Hafsa's Way Book Review

 

Hafsa's Way

By: Aisha Saeed

Publish Date: March 10, 2026

Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group/Nancy Paulsen Books

Children's Fiction/Middle Grade

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I would like to thank both Penguin Young Readers and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

Book Review:

Not only is the cover beautiful but so is the story. I gave this book 5 stars. Near the end of the story, I was in tears. This book is about a young girl who wants to become a doctor in a culture that thinks girls/woman are second class. This young lady fights for everything she has accomplished. This time she has help from her brother-in-law and older sister. 

Hafsa wants to become a doctor when she gets older and she has learned about a summer program that will be a great advantage. She had to apply which she did secretly and was surprised to find out that she was accepted into the program. The only problem is she hasn't even mentioned this to her parents. 

When she finally tells her dad his answer is no and takes the letter and nothing is said about it anymore. then she realizes he hasn't even told her mother, and she goes looking for the letter to show her mom and her mom supports her father. A few days later her sister and brother-in-law come for a short visit and Hafsa brings it up and has support from them. The brother-in-law even will pay for the program, and she can stay with them. This her parents cannot refuse because it would be impolite to her sister and her husband.

On her first day of the program Hafsa realizes that the medical program isn't until next year and she is going to a program about climate issues. She ends up still staying and learning a lot. The teacher feels a little sorry for her and gives her a laptop that has the recording from the year before medical program that Hafsa can listen to. 

Hafsa learns more about her sister's new life and is concern that she has given up on her dream to help the mother-in-law with a Galla event that will bring money into the hospital that her husband works at. Hafsa has a lot to learn and understand and gets into a fight with her sister and then realizes that it isn't always what you see.

Hafsa also is understanding what the climate can do the area you live in and the effects it has the animals around you. She finds herself drawn to an elephant in a ran down zoo. This elephant has a great effect on her, and she finds herself wanting to help it. 

Can she figure things out for herself and this elephant? 

This book has a wonderful family element to it and the support of a teacher, and one friend can be a start.

The Baby Dragon Bookshop Book Review

 

The Baby Dragon Bookshop

By: A.T. Qureshi

Book 3 of Baby Dragon Series

Publish Date: February 3, 2026

Publisher: Harper 360/Avon

General Fiction (Adult)/ Romance/Sci-Fi and Fantasy

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I would like to thank both Harper 360/Avon and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

Book Review:

I enjoyed this book and gave it 3 stars. It dragged for me in the middle and I just wanted it to get to the end and the results of the contest.

In this book two different coffee bean roaster companies are vying for an investment from a well-known person. Since they don't want to work together the investor has given them 6 weeks to work up a proposal and she will pick the best one. The two companies' owner do know each other, and they aren't friendly towards each other due to a past history.

The owner of the dragon roaster company is Emmy, and the owner of the other roaster company is Luke. They are forced to work in the same office at the bookshop where the new coffee shop will be to work on their proposals. Unknown to each other they both have feelings for each other, but Emmy is adamant about keeping her feelings hidden and to do what needs to be done to get this investment for her to expand her company. Luke on the other hand wants to have a relationship but he also needs this investment to keep his business running. 

As the weeks go on they are learning things about themselves and each other. Luke is caring and helpful and Emmy is a control freak and learning maybe she has to relax and enjoy life more. This is hard because she is the oldest in the family and even her mom thinks she needs to be there for everyone when mom can't be.

What happens between Luke and Emmy? Who gets the investment? You will have to read the book to find out.

What I like about the book is the friendship that is being developed between the two. 

A Smoking Bun Book Review

 

A Smoking Bun

A Bakeshop Mystery

By: Ellie Alexander

Publish Date: February 20, 2024

Publisher: St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Paperback

Mystery and Thrillers

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I would like to thank both St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book. Sorry it took me so long. All opinions are my own.

Book Review:

I gave this book 4 stars. It is book 18 in the series. I have read several of the books in this series and you don't have to read them in order but if you want to follow along with the lives of the main character then you should start with book one. Otherwise, the author does a good job with letting you know what has happened.

In this book it is wintertime and Carlos' son has been staying with them for the year. It is just before the new year, and Carlos' ex and her new family have come for a visit. Everyone is getting along which is great and they are having a great time. During one of the events, the downhill dummy race, something happens. Someone is killed and the police need to figure out who did it and why. The person who was killed wasn't well liked and that causes to have too many suspects. The main one is a friend and of course Jules needs to look into things. Things are found out about the lodge which can cause it close which isn't good for the small town. Can Jules figure out who the killer is before they come after her.

What I also like about these kinds of books is the support of the family and friends.

In Farm's Way Book Review

 

In Farm's Way

By: Amanda Flower

Publish Date: February 21, 2023

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press

Mystery and Thrillers

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I would like to thank both Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book. Sorry it took me so long to do so. All opinions are my own.

Book Review:

This is the third book in the series Farm to Table. It is also the first book I have read in the series. I would recommend that you start with book one, so you get everything that has happened to this point. Luckily the author does a good job with letting you what has happened, so you aren't totally lost.

In this book Shiloh, who is the main character, is on her way to a beer tasting contest and she slides off the road. It is wintertime and the roads are slick. An old friend who is a firefighter comes up behind her and pulls her out. This old friend is from high school, and he was friends with Shiloh's fiancé, who was killed in a car accident years ago. The only reason why she is going to the tasting contest is to support her friend's husband who has entered the contest. Unfortunately, her friend's husband doesn't win. All seems well until the next day. In the morning Shiloh takes her father to an ice fishing contest out on the lake. She leaves him with her friend and his daughter and heads back to help out with one of the booths. On her way her dog Huck finds a body. This body happens to be the owner of the place where the beer tasting contest took place. After a quick investigation it is realized that the person was murdered and the suspect is her friend's husband.  So of course, Shiloh is going to help her friend. Things are found out about the owner and his family, and it isn't all good. Can Shiloh prove her friend's husband innocence's? Or will she end up dead herself. You will have to read the book to find out.

What I like about this book is the friendships between all the characters and the love she has for father.

Fatal First Edition Book Review

 

Fatal First Edition

By: Jenn McKinlay

Publish Date: February 13, 2024

Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group/Berkley

Mystery and Thrillers

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I would like to thank both Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book. Sorry it took me so long. All opinions are my own.

Book Review:

This is the fourteenth book in the series called A Library Lover's Mystery. I have read the first book where the characters are introduced but haven't continued with the series. I want to and this book has gotten me interested again.

In this book Lindsey and her husband Sully go to a library conference in New York. While there Lindsey finds a first edition signed book under her chair. She turns it into the conference director not wanting to cause any issues with the rest of the conference.

Hours later on the train home they meet up with several people who were at the conference including the director and his assistant. The director isn't a likable person and seems to be causing some problems with a couple of other passengers who were also at the conference. He decides to go back to his private compartment. During the night Lindsey hears some thumping noises coming from the compartment next door and decides to go check it out. She isn't able to see anything but just a person in a dark coat outside in the hall.

The next morning everyone is in the dining compartment except the director, and they are a little worried that he hasn't shown up because this is the perfect time for him to show himself. Lindsey decides to ask the compartment steward to check on him and what he finds isn't good. The director is dead and to make things worse the weather has turned into snow. The steward reports to the conductor, and they inform the police and they are told to pull into the next station so an investigation can be done.

The next station happens to be Lindsey's town so after the initial interview she and Sully are allowed to go home but the rest of the passengers are sent to the inn. Only the passengers that were at the conference are sent to the inn all the other passengers are able to continue on their journey. 

Several things happen. One the weather has now turned into a blizzard and Sully is going to the islands to drop off supplies for the islanders since they won't be able to get the main shore during the storm. While Sully is doing this, he gets kidnapped. Now the police not only have to find out what happened to the director they now have to search for Sully. Why was Sully kidnapped and what happened to the director? Are they related? Was the director killed or did he just fall off the narrow bed in the train compartment? You will have to read the book to find out.

This is what I liked about the book. The relationship between Sully and Lindsey. The friendship in their hometown. I like how everyone in the town supports the leaders and the people who live in the town.

Even though I thought this book was a little close to the theme of the Murder on the Orient Express it was still good and recommend that you read it. I would suggest that you read this series in order so that you can get to know the characters better.

The Getaway List Book Review

 

The Getaway List

A Novel 

By: Emma Lord

Publish Date: January 23,2024

Publisher: St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books

Teens and YA

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I would like to thank both NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for allowing me to read and review this book. Sorry it took me so long to do so. All opinions are my own.

Book Review:

I enjoyed this book and gave it 4 stars. I do realize that young adults are starting to become a thing of the past for me. I am not of the age for these books, and they feel young for me. This book was that way for me, so I had to put myself into in a teenage state of mind for an honest review. 

Riley has just graduated from high school and isn't sure what she really wants to do. Her mom has packed her days with activities and clubs where Riley couldn't get into trouble. Now that Riley is an Adult she wants some freedom. Her best friend Tom moved away several years ago and they have kept in touch, and she decides to visit him in New York. Riley's mom doesn't want her to go but Riley goes anyway.

Before Tom moved away, they made a list and have decided to do everything they can on the list before Riley returns home. Along the way they meet new people and make friends who help with the list. They have fun and learn things about themselves and how to get along in a big city.

Through Gates of Garnet and Gold Book Review

 

Through Gates of Garnet and Gold

By: Seanan McGuire

Publish Date: January 6, 2026

Publisher: Tor Publishing Group/ Tordotcom

General Fiction (Adult)/ sci fi and fantasy

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I would like to thank both NetGalley and Tor Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

Book Review:

This is the eleventh book in the Wayward Children Series so will be a little hard to review. This book is about Nancy and her world. Something is going wrong and she is able to escape to get help. She goes back to the school where her friends are and there are children like her. Her friends go on to help her and of course they have issues of their own that my must figure out to help Nancy. They encounter another child from the school that they didn't expect to see. Can the friends help Nancy and her odd world or will they fail?

I have to admit the book started out slow, but it did pick up as I continued to read. I just love these stories and have a good time.