Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews

My thoughts

I can’t believe this is the first Mary Kay Andrews book I have read. I’ve seen several and even own two besides this one yet have not read her until now.

I started this book and fell in love with it’s beauty. The beauty of the words and people. The way the words flowed so effortlessly through the pages. It’s a long book but a quick read. I didn’t want to put it down and didn’t except to do things that absolutely had to be done. It swept me away to a beach resort in Georgia. This was a fun read but also had a mystery/thrill going on. A few things that had to be brought to justice. 

This story contains a murder. A past rape. An illegitimate child. A secret that spanned quite a few years and that NO ONE knew except the two involved and their lawyers. Until one snooping, nosey, hateful, woman found out and caused so much to happen. There’s a fire. Theft. So much and still it’s a light hearted story that keeps you wanting more. 

This author did such a good job of pulling everything together. Even a love interest or two thrown in for good measure. This resort sounds like a great place to vacation. Until things go bad. Then you might need to run. There are two young ladies who may be able to help. They are pretty good at solving a mystery when they are trying to survive. 

Most all of the characters in this story are so likable. They made it so easy to love this setting and area. To let go of the bad characters enough to keep reading and hoping they would be caught and brought to justice. Yes this is a wonderful book. This author knows how to weave a story and through in a few knots along the way.

Thank you #NetGalley, #MaryKayAndrews, #StMartinsPress, for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

Five big stars and a very high recommendation.

About

Welcome to the St. Cecelia, a landmark hotel on the coast of Georgia, where traditions run deep and scandals run even deeper. . . .

Everyone refers to the St. Cecelia as “the Saint.” If you grew up coming here, you were “a Saint.” If you came from the wrong side of the river, you were “an Ain’t.” Traci Eddings was one of those outsiders whose family wasn’t rich enough or connected enough to vacation here. But she could work here. One fateful summer she did, and married the boss’s son. Now, she’s the widowed owner of the hotel, determined to see it return to its glory days, even as staff shortages and financial troubles threaten to ruin it. Plus, her greedy and unscrupulous brother-in-law wants to make sure she fails. Enlisting a motley crew of recently hired summer help—including the daughter of her estranged best friend—Traci has one summer season to turn it around. But new information about a long-ago drowning at the hotel threatens to come to light, and the tragic death of one of their own brings Traci to the brink of despair.

Traci Eddings has her back against the pink-painted wall of this beloved institution. And it will take all the wits and guts she has to see wrongs put to right, to see guilty parties put in their place, and maybe even to find a new romance along the way. Told with Mary Kay Andrew’s warmth, humor, knack for twists, and eye for delicious detail about human nature, Summers at the Saint is a beach read with depth and heart.

The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan

My thoughts

I can’t believe this is my first book by this author. It was excellent. Very well written and researched. Based on a true story. One that I had no idea existed. To move a library underground was such a great thing to do. It helped people who did not have access to it before. And there is the fact that it was bombed and needed to be moved….

You meet three young women in this story and each tells their story. Their hopes and fears. The ways they coped. How these three became the best of friends during a very dark time in the world’s history. Sofie, Rachel, and Juliet all met in Bethnal Green. In the library. 

Juliet was the Deputy Librarian. She got the job because there was no man to take it. The war had called most me to battle. She had many grand ideas, many of which the head librarian shot down. A man of course. He wanted things to be as easy as possible for himself. But Juliet would not let that stop her. She aimed higher and made it the best library they could possibly have. 

Sofie who fled her home for a safer place. She was working for a hard mean man. She worked very hard for him despite all of his abuse and meanness. The best thing that happened to her was when he sent her to the library for a map. There she met Juliet. Juliet was going to help her in ways she could not have guessed. 

Katie was a young girl who’s fiancé was sent to war and went missing. Maybe killed. She is pregnant and scared. Barely out of school and terrified of how her family will react. She hides the pregnancy for as long as possible. When her mother finally finds out Katie knows things will be so bad for her. She’s brought such a shame to the family. When she meets Juliet her life is changed also. So much will happen for her.

