darladoodles
Mid-Continent Public Library
darladoodles's Completed Shelf
A Cozy Christmas BlizzardA Cozy Christmas Blizzard, eBookA Novel
by Macomber, DebbieeBook, 2025eBook, 2025
darladoodles's rating:
Added Dec 05, 2025
darladoodles's rating:
Added Dec 05, 2025
Comment:
I'm giving this four Art Deco stars. Freddie Archer was an engaging columnist and it was exciting to tag along with her all over Manhattan -- and even into Brooklyn.
Here is what I liked about this new read from Julie Mulhern:
💄The character Freddie Archer is based on the famous columist Lois Long. Her pen name was "Lipstick" while Freddie writes as "A Touch of Rouge."
👩🦱 Freddie may wear the latest fashions and write about the amusements of the Gatsby set, but she has a good head on her shoulders. When push comes to shove, she doesn't fall down.
🍸 It is the hey day of the Speakeasy. Freddie seems to know them all and can spot a cheap drink from a block away. The speakeasy is making a comeback, by the way. Have you tried one? We visited an Omaha club that had deliciously complex and colorful drinks and a wall "papered" in neckties.
🕵️♀️ Speaking of booze, there seems to be a battle going on amongst the bootleggers. How will Freddie know who to trust? Can she identify the killer before it is her turn?
When I first read a sneak peek for this book I was underwhelmed. After finishing this first book, I am actually impressed. While I personally prefer Mulhern's Country Club Murders series set in 1970's Kansas City, I will also be on the lookout for a second book about Freddie Archer.
P.S. Caroline Hewitt does a fabulous job bringing Freddie to life in the audio version.I'm giving this four Art Deco stars. Freddie Archer was an engaging columnist and it was exciting to tag along with her all over Manhattan -- and even into Brooklyn.
Here is what I liked about this new read from Julie Mulhern:
💄The character…
darladoodles's rating:
Added Dec 03, 2025
Comment:
All the stars for this Fall-themed romcom from Courtney Walsh.🍁
I CAN'T HELP FALLING for the stories Courtney Walsh tells. This was another winner!
This squeaky-clean romance gave me lots of great vibes. Here are a few:
📕The all-star cover featured in this new 2025 paperback is perfection! If we can't have Owen carrying Emmy out of her burning house, this is the next best thing.
🚒Having a fireman for a leading man is a great way to add a little heat. Did I mention her rescued her from her burning house?
📚Emmy's book store BOOK SMART sounds like a place I would love to hang out. It has books, coffee, baked goods, and a group of retirees called The Coffin Dodgers who have an ongoing game of Scrabble.
🎤We learn early on that Emmy is secretly recording a podcast called THE HOPELESS ROMANTIC. I it hopeless for her to swoon over the scenes in movies like The Notebook, You've Got Mail, and Pride & Prejudice? Should she switch to practical?
✉ Practical in Poughkeepsie is a bit skeptical about romance. We know who he is. When will Emmy find out? Love the 'You've God Mail' vibes on this trope.
This read is a part of a broader series called "Sweater Weather." I zeroed in on this one as I knew I would love a book from Courtney Walsh. May have to try one of the other titles next year. Now I need to get back to my Christmas reading.All the stars for this Fall-themed romcom from Courtney Walsh.🍁
I CAN'T HELP FALLING for the stories Courtney Walsh tells. This was another winner!
This squeaky-clean romance gave me lots of great vibes. Here are a few:
📕The all-star cover…
Melrose and CrocMelrose and Croc, BookA Christmas to Remember
by Chichester Clark, EmmaBook, 2006Book, 2006
darladoodles's rating:
Added Dec 03, 2025
Comment:
A croc and a dog all alone in the big city at Christmas. 🐊🐕
This will be the moment when their lives change and they have a friend for life. 🎅🎄
I read the other books in this series earlier this year, but saved this one for the Christmas season.
Here are some lovely things about this read:
✨The snowy scene on the cover sparkles with glitter. Melrose and Croc are skating together after their first meeting at the ice rink.
🎅Croc is in town to meet Santa. He misses the big guy and feels lost. Watch for the pic where Melrose drives right past him in the street.
⛄ It's a winter wonderland at the ice rink. Melrose has been hoping for a friend for Christmas. Soon he will bump right into Croc.
🚗 My favorite picture shows Melrose driving his signature red convertible with a big Christmas tree in the back seat and Croc riding in the passenger seat.
