Hideout by Jack Heath

March 5, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Hideout by Jack Heath
Publisher: Allen & Unwin Publishers
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Horror
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Fern

A tense, unputdownable thriller from the author of Hangman.

Timothy Blake has nothing to lose. He’s headed to an isolated house in rural Texas with a hammer in his pocket and murder on his mind. His target is Fred, the ringleader of a criminal empire on the dark web. Once Fred is gone, Blake can disappear for good.

But it turns out that Fred isn’t alone. Five other psychopaths live in the house. They work together and call themselves the Guards. Torture, extortion and death are their business. Blake manages to convince them that he’s one of their online associates. Soon they think he’s a monster, like them. They’re not wrong.

Blake decides to pick them off one by one. But when a Guard is found with a bullet in his skull, Blake realises that someone else in the house may have the same idea – and he might be their next target.

Meanwhile, who are the desperate people chained up in the building behind the house? One of them will change everything . . .

Timothy Blake no longer works as a civilian consultant for the FBI, but after deciding to tackle one last loose end from his previous case he finds himself in much deeper waters than expected. Faking his way into a house full of serial killers, he’s trying to work out how to extract himself when he discovers there are a number of civilian captives being held – and tortured – on site. Blake finds himself getting sucked deeper and deeper into the situation and what started as a quick in and out soon spirals out of control.

This is the third book by this author revolving around Timothy Blake and while I need to be in the right frame of mind to read and enjoy this series – it’s a little gory and gruesome – overall this is a really well written anti-hero thriller/horror series and one I just can’t help but enjoy. This third book picks up literally seconds after the second finishes. Readers who dislike reading their series out of order should absolutely read these four books in order as they very closely link up together into one much longer story and while there’s plenty of hints and explanations of what has occurred previously this is one of the few series where I really think reading the books in order is a sensible plan and will absolutely help make everything fit into place a bit better.

While there is no titillation in the horror aspects to this book this absolutely isn’t a series or book for the faint of heart. This particular book is about a group of serial killers with live victims and their very own slaughterhouse. Most of the gruesome aspects occur off scene but the author doesn’t pretty anything up and these are killers who do have some teeth. Readers should definitely be aware of that going in.

That said, I really do enjoy Blake’s character. He is there for his own reasons and while he is far from innocent and in many ways, he isn’t even trying to do “the right thing” he has his own reasons and driving force and in that way under those parameters he is doing what he can. I don’t think this will sit well with all readers, but I find it interesting and engrossing enough I read the book fairly quickly, definitely eager to see what occurs next.

Readers who want something different should find that here in this book. This is the only series I’ve ever read with a main character (even an anti-hero) like Blake and his unusual circumstances and personal drives, that alone is worth giving the series a shot to my mind. Readers who enjoy a twisty plot and don’t mind a bit of gore or serial killers should absolutely go back to Hangman and the beginning and give this series a try. I’ve never read anything like this series and while it’s not a comfortable read, it is different, interesting and absolutely a complicated plotline with multiple moving parts all woven together by the author in an astonishingly interesting manner.

Filed Under: Horror, Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

Christmas with the Queen by Hazel Gaynor, Heather Webb

March 4, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Christmas with the Queen by Hazel Gaynor, Heather Webb
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Historical, Holiday, Romance
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Cholla

December 1952. While the young Queen Elizabeth II finds her feet as the new monarch, she must also find the right words to continue the tradition of her late father’s Christmas Day radio broadcast. But even traditions must evolve with the times, and the queen faces a postwar Britain hungry for change.

As preparations begin for the royal Christmas at Sandringham House in Norfolk, old friends—Jack Devereux and Olive Carter—are unexpectedly reunited by the occasion. Olive, a single mother and aspiring reporter at the BBC, leaps at the opportunity to cover the holiday celebration, but even a chance encounter with the queen doesn’t go as planned and Olive wonders if she will ever be taken seriously.

Jack, a recently widowed chef, reluctantly takes up a new role in the royal kitchens at Sandringham. Lacking in purpose and direction, Jack has abandoned his dream to have his own restaurant, but his talents are soon noticed and while he might not believe in himself, others do, and a chance encounter with an old friend helps to reignite the spark of his passion and ambition.

