Too Much To Read!

Before I became a writer, I was a reader. An avid one. I still love reading, but I've been in a bit of a slump lately. This could be because I'm reading (or trying to!) two non-fiction books, an advance reading copy, and another novel for fun. Maybe I need to concentrate on one book at a time? It feels like I'm stuck, and I really want to replenish my pile of Goodreads reviews. Reading generally helps me gauge how I'm doing in life. If it's been a good week, I get the down time to read. When … [Read more...]

Book Review: Till Death Do Us Port

5 stars Genre: Cozy Mystery Till Death Do Us Port (March 7, 2023) A delightful book. I love the strong cast of recurring characters that Lansing uses. It’s especially fun to have mother and daughter helping each other on this one. I also appreciated the maturity and growth that happens in Parker. What’s great about this book/series is that Parker gets to be philosophical, to sort things out, and to confront her fears. The premise behind this novel—a botched wedding—was done with … [Read more...]

Book Review: The Christmas Clash

5 stars Genre: YA rom-com *Available Oct. 4, 2022 The Christmas Clash Such a cute story! I relished the setting of the suburban mall, and the vivid descriptions brought back such good memories. Peter and Chloe complement each other well. I loved diving into their different personalities—and getting to virtually enjoy the cuisines of their family restaurants. The holiday atmosphere added a special touch to the story, making it an even cozier feel-good rom-com.  Find more of … [Read more...]

Festive Reading

"A new challenge is near." (fortune cookie saying) Here's how I celebrated during my much-needed break from writing over these last few weeks. I read. For fun! Sometimes I like measuring my vacations by the number of books I've read. It gives me an indication of how much lovely time I spent between the pages of a book. Also, it fuels that inner competitive streak in me. (In elementary school, I once won a reading contest hands-down--and got handsomely rewarded with a gift card to a local … [Read more...]

ARCs, Glorious ARCs

There's something really beautiful about being one of the first. It's a privilege and an honor. This is especially true for getting to read someone's book baby. It does take an extremely long time to write and then publish something. Although 2020 has been an absolute wild ride of a year, there have been silver linings. Advance reading copies, or ARCs, has been a delight for me this year. I've been able to read fabulous work from both established and new authors. In the above photo, … [Read more...]