This book has a few secondary characters that I loved also. One of my favorites being Sebastian. He sounds like the almost perfect man. I was very leery of Victor. I just didn’t trust him. The Miss Ridleys were wonderful as was Marigold. I didn’t like Ernest Wainwright either. 

This is a story of friends during a horrible time. A time when Jews were singled out and deemed less than human. When Hitler decided that they needed to be gotten rid of. During a time of book banning and burning. A time when anyone with a sickness was consider less and needed to be put away. A very dark time for the whole world. I certainly hope it never happens again. But never think it can’t…

Thank you #NetGalley, #JenniferRyan, #RandomHousePublishing, #Ballantinebooks, for this ARC. This is my true thoughts about this book.

FIVE huge stars and one of the best I’ve read this year. 

About
When new deputy librarian, Juliet Lansdown, finds that Bethnal Green Library isn’t the bustling hub she’s expecting, she becomes determined to breathe life back into it. But can she show the men in charge that a woman is up to the task of running it, especially when a confrontation with her past threatens to derail her?

Katie Upwood is thrilled to be working at the library, although she’s only there until she heads off to university in the fall. But after the death of her beau on the front line and amid tumultuous family strife, she finds herself harboring a life-changing secret with no one to turn to for help.

Sofie Baumann, a young Jewish refugee, came to London on a domestic service visa only to find herself working as a maid for a man who treats her abominably. She escapes to the library every chance she can, finding friendship in the literary community and aid in finding her sister, who is still trying to flee occupied Europe.

When a slew of bombs destroy the library, Juliet relocates the stacks to the local Underground station where the city’s residents shelter nightly, determined to lend out stories that will keep spirits up. But tragedy after tragedy threatens to unmoor the women and sever the ties of their community. Will Juliet, Kate, and Sofie be able to overcome their own troubles to save the library? Or will the beating heart of their neighborhood be lost forever?

Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week

************

Warning:  Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles, and humongous wish lists.

Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia @A Girl and Her Books, has a permanent home now at  MAILBOX MONDAY.

************
Here is a shout out to the administrators

Serena @ Savvy Verse and Wit

Martha @ Reviews By Martha’s Bookshelf

************

THANKS to everyone for keeping Mailbox Monday alive.

NetGalley’s this week

We Burn Daylight by Bret Anthony Johnston

An epic novel of star-crossed lovers set in a doomsday cult on the Texas prairie that asks: What would you sacrifice for the person you love?

Waco, Texas, 1993. People from all walks of life have arrived to follow the Lamb’s gospel—signing over savings and pensions, selling their homes and shedding marriages. They’ve come here to worship at the feet of a former landscaper turned prophet who is preparing for the End Times with a staggering cache of weapons. Jaye’s mother is one of his newest and most devout followers, though Jaye herself has suspicions about the Lamb’s methods—and his motives.

Roy is the youngest son of the local sheriff, a fourteen-year-old boy with a heart of gold and a nose for trouble who falls for Jaye without knowing of her mother’s attachment to the man who is currently making his father’s life hell. The two teenagers are drawn to each other immediately and completely, but their love may have dire consequences for their families. The Lamb has plans for them all—especially Jaye—and as his preaching and scheming move them closer and closer to unthinkable violence, Roy risks everything to save Jaye.

Based on the true events that unfolded thirty years ago during the siege of the Branch Davidian compound, Bret Anthony Johnston’s We Burn Daylight is an unforgettable love story, a heart-pounding literary page turner, and a profound exploration of faith, family, and what it means to truly be saved.

By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult

Two women, centuries apart—one of whom is the real author of Shakespeare’s plays—are both forced to hide behind another name to make their voices heard.

