Archives for February 2025
Book of the Month Poll ~ Which book do you think is best based on the review?
Sticks in a Bundle: The Early Years by Pat Spencer
Sticks in a Bundle: The Early Years by Pat Spencer
Publisher: Seaside Writer Imprint
Genre: Historical, Fiction
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by AstilbeAs the middle daughter in a family of Xhosa, Zulu, and Dutch descent, Eshile Mthembu’s life celebrates the strength and resilience of the human spirit. She lives in a Soweto shanty under South Africa’s apartheid rule, a policy designed to squash her dreams and control every aspect of her life. Her story reveals a history of racial injustice many know little about, as experienced by a young woman trying to understand it herself.
Despite cultural, religious, and linguistic differences, Eshile’s family bases their love and strength on the African proverb: Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable. But when a stranger from afar offers an unexpected opportunity, Eshile must decide whether to secure her family bonds or embrace the promise of a better life.
Love is stronger than hate.
One of the tropes I enjoy reading about the most involves exploring the differences between how children and adults understand the same thing. What seems clearcut and sensible to a grownup might be utterly confusing to a kid, and vice versa. Eshile and her sisters had all sorts of questions about adult matters, from why they weren’t supposed to walk in certain neighborhoods to what happened to their Dutch birth father. Their answers to these questions made me smile and made me want to keep reading.
The large cast of characters made it difficult for me to get to know the majority of them well even though this was nearly 300 pages long. There simply wasn’t enough time to dive deeply into most of their personalities, especially given how young Eshile was when most of these events took place. She wasn’t yet old enough to think critically about most of the adults around her, much less wonder why they made more complex decisions in life. As much as I liked the protagonist herself, this made it difficult for me to bond with her large extended family or many neighbors and friends who popped into their lives every so often.
Some of the most memorable scenes for me were the ones that explored how Eshile’s family passed down some Xhosa and Zulu traditions while modernizing or skipping other ones as the 1960s went on. There was so much emotion involved in some of them, and even the easier decisions were still make with caution and care. This evolution is something people from every culture tend to need to do from time to time, and I nodded along as I took note of the similar reactions to change between these characters and members of my own family who have felt all sorts of emotional reactions to how our traditions have remained constant, changed, or simply been modified from one generation to the next.
I struggled with the slow pacing. Even though I appreciated the detailed descriptions of Eshile’s cultural and ethnic backgrounds, pausing so often to explain what certain words meant or why characters expected specific behaviors from each other meant that the plot couldn’t move very quickly in most places. Sometimes this read more like a sketch of a large, complex family than a story that could be divided into a beginning, middle, and end in even the loosest interpretations of how novels are generally paced.
There are all sorts of interesting cultural and social reactions to families whose members come in a range of colors and ethnic identities. While my extended family has never faced the threat of legal trouble or jail time for being multiracial like these characters did, I did relate to how they navigated a world that may be kind to us one day and angry at our very existence the next. Representation matters not only for people who belong to the group being explored but also to readers who have never had to think about such things and may learn something new about what their neighbors, acquaintances, coworkers, and the strangers they pass by on the street quietly deal with. The more empathy we develop for each other, the better.
Sticks in a Bundle: The Early Years was thought provoking.
Murder At The University by Faith Martin
Murder At The University by Faith Martin
Publisher: Joffe Books, London
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by FernA pretty French student is found dead in her room at an exclusive Oxford college. Everyone thinks it is another tragic case of accidental drug overdose.
But Detective Hillary Greene has a nose for the truth. She quickly discovers that the student was involved in some very unusual activities.
With a shocking cause of death found, the case becomes a high-profile murder investigation.
Adding to the pressure, Hillary’s nemesis is transferred to work with her at the station.
Can Hillary keep her cool and get justice for the unfortunate student?
This is the second book in the series featuring DI Hillary Greene and I really enjoyed it. With a layered and interesting murder mystery plot and a number of realistic and complicated characters in the police team I found there was plenty in this British police procedural book to keep my interest keen.
