Available Sources: Digital, Audio, Hardcover, and Paperback
My Review: A great read that we can all relate to especially the younger readers. Sallie is trying to figure out who she is and the direction she wants to take in life. She has a wanderlust for travel and a love of reading to learn as much as she can. She has put off joining the church for as long as she can. Will her last summer of freedom be enough?
A clean read that can be shared with the teenage reader in your life. Discussion of God and religion is prevalent but adds to the story.
From Goodreads: When a well-to-do family asks Sallie Riehl to be their daughter’s nanny for the summer at their Cape May, New Jersey, vacation home, she jumps at the chance to broaden her horizons beyond the Lancaster County Amish community where she grew up. Curious by nature, Sallie loves reading and learning, and she fears that her chances of making a good match with an Amish farmer will be hampered because of it.
Though she loves taking care of nine-year-old Autumn Weaver during the week, Sallie has free time on the weekends to enjoy the shore. It is there that she meets Edward Kreider, a young marine biology student who talks freely about all he’s learning and asks about her interests, unlike the guys she grew up with. Sallie wonders if this is the kind of relationship she’s been longing for. Then again, Ed isn’t from her community–and he’s Mennonite, not Amish.
Sallie is afraid of what her parents would think about her new friendship. But that’s not all she’s fearful of. When unexpected danger threatens Autumn, Sallie will have to put her fears aside. Will this be a summer to remember, or one to forget?
Source: Large Print Hardcover from Local Public Library
Available Formats: Digital, Audio, Hardcover, and Paperback
My Review: Is it appropriate to be laughing hysterically while reading a book about a family covering up a murder?
I listened to the audiobook and read when I was able. It was the perfect book to make the chores go much quicker. The narrator was very good. The perfect dialect on all characters.
Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto is a total “Instagram made me do it read.”
From Goodreads: What happens when you mix 1 (accidental) murder with 2 thousand wedding guests, and then toss in a possible curse on 3 generations of an immigrant Chinese-Indonesian family?
You get 4 meddling Asian aunties coming to the rescue!
When Meddelin Chan ends up accidentally killing her blind date, her meddlesome mother calls for her even more meddlesome aunties to help get rid of the body. Unfortunately, a dead body proves to be a lot more challenging to dispose of than one might anticipate, especially when it is inadvertently shipped in a cake cooler to the over-the-top billionaire wedding Meddy, her Ma, and aunties are working at an island resort on the California coastline. It’s the biggest job yet for the family wedding business—”Don’t leave your big day to chance, leave it to the Chans!“—and nothing, not even an unsavory corpse, will get in the way of her auntie’s perfect buttercream flowers.
But things go from inconvenient to downright torturous when Meddy’s great college love—and biggest heartbreak—makes a surprise appearance amid the wedding chaos. Is it possible to escape murder charges, charm her ex back into her life, and pull off a stunning wedding all in one weekend?
Available Formats: Digital, Audio, Hardcover, and Paperback
My Review: What a book. Hours after finishing I am still thinking about it.
The characters were engaging and felt like real people I could go out and talk to. There were so many sayings that reminded me of my mama and grandparents that I had to stop and take a breath and look around. It felt like they were right next to me.
As other reviewers have mentioned, there have been many books in the last few years centered around packhorse librarians but this story was fresh. Not as dark and twisty as some.
Gabhart has a way of drawing the reader in with her characters that you lose all sense of time and location. I even listened to the audiobook and the narrator was enchanting.
A clean read with no language, sex, or violence.
From Goodreads: Kentucky packhorse librarian Tansy Calhoun doesn’t mind the rough trails and long hours as she serves her Appalachian mountain community during the Great Depression. Yet she longs to find love like the heroines in her books. When a charming writer comes to town, she thinks she might have found it–or is the perfect man actually closer than she thinks?
Perdita Sweet has called these mountains home for so long she’s nearly as rocky as the soil around her small cabin. Long ago she thought she could love, but when the object of her affection up and married someone else, she stopped giving too much of herself away to others.
As is so often the case, it’s easier to see what’s best for others than to see what’s best for oneself, and Perdita knows who Tansy should choose. But why would anyone listen to the romantic advice of an old spinster?
Saddle up for a heartfelt story of love–love of family, love of place, and the love of a lifetime–from bestselling author Ann H. Gabhart.
My Review: I’m sad as I have officially read every Ellery Adams book currently in print. For nine years I have been reading her books and have loved knowing there were more. Now I must (im)patiently wait for a new one.
