The Witching Tide by Margaret Meyer

The Witching Tide takes place in the 1600's in a small village where chaos comes to reign. The story centers around Martha Hallybread, who is known for her caregiving to the residents with her herbs and helping to welcome new babies into this world. She is also house servant to Kit and his wife Agnes. Martha has known Kit since birth and feels very maternal toward him, considering him the son she never had. Agnes is getting ready to give birth herself so it should be a happy time in the household.

However, a stranger comes to town. His name is Master Makepeace and he is on the hunt for any woman who may be a witch. He wants to rid the town of any evil that he deems is detrimental to the area. Martha is mute and uses a sort of sign language to communicate with her loved ones. This proves a disaster in this kind of situation where everyone is on edge and scared for their lives. Anything seems to be suggestive of being a witch and Martha is in Makepeace's sights. 

Kit uses his influence to get Martha a position WITH Makepeace to "examine" and interrogate the women brought forth on charges of being a witch. What's heartbreaking is, that, because it's such a small village, Martha knows everyone and even brought some of their children into the world, so loyalties are tested and heartbreak follows. 

I really have never read anything like this before and I had such mixed emotions reading it. First, the good. The author does a beautiful job describing the scenes, emotions and abject terror these women feel being rounded up.  Her prose is beautiful and I genuinely felt sad in some parts, so that shows I connected with the characters.  Well done there. 

However, I thought it dragged in some places and it took me longer to finish that I would have liked. Once it got going, I found myself finally wanting to come back to it. Also, and this is going to sound nitpicky, but I started getting annoyed with some of the words the author chose to use. There's one I won't mention at all but as far as the other one, boy, did this woman love the word piss.  Isn't there another word she could have used? Oxford dictionary says it's vulgar slang as it is. I read the kindle version so I put a count on it only because it grabbed my attention that it was used a lot. She used it 14 times. 

In any event, it was enjoyable to the point that I wanted to finish it and was glad that I felt some connection to these characters, so if this sounds like your cup of tea, pick it up. Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this opportunity. No review was required. 

 

The Couple in the Photo by Helen Cooper

 

On a normal day at work, Lucy's colleague, Ruth is beaming from her recent honeymoon and sharing photos from her amazing trip to the Maldives. Lucy loves photos and all the happy times they convey, so she is more than happy to look at the pictures. 

While flipping through, Lucy sees a snapshot of Ruth, her new husband and a couple at the resort and is floored to see the man is the husband of her best friend. When Lucy asks about it, Ruth says they are a great couple they met while there. Lucy feels sick. The man is Scott, her best friend Cora's husband, but the woman is NOT Cora. Furthermore, Scott is supposed to be in Tokyo on a business trip. He couldn't be in the Maldives, right?

What follows is a journey and discovery of secrets in a group of a very tight and close friends involving Lucy, her husband Adam and Scott and Cora. They couldn't be closer and their four kids are like siblings. Adam, Scott and Cora were all best friends at university before Lucy entered the picture.  Lucy is torn about digging into the issue knowing it could implode all their lives as they know it. 

Now, my two cents. I really enjoyed reading this book. I thought it moved at a breakneck pace. The only thing is I was 49 percent finished and I had it figured out. I was right about the big part, but there was some small surprise at the end, so overall, it was a great read!  Releases in December 2023 but you can preorder now! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher! No review was required. 

The Bride to Be by Daniel Hurst

 

Kate is getting married! Good news, right?  Well, not so fast. She's not 100 percent sure if her groom to be is the one for her.  After all, Mark can be kind of condescencing, resulting in a lot of hurt feelings. She loves Mark but feels that something is missing. It's just not the fairy tale she expected when she dreamed of getting married. 

One day, while in the bridal store, Kate sees another couple and is instantly taken with the man. He seems ideal in the way he treats HIS wife to be. She's convinced that this couple has the perfect life, the one she always dreamed of. 

What follows is a woman's desperate attempt to feel loved and appreciated. WIthout giving anything away, things unravel quickly. So many things happen to the point where it really starts spiraling out of control to where Kate can't even recognize her own life. 

I thought the book had great premise.  For the most part, I coudn't wait to get back to it. But, I think the author attempted a "twist" at the end and it just fell flat for me. Maybe, if I hadn't been expecting something crazy to happen at the end, I would have liked it better, so that may be on me. Overall though, I would say it was entertaining.  Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for the opportunity! 

The Door to Door Bookstore by Carsten Henn

 

This book is about Carl who is an older gentleman who works in his old friend's bookstore, now taken over by his friend's daughter. Carl actually has a special role in this store. He delivers books to certain customers by walking around town.. One day, he is joined by a little girl who becomes the friend Carl didn't even know he needed, in more ways than one. Times, they are a changing, and we need our loved ones to get by. Suffice to say, this is a story about friends, forgiveness and looking out for one another. 

