Robin E. Mason's Blog: Robin's Book Shelf, page 83
November 2, 2020
BLOGWORDS – Tuesday 3 November 2020 – TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – BOOK REVIEW – THE RED RIBBON by PEPPER BASHAM
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TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – BOOK REVIEW – THE RED RIBBON by PEPPER BASHAM
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ABOUT THE BOOK
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Book: The Red Ribbon
Author: Pepper Basham
Genre: Christian historical/suspense
Release Date: October, 2020
An Appalachian Feud Blows Up in 1912
Book 8 in the True Colors series—Fiction Based on Strange-But True History
THE BLURB
In Carroll County, a corn shucking is the social event of the season, until a mischievous kiss leads to one of the biggest tragedies in Virginia history. Ava Burcham isn’t your typical Blue Ridge Mountain girl. She has a bad habit of courtin’ trouble, and her curiosity has opened a rift in the middle of a feud between politicians and would-be outlaws, the Allen family. Ava’s tenacious desire to find a story worth reporting may land her and her best friend, Jeremiah Sutphin, into more trouble than either of them planned. The end result? The Hillsville Courthouse Massacre of 1912.
Click here to get your copy!
THE AUTHOR
[image error]Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor. She’s a native of the Blue Ridge Mountains where her family have lived for generations. She’s the mom of five kids, speech-pathologist to about fifty more, lover of chocolate, jazz, and Jesus, and proud AlleyCat over at the award winning Writer’s Alley blog. Her debut historical romance novel, The Thorn Bearer, released in April 2015, and the second in February 2016. Her first contemporary romance debuted in April 2016.
MORE FROM PEPPER
Feuds, Moonshine, and Family Loyalties by Pepper Basham
My upcoming release for Barbour’s True Colors series is really close to my heart…and pretty close to my house.
The Red Ribbon, my first foray into a historical suspense novel, takes place in the county where I grew up. Carroll County, Virginia, is a county on the border of Virginia and North Carolina, not too far from Mt. Airy (Mayberry). Nestled in the foothills and mountains of the Blue Ridge, it is a part of the Appalachian Mountains, and with that comes similar histories as other backwoods Appalachian communities: feuds, moonshine, and family loyalties.
One thing I love most about my Appalachian upbringing is the intense closeness of family – and when I say ‘family’ I mean, of course, my mom, dad, and brother, but also my aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents…the whole “gang”, as my granny used to say.
The closeness of family, and the protection of the family name, is a big deal in Appalachia. There’s a lot of pride in the way your ‘name’ is thought of throughout the community, so when someone insults your name, there’s a good chance the repercussions aren’t going to be pleasant. Especially back in the early 1900s, when The Red Ribbon takes place. In fact, insulting someone by “stealing a kiss” is one of the events that leads to The Hillsville Courthouse Massacre/Tragedy.
A long-time feud between the Allen family and the “Courthouse Clan” came to a head inside the Hillsville Courthouse in March 1912 and this event resulted in the largest shootout within a courthouse in Virginia history. The story followed with a nationwide manhunt and made national news until the sinking of the Titanic the following month.
Growing up in Carroll County, I knew a few things about this story. Rumors and whispers, really. Most folks didn’t talk about it because it still caused a stir among those who were descendants (because another thing about Appalachia is that families tend to stay on or around family land for generations). People still took “sides”. So, when I decided to write this book, I knew I was stepping into precarious territory. Not that anyone would start up a shootout nowadays because of a book, but because people still have some deep feelings about how their ancestors are portrayed in history, and since many of my family members still live in Carroll County, I wanted to tread carefully into the events of “The Allen Tragedy”.
What I discovered was a story that still held a whole lot of mystery even one hundred years later. Bullet holes still mark the courthouse steps from that fateful day, rumors still circulate about who was to blame, and no one knows who fired the first gunshot that began the tragic shooting.
I’m not a “scary” book writer or reader, but I love a good adventure, so this book takes the reader on an adventure into Appalachia to my neck of the woods, and follows the journey of Ava Burcham and Jeremiah Sutphin as they live among the illegal moonshiners, dirty cops, and mountain gunslingers of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
(To learn more about the true events of the Courthouse Tragedy, you can read about it here: https://roanoke.com/news/virginia/the-courthouse-tragedy-gunfight-in-hillsville-in-1912/article_45d0d7f3-6e1f-57c4-83be-fceb3d98dafd.html)
Have you ever read a book set in Appalachia? If so, what was the title and what did you learn about the Appalachian culture? Have you ever visited the Blue Ridge Mountains?
Let’s chat mountain people, mountain ways, and mountain books 
October 25, 2020
BLOGWORDS – Monday 26 October 2020 – HEADLINE NEWS and CURRENT EVENTS – PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP
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HEADLINE NEWS and CURRENT EVENTS – PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP
The time has come, and I must speak up…
I am making no comparisons, nor is this open for debate. I am sharing my thoughts and observations.
