In this twisty thriller from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Robert Bailey, a disgraced attorney’s mistakes come back to haunt him when he’s tried for a murder he didn’t commit.
Once the flashy, successful lawyer known for his in-your-face billboards—IN AN ACCIDENT? GET RICH—Jason Rich has fallen from grace, his reputation scrubbed of its glitz and his life stripped of the people he cares about. All thanks to meth kingpin Tyson Cade.
But when Cade is shot and killed in the heart of his territory, things go from bad to worse for Jason as he is charged with his murder.
To clear his name, Jason seeks help from an unlikely source: Shay Lankford, an old adversary and attorney almost as disgraced as Jason himself. Now Jason and Shay have even more to lose—their lives—as they dig into the dangerous truth behind Tyson Cade’s murder.
Neither time nor evidence is on their side, but after everything he’s lost, Jason is determined to save his future from the mistakes of his past—no matter the price.
His Review:
Small towns in Alabama are often one-horse towns. Guntersville is a very good example of this fact. The control of the town rests on a former US Army Colonel named Chuck Tonidandel. Everything in the town and immediate environs is controlled by Chuck and his three sons. Everyone else in the burg answered to the Colonel or his three sons.
Jason Dean was raised by the Colonel and everything he did was to please the Colonel. People who crossed the Colonel or his family wound up in various stages of dead. The local gendarme pointed out that Jason was responsible for the killings in the area. He lost his law license due to malfeasance and is in limbo waiting for a two-year suspension of said license.
This book is well written with the exception that it has too many murders. Anyone who seemed to cross the Colonel or Jason Dean wound up dead. There are simply too many deaths pointing back to the Tonidandels and their father, nor does the author leave the fairer sex out of the mix. Dating any lady in Guntersville could be a quick trip to a three-by-six-by-six future. I enjoyed the book but found the number of killings over the top. Read to see if you agree. 4 stars – CE Williams
[Note: It’s been a while since we read a Bailey book, Legacy of Lies, that one in 2020 that I read from a different series and thoroughly enjoyed. VW]
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.
Rosepoint Publishing:Four Stars
Book Details:
Genre: Sibling Fiction, Legal Thrillers Publisher: Thomas & Mercer ISBN: 1662516630 ASIN: B0C62FWRL2 Print Length: 515 pages Publication Date: May 7, 2024 Source: Publisher and NetGalley
The Author:Robert Bailey is the bestselling author of the McMurtrie and Drake Legal Thrillers series, which includes The Final Reckoning, The Last Trial, Between Black and White, and The Professor. The first two novels in the series were Beverly Hills Book Awards legal thriller of the year winners, and Between Black and White was a finalist for the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year.
For the past nineteen years, Bailey has been a civil defense trial lawyer in his hometown of Huntsville, Alabama, where he lives with his wife and three children. For more information, please visit http://www.robertbaileybooks.com.
Who are you when you are forced to walk in someone else’s shoes?
Nisha Cantor lives the globetrotting life of the seriously wealthy, until her husband announces a divorce and cuts her off. Nisha is determined to hang onto her glamorous life. But in the meantime, she must scramble to cope–she doesn’t even have the shoes she was, until a moment ago, standing in.
That’s because Sam Kemp—in the bleakest point of her life—has accidentally taken Nisha’s gym bag. But Sam hardly has time to worry about a lost gym bag—she’s struggling to keep herself and her family afloat. When she tries on Nisha’s six-inch high Christian Louboutin red crocodile shoes, the resulting jolt of confidence that makes her realize something must change—and that thing is herself.
Full of Jojo Moyes’ signature humor, brilliant storytelling, and warmth, Someone Else’s Shoes is a story about how just one little thing can suddenly change everything.
My Review:
Well, gee, I do hate eating crow.
Guess I’d formed an opinion of the author back when I read The Giver of Starsafter having read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson. I read the latter for a book club at the time and given that Book Woman was published first, the former was wallowing in controversy. Still, no denying the wildly different writing style.
Well, different here is the theme. The women couldn’t be at more opposite ends of the spectrum of living. Sam is married with a daughter and the sole breadwinner as her husband lost his job and his father about the same time.
