Tuesday, February 18, 2025

One Choice Away From Change by Justin and Trisha Davis Book Review

About the Book:


Through biblical examples and illustrations from their own redemptive story, Justin and Trisha Davis help readers identify unhealthy relational patterns that keep them from experiencing the joy and freedom God has for them.
 
Relationships can feel like a constant struggle. How can we recognize and overcome behaviors that leave us wounded, broken, and exhausted? 
One Choice Away from Change helps us identify dysfunctional life patterns that cause us to repeat the same mistakes in relationships, fall into the same bad habits at work, or argue about the same things with those we love. Drawing on their own story of healing, Justin and Trisha Davis offer practical encouragement for:
 
  • Understanding the choices we make that can sabotage us
  • Not letting the past dictate the present
  • Leaving behind our go-to sins and dysfunctions
  • Moving forward in the hope of who God calls us to be
 
You aren’t as stuck as you think you are. In fact, you are just one decision away from breaking the cycles that keep you living in fear and shame. Experience the power of God’s grace … one choice at a time.

My Review:

Choices are hard. Even the biblical writer Paul struggled with making right choices. But choices become patterns and those patterns can be changed only by making different choices. The authors do a good job of identifying destructive cycles of behavior and the choices one must make that will lead to freedom. Rather than focusing on the behavior (do not get drunk) they concentrate of why we choose the behavior to start with.

I appreciate their teaching about why we make the choices we do. They explore the basic needs we have as well as past influences on present behavior. We may need to review our past and confront events or things said to us at that time. They include particular teaching on five common issues. I really liked their section on shame, how it differs from guilt and how it gets put on us.

The title of the book may be a bit of a misnomer. While the authors do write, “Choosing to surrender is the one choice that will change everything,” (39) they also remind readers there is no “once-and-done choice that lasts a lifetime.” (115) Breaking cycles is a continuous process and we must repeatedly choose. (115) “Change happens one choice at a time.” (222)

This is a good book for Christians who want to change a cycle of behavior and need to know how to start by making choices.

My rating: 4/5 stars.


About the Authors:


Justin and Trisha Davis
 are pastors, speakers, and the founders of RefineUs Ministries. They coauthored Beyond Ordinary: When a Good Marriage Just Isn’t Good Enough, and Justin’s book Being Real > Being Perfect: How Transparency Leads to Transformation is a USA Today bestseller. Justin and Trisha have five kids and live in Indianapolis.

David C Cook, 240 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

Monday, February 17, 2025

Reckoning With History by William Yoo Book Review

About the Book:

A hard, haunting, and hopeful history that will leave an indelible mark and transform your understanding of both Christianity and the United States.

Reckoning with History confronts the histories of settler colonialism and slavery and illumines how these two devastating realities informed and ultimately deformed Protestant Christianity in the North American colonies and antebellum United States. In this book, William Yoo analyzes primary sources from Indigenous, African, European, and American perspectives to construct a narrative that honors the stories of Indigenous peoples, enslaved and free persons of African descent, Indigenous rights advocates, and abolitionists. The book’s broad scope—which covers individuals and movements representing Baptists, Congregationalists, Episcopalians, Methodists, Presbyterians, and other Christian traditions—provides a timely and telling message for every Christian seeking racial justice today.

This urgently needed book expresses a powerful call for reformation and change within American Christianity that is grounded in precise research and compelling prose. It explains how Christians engaged the sinful realities of Indigenous land dispossession and Black enslavement, shaping American Christianity in distinctive and enduring ways. It further underscores how white Christians justified land theft and racial oppression against Indigenous and Black persons with scriptural interpretations and theological expositions that remade Christianity into an American religion that bolstered economic, political, and social interests. Along the way, Yoo also features inspiring accounts of resistance to the Indian Removal Act of 1830 and the westward expansion of slavery. A final chapter draws lessons from these histories for the possibilities of what ministries of racial justice could be in American churches today. Yoo integrates cogent historical analysis with contemporary lessons for Christians that make Reckoning with History a definitive resource for understanding racism and pursuing racial justice in the United States.

My Review:

If we want to understand ourselves today, we need to know what brought us here. That goes for the church as well as our personal development. Sometimes Christians would like to tell a revisionist history of Christianity in America. Yoo contends we must understand settler colonialism (seizing Indigenous lands and displacing Indigenous people) along with slavery were among the greatest forces shaping American Christianity.

Yoo relates the observations of early travelers in the U.S, looks at sermons preached, pamphlets printed, and other documents from history. He explores the merging of Protestant Christianity and American exceptionalism, the latter becoming a form of religion with its own religious documents, symbols and idols.

Yoo writes, “Reckoning with history is not for the faint of heart.” (3516/4685) It may be shocking to some readers how many theologians and preachers were adamant that slavery was God's will. If one wants to develop a more honest opinion of American Christianity, this is a valuable resource. “We cannot understand our present without Knowing our past,” (3599/4685) This book may be a little more academic in style than the layperson is used to but it worth the read.

