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Women Talking
roach808 avatar reviewed on + 142 more book reviews


I actually started with paperback and switched to audiobook and I am so glad! One reason to be glad is that I could listen at 1.25x. It's not a huge page turner, and dare I say boring. But, I still want to watch the film, and the last bit of the audiobook is . . . ð and the second reason I am glad I ended with the audiobook. Graded up for that audiobook ending that I didn't know was coming.


Spirit of Steamboat (Walt Longmire, Bk 9.1)
MKSbooklady avatar reviewed on + 893 more book reviews


A very sweet (for the lack of a better word) Longmire story. WWII airplane aficionados will probably enjoy this a lot. Longmire, Lucian and a few others going together to save a young girls life on Christmas Eve, 1988. A quick read. I was disappointed that my favorite character, Henry was not in this, but it's still a good story. A quick read.


Red Legs of the Bulge: Artillerymen in the Battle of the Bulge
papabillt avatar reviewed on + 16 more book reviews


A good survey of men and FA units involved in the Battle of the Bulge. It included the aftermath with following the men during their time as POWs.


The Happiness Plan
reviewed on + 108 more book reviews


Liked this book. There is a good group of friends that support each other. Heather is broken because of her mother and can't commit to her boyfriend. It shows how true love makes it all possible.


Mad Honey
njmom3 avatar reviewed on + 1331 more book reviews


Mad Honey byJodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan is challenging to review because the topic is part of the reveal of the book's mystery. This book will elicit strong emotions because of the topic, the age of the individuals, and the fact that the topic is not clear from the description. However, this review is of the characters, the story, and how it's told. The ending of the book is disappointing as the intensity and the education presented is lacking in that solution. It does, however, leave me thinking, and I still look forward what Jodi Picoult will tackle next.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2023/12/mad-honey.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.


How Stella Learned to Talk: The Groundbreaking Story of the World's First Talking Dog
esjro avatar reviewed on + 884 more book reviews


Really enjoyable read! A must for any dog lover who has ever wondered what was going through their dog's mind. I learned a lot about speech-language pathology too.


Salad Dressing Cookbook: A Sauce Cookbook with Delicious Salad Dressing Recipes (2nd Edition)
jjares avatar reviewed on + 3150 more book reviews


I've been looking to reduce the salt and fats our family ingests lately. I've also been trying to improve the types of fats we eat. Knowing what is in salad dressings is one way to improve the quality of the dressings we pour on our salads.

There are color photos of salad dressings in this eBook, but they are not labeled. However, the nutritional information is handy (and clearly marked on the same page as the recipe). The interesting thing I noticed about the dressings included here is that some recipes make a great deal and some make a small amount. Choosing a dressing to make based on how much I need is a unique way to add variety to our meals.

Generally, the ingredients needed are commonly found in a normal pantry. The recipes are simple, and the directions are clear. I value BookSumo Press cookbooks because of their ease of use and the variety of cookbooks offered.


jjares avatar reviewed on + 3150 more book reviews


The first half of this book is absolutely brilliant; it truly is the Bible of pizza making. The author made pizzas professionally at a luxe restaurant. He is precise in his measurements, the best flour for pizzas, and so much more. He even has a question-and-answer section that is also helpful.

The second half of this extensive book covers different types of pizza bases (using regular flour mixtures), crescent roll packages, or even cauliflower crusts. Of course, there are many recipes. One of the most fascinating things he said was that ingredients (particularly bell peppers and onions) must be cooked before putting them on the pizza. Why? There is so much moisture in them that they will make the pizza soggy.

This is a must-read for anyone wanting to up their pizza game. It was such fascinating reading that I finished the book in one sitting.


Bookshops & Bonedust
VolunteerVal avatar reviewed on + 548 more book reviews


Having (surprisingly) liked Legends & Lattes, I looked forward to listening to Bookshops & Bonedust and enjoyed it more than the first novel.

This is a prequel to L & L and features Viv, an orc, as she recovers from a battle injury. While recuperating in a little beach town, she befriends several local merchants, including the 'colorful' owner of a bookstore. As she spends time in the bookshop, Viv suggests small changes to make it more comfortable for her which, of course, makes it more inviting for other customers. It was fun to read about the implementation of things that we take for granted in great bookstores (comfortable seating, book recommendations, blind date with a book, etc.).

Since I'm not a fantasy reader, my mind skimmed over the sections about the conflicts Viv was battling (which is primarily where the Bonedust details appear). I also focused on the personalities of the characters rather than envisioning the types of fantastical beings they were.

