Tag: Book Journey

Dolly All The Time by Annabel Monaghan

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)2 Comments

Dolly Brick is someone who sees the glass as half full. She looks at the bright side of things… through her mom leaving when she was 12, through a relationship that was a poor choice but left her with an amazing son, through her coming back home to Whitfield, Rhode Island, for the summer to assist her dad with the The Brick Fish House, the family owned seafood market and fish shop – and as it turns out, saving their family home as well.

When a $50,000 bill is placed in front of them for a mandatory new roof on the family home, the family is at a loss for how they will come up with the money.

Dolly, while taking her bike to make shrimp deliveries, finds the local rich and hot boy, Stewart Whitfield, with a flat tire on his car and no idea how to fix it other than making a phone call for assistance. Dolly stops to help him, being a very capable woman who loves to problem solve, and in no time, the tire has been changed. The two exchange pleasantries, growing up in this very town, and Dolly learns that Stewart has recently gone through a very public, humiliating breakup when his fiancée was caught cheating on him with a baseball player. She also learns he does not seem to be the superficial rich guy she always imagined he was.

Then, soon after their encounter, Stewart presents Dolly with an offer. If she woudl pretend to be dating him, it would take the “poor Stewart” public pressure away – giving the impression that Stewarart has also moved on.
And – he’s willing to pay.

Would this be the answer to Dolly’s family’s money problems? With a chance to go to the high-end parties, a new wardrobe, rubbing shoulders with the elite, AND getting the roof repaired…

What could possibly go wrong?

While a rom-com style of book is not a “go to” for me…. I really did enjoy this predictable read. Sometimes, it’s nice to know where you are going in a book and just enjoy the ride there.

I liked Dolly. A LOT. She’s kind, funny, lighthearted, goes with the flow, and a strong female. And I liked Steward too, he’s like the rich kid with morals. The two together worked, and while yes, you can say –

It comes together too easily

things move too quickly
It’s pretty predictable

It’s also – Pretty Darn GOOD

A perfect summer read – would love to see this become a movie.

Rated: 3.75
Read Author Before: No
Read Author Again: I would
Where Read: Audio around the house


Bookclub Worthy: Light choice – but could be
Discussion Topics: Random meet-ups, you could discuss how you met your partner (there’s got to be some good stories there), writing style – is this a genre you enjoy – why or why not

Food for discussion –This would be fun to set up a little “Seafood” variety, as the family owns a fish shop. Think: Lobster Rolls, Crabcakes, Shrimp appetizers,
Home Baking is also in the book – Dolly loves to bake -a home-baked dessert would be a nice add-on (think blueberry muffins, flaky biscuits to go with a chowder) – the topic is comfort for family and also a good discussion point on how food can be comforting
Dolly prefers Tea over Coffee – Earl Grey if you have it
Spicy Margaritas


The Final Target by Nora Roberts

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)5 Comments

Damn, Nora… that was good. ~ Sheila

Arden Bowie has worked part-time in a bookstore for years and is so excited to not only have written her first book, but also to have her first book signing. While the attendance is a lot of supportive friends and family, there are also many people unknown to Arden as well. Definitely what you could call a successful event.

Dustin, an inspiring writer himself, is among those in attendance. Arden sees him as she once was, eager to put words to paper and during the signing offers him some advice on finding a mentor or a writing group.

Then Dustin shows up at Arden’s next signing.

And the next.

Each time Dustin inquires about getting together and talking about writing and giving him tips, Arden politely declines. Her life is full of helping her best friend Zoey with her wedding planning and her move to Oregon, and Arden does not have time for anything extra. But Dustin’s continuous showing up wherever Arden is leads to a quick cup of coffee together – Arden, hoping this will be enough to get him to move on.

But for Dustin, it’s not enough. Angry with Arden for constantly blowing him off, when clearly there is a connection there, yet he sees her having time to go out to dinner with friends… is infuriating. Dustin decided enough is enough, and he shows up unannounced one night at Arden’s home, busting in and assaulting her; Arden barely escapes with her life.

