This That and the Other Thing

Do You Read Series Books?

2025-02-21T23:43:00.002-06:00

My first experience with series books was when I read my way through Trixie Belden as a pre-teen. I don't know why, but I made up my mind at some point (without ever opening a book) that Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys were not for me, but a friend talked me into trying Trixie. I loved following her and her friend Honey on their adventures.

A few years later, I discovered Cherry Ames, a WWII era nurse and followed her from nursing school to Army service in the Pacific to post-war adventures as a visiting nurse, cruise nurse, private duty nurse and more. Cherry made me want to be a nurse until high school chemistry convinced me I did not.

As a young adult I devoured Jean Auel's Clan of the Cave Bear books and even bought the last one so I didn't have to wait my turn at the library.

Later I discovered Debbie Macomber and her multi-thread soap-operaish Cedar Cove and Blossom Street books.

And then I began a Kindle Unlimited subscriber and found series after series after series. Some I've read are:

While a lot of series books are complete junk, Harry Potter and Chronicles of Narnia are in that number too.

So what is it that makes series books so appealing? In my experience many do not generally have sophisticated plots and in fact some of them are downright absurd. Why do I keep reading from one book to the next on Kindle Unlimited, or smile when I find a library shelf full of numbered books?

One advantage to series books from an author's perspective is the ability to build a sophisticated world with many characters.

For me as a reader, it comes down to the characters. Most series tell one complete story in a book but carry characters over from one book to the next, so as a reader I see them progressing through life, whereas in most conventional books I make a friend who either walks out of my life or is killed off at the end of a book.

On the other hand one thing that really annoys me with series fiction is when there is too much carryover from one book to the next--when I feel like I have to read the next one, whether I want to or not, to finish the story.

The Hart's Ridge books above all tell the story of Taylor Gray, a female police officer. In the first book she solves the mystery of what happened to the mother of a small girl found at a gas station. In the second book she solves a family mystery. Each of the books had a complete plot arc focused on the mystery but the plot arc dealing with her personal life is carrying over from book to book and I don't like waiting to find out who she ends up with.

What about you? Do you like series fiction?

The Women

2025-02-21T23:34:00.003-06:00

The Women

About the Book:

Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances "Frankie" McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.

As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is over-whelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets—and becomes one of—the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost.

But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.

The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm's way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.

My Comments:

One thing about getting older is realizing that you've lived through what is now considered history. The Viet Nam War was part of my early childhood. I was an Air Force brat who attended schools that were overwhelmingly military kids from first through fifth grade---you were the new kid of the week, and replaced the kid who left last week. The dads of kids I knew got sent to Viet Nam. I don't know if any did not come home.

I say all of that because my memories of the war are probably colored by where I lived and with whom. We were out of the country from late 1967 to late 1969, and when we returned, we lived on one of the biggest Air Force bases in the country. Being in the military was normal. Hippies were those weird people we saw in California before we left for Turkey, and my dad said they were people who didn't work and didn't take baths, and that's all I knew about them.

The Women tells the story of a young society girl who joins the Army Nurse Corp to follow her brother to Viet Nam, and to be a hero in her own right. It follows Frankie to Viet Nam and home again, home to a country and family that do not welcome her as a hero. Like many veterans, she struggles and while she is lucky to have friends and family who help her, no one official seems to think nurses, who didn't go into combat, needed help. All of the Veterans' organizations are for men only. No one seems to get what she went through or how she is feeling, except her war buddies.

Kristen Hannah brings in a lot of historical details like the POW bracelets, the anti-war marches, "mother's little helper" pills, birth control and the ever-present cigarettes (so glad those aren't "normal" anymore). I listened to this as an audiobook and my husband walked in on me when the term "donut dollies" was used. He, my chauvinist conservative over 65 husband said the term sounded insulting. I reminded him that until very recently, it was very common to use cute and infantilized terms for women in a lot of jobs. You can read about Donut Dollies here.

I don't usually listen to audiobooks; I can read much faster, but browsing my library I found this one and decided to try it in this format. I'm sure I picked up on details I wouldn't have had I read it at breakneck speed.

I haven't written a blog post in two years, so I guess the fact that I chose to write about this means it touched me in a way other books haven't lately. I highly recommend it.

Spare: Blogging Through the Book

2023-02-01T13:25:00.000-06:00

Spare

Before Reading

For the record, I am not into celebrity gossip. I don't care who those strangers I see on television sleep with. I don't care what they wear. I don't care who their kids are. I don't read People or US. I care about people I know and deal with, not strangers who just happen to be on TV. So, why am I reading the gossip book of the year, Spare, by Prince Harry? I don't know--but I did get it from my Cloud Library account through my public library, I did not put out money for it beyond taxes.

Before I picked it up, I figured it would be a book about a guy who doesn't want to work in the family business but who still wants to get payments from it. I don't have any problem with Harry saying that the family business of getting your picture taken and being the public face of Great Britain was not for him. You couldn't pay me enough to take that job. There has been plenty in the press about the way Prince Charles was raised and about the marriage of Charles and Diana and the death of Diana that I never figured Harry and William had the ideal childhood. I figured it would be a lot of "poor me".

34% Through

I can't say I've read anything that surprised me. If Harry isn't in therapy, I recommend he get some. Obviously the story is told from his P.O.V. and it would be interesting to see how others recall the same events. As the title implies Harry sees everything through the eyes of the "spare"--his brother was the heir and he was there just in case. While at times he and William were close, they were also rivals for their father's attention. While they had opportunities that most of us only dream about, what Harry never felt had after his mother died was supportive unconditional love.

Ok, maybe one thing surprised me a little--and maybe that's because I don't know that much about child psychology. Harry was twelve when his mother was killed but according to the book he maintained this belief that she had just disappeared to get away from the press and everyone who was making her miserable and that one day she would re-appear and call for the boys. This was something he thought for quite some time.

A Little Further On

As a paralegal, I have worked on a case that was made into a book--the author called in non-fiction but really it was a novel. After plowing through the huge tome my boss' conclusion was that the story needed a villain and didn't have one. Spare has a villain---the press, or as Harry calls them, the "paps". They hound him and his friends, disclose his presence in Afghanistan, and yes, for all practical purposes, killed his mother.

About 2/3 Done

Well, Harry has learned to fly a helicopter and has done another tour in Afghanistan. William and Kate just had their first baby. Me, I'm starting to lose interest. Harry is back from war and trying to find purpose and meaning in life. The paps have cost him a girlfriend and we are told about how his external genitals got frostbite when he went to the North Pole. I'm not suggesting a year by year memoir of my life would be all that exciting either--but I'm not writing one of those. Guess I'll move to skimming.

The Rest of the Book

How Harry meets Megan and its is love at first sight. How the paps make life miserable. The deaths of Prince Phillip and Queen Elizabeth. Oh, yeah, the wedding of Harry and Meg and the births of Archie and Lillibet. A trip to a medium to communicate with Dinah and conflict within the family. Yawn.

As I said at the beginning, I am not a celebrity person. This book is not my usual and while I read the whole thing to see if there was anything in there that really surprised me or changed my mind about it all, I can't say that it was all that great. I've said before when reading memoirs, that it is hard to write one without coming across as self-absorbed and Spare is no exception.

I understand that Harry's life and that of his family would probably be in danger if he moved into the house next to mine in a middle class suburb, got in his car and drove to his middle-class job while Meg dropped the kids at a middle-class daycare/school before heading off to her middle-class job. Yet it is hard to feel sorry for someone who buys a multi-million dollar mansion. Harry complains about his father cutting him off from the royal payroll but then also says he never had the opportunity to do much besides being royal. He was trained for the family business but didn't like what came with it (other than the paycheck) so he quit but was hurt when the paycheck stopped. His main issue with being Royal was the omni-present press yet he is now making his living as a celebrity. Oh, well, he can cry (or laugh) all the way to the bank.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

2022-09-25T23:35:00.001-05:00

Hi! Some of you may recognize this blog, I haven't changed its look since the last time I participated in this link-up, quite some time ago. I'm one of those long-time book bloggers and I go through phases where I'm just not interested in writing and/or reading.

