#TheKeepsake – Rosepoint Publishing

Rosepoint Reviews – November Recap – Welcome Holly Jolly Season!

Rosepoint Reviews - November Recap

The snow on Halloween this year was a wake-up call that summer is over, fall is flirting with winter, and the holiday season isn’t far behind. I have always enjoyed the holiday season, particularly when our kids were little and we were able to see the excitement and enjoy the anticipation all over again through their eyes; too soon grown and the responsibilities of adulthood overshadow those innocent years.

The shift, of course, happens now from reading, reviewing, and blogging to Christmas lists, wrapping, delivering, decorating, cards (yes, I still snail mail), menu items, grocery shopping and food prep. I used to do a lot of baking and made large Christmas trays for those close, both relatives and co-workers. Not anymore. Do you still bake?

Thankfully, Punkin the Pom is bonding well to the CE. He still can’t pick her up though is getting her to follow him out on the secured deck and she is about 50/50 doing her bathroom duties outside. That’s a big one and yesterday he got a harness on her! Still running at the sight of a leash, but we continue to hope we’ll eventually be able to get her out on walks and have her totally housebroken.

Between visits to the local vet with Punkin and the transition to holiday mentality, we did manage to read and review eighteen books in November—because one post included seven short synopses of audiobooks backlogged for review, including one Christmas-themed audiobook. Looking now to line up a couple more at least for the season but perhaps not in a cozy mystery genre. (And as always, links below are to reviews that include purchase or source info.)

November Recap

Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh (audiobook)
Cruel Lessons by Randy Overbeck (CE review)
Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney
The Stolen Coast by Dwyer Murphy (audiobook)
More Than a Hashtag by Penny Poulsen (5* CE review)
The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen (5* review)
The Lost Van Gogh by Jonathan Santlofer (CE review)
Invisible No More by Scott Pitoniak and Rick Burton (5* CE review)
Blue Ridge by Peter Malone
Trans-Mongolian Express by David L Robbins (CE review)
Mission Churchill by Alex Abella (CE review)

I also posted a group audiobook review, catching up on all those backlogged reviews—a number that surprised me when I added them up.

Audiobooks! Listen, Not Read, the Most Recent #NYTimesBestseller – included in the post are:

Favorite Book of the Month

The CE turned in two five-star reviews and I also had two, though once again, my vote wins: The Crossing: Harry Bosch, Book 18 by Michael Connelly also an Amazon Editors’ pick for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense. Pretty hard to compete against two of the most widely accepted bows to excellence, his Bosch series combined with contribution by Mickey Haller. The whole thing is neatly wrapped by TV’s Bosch Titus Welliver.

Book of the Month for November—The Crossing

My Reading Challenges page… I have 141 books of a goal of 145 in Goodreads (at this point two books ahead of schedule) and at a 98% feedback ratio in NetGalley. My Reading Challenges page is suffering from neglect–again.

I never stop appreciating those who read and comment, and as always, welcome my new subscribers!

Audiobooks! Listen, Not Read, the Most Recent #NYTimesBestseller #TuesdayBookBlog

#Audiobooks

It’s always a challenge to find a good audiobook and I must admit to choosing and getting fifteen minutes into the narration only to find I can’t stand the narrator, the pace, or the rude, crude, and socially unacceptable (at least to my generation) dialogue.

The good news is that my audiobooks (almost without exception) are downloaded from my local library and I’m neither required to review nor explain why I dnf’d it. The best part is that they can be enjoyed in the car, in your ear at the store, or in the kitchen on that little portable speaker.

So, to my surprise, trying to choose a book for my regular Thursday audiobook post, discovered I had a number of audiobooks backlogged to review (or not). Those I did finish ranged from literary fiction, crime fiction, police procedurals, medical, and legal thrillers, coming of age, to cozy mysteries.

Yeah, I even surprised myself.