Now Dustin is in jail for 5 years. Arden has to make decisions about what is next for her life and how to feel safe knowing the clock is ticking the days down to Dustin’s release…

And she is not the only one counting down the days….

So… sidebar. I won a grant for $400 to use towards Honey Bee/ Butterfly/Bird-friendly Minnesota Native plants… thus the picture above. 🙂

This is the audio I listened to during my hours of prepping the ground, adding black dirt, planting, and mulching.
And – it was an excellent choice.

Admittedly, I have some old fan favorites of Nora Roberts. The Three Sisters trilogy will ALWAYS have a special place in my heart – as well as one of my all-time favorite characters (Mia) in a book. It’s not often that years later I can talk about a book and remember the characters’ names – but that trilogy – I can talk about it like I read it yesterday

Anyhoo – I digress.

I don’t read a lot of Roberts anymore; however, this title and synopsis had my attention. Can Nora Roberts write a psychological thriller? Turns out – yeah, she can.

You had me at bookstore would be a true statement…you had me at an author stalker as well.

This book was fabulous; while not a romance reader by any means, the light romance that happens in this book is perfect. Not giving too much away – I loved Arden’s strong character while at the same time being able to be vulnerable (rightfully so) after her attack. These characters are people who I want as my friends- my neighbors (NOT Dustin)

There is so so so much to love about this book – but you do not need to take my word for it – read it. And let me know.

And please please please let it be a movie.

Rated: 5 out of 5 – I really liked it!
Read Author Before: Of course
Read Author Again: Of course
Where Read: Audio working in my yard


Bookclub Worthy: YES Please! I think the amazing evolution of Nora Robert – her complete diversity in what she writes under her name as well as her pen name are discussion worthy – AND so is this book.
Topics of discussion – Dustin’s craziness, if we have ever known someone like that that just does not get reality, Arden’s strength, the home she makes for herself, the awesome neighbors
Hard topics – the attack, mental health, recovery

Food for discussion – Cafe food (Sandwiches – good ones), Coffee, wine, Fun bakery items, fresh baked bread, pastas…) Good ol home cooking.

A Good Family by Matt Goldman

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)3 Comments

Does anyone else just crave a good read? Found it. ~Sheila

Katie Kuhlmann’has it all. She lives in a wonderful Country Club neighborhood with close friends close by, a text away from taking a walk, grabbing a coffee, or even going skiing. She has a great job working as a food scientist for General Mills. She has two great kids who are fun and good-natured. And a hard-working husband she adores.
Or…
She did.

Her husband Jack has become… distracted. And honestly – weird. He disappears to the basement to work on spreadsheets for his business and disappears from the kids entirely, and they can’t find him. Talking to him doesn’t work; he claims job stress and then disappears again – literally.

It’s the most bizarre thing.

Things just get stranger when Adam “Bagman” Ross, a guy both Katie and Jack knew from college, shows up on their doorsteps, hoping to be able to stay. Jack is quick to say yes while Katie is unnerved by soemone who they had not kept in touch with now living close to their children.

Things continue to unravel for the Kuhlmanns as Katie works to keep up appearances with her neighborhood friends and not let on that she suspects Jack is lying to her, and creating a wall between them that Katie does not have the energy – or honestly, the want- to tear down.

I’m going to be honest here. Picking up a BOOK this time of year is unusual for me. Not that I don’t try – but a book usually is carried from one location to the other…. outdoors to the patio, indoors to the recliner, to the nightstand… and rarely gets opened.
I mean well…

This time of year I am mostly audio-something I can listen to while I garden, mow the lawn, bake bread, cook, clean….

BUT… something happened here. I bought this book at the recent Words By The Water Event in Brainerd, MN, where Matt Goldman was one of the authors speaking. We have had him before, and he is delightful, and it was fun to hang out with him after the event with the other authors and catch up a bit. I had read Matt before with my book club years ago, but the book was more traditional thriller than this more psychological one.

This book – called to me, sitting in a pile of other unread books… I just wanted to pick it up… and when I did… I didn’t want to put it down.


