Showing posts with label Book Reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book Reviews. Show all posts

Friday, April 25, 2025

Review of Reputation at Risk: A Chronicle of Misadventures by Martha Keyes

Reputation at Risk Book
For sometime now, I have considered Martha Keyes one of my favorite authors.  She always delivers a sweet and clean romance with witty repartee between the characters.  Her "Chronicle of Misadventures" series is no exception and kept me so entertained that I couldn't put the books down to sleep.  Plus, I immediately downloaded the next book as soon as I finished each one.

"Reputation at Risk" is the perfect place to start.  There are 3 brothers in the series who each meet their future wives, but none of the relationships are a guaranteed success in the beginning.  All of the plots are fabulous and unique.  

As in all great Regency Romance novels, the setting is England, in the early 1800's where families, titles, age, etc. mattered.  A woman's value is determined by the prominent man in her life; first her father, then her husband.  Her personal accomplishments are not a consideration, unless they are related to her value as a bride or wife.   

 

Reputation at Risk Book Synopsis

 Reputation at Risk: A Chronicle of Misadventures Book 1Check Price

Charlotte Mandeville is not trying to "hook" a husband like most young women of the 1800's in England.  She is simply trying to save money to provide for her mother, her sisters and herself since her father recently died.  The women are all awaiting the heir of their home and their inevitable need to find somewhere else to live.  Charlotte wants to be financially prepared.  In the meantime, Charlotte secretly draws caricatures of members of the "ton".  Her artwork is purchased by the owner of the inn in town and he displays it in his front window.  The innkeeper happily pays Charlotte for each of the popular one-of-a-kind caricatures.  The new, weekly caricatures draw quite a bit of attention and business to his inn and tavern.  The more scandalous actions depicted in the caricature, the more attention they draw as people speculate about the subject, as well as the artist's identity.  Clearly, the artist knows their subjects well.  However, no one would suspect Charlotte Mandeville is the artist.  The source of the gossip varies since it is based on overheard conversations within the inn.  One of the waitresses, Mary, shares the stories with Charlotte, then Charlotte draws the caricature and delivers it to the innkeeper or waitress when no one is looking.  

While waiting on one particularly busy day in the inn, Charlotte finds a small book hidden under a table and sticks it in her purse hoping for a fresh bit of gossip and replaces it with the new caricature for Mary to retrieve later.  When Anthony Yorke finds a caricature in place of the book he sought under the table, he recalls seeing Charlotte with her hands under that very table when he arrived at the inn.  Had she taken the book?  Anthony needs that diary to save his brother from being hung for a murder he did not commit.  He absolutely has to find that diary, which means he has to find that woman!  Once he obtains her name and address, he leaves the inn intending to first meet with his informant, and then with Miss. Mandeville if she, in fact, has taken the diary.

That is when life for Charlotte becomes a lot more interesting.  She, herself, could become the subject of gossip if not extremely careful.

Anthony Yorke finds himself entangled with Charlotte Mandeville and caught in an unexpected predicament just trying to protect his brother.

 

___________________

 

The drama that follows the diary discovery is quite entertaining for the reader, especially the hopeless romantic who loves a touch of mystery and intrigue.

The things I love most about Martha Keyes' books are the witty banter between her characters and the unusual dilemmas they seem to get themselves into.  Meeting secretively with a man, regardless of the reasons why, is certainly putting a reputation at risk.




House of Sylvestermouse





Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Monday, April 21, 2025

Book Reviews: The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook 2001 - 2024

I finally ordered The Complete America's Test Kitchen cookbook. I am glad I waited because I ended up being able to order the most recent edition. This HUGE cookbook is full of amazing recipes, all of the extra tips and information they include in the show, and many photos of the finished dishes. I highly recommend this 1,200+ page cookbook.

photo with text of America's Test Kitchen cookbook

The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook 2001 - 2024: Every Recipe and Product Rating From the Most Watched Cooking Show on Public TV

America's Test Kitchen has been a popular food show on the PBS channel for many years. They've been described as using "culinary science" and familiar cooking techniques to create delicious recipes. While I don't understand culinary science, I can agree that this is what they do. I just watched an episode this morning where they discussed the benefits of overcooking certain vegetables (eggplant, beans, and broccoli) to release certain properties and to bring out certain flavors. Each of those vegetables were releasing different ingredients. I don't understand that. But I love that they explain it briefly, while giving a delicious recipe that even I could make.

