Review: Trouble in Queenstown: A Mystery

Trouble in Queenstown: A Mystery by Delia Pitts
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have never read anything by this author, but I can tell you right now that I am so happy I did. As a matter of fact, I liked the main character  Evander “Vandy” Myrick so much that I would like to see her star in her own series!

This story is filled with lies, dirty politics, obviously murder, and corruption. Racial disparity plays a significant part in this tale.

Vandy is a kick-ass PI with a tragic past. She is now trying to get back on her feet and is handed a case that seems simple enough—or is it?  Excitement flows from these pages; much of it is heart-pounding until the very end, with an ending that I don't think anyone could have seen coming.

I truly enjoyed this novel and couldn't put it down.

I believe you, too, will enjoy the mystery and excitement that I found in this book.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher Minotaur Books, the author, and NetGalley. 

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SYNOPSIS:" With Trouble in Queenstown, Delia Pitts introduces private investigator Vandy Myrick in a powerful mystery that blends grief, class, race, and family with thrilling results.

Evander “Vandy” Myrick became a cop to fulfill her father’s expectations. After her world cratered, she became a private eye to satisfy her own. Now she's back in Queenstown, New Jersey, her childhood home, in search of solace and recovery. It's a small community of nine thousand souls crammed into twelve square miles, fenced by cornfields, warehouses, pharma labs, and tract housing. As a Black woman, privacy is hard to come by in "Q-Town," and worth guarding.

For Vandy, that means working plenty of divorce cases. They’re nasty, lucrative, and fun in an unwholesome way. To keep the cash flowing and expand her local contacts, Vandy agrees to take on a new client, the mayor’s nephew, Leo Hannah. Leo wants Vandy to tail his wife to uncover evidence for a divorce suit.

At first the surveillance job seems routine, but Vandy soon realizes there’s trouble beneath the bland surface of the case when a racially charged murder with connections to the Hannah family rocks Q-Town. Fingers point. Clients appear. Opposition to the inquiry hardens. And Vandy’s sight lines begin to blur as her determination to uncover the truth deepens. She’s a minor league PI with few friends and no resources. Logic pegs her chances of solving the case between slim and hell no. But logic isn’t her strong suit. Vandy won’t back off."

Review: The Queen's Faithful Companion: A Novel of Queen Elizabeth II and Her Beloved Corgi, Susan

The Queen's Faithful Companion: A Novel of Queen Elizabeth II and Her Beloved Corgi, Susan by Eliza Knight
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It is a lovely, cozy book about the life of Queen Elizabeth and her precious Corgi Susan. She got her first one from her Father at the age of 18, and we know that she had one right up until she passed away.

However, this is also a story of Elizabeth's life and her passionate love of Prince Phillip and, eventually, her children. This book blends Elizabeth's life, dealing with her father's illnesses and death, her ascension to the throne, issues with Margaret, and the births of Charles and Anne. In between, we hear thoughts from the Official Corgi keeper, Hanna, and even chapters from Susan.

If you are not an avid dog lover, this may not be the book for you. I was expecting a little more of the royal life with just a blending of the dogs. But all in all, this was a compelling novel and one that I enjoyed.

ARC* Supplied by the publisher William Morrow, the author, and NetGalley.



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SYNOPSIS: "From USA Today bestselling author Eliza Knight comes an endearing and vivid novel told from the unique multi-narrative viewpoints of a young Queen Elizabeth; Hanna Penwyck, the fictionalized Keeper of the Queen’s dogs; and Susan, the Queen’s Corgi, whose love and loyalty were boundless.

A reigning queen…

Elizabeth wasn’t born to be queen. But when her uncle abdicates and her father steps in as king, everything in her life changes. There is one thing that never wavers, however: her endearing love of her Corgis—especially the new puppy Susan, a gift for her eighteenth birthday. Susan is by her side during Elizabeth’s WWII service, falling in love with Philip and getting married, the death of her father King George VI, her accession to the throne, the birth of her first child, and the early struggles with running a country—an ever-present reminder to find the balance between self and crown.

A loyal servant…

Hanna Penwyck has grown up with her family in service to the crown. Awkward and shy, she has a connection with nature, animals—and the young princesses at Windsor. When she becomes the Keeper of the Queen’s Corgis, her job is to maintain the health and wellness of those most prized companions. With their shared love of the dogs, the Queen can open up to Hanna and feel free to be herself, so that is a service she happily provides as well.

