Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson - Book Review

My review-

This is a book I will not forget!  When Pheby was taken to Devil's Half Acre and had to get other slaves ready for the auction block so she could survive I could feel her struggle. This was such a great story of love, hope, survival and also the cruelty that existed back in Pheby's time.  I was shocked to read this was based on history that actually happened.  Pheby Delores Brown was a true survivor in this story. I did not want to put this book down and would love to read more books by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers of this book for my copy for an honest review.  5 out of 5 stars!!!

Amazon.com's description of the book-

 Born on a plantation in Charles City, Virginia, Pheby Delores Brown has lived a relatively sheltered life. Shielded by her mother’s position as the estate’s medicine woman and cherished by the Master’s sister, she is set apart from the others on the plantation, belonging to neither world.

She’d been promised freedom on her eighteenth birthday, but instead of the idyllic life she imagined with her true love, Essex Henry, Pheby is forced to leave the only home she has ever known. She unexpectedly finds herself thrust into the bowels of slavery at the infamous Devil’s Half Acre, a jail in Richmond, Virginia, where the enslaved are broken, tortured, and sold every day. There, Pheby is exposed not just to her Jailer’s cruelty but also to his contradictions. To survive, Pheby will have to outwit him, and she soon faces the ultimate sacrifice.

Book Review- An Ordinary Life by Amanda Prowse

 My review-

This book was a definite 5 stars for me!!  This is a beautiful story of Molly's life.  At 94 years old, Molly always liked to say her life has been ordinary.  But, in reality her life has been anything but ordinary.  The life of Marvelous Molly was brave and heartbreaking at the same time. I do not want to give any story spoilers here, other than to say READ IT! You will not be sorry.

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book. After reading this book I look forward to reading other books written by Amanda Prowse. 

5 out of 5 stars!!!

Book Description from Amazon.com-

From the bestselling author of The Girl in the Corner comes a tale of love, loss—and one last extraordinary dance.

Christmas Eve, 2019. Ninety-four-year-old Molly lies in her hospital bed. A stroke and a fall may have broken her body—but her mind is alive with memories.

London, 1940s. Molly is a bright young woman, determined to help the war effort and keep her head up despite it all. Life becomes brighter when she meets and falls in love with a man who makes her forget everything with one dance. But then war forces her to make an unforgettable sacrifice, and when she’s brought to her knees by a daring undercover mission with the French Resistance, only her sister knows the secret weighing heavily on Molly’s heart.

Now, lying in her hospital bed, Molly can’t escape the memories of what she lost all those years ago. But she is not as alone as she thinks.

Will she be able to find peace—and finally understand that what seemed to be an ordinary life was anything but?

Don't look for me by Wendy Walker - Book Review

My review:

In the book you can feel Molly and her families grief at the death of Molly's daughter.  The whole family has not recovered.  It would be understandable if Molly did just up and leave, after all she is blamed for the death.  It appears she has, everything points to that conclusion.  Until, her daughter Nicole receives some new information.  Did Molly really leave? This is a perfect thriller.  It had me thinking I knew the answer then some new information shows up.  It wasn't until the very end until we find out what actually happens to Molly.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers of this book for an ARC copy for my honest review. I look forward to reading more books from this author. 5 Stars out of 5!!

Amazon.com's description of this book-

They said she walked away. But what really happened to Molly Clarke?

From the bestselling author of All Is Not Forgotten comes a compelling and emotionally powerful story of a daughter's desperate search to find her mother before it's too late.

They called it a “walk away.” The car abandoned miles from home. The note found at a nearby hotel. The shattered family. It happens all the time. Women disappear, desperate to start over. But what really happened to Molly Clarke?

The night Molly disappeared began with a storm, running out of gas, and a man offering her a ride to safety. But when the doors lock shut, Molly begins to suspect she has made a terrible mistake.

A new lead brings Molly’s daughter, Nicole, back to the small, desolate town where her mother was last seen to renew the desperate search. The locals are sympathetic and eager to help. The innkeeper. The bartender. Even the police. Until secrets begin to reveal themselves and Nicole comes closer to the truth about that night―and the danger surrounding her.

 

Review- Real Estate Rescue by Tracy McLaughlin

 My review-

This book offers many ideas and tips for people wanting to buy or sell a home.  I like the examples that Tracy McLaughlin gave throughout the book. Although, I new most of the advice in this book I was still pleasantly surprised to find much needed information that was new to me.  A lot of helpful information!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers of this book for a copy for my honest review. 4 out of 5 stars!!

Amazons description of the book-

The advice you didn’t know you needed. Because most people only enter the real estate world once a decade or less, few really know how it works. The housing market elicits a lot of emotions, from excitement to anxiety. Oftentimes, this can blind us to the realities of how the market works. Top residential real estate agent Tracy McLaughlin is here to change our understanding of the home sale process. From those buying their first home to sellers with some experience, this book is packed with essential advice.