The depression that hit him has been a one-two punch he’s not moved beyond since. He spends his time as a couch potato. Sam is exhausted, both at home and at work where her supervisor picks at everything she does even though she appears to be quite effective at her position.
Nisha, an American, on the other hand, is living with an extremely wealthy and powerful husband, frequent fliers, while their son is living in an American boarding school. So it’s with a shock that she discovers her gym bag with her clothes and her husband’s favorite red Louboutin shoes were switched with someone else’s.
Sam, however, was in a hurry rushing to meetings and without time to return them immediately, simply wears what she finds in the bag to each successive meeting where she totally kills it. In the shoes and the clothes, she is transformed. She looks good. Feels good. Projects confidence and power.
So, yeah, Nisha comes off as wholly unsympathetic, a narcissist and spoiled. She is shocked when she is not allowed back into their posh apartment and then in succession discovers that along with her clothes, has no money, no bank cards that will be accepted, nothing. Her husband has completely cut her off—no explanation.
It’s a multi-layered, complex novel. The main characters are remarkable opposites, well-developed and believable. As the plot line progresses, Nisha’s character softens and Sam’s character begins to push her boundaries. There are interesting support characters who particularly near the conclusion create a bonded sisterhood. That part was fun, if not pushing disbelief.
Which brings me to the star rating. First, I had difficulty believing a wealthy woman would be working out, rubbing elbows, with the ordinary middle class. I loved the surprise Nisha saved for Carl but also had difficulty thinking he wouldn’t have known immediately who was the snitch. Also, while I savored that part, there were epilogues and the first was appreciated. The third…possibly TMI?
Otherwise, on the whole, I enjoyed the book and will now have to admit I’ll be looking for other books by this author. The narrator in this audiobook did an incredible job.
I downloaded a copy of this audiobook from my local well-stocked library. These are my honest thoughts.
Book Details:
Genre: Literary Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Romance Publisher: Penguin Audio ASIN: B0B7XWYTCH Listening Length: 12 hrs 21 mins Narrator: Daisy Ridley Publication Date: February 7, 2023 Source: Local Library (Audiobook Selections) Title Link:Someone Else’s Shoes [Amazon-US] Amazon-UK
Rosepoint Publishing:Four Stars
The Author:Jojo Moyes is a novelist and journalist. Her books include the bestsellers Me Before You, After You and Still Me, The Girl You Left Behind, The One Plus One and her short story collection Paris for One and Other Stories. The Giver of Stars is her most recent bestseller and Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick. Her novels have been translated into forty-six languages, have hit the number one spot in twelve countries and have sold over thirty-eight million copies worldwide.
Me Before You has now sold over fourteen million copies worldwide and was adapted into a major film starring Sam Claflin and Emilia Clarke. Jojo lives in Essex with her family.
From the bestselling author of In an Instant comes the moving story of a family grappling with grief and a woman with the power to help them through it—or stand in their way.
After a tragic accident claims the life of one of her children, Marie Egide is desperate to carve out a fresh start for her family. With her husband and their three surviving children, Marie travels to New Hampshire, where she plans to sell a family estate and then, just maybe, they’ll be able to heal from their grief.
Marie’s plans are thwarted when she realizes a war veteran known by locals as “the river witch” is living in a cabin on the property, which she claims was a gift from Marie’s grandfather. If Davina refuses to move on, Marie won’t be able to either.
The two women clash, and battle lines are drawn within Marie’s family and the town as each side fights for what they believe is right, the tension rising until it reaches its breaking point. And the choice is no longer theirs when a force bigger than them all—fate—takes control.
My Review:
Marie Egide and her husband Leo have lost a little member of their family and reeling from the tragedy decide on a desperate move to New Hampshire to “start new” and claim an old inherited property. They’ll take the summer at the house to clean and repair and then sell and move to Farmington.
They hadn’t counted on Davina Lister, however, known locally as the “river witch.” Invited to stay on the property as long as she wished by Marie’s grandfather, Davina has made a comfortable home and local reputation for herself.
Marie takes an instant dislike to the woman although it’s clear from the beginning that surviving daughters Hannah and Pen have engaged with her very quickly. Son Brendon sides with his mother. He carries secrets that keep him in an agitated state and directs his anger to any who crosses his path.
