Book Review - The Brave In-Between: Notes from the Last Room

The Brave In-Between: Notes from the Last Room by Amy Low is a memoir about Amy navigating life after going through a divorce while battling stage four cancer.  Amy is in a hospital room which will be the last room she will reside in. Her doctors told her that there is no cure for Stage IV metastatic colon cancer and the odds of long survival are very slim.  However, it is now four years after her diagnosis, and that has changed her outlook on life.

I thought the book was an okay read. I usually don’t like reading a lot of memoirs, but I was curious about this one. I felt like I could have gone without reading it. At times, I was trying to understand what the end goal of the book was. I wasn’t sure if this was supposed to be a self-help book, a guide, or a memoir. The book does have religious elements and talks about the author coming to terms with her life. If that is something that interests you, you might enjoy the book more than I did.

Book Review - Sacrificial Animals by Kailee Pedersen

 

Sacrificial Animals by Kailee Pedersen is about two brothers, Nick and Joshua Morrow, returning home after their father, Carlyle, calls them back there. Nick Morrow never expected to receive an invitation from his father to return home to their family home and farm in rural Nebraska. He thought when he first left, he would be leaving everything in the past including his abusive father.  However, he knows that he and his brother could never refuse or ignore their father.

Joshua was disowned and left the family home after marrying a woman named Emilia. She is a woman of Asian descent. Carlyle is sick and hopes that he can reconcile with his sons before dying.  As expected, Carlyle warms to and spends all his time with his older son, Joshua, and leaves Nick and Emilia alone.  As Nick and Emilia spend more time together, they grow closer and become intimate. It isn’t long before Nick finds himself drawn to her but he suspects that Emilia might have a darker motive than she is letting on.

I had originally picked this book because of the gorgeous cover and the interesting title. The synopsis seemed so interesting and filled with dark twists and turns. It does spoil some of the story though.

I was deeply disappointed in this novel. It was very boring and predictable. There would be pages where nothing would happen. The book was told in a dual timeline but it felt like it didn’t add anything to the story or the progression of it.  I was able to guess every single twist and turn way before it was even hinted at.

I wasn’t a fan of the writing style. It felt dry and clinical, almost like reading a textbook. I also didn’t like that the author kept reusing the same words multiple times within a short span. It made the book feel like the author used a bunch of words to make the book seem more intellectual/literary and longer than it should have been. I was expecting a lot more from this book and it failed to deliver as there was no horror or scary parts.

Book Review - Scam Goddess: Lessons from a Life of Cons, Grifts, and Schemes by Laci Mosley

Scam Goddess: Lessons from a Life of Cons, Grifts, and Schemes by Laci Mosley is a nonfiction book about cons, frauds, scams, and schemes that are commonplace in our world. Laci Mosley is a comedian, podcaster, and actress who from a young age knew that life can be filled with people who will try to scam, con, and rob others. Some of them can be little cons where they don’t hurt anyone or get anyone in trouble. Those little ones would just help give someone a boost to get them where they need to be in life.

I was surprised at how much I liked this book. It is written as a memoir and a self-help book. I found it to be entertaining and funny.  I liked that Laci incorporated her life story and real true crime stories but also identified how someone could put it into play in making themselves better. While I might not be putting any of her advice into practice, I did like the book and would be open to reading books by the author. I know the author has a podcast, but this was my first time hearing about her. I might be open to listening to her podcast if I come across it.

Book Review - The Secrets of Emberwild by Stephenia H. McGee

The Secrets of Emberwild by Stephenia H. McGee is about a woman, Nora Fenton, who is left to pick up the pieces after her father dies. Nora is a gifted horse trainer and loves to race and raise horses. She even prefers being in the company of them instead of men.  She finds that she can understand horses better, they are more reliable, and they don’t try to control her or tell her what to do. When her father passes away, Nora feels that she must save their struggling horse farm.

