Saving Prophecy by Hilary Walker
Book starts with Table of Contents and why the author wrote the book and the events that sparked some of similar events and there is also praise from others
Sinclair Island Series and it interested me because ti'll be a new series from this author. I even looked up the island online.
Starts out where Emma has lost her job and she's decided she's done with horses and moves to an island off the coast of SC.
She writes financial columns to make ends meet and from the first day there she troubled by her neighbor Fulton. She doesn't know the full story yet but he's got a large scar on his face.
They do end up helping one another when his barn burns and she's able to calm the horses.
Little did she know that his ex girlfriend is the woman who had gotten her fired from her job and she's on the island to do more damage.
By that time the couple have been familiar with one another and have been around town as a couple. Like that it is during the July months so there's a lot of travel and exciting things to do, boatin, etc.
When the ex comes back into his life Fulton and Emma fall apart and she is wondering what to do next when he knocks on her door...
Misunderstandings are righted and there are so many questions she has for him...
Liked hearing of the romance and horse things, author makes you feel you are right there, very detailed descriptions. Can't wait to read more from this series.
Love how she gets him to attend church but she questions God about all the things that go wrong...
Took the time to also read the authors blog about this book, why it was written and other fun things.
I received this review copy from the author via the publisher and this is my honest opinion.
Have loved this series and glad I am able to catch up on the ones I've yet to read.
Like this one because it surrounds a case each of the lawyers are investigating. At times they entwine one another.
Stan is on the case of Stephen and he says an alien ship made him drive off the road, his passenger died. He finds out so much more about spaceships from a man who lives nearby-so many clues...
Paula is given a case about a woman, with times of not recalling events, has followed her spouse and his girlfriend and wants a divorce. She even has camera video of other things but she can't recall everyday things...
Love details, information learned about spaceships and particles found. Love the travel and finding out why the spouse might've gone there. Such tragedies but it's not really over yet...
Like the alternating chapters of each case. Just when you think the story is over there is so much more with series publication dates. What a story!
Received this review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.
Mandarin Plaid by S. J. Rozan
Excellent read. has a lot of want to read about, mystery romance locations, travel, more mysteries and the arts.
Lydia and her side kick are to just deliver a large amount of money so their new client can retain all the rights to her new line: Mandarin Plaid.
Love the design fashion world. There's a lot to this and many do not want to see some together and there are some that get hurt, killed even.
Like martial arts involved here, I can just picture the action scenes. Can't wait to find more from this author!
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
Summer at Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan
Bakery shop at the lighthouse and I like hearing about how she makes the bread. Apartment upstairs from the shop where she lives with her boyfriend and cat.
Don't quite understand some of the terminology but got a bit of a hint....
Few colorful characters and the things that happen to them. Liked learning about how the food truck works.
Like how she snaps out of her troubles and uses the truck to sell her wares.
Slang really got to me-not really knowing what words really translate to, usually will stay away from England slang and narrators.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins
Starts out with Dove family and how things work in the town.
Others have moved on and some strange things occur and new neighbors move in years later.
Sarah runs the library and she knows her books will help others as she doles them out...
Grace is raising her deceased daughters child along with Mama G a woman who had fostered the two girls when she was younger-she now has Alzheimer's disease.
Grace left her big paying job to take town clerks position without knowing what all was involved-she's learning along the way about all the committees she's in charge of.
Like how we learn more about PTSD also as Travis suffers from it and is trying to overcome it...
Love all the tips about running the apple festival-such great ideas and with the whole town helping....
Amazing how things come together, magical even.
Puzzlesnacks More than 100 Clever, Bite-Sized Puzzles For Every Solver by Eric Berlin
Starts with a table of contents with chapters of intro, puzzles, hints and answers.
Intro talks about how this book was created with help from his daughter.
Everyday words and some twists make this a good brain games, shortened from the size of NY Times daily puzzles, just a snack.
I like the different layouts and how to work the puzzles is given prior to the puzzles.
This would be a perfect book for an older child to bring on the plane because you need a bit of concentration but you'd be moving along at a good speed, solving the puzzles.
Extra content included at the end. Looks very complicated when you first open the book and glance through the pages, patience it is very easy and simple to solve the puzzles.