By the way, if I believed half the things that I see about Donald Trump I wouldn’t like him either! Call it what you will, the media does not portray the true man. If you don’t support our President, I encourage you to read my words, and consider the truth and value in them.
Is Donald Trump a perfect human? Well, no. Duh. (Who is?) Is he a polished politician? Nope, not that either. Does he know how to get the job done? Yup.
But more than that, I look at his character. Yes, I said his character. The one before he decided to run for President. Who, by the way, hasn’t changed since gaining that office.
A mega-successful gajillionaire, Donald Trump knows his stuff. And he knows people. He is good to the people around him. Yes, I said good.
Course, gruff, blunt—doesn’t change the kindness and integrity of his actions. He hasn’t accepted a penny of his Presidential salary, but donates every check to a charitable American institution or organization. Organizations that benefit the very people he is accused of persecuting.
Donald Trump won the Ellis Island Medal of Honor that he received in 1986 for “professional contributions” for New York City, which would include the inner cities of African Americans—and all other disadvantaged Americans living there.
Rosa Parks is said to have admired his work. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are said to have praised him for his work and contributions that improved the inner city.
Not the acts or behavior or character of a racist.
When Donald Trump bought Mar a Lago in 1985 it became his private residence for ten years. When he opened it as a private club (with a hefty membership fee) he accepted Jews and African Americans, something most other clubs in the area were not doing. Whether it was a business move or a crusade is irrelevant. But it IS further evidence that our President is neither racist nor anti-Semitic.
In an effort to sway my convictions about our President, a friend of mine who works for BMW lamented to me recently that Donald Trump is planning to close the plant. I assured her that cannot be true—it is contrary to everything he is doing to BUILD our economy in America. He is bringing jobs and manufacturing back TO the U.S. and to close one of the biggest manufacturers would go against that purpose.
The debacle of the wall along our southern border is contentious, rife with falsehoods and lies. Claims that President Trump doesn’t want immigrants in our country are absolutely not true. What he wants, what we all want, are LEGAL citizens. (And yes, his wife is a legal citizen.) Illegal drugs pouring into our country—into our inner cities—coming across the border. Children bought or abducted from their homes, brought here to be sold into sex trafficking.
Do they deserve a chance at a better life? A chance to escape from the poverty of their home countries and villages? Absolutely. But crossing the border illegally, accompanied by “coyotes” is not going to make that happen. In fact, it sends innocent children right into a life of hell on earth.
Our President is PRO-life, ANTI-abortion. The depths to which we as a nation have sunk, allowing the murder of unborn babies later and later, even to the moments AFTER birth is an abomination. And President Trump is fighting for their tiny lives. #myblog #mypost #mybeliefs #TRUTH
I’ve seen the photo of him at Ground Zero after the 9-11 attacks. That was two decades ago, people! And yet I find questions to his motive for being there, and even to the truth of what he did to help! Un-fricking-believable! The man loves his city and his country, and even if he didn’t climb in the rubble himself, he did send his own people—employees—in to help, on his own dime. What they did is irrelevant. Whether ten or a hundred or a thousand of his people doesn’t matter. He. Took. Action. He was in a position to help and he did. He still does.
I could go on, citing examples I’ve seen and heard. I’ll close with this article by Liz Crokin. Though I could not find a link to this particular article I did listen to a YouTube testimonial by Ms. Crokin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjUO80kLDeg
TRUMP DOES THE UNTHINKABLE
by Liz Crokin (June 2016)
“As an entertainment journalist, I’ve had the opportunity to cover Trump for over a decade, and in all my years covering him I’ve never heard anything negative about the man until he announced he was running for president. Keep in mind, I got paid a lot of money to dig up dirt on celebrities like Trump for a living so a scandalous story on the famous billionaire could’ve potentially sold a lot of magazines and would’ve been a huge feather in my cap.
Instead, I found that he doesn’t drink alcohol or do drugs, he’s a hardworking businessman. On top of that, he’s one of the most generous celebrities in the world with a heart filled with more gold than his $100 million New York penthouse.
Since the media has failed so miserably at reporting the truth about Trump, I decided to put together some of the acts of kindness he’s committed over three decades which has gone virtually unnoticed or fallen on deaf ears.
In 1986, Trump prevented the foreclosure of Annabell Hill’s family farm after her husband committed suicide. Trump personally phoned down to the auction to stop the sale of her home and offered the widow money. Trump decided to take action after he saw Hill’s pleas for help in news reports.
In 1988, a commercial airline refused to fly Andrew Ten, a sick Orthodox Jewish child with a rare illness, across the country to get medical care because he had to travel with an elaborate life-support system. His grief-stricken parents contacted Trump for help and he didn’t hesitate to send his own plane to take the child from Los Angeles to New York so he could get his treatment.
In 1991, 200 Marines who served in Operation Desert Storm spent time at Camp Lejune in North Carolina before they were scheduled to return home to their families. However, the Marines were told that a mistake had been made and an aircraft would not be able to take them home on their scheduled departure date. When Trump got wind of this, he sent his plane to make two trips from North Carolina to Miami to safely return the Gulf War Marines to their loved ones.
