The Christmas House

The Christmas House is an Amish fiction novella with a modern twist. While it has the usual romance and faith, I was surprised by the main character's love for the English newcomers. It was published on September 2, 2025. 

The publisher's summary:

With the holidays approaching, Liz Lantz is dedicated to using her Hickory Hollow buggy tour business to share God's love with the Englisher tourists who visit her Lancaster County community. But when her father and brother are called away for a while, Dat finds a young Amishman to assist her on the tours in her brother's place, much to Liz's dismay. Regardless, the popularity of her Christmas House Buggy Tour means she could use the help, so as the countdown to Christmas begins, she works alongside Matthew Yoder, who quickly takes a genuine interest in the tour customers--and Liz.

As an Englisher family in Hickory Hollow expresses their festive spirit with a lavishly decorated house for the second year running, Liz's Amish community becomes increasingly concerned about attracting unwanted traffic and attention, and Liz wonders if there is any way to bridge the gap to help the new neighbors feel welcome. At the same time, she grapples with her growing feelings for Matt, whose position with her is only temporary. Can she find a way to bring harmony to Hickory Hollow in time for Christmas?

I loved this book. It's a heartwarming tale of Liz Lantz's efforts to help her new neighbors. In contrast, the rest of the Amish avoided them and were disgusted by their Christmas decorations. It was surprising to me that Liz began a business taking visitors on buggy rides in Hickory Hollow. This is not something I expected an Amish person to do, let alone a female. It was also surprising that Liz took customers to her English neighbor's home, fully decked out with interior and exterior lighted decorations. Most of the Amish disapproved of the gaudy display. Why Liz did not get spoken to by the bishop is beyond me. 

There is some mystery concerning Liz's father and brother's ability to return home in time for Christmas. Her mother was depressed but there is a hint that it might be unrelated. A severe snowstorm blanketed Hickory Hollow causing the electricity to snap. While it did not affect the Amish, the Englishers lost all power including heat. Liz comes up with a plan to help them and, once again, another surprising twists happens. Let's not forget the romance. Whether Liz and Matthew become a couple is for you to find out.

The Christmas House is a relaxing read. I am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.

Zodiac

In this deeply philosophical graphic memoir, legendary Chinese artist Ai Weiwei explores the connection between artistic expression and intellectual freedom through the lens of the Chinese zodiac. 

The publisher's summary:

As a child living in exile during the Cultural Revolution, Ai Weiwei often found himself with nothing to read but government-approved comic books. Although they were restricted by the confines of political propaganda, Ai Weiwei was struck by the artists’ ability to express their thoughts on art and humanity through graphic storytelling. Now, decades later, Ai Weiwei and Italian comic artist Gianluca Costantini present Zodiac, Ai Weiwei’s first graphic memoir.

Inspired by the twelve signs of the Chinese zodiac and their associated human characteristics, Ai Weiwei masterfully interweaves ancient Chinese folklore with stories of his life, family, and career. The narrative shifts back and forth through the years—at once in the past, present, and future—mirroring memory and our relationship to time. As readers delve deeper into the beautifully illustrated pages of Zodiac, they will find not only a personal history of Ai Weiwei and an examination of the sociopolitical climate in which he makes his art, but a philosophical exploration of what it means to find oneself through art and freedom of expression.

Contemplative and political, Zodiac will inspire readers to return again and again to Ai Weiwei’s musings on the relationship between art, time, and our shared humanity.

I am not as enamored with the book as are other reviewers. There were several dialogues that I just didn't understand even though there are explanations of some of them. A major question for me was why Ai is a member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) when he grew up in a rural area with his exiled father. He has been purged more than once and says he believes in free speech and human rights. Why the CCP membership?

Ai's life story is told as each animal of the zodiac is explained. In the chapter on the snake he wrote about Mao. Ai knew Mao personally but says that Mao is a snake, as all politicians are. Ai Weiwei believes that to be an artist you must be also be an activist. If you're not an activist then you are a dead artist 

The black and white drawings, though detailed, did not help me enjoy the book. They are drawn in comic book panels and are rather detailed but the dialogue was more interesting than the drawings.

I had high expectations for this memoir but it fell short. 3 out of 5 stars.

The Intruder

Freida McFadden had a new book published just last week. She is the best psychological thriller author out there these days and I couldn't resist getting the book as soon as it was published. The Intruder meets the requirements of the Calendar of Crime Reading Challenge for the publication month category as it was published on October 7, 2025.

The publisher's summary:

Who knows what the storm will blow in…

Casey's cabin in the wilderness is not built for a hurricane. Her roof shakes, the lights flicker, and the tree outside her front door sways ominously in the wind. But she's a lot more worried about the girl she discovers lurking outside her kitchen window.

She's young. She's alone. And she's covered in blood.

The girl won't explain where she came from, or loosen her grip on the knife in her right hand. And when Casey makes a disturbing discovery in the middle of the night, things take a turn for the worse.

The girl has a dark secret. One she'll kill to keep. And if Casey gets too close to the truth, she may not live to see the morning.

In this taut, deadly tale of survival and desperation, #1 New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden explores how far one girl will go to save herself.

I LOVED this book! It's another gripping psychological thriller from Freida McFadden. Like all her previous books, it engaged me from the first page and kept me reading until the last page. I could not put it down. The story has a shifting dual timeline, about twenty years apart and from four character perspectives. This made the plot more suspenseful and with short 2 or 3 page chapters, the pacing was quick. 

