Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Blindspot in America, by Elom K. Akoto {ends 10/23}

Guest review by: Becki Bayley

The days went by fast, and Kamao and Lindsey only had a week and a half left to spend in Ghana. Mama Agatha and one of her maids set up the breakfast table. Kamao was the first to join them just as they were finishing up. 

“Good morning, Mama,” he said.

“Good morning. Where is Lindsey?”

“She’s in the bathroom getting ready; you know how women are, taking their time.”

Kamao grabbed an apple from the fruit basket on the breakfast table, but Mama Agatha slapped the back of his hand. “Be a gentleman; I taught you better. Don’t you know how to be a gentleman and wait for your woman?” Kamao rubbed the back of his hand and quietly sat down, ashamed of himself.

“Why do you like Lindsey so much, Mama?” he asked after a moment of silence.

“She’s nice,” Mama Agatha said, still busy setting up the table.

“Her mother died when she was little. She had taught her well, from what she told me. But she was raised by her father after mother passed away.”

“Then her father had taught her well too,” Mama Agatha said.

Kamao is so basically good, but the world is trying to force him to accept that not everyone has such a kind heart and straight moral compass.

Official synopsis:

Kamao is the son of a prominent Ghanaian academic and incumbent minister of health and is devoted to all that America symbolizes. After immigrating to the United States in pursuit of higher education and the American Dream, he becomes unwittingly entangled with American politics when he meets Lindsey McAdams, the daughter of an influential, anti-immigration senator. As the couple’s feelings grow, so too does the senator’s animosity toward Kamao. Despite support from fellow immigrants Lazo, Ayefumi, and Dania—who follow American Dreams of their own—Kamao soon finds himself drawn into intrigues hidden from the American public that make him question himself and his adopted country. When Kamao is implicated in a murder, Lindsey’s loyalties are tested, Dania must decide if she is willing to risk her own future and security for the sake of justice, and Kamao discovers how far he’ll go to fulfill his American Dream.

Kamao has spent his whole life dreaming of living in America. When he finally is accepted to college and moves to begin his dream, his first roommate in his first week makes him question whether it’s meant to be. But he presses on, confident that most people are still good.

His optimism seems well placed going forward, as he meets a beautiful classmate, and they both fall swiftly in love. Unfortunately, his heart is too far gone when he realizes that Lindsey’s father is a renowned anti-immigration senator. In the way perhaps only young people have such unassailable confidence, they’re both sure their love can conquer all. 

While Kamao’s main interest is his happy life with Lindsey, he also continues to help others in the community of immigrants who have come to feel like his family in America. They all experience struggles, but their faith in the American dream never wanes. 

The prologue of the book tells readers that Kamao ends up in prison, but the story truly needs to be read to uncover how something so awful happens to such a good man. The book earns 4 out of 5 stars and serves as an amazing illustration of the struggles of life in America when one is in opposition to those with privilege. 

{click here to purchase via my Amazon Affiliates link}

Becki Bayley is the wife of a racecar guy and the mother of two amazing kids. See what they’re up to on her Instagram, where she posts as SweetlyBSquared.

GIVEAWAY:

One of my lucky readers will win a copy of Blindspot in America!

Enter via the widget below. Giveaway will end on Wednesday, October 23rd, at 11:59pm ET, and winner will be chosen the next day and notified via email, and must respond within 24 hours, or an alternate winner will be chosen.

U.S. and Canada residents only, please.

Good luck!

Blindspot in America, by Elom K. Akoto

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Book Review: Malibu Burning, by Lee Goldberg

Guest review by: Becki Bayley

Three Weeks Ago

The blue Ferrari 488 Spider was the perfect car for taking the hairpin turns on Latigo Canyon Road, heading south into the Santa Monica Mountains toward the sea. But the Beverly Hills rental car company wouldn’t have been pleased knowing how fast and dangerously Danny Cole was driving on the two-late, ridge-line road, where one tiny miscalculation could send him plunging off a cliff.

Then again, Danny thought, they could hardly be surprised. Who rented a Ferrari with any intention of driving slowly? Nobody. The point of a Ferrari was to drive fast and be seen doing it, to express your daring, your virility and your wealth, which was exactly why he chose the car for the character he was playing today.

Danny Cole really found his calling in life as a con man. The good guys and the bad guys alike respect his plans and know he has much higher likelihood of success than most conmen or officers pursuing them.