A KEEPER!
Received this review copy from Tiller Press via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
#Puzzlesnacks #NetGalley
Surfside Sisters by Nancy Thayer
Starts with listing of author's other works which I've read many.
Dedication table of contents and acknowledgements are listed.
Starts with Keely and Isabelle and we hear all about the antics she and others when they were younger did on the island: Nantucket.
All the girls want to be Isabelle's friend because they are in love with her brother.
As the years go by the girls have gone their different ways but still talking to one another-through fights and getting back together.
Keely's father dies and they go to Isabelle's dad for the will reading. This is a sad time for me and I had to stop reading for a bit as my father died also-same circumstances and I almost lost my own spouse...
Keely is there for her mother...the finances left behind are dismal..... She wants to move back to the island and get a job, quit school and refinance to get a lower payment....
Really enjoyed this book and can't wait to read more.
Twists and turns and unpredictable. About the author and her other works are included at the end. Amazing how it all comes out in the end.
Received this review copy from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
#SurfsideSisters #NetGalley
Finding Hope in the Darkness by Diamante Lavendar
Starts with a dedication and forward pages.
Devotional, spiritual help with grieving. Hard to read this book at times dismal and can understand it all then the poems that lift you up.
Parts of this book touched my heart and soul. You're never alone.
A book to be treasured and given to others who are going through the process of grieving. At times I don't think I finished the grieving for my parents. Beautiful high quality photographs throughout the book.
Ends with afterthoughts from the author and other works.
I received this review copy from the author via the publisher and this is my honest opinion.
The Ultimate Religion by Gillian Dance
Starts out with the girls and their mother has just walked out the door and their lives. Their father does not even seem to realize they are there still.
They are put into foster homes and Megan ends up at the grandparents. After they die she's moved back to her father's care til she is old enough to move, get a job and her own place.
She has come into contact with others who discuss religion. Her older sister used to take her to church and also to parties but she's now married with children of her own-too busy for her any longer.
She finds companionship with the new church, they don't have sermons but a meeting at others houses.
Like the quotes from the bible, scriptures and passages as they relate to things going on, really helps explain things that they are thinking and acting on. My problem is there are way too many quotes from the Bible, just wanted the story.
Love all the travel locations and how they are welcomed.
Amazing just one event leads others to leave the revival and Megan thinks twice about marriage into the religion...
I received this review copy from the author via the publisher and this is my honest opinion.
Starts out with praise for the book, table of contents and then the story begins.
Story of a girl growing up Catholic and she's got roots from Italy and Ireland. I remember the cards she spoke of as I also collected them when given to me from the nuns that were teaching us from K through grade 7.
The girl grows up thinking Satan is under her bed and she gets her mom to sprinkle things around to scare them off.
She really has a philosophic opinions about the virgin Mother of Jesus and the nuns don't like how she portrays her. I myself thought she's really obsessed about her, her clothing, her paintings done elsewhere and how she'd never be able to spank Jesus.
Some of the scenes I found funny and some remind me of things that either we did as kids or the cousins did.
Acknowledgments and why the author wrote the book.
I received this review copy from the author via the publisher and this is my honest opinion.
Frightening and terrifying moments as the child grows up guided by the German nuns. She is able to form some relationships with other girls and she has a special friend.
She learns many things about becoming a woman and she fears she will never have a child because she thinks nuns sewed her up. Moments of learning other intimate details are described.
Hate the bullying and all the diseases she gets in her childhood. Some things I can relate to but growing up in the US is so different. She goes through things I will never have to endure. She is so strong and brave.
Love how she thinks she was born along with other orphans. She hopes one day to meet up with her mother...
She really wants to continue her schooling so she can become a teacher herself.
Love choices she is given and the understanding of the ones not chosen. Like hearing of her other works after this book took place and about the author is also included at the end.
Very touching emotional story. Love how music and dance plays a huge part to her success.
I received this review copy from the author via the publisher and this is my honest opinion.
Heart of a Warrior Angel: From Darkness to Light by Lali A. Love
Starts with reviews from others. Acknowledgments and table of contents then the story.
Story a traumatized family where girls are brutalized by their father. Horrific details of how the torture is done and why.
