memoir – Author D.L. Finn

December Book Reviews Part 3! @sgc58 @maryjdressel @Marjorie_Mallon #whattoread #writingcommunity #readersoftwitter #bookreviews

“Variety is the Spice of Life” is a wonderful collection of poetry and short stories. The poetry is presented in the first half of the book. It was moving and thoughtful, as each word was carefully crafted. The short stories in the second half were my favorite part. Each story had its gift to offer us, but I wiped away a tear or two with “Mrs. Lloyd’s Robin.” “The Healer” left me with chills wondering what-if. What connected the stories and poetry to me was their humanity—or heart of them. A must-read collection for those who love poetry and stories that make you feel.

Fairies, Myths, & Magic II: Book 2: A Winter Celebration

By Colleen M. Chesebro

I read and loved “Fairies, Myths, & Magic Book 1” and was eager to read the second book. This dips into a darker side of fairies and magic but also offers the coming light. Told through beautiful poetry and short stories with the addition of the history of the feminine lore of different cultures. I could learn as I was entertained. Although I love my forest, I have a healthy appreciation of it and the magic it holds. This collection brought to life our past and present, leaving the promise of the future or its consequences. A perfect read for a cold fall or winter night that inspired me to bring a few new traditions into our house.

Do What You Love: Fragility of Your Flame Poems Photography & Flash Fiction

By M.J. Mallon

“Do What You Love” is a beautiful collection of words and photos that invite the reader into Ms. Mallon’s life. It is connected uniquely through the three sisters of fate: past, present, and future, and their insights. Whether it’s a trip abroad or down memory lane, it found a way to tug at my heart or engage me in her experiences. It is a wonderful way to share reality and engage others with flowing words and mythical beings. A quick but satisfying read that I can easily recommend to any poetry, prose, or memoir fan.

Secret Santa’s Rundown Sleigh: Holiday Romance Novella

By Mary J. McCoy-Dressel

Terra and her young daughter, Kylee, are on their way to spend Christmas with Terra’s sick mother. Bad luck strikes when their car breaks down. They end up stranded in a small town with no hotel rooms available, and the vehicle won’t be fixed until after the holiday. Terra’s sister can’t leave their mom to rescue them, so they set out to get a bite to eat. The caring server invites them to stay at her brother Jude’s house with them. Jude’s daughter and Kylee bonded quickly while Terra kept looking for other options to stay, and Jude wasn’t pleased with his new guests. Everyone around Jude and Terra is rooting for a Christmas miracle, but Terra is determined to move on, and Jude clings to the past. This short and sweet holiday read will uplift your spirits, and I can easily recommend it.

I only post my 4 & 5-star reviews here! If I don’t like the book, I won’t finish it. It wouldn’t be fair to leave a review for an unfinished story, and life is too short not to enjoy my reading journey!

UPDATES: I have one more post tomorrow, Books That Changed Me—Winter edition. Don’t miss my final good read picks of the year! Then I’ll be off until January 9th.

I will pop in once for a post over on Story Empire on the 26th.

Also, if you are subscribed to my newsletter, check your email and see what book is featured this month along with some updates.

I wish everyone a Merry Chirstmas and a Happy New Year!

Embrace your inner child, and read a good book! D. L. Finn

November Book Reviews Part 2! @teagangeneviene @maurabeth2014 @LyndaMFiller #writingcommunity #readersoftwitter #whattoread

A Peril in Ectoplasm: Just Once More

by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

“A Peril in Ectoplasm” is a paranormal thriller that centers on a rich spiritualist, Daphne, and is set in the roaring twenties. Daphne is engaged to a Cuban Count whose intentions toward her are very sketchy. He is a character that was created to dislike, and I did! During a séance, Daphne is warned she needs to find someone but is given little clues other than an image with eyes. Her life may depend on locating this person. Being a medium has taken its toll on Daphne, but her fiancé pushes just one more time. The settings immersed me in Florida in the 1920s and the search for the person offered little clues that came nicely together. It was the fight between the good and bad that had me unable to put the story down. I loved the relationship between Daphne and her protective housekeeper, while I kept hoping Daphne would really see the man in front of her. This was a well-written story that I can easily recommend.

I’ll Be Right Back

by Maura Beth Brennan

“I’ll Be Right Back” is a short but satisfying read. Warren’s much younger wife, Iris, takes her dog for a walk in a snowstorm. He later finds the dog, Petal, in the garage, but no sign of Iris. After he gets no help from the police or family, he sets out to find her. A quick-paced story that took a couple of turns that I didn’t expect. There is a man in love, an ex-exotic dancer, a surprising twist, and a cute dog that kept me entertained. I can easily recommend this story, especially if you want an engaging tale that can be finished before bed or as an afternoon read.

