Torn Asunder By: Barbara Ross

 

Julia is the wedding planning, venue manager and Maid of Honor for her friend, Zoey's dream wedding. Combining the rehearsal dinner with a clambake seemed like a good idea, until a corpse crashes the party.  With the feeling of Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None", Julia and her boyfriend Tom, a Maine State Major Crimes Detective, must solve the murder while isolated on an island in the midst of a storm, before the wedding tomorrow.  A wonderfully plotted mystery, wrapped in a beautifully rendered tale of family and love.  A fitting and bittersweet ending to this wonderful series.

Touching My Friend's Dad By: Tia May Carter

 A salacious short story. It wasn't meh and it wasn't great...it just was.

Dirty Shorts-Volume One By: Kyle Adams

A series of short stories, created from a picture prompt in a Goodreads Group.  Some really creative scenarios in some of these stories.

Time To Upsize By: Graeme Aitken

One never knows what one is going to get with a freebie on Amazon...which is why this was a delightful surprise.  A well written story, interesting characters, and as an aged gay man, situations which are reminiscent of my youth, and a reminder as to why I am happy those days are long past!

Bear Witness: A Suspense Drama in Two Acts By: James Reach

A good premise, but it needs reworking.  The actions in the play strain credibility and in some instances timelines are completely screwed up.  As a reader and as an actor I found that the characters themselves were not fully realized and I had difficulty finding the reasons for their attitudes and actions.  I'd say this was more of a draft of a play then a completed piece.

The Second Sleep By: Robert Harris

An absolutely fascinating, and a little horrifying, post-apocalyptic look at life in rural England, where studying/exploring the past is an illegal heresy, harshly punished. Lots of unexpected twists and turns keep the reader not tenter hooks throughout!

Golden State By: Ben H. Winters

WOW-not what I was expecting at all. Full of twists and turns, this creepy dystopian look at the state (lowercase on purpose) of California, could only work int he capable hands of Mr. Winters. Very disturbing and cautionary!

Legend of the Poinsettia By: Roxanne Schroeder-Arce

A wonderful short play! Using the legend of the Poinsettia to illustrate the cultural pull and push on  young lady trying to reconcile and navigate her Mexican heritage and her new life in the US. A wonderful bilingual piece with plenty of heart!

 

Pages to Fill By: Travis Baldree

A wonderful, short introduction to Viv. Perfectly plants the seed that will grow into Baldree's Legends & Lattes!

Legends & Lattes By: Travis Baldree

I can't think of a more creative, sweet and charming story!  A joyful, heartfelt, story of personal redemption and journey to self within the genre of Fantasy, rather than the other way around. Characters that are so original, charming, fun and not what/whom you assumed they'd be.  Joyful and delightful this is a cozy, warm read!

The Watchmaker's Hand By: Jeffrey Deaver

This was my first time reading a Lincoln Rhyme mystery, although I have read some of Deaver's other works.  Filled with delicious forensic explanations and major twists and turns, this was great fun.  Rhyme and his wife and their cohorts are fascinating characters who provide plenty of snarc to provide some lightness to the tense and harrowing action. I'm going to have to start at the beginning of this series now!

Look Closer By: David Ellis

This book shouldn't have worked.  The amount of twists in the book, in the hands of a lesser author would have been too impossible for the reader to believe.  It just shouldn't have worked.  Yet Ellis has written a tense, tightly plotted story about people that the reader will feel for, hate, feel for, hate, feel for, etc...  Elias never lets the reader relax for a moment, leaving us breathless with anticipation as to what is really going on and who these characters really are.  Simply put this is an astonishingly great read! 

Every Reasonable Doubt By: Pamela Samuels Young

 

WOW!!! I'm so glad I read Pamela Samuels Young's book!  Vernetta Henderson is such a wonderful character-strong, smart, vulnerable, funny and real.  A lawyer with a conscience, this great novel follows her through the highs and lows of her career, some big cases and her marriage, all with fast paced action, lots of twists and turns, humor and a great amount of heart!

