Publishers Comments – Page 2 – Rosepoint Publishing

Short and Sweet–Does He Nail Those Reviews? You Tell Me.

Okay, Uncle! Need some help and looks like that will come in the guise of the CE. (Not the first time he’s stepped in to the rescue.)

Short Stack

Associate Reviewer - C E Williams For some time now, you’ve noticed either an individual review or a tandem review with my associate (husband), the CE. Since I’ve achieved overwhelmed status with reads and reviews, I’ve asked him to step in and take a somewhat more frequent role, with the hope that one of these days I’ll be able to write a post article again regarding the bookish world aside from reviews. While I may do just a tad of editing, the reviews will be his, although I’ll continue to set them up to publish.

To that end, he just reviewed ICE which has been named the Winner in the ACTION/ADVENTURE category of the 2016 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. He loved it, by the way, and you can read his review here. (He’s a bit more succinct than I.) He will also cover a few genres I might not have creating a wider sampling range as he enjoys slightly different novel tastes. I’ve booked him up for the following three (including abbreviated blurbs) all from NetGalley: (Links below to Amazon)

Clyde's triplet

First up, The Poison of War by Jennifer Leeper

Two Mexican drug smugglers are murdered on Native American soil and the only clues left behind are two single arrowheads in this compelling page-turner of tribal secrets and distrust at the border…
Scheduled for Sunday, January 19.

The Master’s Apprentice: A Re-Telling of the Faust Legend by Oliver Pötzsch (Author) Lisa Reinhardt (Translator)

A young man’s destined quest becomes a dance with the devil in a mesmerizing retelling of the Faust legend by the bestselling author of the Hangman’s Daughter Tales series.

It’s the fifteenth century and only heretics are curious about the universe.

Germany, 1494. Born under a rare alignment of the stars, Johann Georg Gerlach, “the lucky one” to his mother—is fated for greatness. But Johann’s studies and wonder at the sky have made him suspect…

Scheduled for Friday Feb 7.

Anne and Louis: Rulers and Lovers (Anne of Brittany Series Book 3) by Rozsa Gaston

In 1501, Anne of Brittany devises the perfect match for her only child by Louis XII, King of France. Their daughter will become the most powerful woman in Europe if she marries the future Holy Roman Emperor. But Louis balks. Instead, he wishes her to marry his successor. How else to keep his own bloodline on the throne?…

Scheduled for Friday, February 14.

If you haven’t already, check out his review of Ice and then swing by again to catch one of the above. Have you read one of these?

Twelve Five Star Books You Don’t Want to Miss

It’s been a banner year for some great books and I’ve tried hard to discern those books between a 4.5 level and a subjective but totally awesome (what I consider a) five-star novel. While any book four stars or more are recommend worthy, I am going for those I feel the wider audience would truly enjoy. And many are so close that it is extremely difficult to narrow the list down to only those books that stand out.

The range of genres covers biographies and autobiographies and fiction in categories from action adventures and cozy mysteries to family drama, historical and suspense, thrillers in audiobooks, print, and digital formats. I noted an average of three five star reviews a month totaling forty-two books for the year between 4.5 and 5 stars.

These are the twelve (because I can’t seem to get it down to ten) amazing books that stood out for me in no particular order along with the link to my review.

Fractured Truth* by Susan Furlong – This author writes about “the Travellers” in this country as if she was one. Ex-Marine and her cadaver dog. He’s awesome, she’s badass.

The Beantown Girls by Jane Healey – I loved this historical fiction account of the WWII girls who went overseas as “donut dollies.”

The Eighth Sister by Robert Dugoni – Multiple award winner, best-selling author, book ONE in his new espionage series.

Buried Deep by T R Ragan – Intense thriller, #4 in the Jessie Cole series by this best-selling author.

Decanted Truths* by Melanie Forde – A Waterford decanter is bestowed to the family by the boy who immigrated to America in the bowels of the ship.