The story opens with a dark and stormy night and the main character Casey living in a dilapidated rural cabin. She begins to see faces looking in her cabin. This gave me that deja vu sensation. When Casey offered to give the blood covered girl a place to sleep for the night, I was shocked. Who does that? I thought the girl had just murdered someone and I would never personally allow Ella inside my home. Casey, however, let the teacher inside her allay her fears and only considered how she could help Ella. Ella was rude and I half expected Casey to send her back outdoors after making her dinner. I would have been too scared to let her stay. Casey was naive and I didn't think much of her as a character. Ella, on the other hand, played the villain well. She is a victim, though, but the reader does not know this fact in the beginning.

The story continues with plenty of twists and turns. The big reveal was a surprise that I wasn't expecting. In fact, I started reading it a second time to find all of the clues that I missed. If anything, I was disappointed in myself for missing all of the clues.

The Intruder is a winner. 5 out of 5 stars. 

The Crash

 

I love Freida McFadden books so when I needed a title for the Key Word Reading Challenge last month, I chose The Crash. I am a little behind with my reading due to a move last month but I am getting caught up. The Crash was published in January 2025.

The publisher's summary:  

Tegan is eight months pregnant, alone, and desperately wants to put her crumbling life in the rearview mirror. So she hits the road, planning to stay with her brother until she can figure out her next move. But she doesn't realize she's heading straight into a blizzard.

She never arrives at her destination.

Stranded in rural Maine with a dead car and broken ankle, Tegan worries she's made a terrible mistake. Then a miracle occurs: she is rescued by a couple who offers her a room in their warm cabin until the snow clears.

But something isn't right. Tegan believed she was waiting out the storm, but as time ticks by, she comes to realize she is in grave danger. This safe haven isn't what she thought it was, and staying here may have been her most deadly mistake yet.  

And now she must do whatever it takes to save herself―and her unborn child.

Wow! What an amazing ride from reading this novel. It's a fast paced suspense thriller about an unmarried 8 months pregnant woman who takes shelter during a snowstorm with a strange couple. Tegan doesn't want to be rescued by Hank because he is unkempt and scary looking as he approaches her crashed vehicle. She has no choice though as she has injured her foot and cannot put any weight on it. Hank takes her home because the hospital is 10 miles away, impossible to reach in a snowstorm. Hank's wife Polly is a former nurse who cares for her in their basement. A nursing suite had been built for Polly's dying mother but now Tegan is lying in their hospital bed. She doesn't trust Polly at first but is terrified of Hank.

With an intricate plot, plenty of twists, and an unexpected ending, I found it impossible to put the book down. I read it in approximately 2 hours. The story reminded me of the 1990 movie Misery with Kathy Bates. In fact, the plot of the novel is similar to the movie. The pace was pretty fast although the plot was a slow burn. The Crash is one of the best written books that I have ever read. 

I am rating the book way over 5 out of 5 stars.

The Last House on Needless Street

I selected this book for the Key Word Reading Challenge. The Last House on Needless Street was named one of the best horror books of all time by Esquire and Cosmopolitan magazines. It was published on March 18, 2021.

The publisher's summary:  

In a boarded-up house on a dead-end street at the edge of the wild Washington woods lives a family of three. A teenage girl who isn’t allowed outside, not after last time.

A man who drinks alone in front of his TV, trying to ignore the gaps in his memory.

And a house cat who loves napping and reading the Bible. An unspeakable secret binds them together, but when a new neighbor moves in next door, what is buried out among the birch trees may come back to haunt them all.

This book is a stunning read with many plot twists. It is narrated by three characters: Ted, Lauren and Olivia. Ted is the main character. Olivia is his cat while Lauren is his daughter. They all live in Ted's parental home, a falling down old house that no one cleans. It’s a mess. Ted rarely leaves the house but occasionally Ted walks deep into the forest where he feels at peace. Olivia and Lauren never get to leave the house though. Occasionally we read about Ted's childhood and it's not pretty. His father was an alcoholic while his mother, a nurse, was just plain nuts. Mom served baby food to her family!

Eleven years before the current time period a six year old girl went missing. Her body was never found. Known simply as the Girl with a Lollipop, Lulu was playing at a beach with her family when she vanished. The last chapter shows what happened to her but Ted was a suspect all along. Eventually Lulu's sister Dee buys the house next door to Ted's so she can monitor him. Dee firmly believes that Ted killed her sister.

The suspense is taut and pacing fast making this a fantastic read. In fact, I read it in one sitting. It's advertised as a horror story but I would call it a twisted suspense thriller. I saw no horror in the plot and I certainly never became afraid. I didn't know where the plot was going until 2/3 into the story. The name of the street Ted's house was located on was funny. Ever heard of a Needless Street? The title let's you know what type of book you're reading 

5 out of 5 stars.

Ginseng Roots: A Memoir

It's always a pleasure to find hard cover copies of graphic novels by my favorite cartoonists. Two weeks ago I found Craig Thompson's newest graphic novel at an odd place: my local hospital's bookshop. Thompson is the author of the world renowned comic "Blankets" so I had high expectations for this read.