In 1581, Emilia Bassano—like most young women of her day—is allowed no voice of her own. But as the Lord Chamberlain’s mistress, she has access to all theater in England, and finds a way to bring her work to the stage secretly. And yet, creating some of the world’s greatest dramatic masterpieces comes at great cost: by paying a man for the use of his name, she will write her own out of history.

In the present, playwright Melina Green has just written a new work inspired by the life of her Elizabethan ancestor Emilia Bassano. Although the challenges are different four hundred years later, the playing field is still not level for women in theater. Would Melina—like Emilia—be willing to forfeit her credit as author, just for a chance to see her work performed?

Told in intertwining narratives, this sweeping tale of ambition, courage, and desire asks what price each woman is willing to pay to see their work live on—even if it means they will be forgotten.

Leaning On Air-audio by Cheryl Grey 

They last spoke as teens, but on a country road twelve years later, a surprise encounter reunites ornithologist Celia Burke with veterinary surgeon Burnaby Hayes, and they plunge into the most unusual romance of her life.

After a decade of marriage, Celia and Burnaby have found a unique and beautiful rhythm. Then tragedy strikes while Celia hunts for the nest of a research hawk near the Snake River. Reeling with grief, she’s certain Burnaby won’t understand her anguish or forgive the choice that initiated it.

She flees to kindness at a remote farm in Washington’s Palouse region, where a wild prairie and an alluring neighbor convince her to begin anew. But when unexplained accidents, cryptic sketches, and a mute little boy make her doubt her decision, only a red-tailed hawk and the endangered lives of those she loves can compel her to examine her past—and reconsider her future.

A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas

My thoughts

This is the fourth book in this series and I think it was nice to read about these characters. To get to know a bit more about them and what they felt after the war. 

I enjoyed this one and felt it was a good place for the author to do this shorter book. It’s told from different character’s prospective. It gives you some insight into their thoughts and feelings. You get more of Rhys and Feyre also. Their visit to the cabin was a bit racy if you will but that is what they do. I think they are great characters. All of the characters in this book are likable. 

I got a bit tired of Nesta’s attitude but she was put through a lot. Dragged from her home and turned high fae was not her ideal way to live out the rest of her life but at least she is with her sisters. Forever. I suppose that is enough to put a damper on anyone’s life. Hopefully she will come around in the next book. We’ll see. 

You’ll hear about Cassian, Morrigan, Feyre, Rhysand and a short section about Nesta. Each of these characters play a vital role in this story and in this series. 

This was a fun read for me. I can’t wait to start the next and possibly last book. 

This author’s writing is so good. In places some things are said a bit much but it’s ok. These books are so long and need to be filled with enough imagination to keep you turning the pages. I’m really loving them. 

About

A tender addition to the #1 New York Times bestselling Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas, bridging the events of A Court of Wings and Ruin and upcoming books.

Feyre, Rhysand, and their friends are still busy rebuilding the Night Court and the vastly altered world beyond, recovering from the war that changed everything. But Winter Solstice is finally approaching, and with it, the joy of a hard-earned reprieve.

Yet even the festive atmosphere can’t keep the shadows of the past from looming. As Feyre navigates her first Winter Solstice as High Lady, her concern for those dearest to her deepens. They have more wounds than she anticipated-scars that will have a far-reaching impact on the future of their court.

Bridging the events of A Court of Wings and Ruin with the later books in the series, A Court of Frost and Starlight explores the far-reaching effects of a devastating war and the fierce love between friends.

Blackbird (Hart’s Ridge book 9) by Kay Bratt

My thoughts

Each Hart’s Ridge book is better than the last. They are all wonderful and touching and sad. All have many feels going on. This one was just the best. 

Ms. Bratt captured my heart with the two women in this book that would hurting. The two that were at the mercy of brutal men. Especially the one being held in the basement. Good grief what that poor woman is going through and she needs to be found. Get her away from that horrible man. 

Two women.

