Gina G writes

 The "Y" Books "The Bark Of Zorro" by Kathleen Y' Barbo A Cozy mystery, about a woman who works for a veterinarian and a dog rescue group. On a dark and stormy night, Cassidy Carter is called out to pick up a stray dog with a Z painted on its side. This is not the first dog in the area to be running around Brenham, Texas, with a Z painted on it. Cassidy is a huge fan of the Scooby Doo series, torn between wanting to be Daphne yet feeling more like Velma. She sets out to track down the mysterious person spray painting dogs. The case is complicated by a handsome, single Texas game warden and a viral social media crew filming a segment featuring him.  Cozy mysteries are great when you just want to chill with something fun. This is a nice light-hearted one, but like most cozies, it was torn between the mystery and the romance. Which one gets more play? Maybe it's a formula the cozy-writer has to follow? Hmmm. But if you are looking for something to read when you...

 The "X" Books Books written by authors whose last names start with an X are hard to find. Lucky for me, I have a fellow author friend who writes under the name Scarlett Zavier. The Celtic Men Series by Scarlett Xavier. Irish Fire and Forbidden Love Maeve Quinn is not just a business owner; she's a force to be reckoned with. She is the co-owner of a bar in Galway. When Rory shows up, sparks fly between the two. Rory is there to buy the bar, but how can he take away the business Maeve has given her heart and soul to? How can he tell her why he is really there when all he wants to do is drown in her intoxicating scent? The two are falling hard and fast for each other when the truth comes out.  Scottish Legends and Lost Love Lachlan is a troubled landowner who is contemplating selling his ancestral estate in the highlands to a developer when he meets Fiona, a dedicated historian. Fiona is there to research the hidden runes on the property. She drags Lachlan along for the rid...

The Unnamed W book Or  Why Editing is Important  There was a third "W" book I read for the alphabet challenge. I have chosen not to mention the title or the author's name. The reason for this is the many editing and formatting issues in the book. It was not self-published. But it did go through a small press. The issues were so bad that I started marking them, circling them, and making notes as I read the story. They distracted me to the point that the story suffered, and, really, it's too bad, because it had potential to be good.  I will create my own examples of the errors to give you an idea of what NOT to do and what to look for when you are going through the Galley Proofs. Issue one: Punctuation. Jack and Jill are talking.       "Hi, Jack," Jill said. "Hi, Jill, where are you going?" "To the store."      When you read this, who is talking? Jill. Now, why would Jill talk to herself? Is she carrying on a conversation with Jack, becaus...

 The "W" Books The "W" books were all about mysteries, written by two of my favorite authors, Johnny Worthen and Nina Wright. Book 1: Thicker Than Water by Johnny Worthen. A Tony Flaner mystery. If you have not read any of Johnny Worthen's books and you love a quirky, fun whodunit, this series is a great one to check out. Tony Flaner, the sarcastic sleuth, has given up being a good detective and taken up pet sitting a pampered, untrained dog for a high-strung family. Naturally, the dog is kidnapped right under Tony's nose. Tony tries to care, but he really doesn't. He has other things to worry about, like the sudden death of his neglected aunt Vicky in Moab.  Tony travels from Salt Lake to Moab to figure out who killed his aunt and why. Along the way, he deals with the local police, tourists, small town politics, an ex-girlfriend's recently released, psychotic former husband, Nordic Indians, tabloid slanderers, elves, goblins, wine connoisseurs, hate...

 The Alphabet Books U and V The U Books: Book 1: Confessions on the 7:45 by Lisa Unger  Selena is on her way home from work when the train is delayed. Rather than get off, she stays and strikes up a conversation with a woman named Martha. Selena confesses that her husband is having an affair with the nanny. Martha shares that she is having an affair with her boss. The next morning, the nanny goes missing. What follows is described as a fast-paced thriller.  The book was okay. I had a few issues with it. One being the setting. When it started, I thought the setting was England. The second issue was Martha. She seemed like a cardboard character of a femme fatale. The backstory was interesting when it finally came out, but even then, I couldn't get into it. I was bored. But I did finish it.  I give it three stars. Book 2:  The Butcher and The Wren by Alaina Urquhart This was a better-written thriller. The characters were original. The setting was made clear, and th...

 Catching Up Yes, it has been a while since I posted anything about my book challenge. I will keep this short and sweet. Or as short and sweet as possible.  The R Books: Wildwood Whispers by Willa Reece  Goodreads describes this book as a "dark, tender, and thought-provoking, adding that it is a beautifully woven tale of fantasy, feminism, and mystery." I was so bored I couldn't finish it. I made it halfway through and put it down.  * blah Book two: Home Is Where The Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose This was a good mystery. It involved family dynamics and a secret, buried. When Beth, Nicole, and Michael gather together to sort through the family home after their mother's passing, they come across an old home video with a confession on it. What do they do? It concerns a missing person from their childhood. They have the answer or think they do. If you love a good mystery read this one. Very well written. The characters were great. ***** The S Books... Fever Dream by Sam...