“Mom said I should take up a hobby like guitar or painting. I’d rather watch cheese melt.”
Davina is an amazing character. A combat veteran, she received devastating and disabling injuries on her last tour of duty and for the most part tried to stay quietly away from the public. She has learned to stay pretty independent, living off the land with some animals, and developing an expertise with the local flora and fauna. She has developed a gratifying and generous history with her healing powers of elixirs and potions.
The POV switches between the characters including the children, each dealing with the tragedy in their own way, and it’s touching that Pen has taken refuge in believing she sees her sister Bee in the butterflies on the property.
Marie’s character develops as the novel antagonist, demanding Davina leave the property as she has no properly written legal document to support her position. Marie is caught in her position and must doggedly pursue legal action with only Brandon supporting her which inevitably escalates tension and culminates in creating additional serious problems.
I really loved Davina’s character. She is so inviting and immersive, it’s hard to see any way this could end equitably for anyone. Each in the family is harboring guilt of some nature in the death of their loved one—it’s crippling—and obvious that if it is not resolved here, they’ll simply carry it, festering, to their next location.
The author has an emotional, sentimental writing style that plucks at tender feelings and spears the appropriate moral objective (own the mistake, vow not to repeat, forgive yourself, move on?).
Although I’ve read several of her books, all good, including the Moment in Time (’22), Hadley & Grace (’21), and In An Instant (’20), my favorite is still Hadley & Grace. I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the author and publisher through @NetGalley that in no way influenced this review. These are my honest thoughts.
Rosepoint Rating: Four point Five Stars
Book Details:
Genre: Friendship Fiction, Small Town & Rural Fiction, Women’s Literary Fiction Publisher: Lake Union Publishing ASIN: B0BX4M26PV Print Length: 298 pages Publication Date: February 6, 2024Happy Release Day! Source: Publisher and NetGalley
The Author:Suzanne is the bestselling author of five novels: Moment In Time, Hadley & Grace, In an Instant, No Ordinary Life, and Hush Little Baby.
Born and raised on the east coast, Suzanne moved to California when she was fifteen. She currently lives in Laguna Beach with her husband where they own two restaurants: Lumberyard and Slice Pizza & Beer. In addition to being an author, Suzanne is an architect specializing in residential and commercial design.
You can find her at her website, www.SuzanneRedfearn.com, on Facebook at SuzanneRedfearnAuthor, or on Instagram at SuzanneRedfearn.
A cross between Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple and a Cheers bartender, Sally Witherspoon, a 50-something accountant turned biker-bar owner, loves solving puzzles. Up to now, she has focused on helping neighbors and friends find lost jewelry, lost pets, and lost loves.
But when she finds her best friend and business partner, Bill Arnold, dead in a dumpster behind her bar on a Saturday night, she needs all her wits and grit to find out who did it.
And she won’t stop until she does.
His Review:
Berry Springs is a small Ozark town and is usually very peaceful. However, all that changes with a sudden spate of unexplained deaths. Sally Witherspoon owns a club called “Sally’s Smasher.” Some evenings a large profit is made which then has to go into inventory for continued operations. Also, Sally envisions herself as a detective who can augment the local overworked police department.
When someone close to her and associated with Sally’s Smasher is suddenly and brutally killed, she feels that she is the one to assist the local law enforcement professionals. The town of Berry Springs has a very close-knit community and Sally cannot think of anyone who could be culpable, however, the culprit had used an unusual method of murder.
The local police department considers Sally’s investigation of the crime meddling. She is reminded that she may be charged with impeding an ongoing investigation. She volunteers what information she has gathered and the police chief grudgingly shares some of the department’s findings with her. The victims begin to mount up though and they are all people associated with her establishment.
Meddling in police work and crime investigation can be very dangerous as Sally soon finds out. Can she solve the mystery or will she become the next victim? Read and enjoy this thriller. 4.5 stars – CE Williams
The first in a new series with promise for compelling characters and location. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.
