Reading Fanatic Reviews
Romantic FantasyBecome an Essentialist by Bill Andrews
Available at Amazon
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Paperback also available at Barnes & Noble
Become an Essentialist*
Tone of the Book is Off-Putting
For a book with a subtitle that starts with “how to,” the bulk of this book talks about the author’s philosophy on essentialism—what it is, why you should do it, how it can make a difference, essential qualities—not the practicalities. The “how to” part takes up only a fraction of the book. When I saw this book on one of my favorite book review sites, I was intrigued by it because the blurb suggested that this book would give information about how to not run yourself ragged (as we tend to do in modern life) and instead focus on what’s important. The blurb itself is somewhat encouraging and inviting. However, I found the tone of the book itself was actually completely different. Throughout all of the book, the author seems to be blaming and shaming the reader for his or her past actions (and possible future ones) in the choices they’ve made in their lives if they don’t follow his concept of essentialism. Honestly, I don’t think people learn the best that way. People should be gently encouraged to try a new system if their old one isn’t working for them, not insulted and belittled as the author often does in this book. In places, too, the author uses some outrageous examples. One of his concepts is that we need to place more value on time so that we will be compelled to use it wisely. In one place, he says something along the lines of, why do something that only pays you $10 a minute if you could be paid $100 for that minute? Who among his readership would be getting paid $10 a minute anyway? It just was an absurd example that jumped out at me. I believe some concepts here are valuable, but I didn’t appreciate the authors strident and belittling tone.
Playing Doctor by Monique McDonnell
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Thalia, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, Indigo (Chapters), and Bol.de
Playing Doctor*
Sweet, Gentle Romance that Focuses on Family
In this small-town romance, the heroine returns from the big city in hopes of landing a job as the hospital director of her hometown’s hospital. Also up for the job is her old friend, Trace, whom she has always had a serious crush, but things went sideways when they were teenagers. He is now a single dad and thinks the desk job would be better for his daughter as he could keep more regular hours doing that rather than as a surgeon. The book shows how the hero and heroine rekindle their friendship and how it comes to be something more. This story is about family on several levels. First, of course, there is the very important relationship between Trace and his daughter, Dakota. It’s his concern for her that drives him to consider taking the desk job even though he enjoys being a hands-on doctor. It’s also about the support that family can be for each other. Trace’s mother works to provide a stable home for Dakota along with her son, taking care of the little girl after school and when Trace is working. Trace really couldn’t do it without his mom. I don’t a hundred percent like the way the book ended. While an HEA seems in place at the end, the book ends much too abruptly. I would have liked to have seen a glimpse of the couple’s future life together. I also don’t think the time frame for Trace to become a doctor is correct; he would have had to get through regular college, medical school, residency, and internship to be a surgeon. That said, this is a sweet and gentle romance with a focus on family, and in general, I found it a very good read.
The Legacy by Amelia Shaw
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
The Legacy*
New Life at Magical Academy
This book begins a new series. I usually like magical academy types of stories, so I was drawn to read this one. I was particularly intrigued by the idea that the heroine considers herself to be a nerdy bookworm, and she is suddenly thrust into a magical world that she had no idea existed. In this world, she is to be trained to be a fae slayer, as her family has been such for four generations. Unfortunately, she doesn’t even get to the academy until near the halfway point of the book. The first half is spent setting up her everyday life before her parents’ announcement upends it by telling her that she will be going away to a special academy for training. While we do see a few interesting scenes at the academy, the author chose to flash forward through much of her time there, focusing on a couple of key scenes instead. I would have liked to have seen more of her regular daily life at the academy and her adjustments to this world and her role in it. That said, even though this book felt a little slow at times, I think it does a good job setting up this magical world, and I would like to see where the author is going to take this next.
Blindsided by Laurie Baxter
Available at Amazon only
NOT with Kindle Unlimited
Blindsided*
Funny Short Story
This is a short story that can be read in probably a half an hour or less. It is actually very funny, and the author actually writes comedy well. She has a good sense of how to portray those little absurd moments in life. The heroine’s sister and brother-in-law set her up on a blind date for Valentine’s Day, nonetheless. Except for the very beginning and the very end, most of it reads like a movie; that is, it is mostly dialogue with a bit of thought and action thrown in. So it is not a story that’s heavy into deep introspection, characterization, or big-move action. That said, I did enjoy this very humorous quick read.
A Mother’s Loss by Jo Crow
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
A Mother's Loss*
How Many Twists of Fate Can One Woman Endure?
