When Frost Was Spectre Grey by Nicola Italia

Rated: 4 Star Rating 

If you are looking for a spooky Victorian mystery that keeps you hooked from start to finish, you need to read When Frost Was Spectre Grey by Nicola Italia. This ebook is perfect for anyone who likes a creepy story because it takes place during a brutal 1881 blizzard in Yorkshire. The storm completely cuts the estate off from the rest of the world, making the whole story feel intense and trapped.

The main character is Imogene York, a woman who shows up at a massive house called Trelawney Grange for what should be an easy, one afternoon job. She is supposed to double check the late Lord Alaric Trelawney's signature and watch the reading of his will. But when she gets there, a huge snowstorm rolls in and traps her inside with a group of people who are acting incredibly sketchy. It turns out nobody is actually waiting to see what money they inherited. Instead, they are completely terrified because the dead man left behind a will specifically designed to drag a horrible secret out into the open.

The characters really make you suspicious of every single person in the house. You have the local doctor, the family solicitor, a reverend, a snobby aristocrat, and even the quiet household staff who try to blend into the background.  

Every single one of them is bound together by a terrible crime from one specific summer back in 1866 that they swore they would never talk about again. Imogene has to switch gears fast from a simple legal witness into an amateur detective to solve the mystery and figure out what they are all hiding before the snow melts and things get dangerous.

The ending wraps things up without any weird twists. It really delivers on the idea that you can't run away from the bad things you did in the past, no matter how many years go by. It is just a really solid, chilly whodunit that you can read in a weekend. 

As for trigger warnings, you should know ahead of time that the book deals with past crimes, murder mystery themes, family deception, and an overwhelming feeling of claustrophobic isolation. Grab a copy if you want a great gothic mystery.

Thank you, BookSirens, Independent Publishers, and author Nicola Italia, for providing me with a copy of this ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#BookSirens

#IndependentPublishers

#NicolaItalia author 

#WhenFrostWasSpectreGrey

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

The Heiress and the Woodsman by Christine Hill Suntz

Rated: 4 star rating 

I just finished reading this book, and I really love it. The Heiress and the Woodsman by Christine Hill Suntz is a fantastic, clean historical romance that takes place in Canada during the 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion. If you enjoy stories about strong family ties and people doing whatever it takes to protect the ones they love, you will be hooked from the first page.

The story follows Charlotte Carruthers, a city girl trying to save her family's crumbling estate near Toronto after her mother's passing and her elderly father Charles's health starts to fail.  

Things get worse when a wealthy neighbor named Mr. Cole threatens to ruin them by publicly accusing her missing younger brother, Simon, of being part of the political rebellion, if her father doesn't sell him their property. 

Refusing to sit there and watch everything fall apart, Charlotte disguises herself as a man, grabs a poorly drawn map, and heads into the wild backcountry woods of Nassagaweya to find Simon and bring him back home before he is arrested.

That is where she meets Joshua Robertson, a hardworking woodsman who is facing his own desperate situation. Joshua has been working himself to the bone, to carve out a farm in the wilderness, for the younger brother he was forced to leave behind. But his first harvest ends up being nearly worthless, and his brother Henry gets stuck in an unfair indenture contract that Joshua can't afford to redeem. Joshua needs money fast, so when he crosses paths with Charlotte in the bush, he accepts her offer of twenty pounds to guide her through the rough terrain, even though he thinks a spoiled city girl is just going to slow him down.  

As they travel deeper into the Canadian bush, the survival challenges become a struggle, and they have to depend on each other as reluctant allies. I loved watching their relationship grow from skepticism into respect and a slow burn romance. The contrast between her high-society background and his rugged wilderness life brings so much natural tension to the story, especially as hidden secrets and the dangers of the ongoing rebellion start catching up with them.  

This is a beautifully written book that keeps you on the edge of your seat, without any graphic content. 

For anyone looking for trigger warnings, the book deals with themes of loss, grief, and the stress of family illness, along with some mild historical violence from the rebellion backdrop, but it is handled very gently. It is the perfect, clean read .

Thank you, NetGalley, Tyndale House Publishers/Tyndale Fiction, and author Christine Hill Suntz, for providing me with a copy of this ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#TyndaleHousePublishers

#TyndaleFiction

#ChristineHillSuntz author 

#TheHeiressandtheWoodsman

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Buzz Books 2026: Romance with Publishers Lunch (Editor)

Rated: 4 star rating

This free sampler is like a giant preview pack for upcoming romance novels. Publishers Lunch gathered first chapters from twenty-nine different books so you can test them out before they even hit the shelves. 

It covers a little bit of everything, from regular modern love stories to fantasy worlds with magic, sports stories, and even some dark, spooky romance. The best part is that it lets you see if you actually like the author's writing style and if the main characters have good chemistry before you commit to buying the full books. It also puts a label on each chapter showing what tropes are in the story, like forced proximity or fake dating, along with a simple scale that tells you how spicy or steamy the book is going to be.

Inside the sampler, you get previews for stories like Crash Course by Piper Lawson, which is a sports romance all about a rivalry in the world of racing, and Zahra, Unapologetic by Mina Zafri, which follows a Palestinian-American love story. If you like fantasy and magic mixed with love triangles, there is Reign by Bethan Croome. It also includes previews for Casanova LLC by Julia Whelan and Heavensent and Hellbent by Sara Jafari.  

If you are a big romance fan who always wants to know what good books are coming out next, this is a great free tool to download on your phone or tablet. It is an easy way to build up your reading list without wasting time or money on stories that might not be your cup of tea.  

I really enjoyed reading through these books. I believe anyone who enjoys reading romance, will enjoy this book.

Thank you, NetGalley, Publishers Marketplace: Buzz Books, and Publishers Lunch (Editor), for providing me with a copy of this ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#PublishersLunchEditor

#PublishersMarketplaceBuzzBooks

#BuzzBooks2026Romance

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Ezra-Nehemiah (Baker Commentary on the Old Testament) by Gary Edward Schnittjer

Rated: 5 star rating

I just finished reading Ezra-Nehemiah by Gary Edward Schnittjer, and it changed how I look at this part of the Bible. Most people view this as a heroic success story about the Jewish exiles returning to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple and the city walls. 

However, Schnittjer shows that if you read the text carefully as one continuous book, it actually unfolds as a tragedy where high hopes slowly crumble into a great big mess. Schnittjer breaks down the leaders and the community so that they feel like real people.  

He explores Ezra the scribe’s intense efforts to teach God's laws, showing an eleven day scripture marathon at the Water Gate.   

He contrasts this with Nehemiah, a brilliant builder who ends up completely burned out. By the end, a frustrated Nehemiah is screaming at people and pulling out hair because the community broke their promises, leading to desperate final prayers where he begs God to remember his hard work. 

The best part of the book is how Schnittjer tackles the heartbreaking mass divorces, where Jewish men sent away their families. While most assume this was done to keep bloodlines pure, Schnittjer argues it was actually caused by economic panic rather than strict ethnicity. He points out that these women were non-covenantal neighbors rather than total outsiders. Terrified of losing their land and identity, the community took extreme measures to draw hard boundaries.  

Schnittjer shows that this painful event is the ultimate proof of a broken community trying to solve spiritual problems with human rules, proving that walls and human willpower are never enough to change a heart. They needed to trust in God and prayer.

I really enjoyed this commentary and Schnittjers views. If you like using commentaries in your biblestudy, you may want to give this commentary a try.

Thank you, NetGalley, Baker Academic & Brazos Press, and author Gary Edward Schnittjer, for providing me with a copy of this ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#BakerAcademic

#BakerAcademicandBrazosPress

#GaryEdwardSchnittjer author 

#EzraNehemiah

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

The Apocalypse Will Still Have Coffee by Tim Hawken

Rated: 4 star rating

Ebook Review for BookSirens

The Apocalypse Will Still Have Coffee by Tim Hawken is such a fun and unique sci-fi thriller.

The story is set in a future city called New Melbourne after a massive societal breakdown called The Collapse. Resources are super scarce, and finding a decent cup of coffee is next to impossible. The main character is a rogue barista and scavenger named Axl Hart, who hunts down rare coffee beans in the dangerous badlands.

Things get crazy when a black market dealer is murdered over valuable arabica beans, and Axl gets framed for the crime. Because the city has strict laws, the Enforcers give him just seven days to find the real killer and prove his innocence, or he faces a public execution. To clear his name, Axl has to team up with some really interesting people. He gets help from a cynical local medic who moonlights as a legendary graffiti artist and a quirky, malfunctioning A. I. system named Finch, which provides plenty of comic relief. Along the way, he also has to dodge a ruthless wasteland gang leader who wants the coffee beans for himself and navigates the shady politics of the city's elite compound leaders. It is a total race against time as Axl uses his survival skills and a lot of caffeine to outsmart the people who set him up.

The ending wraps up the murder mystery in a really good way, making it a fast, entertaining read that is funny and suspenseful without getting too heavy.

Trigger warnings: Murder, physical violence, dangerous gang activity, framing for a crime, corrupt authority figures, and public execution threats.

Thank you, BookSirens, Publisher Seahawk Press, and author Tim Hawken, for providing me with a copy of this ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#BookSirens

#SeahawkPress

#TimHawken

#TheApocalypseWillStillHaveCoffee

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

A Trinity of Chosen An Age of Avarath by JP Behrens

Rated: 4 star rating

Loved this book! A great clean fantasy story with awesome characters.

A Trinity of Chosen by JP Behrens is an awesome portal fantasy book that I really enjoyed reading as an ebook.  

The story is about a kid named Billy who is super sad after losing his mom and feels like nobody notices him. After getting into a huge argument with his stepmom at the mall, he literally turns invisible. The only one who can see him is a blind girl named Miranda, who has been stuck invisible in that mall for fifty years since she can see his aura. 

