Thursday, April 30, 2026

New Release! The Mountains We Call Home by Kim Michele Richardson ~ My Thoughts #TheMountainsWeCallHome


Congratulations Kim Michele
on the recent release of
The Mountains We Call Home!

The Mountains We Call Home: The Book Woman's Legacy by Kim Michele Richardson
Historical Fiction, 384 pages
Published April 21, 2026 by Sourcebooks Landmark

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek comes a triumphant tale of a librarian's fight to bring literacy to the prisons of Kentucky and the underserved neighborhoods of downtown Louisville, revealing a story of fierce love, quiet strength, and the healing power of books.

When Cussy Lovett, a Packhorse Librarian famed for bringing books to the people of Appalachia, is unjustly incarcerated, she finds a new calling as a prison librarian, bringing hope to downtrodden women and voiceless city residents alike, finding a home even while separated from those she loves. A vivid portrait of mid-century Kentucky, from the hills and hollers of Appalachia to a vibrant city neighborhood on the cusp of urban renewal, The Mountains We Call Home explores the effects of criminalization and incarceration on the poor and powerless, while tracing the societal consequences of fractured family bonds.

Gritty, heartbreaking, yet infused with hope, The Mountains We Call Home is an authentic American tale and a powerful testament of strength, survival, and the magic of the written word.


My thoughts about The Mountains We Call Home ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first line.)

First line—"Somewhere among the nestled fissures and cradling dark-blue bluffs, between towns such as Hazard, Hell-fer-Sartain, Kingdom Come, and Troublesome, comes the Book Woman."

This whole series is such an amazing set of stories. And now in The Mountains We Call Home, the reader is taken back to the strong and wonderful women that we met in the previous books. Book one is all about Cussy Lovett and her struggles to bring books to the people of Appalachia. Book two continues with her daughter, Honey, taking over the mission when her parents are thrown in jail. 

The Mountains We Call Home takes us back into Cussy's storyline, as she endures prison life and all that that has thrown at her. I didn't realize how much I missed being a part of her life until I started reading this book and it all came back to me. Cussy once again shows her resilience and strength as she endures the unthinkable, and just keeps going, never losing her beliefs and goals. 

The Mountains We Call Home is a beautifully written, heartwarming story about strong women and the lengths they will go to to overcome adversity. This is a must-read for all lovers of books and reading. I highly recommend it, as well as this whole series.

I received an ARC of The Mountains We Call Home from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion of the book.

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About the author


The NEW YORK TIMES, LOS ANGELES TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling author, Kim Michele Richardson is a multiple-award winning author and has written five works of historical fiction, and a bestselling memoir.

Her critically acclaimed novel, The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek is a DOLLY PARTON RECOMMENDED READ, a Goodreads Choice award nominee, and has earned the 2020 PBS Readers Choice, 2019 LibraryReads Best Book, Indie Next, SIBA, Forbes Best Historical Novel, Book-A-Million Best Fiction, and is an Oprah's Buzziest Books pick and a Women’s National Book Association Great Group Reads selection. It was inspired by the remarkable "blue people" of Kentucky, and the fierce, brave Packhorse Librarians who used the power of literacy to overcome bigotry, hate and fear during the Great Depression. The novel is taught widely in high schools and college classrooms.

Her fifth novel, The Book Woman’s Daughter, an instant NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY and INDIE NATIONAL bestseller, is both a stand-alone and sequel to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek.

Kentucky-born native, Kim Michele Richardson, lives with her family in the Bluegrass State and is the founder of Shy Rabbit, a writer's residency scholarship. ~ Goodreads

Connect with Kim Michele


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Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Shibby Magee by Carrie Kabak ~ My Thoughts #ShibbyMagee

Shibby Magee by Carrie Kabak
Sibling Relationships, 326 pages
Published February 20, 2026 by CORBYN

☘️ A character-driven Irish tragicomedy threaded with wit, heartbreak, and bittersweet redemption.

Echoing the tones of the TV series Fleabag, Shibby Magee is wry and wickedly irreverent, while reflecting the sharp, dark dynamics of The Banshees of Inisherin. For readers of Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan, Trespasses by Louise Kennedy, and Donal Ryan’s The Queen of Dirt IslandShibby Magee offers a warmer—but no less incisive—portrait of a woman shaped by childhood abandonment and social prejudice, following her across two defining life stages as she struggles toward dignity, love, and self-possession.

