Synopsis

 

Alene Baron is the proud owner of Whipped and Sipped, a café that offers healthful, delectable food and drinks. Her life consists of dreaming up new recipes, raising her three children, and arguing with her ex-husband–until her neighbor and close friend is murdered. She imagines nearly everyone she knows as a possible suspect. After a second attack, Alene is
determined to find the true killer … before she, or her family, become targets.

 

 

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Review

 

I do enjoy a good cozy especially if there is food involved and this book does not disappoint on the food aspect! Battered is set in a coffeehouse/cafe that servers vegetarian/vegan items and don’t worry, all of the recipes (or many of them) are at the end of the book and I’m sure you will want to whip up some of these dishes for yourself.

When you first start the book there is a list of characters with a brief bio on each of them (age, relationship, etc) and trust me when I saw that you will need this information because there are a lot of characters to keep straight in your head and how they are related to each other. But as you move through the book it will become easier to keep everyone straight. Despite the numerous characters, each plays a significant part in the storyline. They might be related to the deceased, or to Alene, or involved with the cafe. The personalities and traits of the characters are also varied and add some dimension to the story, even if it is a minor character. Alene tends to throw herself into the middle of the situation, which isn’t uncommon for a cozy. However, she tends to blurt out things that are supposition on her part and not fact. Not too uncommon when you have an amateur intent on solving the mystery.

There is a lot of information packed into this book. We learn the dynamics of Alene’s family, her friendship with Ruthie, the relationship with the neighbors and their dysfunctional families, and the story behind the employees at the cafe. You will find a lot of memories from Alene about events from the past that have an impact on where she is now in her life. I think some of the information would have been better doled out in future books to add to Alene’s background and further reveal how she ended up where she is today.

The mystery has some interesting twists that I did not expect before the killer was revealed. It all made sense when the details were laid out and there are a few clues that might get you to that point but probably not enough to point you in the right direction of the killer.

There is even a potential love interest for Alene, Detective Frank Shaw. The funny thing is that he was the police officer that took her to the hospital in the past when she gave birth to her youngest child since her (now ex) husband couldn’t seem to make it there.

I think there was only one thing that I didn’t quite understand. Ruthie is a vegetarian/vegan which would make sense since she is the chef at Alene’s cafe which is vegetarian/vegan. However, when Alene had a dinner for the family and friends of the neighbor that was murdered, she wouldn’t let anyone bring any meat products in so that Ruthie wouldn’t have to smell them. While that was a kind gesture, I would expect Ruthie to understand that some people do eat meat and wouldn’t have a problem with it being in the same room. She would obviously not eat that item.

Overall we enjoyed this mystery and look forward to the next in the series.  We give it 3 1/2 paws.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Already known for her imaginative baking and fabulous dinners, G.P. Gottlieb began writing throughout her varied career. After recovering from breast cancer, she turned to writing in earnest, melding her two loves, nourishment for mind and body in recipe-laced murder mysteries. She is also the host of New Books in Literature, a podcast of the New Books Network.

 

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Synopsis

 

This historic home holds the keys to their destiny . . . and their hearts

Abandoned at birth, her family roots a mystery, historical museum curator Sloane Kelley has dedicated her life to making sure others know theirs. When a donor drops off a dusty old satchel, she doesn’t expect much from the common artifact . . .until she finds real treasure inside: a nineteenth-century diary. Now she’s on the hunt to find out more.

Garrett Anderson just wanted to clean out his grandmother’s historic but tumbledown farmhouse before selling it to fund her medical care. With her advancing Alzheimer’s, he can’t afford to be sentimental about the family home. But his carefully ordered plan runs up against two formidable obstacles: Sloane, who’s fallen in love with both the diaries and the house, and his own heart, which is irresistibly drawn to Sloane.

A century and a half earlier, motherless Annabelle Collins embarks with her aunt and uncle on the adventure of a lifetime: settling the prairies of Sedgwick County, Kansas. The diaries she left behind paint a portrait of life, loss, and love–and a God who faithfully carries her through it all. Paging through the diaries together takes Sloane and Garrett on a journey they never could have planned, which will change them in ways they never imagined.

This warm, beautifully written split-time novel will resonate with readers looking for stories that reveal the beauty of God’s plan for our lives, and how our actions ripple for generations.

