A Storm of Infinite Beauty by Julianne MacLean

Mystery, suspense, and second chances! 

When writer Peter Miller contacts Gwen Hollingsworth regarding his research into the life of her cousin, a famous actress and songwriter who died tragically young at the height of her career, she is understandably suspicious of his intentions. Peter's career up to this point had been that of a notoriously dogged paparazzi, seemingly willing to do whatever it took to get photographs and the latest scoop on the rich and famous. Gwen, as the heir to Scarlet Fontaine's fortune and the curator of a museum dedicated to her life and legacy, was very protective of the memory of her famous cousin and wasn't about to help anyone try to sensationalize something in the past of a woman who'd spent her short life trying to avoid the public eye. But when Peter Miller arrives and shares evidence of a stunning secret in Scarlet's past, Gwen knows she must uncover the truth herself. 

Told with dual timelines, A Storm of Infinite Beauty is the story of two women, separated by more than 50 years, coming to terms with their lives after suffering tremendous losses. In the 1963-4 timeline, young, unmarried Valerie McCarthy, known later by her screen name as Scarlett Fontaine, is sent from her home in Wolfville, Nova Scotia to Valdez, Alaska, by her father when she reveals she is eight weeks pregnant. She and the baby's father had split up during an argument before her delicate condition was discovered, and she is shipped off before she can tell him the news. Valerie is dumped off in rural Alaska at a tourist lodge where she is to work for her room and board and await the birth of her child, out of sight of the people in her hometown. Her father has decided she'll give the child up for adoption and then return home with a clean slate, no one the wiser. She's alone and heartsick but, thankfully, finds the support she needs to heal and determine her own future at the Wilderness Lodge. 

In the 2017-8 storyline, Gwen Hollingsworth is grieving the loss of her first child two years earlier and the subsequent defection of her husband, Eric, for a considerably younger woman. When Peter Miller reveals that Scarlett Fontaine, believed to have never married or had children, may have gone to Alaska and had a baby there before achieving her film success, she's naturally drawn into the mystery, wanting to discover what happened for better or worse. 

Gwen and Peter make a great team and a wonderful couple. He regrets his previous career and is earnest about creating an accurate and truthful portrayal of this much-loved star. He hits all the right notes for me as a thoughtful and considerate partner for Gwen, even as Eric comes back into the picture, remorseful over his prior actions. 

The story is supported by wonderful secondary characters: the warm and wise Maud and Blaine Wilson, Valerie's coworker and fellow expectant mother, Angie Brown, and the unpredictable Jeremy Mikhailov. But if there was ever a character I wanted to slap up the side of the head, it is Angie's husband, Joe, and the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree, as they say. I was taken completely by surprise by the actions of Joe's parents.

The Alaskan setting is captivating and atmospheric; the Wilderness Lodge is a place of warmth and safety. The background events that occurred in Valdez on March 27, 1964, give the story a feeling of a ticking time bomb, the suspense and tension building as the action edges closer and closer to what is revealed in the prologue. The author kindly includes the titles of some resource materials for readers who want to read further about the events of that day. 

While both women's storylines are heartbreaking, Valerie's had already been written, and we are uncovering the past. Gwen's, however, was yet to be determined, and I was on pins and needles as I waited to learn her decisions. I couldn't put the book down until I knew. 

I recommend A STORM OF INFINITE BEAUTY to readers of women's fiction, historical fiction, and even romantic suspense.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author.

Intergalactica by F.P. Trotta 

Sweeping plot with multiple successive storylines in one big book. 

Intergalactica is a science fiction novel by Brazilian author F.P. Trotta, recently translated into English, and is the first book in a series. The lengthy story covers a lot of ground, from Earth to the far reaches of space and back, as Dr. Amanda Collins and her companions match wits with an evil genius, her own father! 

