Winter Blogfest: Sandra Carmel

December 22, 2021 By 5 Comments

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win an ebook for the first in series from my two trilogies: Capture (book 1 of a steamy paranormal sci-fi trilogy, The Cure, featuring vampires) and Last Hope (book 1 of a steamy contemporary romance novella trilogy, Intertwined Love).

Christmas in Australia

While you northern hemisphere dwellers are freezing your bits off over Christmas, in Australia, we’re often scorching hot. Though, I’m from Melbourne, which I believe is world-renowned for its unpredictable weather. Four seasons in one day is no exaggeration. I remember one Christmas in particular, where it reached 40 degrees Celsius and dropped down to 17 in just a few short hours! I’ve included a photo of Mum and I on Christmas Day a couple years ago all decked out in our summer gear.

My background is Italian; however, I’m born in Australia, and so we don’t have the standard Christmas staples when it comes to our shared feast. It’s a big, extended family affair and there can’t just be meat and veges. Oh no! Some sort of pasta, usually several options such as gnocchi and lasagna are included as well as specific Italian festive food e.g. arancini (aka rice balls with essentially a meatball in the center), and savory donuts, some with anchovies. And then, of course, there’s dessert. But not just one—multiple. From a fruit platter, to cheesecake to apple slice to rum balls and cannoli. I come away almost every year, feeling like I’m about to burst.

I was going to say, ‘enough about me’ but apparently it’s not. LOL. I can’t possibly finish this blog post without some mention of my passion—writing racy, flirty and downright dirty romance. Speaking of which, my steamy contemporary novella, Last Hope, book one of the Intertwined Love trilogy, has strong links to Christmas. It deals with some tough but rewarding challenges, physically, mentally and emotionally for Cole and Hope on their journey to love, which I feel fits with the whole spirit of the season. What better time than Christmas to inspire hope and joy? And on that note, wishing you and your family a safe and lovely festive season and happy and prosperous New Year.

A perilous journey to the peak of love…

Cole, a cutting-edge game software company CEO, organizes a Christmas present his long-term girlfriend, Hope, will never forget—a marriage proposal at the top of Sydney Harbour Bridge on Christmas Eve. And it ends up unforgettable all right, but not in the way he’d envisaged.

While on a mountain climbing trip, he has an accident and sustains a life-changing spinal injury, forcing him to miss their special date, leaving Hope stranded, alone and without answers. Cole struggles against his heart’s desire and cuts Hope out of his life without explanation, determined not to burden her with his disability. Can he confront his fears, pull himself back together and rekindle a relationship with the love of his life?

Sandra Carmel is an Australian author of racy, flirty and downright dirty romance novels, novellas, short stories and poetry, who enjoys stimulating herself and others with words. An obsession with classic romance novels, particularly Jane Eyre, and her infatuation with Mr Rochester were key motivators in commencing her romance writing journey. So far, she has taken the scenic route from steamy paranormal to sci-fi to contemporary, creating provocative stories that delve beneath the surface of desire. She reads and writes a lot, frequently disrupted by her ever-attentive, cheeky cats, and sinfully amorous array of book boyfriends.

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Winter Blogfest: Randy Overbeck

December 21, 2021 By 4 Comments

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win an e-copy of any of the Haunted Shores Mysteries series, BLOOD ON THE CHESAPEAKE, CRIMSON AT CAPE MAY or SCARLET AT CRYSTAL RIVER, your choice! .

Christmas Ghost Stories

When readers pick up a Christmas story today, even a Christmas mystery, they will likely encounter brilliant Christmas lights , a decorated Christmas tree or even a Santa Claus—in addition to a murder victim or a detective, of course. In fact, listening to the incessant stream of cheerful holiday songs, readers might think it was always so. Not true. Not so long ago, during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, children and adults were told stories of a different kind of “spirit.” In England—the same country that gave us such holiday traditions as Christmas cards and mistletoe—children and adults gathered around a fireplace on a wintry Christmas eve and were frightened into the Christmas “spirit” via a few creepy ghost stories.

