Well…I did nothing this month except work and read…so here are pictures of my dogs!
Now…on to the
I also listened to 4 more audiobooks which I did not review on my blog. You can see my reviews on Tiktok or Instagram! And please follow…hel a girl out!
So….what did you read and enjoy?
Overview
When former platoon sergeant Matt Kubelsky is paroled from Ray Brook Federal Correctional Institute in upstate New York, he’s surprised to find his ex-girlfriend waiting for him out in the parking lot. An ex-girlfriend he’s spent years pining for after she dumped him. An ex-girlfriend who wonders if her apparently criminally-hardened ex-boyfriend can help her out of some extra-legal difficulty of her own.
During the years Matt was in prison, Kelly Haggerty discovered she couldn’t earn a satisfactory living as an artist, so she turned her artistic talents to counterfeiting foreign currency—and ended up embroiled in an international money laundering intrigue. Now she hopes she can get herself out of trouble with a cleverly-plotted theft and one last enormous score.
The missing ingredient is someone Kelly can trust to do the dirty work, recruiting career criminals who won’t flinch at the opportunity to make good money by whatever means necessary. And Matt is happy to oblige, as it seems like the perfect opportunity to settle the score with the men responsible for ruining his life and putting him away for a crime he didn’t commit. The heist—a horseback robbery of valuable artwork from a speeding Amtrak train—seems to be going perfectly, until one of the players starts to suspect he’s been paid in counterfeit bills . . .
Review
Matt has been released from prison and his ex-girlfriend, one he hasn’t seen in years, has picked him up. He thinks it is because she has finally decided she can’t live without him. But, this is not the case. She has a money laundering project and she needs his help. So much for going straight and clean. Matt immediately jumps back into the fire.
This is more of a 3 and 1/2 stars…you round up right! So that’s what I did. This book is a slow burn and I am not a big fan of that type of book. It did get intense and it sure did get physical, it was just a bit late in the story. The plot of the counterfeit scheme and the stolen art is very unique, in my opinion. I enjoyed all the intricate planning surrounding this undercover operation. It definitely takes some smarts to pull this off…too bad the bad guys didn’t actually pull it off without a hitch!
Now, I am not going to lie, but Matt with that sword…that would be something I would like to see on the big screen. You will have to read this to find out!
Need a good cops and robbers novel…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
Purchase here
Overview
Four generations of women experience love, loss, war, and hope from the rise of Nazism to the Cuban Revolution and finally, the fall of the Berlin Wall in this sweeping novel from the bestselling author of the “timely must-read” (People) The German Girl.
Berlin, 1931: Ally Keller, a talented young poet, is alone and scared when she gives birth to a mixed-race daughter she names Lilith. As the Nazis rise to power, Ally knows she must keep her baby in the shadows to protect her against Hitler’s deadly ideology of Aryan purity. But as she grows, it becomes more and more difficult to keep Lilith hidden so Ally sets in motion a dangerous and desperate plan to send her daughter across the ocean to safety.
Havana, 1958: Now an adult, Lilith has few memories of her mother or her childhood in Germany. Besides, she’s too excited for her future with her beloved Martin, a Cuban pilot with strong ties to the Batista government. But as the flames of revolution ignite, Lilith and her newborn daughter, Nadine, find themselves at a terrifying crossroads.
Berlin, 1988: As a scientist in Berlin, Nadine is dedicated to ensuring the dignity of the remains of all those who were murdered by the Nazis. Yet she has spent her entire lifetime avoiding the truth about her own family’s history. It takes her daughter, Luna, to encourage Nadine to uncover the truth about the choices her mother and grandmother made to ensure the survival of their children. And it will fall to Luna to come to terms with a shocking betrayal that changes everything she thought she knew about her family’s past.
Separated by time but united by sacrifice, four women embark on journeys of self-discovery and find themselves to be living testaments to the power of motherly love.
Review
Ally has given birth to a mixed race daughter, Lilith. As the Nazis rise to power, Lilith’s life is threatened every day. So, Ally does an ultimate sacrifice. She sends her daughter overseas for protection. This would change their lives and destinies forever.
