Book Review and Giveaway - Read and Gone: A Haunted Library Mystery by Allison Brook

Book Synopsis:

Twenty million dollars’ worth of missing gems bring Carrie Singleton’s long-lost and larcenous dad back into her life and it’s up to Carrie to clear his name.

A devoted dad is as precious as diamonds, but Carrie Singleton wouldn’t know since her dad Jim’s been on the lam most of her life. In an unusual family reunion, she finds Jim breaking into her cottage in the middle of the night. The fun really starts when he begs her to help him recover his half of a twenty-million-dollar gem heist he pulled off with the local jeweler, Benton Parr. When she refuses, Jim takes off again.

Carrie finds her father again behind bars for the recent murder of Benton Parr. Who made the connection? Unbeknownst to her, Carrie’s boyfriend Dylan, an insurance investigator, has been searching for the gems. Determined to find the jewels herself, she starts examining every facet of Parr’s life. She turns up a treasure trove of suspects, one of whom bashes her on the head as she’s searching the victim’s country cabin.

Retreating to the quiet confines of the library where she works, Carrie watches as Smokey Joe, the resident cat, paws at a hole in the wall. Is he after the library’s ghost Evelyn, or something shinier?

My Review:
Read and Gone is the second book in the Haunted Library Mystery series.  Carrie Singleton works at a small Connecticut library.  She loves her work, has made friends with several coworkers, and even has a ghost friend -- Evelyn, who worked at the library years ago.  When Carrie's father, a reformed jewel thief, returns unexpectedly, her life is up-ended ... especially since her boyfriend is an insurance investigator who specializes in theft cases.   When there is an unexpected murder, Carrie works to solve the mystery.

This is my second read in this series.  I enjoyed both books, Death Overdue and Read and Gone, and look forward to future reads in this series.  The details of Carrie's life unfold in both books, and I would recommend reading them in order.

There is just so much that I enjoyed about this cozy mystery.  I loved the holiday setting, as Carrie and the library staff prepared for Christmas.  I like the continuing romance between Carrie and Dylan;  they are so well matched and their scenes together are great.  I also loved the glimpses of Carrie's family, especially her dad, Jim.

Evelyn continues to be a delightful character.  I have pictured her a bit like Aunt Clara in the Bewitched TV series, popping in as a very properly dressed older lady.  I found the way that Evelyn sent Carrie to visit her senior citizen friend in a nursing home very touching.

And of course I loved that kitty, Smoky Joe.  He even played a part in solving the mystery!

The mystery itself was well plotted and had enough possible suspects to make this a very enjoyable read.  

I highly recommend Read and Gone to fans of cozy mysteries, especially for readers who enjoy holiday mysteries and library settings.

Author Bio:
Allison Brook is the pseudonym for Marilyn Levinson, who writes mysteries, romantic suspense, and novels for kids. She lives on Long Island and enjoys traveling, reading, watching foreign films, doing Sudoku and dining out. She especially loves to visit with her grandchildren on FaceTime. 

Author Links
Website: http://www.marilynlevinson.com
My Amazon page: http://amzn.to/K6Md1O
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marilyn.levinson.10?ref=ts&fref=ts
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/161602.Marilyn_Levinson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarilynLevinson
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/marilev/ 

Purchase Links
Amazon   B&N  BookBub

Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Great Escapes Book Tours.

Book Review - Sons of Blackbird Mountain by Joane Bischof

Book Synopsis
After the tragic death of her husband, Aven Norgaard is beckoned to give up her life in Norway to become a housekeeper in the rugged hills of Nineteenth-Century Appalachia. Upon arrival, she finds herself in the home of her late husband’s cousins—three brothers who make a living by brewing hard cider on their three-hundred acre farm. Yet even as a stranger in a foreign land, Aven has hope to build a new life in this tight-knit family.

But her unassuming beauty disrupts the bond between the brothers. The youngest two both desire her hand, and Aven is caught in the middle, unsure where—and whether—to offer her affection. While Haakon is bold and passionate, it is Thor who casts the greatest spell upon her. Though Deaf, mute, and dependent on hard drink to cope with his silent pain, Thor possesses a sobering strength.

As autumn ushers in the apple harvest, the rift between Thor and Haakon deepens and Aven faces a choice that risks hearts. Will two brothers’ longing for her quiet spirit tear apart a family? Can she find a tender belonging in this remote, rugged, and unfamiliar world?