A faithful companion…

From the moment Susan became a royal dog, her duty was clear: To remind Elizabeth that she is more than just a queen, she is a human, and what matters is not just duty and honor, but connection, family, and unconditional and enduring love. Susan is the keeper of memories, of secrets. Through Susan we gain a dog’s eye view of royal life, human relationships, and the heartwarming bond between a queen and her beloved companion."

Review: Death & Other Inconveniences

Death & Other Inconveniences by Lesley Crewe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4.5

This was a fast, enjoyable, farcical look at a particular family in New Brunswick, Canada. Well, as the synopsis says, "Dick dead." He choked on a ham sandwich. And the cleaning up of his various messes falls on his wife. However, this is not a good thing, considering she is fairly incompetent and hasn't quite grown into her adult responsibilities. I mean, remote controls confuse her. Although I do have to admit I can't get the hang of them anymore myself!

But Margo is going to learn—oh yes, she is. Over the next year, she will learn how to do things like stick up for herself, live alone, and even calmly help bring a new life into the world.

It is a sweet read perfect for the beach or poolside, filled with character growth and plenty of chuckles.

*ARC supplied by the publisher Nimbus Publishing/Vagrant Press, the author, and NetGalley.

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SYNOPSIS: "National bestselling author Lesley Crewe's new novel explores widowhood, complicated family dynamics, and growing up at any age. Well, Dick's dead. Now what? Margo, his widow, is trying to dodge the tsunami of paperwork coming her way. She doesn't want to deal with the details ― why do you think she was married in the first place? Dick always handled the drudgery. Monty, Margo's ex-husband (the first one, not the dead one), is trying to support Margo ― who seems to be finally entering adulthood at the tender age of sixty-two. Their daughter Julia knows Margo needs her, but between work complications, house complications, and genius-yet-useless son complications, Julia's gasping for air already. Dead Dick's ex-wife Carole and their daughter Velma consider a Margo a maneater thanks to a few long-ago indiscretions, so the funeral is a nightmare. Life in New Brunswick lately is a tornado of siblings, children, pets, marriages, health issues, and endless bureaucracies. And at the centre of it all is Margo, living alone for the very first time, trying to endure everyone else's judgements about the woman she is when she doesn't even know herself. Maybe a cat will help. (The cat doesn't help.) How old do you have to be to come of age? ....and has anyone seen Dick's will? With humour and heart, national bestseller Lesley Crewe walks readers through the incredibly disruptive domino effects of the death of one unremarkable man."

Review: The Burning

The Burning by Linda Castillo
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book grabs you right from the very first page and doesn't let you go. A murder occurs in Painter's Mills, one of incredible savagery, and someone close to Kate is one of the suspects.

For the first time, Kate and her husband work together, and it doesn't really have the desired results.

This book did not let me down, and I think it was the best one yet,

Added to the mystery is an interesting background history of a little-known Anabaptist sect that may or may not be responsible for a few of these types of murders.

*ARC was Supplied by the publisher Minotaur Books, the author Linda Castillo, and NetGalley.

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SYNOPSIS: "Chief of Police Kate Burkholder investigates a gruesome murder that reveals a little-known chapter of early Amish history in this new installment of the bestselling series by Linda Castillo.

Newlywed Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is awakened by an urgent midnight call summoning her to a suspicious fire in the woods. When she arrives at the scene, she discovers a charred body. According to the coroner, the deceased, an Amish man named Milan Swanz, was chained to a stake and burned alive. It is an appalling and eerily symbolic crime against an upstanding husband and father.

Kate knows all too well that the Amish prefer to handle their problems without interference from the outside world, and no one will speak about the murdered man. From what she’s able to piece together, Swanz led a deeply troubled life and had recently been excommunicated. But if that’s the case, why are the Amish so reluctant to talk about him? Are they protecting the memory of one of their own? Or are they afraid of something they dare not share?

When her own brother is implicated in the case, Kate finds herself not only at odds with the Amish, the world of which she was once a part, but also the English community and her counterparts in law enforcement. The investigation takes a violent turn when Kate’s life is threatened by a mysterious stranger.

To uncover the truth about the death of Milan Swanz, Kate must dive deep into the Anabaptist culture, peering into all the dark corners of its history, only to uncover a secret legacy that shatters everything she thought she knew about the Amish themselves―and her own roots."

Review: Pink Glass Houses

Pink Glass Houses by Asha Elias
My rating: 5 of 5 stars




I loved this book, I really did but for the life of me, I don't think I can explain why! I love books about entitled rich people getting their comeuppances, and when we deal with bitchy women stabbing each other in the back, well, that makes it even better for me.