This is a story which spans several decades and several famous events. I especially enjoyed the part set in Cuba. I learned quite a bit about this time period.
I was supposed to physically read this one but I had a good many books due so I decided to get it from audible. I am glad I did. I will be honest, if I had physically read it, I probably would have DNFed it. It is a tad bit slow in places. But, don’t hold that against this book because the ending is the best. And I would have missed that!
Need a good family saga…this is it! Grab your copy today!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
Purchase Here
About The Book:
Sheetal Prasad, a glamorous, twenty-two-year-old oil painter, is the envy of Raigun, India. Her homeland, now modern and global, at last allows women to marry for love, and Sheetal is determined to wed her college sweetheart. Her parents, however, insist she fulfill her familial duty, preserve their honor, and marry millionaire Rakesh Dhanraj—or be cast out forever.
The alliance of the Prasad and Dhanraj families drowns Sheetal in a web of lies, deceit, and betrayal. In her plan to sever this marriage and escape, Sheetal uncovers numerous devastating secrets that threaten to bring down the two family dynasties. When the Dhanraj’s tyranny threatens her son, Sheetal has no choice but to protect the boy at all costs, burning down the façade of her abusive marriage and empowering herself to break free of all bondages.
Review
Sheetal is now married to someone she does not love, Rakish. Her parents insisted on this marriage. She had hoped to marry her high school sweetheart. But, her life is not her own. And she is now trapped in a marriage full of lies and deception.
Rakish is definitely an enigma. I didn’t know where his brain or his heart was most of the time. One minute he acts like he loves Sheetal and then the next…! But, she is not completely innocent either. Now, keep in mind this is a different culture. But, I wanted to teach her a lesson or two about graciousness. She acted a bit spoiled in places. But, she is in a unique situation that is very uncommon in my world. So, I gave her some leeway. Rakish I did not…I wanted to really do some damage to him!
I love how the author brings to light so many issues in this area of the world. This is probably the main part of this story which resonated the most. The differences between the men and women, the family dictations, the wealth and the poverty are all well displayed in this tale.
There is so much that I enjoyed about this book. The location, the culture, and the intensity. I did get a bit frustrated with the characters in places. But, I just couldn’t stop reading about them! I enjoy a book which can override my frustrations with a fabulous story!
Need a book set in a different culture with unique family situations…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.
I received this novel from the author for a honest review.
About The Author:
Fiction author, international freelance journalist, blogger and former newspaper reporter, Anju was born in India but grew up in British Hong Kong. She was first published at the age of seven in Hong Kong’s leading English language newspaper, South China Morning Post, won an essay competition shortly after and filled numerous diaries with poems. The writing bug continued to bite, and Anju pursued her passion as a freelance journalist while globetrotting with her husband and raising two kids.
Anju’s Indian upbringing and British education had a profound influence on her writing and she describes growing up in colonial Hong Kong: living ‘Bend It Like Beckham’ but without the soccer. A fitness-freak, Anju admits she is no athlete. An avid blogger, Anju loves to travel, read and share great fiction reads and Holly-Bollywood mashups. Forever in pursuit of the next best vegetarian cuisine, Anju enjoys fusion-cooking and can often be found creating new dishes with Western-Indian ingredients and the same zest and synergy she blends in every story.
Anju’s fiction explores how the distinct mindsets and traditions of different cultures shape people’s values, thinking, and behavior patterns—for both good and evil—despite the leveling effects of 21st century communication and travel.
Anju earned a Bachelors degree in English Literature in India, followed by a teaching degree in the United Kingdom. She also studied Creative Writing in Australia and has been published in cover stories, fiction, feature, news, interviews, travel, perspective pieces, blogs and more across Hong Kong, Singapore, India, Australia and the U.S. Anju finally dug her roots in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A., with her husband, 2 dashing boys and a rebel lion-head rabbit.
