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Singing Librarian Books

Adult Blog

Echoes Among the Stones by Jaime Jo Wright -- Review

12/26/2019

About the Book

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After Aggie Dunkirk's career is unceremoniously ended by her own mistakes, she finds herself traveling to Wisconsin, where her grandmother, Mumsie, lives alone in her vintage, though very outdated, home. Aggie didn't plan for how eccentric Mumsie has become, obsessing over an old, unsolved crime scene--even going so far as to re-create it in a dollhouse.

Mystery seems to follow Aggie when she finds work as a secretary helping to restore the flooded historical part of the town's cemetery. Forced to work with a puzzling yet attractive archaeologist, she exhumes the past's secrets and unwittingly uncovers a crime that some will go to any length to keep hidden--even if that means silencing Aggie.

In 1946, Imogene Grayson works in a beauty salon but has her sights set on Hollywood. But coming home to discover her younger sister's body in the attic changes everything. Unfamiliar with the burgeoning world of forensic science and, as a woman, not particularly welcomed into the investigation, Imogene is nonetheless determined to stay involved. As her sister's case grows cold, Imogene vows to find justice . . . no matter the cost.
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About the Author

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Professional coffee drinker, Jaime Wright, resides in the hills of Wisconsin. She loves to write spirited turn-of-the-century romance, stained with suspense. Her day job finds her as a Director of Sales & Development. She’s wife to a rock climbing, bow-hunting Pre-K teacher, mom to a coffee-drinking little girl, and a little boy she fondly refers to as her mischievous “Peter Pan”. Jaime completes her persona by being an admitted social media junkie and coffee snob. She is a member of ACFW and has the best writing sisters EVER!
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Review

Jaime Jo Wright has once again written a tale so startling that readers will absolutely not be able to set it down.  There is a deep mystery that goes back several generations that was never solved…and Wright weaves the duel timelines of this tale together beautifully crafting such an intriguing and haunting story that readers will want to stay up late into the night to finish it.  Either that or get spooked and have to set it down and pick it up again the next day.  This is one of those stories that once finished, readers will not be able to stop thinking about it and wanting more from this astounding author.
 
Genre: mystery, historical, contemporary, Christian
Publisher: Bethany House
Publication date: December 3, 2019
Number of pages: 352
 
A review copy of this book was provided by Bethany House via the author’s launch team.  A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.
1 Comment

Only Gossip Prospers: A Novel of Louisa May Alcott in New York by Lorraine Tosiello -- Blog Tour Review

12/12/2019
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About the Book

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In late 1875 Louisa May Alcott spent a winter in New York City.  Her journals give a rough sketch of the people she met, the salons she attended and a few outings that she enjoyed. She intended to stay “until I am tired of it,” but left abruptly in mid-January.

Filled with biographical references to Louisa’s family, New Yorkers of the time and Alcott’s literary works, Only Gossip Prospers intertwines the real people Louisa met, the actual events of New York City and a host of fictional characters who inhabit a world that Louisa herself would recognize.  Written in a style reminiscent of Alcott’s juvenile fiction and short adventure stories, the book is part historical fiction, part love letter to the charm of 1870s New York and part biography of Louisa and her contemporaries.  Only Gossip Prospers enters the debate that still hovers over Little Women as to what was “real” and what was “made up.” There are some twists and surprises, including one that will satisfy the greatest question left unanswered for fans of Little Women: what really happened between Jo and Laurie?
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Only Gossip Prospers mashes together fact and fiction to draw a realistic portrait of Louisa May Alcott at the height of her fame.
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About the Author

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Lorraine Tosiello read Alcott’s Little Women in the first grade—and re-read it again and again throughout most of her childhood.  The book equipped her to set off on a journey of motherhood, traveling, rabble-rousing and work as a physician devoted to medical education and primary care medicine. Rereading Little Women in later adulthood rekindled her Alcott enthusiasm, and years of happy study resulted in her first novel, Only Gossip Prospers. She lives with her husband in midtown Manhattan and at the New Jersey shore.
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Review

In Only Gossip Prospers, author Lorraine Tosiello brings to life the story of Louisa May Alcott and her time in New York.  Tosiello beautifully combines fact and fiction to depict a realistic version of this brilliant woman and a part of her life.  And although this story is a mash up of fact and fiction, it’s written in a way that readers can come to better know the beloved Louisa May Alcott at the height of her fame after writing Little Women.  This story has the vibe of other literary works written by authors such as Louisa May Alcott herself, as well as Charles Dicken, Jane Austen, etc. This is a fun story that fans of Little Women and other works by Louisa May Alcott will enjoy.
 
Genre: historical
Publisher: Pink Umbrella Books
Publication date: October 16, 2019
Number of pages: 322
 
A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher, Pink Umbrella Books.  A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.

