My feelings for Miracle Creek are complicated. This is an unquestionably good book. The story is complex and interesting. The characters have well developed psychology. It asks big and important questions. However, it may have been too real for me to enjoy. Not enough of an escape.

Miracle Creek is by debut author, Angie Kim. The book is loosely based on many of her personal experiences. Moving to the US as a young teen from Korea. Later, becoming a lawyer. Having special needs children that have benefited from non-traditional, borderline experimental treatments. Including the H-Bot treatment that is central to the story. Angie Kim’s passion and experience shows in the character relationships, treatment descriptions, and the courtroom drama.

I liked a lot about this book. I liked the way that she portrayed the same event from multiple points of view, without being repetitive. You really get to understand the complicated rationale for why characters did what they did. You see that sometimes terrible things happen because we excuse and accept small transgressions. I loved how Kim made you question the line between good and bad. When does treatment become abuse? When does a consensual act become assault? When is “doing the right thing” too little, too late? It’s a thought-provoking book.

Fans of courtroom, medical and family drama will enjoy this book. Parents of special needs kids and adult children of immigrants will feel seen. This might be a good choice for readers of contemporary, popular and general fiction. I would recommend reading a few pages to see if you think this might be a good fit for you.

For a long time I couldn’t figure out why the books with “Whoever’s” Wife or Daughter as the title rubbed me the wrong way. I knew that I didn’t like them, but I didn’t know why. The realization was gradual, but I feel like I now fully understand my issue with these books.

The problem is the possession. The “This-Man’s” Wife or Daughter. Like she does not exist without that relationship. She is defined by what some male relation does for a living. She is not her own person.

I know I am a little behind on Kristin Hannah. Costco is selling value packs of her books, for god’s sake. I avoided her for a long time because, I don’t like sad books. I know it’s limiting, but it’s true. I finally read Nightingale about two years ago and now, Great Alone. I will never avoid Hannah again. She has earned my trust, and apparently Costco’s.

The Great Alone features a family that decides to live off the land in 1970s Alaska. It does not go well. Basically, if it can go wrong, it does. Which is probably pretty realistic for people trying to survive in Alaska. Somehow, even with all the devastating things that happen there is always the exact right amount of hope to keep you reading. Kristin Hannah is the master of manipulating my emotions.    
 
I don’t usually like books or movies set in the ‘70s. They focus too heavily on the nightclub and drug scene, which is completely uninteresting to me. While this book is set in the 70s, there are none of the typical elements that I avoid. The setting is perfect for this story, post-Vietnam War and limited technology. People living in rural Alaska at the time might not even have electricity, let alone a telephone. Lots of political tension and dangerous isolation. Perfect.

This is my first ever Bossy Book Club selection. The Great Alone would be a great choice for most book clubs. Discussion questions are available from Kristin Hannah’s website. This book will appeal to readers of historical fiction, family drama, general fiction, popular fiction and literary fiction. People who are interested in life in Alaska and living off the grid, might be interested in this fictional rendition of that lifestyle. Read this when you are in the mood for a devastating yet hopeful cry.

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Now that the dust has begun to settle on the previous year’s publishing; I have compiled a list of the most popular and acclaimed adult books from 2019. Many of these titles have won awards, and they all have at least a 4 star rating and jillions of reviews on Goodreads. I have included books from the major fiction genres and non-fiction. I excluded sequels and anything that would not have broad appeal. Starred titles have been added to my personal To Be Read List and I am in varying stages of reading and reviewing several of these books. Here are some of the most inspiring, intriguing, frightening, funny, realistic and outlandish titles from 2019.

Release Date April 7, 2020

Age of Witches is a perfect candidate for a good old fashioned book burning. Honestly, if some ultra-conservative Christian church group doesn’t buy boxes of this book with the sole intention of burning them, they are missing out!

