Shelfari 50 Book Challenge discussion
Paula's 2025
2. Mad Honey - Jodi Picoult4*s
Two families with secrets they were running away from. The women each have one child, and are doing their best to shield them from their fathers.
Lily and Asher fall in love and Lily has a lot of secrets. Asher seems to be fine with what she tells him but makes a mistake when he tries to surprise her with a visit from her dad.
The love is bittersweet, and I learned a lot about bees in this book. I also learned about some subjects I knew nothing about.
Jodi's books are usually controversial and this one does not disappoint.
3. Killer Creek - Paul Doiron4*s
Mike is taking care of some wild boars that have been spotted in a remote area. While there, he discovers the body of a baby half buried. Mike decides to follow up and finds a house in the woods where two women are living, one a young woman. When the DNA returns on the baby, it is related to a woman who was presumed dead.
I love following Mike and his fellow rangers and friends. These books never disappoint.
4. Conclave - Robert Harris4*s
I wanted to read this book as I believe that most people (Catholics anyway) have a curiosity about what happens during the Conclave. I thought Harris gave us an insight to that and then knocked our socks off at the end.
Very interesting read.
Among the Wicked - Linda Castillo4*s
Kate goes undercover in an Amish community in New York to find out what happened to a dead girl who froze to death. What she finds is a lot deeper than she imagined.
This was a little different than her previous books because she actually has to play the part of a widowed Amish woman looking for a stricter sect. She has to recall how to be Amish so she's not found out but I thought she was still a little too cop in some instances but it was a good listen.
6. Last Girl Ghosted - Lisa Unger4*s
Wren has a deep secret and has changed her name. She is successful now and her friend thinks she should start dating. She sets up an account on Torch, and meets a guy. They date for a while when he just totally disappears. She finds out this isn't the first time.
I liked the plot and couldn't wait to be able to read more. Wren was a likable character who knew how to survive. Some parts were a little unbelievable but I enjoyed the book overall.
7. Chipeta, Queen of the Utes - Cynthia Becker4*s
Very interesting read about Ouray and his wife Chipeta and what they brought to the Utes. Together they kept the Utes from all out war and after the death of Ouray, Chipeta was still looked upon as a leader.
Always the sad part is how the government cheated the Indians with land and annuity's promised. Not all were bad, but enough that the Indians weren't given what they were owed.
8. They Came from the Ocean - Boris Bascic4*s
This was an exciting read that takes place at a station thousands of miles under the sea. A call comes up from the depths that a fellow crew member needs rescuing and 5 members set out to dive 11,000 feet down. What they find is shocking.
I liked the characters and the setting and the mostly fast pace. I stayed up until 1:30 AM to finish it, I just couldn't put it down.
9. The Secret Book and Scone Society - Ellery Adams4*s
Norah owns a bookshop in Miracle Springs. She has the uncanny gift of finding books that people need to read. She and 3 other women from the area strike up an unlikely friendship and form a group to help each other along the way. It has a couple of murders that one of the ladies (Estella) is charged with the crime and the others try to find the true killer.
This is a 1st in a series for Ellery Adams. I've enjoyed the Bayside series as well as the Antique series.
10. The Litigators - John Grisham4*s
David Zinc is tired of all the hours he puts in at his big firm where he's been for about 5 years. One day he just snaps. He walks out, goes to a bar, gets drunk and stumbles into a small law firm of Finley and Figg, ambulance chasers. He asks to join them.
This was a fun read, a lot of humor and some serious cases. The lesson in this one is sometimes you just have to be happy and enjoy life, it's not all about the money.
11. Blueberry Blunder - Amanda Flowers4*s
Bailey is anxious for her new candy factory to be done but work seems to not be moving. When she confronts Wade, her contractor, he wants more money. She fires him. Later he is found shot to death on the scaffolding of her building.
