Title: The Cookbook Club Author: Beth Harbison Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks – HarperCollins Publishers Publication date: October 20, 2020 Genre: Women’s Fiction One Sentence Summary: Reeling from her divorce out of the middle of nowhere, Margo decides to join a cookbook club where she makes new friends, and is given the chance of second love. I love reading about food, so, when I saw The Cookbook Club and read it was about three women becoming friends, I jumped on it. Female friendship and food? It’s kind of a match made in heaven for me. I was also really curious to see how long Aja could hide her pregnancy. In some ways, this book was what I…
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Book Review: The Lost Love Song by Minnie Darke
Title: The Lost Love Song Author: Minnie Darke Publisher: Ballantine Books – Random House Publishing Group Publication date: October 13, 2020 Genre: Women’s Fiction, Romance One Sentence Summary: Diana may be gone, but her love song lives on, and will do anything to work it’s magic to bring happiness back into the lives of those it touches, especially that of her beloved Arie. As a musician (hobby, not professional), I couldn’t resist this one. Music and songs, how could I? I loved the idea of a love song making it’s way around the world, and could only wonder if it would ever make it’s way to the ears of the man it was meant for. This…
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Book Review: Home at Summer’s End by Alys Murray
Title: Home at Summer’s End Author: Alys Murray Publisher: Bookouture Publication date: October 15, 2020 Genre: Romance One Sentence Summary: Fake relationships never work out the way they’re supposed to, but local beauty Rose and actor Cole are determined to do it right and not fall in love. Well, I did it again and didn’t start with the first book. Though, with a book series like this, it isn’t strictly necessary to read them in order; they’re more or less standalones, though it’s still nice to know the background on the surrounding characters. In this case, Home at Summer’s End is the last book of the Full Bloom Farm quartet. But I really wanted to read it because…
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How I…Am Working My Way Out of a Reading Slump (revisited)
Wow, I’ve been a book reviewer for more than 2 years now! It started with the split second decision to join Netgalley, and then it turned into creating a review request page, and now I’ve received more books than I care to count through Netgalley, from publicists, and from authors. I have so many I don’t even have time to read other books I’ve had on my shelves for a while. Guess I should schedule those in one day. Originally posted September 7, 2018 At the beginning of the year, I had a lofty goal of reading a book a week. I was doing quite well until mid-February when an…
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Book Review: Soundrise by Lynn Voedisch
Title: Soundrise Author: Lynn Voedisch Publisher: The Story Plant Publication date: September 29, 2020 Genre: Science Fiction and Fantasy, General Fiction, Computers One Sentence Summary: Derek and George only want to find the hidden cache of information stored somewhere out in cyberspace by a notorious (now imprisoned) hacker, but, when a mysterious voice starts talking to Derek and an irresistible woman sets her sights on him, that information suddenly becomes a lot more important. There was something immensely alluring about the book description. It mentions a voice coming from over a computer, which is fascinating to me in itself. But then it goes on to mention goddesses and mysteries, and my mind just started spinning into…
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Book Review: The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart
Title: The Bone Shard Daughter Author: Andrea Stewart Publisher: Orbit Publication date: September 8, 2020 Genre: Fantasy Summary: In a world comprised of islands ruled by a reclusive Emperor with a daughter no one has seen since she was young, where the Emperor’s constructs run everything on each island, there are those who are restless, who would bring change to the Empire. At the age of eight, every child goes through the Tithing Festival and has a chip of bone taken from their skull to be stored in the palace until it’s needed to power a construct. Lin, the Emperor’s daughter, is determined to be named heir, doing everything in her power to learn how to…
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Book Review: The Secret French Recipes of Sophie Valroux by Samantha Verant
Title: The Secret French Recipes of Sophie Valroux Author: Samantha Verant Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group Publication date: September 8, 2020 Genre: Women’s Fiction Summary: When Sophie Valroux’s dreams of becoming one of the rare women to lead a Michelin-starred kitchen goes up in flames, thanks to a manipulative, scheming former lover in the same kitchen, and she finds out her beloved grandmother in a small town in France had a stroke, she books a one-way ticket back to the chateau her family has owned for generations. After a 13 year absence, she finds everything completely changed and that her grandmother didn’t tell her anything. But it might be the one chance for her to…
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Book Review: A Dance with Fate by Juliet Marillier
Title: A Dance with Fate (Warrior Bards Book 2) Author: Juliet Marillier Publisher: Ace-Berkley Publishing Group Publication date: September 1, 2020 Genre: Fantasy Summary: On Swan Island, Liobhan and Dau are about to become Swan Island warriors, but, in their last display bout, Dau is accidentally blinded. Unable to tell the extent of the damage, the leaders of Swan Island call for Dau’s estranged family, unaware of the dark past of the family Dau fled. His family blames Liobhan for Dau’s blindness and demands she spend a year with them as a bond servant. To protect her friend, she agrees, but both are unprepared for the dark secrets lurking around Oakhill and the danger they…
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Book Review: The Last Charm by Ella Allbright
Title: The Last Charm Author: Ella Allbright Publisher: HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter Publication date: August 21, 2020 Genre: General Fiction, Women’s Fiction Summary: When Leila is eleven, her mum runs out on her family, leaving only a charm bracelet and a single charm behind. Forced to leave her childhood home with her dad, she sullenly looks on as another family moves in, one with it’s own pains and secrets. And a boy a couple of years older named Jake. They form a strange, fragile friendship during the few days before Leila and her dad move away. There’s little contact and communication between them during their adolescence, but, over the next 15 years, their friendship changes…
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Book Review: Something to Live For by Richard Roper
Title: Something to Live For Author: Richard Roper Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Publication date: July 28, 2020 Genre: General Fiction, Women’s Fiction Summary: Andrew works for the Death Department. His job is to pick through the homes of the recently deceased to try to find a next of kin, and any money that can be used to cover funeral expenses. His days follow a routine, though his imaginary life provides quite a bit of color to the mundane. Until Peggy starts working with him. More spontaneous and open than he, she brings a colorful streak into his life, one that has him wondering if he’s doing this whole life thing wrong, and maybe he should…
