First Chapter Review: The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club: The Sparrow and The Crow by Bill Cusano

 

As part of Bill Cusano's virtual book tour for The Old Cranberry Garden Club mystery series, I am posting this First Chapter Review of the third book, The Sparrow and The Crow. 

BLURB: 

The last time the crows circled the old farmhouse, her husband Chester was found dead, and the town named her a murderess. Thirty years later, the truth she buried with him is stirring again, the country is splitting in two, and the family she fought so hard to hold together is being pulled apart by a war that hasn't yet been declared.

Her grandson Auggie wants to fight for the Union. His mother, born to a Virginia plantation family, will do anything to drag him south instead. Millie — the rector's daughter with golden hair and a satchel full of letters — waits at home for a boy who may never come back. And in the chapel behind the lilacs, Elcira and the women of her garden club continue the work no one is supposed to know about: sheltering freedom seekers as slave catchers tighten their grip on the Connecticut coast.

Then a telegram arrives. And another. And the war everyone said would never come has come for the Cranberrys all at once.  

Perfect for readers of Kristin Hannah, Marie Benedict, Paulette Jiles, and Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain — a story about what families inherit, what they hide, and what they're willing to risk when the country they believed in begins to come apart.

COVER: All the covers for this series are amazing. You get that old-style New England feel, and the colors are muted, yet stunning. 

FIRST CHAPTER: It is 1861. Lincoln has been elected President of the United States, but has not yet taken office. Rumblings of war are stirring, and states have seceded from the Union. Despite Elcira and Felix yearning to keep the family safe, even the Cranberrys may be pulled into the conflict no one thought would come. 

KEEP READING: The Sparrow and The Crow has a strong opening, which draws the reader in. It is 1861, and Elcira is now a grandmother. Felix is destined to inherit the family property one day. However, what seems like a distant or not even likely war threatens the family's peace and prosperity. Cusano does an excellent job of setting the scene,  creating quick tension, and ends well so that the reader is eager to continue.  Out of all three books, this might end up being my favorite. The descriptive details are fewer. The first chapter tighter. Though there is backstory tying to the first book, it is not so abundant as to overwhelm the current storyline. Looking forward to reading more. 

ASIN: ‎ B0GYT4L5FJ 

Publisher: ‎ 4610 Publishing

Publication date: ‎ April 28, 2026

Language: ‎ English

File size: ‎ 7.7 MB

Print length: ‎ 482 pages 

ISBN-13: ‎ 979-8992542684

I received a digital copy of this book from the author through Partners in Crime Tours. This First Chapter Review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way. Look for a complete review coming soon. 

Tour Participants:

Click through the other tour stops for can’t-miss reviews, insider interviews, exclusive guest posts, and more chances to win!

Click here to view the Tour Schedule

 

 

When Crows Circle… It’s Time to Enter to Win

This giveaway is hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Bill Cusano. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club by Bill Cusano | Surprise Gift Box w/ Gift Card

Can't see the giveaway? Click Here!

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: Stores or Other Physical Places I Wish Still Existed

 

The Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge is hosted by Long and Short Reviews. They offer this blog hop as a weekly prompt to help you gain new friends and visitors. You don't have to participate every week, but if you decide to post and join the blog hop for a week, Long and Short Reviews requests that you share your link in their weekly post on their website (which will be the top post on the home page each Wednesday morning). The link list remains open for new links for 48 hours. Visit the other bloggers participating to see what they discuss that week. Comments are appreciated. 

Happy Wednesday! Hope you are having a great week. Today's Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge is taking us on a trip down memory lane. We are talking about stores or other physical places we wish still existed. 

Considering that so many stores of my childhood are just distant memories these days, that could be a long list (problem with being over half a century old).

When I was a kid, we had a local mall in our city called Fairfield Mall. Its anchor stores were Two Guys (closed 1982) and Caldor (closed 1999). After Two Guys closed, Bradlees moved in. They closed all their stores by 2001. Fairfield Mall closed soon afterwards. I have so many memories there:

• Taking the Pepsi Challenge in the food court. Still a Pepsi girl.
• Sitting at the Koffee Kup counter having tea and a donut with my uncle, who always ordered a coffee and a cruller. 
• Playing video games and pinball at the Just Fan arcade. 
• Getting soft serve at the in-mall restaurant.
• Going each week to choose the Top 40 singles I didn't own from Caldor.

More stores from my childhood that are no longer around: Woolworths (closed 1997), where I ate a lot of fries at the lunch counter; Waldenbooks (closed 2011), where I shopped for new titles; Child World (closed 1992), where we loved to browse with my mother, and PaySaver (late 90s), which was a local discount retailer. 

One place that no longer exists from my childhood is the field of wildflowers next to my childhood home. The housing authority built a 62+ independent living facility in 1976 as part of an urban renewal project. We lived in that house until 1980, when my parents sold it because my mother had cancer and could no longer help my father manage it. We moved into a single-family home in another area of the city, but I had relatives who lived in the housing authority's building, so I often got to visit our old apartment building. 