As Jack and Olive’s paths continue to cross over the following five Christmases, they grow ever closer. Yet Olive carries the burden of a heavy secret that threatens to destroy everything.

Christmas Day, December 1957. As the nation eagerly awaits the Queen’s first televised Christmas speech, there is one final gift for the Christmas season to deliver…

When two old friends reunite after years apart, anything can happen. But will Jack and Olive be able to put the past behind them?

Christmas with the Queen is a love story stretching over the course of several years, showing that, even when you’re willing, the universe isn’t always going to play nice. But when it’s meant to be, love can and will find a way.

In an effort to distract himself from the sudden, tragic loss of his wife, Jack accepts an offer to cook for the royal family during their annual Christmas trip to Sandringham. Jack’s love of cooking and honoring his Louisiana heritage appealed to me in a big way. I loved him introducing jambalaya and other Creole treats to the English. Made me wish I could see their faces the first time they dipped into the spicy fare.

Olive is also trying to distract herself, but for different reasons. She’s always wanted to be a journalist, but in 1952, the jobs were rarely, if ever, offered to women. But she keeps trying, pushing whenever she finds an opportunity. Trying to balance the stigma of being an unmarried mother in the 1950’s with her ambitions, she manages to find a way to both follow her dreams and be the best mom she’s able to be.

While the love story is a very slow burn, it’s worth it. I enjoyed watching Jack and Olive reacquaint themselves, instead of just hopping into bed together and acting like there wasn’t a gap of several years between their last meeting. Seeing them rebuild their friendship before becoming a couple always gives me the warm fuzzies. Probably my favorite part of the book, however, were the little snippets we get from Queen Elizabeth’s point of view. Also, the bits from her annual Christmas address, something I didn’t know she did.

Christmas with the Queen is a sweet and sometimes sad holiday romance, spanning several Christmases. A great read for any lover of historical romances, holiday romances, or anything to do with the royal family.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

You’ve Got the Map Backwards by Brian Usobiaga

March 3, 2025 By Leave a Comment


You’ve Got the Map Backwards by Brian Usobiaga
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Young Adult (14 – 18 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

A year removed from high school, lifelong friends Aisha Kinseya and Sarah Piedmont find themselves lost in different places. Struggling with depression, Sarah’s growing dependency on alcohol lands her in rehab. Aisha, in the midst of her second year of college, finds herself increasingly isolated as a crippling anxiety begins to overwhelm her.

Finding solace in familiarity, the two girls reunite only to have their friendship fracture. As they search for answers, Aisha and Sarah discover how relationships can change. How knowing someone your entire life doesn’t mean you know them forever, and how, if you want to grow, there are certain things you must leave behind.

Change is an inevitable part of life.

One of the hardest things about the transition from high school to early adulthood is how much even the closest friendships can evolve as everyone goes off in different directions. This isn’t a topic I’ve seen covered that often in the young adult genre, and I hope it will spark a trend. Aisha and Sarah were both caught off-guard by the changes to their friendship and didn’t know how to react to them at first which was something I could relate to. I nodded along as they realized their lives were taking them on separate paths and wondered if they’d figure out new ways to relate to each other now that they didn’t have the same classes, teachers, goals, or daily routines to shape their experiences.

It would have been helpful to have more details in this story. I found it difficult to picture things like the characters, settings, or conversations because of how little time was spent showing the audience what the characters were like or how they interacted with each other and their environments. As much as I wanted to give this one a higher rating, this was an impediment to that as my imagination could only fill in so many details about what it would be like to walk alongside Sarah and Aisha as they adjusted to their first taste of adulthood.

With that being said, I did appreciate having protagonists who didn’t know for sure what their next steps were going to be. Many books in this genre include characters who have elaborate plans for the future they’ve been dreaming about for years. While that’s nice to read about, too, not everyone has a ten-step plan for success so early in life, and I found these characters’ uncertainty refreshing. Life is an adventure, so there is something to be said for being open to multiple possibilities while one tries to figure out what they really want.

