tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6485288094700593102024-03-27T19:52:50.674-04:00The Baking BookwormOne blogger's quest to read all the books and cook up some delicious treats!Laurie@The Baking Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17678146631438774221noreply@blogger.comBlogger2342125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648528809470059310.post-12336661034003422752024-03-27T18:01:00.000-04:002024-03-27T18:01:10.933-04:00Listen for the Lie<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhibN-2HTn1XtoPQUDJIKCTenLz_NQ0VM-R_aMICr6K8w1CeC-0NPC5rL-uhorvpDv8CAWNuqqZiItq-leLeXzKV0-VdVDsjjDxJrCLtKpyhlhll6Ik2kAOVH2876aHD5sz65kSXzH3ZC5YRpcMNWvyiDlQBSdZZXDxrjd7BApuYYU6vRng1pAbpbRxTEfM/s1080/Listen%20for%20the%20lie.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhibN-2HTn1XtoPQUDJIKCTenLz_NQ0VM-R_aMICr6K8w1CeC-0NPC5rL-uhorvpDv8CAWNuqqZiItq-leLeXzKV0-VdVDsjjDxJrCLtKpyhlhll6Ik2kAOVH2876aHD5sz65kSXzH3ZC5YRpcMNWvyiDlQBSdZZXDxrjd7BApuYYU6vRng1pAbpbRxTEfM/w640-h640/Listen%20for%20the%20lie.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div>Talk about a book that grabs you and doesn't let go!</b> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Tintera hooked me from the start with her writing style that includes a fast pace, well-placed reveals and delightful bits of sarcastic humour.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Five years ago, Lucy was found incoherently stumbling down the road, covered in her best friend Savvie's blood. It's presumed by many in the small Texas town that Lucy violently murdered her best friend, but Lucy, who sustained brain trauma (and now hears murderous voices in her head), says she remembered nothing of the incident. Lucy swiftly left town and has kept her distance, but when her beloved (and delightfully sassy) Grandma Beverly asks her to come home for her 80th birthday party, the prodigal daughter returns. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The story is told from Lucy's POV, and she is flawed, erratic and wonderfully snarky. She's used to having only her grandma in her corner, so when Ben, a popular </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">true crime podcaster, arrives in town and offers to investigate the crime, Lucy decides to help him. The revealing podcast segments from some of the locals are included that shed some light onto what happened that fateful night.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is a riveting and well-paced story about the power of small-town secrets and gossip with a flawed character, bits of humour and a main character readers are unsure they can trust. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Rating: 4.5 stars</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Author</u>: Amy Tintera</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Genre</u>: Suspense</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Type and Source</u>: Hardcover from public library</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Publisher</u>: Celadon Books</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>First Published</u>: March 5, 2024</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>Book Description from GoodReads</u></b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">What if you thought you murdered your best friend? And if everyone else thought so too? And what if the truth doesn't matter?</span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">After Lucy is found wandering the streets, covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood, everyone thinks she is a murderer. Lucy and Savvy were the golden girls of their small Texas town: pretty, smart, and enviable. Lucy married a dream guy with a big ring and an even bigger new home. Savvy was the social butterfly loved by all, and if you believe the rumors, especially popular with the men in town. It’s been years since that horrible night, a night Lucy can’t remember anything about, and she has since moved to LA and started a new life.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">But now the phenomenally huge hit true crime podcast "Listen for the Lie," and its too-good looking host Ben Owens, have decided to investigate Savvy’s murder for the show’s second season. Lucy is forced to return to the place she vowed never to set foot in again to solve her friend’s murder, even if she is the one that did it.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/CF107413EEAE3658FA7B3082C92C2ABE.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a>Laurie@The Baking Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17678146631438774221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648528809470059310.post-90967259646074784752024-03-26T18:55:00.000-04:002024-03-26T18:55:54.684-04:00Pup and Dragon: How to Catch a Dinosaur / How to Catch a Unicorn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjht0Y8dj9FZGsdsKKQVBSg1p9cTACfgEh__OofnZ13rTgDsUQ4gFOyLODjRN3A8CA0sfocVfFAZ1Jq2UPZ9zyzMngsqCMRf_Jf0C_-zMOPdE4tFXjZnWvpg32xPTc-nGdoNwMSe9gdqEA0PtNP1hvkShW_IRqDNuxJJHKy57T1ggHmMOczTCZvTdzYOtXb/s1080/Pup%20&%20Dragon%20duo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjht0Y8dj9FZGsdsKKQVBSg1p9cTACfgEh__OofnZ13rTgDsUQ4gFOyLODjRN3A8CA0sfocVfFAZ1Jq2UPZ9zyzMngsqCMRf_Jf0C_-zMOPdE4tFXjZnWvpg32xPTc-nGdoNwMSe9gdqEA0PtNP1hvkShW_IRqDNuxJJHKy57T1ggHmMOczTCZvTdzYOtXb/w640-h640/Pup%20&%20Dragon%20duo.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">This duo is part of the popular </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">How to Catch</i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> series that features best friends Pup and Dragon. Pup has lots of energy and a 'can do!' attitude and wee Dragon is patient and thoughtful as he allows Pup to explore his harebrained ideas about how to catch the latest creature.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The series shows how it's okay to try new ideas, make mistakes and forgive each other's blunders. Kids will enjoy the 'how to draw' activity at the back of each book and adults will enjoy tidbits of humour.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">These books, with bright and colourful illustrations, are </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">a good pick for young readers who aren't quite ready to transition from picture books to chapter books. They're a nice intro into graphic novels which provide visual cues that will help kids build reading confidence.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>How to Catch a Dinosaur</b>: </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">This book will put a smile on many small faces with the antics of Pup and Dragon as the duo, upon seeing a poster for a science fair, decide to catch a dinosaur to help their friends with their science project. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">What could go wrong? <i>Umm, everything!</i> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Pup has many zany ideas that end in disaster and incidentally mess up their friends' plans. Dragon, the more levelheaded of the two, tries to guide Pup to better choices. After a few accidents and run-ins with slime, cages, pits and chicken suits, they figure things out. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Young readers will enjoy pointing out glimpses of the dino before each page turn and the learn to draw the robot character in the back of the book.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>How to Catch a Unicorn</b>: </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The two friends are back at it! In this adventure set in the zoo, Pup and Dragon try to help their friends catch a unicorn. How hard can that be? Despite some unicorn almost-sightings, it turns out, it's pretty hard. But they get to meet a gaggle of beasties in the zoo, as they try wacky new plans to capture the magical unicorn that keeps eluding them (but won't elude young readers!). Will their plans work? Probably not but they will learn the importance of helping others in need and the power of friendship.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><b style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><i>Disclaimer: Sincere thanks to Sourcebooks Wonderland for the complimentary copies of these book which were provided in exchange for my honest review.</i></b></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Ratings: 4 stars</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Authors</u>: Alice Walstead and Paul Gill</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Genre</u>: Junior Graphic Novel, Canadian, Humour</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Type and Source</u>: Hardcovers from publisher</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><u style="font-family: verdana;">Series</u><span style="font-family: verdana;">: How to Catch series</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: center;"><u>Publisher</u>: Sourcebooks Wonderland</div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>First Published</u>: Dino - April 2, 2024 / Unicorn - May 7, 2024 </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Recommended Ages</u>: 6-9 years</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>Book Descriptions from GoodReads</u></b>: </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><u>How to Catch a Dinosaur</u></i>: <span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Pup has boundless energy and endless optimism; Dragon is cool and thoughtful but always up for adventure...together, they are best friends who are always there for one another. It's time for the science fair, and Pup and Dragon have hatched a plan to help the kids win the first They'll catch a REAL dinosaur! Bursting with colorful art and hilarious text, Pup and How to Catch a Dinosaur is sure to appeal to How to Catch lovers and new young readers alike. </span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><u><i>How to Catch a Unicorn</i></u>: </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Pup has boundless energy and endless optimism; Dragon is cool and thoughtful but always up for adventure...together, they are best friends who are always there for one another. This time, Pup and Dragon are trying to catch the rare unicorn hiding in the zoo! Can THEY find her? </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Bursting with colorful art and hilarious text,</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><em style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: verdana;">Pup and Dragon: How to Catch a Unicorn</em><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">is sure to appeal to How to Catch lovers and new young readers alike.</span></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/CF107413EEAE3658FA7B3082C92C2ABE.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a>Laurie@The Baking Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17678146631438774221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648528809470059310.post-57249371466060737842024-03-26T09:37:00.000-04:002024-03-26T09:37:10.620-04:00She's Not Sorry<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWi6fQdtKYyeUdz0rIfh7XdNWC4RvVrTfJsnn-2yVpkXVbuB6P2Fblr1nId80nBHfVGUApUGIzt9EzqcjqhmiVULZ5z05nx5hT_zUy4wr-wbyzK4f2i1N3CPZ37csd13MPVEVkY5HztI31ggJW7TRHi242oPVmMYFsQtxL0MIOMCOokCjtA2nqWUXi3VOs/s1080/She%E2%80%99s%20Not%20Sorry.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWi6fQdtKYyeUdz0rIfh7XdNWC4RvVrTfJsnn-2yVpkXVbuB6P2Fblr1nId80nBHfVGUApUGIzt9EzqcjqhmiVULZ5z05nx5hT_zUy4wr-wbyzK4f2i1N3CPZ37csd13MPVEVkY5HztI31ggJW7TRHi242oPVmMYFsQtxL0MIOMCOokCjtA2nqWUXi3VOs/w640-h640/She%E2%80%99s%20Not%20Sorry.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is a well-paced, twisty domestic thriller that kicks off with a compelling prologue and follows with a multi-plot story which has great tension and jaw-dropping twists that will have readers devouring this book in a sitting or two.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">A sense of dread and foreboding pervades this mystery that begins with ICU nurse Meghan being assigned to Caitlin Becker, a young woman who tried to commit suicide but survived a 20-foot fall from a bridge. Meghan quickly bonds with Caitlin's family and soon starts digging into what happened. Figuring out how and why this young woman fell begins a suspenseful story with multiple plot lines, including a blast from Meghan's past and an attacker preying on women.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Kubica gives readers a few red herrings and I was suspicious of them all ... well, except for the identity of the attacker who I guess very early on. But the main plot had me at hello with a well-placed and </span><b style="font-family: verdana;">shocking</b><span style="font-family: verdana;"> twist that made me see everything in a new light. I gasped out loud, people. It was that good of a twist.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Wee beef</i>: Readers will have to suspend disbelief over some plot points and Meghan's penchant for naivete which were great to propel the story but were not quite believable. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">This bingeable thriller is filled with tension and Kubica successfully weaves doubt and interesting connections that will keep your inner book nerd on high alert. <i>Expect to be surprised. Expect to have your initial assumptions turned on their heads. And expect to be thoroughly entertained.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><i>Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Park Row Books for the advanced digital copy of this book which was given in exchange for my honest review.</i></b></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Rating: 4.5 stars</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Author</u>: Mary Kubica</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Genre</u>: Suspense</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Type and Source</u>: eBook from publisher via NetGalley</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Publisher</u>: Park Row</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>First Published</u>: April 2, 2024</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>Book Description from GoodReads</u></b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">An ICU nurse accidentally uncovers a patient’s frightening past in this chilling thriller.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Meghan Michaels is trying to find balance between being a single mom to a teenage daughter and working as a full time nurse. While on duty at the hospital one day, a patient named Caitlin arrives in a coma with a traumatic brain injury, having jumped from a bridge and plunging over twenty feet to the train tracks below. </span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">But when a witness comes forward with shocking details about the fall, it calls everything they know into question. Was Caitlin pushed and if so, by whom and why? </span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Meghan has always tried to stay emotionally detached from her patients, but this time, she mistakenly lets herself get too close until she’s deeply entangled in Caitlin’s and her family’s lives. Only when it’s too late, does she realize that she and her daughter could be the next victims.</span></span><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/CF107413EEAE3658FA7B3082C92C2ABE.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a>Laurie@The Baking Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17678146631438774221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648528809470059310.post-50417867689430445202024-03-25T13:43:00.000-04:002024-03-25T13:43:20.946-04:00The Secret Keeper<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCLaKLwK3g3Z1sbX0wYRe7uKYRJxqht0VLx5UOBJ6BAgkL6EKPqev1q4abmgrG7Fiez5u90tikrhFUHBqJVMJPzj56-aVrlcIeaAW-Pju6xNUVrkS9BTbcrKuQCZCgkyKVNBwL1P3AF-7963jlvVTAEUqacfTaE6rdfCtC13Cy9bFKASUSrxjs2XoeIDEr/s1080/The%20Secret%20Keeper.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCLaKLwK3g3Z1sbX0wYRe7uKYRJxqht0VLx5UOBJ6BAgkL6EKPqev1q4abmgrG7Fiez5u90tikrhFUHBqJVMJPzj56-aVrlcIeaAW-Pju6xNUVrkS9BTbcrKuQCZCgkyKVNBwL1P3AF-7963jlvVTAEUqacfTaE6rdfCtC13Cy9bFKASUSrxjs2XoeIDEr/w640-h640/The%20Secret%20Keeper.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>You can always count on Canadian author Genevieve Graham to give you a compelling, heartwarming story filled with well-researched historical facts. In her upcoming book, </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">The Secret Keeper</i><span style="font-family: verdana;">, she explores WWII through the eyes of twin sisters, one who becomes a codebreaker and the other a pilot.