In 1995, a motorist stopped to help Trump after the limo he was traveling in got a flat tire. Trump asked the Good Samaritan how he could repay him for his help. All the man asked for was a bouquet of flowers for his wife. A few weeks later Trump sent the flowers with a note that read: We’ve paid off your mortgage.
In 1996, Trump filed a lawsuit against the city of Palm Beach, Florida, accusing the town of discriminating against his Mar-a-Lago resort club because it allowed Jews and blacks. Abraham Foxman, who as the Anti-Defamation League Director at the time, said Trump put the light on Palm Beach not on the beauty and the glitter, but on its seamier side of discrimination. Foxman also noted that Trump’s charge had a trickle-down effect because other clubs followed his lead and began admitting Jews and blacks.
In 2000, Maury Povich featured a little girl named Megan who struggled with Brittle Bone Disease on his show and Trump happened to be watching. Trump said the little girl’s story and positive attitude touched his heart. So he contacted Maury and gifted the little girl and her family with a very generous check.
In 2008, after Jennifer Hudson’s family members were tragically murdered in Chicago , Trump put the Oscar-winning actress and her family up at his Windy City hotel for free. In addition to that, Trump’s security took extra measures to ensure Hudson and her family members were safe during such a difficult time.
In 2013, New York bus driver Darnell Barton spotted a woman close to the edge of a bridge staring at the traffic below as he drove by. He stopped the bus, got out and put his arm around the woman and saved her life by convincing her to not jump. When Trump heard about this story, he sent the hero bus driver a check simply because he believed his good deed deserved to be rewarded.
In 2014, Trump gave $25,000 to Sgt. Andrew Tamoressi after he spent seven months in a Mexican jail for accidentally crossing the US-Mexico border. Trump opened his pocketbook to help this serviceman get back on his feet.
In 2016, Melissa Consin Young attended a Trump rally and tearfully thanked Trump for changing her life. She said she proudly stood on stage with Trump as Miss Wisconsin USA in 2005. However, years later she found herself struggling with an incurable illness and during her darkest days, she explained that she received a handwritten letter from Trump telling her she’s the bravest woman, I know. She said the opportunities that she got from Trump and his organizations ultimately provided her Mexican-American son with a full-ride to college.
Lynne Patton, a black female executive for the Trump Organization, released a statement in 2016 defending her boss against accusations that he’s a racist and a bigot. She tearfully revealed how she’s struggled with substance abuse and addiction for years. Instead of kicking her to the curb, she said the Trump Organization and his entire family loyally stood by her through immensely difficult times.
Donald Trump’s kindness knows no bounds and his generosity has and continues to touch the lives of people from every sex, race, and religion. When Trump sees someone in need, he wants to help.”
I close with this quote from a friend of mine, and my own words that I’ve shared in some form multiple times.
“Christians, I’m calling us out. We’ve been instructed to love, instructed to care, instructed to do so much more than what we are. I can’t imagine we’re doing anything, really, than causing Jesus grief.
Condemn the hatred. Condemn the violence. Love your neighbors as yourself. And love Jesus more, for God IS love.”
Once again I’m appalled at behavior of those who claim the label of Christian for their cause. Let me say it plainly, God does not hate, and He does not condone the violence displayed in recent months. (For those who would cite the Old Testament as filled with violence, let me just say that battles fought were defending against aggressive and brutal attacking armies.)
The New Testament is a New Covenant with God, marked by the life and death—and resurrection—of Jesus. Never did He attack those who disagreed with Him. Not once. In fact, Jesus remained silent when He was attacked by those who so despised Him.
No, Jesus loved those who came to Him. Not once did He turn one away. Not once did He attack, verbally or physically, those who cursed Him.
This is our example to live by. Jesus sets the bar. And there is no hatred in Him.
For those who don’t know Christ, don’t know His—my—standard, let me make it plain:
THE ACTIONS OF RIOTERS AND WHITE (or any other) SUPREMACISTS ARE NOT THE ACTIONS OF CHRIST.
They DO NOT represent the Church, or Christianity in any way, shape, or form.
If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar. For if a person does not love his brother, whom he has seen, then he cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 1 John 4:20
#Blogwords, Headline News and Current Events, President Donald Trump, #MAGA, #2020, 1 John 4:20, Liz Crokin, Trump Does the Unthinkable
SOURCES:
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/feb/11/viral-image/trump-did-open-mar-lago-blacks-and-jews-business-m/
https://www.gazettetimes.com/opinion/letters/mailbag-attacks-on-trump-reek-of-hypocrisy/article_efd2ed51-439b-56ff-ace4-a35c4f32a684.html
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/jun/09/facebook-posts/trumps-ellis-island-award-1980s-was-not-brotherhoo/
https://www.politifact.com/article/2019/jul/30/donald-trump-says-he-spent-lot-time-911-responders/
October 20, 2020
BLOGWORDS – Tuesday 20 October 2020 – TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – BOOK REVIEW – THE GIRLS IN THE SNOW by STACY GREEN
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TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – BOOK REVIEW – THE GIRLS IN THE SNOW by STACY GREEN
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THE BLURB
Madison walked through the fallen snow, looking left and right. It had been Kaylee’s idea to use the trail through the forest; she said no one would follow them. But Madison lost sight of Kaylee for a moment and when she found her again she wasn’t alone…
In the remote forests of Stillwater, Minnesota, you can scream for days and no one will hear you. So when the bodies of two fifteen-year-old girls are discovered frozen in the snow, Special Agent Nikki Hunt is sure the killer is local: someone knew where to hide the girls and thought they would never be found.