A roadmap for buyers and sellers. In nearly all real estate sales, buyers and sellers leave behind thousands—or even hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars—on the table. As frightening as this reality is, it continually happens because one simple decision, among the countless made during the entire process, can greatly impact the outcome of the transaction.

Bridging the gap between information and expertise. Because of the way technology has impacted real estate sales, buyers and sellers have greater access to information and even the ability to direct the sales process. While knowing market information is helpful in real estate sales, most people still lack a key aspect: expertise. By presenting an inside view on sales, McLaughlin provides a guide for maximizing the value of the sale and purchase of homes.

In this book by real estate expert Tracy McLaughlin, readers will find…

• Detailed guidelines for how to save money and make money
• Advice for finding the right real estate agent
• The real estate for dummies book every home buyer or seller needs

If you’ve looked for guidance in books such as Dream Home, Nolo’s Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home, and Home Buying Kit For Dummies, then you’ll find more of what you’re looking for in Real Estate Rescue with Tracy McLaughlin.

All that Glitters by Danielle Steel- Book Review

My Review-

All that Glitters reminds me of the old Danielle Steel books that made me a huge Danielle Steel fan.  The book has glamour, love and tragedy.  

The story is about Coco and Sam, after the loss of Cocos parents she turns to relationships with men that are not a good fit for her.  As a reader it was hard to see her staying with those men and not seeing them for what they really are and for her to keep falling so fast for the wrong men. Sam is her friend that stays by her side through it all, while having his own personal hardships to deal with. I saw the ending coming but was glad that I guessed correctly.

A delightful easygoing read that is exactly what I was looking for.  Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC of this book for my honest review.  4 out of 5 star!!

Book description from Amzon.com-

Nicole “Coco” Martin is destined to have it all. As the only child of doting and successful parents, she has been given every opportunity in life. Having inherited her mother’s stunning beauty and creativity, along with her father’s work ethic and diligence, she has the world at her feet. Her graduation from Columbia is fast approaching, and with it the summer job of her dreams working at a magazine. Between work, leisurely weekends at her family’s home in Southampton, and spending as much time as possible with her best friend, Sam, life couldn’t be better—until tragedy strikes. Coco’s beloved parents are killed in a terrorist attack while on vacation in France.

Now devastated and alone, Coco must find a way to move forward and make her way in the world without the family she loved. Determined to forge her own path and make her parents proud, Coco pursues her dreams, dazzled by exciting opportunities that come her way. Her goals are to think outside the box—and always play by her own rules. As she finds herself drawn to charismatic, fascinating men, each relationship will teach Coco new lessons, some delightful, some painful. She will come to realize what matters, and how strong she truly is—and in the end, she will discover herself.

Richly exploring one woman’s poignant journey through life, All That Glitters is a compelling tale of challenges, heartbreak, discovery, and triumph, a powerful reminder that all that glitters is not the essence of life. And what is truly worth having was right there in our hands all along.

The Recipe Box by Viola Shipman- Book Review

 

My review-

The Recipe Box is a heartwarming story of Sam Mullins, the women in her life and the value of a recipe box filled with treasured family recipes.  The description of Sams hometown in Michigan and the stories with the recipes included in the book really made the book even more enjoyable.  

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers of this book for a copy for my honest review. 4 out of 5 stars!!

Here is the description of The Recipe Box from Amazon.com-

Growing up in northern Michigan, Samantha “Sam” Mullins felt trapped on her family’s orchard and pie shop, so she left with dreams of making her own mark in the world. But life as an overworked, undervalued sous chef at a reality star’s New York bakery is not what Sam dreamed.

When the chef embarrasses Sam, she quits and returns home. Unemployed, single, and defeated, she spends a summer working on her family’s orchard cooking and baking alongside the women in her life―including her mother, Deana, and grandmother, Willo. One beloved, flour-flecked, ink-smeared recipe at a time, Sam begins to learn about and understand the women in her life, her family’s history, and her passion for food through their treasured recipe box.

As Sam discovers what matters most she opens her heart to a man she left behind, but who now might be the key to her happiness.

Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman book review

My review
   After reading Practical Magic and The Rules of Magic, I was very eager to read about Maria Owens and what caused her to curse the rest of her family for generations to come.  Magic Lessons is told in the time of the Salem Witch trials.  A time when being an independent woman and especially an independent woman with knowledge of healing is a dangerous time. 

   Although, Magic Lessons is a prequel it is a book that can stand alone.  Very enjoyable read!!  I look forward to reading other books by Alice Hoffman.

I received this book from NetGalley for my honest review.  Thank you to Simon Schuster and NetGalley for a copy of Magic Lessons !!!  4.5 out of 5 stars!!!