Althea's Reading Corner

Title: Before She Disappeared Author: Lisa Gardner Genre: Mystery & Thrillers Format: Kindle No. of Pages: 395 Date of Publication: January 19, 2021 Description:  From #1  New York Times  bestselling author Lisa Gardner, a propulsive thriller featuring an ordinary woman who will stop at nothing to find the missing people that the rest of the world has forgotten Frankie Elkin is an average middle-aged woman, a recovering alcoholic with more regrets than belongings. But she spends her life doing what no one else will--searching for missing people the world has stopped looking for. When the police have given up, when the public no longer remembers, when the media has never paid attention, Frankie starts looking. A new case brings her to Mattapan, a Boston neighborhood with a rough reputation. She is searching for Angelique Badeau, a Haitian teenager who vanished from her high school months earlier. Resistance from the Boston PD and the victim's wary family tells Frankie ...

Title: Dino Breaks the Rules Author:  Sarah Reed Genre: Children's book Format: Kindle  No. of Pages: 25 Date of Publication: August 19, 2020 Description:  Why do dinosaurs need rules?  Dinosaurs need rules to feel safe and secure. * Rules prepare children for the real world. *Teaching responsibility & values * Learn about consequences of words, actions and choices *Limits help kids manage rough emotions This story is geared to kids ages 3-5, level 1. Perfect for boys, girls, preschool, pre-K, and Kindergarten. Excellent resource for counselors, parents, and teachers. My Thoughts: I have read a few of Sarah Read's books now and think they will be quite helpful when my son is older, he is still too young for them now. As in Sarah's previous books, the illustrations were well done. They are brightly colored, simple, and fun to look at. The story itself reads and flows well. It is written in a way that a 3-5 year old would be able to understand, which is great given...

Title: The Key to Fear Author: Kristin Cast Narrator: Dascha Polanco Series: The Key Genre: Sci-Fi & Fantasy Format: ARC audiobook Length:  9 Hours, 18 Minutes, 18 Seconds   Date of Publication:  Description:  No touching today for a healthy tomorrow. For fifty years, the Key Corporation has defended humanity against a deadly virus that spreads through touch. Lovers don’t kiss, or even hold hands. Personal boundaries are valued above all. Break the laws, and you’ll face execution.  Elodie, a talented young nurse, believes in the mission of the Key and has never questioned the laws that control her life. But Elodie is forced to break the rules when she sets out in search of a terminal patient who goes missing while under her care. From the outside, it seems like Aiden was given everything he could want from the Key—a purpose, an education, and a future. But Aiden knows more than he’s letting on, and the dark secrets he’s keeping could tear the Key’s strict so...

Title: The War Widow Author: Tara Moss Series: Billie Walker Mystery Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery & Suspense Format: ARC Kindle No. of Pages: 352 Date of Publication: December 29, 2020 Description:  The war may be officially over, but journalist Billie Walker's search for a missing young immigrant man will plunge her right back into the danger and drama she thought she'd left behind in Europe in this thrilling tale of courage and secrets set in glamorous postwar Sydney. Sydney, 1946. Though war correspondent Billie Walker is happy to finally be home, for her the heady postwar days are tarnished by the loss of her father and the disappearance in Europe of her husband, Jack. To make matters worse, now that the war is over, the newspapers are sidelining her reporting talents to prioritize jobs for returning soldiers. But Billie is a survivor and she's determined to take control of her own future. So she reopens her late father's business, a private investigation ...

Title: Bending the Paw Author: Diane Kelly Series: A Paw Enforcement Novel Genre: Mystery & Thrillers Format: Paperback No. of Pages: 320 Date of Publication: October 27, 2020 Description:  Make way for the long paw of the law as police officer Megan Luz and her K-9 partner Brigit investigate a baffling new mystery in  Bending the Paw , by Diane Kelly . A MURDER WITHOUT A BODY IS LIKE A DOG WITHOUT A BONE A bloodbath is a shocking new challenge for Megan and Brigit when Detective Audrey Jackson calls them to the scene of what could only be a brutal murder. But the one thing the nightmarish scene is missing is a victim. The frantic homeowner’s husband is gone, seemingly without a trace—and so is the money he was holding. Has a vicious killer committed what might just be the perfect crime? Meanwhile, it’s hailing cats and dogs all over Fort Worth, and roofing contractors have descended on the city in droves. With plenty of damage and continuing storms, work delays are buildi...

Title:  The Impatient Dinosaur Author:  Sarah Read Genre:  Children's fiction Format:  Kindle ARC No. of Pages:  22 pages Date of Publication:  June 17, 2020 Description:  Why is waiting so hard for dinosaurs? The Little Dino has no patience. He wants what he wants when he wants it. If his parents say, "in a minute," he reacts as if they have said "in a year".  This cute and funny story help kids discover that some things are worth the wait.  *It is OK to be frustrated when you have to wait  *Learn how to recognize the needs of others *Helping your child learn self-control and practice waiting *Making choices and understand consequences *Waiting can also be a lot of fun This story is geared to kids ages 3-5. Perfect for boys, girls, preschool, pre-K, and Kindergarten. Excellent resource for counselors, parents, and teachers. My Thoughts:  I picked up this book for my son, who is a little too young for the book at this time as he is ...