Social Media:
Website: www.anjugattani.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Anju.Gattani.Author/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/anju_gattani27
Twitter: @Anju_Gattani
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5392481.Anju_Gattani
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/anju-gattani
Purchase Here
Overview
I know what you did. You destroyed my life. Now I’m going to take everything from you, starting with your husband. I’m your worst nightmare, and I’m closer than you think.
Moving to Prospect Close has been everything I’d hoped for. In the city, Oliver and I barely saw each other, irritable at home and rushing around after the kids. But here, the neighbors have been so friendly and welcoming, and we’re now at barbeques and playdates every weekend, all together, as a family. It’s the type of life I always dreamed of. One that’s a million miles from…before. Not that Oliver would know anything about that.
But recently Oliver has been behaving strangely–staying out late, working weekends, and absent even when home. I don’t want to question our idyllic life, but when I find a receipt for a hotel room, including champagne, in his coat pocket, what else can I assume other than he’s cheating?
Or could it be even worse than that? What if the past isn’t just haunting me, it’s coming back to destroy me?
Because yesterday I received an anonymous note. One that changes everything. It seems that someone in Prospect Close knows my secret. Someone who’s willing to do whatever it takes to get their revenge, including stealing my husband. Unless I can find them first….
Astonishing, compelling with a jaw-dropping twist, if you love Lisa Jewell, K. L. Slater, and Jackie Kabler, you’ll love The Mistress Next Door.
Review
Tilly has gone missing. Harriet looks away for a brief second and she is gone. She is found a short time later and everyone thinks Harriet’s child just wandered off. But Harriet knows there is more. She keeps getting these strange notes threatening her with her past and her secrets.
Ok, before we get started there are just a few issues, and yes I did enjoy the book. But, I did not like the narrator’s voice for the child. Luckily the child did not speak very much. Then there is Oliver. I was not a big fan of this man on several levels. But, these are minor issues and they are MY issues. Just some thoughts that stuck with me throughout listening to this novel.
Harriet really tries to keep it together. I struggled right along with her. But she has some big secrets herself that she is not sharing. Then she discovers the receipt in Oliver’s jacket and her world starts to slowly disintegrate. Then it totally explodes and her past comes out.
I really enjoyed how this story unfolded. And I loved guessing about Harriet’s past. (And yes, I guessed most of it!). This is a pretty entertaining mystery with a big ole twist at the end!
Need a good novel with very good secrets…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
Purchase Here
Overview
An uplifting and inspiring novel based on the true story of a librarian who created an underground shelter during World War II, perfect for readers of The Paris Library or The Last Bookshop in London.
London, 1944: Clara Button is no ordinary librarian. While war ravages the city above her, Clara has risked everything she holds dear to turn the Bethnal Green tube station into the country’s only underground library. Down here, a secret community thrives with thousands of bunk beds, a nursery, a café, and a theater—offering shelter, solace, and escape from the bombs that fall upon their city.
Along with her glamorous best friend and assistant Ruby Munroe, Clara ensures the library is the beating heart of life underground. But as the war drags on, the women’s determination to remain strong in the face of adversity is tested to the limits when it may come at the price of keeping those closest to them alive.
Review
The Bethnal Green tube station has become a secret community for many displaced persons. The Blitz has ravaged London and these people are just trying to survive. The library in which Clara Barton is in charge of becomes the saving grace for so many! The only underground library in London helps so many through a terrible time in their lives.
What makes this book so special is how it makes you feel. Nostalgic is just one of the many feelings I experienced. I loved thinking back to the library of my youth. And don’t think I did not turn around and add the “bodice ripper” novel from the 40’s to my wish list. Forever Amber is still in print so I am going to give it a try!
There are so many wonderful and terrifying situations in this tale. I love how the author weaves them together to create this remarkable story about a true place. Talk about well researched! I love learning something new and this book definitely introduced a new part of WWII for me!
Need a book which gives you all the feels….THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest opinion.
