The Christmas Inn - Pamela M. Kelley

I know, I know - Christmas fiction already?! Yup! Starting off the season for me is Pamela Kelley's new novel - The Christmas Inn.

Riley Sanders was stunned when she lost her New York job right before Christmas. But her mom could use her help with her B&B over the holiday, and she's not been home quite a while. Cape Cod is calling to her - it's where she was brought up. And it's where she broke her high school boyfriend's heart. Aidan is still on the Cape...

Kelley does a great job giving many women of all ages a romantic plot line. She also explores friendships and family. I loved the setting and would happily visit the B&B - especially at Christmas. Indeed the characters themselves say it feels like they're in a Christmas movie!

There are bumps on the road to true love, which is expected with this genre. Kelley does a wonderful job of putting all the pieces where they should be. A perfect story to start my seasonal reading. 

Definitely recommend for romance readers. See your self - read an excerpt of The Christmas Inn.

A Golden Life - Ginny Kubitz Moyer - Spotlight

Oh this sounds wonderful! Find out more about the book and the author at https://ginnymoyer.org/.

Counting Miracles - Nicholas Sparks

Counting Miracles is the new book from Nicholas Sparks. And it's a really great one!

Tanner Hughes is a retired Army Ranger. He's searching for a family member in Asheboro, North Carolina before he heads out on the road again. His path crosses that of Kaitlyn - a doctor - and her two kids. And there's one more player in this triangle.... 

I was immediately caught up by the first few pages. I settled in for the afternoon. 

Sparks' characters are always so wonderfully drawn. They're someone you'd like to know. And that's what Tanner and Kaitlyn  feel as well. Their interactions are respectful and mindful and I had high hopes for their future.

But the road to happiness is not always smooth sailing. There are some truly antagonists that are awful. I didn't even want to read their chapters, but I did.

And that third person...their life is visited and recounted. (Have a tissue or two ready)

How these lives interact with each other is at times a miracle. Sparks' plot does reference faith.

A satisfying read on so many levels. See for yourself - read an excerpt of Counting Miracles. 

The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife - Anna Johnston

The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife is Anna Johnston's wonderful debut novel.  

Fred is eighty two now and he’s lonely, broke, and has just been informed that he will be evicted. And then.....oh I loved this 'then'. Fred has landed in the last place he could have expected. He tries to explain things but no one really listens. So, he decides to stay.

Fred is a wonderful lead character. He's kind, thoughtful and loves people. He's found a place for himself and he is welcomed by all he meets. But someone questions his story and that's the start of the ending. Or is it?

I've been a little obtuse as I don't want to spoil this book for you. 

I've really been enjoying tales with 'seniors' in the lead roles lately. I think those characters have so much to offer an author - wisdom, experience and a voice. Fred's voice is one we should listen to. 

Johnston deftly tugs on our heart strings as she explores loss, redemption, forgiveness, friendship, family and more. (With a side of humor!) You'll want a tissue or two.

A joy to read. See for yourself - read an excerpt of The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife. 

Hampton Heights - Dan Kois

Hampton Heights is Dan Koi's latest release. I'm sure the cover caught your eye - it did for me. And it gives you a very good idea of what awaits you in the book. Not quite sure yet? How about the subtitle? - One Harrowing Night in the Most Haunted Neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

1987. Three pairs of newsboys are in the Hampton Heights neighborhood soliciting subscriptions to the local paper. At night. None of them have ever been in this part of town. It's kind of spooky - but the prize is too good to walk away from. One night changes so much with our paper boys- and. their manager Kevin.

There's a Stranger Things /Brothers Grimm / Stand by Me feel to Hampton Heights that's just right. The book is funny, spooky and yes, thoughtful. 

I ended up binge reading Hampton Heights  - I just had to know what happened. See for yourself - read an excerpt of Hampton Heights. 

The Examiner - Janice Hallett

Janice Hallett is a brilliant writer! I was so excited about her latest book - The Examiner. I just knew it would be another fantastic read. (It was!)

A group of six artists comprises the inaugural group of students hoping for a masters in art degree. They're a very mixed bunch but all are eager to take the course. And their professor is thankful for having the funding to run the program. But...

Oh, there's a fabulous but! Each one has their own agenda - and that's the fun of this book. Can you suss out what everyone is up to?

 Hallett reprises the epistolary style of writing that I adore. The book is told through emails, coursework, texts, message boards, essays and their inner dialogue. The reader is the quiet seventh student, hearing everything that is going on and and trying to put the pieces together.

Good luck with that! The plotting is absolutely brilliant in my opinion. The clues are sometimes right there to see, while other times they're longshots. Hallett throws in more than one twist and turn on the way to the final 'aha'. 

Fantastic! A very easy five stars. See for yourself - read an excerpt of The Examiner..

The Examiner - Janice Hallett

Janice Hallett is a brilliant writer! I was so excited about her latest book - The Examiner. I just knew it would be another fantastic listen. (It was!) 

A group of six artists comprises the inaugural group of students hoping for a masters in art degree. They're a very mixed bunch but all are eager to take the course. And their professor is thankful for having the funding to run the program. But...

Oh, there's a fabulous but! Each student has their own agenda - and that's the fun of this book. Can you suss out what everyone is up to?

Hallett reprises the epistolary style of writing that I adore. The book is told through emails, coursework, texts, message boards, essays and their inner dialogue. The listener is the quiet seventh student, hearing everything that is going on and trying to put the pieces together. 

Good luck with that! The plotting is absolutely brilliant in my opinion. The clues are sometimes right there to see, while other times they're longshots. Hallett throws in more than one twist and turn on the way to the final 'aha'. Fantastic! A very easy five stars.

I've said it before - I sometimes find myself more immersed in a story by listening. That was the case with The Examiner. A cast of six narrators was used in this production. Each one was perfect for the role they were playing. They used accents, speed of talking, tones, emotions and more to bring Hallett's work alive.  It was easy to know who was speaking. And yes, I felt like was part of the students. Brilliant. 

Hear for yourself - listen to an audio excerpt.

Death in the Mayfair Hotel - Fliss Chester

A Bookworm's World is today's stop on the tour for Death in the Mayfair Hotel, the sixth entry in Fliss Chester's - The Cressida Fawcett Mystery series. 

It's Christmas Eve in 1925 London, Cressida Fawcett is at the Mayfair Hotel with her chums and acquaintances - including her wee dog Ruby. The festivities have just begun when Cressida discovers a body. And it's someone she knows...

This is the first book I've read in this series. I was easily able to suss out who was who and some background. 

I really liked the characters. Although she is part of the upper crust, Cressida is keen on helping the local constabulary find out who the culprit is before midnight and the doors are opened. This isn't the first time she's helped them. She's smart, curious, and determined. I liked puzzling over the clues with her. The supporting cast was just as good, especially her best friend Dotty.

This setting gives us a large locked room mystery. Chester describes the setting very well and I could imagine  the ballrooms and the down belows. The customs, mindsets, expectations and rules of the time period are part of the setting - and the plot. There were a number of choices for the 'whodunit'. Chester gives us that and some red herrings on the way.

Cosy mysteries are my 'get away from it all, escapist' reads. Death in the Mayfair Hotel has all the bits that make up a cosy tale. A spunky lead that's an amateur sleuth, a dog or cat that helps out, a possible love interest yes, there's one or two of these. And while it's not a small village, the upper crust are the stand ins for that component. A fun read and a lovely cosy. Thanks Fliss Chester!

"Fliss Chester lives in Surrey with her husband and writes historical cozy crime. When she is not killing people off in her 1940s whodunnits, she helps her husband, who is a wine merchant, run their business. Never far from a decent glass of something, Fliss also loves cooking (and writing up her favourite recipes on her blog), enjoying the beautiful Surrey and West Sussex countryside and having a good natter."

You can find Fliss on Instagram as well as on X (Twitter)

Sign up to be the first to hear about new releases from Fliss Chester here.

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The Murders in Great Diddling - Katarina Bivald

Oh, I got a laugh when I read the title of Katarina Bivald's newest book - The Murders in Great Diddling.

But really, this small village isn't living up to to it's name. Run Down might be a better descriptor.

And author Berit Gardner is looking for a story to tell. She's in Great Diddling when an explosion kills a man in the library...

... and that death spurs on the villagers to use the event as.. well....an event that might just save the village and the residents. They are indeed a quirky bunch. But there may be some who have their own plans.

This is the perfect tale for booklovers. Amongst the shenanigans (which had me laughing outload), there are many truths about why and how we can't without them. 

 

I chose to listen to The Murders in Great Diddling. The reader was Helen Lloyd. She did a wonderful job in presenting Bivald's work. There many characters in the book. Lloyd gives each a different voice and they suited the players. She captures the action and emotions with her voice rising and falling, low and rising. Her voice is easy on the ears, clear and easy to understand. Her accent is lovely. Hear for yourself - listen to an audio excerpt of The Murders in Great Diddling.

What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust - Alan Bradley

I let out a squeal when I discovered that Alan Bradley had written a new Flavia de Luce book - What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust. The titles are always quite enigmatic and it's fun seeing how they fit the story.

Now, this is number eleven in this series. You could read it as a stand alone, but you'd be depriving yourself of an addicting series! And some context. 

Flavia is a 'young woman' now, but she is still the irrepressible ten year old we met in the first book in the series. I love her inner dialogue, her running feud with her sisters and now her young cousin, her joy in solving cases ahead of the constabulary, tinkering in her laboratory and working with her poisons. Still riding her beloved bicycle Gladys that was her mothers. I could go on and on about this absolutely wonderful lead character. As a ten year old myself I always wanted to be a certain character in a mystery. But I think being Flavia would a lot more interesting!

So, a great character, now how about the mystery found in every book? Just as good! They're always well written and are satisfying. Bradley brings forward happenings and clues from the last book and weaves them into the current book. Whoa! I did not see the plotting going where it did in this latest! The whodunit was surprising and satisfying but left the door open for more. Please Alan Bradley!

See for yourself - read an excerpt of What Time the Sexton's Spade Doth Rust.

Flavor Lab Creations - Dr. Logan Richardson

It might still be drinks on the deck where you live. Or maybe it's the season for warmer fare, or just an everyday drink. No matter where you are, Dr. Logan Richardson, has a number of  suggestions in his new book - Flavor Lab Creations: A Physicists' Guide to Unique Drink Recipes.

Yes, Logan is a scientist, but his writing is interesting, knowledgeable, engaging, funny, and easy to read. I found the 'how' and why' fascinating. That's what makes this book more than just a recipe book. There are info boxes and various facts throughout. Color photos accompany the recipes. Instructions are very clear.

Pumpkin Spice Latte anyone? Buttered Popcorn Soda? Make your own Instant Coffee? Kombucha? And so many more! Great for the curious mixologist in your life. 

(And check out Logan's  YouTube channel for Flavor Lab food.)

Wordhunter - Stella Sands

Wordhunter is the latest book from Stella Sands.

I picked it up as the premise caught my eye. The lead character is Maggie and she is studying to qualify as a forensic Linguist. When the police ask for her help she is thrilled. I did find the 'how to' of this field really interesting. I can see how this could be used as a tool in so many ways.

I wasn't as enamored of Maggie. She's loud, abrasive, she has issues with pills and alcohol and more. I felt like I should be behind her as she's had a hard life in many ways. Losing her best friend was one of those hard ways. Her dialogue and pushy ways annoyed me. As did using that 'c*** word in the first few pages.

Maggie ends up working a second case with the police and is paired up with a Detective. Cue up the fractious relationship. Throw in another crime, no, make that two at least. Maybe three. Perhaps too many threads. 

There is a crack in the door for a follow up to this book. I have to be honest and say that I won't be looking for it. But, see for yourself - read an excerpt of Wordhunter. I also encourage you to check out the other reviews for this book on Goodreads.

Murder in the Scottish Highlands - Dee MacDonald

A Bookworm's World is a stop today on the tour for the first book in Dee MacDonald's new series - Murder in the Scottish Highlands.

I read many genres, but I've always got a cosy mystery on the go. They're my "escape from it all" reads. 

 Ally McKinley has just retired to a wee village and opened a B and B in a restored building. It's all as she hoped. Right up to the moment she sees the murdered man in her courtyard...

And you  know what's coming don't you? Yes, Ally decides to work on the 'case' herself.

  

All the elements are here for a wonderful cosy. A small village where 'things like this don't happen', A number of quirky (and nosy) villagers, some quite handsome ones too, an amateur sleuth, a dog and a good plot. 

I enjoyed Ally as a lead character in this new series. I definitely want to see what happens next in little Locharran. 

I think Dee MacDonald's own life adds much to this series - She grew up in the Highlands and has run a B and B for ten years. 

Aged 18, Dee arrived in London from Scotland and typed her way round the West End for a couple of years before joining BOAC (forerunner of British Airways) in Passenger Services for 2 years and then as a stewardess for 8 years. She has worked in Market Research, Sales and at the Thames TV Studios when they had the franchise.

Dee has since relocated to Cornwall, where she spent 10 years running B&Bs, and only began writing when she was over 70! Married twice, she has one son and two grandsons.

You can find Dee on Facebook as well as on X. See what some others thought as well.