Matt’s characters jumped off the page. Katie was someone I wanted to hang out with…. and the friends circles of who really was a friend and who really was not – as well as where the $%#$&*! did Jack keep disappearing to, kept me turning the pages.

I dug in over this past weekend and stayed up until midnight last night to finish. Whatever magic beans were in this book – it worked.

And now… another of his books is calling to me…. stay tuned

Rated: 4 out of 5
Read Author Before: yes
Read Author Again: Yes!
Where Read: Home


Bookclub Worthy: yes – it’s twisty enough to bring up good conversation.

Leveling up for Bookclub – Food in the book includes hot chocolate, pizza, going out for drinks (Mistletoe Manhattan anyone?), and of course Katie works for General Mills…. Breakfast for Book Club? 😛

Have fun!

Mother’s Day Morning Meanderings….

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)5 Comments

Happy Mother’s Day!

For those of you who have followed this site for a long, long time, you may remember Morning Meanderings… the posts where I just shared my life – not just books.

I miss that.

I miss that place to put my voice… put my thoughts.

So here goes.

Mother’s Day is a mixed bag of nuts for me. One amazing son on earth. Once amazing son in Heaven since 2015. This. Changes. This Day.

Throughout the years, many people have said how strong I am. And I never felt strong. If you have been through something like this, you know what I mean. You do what you have to do. You get up. You function… You have good days, and you have days when you are a little sad, sometimes even a little mad.

As cringy as saying this is – life does go on.

It’s just…. different.

For whatever reason, this morning…. I feel strong. I feel that no one will ever understand my personalized concoction of grief. My mom is gone (car accident). My dad and sister are gone (house fire). My son – you know…. and it’s A LOT. Let’s be honest.

We all have stuff.

Last night, I worked as a Wedding Coordinator, and I worked HARD. 12 hours of non-stop setting up a room, setting up the outdoor Ceremony Space, setting the place cards, checking dietary information, MOVING MOVING MOVING. On top of my already full week at my Real Job 🙂

It’s what gets me through…. Busy.

And now here we are today. And the sun is shining… and I’m drinking my coffee out of my Harry Potter cup (far right in picture) because I choose my cup of the day – by mood ( I am a sentimental beast – always have been). And the Harry Potter cup is from my son, Brad.

Today….
I am self-caring.
Sheila Style.

I’m going to mow the lawn. That may not sound like self-care, but it is. I LOVE to mow the lawn. I made sure my dorky 80s style headphones are charged up so I can listen to my book, which is the 4th in a series ( more on that soon), and I should finish that today.

And … I’m going to sit on the deck in the sun and read. I have a few ideas here…

Brad and Kylie will pop over this afternoon, we will grill tonight, and I am going to pick up a nice bottle of wine.

That’s my plan.

It’s not often I just hang. There’s always a project… there’s always something I should fix, clean, update, DO.

And…

Not today.

Today I am just going to BE. Allow myself to feel the feels with the sun on my face and quiet, persistent memories in my heart. And that’s ok.

I hope to write more Meanderings…. so much to share .. so much I want to have a record of on this crazy space that has been my shared space since 2009.

Have an amazing day.

~Sheila

Anatomy Of An ALIBI by Ashley Elston

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Things are rarely as they appear – Sheila

Camille Bayliss has a charmed life – the hotshot lawyer husband, a supportive family, and a beautiful home. Ben jokes that as fast as he is making the money, his wife is out spending it.

Aubrey Price works at Doug’s Tavern as a bartender, doing ok for herself. She lives in a low-income housing area with four roommates. Haunted by a tragic past.

When Camille shows up at the Tavern one night, accusing Aubrey of sleeping with her husband, Aubrey is taken aback. Ben (upon seeing a photo) has been in the tavern, but Aubrey has had nothing to do with him. When she learns who Camille’s husband is – the Ben Bayliss, the lawyer who put away the man who killed her parents during a hit and run – Aubrey starts to wonder what he is doing snooping around an old case.

Together, the women devise a plan to find out what Ben is up to. For twelve hours, they will switch places. But when Ben is found murdered the next morning, both women need an alibi – and only one of them has it.