The Plain of Jars by N Lombardi Jr – Intrigue, conspiracy, military history, emotional turmoil and redemption from a Viet Nam conflict survivor. (Reviewed by the CE.)

The Image Seeker* by Amanda Hughes – Best-selling author does some deep-diving research immersing you in pre-WWII America.

Rewind by Catherine Ryan Howard – Psychological thriller by another best-selling author. Get your “Psycho” shower scene on…

Trials and Tribulations* by Jean Grainger – Best-selling author this one of 20th Century Irish Romance, the Robinswood series.

Rescued* by David Rosenfelt – Complex legal thriller – snarky audiobook narrated by Grover Gardner. The Andy Carpenter series is special as an audiobook!

The Dog I Loved* Susan Wilson – A tale of PTSD, dysfunctional families, estrangement, friendship, and the love of a canine.

No Man’s Land by Sara Driscoll – Special Agent Meg Jennings and her K-9 companion, Hawk, search the ruins for life.

* Represents a second book by the same author in the same year.

Because I’ve found so many in a series in which I’ve become invested, I’m going to be listing those later with the intention of linking those already read along with a pledge to read the rest in the series. Yes, I’m hooked on more than one series (haven’t done that since Nancy Drew), so this could end up being problematic, but I will also continue to seek new authors.

Which ones have you read? Did I turn you on to a new author? I’d love your comments!

November Reviews Recap–HELLO December!!

It’s been a very fast year and gaining momentum now toward the end of 2019. NW Indiana skipped fall and went straight into winter with early snow and cold temps. I wonder about the weather where you are as I’ve had views and visits from all around the world now and marvel at all the remarkable flags I’ve seen spout on my handy-dandy WordPress Traffic Map. SOOO amazing!

This year has been the best so far with more than 9,944 views from the US alone and a total of 15K views including countries from Azerbaijan and Brunei, to Venezuela and Viet Nam. Low month was May (devoted to my gardens) at 1.2k visits and high point hit this month with 1.6k visits for November. See your country on this map? You did that–thank you so much!

November gave me some wonderful books to review, most from NetGalley, along with a book blitz and blog tours and an author request. Twelve! My associate, the CE, joined me for a growing number of collaborative reviews and it’s obvious we don’t always agree. (My review link on the title.)

San Diego Dead by Mark Nolan
The Angels’ Share by Ellen Crosby
Brain Puzzles for Seniors by Jenny Patterson and The Puzzler
Fan Mail by Daryl Wood Garber
The Dog I Loved by Susan Wilson – 5 stars
From Wild to Mild by Sunny Weber – 5 stars
Storm of Secrets by Loretta Marion
Mercy Road by Ann Howard Creel
The Fever Cabinet by Frankie Bow
Paw of the Jungle by Diane Kelly
Scarlet Fever by Rita Mae Brown
The Memories We Hide by Jodi Gibson

Still working hard on the Goodreads Challenge and cut that back last month, calculating I’ll have to add a couple more reviews as well as a small push for the 200 badge for NetGalley this month (and predictably that did take a year). I think, however, I will make the NetGalley Challenge using the push for the badge. Phew! Don’t think I’ll be upping any challenges next year–this year was a serious challenge.

So far I have some incredible authors and books scheduled for December, including Robert Dugoni’s book, A Cold Trail, I’ll review on Tuesday. Like Dugoni? (This one promises to be a bit more on the raw, noir side.) Have you got that one on your TBR too? What did you think?

Once again, I appreciate each and every one of you for the new follows and those who continue to look in on my post efforts and I always welcome book suggestions!

My Reviews Have Gone to the Dogs – #dogsworld

Well, perhaps not literally, but seems an unusual number of reviews lately have either used a doggy protagonist or figured prominently in the storyline. October seems to have started it with four, Dogs Don’t Lie, Tracking Game, Here Comes Santa Paws, and Rescued.

And November? November went whole dog again (well, almost) with five and for the most part, I loved them all. Two got my coveted five stars. And while some were more anthropomorphic than others, they all presented excellent POVs that you’d swear were directly interpreted.