One thing I've gotten bored with is writing book reviews. I'd read books, and then, when I finished, I'd write a review. Sometimes I'd try to relate the review to something in my life or an issue in the world today, or otherwise try to go beyond just saying how good or bad the book was, but the focus of my posts was on saying how good or bad the book was.

I've decided to try a new format that I call "Blogging Through the Book" where I sit down and write several times while reading. What is the set-up for the story and did it hook me? What was my initial impression of the main character? Were there any quotes that grabbed me? Further into the book, is it holding my interest or am I skimming, hoping to reach the good part? I'm kind of going for what I'd tell you about the book if you found me reading it on several different days and asked about it---what would I tell you. I have three reviews in this format.

Blogging Through the Book: Twice in a Lifetime

Doctors and Friends: Blogging Through the Book

Blogging Through the Book: The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise

I am also trying to use books as a take-off for general discussion posts. Maybe I'll pick up on something about the writing, or even about an issue raised in the story and I'm going to focus my post on that, rather than on a more traditional book review. I did that with

How Important Are the Details?

If you've been blogging for years, has your reviewing style changed? Do you think that other people have changed the way the write reviews (not to mention platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube or Tik Toc?) Has what you like to see in a review changed?

Hope everyone has a great week and I'll be around to see what you are reading and reviewing.

Blogging Through the Book: Twice in a Lifetime

2022-09-25T23:10:00.000-05:00

Twice in a Lifetime

I've gotten bored with my book review format so I'm trying something new. Rather than reading a book and then commenting on it when done, I'm going to write a little at several points during my reading--questions in my mind, phrases that struck me, thoughts about the characters. What do you think of my new format?

About the Book:

Isla has fled the city for small-town Missouri in the wake of a painful and exhausting year. With her chronic anxiety at a fever pitch, the last thing she expects is to meet a genuine romantic prospect. And she doesn’t. But she does get a text from a man who seems to think he’s her husband. Obviously, a wrong number—except when she points this out, the mystery texter sends back a picture. Of them—on their wedding day.

Isla cautiously starts up a texting relationship with her maybe-hoax, maybe-husband Ewan, who claims to be reaching out from a few years into the future. Ewan knows Isla incredibly well, and seems to love her exactly as she is, which she can hardly fathom. But he’s also grieving, because in the future, he and Isla are no longer together.

Ewan is texting back through time to save her from a fate he is unwilling to share—and all she can do to prevent that fate is to learn to be happy, now, in the body she has, with the mind she has. The only trouble is the steps she takes in that direction might be steps away from a future with Ewan.

Melissa Baron’s time-crossed romance features a quintessentially endearing and brave protagonist, and an engrossing plot that will keep you turning pages until its breathtaking finish.

My Comments:

In the Beginning...

In the first couple of chapters, readers learn that Isla, the main character, is an artist who suffers from anxiety. She recently moved to a new city. She is an introvert. She gets a text message from a man who claims to be her husband and who knows enough details about her life that he can't just be dismissed as a crackpot. Talk about a hook!

Who is this guy? Isla recently lost her mom and it is mentioned that she suffered a nervous breakdown. Is he a husband she has forgotten? Is he a figment of her imagination? Is someone playing games with her? Is it a time travel novel? Yup, I'm ready to read on.

A Little Further In....

He gave Isla the answer to the "Who is this guy?" question I asked, but I'm not sure I believe him.

Ila is an interesting character. She clearly suffers from mental illness. She was close to her now-dead mother but is not close to her Dad-she didn't even tell him she was moving to St. Louis but he heard about it through the grapevine. People give her anxiety but she has best friend, Willow, who is always there for her, and at work she has made friends with two young single women. However, for all her anxiety (or because of it?) she was eager to move away from all that was familiar and start over in life.

I've never suffered from the debilitating anxiety that plagues Isla, but I chose to leave my hometown for the big city in part because I never felt like I belonged.

Another Night's Reading

Now something has happened that makes me wonder even more if I was right not to trust what the husband, Ewan, said about how he fit in the story. I'm also getting a real view of how strong Isla is, despite her mental illness. And I LOVE her best friend.

75% of the Way Through

The romance is progressing, and we've gotten a chance to meet Isla's dad (no mystery why she suffers from anxiety now). I could just hug Ewan for how he handled Isla's dad, and on the other hand I can SO relate to her request to Ewan not to speak for her. Loved a section on silence and conversation. The last chapter of this reading session ends with what sounds like a throw-away detail--but if it isn't meaningful, why is it there? I wonder if it relates to the set-up for the book/their relationship?

Some Words That Struck Me

"They rarely spoke...preferring instead the silence of shared grief. It weighed as much as wet summer air in New Orleans." I live in New Orleans, how an I not love that sentence?

"When there was too much noise, too much stimulation, her thoughts scattered to the four corners of the earth, and she found it hard to participate in conversations were too many people were talking. It became harder to express her opinion because, if no one asked for it, they clearly didn't want it." My in-laws (a boisterous loving Italian family) thought me stand-offish because I could never get a word in edgewise.

What Worked...and What Didn't

What worked was the characters. Isla had me in her corner from the start. She puts up a strong front and the collapses in private. Life is hard, but she keeps on living. Ewan is a sweetheart and his two gay friends were shown as people, not caricatures or simply walking sex lives. Isla's dad manages to make quite an impression during his short time on stage.

What didn't was the whole resolution to the time line thing. It just felt forced and unsatisfying.

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy via NetGalley. Grade: B.

Doctors and Friends: Blogging Through the Book

2022-09-25T22:34:00.005-05:00

Doctors and Friends

About the Book:

Hannah, Compton, and Kira have been close friends since medical school, reuniting once a year for a much-needed vacation. Just as they gather to travel in Spain, an outbreak of a fast-spreading virus throws the world into chaos.

When Compton Winfield returns to her job as an ER doctor in New York City, she finds a city changed beyond recognition - and a personal loss so gutting, it reshapes every aspect of her life.

Hannah Geier’s career as an ob-gyn in San Diego is fulfilling, but she’s always longed for a child of her own. After years of trying, Hannah discovers she's expecting a baby, just as the disease engulfs her city.

Kira Marchand, an infectious disease doctor at the CDC in Atlanta, finds herself at the center of the American response to the terrifying new illness. Her professional battle turns personal when she must decide whether her children will receive an experimental but potentially life-saving treatment.

Written prior to COVID-19 by a former emergency medicine physician, Doctors and Friends incorporates unexpected wit, razor-edged poignancy, and a deeply relatable cast of characters who provoke both laughter and tears. Martin provides a unique insider’s perspective into the world of medical professionals working to save lives during the most difficult situations of their careers.

Opening Chapters

The book opens at a Christmas party held after the pandemic was under control. No, not Covid, a pandemic of the author's imagination, at least according to the preface of the book. Doctors and Friends was copyrighted/published in 2021 but the preface says it was written before Covid and the world in the book is fictional. Evidently Kira is that world's version of Dr. Fauchi--the person who would get on TV and talk about the pandemic in the name of the government. At that party we learn that "everyone" is wearing pins that broadcast their disease status and that the virus has a hidden long-term effect on the brains of some people. We also learn that the virus caused economic devastation. Shaking hands is no longer popular. I have to wonder what edits were done to the manuscript after Covid-19 hit.

The timeline then shifts to just before the pandemic. Kira and her medical school friends (all women) are gathering in Spain to see the sights and enjoy girl time, and Kira gets a call from work about this strange illness that starts with a cough and then kills people very quickly.

I love the relationships I see between these women. They truly know each other's faults and love each other anyway.

The Story Develops

The problem with blogging as I read, as opposed to reviewing after I read is trying to decide how much to say. Its hard to give an "on the ground" view on the book without giving away plot points. Since this book is neither new at this point nor famous, I guess its not that big a deal but in other stories it might be. So, be forewarned, there may be spoilers.

