Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me by Whoopi Goldberg

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I have been savoring this book for as long as possible. As I prefer audio books, and this one is read by the author herself, it has been pure heaven.

I have been a fan for as long as Whoopi has been in the public realm. I’ve read many of her books. I enjoy that she speaks her truth without apology.

This book is a tribute to her mother and her brother. It is a memoir of many wonderful, and no so wonderful, times in her life.

I can honestly tell you that for the most of this book, I have had a smile on my face as I listen to her tell her stories. Granted there have been a few spots where tears took the place of the smiles, but even then there was a touch of … maybe a small smile as the story unfolded.

If you know Whoopi, you will more than likely know what to expect. If you don’t know her, this might be surprising, shocking even.

This one is a pleasure and I can’t recommend it highly enough.



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Killing Time by Jodi Taylor

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Once again, Jodi has not disappointed. What an incredible listen!

Team 236 is in crisis. There is concern that the team will no longer survive. Then, thanks to some inventive thinking, Mikey creates a rather curious method of criminal restraint and the Time Police HQ finds itself struggling to recover. (I have to admit, I thought Mikey’s idea was quite a solution to a problem, but I never expected what happened…)

On top of all of that, Jane learns of 2 underage time travelers (illegals) who might be in trouble and we are off on one of the most amazing, astounding, and impactful trips.

I have always appreciated Jodi’s way with a story. She has a way of gathering older threads, sneaking them into the current story, surprising us with the unexpected and moving forward with character evolution all while tossing in some well needed doses of humor. And that is even before she drops the cliffhanger in our laps.

Once again Zara Ramm does an amazing job as reader for the audio version of the book.

I could, okay am, thrilled to be spoiled by both Taylor and Ramm.

What a Summer Read (listen)!



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An Assassination on the Agenda by T.E. Kinsey

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I’ve been a fan of this series since the beginning but this addition has a slightly different feel to it. It feels like the author has hit his stride.

This is not ‘just’ a murder mystery. The focus is on the efforts to stop an assassination attempt which could (did) start WWI.

While the core relationships still hold firm, we get the opportunity to see Lady Hardcastle and Flo do what they do best.

The writing is crisp and the twists and turns kept me hanging in there.

Excellent addition to a great series!



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The Lady Sherlock Series is written by Sherry Thomas. You can check out her website by clicking HERE.

If you are a regular around here, you might recall that a few years back I found myself listening to the original Sir Arthur Conan Doyle works as they were recorded by Stephen Fry. This collection on Audible is everything written by Doyle in pretty much the publication order. A fabulous listen, but a long one at 62 hours and 52 minutes. Totally worth it!

When Sherry Thomas published her first Lady Sherlock book, A Study in Scarlet Women in 2016 I could not resist.

NOTE: As a rule, I do not care for the plethora of female Sherlock Holmes wannabes out there. By that I mean the daughters, the wives, the whatevers. I know they have their fan base and that is fine, I just never found any that really captured my interest.

That first book had me hooked and I could not wait to read the next. Thomas has taken the core of what made Sherlock Holmes great and worked her own particular magic to build a new version of the Holmes genre, this time focusing on the women and their stories.

Each title in the series moves us a step closer to that inevitable final encounter with Moriarty. The plots are carefully constructed, the settings deliciously described and the threads of each book are carefully, deliberately interwoven in later books.

I’m not sure what I enjoy more, the mysteries or the stories. For example, I am currently re-listening to Tempest at Sea. Between the core job that Charlotte & company are working on and the murder(s) that take place in the middle of the journey (literally), I find myself awed by Sherry Thomas’ amazing plot twists not to mention her skill with plot in the first place.

Kate Reading does an exceptional job voicing all these characters and bringing the stories to life. She is one of my Very Favorite Readers.

If you are looking for a series that doesn’t talk down to you but draws you in and makes you think, this is for you. Check it out!

How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A little bit Agatha Christie. A little bit Midsomer Murders with a touch of Murder, She Wrote.

I was looking for something that was interesting and a bit different and I found it!

Back in 1965 Frances Adams and her friends embarked on some adventures that would shape the rest of their lives. One of those friends had a very short life, indeed. The repercussions of that summer would impact generations.

Flash forward to the current day and Frances’ great-niece, Annie Adams, finds herself not only learning more about relatives she had never met, but delving into more than one murder.

I have to say I really enjoyed the way this book was put together. The reader did an admirable job delineating all the characters and bringing them to life. The writer created a work that is intriguing and filled with what could, or could not, be red herrings and actual clues. I have to say I wouldn’t mind seeing this on screen one day.

I did not figure out the solution to each murder until it was revealed and then, I had to take some time to come to terms with those solutions. As I stated earlier, the repercussions of that summer of ’65 would last for generations.

Well paced, well written and well read, this one should be on your To Be Read (Listened) List.





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A Murder to Remember by Brynn Kelly

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I found this on Audible and thought I would take a chance. I’m not usually one for rom/com books but something about this one just tugged at me. I am glad that it did.

Think back to those Meg Ryan/Tom Hanks movies and you get the feel of the work.

Add in some Jane Austen (books, TV and films) and you get the starting point…or do you?

The plot is quirky and surprising on many levels. The characters are well developed. The setting is that perfect storm of fantasy and reality.

While the author did an amazing job both of the readers, Max Roll and Brittany Pressley, brought so much to the piece. And make no mistake, this one is an excellent one to listen to.

I will be checking out more of Brynn Kelly’s work.



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The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder by C.L. Miller

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I picked this book as a change of pace after reading some rather enthusiastic reviews. While I am interested in the subject matter and enjoy a good cozy, this work is a bit of a disappointment. Or not. Frankly, I am not sure.

What I know is that I kept at it thinking eventually there would be some progress in the mystery but with all the twists and turns, it just felt like we were just trudging along with no end in sight.

I usually dive right back into an audio book I have just finished so I can fill in those spots I might have missed or enjoy the story and the reader again. I don’t find myself doing that with this one.

The characters were generally interesting. The setting seemed to be classic English Country without Miss Marple around. The reader did a good job overall but I got the feeling that she, too, was struggling to move forward.

This might be your cup of tea, or not. Don’t take my word for it, check out the other reviews.



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Imperium by Robert Harris

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I had been eyeing this series for quite a while before I took the leap and picked up the first book in a trilogy about the life of Cicero. I listen to audiobooks via Audible.

Little did I know what I was in for.

In less than 2 weeks I have listened to all 3 books more than once. Consider this your fair warning.

I am relatively new to Roman Historical novels, let alone Roman history, and some authors I have tried are, to say the least, a bit dry.

Harris has taken on this section of the history of the Roman Republic by focusing on Cicero through the eyes of his slave, Tiro, who had quite a life himself.

The characters are well developed. The history is incorporated into the story in a way that encouraged me to do a bit of research, which I enjoyed. The story itself is so well written that I found myself captivated. I have had quite a few all night listens, if you see what I mean. The readers did an excellent job.

In short, I found myself getting to know quite a few names from early Roman history in ways that surprised me. I found myself comparing modern history to those old tales and, I won’t lie, it was unsettling to say the least.

There is a reason some people have been talked about, written about, for over 2,000 years. Granted fiction is fiction but when you are intrigued enough to do your own research and learn more about the people and times on your own, I say that is an author who has done his/her job exceptionally well.

I look forward to embarking on this journey again and I encourage you to join me.



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