Summary of books I have read in 2025 tracked by Goodreads.
Category: books
Smorgasbord New Book Spotlight and Review – Amanda in Ireland: The Body in the Bag by Darlene Foster
My good friend Darlene Foster has released her latest book, Amanda in Ireland: The Body in the Bog. It's being highlighted here on Sally Cronin's Smorgasbord, a super blog to follow. The next stop on the blog tour is at Sally Cronin’s Smorgasbord New Book Spotlight. Sally has written a fabulous review for Amanda in … Continue reading Smorgasbord New Book Spotlight and Review – Amanda in Ireland: The Body in the Bag by Darlene Foster
The Hot Topic of Immigration
Since the issue of immigration is much in the news these days, especially in the US, I thought it would be a good time to remind my dear readers about my well-reviewed novel Torn Between Worlds. (It has a score of 4.7 out of five on Amazon.) It’s about a 12-year-old Mexican named Isabel who … Continue reading The Hot Topic of Immigration
Drive to Make a Difference in the World
What’s your favorite thing about yourself? I would say my favorite thing about myself is my drive to make a positive difference in the world. We retired to Spain almost eight years ago from Chicago. Since then I have written and published five books and rescued four kittens, three birds and two dogs. I am … Continue reading Drive to Make a Difference in the World
Lord of the Flies
A Book Review This is a novel I knew I would have to read someday because of all the times I would hear someone say, “It was a Lord of the Flies” situation. Until I read this classic, I never understood what they meant but I figured it must be something really bad.My mother was … Continue reading Lord of the Flies
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, A Book Review
This was an enjoyable and quick read about a widowed and grumpy owner of Island Books whose unhappy life turns around when he decides to raise a two-year-old girl abandoned at his bookstore named Maya. It’s a great book for book lovers too as it’s told in short stories with references to related books starting … Continue reading The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, A Book Review
Mao: The Unknown Story
Really terrific and well researched book by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday about Mao Tse-Tung’s life and his impact on China. Indeed, the authors did ten years of research to produce the book, including interviews with people who were there for many events covered. The biggest shock I had while reading the book was how … Continue reading Mao: The Unknown Story
Exploring Octavia Butler’s Dystopian Vision
This award-winning dystopian novel was written in 1993 and many of the things the very talented African-American author Octavia Butler wrote about have already happened. She focuses on the climate crisis, for example, and writes about many fires occurring in California. The US is run by billionaires (Elon Musk comes to mind) and there is … Continue reading Exploring Octavia Butler’s Dystopian Vision
Unlock Your Family Secrets: A Review of ‘Growing a Top-Notch Family Tree’
Hello dear readers. I am excited to share a new Goodreads review with you of my non-fiction book, Growing a Top-Notch Family Tree with Stories from its Branches. A well researched guide to tracing your family tree in which the author gives advice on how to search for information on your ancestors using online sites … Continue reading Unlock Your Family Secrets: A Review of ‘Growing a Top-Notch Family Tree’
Fifty Percent Off My E-books for Christmas
Are you looking for some interesting books to buy for bookworm friends or family this Christmas? Well, here are four possible gifts I propose for your consideration. To help you make a decision, I have included one independent review of my books to give you a flavor of what they are about. These reviews were … Continue reading Fifty Percent Off My E-books for Christmas
US Author Nancy Klein in Spain 