She decides that she will enter her prize colt in the harness race at the Mississippi Fair. If she wins, she feels that she might get a chance at independence and save her family’s farm. But in 1905, women were not allowed to race, and Nora was determined to race regardless of what was expected of her.

As if Nora doesn’t have enough on her plate, a stranger arrives at the farm in the guise of looking for work and starts to ask a lot of unsettling questions about the farm and their prized seed horse. She feels that he is asking these questions because he has a darker motive than just wanting the horse training job. However, she can’t help but feel that the stranger is connected to her father. Nora was there when her father took his last breath and had made a deathbed confession. Nora couldn’t completely piece together the remnants of the story her father tried telling her while gasping for breath. He had hinted at a dark secret about the farm and that everything he had built was based on lies.

Silas Cavallero feels that his father’s death wasn’t an accident no matter what everyone says. He knows his father was a gifted horse trainer and wouldn’t have died in a horse racing accident like everyone claims. He is willing to do whatever it takes to solve the mystery, so he travels to Emberwild to take a job and ask around if anyone knows his father. As Silas probes further into the mystery of his father’s death, someone is desperate to protect their secret that they won’t stop until Silas either gets the message and leaves or dies. Silas must decide if knowing the truth is worth risking his life for.

I thought the book was an okay read. I felt like the book was a bit long-winded at times. I didn’t connect with most of the characters, and I was disappointed that Nora’s mother was so detestable. I felt that as her mother, she could have done more to protect Nora and be more honest and upfront with her daughter. It seems that they both wanted the same things but Nora’s mother insists on being “cloak and dagger” about certain things, which didn't make the situation any better.  I didn’t connect with any of the characters and found most of the twists of the books to be predictable. I would be open to reading more books by the author, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to read more of their books.

Book Review - The Trouble with Anna by Rachel Griffiths

 

The Trouble with Anna by Rachel Griffiths is about a young woman, Lady Anna, who needs to marry Julian Lord Ramsay otherwise she will be left destitute.  Anna loves living with her beloved grandfather and their horses.  However, when her grandfather unexpectedly dies, she finds that her grandfather wrote in his will that unless Anna marries Lord Ramsay, she will inherit nothing and be destitute. 

Lord Ramsay is shocked to hear the news and believes that Anna put her grandfather behind the scheme to marry him. However, it isn’t a ruse and Anna is just as surprised. She wants nothing to do with Lord Ramsay either, but as the pair are thrown together, they find themselves attracted to each other. Will Anna be willing to marry Lord Ramsay or will she fight for her independence?

The book was an okay read. It moved very slowly and there were portions where nothing happened. I did like some of the back-and-forth dialogue between the characters as they were witty and clever.  There were a few parts where I even laughed at the commentary between the female characters. However, a few times, I found Anna to be annoying. She could be so bold and fight for what she believes, and then in turn shrink like a violet near Lord Ramsay and do or say silly things.  I also found their romance to be a bit weird. Lord Ramsay seems to find Anna to be plain and silly and makes fun of her constantly, and then somehow is so besotted he can’t put two thoughts together. The book is billed as a spicy romance, but I didn’t notice any spicy parts. Just a lot of heavy making out between the pair.  I found the entire book to be dull and didn’t care for any of the characters towards the end.

Book Review - Wishing on a Christmas Cowboy by Sara Richardson

 

Wishing on a Christmas Cowboy by Sara Richardson is about a woman, Kyra Fowler, who inherits property from her dad who abandoned her as a child.  Kyra is a pediatric nurse, and she is excited that she has her dream job lined up. She is moving to London to work at a prestigious children’s hospital there.  However, before she can move and start her life over, she has to fix up the small Wyoming town her estranged father has left her. She hopes that she can fix up the place according to the will and then attract a buyer so she can move on with her life. She hopes that by the New Year, everything will be settled with her father’s will and that she will be in London.

