Incidentals by:Sheila Yasmin Marikar

    Luxury travel takes a wicked twist in the book, Incidentals, written by Sheila Yasmin Marikar, and being published by Little A, New York,  March 31, 2026.  

Who hasn't seen a picture of an over the water bungalow and thought, "I'd love to go there!"  Such a romantic setting, the perfect place to work to rekindle a marriage.  At least that was what Sam thought, as he cashed in all his points to take his wife Sarah on a once in a lifetime vacation to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary.  

    From the start of the vacation, the reader is made aware that Sam and Sarah are at odds in their lives and marriage.  Sarah does not want the vacation and Sam wants to escape his life in an exotic tropical paradise.  I was hooked from the beginning  of the book as I got to know the couple and their struggles.  Early in their luxury flight, they meet, Krista and Kevin, first class travelers that seem to have everything money can buy and more. What looks to be a comrade and instant friend to Sarah, becomes an immediate annoyance to Sam, until a death in the Maldives throws the entire vacation into turmoil and intrigue.

    I liked the concept of the story and the setting. However, what started as a fun read grew tiring half way through.  It felt as though there was a constant rehashing of the same issues and when the climatic event was revealed, it was rushed and lacked zest.

There were definitely parts that I enjoyed in the novel Incidentals, but I felt like Marikar pushed through to complete the book, but lost enthusiasm that was felt in the onset.  Due to that, I will have to give it 3 stars. Yet, I look forward to reading more of Marikar's work as I did enjoy her story overall.

Thank you NetGalley, Little A and Sheila Yasmin Marikar for an Advanced Readers Copy in exchange  for an honest review.

 

Life lessons learned young...

It is commonly known that our childhood experiences often shape our adult lives. Many times we hear about how those experiences may negatively impact us, particularly if the experience is a sad or tragic one.  I have a different experience to share.

I did experience an emotional life altering event when I was 10 years old.  My cousin died.  Being a couple of the youngest grandchildren on my father's side of the family, I only had two or three cousins to play with at family gatherings, as all the other cousins were many years older.  My closest companion was my cousin Todd.  We were two years apart, with me being the older.  When he was eight years old, and I was ten, he was diagnosed and later died from the effects of a malignant brain tumor.  To say it was tragic is an understatement.  His loss at such an early stage of my life taught me what mortality truly meant. I faced the fact that no one is exempt from death and realized that it could be me or anyone I knew as easily as someone like a grandparent.  I can't say that the first few years after his loss I saw this reality as a gift.  In truth, I often worried that I would be next.  I thought that I would never live long enough to grow up, to finish school, get married, have children, or grow old. 

Now, in my 60's I can look at the experience in a different light. My fears actually made me thankful and self aware of every little joy in this life.  I think I have relished rights of passage in on a different level perhaps than some of my peers.  God took a tragedy in my world and made me hyper aware of joy without expectation.

Because I did not expect to grow up, when I did I felt blessed to do so. When I met my husband and we fell in love and married, I was amazed to have this experience in my life. I certainly did not see myself being fortunate enough to have children, so each one was a true miracle, a gift to behold. Now having seen my children grow to be adults and have happy marriages of their own, I am in awe of my blessings. It is because of this that   I believe I have been gifted with gratitude as a by product of loss. 

What in my mind makes my experience different than many is that this gratitude attitude did not come from a personal illness or accident averted.  It was learned vicariously through the loss of a beloved cousin.  God used my childhood grief to shape my continued life experiences. 

The concept of mortality hits hardest when it comes as an experience of losing someone your own age.  It makes one aware that life is not promised, and we are not indestructible.  To learn this difficult lesson young has impacted my entire life. But as with everything, God continues to show me his unending love and provision. He teaches me to be thankful for the life he allows me to have, and not take simple joys for granted. I hope to never forget each day is a blessing to wake up to, and continue to be amazed as I live past all expectations.    And someday, according to God's promises, see Todd again.

