Category Archives: Book Spotlight

Cover Crush: The Garden by Nick Newman

Posted on by
Reply

Whenever I come across a story that entails a walled garden, a boarded house, and eccentric siblings or people in general; I’ve got to check it out! I just hope it isn’t as dark and depressing as the last book I read and couldn’t finish.

Isn’t this book cover beautiful?!

I have an ARC of this book from the publishers through NetGalley for an honest review. My review will probably be posted a week or two before the publishing date. –Stephanie

About the book:

Pub Date Feb 18 2025

PENGUIN GROUP Putnam

304 Pages

Description:

In a place and time unknown, two elderly sisters live in a walled garden, secluded from the outside world. Evelyn and Lily have only ever known each other. What was before the garden, they have forgotten; what lies beyond it, they do not know. Each day is spent in languid service to their home: tending the bees, planting the crops, and dutifully following the instructions of the almanac written by their mother.

When a nameless boy is found hiding in the boarded house at the center of their isolated grounds, their once-solitary lives are irrevocably disrupted. Who is he? Where did he come from? And most importantly, what does he want?

As suspicions gather and allegiances falter, Evelyn and Lily are forced to confront the dark truths about themselves, the garden, and the world as they’ve known.

Reader’s Log 023: Current Read and Difficult Passages

Posted on by
1

Differentiating between red herrings and explicit content for shock value or book sales in mystery-thrillers.  

Today, I thought I would share a book I’m currently reading and discuss a little about difficult passages that may be disturbing, or what one may feel is inappropriate. Oftentimes, a reader can come across a scene where they wished they hadn’t read or wish they had just skipped over entirely. But what should one do if they’re reviewing a book for the publisher or author and come across this problem? Should they just give up on the book entirely, or power through it, hoping for the best? Personally, I really think it depends on a few things.

Firstly, it depends on the type of reader you are and what you can handle or not handle. I’ve noticed through the decades the different stages I’ve gone through with reading material. What I will tolerate, what I deemed appropriate or inappropriate. What disturbs me and so forth… Like, is it just for shock value for book sales or does it serve a purpose to drive plot of the story? Does it attest to the character’s human nature and lifestyle? What are the purposes of these scenes?

There can also be that the theme or scene-if you will-upsets one’s psyche on a personal level. One must consider these things when reading physiological thrillers and literature as a whole. If you are a reader who reads widely, even then one can have limits and there is nothing wrong with that; one must use discernment in all things.

I’m currently reviewing an ARC of, “The Last Room on the Left” by Leah Konen at the invite via email from the publishers, and I’ve come across two difficult but brief scenes I could have-in all honestly- done without. It seriously had me pause and considered if I wanted to finish this story or not. The next morning, I reflected more on whether or not to continue with the story. The pause had me ask myself the question whether or not the difficult but brief scenes were a red herring or just shock value. As I read further, I came to the conclusion that they are definitely red herrings. To be honest, the old me would have probably given up on the book entirely. I’m glad I didn’t in this case and I believe the author did a good job with writing these scenes without dragging it out. They serve the right purpose in story-telling, in my opinion.

If you come across scenes when reading books for review, what is the standard you set for yourself, and do you ask or consider the questions I mentioned above?  

Edit: My review for, “The Last Room on the Left” by Leah Konen will be posted on January 4, 2025.

Stephanie

The Last Room on the Left by Leah Konen

Expected publication January 14, 2025 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons – Penguin Random House

Kerry’s life is in shambles: Her husband has left her, her drinking habit has officially become a problem, and though the deadline for her big book deal—the one that was supposed to change everything—is looming, she can’t write a word. When she sees an ad for a caretaker position at a revitalized roadside motel in the Catskills, she jumps at the chance. It’s the perfect getaway to finish her book and start fresh.

But as she hunkers down in a blizzard, she spots something through the window: a pale arm peeking out from a heap of snow. Trapped in the mountains and alone with a dead, frozen body, Kerry must keep her head and make it out before the killer comes for her too. But is the deadly game of cat-and-mouse all in her mind? The body count begs to differ . . .

