The so so rating is due to the loopy timeline of the story. Grandma Gatewood is 5 stars all the way. She had grit. Her family believed in her strength and determination. She lived through extreme domestic abuse, raised 11 kids, and hiked thousands of miles. She is an inspiration to many.

This contains the information necessary to a nonfiction book but the writing prowess of the latest award winning fiction novel. The frustration and fear of the families involved is almost palpable while the political games and ineptitude is infuriating.

This was funny, emotionally intelligent, and wonderful. I hope it is the first of many. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advance digital copy.

This was sweet and fun with the potential for great characters and more complex relationships. The ending felt incredibly rushed and ynsatisfying. The Autumn vibes were great. Check out The cozy corner bookstore by Nova Walsh.

Moloka‘i started out as a place of isolation and punishment but came to represent family and home. The descriptions of this lonely place were wonderful. The history was finely woven into the story. The characters were beautifully wrought.

While this was a cute start to this rom com/cozy mystery, it was way too long.

This was a fun, short, juvenile version of his older good vs evil tales. The characters weren‘t quite as well defined. The ending not all that satisfying but it is the first in a series.

This is a much recommended book—recommended to me by a bookseller. This is well written and very clever. Unfortunately, the characters emote frequently and they are dull as dish water. Frankly, mostly it is boring. I could continue reading but I just don‘t want to do so.

Inspirational.

Excellent book.

While this was still a fun adventure, much of the character magic was gone as the author pivoted to a new region. There is a nod to some favorite characters but they never take center stage. This isn‘t as funny or as satisfying. For a 500 page book, it ended abruptly.

The dissidents of 1960-1970s USSR were a small, complex, intelligent, and ambitious group. Nathans breaks down the individual personalities as well as the statistics of the groups. He doesn't pull his punches in regard to the blind eye shown to women in the movement or the glaring intensity focused upon those with Jewish ancestry. Beautifully written and thoughtful.

Firekeeper‘s Daughter will forever be my favorite but Boulley writes tense, thoughtful thrillers. So many emotional moments. The last two twists were two too many for me but I am not a big fan of that sort of thing.

Not even the dust bunnies could save this one. A bit lackluster. Not bad, just no intensity in the plot or characters.

While the shifting points of view made this a less smooth read, it was still a creepy bit of loveliness. There was one plot line left a bit loose. The characters were damaged but brave and loyal to each other. Thanks to edelweiss and the publisher for an advance copy. Release date: January 2026.

Rich people problems in a historical time. Slightly amusing but so very slowly paced.

This was not for me. Alternating between poetry and prose, this historical fiction had no plot. The characters were flat. There was a plethora of information on birds. More than necessary.

Practical magic in cozy mystery form. The characters are interesting. The plot is a bit messy. There is a bit of romance. The threat never felt as scary as it should have been. Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for an advance copy. Release date is end of October.

High adventure, dark humor, sharp insights, and fantastic fast-paced plot make Tchaikovsky a go-to author.

The pace of this story set in 1880s Burma is languorous. It is understandable without being enjoyable. The characters were flat. Even the eccentric wasn‘t all that interesting. And the ending. After being drug through each tool and technique for tuning pianos, it ended on a completely discordant note.

Agatha Christie would no doubt approve of this cozy mystery set in a small village. A few red herrings and incompetent police and many nods to Miss Agatha herself and you have a great cozy. While I don‘t remember Ms Christie having a fondness for romance, the couples added to the fun. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advance copy.

This is a fast-paced adventure from the start. The pace is consistent throughout the story. The friendships are fantastic and the world is interesting. This exceeded my expectations!

The revenge they planned was anything but sweet. This team of misfits were brave enough to fight with everything they had to receive just a bit of justice. The
focus on discrimination, corruption, and classism was interesting and well-done. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for a digital ARC.

Even villains can change with the right guidance and support! The characters were amusing and the plot well-paced and fun. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an eARC.

The magic of books is drowned out by the dark, grasping actions of the characters. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advance copy.

These librarians all harbor secrets but was one willing to kill for them? Thomas manages to put together a rollicking adventure while avoiding the expected tropes at every turn. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the eARC.

This is an intricately woven bundle of shifting loyalties and gruesome ends, as well as noble intentions and deep love. The humor and warmth the reader learns to have for some truly dodgy characters is a revelation. Overall, great fun.

The author does an immensely capable job of describing everything from the faults and talents of an author to the obsession with suicide after a friend dies. For a character driven book, the reader doesn't become intimate with any of the characters so much as become witness to their darkest, weakest moments.

Sumner approaches this mind-numbing, terror-inducing event with sensitivity. The violent episode lasts for just a few pages but the feelings of hopelessness, loss, and continued trauma continue on throughout the story. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advance copy.

Just creepy enough to be fun. The inclusion of cultural elements was fun but occasionally slowed the narrative. I love food-related info but kids may not be as interested. Also, needed more of the grandparents. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advance copy.

Cather‘s stories are beautiful and eloquent with a sharp dash of the unexpected to jostle the reader‘s complacency.

As dangerous as blizzards are now, we‘ve forgotten some of our worst winter storms.

A snippet of life in the Nebraska plains during Pioneer times. Interesting.

Wilder‘s works always seem quite melancholy. The characters are well drawn. Thoughtful and quiet. If I could have dinner with an author, this wouldn‘t be the one. He is quite grim.

Australia is a buggy, mysterious, heat-tortured land in this story of a boy returned to the white european world after healing and growing up with an aboriginal clan. The writing and character studies are brilliant. That said, the ending felt rushed and unsatisfying.

Miles and Lenny make a truly wonderful, messy couple.

This stretched the bounds of believability even for a romance.

This was a cute cozy. Low on violence and high on heart.

The sermons are presented with little context. When those liturgies are given as memorials, a bit more context would have been appreciative. It felt very choppy. Some of these are worth saving for inspiration and resistance. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advance copy. Due out 9/9.

Just creepy enough to be perfect for kids.

Beautifully written. There is a more complete story here than in many a tome.

Gritty and brutal. The words get the job done but with no beauty.

This exceeded my expectations for the amount of suspense and emotion surrounding the abduction of the protagonist‘s sister. I expect to see much more of this author. It is an open door romance and occasionally it felt like an emotional boomerang between the romance and the hunt for a serial killer.

Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advance review copy. While the beginning is slow, once the main character leaves her pretentious, hallowed walls of learning, Cambridge, the plot becomes more interesting. Barely. The satire regarding academia is cutting. This could have been an engaging fantasy novel. Instead, I spent much of the book admiring the author‘s literary knowledge and not much else.

This is just sad and depressing. It wasn‘t very engaging. The shifts in point of view were frequent and confusing.

After death comes for each character, they have the opportunity to portray their lives in photos, one from each year of life. The reader accompanies them for a revisit to a day that changed their lives. There is no morality check or judgement. These characters become dear by sharing their fears and joys. This book manages to be warm and comforting even as it focuses on endings.

This felt like propaganda?

This book is the epitome of muted danger as two siblings are left in the care of a band of misfits as their mother continues her career in intrigue. The characters are vaguely drawn and the narrator had an omniscience that was often annoying. While some of the plot strings were tied up, many were not. The writing was gorgeous, but the overall experience was somewhat unsatisfying, more so as the author clearly had the ability to do a complete job.

The slow, tender unwrapping of this story of twin brothers and their small village bed and breakfast is genuinely funny and sweet.

The love of family is beautiful to behold and this family includes Mishka, the rabbit. A tender, loving story.