Posted on by Jacquie Biggar

#BookReviews- Variety is the Spice of Life @sgc58, The Lemon Sisters @JillShalvis, True Colors by Kristin Hannah #Reading


Photo by Jenna Hamra on Pexels.com

We’ve been enjoying a nice dry spell on the Pacific West Coast, but the temperatures are chilly overnight making a warm fire, cozy blanket, and a four-legged heating pad extra comforting.

I’m still not writing, but I have been reading some excellent books which I hope to share with you over the next few weeks starting with today’s eclectic mix of poetry,

Click the covers to learn more.

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Variety is the Spice of Life is a collection of poetry and short stories about relationships with others, including pets and animals inhabiting the world around us. 

Sally Cronin brings her signature heartwarming style to a new collection of poetry and short stories exploring human emotion and nature in all its vagaries.

Many of the poems feature animals, their grace and beauty brought to life with a few well-chosen words, but my favorite is the dedication to her mother:

Face in the mirror

face in the mirror
a smile of recognition
but twinge of remorse
at the passing of the years
each line a story
or reminder of laughter
how closely they match
another’s facial mapping
I’ve morphed into my mother.

Cronin, Sally. Variety is the Spice of Life: A blend of poetry and prose (p. 20). Moyhill Publishing. Kindle Edition.

The short stories come with messages of love and support and familial bonds. The Green Hill is sweet with an ending that tugs on the heartstrings, while The Neighborhood Watch with a marmalade cat who exacts revenge on his injured friends left me with a satisfied grin 😁

This is a highly recommended collection of stories and poems to enrich your reading experience.

Brooke Lemon has always led the life she wanted, wild adventures—and mistakes—included, something her perfect sister, Mindy, never understood. So when Mindy shows up on Brooke’s doorstep in the throes of a break-down with her three little kids in tow, Brooke’s shocked.

Brooke Lemon left her family home in Wildstone to follow an exciting career in photography, only to lose her nerve after a horrific helicopter crash resulting in a long and painful recovery. Now she marks time as a producer, too afraid to film her show’s adventure-seekers for the Travel Network. Then Brooke’s older sister arrives on her doorstep, kids in tow, looking as though she’s on the edge of a breakdown begging Brooke to watch her children for a few days, and an entirely new extreme adventure begins!

Mindy loves her husband and children more than anything, but her life seems to be spinning out of control and desperation sends her running to her estranged sister’s doorstep. She’s always been a bit jealous of Brooke’s carefree outlook on life and revels in the freedom for a while until loneliness sends her home, but the problems have only grown in her absence.

If there was one thing you could say about the Lemon sisters, it was that they were night and day. Oil and water. Apples and oranges. But here was the thing—night and day melded together twice every twenty-four hours, oil and water could be forced to work together with a good shake, and apples and oranges were still both fruit.

Shalvis, Jill. The Lemon Sisters: 3 (The Wildstone Series) (p. 19). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

I’ve been a fan of Jill Shalvis’s books for many years now. She creates strong, independent females and empathetic, sexy heroes for readers to fall in love with.

This story veers more into women’s fiction with an emotional journey between the sisters with moments of humor to lighten the tough subject matter.

A must-read!

True Colors is New York Times bestselling author Kristin Hannah’s most provocative, compelling, and heart-wrenching story yet. With the luminous writing and unforgettable characters that are her trademarks, she tells the story of three sisters whose once-solid world is broken apart by jealousy, betrayal, and the kind of passion that rarely comes along.

Before I even noticed this was a Kristin Hannah novel the cover drew me in- isn’t it gorgeous?

The Grey sisters were young when their mother passed away, leaving them in the care of a gruff and unforgiving father on the family’s ancestral ranch. Winona, the oldest, is determined to keep their family close and prove herself to her distant dad. Aurora works to keep the peace between her siblings, while the beautiful Vivi Ann soaks up her father’s approval as the only true horsewoman of the three girls.

The competition for love and acceptance between the girls only grows with time, ripping their family apart at the seams. An unrequited romance, a failed marriage, and a murder charge all add up to a page-turning epic tale that I couldn’t put down!

Hubby took me on a coffee date to the beach on the weekend and we were joined by half the bird world, lol.

84 Replies to “#BookReviews- Variety is the Spice of Life @sgc58, The Lemon Sisters @JillShalvis, True Colors by Kristin Hannah #Reading”

  1. All three of these sound excellent, Jacquie. I have Sally’s book on my reading radar and I’m intrigued by the other two.
    Thanks for sharing.

    Oh—and I loved that photo at the beach with all the ducks and geese. That must have been something to see!

    Liked by 3 people

  2. Great reviews, Jacquie. I loved Sally’s Variety Is the Spice of Life. She’s a beautiful poet and storyteller. I’ll check out Jill’s and Kristin’s books. Thank you. BTW, your photo is incredible. 😊

    Liked by 3 people

  3. I agree about the Kristin Hannah book cover, Jacquie. Just gorgeous. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on all of these. I thoroughly enjoyed Sally’s book, and I’m off to check out the other two! Don’t worry. Writing will come. Just keep breathing. Hugs!

    Liked by 3 people

  6. Congratulations to Sally, Jill, and Kristin on these fabulous reviews. I have Sally’s book waiting on my ereader for me and will have to check out the other reads. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Jacquie. Hugs 💕🙂

    Liked by 2 people

  9. Great reviews, Jacquie 🙂 I read and loved Variety and the other two sound like good reads too. That is a beautiful cover, I agree. Looks like a fun day at the beach and so many birds enjoying this nice break in the weather. Xo

    Liked by 2 people

  11. You convinced me to read Kristin Hannah’s book! I loved The Nightingale but didn’t like Four Winds (too depressing) so maybe I’ll give her a new chance!

    Liked by 1 person

  15. Thanks for the review, Jacquie. I already have Sally’s book waiting for me. Funny shot with all of the birds. It looks like a fun spot to watch birds and people.

    Liked by 2 people

  16. Hi Jacquie, these are all fabulous reviews. I will be reading Sally’s book next week and her poems and stories are always fantastic. The other book also sound good. Any reason why you are reading books about sisters – smile?

    Liked by 2 people

      1. Frame of mind is important for writing, Jacquie, and you’ve had a lot of change lately. I found myself unable to work on my novel last year due to all the health issues in my family and resultant stress. I decided to channel my energy into poetry and children’s books which are not such a bit time commitment and that worked for me. It keeps the writing and creativity going without the huge burden of writing a novel.

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  17. I’ve read Sally’s amazing book. I’ve read some books by Hannah and she is a wonderful writer. Right now I am getting influenced by The Lemon Sisters… what a name for a book. Thank you for sharing Jacquie.

    Liked by 2 people

  18. Cats make such comfy blankets, Jacquie. I’m a little envious. I’m a big fan on Sally’s writing and this book was lovely. Thanks for the intro to Jill and Kristin and their reads. The both sound good, and the covers (especially that dog) are great. I’m glad you got outside to enjoy half of the world’s population of water fowl. Lol. And I hope you start writing again soon. I’m eager for your next book. Hugs.

    Liked by 2 people

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  27. These three books sound so interesting. I love Sally, morphing into her mother – I’ve done that too, I try not to look! The photographs are stunning. Lemon Sisters sounds intriguing, and as though it walks that line between humour and sadness which I absolutely love. True Colors must be marvellous, as it includes horses. I read Black Beauty when I was six and haven’t looked back. Thank you.

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