I’ll go ahead and mention that of these seven, my favorite would be Michael Connelly’s The Crossing. The man can write—and never fails to capture and keep my attention. Still, you may find one here that captures your attention. I hope you do, so here, in no particular order:

The Keepsake: A Rizzoli and Isles Novel by Tess Gerritsen. Rizzoli being a Boston homicide detective, Isles a medical examiner, are off on the mystery of what appears to be the switch of a recent body with that of a mummy in a local museum. This novel released in September, 2008 by Random House Audio and narrated by Deirdre Lovejoy is deemed a medical and forensic thriller. And btw, Rizzoli & Isles also happens to be a drama TV series that appeared between 2010-2016 starring Angie Harmon as Rizzoli and Sasha Alexander as Dr. Maura Isles. While I enjoyed to an extent, I did find my mind wandering a bit, but it is a unique storyline and I always appreciate medical and legal thrillers. 4 stars

I just read The Spy Coast by this author, her new series The Martini Club.

Silent Night, Deadly Night: A Year-Round Christmas Mystery, Book 4 by Vicki Delany. My annual bow to a Christmas cozy. Yes, I got it because of the promise of a dog, a Saint Bernard, on the cover. And he is included in the storyline. It’s categorized as an animal cozy, released in March, 2023 by Tantor Audio narrated by Amy Deuchler. This one is about the protagonist’s mother throwing a reunion for her college buddies and the unexpected and suspicious death of one at a potluck. Perhaps this would be better read than listened to—the narration really got on my nerves. 3.5 stars

Betrayal: A Robin Lockwood Novel, Book 7 by Phillip Margolin. An author and series I enjoy, also read Murder at Black Oaks last year. This audiobook is narrated by Thérèse Plummer and was just released November 7, 2023 by Macmillan Audio. It is classified as a legal or crime thriller. Because the protagonist is now a prominent defense attorney in Portland but was a rising MMA fighter, I have a little difficulty identifying with her. She takes on the case of a fighter up for the death of an opponent following a fight in which she took a performance-enhancing drug. I liked it, but I’m not in love. 4 stars

The Crossing: Harry Bosch, Book 18 by Michael Connelly also an Amazon Editors’ pick for Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense. Since Bosch’s ostensible retirement from the LAPD, the novels have been borrowing from another Connelly series, his half-brother defense attorney Mickey Haller. I love the Haller series and with the Bosch series narrated by none other than Titus Welliver, does it get any better than that? This audiobook released in November, 2015 by Hachette Audio. Of course, it’s a police procedural, crime fiction genre but I’d say if Haller’s in it, would also be a legal thriller as well. So 5 stars both for novel and narrator. Of course, there is a Bosch: Legacy TV series starring Titus Welliver developed by Michael Connelly, Tom Bernardo and Eric Overmyer. “Bosch: Legacy season 2 continues plot lines from season 1 and then uses The Crossing (2015) as the main storyline.” https://www.michaelconnelly.com/bosch-tv/

I last read Desert Star, a Renee Ballard book in March this year. Another good Connelly series.

Now Is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson, an Amazon Editors’ pick for Best Literature & Fiction. This is a short audiobook (6 hrs 13 mins), but packs a punch. Narrated by Kevin Wilson, and Ginnifer Goodwin it was released last November 2022 and is a Southern Fiction, Coming of Age Fiction novel. Wow. Once again, the critics loved it, but the general reading public is divided between 4 and 5 stars. It began rather slowly. I got hooked on what started a fascinating look into what can happen with “word of mouth.” Rumor. Stories. Pretty soon they don’t even resemble the original chronicle. These are kids. The full story may be exposed twenty years later. It’s an exploration of imagination and interpretation. I enjoyed it. So, 4.5 stars—but I can understand the slow start.