 

 

 

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Praise

 

“Winding through past and present and linking them in surprising ways, Wen’s debut novel captures the legacy of a historic farmhouse and all the people who’ve made their lives there. I was rooting for Sloane out of the gate, and my heart went up and down with her. Wen writes with warmth and a delightful voice about heritage, family, and the nature of what’s truly important.”  —Joanna Davidson Politano, author of The Love Note

“A moving, enchanting story of love and loss. Amanda Wen takes readers on an adventure that weaves past and present together in a beautiful tapestry of skillful storytelling. I was blown away by this book and its timeless message.”  —Heidi Chiavaroli, Carol Award–winning author of Freedom’s Ring and The Tea Chest

 

 

Review

 

The first line in the author’s notes sums up this book beautifully:

 

“Family is at the heart of this book.” 

 

I honestly loved this book. It was the perfect book at the right time and I enjoyed every written word. I think one of the aspects that I enjoyed the most was the genealogical hunt for Annabelle Collin’s descendants and also Sloane’s history since she had no idea who her blood relatives were since she was adopted. I really enjoyed the diary aspect that shared Anna’s life in the 1800s and how she came to live in Kansas and what it was like for her. We saw her fall in love, have children, lose family, and so much more.

Jumping to the present, we have Sloane and Garrett. Neither necessarily looking for their soulmate but ultimately finding it within each other. Not that the road was easy, there were quite a few bumps. But the journey was enticing and they definitely bonded over Annabelle’s journals. It was like a treasure each time they found one and I enjoyed how both really enjoyed finding out more about this woman.

But don’t go into reading this book thinking it is all sunshine and roses. There are bumps, heavier topics, and a few major twists that pulled me even further into the story. The supporting cast of characters includes Garrett’s sister, Leah, and their grandmother. Grandma is a hoot despite her Alzheimers. There are a few “evil” types of characters that add even more dimension to the story.

While this book jumps between the past and the present, it is done seamlessly. I couldn’t ask for a better transition between the time periods.

If you are looking for a book about family, history, faith, and love, then look no further. A wonderful debut novel and we give it 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Amanda Wen is an award-winning writer of inspirational romance and split-time women’s fiction. She has placed first in multiple writing contests, including the 2017 Indiana Golden Opportunity, the 2017 Phoenix Rattler, and the 2016 ACFW First Impressions contests. She was also a 2018 ACFW Genesis Contest finalist.

Wen is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and regularly contributes author interviews for their Fiction Finder feature. She also frequently interviews authors for her blog and is a contributor to the God Is Love blog. Her debut novel, Roots of Wood and Stone, releases from Kregel Publications on February 2, 2021.

In addition to her writing, Wen is an accomplished professional cellist and pianist who frequently performs with orchestras, chamber groups, and her church’s worship team. She serves as a choral accompanist as well. A lifelong denizen of the flatlands, Wen lives in Kansas with her patient, loving, and hilarious husband, their three adorable Wenlets, and a snuggly Siamese cat.

 

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Giveaway

 

 

 

 

 

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Synopsis

 

Lo Denham is used to being on her own. After her parents died, Lo’s sister, Bea, joined The Unity Project, leaving Lo in the care of their great aunt. Thanks to its extensive charitable work and community outreach, The Unity Project has won the hearts and minds of most in the Upstate New York region, but Lo knows there’s more to the group than meets the eye. She’s spent the last six years of her life trying—and failing—to prove it.

When a man shows up at the magazine Lo works for claiming The Unity Project killed his son, Lo sees the perfect opportunity to expose the group and reunite with Bea once and for all. When her investigation puts her in the direct path of its leader, Lev Warren and as Lo delves deeper into The Project, the lives of its members it upends everything she thought she knew about her sister, herself, cults, and the world around her—to the point she can no longer tell what’s real or true. Lo never thought she could afford to believe in Lev Warren . . . but now she doesn’t know if she can afford not to.

 

 

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Review

 

This was an interesting book to read from many angles. There is a sisterly bond between Bea and Lo, a cult, death, intrigue, and maybe a bit of romance (but not much).

Bea and Lo are close sisters until an accident leaves Lo for dead. What Bea perceives as a miracle has her joining a cult because she believes that the cult leader saved her sister and this is the price she must pay. This seems to sever the ties between the two sisters since Bea in essence disappears into the cult. I think Bea’s youth and naivete make her a perfect target for someone older and wiser and this is evident throughout the novel.

