Fiction

The Patron Saint of Second Chances by Christine Simon

This is a cute and funny contemporary book about the self-appointed mayor of a tiny Italian village desperately trying to save his hometown no matter the cost. Signor Speranza is told by the water commissioner’s office that unless he can come up with 70,000 Euros to fix the town’s pipes, the water will be shut off and all of the town’s 212 inhabitants will be forced to disperse. So what’s an informal Mayor to do? Why, spread a false rumor that a famous heartthrob actor is shooting his new movie in the village, of course! His hope is that tourists will flock to the town and the revenue for the pipes will be raised.

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April 13, 2022 0

Or Else by Joe Hart

This is a good contemporary mystery/thriller. Novelist Andy Drake returns home to care for his sick father. He re-connects with Rachel, a childhood friend, starting an affair that gives her a break from her emotionally abusive husband. After several months, Andy receives an anonymous note telling him to break it off with Rachel, or else.

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April 10, 2022 0

To Marry and to Meddle (The Regency Vows #3) by Martha Waters

This is a fun and flirty “marriage of convenience” trope regency romance set in England in 1817. It’s a quick and easy read that I read in one sitting. The characters pop off the page and the banter between the two actually made me laugh out loud at certain points. I haven’t read the two previous books, but that didn’t deter me from enjoying this one. The supporting characters rounded out the story well, so I definitely plan to go back and read To Have and to Hoax and To Love and To Loathe.

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April 9, 2022 0

Spine of the Dragon (Wake the Dragon #1) by Kevin J. Anderson

This is a very good first book in a new fantasy series. It has it all – Kings and Queens, swords and fire, fighting, court intrigue, heroes, villains, dragons, magic, ancient beings, and a fickle god. C’mon, what more could you want in an epic fantasy?

Book Blurb

Two continents at war, the Three Kingdoms and Ishara, are divided by past bloodshed. When an outside threat arises—the reawakening of a powerful ancient race that wants to remake the world—the two warring nations must somehow set aside generational hatreds and form an alliance to fight their true enemy.

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April 1, 2022 0

What Happened to the Bennetts by Lisa Scottoline

Your family has been attacked, never again to be the same.
Now you have to choose between law…and justice.

This was a great contemporary mystery/thriller that is fast paced and action packed. The story starts with one fateful night that changes a law-abiding family’s life forever. The story ends with how that family copes with the rest of their life.

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March 31, 2022 0

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley

Wow. Let me just say, I loved this book! I went into it not really knowing what it was about and the story was such a pleasant surprise. Now I know why it was all over Instagram! The story focuses on Daunis, an 18 year old girl living in a small Michigan town near the Canadian border. She is part Caucasian and part Ojibwe Native American. She doesn’t really fit into either world, and has hopes to start over while away at college. But, a family tragedy puts those plans on hold and she stays to care for her mother and ailing grandmother. Rather than out-of-town college, she plans to attend community college classes with her best friend.

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March 30, 2022 0

The Interpreter by Isabella Pallavacini

This is a good historical fiction book based on true events of the author’s father during WWII. It depicts parts of the war that I haven’t read much about – what was going on in Italy and Sicily during the war and how it affected the country and it’s people. The book focuses on one family’s experiences, ranging from Switzerland, Germany, Sicily, Italian and the United States.

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March 29, 2022 0

The Bone Shard Emporer (The Drowning Empire #2) by Andrea Stewart

This is a good second book in this unique fantasy series. The book starts off slowly and it was initially hard to get into it, but about a third of the way it picks up and is a lot more exciting. Lin is now the emperor, but most governors in the empire have not accepted her rule. The Shardless Few demand she abdicate. Islands are sinking, and an army of constructs is descending from the north, threatening Lin’s rule. As if Lin doesn’t have enough problems, the Alanga, an ancient race of powerful magicians, have returned to take over the Empire.

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March 20, 2022 0

I Am Margaret Moore by Hannah Capin

This book is described as a paranormal mystery/thriller and that’s a pretty accurate description. The book is written in a unique style of writing, and based on other reviews, it’s not for everyone. That said, if you can put yourself in the right headspace when you read this book, I think you will enjoy it. The writing is more lyrical and ethereal than straight-forward fiction, so if you like more experimental writing styles, definitely check this book out.

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March 15, 2022 3