November Book Reviews Part 3! @JacqBiggar @JanSikes3 @bakeandwrite #writingcommunity #readersoftwitter #whattoread #bookreviews

Letting Go- The Defiant Sisters Book 1

By Jacquie Biggar

Renee left home after her father committed suicide, leaving her boyfriend, mother, sister, and brother behind. She returns after her mother dies, knowing her sister, Izzie, would be angry and that her brother was not a little boy anymore. Renee immediately runs into her ex-boyfriend, Simon, who is engaged to be married. She considers leaving again more than once. The story unfolds in first person through three points of view: Izzie, Renee, and Simon. I rooted for each of them to find peace and happiness. The family dynamics made this a hard story to stop reading, along with finding out what made Renee leave after her dad passed. Each person has their grief to deal with, and I kept hoping Renee and Izzie would reconcile, at least for the younger brother who needed a guardian. I loved Simon’s grandma, who is not only tough but direct with both Simon and Renee. This story tugged on my heartstrings as there were no bad people, only people in bad situations. I can’t wait for the second book to come out so I can see what happens next. I can highly recommend “Letting Go.”

Saddled Heart (The White Rune Series Book 3)

By Jan Sikes

I read and loved the first two White Rune Series stories and was looking forward to this one. Colt runs a horse sanctuary ranch. I love his relationship with the horses and the beautiful setting of the ranch. He is their first suspect when a stranger dies after a run-in with Colt. Now he needs help from the beyond and finds that in a medium, Sage. The blend of a western romance with spirituality and the developing relationship between Colt and Sage makes this a hard story to put down. Seeing other characters from previous stories was heartwarming, and the music was woven in naturally. I went back and forth about who the killer might be, and none of my guesses were correct. This might be my favorite of the three because of the ranch, but this has been a fantastic series that I can highly recommend!

Haunted Halloween Holiday

Robbie Cheadle and Michael Cheadle

Another fun young children’s adventure from Robbie and Michael Cheadle with beautiful fondant creatures. Each character is introduced with a cute limerick. Count Sugular and Witch Honey travel to a Halloween party with Baby Howler. A charming Halloween read parents can share with their children or beginning readers can appreciate. I enjoyed this tale and will happily pass it on to my six- and seven-year-old granddaughters!

NOTE:

If you are subcribed to my Newsletter check your email, I sent it out on the 20th. Don’t miss the new Book of the Month and not only a chance to win a gift card but one of the amazing Books of the Month 🙂

I will be off next weekend for the Thanksgiving Holiday. For those in the US who celebrate it, I wish you a peaceful and magical day.  Book reviews will be back on December 5th.

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!

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

March Book Reviews Part 2! @linneatanner @bakeandwrite @NorahColvin #bookreviews #writingcommunity #whattoread #indieauthors

The Happy Cat

by Norah Colvin and Jovan Carl Segura (Illustrator)

I bought this for my granddaughter, who has just started reading. There are beautiful illustrations of a gray striped cat, along with the rat and bat he meets along the way. This is great for beginning readers and would be a fun book to read to a smaller child who doesn’t like to sit for longer stories. “The Happy Cat” gives an appropriate reading level, an easy font to read, and follow-up questions. I look forward to giving this as a gift and then getting to enjoy having it read to me!


Sir Chocolate and the sugar dough bees story and cookbook

by Robbie Cheadle and Michael Cheadle

This is a great addition to my grandkid’s book collection. I love the pictures of the beautiful fondant and the cute poetic story with a nice rhyming flow. A bonus is the recipes included for family cooking. It’s a cute story where Sir Chocolate helps the sugar dough bees after a snail damages the flower patch where the bees feed. I can’t wait to share this book with my youngest granddaughters the next time they visit. Mother and son wrote a fun book for early readers, or adults to enjoy reading to younger children!


Two Faces of Janus: Story Story of Ancient Rome

by  Linnea Tanner

I love how fiction and history are blended so seamlessly in this short story. Young nobleman Lucius fully expects to get the position he wants after schooling. When he is summoned to see Augustus Caesar, first he feels joy, but then doubt and worry creep in. Ms. Tanner not only captures all the emotions of this moment but allows the reader to see how Rome was for not only a noble but an enslaved person. Although short, it managed to pull me right in while I felt concerned for Lucius and his family. The realizations that followed that meeting were real, heartfelt, and painful. Beautifully written, with attention to detail and history, this is a story I won’t soon forget. I can highly recommend this, especially if you enjoy historical fiction.


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: I’m moving March Book Reviews Part 3 up a week to March 28th as I will be on vacation the week of March 21st. Although, I will still be posting Books That Changed Me, 2022 Spring Edition on March 20th, and sending out my monthly newsletter a couple of days early! Watch for both 🙂

Embrace your inner child  with a huge hug by reading a great book! D. L. Finn