If the Boot Fits by Karen Witemeyer

 

Coming March 2024!!

If the Boot Fits by Karen Witemeyer 

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This beautifully written book is a retelling of the classic Cinderella story with a western twist.

The Three Cedars Ranch is hosting a ball, or rather Eli Dearing is hosting the ball, in the hopes of wrangling a husband for his daughter Samantha. She's not happy about it because she just returned home from her schooling in Boston and she doesn't need or want Daddy's help in finding a man. In her time away, Sam has become rather prim and proper but also has a wild side to her.

Clint Dearing is the younger brother of Samantha and he's just now starting to learn the ins and outs of running a ranch. It's a lot of work but he's learning a lot and super happy to have his sister home.

Asher Ellis is a ranch hand at the Bar 7 Ranch but he comes home to take care of Momma Bess and his younger siblings. When he learns that Eli Dearing has evicted his family from their home, Asher sets out to find out why. He dares to enter the ball to find the study and the paperwork he needs to confront Mr. Dearing about putting his family in dire straits. When Mr. Dearing enters the study and hears something, Asher has no choice but to jump out the window.

A pursuit takes place and Clint finds himself in the pond and he can't swim. Sam is screaming for help and Asher jumps in to save Clint. He leaves behind a clue to his identity but that could come back to haunt him eventually.

This is a clean romance novel that is full of adventure, family secrets, traitors, and lots of good cooking! I thoroughly enjoyed this story and look forward to many more from author!

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Life Flight by Lynette Eason

 

Life Flight by Lynette Eason
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Penny is a helicopter pilot who works for the local EMS services. Many people rely on her flying skills to get them the medical help they need quickly and safely. Penny is one of the best out there and she has a great team to work with as well!

A call comes in that will change Penny's life forever. The weather is atrocious and she argues with her director that it's not safe to fly. The director doesn't give her an option (well, he does but it involves her losing her job) so she flies out to the site to pick up the victim. On the way to the hospital, things start to fail on the "bird" and Penny has to make an emergency landing. Little does she know that she's landed on a mountain top and that a serial killer is loose in the same area. With no way to communicate with base, Penny leaves her team caring for the patient and she begins to walk to find someone that can help her. She finally is able to secure a satellite phone and call in for help. On her way back to the bird, however, she encounters who she believes to be the serial killer. Life gets a lot more interesting then and so does this story!

We follow Penny throughout her ordeal with Rabun and the many ways he tries to come after her and those she loves. With the help of FBI Special Agent Holt, is it possible that Penny and her team can put an end to all the killings?

This is a very fast-paced read that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Don't eat while reading this though as there are some gruesome scenes described that might turn your tummy! I am looking forward to reading even more in this series!

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Cray Saves the Day (The Adventures of Cray Series) by G Pa Rhymes

 

Cray Saves the Day by G. Pa Rhymes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A very vividly visual read about the importance of not littering at the beach. The story is good for any location but this one is specifically about the beach. There is mention of a turtle being trapped in the rings from soda cans and how Cray helped the turtle out. A great way to teach kids of any age the importance of cleaning up after themselves and not wreaking havoc on the environment around them!

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Fade into the Night (Philly Heat Series) by Becky Flade

 

Fade Into the Night by Becky Flade
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm not going to say a lot about this book because I don't want to give anything away. I absolutely love the character of Noah and really felt for him, especially when he opened up about his family. I wasn't such a huge fan of Sadie though. I wanted to like her but found her almost annoying at times. I get that she was going through some immense things but really didn't appreciate the way she acted towards Noah. That being said, I can also see why she acted towards him the way that she did.

This book is full of twists and turns! I love a book that has you guessing. I did figure out fairly early who I though the Beltway Romeo might be and I was correct. That doesn't happen often but I guess I picked up on a few things that I don't normally. I was on the edge of my seat for the last half of this book and couldn't put it down until I finished it!

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Nessie and the Viking Gold (Nessie’s Grotto) by Lois Wickstrom and Jean Lorrah

 

Nessie and the Viking Gold by Lois June Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This has been my least favorite book by this author so far, but it's still an enjoyable story.

Everyone's favorite rock star is in town for a big concert. However, when Craig and his sister go back to visit with Nessie, they learn that all the drumming is causing issues in Nessie's grotto. Can they stop the concert and save the grotto before it's too late?

It was a good story but it did seem to lack some plot development. This is the second book in this series and I have read the first one prior to this one. This is a book that is a bit longer than most of this author's style of books as well, so maybe that's a bit why. I would still recommend this book to be read by young readers or reading it to younger listeners.

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Sasha Smart by Shermaine Perry-Knights

 

Sasha Smart: Short Stories for Girls by Shermaine Perry-Knights
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars

Sasha is a great girl who, like many teen girls, is a little short on confidence. This book focuses on how Sasha can use her inner strength to become a better person. There are several short stories that cover everything from peer pressure, bullying, and accepting oneself.

What I loved about this book is that Sasha *is* a strong person. She loves science and she's really smart. She has great friends who really care for her. She's a caring person herself.

What I didn't like so much about this book is that it was written to look like Sasha could only get these important attributes that she was struggling with from her friends. While friends are VERY important, they are not the only way that she could have grown from these experiences. There was little interaction with family, and they can be the strongest influence. I would have liked to seen a stronger family bond written about in this book. There was some, but I feel like a story about her mom, dad, grandma/grandpa, aunt/uncle could have made this story much better.

This would be a great gift idea for a young teen girl. The stories are very short (3-4 pages each) and there are some pictures included.

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Portrait of Deception (A Southwest Suspense Novel) by Kathryn Dodson

 

Portrait of Deception by Kathryn Dodson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.5 stars

Do you ever find yourself yelling at the literary characters you are engaging with during a great read? I was hollering "NO!" at Margo pretty much from the very beginning of this story but she just didn't listen to me!!! Because she didn't listen to my pleas of "NO!", "Don't drink that!", "Don't go there!", Margo ended up in a heap of trouble. Margo is a photographer who is looking at winning a huge award that will make her even more noticeable in the world of photography. One thing leads to another and she finds herself in the castle of a psycho wanna be dictator. All of a sudden, she's not sure who she can trust and she may have put her trust in a man who could ruin her even more than the dictator. After a daring escape, Margo still finds herself looking over her shoulder, as well as those of her loved ones.

This is a good one!! Lots of action, travel, and a little romance in this, among some major backstabbing and plans of war. Not a dull moment in this read and I had to finish it in one setting!

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