The Sympathizer By: Viet Thanh Nguyen

This one deserves 10 stars.  A searing look at the Vietnam War from a completely fresh and original standpoint (please read that with sarcasm).  It's sad to say that this is the first of it's kind now that we are fast approaching the 50th Anniversary of when America "pulled out" of Vietnam.  This book will cause you to think, rethink and think again about everything you thought you knew about Vietnam.  There are so many layers to peel back from this brilliant, funny, horrifying, uncomfortable and oddly hopeful book.  I can't recommend it enough!!!

 

The Midnight Library By: Matt Haig

 

A dark novel that takes on depression and life through the lens of the themes of The Wizard of Oz and It's a Wonderful Life in a unique and wholly original way.  Quite stunning in it's beauty and simplicity.

Lionhearts By: Nathan Makaryk

This is the second book in the Nottingham series, and there had better be a third book!! This continuation of the re-imagining of the Robin Hood myth is better than the first book, which by the way, was amazing!  The writing is sharper, the human and humane aspects of the characters are more focused and the action is stunning.  The sociological points interwoven into the narrative are wonderfully and subtly done.  Pay particular attention to the writing in Chapter 61-it is the most brilliant, haunting and harrowingly beautiful depiction of what it's like to be in the midst of a war from the viewpoints of the people in the field.  AMAZING!!! 

The Last Alibi By: David Ellis

 

This one is a sucker-punch to the solar plexus! The plot in this one is so tightly written that no air can get through. I can't discuss anything from the book without giving away major (and I do mean major), plot points. Suffice it to say, fans of Jason Kolarich will be on the edge of their seats, and breathless until the last few pages.

Black River By: Will Dean

WOW-Will Dean can write!!!  Tuva Moodyson is one of my favorite characters in literature-so original and completely engaging.  Black River is the third book in this series and it is a dark, twisted and heart-pounding thriller.  The really amazing thing about this book, is that every single clue is there-if you're paying attention!!  So good!

Death of a Hollow Man By: Caroline Graham

 

As a theatre person, I do love drama, and that's what the reader gets in abundance with the second Inspector Barnaby mystery.  Set in the local theatre, this mystery has drama, twists, sarcasm, gossip and even love!  This is a wonderful series and a must for any mystery fan!

A-Maze-Ing America: 50 Mazes of the 50 States By: Joe Wos

Joe Wos' mazes are not for the faint of heart!  Truly wicked in their construction, devilshly complicated, but oh so fun!  

 

Sidney Chambers and the Problem of Evil By: James Runcie

 Another wonderful installment in the Grantchester series.  Four new stories that exam the nature of good and evil in all it's extremes with vastly different mysteries to solve.  Reading Runcie's series is like visiting with old friends, with the added bonus of a delightful English village.

Nurturing Notes: Quotes to Inspire You Towards Better Relationships By: Vince Shifflett

Having just finished Shifflett's other book (RelationSHIP or RelationSHIT: Which one are you in?), this is a wonderful companion piece.  Wonderful quotes touch on specific types of relationships, followed by the author's interpretation/thoughts on the quote and its meaning.  Never preachy, Shifflett enhances the interpretations from his personal experience.  Simple ideas for complex issues.  Something the reader can refer to again and again.

RelationSHIP or RelationSHIT: Which one are you in? By: Vince Shifflett

A wonderfully concise and well thought out look at the difference between relationships that work and that don't work. Ten topics of focus enforced and highlighted by the author's personal experience make this book easy to read and comprehend.  I loved the fact that Shifflett emphasizes that relationships are work...consistent work, we're never done with the work to make relationships with ourselves, other people and our environments.  It was really nice to see that I already do, as does my husband, a great number of the suggested items in this book.  Thoughtfully done and you will find yourself examining your own relationships whether you intend to or not.