Purchase Here
IT’S ONE OF US
JT Ellison
On Sale Date: February 21, 2023 9780778311768
Hardcover
$27.99 USD, $34.99 CAD
About the Book:
From the New York Times bestselling author comes this twisting, emotionally layered thriller about a marriage torn apart when the police arrive at an infertile couple’s door and reveal the husband’s son is the prime suspect in a murder. The perfect blend of exhilarating suspense and issue-driven book club fiction.
Everybody lies. Even the ones you think you know best of all . . .
Olivia Bender designs exquisite home interiors that satisfy the most demanding clients. But her own deepest desire can’t be fulfilled by marble counters or the perfect rug. She desperately wants to be a mother. Fertility treatments and IVF keep failing. And just when she feels she’s at her lowest point, the police deliver shocking news to Olivia and her husband, Park.
DNA results show that the prime suspect in a murder investigation is Park’s son. Olivia is relieved, knowing this is a mistake. Despite their desire, the Benders don’t have any children. Then comes the confession. Many years ago, Park donated sperm to a clinic. He has no idea how many times it was sold—or how many children he has sired.
As the murder investigation goes deeper, more terrible truths come to light. With every revelation, Olivia must face the unthinkable. The man she married has fathered a killer. But can she hold that against him when she keeps such dark secrets of her own?
This twisting, emotionally layered thriller explores the lies we tell to keep a marriage together–or break each other apart . . .
Review
Olivia has been trying to get pregnant for years. She loses her last IVF baby and she is basically numb. She is sick of her husband and just plain sick of everything! Then the police show up at her door with a unique case. The killer’s DNA matches her husband. But that can’t be. They don’t have children.
I love all the narrators. Not usually my thing, but the way this is organized it adds so much to the story and the intensity. Plus, the uniqueness of this tale really had me engrossed. Yes, it is a murder mystery but what makes it unique is how the murderer was identified and conceived. I mean a sperm bank and he has how many siblings? Add in the freaky twist at the end which I did not see coming and you have a captivating book!
I have been a fan of this author for a long time and this book is one of her bests!
Need a fabulous thriller which will have you completely consumed…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
About the Author:
J.T. Ellison is the NYT and USA Today bestselling author of more than 20 novels, and the EMMY-award winning co-host of A WORD ON WORDS, Nashville’s premier literary show. With millions of books in print, her work has won critical acclaim, prestigious awards, and has been published in 26 countries. Ellison lives in Nashville with her husband and twin kittens.
Social Links:
Author website: https://www.jtellison.com/ Facebook: http://facebook.com/jtellison14
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thrillerchick
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrillerchick
Buy Links:
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Its-One-Us-Novel-Suspense-ebook/dp/B09ZLGLKH9/ref=sr_1_1?crid=222QCN JW8SCPI&keywords=it%27s+one+of+us&qid=1673560699&sprefix=it%27s+one+of+us%2Caps%2C74&sr =8-1
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/its-one-of-us-j-t-ellison/1141813790?ean=9780778311768
Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/book/9780778311768
IndieBound: https://www.indiebound.org/buy-local/9780778311768
Books-A-Million: https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Its-One-Us/J-T-Ellison/9780778311768?id=8292090795540
Overview
Ex-cop, ex-con Bruno Johnson stumbles into a criminal organization that exploits women and children—he must fight his way out and home
Bruno Johnson is hiding out from the U.S. law in Costa Rica with his pregnant wife, Marie, and the ten kids they rescued from toxic homes in South Central Los Angeles. When Marie encounters a difficult labor and delivery, their good friend Dr. Vargas rescues both her and Bruno’s infant son. So Bruno feels indebted when asked to escort his daughter Layla, a college student in Los Angeles, back home to Costa Rica.
When Bruno arrives in Los Angeles, he finds the problem with Layla is complicated and dire. Layla has fallen in with Johnny, the leader of a vast and notorious criminal empire that exploits women and children. She says she’s had his child and that he has taken the baby.