I love Molly’s character and learning about antiques and collectibles. This story was very interesting and learning it was loosely based on a true story from the co-author, Parker Riggs. Could you imagine finding rare coins in your house as you renovate?
I’m wondering if there will be additional books to this series as the ending seemed so final. Guess I’ll have to wait and see.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Beyond the Page Publishing, through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
From NetGalley: A new book in the Antiques & Collectibles mystery series by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Ellery Adams and Parker Riggs!
In the world of antiques and collectibles, it helps to have a sharp eye for quality, a good ear for gossip, and a nose for murder.
When the female antiques dealer she was meant to interview turns up dead, Collector’s Weekly reporter Molly Appleby can’t help but wonder why anyone would kill a woman so new to the area. Before she can spend much time pondering means or motive, Molly discovers that the father she never knew is keen on a reconciliation. And while it seems unlikely that his sudden interest and the death of the dealer are connected, Molly soon learns otherwise.
As she begins digging into the past of the victim, Molly realizes that the woman was not at all what she seemed. Not only did she possess a stash of rare coins linked to an unsolved murder, but she also engaged in illicit affairs with multiple married men. With suspects galore and a reunion with her long-lost father looming, Molly will have to uncover crimes both old and new before the secrets that refuse to stay buried turn fatal . . .
Available Formats: Digital, Audiobook, Hardback, and Paperback
My Review: This is not a book I would have picked out at the library. The cover and spine are bland so I would have kept scrolling. One of the librarians, Connie from Hillview Branch, suggested it and I am so glad she did. I was riveted from page to page.
We follow a couple on their adoption journey. I will warn you it is heartbreaking for all parties involved.
The reason it was not 5 was the ending was a tad unbelievable for me. Still an excellent read.
From Goodreads: Gail and Jon Durbin moved to the Chicago suburbs to set up house as soon as Gail got pregnant. But then she miscarried—once, twice, three times. Determined to expand their family, the Durbins turn to adoption. When several adoptions fall through, Gail’s desire for a child overwhelms her.
Carli is a pregnant teenager from a blue-collar town nearby, with dreams of going to college and getting out of her mother’s home. When she makes the gut-wrenching decision to give her baby up for adoption, she chooses the Durbins. But Carli’s mother, Marla, has other plans for her grandbaby.
In Other People’s Children, three mothers make excruciating choices to protect their families and their dreams—choices that put them at decided odds against one another. You will root for each one of them and wonder just how far you’d go in the same situation. This riveting debut is a thoughtful exploration of love and family, and a heart-pounding page-turner you’ll find impossible to put down.
Available Formats: Digital, Audiobook, and Paperback
My Review: A collection of three wonderful Amish stories to make your heart warm and fuzzy. Perfect for a fall getaway.
A Class for Laurel by Amy Clipston Even though this story made me mad a lot of times I did enjoy seeing the representation that even Amish families can be jealous when a family member falls in love with someone they may not like at first. Change is hard for everyone and sometimes that fear clouds our judgment and can hurt others without us intending to.
A Lesson on Love by Kathleen Fuller My favorite lines: ” We all have paths to travel in life. Some are straighter than others, some more exciting. As long as God is with you during the journey, the rest doesn’t matter.” I have to remind myself of something similar over the last several years as my son finds his way in life.
Wendy’s Twenty Reasons by Shelley Shepard Gray This story made me think about the things I wish I could change in my life and how all it has done is make me regret other things instead of looking at the blessings those times gave me.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Zondervan, through NetGalley. All opinions expressed above are entirely my own.
From NetGalley: Three charming stories of new school years and new romance.
A Class for Laurel by Amy Clipston
Adventurous Laurel Weaver leaves Pennsylvania to answer a newspaper ad for a teaching position in Colorado. She stays with handsome Glen Troyer’s family, and they become close. However, she never intended to stay in Colorado, and his family worries Glen may choose to follow her back to Pennsylvania or be left with a broken heart. Now she can’t bear to think of leaving Glen and her beloved students, but she’s beginning to feel like she’s out of options. Will Laurel and Glen push through the obstacles and fight for love?
A Lesson on Love by Kathleen Fuller
Priscilla Helmuth left her Amish community twelve years ago to pursue her dream of being a country singer, but she’s missed her faith and her family. Now, she’s moving to Birch Creek to be a schoolteacher. Micah Wagler recently moved there as well to put the past behind him. As the community comes together to build a new schoolhouse, Priscilla and Micah are thrown together. They bond over their love of music, but soon it appears that Priscilla’s dreams of fame just might be coming true. She has to give up something, and Micah worries that it will be their faith . . . and his heart.