Title: Blood Victory Author: Christopher Rice Series: The Burning Girl series Genre: Suspense and Thriller Format: Kindle ARC No. of Pages: 329 Date of Publication: August 18, 2020 Description:  On a cross-country journey to hell, fear is the engine and vengeance is the destination as Christopher Rice’s Amazon Charts bestselling series continues. As the test subject of an experimental drug, Charlotte Rowe was infused with extraordinary powers. As the secret weapon of a mysterious consortium, she baits evil predators and stops them in their tracks. But it takes more than fear to trigger what’s coursing through Charlotte’s blood. She needs to be terrorized. Serial killer Cyrus Mattingly is up to the task. Cyrus is a long-haul truck driver, and his cargo bay is a gallery of horrors on wheels. To stop his bloodshed, Charlotte will become his next victim, reining in her powers so she can face each of his evils in turn. As much as they know about Cyrus—his method of selecting victims, hi...

October Reviews Dino Thanksgiving by Lisa Wheeler Review preview:  I picked up this book for my son who is 11 months old. He loves to read and carry around books and it looked like it might be a fun illustration book for him to look at and I was right. The illustrations done by Barry Gott are well done. They are fun, colorful, and eye catching. I really enjoyed the illustrations myself. Lisa Wheeler wrote a splendid story on Thanksgiving. It is fun and super easy to read. Each page has about two sentences, so a short quick read. She made it so that each dinosaur characters name was done in a bright color while the rest of the text is in black. Rating is 5 out of 5 as it was a super easy, short, and fun read. I loved the attention to detail and the illustrations. It is such a colorful book. Check out the full review here . One by One by Ruth Ware Review preview:  This is my second Ruth Ware book and I found this book to be way better than the first one I have read. I am gl...

Title: Dino-Thanksgiving Author: Lisa Wheeler Genre: Children's Fiction   Format: Kindle ARC No. of Pages: 32 Date of Publication: September 1, 2020 Description:  Follow along as dinos travel over the river and through the woods to join together with family. They enjoy favorite activities, including a corn maze, a televised parade with giant balloon creations, and of course a football game between the Redscales and the Snackers! The dinos share in not one but two feasts--one for the carnivores and another for the veggie-saurs. Join in the fun as the dinos find much to be thankful for on this special holiday!   My Thoughts: I picked up this book for my son who is 11 months old. He loves to read and carry around books and it looked like it might be a fun illustration book for him to look at and I was right. The illustrations done by Barry Gott are well done. They are fun, colorful, and eye catching. I really enjoyed the illustrations myself. Lisa Wheeler wrote a splendid st...

Title: Cold as Ice Author: Allison Brennan  Series: Lucy Kincaid Genre: Mystery, Suspense Format: Kindle ARC No. of Pages: 480 Date of Publication: October 27, 2020 Description:   Two years ago, FBI Agent Lucy Kincaid put psychopath Elise Hansen Hunt in juvenile detention for her role in an organized crime syndicate. Now eighteen, Elise has been released with a clean slate, and plans to take her revenge by making Lucy’s life hell. The plot begins with Lucy’s husband Sean Rogan, who has been arrested for a murder he most certainly did not commit. Lucy is determined to prove Sean’s innocence, but is warned off the case by her boss. As she calls in reinforcements, she learns that Sean’s brother Kane is missing in Mexico, her partner Nate Dunning has been arrested for possession of cocaine, and her friend Brad Donnelly has been kidnapped outside DEA headquarters. Lucy realizes that Elise doesn’t have the resources or patience to execute such a devious plan. Did Elise’s fathe...

September Reviews The Adventures of Rembrandt the Tuxedo Cat Helps Callie, the Calico Cat, Find Her Meow by Marsha Walk Carroll (Release date: Oct. 6, 2020) Review preview:   This is my first children's book that I have picked up from Netgalley for a review. I thought it would be a nice way to get some books that my 10 month old son might like as well as a way to share my thoughts on the book with other parents (hopefully). I chose this book for a few reasons, first its about a tuxedo cat. My family has 4 cats, none of which are a Tuxedo cat but I had one as I was growing up. Secondly, its about cats and we love cats. Thirdly, it had pictures which I thought would be nice for my son... Rating is 3 out of 5. Check out the full review here . Publication date is October 6, 2020.  I Will Make You Pay by Teresa Driscoll  Review preview: Alice is a journalist for a small local country paper in England. When she answers the phone at work on a Wednesday she is shocked by the cal...