These seem to get better with every book. I enjoy reading about Bailey and her family and friends. Her cop boyfriend is back and there are changes for him too. A fun series and I look forward to the next one
12. The Paris Express - Emma Donoghue3*s
I got this book from Netgalley to read and give an honest review. I love Donoghue's other books that I've read but this one seemed to slough on for me.
There were many characters and each had their own descriptions but I can't say that I liked any of them very much and it was a lot to keep track of, when going back to a certain rail car, I found I had forgotten who we were talking about.
The last quarter of the book got interesting and moved along at a quicker pace but then seemed to drop the ball for me.
As it was based on a true occurrence in 1859, I did enjoy reading about the real characters and what happened to them afterwards.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and give a review.
13. See Mommy Run - Nancy Baker Jacobs4*s
The subject matter is hard to read but this was a good thriller.
Allison has taken her daughter Stephanie and run after she loses her case in court against her husband. He is a lawyer in the small town and part of the good 'ol boy network so she has no choice. She gets into the underground where she and Stephanie have to change their appearance and names and disappear.
It's a hard life and she is afraid that she may soon be found.
14. The Enemy - Lee Child4*s
As I started reading this book, I thought I was mistaken in the order, but it does have some background with Reacher and his mother and brother.
Reacher is in in pursuit of the truth after a murder occurs and he is blocked in every way. Of course, Reacher being Reacher is not going to let that stop him.
15. Gears, Grills & Guns - Tonya Kappes4*s
Mae brings a car show to Normal. Everyone is excited because this doesn't happen very often. One guy, Wendell wins all the car shows and there is some animosity towards him. He is shot and Mae and the gang help solve the case.
This was just as good as the others although a little short, but it's always good to meet up with these characters again
16. Cold Burn - A J Landau4*s
An ancient microbe has been re-released into the world after millions of years. It shows up in the Florida Everglades first, then in a small village in Alaska. A millionaire wants the contaminant because a very small particle can run cars or rockets for a long while and if he has control, he can be the worlds first trillionaire. Russia has found out about it and wants it for a whole other reason.
I liked the plot and enjoyed reading about Tlinglet culture, very interesting.
The going back and forth between the myriad of things happening at once got a little distracting. The last bit of the book was very thrilling and I kept wanting to turn pages.
17. Saints at the River - Ron Rash4*s
A 12 year old girl drowns in the Tallamassee River but is stuck and cannot be retrieved. Of course, her parents want her removed but the environmentalists do not want the river disturbed.
I have read a few of Rash's books and have enjoyed them all. His prose always keeps you interested in what is happening and gives you the opportunity to think about how you would handle the problem presented. He gives both sides and they are usually controversial.
I enjoy reading Rash's books because of the thinking process he creates.
18. Two by Two - Nicholas Sparks5*s
Russ and Vivian have the perfect marriage with a 5 year old daughter. But things start to change, in their business lives as well as personal lives.
I loved this book, the first part was a little slow getting going but then I couldn't put it down. The family dynamics were all there, I loved the characters and felt as though I even knew some of them. Some parts really hit me and Nicholas Sparks knows how to make me cry.
19. Hippie Wagon Murder - Mildred Abbott3*s
Willow Lane is getting ready to celebrate an event that happened 25 years ago when a tornado hit the small town and killed some of the residents and did some damage. It's always a bittersweet moment for the towns people who remember it. There is also a murder that happens during the event.
It was a cute read but I thought it was pretty wordy. You get to know all the characters who are somehow friends of the Twister Sisters. There are cute portraits beginning each chapter so you can put a face to who is being talked about.
20. Hello Beautiful - Ann Napolitano4*s
William is a very tall young man with an unhappy childhood. When he comes of age, he goes to college and never looks back at his family. He meets Julia, one of four sisters in the Patavano family. They fall in love and marry.
I loved how William became one of the Patavano family and with all his quirkiness loved them as well as he knew how. The other girls were interesting characters as well and I enjoyed this coming of age story.