You’ve Got the Map Backwards made me smile.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,

Sticks in a Bundle: The Early Years by Pat Spencer

February 28, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Sticks in a Bundle: The Early Years by Pat Spencer
Publisher: Seaside Writer Imprint
Genre: Historical, Fiction
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

As the middle daughter in a family of Xhosa, Zulu, and Dutch descent, Eshile Mthembu’s life celebrates the strength and resilience of the human spirit. She lives in a Soweto shanty under South Africa’s apartheid rule, a policy designed to squash her dreams and control every aspect of her life. Her story reveals a history of racial injustice many know little about, as experienced by a young woman trying to understand it herself.

Despite cultural, religious, and linguistic differences, Eshile’s family bases their love and strength on the African proverb: Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable. But when a stranger from afar offers an unexpected opportunity, Eshile must decide whether to secure her family bonds or embrace the promise of a better life.

Love is stronger than hate.

One of the tropes I enjoy reading about the most involves exploring the differences between how children and adults understand the same thing. What seems clearcut and sensible to a grownup might be utterly confusing to a kid, and vice versa. Eshile and her sisters had all sorts of questions about adult matters, from why they weren’t supposed to walk in certain neighborhoods to what happened to their Dutch birth father. Their answers to these questions made me smile and made me want to keep reading.

The large cast of characters made it difficult for me to get to know the majority of them well even though this was nearly 300 pages long. There simply wasn’t enough time to dive deeply into most of their personalities, especially given how young Eshile was when most of these events took place. She wasn’t yet old enough to think critically about most of the adults around her, much less wonder why they made more complex decisions in life. As much as I liked the protagonist herself, this made it difficult for me to bond with her large extended family or many neighbors and friends who popped into their lives every so often.

Some of the most memorable scenes for me were the ones that explored how Eshile’s family passed down some Xhosa and Zulu traditions while modernizing or skipping other ones as the 1960s went on. There was so much emotion involved in some of them, and even the easier decisions were still make with caution and care. This evolution is something people from every culture tend to need to do from time to time, and I nodded along as I took note of the similar reactions to change between these characters and members of my own family who have felt all sorts of emotional reactions to how our traditions have remained constant, changed, or simply been modified from one generation to the next.

I struggled with the slow pacing. Even though I appreciated the detailed descriptions of Eshile’s cultural and ethnic backgrounds, pausing so often to explain what certain words meant or why characters expected specific behaviors from each other meant that the plot couldn’t move very quickly in most places. Sometimes this read more like a sketch of a large, complex family than a story that could be divided into a beginning, middle, and end in even the loosest interpretations of how novels are generally paced.

There are all sorts of interesting cultural and social reactions to families whose members come in a range of colors and ethnic identities. While my extended family has never faced the threat of legal trouble or jail time for being multiracial like these characters did, I did relate to how they navigated a world that may be kind to us one day and angry at our very existence the next. Representation matters not only for people who belong to the group being explored but also to readers who have never had to think about such things and may learn something new about what their neighbors, acquaintances, coworkers, and the strangers they pass by on the street quietly deal with. The more empathy we develop for each other, the better.

Sticks in a Bundle: The Early Years was thought provoking.

Filed Under: Mainstream Fiction, Other, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Murder At The University by Faith Martin

February 27, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Murder At The University by Faith Martin
Publisher: Joffe Books, London
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

A pretty French student is found dead in her room at an exclusive Oxford college. Everyone thinks it is another tragic case of accidental drug overdose.

But Detective Hillary Greene has a nose for the truth. She quickly discovers that the student was involved in some very unusual activities.

With a shocking cause of death found, the case becomes a high-profile murder investigation.

Adding to the pressure, Hillary’s nemesis is transferred to work with her at the station.

Can Hillary keep her cool and get justice for the unfortunate student?

This is the second book in the series featuring DI Hillary Greene and I really enjoyed it. With a layered and interesting murder mystery plot and a number of realistic and complicated characters in the police team I found there was plenty in this British police procedural book to keep my interest keen.