Though Nikki hasn’t been home in twenty years, she knows she must take over the case. The Sheriff’s department in Stillwater has already made a mistake by connecting the girls’ murders to those of a famous serial killer, refusing to consider the idea that the killer could be someone from town.
Then another girl’s body is found, a red silk ribbon tied in her hair, and Nikki realizes that the killer has a connection to her own dark past, and the reason she left Stillwater.
Nikki is not the only person in town who wants those secrets to stay hidden. Will she be able to face her demons before another child is taken?
THE AUTHOR
[image error]Stacy Green is the author of the Lucy Kendall thriller series and the Delta Crossroads mystery trilogy. ALL GOOD DEEDS (Lucy Kendall #1) won a bronze medal for mystery and thriller at the 2015 IPPY Awards. TIN GOD (Delta Crossroads #1) was runner-up for best mystery/thriller at the 2013 Kindle Book Awards. Stacy has a love of thrillers and crime fiction, and she is always looking for the next dark and twisted novel to enjoy. She started her career in journalism before becoming a stay at home mother and rediscovering her love of writing. She lives in Iowa with her husband and daughter and their three spoiled fur babies. Stacy loves to hear from readers! Visit her website at stacygreenauthor.com, or Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/StacyGreenAuthor
MY REVIEW
WOWZERS!!! Ms. Green pulls no punches!
A thick layer of emotional armor shielding her from her past, Special Agent Nikki Hunt returns to the town that destroyed her life. The town she swore she’d never go back to.
But cases don’t follow an agent’s personal preferences, and Nikki is a professional. She’ll do what she must to solve the brutal murders.
As the case mounts, Nikki’s past unravels. With the cold case bubbling to the surface, and mingling with Nikki’s current case, it’s almost like a dual timeline. Each page, each chapter, every day adds a new twist. The dynamic between characters is high tension at best, volatile at worst.
Ms. Green pulls the reader in with a horrifying opening scene and doesn’t let up. AT.ALL. She twists the story over and back again, with suspects and red herrings and clues that point in every direction. And while I was pretty sure of the resolution of one of the crimes, I was not at expecting the outcome of the other!
This is my first book by Ms. Green and I promise it won’t be my last!
NOTE: There is occasional crude language.
ROBIN’S FEATHERS
[image error]ALL | THE | FEATHERS!
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but was under no obligation to read the book or to post a review. I offer my review of my own free will. The opinions expressed in my review are my honest thoughts and reaction to this book.
#Blogwords, Tuesday Reviews-Day, #TRD, Book Review, The Girls in the Snow, Stacy Green, #NetGalley
October 17, 2020
BLOGWORDS – Saturday 17 October 2020 – TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY-on-SATURDAY – BOOK REVIEW – BEACH HAVEN by T.I. LOWE
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TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY-on-SATURDAY – BOOK REVIEW – BEACH HAVEN by T.I. LOWE
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THE BLURB
Free-spirited Opal Gilbert seems to have everything she needs to keep living a happy life in Sunset Cove as she refurbishes vintage furniture to sell at her funky ocean-side boutique, Bless This Mess. Until Lincoln Cole, a new-to-town ex-Marine nursing deep wounds and harboring hurts he can’t seem to shake, wanders into her shop. Opal knows a person in need when she sees one and offers Lincoln a job in her workshop. But the brooding former soldier has no interest in Opal’s offer. Thanks but no thanks.
But then a hurricane strikes, damaging Bless This Mess. Feeling guilty for how he treated Opal, Lincoln decides to help her repair the store. And soon it becomes clear Opal wants to restore not only her business, but also help Lincoln find restoration. As much as Lincoln tries to keep her at arm’s length, Opal’s well-meaning meddling begins to heal his wounds . . . and capture his heart almost before he realizes it.
THE AUTHOR
[image error]Bestselling author T.I. Lowe sees herself as an ordinary country girl who loves to tell extraordinary stories. She knows she’s just getting started and has many more stories to tell. A wife and mother and active in her church community, she resides in coastal South Carolina with her family.
For a complete list of Lowe’s published books, biography, upcoming events, and other information, visit tilowe.com and be sure to check out her blog, COFFEE CUP, while you’re there!
