Seasoned Readers Falling into Goodness

 

P.J. Nelson

ISBN: 9781250909978

Publisher's Synopsis:

Madeline Brimley recently inherited a bookstore in Enigma, Georgia, is embarking on her second career, after her first one (acting) founder upon the metaphorical rocks. Settling in, Madeline recruits her friend Gloria Coleman, the local Episcopal priest, to help her plant azaleas in the front yard of the old Victorian that houses the bookstore. Turning the soil, however, uncovers the body of one Beatrice Glassie, a troublesome woman who has been missing for the past six months.

When her friend Gloria is arrested for the murder, Madeline is determined to prove her innocence and, as she quickly finds out, there aren't many people in town who hadn't wanted to kill Bea Glassie at one point or another. And the very expensive and rare first edition of a particular volume of Grimm's Fairy Tales—ordered by the victim and her sister is somehow tied to the grim death. With the help of her not-quite-boyfriend, a local lawman, and her deceased aunt's best friend, Madeline plans to set a trap to catch the real murderer—before she becomes the next victim.

"So, I just sat in the calm of the early evening, 

surrounded by all the books and memories

and gentle ghosts..."

MrsK's Review: Mystery

Meet Madeline, a gutsy woman who shares her thoughts freely. She's just beginning to settle into her new routine of running the Old Juniper Bookshop in Georgia. Given Enigma's beautiful setting, she values her friendships, her college patrons, and a certain gardener.  She is at home in a lovely Victorian home/bookshop where one entire parlor has the best collection of old books that are not for sale but only for a cozy moment or two visit. Little did she know that her soon to be planted rose garden would become a major cause of concern.

Gloria is a "feisty" Episcopal priest whose church is across the street from the bookshop. She's an excellent gardener and has a wit that is quite sharp. With encouragement, as well as some planting encouragement... she will be helping plant Maddy's Aunt Rose's roses in the desperately needed front yard of the bookshop.

David is the extraordinary gardener who thinks in "seasons," enjoys being around Maddy, and is becoming the one and only for Maddy... she just doesn't know it yet. He works at the college's beautiful greenhouse, the one place where her Aunt Rose's hybrid roses are thriving.

The day Maddy broke ground in the front yard, all things came to a screaming halt, literally while she was prying a rock from the ground Gloria let out a "tearing noise" that was part horrifying and part not a noise a "priest" should be making. It wasn't a rock... it was a skull. Who buried someone in the front yard of her aunt's bookshop? When did they bury this body? Who is the body in front of the bookshop?

Billy is the soon to be sheriff, who happens to have been babysat by Maddy all those years ago. 

Dr. Philomena Waldrop, a therapist, was Rose's best friend. When she didn't inherit the bookshop, she burned down the gazebo. But that was six months ago and now she has left the institution to visit with Maddy. Maddy knew that Phil's life was "well-ordered." Plus, she had a full class load at the college. Will she be a comfort or a misery to Maddy now that this body has been unearthed?

Idell Classie, she is the younger sister to Beatrice (a pillar in the town and a bit crazy). Idell was one of the "regulars" at the bookshop. Her sister has been on an extended trip, and most of the time Idell lives in the shadow of Beatrice. 

As soon as the body is identified, Maddy is contacted by special GBI investigators, why the interest over the skeleton in which the sheriff believes is a possible murder? Where is the most expensive antique book that Jennifer, the bookshop assistant, discovered was a special order for Beatrice? Could it be one of the reasons for the skeleton in her yard? Why have they arrested Gloria? Maddy must weave all of the strange clues together... after all the local church must remain lead by Gloria who has been such an inspiration in their community.

"... I couldn't help recalling a line that Rose always used to quote,

'The bookshop has a thousand books, all colors, hues, and tinges,

and every cover is a door, that turns on magic hinges."

For a cup of hot cider, a blanket, and a few moments turning pages, this mystery will entertain your evening with character's whose voices will humor you and frustrate the mysterious discovery outside of the Old Juniper Bookshop...

Enjoy this season of cozy reads,

MrsK

Meet the Author:

  

PJ NELSON is the pseudonym of an award-winning actor, dramatist, professor, and novelist (among other many other professions) who has done just about everything except run a bookstore. PJ lives in Decatur, Georgia.

Laura Childs

ISBN: 9780593815441

Publisher's Synopsis:

Theodosia Browning and her tea sommelier, Drayton Conneley, are tapped to cater the elegant wedding of Bettina and Jamie. Theodosia and Drayton are setting up when they hear a crash from the greenhouse. Shockingly, they discover that part of the roof has collapsed trapping the bride and groom. He will pull through, but his beloved is no more. Theodosia is convinced it was murder.

Black tablecloths with purple lace...

silver candelabras with black candles...

white pumpkins... and antique Gothic novels...

Your Victorian is served...

MrsK's Review: Cozy Tea Mystery

The Killer: Yes-sir-re-Bob, that's the first person you will meet! Someone unknown in camo, black pants, and sunglasses. Definitely not humble enough to enjoy the setting or respectful of the beauty arrangements for the wedding at the Foxtail Flower Farm.

Meet Theodosia the caterer from the Indigo Tea Shop. She is the owner of the tea shop, one that I wish was in my hometown. Her clever attention to the fine details, the recipes, and the monthly tea venues is beyond inspiring. Her tea sommelier, Drayton, is versed in tea creations that makes your everyday cup of tea seem uninspired. Her chef and baker, Haley, masterly creates scrumptious menus and delectable scones.

Meet Jamie and his bride Bettina it's their wedding that will become a scene of devastation and wreckage. Celeste is the maid of honor who is curious about how the "closed" greenhouse has been decorated. Will their wedding continue?

Meet Riley, he is Theodosia's detective in the Charleston Polie Department. He is the foundational support for all things Theodosia, including every step and observation of her sleuthing chaos.

There are so many cozy moments woven within this "crazed murdering mystery." Cozy detailed settings like Maddy's delightful cottage complete with a chintz-covered" chair. An October, Victorian Tea, that is decorated to the ninth power, as well as a dash of historical facts. Favorite fall recipes to be practiced in your kitchen. Cobblestone lanes to wander with an invite to the town's "A Walk Among the Tombstones," or what is known as the Cemetery Crawl.

Are you ready... or not...

Have a spookingly yummy time,

MrsK

"When everything went paws up,

she could always come home to this."

Meet the Author:

 Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries, Scrapbook Mysteries, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fund raising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.

   

James Patterson & Brian Stitts

ISBN: 9781538703953

Publisher's Synopsis:

Only two people know Lamont Cranston's secret identity as the Shadow, a vigilante of justice: his greatest love, Margo Lane -- and his fiercest enemy, Shiwan Khan. Then Khan ambushes the couple, who have the slimmest chance of survival ... in the uncertain future.

A century and a half later, Lamont awakens in a world both unknown and disturbingly familiar. The first person he meets is Maddy Gomes, a teenager with her own mysterious secrets, including a more than passing familiarity with the legend of the Shadow.