The publisher's summary:

Ginseng Roots follows Craig and his siblings, who spent the summers of their youth weeding and harvesting rows of coveted American ginseng on rural Wisconsin farms for one dollar an hour. In his trademark breathtaking pen-and-ink work, Craig interweaves this lost youth with the 300-year-old history of the global ginseng trade and the many lives it has tied together—from ginseng hunters in ancient China, to industrial farmers and migrant harvesters in the American Midwest, to his own family still grappling with the aftershocks of the bitter past.

Stretching from Marathon, Wisconsin, to Northeast China, Ginseng Roots charts the rise of industrial agriculture, the decline of American labor, and the search for a sense of home in a rapidly changing world.

To describe this memoir with one word I would say it is poignant. It is also funny and a visual masterpiece. Thompson gives the story of his life from age seven to the present. His parents were overly strict evangelical Christians and made him work every summer in local ginseng farms alongside his family for twelve to sixteen hours per day. He never had free time the way most American kids have. Thompson grew up in the rural town of Marathon, Wisconsin which is where most of the world's ginseng is grown. When his brother was old enough to join the toil, they worked next to each other telling tall tales and making games out of their labors. The activities included pulling weeds, gathering rocks out of the fields and at the end of summer, harvesting berries. It seemed abusive to me but farm families probably still operate this way. However, I felt sorry for him and his siblings not to be allowed to enjoy in the fun of summer days. Both Craig and his brother left Marathon as soon as they could seeking an easier life. They found it. Craig was lucky to work as a cartoonist, his dream job. 

The story gives the reader all the information you could ever want on how to grow and harvest ginseng. When Hmong laborers joined work on a nearby farm, Thompson tells their story from living in Laos, leaving, and starting over in America. After Thompson developed an immune system disorder, his hands were in alot of pain, affecting his ability to draw. We read about his progress with a Chinese medicine practitioner and the difficulty he dealt with in creating this wonderful book.

The artwork is striking. It has been drawn in vermilion ink with intricate details. The red color is what initially drew me to the book. The reason this color was chosen is explained at the end of the story: because he was told it should never be used.

I cannot say how much this book touched me. I am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.

The Amish Ballerina

The Amish Ballerina is not a traditional Amish novel. Written by the granddaughter of Amish fiction icon Wanda Brunstetter, I expected a story that fit the profile of Amish fiction. After all, Wanda's name is on book cover. The book reads like a traditional fiction story instead.

The publisher's summary:

Eighteen-year-old Arie Kauffman loves to twirl and leap around the barn in her Amish bonnet and dress, practicing ballet moves her English friend taught her. Her parents would be upset to learn that this longtime interest has progressed to her secretly attending ballet classes. Arie even hides her dance skills from her boyfriend, Edwin Chupp, who often invites her to try new things, knowing she has an artistic heart. Her secrecy, however, is causing damage she may not be able to repair. When offered new opportunities to dance, will Arie break from Amish tradition or hold true to the bonds of her faith and family?

I was disappointed with the book. The idea of an Amish ballet dancer is preposterous. Also, neither parent of the main character, Arie, were nurturing. Arie's boyfriend Edwin likewise had interests in taboo Amish activities such as competitive horseriding. He also had parents who were not nurturing in the Amish faith. In traditional Amish fiction at least one parent encourages faith and behaves appropriately. Here, we have parents who just criticize their kids over and over for no good reason.

I usually read an Amish fiction novel in 90 minutes. The Amish Ballerina took me a few days to get through. This is not because the plot was dull. It's because the storyline reads like general fiction. I didn't want to finish reading the book but kept reading because I thought I was missing something. I wasn't. I am sorry to rate the book 2 out of 5 stars.

The Pretender

This is the third book in the Mifflin County Mystery series by Wanda Brunstetter. It is an Amish fiction novel with some suspense and I enjoyed reading it. In this installment of the series we see the return of the prodigal daughter, along with her unborn child and a pretend spouse.

The publisher's summary: 

In book three of the Mifflin County Mystery series, Rosa Petersheim’s return creates more hurt and confusion in the Big Valley. 

Two years  since Rosa Petersheim mysteriously disappeared from her Amish home, there has been no word from her. Her family and friends have suffered in the silence, though they have tried to move on with life.

Then one day Rosa just as suddenly reappears at her parent’s home. . with a husband in tow.

Rosa is ashamed of the choices she made that caused her to leave home. And now that she is back, her father is not welcoming and her siblings and friends want explanations that she can’t give.

Will Rosa’s family accept her and Anthony? Can the Big Valley ever be home again? 

This is a book that is hard to put down once you’ve started reading it. I was drawn into the story from the first chapter. 

The story focuses on how harmful lies can be and how one lie will lead to another one. This focus really grabbed my attention. It made me think. The  author illustrated how a lie can have lasting effects on people. We think that if we hide something it will not be found out but it will. 

The book is a standalone novel but it would be best to read the first two books in the series first. 

5 out 5 stars.

The Pot Thief Who Studied Ptolemy

This is my third book in the Pot Thief series. In this installment of the series, main character Hubie Schuze is planning another pot heist while sipping margaritas with his best friend Susannah. Hubie does not consider himself a thief because he only takes ancient pots from public lands. However, after Congress passed the Archeological Resources Protection Act his digging for treasures became illegal. Hubie also makes reproductions from original pots. He does not consider them to be fakes, though. 