The Secrets We Share By: Edwin Hill

A twisted ride through family secrets-Hill's best book so far (and that's saying something, because his other books are amazing)! I can't rave enough about this fantastic thriller/mystery!  Follow two sisters whose lives were destroyed when they were children, and now, as adults, history may be repeating itself!  You won't regret reading this!

 

Strangers on a Train By: Patricia Highsmith

 

Holy Crap-what a creepy and horrifying story!  I can only imagine how this story hit the public 74 years ago when it was originally published!  Does the perfect murder really exist? Can such a thing happen when you add in the foibles of man?  What does guilt do a "normal" person.  The layers Highsmith puts in this story are astonishing.  One can peel back layer upon layer and still have many more to go...it's no wonder that this story has stood the test of time and still fascinates and horrifies!

The Fraud By: Zadie Smith

I honestly didn't know what to think of this while I was reading it.  It has Zadie Smith's brilliant words, and stunning word pictures. It has fascinating characters and plot lines, but I didn't see where it was all going. However as I got closer and closer to the end of the book things started to coalesce in my mind.  I don't wish to spoil the book for anyone, nor put ideas into anyone's head as to how they should interpret the book, suffice it so say that the book's title and the name of it's narrator or paramount.  Zadie Smith is truly one of the most innovative and stunning writers in the world.

 

Falling By: T. J. Newman

 

I can't even express how brilliant this book is!  Original in it's premise, this is a thriller that will stay with the reader for a long time.  Exceptional characters that you will fall in love with, tension that will ratchet up your blood pressure, moments or levity, terror, suspense, hope and overwhelming joy (sometimes all within the span of two paragraphs), will make you want to read quickly to find out what happens next, and yet will make you want to put the book down so you an calm yourself and catch your breathe.  I haven't read a thriller that has affected me so much in quite a long time.  If you haven't read this book, do so!

Comedian Harmonists Arrangements fur gemischten Chor (SATB) und Klavier By: Carsten Gerlitz

Let me first say I don't read German and my sight reading of music skills are beyond rusty, with that said, the arrangements in this collection of sheet music is amazing!  I just finished reading a history of the Comedian Harmonists, and read a great deal about the intircate harmonies and arrangements of their songs, so to have the sheet music to some of the songs mentioned in the book, is really kind of cool.  I can read enough of it to know that Comedian Harmonists were exceptional vocalists!

 

The Comedian Harmonists: The Last Great Jewish Performers in Nazi Germany By: Douglas E. Friedman

Having only recently heard of the Comedian Harmonists (because I'm a theatre whore and the musical "Harmony" which is based on their story just opened on Broadway), I was very curious.  My husband managed to find a copy of this book for me.  A fascinating look at this world renown group that was forced to disband because of the Nazi laws put into place.  Not only is it a history of this group, but it's a history of music and recording at the time, as well as a history of of the Nazi's exerted control over every aspect of German life.  It was very enlightening on so many levels, and chock full of information.  Don't skip the appendices-it's a concise look at the extraordinary body of work from a group that was only together for 7 years!

The Disappearance of Trudy Solomon By: Marcy McCreary

A taut tale of a missing woman; a daughter/father detective team; a Borscht Belt hotel, and everything in between!  An amazingly complex set of mysteries that will keep the reader on it's toes. I thoroughly enjoyed being with Susan as she and her dad discovered the clues that kept leading to more and more mysteries, as well as trying to keep all of the facts and people straight-brilliantly putting the reader in the protagonist's shoes.  Great read!

 

All Sinner Bleed By: S.A. Cosby

This deserves 10 stars!!!  Cosby's beautiful choice of words and phrases are a perfect counterpoint to the very real darkness, anger and violence in his stories. Titus is a protagonist every can, and should get behind.  Like all of Cosby's other works, you'll want to read straight through to the end, while at the same time resisting the urge to do so, because you don't want it to end. Cosby's work is necessary, real and all around perfect!

1000 Record Covers By: Michael Ochs

A fun romp through yesteryear and the history of music and society as told via the covers of record albums.  This superbly curated collection of covers gives the reader an eye-catching trip through the history of the art (and it was an art) of album covers while also giving a brief encapsulation of the world of music through the decades.