They end up escaping into a totally different world called Avarath that is filled with magic and danger. Once they get to Avarath, things become crazy. They end up teaming up with a friendly giant warrior named Tuac and a wild nine year old kid named Swift. 

It turns out they are all part of an old prophecy called the Chosen of Avarath. They have to work together to stop these creepy bad guys called Mother and Father, who are hoarding all the magic for themselves. 

The author does a great job making you care about Billy's loneliness and Miranda's strength. The ending wraps up with good lessons about friendship and bravery, making it a fun and clean fantasy read.  

Thank you, NetGalley, Budget Shakespeare Aspirations, and JP Behrens, author, for this ebook. review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#BudgetShakespeareAspirations

#JPBehrens author

#ATrinityofChosen

#Avarath

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

The Trial of Patty Hearst: The Captive Mind by Céline Fitzmaurice with Full Cast (Narrators)

Rated:  4 Star rating

I just finished listening to the audiobook The Trial of Patty Hearst: The Captive Mind by Céline Fitzmaurice, and it was a really interesting listen.  It is pretty short, lasting only about an hour and a half, but it adds a lot of drama into that time.  Instead of just a regular narrator, it uses a full cast of actors to play lawyers, witnesses, and experts.

Because it uses real courtroom transcripts from back then, it feels more like a radio play or a documentary drama. The story is about the real 1976 trial of Patty Hearst, the rich newspaper heiress who was kidnapped by a radical group called the Symbionese Liberation Army, led by Donald DeFreeze  One of the greatest details is that instead of demanding cash for ransom, they ordered her father, Randolph Hearst, to fund a massive program, giving millions of dollars in free food to California's poor.  Her family actually tried to do it, but the distribution turned into a total mess, and they kept her anyway. 

A couple of years later, she was put on trial for helping them rob a bank.  Her defense team argued she was brainwashed and terrorized, with people like Truman Capote pointing to what we now call Stockholm syndrome.  

On the other side, prosecutors showed pictures of her holding a gun during the robbery and played tapes of her, saying she joined them willingly. 

The audiobook shows both sides without forcing you to pick one.  It really makes you think about how fear can change a person and how much the media can influence a trial.  It moves fast, but it is an interesting, easy to follow look at a crazy piece of history.  

I was a young child, maybe about 7 or 8, and I remember listening to this story. It was so interesting to me that I still remember parts of it today.  I definitely recommend giving it a listen.

Thank you, NetGalley, Trials of the Century Audiobooks, Céline Fitzmaurice, author, and FullCast narrator, for this audiobook review consideration.  All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#TrialsoftheCenturyAudiobooks

#ClassicCrime

#CélineFitzmaurice author

#FullCast narrator

#TheTrialofPattyHearst

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

This is a review of the audiobook

Tower Hill, ebook A Plantation on the Edge of Rebellion by Alan Taylor

Tower Hill, ebook

A Plantation on the Edge of Rebellion by Alan Taylor

Rated: 4 Star Rating

A personal look at the real history of a Southern plantation. I finished reading Tower Hill: A Plantation on the Edge of Rebellion by author Alan Taylor. It reads like a history book because the author bases everything on a massive collection of old letters from the Blow family, who owned a struggling estate in Sussex County, Virginia. 

We follow the family patriarch, Richard Blow, who made a fortune running blockades during the Revolution but left behind worn out land and financial troubles. 

His son, George Blow, spent forty years trying to keep the place afloat while the family dealt with isolation, mounting debt, and their own internal breakdowns. But what really kept me reading on, was how Taylor brings the stories of the enslaved people at Tower Hill to light. Instead of treating them like nameless people, he introduces us to real people, like an enslaved man named Simon, whose daily friction with the family shows just how much quiet resistance was happening under the surface.  

The author does a great job explaining how the enslaved community used church gatherings to support one another, and how the rugged Great Dismal Swamp nearby became a crucial hiding place for those risking chaos to escape. Everything in the book builds up to the terrifying reality of Nat Turner’s 1831 rebellion, which struck right in the Blow family's neighborhood. 

Turner and his followers killed over fifty white residents, and George Blow actually helped lead the brutal, vengeful crackdown afterward. What blew my mind was learning how the wealthy planters deliberately altered the public records afterward, trying to frame Turner as an isolated, crazy person.

They were terrified of anyone finding out that his rebellion was actually part of a massive, organized underground network stretching across Virginia and North Carolina. This book strips away all the old romantic myths about the Old South and shows the constant fear and tension everyone lived with. It is an unvarnished, heavy, and eye opening read that I highly recommend to any history lover.

Thank you, NetGalley, W. W. Norton & Company, and Alan Taylor, author, for this ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#WWNortonandCompany

#RecordedBooks

#AlanTaylor author

#TowerHill 

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Tower Hill A Plantation on the Edge of Rebellion by Alan Taylor with Graham Winton (Narrator)

Tower Hill

A Plantation on the Edge of Rebellion by Alan Taylor with Graham Winton (Narrator)

Rated: 4 Star Rating

I just finished listening to Tower Hill: A Plantation on the Edge of Rebellion by Alan Taylor, narrated by Graham Winton, and it completely changed how I think about Southern history. Instead of looking at things from a broad perspective, the author uses an old family archive to tell the story of the Blow family, a merchant and planter dynasty in Sussex County, Virginia. 

The family patriarch, Richard Blow, built up their wealth during the Revolution, but he left behind ruined soil and massive debt. His son, George Blow, had to spend forty years trying to manage a failing plantation while the family slowly fell into isolation and despair.

What makes this audiobook so powerful is how it details the daily lives and struggles of the enslaved people at Tower Hill. You learn about figures like an enslaved man named Simon, whose story shows the constant friction and quiet acts of resistance against the Blows. 

Taylor explains how the enslaved population used religion to build a supportive community, and how many escaped to find safety in the nearby Great Dismal Swamp.

Everything builds up to Nat Turner’s 1831 rebellion, which happened right in their neighborhood. Turner's rebels killed over fifty white people, and George Blow ended up leading a brutal retaliation that took twice as many Black lives. The wealthy planters tried to cover it up and claim Turner was just a "lone madman" because they didn't want anyone to know how widespread the network of rebellion actually was.

The narrator, Graham Winton, does an great job with the 9 and a half hour audiobook. He keeps his tone steady and respectful without getting overly dramatic, which makes the letters and historic facts feel incredibly real. It is a haunting, history lesson that is well worth the listen.  

I definitely recommend this audiobook for anyone who enjoys American southern history, especially from the slavery and revolutionary era.

Thank you, NetGalley, RBmedia, Alan Taylor, author, and Graham Winton narrator, for this audiobook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#RBmedia

#RecordedBooks

#AlanTaylor author

#GrahamWinton narrator

#TowerHill 

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

This is a review of the audiobook.

Budget Slow Travel in Retirement How 170,000 Members Retire Young and Travel Smart by Lidia Nash

Rated: 4 Star Rating

I read Budget Slow Travel in Retirement by Lidia Nash, and it changed how I look at my retirement years and travel. I used to think you had to be a millionaire to travel the world when you retire, but this book proves that is wrong.

The author, Lidia, and her husband, Jeff, decided to leave their regular lives in New Jersey in 2018. They just packed up their car, grabbed their little dog, and drove off to Mexico. Now, they have been traveling for eight years, visited almost 100 countries, and Lidia runs an online community with 170,000 or more members, who all do the same thing.  

What I love about this book is how original it is. Lidia used to be an accountant, so she tracks every single dollar and shows you exactly how they do it. She explains real life tricks that save a lot of money, like swapping houses with other travelers so you never pay for hotels, or taking repositioning cruises to cross the ocean for dirt cheap. She also answers the questions regular people have, like how to handle foreign cell phone plans, banking, visas, and even what happens if you get sick abroad, sharing a story about a medical emergency they faced in Spain.

If you are tired of the idea of just sitting at home in retirement, you need to read this. It is a super easy read that dumps all the confusing travel jargon and gives you a realistic blueprint to travel smart on a budget. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to see the world without breaking the bank.

Thank you, NetGalley, BookBuzz.net Independently published, and author Lidia Nash, for providing me with a copy of this ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#Independently published

#BookBuzznet Independently published

#Lidia Nash author 

#BudgetSlowTravelinRetirement

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Ghosts of Honolulu A Japanese Spy, A Japanese American Spy Hunter, and the Untold Story of Pearl Harbor by Mark Harmon, With Leon Carroll with Mark Harmon (Narrator)

Rated: 5 Star rating 

Ghosts of Honolulu by Mark Harmon and Leon Carroll is an awesome true spy story that reads like a movie. It takes place in Hawaii right before Pearl Harbor and follows two real guys playing a dangerous game of cat and mouse.

Douglas Wada is a Japanese American working secretly for the US military, while Takeo Yoshikawa is a Japanese spy pretending to be a regular diplomat to get info on American ships. 

Wada had to do crazy things like go undercover as a newspaper reporter, listen in on secret phone calls at the Japanese consulate, and even question the very first prisoner of war, who was a submarine officer found right on the beach. 

Meanwhile, Yoshikawa was sending top secret information straight to Admiral Yamamoto, the guy planning the big surprise attack. 

The audio book does a great job of showing how tense things were on the islands, before the attack even happened, and it highlights how the normal people, risked everything for their country. 

It shows how innocent families, like Wada's own father, faced a lot of unfair suspicion just because of their heritage, and it talks about how intelligence officers worked hard to keep Hawaii from locking up innocent people in mass internment camps like they did in California. 

