Book Review - The Inn at Tansy Falls by Cate Woods

 

The Inn at Tansy Falls by Cate Woods follows a woman, Penelope "Nell" Swift, who travels the world to fulfill her best friend Megan Shaw’s dying wish. Their friendship endured the test of time, and they had been best friends for years until Megan’s untimely death from cancer.  After Megan’s passing, she left a note for Nell instructing her to visit her hometown of Tansy Falls and scatter her ashes.

In the letter, she outlines one activity for Nell to complete each day while in Tansy Falls. Megan hopes that Nell will fall in love with the town and find solace during her mourning.  As Nell reluctantly begins to check off items from the list, she starts to feel a connection to the people and the town, especially with one particular resident. Will Nell discover a new beginning to aid her healing?

The book offers a quick and easy read with no unexpected twists and includes some romantic elements. It provides a cozy experience with a feel-good ending and storyline. The narrative captures the fun and quirks of a small-town setting and its characters. I enjoyed reading about Nell’s daily itinerary, her connections with other characters, and her journey of healing.  I would be open to reading more works by this author.

Book Review - Her Heart's Desire by Shelley Shepard Gray

 

Her Heart's Desire by Shelley Shepard Gray follows a young woman, Mary Margaret Miller, who seeks a fresh start. Mary craves a break from her life in her small Amish community. She decides to take a bus alone to enjoy her vacation in Pinecraft, Florida. On the bus, Mary meets Betsy and Lilly, and she is delighted to connect with them.

Mary feels thrilled to have made two new friends, discovering they share a lot in common. The trio quickly bonds and decides to spend two weeks together, determined to make the most of their time. Mary feels excited when she meets Jayson Raber. He is handsome and charming and works as a carpenter. They are drawn to each other, but Jayson is hiding a secret—he is promised to another girl back home in Kentucky. Mary enjoys her newfound freedom until someone from her community unexpectedly appears in Pinecraft. She feels that her vacation, which was going perfectly, is now ruined.

I thought the book was an okay read. It didn’t have many twists and turns. I have read a few of the author’s other books, and I didn’t really like the characters in this one. The conversations and behaviors of the characters felt quite juvenile. I think Mary’s new friends, Betsy and Lilly, shouldn’t have pushed her to become friends with someone before she was ready, nor should they have expected one “I am sorry” conversation to mend years of hurt. I wish the back cover didn’t spoil Jayon’s secret, and that it was revealed to us in the story. The book features multiple storylines with different romances unfolding simultaneously. I felt that some of the storylines could have been more fleshed out. While this isn’t my favorite book by the author, I would still read more from them.

Book Review - Camp Twisted Pine by Ciera Burch

 

Camp Twisted Pine by Ciera Burch is a middle-grade horror novel about a young girl, Naomi, whose first summer camp experience is ruined by the discovery of spooky creatures abducting her fellow campers. Naomi loves everything related to being outdoors. She enjoys nature and the animals it hosts. However, rather than experiencing nature firsthand, she prefers to explore it through reading. When her parents mention that they are planning to get a divorce, they decide to send Naomi and her twin brother to summer camp while they try to work on their marriage. Naomi wants her parents to repair their relationship, but she would rather be anywhere else than at camp.

As much as Naomi tries to dislike Camp Twisted Pine, she finds herself enjoying it. Her counselors are kind, and she gets along well with her cabinmates, especially Jackie, who has a blunt personality and isn’t fond of the camp either. Jackie is hard of hearing and uses a hearing aid. The girls develop a bond as Jackie teaches Naomi sign language. Naomi values the time she and Jackie spend together, which makes Camp Twisted Pine a lot more enjoyable. However, when campers start going missing, including Jackie, Naomi must find a way to save everyone, including herself, before it’s too late.

The novel is a cute and quick read. I enjoyed reading about how Naomi and Jackie bonded and how each character emerged from their shell. I appreciated that they included the myth of the Jersey Devils, and the story had several twists that young readers might enjoy. The book features some spooky and creepy elements, making it a good introduction for young fans interested in the horror genre.

Book Review - Benny on the Case by Wesley King

 

Benny on the Case by Wesley King is about a young boy, Benny, who teams up with a new friend, Salma, to help solve a recent string of thefts that threaten to close down his home in a Newfoundland retirement community, Starflower by the Sea. Benny isn’t like the average kid his age. He has Mosaic Down syndrome, lives in a retirement home, and his best friend is an eighty-six years old named Mr. Tom.