 Allison who is a mother to two beautiful children a baby boy and a toddler girl, is running for her life after the man who is suppose to love her beats her. He’s an abusive jerk. She has to get her babies away from there. Herself away. She deserves so much better. I utterly HATED her mother. Allison’s mother. She is a first rate hussy. A horrible excuse of a mother.

Lydia is a mother also. She has two teenage daughters and a baby girl. She was carjacked in a Walmart parking lot. So much has happened to her now. Her husband refuses to accept that she is dead. He can’t feel her and knows that he would. Lydia’s capture is another horrible man. He’s worse than the one that Allison is running from. He has no feelings toward her. Feels no remorse at all. He is a psychopath. He thinks of himself as a survivalist though. 

This book will keep you turning the pages and will give you so many tears. It’s filled with so many emotions and ups and downs. You will feel like you are right there with these women. And you get to know a little more about the Grays. The determination of Deputy Taylor Gray. Her allegiance to her fellow cops. Or in this case cop. As they travel in search of a missing wife and mother. As she helps out Allison and her children. As she does with her sisters and mother. Taylor is the rock they all seem to rely on.

This is a solid FIVE start book even if I did get upset over the ending and not knowing…. 

Thank you Kay Bratt for this copy of book 9 of the Hart’s Ridge series. It was so good.

About

In the small town of Hart’s Ridge, a recent tragedy leaves the tight-knit community still reeling. In the highly anticipated ninth installment of the Hart’s Ridge small-town mystery series, “Blackbird,” Deputy Taylor Gray finds herself supporting a colleague through a painful journey of letting go.Meanwhile, a young woman and her children must flee from her abusive ex-partner, seeking refuge and safety. Deputy Gray becomes entangled in their plight, blurring the lines between duty and personal conviction.”Blackbird” masterfully intertwines these dual plot lines, exploring the complexities of small-town life and the resilience of its residents. Brace yourself for an exhilarating journey to the heart of Hart’s Ridge—a ride that promises to captivate readers until the final, unforgettable page.

A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas

My thoughts

I’m really enjoying this series so much. This is the third book and it’s even better than the last one. I never thought I would enjoy this genre of book before but oh my I do. There is everything in them. Laughter, cringes, excitement, light horror, thrills, chills, and tears. 

This book takes on another ride with the Faes. You get get to know a bit more about each character. More about their lives, fears, and loves. More about their strengths and weaknesses. More about their truths. 

Some of these characters grew on me a bit. Elaine comes out of her shell a tiny bit. She certainly has a lot going on but she’s likable in many ways. Nesta is still stronger but you’ll see a different side to her also. Feyre is still herself but in many ways she has grown also. She learned a lot about doing things that she wants to without needing to ask first. I like these sisters and hope each will continue to grow. As for Rhysand.. I still love him. He’s the one that I hoped from the start that Feyre would be with. He’s a kind and caring Fae and very strong also. He puts his friends and family first and foremost whether in battle or just being protected in everyday life.

You’ll also see a different side of Tamlin and Lucien. Whether you like this side or not remains to be seen. I have high hopes for both but especially Lucien. I can’t say why just yet.

This author has such a good imagination. Her writing style is great. She pulls you in and keeps you turning the pages. There is so much going on yet it’s so easy to follow. I throughly enjoyed this book and the previous two. I highly recommend giving them a try. This one is 703 pages of excitement and intrigue. It takes you into a big battle between different regions and even the humans. It’s exciting and gripping and keeps you on your toes all the way. I loved it.

About

The epic third novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas.

Feyre has returned to the Spring Court, determined to gather information on Tamlin’s actions and learn what she can about the invading king threatening to bring her land to its knees. But to do so she must play a deadly game of deceit. One slip could bring doom not only for Feyre, but for everything-and everyone-she holds dear.

As war bears down upon them all, Feyre endeavors to take her place amongst the High Fae of the land, balancing her struggle to master her powers-both magical and political-and her love for her court and family. Amidst these struggles, Feyre and Rhysand must decide whom to trust amongst the cunning and lethal High Lords, and hunt for allies in unexpected places.