Like how females are able to drudge forward every day.
Do like that a few of them actually have a few good childhood memories.
Like Mafia and financial funds in the book, quite the combination.
Energy, spiritual emotions and other realms all have a part in this book. A bit above my level of understanding but a good story.
Love the glossary at the end, so resourceful and helps you really understand it all.
Others works are also cited at the end. Not really my favorite genre, felt a bit in outer space or another dimension at times.
I received this review copy from the author via the publisher and this is my honest opinion.
B07T792VT1
Bethlehem by Karen Kelly
Always been fascinated by the steel industry in our travels.
Enjoyed this read from a new author to me for many reasons.
I learned new words, love hearing of the location that we've by many times, the mine stories and the history.
Drama of the women and who they marry, their lives before and after as they grow older.
Secrets kept and pain they do cause over time.
Very detailed descriptions I can picture the scenes in my mind. Would like to read more from this author.
Received this review copy via the publicist from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
#NetGalley
Soccer Positions: A-Step-by-Step Guide about Each Player on a Team (Understand Soccer Book 6) by Dylan Joseph
Book starts out with offer of a free printout which is a guide most important to soccer players.
Table of contents is next and about the author. Listings of the authors other works are highlighted and a dedication page.
Preface talks about the responsibilities of the player and the position they are playing showing a diagram of a pyramid which is explained in detail.
List of positions are abbreviated on the colorful page telling you what the positions are and book concentrates on one color at a time of the positions. There are also strategies that are shown also in different formats, making it easy to understand as they are color coordinated as well.
The individual chapters are then broken up by each position. Not only lists the skills but advantages, disadvantages and examples of the player.. Like that famous players and coaches are also quoted about what they know.
Never realized the number on the shirt also tells you the position they are playing. Some chapters even have a summary as there is so much to the position.
A midfield summary is also included with highlights to the players leg positions during play and how it helps your teammates. Attacking summary is also included with color photos.
Soccer coach position is described in detail with notes from other famous coaches.
Coaching summary and conclusion are also attached.
Glossary at the end really helps to understand what all the team abbreviations and country championship games mean.
What's Next is also included at the end where you are invited to vote on what you'd like to see next from the author. Website contains so much more information, you just have to go there!
Really understanding the game now from when I first started reading this series. Could see many of the team play also beneficial to other sports.
There is so much to this book, I read it twice through and will probably read it again when I find out the position my granddaughter will be playing to help point out what she needs to concentrate on.
Congrats to womens' soccer team, world champs!
The Awakening Fate in Motion by Suzanne Boisvert
Story starts out with Lainey and she's in the pool just relaxing. Like sign of the hawks overhead as many movies I'm recently watching have animals that will make a difference in their lives.
Also a man who's in a mine and discovers a new thing that his sister is taping...
Japanese psychiatrist who's going through some signs of something is wrong.
James who is investigating things that don't make sense.
Like individual stories and how they all have some common things.
Information about the clock I find fascinating as it holds more than you can see.
James feels he is the chosen one but his mother is rushed to the hospital...she's always talked about Knights Templar, aliens and theres confusion with a link to the government and presidents of the US.
Interesting how they learn of their powers and how they are drawn to one another...
Like the idea of how they have to use their powers...aliens come into play and hated to hear of bombings similar to 911 day in NYC.
Liked all the travel and learning all about the different components of this whole book, wow how it all comes together.
This book covers a lot of different genres: mystery, sci fic, romance, travel, crime, etc.
Ends with acknowledgements and about the author and her other works .
Received this review copy from the author via the publisher and this is my honest opinion.
The Zombie Room by R D Ronald
Have read other works by the author and enjoyed them so happy to learn of this new one, description leaves me with many questions...
Won't go into details of the story but my impressions: found language a bit on the rough side but it goes with the story line.
Wanted to hear more from the prison side of things-something I will never get to experience myself-Find it fascinating, the bond and achievements you can make while on the inside.
When the men get involved with helping others in the sex traffic ring they got their work cut out for them. Details are just so specific and well thought out where you can picture it happening in your mind.
Horrific scenes of torture I can't even imagine in my wildest thoughts-they don't even appear to be considered human to me.