Since we seem to be in dog-loving mode lately, thought if you missed one of these, you might like to check it out. (Links to my reviews in the titles below.)

Scarlet Fever

The well-plotted mystery moves you through the end of the fox-hunting season. I particularly enjoyed the conversation between the animals, not just between the dogs, but species to species.

Paw of the Jungle

The series has built an engaging set of characters you can’t help investing in. Entertaining atmospheric setting coupled with an intelligent and anthropomorphic glimpse into the psyche of a magnificent, intelligent canine partner.

From Wild to Mild – 5 stars

Beautifully well written, well-plotted, with fully developed human as well as canine personalities. (I loved the little goat!) The story is engaging from the beginning, fast-paced, with a very satisfying conclusion sure to elicit a few tears with happy smiles. Short and very sweet, this is a #mustread for anyone who enjoys a literary animal adventure.

The Dog I Loved – 5 stars

Author Susan Wilson has penned a masterful tale weaving modern-day storyline with a discovered journal of the remote area she is overseeing. All the characters are so fully engaging, including the fully-fleshed dogs, that the reader easily invests in each as well as the well-plotted and engaging narrative. Gripping and emotive, the book hits so many tough subjects from women in prison to wounded warriors, PTSD, dysfunctional families, estrangement, and friendship. Unique plot–totally immersive.

San Diego Dead

a smorgasbord of mystery, action, adventure, murderous assassins, terrorists, kidnapping and general mayhem. The fast-paced, well-plotted thriller moves through twists and turns. Jake is well-developed as is Cody and there is a perspective from Cody as he observes his human. (I wouldn’t exactly term him a master–handler would be more appropriate.)

You might be a kitty person or a horse lover and a few of these novels included those animals as well as foxes (the latter). We do love our animals, don’t we? They present an endless fascination. Dogs posited most often as service dogs–those stout-hearted, intelligent, well-trained animals who use their native sensitivities for human benefit.

Have to read any of the above? Did you agree with my assessment? Want equal time with your favorite feline? Tell me about it.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers and if you don’t celebrate Thanksgiving where you are–have a super Thursday!

Happy Thursday

Happy Thanksgiving

Brain Exercises for Seniors (The Puzzler Series Book 14) by Jenny Patterson & The Puzzler

Many thanks goes to Meredith, Assistant Editor at Old Town Publishing for mailing this beautiful book to me.

Book Blurb:

Keep your mind young and improve your memory with this enjoyable, relaxing workout for mind and brain.

Experts around world tell us that exercising the brain with challenging puzzles helps keep our mental processes younger and sharper.

The improvements these create in cognitive ability can change lives.

Individuals of all ages need to keep learning new things, exploring challenges, and solving puzzles to stay young, alert, and at their mental best.

The large print and easy-to-read formatting in this book make it perfect for seniors and for anyone wanting to avoid the eye-strain of the small type found in most such books.

Types of puzzles include:

Crosswords
Word Search
Word Fit
Sudoku
Jumbles
Trivia

Buy this book for yourself, a family member, or friend. You’re never too young or too old to start your mental exercise program.

FUN LARGE-TYPE CHALLENGES

My Review:

You don’t have to be a senior to fully enjoy this puzzle book chocked full of fun and memory-enhancing puzzles. And anyone who appreciates LARGE print will appreciate the sans-serif font (SOOO easy to read) and easily execute puzzles without the problem of first over-coming tiny print.

As noted above, there are several different kinds of popular puzzles, including Sudoku and Crosswords. The Introduction explains that the puzzles are designed to “exercise” the brain and mind, helping to keep the thought processes younger. It’s a wonderfully fun way to meet new challenges and stretch cognitive ability.

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There are twenty puzzles in each game, except Tough Trivia which has 62 questions to really get you thinking! (Did you ever know some of this stuff?) The Word Search Puzzles are titled with fun hints such as Dogs, Rivers, and Clothes. The Word Fit Puzzles are also printed by theme such as One Word Movies, Flower Power, Songs About Women, Great Car Names, and 15 Shades of Green (who knew there were that many?). My favorite? Books With One Word Titles, of course!

