#bookreviewers – Rosepoint Publishing

Rosepoint Reviews – April Recap – May Flowers and Water Gardens

Still continuing with wet and wild weather, currently in a cool to cold pattern. We always get this setback going into Spring, but it’s annoying when you want to start the gardens. As if I didn’t already have enough, I’ve started a small water garden—really just a 26” bowl—should be deeper but couldn’t find one. At 26” though, I should be able to have a couple water lilies and an iris or two along with the free floaters. Preparing the water takes more time than expected. Once again, a big learning curve! I mentioned last month we were taking down the old tree in front of the kitchen window. This will fill in that void. (Too cold for the plants.)

water bowl with a couple baby plants

Still going to our YMCA three times a week for exercise and to mark our insurance calendar. The Y continues to invent activities for us seniors—gotta keep us busy, I guess, but the cooking class was fun and now supplies me with fresh veggies once a month for several months, Bingo, a painting class for the CE, and my book club, of course. Hard to get our reading done, though, there are many opportunities for listening!

The CE and I read or listened to a total of fourteen books in April. As always, the major source of our books is the library (audiobooks and ebooks). (We still obtain ARCs from NetGalley (though not as often) and author and publisher requests.) The links on titles are to our reviews that include purchase information.

Iron Curtain by Russ Stone (CE review)
Murder on the Marlow Belle by Robert Thorogood
Brimstone Hollow by Archer Sullivan
Fool by Mary Lawrence (5*)
Midnight Patriots by Paul Levine (CE review-NG-5*)
And Now, Back to You by B K Borison

Audiobooks

The Astral Library by Kate Quinn
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
Her Last Breath by Taylor Adams
The Last Word by Taylor Adams
Free Ride by Noraly Schoemaker
By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult
Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane
Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak

Favorite Book of the Month

Both the CE and I each had one five-star read in April, but I happen to know he felt a bit of slowing in the middle of his book. Therefore, the favorite book for April and my only five-star review is:

Favorite for April – Fool by Mary Lawrence

My Reading Challenges page…I keep hoping to catch up. My Goodreads count is still off, and the landing page shows 53 of a challenge of 175 with one book owing a review from April and four books behind schedule. Oops.

To all my dear readers and fellow bloggers, thank you so much for taking the time to check out my posts and reviews. I’m trying to up my bloghopping and hope to see yours soon.

overloaded desk

Rosepoint Reviews – February Recap – Starting in March, Longer Days, Irish Tales

Around here, March can’t decide whether lion or lamb, so one day will be sunny, warm and 62 degrees and the next cloudy, cold, windy and a high of 31 degrees Fahrenheit. The first week of March is forecasted for just that—snow by Monday, t-shirts by Friday. Nice we can enjoy so many activities indoors now with our participation in the YMCA. They’ve got an amazing facility as long as the weather allows us to get there. Pickleball? No…we used to play racquetball. (I loved racquetball but it got a bit rough.)

The Y started a six-week course in food preparation for seniors who face health issues and I started that, thinking I could always learn something new, especially in regard to the CEs cardiac issues. About the same time, the CE started working with our son again this year for the AARP tax program normally held on Saturdays at the library during tax season. This year on taxes on Friday has forced us to change our exercise schedule.

You might remember that in the January Recap, I mentioned the quest to find and understand the welcome uptick in visits and views. I spent quite a bit of time working on SEO, creating the SiteMap for the website, and following all the Google guides and site verification services I could find or implement. Apparently, there had been a problem in there that when finally cleaned up and properly executed resulted in an amazing, albeit temporary surge in traffic.

My freebie doesn’t allow for Google Analytics or the SEO tools granted an upgrade or Business Plan. Still, March bears a best yet stat of 39K for the month, one day with over 11K, and an average now of 1.4K views per day. I’m pretty happy with that and working hard to keep or even improve on that, just sorry it took so many years to finally get it. Us older folks have to learn everything the hard way!

I have no idea how those figures compare with your own blogs and I am hoping it might constitute an average. Please let me know, or perhaps there is still something I should be doing?