The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook 2001 - 2024: Every Recipe and Product Rating From the Most Watched Cooking Show on Public TV is a HUGE cookbook. It is advertised as:

  • nearly 2,000 recipes from 24 seasons
  • updated shopping guide for equipment and ingrediants
  • notes and tips from the Test Kitchen Chefs
  • 1280 pages
  • Weighs 8 lbs and measures 8.63 x 2.38 x 11.25
  • approximately 4.6/4.7 out of 5 stars review on Amazon/Goodreads (at the time I am writing this). It seems that deductions were related to damage during shipping and those who do not like the size of the book.

Did I mention that this book is HUGE? Some of the reviews on Amazon state that they don't like the size and weight of the book. I don't mind that. I love that all of the recipes from 24 TV seasons are included.  I like the print size (not too small), the paper quality (glossy and thick), and that there are photos on almost every page (either of the recipe or the instructional, how-to photos). 

Personal Thoughts:

I love watching America's Test Kitchen. I am not good in the kitchen so I appreciate how they explain what they are doing and why. I appreciate that many of their recipes are made with ingredients that I can find versus more exotic or hard to find ingredients.  

America's Test Kitchen does use many gadgets at times: food processors, certain pots or pans, etc. And I don't have those things. But, there are many, many recipes that utilize the things that I already have in my kitchen. 

I finally ordered this book, the newest edition, after watching a show with the Vegetable Bibimbap recipe. This is an "iconic Korean dish". Or, in my thoughts, a rice dish with good flavor and lots of vegetable options; vegetables I hope to grow in my garden this year. In the cookbook (page 572), the paragraph "why this recipe works" talks about the origin of the recipe and substituting a cast-iron dutch oven for the traditional stone bowl. I can hardly wait to try this recipe! I enjoy rice and vegetables, one-pot meals, and I like to try easy - but different - flavors. 

I am so thrilled that I finally purchased this cookbook. And that by the time I purchased it, the newest edition was available. I am not bothered by the weight and size of the book. I am very happy that the tips, notes, and substitutions discussed on the show episodes are included in the book.

I hope to use this book to do more garden-to-table cooking and become more successful in the kitchen. I highly recommend this cookbook.

Related Links:

The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook 2001 - 2024: Every Recipe and Product Rating From the Most Watched Cooking Show on Public TV on Amazon 

The official America's Test Kitchen website which includes information about joining and what their membership includes. 





Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Thursday, April 17, 2025

Our Adoption Story, Book Review

Adoption story book


Our Adoption Story: The Story of How We Met Our Baby, is a book for adoptive parents to fill out, so that each one can tell the story of how they met their baby.

This book has guided prompts to help the adoptive parents fill in the blanks, so that they can write their own adoption story, and also share information about their baby, such as how meeting their baby came about, things they did the day that they brought their baby home, things they did to prepare ahead of time for bringing their baby home, etc.

Some pages also include little images to help out with the written prompts, as a fun way for the parents to personalize their story.

There are also pages that include a simple picture frame to add a picture to help depict what that page is about.

The inspiration behind this book:

My husband and I became adoptive parents decades ago. It was before the internet, so most exchanges of information were done locally, and or reading magazines, finding a group, etc.

When a couple becomes adoptive parents, things can happen rather quickly. Adoptive parents can find out that they are 'expecting' their baby anywhere from a day, to weeks, or months, before their baby is ready for adoption. It can be a whirlwind to prepare and get things ready for the day, for this new bundle of life to enter their lives. Some perspective adoptive parents can also be on a waiting list that can take even longer.

We actually found out about our potential baby around a couple of weeks before the baby was to be born. We didn't know for sure which gender we were 'expecting', but we at least had an idea. We purchased baby clothes, a crib, a dresser that included a changing table on the top. We waited to see what formula the hospital was feeding our baby, before purchasing baby formula. We also purchased diapers, both cloth and disposables.

The day came and we were both excited and nervous. But all of that changed once our baby was handed to us.

We had already made an appointment with a local pediatrician; our first stop before arriving home was with with the pediatrician. There, the doctor showed us how to change the baby's diaper, take her temperature, and gave us other new parent information.

Some time after that, I joined a parenting group, where I could take our baby. The new parents could learn about being parents. That was a great learning experience; it was very helpful. I also noticed that the new moms also talked a lot about their pregnancy and birthing stories. There was no one in the group on that particular day of the week, that I could relate to. But I did hear about another adoptive mom that went to that parenting group on a different day of the week, that wanted to start a play group for adoptive parents. Yay!

There ended up being five of us adoptive moms and five babies in our adoption play group. We all had different adoption stories. And we all had a learning curve; there were many similarities to new moms of any type, learning how to be a mom, but also things that were unique to us, as adoptive moms.