The publisher's summary:

The pot thief is back, but this time Hubert Schuze' larceny is for a good cause. He wants to recover sacred pots stolen from San Roque, the mysterious New Mexico pueblo closed to outsiders. An easy task for Hubert Schuze, pot digger. Except these pots are not under the ground - they're 150 feet above it. In the top-floor apartment of Rio Grande Lofts, a high-security building which just happens to be one story above Susannah's latest love interest. Hubie's legendary deductive skills lead to a perfect plan which is thwarted when he encounters the beautiful Stella. And when he is arrested for murder. Well, he was in the room where the body was found, everyone heard the shot, and he came out with blood on his hands. Follow Hubie as he stays one step ahead of building security, one step behind Stella, and one step away from a long fall down a garbage chute.

Hubie's shop is located in a dilapidated old building in Albuquerque's Old Town neighborhood. Professor Walter Masoir visited Hubie and stated that he believed retired professor Ognan Gerstner kept a set of pots from the Ma people that were supposed to be sent back to the San Roque Pueblo. Hubie decided to try to recover those pots and return them to their rightful owner.  While reading about Ptolemy's idea that using circles around circles can create a path, he comes up with a plan to break into the building Gerstner lived in in order to steal the pots. It would have been nice for the author to explain how Hubie made this connection. However, while Hubie is attending a party in the building Ognan Gerstner is murdered. Unfortunately the murder didn't occur until midway into the story.  That is way too long for a murder mystery. Most of the dialogue beforehand was humorous musings between Hubie and his friends.

There wasn't much of an investigation into the murder. Hubie gathered his friends and his suspects for a meeting wherein he  posits the name of the killer. The author never tells us how Hubie arrives at his conclusions. 

With many unknowns in the plot, the story falls short on several levels. The book is mainly one humorous dialogue after another from the eccentric main character. He's an interesting character so I hate to rate the book only 2 out of 3 stars. It is what it is.

The Highgate Cemetery Murder

I have wanted to read The Highgate Cemetery Murder ever since it was published in February 2024. It is a historical mystery novel about a murdered woman who was strung up on a wooden cross in a cemetery.  It did not disappoint.

The publisher's summary:  

His heart pounding, the man scribbles the words in his notebook as fast as he can: “Woman dead in Highgate. Man in caped coat. Milky way and red streaks. I’m being followed.”

Hours later, the man’s cold body lies in the city mortuary, alongside the woman he couldn’t save. And his sister, unconventional nurse Gemma Tate, tracks down troubled police inspector Sebastian Bell to unravel the truth.

Sebastian has enough pressure to solve the murder of an aristocratic heiress without Gemma meddling in his case. But the cryptic sentences she brings him from her brother’s notebook could be a crucial lead. If only they knew what “milky way” meant. But as the trail of clues takes them away from the gilded drawing rooms of the nobility and into the dangerous slums of London, how far will their partnership be tested on the quest for justice, and will they both emerge unscathed?

 

The story opened with the discovery of Adelaide Seaborne, a 17 year old girl, tied to a cross in Highgate Cemetery. I was fascinated by this scene and my curiosity kept me reading until I finished the book in one sitting. The man who found her body was killed that same day after seeing a man's face in the cemetery. However, it took a few days for Scotland Yard investigator Sebastian Bell to learn about his demise. Gemma Tate, a nurse, was Victor Tate's sister. Gemma did not make much money even though she had a professional job and she had to consider how she could continue living in Victor's house and pay the bills.

The writing was fast paced. I enjoyed the 1850s London setting with all its glamour. The ladies wore long, demure gowns and lived in magnificent mansions. The reader learns how slow the lives of women were. They were not allowed to work after marriage and must have had dull minds from lack of stimulation. 

Police inspector Bell was shrewd in his dealings with his superiors. Officially his wings were clipped concerning the investigation. His boss did not want him to push the Seaborne family for information as Mr. Seaborne was an aristocrat. However, Bell went ahead and questioned Adelaide's maid and other staff as well as Adelaide's brother and father. Suffice to say  Bell irritated the Seabornes by asking too many questions about Adelaide's lifestyle and the boyfriend whom she wanted to marry. Mr. Parker was not only not an aristocrat he was American. Two strikes against him. Mr. Seaborne refused his daughter's request to marry him. Instead, she was betrothed to someone else. Adelaide had no intention of marrying this person though. She hoped that with time her father would relent. Against this backdrop Adelaide was murdered. 

The Highgate Cemetery Murder is a 

fine example of historical fiction and historical fans will love the book. I am rating it 4 out of 5 stars.

Pain Killers: A Year in the ER

I no sooner posted that I wouldn't be doing much reading this month when I received a message from Book Sirens about a review for the above book coming due. So I read it last night. Last year I read author Rachel Callaghan's Under Water. It was my second best book for 2024, behind a graphic novel, so it was technically my best fiction novel. Callaghan is a former ER physician. The story is in the epistolary form where the plot is revealed through physicians’ notes, ER logbook entries, and letters between the characters. It was published on July 25, 2025.

The publisher's summary:  

The year is 1978. Mary Grace Kelly flees to a new city with a set of scrubs, a nursing license, and a secret. She hopes to hide in this bustling blur of cranky patients and even crankier physicians. Complaining to her sister back home, Mary Grace’s letters describe her arrogant, infuriating colleague Dr. David Korn, who wears his sarcasm like another white coat. But when her therapy sessions land her in a waiting room with this man, her irritation turns into intrigue. Their reluctant bond deepens until her father’s illness yanks Mary Grace back into her unresolved trauma.

