December Book Reviews Part 3! @Virgilante @teagangeneviene @JacqBiggar @YvetteMCalleiro @1rburkey @pursoot #bookreviews #whattoread #mustread #writingcommunity

Wreck of the Lanternfish

(The Lanternfish #3)

by C.S. Boyack

“Wreck of the Lanternfish” is the final book of the Lanternfish Series. Although I was sad to see this thrilling story come to an end, I loved seeing James Cuttler take one more journey to the sea. He risks everything to step back into the war that his friends are still fighting. The battles are shown through different perspectives, including Serang. My favorite characters, the root monsters, were back. Their “I I I I” always made me smile. This story not only touches on pulling communities apart, but how to put them back together. Battles on land and sea showcase how clever leaders can outwit their foe. This is a world and characters that I won’t forget anytime soon. Lanternfish is a series I can highly recommend, especially if you love exciting stories with pirates, love, greed, and great characters. But start from the beginning and don’t miss the companion book. You won’t want to miss any part of this exciting tale!


Dead of Winter: Journey 11, The Sumelazon Escarpment

by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Emlyn’s journey continues as she learns and grows, and there are Gethin’s experiences mixed in. I loved the direction that was taken on all the fronts of “The Sumelazon Escarpment.” It was nice to catch my breath and get to immerse into the city and story, especially through Emlyn’s eyes. I liked how well the plot and cover tied together, and the women had a moment to enjoy a bit of fashion. Even though there were some nice interactions, there is still that under-matched fight looming. Another good journey and I can’t wait to see where it takes us next. I can highly recommend this read but start this exciting tale from the beginning.


Love, Me: A Christmas Wish Novel

by Jacquie Biggar

“Love Me” is a wonderful holiday read about a mother and her daughter fighting cancer. Grace and Cassie move to a new town to try an experimental treatment, and luckily an anonymous donor covers the expenses. Grace finds a job at Cassie’s school while Cassie finds a new best friend. I love how the story is told from both the mother and daughter’s POV. Cassie wants a puppy for Christmas, but she decides her mother needs a companion if something happens to her. It’s a story that tugged on my heart, thinking about a little girl battling for her life when she should be playing and having fun. Her strength and caring shine throughout the story as a powerful symbol of love, and the mother, having lived through so much loss and heartache, keeps going for her daughter. I could feel the emotion behind Cassie because her character is based on an amazing young girl on social media who is fighting this battle. This was a heartwarming romantic story that didn’t back down from the reality of childhood leukemia. I highly recommend this!


HYPE

by Yvette M. Calleiro

“HYPE” is a YA story centered on Cici’s life at home and school. She is a popular co-captain of the cheering squad, and her boyfriend is the quarterback on the football team. Everything is perfect in her world, except her dislike of her co-captain, Nicole. But everything changes when her mother remarries, and she gets not only a stepdad but a new stepsister that everyone avoids at school. Cici’s POV is direct and takes the reader into her world. She can be shallow but has her world figured out until she doesn’t. Halfway through the story, there is a betrayal and horrible event that is painful to read, and my heart went out to Cici. Although Cici is a strong character that I was rooting for, I loved her stepsister Gaby/Grub’s complexity. How Cici’s relationships grow and change is skillfully reflected in what is happening in her life. This is a good read for not only YA readers but adults too. I highly recommend it.


Hot Chocolate

by Charles Breakfield and Rox Burkey

“Hot Chocolate” is a sweet short story about a family and their holiday traditions. Jacob, Petra, and their son JW are a family I enjoyed getting to know. The parents have a tradition of surprising each other with their Christmas gifts and teasing how much they will like their present. I love the surprise at the end and the love this family shared. This is a wonderful holiday read!


I only post my 4 & 5-star reviews. If I don’t like a book, I won’t finish it. It doesn’t feel right leaving a review in that case, but I have been known to email the author:) Life is too short not to enjoy every book you read!


Our writing community lost a brilliant writer and amazing human being a few weeks ago, Suzanne Burke. She had a wonderful sense of humor, a kind heart, and a great outlook on life. I found out about her passing during my vacation.


So, I offered a red hibiscus flower to the Pacific Ocean in her honor. I like to think it’s floating among the spinner dolphins, and she’s looking down at this with a huge smile.

In memory of Suzanne, check out her Amazon page here. Her memoir, Empty Chairs,  is a read you will never forget.


NOTE: This will be my last formal Sunday post of the year and my Monthly Newsletter was sent out today to your email if you are subscribed.  Tomorrow watch for Books That Changed Me Winter Edition.

After that, I’ll be taking some time off to be with family and enjoy the holidays.

The only exception to my time off is I have a post over on Story Empire on December 27th.

Wishing everyone the happiest of holidays! May 2022 be the happy year we are all searching for 🙂

Embrace that inner child by reading a good book and enjoying your blessings! D. L. Finn

May Book Reviews Part 3! @ElizabethMerry1 @mhurdle112 @teagangeneviene @harmony_kent #ASMSG #WritingCommunity #bookreviews #mustread #indieauthors

MINUS ONE: With Haikus and Other Poems: The Story of a Life

by Elizabeth Merry

“Minus One” is a wonderful collection of poems that took me on an emotional journey. There was a mixture of Haikus and free verse that offered an insight into the highs and lows of life. Plus, there was the bonus of lovely pictures. Here are a few of my favorite passages: Seascapes, “Damp knees in the damp sand. Uneasy in the stillness, /watching for the yellow hair of fairies, /hidden in the tide, their voices from another world,” Haikus, “Blessed, healing rain/soaks my parched skin and/flushes out all grief,” and more Haikus, “Broken by the storm/branches bent as if with grief/hold their beauty yet.” A beautiful read that any poetry lover would enjoy.