Loved hearing about the technology used in this book from many different angles to think of what the devices could do good things in our society.
Terrifying minutes that linger took me a long time to move on to the rest of the story. Liked the ending but wanted more from this tale.
Ends with an excerpt from The Elephant Tree by the author which I loved.
Received this review copy from the author via the publisher and this is my honest opinion.
Story about Bonnie and her cousin Emily. Book follows both of their lives and Bonnie ends up suddenly marrying Richard so her mother can see her wed before she passes.
Found sex scenes a bit on the erotic side-hadn't expected them to be so explicit. Like the story line and how secrets unfold and how others are kept quiet. Love hearing both sides of the same scenes: female vs the male and what they are thinking.
So many misunderstandings that lead others to act fast and health emergencies come into play and you wonder if they will ever be together. Like hearing of all the fashion besides the styles but the fabrics used.
Like all outside activities and the travel and the card playing. Topics of discussion are interesting.
Other works by the author are highlighted at the end.
Received this review copy from Harper & Appleton via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
#AdukeDeceived #NetGalley
Yara's Tawari Tree by Yossi Lapid
Very imaginative children's colorful rhyming story where words are easy to read because of the size and they stick out=not getting hidden in dark pictures.
You can not only see what is going on with the clearing but you can read the words.
Amazon jungles: Yara goes off to collect berries and other food in the woods til they come across a shout for help from the seedling.
The grandmother comes to visit and when Yara falls sick they start looking for a certain cure:
from a tree that she's been unable to find any more...Love hearing about the medicinal things made from the Amazon trees, this is PRICELESS!
Very fine detailed drawings of jewelry and other things important to their culture.Such a perfect book for earth day this week. This is also a coloring book made from this story available.
Received this free review copy from the author and this is my honest opinion.
Big Yarn, Beautiful Lace Knits 20 Shawls, Hats, Ponchos, and More in Bulky Yarn by Barbara Benson
Starts with table of contents and introduction about lace knitting and 'what if' and thus this book was created.
Basic instructions on how to read the charts and the difference between lace knitting and knitted lace. Other detailed instructions include reading a chart,
other important information. What I like is I've done lace knitting using very fine threads with tiny needles and it takes forever and too easy to drop a stitch.
I love that with this bigger larger products the end result will come much faster-true gratification.
I feel even a beginner would have no problem with the patterns in this book.
Love the sections on markers as I've had to use lifelines before. Like explanation about YO's and their purpose in the lace knitting.
Love the section on why the author choose different yarn types: how the author includes both types of yarn selections in a pattern-results will be different, thus the blocking instructions.
Fit, drape, shaping all play into swatching. Swatching using back and forth or in the round-never thought about this before-SO useful.
Brilliant vibrant colorful photos show different angles of the patterns. LOVE that there is a man in a few of them making the item for both sexes.
Pattern start with a title and bit summary of the shapes and what makes the pattern
Finished sizes, yarn, needles, gauge, special stitches which are explained here, and then instructions row by row to start and instructions for charted rows.
What I like also about this book is that it's not only shawls but other coverings: hats and wristers
End has sections on techniques with pictures and diagrams and also a list of abbreviations and how to do them and what they mean in the patterns.
Yarn resources are also noted and acknowledgements. Love visual index showing picture of the item and name and page number for each. What a super collection.
Like patterns on so many and figure they'd also look great in a baby charity afghan.
A KEEPER!
Received this review copy from Rowman & Littlefield via NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
#BigYarnBeautifulLaceKnits #NetGalley
16 Crochet Shawl Patterns: DIY Clothing You’ll Love by Prime Publishing
Book starts out with links to other craft pattern sites.
Letter from the editors is included along with links to other tutorials online.
Table of contents where patterns are listed.
Each pattern starts with a title, color photo, designer name and a summary of the item.
Material needed are listed, finished measurements and gauge. Stitch used are listed and special terms are explained in detail. Instructions start and all the patterns are crocheted.
Very easy row by row instructions. Some have a charted diagram also.
There was at least one that is a stole type but it never tells you what else to do besides the 3 rows of instructions. It's not going to be very wide.
Special thanks is included at the end along with a few sample photos of finished items.