Last year, about this time, I read another book by this author, First Lie Wins, and really enjoyed it. I didn’t even catch that this was the same author until the last couple of days. Once again, Ashley Elston has created a good twisty read that kept me guessing.

A great read while I am in Florida, this one kept me turning the pages and kept me guessing right tot he big reveal.

Rated: 4 out of 5
Read Author Before: Yes
Read Author Again: Yes
Where Read: Fort Myers Florida

Bookclub Worthy: Yes! There are a few characters in this book that would be fun to unpack. You also have your two (sometimes three) protagonists and are discussing whether they are they likeable? How are these women alike and not alike –
Food thoughts for book club would be anywhere from fast food/bar food/grilled cheese (Aubrey) to classy salads and wine (Camille)

She Left Us by Callista Arden

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“Thirteen Reasons Why vibes”… in a good way. ~ Sheila

Thirteen years after Grace’s sister disappears from their family home, a car is found in a nearby ravine with what looks to be Zoe’s remains, showing that she died shortly after she left.

As Detectives Calder and Morales connect with the family, they find some disturbing information. While Zoe left the home all those years ago, a police report of a missing person was never filed, and the family never made any attempt to locate her – in fact, by the looks of the family home, they erased her. Her room has been remodeled, her personal items gone.

Zoe’s parents are distraught by the news of their oldest daughter, but describe an unruly child who came and went as she pleased, sneaking out at all hours, drugs and alcohol… in their mind, Zoe had left long before she left.

But Zoe’s younger sister, Grace, remembers a kinder, gentler version of her sister – and when a tape shows us that Zoe has left a message for Grace, Zoe tells the story of what happened and why she left.

Is what Zoe is sharing true? Zoe always had a knack for telling a great story… and was Zoey’s accident just that? Or was it suicide… or…

Was it murder?

My daughter-in-law put this one on my radar, and I tossed it in with the tote of books I brought to Florida. While Florida has been in a bit of a CHILL this week, outdoor time has been minimal, and reading has been a welcome thing.

This book gave me vibes of 13 Reasons Why (have you read this? It’s so good – better than the tv series). Briefly, Thirteen Reasons Why is about a girl who commits suicide but has mailed a set of 13 tapes to her classmate Clay, about why she did it. As the book goes on, you see what led to Hannah’s decision.)

What She Left Us takes from 13 Reasons Why is the tape left behind that tells Zoe’s side of what brought her to the decision to leave, unfolding a tale of neglect, verbal abuse, feelings of unworthiness, but again – is it true? As this is Zoe’s story.

Engaging read. As I dug into the characters, the book mostly focused on Grace’s reactions to what she is hearing and what she can remember of their childhood, and a rewrite of her own history.

While there are a few loose ends that I tend to pick at, overall a good, fast read that you will not want to put down.

Rated: 3 out of 5
Read Author Before: No
Read Author Again: I would

Themes: death, sex (minimal and not descriptive), mental abuse

Book Club Worthy – Mmmm hmmm. I can see this as a good and possibly deep discussion on mental abuse, what we thought happened early on, and what actually happened. What could have easily changed the narrative?

These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean

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“I could handle a few more Storms”…. ” ~ Sheila

Alice Storm has spent five years apart from her family and the Storm family’s wealth. Removing herself from a toxic situation was probably the best decision she ever made, making (and paying) her own way.

Yet, when the call comes in from her mother about her billionaire father’s untimely passing, Alice finds herself returning to Storm Island, spending time with the siblings she has spoken to since she left, and finding herself once again entangled in one of her father’s manipulating games in an all-or-nothing family task for the inheritance that she never wanted.

Nothing, when it comes to the name Storm, is easy.

I read this one as we traveled to Florida earlier this week. As usual, I stockpiled a tote of books to bring along – many titles I have had for a while but had not had the opportunity to read.

It’s amazing the reading you can complete when traveling by RV for 3 1/2 days…

This was an enjoyable book. I liked Alice, and I liked her integrity. Toss in a mixed bag of family –

Greta – the oldest sister who has always felt it was her duty to hold everything together (to a fault), her mother’s right hand, and always seeking approval.

Sam – the only son. He should have been the leader and the next in line to take over as the CEO of Storm INC, but Sam is a spoiled rich adult who never put in the time to be his father’s successor and now struggles with secrets of his own and a wife and two kids expecting him to step up.

Emily – the youngest of the Storms, who is free-spirited and lives by her own rules, also does not break away from the family safety net.

And Elizabeth Storm, the mother of the four siblings, is icy and cold, never showing emotions.

Together, this reuniting of a broken, messed-up family forced into an inheritance game left in the father’s will, where they all have tasks to accomplish in one week, and if anyone fails, they all fail…

For the most part, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, even the sideline romance between Alice and Jack Dean, her father’s second-in-command.


My only gripe- the ending was … weird. I was left with questions that IMO would lead to another book, but a search online says nope… this is a stand-alone.

Still check it out for yourself.

Rated: 4 out of 5
Read Author Before: I don’t think so
Read Author Again: probably

Themes: Inheritance, Black sheep, romance

Book Club Worthy – Yes. The siblings and their vast differences, and all with a secret of their own makes for good discussion. Even Elizabeth, the icy mom, is worth diagnosing if she becomes under the family’s name, and of course, this controlling, now passed away father that literally holds the purse strings to most of their desires – is it worth losing who you are, who you want to be for a large financial prize?

The First Witch Of Boston by Andrea Catalano

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)3 Comments

I love historical fiction – and what an opportunity to get to know a bit about Margaret Jones. ~ Sheila

It’s 1646, and Thomas and Margaret Jones have left their life in London to escape suspicion of Margaret’s vast knowledge of herbal remedies. Moving to Boston, Thomas finds plenty of work with his skills of carpentry, and Margaret, in no time, is the one to call if you are having a baby or need a remedy for what is ailing you. She is whip smart on creating the perfect combination of herbs.

But soon, Margaret’s fiery personality and sharp tongue once again catch up with them, leading to townfolk using the word “cunning” when describing her, and men telling Thomas that he needed to control his wife. In this Puritan community, words and actions that seem to heal beyond what one would call normal processes lead to rumblings of witchcraft… words that you do not want in any way associated with you, as witchcraft means death.

When an upper-class young widow sets her eyes on Thomas, it’s all too easy to add her voice to the rumblings, adding fuel to a fire that, try as Margaret may, she can not put out.

I received this book through our Bookish Secret Santa Exchange. Loving historical fiction – and fascinated by the trials, this was a great pick! I dug into this as the first book I read while we traveled by RV to Florida these past few days.

Absolutely engaging, the historical fiction telling of Thomas and Margaret is one not to miss if this is a genre you enjoy. While in all historical fiction, the author is taking liberties to fill in the unknown, this book is inspired by actual diary entries and court records of Margaret, being the first woman to be executed for witchcraft in Boston.

I enjoyed the read immensely, still dumbfounded that women with skill could be accused and killed under the label of witch, and all of those innocent lives taken, Margaret being one of the early ones.

A few of my friends and I went to Salem in October of 2022 and toured where women were kept and learned more of this time in our history.

Rated: 4.5 out of 5
Read Author Before: No
Read Author Again: I would

Themes: Witchcraft, Rape

Book Club Worthy – Absolutely. This would be a great discussion book – to review this time in our history, topics to dig deeper into surrounding the history of the witch trials, what traits a woman had to be accused, etc…

People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry

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Just great snarky fun unfolding in a unique, engaging style ~ Sheila

When Poppy and Alex meet during a shared car ride home from college, they have nothing in common. Poppy is a free spirit, adventurous and daring – loving to push the narrative a little farther than perhaps she should… and Alex is most content to stay at home with a book, keeping his circle of influence small and comfortable.

Somehow, this odd match works, and they become the best of friends, taking an annual one-week vacation together where Poppy’s wild child persona pushes Alex to be a little more out of his shell, which they fondly refer to as “Vacation Alex“. This fun tradition continues with the friends for 10 years until a disastrous trip to Croatia creates a rift between the two of them, and they both agree that this will be their last trip together.