While at a first glance the murder appeared straightforward, I was pleased when a number of twists were uncovered and the mystery quickly deepened to be far more than first expected. I also like how the author kept a good balance with the plot and characters remaining realistic and believable but never simple – there were enough twists to keep me guessing and hold my attention firm.
I also really appreciated how Hillary is not a young woman (somewhere in her forties) and not a novice when it comes to her police work and investigations. That is still quite a refreshing change to me, and I love the series for that difference alone.
Readers looking for a well-paced British police procedural story with an intricate plot and solid characters should check this series out.
Behind-the-Scenes Writing After the Red Carpet by Patricia Leavy – Guest Blog and Giveaway
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Patricia Leavy will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
I wrote The Location Shoot during the pandemic. This is back when we were all locked in our houses double fisting potato chips (maybe that was just me). Ella and Finn were a lifeline. During a time when I was depressed and afraid, as many of us were, this little love story brought me enormous comfort, escape, joy. I looked forward to getting up in the mornings (in the same sweatpants I had worn for months) and entering their love-filled world. When it came time to write After the Red Carpet, the lockdown was long over so I decided to set a few scenes in London and travel there to do research. In one scene the characters attend an awards ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall. It had to be there because it’s a real awards ceremony and that is where it’s held. I decided to take a group tour. My intention at the time was simply to take notes about what it looked like inside—an in-person experience is always so much more helpful than what you can find online. I thought I’d glean a little tidbit or detail that I’d be able to throw in. Little did I know, the history of the hall actually tied in perfectly to the major theme in my novel. The chapter became so much better and more important than I could have imagined. You’ll have to read the book to see what I mean!
For fans of Tessa Bailey and Hannah Grace, After the Red Carpet is a feel-good, contemporary celebrity romance about what happens after the fairy-tale beginning as two lovers work toward their own true meaning of “happily ever after.”
After legendary Hollywood star Finn Forrester proposed to philosopher Ella Sinclair on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, the couple captivated the press and public with their real-life fairy tale. Now they vow to prioritize their romance and live an adventure of their own making. Ella moves into Finn’s Beverly Hills mansion and must adjust to his world. Finn, secretly afraid of losing Ella, is determined to make everything perfect for his betrothed. Meanwhile, Ella wants nothing more than to retain her own identity as they build their new life together. All the while, she is writing a philosophical treatise on love, exploring the question: when we love so deeply, where do we end and where does the other begin?
In this highly anticipated follow-up to The Location Shoot, will Ella and Finn finally live the life they’ve dreamed of? See how their epic romance unfolds, after the red carpet.
Enjoy an Excerpt
Finn took her hand and led her upstairs. As they approached the closed double doors, he said, “This is the room I had in mind for your office. It’s empty now, but my decorator is coming by tomorrow afternoon so you two can plan and scheme. When you see it, just remember we’ll redo it from top to bottom, flooring to light fixtures.”
“Oh my God,” she gasped as he opened the doors to a massive room featuring sky-high ceilings and windows to match. “It’s big enough to be a ballroom!”
He smiled. “You spend your life writing about the big topics, the big questions, and I hoped this big space might be inspiring.” She silently let her eyes follow the crown molding around the entire ceiling as she tried to catch her breath. He took her hand and continued showing her around. “There’s a full bathroom over here, and in this corner, there’s a walk-in closet. We could install some built-in cabinets and shelves. But just wait—I think you’ll really love this bit,” he said, leading her to a pair of doors. They stepped outside onto a large, furnished veranda with an outdoor fireplace, overlooking the entire back of the property. He rubbed her fingers and asked, “Do you think this will work for your office, sweetheart?”
“Do I think this will work?” she whispered incredulously, her voice shaking. She turned to him with tears in her eyes. “Finn, this is the nicest room in the house.”
“I think so too,” he said.
“No, I mean . . .”
“What, baby?”
“It’s just lovely beyond words that you would save this for me.”
He kissed her softly. “I’ve been picturing you here for so long, waiting to see how you would make this space your own.”
