Tag Archives: fiction

Tomb of the Golden Bird – Elizabeth Peters

I did it! I have now read the entire eighteen-book Amelia Peabody series, and while I don’t know if there’s another installment, I’m all set to read it if one were to come out. “The Tomb of the Golden Bird” revolves around the finding of the tomb of the great King Tut by Carter, and not by Emerson. What a harsh blow to the ego that was for our favorite Egyptologist. He’s been on the wrong side of the men in charge of assigning archaeological sites for quite a while, and spent a good deal of time banned from the … Continue reading →

Wish You Well – David Baldacci

David Baldacci is best known for his suspense novels, but in “Wish You Well,” he takes a departure from his normal genre and gives us a literary look into the heart and soul of the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia in the 1940’s. Louisa Mae Cardinal, who prefers to be called Lou, is the twelve-year-old daughter of Jack Cardinal, a celebrated novelist. She wants to be just like him and spends hours scribbling in her own notebook. But despite Jack’s fame, he doesn’t have the income to support his family, and wants to move to California to become a screen writer. … Continue reading →

Billy Creekmore – Tracey Porter

“Billy Creekmore” by Tracey Porter was an unexpected delight for me. The story of a young boy who was left at a cruel orphanage, I thought it would be depressing and gloomy. It did have depressing moments, but Billy’s spiritedness and determination to survive pulled it out of the gloom and made it remarkable. When Billy was born, he opened his eyes and gestured at the ceiling, saying, “There.” It shocked his midwife so much, she said he must be communing with spirits. His mother’s heart was weak to begin with, and she didn’t survive the birth, and his father … Continue reading →

Author Interview — Cheryl Kaye Tardif

Last night I reviewed “Whale Song” by author Cheryl Kaye Tardif. Today Cheryl is joining us for an interview. Cheryl, thank you for stopping by on your virtual book tour. I have so many questions I’d like to ask. First off, how long have you been writing, and what are your previous books? I have been writing for most of my life. I was a paid journalist at 14, writing a weekly column for a small BC newspaper. I really enjoyed it, but even then, my passion was writing fiction. I went on to publish articles and poetry in other … Continue reading →

Whale Song – Cheryl Kaye Tardif

Young adult novel “Whale Song” by acclaimed Canadian author Cheryl Kaye Tardif is the story of Sarah, a young girl who is leaving her Wyoming farm and moving with her family to Vancouver Island. Her father is a scientist who will be studying the killer whales that live in the oceans near the island, and he has found his family a wonderful home to stay in for the next few years while he carries out his studies. Sarah isn’t sure about being away from Wyoming for so long – all her friends are there, and she doesn’t like the idea … Continue reading →

Hope Was Here – Joan Bauer

I really enjoyed “Hope Was Here” by Joan Bauer, the story of a teenage girl who doesn’t know where she belongs, until she finds a place that’s better than anything she could have imagined. She was born prematurely and underweight. Her mother, a flighty, irresponsible woman barely older than a girl herself, took off and left her at the hospital, after sticking her with the impossible name of Tulip. Hope’s aunt Addie took her in, raised her, allowed her to change her name, and gave her a backbone of security. With just one flaw – they’ve had to move frequently. … Continue reading →

Pure Gold – Warren Wassom

This adventure novel is definitely for you, men. In “Pure Gold,” we meet Clyde McFadden, a former aerospace engineer who has moved to Black Pine, Idaho, to farm. He has a cow, some chickens, and a dog, and lives a quiet and unhurried life. One day he leaves his farm for several hours and is surprised to find that his hens have stopped laying. They return to normal after a day off, but the next time he leaves, they stop laying again. What on earth is upsetting his chickens? Clyde starts to notice other strange things happening. A ditch running … Continue reading →

Just Ella – Margaret Peterson Haddix

Usually, when we hear the words “and they lived happily ever after,” we think that’s the end of the story. The adventure has ended, and there is no more. Cinderella lived happily ever after with her prince, didn’t she? Well, didn’t she? In “Just Ella,” author Margaret Peterson Haddix explores the “what if.” Ella has gone to live in the castle preparatory to marrying the prince. Gone are the days when she would sit in the ashes or scrub the entire house for her evil stepmother – she is now the one in charge, and she’s not sure she likes … Continue reading →

Austenland – Shannon Hale

Being the stark raving “Pride and Prejudice” fan that I am, I was thrilled to see “Austenland” reviewed online and placed my hold at the library. When it came in, I literally shrieked, and my enthusiasm was well-rewarded. Jane Hayes is obsessed with the BBC version of “Pride and Prejudice,” especially with Colin Firth. She compares every man she ever meets to him, and when they can’t live up to her unrealistic expectations, she’s crushed. The trouble is, she doesn’t realize those expectations are unrealistic – she believes that somewhere in the world is a Mr. Darcy just for her. … Continue reading →

California Chances – Bateman, Hake, and Hake

“California Chances” is actually three novellas put together into one volume. In the first novella, entitled “One Chance in a Million” written by Cathy Marie Hake, we meet the Chance brothers. They live on a ranch an hour outside of the small town of Reliable, back in the 1870’s. Both their parents have passed away and now it’s up to them to improve the land and make a living. They’re all in their adult years, with the two youngest brothers having just left their teens. Hannah was married to Daniel, the second oldest of the Chance men. She died shortly … Continue reading →