Rosepoint Recap

The CE and I read or listened to a total of twelve books in February. As always, the major source of our books is the library (audiobooks as well as ebooks). We also find books in NetGalley and enjoy author and publisher requests. The links on titles are to our reviews that include purchase information.

Rosepoint Reviews - February Recap

June Baby by Shannon Garvey
Want to Know a Secret? By Freida McFadden (audiobook)
The Mediator by Robert Bailey (CE review)
Wanna Get Lucky? By Deborah Coonts
The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown (audiobook)
Hard Time by Logan Ryles (CE review)
Reverse by Steven F Havill (CE review)
Flight Path by Suzanne C Carver
Nightshade by Michael Connelly (audiobook)
Three Audiobooks Mini-Reviews:
Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
The Wife and the Widow by Christian White
If You Ask Me by Betty White

Favorite Book of the Month

Another book I’d have never chosen but was the Y Book Club of the Month, The Boys in the Boat. Yes, I enjoyed Nightshade but for sheer heart-stopping tension, I have to give it to The Boys.

Favorite for February – The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown

My Reading Challenges page…I’m still having problems with the Goodreads Challenge tally, one total noted on my Goodreads landing page and another in the widget. Therefore, it’s either 25 completed so far in a challenge of 175 or 19 according to the widget. Getting it fixed obviously won’t happen. Challenge page is all caught up.

What's Next?

Last month I was looking for romantic book suggestions and this month it’s St. Patty’s Day suggestions. In March, I’m reading Irish — moody atmospheric landscapes, wit and wisdom delivered with a dark sense of humor, layered families, and stories that resonate. I’ll be scouring 746 Books for ideas but will gladly entertain your selections as well. Would love to see your recommendations—drop me a quick comment, please!

To all my dear readers and fellow bloggers, my blogging buddies, I do so appreciate your visits and comments and appreciate each and every one of you.

March is #ReadingIrelandMonth

Nightshade by Michael Connelly #AudiobookReview #ThrowbackThursday #policeprocedurals

Catalina #1

Editors’ pick Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

Book Blurb:

AN INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Introducing Detective Stilwell: a cop relentlessly following his mission in the seemingly idyllic setting of Catalina Island.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Detective Stilwell has been “exiled” to a low-key post policing rustic Catalina Island, after department politics drove him off a homicide desk on the mainland. But while following up the usual drunk-and-disorderlies and petty thefts that come with his new territory, Detective Stilwell gets a report of a body found weighed down at the bottom of the harbor—a Jane Doe identifiable at first only by a streak of purple dye in her hair. At the same time, a report of poaching on a protected reserve turns into a case fraught with violence and danger as Stilwell digs into the shady past of an island bigwig.

Crossing all lines of protocol and jurisdiction, Stilwell doggedly works both cases. Though hampered by an old beef with an ex-colleague determined to thwart him at every turn, he is convinced he is the only one who can bring justice to the woman known as “Nightshade.” Soon, his investigation uncovers closely guarded secrets and a dark heart to the serene island that was meant to be his escape from the evils of the big city.

My Review:

Of course, my favorite books by this author are the Ballard, Bosch, or Haller stories, but, hey, it’s Michael Connelly and he’s a go-to author for me no matter the book, in this case, number one of a new series.

This one centers around Santa Catalina Island, one of California’s Channel Islands twenty-six miles off the Los Angeles coastline. I’m most familiar with Avalon, located on the south end. It’s the storied stuff of an old song. (Yeah, a long time ago, oh the nostalgia.)

Anyway, one of those quiet little island paradises that holds tourist interest but probably not the ideal location where LA Detective Stilwell would have wanted. It’s a low-key assignment, drunk and disorderlies, not exactly the exciting homicide department he’s used to, so it’s extremely unusual when a body is found at the bottom of the harbor. About the same time, a poaching on the island reserve is a no-no, which investigation takes him into the dark territory of an old island despot.