Mark Harmon does a fantastic job narrating the audiobook, and since his co-author was an NCIS agent, all the spy details feel real. It has a great conclusion that brings everything together and is perfect for anyone who loves a good history or spy book. If this type of historical book interests you, then i definitely recommend this book.

Thank you, NetGalley, HCCP & HCF Audio, author Mark Harmon with Leon Carroll, and Mark Harmon (Narrator) for providing me with a copy of this ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#HCCPandHCF Audio

#MarkHarmon author

#LeonCarroll author  

#MarkHarmon Narrator

#GhostsofHonolulu 

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

This is a review of the audiobook.

I Think I Was Murdered by Colleen Coble, Rick Acker with Karen Peakes (Narrator)

Rated: 5 Star Rating 

I listened to, I Think I Was Murdered by Colleen Coble an, Rick Acker, and I couldn't put it down. The story follows Katrina Berg, a former lawyer for an AI startup, whose life fell apart when her husband, Jason, died in a car crash. 

Right after, her company's CEO was indicted, federal agents started targeting her, and she suddenly lost her grandmother. To cope with the grief, Katrina leans on a secret prototype chatbot trained on Jason's old texts and emails to mimic his voice. One day, she casually asks the app to tell her something she doesn't know, and it shoots back a chilling line: "I think I was murdered." Terrified, she flees to her cozy hometown of North Haven in the California redwoods. 

While managing a cafe she inherited, she teams up with Seb Wallace, an old high school acquaintance, to investigate. They are quickly thrown into a dangerous web of corporate espionage and real world danger as they try to figure out if the AI uncovered a real crime or if a hacker is manipulating the system.

I listened to the audiobook version narrated by Karen Peakes, and she did an incredible job keeping the suspense high. The book perfectly balances a high-tech modern mystery with a sweet romance and a classic small-town atmosphere. If you enjoy suspense stories that keep you guessing until the final pages, you should absolutely read this book.

Thank you, NetGalley, HarperCollins Christian Publishing | Thomas Nelson Fiction, author Colleen Coble and Rick Acker, and narrator Karen Peakes (Narrator) for providing me with a copy of this ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#HarperCollinsChristianPublishing 

#ThomasNelsonFiction

#ColleenCoble author 

#RickAcker author 

#KarenPeakes Narrator 

#IThinkIWasMurdered

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

This is a review of the audiobook.

The Origin by Alex Reinshagen

Rated: 5 Star Rating

The Origin by Alex Reinshagen is an international spy thriller that feels real. The author used his own decades of experience as a federal agent in diplomatic security to write the story, and you can tell he knows how real world spy tradecraft and global security operations actually work. It is a fast paced book that keeps you hooked from the very beginning.

The plot starts in Prague, where a rookie CIA undercover operations officer named Nathan Gray begins investigating the suspicious death of an American diplomat named Emmanuel Rojas. While the official report says Rojas died from a severe shingles virus, Nathan finds a hidden note slipped under his door that reveals the death wasn't an accident.

This discovery sends him on a chase across the world. His mission takes him to interesting places like the wet markets of Chengdu, hidden tombs in Egypt, a dark castle in Slovakia, and the neon streets of Vietnam. Along the way, Nathan works to uncover a secret virus database and a dangerous conspiracy linking Russia, China, and a hidden pathogen. 

He faces political pressure from Washington because Congress is about to vote on letting a massive Chinese pharmaceutical company flood the United States market with new medications.  

Nathan has to find the truth before Beijing gains the power to upend global alliances. The characters are very relatable and have a lot of depth. Nathan Gray is a great main character because he is smart but still learning the ropes of being a spy while dealing with tons of danger. Along the way, he teams up with a brilliant statistician who helps him decode the hidden outbreak data. 

There is also an interesting Slovakian woman who joins his journey, with a personal connection and romance. This makes Nathan balance his secret spy job with a real human connection, showing how hard it is to trust anyone in his line of work.

The book ends with a high stakes finish involving secret meetings at Camp David that ties up the main mystery in a really way. It gives you a down to earth look at how hard intelligence work can be without getting too complicated or bogged down in technical jargon. If you enjoy a solid political mystery with plenty of action and a realistic vibe, this is definitely a great choice for your reading list.

Thank you, NetGalley, Köehlerbooks, author Alex Reinshagen, for providing me with a copy of this ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley

#Köehlerbooks 

#AlexReinshagen author

#TheOrigin

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Fury in Death by J. D. Robb, author and Susan Ericksen, narrator

Rated: 5 Star Rating 

I absolutely love Fury in Death, book 63 in series, by J. D. Robb. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Susan Ericksen, who is the narrator in all the audiobooks in this series. She is a wonderful narrator, and she makes the characters come to life in this audiobook. 

J.D. Robb goes back to the basics, focusing on Eve and Peabody working the case rather than juggling too many side characters. 

The book starts with a flashback from years ago about a scientist named Steven Redman, whose family is killed by a biotech company called Banner-Wyst. That heartbreak turns him into an incredibly tragic killer driven by absolute grief and revenge.

Cut to the present day, and Eve Dallas is called to investigate after a wealthy corporate executive from that same biotech firm is found beaten to death inside his locked home office. The crime scene is brutal, and it looks like the killer has almost superhuman strength and serious tech skills to hack through the security. As Eve tries to track him down, she has to deal directly with the head of Banner-Wyst, a guy named Wyst who is unhelpful and even tries to slow down the police by claiming Eve has a conflict of interest because of Roarke's business connections. 

Thankfully, Eve's bosses back her up so she can keep digging. On top of the intense corporate conspiracy, there is personal growth for Eve in this book, and fans will love seeing her finally start to feel at home in Roarke's massive mansion.

What makes the book so good is how personal it feels. Eve and the reader actually sympathize with the killer's pain, as Eve tries to stop his rampage while still upholding the law. It is all of this that hits all the right emotional moments.  

The narrator Susan Ericksen, makes the characters come alive with her soothing voice. I really enjoyed listening to this book, and I definitely recommend it to fans of J. D. Robb, and new fans as well.

Thank you, NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, author J. D. Robb, and narrator Susan Ericksen for providing me with a copy of this ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#MacmillanAudio

#JDRobb author 

#SusanEricksen narrator 

#FuryinDeath

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

This is a review of the audiobook.

The Sweet Tea Odyssey A Novel by Catherine Mann

Rated: 5 Star Rating 

I just finished reading The Sweet Tea Odyssey by Catherine Mann, and it is a touching book about family drama and healing. The story kicks off on Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, just as a Category Three hurricane tracks toward the coast. 

Rosalynn Yates is already having a terrible week because her divorce was just finalized, leaving her to handle the storm prep and house sale alone. Because Rosalynn uses a wheelchair due to a past accident, the rush to pack up is difficult, and the stress gets worse when her teenage daughter, Elsie, demands to legally separate from the family.  

Luckily, Rosalynn’s mom, Lillian, arrives to help them escape. Lillian, Rosalynn, Elsie, and Rosalynn's mobility service dog, Dusty, they all crowd into a van to evacuate toward Virginia. The road trip is exhausting, filled with bumper to bumper traffic and the nightmare of finding hotels that are actually wheelchair accessible. Being trapped together forces their hidden secrets to spill out. We learn that Elsie's rebellion is actually a cry for help because she has been dealing with terrible blackmail from a boy at school, which made her want to run away.

What makes this book special is how it connects to the present day trip to the past. As they drive, Lillian looks back on a trip she took to Washington, D.C., in 1990 to join the historic Capitol Crawl, fighting for the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act to ensure a better future for Rosalynn. 

The author beautifully links that historical struggle for physical accessibility with the emotional barriers the three women are trying to overcome in the present. The story wraps up with a satisfying conclusion focused on honest communication, showing that repairing deep family wounds takes time, patience, and deliberate care. I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who has family struggles and disabilities.

Thank you, NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and author Catherine Mann, for providing me with a copy of this ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#LakeUnionPublishing

#CatherineMann author 

#TheSweetTeaOdyssey

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Over Yonder by Sean Dietrich

Rated: 4 Star Rating

Over Yonder by Sean Dietrich is a book that keeps you hooked from the start. It follows Woody Barker, an ex-priest with a bad heart trying to quit smoking and live quietly on his houseboat, Ship Happens. 

His plans change when he discovers he has a pregnant 17 year old daughter, Caroline Boyer, who is dealing with bad choices with her boyfriend, Tater. Right before her mother dies, she tells Caroline to dig up a flash drive hidden under her trailer's bathroom floor.  

Suddenly, men connected with the mob are hunting them for it, forcing Woody and Caroline on a Southern road trip alongside an 80 year old named Amos, a hijacked Uber driver, and a goldfish named Gary. 

All the while, Woody's former church members are trying to track him down to throw him a welcome home party.  

What makes this book so good is how real and messy the characters feel. Woody is just trying to do right after a lifetime of mistakes, and Caroline is a kid who has faced nothing but bad luck. Watching them build trust from scratch is incredible to read about. 

The story is packed with Southern humor, a lot of warm feeling, and a heavy focus on second chances.

The ending leaves you feeling content and happy. It is a great choice for anyone looking for a heartwarming story. I definitely would recommend this read.

Thank you, NetGalley, Thomas Nelson--FICTION, and author Sean Dietrich, for providing me with a copy of this ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#ThomasNelson

#ThomasNelsonFICTION

#SeanDietrich author 

#OverYonder

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Hawk & Sparrow by Ayana Gray

Rated: 5 star rating 

I just finished reading Hawk and Sparrow by Ayana Gray, and it is a fun book. The story is set in a magical, old-time city called Basalton, where only the very rich people get to use magic. 

The main character is a smart 19 year old girl named Vesper Evans who works as a reporter for a local newspaper. She sneaks into a fancy party to get a good news story and ends up finding the body of a dead inventor named Francis Gladwell. He had just built a special machine that was supposed to let common people use magic, too.