Benny has finally convinced his mother to allow him to attend mainstream classes instead of the special courses he usually takes with other children who have special needs. The other students tease him because he is different, and Benny starts to feel alone until a new girl joins the school. Salma is new to the area, and she is also different. She is tech-savvy, speaks Arabic, plays sports with a major love for basketball, and she isn’t afraid to speak her mind.

Salma and Benny end up befriending each other, which comes in handy when Salma’s grandmother and other residents who live at the retirement home that Benny and his mother run are robbed. After the string of robberies is reported, the inspector threatens to close down the home unless they can figure out who is behind the robberies. As if Benny and Salma didn’t have enough going on, they also have to deal with the bullies at school and try to find a way for everyone to work together peacefully on a school project.

I like that the author included a small dictionary and explanations for some of the Newfoundland terminology the characters used. Some terms were easy to understand, while others I had to revisit to grasp their meanings. The novel was easy to read, with a few twists, and it was entertaining to see how Salma and Benny try to figure out the mystery while dealing with bullies.

I appreciate that the book tackled difficult topics in a heartwarming yet realistic way. For example, when a character talks about coming to terms with their past, it doesn’t come with the exact heartwarming closure we expect (i.e., the other person forgives them and reconnects the moment the other person passes). It took a few chapters before I became invested in the storyline, but I would be interested in reading more books by the author.

The Best Strangers in the World: Stories from a Life Spent Listening by Ari Shapiro

 

The Best Strangers in the World: Stories from a Life Spent Listening by Ari Shapiro is the memoir of the acclaimed NPR host. Ari discusses his childhood and coming out to his friends and family, along with his personal and professional life experiences. He shares behind-the-scenes stories of some of his popular pieces and the people he has met along the way. Ari also reflects on his time working in the White House press pool and his interactions with President Obama during travels on Air Force One, detailing how he got started.

Before reading his memoir, I wasn’t familiar with Ari Shapiro. However, I found the stories he shared about his life experiences to be engaging, even though most were unrelatable to me. I do wish he had included more fascinating stories about other people. I particularly enjoyed the last part of the book, when he discussed the individuals and their stories that had a significant impact on him. If you are a fan of Ari, you will enjoy this book, as it primarily focuses on his experiences.

Book Review - When We Had Summer by Jennifer Castle

 

When We Had Summer by Jennifer Castle is about a group of friends dealing with the death of their friend.  Every summer, four friends, Danielle, her cousin Carly, and their friends Penny and Lainie, spend their summer together at the Jersey Shore in Ocean Park Heights. They call themselves “The Summer Sisters,” and together, they complete a bucket list each summer. Carly creates the list, and they all complete the fun and sometimes silly items together, and it’s the highlight of their summer.

However, this summer, everything is going to be different because last winter, unexpectedly, Carly passed away. The remaining Summer Sisters try to come to terms with her sudden passing and the Carly-shaped hole that she left in their lives. As they try to cope, life keeps throwing more unexpected obstacles their way that might threaten to split them up for good.

Danielle has been accepted into a prestigious summer music academy in New York City. She is excited to go but feels torn when she realizes that she will be living with Carly’s parents and sister for the summer. Penny feels that her family is coming undone at home, so she decides to get a new job to distract herself. She also meets a new guy, Dex, who seems to understand her and makes her feel less alone.  Lainie’s family is selling their family bakery and moving out of Ocean Park Heights. Ocean Park Heights was the only place she knew as home, and the plan was for her to inherit the bakery when she grew older.

As the Summer Sisters are each spending the summer apart, Danielle discovers a bucket list Carly had started to create for the summer. She decides to reach out to Penny and Lainie so they can work on it together. Danielle feels that this would be the lifeline that holds them together, even if it’s just for one final summer together.

The novel was an okay read. It felt longer than it needed to be at times, and reminded me of “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants,” but this book wasn’t as fun. It took a bit of time for me to like the characters. While the book is geared towards young adults, I felt like the characters were a lot younger as they were acting very childish at times. Towards the end of the book, I did enjoy the characters a bit more, but not enough to read another sequel if there is one.

Book Review - Thorns, Lust, and Glory: The Betrayal of Anne Boleyn by Estelle Paranque

 

Thorns, Lust, and Glory: The Betrayal of Anne Boleyn by Estelle Paranque is about the rise and fall of Anne Boleyn. Anne Boleyn is known to be the second wife of Henry XVIII who met an unfortunate ending.  Most of her writing has been destroyed so her side of the story was rarely told, and she was often vilified. The only thing that was known for certain is that Anne was tragically executed at the Tower of London on May 19, 1536.

