Tag Archive | book-review

Success at Barnes & Noble!

Aug25

On August 23rd at the Bradley Fair Barnes and Noble in Wichita, Kansas, I had another successful SNOW: CURSED author signing. It was a pleasure to be at such a wonderful B&N book signing, with so many stellar authors there, along with making new connections with readers of all ages, genres, and interests. This is an event I will never forget and always cherish. The support of the individuals that attended blew me away. The thought that so many people are interested in my dreams and writing journey filled my heart with an indescribable joy. This signing motivated me in particular to give readers more of the SNOW SAGA, and other various novels that they have yet to experience. From each of the other writers, I learned something special. It was interesting to see how they all expressed themselves differently, yet in unique ways. Be on the lookout for upcoming author book signings from me, Willa R. Finnegan. Thanks again readers and authors for your amazing support! See you next time.

Snow can be found here: Snow

Not only was Willa at this book signing, but so was I, Mary L. Schmidt. I had four books for kids and it was a flurry of activity. Everyone was cordial, authors and buyers as well. I had the high honor of presenting Willa to a great friend of mine. She is a mom of four children, and she believes in literacy. Her children love to read. She bought all of my books, Willa’s and many other writers. Reading is so important and my friend has a heart of pure gold. She holds book reading groups in her home for kids! While I was introducing Willa, two members of Kansas Authors Club were at my table, and I wasn’t able to introduce Willa as by the time we were done taking photos with my friend and her children, they were gone. I’m sorry. Catch up next time?

Book link for Shadow, my best selling one at the signing.

Helena’s Diary

Aug24

Book Link

From Amazon:

Gabriella Carson had always believed that every grand adventure in life begins with a sealed envelope, a promise of mystery and discovery wrapped within layers of anticipation. However, nothing could have prepared her for the moment she pried open the tarnished, ornate locket left behind by her late mother—a small, delicate relic, its intricate filigree design whispering tales of the past. Accompanied by a cryptic diary entry filled with swirling emotions and half-revealed truths, the locket became the key to a world she never knew existed. She had no inkling that this path would lead her to unravel long-buried family secrets and place her life in grave danger.

The diary’s pages were alive with her mother’s vivid, almost poetic descriptions of a passionate first love, painting a portrait of youthful ardor and longing. Gabriella found herself irresistibly drawn to the piercing, soulful gaze of the young man immortalized within the locket’s delicate frame, his eyes holding secrets of their own.

Compelled by the weight of her mother’s final wish—to return the locket to its rightful owner—Gabriella embarked on a journey to Madrid, the city of her mother’s youth, a vibrant tapestry of cobblestone streets and sun-drenched plazas, with only the diary as her enigmatic guide. Little did she know, hidden within those pages lay a second, even more perilous request her mother had made, lurking like a shadow over the path she was yet to tread, threatening to unravel the very fabric of her existence.

My Review:

I’ve read many books by Prather, and this one took off in a different vein than those I’ve read before. Awesome romance is one theme. Diary pages could most likely bring a woman to orgasm if only a few more sentences were added. Who would want more than Spain, a castle, and a handsome man riding a stallion? I know…that psychopath that lives next door to the estate. I do wonder if she really can’t remember where she leaves people, or if that part is the devil inside her.

The Moonshine Murders

Aug15

Book Link

From Amazon:

In this young adult mystery set in 1970, a family tragedy prompts Christi, a shy and studious teenager, and her mother to travel to rural Roselyn, Mississippi. Christi’s Uncle Bill, the county jailer and a deputy sheriff, is critically wounded while investigating a moonshine still that a local farmer found on his property. As the deputies approach the scene, they are ambushed by four assailants, resulting in the death of the farmer, then vanish without a trace.

Convinced the history of local mistrust of ATF federal agents will hinder the investigation, Lily, the jailer’s daredevil teenage daughter, is determined to find the culprits who shot her daddy. She just needs to persuade Christi, her scaredy-cat cousin, and her best friend Troy, the son of the investigating detective, to join the hunt. Living in a house connected to the jail, Lily thrives on excitement and pushing boundaries. Rule abiding Christi and Troy have been entangled in Lily’s misadventures before and suffered the consequences of lying, spying, and sneaking into forbidden place. With Uncle Bill’s life on the line, Lily manages to convince them this time will be different. What harm can a few questions and a little information gathering do?