A new friend is a delightful Christmas surprise.🎅🎄A croc and a dog all alone in the big city at Christmas. 🐊🐕
This will be the moment when their lives change and they have a friend for life. 🎅🎄
I read the other books in this series earlier this year, but saved this one for the Christmas…
darladoodles's rating:
Added Dec 02, 2025
Comment:
It's a new year in the Heffley household and Greg begins his diary entries on New Year's Day.
The fun doesn't stop until school is out for the summer and he runs out of paper.
Here are some highlights:
👩🦱 Greg's mom is the only female in the house (like I was). I have a soft spot in my heart for her. Greg hates waiting for the bathroom in the mornings and borrows his mom's robe. It's life-changing!
🧺 When Greg has to start doing his own laundry, he finds creative ways to avoid it. You will be surprised at how long he can last with just the clothes available to him.
🏡 The Snella family across the street is determined to get a home video on "America's Funniest Families." They host a half-birthday party for their youngest and have the neighbors line up to try and make him smile. Roll the cameras!
⚽ Greg's dad encourages him to try soccer. His lack of skill does not keep him from ending up in the goalie box. . . and getting his picture in the newspaper. 🌼It's a new year in the Heffley household and Greg begins his diary entries on New Year's Day.
The fun doesn't stop until school is out for the summer and he runs out of paper.
Here are some highlights:
👩🦱 Greg's mom is the only female in the…
Mr. Willowby's Christmas TreeMr. Willowby's Christmas Tree, Book
by Barry, Robert E.Book, 2000Book, 2000
darladoodles's rating:
Added Dec 01, 2025
Comment:
Poor Mr. Willowby. That tree is too tall for the designated spot in the parlor. 🎄
The butler whips out an axe and now the tree fits. 🪓
What to do with the top? 🌲
So begins the tale of Mr. Willowby's Christmas tree. 🎄
Miss Adelaide is presented with that tree top. What will she do with the piece that doesn't quite fit in her designated spot?
In this delightful little tale, the top of the tree is cut off and passed down until it finally reaches the mouse family who live just inside the hole at the bottom of the tree in Mr. Willowby's parlor.🐁
I discovered this book several years ago when I was collecting reads to share in a Kindergarten class. It has become such a favorite that this year I bought my own copy. Now I won't have to wait for my turn to come up at the local library.
There's a sequel out this year, too: Mr. Willowby's Head Over Heels Christmas. Can't wait to get ahold of that book and see if it is as good as this first book.Poor Mr. Willowby. That tree is too tall for the designated spot in the parlor. 🎄
The butler whips out an axe and now the tree fits. 🪓
What to do with the top? 🌲
So begins the tale of Mr. Willowby's Christmas tree. 🎄
Miss Adelaide is…
Bones and BerserkersBones and Berserkers, Graphic Novel13 True Tales of Terror
by Hale, NathanGraphic Novel, 2025Graphic Novel, 2025
darladoodles's rating:
Added Nov 30, 2025
Comment:
Five disburbing stars for this unlucky thirteenth installment in the Nathan Hale's Hazardour Tales.
Please do skip this one if you are under the age of ten. If I were to make the decision of where to shelve this one, I would put it in the YA section.
As an adult and a fan of the Hazardous Tales, this was well worth the time I spent reading.
Here's why:
1️⃣3️⃣ stories with a good amount of creepiness and history entwined. See page 125 for a rundown on which parts were facts and which were folklore (or a silly add-on in the case of "Death By a Thousand Butts."
🥇🥉Congrats to Nathan Hale for his thirteenth book. According to a note on page 124, the artwork for this book was created in 68 days -- a personal record.
✍Hale takes a page to promote short stories. He includes tips on finding anthologies at your local library and bookstores. He loves the fact that if a short story gets boring, you can just skip to the next one.
📚There is a diverse range of stories and I recognized information from books I have read in the past like The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women and Loving Frank. My favorite was "Who is Dead in the White House" about a dream that Abe had three days before his assassination.
🥜Finally, have no fear. The peanut gallery is in rare form as the Nathan Hale from history waits out a rainstorm with the Hangman, the Provost, and Bill Richmond.Five disburbing stars for this unlucky thirteenth installment in the Nathan Hale's Hazardour Tales.
