The Christmas Swap by Melody Carlson
This was a sweet winter romance.
Emma, a substitute teacher and songwriter, tags along with her friend Jillian and family on a house swap adventure for Christmas. Jillian’s snooty family wants to trade their pool side sunshine for snow and skiing.
Tyler”West” Prescott, a famed musician/ song writer did not choose to invite strangers into his home, but he’ll do anything to make his mom happy.
From the start sparks fly and trouble steps in with this unlikely bunch, then things get very interesting.
The title is a bit of a misnomer in that”Christmas” was not really involved in the plot. “Winter” would have been a better word choice in the title. The characters were not really concerned with Christmas.
Overall I really enjoyed this book! It is a good clean romance. 4/5⭐️

The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis
A fabulously detailed connection to the New York Public Library!
Laura Lyons is happy living in the New York Public Library. Her husband is the superintendent and that affords them the ability to live on site, in an apartment within the library! In 1913, the library is still new but has a lot of secrets.
Laura has two wonderful children but she wants more and the library encourages that. She applies and gets into the Columbia Journalism School and it takes her so far beyond the confines of the library. She learns to live in the moment and finds a radical female led group where her ideas and thoughts are appreciated and celebrated.
Then valuable books start disappearing from the library - threatening all the things she cherishes the most, including her family. She is forced to face her change in priorities head on.
In 1993, Sadie Donovan is struggling. Laura Lyons was her grandmother and family connections and secrets threaten her status as a library curator. Her dream job becomes a disaster as rare priceless pieces disappear from the Berg Collection she is assigned to curate. As she teams up with a private detective to uncover the truth, things start to unravel with exposed family secrets.
This was a wonderfully layered story with a dual timeline spanning 80 years. I love how Fiona Davis immerses her readers in a place in history exploring rich architecture in an in depth story. Her stories are all about the place not merely the characters. The details in this story were so well placed that I was compelled to take a side trip to explore the NYC Public Library on a virtual tour. What a beautiful piece of American history and architecture! There were some aspects of the story that I did not care for but overall it was a very well written story and I really enjoyed it! 4/5⭐️

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
I really wish that I had read this one long ago!
This is a phenomenal coming of age story, demonstrating the hardships endured during the early 1900s by immigrants and first generation Americans whose parents struggled to be in America through sacrifice and hard work.
Imagine the life of a girl, aged 10, that required her to collect scrap metal, trash, and paper for pennies to help the family exist. Her mother had to stretch a stale loaf of bread for a week to feed a family of four. That was the life of Francie Nolan.
Francie was a beautiful girl who grew up way before she should have, to support her family out of love and devotion. Her journey is full of sacrifice, hardships, loss, and love in many forms.
Betty Smith was brilliant in her writing, there is wit, sarcasm, and a wonderful journey within the pages of this semi-autobiographical novel.
In my opinion, this is a brilliant work of literary historical literature. The author masterfully creates a rich tone of understanding and experience of the life and times in which she lived. She puts you there in Brooklyn in the early 1900s. Her wonderful depiction of detail allows you to experience her everyday struggles and triumphs. This beautifully written story explores the raw, realistic life of everyday people that struggle and suffer. It powerfully extends the message that life is not fair but you can endure.
I cannot put into words how much this book moved my heart. It is now in my top 10 of all time and in my personal library. Wow, just read it, it’s wonderful. 5+/5⭐️

The Bookstore Wedding (Once Upon a Time Bookshop Stories #2) by Alice Hoffman
Brinkley’s Island, Maine, is the home of the Gibson sisters and their beloved family bookstore. After many years away, Isabel has returned and is settling in and mending fences with her sister, Sophie. Sophie and her daughter Violet have been running the family bookstore on their own. As they attempt to salvage the family business and bring it back to life, Sophie and Isabel encounter family secrets. They have to decide how they are going to define their future.
Johnny Lennox has held his heart close for a long time. He and Isabel have tried to tie the know three times only to be twarted by last minute disasters. Will this time be the charm or will it seal a different fate?
I enjoyed this short story. It is #2 in the Once Upon a Time Bookshop Series.
This was a wonderfully developed story with enchanting characters and at the center of the story is a bookshop! I really loved this one and I can’t wait for the next one! Alice Hoffman never disappoints! 4/5⭐️