After all of this, I decided to write a story, just for our child, for her to be able to read and know some basic background about our adoption experience and information about her.

sample page

I wrote our story on index cards, and included pictures from magazines to help explain whatever, and pictures of us and her as well. I wrote answers to questions that might arise, using simple words. It became a favorite book for us to read together.


After many years, the idea came to me to make something that other adoptive parents could easily fill in and personalize, so that they could share their story with their baby.

This paperback booklet measures 6 by 9 inches and is 24 pages long. It is simple to fill out, and add photographs to. It will be a lovely, informative book for when the child is young, and also a wonderful keepsake for years to come.


Adoption story book


Our Adoption Story - to be filled in by the adoptive parents. Check price.


Let me know in a comment below, if you think a similar booklet would be a good idea for adoptive parents that adopt a toddler or an older child. Thank you.

Update: Thank you for your comments. I will be designing three more adoption story books; one for toddlers, grade school children, and teens., each of which will include sections for the child to have some input.

Cheryl Paton



Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Smuggler's Cove ~ A Book Review

smugglers cove

Who doesn't like a book title that just kind of grabs your attention?  Add an author that has so many books under her belt that have been best sellers and you have my attention.  

I was in a funk with my reading preferences and needed a change of pace!  

While I love reading, lately my personal life has made sitting and reading a wish that was not going to come true.  But, and here's the truth, I needed something to lift me out of the dark places that I was in.

A good story with characters that have grown and changed with all the curve balls life can sometimes throw at you, was what I needed!

Fern Michaels hit all of these points for me with her first book in the Twin Lights Series, Smuggler's Cove!

Madison and Lincoln are living a good life filled with every good thing you could think of.  Their mother has sheltered them most of their lives even though they are privileged, they are not your typical spoiled rich kids.  This works in their favor when their father is arrested and jailed for insider trading and fraud.  Madison uses her keen sense of style to carve out a path in the fashion world as an editor for La Femme magazine.  Her younger brother Lincoln goes into wealth management with a keen eye to doing the "right" things with money!  Especially after witnessing the mayhem and hatred people had after his father's arrest and conviction.

Madison and Linc have left the past behind and worked hard to shed themselves of their father's image.  Both change their names and go on to be very successful in their new reality.  It wasn't easy, but both of them are happy with the work ethics and their lives as they work hard to be anything opposite to what their father was.

They now learn that their uncle (their dad's brother) has passed away and left them the marina at Smuggler's Cove

Madison and Linc are hoping for a beautiful place that they can quickly sell and divest themselves of this marina.  Neither one of them knows anything about fishing, clamming or anything else to do with boats.  This is out of their scope of knowledge and selling it seems to be the right thing to do.  That was until they arrived at the marina to find a dilapidated dock, some fishing boats and not much else.

Now I've set the background for you and it's time for you to get the book and read what happens next!  Let's just say that all their plans are turned upside down and with it their lives will take a whole new direction.  You will enjoy finding out all the ins and outs that Madison and Linc navigate as they make decisions that will have some lasting effects.

smugglers cove


Smuggler's Cove is a great story that will have you turning pages to find out all the comings and goings in a little place on the Navesink River!  


You have to mark your calendars for Smuggler's Cove as it will be released in August of this year. I was given the pleasure of a sneak preview of this book through my NetGalley membership!  

If you like reading books before they are published you can join NetGalley or any of the other sites for keen readers!  You would find more information about that in one of my earlier reviews right here!  Calling all Bibliophiles!





Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Thursday, April 10, 2025

Book Review- Washed Up on Sea Oaks Beach

 

AI enhanced chocolate lab

Do you enjoy a good cozy mystery, that takes place on the beach and includes lots of dogs and fun characters?  If so, you will not want to miss Karen C Whalen's latest book Washed up at Sea Oaks Beach.

Book Summary

Anytime I am looking for a cozy mystery with lots of fun engaging characters, Karen C Whalen books just fit the bill!  I loved her latest book Washed up at Sea Oaks Beach.  

In this book she brings back all of the wonderful characters we met in the first book of the Sea Oaks Beach series. I really enjoyed following the latest adventures of Breanna, Roscoe, Ty and other friends and residents of the small beach town of Sea Oaks Beach.  They are a great group of characters that really pull you into the story.

Like the title implies, this book starts off with a body being washed up at the beach.  Roscoe and Breanna are walking along the beach when they see a woman laying on her side in a shallow tide pool.  She is in a black wetsuit and Roscoe immediately tries to revive her while Breanna calls for help.  It turns out she is dead, and they find her surfboard nearby.  As they are looking around Breanna sees something out in the ocean and wonders if it is another person.  Roscoe sees it too and goes out to get what turns out to be a dog on a surfboard.  The dog, a Chocolate Lab is rescued and brought to the animal shelter where Breanna volunteers.