The most famous of these eerie Christmas tales is, of course, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol with its four specters to scare straight Ebenezer Scrooge. (Insert Christmas Carol cover) But Dickens is hardly alone. Henry James’s most famous work, The Turn of the Screw, which also takes place on Christmas eve, is the tale of a governess who encounters the ghostly figures of a man and a woman.

In the same British holiday convention, A.M. Burrage’seerie short story “Smee” is about a group of young people messing around on Christmas Eve who decide to play a game of hide and seek in a spooky house in which a young girl died years before. What could go wrong?

The list goes on and on.

This tradition of sharing ghost stories on Christmas eve is thought to emanate from the pre-Christian celebration of the Winter Solstice, a time when light dies and the veil between the living and the dead is the thinnest…and many of these threads continue even into our time. For years, the BBC hosted “Ghost Stories for Christmas,” spooking late night audiences into the ‘70’s. Even the recent hit series, Downton Abbey—which portrayed life in England in the first half of the twentieth century—featured a Christmas episode where family members are gathered around a Ouija board, trying to access a spirit.

My new title, Scarlet at Crystal River, continues this fine tradition of spooky Christmas ghost stories. During the Christmas holidays, Darrell and Erin travel to Florida for their honeymoon, but, once there, the ghosts of two murdered children interrupt their romantic excursions. The newlyweds are driven to find out what really happened to the two kids, even when they are shot at, driven off the road and nearly killed.

hy not continue a centuries-old tradition and grab an alluring Christmas ghost mystery to read by the burning yule log this holiday?

All Darrell Henshaw wanted was to enjoy his honeymoon with his beautiful wife, Erin, in the charming town of Crystal River on the sunny Gulf Coast of Florida. Only a pair of ghosts decide to intrude on their celebration. And not just any ghosts, the spirits of two young Latino children. Unwilling at first to derail the honeymoon for yet another ghost hunt, Darrell finally concedes when a painting of the kids comes alive, weeping and pleading for his help.

When he and Erin track down the artist, they discover the children’s family were migrant workers the next county over. But when they travel there, their questions about the kids gets their car shot up and Erin hospitalized. Torn between fear and rage, Darrell must decide how far he will go to get justice for two young children he never even knew.


Dr. Randy Overbeck is an award-winning educator, author and speaker. As an educator, he served children for four decades in a range of roles captured in his novels, from teacher and coach to principal and superintendent. His thriller, Leave No Child Behind (2012) and his recent mysteries, the Best Sellers, Blood on the Chesapeake and Crimson at Cape May and new release, Scarlet at Crystal River have earned five star reviews and garnered national awards including “Thriller of the Year–ReadersFavorite.com, “Gold Award”—Literary Titan, “Mystery of the Year”—ReadersView.com and “Crowned Heart of Excellence”—InD’Tale Magazine. As a member of the Mystery Writers of America, Dr. Overbeck is an active member of the literary community, contributing to a writers’ critique group, serving as a mentor to emerging writers and participating in writing conferences such as Sleuthfest, Killer Nashville and the Midwest Writers Workshop. When he’s not writing or researching his next exciting novel or sharing his presentation, “Things Still Go Bump in the Night,” he’s spending time with his incredible family of wife, three children (and their spouses) and seven wonderful grandchildren.

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Winter Blogfest: L.B. Griffin

December 21, 2021 By 1 Comment

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a Kindle version of Secrets, Shame, and a Shoebox. 

The Promise of Christmas Eve

Christmas eve is full of promise. Snow scenes. Christmas cards exchanged. Traditions old and new are made. Excited children putting the finishing touches to the Christmas tree. Sparkling lights and the last baubles hung. The fairy a century old, placed at the top of the tree holds a tiny star. She watches the new generation of children with bright innocent faces and inquisitive minds. The scent of pine drifts on air. Lists written. Hot chocolate, soft lights, warming toes by a toasty fire, and Santa’s gift of milk and cookies on the hearth. Now we are all snuggled up. This new family of mine. We take on another tradition. This time from Iceland. Join us and read a story to the family. A story that allows us a moment to think about others. To send a message of hope and joy. Please remember your childhood. How wonderful it would be if all the world could enjoy just one moment of peace and joy.  It is said it is a time for forgiving, a time for living, and a time to give. One act of kindness to another is a gift that is free and can be shared and transport itself around the world. What will your kindness be this year?