My rating: 4/5 stars.


You can see the table of contents and read the first chapter here.

About the Author:


William Yoo is Associate Professor of American Religious and Cultural History at Columbia Theological Seminary. He has published books on African American Christianity, Asian American Christianity, and Presbyterian history, including What Kind of Christianity: A History of Slavery and Anti-Black Racism in the Presbyterian Church, winner of the 2023 Award of Excellence from the Religion Communicators Council. As a teacher, preacher, and scholar, Yoo focuses on the history of racism in American Christianity. He is a professor and public theologian who interprets the most challenging and urgent issues of racial justice with clarity, depth, honesty, and precision.

Westminster John Knox Press, 260 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

Sunday, February 16, 2025

Water Grave by Mitchell S Karnes Blog Tour Book Review

WATER GRAVE

by Mitchell S. Karnes

February 2-28, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

DETECTIVE ABBEY RHODES

 

When a young pastor is found dead at the bottom of his baptistery, detective Abbey Rhodes must search in the one place she swore never to return…the church.

Fledgling Homicide detective Abbey Rhodes investigates the murder of a young East Nashville pastor found dead in the bottom of his own church baptistery. Paired with Sam Tidwell, an apathetic, aging detective just biding his time until retirement, Abbey must convince her partner the obvious suspect is not the real murderer. Then, she must overcome her own deep prejudice against churches and a dark secret that anchors her to a painful past. As Abbey and Sam discover the pastor’s plans to eliminate the church’s corruptive elements and implement a new vision, they realize their list of suspects multiplies and includes church leaders whom the young pastor considered friends. The case of the Water Grave triggers painful memories and pushes Abbey to her breaking point.

My Review:

This is a very interesting mystery. It is almost an adult coming of age novel as Abbey is a flawed character who must face and conquer past trauma. She is assigned to investigate the murder of a pastor when she herself was sexually abused by a pastor as a young teen. She must work out her own feelings or she might destroy her job and future. She struggles with the whole idea of a good God who loves and cares for her.

I am always fascinated when an author writes the main character of the opposite sex. Karnes did a pretty good job of creating a female heroine with feelings of hurt yet the determination to succeed, to make it through. I like how Abbey was able to help others because of her own experiences. Her interaction with Aaron was the only aspect of her character that did not seem right to me.

The murder plot was good. Karnes created a number of possible villains, some of whom had strong feeling because of the changes the new pastor was making. There was a twist at the end that was a bit shocking but actually fit the spiritual intensity of this novel.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Book Details:

Genre: Christian Crime/Mystery
Published by: WordCrafts Press
Publication Date: January 29, 2025
Number of Pages: 280
ISBN: 978-1962218-69-6
Series: An Abbey Rhodes Mystery, Book 1
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads | WordCrafts Press

Read an excerpt:

Chapter One

Monday, October 23, 9:15 am – Living Water Church

Mark Ripley rushed into the baptistery changing room, slammed the door, and locked the handle. He scanned the room for his phone.

A loud thud reverberated through the tiny room as the entire doorframe shook. Mark searched under the towels. Another thud accompanied by the sound of cracking wood. He found the phone and glanced down at his lock screen, a picture of his wife and two children. He held the phone to his face to unlock it. Before he could dial 911, the frame splintered, and the door swung open. Realizing there was nowhere to run, Mark turned and tried to talk through the situation.

The wooden club struck the right side of his head with such violence that Mark spun sideways and toppled into the open clothes rack, dragging several white baptismal robes down with him. His phone flew from his limp hand and bounced off the wall, sliding into the opposite corner of the eight-by-eight changing room. It rested beneath the small bench.

His attacker nudged him with his foot. A few moments passed, and he nudged him again. Mark moaned. He touched his right cheek and temple, the source of his pain, and felt the warmth of his own blood. The man watched as Mark pushed up on all fours. The pastor’s only thoughts were his phone and 911. Before he could move, the man swung the club again, landing a solid blow to Mark’s back. The young pastor collapsed like a pile of soaking wet towels.

 

Chapter Two

Tuesday, October 24, 9:41 am – Living Water Church

Sergeant McNally’s assignment of Detective Tidwell as my mentor frustrated me to no end. A detective who, like water, took the path of least resistance.

He snapped his fingers in front of my face, “Hey Rhodes, which way?”

“Sorry, Detective. It’s just past Riverside at the bottom of the hill.”

“What did I say about formalities? Save that for the brass. Just call me Tidwell or Sam.”

“Yes, Detective.” It came out before I could catch it.

“It’s bad enough you look like a little girl; don’t act like one.”