She would love to hear from you!!
ti.lowe@yahoo.com
twitter: TiLowe
facebook: T.I. Lowe
MY REVIEW
I gotta be honest, it took me a while to like Opal! I’m an eternal optimist but her joie de vivre is kinda over the top. Almost Pollyana, even.
Then again, that level of joy is soul deep, and absolutely necessary to withstand the force and depth of anger called Storm Lincoln. PTSD is a vicious beast and cruel master, and Lincoln was drowning in it.
The more I read, the more both of them became endeared to me. Opal’s joie de vivre stems from her bedrock of faith, and bubbles over in her art. As an artist, that especially endeared her to me even more. Her patience and tenacity with Lincoln—heck, she could almost be me!
I appreciated the way Ms. Lowe put them through the wringer, and threw them curveballs. Especially the hurricane! Because like the Phoenix from the ashes, Opal rose above the circumstances—and dragged Lincoln along with her. Even if he was kicking and screaming.
I especially love stories with a strong sense of family and/or community, and Beach Haven serves it in generous portions!
ROBIN’S FEATHERS
[image error]ALL | THE | FEATHERS!
This book was given to me as a gift. I offer my review of my own free will, and the opinions expressed in my review are my own honest thoughts and reaction to this book.
#Blogwords, Tuesday Reviews-Day-on-Saturday, #TRD, Book Review, Beach Haven, T.I. Lowe, Carolina Coast Series
BLOGWORDS – Saturday 17 October 2020 – TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY-on-SATURDAY – BOOK REVIEW – WHERE DO THEY ALL BELONG by CHLOE FLANAGAN
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TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY-on-SATURDAY – BOOK REVIEW – WHERE DO THEY ALL BELONG by CHLOE FLANAGAN
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THE BLURB
Darla Mayhew has lived nearly all of her fifty-five years as a fiercely independent career woman. But when a sudden illness takes her sister Lucinda, she leaves Darla a dying request. Darla must take a road trip with Clifton, her sister’s arrogant and commitment-phobic “man friend.” Can she endure his company long enough to fulfill her obligation?
Clifton Peters has weathered divorce and other losses by staying calm and easy going. Only one woman rattles his tranquil existence. Darla Mayhew. Being forced into close proximity with her will be a nightmare. Why would Lucinda request this journey of them? Could the Master Potter use it to confront the dark chapters in their lives and challenge their conceptions of each other?
THE AUTHOR
[image error]Chloe S. Flanagan is an author, technical writer, blogger, and graduate of New York University. She enjoys exploring the Christian walk frankly and thoughtfully in her fiction and in her blog, The Candid Corinthian. When she’s not writing Chloe loves music, travel, reading books in all genres, and spending time with family.
MY REVIEW
HOLY OY!! The sparks that flew in this story! I had to step back, figuratively speaking, to keep from getting singed!
But Lucinda was a wise woman, and knew both her sister and her “man friend” better than they knew themselves. And God, wiser than all of them, dropped an unexpected passenger in for the ride, one who seemed a random twist but had greater impact than either Darla or Clifton—or the reader—could have imagined.
But just as iron sharpens iron, and just as Lucinda knew they would, Darla and Clifton came to see one another differently. Even if it felt like sliding down a cheese grater to get there!
Truth and authenticity and depth covered the pages of Ms. Flanagan’s story. Her characters reflect her understanding of human nature, the wounds we all carry, and the healing process Father God sets before us.
Ms. Flanagan is another new favorite author for this reader.
BONUS: As a 60+ year old reader, I enjoyed a story of more “mature” characters!
ROBIN’S FEATHERS
[image error]ALL | THE | FEATHERS!
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but was under no obligation to read the book or to post a review. I offer my review of my own free will. The opinions expressed in my review are my honest thoughts and reaction to this book.
#Blogwords, Tuesday Reviews-Day-on-Saturday, #TRD, Book Review, Where Do They All Belong, Chloe Flanagan, The Potter’s House Series
October 16, 2020
BLOGWORDS – Saturday 17 October 2020 – TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY-on-SATURDAY – BOOK REVIEW – THE HAUNTING AT BONAVENTURE CIRCUS by JAIME JO WRIGHT
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TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY-on-SATURDAY – BOOK REVIEW – THE HAUNTING AT BONAVENTURE CIRCUS by JAIME JO WRIGHT
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THE BLURB
1928
The Bonaventure Circus is a refuge for many, but Pippa Ripley was rejected from its inner circle as a baby. When she receives mysterious messages from someone called the “Watchman,” she is determined to find him and the connection to her birth. As Pippa’s search leads her to a man seeking justice for his murdered sister and evidence that a serial killer has been haunting the circus train, she must decide if uncovering her roots is worth putting herself directly in the path of the killer.
Present Day
The old circus train depot will either be torn down or preserved for historical importance, and its future rests on real estate project manager Chandler Faulk’s shoulders. As she dives deep into the depot’s history, she’s also balancing a newly diagnosed autoimmune disease and the pressures of single motherhood. When she discovers clues to the unsolved murders of the past, Chandler is pulled into a story far darker and more haunting than even an abandoned train depot could portend.