A haunting tale of struggle and redemption, Sons of Blackbird Mountain is a portrait of grace in a world where the broken may find new life through the healing mercy of love.

 

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

My Review
In 1890, young widow Aven Norgaard travels from Norway to the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia to live with her late husband's relatives.  Life on Blackbird Mountain is very different from anything she has experienced.   The household consists of three brothers.  The two youngest brothers - very different men - both develop a romantic interest in Aven.  As she settles into life in Appalachia, she also sorts through her feelings about Thor and Haakon.

Sons of Blackbird Mountain is a unique historical novel set in a small Appalachian community.  The setting is so beautifully described and the book is so immersive.  I found myself thinking about Blackbird Mountain and the people who lived there in between reading times.  

Aven is a wonderfully sympathetic protagonist -- strong, brave, and kind.  It took tremendous courage for her to travel from Norway to an unknown home in Virginia, and to settle in smoothly there.  She is courted by two men in the family.  Haakon is young and impetuous, handsome and charming.  Thor is brooding and strong, with an unfortunate weakness for the hard cider that the Norgaard family produces on their farm.  

Thor is also deaf and mute.  The details of his life and how he communicates (and struggles to communicate at times) were both fascinating and moving.  I especially found his memories of life at a school for the deaf as a young man so sad.  The early school he went to was overseen by Alexander Graham Bell.  Bell did not believe that deaf children should sign at all, and they even had to wear mitts so they would be forced to lip read and speak.

I loved the daily details of life on the mountain -- like the first time Aven tried to swim in the pond on the mountain, the way Aven sewed clothes from fabric found in the farm outbuildings, and cooking on the farm.  

I especially loved the slow courtship between Aven and Thor.  I will admit to a bit of a book crush on Thor.  I loved the way so much of their courtship was written and passed back and forth in notes.  The scenes of Thor learning to dance, despite not hearing music, were amazing.

One of my favorite novels is Christy by Catherine Marshall (set in the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee, 1910's) and I felt a real kinship between that book and Sons of Blackbird Mountain.  The plots and characters were very different, but there was a similar beauty in the simplicity of mountain life, and a quiet strength from faith.

Sons of Blackbird Mountain is my favorite review read of 2018.  It is such a lovely book, and I am delighted to learn that there will be a sequel.   I cannot recommend this novel highly enough for fans of historical fiction.  It is a joy to live in the world of Blackbird Mountain as you read this book.

Author Bio
A Christy and Carol Award winner, Joanne Bischof writes deeply layered fiction that tugs at the reader’s heartstrings. She lives in the mountains of Southern California with her three children.

 

Connect with Joanne

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I received a copy of this book from TLC Book Reviews.

Dear Abby: Back from Summer Break

Dear Friends,

I wanted to pop in and say "hi" and catch up.  I've missed being in touch with you!   I took the entire Summer off with my Momma, but I am back with regular posts again.  I will share a few pics today and catch up with you.

More than anything, I enjoyed lots of time with Momma this summer.  Here I am relaxing on the bed!

And here I am cuddling with some of my lovies.

My friend Elsie came to stay a couple of times.  This is a picture of the two of us in nap mode.  We often sit and lie in the same position!

Summertime means holidays with lots of fireworks.  I don't like loud noises, so I wear my comforting Thundershirt.   (Fans and happy music also helps!)

August 25 was a special day -- my birthday!   I turned 9 this year.   I don't feel a day over 2 though.

Birthdays mean treats!

My buddy Oz and his family sent me this cute card.  I love it!

So you've heard a bit about my summer.  How was YOUR summer?  If you have pets, what do they enjoy about the summer months?

I'm really glad to be back chatting with you and look forward to being in touch this Fall.  I'm looking for some fun posting themes ... I have a few ideas but if you have any dog themes you would like to read about, please let me know in the comments.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Love,

Abby (now 9 years old!) xoxoxo

Summer Break

Hi all,

As Abby mentioned in her "Dear Abby" post last Friday, we are both planning to take a Summer-long break, but will return after Labor Day.

I have taken August off the past few years, but this is the longest break I have taken since I started blogging.  I want some down time to just relax for the Summer, but I also want to rethink some blog goals.