I hate when they do that! Ironic. When I was twelve, everyone thought I was older and treated me as such. Now at twenty-four, I looked like an overdeveloped twelve-year-old.

Detective Tidwell loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt. He stroked the salt and pepper beard which gave him a distinguished look and glanced down the road. He had a deep sorrow that added ten years to his appearance. I suppose we were a chronological paradox. “Church murder…that’s bad luck.”

“What do you mean?” Maybe he had a bad experience too.

“Nothing good ever comes from it,” he said.

I caught sight of the steeple and rubbed a sudden chill from my arms. I hated churches and church people.

It was a traditional small church building in the shape of an L with a one-story sanctuary connected to the two-story educational wing at the base of the L, just like so many small churches I’d seen as a kid.

When we pulled into the driveway, Detective Tidwell said, “Remember, just follow my lead. You got something to say, say it; otherwise, just observe.” As soon as he got out of the car, he straightened his tie and buttoned the first button of his suit coat. “If it’s too much, Rhodes, get some air.” He walked through the front doors and let them shut behind him.

I wanted to say, “This wasn’t my first homicide, and I’m pretty sure it won’t be my last,” but nothing came out. I stood there staring at the closed wooden double doors.

As I entered the tiny four-foot-deep foyer of the small church, my partner made the introductions, saying, “Detectives Tidwell and Rhodes.” I stared through the open double doors of the tiny foyer, fixated on the wooden cross on the far wall at the opposite end of the sanctuary. A Metro officer greeted us and printed our names and titles in the crime scene logbook.

He directed us to Officer Lee, the lead officer, who extended his hand to Detective Tidwell. Tidwell shook his hand then ducked under the crime scene tape dividing the foyer from the sanctuary. He glanced around the fifty-by-one-hundred-foot box of a room and walked down the center aisle. Officer Lee brought him up to speed.

I listened from the foyer as he recited the particulars of the crime scene from his memory and notes. He pointed to the baptistery which was situated behind a wall on the sanctuary stage and could be seen through an arched open space that began about chest high and ended two feet from the twenty-foot-high ceiling. Detective Tidwell walked across the hardwood-floored stage and stopped halfway between the pulpit and the baptistery window. He turned and listened to the rest of Officer Lee’s report. “Officers Hernandez and Smith are mapping out the crime scene and taking photos. Officer Grant has the church leaders spread out in the fellowship hall. CSI is on the way.” He pointed to the baptistery. “Our vic’s at the bottom.”

I stood frozen at the entrance of the sanctuary. My eyes locked on the wooden cross hung at the back wall of the baptistery, powerless to turn away. I stood there like an idiot, holding the crime tape in my hands. The officer behind me asked, “Hey, Rhodes, How’s the new gig?”

“Still learning where I fit in,” I muttered. “For now, I’m just the shadow.” I pointed to Detective Tidwell. “He’s the lead.”

The moment I said it, Detective Tidwell turned and said, “Hey, Rhodes, can we move on, or would you rather stay there and socialize?”

I rolled my eyes as I ducked under the tape. As I forced myself down the center aisle, I counted thirteen rows of pews. The décor was a mix of old and new. New ceiling, but old fixtures. Stained glass windows on the side walls, each depicting a scene from Jesus’s life, with a can light pointed at each one. A modest stage with drums, keyboard, guitars, and a baby grand in the opposite corner. Classic baptistery in the center behind the pulpit…a clear, acrylic pulpit. Nice.

Detective Tidwell stepped up to the fourteen-inch-tall baptistery glass set in the bottom of the window. He looked down into the water. “That’s something you don’t see every day.”

At five-six, I had to stand on my tiptoes to see over the glass window that allowed a view from the pews. I could hear the pump churning and noticed a slight movement in the water’s surface. A man’s body lay at the bottom, traces of a dark fluid seeping from the vic’s mouth and nose. The body was already releasing liquids as it decomposed. “Do we know who he is?” I asked.

“The pastor, Mark Ripley. Thirty-three-year-old white male, married, father of two.”

Detective Tidwell stared at the body. “Family been notified?”

“Not yet.” Officer Lee flipped through his notes. “According to Faith Jones, the church secretary, the pastor’s wife and kids are on their way back from St. Louis.”

“Any witnesses?” Detective Tidwell asked.

“No, but the church leaders all have theories as to his death. He was discovered when they arrived for their Tuesday morning leadership meeting.”

“How many leaders?” Detective Tidwell asked.

Officer Lee looked through his notes. “Twelve.”

“That explains all the vehicles,” I said. “Who called it in?”

“Owen Jenkins, the Men’s Ministry leader.” Lee led us out of the sanctuary to a small hallway at the side of the stage that led to the main hall of the educational building. From there we turned left to the doors of the changing rooms, one for men, and one for women. The door to the women’s side was cracked, and the frame shattered.