David’s sexual frustrations leak out with wry, Jewish humor in notes to his brother. His sibling is quick to point to David’s past relationship failures as evidence that he’s a “self-indulgent bastard.” For all his bluster, David wants something more meaningful but knows his family will never approve of his relationship with Catholic Mary Grace. She’s challenging all his preconceived notions, but does he have the patience to wait for her to find the healing she needs?

A vaudevillian uncle, a retired nun, and an elderly vagrant conspire to help Mary Grace find her way. But she must first learn to trust again.

The fast-paced, epistolary style of Pain Killers allows the reader to eavesdrop on the controlled chaos in emergency care. Before desktop computers, the relentless rhythm of the ER was documented through a heap of administrative paperwork. Callaghan skillfully weaves a story from this patchwork, revealing the humanity behind the charts and clipboards in short snatches dripping with subtext. Like the emergency room it chronicles, Pain Killers taps the vein between protocol and improv.

Rx for busy readers on the go

Prescribe this book to readers jonesing for the insider grit of medical fiction compounded with the warmth of a romantic dramedy microdosed in snippets. Severe to moderate distraction may occur: failing to notice you’ve been called to dinner, you’ve missed your subway stop, or your professor has asked what you’re reading. Take as needed to alleviate symptoms of boredom, existential nausea, or the yearning for human connection.

The story was cute. I enjoyed the epistolary form, especially the doctor and nurse notes on patients.  I know that the notes are true to life because I worked in a hospital way back in the 1970s. The book isn't a mystery as I expected it would be but rather general fiction. It was a nice break from my usual fare but I have to admit that there wasn't much suspense. Even so, I read it in one sitting. Pain Killers was a relaxing way to spend an evening. Mary Grace is the main character. She had something awful happen to her when she was a teen but it wasn't revealed until the middle of the novel. For the remainder of the story she tried dealing with her emotions, somewhat successfully. I noticed that Mary Grace was constantly writing her sister letters but that sister Kathleen never responded. Clue number one. Dr. David Korn annoys her so she tries avoiding him. As I expected, they eventually began dating. Clue number two. They are very different people but their relationship seems to work. Mary Grace is a strong Roman Catholic while Dave is a non-practicing Jew. 

Pain Killers: A Year in the ER is a sweet, uncomplicated story. I am rating it 4 out of 5 stars.

The Baker of Lost Memories

The Baker of Lost Memories is a Holocaust survivor story. It is an epic family saga that spans several decades and has multiple timelines. The author is the daughter of Holocaust survivors and is well qualified to write about the subject.

The publisher's summary:

From the author of A Castle in Brooklyn comes an epic novel spanning decades about the broken bonds of family, memories of war, and redemption and hope in the face of heartbreaking loss.

Growing up in 1960s Brooklyn, Lena wants to be a baker just like her mother was back in Poland prior to World War II. But questions about those days, and about a sister Lena never even knew, are ignored with solemn silence. It’s as if everything her parents left behind was a subject never to be broached.

The one person in whom Lena can confide is her best friend, Pearl. When she suddenly disappears from Lena’s life, Lena forges ahead: college, love and marriage with a wonderful man, the dream of owning a bakery becoming a reality, and the hope that someday Pearl will return to share in Lena’s happiness―and to be there for her during the unexpected losses to come.

Only when Lena discovers the depth of her parents’ anguish, and a startling truth about her own past, can they rebuild a family and overcome the heart-wrenching memories that have torn them apart.

The story is told in dual timelines. There is the 1930s and 1940s Poland and 1960s America. The 1930s saga is the most compelling. Anya and her husband Josef owned a bakery in Lodz. We read about Anya's family gradually losing civil rights and their heroic move to the U. S. after losing their disabled daughter to the Nazis. Anya, however, brought her baking skills with her and began passing them on to Lena.

Lena had a career path and began attending college to bring her dreams to fruition. Boyfriend Luke stopped her in her tracks and Lena gave up everything to live with him. She stopped seeing her parents and dropped our of college. Lena thought that when you fall in love you give everything up for your mate. She was not as strong as her mother and I am not sure why. She was raised to be a tough woman.

The story is both Anya and Lena's. Lena longs to bake as expertly as her mother and dreams of owning her own bakery someday. Her distant mother discourages her. Lena believes that she is a reminder of the loss of her sister Ruby. Since this is a story about Jewish bakers the reader gets to see the characters making Jewish dishes as well as baked treats. 

I loved this bittersweet novel and am rating it 5 out of 5 stars.

The List

The List is a standalone novel by Steve Berry. Berry has written nineteen Cotton Malone novels, six stand-alone thrillers, two Luke Daniels adventures, and several works of short fiction. This novel is a murder mystery and I loved it.

The publisher's summary:

After a ten-year self-imposed exile, Brent Walker is returning home to Concord, a quaint town in central Georgia nestled close to the Savannah River. Two years ago his father died and now Brent, hired by Southern Republic Pulp and Paper Company as its assistant general counsel, is returning to care for his ailing mother.

For decades Southern Republic has invested heavily in Concord, creating a thriving community where its employees live, work, and retire. But the genteel sheen of this quiet town is deceiving, and when a list of cryptic code surfaces, Brent starts to see the cracks.

Southern Republic’s success is based largely on a highly unorthodox and deadly system to control costs, known only to the three owners of the company. Now, one of them, Christopher Bozin, has had a change of heart. Brent’s return to Concord, a move Bozin personally orchestrated, provides his conscience with a chance at redemption. So a plan is set into motion, one that will not only criminally implicate Bozin’s two partners, but also place Brent Walker square in the crosshairs of men who want him dead—with only one course left available.