Please do skip this one if you are under the age of ten. If I were to make the decision of where to shelve this one, I would put it in the YA…
Dear Pen PalDear Pen Pal, eAudiobook
by Frederick, Heather VogeleAudiobook, 2015eAudiobook, 2015
Available
darladoodles's rating:
Added Nov 29, 2025
Comment:
"Mothers and daughters whether of the old school or the new . . . are recommended to read Jean Webster's delightfully sparkling and spontaneous little love story Daddy-Long-Legs." ~ Life Magazine (April 10, 1913)
The girls in the Mother/Daughter Book Club are in the eighth grade and reading Jean Webster books together. So, besides the book club what else is new with the Concord girls?
👱♀️ Jess Delaney has been awarded a scholarship to a local girls' boarding school called Colonial Academy. How will her experiences there add to the reading of Jean Webster? Will she find out how she was nominated for such an honor?
👩🦱 Megan Wong is delighted to have her Gigi come live with them, but conflict arises when the two click so well together and Megan's mom feels pushed out. What will we see Megan creating with her design gifts this year?
👧Cassidy Sloane has a new stepdad and there are more changes coming in her household. When a prank goes wrong, Cassidy is given a very interesting assignment. How will it change her life?
👩Emma Hawthorne has new responsibilities as newspaper editor of the Walden Woodsman. How will she learn to use her pen and help her fellow students?
📚 Heather Vogel Frederick once again does such a fantastic job of incorporating quotes from the classics and mirroring the plots in fresh and modern ways. Really love this series!
🎧I tried listening to this one for part of my read and really appreciated the way the different narrators helped distinguish the four voices telling the story.
P.S. Do you, like me, wonder if you should read Daddy-Long-Legs before or after picking up this book? I read it before and enjoyed this book so much that now I want to read Dear Enemy and possibly Just Patty.🥰
Next up: Pies & Prejudice"Mothers and daughters whether of the old school or the new . . . are recommended to read Jean Webster's delightfully sparkling and spontaneous little love story Daddy-Long-Legs." ~ Life Magazine (April 10, 1913)
The girls in the Mother/Daughter…
darladoodles's rating:
Added Nov 29, 2025
Comment:
Jerusha Abbott has been living a life in Black & White at an orphan asylum.
An anonymous trustee sends her to college and her life becomes technicolor.
Jerusha becomes Judy and regularly writes to her benefactor -- referring to him as Daddy-Long-Legs.
Why I loved this read:
📚I've been reading The Mother-Daughter Book Club series by Heather Vogel Frederick. The third book is Dear Pen Pal and features this classic.
💌This book is in epistolary format. I enjoy the many clues we glean just from reading Judy's letters to the man who has given her such a gift.
🧑🎓Judy is a delightful FMC. Her letters to Daddy-Long-Legs show them growing closer as her education progresses and she recognizes what a gift she has been given. But, who is he???
❓Jean Webster does a great job of revealing the identity of Daddy-Long-Legs bit by bit. It is the very last letter when we witness the two meeting in person.
Bonus love: the cover! The pink background with Judy in the tree dreaming and studying and a glimpse of Daddy-Long-Legs in the lower corner is perfection!
Not sure if I will read the sequel? I have 'Dear Pen Pal' cued up on my Libby app. Will see if I want to read Dear Enemy after finishing that one.🥰Jerusha Abbott has been living a life in Black & White at an orphan asylum.
An anonymous trustee sends her to college and her life becomes technicolor.
Jerusha becomes Judy and regularly writes to her benefactor -- referring to him as…
darladoodles's rating:
Added Nov 28, 2025
Comment:
There is a new team member helping the InvestiGators -- it's YOU!
This ninth InvestiGator installment is interactive. Brash has developed a new system called G.R.I.D. (Gator Reasoning, Inquiry, and Deduction.
Here's where you come in:
🔍As clues are discovered, they are entered into the G.R.I.D. After each row of three boxes is filled, Mango and Brash have a short meeting with their team (including the reader).
🎣Red Herrings are emiminated in three rounds. Leave it to the production team to include a fox named Fred Herring.
🐊Mango and Brash start with 'The Missing Mayo Mystery,' and continue on to solve 'The Baking -Soda Boggler,' 'The Wandering Wugget Mystery,' 'The Carnival Conumdrm,' 'The Hologram Holo-Headache,' and 'The Electric Enigma Encounter --' with your help.