Destiny’s Daughter: It was the best of times.

By Lynda Filler

“Destiny’s Daughter” is Ms. Filler’s third memoir and focuses mainly on her current Istanbul journey and relationships. I have read the two previous memoirs and have always been inspired by the author’s insights, and her latest book didn’t disappoint. It read like she was sharing her diary with us. Some of the information was repeated in a way that felt like processing and bringing to the front what was essential to her. I thoroughly enjoyed the history and learning more about a city I know little about. There is the honesty of personal struggles and triumphs. Being a cat lover, I was happy to see the felines treated so well in this city while reading about the Russian War ships passing by brought chills. You can easily enjoy this without reading her past books since she gives a glimpse into her history. A book that shows that you can do anything at any age while sometimes you have to deal with the past at unexpected times. A fantastic read for those who love to be a part of someone’s candid journey through life.

Embrace your inner child, and read a good book! D. L. Finn

October Book Reviews Part 1! @Sandra_Cox @mhurdle112 @stacitroilo @MaeClair1 #whattoread #readersoftwitter #writingcommunity

Geller’s Find

By Sandra Cox

Luke Geller is a professor and part-time archeologist. While out hunting potshards, he comes across an old gun and a strange crystal. This find takes him to the same place, but not at the same time. The gun owner, Lily, helps him out and takes him back to her ranch. I love the immediate connection between these two, even though Luke realizes he must leave and return to his life. There are so many great characters in this story that I even rooted for a character I didn’t even trust. The three women running the ranch were terrific, especially Saffron. Her humor always made me smile, including when she suggested a horse for Luke to ride. The setting brought Nevada to life during the gold rush, including a budding town. The ranch named No Gold has other treasures, including fruit and cattle. Ms. Cox has created another place I’d love to live in, but maybe with a few more present-day amenities. I was so drawn into the story that I felt the peaceful pleasure of riding a horse out on the ranch and enjoying nature’s beauty. A fantastic blend of time-traveling, a brewing romance, and the old west. A story that I can highly recommend!

The Haunting of Chatham Hollow

By Mae Clair and Staci Troilo

I was excited to see two authors I admire co-author a book. They blended their talents together seamlessly to create a must-read for those who love paranormal mysteries. “The Haunting of Chatham Hollow” has two timelines and moves with ease between them. In 1888, Victor is a likable authentic medium that cuts corners. He is persuaded to attend a séance run by another medium. Benedict and his very tall sidekick put on a good show but are just cons looking for gold. Then something unexpected happens. That event affects what is going on in 2022. In the present time journalist, Aiden is against the town having a popular ghost show come and film the reenactment of the séance. It isn’t because he’s worried about the curse but doesn’t believe in ghosts and all that goes with that. Aiden is plunged into his own mystery that concerns his boss, while his grandmother pushes him to embrace his natural talents. Each timeline has its own compelling stories within the main one that concerns the town and what happened during that first séance. The settings were vivid in both timelines, with characters to root for and dislike with a couple of surprise twists. This is a story I can highly recommend.

The Winding Road: A Journey of Survival

By Miriam Hurdle

“The Winding Road” is a heartfelt memoir that takes the reader through a cancer diagnosis to the outcome. I felt like I was experiencing this journey with Ms. Hurdle, as she not only talks about how she is feeling, but how she had to deal with insurance, appointments, and the physical toll of the treatments. Once Ms. Hurdle learned how rare and deadly the cancer was, a decision was made to try experimental treatments for six months. I’m not sure I could have handled what she endured. Being so ill during the treatments with no guarantees would be hard, but a strong will to live shined through and balanced that out. This was a painful insight into the reality of cancer, mixed with her belief that life is precious, that left me inspired and full of hope. A read that not only shows us the darker side of life when illness strikes, but how the love and support of family and friends can help carry some of that heavy burden. A highly recommended story that can inspire anyone going through not only illness but other challenges.

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 to leave a review in that case. Life is too short not to enjoy every book you read!

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

July Book Reviews Part 3 and Updates! @KimCoxAuthor @F_Glass_Author @DevaWhispers @teagangeneviene #whattoread #bookreviews #mustreads

Fe-Lines, a journal with feline quotes

by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

I was excited to see a journal with cats and cat quotes. I am always looking for places to record my poetry, so being a cat-lover, I quickly bought this journal. “Fe-Lines” would also be a good place to write about your health, emotions, or cat interactions. I loved all the quotes and a picture every few pages. I appreciated a place to put my positive thoughts and at the end, there were pages to write about your own cat if you chose to do so. There are a lot of options with this fun little journal. If you are a fan of cats and love journals, this would be the perfect fit for you. I know I’m going to enjoy using it!

