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What I'm Reading

The Beauty in Ms. White

The Beauty in Ms. White
Jun 14, 2022 by Valerie Taylor

The Beauty in Ms. White (Grey Line Press) by C.O.B.  is a must-read scary story. Enough said?


 

Beneath the Veil of Smoke and Ash

Beneath the Veil of Smoke and Ash
Jun 08, 2022 by Valerie Taylor

Beneath the Veil of Smoke and Ash (She Writes Press), by award-winning author Tammy Pasterick, is an exceptionally crafted novel about Pittsburgh, immigrants, and family.

 

 

A Week of Warm Weather

A Week of Warm Weather
Jun 07, 2022 by Valerie Taylor

Do you…work in the dental industry? Go to the dentist? Have teeth?

 

If you answered, “Yes,” to any of those questions, you must read A Week of Warm Weather (Sparks Press) by Lee Bukowski.

 

After Happily Ever After

After Happily Ever After
Apr 28, 2022 by Valerie Taylor
In After Happily Ever After (She Writes Press) by Leslie A. Rasmussen, Maggie finds herself sandwiched between her testy teenage daughter and her aging parents ... 

 

Butterfly Awakens

Butterfly Awakens
Apr 27, 2022 by Valerie Taylor
For a time, I hesitated to start Butterfly Awakens (She Writes Press, 2021) by Meg Nocero because I wasn’t sure I could handle reading about grief, especially during a pandemic, but then ...

 

Cold Brew Corpse

Cold Brew Corpse
Apr 26, 2022 by Valerie Taylor
Let me just put it out there. I don’t drink coffee, and I hadn’t a clue what cold brew was when I started reading Cold Brew Corpse (Crooked Lane Books) by Tara Lush. Given the title, I assumed tainted coffee was killing people in some cozy town.

 

Em's Awful Good Fortune

Em's Awful Good Fortune
Apr 26, 2022 by Valerie Taylor
Em’s Awful Good Fortune (She Writes Press, 2021) by Marcie Maxfield is an awfully great story about a woman who packs up her bags, her career, and her children to tag along with her husband wherever in the world his job takes him.


 

So Happy Together

So Happy Together
Apr 21, 2022 by Valerie Taylor

If you remember the sixties or even heard stories about it from others, you’ll want to go along for the ride in SO HAPPY TOGETHER by Deborah K. Shepherd (She Writes Press).
 

The Books I Read in 2021

The Books I Read in 2021
Dec 31, 2021 by Valerie Taylor

Congratulations to me for reaching my goal of reading 40 books in 2021!

On Traigh Lar Beach

On Traigh Lar Beach
Oct 29, 2021 by Valerie Taylor

This collection of twelve stories and a novella is a must-read.


 

Shine Until Tomorrow

Shine Until Tomorrow
May 13, 2021 by Valerie Taylor

What do you get when you combine the Wizard of Oz with Back to the Future? You get a delightfully nostalgic romp in Shine Until Tomorrow (Rare Bird Books, 2020) by Carla Malden.


 

Nine Tenths of the Law

Nine Tenths of the Law
May 02, 2021 by Valerie Taylor
Remember the movie The Monuments Men? Audiences around the world were awestruck at how the Nazis stole and sought to destroy valuable artifacts during the war.


 

Her Dark Lies

Her Dark Lies
Mar 09, 2021 by Valerie Taylor
Once again, in her newest thriller, Her Dark Lies (Mira), J. T. Ellison gives us a uniquely suspenseful tale, starting with an extraordinary overture to the reader.


 

The Books I Read in 2020

Jan 01, 2021 by Valerie Taylor
When I'm not writing, trying to conquer a jigsaw puzzle, or caring for my granddaughter, I'm reading. Here's what I accomplished in that regard in 2020.

Luz

Luz
Dec 25, 2020 by Valerie Taylor

Who is Luz and why does it matter? Debra Thomas’ debut novel Luz (She Writes Press) was an eye-opener for me.


 

The Takeaway Men

The Takeaway Men
Aug 23, 2020 by Valerie Taylor

In The Takeaway Men (Sparks Press), Meryl Ain sheds much-needed light on a topic rarely explored. What happened to the families that survived the Holocaust?

 

Every Bone A Prayer

Every Bone A Prayer
Aug 10, 2020 by Valerie Taylor
Without a doubt, Ashley Blooms is a talented young writer. In her debut novel, Every Bone A Prayer (Sourcebooks Landmark), she gifts us a story so personal only she could write.

 

The Last Flight

The Last Flight
Jun 03, 2020 by Valerie Taylor
Spoiler alert! The Last Flight (Sourcebooks Landmark) by Julie Clark is about a scary plane crash. Well, not really a spoiler, as the book’s cover and title imply at least that much. But a plane crash isn’t half of what will keep you up at night turning the pages of this remarkably crafted thriller.

Sister Dear

Sister Dear
May 30, 2020 by Valerie Taylor

The sibling rivalry story in Sister Dear (Mira) by Hannah Mary McKinnon is as old as Cain and Abel. The difference is McKinnon throws a howitzer into the plot, turning this contemporary thriller unexpectedly inside out and upside down.

 

 

Truths I Never Told You

Truths I Never Told You
Apr 14, 2020 by Valerie Taylor
Truths I Never Told You Doesn’t Lie is a review I did for BookTrib. The review and interview with the author start with...No matter what your age, you’ll have an emotional reaction to Truths I Never Told You (Graydon House) by Kelly Rimmer.