I'm not a coffee drinker so I felt several steps removed from the central theme of Legends & Lattes, but I love bookshops with all my heart so I felt more connected to the plot of Bookshops & Bonedust. I highly recommend listening to these titles as they are narrated by the author, a professional audiobook narrator.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for access to the audiobook. I'm eager to learn if there will be more novels in this series.


The Soldier's Refuge (Tuttle Sisters of Coho Cove, Bk 1) (Harlequin Special Edition, No 2986)
scoutmomskf avatar reviewed on + 2473 more book reviews


Terrific story about two people with painful pasts who find peace, healing, and love when they return to their hometown. Natalie shook the dust of Coho Cove from her shoes as soon as she graduated from high school. The painful memories of those years still haunt her, especially the one betrayal that broke her heart. When she returns to help her sisters care for their mother, Jax is the last person she wants to see.

Jax also left town after graduation and joined the military, returning home a changed man. Thanks to his PTSD, he craves solitude and spends most of his time in his studio. Years of therapy and hard work have helped somewhat. He is still haunted by his mistake with Natalie and hopes her return will allow him to finally apologize.

I loved watching the relationship develop between Natalie and Jax. A stunned Natalie listens to Jax as he apologizes despite her lingering anger and hurt. She never expected that to happen. I loved watching them reconnect and rekindle their friendship and then see that friendship grow into more. I loved how they understood each other and their traumas and how the depth of that understanding intensified their connection. The scene after Jax's nightmare was incredibly moving, and his reaction was heart-wrenching. On the other hand, I loved Jax's support when Natalie encountered the bullies of her teen years and how that helped her put that past behind her. But as their feelings for each other deepen there are obstacles to overcome, such as her work in LA and his need for the peace of their small town. I loved how they faced their fears, looking deep inside themselves to understand what had changed and what they wanted moving forward. The ending was terrific; I hope to see more of them in future books.

The secondary characters were fantastic, showing the importance and complexities of family. Because of her flight from home and reluctance to return, Natalie's relationships with her mother and sisters are strained and complicated. Her mother's stroke has changed her. Gone is the polished woman who did everything possible to enhance her husband's military career. In her place is someone who is blunt and not much interested in what other people think. Natalie's sisters, Amy and Celeste, have been carrying the load and aren't shy about sharing that it's Natalie's turn. Jax's sister, Sheida, was fantastic. I loved her caring nature and how it comes out with her work, friends, and family. She worries about Jax and constantly fusses at him about not getting out. She also tries to fix him up with random women. She's excited when Natalie comes home and wants her to stay, so she tries to match Natalie with her male friends.

I enjoyed reading about Natalie's background as a military kid. As a Marine junior and Marine wife, I am familiar with the challenges of a transient lifestyle, and Natalie's story hit home. It isn't always easy to make friends as a child or adult, and I ached for Natalie and her high school experience. I could also identify with her memories of the benefits of her travels. Her comment about trips to Munich and Paris from Stuttgart, Germany, resonated with me because I currently live in Stuttgart, and the travel opportunities have been incredible. The culture shock from Europe to a tiny American town made Natalie's transition much more difficult.


Gunpowder Moon
apoujliv avatar reviewed on + 4 more book reviews


If you think of this as a mystery book, this is a terrible book. There is a mystery element, but it's not solved in a way that a mystery book should be solved.

However, if you think of this as just a sci-fi/political book with a murder in it, it's pretty decent. It gives The Martian vibes, and the moon science and atmosphere is pretty interesting. I'm not usually into political books, but this seemed fairly realistic. The main character is interesting enough (though the focus on the one woman character as The Woman is a little obnoxious).


The Christmas Shoppe
thefairunknown avatar reviewed on + 36 more book reviews


Did not enjoy this book. The multiple points of view was confusing, especially in such a short book where there just isn't time to get background on all the characters. I didn't find the content inspirational or heart-warming - on the contrary, I often found it depressing or downright irritating.

Why was everyone in this small town so petty and quick to judge? Why were there so many mentions of things like abusive spouses, injured veterans, dysfunctional families, etc that really detract from the Christmas mood? Why did it take over 70 pages for God to even be mentioned in the story?

If you are looking for a quick, cozy Christmas read, I wouldn't recommend this.


Love Finds You in Frost, Minnesota
thefairunknown avatar reviewed on + 36 more book reviews


This was a very sweet story. I enjoyed the emphasis on the true meaning of Christmas, and overall the Christmas atmosphere in this book was perfect. The added touches with the cute names of Merry, Peppermint, Eggnog, and Jack were adorable!