I'd really like to know what, if anything, was added to the book after Covid. I mean this is all bringing back memories--the hallway chatter about that stuff in China. The jokes in February during Mardi Gras about how all that Chinese junk that was being thrown from floats was going to get us all sick, and then the party St. Patrick's Day weekend when we bumped elbows instead of kissing--just in case.

In the book, the first signs are there, and the people are reacting pretty much the way we did. Its like I can see the avalanche coming. If the author truly wrote this pre-covid she did her homework is all I can say.

And Further Into the Story...

At the end, the author does admit she edited the book after Covid started and added some things--like Zoom calls, which I had wondered about because I hadn't heard of Zoom pre-Covid but now we all know that tic-tac-toe screen.

The virus in this story is much more lethal than Covid-19 and kills the young and the old so it sounds like people took it as much more of a threat than most considered Covid to be. The US president in the story is a woman and as non-Trump as it is possible to make a character and this is no comment on policy, but on personality. Love him or hate him, you have to admit that Trump's persona was "This is that I think and if you disagree you are an idiot", which is probably not the personality to be in charge of a situation that requires consensus from a variety of competing interests.

In the End

The beginning of the end of the story is back at the Christmas party and we learn how Kira and her friends made it through the pandemic and the losses they suffered.

As the pandemic kicked off we were Kira and her medical school friends on their yearly get-together and I thought something that was said was interesting. Basically these were women who were together for four very important years in their lives and who have since gone their separate ways, to different towns, different specialities and different relationships. Though they keep up by all the modern forms of communication, they are only together as a group on this yearly trip, and it was noted that they tended to revert to their 24 year old personalities when they got together. I wonder if my college friends and I do that without realizing it?

So, Was It Any Good?

Yes, it was a good read that was close enough to the reality we have lived for the past two and half years to make me uncomfortable and far enough away so that comfortable detachment was possible. Grade: B+

Thanks to NetGalley for making a review copy available. If you are a Kindle Unlimited subscriber, this is part of the subscription.

Blogging Through the Book: The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise

2022-09-25T21:37:00.000-05:00

The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise

About the Book:

Twenty-one-year-old Tanner Quimby needs a place to live. Preferably one where she can continue sitting around in sweatpants and playing video games nineteen hours a day. Since she has no credit or money to speak of, her options are limited, so when an opportunity to work as a live-in caregiver for an elderly woman falls into her lap, she takes it.

One slip on the rug. That’s all it took for Louise Wilt’s daughter to demand that Louise have a full-time nanny living with her. Never mind that she can still walk fine, finish her daily crossword puzzle, and pour the two fingers of vodka she drinks every afternoon.Bottom line: Louise wants a caretaker even less than Tanner wants to be one.

The two start off their living arrangement happily ignoring each other until Tanner starts to notice things—weird things. Like, why does Louise keep her garden shed locked up tighter than a prison? And why is the local news fixated on the suspect of one of the biggest jewelry heists in American history who looks eerily like Louise? And why does Louise suddenly appear in her room, with a packed bag at 1 a.m. insisting that they leave town immediately?

Thus begins the story of a not-to-be-underestimated elderly woman and an aimless young woman who—if they can outrun the mistakes of their past—might just have the greatest adventure of their lives.

First Two Chapters

So, in Chapter 1 a woman calls the police, stating that her eighty-four year old mother has vanished--none of her usual cronies have seen her, and she lives several hours away. She wonders if her mother was abducted but the chapter ends with "Though she knew deep down that Louise Constance Wilt had never done anything against her will in her entire life."

In Chapter 2 we meet Louise, whose will is being thwarted by the one thing none of us can avoid (except by dying) namely, age. We also meet the new housemate her children have forced on her. Finally this chapter introduces a letter and while we don't know what it says, the chapter ends with Louise realizing "she was going to have to run". Ok, I'm hooked, but its time to go back to work, more later.

Zooming Through the Rest

This book was a fun read and I devoured it in one evening--so much for blogging through the book.

There were so many things that made me smile/laugh: The mother of a college student asking a police detective who thought a phone had been accidently left behind, if she knows any 20 year olds, pointing out that their phones are practically appendages. The old lady telling the college student that life rarely goes as planned and we can either mourn the life we had or live the life we have. Louise wanting to be called Mrs. Wilt because it reminded her of her late husband.

On the other hand the whole resolution part of the plot was so....unbelievable. By the end of the story we know Louise's secrets, and no I don't really think real life goes down that way. But Tanner's ending was also hard to believe.

I'd like to thank the publisher for providing a review copy via NetGalley. Grade: B

How Important Are The Details?

2022-09-16T13:39:00.004-05:00

Closer to Okay

About the Book:

Kyle Davies is doing fine. She has her routine, after all, ingrained in her from years of working as a baker: wake up, make breakfast, prep the dough, make lunch, work the dough, make dinner, bake dessert, go to bed. Wash, rinse, repeat. It's a good routine. Comforting. Almost enough to help her forget the scars on her wrist, still healing from when she slit it a few weeks ago; that she lost her job at the bakery when she checked herself in as an inpatient at Hope House; then signed away all decisions about her life, medical care, and wellbeing to Dr. Booth (who may or may not be a hack). So, yeah, Kyle's doing just fine.

Except that a new item's been added to her daily to-do list recently: stare out her window at the coffee shop (named, well...The Coffee Shop) across the street, and its hot owner, Jackson. It's healthy to have eye candy when you're locked in the psych ward, right? Something low risk to keep yourself distracted. So when Dr. Booth allows Kyle to leave the facility--two hours a day to go wherever she wants--she decides to up the stakes a little more. Why not visit? Why not see what Jackson's like in person?

Turns out that Jackson's a jerk with a heart of gold, a deadly combination that Kyle finds herself drawn to more than she should be. (Aren't we all?) At a time when Dr. Booth delivers near-constant warnings about the dangers of romantic entanglements, Kyle is pulled further and further into Jackson's orbit. At first, the feeling of being truly taken care of is bliss, like floating on a wave. But at a time when Kyle is barely managing her own problems, she finds herself suddenly thrown into the deep end of someone else's. Dr. Booth may have been right after all: falling in love may be the thing that sends Kyle into a backslide she might never be able to crawl out of. Is Jackson too much for her to handle? Does love come at the cost of sanity?

My Comments:

I'm officially tired of writing book reviews. Bet you couldn't guess that if you look on my sidebar and see how many I published back in the day vs recently. Still I'm not ready to give up this space or my NetGalley account so...

I enjoyed this book. Its strength was the two main characters, particularly Kyle. The story is told through her eyes, but we also know she recently tried to commit suicide, so her observations were always a little suspect. Still I enjoyed watching her interact, grow and change throughout the book. Grade: B.

Let's Talk About Details:

Does it aggravate you when authors get details wrong? I realize that no one can be an expert in everything and that authors are experts in, well....writing. I get that given my age and my profession (paralegal) I have a lot of knowledge of particular fields that may not be common knowledge to average people. But still, it seems to me that if you are going to include a detail in your work, you ought to get it right.

Kyle spends most of this book living at Hope House which seems to be a sort of step down from a mental hospital. She cannot come and go at will. Nurses check on her regularly around the clock. The other people living there are mental patients as well. There is a security guard at the door who can be summoned if there is a problem. A psychiatrist, Dr. Booth, is in charge. He does regular counselling with the patients but also prescribes medications.

However, it is Kyle who cooks for the residents, not once in a while, but every meal. She plans the meals, orders the ingredients and cooks. That's fine, she's a culinary school trained pastry chef, but what about when she leaves, or who did it before she got there? True, the number of patients in the house is small, so it is like cooking for a family rather than an institution-sized crowd but that did not ring true. Still, I'm not an expert on treating mental illness, maybe that is a normal part of treatment.

However, I do know enough about mental health treatment to know that psychiatrists don't do talk therapy these days. Their job is medication managment. Dr. Booth did that job and the job that would be done by a social worker or therapist of some sort. On the other hand, I'm sure it worked better for the plot to have one person as the authority/treatment figure, as opposed to the team that would be more realistic.

At one point in the book Kyle is baking goods for sale to restaurants. Great--except that she is doing it from her apartment kitchen which I'm sure would not pass any of the requirements for a commercial kitchen.