Reader’s Log 022: The Supernatural Genre and Spiritual Warfare

Posted on by
Reply

I woke up this morning reflecting on our world’s current events and my faith in God weighs the outcome on how I respond to these current events. The world’s troubles are always on my mind, like I’m sure it is for everyone. We are living in unsettling times. When I pray to God, I ask for peace and understanding. I pray for courage, strength, protection, healing, and stronger faith in my daily walk with Christ. I pray this for others as well. If it weren’t for my Christian Faith, I don’t believe I would have made it this far in life.

I’ve also been thinking a lot about how would I respond to the US elections outcome this coming November. Whatever the outcome, I pray for a peaceful transfer of power in our government and how our citizens and the world response. I pray that our government officials will truly care about the people’s welfare. These things have me thinking about spiritual warfare as well and how we as Christians should rest in God’s strength and stand on God’s promise, how important it is to know God’s word and to put on the full armor of God. When people come to know Christ as their Lord and savior, spiritual warfare can become intense. I’ve recently thought about books I’ve read on spiritual warfare. The Bible-of course-is number one.

As a reader, I love stories and I read many different genres. I believe it is important for people of Faith to read widely for many reasons. Some brothers and sisters in Christ may disagree with me on that score but I’m okay with that. God knows my heart and I firmly believe that reading widely makes us better people and as we expand our minds, we have a better understanding other people’s world views, struggles and situations in life. Reading enhances our critical thinking thus giving us the knowledge and the tools to help us in life with relationships to others. Anyhow, reading widely is another subject for another time.

Today, I want to share two books I read in the early 90’s and again in the late 90’s on spiritual warfare by Frank E. Peretti. I have my father’s paperback copies. Since they are early editions, and have become a bit fragile, I’m having handle them carefully. Though I believe they will still be okay to read in and may do so again soon. If you haven’t read them, whether you are a Christ follower or not, I highly recommend you read these books. They are prevalent to our humanity and our society as a whole.

Stephanie

This Present Darkness by Frank E. Peretti

First Published – January 1, 1986 by Crossway Books

Ashton is just a typical small town. But when a skeptical reporter and a prayerful pastor begin to compare notes, they suddenly find themselves fighting a hideous New Age plot to subjugate the townspeople, and eventually the entire human race.

Piercing the Darkness by Frank E. Peretti

First published January 1, 1989

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 1:5 (ESV)

It all begins in Bacon’s Corner, a tiny farming community far from the interstate . . . An attempted murder, a case of mistaken-or is it covered up? -identity, and a ruthless lawsuit against a struggling Christian school. Sally Beth Roe, a young loner, a burnout, a kind of “leftover hippie, “finds herself caught in the middle of these bizarre events, fleeing for her life while trying to recall her dark past.

Across a vast panorama of heart-stopping action, Sally Roe’s journey is a penetrating portrayal of our times, a reflection of our wanderings, and a vivid reminder of the redemptive power of the Cross. A companion volume to This Present Darkness, readers have purchased over two million copies of Piercing the Darkness since its publication in 1989.

**********

The Armor of God

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Ephesians 6:10-18 (NIV)

Book Review: Philadelphia by Paul Kahan

Posted on by
Reply

Philadelphia is the epicenter of our nation’s creation.

My enthusiasm for American history is long standing and it has been a goal of mine to further study the history and development of all fifty states and territories individually, including notable cities and towns. To my delight, the discovery of this book was perfect timing. Learning more about Philadelphia has been high on my list for some time.

Paul Kahan presents the reader with a sweeping narrative of the city’s history beginning with the Lenape tribe who inhabited the land that became Philadelphia all the way through the twenty-first century. Highlighting individuals who made their mark on the city’s history and delves into cultural diversity of the people and explore its uniqueness of what the city offers that makes Philadelphia stand out.  

As I got a few chapters in, I quickly realized that I had only scratched the surface of Philadelphia origins and history. I found myself taking pages of notes and jotting down questions I had regarding several notable people and details I did not previously know. For example: Charles Dickens visited the city. The city is home to the first natural history museum in the United States. Philadelphia remained the world’s leading publishing center and had several subscription libraries. In 1850, Philadelphia was still home to a few enslaved people. The first hospital was in Philadelphia and so on… There are a few people mentioned I’m looking forward to learning more about: Folklorist and Humorist Charles Godfrey Leland, William Hamilton, John Bill Rickets, Cecil B. Moore and Cherelle Parker.

