Adopting Grace by Anna Jinja

Grace is a Korean woman who was adopted as an infant by an American family in Iowa who are of Norwegian descent. Her parents also had several children of their own, so she has always been part of a large family. She married in college after discovering she was pregnant, so never really had a chance to discover who she was as an individual. For most of her life, she has focused on pleasing and taking care of those around her: primarily her husband and her children. Now, she and her husband are separated; he has been having an affair with his high school sweetheart and wants a divorce. Grace is starting her own business as a seamstress/dressmaker, and must figure out not only who she is on her own, but what she actually wants her life to be.

I read a review copy of this book and enjoyed it. I will admit that it wasn’t what I had expected when I first started reading. I expected it to be primarily about Grace being adopted more than anything else, instead, this story was about a woman who was in the middle of a divorce she didn’t think she wanted and trying to discover who she was going to be if she wasn’t primarily Mark’s wife. There were a number of issues and difficulties that she had to face and come to terms with, but all of it made this seem to me to be a story about her actually discovering herself for the first time.

She was no longer Mark’s wife & the mother of his children, but Grace, a talented seamstress and clothing designer, a sister, a friend, and the mother to two wonderful daughters. It was a story about a woman truly finding herself for the first time. It was a fascinating tale of self discovery, and something that I really enjoyed reading. (I do need to mention here that this book does not appear to have a kindle version as I could only find it in paperback form on Amazon.)

This book drew me in and kept me wanting to read. In the beginning, I will admit wanting to tell Grace that her husband was never going to be hers again more than once as for a long time she seemed to think that he would change his mind and return to her and their daughters despite the fact that his girlfriend and her son were moving in with him. But as she came to that realization and acceptance of it, Grace also began a friendship with the woman that was going to be part of her extended family, regardless of any initial desire to dislike and/or resent her for having been "the other woman."

I believe that anyone who enjoys nonfiction stories about people and the lives they thought they wanted and then discovering themselves after something unexpected happens that forever alters the life and plan they had created. I also feel that anyone who enjoys stories dealing with blended families or adults who were adopted from foreign countries would enjoy this book.

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Shades of Gray by Addie J King

Samantha (Sam) is a fairly new police officer. While out on her regular beat with her partner, Justin, she is attacked and bitten by someone neither of them managed to see.. What she only learns after recovering and beginning trauma counseling was that the man who bit her was a werewolf, and that she is showing signs that she has been infected and will soon experience her first change. She will need to take some precautions in order to keep her condition secret, but it is something that she will be able to manage. Of course, first she needs to believe that she will actually be regularly needing to turn into a wolf.

This was the first book in the Hochenwalt Files series. (The second book in this series has recently been released.)  I read a review copy of this book and really enjoyed it. (I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in the next book in the series.) Ms. King did a great job of creating realistic police officers and showing the way that they respond to different situations, some dangerous and others (at least seemingly) not. I enjoyed the interaction between the two partners, as well as seeing their budding relationship. You can easily feel what they are going through, both Sam when she must learn to accept and deal with her new secret/condition, and Justin when he happens to be present to see her change form unexpectedly.

I also enjoyed the subplots in this book, dealing with people in positions of power, as well as the theme of wanting to help others and keeping those we care about safe. Sometimes that means knowing that the cost of doing so will likely be a high one, perhaps even more so than most would be willing to pay. It really makes you think about what you might do in some of these situations. And yes, we see characters who have to make such decisions based on each of their individual circumstances. Only one of which was the werewolf who bit Sam.

While this book is very different from Ms. King’s other books and series, I feel that anyone who has previously enjoyed her other stories would likely enjoy this one, too. I also feel that those who enjoy werewolf stories as well as stories that take place in what could be our own world would likely enjoy reading this story. (After all, how do we know that there aren’t werewolves hiding their dual nature and working  somewhere that we might see them on any given day? It’s certainly something to think about.)

