An Unwanted Guest

 

This is the second book I have read by Shari Lapena and if I had not read one of her books previously I would not have stuck with An Unwanted Guest. It starts so slow. Lots of different characters and a bunch of chapters was spent introducing them before the murder happened. 

Slow start with several new characters introduced quickly. I mixed up some of the male characters at times and had to pause to think of who each one was several times while reading. 

Compared to The Couple Next Door I did not really enjoy An Unwanted Guest the pacing was too slow and the mystery really hard to put together in parts since the reader lacked a lot of information.

Fast Girls

Fast Girls was in the local free library so I figured I would give it a chance.

I liked reading about the different girls but I do feel like the white girls had their story told more then the African American girls which was disappointing.

The "politics" of the racing did not appeal to me that much. I would have rather had more on the girls then the coaches worrying about how it would look having a diverse group of women racing.

Since the story was told from several different points of view it jumped between women but I never got confused or lost on whose part of the story the book was on. The writing was smooth and alright, not too many cliffhangers that left me wanting to read just one more chapter before bed.

The Wedding Promise

 

The Wedding Promise is the second book in the Angel Island series. 

Liza is slowly learning how to run and inn and how expensive it to can be to maintain a historic building. As she continues to renovate the rooms and update the many parts of the inn a young woman visits begging her to host a wedding. Unsure what to say Liza explains the inn is not up to hosting a large wedding and she thinks it best to pass on the opportunity. However the young woman refuses to give up and Liza soon finds herself learning how to host a wedding while continuing to update the inn.

A slow paced story with light hearted moments and exactly what I need with my mental state right now. The writing continues to be consistent and the characters hold true to who they are. I like that the island seems to just fix problems for people and makes the reader believe miracles can happen. I do plan on continuing the series I just have to catch up on some other library books I have checked out first. 

The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart

 

The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart was in the local free library.

Alice knows a life of fear and pain but strong love from her mother. Unable to protect her mother Alice learns to tread softly and keep her father happy above all else. Soon Alice is torn from the only home she knows and sent to live on a flower farm with her Grandmother June where she hopes her life will change for the better. 

I do not like to do reviews on books I do not enjoy. It felt like the overall theme was just sadness and the happy parts of Alice's life were just skimmed over like they did not matter. The writing was nothing special and Alice did not really seem to grow in any way despite the story taking place over her childhood and young adult life. 

Death by Didgeridoo

 

This is the first time I have reviewed a book twice but Death by Dedgeridoo is worth it. 

Jamie Quinn is a divorce attorney and has taken some time off after the death of her mother. Trying to find herself she is thrown into the deep end of criminal law when he cousin is accused of murder. What I like about Jamie is that she is just a normal person who wants to make sure that the wrong person is not sent to prison for murder. Add in moments of light humor and you have a nice cozy read.

Barbara is consentient in her writing, the story line flows smoothly and all the characters have quirks. One other thing I enjoy is the chapters are all similar in length making the reading session more enjoyable. 

The Inn at Angel Island

 

The Inn at Angel Island came out of a free library. I thought it was the first book I had read by Thomas Kinkade and Katherine Spencer but apparently I read a Christmas story by Mr. Kinkade years ago. 

Liza just wants to sell her aunt's old inn and get back to her fancy job in the city but as she drives up to the run down inn memories come flooding back. As one issue after another arises with the inn Liza considers here life and what she really wants. 

The story is slow moving with little action more like a comfort story which is what my mind and heart needed at this time. Even though it is a series the story does wrap up nicely and you get closure on the big questions that were raised during the plot of The Inn at Angel Island. 

Wild Orchid: A Retelling of the "Ballard of Mulan"

 

Wild Orchid is the first retelling of the Ballard of Mulan I have read and it was exactly what I expected it to be. 

Mulan longs to follow her heart and be who she wants to be not what society wants her to be. Lucky for her that is allowed to some extent since her father is off at war and servants are raising her. Unable to have her wild heart tamed with a female's education of sewing and keeping house Mulan convinces her best friend to teach her to read, write, archery, swordsmanship, and how to ride a horse. This serves her well when she decides to forge her own destiny. 

The story is friendly for children since it does not go into details about the brutality of war or intimate moments. The story reads smooth and quickly. No parts were confusing or really deep writing but it was entertaining.