Lavender Is a Boring Color by Kevin Courtney Black

January 12, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Lavender Is a Boring Color by Kevin Courtney Black
Publisher: Satin Colorway Publishing
Genre: Non-Fiction, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Lavender is a Boring Color follows a collection of poetry woven together through the vivid experiences of the author, as he depicts his early adulthood struggles with debilitating depression, anxiety, heartbreak, self-doubt, and his journey of self-love. The author wrote this book longing for better days when life feels blissful and fragrant as if it were lavishly engulfed by the fiery sweet nectar of lavender. Divided into three sections, Lavender Is A Boring Color takes the reader through the turbulence of life-questioning thoughts and reflective healing. This is his first book of poetry.

Life is full of second chances.

Some of the most memorable poems were the ones that explored how relationships can be affected by mental illness. “A Somber Sky of Aurora Lights” was one of the best examples of this in my opinion. Part of it was dedicated to the speaker’s relationship with a woman who was as dark, gloomy, and beautiful as an aurora borealis against a cloudy night sky. Interspersed with these descriptions were allusions to how her deep, unrelenting sadness was forever changing their relationship. It’s important to remember who a person is beyond their illness, but it’s also a good idea to recognize how diseases like depression can affect not only the person suffering from them but also everyone who cares about that individual.

It would have been helpful if some of these poems had gone into more detail. “Please Find Us in Me and Our Alternate Universe” was one such example of this. No sooner had the narrator described the overwhelming thoughts of the character in this poem than the whole thing was finished without much of a resolution. As much as I appreciated Mr. Black’s brevity when he had a quick thought or image or share, I would have loved to see him dive even more deeply into what it feels like to go through a day with the heavy thoughts that often roll around in his head. This is something I’m sharing as someone who has struggled with many of the same things he has. While I was able to make educated guesses about what he left unsaid, readers who don’t have this same personal experience with the subject might not be able to do the same. My hope is that his next book will do just that as I’m quite curious to read more from him.

I resonated with the descriptions of what it’s like to have anxiety and depression. There were far too many examples of this to list as almost the entire collection fit into here in some way. Those diagnoses can make even simple tasks feel insurmountable and can also wildly distort the way one thinks about oneself and their relationships with others. As someone I know once said, depression lies. Not every frightening thought the human mind comes up with has any basis whatsoever in the truth.

Lavender is a Boring Color was thoughtful.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

A Cursed Inheritance by Kate Ellis

January 11, 2024 By Leave a Comment


A Cursed Inheritance by Kate Ellis
Publisher: Piatkus Books
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

The brutal massacre of the Harford family at Potwoolstan Hall in 1985 shocked the country and passed into local folklore. Now, twenty years later, a journalist researching the case has been murdered and the horror is reawakened.

DI Wesley Peterson is drawn into the dark history of Potwoolstan Hall as he begins to investigate the murder. The sixteenth-century hall, which is now a New Age healing centre, is reputed to be cursed because of the crimes of its builder and it seems that this inheritance of evil lives on.

As more people start to die in violent circumstances, DI Wesley Peterson is faced with his most disturbing case yet.

DI Wesley Peterson and his team are investigating the murder of a journalist killed while researching a book about a twenty year old massacre at an old stately family home. The murders had been seemingly solved those two decades ago, but with the death of this journalist new questions are being asked and there seems to be more than a few holes in the original investigation. When more people connected to this old case begin to die, Wesley will have his work cut out for him.

I found this to be an interesting and at times gripping police procedural set in rural England. While it is well into the series I feel the book stands well on its own and readers can fairly easily pick it up and thoroughly enjoy it. There are a number of connections between Wesley and his team members, as well as his archaeologist friend, Neil. While Neil is overseas on a dig and doesn’t have quite his usual equal shine in the spotlight, I didn’t mind Neil taking a slight back seat in this one story.

While the plot was complicated and quite well woven, I did manage to guess one of the major plot twists fairly early on which I frequently can’t do. There was still plenty left unanswered to me though and this didn’t spoil any of the really big reveals.

While I did enjoy the plot and the complexities there, I didn’t really like how there was some drama with Wesley in his marriage. While this tension between Welsey and his wife, Pam, has been slowly percolating in the background for a few books – along with Wesley’s unspoken but seemingly ever-present minor feelings for a co-worker – I did get the impression that these more complicated romantic aspects to the overall plot might be coming to a head sometime soon. There seemed in particular a steadily growing romance between Pam and Wesley’s good friend Neil and I have a strong suspicion this might grow murky – or even disastrous – in the coming few books.

Since this is primarily a mystery/suspense style of story with strong historical/archaeology overtones I don’t really read it wanting or expecting romance or marriage/affair woes and so I’ve been trying to skim over this, but it really does appear to be taking more of a front seat. I’m hoping this all blows over soon and the full focus can return to the mystery and archaeology.

Overall, this is a highly enjoyable British police procedural mystery novel and the series as a whole I really do enjoy. The mystery in this book is quite well written but the relationship drama soured me a little for this particular book so I’m glad it’s well into the series and isn’t enough to put me off too much. An enjoyable read but I certainly don’t feel it’s the best so far that I’ve read by this author.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Gratitude: A Way of Life by Louise Hay

January 9, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Gratitude: A Way of Life by Louise Hay
Publisher: Hay House
Genre: Non-Fiction, Self-Help, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

New York Times bestseller, Louise Hay, has gathered the insights and collected wisdom of some of the most wonderful teachers and writers she knows…people who have demonstrated the power of gratitude in their own lives.

Gratitude is an inspirational book meant to highlight all the wonderful things in your life to be grateful for.

Renowned contributors share their understanding of the practice of gratitude with Louise… and with you. Including:

• Dr Wayne W. Dyer: “Gratitude: One of Life’s Miracles”
• Dan Millman: “Transcendental Gratitude”
• Bernie S. Siegel, M.D.: “Gratitude: A State of Mind”
• Amy E. Dean: “Gratitude Is Awareness”
• Susan Jeffers, Ph.D.: “Noticing the Abundance”…and many more!

If you need a pick-me-up, then this might be the book for you.

Gratitude is the thing you need when you’re down. It sounds odd, but it’s true. Be grateful for all the things you have and even the things you don’t have. Maybe there are terrible things happening in your life. This book helped to open my eyes that sometimes the terrible things are gateways to better things. It’s true. Be grateful for what you have and you’ll see you have a lot.

There are little essays and this ventures into the inspirational at times. It’s good. It works. Give it a try. The dose of positive will help.

If you’re looking for something positive to give you a lift, then give this book a try. You’ll be glad you did.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Marriage Hearse by Kate Ellis

January 8, 2024 By Leave a Comment


The Marriage Hearse by Kate Ellis
Publisher: Piatkus Books
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

A young woman is found strangled hours before her wedding. DI Wesley Peterson discovers that Kirsten Harbourn was being pursued by an obsessed stalker and had dark secrets her fiancé knew nothing about.

But Kirsten’s wasn’t the only wedding planned to take place that day in South Devon. A couple made their wedding vows at Morbary registry office and a few days later the groom is found dead in a seaside hotel.

As Wesley examines the links between the cases, the skeleton of a young bride is discovered in a field once owned by the family of an Elizabethan playwright. Ralph Strong’s play, The Fair Wife of Padua, is soon to be performed for the first time in four hundred years.

Is the bloodthirsty drama a confession to the historic murder? And can it reveal anything about the recent killings Wesley must solve?

When a young woman is found brutally strangled on the morning of her wedding day, DI Wesley Peterson and his team immediately begin to investigate the tragic crime. But soon a link is found between the victim and another murder – but is it the same murderer or is something else linking these crimes? Can Wesley and his team solve how these puzzles are connected.

I found this to be an interesting and well written British police procedural. As always there is a strong link to Wes’ best friend – archaeologist Dr Neil Watson – but I was pleased that this time the bones they had uncovered were hundreds of years old. I really enjoyed how the two modern crimes were clearly linked but it wasn’t a simple matter to work out how or why, this gave the puzzles a depth of complexity that I quite enjoyed without making it seem impossible.

There is quite a bit of character development in this book. For the last two or three books there has been a brewing situation with Wesley’s wife, Pam, that I haven’t been enjoying and that has finally come to a head in this book. I admit the development has really seriously soured me on Pam’s character – but it has been brewing and forecast for such a long time now I can’t really feel it should come as a surprise to any of the readers. That didn’t make me like the development – nor do I feel even a small bit of empathy for Pam at all. I have a feeling for the rest of the series it will be difficult for me to enjoy her character like I used to – regardless of how the consequences of this action play out. Other readers might be a lot more forgiving and empathetic, but speaking personally I’m not sure I’ll be able to overlook this from her character.

Aside from that development, the rest of the cast continue along their merry way. I am delighted that Neil is finally maturing a little bit but still managing to keep his slightly rootless wanderings. I also am cautiously optimistic about DCI Heffernan dipping a toe back into the dating pool once again.

I feel readers who pick this up fresh should thoroughly enjoy the murder mystery as well as the historical/archaeological parts to the plot. I do feel that some of the finer elements of the various character developments and interactions might not have as much meaning to readers who haven’t read a few of the previous books in this series – but I do strongly feel the book can still be greatly enjoyed even without any prior knowledge of the characters.

A well plotted and interesting British police procedural book with a strong dollop of archaeology to it.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Manor House by Author: Gilly Macmillan

January 5, 2024 By Leave a Comment


The Manor House by Author: Gilly Macmillan
(Narrators: Ethan Reid, Nathalie Buscombe, Clare Corbett, Fenella Woogler, Josh Dylan, Ben Allen, Sian Thomas)
Publisher: Harper Audio
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

Be careful what you wish for…

Childhood sweethearts Nicole and Tom are a normal, loving couple—until a massive lottery win changes their lives overnight.

Soon they’ve moved into a custom-built state-of-the-art Glass Barn on the stunning grounds of Lancaut Manor in Gloucestershire. They have fancy cars, expensive hobbies, and an exclusive lifestyle they never could have imagined.

But this dream world quickly turns into a nightmare when Tom is found dead in the swimming pool. Was Tom’s death a tragic accident, or was it something worse?

Nicole is devastated. Tom was her rock. And their beautiful barn —with all its smart features that never seem to work for her—is beginning to feel very lonely. But she’s not entirely by herself out there in the country. There’s a nice young couple who live in the Manor itself along with their middle-aged housekeeper who has the Coach House. And an old friend of Tom’s from school has turned up to help her get through her grief.

But big money can bring big problems and big threats. And is Nicole’s life in danger as well?

Nicole’s beginning to feel like a little fish in a big glass bowl.

Surrounded by piranhas.

Nicole and Tom thought that their lives were perfect. They’d won the lottery and had moved into a beautiful home of their own design. The neighbors seemed pleasant, and all was looking up for them. And then Tom turns up dead. What will become of Nicole now that her soulmate is gone?

There are a lot of points of view in this book. Nicole, the widow, Ollie and Sasha, the neighbors, Kitty, the housekeeper, Anna, via a journal, and Hal and Jen, the police officers. You even get Tom’s perspective the morning of his death, which was probably my favorite of all the views we got. Nicole was another favorite character of mine, seeing everything unfold in front of her while she’s dealing with her grief was both exciting and heartbreaking.

I chose the audio version of this novel and was happy with the narration. There are different narrators for each point of view, which makes it easier for me to follow the story. Each narrator brought their character to life, giving them a distinctive perspective and voice. I listen to a lot of audiobooks, and I honestly prefer those with more than one narrator, and this is the reason why. It feels more like an audio production than simply someone reading a novel to you.

I’ve read a couple of books by this author and have enjoyed them both. However, The Manor House exceeded expectations by a long shot. There are several red herrings weaved into the story, things that had me pointing my finger at a suspect, only to be surprised later. As with all thrillers, there are a couple of unexpected twists that caught me by surprise. The ending left me both satisfied and unhappy at the same time. Overall, it’s still the best book of hers that I’ve read to date and makes me eager to pick up more by her.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Lighthouse Back Home by Jodi L. Auborn

January 4, 2024 By Leave a Comment


The Lighthouse Back Home by Jodi L. Auborn
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Paranormal, Contemporary, Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

It’s been a year since 11-year-old Dylan and his family moved to the lighthouse his father had inherited in Maine. After finding a human skeleton in the woods one day, Dylan and his friend, Alex, are astonished when a mysterious artifact sends them back in time to the year 1893.

Stranded in the past, with Dylan’s sailboat as their only way home and Alex posing as a boy, Dylan seeks help from his old friend Matthias, the town lighthouse keeper. Despite Matthias’s reluctance, they settle into his seaside cottage where they make a new friend, face a deadly storm, and try to blend into their confusing new world. But when a sinister local family discovers their secret, they find themselves held captive by a cruel and remorseless old sailor with secrets of his own. Can Dylan and Alex find their way home and uncover the facts about an unsolved crime involving murder and stolen treasure?

Time travel is a wild ride.

The mystery was slow to unfold but satisfying once Dylan and Alex began to figure out possible reasons why they’d been thrown back in time. I had no problem waiting patiently for them to begin piecing the clues together. Honestly, I liked the fact that the author allowed more pressing matters to be resolved like where the kids were going to sleep at night and how they’d find food before they turned their attention to figuring out why they were in the late 1800s to begin with. That was definitely the most sensible thing to do, and it gave this reader plenty of opportunities to come up with my own theories along the way.

I struggled with the slow pacing at times. As much as I appreciated having extra time with the characters, I think this tale would have been stronger if it had been closer to the length of “Matthias: The Ghost of Salvation Point” which was about 100 pages shorter. There were multiple scenes that, while interesting to read, slowed down the plot and character developments enough that I couldn’t justify giving this a higher rating even though I was initially thrilled to have another chance to see what Dylan had been up to.

With that being said, I did enjoy the many comparisons the characters made between life in 2014 and 1893. Imagine explaining a cell phone, a Spider-Man t-shirt, or an airplane to someone who has never seen anything like that stuff and who has no cultural context for what they mean! Ms. Auborn did a great job of highlighting the social difficulties of adjusting to life in another century and explaining just how much the world can change in roughly 120 years.

This is the second book in a series that does not have to be read in order. If you like this one, though, do be sure to check out Dylan’s first adventure as well.

The Lighthouse Back Home was an adventurous read.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan

January 3, 2024 By Leave a Comment


Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan
Publisher: Ember
Genre: LGBTQ, Contemporary, YA (Ages 14+)
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Based on true events—and narrated by a Greek Chorus of the generation of gay men lost to AIDS—Two Boys Kissing follows Harry and Craig, two seventeen-year-olds who are about to take part in a 32-hour marathon of kissing to set a new Guinness World Record. While the two increasingly dehydrated and sleep-deprived boys are locking lips, they become a focal point in the lives of other teens dealing with universal questions of love, identity, and belonging.

Two boys kissing and so much more.

This book has been singled out as something to be banned, but I disagree. This book was fantastic. Yes, there are two boys kissing in this book, but it’s so much more. I liked the variety in the book, the characters and the tone. This isn’t an easy book to read. The author tackles hard topics–boys kissing, transgender issues, depression and thoughts of suicide. It’s not easy. But it’s worth the read.

I liked the various characters and seeing how they handled different situations. My favorite characters are the ones who came before, the ones telling the story. Their wisdom and wistfulness, along with their frankness, was the best part. They don’t mince words and I loved it. I liked the commentary.

This is a book everyone should read at some point. It’s sweet at times, endearing, sad and heartbreaking, but it’s realness is what really shines through. Recommended.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Fly Guy Meets Fly Girl by Tedd Arnold

December 15, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Fly Guy Meets Fly Girl by Tedd Arnold
Publisher: Cartwheel Books
Genre: Childrens, (ages 6-10), Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Nymphaea

Fly Guy has met his match, and her name is Fly Girl. Fly Guy can do fancy flying. Fly Girl can do fancier flying. Fly Guy can eat gross stuff. Fly Girl can eat grosser stuff. Fly Guy can say his boy’s name–Buzzzzzz! And Fly Girl can say her girl’s name–Lizzzzzzz! Fly Guy is totally impressed, and totally smitten. Will Fly Guy and Fly Girl get married and leave Buzz without his dear pet?

Fly Guy and Fly Girl??? How cool!!

I liked this series from the start and this addition is fantastic. The writing is crisp and fun. It easily kept my attention, and the drawings are great, too. I liked the message of this story—find friends everywhere. Don’t be afraid to make friends. You might have a lot in common!

If you’re looking for a fun book to read with your child, then this might be the one for you. Check it out.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,

Hidden In Snow by Viveca Sten

December 13, 2023 By Leave a Comment


Hidden In Snow by Viveca Sten
Publisher: Amazon Crossing
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

The splendor of the Swedish mountains becomes the backdrop for a bone-chilling crime.

On the day Stockholm police officer Hanna Ahlander’s personal and professional lives crash, she takes refuge at her sister’s lodge in the Swedish ski resort paradise of Åre. But it’s a brief comfort. The entire village is shaken by the sudden vanishing of a local teenage girl. Hanna can’t help but investigate, and while searching for the missing person, she lands a job with the local police department. There she joins forces with Detective Inspector Daniel Lindskog, who has been tasked with finding the girl. Their only lead: a scarf in the snow.