Not only is this book about witches, but the main characters are basically the 1890s version of feminists. These witches refuse to submit to the men in their lives, and they go even further, using their power to influence men and elevate women. If all that weren’t enough to set off extremist Christians, parts of this book read like a grimoire, very “how-to”. PS I am now a witch…

This book is set in late 1800s New York and England. Women are expected to marry, support their husbands and have babies. The three main characters are all determined to be more than just someone’s wife or daughter and they are not afraid to use magic to get what they want. Harriet is an herbalist using her magic to heal. Frances is an ambitious social climber, she is an adept influencer. Annis is a witch’s apprentice with a horse obsession. Side note: a LOT of this book is about horses. If you are interested in opening stables or starting a breeding program, this book is for you. The characters are headstrong, confident and dangerous. They are exactly the kinds of women who would have been accused of witchcraft at that time, or even today.

This book was not perfect, but it kept me turning pages. While it works as a stand-alone, it would make me happy if the author wrote a sequel. I would certainly pick up another book about these women. Fans of Magical Realism, Fantasy and Historical Fiction may like this book. Anyone looking for fictional tales of witchcraft or women’s rights and history may also be interested.

Again, huge miss if there is not at least one book burning!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers of this book for allowing me advance access in exchange for this honest review.

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After wading through hundreds of upcoming titles, I have narrowed the list of March releases to these seven Can’t Wait Books. I flipped through book review catalogs, book blogs and library chat forums to ensure that I found the most interesting and original new books. I try to include a variety of Fiction, Non-Fiction and even Young Adult books, however this month’s books lean toward dark adult mysteries with only a few exceptions. I generally avoid including books that are a continuation of a series. Starred titles have been added to my personal to be read list.  

When I decided to become a blogger I had no idea what I was getting into. No clue. Fortunately, it did not take me long to find The Ray Journey Blog. Not only does Ray publish helpful articles on topics like, social media marketing and how to optimize your Pinterest efforts, she also helps bloggers connect with other bloggers and grow their audience. As a blogger it is a natural progression to someday publish a book, so I was excited to read Ray’s, Your Ultimate Guide to a Powerful Book Launch.

Your Ultimate Guide to a Powerful Book Launch is a concise guide on how to promote your self-published books. The book is 79 pages, but it is absolutely packed with information on exactly what to do at every phase of your book launch. She covers how to determine your niche and find your audience. She also includes a list of publishing platforms with a simple grid showing the commission structure, perks and rules of the various options. One of my favorite things about this guide is that it includes a thorough checklist at the end, so you won’t miss any steps. I know when I go to publish I will be referring to Your Ultimate Guide to a Powerful Book Launch.

If you’re not familiar with Ray check out her blog The Ray Journey. Not only does she have articles for bloggers, but also health and financial information as well. If you are considering self-publishing, be sure to check out her handy guide to a Your Ultimate Guide to a Powerful Book Launch. 

Thank you to Ray for allowing me advance access to this book in exchange for this honest review. Follow this link to purchase Powerful Book Launch.

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I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did. I’m not much for mysteries and I’m okay with Sherlock, but I’m not fanatical. I really just read this because I was in the mood for historical fiction and it was available for check-out. Plus, the cover is intriguing.

Study in Scarlet Women was a fun combination of Pride and Prejudice and Sherlock. The financially precarious Holmes family has an abundance of unmarried quirky daughters. One of whom takes up solving mysteries to pay the bills. This is the lady’s version of the famous Sherlock Holmes mysteries.

I felt such a connection to Charlotte Holmes. She’s beautiful, fashion forward, bold and one of the most intelligent people of her time. I am none of those things, but I am socially awkward. So, we have that in common. She is flawed and fun. I think most readers will enjoy spending time with her.
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This book will appeal to mystery and historical fiction readers. Fans of Jane Austen are likely to connect to the female protagonists. Fans of Sherlock will enjoy the challenge of solving the cleverly crafted mysteries. You may also enjoy this No Spoiler Review of Above the Bay of Angels.

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There were a few years that I was infatuated with the humorous-contemporary-romance genre. I stalked these titles, stared at them in bookshop windows, and followed them around the library. I may have overdone it a little, because after a while my interest started drifting to other genres. I still like Romance, but we're "just friends".

I went through my romance obsession when the Devil Wears Prada was in style. Since then I have only picked up a handful of books that are traditional romance. Most of what I read now is romance that is also something else, like historical romance or paranormal romance. While my favorites aren’t by Nicolas Sparks or Emily Griffin; these mixed genre titles are perfect for Valentine’s Day.