Why Fathers Cry at Night

"This was before a mask was de rigueur." ~ 22%

I love when a memoir is so beautifully written. Kwame Alexander put his talent to pen and heart on paper with new memoir titled Why Fathers Cry at Night: A Memoir in Love Poems, Letters, Recipes, and Remembrances. And yes, he covers everything and beyond what is in the title. It is not your typical memoir written in essay style but more like a peek into his journal, cooking a dish from his recipe book while he shares fond memories and journey to unconditional love. 

Why Fathers Cry at Night belongs on your shelf. It is personal. It is vulnerable. It is greatness. 

Happy Pub Day, Kwame Alexander! Why Fathers Cry at Night is now available.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins.

Title: Why Fathers Cry at Night
Author: Kwame Alexander
Published: May 2023
Pages: 225
Edition: Galley
Genre: Memoir & Poetry
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

Super Series Sunday: Eugeena Patterson Mystery

(Eugeena Patterson #0.5, #1, #2 & #3.5) 

Super Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Binge read installments of a series.
• Share your review/recommendations below.
• Include the titles, authors and series names.

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Eugeena Patterson #0.5

"I've been the glue, but I'm coming undone. I can't keep holding everybody together when I feel like I'm falling apart myself." ~ pg. 19

Shattered Dreams is the short story prequel in the Eugeena Patterson mysteries series by Tyora Moody. In just 30 pages, we meet matriarch Eugeena—wife to Ralph the doctor and mother to three children. Her attempt to maintain peace reaches a breaking point when her teenage daughter is unexpectedly rushed to the hospital. How a family looks on the outside doesn't reflect what goes on behind closed doors. Great prequel to introduce the likable Eugeena Patterson. Give me more! 

Title: Shattered Dreams

Author: Tyora Moody 

Published: October 2012

Pages: 33

Edition: eBook

Genre: Cozy Christian Mystery

Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

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Eugeena Patterson #1

"God answered many prayers of mine in one swoop."  ~ pg. 166

My 1st Super Series Sunday pick is Deep Fried Trouble, the first full-length book in the series. What a character Tyora Moody invented in Eugeena Patterson! She is a 59-year-old widowed retiree with grown children and three grandbabies. She's very active in the neighborhood watch association. It's an opportunity to reconnect with old friends and get to know new neighbors.

Then Eugeena stumbles upon her fussy estranged neighbor's dead body. And her daughter is the prime suspect! Determined to find her missing daughter and clear her name, Eugeena sorts through everyone's shady background. You can never really know who is living right next door.

Bookhearts know I love a good cozy mystery. The Christian fiction is not overly done. The woman sleuth role is not cliché but dare I say, Eugeena falls into solving mysteries faster than the police can. More time on her hands, more time to investigate. Especially when her daughter is involved.

This series is definitely added to my rotation. I'm looking forward to catching up!

Title: Deep Fried Trouble

Author: Tyora Moody 

Published: June 2013

Pages: 226

Edition: eBook

Genre: Cozy Christian Mystery

Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤

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Eugeena Patterson #2

"I didn't sleep, but I talked to God."  ~ 90%

My 2nd Super Series Sunday pick is Oven Baked Secrets, the second book in the series. Eugeena is not pleased about her next door neighbor, Louise, being sent to live in a nursing home. Without her fellow nosy neighborhood watch buddy, Sugar Creek just isn't the same. So she meddles into her adult children's lives while possibly finding love again at age 60. Until she stumbles upon a long forgotten murder case that may be related to friend Louise.

This mystery was a bit weak far as storyline; I was more interested in the personal lives of the Pattersons and minor characters. That alone is what kept me reading. 

Title: Oven Baked Secrets

Author: Tyora Moody 

Published: January 2015

Pages: 186

Edition: eBook

Genre: Cozy Christian Mystery

Rating: 🖤 🖤

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Eugeena Patterson #3.5

"Trust God. It's the season for miracles."  ~ pg. 23

A Blended Family Christmas is another eShort in the series. Yes, I skipped over book 3 to read this because...why not? It only took a few minutes and available on Kindle Unlimited.

Eugeena is marrying her neighbor, Amos. Her family is happy to see the couple finally make it official and walk down the aisle. What is missing are Amos' two estranged daughters. At Eugeena's urging—being the matriarch she is—the daughters are invited to spend Christmas as a blended family.