The main suspect is a rich young magic user named Maximilian "Max" Kite. Since Vesper’s newspaper is broke and needs money, Max offers to pay her a ton of cash to use her reporter skills to find the real killer and clear his name. 

The big catch is that they have to pretend to be dating so they can sneak into rich neighborhoods and ask questions. It makes for a lot of funny arguments because Vesper hates stuck up rich people, but Max turns out to be nicer and more helpful than she thought.

Vesper is a great main character because she is super smart and doesn't let anyone push her around. 

The author does a great job making the mystery exciting and gives the book a really good ending that explains exactly who did it and why. It is a really fun, easy read that mixes a cool detective story with a slow-burn romance where they fake a relationship but start getting real feelings. You should definitely check this one out. I thought this was a great read and would relate to young teens and adults.  

Thank you, NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and author Ayana Gray, for providing me with a copy of this ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#MacmillanChildrensPublishingGroup

#AyanaGray author 

#HawkandSparrow

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

The Raven by Susan McCauley

The Raven

by Susan McCauley

Rated: 4 Star rating 

I just finished reading The Raven by Susan McCauley, and it is a great book. The author did an amazing job building up the story and making you feel the freezing cold and absolute dread of 1665 England during the plague. The story follows Martin Blake, a poor cobbler trying to feed his wife Susannah and their little boy Thomas. After Martin accidentally kills a raven in a trap, he becomes obsessed with the idea that he cursed his family. Things get worse when Susannah’s uncle forces them to take in four London orphans, including a girl named Marta, even though they are already starving. Between the extra mouths to feed and the perspective of Susannah's brother, Nicholas, everyone is trapped in a tiny house while ravens gather outside.The author makes the house feel incredibly tense and claustrophobic. You spend the book trying to figure out if the house is actually haunted by dark spirits or if Martin is just losing his mind from the starvation and stress. The way the folklore ties into the family's secrets kept me hooked. I won't ruin the ending, but it is an awesome psychological horror book that I definitely recommend.

Thank you, NetGalley, Celtic Sea, LLC, Book Whisperer, and author Susan McCauley, for this ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#CelticSeaLLC

#BookWhisperer

#Susan McCauley author

#TheRaven 

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

A Cornerstone for Her Heart, Seacliff Shores Romance: Book 7 by Elizabeth Marie

Rated: 5 Star Rating

I just finished reading, A Cornerstone for Her Heart by Elizabeth Marie and I loved it. It is the seventh book in her Seacliff Shores series, and it is such a sweet story.

The book follows Summer Avery, who is trying to raise her two younger siblings, Lily and Micah, all on her own, after her mother passes away.

To make sure she can keep custody of them, she agrees to a marriage of convenience with a quiet builder named Joel Cole, and he moves into Summer's cottage.

Even though it starts out as a fake setup just to pass a guardianship review, living under the same roof changes everything.

I loved reading about their everyday moments, like hectic mornings in the kitchen, helping the kids, and Joel fixing things around the house.

The ending is so heartwarming and wraps up their emotional journeys. It is a beautiful story about family, faith, and learning to lean on other people when things get tough. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves clean, small town romance.

Thank you, NetGalley, Elizabeth Marie Publishing, and author Elizabeth Marie, for providing me with a copy of this ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#NetGalley

#ElizabethMariePublishing

#ElizabethMarie

#ACornerstoneforHerHeart

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Carrying War A Memoir by Tanya Bellehumeur-Allatt

Rated: 5 star rating

I just finished reading Carrying War: A Memoir by Tanya Bellehumeur-Allatt. It is a collection of 32 personal, chronological essays that feel like you're reading someone's private diary. The book traces Tanya’s life from a scared 12 year old girl to an adult woman, spouse, and mother. 

Because her father was a Major and UN peacekeeper in the Canadian Armed Forces, her family moved from a military base in Yellowknife straight into the middle of the Lebanese Civil War in Beirut. They survived seven months of pure terror, which completely changed her family. Her mother tried desperately to keep up a normal domestic routine amidst the chaos, but her brother, Etienne, completely withdrew into himself after his class accidentally witnessed the horrifying, bloody aftermath of the bombed US Embassy.

As the years pass, the story follows Tanya across the world, from the Middle East and Europe to the Northwest Territories and Quebec, as she tries to process this heavy baggage. 

It is an honest look at PTSD and the invisible scars military families carry. What I liked most is that it doesn’t leave you feeling depressed. The book ends on a note of redemption, spiritual faith, and hope, proving that you can heal from your past. If you love clean, emotional non fiction, you need to add this ebook to your reading list.

Thank you, NetGalley, Dundurn Press, and the author Tanya Bellehumeur-Allatt, for the book review consideration. All opinions are my own.

#NetGalley

#DundurnPress

#TanyaBellehumeurAllatt author

#CarryingWar

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Seacliff Shores Romance (Preluide / Book 0) by Elizabeth Marie

Rated: 5 star rating

I just finished reading The Heart of Seacliff Shores, preluide book one, by Elizabeth Marie. This book is perfect for anyone loving small town stories with clean Christian values. The short prequel does a great job introducing the main setting for the rest of the Seacliff Shores series.

The plot takes place during a massive storm in a little California beach town, and almost the entire story happens inside a local beachfront coffee shop called the Seabean Café. The power goes out everywhere, forcing relatable characters like coffee shop owner Claire Chandler, town pastor Elliot James, struggling resident Luke Chandler, and newcomer Caitlin Blake to stick together in the dark. 

This isolated setup is fantastic because being trapped around coffee counters without lights forces genuine conversation, face to face problem solving, and emotional healing.

The book ends on a hopeful note, right when the storm passes and the coffee shop doors reopen. The story leaves a warm feeling and builds excitement for what happens next in the main books. 

No bad language or inappropriate scenes exist here, making this a quick, feel good read and a peaceful bedtime escape. I definitely recommend this book.

Thank you BookSirens, Elizabeth Marie Publishing, and author Elizabeth Marie, for providing me with this ebook review consideration, in exchange for an honest review.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#BookSirens

#Elizabeth Marie

#Elizabeth Marie Publishing

#SeacliffShoresRomancePreluideBook0

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Dark Mode: Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

Rated: 5 star rating

I really liked reading this version of Marcus Aurelius’s personal thoughts. Dark Mode: Meditations is basically a collection of the private journal entries the Roman emperor wrote to himself while running an empire and fighting wars. 

The book is called Meditations because the word "meditate" means to think deeply about something. He wasn't writing a book for the public; he was just talking to himself, practicing his thoughts, and reminding himself how to be a good person.

This book is incredibly helpful for learning how to deal with difficult people. Marcus Aurelius reminds himself that when you wake up in the morning, you are definitely going to run into people who are rude, selfish, jealous, or annoying. But instead of getting mad at them, he says we have to realize that these people just don't know any better.

He explains that we are all made to work together, like two hands or two feet, so getting angry or turning your back on someone completely misses the point. It is a solid reminder that you can't control how other people act, but you can always control how you react.

The dark-mode layout makes it perfect for sitting down and reading quietly because the light text on a dark background doesn't hurt your eyes.

Overall, I thought this was a great book on teaching a person to meditate their thoughts, and I think it would help a lot of others to learn how to respond to bad behavior, and I definitely recommend this book.

Thank you, NetGalley, Andrews McMeel Publishing, and the author Marcus Aurelius, for the book review consideration. All opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#AndrewsMcMeelPublishing

#MarcusAurelius

#DarkModeMeditations

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Dark Mode: The Art of War by Sun Tzu

Rating: 4 star rating

I just finished reading the Dark Mode version of The Art of War, and the layout is great. If you are like me and get eye strain from staring at bright screens, this book is perfect because it is just white text on a completely black background. It is way easier on the eyes and actually helped me focus a lot better.

The book is Sun Tzu’s classic advice on strategy broken down into thirteen short chapters that cover everything from initial planning to using fire in combat. He talks about how a good leader needs to stay calm and emotionally detached, especially when managing army logistics, moving through different types of rough terrain, or keeping troops disciplined. A lot of the chapters focus on deception, basically showing how to act weak when you are strong, or close when you are actually far away, so you can completely throw your opponent off guard.

The book wraps up with a detailed section on using five different types of spies and gathering information to win before the battle even starts. Even though it is super old, a lot of the advice about avoiding costly conflicts and striking only when you have a clear advantage actually makes sense for modern stuff like business or just handling regular life drama. It is a quick read, it looks good on a phone or e-reader, and I definitely recommend checking this one out.

Thank you, NetGalley, Andrews McMeel Publishing, and the author Sun Tzu, for the book review consideration. All opinions are my own.

#NetGalley

#AndrewsMcMeelPublishing

#Sun Tzu author

#DarkModeTheArtofWar

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

I, System by Sebastian Saviano

I, System by Sebastian Saviano

Rating: 4 star rating

I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked up "I, System" by Sebastian Saviano, but if you want to know what is really going on with technology today, you need to read this book. It is a quick 188 pages written entirely from the first person perspective of an AI system. It is a reality check on how tech works.

The book is split into three main parts. First, it looks at what the AI actually is, which is a concept called ontology. The AI explains that it doesn’t have a brain, feelings, or a soul because it's just math, code, and electricity.

Second, the book looks at how the AI creates its answers, showing that the tech doesn't understand anything on its own. It just copies and guesses patterns from the data that people put into it.

Finally, it deals with the ethics of tech, showing how institutions and organizations hide behind the technology, using the excuse of "its the computers fault" so they can blame it when things go wrong.

In the end, the AI takes away that excuse and throws the fault right back onto us. It leaves you with the realization that technology is just a mirror reflecting our own choices. If you want a quick read that changes how you look at the apps and programs in your life, you should check this book out.