Official synopsis:

Hell comes to Southern California every October. It rides in on searing Santa Ana winds that blast at near hurricane force, igniting voracious wildfires. Master thief Danny Cole longs for the flames. A tsunami of fire is exactly what he needs to pull off a daring crime and avenge a fallen friend.

As the most devastating firestorms in Los Angeles’ history scorch the hills of Malibu, relentless arson investigator Walter Sharpe and his wild card of a new partner, Andrew Walker, a former US marshal, suspect that someone set the massive blazes intentionally, a terrifying means to an unknown end.

While the flames rage out of control, Danny pursues his brilliant scheme, unaware that Sharpe and Walker are closing in. But when they all collide in a canyon of fire, everything changes, pitting them against an unexpected enemy within an inescapable inferno.

The way the pieces came together and the investigation used the strengths of veteran investigator Sharpe and experienced detective Walker was fascinating. Neither of them would have solved it single-handedly, and they both grudgingly came around to accepting that and becoming better partners for each other.

While Sharpe and Walker were the central characters who will keep this new series evolving, the other characters were also well-developed and engaging. Cole and his crew of bad guys were also interesting and unique. As a character-driven story with an intricate but thoroughly explained plot, this book earned 4 out of 5 stars. As an author, Lee Goldberg does not disappoint. The book could be enthusiastically recommended to those who enjoy thrillers, police procedurals, and California stories. 

{click here to purchase via my Amazon Affiliate link}

Becki Bayley is a wife and mother who enjoys reading and writing. Although it’s been a while, she also remembers a fondness for stitching and crafting. Check out what she’s up to with and without her family on Instagram, where she posts as SweetlyBSquared.

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Book Review: The Reunion, by Kit Frick

Guest review by: Becki Bayley

ADDISON

It’s not until I’ve changed into my pajamas and settled in bed with the remote that it occurs to me to wonder how the frog got all the way beneath the sheets, which had been so carefully spread up by room service. I’m not scared of frogs; I think they’re cute. But there was definitely a momentary freak-out, before I realized what was moving. Was someone trying to scare me?

If so, it had to be one of my cousins. No one else has a key to this room. 

Then again, anyone could have slipped a key card out of one of our beach bags and used it for a few minutes. The room’s been empty since Mia went next door and Natalia went down to the hot tub, and before that, it was probably unoccupied for most of the afternoon.

My eyes travel to my phone, still facedown on the nightstand, then to the closet door, envisioning the laundry bag at the back, the wooden cigar box tucked inside. Has someone on this trip figured out that I’m hiding something? Is someone intentionally messing with me?

Everyone at the Mayweather’s reunion/engagement party has secrets that are vital to them, but most of them are so busy protecting their own interests that they’re misjudging the rest of their family.

Official synopsis:

Eleven Mayweathers went on vacation. Ten came home.

It’s been years since the fragmented Mayweather clan was all in one place, but the engagement of Addison and Mason’s mom to the dad of their future stepbrother, Theo, brings the whole family to sunny Cancún, Mexico, for winter break. Add cousin Natalia to the mix, and it doesn’t take long for tempers to fray and tensions to rise. A week of forced family “fun” reveals that everyone has something to hide, and as secrets bubble to the surface, no one is safe from the fallout. By the end of the week, one member of the reunion party will be dead—and everyone’s a suspect:

The peacekeeper: Addison needs a better hiding place.

The outsider: Theo just wants to mend fences.

The romantic: Natalia doesn’t want to talk about the past.

The hothead: Mason needs to keep his temper under control.

It started as a week in paradise meant to bring them together. But the Mayweathers are about to learn the hard way that family bonding can be deadly.

Addison and Mason (the twins) have a secret with Natalia which permanently fractured the trio they thought could withstand anything until three years ago. Natalia’s little sister Mia just wants everyone to have a good time! Besides being a reunion trip, they’re also supposed to be welcoming Austin and Theo to the family. Austin is marrying Addison and Mason’s mother, and Theo is the same age as Addison, Mason, and Natalia.

The formatting of the story was interesting, with some chapters told as flashbacks from different characters, interspersed with news announcements and interviews from after the mysterious death that essentially ends the book (except for the epilogue).

Some of the revelations at the end were a little too succinct, and some parts gave more questions than answers. Overall the book earned 3 out of 5 stars and would definitely be recommended to those who like a tangled thriller, family drama, and somewhat unpredictable characters.