6️⃣Each of the six mystery 'chapters' will give you chance to hone your craft at detecting and at the end of the book you can practice drawing Fred Herring.🦊
📚 If you have been following the series, this one will not disappoint. The punny word play is at its best including Matt Ress's Mattresses, Mattresses, owned by Matt Ress. Put your thinking cap on and get ready!
Can YOU crack the case?🐊There is a new team member helping the InvestiGators -- it's YOU!
This ninth InvestiGator installment is interactive. Brash has developed a new system called G.R.I.D. (Gator Reasoning, Inquiry, and Deduction.
Here's where you come in:
🔍As clues…
darladoodles's rating:
Added Nov 28, 2025
Comment:
A strangely unsettling read that will tie you up in a pretzel as you contemplate house plans and family trees. 🥨
After reading Strange Pictures, I discovered there was another read by Uketsu available and put myself on the Hold list at my library. It was worth the wait.
Here is what I liked:
🏠It all begins with an inquiry to the author on the decision to purchase a house. There is a strange anomaly in the blueprint that leads to much discussion and to other strange houses.
👩👩👦👦Who was the family who lived in that strange house? Where have they gone? Why was their house built that way? So many questions! I wanted to know the answers.
🤔By the end, I had learned more about this family and their house than expected. Uketsu puts together quite a story. There may have been an loose end or two, but the surprise at the end really elevates the read.
😨This read is listed in the horror genre, but it is the kind of horror that creeps up on you- bit by bit. It is subtle and stealthy. Uketsu immerses you in the investigation and what a ride it is. Just to think about it still leaves me unsettled.
For my linear brain and preference for visual cues, this read was a swift and satisfying one. Would definitely recommend for those looking to read a mystery with some horror elements and immersion in the Japanese culture.A strangely unsettling read that will tie you up in a pretzel as you contemplate house plans and family trees. 🥨
After reading Strange Pictures, I discovered there was another read by Uketsu available and put myself on the Hold list at my library.…
darladoodles's rating:
Added Nov 27, 2025
Comment:
Lily and her fellow contestants can make THE COMPOUND a paradise. 🕌
Or they can take it down in flames (some figurative). 🔥
If you have watched any reality TV in the past decades, you can guess which way it will go. 🤔
Watching it happen is going to keep those pages turning. 📚
I know! My reading profile does not seem like a good match for this read, yet I am giving it four stars.
Here's why:
👱♀️Our gorgeous narrator LILY is tailor-made for this Love Island-type show. She loves to look good and knows how to make the most of her assets. And she seems to be motivated enough to stay in The Compound to strategize.
🎥No matter how empowered the contestants feel, the producers rule the roost. It's like believing you can really get the upper hand in a casino. Forget it! The deck is stacked against you.
💰Rather than dangle a sum of money in front of the participants (like Survivor), any reward must be worked for either as a group challenge or individually. How does this affect the relationships inside? How does it impact the participants afterward?
🕵️♀️While this is classified as sci-fi, the opportunity to examine human nature is a constant. How do the women use their wiles to gain advantages? How about the superior strength for the men? If a couple bonds early on, will they remain loyal?
I was fascinated by this read and my lack of interest in ever participating in such a contest is firmly in place. The worldbuilding for The Compound was focused on the set of the show. What was going on outside was barely alluded. Plus or minus? You can read this book and decide. I am in the minus camp.Lily and her fellow contestants can make THE COMPOUND a paradise. 🕌
Or they can take it down in flames (some figurative). 🔥
If you have watched any reality TV in the past decades, you can guess which way it will go. 🤔
Watching it happen is…
darladoodles's rating:
Added Nov 25, 2025
Comment:
Daisy, Daisy 🌼
Give me your answer, Do . . .
Someone was half crazy -- all for the love of you. . .💔
What a strange invitation -- to be invited to the 40th birthday party of your former roommate. With a
And she has been dead for twenty years!
Thanks to a wee bit of emotional blackmail, four of Daisy's former flatmates and 'friends' are gathering, hoping to keep their secrets under wraps.
What I liked:
📖 This began as quite the page-turner. Having the former roommates gather and point fingers at each other was a compelling premise.
🔴🐠 Sue Watson does manage to fill the narrative pool with a plethora of red herrings. It was entertaining . . . until it just got tired.
🎧 A podcast called The Killer Question is the force behind the search for the real killer. They were pretty aggressive and it makes sense as you learn more about them. Smart or manipulative? You decide.
As we dig deeper into the lives of our main characters, the details get very sordid. Too much information for me.