As the story progresses, Breanna fosters the dog and is determined to try to find out who his people are and to try to get justice for the woman who was found murdered.  I won't spoil it by telling you more, but I highly recommend this book.  It is one I couldn't put down.

Amazon Link

Washed up at Sea Oaks Beach and all of Karen C Whalen's books can be found on Amazon.  Here is a link Washed up at Sea Oaks Beach


More Reviews of Karen C Whalen Books

Karen has written three different cozy mystery series.  They are the Dinner Club series, the Tow Truck Driver mysteries, and the Sea Oaks Beach series.  Here are some links to other reviews I have done on her books.











Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Wednesday, April 9, 2025

Evie Woods' New Novel of Self-Discovery, Secrets and Second Chances

Recently I had the opportunity to read an advance review copy (ARC) of author Evie Woods' newest novel, The Mysterious Bakery on the Rue de Paris, which was just published yesterday on April 8, 2025. I enjoyed it so much that I couldn't wait to share my book review here on Review This Reviews.

The Mysterious Bakery on the Rue de Paris
Image made with AI on Canva

A Life in Transition

Evie Woods’ The Mysterious Bakery on the Rue de Paris is a delicious blend of hope, heartbreak, and intrigue. It's the story of Edith, an Irishwoman seeking a fresh start after her world is upended by the loss of her mother to cystic fibrosis. Having spent years as her sick mother’s caregiver, Edith is left feeling lost and unsure of what comes next. Working as a waitress and trying to comfort her grieving father feels unfulfilling and she is desperate for a change.

Not the (Rue de) Paris She Was Expecting

In an uncharacteristic burst of spontaneity, Edith impulsively applies for an assistant manager position at a French bakery on the Rue de Paris. She is swept up in dreams of a glamorous new life in the romantic City of Lights, but reality has other plans.

Instead of the bustling metropolis, Edith discovers too late that the bakery is located on the Rue de Paris in Compiègne, a sleepy, picturesque village an hour's train ride outside the city. Definitely not the "Paris" she thought she had signed up for.

Cold Shoulders and Mysterious Rules

The bakery is beloved by locals for its mouthwatering breads, pastries and sandwiches, but Edith quickly senses that all is not as it seems. Her new living quarters are tiny and shabby. The bakery's proprietress, elderly but spunky Madame Moreau, is gregarious with customers but curt and chilly with Edith. The locked basement where the actual baking happens is strictly off-limits, and Edith is forbidden to see or meet the mysterious, nameless baker. A teenage boy named Manu, the bakery's only other employee, won't say much to her, either.

Struggling with these unwelcoming co-workers and strange rules, as well as her limited grasp of the French language, makes Edith feel lonely, isolated and out of place. She wonders whether her impulsive move to France was a terrible mistake.

Finding Connection in Unexpected Places

Despite her loneliness, however, Edith is determined to try to build a life in Compiègne. She decides to get a sassy French haircut and forms a close friendship with Nicole, the daughter of the hair salon owner. She also gradually befriends a few of the bakery’s regulars, including Geoff who gives fascinating tours of the village and the historic Forest of Compiègne, where in 1940 the French signed a humiliating armistice with Nazi Germany.

Nicole invites Edith to hear her husband Johnny play jazz at the local club. Edith is attracted to a handsome Englishman at the bar but is too shy to strike up a conversation, so Nicole does it instead and then introduces Edith to him. Hugo is charismatic and well-spoken and he and Edith feel an immediate spark, but he is a photographer who lives and works in Paris. Fortunately, he comes to Compiègne frequently to visit his mother, who has Alzheimer’s and is in a nearby care facility.

Hugo's and Edith's burgeoning long-distance relationship is kept alive through his periodic, brief visits interspersed with sweet postcards. Meanwhile, Edith spends much of her precious (and scarce) spare time with Nicole, Johnny and their family, who "adopt" the foreigner and try to make her feel at home in her new hometown.

Just as Edith starts to feel as though she might belong in Compiègne after all, however, everything threatens to unravel.

Secrets, Betrayal, and a Family Legacy at Risk

As her French improves and she becomes more involved in the day-to-day operations of the bakery, Edith's  curiosity about its mysterious past grows. When she finally uncovers the truth about the bakery’s secretive history, operations and financial struggles thanks to Manu's eventual confidences, she’s faced with a new heartache: discovering that the man she’s falling for is one of the people trying to force Madame Moreau to sell the bakery, her family’s precious multigenerational legacy.

Can the bakery—and Edith's and Hugo's relationship—survive? You'll have to read this intriguing novel to find out.