Located at the back of the book are the Solutions to all the puzzles–but test yourself first! (No cheating–that won’t give you the exercise you need.) Go ahead and tell me, “What is the most popular drink in the world that does not contain alcohol?” (Trivia question #10.) Guess or research, but I’m sure that one will end in further discussion.

I was granted this book from the publisher for an honest read and review and these are my unbiased opinions. With Christmas coming, this book will make a great gift for any with sight or eye problems, seniors working on memory retention, and those looking for hours of absorbing and engaging mind challenge.

Book Details:

Genre: Senior Travel Guides
Publisher: Old Town Publishing

ISBN-10:1796664081
ISBN-13:978-1796664089

Print Length: 164 pages
Publication Date: February 13, 2019
Source: Publisher
Title Link: Brain Exercises for Seniors

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five of Five Stars –

The Authors: Jenny Patterson has loved solving word puzzles since she was a young girl working on crosswords with her English teacher mom. Never traveling without a puzzle book, she met The Puzzler on a flight to Australia. He was working on a Sudoku. Together they shared their love of these types of challenges and the rest, as they say, is history. Now, with over a dozen books to their credit, Jenny and The Puzzler continue to work steadily on creating Sudoku and word puzzles for the enjoyment of kids and adults.

Before her puzzle-making career, Jenny worked developing curriculum for a prestigious private school in Los Angeles. An important part of her job was ensuring the gradient approach to the child’s education, ensuring each level could be mastered before the student went on to the next. By cultivating this high level of confidence and certainty the school graduated students prepared to succeed in this fast-moving and complicated world.

With her close friend, Toni, she wrote twp children’s joke books that were published by New York publishing house, Price, Stern, and Sloan. These books offered lots of laughs to young kids throughout the United States and other English speaking countries throughout the world.

The puzzler has always been a little shy about his puzzle-making obsession – hence the pen name. As a young child he wasn’t satisfied with putting together puzzles, but insisted on making his own out of construction paper. Later, after mastering such challenges as learning the alphabet and writing words, he began creating word searches and very, very simple crosswords.

He met Jenny on a flight to Australia. He was working on a Sudoku and she a crossword. Together they shared their love of these types of challenges and the rest, as they say, is history.

Now, with over a dozen books to their credit, Jenny and The Puzzler continue to work steadily on creating Sudoku and word puzzles for the enjoyment of kids and adults.

#TBR – November #amreading #crime #cozy #historicalfiction #literaryfiction #mystery #non-fiction #pawsome

My Short Stack for November!

Short Stack for November

Good Morning Thursday Readers! I’m excited about the review line up I have for the rest of the month and thought I’d share. It’s a full list of varied genres, so hang on–my short stack may turn into a full menu!

Titles are links to Amazon. Covers are links to Goodreads.

Brain Exercises for Seniors
Start tomorrow with my only Non-Fiction November–a puzzle book specifically created for seniors–LARGE print, puzzles designed to work the old cerebrum. Look at that gorgeous cover–and that’s just the beginning. (Print only) Tune in tomorrow for more info.

Fan Mail
Book Blurb:
Local celebrity news anchor Gloria Morning is used to receiving declarations of love and praise in her weekly fan letters, but when a Lake Tahoe doctor is murdered and she gets an anonymous note telling her it was done for her glory, her appreciation turns to panic. Unsure of where else to turn, she enlists the help of novice private investigator Aspen Adams. No sooner does Aspen begin digging into who sent the macabre note than another murder occurs, followed by another note, and she soon realizes she’s up against a ruthless and deranged killer.

