Category Archives: Book Talk

Welcome to this week’s Book Talk!

Yikes. I was making so much progress on my goodreads reading challenge then BOOM! Last week hit. I was crazy busy and our son is visiting us. So my reading time was lost to other things- some great (seeing our oldest kiddo!) while others not so good but necessary (medical nonsense).

City of Windows by Robert Pobi: 4.5 stars. I don’t know how I missed this outstanding series when it first came out. But thanks to Kindle Unlimited, I am now enjoying this unique series. Lucas Page is a former FBI agent with an incredible ability that helps solve the most difficult of crimes. The current case is complex with scant evidence which makes for interesting investigations. The cast of characters is absolutely stellar and the plot is intriguing. Tha pacing is fast and the conclusion is full of stunning plot twists. I am looking forward to the next books in the Lucas Page series.

Now it’s your turn. What have you been reading lately? Join the discussion by commenting below!

Welcome to this week’s Book Talk!

Murder in the Family by Cara Hunter: 4 stars. A very unique premise that I really liked. The pacing is a little slow but this did not lessen my enjoyment. The characters are well-drawn. There are plenty of plot twists. The conclusion is quite unexpected.

Wild Dogs by Michael Trant: 4.5 stars. Read my review HERE.

Why We Did It by Tim Miller: 5 stars. A dishy look at GOP campaign strategies by someone with plenty of experiences working in communications for the GOP. He also offers intriguing peeks into the reasons why so many non-supporters of the 45th president went to work in his administration. A wry, funny and insightful non-fiction book.

Appalachian Song by Michelle Shocklee: Read my review 10/3.

Now it’s your turn. What have you been reading lately? Join the discussion by commenting below!

Welcome to this week’s Book Talk!

These Black Still Waters by Christina McDonald: 4.5 stars. Wow! Brilliant mystery with fantastic twists and turns. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

Hostage by Claire Mackintosh: 4.5 stars. I am really getting where I like mysteries that take place on airplanes. I greatly enjoyed this clever thriller that is fast-paced with shocking plot twists.

The Good Girl by Mary Kubica: 4.5 stars. A kidnapping mystery that unfolds from various perspectives and takes place in past and present. I did NOT see the ending coming!

Six Weeks to Live by Catherine McKenzie: 4 stars. An engaging novel with a unique premise. Full of unexpected plot twists.

Please Join Us by Catherine McKenzie: 4.5 stars. A fantastic novel with a clever storyline.

Now it’s your turn. What have you been reading lately? Join the discussion by commenting below!

Welcome to this week’s Book Talk!

Too Soon for Adiós by Annette Chavez Macias: 4.5 stars. EXCELLENT novel!

Our missing Hearts by Celeste Ng: 2.5 stars. Did’t care for the writing style but I liked the novel’s themes. And no quotation marks drive. me. crazy.

Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong: 3.5 stars. Really enjoyed it until the “big reveal”.

The Second Husband by Kate White: 4 stars. Great twists and turns.

Forsaken Country by Allen Eskens: 4.5 stars. Outstanding!

Now it’s your turn. What have you been reading lately? Join the discussion by commenting below!

Welcome to this week’s Book Talk!

Good Bad Girl by Alice Feeney: 4.5 stars. A brilliant mystery that is has plenty of twists and turns. The storyline is quite clever and the characters are wonderfully developed. An absolutely fantastic mystery!

Taken by Dinuka McKenzie: 4.5 stars. The second installment in the Detective Kate Miles series picks up several months after the events of book one. Kate is back at work following her maternity leave and chafing to get back in the field. Her first case is a kidnapping that has few leads. She has an idea who might have stolen the missing baby from her home but a lack of support in her theory leads to dicord. There is also lots of tension at home over her long hours and her husband’s concern for her safety. A newspaper article adds to her stress as she fears secrets from the past are on the verge of being revealed. A fast-paced and engaging mystery with colorful characters and a heartbreaking case to solve.

The Raging Storm by Ann Cleeves: 4.5 stars. I love the Two Rivers series so I’ve been eagerly awaiting this third installment. Matthew Venn and his team investigate a troubling murder in a village close to their own. The team are perplexed by the unusual circumstances of the victim’s death. Matthew is also a little concerned about his husband’s preoccupation with a problem he is wrestling with. Another murder and an unexpected disappearance leave the police scrambling to unmask the killer before it is too late. Another outstanding mystery that will delight fans on the the series.

Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney: 4.5 stars. A claustrophobic mystery that takes places in an eerie, isolated setting. A married couple goes off for a weekend in the Scottish Highlands in an effort to save their marriage. Unsettling events keep them off guard as soon as they arrive. A series of letters written on their anniversary offer an intriguing peek into their marriage. This well-written domestic mystery comes a twist-filled conclusion.

The Damage by Caitlin Wahrer: 4.5 stars. A thought-provoking novel with complex characters. Sensitive subject matter is deftly handled. The plot is multi-facted and fast paced. The family dynamics are complicated due to dysfunctional childhoods. Unfolding in two timelines, the chapters are narrated by the key players. A heartrending novel that has plenty of unexpected twists.

A Fever in the Heartland by Timothy Egan: I’m still reading this jaw-dropping book about the history of the KKK in the US.

Now it’s your turn. What have you been reading lately? Join the discussion by commenting below!

Welcome to this week’s Book Talk!

Out Of Range by C.J. Box: 4.5 stars. In this outing in the Joe Pickett series, Joe is temporarily working in another district. He is just supposed to fill in but he cannot resist trying to uncover the truth about the previous game warden’s death. At the same time, the distance from home reveals cracks Joe and Marybeth’s marriage. The resolution of both story arcs is quite satisfying. I am looking forward to getting back to the series.

The Best Is Yet to Come by Debbie Macomber: 4.5 stars. I absolutely loved this sweet novel of healing and love. The war in Afghanistan leaves scars on both Hope and Cade although they are for very different reasons. Since Hope is a high school teacher, there is an intriguing story arc featuring two of her students. A traumatized dog also has a starring role in this heartwarming story. Although this wonderful novel is the third installment in the Oceanside series, it can be read as a standalone.

The Gatekeeper by James Byrne: 4.5 stars. An outstanding mystery with a very unusual lead protagonist. Dez Limerick’s keen observation prevents a kidnapping and he becomes embroiled in figuring out the reason behind the attack. The answer leads to a very unexpected place. Hopefully readers will be seeing a lot of Dez in future books in the series.

Deadlock by James Byrne: 4.5 stars. Read my review HERE.

Flight Risk by Joy Castro: 3.5 stars. The death of Isabel Morales’ mother sets the stage for an introspective journey back to her childhood home. Isabel is also worried about the state of her marriage. Isabel is tightly contained and very tight-lipped about her dysfunctional past. Her life’s story unfolds through long and meandering memories that keep the pace of the novel on the slow side. Isabel’s childhood is claustrophic both in setting and events. The resolution is a little rushed considering her husband’s actions and her revelations. Despite some of the reviews, the book is not at all political.

A Fever in the Heartland by Timothy Egan: I just began reading this deep dive into the history of the KKK in the US.

Now it’s your turn. What have you been reading lately? Join the discussion by commenting below!