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Blending interesting bits of Canadian history with characters readers will come to care for, this story pulls readers into WWII and opens their eyes to the significant role that Canada, and Canadian women in particular, played in defeating the Nazis.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The story </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">starts out slowly as readers get to know the twin sisters - Dot, the smart but reserved sister and her twin Dash, who is mechanically inclined and itching for adventure! The story gains momentum when they join the WRENS, the <i>Women's Royal Canadian Naval Service</i>, find their callings and navigate the male-dominated roles they take on to help the war effort. And hold onto your hats for some nail-biting scenes that give readers a satisfying ending and may have them shedding a tear or two.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Hollywood tends to downplay the great impact that Canadians played in WWII so I loved </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">learning more about Canada's pivotal role (including a spy school!) and some of the important roles that women took on - radio operators, codebreakers, mechanics, spies, and pilots (</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">including the amazing 'ATA Girls' - Air Transport Auxiliary in Britain) </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">despite the popular view that women weren't strong enough to join in the fight. The Official Secrets Act also plays a role and it was interesting to witness its impact on the personal lives of those who signed it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is a story about the personal journey of two young women that also sheds a bright light on the unsung female heroes of WWII. This is a great book for fans of Kristin Hannah's <i>The Women</i>, who want to read more about the courageous women who battled not only wartime foes, but the misogyny that prevailed at the time. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Note: I highly recommend reading the author's notes at the end of the book.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Simon and Schuster Canada for the advanced copies of this book which were given in exchange for my honest review.</i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Rating: 4.5 stars</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Author</u>: Genevieve Graham</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Genre</u>: Historical Fiction (Canada)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Type and Source</u>: eBook and Trade Paperback from publisher</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Publisher</u>: Simon and Schuster Canada</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>First Published</u>: April 2, 2024</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>Book Description from GoodReads</u></b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">From USA TODAY and internationally bestselling author Genevieve Graham comes a gripping World War II novel about two sisters who join the war effort—one as a codebreaker and the other as a pilot—and the secrets that threaten to tear them apart. Perfect for fans of The Rose Code and The Nightingale .</span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Twin sisters Dot and Dash Wilson share many things, and while they are practically inseparable, they are nothing alike. Dot is fascinated by books, puzzles, and Morse code, a language taught to both girls by their father, a WWI veteran. Dash’s days are filled with fixing engines, dancing with friends, and dreaming of flying airplanes. Almost always at their side is their best friend Gus—until war breaks out and he enlists in the army, deploying to an unknown front.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Determined to do their duty, both girls join the WRENS, Dash as a mechanic and Dot as a typist. Before long, Dot’s fixation on patterns and numbers takes her from HMCS Coverdale , a covert listening and codebreaking station working with Bletchley Park in England, to Camp X, a top-secret spy school. But when personal tragedy strikes the family, Dot’s oath of secrecy causes a rift between the sisters.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Eager to leave her pain behind, Dash jumps at the opportunity to train as a pilot with the Air Transport Auxiliary, where she risks her life to ferry aircraft and troops across the battlefields of Europe. Meanwhile Dot is drawn into the Allies’ preparations for D-Day. But Dot’s loyalties are put to the test once more when someone close to her goes missing in Nazi-occupied territory. With everyone’s eyes on Operation Overlord, Dot must use every skill at her disposal to save those she loves before it’s too late.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Inspired by the real-life stories of women in World War II, The Secret Keeper is an extraordinary novel about the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood and the light of courage during the darkest of nights.</span></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/CF107413EEAE3658FA7B3082C92C2ABE.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a>Laurie@The Baking Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17678146631438774221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648528809470059310.post-5829360172003061582024-03-24T09:32:00.001-04:002024-03-24T09:32:21.250-04:00Everyone Is Watching<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglsA-Gz393KPhn5h-k-TvWFXZbJ8zr4VYDr2Nncr-rQ2JlrtqzrBrrP-IEcmfqjnXEpgmD59VwFDE3iTfhJidB862etyqhCHtaM6eK8x7OGRCfNH6fZc5HTX8Ksya_ounHI78_92RDCRswqcYOSLcHz6TCmMuLaD1ilEoOnu2atNiYav8gBfOASYFNLPl3/s1080/Everyone%20is%20Watching.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglsA-Gz393KPhn5h-k-TvWFXZbJ8zr4VYDr2Nncr-rQ2JlrtqzrBrrP-IEcmfqjnXEpgmD59VwFDE3iTfhJidB862etyqhCHtaM6eK8x7OGRCfNH6fZc5HTX8Ksya_ounHI78_92RDCRswqcYOSLcHz6TCmMuLaD1ilEoOnu2atNiYav8gBfOASYFNLPl3/w640-h640/Everyone%20is%20Watching.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>I have been a fan of Heather Gudenkauf's suspense books for many years. Her latest book<i> Everyone Is Watching</i> has a different feel to it as the author delves into the world of reality television with a story filled with secrets and grudges.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><b>What would you do for $10 million?</b></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>One Lucky Winner</i> is a reality TV show, set at a luxurious Californian estate that has five competitors, each given nicknames for the show - the Confidante, The Senator, The Boyfriend, The Best Friend and The Exec. They compete in a series of intense, potentially deadly and outrageous challenges that will test them mentally, physically and psychologically. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Readers get POVs from the five competitors and the TV assistant who is keeping the show running, doing all she can to ensure that each episode goes viral. Everyone is hiding something and tension increases with the harrowing competitions and as Gudenkauf reveals the characters' secrets, backstories, motivations and how everything is connected. The pacing and tension kept me turning the pages - the only thing that gave me pause was the ending that didn't sit well with me.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">With its locked room vibe and luxurious setting, this is <i>Big Brother</i> at a whole new level. While on the outrageous side, it is an original take on the thriller genre that also explores secrets, deceptions, long-held grudges and a reminder that </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">you cannot outrun your past.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to the publisher for the digital advanced copy of this book which was provided in exchange for my honest review.</i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Rating: 4 stars</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Author</u>: Heather Gudenkauf</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Genre</u>: Suspense</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Type and Source</u>: ebook from publisher via NetGalley</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Publisher</u>: Park Row (Harlequin Trade)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>First Published</u>: March 26, 2024</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>Book Description from GoodReads</u></b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Best Friend. The Confidant. The Senator. The Boyfriend. The Executive.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Five contestants have been chosen to compete for ten million dollars on the game show One Lucky Winner. The catch? None of them knows what (or who) to expect, and it will be live streamed all over the world. Completely secluded in an estate in Northern California, with strict instructions not to leave the property and zero contact with the outside world, the competitors start to feel a little too isolated.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">When long-kept secrets begin to rise to the surface, the contestants realize this is no longer just a reality show—someone is out for blood. And the game can’t end until the world knows who the contestants really are…</span></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/CF107413EEAE3658FA7B3082C92C2ABE.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a>Laurie@The Baking Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17678146631438774221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648528809470059310.post-78792391417833806412024-03-22T19:49:00.001-04:002024-03-22T19:57:42.816-04:00Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGtMtsBpaF4QVPPzgdZmE9uaT4EC300mpjOwXvMqst5BTq5M34WjwyoDfVRZEwJeXYEWjgOExyz_lbn8hCD3eZg5LnVoMECj8Hsg98aRn3cgeUAh_NHPimqAvSZxuV7RnVyG4SyiiVkH_iKkeoH30-2zcfLc6TkrAQnQD6NX5lsaCYnZAGWZEUrS_UYG_/s1080/Will%20my%20cat%20eat%20my%20eyeballs.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWGtMtsBpaF4QVPPzgdZmE9uaT4EC300mpjOwXvMqst5BTq5M34WjwyoDfVRZEwJeXYEWjgOExyz_lbn8hCD3eZg5LnVoMECj8Hsg98aRn3cgeUAh_NHPimqAvSZxuV7RnVyG4SyiiVkH_iKkeoH30-2zcfLc6TkrAQnQD6NX5lsaCYnZAGWZEUrS_UYG_/w640-h640/Will%20my%20cat%20eat%20my%20eyeballs.png" width="640" /></a></div><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></b></div></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Talk about an eye-catching book title! </span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Caitlin Doughty, a funeral director and mortician by trade and the YouTuber behind <i>Ask A Mortician</i>, explores and answers 35 questions </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">that small humans have posed about death. She has a great sense of humour, and her answers can be a bit gruesome, delightfully macabre and are often giggle-out-loud funny as she shares bite-sized facts about death. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Broken up into short chapters with a question-and-answer format, Doughty explores questions that range from amusing to kinda-out-there and include: </span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>What would happen to an astronaut's body in space? </i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Can everybody fit in a casket? What if they're really tall?</i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Do conjoined twins always die at the same time?</i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>What would happen if you swallowed a bag of popcorn before you died and were cremated?</i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>If I died making a stupid face, would it be stuck like that forever?</i></span></li><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Can you describe the smell of a dead body?</i></span></li></ul></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">and let's not forget the age-old question that's at the top of everyone's minds ...</span></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Do we poop when we die? </i>(a classic, n'est pas?)</span></li></ul></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?</i> is a short, fun(ny) and informative book that candidly answers questions about death, corpses, and funeral home secrets. Balancing facts with a delightfully irreverent but still respectful vibe, this was a humorous read that taught me a few things and has me interested in checking out Doughty's YouTube channel.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Rating: 4 stars</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Author</u>: Caitlin Doughty</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Genre</u>: Nonfiction</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Type and Source</u>: Hardcover from public library</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Publisher</u>: WW Norton</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>First Published</u>: September 10, 2019</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>Book Description from GoodReads</u></b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Every day, funeral director Caitlin Doughty receives dozens of questions about death. The best questions come from kids: What would happen to an astronaut’s body if it were pushed out of a space shuttle? Do people poop when they die? Can Grandma have a Viking funeral?</span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">In </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915;">Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">, Doughty blends her mortician’s knowledge and the intriguing history behind common misconceptions about corpses to offer factual, hilarious, and candid answers to thirty-five questions. In her inimitable voice, Doughty details the lore and science of what happens to, and inside, our bodies after we die. Why do corpses groan? What causes bodies to turn colors during decomposition? And why do hair and nails appear longer after death? Readers will learn the best soil for mummifying, whether you can preserve your best friend’s skull as a keepsake, and what happens when you die on a plane. Beautifully illustrated by Dianné Ruz, </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915;">Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"> shows us that death is science and art, and only by asking questions can we begin to embrace it.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/CF107413EEAE3658FA7B3082C92C2ABE.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a>Laurie@The Baking Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17678146631438774221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648528809470059310.post-88571336384495884422024-03-20T19:50:00.000-04:002024-03-20T19:50:49.587-04:00Wandering Stars<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBuv3LB9jMyIvlMwMV0ul7dg9CTSAWociALBGDGV4GCwjL1uz7_RgzvRGqca9Z6ymlAu_JTH3In4-DxsZuNaQQOQFbbRtd_NJoXv5hVIys2JWTcZ5h7YoqQpYIwFcBLOgFw5pKW1inwA0ctCGfterpXr3ieHceexnvGrHRyqs-a7M3kiEsuICCEU50fZZn/s1080/Wandering%20Stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBuv3LB9jMyIvlMwMV0ul7dg9CTSAWociALBGDGV4GCwjL1uz7_RgzvRGqca9Z6ymlAu_JTH3In4-DxsZuNaQQOQFbbRtd_NJoXv5hVIys2JWTcZ5h7YoqQpYIwFcBLOgFw5pKW1inwA0ctCGfterpXr3ieHceexnvGrHRyqs-a7M3kiEsuICCEU50fZZn/w640-h640/Wandering%20Stars.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I hadn't read any of Orange's books<i>,</i> but after receiving a free advanced copy </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">of <i>Wandering Stars</i> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">at a library conference in January, I dove blindly into this story that serves as both a prequel and a sequel to his acclaimed book, <i>There, There</i>. <i>Wandering Stars</i> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">follows generations of a Cheyenne family, beginning with the Sand Creek Massacre in 1864 and continuing to present day, showing how the experiences of early generations impact future generations.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I initially struggled with Orange's writing style, so I flipped from the paperback to the digital audiobook which is narrated by a full cast of talented narrators. <i>Wandering Stars</i> has a wandering style of storytelling, and I can't say I enjoyed the way the story was told. It was less of a structured p</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">lot and more of a meandering story told in fragments and featuring many different characters which gave it a chaotic, choppy feel as it jumped between generations and a long list of characters. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The story is filled with </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">social commentary and themes of identity, culture, genocide, poverty and a large focus on addiction and I appreciated the historical aspects, occasional bits of insight and, at times, truly beautiful prose. But I couldn't shake the feeling like I wasn't quite grasping the story. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is easily an <i>'it's me, not you'</i> situation because I am in the minority with my </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">feelings for this Pulitzer-nominated author's latest book and please note that I generally don't love literary prize nominated books. So, while Orange's writing style wasn't a good fit for my reading tastes, take my review with a grain of salt and give it a try and make your own conclusions about it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><i style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><b>Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to the publisher for the free copy which I received at the Ontario Library conference. All opinions are my own.</b></i></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Rating: 3 stars</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Author</u>: Tommy Orange</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Genre</u>: Historical Fiction, Indigenous</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Type and Source</u>: Trade Paperback (conference) & eAudio (library)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Narrators</u>: <span style="font-size: x-small;">Shaun Taylor-Corbett, MacLeod Andrews, Alma Cuervo, Curtis Michael Holland, Calvin Joyal, Phil Ava, Emmanuel Chumaceiro, Christian Young, Charley Flyte</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Run Time</u>: 9 hours, 37 minutes</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Publisher</u>: Penguin Random House</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>First Published</u>: February 27, 2024</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>Book Description from GoodReads</u></b>: </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">The Pulitzer Prize-finalist and author of the breakout bestseller</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"> </span><i style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915;">There There</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">("Pure soaring beauty." The</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"> </span><i style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915;">New York Times Book Review</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">) delivers a masterful follow-up to his already classic first novel. Extending his constellation of narratives into the past and future, Tommy Orange traces the legacies of the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864 and the Carlisle Indian Industrial School through three generations of a family in a story that is by turns shattering and wondrous.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px;" />"For the sake of knowing, of understanding, <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">Wandering Stars</i> blew my heart into a thousand pieces and put it all back together again. This is a masterwork that will not be forgotten, a masterwork that will forever be part of you.” —Morgan Talty, bestselling author of <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">Night of the Living Rez</i></span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Colorado, 1864. Star, a young survivor of the Sand Creek Massacre, is brought to the Fort Marion prison castle,where he is forced to learn English and practice Christianity by Richard Henry Pratt, an evangelical prison guard who will go on to found the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, an institution dedicated to the eradication of Native history, culture, and identity. A generation later, Star’s son, Charles, is sent to the school, where he is brutalized by the man who was once his father’s jailer. Under Pratt’s harsh treatment, Charles clings to moments he shares with a young fellow student, Opal Viola, as the two envision a future away from the institutional violence that follows their bloodlines.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">In a novel that is by turns shattering and wondrous, Tommy Orange has conjured the ancestors of the family readers first fell in love with in </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915;">There There</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">—warriors, drunks, outlaws, addicts—asking what it means to bethe children and grandchildren of massacre. </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915;">Wandering Stars</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"> is a novel about epigenetic and generational trauma that has the force and vision of a modern epic, an exceptionally powerful new book from one of the most exciting writers at work today and soaring confirmation of Tommy Orange’s monumental gifts.</span></span><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/CF107413EEAE3658FA7B3082C92C2ABE.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a>Laurie@The Baking Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17678146631438774221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648528809470059310.post-79153507524350851772024-03-18T10:10:00.000-04:002024-03-18T10:10:58.886-04:00The Love Wager<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT_nvRaTN1a0IWBTza8SiLE2wIxkZkhVOkNvqF6lBmhVO4uA6zutdD36DbGITLCdXqYzi1hNdiPsBMIWXz32AaQ8ZuDsdIeNBaPQkJpN4iNIuyegp7CTFLek8K3M_Nefi7emVC-nrebtTE62-ZlWh48E5ERgeYYZPGouZrB3Twtc3obySz5cLo2JH2XGcp/s1080/Copy%20of%20Love%20Wager%20(1).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT_nvRaTN1a0IWBTza8SiLE2wIxkZkhVOkNvqF6lBmhVO4uA6zutdD36DbGITLCdXqYzi1hNdiPsBMIWXz32AaQ8ZuDsdIeNBaPQkJpN4iNIuyegp7CTFLek8K3M_Nefi7emVC-nrebtTE62-ZlWh48E5ERgeYYZPGouZrB3Twtc3obySz5cLo2JH2XGcp/w640-h640/Copy%20of%20Love%20Wager%20(1).png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>S</b></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>woony and funny in equal measure, this book had my heart and my funny bone. </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Let me start off by saying that the banter and the chemistry between Hallie and Jack were </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>*chef's kiss* </i>and I absolutely </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">luuurved the tropes. There's one bed, fake dating, forced proximity, friends to lovers, and guy falls first tropes!! </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">*le swoon*</i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Add in the fan-freakingtastic banter and be still my romance reader heart. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The story centres around a one-night stand that morphs into a friendship which causes some complicated feelings between Hallie and Jack. I loved how they supported and teased each other about their separate dating experiences when they make a wager about who can find true love first. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>The Love Wager</i> had me from the first page, left me giggling to myself </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">and suffering from a massive book hangover. It's a romantic and funny romp with some mild spice and a couple you won't soon forget. I </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">read a library copy and will be buying a copy for my bookshelves because I know I will be rereading this RomCom.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Rating: 5 stars</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Author</u>: Lynn Painter</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Genre</u>: RomCom</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Series</u>: #2 in Mr. Wrong Number series</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Type and Source</u>: Paperback from public library</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Publisher</u>: Berkley</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>First Published</u>: March 14, 2023</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>Book Description from GoodReads</u></b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: verdana;">Two people make a wager on who can find love first, not realizing what they should be betting on is each other, in this new romantic comedy by Lynn Painter, author of</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: verdana;"> </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: verdana;">Mr. Wrong Number.</i></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: verdana;">Hallie Piper is turning over a new leaf. After belly-crawling out of a hotel room (</span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: verdana;">hello, rock bottom</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-family: verdana;">), she decides it's time to become a full-on adult. She gets a new apartment, a new haircut, and a new wardrobe, but when she logs onto the dating app that she has determined will find her new love, she sees none other than Jack, the guy whose room she snuck out of.</span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">After the joint agreement that they are absolutely </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915;">not</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"> interested in each other, Jack and Hallie become partners in their respective searches for The One. They text each other about their dates, often scheduling them at the same restaurant so that if things don't go well, the two of them can get tacos afterward.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Spoiler: they get a lot of tacos together.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Discouraged by the lack of prospects, Jack and Hallie make a wager to see who can find true love first, but when they agree to be fake dates for a weekend wedding, all bets are off. As they pretend to be a couple, lines become blurred and they each struggle to remember why the other was a bad idea to begin with.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br /></span><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/CF107413EEAE3658FA7B3082C92C2ABE.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a>Laurie@The Baking Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17678146631438774221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648528809470059310.post-39286399200988977902024-03-15T20:09:00.000-04:002024-03-15T20:09:51.639-04:00Murder Road<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEn3sQ0BcfX9iJFJaSf_czWX7fm7JMnQwbtWPxCmG2YnYlbgrYK5sYGKw5nwr7lEZIJWymhhNZ08dNR1Azq0eUG9ZUSbHhKow6WdTmyn8mRK_OVzsncU0l60DaEDY9CEeGumSheUZorMiBdR409_jFvXZf2-YxSotxv_u66OGX3gLl5bi_-kS0I2pQyDMw/s1080/Murder%20Road.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEn3sQ0BcfX9iJFJaSf_czWX7fm7JMnQwbtWPxCmG2YnYlbgrYK5sYGKw5nwr7lEZIJWymhhNZ08dNR1Azq0eUG9ZUSbHhKow6WdTmyn8mRK_OVzsncU0l60DaEDY9CEeGumSheUZorMiBdR409_jFvXZf2-YxSotxv_u66OGX3gLl5bi_-kS0I2pQyDMw/w640-h640/Murder%20Road.png" width="640" /></a></div><i><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div><i><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></b></i></div>Chilling. Eerie. Unputdownable. </span></b></i></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">This creepy thriller follows a newlywed couple as they head out on their honeymoon only to find themselves as the prime suspects in the murder of a young woman who they found on an ominous stretch of highway.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><blockquote>"If you see her, you'll be the next one found at the side of the road."</blockquote></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Murder Road</i> had me from the first page and I read it in two sittings. I was equally unnerved and captivated by St. James' writing style and her plot that is filled with an eerie vibe, secrets and long-buried pasts. The story is told through April's POV and while, at times, I wanted to shake her for her reckless decisions, her unpredictable nature benefited the story, as did the inclusion of strong secondary characters - curmudgeonly Rose and a couple of amateur sleuths a la Nancy Drew. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sinister and wonderfully unsettling, this </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">haunting and atmospheric read will have you rethinking that late night drive up to cottage country and second-guessing those bumps you hear in the middle of the night.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Rating: 5 stars</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Author</u>: Simone St James</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Genre</u>: Suspense, Canadian</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Type and Source</u>: hardcover from public library</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Publisher</u>: Berkley</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>First Published</u>: March 5, 2024</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>Book Description from GoodReads</u></b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A young couple find themselves haunted by a string of gruesome murders committed along an old deserted road in this terrifying new novel.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915;">July 1995</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">. April and Eddie have taken a wrong turn. They’re looking for the small resort town where they plan to spend their honeymoon. When they spot what appears to be a lone hitchhiker along the deserted road, they stop to help. But not long after the hitchhiker gets into their car, they see the blood seeping from her jacket and a truck barreling down Atticus Line after them.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">When the hitchhiker dies at the local hospital, April and Eddie find themselves in the crosshairs of the Coldlake Falls police. Unexplained murders have been happening along Atticus Line for years and the cops finally have two witnesses who easily become their only suspects. As April and Eddie start to dig into the history of the town and that horrible stretch of road to clear their names, they soon learn that there is something supernatural at work, something that could not only tear the town and its dark secrets apart, but take April and Eddie down with it all.</span></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/CF107413EEAE3658FA7B3082C92C2ABE.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a>Laurie@The Baking Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17678146631438774221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648528809470059310.post-20880029925095771102024-03-13T21:13:00.001-04:002024-03-13T21:13:55.115-04:00Honey & Spice<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitp-QMGiR7z55fJ8ie5lM-ROG0ckBheK6j986U3Jo1bhyphenhyphen-e4P3UvEdrpZzEr8rOIFdX1ABX-94n3budFrzfcJCAATwNGENSigyWfEHzGkU729hJZ7Tz6E2w9NEsRkRy0A-DxHsUEl76Lh9CWGEabV-stRhCBUmbDxVua1aTQIEoEF0dOSGy1K3A3_v2eCH/s1080/AUDIO%20Honey%20and%20Spice.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitp-QMGiR7z55fJ8ie5lM-ROG0ckBheK6j986U3Jo1bhyphenhyphen-e4P3UvEdrpZzEr8rOIFdX1ABX-94n3budFrzfcJCAATwNGENSigyWfEHzGkU729hJZ7Tz6E2w9NEsRkRy0A-DxHsUEl76Lh9CWGEabV-stRhCBUmbDxVua1aTQIEoEF0dOSGy1K3A3_v2eCH/w640-h640/AUDIO%20Honey%20and%20Spice.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div></span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; font-family: verdana;">Honey & Spice</i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> is a charming modern romance with humour and heart that takes a bit to get going but becomes a cute romance with themes of friendship, cliques, Black culture, feminism, and forgiveness. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Admittedly, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I am not the target audience for this book, so I felt like I didn't fully relate to the characters due to the age difference. Many of the popular culture references were lost on me, but I am sure younger readers will enjoy this modern romance. The story is a slow burn but eventually we get some good chemistry between the two main characters - Kiki and Malakai but it was their banter and the use of the fake dating trope (one of my favourites) that stood out the most for me.