I purchased a print copy of MAGNATE by Joanna Shupe for a buddy read at Goodreads. Thanks to Andrea, Ash, Bubu, Christina, Jill, Linda, Luli, Lyuda, Nefise and Oana for introducing me to this author and for the great discussion. I was intrigued with the heroine who starts her own brokerage firm when women were…

Reminiscent of the Gothics of the 1970s, THE HOUSE BETWEEN TIDES by Sarah Maine takes the reader on a stimulating stroll through two time periods, igniting the senses with a classic mysterious aura. The moodiness of the location easily placed my mind on holiday in the past while unraveling the mystery in the present. It…

THE CHOICES WE MAKE by Karma Brown is a story full of love, but it’s not in the typical romance novel format. I think it’s better described as women’s fiction with family development at a crossroads. There are two couples in love, but this book is more about friendship as well as how life swirls…

UNDER THE DESERT SKY by Sara Luck portrays an unusual combination of a South African hero traveling to the Arizona Territory in the 1900s. Raising ostriches for their plumes isn’t something I ever heard about from our history, so I find that part of this novel appealing within a western historical romance. Due to a…

THE GIRLS by Emma Cline makes me question the world around us. I didn’t like the characters or even empathize with them, yet they drew me into their bizarre world, making me wonder what would happen next. Credit to the author for making me curious enough beyond what made me very uncomfortable. Our fascination with…

An enjoyable debut, THE BEAST OF CLAN KINCAID by Lily Blackwood creates anticipation for this mercenary’s missing brothers’ stories. Fans of Scottish historical romance books will especially enjoy the twist at the end of this novel that propels us forward to book two, expected in December 2016. Niall Braewick and his two brothers fled separately…

THIS ROAD I RIDE by Juliana Buhring is an inspirational cycling memoir especially enjoyed by those who appreciate mental and physical endurance. Juliana’s story is not just about the ride, but includes snippets of what she endured in captivity in a religious cult and other traumatic events in her life that she works through while…