Waiting For Spring by Sonya Rhen
Jelly Beans and Spring Things Series
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe
Returning to belly dance at the annual Kirkland Crocus Parade with the Habibi Nile Dancers, Shayna vows to forget her breakup after last year’s parade and guard her fragile heart. However, her best friend is just as determined to find her a new love interest. Shayna would rather not think about matters of the heart and just concentrate on entertaining the spectators by dancing with her dignity intact. Which is harder than she thought. As the parade participants march on through Kirkland’s quaint downtown streets, the Easter Bunny, her fearless leader, her best friend, an eye-catching drummer, and a jelly-bean-tossing clown, might give Shayna a reason to open her heart…after all, spring is in the air!
Book of the Month Poll Winner ~ Waiting For Spring by Sonya Rhen
Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge for July 31, 2024
Each Wednesday, Long and Short Reviews hosts a weekly “blog hop”. For more details on how to participate, please click here.
Would I Stay in a Haunted House? Why or why not?
| 1. | Bob Mueller | 6. | Dixie Jackson | |
| 2. | George L Thomas | 7. | Stephen @ Reading Freely | |
| 3. | Tanith Davenport | 8. | Greta Ham | |
| 4. | Lydia Schoch | 9. | M | RAIN CITY READS | |
| 5. | Michael Mock | 10. | Cara H |
Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge for July 24, 2024
Each Wednesday, Long and Short Reviews hosts a weekly “blog hop”. For more details on how to participate, please click here.
A sport I want to try
| 1. | Siran T | 5. | Greta Ham | |
| 2. | George L Thomas | 6. | M | RAIN CITY READS | |
| 3. | Tanith Davenport | 7. | Dixie Jackson | |
| 4. | Lydia Schoch | 8. | Cassie @ The Bibliollama |
Top Ten Tuesday: Debut Novels I Enjoyed
Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
This was kind of a tough one for me because I tend to read more series than anything. And, because I’m a creature of habit, I tend to continue those series rather than seek something new out. However, I have read some pretty good debut novels recently, several of them leading me to new series.
Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala. I love cozy mysteries but food themed ones are my favorite. Lots of strong, family connections in this story.
A Spell for Trouble by Esme Addison. Another cozy, but this time paranormal. Bonus: mermaids and magic!
Magic, Lies, and Deadly Pies by Misha Popp. Okay, so maybe I read more cozy mysteries than I thought, because here we have another. More magic, but with pies this time!
Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree. I didn’t even know that cozy fantasy was a genre until I picked up this book. And now? I need to read them all. This, and it’s sequel, Bookshops & Bonedust, is one of the best books I’ve read this year.
The Fields by Erin Young. A mystery/police procedural that was both graphic and intense. There is a bit of brutality in this one, however, so if you’re sensitive, you might want to pass. But I am anxious for the next in the series.
Off the Air by Christina Estes. A local reporter looking into the murder of a radio personality uncovers something much larger than a murder. I really enjoyed this one, despite the main character really losing her way at one point in the book.
Twenty-Seven Minutes by Ashley Tate. A twisty psychological thriller told in two timelines. I love stories about small towns with a secret and this fit the bill for me.
The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas. In an effort to read more diverse authors, I found this. And while I had never thought to intentionally seek out Mexican gothic horror, it’s now one of my favorite genres. Her follow up novel, The Vampires of El Norte, is fantastic as well.
The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse. Another type of theme I like is stories set in old mental institutions, hospitals, etc. So, this was right up my alley. Really intense and gripping. This is a fantastic series with a new book due out next month.
Sign Here by Claudia Lux. A different sort of horror novel, this deals with the bureaucracy in Hell and how it affects those of us still on the mortal plane.
What debut novels have you read and loved?
Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge for July 17, 2024
Each Wednesday, Long and Short Reviews hosts a weekly “blog hop”. For more details on how to participate, please click here.
Something you might not guess about me
| 1. | George L Thomas | 4. | M | RAIN CITY READS | |
| 2. | Lydia Schoch | 5. | Dixie Jackson | |
| 3. | Kristin @ Lukten av trykksverte |
Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Things I Loved About Waiting for Spring
Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
I wrote a glowing five-star review for Sonya Rhen‘s Waiting For Spring from the Jelly Beans and Spring Things Series a while ago. Shayla is the protagonist, and the setting is an annual spring parade where she happens catches the attention of a handsome stranger this time around.