About the Author: 
Patricia Leavy, PhD, is an award-winning, best-selling author. She was formerly Associate Professor of Sociology, Chairperson of Sociology & Criminology, and Founding Director of Gender Studies at Stonehill College. She has published more than forty books; her work has been translated into many languages, and she has received more than one hundred book honors. Her last novel, The Location Shoot, was featured on Ms. Career Girl‘s “10 Perfect Books to Get Your Fall Reading List Started” and was the 2023 Firebird Book Awards 1st Place Winner in 4 categories: Contemporary Novel, Pop Culture Fiction, Romance and Summer Beach Read. Patricia has also received career awards from the New England Sociological Association, the American Creativity Association, the American Educational Research Association, the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, and the National Art Education Association. In 2018, she was honored by the National Women’s Hall of Fame and SUNY-New Paltz established the “Patricia Leavy Award for Art and Social Justice.” Patricia lives in Maine. In addition to writing, she enjoys art, reading, and travel.
Thursday Thoughts: February 27, 2025
Welcome to Thursday Thoughts. A place for you to read what I’m thinking about and add your own thoughts into the mix (please comment… I hate to hang out here alone!).
Today, I’m thinking about kitchen gadgets.
I love to cook; it’s one of my favorite past times, to be honest. Finding new recipes to feed the one remaining kid I have at home is a weekly challenge that I eagerly accept. I’m also prone to falling into the trap of wanting–and sometimes buying–cutesy kitchen gadgets. My favorite one, however, is one that was given to me: a vampire garlic crusher. It’s ridiculous, but I love it and use it whenever I need to mash up a clove or two. And considering I have Romanian garlic growing in my yard right now, this summer ought to be fun.
When I stumbled across this fun quiz, I knew I had to take it.
Ever wonder what clever kitchen gadget you are? Now you can find out, here.
My result didn’t surprise me much and it did make me laugh, so that’s a bonus.
I mean, I do love me some pizza.
What about you? Do you have any fun or silly kitchen gadgets you love? Take the quiz in the link above and let us know your results in the comments. I’m excited to see what other crazy things are out there to potentially add to my kitchen.
A Quiet Man by Tom Wood
A Quiet Man by Tom Wood
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by FernOne day a man arrives in town. Unassuming. Quiet.
The assassin known as Victor is hiding out in a small motel in Canada after a job across the border. A few days laying low and he’ll be gone and leave no trace behind.
He doesn’t count on getting to know a mother and her boy who reminds him of his own troubled childhood. When both vanish, only Victor seems to notice.
Once he starts looking for them, he finds himself at odds with the criminals who own the town. They want him gone. Only Victor’s going nowhere until he discovers the truth and to them he’s just a quiet man asking the wrong questions.
But that quiet man is a dangerous man.
Spending only a day or two across the border laying low after the successful completion of a job, Victor finds himself making a simple – though highly unusual – promise to a young boy. Agreeing to meet again at dawn to show the young man how to fish, Victor is perturbed when neither the boy nor his mother arrive. Curious, Victor looks for them in the small, quiet little border town. What should have proved very straight-forward quickly turns complicated and soon is extremely messy. Can Victor extract himself safely?
I have thoroughly enjoyed this series but found this book in particular to be even more exceptional than I had been expecting. Unlike many series, these books all very much stand alone – Victor usually severing all ties before quickly moving on and almost never leaving anyone behind him. So these books can absolutely be read out of order if a reader wants to. What I found particularly pleasing and different about this book was the fact the job Victor was hired to do was pretty much over and finished before the book really even began. This book is all about happenstance and the decisions we make after the main event and so that is quite different to the other books of this author’s that I’ve read.
Something else I really enjoyed was most of the characters and plots in this book are around fairly normal level criminals. They’re people we can see and relate to and understand. They’re not really of Victor’s usual caliber of enemy. That said, there are a large number of different people, circling around in different plots, all currently focused on Victor for varying reasons. So with enough people coming from enough different angles even though by themselves they might not be a threat, Victor is definitely kept on his toes and it made for a highly gripping read to me.
Readers should be aware this isn’t a cosy mystery or a simple read. While definitely not horror or overly gory, neither does the author shy away from the multiple fight scenes nor the ramifications of these altercations. Readers who prefer police procedural style of mysteries or more puzzle/thinking style of plots might find this a little too action orientated and a little too visceral at times for their tastes.