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">This audiobook is narrated by the superbly talented narrator Weruche Opia. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I loved hearing the Nigerian and British accents and I think I enjoyed this book more because of her narration, to be honest.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">This was an impressive and well-written story that will probably hit harder with readers in their teens and twenties than this mom who has kids in their twenties.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Rating: 3.5 stars</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Author</u>: Bolu Babalola</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Genre</u>: Teen Romance</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Type and Source</u>: eAudiobook from public library</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Narrator</u>: Weruche Opia</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Run Time</u>: 12 hours<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Publisher</u>: HarperAudio</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>First Published</u>: July 5, 2022</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>Book Description from GoodReads</u></b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Kiki Banjo is an expert in relationship-evasion.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">In fact, she has made it her mission to protect the women of Whitewell University from the dangers of players and heartbreak, supplying advice, tips and essentials to paying men no mind on her student radio show, Brown Sugar.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">And then Kiki meets distressingly handsome newcomer Malakai Korede, who threatens to tear apart the community of women she’s fought so hard to protect.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Kiki publicly declares Malakai the ‘Wasteman of Whitewell’ on Brown Sugar and brings a stop to her girls chasing his attentions. But when she and Malakai suddenly find themselves shackled into a fake relationship to salvage their respective reputations and save their academic futures, she is in danger of falling for the very wasteman she warned her sisters about.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">With her heart compromised and defences weakened, Kiki has to learn to open herself up to the perils of love… and face up to a past that forced her to close down in the first place.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">A funny and sparkling debut, </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915;">Honey & Spice</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"> is full of delicious tension and romantic intrigue that will make you weak at the knees.</span></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/CF107413EEAE3658FA7B3082C92C2ABE.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a>Laurie@The Baking Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17678146631438774221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648528809470059310.post-43592923441441925102024-03-11T11:43:00.000-04:002024-03-11T11:43:30.774-04:00A Grave Robbery<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg1REBvO6U9725XkRk9P2T1kNTLFDGnUcpfRkKfSz6Rqa3dr6myQT76Fe9QWFn-Fti_hlPgbklEba2pIxCeW8Ko1NUC3rSMm3etPvup52EqLeu6U7Fp8_IV7u-JUqtbECXnfeVnFklwUwi_FbCqXK_sNwYbJtfdKrzUDFhdPU6fZmB79NODX6mzgsb9QIN/s1080/A%20Grave%20Robbery%20(1).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg1REBvO6U9725XkRk9P2T1kNTLFDGnUcpfRkKfSz6Rqa3dr6myQT76Fe9QWFn-Fti_hlPgbklEba2pIxCeW8Ko1NUC3rSMm3etPvup52EqLeu6U7Fp8_IV7u-JUqtbECXnfeVnFklwUwi_FbCqXK_sNwYbJtfdKrzUDFhdPU6fZmB79NODX6mzgsb9QIN/w640-h640/A%20Grave%20Robbery%20(1).png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>The Veronica Speedwell historical mystery series is one of my favourites. It has solid mysteries and I love the banter between Veronica and Stoker and Raybourn's witty style of writing.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">This ninth addition to the popular series has a unique crime involving murder and a wax figure (a la Madame Tussaud). With the help of two secondary characters from books past, reporter JJ Butterworth and Inspector Mornaday, Veronica and Stoker try to find out the identity of the murder victim. Not a nail-biter of a mystery, but an intriguing crime that brings readers into some interesting historical elements.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Veronica and Stoker are one of my all-time favourite couples. They are known for their sexual tension and fantastic snarky banter. Now, in book nine, they are enjoying their own version of domestic bliss. They have a strong bond and know each other so well by now, but I do hope there's a bit more snark in their banter with each other. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">This was a good addition to this mystery series, and I eagerly look forward to their next adventure which I hope will include some of the secondary characters we've met in this book (I'm looking at you Spyridon). </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Disclaimer: My thanks to Berkley for the complimentary advanced copy of this book which was provided in exchange for my honest review.</i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Rating: 3.5 stars</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Author</u>: Deanna Raybourn</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Genre</u>: Historical Mystery</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Series</u>: #9 in Veronica Speedwell series</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Type and Source</u>: ebook from publisher via NetGalley</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Publisher</u>: Berkley</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>First Published</u>: March 12, 2024</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>Book Description from GoodReads</u></b>: <span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Veronica and Stoker discover that not all fairy tales have happy endings, and some end in murder, in this latest historical mystery from</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"> </span><i style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915;">New York Times</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">bestselling and Edgar Award–nominated author Deanna Raybourn.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Lord Rosemorran has purchased a wax figure of a beautiful reclining woman and asks Stoker to incorporate a clockwork mechanism to give the Rosemorran Collection its own Sleeping Beauty in the style of Madame Tussaud’s. But when Stoker goes to cut the mannequin open to insert the mechanism, he makes a gruesome discovery: this is no wax figure. The mannequin is the beautifully preserved body of a young woman who was once very much alive. But who would do such a dreadful thing, and why?</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Sleuthing out the answer to this question sets Veronica and Stoker on their wildest adventure yet. From the underground laboratories of scientists experimenting with electricity to resurrect the dead in the vein of Frankenstein to the traveling show where Stoker once toured as an attraction, the gaslit atmosphere of London in October is the perfect setting for this investigation into the unknown. Through it all, the intrepid pair is always one step behind the latest villain—a man who has killed once and will stop at nothing to recover the body of the woman he loved. Will they unmask him in time to save his next victim? Or will they become the latest figures to be immortalized in his collection of horrors?</span></span><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/CF107413EEAE3658FA7B3082C92C2ABE.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a>Laurie@The Baking Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17678146631438774221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648528809470059310.post-59225099657644006852024-03-09T11:41:00.000-05:002024-03-09T11:41:13.612-05:00Here We Go Again<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwBFZ98TzpPwugPDJwIFpdZ15f3KRYZSTaDpHHdbu62vobkCBwrs-fsLcXTJhaKHhpDttQB0x63RflS2cD3LwWPfIp65b8WgGMnrs_Qp62AmGPUlEd0Ztci6Vm5qzilo0eWimJWDpRPBM8dNrrv6oO5bBuMn5OqpQGGElTrG7J2KeFVdxO6UNuVaVZOFuI/s1080/Here%20we%20go%20again.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwBFZ98TzpPwugPDJwIFpdZ15f3KRYZSTaDpHHdbu62vobkCBwrs-fsLcXTJhaKHhpDttQB0x63RflS2cD3LwWPfIp65b8WgGMnrs_Qp62AmGPUlEd0Ztci6Vm5qzilo0eWimJWDpRPBM8dNrrv6oO5bBuMn5OqpQGGElTrG7J2KeFVdxO6UNuVaVZOFuI/w640-h640/Here%20we%20go%20again.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>I've been a fan of Alison Cochrun since I read and adored her first book <u><a href="https://www.thebakingbookworm.ca/2021/08/the-charm-offensive.html#!" target="_blank">The Charm Offensive</a></u> and her recent book <u><a href="https://www.thebakingbookworm.ca/2024/01/kiss-her-once-for-me.html?q=kiss+her+once+for+me" target="_blank">Kiss Her Once For Me</a></u>. Her books have love, great banter and fantastic LGBTQIA2S+ representation. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Here We Go Again</i> was a cute queer RomCom that centres around two childhood BFFs who had a falling out in high school. They've both returned to their hometown to work at their former high school, but the grudges remain. When their beloved high school English teacher/father figure Joe, who is terminally ill, asks Logan and Rosemary to drive him across the country so he can die at his ocean-side home, the two women make tentative amends for Joe's sake and head across the US.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">This book had all the fixin's for a good queer RomCom ... but I wanted more. More romance. More (varied) conflict. Instead, we're given a very slowly paced story that dragged in several spots and the miscommunication trope raised its ugly head. I found the conflict repetitive particularly with Logan and her repeated regressions and constant reminder that she considers herself a 'fuckboy'. Logan and Rosemary's qualms felt juvenile (the overdone pop culture exclamations didn't help) and I found myself gravitating towards Joe's storyline which felt more authentic. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Joe is the heart of this book. Ahhh, sweet Joe. He's the kind of teacher everyone should have, and I consider this book to be a love letter to the teachers who make a positive mark on their students lives. Through Joe, Cochrun explores the struggles of terminal illness on the patient and on their caregivers. This book will squeeze a tear out of even the hardest of hearts.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">This book had all the right elements - a good premise, complicated characters, enemies-to-lovers trope, emotional bits, funny bits and some spice. It has its charm and beautiful messages about love, friendship, making amends while you still can, loss and grief, but the execution of the story fell a bit short for me. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Disclaimer: Thanks to Atria Books for the advanced copy of this book which was provided in exchange for my honest review.</i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Rating: 3.5 stars</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Author</u>: Alison Cochrun</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Genre</u>: RomCom, LGBTQ+</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Type and Source</u>: ebook from publisher via NetGalley</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Publisher</u>: Atria</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>First Published</u>: April 2, 2024</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>Book Description from GoodReads</u></b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A long time ago, Logan Maletis and Rosemary Hale used to be friends. They spent their childhood summers running through the woods, rebelling against their conservative small town, and dreaming of escaping. But then an incident the summer before high school turned them into bitter rivals. After graduation, they went ten years without speaking.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Now in their thirties, Logan and Rosemary find they aren’t quite living the lives of adventure they imagined for themselves. Still in their small town and working as teachers at their alma mater, they’re both stuck in old patterns. Uptight Rosemary chooses security and stability over all else, working constantly, and her most stable relationship is with her label maker. Chaotic and impulsive Logan has a long list of misguided ex-lovers and an apathetic shrug she uses to protect herself from anything real. And as hard as they try to avoid each other—and their complicated past—they keep crashing into each other. Including with their cars.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">But when their beloved former English teacher and lifelong mentor tells them he has only a few months to live, they’re forced together once and for all to fulfill his last wish: a cross-country road trip. Stuffed into the gayest van west of the Mississippi, the three embark on a life-changing summer trip—from Washington state to the Grand Canyon, from the Gulf Coast to coastal Maine—that will chart a new future and perhaps lead them back to one another.</span></span><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/CF107413EEAE3658FA7B3082C92C2ABE.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a>Laurie@The Baking Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17678146631438774221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648528809470059310.post-65483313120875320762024-03-07T20:04:00.001-05:002024-03-07T20:04:14.711-05:00If I Lose Her<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC8zVwWqbXhrjx4IVNZ_1fDyy3CBO2yU3JbRmT1RPEptFm1CbwPDiy29KPvYcSBuln9g-ASFekWZCftOX-2T9bOg1VaRd4HsMKjz9TeKjRHKdOKJVcKSj-qTnMcN_w9-TYqySrobFvuGVy-lSolZ-2ltBH8XCxAUNp2-fpfs_Pcj9vHjgS9R7qESEhNd7w/s1080/If%20I%20Lose%20Her.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC8zVwWqbXhrjx4IVNZ_1fDyy3CBO2yU3JbRmT1RPEptFm1CbwPDiy29KPvYcSBuln9g-ASFekWZCftOX-2T9bOg1VaRd4HsMKjz9TeKjRHKdOKJVcKSj-qTnMcN_w9-TYqySrobFvuGVy-lSolZ-2ltBH8XCxAUNp2-fpfs_Pcj9vHjgS9R7qESEhNd7w/w640-h640/If%20I%20Lose%20Her.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>If I Lose Her </i>is the debut novel of Canadian author Brianne Sommerville. It is a domestic thriller with twists and tension that also explores important themes of new motherhood - the exhausting demands, the absolute joy, and the impact of postpartum depression.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The story is told in alternating timelines. In the present Jo is a new mom and loves her adorable four-month-old daughter but is finding motherhood challenging and often overwhelming. Her stress compounds when an anonymous caller makes a complaint to Children's Aid saying they saw Jo's daughter left outside alone in the heat of summer. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Did Jo leave her outside? Are other instances Jo's fault? Readers will question whether Jo's mental state is to blame or if there's something else going on. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The second timeline takes readers into Jo's childhood with her two sisters and their abusive mother. The verbal abuse against Jo was tough to read but gives readers a clear understanding of how those early relationships have impacted Jo's life and her view of motherhood.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">While slow to start, the secrets, lies and building tension will pull readers in and the short chapters will keep them reading 'just one more chapter'. I guessed the big twist early on, but Sommerville's red herrings made me question my initial assumption and I found the ending to be satisfying.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Twisted, dark and tense, this was an impressive debut that also brings to light the struggles some women face postpartum and will encourage great book club discussion.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> I eagerly look forward to reading more from Brianne Sommerville in the future!