The story is told primarily from Lo’s point of view, but there are sections from Bea’s perspective. The story slips back and forth in time and while there are some indications when this happens with the year at the top, at other times it will flip suddenly which threw me off. It would have been helpful to have a small break or something to indicate there is a change in perspective.

Lo is approximately 19 and comes across as very immature for her age. I am sure she did not have a normal life after the accident, but it seemed like she expected everything to be handed to her without working for it. I think I felt more compassion for Bea because she loses her parents but doesn’t have anyone to help guide her through life and she was still a teenager. I felt like she was left to fend for herself and she left Lo to their Aunt’s care knowing that she couldn’t take care of Lo’s needs by herself.

The story was intriguing and I wondered if it really was a cult or if The Unity Project was a caring organization as their leader, Lev, proclaimed. We see the good works that they do, but not everything is always as it seems on the surface.  This becomes more evident towards the end of the book. In fact, the action really picks up in the last 20% or so of this book. It is horrifying the details that come out in the end. It definitely will make most readers feel uncomfortable and sad by the turn of events.

There were still a few questions that I don’t think were answered, but not too many.

Overall we enjoyed this book and give it 3 1/2 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Courtney Summers is the bestselling author of several novels. Her work has been released to critical acclaim and multiple starred reviews, received numerous awards and honors–including the Edgar Award, the John Spray Mystery Award, the Cybils Award, the Odyssey Award, the Audie Award–and has enjoyed the recognition of many library, state, ‘Best Of’ and Readers’ Choice lists. Courtney has reviewed for The New York Times, is the founder of the 2015 worldwide trending hashtag #ToTheGirls, and in 2016, she was named one of Flare Magazine’s 60 under 30. She lives and writes in Canada.

 

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Synopsis

 

Love, romance, second chances, fairy-tale endings…these are the things Annika Dev believes in. Her app, Make Up, has been called the “Google Translate for failing relationships.”

High efficiency break-ups, flashy start-ups, penthouses, fast cars…these are the things Hudson Craft believes in. His app, Break Up, is known as the “Uber for break-ups.” It’s wildly successful—and anathema to Annika’s life philosophy.

Which wouldn’t be a problem if they’d gone their separate ways after that summer fling in Las Vegas, never to see each other again. Unfortunately for Annika, Hudson’s moving not just into her office building, but into the office right next to hers. And he’ll be competing at the prestigious EPIC investment pitch contest: A contest Annika needs to win if she wants to keep Make Up afloat. As if it’s not bad enough seeing his irritatingly perfect face on magazine covers when her own business is failing. As if knowing he stole her idea and twisted it into something vile—and monumentally more successful—didn’t already make her stomach churn.

As the two rival app developers clash again and again—and again—Annika finds herself drawn into Hudson Craft’s fast-paced, high velocity, utterly shallow world. Only, from up close, he doesn’t seem all that shallow. Could it be that everything she thought about Hudson is completely wrong? Could the creator of Break Up teach her what true love’s really about?

 

 

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Review

 

After reading several suspense novels, I decided to take a break and read something light and fluffy. Make Up Break Up was just the book to read. It is filled with miscommunication, sexual tension, women in STEM, and a happily ever after ending.

Annika has a brilliant idea for an app and is working hard to develop it, along with her best friend June. These two women embody women in STEM and there is even a part of the story where they speak to some high school students and encourage the girls to pursue their dreams in coding. It is really a great message that nothing has to hold you back other than yourself.

Hudson has created an app that is the opposite of what Annika is creating. His app will send someone (a terminator) to end a relationship that you don’t want to be involved with anymore. I wondered how and why he came up with this app and the answer to that is near the end of the book so you will have to read it to find out.

Annika and Hudson had met in Vegas at a conference and sparks flew during that week. But then they went their separate ways until Hudson ends up as Annika’s neighbor in an office building in Los Angeles. Hilarity ensues between these two with the pranks to knock each other off their game. But what they didn’t expect was to feel those sparks again.

I am not sure how much I liked Annika. She is a tough woman with a passion for her app, but some of her actions are childish. Granted she is in her early 20s, but it still seemed a bit immature. Not that Hudson was much better. It is also a little vague as to how she can afford this nice office in Los Angeles. There are conversations with a banker so it is assumed she has a loan from that bank. but it isn’t ever really confirmed outright. June is her partner in crime, a master coder, and apparently very wealthy. I was surprised that Annika refused her help monetarily to get them out of the hole they currently are in, but if she did accept the financial help it would have taken the story in a different direction. I did feel like Annika did start to mature towards the end of the book when certain events occurred.