Beach Read by Emily Henry
This is a fun romance full of wonderful characters and an interesting plot.
January Andrews, a best selling romance writer has hit rock bottom with writing and finance. She has landed at her father’s beach house for the summer, next door to an acclaimed literary fiction author, Augustus Everett.
They don’t hit it off right away as neighbors, but eventually they strike a deal for inspiration. They concoct a writing challenge where they essentially switch genres to end their writing slump.
The two proceed to teach their trade secrets with weekend outings worthy of any Rom-com or a death cult novel. The deal is that they will both complete a novel and no one will fall in love.
In their adventure they learn a lot about one another and who they are, this was a cute romance with lots of feelings and very saucy. 4/5⭐️

The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden
Sydney is looking for perfection out of an exclusive New York dating app. She finds a little bit of everything on the jerk spectrum of dating. Pressured by her mother who has “grandma envy” with a daughter who isn’t in a hurry.
Sydney finds Dr. Perfect and falls hard, while fighting that niggling intuition that something is off.
A trio, three friends are beating the path to dating perfection with lots of sketchy characaters and questions that steer their paths, including murder.

This was a fast paced read that fell a little flat for me. The writing was over simplified and the plot somewhat predictable with anticipated twists. Overall it was a good story with interesting characters. I just expected more suspense and surprise in the twists. I would still recommend it for Freida fans, it just not my favorite.
3.5/5⭐️

Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center
This is a fun novel about life, love, sacrifice and courage, with a journey of forgiveness. It will make you laugh, cry, and get angry from time to time. It will make you feel.
Cassie Hanwell is a local hero in her Texas’s town. She saves lives. She thrives in an emergency and as the only female in her firehouse she has a reputation of courage.
Cassie receives a call from her estranged mother that changes everything. Her mother walked out when Cassie was a teen and they haven’t spoken since. Now her mother needs her and Cassie goes to the Boston area, where she finds that women aren’t as welcome in the firehouse. She finds a different landscape in the firefighting community where she doesn’t feel welcomed. She endures the hazing and activities aligned with rookies. Underfunded supplies and needed renovations motivate her. It seems no one wants her there except the rookie, and he’s something she has encountered before. She has declared she has no time for romance or friendships but this new group may challenge that.

The characters are captivating and invite you to just exist in the pages with them. I love a book that makes you feel things that the characters experience and there is a whole lot of feeling in this one! 4/5⭐️

How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley

At a certain age we all seem to disappear amidst the community we exist in, that’s how Daphne sees herself. She’s not unhappy about it, she has a past. At 70, Daphne is horrified to join the senior club at the community center. She finds an interesting collection of people that she didn’t expect.
An intriguing group, you have Art, the kleptomaniac, Ruby the notorious expressive knitter, and Lydia, who runs the group as an escape from her empty nest. Lydia has her hands full!
When the community center nearly collapses, in desperate need of repair, the seniors, toddlers next door, and a senile canine, come together to put things right and rescue their special place.
This was an entertaining novel. It was kind of a slow burn at the beginning as the characters were introduced. It took a while to connect with them and find their common thread. As the story matured, the characters draw you in with their quirky personalities and wild antics. They find their friendships and connect the reader to their hilarious group.
I really enjoyed everything about this book, except the repeated name dropping of Michelle Obama. This is simply for the fact that it had no place or added no value to the story but adds a real detraction for anyone who doesn’t care for her or politics. 4/5⭐️

Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell
This is the book I want to talk about!
One day, Christopher broke the one rule his grandpa had, he went where he was forbidden to go - to save a baby griffen from drowning. This day changed everything for Christopher. He discovered a wild magical world of unmapped islands - the Archipelago. This magical place has existed for thousands of years with magical creatures of every kind, but things are changing and the magic is fading.
Christopher sets out with a new friend, Mal, on an epic adventure to find answers as to why the magical creatures are dying. He travels and confronts sphinxes, kraken, and dragons. The two friends realize they are the ones truly destined to save everything.
This was an amazingly imaginative story!
The book is physically gorgeous with beautifully sprayed pages and wonderful illustrations. The writing sweeps you in and takes you away!

