Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Top Ten Tuesday: Spring 2024 TBR

 Join in the Top Ten Tuesday fun! Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

For the first time, thanks to our move, I will actually have a Spring TBR along with the rest of the Northern Hemisphere. 

1. Riverbend Gap


2. Just Look Up



3. Fear Has a Name



4. Random Acts of Murder



5. A Dance in Donegal



6. Taken



7. Veiled in Smoke



8. On the Cliffs of Foxglove Manor



9. The Edge of Belonging



10. Shadow in Serenity





Monday, March 18, 2024

Review: Season of My Enemy

Season of My Enemy Season of My Enemy by Naomi Dawn Musch
My rating: 💛💛💛💛

Season of my Enemy was an interesting twist to the WW2 fictional world.

As readers we are used to the normal WW2 stories, right there in the mists of the fighting and survival. In this novel, we as readers saw the side of those left behind, those who had to continue day to day life while hoping and trusting for news from loved ones.

I felt that the fears of Frannie and her family, bringing German POWs into their lives, were realistic and believable. I liked that this novel dealt with the daily struggles and wasn’t a forbidden love between two enemies, but more of a slow build of friendship which helped Frannie and this reader see that not all Germans involved in the war was Nazi’s, some just had no choice.

I also liked how the author used Frannie’s two brothers to show the struggles of the war heroes – letting go, forgiving your enemy versus letting hatred and bitterness take control.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.*


View all my reviews

About the book:


“Get Your Farm in the Fight” - The Realities of WWII Come to a Wisconsin Farm

Full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, this series celebrates the unsung heroes—the heroines of WWII.

Only last year, Fannie O’Brien was considered a beauty with a brain, and her future shone bright, despite the war pounding Europe. With her father’s sudden death and her brothers overseas, Fannie must now do the work of three men on their 200-acre farm—until eight German prisoners arrive and, just as Fannie feared, trouble comes too. Someone seems intent on causing “accidents,” and Fannie is certain the culprit is one of the two handsome older Germans—or possibly both. Can she manage the farm, keep the prisoners in line, and hold her family together through these turbulent times?

​Don’t miss these other stories:
The Cryptographer’s Dilemma by Johnnie Alexander
Picture of Hope by Liz Tolsma
Saving Mrs. Roosevelt by Candice Sue Patterson
Mrs. Witherspoon Goes to War by Mary Davis
A Rose for the Resistance by Angela K. Couch

About the author:


Naomi loves stories rich in American history, but occasionally writes in other genres as well. She pens

stories from the pristine north woods, where she and her husband live as epically as God allows near their five adult children and passel of grandchildren. She has worked as an editor for a small press, a staff writer for an EPA award-winning newspaper, a ghost writer, and has published dozens of magazine and internet articles for the encouragement of homeschooling families and young writers. Naomi is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, Lake Superior Writers, and the Wisconsin Writers' Association. She loves engaging with others and always discovering kernels of a new story. She is available for speaking and book groups. Her newest novel is Mist O'er the Voyageur, and she anticipates re-releasing several of her back-list novels in 2019.

Connect with her through her website: http://www.naomimusch.com
FB: Naomi Musch - Author
Twitter: NMusch

Weekend Wrap-Up: March 17th


 

It’s Monday! What are you reading? is hosted by Book Date.

In between the colder days we are being spoiled with some warm Spring weather!


Finished






(Reviews can be found under Book Review tag)

Currently reading





Next up:





What are you reading this week?



Here is my past week's Blog Posts.




Which Avid Reader do not add to their shelves! I try to limit mine to review books since I have so many owned on my TBR to read.  So did I add to my shelf this week? 

Three ARCs this week.







Bought: 








Sunday, March 17, 2024

Review: Never Fall Again

Never Fall Again Never Fall Again by Lynn H. Blackburn
My rating: 💛💛💛

Having read and being a fan of this author’s past work, I was expecting a bit more suspense in this story. For me, this felt more like a romance with a bit of suspense, than suspense with a bit of romance, which was what I had been expecting.

Nevertheless, I still enjoyed this story and meeting all the various members of the Quinn family.

I could understand how both Landry and Cal, due to past hurts, made the decisions they had, but it was also fun to see how the heart knew and risked before their heads followed suit.

Sweet Eliza was an adorable 5-year-old, and I enjoyed all the fun scenes with her, especially with the grump Mo (whose story I desperately want to read).

The suspense did come at the end, and when it did, it was full force nail biting with a twisted mind behind everything.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.*


View all my reviews

About the book:


Landry Hutton has spent three years rebuilding her life behind the secure gates of The Haven, an exclusive resort on the outskirts of Gossamer Falls, North Carolina. As the artist-in-residence, and with her pottery prized by The Haven's guests, Landry is finally ready to settle in permanently. She wants to give her daughter, Eliza, a safe home to grow up in and hires former Marine Callum Shaw to handle the construction.

