Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Coyote Hills by Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
The Kellerman's never fail to put you on the edge of your lounger when you open their novels. Adventure, thriller, mystery - it's all here in love, betrayal, and family secrets.

Full of snappy dialogue and action, this dark detective story can fit in your tote or beach bag. "Sin is its own punishment." (Was that from CS Lewis?)

Reframing Women Printmakers by P.L. Henderson

 

★★★★★ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
This history of printmaking and its visual record of methods and gifted printmakers can only encourage and inspire. Whether making art as statement, protest, or observation, women have created prints with strong impact. The photos are beautiful!

Well-researched and illustrated, this is an informative and beautifully written textbook for art students, teachers, and artists alike.

Full Bloom by Francesca Serritella

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
A novel about the seduction of perfume? I wasn't sure about it. Starting from the beautiful cover, the descriptions and possibilities draw you in.

A perfume so personal that it changes your perceptions of self? And a fragrance so attractive that others are drawn into your circle? That's the premise of the novel.

I enjoyed the story and was reminded of the smells of the kitchens and wardrobes of my grandmothers and aunties. Thinking of that brought many memories. I guess it's true - smell is one of the subtlest and most powerful senses. 

If you enjoy descriptions and changing relationships, you'll probably like this one!

Monday, June 30, 2025

Yours For The Season A Novel by Emily Stone

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
Stone offers up revenge and romance at its most amusing. If you had a vacation with your almost-mother-in-law (whom you love) and got a chance to dump that ex (who you thought you got over), would you take it? What if your assumptions were wrong and your heart is still attached?

It's chick lit at its most fun - if you need a story for your commute or entertainment after a hard day at work, here you go.

In the Kitchen with Grandma: Stirring Up Tasty Memories Together by Lydia E. Harris

★★★★★  When those grandkids get dropped at your house and the afternoon stretches ahead, how will you engage your grandkids? Maybe your friend is a young parent who needs a break, and you offered to babysit - but worry about keeping the kids busy?

Harris is a friend who knows what she's talking about. She's tested these recipes and ideas on her own grandkids. She offers good advice on meaningful interactions - not just good food that the kids will enjoy, but conversation starters to build character and faith.

Easy to follow, you'll be reaching for this book over and over. And have the kids asking for more.

Fast and Loose by Fern Michaels

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
Always adventurous, always a plot twist to make you shake your head in surprise, and always a good story. Fern Michaels does it again, this time with a "What happens in Vegas, stays ..." well, you know.

If you like the Sisterhood methods of revenge, this will be another one for your bookshelf. Good fun. Mean women. And criminals who get what they deserve.

Wednesday, June 4, 2025

The Cardinal by Alison Weir

★★★★ ☐ The publisher has provided a copy for review. 
Creative non fiction at its best. I enjoyed this exploration of religion and politics in the 1500s. As a student of history and theology, I found Weir's storytelling of a churchman and a king - plus those dependent on them - a fascinating read.

If you love tales of England, especially of European intrigue in the middle ages, you'll like this one a lot.