None of the women in this book were likable, even our protagonist, Melody. You see, Melody was our naive girl from a small Kansa city who moved to Miami Beach, which is a whole different place to be—and I do mean different!

It was hilarious (and not in the laughing kind of way) to see what the mothers do to get their kids through elementary school and what elementary school is like. And this wasn't even a private school, where you may expect things like this to happen. This was a public school!

Melody is desperate to make new friends, but she doesn't always make the best choices, and her actions don't always help. Things soon start to unravel when she realizes that even those she thinks of as friends may not really be her friends.

The ending of this novel - well, I sure didn't see that coming.

This was a quick and highly enjoyable read, perfect for your summer reading pleasure.

I highly recommend this book to those who want something that will take them out of their own lives and put themselves into the lives of someone who is way different.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher William Morrow, the author, and NetGalley . I thank you all.


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SYNOPSIS: "A seductive social satire about the wealthy PTA moms of an elite elementary school in Miami Beach, Pink Glass Houses is very Big Little Lies and Pineapple Street, but with diamonds, a tan, and a glass of rosé.

There’s a reason people call Miami Beach “a sunny place for shady people.”

Welcome to Sunset Academy, the most coveted elementary school in Miami Beach, where there are three categories of families: rich, wealthy, and ultra-wealthy.

Perfectly tanned and smiling Charlotte Giordani is Sunset Academy’s alpha mom. With a sleek blowout and relentless charm, Charlotte’s brashness serves her well. She’s up for election as the PTA president and is riding high, having just secured a massive donation from billionaire Don Walker and his socialite wife Patricia. Don and Patricia are philanthropists, media darlings, and the owners of Villa Rosé, a newly built modern glass house that everyone is talking about. (It’s either spectacular or a tacky eyesore, depending on how you feel about billionaires.)

Enter Melody Howard, a wide-eyed transplant from Wichita, Kansas. At first a skeptic about Miami Beach and its endlessly hashtaggable social scene, Melody finds herself sucked into the glossy, frenetic world of Sunset Academy moms. Melody’s easygoing manner and background in nonprofit management make her an asset to the PTA. But when she emerges as a rival for the PTA presidency, Charlotte begins to unravel. Even the most powerful players on the social scene prove to be vulnerable when an investigation into white-collar crime—triggered by another school mom, the formidable Jamaican-American Judge Carol Lawson—threatens to take down the whole institution. No amount of rosé can soothe tensions as the drama builds to a shocking crisis point.

Told in rotating first person voices, Pink Glass Houses is an irresistibly voyeuristic peek into the lives of the rich and infamous, where cocaine playdates, $100,000 kiddie birthday parties, and relentless social climbing are a way of life."

Review: Big in Sweden

Big in Sweden by Sally Franson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

1.5 STARS ROUNDED UP.

I truly don't know what to say about this book except that so many others liked or loved it, and I don't know why I feel so differently about it.

I don't think I found one thing I liked about the main character, Paulie Johansson, from her never-ending bouts of bawling to her childishness, horribly ditziness, and never-ending anger at anyone and anything.


I also very much disliked the author's disregard for anyone who may not think politically the same as she does. If there was a woke or PC phrase to be used, she used it. In fact, I would almost venture to say that this author truly hates America and Americans, men, and straight White people.

If you are going to read this book and are unsure if you will feel the same way I do, then get it from the library. But don't pass it up just because I had my feathers ruffled—that may be a good thing for you.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher Mariner Books/HarperCollins, the author, and NetGalley



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SYNOPSIS:"A charming, wise, and laugh-out-loud funny novel following an American woman competing on a Swedish reality show in an attempt to discover her roots. Paulie Johansson has never put much stock in the idea of she has her long-term boyfriend Declan and beloved best friend Jemma, and that’s more than enough for her. Yet one night on a lark, she lets Jemma convince her to audition for Sverige och Mig , a show on Swedish television where Swedish-Americans compete to win the ultimate a reunion with their Swedish relatives. Much to her shock, her drunken submission video wins her a spot on the show, and against Declan’s advice Paulie decides to go for it. Armed with her Polaroid camera, a beat-up copy of Pippi Longstocking, and an unquenchable sense of possibility, Paulie hops on a plane to Sweden and launches into the contest with seven other Americans, all under the watchful eye of a camera crew. At first, Paulie is certain that she and her competitors have nothing in common besides their passports and views their bloodthirsty ambitions with suspicion. Yet amid the increasingly absurd challenges—rowing from Denmark to Sweden in the freezing rain, battling through obstacle courses, competing in a pickled herring eating contest—Paulie finds herself rethinking her snap judgments about her fellow countrymen, while her growing attachment to her Swedish roots increases her resolve to win the competition herself. Grappling with long-held notions of family, friendship, and love—not to mention her feelings for the distractingly handsome Swedish cameraman who’s been assigned to follow her around—Paulie starts to reconsider her past and rethink what she wants for the future. A fish-out-of-water tale filled with warmth, optimism, and wit, Big in Sweden is at its heart a love love for family, friends, country, and—most importantly—oneself. "