Lily’s first assignment brings them face to face with a bootlegger brandishing a shotgun. Christi and Troy quickly realize Lily has once again left out critical details of her plan. When the trio meet Jake, the undaunted teenage son of the murdered farmer, he offers to take them to the location of the ambush. The horrifying scene they stumble upon has them running for their lives. The deeper the foursome digs to uncover the truth, the more the danger escalates, and the threats become personal. Will they back off and let the authorities handle it? Or will their stubborn doggedness result in another disaster?

This fast-paced southern mystery also has a coming-of-age theme. In their efforts to find justice, the four teens discovered the importance of loyalty, being their genuine selves, trust, and taking responsibility for their actions. There is also a sweet romantic first love theme to the story. Adult mystery lovers will enjoy the many twists, turns, and surprises that will keep them guessing. The historical elements of the 1970 setting will also give a nostalgic feel of a time past for some adult readers.

My Review:

Mary Schmidt

5.0 out of 5 stars Teenage mystery and crime novel

Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2025

Verified Purchase

This book is a teenage murder, mystery, crime, moonshine novel set back in the day when many counties were dry. I remember some counties being dry as a young child, but never saw a still or moonshine being made. No one is the same at the end of the book as all lives are changed in many ways, some to death. Murdered actually, and the story weaves around a smallish town, and the countryside. Tack in some people from Chicago, bad men, dangerous men, and mix that with four teenagers and you have a plot in which the teenagers are in more danger than they realized.

Sold By My Brother

Aug11

Book Link

From Amazon:

If you’re looking for your next exciting read, look no further…

Not every older brother will protect you…some are the reason you’re battling to survive.

Since Jake left the family farm in Vermont at age twelve to live with his uncle in New Orleans, he has seen Mason four times in the past twenty-three years. The first cost him two hundred grand and a trip to Colorado. The next dragged him to Turkey, where he had to cover up three murders. Africa almost killed him. And the fourth? It’s 2004, and Mason has sold Jake, his skills, and his freedom to the highest bidder. Now Jake is trapped in Costa Rica, working for a man he despises, caught up in a business he hates.

Jake’s freedom hinges on surviving the last seven days of a brutal contract orchestrated by Mason. But in Costa Rica’s dark underbelly of organised crime, survival hour by hour is far from guaranteed.

The clock is ticking, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. If Jake is to make it out alive, he must rely on all his uncle taught him. But is it enough? Will Jake cross a line no other dares to tread and do the unthinkable to hold Mason accountable?

My Review:

Gripping

This book was a gripping read. From the atrocities life can throw your way, to the psychological aspects piled on top of other psychological aspects is alot to take in. Good thing this bok is fiction. Trueshan has written a frightning novel set in different places in the world. Each page goes deeper into how and why Jake is Jake. Deep emotions and betrayal in every chapter. How could Jake trust anyone? It is reasonable to think that Jake won’t survive this story. Will Jake live? A sharp mind and deadly accuracy come ingo play. Who is betraying who? A true thriller, and unimaginable cruelty awaits the next reader.

When Secrets Bloom

Aug6

Book Link

From Amazon:

Transylvania, 1463

Some secrets heal. Others kill.

Kate Webber, a 28-year-old Saxon healer, has long walked the line between reverence and suspicion. Trained in the healing arts under the guidance of Lord Vlad Dracula, she has learned that skill alone cannot protect a woman in a city ruled by fear. Her marriage to the powerful but secretive Magyar promised stability, yet left her silenced and watched. On a bitter Advent night, when a mother and her newborn face death, Kate defies her husband’s command and steps into danger — for life, not reputation.

When Kate succeeds, the city notices. Some with awe. Others with fury. The town physician, threatened by her talent and humiliated by her success, seizes his moment. And as rumors flare into accusations, old alliances stir. Iancu, Kate’s childhood friend and now captain of the Militia, comes to her aid during the perilous birth — rekindling memories of freedom, laughter, and trust, before marriage shackled her to duty.