I scanned the room before entering. Something didn’t fit. “Why are the stairs and floor wet? The body’s been there at least a day.”

“According to Owen Jenkins, he saw the body and ran back to the church office to call 911. While he was doing that, the secretary and youth minister entered the church through the sanctuary doors. Noticing the baptistery light on, the secretary went up on the stage to turn it off. That’s when she saw the body and screamed. The youth minister took it upon himself to check the body, believing the pastor was still alive. Owen Jenkins heard the commotion, came back to the sanctuary. As soon as he noticed the youth minister in the water, he yelled for him to get out.” Officer Lee closed his notebook. “We taped it off the moment we arrived.”

“What an idiot!” Detective Tidwell snapped.

The officer smiled faintly and read another note. “The youth minister’s name is Jonathan Williams.”

Detective Tidwell pinched the bridge of his nose. “You’re telling me a well-intentioned staff member compromised our crime scene?” Tidwell didn’t like complications. They took more time.

I recorded detailed notes in my book. “I’m sure prints won’t help anyway. A church this size probably doesn’t clean back here often.” Turning to Officer Lee, I asked, “Did someone take pictures anyway?” Officer Lee nodded. “What about a sketched diagram with measurements?” He nodded again. Standard procedure. These were officers of East Precinct. They were trained well.

“Officers Hernandez and Smith will get those down to Homicide as soon as they’re finished.”

“Smell that? Bleach.” I looked at the remains of the door and frame where someone had broken through. “Looks like someone tried to clean up.” After donning sanitary booties and Nitrile gloves, we entered the crime scene, doing our best to preserve the integrity of the remaining evidence. I knelt by the stairs and pointed to a seam where the vinyl flooring met the rubber treads of the steps leading up to the baptistery. “There’s blood here.”

Detective Tidwell knelt beside me. “Here too. Look in the grooves of the stairs.”

“Sloppy job. Must have been in a hurry.”

Detective Tidwell turned to Officer Lee. “Could you see if there’s a janitor’s closet somewhere? If so, look for a looped-end string mop. If so, bag it. We’ll have the lab check it for blood and prints on the handle.”

“More here,” I announced, holding out a white robe with spots of blood on the sleeve. “Do we have any Luminal so we can check the whole room?”

Detective Tidwell said, “CSI will.” He called out for Officer Smith to take photos of the blood stains.

Detective Tidwell’s phone rang. He answered it and listened. He lowered the phone from his ear and said, “CSI is pulling in now. If you don’t mind, have them spray the room and light it up.”

“Will do, Detective. Anything else?”

“If you have anyone to spare, I’d like to have them canvass the immediate neighborhood to see if anyone saw cars coming or going between their last church service and this morning.”

Detective Tidwell sighed and asked, “Now, where are those witnesses?”

***

Excerpt from Water Grave by Mitchell S. Karnes. Copyright 2025 by Mitchell S. Karnes. Reproduced with permission from Mitchell S. Karnes. All rights reserved.

 

Author Bio:

MITCHELL S. KARNES is a husband, father of seven, and grandfather of ten. Mitchell uses his experience and insights as a minister, counselor, and educator to write and speak on challenging issues and concerns with an ever-growing audience. He has published six novels, three short stories, a one-act play, and numerous Bible study lessons.

Through two separate battles against Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, God has given Mitchell a new perspective on life that challenges him to create stories to entertain audiences and call them to action. Mitchell’s mission is to reach and reconcile those disillusioned with God and His church and to inspire the church to live out the love of Christ Jesus in a broken and hurting world.

Catch Up With Mitchell S. Karnes:
www.MitchellSKarnesAuthor.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub
Instagram - @mitchellskarnesauthor
X - @mitchellskarnes
Facebook

 

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I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review. The rest of the copy of this post was provided by Partners in Crime Book Tours.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.) 

Friday, February 14, 2025

Star-Crossed Egg Tarts by Jennifer J Chow Blog Tour Book Review

 STAR-CROSSED EGG TARTS

by Jennifer J Chow

January 27 - February 21, 2025 Virtual Book Tour

Synopsis:

A MAGICAL FORTUNE COOKIE NOVEL

 

Jin Bakery has been asked to cater the Lum-Wu outdoor wedding at Pixie Park. The day of the ceremony, Felicity is finishing the “cake” of tiered egg tarts as the wedding party arrives for the ceremony. When one of the groomsmen, Miles Wu, doesn’t arrive, Felicity’s best friend and local florist Kelvin generously steps in for him and the wedding goes smoothly―until cake cutting time.

That’s when Felicity finds Miles’ dead body beneath the table with her egg tarts display, stabbed by Kelvin’s gardening shears. With the detective’s sights on Kelvin, Felicity starts sleuthing away to prove his innocence, revealing dark secrets about all the wedding's attendants. They each had something to hide―and a reason to quiet Miles forever. To make matters worse, Felicity’s powers of prediction are on the fritz thanks to the emotional turmoil of a surprise visit from her estranged father.

