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My review of “A Twinkle of Trouble” by Daryl Wood Gerber – chewietellsall
I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read and review "A Twinkle of Trouble", the fifth book in Daryl Wood Gerber's "Fairy Garden Mystery" series. This has become one of my favorites cozy series, and this book definitely lived up to the high standards set by earlier ones! Main character Courtney comes across as…
My review of “Everything We Never Said” by Sloan Harlow – chewietellsall
I'll admit it; when I first started reading this book, I thought it was going to be a typical teen romance where a girl (Ella) falls in love with her best friend's guy. This is complicated by the fact that her best friend recently died in a car accident during which Ella was driving. And…
My review of “The One That Got Away with Murder” by Trish Lundy – chewietellsall
I highly recommend this exciting, twisty thriller! At its heart are two wealthy brothers (Robbie and Trevor) who everyone thinks can get away with anything, including murder. Given that each young man has had a recent girlfriend who died under "mysterious circumstances", they just may be right. Now Robbie has his sights set on new-girl…
My review of “The Last Murder at the End of the World” by Stuart Turton – chewietellsall
"The Last Murder at the End of the World" is a gripping post-apocalyptic murder mystery. It's also though-provoking, incredibly well-plotted, and entirely unique. The murder in question occurs in an unusual version of the "locked room" scenario…the last survivors of a deadly-fog-apocalypse are living on an isolated island, so the suspect pool is obviously limited.…
My review of “If the Boot Fits” by Karen Witemeyer – chewietellsall
"If the Boot Fits" by Karen Witemeyer is an example of both historical and Christian fiction at their finest. As an added bonus, there's a tie-in to the classic Cinderella story. The story opens with the typical Cinderella elements (a ball, someone fleeing, and an abandoned piece of footwear). There's a brief bit in which…
My review of “Double Grudge Donuts” by Ginger Bolton – chewietellsall
First off, I should say that this is the eighth book in the series, but only the second one I've read. I didn't feel lost or like I was missing something at all. The author provided everything I needed to know to jump right in with this book; it works perfectly well as a stand-alone.…
My review of “Chasing the Horizon” by Mary Connealy – chewietellsall
"Chasing the Horizon" by Mary Connealy is an excellent example of Christian historical fiction with a touch of romance. As a reader, I enjoyed all of the information about life on a wagon train traveling west, as well as the brief glimpses of what asylums of the time were like. All of this information is…
My review of “The Sign of Four Spirits” by Vicki Delany – chewietellsall
It's hard to believe, but "The Sign of Four Spirits" is the NINTH book in Vicki Delany's excellent Sherlock Holmes Bookshop mystery series! Often, longer-running series get a little tired and repetitive by this point, but not this one. This installment is as fresh, unique, and enjoyable as the first one. (Side note: While I…
My Review of “The Warsaw Sisters” by Amanda Barratt – chewietellsall
"The Warsaw Sisters" is a powerful, historical, emotionally draining, amazing novel about two sisters living in Poland during the German occupation in World War 2. Both main characters (sisters Antonia and Helena) are incredibly well-written. The reader will feel like he/she is gradually getting to know real people as the story moves along and more…
My review of “On Moonberry Lake” by Holly Varni – chewietellsall
"On Moonberry Lake" by Holly Varni is a lovely story about returning home, and finding out what "home" really means. The narrative centers around main character Cora, who is surprised to learn she has inherited an old family property. The terms of the will require her to actually live there for a year before it…
My review of “Lost and Found” by Suzanne Woods Fisher – chewietellsall
"Lost and Found" by Suzanne Woods Fisher is a lovely book. Ms. Fisher does a wonderful job of describing the daily lives of the Amish people in enough detail to allow the reader to learn quite a bit, but not enough to cause you to lose interest. I truly enjoyed the personal glimpses into Amish…
My review of “The Name Drop” by Susan Lee – chewietellsall
I enjoyed pretty much everything about "The Name Drop". The premise is that two young people, the wealthy male heir-apparent and a smart but less affluent female both have summer internships at the same company. The fun starts when, due to the two having the same Korean name, Jessica is given the corporate royal treatment…
My Review of “Suddenly a Murder” by Lauren Munoz – chewietellsall
"Suddenly a Murder" is a highly enjoyable take on the traditional locked-room mystery. In this case, the "room" is a posh vintage mansion on a private island. A group of friends attend a week-long 1920s themed high school graduation party there, someone winds up murdered, and detective are called in to figure it out.This is…
My review of “A Royal Christmas” by Melody Carlson – chewietellsall
"A Royal Christmas" by Melody Carlson is a truly delightful holiday story perfect for reading at this time of year! This is the tale of Adelaide, a struggling American law student who learns that she is the probable heir to the throne of Montovia, a small (fictional) European country. It's near the holidays, so Adelaide…
My review of “He Should Have Told the Bees” by Amanda Cox – chewietellsall
I loved everything about "He Should Have Told the Bees" by Amanda Cox. The premise is that, after the death of her father, Beckett (Beck) expects to inherit his entire estate, which consists of land, their house, and their bee farm. She is stunned to learn that a woman she's never heard of (Callie) has…
My Review of “The Connellys of County Down” by Tracey Lange – chewietellsall
From the first couple of paragraphs, I knew I was going to love this book. And I was 100% right about that! Main character Tara Connelly came to life for me very quickly. I cared about what happened to her from the beginning, and was excited to read more to learn how she'd cope with…