Find and reveal the shocking secret of the list.

This story is a page turner. In fact, I believe it has a faster pace than Berry's Cotton Malone books and that is saying something. The book opens with the first murder of the story and then moves to the main character, Brent Walker, returning to his hometown Concord, Georgia from Atlanta. Walker was an attorney working for the Fulton County State's Attorney where he prosecuted murders. His mother's poor health prompted his return. As Walker assimilates back into his rural community, he becomes involved with union negotiations for a new contract at the paper mill. This time, he represents the mill. 

I enjoyed reading about the Middle Georgia setting. Having visited it myself once or twice, I had a trip down memory lane. Even reading the author’s words "middle Georgia" brought a smile. What I didn't know was that author Steve Berry grew up in a similar paper town in Middle Georgia, which is why his descriptions are spot on. 

The characters are complex. The two main protagonists are Brent Walker and his childhood buddy Hank. Hank has been the union president for 20 odd years and always gets what he wants. He was even the mayor if Concord for awhile. There are several villains. It is hard to choose just one as being the baddest. The paper mill's three owners were the masterminds behind the list. However, their security hires are the folks who do the dirty work concerning the list. I am not going to be a spoiler but you may be able to determine what the list is from the review I've given.

The List is spellbinding. You simply must read this book. 5 out of 5 stars.

All The Words We Know

I selected this book for the Key Word Reading Challenge. August has the word "word" as one of the six options in a book title. It is a suspense novel by Bruce Nash who has written three books. Words is the first book of his to be published in the United States.

The publisher's summary:

Rose may be in her eighties and suffering from dementia, but she’s not done with life just yet. Alternately sharp as a tack and spectacularly forgetful, she spends her days roaming the corridors of her assisted living facility, musing on the staff and residents, and enduring visits form her emotionally distant children and granddaughters. But when her friend is found dead after an apparent fall from a window, Rose embarks on an eccentric and determined investigation to discover the truth and uncover all manner of secrets…even some from her own past.

The story is not what I expected.  The publisher's summary indicates that Rose investigates the death of a friend who lives in a nearby room in their assisted living facility. It's not like investigations we see in murder mysteries. Rose has severe dementia. She mispronounces almost every word and understands nothing. However, when her friend who uses a wheelchair dies after jumping out of her window onto the parking lot, she knows that's impossible. Her friend could not walk on her own. A few days later Rose sees a nurse enter another person's room with a pillow. The next morning this person is found to have died in their sleep. She now knows how her friend died. Rose uses the diary given to her to keep track of events to secretly write down the clues she discovers.  It seems that when patients run out of money that the "angry nurse" comes by with a pillow and that patient dies "in their sleep."  That this happens is not surprising to me.

The author did a good job of describing how people with dementia behave and speak. However, he went too far. The book wasn't readable with all of the babbling. It became annoying after a few chapters. The more I have thought about it, the more it seems condescending and not funny as the author intended. On top of that Rose's investigation began more than halfway after the first chapter. That is way too late for a mystery.

Words was a disappointment. The premise of an assisted living resident solving a murder was interesting which is why I picked the book to read. No rating. 

Muybridge

Muybridge is the graphic biography of Eadweard Muybridge. He was one of the earliest pioneers in photography during the nineteenth century. He is famous for his time sequence of a horse galloping. Cartoonist Guy Delisle brings this unknown photographer to life in this book.

The publisher's summary:

Sacramento, California, 1870. Pioneer photographer Eadweard Muybridge becomesentangled in railroad robber baron Leland Stanford’s delusions of grandeur. Tasked withproving Stanford’s belief that a horse’s hooves do not touch the ground while galloping atfull speed, Muybridge gets to work with his camera. In doing so, he inadvertently createsone of the single most important technological advancements of our age―the invention of time-lapse photography and the mechanical ability to capture motion.

Critically-acclaimed cartoonist Guy Delisle (Pyongyang, Hostage) returns with anotherengrossing foray into nonfiction: a biography about Eadweard Muybridge, the man whomade pictures move. Despite career breakthrough after career breakthrough, Muybridgewould only be hampered by betrayal, intrigue, and tragedy. Delisle’s keen eye for detailsthat often go unnoticed in search of a broader emotional truth brings this historical figureand those around him to life through an uncompromising lens.

Translated from the French by Helge Dascher & Rob Aspinall, Muybridge turns a spotlighton what lives in the shadow of an individual’s ambition for greatness, and proves thatEadweard Muybridge deserves to be far more than just another historical footnote.

The biography begins with Muybridge as an adult and continues until his death. He traveled to the U.S. west coast to take the first photos of Yosemite and American Indians and was known nationwide for his feats. He also traveled to Europe in order to obtain more job assignments. He married but was never home, always traveling to a photo shoot. His wife got bored and cheated on him, getting pregnant in the process. Muybridge exploded in rage when he found out. I was surprised by his anger because, after all, he could be away from home for as long as a year. 

The art work was done in black and white drawings in comic strip panels. It was cool to see Muybridge's actual photos throughout the book too. The dialogue was spot on and showed how big Muybridge's ambitions were.

I enjoyed reading about one of our early pioneers in this field. I wish, however, that Delisle would write more travelogues. I loved reading them.  5 out of 5 stars.