Kudos to the audio production. Fiona Hardingham; Elizabeth Knowelden; Alex Wyndham; Moira Quirk; Mirai; Lucy Rayner; Henrietta Meire; Brenda Scott Wlazlo; and Tim Campbell really brought this group of adults in arrested development to life.Daisy, Daisy 🌼
Give me your answer, Do . . .
Someone was half crazy -- all for the love of you. . .💔
What a strange invitation -- to be invited to the 40th birthday party of your former roommate. With a
And she has been dead for twenty…
darladoodles's rating:
Added Nov 24, 2025
Comment:
This tender tale brought me back to the Adirondacks for the second time this month.
My previous visit was via Please Don't Lie and I much preferred this latter visit.
The loon on the cover is an apt representation for this literary title. The images evoked of Catwood Pond and the little family living on its banks are all connected and brought to us with a bit of magic.
Some of my favorite things about Cricket's story:
👴Cricket's father Arthur is in need of a caregiver. Older sister Nina has been bearing that burden and now it is Cricket's turn. As the younger and somewhat aimless family member, Cricket will need to grow into her role. And she does, beautifully.
🤗An Alzheimer's diagnosis is much dreaded and can take a huge toll on the caregiver. In this story there are unexpected magical moments as Arthur's observations come from a new dimension of his brain. I have a friend whose parent was estranged and combative before the diagnosis, but became childlike and an amiable companion after.
🐈Dominic, the family cat, is a faithful companion to his owner. They debate over his need for extensive dental work. It is worth it!
📚While this book swerves too much into 'woo-woo' territory for me, there is a moment when Cricket practices Bibiomancy that will really tug at your heartstrings. See the inscription she discovers below:
"For Cricket, on her tenth birthday:
The truth is yours to divine; the future is yours to design.
With love from your many animal friends--and of course, your adoring father." ~ Take it from me, it's perfect.This tender tale brought me back to the Adirondacks for the second time this month.
My previous visit was via Please Don't Lie and I much preferred this latter visit.
The loon on the cover is an apt representation for this literary title. The…
darladoodles's rating:
Added Nov 23, 2025
Comment:
Are we in Egypt right now? Cause one of these three narrators is in de-Nile. 😁
I am an outlier on the positive side once again, but it is my opinion that Ruth Mancini has crafted another amazing read.
Once I began listening to Lauren's story, then heard from Hope and Andrew -- I was hooked!🎣 So glad I also had the digital copy to help move things along.
Here is what I loved:
👶Little Sam is at the heart of the narrative. Who is really his mother?
👩Lauren seems to have been dealt a bad hand. In Spain with little Sam, but having to keep their whereabouts a secret.
👱♀️Hope appears to be a bereaved mother just waiting for her baby to be returned. Why does the story she is telling the police keep changing?
👱♂️Andrew is Hope's husband, but seems to be at odds with her on their strategy for getting Sam back. Could it be true that the three had a surrogacy arrangement that went awry? Was he having an affair with Lauren?
📕As Mancini lays out the facts of the story, we start putting the pieces together. I love that feeling of order being restored as the pages go by. There are some very sad situations and unique solutions. In the end, we are left with hope.Are we in Egypt right now? Cause one of these three narrators is in de-Nile. 😁
I am an outlier on the positive side once again, but it is my opinion that Ruth Mancini has crafted another amazing read.
Once I began listening to Lauren's story,…
Once Upon A Christmas CarolOnce Upon A Christmas Carol, BookA Christmas Novella
by Carlson, MelodyBook, 2025Book, 2025
darladoodles's rating:
Added Nov 22, 2025
Comment:
Carol (a decorator) is determined to escape the holiday rat race and spend her birthday in the Bahamas.
She has packed a carry-on and leaves Seattle in a light sweater and sandals.
Her plane lands in Michigan in the middle of a blizzard.
Now what?!
I absolutely loved this new Christmas read from Melody Carlson. Here's why:
🎅Carol discovers that she has an estranged Aunt Maria living near the Grand Rapids airport. Hopefully it won't be too awkward to get a shower and sleep in a bed instead of hanging out at the airport.
🎄She is told to watch for a red pickup. Someone named Victor will bring her out to the farm. She is so relieved to discover that TDH Victor is not her cousin. Does she really need to take that trip?
🎅Carol's decorating skills come in handy at Aunt Maria's house and at the annual Cotillion. It turns out that Aunt Maria broke her arm. Having Carol there is a blessing.