Mr. Nobody By: Catherine Steadman

I was NOT expecting this story to go where it did!  Bravo to Ms. Steadman for writing an exciting thriller with the most innovative and fascinating plot.  I don't want to give anything away, suffice it to say readers won't be disappointed with this exceptional read!

Friend's Manuscript Soon to be Published

I was lucky enough to get to read this manuscript before it is published.  It is the next installment in a popular cozy series, that fans will thoroughly enjoy! Full of characters we've come to know and love, with an interesting new twist on the series' regular story lines!

Don't Stop: 55 years of Fleetwood Mac By: Peter Chrisp

A really well researched and detailed look at the history of Fleetwood Mac, from its creation in 1967 through 2022. Includes a comprehensive discography at the end of the book as well as detailed bios of all the members of the Mac.  Informative for non-fans, fantastic insights for fans.

 

Diamond City By: Francesca Flores

 

A completely original take on the fantasy genre with a fantastic heroine that the reader can really root for, Diamond City is fantasy meets mystery!  You can't go wrong picking up this book: a great plot; well drawn characters; and a brilliant set-up for future novels in this series.

Believe Me By: JP Delaney

An intriguing premise is at the center of this thriller, and as an actor, I identified a little too closely with Claire...which makes me nervous!  Twists and turns aplenty plus a couple of complete surprises make this a great thriller.  It's a bit like a Hank Phillippi Ryan book met up with the play Venus in Fur.

 

Elevator Pitch By: Linwood Barclay

WOW!  What a ride (no pun intended)!  An amazing thriller, with a fascinating and truly horrifying premise.  I highly recommend you read it, and enjoy...just don't plan on riding any elevators any time soon!

There's A Word For That By: Sloane Tanen

Two dysfunctional families for the price of one!  This is an absolutely charming read about some very un-charming people.  Tanen has managed to write very real, very damaged people while keeping their humanity-not an easy task, but she has done so in a delightfully breezy and moving way.  

Warrior of the Altaii By: Robert Jordan

 

How bittersweet to have the opportunity to read the late Robert Jordan's first book.  A wonderful adventure awaits the reader in this stand alone fantasy.  The reader will note many characteristics that will later morph into familiar characters, sects and locations in Jordan's Eye of the World series. A wonderful read!

Dark Skies By: Danielle L. Jensen

What an adventure!  An economy of words make the action all the more tense, and the characters are wonderfully original.  I'm so thankful I've been introduced to Ms. Jensen's work!!! 

The Mystery of the Spiral Bridge By: Franklin W. Dixon

 

With their father hurt and suffering from amnesia, the boys and all of their friends head to Kentucky to avenge Mr. Hardy and find out who is sabotaging a bridge construction and why! Lots of twists and turns in this fun adventure, which also sees the boys on a side trip to New York.

The Haunted Fort By: Franklin W. Dixon

An artist colony for teens located near a fort last used during the French and Indian War, is the setting of this adventure.  Who is stealing paintings?  Is there a ghost haunting the fort?  Can the Hardy boys, Chet and his Uncle, solve the numerous mysteries in the fun adventure.  Guess you'll have to read it to find out!

 

The Mystery of the Aztec Warrior By: Franklin W. Dixon

In this adventure we find Frank, Joe and Chet one the hunt for a person and an artifact in Mexico.  Thieves and kidnappers lurk around every corner and there's even a rampaging bull to contend with!

The Viking Symbol Mystery By: Franklin W. Dixon

Lots of history in this one, which always peaks my interest! Great descriptions of the Canadian Northwest as Joe and Frank and their friends work on parallel investigations. Great fun!

The Clue of the Screeching Owl By: Franklin W. Dixon

 

A fun romp with the Hardy's and Chet to discover the source of a witch's screaming and a bunch of missing dogs.  I love how the mystery that the boys are investigating always intersects with the mystery their father is working on.