An Inside Job

An Inside Job is Dan Silva's 25th Gabriel Allon spy thriller. The hero, Allon, is a retired Israeli spy who now works as an art restorer in Venice. This installment of the series is an art theft thriller. Allon, however, uses associates from his spy career to solve the mystery.

The publisher's summary: 

Sometimes the only way to recover a stolen masterpiece is to steal it back . . .

Gabriel Allon has been awarded a commission to restore one of the most important paintings in Venice. But when he discovers the body of a mysterious woman floating in the waters of the Venetian Lagoon, he finds himself in a desperate race to recover a lost masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci.

The painting, a portrait of a beautiful young girl, has been gathering dust in a storeroom at the Vatican Museums for more than a century, misattributed and hidden beneath a worthless picture by an unknown artist. Because no one knows that the Leonardo is there, no one notices when it disappears one night during a suspicious power outage. No one but the ruthless mobsters and moneymen behind the theft -- and the mysterious woman whom Gabriel found in a watery grave in Venice. A woman without a name. A woman without a face.

The action moves at breakneck speed from the galleries and auction houses of London to an enclave of unimaginable wealth on the French Riviera -- and, finally, to a shocking climax in St. Peter's Square, where the life of a pope hangs in the balance. An elegant and stylish journey through the dark side of the art world and the Vatican's murky finances, An Inside Job proves once again that Daniel Silva is the reigning master of international intrigue and suspense.

Silva writes intense suspense stories and An Inside Job is one of his finest. It is impossible to take a break from reading the book as each chapter ends with suspense. Silva thoroughly researched the politics of the countries involved in the story, historical facts, the art of the old masters, as well as the restoration of oil paintings before beginning to write. I learned alot about the art world from reading the book. The information about the restoration of paintings went over my head because Silva was quite technical in the description of the materials that his character Allon used.

This installment of the series had the most character development. With the spy business put aside, Allon could concentrate on his relationships with his wife and kids. It was cute to see the brash Gabriel Allon playing with his kids and even attempting to cook. He is not domestic but is growing in that regard. Wife Chiara is seen as the main breadwinner which I thought was about time. Chiara manages the art restoration business for Gabriel. 

The pace is fast from the first page but it speeds up during the final third of the book. Resolving the mystery surrounding the stolen artwork seemed similar to Allon's spy escapades. He used his connections from that part of his life to find and return the art.

An Inside Job is a fun and fast read read. Mystery lovers are going to want to read it. 5 out of 5 stars.

The Apostle Conspiracy

It's hard to believe that there are now nine books in this series. I have enjoyed them all, including this one.

The publisher's summary:

Amid the grandeur of the Vatican, the bones of Saint Peter-the Church's most sacred relics-hold secrets that could reshape its history. Father Michael Dominic, Prefect of the Vatican Secret Archives, uncovers a mysterious, nearly forgotten inscription linking Linus, Saint Peter's first successor, to foundational decisions that shaped the early Church. What begins as a scholarly exploration of Linus's legacy quickly turns into an urgent quest to protect the truth. With the help of Vatican archaeologist Marcus Russo, Michael follows cryptic clues buried deep within the Archives, revealing Linus as a pivotal yet hidden architect of the faith-and uncovering a history the Church may not be ready to face.

But Michael's work draws the attention of Elliot Voss, a shadowy and powerful figure obsessed with the bones of Saint Peter. For Voss, the relics are more than sacred artifacts; they are a path to immortality and ultimate control. His dangerous ambition drives him to manipulate and deceive, drawing Michael into a web of intrigue where every revelation is a potential threat to the sanctity of the Church. Voss's relentless pursuit of power forces Michael to confront the darker side of faith and the fragility of legacy, as the sacred bones become the centerpiece of a deadly game.

As Michael and Marcus uncover Linus's hidden legacy and navigate the peril surrounding Saint Peter's relics, their discoveries bring more questions than answers. Meanwhile, Michael's evolving relationship with Hana Sinclair takes an unexpected turn, challenging his convictions and forcing him to face personal truths as profound as the mysteries he's working to unravel. Set against the shadowy intrigue of the Vatican, this gripping novel explores the tension between history and faith, power and preservation-where even the holiest of relics can become the battleground for humanity's greatest struggles.

All of the books in the series are fast paced. After beginning to read, my next realization is that I have already read 100 pages. I decided to read a few more and take a break but forgot about the time and finished the book in one sitting. The story is that entertaining.

I wouldn't say that there is heart-pounding suspense as most thrillers are known for. The chapters end without cliffhangers but the reader will need to use their intellect in order to decifer the challenges that Father Dominic is facing. Just plain curiosity is also what keeps you reading. The identity of Linus and his relationship to Peter is the biggest challenge. Father Dominic meets with the Vatican's chief archeologist several times to view and discuss the writings on the sarcophagus that Peter's bones were found in. There are several other decisions that he must make as the story evolves such as how best to protect the bones of St. Peter while they are publicly displayed for the 1100th anniversary of their re-intombment in the Vatican. I found myself googling throughout my read to find out the background on every detail of this mystery. I couldn’t wait for the ending to read the Author’s Notes. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this intellectual mystery. I think all mystery lovers will enjoy it and I highly recommend it. 5 out of 5 stars.

The Last Patient

I received an advanced review copy of this book from Librarything's Early Reviewer's Club. The book was published in February 2025. It is set both in post WWII Romania and modern day Romania. 

