turned out. Luka chooses to lash out at everyone and is determined to kill anyone he feels is responsible for his bad fortune. Although you can understand his pain and empathize with him, his behavior as a result seems unforgivable. This story put a new spin on the battle between vampires and humans. It is full of action, danger, politics, violence, suspense, and secrets. It leads to a conclusion that takes a twist the reader does not see coming. This book is a must read for anyone that loves a good vampire story!

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The Scent of Gardenias by Lorraine Haas – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

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The Scent of GardeniasThe Scent of Gardenias by Lorraine Haas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Growing up in impoverished conditions in the 1940’s, young Margaret Rose dreams of making a better life for herself. She is also determined to escape the iron rule of her father and when she meets Eugene, an older man, she finds the opportunity to do so. When Margaret Rose announces her engagement to Eugene her father is dead set against their marriage because he has already promised her hand in marriage to a neighboring farmer’s son. Margaret Rose refuses to wed the neighbor’s son and instead chooses to elope with Eugene. Margaret Rose’s hopes of a brighter future are soon dashed when she receives news that her husband has died in the war. Pregnant and alone with no money to support herself or her child, Margaret Rose is forced to return home and live with her parents.

Margaret Rose is dead set against staying with her parents and wants to pursue her nurse’s training. However, she now finds she is unable to do because she has two small children and no woman with a child can be accepted into nurse’s training. Undeterred by this, Margaret Rose finds a way to pursue her nurse’s training in New York. While there she meets a good looking and charming young man who sweeps her off her feet. Soon Margaret Rose is wed and living her dream life with a beautiful home complete with a white picket fence. However, she soon discovers that her husband has been keeping some dark secrets from her and he is not who she thought he was. As Margaret Rose starts to dig deeper into her husband’s secrets, she finds the lives of herself, and her three children are in danger. Finding herself far from home and with nobody she can trust, Margaret Rose must rely on her wits and savvy to devise a plan to save herself and her children.

This was a beautiful and poignant story of a young woman who overcame many of the challenges women faced in the 1940’s as she pursued her dream of creating a better life for herself and her children. Margaret Rose is a young woman who was well ahead of her time and her story of how she overcame insurmountable odds is a true inspiration. She is a woman to be admired as she faces each obstacle with grit, determination, and courage despite the odds being stacked against her. Margaret Rose’s story is full of raw emotion as she pursues love and acceptance from her family and from the men in her life. It will tug at your heart strings and at times leave you in tears. This book is beautifully written, and a must read for anyone that enjoys historical fiction!

View all my reviews@TaraJohnsonBarnes