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Rising Action Publishing for the complimentary digital advanced copy which was provided in exchange for my honest review.</span></i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Author Event</u>: I had the pleasure of attending Brianne's book launch in Toronto last night. It is also such a joy to see this new author being supported by fellow authors, readers, and the book community. The cute cookies decorated like her book (see the picture at the top of this review) were the icing on the proverbial cake, er ... cookie.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoHpEKbIc4Lr3O6E85oTMBkGakTWDAD0-tW0NSLVjNfNnzwj7fb53vtRV23PO9ansugOyBnH7tjrmxmKNwBYAvGpoFNUnJZ8rEnrgPO5Hln_cw7VLIvMQa9fdcprl7x9q5O8_NP8HA_D-xLHm-Ndoon6XCQwKdoJphCDHNyTGzne9w7W_N1Qt5JIyCCLn-" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="482" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoHpEKbIc4Lr3O6E85oTMBkGakTWDAD0-tW0NSLVjNfNnzwj7fb53vtRV23PO9ansugOyBnH7tjrmxmKNwBYAvGpoFNUnJZ8rEnrgPO5Hln_cw7VLIvMQa9fdcprl7x9q5O8_NP8HA_D-xLHm-Ndoon6XCQwKdoJphCDHNyTGzne9w7W_N1Qt5JIyCCLn-=w241-h320" width="241" /></a></div><br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b style="font-size: small;"><i>Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy of this title which was provided in exchange for my honest review.</i></b></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Rating: 4 stars</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Author</u>: Brianne Sommerville</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Genre</u>: Domestic Suspense, Thriller, Canadian</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Type and Source</u>: ebook from publisher via NetGalley</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Publisher</u>: Rising Action Publishing</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>First Published</u>: March 5, 2024</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>Book Description from GoodReads</u></b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Who can you trust when you can’t trust yourself?</span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">The pregnancy podcasts warned Joanna Baker about the baby blues, but when a near-fatal mistake places the first-time mom under the watchful eye of Child Protective Services, she receives a serious diagnosis.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Postpartum depression. Jo hears the words, yet they don’t make sense. Nothing does. Her blackouts are increasing, and she can’t recall events she’s been accused of.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">As she fights to keep her daughter, she discovers cracks in her neighborhood, family, and her own home. With the support of her sisters, she attempts to piece together her traumatic past and uncover who is truly in control.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Jo must battle her faltering mind to save what’s most important—her daughter.</span></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/CF107413EEAE3658FA7B3082C92C2ABE.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a>Laurie@The Baking Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17678146631438774221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648528809470059310.post-73599713867840592212024-03-05T08:52:00.000-05:002024-03-05T08:52:32.659-05:00The Phoenix Crown<div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDAiHR_vmfwu5wUpJh8eS87OMAuxlSvhmQZCwvKcuEjjcW45x_EBD1PBDt_D7jY2zHxP_pyyeL7rnrkdNlXeEhWY8k8qKaBhFhzpJrX-m8yLrEoHFO2lk175hOM5UuAS0hOSmqdUP_1SCK18xiwxbdGLx7fqFT0xLyHlXhEr4_hT9HCMGZG49qsSqFlatt/s1080/Phoenix%20Crown.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDAiHR_vmfwu5wUpJh8eS87OMAuxlSvhmQZCwvKcuEjjcW45x_EBD1PBDt_D7jY2zHxP_pyyeL7rnrkdNlXeEhWY8k8qKaBhFhzpJrX-m8yLrEoHFO2lk175hOM5UuAS0hOSmqdUP_1SCK18xiwxbdGLx7fqFT0xLyHlXhEr4_hT9HCMGZG49qsSqFlatt/w640-h640/Phoenix%20Crown.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>The Phoenix Crown</i> is a collaboration of two talented Historical Fiction authors who have written a story set in the days leading up to the deva</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">stating earthquake that hit San Francisco in 1906. It was one of the biggest natural disasters in US history where over 80% of the city was destroyed and more than 3,000 people perished.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The story has four central characters - an opera singer, a botanist, an artist and a Chinese seamstress - and their bond is central to the story. Each of the female characters have suffered from a lack of agency and societal restraints and are linked by one man, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Henry Thornton, a wealthy and charming businessman who plays a pivotal role in their lives.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">This was an interesting read but not riveting. I felt the first half of the book was stronger as the setting was vividly described and we met </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">the main characters (I'll admit to being surprised by a revelation - or assumption on my part - about one character!) The plot is simple and the pacing a bit slow with the</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> beautiful </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Phoenix Crown playing a surprisingly minor role, but t</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">he </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">strength of this story is the historical details. I was pulled into the sights and sounds of early 20th century San Fran and now have a clearer idea of what life was like for Chinese people at that time as they lived with </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">rampant racism, hatred and misinformation which was used to vilify them within the larger society. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh29rOQjNckDzw2WWcuX6pgFOAX51NuhLsnY3-ory9naOUicShvJQe2FGGKw5lnB-SWsqpBr4VLIkN2Kb5aACIq6ULE9ngDiLj2OXqHoVx5uK-cjkvXyyGjh9LsxKk9ubb78kP0nxJDoU-BKaYiqbRh5bMyx9qLS7N7pkqyYip2HU4dTrR0FTc3DLx95O_o" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="487" data-original-width="640" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh29rOQjNckDzw2WWcuX6pgFOAX51NuhLsnY3-ory9naOUicShvJQe2FGGKw5lnB-SWsqpBr4VLIkN2Kb5aACIq6ULE9ngDiLj2OXqHoVx5uK-cjkvXyyGjh9LsxKk9ubb78kP0nxJDoU-BKaYiqbRh5bMyx9qLS7N7pkqyYip2HU4dTrR0FTc3DLx95O_o=w400-h305" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Last week, I had the pleasure (along with a group of fellow bookstagrammers) <br />of meeting Kate and Janie at an author event. It is clear the two women <br />are close friends and I enjoyed learning about their writing and research processes. </span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>The Phoenix Crown</i> is an interesting blend of history, a bit of mystery and building tension due to the countdown to the earthquake at the start of each chapter. This is a story about bravery, determination, adversity and strong women set within a fascinating era. I look forward to reading what Kate Quinn and Janie Chang write next.</div></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Rating: 3.5 stars</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Authors</u>: Kate Quinn, Janie Chang</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Genre</u>: Historical Fiction (US)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Type and Source</u>: trade paperback, personal copy</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Publisher</u>: William Morrow</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>First Published</u>: February 13, 2024</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>Book Description from GoodReads</u></b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">From bestselling authors Janie Chang and Kate Quinn, a thrilling and unforgettable narrative about the intertwined lives of two wronged women, spanning from the chaos of the San Francisco earthquake to the glittering palaces of Versailles.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">San Francisco, 1906. In a city bustling with newly minted millionaires and scheming upstarts, two very different women hope to change their fortunes: Gemma, a golden-haired, silver-voiced soprano whose career desperately needs rekindling, and Suling, a petite and resolute Chinatown embroideress who is determined to escape an arranged marriage. Their paths cross when they are drawn into the orbit of Henry Thornton, a charming railroad magnate whose extraordinary collection of Chinese antiques includes the fabled Phoenix Crown, a legendary relic of Beijing’s fallen Summer Palace.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">His patronage offers Gemma and Suling the chance of a lifetime, but their lives are thrown into turmoil when a devastating earthquake rips San Francisco apart and Thornton disappears, leaving behind a mystery reaching further than anyone could have imagined . . . until the Phoenix Crown reappears five years later at a sumptuous Paris costume ball, drawing Gemma and Suling together in one last desperate quest for justice.</span></span><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/CF107413EEAE3658FA7B3082C92C2ABE.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a>Laurie@The Baking Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17678146631438774221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648528809470059310.post-60391376710340529442024-03-02T12:09:00.000-05:002024-03-02T12:09:33.072-05:00The Stranger at Black Lake<div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYCysHyL-A1ExbJkfcGZrNiG4RWmzK71dHtfbfEDoFFwGAXWNFBjOgNyUPBr-vu8M6za7aN1FXqmFsX1q4127LoQU4R6LdTbdICoM7mefsnfV7rxrlCozGqxNpgcyyaqjvgmFj922VUHGOAvjmKa1Tk9f67cQ630rnL2LVEzf2rWyGKc3ytr4aBgZ8y4YD/s1080/Stranger%20at%20Black%20Lake.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYCysHyL-A1ExbJkfcGZrNiG4RWmzK71dHtfbfEDoFFwGAXWNFBjOgNyUPBr-vu8M6za7aN1FXqmFsX1q4127LoQU4R6LdTbdICoM7mefsnfV7rxrlCozGqxNpgcyyaqjvgmFj922VUHGOAvjmKa1Tk9f67cQ630rnL2LVEzf2rWyGKc3ytr4aBgZ8y4YD/w640-h640/Stranger%20at%20Black%20Lake.png" width="640" /></a></div><i><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><br /></i></span></div>This is how a novella is done.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I am the first to admit that I am not an ardent lover of short stories. I find I finish short stories always wanting more, but I was enticed by the blurb of this upcoming Christina McDonald novella which is the prequel to her Jess Lambert series. A series I'm now eager to pick up.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>The Gist</u>: Jess Lambert has just moved to Black Lake, her husband's hometown, after living in New York City and working as a paramedic. One morning, Jess witnesses a concerning situation and the paramedic in her jumps in to help and she soon becomes embroiled in a murder that occurs at the notorious old house that has a dark history. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Told with a dual narrative, Jess and a mysterious 'Him', this novella has delightful creepiness that blends past and present within a story that is filled with lies, deception and building tension. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Sinister and haunting, this is a well-paced short story that provides insight into the character of Jess Lambert and a compelling and twisty mystery that will have many readers finishing this book in one sitting. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Disclaimer: My thanks to the author and publisher for the advanced copy of this book which was provided in exchange for my honest review. </i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Rating: 4.5 stars</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Author</u>: Christina McDonald</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Genre</u>: Suspense, Novella</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Series</u>: #0.5 in Jess Lambert series</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Type and Source</u>: eBook from publisher via NetGalley</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Publisher</u>: Intrigue Ink Publishing</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>First Published</u>: March 19, 2024</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>Book Description from GoodReads</u></b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Secrets, murder and revenge converge in this gripping prequel to Amazon charts bestselling thriller, These Still Black Waters, about a young Jess Lambert drawn into a deadly cat-and-mouse game. Because old ghosts often have old scores to settle.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Jess Lambert and her husband, Mac, have just moved to Black Lake, looking for a quieter, more peaceful life. Until one morning Jess befriends a stranger—beautiful and glamorous Annie Parker—who’s also just moved to town.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Only a few hours later, Jess finds Annie wandering naked and in shock along the lake. And at Annie’s house she encounters a gruesome scene that shows a violent attack. But then Annie disappears.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">As Jess is pulled deeper into the mystery of what happened to Annie, she learns about the house’s chilling past. And she begins to who was Annie really? Is she a witness, murderer, victim?</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">But it’s dangerous hunting down old ghosts. And Jess becomes increasingly unsure if she’s the hunter, or the prey. Who is the stranger at Black Lake?</span></span><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/CF107413EEAE3658FA7B3082C92C2ABE.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a>Laurie@The Baking Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17678146631438774221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648528809470059310.post-11918068428132069882024-02-27T07:37:00.000-05:002024-02-27T07:37:28.744-05:00Peril in Pink<div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRz6ja28dLdgJRBq0Is_ugsqRk7usouAZpWICJM_rUqTeqJp1wKPmijrjhzdXKrhX6iFDPiyL94o00BsFNBPFvDmOgcC7RJSijmWzHb6gttayb1r0VnPsWaIdxABoWNxiZPwe9UZFHI8ZPoE4-ImEc9f65fARXmiOtOx7UEZtwiturpBfKshRz1dLyDOPN/s1080/Peril%20in%20Pink.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRz6ja28dLdgJRBq0Is_ugsqRk7usouAZpWICJM_rUqTeqJp1wKPmijrjhzdXKrhX6iFDPiyL94o00BsFNBPFvDmOgcC7RJSijmWzHb6gttayb1r0VnPsWaIdxABoWNxiZPwe9UZFHI8ZPoE4-ImEc9f65fARXmiOtOx7UEZtwiturpBfKshRz1dLyDOPN/w640-h640/Peril%20in%20Pink.png" width="640" /></a></div><i><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><br /></i></span></div>Peril in Pink</i> is the debut novel for Canadian author Sydney Leigh. It's the first book in a new cozy mystery series that is set in The Pearl, a Bed and Breakfast that Jess and Kat, two BFFs, have just opened in the small-town where they grew up. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">They've invited influencers to get the buzz started and have Jess' ex-boyfriend, now a singing sensation after he won a TV talent show, play for the guests. What could go wrong? Well, a couple of murders could put a damper on things. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>What I loved</i>: As a small-town gal, I love a small-town setting and the B&B location enables lots of possible storylines and B&B guests for future books. Leigh provides bits of humour, some good, not-too-grisly-muuuurders, a handful of potential culprits and a cast of quirky residents while Jess plays amateur sleuth. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Wee Beefs</i>: The story is a little heavy on hashtag slang and, at times, I found the large cast of characters, particularly the tertiary characters who pop into the story briefly, hard to keep track of. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Overall, this was an enjoyable, quick read and an impressive debut. And </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">despite the body count, The Pearl sounds like a cool spot for a girls weekend. Where do I make my reservation?</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy of this book which was provided in exchange for my honest review.