Okay, maybe I should not have skipped ahead in the series. Just two books ago, Eugeena was married to Ralph. Then flirting with Amos in next book. Now talking marriage to Amos? I clearly missed something. Let me wrap up this Super Series Sunday review and continue in chronological order. Hopefully I am caught up by the summer when short story Falling For You Again and #6 A Spicy Predicament will be published. In the meantime, bookhearts, catch up too!

Title: A Blended Family Christmas

Author: Tyora Moody 

Published: December 2019

Pages: 71

Edition: eBook

Genre: Cozy Christian Mystery

Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

First Lines Friday

First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Grab your current read(s).
• Share the first line(s).
• Include the title and author.

"I'm sitting in Jamaica Hospital in Queens, fidgeting uncomfortably in a tan leather chair beside my son, Jerami. Once again, he overexerted himself playing basketball with my oldest, Jalen, and now he's hospitalized with a fever. I don't want to deny him a normal childhood or treat him like has to live in a bubble. His cancer does that enough, but I don't like seeing him in a hospital bed hooked up to machines, writhing in pain, either."

~ Mothers Vol. 1 by Ben Burgess Jr. 

Super Series Sunday: Noodle Shop Mystery

(Noodle Shop #2, #3 & #4) 

Super Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Binge read installments of a series.
• Share your review/recommendations below.
• Include the titles, authors and series names.

Noodle Shop #2

"Nothing like a little fictional drama to take you away from the real stuff." ~ pg. 11

My 1st Super Series Sunday pick is Dim Sun of All Fears, the second book in the Noodle Shop series by Vivien Chien. Ho-Lee Noodle House is famous for its noodles, tea and take-out. Lana Lee is a dutiful daughter working at the family's restaurant, even though she would rather have a "real" job.

Just when she lands an interview, her parents take off for an extended time in Taiwan, leaving Lana in charge. She knows nothing about running the place but there is no other person her mom trusts—and who's available. Then like a true cozy mystery, newlyweds in the souvenir shop next door are found murdered. With the help of roommate Megan and to the dismay of kinda-sorta boyfriend Detective Adam, Lana Lee pries into the case and ultimately solves it.

I learned more about the main character Lana Lee more in this second installment. Her logic, romance and family dynamic was explained in a show-not-tell way. I did not mind the story including personal life happenings with the mystery taking a backseat. In fact, I didn't even bother to figure out who the murderer was until around 80% through the eBook. And that's when it was a slow reveal until the last few pages and Epilogue. Good writing balance!

Title: Dim Sum of All Fears 

Author: Vivien Chien

Published: August 2018

Pages: 291

Edition: eBook

Genre: Mystery

Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

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Noodle Shop #3

"He was the professional, and I was just a gal with an overactive imagination and a ratty notebook." ~ 80%

My 2nd Super Series Sunday pick is Murder Lo Mein, the third book in the series. My book binge continues. Lana Lee is officially the manager of Ho-Lee Noodle House. It is time for the annual Cleveland's Best Noodle Contest. Then a local food critic is found dead, face-down in a bowl of lo mein. Lana Lee along with boyfriend Detective Adam dig into the lives of everyone involved in the contest while saving the restaurant's reputation and her own innocence. 

This one is catered to the culinary cozy bookhearts with a surprise double murder. I like how Lana Lee and Megan brainstorm and sleuth their way through the mystery. Having a Detective for a boyfriend, being in a small community where everyone knows everyone makes it all the more personable. It has the theme of "There's a Murderer Among Us." I am definitely moving on to the next book...like right now.

Title: Murder Lo Mein

Author: Vivien Chien

Published: March 2019

Pages: 304

Edition: eBook

Genre: Mystery

Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

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Noodle Shop #4

"And the Oscar goes to..." ~ 88%

My 3rd Super Series Sunday pick is Wonton Terror, the fourth book in the series. I totally read this series out of order but they can all be read as standalone thanks to the background Vivien Chien writes in the beginning of every book. Promise you won't be lost!

Wonton Terror centers around another popular festival in Asia Village called the Cleveland Night Market. Lana Lee and chef Peter are running the booth when an explosion in a food truck kills one of the workers and injures several others whom were nearby.