Layers of History and Humanity

Author Evie Woods adds depth to the story with historical themes, including the Nazi occupation of France and the impact of racial discrimination. These elements tie into the bakery’s mysterious past and add emotional resonance to what might otherwise be a lighthearted narrative.

She paints the story with rich, sensory details: the scent of buttery croissants wafting through the air, the hum of jazz spilling from a smoky club, the warmth of fresh friendships blossoming in unexpected corners. She also doesn’t shy away from weightier themes, like loss, betrayal, and the courage it takes to rebuild a life. Edith’s journey isn’t just about solving the mystery of the bakery—it’s about rediscovering herself and finding the strength to fight for what matters.

Final Thoughts

The Mysterious Bakery on the Rue de Paris is a heartfelt and satisfying novel that blends personal growth, romance, and historical intrigue. With vivid setting details, believable characters, and a steady unfolding of mystery, it’s a story about healing, second chances, and the power of community. If you enjoy novels that balance charm with depth, this one is well worth the read.

I read an advance copy of the Kindle edition courtesy of the author and NetGalley, but I enjoyed it so much that I plan to purchase The Mysterious Bakery on the Rue de Paris audiobook as well. It is also available in paperback.

I'm looking forward to reading more of Evie Woods' books.


Evie Woods' New Novel of Self-Discovery, Secrets and Second Chances, a book review by Margaret Schindel

Read More Book Reviews by Our Review This Reviews Contributors






Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Monday, April 7, 2025

BOOK REVIEW Edge of Madness: A Post -Apocalyptic EMP Survival Thriller (Edge of Collapse Book 2)

Noah is a small town police officer whose wife disappeared five years ago. He is spending a father-son day on the slopes with young Milo when the ski lifts just stop. Expecting to be rescued, the group of people on that section of the lift wait until they can wait no longer. If they are able to return to Fall Creek the struggle for survival will continue.

Photo of the book cover Book 2 Edge of Collapse


Author Kyla Stone had me hooked with Book 1 of in the Edge of Collapse series. A woman named Hannah had been held hostage in a remote cabin for years and is suddenly released when an attack on the United States causes the collapse of the power grid. The door pops open. Traumatized and permenately injured, Hannah is determined to find her way home despite the winter blizzard. She is fighting for her life and her freedom and is determined to return to her husband and son.

Edge of Madness: A Post-Apocalyptic EMP Survival Thriller (Edge of Collapse Book 2)

Edge of Madness: A Post -Apocalyptic EMP Survival Thriller (Edge of Collapse Book 2)

Noah and his young son Milo survived being trapped and forgotten on the ski lift when the nation's power grid goes down and the snowstorm begins. Noah finds a way to get them and others down from the lift and the three of them are able to return to Fall Creek.

The town is in chaos. With no way to communicate with the outside world, the little town hunkers down and tries to find the best way through this disaster. Many of the residents are without sufficient food, medicines, water, and heat and they depend on the town council to provide for them. The battle for limited resources begins.

Quinn is a 16 year old girl that was also stranded on the ski lift when the grid went down. Quinn is a bristling, snarky teen who really doesn't care for many people outside of Gramps and Gran. She recognizes the cop. And she remembers his wife, the lady who went missing all those years ago. The lady seemed nice when Quinn saw her in the neighborhood. Quinn warms up to, and begins to trust and love, Noah and Milo.

My thoughts

The story is told from Noah and Quinn's alternating point of view. Author Kyla Stone does this beautifully. More of my thoughts about Author Kyla Stone's writing in my Book Review: Edge of Collapse: A Post-Apocalyptic Survival Thriller. I binge-read the entire 7 book series and have found a new favorite author.

Some who reviewed this series complain of the sudden ending of Book 1. While it was a little jarring, I now think it was brilliant. Hannah is still battling for her life and trying to get home. Noah, Milo and the other residents of Fall Creek are trying to survive this sudden and complete power grid shut down. Everyone is suddenly and completely cut off from anyone outside of their physical location. I was engrossed in the immediate battle for survival happening in Fall Creek with Hannah still in the back of my mind. 

edge of collapse
on Amazon


edge of madness
on Amazon






Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Saturday, April 5, 2025

The Wild Coast by Lin Anderson - Book Review

A Remote Shoreline – a Lethal Killer…..


Book #17 of 18 in the Rhona MacLeod series of crime novels set in Scotland.


Coast of Scotland

Lin Anderson, a Scottish author, is known for her bestselling crime series featuring forensic scientist Dr. Rhona MacLeod. The series takes place in Scotland.  Dr. MacLeod’s home base is in Glasgow, but she is called out to crime scenes all over Scotland.