This book is packed full of information and at times, I felt a few topics or mentions jump from one to the other too quickly without being fleshed out. Personally, I wanted to have a bigger picture of certain elements of history. Though, by reading Kahan’s account, I understand the direction he chose to go with, and nor did my opinions on that score take away from how much I enjoyed reading his narrative. I will say that while this book is educational and excellent, the dense information provided may be slightly overwhelming to readers who are not used to reading such material. I do recommend taking your time with this book. You’ll be glad you did.

As for the information of the history provided in this book, I can only attest to a few of its accuracies on account that I chose to read this book wanting to go more in-depth with the timeline of the city’s growth and to the contribution of culture, architecture, city planning, science, political arena, and government formed through the centuries. Kahan meets all those points, and it is apparent that the research and time that went into writing this account of Philadelphia’s history, ever-growing culture and diversity is quite extensive. I respect Kahan’s intellectual ability to provide readers with this profound selection of work.

I’m delighted to have chosen Kahan’s book to read as I have learned tremendously from its pages, and it has provided me with a comprehensive source for further study and reference. I will be adding a physical copy of this book to my history stacks.

Stephanie

Pub Date Oct 29 2024 by University of Pennsylvania Press

Hardback: 424 pages

For more information about this book and Kahan’s work please visit Kahan’s website HERE or by typing: http://www.paulkahan.com

I obtained an ARC from the publishers through NetGalley for an honest review.  

Reader’s Log 018: Book Spotlight

Posted on by
1

I’m currently reading, “Sisters in Science” by Olivia Campbell for review and while doing so, I looked up if Campbell has written other stories. There is a story called, “Women in White Coats” that I’ve heard of and hadn’t paid attention to the fact that Campbell is the author. While, I’m curious about this book, I’m still not sure I will be able to fit it into my reading schedule at present. The story is non-fiction and the premise is something I’m greatly interested in knowing more about. Hopefully, it may be a 2025 read.

I thought I would share the book description and perhaps this story will be a new discovery for someone. Have you heard of this book? Thoughts?

Stephanie

Book Description:

Published March 2, 2021

In the early 1800s, women were dying in large numbers from treatable diseases because they avoided receiving medical care. Examinations performed by male doctors were often demeaning and even painful. In addition, women faced stigma from illness—a diagnosis could greatly limit their ability to find husbands, jobs or be received in polite society.

Motivated by personal loss and frustration over inadequate medical care, Elizabeth Blackwell, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson and Sophia Jex-Blake fought for a woman’s place in the male-dominated medical field. For the first time ever, Women in White Coats tells the complete history of these three pioneering women who, despite countless obstacles, earned medical degrees and paved the way for other women to do the same. Though very different in personality and circumstance, together these women-built women-run hospitals and teaching colleges—creating for the first-time medical care for women by women.

Reader’s Log 016: Book Lists

Posted on by
5

I’ve been making book lists for as long as I can remember. Occasionally, I find lists on scraps of paper between pages of books, notebooks or scattered in random places. The latter reminds me of a passage in Possession by A. S. Byatt of paper referring to leaves. Do you know it?

Knowing I won’t get to all the books on my lists, I still keep adding. Also, I break up the list into categories sometimes. Recently, I watched a couple of book vloggers on YouTube who went through the New York Times top books of the 21st Century-or something like that. There were a few I was interested in and I started a new list for those books. One of them was Stephen Kings book “11/23/64” and I have owned a hardback of that story for years but have not read it as of yet.

Last week, I went to our local used book store and only found two of the books on my list! Collecting these books may take a while but I’m determined. Perhaps, the library sale next year will have them. Do you make lists and how many books do you think you have you want to acquire? I’m pretty sure I may have over 3,000 give or take.

Below are the two books on the list I purchased last week and the list of books I want to add to my home library to-read. I may be adding to this list. We will see. Have you read any of these books? Do share!

Stephanie

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

(Paperback)

I really want to read this book soon.

An audacious, darkly glittering novel set in the eerie days of civilization’s collapse—the spellbinding story of a Hollywood star, his would-be savior, and a nomadic group of actors roaming the scattered outposts of the Great Lakes region, risking everything for art and humanity.