Nightshade by Michael Connelly — Nightshade cover – US

He tackles both, sometimes creating conflict with an ex-colleague left on unfriendly terms. In the meantime, the reader enjoys an armchair visit with the island and the people, the little town of Avalon, a unique location.

Underneath that bucolic sea air and picturesque setting lies a cloudy layer of subterfuge. Secrets never meant to surface. It doesn’t take long before the twists and turns have you flipping pages.

Stilwell is richly drawn, the storyline gritty, and the setting atmospheric. Connelly fans get a hook at the beginning as it sets up and establishes the setting and the characters (quite a few of them). There is a budding romance (seems like there always is) and as usual the MC’s fierce dedication to his job may cause a bit of friction. We’ll see.

I waited quite a while for this audiobook to come up on the wait list. It was worth it. Narration was smooth and nuanced. The CE read and reviewed the book when it first came out, offered by NetGalley. He quite enjoyed and gave it five stars last year.

Many thanks to my local library for providing me with the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. The thoughts expressed here are my own.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: Police Procedurals, Murder Thrillers
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Narrator: Will Damron

Title Links:

Amazon-US | Amazon-UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

The Author: Michael Connelly is the bestselling author of more than forty novels and one work of nonfiction. With over eighty-nine million copies of his books sold worldwide and translated into forty-five foreign languages, he is one of the most successful writers working today. A former newspaper reporter who worked the crime beat at the Los Angeles Times and the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, Connelly has won numerous awards for his journalism and his fiction. His very first novel, The Black Echo, won the prestigious Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best First Novel in 1992. In 2002, Clint Eastwood directed and starred in the movie adaptation of Connelly’s 1998 novel, Blood Work. In March 2011, the movie adaptation of his #1 bestselling novel, The Lincoln Lawyer, hit theaters worldwide starring Matthew McConaughey as Mickey Haller. His most recent New York Times bestsellers include The Waiting (2024), Resurrection Walk (2023), Desert Star (2022), The Dark Hours (2021), The Law Of Innocence (2020), Fair Warning (2020), and The Night Fire (2019). Michael is the executive producer of Bosch and Bosch: Legacy, Amazon Studios original drama series based on his bestselling character Harry Bosch, starring Titus Welliver and streaming on Amazon Prime/Amazon Freevee. He is the executive producer of The Lincoln Lawyer, streaming on Netflix, starring Manuel Garcia-Rulfo. He is also the executive producer of the documentary films, “Sound Of Redemption: The Frank Morgan Story’ and ‘Tales Of the American.’ He spends his time in California and Florida.

Audiobooks with headphones — Graphic books and coffee courtesy Freepik.com

Five Blogger Favorites for 2025 – Was This Book Also One of Yours?

Blogger's Favorites of 2025 — AI graphic courtesy ChatGPT

Remember that favorite book invitation I included in my December Recap?

It’s not easy to pick out one book of all the books you loved last year, but there were a number of you who offered to answer that question.

Amazingly two favorites were for the same book. Or…as in the case where I answer on my phone it sends as “anonymous” it may have been the same person answering twice. (Could be possible.)

Links on titles are to Goodreads. Thumbnails are links to Amazon listings both US and UK if different from US cover.)

In any case, here are the results, one or more that I hope will interest you:

Julia, at Julias Bookshelves noted Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid as her “Undisputed Favorite” in her 2025 Notable Reading Highlights. (Hope it was okay that I borrowed from your blog, Julia!)

Fiction Fan at Fiction Fan’s Books Reviews said she preferred Venetian Vespers by John Banville.

Anonymous quipped, “Geesh! If pressed I guess I would pick “The Names” by Florence Knapp (and no, it was not a new genre for me). However, it was SO close to Chris Whitaker’s “All The Colors Of The Dark” that it was really to close to call…”

Anonymous

I get that Anonymous—I’ve had a few also too close to call!

Next, I got another vote for The Names by Florence Knapp. This one from Davida Chazan at The Chocolate Lady’s Book Review Blog who reported that “It beat out My Friends by Fredrik Backman by a whisker.” Thank you, Davida!

