Category Archives: Reviews

“Whence and Whither: On Lives and Living,” is a collection of writings by Thomas Lynch. Lynch is a poet who also happens to be a funeral director. He is known for his observations on death. “Whence and Whither,” as its subtitle indicates, is much more about life and living it well. It’s easy to see that lynch is a poet, first and foremost. His words go down like milk and honey, for the most part. He, like so many artists, also has no problem questioning the status quo.Lynch doesn’t spare religion in this quest.The author was cynical toward the church, Read more…

The Catherine Howard Conspiracy is the first book in The Marquess House Trilogy by Alexandra Walsh. It’s a British historical conspiracy/thriller with a dose of mystery and suspense thrown in for good measure. This book is structured using 2 distinct time periods. each telling an equally compelling story.In 2018, Pembrokeshire, WalesDr. Perdita Rivers, a respected historian, has just learned that her estranged grandmother has died. Her grandmother was a renowned Tudor historian in her own right. Perdita and her twin sister, Piper, have inherited everything in their grandmother’s estate. This includes the Marquess House and a mystery dating back to Read more…

The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes is the story of Masha. Masha is grieving in the way a young woman should never have to grieve, and her friends and family are grieving with her and for her. Then one night, she has an epiphany. She wants to live—not just to breathe and exist, but to really be alive! But, how do you do that with a broken heart? She will need the help of 2 very special women to step out of the cocoon in which she has been encased for so long.Ruth Hogan has created a masterpiece.My favorite thing Read more…

I loved Teresa Driscoll’s novel, I Am Watching You, so I jumped at the chance to read her latest psychological suspense novel, The Promise.Would you keep the promise you regret making?The Promise hooked me as I learned about 3 girls as close as sisters, thanks to attending boarding school together. Now that they are adults, a promise they made in the past has inexplicably kept them bound, and at the same time, very much at odds with one another. With a wrecking crew scheduled to demolish the school they attended, they must decide what to do to keep a long-buried secret.The Read more…

Imagine growing up, having never met someone of the opposite sex—in fact, never even knowing a gender besides your own exists. Would you have more focus? Could you achieve levels of success, unattainable when the distraction of attraction is there? That’s what The Parenthood is betting on in Josh Malerman’s latest novel, Inspection.Inspection is a dystopian novel reminiscent of Lois Lowry’s The Giver and Hugh Howey’s Wool. Like all good dystopian novels, Inspection was very thought-provoking. As a parent of teenage girls, I’ve spent a lot of time questioning how much I should shield my daughters from certain things (boys Read more…