When their mother, Vera Coffey, disappears after announcing she's a Traveller/Mincéir, Shibby and her twin sister, Dorah, are abandoned to a settled family already cracking at the seams. Under the iron rule of their viciously prejudiced grandmother, the two girls grow up on opposite tracks: Dorah, arrogant and bold; Shibby, bruised and quietly resilient.

As Shibby stumbles into adulthood, she's drawn to men who either abuse or dump her. She finds fleeting stability in the fast-paced chaos of a restaurant kitchen—but a question gnaws at her: is her future in the rooted life of the settled or on the open road to God only knows where? With the fierce support of a chosen few—Alice Duffy, housekeeper turned surrogate mother; Moochie de Barra, an affectionate stand-in for an emotionally absent father; and Kitty Dooley, a Traveller whose loyalty never wavers—Shibby begins to uncover hard truths about identity, family, and what she desperately needs to find where she truly belongs.

    

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My thoughts about Shibby Magee~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first line.)

First line—"While it's freezing outside, the Gubbeen's kitchen is like a little corner of hell. A pit of ceaseless clamor and blistering heat."

I didn't know what to expect when I started reading Shibby Magee. The cover definitely intrigued me. And then I was drawn into the life of Shibby and her twin sister, Dorah. What a tragic life they lived, with their mother leaving them at such an early age and being left with an abusive grandmother and a questionable, loving father. 

The story of Shibby is told in two timelines—one when she and her sister are young and just trying to survive life, and then later in their lives when they are supposed to have it all figured out. I felt very connected to Shibby, not that I lived the same kind of life, but rather because I felt all that she was going through and empathized with her and her rough life. This was a story that opened my eyes to the life of the underprivileged and how the struggle to find happiness and peace is real for everyone. 

I thoroughly enjoyed Shibby Magee and look forward to reading more by this author. 

I received a copy of Shibby Magee from the author and this is my honest opinion.

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Praise for Shibby Magee

“Carrie Kabak follows the indelible, indefatigable Shibby Magee during two crucial years in her life, one in girlhood and then another at midlife womanhood, as she struggles against prejudice, cruelty, and abandonment in her search to find her true place in an increasingly confounding world, be it in a bustling restaurant or on the road as an Irish Traveller—an extraordinary, wily community I’d never heard of before and was delighted to encounter. Warm, wise, with dashes of wit, Kabak’s novel is just magnificent.”—Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of Pictures of You, With or Without You, and Days of Wonder

“In this captivating and insightful novel, Carrie Kabak introduces the unforgettable Shibby Magee, who navigates adulthood in search of love and stability while grappling with the enduring shadows of childhood abandonment. Filled with multi-dimensional characters and evocative imagery, this is a heartfelt and poignant story that lingers long after the final page.”—Holly Kennedy, Edgar Award Nominee and Giller Prize Longlisted author of The Sideways Life of D

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About the author


Published by Penguin Random House, Carrie Kabak's novel, Cover the Butter, was an Independent Booksellers' Pick, won an Audiofile Magazine award, and was nominated for a Quills Award. Her essays appear in For Keeps and He Said What? (Seal Press), Exit Laughing (North Atlantic Books), Faith (Simon and Schuster), and Dumped (She Writes). Carrie's latest novels, Shibby Magee and Every Mole and Freckle, will be released in spring and fall 2026, and Mali Morgan's Summer in spring 2027.
Alongside her writing, Carrie works as a book cover artist for major publishers after working for many years as a production designer at Hallmark Cards. ~ Goodreads

Connect with Carrie

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon

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Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Release Day! This Weekend Doesn't End Well for Anyone by Catherine Mack ~ My Thoughts #ThisWeekendDoesn'tEndWellForAnyone

Happy Release Day!


Congrats Catherine 
on the release today of 
This Weekend Doesn't End Well for Anyone!

This Weekend Doesn't End Well for Anyone by Catherine Mack
Cozy Mystery, Humorous Fiction, 343 pages
Published April 28, 2026 by Minotaur Books

The third in the witty and captivating series following bestselling author Eleanor Dash, who once again has to swap her sun hat for her detective hat, when a body is found at a murder mystery writing conference in the Bahamas.

Eleanor Dash can never catch a break. Not only has she had to solve two real-life murder plots in the past year, but both times it was when she was meant to be on vacation. Now she’s finally got a ticket to a relaxing weekend—an all-inclusive resort at the Bahamas where she’s speaking at a conference for murder mystery writers—but she arrives to find a body on the floor of her hotel room. Because of course she does.