Rosepoint Publishing:Four point Five Stars
Book Details:
Genre: Traditional Detective Mysteries, Amateur Sleuth Mysteries Publisher: Level Best Books ASIN: B0CKWT4FY2 Print Length: 298 pages pages Publication Date: December 12, 2023 Source: Publisher and NetGalley
The Author: Currently in Austria, I’m an American abroad for years and years who has lived or worked in six countries on three continents, the longest in Germany. I’m an award-winning author and communications professional with 25 years of expertise in a variety of corporate roles, including a broad range of communications disciplines, technical writing and translation, and corporate strategy. Reading and writing are my passions, when I’m not hiking one of the amazing trails in Austria or elsewhere. My motto is “fight the hype” and I enjoy taking a unique, perhaps unorthodox, view of the current topics and trends.
The opportunity of a lifetime lands in Peter Cullen’s lap and nothing is going to stop him taking full advantage, not even the misgivings of his wife. Cullen’s Celtic Cabaret has been flying high, but the real goal, the secret desire of Peter’s heart, America, is finally, incredibly, looking like a reality.
The troupe are not at all prepared for what awaits them in prohibition era Atlantic City and they are dazzled by the bright lights. Keeping discipline and ensuring everyone remains focused drives Peter to the edge of his patience, but he soon realises that this is the least of his problems, as the gloss and sheen of the New Jersey shore reveals a dark side, and somehow his cabaret has fallen foul of it.
My Review:
When last we left Cullen’s Celtic Cabaret, the troupe was experiencing the dark side of the troubles between the Irish and the English during the twenties. Political tensions created drama for Peter’s brother and Nick acknowledged his aristocratic status with an extended visit to Brockleton.
Book four introduces the cautious decision to sail to America where they have an eye-opening introduction to prohibition era Atlantic City, New Jersey. Maud Flynn owns the theatre where the cabaret will play as well as the troupe’s residential accommodations. She has made extensive arrangements for them and laid down rules and expectations. It appears to be a clean, tight ship surrounded by sights and sounds, as well as slang and colloquialisms.
As “Oscar Wilde’s line in his short story ‘The Canterville Ghost’: ‘We have really everything in common with America nowadays, except, of course, the language.”
There were interpersonal struggles as well between those who found romance from within their group, but were not exactly free to act on their passions. May and Peter have a daughter now, Aisling, who has become somewhat of a darling of the troupe. Many of the members have discovered her intelligence and aptitude for learning either their particular skill or language. There may have been no booze, but the living was rowdy.
“The old Irish adage that ‘twas often a fella got his nose broken by his mouth’ was particularly true here.”
Despite the wildly successful splash they’ve made with their acts, their interpersonal relationships begin to force hard decisions. Tension escalates as each has to take a hard look at status quo. Additionally, there is an ever-darkening atmosphere as people and activities at arm’s length hide behind those bright lights and change the course of plans. Issues with Peter’s brother Eamonn become seriously tragic.
I can imagine that Atlantic City during prohibition was probably a wide-open port city during prohibition, entertaining everything from bootlegging, speak-easies, and the Boardwalk to summer resorts. There were bound to be gangsters as well.
The widely diverse characters are a strong hook in this series as well as the descriptive location in this installment. Any threads previously hanging were handled quickly in an Epilogue—almost too quickly—but settled the characters and issues.
I received a review copy of this book from the author who in no way influenced this review. These are my honest thoughts.
The Author:JEAN GRAINGER – USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR
SELECTED BY BOOKBUB READERS IN TOP 19 OF HISTORICAL FICTION BOOKS.
WINNER OF THE 2016 AUTHOR’S CIRCLE HISTORICAL NOVEL OF EXCELLENCE
Hello and thanks for taking time out to check out my page. If you’re wondering what you’re getting with my books then think of the late great Maeve Binchy but sometimes with a historical twist. I was born in Cork, Ireland in 1971 and I come from a large family of storytellers, so much so that we had to have ‘The Talking Spoon’, only the person holding the spoon could talk!
I have worked as a history lecturer at University, a teacher of English, History and Drama in secondary school, a playwright, and a tour guide of my beloved Ireland. I am married to the lovely Diarmuid and we have four children. We live in a 200 year old stone cottage in Mid-Cork with my family and the world’s smallest dogs, called Scrappy and Scoobi..