I'm not trying to pick on Amy Watson in particular, I see a lot of things in books and on other media that are just plain wrong. Have you every seen a movie or TV show set in New Orleans where everyone speaks with a Scarlett O'Hara drawl? Well, fyi, that drawl would instantly label you as "not from here" in New Orleans. We sound a lot like the people from Brooklyn or Savannah (yes, people from Savannah GA sound more like they are from New York or New Orleans they like they are from Atlanta--its a port city accent.

As a paralegal I have great insight into how the court system works, and I can tell you it is a lot more exciting on TV than in real life--and I get that no TV audience is going to sit there while a judge reads jury charges (most judges in real life lock the doors when they are being read to keep the jury paying attention to them), but it still annoys me when an author has the characters attending a deposition in a criminal case (there have to be very extraordinary circumstances for one to be held in a criminal case but they are a normal part of civil cases) or when lawsuits are filed and then tried a couple of months later (chances are good that the defendant is just getting around to filing an answer at that point).

How often do you read books where you find the author got details wrong, whether those details were geographic, dealt with your area of expertise or were things you thought were common knowledge? Does it affect your enjoyment of the book?

Review: The Forever Farmhouse

2022-08-30T12:52:00.000-05:00

The Forever Farmhouse

About the Book:

When Ryan Hastings first came to Teaberry Island, he was a troubled teen on his last chance. He’s returning as a renowned scientist, checking in on his widowed foster mother. But one thing hasn’t changed—Ryan’s feelings for the girl next door who he loved…and left. Mellie Anderson has a son now, and a good life that Ryan believes he’s still too damaged to share. But he knows he can help young Alfie, who’s getting picked on at his new school.

Mellie is grateful her gifted son is getting extra support, and torn about where it’s coming from. Ryan has no idea he’s Alfie’s father. No matter how valid her reasons were, could Ryan ever understand why she didn’t tell him? But in this close-knit community, friendship and forgiveness are always near at hand, and forever love might be waiting just next door.

My Comments:

There are some books that people familiar with the author could attribute to the author almost without looking at the cover. This is one of those. Like most Lee Tobin McLain books, this one is set in a small Chesapeake Bay town and features a close-knit group of family and friends, along with a delightful canine companion.

I loved the way Ryan was able to help is overly-intelligent son find his way in the world--takes one to know one and all that.

The Forever Farmhouse is the first in a series and I'm ready to read the rest. Grade: B

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy via NetGalley.

Review of Rick Steve's Heart of Italy Tour

2022-07-04T10:58:00.000-05:00

About Us:

At the time we started planning this trip, I had just turned 60 and my husband had just turned 65. We are in good health.

I LOVE to travel. I like going new places and seeing new things. I'm a history buff and a reader. Europe has been on my bucket list for some time, but I've had minor kids in the house for the last 29 years and with the ages and personalities of my kids, not to mention the size of my bank account, taking them to Europe has never been in the cards. However, in May, 2022, my baby turned 18 and shortly thereafter, graduated from high school. We were DONE with parenting (at least as much as you are ever done with it).

While I roll with the punches pretty well, my husband hates it when things don't go according to plan. Throw in a language barrier and he was not at all comfortable with do-it-yourself planning. I decided that if something went wrong, I'd rather he was unhappy with a tour employee than with me.

Our Tour Choice:

We decided on Rick Steves' Heart of Italy Tour. It starts in Rome and heads to Volterra and Cinque Terra before ending in Florence. It is called a nine day tour but it is really a little over seven. Day one started in the late afternoon and day nine ended after breakfast.

Overall Impression:

We LOVED it. There is no way we could have seen as much on our own. These people are pros at logistics and timing and have contacts in all these places. Every penny we spent on this tour was absolutely worth it.

We enjoyed spending time with our fellow tour members and there were few enough of them that we could remember names. We also liked the fact that we covered the big "must see" attractions with the tour group but that we also had a nice block of free time in each place to do what we wanted to do, even if that was sleep.

We had time on our own in Rome before the tour started and we went to Venice when it was over, but while we enjoyed both we accomplished a lot more on the tour--and when we were with the guide we didn't get lost.

Cost:

For the two of us, we paid Rick Steves $5500. During the tour we had to buy all our lunches but one and found that $10 per person was about right. We bought four dinners during the tour, and they were $50-60 for the two of us, but that's one of those things where you can decide how much you want to spend.

We paid to ride the boat in Cinque Terra and to visit a museum in Florence but that's it as far as costs not paid by the tour, other than totally optional things like snacks and drinks.

One thing I wondered is how much all of this would have cost if we tried to do it ourselves and wanted a similar experience. I searched for the costs of things as if I was booking a trip later this summer as far as the hotel rooms and attractions. If we had a local guide showing us around an attraction, I found a guided tour of that attraction and added it to the list. I priced the group meals at about $10/course plus $10 for beverages, which is about what we found when we ate out on our own. I looked up the cost of public transport (either train or bus) between cities.

In short, it appears that we paid not quite twice what everything would have cost had we purchased it individually, but by doing so we would have lost the services of our guide and frankly we never could have put together a trip that flowed that well. We also gained efficiency--when we finished at the Coliseum, it only took the tour bus ten minutes to pick us up and to head to Volterra. If we were doing this on our own, we would have had to get back to the train station or to a rental car place--and deal with either schedules or driving/parking in a foreign land. We could not have parked near any of the hotels, and if we had chosen places with parking we would have been outside the historical areas.

Hotels

Rome

In Rome we stayed at the Dharma Style Hotel which is in the Monti area not far from Termine train station. It was a convenient location. The people at the hotel were extremely nice and helpful. The provided breakfast was good, with fruit, pastries, cheese and some meat, and good Italian coffee. Our bed was comfortable and the room was attractive. Those are the pluses.

The minuses? The main one was that the air conditioning did not cool to the extent most Americans expect. For one thing, our room key operated the electricity in the room. Once you used the keycard to enter the room, you would stick it in a slot behind the door and it would turn on the electricity and air conditioning. It was hot when we were in Rome and it always took a while for our room to cool down. When we entered it for the first time, the windows were open (we were on the third floor, which Americans would call the fourth floor). When the maids cleaned they left the windows open too.

Volterra

In Volterra we stayed at the Hotel LaLoconda which is where we had the nicest room of the trip--the guide said they tried to alternate who got the best rooms. We had a jacuzzi tub and a large room that overlooked the main street. Since Volterra cooled down at night, opening the windows was the solution for air conditioning that wasn't quite as cool as we would like.

Levanto

Our Levanto (outside Cinque Terra) hotel was Hotel Primavera. Our room was spacious; our bathroom was not. The shower was VERY small. Again the people running the hotel were great. The location was terrific--just a couple of blocks from the beach, two blocks from a park and near a bunch of restaurants and shops. The air conditioning worked well. The train station was about a ten minute walk.

Florence

In Florence we stayed at the Hotel Torre Guelfa. Our room was very nice, but the bathroom was small. The air conditioning kept us nice and cool. The location was awesome. The hotel had a wonderful rooftop terrace that someone at the hotel said was the second highest viewpoint in the city, after the Duomo.

In sort, the hotels were what Rick Steves advertises that his tours use: Charming buildings located in the center of things which are not the cookie cutter chain hotels to which most Americans are accustomed. All were clean, all were comfortable (well, I don't think I'd stay at the Dharma Style in the hot part of the summer) but many had steps up and down within the rooms. All had elevators. All had private (but often small) baths.

Food

The tour provided us with breakfast every morning and with one dinner in each location. The breakfasts in all the hotels were similar, and good. If you are looking for eggs, bacon and pancakes you might be disappointed as the meals did not feature them, but there was always a big variety and all the breakfasts were far superior to a cheap US chain "free" breakfast. I'd even rate them above most mid-range us hotel breakfasts.

The group dinners were always multi-course productions and were were offered wine with each. I don't remember exactly what we ate where, but it was all good. We were not offered a choice, except that people who turned in dietary preferences prior to the trip were accommodated (we had a vegan couple on the tour).