With a definite anti-hero in Victor and a slightly different take on the “assassin tries to do a good thing” style of plotline, this was a great read and one I shall absolutely enjoy re-reading again in the future. Recommended.
The Art to Online Dating by Fleur Lamot – Spotlight and Giveaway
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Fleur Lamot will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
A step-by-step guide to navigating dating and finding love on the World Wide Web, written by someone with firsthand experience on the topic, and who has also tested the theory on a number of case studies and through research. Authored from a female perspective, directed to a female audience, although potentially an eye opening and helpful read for a male reader too.
This book is not about making you a better person, nor is it a self help book. It is about changing your mindset when embarking on singledom and internet dating to not fear it, by equipping you with the understanding of people’s actions and motives.
Throughout the book you will be guided in setting up your online profile, picking your match, the all important art and the do’s and don’ts through every step of courting someone, all the way to going forward with your ultimate love match!
Reading this book will bring you confidence and or at least clarity. It will make you think about your past experiences and open your eyes to see where they may have gone wrong, and more importantly to ensure the same mistakes don’t happen to you on future experiences.
Read an Excerpt
This is a firsthand guide to using internet dating as a tool to its best outcome: to find love online. It is unemotional and it is a practical handbook. It worked for me, and it has since been tried and tested over and over, successfully working on the majority of people I interviewed. You will note a few of their cases documented, referred to as test cases later in the guide. There is no guarantee this will work for you, but it will give you an opportunity, and the more opportunities you get in life, the more chances you will have at succeeding. If this doesn’t work for you, at least you gave it a go and you will definitely have learnt something about yourself along the way.
This book is a step-by-step guide to navigating dating and finding love on the World Wide Web. It is written by someone with firsthand experience on the topic who has also tested the theory on a number of case studies and through research. The book has been written from a female perspective and is directed at a female reader/consumer. In saying this, a male reader would also find this book interesting, and potentially eye-opening and helpful. This book is not about making you a better person, nor is it a self-help book. Although there are a number of psychologists’ viewpoints here, I am not a psychologist; I am an ordinary person who has a successful career I am married, and I am a mother I am a businesswoman, and I built a very successful business from the ground up. This was achieved through my networking and relationship management experience as well as the professional mentoring and coaching that I was lucky enough to receive. I found love online using historical human principles, understanding people’s motives and actions, listening to the right people, as well as trusting my own instincts.
About the Author: I successfully found love online using historical principles, understanding people’s motives and actions, listening to the right people, as well as trusting my own instincts. I am now married and a mother. I am a business woman with a very successful business, built from extensive networking and relationship management experience. I have received professional mentoring and coaching, which has helped me achieve all of this.
A Killer Whisky by Susan Calder – Spotlight and Giveaway
This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Susan Calder will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
The 1918 influenza pandemic strikes Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The Great War rages overseas. While her husband fights in Europe, Katharine works in a doctor’s office to support her children and her brother, a wounded veteran. One night their neighbour suddenly takes sick and dies. The attending doctor concludes the man died from influenza, but Katharine suspects someone laced his whisky with a drug that mimics the deadly flu’s symptoms.
Katharine convinces the police to investigate. Worried about her brother’s involvement with a suspect, she delves into his secrets and comes to fear he’s connected to the murder. She grows disturbingly attracted to the investigating detective who returns her affections. He’s convinced her brother or someone else close to her is a killer and risks his career to pursue the crime. Katharine must discover the truth so she can move forward in a world that has changed forever.
Enjoy an Excerpt
Katharine’s fingers slid over the piano keys. Her daughter strummed a toy banjo, and her son banged pots and pans. They drowned out her brother, John, on the alto saxophone. “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” blared through the living room. Katharine turned to the next page of her sheet music. She struck a wrong note then a sour chord. The song stumbled to a merciful end.
She swivelled the piano stool to face John. “I haven’t played that since before the war.” She remembered the merry evening in this room with her husband and their friends. By the following month, all the men who had been there had enlisted. One had since died in the mud of Passchendaele.