I'm only giving this book three stars because I found it very predictable. I saw all of the 'twists' coming, especially Hildy turning out to be Greta's grandmother. That was so obvious and it seemed odd to me that Merry didn't even bother to actually look into it before dismissing the idea.

Another issue I had with this book was the fact that most of the drama revolves around Merry and her multiple sort-of-boyfriends. Jeff, Zeke, Kip - these are all guys she's apparently gone out with before but never given them a firm 'no', even though she mentions multiple times throughout the book that she's not interested in anything serious with them. It was weird to me how even though she wasn't interested in a relationship with any of them, she accepted their flowers, kisses, and other tokens of affection, in essence leading them on and just adding fuel to the fire of Jack's jealousy for no reason.

My final comment is one more towards inspirational romance in general. Why is that in these books the main characters always have an instant attraction, but it takes them the entire book to admit that to each other? Someday I hope to read a book where the two characters meet at the beginning, realize they have feelings for each other, and then spend the book growing in a healthy, Christ-centered relationship instead of dodging their feelings at every turn.

Overall: a cute and fun story for the Christmas season. It's fast-paced and well-written. I'll probably look for more from this author!


The Lopsided Christmas Cake
thefairunknown avatar reviewed on + 36 more book reviews


I was pleasantly surprised by this little book. First of all, I felt it had way less filler than most Amish novels, which tend to be 300+ pages, with at least 100 of those pages being completely unnecessary. This book did have a few filler sections (i.e. the rodents) but nothing too bad.

Being a twin myself, I'm always skeptical reading about twins because so many stereotypes often used in writing are just downright ridiculous. I loved how in this book Elma and Thelma's separate personalities were continually emphasized (although I really wish that didn't have rhyming names...). The only thing that really bothered me in this book was the childish promise Thelma made concerning her twin and felt obliged to keep. It just seemed immature and hard to believe that she'd been holding on to it for all these years, despite her own desires and interests.

This book is described on the back as a lighthearted Christmas romance, but most of the book takes place in late fall to early December, so there aren't a lot of Christmas vibes. If you enjoy Amish romance, this would be a book you could read really at any time of the year.


Felicity the Dragon


Felicity is a shy dragon, unlike other dragons. She does not breathe fire and her wings are too tiny to fly with but she likes being helpful to all species.

Felicity's story is cute and fun. It has some rhyming and words that little ones will find funny like the word hiney.

I am trying to figure out how I feel about the art. Some pages I liked others less. I do appreciate how much work was put into them and the illustrations are very detailed.

I liked this one mostly for the subject matter and cute writing. The art is okay but not what I will remember it for. I would be interested to see if the author plans to do more picture books.


A Winter in New York: A Novel
pj-s-bookcorner avatar reviewed on + 830 more book reviews


A young chef flees an abusive relationship and moves from London to NYC to start over. She has a secret recipe from her late mother that may lead her to the love of her life and the struggle to follow her heart or let the past dictate her future.


The Girl in the Glass
Readnmachine avatar reviewed on + 1422 more book reviews


A trio of fake spiritualists in the 1930s have one of their readings spin out of control when what appears to be a very real ghost intrudes on the proceedings. From there, the novel wanders into murder mystery territory and then doubles back onto something even more bizarre.


Ascendant (Genesis Fleet, Bk 2)
hardtack avatar reviewed on + 2469 more book reviews


If you are a fan of Campbell's "Black Jack" Geary series, then you should also read the prequel trilogy, of which this is the second book. One of the heroes in this book is "Black Jack's" ancestor Rob Geary. Unlike many male Space Opera novelists, Campbell has several, strong, female main characters in his books.


The Selfless Act of Breathing: A Novel
njmom3 avatar reviewed on + 1331 more book reviews


The description of The Selfless Act of Breathing buy JJ Bola speaks of the life of a refugee, the Black experience in London, a loss, a new beginning, and a transformation. However, it leaves out that the main character begins the book contemplating suicide. That aside, the book narrates the story in a two-time line approach, at times first person and at times third person. Not knowing or understanding Michael's "why" for this final journey makes it challenging to follow him as a character.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2023/12/the-selfless-act-of-breathing.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.


Lost Hours (Alaska Wild, 5)
dollycas avatar reviewed on + 594 more book reviews


Dollycas's Thoughts

We return to Benedict, Alaska, where Beth Rivers has made her home since fleeing from the lower 48. She is fitting in well with the other residents and has relaxed since her ordeal a year ago. Her father, Eddie, is now in Benedict too. He has bought a boat and working as a fishing guide.  She is really trying to forgive him but she will never forget him leaving her and her mother behind.