Aiden Steele is an ex-Navy SEAL. He feels that it is his fault he couldn’t save his brother-in-law on the battlefield. He thinks that he needs to help save his sister’s ranch and give his nieces the life they deserve since their father is no longer alive. He is upset that Kyra inherited the town and wants to sell it off to developers. He decides to show Kyra the magic of a small town and hopes that a Christmas miracle happens, and that she decides not to sell. However, the more time he spends with Kyra, he realizes that his plan might have unintended side effects.

The novel is an okay read. It is a straightforward romance with no unexpected twists and turns. It does have some steamy sexual scenes but nothing that goes into a lot of detail or happens that frequently. I found the book to be an entertaining read, and it was a fun romance book to read during the holidays. It does remind me a bit of those cheesy holiday romance movies from Hallmark.

 

Book Review - The Women on Platform Two by Laura Anthony

 

 

The Women on Platform Two by Laura Anthony is about a group of Irish women who demand control of their bodies and the effects this has on modern women. In 1969 in Dublin, Maura had just married the man of her dreams. Dr. Christy Davenport is of a woman's dreams and a pillar of society. He is charismatic, handsome, and has a great job. Shortly after tying the knot, Maura noticed her husband has a darker side that she didn’t know about. He has a vicious temper, and he is quick to anger and turns violent. While Maura wants to have a child, she worries that her child might never be safe around her husband.

Maura befriends one of her husband’s patients, Bernie. Bernie is a mother of three and she learns that if she conceives again, that her health complications might be fatal. Bernie loves her husband and wants to be intimate with him but they both fear the consequences if she ends up pregnant again.
In Dublin 2023, Saoirse is a nurse who is engaged to a fiancée whom she loves. He wants kids, but Saoirse is unsure if she wants kids or if she will ever be ready for kids. After a tense conversation, Saoirse decides to go for a walk and crosses paths with one of the women who made this choice even possible for her.

The novel was an entertaining and poignant read. It is still relevant today as women all over the world still struggle to maintain control of their bodies and their family planning decisions. The novel is told from alternating points of view and time. It was interesting reading the point of view of all the women, how different each of their circumstances were, and the reasons why they each didn’t want to have children. While the story didn’t have any twists or unexpected moments, I found the book to be a great read, and it kept me engaged to read more about these strong women. It also served as a reminder that if you stand up for what you believe in, change can happen.

Book Review - Body of Evidence by Irene Hannon

 

 

Body of Evidence by Irene Hannon is about a pathologist, Grace Reilly, who suspects that a recent death might be the work of a serial killer.  Grace Reilly is used to death as a forensic pathologist in Missouri. She serves the state and performs autopsies all over Missouri, especially since the state doesn’t have enough pathologists on staff. While performing an autopsy on a recently deceased elderly person, she noticed something strange in the person’s stomach. Everyone believes that the elderly person died of natural causes, but Grace is hesitant to ignore her gut feeling.

Grace decides to take her concern to the new sheriff, Nate Cox. Nate doesn’t believe there is any foul play but when Grace insists that something is amiss, Nate decides to help her investigate. As the pair investigate the death, they realize that someone is desperate to keep a secret that will ruin many lives.

I found the book to be a quick-paced read with a few twists and turns. I was surprised by the ending and thought the book was well-written and thought out. I do like that there was a romantic element but also a mystery element. The book is the third book in the series, but I was able to read the book and enjoy it without having to read the other previous books. I would read more books by the author.

 

Book Review - When the Bones Sing by Ginny Myers Sain

 

When the Bones Sing by Ginny Myers Sain is about a young woman, Dovie, who can hear the bones of dead people.  The small town of Lucifer’s Creek, Arkansas, is known to be a tourist hiking spot because of the surrounding Ozark mountains. In the last three years, more than two dozen people have disappeared on the local hiking trails. Most of the hikers have vanished without leaving a trace behind. That is, until their buried bones start to sing.