“With a little practice, we’ll be playing the dance halls,” John said.
“Really, Uncle John?” Lillian’s eyes lit up.
“Absolutely.” John raised his saxophone. “What’s our next tune?”
“Bedtime for Henry and Lillian,” Katharine said.
“Why?” Henry bolted up from the floor. “We don’t have school tomorrow.”
“Uncle John will teach you.”
John smirked at Henry. “I’m sharpening my ruler for when you misbehave.”
Henry jumped onto the davenport and clapped his wooden spoon “drumsticks.”
“You go change,” Katharine told him. “Lillian and I will clean up.”
He pointed the spoons at his sister. “There’s a Hun. Pow.”
“I’m not a Hun,” Lillian said. “I’m an Ally.”
“A dirty Hun. Pow, pow.”
“An Ally.” Lillian held her banjo to her chest in defence. “Tell him, Mama.”
“We’re all Allies,” Katharine said. “Canadians.”
“Huns. Pow, pow.” Henry aimed a spoon at them both.
Lillian squealed and ducked between the davenport and piano.
“Pow.”
“Stop it, Henry,” Katharine said, firming up her tone. “If you don’t get into your nightshirt now, Lillian and I will walk in while you’re getting dressed.”
About the Author 
Susan Calder lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She is the author of five novels published by BWL Publishing Inc. A Deadly Fall, Ten Days in Summer, Winter’s Rage and Spring Into Danger are part of her Paula Savard Mystery Series. The books follow the adventures of Paula, a Calgary insurance adjuster who works with the police to solve insurance-related crimes. Susan’s standalone suspense novel, To Catch a Fox takes a troubled Calgary woman to Southern California on a quest to find her missing mother. In December 2024, BWL will release Susan’s first historical novel, A Killer Whisky. The story is set in 1918 Calgary and will be the 12th and final book of the BWL Canadian Historical Mystery Series. Susan has also published non-fiction articles. Her short stories and poems have won contests and appeared in numerous anthologies and magazines. She is a member of Crime Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime, and the Writers’ Guild of Alberta.
Buy the book at Amazon.
Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge for February 26, 2025
Each Wednesday, Long and Short Reviews hosts a weekly “blog hop”. For more details on how to participate, please click here.
My favorite hobby, and why.
Seeking Justice by L.A. Dobbs
Seeking Justice by L.A. Dobbs
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Contemporary
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by SnowdropWhen a prominent naturalist is found dead in the owl sanctuary, the suspect list includes some of the town’s most influential citizens. Each one is up to something shady, but did one commit murder to hide what they were up to?
When the case takes a sudden turn involving a secret identity, and clues intersect with the investigation into Jo’s sisters’s cold case, Sam and Jo realize they are up against something bigger than they’d imagined.
As they try to solve both cases, Jo’s desire to buy her cottage so she can stay in town has unexpected results and Kevin is wrestling with a shadowy secret of his own.
Meanwhile Lucy and Major have entered into a truce… but will it last?
I love the books in this “Sam Mason K-9 Dog” series. Actually, I like anyone who trusts a dog’s instincts like Sam does his German Shepard, Lucy. When the Mayor finds a dead person in the owl sanctuary, this case takes off. Who would shoot a little owl in an owl sanctuary? Not that the dead person lying by the owl wasn’t important too. From the start of this case it seems like one thing leads to another for Sam. The case itself seems to uncover more secrets, and the small police department has lots to handle and many possible suspects.
I’ve read another L. A. Dobbs book and enjoyed it as well as this one. While I like small town mysteries, there isn’t a lot of description about the town in his books. White Rock obviously has a Mayor since he found the victim, and we read about the various suspects and their standing in the community, but that’s about it. Somehow, it doesn’t seem to matter in these stories. He tends to focus on the crime at hand, the small police force, Lucy their smart canine, and Major the cantankerous cat. Never once did he lose my attention.
Excellent book. This one, Seeking Justice, is Book 7. It looks as if Book 8 is already out. I’m heading to get it for sure.