Synopsis of The Wild Coast


Summertime has brought vacationers to the West Coast of Scotland for camping and hiking along the coastline.  Suddenly, campsites are becoming crime scenes when lone visitors disappear. 


A young woman (Callie) sets her camper up near the seashore and meets the family camping in the next  site. The family’s two children, Orlando and his little 4-year-old sister Lucy, are fascinated by the woman’s kayak as she prepares to take it out to the water. She promises to give them a ride in the kayak the next day. 


The following morning, little Lucy seems to have disappeared. When her mother, Francine, and her brother go to see if she had wandered over to Callie’s camper, they find the door unlocked and blood and vomit inside the camper. Panicked, Francine calls the police and a search begins. Lucy is finally found standing near a site which looks as if it could be a grave, but she is in a fearful state and not speaking.


When the police determine that the site is indeed a grave, Forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod is brought in and as she and her assistant, Chrissy, unearth the body and carefully collect evidence to analyse, they are disturbed by a bundle of twigs crafted into a stickman and left in the victim’s mouth.


With young Lucy safely back with her family, a search begins for Callie. Not only does she appear to be missing, but a similar stick man had been left in her camper. The police and forensic scientist Rhona suspect that the body and the missing woman are connected.


Back in Glasgow, Rhona and Chrissy continue analysing the evidence collected at the gravesite and from the missing woman’s camper while the police continue searching for Callie. Then another young woman who had stopped for an overnight camping trip on the coast disappears.


Meanwhile, rumors of sexual assault offenses by police officers are circling in Glasgow centered around a popular club.  Then the body from the gravesite is identified as a Glasgow girl who had been reported missing two months earlier.  When it was discovered that the girl had disappeared from the very same Glasgow nightclub, the police and Rhona MacLeod are convinced all these events are connected. Do the children from the camp, Lucy and Orlando, have some of the answers? 


All the while a young woman’s life is on the line and the clock is ticking . . .


Summary


As lone visitors disappear from the wild coast of rural northwest Scotland, campsites are becoming crime scenes. Rhona MacLeod and her assistant Chrissy, working with the Glasgow police, search for the lethal killer. A tense and chilling crime novel with a surprise ending. 


*The Wild Coast book review was written by Wednesday Elf


 




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Saturday, March 22, 2025

Book Review of Syndicate by Felix Francis

A Dick Francis Novel


Race Horse and Jockey on a racetrack


Felix Francis returns with another intriguing mystery set in the world of horseracing, just like his father, Dick Francis did. With Felix growing up in the British racing world due to his dad once being a jockey, followed by a long career of writing horseracing mysteries, race horses and the world they inhabit, makes a natural setting for these stories. 


Synopsis of Syndicate


This novel’s main character, Chester Newton, is an organizer and manager of racehorse syndicates.  Being a member of a syndicate allows one to co-own a racehorse and experience the enjoyment found in the racing world without the complete expense involved in buying the horse and paying for its training. The joint enterprise of a syndicate makes owning a racehorse financially feasible for many more fans of the sport. 


Running racehorse syndicates, such as those Chester has done for the past twenty years or so, involves quite a lot of work and can be a high-stakes way of life. The successes of the horses on the racetracks can be filled with high-reward; losses can be disappointing.  But it has never been dangerous, until the evening after a fantastic win at the Epsom Derby when his daughter Amanda disappears from the family party.  


After several frantic and terror-filled hours, Amanda is found safe, but with no memory of what happened to her. Then Chester discovers that someone is trying to take over one of his syndicates by force. He begins to receive threatening calls from someone with a squeaky voice telling him how to run his horses by threats of serious harm to him and his family. Not just Amanda’s life, but also those of his son James and his wife Georgina. 


For the first time, Chester’s life is not just about horse racing or the money at stake, but the lives of his loved ones. 


Summary


As the reader learns about the world of British racehorse syndicates, author Felix Francis leads us on a thrilling race to the end to discover who is behind all the threats. 


Related Reviews of books by Dick & Felix Francis: 



For More Book Reviews, Check Out
ReviewThisBooks.com


*Book Review of Syndicate written by Wednesday Elf 




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Thursday, March 13, 2025

Book Review- At the Edge of the Orchard

 

AI created text
Historical fiction is my favorite genre, and Tracy Chevalier is among the authors in this genre that I enjoy reading.  Her careful research and delightful way of pulling you into the story make her books real page turners.  At the Edge of the Orchard was a fascinating tale that I found myself unable to put down.

Book Summary

James and Sadie Goodenough leave their home in Connecticut to head out west.  When they get to Ohio their wagon gets stuck in the muddy 1830's black swamp area.  They decide to claim some land in this area and settle down to growing apple trees.  If they plant 50 trees within 3 years, they can claim the land for their own.  James is enthralled with apple trees, that remind him of his home in Connecticut, while Sadie is more interested in the apple jack that they can produce.  She can use it as an alcoholic retreat from the tough times that visit them, including deaths of a child to illness in many years.  Their children are helpers on their farm from a very early age.

