The Matchmaker’s Lonely Heart by Nancy Campbell Allen

Normally, when I rate books like this one, a cozy historical mystery, I rely heavily on the lead protagonist's plotline to direct my rating. If I did that in case, I would have to deduct a star. The lead protagonist was extremely annoying, to begin with. Her entourage of cousins was better equipped to be…

Faces in the Crowd by Feng Jicai , Translated by Olivia Milburn

I have had this book on my virtual shelf a while and was happy to finally get to it. I did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did! The author has a very simplistic style, and like the drawings that precede each short story, we are given caricatures of different people in…

Taxi Tales from Paris by Nicky Gentil

I chose to read this surprisingly slim volume for no particular reason. I do not live in Paris, and even if I did, I doubt I would have had the luxury of taking taxis on a regular basis. The one visit there has made me confident about that one point.The author has spent quite a…

A Midwinter Match by Jane Lovering

Sometimes I can write a review based on the emotions I felt during my reading of a book, and at other times I must rely on the content itself. This is one of those latter times.The story is a romantic book with the lead characters carrying some heavy emotional loads. They have an interesting job…

Is He My Son: A trafficked Chinese child, discovered and lost again by Lin Chang Translated by Bruce Humes

I almost did not finish this book. I am glad I did, though, because the ending made the read worth the effort. Not all translated books work for me, this one was definitely impaired by the narrative style, and I cannot really say if it was the cause of the original writer or not.This is…

The Book Club by Roisin Meaney

Still available to request on NetGalley The generic name and cover on this book do not do it justice. Or maybe in a strange way they do. One might go in expecting something good but not see the hit coming. If I haven't been clear with my opening, I loved the book.I started reading this…

Plot Twist by Bethany Turner

I almost did not post today, but the WordPress stat that is encouraging me by keeping track of my writing streak has gotten just that bit more addictive. I am making it more regular and hopefully the content is not suffering as a consequence When I set the book aside, I got to thinking about…

A Time to Swill by Sherry Harris

I liked the balance of mystery and personal complications of the lead protagonist Chloe, in the first book. That is usually the deciding factor in many of these small-town murder mysteries since the cast of characters is as, if not more important, than the central plot, which is to be unravelled.Chloe found herself the part-owner…