🎄Not only will Carol get to know her aunt, but new conversations will bring forgiveness and fellowship with Carol's mom.
🎅Carol raids Aunt Maria's closet to dress for the cotillion in a Gunne Sax dress. Anyone else remember those? I would buy patterns and make my own in the 1980's.
🎄God bless us, everyone! is the ending line for Dickens 'A Christmas Carol' and that line would most definitely apply to this Christmas carol.
I also might add that covers help make the book and this one is no exception. Just love the light coming from the decorated farmhouse and the red truck parked outside.Carol (a decorator) is determined to escape the holiday rat race and spend her birthday in the Bahamas.
She has packed a carry-on and leaves Seattle in a light sweater and sandals.
Her plane lands in Michigan in the middle of a blizzard.
Now…
darladoodles's rating:
Added Nov 22, 2025
Comment:
Margo is stressed!
Don't get in her way!
Here is what I liked about this debut thriller:
🏡For young couples, finding a starter house can be so difficult these days. Margo and Ian have been going round and round on that house searching merry-go-round for too long!
🤱Margo's biological clock is ticking and she feels like a bomb about to go off. Her husband Ian seems to be supportive, but is her really keeping up his end of the marriage vows?
🕵️♀️When Margo finds a possible avenue to securing a house, she becomes an amateur sleuth. She is like a bloodhound on the scent.
🤩Color me surprised to find how riveted I was to this read. I zipped right through in less than 24 hours. Will definitely be looking for more reads from Marisa Kashino.
One additional note: did anyone else visualize Lily from 'Modern Family' when reading about Penny, the adopted daughter of the homeowners?
Thank you to Celadon Books and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.Margo is stressed!
Don't get in her way!
Here is what I liked about this debut thriller:
🏡For young couples, finding a starter house can be so difficult these days. Margo and Ian have been going round and round on that house searching…
darladoodles's rating:
Added Nov 21, 2025
Comment:
In this third volume of the Christmas series, Elfhelm and the Christmas traditions are once again in jeopardy. Father Vodol is up to his nasty tricks again. Can Amelia help Father Christmas make things right?🎅
J and I decided to read this one together and find out. After finishing today, we discussed our favorite chapters. For J it was "The Elves on the Doorstep." An inflammatory newspaper is being published with lies about Father Christmas, Mary, and Amelia. When the elves gather outside Father Christmas's house and a riot erupts, Mary hits Father Vodol over the head with her frying pan and the contents slide down on his head. Quite a surprising development.🤯
My favorite chapter was "Toys That Spin or Bounce." Amelia needs to find work to do in Elfhelm so Father Christmas sends her to help the elves make toys. As you might guess it is not as easy as it looks. Reminded me of "Elf," one of my favorite Christmas movies.🎄
Since we have already read one Christmas book this year, our next read will be an abbreviated version of "A Christmas Carol" from the Barbour Family Christmas Treasury.📕In this third volume of the Christmas series, Elfhelm and the Christmas traditions are once again in jeopardy. Father Vodol is up to his nasty tricks again. Can Amelia help Father Christmas make things right?🎅
J and I decided to read this one…
All She Ever WantedAll She Ever Wanted, eAudiobook
by Austin, LynneAudiobook, 2006eAudiobook, 2006
Available
darladoodles's rating:
Added Nov 21, 2025
Comment:
"Let what we suffer teach us to be merciful
Let our sins teach us to forgive."
When you open a Lynn Austin book, you can be assured of a good story to come. This one does not disappoint. It's a multi-generational tale that gives us a front row seat to many happenings in history including the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, World War II, and on up to the early 2000's when the book was published.
Why read a book that is already more than twenty years old? We are still tempted to run from our problems like the four generations in this book:
💍Fiona - escapes starvation and servanthood in Ireland only to enter bondage here in a different way in the Roaring Twenties. Will she ever be free?
🪖Eleanor - we first meet her as a discouraged and destitute housewife. What circumstances from her Depression-era upbringing and service during the war brought her to such a low point?
➕Kathleen - has separated herself from her family to follow a path to prosperity. What has she left behind?
💅Joelle - caught shoplifting at the beginning of the book and in need of a better understanding of her mother and the generations before. Can Joelle and Kathleen still reconcile with each other and the past?
📖The Story - Lynn Austin does not structure the narrative in a linear fashion. Her story follows a much different course and we have a better understanding of these women and the impact of the gospel in their lives by the end.
