Book Review Spook In The Stacks Eva Gates

https://www.amazon.com/Spook-Stacks-Lighthouse-Library-Mystery/dp/1683315804

I am always pleasantly surprised to find a series that I can read without having to read every book in the series, in chronological order. Often a new series takes time to establish the characters and sometimes I just want to jump in start reading without having to do that. I really enjoyed this book that takes place in coastal North Carolina. This is the 4th book in this series. The characters are developed from previous books but you can read this book as a standalone book and still enjoy it. From reading this one in the series, it has made me want to go back and read the previous books.
I appreciate that the language is clean and the murder is not described in grisly detail.
Tere's a little romance, a bit of folklore and an interesting resident cat of the library. 
 Loved the idea of the library in a lighthouse, this would be great reading at the beach or poolside, it's light reading but the mystery is nicely concocted and keeps you entertained throughout.

Book Review : The Cottingley Secret

https://www.amazon.com/Cottingley-Secret-Novel-Hazel-Gaynor/dp/006249984X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1528213684&sr=1-1&keywords=the+cottingley+secret

Sometimes you have to take a little time to digest a book before writing a review. You even sometimes have a bit of an afterglow when you read something that is really good. While this was not a book that gave the afterglow, it was a book. that needed some time for thought. It is a book that I found to be emotionally touching.

There is more than one story being told in this novel. It takes us back to World War 1 and the upheaval for so many families as the men went off to fight in the war. It tells the story of two young girls and how they were able to prank the adults of the time. I think calling it a hoax or a prank is a bit harsh in the light of things, it brought hope, and magic to a generation that was sorely in need of it. That story is told, but then there is also the story of the modern day woman and her discovery of her family history. One that she starts piecing together through, the passing of her beloved grandfather and the fading life of her grandmother that is suffering from Alzheimer's disease. It's a wonderful read.   

Weather and reading

After days and days of rain. we are finally seeing some sunshine today although it is a little cooler then I would have chosen for early June. It doesn't deter me from porch sitting, after all, isn't that the beauty of moving to the south, Living the "Mayberry" life. I think porch sitting comes with that. 

Viewing the cows over the road, hearing the sound of lawn mowers as neighbours are trying to catch up with the grass that has grown so crazy after all the rain.
 I got plenty of reading done this rainy week. I finished reading two books this weekend. 
 Hazel Gaynor, The Cottingley Secret, this was an excellent read. I will add a review for that soon. There have been a few other books that I have read this week. Thoroughly enjoyed Guests and Guilt by Diana Xarissa. This was the 7th in her Isle of Man Ghostly cosy series, it's such a fun series.
Angela Pepper's Wisteria Wolves which branched off from her Wisteria Witches series. 
 For now, I'll be grabbing my Kindle or a book and sitting on the porch and enjoy the lovely spring weather,