I read a LOT of books in 2022. Most didn't make it to my Goodreads list because of time constraints. Or I forgot. Some books were written prior to 2022, but I just discovered them or got to them on my long waiting list. I'm starting out with a few, and I hope to come back with more reviews soon. However, these authors keep writing new books to read, so I might just review their latest.
There is something for everyone on my list. Historical suspense. Light Romance. Cozies. I hope you find something to try and enjoy the heck out of it.
Two women. One a daughter of light. The other deliciously wicked. When Maude Price loses her spirit guide, she reluctatnly turns for help to a woman with zero psychic abilities but a talent for putting on a believable show. While Maude, who desires to help people, struggles with her conscience, Clementine Watkins, who doesn't have one, drags her client into a web of deceit that she may not be able to escape. It's a battle between good and evil. Which will win? I promise you an ending you'll remember.
I've enjoyed all Taylor Blakemore's historical suspense, including After Alice Fell and The Companion.
When the members of a mediocre (at best) metal band are confronted with a young girl who claims to be the daughter of one of the band members, the question becomes...which one? The story weaves seemlessly between the present dilemna and the past, where the band's namesake has a penchant for being in the right place at the right time. This heartwarming tale explores the meaning of fatherhood and family. Part Forest Gump, part Spinal Tap, all good. A perfect gift for dad.
Author Ellen Byron has a new series! In Bayou Book Thief, the author returns to her beloved New Orleans, where protagonist Ricki James returns after her husband is killed in a freak accident while filming for social media. Ricki's love of Vintage Cookbooks gets her a job at Bon Vee Culinary House Museum, running their gift shop. Secrets from the past emerge. Engaging characters, funny dialogue, and a setting you'll fall in love with.
Byron's books are always a treat, including those she writes under Maria DiRico.
When Jessica Cleary takes up running the Arizona hiking trails, she finds more than a way to deal with the loss of her father. She literally stumbles over a corpse, and she senses she's being watched. She soon realizes that the solitude chosen by upscale residents comes at a cost. It makes them the perfect targets for an ancient evil. The book is scary and packed with action, but nothing that gave me nightmares. The perfect horror novel.
I look forward to reading her second novel, Foster. (And not just because it's the hubby's name.) A talented newcomer to watch.
A wonderful tale about two broken people who find healing in each other in the small, island town of Whispering Pines. Cherry Waites is shocked and humiliated to find her husband is cheating on her, so she accepts a teaching job on an isolated island where she can start again. When she meets Matteo Capin, his cantakerous disposition is at odds with Cherry's naturally sunny personality, but a friendship develops, and soon she's wondering about the story behind Matteo's unsociability. An absolutely satisfying read.
