Tag Archive | book-reviews

The Thanksgiving Child

Nov5

Book Link

From Amazon:

When Sadie Carter wakes up on a cold Thanksgiving morning in 1880, she’s now an orphan. Her brother will go with Uncle Lambert because Frank can earn his keep, and her prettier sister will be taken by a woman in town. But no one seems to want Sadie. When Mary Mohler invites her home, Sadie is grateful to have somewhere to go. The Mohlers are nice, but she hopes Uncle Lambert will keep his half-promise that he might come back to get her. In the meantime, she has to adjust to a strange family and their different ways of dressing and doing things. But as the months go by, she’s torn between longing for the family she’s lost and the one she’s beginning to love. The Thanksgiving Child is a story that can be enjoyed by both adults and children. It’s inspired and partially derived from the life of the real Sadie Carter who was born in 1872. Sadie was close in age to Laura Ingalls Wilder, who wrote the Little House books based on her childhood. Laura’s life was shaped by a restless movement westward while Sadie lived until adulthood in Missouri. The Civil War appears to have had little impact upon Laura’s story and the opposite is true of Sadie. As the daughter of a Union soldier, she lived in Missouri, where supporters of both sides kept mixed feelings. Attitudes were also mixed toward the Dunkards, a group that included the Mohlers. They were similar to the Amish with plain clothes and strict ways. While this novel is written as fiction, it includes the facts and stories from Sadie Carter’s life.

My Review:

Life is hard for many people and the main character in this story lived a hard life that became a good life. Things were tough in the 1880s and post civil war pitted neighbor against neighbor due to the side one’s family fought for. Sadie is representative of many children during that time, of the ones who had their mother pass away and their dad sick with tuberculosis. A hateful stepmother didn’t help. Yet Sadie thrived, for real, as evidenced by the fact she grew in size for shoes and clothing. Living in one extreme of very little to eat to being in another where food was plentiful, especially when raised by a family who worked hard to preserve foods grown for the coming winter. Sadie realizes that being with a family unlike any she’d known, was the best thing for her.

Righteous Allegiance

Oct31

Book Link

From Amazon:

A Divided Nation A Deadly Plot A Man Caught Between Two Worlds

Will Manley is a rising star in the U.S. Government’s clandestine services–an undercover agent tasked with stopping a domestic terror group bent on reshaping America. But as he immerses himself in their radical ideology, he faces a battle more personal than he ever anticipated: a choice between his government career and the legacy of his Native American roots.

At the heart of the struggle is Elias McArdle, a brilliant and ruthless former U.S. Army commander. With a clear vision for a new world order–one where white supremacy reigns–McArdle manipulates powerful forces, orchestrating a series of calculated events to bring the U.S. Government to its knees.

But Will isn’t the only one with a stake in this fight.

Ron Shortridge, a highly respected FBI agent, works tirelessly to counter the threat, unraveling a complex web of hate, lies, and hidden agendas to brace for an impending act of terror that would change America forever.

Meanwhile, Rebecca Hurney, a wise Lenape elder, offers a path of healing through ancient wisdom, but time is running out.

A mysterious red fox, secretive and resourceful, who may be more than he appears to be.

Can Will find the strength to stop McArdle before it is too late? Or will darkness consume them all?

Filled with suspense, mystery, and political intrigue, RIGHTEOUS ALLEGIANCE is a gripping work of thriller fiction with complex characters and thought-provoking action that will appeal to young adult and mature audiences alike. Fans of Vince Flynn’s Mitch Rapp, Lee Child’s Jack Reacher, and Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan will be hooked from the first page.

My Review:

This thriller/espionage book by George Yuhasz takes the reader into the deep world of spies and times of planning strategy withing and outside of one’s unit. Politics and survival draw the characters into a myriad of feelings and decisions. Great pace and the characters are written such that you feel what they feel.

Thieving Shadows

Oct21

Book Link

From Amazon:

Surviving in Rookfall depends on rank or thievery, and no one can be trusted.

Genevieve is a master thief: one of the renowned Shadows, instilling fear into the elites. One night, an easy job to steal an automaton ends in confusion.

Waking three years later in the presence of Matthew Tilcott, a lesser, in a city turned unfamiliar, she sets out to discover what happened that night and why she can see things others can’t. As she searches for answers, she unearths a conspiracy to find and use the powerful Star. When Genevieve learns of why the elites and the lessers seek it and its corruptive nature, she determines no one should wield such power. It should be destroyed. But to do so, she must eliminate the last personal connection to her old life.