Kirsten Raymonde will never forget the night Arthur Leander, the famous Hollywood actor, had a heart attack on stage during a production of King Lear. That was the night when a devastating flu pandemic arrived in the city, and within weeks, civilization as we know it came to an end.

Twenty years later, Kirsten moves between the settlements of the altered world with a small troupe of actors and musicians. They call themselves The Traveling Symphony, and they have dedicated themselves to keeping the remnants of art and humanity alive. But when they arrive in St. Deborah by the Water, they encounter a violent prophet who will threaten the tiny band’s existence. And as the story takes off, moving back and forth in time, and vividly depicting life before and after the pandemic, the strange twist of fate that connects them all will be revealed.

The Martian by Andy Weir

(Paperback)

I saw the movie when it came out. I see people keep talking about the story, so I’ve decided to read it. Read the first few pages already.

Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars.

Now, he’s sure he’ll be the first person to die there.

After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive.

Chances are, though, he won’t have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old “human error” are much more likely to kill him first.

But Mark isn’t ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills — and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit — he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?

Book List:

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer ( I randomly just added this one.)

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

Know My Name by Chanel Miller

Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann

2666 by Roberto Bolaño

The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

11/23/64 by Stephen King (Own)

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray

Tomorrow and Tomorrow, Tomorrow by Gabriella Zevin

The Wager by David Grann

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

The Knowledge Gap by Natalie Wexler

Yellow Face by R.F. Kuang

The Last House on the Cliff by Anne Wyn Clark

Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (Own)

The Plot Against America by Philip Roth

The Book of Witching by C.J. Cooke

The Martian by Andy Weir (Own)

The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese

Reader’s Log 012: Book Spotlight

Posted on by
Reply

Death Comes in Threes (Book 9) by Michael Jecks

The period in which, “Death Comes in Threes” takes place is one of my favorites. That said, I love reading stories that take place all the way back to ancient civilization. The complexities of the human condition and imagining their lives gives us a broader sense of perspectives and design other than our own-if you will. Making connections to people whether it be from the past or present allows us to develop and nurture empathy. There is also the adventure of time traveling through reading and immersing yourself in other cultures. I could go on but wanted to give you a small glimpse into why I love reading history non-fiction, and historical fiction so much.

Today’s post is largely about spotlighting books under three hundred pages. I used to be one of those readers who challenged myself on how many books I could read in a year. While I understand the concept and meaning behind the challenge, I believe it can also foster stress and anxiety to some and it becomes no longer enjoyable to read. Needless to say, I don’t participate in those reading challenges any longer because it became a chore overtime for me.

There are so many books I want to read and knowing I won’t get to them all, oftentimes I find shorter books allow me to fit in more stories. That is just common sense for any reader. I also find reading shorter books gives one a connection to characters almost immediately, if written well. Of course, longer novels can do that as well but shorter books set a higher bar for the author to achieve within its scope.

Michael Jecks is a writer I have payed attention to for a while now and while I haven’t read his, “A Bloody Mary Mystery Series” from the beginning, I’m looking forward to diving into, “Death Comes in Threes.” Yes, I’m really bad about starting series from the beginning. I used to be diligent about starting them at book one but somewhere along the way, I veered way off course. I can’t explain why really. Does that happen to you?

Stephanie Hopkins

Death Comes in Threes (Book 9) by Michael Jecks

Pub Date Jan 07 2025 by Severn House

240 Pages

Description:

Princess Elizabeth’s unlikely assassin finds himself on the hook for two murders in this light-hearted Tudor mystery series!

August, 1558. As London is bustling with growing trade from foreign lands, and Queen Mary’s health is once again a hot topic, Jack Blackjack has much to keep him busy. And that’s before his new tenant – a Dutch merchant – disappears under a cloud of suspicion, quickly presumed murdered, and Jack’s latest female companion’s body is found mere streets from her dwelling place.

People around Jack keep inconveniently getting murdered, and he seems to be the most likely culprit! With both the authorities and the unsavoury echelons of London on his tail, nowhere is safe for Jack to hide. He must go about proving his innocence – and uncovering the murky truth – while ensuring he doesn’t find himself dancing the Tyburn jig!