</i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Rating: 3.5 stars</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Author</u>: Sydney Leigh</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Genre</u>: Cozy Mystery, Canadian</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Series</u>: 1st in Hudson Valley B&B mystery series</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Type and Source</u>: ebook from publisher via NetGalley</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Publisher</u>: Crooked Lane Books</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>First Published</u>: March 5, 2024</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u><b>Book Description from GoodReads</b></u>: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Schitt’s Creek meets Only Murders in the Building in this fresh debut mystery. Everything is coming up rosé for innkeeper Jess Byrne until a murder on opening weekend gives her B&B’s killer vibe a whole new meaning.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">It’s the grand opening of The Pearl B&B in Hudson Valley, and owner Jess Byrne has prepared the ultimate, Insta-worthy welcome, complete with her ex-boyfriend—reality singing sensation Lars Armstrong—performing live. As guests check in and mimosas are poured, Lars arrives with his stepdad-turned-manager Bob in tow. But things go south when Bob is found dead, and Lars is the prime suspect.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">After a desperate plea from Lars, and knowing the reputation of her B&B is at stake, Jess agrees to help clear Lars’ name, but the more she digs, the less sure she is that he’s innocent. Especially when he’s found at the scene of another murder.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">With the guests under lockdown, the B&B in the press for all the wrong reasons, and a killer on the loose, Jess is in over her head. With the help of her best friend and business partner Kat, Jess is determined to uncover the truth before Lars is put behind bars and The Pearl is permanently cancelled.</span></span><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/CF107413EEAE3658FA7B3082C92C2ABE.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a>Laurie@The Baking Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17678146631438774221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648528809470059310.post-58137944274904672022024-02-24T20:33:00.001-05:002024-02-24T20:33:36.409-05:00The Catch<div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxkR2uTOH9MmD7eyUHFnKQKSKsO0O8HeO2rPWGY3-_hoZKitjN_G-l_c8PpNx7fZD-acV2ka1hZac2R95uquQcggOMLic6PEeb5AFWSqnHCx2_Zmu02c1Z7R5u3vGeDuH5wZGCitYD2tguJPASm75zzOBnZWl2Hwa6XjLh09c6sQuGqJH8K400ORYlUv2/s1080/The%20Catch.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxkR2uTOH9MmD7eyUHFnKQKSKsO0O8HeO2rPWGY3-_hoZKitjN_G-l_c8PpNx7fZD-acV2ka1hZac2R95uquQcggOMLic6PEeb5AFWSqnHCx2_Zmu02c1Z7R5u3vGeDuH5wZGCitYD2tguJPASm75zzOBnZWl2Hwa6XjLh09c6sQuGqJH8K400ORYlUv2/w640-h640/The%20Catch.png" width="640" /></a></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>The Catch</i> is the third book in Amy Lea's Influencer series and is an obvious blend of two iconic RomCom movies - <i>While You Were Sleeping</i> and <i>The Proposal</i>. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">One of my favourite parts of the book was the small</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">-town east coast Canadian setting, complete with a bunch of colourful, quirky locals and a few Canuck references - TimBits, poutine, flannel, free health care ... to name a few.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The story is filled with many romance tropes with the main trope - fake dating/fake fiancée giving off strong vibes of both movies mentioned above. There were a gaggle of other tropes: </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">grumpy/sunshine, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, one bed(room), and small-town/big city. There is InstaLove (admittedly not my fav) and readers will have to suspend disbelief that this all happens within 9 days, but I appreciated the addition (albeit with light handling) of issues like depression, family dysfunction and grief.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>The Catch </i>had all the ingredients for a great RomCom, but I finished it feeling like I needed a bit more. I wanted more in terms of plot, more humour, more spice, more from the secondary cast and a bit more to the plot (and less InstaLove). It's an easy read that I devoured in a day but, in my opinion, not as strong as the last book in the series, <i>Exes and Oh's.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Rating: 3 stars</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Author</u>: Amy Lea</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Genre</u>: RomCom</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Series</u>: #3 in Influencer series</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Type and Source</u>: eBook from public library</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Publisher</u>: Berkley</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>First Published</u>: February 13, 2024</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>Book Description from GoodReads</u></b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A grumpy lobster fisherman tosses a fashion influencer’s impeccably curated life overboard in the next romantic comedy from international bestselling author Amy Lea.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">In a last-ditch effort to rescue her brand from the brink of irrelevance, Boston fashion influencer Melanie Karlsen finds herself in a rural fishing village on the east coast of Canada. The only thing scarier than nature itself? The burly and bearded bed-and-breakfast owner and fisherman, Evan Whaler—who single-handedly disproves the theory that Canadians are “nice.”</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">After a boating accident lands Evan unconscious in the hospital, Mel is mistaken for his fiancée by his welcoming yet quirky family, who are embroiled in a long-standing feud over the B&B. In a bold attempt to mend family fences, Mel agrees to fake their engagement for one week in exchange for Evan’s help with her social media content.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Amid long hikes and campfire chats, reeling in their budding feelings for each other proves more difficult by the day. But is Mel willing to sacrifice her picture-perfect life in the city for a chance at a true, unfiltered love in the wild?</span></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/CF107413EEAE3658FA7B3082C92C2ABE.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a>Laurie@The Baking Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17678146631438774221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648528809470059310.post-51692102626623740682024-02-20T18:28:00.000-05:002024-02-20T18:28:28.786-05:00Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5CW1LEia6scV6e5jGOre3-FJKJlhtkAsKcZt3MPzim1CGxR6j4v0vLQux8AAfnQiigZ590qSQ2-VOlGUhkqGFBQDoz4OFIIS58d71N_U8zTU_8kqctpPGwr1R5dCL0-ZtR1A-Xa3jFNiVpYD8v1xUbVc14L-MsK60WggoAxiSzNaEgiown2l8QcUmbXqa/s1080/Love,%20Lies,%20and%20Cherry%20Pie.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5CW1LEia6scV6e5jGOre3-FJKJlhtkAsKcZt3MPzim1CGxR6j4v0vLQux8AAfnQiigZ590qSQ2-VOlGUhkqGFBQDoz4OFIIS58d71N_U8zTU_8kqctpPGwr1R5dCL0-ZtR1A-Xa3jFNiVpYD8v1xUbVc14L-MsK60WggoAxiSzNaEgiown2l8QcUmbXqa/w640-h640/Love,%20Lies,%20and%20Cherry%20Pie.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>Emily </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">is a published author and part-time barista who at 33-years-old still struggles to make her parents proud. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Fed up with her meddling and opinionated mother whose main goal in life is to marry Emily off, Emily decides to pair up with Mark Chan, a bachelor her mother has been pushing on her. Mark and Emily don't like each other but hope their fake dating can benefit them both. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">This was a sweet story featuring the <i>fake dating</i> (yay!) and <i>miscommunication</i> (not so yay) tropes. With Emily's POV, readers </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">get a clear picture of her experiences as an author, daughter of immigrant parents and member of a large extended family and cultural community. But her rambling inner monologue and her constant assuming the worst of Mark was irritating as was </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Emily's silly (and kinda insulting) complaints about being over-the-hill at age thirty-three. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Mark seemed like a sweet and patient, if a bit uptight, guy. We get his POV halfway through but all we really learn about him is that he's reserved, has a cat, and has issues with his dad. But I enjoyed his humorous quips that helped balance the negativity coming from Emily.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Where this book shines is in the issues it raises - self-worth, extended family dynamics, first generation immigrant experience, mother-daughter relationships and the idea that marriage isn't the ultimate goal for a happy life. Overall, this was a cute read set in 'Toronno' and the icing on the proverbial cake was the late revelation that added a new perspective and motivation.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Disclaimer: ARC kindly provided by the publisher at the Ontario Library Association Super Conference 2024. All comment are my own.</i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Rating: 3 stars</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Author</u>: Jackie Lau</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Genre</u>: RomCom, Romance, Canadian, BIPOC author</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Type and Source</u>: Trade Paperback from publisher at OLA 2024</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Publisher</u>: Atria/Emily Bestler (S&S)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>First Published</u>: May 7, 2024</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>Book Description from GoodReads</u></b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Jackie Lau, author of the “full of heart” (Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author) The Stand-Up Groomsman, returns with a charming rom-com about a young woman’s desperate attempts to fend off her meddling mother…only to find that maybe mother does know best.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Mark Chan this. Mark Chan that.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Writer and barista Emily Hung is tired of hearing about the great Mark Chan, the son of her parents’ friends. You’d think he single-handedly stopped climate change and ended child poverty from the way her mother raves about him. But in reality, he’s just a boring, sweater-vest-wearing engineer, and when they’re forced together at Emily’s sister’s wedding, it’s obvious he thinks he’s too good for her.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">But now that Emily is her family’s last single daughter, her mother is fixated on getting her married and she has her sights on Mark. There’s only one solution, clearly : convince Mark to be in a fake relationship with her long enough to put an end to her mom’s meddling. He reluctantly agrees.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Unfortunately, lying isn’t enough. Family friends keep popping up at their supposed dates—including a bubble tea shop and cake-decorating class—so they’ll have to spend more time together to make their relationship look real. With each fake date, though, Emily realizes that Mark’s not quite what she assumed and maybe that argyle sweater isn’t so ugly after all…</span></span><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/CF107413EEAE3658FA7B3082C92C2ABE.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a>Laurie@The Baking Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17678146631438774221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648528809470059310.post-84942111836305228642024-02-18T14:04:00.000-05:002024-02-18T14:04:02.567-05:00A Man Downstairs<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6iXxWiVwagDJ7sFiKbdwdq9CF0t4kU1iL4MGuphqKPkcKN0OQpBAaCsAYM3CsfAAYJUCqQu7h4S1bIQrEffHHqGRyH-SYhZ7VgXFZKN9Pm8_0vAHqt93LckbGtEwuocVUR6Rva-_qh9tfJBHDzoDJ-0SzrRI1Vo_4X6e7Z5oLkN2bITo2UBCz0sRQOwfY/s1080/A%20Man%20Downstairs.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6iXxWiVwagDJ7sFiKbdwdq9CF0t4kU1iL4MGuphqKPkcKN0OQpBAaCsAYM3CsfAAYJUCqQu7h4S1bIQrEffHHqGRyH-SYhZ7VgXFZKN9Pm8_0vAHqt93LckbGtEwuocVUR6Rva-_qh9tfJBHDzoDJ-0SzrRI1Vo_4X6e7Z5oLkN2bITo2UBCz0sRQOwfY/w640-h640/A%20Man%20Downstairs.png" width="640" /></a></div><i style="color: #1e1915; font-family: verdana;"><b><div><i style="color: #1e1915; font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></i></div></b></i></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i style="color: #1e1915; font-family: verdana;"><b>What if the childhood you remember isn’t really what happened at all?</b></i></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">When Molly Wynters, a therapist and mom to teenage son Alex, returns home to care for her ailing father in the hometown where she grew up, memories from her past begin to surface. These include the violent death of her mother when she was three years old and the ensuing court case where Molly testified and helped put a man in jail. Soon doubts about what really happened the night her mother died creep into Molly's mind when an unknown caller on the mental health hotline where she's volunteering reveals that Molly's account of things may not be what really happened.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white;">This was a slow-burn small-town mystery with a cast of </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">complex and flawed characters that centres around family, secrets, and the impact of lies. The story is told </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">by multiple POVs in the past and present with readers not knowing the identity of the unknown and creepy 'Him' who lurks around the Wynters family.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The story takes a bit to get going, but I enjoyed trying to figure out the identity of the sinister 'Him'. Lundrigan gives readers a few culprits and I suspected each of them at some point. And while I guessed the big reveal, I enjoyed seeing the story unfold, understanding the reasoning behind the characters' actions and seeing the pieces fall into place. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The ending was very satisfying after the slow burn build-up and Lundrigan gives her readers one final twist, a dollop of eeriness and a jaw-dropping final reveal.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Don't miss this </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">engaging slow-burn mystery with a delightfully sinister vibe. I enjoyed Lundrigan's exploration of family dysfunction, mental health, the reliability of memory and love's darker side - obsession. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Viking Books for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.</i></b></span></div><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">My Rating: 4 stars</b></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: center;"><u>Author</u>: Nicole Lundrigan</div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Genre</u>: Suspense, Canadian</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Type and Source</u>: ebook and Trade Paperback from publisher</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Publisher</u>: Viking (Penguin Random House Canada)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>First Published</u>: March 5, 2024</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>Book Description from GoodReads</u></b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">What if the childhood you remember isn’t really what happened at all?</span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">From the acclaimed author of An Unthinkable Thing and Hideaway, a breath-stopping novel of suspense about a woman tormented by memories of the past and threatened by long-held secrets in the present.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Molly Wynters has moved back to her small hometown to care for her father, recently felled by a stroke and no longer able to communicate. She is ready to make a fresh start with her son after her divorce, but is haunted by both old events and new realities in her childhood home.