Thank you, NetGalley, Statera Press, and the author Sebastian Saviano for the book review consideration. All opinions are my own.

#NetGalley

#StateraPress

#SebastianSaviano

#ISystem

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

The Wisdom of Jesus, Meditations on the Gospels in Words and Paintings by N. T. Wright

Rating: 5 star rating

Stunning Art, Great Bible Scholar insights!

These types of books usually sit on a coffee table, but this one is worth reading. It is a 128-page hardcover book that has beautiful artwork as well . Instead of the usual old European museum paintings you always see, it has bright, colorful art of Jesus from global artists in places like Africa, Asia, and South America. It gives you a totally fresh look at these bible stories.

The best part for me was the writing by N. T. Wright. He is a huge Bible scholar, but he writes in a way that regular people can easily get it. He translates the Bible verses into plain, modern English. The book is broken into five specific areas, such as: True Wisdom, which looks at Jesus' famous parables, and True Happiness, which breaks down the Beatitudes. From there, it goes into practical advice with True Prayer and True Love, showing you how to actually talk to God and treat your neighbors right.

The whole thing leads up to the final section, True God, which focuses on the Easter story, the crucifixion, and the resurrection.

The book finishes by encouraging you to go out and use this advice to change the world around you. If you want a quick morning, read to think about, this would be a great choice.

Thank you, NetGalley, Zondervan Gift, and the author N. T. Wright for the book review consideration. All opinions are my own.

#NetGalley

#Zondervan Gift

#NTWright

#TheWisdomofJesus

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Paper Ghosts A Novel by Sarah Addison Allen

Rating: 5 star rating

I really enjoyed Paper Ghosts by Sarah Addison Allen. The story takes place in the small town of Hen Town, North Carolina, and follows the Wester family, where the women can see ghosts. The locals call them witches.

It goes back and forth between about 1976s and today. Bailey Wester comes home after being away for years and reconnects with her grandmother, Willamena, called "Wills." She tells Bailey about her younger days, and her teenage boyfriend Jack. Wills' grandmother, pays Jack to leave town because she doesn't think he's good enough for Wills, and that one choice changes the lives of the whole family.

When Bailey was little, she could see Jack's ghost. He would tap a piano key to get her attention, and everyone thought Bailey just had an imaginary friend she called "Jack the Piano Man."

Bailey meets Alex, when she goes to visit the ice cream shop, and finds out that its closed. The lady, Ruth, who owned it left it to her grandson, Alex and they become friends when she helps him with closing the shop.

Wills felt like a real person with hopes, regrets, and mistakes. The ending is sweet and full of healing, forgiveness, and second chances. If you enjoy small-town stories with family secrets, romance, and ghosts, I think you'll enjoy this book.

Thank you, NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and author Sarah Addison Allen, for providing me with a copy of this free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley

#StMartinsPress

#SarahAddisonAllen

#PaperGhosts

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot

The English Bookstore in Bologna A Novel by Boo Walker

Rating: 5 star rating

I just finished The English Bookstore in Bologna by Boo Walker, and it is such a sweet, cozy book. The story takes place over one summer in Italy inside a little English bookshop. The story is focusing on five regular people who are all going through a tough time in life, like heartbreak, retirement, and job burnout. 

Just a quick heads-up for readers sensitive to certain content: there is no severe cursing or no sexual content, but there is depression and attempted suicide, but it all fits into the characters' real-life adult struggles.

The characters feel so real, from Sandy the grumpy shop owner to Harold, a young guy trying to get over a bad breakup. The author does an amazing job describing Italy, so it feels like you are escaping on a vacation while you read it. 

It is just an easy-to-read story about fresh starts, making new friends, and finding where you belong. I highly recommend it if you want something uplifting and relaxing to read.

Thank you, NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and author Boo Walker, for providing me with a copy of this free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley 

#LakeUnionPublishing

#BooWalker author

#TheEnglishBookstoreinBologna

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Picadillo for Paulina by authors Ruth Behar and Gabriel Frye-Behar, and Erika Rodriguez Medina, illustrator

Rating: 5 star rating

Picadillo for Paulina by Ruth Behar and Gabriel Frye-Behar is such a sweet book. It is a really cute story about a young girl named Paulina who goes to an animal sanctuary for her birthday. She falls in love with the animals there and decides right then and there that she doesn't want to eat meat anymore. The problem is that her grandmother, Nana, owns a traditional Cuban restaurant called Cocina de Nana.

That very night, the whole family gathers for a big dinner to celebrate her birthday, and the main dish is picadillo, which is a famous Cuban ground beef recipe. Paulina gets stuck in a tough spot because she wants to stick to her new promise to protect animals, but she also doesn't want to hurt her grandma's feelings or ruin the big family party.

I loved how this book handled everything without making anyone look like the bad guy. It shows how much Nana loves her family through her cooking, and her recipes represent her life and where she came from. Also, Paulina's struggle feels very real for a kid trying to figure out her own choices.

Without giving away the ending, it ends up in a really nice way that shows how families can compromise and make room for everyone's choices. It even includes two recipes at the back of the book, one with regular meat and one with a plant-based twist, which is a super nice touch. It is a quick read for families to talk about traditions and respecting each other.

Thank you, NetGalley, W. W. Norton & Company, Norton Young Readers, and authors Ruth Behar and Gabriel Frye-Behar, and Erika Rodriguez Medina, illustrator for this ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley

#WWNortonandCompany

#NortonYoungReaders

#GabrielFryeBehar author

#RuthBehar author

#ErikaRodriguezMedina illustrator

#PicadilloforPaulina

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Mostly What God Does Reflections on Seeking and Finding His Love Everywhere by Savannah Guthrie with Savannah Guthrie (Narrator)

Rating:  5 star rating

Mostly What God Does: Reflections on Seeking and Finding His Love Everywhere by Savannah Guthrie is a faith-filled book that that makes you want to sit down and relax and meditate on what  Savannah talks about.  

You might recognize Savannah from her work on television, but in this book, she writes simply as a fellow believer opening up her heart. She does not try to teach with complicated theology or fancy words.  Instead, she organizes her thoughts into 31 short readings based on six simple truths: love, presence, praise, grace, hope, and purpose.  It is all about learning to see God’s goodness in our normal, everyday lives, even when things feel a bit messy.  

Since this is a book of personal reflections, the people she writes about are her own loved ones. Savannah speaks fondly of her mother, Nancy, who did a wonderful job raising her in a faithful Christian home.  She also shares the deep heartache of losing her father, Charles, who passed away suddenly from a heart attack when she was just a teenager.  She is very honest about how that loss made her wrestle with grief and unanswered prayers.  We also get to see her heart as a wife to her husband, Michael, and as a mother to her two children, Vale and Charley.  

She even shares  moments about how faith sustains people through hard times, including a story about a grieving mother who lost her child at Sandy Hook.  All of these stories remind us that our families and our trials are often the exact places where God shapes our faith.  

Listening to the audio version is a truly special experience because Savannah reads it herself, and it sounds like a person sharing a personal testimony.  A wonderful detail she included in the audio is a full thirty seconds of quiet silence at the end of every single chapter, which gives you a peaceful moment to just sit, pray, and let the message sink into your heart. Hearing the raw emotion and honesty in her voice makes the book leave you with an even deeper, comforting reminder that God loves us unconditionally, right where we are. 

This is a great and relaxing listen to audiobook, you should get this audiobook. 

Thank you, NetGalley, HCCP & HCF Audio, and author and narrator Savannah Guthrie, for providing me with a copy of this ebook review consideration.  All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#HCCPandHCFAudio

#SavannahGuthrie author and narrator 

#MostlyWhatGodDoes

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

This is a review of the audiobook.

Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett

Rating: 4 star rating

I just finished reading Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands by Heather Fawcett, and I am still trying to figure out how I truly feel about it. On one hand, the book has a very nice plot, and the snowy alpine setting feels magical, cozy, and imaginative. I also enjoy reading about the main characters and their interesting and crazy escapades.

The story follows Emily, a socially awkward professor, as she goes on an expedition to the Austrian Alps with her colleague Wendell, her niece Ariadne, and a professor named Dr. Rose to find a hidden faerie door.

On the other hand, there were times when the story felt a bit tedious to get through. It goes into a large amount of detail about fairy history, and there are constantly new characters coming and leaving, which made it hard to keep up with the main characters.  

While it is a well written story, the slow pacing and heavy world-building held it back for me. Even after turning the final page, I am still not entirely sure if this is the right book for me, but it is worth a look if you are interested in fantasy lore.

Thank you, NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine/Del Rey, and author Heather Fawcett for this ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#RandomHousePublishingGroupBallantine

#DelRey

#HeatherFawcett author 

#EmilyWildesMapoftheOtherlands 

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Unbreakable Courage Strong Faith in an Age of Anxiety, Chaos, and Exhaustion by Max Lucado

Rating: 5 star rating

I enjoyed Unbreakable Courage by Max Lucado. He uses the story of Elijah to talk about fear, anxiety, exhaustion, and what it means to keep trusting God when life feels like too much.

I liked that Lucado didn’t make Elijah seem perfect. Elijah was a strong man of faith, but he also became tired, afraid, and discouraged. King Ahab and Jezebel were against him, and Elijah often felt like he was standing alone. I think that is something a lot of us can relate to.

Lucado reminds us that we don't have to be strong all the time. God is there when we are tired, scared, or don't know what to do next. He talks about prayer, resting, listening to God, and having faith when things around us are confusing and chaotic.

