You are my Sunshine

 

You are my Sunshine: A story of love, promises, and a really long bike ride by Sean Dietrich. MI: Zondervan Books. 2022. 224 pages.  Notes ****

Described as "A laugh-out-loud true story of love, a grand adventure, and a promise kept." The book lives up to the description and so much more. It was only a few years after their marriage that Sean and his math-minded wife Jamie are faced with a medical scare that threatens their future together. Jamie is determined to live a grand adventure and to test life to its limits by proposing a bike ride of the Great Allegheny Passage and the C&O Towpath Trail. Sean is not at all athletic or outdoorsy, but he will promise anything to make Jamie happy in the belief that the bike ride will never happen. Jamie does all the planning, purchasing of needed gear, bikes, tent, grass fed beef sticks, supplies, etc., and Sean finds himself on a trike (he's afraid of bikes) on a trail that includes poison ivy and SNAKES! 

This quick read is an adventure filled story of marriage, friendship, and perseverance. Dietrich has a humorous way of capturing everyday events and presenting them in their absurdity to the reader. I laughed out loud at the exchange between Jamie and Sean, "would you eat me? If we were starving!" The kindness of the people they meet along the journey inspires all of us to overcome the fears that holds many of us back from our great adventure. What is holding you back?

I received a copy of this book as a Little Free Library giveaway promotion. 

Sean Dietrich is a columnist, podcaster, stand-up storyteller, and novelist known for his commentary on life in the American South. His work has appeared in Southern Living, Good Grit, South magazine, and other publications, and he has authored fourteen books. Follow Sean's daily writing at seandietrich.com or at @seanofthesouth on Instagram.

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#bookstagram #grandadventure #overcomingfearandanxiety @zondervanbooks #GreatAlleghenyPassage #C&OCanalTowpath 

The Girls Who Disappeared

 

The Girls Who Disappeared by Claire Douglas. New York: Harper, 2023. ****

Four girls enjoy a night out and drive home on the Devil's Corridor ending in disaster! Only one girl is found at the crash site pinned by the steering column and unable to get out of the car. Rescued and unable to remember what happened to her friends leaves Olivia Rutherford open to the suspicious scrutiny of her neighbors and the townspeople. A long and arduous recovery does not restore her memory of that horrific night. It's now twenty years later and journalist Jenna Halliday has arrived in Willshire to interview those close to the missing girls to create a podcast in the hope of turning up new evidence or clues as to what happened on that night. Jenna didn't expect the locals to be willing to talk, however, she didn't anticipate hostility and threats. Are they protective of Olivia or does everyone have something to hide? 

I received an e-copy for a review.

This fast-paced psychological thriller will keep you guessing until the very end. No spoilers here. Douglas' plot is ingenious and original. We know that no one can disappear into thin air, however, there are no credible sightings to explain what happened. It has now been twenty years without a clue. A suspenseful read that will keep you reading,  many discussion points for Book Clubs. 

Claire Douglas has worked as a journalist for fifteen years, writing features for women's magazines and national newspapers. She wanted to be a novelist since the age of seven, a dream that came true with the publication of her first novel, The Sisters, which won the Marie Claire's Debut Novel Award. She lives in Bath, England, with her husband and two children.

#psychologicalthriller #bookstagram 

Mini Series Sew Along 2022 Season 3

 

Alison Glass and Guicy Guice have collaborated and are hosting a Mini Series Sew Along for 2022.

https://alisonglass.com/mini-series-sew-along/

I joined from the very first, however, I am just now making my blocks. Somehow, I couldn't wrap my head around the process of paper piecing such small pieces. I kept trying and trashing. It didn’t help that I purchased a new machine at the same time. 

A few suggestions:

• Print the patten in color
• Do not print double-sided (a no-brainer, I know)

Finally, three friends got together to sew and it just clicked. I didn't pay too much attention to color placement and even though the pieces are small, you do use pretty big pieces of fabric to make it work. 

Meet Trixie and the Triangle Cabin Block.

On of the suggested tools is this seam roller. I found it very helpful in pressing the strips.