Handle With Care by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen

     Bonding through crisis is the central theme for Marybeth Mayhew Whalen's book, Handle With Care,  being published April 13, 2026 by Thomas Nelson (a trademark of Harper Collins Christian Publishing).  Four women, caught in a hostage situation brought forth by a domestic matter find comfort and allegiance together as they work to be released. Each woman has a personal dilemma to work through, and through their interwoven experience they are able to support each other as well as find answers to their personal challenges.  

     There are many facets of Whalen's book that I enjoyed. The novel is set up as the parts of a friendly letter, as taught in school.  In lieu of numbered parts to break the story into sections, the novel begins with the "heading", then progresses to the other parts of a letter (greeting, body, closing, and signature).  Chapters are introduced , yet the major sections of the novel are separated the letter elements.  Why the author chose this format is made clear in the middle of the story when one of the main characters, a past English teacher, explains how to write a friendly letter, which brings the whole concept together., 

    The story was poignant, well written, and thought provoking.  The characters came to life and were engaging.  As the reader, I became involved in their circumstances, and was on edge to see how it was going to work out.  Whalen's ability to transport a reader to her character's world creates an engaging escape. Look for Handle With Care next spring and enjoy. 

I received a preview copy of Handle with Care from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

A Perfect Hand by Ayelet Waldman

     Take a cup of  the Bridgerton series, then stir in a half pound of Downton Abbey and sprinkle with a heavy hand of the Women's Suffragette movement as it began in the United Kingdom and you will have a nice  recipe for a charming book written                          by Ayelet  Waldman, titled A Perfect Hand.  

    The novel begins with our Heroine, Miss Alice Lockey, the daughter of a tenant farmer who has taken employment as an abigail, a fine lady's personal maid for Lady Jemima Alderwick.  We, as the readers, follow Miss Alice as she cunningly tends her lady's many needs, often with pluck and ingenuity.  Some tasks being more malodorous than others.  In her employ she meets a man servant from another noble's household who is visiting her lady's family estate.  She finds she has an interest in this gentleman. Intrigue and many exploits are hatched to help the two servants matchmake their employers so that the two of them might find a way to build a life together.  

While in London with their employers, Miss Alice is introduced to new thinking and various individuals within the Women's Suffrage Movement. She catches a desire to become involved, but must find a way to do so while dealing with her employer's marriage prospects and her own love.  

    I thoroughly enjoyed the way Waldman created her characters, wove an interesting plotline and used various asides of a narrator to cue the reader into the lives of the characters.  The asides reminded me of the Bridgerton series which I also have enjoyed. This tactic along with the victorian time period and the upstairs, downstairs relationships of lords and ladies being served by their staff created a fun, enjoyable read.  

    The twist at the end I did not see coming, but thoroughly enjoyed the emotions it evoked in me. Waldman is skilled at using humor as well as serious drama to keep her readers involved in the story as it develops throughout the book.  A Perfect Hand  is set to be published May 19, 2026.  If you are a fan of the worlds of lords and ladies of the late 1800's, early 1900's, I would recommend this story to you.  It definitely should be included in next spring's reading lists!

I received a uncorrected proof copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When a Friend is all you need...Thanks God!

     Life throws us constant curve balls, but how we swing at them is what determines our success.  I think hitting middle age years has solidified this concept for me.  It seems I am being pitched new challenges more frequently than in my younger years.  Perhaps I am just more contemplative now, more time to evaluate what is happening in my life than I did when I was young and raising my family while working full time. 

 A good friend can really help the mental process of aging and all the lifestyle changes that come with the journey.  Just this morning, after receiving some disheartening news last night in a meeting, a friend's voice and insight helped me embrace changes in my path.  Thanks God for kind friends! 