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">What Molly recalls of her young life with her father is full of love and care, even though a violent trauma defined her when she was a young girl, she witnessed her mother’s murder, and her testimony – “There was a man downstairs” – sent a teenager to prison. This tragic episode is still very much alive in the culture of the town, and the more Molly remembers, the more she fears that what she said on the stand all those years ago might not have been the whole truth.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">After Molly, a trained therapist, volunteers for a local helpline, the threats begin. At first they seem random, but soon Molly realizes that she is a target, and even those closest to her seem suspicious, especially as unsuspected links between them emerge. More than one life was destroyed on that horrific long-ago day, and now someone intends to hold Molly accountable.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">With its gripping descent into the shadowy corners of the human psyche A Man Downstairs is both an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride and a masterful exploration of the fragile nature of memory.</span></span><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/CF107413EEAE3658FA7B3082C92C2ABE.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a>Laurie@The Baking Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17678146631438774221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648528809470059310.post-67170980585035624792024-02-15T10:25:00.002-05:002024-02-15T10:25:31.179-05:00I Promise It Won't Always Hurt Like This<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiByD4hc35vIsMyDfyWQkvnBlD9djdwEEmFZg-dy4qskjqVtIprAwKIx-rUr7TeA55iuSsDVcHwEKOFVQkzr-a_yVunib0rLTUfegu3TrEfW6rOftApg0N-ovV_HRMjS6DP38Isvm5Vb4n0rE-yGAls3TpFMgR7X_LwkSTiuYsGGuVHsSeICfOJGHeZQrhF/s1080/I%20Promise%20It%20Won't%20Always%20Hurt%20Like%20This.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiByD4hc35vIsMyDfyWQkvnBlD9djdwEEmFZg-dy4qskjqVtIprAwKIx-rUr7TeA55iuSsDVcHwEKOFVQkzr-a_yVunib0rLTUfegu3TrEfW6rOftApg0N-ovV_HRMjS6DP38Isvm5Vb4n0rE-yGAls3TpFMgR7X_LwkSTiuYsGGuVHsSeICfOJGHeZQrhF/w640-h640/I%20Promise%20It%20Won't%20Always%20Hurt%20Like%20This.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I requested an advanced copy of this book a couple of months ago because the anniversary of my friend Kym's death was approaching. She was the first (and only) friend I've lost, and her death hit me hard, with my grief greatly impacting my life for the first two years after her death.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now six years later, this book comes along and it is one I wish I had read early on as I navigated my grief. The waves of sadness still hit me, but often they're more subdued. Despite my progress, I thought I could gain insight from Clare Mackintosh, a suspense author whose work I have enjoyed, who in this book shares her thoughts, feelings, and experiences after the excruciating loss of one of her children. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">This book was inspired by a Twitter post made by Mackintosh on the anniversary of her son's death that went viral. From that post and the outpouring of comments, she </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">has written 18 assurances based on her own experiences with grief. She reminds readers that </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">not all of them will fit all readers' experiences or timelines in their grief journey and I found I </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">related to some assurances more than others (particularly in the first half of the book).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><blockquote><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Grief is universal, but it’s also as unique to each of us as the person we’ve lost. It can be overwhelming, exhausting, lonely, unreasonable, there when we least expect it and seemingly never-ending. Wherever you are with your grief and whoever you’re grieving for, I Promise It Won’t Always Hurt Like This is here to support you. To tell you, until you believe it, that things will get easier.”</i></span></span></blockquote></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">As </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I read this book, I felt the ebb and flow of grief hit me. There were moments where I sat with a massive lump in my throat, others when I shed tears and others where I'd smile at the fond memories of Kym that would pop up - living together in college, the shenanigans we'd get into with friends and her amazing family who our gaggle of girls got to know and love.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">T</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">his is an emotional and no doubt, cathartic endeavour for the author and by sharing her own journey, she hopes it can help readers who are experiencing the loss of a loved one. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Thank you, Clare, for this candid and emotional book that is told with compassion, candidness and grace. <b>Heartbreaking but hopeful</b>, I highly recommend this book if </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">you've suffered a loss and strongly believe it would also benefit people who want to know how they can support a loved one who is experiencing grief. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Disclaimer: Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy of this book which was given in exchange for my honest review.</i></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Rating: 5 stars</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Author</u>: Clare Mackintosh</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Genre</u>: Nonfiction, Grief</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Type and Source</u>: ebook from publisher via NetGalley</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Publisher</u>: Sourcebooks</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>First Published</u>: March 1, 2024</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>Book Description from GoodReads</u></b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">New York Times and international bestselling mystery author Clare Mackintosh makes her nonfiction debut with this deeply felt memoir of unfathomable loss, and infinite hope.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">“Grief has run through my life like thread through fabric; at times gossamer-thin and barely there, other times weaving thick, clumsy darns across the rips. In my grief I am a mother, a child, a sister, a wife, a woman, a friend. I am also a writer.”</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">When Clare Mackintosh lost her five-week-old son, she soon discovered there are no neat, labeled stages of grief like so many books insist. The shape of each loss is different; when a parent, relative, or friend passes, we grieve the person in all their beauty, their humanity, their imperfections. For Clare, there was no preparing for the anger and excruciating ache of knowing her child’s life would remain unlived. This is the book she needed then.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Inspired by a viral Twitter thread Clare wrote on the anniversary of her son's death, this deeply honest, compassionate memoir will bring solace and encouragement to anyone who finds themselves walking with grief, whether for a season or for several years. It is for those who need a little voice saying: I Promise It Won't Always Hurt Like This, for the people who love them, and those who understand that great loss can be a window through which we see how powerful, and unending, love can be.</span></span><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/CF107413EEAE3658FA7B3082C92C2ABE.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a>Laurie@The Baking Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17678146631438774221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648528809470059310.post-51136903603531474792024-02-13T18:29:00.000-05:002024-02-13T18:29:41.562-05:00What We Buried<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSJi7s0df4lYGzXUOoXw6ag7-_M5MmQyUVU-bUt0RfdD94JSaRfmQ78jT7YW8WI8REJRflEn-fOSSjkzGfijIAtB8Mn-xUWnb9H8qk49TTuMqQotcWHX-K-0H-4zh6Hja8LDYWjL5oVQoRn4UH7wfjn6ne55Ok4jq_zJQEU6QN-SODcbydUVYTabiySszq/s1080/What%20We%20Buried.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSJi7s0df4lYGzXUOoXw6ag7-_M5MmQyUVU-bUt0RfdD94JSaRfmQ78jT7YW8WI8REJRflEn-fOSSjkzGfijIAtB8Mn-xUWnb9H8qk49TTuMqQotcWHX-K-0H-4zh6Hja8LDYWjL5oVQoRn4UH7wfjn6ne55Ok4jq_zJQEU6QN-SODcbydUVYTabiySszq/w640-h640/What%20We%20Buried.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><b>Wow! It's been a while since a book captivated me like Robert Rotenberg's upcoming book, <i>What We Buried</i>. </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Part historical fiction, part mystery, part police procedural, this is a fast-paced, short chaptered and unputdownable book that has multiple </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">timelines and settings in small-town Italy and here in Canada featuring recognizable Toronto neighbourhoods and beautiful Ontario cottage country.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is a fantastic combination of well-researched history and suspense that benefits from an interesting and diverse cast of characters.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Told using multiple POVs, a sinister plot unfolds as Toronto police detectives unearth how events that happened decades before in a small Italian town impact what was initially thought to be a simple yet tragic current-day vehicular accident. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Layered and complex without being fussy or hard to follow, <i>What We Buried</i> is strong in its characterizations, intriguing plot and suspenseful storytelling, giving readers one helluva ride that will have them reading 'just one more chapter'.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I look forward to reading Rotenberg's backlist featuring Ari Greene, starting with <i>Old City Hall</i>. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><i>Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Simon and Schuster Canada for the complimentary copy of this book that I received from the publisher at the Ontario Library Conference in Toronto.</i></b></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="font-family: verdana;">My Rating: 5 stars</b></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="text-align: center;"><u>Author</u>: Robert Rotenberg</div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Genre</u>: Suspense, Canadian</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Type and Source</u>: Trade Paperback from publisher</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Publisher</u>: Simon and Schuster Canada</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>First Published</u>: February 27, 2024</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>Book Description from GoodReads</u></b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A Toronto homicide detective is attacked at his doorstep when his investigation into possible links between the Nazi occupation of Italy and the murder of his brother decades later gets too close to the truth—in the new crime thriller from bestselling author Robert Rotenberg. Perfect for fans of Scott Turow and David Baldacci.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">It’s been years since Daniel Kennicott’s brother, Michael, was shot and killed the night before he was about to depart for Gubbio, Italy. The case, never solved, has haunted Daniel ever since. Long suspecting the killing was tied to Michael’s planned trip but overwhelmed with grief, Daniel has put off going there—until now, the tenth anniversary of the murder.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">As he’s about to leave, Daniel learns that his two mentors, detectives Ari Greene and Nora Bering, have been more involved in the investigation of Michael’s murder than he ever knew. And they’re concerned about Daniel’s safety. But why? Is Daniel risking his life—and those of others—by trying to uncover the truth?</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">When Daniel arrives in the bucolic Italian hill town, he learns the past has not been put to rest. Residents are still haunted by the brutal Nazi occupation, the brave acts of the local freedom fighters, and the swift savagery of German retribution.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">And as Daniel delves into his family’s deadly connection to Gubbio, Ari Greene searches for a killer closer to home.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Inspired by the true story of the Forty Martyrs in Gubbio, Italy, during World War II, What We Buried is an extraordinary crime novel about troubled legacies, revenge, and the unbreakable bonds of family.</span></span><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/CF107413EEAE3658FA7B3082C92C2ABE.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a>Laurie@The Baking Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17678146631438774221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648528809470059310.post-17984426023471766902024-02-11T11:29:00.001-05:002024-02-11T11:29:45.748-05:00The Rumor Game<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubfTKJf6YbgGtjPBs5mWbn2I_6aJzvvOSd7pMU1Ka_kGE839czXbAzSpuaMVetGhnuGr1g2CrM6SSVehJ5OUDaHCnii45Zv5bRsGn8G8AbFI38Am2DGL5WPtOxKsIu6-ZX0sW72hkJNyADSgtnUQ9nQBj7A0Q3Zn6S2Dk_FYyyMp2e0xBia9_HJtXQ5Fr/s1080/The%20Rumor%20Game.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhubfTKJf6YbgGtjPBs5mWbn2I_6aJzvvOSd7pMU1Ka_kGE839czXbAzSpuaMVetGhnuGr1g2CrM6SSVehJ5OUDaHCnii45Zv5bRsGn8G8AbFI38Am2DGL5WPtOxKsIu6-ZX0sW72hkJNyADSgtnUQ9nQBj7A0Q3Zn6S2Dk_FYyyMp2e0xBia9_HJtXQ5Fr/w640-h640/The%20Rumor%20Game.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>I have been a fan of Thomas Mullen's since first reading </span><i style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.thebakingbookworm.ca/2016/09/darktown.html?m=1" target="_blank">Darktown</a></i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> and </span><i style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.thebakingbookworm.ca/2017/09/lightning-men.html" target="_blank">Lightning Men</a>. </i><span style="font-family: verdana;">His </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">latest book, </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">The Rumor Game</i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> is a historical mystery which is set in Boston </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">during WWII that is atmospheric, well-researched and tackles large social issues.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">strength of this story is in its historical perspective and atmosphere -- the warring factions, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">the high-running emotions and tensions of the time. Inspired by true events, this is a story about corruption, rampant anti-Semitism, fascism, domestic terrorism, sexism and disinformation about Jewish Bostonians which lead to violence in the streets. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Where the book faltered for me was its characters and pacing. I loved the idea of reporter Anne Lemire and FBI agent Devon Mulvey, who are both outsiders in their fields, but the execution of their characters fell flat with a forced feel to their bond and a superfluous romance. The very large secondary cast and slow pace added to a muddled feel and despite brief bits of tension, the story was too slowly paced to be suspenseful and I found myself skimming pages. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I continue to be a fan of Mullen's and regularly recommend his <i>Darktown</i> series and while I loved the atmosphere and appreciated learning a new perspective of the impact of WWII and how it affected people on this side of the Atlantic, the suspense fell a little short for me in this book.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="font-family: verdana; font-size: small;"><i>Disclaimer: Thanks to Minotaur and St. Martin's Press for the complimentary advanced copy of this book which was provided in exchange for my honest review.