With plenty of familiar faces at the resort, any one of them could have been the intended target or the culprit behind it all. Was it Oliver Forrest, Eleanor’s dashing boyfriend who’s in danger of getting dropped by his publisher because his sales are dwindling? Or Connor Smith, Eleanor’s infuriating ex-lover-turned-bestselling-rom-com-author with a sordid past of his own? Or her sister Harper, whose own stilted writing career has been a sore point for years as Eleanor’s has soared? Perhaps it’s one of the other writers also in attendance, as friends, frenemies and foes from Eleanor’s past all seem to be invited to the island.

Surrounded by mystery writers who know all too well the many ways to craft the perfect crime, Eleanor is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery and do whatever it takes to get out of this weekend alive.

  

 My thoughts about This Weekend Doesn't End Well for Anyone ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)

First line—"HOW TO WRITE A MURDER by Eleanor Dash -- In this murder, we'll follow a three-act structure broken down in three sequences."

I've been a huge fan of this series from book one! I love the characters and the humor that this author has created. And to be privy to the thoughts and strategy of writing a murder mystery is over the top entertainment. I love the little sidebars and insights that the main character shares with the reader. And I have to mention the footnotes. So much fun!

Eleanor and her merry band of hilarious characters are at it again. This time they travel to the Bahamas for a mystery writers conference. And guess what? Dead bodies start falling all over the place. Ha! Who would have thought? Oh, Eleanor!

I love this story so much and loved revisiting all the zany, suspicious people in Eleanor's world. This Weekend Doesn't End Well for Anyone is laugh-out-loud fun and I am so ready for the next escapade. I highly recommend this book and this whole series!

I received an ARC of This Weekend Doesn't End Well for Anyone and this is my honest opinion of the book.

Vacation Mystery Series
Read my thoughts about book #1 here and book #2 here.

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About the author


Catherine Mack (she/her) is the pseudonym for Catherine McKenzie, the USA Today and Globe & Mail bestselling author of over a dozen novels. Her books are approaching two million copies sold worldwide and have been translated into multiple languages including French, German, Portuguese, and Polish. Television rights to Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies and its forthcoming sequels sold in a major auction to Fox TV for development into a series, with Mack writing the pilot script. 

A dual Canadian and US citizen, she splits her time between Canada and various warmer locations in the US. ~ Goodreads

Connect with Catherine


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Monday, April 27, 2026

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? April 27, 2026 #IMWAYR

   

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's an opportunity to visit other blogs and to comment on their reads. And ... you can add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date. And here we are! 

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Thanks for stopping by. I hope you all have a good week. 
Happy reading!

What I'm currently reading

Summer State of Mind
by Kristy Woodson Harvey

print ARC for review
Pub date ~ May 5


Good Joy, Bad Joy: A Novel
by Mikki Brammer

eARC for review
Pub date ~ May 5


No Place I'd Rather Be
by Cathy Lamb

audio-book from my TBR
Published August 2017

What I recently finished

This Weekend Doesn't End Well for Anyone
by Catherine Mack
eARC for review
Pub date ~ April 28

What I am going to read next

Beach Thriller: A Novel
by Jamie Day
eARC for review
Pub date ~ June 9

I really love my reading life!

What are you reading this week?

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Monday, April 20, 2026

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? April 20, 2026 #IMWAYR

  

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's an opportunity to visit other blogs and to comment on their reads. And ... you can add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date. And here we are! 

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Thanks for stopping by. I hope you all have a good week. 
Happy reading!

What I'm currently reading

This Weekend Doesn't End Well for Anyone
by Catherine Mack
eARC for review
Pub date ~ April 28

Summer State of Mind
by Kristy Woodson Harvey
print ARC for review
Pub date ~ May 5

No Place I'd Rather Be
by Cathy Lamb
audio-book from my TBR
Published August 2017

What I recently finished

The Mountains We Call Home
 by Kim Michele Richardson
eARC for review
Pub date ~ April 21

The Memory Library
by Kate Storey
e-book from my TBR for a challenge
Published February 2024

What I am going to read next

Good Joy, Bad Joy: A Novel
by Mikki Brammer
eARC for review
Pub date ~ May 5

I really love my reading life!

What are you reading this week?

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Monday, April 13, 2026

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? April 13, 2026 #IMWAYR

 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's an opportunity to visit other blogs and to comment on their reads. And ... you can add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date. And here we are! 

**************************************

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you all have a good week. 
Happy reading!