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

Niveous War: The Uncharted Horizon Serial By CR Buchanan and Jason Diamond

Once the dust had settled on their new world, humans and Dah’Sel were finally living and working together in peace. Those who had arrived as part of the first group had hoped that as more people arrived from their dying world, that this would be a fresh start for all of them. However, back on Kep-4b, the leader of the Uprisers has been broken out of the most secure prison on the planet and has begun recruiting more people to join his army of malcontents who refuse to be left behind on a dying planet. They have a plan to take over the last remaining transport ships that the Armada has built, and then take over the planet that humanity was trying to make a home on. But unlike those who went before, the Uprisers want nothing less than total control of everything. And no one, not even the planet’s natives, are going to prevent that. At least, they won't if the Uprisers manage to succeed in their plans.

I read a review copy of this book, and it was every bit as engaging and entertaining as the first book in the series. This book runs the full spectrum of what science fiction has always been, from advanced technology, to world-building, to communication with those who were on the planet before humanity’s arrival. There are both happy and sad times in store for the characters in this story, along with as a number of other emotions and decisions that must be made… including dealing with the outcome from those decisions.

The main question in this book seems to be whether or not humanity can overcome both the worst of their impulses and their own cruelest, most violent societal members to actually build a better world. One in which humans can live in peace and friendship with the Dah’Sel and Vee’Sel who have lived there for generations before humanity found its way to Wah’Lor. Or will the arrival of an invading force doom all of that before the dream of peace and harmony can truly come to fruition.

If you have read the first book in this series, you will want to read this book. And if you haven’t yet read the first book, I recommend beginning with that one as you might find yourself a little confused if you don’t. You will also likely enjoy this book if you enjoy series that have quite a bit of world-building in them, and a chance to see other worlds and creatures/people. This series is a great one for fans of classic science fiction, as it contains all of the elements of the genre that you could want. Recommended.

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

Sky's Shadow by Ted Galdi

Tommy had been a firefighter, until his need to find the truth no matter the method or cost landed him in Jail for a crime he did not commit. After serving his time and having a felony on his record, he is no longer allowed to work as a fireman, so he takes any job he can. When his sister is killed, he sets off on  a personal mission to get justice for her and to enact vengeance on her murderers.

I read a review copy of this book, and while I did enjoy the overall story, I had a few issues with it as well. To be fair, I do not read many thrillers, and I am only as familiar with FBI procedures as what can be learned by watching movies on television. But I cannot help but feel that Tommy should not have been able to get away with many of the things that he did, especially as I can only assume he had limited funds due to his current employment status.

It seems to me that multiple times Tommy could, and likely should have been arrested for interfering in or obstructing an FBI investigation. The fact that he wasn’t felt a little too convenient to me. Though, at the same time, I also acknowledge that might be a standard of this genre. (As I said, I do not often read thrillers, so I am not as familiar with this genre’s usual patterns as I am some of the others that I’ve read.)

Outside of my objections to some of what I consider a little too convenient or too easy for the main character, I did enjoy reading the story. The action is fast paced, and the twists taken kept me wanting to find out what would happen next. The ending of this book sets things up for the author to continue on with this character in a way that would make sense for him to be able to continue to get away with using the methods that I found a bit problematic in this story. So would I consider reading the next book in this series? Yes, I think I would.

I feel that those who enjoy thrillers, FBI and other military action stories, tales about finding justice for those who have been wronged, or solving a murder to find justice for the victims would likely enjoy this book.

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

The Amish Meddler by Samantha Price

Caroline has been staying with the Baker/Bruner family for quite some time. Most of the family has been happy enough to have her there, but Cherish has grown tired of her presence and wrote a letter to Caroline’s family. It was quite a surprise when Caroline’s parents arrived at the farm to ask about the girl who was staying with the family, the reason for this visit, and the surprising truth behind Caroline’s visit with the family.

This was the sixteenth book in the bonnet sisters series. And while I felt that it could have used one more pass by a proofreader to clean up a few more typos than I expected to see, it was still an interesting story and one that I enjoyed reading.

The Bonnet Sisters’ books are sweet Amish Romances, though there is almost always some sort of drama happening on the farm. In this book, the drama part of the story involves Caroline and why she has actually been staying with the family for so long. But that wasn’t the only plotline in this book. The other part of this story was about the changes being made on the farm, and what the entire family, including Florence, are trying to do in order to make the farm once again profitable after the poor harvest the previous year. It will mean a lot of work for everyone, and only time will tell if they can manage to make it work.

