W… W… W… Wednesdays

Sharing my recent past, current, and immediate future, reading schedules and reviews. This weekly meme, hosted by MizB, over at ‘Should Be Reading’, is a snapshot of where I am at in my reading schedule. To play along, just answer the following three questions… • What are you currently reading? • What did you recently finish reading? • What do you think you’ll read next? As I probably won’t be able to contribute every week, I have taken the liberty of adding in a couple more W…’s, which came to mind.

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WHAT BOOK ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

‘The Mine’ by John Heldt

In 2000, Joel Smith is a cocky, adventurous young man who sees the world as his playground. But when the college senior, days from graduation, enters an abandoned Montana mine, he discovers the price of reckless curiosity. He emerges in May 1941 with a cell phone he can’t use, money he can’t spend, and little but his wits to guide his way. Stuck in the age of Whirlaway, swing dancing, and a peacetime draft, Joel begins a new life as the nation drifts toward war. With the help of his 21-year-old trailblazing grandmother and her friends, he finds his place in a world he knew only from movies and books. But when an opportunity comes to return to the present, Joel must decide whether to leave his new love in the past or choose a course that will alter their lives forever. ‘THE MINE’ follows a humbled man through a critical time in history as he adjusts to new surroundings and wrestles with the knowledge of things to come.

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WHAT BOOK DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

‘Zaremba’ or Love and the Rule of Law by Michelle Granas

 In Warsaw, a shy and high-minded polio victim lives a life of seclusion caring for her odd family until a chance encounter plunges her into the intrigues of dirty politics. Zaremba, a wealthy businessman, is about to be arrested on trumped-up charges and only she can save him. Swept along by events, Cordelia finds her feelings increasingly involved with a stranger for whom she is both rescuer and victim. When Zaremba disappears, Cordelia is painfully uncertain if she has been abandoned and must overcome surveillance, corruption, the media, and mounting humiliations and difficulties to learn the truth. Although set in Poland, this is a story that could happen anyplace, as young democracies struggle against the temptations of covert operations and older democracies sometimes lead them astray. Upbeat, humorous and serious by turns, Zaremba contains an intense but delicate romance, a universal moral about the abuse of power, and a vivid portrayal of a foreign country.

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WHAT BOOK DO YOU THINK YOU WILL READ NEXT?

‘Must Love Sandwiches’ by Janel Gradowski

Emma has worked hard to establish herself as an artist. The artists’ colony where she lives is heaven compared to the rundown trailer parks she grew up in. After a relationship comes to an unexpected end she decides to make some drastic changes in her life, but it isn’t as easy as just flipping a switch. Her best friend, Daisy, thinks she’s being too extreme. Plus, the owner of Emma’s favorite food truck is more tempting than the gourmet sandwiches he serves. That makes everything even more complicated. Is taking a different route in life the best thing to do? What if she ends up miserable instead of on the path to happiness?

“Must Love Sandwiches” is the first volume of The Bartonville Series of foodie fiction. This is a “cake” sized (novella) story of approximately 30,000 words. Recipes and two “truffle” sized (flash) stories of about 1,000 words each are also included.

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WHAT WAS THE LAST BOOK YOU REVIEWED?

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WHAT BOOK REVIEW ARE YOU WORKING ON NOW?

‘Sea Of Regret’ by Carolyn J. Rose

A woman determined to hold onto her land.

Financial sharks out to make a killing. A life-or-death struggle by the SEA OF REGRET. A year after the violence and tragedy of AN UNCERTAIN REFUGE, Kate Dalton’s life is shattered again. Developers want Evie Hopkins’ former dairy farm on the Oregon Coast, want it bad enough to sabotage the Castaway Beach Wildlife Rehabilitation Center she runs there. Aligned with developers and hoping to cash in on his inheritance early, Evie’s son claims she’s losing her mind and intends to prove that in court. The wildlife center is both home and place of healing for Kate, for Jackson Scovell who traded alcoholic oblivion for life with her, and for Way-Ray, a boy orphaned by murder. They fear for Evie and the sick and injured birds and animals she rescues and nurtures, but they vow to support her decision—whether it’s to sell or to fight. As Evie agonizes over her choice, protests and politics divide the community. Threats and violence escalate. Then two hired killers trap Kate, Jackson, and Way-Ray at a remote cove. And time runs out.

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