What I'm currently reading

Summer State of Mind
by Kristy Woodson Harvey
print ARC for review
Pub date ~ May 5

The Memory Library
by Kate Storey
e-book from my TBR for a challenge
Published February 2024

No Place I'd Rather Be
by Cathy Lamb
audio-book from my TBR
Published August 2017

What I recently finished

Shibby Magee
by Carrie Kabak
e-book for review
Published March 2026

A Crimson Promise
by Grace Greene
eARC for review
Published April 7, 2026

A Gritty Little Tourist Town: Bar Tales from Costa Rica
by Willa Goodfellow
print ARC for review
Published April 7, 2026

What I am going to read next

The Mountains We Call Home
 by Kim Michele Richardson
eARC for review
Pub date ~ April 21

I really love my reading life!

What are you reading this week?

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Thursday, April 9, 2026

The Diner by Joanne DeMaio ~ My Thoughts #TheDiner

Congrats Joanne
on the recent release of
The Diner!

The Diner by Joanne DeMaio
Women's Saga, 255 pages
Published March 2, 2026, by Joanne DeMaio

From New York Times bestselling author Joanne DeMaio comes The Diner, Book 26 of The Seaside Saga.

Like misty wisps of salt air, The Seaside Saga weaves its way into readers’ lives and hearts. The fluid, ongoing storyline not only makes for an immersive literary experience—it redefines modern fiction and the very notion of a novel. At 26 books (and counting) and nearly 8,000 pages, The Seaside Saga follows the tangled adult lives of a group of beach friends on the New England coast.

Quite simply, The Seaside Saga’s made a distinct splash. And it does once again in The Diner, picking up from DeMaio’s most stunning cliffhanger yet.

And The Seaside Saga continues.




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My thoughts about The Diner ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first line.)

First line—"It's happening fast, fast. Too fast. Kyle can't keep up with it all."

And here we go again, dropping into the wonderful world of Stony Point, the town Joanne writes about in the Seaside Saga series. Picking up right where we left off in the diner and the drama that was unfolding there, Jason and Kyle relive the evening as everyone tries to process and get past what just happened. 

I love this series and look forward to each book, where I can revisit with the friends I've made and enjoy the comradery of the people in the community. Life continues as drama and love embrace each and every character. I highly recommend this series and this author. 

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If you're new to The Seaside Saga, the reading order is below. Written like an ongoing TV show, it's a revolutionary series following the same tangled group of beach friends from book-to-book.



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About the author


Joanne DeMaio is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary fiction. She enjoys writing about friendship, family, love and choices, while setting her stories in New England towns or by the sea.

Joanne’s books include the New York Times Bestseller Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans, the first in her ongoing and groundbreaking Seaside Saga. These eleven (and counting) novels journey with a group of beach friends, much the way a TV series does, continuing with the same cast of characters and their storylines from book-to-book.

Joanne’s winter novels have also received much acclaim. These heartwarming standalones are set in the same snowy New England town. Snowflakes and Coffee Cakes became a USA Today Bestseller, and has been featured in national magazines and Six Flags theme parks.

In addition, Joanne’s debut novel, Whole Latte Life, won first place in a competition at BookExpo America and was named a Kirkus Reviews Critics’ Pick. Her other novels have appeared in Redbook, First for Women magazine, Southern Living, USA Today and more. ~ Author's website

Connect with Joanne


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Tuesday, April 7, 2026

Release Day! A Gritty Little Tourist Town by Willa Goodfellow ~ My Thoughts #AGrittyLittleTouristTown

Happy Release Day!


Congratulations Willa
on the release today of
A Gritty Little Tourist Town!

A Gritty Little Tourist Town: Bar Tales from Costa Rica by Willa Goodfellow
Travel Humor, 244 pages
Published April 7, 2026 by She Writes Press

Fans of Bill Bryson will love this intimate and humorous memoir surrounding a group of expats as they entertain each other with their stories at a bar in a Costa Rican village. 

Willa and her wife travel to Costa Rica to visit family—but what they discover is far more than they expected . In a sleepy fishing village on the Pacific coast, they meet a vibrant, curious group of expats who have come looking for paradise—or at least cheap beer.

At the Pato Loco, a local bar where stories flow as freely as the drinks, they meet Mama, the blind seventy-two-year-old co-owner of the place; her partner Mary, Willa’s sister, a bartender and installation artist; Richie, the aging hippie whose words are few but weighty; and a whole cast of unforgettable characters who will answer questions like:

- What is it really like to live in another country?
- How important is it to learn the local language?
- How does a tight-knit community face the pressure of development?
- Can you survive dengue—and would you want to?
- Oh, and how do you perform CPR on a fish?