"But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. "~ 1 Timothy 1:16(ESV)"Let what we suffer teach us to be merciful
Let our sins teach us to forgive."
When you open a Lynn Austin book, you can be assured of a good story to come. This one does not disappoint. It's a multi-generational tale that gives us a front row seat…
darladoodles's rating:
Added Nov 20, 2025
Comment:
It's a Smoky Mountain Christmas for Liz Holloway.🎅
Her hotshot NYC beau has just dumped her and she returns home for Christmas in Tennessee with her tail between her legs.🎄
Here are some things I liked about this holiday read:
👩🌾 Liz's mama Loretta has been holding down the fort at Crestwood Farm. She is hands on, getting out there to do the chores alongside the farm hands. Loretta insists that Liz help out while she is home.
👩 Liz has been living the high life and coming home is a big change. The residents around their farm have not seen her for years with the exception of Nan's funeral.
💌 A stack of Nan's old letters will be the key to moving forward with the future of the farm. A handsome visitor to the area named Paul Dawson will also shake things up this Christmas.
This was a clean, entertaining read. I enjoyed it! Could totally visualize it on the Hallmark Christmas Channel.It's a Smoky Mountain Christmas for Liz Holloway.🎅
Her hotshot NYC beau has just dumped her and she returns home for Christmas in Tennessee with her tail between her legs.🎄
Here are some things I liked about this holiday read:
👩🌾 Liz's mama…
darladoodles's rating:
Added Nov 20, 2025
Comment:
Three sisters plus a Yellowstone catastrophe from 1959 = All the stars!🌟
A big thank you to my friend, the terrific Tina, for her recommendation. I might have missed this book otherwise.
Meet the Reilly sisters:
🤱Claire - She is living the dream with her cowboy husband in Yellowstone. They have a baby girl named Jenny and are subsisting on a shoe string. How long can you live on love?
👩⚕️Bridget - is the responsible one who has stayed with her dad in Minnesota. She is a nurse and accepted a post at Mammoth inside the park for a short-term job. Hopefully this experience will help her get a job at Mayo Clinic -- her dream.
👧Franny - the baby in the family and the wild child. Her conflicts with the Reilly patriarch have her spending the rest of the summer with Claire. She has ideas of her own.
Why you should read about the Reilly girls:
🏞 The Yellowstone setting was a draw for me. My sister lives near West Yellowstone. The Western setting will appeal to many. It is also 1959 and the park was much more open and wild then. Claire's husband Red is a real-life cowboy!🤠
🌊 In addition to the sister dynamics, the story has them experiencing the 1959 Hebgen Lake Earthquake. I was not aware of this particular national disaster and it was fascinating to read about what happened and how it changed the park.
Bonus note: Have your tissues handy! In the aftermath of the earthquake there are some high moments of emotion and many prayers lifted up for help. Highly recommended!
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth give way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. ~ Psalm 46:1-3Three sisters plus a Yellowstone catastrophe from 1959 = All the stars!🌟
A big thank you to my friend, the terrific Tina, for her recommendation. I might have missed this book otherwise.
Meet the Reilly sisters:
🤱Claire - She is living the…
darladoodles's rating:
Added Nov 18, 2025
Comment:
What is the wife of "the man who invented Christmas" to do if she is feeling a bit Scrooge-like on Christmas Eve?
This novella is an inspiring retelling of the classic story by Charles Dickens and features Catherine (Kate) Dickens, his beloved wife.
Why read this new release?
🎄Kate is tired, pregnant with their tenth child, and still mourning the death of a baby earlier in the year. All the celebrating is just too many details. I think we can all relate.
🎄In the midst of the Dickens Christmas Eve party, Kate takes a break from the festivities and finds herself transported to a precious memory from when their were just four little Dickens and they went to the toy store. Lesson: "We take the good with the bad. And there is always good."
🎄A second visit to the past reminds her of the way she felt when they were engaged. The lesson from that visit: "Happiness is a choice."
🎄Her third visit to the past takes her to the Christmas Day service in Edinburgh when she was just seven. The lesson: Do we feel the wonder in this prophecy being fulfilled: a child was born, a Son was given, and He was, and is, the Everlasting Prince of Peace.
🎄In addition to this delightful tale, there are illustrations that reflect the Victorian era setting. And at the end of the book you will find notes on Victorian Christmas traditions and A Christmastide Calendar.