If you are looking for a book as a gift for anyone age 9 or older, this is it! Introduce them to this magical adventure. As an adult, I loved it. It’s an epic tale as grand and imaginative as some of the greatest stories of our time.

I also listened to the audiobook and it was phenomenal. The narration was beautifully done, giving a unique creative voice to the characters. It was a delightful experience! 5/5⭐️

Georgia, All Along by Kate Clayborn
Georgia Mulcahy goes home to her hometown when her LA boss calls it quits. She is quick to realize that her needs and plans have been disconcertingly paired against assisting others. She has a blank page.
Georgie finds an old notebook that she and her long time best friend, Bel, wrote in during high school. She decides to use the book as motivation to jumpstart her life in a new direction.
Her obstacle is Levi Fanning, formerly the town trouble maker. He wants to help Georgie find her way and check off her list. It doesn’t take long for Georgie to realize that what she wants may be by her side with his dog, Hank. It will take the two of them side stepping the past to leap forward.

This was a really good romance with sort of a coming of age feel to it. It does have a couple spicy scenes but they do not overtake the book and if you skip them, you will still enjoy the book.
I really enjoyed Georgie’s character as she discovers who she is and what she really wants. The love relationship is easy and it compliments the family dynamics with Levi’s family and Georgie’s parents. Hank was a fun addition too, because I love dogs!
The audio book is wonderful, the male narrator for Levi does a wonderful job giving his character a unique voice and accent. Loved it!

4/5 ⭐️

The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose
Molly, now the head maid, commands a new protege and soars in her new position. There is another death at the hotel, again Molly ends up in the thick of things.
The victim, J.D. Grimthorpe, a famous author is someone from Molly's past. Her old nemesis, Detective Stark, shows up and is quick to make assumptions.

This was another quirky installment of Molly's adventures in mystery as a maid. I really like Molly's character. 4/5⭐s

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Vera exists in a lonely forgotten tea shop. She fancies detective work. One morning she finds a body in her shop.
In this novel you will find a very enchanting group of eclectic friends. They are brought together in the midst of Vera's investigation. They find themselves becoming a unique family as they endure Vera's quirky behavior.
This book was so much more than I expected! Vera has taken her place in the ranks of my beloved list of quirky characters. I have so enjoyed meeting Vera and I hope you will too! 4/5⭐s

Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan
In this brilliant story, you meet Megs Devonshire who is attending Oxford. A young woman who has a mind for facts through numbers and science, seeks answers about the magical world of Narnia. On behalf of her brother George, Megs approaches C.S. Lewis for answers. Through listening to “Jack’s” stories of his own life and retelling them to George, Megs learns a new craft of storytelling. She also finds answers in a way that she had not anticipated about life and love.
This book is so good, your heart will soar, and you may cry a few tears, but isn’t that what a good book does? Read it, devout, love it! 5/5⭐️s

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
This is a good slow thriller/mystery. It is not fast paced and it does meander between multiple time lines among the many characters.
You have a teen girl, Barbara, that disappears while at camp. A family owned camp with a history. Fourteen years earlier her brother Bear had disappeared there, without a trace.
Now as the investigation plows through the present 1975 and 1961, old secrets are revealed. A town that has questions and anger about the past. Wrongful accusations, families with secrets and a powerful family that will do anything to stay in control.
The story is very detailed and probably could have been told more efficiently, but overall it is a really good story! The multilayered story lines keep the reader involved and invested in the outcome of the story.
I also listened to the audio version and it was so well narrated!
#thegodofthewoods #lizmoore #thrillingdrama #layeredmystery #multithreadedsecrets

The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean

Phenomenal thriller with unsuspected plot twists!
Chelsey Calhoun’s sister vanished at 15, presumed dead. Chelsey grew up and became a cop, still haunted by her sister’s disappearance.
Ellie Black goes missing on Chelsey’s watch, and returns two years later.
Something isn’t right with Ellie or the circumstances under which she returned. Ellie won’t talk and there are many questions that need answers.
I loved this one! A suspenseful tale complete with all the things that are needed to keep you turning the pages! 4/5 ⭐️s

A sequel is in the works! Chelsey Calhoun’s adventures continue!