Next, I heard from Amanda Hughes (one of my favorite go-to authors), who sent me her choice, The Sultan’s Harem by Colin Falconer.

If you get a chance, might also check out Amanda’s books. I love her “Bold Women” series!

And then in my previous disclosure from my December Review Recap, I finally settled on Endurance by Alfred Lansing as I struggled to decide whether or not Shacktletons Incredible Voyage would win over The Women by Kristin Hannah.

Was one of these a favorite of yours also? Banville is always a favorite and March is coming—a great suggestion for Reading Ireland Month 2026. And for book cover lovers, quite a difference in covers for the same book, huh?

To those responding with your favs–thank you!

Happy Reading!

My Goodreads Year in Books – Did They Get It Wrong? Again?

Yes, I did get my Goodreads stat data (I’d missed it’s arrival) and it shows 149 books read, 49,775 pages read. Oops!

I love to see the new numbers though there’s an error or two (again—i.e. Last Book of the Year was not How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley. It was Killing Me Softly by Sandie Jones on December 30.

Also, Goodreads shows Mark Twain by Ron Chernow as the longest book at 1,200 pages. I suppose the book was 1,200 pages, but the CE gave up at approximately 46%. The shortest book was The Builders by Maeve Binchy at 93 pages.

The real problem with showing 149 books read with 49,775 pages read, however, is that the landing page correctly showed 187 and the successful challenge of 150 books. So far this year, the landing page shows 4 books of a challenge of 175 books, but the widget zero. I have no idea why it stopped counting my books last year at 149 or why it’s failing to count my Challenge books this year.

Unhappy surprise with Goodreads stats — ChatGPT

Goodreads Stats (minus 38 books)

Average Book Length in 2025

Average Book Length in 2024

334 pages

337 pages

Most Shelved*

4,485,715

All the Light We Cannot See

Anthony Doerr

My average rating for 2025

My average rating for 2024

4 stars

4.1 stars

Highest Rated on Goodreads – 4.6 average

Soaring Above

Amanda Hughes

Have you looked over your Goodreads stats, ran a critical eye over what went right or wrong?

Have you set your new challenges for 2026?

Do you find errors in your stats too? Any ideas whether or not the problem is Goodreads (JavaScript?) or my basic free version of WordPress?

*Slight change in stats since I wrote my post regarding 2024 Goodreads stats

Have you set your 2026 Challenges? — ChatGPT

Rosepoint Reviews – November Recap – Is Your December a Ho Ho Ho or a Hum Bug?

November wasted no time getting us right into the winter mood with an early snow and frigid temps. Of course, we celebrate Thanksgiving and that’s usually about the time Mother Nature rears back and blows an ill wind. We got a weather break both coming and going to southern Illinois to celebrate with our daughter and enjoyed dinner with our son as well, although our granddaughter and her family were not able to join us with our great-grandchildren. Fortunately, they are not so far that there won’t be other opportunities. Unfortunately, it appears a four-hour auto ride is harder on us than it used to be.

Hoping to get a good Christmas pic of Punkin to post, but nothing successful so far. In the meantime, our son got into the mood with his dog, Cooper, whom I’ve written about before. We think she’s part mini-Aussie and Jack Russell. The mini-Aussie part comes out in boundless energy and smarts and the rest with personality and more smarts. Also—it appears she is photogenic! I used to take yearly Christmas pics of the family until the idea was met with groans all round. Now, everyone is scattered around the country. Not so easy to gather for a family photo anymore.

Reading and reviewing is hit and miss—it’s that time of year. Thank heaven for audiobooks! We reviewed a total of thirteen books in November—six in audiobook form, with the CE contributing three (ebooks). As always, the major source of our books is the library (audiobooks as well as ebooks), NetGalley, author and publisher requests. The links on titles are to our reviews that include purchase information.