    Aging has the pitfalls of a body that has seen many years of use and now is worn out in various areas.  I think now that I am riding the 60's waves,  I am more aware and protective of my body.  I am also seeing more repairs.  I have a "tune up" for my rotator cuff in a few weeks. When I first found out I would have to do the procedure, it was my friends who helped me accept the news.  Knowing I would have several weeks of not using my dominant arm.  I heard comments like, "Will we need to be driving Miss Daisy?" Just the lighthearted response made me smile and know I wouldn't be doing this alone.  

    Last night I learned an activity that I truly love doing will change. I teach water exercise, but in our smaller group classes the facility I teach at has allowed teaching within the confines of the pool.  That will be changing as a new facility is being built. Due to size of classes expected, and company policy, all instructors will need to teach from the deck using microphones.  For most people this news would just be a small blip on their radars. But I received enjoyment in teaching from being in the pool with the recipients.  I also found my body can do all the exercises inside the pool that it would struggle to complete on the deck with the full force of gravity on me.  So, my life has changed as of last night. After healing from surgery, which I have been informed will take many months, I will need to return to being a participant in the water to enjoy the classes in lieu of leading them.  In the grand scheme of struggles this is minute. This I know. But I was saddened by the change.  Yet how I swing at that curve ball is what's important. Not that it was pitched at me.  I prayed for God's help in responding to the change in a way that He wants me to. 

    God responded to that prayer with a call from a friend. Visiting with her this morning helped me flesh out some ideas.  I can be with my friends in the water and help them understand the moves within the water if they don't understand from the demonstrations on the deck. I can invite friends to attend with me. I don't need to teach to love on my friends. I just need to do what is best for my body while respecting the needs of the organization. Thanks God for friends that help us navigate our life changes.  

    God truly sends us friends to be our angels here on this earthly plain.  Friends keep us accountable when we struggle with earthly behaviors. Friends praise and worship God's mercy, grace and goodness with us. Friends  pray with us when life's curve balls come across the plate.  Friends keep us humble when we might be getting too full of ourselves. 

I am so thankful for being at this stage of my life when I can see God's riches all around me.  Whether the changes are extreme or mundane. It's not what comes your way in life, it's how you adapt to the new reality.  Whether it is short in duration or life long.  

Don't do it alone, when a friend is all you need!   Thanks God!

Repetition by Vigdis Hjorth

  Aptly named, Repetition by Vigdis Hjorth is an endless repeat of events and emotions. The novel, set in Norway begins with the main character staying in the Norwegian forest in a cabin, before attending a symphony. She is seated next to a young girl and her parents.  The girl is visibly upset and the woman feels empathy for the young lady. Following the concert, our character  chooses to return to the cabin . At the cabin the main character (no name is ever given) takes the reader on a journey of her own teenage self set in 1975. The events in her past continue for about a hundred pages as a continued echo of her struggles with her suspicious  anxiety driven mother, workaholic father and younger siblings. 

Hjorth paints the character as a emotionally battered young woman, constantly berated and accused by her mother, and ignored for the most part by her father. She begins to explore some typical teenage experiences all  the while hiding this from her eccentric mother.  After a pivotal experience, the dynamics in the family become even more intense and strained. Our character knows something is wrong, niggling at her consciousness yet not discernible.  At the very end of the book, the reader learns what and why. (Not giving any spoilers)

For me, I felt like I was in an endless narrative loop.  I realize that is the writer's intention. Thus the title, Repetition. Yet, it felt often difficult to hold my attention and I found myself struggling not to skim and skip ahead due to the fact I had already read and reread segments as they were virtually repeated with minute changes to the situation as the writer builds the plot.  

When beginning the novel, I was a bit lost. Once I finished the story, and went back to reread the first few pages, those introductory pages made sense to me. I had an "aha" realization.  I think I felt most lost because of the nameless family characters. I never felt really invested in them because I didn't really get to know who they were.

