It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - Oct 21

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.    

My, oh my. We are back at Monday again. Time sure passes quickly. Lots going on. Preparing for three closing over the next seven days. Here are a few photos from my week.

Tyno spent a few days with us, so Theo had a pal

Interesting wallpaper in houses I saw this week

Photo along the Mohawk Trail

In reading, I am caught up on review books. I will have one coming in November and another in December. 

My review of this one appeared here.

This is another great book by Sheila Roberts. My review can be found here.

My review of this fabulous book by Jill Kemerer appeared here. 

I finished this one. My review can be found here.

This one is for a November review. 

This short one is for a December review.

I added the following new arrivals to my list. 

NetGalley

Audible: probably won't finish this one. I feel like I have been listening to it forever, and there is still more than six hours left. 

Audible

Mail carrier

Kindle

Upcoming events:

• A Celtic Yuletide Carol by Jennifer Ivy Walker - November 20 (Review)
• Jingles by D.F. Jones - December 11 (Review)

I am looking to review Christmas picture books, chapter books, and clean romance novellas this year. You can check out what other products I'm looking for here.

You can read the latest Christmas news at the Christmas Year Round blog. Another week with lots of great news, like the planned reopening of Biltmore Estate for the holidays after Hurricane Helene ravaged Asheville. You can read the latest news here.

I also reviewed the first movie premiere for Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas. You can click here to read my review of 'Twas the Date Before Christmas. 

I'll be poking around blogs later this afternoon. Can't wait to see what you have been reading!

Interview with Joanne Howard, Author of Sleeping in the Sun

 

Joanne Howard is an Asian American writer from California. She holds an MFA in writing from Pacific University. Her poetry received an honorable mention from Stanford University’s 2019 Paul Kalanithi Writing Award. Her fiction has been published in The Catalyst by UC Santa Barbara, The Metaworker Literary Magazine and the Marin Independent Journal and her nonfiction has been published in Another New Calligraphy and The Santa Barbara Independent. She lives in Santa Rosa, CA. 

Visit Joanne online at joannehowardwrites.com or Instagram @joannesbooks

Where did you grow up?

I am from Santa Rosa, California, which is about an hour north of San Francisco. The Bay Area is a beautiful, multicultural community, and I felt that it really inspired the cross-cultural relationships that you see in my book. 

When did you begin writing?

I began writing this book as my thesis as I was earning my MFA in Creative Writing at Pacific University, Oregon. This was in 2016, which means it took me quite a while to write this book! But I’ve been writing ever since I can remember, and it has been my longest dream to write a novel. 

What is this book about?

Sleeping in the Sun is about a young American boy named Gene coming of age in India at the end of the British Raj. He and his family occupy an unusual place in society, as they have all the privileges of white folks but aren’t part of the British aristocracy there, and they live a humble and rural existence on the edge of town as missionaries who work with local Indian people. Their quiet life is upended when a high-ranking British judge arrives to stay with them, and it seems that Gene and the family’s Indian servant, Arthur, are the only ones who find it suspicious. What they discover about the judge has implications on whether or not Gene and his family can still call India home. 

What inspired you to write it?

This was inspired by my own grandfather’s upbringing in India. My family has a remarkable talent for keeping every scrap of history, so I had a lot of first-hand accounts to draw on. I felt that I had never seen a book about Americans in British India, so I wanted to write it myself. 

What is one piece of advice you would like to share with aspiring authors everywhere?

Trust the story to take you where it wants to go. I thought that was nonsense when I first heard it, because of course I’m in control of the story as the writer. But in reality, there were a handful of moments where the narrative would just completely take a different turn as I was writing it, and I just followed my intuition to see what new connections or perspectives it would produce. So keep an open mind as you write, and don’t be too tied to your original plan. 

What is up next for you?

I am exploring a more contemporary idea for my next novel. Even though I loved immersing myself into this world that was so different from my own, I am feeling more drawn this time to a novel set close to home, which for me is the Northern California coast. 

Pre-order this book from Amazon or visit Goodreads for more buying options!

Book Review: The Prodigal's Holiday Hope by Jill Kemerer

 

The Prodigal's Holiday Hope by Jill Kemerer is a story of moving on from past hurts and the hope that comes from second chances. 

When Sawyer Roth decides to return to Sunshine Bend, he has no idea what his buddies will think of him. Rumor is he has been up to no good since his father's death and squandering away his inheritance, but Ken McKay needs a ranch manager and Sawyer needs a job away from the city, so he returns to the ranch once owned by his family for a fresh start. What he doesn't expect is Tess Malone.

Tess and her son, Tucker, live with Ken on the ranch. Her stubborn father didn't even tell her that he hired that no good Sawyer to manage it. Well, Sawyer won't win her over quickly, even if he did grow up on Sunshine Bend and she is desperate for help. But with Christmas approaching, and her dad in dire straits, Tess has to lean more on Sawyer than she would like. 