While at a first glance the murder appeared straightforward, I was pleased when a number of twists were uncovered and the mystery quickly deepened to be far more than first expected. I also like how the author kept a good balance with the plot and characters remaining realistic and believable but never simple – there were enough twists to keep me guessing and hold my attention firm.

I also really appreciated how Hillary is not a young woman (somewhere in her forties) and not a novice when it comes to her police work and investigations. That is still quite a refreshing change to me, and I love the series for that difference alone.

Readers looking for a well-paced British police procedural story with an intricate plot and solid characters should check this series out.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

A Quiet Man by Tom Wood

February 26, 2025 By Leave a Comment


A Quiet Man by Tom Wood
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Fern

One day a man arrives in town. Unassuming. Quiet.

The assassin known as Victor is hiding out in a small motel in Canada after a job across the border. A few days laying low and he’ll be gone and leave no trace behind.

He doesn’t count on getting to know a mother and her boy who reminds him of his own troubled childhood. When both vanish, only Victor seems to notice.

Once he starts looking for them, he finds himself at odds with the criminals who own the town. They want him gone. Only Victor’s going nowhere until he discovers the truth and to them he’s just a quiet man asking the wrong questions.

But that quiet man is a dangerous man.

Spending only a day or two across the border laying low after the successful completion of a job, Victor finds himself making a simple – though highly unusual – promise to a young boy. Agreeing to meet again at dawn to show the young man how to fish, Victor is perturbed when neither the boy nor his mother arrive. Curious, Victor looks for them in the small, quiet little border town. What should have proved very straight-forward quickly turns complicated and soon is extremely messy. Can Victor extract himself safely?

I have thoroughly enjoyed this series but found this book in particular to be even more exceptional than I had been expecting. Unlike many series, these books all very much stand alone – Victor usually severing all ties before quickly moving on and almost never leaving anyone behind him. So these books can absolutely be read out of order if a reader wants to. What I found particularly pleasing and different about this book was the fact the job Victor was hired to do was pretty much over and finished before the book really even began. This book is all about happenstance and the decisions we make after the main event and so that is quite different to the other books of this author’s that I’ve read.

Something else I really enjoyed was most of the characters and plots in this book are around fairly normal level criminals. They’re people we can see and relate to and understand. They’re not really of Victor’s usual caliber of enemy. That said, there are a large number of different people, circling around in different plots, all currently focused on Victor for varying reasons. So with enough people coming from enough different angles even though by themselves they might not be a threat, Victor is definitely kept on his toes and it made for a highly gripping read to me.

Readers should be aware this isn’t a cosy mystery or a simple read. While definitely not horror or overly gory, neither does the author shy away from the multiple fight scenes nor the ramifications of these altercations. Readers who prefer police procedural style of mysteries or more puzzle/thinking style of plots might find this a little too action orientated and a little too visceral at times for their tastes.

With a definite anti-hero in Victor and a slightly different take on the “assassin tries to do a good thing” style of plotline, this was a great read and one I shall absolutely enjoy re-reading again in the future. Recommended.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

Seeking Justice by L.A. Dobbs

February 25, 2025 By Leave a Comment


Seeking Justice by L.A. Dobbs
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Contemporary
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

When a prominent naturalist is found dead in the owl sanctuary, the suspect list includes some of the town’s most influential citizens. Each one is up to something shady, but did one commit murder to hide what they were up to?

When the case takes a sudden turn involving a secret identity, and clues intersect with the investigation into Jo’s sisters’s cold case, Sam and Jo realize they are up against something bigger than they’d imagined.

As they try to solve both cases, Jo’s desire to buy her cottage so she can stay in town has unexpected results and Kevin is wrestling with a shadowy secret of his own.

Meanwhile Lucy and Major have entered into a truce… but will it last?

