Awakening by Jordan Leger

 

Colin is a werewolf in Jordan Leger’s Awakening: An adult paranormal romance book 1. But his alternate identity is not emphasized in this novel. We readers know what he is, but most of the story is about his relationship with a woman whom he finds along the side of a road after she was attacked. When the woman wakes from a coma, she has no memory of her past. After she no longer needs to stay in the hospital, Colin brings her to his house and takes care of her. He gives her the name Jane Blake, because she doesn’t know her own name and gradually, Jane and Colin grow close. There are hints that Jane is a woman Colin knew before the attack, but that isn’t spelled out completely.

There is a warning at the beginning of the book stating:

Awakening is intended for ages 18+ only. This book contains adult content that may make some readers uncomfortable. Please read at your own risk.

That warning is valid. The author uses some strong language and there are some very graphic scenes.

Also, the book ends with a cliffhanger. Readers will have to read the second book in the series to find out what happens.

Allure of Elegance by R. F. Whong

 

Allure of Elegance is a good mystery where the main character, Tina, works for an insurance agency investigating crimes to see if there is any fraud involved. She and her partner, Carlos, work alongside the police, but often have to reach out on their own because there is not enough evidence of major criminal activity to get police involvement. Here, they are looking into a robbery of a truck carrying luxury goods such as Birkin bags that can sell for thousands, sometimes even millions, of dollars.

What bumped this novel up from four to five stars is the glimpse into the lives of two groups of people I’m not familiar with: women who love to show off their expensive accessories and fundamentalist Christians, without the messy politics we hear so much about.

The Missing Pages by Alyson Richman

 I bought the audio of The Missing Pages and listened to it on the way from North Carolina to New Jersey and back again. It held my attention, kept me alert, and made for a safe trip.

The novel is a great read (or listen). I love the paranormal aspects and the depth of Violet Hutchins’ character. She is a sophomore at Harvard who had lost her boyfriend the previous summer. He died in a drowning accident while she was watching him swim.

Now Violet is trying to rebuild her life as she works her way through her grief. She has a great deal of help from a friend of her lost boyfriend, which makes for an interesting relationship.

Meanwhile, she is working at a library on the Harvard campus and experiencing some odd messages from the ghost of the person for whom the library was named.

I won’t go into any more depth than that, but I want to say it’s well-written, the characters are fully developed, and the plot is interesting.

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

  

The God of the Woods is a novel that pulls you into a community and lets you live there for a good length of time. In this case, it is the young campers and counselors at a summer camp in upstate New York, along with the members of the family who own the camp and the police called in to look for a missing person.

The event at the heart of this story is the disappearance of a camper, the daughter of the camp's owner. She is also the sister of a boy who disappeared in a similar fashion years earlier. Police are brought in to look for the missing girl and everyone in the community begins to rethink the earlier tragedy.

Points of view and time frames switch around from chapter to chapter as the mystery unfurls, allowing readers to get to know all the characters simultaneously, even when they are from different generations.

I listened to the audio which I would recommend for anyone looking for a good listen on a long ride.

Becoming Catherine by Jane C R Reid

 

The plot of Becoming Catherine combines time travel with hints of reincarnation and karma to make a story I looked forward to reading every time I picked up the book. It's about a young woman named Kate who contracts the flu and falls into a deep sleep. When she wakes, she's back in time, in the body of Catherine, the sister of Kate's ancestor Byron.

Byron and Catherine are the children of Bertrand Lloyd, a famous nineteenth-century opera singer whose career plummeted when he lost his voice. This “new” Catherine has to adjust to a different era with old-fashioned societal norms while dealing with Bertrand, who has a dark side, and with the fact that she doesn't know the “old” Catherine's history.

Jane C R Reid's writing and characters are excellent. I recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys paranormal stories centered on a dysfunctional family.

The Shroud by George Bachman

 

The Shroud is an interesting combination of historical and mystical fiction. George Bachman apparently researched sixteenth century England thoroughly. I read the Kindle version. It gave me the opportunity to highlight names of people and groups, so I could check their Wikipedia entries.

Bachman also gives us an occult side from that era, through the perceived powers of the Shroud and the appearance of characters such as a cherub who arrives from out of a mirror, “as if through a window.”

The core of The Shroud's plot is the desire for multiple groups to possess the real Shroud of Turin.  It exists and so do the groups who are trying to steal it. But there are several fakes. The thieves represent interests such as Pope Sixtus V, Queen Elizabeth the First, and “Philip, king of Spain and Portugal and rightful ruler of England.”

This is a novel I would recommend to people who have an interest in the history of sixteenth century England, but also enjoy stories with mysticism.