Sawyer isn't fond of getting too close to Tess either. But she and her son sure could weave their way into his heart if he isn't careful. 

I loved The Prodigal's Holiday Hope so much that I stayed up late to finish it. I simply couldn't wait to see how it all turned out. The first book in Kemerer's Wyoming Ranchers series is a strong debut, bringing together an engaging plot, well-developed characters, romance, and the ranching life. Cowboy romances remain one of my favorites, and The Prodigal's Holiday Hope is a fine example of an author knowing her audience and delivering a solid story that will leave you yearning for more. Lucky for readers, there are four other books in this series.

If you enjoy romance, second chances, seeing characters learn how to move on from past hurts, and seasonal stories filled with the joy and hope of the holidays, then you need to grab The Prodigal's Holiday Hope today!

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B095X2R6NY
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Love Inspired; Original edition (October 26, 2021)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 26, 2021
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 1707 KB
• Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
• Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
• Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 174 pages

I bought a copy of this book for my Kindle. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Book Review: The Merry Matchmaker by Sheila Roberts

 

Come along with Frankie Lane as she meddles in everyone's lives in the town of Carol with a mix of interesting, and sometimes hilarious, results. 

The Merry Matchmaker by Sheila Roberts is a modern retelling of Jane Austen's Emma. In this fun and romantic novel, widow Frankie Lane enjoys matchmaking and meddling in the lives of the residents in Carol. Owner of the Holiday Happiness gift shop, Frankie thinks she knows just what everyone needs: her mother, her daughter, her friend Viola, even the young woman who works at her shop, Elinor. Seemingly unaware of the disastrous turns some of her meddling creates, Frankie never seems to run out of ideas. That's okay, because she is certain no one can get along without her help. 

Her idea of the Santa Walk has been a huge success for the town of Carol. She and Mitch have played Santa and Mrs. Claus since Frankie came up with the idea, and it just gets better every year. Mitch was her strong shoulder when Frankie lost her husband in a freak accident, and she is determined to repay the favor by finding him someone special, whether Mitch is interested or not. 

The Merry Matchmaker is equal parts funny, romantic, and heartwarming. This charming cast of characters living in the small town of Carol will capture your heart and tickle your funny bone. As Frankie maneuvers to "help" her friends and loved ones, the unanticipated consequences bring about mixed results, especially as far as Elinor is concerned.

Roberts has that knack for knowing what works. She is the queen of women's fiction, and her style and wit make for a fantastic story that keeps you turning page after page. I polished this one off sooner than planned because I couldn't put it down. 

If you love romantic tales of the season, women's fiction, or stories sprinkled with a dose of humor set in memorable places, you will want to grab a copy of The Merry Matchmaker. 

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ MIRA; Original edition (October 1, 2024)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0778369609
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0778369608

I received a paperback copy from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Book Review: Where Evil Lives by Ellie Dias

 

The beauty and romance of Paris brings Sam Middleton and Maddie O'Dell together. Will an unknown secret involving Sam's family tear them and their future apart?

Crawling out from underneath his father's withering gaze and abuse, Sam Middleton travels to Paris to study abroad. While there, he meets the sad and beautiful Maddie O'Dell. Hiding her own trauma, Maddie and Sam embark upon a friendship that blossoms into a love that is still tortured by their pasts. 

Upon his return to the States, Sam uncovers a secret that is bound to unravel their tender relationship. Thankfully, they each have treasured friends, but will that be enough to help them when more tragedy strikes and the secret that Sam has tried to bury is exposed in their very own home?

Where Evil Lives by Ellie Dias is a psychological thriller that explores the origin of evil within the confines of a family. What rules--nature or nurture? Does an evil gene exist? And if so, what is the impact on family and friends? 

As the reader follows along with Sam and Maddie on their journey, they are quickly caught up in the setting, the complex characters, and the suspense of what might happen. I feel that Where Evil Lives is a novel where the main characters are pushed to and beyond their breaking point, which makes for excellent reading. Where Evil Lives is a story of a family in crises, where two people still reeling from their own childhood issues, move into adulthood and parenting without a firm foundation underneath them. 

Where Evil Lives is a fascinating story that will have you thinking about it long after you have turned the last page. 

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CW1HY2CV
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ellie Dias (April 2, 2024)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 2, 2024
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 2575 KB
• Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
• Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
• Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 304 pages

I purchased a copy of this book for my Kindle. This review contains my honest opinions, which I was not compensated for in any way. I acted in an editorial capacity on this novel prior to publication. 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? - Oct 14

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organize yourself. It's an opportunity to visit and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.    

Welcome back to Monday! How's the weather were you are? It's definitely changed to fall temperatures around here. Good thing, because the Lil' Princess came home for fall break this past week, and the fall colors are amazing. She misses the leaves changing when she is in North Carolina. 

Here are a few photos from the last week's adventures.

