BOOKS AND CHINOOKS

Well this book packs a punch! I follow this author on twitter and often share in her rage and angst that she tweets about. I like this author’s books - she’s an auto buy for me. This is a departure from her last one and I went into this one knowing nothing about it. I have to say the plot of this book doesn’t surprise me. Cleo is a senator and is planning a run for president. The book is so on point for where we are in history. The plot takes on a lot of issues - regrets, #m

I really enjoyed this book and it is perfect to read at the current time. This is a well paced story by a debut author that centers around Emira, who is a black girl, and her employer Alix who is living a life of white privilege. Emira is a babysitter for Alix’s children. Alix is determined to befriend Emira and this is complicated by the differences in the lives of the two women. While also seeing the differences between them there are also similarities that make their relat

Another interesting book by Vanessa Lillie. This was a great suspense story with a main character that I didn’t really like but still hoped for the best for her. Juliet becomes caught up in a murder case when her wallet is found by the victim. She becomes the prime suspect and is unable to completely defend herself as she was black out drunk the evening the murder happened. There is no dispute she had been with the victim around the time of his death. Juliet sets out to defen

This book had my emotions on a roller coaster. Emma is a career driven physician and what drives her is the death of her best friend Kate. When they were both 11 years old Kate died of a rare form of cancer. Emma has dedicated herself to finding the cure for this cancer along with Kate’s father who is also a physician. Kate has an enviable marriage to her wonderful husband Tim. Unexpectedly Emma becomes pregnant. After initially being thrilled she starts to worry how she will

This was an interesting memoir focusing on the author’s search for answers about her family history and search for her missing friend. DJ Lee’s family has a long history of living and working in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness in Idaho and Montana. The author spent time there on numerous occasions to find out more about the lives of her grandparents and their history. Interspersed in the book is the search for her friend Connie who went missing in the dense wilderness area.

This is an excellent debut novel by this author. The story is told through alternating chapters between Mina and her daughter Margot. Mina is an immigrant from Korea living in Koreatown in L.A. Margot, not understanding how difficult her mother’s life has been, has always been ashamed and frustrated with her. As time goes on their relationship becomes more distant and now Mina is not answering the phone when Margot calls. Margot fearing something is wrong goes to check on her

I enjoyed my stay at Lavender Lane! I would love to be able to spend a week there (or longer). The descriptions are great in this book - whether describing the spa or the landscape outside. What I enjoyed most were the characters. Each one brought something unique to the book.

Thank you to Harlequin Books for a free review copy for an honest opinion. I really enjoyed this steamy romance. The main character is a feisty woman and the male character is definitely swoon worthy. I found the descriptions of the Dominican culture really made the story more interesting and authentic. The food descriptions were amazing! The secondary characters added more dimension and were impactful and entertaining. This was a great book that I read in one sitting. I foun

Thank you Graydon House Books for my free review copy for an honest review. I really liked this author’s last book and I liked this one even more. This was definitely a story that kept me guessing. Marie promises her best friend, her dying wish, that she will take care of her family once Nina dies. Nina leaves behind her husband and two small children. Marie wastes no time in helping out with the family once Nina is gone and maybe she gets a little too close. Complicating thi