Reading Fanatic Reviews
Romantic FantasyThe Candy Cane Caper by Josie S. Kilpack
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Thalia, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, Indigo, and Bol.de
The Candy Cane Caper*
Sweet Christmas Cozy
For me, reading holiday romance and mysteries are the equivalent of watching all those syrupy holiday Hallmark movies; I’m more of a reader than a watcher. I am so glad to have found this particular holiday mystery. While I don’t mind a mystery with dead bodies and the like, of course, it is refreshing to read a holiday cozy mystery where there is nothing too heavy. The mystery involved in this book has to do with missing Christmas ornaments. As such, I would call it a rather gentle, even sweet mystery. Honestly, it is more about the family and friend relationships in the community of the book. Amateur sleuth and baker Sadie is stressed because she wants to make the perfect holiday for her blended family. She and husband, Pete, are having all their children and grandchildren from their first two marriages coming to town for the big day. I love watching the interaction between Sadie and Pete. They are a loving couple, and I appreciate it when stories feature a middle-aged couple. Why should all the young people always have all the fun? The mystery involves the disappearance of the valuable ornaments of a very dear nonagenarian whose eyesight and Health are failing. Despite everything else that she has going on, Sadie can’t help but get involved. Another cool aspect of this book is that recipes are scattered throughout, starting with Snow Flurry cookies and ending with a delicious-sounding Cunningham’s Candy Cake with chocolate ganache. If you enjoy reading holiday mysteries and don’t mind that they’re on the kinder side (no death), this sweet caper cozy mystery may be right up your alley.
Toxic Magnetism by Kara Lawrence
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Toxic Magnetism*
Needs Organization and Focus
The title and subtitle of this book do not wholly accurately reflect what the contents are. The author seems to imply in the subtitle that this is about the why and how of the toxic relationship between empaths and narcissists. It does include elements of both of those, but they don’t seem to be the main thrust of the book, which appears more to be about what a toxic relationship is and the dynamics of it.
I thought the book had some good information, even though I thought some topics were too short. I also think it needed better organization. The book starts with 15 danger signs of a toxic relationship. Given what the subtitle is, I think it would have been better to start with defining the terms, which comes a bit later in the book, as well as an introductory foreword aimed at the empath, the target audience of this book. This opening section could discuss some of what the book description talked about; namely we can sometimes have toxic patterns in our relationships that repeat over and over with different partners and that this book aims to help break a person out of that mold. Then she should have gone on to the definitions and set up what an empath-narcissist relationship looks like before teaching about how to escape this toxic pattern.
Instead, we are given a loosely organized and somewhat disjointed grab bag of information about empaths, narcissists, and what relationships between them look like. A little at the end has some about getting out of such relationships. Again I thought some information was a bit too skimpy, but there is definitely much food for thought here, especially if you are trapped in a cycle of this kind of destructive relationship and haven’t been able to see the patterns. This book could help you understand them more clearly. All in all, I think this was a good effort that needed more focus.
Stone and Ash by Marie Robinson
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Scribd, 24 Symbols, Thalia, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, and Bol.de
Stone and Ash*
No Mid-Series Slump!
I am so enjoying this series. I appreciate that the author has written four books in which each book focusing not only the heroine and the story but on one of her dragon-shifter protectors as well. For instance, the first book is told from Maeve’s and Trystan’s perspectives, the second book is told from Maeve’s and Caliban’s perspectives, and this book is told from Maeve and Septimus’ perspectives. This allows us to see Maeve’s growth arc over all of the books and gives the spotlight to one of the men in each book. All this just adds to the richness of the storyline, the characters, and the world that the author has created. I thought this book started a little slow, as it seemed to be mostly just Maeve and the boys back at the castle adjusting to their new roles and having some amorous encounters for about the first 20% of the book. But after that, things heated up. Much happened after this point. There were definitely some twists and turns, and what a cliffhanger to leave us with! This book definitely dealt with themes of trust and betrayal on several levels. As always, I enjoy this author’s writing style; it pulled me right into the book and the fantastical lives of the characters. I regret that I have just one book to go in this series, but I am looking forward to seeing the resolution of the cliffhanger as well as how or if the marriage will affect the relationships between Maeve and the men. I highly recommend this series, though I do suggest you start with the first book.
Work from Home by Michael Cobble
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Work from Home*
Too Short and Generic
This book is so short that it could almost be considered a pamphlet. The author touches on some very basic ideas about how to make money from home. Honestly, so little is said in the book, that you can just about read the table of contents and take away about as much as if you had read the book itself. The subtitle seems to imply that he will mention specific companies that you can work for from home, but the only ones that I saw were the common freelancer sites (like Fiverr and Upwork) and an affiliate marketing hub. He very briefly goes over ideas like freelancing, selling online, blogging, and affiliate marketing among a few others. When I say briefly, I mean very, very briefly–he touches on ideas but gives no true guidance or blueprint if you are interested in a particular idea. Scattered throughout the book are a variety of affiliate links like to Aweber and Bluehost. To me, the book almost feels like it is just there to get you to click on his affiliate links. If you’re interested in working from home, I would suggest a different book that will help put you more firmly on the path to what you are hoping to achieve.