Time for Lana Lee and best friend/roommate Megan fall into sleuth mode, against the constant advice of boyfriend Detective Adam to not get involved. They uncover family drama, angry customers and a slew of suspects until the surprising ending.

In the spirit of Asia Village, I dedicated an entire day to reading Wonton Terror and settled in with an order of fried rice. Is that lame? Ah well, it felt appropriate and kept my stomach from rumbling with every mention of delicious food mentioned in the book. Honestly, the food was what kept me reading. Wonton Terror is the weakest of the series so far. Too predictable. Nevertheless, place your orders (food and book) and enjoy!

Title: Wonton Terror

Author: Vivien Chien

Published: August 2019

Pages: 294

Edition: eBook

Genre: Mystery

Rating: 🖤 🖤

Now I am all caught up and ready to read the advance copy of Misfortune Cookie (#9) due to be published this summer. Bookhearts, at least start this mystery series if you haven't already. Or catch up like I did! Support the noodle-eating, doughnut lover, bookstore browser, colored hair author Vivien Chien.

First Lines Friday

First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Grab your current read(s).
• Share the first line(s).
• Include the title and author.

    

"Let's start by getting one thing straight: I do not live on a plantation. Not the kind you mean."

~ Your Plantation Prom is Not Okay by Kelly McWilliams

Series Sunday: 23rd Midnight

(Women's Murder Club #23) 

Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Read an installment of a series.
• Share your review/recommendation below.
• Include the title, author and series name.

My Series Sunday pick is 23rd Midnight, the 23rd book in the Women's Murder Club series by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro. Previously, Detective Lindsay Boxer put serial killer, master manipulator Evan Burke in jail. Reporter Cindy Thomas put Burke on the bestseller list by writing a true crime book about his case. But now an obsessed fan is playing copycat, killing women in every city on Cindy's book tour. Even worse, he is threatening Cindy's life.

"A god in his own mind. A monster in ours." ~ 62%

Women's Murder Club is one of the few long-term series that stays interesting. It follows the personal and professional lives of four (4) successful women, their spouses/significant others, children, murder cases and news stories. With every book, it somehow intertwines and they all work together.

Since 23rd Midnight is deep-deep into the Women's Murder Club series and references an old suspect, it cannot be read as a standalone. Your reading experience will be totally different. Patterson and Paetro makes a good point of introducing each main character but to fully understand the plot, at least read the previous three (3) books in the series: 22 Seconds, 21st Birthday and 20th Victim. Then you won't be so lost and can follow the story better.

"...a laughing jury is an acquitting jury." ~ 37%

I read 23rd Midnight as a buddy read with Chickadee. We make a habit of reading new Patterson novels immediately upon release. We separately read up to a certain chapter then discussed and shared theories. She usually solves the mystery first whereas I can sometimes tell the twist. With all its layers and multiple storylines, this was a perfect buddy read. We agree on the 4⭐️ rating. We agree loose ends were tied up but the ending left us wondering what is next. Chickadee and I recommend it for other bookheart buddies, book clubs or online groups that enjoy mystery series. 

Title: 23rd Midnight

Authors: James Patterson & Maxine Paetro

Published: March 2023

Pages: 355

Edition: eBook

Genre: Mystery

Challenge: Keeping Up with Patterson

Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

Blogmoir: Moment of Clarity

Thank God for granting me this moment of clarity. This moment of honesty. ~ Jay-Z

I was doing too much: Work, Podcasting, Reading, Reviewing, Copyediting, Traveling, Writing, Socializing and more. Takeout for lunch, snacks throughout the day, a heavy dinner and dessert. I work on the computer so sitting for hours yet tapping "dismiss" when my Apple Watch sends a reminder to stand. I'd at least exercise 30 minutes on my trampoline but walk right past the treadmill with all its collected dust. I stayed busy and fought the chronic fatigue. Sure, I took daily naps but I was right back up doing too much.

Well God found a way to make me stop and listen. He designed our bodies to need rest.

"Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him." ~ Psalm 62:1

Acceptance is the first step. I accept the diagnosis. I accept there is no cure. I accept I will never be in complete remission but instead chemical remission. I will remain on "forever" medicine that is an immunosuppressant to treat and control. I will regularly get lab tests to make sure my numbers continue to improve then remain normal. I accept the good days and even the bad because they're another day I am blessed to be here. I accept all the support, healing and love.