Rosepoint Publishing - November Recap

The Gift from Aelius by Michael Colon (CE review)
Soaring Above by Amanda Hughes
Dogged Pursuit by David Rosenfelt (audiobook)
Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox (audiobook)
Greetings from Lavender Valley by Tammy L Grace
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger (Audiobook-Bookclub)
A Walk Among Heroes by James McDevitt (CE review – 5*)
Muddled Through by Barbara Ross
Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben (audiobook)
Grid Zero by Andrew Diamond (CE review)
Judge and Jury by Stephen Penner
The Christmas Train by David Baldacci (audiobook)
The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner (audiobook)

Favorite Book of the Month

The CE gave five stars to A Walk Among Heroes and in fairness must award the favorite to his five stars. It was a good month for ebooks as well as audiobooks!

Favorite for November – A Walk Among Heroes

My Reading Challenges page…sorry still didn’t get it caught up. I swear, I’m not sure how I got so far behind.

I’m trying to promote my posts more quickly with social media as well as blog hopping. The Goodreads landing page now shows 173 books read of a goal of 150, so I’m at 115% of the challenge. A JavaScript problem, I guess, is that the code stopped at 136, and won’t ever show I’ve achieved the 2025 goal. That will impact a number of other little Goodreads goals. I’ve actually achieved their little ribbons for every month (last being November, of course). Assuming December, that should open to other ribbon goals, including the Grand Slam and Nailed It. Have you checked your Goodreads Achievement ribbons lately?

As you no doubt noticed, I tried this year to include some Christmas reads, audiobooks, and movies this year—something cheery for the holidays. Not easy, as I usually avoid those. And I actually found a couple I enjoyed! Hope you did as well.

Thank you again for your visits and comments. I always appreciate your comments and I’m trying to respond faster. Keep those likes and comments coming—and I thank you for each and every one!

Have a great week!

Rosepoint Reviews – September Recap – Four #Audiobooks You’ll Love!

Rosepoint Reviews - September Recap

We got lucky with September weather, pretty temporate, comfortable, and enough heat to harken back lazy summer days. I really love September now, as after the kiddies go back to school and we are past Labor Day here in the US, families are home and prices on the road drop.

After we had all the cucumber juices (with cantaloupe juice) I could manage from our handy dandy juicer, and the yearly trial with dried or dehydrated cherry tomatoes (dried tomato candy), we started in on tomato juice from our neighbors garden. SOOO delish!

Then we had the opportunity to link up with our old Navy buddies and met them in Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri (Osage Beach) at a lovely Airbnb along with our daughter who will shortly be celebrating a big birthday. Perfect location, the middle of everything, handy, beautifully decorated and the best screened in porch I’ve ever seen making for some delightful evenings of happy hour, chatting, and watching the sun go down.

Osage Beach MO, Airbnb boat dock — The pic of the sunset taken by our daughter, Shannon.

We checked out HAHA Tonka State Park, Stark Caverns, Bignell Dam, and rented a tritoon to do some fishing. The boat was fun—but there were no bites.

Last year came home with lots of trout—but that was in Arkansas. In Lake of the Ozarks—it’s bass.

Well, so I have a good reason why I flaked on posts in September. The tablet I bought to take with me so I could work on vacation is less than useless. Still, it was a great trip, got to be with our friends again and celebrate our daughter’s birthday.

We reviewed ten books in September—four of those in audiobook form, the CE contributing two and a half (?) He gave up half way into Mark Twain, an almost 1200 page biography. The source of the books is our library, NetGalley, author and publisher requests. As always, the links on titles are to our reviews that include purchase information.

#RosepointReviews,#SeptemberRecap,

Solid Gold Murder by Ellen Byron (audiobook)
Mark Twain by Ron Chernow (CE review-DNF)
The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel
News of the World by Paulette Jiles (audiobook-Book Club)
A Calamity of Souls by David Baldacci (audiobook)
Peter Pulaski Must Pay by Jen Lancaster
One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware (audiobook)
Ain’t Nobody’s Fool by Martha Ackmann (CE review-5 stars -biography)
The Tenth Trail Mark by Joe Looby (CE review-5 stars-NG)
Die Again by Tess Gerritsen

Favorite Book of the Month

Perhaps predictably, except for the Mark Twain book, the CE favored his two September reads with five stars. When asked which he’d choose for a September favorite, he said, “no question, The Tenth Trail Mark.” So there you have it:

Favorite for September – The Tenth Trail Mark

My Reading Challenges page…Vacation month. What can I say? Definitely more talking and sight-seeing than reading.