Speed Reading by Michael Cobble
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Speed Reading*
Standard Speed Reading Fare with One Twist
I have read a variety of books about speed reading as it is a topic that I find interesting as a reader and a writer. This particular book is a very quick read. I think the subtitle is a little overblown; reading faster doesn’t always necessarily lead to learning faster or achieving more. The author gives you a bird’s-eye view of a variety of common speed reading techniques and exercises. The ones shared are the ones typically found in books about speed reading. Interestingly, the author did share one idea I don’t typically see in speed reading books. He has a chapter on expanding your vocabulary as a means of improving your reading speed. The connection, of course, is not as direct as specifically working with the written page in a variety of ways, as you do with the techniques and exercises. But as I am a word person, I like the idea of anyone expanding their vocabulary, and if it serves the purpose of helping reading speed, that’s fine. Other than that, no new ground is really covered here, and some descriptions of what to do are too sparse for someone who is new to speed reading techniques and exercises. There were also issues with grammar, punctuation, and usage scattered throughout the book. I found it interesting, too, that this book seems to be a lead magnet to get you to buy a speed reading course, to which there is a link at the back of the book. If you are interested in speed reading but haven’t done much with it, I would recommend a more detailed book than this one.
The Billionaire’s Christmas Wish by Susanne Ash
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
The Billionaire's Christmas Wish*
Low-Angst Sweet Holiday Read
If you enjoy sweet, small-town Christmas romance, this book has all those lovely, light moments that are typical of that sub-subgenre. I liked that the hero and heroine are genuinely good and decent people; you want them to find their HEA. It’s always a pleasure to read about people whom you would actually like to know, not bad boys or rakes—depending on your preferred genre. The two main characters have suffered in their past romantic relationships, and both have trust issues. In an unusual move for a romance, we seem to learn more and understand the hero’s perspective than the heroine’s. While we see both their viewpoints, we usually see his first and so learn about his take on what happened before we understand hers. This is extended to their backstories. I felt like we knew more about him than her, both in the beginning and as the story progressed. This isn’t really a problem; it is just unusual for a romance, as they tend to be woman-centered. I loved Miss Dorrie, who is definitely a catalyst for much that happens between the couple. This is a relatively low angst story, and I did feel like it needed a little more conflict, though it is a pleasant read as it is. If sweet holiday romance is your thing, this lovely novella could cheer up a dreary fall weekend.
Genetic Imperfections by Steve Hadden
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Genetic Imperfections*
Love and Redemption Overwhelmed by Greed
I was intrigued by the medical thriller aspect of this book, which is why I chose it at my favorite book review website. While the medical thriller part was certainly present, I felt like the novel had issues on a variety of fronts. First, it seemed like every time we met a new character, we got a very large information dump about them, their story, and how they related to the bigger story. I hate data dumps in novels in general, but to just keep running across them every time there was a new viewpoint character or a new character got a little wearisome.
Second, I am an RN, and I found the way that the author portrayed the hospital setting was grossly inaccurate. I hate that in stories. Given our ever-connected, networked world, it seems to me like authors could simply go on nursing groups on Facebook or other forums and ask if anybody would be willing to share their knowledge so books can be accurate. I know I would help an author out. There are so many things that are inaccurate, but I think the one that bothered me the most is that a nurse would just let a patient who survived an airplane crash just walk out of his room on his own. We actually have some pretty strict protocols in the hospital for mobility. A patient like him would have had to have been signed off by PT as able to walk around the unit independently. A nurse couldn’t make this decision and just let him go. And given what has happened to him, a good nurse—even with such permission—would have walked with him or had a nursing assistant walk with him to make sure he was safe on his own. I could go on about the medical, but I will not.
I also had issues with the characters. I had really hoped that this would be a story of redemption and love, as promised in the book description. But most of the characters were motivated by such greed and were so ugly that any positive themes felt completely overwhelmed. Too, probably because of the information dumps, I never felt like I connected with the characters, especially those at the heart of what should have been the romance and redemption. So I never really bought those themes for them anyway. I also did find issues with grammar, punctuation, and usage. All in all, I found this to be a disappointing book.