Tina Lost in a Crowd

by Miriam Hurdle(Author), Victoria Skakandi (Illustrator) 

“Tina Lost in a Crowd” is a sweet children’s book for beginning readers and parents reading to them. I loved the beautiful illustrations that enriched the story and the fact this was based on an actual event. Tina, who just finished 3rd grade, invited a friend to go on a family excursion to see a symphony and fireworks. Everything was going perfectly until intermission, and the girls needed to use the restroom. I loved how Tina and her friend handled being lost. It was a good lesson on how to handle a situation like this. As a parent, I know the fear of not finding a child, and reading this story with children allows talking about what to do if it happens. I’ll be adding the paperback to my collection for my grandchildren, and we’ll be reading it together—a wonderful debut children’s book by Ms. Hurdle.


Dead of Winter, Journey 4, The Old Road

by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

I love the journey Ms. Geneviene has taken us on, so far, with this series. In this installment, “The Old Road,” the focus is more on the Deae Matres, with more attention going to Boabhan. The Lady in Green, Boabhan, intrigues me, and I feel like there is so much more to uncover. With peril surrounding this group, Emlyn finds herself in constant danger. I don’t want to say too much, but I was happy with returning characters and terrified of ones who made an appearance. I enjoyed this being a longer read than the first three, and I can’t wait to see what happens next!


The Vanished Boy

by Harmony Kent

“The Vanished Boy” is a terrifying glimpse into an 18-year-old’s disappearance. Carole is a widow who never stopped grieving. When her only child, Jayden, left a cryptic message on her cell phone and then didn’t return home from a party, she began searching for him. I couldn’t imagine being in her place, yet I felt all her pain as I read it. Finding his laptop, Carole began digging into her son’s digital life. This is when the realization came that she didn’t really know her son. That was a great insight into how the internet allows us to reach out to others yet be more distant from the ones we love. Carole is a strong character that was relatable and determined. Her relationship with her sister felt very real, and the love for her son pushed her beyond any normal limits. As I kept reading, I formulated some theories, but I couldn’t have guessed the outcome. This is a well-written story that was hard to put down, and I highly recommend it!


I only post my 4 & 5-star reviews. If I don’t like a book, I won’t finish it. It doesn’t feel right leaving a review in that case, but I have been known to email the author:) Life is too short not to enjoy every book you read!

Embrace your inner child by reading a good book! 🙂 D. L. Finn

April Book Reviews Part 1! @JacqBiggar @Sandra_Cox @teagangeneviene @pat_garcia#IARTG #ASMSG #WritingCommunity #bookreviews #mustread #indieauthors

Turn The Light On

by Pat Garcia

“Turn the Light On” is an unusual short story with a lot of twists. Della is a successful career woman who has been meeting a man for dinner. Yet, they don’t sit at the same dinner table or speak except through book passages. None of that matters because she is drawn to him. A well-written romantic story full of mystery and intrigue. This is a story where I could never have guessed the outcome, and I thoroughly enjoyed that!

Dead of Winter: Journey 3, The Fever Field

by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

This is the third installment of Dead of Winter, and so far, my favorite. I loved getting to know the youngest of the Deae Matres, Zasha. She has a passionate personality that drew me into her part of the story. The Deae Matres were searching for answers, which lead them to the Fever Field or a graveyard. Then the story returned to Emlyn, and I couldn’t read fast enough to find out what happened to her. I’m loving this story and can’t wait to see where the next journey goes.

Queen of Diamonds

by Sandra Cox

“Queen of Diamonds” was a lot of fun and kept me on the edge of my seat. A best-selling author, Logan, and his assistant, Kendall, spent three years working together, yet Logan didn’t really know her. Kendall had a secret life that no one knew about. She went beyond what most would do for their family. That path led her to a secret life that was completely opposite of what people thought of her. It made the book a page-turner to see what would happen next. The interaction between Kendall and Logan was entertaining, but I really loved the relationship that developed between Logan and Kendall’s family. A quick but satisfying read that kept me guessing how it would resolve itself until the very end. If you love suspenseful romance with a strong female character, this book is for you.

The Lady Said No: An Augustus Grant Mystery- Book 1 (An Augustus Grant Mystery-Prequel)

by Jacquie Biggar

“The Lady Said No” is a murder mystery, with some romance, set in Kentucky in the 1950s. Detective Augustus Grant, Gus, is sent to investigate what appeared to be a suicide of a prominent horse breeder. Rebecca, the woman Gus had left behind to become a detective, works for this family. When Gus realizes the death wasn’t self-inflicted, Rebecca is on the list of suspects. This sets up a nice inner battle between his heart and head. I loved the setting, horses, and era, although the time frame made the role of a single mother more of a struggle. I admired Rebecca’s independence and her ability to support her child alone. Then there was something charming about the Detective, and it was beneficial that most underestimated him. This is a quick read that kept me guessing until the exciting end. I really enjoyed this and hope there will be more Detective Grant books coming. I can easily recommend this book, especially if you like a cozy mystery.

I only post my 4 & 5-star reviews. If I don’t like a book, I won’t finish it. It doesn’t feel right leaving a review in that case, but I have been known to email the author:) Life is too short not to enjoy every book you read!

Had a wonderful vacation, and I’m happy to be back! I shared a couple of pictures on Instagram and Facebook:)

Embrace your inner child by reading a good book! 🙂 D. L. Finn