When the groom gets poisoned at the send-off party and winds up in a coma, the stakes are even higher, not to mention Felicity’s feelings for Kelvin are beginning to feel more than friendly. Will Felicity’s magic return in time to catch the true culprit and rescue her budding relationship with Kelvin?

Praise for the Magical Fortune Cookie series and Jennifer J. Chow:

"A spellbinding whodunit unfolds in the first installment of Jennifer J. Chow’s Magical Fortune Cookie series."
~ Woman's World

"The story itself is light, sweet, and delectable. The ensemble of interesting characters adds a crispy texture to the narrative, and, true to the cozy mystery genre, a central mystery―the ill-fated fortune―keeps readers engaged from start to finish."
~ The Big Thrill

"This first in a new series featuring a likable Chinese American heroine will appeal to fans of Jenn McKinlay, Eve Calder, or Joanne Fluke."
~ Booklist

"Nobody writes cozy mysteries quite like Jennifer J. Chow. No matter what is going wrong in my life, I know that all I need to do for some comfort is turn to one of Chow's books. Chow has done it again with Ill-Fated Fortune. I did not want to leave Felicity's side even for a moment, and you won't want to either."
~ Jesse Q. Sutanto, Edgar Award-winning author of Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

"A magical new culinary cozy mystery series filled with family, friendship, and heart―and a pinch of real magic."
~ Gigi Pandian, USA Today bestselling author of the Secret Staircase Mysteries on Ill-Fated Fortune

My Review:

This is an enjoyable cozy mystery. I like being introduced to a new culture experience and Chow does that here. I found the book very informative on Chinese American culture. While I am not so much into magic, the special powers Felicity had and the positive influences from her baked goods were entertaining. Felicity and her mom freely gave of pastries that brought luck or encouraging feelings, helping and supporting others who needed a boost.

There is a good mystery investigated by likable characters. True to cozy mystery form, Felicity and her good friend Kelvin must work to solve the murder when the police are stymied. There is also a personal side to Felicity as she meets her long absent father. That added to the balance of Felicity's investigation and her personal life. While this is the second in a series, it's the first I've read and feel it reads well on its own.

This is a fun cozy mystery set in an informative Chinese American culture. Added features include a recipe and floral tips. I hope there are more in this series.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Book Details:

Genre: Cozy Mystery, Amateur Sleuth, Asian American fiction
Published by: Minotaur
Publication Date: January 21, 2025
Number of Pages: 352
ISBN: 9781250351623 (ISBN10: 1250351626)
Series: The Magical Fortune Cookie series, #2
Book Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BookShop.org | Goodreads | Minotaur

Read an excerpt:

Chapter 1

I put the last egg tart in place on the tiered circular display, stepped back, and admired my handiwork. From a distance, if you squinted and tilted your head just right, you might actually mistake it for a wedding cake made of gold, or Jin. Fitting, since “Jin” was both my surname and the Mandarin word for “gold.” I grinned. Guess I’d been fated for this job.

Happily, I even got to rope in loved ones as other vendors. My best friend, Kelvin Love (who has the most fitting name to cater a wedding), handled the elaborate floral displays. And my godmother, Alma Paz, made the candle arrangements, including the votives for the cake table. She’d even handcrafted bowl-shaped lace holders for each votive candle.

Once the late afternoon dissolved into evening, the small candles would be lit, and the cake made of egg tarts would turn into an enchanting display. Quite literally, because my mom had used her magic to bake joy into every last bite. After all, that’s what we Jins do—pour joy into our signature recipe treats to flow out to others. Except my own brand of magic came with an extra bonus: I made special fortune cookies that provided happiness and accurately predicted future happenings.

I added a stash of business cards to the table. I’d been made official co-owner of Jin Bakery with my mom, and I now had business cards to attest to that exciting fact. Besides, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to have my contact info out there. If people were in the area for the wedding, maybe they’d decide to check out our local bakery, too.

Plus, many of the guests were from nearby Fresno, the bride’s hometown, though a fair share hailed from up north, where the groom’s relatives lived. It wasn’t too much of a trek from NorCal to visit Pixie, right? Not for delicious egg tarts, pineapple buns, and fortune cookies, all coated with magic.

“It’s beautiful,” someone whispered from near my shoulder. I would have startled at the interruption, but the voice was so gentle, it didn’t scare me in the least.

A bridesmaid must have snuck into the main tent without my noticing. Maybe the soft grass surrounding the tent had masked her footsteps. Or she’d minced along in those stiletto sandals.

She was a wisp of a young woman, just a few years past twenty. Even though I was twenty-eight, I couldn’t imagine having ever been so bright-eyed and hopeful as the girl before me. The twin honey-colored braids wrapped around her head only added to her youthfulness.