The book was an okay read. I thought the book would have included more details from Anne’s point of view but at times, it seems like she barely played a role in the story. It was like she was a side character. It feels like most of the focus was on Henry and Francis. I feel disappointed by this because the book seems to be billed as a book about Anne. At times, the book seemed boring, and it was very dense with details and speculation on what Anne might have said. I understand that Anne’s works were destroyed but maybe it would have been better to write this as a fictional story instead.

Book Review - Bird of a Thousand Stories by Kiyash Monsef

 

Bird of a Thousand Stories by Kiyash Monsef follows a young woman named Marjan Dastani, who is a veterinarian for magical creatures. Many of Marjan’s friends are unaware that she leads a secret double life. Only a few of her closest friends know that when she isn’t in school, she serves as a veterinarian to magical beasts and is employed by a mysterious shadow organization known as The Fells. 

During one of her recent expeditions, she encounters a mythical creature connected to the legendary Bird of a Thousand Stories. Marjan is tasked with finding and protecting this mythical being, as someone is hunting it. As she embarks on this journey, she realizes that keeping her life a secret may cost her the closeness of those she cares about.

The novel is the second book in the series, but this wasn’t evident to me until I began reading it. I was able to follow along with the story, though there were character nuances that I feel I would have grasped better with more context. I found it difficult to immerse myself in the book, as I didn’t connect with any of the characters, and the novel felt somewhat dull. However, I appreciated the sections that discussed the mythology behind the “Bird of a Thousand Stories.” I don’t think I would be inclined to read more from this author unless it were another book unrelated to this series.

Book Review - Nemesis: An Orphan X Novel by Gregg Hurwitz

 

Nemesis: An Orphan X Novel by Gregg Hurwitz is about Evan Smoak getting revenge after he finds out his best friend, Tommy Stojack, has betrayed him. Evan was a highly trained government assassin but now he lives on the fringes of society and offers his services to anyone who has been wronged. He tries to keep to himself, and only talks to a few trusted individuals. He has a strict code he calls “The Ten Commandments”, to keep him and others in line.

After a recent mission, Evan finds himself at odds with Tommy. Tommy had betrayed Evan and had broken one of the Commandments. Evan is torn on whether or not he should confront Tommy and let him face the consequences, or if Evan should let it go.

Tommy is a gifted gunsmith and has created all of Evan’s weapons and combat gear. Tommy is well known for his sniper skills. As Tommy had broken one of Evan’s rules, their friendship is torn apart, and it might lead to one of them not leaving alive. 

The novel is a part of a series. I have read one other book in the series, and I was able to read this one and follow along well. I do recommend reading the books in order as it helps with character nuances. I was a bit torn on this book. I was a fan of Evan’s in the previous book, but I didn’t like all of his choices in this novel. I felt like he tries to be a “good person” but he came off as callous and wasn’t open to giving people a second chance at redemption especially when he himself was given a second chance.  The novel was packed with action but no unexpected twists and turns. My favorite parts were Evan’s interaction with his closest friends, Tommy and Joey. I would be interested in reading more books in the series.

Book Review - The Six -- Young Readers Edition: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts by Loren Grush

 

The Six -- Young Readers Edition: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts by Loren Grush is about the accomplishments of the first female astronauts. When NASA first sent astronauts to the moon in the 1960s and 1970s, the agency didn’t allow women to participate. NASA claimed that only military test pilots had the skill set necessary. Women were not allowed to become test pilots either.

In the 1980s, there was a new push for women to travel into the space frontier as Russia sent the first female into space. NASA decided to make space travel more inclusive and opened its application process to women and people of color. During the application and selection process, six women scientists were picked - Sally Ride, Judith Resnik, Anna Lee Fisher, Kathy Sullivan, Shannon Lucid, and Rhea Seddon. They wanted to prove that they belonged in space and had all the necessary skills to become astronauts.

The book is written by journalist Loren Grush who depicts the struggles and journey the women went through to become the first female astronauts. The book was an interesting read, and it had a lot of information and tidbits about the astronauts that I never knew before. I knew that Sally Ride was the first female, but I knew very little about the other talented women. I also like that it included interviews from people who knew them. I liked that the book contained additional resources if readers wanted to read more about the astronauts.