Fifty Favorites for 2017: Part Six

It’s another free week! I’ve got my reading list for the month, but before I share those books, I’ve got a brand-spankin’-new cover to show you! The Road to Escape will be the first in a multi-author series from Eskape Press. It’s about an Indiana attorney-turned-alpaca rancher whose struggles with his health (along with a new lady in his life) finally convince him to reconnect with his children. Kudos to Elaina Lee for another fabulous book cover! I’m hoping the book will release sometime next month.

 

And now for my June reading picks. If you find one that looks interesting, click on the cover to read more on the book’s Amazon page.

 

Summer’s Fury by Katie Wyatt
Summer and Beau are the kind of characters I like to read about. She’s a strong woman – the difficulties of her past have made her even stronger. He’s strong both physically and emotionally, but instead of being intimidated by her strength he appreciates it. This is a very quick read, so we’re not able to see the development of their relationship. As others have noted, there were editing issues: run on sentences, misplaced modifiers, and changing tenses. Still, it’s not a bad read. It’s a very short story, so you can easily get through it in an afternoon.

 

Savage Echoes by R. T. Wolfe
I read R. T. Wolfe’s Savage Deception about three years ago, and was quickly drawn into the gritty world of Detective Nikie Savage. This short prequel reminded me why I loved this character – she’s a tough lady, made that way because of her horrific past. Duncan is a delicious hero who’s the perfect match for her. Their skills and strengths mesh together to find a missing coed. I’m going to need to read more of this series! But not at night. This series is definitely for daytime reading when you’re faint-at-heart!

 

Ordinary Me by June Sproat
I don’t usually read YA, but I won an autographed copy at an online event a few years ago and finally sat down to read it. I’m so glad I did! I could identify with Kate’s high school experience on some levels – having a younger sibling who outshines her, and being practically invisible to the Cool Kids, and forgetting to think when near a handsome guy. But things change quickly fir Kate when she makes a wrong turn in driver’s ed, and she’s suddenly elevated to being someone EVERYONE knows – including a dangerous stalker. The story kept me reading, wanting to find out how Kate would resolve things, and whether or not she’d return to her ordinary self.

 

Waltzing With the Wallflower by Rachel VanDyken and Leah Sanders
I’m a longtime fan of both Rachel VanDyken and Leah Sanders, and this little novella has been on my bookshelf for years. It’s been overlooked because I’ve been reading so many ebooks, but lately I’ve been trying to read the paperbacks I’ve collected. Now that I’ve finally read this story, I’m ready to jump into the next two in the series! Identical (almost) Ambrose and Anthony and their friend Colin make a delicious trio as they steal the hearts of all the debutantes in London. Ambrose receives a challenge from his twin to make the mousy little wallflower into the toast of the ton, and of course he can’t resist the challenge. I loved watching Cordelia come into her own.

 

Pepper Wellington and the Case of the Missing Sausage by Tanya Eby
Tanya is a former member of the Grand Rapids Region Writers Group. In addition to writing, she’s in great demand as a narrator for audiobooks! This is another paperback that has been been waiting patiently on my bookshelf for a long time. Tanya has a quirky sense of humor, and her books reflect that. Pepper Wellington is a flower child, and Amy (whose real name is Sausage) is her straight-laced daughter. I’m reminded of the TV show Family Ties in which the former hippie parents Michael and Elyse Keaton are the direct opposite of their buttoned down son Alex. Anyway, when Amy/Sausage plans a wedding to boring Peter, Pepper arrives to make things fun.

 

The Ghost of January by Mysti Parker
My upcoming release The Road to Escape will be the first in a multi-author series to be released by Eskape Press later this summer. My book is about the patriarch of a family, and Mysti wrote this lovely novella about the youngest daughter, January Cooper. Each of the siblings has a reason for leaving the Indiana alpaca farm, and I enjoyed reading about January’s path leading her back home. This journey takes her to Europe, where she suffers joy, tragedy, hopelessness, and finally, love. Mysti doesn’t have a cover for her book yet, but I’m hoping to be able to share the entire series in a future post!