Its May and the Lilacs are Blooming

by Elaina Deva Profitt

Elaina Deva Profitt comes from a family of gifted people. They kept it secret until she started using these gifts to help others in a more public way. This is a beautiful autobiography that not only shows her journey through helping the police and people crossing over, but her own personal struggle with a health issue. I admit to being stressed worrying about her health as it got worse and worse. Logically, I knew she had to survive to write this, but I just wanted her pain to go away and doctors figure out what was wrong with her. The friendships she made were inspiring as well as the help offered to so many. It was an excellent lesson when she took the help offered back to her, but it was the near-death experience that really touched me. Her description of pure peace reminded me of a similar experience I had. She described it better than I ever could and takes all the fear out of crossing over when it is our time. If you are interested in people with special abilities and what comes after we go, this is a good read for you and one I won’t soon forget.

Got Ghosts

by Fiona Glass

“Got Ghosts” is a fun novella set in an old, haunted house. Emily has been struggling to make ends meet when she gets a call from a TV show, “Got Ghosts.” They offer her money to film an episode in her haunted house, and she reluctantly accepts. Although she doesn’t really want to share “Grandpa” with anyone. There is a lot of humor, and she starts off being attracted to the producer, Carl, but something seems off with the show. It was a fun spoof on ghost shows, but the story is firmly rooted that there really are ghosts, and Emily talks to them. There are a few fun twists and new relationships to explore. A quick read that I devoured in one sitting, and I was happy with the outcome.

Christmas Cruise (Lana Malloy Paranormal Mystery Series Book 4)

by Kim Cox

I read the first book in this series and enjoyed it, so I was eager to read this one with a Christmas theme. Lana and her husband are taking a cruise to relax. Of course, ten ghosts have other ideas about that. Lana is immediately drawn to a woman and befriends her while the ghosts push for answers. Ten murders in ten years is a mystery that needs to be solved. It was brutal when Lana had a painful experience with one ghost. She fully relives the ghost’s last moments, but there is also humor infused into the story. This was a quick-paced read that centered less on the holiday and more on the murders. Although I was glad the ghosts could make themselves heard and found that part of the story fascinating, I wanted to know more about them and their stories. Lucy makes a much-needed appearance while Lana reaches out for help over the seas. I loved the cruise setting and figuring out who the killer was. I enjoy how Lana works with ghosts and will be reading more of the series.

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 to leave a review in that case. Life is too short not to enjoy every book you read!

UPDATES: I had a nice vacation which included a wedding in the redwoods, a spa day in Reno, swimming at the lake, and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child 🙂 The rest of the time was spent clearing bush to hopefully satisfy our insurance company. There are pictures posted on Instagram, and a few on Facebook.

Outside is where I had some run-ins with some tiny forest dwellers.

The week before vacation I got bit by a huge black widow. She was just hanging out right by where I turned on our water to water the potted plants outside. I mean inches next to my face and where my shoulder was. Luckily, I didn’t have too bad of a reaction, only some local pain and stomach issues the next day. I was fine just in time for our vacation. She spent the rest of the day after biting me, just suspended in mid air—unmoving. Since, the black widow didn’t do more damage to me, my husband set her free. Luckily many of these bites don’t require a doctor’s visit. There were hourly check ups to make sure I was okay.

Sunday finishing up our clearing of brush, I was raking the rest of the debris and being mindful of any spider webs when I apparently stepped on a hornet’s nest. I got stung on the back of each ankle and was chased all the way to the house. My husband fought the angry bee off as I made it safely inside. Still on the painful side, and have concluded I will be staying indoors for a bit…lol. I have only been stung a couple times before this, so I will remember this one and watch my step!

Black widows and angry bees are two of my least favorite things.

Back to writing for me, perhaps this is a gentle nudge to get started on that book, I’ve been thinking about?

My newsletter was late because of vacation. If you are subcribed check your email.

I won’t try to catch up on all the blogs I’m sorry to miss, but doing that cancels all the rest I managed during my break.

I have a one-day blog tour end of this week though Silver Dagger Blog Tours. I’m curious to see how that goes. Also, I’m thrilled to be visting a blog on the 29th. I will post more information that day.

Embrace your inner child—read a book! D. L. Finn