What I Wish I'd Known: For Writers by H.D. Thomson

 

What I Wish I'd Known: For Writers: 100 Authors Reveal What They Wish They'd Told Their Younger Selves by H. D. Thomson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book features 100 different authors who are giving advice to anyone wishing to write a book. It's a fairly simple read but full of ideas, advice, as well as struggles and challenges one might face during the process of writing and/or publishing a work of art. It's a showcase of the good, bad, and ugly for lack of a better explanation!

If you write at all, you are a writer. These tips could potentially benefit someone who is writing a dissertation for class, someone looking to improve their writing skills, or someone looking to write a book. The snippets from the authors are generally short, but full of motivation.

The authors cover all aspects of writing from getting started, to marketing, editing, and so many other areas. One of my personal favorite lines was "write one sentence a day" and your work will grow from there. Just get started!!

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The Exchange by Nadija Mujagic

 

The Exchange: A Novel by Nadija Mujagic
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Haunting. Bizarre. Suspenseful. Twisted. Tormenting. Sad. Hollow.

These are a few words to describe this novel as well as how it left me feeling at the end. This one will grip you from the first page and leave you possibly doing a happy dance and throwing a victory fist in the end.

Samantha "Sam" has had enough of her mother and living in New Mexico. Her sights are set on the big lights of California and the dream of becoming a well-known actress. Once she gets confirmation of an audition, Sam sets the wheels in motion to find an apartment and get herself out to California. When the audition doesn't go as planned, Sam looks for work and has to look no further than a local coffee shop. She's given a warning the first day of work to never be late and has no intentions of doing so. Her co-worker Michael is giving her some weird vibes and her boss...well he's a bit of a creep but he's given her an opportunity to work while looking for her big break.

Then Corey enters her life. He has a nice car, a huge house with a pool, and seems to be on the right track in life. Afterall, he has a friend who is going to introduce Sam to the right people and get her the auditions she's been after. Corey isn't around much though. He's flying important people all around the world.

Things start to get weird for Sam and she finds out she's pregnant, although she doesn't remember doing anything that would cause that for her. That's when Corey drops the bomb on her that she's to exchange her baby for her acting career. Sam starts to find out that she really can't trust anyone she knows and something isn't sure she should trust herself.

This book isn't going to be for everyone. There are several issues that could be triggers for certain people. I did find this book enjoyable though and was a bit intrigued as to how it all happened right up until the very end. There were parts of the story that did seem to drag some but overall, a recommended read.

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My Inner Critic by Christine Bernard

 

My Inner Critic by Christine Bernard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An introspective read by an extroverted introvert...

Emily is a high functioning person with anxiety. It impacts every aspect of her life from work, friends, and relationships. Maybe that's why she's 38 and still single. Or maybe she truly hasn't found "the one" just yet. She frets over things that haven't happened yet but also won't back down from a challenge even though her inner self is screaming to run.

This book is very relatable on so many levels. Emily's life isn't much different from mine or many other women that I know. The fact that this author has sprinkled a mixture of truth of her own story into the telling of Emily's story makes this a much more inspiring read. While this is a work of fiction, there is a lot of truth and lessons that can be taken from this narrative.

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Echoing Hearts (The Echo Series Book 1) by C.R. Alam

 

Echoing Hearts by C.R. Alam
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rae Allen doesn't believe in love or happily ever after. She's seen enough in her family to jade her for life. Thankfully, she has some pretty awesome friends, especially her best friend Brandon, who are there for her when things get rough. Her friendship with Brandon is more of a kindred kind...they are thicker than thieves, almost as if they were brother and sister. Brandon would do anything for Rae, especially after she helped him and his band land an amazing producer!

Dean Rowland is living a life of luxury. He's surrounded by wealth, fame, and women. He's living the life as one might say, proud of all his accomplishments. Except for the one thing he couldn't conquer...getting married. After being jilted at the alter, Dean is happy to swear off women forever.

Rae gets a call for a favor. Her friend needs her to go and check out this house in Georgia for the next issue of the magazine that she publishes. This house is a bit mysterious and Rae doesn't get a lot of background on it. When she arrives at the house, she can't seem to get anyone to come to the door, even though they should be expecting her. The next scene will be on that will change her life forever and have her heart sending echoes out across Lake Lanier.

This was a very enjoyable read for a lazy Saturday afternoon! I read this book in one sitting. It's a typical romance read and one where both main characters should be hog tied for their antics towards each other. This does have a happy ending and I even found myself tearing up in the end!

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Loretta's Caterpillar (Loretta's Insects) by Lois Wickstrom

 

Loretta's Caterpillar by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loretta loves various types of bugs. This book focuses on monarch butterflies.

In May, Loretta sees a milkweed field full of monarch butterflies but shortly after seeing them, they disappear. This upsets Loretta, as she really enjoys looking at butterflies. She makes a trip to the milkweed field and sees lots of little "seeds" on the back of plants. She soon learns that these "seeds" are going to turn into caterpillars, which turn into butterflies. Loretta is able to watch the various stages in which a butterfly is formed.

I am a huge fan of Lois Wickstrom and her books!! This one is unique in that some of the words are different shaped to represent what they are saying. There is also a bit of information in the back of the book about monarch butterflies, milkweed plants, and where to obtain milkweed seeds. It also shows the differences in male and female monarchs. I learned a couple of things reading this book! This is a great book to read to anyone of any age and would be great in a homeschool, daycare, personal library, etc!

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The Authorpreneur Yellowpages by Winnifred Tataw

 

The Authorpreneur Yellowpages by Winnifred Tataw
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a different book for me to read but I'm trying to branch out. I chose to read this non-fiction book because I have a family member who is interested in building his business as an author.

This book is very informative for those who are wanting to branch out into the work of authorship. This is very much set up like a yellow page directory is, chocked full of information on various facets of writing and publishing. There is a checklist, a section describing the publishing process, talk of book covers with a list of resources for designers, and editing services. Other areas include publishing services, black owned and operated businesses, marketing tools, and how to obtain freelance work. Lastly, there is advice on how to find beta readers and how to/why to use an ARC (advanced reader copy). The author of this book ends with encouragement for the future writer.

If you're looking to get into the world of writing/publishing, this book would be a great resource to have handy!

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Grace Under Fire (The Anderson Sisters Book 2) by Jennifer Raines - Review by Julie Johnson

 

Grace Under Fire by Jennifer Raines
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

We meet up with Grace's family again in this second installment of the Anderson Sisters. Grace is an artesian cheese maker who's looking to buy her family's farm to keep it in the family. There is a lot of drama surrounding the farm and who could potentially be the next owner.

Ryan Wilson has known the Anderson family for many years. He grew up on the farm next door. His brother and Grace were very close friends until his brother's untimely death. Ryan's a runner...from people and situations. He does, however, enjoy flipping a great land deal over.

Can Grace and Ryan form an alliance to save the Anderson family farm?

This is an enjoyable read set in Australia. Jennifer Raines doesn't shy away from tackling difficult issues in her stories. The reader may find themselves in the family as they read these stories! I would suggest reading Taylor's Law if you haven't yet either! Both of these can be read as stand alones but I would recommend them both!

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Caspian's UnBirthday (Invisible Magic Wand) by Lois Wickstrom

 

Caspian's UnBirthday by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's Caspian's UnBirthday and Grandpa gifts him with a very unique gift. That gift will take Caspian and Grandpa on an unforgettable adventure for the day!!

This is a super cute book with superior graphics. The colors on the illustrations are very vibrant and capture the eye and will hold a listener or reader's interest while reading or hearing this story. Children will love the idea of an unbirthday gift and will likely ask for unique gifts, just as Caspian receives!

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Shore Lodge by Susan Specht Oram

 

Shore Lodge: A high-stakes psychological thriller by Susan Specht Oram
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a hard book to read....but it was so incredibly well written!!

Jacklyn Stone has recently lost her husband. Of course, she's absolutely heartbroken and things are happening that shouldn't. The bank accounts aren't exactly up to par, she's had a fender bender, misplaced her keys....all these things could be due to grief, or is it something more?

Dusty Stone is a contractor and the son of Jacklyn. He's recently convinced his mom to give him power of attorney over her health and finances. He's concerned that she's really losing it and needs help beyond what he or his sister Rose could provide.

Rose Stone is a hard-working single mother doing everything she can to provide for her son. She's not been the most attentive to her mother but agrees with Dusty's assessment to have their mom go to Shore Lodge for a short period of time to get some rest.

The situations that take place once Jacklyn becomes a resident of Shore Lodge are disturbing at best and horrifying at their worst. I really felt for Jacklyn in her grief and could see through several of these situations and why she reacted the way that she did.

This is my first experience reading a book by Susan Specht Oram but hopefully not my last. I'll be looking for more books as I found this one very intriguing and well written!

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The Muffin Shop Murder: A Delilah Crumbworthy Mystery by Holly Tierney

 

The Muffin Shop Murder: A Delilah Crumbworthy Mystery by Holly Tierney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Delilah has recently moved to Snowflake Valley and she's opening up a muffin shop. As she's getting to know the community, she meets some very interesting people who become friends to her. Those friends are starting to share some of the recent happenings around Snowflake Valley, including a recent murder at the shop that she's wanting to open.

Once Delilah gets opened up, she's running from open to close. There isn't much downtime at all and Delilah needs to hire some help. Once she starts that process, things start become more eerie. Can she keep this shop open and her sanity intact?

This was an enjoyable little mystery that I read in just a few short hours in one setting. There were a couple of times that I wanted to smack Delilah for the choices that she made but the ending made up for it all.

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Chatroom With A View by Glenn Maynard

 

Chatroom With A View by Glenn Maynard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you're a fan of psychological thrillers, add this one to your TBR and but read it immediately!!

Troy has been bullied his entire life and he's finally had enough. His family isn't well liked or respected in his community. The only reason Troy stays at home is to protect his mom from his dad. However, one night, Troy sees his parents in the cabin in the back yard and he realizes he has to go save his mom.

Veronica, who is Troy's ex-girlfriend, starts popping back up with some very important news. Next thing Troy knows, Veronica is moving into his house.

The holes become more numerous and deeper!

Just when you think you know what direction this book is taking, the pendulum swings and a new situation is introduced which further deepens the story. I was on the edge of my seat while reading this one!!

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