After We Fall by Deborah Clack

 

Title:  After We Fall

Author:  Deborah Clack

Narrated by:  Jeanine Bartel

Publisher: Recorded Books

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 47 minutes

Source: Thank you to @deborah_clack, @havenfiction, and @greatreadsbookpromo for the gift copy of After We Fall.  Thank-you to NetGalley for the audiobook review copy.

Do you like books where the main character shares your name or a family member’s name?  I do!  I was excited that the main character in this book is named Penelope like my daughter.

Penelope Reid has her life in order with a goal of becoming the manager of the halfway house, the Twelve Bluebells Ranch, when life takes a sudden turn after an accident.  Luke asked Penelope to dance three years before, but then disappeared.  He has returned to provide security at the ranch. After tragedy strikes, will Penelope learn that she can trust someone else besides herself?  Will Luke and Penelope get a second chance?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       Jeanine Bartel was a great audiobook narrator who had different voices for all the characters.

·       I really enjoyed Penelope’s journey.  She was orphaned and then in the foster system.  She learned to only trust herself and to work through pain.  After her injury, she must learn to trust others and to slow herself down and not be able to get everything done. 

·       This is the second book in the series.  I have not read the first book in this series and After the Fall worked fine as a standalone novel.

·       I always love a good second chance romance.  I enjoyed Luke and Penelope’s love story.

·       The theme of figuring out your own self worth when you are not able to achieve at your prior rate really resonated with me.

·       I liked the honest look at traumatic brain injury.  Penelope wasn’t magically cured.  She had to figure out how to change her life and manage her expectations.

·       This novel had great characters.  I loved how Penelope truly cared for the young women at the ranch and was always helping someone. 

·       I would classify this as a clean read, inspirational, contemporary romance, opposites tract, and second change romance.

·       I’ll admit that I was driven nuts by Luke calling Penelope “Baby” a lot.  It got on my nerves.

Overall, After We Fall by Deborah Clack was an excellent contemporary romance with deep themes of learning your own self worth and working through a major injury.  I enjoyed it and look forward to the next book in the series.

 

By the Pricking of My Thumbs by Agatha Christie

 

Title:  By the Pricking of My Thumbs

Author:  Agatha Christie

Narrated by:  Hugh Fraser

Publisher: William Morrow

Length: Approximately 6 hours and 59 minutes

Source: Checked out with Libby through the Kewaunee Public Library.  Thank-you!

Do you have any favorite series characters that you like to read about as they age through life?  I enjoy that Tommy and Tuppence, unlike Christie’s other creations, Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, age through time.

Tommy and Tuppence are now middle-aged parents.  They go to visit Tommy’s elderly aunt in her nursing home.  Aunt Ada is a crochety old woman and Tuppence leaves her to talk to a nice old lady who asks her “was it your poor child behind the fireplace?”  Tuppence puzzles over this and soon finds herself and Tommy in the midst of a decades old mystery.

My thoughts on this cozy mystery:

·       This is the fourth book in the Tommy and Tuppence series.

·       This was the August Read Christie 2026 pick that I read in September.  This year’s theme is Agatha Christie’s Biggest, Best, and Beloved Stories.  August’s theme was “beloved duo.”  I love Tommy and Tuppence and they are a beloved duo for me.  I have that there is a new Tommy and Tuppence series on Britbox.  Have you seen it?  If so, what do you think?  I really need to watch it.

·       It’s interesting that Christie has more than one novel linking a house seen from a train to a murder.

·       I thought it was unique plot to have the ramblings of an elderly lady be the set up for a mystery.

·       I loved seeing Tommy and Tuppence as an older couple.  Their banter and cuteness together is the best.

·       It was a shocking end to the book that I did not guess.  I will not give away the ending or too many details to spoil it.

·       This book was published in 1968.

Overall, By the Pricking of My Thumbs by Agatha Christie is a charming cozy mystery with a surprising ending.  I love Tommy and Tuppence.

Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pierce

 

Title:  Dear Mrs. Bird

Author:  AJ Pierce

Narrated by:  Anna Popplewell

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Length: Approximately 9 hours and 48 minutes

Source: Checked out with Libby through the Kewaunee Public Library.  Thank-you!

If you time traveled to this book location, which sensory detail from the WWII era do you think you’d notice first? (The fashion, the food, the smell of the streets, or the lack of technology?)

Emmy Lake is helping with the war effort in England in 1940 as a telephone operator for the Auxiliary Fire Services.  She sees an advertisement to work at the London Evening Chronicle and she applies.  She dreams of being a hard-hitting reporter, but instead finds herself working for Woman’s Friend and a fierce older woman named Mrs. Bird who answers letters giving advice (like Dear Abby letters).  Mrs. Bird doesn’t want to help anyone that has anything “unpleasant” in the letters.  Emmy can’t stop thinking about the letters and decides that she will secretly take matters into her own hands.  Will Mrs. Bird discover that Emmy is answering letters on her own?  Will the war impact Emmy and her friends?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This was the October pick for the Page-turners Book Club at the Kewaunee Public Library. Sadly, I had to miss the meeting due to work commitments.

·       I was driving a lot for work this past month and listened to this book back in September which kept me awake and riveted.

·       The book described the terror of the Blitz and trying to live through it.

·       I loved the imagery of the young ignoring the air raids and going on with life…only to have it hit a club and ruin lives.  I keep thinking about it.

·       There was a great note on the history and inspiration at the end.

·       I loved that it was a great book on friendship and being there for your friends through thick and thin.

·       I loved Emmy’s work friend Kathleen, best friend Bunty, and Bunty’s fiancé William.  They were well drawn three dimensional characters that I cared about.

·       There was an enjoyable romance between Emmy and Charles, a soldier serving oversees.

·       I can’t believe this as a debut novel and that there are three more books in this series.  I’m very excited!

Overall, Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pierce as a wonderful historical fiction novel featuring great characters and friendship.  I can’t wait to read more about these characters!

Grace and Jo Have Never Solved a Murder by Jess Mey

 

Title:  Grace and Jo Have Never Solved a Murder

Author:  Jess Mey

Narrated by:  Stacy Gonzalez

Publisher: Spotify Audiobooks

Length: Approximately 8 hours and 52 minutes

Source: Thank you to @jessmeywrites #spotifyaudiobooks and TLC Book Tours for the review audiobook copy of Grace and Jo Have Never Solved a Murder.

Who makes the ultimate cozy companion for a sleuth: a sassy cat, a loyal dog, or a quirky best friend?

Grace is having a perfect day until she gets to work and finds her boss, Garrett, murdered.  She just recently moved from Florida to Philadelphia and the murder of her boss has put her in a tailspin.  Garrett’s wife, Jo, hires Grace to help her solve Garrett’s murder.  Together the two become friends as they use inventive techniques to investigate.  Will they solve the murder?

My thoughts on this audiobook:

·       This was a delightful audiobook that made a long drive go quickly.

·       I liked the concept of two millennial ladies solving a mystery.

·       I loved the “Murder She Wrote” references.

·       This audiobook had great humor and was a lot of fun.  The funny escapades such as pretending to be cleaners to find out information reminded me of something from some of my favorite romcoms such as Bridget Jones’s Diary or the Shopaholic books.

·       The characters were quirky and fun with great banter.  The heart of the story was the friendship between Grace and Jo.

·       I did guess the ending on this one.

·       I would classify this book as a cozy mystery, contemporary, and mystery.

·       I would love for this book to be the start of a new series.

·       I enjoyed the romance between Grace and an officer.

·       The story was told through Grace’ point of view.

·       The story is a clean read with no spice, but trigger warning, there is discussion of an assault.

Overall, Grace and Jo Have Never Solved a Murder by Jess Mey is an engaging and fun cozy mystery with great characters.

One of Us Must Die by Zelly Ruskin

 

Which domestic trope hooks you faster: a marriage full of secrets or a neighborhood where everyone is lying?

Happy #bookbirthday yesterday to One of Us Must Die by Zelly Ruskin.

