Wednesday, November 3, 2021

IWSG Wednesday

 


The first Wednesday of every month is officially IWSG day. IWSG was formed by Ninja Captain Alex Cavanaugh. Members post about their doubts and fears, discuss struggles and triumphs, and offer words of encouragement to others who are struggling.

The awesome co-hosts for the November 3 posting of the IWSG are Kim Lajevardi, Victoria Marie Lees, Joylene Nowell Butler, Erika Beebe, and Lee Lowery!

 

This month’s optional question:

What’s harder to do, coming up with your book title or writing the blurb?

 

Another good question. Probably the blurb.  Occasionally, I think of a title I like then write a story around it.😊

 

October/November reviews in no particular order.

* Disclaimer. If I run into an occasional typo, I ignore it and don't factor it into my review.

 

 

LEATHAL WHITE by Robert Galbraith

I have finally read a J. K Rowling’s book. Not exactly Harry Potter but very well written.  

 Cormoran Strike is a one-legged ex-vet that is now a famous PI. Robin Ellacott is his junior partner, who he previously fired and has now hired back. Their latest case takes them into both parliament and an eerie manor house, with all kinds of twists and turns.  This is the 4th in the series and it definitely lives up to the hype.

 I grabbed it because the HH read it, now I’m going back and reading the 1st of the series.  

 

MAGGIE ON THE BOUNTY by Kate Danley

This is the third in the Magical Tracker Series about wisecracking, hard-hitting Maggie Mackay, who tracks down bad guys of the magical variety. In this book, Maggie and her new partner Killian, the elf, accept a job to find out why ghosts are disappearing from a haunted cruise ship.

If you don’t mind a heroine with a bit of a potty mouth, it’s a fun, easy, well-written read and good for some downtime reading.

 

WORD WEAVING #1: A Word Craft Journal of Syllabic Verse by Colleen M. Chesebro

What a lovely collection of verse by diverse, talented authors. This grouping holds several different  syllabic offerings, all uniquely expressed. There were so many delights included in this book. I especially liked D. L. Finn’s Moon’s Magic, a haibun Idyll that begins with ‘A lone black cat sits on the edge of our world, under the harvest moon. Her green eyes reflect the celestial beams, and her fur absorbs the stars’ and D Wallace Peach’s Haiku:

 

'Moonlight stitches lace

Frosty hems on scarlet leaves

Glints of fallen stars'

So much creativity from gifted writers offering us autumnal pleasures.

Available on Amazon

 

CASE OF THE BYGONE BROTHER by Diane Burton

What a fun cozy.

CASE OF THE BYGONE BROTHER is the second book I’ve read by Ms. Burton and I’ve found both delightful. This whodunit centers around a young female PI out to prove herself and get her business solvent. A case lands in her lap that will get her back on her feet, though there’s questions a plenty about her client.  Add in her old high school flame that waltzes back into her life and is as mysterious as her client. Stir them together and you’ve got the ingredients for a mystery with just the right amount of romance, humor and suspense.

Available at Amazon

 

 

 

THE STORM CROW and THE CROW RIDER by Kayln Josephson

I read this series in two nights. At first, I was a little put off by the idea of riding giant crows, but I quickly moved past it and tumbled into the story.

Thia and her sister are trying to take back the kingdom from the evil Queen Razel who swooped in and destroyed the crows leaving the kingdom defenseless. Her sister thinks the only way to save the kingdom is to marry Thia to the prince. Then Thia finds an unhatched crow egg and the adventure begins.

I highly recommend these books to anyone who loves YA fantasy. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

THE MELDING OF AERIS by D. Wallace Peach

Another edge of your seat fantasy by a master storyteller.

This is a fascinating dystopian tale of a society that grafts the skins and parts of any creature they desire to adorn their body.  Unfortunately, their children are born with the skin, or scales, and features of whatever animal or reptile their parents indulged themselves in, making man’s the most sought-after skin of all.

Aeris has been born to wealthy parents who have indulged often in grafts and their son, while pure of heart, is born reptilian-looking and hideous. He is thrilled when his parents give him a graft of human skin for his birthday. It’s only after the grafting he finds out murder was involved in his transfiguration.

Available at Amazon

 

MISTLETOE INN By Jacqui Biggar

A heartwarming tale for the Christmas season.

Hoping for a new start, Molly McCarty, a divorcee with a young son, invests in a bed and breakfast in Christmas town. Anxious to leave her old life behind and start anew, she leaves home in bad weather, ends up in the middle of a snowstorm and runs off the road, only to find herself rescued by her new partner.

Noah Kincaid has lost everyone he cares about. With scars marring his face and his heart he has closed himself off, afraid to love anyone. But Noah’s about to find that Christmas truly is a magic time of year, filled with love, hope and new beginnings.

MISTLETOE INN is a well-written delight. Grab your hot chocolate and prepare to lose yourself in this feel-good story of holiday and happiness.

Available at Amazon

 



 

50 comments:

Elephant's Child said...

I am so very glad that I don't have to write blurbs or (except very rarely) titles.
Thanks for the heads up on books.
I have read the Cormoran Strike series - and will read the next when it comes out too.

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Blurbs would definitely be harder than titles. It sounds like the Diane Burton cozy is right up my alley or down my street.

Valerie-Jael said...

So many wonderful books, I am always so tempted! Hugs, Valerie

Natalie Aguirre said...