I am looking forward to a long stretch of reading.   When I was in my teens and 20's, I adored the Jalna series by Mazo de la Roche.  This is a family saga told in 16 books.  It is set in Canada between 1854 - 1954.  It is a big sweeping historical fiction series and reminds me a bit of Upstairs-Downstairs and Downton Abbey.   I have been waiting until I had a long, uninterrupted reading period to start this re-read.  I'm very excited to read these books again.

My best friend and I are also planning to rewatch the entire Mad Men series.   We both have the book Mad Men Carousel: The Complete Critical Companion, and plan to read that episode-by-episode as we go along.

Otherwise, I am sure there will be time for trying some new recipes, playing the guitar, and enjoying some time in the sunshine.  (I will still be working in my shops this Summer, and you can keep up with my work and vintage life on Facebook at my Birdhouse Books page.)   Of course, Abby will be helping with everything!

I look forward to catching up with you again in September!

Trish

Book Review - The Weaver’s Daughter by Sarah E. Ladd

Book Synopsis
Kate’s loyalties bind her to the past. Henry’s loyalties compel him to strive for a better future. In a landscape torn between tradition and vision, can two souls find the strength to overcome their preconceptions? 

Loyalty has been at the heart of the Dearborne family for as long as Kate can remember, but a war is brewing in their small village, one that has the power to rip families asunder — including her own. As misguided actions are brought to light, she learns how deep her father’s pride and bitterness run, and she begins to wonder if her loyalty is well-placed.

Henry Stockton, heir to the Stockton fortune, returns home from three years at war hoping to find a refuge from his haunting memories. Determined to bury the past, he embraces his grandfather’s goals to modernize his family’s wool mill, regardless of the grumblings from the local weavers. When tragedy strikes shortly after his arrival, Henry must sort out the truth from suspicion if he is to protect his family’s livelihood and legacy.

Henry has been warned about the Dearborne family. Kate, too, has been advised to stay far away from the Stocktons, but chance meetings continue to bring her to Henry’s side, blurring the jagged lines between loyalty, justice, and truth. Kate ultimately finds herself with the powerful decision that will forever affect her village’s future. As unlikely adversaries, Henry and Kate must come together to find a way to create peace for their families, and their village, and their souls – even if it means risking their hearts in the process.

 

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

My Review
The Weaver's Daughter is set in 1801 Yorkshire, England, in the small village of Amberdale.  This novel tells the story of Kate Dearborne, a weaver's daughter, and Henry Stockton, whose family owns a large wool mill.  Although their families are at odds, Kate and Henry feel drawn to each other.  This sets a series of major events in motion.

I found the time period and setting for this book very intriguing.  I knew very little about everyday life during the early 1800's, and nothing at all about weavers or wool mills.  The historical setting was beautifully rendered and I felt I learned about early mills through the pages of this book.  Learning interesting tidbits about history is one of the things that attracts me to historical fiction.

The book explores both the characters of Kate, a small town girl whose father is a weaver, and wealthy Henry, whose family owns the town wool mill.  They have an immediate attraction and a Romeo and Juliet type story sets in motion, as their families are very much at odds.


This novel features well developed characters (especially Kate and Henry), and the author's descriptions are wonderful.  This is my first read by Sarah E. Ladd, but I have already downloaded two more of her books onto my Kindle.  I am eager to read more!

The Weaver's Daughter begins at a leisurely pace but the pacing picks up as the action for the story does as well.   There is a suspenseful storyline involving a murder and the fate of the Stockton mill.

This book shines light on the lives of women in the early 1800's.  Kate wants to be recognized as a weaver and a business person, but her father sees her only as a helper and the potential wife of a man who can help his business.   Henry's sister deals with the scandal of a pregnancy without marriage.   There is also a storyline about children working in the mills, and the need to protect them and insure their safety.


I recommend The Weaver's Daughter for fans of historical fiction.  This is a setting that is not featured in many novels and I think other historical fiction readers will enjoy this unique aspect of the book.

Author Bio
Sarah E. Ladd received the 2011 Genesis Award in historical romance for The Heiress of Winterwood. She is a graduate of Ball State University and has more than ten years of marketing experience. Sarah lives in Indiana with her amazing family and spunky Golden Retriever.

 

Connect with Sarah

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I received a copy of this book from TLC Book Tours.