I always enjoy the vivid descriptions of the various characters and how their differing personalities affect each of the others within their family. The flaws of each of them are understandable and clearly reflective of who they are and how their family dynamics have affected them through the years. These flaws are a part of what brings both family drama to the story as well as what spurs the interest of the reader. And while in some ways it can push them further apart, it still often manages to bring them closer together.

Anyone who has enjoyed this series so far, or who enjoys Amish romances with a little bit of family drama added in, should enjoy reading this book as well. The Bonnet Sisters books are nice light reading and are stories that I have enjoyed reading when I just want something short to read that doesn’t require too much deep thought.

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

Dog-Eared Delinquent by Molly Fitz

Angie and Octo-Cat have another mystery to solve. A new co-worker at her office seems to know about her ability to talk to her cat, though how he found out remains a mystery. There’s something about him that Angie just doesn’t trust, and it’s more than just his own ability to hear Octo-cat or his other secrets. And she’s not the only one that doesn’t trust him. On top of that, a a string of overnight robberies have been happening, all without setting off any alarms, and with the perpetrators appearing to disappear without leaving any clues behind as to how they managed to commit the crimes or how they got away.

This was a fun cozy mystery involving quite a few surprising revelations about how and why Anji can understand Octo-Cat. I really enjoyed reading this book. There is a point in the book where Octo-cat is told, by a dog shifter, that he is not special. That he’s nothing more than an ordinary tabby cat with no special abilities whatsoever, and due to the circumstances surrounding that event, he believes it and begins to slide into a deep depression. After all, he’s always considered himself very special, but at that moment it appears that he is nothing more than an everyday, ordinary, house cat. And that revelation seems to break his spirit.

That moment in the book broke my heart, as we have been having an issue in our household involving a new cat and some dominance issues. My poor cat lost that unexpected challenge to her household dominance, and has been hiding any time she even thinks there is a chance that the other cat will leave her gated room. Given that she had previously been the “top cat” in the household, this change has her sometimes in a similar state as Octo-Cat after his encounter with the pit-bull shifter. So I can fully empathize with how he felt. And I absolutely loved how Angie was able to help him rediscover how special he actually is, and to rebuild his confidence and belief in himself again. (You’ll have to read the book if you want to know what exactly happens.) Also, I believe that all cats are special, whether or not we as their humans may always be aware of how special they are.

I also enjoyed learning how Angie truly gained the ability to understand Octo-cat, and the set-up for future stories involving the pair and their endeavors as pet-related private investigators. I am very much looking forward to reading more of the books in this series.

I feel that this would be a good book for anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries, especially ones where the animals often take center stage in the story. While technically Angie is the main character, Octo-Cat is every bit as important as she is to this tale. Without him, Angie would not have been able to discover much of what she did learn nor would she have been able to solve the mystery of who had been committing the robberies or how. Anyone who has read any of Ms. Fitz's other books, both the ones in this series or any of her other series  would likely also enjoy reading this book.

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.

Rootfingers by S. Alessandro Martinez

Wren’s family moved into the house once owned by famous artist Isidoro Cervantes. What they don’t know is that the house is not a good place. It was said that the artist had gone insane, and his life’s artworks were never found after his death. But when seven year old Wren’s family moves in, her artist mother discovers the hiding place of Cervantes’ lost paintings and begins restoring them. It may have seemed harmless at first, but when the madness that destroyed Cervantes takes hold of her, it seems that perhaps history will repeat itself.

I read a review copy of this book, and it is a rather creepy horror novel. It is not a long book, so it is a fairly quick read. The majority of the story takes place over the course of one night as Wren tries to both save her family and herself. But you’ll have to read the book yourself if you want to find out whether she succeeds or not. I really enjoyed learning that the chapters of this book were titled after artworks. It was very fitting for this story. And clearly the author knows quite a bit about works of art as well as writing creepy tales. This is not a long book, but it does draw the reader in and keep you on the edge of your seat, waiting to see what happens next. 

If you enjoy horror novels, especially ones involving paintings or other artwork, stories about artists who seemingly went mad, as well as ones that involve a sort of “monster under the bed” theme to them, then you will likely enjoy reading this novel.

Amazon requires me to state that I have an Amazon Associates account that I use to generate the links to the books on their website. Purchasing something after following those links will earn a few pennies for me off the sale, though as of yet I have not earned anything from my Amazon Associate links.