Books, Books, Books, and a Cat

This was another excellent book by Charmaine Wilkerson.  Part of the book takes place in France where Ebby is trying to get away from being left at the altar by her fiance.  Ebby has grown up in an affluent black family but her life has been touched by tragedy.  When she was young her brother was killed during a home invasion.  As we follow Ebby's story we also learn about a vase that was created by a slave and ancestor of their family.  The book transports the reader in time to learn more about the vase and Ebby's ancestors from when her ancestor was captured in Africa to how the vase inspired their family's transformation today.   This was a story that flowed even though there were different view points and time periods.  I was fully engaged the entire time as I was invested in Ebby's family and what really happened with Baz and the vase.  I also thought it brought up important social issues that still need to be addressed.  A wonderfu...

 This was an excellent start to a new series.   Zo has lost everything when she learns that she has received an inheritance from an unknown relative.  She travels to Divinity, Louisiana and finds out that she stands to inherit millions as well as a home but there are some very strange and constricting conditions.  She soon finds out that everything she has known is not what it seems.  She is thrust into a  world of witches and other paranormal creatures.  She must keep her head and find out everything she can if she is going to survive. Karen Marie Moning is one of my all time favorite authors because of her writing. She blends mystery, romance, fantasy, and suspense in this must read story.  I love that Zo is a strong female. She is an interesting character who is not afraid to fight for what she thinks is right.  The best part of the book was how the author kept unfolding the events so that I had to read more.  The ending is a cli...

This was more family drama than a mystery/thriller. Set on Capri, the Lingate family is once again vacationing at the home where Sarah Lingate died in 1992.  Her death was ruled a suicide but many people disagreed with that verdict.  Now in the present another disappearance has occurred and events seem to be repeating themselves. Told from several different points of view the reader is left wondering what really happened to Sarah, and Lorna.   I enjoyed reading about the picturesque setting however in terms of keeping my interest this book failed.  The book was a little slow and predictable at points.  I also ended up not liking any of the characters.  All of them were selfish and money hungry.  It is hard to be invested in a book when you really don't like the characters.  There were a couple of twists at the end but I am left with several questions.  Overall, this book was only ok for me.  

An amazing novella that had me sobbing yet filled with hope. I love Sophie Kinsella's books and I really hope she gets her happy ending. This book is based on her life yet it is fiction. However as a reader you can sympathize with what she really must be going through based on Eve's life. My own father died of cancer and this book really resonated with me. If you have ever read any Sophie Kinsella book, you have to read this book. I will warn you though bring the Kleenex but know that as heartbreaking as it is, it is filled with hope, strength, and love.

  Greek mythology meets colonial America, yes, that is a must read for me!  This novel alternates from the past and present.  The past is Thelia's life as a siren having been banished to an island when she failed to protect Proserpina. The present is Thelia in Roanoke, on a quest to save her sisters and herself.   This was such a unique book filled with action, mystery, violence, and a little romance.  It was a story of survival and women empowerment.  The writing flowed and I was completely invested in what was going to happen.  I did enjoy the Colonial America setting more than when Thelia is on Scopuli.  The author did a great job of showing what it would be like for a former Greco/Roman woman who was turned into a monster, to become a Colonial American woman.  The entire premise was engaging.   If you enjoy historical fiction novels especially ones with mythology and strong female characters this is a unique book that you w...

Casket Case had an interesting premise.  A young woman, Nora,  who has lost both her parents, moves back to her home town to take charge of the family business, selling caskets.  While trying to make sense of her new life she meets Garrett, who just happens to have a job where he helps people move on to their afterlife.  I love a good rom-com especially one with a twist so I really expected to love this one.  Unfortunately, it was a little slow for me.  Rom-coms have a typical plot that they follow and this one did as well but there was just so much angst on Nora's part.  I get why she felt the way she did but at times it was frustrating because you could tell what a good thing she had with Garrett.  This book was easy to read and I essentially read it in a day and a half but I just wished there was a little more action to the book and a little more with the paranormal since that was what I thought I was getting.  I do think this author has p...

  This was a fun murder mystery that featured a 40 year old ghost helping a 20 year old.  Cordelia (love the name), died in her apartment and now she is a ghost.  She is not just any ghost but a ghost who has the ability to move things although she can't be seen or heard.  Ruby has just moved into an apartment that was fully furnished due to the former tenant (Cordelia) dying with no one to take her stuff.  It is Ruby's first time away from home and she is excited to live on her own except she has barely any money and no job.  Things go from bad to worse when there is a corpse outside her apartment building that turns out to be another tenant.  Ruby and Cordelia decide to team up and find out why their neighbor died as it seems the police have given up on his death.  This book had lots of cute moments. I loved the idea that a forty year old ghost could be friends with a 20 year old as well as be able to solve crime.  There were some funny mom...

A unique twist on Dracula!  I'll be honest I wasn't sure that I was going to like this book because the cover threw me off and the romance in this book is not my cup of tea.  However I found this story extremely engaging and I was surprised by how much I liked the book. The story is told from four different perspectives at first.  Iris is our main character who is living in the present day.  The other is of Lucy, who lived in the late 1800s, her story is told through her journal.  Third is a client transcript from the present day, but you learn about her past as a vampire.  The last perspective is that of Dracula.  Each perspective gave a unique view into vampires and their struggles.  Iris, as the only human, was my favorite character.  It was interesting to see how all of these characters were connected and to see their lives intertwined.   The story was more than about vampires but about overcoming obstacles and finding your true...

 A Winter Wish was a good enemies to lovers Christmas time novel.  This book did resonate with me more than I thought it would because of the fact that Lexi's father had unexpectedly died of cancer.  She hadn't spoken to her father in years as he left her mom and her for another woman and was not as present of a father as he should have been.  My own father died of cancer and also passed away without me having seen him in a couple years.  My relationship was better with my father but he also left my family for another woman.  With all of this going on I could relate to some of the emotions Lexi felt in this novel.  There were some parts when I was a little frustrated with Lexi and her inability to see the other side of things especially when it came to her half sister.  I was rooting for her and hoping things would turn out well. This is the third book I have read by Emily Stone and I always enjoy them.  In this novel there was a lot of trave...

  Liane Moriarty does it again!  Imagine being told when and how you would die? This is the basic premise behind this book.  Moriarty weaves a tale about several different passengers who were on that plane and how their prediction is affecting their life.  She also delves into the life of the woman who made the predictions.  This made for a fascinating story where I cared about each of the characters.  Told in short chapters that focused on all of the different characters, I was riveted to the pages.  This is a longer book but it honestly didn't feel that way.  I wanted to know if the death predictions would come true and what would happen to them.  The novel is set in Australia and follows several characters of all different ages and lifestyles.  One is a new mother who is obsessed with her son's prediction.  Another is a 42 year old man who works too much.  Another is a recently wed young woman who is navigating a new life be...