My experiences leading groups, mainly from the United States, led me to write my first novel, ‘The Tour’. My observances of the often funny, sometimes sad but always interesting events on tours fascinated me. People really did confide the most extraordinary things, the safety of strangers I suppose. It’s a fictional story set on a tour bus but many of the characters are based on people I met over the years.
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Many of the people who have reviewed my books have said that you get to know the characters and really become attached to them, that’s wonderful for me to hear because that’s how I feel about them too. I grew up on Maeve Binchy and Deirdre Purcell and I aspired to being like them. If you buy one of my books I’m very grateful and I really hope you enjoy it. If you do, or even if you don’t, please take the time to post a review. Writing is a source of constant contentment to me and I am so fortunate to have the time and the inclination to do it, but to read a review written by a reader really does make my day.
I was thrilled to learn that the book I was reading was also going to be a Netflix miniseries, so of course I had to stick around and view the screen adaptation of that powerful book. It’s always fun to compare the scenes with the visuals conjured from reading the narrative, putting the buildings, the location, and in this instance, the sea to reality.
The Netflix MiniSeries
Marie-Laure lives in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where her father works. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel. In a mining town in Germany, Werner Pfennig, an orphan, grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find that brings them news and stories from places they have never seen or imagined. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments and is enlisted to use his talent to track down the resistance. Deftly interweaving the lives of Marie-Laure and Werner, Doerr illuminates the ways, against all odds, people try to be good to one another.
My Thoughts
Sometimes when Netflix gets ahold of a popular, ground-breaking book, they manage to make hash of it. Not so this time.
While the novel is not based on a true story, it could so easily echo stories untold from WWII. Netflix managed to create such realistic scenes it was not uncommon to cringe or cry depending on the setting. The actors include newcomer Aria Mia Loberti and Louis Hofmann as well as Mark Ruffalo and Hugh Laurie. Apart from Ruffalo’s accent (now almost a running joke), all turned in remarkable performances.
Directed and executive produced by Canadian filmmaker Shawn Levy, it is described by Netflix as “an epic story of hope, love, and connection.” The story plays out in four parts inducing a binge watch.
Overall Impression
The scenes are explosive and brilliant, at times played against a peaceful sunrise or streetscape. War scenes or not, it’s a visual feast, often heart-pounding. Netflix smooths out the timelines a bit and creates a slightly more hopeful and palatable ending.
The eBook
Editors’ pick Best Literature & Fiction (Audiobook) #1 Best Seller in War Fiction Winner of the 2015 Audie Award for Fiction Goodreads Choice Award Winner for Best Historical Fiction 2014
Book Blurb
*NOW A NETFLIX LIMITED SERIES—from producer and director Shawn Levy (Stranger Things) starring Mark Ruffalo, Hugh Laurie, and newcomer Aria Mia Loberti*
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award finalist, the beloved instant New York Times bestseller and New York Times Book Review Top 10 Book about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II.
Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When she is 12, the Nazis occupy Paris and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great-uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel.
In a mining town in Germany, the orphan Werner grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments, a talent that wins him a place at a brutal academy for Hitler Youth, then a special assignment to track the resistance. More and more aware of the human cost of his intelligence, Werner travels through the heart of the war and, finally, into Saint-Malo, where his story and Marie-Laure’s converge.
My Thoughts
I was lost to the book almost from the first page. The child, Marie-Laure, is going blind, and her thoughtful father finds a way to teach his daughter the streets of Paris. Picturesque, vibrant, breath-taking in the historic grandeur of the location, the buildings, the artsy atmosphere. But the tension is there. The world is changing. And so too, must Paris.
Beautiful writing style, emotional, powerful prose and it is the prose in the storytelling that drives the reader as well as the storyline and characters.
“If your same blood doesn’t run in the arms and legs of the person you’re next to, you can’t trust anything.”
The novel is set for the most part in Brittany, (St. Malo) France, however, and follows the plot line of the blind girl surviving in an ever-escalating Nazi environment. She spends a tremendous amount of time in hiding.
“A dozen pigeons roosting on the cathedral spire cataract down its length and wheel out over the sea.”
