Thursday, June 26, 2025

Friday Focus: Weekend Reads

 16

 It's Friday . . . time to share book excerpts with:

  • Book Beginnings on Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader, where bloggers share the first sentence or more of a current read, as well as initial thoughts about the sentence(s), impressions of the book, or anything else that the opening inspires.  
  • The Friday 56 hosted by My Head is Full of Books, where you grab a book and turn to page 56 (or 56% of an eBook), find one or more interesting sentences (no spoilers), and post them.

Today I'm featuring Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney. The excerpts shared are from a hardcover version borrowed from the library. 


 Book Beginning:  Happily Married
 
If all we need is love, why do we always want more?

********************  

Page 56: We are not the same people we were when we met.

I think you're in my seat.

Those were the first words my husband ever said to me.

I wonder what will be the last.

"********************  

My thoughts:  The Green marriage is on the rocks and then the wife disappears without a trace. What happened to Abby and did she meet a tragic end? This is the premise of Alice Feeney's latest twisty, suspenseful tale that's hard to put down.

********************  

From Goodreads: A gripping and deliciously dark thriller about marriage. . .and revenge.

Author Grady Green is having the worst best day of his life.

Grady calls his wife to share some exciting news as she is driving home. He hears Abby slam on the brakes, get out of the car, then nothing. When he eventually finds her car by the cliff edge the headlights are on, the driver door is open, her phone is still there. . . but his wife has disappeared.

A year later, Grady is still overcome with grief and desperate to know what happened to Abby. He can’t sleep, and he can’t write, so he travels to a tiny Scottish island to try to get his life back on track. Then he sees the impossible — a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife.

Wives think their husbands will change but they don’t.
Husbands think their wives won’t change but they do.



 

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This Friday Focus: Weekend Reads post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com. It cannot be republished without attribution.

Sunday, June 22, 2025

It's Moday! What Are You Reading?

 It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place for bloggers to meet up and share what they've been, and are about to be, reading over the week. It’s a great post to organize yourself and an opportunity to visit, comment, and . . . add to your groaning TBR pile!

This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. and Sheila passed it over to Kathryn at The Book Date.


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This meme is a fantastic way to organize and start off my reading week with a look at the books you all have chosen and to add my own. I wish you a happy reading week ahead!


What I read last week . . .


My Review

What I'm reading now . . .



What I'm reading next . . .



Now I'd like to know . . .

What have you just finished reading? What are you reading now and next? 



This It's Monday! What Are You Reading? post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com. It cannot be republished without attribution.



Friday, June 20, 2025

Great Escapes Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway: Mystery at an Irish Wedding by L.C. Winters

 

Today I'm participating in the Mystery at an Irish Wedding blog tour. In this post you'll find book and author information along with my review. Be sure to enter the giveaway contest below.

 
About the book . . . 

Murder at an Irish Wedding  
(A Half Moon Bay Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Ireland
Independently Published (January 13, 2025)
Print length: 378 pages
Digital ASIN: B0DT1CVWLM


Synopsis . . . Therapist Clementine Moriarty thought her return to the whimsical seaside town of Half Moon in cozy Donegal would be a chance to reconnect with her roots, spend time at her parents' charming little seaside art gallery and heal from heartbreak. But her homecoming is anything but peaceful when she stumbles upon an unwelcome surprise—her ex-fiancé, Greg, is getting married to her best friend, Charlotte, on the very beach where Clementine was supposed to say "I do."

Through a series of unexpected twists and turns, what starts as a personal nightmare soon spirals into an intriguing mystery. An anonymous email had lured Clementine back home, but who sent it and why? As the wedding unfolds, tensions simmer, secrets surface, and Half Moon Bay’s picturesque façade begins to crack. When someone turns up dead with a series of baffling clues and puzzles, Clementine finds herself in the role of unlikely detective as she becomes the prime suspect.

With the help of a heartwarming, blue-haired artist and her sharp intuition, Clementine must navigate a maze of jealous exes, local gossip, and buried betrayals to uncover the truth amid the charming and whimsical backdrop of Donegal. But in a village where everyone has something to hide, will this quirky crime-solving team be able to unmask the killer before it's too late? 

Perfect for fans of small-town mysteries, vibrant characters, clever clues, and a touch of romance, Murder at an Irish Wedding will keep you guessing until the final page.


My review . . . Clementine (Clem) Moriarity's escape abroad to get over her broken engagement is interrupted by mysterious email instructions from her mother summoning her home. Clem's return, however, comes as a  surprise to all—her mother didn't send the message—and Clem finds Half Moon Bay in a flurry of activity because of the imminent wedding of her ex-fiance to her best friend. To make matters worse, a suspicious death occurs at the wedding and Clem becomes the prime suspect. While the police open an investigation, Clem feels compelled to clear her name and find out who is trying to frame her for murder.

As she digs for clues, Clem discovers that most of the villagers were hurt or mistreated by the victim in one way or another and the list of suspects is quite lengthy. Does Clem, with her psychology training, have what it takes to unravel the mystery and help bring a killer to justice?

Mystery at an Irish Wedding, the first book in the Half Moon Bay mystery series, introduces a picturesque Irish seaside setting and clever protagonist. The plot includes a solid list of strong suspects with plausible motives and a steady feed of twists and turns that keep one guessing whodunit until the very last pages. Beyond being absorbed in this cozy mystery, readers will delight in making the acquaintance of the quirky villagers while cheering Clem on as she tackles the task of getting her life back on track. The appeal of checking in on Clem's personal progress and visiting the charming setting again create a natural desire for further installments in this promising new series.



About the authors . . . L.C. Winters is the pen name for Laura Cavanagh and Colin Vaughan. The authors are from Ireland and hope to bring its culture, cozy atmosphere, legends, and history into their stories. Laura and Colin's cozy mystery romance novels focus on creating a set of clever clues with twists and turns to keep readers guessing until the very end. Their first series—Half Moon Bay Mysteriesis set in a small Irish seaside village and promotes a romanticized view of small-town life with a host of eccentric, lovable characters.

As avid mystery fans (who love the classics, such as Agatha Christie, as well as modern cozy authors like Richard Osman), Laura and Colin enjoy deciphering clues and trying to beat the detective to figure out who committed the crime. They decided to create mysteries with a complex set of interrelated clues delivered in an easy-to-follow story and hope that the endings of each of their mysteries are both a surprise and, at the same time, feel inevitable and ‘right.’


Laura has a degree in Psychology, and this is reflected in protagonist Clementine, who uses her Psychology know-how to figure out the motives, secrets, and inconsistencies of each suspect.

Laura and Colin aim to create heartwarming stories with lovable, quirky characters in a nice, soothing environment that whisks readers away to beautiful, picturesque Ireland and the seaside county of Donegal!


Giveaway . . . Click here to enter for a chance to win a $10.00 Amazon gift card (U.S. only).


Purchase link . . . Amazon


Author links . . .   Website | Blog | BlueSky | Facebook Goodreads | Instagram | X (Twitter)



Tour participants . . . 

June 12 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT

June 12 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT

June 13 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 14 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 15 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT

June 15 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – REVIEW

June 16 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT

June 17 – Jane Reads – CHARACTER GUEST POST

June 18 – Read Your Writes Book Reviews – CHARACTER INTERVIEW

June 19 – Socrates Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT

June 19 – Reading Is My SuperPower – REVIEW

June 20 – Book Club Librarian – REVIEW

June 20 – Cozy Up WIth Kathy – REVIEW, AUTHOR INTERVIEW

June 21 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT

June 21 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 22 – Sarandipity’s – AUTHOR GUEST POST

June 23 – Novels Alive – REVIEW

June 24 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT

June 25 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW

June 25 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER GUEST POST


Note . . . I received a complimentary copy of Mystery at an Irish Wedding in exchange for an honest review.

This Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the Book Club Librarian blog. It cannot be republished without attribution.








Thursday, June 19, 2025

Friday Focus: Weekend Reads

  16

 It's Friday . . . time to share book excerpts with:

  • Book Beginnings on Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader, where bloggers share the first sentence or more of a current read, as well as initial thoughts about the sentence(s), impressions of the book, or anything else that the opening inspires.  
  • The Friday 56 hosted by My Head is Full of Books, where you grab a book and turn to page 56 (or 56% of an eBook), find one or more interesting sentences (no spoilers), and post them.

Today I'm featuring Mystery at an Irish Wedding by L.C. Winters. The excerpts shared are from an eBook version I received from the author in exchange for an honest review. 


Book Beginning:  Chapter 1

The antique bus, with its fading forest green paint, spun around the corner at what was clearly a reckless pace.

********************  

56% of eBook: "I am a moral man," he muttered. "I don't like to tell tales out of school, especially with no evidence."

"********************  

My thoughts: Mystery at an Irish Wedding, the first book in the Half Moon Bay mystery series, introduces a picturesque Irish seaside setting and clever protagonist. The plot includes a solid list of strong suspects with plausible motives and a steady feed of twists and turns that keep one guessing whodunit until the very last pages.

********************  

From Goodreads: Therapist Clementine Moriarty thought her return to the whimsical seaside town of Half Moon in cozy Donegal would be a chance to reconnect with her roots, spend time at her parents' charming little seaside art gallery and heal from heartbreak. But her homecoming is anything but peaceful when she stumbles upon an unwelcome surprise—her ex-fiancé, Greg, is getting married to her best friend, Charlotte, on the very beach where Clementine was supposed to say "I do."


Through a series of unexpected twists and turns, what starts as a personal nightmare soon spirals into an intriguing mystery. An anonymous email had lured Clementine back home, but who sent it and why? As the wedding unfolds, tensions simmer, secrets surface, and Half Moon Bay’s picturesque façade begins to crack. When someone turns up dead with a series of baffling clues and puzzles, Clementine finds herself in the role of unlikely detective as she becomes the prime suspect.

With the help of a heartwarming, blue-haired artist and her sharp intuition, Clementine must navigate a maze of jealous exes, local gossip, and buried betrayals to uncover the truth amid the charming and whimsical backdrop of Donegal. But in a village where everyone has something to hide, will this quirky crime-solving team be able to unmask the killer before it's too late? 

Perfect for fans of small-town mysteries, vibrant characters, clever clues, and a touch of romance, Murder at an Irish Wedding will keep you guessing until the final page.

Sunday, June 15, 2025

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place for bloggers to meet up and share what they've been, and are about to be, reading over the week. It’s a great post to organize yourself and an opportunity to visit, comment, and . . . add to your groaning TBR pile!

This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and then was hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. and Sheila passed it over to Kathryn at The Book Date.


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This meme is a fantastic way to organize and start off my reading week with a look at the books you all have chosen and to add my own. I wish you a happy reading week ahead!


What I read last week . . . 



What I'm reading now . . .


What I'm reading next . . .



Now I'd like to know . . .

 What have you just finished reading? What are you reading now and next? 



This It's Monday! What Are You Reading? post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com. It cannot be republished without attribution.





Thursday, June 5, 2025

Friday Focus: Weekend Reads

 

  16

 It's Friday . . . time to share book excerpts with:

  • Book Beginnings on Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader, where bloggers share the first sentence or more of a current read, as well as initial thoughts about the sentence(s), impressions of the book, or anything else that the opening inspires.  
  • The Friday 56 hosted by My Head is Full of Books, where you grab a book and turn to page 56 (or 56% of an eBook), find one or more interesting sentences (no spoilers), and post them.

Today I'm featuring The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights by Kitty Zeldis. The excerpts shared are from a hardcover version borrowed from the library.


 
Book Beginning:  Chapter One
Catherine
Brooklyn, 1924

Catherine Berrill awoke to blood--again.

********************  

Page 56: Catherine was glad they were taking a different street on their route home and didn't have to pass the dress shop again.

********************  

My thoughts:  Bea and Alice leave a painful past in New Orleans to start a new life in Brooklyn. While focusing their energies on setting up a dress shop in Prospect Heights, they make the acquaintance of a local resident, Catherine Berrill, who visits the shop. As the story unfolds, decisions made by each of the women at crucial times unite and divide them in unexpected ways. Will each attain the fulfillment she longs for? Will their mutual relationship survive and deepen with time, or will they be forced apart by past and present circumstances? 

Told from different character perspectives, The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights explores the lives of women who experience loss, heartbreak, disappointment, setback, and the constraints imposed by their gender. This is a captivating story of resilience that initiated a thoughtful discussion at a recent book club meeting.

********************  

From Goodreads:  Mesmerizing historical novel about three women in 1920s New York City and the secrets they hold.

Brooklyn, 1924. As New York City enters the jazz age, the lives of three very different women are about to converge in unexpected ways. Recently arrived from New Orleans, Beatrice is working to establish a chic new dress shop with help from Alice, the orphaned teenage ward she brought north with her. Down the block, newlywed Catherine is restless in her elegant brownstone, longing for a baby she cannot conceive.

When Bea befriends Catherine and the two start to become close, Alice feels abandoned and envious, and runs away to Manhattan. Her departure sets into motion a series of events that will force each woman to confront the painful secrets of her past in order to move into the happier future she seeks.

Moving from the bustling streets of early twentieth century New York City to late nineteenth-century Russia and the lively quarters of New Orleans in the 1910s, The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights is a story of the families we are born into and the families we choose, and of the unbreakable bonds between women.

 

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This Friday Focus: Weekend Reads post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com. It cannot be republished without attribution.

Sunday, June 1, 2025

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

 

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place for bloggers to meet up and share what they've been--and are--reading over the week. It’s a great way to organize your books and an opportunity to visit, comment, and . . . add to your own groaning TBR pile!

This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and was subsequently hosted by Sheila from Book Journey until Sheila turned it over to Kathryn at The Book Date.


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I love starting my reading week with a look at the books you have all chosen. I wish you a happy reading week ahead!


What I read last week . . .


What I'm reading now . . . 



What I'm reading next . . .

 

Now I'd like to know . . .

 What have you just finished reading? What are you reading now and next? 



This It's Monday! What Are You Reading? post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com. It cannot be republished without attribution.