When Harriet Laws loses her grandmother and her job, her happy life in London seems over. Alone, grief-stricken and penniless, she thinks wildly of ending it all. Fate steps in as Tom Fletcher saves her, gives her hope, and guides her to new employment. He takes her to dinner, and she finds him attractive. He’s older, but she doesn’t mind. Does he?

Tom, a quiet, hardworking man, is unsure of Harriet’s feelings, but he’s also very busy building his business interests. So it’s no wonder a suave, sophisticated fellow walks off with Harriet right under Tom’s nose.

What follows, no one could have predicted, as Harriet not only loses contact with all her friends but must again fight for her very life…will she ever see Tom again?

Raised in the UK, proud grandmother of five. Loves strawberries and writes historical fiction acknowledging courage of survivors between the lines.

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Winter Blogfest: Tegon Maus

December 21, 2021 By 4 Comments

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win .

Christmas the Way I Remember It

I remember every Christmas was the same… dozens of people at my parents house standing around talking… just talking.

The table was always festive and beyond gorgous, set with a prestine stack of plates and a mound of siverware. My mom always had it covered with a mountain of food… glazed ham, roast beef, turkey… all the cookies, pies, cakes you could ever hope to eat and no one touched a thing… not a single potato chip. No music, no alcohol, no one even sat down… they just stood around and just talked.

By 2:00 in the afternoon, my grandfather closed the store and made his way to my parent’s house.

When he came in… no one spoke, no one moved. Grandpa always sat in the same chair… no other when he came to the house. At the moment he sat down my mother would hand him a beer.

Every year was the same… he took it… took a sip and said ‘Merry Christmas’ raising the bottle.  At that moment the room exploded into music, dancing, laughter and cheerful voices, food and drink… all at the same instant… a gala that would last well into night.

Now it was Christmas… Grandpa said so.

After 27 years as a newspaper man, Peter Anderson’s career is slipping away, at least it was, until he stumbled upon the story of a lifetime. Sent to do a fluff piece about lights in the night sky over Arizona, he discovers far more than he ever expected when he comes upon a mysterious young woman held prisoner in a basement. After helping her to escape, she disappears before he can learn the truth about who she is or where she came from. His search for her leads him back to the lights in the sky and leaves him with more questions than answers. The only thing he knows for certain . . . the only thing he can count on are the two words offered repeatedly by his friend and guide . . . “IS BELT.”

 

About the Author:

I was raised pretty much the same as everyone else… devoted mother, strict father and all the imaginary friends I could conjure. Not that I wasn’t friendly, I just wasn’t “people orientated”. Maybe I lived in my head way more than I should have, maybe not. I liked machines more than people at least I did until I met my wife.

The first thing I can remember writing was for her. For the life of me I can’t remember what it was about… something about dust bunnies under the bed and monsters in my closet. It must have been pretty good because she married me shortly after that. I spent a good number of years after inventing games and prototypes for a variety of ideas before I got back to writing.

It wasn’t a deliberate conscious thought it was more of a stepping-stone. My wife and I had joined a dream interpret group and we were encouraged to write down our dreams as they occurred. “Be as detailed as you can,” we were told.

I was thrilled. If there is one thing I enjoy it’s making people believe me and I like to exaggerate. Not a big exaggeration or an out-right lie mine you, just a little step out of sync, just enough so you couldn’t be sure if it were true or not. If I can make people think “it could happen,” even for a moment, then I have them and nothing makes me happier. When I write, I always write with the effort of “it could happen” very much in mind and nothing, I guarantee you, nothing, makes me happier.