Werner Pfenning, a German orphan, discovers parts from a radio and curious, intelligent, and inventive manages to create a crude radio. That fascination grows into an expertise, one that he will use as an escape from being forced into the coal mines when he turns sixteen. Instead, he will be recruited into the Hitler youth using his proficiency with radios to find those in the French resistance sending communications. It will define his life but the results of his success wear on him.
A third thread—that of a German officer Von Rumpel rabid to find a stone worth “three Eiffel Towers” and said to have magical powers is the driving force in his collection of valuables from those the Germans occupy. The girl’s father who worked at the National History Museum where it was said to be housed may be in possession of that stone and von Rumpel will stop at nothing. When they fled Paris for St Malo—did he take it with him?
“You know the greatest lesson of history? It’s that history is whatever the victors say it is. That’s the lesson. Whoever wins, that’s who decides the history. We act in our own self-interest.”
The two and then the three are bound to collide. The author throughout has pulled no punches; it’s a war. There are shocking moments, the worse coming in the conclusion. My heart broke.
Nooo!…I’m still naively looking for the happy ever after.
The Author
Anthony Doerr has won numerous prizes for his fiction, including the Pulitzer Prize and the Carnegie Medal. His novel, ‘All the Light We Cannot See,’ was a #1 New York Times Bestseller and his new novel, ‘Cloud Cuckoo Land,’ published in September of 2021, was a finalist for the National Book Award. Learn more at http://www.anthonydoerr.com.
Book Details
Genre: War Fiction, Military Historical Fiction Publisher: Scribner (Reprint edition May 2014) ISBN: B084TPDQRR ASIN: B00DPM7TIG Print Length: 552 pages Publication Date: May 6, 2014 Source: Local Library Title Link: All the Light We Cannot See [Amazon-US] Amazon-UK
Overall Impression
There is considerable discussion over the plot being divided between three POVs as well as the jump in timelines. It is disconcerting at first. But then the rhythm of the narrative begins a familiar pattern that actually draws the scenes together, and completes a total picture. The book is so compelling, the characters so well developed that there is considerable sympathy for the condition of the time and engagement with each child—caught in a circumstance neither can control–only attempt to survive. It’s suspenseful, hair-raising, alternately sad and triumphant in small victories. Von Rumpel provides the perfect foil, the antagonist easy to hate.
I absolutely loved the book and breezed through it as if it were a novella. I understood at some point reality would take a big bite, but it was still crushing nonetheless. Dramatic irony: The idea that we know what’s coming but are still unable to look away.
Conclusion
The book is a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel full of prose, beautifully written. It’s a lengthy read but one you won’t want to put down. It’s easy to become invested in the two main characters, one controlled by a disease that renders her blind in a treacherous and dangerous time in France. The other is an orphan using only his wits with a radio to keep him from following in his father’s deadly steps deep into a coal mine. The sub-plot adds a suspenseful line to the well-plotted and paced book but is hampered somewhat by introducing several POVs and non-chronological timelines. It’s easy, however, to be completely absorbed by mind-blowing prose.
The Netflix miniseries cinematography is stunning, the actors do an amazing job pulling at your heart and selling their roles. The leading actress, Aria Mia Loberti is legally blind. (She turned in a masterful inaugural performance in this series and we watched mesmerized. The series might be worth watching simply for her compelling presence.)
True, Netflix puts a softer Hallmark spin on the original novel, softening some of the blows and smoothing out an often confusing timeline switch. It crafts a beautifully compelling tale of the young caught in a conflict they may not survive only briefly experiencing what possibilities life might have held for them.
The book may be a challenge given the length and you’ll get a condensed Reader’s Digest version if you choose the series. Perhaps you are a reader, like myself, who enjoys seeing/reading and comparing the two. Either way, you can’t go wrong and please let me know which you choose.
As promised last year and in an effort to streamline the process of picking out a favorite book from the previous year, I chose a monthly favorite in 2023.
More selective with Indie authors, we read and listened to more library books in 2023 than in previous years and the books again include a wide range of genres from #cozyanimalmysteries to #historicalfiction. The big surprise when all tallied out was that I failed both my #historicalfiction challenge as well as the #audiobook challenge which I had been confident in winning.
Links on titles are to my review and pics are links to Amazon (US).