Back in her workshop, a girl appears, pleading for a love potion. But Margit brings more than need. She leads a mob. Elsewhere in the city, Moise, a Jewish apprentice at the printing press, notices a cloaked figure drifting across the square: a Shaman whose presence draws whispers of Magyar’s hidden dealings. When a rare manuscript disappears from the press Moise begins to uncover a darker purpose: a sought-after book. On the day of execution Kate performs a final act of defiance, she saves another child, while Moise is framed for more than he could have ever imagined.

Kate and Moise’s fates, as well as the map’s legacy, unfold as some secrets must be read not in books, but in the hearts of those who hide them.

***
Kate is a fictional character, yet through her eyes When Secrets Bloom offers a vivid, textured glimpse into 15th-century life in Kronstadt, Transylvania (today Brasov). From the daily rhythms of a fortress ruled by Saxon and Szekler men to the endearing hopes of Vlach and Jewish communities; from the quiet power women wield behind closed doors to the looming shadow of the Church and to whispered fears of plague and heresy, this novel immerses the reader fully in a world both beautiful and brutal. The presence of Vlad the Impaler’s memory — observed not through myth but through Kate’s wary, intimate lens — adds a haunting tension to the tale. It’s the kind of historical fiction that doesn’t just tell a story, it transports you into its bones.

Fans of rousing historical fiction with a feminist bent will find much to love in When Secrets Bloom.

My Review:

This novel is woven tightly and in an intricate fashion full of 15th century Transylvania. Dark times were upon the land, with trades people, merchants, physicians, midwives, princes, and true hierarchies everywhere. A land where greed came first and foremost in those of higher standings.

We are introduced to Kate and Moise, and within the pages their stories connect often. Kate is a wonderful healer, she learned from the best, her mother, and she inherited wealth of her own. She is a gifted healer and men hated that. They were jealous that the physician could do nothing, nor the midwife really, in the birth of a baby in which Kate had to literally move the baby into a birthing manner, still feet first. Yes, she literally pulls the baby out one leg at a time, the body, then one arm and shoulder followed by the other, and finally its head emerged. The baby lived, so did the mother, but had it been left to the physician and midwife, both would have perished. Kate was not a witch, but a healer. A healer who traveled along with war, and she did the best she could in healing, yet her own husband was jealous of her.

Moise is a man of Jewish faith, and he prints books. He wants to find a stolen book that holds treasure map. He has his own share of travails, in a land that is cold as winter, literally, and his own anguish is expressed well by Ms. Furstenberg. Darkness prevails over the land and people, shadows of evil and good. Another book is forthcoming, book two in this series, and this book is chock full of historical information.

Acts of Closure

Aug2

Book Link

From Amazon:

Winner, 2023 Independent Press Award for Romance

Have you ever thought about a person from your past and wondered what if? You know who I mean…the one that got away. I have, and his name is Jack Perry. He’s fun and flirty. Sexy and mysterious. But there’s also a dark, brooding side where he hides a secret bedroom desire. A provocative veiled persona no one knows about. Well, no one except me.

You see, years ago, we had an internet relationship. After trading countless emails about our private thoughts, he went deeper, confiding in me what was missing from the most private side of himself. It intrigued me, and I never forgot about it. Now my life has been thrown into a tailspin. I feel invisible these days. Lost…and after all these years, Jack and his soulful eyes have been on my mind. A lot. I made the decision to experience the tall and handsome Mr. Perry in the flesh. To stop being invisible. To start feeling alive again.

So, here I am, standing on his front porch, ready to meet him for the first time. No matter what happens, this evening is destined to be full of surprises. You’re welcome to come along. Within these pages is a story you don’t want to miss…

My Review:

This is not my normal read. Note: Explicit erotica – for those who don’t read this genre.

That out of the way, I found myself wrapped up in the psyche of both Natalie and Jack. All of the how and what happened to shape their lives going forward since childhood. For me, those were the mpost compelling parts of the book.

Natalie meets Jack face to face for the first time, and sparking a relationship that started from messaging each other for a long time on a social media app. The story is not the severe erotic deeds, but the path their lives each took and the trajectory each one is currently on.

From Literary Titan!!!