Amanda Collins is a neurosurgeon and therapist who awakens from a coma after contracting meningitis. Her two best friends, who are also her therapy patients, Ripley and Stryker, are at her bedside. Amanda is released from the hospital, and the trio is joined by a new acquaintance, Lina, at a coffee shop, where uniformed officers confront the group to arrest Amanda for treason. A shoot-out ensues, officers are killed, and the heroes escape to Amanda's secret Chicago hideaway, appropriately named "The Lair." Here, Amanda's backstory is revealed, including her heartbreak that the officers are actually minions of her estranged father, renowned scientist Oswald Rose Collins. Amanda is certain that her father plans to use an upcoming space launch to Europa to acquire the means to destroy Earth after he and his trusted followers escape to a distant Earth-like planet. After preparing her friends to help foil her father's plan, the story is off and running at speed, and things never slow down. 

Besides Amanda, a core group of characters are joined in their adventures by representatives of the alien cultures they encounter. While the story's focus is definitely on the action, I found the characters lacked dimension, and they did a lot of screaming and shouting of dialogue. I did not connect much with any of them. 

The plot is imaginative, and the action is non-stop, with an evil genius that just won't die. However, a massive twist in the story turns the entire story on its head. Unfortunately, a rough translation and poor punctuation made this book a tough reading experience, requiring frequent pauses to determine what the author was trying to say. Still, the story comes through as a great adventure. 

The descriptions of the wide range of settings the characters encounter are vivid and creative, running the gamut of familiar scenes of tropical beaches and deserts to strange alien landscapes to Chicago and rural Iceland. Spacecrafts tended toward fantastical interiors without lingering on technical details. 

INTERGALACTICA is for sci-fi/fantasy readers who enjoy big books with sweeping plots and multiple successive storylines and have the patience to tease the tale from the translation. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy through RABT Book Tours and PR.

Tessa Miyata Is No Hero (Tessa Miyata, #1) by Julie Abe 

A magical story about being yourself and fighting for what and who you love.

After a difficult school year, highlighted by her best friend dumping her for a "cooler" bunch of kids, Tessa Miyata and her older sisters are sent to spend the summer with her grandparents outside Tokyo. She is excited at first, with loads of opportunities to post pictures to her usually boring social media accounts of her exciting adventures in this exotic location that are sure to impress her former bestie and her new crowd. But the reality is that while her older sisters are allowed to head into the city for fun with friends their age, Tessa's grandparents won't let her out of their sight. To top things off, they seem set on her making friends with the son of one of their neighbors, who makes it abundantly clear that he has other plans for his summer, and they don't include Tessa. But during an impromptu trip into town, the two accidentally break a family heirloom belonging to her grandparents and are drawn through a portal into a magical city hidden from human eyes. Along with a mystical creature, a nine-tailed fox, they must work to stop a mythical samurai god on a rampage through the real Tokyo!

Tessa Miyata Is No Hero is a magical story by acclaimed author Julie Abe, and it is the debut novel in a new middle-grade fantasy series featuring young heroine Tessa Miyata. With its engaging main characters and fresh, fantastic plot drawing on exciting Japanese history and mythology, the story is guaranteed to capture the imagination of readers, young and old alike. 

Tessa is a vibrant, realistic, and likable character, much loved by her older sisters, Peyton and Cecilia, and grandparents. Like many middle-grade students, she is weathering a difficult school year as her former best friend abandons her for a more popular crowd. But a summer in Japan with her grandparents there changes her entire life and outlook. As Tessa and Jin battle an evil out to destroy Tokyo, they also struggle to overcome some inner demons. I appreciated that Tessa's character is surrounded and supported by loving family members and that she sees and recognizes their love: not often the case in many middle-grade novels, which is nice for a change. She's a loving and sympathetic character with the same fears most children her age experience, and she works to overcome them in spectacular fashion. 

The Japanese setting is vivid and dramatic, mixing ancient and modern, a mortal city and a City of Legends. Wisps of culture and language are sprinkled throughout, with a quick explanation when needed, and these help anchor the story in time and place; there's no mistaking the characters are anywhere but Japan. Early mentions of well-known areas and venues near Tokyo further establish the feeling of place. 

From start to finish, the plot is non-stop action, with elements of fantasy appearing right away. Readers learn Tessa's emotional backstory along the way as the story continues to move ahead without any expositional downtime. And, once she and her sisters are in Japan, the pace quickens even more. 

The chapters are short enough for younger readers who need more frequent breaks; however, they frequently stop in the middle of a scene. I felt compelled to read on, and I think others will, too. The story would make a good read-aloud choice, and the cliffhanger chapter endings may have listeners clamoring for "just a little bit more." 