I love the books in this “Sam Mason K-9 Dog” series. Actually, I like anyone who trusts a dog’s instincts like Sam does his German Shepard, Lucy. When the Mayor finds a dead person in the owl sanctuary, this case takes off. Who would shoot a little owl in an owl sanctuary? Not that the dead person lying by the owl wasn’t important too. From the start of this case it seems like one thing leads to another for Sam. The case itself seems to uncover more secrets, and the small police department has lots to handle and many possible suspects.

I’ve read another L. A. Dobbs book and enjoyed it as well as this one. While I like small town mysteries, there isn’t a lot of description about the town in his books. White Rock obviously has a Mayor since he found the victim, and we read about the various suspects and their standing in the community, but that’s about it. Somehow, it doesn’t seem to matter in these stories. He tends to focus on the crime at hand, the small police force, Lucy their smart canine, and Major the cantankerous cat. Never once did he lose my attention.

Excellent book. This one, Seeking Justice, is Book 7. It looks as if Book 8 is already out. I’m heading to get it for sure.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

The Schoolyard Raccoon by Shana Hollowell

February 24, 2025 By Leave a Comment


The Schoolyard Raccoon by Shana Hollowell
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

In a forest behind an elementary school lives a mischievous raccoon. Every night, after the teachers and students go home, he searches for items that were left behind at school in hopes to bring something special home. A cute story that is set in rhyme and has an underlining message about not giving up.

What happens to a school when all of the students, teachers, and staff members in them go home for the night?

The world looks different after dark, even in familiar places. Some of my favorite scenes were the ones that showed what might happen when the moon is shining brightly over a playground and all of the children who played there hours ago are now safely home and in bed. They were such gentle and playful takes on the subject, and I would have happily kept reading about this topic for dozens of pages to come.

It would have been helpful to have a better explanation for why Victor the raccoon explored the schoolyard every night. The one that was shared didn’t quite make sense to me due to how much it changed the themes of this picture book. The first half and the second half were both interesting, but they never quite meshed together for me as a reader. It was almost like reading two different stories. While I liked both of them, I needed a better explanation of how they were meant to fit together.

With that being said, I did enjoy the humor of the last few scenes. They played around with the reader’s assumptions of what a raccoon would probably be looking for on a playground after dark and kept me interested as I finished that final scene. It wasn’t something I was expecting to find, but it definitely did amuse me.

The Schoolyard Raccoon made me smile.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,

When the Squirrel Sings by Shana Hollowell

February 21, 2025 By Leave a Comment


When the Squirrel Sings by Shana Hollowell
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

In this enchanting children’s picture book, music and nature come alive when a squirrel sings and a magical, backyard symphony begins.

Nature is full of surprises.

I loved how much this tale emphasized the joy of playing outside by showing how much fun it is. Whether that playtime happens in a park, the woods, or a backyard in a quiet neighborhood, there are all sorts of wonderful things to discover outdoors for anyone who is willing to slow down and observe their surroundings for a while. While I don’t want to share any spoilers about what these kids found, this reminded me why I love going out and seeing what I can find in the grass and trees.

The musical subplot was delightful as well. I can’t go into a lot of detail about what sort of music can be found out in nature because of how important it was to the plot, but I liked the way the author described it and could understand where she was coming from. Of course such a thing could be interpreted that way! I will listen more closely to it the next time I’m surrounded by trees and hear something beautiful and thought this was a creative way to explain what might happen when someone spends time outdoors.

The ending was what convinced me to give this a five star rating. As I was reading, I kept wondering why the squirrel was so interested in human children and excited to see them. There is an answer to that question in one of the final pages, and learning what it was only made me a bigger fan of Ms. Hollowell’s work. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.

When the Squirrel Sings was magical.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,

First-Time Father’s Handbook by Jon Emerson

February 20, 2025 By Leave a Comment


First-Time Father’s Handbook by Jon Emerson
Publisher: F and C Publishing
Genre: Non-Fiction, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Become the Father You Dream of Being in No Time at all – Even If You Feel Totally Unprepared Right Now!

Can you truly prepare for the rollercoaster ride that comes with first-time fatherhood?

Feeling overwhelmed with all the information?

Getting nervous about work, sleepless nights and being a good dad?

Are you worried about how your relationship with your partner will change once your little one arrives?

