Pechewa An American Odyssey by Tess Kincaid

I read this novel in April.  Very good writing and a true glimpse of the author's family roots.  

I left this review on Amazon:  " Absolutely enjoyed this novel. Good solid writing throughout. I had long forgotten some of the things from midwest childhood days back ago such as minnows in the creeks , tadpoles, words that were common to me as a child and so long forgotten about. I chuckled reading about those lawn jockeys! Memories surfaced immediately . A good book can do that. I learned somethings too, such as the origin of the term "Hoosier." There were some descriptives I found amusing and original such as "Walmart Picasso" and "brunetteitude. " Nostalgic to read about someone visiting her elderly grandfather as I had similar experiences with my elderlies relatives in PA. Reading along I was rooting for Peachy and was convinced all would be right. As a good read, it has a double twist at the end which I did not expect. I do not want to give away any of the intrigue with spoilers.  

One thing I found odd was no page numbers in the book, fortunately it is not massive but I like to make notes and usually just reference the page numbers. So with this I tore pink postits and staggered them in the book.

 And what was her name?"   I realized at the end  of the novel that I did not know the name of the woman  visiting her grandfather in Indiana and through whom the story unfolded. I was reading along enjoying the memories from so long ago in my life and didn't think about her name.  

Published 2024 by the  author who now lives in England.  I became acquainted with Tess years ago through online blogs.  We are still connected often through Facebook posts.  Besides the things I mentioned on my  Amazon review there is  a wondrous description of a feral hog in Chapter 5.  

Peachy has acquired a copy of Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass" that will accompany him through his war journey.  This book has several references to" Leaves ...."and opens with a quote from it.  Tess, the author is a poet too so it is not unusual that she would find a way to include poetic.  

Pechewa finds a friend in Ras who is killed in battle.  

The novel has history and an ending I could not have predicted.  Truly a 5 *****.  Well done, Tess Kincaid!

Single by K>L>Slater

Found this great twister novel, mystery, thriller at the Friends of Library book sale.  Have never before  read this author, K.L.Slater, British but what a great read.  I will look for more of her books.  It was published in 2019, 338 pages.  I was in suspense until the end and truly was surprised at the outcome.  I have no quotes from the book but hated to put it down without  finding out what would happen next, 

Very briefly Darcy is a young widow with two small boys, Kane and Harrison.  When Joel dies she learns that her beloved husband, Joel,  had been cheating on her, living with another woman Daniela Frost  part of the week while she thought he was away on business.  Darcy suffers a clinical mental  breakdown  and Joel's  parents Leonard and Brenda and his sister, Steph are lifesavers for her,  taking custody of the boys while she recovers and returning them to her after she is discharged.  Darcy is a yoga instructor. Her in-laws are her support system, Steph is like a sister to her.  The other woman, Daniella stays in touch with Joel's parents as well.  Darcy doesn't like that but there is nothing she can do.  

Then she learns that Daniella will be moving back to their town. Kane the youngest boy suffers an almost fatal  asthma attack at a park and a handsome off duty surgeon George Mortimer steps in and saves his life.  Darcy is grateful.

 

Back Cover

 The next day she takes a thank you card to him at the hospital where he works with an invitation to coffee trying to thank him somehow.  He calls her and accepts and then begins what will be for Darcy the answer to what she could not have imagined.  They fall in love .  Darcy is smitten, swept off her feet.  George is a widower wit h a young daughter, Romy  and a housekeeper, Maria.  Daniela is not only moving back to the town but is buying the townhouse where Darcy has been living.  She knows she has to move and of course the in-laws would be thrilled to have her and the boys move in with them.  But the relationship with George has continued and he asks her and the boys to move in with him after all 5 of them spend Christmas Days away at a lodge.  This does not go over well wit  the in-laws where they have always spent Christmas and where Brenda goes all out.  Darcy breaks the news that she and the boys will be living with George to the in-laws next.  George seems to have a stalker, Opal whom he says is an ex girlfriend.  Opal begins  to shadow Darcy and the boys and send flowers of condolence. Darcy wants George to call the police but he tells her the police can do nothing, without proof.  Darcy learns that is true when she tries to get police help herself.  m  Meanwhile Darcy has been following Daniella on social media using a fake identity, stalking of her own.  Things escalate when Harrison is kidnapped after school football practice.  The way things turn out was very unpredictable to me.  I did not know  who was telling the truth.  Turns out George was twisted and planning to kill Harrison, blame Opal and then have Darcy done away with. He is involved with Daniella.    Maria the housekeeper whom he fired after she had harsh words with Darcy turns out to be Opal's mother.  That is why she was so attached to Romy. Opal is Romy's mother not his dead wife.  In a confrontation to get Harrison back  Opal kills George in self defense.  The novel closes, George is dead, the child Romy inherits his property and is restored to her mother and Maria. Opal and Maria invite Darcy and the boys to live with them.  And the in-laws arrive at the end, bereft of all that has happened and deeply regretful of their part in the saga.  Fences are mended with them and it appears Darcy will now have a better life a normal one with the boys and her new true friends.  

A real 5 ***** fast paced thriller.  

A Widow for One Year by John Irving

Front Cover

Picked this up at our local library book sale along with a bag of others.  The title "Widow" caught my eye and I have read other novels by this author .  But this was beyond disappointing, in fact it resembles something a late aunt used to say, "don't even waste your eyeballs on that."  I suffered along, trying, hoping for better up to page 110 of its 537 pages.  It was published in 1998.

I truly have not had anything this bad to read since I do not know when.  The storyline according to the inner book flap didn't sound bad, but I never got past the four year old Ruth.  Poor child is daughter  of an irresponsible father and a mother who never got over the grief of losing their two older boys, Ruth's brothers born long before her.  Very tiresome as the mother has an affair, if it can be called that it is blatant seductions of Eddie,  an Exeter high school boy whom the father hired as his writer's s assistant for the summer.  Ted, the father is unable to drive from too many DUI's so all he wanted was a chauffeur. Marion, Ted's wife, Ruth's mother uses Eddie as she plans to leave Ted and Ruth.  Though the flap describes erotic parts, I found the eroticism tiresome and quite annoying, verging on pornographic as 4 year old Ruth enters her mother's bedroom to see her mounted by Eddie.  Yuck.

Spare me any further agony trying to read this drivel.     I have so many more books waiting to be read on my shelf.     .  Therefore no rating from me.  It will go into my Goodwill Donation bag.  I am surprised I gave it space on this blog as I've read other books I'm waiting to review and share.