“Haley, was it?” I asked.

She nodded, almost bouncing on her heels. “You remembered my name.”

“It’s distinctive. Very pretty.”

She flushed a sweet shade of pink. “I like your name, too. Felicity is lovely.”

“Is that a rose tucked behind your ear?” I asked, pointing to the blossom, the full pink petals brushing up against a tiny golden ear cuff lined with diamonds.

She widened her green eyes at me. “Uh, is that okay? I mean, do you mind? Are you and Kelvin together—”

“It’s fine,” I said, waving away her concern. “Kelvin and I are just friends.” Best friends, technically. “I take it he’s still working on the flower arch outside?”

“Said he was ‘securing the petals.’” Kelvin was a stickler for floral quality. Guess that’s what made us good entrepreneurs in our little town of Pixie.

I glanced at Haley’s T-shirt and jeans. “What time is it? Do you need to change?”

“Four forty-five,” she said. “I better get ready.”

The wedding guests would show up at six. Right now, only us hired help and the wedding party, plus the parents of the bride and groom, were roaming the surrounding green space.

“Jada’s in our tent doing makeup, and she said she’d help me,” Haley said.

“I should get going, too.” I’d promised the bride, Leanne, that I’d check on the tea ceremony. Not that I’d be super helpful. I’m third-gen Chinese American and had had to google what the traditional tea ritual entailed.

I followed Haley’s bouncing steps out of the larger main tent into the lush green of Pixie Park. Our town’s biggest park definitely had enough space for the Lum-Wu ceremony. The bride and groom had asked to pitch four tents for the event: a reception tent for food, his and her tents for wedding prep, and a tent for the traditional tea serving ritual.

Pixie Park also boasted a large hill, and it was sure to look magnificent with its aerial view for the actual wedding ceremony and exchanging of vows. Kelvin was on the hill now, fussing over the flowers on the custom arch he’d made.

I waved at him. He bobbed his head at me, his fingers still patting petals into place. Kelvin looked good fancied up, in a dress shirt and pressed slacks. His usual go-to was a casual Henley and jeans.

There was a rainbow of beautiful blossoms decorating the immense arch he’d constructed. I didn’t know why Kelvin was so worried. There wasn’t a breeze to be found. It was perfect, and the flowers should stay put.

If anything, the temperature was slightly too warm today. Thankfully, it was dry heat, typical of the San Joaquin Valley. Whoever thought tea was a great idea in July had not factored in the weather. Then again, traditions were important. I headed over to the tea tent, and as soon as I put my head through the flap, Leanne squealed.

“You came to help. Thank goodness,” she said. The bride-to-be wore a red qipao with a golden phoenix trailing down the front. Her hair was pinned up, and pearls were scattered across the hairdo as decoration, matching the dangling pearl earrings she wore.

“How can I assist?” I asked.

“With the hot plate. You’re good in the kitchen. Er, bakery. Can you get it started?”

“I can try.” I mean, I was hired to cater the cake, not the tea. But I’d done the bare minimum online research. Maybe I could fake my way through.

***

Excerpt from Star-Crossed Egg Tarts by Jennifer J Chow. Copyright 2025 by Jennifer J Chow. Reproduced with permission from St. Martin’s Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

 

Author Bio:

Agatha, Anthony, Lefty, and Lilian Jackson Braun Award-nominated author. Jennifer J. Chow writes cozy mysteries filled with hope and heritage.

Catch Up With Jennifer J Chow:
www.JenniferJChow.com
Amazon Author Profile
Goodreads
BookBub - @jenniferjchow
Instagram - @jenjchow
Threads - @jenjchow
Facebook - @JenJChow

 

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This is a giveaway hosted by Partners in Crime Tours for Jennifer J Chow. See the widget for entry terms and conditions. Void where prohibited.

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I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review. The rest of the copy of this post was provided by Partners in Crime Book Tours.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

Thursday, February 13, 2025

Looking at Women Looking at War by Victoria Amelina Book Review

About the Book:


When Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Victoria Amelina was busy writing a novel, taking part in the country’s literary scene, and parenting her son. Now she became someone new: a war crimes researcher and the chronicler of extraordinary women like herself who joined the resistance. These heroines include Evgenia, a prominent lawyer turned soldier, Oleksandra, who documented tens of thousands of war crimes and won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2022, and Yulia, a librarian who helped uncover the abduction and murder of a children’s book author.

Everyone in Ukraine knew that Amelina was documenting the war. She photographed the ruins of schools and cultural centers; she recorded the testimonies of survivors and eyewitnesses to atrocities. And she slowly turned back into a storyteller, writing what would become this book.

