Happy Fall! The dogwood leaves are just starting to make the change from green to red. The air is cooler, at least for now, and we’ve had our first rare September rain. Although we will be in high fire danger until the weather fully changes over that doesn’t take away the glory of this harvest season. This is one of my favorite times of the year because it includes both Halloween and Thanksgiving. I already have my spiderweb sheets on my bed.
Books, like the seasons, add change to our lives. Here are my picks for this fall with my comments again:
This book talks about a subject I don’t like to think about much less read, but the author wrote it in a fashion that I could do it. What I took away from this is there are terrible people in this world, but at the same time there are heroes, too. It gave me a lot to think about after which is a gift leftover from a story.
By Mark Bierman
I knew the topic going into reading this fictional book: child trafficking. Mr. Bierman shows the reader the process, including how children are kidnapped from their families–or the worst when their families sell them into slavery. The poverty and greed that uses children…I have a hard time absorbing that and worried this would be a hard read for me, but it wasn’t. The storyline centers on two American men doing missionary work in Haiti. A young girl is kidnapped, and they start on a journey to find her. The story’s told through different characters, which held my interest as they became interwoven. The action is non-stop and I had a hard time putting it down. I was fully invested in the characters and had a range of emotions from joy to sadness. This is a book that can make you think about an unpleasant subject, while being a good fictional story that entertains. I can easily recommend “Vanished” especially if you love action and the depth of a thought-provoking subject put together.
I haven’t read westerns in years. No reason really, but there was always so many other things to read and not enough time to read everything. Not that I don’t try😊. Being a fan of this author’s paranormal and cat books already, I decided to read her western. I’m glad I did. The details and storyline pulled me right in and made me add westerns back onto my reading list.
by Sandra Cox
When Brandon hired a new trail hand to help herd the Longhorns to market, no one knew it was a woman. I loved the characters and relationships. They were well developed and progressed at a natural rate. The fatherly role of Cookie, Brandon, and Alexandria/Alex or the friendships Alex developed were my favorites. The mystery of why Alex was in this situation kept me intrigued, and there were a few twists I didn’t expect because of that. The setting was detailed and beautifully described. I could imagine being back on the Chisholm Trail or Brandon’s ranch in Texas. My love of animals appreciated Alex’s devotion to her horse, dog, and cattle. I adored this romantic western adventure and highly recommend it!
I’m a fan of unique stories and quirky characters. This book has that and more, between the friendships, house, town and of course the cat. It’s a town I wouldn’t mind living in. The magic and mystery sprinkled throughout is a reminder of life’s gifts and to embrace that inner child.
by Teagan Geneivene
Ralda Lawton decides to start a new life. She places a low bid on a house that comes with its own cemetery and wins. She relocates into the small town and immediately meets her neighbors. The relationship she develops with her new friends, Lacy, Racine and Bethany remind me of some of my own friends. Then there is the two good-looking mysterious men she runs into Gwydion and Cael. Both hold her interest, curiosity and trigger her inner warning. My favorite character is Lilith her calico cat. I enjoy her POV throughout the story and insights into the humans and the non-humans. I love the magic, mystery, relationships, paranormal, a hint of romance and karma in this uniquely well-written story. I can’t wait to read the second book in this series and see what happens next in Atonement.
I like to pick my favorite read after #RRBC has its short story contest and this year I’ll share my pick. There were a couple I loved and it was hard to choose. This was the one I connected with the most. I could have been sitting with those women and doing something like the characters did. This story tapped into that action and made the impossible seem real. Plus, the ending allowed me to decide, and I did.
by Jan Sikes
Two friends are drinking away Claire’s pain. All in good fun, Claire and Jade make a Voodoo doll resembling the husband who just left Claire for another woman. Ms. Sikes wrote this in a fashion that felt authentic to me. There was a woman betrayed and heartbroken with a friend trying to cheer her up. I could easily imagine sitting with these two women, making a doll to work through all the bad feelings with an unexpected outcome. This short story was a quick read, but a complete story that I thoroughly enjoyed—and highly recommend!