21. The Hypnotist's Love Story - Liane Moriarty4*s
Ellen is a hypnotist and meets Patrick on the internet. They fall in love and when they have a few dates he wants her to know that he has a stalker. Ellen isn't too upset about it at first but it becomes a problem.
This was a good plot and kept me turning pages, at turns fun and others a thriller.
22. Eggnog, Extortion and Evergreens - Tonya Kappes4*s
Mae is in the hospital after a car accident and hears two people talking about killing the person in the next bed.
These are cute cozies and I love the characters.
23. The English Tea Murder - Leslie Meier3*s
This was kind of a fun storyline. Lucy is in London with a college group. On the way over a professor dies across the isle from her. It is traumatic for the group but they continue on their trip.
I enjoyed the descriptions of the places they visited on the trip and Lucy's friends were there with her. The death and subsequent murder were a bit odd but a worthwhile read.
24. Jeweler of Stolen Dreams - MJ Rose4*s
This is the story of two women, 40 years apart. Violine in 1986 is an auctioneer who is asked to evaluate an old trunk a man has found in his attic. The man is Paul Osgood who is running for Senator. While investigating the trunk, Violine discovers a hidden compartment with old jewelry hidden in it. She has the rare gift of psychometry and these pieces are crying out to her from another time.
Suzanne Belperron lived in France in 1941. She and her best friend Dixie Osgood are working for the resistance. They are making jewelry and selling it to help the Jewish people.
This was a good plot and I loved the characters, but some sections seemed to drag for me but by the end, I was enjoying it much better.
25. Murder in Little Italy - Victoria Thompson4*s
Sarah goes to Little Italy to deliver a baby who is believed to be early. The mother is Irish in the midst of the Italian family and not well liked by anyone other than the father. When the baby is born, it is obvious it is not early. Now there is animosity between the Italians and the Irish daughter and her mother. The next time Sarah visits, the mother of the baby is dead.
I always enjoy these cozies that take place in the Victorian era. The relationship between Sarah and Frank Malloy is an interesting one and I'm anxious to see how it plays out.
26. The Unlocked Path - Janis Robinson Daly4*s
I love Historical fiction based on real life. This one is about a young girl who decides she wants more than to attend a coming out party and find someone to marry. She decides to become a doctor and give more to women.
This book incorporates real life occurrences which make it all the more enticing. Very well done.
I won this from Goodreads and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Paula wrote: "26. The Unlocked Path - Janis Robinson Daly4*s
I love Historical fiction based on real life. This one is about a young girl who decides she wants more than to attend a coming out party and find ..."
Did you need a beta reader for your book and give a critique feedback I can help you with that. Drop me a message on rohshuks@gmail.com
27. Legacy - Nora Roberts4*s
Lina is a successful business woman and travels with her daughter to different states to promote her product. When Adrian is seven years old, her father visits and nearly kills her. 20 years later Adrian is following in her mother's footsteps but she is getting some threatening poems in the mail.
I liked the story of Adrian and her coming into her own. I enjoyed how she started her own company and made friends for life. Good coming of age and mystery, kept me turning the pages.
28. Stay Hidden - Paul Doiron4*s
Mike is on his first assignment as Warden Investigator. He is contacted that a woman has been accidentally shot while hanging laundry in the yard of the place she is renting for the summer. As he investigates, it becomes apparent that it wasn't an accident.
I enjoy reading about Mike Bowditch and the culprits he has to track down, as well as his dear friend Charley. I'm looking forward to my next one.
29. Girl's of Dark Divine - EV Woods5*s
A Puppetmaster entices young girls with the gift of dance to join his ballet troupe. He instills "the curse" into them where they forget their pasts and become his puppets until their painful deaths.
I was enthralled from the first page to the last. The author's prose keeps you entranced through this dark, gothic tale.
Thank you for this ARC, allowing me to read and review this book.
30. Gingerbread Danger - Amanda Flowers4*s
Margo is doing a Candy Land game theme in the park for Christmas and has it detailed down to the gingerbread men. Bailey is fine with it except for the bright red one on top of her candy factory. One of her employees has put it there because Margo asked him to. Bailey tells him to take it down, but be sure and have someone with him for safety. The next thing she knows, Zeph if lying dead on her sidewalk. Aiden thinks it's an accident until he investigates the roof.
31. Four Blind Mice - James Patterson4*s
While Alex contemplates his future, he's now wondering if he'll have one. Alex is pursuing working his last case and spending more time with Nana and the kids. He's also anxious to get to know Jamilla more.
Sampson comes to him desperately needing his help to save a good friend of his that he served with in Viet Nam. He is on death row for murdering three women but he swears he's innocent and Sampson and Alex believe him. Alex will always help Sampson so decides this will be his last case, but it is turning into a giant can of worms.
While Alex contemplates his future, he's now wondering if he'll have one.
32. Beneath the Surface - Trey Everett3*s
An environmentalist and his wife are trying to get funding for an expedition to the ocean to retrieve pure drinking water from a "blue hole" beneath the ocean. They don't receive any funding but a professor Micah knows says he will fund them if they can prove it exists. Micah, his wife Sarah and three others go on the trip, but after a few dives, something goes terribly wrong.
This was an ok plot but left a lot hanging. The author was repetitious in some comments describing his wife which got a little annoying for me. I was entertained enough to finish the book
33. Down a Dark Road - Linda Castillo4*s
Two years previously, Joseph King was convicted of killing his wife. He has been in prison for this time but has recently escaped. He was a childhood friend of Katie's so she finds him with his children at a relatives home. He tells her that he is innocent and just wants to be with his children.
This was a hard case for Katie, she loved Joseph at one time, a long time ago but she sees the evidence is against him. Katie looks into the case and it goes back and forth between present and the time that Katie and Joseph were together. Very poignant and sad.
34. Into Thin Air - Jon Krakauer4*s
Krakauer's account of his and his teammates attempt to summit Everest. He describes the preparations and the acclimatizing to even get started. You meet the people who risk their lives just for the right to say they did it. They know the risks before going but some think it's not as dangerous as they say.
In 1996 some teams head up to the summit on a beautiful day, and by afternoon, disaster strikes. Such a tragic story and Krakauer does an amazing job of describing the trip as well as his feeling of guilt at having lost his teammates.
35. Lobsters and Other Crustaceans - Animals of the World4*s
Read this to my grandson and learned a lot of facts that I didn't know either.
36. Original Sin - Jake Tapper4*s
Trapper's view on what was going on in the Democrat party during Biden's decline. Some were brave enough to admit that the decline started well before the 2020 election. By the time it came time for reelection, Biden's handler's couldn't hide or lie about his condition any longer.
I thought this was worth the read, there is some new info in there but there is also a lot of truth left unsaid.
37. Daisy Darker - Alice Feeney5*s
When Nana turns 80, she invites the entire family to Sea Glass to celebrate. The high tide comes in and they are all trapped for the night, but one by one, they are being killed.
I loved the storyline. It was a bit slow in places but kept me wanting to listen to see what would happen next. All the characters had secrets that were told each in their turn. Feeney is a master of dark and twisty tales.
38. The Widow - John Grisham4*s
An 82 year old woman needs a will and Simon is ready to do a simple will. Then she tells him she has a fortune in stocks so he knows this will take more care. When she dies unexpectedly after a traffic accident, Simon finds himself in a lot of trouble.
This was a good who dunnit by Grisham. His style was light and had a good plot. Toward the end, I thought it seemed like Grisham didn't quite know how to end the story so that's why it's a 4.
38. The Widow - John Grisham4*s
An 82 year old woman needs a will and Simon is ready to do a simple will. Then she tells him she has a fortune in stocks so he knows this will take more care. When she dies unexpectedly after a traffic accident, Simon finds himself in a lot of trouble.
This was a good who dunnit by Grisham. His style was light and had a good plot. Toward the end, I thought it seemed like Grisham didn't quite know how to end the story so that's why it's a 4.
39. Uncharted - Chris Whipple2*s
Nothing new to learn here and a very biased read.
I was interested in seeing the why's and wherefore's but it just wasn't there. The author repeated accusations that had already been proven false. It was like reading what the talking heads are saying, over and over ad nausea
40. Ropes, Riddles and Robberies - Tonya Kappes4*s
Mae and the laundromat girls are off to Mae's hometown to find the truth about the death of her parents and siblings.
Mae finds a trail of things she didn't remember until they started to fall into place. A sad awakening comes to light.
41. No Fixed Address - Susan Nielsen4*s
Twelve year old Felix and his mom, Astrid find themselves homeless and living in a van. He is embarrassed to tell his friends and goes to school and acts as if everything is fine. He tries out for a Junior kids quiz show and wins the opportunity to compete. The grand prize is $25,000 and he wants to win it desperately so he and his mom can afford to live in an apartment.
The next thing he knows, some men are trying to break into the van so he calls 911, and that's when his life changes.
Very good story about homelessness for a young boy and his mother. It opens your eyes.
42. Dirty Thirty - Janet Evanovich4*s
Loved the goings on in this book. Stephanie and Lula are a hoot as always and still getting into trouble.
Stephanie is in such a mess with her love triangle. I don't know if I could choose between her men. What a dilemma to be in! I'm anxious for the next book.
43. Fortune - Ellen Won Steil4*s
Three women carry a powerful secret. In a small town, they think everyone has forgotten, but a wealthy widow comes upon something in her safety deposit box that brings everything up again.
There were a lot of characters to keep up with and it went back and forth enough to be a little annoying but the plot was good and I had to keep reading to see how it would end. At times I was unhappy with the story, and then the author would lead me to liking it again. It was a little up and down, I would rate it 3.5 but rounded it to a 4.
44. Destroyer Angel - Nevada Barr3*s
I normally love Barr's books but this one just didn't do it for me. To me it was quite unbelievable.
Anna goes on a camping trip with 4 other people, one a paraplegic. While she is on the river in a canoe, some men kidnap the others and are going to rendezvous with some unknown person in another location.
I think I pretty much lost interest about 1/2 way through but did finish.
45. Angel of Vengeance - Preston/Child4*s
With everyone in the 1880's, there are many hurdles to get through. I loved the details of the period and how things were accomplished. Preston and Child never leave me wanting. There were times I was holding my breath to see what would happen, it got quite intense.
The culmination of the previous book was well worth the wait. I am anxious to read where we go from here.
46.Death in Room #7 - KJ Emrick4*s
Dell owns an Inn with her best friend Rosie. Her son Kevin is a policeman. Another friend from Dell's Uni days has called and wants to visit. Dell is very excited to have another good friend coming but Rosie isn't so keen on the idea. When Jess checks in, it's like old times but Dell finds her dead the next morning in her room.
This was a cute cozy and has a bit of supernatural in it. I am going to try and find more of these books.
47. After Midnight - Paul Doiron4*s
Mike has his hands full. Somewhere has shot Shadow with an arrow and he's not expected to make it. He's trying to find the person who did it as well as help his friend who's in prison and thinks the guards are dirty.
48. Now or Never - Janet Evanovich4*s
Stephanie and Lula are up to their usual hi jinks in this installment. I listened to it on audio and didn't want to do anything else, just wanted to listen.
The characters who were needing to rebond were hilarious and the way Stephanie handled it while putting her suitors off was great. I'm glad this won't be the last book because these are my favorite characters in a lighthearted series.
3*s
Maggie gets an old book in a box she bought in a rummage sale. It comes with a note and Maggie is sure that it was a mistake. When she tries to return it to the rightful owner, he doesn't want it and says it's cursed and later ends up dead.