Usually when I get to this stage I start to panic that I did something wrong, keep going!

Ta dah!

Trixie has let me know that she does not like Decobob thread.

Block 3 - Bloom - this block was more challenging than the other two!

Block 4 - Rainbow - the last block in Series 3 

All 4 in Series 3 are completed, so much fun! 

#miniseriessal2022 #trianglelogcabin #alisonglass #guicyguice #MiniSeriesSAL #diamondsidestep #rainbow #bloom

So Long, Chester Wheeler

 

So Long, Chester Wheeler: A Novel by Catherine Ryan Hyde. Seattle, Lake Union Publishing, 2022. 224 pages. Book Discussion Guide. **** Publication Date December 6, 2022.

Lewis Madigan is young, gay, out of work, and just discovered that his boyfriend is moving on without him. Home all day living next door to Chester, his cranky, rude, homophobic neighbor convinces him that he needs a job now. Since Chester has offended and gone through all of the home health nursing agencies, his daughter is desperate and dangles a large sum of money in front of Lewis for him to step in. The only requirements: run errands, be on call, and put up with Chester.  Can Lewis put aside his loathing and care for Chester? When asked to fulfill a dying man's last wish, will Lewis refuse or accept the mission? 

I know when I read Hyde's novels, there will be tears, love, hope, and acceptance. It is so easy to dislike Chester and in the words of Lewis, "I'm always tempted to say hate, but I feel that 's a line I never want to cross." A doctor recently asked me why some older people are so miserable, unhappy, and mean, while others are pleasant, happy, and so nice? An answer requires knowledge of the person's health, finances, and family. Through Chester we get a look at how his past and choices made him who he is today and a glimpse at how Lewis grows with his experience. Given my age, I can relate to Lewis and Chester's struggles. I didn't want this heart-warming story to end and find myself wondering where Lewis is now and what is he doing, the true sign of a good book. Perfect for a Book Club choice, many topics to discuss and explore.

I received an ecopy for a review. 

Other Hyde books reviewed by me: 

Dreaming of Flight

Seven Perfect Things

My Name is Anton  

Brave Girl, Quiet Girl

Have You Seen Luis Velez?

Just After Midnight

Heaven Adjacent

The Wake Up

Allie and Bea

Say Goodbye For Now

Ask Him Why

Worthy

Catherine Ryan Hyde is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author of more than forty published and forthcoming books. An avid traveler, equestrian, and amateur photographer, she shares her astrophotography with readers on her website.

From Catherine Ryan Hyde:

"In addition to my writing, over the past few years I’ve done a lot of professional public speaking. I was privileged to speak at the National Conference on Education and at Cornell University. I even got to share a dais with Bill Clinton for three speeches. And I was invited to the White House for the movie screening of Pay It Forward."

For more information on the author, click here: Her Youtube Channel 

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#bookstagram #realisticfiction #dyingwish 

Wait for Me

 

Wait for Me by Sara Shepard. New York: Union Square & Co, 2022. 322 pages. ****

YA. Reading age 14-18 years. 

Casey Rhodes wears many disguises, each one a costume for a different situation. Casey feels it is easier to assume a persona than to be her true self. When she is with her rich, cultured boyfriend, the most eligible bachelor in New York City, she's well-dressed, gorgeous, sure of herself Casey. A crack apppears in her perfect life when she hears a menacing voice in her ear, "You've been a bad girl." Casey begins to feel uneasy and can't understand where the voice is coming from and why does she get flashes of herself in places she doesn't know and who is the mysterious stranger lurking at the edge of her memory? To clear her head and study for finals, Casey chooses an unknown to her shore town and is further confused when the townspeople seem to recognize and know her. 

Shepard has created an amazing blend of mystery, romance, and a hint of past lives. Best known for her Pretty Little Liars series, this novel captures your attention from the very beginning and leaves you guessing as to what is really going on with Casey. Mystery follows her in the handsome stranger, Will, who seems so familiar and comfortable, however, she loves Marcus, doesn't she? Well-crafted, the reader will be guessing until the very end. The intended audience is Teen and Young Adult, however, as a mature Adult, I enjoyed it.  I read it in two days, and it is the perfect escape read. 