THE AUTHOR
[image error]Daphne du Maurier and Christy Award-Winning author, Jaime Jo Wright resides in the hills of Wisconsin writing suspenseful, mysteries stained with history’s secrets. Jaime lives in dreamland, exists in reality, and invites you to join her adventures at jaimewrightbooks.com!
MY REVIEW
The thing about a dual timeline story is it’s two stories in one. And Ms. Wright is a master of intertwining the seeming disparate threads into a single unified narrative.
Pippa Ripley and Chandler Faulk didn’t know each other. They weren’t related. But their lives were very connected. Tangled together by mystery and suspense and intrigue, letters and murder and a stalker.
A stalker who masquerades as a ghost.
But Chandler doesn’t believe in ghosts. And she’s determined to find out who the murderer was—and is. I appreciated the reality of a character with a “silent disease,” and her unseen struggles. This reader also suffers from an autoimmune issue, making Chandler very relatable.
Pippa, too, carried wounds I could relate to—feeling invisible and unloved. Her journey to find her identity—and the truth—took her to the depths of human depravity and darkness.
But Ms. Wright wove light into the darkness, and beauty in the ugliness, truth from the lies. And Pippa’s bond with Lily has birthed in me a love of elephants!
ROBIN’S FEATHERS
[image error]ALL | THE | FEATHERS!
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but was under no obligation to read the book or to post a review. I offer my review of my own free will. The opinions expressed in my review are my honest thoughts and reaction to this book.
#Blogwords, Tuesday Reviews-Day-on-Saturday, #TRD, Book Review, The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus, Jaime Jo Wright, #TheHauntingatBonaventureCircus #NetGalley
October 14, 2020
BLOGWORDS – Wednesday 14 October 2020 – WREADING WEDNESDAY – FEATURED BOOK– BROUGHT TO BOOK by BARBARA CORNTHWAITE
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WREADING WEDNESDAY – FEATURED BOOK – BROUGHT TO BOOK by BARBARA CORNTHWAITE
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ABOUT THE BOOK
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Book: Brought to Book
Author: Barbara Cornthwaite
Genre: Christian cozy mystery
Release Date: June 24, 2020
THE BLURB
There’s nothing in Emily Post about dealing with murder.
Katrina just wanted to spend time among the books at Frank’s Bookstore. Yes, that’s an unimaginative name for a store, but Frank’s an unimaginative guy–or he was.
Now he and his murder are the reason Katrina is spending her spare time with Wilkester detective, Todd Mason. Or, that’s what she tells herself.
Why would anyone want to kill Frank Delaney? Who would do it? And is Katrina herself even safe?
Mixing faith, literary humor, sweet romance, and a cozy mystery that will keep you guessing, Barbara Cornthwaite’s first Wilkester Mystery has everything you want for a cozy read.
Begin your investigation of Brought to Book today.
Click here to get your copy!
THE AUTHOR
[image error]Barbara Cornthwaite lives in the middle of Ireland with her husband and children. She taught college English before “retiring” to do something she loves far more; her days are now filled with homeschooling her six children, trying to keep the house tidy (a losing battle), and trying to stay warm in the damp Irish climate (also a losing battle). She is surrounded by medieval castles, picturesque flocks of sheep, and ancient stone monuments. These things are unappreciated by her children, who are more impressed by traffic jams, skyscrapers, and hot weather.
MORE FROM BARBARA
Meeting of the Minds
A Wilkester Mysteries Introduction
Detective Todd Mason knew Katrina was the one the first time he met her. The woman had witnessed a murder—if not with her eyes, at least with her ears. She’d seen the man dying and called for help, afraid all the while that the killer would return for her. So much he’d been told before he went into the interrogation room.
“How’s she handling it?” he asked the officer who had arrived first at the scene and escorted her to the police station.
“Not too badly,” said Gary. “She’s in shock, of course, but she’s trying to hold it together. Katrina Peters. She’s in Room 2.”
He’d gone in then and gotten his first look at her. Late thirties or early forties. Brown hair that fell to her shoulders in loose waves. Brown eyes that were red-rimmed from crying. Hands clutching a tissue. She managed a faint smile when he walked in.
“Hello, Ms. Peters. I’m Detective Todd Mason. I need to ask you some questions, if that’s all right.”
“Miss,” she said, almost as a reflex.
“I beg your pardon?” Todd wasn’t sure he’d heard her correctly.
“It’s Miss Peters.” She said it firmly, repudiating the term Ms. even at such a stressful moment. Something made her blush then, and he saw her glance at his left hand. “Never mind,” she murmured.
She’s afraid I’ll think she’s trying to advertize her availability. It amused Todd to see the blush—if only she knew how refreshing it was to see a woman who would even be conscious of such a thing. Old fashioned, he thought. In a good way.
She answered his questions as calmly as she could, and even apologized for the tears that insisted on coming out now and then. When she alluded to Daniel in the lion’s den, he knew she really was out of the ordinary, and it took all his self-control not to offer to drive her home himself.