As subzero temperatures drop even further, a treacherous blizzard sweeps toward Åre. Hanna and Daniel’s investigation is getting more desperate by the hour. Lost or abducted, either way time is running out for the missing girl. Each new clue closes in on something far more sinister than either Hanna or Daniel imagined. In this devious novel by the bestselling author of the Sandhamn Murders series, discover what it will take to solve a case when the truth can be so easily hidden in the coming storm.

When her private life and professional career both explode on the same day, Sweedish police officer Hanna Ahlander finds herself at a complete loss with no home, no partner and no job. Thankfully, her sister offers to let Hanna stay at her winter home at the small ski resort town of Are. After wallowing for a few days, her interest – both personal and professional – is piqued when a teenage girl suddenly goes missing. To sate her curiosity and help pass the time, Hanna joins with the other locals and helps search for the missing girl. When more tragedy strikes, Hanna offers her assistance to local forces, and joins with Detective Inspector Daniel Lindskog. Can they find out what’s really going on in the idyllic skiing town?

I’ve been a big fan of this author’s Sandhamn Island series and so was happy to give this first new book a try. I’m pretty pleased that I did as it’s a very well written and well woven murder mystery book set in the icy cold ski ton of Lare Are. While some of the atmosphere and the Sweedish culture and the writer’s style is very similar, I did like the fact the characters are quite different. I liked that Hanna was a modern and strong woman but had a lot of vulnerability and baggage. I think she will be quite relatable to many people. I also very much liked Daniel’s character and how he was learning to be a new father and how even though he loves his partner Ida, their relationship is quite new and with their baby daughter there are a number of changes they are both undergoing.

I felt this all meshed together to make a very interesting and complex story that kept me turning the pages. The murder mystery itself was also quite gripping. While a missing teenage girl might not appear too complicated – especially one who is eighteen and was last seen drunk and walking home after a party at her bff’s – the fact it’s icy cold with miles of snow everywhere makes everyone pay attention from the beginning. Then as Hanna and Daniel look further into everything it quickly became clear there were a number of other layers to this missing young woman and in particular it became clear to the reader a lot was going on under the surface at Lake Are.

I really enjoyed this – both the complexities and realism of what goes on in a small community, but also how it didn’t shy away from some of the modern realities we all need to accept and learn from. I also very much like the Scandinavian crime genre and it’s slightly grittier, different tone to much of the British and American styles. I’m very glad this is another series I can hopefully sink my teeth into.

A well written book with a complicated but realistic plot and some modern characters that really appealed to me. This is a great new book and an author I am very fond of. Recommended.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Dawg-Napped! by Anne Kane

December 12, 2023 By 1 Comment


Dawg-Napped! by Anne Kane
(Holiday Howlz 1)
Publisher: Changeling Press
Genre: Erotic Romance, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Holiday, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

When one of Santa’s elves stops at the Prairie Dawg Saloon on his vintage motorcycle, Cyndi can’t resist taking a closer look at the classic bike. Then Bruce comes back outside unexpectedly and Cyndi panics, shifting to hide in one of the saddlebags. She doesn’t realize the bike is a matchmaking reindeer in disguise. Comet knows all about the sexy little critters of Dawg Town, and he’s decided the cute little prairie dawg is just what Bruce needs to cuddle up with him in his North Pole cottage.

Even the busiest weeks building up to Christmas should still leave room for a little fun, right? All work and no play will leave any elf feeling dull.

The dialogue was witty and delightful. I enjoyed the way the characters reacted to each other’s quips and thought of new ways to keep their conversations going and the heat building up between Bruce and Cyndi. They all had great senses of humor that worked nicely both together and with this lighthearted and sexy storyline.

Yes, this was a short story, but I still would have liked to see more world building in it. There were plenty of questions I had about how the North Pole worked that weren’t answered. For example, Santa’s opinion of the extra-curricular activities of his elves could have been explored better, and she also could have shown how the reindeer learned how to talk and what they thought of what certain elves get up to on their downtime! While I don’t know when the author is planning to write any sequels, there is a lot of room for expanding the audience’s understanding of such things if she does.

Cyndi and Bruce had fabulous chemistry. Sometimes two people – or, in this case, a person and an elf – click immediately, and that’s exactly what the plot needed to work. Everything happened so quickly that these two had to immediately be interested in each other, and they most definitely were. Bravo for pulling that off so successfully.

Dawg-Napped! was a playfully erotic Christmas tale.

Filed Under: Erotic Romance, Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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