Whisper Creek: one family's fight against nature and the evil plans of man

Whisper Creek by Allison Brennan is a thriller about one family’s fight for their land against enemies and a massive storm. After the sudden death of her husband, Ellen McKenna is determined to keep their family farm a success. With hopes to expand, they are facing tough times and more expensive than she ever imagined. Many of their neighbors are packing it in and selling land to a local businessman. However, Ellen refuses to break to the same pressure. To add to their troubles, a series of recent storms have ravaged the region with another massive heavy rain still on its way. With all hands on deck to prepare for the storm, the discovery of an injured dog and a man barely clinging to life, a victim of a home invasion. When Ellen’s younger kids check on a neighbor and unknowingly walk into a threat. With no way to call for help, Ellen and her family do all they can to fight back and survive. 

I was intrigued by the description of the story and I was expecting a “twisty, tense” combined with “family drama” with the “unforgiving power of nature.” The story did start off great with mood and tension building; however, the story faltered from there. It took way too long for any real action and it was obvious who was behind the threats and break ins. Overall, I did not find it thrilling, twisty or tense. There were times when I screamed at the character to do something instead of what they did. One instance is when Ellen, who checks on a pregnant neighbor, decides to take the neighbor back to her house to keep an eye on her and yet decides to stop at another neighbor's house “real quick” while worried about the roads flooding. It just didn’t make sense! If you are a fan of Allison Brennan, you may enjoy Whisper Creek. However, I did not enjoy this book and I do not recommend Whisper Creek. 

Whisper Creek is available in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook

Lucy in the Sky: danger, family secrets and a fight to survive

Lucy in the Sky by Kay Bratt is the second book in the Hart’s Ridge series. Lucy Gray doesn't usually start trouble but it certainly knows how to be wherever she is. As she is running away from her hometown, she ends up in New York City and in front of the famous Dakota. When she is mistaken for someone else, a split second decision changes her luck for once. Or so Lucy thinks. A turn of fortunes leads to a situation of life or death. Meanwhile Taylor is dealing with a revelation that will tear apart everything she thought she knew about her family and their past. Once she is on the case, she can’t stop until she knows the truth. Will Lucy find a way to escape and survive? Will Taylor’s investigation help rebuild her family or tear it apart further? 

Lucy in the Sky picks up right after the end of Hart’s Ridge as Lucy arrives in New York City. She isn’t there long when she finds her luck changes with a job of a lifetime. The book was a bit slow in the beginning but once Lucy reveals a secret she has been hiding and her new employer offers a way out, the pace picks up quickly. And if you thought Taylor’s heart was on her sleeve in Hart’s Ridge, you will see her torn in two as she investigates a family secret. I can’t say much without spoiling plot points but this story will leave you in awe and eager for book 3, In My Life (release date March 14, 2023). I highly recommend Lucy in the Sky. If you haven’t read Hart’s Ridge, I highly recommend it before reading Lucy in the Sky. 

Lucy in the Sky is available in paperback and eBook

Hart’s Ridge is available in paperback and eBook

The Radium Girls: a must read!

 The Radium Girls by Kate Moore is the sad story of two groups of women, miles apart, who suffer horrible illnesses and eventual death and their fight to find answers and make those responsible accountable. In 1917, Katherine Schaub starts her new job at the Radium Luminous Material Corp in Newark, New Jersey on February 1, 1917. She joins other young women to paint the dials on watches. After its discovering in 1898, radium had been a remarkable cure all for cancer, hay fever, gout, constipation, and it was in everything. People who even putting in their water as a health tonic. By 1921, strange illnesses began to appear among the girls, but no one seemed to know what going was. Soon, in Ottawa, Illinois, a new company opened and hired girls to paint watch dials. Soon these girls started to notice a pattern in their illnesses and traced it back to their jobs, painting the dials. They begin to take their fight to the companies, the courts, and the public. Will they be heard? Will they be able to end their suffering? Will the companies be held responsible?

The Radium Girls was recommended to me by a friend and I eagerly added it to my wish list. When I started to read, I was expecting to hear about illnesses, but I was not expecting the extent of these women’s suffering. I had issues with the author’s writing style and word choose. After describing the horrible conditions these women suffered with blunt and vivid imagery, she chooses to describe one woman’s extensive vaginal bleeding as “bleeding continuously down below.” Seriously!?!?! However, I had recommending The Radium Girls for the stories of these courageous women. We owe so much to them and many others for the workplace protections we now have in place. Ignore the author’s writing style and let these women’s voices come through. Many of these women would never see the outcome; but their suffering and fight wasn’t in vain. We can’t know all their names; but we can know their stories.

The Radium Girls is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

 A film based on The Radium Girls was released on April 27, 2018 at the Tribeca Film Festival. There is no information about a wide release. at the time of this post.  

Olde Robin Hood: an enjoyable take on the Robin Hood legend

Olde Robin Hood by Kate Danley is an origin story for the famous Robin Hood. From his start as a simple farmer who is skilled with a bow and arrow. After a run-in with the evil Sheriff of Nottingham, Robin hides in the “haunted” Sherwood Forest where he is guided by the birds and animals. He finds Little John, another man on the run from the Sheriff, and together they form a plot to seek revenge on the Sheriff and his men while helping others who cannot fight against him. Soon his cousin, Will Scarlocke, aka Will Scarlett, joins them in their plan and word begins to spread about the heroics of Robin Hood who steals from the rich and gives to the poor. Robin finds himself enemy number one with the Sheriff and his right-hand man, Sir Guy of Gisborne. With the help of Sir Richard and his niece, the Maid Marian, Robin sets out to rid Nottingham of the evil Sheriff once and for all.

I love books based on the Robin Hood legend. I was intrigued when I found Kate Danley’s version. Based on the original medieval ballads, Ms. Danley weaves an adventure story worthy of Robin Hood. I also enjoyed that she incorporated the pagan tradition of the Green Man legend into her story. While I enjoyed reading Olde Robin Hood, my only compliant is that the final battle with the Sheriff was over far too quickly. With such a buildup, I expected more of a confrontation between the two men. Overall, I enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading about Robin Hood and his fight about the Sheriff of Nottingham.

Olde Robin Hood

is available in paperback and eBook