My review of “The Woman Inside” by M.T. Edvarsson – chewietellsall
"The Woman Inside" is a delightfully twisty thriller. It is told from the perspectives of three main characters (Bill, Karla, and Jennica), and their narratives are interspersed with excerpts from police interviews with various characters and news articles related to the crime in question. I really enjoyed this format. I liked gradually learning more about…
Book Review: In the Shadow of the River by Ann H. Gabhart – chewietellsall
"In the Shadow of the River" by Ann H. Gabhart is an excellent example of Christian historical fiction. I particularly enjoyed the timeframe and setting (1881, on a showboat traveling Southern US rivers). It was fascinating to read about life aboard a floating entertainment venue. The author shared a great deal about what that life…
Book Review: The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin – chewietellsall
"The Sound of Light" by Sarah Sundin is a historical novel set in Denmark during World War 2. The author skillfully weaves in a lot of information about historical events, daily life, and the mindset of various parts of society. I enjoyed the new things I learned, and the book never felt like a history…
Website Review: Temu – chewietellsall
Everyone is talking about the new Temu website/shopping app, especially after their Super Bowl commercial aired last weekend. I've been seeing app ads for awhile, and was wondering if this was a legitimate company, or some kind of "shipped from China, takes months for items to arrive, and the quality is poor" type of thing.…
Book Review: Murder in White by Patrick Kelly – chewietellsall
"Murder in White" is the excellent third installment in the Wintergreen Mysteries series. It definitely lived up to the high expectations set by the first two books. Retired police detective Bill is a likeable and intelligent main character, and I enjoyed following his investigation into an unusual local murder. I appreciated the way local law…
Book Review: The Wrong Kind of Weird by James Ramos – chewietellsall
"The Wrong Kind of Weird" by James Ramos rings true in a way few book about high-school aged characters are able to accomplish. The author has successfully combined his own relative youth with the writing style of a seasoned veteran in the literary field to yield an incredibly well-written and realistic story. The four main…
Book Review: The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip by Sara Brunsvold – chewietellsall
I have absolutely ONLY good things to say about this book. It was interesting, inspirational, and even something of a "how to" manual for living. It has been nominated for my Top 10 Books of the Year list. First, the story was excellent. Aidyn, a young reporter, is supposed to interview an elderly hospice patient…
When the Meadow Blooms by Ann H. Gabhart – chewietellsall
I have so many good things to say about "When the Meadow Blooms"! Ann Gabhart is a new author to me, and after reading this amazing story, I'll definitely be seeking out more of her work. This is the story of Rose, a young single mother in the 1920s. Rose is forced to leave her…
Book Review: The Lost Melody by Joanna Davidson Politano – chewietellsall
"The Lost Melody" is an excellent example of Christian historical fiction. Set in England in the 1880s, this is the story of a young musician who is searching for an inherited ward in an asylum. The asylum claims to have no record of the patient in question, and Vivienne goes to great lengths to figure…
Book Review: Murder and an Irish Curse by Melissa Bourbon – chewietellsall
I have loved every book in this series so far, and "Murder and an Irish Curse" was no exception. It definitely lived up to the high standard set in earlier books, and I am eagerly anticipating the next installment! This time around, Pippen is still working with her friends and family to find a way…
Book Review: Ghost Light by Jane Tesh – chewietellsall
I'm a big fan of author Jane Tesh, so of course I was delighted to have the opportunity to read her new standalone mystery "Ghost Light". Not surprisingly, I loved it! First, the main character of Teddy (short for Theodosia) was excellent! I enjoyed seeing the events of the book through her eyes, and getting…
Book Review: Grounds for Divorce by Remy Maisel – chewietellsall
I have so many good things to say about this book! First, main character Emily is a joy! She finds herself in an unprecedented situation, and handles it with good humor, intelligence, and a lot more common sense than most people would have. The story is told in three parts, with parts 1 and 3…
Black Hat/White Hat by Glenn Della-Monica – chewietellsall
"Black Hat/White Hat" is the action-packed story of two lovable sociopaths, Alex and Lara Cutter. It is also the story of the law enforcement officials who try to catch them. The story moves quickly as it covers the Cutters origin story, their exploits, and the efforts of FBI officer Cody and his colleagues as they…
Five Belles Too Many by Debra H. Goldstein – chewietellsall
"Five Belles Too Many" is the fifth book in the Sarah Blair series by Debra H. Goldstein. This book definitely lives up to the high standards set by the previous books in the series; in fact, it's my favorite installment so far! This book provides more of everything I love about the series and adds…
Book Review: The Overlook Murder by Patrick Kelly – chewietellsall
"The Overlook Murder" is the excellent second installment in the Wintergreen Mysteries series. It definitely lived up to the high expectations set by the first book. Retired police detective Bill is an instantly likeable main character, and I enjoyed learning more about him as the story progressed. I appreciated the way local law enforcement asked…
A Hint of Mischief by Daryl Wood Gerber – chewietellsall
I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read and review "A Hint of Mischief", the third book in Daryl Wood Gerber's "Fairy Garden Mystery" series. I have to say that I loved everything about it….this installment definitely lived up to the high standards set by the earlier books, and I eagerly await the next…