The next part of the book skips to 15 years later when the youngest son Robert is wandering through the Gold Rush in California.  He is haunted from his past and the family he left behind when he was only 9 years old.  He does find some peace working with a naturalist and helping him to gather saplings and seed of the majestic redwoods and sequoias to send to gardeners in England.

I found the book to be very interesting and really appreciate the care the author takes in describing the historical settings in the novel.  The characters are delightful, and you find yourself pulled into their lives.

I have read several of Tracy Chevaliers books in the past and have never been disappointed.

About the Author

Tracy Chevalier was born and grew up in Washington DC.  After attending Oberlin college in Ohio, she moved to London in the mid 1980's.   Her first novel was Virgin Blue in 1997 followed by The Girl with the Pearl Earring in 1999.  She is currently working on her 12th book.

She does a lot of research for each book and one thing she likes to do is put herself in some of the situations she writes about.  She tried painting for one book, stitching for another and for At the Edge of the Orchard she spent some time among trees, including the redwoods and sequoias in California.
AI creation of redwood tree



Link to Book on Amazon

At the Edge of the Orchard, along with Tracy's other books can be found on Amazon.  Here is the link: At the Edge of the Orchard





Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Ian Fleming's The Penguin Complete 007 Centenary James Bond Book Collection Review

James Bond Book Collection
Here for your review is a popular set of books that celebrated the 100th birthday or centennial of Ian Fleming’s James Bond books. Called The Penguin Complete 007 James Bond Centenary Collection, it came attractively packaged in a red box with a cut out in the form of 007.

James Bond Fact Files said, “Every so often in the sea of marketed mediocrity perpetrated in the name of James Bond 007, something of worth is produced which is not only a joy to behold and own, but in time will also become a desirable and much sought-after collectable.”

This series definitely fits that description. The books were paperbacks with new and interesting vintage-style covers and this release made the books exciting for new and old readers alike. Many years later, these books are indeed desirable and a sought-after collectable.
The Penguin Complete 007 Centenary Book Collection of James Bond books by Ian Fleming.
The set included 14 books as shown here on this list, presented here in alphabetical order:

Casino Royale
Diamonds are Forever
Doctor No
For Your Eyes Only
From Russia with Love
Goldfinger
Live and Let Die
Man with the Golden Gun, The
Moonraker
Octopussy
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Spy Who Loved Me, The
Thunderball
You Only Live Twice

It was a wonderful way to gift the whole set, perfect for anyone who loved the stories or for an introduction to the series. My dad was gifted a set around the release date, which I believe was 2008 here in Canada. The books would still make a wonderful gift set but they are long out of production and as mentioned above, much sought after. For those who don't know, this means that the sales price has risen. Dramatically.

If you are, however, a really big fan and want to add the set to your collection or if you are just curious, you can find The James Bond Centenary Collection here on eBay or sometimes here on Amazon. Occasionally, you will even see a new, sealed set on the resale market. However, you will have to have deep pockets to add it to your collection today.
A list of the books in The Penguin Complete 007 Centenary Collection by Ian Flemming.
The picture of the row of books shown above was kindly provided by eBay seller Bushido_108. Check out all of the great sets of books he has in store for you here, on eBay.

See you
At the bookstore!
Brenda
Treasures By Brenda

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Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Monday, March 3, 2025

Book Review: Edge of Collapse: A Post-Apocalyptic Survival Thriller by Kyla Stone

The Edge of Collapse series is a binge-worthy, 7 book set in the post-apocalyptic genre. After the attack on the US, knocking out the power grid, communications, planes, vehicles, and most everything that is modernized, the big picture focus for everyone is to shake off the confusion and try to survive. Edge of Collapse Book One narrows in on a much more personal level. This national crisis presents Hannah a slim opportunity to escape her captor years after her abduction. Hannah's broken, pregnant body is no match for the sociopathic predator but her need to return to her son is strong. This moment is her only chance to return home.

Photo of the book cover and text



Hannah is a devoted mother to a beautiful 3 year old son and was living a good life in a small Southwest Michigan town. She loved her husband, Noah, but they had been having some minor bumpy spots in their marriage. Then Hannah suddenly disappears.  Of course, everyone had their theories. Maybe her husband murdered her. Maybe she just ran away. Perhaps she was dead. People who knew her well knew that she would have never left her child. Regardless, the years passed without her return.