The Lil' Princess after her white coat ceremony

The Lil' Princess and two of her roommates

Arriving home

Travis approves of the new sink

Having a rare day off, I caught up on reviews. You can read my thoughts on these two here.

My review of this one should appear here tomorrow.

This is another great book by Sheila Roberts. My review will appear on Wednesday. 

My review of this fabulous book by Jill Kemerer will appear here on Thursday. 

I need to finish this one before NetGalley archives it. Like what I have read so far. 

This one is for a November review. 

There are so many books I want to read through the end of the year, but I need to focus on two editing projects and plotting my next novel. I promised myself I would as I wait to hear back from the agent I submitted Home for the Heart to last month. Here are a few possibilities. 

I also grabbed this novel this week. Marilyn says it was supposed to be a Deputy Tempe Crabtree novel, but it didn't quite work with the series, so she changed the characters and tweaked the setting to create a stand alone book.

Upcoming events:

• The Merry Matchmaker by Sheila Roberts - October 16 (Review)
• A Celtic Yuletide Carol by Jennifer Ivy Walker - November 20 (Review)

I am looking to review Christmas picture books, chapter books, and clean romance novellas this year. You can check out what other products I'm looking for here.

You can read the latest Christmas news at the Christmas Year Round blog. Lots of fun Christmas news. Early Christmas shoppers and decorators, Operation Christmas Child kickoff, and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever movie is coming in November. You can read the latest news here.

That's it from me today. I hope to visit your blogs early. I'm typing this on Sunday in the hopes I can turn in earlier than usual. See you around the blogosphere! 

Audible Book Reviews: UnF#ck Your Brain by Faith G. Harper & Change Your Paradigm, Change Your Life by Bob Proctor

Before I get started, can I rant one second about how annoying the way Blogger photos are managed these days. They changed it months ago, and now every time I want to add a previously uploaded image into a post, I have to scroll through thousands of images all smashed together into one colorful yet unsightly and unmanageable mess. It takes forever. Okay, now that that's off my chest, let's get started.

Unf#ck Your Brain by Faith G. Harper, PhD, LPC-S, ACS is a resource for those seeking to understand the science of the brain from a layperson's perspective. With a heavy dose of humor and an abundance of curse words, Harper seeks to help you understand how your brain works and the advantage of storytelling to rewire your brain to get the results you want. 

Swearing doesn't bother me, but if one day sh*t, a**hole, motherf'er, and the F-bomb were all removed from the English language, I'm not sure how the author would communicate. The advice is sound and the book is filled with helpful information, but it's not like you haven't heard most of this before. If there was some groundbreaking enlightenment, then rushing out to buy this one and enduring all the cussing might make sense. 

I'm not sure if there was an issue with the audio. Other reviewers mentioned it, so don't think it's me. I had to crank up the volume to hear it. The author does a fine job as narrator despite the sound quality, and I feel it cements her style and approach with the reader so they know what to expect in her other books. I wouldn't go out of my way to read Harper again, but if this is your style, she is funny. 

Listening Length	3 hours and 39 minutes
Author	Faith G. Harper PhD LPC-S ACS ACN
Narrator	Faith G. Harper PhD LPC-S ACS ACN
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com Release Date	March 20, 2018
Publisher	Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B07BBY85JY
Best Sellers Rank	#10,924 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #21 in Anxiety Disorders (Audible Books & Originals) #35 in Medical Neuropsychology #43 in Popular Neuropsychology

Change Your Paradigm, Change Your Life by Bob Proctor provides the inspiration and motivation to change your life by using your mind to influence your future. Proctor was a high school dropout who became a millionaire. He then set out to help others accomplish their goals using the same philosophy.

This audiobook is an interview with Dan Strutzel guiding the conversation on topics that Proctor has spoken about for decades. This conversational style provides helpful insight into Proctor's philosophy, but it isn't a step-by-step guide. Proctor shares the reality we sometimes forget: the only thing in the universe we can change is ourselves. So we have to adapt, and changing our mindset can be hard. But, we are more than the challenges and obstacles we face, so as we adapt, we can change our lives. 

Change Your Paradigm, Change Your Life explores numerous concepts, which Proctor is able to dive deeper into thanks to the conversation with Strutzel. There is also a helpful contribution by Proctor's business partner, Sandy Gallagher. 

I will be reading more books by Bob Proctor in the future. His philosophy truly resonated with me. 

Listening Length	5 hours and 20 minutes
Author	Bob Proctor
Narrator	Bob Proctor, Dan Strutzel
Audible.com Release Date	September 28, 2021
Publisher	Ascent Audio
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B09G5132VW
Best Sellers Rank	#3,166 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #78 in Business Motivation & Self-Improvement (Audible Books & Originals) #111 in Business Motivation & Self-Improvement (Books) #126 in Personal Finance (Books)

I downloaded these books thanks to my Audible membership. These reviews contain my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.