Annika has a great relationship with her father other than he wants her to attend medical school and become a doctor. That is not her passion and I wondered if her father would ever realize that becoming a doctor is not her dream. Small spoiler, he does but it takes a long time. But the journey to get to that point is two-fold for him and an intriguing subplot.

Hudson has his own issues too. He has become very successful with his app, but he isn’t happy. There are underlying issues that Annika helps him uncover at various points during the story. Hudson does seem too perfect, but in reality, he is just as flawed as Annika, and perhaps that is what makes these two a perfect couple. Once they can get past their hangups.

The book made me chuckle and there are a few “oh no” moments, but we get our HEA and all is right with the world.

We give this book 3 1/2 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Lily Menon has always been enamored of romantic comedies and happily-ever-afters in all shapes and sizes. Her very first love story, written at age nine, was about a handsome young boy who wooed the heroine with books, chocolates, and a very fat puppy. Now Lily lives with her own handsome boy (who indeed wooed her with books, chocolates, and fat puppies) in the mountains of Colorado, where she spends her days dreaming up kissing scenes and meet-cutes.

 

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Gone

 

The First Connor Callahan Novel

 

Reagan Keeter

 

Publisher: Irresistible Publishing

 

Publication Date: February 1, 2021

 

Page Count: 310

 

 

 

Synopsis

 

Home from college for the summer, Connor is upstairs, listening to his parents argue, when a windowless van pulls up on the front yard and a masked man charges into the house. He knocks out Connor’s father, tasers his mother, and then, as quick as he came, he is gone.

The police quickly exhaust their leads. No ransom call comes. And Connor takes it upon himself to find his parents before it is too late. That quest, however, is complicated when he crosses paths with a group of anarchists bent on causing chaos in New York City. And their plan, Connor learns, is not only related to the abductions, it will also upend everything he thought he knew about his family.

 

 

 

 

Amazon

 

 

Book will be available on other platforms so check your favorite retailer!

 

 

 

Praise for the Author

 

 

“Reagan Keeter is a master author of thrillers.”   –  Amazon reader

“You cannot go wrong with anything by this author.”   –  Amazon reader

“Be prepared to hang on while Reagan Keeter takes you along a suspenseful ride!”   –  Amazon reader

 

 

Review

 

This is the second book by this author that I have read, and it did not disappoint. The book is filled with intrigue, suspense, and mystery.

The book starts off when Connor, home from college, observes his parents being kidnapped from their home. He isn’t quite sure what to expect and isn’t sure if the police are doing all they can to solve the mystery. With assistance from a news show, he learns that this has happened to someone else. This sets him off down a path to uncover what happened to his parents. It also teaches him that not everything is as it seems.

This book is action-packed and there are several plots throughout and they are tied together in a small way. I enjoyed the bit of computer hacking that was discussed and the characters involved. I can’t say too much without giving away part of the story.

Connor’s determination to uncover the truth is what keeps the story moving forward. He learns some truths that he never expected and explains what happened to his parents. There are some twists and turns that I did not expect, but once they were revealed kept me on the edge of my seat.

An enjoyable book and one you might want to read if you enjoy suspense and thrillers.  We give it 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Reagan Keeter is a #1 Amazon bestselling author and a National Indie Excellence Awards finalist. His previous book is a psychological thriller called BURIED.

Reagan has worked as a writer and editor at Georgia newspapers. From Georgia State University, he earned his undergraduate degree in Journalism and from Southern Polytechnic State University his master’s in Technical and Professional Communication. He has lived in Bucharest, Prague, Manchester, and Chicago. Currently, he resides with his wife and two dogs in Atlanta, Georgia.

 

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Synopsis

 

Maia is going to the race, but it’s early. She stops to look at her reflection in the pond. The reflection turns into another girl — a girl who is swimming — a girl who is a mermaid named Trezzie. Trezzie takes Maia’s hand and together they swim to her castle under the water. She gives Maia a piece of a plant that becomes a doorbell, so Maia can call her any time. The two of them skip stones across the water. Maia’s friend Fig shows up. “Where were you? Why weren’t you at the race?” Maia tries to explain she was swimming with her new friend Trezzie. Fig can’t see Trezzie and doesn’t believe her. Fig goes away mad. Trezzie resurfaces. Maia and Trezzie continue playing.