Wendy’s Twenty Reasons by Shelley Shepard Gray
Wendy Schwartz is used to people underestimating her, but she’s sure she can be a great teacher. Unfortunately, it’s a disaster not long after she starts, and soon her job is in jeopardy. To make matters more complicated, she worries that she’s falling for the son of the older couple she’s boarding with. Lewis Weaver knows he shouldn’t have a romantic relationship with a tenant, but he can’t help but be drawn to Wendy. When a dangerous ice storm traps Wendy in the schoolroom with her students, uncomfortable truths will have to be faced by the town that just might change the future for everyone.
Available Formats: Digital, Audiobook, Hardback, and Paperback
My Review: Are you ready for a book that will make you laugh but at the same time dig deep into your soul? If so, this book is for you.
We continue to get to know Esther, Lizzie, and Grumpy Gus as the ladies run their Amish Inn and Gus lives on their property and continues to be…well…a grump. A film crew has rented the Inn while they are in town to film scenes for a movie. Joyce, the director’s son, meets Evelyn and sparks fly. Can their two worlds mesh into one?
This is a clean Christian Amish romance. If you like clean romances but not the Bible verses every other page this series is perfect. This book does discuss religion more than book 1 but was done very tastefully and informational.
From Goodreads: When sparks fly between a good Amish girl and a hunky member of the Hollywood elite, even matchmaking innkeepers Esther and Lizzie know better than to fan the flames.
Evelyn Schrock has dismissed the attempts of every young man in her small Amish community to court her. She’s willing to wait for a suitor who shares her curiosities about life and faith.
The only reason Jayce Clarkson is in Amish country hefting equipment for his famous father’s movie production company is for the paycheck. The homestyle cooking at the Peony Inn is a perk though, as is his friendship with Evelyn Schrock. If Jayce can endure his dad’s put-downs for a month, he’ll finally be in a position to make a fresh start—somewhere away from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles and the shadow of his checkered past.
To matchmakers Esther and Lizzie, the widowed sisters who operate the inn, Jayce seems like a good man stuck in a life he doesn’t want. But the boy isn’t Amish, and that leaves far too much room for broken hearts. Despite that, Jayce and Evelyn start to realize that they can’t deny their growing attraction. Any path forward seems impossible, and they will have to learn what the future will look like when they leave their fate in Gott’s hands.
Available Formats: Digital, Audiobook, Hardback, and Paperback
My Review: Wow, book two was as gripping as the first. Again, I alternated between reading and listening to the audiobook as I didn’t want to stop.
It is very violent in the beginning but unfortunately, that is true to life. The language is a little much but again true to life. If you have issues with the “F” bomb then you will have issues with this book. Lots of bombs.
It is sad that there are predators out there of young teens and especially young Amish teens who aren’t as wise to the cruel world. I cried thinking of what the Plank family experienced.
I’m ready for book three.
From Goodreads: The Plank family moved from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to join the small Amish community of Painters Mill less than a year ago and seemed the model of the Plain Life—until on a cold October night, the entire family of seven was found slaughtered on their farm. Police Chief Kate Burkholder and her small force have few clues, no motive, and no suspect. Formerly Amish herself, Kate is no stranger to the secrets the Amish keep from the English—and each other—but this crime is horribly out of the ordinary.
State agent John Tomasetti arrives on the scene to assist. He and Kate worked together on a previous case during which they began a volatile relationship. They soon realize the disturbing details of this case will test their emotional limits and force them to face demons from their own troubled pasts—and for Kate, a personal connection that is particularly hard to bear.
When she discovers a diary that belonged to one of the teenaged daughters, Kate is shocked to learn the girl kept some very dark secrets and may have been living a lurid double life. Who is the charismatic stranger who stole the young Amish girl’s heart? Could the brother—a man with a violent past, rejected and shunned by his family and the Amish community, have come to seek out revenge? As Kate’s outrage grows so does her resolve to find the killer and bring him to justice—even if it means putting herself in the line of fire.
Available Format: Digital, Audiobook, Hardback, Paperback, and Mass Market Paperback
My Review: I have been a fan of the Regan Reilly series for many years after I read several books CHC write with her mom, Mary Higgins Clark. Over the years my mom tried getting me the entire series. I’m missing three.