Review: The Memo

The Memo by Rachel Dodes
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

DNF
With 2 hours and 24 minutes to go in this book, I finally admitted that I couldn't do it anymore.

I don't exactly know what it was about this book that so many others like, but I just couldn't read this anymore. I could not connect to Jenny, and I felt that the idea of memo controlling your life was not cute or funny - I felt it was horrible. If anything, none of those who got the "memo" lived their lives on their own terms. For instance, Jenny's best life should have had her being a baker...but no, it wasn't going to work that way. However, for all I know, she could have turned into the best baker in the world at the end of this book, but alas, I will never know. And frankly, I don't care.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher Harper Perennial/HarperCollins Publishers, the author, and NetGalley.


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If you could rewrite your life story, would you dare? That’s the question at the heart of this charming and propulsive debut novel about love, life, and a woman finding herself and what it means to be happy and successful.

Do you ever feel like your life doesn’t measure up to everyone else’s—and wonder if you just didn’t get the memo helping you make the right choices?

Jenny Green dreads her upcoming college reunion. Once top of her class, the thirty-five-year-old finds herself stuck in a life that isn’t the one she expected. Her promising career has flamed out (literally) and her deadbeat boyfriend is cheating on her (again). All her friends seem to have it all figured it out, enjoying glittering lives and careers that she can only envy from the sidelines. Did she just not get the memo they all did?

As it turns out, she didn’t!

When she arrives at her alma mater for the festivities, she receives a text from an unlisted number.

“Jenny please collect your memo.”

Somewhere on campus, a discreet female-led organization provides comprehensive memos to select students, a set of instructions that are a blueprint for success.

The first time around, Jenny didn’t receive hers. Now, she’s being given the second chance she wants—an opportunity to relive her life and make all the right decisions this time around. But at what price?

Smart, addictive, bittersweet, and ultimately triumphant, The Memo will enchant readers of In Five Years and Cassandra in Reverse as well as fans of Emma Straub and Maria Semple.

Review: Match Me If You Can

Match Me If You Can by Swati Hegde
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4.5 stars.

It's a perfect quick beach read, and it's very clean. It is set in Mumbai on India's west coast. The author wrote this novel in a very (I hate to use this term, but I know of no better) Americanized way. And I thank the author for letting me get a peek into this part of India and letting me understand everything; not all authors do so.

This read starts with a definite nod to Jane Austen's "Emma," so we have a fairly good idea of how this is going to play out, don't we?

I have to admit that several times, I wanted to throw my precious Kindle against the wall because this book upset me. Oh, not in a bad way, but the author sure can write a frustrating love story! And I was VERY frustrated!

Jia and Jaiman have known each other for quite a while, and of course, neither knows that the other loves them. This novel centers around this couple, but some of the secondary stories are captivating.

Jia wants to start her own matchmaking business, and Jaiman wants to have a successful pub. Of course, things don't work out the way they expected—naturally! I'm not going to tell you any more about this story; I just want you to read it. I hope your frustrations with Jai and Jaiman are the happy kind as mine were.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher - Random House Publishing Group, the author, and NetGalley.

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A young magazine writer in Mumbai must prove her matchmaking skills—and contend with growing feelings for her close family friend—in this debut desi romance.

Confident fashionista Jia Deshpande spends her days writing cliché-ridden listicles for Mimosa, Mumbai’s top women’s magazine. When she can, Jia dishes about the messy truth of real love on her anonymous blog, attends her family’s weekly game nights, and ignores her true feelings for her childhood friend. If that wasn’t enough, Jia needs to successfully set up a coworker with her perfect match to get the green light for her new matchmaking column. Thankfully, organizing meet-cutes has never been difficult for her.

Local pub owner and cocktail genius Jaiman Patil can’t help but be enamored with Jia and her meddling spirit. He’s always been an honorary part of her family, but even more so since his own moved to America. Life with the Deshpandes is chaotic and loud, but it’s also more loving than anything he experienced growing up, and he wouldn’t risk losing that for the world. It feels manageable—until his pub begins to struggle and his long-hidden feelings for Jia grow deeper.