We also got one lunch at a farm that made wine and olive oil. I liked it too.

The main criticism I have of the food is that it was all "safe"; there was no encouragement to go outside the comfort zone of the average American. For example, I've heard that tripe is a big thing in Florence and that truffles were big in Tuscany. It would have been nice to have been offered an appetizer-sized bite of a few foods like that--not enough that I'd go hungry if I passed, or if I took a bite and didn't like it, but enough to get a taste, so I could decide to seek it out on my own time.

The other is that for all I read and heard about Italians eating lots of fruits and vegetables, our meals were light in that department.

Touring

Sunday

Our tour started on Sunday afternoon with a meeting at our hotel where we had to present our covid vaccine card and a negative covid test. We introduced ourselves and some questions were answered. Then we headed out for a walk past several fountains on our way to the restaurant. We also stopped at the Pantheon. After dinner we saw St. Ignatius church, which the guide said was "never" open, and which was on our list of things we wanted to see. We also saw more fountains and piazzas.

Monday

On Monday we headed to the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel. We had a local guide who led us through it. We got their via the Metro. The place was packed and our plan to get there early to beat the crowd failed because someone who got there before us got sick, so they closed down to clean up.

Honestly what I remember most is the crowds and feeling like I was being herded through. Our guide was good and showed us photos of the Sistine Chapel before we entered because she was not allowed to give tours in the Chapel but when we got in there it was crowded and the ceiling was so high that I really couldn't see all the stuff that had been pointed out. While the building was air conditioned, given the crowds, it was still warmer than was comfortable, and since N-95 masks were required, the heat seemed worse than what it was.

Before we left in the morning the guide gave everyone three metro tickets--one to get to the Vatican, one to use to explore and one to get back to the hotel.

After the tour of the Sistine Chapel we were turned loose for lunch and whatever we wanted to do thereafter. We visited St. Peter's Basilica, which was awesome!

Then we got some lunch and then headed back to the hotel to rest. After a nap we went to the Monument of Italian Unification were some guy sold me a bottle of water with ICE in it. Made my day. We also walked by some ruins.

Tuesday

One Tuesday morning we boarded our tour bus to head for the Coliseum area, where we met our local guide who taught us about the Coliseum and the nearby Forum and temple ruins. Our Coliseum tickets got us on the floor, which evidently most do not. It was neat being down there and looking up at the seats. We also climbed up to the top. Every day of the trip I logged close to eight miles.

I have to honestly say that having the guide there to explain what everything was added a LOT to the experience. If we had just bought tickets we would have walked in there, said this is cool, spent a few minutes looking around, and then left without really realizing what we were seeing. Our guide was terrific and I know now that paying for one is not a waste of money.

Our bus then picked us up and we headed to Volterra in the Tuscan hills. Most of the drive was on the auto strada which is like the Interstate. One difference I noted between Italy and the US is that in the US if you see a hill from the interstate, it is covered in trees; the town is in the valley. In Tuscany, the towns were at the top of the hills.

We got to Volterra about five and headed our hotel, which was on a street that reminded us of Diagon Alley. We had dinner with the group and after dinner headed for a scenic overlook to take sunset photos. We walked through town looking in shop windows and then headed for our hotel.

Wednesday

Wednesday was our day to tour Volterra. We met a guide in the morning and she gave us the history of the town as she showed us the sights. At the end of the morning we went to an alabaster shop and watched the craftsman make a bowl. Our final pre-lunch stop was the Etruscan museum. Our guide then passed out Volterra passes that gave us entrance into some other attractions and turned us loose for the day. We saw the Etruscan museum, the Alabaser Museum, the local art museum and a few other things.

In the late afternoon we gathered at a wine shop for a wine tasting. I'll admit I'm no connoisseur of fine wine, and I prefer white wine to red. We tasted three reds and a white and I liked the white and the cheap red.

After the wine tasting we were turned loose for dinner on our own. We ended up on one of the main piazzas and had a really nice meal. About halfway through another American couple sat down next to us. We chatted with them, which was fun. They have a second home in the area. Nice to know we picked a place that people who know what they are doing pick.

We did a little more walking after dinner and then called it a night.

Thursday

Thursday we got in the bus and headed for a farm where they grew olives and grapes and made wine and olive oil in an old castle. After a tour we had an olive oil tasting (despite being married to an Italian I prefer my oil to have less taste, and I don't like olives) and lunch, which was yummy.

As we were heading toward Levanto, we passed some white-topped mountains. This was another occasion where the guide added value. She pointed out that it was not snow on the mountains but Carrara marble.

We arrived in Levanto about 4 pm. We headed out to a laundromat and while our clothes washed, we watched some kids play in the park. We had a group dinner that night at the hotel--a seafood buffet and it included calamari and octopus in small amounts. I'm not a calamari fan and the octopus was in a yummy soup. After dinner we walked down the beach to watch the sunset and take pictures. At dinner the guide handed out Cinque Terra passes which gave us a full day of access to the trains and hiking trails between the towns and Levanto.

Friday

On Friday we were on our own. We visited Monterroso and from there, took a boat (which we paid for) to Vernazza where we took a trail that headed up into the hills a little ways and then took some photos before heading back down. After wandering around a little, we took the train to Riomaggiore and wandered a bit and got gelato before heading back to Levanto. It was hot and we wanted to go to the beach.

The beach water was cold and the sand was rocky so we only stayed an hour or so. After cleaning up we walked around town and then joined the group for a happy hour at the hotel.

Later we headed to dinner by ourselves. We were outside at a restaurant on the main drag. I ordered a spritz because I hadn't had one and heard that you should. They brought it out in a large glass that was full of ice, American style. One thing about Italy is that ice in a drink is not normal. I was thrilled and said something to my husband about it. Some guys at the next table were not speaking English but when they got their drinks, one guy said in English "too much ice". Well, I was happy.

Saturday

On Saturday morning we headed for Florence. On the way we stopped at the American WWII Cemetery and a staff person gave us a brief tour. I suspect one reason for this was to give our hotel time to get our rooms ready, but it was a great stop, and one that was not on the itenerary.

We got to Florence about lunch time and after dropping off our bags, our tour guide said she'd lead us to the Central Market if that's where we wanted to have lunch, but we were on our own. We followed her and ended up with pizza. As would be expected on a Saturday, the place was packed.

We had free time until about 3 when our local guide gave us a walking tour of town ending at the Uffizi Gallery where we got to see David. One thing that was really neat is there was a parade in town that day and she interrupted the tour to let us watch, and she explained why the were having the parade (historical football game) and told us about the game. After seeing the Uffizi we were on our own for the rest of the evening.

We were tired so we just headed out to find someplace close to the hotel. We found a cute little place but they told us to come back in thirty minutes. We wandered down the street and found a beautiful church and outside it, a statue of Cosmo Medici.

After dinner we headed up to the roof where we visited with other tour members. The view was awesome.

Sunday

On Sunday we met out guide again and headed for the Academia Gallery and as we toured the gallery they told us about development of Renaissance art. After the tour we were free until dinner.

We had planned to go to Mass at the Duomo (Cathedral) but when we got there they said the noon Mass was cancelled. We asked if they knew of a nearby Mass. They pointed us in a direction but we couldn't find it in time and decided to get lunch instead.

Shortly thereafter we found the church and paid to see it and the museum attached. There was an old convent attached that had frescos on the walls of the cloisters so it was neat being able to see them up close. I also liked the church because it had stained glass, which I noted most churches in the area did not.

Sunday afternoon we walked over the bridge to the Alto Arno and walked to the Piti Palace but decided not to go in. We headed back to the hotel and then had our final group dinner, and not surprisingly most people ended up on the roof that night.

The tour ended after breakfast on Monday and we went to Venice on our own.

Conclusion

If you are on a tight budget then you can probably do an independent trip for a lot less than this tour. However, you will trade time for money. Instead of a tour bus being there when you are ready to move, you'll have to get to the train/bus station and go on their schedule. You will have to purchase attraction tickets, and in today's world that means either pre-purchasing a timed ticket or waiting in long lines for the major things.

