I don’t have a lot of books to share as I’ve already shared several throughout the month, but the ones I do have to share with you are fantastic reads!! I only post four and five star reviews.
MY REVIEW:
Julie Williams is someone I immediately admired. She’s survived a lifetime of mental and physical abuse from her mother, and now her mother has passed away in a nursing home. Despite a tumultuous childhood, Julie is a well-adjusted, loving mother and wife with a stable home and loving husband. She owns a coffee shop in a small town.
When a stranger steps off the Amtrak train and stands on the platform for a long period of time staring at her coffee shop, she can’t help but feel uneasy.
As it turns out, this stranger changes her life and everything she’s been led to believe about her life up to that point. The author did a fabulous job of building up to the big reveal. I love all the characters in the story, from the hotel owner to the genealogist, and how the small-town gossip mill doesn’t let anything remain a secret for too long.
This is a short read, just under a hundred pages, and has a satisfying ending that left me feeling that there is justice in the world. I highly recommend this entertaining read for anyone who enjoys small-town family drama.
MY REVIEW:
The book title alone was enough to send me to hit the purchase button, but the story premise sealed the deal. I’ve enjoyed other books by this author so knew I was in for a well-written story.
The good sheriff of Renewal, Oklahoma, has fought for a place in life since he was born. Rejected by society as a half-breed, Cal had two choices. He chose to stand up and fight. And now he’s determined to keep his town safe. However, when Silvestra Coeltrain arrives for a visit, the quiet little town is turned on its ear.
Cal is immediately attracted to Silvestra when called out to investigate a cow’s death. And it’s more than just a normal attraction. Mystery and intrigue surround the Italian beauty. But she’s married. So, that puts her off-limits to Cal, yet the attraction cannot be denied.
As the author lets the story unfold one delicious layer at a time, all is not as it seems. Silvestra’s psychic abilities are strong, and she’s worked with police to solve high-profile crimes for many years. A trip into Oklahoma City to do some research uncovers more than Cal imagined. But cows are still dying, and now Silvestra’s life is in danger.
This is an entertaining story, and I got lost in the lives of these small-town Oklahoma characters. The author did a superb job at letting the story flow into a climactic unfolding. I had to know the answers! The story has a satisfying and exciting ending.
I’ve been a fan of Annette Rochelle Aben’s poetry for quite a few years, and when I saw she had published a book of flash fiction, I knew I was in for a treat. And a treat it is! Anyone who is an author knows what a challenge it is to write a story in 99 words. The writing has to be concise and tight, and that is exactly what Ms. Aben managed to do. I found stories with humor, satire, wisdom, the complexity of the human mind, and family. A few stood out to me personally as favorites. “Advancement” is so insightful about a strong woman, as is “Eyes Forward.” “Bedfellows” is such a realistic story about a girl with too many brothers and an abusive father. “Cash For Cars” moved me. “Drops In The Bucket” relates the daily grind cycle in which rewards are small. I’d venture to say there is a story for everyone in this collection. It’s a quick, easy read and is so well-written. I highly recommend this book.
MY REVIEW:
This is a fantastic collaboration of seven talented authors from New Zealand and Australia, with the common theme of fantasy running through the stories. Some are excerpts from longer stories, and some are either background or spin-off stories about characters in other novels. But the one thing they all have in common is that they are well-written and compelling. It’s hard to pick favorites. But one of the stories that really stood out was “Vision-Maker” by Wendy Scott. A Shaman for a tribe of pygmies gives birth to a child who is malformed. As per tribe tradition, the baby must be sacrificed to the spirits. However, as Necia prepared to leave the child for a sure death in the elements, she is given a vision in which the child was a golden girl with perfectly formed limbs and the spirit of a warrior. After that, she could not let the child die as a sacrifice to the gods. I won’t tell you what happened, but this story tugged at every heartstring I have. I also loved “The Toad Lord” by Kirsty Anderson. A talking frog, a magic ball, and a deep well make for an intriguing tale. The “Changeling” stories by Belinda Mellor also grabbed me and left me wanting more. If you are looking for stories that will entertain, warm the heart and make you believe in the power of magic, this collection is for you! I highly recommend it!
That’s it. Hope you see something here you like!
Writing and Music 
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