{click here to purchase via my Amazon Affiliates link}

Becki Bayley is a reader and a writer. She enjoys making plans, spending time with her family and friends, and making progress on big projects. See what they’re up to on her Instagram, where she posts as SweetlyBSquared.

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Book Review and GIVEAWAY: The Hedgerow, by Anne Leigh Parrish {ends 10/9}

Guest review by: Becki Bayley

She came home exhausted to find Henry reading, listening to the radio, or drinking and playing solitaire. Alistair wasn’t due back for another week and Edith had been preparing their meals. She’d arranged for their laundry to be picked up at the apartment – Alistair usually dropped it off weekly at a place a few blocks away. She asked for groceries to be delivered, too. She just didn’t have time to shop.

That Henry was useless in domestic matters was no surprise. All his life other people had handled things for him. Even in London during the war he’d had Alistair. But she was infuriated that he expected her to put in hours at the store and then wait on him at home. He said he was happy for them to dine out every night until Alistair returned. She said she didn’t always want to go out. Sometimes, it was nice to stay home and put her feet up.

“You’re right, poor dear. Let me make you something. I’m sure I can find my way around the kitchen well enough,” Henry said.

Edith seems to have gotten herself out of one marriage that wasn’t a good fit only to be falling into another.

Official synopsis:

In the long-awaited sequel to Anne Leigh Parrish's An Open Door, Edith Sloan navigates life after leaving her dull, demanding husband, Walter, for Henry, a well-off British peer. The bookstore she owns on Harvard Square, The Turned Page, thrives under her management, and prospects for a publishing venture take shape. As 1949 comes to an end, and with her sights trained on a new decade, Edith struggles with stifling social conventions, unreliable men, and an unforeseen circumstance that might ruin everything.

While the book is a sequel, it was easy to read and understand without the previous story details. Edith is in the middle of her divorce from Walter, and co-habitating nicely with Henry, the man who bought a bookstore for his then-wife and Edith to run together. The wife soon returns to England, but Edith is only too happy to keep overseeing the bookstore alone. 

Edith and Henry may be a little more than friends while living under the same roof, but she’s always been very careful not to mislead him—she does not love him and doubts she ever would. Eventually he confesses that he knows this, but still wants her to be his wife anyway. She decides she sees no good reason not to accept his proposal.

Unfortunately, none of the characters were very likable, and the choices they made were making them even less likable as the book went on. It was a generally pleasant read, and would be enjoyed by those who might appreciate Henry and his butler’s British background or fiction based in the late 1940s in the U.S. Overall, the book earned 3 out of 5 stars.

{click here to purchase via my Amazon Affiliate link}

Becki Bayley likes reading, napping, and looking at 50s styles. Check out what else she’s been up to on her blog, SweetlyBSquared.com.

GIVEAWAY:

One of my lucky readers will win a copy of The Hedgerow!

Enter via the widget below. Giveaway will end on Wednesday, October 9th, at 11:59pm ET, and winner will be notified via email the next day, and have 24 hours to respond, or an alternate winner will be chosen.

U.S. residents only, please.

Good luck!

The Hedgerow, by Anne Leigh Parrish

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Book Review and GIVEAWAY: The Witch's Secret, by Stacie Murphy {ends 10/2}

Guest review by: Becki Bayley

Peter took me into Denver City on Christmas Eve. We left at first light, wrapped in buffalo robes against the frigid air, our breath making clouds of mist as the mules plodded along under the brightening sky. We made far better time riding than if we’d brought the wagon and reached town by midday.

From the look of things, every rancher and miner in the territory had come into Denver City for the holiday. The streets were jammed, and as we turned into Wazee Street I worried Bonnie might not have a room for me. There hadn’t been any way to tell her I was coming, and with so many people in town, the temptation to rent out her spare room might have been too much to resist. 

But she looked pleased to see me when I arrived, smiling from across the front room, her hands full of plates. She put the dishes in front of a pair of men at a corner table, then stopped for a moment to speak to a plain-faced young woman wiping up a spill from one of the long trestle tables before making her way over to me.

“Joya! You made it.”

Joya Shaw has had her magic bound and been sent out west after using a forbidden spell. What she had found out, though, was bigger than her own relationships. Not all witches are using their power for good.

Official synopsis:

After using a forbidden spell to wring a confession from her faithless lover, young witch Joya Shaw finds herself stripped of her power and banished to the magical backwater of the Colorado Territory.

But it is 1862, the American Civil War is raging, and going west doesn’t mean leaving the battlefields behind. When Joya arrives at a homesteader’s cabin and discovers the occupants savagely slain, she knows it is no mere murder: traces of demon magic cling to the bodies. When a Union patrol is later wiped out the same way, Joya begins to suspect that someone is trying to create a new weapon for the rebel arsenal.

She gambles that thwarting the plot could be the key to ending her exile. But demon hunting is a dangerous game, and it’s all too easy for the hunter to become the prey. Trapped, Joya enters into an uneasy alliance with a demon. She must find a way to free herself or bend its power to her will. If she fails, she will forfeit not only her life, but also her soul—along with the chance to stop the tide of the war from turning in an unspeakable direction.

Joya starts out trying to do right and serve her time gracefully. A visit to the city reunites her with the ranger who escorted her to her new home, and introduces her to the rest of his special family. Their warm welcome encourages her to return when she can, and her loyalty to them has her wanting to use her magic again to help them.

Unfortunately, evil is already running amok before she arrives. When she notices what’s going on, she does not realize the damage has already started. Without her powers, can she really prevent the destruction of those she’s grown to love?

This was a great historical fiction book with a believable portrayal of the Colorado Territory and how a whole population of witches may be incorporated and involved in the Civil War. The story was well told and earned a high 3 out of 5 stars. It could be recommended to those who like witchy stories and U.S. historical fiction.

{click here to purchase via my Amazon Affiliates link}

Becki Bayley is a wife and mom who also enjoys reading, Legos, and hanging out with her kids. See what else they’re up to on her blog, SweetlyBSquared.com.

GIVEAWAY:

One of my lucky readers will win a copy of The Witch's Secret!

Enter via the widget below. Giveaway will end on Wednesday, October 2nd, at 11:59pm ET, and winner will be notified via email the next day, and have 24 hours to respond, or an alternate winner will be chosen.

U.S. residents only, please.

Good luck!

The Witch's Secret, by Stacie Murphy

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Book Review: Sammy Espinoza's Last Review, by Tehlor Kay Mejia

Guest review by: Becki Bayley

The next morning, I awake with one more plan and zero more texts than I had the night before.

Letting my Max situation and my Paloma situation collide the other night left everything horribly tangled, I can see that now. But now that I know, I vow as I ease reluctantly out of bed, I will separate the threads. Today, I’ll deal with Paloma. Tomorrow, I’ll deal with Max.

And by “deal with him” I mean say goodbye. Brook was right last night – this whole thing has gotten completely out of control. It’s laughable to think I could still be objective about Max’s music after everything that’s happened between us. And trying to be objective about the music of someone I have romantic feelings for is what got me into this mess in the first place.

Sammy is not only finding out who she might have been, she’s learning to fill those roles even as they keep changing.

Official synopsis:

Sammy Espinoza’s life is a raging dumpster fire. Her desperate attempt to win back her singer ex-girlfriend has landed her in hot water at work, and she has one last chance before her editor cuts her column. Luckily, Sammy has a plan to redeem herself, but it won’t be easy.

Rumor has it that Max Ryan, the former rock god, is secretly recording his first-ever solo album years after he dramatically quit performing. And it just so happens that he and Sammy have history: Right before Max got his big break, he and Sammy spent an unforgettable night together.

Exclusive access to Max’s new music would guarantee Sammy’s professional comeback and, even better, give her the opportunity to serve some long-awaited revenge for his traumatic ghosting.

But Max lives in Ridley Falls, Washington, and Sammy has history there as well: a family that never wanted her and a million unanswered questions. Going back would mean confronting it all—but what else does she have to lose?

The book starts with Sammy Espinoza returning to the closest thing she ever had to a hometown, with her tail between her legs. While her best friend is still there, along with the beloved parents of her friend that she lived with for a year, the rest of it isn’t anything she ever missed. So she’ll swoop in, get the interview she needs to continue her career as a music journalist, and be gone again before anyone notices. Of course, these sort of plans never go as expected.

The story could have progressed as a completely predictable contemporary romance and drama, but the developments for a couple of the characters were largely unexpected. Even Sammy started out somewhat annoying, while letting herself be just a side character in a lot of her own life. She did what she had to in order to keep getting by, but it frequently felt like she was just filling a role and trying to appear happy.

By the end, this fun summer read earned 4 out of 5 stars. The characters ended up enjoyable while still realistic and the plot twists kept this reader engaged. This book could be recommended to those who like found-family dramas, contemporary romance, quirky characters with unique careers, and just a bit of music life and partying memories.

{click here to purchase via my Amazon Affiliate link}

Becki Bayley is a wife and mother of two kids who will hopefully attain a level of success that will help them support her in the manner to which she would like to become accustomed. See what they’re all doing in the meantime on Instagram, where she posts as SweetlyBSquared.

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Book Review and GIVEAWAY: Not What She Seems, by Yasmin Angoe {ends 8/13}

Guest review by: Becki Bayley

Mama put the wooden spatula she was using to scramble the eggs onto the spoon holder. “Thank you, Jac,” she said without warning.

I tore my attention from the trickles of dark-brown liquid from the drip coffee pot – no Keurig here; I wanted to be like a true barista. “It’s just coffee, Mama.”

“For last night. It was lovely. And I think people are learning to be kinder to you now. Which is good. I don’t like how it’s been.”

A bout of guilt washed over me, twisting my insides, because I knew what I was about to do. This gratitude, this rare moment when everything was just right between Mama and me, would die an ugly death the minute I stepped foot into the police station. But I had the best intentions. I always did. I hoped Mama would eventually come to realize that.

Small towns like to label people in specific roles and leave them there. Jacinda was a murderess, and Faye was the town’s new savior. What if people no longer fit in their molds?

Official synopsis:

After years of self-exile, Jacinda “Jac” Brodie is back in Brook Haven, South Carolina. But the small cliffside town no longer feels like home. Jac hasn’t been there since the beloved chief of police fell to his death—and all the whispers said she was to blame.

That chief was Jac’s father.

Racked with guilt, Jac left town with no plans to return. But when her granddad lands in the hospital, 

she rushes back to her family, bracing herself to confront the past.

Brook Haven feels different now. Wealthy newcomer Faye Arden has transformed the notorious Moor Manor into a quaint country inn. Jac’s convinced something sinister lurks beneath Faye’s perfect exterior, yet the whole town fawns over their charismatic new benefactor. And when Jac discovers one of her granddad’s prized possessions in Faye’s office, she knows she has to be right.

But as Jac continues to dig, she stumbles upon dangerous truths that hit too close to home. With not only her life but also her family’s safety on the line, Jac discovers that maybe some secrets are better left buried.

The way the author introduces us to Jacinda, she is definitely not an example of responsibility or good choices. She’s in the process of changing her entire future while getting well-deserved revenge on an ex. If these are the impulsive sort of decisions she acts on, it’s easy to imagine her doing something similar to make her unwelcome in her hometown.

When Jac returns to her hometown after so long, she expects to still not be welcomed or accepted. The townspeople have long memories and still think she’s responsible for her father’s death. People are polite, as she’s there grieving the loss of her granddad. Jac and her granddad liked to try and solve old crimes together with some of his online friends, and she’s suspicious when she sees the scene of his heart attack. She wonders if it could actually be the scene of a crime.

While a lot of what Jac does is not well thought-out, her history makes it hard for others to believe that she is usually trying to do the right thing. As a sort of underdog, she isn’t very likable, although the title of the book felt like it was more about the unknown Faye, who moved into town after Jac left and is marrying the mayor. Faye has done good things for the community and everyone wants the mayor to be happy, so most people aren’t looking for anything to be less than perfect.

The story was engaging and earned 3 out of 5 stars. It would be an enjoyable book for those who enjoy contemporary mysteries, small town stories, and characters with surprising pasts.

{click here to purchase via my Amazon Affiliate link - currently FREE for Kindle Unlimited members!}

Becki Bayley is a wife and mother who likes reading, writing, and spending time with her family. When she’s not reviewing books, you might find her appreciating theatre in many forms. See what she’s been up to on Instagram, where she posts as SweetlyBSquared.

GIVEAWAY:

One of my lucky readers will win a copy of Not What She Seems!

Enter via the widget below. Giveaway will end on Tuesday, August 13th, at 11:59pm ET, and winner will be notified via email the next day and have 24 hours to respond, or an alternate winner will be chosen.

U.S. and Canadian residents only, please.

Good luck!

Not What She Seems, by Yasmin Angoe

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