When Jia’s attempts at office matchmaking go haywire, risking new friendships and her relationship with Jaiman, she must reevaluate her own thoughts on love. For the first time, Jia Deshpande realizes that love may be a lot more complicated than she thought. Luckily, happily-ever-afters are never in short supply in Mumbai.

SYNOPSIS: "

Review: Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie

Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie by Jackie Lau
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4.5 Stars

If you like the 'Fake Dating' romance, I think you are going to love this book. It has everything you would expect and then just a touch more. A couple of interesting twists had me powering through this novel even though, at first, I was skeptical. I did not like Emily Hung very much; I thought she was childish and ditzy. But the more I got to know and understand her, the more I liked and rooted for her. I also have to remember that I am older than the cast in this novel, and that may have colored my idea of her...if you know what I mean.

I also learned (and thank you for that) a lot about the writing and publishing industry that I never knew since Emily is an author.

The book's first half is written from Emily's point of view, and I expected the entire novel to be written that way. However, the author surprised me by switching to a back-and-forth point of view with Mark. I liked this very much, knowing what Mark was feeling.

So yes, you get your meet badly, then you need to keep Mom happy, so let's fake-date. Uh oh, I'm falling for this person. Oops, let's think about breaking up, and then tada!!!!

Yeah, it's a perfect light, fun romance novel just right for the summer!

ARC was supplied by the publisher Atria/Emily Bestler Books/Simon & Schuster, the author, and Edelweiss/ATTL.


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SYNOPSIS:"A charming rom-com about a young woman’s desperate attempts to fend off her meddling mother…only to find that maybe mother does know best.

Mark Chan this. Mark Chan that.

Writer and barista Emily Hung is tired of hearing about the great Mark Chan, the son of her parents’ friends. You’d think he single-handedly stopped climate change and ended child poverty from the way her mother raves about him. But in reality, he’s just a boring, sweater-vest-wearing engineer, and when they’re forced together at Emily’s sister’s wedding, it’s obvious he thinks he’s too good for her.

But now that Emily is her family’s last single daughter, her mother is fixated on getting her married and she has her sights on Mark. There’s only one solution, clearly : convince Mark to be in a fake relationship with her long enough to put an end to her mom’s meddling. He reluctantly agrees.

Unfortunately, lying isn’t enough. Family friends keep popping up at their supposed dates—including a bubble tea shop and cake-decorating class—so they’ll have to spend more time together to make their relationship look real. With each fake date, though, Emily realizes that Mark’s not quite what she assumed and maybe that argyle sweater isn’t so ugly after all…"

Review: The Seaside Sisters

The Seaside Sisters by Pamela M. Kelley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5 Stars

This was not a romance, although there was a happy ending for both sisters and their Aunt Maddie!
This was not a book I would compare to Mary Kay Andrews- MKA's books have a little sizzle to them, but this book does not. It is a very clean romance. This novel deals more with the grief each sister has to get over when their mother dies. Hannah, the youngest sister, has a bit of writer's block; Sara, the older sister, has some issues with her marriage, and Aunt Maddie has issues with her marriage.

We learn a lot about Cape Cod, 'ghost' a lawyer for some writer's tidbits, and find out how a mother of four copes with a recalcitrant husband and a new job and make a ton of new friends.


A pleasant read for a day at the beach, even if it's not Cape Cod!

*ARC was supplied by the publisher St. Martin's Griffin/ Macmillan Publishers, the author, and NetGalley.

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SYNOPSIS: "One summer can change everything.

Brooklyn-based Hannah is a bestselling author struggling to write her second book after personal losses. Her older sister, Sara, still lives in Chatham, Cape Cod, where they grew up, and is married with four children. Once a dedicated librarian, Sara dreams of reviving her love affair with literature, but instead, she is stuck with too many family responsibilities and a fizzling marriage.

When Hannah gets the chance to retreat to her aunt's oceanfront house in Chatham for the summer, it seems like just the thing to get her creative juices flowing. And she’ll be able to spend more time with Sara, who is eager to find her way back into the workforce, to do something rewarding and book-related. The pair will spend the summer making friends, rekindling romance― especially Spencer, an old acquaintance from high school-turned very hot grump― and opening themselves up to the magic of books and the beach.

Perfect for fans of Mary Kay Andrews, Susan Mallery and Brenda Novak, The Seaside Sisters will delight and charm you as easily as an ocean breeze."