Now. Maimed and nearing the end of her pregnancy, the locked door of her basement prison unlatches. Hannah has tried to mark the days, months, and years in chalk marks on the wall but she is not sure of what month it is. She is sure that it is winter and brutally cold outside. Trying to push past her physical difficulties, paranoia, and panic attacks she intends to leave. Doing so means entering the forested area during a snowstorm with no idea where she is and how to get back home.

Edge of Collapse series Book One by Kyla Stone on Amazon

Gavin Pike is a hunter. A hunter of humans. Shortly after he put her in the basement, and during the time she was still trying to actively defend herself, he brought a photo to her on his next visit. A photo of her son and her husband in his Fall Creek patrolman uniform, standing in front of their home. This monster knew where her family lived. And knew her husband enough to obtain a current photo. With that unspoken threat, Gavin Pike had effectively ended her desire to physically fight back. A county correctional officer, Gavin wore a uniform and carried a badge that he often used to obtain things, power, and women. 

Liam is a sullen, loner Veteran who lives in an isolated cabin in the forests of Michigan. He had been visiting his twin brother and pregnant sister-in-law when the attack occurred.  With cars crashing and planes falling from the sky, Lincoln and Jessa die. Liam's sole focus is to return to his cabin as soon as possible.  During his trek toward home, in a remote wooded area, he encounters a pregnant women who hysterically screams at him to stay away from her. Liam is initially relieved to obey her and continue on his journey alone.  

But Liam is a good guy despite his stoney exterior. And he returns to retrieve her. Which places him directly in a predators sights. A predator who views killing others as a game which he always wins.

Oh yes, I forgot to mention the dog. The monster, Gavin Pike, keeps a large guard dog chained up at the cabin. Presumably to keep Hannah from being discovered in the rare event someone would come to the remote cabin. Terrified of being bitten, but empathetic, Hannah releases the huge Great Pyrenees from it's own prison. And, as guardian dogs do, this dog decides to actively protects his family. 

Author Kyla Stone paints a vivid picture of the conditions and the risk. The chapters are written in the voice of each individual character, telling their own version of the events. She does this beautifully.  Other reviewers use phrases such as "unputdownable", "intense", and "nonstop action". These phrases are often over-used in book reviews but in this case, the praise fits.  I have difficulties feeling as though I adequately describe the really good writing of others. If you are at all curious, I hope you will consider reading the reviews others have written about Edge of Collapse: A Post-Apocalyptic Survival Thriller, Book One. If this isn't your usual genre, don't be put off. This story was more Silence of the Lambs with Buffalo Bill than a doomsday prepper's guide to beans, band-aids, and bullets. 

One final thought, fans of the Reacher series on Amazon and of the author will enjoy these characters; flawed good guys fighting against bad guys. If you aren't familiar with Reacher, you might want to take a peek at my Reviewing Reacher The Book and the Amazon Series  




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Saturday, March 1, 2025

Identity Unknown by Patricia Cornwell


Book Review of Book 28 of 28 in the Kay Scarpetta series.


Book Image of Identity Unknown by Patricia Cornwell


Patricia Cornwell sold her first novel, Postmortem, in 1990 while working at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Richmond, Virginia. 


During that same time period, I was working for a Medical Examiner in Mid-Missouri and found the whole subject of the work of medical examiners fascinating and interesting. Thus, Postmortem appealed to me. After reading it, I immediately became a fan of author Patricia Cornwell. As a matter of fact, during that time my boss attended a medical examiner meeting on the East Coast and actually met Patricia Cornwell. 


Cornwell has written several series, but her most well-known one is that featuring Kay Scarpetta, a Medical Examiner in Virginia, as the main character. This is my review of her latest book in the series, Book #28 ~ Identity Unknown


Synopsis of Identity Unknown


The plot begins as Dr. Kay Scarpetta is summoned to an abandoned theme park to retrieve a body. She is devastated to learn that the victim is a dear friend; well-known astrophysicist, Sal Giordano. 


The  murder scene is very strange. The body appears to be atypically red and is found lying within a crop circle of petals. Examination of his fatal injuries indicate that he was dropped from a great height from an unidentified flying craft. 


The subsequent autopsy and investigation reveals suspicions that include an otherworldly force or perhaps something Giordano himself was involved in. 


Kay Scarpetta, along with her niece and her husband (both who work for the Secret Service) search out an explanation closer to home, which is possibly far more evil. 


Summary


Outstanding storytelling, with characters who feel like family after twenty-eight books in the series, Identity Unknown is an excellent addition to the Kay Scarpetta Series. I highly recommend it to fans of the series and of author Patricia Cornwell.


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*Book Review of Identity Unknown written by Wednesday Elf

 




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


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