Do you lie awake at night wondering how you’ll juggle your demanding job with a newborn at home?

You’re not alone.

Countless fathers-to-be are sailing the same ship, fretting over the same questions, sharing the same fears. Fatherhood can seem like a daunting expedition.
Frantic Google searches at 3 am or sifting through generic parenting books that aren’t directly aimed at fathers won’t cut it.
Despite societal expectations, you don’t have to miraculously know how to handle fatherhood.

Here’s the comforting reality: You are already miles ahead by joining the brotherhood who are seeking help. You deserve a resource tailored to your experience as a modern professional father.

Introducing the comprehensive, empathetic, and practical handbook that empowers you to embrace fatherhood with confidence, equipping with the skills to navigate your new role.
This your roadmap to navigating the thrilling, fulfilling journey of your baby’s first year, and to becoming the dad you aspire to be.
Here’s just a fraction of what you’ll discover in this life-transforming handbook:
A Top Ten List summary in each chapter
The secret to building an unbreakable bond with your baby even before they’re born
Practical tips and tricks for diaper duty, bath time, and bedtime routines that new fathers swear by
The most effective ways to support your partner in their journey through pregnancy and childbirth
The key “red flags” that indicate postpartum depression in new mothers – and how you can lend unwavering support
The balancing act – how to excel at work while being an involved dad at home
How to navigate common relationship roadblocks post-baby and keep the spark alive
10 common newborn health concerns every first-time father should be aware of with home remedies and When to call the Doctor advice
The step-by-step plan to childproof your home, ensuring safety and peace of mind
The secret to managing sleep-starved nights
Proven techniques to tackle meltdowns (both, yours and the baby’s) without losing your sanity
Ways to engage in mindful parenting that can incredibly transform your parenting experience
The 5 baby gear essentials no first-time father should be without
Learn the truth about 6 key immunizations
This Handbook, packed with advice and insights, is sure to alleviate your jitters, arm you with vital knowledge, and help you embrace being a Dad with well-earned confidence.
This book isn’t about replacing your parenting instincts; it’s about complementing them with practical advice and tips to help you navigate fatherhood more confidently.
But it doesn’t stop at just doling out advice. This book recognizes the unique situation for every dad-to-be, allowing you to develop a tailored strategy best suited to you and your little one.

No cheap gimmicks, vague ideas, or ‘one-size-fits-all’ parenting missions. This book is a tool to help you be the best father you can be.
Straight-to-the-point, practical guidance, broken down into easily consumable chapters – just a few pages a day to keep doubts at bay!

If you’re ready to embrace the adventure that is Being a Dad with open arms, laughs, and a whole lot of love, then don’t wait another minute.

New dads need advice, too.

The dad jokes in this book made me chuckle. They were a nice transition between sometimes difficult topics like miscarriage or tips for handling the less physically pleasant aspects of pregnancy and postpartum like nausea or recovering from a difficult birth. I actually ended up writing down a few of these jokes to share with my friends and family later. Everyone needs to laugh sometimes.

I found myself wishing that the section on vaccines had gone into far more detail about the importance of herd immunity and the risks of not vaccinating, especially for people in a community who are immunocompromised, medically unable to receive certain vaccines due to severe allergies or other life-threatening conditions, or too young to be vaccinated yet. The decision not to vaccinate affects far more people than the individual who isn’t vaccinated, and I don’t think that was made clear enough here. A virus that might make one person ill but able to recover at home for a few weeks could send someone else that they infected to the hospital, severely disable them, or even kill them. This would have been a stronger book if it had spent more time on this topic in my opinion.

Some of the most useful sections were the ones that discussed the practical aspects of preparing for a new baby. For example, signing up for life insurance and making a budget for new baby-related expenses are critical for the financial health of a family. There are plenty of ways to trim back these expenses, too, with some creativity and patience. Babies don’t care if they’re wearing hand-me-down clothes or playing with toy some other little one played with before, after all. I appreciated how much care was put into these portions.

First-Time Fathers Handbook was thought provoking.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
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