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Winter Blogfest: Susan Mac Nicol

December 20, 2021 By 6 Comments

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a $5 gift card and an e book of reader choice of any of my back list books..

What does Christmas– the Season of Goodwill – Mean to Me?

Two homeless older men rewarding manager man for gift of food

In the words of Natalie Imbruglia, I’m a little torn. There’s good and bad aspects. I’m going to tackle them both. I love the vibe and hype of the season, shopping for presents for people andt seeing all those sparkly lights. I’m not religious so Christmas for me has never been about Jesus or anything remotely biblical.

Christmas for me is the shiny season. It’s the vibrancy of coloured lights and tinsel. It’s the silky sheen of wrapping paper and the twinkle of baubles on the tree, the smell of spruce, and orange chocolate, and mulled wine. It’s a sensual time when everything meshes together into a festive package of scents and sights that stirs the senses and brings families and friends together. It’s a time for kindness, when soup kitchens are manned by volunteers willing to give up their time to contribute to making someone’s else life a little bit happier for a while. It’s also the time you can get your own back on grumpy Aunt Mabel, who insists on giving you socks each year. The dildo you bought for her will go down a treat. She may even find a unique use for it, ‘stirring’ the Yorkshire pudding mix perhaps. *sniggers*

It’s also the time of a high suicide rate, a plethora of homeless people on the streets, watching with jaundiced eyes as those more fortunate than them strolled past in laughter and merry cheer, while carting presents that would probably have bought a week’s shelter and food for one of these street people. This season is a time of extremes-—one parent buying their kid a Ferrari or a football team, another just managing to scrape together enough money to buy their child a football or a toy truck; of one-upping the Joneses, of making sure things are bigger and better than the other person’s offerings.

So, like a piece of tinfoil, there’s a dull and shiny side to the season. It’s a pity we can’t find it within ourselves to bring the season of goodwill to all men to people the whole year around instead of just a few short-lived days. That as a species we can’t simply adopt an attitude of love and acceptance to all mankind as we work together to keep this world of ours from spiralling into decay.

In the true spirit of giving, why not buy a homeless person a cup of coffee. Drag out those old blankets you have in the cupboard, give them a wash and let the people suffering the cold have them. Donate to a deserving charity, like one that teaches people about respecting diversity. Show a starving pet some kindness. You don’t have to give much – just a little.

https://give.thetrevorproject.org/checkout/donation?eid=63307

www.crisis.org.uk

www.bluecross.org.uk

Being in love is tough enough at eighteen, but being in love and outed to your dad is a disaster that will take more than a little holiday magic to fix.

Bringing lovers together, one book at a time

Susan writes steamy, sexy and fun contemporary romance stories, some suspenseful, some gritty and dark and hopefully always entertaining.

She loves going to the theatre, live music concerts (especially if it’s her man crush Adam Lambert ) the divine Cumberbatch, walks in the countryside, a good G and T, lazing away afternoons reading a good book, and watching horror films.

She’s also Editor in Chief at Divine Magazine, an online LGBTQ e-zine, and a member of The Society of Authors, the Writers Guild of Great Britain, and the Authors Guild in the US. Susan is also an award-winning script writer, with scripts based on two of her own published works. Sight Unseen has garnered no less than ten awards to date.

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Winter Blogfest: B. L. Blair

December 20, 2021 By 25 Comments

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a $10 Amazon eGift Card .

Family Christmas Traditions

I grew up in a large family. I am the youngest of six kids. My parents didn’t have a lot of money, but they tried to make Christmas special for all of us. When I was a child, we had three Christmas traditions that are lasting memories for me.

The first was simple. My grandmother had made Christmas stockings for all of her grandchildren. She died before I was born, so my aunt made one for me. These stockings were velveteen and had our names coming from the smoke of a house chimney for the girls and a train for the boys. They were simple and sweet. We didn’t use them for stuffing, but every year my mother would hang them over the couch of our living room. We all still have ours and pull them out each year.