Will she help this corrupt city and start a new life with Matthew, or only look out for herself?


If you like a strong female lead, Gaslamp adventure, and the Victorian era, you’ll love this steampunk mystery thriller standalone novel.

My Review:

I found Thieving Shadows to be an exceptional steampunk thriller. Something was always going on and this story showcases elite versus lessers (poor people), the class system, and a ton of gadgets that worked in ways I’d never thought of. And not just gadgets, there are automatons of most any type and the characters are strong and decisive. Suspense was happening in every single chapter in more ways than one and this is my first steampunk novel to read. I loved it. The female protagonist is strong and witty, nimble and great at thieving. Yet she has a soft side, a side with anguish and fear, sorrow and love. It’s rather hard to fight love. The world in this book is interesting and not all are who they portray to be.

Murder by the Seaside

Oct6

Book Link

From Amazon:

Portobello, Scotland. Grace McKenna is just back from a hearty breakfast at The Espy seaside pub when a perplexing mystery arrives at her door. Glamorous widow Sylvia Gordon is determined to find the truth about the death of her husband, Paul. Once a local celebrity with supposed psychic abilities, Paul is now the talk of the town after a deadly fall from the tower at a nearby college. The locals believe it was a tragic accident, maybe even a consequence of dabbling too deep into the psychic realm? But Grace has a feeling there’s more than meets the eye…

With the help of Tobias Sloan – a dashing English journalist with a keen appetite for mysteries – Grace starts unravelling the puzzle of Paul’s last days. As she digs deeper, it becomes clear that plenty of people had reason to want Paul gone. Both his work and home life were rife with long-held grudges… was one of Paul’s trusted friends actually his murderer? Then, Grace’s search takes a frightening turn when another body is found – this time in the changing rooms of the posh local golf club.

Uncovering a shocking secret linking the two deaths, Grace finds her professional and personal boundaries beginning to blur. She is left to face not only the ghosts of her own past, but also the prospect of a killer stalking the cobbled lanes of Edinburgh. Can Grace uncover the truth before another innocent life is taken?

My Review:

This novel is the first in a trilogy by Baldwin. I felt many emotions, especially for the main protagonist who lost her son to suicide. The guilt a parent faces is tremendous. Many characters are not who they appear to be. Betrayal is a hard pill to swallow and betrayal hits most everyone in this novel one way or another. Too many people could have killed a man, or it may have been suicide. Undercover work us extremely dangerous and thus book has all things romance, hurt, betrayal and lies spring forth in copious amounts.

The Sum Of Our Sorrows

Sep6

Book Link

From Amazon:

In an idyllic suburb in Northern California, tragedy strikes the Sheppard family when Abby, the mother of three daughters and wife to Dalton, is killed in a car accident. Charlotte, the middle daughter, is in the car with her mother and survives without physical injury but remains deeply scarred on the inside.

Dalton tells Lily, his eldest daughter, that she must sacrifice long-awaited college plans and put her life on hold to take care of her sisters. Lily is torn between her devotion to family and an increasing need to find her place in the world — but how can she leave, knowing her family may crumble? Will her presence eventually cause more problems than it resolves?

The Sum of our Sorrows reveals how the aftermath of a family tragedy can precipitate sorrows never imagined. It is a tale of grief, hope, healing, coming-of-age, friendship, and survival. It is also a love story of two broken souls living through pain in search of better days and the renewal of one’s spirit.

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: I write characters as I hear them speak to me. Some of these stories contain non-gratuitous expletives and sexual references. This book also contains some situations that may be triggering to some readers. If this is not to your liking, please don’t read this book. Thank you.

My Review:

Mary Schmidt

5.0 out of 5 stars The Sum of All Sorrows

Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2025

Verified Purchase

This book is profound, and the writing is superlative. We start with love and loss and how it affects loved ones still living. Let me say right now, everyone has their own vision of Loss and how they coped, healthy or not. The one constant in this story is family and family isn’t always blood. Family includes those you want in your life. The book is epic in length, but still an easy read. I do love how hope and love of family brings everyone together in a full circle. Alcohol is not the answer to huge loss, and making your daughter into a surrogate mother isn’t real. I have one trigger warning for those who could be affected and that is one scene of attempted rape, and one of rape. The monster who did this, the rape itself, are not a full read into the scene, but the character who was raped was verbal at the time, and in severe nightmares. The actual act is not in this book. So you may not be triggered. Overall, the psychology of each character is amazing to think about. I do love a good love story and this novel has several to say the least.

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.

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.