Jul29

From Literary Titan

Mary L. Schmidt’s latest children’s book follows young Horace, who is no ordinary pig. He’s a dreamer with his snout pointed firmly toward the stars. His greatest ambition? To venture into space. Yet, despite his lofty hopes, he quietly doubts that his dream will ever lift off. Until, unexpectedly, it does. A formal invitation arrives, and Horace is headed to the International Space Station.

Horace in Space is a delightful children’s book that effortlessly blends whimsical storytelling with factual space education. Tailored for children aged 1 to 8, this charming tale is brief in length, fitting for young attention spans, but rich in imagination and heart. The book’s vibrant illustrations serve as both emotional cues and narrative anchors, helping children see what Horace feels, thinks, and experiences.

Schmidt captures Horace’s sense of awe with genuine warmth. His naive excitement, so relatable for young readers, evolves into a more grounded understanding as his fantasy meets the real-world challenges of space. In doing so, Schmidt crafts a gentle lesson: reality might differ from dreams, but that doesn’t make it any less extraordinary.

The book strikes a thoughtful balance between imaginative adventure and educational value. Without ever sacrificing the fun, it introduces children to life in orbit, from the thrill of liftoff to the peculiarities of floating in microgravity. Facts are woven naturally into the narrative, ensuring that learning feels organic rather than instructional.

While Schmidt’s prose may not echo the playful cadences of Dr. Seuss or the clever wordplay of Shel Silverstein, Horace in Space still stands as a delightful addition to any young reader’s collection. Horace himself is an endearing protagonist, one whose journey feels ripe for expansion. It’s easy to envision this story as the launchpad for a larger series.

Horace in Space delivers more than just a tale about a pig in orbit; it offers young readers a chance to explore, imagine, and discover alongside a character who is every bit as curious and wide-eyed as they are.

Book Link

Road Kill

Jul21

Book Link

From Amazon:

A dark road. Two dead men. And a killer who won’t quit.

When a livestock trailer is found abandoned on a remote Texas Hill Country road—one man shot, the other skewered by an arrow—Deputy Adam Cash knows this isn’t your typical cattle theft. The trailer belongs to rancher Paul Moreland, who swears he knows nothing. The bodies suggest otherwise.

As Cash digs deeper, the case unravels fast. The victims worked for Moreland.

Another suspect, Branson Kent, is caught mid-heist—then ends up dead days later. The trail leads to Shaeffer’s Livestock, a shady auction barn where stolen cattle change hands and secrets run deep.

When a second murder silences the pen man who could have talked, Cash realizes someone is eliminating witnesses, and he might be next.

Roadkill is the fourth book in the Adam Cash Mystery Series, a pulse-pounding Texas mystery perfect for fans of C.J. Box, Jeff Carson, and Craig Johnson.

Award-winning author Jeff Kerr delivers another tightly woven modern Western thriller—packed with gritty justice, sharp twists, and the high-stakes tension only Texas can offer.

My Review:

Mary Schmidt

5.0 out of 5 stars Gritty for sure

Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2025

Verified Purchase

Wow. This is the first book I’ve read by Kerr. Talk about a gritty murder mystery western book! This one packs a huge punch as the body count goes up. A great twist to modern day cattle rustling gone totally haywire. I thought I had it figured out but I was way off. Much of this novel is gritty, but not with actual mention of the bloody parts of the murders. Which is nice. This one packs a punch plenty without listing gruesome findings. Truly western feel and very much Texas!

When Secrets Bloom

Jul5

Book Spotlight: When Secrets Bloom, an Enchanting Transylvanian Historical Fiction Novel by Patricia Furstenberg

Book Title: When Secrets Bloom

Series: Blood of Kings, Heart of Shadows, Book #1

Author Name: Patricia Furstenberg

Publication Date: June 27, 2025

Publisher: Independently Published

Pages: 493

Genre: Historical Fiction / Mystery / Women’s Crime Fiction / Romanian Literature & Fiction

Any Triggers: n/a

Blurb:

Transylvania, 1463

Some secrets heal. Others kill.

Kate Webber, a 28-year-old Saxon healer, has long walked the line between reverence and suspicion. Trained in the healing arts under the guidance of Lord Vlad Dracula, she has learned that skill alone cannot protect a woman in a city ruled by fear. Her marriage to the powerful but secretive Magyar promised stability, yet left her silenced and watched. On a bitter Advent night, when a mother and her newborn face death, Kate defies her husband’s command and steps into danger — for life, not reputation.