If you didn’t look and know that this is a thriller, the title of this book could make you think it is about grief and adjusting to loss. But, no, this is a psychological thriller that starts a little slowly as it sets the scene for the heroine’s life as a child psychologist who works with very troubled people. Her own life begins to unravel, and her past comes back to haunt her. How will she deal with this? The book is well written with some surprising twists and a suspenseful build to an unexpected climax. I can’t say I always agree with how the main character thought and acted up until the critical juncture, but I can understand her, given the intense pressures that her life had seemingly always been under. If you enjoy psychological thrillers, you might find this one to be a gripping read.
Freeing Fortune by Ashley J. Barner and Jennifer Sanders
Available at Amazon only
NOT with Kindle Unlimited
Freeing Fortune*
A Fictional (?) Regency Character Comes to the Modern World
Imagine that your favorite book boyfriend was brought from his fictional world into your own when you accidentally speak some words from a secret magical spell! That’s the way this book starts when a Darcy-esque Ben Fortune is brought forth from Regency times by the heroine to modern times. In Parts, this book reminds me of the delightful TV series called Lost in Austen, where the heroine of that story went back to Regency England, switching places with Elizabeth Bennet. But in this book, Ben is in our time. It’s fun to see our world through his eyes. He is a complex man with ideals that are similar to our own in many cases; he’s a great hero, both then and now. This book extends the idea of Lost in Austen in a really interesting way. Essentially, Ben coming to our time from his place in a novel actually creates strange changes first in the novel and then in actual history. Move one man from his “fake” time centuries ago, and much can change: the butterfly effect. I really enjoyed all the references to Pride and Prejudice and other historical romances, both their novels and their movies. The author got one tiny detail wrong. Heathcliff wasn’t a Regency hero; the Bronte sisters were Victorian writers (writing a good 20+ years after the Regency era), and Wuthering Heights is considered to be Gothic. It certainly isn’t Regency. Aside from that, I found this book to be an absolute delight.
A Cinderella Seduction by Karen Booth
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Google Play, Thala, Mondadori, Angus & Robertson, Indigo (Chapters), and Bol.de
A Cinderella Seduction*
Complex Family Issues Hamper Romance
I used to read Harlequin romance when I was much younger, back in the previous millennium. I hadn’t read one in a long time. I was delightfully surprised at the emotional depth of this story. It is about a lot of things, not just the romance. It is about family in the broadest sense, what family means to us and what we owe our families simply by being a part of them. What happens when our needs conflict with the needs of our family? The hero and heroine in this story are good people placed in a bad situation. The heroine is trying to come to grips with her new position in her long-lost family, and the hero has long-standing issues with his mother that have been exacerbated since his older brother’s death. Since their families have had a rivalry for generations, a relationship between them may not be acceptable to their families. So, will they risk what they have now for the future happiness they could possibly have? I might have made these issues seem straightforward, but they are actually quite complex in the book. The author did an excellent job of juggling the warring emotions and the tribalism that both the main characters have to face.
Be Love by Pete Brigham
Available at Amazon
Paperback only
Be Love*
One Man’s Spiritual Journey and Insights
I typically find books about people’s individual spiritual quests to be fascinating, and this book was no exception. In this book, the author weaves in both his understanding of A Course of Miracles and his insights gained through life-between-lives hypnotherapy. He states that a voice who called itself Phaedron and its Council of Elders passed on insights from the spiritual realm to him. The first section of the book goes into more detail about the hypnotherapy aspect as well as A Course in Miracles. The longer second section details the wisdom that the author believes he has gained from both of these, mostly about an all-encompassing love for humanity and oneness. This is not a quick or easy read, but it does provide interesting food for thought if you’re on your own spiritual journey.
Mashed Myths by Mick Wannenmacher and Andrew Traucki
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Mashed Myths*
Middle Grade Humorous Retelling of 6 Greek Myths
I may not be in the target age range of this book, but I found it a very fun and engaging retelling of six Greek myths. The drawings were whimsical, and the stories were told with humor and even a few gross-out moments. Now, if you’re expecting the characters in these stories to talk like ancient Greeks, you will be sorely disappointed. But if you keep your mind open and have an appreciation for middle-grade humor, you might find this a very enjoyable read.
Healing Zen to Empty the Brain by Leonid Altshuler
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Healing Zen to Empty the Brain*
Book of Short Poems
A fascinating collection of short poems buy a psychiatrist. I like to use poetry for writing prompts, so I was curious what this book had to offer. the poet has a good sense of the spare but artistic use of language in poetry. the poems are not very long, but they still managed to evoke a memory, and image, or a sense. Autumn seems to be an inspiration. I think this book might be fun for me to explore as the basis for stretching my own creativity.
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