What are some stores and physical places you wish were still around? Hope you enjoy your trip down memory lane as much as I did. 

Book Review & Giveaway: The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club: The Widow Murderess by Bill Cusano

For the second book in Bill Cusano's The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club series, readers travel back to the 1800s, to see how Elicra, Deborah, and their family are faring a year after Chester Cranberry's horrific murder. 

The Widow Murderess, titled for the name given to Elicra Cranberry by a town of people, most of whom consider her guilty of murdering her philandering husband, takes a step back in time by focusing on the fallout of Chester Cranberry's murder. The local store owner cuts off her credit; her family is targeted in other ways; and those who feel she should not have inherited Cranberry Farm are determined to punish all of them in an effort to get them to leave. However, they have underestimated Elicra and Deborah's resolve and don't understand the secrets of her shed and the goings on there. 

Historical mysteries are some of my favorites. The first book, The Ghost and the Key, traveled from past to present. The Widow Murderess, however, stays planted in the past to give the reader some backstory, introduce new characters, and get a fuller picture of the recurring characters we already know. It is good to see two strong women supporting each other and their family as they endure being ostracised by their community while continuing to make a difference in the lives of others. Like the first book, it is told in the present tense and is filled with a plethora of details. Thankfully, the story is strong, but I glossed over the extra details while reading. Some trimming back would serve to strengthen a solid story. 

Looking forward to reading the third book in the series.

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0G2216827
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ 4610 Publishing
• Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 25, 2025
• Edition ‏ : ‎ 1st
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 5.5 MB
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 343 pages

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

Tour Participants:

Click through the other tour stops for can’t-miss reviews, insider interviews, exclusive guest posts, and more chances to win!

Click here to view the Tour Schedule

 

 

When Crows Circle… It’s Time to Enter to Win

This giveaway is hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Bill Cusano. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club by Bill Cusano | Surprise Gift Box w/ Gift Card

Can't see the giveaway? Click Here!

Get More Great Reads at Partners In Crime Tours

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Book Titles That Include the Word "Hope"

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. 

It is Tuesday again, which means it is time for Top Ten Tuesday. This week's prompt is sharing book titles that include a specific word we choose. Today, I chose "hope" because it appears in the titles of many of the genres I enjoy and is a positive word in a tumultuous world. Here are my...

Top Ten Book Titles That Include the Word "Hope"

1. Hope for Each Day by Billy Graham
2. The Prodigal Son's Holiday Hope by Jill Kemerer
3. Sermonsnacks: Help, Hope, and Encouragement for Today by Don Collette
4. No Hope for Gomez by Graham Parke
5. Because of Bethlehem: Love if Born, Hope is Here by Max Lucado
6. Hope: Indigo Ballet Series by Grier Cooper
7. Almost Everything: Notes on Hope by Anne Lamott
8. A Place Called Hope by Philip Gulley
9. A Tapestry of Hope by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller
10. His Truth is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope by Jon Meacham

Photo credit to articular on Magnific (formerly FreePik)

Tell Me Something Tuesday (TMST) is hosted by Jen Twimom at That's What I'm Talking About. TMST is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general. Participation is optional, and you can leave your comments in the weekly post when you participate. Check it out if you're interested in joining.

Tell Me Something Tuesday is on hiatus until September. Check back for more prompts then.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? & Mailbox Monday - July 6 (Happy 19th Blogoversary to TBC!)

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, comment, and add to that ever-growing TBR pile! So welcome, everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and was then taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date. 

Happy Monday from the Outer Banks! We have started our second week of vacation. Sadly, we said goodbye to the Lil' Princess early Sunday so that she could start her new job today. It is different without her here, but we are so thrilled for this new adventure she has embarked on. I will share photos from our trip once we are back.

Happy Independence Day to all who celebrated this weekend. July 4 also marked the 19th anniversary for me here at The Book Connection! I thank each and every one of you for your loyal readership, your comments, and your online friendship. 

As I had planned, I am doing my best to catch up with my reading. I also might have bought a couple of new books. Shocking, I know! 

I reviewed Digital Detox for Remote Workers: Reclaim Your Focus, Productivity, and Work-Life Balance in the Digital Age by Dr. Guenter H. Schamel. You can find that review here.

I reviewed Hi Honey, I'm Homo!: Sitcoms, Specials, and the Queering of American Culture by Matt Baume. You can read that review here. 

I have about an hour left with Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman. Loving so much about it.

I  have not picked up The Ladies Hall by Vanessa Miller while here, because other books need to be read first. 

I am almost done with The Ledger by Steven Manchester, a companion to his novel The Menu. 

I didn't pick up The Eyes of River yet either. 

I read some of Love on the Shelf by Sheila Roberts since our arrival. 

Staged by Caitlin Rother, which is the sequel to Hooked. I haven't cracked it open so far, but it is on my list. 