I think there might be something magical about this book. Here's why. There are so many times I am reading an e-book and I look down and I see I have a lot more to go percentage wise. As I was reading, I got very invested in these characters, looked down at the percentage left and was astonished to see that I was almost finished. I was floored. How did this happen? I don't know except to say that there must be some magic going on here. I really loved it. Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for this opportunity. 

What Happens Next by Christina Suzann Nelson

 

Hello, everyone! 

I was fortunate enough to get an advance copy of What Happens Next by Christina Suzann Nelson. 

Here is a good description from Goodreads: 

Popular podcaster and ex-reporter Faith Byrne has made a name for herself telling stories of greatness after tragedy--but her real life does not mirror the stories she tells. While her daughters spend the summer in Hawaii with her ex-husband and his new wife, she must manage life on her own. But all that changes when she's asked to spotlight her childhood best friend's missing person case on her podcast.

Dora Crane has never accepted that her younger daughter could be dead, keeping her home looking the same as when her daughter disappeared. But when her husband leaves her, and her older daughter intervenes, she agrees to counseling and to pack up her missing daughter's belongings under one condition: Faith Byrne comes to Deep Valley and sheds light on the cold case.

As the investigation moves forward, the two women uncover desperate secrets, and Faith and Dora must face the long-hidden truth before they can begin to move forward.

Award-winning author Christina Suzann Nelson masterfully leads readers on a journey of discovery, healing, and friendship in this suspenseful and poignant tale.

I thought this had such a good premise. I was excited to read it. I thought the characters were pretty memorable and I think the author did a good job in flushing out the whole story.  I also think that it would be good for the YA crowd, only because of  the way it was written. This book is Christian fiction, so there are faith based themes and lessons involved, which was also fine by me. I read it pretty quickly, too.  I think a lot of people will enjoy it when it releases on January 17.  See link below for preorder.  You can also get it on Amazon. 

Click here to buy

Let me know what you think if you get it! I am always interested in hearing people's opinions! Also, what are your reading goals for 2023?

The Secret Society of Salzburg by Renee Ryan

 

Hello all! 
I hope everyone had a happy holiday. Today I bring to you The Secret Society of Salzburg by Renee Ryan. I was graciously given a copy by the publisher (no review was required). Here's a synopsis from Goodreads: 

London, 1933
 
At first glance, Austrian opera singer Elsa Mayer-Braun has little in common with the young English typist she encounters on tour. Yet she and Hattie Featherstone forge an instant connection—and strike a dangerous alliance. Using their friendship as a cover, they form a secret society with a daring goal: to rescue as many Jews as possible from Nazi persecution.
 
Though the war’s outbreak threatens Elsa and Hattie’s network, their efforts attract the covert attention of the British government, offering more opportunities to thwart the Germans. But Elsa’s growing fame as Hitler’s favorite opera singer, coupled with her secret Jewish ancestry, make her both a weapon and a target—until her future, too, hangs in the balance.
 
From the glamorous stages of Covent Garden and Salzburg to the horrors of Bergen-Belsen,  two ordinary women swept up by the tide of war discover an extraordinary friendship—and the courage to save countless lives.
 

This was one of those books where I felt the characters were so real. I also found that it was one of those rare times where I didn't want to "leave" them at the end of the book. I've read other books that take place during that horrible time in history and I am always so saddened. I think it's important that authors write about this and educate as many as they can about this topic. 

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the storyline, the characters and the way everything was described. I thought it was perfectly paced and honestly, I would like to see more about these characters! 

Thank you to the publisher for this opportunity. It was a great book and it's available now! I hope you all have a Happy New Year! 

Locust Lane by Stephen Amidon

 

I got an offer to read Locust Lane by Stephen Amidon via the publisher. In all honesty. I was hesitant at first because I thought it was going to be more of the same of the  type of books I have been reading. 

I'm glad I took the chance because I thought it was really good! 

Here's a synopsis from Goodreads: 

On the surface, Emerson, Massachusetts, is just like any other affluent New England suburb. But when a young woman is found dead in the nicest part of town, the powerful neighbors close ranks to keep their families safe. In this searing novel, Eden Perry’s death kicks off an investigation into the three teenagers who were partying with her that night, each a suspect. Hannah, a sweet girl with an unstable history. Jack, the popular kid with a mean streak. Christopher, an outsider desperate to fit in. Their parents, each with motivations of their own, only complicate the picture: they will do anything to protect their children, even at the others’ expense.

I don't like to say too much because I don't want to give anything away, but  I REALLY enjoyed this book. I find so many books these days don't keep me interested enough to want to get back to it quickly, but this one did and it moved just fast enough without tons of description. And, the best part? It got me at the end even though I was sure I knew the ending.  

Good story, good plot, good topics and good ending. Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity.  This book will release approximately in January 2023. Pick up a copy.  You won't be disappointed.