The Goodreads landing page shows 143 of a goal of 150 or 95%. I have three yet to post for books read in September. I suspect I’m doing okay in the audiobook challenge as well, not so sure about NetGalley.

I always appreciate your visits and comments. Keeps those likes and comments coming—and thank you for all of them!

Goodbye September — Graphic design courtesy Canva

Rosepoint Reviews – June Recap – Toasty Temps – Cool Books

Progress came to a screeching halt with spring cleaning. Now with sizzling summer temps, little progress outside, and air conditioning inside, none to zip inside. Windows are a biggee, inside and out, but it’s too hot to contemplate doing windows in 97 degree temps with “feel like” temps of 105 F. Closets, cupboards, still beckon but at least it was hot enough to clean rugs and have them dry enough to walk on within a half a day.

Also, despite all the prep and barricades surrounding my veggies, the varmints found a way to eat the beans and peas, and most anything else I was hoping to harvest by July. I am, however, raising a bountiful crop of mosquitoes in the little water tub for the lotus seeds I planted and coaxed to the surface. The lotus seeds need six hours of sun and don’t get that on the deck but appear quite happy for the time being.

I’m thinking at this point if the critters won’t eat my tomatoes or radishes, maybe that’s all I can count on in my veggie garden. I may rip it out and put in a water feature—transplant my lotus plants. Maybe I could grow frogs.

Of course, we are still going to the Y three times a week, greatly enjoying the classes, meeting other seniors, and discovering muscles we forgot we had. We added another class for the current challenge, ending in August.

My “boys,” the CE and our son, celebrated birthdays the end of June. Upcoming doctor visits are beginning to take an additional toll on time with each birthday though, a reminder that time marches on…and on…

We reviewed sixteen books in June—trying to catch up with the books read during the May hiatus. (I’m still not entirely caught up.) The book up for review in July at the Y Book Club is Beartown, of which I’m familiar, of course, but will have to get the book and familiarize myself with salient points. I had a difficult time with it first time through.

The source of our books is our library, NetGalley, and author and publisher requests. As always, the links on titles are to our reviews that include purchase information.

#RosepointPublishing #JuneRecap

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister
Blackout by David Rosenfelt (audiobook)

Mini-reviews

Dogged Pursuit by David Rosenfelt (CE review)

Fatal Verdict by Peter O’Mahoney (CE review)

Smoke on the Water by Jack Bartley (CE review)

What We Left Behind by Luisa A Jones (CE review)

Finlay Donovan Digs Her Own Grave by Elle Cosimano (audiobook)
One in a Million Boy by Monica Wood (audiobook-book club)
Body of Evidence by Stephen Penner (CE review)
A Body at the Book Fair by Ellie Alexander
The Midwife of Hope River by Patricia Harman (audiobook)
How to Hotwire an Airplane by Henry Rausch (buddy read with the CE)
Folded Corners by Jean Grainger

Audiobooks Mini-Reviews

Never Lie by Freida McFadden (audiobook)

Women of War by Suzanne Cope (audiobook)

The Last Conclave by Glenn Cooper (CE review)

Favorite Book of the Month

The CE had more than one five-star review in June. He really loved Smoke on the Water and The Last Conclave, but we both loved How to Hotwire an Airplane.

Favorite for June – How to Hotwire an Airplane

My Reading Challenges page…caught up with May and June but dismayed at the numbers.

The Goodreads landing page may be correct at 94 for a goal of 150 or 63%, but the book count widget is still well off, leading me to believe that even when I reach my goal of 150, it won’t register the win. Otherwise, I appear to be behind in all my challenges except Goodreads.

I hope you found a book or two listed above that appealed to you and I always appreciate your comments. Most especially if you have reading suggestions! Have a warm but safe July!