A collection of stories full of humor, heart, and wisdom from unexpected places, A Gritty Little Tourist Town follows Willa as she discovers connection within this community of strangers—one bar tale at a time.


My thoughts about A Gritty Little Tourist Town ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first line.)

I've read other books similar to A Gritty Little Tourist Town—a book filled with stories of the people and places that the author has visited or lived around. And I have enjoyed my trip to those places right along with the author. And I love meeting the fun, sometimes quirky, people that the author comes across. 

A Gritty Little Tourist Town took me on a little vacation to Costa Rica, where I got to know the natives and laughed right along with them, while drinking our beers at the bar. I enjoyed the camaraderie of the gang and loved the little stories that the author shared. 

This is the perfect summer read since it is so easy to pick up and put down, enjoying little chapters here and there. I highly recommend it for a wonderful, fun escape.

I received an ARC of A Gritty Little Tourist Town and this is my honest opinion of the book. 

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About the author


Willa Goodfellow is the author of Prozac Monologues: A Voice from the Edge. Combining comedic monologues written in the throes of hypomania with later edgy commentary and information about the bipolar spectrum, the book describes her being misdiagnosed with major depression and treated with a series of antidepressants that made her progressively more suicidal and led to her early retirement. She turned a corner as she researched her symptoms, discovered her bipolar diagnosis, and put together her own recovery.

After decades in more conventional ministries as an Episcopal priest, this graduate of Reed College and Yale Divinity School has turned her preaching chops toward mental health journalism and advocacy. Goodfellow is an author, blogger, tweeter, and public speaker. Still doing comedy, she is currently working on her next book, Bar Tales of Costa Rica. ~ Amazon

Connect with Willa


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Release Day! Dark Current by Ashley Farley ~ My Thoughts #DarkCurrent

Happy Release Day!


Congratulations Ashley
on the release today of
Dark Current!

Dark Current by Ashley Farley
Women's Crime Stories, 238pages
Published April 7, 2026 by AHF Publishing

Lane Sutherlin thought bringing her best friend’s killer to justice would finally give her peace. Instead, she’s left with a chilling acquittal, whispers of jury tampering, and a part-time role with the sheriff’s office that ends the moment she starts asking the wrong questions.

When a renowned fertility specialist is murdered and harvested eggs vanish from her clinic, a terrified young woman turns to Lane—the only person she dares trust. Her story cracks open a crime far more calculated than a random break-in, pointing straight to a deeper conspiracy.

The Old Guard—Tidewell’s old-monied power players—aren’t just behind the trafficking. They’re determined to reshape the town itself. They’ve corrupted its leaders, bent its law enforcement, and turned its people into pawns. And now they’ve marked Lane as the one woman who can stop them.

With Briggs, the town’s sharp-eyed commonwealth’s attorney, at her side and Tidewell’s future hanging in the balance, Lane must decide how far she’ll go to protect the place she still calls home—before the darkness closing in finally swallows her whole.

Because the storm gathering over Tidewell isn’t just political—it’s personal.

And Lane Sutherlin is done running.


My thoughts about Dark Current ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)

First lines—"I'm seated in the front row of the courtroom, where I've been all week. Scout is curled at my feet."

This second book in the Sutherlin Files series is just as, if not more, exciting than book one. I love Lane and her tough ways. She gets it done!

And I love Ashley's dark side that has come out with this series. She writes the drama and evilness very well. This book was definitely a page-turner and I devoured the whole thing.

I highly recommend this series where you'll get it all—Ashley's wonderful storytelling, amazing characters, plenty of drama, and the feeling that the bad guys can not win. Dark Current was an exciting read and did not disappoint! I highly recommend that you get started on this series now. 

I received an eARC of Dark Current and this is my honest opinion.

Dark Current Rising  - Read my thoughts here
Dark Current ~ Published April 7
Dark Current Reckoning ~ Pub date June 16

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About the author

Ashley Farley

Amazon Charts and USA Today bestselling author

Ashley Farley writes heartfelt, faith-infused women’s fiction about love, loss, and second chances. Her stories shine a light on everyday women—mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends—facing life’s toughest moments with courage, hope, and grace.

Originally from South Carolina, Ashley now makes her home in Virginia’s Northern Neck, but her heart still belongs to the Lowcountry—with its moss-draped oaks, salty air, and soulful Southern charm. When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with family or wrangling her two opinionated Labradors. ~ Amazon

Connect with Ashley


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