Sarah's Secret Christmas Wish by Kerisma Vere

 

Sarah’s Secret Christmas Wish is a short fun read. There is a note on the cover saying it is “A Hallmark holiday romance…just a little gayer.” I can say that's a valid comparison. Its plot is easy to predict, but it’s fun to follow the path the characters take to the ending. Although it bills itself as an LGBTQ novel I feel it is more about good versus bad relationships, no matter what the sexual preferences are. One thing I want to mention. The ending has an odd structure. There is an epilogue followed by two chapters labeled as bonus scenes. They are important, so be sure you read to the end. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a story that leaves you feeling good.

 

The Room Next Door by Wendy Walker

 

Brooke, Carrie, and Eve did everything together when they were in high school, until Eve disappeared. Despite the fact that Eve's body was found and her death was ruled an accidental drowning, Carrie, now the chief of police of a small town in the East Bay region of Rhode Island, is still burdened by the case. When another body washes up in the harbor, Carrie finds connections and new ways to look into her friend's death, including ways that involve Brooke. This audio was very well produced. I enjoyed the story, but I did not like the way it ended.

 

 

    An interesting novel about the last family on a tiny island close to Antarctica that houses an important seed bank. The characters are well developed and interesting. The plot has lots of twists. But what I loved the most about this novel was what it taught me about seed banks and the problems they face due to climate change. I had to suspend disbelief about a few things, such as a woman washing up on the shore, still alive after being in such cold water for so long. But overall, a great read!

 

 

Summer's Nightmare starts out with Summer James cowering in front of Marie Laveau's tomb. Laveau was a midwife and a practitioner of Voodoo in New Orleans during the nineteenth century. Summer is calling on her. She needs her help to avoid the guns that can be heard throughout the cemetery.

Summer cuts herself, uses her blood to mark Xs on the tomb, then slumps down and wakes up in a hospital ward for the criminally insane. In the ward, she encounters friends and foes and gradually finds out more about herself, including why she is being held there. Summer has been accused of murdering her husband, whom she has always loved. But she has no memory of what happened.

This is a good read for people who enjoy psychological thrillers involving Louisiana Voodoo and spirits of the dead.

 

  

The Hodin Cabal: Choices is a novel about a secret organization on a mission to deal with a major environmental problem. This complex group deals and acts on decisions made without regard to normal ethics. Debra Ann Wynn, the main character in this story, is an investigative reporter looking into this worldwide network.

One of the many strengths of Avril Maria Serene's writing is her ability to make an organization such as this one seem realistic. She does this by revealing the group's details while Debra Ann is interviewing a dissatisfied member and also in conversations with people she's recruited to help her investigation. These sections are wordy, but intriguing because the concepts are fascinating.

There are several interesting subplots, such as Debra Ann's relationship with Paul, the father of a sick child and the struggles with alcoholism of Debra Ann's friend, police officer Marci Robbins, a person Debra Ann has called on for help. Serene wove these stories into the main plot well.

I recommend this book to readers who enjoy complex mysteries with strong characters.

 

Isaac Q. Miller, the author of The Story Behind Broadway's Biggest Hits, clarifies the title he chose in his introduction when he says: “I made a big claim with the title of this book, claiming it to be about Broadway's biggest hits but the truth is that's incredibly subjective.” He's right there. For me, three of my favorites were not included. Those are Jesus Christ Superstar, Miss Saigon and The Secret Garden, all successful Broadway musicals. Yet Miller's list is solid. He chose: Chicago, Wicked, A Chorus Line, Rent, The Book of Mormon, Fiddler on the Roof, Grease, Hamilton, Jersey Boys, and Hadestown. I've seen all of those except for Hadestown. I wasn't thrilled with The Book of Mormon, but I loved the others. So I have to say he made solid and interesting choices.

Miller talks about the history behind the shows, including a little about the sources that inspired them. Sometimes those were short stories or other plays, and, in the case of Rent, a combination of Jonathan Larson's personal struggles and Puccini's opera La Bohème. He also covers the original casts, costumes, the set and lighting designs and the choreography. This is not a book that was written to stand on its own. Instead, it enhances the appreciation of the shows it covers. I'm a theater buff and I loved it.

 

Elin Hilderbrand is my go to author when I'm in the mood for a light read. Swan Song met that expectation. I enjoyed the characters, especially Coco and the exploration of the lengths someone with an unpublished screenplay will take to get it read. The party scenes were interesting and wild, although I skimmed through some of the food descriptions. Overall, this is a good summer read. 