Sterling and Keith have been married for over twenty years.  As their oldest daughter is about to be married, Sterling has realized she no longer wants to be married.  While she married Keith for love, it has become obvious through the years that he only married her for her trust fund.  He is flagrantly cheating on her and Sterling catch him during their daughter’s engagement party.  He is also spending all of her trust fund money.  Her parents put together a clause in their trust fund that she will lose her inheritance if she gets divorced.  How can she get out of this marriage when it looks like one of them must die to end it?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I liked how Sterling found herself throughout the course of this novel.  She loved her children and would do anything for them, including staying in an unhappy marriage and trying to make it look like a happy marriage.

·       Sterling believed hiding Keith’s bad behavior was a good thing until her almost son-in-law stated that he wanted a marriage just like theirs.

·       I liked how Sterling and her former best friend Whitney rekindled their friendship.  Keith hated Whitney and their friendship had fizzled because of that.  Together Sterling and Whitney investigate Keith and put together a solution.

·       I am still puzzled on why her parents have such a terrible clause in the trust fund.  Why would you want to trap your child in an unhappy marriage.  I was not a fan of Sterling’s mother. 

·       Keith’s character was one dimensional and just a villain.

·       It made me ponder, what lengths would you go to if you felt trapped?

·       The ending was very interesting, and I keep thinking about this.

·       I would classify this book as domestic drama, psychological drama, psychological suspense, mystery, contemporary, slow burn, and suspense.

Overall, One of Us Must Die by Zelly Ruskin was an engaging domestic suspense novel that kept me guessing until the very end.

The Undercover Bookshop by Katherine Reay

 

What is your favorite bookstore?  My favorite is a small bookstore on Mackinac Island, Michigan.  I may have only been there a few times in my life, but it’s magical.

Gemma Brown has recently left London in 1950 to work for a general store in a small Cotswold village.  As she makes a new home and meets new friends, she also gets cooking lessons from the mysterious Ursula Burton.  Gemma starts to suspect that Ursula is a Soviet spy.  Has Gemma read too many mysteries, or has she stumbled into an international intrigue?  What is her next step?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I loved the Agatha Christie and other golden age of mystery author reference.  There is a great list of all the books mentioned in the author’s note in the back of the book.

·       I loved Gemma and how much she loved to read.  She starts a small book section at the general store that she works at.  The community greatly enjoys it, and she starts a book club. 

·       Gemma is an orphan and I loved how she found a community, friends, and a love in Charlie, a local police officer, in the small village.

·       Gemma helps Charlie solve local mysteries and I enjoyed how she used her skills to finally realize espionage might be happening in their small town.

·       This reminded me of heartfelt historical fiction such as the Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society and Dear Mrs. Bird.

·       I did not realize that one character was a real-life spy until I got to the author’ note at the end.  It definitely added a whole additional element to the story that I had just read. 

·       Great discussion questions were included at the end for a book club.

·       The mystery was a cozy mystery.  I don’t want to spoil the mystery, but I was surprised by the end.

·       I would classify this book as historical fiction, post WWII, spies, espionage, mystery, Cold War.

Overall, The Undercover Bookshop by Katherine Reay was a delightful Cold War cozy mystery with a mix of espionage.  I loved the characters.

Book Source:  Thank-you to Harper Muse and @angelamelamud for the review copy.

A Christmas Guide to Family and Murder by Dianne Freeman

 

Title:  A Christmas Guide to Family and Murder

Author:  Dianne Freeman

Narrated by:  Sarah Zimmerman

Publisher: Recorded Books

Length: Approximately 8 hours and 21 minutes

Source: Thank you to @diannefreemanwrites, @kensingtonbooks, and @greatreadsbookpromo for the gift copy of A Christmas Guide to Family and Murder.

When do you start to read Christmas books or watch Christmas movies?  I usually wait until November, but I am also usually tempted each year to start early with great new Christmas reads.