In this thrilling third book in the #1 New York Times bestselling series from Sarah J. Maas, the fate of Feyre’s world is at stake as armies grapple for power over the one thing that could destroy it.

A Heart Like Home by Christine Nolfi

My thoughts

Way to go Christine. All of your books are wonderful but this is the best one yet. It’s not just an emotional story it also has some chuckles added in along the way. While it did make me weep bit ugly tears there was also parts that made me laugh out loud. This book will be in my top twenty for the year for sure.

This book will pull at your heartstrings in ways no other will. It’s the story of a brother and sister. The life they lived and the life they are finally given. A kind of rags to riches kind of story only it’s rags of emotion to riches of love. These two children, Henry and Bella, are taken from their dad after a neighbor calls the police. Their mother had died and their dad left them alone on weekends so he could go out drinking and picking up women. They lived in squalor and near starvation. All of that is about to change. These two beautiful children will find out what it’s like to be loved unconditionally and fearlessly. 

No child should ever experience what Henry and Bella did. Children should be treasured. In a perfect world they would be. How any parent can hurt or abuse their own little child is beyond me. They give us total and complete love. Until you strip that away from them. Even then if you show them kindness they will forgive you and try again. 

These two children are so worthy of a good life and deep love. With Nova they will experience what it’s like to be accepted. Fed well. Dressed in good clothes and sent to school. A life spent enjoying themselves instead of worrying about what will happen to them next. 

Henry is a very rebellious young boy. He’s nine years old and already endured more than he should. He has a tendency to berate and belittle females. He hasn’t a lot of respect for them. He learned that lesson from his dad. 

Bella is a bundle of love. She’s open to being loved and loves back. She’s still young enough at seven to believe in magic. She’s an outgoing child and keeps you on your toes. She will make you laugh many times while reading this book.

This is a heartbreaking story that will ultimately mend you back together. As do all of this author’s books. I loved most all of the characters in this book. I felt the beauty of all the flowers and bushes and trees described in this story. I felt the magic of Bella’s photograph. The fears of what all Henry went through. I did not like Egan. He was a very trouble man.

Thank you #NetGalley, #ChristineNolfi, #LakeUnion, for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

FIVE huge stars and the highest recommendation. Grab this and a few boxes of Kleenex. 

About

Finding family is a journey of love, risk, secrets, and healing in a powerful novel by the bestselling author of A Brighter Flame, The Passing Storm, and The Road She Left Behind.

When Nova Doubeck is asked to foster two children, she can’t say no. With her own childhood wounds healed by adoptive parents, Nova understands the rewards of a caring guardian—even an impermanent one. But nine-year-old Henry and his seven-year-old sister, Bella, are more than Nova bargained for.

Combative Henry is at risk of becoming like his abusive father, Egan Croy. Timid Bella, clutching a tin box of treasures, cowers at the slightest noise. Yet Nova gradually earns their trust and affection as they bring unexpected love and joy to her guarded life. Now she can’t help but How will she stop her heart from breaking when the time comes to say goodbye?

As Egan aggressively battles to regain control over the children, Nova’s protective instincts prove just as fierce. In fighting to save Henry and Bella, she’ll unlock the secrets hidden in their past—and learn more about herself and the true meaning of family than anyone imagined.

Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week

************

Warning:  Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles, and humongous wish lists.

Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia @A Girl and Her Books, has a permanent home now at  MAILBOX MONDAY.

************
Here is a shout out to the administrators

Serena @ Savvy Verse and Wit

Martha @ Reviews By Martha’s Bookshelf

************

THANKS to everyone for keeping Mailbox Monday alive.

NetGalley’s this week

Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles

The New York Times and internationally bestselling author of the “captivating, richly drawn” (Woman’s World) The Paris Library returns with a brilliant new novel based on the true story of Jessie Carson—the American librarian who changed the literary landscape of France.