The question is – can he rely on friends in high – and very low – places to get him out of this ever-increasing mess?

Reader’s Log 005: Book Stacks Part 2

Posted on by
3

Acquiring books and reading them are entirely two different hobbies. I must say in the last few years, I have been working on curating my home library and working out what criteria I want to set to grow my stacks.

In this book stack series, I am sharing books I’ve previously read and reviewed from NetGalley and want to obtain a physical copy for my home library.

I reviewed, “The Secret Life of Winnie Cox: Slavery, Forbidden Love and Tragedy” by Sharon Maas and have thought of the story over the years. Recently, I came across it again when looking back on my older reviews on my blog. I reviewed this book back in 2016 and remember enjoying the story and it left quite an impression on me that I haven’t forgotten. Have you read this book? Have you heard of it before?

About the Book:

1910, South America. A time of racial tension and poverty. A time where forbidden love must remain a secret.

Winnie Cox lives a privileged life of dances and dresses on her father’s sugar cane plantation. Life is sweet in the kingdom of sugar and Winnie along with her sister Johanna, have neither worries nor responsibilities, they are birds of paradise, protected from the poverty in the world around them.

But everything can change in a heartbeat …

When Winnie falls in love with George Quint, the post-office boy, a ‘darkie’ from the other side, she soon finds herself slipping into a double life. And as she withdraws from her family, she discovers a shocking secret about those whom are closest to her. Now, more than ever, Winnie is determined to prove her love for George, whatever price she must pay and however tragic the consequences might be.

Check out last week’s book pick HERE

May this series inspire you and perhaps you will discover books you want to add to your stacks.

Stephanie Hopkins

Educated by Tara Westover

Posted on by
Reply

For those if you who follow my blog posts, you will know my first reactions to Educated by Tara Westover. I’m slowly working my way through this story while reading another book and have, in the last couple of days, introduced another book to my reading pile. My thoughts on the story unfolding vary and a few things have really stuck with me. For instance, how is it possible for Tara, without a high-school degree, to able to take the ACT and go to college? Maybe I am missing something here and she got her GED or High School Diploma. I’m not entirely sure and perhaps I should go back and reread a few passages. This is what I get for not taking notes this time around. Hmm… Maybe, it will be revealed how she was able to do so further on in the story. I’m still in the early stages of her study.

In my next blog post, I will be discussing two family members of Tara’s and an interesting theme in the story. -Stephanie Hopkins

About the book:

Tara Westover was 17 the first time she set foot in a classroom. Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, she prepared for the end of the world by stockpiling home-canned peaches and sleeping with her “head-for-the-hills bag”. In the summer she stewed herbs for her mother, a midwife and healer, and in the winter, she salvaged in her father’s junkyard.

Her father forbade hospitals, so Tara never saw a doctor or nurse. Gashes and concussions, even burns from explosions, were all treated at home with herbalism. The family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education and no one to intervene when one of Tara’s older brothers became violent.

Then, lacking any formal education, Tara began to educate herself. She taught herself enough mathematics and grammar to be admitted to Brigham Young University, where she studied history, learning for the first time about important world events like the Holocaust and the civil rights movement. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge. Only then would she wonder if she’d traveled too far, if there was still a way home.

Educated is an account of the struggle for self-invention. It is a tale of fierce family loyalty and of the grief that comes with severing the closest of ties. With the acute insight that distinguishes all great writers, Westover has crafted a universal coming-of-age story that gets to the heart of what an education is and what it offers: the perspective to see one’s life through new eyes and the will to change it.

December 2021: Book Round-Up

Posted on by
Reply

I am a bit late in the game of posting my December book round-up! The Holidays, lots of work, painting, and crafting put this post on the back burner to say the least. Better late than never!  

In the year 2021, I’ve enjoyed listening to books more than I’ve enjoyed reading physical ones. That is not to say that physical books have ceased to be my favorite medium of story-telling. I got through 75 stories for the entire year and there were a few I got half way through and put aside because they weren’t for me.

For the month of December, I listened to five audio books. I really enjoyed listening to these ones and I do believe you can find all of them on YouTube. There are as follows:

Coming soon, I will be posting my favorite stories of 2021!

Stephanie Hopkins