George, Frances and their family have been invited to celebrate Christmas with George’s sister Fiona and her husband Robert at their estate in Norfolk.  Frances, Fiona, and the children find their neighbor, Dr. Joshua Penhollow, dead in a field and it does not appear to be a natural death.  He was the coroner and the elderly constable in town is not interested in investigating Dr. Penhollow’s possible murder. With the roads also blocked by a storm, the investigation falls on the ladies.  Will they find the murderer?

My thoughts on this book:

·       This it the 9^th book in the Countess of Harleigh mystery series.  It can be read as a standalone, but it’s better if you have read the series and know the characters.  That being said, I joined the series a few books ago and have really enjoyed it.

·       A Christmas Guide to Family and Murder by Dianne Freeman is a Christmas cozy mystery.  I love cozy mysteries and Christmas.  This was a perfect book for me.

·       I liked how the kids were writing their own mystery based on A Christmas Carol.

·       George was out clearing roads with Robert during a large part of the novel, but he was back for the ending.  Fiona and Aunt Hetty helped Frances out with the investigation.

·       It was interesting getting to know the neighborhood during the investigation. 

·       I loved the characters.  It was enjoyed to “meet” the new characters and watching the “old” characters grow through this series and book.

·       There was a good ending to the mystery that I did not guess.

·       This story was very entertaining on audiobook.  Narrator Sarah Zimmerman had different voices and accents for the variety of characters.

·       This book is set in 1906 and is Edwardian.

·       I would classify this book as historical mystery, cozy mystery, Christmas, audiobook, Edwardian.

Overall, A Christmas Guide to Family and Murder by Dianne Freeman was a charming and delightful book that is a perfect read for the holiday season.

Deadly Charade by Lynette Eason and Kelly Underwood

Title:  Deadly Charade

Author:  Lynette Eason and Kelly Underwood

Narrated by:  Cynthia Farrell

Publisher: Recorded Books

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 33 minutes

Source: Thank you to @lynetteeason, @bestinsuspense, @revellfiction, and @greatreadsbookpromo for the gift copy of the physical copy of Deadly Charade. Audiobook purchased from Audible.

What is your favorite story involving a treasure hunt?

FBI Special Agents Kira Miller and Bryce Lambers are going undercover as a newlywed couple to break into a suspected Russian crime ring.  As Kira finds her feelings growing for Bryce, the mystery and adventure deepens.  Will they crack the crime ring while also finding the hidden treasure?

My thoughts on this book:

·       I liked how Bryce’s late grandpa and his journals figured into the mystery.  His grandpa was a great man who helped to raise him, and he also was obsessed with finding hidden treasure.

·       There was great chemistry between the leads, Kira and Bryce.  I enjoyed reading their developing relationship and love for each other.

·       The audiobook was interesting, and I enjoyed the accents that the narrator used.

·       I enjoyed the suspense and action in the story.  The story kept me engaged and guessing until the end.  Romantic suspense is one of my favorite genres and this was a great example of it.

·       There were great faith elements in the story as Kira finds her way back to God.

·       Bryce was neglected as a child and Kria was an orphan.  They both have trust issues and must work through them.

·       I love a good treasure hunt story.  I don’t want to go into detail and wreck the plot, but I did greatly enjoy the treasure hunt in this book.

·       This is the first book in the FBI New Recruits series.

·       The mystery was inspired by the real-life mystery of the Amber room which I had not heard of before.  Once I heard of it in this book, I did some online sleuthing, and I am intrigued.

·       The story started slowly, but it was really intense through the end.

·       The genres included:  romantic suspense, fake marriage, action, mystery, contemporary, treasure hunt, inspirational, and Christian.

Overall, Deadly Charade by Lynette Eason and Kelly Underwood as an entertaining romantic suspense story with a treasure hunt and crime ring. I enjoyed it!

Night of the Mallrats by Nicolina Torres

 

Title:  Night of the Mallrats

Author:  Nicolina Torres

Narrated by:  Jeremy Carlisle Parker, William DeMeritt, Emma Lysy, Charles Constant, Chris Patton, Craig Jessen, Jade Wheeler, Roman Howell, Rosemary Cline, Aaron Landon

Publisher: Harper Perennial

Length: Approximately 11 hours and 23 minutes

Source: Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @harperperennial for the physical book review copy.  Audiobook purchased from Audible.