If listening to a tour guide talking about Italian history, Renaissance Art or the ancient Romans/Etruscans sounds like torture, this is probably not the trip for you. If your ideal Italian vacation involves sleeping late, enjoying a leisurely breakfast and lots of shopping, this tour is not for you. You aren't in control of most of your schedule, so if that's important to you, group travel may not be for you.

On the other hand, if you want to see a variety of places in Italy and to engage in a variety of activities from hiking to museums and from beaches to churches, and want someone there who can put things in historical perspective, I think you'd enjoy this trip as much as I did.

Review: Summer Getaway

2022-03-27T09:50:00.006-05:00

Summer Getaway

About the Book

Single mom Robyn Caldwell needs a new plan for her future. She has always put her family first. Now, with her kids grown, she yearns for a change. But what can she do when her daughter has become the most demanding bride ever, her son won’t even consider college, her best friend is on the brink of marital disaster and her ex is making a monumentally bad decision that could ruin everything?

Take a vacation, of course. Press reset. When her great-aunt Lillian invites her to Santa Barbara for the summer, Robyn hops on the first plane to sunny California.

But it’s hard to get away when you’re the heart of the family. One by one, everyone she loves follows her across the country. Somehow, their baggage doesn’t feel as heavy in the sun-drenched, mishmash mansion. The more time Robyn spends with free-spirited Lillian, the more possibilities she sees—for dreams, love, family. She can have everything she ever wanted, if only she can muster the courage to take a chance on herself?

My Comments

The women featured in most women's fiction/romance books tend to be young women, women the age of my daughter. While Robyn is younger than I am, we are at about the same stage of life--our nest is emptying and we are having to say "now what?". Another thing we have in common is young adult children and trying to balance being there for them and making their problems ours. Unfortunately, running away to Aunt Lillian's isn't an option for me.

The strength of Susan Mallery's good books is her characters and that is true of this book. Robyn's daughter goes from being the clueless rich girl to someone who wants to stand on her own two feet. Her son shows the maturity that a lot of young people could use when he rejects his parents' paths for his life and goes for what he wants. Even the ex-husband finally grows up (or so it seems).

I read this one in one sitting so it definitely caught my attention.

I'd like to thank the publisher for providing a complimentary review copy via NetGalley. Grade: B+

Review: Summer on the Island

2022-03-01T11:17:00.008-06:00

Summer on the Island

About the Book:

After the death of her US senator father, Marlow Madsen travels to the small island off the coast of Florida where she spent summers growing up to help her mother settle the family estate. For Marlow, the trip is a chance to reconnect after too long apart. It’s also the perfect escape to help her feel grounded again—one she’s happy to share with friends Aida and Claire, who are hoping to hit reset on their lives, too.

A leisurely beachfront summer promises the trio of women the opportunity to take deep healing breaths and explore new paths. But when her father’s will reveals an earth-shattering secret that tarnishes his impeccable reputation and everything she thought she knew about her family, Marlow finds herself questioning her entire childhood—and aspects of her future. Fortunately, her friends, and the most unlikely love interest she could imagine, prove that happiness can be found no matter what—as long as the right people are by your side.

My Comments:

As you may surmise by the dearth of recent posts, I've been in a reading/blogging funk lately. I haven't felt like reading and I have wanted to write even less. Given that attitude, I didn't really think it was right to blast some author about a book I didn't like primarily because I didn't want to read at all.

However the other day I was perusing NetGalley and I saw Summer on the Island and I wanted to read it. I generally like Brenda Novak's books and the premise of this one sounded interesting. Unfortunately, this one came out as just too predictable. It's a romance so it was no stretch to figure that they would end up together, but the other plot threads involving Marlow's friends and family members were just as predictable.

One first for me is that this was the first book I've read that incorporates Covid-19 and the changes it made to the world. Marlow and her friends live in California and one has lost her business due to the pandemic. Of course in Florida the pandemic is little more than a subject of disinterested conversation.

I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley. Grade B-

Is It Time to Declare Covid "Over"?

2022-03-01T10:43:00.000-06:00

For the record, while I spend many of my working hours reading other people's medical records, I have no medical training. My college science classes many years ago were for non-science majors. In short, I have no medical training and little expertise. However, like most people, I have an uneducated opinion about about how we should be dealing with covid in today's world.

At the time I am writing this, the wave caused by Omicron appears to be receding. I say appears to be because home testing is much more prevalent than it was a few weeks ago, so perhaps the numbers aren't falling as fast as they appear to be, but hospitalizations are headed down too so I have to believe the number of cases is really falling fast.

I personally think it is time to declare covid "over" and to remove all governmental restrictions involving it. Why? What if the next variant is as contagious as Omicron but more deadly?

Why? Because today, we should worry about what we know today--which is that for people who are vaccinated, covid as we know it today is not a deadly disease. Yes, people are dying but overwhelmingly they are people who have chosen not to be vaccinated and/or are the elderly and sick. Treatments are available for those who become sick, and people who are at high risk for a bad outcome know who they are.

Also, if not now, then when? From everything I've read, Covid isn't going anywhere. While at one time there was some hope that if we could just vaccinate enough people fast enough we could stop this thing and turn it into another measles or polio--diseases for which vaccines gave us herd immunity--, the Omicron variant has shown that's not going to happen as even vaccinated people got sick. Covid is not going to be another polio, its going to be another flu, and like the flu it appears that one shot or series of shots isn't going to do the trick long term. It looks like we will be rolling up our sleeves yearly for a Covid booster, which basically means that those who do not see themselves as being in high risk groups just won't get around to it in many years even if the outright refusal isn't an issue anymore.

I personally think anyone who refuses a Covid vaccine is doing something foolish. I have no problem with the same institutions that mandate flu vaccines mandating covid vaccines. However, much beyond that, I think the vaccines ought to be freely available, that people should be encouraged to get them and that they be allowed to make up their own minds about it.

Review: Sleigh Bells Ring

2021-10-26T12:30:00.003-05:00

Sleigh Bells Ring

About the Book:

Ranch manager Annie McCade thought her twin niece and nephew could join her at the Angel View Ranch for Christmas with her absent employer being none the wiser. But when the ranch's owner, Tate Sheridan, shows up out of the blue, Annie's plans are upended. Soon she finds herself helping Tate make a Christmas to remember for his grieving and fractured extended family.

Sleigh Bells Ring is the latest heartwarming, festive Christmas story by New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne.

My Comments:

It's a Christmas romance. Cute kids, horses, sweet woman, man who doesn't realize that something has been missing, and yes even a sleigh. But this book goes a little (not much, but a little) deeper and looks at how guilt from the past can keep us from things (and people) we love in the present.

Like most of Thayne's books, this is squeaky clean with no suggestion of sex outside of marriage.

I'd like to thank the publisher for providing a review copy of this book via NetGalley. Grade B.

Keep Me Warm at Christmas: My Review

2021-09-26T16:22:00.041-05:00

Keep Me Warm at Christmas

About the Book:

Hollywood starlet Tia Beckett knows one moment can change your life. Her career had been on the fast track before a near-fatal accident left her with a debilitating facial scar. Certain her A-lister dreams are over, she agrees to house-sit at her producer’s secluded estate in Silver Springs. It’s the escape from the limelight Tia’s been craving, until she discovers she’s not the only houseguest for the holidays. And her handsome new roomie is impossible to ignore.

Artist Seth Turner has good reason to keep his distance. Losing his wife after only a few years of marriage has left a deep scar, even if he is still happy to spend a semester teaching art classes at the New Horizons Boys Ranch for troubled teens. Despite nursing her own wounds, Tia finds her curiosity piqued by enigmatic Seth, whom she recognizes as something of a kindred soul. Maybe spending Christmas together could be another game changer for both of them—this time, for good.

My Comments:

If there is one thing Christmas romances share, it is usually that they are sweet as the season with conflicts being minimal or a matter of misunderstanding. While Keep Me Warm At Christmas has the expected happy ending, the road there is a little grittier than in many such books.