To join the investigation, read your copy of Brought to Book today.
TOUR GIVEAWAY
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To celebrate her tour, Barbara is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a paperback of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/10210/brought-to-book-celebration-tour-giveaway
BLOG STOPS
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 10
21st Century Keeper at Home, October 10
The Avid Reader, October 10
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 11
Remembrancy, October 11
For the Love of Literature, October 12
Worthy2Read, October 12
Genesis 5020, October 12
deb’s Book Review, October 13
Blogging With Carol, October 13
Texas Book-aholic, October 14
Losing the Busyness, October 14
April Hayman, Author, October 14
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 15
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 15
Inklings and notions, October 16
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 16
Daysong Reflections, October 16
Older & Smarter?, October 17
For Him and My Family, October 17
Ashley’s Bookshelf, October 18
Just Your Average reviews, October 18
Lis Loves Reading, October 18
Locks, Hooks and Books, October 19
As He Leads is Joy, October 19
Emily Yager, October 19
Sodbusterliving, October 20
Artistic Nobody, October 20 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)
Labor Not in Vain, October 20
She Lives To Read, October 21
Bizwings Blog, October 21
Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, October 21
Godly Book Reviews, October 22
Mary Hake, October 22
Vicky Sluiter, October 22
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, October 23
Sara Jane Jacobs, October 23
#Blogwords, Wreading Wednesday, Featured Book, Brought to Book, Barbara Cornthwaite, Celebrate Lit Tours
October 13, 2020
BLOGWORDS – Tuesday 13 October 2020 – TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – TRIPLE BOOK REVIEW – SIMPLY WEST OF HEAVEN by MONIQUE BUCHEGER
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TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – TRIPLE BOOK REVIEW – SIMPLY WEST OF HEAVEN by MONIQUE BUCHEGER
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THE BLURB
Twelve-year-old BFFs are matchmaking geniuses. Sweet! Not long after they schemed to get Ginnie’s widowed dad to fall in love with Tillie’s divorced mom, Ginnie stumbled upon her late mom’s journals, making life even more awesome sauce … until her dad confiscated the journals, determined to protect Ginnie from a danger he won’t name. Ginnie is counting on her future sister’s help to make Dad change his mind, but Tillie’s not so sure the ghost of Ginnie’s mom will make a good addition to their new family tree. The girls’ world gets flipped upside-down when a blast from the past shows up and makes Tillie go nutburgers. Ginnie is torn between helping her best friend and what could be the answer to her deepest wish.
THE AUTHOR
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When Monique isn’t writing, you can find her playing taxi driver to one or more of her 12 children, plotting her next novel, scrapbooking, or being the “Mamarazzi” at any number of child-oriented events.
Even though she realizes there will never be enough hours in any given day, Monique tries very hard to enjoy the journey that is her life. She shares it with a terrific husband, her dozen children and 3 in-law kids, eleven granddarlings, 5 cats, and many real and imaginary friends.
She is the author of five published books (and several unpublished ones) and is in two anthologies. You can find more about Monique and her works at: www.moniquebucheger.blogspot.com
MY REVIEW
The girls are back! And their ‘Secret Sister’ scheming is working! It’s just taking F-O-R-E-V-E-R!!! And trying the patience that neither of them has mastered!
And ALL.THE.SECRETS! It’s enough to make a person nutburgers! Even Toran is losing his normal Mr. Cool demeanor.
Simply West pits Ginnie and Tillie in a surprise [SPOILER,] which I did not see coming at all—even though the signs have been there from the first pages of the first book! In a sad twist, and not for quite the same reasons, I related to Tillie’s sense of worth very well. My heart hurt as she spilled hers, and I was happy Ginnie and Toran were there to reassure her.
Ms. Bucheger wraps her delightful stories around some deep life issues, bringing light to what is otherwise hidden—and exposing the secrets long kept in the dark!
Filled with more of the things this reader loves—friends and family, laughter and tears and truth, and BONUS! Twins!
ROBIN’S FEATHERS
[image error]ALL | THE | FEATHERS!
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but was under no obligation to read the book or to post a review. I offer my review of my own free will. The opinions expressed in my review are my honest thoughts and reaction to this book.
#Blogwords, Tuesday Reviews-Day, #TRD, Triple Book Review, Simply West of Heaven, Monique Bucheger, Ginnie West Adventure, JustRead Publicity
BLOGWORDS – Tuesday 13 October 2020 – TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – TRIPLE BOOK REVIEW – TROUBLE BLOWS WEST by MONIQUE BUCHEGER
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TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – TRIPLE BOOK REVIEW – TROUBLE BLOWS WEST by MONIQUE BUCHEGER
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THE BLURB
Ginnie doesn’t always think…
…sometime she just acts.
Was it a mistake to stand up to the bully?
Gennie and the bully, Pierce, get sent to the principal’s office. It doesn’t matter if he had threatened her twin brother, Toran, they both are suspended. Two days off school isn’t the scary part.
What will her dad say?
