The Book Woman's Daughter (The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, #2) by Kim Michele Richardson

The Book Woman's Daughter by Kim Michele Richardson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Awesomely narrated by: Katie Schorr this was such a good continuation of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, only now the main character is her daughter, Honey Lovett, who has been essentially orphaned when the state arrests both her parents and throws them in jail for a few years. This leaves Honey and her trusty horse (who was my favorite character in the book!) to wade through so many trials and tribulations. Luckily she has old friends, and new friends who help her along the way as she begins a job just as her mother did- a pack horse librarian spreading the love of reading to those in the remote areas of Appalachia and tries to become emancipated. I loved Honey's story so much, it is a must read for all!!!

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The Island by Elin Hilderbrand

The Island by Elin Hilderbrand
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this wonderful beach read about 4 women, Birdie, her daughter Chess and Tate (opposites in every way) and Birdie's sister, India who converge on their summer home in Tuckernut Island after 13 years. Oh the plot, the drama, the suspense, and the real humanity of family with secrets. Another great character was Barrett, he has some history with both daughters and I enjoyed him as a character who did not fit into the business world, never went to college, but was crushed on by almost all of these ladies and many others on the island. A great story of love lost and found, grief, anger, and the importance of family and love.

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Borrowing Bunnies: A Surprising True Tale of Fostering Rabbits by Cynthia Lord

Borrowing Bunnies: A Surprising True Tale of Fostering Rabbits by Cynthia Lord
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many thanks to MaryAlice Briggs-Dicker for this awesome recommendation! I love Cynthia Lord and this book will really speak to children about caring for and loving bunnies but also about letting them go to good homes. The pictures and photos were totally awesome. I think really anyone should read this book!

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A Sitting in St. James by Rita Garcia-Williams

A Sitting in St. James by Rita Williams-Garcia
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many Thanks to Reading Rants for recommending this book as one of her favorites for 2021. I enjoyed reading about the white family with slaves, it's past and it's present, as Williams-Garcia writes with feeling, authenticity, and empathetic in the brutal way Madame Sylvie Guilbert treats and talks to her family, her servants, and those in her community, as she strives to marry off grandsons, ignore granddaughters who are mixed race, and still tell her own story of being married off to a brutal man. I loved many of the characters, Byron, Pearce, Thisbe, Eugenie, Jane, Lily and the painter and hated Lucien, Sylvie, and all those who ignored the hard work of the slaves on their plantations and took all the glory themselves. A mesmerizing read!

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The Maid by Nita Prose

The Maid by Nita Prose
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read and loved this book as part of the Albright College zoom book discussion and that my friend Sue Murphy recommended. The writing by Prose was delightful, concise, and pitch perfect as she describes, maid Molly Grey to the reader. Molly lives with her Gran, loves her deeply and has learned many life lessons through her Gran's quotes. Molly is socially awkward but loves her job as a maid at the Regency Hotel, since as a youngster her Gran taught her about the importance of cleaning and neatness. As Molly strives each day to return each hotel room to a state of perfection, one day changes everything---she walks in on Mr. Black and finds he is dead and she quickly becomes the main suspect. I read this in 2 days and loved learning more and more about Molly---how she desperately misses her Gran (her only friend), pines after a bartender, Rodney, and makes sure Juan Manuel has a room every night in the hotel, since his friend, Rodney, told her that he lost his visa and has no place to stay. I loved all the characters, the plot and the many twists and turns, this delicious mystery takes. Highly recommended!

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The Wrong One by Dervla McTiernan

The Wrong One by Dervla McTiernan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In this novella excellently narrated by Neil Hellegers, Michael Crouch, I was drawn in by the narrators as they wove a complex mystery in this novella. A mother has been accused of murder, her son has past problems with the law, and an old detective friend of the family, Simon, wants to rescue Clara because he knows she did not kill a woman who was known as nasty and litigious. But all is not as it seems as the mystery/murder unfolds and the reader finds out more about the characters. A great listen!

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Playing the Cards You're Dealt by Varian Johnson

Playing the Cards You're Dealt by Varian Johnson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this Varian Johnson book so much! Ant is 10 yrs old and loves cards as muc h as his father and brother and this year he wants to do so much better in the card tournament than he did last year. But it all seems to fall apart and his partner and friend must back out of the competition. What happens is Ant's family falls apart, he meets a new girl who is good at cards, and he begins to change as he finds out more secrets about his father. A must read!!!

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