Cal grew up in Gossamer Falls and always knew he would someday join his family's business. He longs for a family of his own but has almost given up on that ever happening. Landry is funny, gifted, and everything Cal could ever want in a partner, but he vows to keep his distance. Landry has a daughter and a past. Cal has been down that road before and barely survived when the woman he loved left, taking her two sons with her. He can't bear to lose like that again.

Before construction on the house can begin, Landry's pottery is destroyed in a suspicious fire. It soon becomes clear that Landry and Eliza are in grave danger--but because of whom? But, after losing one relationship, he is hesitant to try again.

About the author:


Lynn H. Blackburn believes in the power of stories, especially those that remind us that true love exists, a gift from the Truest Love. She’s passionate about CrossFit, coffee, and chocolate (don’t make her choose) and experimenting with recipes that feed both body and soul. She lives in South Carolina with her true love, Brian, and their three children.

Her Dive Team Investigations series includes Beneath the Surface and In Too Deep (a Fall 2018 Okra Pick and 2019 Selah Award finalist). The conclusion to the series, One Final Breath, releases in September 2019. She is also the author of Hidden Legacy and Covert Justice which won the 2016 Selah Award for Mystery and Suspense and the 2016 Carol Award for Short Novel.


Saturday, March 16, 2024

Review: Of Dubious and Questionable Memory

Of Dubious and Questionable Memory Of Dubious and Questionable Memory by Rachel McMillan
My rating: 💛💛💛

Another cozy mystery adventure with Merinda and Jem.

It was fun to see how they had to manage their personal relationships with their desire to solve mysteries and being known as great detectives, even if that is not expected from ladies.

I enjoyed the scenes involving the house Louisa May Alcott lived in.

*I read the ebook copy on Everand.*


About the book:


Ne'er-Do-Wells of New England—You've Been Warned!

Merinda Herringford and Jem Watts are never lacking for mysteries of the curious and commonplace, but lately business has been a little less curious and a lot more common.

With only missing jewelry and a kidnapped rooster on the case docket, Merinda is bored stiff. Jem welcomes the reprieve as she settles into married life, attempting to learn the domestic skills that have cunningly evaded her as a bachelor girl detective.

The lull in business is short-lived when a telegram arrives from the detective duo's suffragette friend, Martha Kingston, detailing the mysterious disappearance of a school chum's sister in Concord, Massachusetts.

No sooner do Jem and Merinda arrive in the States to investigate than they find themselves embroiled in a world of strange affairs, purloined letters, and a baffling mystery whose clues lead directly to Orchard House, the homestead made famous by its long-time resident, Louisa May Alcott.

About the author:


Rachel McMillan is the author of The Herringford and Watts mysteries, The Van Buren and DeLuca

mysteries, The Three Quarter Time series, The London Restoration and The Mozart Code. Her non-fiction works including Dream Plan Go: A Travel Guide for Independent Adventure and A Very Merry Holiday Movie Guide. Rachel lives in Toronto, Canada and is always reading.

Friday, March 15, 2024

Book Spotlight Friday! Riot and Never Fall Again

 

Book Beginnings and Friday56


Book Beginnings is a weekly meme hosted by Rose City Reader that asks you to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you're reading. Friday 56 is hosted by My Head is Full of Books and asks you to grab a book (any book), turn to page 56 or 56% in your e-reader and share a non-spoiler sentence or two.  First Line Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Reading is my Superpower that asks you to share the first sentence of the book you're reading.

I am featuring two books this week again.  One I finished recently and can recommend to fans of military action.  The other one is a March release I am currently reading.


Riot





About the book:


Navy SEAL K-9 handler Beau “Danger” Maddox is at the top of his game—until an op goes south, leaving him physically and mentally scarred. Separated from the Navy, he’s determined to requalify as operational and get back in the action so he can take down the deadly South American cartel that killed his team. The last thing he needs is a distraction in the form of a beautiful new neighbor and her dog…

Trafficking survivor Paisley Reyna became a trauma counselor to help others after a harrowing captivity at the hands of the notorious Guerrero Cartel. When she unexpectedly inherits her cousin’s home and retired military working dog, Riot, she seizes the chance to eke out a quiet life in a small town in Texas. However, the Dutch shepherd upends her plans, destroys her belongings, and repeatedly escapes next door to the intense former SEAL, who poses a threat to her peace—and maybe even her heart.

When the local sheriff asks for Danger’s expertise and Paisley’s dog to intercept a trafficking deal, they’re quickly caught up in a battle against the very cartel that marked both their souls. Along with a paramilitary team, they plunge deeper and deeper into the Venezuelan jungle—all too aware that making it out alive a second time will take nothing short of a miracle.



