The Sun's Shadow by Sejal Badani ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

An unflinching exploration of betrayal, forgiveness, and the healing power of a second chance.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site.  A free book was provided for an honest review.

She Doesn't Have a Clue by Jenny Elder Moke ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

She Doesn't Have a Clue is a cozy mystery rom-com mashup. Kate Valentine is invited to the wedding of her ex (who also happens to be her editor) which is taking place on an isolated island off the coast of Seattle. When there is an attempted murder of the bride, she is the prime suspect in the eyes of the guests (after all the scene is identical to the murder in one of her books). In the midst of trying to solve the mystery, she hooks up with the guy she has been in love with since she worked as a ghostwriter for his books. 

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera ~ a Review

by MK French

Aurora Montalban Wright runs an underground women's clinic in 1889 Paris and begrudgingly accepts protection from the new Duke of Annan. Apollo César Sinclair Robles is new to the aristocracy, and at least half of them are waiting for him to make a mistake. He feels Aurora would be his perfect Duchess, but she doesn't agree. Apollo brings Aurora to the French Riviera when they're threatened, and hopes that he can convince her what they have is real.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Last Twilight in Paris by Pam Jenoff ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

A Parisian department store, a mysterious necklace, and a woman’s quest to unlock a decade-old mystery are at the center of this riveting novel of love and survival.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

2 Historical Fiction Novels to Read

by MK French

There are two great (there are probably more but these are the ones I read) 20th-century historical fiction books coming out this month that you will want to add to your TBR list.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

2 Entertaining Novels You Will Want to Read

by Donna Huber

Do you ever read outside your comfort zone? I occasionally dip my toe in genres that I think aren't really my thing just to see if my tastes have changed. After all, there are foods I wouldn't touch when I was a kid but love now (and vice versa). Two books that I recently read were on the edges of what I normally read and I have to tell you I really enjoyed them. 

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

The Girls of the Glimmer Factory by Jennifer Coburn ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

 

A poignant and inspiring tale about resistance, friendship, and the dangers of propaganda, based on the real story of the Nazi "show camp" Theresienstadt.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Serial Burn by Lynette Eason ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

She's out for justice. But the arsonist she's tracking is out for retribution.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Out of Your Mind by Jorge Cham and Dwayne Godwin ~ a Review

by MK French

Author and online cartoonist Jorge Cham and neuroscientist Dwayne Godwin dive into complex questions about consciousness, personality, memory, emotion, and perception. The chapters here highlight what we do and don't know about the human brain.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

A Death in Diamonds by S. J. Bennett ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

1957, England. Young Queen Elizabeth II is finding her way in postwar Europe, trying to repair friendships with foreign governments. Advised by her father's old courtiers, the Queen suspects that they may not have her best interests at heart. One of them is trying to sabotage her public appearances: that much she is sure of.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Sandy Island Series by Ashley Farley ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

Ashley Farley, author of southern women's fiction, started a new trilogy late last year and the final book comes out this week. The Sandy Island series features strong women facing life changes and the importance of having a community of women to support you. 

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

Tartufo by Kira Jane Buxton ~ a Review

by MK French

The rural Italian village of Lazzarini Boscarino is slowly fading away. There aren't many tourists, the restaurants are closed and town hall is filled with refuse. Bar Celebritàis the last place where villagers gather to gossip and drink. A few miles away, local truffle hunter Giovanni Scarpazza just found the largest truffle ever seen, possibly worth six figures in particular international circles. No one is sure if this will be a gift to the village or a curse.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Catching Up on Novels I Missed

by Donna Huber

One of my "resolutions" for the year is always to make a dent in my backlog of review books. My library system purchased several audiobooks that I had on my list. So I've been steadily making my way through them and finding a few true gems that I want to make sure you haven't missed.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

Dead Money by Jakob Kerr ~ a Review

by MK French

Mackenzie Clyde is a Silicon Valley lawyer, used to fixing things for her clients. The latest problem is the murder of a tech startup's CEO, leaving behind billions in “dead money” frozen in his will. Mackenzie’s boss was a primary investor in the company and now wants her to help solve the crime. This leaves her helping the FBI, guiding the agent in charge through Silicon Valley. Secrets are revealed and the true stakes are discovered. But this is still an opportunity, and she's determined to come out ahead.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Let's Call Her Barbie by Renée Rosen ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

She was only eleven-and-a-half inches tall, but she would change the world. Barbie is born in this bold new novel.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

The Legend of Meneka by Kritika H. Rao ~ a Review

by MK French

Celestial dancers known as apsaras are revered for their beauty, allure, and enchanting magic. Meneka is trained in these skills and is used as a weapon for Lord Indra, the king of heaven. She craves her freedom, so when a mortal threatens Indra's supremacy, she strikes a deal—if she can seduce Kaushika, Indra will allow her to forgo future missions. When Meneka meets him, however, everything she has known changes. She isn't sure if she can overthrow Kaushika, and must choose between her duty and love.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

She Doesn't Have a Clue by Jenny Elder Moke ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

With a colorful cast of characters and a cellar full of wine, anything can happen―from murder to a second chance at love―in Jenny Elder Moke's half-mystery, half-romance adult debut set at a lavish destination wedding.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffell ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

All the Water in the World is told in the voice of a girl gifted with a deep feeling for water. In the years after the glaciers melt, Nonie, her older sister and her parents and their researcher friends have stayed behind in an almost deserted New York City, creating a settlement on the roof of the American Museum of Natural History. The rule: Take from the exhibits only in dire need. They hunt and grow their food in Central Park as they work to save the collections of human history and science. When a superstorm breaches the city’s flood walls, Nonie and her family must escape north on the Hudson. They carry with them a book that holds their records of the lost collections. Racing on the swollen river towards what may be safety, they encounter communities that have adapted in very different and sometimes frightening ways to the new reality. But they are determined to find a way to make a new world that honors all they've saved. (Goodreads)

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

The Walkers of River's Edge Books 3 - 4 by Nan Reinhardt ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

Last year, I reviewed books 1 and 2 in The Walkers of River's Edge series. If you like small-town romance novels then this is a series you will want to read. Now is a great time to catch up as the 4th (and final) book comes out this week.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for honest reviews.

