Doris Kearns Goodwin brings the Presidents and journalists of the Progressive era alive in all of their strengths and foibles. Theodore Roosevelt comes across as a thoroughbred…always antsy for more, in love with physical stamina and hardship, reckless, and looking for a fight. Taft appears more of the loyal, plodding, draft horse who accomplishes perhaps more but with less showmanship. The advances of the era were many and profound.

Imaginative, adventurous, and thoughtful. This children‘s book has prose any literary fiction book would be proud to claim. Bullying, mental illness, and feelings of isolation are all dealt with in a sensitive manner. Thanks to Edelweiss and the Publisher for an advance digital copy.

A new addition to the “how to” type of children‘s books. The language is simple, the pictures, uninspired. Thanks to Edelweiss and the Publisher for an advance review copy.

Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for an advance digital copy. This is a slight children‘s book about food, culture, and friendship. While that is a lot to cover in 32 pages, the story had a plot, character growth, and delicious food.

This was sweet and fun. Loved the sibling relationship and loved the relationship between the main characters.

The author does a great job of filling in the blanks in this fourth part of Edinburgh Nights. It could be read as a stand alone. As the author did not see fit to provide an ending, there will probably be more in the series. There was nonstop action but it never felt overwrought. The characters were interesting and the atmosphere was amazing. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for a digital ARC.

The first half was quite funny. The second half lacked momentum.

This sweet, slow burn romance puts a spotlight on the pressures put on high achievers in high school. The friendship between Sadie and her best friend was amazing. The bitterness between Sadie and Julius, her nemesis and love, became almost cruel at times. While Sadie had some resolution with her family, Julius had none. I wasn‘t always wishing for a HEA for these two.

High school is a misery. When a girl deprived of a home and abandoned by her only family decides to finish school and make friends, she begins to see the way life could be if she allowed herself to care. No one has a life without problems including the haunted musician and the wealthy, popular girl. All of these characters and issues are deftly handled. Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for a digital ARC.

These are so popular with young graphic novel/manga readers. It is a very simple story of a kitten and his family.

Cozy, gently humorous and quite thoughtful. What a cool way to showcase the important part nostalgia and food play in our lives. While at times hopeful, it never crosses into saccharine.

Set in 1930's Los Angeles, a few young Chinese-American women decide to take on a corrupt police force, a bunch of rich men trying to run roughshod over Chinatown, and a murderer of a beautiful starlet. The characters were fantastic, the atmosphere lush. There was just the right amount of history, danger, and romance.

In a wet, dangerous place, the ground shook and a family of darkness was born. Unlikely characters and bad choices abound.

This is a very basic book about the Bill of Rights. It is annoying how often he refers to Washington and Jefferson as against slavery. They enslaved people. If they didn‘t believe in it, they weren‘t required to participate in it. Words vs action.

The artwork and fast paced plot make this a pick!

The pacing was a bit erratic but the characters were wonderful. I may never forgive Ms Ibanez for one of her choices. Atmospheric and mysterious with a touch of romance and magic, this book has it all. The motivations of a key player were quite obscure. Light pick.

A dark Princess has one goal, freedom. She is a master politician and a dangerous foe. To accomplish her goal, she must outwit them all. The writing and pacing is fantastic. If there had been an ending, it would have been one of my favorite books of the year. It is hard to believe this was a debut. Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss.

These short stories are grim. Most of the characters are unlikable and there is none of the cozy cat vibe I was expecting. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advance reader copy.

A fairy tale atmosphere, a quest, friendship and magic with a large helping of creativity and humor make this a rollicking good time. It would make a good read alike to House on the Cerulean Sea. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for a digital copy. Due out early November.

At one time, you could read any work which was a part of a series and still come away with an ending. The next book would pick up with a different quest or mystery. That time is no more. Now you read 500 pages and still don‘t get an ending. It dragged a bit in the middle but the opening and last pages were intense The characters were plentiful & interesting& the atmosphere immersive. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for a digital ARC.

A light mystery. I wish Agatha, the turtle, had a bit more character. I wasn‘t fond of the narrative voice. Everything felt a bit rushed and the characters weren‘t fully developed. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advance copy.

This was a sad, sweet story but it felt a bit forced.

A bit convoluted in parts, a bit predictable in parts. Lots of action and rich people behaving badly.

This was repetitive with massive plot holes and contradicting information. Apparently, it was the Author‘s mafia novel. Also, the book is about a woman, not a girl. Stilted language and unbelievable characters. This Author has done much better. Pick a different book of hers. Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for the advance digital copy.

Should we be judged on the worst thing we have ever done? Twelve-year-old Alex has been. When he goes to fulfill his court ordered punishment of working at a nursing home, he finds each Resident has a story to share. The beauty of Gayle Forman's story is the depth she gives to each character, from a retired opera star to a Holocaust survivor. This is a book of connection and hope.

Two feuding families, one premonition of death, and the possibility of a forbidden love. When the story starts in a cemetery late at night, it bodes well for the rest of the tale. The writing and characters were engaging. It is unfortunate that no one believes in endings anymore. Let‘s just leave a thought dangling out there and consider it a job well done. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advance digital copy.

Ms Kelly knows how to write a tale. These characters are sympathetic and become even more thoughtful as the story progresses. The love of knowledge and commitment of the girls towards the cranes was inspiring and the adults were mature and did not treat the girls with condescension. This is a must read author.

The relationships between the villagers and their commitment to their village is a thing of beauty in the hands of Kira Buxton. The massive amounts of description regarding truffles and the bidding for the giant truffle could almost drive a reader insane. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advance digital copy.

Love, magic, and broken curses. A great holiday read from witchy season to Christmas season. The banter was great. At about the halfway point, the plot took a hard turn making it a much more convoluted story than it needed to be. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for a digital ARC.

Graham does an impressive job of making the roles of Research and Analysis agents into a tale of adventure and danger. Her writing is lively and interesting. The only time it slowed to a stroll was during the explanation of the science being utilized to attempt the creation of the atomic bomb. Occasional bits of fiction seemed a bit out of place in this type of narrative. Amazing! Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advance digital copy.

A strange premise, interesting characters, a slow reveal, and an unsatisfying ending make this a frustrating read. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for a review copy.

The saga of the Formula continues. This was a pacier version of the other books in the trilogy. A decent mystery and a bit of romance. The side characters weren‘t as engaging as in her other series. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advance readers copy. Due out January 2025.

Published in 1930, this closed room murder mystery is set in the Sandhills of Nebraska. The author does a good job of making the atmosphere claustrophobic as nothing is as bleak as an isolated hunting lodge unreachable by civilized society die to an unrelenting blizzard. The characters were introduced in bulk and weren‘t unique as individuals. The mystery was a bit convoluted. A decent mystery but not a fantastic one.

I have feelings of hostility towards Ms Mcfadden. How could she treat Sugar this way?! This was well written but so very grim.

The writing is lively. The editing is nonexistent. The ending crummy.

The Fox wife is a beautifully immersive experience. The very fabric of the story is saturated in Chinese mythology and culture. Violence and obsession are the cornerstone of the relationships between the fox and their human counterparts.

A bit of magic, a lot of love. There were a few too many characters and the plot felt a bit flat, the ending rushed. Still, it was a unique world and had moments of humor and flair. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for a digital ARC.

Sweet, sexy, and fun.

Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for a digital review copy. I hope the finished copy has a few family trees because there are some complicated relations. Wright Thompson tells the tale of a place trying to keep the secrets of the past buried, of family and friends who were haunted by the events of that Summer day and by the murderers and their accomplices who were allowed to go on living their wretched, self-serving lives.

Difficult language at times but intense imagery.

After a devastating CVA, Mr Bauby experienced a tragic loss of independence and health. His inner life remained rich while his outer life was one of inability to speak, eat, or move. This was a moving, claustrophobic telling of isolation.

The writing is sometimes clunky and there is a significant amount of time spent on genetics. This was a fascinating look at some remarkable creatures and the determined, creative people who work with them. A pick if you are very interested in animals.

People from different walk of life struggle with disillusionment until they find the library and the special magic it contains. Each person‘s struggle follows the same story arc. A cozy, comfort read. It would have been 5 stars except I didn‘t appreciate the descriptions of the librarian.

A beautiful, grim story of atmosphere and characters in dire straits. The ending was strange and unexpected. #shortyseptember2024

Very gory and violent.

#shortyseptember2024 This was a nostalgia and hunger inducing tale of yearning, sadness, and food with warm, cozy vibes.

Short, quick, and beautiful.#framed #shortyseptember2024

Brutality and intense grief. A wavering time line. A hard read for such a short novel.

A very short but engaging adventure packed with great characters and fine emotions. Imaginative and sweet.

This was just flat. The story was not interesting, the plot wandered, and there was precious little chemistry between the main characters.