 

 

 

 

Review

 

This was an interesting story about a young girl who meets a mermaid and forms a friendship with her. However, when a classmate appears, the mermaid disappears and Maia’s classmate, Fig, doesn’t believe her. Is Trezzie real or a figment of Maia’s imagination?

I can see reading this book with young children and having a discussion about friendships and that you can have more than one friend and sometimes friends will not always believe you when you tell them something.

I did think that the story ended oddly, I would have thought there might have been more to Maia and Trezzie’s friendship story. Perhaps an explanation that only Maia can see her or why Fig couldn’t see Trezzie.

The illustrations are colorful and outline the events in the story.

We give this 3 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Lois Wickstrom earned her BA in biology with Chemistry and English minors. She is the creator of the Imagenie videos on YouTube and “Starting With Safety” available from the American Chemical Society. She also co-authored the Nessie’s Grotto Books with Jean Lorrah, and the Orange Forest Rabbit books with Lucrecia Darling.

 

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Synopsis

 

What if you were framed for a murder you didn’t commit? A gripping, addictive thriller for fans of Angela Clarke, Mel Sherratt, and Rachel Lynch.

 

Jennifer Smits is a young mother, married to a hotshot lawyer and living in Amsterdam. Her world explodes when her husband is found dead at a holiday park during a weekend getaway. Convinced that the police have failed in their investigation, she embarks on a desperate quest for the truth – but the deeper she digs, the more she gets enmeshed in a tangled web of lies, spun by a ruthless law firm.

As Jennifer’s search for answers intensifies, her grip on reality weakens. Barely able to manage her patients at the health clinic, or take care of her young son, Jennifer is at risk of losing it all – even her closest friends begin to desert her. And then a chance encounter with a charming stranger sparks a new chain of events that plunges her deeper into a world of threats and corruption. Soon, she begins to fear for her life – but who can she trust, and how far will she go in pursuit of the truth?

This is a gripping, addictive thriller that will make you question everything, including the flaws of forensics. Could we all be framed for a murder we didn’t commit?

 

 

Amazon * Amazon CA

 

Praise

 

‘Double Deceit was one hell of a book, the author has done an impeccable job in crafting out a plot that is not only very interesting to read, but one which is packed with little packets of surprises all the way through’

 

‘A really entertaining ‘who dunnit’ that kept me guessing… a thriller at heart, with many twists and turns, but there’s a wonderful element of romance, and a deeper message touching on the transient nature of life. Definitely worth a read!’

 

‘A terrific thriller that reminds of John Grisham’s novels, perfect from start to finish’

 

 

Review

 

I do love a good thriller and this one checks off many boxes. The story centers around Jennifer who has lost her husband in a tragic accident, but then things start to go awry, and perhaps he didn’t have an accident but was murdered. Jennifer starts looking for clues and manages to convince several people to help her even when in normal situations they would be the last to help.

The book is filled with red herrings and I suspected several people as the perpetrators because something didn’t seem quite right. I wasn’t correct, but the way the characters were portrayed, you would be suspicious too!

I did think that Jennifer was ripe for finding herself dead like her husband by sticking her nose into the situation. I can’t believe how easy it was for her and Sandra to sneak into the law firm to look for a file and be able to copy it for themselves. I also wondered about Dan and he set off all sorts of red flags with how he met Jennifer in the park. Seemed a bit off but it did add some drama to the story.

I’m not sure that Jennifer is a very likable character. Something about her personality seemed off to me, maybe it was how she was dealing with the death of her husband and who is to say what is right or wrong? And perhaps it had something to do with the interactions with her friends. But she was persistent if nothing else, even when the police didn’t believe her story.

Overall, this was an intriguing story set in Amsterdam and the author provides some wonderful descriptions of the areas and I felt like I could picture them in my mind. We give this book 4 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Julienne Brouwers worked as a pharmaceutical scientist and medical physicist before becoming a writer. She lives in the Netherlands, with her husband and three children, where she has published two successful thrillers, and lived in the UK and US for a total of four years.

 

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Synopsis

 

The Kingdom of Sher and the Kingdom of Mir were good neighbors. But the Kingdom of Sher had a lion. And the farmers in the Kingdom of Sher raised sheep.