The publisher's summary:  

THE LAST PATIENT is a sweeping historical novel that captures one family’s struggle for love, survival, and identity under the grip of Communism in Romania. Spanning fifty years of political upheaval, this saga explores how ordinary lives are shaped—and sometimes shattered—by extraordinary times.

Kostea and Clara meet and fall in love shortly before World War II. As they get married, build careers, and raise a son, the world around them changes rapidly—and often violently. From the two-bedroom apartment they are “patriotically” forced to share with another family, to Bucharest’s rampant food shortages, Romania’s Cold War history plays out in their day-to-day lives.

Kostea, a charming yet domineering surgeon, craves control in a place where party loyalists hold the reins of power. His pursuit of respect and authority threatens his promising medical career and his relationships at home, risking Clara’s love. While the temptation to break through the Iron Curtain is omnipresent, defection to the West comes with its own uncertainties. Ultimately, The Last Patient is a poignant exploration of the eternal tension between personal aspirations and love.

This book grabbed me from the start and pulled me in. I fell in love with Clara and Kostea's family. Both of them were polite and helpful to each other as a married couple should be. Clara’s mother Ina and their son Alexander, nicknamed Toddy, were adorable as well. They are the type of people who follow all the rules. They obeyed the rules set by their country's communist government and respected societal rules governing relationships between men and women. The only activity the communists were angry with them was over Clara and Kostea having their son Toddy baptized in church. The Party was opposed to all religions. Both Clara and Kostea are doctors so they were held in high esteem by the government and by their local neighbors. 

The communist ideology of Romania was the setting of the novel. While the family lived in Bucharest there wasn't much of a description of the architecture, foods and customs other than the depths to which the characters had to go go in order to get housing and groceries. Lying on housing applications was the norm so that when one family member no longer needed their apartment, another family member could move in without upsetting the communists. Standing in line for hours just to buy bread or other groceries was also a norm. Clara frequently became too tired to cook dinner after a full day at work and then hours in line for food. They were lucky that Clara’s mother Ina lived with them and helped out. Kostea easily did favors for his superiors and received perks in return. He was lucky to travel throughout Europe as he attended medical conferences. Even though the family had to daily deal with new rules set by the communists, they were privileged.

I loved this family saga. They all eventually ended up in the U. S. and the identity of the last patient was a surprise, a sad surprise. Historical fiction fans will enjoy this new setting for the genre. 5 out of 5 stars.

The Strange Tales of Oscar Zahn

I knew when I picked up this book that it would stretch my reading potential. Here, we have a paranormal investigator who looks into mysteries to solve. I was unprepared, though, for how bizarre this book really is. It is way different than my usual fare of thrillers and historical mysteries but I thought I should stretch my mind. 

The publisher's summary:

Oscar Zahn is just like any other paranormal investigator—he’s working hard to make the world a better place, one exorcism at a time. So what if he’s just a floating skull wearing a trench coat? He’s still got a heart of gold!

In this first installment of the online webcomic sensation The Strange Tales of Oscar Zahn, join Oscar and his mysterious assistant Agnes as they embark on a terrifying yet heartwarming journey across ethereal realms, rescuing lost souls and solving creepy mysteries. Their travels take them across great distances and even through time, as Oscar sleuths out why the spirits he contends with are restless and malcontent. Yet the more mysteries he solves, the clearer it becomes that there's a greater game afoot, one that involves Oscar's own forgotten origin story.

Readers will love this beautifully illustrated paranormal graphic novel from Tri Vuong, the beloved creator of Webtoon’s The Strange Tales of Oscar Zahn.

This volume collects episodes 1–65 of the Webtoon comic The Strange Tales of Oscar Zahn.

The book contains eight short graphic stories that feature character Oscar Zahn. Out of the eight stories, the three about WWI were my favorites. All of them were about different characters in the Battle of the Somme. When I say that they were my favorites, I am really saying that I understood them. I knew what was happening. Not so with the other five stories. They were beyond my ability to understand. I cannot fault the author for writing a genre that I don't normally read so there will be no rating of the book. I am sure that there is a market for this kind of book as I have read many positive reviews of it. If you are into paranormal comics, you may enjoy it.

Profane

This 2024 publication of the Profane comic collects releases 1 through 5. It's a well drawn and colored comic in a 8" x 11" softcover book. The main character is Will Profane, a well-dressed African American. He believes that he is a private detective who has been tasked with finding the killer of Spud Coltrane. Profane soon realizes that instead he's actually a fictional character in a story written by Coltrane. 

Profane pursues his investigation into Coltrane's murder but begins having thoughts about where he himself stands as a person given that Coltrane cannot continue to write about his character. Will he die? The main suspects into the murder are Ken Kane, Spud’s professional rival, Lili Macbeth, a beautiful nightclub singer and Red Glove, Profane’s nemesis who is determined to escape his tormented existence of losing to Will again and again. As Profane begins crossing suspects off his list, he worries that  someone from the world of non-fiction can become a suspect.

I thought it was funny that Profane was not a real person but, rather, a fictional character. The author was creative to come up with this idea. Another aspect of Profane's character that I enjoyed was his witty personality. It made reading his dialogue fun. Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't mention how much the artwork contributed to my enjoyment of the book. The comic strip panels were beautifully colored by Giada Marchisio and I even liked the font. 

All in all, Profane was a fantastic read. 5 out of 5 stars.