3 Romance Novels for Winter Reading

by MK French

As much of the U.S. plunges into the deep freeze next week, we are reminded that winter isn't over. If a romance novel is your go-to genre when curling up with a blanket in front of a warm fire, here are three romance novels coming out in the next few weeks.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

Dancing Woman by Elaine Neil Orr ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

 

Elaine Neil Orr, born in Nigeria to expat parents, brings us an indelible portrait of a young female artist, torn between two men and two cultures, struggling to find her passion and her purpose.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Time Flies When You're Having Fun - 14th Blogiversary

by Donna Huber

Yesterday (January 15) was the 14th anniversary of Girl Who Reads. So many of the friends I made in the first few years have stopped blogging or have changed focus. I'm kind of shocked that I'm still going.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site.

The Way Up is Death by Dan Hanks ~ a Review

by MK French

A red tower floating above the English countryside, and no one knows why it's there. A week after its appearance, a countdown of sorts begins, and thirteen strangers materialize in front of the tower. There is now a door, the word "Ascend," and machinations to funnel the people inside. Soon, it's clear that there is little else they can do but climb up. 

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

Tucked away on the fifth floor of an old building at the end of a narrow alley in Kyoto, the Nakagyō Kokoro Clinic for the Soul can be found only by people who are struggling in their lives and who genuinely need help. The mysterious clinic offers a unique treatment to those who find their way there: it prescribes cats as medication. Patients are often puzzled by this unconventional prescription, but when they “take” their cat for the recommended duration, they witness profound transformations in their lives, guided by the playful, empathetic, and occasionally challenging yet endearing cats.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

The Business Trip by Jessie Garcia ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

The Business Trip is the gripping, page-turning debut from author Jessie Garcia.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Sweet Fury by Sash Bischoff ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

When a beloved actress is cast in a feminist adaptation of a Fitzgerald classic, she finds herself the victim in a deadly game of revenge in which everyone, on-screen and off, is playing a part.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Two Psychological Thrillers Perfect for the Long, Cold Nights

by MK French

The nights are still long and definitely cold, which is perfect for reading a book you don't want to put down. Both of these novels kept me turning the pages.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

Schooled in Murder by Victoria Gilbert ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

Jennifer ‘Jenn’ Dalton is an author and educator at Clarion University in Virginia. She loves her job, but some of her petty coworkers look down on her for writing genre fiction. As members of the English department, they wish to encourage students to pursue higher literary aspirations. When a humiliating confrontation between an uppity professor and one of Jenn’s students, Mia, escalates, no one thinks much of it. Until his dead body is found along with evidence incriminating Mia.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Leave No Trace by Jo Callaghan ~ a Review

by MK French

Detective Kat Frank and her AI partner Lock are in the spotlight for their first live case, when a man is found crucified on top of a hill. When a second one is found, men are warned to avoid drinking, going to pubs alone, or going home from a pub with a stranger. Local men are in an uproar with this advance, and the national media following the case, the detectives must find the killer before they can strike again.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Warm Romances to Read on These Cold Winter Days

by Susan Roberts

I find it very relaxing to wrap up in a blanket and read a romance novel during the cold winter days.  Here are a few recent romances that I recommend.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for honest reviews.

4 Fantasy Novels to Read

by MK French

Since my favorite reads last year were all fantasy novels, I'm excited to dive into this year's new fantasy novels. Here are four for you to check out.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

You're Invited by Amanda Jayatissa ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

What could be worse than your ex-boyfriend marrying your childhood best friend? Getting accused of her murder…

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Quality vs Quantity: Setting Your Yearly Reading Goal

by Donna Huber

If you follow any book reviews or avid readers on social media you probably saw a lot of year-end reading statistics including the number of books read in 2024. And if you are on Goodreads or another reading platform that tracks reading, you've probably been prompted to set a reading goal for 2025. 

Do all the reading goals give you anxiety or depression? You are not alone. 

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Review Round-Up: End of the Year Reads

by Susan Roberts

I normally group my reviews by subject but as I came to the end of the year, I had some leftover reviews that needed to be published.  Here are reviews of three very eclectic novels.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for honest reviews.

The Last Bookstore on Earth by Lily Braun-Arnold ~ a Review

by MK French

Storms have wreaked havoc on Earth. Liz Flannery stays in an abandoned bookstore in New Jersey where she used to work, trading books for supplies with the few remaining survivors. Another Storm is coming, and Maeve breaks into the store to stay the night. The two butt heads, but Maeve has skills able to repair the shop so it could possibly survive the Storm. While they develop feelings for each other, Maeve’s secrets and Liz’s inner demons come back to haunt them both. Now they're fighting for their lives as their world crumbles.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Review Round Up: 5 Books from my review pile backlog

by Donna Huber

I had two wonderful weeks off work and was able to read or listen to 11 books. A few of them were short Christmas stories that I listened to while wrapping presents or riding in the car. Most though were books from my review pile. I've already published some of those reviews, today I have the last of the books I read in 2024.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

8 Books I'm Looking Forward to in 2025

by Susan Roberts

Now that it is 2025, I'm looking at books that will be published in early 2025.  Here are the books I am most looking forward to in the first quarter of the new year.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site.