I received an copy for a review. 

Sara Shepard Sara is a Canadian-American woman, as her father was born in America, while her mother was born in Toronto. She was raised in Downingtown, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Downingtown High School in 1995. She later attended New York University, where she graduated with a B.S. degree in 1999 and an MFA from Brooklyn College in 2004.

She currently resides in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania with her husband of many years, and their children. The family also has three dogs and one cat.

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#bookstagram #youngadultromance #youngadultmystery 

#bookstagram #YAfiction #romancefiction #mysteryfiction

Secrets of the Nile

 

Secrets of the Nile: A Lady Emily Mystery (Lady Emily Mysteries Book 16) by Tasha Alexander. New York: Minotaur Books, 2022. 320 pages. ****

It is 1904 and Lady Emily agrees to accompany her husband, his difficult mother and recently discovered daughter, on a vacation to Luxor, Egypt. Lord Bertram Deeley, an amateur British collector of antiquities, has invited them for a leisurely cruise up the Nile and then a stay at his house. On the first night of their journey, Lord Deeley collapses, presumed dead by cyanide. Presumably the dinner guests are his closest friends, who among them is the killer? 

An alternate story emerges of Meryt, a young woman in ancient Egypt who is a master sculptor. Loved by her family and despised by her jealous sister-in-law, Meryt is asked by her father to make his "Ushabtis, an essential part of his funereal equipment, to stand in for him when he is called on to do work in the afterlife. " These three-thousand-year-old figures play a key role in determining Lord Deeley's killer. 

Agatha Christie and Amelia Peabody fans will love this latest novel in the Lady Emily series. Rich with the history, sights and sounds of Egypt, I didn't want it to end. Emily and Colin are at their best interviewing the staff, guests, and potential suspects, while trying to have some time to themselves. Alexander is a master storyteller with the humor of Elizabeth Peters and the cunning of Agatha Christie. Historical fiction at its best.

I received an ecopy for a review.

TASHA ALEXANDER is the author of the New York Times bestselling Lady Emily mystery series. The daughter of two philosophy professors, she studied English literature and medieval history at the University of Notre Dame. She and her husband, novelist Andrew Grant, live on a ranch in southeastern Wyoming. Her claim to fame is "New York Times Bestselling author,  Cook, Book Junkie and Master of Packing Light." Follow Tasha at https://www.tashaalexander.com

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#egyptfiction #mysteryfiction 

The Kind To Kill

 

The Kind To Kill (A Shana Merchant Novel Book 4) by Tessa Wegert. Edinburgh: Severn House, 2022. 313 pages  Kindle Edition ***

Senior Investigator Shana Merchant can't help that she has a serial killer in her family, and it won't be easy to regain the trust of her community. The fact that she hid the identity of the killer and was one of his kidnapped victims doesn't help her reputation as an investigator.

When a tourist goes missing just as the town is preparing for the annual Pirate Days Festival, the eyes of her department and everyone she knows are on her. Cancelling the Event is not even a consideration, so it is up to Shana to find the missing woman before the Festival begins. Last seen arguing with her husband in the hotel parking lot, he is the prime suspect until her disappearance is tied to others. 

I received a copy for a review.

This is my first Shana Merchant novel, and it was thoroughly enjoyable. I will probably go back and read the other 3 in the series even though it is a cohesive story as a standalone.  Psychological thrillers are my favorite genre, and I was drawn in from the very beginning. The story kept my attention until the very end. Somewhat predictable, with a few surprises along the way. fun, escapism!

From her website "Tessa Wegert is the author of the popular Shana Merchant novels, which include Death in the Family, The Dead Season, Dead Wind, and The Kind to Kill. A former digital media strategist and freelance journalist, Tessa has contributed to such publications as Forbes, The Huffington Post, The Economist, and The Globe and Mail. Raised in Quebec, she now lives with her husband and children in Connecticut, where she studies martial arts and is co-president of Sisters in Crime CT." For more information about Tessa, https://www.tessawegert.com

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#netgalley #psychological fiction