On the evening of June 27th, 2023, Amelina and three international writers stopped for dinner in the embattled Donetsk region. When a Russian cruise missile hit the restaurant, Amelina suffered grievous head injuries, and lost consciousness. She died on July 1st. She was thirty-seven. She left behind an incredible account of the ravages of war and the cost of resistance. Honest, intimate, and wry, this book will be celebrated as a classic.

My Review:

Living in the U.S., I have never had the experience of being in a war zone. I cannot even imagine what it must be like. Reading this book helped me gain some perspective on what it is like to be in Ukraine war activities having started already in 2014. So many people have lost everything.

I was particularly impacted by her experience of crossing a street when under an air raid alert. Acknowledging that she and those she was with had a greater chance of being killed by missile than a car, they nonetheless walked back to the crosswalk and waited for the green light. “There are no clear rules for surviving the war,” she wrote, “but there are still rules for living.” (1674/4590) One can still be polite, be elegant, and be human. Such was her attitude while investigating war crimes committed against her fellow Ukrainians.

Since Amelina was killed while she was still researching and writing, editors have compiled her material to highlight lessons learned by the novelist turned war crimes investigator. Some of the material is presented as notes and unfinished sentences. That draws more attention to her death before she finished her work. It may be a little hard to read in some areas but well worth the effort.

My rating: 4/5 stars.


About the Author:


Victoria Amelina was killed by a Russian missile in July, 2023. She was an award-winning Ukrainian novelist, essayist, poet, and human rights activist whose prose and poems have been translated into many languages. In 2019/2020 she lived and traveled extensively in the US. She wrote both in Ukrainian and English, and her essays have appeared in Irish TimesDublin Review of Books, and Eurozine. Photo credit: May Lee.

St Martin's Press, 320 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.'

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank by Elle Cosimano Book Review

About the Book:


Veronica Ruiz is on the run for the first time in her lifethough certainly not the last. After being falsely accused of stealing money from her college sorority, she packs up and heads to her cousin Ramón's apartment, planning to change her name and start over, away from backstabbing girls and university drama (and far, far away from her arrest warrant in Maryland).

At the local bank on the first morning of her new life, it occurs to Vero that she'd be a better bank teller than most of the current employees; she may not have much money, but what little she does have, she knows how to manage. Unfortunately, the only available position is a cleaning job and so, desperate for a fresh start, she takes the bank manager’s offer.

But nothing in Vero's world has ever been simple so of course, shortly after she begins work, she overhears a conversation between her new boss and a security guard: someone who works there has been stealing. Seeing a window of opportunity, Vero sets out to find the identity of the thief, present the evidence, and then push for the perfect job. All of which would be easier if her irresistibly infuriating childhood crush Javi wasn’t living in the same damn town.

Offering the insight that readers have been craving into fan-favorite Vero's past and a closer look at the moment Finlay and Vero first meet, Veronica Ruiz Breaks the Bank is a can't-miss addition to the Finlay Donovan series.

My Review:

This novella takes us back to the beginning of Vero leaving school, her troubled relationship with Javi, and ultimately meeting Finlay and becoming her baby sitter. It gives us a good idea of Vero's explosive personality and her detecting skills. It is a good short read for those wanting to know more about Vero.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

You can read my reviews of the full length novels in this series: Finlay Donovan is Killing It, Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead, Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun, and Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice.


About the Author:


Elle Cosimano is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, an International Thriller Writers Award winner, and an Edgar Award nominee. Elle’s debut novel for adults, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, kicked off a witty, fast-paced contemporary mystery series, which was a People magazine pick and was named one of New York Public Library's Best Books of 2021. The third book in the series, Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun, was an instant New York Times bestseller. In addition to writing novels for teens and adults, her essays have appeared in HuffPost and Time. Cosimano lives with her husband and two sons in Virginia. Photo credit: Holly Virginia Photography

Minotaur Books, 119 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this novella from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

All The Captive Girls by Linda Hurtado Bond Book Review

About the Book:


Tampa Bay crime reporter Mari Alvarez thought the worst was behind her. She thought she could return to work, her sister, her friends, and her still-undefined relationship with Detective Tony Garcia. To find something almost normal…until a killer everyone thought was dead contacts her.

Because he wants to play a game—a twisted dance of revenge, where Mari must play by the rules…or lose everyone and everything she loves.

Now Tampa Bay’s lively Gasparilla pirate festival has turned into an event filled with terror and horror, and Mari is the unwitting star. Every move she makes is being watched by social media, even as the killer twists the truth and manipulates her with lies, deepfakes, and misinformation.

He can take her job. He can take her reputation. He can take everyone who loves her.

And unless she can stop him, he’ll hold her captive in the one cage she won’t be able to escape: 
her own fear.

My Review:

I liked this romantic suspense. The setting of Tampa during celebrations is great. Bond really does well in setting the reader into the very culture of the celebrations. Her descriptions of the parades and other aspects of the activities are very good. Mari is a good heroine too. Bond has developed her character well, especially her struggle to be strong while hunting the villain. And he was quite a villain, always a step ahead of Mari and law enforcement. I like that Mari is also a soft character in her love for her sister and her pursuit of romance.

The part of the novel that fascinated me the most was the advanced technologies described. The use of AI to create fake videos was chilling. I appreciate Bond giving us some insights into how it is done.

This is an entertaining romantic suspense with well crafted characters, a complex but enjoyable plot, and some really chilling information about what can be done with advanced use of AI. There are many references to the first book in this series and it should be read to fully appreciate this one.


My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:


Linda Hurtado Bond is an award-winning journalist for Tampa's Fox 13 by day and author of romantic thrillers by night. She has won 13 Emmy awards, numerous Society of Professional Journalist and Associated Press awards, as well as a Florida Bar and an Edward R. Murrow award. A breast cancer survivor, she’s also active in the Tampa community with The American Cancer Society, Hooked on Hope, and The Shoot for a Cure, raising money and awareness any chance she gets. She’s the mother of five, four athletes and an adopted son from Cuba. She has passion for world travel, classic movies and solving a good mystery.

Entangled Publishing, 329 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Hidden Danger by Gail Pallotta Blog Tour Book Review


About the Book

Book: Hidden Danger (Discipleship Series Book 1)

Author: Gail Pallotta

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

Release date: August 21, 2024

After Emily Hanover’s left standing at the altar in Blue Mountain, North Carolina, she goes to Sky High Campground to put her life back together. Because it’s February and few people come here this time of year, she’s alone on the premises. When noises in the middle of the night frighten her, she gathers her courage and peeks outside. A man carrying a body over his shoulder emerges from the dark shadows onto her front yard. Horrified, she collapses onto the floor.

The next morning, she visits ex-military officer turned security guard, Nick Lancaster. He listens intently to Emily, but dismisses her claim of foul play as a hunter carrying a deer. Finally, after he sees a freshly dug hole in Emily’s yard and finds two more in the woods, he agrees—there’s suspicious activity. Then he and Emily embark on a mission exposing murder and a far-reaching sinister plot, neither suspecting danger can bring romance.

Click here to get your copy.

My Review

I liked the setting of this novel, the forests of North Carolina. I had no idea there were mountain men who lived in the forest. The setting and mysterious trespasser created a scary time for Emily. How brave and comforting Nick was. There budding romance added depth to the action. This is a good cozy mystery with an interesting setting and characters. Pallotta's writing style is straightforward, making this an easy read.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

 

About the Author

Award-winning author Gail Pallotta’s a wife, Mom, swimmer and bargain shopper who loves God, beach sunsets and getting together with friends and family. A 2013 Grace Awards finalist, she’s a Reader’s Favorite 2017 Book Award winner, a TopShelf 2020 Book Awards Finalist and a Top Author pick. She’s published seven books, poems, short stories and several hundred articles. Some of her articles appear in anthologies while two are in museums. She enjoys connecting with readers.

More from Gail

The story behind Hidden Danger started with my love of mysteries and suspense, which began many years ago when I discovered Nancy Drew. Then I wanted to become a detective. That didn’t happen, but I turned my heroine, Emily Hanover, and the hero, Nick Lancaster, into amateur sleuths.

The granddaughter of a minister who planted churches in the far reaches of the Western North Carolina Mountains, I grew up at the foothills of them. As I pondered the setting for a good mystery, the area with lots of underbrush and caves offered opportunities for suspenseful scenes.

Emily works as a newspaper reporter, a job similar to one I had in a public relations department under a retired Associated Press guy. My husband was in the military. After all these years of marriage, I’m familiar with that type of personality, so Nick is an ex-military guy turned security guard.

Emily goes to the campground to find peace and comfort after she was left standing at the altar  on her wedding day. To say she has a chip on her shoulder over men is an understatement. The only true love Nick ever had died while he was overseas. Guilt because he couldn’t be by her side plagues him. He believes he’ll never love another.

Emily meets Nick because her first night at the campground, she sees a man carrying a dead body. Or, does she? Thus, a mystery in the Western North Carolina Mountains begins.

Blog Stops

Leslie’s Library Escape, February 8

Texas Book-aholic, February 9

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, February 10

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, February 11

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, February 12

Locks, Hooks and Books, February 13

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, February 14

Blogging With Carol, February 15

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, February 16

For him and My Family, February 19

Stories By Gina, February 18 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, February 18

Simple Harvest Reads, February 19 (Author Interview)

Betti Mace, February 20

Book Looks by Lisa, February 20

Lily’s Corner, February 21

Giveaway

To celebrate he tour, Gail is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and a print copy of the book!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

 http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54150

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Celebrate Lit. My comments are an independent and honest review. The rest of the copy of this post was provided by Celebrate Lit.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)