When Kate succeeds, the city notices. Some with awe. Others with fury. The town physician, threatened by her talent and humiliated by her success, seizes his moment. And as rumors flare into accusations, old alliances stir. Iancu, Kate’s childhood friend and now captain of the Militia, comes to her aid during the perilous birth — rekindling memories of freedom, laughter, and trust, before marriage shackled her to duty.

Back in her workshop, a girl appears, pleading for a love potion. But Margit brings more than need. She leads a mob. Elsewhere in the city, Moise, a Jewish apprentice at the printing press, notices a cloaked figure drifting across the square: a Shaman whose presence draws whispers of Magyar’s hidden dealings. When a rare manuscript disappears from the press Moise begins to uncover a darker purpose: a sought-after book. On the day of execution Kate performs a final act of defiance, she saves another child, while Moise is framed for more than he could have ever imagined.

Kate and Moise’s fates, as well as the map’s legacy, unfold as some secrets must be read not in books, but in the hearts of those who hide them.

Kate is a fictional character, yet through her eyes When Secrets Bloom offers a vivid, textured glimpse into 15th-century life in Kronstadt (today Brasov), Transylvania. From the daily rhythms of a fortress ruled by Saxon and Szekler men to the endearing hopes of Vlach and Jewish communities; from the quiet power women wield behind closed doors to the looming shadow of the Church and to whispered fears of plague and heresy, this novel immerses the reader fully in a world both beautiful and brutal.

The presence of Vlad the Impaler’s memory — observed not through myth but through Kate’s wary, intimate lens — adds a haunting tension to the tale. It’s the kind of historical fiction that doesn’t just tell a story, it transports you into its bones.

Fans of rousing historical fiction with a feminist bent will find much to love in When Secrets Bloom.

Buy Link:

Universal Buy Link: https://mybook.to/wsb

This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited.

Author Bio:

Patricia Furstenberg is a multi-genre writer inspired by the forgotten corners of the past, where truth and legend entwine. With a medical degree and a heart rooted in her native Transylvania, her stories often explore resilience, hidden truths, and the quiet strength of women. She is best known for her geopolitical fiction Silent Heroes and WW2 historical fiction Joyful Trouble. Part of an upcoming book series, When Secrets Bloom is her latest release. Today, Patricia lives in sunny South Africa with her family.

For more information about Patricia’s books please visit her website or find her on social media.

Author links:

Author website: https://alluringcreations.co.za/wp/

X / Twitter: https://x.com/PatFurstenberg

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PatriciaFurstenbergAuthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patfurstenbergauthor/

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/patfurstenberg.bsky.social

Amazon Author Page: https://author.to/PatFurstenberg

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/237060534-when-secrets-bloom

Wonder of Light

Jun29

Book Link

From Amazon:

Wonder of Light is officially a Trilogy. The title Wonder of Light is book 1 in the series. It is recommended to read them in order, but each novel can be read as a standalone.

I was inspired by true events to write this book; however, the story line and characters are fictional. It is a young adult romance, set in high school. It is a high school bully/adversaries-to-lovers style romance. There are depictions of violence, nothing too graphic, and profanity has been censored due to the spiritual nature of the book.

Sarah

There’s just something about Evan Simes that keeps drawing me to him. Even though he’s the opposite of me in almost every way and avoids me at every turn. He mostly keeps to himself. Especially when I’m in his presence. I don’t know what makes him so angry or resistant to my efforts to break down his walls, but he seems to want nothing to do with me. Yet I can’t help continuing to try to get through.

Evan

Belton’s bible queen, Sarah Warner, thinks she can fool me with her fake graciousness. I see through the facade. She and her popular crew are vapid pretenders hiding behind their trust funds and holier-than-thou images while looking down on those of they think are beneath them. Well enough is enough. They’re all going to pay for their sins. It’s only a matter of time before my best friend Tyler and I get our revenge.

My Review:

This novel is totally heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. Older teenagers can relate to this novel as most characters are in their senior year of high school. Cheesy love stories? One or two. Abusive parental figures? Toss that into the mix. Serious illness? Fold that in gently with issues of being bullied and being saved by Jesus Christ is beautiful.