The second tradition involved gifts. My mother worked hard all year to purchase us little gifts. We always had ten to fifteen wrapped gifts each and one unwrapped “Santa” gift. On Christmas Eve, we would all pick a spot in the living room. We would then spend about an hour pulling our gifts out from under the tree, shaking the boxes, and sorting them in our spot – which one would we open first the next morning. Of course, we counted them as well. By the time we were done, there was nowhere to sit, so we had to go to bed. A win-win for my parents.

And that brings me to the third tradition. My parents had a hard and fast rule. We could not get out of bed on Christmas morning before seven a.m. This gave my mother time to get up and start the turkey without anyone under foot. I remember laying in bed and waiting for the clock to turn to the acceptable time. The anticipation, the excitement, and sheer happiness was almost overwhelming. When it was time, we would all rush into the living room to our spot to see what Santa had left us and begin ripping into the presents. It was a simple joy and is one of my fondest memories.

I hope you have family traditions that bring you happiness and joy. I would love to hear them. Please share in the comments. Happy Holidays!

When Leah Norwood finds the body of Isabel Meeks in the dumpster behind her store, she can’t believe the police consider her a suspect. Sure, she didn’t like Isabel, but then again, neither did anyone else. Isabel had a condescending attitude and a bad reputation. As manager of the antique store, Patina, she had made a lot of enemies.

There is Patina’s assistant manager, the handsome and charming Trent. Isabel was blackmailing him. There is Patina’s owner, the aloof and influential Anthony Thorpe. Isabel was smuggling drugs through his store. And there is the entire drug dealing Cantono family. Isabel had lost a box containing heroin from one of their shipments. That is just to name a few and didn’t even include the stranger who was seen arguing with Isabel just hours before her death.

The police have too many suspects and too many soft alibis. Leah needs to prove to the sexy new chief of police that she had nothing to do with Isabel’s death.

Leah loves a good mystery. Can she find the killer before the police arrest her for murder?

B. L. Blair writes mystery/romance stories. Like most authors, she has been writing most of her life and has dozens of books started. She just needs the time to finish them.

She is the author of the Leah Norwood Mysteries and the Lost and Found Pets Mystery Novellas. She loves reading books, writing books, and traveling wherever and as often as time and money allows. She is currently working on her latest book set in Texas, where she lives with her family.

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Winter Blogfest: Craig Hastings

December 20, 2021 By 6 Comments

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a digital copy of MOOSE RIDGE:ENDING TO BEGINNING .

Christmas in Bavaria

When you’re stationed overseas, it can be expensive for a young family to make it home for Christmas, but you still want to make it special for your young children. One Christmas, while stationed in Germany, we had the opportunity to spend the Christmas holiday in Bavaria. There were many wonderful activities for all. One the boys especially enjoyed was going sledding on Christmas Day. They provided the sleds and snow suits and there was a bus to take us to the area. I expected it to be a nice-sized hill. Imagine my surprise when we ended up on the Austrian border at a sled run that was over two miles long if you went to the top. The boys had a blast, but mom and dad stayed at the bottom most of the time.

But it was Christmas Eve which sticks in my heart the most. We attended an outdoor celebration in Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria. The village where “Silent Night” was written and first performed on Christmas Eve, 1818. The church where this happened is no longer there, but the village has built a chapel on the spot where it was. Each year they celebrate on Christmas Eve and visitors come from all over to join in. The entire village is involved and the folks dress in period-style clothes and havebooths for drinks and treats. It’s the perfect Christmas Village.

We had fun touring the village and sampling the treats available until it was time to gather at the chapel. The chapel sits on a slope in the village and isn’t big, so everyone finds places around it outside. There was a local choir and a few words spoken about the song and its heritage. Space here doesn’t allow me to explain it all, but the website https://home.snu.edu/~hculbert/silent.htm does a good job.

With all the preliminaries done, it was time to share the song. Aguitarist accompanied the choir as this was the instrument the song was originally written for. The crowd stood quietly as the silence around us was overcome by the choir’s masterful singing of “Silent Night”. At the end of the first verse, the crowd was invited to join and as the voices were raised in multiple languages, large snowflakes began to fall and slowly blanketedthe area. It was a scene even Hollywood couldn’t replicate. You just had to be there.