Did you visit malls as a teen?  Do you still have a mall you shop at?  My mom worked at an eye doctor at our local mall, and I would spend the day there as a teen while Mom worked in the 1990s.  I loved it. That mall is in sad shape today, but my local mall in Northeast Wisconsin is doing great.

Beechnut Mall is about to be torn down in 2024.  A group of five friends reunite and break into the mall to have one last adventure to remember their youth in the 1990s at the malls peak.  They also hope to find clues to the disappearance in 1994 of their friend Beth at the mall and the murder of her boyfriend Ezra on that exact night.  They suddenly find themselves in the past, witnessing the events of the day Beth disappeared in 1994.  Will they finally find out what happened to Beth?

My thoughts on this book:

·       I LOVED the on-point references to the stores of the malls in the 1990s, movies, music, and books.  I loved and read R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike teen horror novels.  I enjoy hearing them referenced and titles that I read and enjoyed.  Reading this book brought me back to that place in time.  I was the exact age of the characters in 1994 so it made this an especially fun read.

·       Jane Austen was also referenced several times.

·       The audiobook had great multicast narration to tell the story including interviews.  I liked that it also showed on the audiobook who the narrator was of each section.

·       The genres were mystery, thriller, time travel, horror, 90’s nostalgia, and LGBTQIA+.

·       It had a dual timeline between 1994 and 2024.

·       There was a sad statement how 1994 was a more innocent time for the characters’ lives as it was before Columbine, 9/11, endless wars, etc.  It made me sad realizing it was a true statement.

·       I liked how the characters are looking back as adults at their teenage choices and realizing they didn’t always make good ones.  Life also did not turn out for them the way they thought it would when they were in high school.

·       All the characters had secrets.

·       The ending surprised me as I kept thinking everything did it.  I’m still thinking about it.

Overall, Night of the Mallrats by Nicolina Torres was a fun time travel mystery with some elements of horror.  This book was made for you if you grew up in the 1990s or are a fan of the era. 

Falling for You by Natasha Madison

 

Title:  Falling for You

Author:  Natasha Madison

Narrated by:  Teddy Hamilton, Samantha Brentmoor

Publisher: Blackstone Publishing

Length: Approximately 8 hours and 4 minutes

Source: Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @blackstonepublishing for the physical book review copy.  Audiobook purchased from Audible.

How are the fall colors where you live?  We are starting to get color now in Northeast Wisconsin and it is beautiful on my drives.

Collins and Theo shared a passionate one-night stand which ended when Theo snuck away while Collins slept.  Two months later, Collins discovers she is pregnant. She runs into Theo again and discovers his identify. When she breaks the news of her pregnancy to him, will Theo decide to stay or go?  Can Collins move on from her family’s criminal and neglectful past?

My thoughts on this audiobook:

·       This is the first book in a new series.  I am looking forward to the rest of this series!

·       This book was delightful on audiobook.  There were two different narrators, for the dual first-person narration of both Collins and Theo.  The female narrator did voices for all the different characters.  They were both expressive narrators.  I loved it!

·       The genres for this book were contemporary romance, small town romance, accidental pregnancy, and mystery.

·       I felt bad that Collins was saddled with a bad family, and it was hard to move on from it.

·       This romance was spicey almost immediately with short scenes of spice throughout the novel.

·       There were two epilogues to this story, and I would have read more.  I was sad for it to end.

·       There was a bit of a mystery solved at the end of the book, but the mystery of who shot Sierra at the beginning of the book was never solved.  Did I miss something?

·       Theo develops from a player to a great romantic partner.  I loved how he pampered and cared for Collins.  I liked the growth of both characters throughout the novel.

Overall, Falling for You by Natasha Madison was an engaging contemporary romance with great characters.  It was excellent on audiobook.  I look forward to seeing the characters again as more books come out in this series.