City of More by Sonya Annita Song

Title: City of More

Author: Sonya Annita Song

Illustrator: Daniel Howard

Pages: 48 pages

Year: 2019

Genre: Children’s Illustrated

Publisher: Chinchilla Books

Format: eBook (also available in hardcover)

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book through BookSirens. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.

About the book:

     The City of More follows the Bigwigs and their porcine companions as they shop for everything they don’t need. When their purchases build up to an incredible amount, they seek advice from the Smallwigs of the City of Less. The Smallwigs help the Bigwigs to see that real prosperity comes from sharing with others.

My review:

     This is a charming children’s illustrated book.

     The illustrations are clear and colorful. The rhymes easy to read and follow. The message is very plain and helpful for keeping our minds in a healthy place as far as the stuff we own.

     I decided to give this sweet book a rating of 5 stars. I do recommend it.

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Recipe for Deception (Creative Woman Mysteries #3) by Rachael Phillips

Title: Recipe for Deception (Creative Woman Mysteries #3)

Author: Rachael Phillips

Pages: 250

Year: 2013

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Publisher: Annie’s Fiction

Format: Hardback (also available in eBook)

About the book:

     From the moment Shannon McClain set foot in America, she’s dreamed of the day her teenage twins, Alec and Lara, could join her. Now that the college semester is over, Shannon’s dreams have finally come true!

     The twins arrive in Apple Grove just in time for the grand opening of Espresso Yourself, the new coffee shop addition to the Paisley Craft Market & Artist Lofts, and both spend much of their time helping out at the store. Thrilled to have her kids with her again, Shannon looks forward to a summer together filled with laughter and fun.

     But her plans quickly spoil when her daughter takes a part-time delivery job working for Joyce Buchanan at the Pink Sprinkles Bakery and a customer dies after eating a cupcake delivered by Lara. Consumed by guilt for having served the fatal dessert, Lara turns to local bad boy Chaz Loper for comfort—the last boy Shannon would ever want her daughter to date. Shannon and Alec each have their own suspicions about Chaz and his true motives for befriending Lara, but when they try to warn her about him, it only pushes her away and creates tension in the house.

     Meanwhile, rumors about the deadly cupcake spread like wildfire through the small town and Joyce’s business begins to suffer. As more unsavory events unfold, all seemingly connected to Joyce, it becomes clear to Shannon, and the other women of the Purls of Hope knitting circle, that someone is trying to set her up. They decide to take matters into their own hands and find out who’s really behind all the trouble before Joyce is arrested for a crime she didn’t commit.

     With two irascible teens breathing down her neck, and a busy craft business to run, can Shannon whip up a crime-solving recipe in time to catch the killer before another deadly dish is served? Join Shannon and the Purls as they tackle this latest mystery to come to Apple Grove.

My review:

     This is a great cozy mystery!

     I love the regular characters in this series. It is wonderful to see how they interact with and support each other through all of the difficulties that they face. It was wonderful to see how Shannon and her kids butted heads over a number of things. They are such realistic characters.

     The mystery is well developed. I did manage to guess who the murderer was before the end of the book. I was completely confused about the motive though. That definitely kept my interest and reading to the very end.

     I have decided to give this book a rating of 5 stars. I am definitely recommending it.

The Golden Bride (Daughters of the Mayflower #8) by Kimberley Woodhouse

Title: The Golden Bride (Daughters of the Mayflower #8)

Author: Kimberley Woodhouse

Pages: 256

Year:  2019

Genre: Historical Romance

Publisher: Barbour Books

Format: eBook (also available in paperback)

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.

About the book:

     Can Olivia survive the crime and Gold Rush fever of 1849…and the countless marriage proposals?

     The Daughters of the Mayflower series continues when Olivia Brighton finds herself widowed and working in her brother’s restaurant in San Francisco during the height of the rush for gold. Even though she receives at least twenty marriage proposals a day, she will never marry a gold miner. Her brother’s friend Joseph Sawyer has gotten caught up in local politics and the plight of Chinese in forced labor. The more Joseph gets pulled into investigating crime in the city, the less Olivia sees of the compassionate man. And just when she thinks she could love again, a fire threatens to steal all hope.

My review:

     This is a wonderful historical romance!

     I loved all three of the main characters. As soon as I met Olivia Brighten my heart broke for her and all of the grief that she was carrying. I can’t imagine losing both of my parents at the same time. That fact that she carried on and dealt with the trip to San Francisco to join her brother Daniel was amazing. She definitely needed time to heal from all of the loss.

     One of the things that I really liked about Joseph Sawyer was that he was willing to take things slowly and build a friendship with Olivia. I also enjoyed the strong emphasis on prayer and trusting God that was displayed by Joseph, Daniel, and Olivia throughout the story.

     The historical content was great. I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area but most of what I learned about the Gold Rush in school has been lost over the years. It was nice to get a look at the attitudes of the men in San Francisco at this time through the eyes of a god-fearing woman. 

     I am giving this fantastic book a rating of 5 stars. I highly recommend it.

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*