Endangered Species: Anna Pigeon by Nevada Barr released on May 5, 2022, and narrated by Cindy Williams, published by Phoenix Books. Yes, I do believe that is Cindy Williams, the actress who died in January this year at the age of 75. This audiobook is a real shorty at only 2 hrs 46 mins. That’s good, as Cindy, bless her heart, definitely could not replace Barbara Rosenblat who totally sells the part of Anna Pigeon, the US park ranger. I’ve always enjoyed this series and I enjoyed this location storyline as well—picture-perfect but isolated Cumberland Island off Georgia–just not as much as usual. A plane crash on the island is the result of sabotage. A victim and—collateral damage? 4 stars

In September, this year, I listened to A Superior Death. The series is a good one and I can always find another I haven’t read/heard before.

Vanishing Hour by Laura Griffin, narrated by Julia Atwood. It was released last October, 2022 by Dreamscape Media, LLC and is a police procedural mystery. Yes, there’s a dog—Huck. Corporate lawyer Ava Burch gave up the big city to move near Big Bend National Park (Texas). She grew up raising search and rescue dogs. Her dog catches some attention when he finds an abandoned campsite that leads to a cold case. Those who are familiar with my preferences know I’m not big on romances. This one morphs into a romance when she meets Grant Wycoff. Not my cup of tea. Those who enjoy that play of tension and release might very well love it. I signed up for a police procedural. 3.5 stars

I’m currently listening to None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell. Listed as Amazon’s #1 Best Seller in Women Sleuth Mysteries, it also has a mixed review by regular readers like you and me. Not quite sure why it’s classified as a women’s sleuth mystery, but guess we’ll both find out when I review it on Thursday, December 7.

What about the audiobooks listed above. Find one that interests you? Have you already read or listened to one? What did you think? I’d love to know.

Rosepoint Reviews – September Recap—Welcome Autumn(?)

September was a very busy month with finishing up the garden (early this year), temps turning cool, and fewer sunny days. I know many of you love the fall colors and relief from summer high temperatures, but for me it’s a herald of the coming winter–NOT something I look forward to.

My big bookish news, of course, was the achievement of the 500 reviews badge from NetGalley. That required a concentrated effort this year after I determined I could achieve the badge this year. Having done so, I can relax a little now and get back to more diversity.

Together we read or listened to seventeen books in September from NetGalley, as well as audiobooks and a couple author requests.

Rosepoint Publishing September reads

The Double Agent by William Christie (CE review)
The Italian Daughter by Soraya Lane (CE review)
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett (audiobook)
Half Notes from Berlin by B V Glants (CE review)
Ellis River by Nicki Ehrlich (5* CE review)
Painting with Fire by Amanda Hughes (5*)
Dancing in the River by George Lee
The War Librarian by Addison Armstrong (audiobook)
The Last Dollar Princess by Linda Bennett Pennell (CE review)
The Ways We Hide by Kristina McMorris (5* CE review)
The Quarryman’s Girl by Melanie Forde (5*)
Dog Friendly by Victoria Schade (audiobook)
Cosmic Trap by Matt Cost (author request-CE review))
Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout (CE review)
What Divides Us by Jean Grainger (author request)
The New Neighbor by Karen Cleveland (audiobook)
The Keepsake by Julie Brooks

YAY! The CE and I both had two books that we felt warranted five stars—a first. My stars went to two of my favorite authors, Amanda Hughes and Melanie Forde. I love the books by these ladies and highly recommend them (my review links above). And I must mention again the audiobook read by Tom Hanks, The Dutch House (link to my review above). The entertainment value!—my gosh—the man can read!

Have you read any of the above? Agree with us?

Reading Challenges

My challenges—behind again. My challenges for 2022 are all listed and linked in the widget column on the right. Hopefully can get them caught up soon. You can always check out their progress by clicking the Reading Challenges page. I’m now at 82% of the Goodreads Challenge of 180 books at 149 and achieved my Audiobook Challenge of 30, the Historical Reading Challenge of 25, and the NetGalley Challenge of 75.

The upper Midwest—*deep and heavy sigh*—an ecosystem of its own–turning cool enough by the middle of September to warrant at least a sweater. Bye-bye summer, it was way too short and sweet this year.