Two years later, Poppy is in a rut and can’t stop thinking of her once-best friend. She reaches out to Alex, convincing him to take one last trip together to see if they can bring back the magic they once had together, mixing the intoxicating combination of Poppy’s spirit with Alex’s need for stability.

What could possibly go wrong?

Full disclosure.. I have kind of been stocking people’s first book of the year selections and cherry – picking the ones I would like to give a try. This one looked fun, so in I went.

I love the layout of this read… it’s common in books today to have a present-time narrative as well as a narrative of the past… what’s unique ( and fun!) about People We Meet On Vacation, Is that this back and forth narrative takes us through Poppy and Alex’s past vacations – starting with the ride from college when they met, to their annual tradition sharing with us their bond together, leading up to the fateful trip that reveals to us the readers, what went down… all the while alternating with present time in their current trip.

It works.

I loved Vacation, Alex. The way Poppy draws out this playful alternative person, where they play act with strangers, pretend to be married with a hilarious back story of how they met to get perks at hotels and restaurants, and let go of all the inhibitions that you can when you are in a place that no one knows you, and most likely you will never see them again.

Highly enjoyable read. I didn’t know until I had started this book that it was also going to be a Netflix movie. Double Score!!!! My timing was kind of perfect, as the movie released on January 9th, and I finished the book on this day as well, and treated myself to a follow-up with the movie last night.
The actors playing the roles of Poppy and Alex were perfect. They capture Poppy’s snarky, fun personality and her sense of adventure, as well as Alex’s more laid-back personality.

Highly recommend the book – and the movie.
It’s the perfect time of year to enjoy both.

Rated: 4.5 out of 5
Read Author Before: Yes
Read Author Again: Yes

Themes: friendship, romance, nothing triggering

Book Club Worthy – Yes. Discussion can be centered around friendships, if men and women can just be close friends or best friends, and if anyone has (or had) this kind of relationship with the opposite sex… also, vacation is a fun topic, and if you do act differently when not around people you know – do we let go of inhibitions?
Of course – vacation food pairings… the options are endless!

Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino

Published on by Sheila (Book Journey)2 Comments

Delightfully insane… ~ Sheila

House hunting wars go to a new level in the suburbs of Washington DC for Margo and Ian Miyake. After 18 months of house searching and 11 failed bidding wars, Margo is feeling her dreams of the white picket fence and the tire swing in the back yard to raise their future children slipping from her grasp. Will they ever catch a break?

Then, just as she is about to give up, Margo gets a hot tip about a house that will be listed in the upcoming weeks… sworn to secrecy, Margo can not believe her luck – this house checks off all the boxes (including the tire swing!). But how will they beat out the other interested buyers… what can be done differently than what they have done before?

While Ian, an EPA Lawyer, is more level-headed and realistic, Margo has become obsessed with the house – HER HOUSE, and will stop at quite literally nothing to be sure that when the dust clears, it is her… err… their name on the title.
After all, what’s too much when it comes to your dreams?


Honestly, you are getting a mixed bag of nuts on this one. When the book started – I loved it. It was just fun to watch Margo slowly lose it over the pressures of securing a home and then finding the holy grail. Months of trying and failing will do that to a person, and in the start, Margo’s wild antics are humorous, and for most of the book, I am all in.

Deeper in – the book takes a pretty dark turn – totally changing the feel of the book for me. Maybe it was because it was unexpected (I mean – I’ve read some pretty creepy psychological thrillers), maybe I was looking for something lighter – but it left things a little wonky in the end. Some things in the book felt unnecessary and did not add to the book; in fact, IMO, took away. I’m a little sad about this, as 3/4 of the way through the book, I thought I had hit on another 5-star read.

And the moral of this story – be careful what you wish for.

Rated: 3.5 out of 5
Read Author Before: No – this is a debut author
Read Author Again: unsure

Themes: unhinged, infidelity, Going TOO FAR

Book Club Worthy – As much as I have mixed feelings about this, I think a good book club discussion could happen. Who hasn’t gone to great measures to get something they really wanted – even to the point of being a big unhinged ;P