Most disturbing, Khan's power continues to be felt over the city and its people. No one in this new world understands the dangers of stopping him better than Lamont Cranston. He also knows he's the only one who stands a chance. The Shadow must prove that he's not only a super crime-fighter, but an icon.

 

"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? 

The Shadow knows..."

MrsK's Review: Nostalgia Mystery & Sci-Fi

It's 1937 when Lamont and Margo were at the Jack & Charlie's 21 Club it was to be a special night. Margo had always been full of surprises; she is the only one who truly knows Lamont's real identity. This night, Lamont had his own surprise. A few sips of Champaign, a click of their forks, and they began their first bites of their snowy-white lobster... and that's when Margo dropped her fork as white foam began oozing out of her mouth.

In 2087 Maddy is in class, waiting for roll call to be finished. High school today has bars on the windows to keep students locked in their classrooms. Teachers can only read the daily notes. Since the grid shut down ten years ago, all cell phones had to be turned in. Of course, Maddy had hers hidden. For now, students weren't allowed out of the classroom without an armed guard. But Maddy knew that once she was led to the bathroom; she could leave the building without any trouble. Maddy always had a way to change people's minds. She barely remembers her parents and currently lives with her Grandma. Once outside, she felt her decision to drop out of her last few months of her senior year and today was that day. She would need to be cautious, the TinGrins were everywhere but she had an appointment she had to keep.

Creighton Poole is an attorney, even though in today's world there isn't much work. Not since the World's President was announced had anyone needed a lawyer. In fact, this afternoon's appointment was a 1937 generational agreement that was to be given as an inheritance to Maddy when she turned eighteen. This will be his official legal appointment.

President Gismonde is a dark leader. His motives are not what you would call "pure" or legit. His Chief of staff, Sonor Breece, a man who carryout's every decision that President Gismonde commands. Including but not limited to mass poisoning of the locals.

Dr. Fletcher is the guardian for Lamont's estate. He is currently engaged at an undisclosed area... that is until Maddy shows up. From that point on, he will release the care of one "decelerated" body of one Mr. Lamont Cranston.

"What time is it?

Twelve o'clock.

And what day is it?

July 1st, 2087."

Are you ready for a Sci-Fi mystery that ended in 1937, only to begin once more in 2087? Patterson and Sitts will not let you down. I was hoping this novel would be the Sadow I listened to once upon a time, what I got was a full day and half of turning pages.

Are you ready to know what only the Shadow knows?

MrsK

Read more about the original Shadow

Meet the Authors:

 James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time and the creator of such unforgettable characters and series as Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride. He has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton, and Michael Crichton, as well as collaborated on #1 bestselling nonfiction, including The Idaho Four, Walk in My Combat Boots, and Filthy Rich. Patterson has told the story of his own life in the #1 bestselling autobiography James Patterson by James Patterson. He is the recipient of an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.

 

 
Brian Sitts is an author known for his engaging storytelling and collaborations with James Patterson, with notable works including "Holmes, Marple & Poe" and "The Perfect Assassin." He is an award-winning advertising creative director and television writer. He has collaborated with bestselling author James Patterson on various projects, contributing to both adult and children's literature. He resides in Peekskill, New York, with his wife, Jody.

 

Karen Barnett

ISBN: 9780825448539

Publisher's Synopsis:

In 1948, Zion National Park ranger Henry Eriksson and his wife, Alma, are less than one year removed from their infant son's sudden death in a flash flood, and the weight of the loss hasn't diminished with time. When Henry discovers an abandoned baby in a hatbox on his morning rounds, he's unsure how to react, but Alma is delighted, and she reignites with purpose at what seems to be a miracle from God.

Nearly eighty years later, Talia Eriksson leaves her job at an athleisure company in Palo Alto, California, in disgrace and returns to Zion National Park to reconnect with her grandfather and review her life goals. But when an at-home DNA test exposes family secrets, Talia and her newfound friend, law enforcement ranger Blake Mitchell, work together to search for answers.

Talia navigates the rocky path into her past with Blake by her side, what she discovers may alter everything she knew to be true about herself. With the uncertain future looming, Talia must learn that family is deeper than genetics and that trusting God can mean being still and clinging to the Rock.

"The 'sweet-sweet-sweeter-than sweet' notes of the

yellow warbler set the tone for the day

far better a bacon-and-egg breakfast."

MrsK's Review: Mystery, National Parks

May 15, 1948, at Zion National Park a foundling was discovered. Henry had welcomed and cherished every new sunrise, yet since his son's disappearance, he knew his wife, Alma, needed a new location. Grief has not been kind. Familiar aches could rush in like a flash flood. Every trail, every sunrise or sunset held sorrow. It was time for a transfer. This day started like so many and then in one moment of time he discovered a leather hatbox sitting in the dirt on a trail he rode every morning. The minute the foundling was in his arms, Henry knew he had to protect Alma from the sorrow a little one would rekindle. Yet, when Alma hears of the baby boy... she is determined it was a gift that would not be kept from her.

Eighty years later, Talia is surprised by one encounter that will create a stream of unsettling discoveries. She has just launched her first ZetaWear designs for those who explore the great outdoors. Given the urgency of the undisclosed product danger, will she be boldly accepted at her staff presentation? Could her day be any more tangled? How she longed for the "playground of her youth... the beauty of nature that could instill not only peace but a longing for spiritual understanding."

Pops is Talia's grandfather. He lives in Zion Canyon, which would be a great escape for Talia. His door is always opened to Talia. Will this be the refuge she runs to? Given his ancestry roots, he was proud of their Scandinavian roots, as well as his wife's Spanish background. He trusted that Talia would live up to any challenge facing her future. He knew that prayer always "thinned the boundary between earth and heaven." 

Ranger Mitchell, Blake, has just stopped Talia as she drives from ZetaWear to Zion. As an Army vet, he knew that if someone was in a location they shouldn't be, people could be hurt. Why would he have thought about Talia? After all, she was a bit of a menace, yet intriguing.

Myrtle is the shop owner who has recently hired Talia. She has known her grandfather who encouraged Talia's hiring. She's a bit on edge with Taliia's ideas to reorganize the store, yet maybe her ideas might bring new customers in. Could there be more to Talia then what she might bring to the store? Is there more to be known?

This novel brings so many moments of comfort; the characters are so well developed they truly speak for their selves. The plot, action, and beauty of the national park is expertly woven into a heart-warming discovery of life. Karen's eloquent quote represents what this novel will reveal: "Zion is a good place to seek truth. God's voice can be heard through the water and the stone. Be still and listen." 

MrsK

"How does one make decisions on their own?"

"Lord, you lead me by still waters."

Meet the Author:

 Karen Barnett is the award-winning author of the Vintage National Parks Novels, the Golden Gate Chronicles (Out of the Ruins, Beyond the Ashes, Through the Shadows), and MISTAKEN. She lives in Oregon with her husband, two kids, and a bevy of furry friends.