 

A Christmas Caroline is a modern-day version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. The plot is the same but the situations are different. For one thing Ebenezer Scrooge is replaced by Caroline Scroggins, a young woman who lives alone and doesn't go out much. Scrooge was a bitter man who made comments such as “If they would rather die, they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.” Caroline Scroggins is more of a loner who likes to save her money by keeping her heat low and not partying with her friends. The lighter main character is good for the book because the novel is hilarious.

What I liked most about this novel is the wit of the writer. This is what earned the book a five star rating. Here is an example: “My sibling had been the type of person who would [blank] her pants but still manage to see the positive in it - at least it proved she didn’t need any more fiber in her diet.” The jokes are often bathroom or bedroom humor, but they had me laughing. If you like writers with edgy styles, this novel is for you.

Once We Were Family by Nancy Saling Graham

 

Once We Were Family is the story of a family living in Berlin as the Hitler regime rose to power. It's told from the viewpoint of Annalise, one daughter of Axel Klaus. Annalise and her father sympathize with the people who are being abused and sometimes help them, but not enough to ease their guilt.

Annalise’s siblings represent a range of responses to their authoritarian government, from resisting quietly, while working with the Nazis to the younger ones who are fully indoctrinated in school. Annalise also has one sister who is only concerned with her appearance and marriage potential.

About halfway through the story, Germany loses and Hitler takes his own life in the bunker. Now the plot becomes the story of a young German woman living in West Berlin. There are still some horrible situations to get through, but there is also hope.

Whitewater by William McGinnis

Whitewater is a fun novel, a thriller that can be a little predictable, but always entertaining. I loved the descriptions of the area around the Kern River and of riding its waves. But there's also an exciting plot involving a drug cartel and what happens when the bad guys find out that the main characters: Adam (a former navy seal) and Tripee (an undercover FBI agent) have learned too much about the cartel’s activities. There were times when I had to suspend disbelief, but that’s true with most thrillers. Overall, the book is interesting and a good summer read.

Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

 I loved this book. I bought the audio and listened to it on a long trip I was taking. It made the travel time go by quickly.

When I first was looking into this novel, I thought it would be about the children in the school. It turned out to be more about the parents, about their gossip, their egos, their false assumptions and group think. It also has a message that becomes clear at the end. I recommend this book to anyone who likes character driven novels.

The Baron's Ghost by Kyro Dean

 

The Baron's Ghost tells the story of Christina Ravensworth, nee Rushing, a female spy and sometimes assassin. Although the plot is a fast paced adventure story, Christina is not a simple action heroine. She lost her parents when she was seventeen and thinks about her mother almost every day. Her mother once told her “that a soft, kid-skin glove could protect against dust, get done what must, and earn people's trust.” Christina still wears gloves and thinks about her mom each time she puts them on. She also embarks on adventures with two men she's attracted to: Philip, the Viscount of Portsmouth, and Charles Blackwell, someone she knew as a child. Both of these men do not always appear to think of her as a friend. This is a good book for readers who enjoy action packed, complex stories.

Talk by Greg Peterson

When Addie Young's father dies, she inherits one-hundred acres of land and receives a cryptic letter that was written by Cole Younger, one of Addie's ancestors and a gunfighter who rode with Jesse James. She believes the letter contains clues to find a treasure, so she sets out to locate the land and whatever is hidden on it. She runs her Mustang off the road on her way into the town of “Talk” and is soon being helped by Jack, the mayor of that little town, who takes a shine to Addie. It is going to take some time for the local mechanic to fix Addie's car, so Jack offers her a place to stay while she waits.

The novel is interesting for a few reasons: the relationship between Addie and Jack grows in a way that's fun to follow, there is plenty of information about the Ojibwe Indians, and Addie falls in love with the sweet feel of the town and its residents. There's also a spiritual side to the plot, especially at the end.

I liked the characters in “Talk” and the easy pace of the plot. It is a sweet novel.

Top Model tells the story of Estelle Li, a young Asian woman trying to make it in the competitive world of fashion modeling. Estelle is a great example of someone with a strong personality trait that is simultaneously her best and worst quality. She is extremely ambitious and willing to do anything it takes to get ahead. Readers can admire her strength and determination, but her ambition pushes her to places she shouldn’t go.

The novel is centered on Estelle, yet there are also interesting characters around her. Lily is her agent and her friend. She is concerned for Estelle but keeps her client’s career at the top of her priorities, even if she might deny doing that. And then there is Sofie Tsai, another Asian model who is younger than Estelle but has had more success. They are extremely competitive.

Top Model gives us an inside picture of the modeling industry, which may exist to showcase beauty but is often ugly at its core. The novel is captivating. If you pick it up, you’ll have problems putting it down.