Repetition is an interesting concept.  The ending was not surprising to me as I guessed what was happening to our character.  I am certain some who have endured various traumas would relate to the story. I wish I could be more succinct. I was left wanting more. Not really more of the story, but more depth throughout the story.

I received access to this novel through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Repetition is set to be released March 2, 2026. 

The Moonshine Women

     When you read a great many books it takes an incredible story to truly capture your attention.  I have found such a book! The Moonshine Women  by Michelle Collins Anderson hits all the categories of being a time honored best seller when it is published March 31, 2026.   I received a preview copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 

    If I could rate a book more than 5 stars, I certainly would.  The author's voice as she tells the tale was so engaging that I completely lost myself in the lives of the Strong family women and their world as moonshiners during the prohibition era of Ozark mountain history.   Each woman is unique and so vivid that I was grieving with their losses and rooting for their accomplishments as if they were close personal friends.  Three sisters, Rebecca, Elsie, and "Shine" , with startlingly different personalities, exude resilience throughout the many trials of eking out a living in a poor Arkansas community.  

In addition to the Strong family, Anderson introduces some famous characters to add intrigue to the story and create a historical element to enhance the setting and timeframe.  My favorite one is Al Capone, the famous Chicago mob boss.  The youngest sister, "Shine" impresses Mr. Capone with her forthright personality and expertise in drinkology,, within the confines of Hot Springs Arkansas's teaming bars and bath houses. Such an interesting element to add to the plot. 

 The story is  absorbing.  It is as if I could see the story in its entirety within my mind.  The Moonshine Women would make an amazing major motion picture and I would be one of the first in line to purchase a ticket.  But in the meantime, book clubs should add it to their must read lists. It even includes a discussion guide in the back of the book. 

Needless to say, I strongly recommend setting an alert on your phone to go and buy this book next March.  I was enchanted by it and will tell everyone what a gem it is.

#TheMoonshineWomen #NetGalley.

How has God blessed you?

     "There is nothing that you have ever given to anyone that God did not give to you first."   I heard this statement years ago and it has always stayed with me. I think it is important for me to remember this.  It keeps one from feeling prideful in the quest to do good. 

    Over the years, my husband and I have had various people stay with us. Now, I know that's not an uncommon thing. We all take turns having family or friends stay for visits in our homes.  But I have had a habit of saying...okay...to longer terms of stay. Recently I pondered why we have done that and one answer came to me.  We've been blessed with enough and therefore need to care for others as well. 

    My first foray into opening our home came when my daughter was a junior in high school.  My daughter's good friend's parents were offered a job in another location and needed to relocate.  Her friend was thriving in high school and wanted to finish her junior and senior years here in the vocal music and band programs.  We made up a guest room and she lived with us for a year and a half.  It was a transition for everyone but we made it work and enjoyed getting to know each other as a family.  

    A couple years later, a foreign exchange student ( in the ESL program ) at the school I worked needed a new placement and host parents.  The family she began with ended up not working out.  I got a call from her coordinator late one night and asked if we would consider housing her for her remaining stay, approximately 6 months.  I asked my husband and we agreed.  Her home country was China. We got to know each other and became close. It is a relationship that has continued through the years.  

    Following that, there was a student in my classroom the last two years of my teaching career. He needed a home as his foster care placement was not working out for him or his foster parents.  Once again my very patient husband agreed and he came to live with us for about two years before he began independent living. During his time with us he became part of our family and we gave him care as such.

   The beginning is always a honeymoon period with the novelty of the change. But a couple months into the situation, the newness has worn off and true family living occurs. Still, I strongly believe that if one has been blessed, then they need to share those blessings with others.  I looked up various verses in the bible that reference this sentiment. The idea shows up in various ways. My favorite is in  1 Chronicles 29:14 King David is talking about the fact that all things are given to man from God. "...Everything we have has come from you, and we give only what you first gave us."  Amen King David.

