February Book Reviews Part Two! #writingcommunity @Marjorie_Mallon @JillWeatherholt @JacqBiggar @PriscillaBettis #bookreviews #indieauthors #whattoread #yourreadinglist

Golden Healer (The Curse of Time #2)

by M.J. Mallon

“Golden Healer” picks up where the first book left off with Amelina maneuvering through her teen years while embracing her magic as a Krystallos. Some of my favorite parts were the interaction with the girl in the mirror and Amelina and her dad. Not only did the plot take the reader on a rollercoaster, but there was also an actual one in the story. Many good characters all played into finding out more about the darker side or shadows. Ryder is a character who could have an empathic side if he allowed it, but I did like how he developed in the story. Crystals and music added depth to Amelina’s learning quest. Her friendships are still strong and are tested with Ryder involved. There are some beautiful poetic parts, and I love the poetry at the beginning of each chapter. Although this book answers many questions, it also opened the door to new ones. I look forward to more stories from these characters.


Searching for Home

by Jill Weatherholt

“Searching for Home” is a wonderfully uplifting romance full of faith and miscommunication. Meg gives up her successful physical therapy practice to raise her sister’s triplets and take over the bed-and-breakfast. She’s struggling to make ends meet and fixing up the property. When an expected guest, Luke, shows up to recover from an injury—or her high school love. Both are hurting from the past, but right now, it’s the children who need attention and love after being discarded by their parents, along with the business. Meg is a wonderful character who tries to balance being a mother, running the inn, and still doing physical therapy while fighting her feelings for Luke. The love that still exists between the two is obvious to everyone but them. It was easy to have empathy for Luke and his past. I love how he jumped right in to help remodel and develop a bond with the children, especially Tucker. I read this in one sitting, hoping they’d finally have that talk. A sweet romance that I can highly recommend.


Valentine

by Jacquie Biggar

Sierra has just gotten out of a poor relationship and her nest egg for opening her dream business was gone. Val has agreed to stay at his aunt’s place to take care of things while the aunt recovers from illness. Sierra and Val are thrown together, living in the same house, but immediately clash. It doesn’t help that Sierra works for Val’s sister and he overlooked telling her a few minor details. I like the tension between the two and all the character names, especially Cupid for the dog and Valentine for Val. This is a fast and fun read that I read in one sitting. It would be the perfect Valentine’s Day story or any day you want to celebrate love’s bloom.


The Hay Bale

by Priscilla Bettis

“The Hay Bale” is a short horror story filled with chilling passages and light on gore, which I prefer. Claire has miscarried four babies, was turned down for adoption, and her husband left her. She leaves her job as a professor in microbiology to regroup and heal from all her losses in a quaint country house called Small Claws. When things happen in her rented home, she asks questions, to which she finds some chilling answers. The single bale of hay behind the house adds a strange twist and fuels her curiosity. While Clair struggles with her issues within, some really strange things are going on around her. A spooky story with an ending I didn’t expect and easily read in one sitting.


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!

NOTE: Today is my seven-year anniversary of when I broke my foot (on Friday the 13th tripping over my black cat.) It turned out to be a good thing as it finally got me serious about publishing my work. Here is the blog from two years ago when I talked about this fall if you missed it 🙂 LINK

Life is short! Embrace your inner child by reading a good book. D. L. Finn

Stop by and say hi! Vocal Challenge, “That Moment.” #writingcommunity #indieauthor #challenge #writingchallenge

Hi! I’ve been inspired by stories written by Staci Troilo, Harmony Kent, and John Howell over on Vocal. So, I decided to give a challenge a try. Here is the challenge I did as described on site: “Coming of Age. Share a story about the time or event in your life that changed everything.”

So I took the theme and wrote a singular event that gave me a new perspective on life. It may be a heavy read, but it gave me the faith and strength to be the person and writer I am today.

If you like it, I’d appreciate a heart 🙂 Here’s the link:

LINK

April Book Reviews Part 2! @SueColetta1 @SCVincent @JillWeatherholt #indieauthor#IARTG #ASMSG #WritingCommunity #BookReviews #WhatToRead

Midnight Haiku: A Year in Contemplation

by Sue Vincent

Midnight Haiku” is a thought-provoking collection. Seven Haikus accompany a beautiful photograph. There are 365 poems, one for each day of the year. Although I read this in two sittings, this would be a perfect book to pick up each morning or evening and contemplate the daily poem—which I will be doing. The words touched my soul many times. Then, I’d have to stop to reread and absorb the meaning. There are so many images offered within seventeen syllables that are layered on top of each other. I love the idea of writing a single poem at midnight for a year when the world is quiet. Over the last couple of years, I have developed a deep respect for Haiku poems. Here are a few of my favorites: “Leading anywhere, each path is a mystery, until it is walked,” “Surrounded by gloom, still there is a patch of light, alive against the darkness,” and “Not all birds can fly, not all who fly have feathers, but all dreams have wings.” This is a collection I highly recommend for those who love poetry and those who like to ponder life’s mystery.

Pretty Evil New England: True Stories of Violent Vixens and Murderous Matriarchs

by Sue Coletta

“Pretty Evil New England” documents five women serial killers at the turn of the nineteenth century. Broken into sections, it was a fascinating insight into an era and murder. Each woman’s true story reads smoothly like a fictional tale, and the court proceedings were meticulously detailed. I learned a lot about forensic abilities and poisonings. The mindset of a woman killer over a male was not only astonishing but scary at the cruelty involved. A well-researched book that is for any true crime reader or someone who wants to understand a female killer’s mind.

A Home for Her Daughter

by Jill Weatherholt

“A Home for Her Daughter” is a dramatic romance that focuses on forgiveness. Janie has just left an abusive marriage, and she went back to her hometown with her daughter, Riley, where her brother lives. She’s inherited a business and home, but only if she can get it up and running by a certain date. The catch is she must work with an old friend and someone she used to like in school. This friend, Drew, is a widower who blames himself for his family’s death. I love how they find a way to work together, but it’s Riley that’s the shining star. She has a way of bringing people together and a contagious joy. I fell in love with the town and was cheering on each improvement made to the lodge. This story is about faith and giving two damaged people a second chance. If you enjoy sweet romantic tales that tug at your heart while offering hope, you won’t want to miss this one.

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