BOOKS AND CHINOOKS

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, and it didn’t disappoint. Annabel is an auto-read author for me, and I have read four books from her so far. I love strong female characters, and Dolly definitely was that. The relationship between her and Stewart was genuine, and it was interesting to see what they both had to acknowledge and overcome in themselves to have a strong relationship. The setting was ideal for summer reading! I think It’s A Love Story is still

This is an engaging psychological thriller! Olive’s four-year-old daughter drowned in a lake during a July 4 party, and she is now realizing she doesn’t really know the actual details about what really happened. Seven years later, there is another drowning. As Olive becomes more aware of a cover-up, she seeks to find out the truth about what really occurred on that horrible night. I definitely enjoyed this book and was eager for Olive to put all the pieces together. A well-wr

This is a slow-burn second-chance romance. Elise is a screenwriter, and she moves to a small town to be the writing teacher at a summer camp. Ben, the lead actor on her last project, offers her the job at his family’s camp. When she arrives, she soon learns her next-door neighbour is her first love. As Elise spends the summer working at the camp and writing her next screenplay in her free time, she realizes she needs to make a difficult choice between Ben and Dave. Even thoug

Another amazing book from Meg McSpadden. She always brings her characters to life with such authenticity. The two main characters have palpable chemistry while also dealing with their own issues. Blythe is coping with grief as she mourns the loss of her husband, and Sam is grappling with depression at the loss of his career. Both of these issues were written and treated with sensitivity. The Scottish background adds another great dimension to the story. Overall, another enter

I loved this one! Simone and Lucy are planning a camping trip, but that plan and their lives are quickly derailed when Lucy is kidnapped. While staying overnight in a cabin before heading out on their trip, Simone discovers Lucy is missing. Once the demands from the kidnappers start, the reality of how Simone should proceed begins. Disregarding the advice of her husband, she decides to proceed on her own without telling the authorities. Simone would do anything for her daught

This is an interesting magical realism story. Dana and Nigel have lost the spark from their early marriage days and have become disenchanted with life and each other. They are dealing with their three children, and all that entails, and Nigel’s recent job loss is causing a strain on their finances and relationship. Dana and Nigel are each miraculously and mysteriously offered a week away from their current life to help them make a decision whether they want to continue in the

Wyatt wants to be a father and has had no luck with the agency he hired to find him a surrogate. Trista needs money badly and the agency has turned her away as she doesn’t fit their ideal profile. These two end up meeting and decide to enter into a surrogacy contract. The characters are fun, and their banter is entertaining. I found Wyatt’s desire to become a single parent interesting. Wyatt comes from a boisterous family that brings a lot of levity to the book, and I liked T

Another great book from this author!! Vincent is a successful thriller writer. His background is a bit sketchy, as he is the only survivor after his teenage siblings were murdered years ago, and he discovered the bodies. There is ongoing controversy surrounding whether or not he is a murderer or is innocent, but he does have an alibi. His daughter is a ghostwriter who ends up being a ghostwriter for her father on his last book as his health deteriorates. She has tried to dist

I’m not usually into magical realism, but this author does it so well. Joni is a sought-after songwriter, but unfortunately, she seems fresh out of songs at the moment. She returns to her hometown, hoping that it will help with her writing. The problem is that the things she loves there are all changing. She also now seems to have part of a song stuck in her head, but she can’t seem to finish it. Then the person whose voice she is hearing in her head unexpectedly shows up, an

I loved this atmospheric thriller set in Alabama. I always like to go into a thriller knowing nothing about it ahead of time, and I’m so glad I did for this one because the slow-burning suspense kept me riveted. This is a well-written mystery that heats up with twists as the atmosphere with the characters becomes more anxious as a hurricane approaches. The past and present details really rounded out the story. Definitely enjoyed this one!

Who doesn’t love Dolly Parton? I was happy to be able to read and review this book about Dolly’s amazing life and 60-year career. Dolly is a force to be reckoned with, and that is exemplified in this book. She has been a star in country and pop music as well as an accomplished songwriter and actress for many years. Growing up poor, her perseverance to succeed propelled her into stardom. Throughout this time, she became a philanthropist, donating her time and money to various

This is the third book in this entertaining series, and I am loving these books! The main character, Eleanor, is again trying to solve murder and mayhem while she attends a mystery writers' conference in the Bahamas. As soon as she arrives, she unfortunately comes across a dead body. The dialogue in these books is so entertaining. It is quick-witted, snappy, and humorous, and I love that we are also privy to Eleanor’s inner dialogue. The other characters are so entertaining,