  RangerBear

I’ve had RangerBear for many years, but when I started publishing the Vintage National Parks novels, I decided to take some photos of him for social media. A friend (Rachel McMillan, I’m looking at you!) suggested starting an Instagram page for him. Seriously, I had NO IDEA what I was getting into.

Meet RangerBear - Karen Barnett

RangerBear_Adventures took off pretty quickly. My husband and I had fun snapping photos of him at various landmarks and national parks (much to our teenagers’ dismay). Pretty soon, friends were asking if he could accompany them on their travels. Now RangerBear has visited quite an array of parks and historic sites around the country and even become known among the National Park Service Rangers. I’ll never forget when I stopped at the entrance booth at Yellowstone National Park and the ranger checking my park pass spotted him on the dash. “Is that RangerBear? WAIT–are you from RangerBear_Adventures?!”

Susan U. Neal

ISBN: 9781733644334

Publisher's Synopsis:

In How to Sell 1,000 Books a Month, award-winning author and book marketing expert Susan Neal reveals proven strategies to dramatically increase your book sales and move you closer to becoming one of the best sellers' books in your genre. Whether you're a first-time author or a seasoned writer, this guide is packed with step-by-step tools to help you share your God-given message with thousands of readers.

This resource doesn’t just tell you what to do—it shows you how to do it. Detailed action plans show both new and veteran Christian authors how to get their books to rise through the ranks of the bestsellers list. With Susan’s proven methods, you’ll build a marketing plan that works, plan a powerful launch, and make the most of tools like Amazon ads—all to help you achieve your dream of selling 1,000 books a month.

"Create a teaser that sparks interest...

that will make them eager to discover more..."

MrsK's Review:

Whether you have dreams of writing your own book, deciding to blog your life's journey, dreams of opening your own bookstore, or just hoping to gain the most valuable insights into what works well for writers... this book is beyond valuable.

Writing styles vary according to what your interests are, as well as how well you can engage your readers with your unique voice. We are all on a journey, there are so many opportunities to begin writing your own experiences. If you haven't already started journaling and sketching, creating a writer's journal is a wonderful beginning. My journals are about my growth and maturity as I age, think wisdoms to pass on. Or my educational journals are filled with classroom best practices. Maybe a story or two could be discovered within those penned pages.

With that in mind, this writer's handbook is on target. Beginning with knowing your audience, I was pleasantly grateful that my writer's workshop proved its alignment... goal setting is by far crucial. Next bull's eye expanded my thoughts about developing my online presence. I could not quit marking this chapter with notes for the soon to open Pages Turned bookshop! The supportive guidance for self-publishing lessened my anxiety about publishing Inspired Learning's homeschooling webpage.

This step-by-step power tool is so well organized, user friendly, highly encouraging, and worth more than most of the numerous college courses I've experienced (other than fifteen years of meeting authors. I valued the marketing suggestions, after all... even this book blog can use more readers!

This is a perfect winter browse, read, notate your thoughts for your own publishing dreams... and have plenty of reader flags and hi-lighters...

Applause, applause, applause Susan... this is a "must have" keeper, your voice rings true, I felt as if we were having a one-one session,

MrsK

"God has a unique way of whispering to our hearts

stories only we can tell."

Meet the Author:

 Have you ever dreamed of publishing a book and selling thousands of copies? Susan Neal can help you fulfill your writing dreams. She has consistently sold a thousand books every quarter for the past couple of years.
Would you like to get more sales for a published book? Susan can teach you how to book a podcast tour as she obtained over twenty guest interviews in six months on her most recent tour. Take her course, How to Sell 1000 Books in Three Months. This course covers both pre-publication planning and marketing strategies to sell more books.

Seasoned Readers Summertime Retreats

Kate Carlisle

ISBN: 9780593201459

Publisher's Synopsis:

Brooklyn has been happily settling into married life with her hunky husband, security expert Derek Stone, when a little black book arrives in the mail on a quiet Saturday afternoon. The book is a rare British first edition of Rebecca, and inside, Brooklyn finds a note from her old friend Claire Quinn, asking her to restore it to its former luster. The two women met while working as expert appraisers on the television show This Old Attic. Brooklyn appraised books on the show and Claire's expertise was in antique British weaponry, but they bonded over their shared love of gothic novels.

The day after the book arrives, Claire shows up at Brooklyn and Derek's home--in disguise. She believes her life is in danger, and as soon as Derek sits her down and questions her, Claire reveals that in the last few weeks she has experienced two near-fatal attacks, along with weird notes left in her mailbox, hang-up phone calls, and one very scary car chase. She's afraid that her past is catching up to her. When Claire was only nine years old, she witnesed several men, one of whom was her father, planning a terrible crime. And now it seems that she's been followed, bringing the threats against her literally to Brooklyn's doorstep. Can Brooklyn page through the clues to keep her friend's past from destroying their future?

"How can I make you whole again? 

How can I improve your life?"

MrsK's Review: Bibliophile Mystery

Meet Brooklyn a bookbinder who specializes in rare book restorations. She and her husband, Derek, has just returned from a trip to Dharma. Even though she was preparing to begin repairing the latest book in need of repair, her husband informed her that someone has sent her a book from Oddlochen, Scotland. What brought momentary joy became one of the most "life-threatening" journeys for both of them.

Derek is a security expert who is charming, considerate, and the one man you would want around when so many mysterious and murdering situations are part of your everyday life. 

Alex is a former CIA operative who has her own business. She enjoys baking some of the "tastiest" cupcakes any friend in need would appreciate. As a neighbor who just happens to be as dangerous as Derek, obviously joins the hunt for those who are in a violent "race" to steal Rebecca.

Gwyneth is someone that worked with Derek. Why would she be sending Derek a book? It should have come for Brooklyn. Even though a first, British, signed edition of Rebecca is beyond value, a suspense novel is not necessarily a gift that Derek would be interested in. Until... 

Claire once worked on a television show that featured treasured heirlooms, she and Brookly once shared a bookish comradery. It's a while since they were in contact with one another. Claire is an antique weaponry specialist. Why is she at their door looking for Derek? 

Inspector Lee can be cynical, yet she is fair with precision instincts and will do what is needed to get these killers before anyone else succumbs. 

Could a book in need of repair really cause murderers to begin showing up? Would any of Derek's Interpol contacts be of assistance? Will they locate Gwyneth? Why would an "odd and dramatic" gothic mystery be so important that killers would travel to and from Scotland? Evidently, it is true... 

"Books can kill!"

"It's all about the book. Every time Brooklyn and Derek are dragged into something dangerous... well let's just say... even owning a book could cost you! 

With excellent story-weaving threads, perfectly crafted characters, many moments of playful bantering, an intriguing Victorian castle by the Loch, and cryptographic codes... this book will fulfill your hours with every page turned.

MrsK

Meet the Author:

 Golden Heart and Daphne du Maurier Award winning author Kate Carlisle spent over twenty years working in television production as an Associate Director for game and variety shows, including The Midnight Special, Solid Gold and The Gong Show. She traveled the world as a Dating Game chaperone and performed strange acts of silliness on The Gong Show. She also studied acting and singing, toiled in vineyards, collected books, joined a commune, sold fried chicken, modeled spring fashions and worked for a cruise ship line, but it was the year she spent in law school that finally drove her to begin writing fiction. It seemed the safest way to kill off her professors. Those professors are breathing easier now that Kate spends most of her time writing near the beach in Southern California where she lives with her perfect husband.

A lifelong love of old books and an appreciation of the art of bookbinding led Kate to create the Bibliophile Mysteries, featuring rare book expert Brooklyn Wainwright, whose bookbinding and restoration skills invariably uncover old secrets, treachery and murder. Kate is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers and Romance Writers of America. She loves to drink good wine and watch other people cook.

Jenn McKinlay

ISBN: 9780425242186

Publisher's Synopsis:

Lindsey is getting into her groove as the director of the Briar Creek Public Library when a New York editor visits town, creating quite a buzz. Lindsey’s friend Beth wants to sell the editor her children’s book, but Beth’s boyfriend, a famous author, gets in the way. When they go to confront him, he’s found murdered—and Beth is the prime suspect. Lindsey has to act fast—before they throw the book at the wrong person.

"There is nothing better than sharing..."

MrsK's Review: Mystery + Book about Books

Meet Lindsey, the director of the Briar Creek Library. Currently she is learning to knit during the "crafternoon" book club. The book club is discussing du Maurier's Rebecca and its comparison to Jane Eyre. Lindsey knows what is like to find out that there's another woman in a relationship. She will be the one who will help Beth uncover the truth about Rick's true identity.

Violet is a retired actress who volunteers at the Briar Creek Community Theater. She will be stepping in for Beth. As a Little Red Hen storyteller, she will captivate the fun of Storytime even when her young audience lets her know "she stinks."

Beth is the perfect children's librarian. If I was back in the classroom/library, I would take her Mrs. Potts Storytime into a real book-stomping experience. Currently, Beth has just finished her picture book. Given that her boyfriend, Rick, is an author, she was hoping he would help her get her treasured story published, yet that unfortunately becomes a challenge... especially since he is found dead! Now Beth is determined to find out "who" she was really dating.

Finally, there's Ms. Cole, the librarian who has lived out her life in Briar Creek. As with every older and steadfast librarian, well let's be kind and just say she is very set in her ways of how all employees should be following the protocol and steps that were designed years ago. I wonder, will Lindsey's kindness create a new measure of possibilities to Ms. Cole's daily routines?

Sydney is an editor, which just happens to be Rick's editor. A friend of the library mentioned Beth's book and set up a lunch date for Beth to discuss publishing her book. Unfortunately, this editor believes that Beth is not the author of the picture book she's looking at. Why would an editor have such a strong reaction to an author's manuscript? What does she know? Will she be willing to reveal "who" Rick really is?

Can anyone resist the joy of discovery when you first enter a public library. So many books, quiet contemplations, whispering discussions, the enticing book spines... just awaiting its newest reader.

Match a library + a reader and add a dash of murder. 

Is there a better way to curl up in your favorite spot for an evening of sleuthing?

MrsK

"Perhaps no place in any community 

is so totally democratic as the 

town library.

The only entrance requirement...

is interest."

Lady Bird Johnson

Meet the Author:

 Jenn is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of several mystery and romance series. She is also the winner of the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award for romantic comedy and the Fresh Fiction award for best cozy mystery. A TEDx speaker, she is always happy to talk books, writing, reading, and the creative process to anyone who cares to listen. She lives in sunny Arizona in a house that is overrun with books, pets, and her husband’s guitars.

Heather Fawcett

ISBN: 9780593724729

Publisher's Synopsis:

Cambridge professor Emily Wilde is good at many things: She is the foremost expert on the study of faeries. She is a genius scholar and a meticulous researcher who is writing the world's first encyclopaedia of faerie lore. But Emily Wilde is not good at people. She could never make small talk at a party--or even get invited to one. And she prefers the company of her books, her dog, and the Fair Folk.

So when she arrives in the hardscrabble village of Hrafnsvik, Emily has no intention of befriending the gruff townsfolk. Nor does she care to spend time with another new arrival: her dashing and insufferably handsome academic rival Wendell Bambleby, who manages to charm the townsfolk, get in the middle of Emily's research, and utterly confound and frustrate her.

But as Emily gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets of the Hidden Ones--the most elusive of all faeries--lurking in the shadowy forest outside the town, she also finds herself on the trail of another mystery: Who is Wendell Bambleby, and what does he really want? To find the answer, she'll have to unlock the greatest mystery of all--her own heart.

"Yet within these pages, like specimens threaded with pins

and trapped behind glass...

is every species of faerie yet encountered by man..."

MrsK's Review: Fantasy

Emily is not an easy character to figure out, especially since she tries to be self-sufficient with a streak of stubborn focus that leads to many difficulties. Granted, I knew nothing about fairies beyond Tink. Yet, spending a lifetime exploring the "Hidden Ones," their cultural homelands, their folklore, and some of their magic explains Emily's newest exploration of Hrafnsvik, Ljosland (a five-day journey from London). Though she is an excellent researcher, a scholar from Cambridge, and an authority on Dryadology, she is not at ease around people. Emily is at her best with her books, research, as well as her devotion of her quest in completing the first encyclopedia of faeries.

Shadow is Emily's faithful companion and protector. With what appears to be an "accusatory resignation," he will be more than an overgrown... slightly blind... boarhound.

Finn is the landowner's son. He is kindhearted, willing to help Emily in the rough weather of winter (especially with the wood-cutting), and the one who will gather the villagers when Emily is in dire straits. Finn's understanding of the "Wee Folks" is that they are child sized. The "Brownies" are the ones that involve themselves in the lives of mortals (thefts, curses, or blessings). The "Trouping Fae" is those who travel in groups, especially the winter ones. Then there are the "Tall ones," who are more than unkind to the humans. Finn will be the one who introduces Emily to Aud, the village headwoman.

Bambleby is Emily's coworker, co-author, and prolific professor at Cambridge. Even though he appears entertaining, there is much about him that Emily doesn't trust. Self-assured and extremely knowledgeable about the most unknown Fae behaviors, he tends to tell Emily what she shouldn't do. Why he has decided to come and "stay" with her is beyond what Emily wants. He has an extreme way of irritating her to the point of distraction. Will he try to be the sole author of her research? Will he be a guardian over Emily or will Emily be his guardian? 

Aud, the headwoman in the village. Displease her, and everyone will follow her decision. She is more than wise; she knows firsthand the way of the Faes. She is wise about healings and curses. Will she encourage the village to welcome Emily and discuss their stories of the Hidden Ones, or will she shun Emily? She will be needed for Emily to be accepted and out of danger.

Poe is the first brownie that Emily meets in Ljosland. He admires Emily's coat and becomes willing to barter with her for his fresh baked bread (a staple that her landlord doesn't have any chef ability other than burnt). Poe's tree is not far from where Emily is staying. He has met Bambleby and isn't comfortable around him. Poe will be instrumental in the knowledge about the hidden ones. As he fellowships with Emily, he becomes the most endearing of characters.

Throughout the weaving of the story, you will be delighted that Emily has provided foot notes to educate you about all things dealing her faerie research. For a reader like me, this proved beneficial, especially on the pages in which your mind swirls around the lore of the Hidden Ones. A brilliant addition to Emily's research is the inserted tales from the village. These are delightful folklore that helped you stay connected to the thread that the village knows life with the Hidden Ones.

If fantasy, folk tales, and fairies have been your reading destination. You can't miss this series. If you once enjoyed Disney's Tink or Lady Cottington's Fairy Album or Fairies by Brian Froud and Alan Lee, then you will want to add this series to your forever shelf...

MrsK

"The forest has a different quality now, girded with winter.

It no longer dozes among its autumn finery...

but holds itself in tension, watchful and waiting."

"A faerie stone with a crack running down it, has been spent and is thus harmless.

An intact stone should be left untouched..."

Meet the Author:

 I'm the author of books for adults and children, including Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, Even the Darkest Stars, Ember and the Ice Dragons, The School Between Winter and Fairyland, and more.

Leanne Morgan

ISBN: 9780593594391

Publisher's Synopsis:

From dealing with your mean teenage daughter to rebelling against the latest diet trend, America’s newest standup sensation packs a hilarious punch with her real talk about what it’s like to be a regular woman today. For a long time, no one pulling the strings in the comedy world thought that an over-fifty woman from rural Tennessee could make it in the industry. But Leanne Morgan has defied the odds, reaching millions with her musings on menopause, Weight Watchers, and her opposites-attract relationship with her husband, Chuck. In her charming, Southern-accented voice, Morgan brings readers inside her quest to find her calling after so many years trying to figure out what that meant. Along the way, she discusses everything from growing up as a butcher’s daughter, to her strategy for landing a husband with health insurance, to the glories of aging and the comfort of wearing big old grannie panties. Equal parts warm and hilarious, this book is a must-read by one of comedy’s rising stars—reminding you that every time life leaves you asking, “What in the world?”, something good is going to come out of it someday.

"Is there a more beautiful sight than thousands of darling,

women laughing so hard they wee-wee themselves?"

MrsK's Review: Reality Fiction/Humorous

Were you someone who took home economics back in the day? Do you talk enough for you and your spouse? Have you ever been to a convention or comedy hour in which it was pure wisdom that you were wearing a pad? If so, this could be the book that brings a smile, an outright laughing spree, or a moment in which you discover you really aren't as off balanced as others might think you are!

In her mid-fifties, Leanne has found her calling as a Grand Ole Opry and Netflix comedian. She has an unabashed outlook on life. She is a southern woman who has "ridden the roller coaster" of life. Family life on a ranch brought many skills, including stocking shelves, watching her daddy butcher their livestock, and sitting at the cash register to spin her tales.

She was influenced by Clorox TV ads, Vanna White's ability to turn those letters, and Paul Lynde's dazzling wit. In college, she was influenced by Erica Kane, crazy right? With a failed marriage she began searching for her future. With a degree and husband, what comes next... babies with maybe a side career in showbiz.

While Leanne begins believing in herself, she was still being a mom. Sometimes we are in a wait room for God's timing. Sometimes there's a reason that interrupts our journey, yet when all is aligned the past pathways always makes sense as we grow into our new seasons. As a mother of three, doing comedy clubs where college-aged kids enjoyed her take on life as a T-Ball mom and jokes about "confusing poop with chocolate" were funny.

This was a gift of joy and giggles. We all reach those seasons when we can get "stuck" in the corners of our minds. If you need an uplifting, straight talking discovery, you will enjoy these short passages of hope, can-do, and definitely relatable moments of truth. We aren't in this alone, sometimes it takes an honest voice to get us going for it...

MrsK 

"I needed to learn to be grateful for the valleys because

God had me there for a reason... and Hallelujah,

it gave me great stories to tell."

  
Leanne Morgan is a comedian, actress, writer, producer, wife, mother, and grandmama. Her first Netflix special, I’m Every Woman, was one of the most-watched specials on Netflix in 2023. Leanne has been named to the Forbes 50 Over 50 list and Variety’s 10 Comics to Watch list. When she’s not on the road, Leanne loves to be at home in Knoxville, Tennessee, with her husband, three children, two grandbabies, and beagle.

Jim Minick

ISBN: 9780312571429

Publisher's Synopsis:

"A truly inspiring story, in gorgeous prose, about one family's journey into blueberry farming. Delicious reading.", Naomi Wolf, author of "The End of America". The Blueberry Years is a mouth-watering and delightful memoir based on Jim Minick's trials and tribulations as an organic blueberry farmer. This story of one couple and one farm shows how our country's appetite for cheap food affects how that food is grown, who does or does not grow it, and what happens to the land. But this memoir also calls attention to the fragile nature of our global food system and our nation's ambivalence about what we eat and where it comes from. Readers of Michael Polland and Barbara Kingsolver will savor the tale of Jim's farm and the exploration of larger issues facing agriculture in the United States like the rise of organic farming, the plight of small farmers, and the loneliness common in rural America. Ultimately, The Blueberry Years tells the story of a place shaped by a young couple's dream, and how that dream ripened into one of the mid-Atlantic's first certified-organic, pick-your-own blueberry farms.

"They come to fill buckets and pans, canning jars, freezer bags,

pie crusts, and always the ever-waiting tongue. They come to visit

and eat, to sate the hungers of loneliness and body."

MrsK's Review: Memoir/Autobiography

Once in a while a book's cover attracts your attention and you pick it up to see what journey would await you. This wasn't a typical find, I wasn't considering it as a summer read, and yet since my days with Blueberries for Sal... my absolute favorite berry of the summer... and our garden's need for rejuvenation... this book came to our small-town home.

Meet Jim and Sarah... two young schoolteachers who purchased ninety aches of dirt. They began with six varieties of blueberries that would bloom throughout the summer of 1991. With grit and dreams of staying home and enjoying the "good life," they purchase land and moved to Floyd County, Virginia. Their farm had creeks, a spring, and a long history. Of course, a long history might suggest ready to farm, or it could mean that they would begin their first seasons with the same type of hard work that the early homesteaders experienced (this is when I began my delightful summer journey... a few chapters at a time... eating our own blueberries on our patio swing).

Preparing the land, falling trees, bees or no bees, watering systems, planting, all they knew with confidence was that their blueberries would be organic, pesticide free. The long-long days of prep began. So did their investigation with their neighbors, with other blueberry field owners, with many research items and hope that they could keep their newly planted bushes alive for their first season of pickers.

"The field...became the course work... so heavy and complex..." Tucked in between their story you will discover: choosing the type of blueberries; blueberry history, research about roots and fungi; the National Organic Standards; as well as my personal favorite insight... Henry David Thoreau's Faith in a Seed and Wild Fruits.

So much goodness in such a small fruit. Jim's writing entices you with every page turned. His and Sarah's passion for their blueberry fields lays dormant amongst a world "plugged in."  Treat yourself to an endearing journey that should not be over-looked... it is an essential summertime discovery,

MrsK

"The blooms, those beautiful hanging cups of white.

Oh, just for an hour to be a bumblebee and buzz through 

this fragrance-filled air!"

Meet the Author:

 Jim Minick is the author of five books, including the novel Fire Is Your Water (Ohio UP, 2017), and The Blueberry Years: A Memoir of Farm and Family (St. Martin’s, 2012), winner of the SIBA Best Nonfiction Book of the Year Award. Minick has also written a collection of essays, finding a Clear Path, two books of poetry, Her Secret Song and Burning Heaven, and he edited All There Is to Keep by Rita Riddle. His honors include the Jean Ritchie Fellowship in Appalachian Writing, and the Fred Chappell Fellowship at University of North Carolina-Greensboro. He has also won awards from the Southern Independent Booksellers Association, Southern Environmental Law Center, The Virginia College Bookstore Association, Appalachian Writers Association, Appalachian Heritage, Now and Then Magazine, and Radford University. His poem “I Dream a Bean” was picked by Claudia Emerson for permanent display at the Tysons Corner/Metrorail Station. Minick’s work has appeared in many publications including Poets & Writers, Oxford American, Orion, Shenandoah, Encyclopedia of Appalachia, The Sun, Conversations with Wendell Berry, San Francisco Chronicle, Appalachian Journal, The Roanoke Times, and Still. He completed an MFA in fiction from UNC-Greensboro, where he was Fiction Editor for The Greensboro Review. Currently, he teaches at Augusta University and in Converse College’s low-residency MFA program.

Miss Read

ISBN: 9780618219131

Publisher's Synopsis:

GOSSIP FROM THRUSH GREEN returns readers to the delightful English village, neighbor to Fairacre, for a golden summer. But this sleepy, pristine setting conceals a flurry of activity amongst the villagers. Rumor has it that Mr. Venables is considering retirement just as the village's teacher is about to make an important decision. Molly Curdle prepares for a new baby. The kindly vicar, Charles Henstock, works on his sermon -- quite unaware of the disaster that will overtake him. However, there is never any doubt that all will end well in this very English village.

"Taking tea is a highly civilized pastime, and fortunately

is still in favour at Thrush Green, 

where it has been brought to a fine art."

MrsK's Review: Fictional/Historical/Village Life

Almost everything you would want to know about this journey and its author is found in the above quote. Everything except for the purity of a delightful storyteller and her universally unique characters.

Venture with me... in the days of yesterday, Miss Read is a delightful narrator. She is gracious, steadfast, and very eloquent in her observations of her village and her village characters. She would never presume what her characters are thinking, yet she is profoundly insightful about their choices, their personalities, as well as their good-natured quirks.

In the peaceful village of Thrush Green, you will visit the Village school in which the Headmistress, Miss Watson is considering retirement and Miss Fogerty is considering the daily school matters, and Betty Bell is cleaning up the school day mess. 

On Lulling High Street, the three Lovelock sisters (Violet, Ada, and Bertha) are always delightfully entertaining during all afternoon teas. Set in their ways, always on the search for delightful household items, and very unique "treasure" like characteristics, these ladies are called to provide their village with their support.

Of course, the village's rector and his wife (Charles and Dimity) live in Thrush Green's most hideous Victorian eye sore. They are about to take a vacation and will be pondering how their future will be unfolding. St. Andrew's has Sexton Piggott, whose gloom can be felt by his congregation. His daughter Molly tries to look after him while taking care of her husband Ben and young George. If only Sexton Piggott wasn't so obstinate his digestion and personality might bring an answer to the prayers of many.

Every village must have their wise and aging "Tea Ladies," Winnie and Ella. Who else would gather others for tea? Who else would have the perfect recipes for tea delectables? Who else will, with concerned hearts, know what their village community is experiencing, thinking, as well as in need of guidance? These ladies are truly the dearest of friends and precious to all in Thrush Green.

Small town life is comforting, chaotic, supportive, and full of troubles. How could a vacation create a mishmash of chaos? Who are the temporary borders at Tulliver's? Will there finally be a proposal and wedding for two of the villagers? What will happen to the Village school if Miss Watson retires?

As Jan Karon has stated, "relish a visit to Thrush Green..."

MrsK

"Now, we'll just get this place to rights, and

have a quiet evening with our knitting..."

Meet the Author:

Dora Jessie Saint MBE née Shafe (born 17 April 1913), best known by the pen name Miss Read, was an English novelist, by profession a schoolmistress. Her pseudonym was derived from her mother's maiden name. In 1940 she married her husband, Douglas, a former headmaster. The couple had a daughter, Jill. She began writing for several journals after World War II and worked as a scriptwriter for the BBC.

She wrote a series of novels from 1955 to 1996. Her work centered on two fictional English villages, Fairacre and Thrush Green. The principal character in the Fairacre books, "Miss Read", is an unmarried schoolteacher in a small village school, an acerbic and yet compassionate observer of village life. Miss Read's novels are wry regional social comedies, laced with gentle humor and subtle social commentary. Miss Read is also a keen observer of nature and the changing seasons.

Her most direct influence is from Jane Austen, although her work also bears similarities to the social comedies of manners written in the 1920s and 1930s, and in particular the work of Barbara Pym. Miss Read's work has influenced a number of writers in her own turn, including the American writer, Jan Karon. The musician Enya has a track on her Watermark album named after the book Miss Clare Remembers, and one on her Shepherd Moons album named after No Holly for Miss Quinn.

In 1996 she retired. In 1998 she was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her services to literature. She died 7 April 2012 in Shefford Woodlands.

More of Miss Read

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Booked to Dine Summer Time R&R for 2022

 Summer Time Reading Adventures...

Ellery Adams

ISBN: 9781496712387

Publisher's Synopsis:

Miracle Springs, North Carolina, is a place of healing. Strangers flock here hoping the natural hot springs, five-star cuisine, and renowned spa can cure their ills. If none of that works, they often find their way to Miracle Books, where, over a fresh-baked “comfort” scone from the Gingerbread House bakery, they exchange their stories with owner Nora Pennington in return for a carefully chosen book. That’s Nora’s special talent—prescribing the perfect novel to ease a person’s deepest pain and lighten their heaviest burden.

When a visiting businessman reaches out to Nora for guidance, she knows exactly which novels will help. But before he can keep their appointment at Miracle Books, he’s found dead on the train tracks.

Stunned, Nora forms the Secret, Book, and Scone Society, a group of damaged souls yearning to gain trust and earn redemption by helping others. To join the society, members must divulge their darkest secret—the terrible truth that brought each of them to Miracle Springs in the first place.