     Now, I am not saying that God simply says, "Presto! You get a house! Shazam! Here's some cash!" No, hard work on the individual's part comes into play. But God provides those opportunities throughout our lifetimes and we must choose how we use the resources.   

I encourage everyone to think honestly about the blessings God has afforded them, as we enter into the holiday season this year.  How have you been loved and cared for by God and others through God's provisions?  How can you now bless others?  I pray this idea speaks to someone as we all begin the self examination of what we are thankful for this fall season. 

Christmas for the Heart: Cheryl Barker

Christmas is only 85 days away, and if you are looking forward to the holiday season as much as I am, then I strongly encourage you to order Cheryl Barker's new devotional book, Christmas for the Heart published September 30, 2025. 

I was given early access to this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, and I am so excited that I was.  It is simply delightful.  The book includes twenty-five days of Christmas devotions, which are beautifully encouraging, filled with biblical references and reminders of the true meaning of Christmas.  In addition to the devotions, Barker has inserted many of her own Christmas holiday poems. She also built in areas for self inflection to further explore the wonder of Christmastime.  Barker uses writing prompts to aid the reader in writing prayers, remembrances, and present Christmas plans. 

The holiday season is such a precious time of year, but it can become blurred by the busyness of the days.  Christmas for the Heart is a simple way to unplug and spend some time each day reveling in the true joy of the holidays, the birth of God's only son , Jesus. 

Book Review: Faith Over Fear : Harnessing Resilience in the Face of Uncertainty

     Faith Over Fear: Harnessing Resilience in the Face of Uncertainty by Micheal Leach was not what I expected. My disclaimer to this comment is that I am not saying that it is not a good book.  Just not what I thought I was going to get when I was approved to read it. ( I received a copy of the book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.) From the title, I was expecting to acquire a bible based book with references to scripture and how faith in God helps one overcome fear to build resilience.  However, what Leach's book does is take the reader on a personal journey through his professional life beginning in high school, then to college and career, illustrating how being fearless through his faith built his resilience to lead a successful life.  

    From this perspective, Micheal Leach has led a very successful life centered around hard work and the willingness to trust God's faithfulness to lead him to build a life that he would not have attained without taking chances and stepping out in faith; when perhaps playing it safe would have been an easier if less successful path.  Leach held jobs throughout his life in the NFL as an assistant to the head coach for the Chicago Bears, then moving forward later in his career to work in the white house as the first-ever Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer. One quote from the book that I feel illustrates the overall theme of his story is, "I leaned into faith.  I trusted that even when the path seemed unclear, I was exactly where I was supposed to be. And that's the thing about faith--it doesn't guarantee that the journey will be easy, but it promises that every step forward is worth it."   

Towards the end of his book, Leach includes various "tools" to use to assess the reader's current spot in life and whether they are following potential or  are stagnant in fear of moving forward.  I was not expecting this either but feel it is an interesting addition to the book.

Overall, I feel that had I known that the story would be mostly a personal account of his life, I might not have picked it up.  From the title I would have preferred more direct references to his spiritual journey with God leading his path and helping him conquer his fears.  I did appreciate the segments that Leach does include a reference to God leading him forward.  And he certainly gives God recognition in the acknowledgements in the end.  I just felt it was more his initiative and less spiritually led, which is what the title suggests.  The one section that I can honestly say I related to most dealt with his trusting God was in Chapter 2, when he tells the account of sitting in church, putting the last $50 he had into the offering plate.  His example of surrender being the "nature of faith" was spot on. He wrote, "That's the nature of faith.  It asks you to release what is in your hand so that God can release what is in his. " I appreciated this reference, and wish Leach had put more of these direct instances in his story along with some biblical references to support his accounts.  I think this would have enhanced the faith portion of his work and encouraged readers even more in their own journey. 

    I am impressed with Micheal Leach's ambition and life accomplishments and am thankful he shared those experiences in his book,  Faith Over Fear: Harnessing Resilience in the Face of Uncertainty.