I recommend TESSA MIYATA IS NO HERO to middle-grade readers, especially those who enjoy fantasy adventures. While perfect for all genders, this may be a good selection for girls wanting a book featuring a young female action hero. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author or publisher through TBR and Beyond Book Tours.

Mumentous: Original Photos And Mostly-True Stories About Football, Glue Guns, Moms, And A Supersized High School Tradition That Was Born Deep In The Heart Of Texas by Amy J. Schultz 

A delectable slice of Texas tradition sprinkled with much love and joy. 

If you grew up in Texas or have spent any time in a Texas high school during football season, you know about "The Mum," and author Amy J. Schultz's new photo essay book more than does it justice. With its mix of evocative and fun photographs of people, places, and things that are part of the mum experience, well-researched history of mum culture, and delightful (and sometimes poignant) stories of mums gone by, Mumentous is an unexpected love letter to its past and a thought-provoking peek into its future. 

My Mum Memories (of course!): 

I remember receiving mums for homecoming and what a big deal it was in the high school experience, even back in my day (which is far enough in the past that artificial flowers weren't even a consideration.) My sisters and I had to refrigerate the mums to keep them fresh and healthy-looking. However, with four girls in the house, they certainly wouldn't fit in the kitchen fridge. We had an older one out in the garage where we would store the things in their bakery cake-sized boxes until the flowers eventually died, and my father would get his beer kegger back. 

Mums have changed an awful lot since my supposed 'glory days.' A double mum was 'special' in my era and school, and a triple was downright extravagant and ostentatious. Mum designs were very simple in comparison to what is de rigueur today. I loved the stories of girls (or moms) getting together to make their own mums, either for themselves or for exchanging with friends, especially the idea of embellishing it to reflect one's personal tastes or interests. 

In addition to the individual mum stories, there are numerous shots of girls and guys wearing them mums. The great black and white pictures remove the natural hometown prejudice one might have when viewing the mums' school colors; however, I sometimes had difficulty discriminating between the different parts or items on them, particularly those of the senior girls that were executed in silver and white. 

The author's inclusion of the movement of the manufacture of the mums from florists to enterprising home-based business solutions was absolutely fascinating. First of all, I didn't even know that florists didn't do mums anymore, and secondly, the amount of money spent and the income generated is mind-boggling. 

With straight As for nostalgia, visual showmanship, and mum lore, I recommend MUMENTOUS to those among us who yearn for a nostalgic Friday Night Lights tale that isn't about the big game. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Lone Star Book Blog Tours.

To Die A Hero (An Orion Federation series novella) by Jack Heape

The action was fast and furious, and I could feel the adrenaline rush and chaos of the scenes. 

To Die A Hero is the story of the first days of Federation Navy pilot, Ensign Caroline “CJ” Jacquier, during her assignment to a Falcon squadron aboard the Federation space vessel, Essex. However, this almost “Day in the Life” style story occurs just as the Federation launches a counter-operation to halt a rebellion led by a group known as the “Jacks” on the planet Lille. 

CJ is a confident and straightforward character, and with good reason. Although new to the pilot ranks, she’s a six-year military veteran, having worked up to her new position. I appreciated the firsthand look into her backstory that added extra dimensions to her character (i.e., not having the full support of her family.) CJ immediately begins building trust and rapport with her crewmates. She determines the preferences of her supervisor to better fulfill her role as a team member. I especially liked how she is always mindful of the rest of her crew and their needs, drawing on her years of experience being in their shoes. It is poignant meeting her squadron mates, knowing that this is a time of war, and all these young men and women are headed for an uncertain future. 

This author does a superior job of placing the reader on location with his characters, subtly informing us about terminology and acronyms, staffing structure, and routines along the way. This is especially helpful to readers lacking familiarity in this area. 

The action sequences came fast and furiously, and I could feel the adrenaline rush and chaos of the scenes. The moments when there’s not enough information coming in are frightening yet exhilarating when the crew members perform as they’ve been trained, even while functioning in the blind. 

CJ’s story is set in the world author Jack Heape has built for his excellent Orion Federation series, and I recommend TO DIE A HERO to fans of the series and military science fiction.