Things get taken up a notch, next. When the West twins and Chandler brothers execute a prank to get back at Pierce, it doesn’t turn out like they’d planned.
What Ginnie sees is terrifying.
Pierce is being beaten by his father.
Bullying is wrong, but now Ginnie has to come to grips with understanding what he might be going through.
How will she handle it?
THE AUTHOR
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When Monique isn’t writing, you can find her playing taxi driver to one or more of her 12 children, plotting her next novel, scrapbooking, or being the “Mamarazzi” at any number of child-oriented events.
Even though she realizes there will never be enough hours in any given day, Monique tries very hard to enjoy the journey that is her life. She shares it with a terrific husband, her dozen children and 3 in-law kids, eleven granddarlings, 5 cats, and many real and imaginary friends.
She is the author of five published books (and several unpublished ones) and is in two anthologies. You can find more about Monique and her works at: www.moniquebucheger.blogspot.com
MY REVIEW
Ginnie West is head strong and impulsive but her heart is in the right place. Honestly, I didn’t like her very much in this one—she was so stubborn and strong-willed, and her anger was making me angry! And keeping secrets from her dad on top of it! OY!!
At twelve years old, Ginnie is in the precarious age where everything is changing and nothing makes sense. Always adventurous, she doesn’t back down from a challenge.
But when that challenge turns dangerous that same impulsiveness leads to a resolution, and opens the way for a happy ending.
Once again, Ms. Bucheger has pegged her characters to a TEE! Even with Ginnie’s over-the-top attitude, she’s authentic and believable. (And I still love her!) The jargon and slang they all bandy about is delightful (except for Ginnie’s rants!!) and fun—I’m going to have to incorporate nutburgers into my vocabulary!
I love a good prank but my heart was racing when Ginnie a) convinced the others to go along with [SPOILER], and b) when she saw Pierce getting beaten. I especially loved the West Family rallying to reach out to him, and welcome him and his mom to their home.
Another winner from Ms. Bucheger!
ROBIN’S FEATHERS
[image error]ALL | THE | FEATHERS!
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but was under no obligation to read the book or to post a review. I offer my review of my own free will. The opinions expressed in my review are my honest thoughts and reaction to this book.
#Blogwords, Tuesday Reviews-Day, #TRD, Triple Book Review, Trouble Blows West, Monique Bucheger, Ginnie West Adventures, JustRead Publicity
BLOGWORDS – Tuesday 13 October 2020 – TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – TRIPLE BOOK REVIEW – THE SECRET SISTERS CLUB by MONIQUE BUCHEGER
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TUESDAY REVIEWS-DAY – TRIPLE BOOK REVIEW – THE SECRET SISTERS CLUB by MONIQUE BUCHEGER
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THE BLURB
Twelve-year-old BFF’s Ginnie West and Tillie Taylor, want to be sisters. Ginnie’s widowed dad plus Tillie’s divorced mom could equal a lifetime of round-the-clock girl talk and slumber parties. Too bad Dad vowed to never marry again. Ginnie and Tillie come up with the perfect scheme to change his mind: ‘Operation Secret Sisters’ (aka OSS). After all, if they can’t get Dad to move on, Tillie can’t move in.
THE AUTHOR
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When Monique isn’t writing, you can find her playing taxi driver to one or more of her 12 children, plotting her next novel, scrapbooking, or being the “Mamarazzi” at any number of child-oriented events.
Even though she realizes there will never be enough hours in any given day, Monique tries very hard to enjoy the journey that is her life. She shares it with a terrific husband, her dozen children and 3 in-law kids, eleven granddarlings, 5 cats, and many real and imaginary friends.
She is the author of five published books (and several unpublished ones) and is in two anthologies. You can find more about Monique and her works at: www.moniquebucheger.blogspot.com
MY REVIEW
Ms. Bucheger understands twelve-year-old girls so well you might think she is one!
I absolutely fell in love with Ginnie and Tillie. As a granny with both fourteen-year-old and ten-year-old granddaughters, I can testify to the authenticity of the characters!
This story is filled with so many things this reader loves and/or understands—the bond of friendship, horses, adventure, loads of fun, and most of all family. Extended family. And the nicknames!! Such a personal touch—that kind of sealed this story for me.
Ms. Bucheger not only “gets’ pre-teen girls, but she tells a colorful story, pulling the reader right into the hen house looking for eggs, or on Calliope racing down the lane. I felt Ginnie’s longing, and Tillie’s angst.
I loved this story so much I did something I don’t normally (get to) do—I read all three stories in the series back to back—and am looking forward to Book 4, Being West is Best.
ROBIN’S FEATHERS
[image error]ALL | THE | FEATHERS!
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but was under no obligation to read the book or to post a review. I offer my review of my own free will. The opinions expressed in my review are my honest thoughts and reaction to this book.
#Blogwords, Tuesday Reviews-Day, #TRD, Triple Book Review, The Secret Sisters Club, Monique Bucheger, Ginnie West Adventures, JustRead Publicity
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