Working with scant clues and a puzzling array of potential suspects, Aspen is determined to unearth the elusive connection between the victims and her client. But as the body count grows and the murderer remains a mystery to both her and the police, Aspen discovers she’s gotten closer to the killer than she ever imagined, and now she must risk everything she holds dear to stop the killings, including her own life . . .
Currently available for request from NetGalley

The Dog I Loved
Book Blurb:
After spending years in prison for a crime she didn’t intend to commit, Rose Collins is suddenly free. Someone who knows about the good work she has done—training therapy dogs while serving time—has arranged for her early release. This mysterious benefactor has even set her up with a job in the coastal Massachusetts community of Gloucester, on the edge of Dogtown, a place of legend and, for the first time since Rosie’s whole world came crashing down, hope. There she works to rebuild her life with the help of Shadow, a stray dog who appears one rainy night and refuses to leave Rose’s side.

Meghan Custer is a wheelchair-bound war veteran who used to be hopeless, too. Living at home with her devoted but stifling parents felt a lot like being in prison, in fact. But ever since she was matched with a service dog named Shark, who was trained in a puppy-to-prisoner rehabilitation program, Meghan has a brand new outlook. Finally, she can live on her own. Go to work. And maybe, with Shark by her side, even find love again.

Two strong women on a journey toward independence whose paths collide in extraordinary ways. Two dogs who somehow manage to save them both. A tale of survival and a testament to the human spirit, The Dog I Loved is an emotional and inspiring novel that no reader will soon forget.
Currently available for request from NetGalley

From Wild to Mild
(It’s not true I’ll only read doggy books–sometimes they just work out that way.
Book Blurb:
Eight-week-old Australian Shepherd Kaya is kidnapped by a nasty coyote to be food for his mate and puppies. Instead, the loving mother raises Kaya with her own pups. But as hard as she tries, Kaya can’t completely fit in—she can’t kill prey or stay awake for night hunts. Why can’t she make herself a true coyote? Constantly criticized by her coyote father, Kaya finds support in her new mother and siblings. She also figures out how to contribute through teamwork with her brother and sister. Trapped by a dog rescue, Kaya re-enters the human world and learns the differences between how dogs and coyotes live. When freed to roam again, does she return to her forest freedom—or remain with her farm family? Can Kaya forever straddle between the Wild and the Mild?

Storm of Secrets
This is Book 2 of the Haunted Bluffs Mystery series. I read Book 1 and jumped on this. (Just a hint of paranormal.)
Book Blurb:
A powerful storm descends upon Cape Cod’s Whale Rock at the peak of tourist season–and the weekend Cassandra Mitchell’s and Daniel Benjamin’s wedding is set to take place at The Bluffs, the magnificent Victorian mansion Cassie inherited from her family. In the wake of the storm’s destruction, three-year-old Lucas Kleister goes missing–and the body of small-time drug dealer Lee Chambers is found in a restaurant dumpster. Now, the WRPD are faced with a murder to solve, a missing child to find, and the aftermath of one of the worst storms in recent memory.

While aiding with the clean-up and helping the displaced, Cassie has been receiving cryptic messages from the spirits of her great-grandparents, Percy and Celeste Mitchell, the original residents of The Bluffs. At first, the messages are benign, but soon, they begin to point to something more sinister. As Cassie works to decipher their meaning, the specter of a mysterious local legend surfaces. The tale of Barnacle Boy–and what happened to him during another destructive storm decades earlier–will weave through the desperate search to find Lucas and the identity of the killer.
Currently available for request from NetGalley – Blog Tour with Dolly Cas

Mercy Road
Book Blurb:
In 1917, after Arlene Favier’s home burns to the ground, taking her father with it, she must find a way to support her mother and younger brother. If she doesn’t succeed, they will all be impoverished. Job opportunities are scarce, but then a daring possibility arises: the American Women’s Hospital needs ambulance drivers to join a trailblazing, all-female team of doctors and nurses bound for war-torn France.

On the front lines, Arlene and her fellow ambulance drivers work day and night to aid injured soldiers and civilians. In between dangerous ambulance runs, Arlene reunites with a childhood friend, Jimmy Tucker, now a soldier, who opens her heart like no one before. But she has also caught the attention of Felix Brohammer, a charismatic army captain who harbors a dark, treacherous secret.