Dovie is a local seventeen-year-old who has the ability to hear the voices of the bones of dead people. She doesn’t believe in magic and doesn’t think her ability is magical. The women from her family have this ability and have been using it to help find dead people. The locals were scared of their ability and stayed clear from Dovie and her family. They think that she is a witch and that she should be repenting for her sins, even though she has been helping the sheriff find the bodies of the missing hikers.  Dovie tries to ignore the voices of the bones but they sing loud enough that she can’t ignore them and she wants the victims and their families to find peace.

The locals and old-timers in the community believe that there is a local creature that is responsible for the deaths. They claim that the mythical Ozarks Howler has murdered the people. However, Dovie doesn’t believe in the Howler, nor does she believe it when her best friend, Lo, tells her that he can see the shadows of the dead people. Lo believes that the dead people are haunting him and that they want him to figure out who is behind their murders.  Dovie feels that the only thing she can do is use her abilities to help guide the sheriff and deputies to the bodies and let them deal with catching the killer.  Dovie finds solace in that at least with her abilities the families can find some peace with the recovery of the victim’s bodies.

Lo wishes that the shadows would stop following him around. He can’t sleep or move around without them following him around for answers. He wishes he could get a moment of peace. Even though Dovie can hear their bones, the truth isn’t buried there but deep in the hills where their bodies are found. Will Lo and Dovie be able to find out the truth before anyone else gets killed?

It took a few chapters before I got into the flow and writing style of the book. I found myself having to re-read a few sentences and trying to understand what was going on. The book started off strong with an attention-grabbing introduction but it was slow towards the middle and it finally picked up towards the end. The book was a bit predictable but there were a few unpredictable twists. I did like the witchy and mountain vibes along with some supernatural elements. The book was an entertaining read and I would be open to reading more books by the author.

**Disclosure - I received a free unedited ARC in exchange for an honest opinion. I was not required to leave a review.** 

February 2025 Empties

 

 

 

I can't believe it is already February although, 2024 felt both long and short! I did manage to finish a few things but it did take me a few months. I finished a lot of skincare items as I am trying to keep my skin hydrated for the cold weather.

The Spascriptions Exfoliating Coffee Body Wash is a good basic body wash. It is a gel based wash with little bits of exfoliant that keeps skin feeling clean and smooth. I also like that is a huge bottle for less than $10 and it smells great. It doesn't have a heavy coffee scent that smells like you dumped a cup of coffee all over yourself. 

The Whish Body Butter in Kabosu sea salt had an interesting scent. It smelled like clean cotton. It had a mild scent and it didn't linger. The butter was thick but not very greasy. I did like body butter but I am not a fan of the container. Because it has a pump top, I feel like a lot of the packaging was the pump and there was very little product. For $22 for just 5 ounces, I can find an affordable option that works just as great.

The Would Shampoo and Conditioner Fresh Tracks smells so good. It has a fresh woodsy scent. It is made for men but I love it. It had a good lather but I needed to follow up with conditioner even though it is a 2 in 1. The scent does last long after washing my hair which I loved. I would get this again.

The Mi-el Honey infused hydration mask is a nice clay mask. It is very hydrating and doesn't leave skin feeling dried out. I love how refreshed and soft my skin felt afterwards. I will definitely be rebuying this if I come across it again.

Book Review - Big Nate: Beware of Low-Flying Corn Muffins by Lincoln Peirce

 

Big Nate: Beware of Low-Flying Corn Muffins by Lincoln Peirce is a graphic novel about a young boy, Nate, and his adventures. Nate is back in this newest book and the school staff and students are wary of his pranks and his schemes. Will the other students be able to handle his weird quirks and hobbies?

The graphic novel was nicely illustrated. I like that the comic was in color. I found the scenes to be funny and entertaining. There were a few parts that I thought might be too mature for children but I found the graphic novel to be entertaining. I would be open to reading more of Nate’s fun adventures.