Here are ten things I loved about that short story:
1. Shayla’s kindness extended to everyone, including herself.
2. The romance was an unexpected but welcomed surprise in her life.
3. There can never be enough stories about parades in my opinion.
4. A plot twist that I will not go into detail about here was a delightful surprise.
5. Plenty of room was left for a sequel if one is ever written.
6. The belly dancing. I know almost nothing about that style of dance, so it was fun to learn more.
7. Procrastination as a plot device. Let’s just say that Shayla struggles with this flaw and it does play into how the parade works out for her.
8. Resourcefulness as a plot device. She is also a resourceful person, though, and I enjoyed seeing how she solved a problem of her own doing while under a time crunch!
9. The important of great body language. Parades aren’t exactly the best place for a conversation, but smiles and winks can go a long way in communicating one’s intentions.
10. The crowd’s energy. Half of the fun of parades is seeing how people react to them!
If you like contemporary romance – or even if you’re like me and only occasionally dip into that genre – I highly recommend checking out this tale. It was delightful.
Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge for July 10, 2024
Each Wednesday, Long and Short Reviews hosts a weekly “blog hop”. For more details on how to participate, please click here.
Do You Enjoy Shopping? Why or Why Not?
| 1. | George L Thomas | 6. | M | RAIN CITY READS | |
| 2. | Tanith Davenport | 7. | Kristin @ Lukten av trykksverte | |
| 3. | Lydia Schoch | 8. | Priscilla King | |
| 4. | Snapdragon Alcove | 9. | Dixie Jackson | |
| 5. | Greta Ham |
Top Ten Tuesday: Books that Make Me Hungry
Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
This isn’t my dog, but it sure is cute!
This topic originally came from August 31, 2020 which feels like a lifetime ago to me! So much has happened since then.
Here are ten titles that make me hungry. (And I wonder if anyone else will select this same theme this week?)
1.Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa
2. Love & Gelato (Love & Gelato, #1) by Jenna Evans Welch
3. Chocolat (Chocolat, #1) by Joanne Harris
4. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe (Whistle Stop #1) by Fannie Flagg
5. Pomegranate Soup (Babylon Café #1) by Marsha Mehran
6. The River Cottage Bread Handbook (River Cottage Handbook, #3) by Daniel Stevens
7. Playing for Pizza by John Grisham
8. How To Bake A Chocolate Soufflé (Cherry Harbor, #1) by Carly Ellen Kramer
9. The Truth About Twinkie Pie by Kat Yeh
10. Miss Spider’s Tea Party by David Kirk
Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge for July 3, 2024
Each Wednesday, Long and Short Reviews hosts a weekly “blog hop”. For more details on how to participate, please click here.
My Thoughts on Social Media
| 1. | Siran T | 5. | Stephen @Reading Freely | |
| 2. | George L Thomas | 6. | Michael Mock | |
| 3. | M | RAIN CITY READS | 7. | Priscilla King | |
| 4. | Lydia Schoch |
June Book of the Month Poll Winner ~ The Dark Court by Vyvyan Evans
The Dark Court by Vyvyan Evans
Publisher: Nephilim Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rated: 5 stars
Reviewed by Rose
A genre-blending dystopian, sci-fi mystery-thriller that will make you think about communication in a whole new way.
Five years after the Great Language Outage, lang-laws have been repealed, but world affairs have only gotten worse. The new automation agenda has resulted in a social caste system based on IQ. Manual employment is a thing of the past, and the lowest soc-ed class, the Unskills, are forced into permanent unemployment.
In a world on the brink of civil war, a deadly insomnia pandemic threatens to kill billions. Lilith King, Interpol’s most celebrated detective, is assigned to the case.
Together with a sleep specialist, Dr. Kace Westwood, Lilith must figure out who or what is behind this new threat. Could the pandemic be the result of the upskilling vagus chips being offered to the lowest soc-ed class? Or are language chips being hacked? And what of the viral conspiracy theories by the mysterious Dark Court, sweeping the globe? Lilith must work every possible angle, and quickly: she is running out of time!
While attempting to stop a vast conspiracy on an intergalactic scale, Lilith also faces shocking revelations about her origin, coming to terms with her own destiny.