For those familiar with the Silver Springs books, Seth is one of Aiyana's adopted sons. For those not familiar with the series, Aiyana runs a school for troubled kids, and over the years adopted some of them, who was might be imagined, have issues with trust, love etc.

Tia, as noted above is dealing with a disfiguring car accident. Their story went about as expected.

The gritty part of the story dealt with Tia' relationship with her parents, with Seth's relationship with his in-laws and with a photographer who was trying to get a picture of Tia. Honestly I didn't like the part about her parents. She came from a conservative Mennonite family and I didn't like the way Brenda Novak presented them or their faith. I realize the presentation was through the eyes of one who didn't fit in, but it irked me that the only mention of religion in a Christmas book was a negative one.

I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley. Grade: B-

Book Review: The Gathering Table

2021-09-24T21:56:00.001-05:00

The Gathering Table

About the Book:

Winsome Lake, Wisconsin, is postcard-pretty, but for chef Jessica Keaton it’s also a last resort. Fired from her dream job, Jess is starting over as a live-in cook and housekeeper. When she arrives, she finds her new employer is in rehab after having a stroke, and Jess expects she’ll be all alone in Elaine Haviland’s quaint house. A chef with no one to cook for.

But instead, she encounters a constant stream of colorful visitors who draw her back into the world. As Jess contends with local teenagers, a group of scrappy women and a charming football coach, Elaine faces some battles of her own that extend past her physical challenges. For both of them, all the ingredients for a fulfilling life are within reach, if they’re willing to take a leap. And maybe Jess will start to see that it’s not just what’s on the table that matters—it’s the people gathered round it.

My Comments:

I used to read a lot of Christian Fiction and this book exemplifies the good and bad of the genre. The good is that because the authors can't develop a romance by having the characters fall in lust with each other, they actually need to make them talk to each other and to learn each other's strengths and weaknesses. They have to be attracted to the personality, not the body. There are two romances in this story and while the characters do find each other to be physically attractive, that physical attraction is not the main draw. I also like the fact that one of those couples is "mature".

The bad is that sometimes authors can't seem to resist putting in a "salvation scene", a scene where one character (or more) accepts Jesus which changes his or her life and then finds the problems of life in this world to be resolved. Also, some of the plot turns seem a bit, hmmm, well, not quite likely. In The Gathering Table Jess is hired over the phone to be a live-in cook and housekeeper for a lady who had a stroke. Ok, I'll give that a pass. Then, when she gets to town she is told the lady won't be discharged from rehab for a while, due to a fall, but that she is to go ahead and move in. I can accept that. However, never do we see Jess picking up the phone and calling her employer, or going by the nursing home to meet her. Nope, she stays at the house and cooks for the neighbors.

I liked the way the characters looked out for each other, the way they learned that three of them had a lot in common and the way the character with Down Syndrome was made into a real person rather than a caricature.

I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley. Grade: B.

Christmas House: Short Review

2021-09-07T22:30:00.005-05:00

The Christmas House

About the Book:

It's Christmas in the small town of Silver Springs which is bursting with holiday spirit. The downtown shops boast twinkling lights, and the town square features an enormous Christmas tree. Every Christmas Eve for the past fifty years, Ruby Harris, the owner of the historic B&B, The Christmas House, has opened her doors to strangers in need, showing them the compassion once denied to her.

When Ruby invites her family home for the holidays, including her two adult grandchildren, Charlotte and Olivia, she hopes they will be able to put the past behind them. However, her plans for reconciliation implode as the women unravel secrets from the past that force them to confront the impact they've had on their dysfunctional family. As Charlotte grows closer to Wyatt, the neighbor next door and a friend from the past, old memories resurface that the women would rather forget. they're reminded of a man they want to forget.

As the clock inches closer to the New Year, can the magic of the season bring the family closer? Or will a surprise guest threaten their tentative truce and test newly formed bonds?

This light-hearted Christmas tale draws inspiration from Victoria James's own historical fixer-upper, offering plenty of warmth and holiday cheer.

My Comments:

This is the story of how adults can really screw up their lives and the lives of their kids--and the story of how love can heal hurts. .

It is a dual timeline story that comes together in a sweet charming way, as would be expected in a book with this cover and title. Sure, things worked out a little too well--but its a Christmas romance, right?

I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley. Grade: B-

It's Monday What Are You Reading?

2021-07-18T23:17:00.000-05:00

I'm linking up with Kathryn and the gang over at Book Date. where we share what we've been reading and talk about life in general.

I've been in a reading slump, so no new reviews this week. I did write a discussion post about NetGalley. Please add your comments.

Please, if you haven't had your Covid vaccine, call your doctor. He or she should be able to address your concerns. My healthcare friends don't want to see you in ICU.

Have a good week and stay healthy!

Changes to NetGalley That I'd Like to See

2021-07-16T13:00:00.001-05:00

For the uninitiated, NetGalley is a website where you can sign up to read and review digital advance reader copies. In the last ten years or so, as e-readers, smart phone and tablets have become more common ways of reading, NetGalley has grown from serving a few niche presses to carrying ARCs from large publishers and small, as well as some self-published writers. How well it accomplishes the task of publicizing new works is a discussion I'll leave to others. This post is from the reader/blogger's point of view. I love using NetGalley but I can't help but want some new features.

Special Instructions? Please Put Them on the Feedback Page

Reading and reviewing books is a hobby, not a job. Please make it easy for me to do what you want. I don't want to create elaborate spreadsheets or search email folders for directions. If publishers want me to publish during a certain timeframe, to use hashtags or use blue font or whatever, it would be nice if that information popped up when I hit the "leave feedback" button.

A "Save for Later" Button

Often when I am perusing NetGalley I find books I want to read but which I just don't have time to read right now. It would be great if there was a "Save for Later" button which would do nothing but tag the book and add it to my "Save for Later" list and allow me to give feedback on the book. If my schedule cleared, I could check the list and request it if it was still available. If it was not still available, I could check my bookstore or library, and, if I chose, leave feedback for it (which would not count against my ratio but which could improve it).

This could be helpful to publishers and could earn them a few more reviews than they get now. Also, if they see that I marked it, they could contact me about it if desired. It could be another way to gauge interest in a book.

Downloadables/Pre-Written Content

Many bloggers include author information and/or bookstore links in their posts. It would be nice if that stuff was easily available on NetGalley. If I want to use my affiliate links I could always switch them out, but for those of us who don't, save us the trouble of searching for the links. Give us an author biography and photo. Don't require us to use it, but make it available.

Are you a NetGalley user? Reader or Author? What would you like to see NetGalley provide that it does not currently?

Join the Discussion!

It's Monday: What Are You Reading?

2021-07-05T08:53:00.001-05:00

I'm linking up with Kathryn and the gang over at Book Date. where we share what we've been reading and talk about life in general.

I think this summer, we are somehow getting everyone's rain. Much of the country is in drought and yet here the rain just won't stop. The sun is out now (8:25 a.m. on 7/5) but it is supposed to rain this afternoon. It really would be nice if they were wrong about that.

I got one new NetGalley

And this was my free Prime Reading book this month

Two book reviews this week:

My Review

I have the day off today. After I finish reading everyone's posts and adding to my TBR list, hopefully I'll have time for a book or two.

Short Review: A Brambleberry Summer

2021-06-29T19:35:00.001-05:00

A Brambleberry Summer

About the Book:

Will the secrets of her past…

Prevent her from having the future she’s always wanted?

Rosa Galvez’s attraction to Officer Wyatt Townsend is as powerful as the moon’s pull on the tides. But with her past, Rosa knows better than to act on her feelings. When Wyatt and his adorable son become Brambleberry House’s newest tenants, Rosa finds her resolve slipping. Her solo life slowly becomes a sun-filled family adventure—until dark secrets threaten to break like a summer storm.

My Comments:

Like many of RaeAnne Thayne's books, this one is set in small towns and feature some recurring cast members. However, I found this one to be overwritten and melodramatic. Rosa's secret wasn't hard to guess nor was it hard to figure out why the secret would dull her attraction to men, but it doesn't dull her attraction, only makes her fight against it, which in my opinion doesn't make sense.