</i></b></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Rating: 3 stars</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Author</u>: Thomas Mullen</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Genre</u>: Historical Suspense</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Type and Source</u>: eBook from publisher via NetGalley</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Publisher</u>: Minotaur Books (SMP)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>First Published</u>: February 27, 2024</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>Book Description from GoodReads</u></b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A determined reporter and a reluctant FBI agent face off against fascist elements in World War II-era Boston.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Reporter Anne Lemire writes the Rumor Clinic, a newspaper column that disproves the many harmful rumors floating around town, some of them spread by Axis spies and others just gossip mixed with fear and ignorance. Tired of chasing silly rumors about Rosie Riveters' safety on the job, she wants to write about something bigger.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Special Agent Devon Mulvey, one of the few Catholics at the FBI, spends his weekdays preventing industrial sabotage and his Sundays spying on clerics with suspect loyalties—and he spends his evenings wooing the many lonely women whose husbands are off at war.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">When Anne’s story about Nazi propaganda intersects with Devon’s investigation into the death of a factory worker, the two are led down a dangerous trail of espionage, organized crime, and domestic fascism—one that implicates their own tangled pasts and threatens to engulf the city in violence.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">With vibrant historical atmosphere and a riveting mystery that illuminates still-timely issues about disinformation and power, Thomas Mullen delivers another powerful thriller.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/CF107413EEAE3658FA7B3082C92C2ABE.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a>Laurie@The Baking Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17678146631438774221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648528809470059310.post-61418131061151228532024-02-08T11:34:00.000-05:002024-02-08T11:34:21.704-05:00Hypnotized by Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTxJsr97mQhdj7kKmqAwDoLzJ3FBNwruhRuoO7DypM9mmqKJXJWcIlAlfYmuhHR7PSbt2LZocAHGtMKw506c5fFtkYRw_obo1EB6nLM2ZdhugIj0XlGv0ngLjhByjXGno0uqBUWuwLlhIAI4fxRl_qe7t1n-60_w7fkyMusQ9_6tshCqhaOSPhwIGk9a5Y/s1080/Hypnotized%20by%20Love.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTxJsr97mQhdj7kKmqAwDoLzJ3FBNwruhRuoO7DypM9mmqKJXJWcIlAlfYmuhHR7PSbt2LZocAHGtMKw506c5fFtkYRw_obo1EB6nLM2ZdhugIj0XlGv0ngLjhByjXGno0uqBUWuwLlhIAI4fxRl_qe7t1n-60_w7fkyMusQ9_6tshCqhaOSPhwIGk9a5Y/w640-h640/Hypnotized%20by%20Love.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">I was tempted by this <i>Amazon First Reads</i> RomCom pick based on the <i>teenage friends to almost-lovers</i> trope that morphs into <i>enemies-to-lovers</i> territory and the interesting addition of hypnotherapy. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">When Savannah, a hypnotherapist reluctantly has a hypnotherapy session with Mason, an old friend/love interest who she has had a falling out with, things go awry when the session gets interrupted leaving Mason more susceptible to agreeing to whatever life throws at him.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">This was a cute premise with a unique twist to the popular RomCom universe with its focus on hypnotherapy, but I was surprised that this aspect quickly fell to the background while Savannah's baggage and her penchant for holding onto issues takes centre stage. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Read</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">ers will have to suspend disbelief if they're going to get on board with Savannah's character. She's a professional woman, but she is immature, and she holds grudges and jumps to conclusions like they're Olympic sports. She was a frustrating character and the reasoning behind her six-year grudge with Mason was weak compared to the intensity of her long-held and over-the-top hatred.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">This almost squeaky-clean romance (aka very little spice) was a cute read if you can overlook the miscommunication (the most loathsome of all RomCom tropes) and Savannah's over-the-top character. For me, the story's saving graces were its cute </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">banter and one-liners, hunky and oh-so-patient Mason and how the author includes important issues of forgiveness, family, friendship and the effects of self-sabotage.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Disclaimer: I received a digital copy of this book as part of the Amazon First Reads program. All opinions are my own. </i></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Rating: 3 stars</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Author</u>: Sariah Wilson</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Genre</u>: RomCom</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Type and Source</u>: eBook - Amazon First Reads program</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Publisher</u>: Montlake</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>First Published</u>: March 1, 2024</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>Book Description from GoodReads</u></b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The power of suggestion does wonders for the heart in an absolutely captivating romantic comedy by Sariah Wilson, the bestselling author of The Chemistry of Love.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Hypnotist Savannah Sinclair is known for helping clients overcome their deep-rooted issues, from anxiety to addiction. But her nontraditional approach also attracts plenty of skeptics—including her high school nemesis and rival, Mason Beckett, who just so happens to be the boy who broke her heart.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Mason’s life hasn’t gone according to plan. His latest novel was a flop, and the only gig he can land is writing a scathing exposé of his hometown hypnotist, Savannah. But in order to write an authentic article, he has to be a willing participant. Hypnosis is the last thing he he’s shedding his negative nature and opening himself up to new experiences…and when a fire alarm interrupts their session, Mason walks out into the real world entranced and sporting a sunny disposition and a tendency to say yes.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Hypnotized Mason is fearless, revealing things he’s never told a soul, acting completely out of character, and leading Savannah on a frantic chase to keep him safe. He likes his new self. The problem is, so does Savannah. She can’t fall in love with a man who’s in a trance, but can she keep him still long enough to get him to snap out of it?</span></span><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/CF107413EEAE3658FA7B3082C92C2ABE.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a>Laurie@The Baking Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17678146631438774221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648528809470059310.post-69450008399547486332024-02-06T10:26:00.000-05:002024-02-06T10:26:24.274-05:00Shadows of Pecan Hollow<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpKy7E-BKmHRN2XS4E_DlTrKCc0DTuL0i73z1wXF9QwqbGlZoMwbGFvWf8srGvHiANnmdeb-qNiYIkqwrHKgZqRgmlNTHjTqrckCcKFsx9Yhp4UN7j7lDbZeslTG4s814i8e2Ae32uOCCmswiE3RF-6LC1zhBlUl13LJlF306jV9EtOQZY3F5qZXss90Ws/s1080/Shadows%20of%20Pecan%20Hollow.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpKy7E-BKmHRN2XS4E_DlTrKCc0DTuL0i73z1wXF9QwqbGlZoMwbGFvWf8srGvHiANnmdeb-qNiYIkqwrHKgZqRgmlNTHjTqrckCcKFsx9Yhp4UN7j7lDbZeslTG4s814i8e2Ae32uOCCmswiE3RF-6LC1zhBlUl13LJlF306jV9EtOQZY3F5qZXss90Ws/w640-h640/Shadows%20of%20Pecan%20Hollow.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div>This debut novel was recommended to me by a new library customer of mine. She was so passionate about this book that I immediately grabbed a copy.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">This was a gritty debut that isn't tender (as the blurb says), but a story that is quite disturbing in parts, but also gives readers a glimmer of hope in the resiliency of humanity. The story is told in two timelines - 1970's when thirteen-year-old Kit, tired of living in foster homes, decides to go off with a 20-something con man named Manny, who soon grooms her for small heists. The second timeline is 20 years later in the small town of Pecan Hollow, Texas where Kit finds a home with her elderly aunt and starts a new life, without Manny and is raising her daughter, Charlie. The past comes back to wallop Kit when Manny arrives in Pecan Hollow after a stint in prison.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">The characters are a varied bunch, each with their own copious amounts of baggage. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Manny is a character you'll love to hate. Ohhh, the man is wretched but powerful in his ability to manipulate those around him. Kit is a flawed and largely unlikeable character, but readers soon understand why she's so hardened and closed-off emotionally (even to her teenage daughter) when we learn of her experiences as a child and teen at the hands of the foster care system and then Manny's manipulations</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">This debut skillfully shows </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">different sides of humanity -- the love, acceptance and safety Kit's aunt provides to the controlling, toxic and abusive life with Manny. This book will create good discussion, particularly about how trauma and abuse can impact lives and generations and the power of love, kindness and belonging can help in the healing process.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Rating: 4 stars</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Author</u>: Caroline Frost</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Genre</u>: Contemporary Fiction</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Type and Source</u>: Hardcover from public library</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Publisher</u>: William Morrow<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>First Published</u>: February 8, 2022</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>Book Description from GoodReads</u></b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was 1970 when thirteen-year-old Kit Walker was abducted by Manny Romero, a smooth-talking, low-level criminal. Longing for the family and security she never had, she allowed herself to be coddled and groomed into Manny's partner-in-crime. Before long, Kit and Manny became infamous for their string of gas station robberies throughout Texas, making a name for themselves as the Texaco Twosome.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">But as Manny's fatherly demeanor shifts to something darker and more violent, Kit is forced to reconsider their relationship and her own safety. In a flash decision, she leaves Manny at a holdup gone wrong.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Thirteen years after her escape, she has made a home for herself and her daughter amongst the pecan trees and muddy creeks of the claustrophobic town of Pecan Hollow. When Manny shows up at her doorstep a new man, fresh out of prison, Kit's profound and twisted attachment to him compels her to let him in. Immediately, Kit's world is transformed and her community is sent into a tailspin.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">With its rich landscape, indelible characters, and evocative language, </span><em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915;">Shadows of Pecan Hollow </em><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">is a hauntingly intimate and distinctly original debut about the strength and vulnerability of womanhood and the complexity of love--both romantic and familial. This penetrating, gritty, and unexpectedly tender novel ensnares the reader in its story of resilience and the bonds that define us.</span></span><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/CF107413EEAE3658FA7B3082C92C2ABE.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a>Laurie@The Baking Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17678146631438774221noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648528809470059310.post-15795096443142532442024-02-03T14:45:00.000-05:002024-02-03T14:45:09.769-05:00The Girl With No Name<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh76PgHRNzRFnw1C_qz1fr1hEHIODZW6siFl6r_5K6ViDFbU1cKyquMUhU3If49atEweF43WoMniCs0Tc6bjtIV2zgko0nSKs7O_gnjzl9O_2AgN_76zgtQ6GSsCNZo8R69O66ZX6SqtHK1vffJ_QgqwZltd3AQjdHtrqJRipElSNzCRX4go5oqPyQZz4kT/s1080/The%20Girl%20With%20No%20Name.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh76PgHRNzRFnw1C_qz1fr1hEHIODZW6siFl6r_5K6ViDFbU1cKyquMUhU3If49atEweF43WoMniCs0Tc6bjtIV2zgko0nSKs7O_gnjzl9O_2AgN_76zgtQ6GSsCNZo8R69O66ZX6SqtHK1vffJ_QgqwZltd3AQjdHtrqJRipElSNzCRX4go5oqPyQZz4kT/w640-h640/The%20Girl%20With%20No%20Name.png" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">After recently reading and loving <u><a href="https://www.thebakingbookworm.ca/2024/01/vanishing-girls.html" target="_blank">Vanishing Girls</a></u>, the first book in the Josie Quinn series, I eagerly jumped into this second book that follows a double kidnapping, a mysterious woman with no memory and sinister corruption in the city of Denton where Josie is now Chief of Police.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Regan provides readers with many twists and red herrings. Josie remains an interesting and complicated character with emotional baggage that readers better understand, but this book didn't quite captivate me as much as the first book. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">In this second installment, the plot and the large cast of characters made for a story that felt a bit convoluted and drawn out. There is good tension and some action-packed scenes (one of which will require readers to suspend disbelief) and I enjoyed seeing characters from the first book (hey Noah Farley!), but noticed a marked change in Luke's personality from how he was portrayed in the first book.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Overall, Regan keeps readers on their toes with suspenseful scenes and a strong but flawed female main character in Josie whose past continues to intrigue me, making it a good addition to this suspense series (which I strongly recommend reading in order). </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">I am excited to catch up on this long-running series' backlist and based on some comments from others readers, I am in for a wild ride. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>My Rating: 3.5 stars</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Author</u>: Lisa Regan</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Genre</u>: Suspense</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Series</u>: #2 in Detective Josie Quinn</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Type and Source</u>: eBook, personal copy</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>Publisher</u>: Bookouture</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><u>First Published</u>: April 19, 2018</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><u>Book Description from GoodReads</u></b>: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Detective Josie Quinn is horrified when she’s called to the house of a mother who had her newborn baby snatched from her arms.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">A woman caught fleeing the scene is Josie’s only lead, but when questioned it seems this mysterious girl doesn’t know who she is, where she’s from or why she is so terrified…</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Is she a witness, a suspect, or the next victim?</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">As Josie digs deeper, a letter about a mix-up at a fertility clinic links the nameless girl and the missing child to a spate of killings across the county. Josie is faced with an impossible decision: should she risk the life of one innocent child to save many others… or can she find another way?</span></span><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/131/CF107413EEAE3658FA7B3082C92C2ABE.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0px;" /></a>Laurie@The Baking Bookwormhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17678146631438774221noreply@blogger.com0