*************************************************************

Book Beginnings

You can run, but you can't hide.

Friday 56

But if he paid a listen to the sense of foreboding rising in his gut, then no - they weren't good.

My thoughts so far

I really liked this military action book!


   ************************************************************* 


Never Fall Again






About the book:


Landry Hutton has spent three years rebuilding her life behind the secure gates of The Haven, an exclusive resort on the outskirts of Gossamer Falls, North Carolina. As the artist-in-residence, and with her pottery prized by The Haven's guests, Landry is finally ready to settle in permanently. She wants to give her daughter, Eliza, a safe home to grow up in and hires former Marine Callum Shaw to handle the construction.

Cal grew up in Gossamer Falls and always knew he would someday join his family's business. He longs for a family of his own but has almost given up on that ever happening. Landry is funny, gifted, and everything Cal could ever want in a partner, but he vows to keep his distance. Landry has a daughter and a past. Cal has been down that road before and barely survived when the woman he loved left, taking her two sons with her. He can't bear to lose like that again.

Before construction on the house can begin, Landry's pottery is destroyed in a suspicious fire. It soon becomes clear that Landry and Eliza are in grave danger--but because of whom? But, after losing one relationship, he is hesitant to try again.



*************************************************************

Book Beginnings

Landry Hutton didn't believe dreams came true anymore.

Friday 56

"Do you really think there's nothing I need to know?" Landry asked.

My thoughts so far

I am enjoying the characters and their relationships a lot!


   ************************************************************* 

Thursday, March 14, 2024

COVER REAVEAL: FURY

How beautiful is this Cover! I am really enjoying this series and looking forward to the fourth book releasing July 2024!

Just as excited as I am?  Then you can already pre-order here:





Title: Fury
Subtitle: A Breed Apart Novel
Series: A Breed Apart: Legacy, Book 4
Authors: Ronie Kendig and Steffani Webb
Publisher: Sunrise Publishing
Pre-order sale price: $4.99 (ebook)
Retail price after release: $7.99 (ebook)
Amazon Release date: July 16, 2024
Available in ebook, print, and audiobook


Synopsis

Amidst the glittering heat of Abu Dhabi, Hollyn Reinhardt’s world shatters in one tragic night. Once a child prodigy, now a leading AI scientist, she’s left reeling from her parents’ sudden death—and the haunting suspicion that it was no accident. Vulnerable yet defiant, Hollyn must protect her life’s work from unseen enemies.

Enter Davis Ledger: former Green Beret, owner of a keen-nosed military working dog named Fury, and the slightly older man whose rugged charm once captured Hollyn’s young heart. Medically discharged and disillusioned, he’s ready for peace in the US, but walks back into the line of fire when he discovers his friends have been murdered and that their daughter Hollyn—now all grown up—needs his help.

Following an attempt on her life, Hollyn realizes the USB containing her code has been stolen. Code that, in the wrong hands, could kill thousands. But Davis’s sable German shepherd, who has been specially trained to sniff out electronics, is the perfect dog to ensure this doesn’t end in disaster. They have no choice but to join up with a black ops group to protect Hollyn and hunt down the tech.

As they’re pursued by killers, Hollyn struggles to douse her reigniting crush, while Davis finds it harder and harder to deny his feelings and stay mission-focused. With the clock ticking down to an unthinkable catastrophe, Hollyn and Davis face the ultimate test. Can they thwart the threat and reclaim the code, or will their second chance at love end in heartbreak—or worse…disaster?

A masterful blend of breathless suspense and heart-stopping romance, this tale of danger, devotion, and rekindled love will have you at the edge of your seat.


About the Authors:

Ronie Kendig is a bestselling, award-winning author of over thirty-five books. She grew up an Army brat, and now she and her Army veteran husband have returned to their beloved Texas after a nearly ten-year stint in the Northeast. They survive on Sonic runs, barbecue, and peach cobbler that they share—sometimes—with Benning the Stealth Golden and AAndromeda the MWD Washout. Ronie's degree in psychology has helped her pen novels of intense, raw characters.

Steffani Webb was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. She is married to a wonderful husband, is a stay-at-home mom to three children, and runs a bookish Etsy shop. Fiction has always been part of her life and she was inspired to start writing her own stories at a young age. An avid reader of Romantic Suspense, Steffani loves creating relatable, character-driven stories.

A Breed Apart: Legacy

Book 1: Havoc

Book 2: Chaos

Book 3: Riot

Book 4: Fury

Book 5: Surge

A Breed Apart by Ronie Kendig

Book 1: Trinity

Book 2: Talon

Book 3: Beowulf


Top Ten Tuesday: Spring 2024 TBR

  Join in the  Top Ten Tuesday  fun!  Top Ten Tuesday was created by  The Broke and the Bookish  in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy...