The Reimagining of Thornwood House
by Jaleigh Johnson
Bonds of love (4/10/2026)
I thoroughly enjoyed The Reimagining of Thornwood House. I found the story of Evie and Ruby endearing and a relationship to cheer for. Bonding with Thornwood House was the focus of the book. However, there were threads of bonding all through the book as a family is formed, friendships are formed, a new relationship is formed, trust between magical trees and caretakers are formed, and bonds are built between the people watching over the town of Iskendra. Healing is another theme. The story is one of hope, love, and healing. The description of the sentient house was so cute and detailed that I could see the house lumbering it's way into the forest. Just a feel-good read.
The Jellyfish Problem
by Tessa Yang
Stranded (3/6/2026)
I'm not a fan of the blurbs at the top on chapters. I like to read a story without commercial breaks. But, that's my preference. The story itself was a cute story about an extraordinary jellyfish that has the ability to keep everyone who sees it trapped on the island. It revolves around a marine biologist who studies jellyfish and has just lost a friend who worked with her. The guilt she has surrounding Aldo's death weighs heavily on her and in the end his spirit comes to help her. It was interesting how the characters played off one another and finally came together in the end. I was surprised at how it all worked out.
Thistlemarsh
by Moorea Corrigan
Growth (2/3/2026)
Mouse had been a nurse in WW1. She lost her cousin to the war. Her brother was mentally scarred by the war. She had seen and lived a hard life. But, it was obvious that Mouse didn't trust herself and was naive in some ways. As the story moved forward, Mouse gained courage and grew to trust herself. Against her better judgment, she made a deal with a Fae. They made a perfect team to fight the magic of Thistlemarsh Hall. Mouse only had a month to fix the dilapidated house so she could inherit it. The relationship between Mouse and Thornwood also grew as they learned to respect each other.
The story followed the Celtic tradition of Fae and reminded me of "Encyclopaedia of Faeries" by Emily Wilde. I would recommend this book to YA and older who like fantasy romance.
Stay for a Spell
by Amy Coombe
Girl Power (1/26/2026)
I loved the story and the characters. Sometimes, quirky characters just don't work together; but they played well off each other here. I laughed out loud in some places. It was refreshing to see a cursed Princess who held the key to unlocking her own curse. I'll admit that my mind wasn't heading in that direction. The gifts presented to Sasha showed the respect each Prince had for Tandy and Sasha. That section really touched my heart.
It was nice to read a light story with no violence or sex. OK, a slight bit of sex but it was sweet not crude. Because of that, I would suggest this book to anyone 14 or older. I'm looking forward to another book about the Princess and the Pirate.
The Secret Lives of Murderers' Wives
by Elizabeth Arnott
Woman Power (12/6/2025)
Three women who had been married to serial killers come together. They don't have anything in common except their pain. They give each other support and encouragement. But more importantly they use what they learned to help stop a local murderer. Women who have been looked down upon and ignored break free of the norms put on women in the 1960s and stand strong to catch the man before he can attack another woman. As I got to the end, I had to keep reading to see if everyone made it out alive.
The Magic of Untamed Hearts: Wild Magic #3
by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
Why? (9/26/2025)
I looked forward to reading about Sky and Adam. It was a way to stop my mind racing after a long day at work. Then, one night, I started to read and the story took a turn into a very adult, sexual situation. To me, it seemed out of place with the rest of the book. I have not read the first 2 books so I'm not sure if they did the same thing. The story itself was a good story and I loved the response of the animals to Sky's moods.
When They Burned the Butterfly
by Wen-yi Lee
Dark Roads (9/14/2025)
I'm a fan of paranormal fantasy, but I found this book leading me down dark roads I've never been on before. I was drawn into a world of people with different talents and gifts. It is a world of destruction. Fans of the TV show "Supernatural" will enjoy this book. Wen-Yi Lee did not "keep it small, keep it hidden".
A Club of One's Own
by BookBrowse
Some Do, Some Don't (7/16/2025)
This book is a good resource for those thinking about starting a book discussion group to those who have been leading one for years. I like the links and resources being provided. You don't need to spend hours tracking down resources on your own. The one thing I would reinforce is that people are different - some like to talk/some don't, some like to lead some don't, some like to bring food/some don't. You get the idea! Make sure you allow people to make those choices and know that they are valued for whatever they bring to the group.
The Sister's Curse
by Nicola Solvinic
Sisters Together (7/13/2025)
As I read this book, I realize that the word "sisters" wasn't reserved for Dana and Viv. It extended to sisterhoods between all the women in the story. There was a sister relationship between Anna and Monica. The girls from the church had a sisterhood. The witches in Bayern County had their sisterhood in the coven. The curse for all of these women wasn't the same. Whether the curse came from having a serial killer as a father, the local legends, the poisoned water, or the Kings of Warsaw, the sisters stood together. I found myself wrapped up in all their stories.
The Bone Thief
by Vanessa Lillie
The Truth in Bones (7/4/2025)
I am in awe of the research Vanessa Lillie did to make this story bring out truth in a balanced way. This book is a reminder of how the Native Americans were (are) treated. Syd, the protagonist, manages to set things right and find a missing teenager. I didn't realize I was holding my breath until Naomi's baby was safely born and I gave a sigh of relief.
The World's Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant
by Liza Tully
Finally got there! (3/10/2025)
I was a little over half way through the book and thought that I just couldn't finish the book. Then, the pieces started to come together. The individual storylines didn't seem as disconnected. I found some substance in the main characters. Olivia moved away from the meek secretary to a junior detective role. Aubrey Merritt moved from an unpleasant boss to a true detective. I know this review sounds negative; but I do hope it's Book 1 in a series about these mismatched women who fit together perfectly.
Songs of Summer
by Jane L. Rosen
Fire Island Revelries (12/26/2024)
This is a story about the journey of a woman, Maggie, who find out she is adopted. Maggie finds herself in the middle of a family drama that she's not sure she want to be a part of. You can feel her struggle wanting to know her birth mother while feeling that her adopted parents are her real parents. She also struggles between playing it safe in life or following her heart. It makes for a great summer read.
Beast of the North Woods: Monster Hunter Mysteries #3
by Annelise Ryan
Hodag's town (10/31/2024)
In the prologue, Andy describes a beautiful scene in nature. It didn't take long for the beauty to turn ugly. Before Chapter 1 began, I was caught up in the story. Every time I thought I was closing in on the killer another possibility appeared. The storyline had a lot of twists and turns, but the story flowed smoothly. The people of Rhinelander built their livelihood around a dark legend that couldn't come to light. I didn't want to stop reading. I have the first two books in this series on my "must read" list.
In the Garden of Monsters: A Novel
by Crystal King
Living Poetry (8/4/2024)
In "In the Garden of Monsters", Crystal King paints word pictures that flow like poetry. The details of the meals and garden are extraordinary. I kept waiting for the next pomegranate seed to be unveiled or for a new persona for a character to be revealed. The ending gave me the feeling that things ended as they were meant to end. Love and friendship win.
The Cleaner: A Novel
by Brandi Wells
No one sees (2/4/2024)
What you see isn't always what you get. The night shift cleaner fills her life by "taking care" of the people who work on the fourth floor, her floor. She realizes that she is doing this in the dark of night without them knowing what is happening. But she doesn't realize that she is in the dark too. She makes a day visit and realizes that her relationships are shadows.
I didn't feel like the story had an ending. Life just went on. Maybe that's the point.
The Waters: A Novel
by Bonnie Jo Campbell
The Waters (11/12/2023)
As I began to read, I didn't know if I'd be able to keep all the characters straight. But the story soon settled into a story of generations. A story of moms, daughters, and granddaughters. The tale of family joy, grief, and secrets unfolded with unexpected twists and turns. At first it seems like a story of women; but read closely. The story of the men of the town is woven in and gets stronger throughout the book. All the characters I thought I'd confuse came to life in this story of generations and relationships.
A Council of Dolls: A Novel
by Mona Susan Power
A Council of Dolls (7/2/2023)
I selected this book because I love the language in the First Nations Version of the New Testament. It feels grounded. I was hoping to get a better feel for our Indigenous people by reading something written by one of their own about them. A Council of Dolls did not disappoint. I could feel the characters and what grounded each of them.
As I was reading, I thought of my Missy Sue. I decided she would have been friends with Ethel and Mae. I'm not sure that Winona would have fit in Missy Sue's circle of friends.
I found several phrases that I really appreciated. One of the early ones is "I'm careful when I'm dusting, try not to walk into a song in my head …". How many times have you been doing something and you ended up walking into a song? Another is "Your spirit isn't big enough to walk in our words." That phrase made me stop to do some soul searching about my own spirit and how I feel when I'm reading the FNV of the NT. There were many more phrases that made me stop and just reflect.
The last paragraph will echo in my head for a long time. All my life, I've worked closely with people. I wish I would have been the one to summarize all I've seen in the lives of people and written that last paragraph!