I wish I could think of a title and write a story around it. Diane's book and Maggie on the Bounty sound good.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

That's a lot of books.

Jeanie said...

I hate coming up with titles. It was the worst part of my job when I was editing a magazine!

Christine said...

Good question and answer. Thanks for the reviews

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Wish I could think of titles that easily.

D.L. Finn said...

I have to go with the blurb too. Most titles come easy except a couple. Great reviews, Sandra! I found some to add to my TBR list :) I so glad you enjoyed my haibun, I had fun with that one and I agree that was a great haiku by Diana. Xo

Jan Sikes said...

Excellent reviews, Sandra!! I have some of these on my TBR list already. Thank you for sharing!

cleemckenzie said...

You've got quite the variety of choices here today, Sandra. Something for everybody. Unfortunately, I'm interested in all of them, and that means more midnight oil goes up in smoke. Thanks for posting about them today.

CS Boyack said...

Wonderful selection of books to tempt me.

Gwen Plano said...

Thank you for sharing these great reviews, Sandra. I loved the Moons of Autumn and Mistletow Inn.

emaginette said...

Looks like I have a few more stories to add to my TBR pile. :-)

Anna from elements of emaginette

John Howell said...

Super reviews, Sandra. Thank you for sharing.

Staci Troilo said...

Depends on the book for me. Some titles pop into my head, others take forever to come to me. Sometimes a blurb pours onto the page, other times it's like pulling teeth. I'm always happy when I get both done.

Great reviews of all the books. Kudos to the authors. Thanks for sharing.

Sandra Cox said...

I've read the 4th and the 1st and was going to download the 2nd when I realized I could get it cheaper ordering it 2nd hand. So I'm waiting for my copy to arrive:)
You're very creative. You'd have no problem at all writing blurbs.

Sandra Cox said...

Up my alley or down my street:) I like that.
I thoroughly enjoyed Diane's cozy.

Sandra Cox said...

Val...Val....That's the books calling your name:)
Hugs received and returned.

B. Weeks said...

Great selection of titles! Thanks for sharing, Sandra.

Joan Hall said...

Blurbs are always the hardest for me. Nice collection of reviews.

Sandra Cox said...

Writing a story around a title, doesn't happen all that often:)
I think you'd enjoy both reads:)

Sandra Cox said...

So many books. So little time.

Sandra Cox said...

Gets challenging doesn't it, Jeanie?

Sandra Cox said...

You bet:)

Sandra Cox said...

Some come more easily than others. I'm still mulling one that's in the hopper.
I like all your titles.

Sandra Cox said...

That TBR list is seriously overweight:)
To quote my sister, not enjoyed freaking loved your haibun:)

Sandra Cox said...

Thanks, Jan. Glad you've got some on your TBR:)
I appreciate you stopping by.

Sandra Cox said...

Heh. Glad I could help your reading addiction:)

Sandra Cox said...

All great reads:)
Thanks for stopping by, CS:)

Sandra Cox said...

My pleasure, Gwen.
Completely agree on Moons of Autumn and Mistletoe Inn.

Sandra Cox said...

Those TBR piles just keep growing and growing, don't they, Anna.

Sandra Cox said...

Thank you, John. And thanks for stopping by.

D. Wallace Peach said...

Thanks so much for sharing the review of The Melding of Aeris, Sandra. And for the mention of my haiku in The Moons of Autumn. I get double smiles today. :-) And thanks for the book selections in general. A few of these appealed to me. Big crows... I can handle that.
And definitely the blurb. Those are so hard to write!
Thanks again and Happy November. :-)

kimlajevardi.com said...

I wish the blurb was easy for me. Titles was my answer.

J.P. Alexander said...

Suerte a todos parecen geniales libros.

jbiggar said...

I like writing blurbs, titles not so much, lol. Thanks for the wonderful review, Sandra. I thought it was so cool that there actually is a town called Christmas!

Diane Burton said...

Thanks so much for featuring my cozy mystery. Wow! Glad you enjoyed it. Blurbs usually give me more trouble than titles.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Sandra - yup: Got Books! Fun reviews you've given everyone - I've yet to read one of JK's other books - e.g. a Galbraith one - I'll get to one soon I'm sure. Take care and cheers Hilary

Sandra Cox said...

Hi Staci, Good on you for the pouring blurbs. I wish I could say the same. Mine tend to trickle. Heh.

Sandra Cox said...

I'm right there with ya and they are so darn important.
Thanks so much for stopping by, Joan.

Sandra Cox said...

My pleasure. So glad you stopped by Beam.

Sandra Cox said...

My pleasure. Loved them both, Diana.
I think the crow stories are right up your alley:)
Those blurbs are certainly challenging aren't they?
Happy Thanksgiving to you.

Sandra Cox said...

Enjoying writing blurbs, that's just wrong, Jacqui. Heh.
Living in a town called Christmas would be joyous;)

Sandra Cox said...

I'm right there with ya.

Sandra Cox said...

They are for sure, J.P.
Hugs

Sandra Cox said...

I thoroughly enjoyed it. You're a wonderful author, Diane.

Sandra Cox said...

I may have to read her Harry Potter series....:)
Cheers,

Birgit said...

Look at you go reading all of them and giving blurbs. I have to say, writing titles is the worst for me. I can never think of a good title.

Sandra Cox said...

Both can be challenging for sure.