To expose Brohammer means risking her family’s future and the promise of love. Arlene must make a choice: stay in the safety of silence or take the greatest chance of her life.
Read Now on NetGalley

Paw of the Jungle
Book Blurb:
AT THE ZOO
The weather is beautiful, work is slow, and her canine colleague could use a walk. What better day for Megan to take Brigit to the Fort Worth Zoo, where they can let loose and witness the law and order of nature unfold? But what begins as a fun field trip turns serious when a pair of rare hyacinth macaws named Fabiana and Fernando goes missing. Is the new custodian, a gentle soul who happens to be an ex-convict, to blame? Or is something far more sinister afoot?

AND ON THE HUNT
The birds are worth thousands of dollars, and the list of people on the premises who might have stolen them is long. Soon other animals start disappearing. . .and Megan and Brigit have their hands and paws full of suspects. But when a rare black rhino is taken from the zoo, presumably for its black-market-friendly horn, time is of the essence. Can Megan and Brigit find out who’s behind the mystery—before they too become prey?
Currently available for request from NetGalley

Scarlet Fever
Book Blurb:
Frigid February air has settled into the bones of the Blue Ridge Mountains, making for a slow foxhunting season, though “Sister” Jane Arnold’s enthusiasm is not so easily deterred. With the winter chill come tweed coats, blazing fireplaces—and perhaps another to share the warmth with, as the bold hunting scarlets worn by the men in Sister Jane’s hunting club make the hearts of women flutter—until someone’s stops entirely.

Harry Dunbar, a member of the Jefferson Hunt club with a penchant for antique furniture, is found with his skull cracked at the bottom of the stairs to a local store. There are no telltale signs of foul play—save for the priceless (and stolen) Erté fox ring in his pocket. Sister and her hounds set out to uncover the truth: was this simply an accident—a case of bad luck—or something much more sinister?

Steeped in the deep traditions of Virginia horse country and featuring a colorful cast of characters both two- and four-legged, Scarlet Fever is another spirited mystery from Rita Mae Brown.
Blog Tour with Dolly Cas

The Memories We Hide
Recommended by my good blogger buddy Shalini over at Shalini’s Books and Reviews
Book Blurb:
When Laura returns home ten years after the death of her childhood sweetheart Ryan Taylor, her past begins to unravel and memories she’d long pushed aside begin to resurface. Having trouble reconciling truth and memory, Laura reconnects with childhood friend Tom, to try and find closure, but Tom has issues of his own. Not only is he faced with the threat of losing his farm, but he is also hiding a secret that could change everything for them both.

Will Laura and Tom find the answers they need to move forward, or will they discover that memories can’t always be trusted?
Read Now on NetGalley

What do you think? Have you already read one of these or have I enticed you into adding them on your #tbr?

Attributes: Short Stack photo from Canva.com

October Reviews Recap–HELLO November!! – What? Noooo #rosepointpub #bookreviewers

Holy Moses, another very fast year and I assume if October was my daughter’s birthday and Halloween yesterday, then Thanksgiving will steamroller right over us and we’re staring at Christmas and New Year’s. Already? YES! And I’m excited for 2020. It’s got to be good!

We were thrilled to host our ole Navy buddies who rode out on their trike to North Carolina for a rally, thence to Pennsylvania from whence they originally hailed to visit relatives and friends–and then to Indiana for a very welcome visit to us. SOO good to see them again, doing well, enjoying retirement, and riding that beautiful trike…but uh…gulp…in October in Chicagoland?

Studebaker Museum, South Bend, Indiana — Thanks to Kitra for her artistic rendering of the pic taken of us in a Studebaker Commander at the Studebaker Museum in South Bend, Indiana.

We had a great time before they felt the weather pressure to push on back home to Texas, where they were still enjoying 70+-degree weather. (And I must say, they did indeed time it right, as it turned ugly shortly after they left. Yes, Halloween snow!)