1918: As the Great War rages, Jessie Carson takes a leave of absence from the New York Public Library to work for the American Committee for Devastated France. Founded by millionaire Anne Morgan, this group of international women help rebuild devastated French communities just miles from the front. Upon arrival, Jessie strives to establish something that the French have never seen—children’s libraries. She turns ambulances into bookmobiles and trains the first French female librarians. Then she disappears.

1987: When NYPL librarian and aspiring writer Wendy Peterson stumbles across a passing reference to Jessie Carson in the archives, she becomes consumed with learning her fate. In her obsessive research, she discovers that she and the elusive librarian have more in common than their work at New York’s famed library, but she has no idea their paths will converge in surprising ways across time.

Storm Child by Michael Robotham

Cyrus Haven and Evie Cormac return in Robotham’s latest psychological thriller, which finally unlocks the secrets of Evie’s past and reaffirms why Stephen King has proclaimed this author “an absolute master.”

The mystery of Evie Cormac’s background has followed her into adulthood. As a child, she was discovered hiding in a secret room where a man had been tortured to death. Many of her captors and abusers escaped justice, unseen but not forgotten. Now, on a hot summer’s day, the past drags Evie back as she watches the bodies of seventeen migrants wash up on a Lincolnshire beach.

There is only one survivor, a teenage boy, who tells police their small boat was deliberately rammed and sunk. Psychologist Cyrus Haven is recruited by the police to investigate the murders—but recognizes immediately that Evie has some link to the tragedy. By solving this crime, he could finally unlock the secrets of her past. But what dark forces will he set loose? And who will pay the price?

Husbands & Lovers by Beatriz Williams

Two women—separated by decades and continents, and united by a mysterious family heirloom—reclaim family secrets and lost loves in this sweeping novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Summer Wives.

New England, 2022. Three years ago, single mother Mallory Dunne received the telephone call every parent dreads—her ten-year-old son Sam had been airlifted from summer camp with acute poisoning from a toxic death cap mushroom, leaving him fighting for his life. Now, in a search for the donor kidney that will give her son a chance for a normal life, Mallory’s forced to confront two harrowing secrets from her past: her mother’s adoption from an infamous Irish orphanage in 1952, and her own all-consuming summer romance fourteen years earlier with her childhood best friend Monk Adams—now one of the world’s most beloved singer-songwriters—a fairytale cut short by an agonizing betrayal.

Cairo, 1951. After suffering tragedy beyond comprehension in the war, Hungarian refugee Hannah Ainsworth has forged a respectable new life for herself—marriage to a wealthy British diplomat, a coveted posting in glamorous Cairo. But a fateful encounter with the enigmatic manager of a hotel bristling with spies leads to a passionate affair that will reawaken Hannah’s longing for everything she once lost. As revolution simmers in the Egyptian streets, a pregnant Hannah finds herself snared into a game of intrigue between two men…and an act of sacrifice that will echo down the generations.

Timeless and bittersweet, Husbands And Lovers draws readers on an unforgettable journey of heartbreak and redemption, from the revolutionary fires of midcentury Egypt to the moneyed beaches of contemporary New England. Acclaimed author Beatriz Williams has written a poignant and beautifully voiced novel of deeply human characters entangled by morally complex issues—of privilege, class, and the female experience—inside worlds brought shimmeringly to life.

The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl

Bestselling author Ruth Reichl takes readers on an adventure of food, art, and fashion in 1980s Paris in this dazzling, heartfelt novel

Stella reached for an oyster, tipped her head and tossed it back. It was cool and slippery, the flavor so briny it was like diving into the ocean… Oysters, she thought, where have they been all my life?

When her estranged mother dies, Stella is left with an unusual gift: a one-way plane ticket, and a note reading ‘Go to Paris’. But Stella is hardly cut out for adventure; a childhood trauma has kept her confined to the strict routines of her comfort zone. When her boss encourages her to take time off, Stella resigns herself to honoring her mother’s last wishes.