The Ghost and the Key is the first book in Bill Cusano's The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club series. I reviewed this book on July 1. You can read the review and enter the giveaway here.

I finished the second book of The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club, The Widow Murderess. My review will appear on July 8. 

Book three is The Sparrow and the Crow. I will post a First Chapter Review of this one on July 10, the last day of the tour and giveaway. Then I will post a full review later. 

Massawa by Pam Weber is a book I have not yet started, but it is with me if I get to it. 

Joyce McCullough sent me a copy of Max and Her Stacks and Look for the Pink Ribbons to review. 

Photo credit: Freepik

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books they added to their shelves the previous week. This weekly meme is now hosted by Vicki at I'd Rather Be At The Beach. 

I always buy books on vacation. These were two used ones I grabbed from Downtown Books in Manteo. 

Upcoming Events

The Ledger by Steven Manchester - TBD (Review)

Staged by Caitlin Rother - TBD (Review)

The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club: The Widow Murderess by Bill Cusano - July 8 (Review)

The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club: The Sparrow and the Crow by Bill Cusano - July 10 (First Chapter Review)

Massawa by Pam Weber - July (Review)

Love on the Shelf by Sheila Roberts - TBD (Review)

Christmas Year Round

Sunday's Journey through Christmases Past spent Christmas with the Ingalls family, discussing some of my favorite Christmas chapters from the Little House books. You can find that post here. 

The Children's and Teens' Book Connection

I reviewed Look for the Pink Ribbons by Joyce McCullough at The Children's and Teens' Book Connection. You will find that review here.

Laura's Little Houses

Here are the latest posts at Laura's Little Houses:

• Little House on the Prairie Netflix Premiere Coming July 9 with a link to the trailer. See here.
• Favorite Little House on the Prairie Movie, which I talk about here.
• This weekend's post is about the role of adoption on the show. You can read about Adoption on Little House on the Prairie here. I learned something new about adoption law while performing research for this post. Hope you find it interesting. 

Not sure what is planned for today, so I will check in with you as I am able. Looking forward to connecting with you now that I am caught up on old posts. 

Audible Book Review: Digital Detox for Remote Workers by Dr. Guenter H. Schamel

 

Looking to break away from the remote working world? Are you burnt out by Slack and Zoom and that constantly on feeling? Then Digital Detox for Remote Workers: Reclaim Your Focus, Productivity, and Work-Life Balance in the Digital Age by Dr. Guenter H. Schamel. 

Schamel's helpful resource is a good first step in making a change. For those of us who work remotely, it's so easy to spend more time than the standard workday at your computer. It can be so hard to put down the phone and step away, feeling like you aren't fulfilling your clients' needs or that the one time you break away and attempt balance, you must sacrifice productivity. Meanwhile, your productivity and focus suffer from trying to juggle it all unsuccessfully. 

Digital Detox for Remote Workers is about setting healthy boundaries, avoiding burnout, and resetting your mental energy. Though narrated by Virtual Voice, I did not find it distracting. I feel this is one of those books that is best used in printed format because of how the strategies are outlined and put into practice, but I found it useful in getting me started. Definitely worth the listening time.

Part of series	Thriving in Remote Work
Listening Length	6 hours and 19 minutes
Author	Guenter H. Schamel
Narrator	Virtual Voice
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com Release Date	November 21, 2025
Publisher	Independently Published
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B0FXDPYCRX

I purchased a copy of this book with an Audible credit. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Audible Book Review: Hi Honey, I'm Homo!: Sitcoms, Special, and the Queering of American Culture by Matt Baume

 

If you enjoy well-researched, engaging pop culture books as much as I do, Hi Honey, I'm Homo!: Sitcoms, Specials, and The Queering of American Culture, authored and narrated by Matt Baume, should be on your list. 

From Bewitched to Modern Family and everything in between, Baume guides readers on an engaging journey through television history and its evolving portrayals of the LGBTQ+ community, including how these characters have helped shape broader social understanding.

As a Gen Xer, I now realize how often television in my youth portrayed people who didn’t fit the perceived “norm” in ways that were unkind or limiting. Either that, or I was simply too young to recognize how groundbreaking and controversial sitcoms like Soap were when they first aired. I barely remembered characters like Beverly LaSalle on All in the Family or Officer Zatelli’s coming‑out moment on Barney Miller. I’d like to think that’s because I didn’t view them as anything other than part of the larger cast of characters simply existing within the story. Moments from The Golden Girls and Ellen were likely the first times I consciously recognized that a show was making a deliberate point about inclusion and representation.

Hi Honey, I'm Homo! is thought-provoking, and the research and commentary are placed alongside what was going on in the country at the time. Truly a great read!

Listening Length	6 hours and 41 minutes
Author	Matt Baume
Narrator	Matt Baume
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com Release Date	May 23, 2023
Publisher	Dreamscape Media
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B0BZ1GGJ4J

I purchased a copy of this book with an Audible credit. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.