Sandwich by Catherine Newman
If you’re over 50, this book is for you. There is language that may offend some, this book was so relatable and it kept me laughing. This was just what I needed, laughter and something relatable about myself, that I could laugh out loud about. If you can relate to menopause, this book is for you! If you can’t laugh about your menopause experience, this book may help with that.

This is the story of Rocky and her family on a vacation for a week. Parents, grown children, and grandparents celebrating differences, memories, and life. They even share long hidden secrets. There is lots of love and understanding. They have a cat named “Chicken” and lots of quotes I would love to share.
I took notes because this book made me laugh so much.

Favorite quotes :
“And this may be the only reason we were put on this earth. To say to each other, I know how you feel. To say, Same. To say, I understand how hard it is to be a parent, a kid. To say, Your shell stank and you’re sad. I’ve been there.”

“Menopause feels like a slow leak;thoughts leaking out of your head; flesh leaking out of your skin; fluid leaking out of your joints. You need a lube job, is how you feel. Bodywork….”

There is no complicated story line and no in depth meaning but it just a story about real life topics, some told with crude humor. I loved it!
Enjoy it! 4.5/5 ⭐️s

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James

This is a suspenseful drama covering two time periods in an interconnected dual timeline.
Set in Barrons , Vermont, the story intertwines crimes from 1950 and 2014. Journalist Fiona Sheridan is still not settled about her sister’s case from twenty years ago. As she investigates, her leads take her back to uncovered and unsolved mysteries from the 1950s on the campus of Idlewild, an all girls boarding school. As Fiona investigates, her sister’s case is linked in when a horrible discovery is made during renovations to the school. As the past slams into her present, Fiona is faced with danger and dark secrets that were not intended to ever be uncovered.
There are so many awesome elements in this book! There’s even a tie to a WWII mystery! I really enjoyed everything about it! 5/5 ⭐️s

What She Left Behind by Ellen Marie Wiseman
A stunning story with a dual timeline!
You have Izzy in the present, a foster child at the mercy of the system she is about to age out of. Her mother killed her father and Izzy has a lot of unresolved feelings.
In 1929, Clara Cartwright, an eighteen year old, gets caught up in the family politics of falling for a guy her parents don’t approve of and bucking away from an arranged marriage. As a result, Clara ends up in an asylum, labeled troubled because she disagreed with her wealthy father. She is later transferred to a state asylum when her father can’t afford the private one.
Izzy gets introduced to Clara as she is cataloging things for a museum project with her foster parents, and they find Clara’s trunk. With a journal and determination Izzy pieces together Clara’s story.
I really enjoyed this multilayered story with beautifully defined characters. This book made me feel things! I cried some and at one point I was so angry with some of the characters, I was yelling at them in my mind. It was just an engrossing experience and I loved it. There were a couple things that I think could have been better resolved in Izzy’s story but overall it was an excellent book! 4.5/5⭐️s

Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan

What can I say? I loved this book. It was just a great book. It had romance, wit, charm, and dogs!
Ali Morris has a career of organizing other people’s lives, her own, however, is a hot mess. Still grieving the loss of her mother, she faces a somewhat amicable divorce head on.
The day she takes the ring off, and puts on real clothes, she meets a nice man. He looks at her in a way that makes her feel seen, an instant connection. They start a summer romance and find so much more. 4.5/5⭐️
I took off 1/2 a star because the dogs that were such an integral part of their lives seem to be forgotten to the last few chapters of the book. Overall, this was a phenomenal book.