Remember the saying “Life is what happens when you’re making other plans”? Well, that’s what’s been happening to me and I apologize for not getting reviews posted faster. But I am reading as fast as I can among everything else I need to do. So… here are the new reviews for this week:

Under Nonfiction: Gluten Free Instant Pot Cookbook by Pamela Ellgen – a really good GF book to add to your cookbook shelves.

Under Fantasy: The Angel by the Tower by Marla White – a great fantasy with angels and demons and legends and more.

Under Mystery:

The Starlight Mint Surprise Murder Mystery by Marla White – a cute, short murder mystery with a satisfying ending.

Under Romance:

Covert Exposure by Valerie J. Clarizio – not bad but definite editorial issues and a steamy bedroom scene. Romantic Suspense.

Craving Vengeance by Valerie J. Clarizio – not bad, but not great. Second in series and has the same issues.

Birthdays: Cecelia Ahern (1981), Eileen Chang (1920), Laura Esquivel (1950), Margie Orford (1964), Ta-Nehisi Coates (1975), Tea Obreht (1985), Truman Capote (1924), Edgar Parin d’Aulaire (1898), W.S. Merwin (1927), Elie Wiesel (1928), Carol Fenner (1929), Jurek Becker (1937), S.M. Stirling (1953), Nicola Griffith (1960)

Tip: Tighten your manuscript by cutting adjectives and adverbs, wordy passages, and personal opinion.

Thought for the day: “I say write what moves you. Write what you feel compelled to write about. Unless they come naturally to you, ignore trends such as vampires and erotica just because they’re popular and focus on what you feel your heart has to say. It’s important to write for yourself, move yourself and then the reader will hopefully feel your passion and identify with those emotions.” – Cecelia Ahern

Jumpstart: You’re on your way to Bermuda for a vacation, complements of your boss for a big deal you finalized. Then a strange storm comes up out of a clear sky and…