As we made our way back to the bus for the ride back to ourhotel, I knew this was a Christmas memory I would never forget.

All beginnings lead to endings, but some endings bring beginnings.

Attending Harvard was the first positive thing in Jazmine’s life in a long time. While a member of an affluent New York family, her mother died when she was five and her father went to jail when she was twelve. Jazmine lost everything, leaving her a ward of the state and becoming a foster child.

Meeting Michael, a medical student was the second positive experience. Now she’s looking forward to the perfect life she dreamed about. Leaving Boston and New York behind, the only cities she’s ever known, she’s on her way to join Michael and start their new life together in Wyoming where he will complete his neurosurgical residency. She’s had a lot of hard blows, but now all her hard work and dedication are going to pay off. The day has arrived for her and Michael to start the beginning of their future life together. Jazmine just knows, for once, everything is going to be exactly how she always dreamed it could be.

Then she’s handed the letter.

Born and raised in Muncie, IN, Craig is about as typical middle-America as they come. His 20 years in the U.S. Air Force, followed by another 15 as a DoD contractor, allowed him to live in several places in the States and overseas. After over 20 years in German and the UK, Craig hates moving, he and his wife settled in Oklahoma City where their 3 miniature Dachshunds allow Craig and his wife to live with them. He continues working for a major computer company under contract with a major airline manufacturer, which keeps him busy during the weekdays. Leaving his evenings and weekends for his writing and maintaining their home and yard. Oh, and his major job of taking care of the pups.

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Winter Blogfest: Peggy L Chambers

December 20, 2021 By 3 Comments

This post is part of Long and Short Reviews’ Winter Blogfest. Leave a comment for a chance to win a digital copy of Ian’s Magic. .

What Can You Do for Your Fellow Man at Christmas?

The winds blow moist sweet air outside my closed windows. Leaves carpet my browning grass as I wrap my jacket a little closer. Autumn can be many things – cool and blustery or sunny and warm. But it is always the beginning of the holiday season.

From Halloween until New Years, the gift of friends and family warm us through a cold season.The parties, food, warm sweaters, and blazing fires keep us comfortable and happy. At least most of us.

There are those without family and friends to celebrate with. There are those who are living on the streets and need our help. What better time to help than when the nights are long and cold,and you have the time to clean out those closets and give to a local charity.

It’s Christmas! Consider this a challenge. What can, or what will you do for your fellow man this season? The tiniest thing is always welcomed. Maybe a book would help make the nights shorter especially if paired with a warm blanket.

Enjoy the Christmas season with family and friends and remember those who aren’t as lucky as you.

Merry Christmas!

Ian Conner learned in the first grade he could perform magic using math. And this year, the prize for the annual math contest is $500! Ian really wants to win, but he knows classmate Thomas Martin will be stiff competition. Thomas wins every year. And this year he has a college tutor helping him prep for the contest!

Ian decides to study accelerated math, hoping it will help him win. But when the day of the competition arrives Ian must make a difficult choice – hope his studying helps him win fair and square – or cheat using his “math magic” to win the contest.

Peggy Chambers calls Enid, Oklahoma home. She is an award winning, published author. She writes several genres from children’s books, young adult books, suspense novels, pulp fiction, and comic books. She has two children, five grandchildren and lives with her husband and dog. You can find links to all her books on her website at http://peggylchambers.com.

She attended Phillips University, the University of Central Oklahoma and is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. She is a member of the Enid Writers’ Club and Oklahoma Writers’ Federation, Inc.

Peggy Chambers calls Enid, Oklahoma home. She is an award winning, published author. She writes several genres from children’s books, young adult books, suspense novels, pulp fiction, and comic books. She has two children, five grandchildren and lives with her husband and dog. You can find links to all her books on her website at http://peggylchambers.com.