The book has a couple of subplots, both of which seemed to be just tacked on.

All in all, the book seemed much longer than what it was and I just think it is one of Thaynes weaker works. Grade: C+

Review: When I Found You

2021-06-28T14:37:00.001-05:00

When I Found You

About the Book:

After everything she worked for is destroyed, pediatrician Natasha Gray is determined to build a new life. Divorced, bankrupt and suddenly a single mom, she’s ready to start over in Silver Springs—on her own. She certainly doesn’t need help from Mack Amos, the man who’s already broken her heart twice.

Although Mack has had feelings for Tash since they first met, too many things have stood in the way. He’s always given her the support she needs, though, and he’ll do the same now. Even if the desire he wrestles with threatens to undermine his intentions…

But her heart is not the only reason Natasha wants to keep Mack at bay. More time in her life means getting closer to her son, which could lead to a revelation neither of them is ready to face.

My Comments:

Fans of Brenda Novak will know what I mean when I say this book is Silver Springs meets Whiskey Creek. Natasha is starting over in Silver Springs, but someone else wants a new start too--Mack Amos, one of the Amos brothers from Whiskey Creek. While the story of how Natasha got to this point doesn't really ring true, I liked her and her son.

Those familiar with the Whiskey Creek series will remember that when the Amos patriarch was released from prison, he returned home with a wife in tow--and that wife had a daughter, Natasha. Mack's feelings about Natasha weren't brotherly then and certainly aren't now-over 10 years after the Whiskey Creek books.

Both Mack and Natasha have been through some rough times lately, but I loved watching them move to happily ever after. Like the other Whiskey Creek books, the extended cast plays an important part. Mild Spoiler: The big Whiskey Creek secret comes out. Still, I think you could enjoy the book even if you never met any of the Whiskey Creek characters.

I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley. Grade: B.

It's Monday: What Are You Reading?

2021-06-27T22:53:00.002-05:00

I'm linking up with Kathryn and the gang over at Book Date. where we share what we've been reading and talk about life in general.

I celebrated one of those milestone birthdays on Friday so I took the day off. It gave me the chance to get some reading done. The weekend in general was pretty low-key as it has rained on and off so it makes it hard to get motivated to go anywhere. I enjoyed watching the gymnastics Olympic trials. We are thinking about a beach weekend in the not too distant future.

I've grabbed a bunch of NetGalleys this week.

I actually started most of them. Sleigh Bells was about what I expected. Keep Me Warm at Christmas wasn't my favorite, but I think most Silver Springs fans will like it. Pray for Us and Introduction to the Spiritual Life are both easy reads but I'm taking my time with them.

I have two reviews this week:

My Review

Hope everyone has a great week!

The House Guests: My Review

2021-06-25T11:22:00.068-05:00

The House Guests

About the Book

In the wake of her husband’s sudden death, Cassie Costas finds her relationship with her teenage stepdaughter unraveling. After their move to historic Tarpon Springs, Florida, Savannah hates her new town, her school and most of all her stepmom, whom she blames for her father’s death. Cassie has enough to contend with as she searches for answers about the man she shared a life with, including why all their savings have disappeared.

When Savannah’s rebellion culminates in an act that leaves single mother Amber Blair and her sixteen-year-old son homeless, Cassie empathizes with the woman’s predicament and invites the strangers to move in. As their lives intertwine, Cassie realizes that Amber is hiding something. She’s evasive about her past, but the fear in her eyes tells a darker story. Cassie wonders what the woman living under her roof is running from…and what will happen if it finally catches up to her.

My Comments:

Emilie Richards is one of the authors whose books I read when I find them, and there is a good reason for that--for the most part I've enjoyed them and found them to be my type of books. When The House Guests came across NetGalley I missed it because the cover didn't look like the kind of book I usually read and I didn't notice the author's name. Then I saw people starting to talk about it, so I went and grabbed it.

On the one hand, I don't usually read suspense or mystery books, so I don't really know what normal expectations are, but this story had two major plot lines and I found the resolution of one to be unrealistic. As noted above, the reader learns early in the story that Amber is running from something--we just do not know what. When we learn and when that whole plotline resolves, I just didn't find it believable. Maybe that's because this isn't my usual genre.

The other plotline is Cassie learning that her late husband cleaned out their retirement accounts not long before he died and trying to find out why. I found the resolution of this plotline to be very believable.

Emilie Richards' strength as a writer is her characters, and that holds true in this book too. Cassie's grandmother was my favorite.

A lot of Richards' books have strong romantic subplots. The romance is there in this book but it isn't a major factor and in the end, it isn't HEA, but rather, the suggestion that HEA will happen eventually.

I'd like to thank the publisher for providing a review copy via NetGalley. Grade: B

Review: The Girl I Used to Be

2021-06-21T22:07:00.000-05:00

The Girl I Used to Be

About the Book:

When Jill Goodman’s picture-perfect marriage implodes, she’s heartbroken. Still reeling from the shock, the only thing she receives in the hasty divorce settlement is the deed to her husband’s sprawling beach house on the New Jersey coastline. Jill never cared about money – only her marriage – but with Marc determined to take everything she owns, the beach house is her only lifeline left.

With no other choice, Jill travels to the shore intending to sell the house quickly—but the task is not as easy as she expects. Still, she can’t help but be charmed by the beautiful seaside town and its sweetly old-fashioned ways. Despite everything, Jill is starting to see a path back to who she was before she met her husband – not the demure, polished housewife she’d become, but the smiling young woman with the strong Jersey accent who loved her family more than anything.

Then Jill dives deeper into Marc’s secrets and she stumbles across a something in her husband’s past that changes everything. Could Jill herself have been unknowingly complicit in what Marc did and, if so, what will happen to her when the truth finally comes to light? With Marc determined to bury the evidence, can Jill find a way to save herself before her once perfect husband takes her down with him?

My Comments:

I've heard it said that good healthy relationships help you to be a better version of yourself. Unhealthy relationships let you stay where you are or regress to a lesser place, or they try to make you into someone you are not. When Jill learns her husband is having an affair she realizes that he has spent their marriage making her into someone she is not--and she does not consider the "new her" to be an improvement. This book follows her through her divorce and starting over.

I liked Jill and liked watching her realize what was important to her and what was not. Of course I hated Marc--there was nothing likeable about him or his fraternity brother attorney. While I enjoyed the book and read it pretty much straight through, I found the resolution to be highly unlikely. Also from what I read I could figure out why Marc would have made Jill his mistress, I just don't know why he actually married her.

I'd like to thank the publisher for providing a review copy via NetGalley. Grade: B.

This That and the Other Thing

Do You Read Series Books?

The Women

About the Book:

My Comments:

Spare: Blogging Through the Book

Spare

Before Reading

34% Through

A Little Further On

About 2/3 Done

The Rest of the Book

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

Blogging Through the Book: Twice in a Lifetime

About the Book:

My Comments:

In the Beginning...

A Little Further In....

Another Night's Reading

75% of the Way Through

Some Words That Struck Me

What Worked...and What Didn't

Doctors and Friends: Blogging Through the Book

About the Book:

Opening Chapters

The Story Develops

And Further Into the Story...

In the End

So, Was It Any Good?

Blogging Through the Book: The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise

The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise About the Book:

First Two Chapters

Zooming Through the Rest

How Important Are The Details?

About the Book:

My Comments:

Let's Talk About Details:

Review: The Forever Farmhouse

About the Book:

My Comments:

Review of Rick Steve's Heart of Italy Tour

About Us:

Our Tour Choice:

Overall Impression:

Cost:

Hotels

Rome

Volterra

Levanto

Florence

Food

Touring

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Conclusion

Review: Summer Getaway

About the Book

My Comments

Review: Summer on the Island

About the Book:

My Comments:

Is It Time to Declare Covid "Over"?

Review: Sleigh Bells Ring

About the Book:

My Comments:

Keep Me Warm at Christmas: My Review

About the Book:

My Comments:

Book Review: The Gathering Table

About the Book:

My Comments:

Christmas House: Short Review

About the Book:

My Comments:

The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise

About the Book: