Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

  This is a quick read with interesting, likable and quirky characters in a fun setting. The main character, Lana Lewis, is funny and relatable. The mystery of the murder of a barista at a popular coffee shop kept me guessing right up until the killer was revealed. Grounds for Murder would be a good beach read. The next two books in the series will be going onto my to-read list.

  This book is as close to perfect as they come. I've been reading a lot of World War II-era fiction lately and Until We Meet is, by far, the best. The characters are so well-developed that I grew to love them all -- even with their faults and missteps. I felt their pain and joy and every other emotion right along with them. The suspenseful part of the story -- which goes through about 2/3 of the book -- kept me turning pages and hoping that it turned out the way I wanted it to. And, although I'm not a big romance fan, this one was intriguing as it was all through letters between a soldier and a girl he'd never met in person. The suspenseful part was that he was keeping some secrets from her that could change everything. When I tell you I cried almost all the way through the last 20 pages I am not going to tell you if they were happy or sad tears. Read it for yourself. You won't regret it. I

  I love when I think I have the mystery all figured out and then learn that I don't. Not only was I wrong about who the killer was, there were several twists that I did not see coming. The main character, Eve, is fairly likable. I'm chalking up the qualities I don't like to the trauma she suffered in the beginning of the book. I assume we'll be seeing her in future New Orleans books, but I don't want to say why because I'd be giving something away. Part of the reason I like the book so much is that one of the major themes is mental health and mental health treatment, and how far the medical community has advanced in the last several decades. Although it is still hard to believe some of the cruel and inhumane practices of the past were not all that far in the past. Absolute Fear is a thrilling page-turner from beginning to end with plenty of Oh-my-gosh moments.

  https://www.bcpac.com/art-in-the-garden?fbclid=IwAR12aPVcsODlZv_97END_NidCjqwbnHTbVZrEFwTj6GldVqm3f4-OWD0RcA

  Lisa Scottoline is one of my favorite authors so it pains me to say I didn't like this book and found it tedious and annoying at times. The story started out interesting ... as a family is driving home one of the family members is shot and killed and the rest of the family is put into the witness protection program. But then it gets boring with way too much about the mourning and how unfair the whole situation is. And let's not even get into the excruciating detail in which she describes everything from the house to putting away groceries. As I said, I like the author, so I'm not saying this to be mean, but she must have gotten paid for product placement. I don't remember so many brand names being mentioned unnecessarily in any book I've ever read. I found the first half of the book, simply, boring, but stuck with it because Scottoline has never disappointed me before. As the second half started I had high hopes but then it just got stupid. The twist

 

  The Bradford Brew Station is happy to announce the return of Fun In the Sun-Days! This 6-week, live music series features local talent, and some new faces making their Bradford debut! Join us on Sundays, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., this summer for an unforgettable lineup of musicians on our patio. This year's music series has been made even better thanks to support from the American Refining Group. The 2022 Fun In The Sun-Days Line Up: July 17th - Mick and Lisa July 24th - Smilo and the Ghost * July 31st - Brianna Blankenship August 7th - Dave Gates August 14th - Marshmellow Overcoat August 21st - Mutant Beach Boys (JD Casper, Dave McGarry, Rick Griesbaum, Jared Roswell Hill) *=Making their Bradford Debut Make your Reservations Today!

 

 It was good but not as good as I wanted it to be. The characters were developed fairly well but the story dragged until the last couple of chapters when everything seemed rushed. The ending of the book was OK, although the reveal about the big mysteries left me unsatisfied.  I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.