It is unseasonably warm for July so she decides to finally see the glaciers from the water. She and her "man-friend" Tex board a tour boat and are enjoying the ride and the scenery when the ship takes a "sharp right veer" and a siren starts blasting. When the siren stops they see a woman on the shore of a nearby island screaming and signaling for help. She appears to be covered in blood. Tex helps with the rescue and brings her aboard the boat and tells Beth he thinks she can help the woman. Her name is Sadie and she says she was taken from her home in Juneau and brought to the island.

Later a young woman goes missing from the same island. Are the events connected? Can Beth help Police Chief Gril untangle the clues? Or will the events be too close to what happened to her that she needs to back off to save herself?

______

The characters Ms. Shelton has created for this series get stronger and more fleshed out in each story. Beth has truly become a part of the community and she has earned the trust of Viola, Orin, and Gril. She also stands up for herself in ways she didn't in previous books. Her relationship with Tex is evolving in a way that makes sense for both of them. Her father, Eddie plays a large role in this story and it was interesting to watch the relationship start to move in a positive direction.

The mysteries in this story take the readers along with the characters on quite an adventure. Beth pushes to be involved and I love that. Clues are found in interesting places, some discarded at first come into play later. The story had many layers that needed to be peeled away to move forward. There are twists, turns, and strange connections that all lead to an exciting end. Beth traveled somewhere I never would have been able to go. Ms. Shelton's writing was so powerful in the whole book but especially in that scene, I had to put the book down and take a couple of deep breaths. The author sets a fast pace from the start so I was not surprised that I read the book all in one sitting.

Lost Hours is a compelling story filled with suspense and intrigue. I am totally invested in Beth's life and hated to leave Benedict because while Beth, aka Elizabeth Fairchild, finished her current book by the deadline Beth's story is nowhere near complete. I see more danger in her future so it's going to be tough waiting a year for Ms. Shelton's next book to be released but this has been the case when I finish each book in this series so I know it will be worth the wait. She is an outstanding storyteller. I will be including Lost Hours on my Best Reads List for 2023.

Note: Each book in this series can be read on its own but to really enjoy the series you have to know Beth's story from the start.


Mail Order Abigail (Sweet Willow Mail Order Brides)
jjares avatar reviewed on + 3150 more book reviews


This is a different mail-order bride story; Abigail is Miss Peabody's companion. Adopted at about ten years of age, Abigail was thankful for the intercession of the Peabody family because Abigail lived in one of the most notorious orphanages in Boston. Abigail never understood that she was being used by the Peabody family when they convinced her to be a companion to their only child until Harriet married (or died).

Caleb Walker has become the guardian of his infant nephew Justin. He knows nothing about babies and requests a mail-order bride. Harriet was abandoned at the altar shortly before she became a mail-order bride (for Caleb). When her former fiancee' comes to the ship (they are traveling by ship to Galveston), he pleads with Harriet to marry him immediately.

When Abigail arrives to tell Caleb that Harriet has changed her mind, Caleb is upset. However, his Aunt Eleanor looked at things differently.

Sweet Willow Mail Order Brides â Total of 3
** 1. Mail Order Abigail (2020)
2. Mail Order Sarah (2020)
3. Mail Order Susanna (2020)


Get Well Soon: History's Worst Plagues and the Heroes Who Fought Them
rosyd avatar reviewed on + 10 more book reviews


A well written, fun read. Several times I felt that I knew the people being written about. It was informative and interesting.


Chili Cookbook: Easy and Delicious Chili Recipes
jjares avatar reviewed on + 3150 more book reviews


There is a wide variety of chili recipes in less than one hundred pages, from chocolate chili to vegetarian options. Creamy white Chicken Chili and Healthy Option Chile are new favorites. There are vegan options, as well as Clean Eating Chili. There are many options to try, so your chili is always different.

The book has color pictures of each recipe but no nutritional information. One of the things I appreciated was the variety of chilis using veggies, including sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and pumpkin. Overall score = 4.5 stars.


Foreign Influence (Scot Harvath, Bk 9)
reviewed on + 20 more book reviews


Enjoying all Brad Thor books; especially this one. Scot Harvath is always fun to follow.


How to Save a Life: The Inside Story of Grey's Anatomy
joann avatar reviewed on + 389 more book reviews


This book was OK about Grey's Anatomy. A LITTLE gossipy, but not overly so. Wish the author had actually done more talking to cast members. Getting to know the actors would have been a little more fun.


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