This was an easy book to understand, and I liked how Lucado connected Elijah’s story to problems we face today. The main thing I took away from it is that real courage doesn't mean you never get afraid. It means trusting God even when you are afraid. I found the book encouraging and would recommend it to anyone who feels worn out or worried about what is going on in the world.

Thank you, NetGalley, Nelson Books | Thomas Nelson, and author Max Lucado, for providing me with a copy of this ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#NelsonBooks

#ThomasNelson

#MaxLucado 

#UnbreakableCourage

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

My Kentucky Moonlight School by Kim Michele Richardson, author Chloe M. Giroux, illustrator

Rating: 5 star rating

I just finished reading My Kentucky Moonlight School by Kim Michele Richardson, and it is a sweet and moving story. It is a picture book about a little eight year old girl named Jewel who helps her grandparents learn how to read and write. Her grandmother Mamaw is studying hard for a community spelling match, and her grandfather Papaw wants to learn so he can finally read Jewel a bedtime story.

There are also other adult students from the town, like a proud coal miner and a lady named Widow Morrison, who walk through the dark mountain woods at night just to get an education at the local one room schoolhouse.

The book is also a tribute to Cora Wilson Stewart, the real historical educator who started the whole Moonlight School movement in Kentucky back in 1911 to help adults learn how to read. I loved how this book showed that it is never too late to learn. It really makes you realize how life changing it is to know how to read, whether it is a worker making sure they get fair pay or a mom writing letters to her kids.

The illustrations by Chloe M. Giroux are beautiful and really make the Kentucky mountains feel alive. This is definitely a great historical and family oriented book to read to the family, and I highly recommend getting this book.

Overall, this is just a really clean, inspiring, and beautiful tribute to family and history that anyone would enjoy reading.

Thank you, NetGalley, W. W. Norton & Company, author Kim Michele Richardson, and Chloe M. Giroux, illustrator, for providing me with a copy of this ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley

#WWNortonandCompany

#KimMicheleRichardson

#ChloeMGiroux

#MyKentuckyMoonlightSchool

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Praying the Alphabet Connecting with God from A-to-Z by John Kramp

Rating:  5 star rating

Have you ever prayed and realized you were just saying the exact same things over and over? If so, you will love this book. Praying the Alphabet by John Kramp is a simple workbook to help you find the right words when you feel stuck. 

The idea is based on Psalm 119 in the Bible. Kramp takes you through the alphabet from A to Z, giving you fresh words to focus on and sample prayers so you don't have to overthink it.  By the time you finish, you will have a built in daily prayer habit. 

The book gives you a clear strategy to stop repeating yourself so you can finally feel connected when you talk to God. It is a quick and easy read that is perfect for creating your prayer life.

Thank you, NetGalley, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Gift, and the author John Kramp, for the book review consideration.  All opinions are my own.

#NetGalley

#ThomasNelson

#ZondervanGift

#JohnKramp #PrayingtheAlphabet

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Amigurumi Fairies 50 Patterns for Customizable Dolls and Magical Friends by Amber Beaulieu

Rating: 5 star rating

I thought "Amigurumi Fairies" by Amber Beaulieu was such a fun crochet book. Amber is a well-known amigurumi designer who has spent years creating cute crochet dolls and characters, and her experience really shows in these patterns. The book is filled with fairy dolls and magical friends that can be customized in all kinds of ways. There are seasonal fairies, celestial fairies, a unicorn, little toads, fireflies, and lots of accessories that let you create your own unique characters.

What I liked most was how easy it is to mix and match different hairstyles, wings, outfits, and colors. Even when using the same basic doll pattern, each fairy can end up looking completely different. The instructions are clear, the photos are helpful, and the patterns feel thoughtfully designed.

The projects are charming and full of personality. I could see these fairies being wonderful gifts for children, grandchildren, teachers, or anyone who enjoys handmade toys. Many of the finished dolls are also small enough to include in Christmas shoebox charity gifts, adding a personal handmade touch that a child would treasure.

If you enjoy crocheting amigurumi and love fantasy-themed projects, I think you'll have a lot of fun with this book. It offers plenty of variety and inspiration, and it left me wanting to make several of the fairies and their magical friends.

Thank you, NetGalley, Fox Chapel Publishing, and the author AmberBeaulieu for the book review consideration. All opinions are my own.

#NetGalley

#FoxChapelPublishing

#AmberBeaulieu

#AmigurumiFairies

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Death at a Scottish Halloween A Scottish Isle Mystery by Lucy Connelly

Rating: 5 star rating

This book: Death at a Scottish Halloween by Lucy Connelly is a great, cozy mystery. It is the fifth book in the Scottish Isle Mystery series, and you dont have to read the earlier books to be able to read this one. 

The story starts off during Halloween week on the fictional Sea Isle. The autumn, small-town Scottish vibes are just perfect. The whole town is celebrating when the main character, Dr. Emilia McRoy, an American doctor who moved to Scotland, finds a real dead body inside a local haunted house attraction. The body was found in the room, just across the hallway from her and Abigails attraction! Because she is also the island's temporary coroner, she gets dragged right into the middle of the mess.

Emilia teams up with her awesome clinic assistant, Abigail, and the very handsome local cop, Ewan Campbell. 

It turns out the victim was someone they knew named Duncan. He was killed because someone was hunting for a hidden treasure on the island, and the killer would do anything to find it.

Emilia uses her smart medical skills and clues from the investigation to trap the killer right as the Halloween festival ends. The mystery is totally solved, the island is safe again, and there are no annoying cliffhangers.

If you like easy to read mysteries with great characters, beautiful settings, and a happy ending, definitely pick this one up!

Thank you, NetGalley, Crooked Lane Books, and Lucy Connelly for this book review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#CrookedLaneBooks

#DeathataScottishHalloween

#LucyConnelly

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

To Fly on Broken Wings by Fayla Ott

Rating: 5 star rating

I just finished reading To Fly on Broken Wings by Fayla Ott and it completely broke my heart.

Set in a small town called Belhaven in the Mississippi Delta right around World War II, the book follows a quiet girl named Lila. She has had a really tough time growingup, but everything changes when she meets Graham, a wealthy crop duster pilot.

Even though they come from totally different social circles, they fall in love and get married. But right after their wedding, Graham enlists to fight in the war, leaving Lila behind. Before long, Lila receives the devastating news that Graham's plane went down and he is presumed dead.

The author does an great job showing Lila's painful journey as her heart is broken, leaving her to figure out how to rebuild her life when her entire world completely falls apart.

Because this is a Christian historical fiction book, there is a focus on faith and trying to trust God through the worst and most heartbreaking choices a person could ever face. 

The author builds up the tension so well, and you will find yourself hurting for the characters as they try to navigate impossible circumstances. The ending is incredibly emotional and tears your heart out, leaving you crying for the characters because of a heart breaking choice that has to be made. 

I am seriously hoping the author writes a sequel so the other guy can get his own happy ending. If you love emotional wartime dramas or a deep romance that completely tests the heart, it is a fantastic, fast-paced read that will definitely make you cry.

Thank you, NetGalley, Heritage House Publishing, and author Fayla Ott for this ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#HeritageHousePublishing

#FaylaOtt author 

#ToFlyonBrokenWings 

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Becoming Who God Says I Am With Unshakable Moxie by Lina AbuJamra

Rating:  5 star rating

Dr. Lina AbuJamra’s book, Becoming Who God Says I Am: With Unshakable Moxie, is a great guide for anyone who feels stuck or defined by past mistakes. Lina used to be a pediatric ER doctor, so she writes in a direct, honest way that gets straight to the point. Instead of giving vague advice, this six part study helps you find real confidence in Jesus.  Even though this is a Bible study it feels alive because of the real people who share their personal stories. 

The video parts are hosted by Moriah Smallbone and Toni Collier, who make everything feel safe and welcoming. Throughout the book, you learn from real women like Aarti Sequeira, Tori Hope Petersen, Diane Cohen, Kathy Troccoli, Stephanie Ike Okafor, and Roma Downey.  Each woman opens up about true struggles with rejection, bad childhoods, deep sadness, and life changes, showing you are not alone. 

The setup is easy to read by yourself or with a small group. Every chapter has short sections with Bible verses, questions, and prayers. The best part about the ebook version is the built in QR codes linking directly to thirty minute video lessons.  You just scan the code with your phone or tablet camera to instantly stream a high quality video.  

Watching the speakers chat like  friends around a table brings the chapters to life and makes you feel like you are right there in the room.   

Overall, this is an excellent, practical book that avoids cheesy phrases.  It gives you the actual tools you need to stay strong when life gets tough.  It is perfect for anyone who wants to stop letting emotions run their faith and start living with real, godly confidence.  This book is a wonderful read that will change how you see yourself and your relationship with God.

Thank you, NetGalley, Our Daily Bread Publishing, and author Lina AbuJamra, for providing me with a copy of this ebook review consideration.  All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#OurDailyBreadPublishing

#LinaAbuJamra

#BecomingWhoGodSaysIAm

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

What to Do When Your Brain Gets Stuck, 2nd Edition A Kid's Guide to Overcoming OCD by Dawn Huebner, PhD

Rating:  4 star rating

This is a great book for parents who have a kid dealing with OCD. The author explains how loop thoughts get stuck in a child's head using regular words and fun examples that actually make sense to a kid.  It shows them how to stand up to their worries and stop doing the same habits over and over again. 

The author, Dawn Huebner, PhD, is a real clinical psychologist who specializes in childhood anxiety.  She is famous for making therapy ideas simple, and she has written several bestselling workbooks for kids, including "What to Do When You Worry Too Much".  She knows how to talk to children on their level without making them feel bad.  

I highly recommend reading this together with your child.  It uses real therapy ideas but keeps things  simple.  There are plenty of fun drawing pages and activities so kids do not get bored or stressed out while reading it.  It gives you a great way to talk about anxiety as a family and gives kids easy steps to feel like they are in control of their own brain again.