Every night, the lion from the Kingdom of Sher sneaked into the Kingdom of Mir and ate sheep that belonged to families who lived there.

The King proclaimed a contest to Stop the Lion. The servants announced the rules: The winning solution must be fair! The winner will be the King’s Royal Advisor. Losers must give the King their most precious possession.

 

 

 

 

Review

 

Wynnie is one wise young lady. She discovers the solution to the problem just by asking a few questions. I’m not sure I would have thought of her answer to the problem of stopping the lion from eating the sheep.

I enjoyed this story and think that it could be a teaching tool for young children to think outside of the box and to problem solve.

The illustrations depict the story quite well and are colorful yet realistic.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Lois Wickstrom earned her BA in biology with Chemistry and English minors. She is the creator of the Imagenie videos on YouTube and “Starting With Safety” available from the American Chemical Society. She also co-authored the Nessie’s Grotto Books with Jean Lorrah, and the Orange Forest Rabbit books with Lucrecia Darling.

 

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STORK BITE

 

by

 

L.K. SIMONDS

 

 

Genre: Historical Fiction / Southern Fiction

Date of Publication: November 30, 2020

Number of Pages: 359 pages

 

 

Scroll down for Giveaway!

 

 

 

 

“Everything has to be reconciled eventually.”

Caddo Parish, 1913. On an October morning, a Klansman confronts seventeen-year-old David Walker at a hidden oxbow lake where he has gone to hunt. David accidentally kills the man and hides the crime. His determination to protect his family from reprisal drives him far from home and into manhood.

Shreveport, 1927. Cargie (rhymes with Margie) Barre and Mae Compton are two vastly different young women, but both are defying convention to reach for their dreams. The men in Cargie’s and Mae’s lives help and hinder them in more ways than one. After years in hiding, David Walker finally resurfaces, and we discover the past is never as far from the present as it seems.

 

 

Praise

“Simonds is a wonderfully talented author and evokes the South in astonishing detail in Stork Bite, making us feel we’re sitting in on a long, sumptuous, serial film production. But don’t think it’s mere eye candy–like the best period dramas, there’s plenty of social commentary here. Highly recommended!” Linore Rose Burkard, author of Regency Romance and Contemporary Suspense.

 

 

 

 

Amazon│ IndieBound

 

Bookshop.org│ Barnes and Noble

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was tootling along in this book and then, BAM, my heart was sucked out of my body, and the range of emotions I felt drained my soul…in a good way of course.

This book spans a century and what a story it tells. The story begins in 1913 with David’s story of accidentally killing a Klansman who was giving him a hard time just because of the color of his skin. As we know from history, had David been caught he wouldn’t have lived long to tell his tale. He was rather ingenious in his steps to cover up the crime for someone that was that young. But the burden that he carried knowing he took someone’s life couldn’t have been easy. I never understood why he didn’t feel like he could go home to his family, but perhaps it was shame or the fear of bringing his family into a situation that he created. David does manage to survive and is taken in by a kind family that teaches him things he never would have learned in his old life. But he brings them his own type of wisdom and knowledge. The impact that they make on each other spans a lifetime.

The story then jumps forward to 1927 and we meet Cargie and Mae. I really liked Cargie. She was a smart and determined woman that was not going to let race hold her back. She knew for many years that she wanted to be a bookkeeper and she lands a job with Bill Cole who owns a dry cleaning business. I loved how Cargie came in and basically started organizing his receipts and books without being formally hired. I had to chuckle because I work for a CPA and we know how messy some accounting records can be for businesses. Bill Cole doesn’t seem to mind and he and Cargie become quite a formidable duo when it comes to his business. She does teach him a few things about keeping his book straight. At the same time, he reaches Cargie in a way he doesn’t even realize through his journal that he wrote during the war. Something about his words draws her into his experiences and touches her soul.

Cargie is married to Thomas and they have three children over the span of the novel. We learn a bit about Thomas, but there was probably so much more to him than he was given credit. But there is a reason for that and you discover that reason in the last 20% of the story. Thomas was a renaissance man and could seem to do anything he set his mind to doing. He was supportive of Cargie and her career and you could say he was something of a house husband. I enjoyed seeing his love for Cargie and his family, even his mother-in-law that he called “Pretty Mama.”

Mae was from a small town in Texas and wanted nothing more than to attend college at Centenary College in Shreveport. This was the late 20s when women usually ended up married with children, but she wanted so much more than that. She found it but it wasn’t an easy road when certain truths are revealed. I didn’t want to like Mae, but by the end, she had convinced me otherwise. There were several men in her life that taught her various things and helped move her along in life and discover her dreams and desires.

Because this novel spans a century, there are losses that are felt by many characters. I think my heart broke a little each time someone died or learning of their situations knowing the end was near. I don’t want to spoil any of the journies that the characters take, but it is humbling for some of them. I just wanted to reach out and hug each and every one of them and let them know that it would all be ok.

While the end of the book brings us back to the beginning, I did think that this could have been three different books and expanded even more on their individual lives. However, considering how the novel ends, I’m not sure that could be accomplished without leaving cliffhangers or spoiling the next book.

This is a book I didn’t expect to touch me as it did and the journey of the characters, the rich southern traditions, and the evolution of civil rights make this a novel worth reading.

We give this book 5 paws up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

L. K. Simonds is a Fort Worth local whose debut novel, All In, was published in 2019.

 

 

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 ONE WINNER

 

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Signed Paperbacks of ALL IN and STORK BITE

 

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Giveaway ends Midnight, CST, February 5, 2021

 

 

 

 

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Visit the Lone Star Literary Life Tour Page

For direct links to each post on this tour, updated daily,

or visit the blogs directly:

 

 

1/26/21	Review	That’s What She’s Reading
1/26/21	Review	The Adventures of a Travelers Wife
1/27/21	Review	StoreyBook Reviews
1/28/21	Review	The Page Unbound
1/28/21	Review	KayBee’s Book Shelf
1/29/21	Review	Momma on the Rocks
1/27/21	BONUS Promo	Hall Ways Blog
1/30/21	Review	Rainy Days with Amanda
1/31/21	Review	Tangled in Text
2/1/21	Review	Librariel Book Adventures
2/1/21	Review	Jennifer Silverwood
2/2/21	Review	The Clueless Gent
2/2/21	BONUS Promo	All the Ups and Downs
2/3/21	Review	Book Bustle
2/3/21	Review	Forgotten Winds
2/4/21	Review	It’s Not All Gravy
2/4/21	Review	Reading by Moonlight

 

 

 

 

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Synopsis

 

When her favorite true crime podcast host goes missing, an adrift young woman plunges headfirst into the wild backcountry of Northern California and her own dangerous obsession.

Sera loves true crime podcasts. They make her feel empowered in a world where women just like her disappear daily. She’s sure they are preparing her for something. So when Rachel, her favorite podcast host, goes missing, Sera knows it’s time to act. Rachel has always taught her to trust her instincts.

Sera follows the clues hidden in the episodes to an isolated ranch outside Rachel’s small hometown to begin her search. She’s convinced her investigation will make Rachel so proud. But the more Sera digs into this unfamiliar world, the more off things start to feel. Because Rachel is not the first woman to vanish from the ranch, and she won’t be the last…

Rachel did try to warn her.

 

 

 

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Review

 

This is one of the strangest books I have read so far this year. The story follows Sera, who is an obsessed fan of Rachel’s who has a true-crime podcast. Sera has listened to all of these podcasts so many times she probably has them memorized. When Rachel goes missing, Sera sets out to find out what happened to her by venturing up to where Rachel lived in the middle of nowhere on the family ranch.

The story is told in the second person where Sera talks to Rachel as if she is there with her or while Sera is trying to figure out what happened to Rachel. I loved the clips of the podcast interspersed throughout the book so we had a better understanding of when certain cases were mentioned. I am not a true-crime connoisseur but know many that are and they would probably have loved this podcast. There is mention of how tough the true crime community can be on each other and those that prepare the podcasts. I can only imagine how rabid some fans might become.

I’m not quite sure how I feel about Sera. It seems like her life is not what she expected with several failed marriages/relationships and dead-end jobs that she can’t seem to keep very long. But at the same time, I felt like Sera was venturing out of her shell and pursuing something that interested her and doing the unexpected. Now for someone that listened to true crime podcasts, it seems like she put herself in some sticky situations that she should have known better.

The story has some twists and turns and the ending was quite a surprise and not one that I was expecting.

Overall, we give this book 3 1/2 paws.