A story of strength, endurance and starting over

Posted on February 10, 2021 by Iiiireader

The Beekeeper’s Promise

By: Fiona Valpy

Rating: 5 of 5

This is a story which is told in two time periods. The older one is set just prior to and including World War II. The current story is set in 2017, which I believe was when the book was released.

Abi Howes has been convinced to visit France at the Chateau Bellevue for a yoga retreat with her friend, who promptly deserts her when she meets a good-looking man. Abi has not been much around people because of events in her past. Her story is her struggle to find herself and to learn to live once again.

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Enlightening and engrossing

Posted on February 2, 2021 by Iiiireader

The Four Winds: A Novel

By: Kristin Hannah

Rating: 5 of 5

This is a fictional story set in the era of the Dust Bowl. Elsa Martinelli is part of a farming family. There is a one-two punch as first the Depression hits and then the weather event known as the Dust Bowl begins.

Her family is fighting a losing battle for survival as the dust covers their crops and the winds and the heat wreck havoc. It seems like the rain has dried up forever and Elsa, just like so many others ends up heading west to find work in California.

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Another great mystery in this series

Posted on January 26, 2021 by Iiiireader

Murder at Mabel’s Motel (A Granny Reid Mystery Book 3)

By: G. A. McKevett

Rating: 5 of 5

This is a great spin-off series of the Savannah Reid mystery series. The main sleuth is Stella (Granny) Reid. She is taking care of all of her grandchildren as their mama is in jail and their father (her son) is on the road and never comes home.

Stella is also an amateur sleuth and likes to help her buddy who is the police chief in town.

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Wonderful book of fantasy cross stitch patterns

Posted on January 18, 2021 by Iiiireader

Bewitching Cross Stitch

By: Joan Elliott

Rating: 5 of 5

This is a fantastic book of fantasy cross stitch designs by Joan Elliott. It’s a bargain to get this many designs in one book. Not only are there two handfuls of larger designs, there are also many smaller, coordinating designs to go with them.

While patterns in color are not my favorite (I prefer black and white), these are easy to read and cause no issues for me.

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Laugh out loud funny

Posted on January 11, 2021 by Iiiireader

Brighton Road

By: Susan Carroll

Rating: 5 of 5

This is the first book I have read by Susan Carroll. They were published decades ago and are back in ebook format. Apparently she wrote Traditional Regency novels at the beginning of her career and then veered into writing historical romances (which are not sweet and clean as the earlier books.)

I thoroughly enjoyed this traditional book. It was hysterically funny as the characters moved from one crisis to another.

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Layered slice of life story

Posted on January 5, 2021 by Iiiireader

Two’s Company

By: Jill Mansell

Rating: 5 of 5

I own many books by Jill Mansell but, somehow, I missed this novel when it was first released. I’m very happy that it has been released again. While there are a few things that date the book (notably, the lack of cell phones), the human stories within it hold true to the test of time.

This is, primarily, a story about the relationship between Cass and Jack Mandeville. They have been married for decades and Jack has just reached his fortieth birthday. Their is the perfect marriage until a chance invitation to a reporter, Imogen, turns their lives upside down. Jack goes into a midlife crisis with a vengeance.

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Southern Gothic suspense/thriller

Posted on January 5, 2021 by Iiiireader

The Wife Upstairs

By: Rachel Hawkins

Rating: 4 of 5

This book is an interesting southern gothic suspense thriller. What it is not is a new take on Jane Eyre. The author uses the names of the main characters and touches on certain plot points of the Bronte classic but it is quite different.

I did not find the characters likable but I don’t think the author intended them to be. They are, however, enmeshed in a story that kept me reading. The first clue that I had this was not Jane Eyre redux was the language and that Jane was a bit of a kleptomaniac.

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What a great beginning to this series!

Posted on December 31, 2020 by Iiiireader

Lowcountry Boil (A Liz Talbot Mystery Book 1)

By: Susan M. Boyer

Rating: 5 of 5

I started this series on book #3. I liked it so well, I immediately purchased books 1 and 2, intending to read them to catch up on the backstory. Well, that didn’t happen. There was always something “new” to read and I forgot about these books. Until this week, that is.

I read this book as I was caught up on my reading list for the year. I am so glad that I did and I will be reading book 2 in the next week or two.

This book gives a whole new dimension to relationships and the past of characters that I had accepted without question. Now I now why some of the characters behave the way they do.

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Delightful and zany mystery series

Posted on December 21, 2020 by Iiiireader

Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake (A Death by Chocolate Mystery)

By: Sarah Graves

Rating: 5 of 5

This is the first book in the Death by Chocolate mystery series. It is the second book by Sarah Graves that I have read and it is quite different. I didn’t know what to expect as the other book was more of a serious mystery.

I love well done mysteries that have a comic twist and this book is just such a book. I didn’t realize that it was a spin-off of an earlier series with the same characters. Having found out, I have picked up the first in that series as well.

Jake (Jacobia) Tiptree and her friend Ellie have moved on from renovating houses (old series) and are now co-owners in a newly opened bakery shop that features all sorts of chocolate baked goods. They are feeling their way and starting to gain clients when local pain, Matt Muldoon is found murdered in their bakery kitchen.

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A great start to a Regency murder mystery series

Posted on December 14, 2020 by Iiiireader

Murder on Black Swan Lane (A Wrexford & Sloane Mystery Book 1)

By: Andrea Penrose

Rating: 5 of 5

I’ve read books by this author before under the name of Andrea Pickens (traditional Regency novels) and have enjoyed them. My favorite type of book is still mystery, so to have my favorite genres put into one book is amazing.

This novel is not a romance novel, though there seems to be some type of attraction between the two main sleuths. At its heart, it is a good mystery. It reminds me somewhat of Holmesian deductive reasoning mixed with intuition.

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