This book was just what I expected and I hope many others will enjoy its inspiring message this Christmas season.What is the wife of "the man who invented Christmas" to do if she is feeling a bit Scrooge-like on Christmas Eve?
This novella is an inspiring retelling of the classic story by Charles Dickens and features Catherine (Kate) Dickens, his beloved…
darladoodles's rating:
Added Nov 18, 2025
Comment:
Five Mama Bear Stars for this first book in the Stillhouse Lake series.🐻
Here is what made this an amazing read:
🚣♀️The Tennessee lake setting was at times atmospheric and always appropriate for the story. A lake that is intended for recreation becomes a tool for a murderer.
👩👧👦Gwen Proctor has been on the run for years with her two children. Having your husband convicted as a serial killer will make you a pariah before you can even check your socials. How has she managed to keep ahead of the haters?
❓Did she know? Or didn't she? Many around her have made up their minds. What is the truth?
You will discover the answer for certain in this narrative and that will lead us to Book #2.
👩Reading this book will help you learn some survival tips should you have to drop off the grid. It doesn't hurt for all of us to be more safetly conscious and less trusting in our online lives.
🥳I am really late to the party on this one, but a recent message from my GR friend Bianca made me realize it was time to move this book off my TBR tower and into the Currently Reading slot.
Now that I have finished the first book, I know I want to read the next one. I'll see you at Killman Creek.Five Mama Bear Stars for this first book in the Stillhouse Lake series.🐻
Here is what made this an amazing read:
🚣♀️The Tennessee lake setting was at times atmospheric and always appropriate for the story. A lake that is intended for recreation…
The Ferryman and His WifeThe Ferryman and His Wife, Book
by Grytten, Frode/ Mccullough, Alison (TRN)Book, 2025Book, 2025
darladoodles's rating:
Added Nov 16, 2025
Comment:
With literary fiction, your mind gets so wrapped up in the prose. You need to take a step back once you finish and contemplate.
Here are some things I liked:
⛴Nils Vik spent his life as a ferryman. His beloved wife Marta has proceeded him in death. This is his last day. His last time crossing the fjord.
🧑🦰Marta was the love of his life. They had two daughters. Nils has thought of her every hour since she passed and hopes to see her again on the other side.
🌅The story begins at sunrise and we spend the day on the ferry with Nils. Riding along are the memories from his decades on the fjord. People, experiences, emotions, and log book notes tell us of his years on the ferry.
🐶His beloved dog Luna is his copilot. When Luna died he was seventeen. At the age of 68, Nils is about the same age (dog years calculation).
As I was reading I noted similarities to Claire Keegan. Sure enough, the very last note in my copy mentions dialogue with Claire Keegan and others while writing the book.With literary fiction, your mind gets so wrapped up in the prose. You need to take a step back once you finish and contemplate.
Here are some things I liked:
⛴Nils Vik spent his life as a ferryman. His beloved wife Marta has proceeded him in…
Detective BeansDetective Beans, Graphic NovelAdventures in Cat Town
by Chen, LiGraphic Novel, 2025Graphic Novel, 2025
darladoodles's rating:
Added Nov 16, 2025
Comment:
Our favorite little cat detective is back with a book full of adventures.😻
Here are some notes on what you will find inside:
🕵️♂️Our little friend Beans is still determined to make a career as a detective. Too bad the cases are few and far between. While he waits, his BFF Biscuits is filming his memoir.
📚There are many chapters included with little vignettes that are loosely connected. We also get to see some original productions by Beans like a little newspaper and his homemade comic strips. His creative spelling choices are a hoot.
🤣Heartwarming and full of humor, you will smile as you see Beans and all his supporting characters go about their days. One of my favorites was Bean's Day at the Beach. On the way he claims to spy a polar bear at a bus stop. Biscuits and Mom think he is joking. Then when they go to buy ice cream on the beach, Mr. Brickle is there in a polar bear costume selling his unique ice cream flavors.🍦
🧩Stay tuned after the last chapter for some extra "Bits & Bobs" including a Word Find and a Crossword to see how well you remember the details in the book.
If you loved the first Detective Beans, this is actually a bit more fun. All the little stories give Li Chen an excuse to include lots more characters. Great fun!Our favorite little cat detective is back with a book full of adventures.😻
Here are some notes on what you will find inside:
🕵️♂️Our little friend Beans is still determined to make a career as a detective. Too bad the cases are few and far…
Comment: