Book Reviews

  Great book for fans of historical fiction/quasi western. This novel is from the perspective of two characters, Duncan Lammons an Army Ranger in Texas and Cecelia a young slave on a Virginia plantation 1820-1850s.  The novel’s characters are well-developed, the plot engrossing.  The language was interesting because many of the words from that time period are no longer used and it was fun to learn quite a few new words. Gwyn is just a great writer, the kind that makes you want to read all he’s written.  Highly recommend reading this one! Thank you to @netgalley.com for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Fans of Helen Fielding’s “Bridget Jones” series will like this fun book from Nicholas Spalding.  The main character, Ellie Cooke, is worried she will lose her job when the PR firm she works for is sold to a man who wants to represent environmentally conscious clients. Ellie pulls all kinds of antics in an attempt to impress the new boss & keep her job. It’s all very life-changing & eye opening for Ellie. By the end of the book you’ll be cheering her on! Kindle unlimited currently has this book as read/listen for free, so grab it if you can!  Thank you to @Netgalley.com for allowing me to preview the arc in exchange for an honest review. 

  I enjoyed the honesty and crassness of the youthful character, Michael. In equal measure I enjoyed the dedication and persistent nature of the elder character, Noah. Together they are quite the pair as they travel to South of France to visit Nice where Noah last lived during his childhood. On the trip they carry with them some old photographs, from the war, Noah discovered in his mother’s belongings.  Together they unravel he mystery & meaning behind these photos.  Jason Culp is the narrator of this audiobook. His voice(s) and his way of speaking brings the story into vivid detail and truly enhances the enjoyment of the story.  I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy the relationships between an elder and a youth to see how it unfolds and grows, such as A Man Called Ove. 

Highly recommend this audiobook to those who enjoy historical fiction. The narrator did an excellent job expressing emotion and telling the story in a way that will keep the listener engaged in the story. I also appreciate the use of language from the time period. The book is lengthy, but worth the time spent going from cover to cover! Nora is the wife of writer James Joyce. The book takes you into an artist’s world filled with the struggles and uncertainties of living with (and dependent upon) a spouse whose income is not guaranteed, who spends frivolously, and prefers “the drink.”   After listening to this audiobook you will find it cannot be denied that the Joyce’s enjoyed quite a passionate love affair (often described explicitly in the book) despite their persistent troubles of poverty and addiction. They really were quite devoted to one another considering the promiscuity of the community they engaged with socially.  Upon starting this book I knew very little of the Joyc...

The main character is an art curator attempting to acquire a piece from a famous deceased artist’s widow & daughter. A mysterious woman shows up to claim ownership of the work.  That twist, alone, would have been enough to carry the book. Add in a few more twists and you find it’s quite a good book!  This main character was a bitter pill to swallow. She had trouble at her job, trouble with her marriage, trouble with her daughter & trouble with her friends and neighbors. Considering all that trouble, it’s understandable why I didn’t think very highly of her. She’s very self-serving and not very forthcoming. In my opinion, it’s always a good sign of the writing when you have any type of emotional reaction to the characters. Thank you @netgalley.com for the kindle ARC.

  Golden Poppies is book 3, following mustard seed & yellow crocus.  The story takes place in the late 1800s. It’s about two generations of women connected through the past on a plantation, one being wealthy and one being a slave. It’s a continuous battle of and for equality. The purpose of the reunion between these families is to reunite the elder (now) mothers one last time as one lays dying. The segregation, the need for equal pay, the right for women to vote, the fight for all women to be free & equal are a few of the political challenges presented in the book. What it means to be “passing” and the danger it presents to all involved. Although these women are pressured by racial, social, and economic diversity they come to see they need and value one another as human beings.  

I really enjoy Tawni O’Dell’s writing. She’s simply a wonderful storyteller.  “One of us” is a story of a small coal mining town with plenty of secrets to set free. There’s the gallows, the dead baby, the psychotic, the abusive drunken father, the “nomadic, delusional, kleptomaniac, bipolar mother,” and the successful forensic psychologist who grew up there & now returns to see his ailing grandfather. WELL, I mean, what could ever happen in this town? Like I said, it’s a secret in a small town. You have to read it to find out.