Fiction

The Little French Bookshop by Cecile Pivot

This is a good epistolary fiction set in contemporary France. Esther runs a bookshop and when she loses her father to suicide, she runs an ad in the newspaper inviting people to join her letter writing workshop. Five people sign up – a disillusioned businessman, a husband and wife struggling with her postpartum depression, a lonely elderly widow, and an awkward teenager trying to deal with his brother’s death from cancer. The group meet first in person to get to know each other, and are asked to answer one simple question: What Battles Are You Fighting?

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February 18, 2022 0

The Trust by M.H. Eccleston

This is a very good cozy mystery that is a quick and easy read. The mystery is interesting and I really liked the main character Astrid She is smart, curious and the growth in her character throughout the book felt natural. She comes to the countryside ensconced in her designer clothes and expensive tastes, but soon finds herself befriended by free spirit Kath who serves as a sort of liaison between Astrid and the village. As her friendship with Kath grows, Astrid’s stiff exterior melts away and she is slowly accepted by the village. The minor characters from the village add a lot of charm to the book and provide a good sounding board for Astrid’s ideas. I love stories that are set in tiny villages because we are always treated with a variety of quirky characters, and the author does not disappoint here.

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February 13, 2022 0

The Violence by Delilah S. Dawson

This is a fantastic horror/SciFi/thriller that analyzes what could happen if another, different kind of pandemic sweeps the world, and how three women living under the specter of domestic abuse can break free and make a better life for themselves. The disease, called The Violence, causes the infected to suddenly blank out and become deadly, viscously violent toward their target. Once the target is eliminated, the person drops out of the episode and has no memory of the attack. The world, suffering from COVID fatigue, initially discounts the disease and doesn’t take notice until it has spread like a wildfire through the populace.

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February 10, 2022 0

The Broken Tower (The Barrier Lands #2) by Kelly Braffet

3.5 stars

Once again, we visit this harsh, brutal world where pain is meted out indiscriminately and self-preservation is the only way to survive. Trust no one and watch your back. Remain armed at all times.

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February 3, 2022 0

Finlay Donovan Knocks ‘Em Dead (Finlay Donovan, #2) by Elle Cosimano

4.5 stars

Love, love, love this book!!! Cosimano knocks it out of the park once again. I was concerned that Book Two would suffer a sophomore slump and because I loved the first book so much, I started this book with a bit of trepidation. Happily, my concerns were for nought, because this book is everything I wanted and more.

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February 2, 2022 0

His Lessons on Love (A Logical Man’s Guide to Dangerous Women #3) by Cathy Maxwell

This is a cute, fun historical fiction romance set in 1815 England. The Earl of Marsdan (Mars) has lived a life of irresponsibility, doing things his own way without a care as to what others think of him. That is, until his last mistress drops off a baby girl –his baby girl – and leaves. Immediately smitten with the child and determined to protect her at all costs, he seeks help from the town matrons.

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January 24, 2022 0

Chloe Cates is Missing by Mandy McHugh and Amanda McHugh

This is a very good mystery/thriller that will keep you riveted until the end. The whole story takes place in less than 24 hours, and the tension is palpable. The story is told in short chapters through four main characters’ point of view. There are plenty of unreliable narrators whose lies pile up one after another, and the author slowly dolls out twists and turns with each chapter. The ending was both satisfying and frustrating in that it leaves the ultimate conclusion to the reader’s imagination.

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January 23, 2022 1

In Every Generation by Kendare Blake

“Into every generation, there is a Chosen One. One girl in all the world. She alone will wield the strength and skill to stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness; to stop the spread of their evil and the swell of their numbers. She is the Slayer.”

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Let me preface this review by saying that I am a huge Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan. HUGE. As in I own the entire series on DVD (yeah, remember those old things?) and routinely play them in the background while I’m cleaning, getting ready for the day or to go out, or when I want comfortable coziness. I love all things Buffyverse. Sooooo, when I hear of anything related to Buffy, I leap. That is what I did when I got a chance to read this book. And because I’m such a fan, I will both giddily gush with excitement, and be dramatically picky, about all new things “Buffy” in this review.

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January 20, 2022 0

A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham

3.5 stars

This is a pretty good mystery/thriller that is a quick and easy read. When Chloe was 12 years old six young girls went missing in her small Louisiana town. Chloe’s father was ultimately arrested for the crime and sentenced to prison. Twenty years later Chloe is a psychologist in private practice in Baton Rouge and engaged to get married.

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January 16, 2022 1