Still managed some book reviews while they were here, though woefully slow responding to your likes, comments, and new blog posts and I apologize for that. I did manage (between myself and the CE) to produce eleven reviews, several a collaborative effort. The list below the pic links to our reviews.

Here Comes Santa Paws by Laurien Berenson

Janis: Her Life and Music by Jolly George-Warren

Portal to Murder by Alison Lingwood – (won a print copy!)
Haunted House Ghost by James J Cudney
Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing by Heather Day Gilbert
Yellowhead Blues by R E Donald (a CE review)
Here Comes Santa Paws by Laurien Berenson
Janis by Holly George Warren
Molded 4 Murder by J C Eaton (reviewed by myself and the CE)
Rescued by David Rosenfelt (audiobook)
Tracking Game by Margaret Mizushima
Dogs Don’t Lie by Lisa Shay (reviewed by myself and the CE)
Bad Memory by Lisa Gray

Obviously, I had way too much fun with my gardens this summer, as I over-goaled myself and calculating, realized I wasn’t going to make the 200 earlier set with Goodreads. That was an off-the-wall guestimate assuming the CE’s additional reviews. But that didn’t happen when he started reading the same books! So I’ve had to cut that back, revised to 175. Of that, so far, 143 read for 82%. Thinking that is doable (it’d better be). The Alphabet Challenge–no. Always stuck for the same letters, I believe this will be my last Alphabet Challenge. The NetGalley Challenge, hmmm. I struggled last year to achieve the 75 goal and set the same goal for this year. So far, my count shows 64 as I stopped concentrating on NetGalley books, reviewing with a couple new blog tours.

I’m looking forward to some great books in November and I’ll be providing a sneak peek into those shortly. Also, it’s time I started tackling favorites, looking at 4.5-5 stars to whittle down my ten favs for the year. I found that very difficult to do last year and don’t expect less this year. Do you keep a tally during the year? Already know which ones will hit the top of your list?

Once again, I appreciate each and every one of you for the new follows and those who continue to look in on my post efforts and if you have book suggestions or post ideas for me, I’d love to hear them!

#tbr – Janis: Her Life and Music by Holly George-Warren

I am thrilled to have been granted this book from Simon & Schuster through NetGalley.

#tbr - Janis: Her Life and Music

Janis: Her Life and Music by Holly George-Warren

Book Blurb:

Longlisted for the 2020 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence

This blazingly intimate biography of Janis Joplin establishes the Queen of Rock & Roll as the rule-breaking musical trailblazer and complicated, gender-bending rebel she was.

Janis Joplin’s first transgressive act was to be a white girl who gained an early sense of the power of the blues, music you could only find on obscure records and in roadhouses along the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast. But even before that, she stood out in her conservative oil town. She was a tomboy who was also intellectually curious and artistic. By the time she reached high school, she had drawn the scorn of her peers for her embrace of the Beats and her racially progressive views. Her parents doted on her in many ways, but were ultimately put off by her repeated acts of defiance.

Janis Joplin has passed into legend as a brash, impassioned soul doomed by the pain that produced one of the most extraordinary voices in rock history. But in these pages, Holly George-Warren provides a revelatory and deeply satisfying portrait of a woman who wasn’t all about suffering. Janis was a perfectionist: a passionate, erudite musician who was born with talent but also worked exceptionally hard to develop it. She was a woman who pushed the boundaries of gender and sexuality long before it was socially acceptable. She was a sensitive seeker who wanted to marry and settle down—but couldn’t, or wouldn’t. She was a Texan who yearned to flee Texas but could never quite get away—even after becoming a countercultural icon in San Francisco.

Written by one of the most highly regarded chroniclers of American music history, and based on unprecedented access to Janis Joplin’s family, friends, band mates, archives, and long-lost interviews, Janis is a complex, rewarding portrait of a remarkable artist finally getting her due.