In Jinxed, Regan and her boyfriend had to cut their vacation short as soon as they got to the winery in Napa Valley. The next day Regan gets a call from one of the owners asking her to find her daughter or they will lose millions in inheritance. The case goes from missing daughter, to found daughter, to missing daughter again, possible art thief, and an aging actress getting married to a much, much younger man. Can Regan solve this star-studded case before the fire burns them all?
I altered between listening and reading this book. The author is the narrator herself, which I thought was neat but I preferred reading over listening.
The story moves nicely but isn’t as light and airy as some newer cozy mysteries. For some reason I felt I should read the book under the cover of darkness. Not much suspense. I don’t remember any cursing. No sex scenes. Not a hug “aha” moment.
I will continue the series.
From Goodreads: Carol Higgins Clark, bestselling author of Fleeced and co-author with Mary Higgins Clark of He Sees You When You’re Sleeping, returns in top form in her new Regan Reilly mystery, blending her talent for intriguing locales, eccentric characters, and fast-paced suspense laced with humor. In Jinxed, smart, saucy sleuth Regan Reilly faces a new challenge — the case of the missing wedding guest. Regan, an L.A.-based private detective, returns to her office after a vacation with her beau, Jack no relation Reilly. Their tour of the wineries in Napa Valley and Santa Barbara County is cut short when Jack has to fly back to New York City, where he is the head of the Major Case Squad of the NYPD. Their last stop had been at Altered States, a run-down winery owned by three siblings who are all former hippies — Lilac, Earl, and Leon Weldon. Not knowing how soon it would be put to use, Regan leaves her business card behind. Within minutes of being back to work, Regan gets an excited call from Lilac. The Weldon family has been invited to the wedding of ninety-three-year-old Lucretia Standish, a former silent-screen star, who made a killing in a dot-com before it went bankrupt. Lucretia had been married to the Weldons’ Uncle Haskell and had invested the money she inherited from Haskell in the dot-com. Lucretia’s maid, Phyllis, clues Lilac in on the fact that Lucretia plans to give the Weldons $2 million each — if they all show up at the wedding. The wedding is two days away, and there is only one problem — Lilac’s daughter, Whitney, aka Freshness, a young actress, has taken off on one of her go-with-the-flow weekends. Whitney is out of touch and goes where the wind blows. If itdoesn’t blow her back into town by Sunday morning, the Weldon family will be out $8 million. Regan’s job is to find Whitney. But unbeknownst to Regan, there’s someone else on the hunt. Lucretia’s fiance, the much younger Edward Fields, has hired an accomplice in crime to locate Whitney and keep her away from the wedding. Edward knows Whitney will recognize him as the con man she’d met in acting class in New York. He wants to say I do to Lucretia and her millions before Whitney can protest. When Edward finds out that Regan Reilly has been hired to find the missing Whitney, he gives the order to get rid of her as well. Meanwhile, Lucretia is befriended by a gang of bikers, the story of her upcoming nuptials is featured on national television news, and wildfires are threatening to consume the barn where Whitney is being held captive. As in her previous novels, Carol Higgins Clark has created a novel that is both exciting and vastly entertaining. As no less a master of suspense than Nelson DeMille has said, Clark’s writing is elegantly clear and concise, her characters are witty and engaging, and her plots and pacing are perfect. And in Jinxed, she is at her very considerable best.
Available Formats: Digital, Audiobook, and Paperback
My Review: Have you ever read a book that you didn’t really hate but didn’t really like? It was MEH???
I read Wanda Brunstetter for her Amish stories and The Walnut Creek Wish was more Englisch (non-Amish) than Amish focused. The two main characters were selfish individuals who were unlikable. I groaned and Mohamed aloud about their issues than I ever have reading.
I try to write only positive reviews but it was hard to do for this book.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Barbour Publishing, Inc., through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
From NetGalley: Book 1 in the Creektown Discoveries Series from NYT Bestselling Author Wanda E. Brunstetter
An Antique Store Becomes a Place of Healing for Broken Hearts
Welcome to Walnut Creek, Ohio, where Orley and Lois Troyer own an antique store they call “Memory Keepers.” Though knowledgeable in antiques and their repair, their real talent is in mentoring folks who are hurting and don’t even know it. Enter Jeff, a restaurateur, and Rhonda, a hotel manager, who recently moved to Amish country for the slow pace, but the change of scenery puts even more stress on their already strained marriage. Will an antique sled be the last straw, or will it lead to unexpected revelations and the fulfillment of dreams?
was the ending was a tad unbelievable for me. Still an excellent read.
Kentucky Book Lover 