Determined to uncover the truth behind the businessman’s demise, the women meet in Nora’s cramped and cozy bookstore to share stories and trade support. And as they untangle a web of corruption, they also discover their own courage, purpose, and a sisterhood that will carry them through every challenge. Proving it’s never too late to turn the page and start over . . .

MrsK's Review:

Nora is an amazing book woman. Her amazing talent for listening, and her gift for choosing and placing the perfect book in the hands of her patrons are awe-inspiring. She is a woman of intelligence, creativity, ingenuity, and an amazing friend. She owns Miracle Books which is Miracle Springs old train station. She has made her home in a small community, in which the Secret, Book & Scone Society stumbles upon mysteries in need of sleuthing. Seriously... what could be better... a delightful group of friends... living in a caboose... a wonderful career of matching stories to its reader?

This first novel is woven with delightful characters. Quick humor. And the most baffling murder!

Get excited about this "Yummy" mystery series,

MrsK

Booked To Dine Book Choice for October!

Meet the Author:

USA Today and New York Times bestseller author Ellery Adams has written forty novels and can’t imagine spending a day away from the keyboard. Ms. Adams, a Native New Yorker, has had a lifelong love affair with stories, food, rescue animals, and large bodies of water. When not working on her next novel, she bakes, gardens, drinks vats of coffee, spoils her three cats, and searches for snacks. She lives with her husband and two children (aka the Trolls) in North Carolina.

Debbie Macomber

ISBN: 9780345535252

Publisher's Synopsis:

From the minute she sees the Rose Harbor Inn, Jo Marie Rose knows that this is the place that will help her find the peace she craves. And if the inn can comfort her, surely it can offer the same refuge to her first two guests.

Joshua Weaver has come home to care for his ailing stepfather. The two have never seen eye to eye, but a long-lost acquaintance proves to him that forgiveness is not out of reach and love can bloom in the unlikeliest places.

Abby Kinkaid left Cedar Cove twenty years ago after a devastating accident. But as she reconnects with family and old friends, she realizes that she needs to let the past go if she is to embrace her future.

"Rose Harbor... Rose... for whom I will grieve for whatever remains of my life.

Harbor for the place I have set my anchor as the storms of life batter me."

MrsK's Review:

Cedar Cove, a place for healing. New beginnings, a reset, a whispered hope. Jo Marie has bought a bed and breakfast. A "breathtaking" house with a wraparound porch and an "incredible view." The move was quick, especially since the house was already a B&B. But now, this was her B&B.

With the purchase of the inn, Jo Marie would be hosting her first two guests. Josh Weaver, someone who had only been back to Cedar Cove once since his high school graduation. Abby Kincaid, who has returned to Cedar Cove for her older brother's wedding. Jo Marie didn't have a lot to do, since the Inn was a "turn-key" purchase, so Jo Marie begins her first morning preparing for her two guests.

The only reason Josh is back in Cedar Cove is because of his step-father's neighbors. He received the call that Richard was failing and Michelle felt that "it would be nice" if Josh could make peace with Richard.

For Abby, her brother's wedding was the priority. All those years ago, as she recovered from the deadly car crash, had left her with shadow's of shame and guilt. To return home meant that she would be around those whom she ran from. She wanted to be there for her brother... only to get the first flight away from Cedar Cove as soon as the wedding is over.

While Jo Marie is lulled into a comfortable chair, she is "savoring the warmth of her new life. Settling in has begun. Mark is an "all around" craftsman, the one who can help build the inn's new sign and her vintage rose garden. With clashing personalities, she wonders just how well this working contract will get completed.

Cedar cove has opened its doors... will these five accept the healing and hope that is offered? Open the cover of this book, your journey will be revitalized.

MrsK

Meet the Author:

  Debbie Macomber is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of today’s most popular writers with more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide. In her novels, Macomber brings to life compelling relationships that embrace family and enduring friendships, uplifting her readers with stories of connection and hope. Macomber’s novels have spent over 1,000 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Fifteen of these novels hit the number one spot. In addition to fiction, Macomber has also published three bestselling cookbooks, two adult coloring books, numerous inspirational and nonfiction works, and two acclaimed children’s books.

Celebrated as “the official storyteller of Christmas”, Macomber’s annual Christmas books are beloved and six have been crafted into original Hallmark Channel movies. Macomber is also the author of the bestselling Cedar Cove Series which the Hallmark Channel chose as the basis for its first dramatic scripted television series. Debuting in 2013, Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove was a ratings favorite for three seasons.

She serves on the Guideposts National Advisory Cabinet, is a YFC National Ambassador, and is World Vision’s international spokesperson for their Knit for Kids charity initiative. A devoted grandmother, Debbie and Wayne live in Port Orchard, Washington, the town which inspired the Cedar Cove series.

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Ellery Adams

ISBN: 9781496726421

Publisher's Synopsis:

Nora Pennington is known for her window displays, and as Halloween approaches, she decides to showcase fictional heroines like Roald Dahl’s Matilda and Madeline Miller’s Circe. A family-values group disapproves of the magical themes, though, and wastes no time launching a modern-day witch hunt. Suddenly, former friends and customers are targeting not only Nora and Miracle Books but a new shopkeeper, Celeste, who’s been selling CBD oil products.

Nora and her friends in the Secret, Book, and Scone Society are doing their best to put an end to the strife—but then someone puts an end to a life. Though the death is declared an accident, the ruling can’t explain the old book page covered with strange symbols and disturbing drawings left under Nora’s doormat, a postcard from an anonymous stalker, or multiple cases of vandalism.

The only hope is that Nora can be a heroine herself and lead the Secret, Book, and Scone Society in a successful investigation—before more bodies turn up and the secrets from Celeste’s past come back to haunt them all . . .

"You can't go back to the beginning,

but you can start where you are and change the ending." CS Lewis

MrsK's Review:

Yes, this is part of the Secret, Book, and Scone Society series. Actually, this is the fourth in the series. Since it has been so hot in our area, getting a jump on a perfect fall read seems appropriate. If Nora could be my mentor... well I would have been begging for a job at her bookshop. This speaks to the fact that I am reviewing two books from the same series in one post!

I must introduce you to the other members of the society. Meet Hester, she is the "scone whisperer"... oh what she can create for her patrons is truly "yum-riffic!" Meet Estella, as the Magnolia Salon and Spa owner, she is a provocative, fully enchanting woman who sees life... and lives it to the fullest. June works at the Miracle Springs Lodge. Her needlework brings comfort to many at the Lodge and in the community of Miracle Springs. Sheldon is Miracle Books "window wizard." There are times that he is outlandishly funny. There are times he brings stability for Nora. He is that "perfect" employee that watches over the tales within the store, as well as Nora... especially when there is a murder to solve.