Jan – The Huntress by Kate Quinn. This masterful work carries a sinister, skin-crawling aura of suspense from the first chapter to the triumphal conclusion. With a frenetic pace and a narrator who totally nails each language, it became impossible to multi-task and I just sat down and listened. This one set me on a course to read more by the #KateQuinn and find additional books narrated by #SaskiaMaarleveld.
Feb –Path of Peril by Marlie Parker Wasserman. The first time a standing president departed from the continental United States, the CE was gripped with this novel regarding Rough Rider Theodore Roosevelt taking on the completion of the Panama Canal. A CE review.
Mar –The Rose Code by Kate Quinn. Three very different women are invited to participate in the war efforts in Bletchley Park. The novel is an amazing immersion into 1940 Britain as they stare down the barrel of the impending fight with the Nazis. Also, I greatly enjoyed the epilogue imparting historical details regarding the facility.
Apr –Spare by Prince Harry The Duke of Sussex. A raw memoir told in this audiobook by Harry. He lays it all out from the loss of his mother to his experiences with drugs, alcohol, women, and the military—which I have to say is impressive. I thought it sounded open, honest, and heartfelt. If you haven’t read or listened—perhaps the wait list is gone. Try again.
May –Snapshot by Don Keith and George Wallace. Just a slight misunderstanding of the boundaries of international waters between the US and Russia leads to a tension-filled fictional sea story. The novel presents the ever-present danger of a possible catastrophic response to what appears as aggression. A CE review.
Jun –The Caretaker by Ron Rash. A haunting and thought-provoking literary narrative. Perhaps just a tad slow to create the setting, the characters, and the atmosphere of this small Appalachian town. It’s 1951 and there is still a conscription in the US; boys are still being sent overseas. Some don’t come back. Some who do have changed. This one goes right to the heart.
Jul –Unwrapped by Lynda McDaniel. I love this author’s writing style, generally focused on the Appalachians, this one being a Mountain Christmas Mystery. I really love this series. Great characters, authentic setting, sweet clean domestic stories that always pack a subtle moral. Abit is a great character; innocent, sincere, earnest. He’s not always the sharpest tack, but his heart is on target. Each can be read as a standalone but they all have you coming back for more.
Aug –For All The World by Jean Grainger. A seriously radical departure from the author’s varied Irish family drama series. The storyline begins with three unusual soldiers at the end of WWI and morphs into a traveling troup with unique performance skills. The plot is multi-layered, complex, and compelling.
Sept –The Women by Kristin Hannah. Awesome book! Generation of men and women in “Nam, living the conflict, protests, division of sentiments that only now thanks the veterans for their service. The scenes are so powerful, graphic. The struggle with returning home and the effort of assimilation. I urge my readers to put it on their #TBR lists—St Martin’s Press is releasing on February 6, 2024. Amazon currently notes it as #1 New Release in #FamilyLifeFiction 5+ stars
Oct –The Ghost Orchid by Jonathan Kellerman. An Amazon #1 New Release in Ghost Suspense. A layered investigation in the crime scene of the LA area. The aesthetics and atmosphere, characters, and well-plotted and paced of the storyline is magnetic, compelling. Love that southern California vibe—almost makes me miss my home state.
Nov –The Crossing by Michael Connelly. My audiobook review from the Harry Bosch Series, Book 18. Connelly is combining both Bosch and defense attorney Mickey Haller into a continuation of the series and I love it when they collaborate on a case. Always fast-paced, immersive, intelligent. Also enjoy the courtroom jousting by Haller. For me, an automatic go-to.
Dec –None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell. An Amazon Charts #20 this week. Two women, “birthday twins,” one of whom is not who she appears to be. Toxic relationships, dysfunctional families, well-developed characters. The novel is well-plotted and fast-paced. Love the twists you don’t see coming.
All these monthly favorites garnered five-star reviews from us.
There is a good mix of genres among which are legal thrillers, family dramas, historical fiction, literary fiction, and a memoir. Once again, it would appear that historical fiction is a favorite, so unless I missed counting the category, still not sure why I didn’t score success with that challenge.
Of my favorites in 2023, there are two that stand out: Kate Quinn’s The Huntress and Kristin Hannah’s The Women. (I’d be hard put to name number one.) Did you read or listen to either?