Grimm’s Dweller by Arizona Tape
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Google Play, 24 Symbols, Thalia, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, and Bol.de
Grimm's Dweller*
Not a Retelling, But a Remarkable Story
I have read a book or two of Arizona Tape’s, and I had mixed feelings about them. But I was very curious to see what she would do with a spin on Grimm’s fairy tales, as I love any sort of retelling of the classic old stories. I am so glad that I took a chance with this book, which is actually a compilation of three novellas that are all based around the same two characters. Let me say right off the bat that this is not a retelling of any Grimm fairy tale. Instead, the author has created a framework for Grimm’s tales that feature an otherworldly, immortal muse and protector of Wilhelm Grimm and his stories as well as the man himself. I don’t want to give too much away because I think this book is best experienced. This collection follows these two, a Dweller who protects stories but doesn’t write them named Grisella and Wilhelm Grimm. The first book covers their meeting and initial interactions, the second book follows a period after he marries where they don’t have much direct interaction but the dweller protects his stories and inhabits their universes, and the final book is an emotionally gripping look at the time around Grimm’s death. I found the second two books to be particularly emotional, the second book because one can truly sense Grisella’s profound loneliness as she is separated from Wilhelm and the third because Grisella’s grief at the impending death of Wilhelm is so palpable. We do see a little of the infamous tales as Wilhelm Grimm creates them and as Grisella visits their universes. A very unique spin that pays homage to one of the great storytellers in Western literature.
Coming Home by Judith Keim
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Google Play, Thalia, Mondadori, Angus & Robinson, Indigo (Chapters), and Bol.de
Coming Home*
Tale of Adversity, Strength, and Family
I’ll admit that the reason I picked this book at my favorite book review site is that it took place in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. I am from southern Oregon myself, and I am always irresistibly drawn to any book that takes place in my state. I haven’t read any books by Judith Keim before, even the first book in the series, and I’m delighted to have found her—and it. I will have to go back and read that first book because I am now curious about it! I absolutely loved this story. Right away, the heroine is confronted with so much on several fronts—death, money problems, a bad breakup, recalcitrant employees, etc.—but she approaches her difficulties with a strong backbone, conviction, and resilience. There are quite a few characters in this book, but the author manages to introduce them and interweave them into the story in such a way that it does not feel confusing or off-putting. Much happens in this story, and the author has such an immersive way of writing that I just felt swept away with the story and didn’t want to put it down. Luckily, I had a spare weekend afternoon so was able to indulge. The teaser for book three at the end makes me very much anticipate the next book of the series.
A Year of Creativity by Petra Koeksema et al.
A Year of Productivity*
Craft Date Ideas
The subtitle of this book states that it is a “craft date planner.” I believe the authors misspoke. When I think of a planner, I think of something that I can write in as I strategize something, whether it’s my day or a project. This is really more of a book that introduces the concept of a craft date if you aren’t familiar with it and gives some ideas for projects for the group.
The idea of a craft date is to get together with like-minded friends and craft together. Sometimes, the group might work on a single project together, like a gift for a mutual friend. Other times, the group might work individually, each participant making the same project but fashioned for her own likes and dislikes. Another possibility would be to work on a variety of small projects during the craft date time. As you can see, it really depends on what the group wants to do in general and on a particular day.
The bulk of the book is pictures of and directions for a variety of projects that a craft date group could do. In the table of contents, these are color coded to show whether they are short, longer, or cooperative projects. In flipping through the book, none of them looked particularly difficult, which I imagine would be a criterion for a craft date project. The crafts in this book include crochet, knitting, sewing, and even a little straight-up crafting, like making a wooden coat rack or a tool station. Each project has packaging instructions—some very creative—if you are planning to give the item as a gift.
When looking at the projects themselves, some were wholly contained within the main portion of the book, while others had directions (partial or complete) in the back of the book. I know this is a long-standing tradition in craft books, but I’m not a particular fan of it, and I don’t think it was well done in this book. It made for a very picture-heavy central portion and a very text-heavy end section. There was one project where all it showed were pictures in the main part—four pages worth—and had the directions only in the back. I would have loved to have seen all the directions integrated into the main part with the photographs scattered throughout the project’s section. It just breaks up the tedium of the pages and helps you to see what a project should look like, from a variety of angles, when the directions and the picture are on the same page.
I am a knitter and crocheter, but I do not sew nor do I do the other types of crafts that are in this book. In looking at the directions for the knitting and crochet projects, I found them to be straightforward and easy to read. I also like the diagrams for crochet. I thought that the way the patterns were written was a little odd. Having crafted since I was a teenager, I am very familiar with pattern shorthand (i.e., dc for double crochet or K5 to mean “knit 5 stitches”). This book didn’t use that, and it actually felt strange to see all those words written out. Perhaps if the authors had used the standard shorthand, they could have included the full directions in the main part of the book like I mentioned before.
The book definitely has some projects that look like they are worth doing, either alone or in a group. As someone who has crafted off and on throughout her life, this is just the sort of book to fire up my imagination and make me want to break out my favorite crafting tools and have a go. They would be more fun to do with others, that’s for sure, especially if the group is made up of truly like-minded individuals.
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