For this mystery, Nora will have to deal with some nasty attitudes, threats, and a few delightful new characters. Miracle Springs will be divided by gossip, protests, and of course a very sad murder. The newest member of the community, Celeste, will have struggles getting Soothe, her candle and herb shop started. She will come to trust the Society's friendship... that is until someone from her past shows up.

Reading books about books is always a delight. So many new titles to be discovered... so many wonderful bookshop adventures... and a murder mystery... is there any other way to spend an evening? Yes, there is! I spent the evening in search of book snacks that would match the wonderfully delicious scones and meals that are discussed throughout this novel. Let me tell you... nothing in my pantry came close to the delicacies in this novel! *Read this novel with a pencil and journal... I wonder... is there a limit to a "To Be Read" pile?

Next up...The Vanishing Type,

MrsK

Meet the Author: 

  USA Today and New York Times bestseller author Ellery Adams has written forty novels and can’t imagine spending a day away from the keyboard. Ms. Adams, a Native New Yorker, has had a lifelong love affair with stories, food, rescue animals, and large bodies of water. When not working on her next novel, she bakes, gardens, drinks vats of coffee, spoils her three cats, and searches for snacks. She lives with her husband and two children (aka the Trolls) in North Carolina.

Toshikazu Kawaguchi

ISN: 9781335430991

Publisher's Synopsis:

In a small back alley in Tokyo, there is a café which has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. But this coffee shop offers its customers a unique experience: the chance to travel back in time.

In Before the Coffee Gets Cold, we meet four visitors, each of whom is hoping to make use of the café’s time-travelling offer, in order to: confront the man who left them, receive a letter from their husband whose memory has been taken by early onset Alzheimer's, to see their sister one last time, and to meet the daughter they never got the chance to know.

But the journey into the past does not come without risks: customers must sit in a particular seat, they cannot leave the café, and finally, they must return to the present before the coffee gets cold . . .

"What would you change if you could travel back in time?"

MrsK's Review:

Fumiko one week ago was sitting in the café, she was hoping that the serious conversation would be a marriage proposal, unfortunately it wasn't. Instead, Goro's abrupt departure left Fumiko with a mixture of despair and anger. With tear's in her eyes... she knows what she must do. The only café customers were herself, the woman reading a novel, Fusagi who was taking notes from a magazine, and Yaeko Hirai who was just leaving.

Kohtake a nurse, who stops by the café when her shift is over. Fusagi is waiting for the woman at the table to leave her chair. He is there on a regular basis and the café staff keep watch over him whenever he comes in. Suffering from Alzheimer's, Fusagi wants to deliver a letter to wife, and so he comes to the café and waits for the woman in the chair to leave.

Kumi Hirai knows her sister will be at the café at some moment in time. She can't wait for her, so she leaves a note for her sister Yaeko Hirai. 

Kei  works at the café. She is always carefree and so good with the customers. Upon her return from an OB/GYN appointment, she greets a young girl that has the strangest request. Why would the girl want a "selfie" picture with Kei?

"Drink the coffee before it gets cold..."

MrsK

"The only people you can meet while in the past are those who have..."

Meet the Author:

 

Toshikazu Kawaguchi (in Japanese: 川口 俊 和) was born in Osaka, Japan, in 1971. He formerly produced, directed and wrote for the theatrical group Sonic Snail. As a playwright, his works include COUPLE, Sunset Song, and Family Time. The novel Before the Coffee Gets Cold is adapted from a 1110 Productions play by Kawaguchi, which won the 10th Suginami Drama Festival grand prize.

Reese Witherspoon

ISBN: 9781501166273

Publisher's Synopsis:

Reese Witherspoon's grandmother Dorothea always said a combination of beauty and strength made Southern women "whiskey in a teacup". We may be delicate and ornamental on the outside, she said, but inside, we're strong and fiery.

Reese's Southern heritage informs her whole life, and she loves sharing the joys of Southern living with practically everyone she meets. She takes the South wherever she goes with bluegrass, big holiday parties, and plenty of Dorothea's fried chicken. It's reflected in how she entertains, decorates her home, and makes holidays special for her kids - not to mention how she talks, dances, and does her hair (in this audiobook, you will learn Reese's fail-proof, only slightly insane hot-roller technique). Reese loves sharing Dorothea's most delicious recipes as well as her favorite Southern traditions, from midnight barn parties to backyard bridal showers, magical Christmas mornings to rollicking honky-tonks.

"Well, I'm a lady, and I'm going to handle it like a lady."

MrsK's Review:

Are you looking for some wonderful southern recipes? Could a cup of sweet tea make a moment of your day a bit more blessed? This is one of those books that called out, of course the title grabbed my attention since I've enjoyed moments with a dabble of whiskey in my tea cup. Moving on, there was a hope that I might discover a new read, after all Reese has her own book club. Finally, is there anything better than a recipe book that engages you beyond enticing food pictures?

Within the covers, you will find: a memory or insight into the wisdom of those who walked before us; wonderful treasures that are "built to last;" nature's blessings of colors and textures; flea market strategies; hostess tips; remembrance gifts and scrapbooking ideas; family dinner gratitude; business targets and ideas; and of course southern recipes. 

For a few recipe enticers: Dorothea's Sun Tea with Pecan-Crusted Chicken Skewers; Mud Pie Trifle; Kentucky Hot Bites; Dorothea's Corn Salad; Summer Squash Casserole; and Confetti Betty's Champagne and Ginger Ale Cocktail. Whether you enjoy family meal planning, hosting holiday gatherings, or just a great book-and-tea discussion... this is a must have addition for your kitchen pantry!

What's not too like... just opening the cover to beautiful end pages whispered the fresh breath of comfort and joyful anticipation. 

One of the delightful "gems" within the covers of this book is the discovery that those women who walked before us... are still shining through for the next generations. Having been raised with five generations of women, my heart was touched with comfort and a renewed courage as I read Reese's description of her Grandmother. It was, as if, my grands and greats were saying "you go Reese!" I could almost hear their voices, teacups "clicking" amongst everyone's chatter, and the joy scanning their faces once more. For that one moment in time... I thank you Reese!

Sometimes we just need to be welcomed home...

MrsK

Meet the Author:

  

 

Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon is an American actress, producer, and entrepreneur. She is the recipient of several awards, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a BAFTA Award, and two Golden Globe Awards. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and raised in Tennessee, she began her career as a teenager, making her professional screen debut in The Man in the Moon (1991), for which she was nominated for a Young Artist Award. Witherspoon owns a production company Hello Sunshine, a clothing company Draper James, and she is actively involved in children's and women's advocacy organizations. She serves on the board of the Children's Defense Fund (CDF) and was named Global Ambassador of Avon Products in 2007, serving as honorary chair of the charitable Avon Foundation. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010.

Reese's Book Club: Okay, we're a little biased but hear us out. Each month, Reese, our founder (and book-lover-in-chief) chooses a book with a woman at the center of the story. There's not a formula to the books we spotlight, and we like it that way. We make our choices thoughtfully and look for ways to deepen our connection to books, authors and ourselves.