Bruno enlists the help of his old friend Karl Drago—and his dog, Waldo—to aid in his search for Layla’s baby—a baby her parents disavow. Bruno soon discovers things aren’t as they appear, but he will stop at nothing to save the innocent baby and return to his family and newborn son in Costa Rica—providing he can evade capture while on U.S. soil.
Review
Bruno is on the run from the law in the United States. He is hiding out in Costa Rica. His wife is pregnant and he is in charge of 10 kids he rescued from several terrible homes in Los Angeles. So, he is a pretty stand up guy. And when he becomes indebted to Dr. Vargas in Costa Rica for delivering his son, he does just what that doctor asks. He escorts Dr. Vargas’ daughter to Los Angeles.
This is part of a series. It is not necessary that you read the other books in this series to enjoy this one. But, I probably would have liked this book better if I knew more. I would have felt more of a connection to Bruno and his life situation.
I did love the chase though and the humor spread throughout this book! Pretty snarky in places. And the ending!! This needs to be picked up as a television series.
Need a good, action packed thriller…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
Purchase Here
Overview
1885, London, England. When Violet’s Aunt Adelia decides to abscond with her newest paramour, she leaves behind her role as the most popular Agony Aunt in London, Miss Hermione, in Violet’s hands. And of course, the first letter Violet receives is full, not of prissy pondering, but of portent: Ivy Armstrong is in need of help and fears for her life. But when Violet visits the village from which the letter was posted, she finds Ivy dead. Soon Violet discovers that when you represent the best-loved Agony Aunt in Britain, both marauding husbands and murder are par for the course.
Review
Violet has been left in charge of Miss Hermione. Miss Hermione is an advice column located in London. The very first letter she receives sends Violet on a trip to discover the problem. It tends to be more than she bargained for.
This story reminds me a great deal of Agatha Christie. It is overly dramatic in places and it is a bit predictable. Yes, I find Agatha Christie’s novels the same way. But, that does not mean it does not serve its purpose.
I did love the time period and Violet is definitely a strong, smart woman. She is also nosey enough to get herself into a spot of trouble. I also found Violet’s sister, (I have forgotten her name) an absolute riot. And the narrator played her so well. She fit this time period to a “T”.
So, need a trip down the Agatha Christie trail…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
Purchase Here
Overview
A touching tale about heartbreak and healing . . . If you loved The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fryand The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy, make time to read this finale to the trilogy.”—Good Housekeeping
Ten years ago, Harold Fry set off on a six-hundred-mile walk to save a friend. But the story doesn’t end there. Now his wife, Maureen, has her own pilgrimage to make.
Only she can finish the journey her husband started.
Maureen and Harold Fry have settled into a quiet life, but when an unexpected message from the North disturbs their peaceful equilibrium, Maureen realizes that it’s now her turn to make a journey. But she is not like her affable, easygoing husband. By turns outspoken, then vulnerable, she struggles to form bonds with the people she meets—and the landscape she crosses has radically changed. Maureen has no sense of what she will find at the end of the road. All she knows is that she has to get there.
A deeply felt, lyrical, and powerful novel, Maureen explores love, loss, and how we come to terms with the past in order to understand ourselves a little better.While this book stands alone, it is also the extraordinarily moving finale to a trilogy that began with the phenomenal bestseller The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and continued in The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy. Like those beloved books, Maureen has all the power and weight of a classic.
Review
Maureen and Harold have settled into their quiet life. But, a message has turned their quiet life upside down. Now, Maureen feels the need to take a journey and settle her past.
Maureen is a bit of a cranky old woman. She does not want to depend on anyone but as she figures out, sometimes, you just can’t do it by yourself. She is also someone who is struggling with so many issues. Basically her own child’s death. This trauma has left her with so many unresolved concerns and feelings.
This story is short but very poignant. It covers so many normal life problems like growing old, grief, love and caring. It touches on many areas of everyone’s life.
I have only read one other in this series The Love Song of Queenie Hennessy and it was years ago. I vaguely remember it. But as I was reading this, the characters popped back in my memory and it was like revisiting old friends.
Need an emotional read…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!
I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.
Purchase Here
reecaspieces 