Friends Sharing Book Love discussion
Book Reviews
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Books You're on the Fence About - 2025
Hello Stranger by Katherine Center
Started off well, but the final quarter was OTT. Still, an entertaining novel for the most part.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Little Old Lady Who Struck Lucky Again! – Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg – 2**
Book number two in the League of Pensioners series, featuring elderly Martha Anderson and her friends – Brains, Rake, Christina and Anna-Greta. The first book was a hoot, and I rather enjoyed the outlandishness of it all. But this one…. Well, it seemed to me that the author was just trying too hard to make this a comical crime caper, but it came across as tedious.
LINK to my full review
Old Country - Matt and Harrison Query - (Idaho)
Genera: Supernatural, Horror
4★
Review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Stay Awake by Megan Goldin
Good enough for a one-time read, as long as you don't overthink it.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
People of Darkness – Tony Hillerman – 3.5***
Book number four in the Leaphorn & Chee mystery series focuses Navajo Tribal Police Sergeant Jim Chee, as he tries to unravel a 30-year-old mystery in pursuit of a missing box of “trinkets and mementos” that has been stolen from a very wealthy man. Hillerman does a marvelous job of weaving Native American (particularly Navajo) traditions, culture, and myths into his mysteries. I came late to the Tony Hillerman fan club, but I’m glad I got here and I’m enjoying the series.
LINK to my full review
The Toll - Cherie Priest - (Georgia)
Genera: Horror/Paranormal/Mystery Thriller
3.5★
Review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Hope: The Thing With Feathers edited by B. Morris Allen
A good short story collection, as long as you are prepared for dark content. I wasn't! Better for YA readers.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My second book of the week was
Death on the Causeway by Caleb Wygal https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
The Mistress of Bhatia House by Sujata Masseyhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Graceland – Nancy Crochiere – 3***
This was a fun read with over-the-top characters dealing with drama mostly of their own making. I liked the road trip aspect the best, though their various antics once they all arrive in Memphis also kept the plot moving along nicely. (Loved the scenes with the Elvis impersonators!)
LINK to my full review
You Make It Feel Like Christmas by Sophie Sullivan 3 1/2-StarsFamily, Christmas, a cute kid and a hot hockey player.
My Review
The Night We Lost Him – Laura Dave – 3***
This mystery opens with Liam Noone, a hotel magnate with three ex-wives, three adult children and a long-term lover, being pushed off a cliff to his death. Two of his children, Nora and Sam, join forces to discover what happened to their dad, and why. I am Soooo over the dual time-line device and this one isn’t done all that well. By the time the kids determined that he was pushed, I’d lost interest in who did the pushing. It’s okay, at best.
LINK to my full review
The Tortoise’s Tale
manages to tell a story from the tortoise’s POV without getting cheesy yet often felt a little flat. My 3.5 star review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Friends have enjoyed The Fireground, but I think most listened to the audio when it was first published. I read it much later in print and didn't have the same experience. I'm a fan of Dervla McTiernan's Cormac Reilly series set in Ireland, but this one wasn't for me.Try the audio!
My review of The Fireground
A Terribly Nasty Business by Julia Seales
A historical cosy mystery. Didn't enjoy it as much as the first book, which had been an Austen parody.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Finished Little Cruelties
. Not my favourite Nugent but it served its purpose. My thoughts: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Michaelmas Daisy by Paul Marriner
A contemporary fiction narrated from the point of view of a ghost. Could have been great had I liked the narrator. But the remaining characters saved the day.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Story Collector – Evie Woods – 3***
This is a charming fable of love lost and love found, of superstition and faith, of family and community, of grief and recovery. Sarah was at times infuriating, but I came to understand her need to grieve and to face her demons. And I really liked the way her relationship with Oran developed. I liked the historical timeline as well, but I had a hard time believing Anna, a village girl, would have written her diary in this way.
LINK to my full review
Two contemporary middle-grade books. These are companion novels to each other, but can be read in any order as standalones. Unfortunately, the dog doesn't have that big a role to play, despite what the cover promises.Wish by Barbara O'Connor
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Dream by Barbara O'Connor
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I would have probably enjoyed The Listeners
of it hadn’t relied so heavily on magical realism to advance the story. My three star review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks by Shauna Robinson
A contemporary romance with an annoying main character. You might like the book better if you can tolerate her.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I'm closing out the week with
Shady Hollow by Juneau Black. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Love Limits - Reese Morrison - (Pennsylvania)
Love Language Series Book #3
Genera: M/M Romance/Daddy "pup" dynamic
3.5★
Review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review for Dealing with a Desperate Demon
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My review for
Overduehttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Blueprints- Barbara Delinsky - (Massachusetts)
Genera: Cozy Romance
3★
Review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Door-to-Door Bookstore – Carsten Henn – 3***
A small-town German bookseller has delivered books to his customers each evening after the store is closed. This is a lovely story of friendship, purpose, kindness and found family. It’s also about dealing with loss and grief, and about having the courage to make changes in one’s life.
LINK to my full review
I'm kicking off the week with
O, Deadly Night by Vicki Delany https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Finally read The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
The first Hunger Games prequel turned out to be disappointing, but not as much as I had anticipated.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Finished The Irish Goodbye
. Rather disappointed. My thoughts: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
My second book this week is
Lady Darling Inquires After a Killer by Colleen Gleason https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Here is my 3 star review of Fallen City by Adrienne Young:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Outlier opinion
Fantasy
Book 1 in the Fallen City duology
Dual timelines and dual points of view adversely affected the flow of this story.
While it kept me interested in the outcome, I didn't fully engage with the characters.
On top of that, it has a cliffhanger ending.
A Haunting in the Arctic - C.J. Cooke -(Iceland)
Genera: Mystery/Horror
3★
Review:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Within These Walls- Ania Ahlborn -(Washington)
Genera: Mystery, Cults - 4★
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Dog Who Followed the Moon – James Norbury – 3.5***
In the deepest part of winter, a small pup, Amaya, gets separated from her parents. Wandering alone in the woods she comes upon a pack of wolves. And this begins the latest fable by James Norbury. Once again, he reminds us that life is about the journey, not the destination, and that all experiences are ones we can learn from. And I really love his illustrations.
LINK to my full review
Brother- Ania Ahlborn - (West Virginia)
Genera: Graphic Horror
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Friends Sharing Book Love
Books mentioned in this topic
The Business Trip (other topics)Christine Falls (other topics)
The Woman in the Library (other topics)
How to Break My Heart (other topics)
A Disappearing Act (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Jessie Garcia (other topics)Sulari Gentill (other topics)
Kat T. Masen (other topics)
Jo Dixon (other topics)
Kiersten Modglin (other topics)
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A vision saved his life, but Jack just doesn't believe it.
My Review