Alone in a foreign city, Stella falls into old habits, living cautiously and frugally. Then she stumbles across a vintage store where she tries on a fabulous Dior dress. The shopkeeper insists that this dress was meant for Stella and, for the first time in her life, Stella does something impulsive. She buys the dress and together they embark on an adventure. 

Her first iconic brasserie Les Deux Magots, where Stella tastes her first oysters, and then meets an octogenarian art collector who decides to take her under his wing. As Jules introduces her to a veritable who’s who of the 1980s Paris literary, art, and culinary worlds, Stella begins to understand what it might mean to live a larger life.

As weeks—and many decadent meals—go by, Stella ends up living as a “tumbleweed” at famed bookstore Shakespeare & Company, uncovers a hundred-year-old mystery in a Manet painting, and discovers a passion for food that may be connected to her past. A feast for the senses, this novel is a testament to living deliciously, taking chances, and finding your true home.

From the author’s reading group I’m in…

Blackbird(Hart’s Ridge #9) by Kay Bratt

In the quaint town of Hart’s Ridge, the echoes of a recent tragedy still reverberate through the tight-knit community. In the highly anticipated ninth installment of the Hart’s Ridge small-town mystery series, “Blackbird,” the townsfolk are grappling with the profound loss of a beloved local woman.

As Deputy Taylor Gray continues to serve as the town’s guardian, there are a lot of changes in store for her and her family. She must balance long-awaited joys with the lingering sorrow that has settled over Hart’s Ridge and the latest mystery surrounding it. A mystery that has cast a long shadow, stirring whispers and suspicions among the residents.

The Gray family and their fellow townspeople will grapple with life, unravel mysteries, and confront unexpected challenges. “Blackbird” promises to be an enthralling addition to the series. Will the bonds of community hold firm in the face of adversity, or will Hart’s Ridge be forever changed by the uncertainty that surrounds them? Readers will be captivated by every twist and turn until the final page of this thrilling installment. With her trademark blend of suspense and heartfelt storytelling, Kay Bratt takes readers on a gripping journey into the heart of Hart’s Ridge once more with Blackbird, book nine of the Hart’s Ridge series.

Daughter of Mine by Megan Miranda

My thoughts

Megan Miranda is an auto go to author for me. She writes books that always keep me guessing. Always have me turning the pages. I’ve not been disappointed by her yet.

This is a wild ride getting to know the Holt family. Gage, Caden, and Hazel. Hazel comes back to Mirror Lake after their dad dies. For his memorial service. Then things take a sharp turn for her. For them. When there has been a drought for so long. 

No rain for sixty plus days things start coming to the surface. Or the water lets them be found. Two vehicles. No bodies though. Is it an insurance scam or did something way more sinister happen. Was anyone murdered.

The lives of these three people is going to be shaken to their foundations. Will they stick together or is one of them hiding secrets from many years ago. A family friend emerges and brings back memories for Hazel. Nico was her first love. But could be even be trusted. Could anyone. 

I liked all of these characters. They are all strong in ways and emotional. Weak in ways that make them human. There is another family member. The uncle. Roy Colt. He’s the lawyer. He’s in charge of their dad’s will and it seems he left the house to Hazel and there is not much of anything else. 

When Hazel decides she wants to know what happened to her mother all of their lives are changed. A wife goes missing. Hidden things start popping up. Life is changing and the boys, Caden and Gage, only want things to be left alone. But Hazel needs to know. She wants to know why her mother just abandoned her all those years ago. Many secrets are brought to life. Things are said and done that can’t ever be taken back. Someone is going to die. Someone is going to be found out.

This book is an edge of your seat thriller. It’s well written and leaves nothing undone. All is answered. It’s the best yet by this wonderful author. 