Do any of these grab your interest? Read it already? On your #TBR? Disagree with our reviews? I’d love to know and always welcome your comments!
Coming Soon: »My Reading Challenges for 2024 »Netflix Series All the Light We Cannot See vs eBook All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
After the Halloween snow, it warmed up and December was lovely with above normal temps. It was also rather dreary with gray skies. If it rains, that little Pom rescue we acquired in October balks at going out. She is currently “blowing her coat” which would normally require us to brush her every day. Easier said than done when she still prefers her crate over human companionship and any gentle uninvited encouragement is met with canine obstinance. So, yes, little progress from last month and will soon be three months. It can be discouraging.
The big push to get everything ready for Christmas took any spare time. Despite the extra projects, I continued to try using the little treadmill as I don’t particularly like getting in my steps when it’s raining either. The CE doesn’t like the machine—he continues to walk outside.
First I tried reading while walking. That left me dizzy. Then I tried listening to my audiobooks while walking and that quickly clashed with the CE’s choice of TV programs. Then I discovered trail guides—the problem is that they don’t communicate with my health apps. If I could get everything to “shake hands” it’d be a boon, but not so far. Except for turning pages, how do you exercise in the winter? Gym membership?
Of course, those cloudy, cold gray days I’d prefer to just curl up with a good book and not do anything but read, but that’s still not an option either. Anyway, between everything else, we reviewed thirteen books in December. Those we managed to read are below, and as always, links on titles are to our reviews that include purchase or source info.
The CE really enjoyed Ghost Team; I was blown away by Lisa Jewell’s None of This Is True. I listened to the audiobook beautifully narrated by a large cast of impressive artists seamlessly integrated. Well-developed MC manipulated in a dark, intense thriller.
My Reading Challenges page…I read 157 books of a goal of 145 in Goodreads and am still at a 97% feedback ratio in NetGalley. Unfortunately, I barely made 50/50 this year in my Challenges, making the goal in Goodreads and Netgalley, failing miserably both the audiobook and historical fiction challenges where I thought I had solid confidence. Obviously, I’ll have to look at those category goals a little harder next year.
I’m taking a harder look at the blog in general, however, disappointed with performance this year and looking for answers. I want to update the blog home page, try again to introduce a recurring feature, add a couple pages, enlarge the font size (is this better or worse?), and still have more time for blog hopping. Is it possible given I’ve never been able to learn how to manage the block editor? Looking at free templates on WP, all are now using the block editor and I’m still limping along with the Classic Editor. I’m open to any suggestions—thank you!
As always, welcome to my new subscribers! I love your likes and comments.
Once the flashy, successful lawyer known for his in-your-face billboards—IN AN ACCIDENT? GET RICH—Jason Rich has fallen from grace, his reputation scrubbed of its glitz and his life stripped of the people he cares about. All thanks to meth kingpin Tyson Cade.
Small towns in Alabama are often one-horse towns. Guntersville is a very good example of this fact. The control of the town rests on a former US Army Colonel named Chuck Tonidandel. Everything in the town and immediate environs is controlled by Chuck and his three sons. Everyone else in the burg answered to the Colonel or his three sons.
This book is well written with the exception that it has too many murders. Anyone who seemed to cross the Colonel or Jason Dean wound up dead. There are simply too many deaths pointing back to the Tonidandels and their father, nor does the author leave the fairer sex out of the mix. Dating any lady in Guntersville could be a quick trip to a three-by-six-by-six future. I enjoyed the book but found the number of killings over the top. Read to see if you agree. 4 stars – CE Williams
The Author: Robert Bailey is the bestselling author of the McMurtrie and Drake Legal Thrillers series, which includes The Final Reckoning, The Last Trial, Between Black and White, and The Professor. The first two novels in the series were Beverly Hills Book Awards legal thriller of the year winners, and Between Black and White was a finalist for the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year.
Best Literature & Fiction
Nominee for Best Fiction (2023)
Meddling in police work and crime investigation can be very dangerous as Sally soon finds out. Can she solve the mystery or will she become the next victim? Read and enjoy this thriller. 4.5 stars – CE Williams
Rosepoint Publishing 