Welcome to my new followers and as always I appreciate those who continue to read, like, share, and comment—especially comment! How are you doing with your challenges? Let me know if you saw something above that got your interest.

Happy Autumn Weekend to you from Rosepoint Publishing

The Keepsake by Julie Brooks – #BookReview – #mysteryromance

“A thrilling dual-time novel of long-buried family secrets.”

Book Blurb:

Saturday: Pot-au-feu for luncheon. Father willed away inheritance. Betrayed by Edward.

1832. The morning after her father’s funeral, Prudence Merryfield wakes to the liberating thought that this is the first day of her new life. At thirty-five and unmarried, she is now mistress of her own fate. But a cruel revelation at the reading of her father’s will forces Prudence to realise that taking only the most drastic action will set her free.

Present day. Eliza is gifted a family heirloom by her aunt – a Georgian pocketbook, belonging to her ancestor, Prudence Merryfield, whose existence reverberates through the lives of generations of Eliza’s family, the Ambroses. Intrigued by what she reads inside, Eliza is drawn more and more into the infamous ‘Merryfield Mystery’. What happened to Prudence who so bravely dared to defy convention two hundred years ago – then disappeared?

His Review:

In the early part of the 1830s, Prudence Merryfield was blessed with a wealthy childhood but alas her mother died when she was young. She stayed with her father into her early thirties to provide comfort and family to him in his twilight years. When he died, Prudence expected to be the pilot of her own ship and able to do as she pleased.

Society in the 1800s, however, did not provide for much self-determination for young women. Her father entrusted a group of trustees to administer her substantial estate. The primary trustee is Edward Ambrose who decided that she should receive a substantial allowance each year from the trust. He guarded the trust and the property with an iron fist. Wherever Prudence went, Edward was sure to magically appear to monitor her travels.

A young orphaned waif named Bessie is found hiding in one of the hedgerows of the property’s lanes and is taken in by Prudence. She becomes the handmaid and personal servant for Prudence and is never far from Prudence’s side. Prudence decides she is too constricted by the ever-present Edward and decides to escape aboard a ship to the south Pacific for adventure and freedom. This is a mistake as the ship she and Bessie are on meets with an accident and sinks near a small South Pacific island. The marooned ladies are on separate islands and must integrate with the islanders or perish.

The author developed a very imaginative and engrossing narrative using the discovery of an heirloom to envelope the MC into a dual-time novel. The characters are believable and sympathetic. Edward Ambrose is an opportunist who places himself in control of Prudence’s fortune and properties and does his best to corral this young lady. The book enlightens the reader about the plight of the women of the 1800s and early 1900s. Treachery was rampant as men thirsted for the riches they could not obtain lawfully. Enjoy the adventure! 4.5 stars – CE Williams

Many thanks to the author and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

Rosepoint Publishing: Four point Five Stars

Book Details:

Genre: 1714-1837 History of UK, Marriage & Divorce Fiction, Mystery Romance
ASIN: B09MQB7W7Y
Print Length: 386 pages
Publication Date: September 29, 2022
Source: Publisher and NetGalley
Title Links: The Keepsake [Amazon]
Kobo

Julie Brooks - author — Julie Brooks – author

The Author: I’m so excited to be launching The Secrets of Bridgewater Bay with Headline Review. I love reading historical fiction and I love a mystery so I’m doubly pleased to bring you both in this new story. The Secrets of Bridgewater Bay is inspired by my love of the stunning coastline of south-west Victoria, Australia, and the similarly wild coastline of North Devon, UK. Set largely in these two regions in the early twentieth century and one hundred years later, it’s a story of betrayal, redemption and family secrets. I hope you like it.

I was born in Brisbane, Australia, but have lived most of my life in Melbourne. I taught English and Drama in secondary schools before working as an editor of children’s magazines. Like many writers, I have been scribbling stories from an early age and feel confident to call myself an author.

I am represented by the Judith Murdoch Literary Agency in London, UK. To find out more, visit juliebrooksauthor.com and follow her on Instagram @juliebrooks_books.