This was my third BOTM choice for April and I was so happy with it. I also have to thank #NetGalley, #MeganMiranda, #SimonElement, #Simon&Schuster, for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

FIVE big stars and a huge recommendation. Grab it, you won’t be disappointed.

About

The new thrilling novel from Megan Miranda, the instant New York Times bestselling author of All the Missing Girls, The Last to Vanish, and The Only Survivors.

When Hazel Sharp, daughter of Mirror Lake’s longtime local detective, unexpectedly inherits her childhood home, she’s warily drawn back to the town—and people—she left behind almost a decade earlier. But Hazel’s not the only relic of the past to a drought has descended on the region, and as the water level in the lake drops, long-hidden secrets begin to emerge…including evidence that may help finally explain the mystery of her mother’s disappearance.

All We Were Promised by Ashton Lattimore

My thoughts 

This is such a beautifully written story. Yes it’s filled with lots of sadness and angst. It has a lot in it that might make you feel uncomfortable. It might even teach you something. It has all the things that I love in a good historical novel. It’s emotional. Heartwarming in many ways. The way these women stood together to fight for one of them, and for each other. 

This is a story of three women who lived in Philadelphia. One was a socialite. One a run away slave. One wanting to get away from her slave owner. This is each’s story. Told from each one. Of their struggles and fears for two and one trying to help as much as she can. 

Nell is from an upperclass black family and has never known any kind of hardships in her life. But she wants to help others. She wants to help end slavery and fight for what is right. 

Charlotte is a runaway slave who lives in Philadelphia with her father James. She has to pretend. She lives like she is nothing more than a housekeeper while her father pretends to be white and does what he can to make lots of money for them. He has a woodworking business that is thriving because they believe he is a white man. 

Nell is a slave who was brought to Philadelphia by her missus to make sure she is comfortable and looks her best. Nell wants to leave. To run. To escape being a slave. When she sees Charlotte at the market she believes she has found a way. Maybe.

While this book takes you on a journey to free Nell you also get a good look at what things happened in Philadelphia back then. The building then subsequent burning of Pennsylvania Hall. A place built by both black and white people to hopefully address many issues. Mainly to help black people get out of bad situations. To be free. To ensure that the laws were upheld. 

It makes my skin crawl to think of how human’s were consider property back then. How awful that had to feel. Children ripped from their parents to be sold. Parents sold and taken who knows where. What a horrendous time that had to be. I hope that this never happens again to anyone or any race. 

This author did an excellent job of making this book feel so realistic. To make you feel what these people felt. These ladies felt. From their excitement to their darkest fears. The race to get back after being held. To be free…. Another good book to learn so much from. 

This was my BOTM choice and I’m so glad I chose it. It was also a NetGalley book. 

FIVE big stars and a high recommendation. 

About

A housemaid with a dangerous family secret conspires with a wealthy young abolitionist to help an enslaved girl escape, in volatile pre-Civil War Philadelphia.

The rebel . . . the socialite . . . and the fugitive. Together, they will risk everything for one another in this “beguiling story of friendship, deception, and women crossing boundaries in the name of freedom” (Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Lost Friends).

Philadelphia, 1837. After Charlotte escaped from the crumbling White Oaks plantation down South, she’d expected freedom to feel different from her former life as an enslaved housemaid. After all, Philadelphia is supposed to be the birthplace of American liberty. Instead, she’s locked away playing servant to her white-passing father, as they both attempt to hide their identities from slavecatchers who would destroy their new lives.

Longing to break away, Charlotte befriends Nell, a budding abolitionist from one of Philadelphia’s wealthiest Black families. Just as Charlotte starts to envision a future, a familiar face from her past reappears: Evie, her friend from White Oaks, has been brought to the city by the plantation mistress, and she’s desperate to escape. But as Charlotte and Nell conspire to rescue her, in a city engulfed by race riots and attacks on abolitionists, they soon discover that fighting for Evie’s freedom may cost them their own.