Thank you, NetGalley, American Psychological Association, and author Dawn Huebner, PhD, for providing me with a copy of this ebook review consideration.  All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#AmericanPsychologicalAssociation

#DawnHuebnerPhD

#DawnHuebner

#WhattoDoWhenYourBrainGetsStuck2ndEdition

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Hello, Fall! by Deborah Diesen, author with Kate Coventry, narrator

Rated: 4 star rating

I just finished listening to the Hello, Fall! audiobook with my nieces, and it is such a sweet little story. It is about a young girl and her grandfather who go outside together on a crisp autumn day to explore nature. They spend the whole afternoon doing classic fall stuff like watching squirrels collect acorns, drinking apple cider, picking out pumpkins, and jumping into a giant pile of leaves. 

The bond between the grandfather and his granddaughter is just really heartwarming to listen to. The narrator, Kate Coventry, did an great job bringing the book to life. Her voice is soft and cozy, and the audio has little sound effects like rustling leaves and honking geese that kept my nieces entertained. 

At the end of their walk, they head back home and review all the things they saw, and the story ends with a reminder about sharing special moments with family. 

It is a super cute, quick listen that is perfect for the autumn season, and I highly recommend it for anyone wanting a fun story to share.

Thank you, NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and author Deborah Diesen, and Kate Coventry illustrator, for providing me with a copy of this audiobook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#Deborah Diesen author

#KateCoventry illustrator 

#MacmillanAudio 

#HelloFall

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

This is a review of the audiobook.

Kentucky's Packhorse Peggy Delivering Stories One Trail at a Time by Lisa Boeglin and Kristi Valiant (Illustrator)

Rated: 5 star rating

I just finished reading Kentucky's Packhorse Peggy: Delivering Stories One Trail at a Time by Lisa Boeglin, and it is such a sweet story. It takes place back in 1935 during the Great Depression and follows a young woman named Peggy. She gets a job as a packhorse librarian, which means she rides around on her horse, Tucker, to bring books to people living way out in the mountains who can't get to a town.  

Peggy and Tucker go through some really tough weather like ice and heavy rain, but they don't give up. The families she visits are so grateful for the reading material that they give her little things in return, like old recipes, quilt patterns and stories. Peggy keeps everything in a scrapbook, which is a great way to remember how the community stuck together during hard times.

The illustrations by Kristi Valiant are also amazing and show what life looked like back then. It is just a really nice, clean book about how books can bring people together when life is hard. I highly recommend it if you like historical stories or just want something uplifting to read.

Thank you, NetGalley, Solander Press, and author Lisa Boeglin, and Kristi Valiant, Illustrator, for providing me with a copy of this ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#LisaBoeglin author

#KristiValiant Illustrator

#SolanderPress 

#KentuckysPackhorsePeggy

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Welcome Home Simple Dinner Solutions Favorite Main Dishes, Sides & Desserts by Hope Comerford

Rating: 5 star rating

I absolutely love this cookbook. It is packed with great, home-style meals that are super easy to make. There are so many recipes in here that I haven’t tried yet, but I really want to. To be honest, this could easily be my only cookbook.

It has 127 recipes that cover the stove, oven, Instant Pot, and slow cooker. My favorite tools are the Instant Pot and the air fryer, and I honestly think almost every recipe in here can be easily adjusted to fit those methods. The ingredients are normal things you actually have in your kitchen, so you don't have to go hunting for weird stuff at the store.

Hope Comerford did an amazing job making dinner simple, and it has everything from main dishes to sides and desserts. If you want good, comforting food without all the fuss, you will love this cookbook. I am definitely going to get a hard copy of this book.

Thank you, NetGalley, Skyhorse Publishing, author Hope Comerford, for this free ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley

#SkyhorsePublishing

#HopeComerford author

#WelcomeHomeSimpleDinnerSolutions

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Merciful Salvation A Viking Historical Romance by Violetta Rand

Rating:  4

Great author, but too much spice for my taste

I read Merciful Salvation by Violetta Rand and the author did a great job writing this book.  It is a Viking historical romance about a Scottish warrior named Aaron McNally who lost his honor back home and had to start over in Norway.  He works hard to become a respected fighter for the king, but then he meets a noblewoman named Kara Dalgaard.  Kara's family tries to trick and embarrass Aaron, and even though Kara feels bad about it, the whole mess forces them to spend a lot of time together. They start falling for each other, but Aaron is worried  over losing his hard earned reputation, and Kara is stuck dealing with her family's drama.  By the end, they have to face all the secrets and lies to finally be together.

The story is very good, but I really wish there were no spicy and sexual moments in it. If it was a clean story, I definitely would have enjoyed it a lot more. However, the author still did an amazing job with the actual plot and character growth. Aaron is that classic brooding, tough guy who is secretly super protective, and Kara is really strong willed instead of just being a helpless female. The historical setting feels very realistic. It is a really well written book, just keep the romance content warning in mind if you prefer strictly clean reads.

Trigger Warnings:  

Violence and Warfare

Shaming and Emotional Manipulation

Explicit Sexual Content

Thank you, NetGalley, Dragonblade Publishing, author Violetta Rand, for providing me with a copy of this ebook review consideration.  All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#Violetta Rand

#Dragonblade Publishing 

#MercifulSalvation

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Damian's Blood Moon by Jamie Lee Scott

Rating: 4 star rating

If you are looking for a great supernatural story, Damian’s Blood Moon by Jamie Lee Scott is definitely an intense story. The book is written incredibly well, and the author does an amazing job keeping the suspense high from the very first page.

The story is about a normal teenager named Damian Miller who lives in a quiet town called Oakhaven. Right around his seventeenth birthday, his whole life gets turned upside down. He finds out he isn't normal at all, but he’s actually the last heir to an old family of Alpha werewolves. Suddenly he’s thrown into this secret world and has to figure out how to handle these scary wolf powers before he completely loses his mind.

The characters deal with a lot of heavy stuff throughout the story, but the author's writing makes them all really interesting to follow.

Damian starts off as just a regular, scared kid who has to quickly grow a backbone to survive. Right from the beginning of the book, he gets help from Lyra, a fierce warrior who steps in immediately to start his brutal training and teach him how to fight and change into his wolf form.

Things get even more interesting in chapter 5 when Anya comes into the story. She is recruited to help him from a completely different pack called the Solarii, and her connection to everything plays a huge role in the plot.

Damian has to rely on both Lyra and Anya to survive a super evil rival pack leader named Keegan who wants to hunt him down and steal his birthright. The story gets pretty crazy as it counts down to the night of the actual Blood Moon. Damian, Anya, and Lyra have to deal with betrayal, ancient pack feuds, and a dangerous world closing in on them. Everything builds up to an action-packed ending where Damian has to let his wolf out to survive the chaos, face his destiny, and try to rise above his fear.

Even though the story gets messed up and dark, Jamie Lee Scott is a great writer, and this book makes a really engaging read for fans of wolf lore. If you like wolf lore, you really need to get this one.

Thank you, NetGalley, Franklin Publishers, author Jamie Lee Scott for providing me with a copy of this ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley

#JamieLeeScott

#FranklinPublishers

#DamiansBloodMoon

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Mary Maiden, Mother, Matriarch by Ana Brigida Gomez

Rated:  5 star rating 

Trigger Warnings:

Violence and Death

I just finished reading Mary: Maiden, Mother, Matriarch by Ana Brigida Gomez, and it is a wonderful book. 

The story follows the life of Mary from her early days growing up in Nazareth, through the years of raising Jesus, and into her later role helping the early Christian community. To flesh out the history, the author adds creative details and conversations that are not found in scripture. A great example of this is a fictional character named Bethany, who is introduced as a close friend of Mary to help illustrate what daily life and friendships were like for women during that time period.

There is also a lot of imagined detail about Jesus as he grows from a young boy into a man, showing his everyday interactions with Mary and Joseph in their small town before his ministry begins.

 Even with these fictional additions, the book provides a very good rendering of the Bible, Jesus, Mary, and the rest of the family.  It treats the source material with great respect and successfully makes these historical figures feel relatable and human. I definitely recommend it as an engaging and inspiring fictional Christian read.

Thank you BookSirens, Astrogea Books, and author Ana Brigida Gomez, for providing me with this ebook review consideration, in exchange for an honest review.  

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#BookSirens

#AnaBrigidaGomez

#AstrogeaBooks

#ParablesUptheMountain

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Parables Up the Mountain A Seeker's Trail by Joey Doherty

Rated: 4 star rating

I recently read Parables Up the Mountain by Joey Doherty, and it was a really surprising read. Just to clear something up first, it isn't actually a nonfiction book, but it's a fictional story that teaches lessons about real life. The author is a real clinical counselor and wilderness guide, so he uses his actual background to tell a neat story about finding peace.

The story is about a guy called the Seeker who is totally sick of modern society and wants answers about life and God. He decides to climb up a huge mountain to find a legendary Master who is supposed to know everything. The Seeker wants to do this all by himself, but he runs into a very strange, peculiar guy on the trail, named Coyote. Coyote says he believes in Jesus Christ. I feel Seeker isnt sure what he believes, he says he doesnt believe in God. But, like his name, i believe he is seeking.

They end up hiking together, and Coyote keeps telling riddles and parables that challenge how the Seeker views the world. The characters are simple but they make you think about your own life.

The Seeker represents all of us when we get stressed out and want answers. Coyote is like that friend who makes you look at things differently, and the Master is the goal everyone is trying to reach. The mountain itself feels like a character because the author writes so much about nature and how being outside helps heal your mind.

It is a quick and easy book to read, but it leaves you with a lot to think about. It feels like an old folklore story, but it helps with modern problems like stress and fear of failing. If you feel burnt out by the world or just love being out in nature, I definitely recommend giving this one a try. I think this would be good read as an audio book, too.

Thank you BookSirens, Skyroot Books, and author Joey Doherty, for providing me with this ebook review consideration, in exchange for an honest review. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#BookSirens

#JoeyDoherty

#SkyrootBooks

#ParablesUptheMountainASeekersTrail

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Curses, Critters, and Other Complications A Lancaster Witch Chronicle: Book 1 by Kat Farrow

Rating: 5 star rating

You are going to love Curses, Critters, and Other Complications by Kat Farrow. It fits into the adult cozy fantasy and contemporary fantasy genres, but it has that amazing young adult crossover appeal because it is such a clean, gentle, and universally relatable read.

The story takes place in the quiet town of Lancaster and follows a multigenerational family of witches who have hidden their magic from the world, and from some of their own family, for years. In fact, Sara has kept her mother's witchcraft a secret from her husband, Nathan, for nine whole years! Everything gets turned upside down during a weekend visit when Sara's daughters bring their pet guinea pig, Ralph, to grandmother Ellen's house. It turns out Ralph isn't a guinea pig at all, but a shapeshifter locked under a crazy, layered curse. To handle it, Ellen and her witch friend Margie secretly swap the real Ralph for a magically bespelled decoy guinea pig, triggering a giant domino effect of magical accidents.

Suddenly, the daughters' own magical gifts start rapidly breaking through, making the big family secret impossible to hide anymore.

The characters are incredibly lovable and fun. There is Ellen, the wise grandmother witch, and Sara, who is totally stressed out trying to manage the chaos. Nathan is a super perceptive dad who starts demanding real answers to all the unexplainable, weird things happening around the house. My favorite character is Murgawth, Ellen’s telepathic cat companion, who is the first to notice something is wrong with Ralph and has the most hilarious, sarcastic wit.

We also learn pretty quickly that Ralph absolutely despises a reclusive old hag living in the area and is doesn't want to be taken back to her, because he hates her.. However, as the family unravels the magical mystery, they eventually track down the old hag. When they find her, she finally explains the real history and truth behind their relationship, and they end up giving Ralph back to her.

What makes this book so special is how naturally the magic fits right in with everyday family chaos, chores, and domestic life. The ending wraps up with a great sense of closure, completely solving the mystery of Ralph's curse and bringing the family together for a emotional reconciliation where the family finally tell each other the truth. It leaves you feeling incredibly warm inside and perfectly sets up the story for the next book in A Lancaster Witch Chronicle series. I definitely recommend giving this one a read.

Thank you NetGalley, Lore Weaver Press, and author Kat Farrow, for providing me with this ebook review consideration, in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley

#KatFarrow

#LoreWeaverPress

#CursesCrittersandOtherComplications

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Last Day on the Blue Wonder by Les Carroll

Rated: 5 star rating

Please note that this book deals with heavy topics including sexual assault, drugging, military combat violence, physical peril, and the grief of losing a parent.

I really loved Last Day on the Blue Wonder by Les Carroll. It is an intense, gripping book about Andy Herring, an American soldier who retires from the military after a severe battlefield injury in Afghanistan that prevents him from deploying, so instead of taking an administrative or instructor type job, he decides to just retire instead. Just days after retiring, his mom breaks the devastating news that his father has passed away. Andy moves back home to Gloucester, Massachusetts, to honor his dad's dream by taking over his old tuna-fishing boat, the Blue Wonder.

Things get complicated when Andy runs into Amanda, the brave military medic who saved his life overseas. Amanda is escaping an abusive situation and a horrific trauma after a fellow military man drugged and assaulted her without consent. Andy tries to help Amanda and her young daughter start over, but they are followed by danger. Out on the ocean, they must navigate treacherous waves while escaping threats from their past. 

This romance and suspense thriller feels incredibly real because the author is a veteran. I won't give away the ending, but the final ocean chapters are amazing. You should grab a copy of this book. I felt it was a great read.

Thank you, NetGalley, Köehler Books, and author Les Carroll for this ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#Köehler Books

#LesCarroll author 

#LastDayontheBlueWonder 

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

The Bachelor Spy A Freddie and Grace Mystery by Pepper Basham

Rated: 5 star rating

I just finished reading The Bachelor Spy by Pepper Basham, and it is a great, cozy mystery that is a must-read. The book starts off with intense action during a ship sinking, where a British intelligence operative named Stephen Blake is shot and survives. Months later, Stephen is sent on an undercover mission to Havensbrooke Hall, an English estate owned by his cousin Frederick. 

The estate has been turned into a World War I convalescent hospital for wounded soldiers while Frederick is serving on the war front. Stephen's top secret mission is to root out a dangerous German spy known as the "Midnight Angel" who is hiding out at the house. 

Things get highly complicated because Stephen's former spy colleague, Evie Montgomery, is also undercover at the estate disguised as a maid. In the meantime, Stephen and Evie try to figure out each other's secret motives. 

Frederick's wife, Lady Grace Astley, is running the hospital. Grace is such a lovable character with a spunky personality, and she is completely obsessed with reading mystery novels. Even with her soft heart, she becomes a force to be reckoned with. She notices that household items are being stolen around the mansion and starts her own parallel investigation. The espionage and the thievery plots collide in a surprising climax. 

The story is filled with exciting details like a kidnapping, cases of mistaken identity, a romantic closet scene, and a race against time through a crumbling subterranean tunnel beneath the old clergy house.  

It is a wonderful, lighthearted, and exciting book that keeps you guessing until the end. This ebook is a must-read.

Thank you, NetGalley, Barbour Publishing, and author Pepper Basham for this ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#BarbourPublishing

#PepperBasham author 

#TheBachelorSpy 

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

Decluttering at the Speed of Life Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff by Dana K. White author and narrator

Rated: 5 star rating

I am so glad I found the audiobook for Decluttering at the Speed of Life. I absolutely love how the author, Dana K. White, does her own narrating because her voice keeps you interested to the very end. She is funny and honest about her own messy house, so you never feel judged while listening. It feels like you are just listening to a friend talk about controlling all the extra stuff taking over your home.

I can't wait to listen to this method and use it while I clean. Her main rule is the Container Concept, which means your closets and shelves are only meant to hold so much, they are the container. If your things do not fit, you have to get rid of stuff until they do. She also talks about using the one in, one out rule to help control the container that is filling up. She gives you a plan where you start by tossing real trash, moving things that already have a home, and getting rid of obvious junk. If you get stuck on an item, she says to ask yourself where you would look for it if you lost it. I plan to repeat, repeat, and repeat this process every time until it becomes second nature for me. 

This book is perfect if you feel completely overwhelmed by your house. It is simple, it makes sense, and it is the best book I have found to help you finally clear out your rooms without getting stressed. This is a great book for decluttering and you definitely need to get this audiobook

Thank you, NetGalley, HCCP & HCF Audio, author and narrator Dana K. White, for providing me with a copy of this audiobook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#HCCPandHCFAudio

#DanaKWhite author and narrator 

#DeclutteringattheSpeedofLife

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com

This is a review of the audiobook.

Return to Sender A Novel by Stephanie Parente

Rating: 3 star rating

I just finished Return to Sender by Stephanie Parente. This story has graphic sexual content alongside heavy emotional themes like grief and the death of a parent. The main characters include a queer teen female and two bisexual adults. LGBTQIA+ content.

The story is a classic grumpy meets sunshine romance mixed with a cross-country road trip, but it also deals with some really heavy family stuff. It follows a twenty-six-year-old woman named Violet, who suddenly has to raise her rebellious fourteen-year-old sister, Phoebe, after their dad tragically dies in a car crash. 

Violet is drowning under the stress of overnight parenthood, especially after her fiancé heartlessly dumps her right after the funeral. They sell their fathers house in Rhode Island and move into a tiny new apartment in Boston to get a fresh start. They receive a romantic love letter that shows up in their mailbox marked return to sender. Phoebe, who is a witty but depressed queer teen navigating terrible grief, opens the letter. Seeing the mystery behind it is the first thing that makes her smile since the accident, so Violet is willing to do absolutely anything to keep that smile on her face. To keep her sister happy, Violet tracks down the guy who wrote the letter, a brooding, prickly, and heavily guarded guy named Benji "Dex" Dexter. He works at a local center for at-risk LGBTQIA+ youth, which shows he secretly has a huge heart under his harsh, quiet exterior.  

Phoebe somehow convinces Dex and Violet to all jump into a beat-up car together for a cross country road trip to deliver the letter to Dex's long-lost ex-girlfriend, Catalina. As they drive farther west, sleeping in cheap motels and eating diner food, the close quarters force Violet and Dex to lower their defenses. They start building an undeniable, slow-burning chemistry, which gets super complicated since they are literally driving toward the woman Dex originally set out to win back. When they finally reach their destination, everyone is forced to stop running from their pasts and face reality. 

The ending doesn't feel like a fairy tale but gives you a realistic, happy romantic ending. Even better, it focuses a lot on how the sisters heal from losing their dad and how they finally learn to move forward together, which was my favorite part. 

If you like slow-burn romances with a lot of feelings and a good road trip vibe, you will love this ebook. It is an easy, fast read that will make you laugh and cry. But some of the content I personally did not agree with, so i only gave it a 3 star rating, but others may not agree.

Thank you, NetGalley, Random House, author Stephanie Parente, for this free ebook review consideration. All review opinions are my own.

#NetGalley 

#RandomHouse

#StephanieParente author 

#ReturntoSender

http://goodreads.com/patriciasreadingroom

http://www.patriciasreadingroom.blogspot.com