She attended Phillips University, the University of Central Oklahoma and is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. She is a member of the Enid Writers’ Club and Oklahoma Writers’ Federation, Inc.

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Top Ten Tuesday: Books on My Winter 2021 To-Read List

December 14, 2021 By 64 Comments

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

 

There are so many incredible books coming out this winter! Here are ten books I’m looking forward to reading. If no publication date is listed for them, they were published earlier this month and should hopefully be available at your local bookstore or library right away.

 

1. If This Gets Out  by Sophie Gonzales

Why I Want to Read It: Fame is something I’ve never been interested in. Becoming wealthy doesn’t seem like a good trade off for giving up so much privacy and personal autonomy. With that being said, I do like reading about how others deal with being famous.

 

2. A History of Wild Places by Shea Ernshaw

Why I Want to Read It: I recently developed an interest in reading about missing person cases and old crimes in general. Detectives and researchers have been solving many cold cases with the help of new technology and certain DNA databases that ordinary people use to discover their family trees. While the protagonist in this book uses paranormal means to solve cases, I’m hoping he’ll reference the many ways we use in our world to solve them as well.

 

3.The Midnight Girls  by Alicia Jasinska

Why I Want to Read It: This sounds like a fast-paced and exciting adventure!

 

4. Here’s to Us (What If It’s Us, #2) by Becky Albertalli

Why I Want to Read It: To be perfectly honest with you all, I haven’t read What If It’s Us yet. I’m hoping the release of the sequel will finally prompt me to begin this series.

 

5.The Kindred by Alechia Dow

Publication Date: January 4

Why I Want to Read It: Winter is the perfect time to read science fiction in my opinion, especially if it’s set in warm places that aren’t currently blanketed in snow and ice.

 

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6. Daughter of the Moon Goddess (The Celestial Kingdom Duology, #1) by Sue Lynn Tan

Publication Date: January 11

Why I Want to Read It: I’d never heard of the legend of Chang’e before, so I’ll be going into this retelling with no preconceived expectations of what it might be like. Once I’ve read it, I’m hoping to find reviews written by people who grew up with this legend to see what they thought of it.

 

7. The Saints of Swallow Hill  by Donna Everhart 

Publication Date: January 25

Why I Want to Read It: Every so often, I get the urge to read historical fiction. The fact that I know nothing about turpentine farming only makes this novel more appealing.

 

 

8. From Dust, A Flame by Rebecca Podos 

Publication Date: February 8

Why I Want to Read It: There are a few old secrets in my family tree that I’ve only been able to partially untangle. It’s fascinating to me to read about how these things are dealt with in other families.

 

9. Extasia by Claire Legrand

Publication Date: February 22

Why I Want to Read It: The comparison to The Handmaid’s Tale in the blurb piqued my interest. I also enjoy reading about ancient societies who were formed to fight against evil.

 

 

10. Death of a Knit Wit by Peggy Ehrart

Publication Date: February 22

Why I Want to Read It: Cozy mysteries often have wonderful puns in their titles, and this one is no exception to that rule.

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Top Ten Tuesday: Books to Read If You Love Five Star Reviews

November 16, 2021 By 31 Comments

Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl

Honestly, who doesn’t love reading a five-star book? Here are ten books we’ve reviewed at Long and Short Reviews this autumn that have earned this coveted rating.

Just like I normally do for posts like this one, I’ve sorted our answers out into romance and non-romance categories.

Romance and Erotica 

Return to Star Valley by RaeAnne Thayne

Angels at the Table by Debbie Macomber

From Rags to Kisses by Shana Galen

A London Season by Joan Wolf

The Guardian by Joan Wolf

 

All Other Genres 

A Different Pond  by Bao Phi

Last Seen Alone by Laura Griffin

In a Jar by Deborah Marcero

Alice’s Adventures Under Water by Lenny de Rooy

101 Ways to be Less Stressed: Simple Self-Care Strategies to Boost Your Mood and Mental Health by Dr. Caroline Leaf

 

What five-star books have you all ready recently?

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