Blog Tour Schedule

Follow along with the blog tour HERE.
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Misleading Miss Verity (Regency Brides: Daughters of Aynsley #3) by Carolyn Miller -- Review

12/6/2019

About the Book

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Verity Hatherleigh has a mind of her own—but her actions do not impress her viscount papa. When she gets into one scrape too many, he sends her off to the wilds of Scotland to rethink her headstrong ways.

Anthony Jardine relished his role as curate, but his new duties as laird of Dungally aren’t always to his liking. Though he thought his new inheritance would be a blessing, somehow he’s finding nothing but trouble on these estates. And the intelligent, compassionate, feisty lass who was sent to rusticate in his territory is one of the biggest problems. He’s falling in love with her, but she doesn’t share the faith that’s his foundation—not to mention he’s been lying to her about who he really is. For the truth-loving Verity, that may be unforgivable.

The tangled web these two have woven may spell disaster for their happiness—and for the tenants of Dungally.
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About the Author

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Carolyn Miller lives in New South Wales, Australia, with her husband and four children. A longtime lover of Regency romance, Carolyn's previous novels have won several contests, including the 2014 RWA "Touched by Love" and 2014 ACFW Gensis contests. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and My Book Therapy.
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Review

Author Carolyn Miller has written another fabulous book in her Regency Brides: Daughters of Aynsley.  Misleading Miss Verity is the perfect ending for this charming series.  Miller has created strong, interesting, and engaging characters in a wonderful regency era.  Readers have seen Verity Hatherleigh through the eyes of her sisters in the previous books of this series, but this story is all her own.  Verity Hatherleigh is such a fun character; she is a spunky, truthful, and loving.  While her love interest, Anthony Jardine, is a mysterious and intriguing man with an inheritance.  Not only are there excellent characters, but Miller also adds to the experience by writing wonderful descriptions of Scotland.  Readers will delight in this historical, regency, romace.
 
Series: Regency Brides: Daughters of Aynsley
Genre: historical, regency, romance
Publisher: Kregel Publications
Publication date: November 19, 2019
Number of pages: 352
 
Other books in the series:
1-A Hero for Miss Hatherleigh
2-Underestimating Miss Cecilia
 
A review copy of this book was provided by Kregel.  A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.
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All in Good Time by Carolyn Astfalk -- Review

12/5/2019
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About the Book

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With three rambunctious, young children, Melanie Lombardi can’t see beyond the day-to-day struggle to maintain her home and her sanity since her husband’s sudden death. A second chance at romance isn’t on her radar.

Brian Perella is done with dating, resigned to being the fun uncle and never the dad. Until he meets Melanie and her brood of lively kids on the sidelines of a Little League game.

But when Brian uncovers a co-worker’s secret, it re-ignites a temptation that Melanie can’t know about. It’s his secret to keep until an unexpected diagnosis brings everything to the surface, jeopardizing his future with Melanie and her children, who, when threatened by an unknown stalker, may need him now more than ever. 
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About the Author

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Carolyn Astfalk lives in Hershey, Pennsylvania where the scent on the morning breeze carries either chocolate or manure depending on wind direction and atmospheric conditions.

A Pittsburgh native, Carolyn carries her Yinzer card with pride, having interned at Pittsburgh’s iconic TV and radio stations KDKA and WDVE. She is a graduate of Duquesne University, where she majored in Latin and Broadcast Journalism.

A cradle Catholic, Carolyn was raised mainly at church basement rummage sales and other parish-sponsored events. She worked her way up to "pup girl" at weekly Bingo and even served as a parish organist for several years. Having reached the apex of parish ministry, she moved to the state capital to advance her churchy career.

Carolyn served as communications director and registered lobbyist for the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference for a decade, advocating for religious liberty; prolife, pro-family issues, Catholic education, and healthcare, among others.

Since then, she has been a stay-at-home mom to her four children. Most days she can be found changing diapers, wiping up spills, folding laundry, and tapping furiously on her laptop.

Carolyn is a member of the Catholic Writers Guild, Pennwriters, the Pennsylvania Public Relations Society, and 10 Minute Novelists.
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Review

Author Carolyn Astfalk has written a book that has all the feels and at times can be hard to read because of the tough subjects discussed within its pages.  There is a lot going on in the story, including the struggle of being a single mom of three kids, temptations and continuing to overcome addiction, unexpected health challenges, falling in love, and even a bit of suspense to add into the mix.  Astfalk addresses these difficult subjects that aren’t easy to bring up, especially in Christian fiction, but she does so beautifully.  This story is about struggles, but it’s also about trusting in God and the power to overcome them.  A beautiful, touching, and thought provoking story that is an excellent addition to Christian fiction.
 
Genre: contemporary, romance, Christian
Publisher: Multa Verba
Publication date: October 22, 2019
Number of pages: 385
 
A review copy of this book was provided by JustRead Publicity Tours.  A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.
1 Comment

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