Tag Archives: book review

January 10, 2026 · 11:24 pm

The Last Flight of the Star Leap

Simon Panneton – Author

The Last Flight Of The Star Leap: The (slightly) Illustrated Edition

“A 12-year-old orphan helps a ghost with an extraordinary past reunite with his long-lost love. Unless killer robots, mad bounty hunters or armies of space pirates have a say. Take the leap… (Free to read on KU!!!)”

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This is not my normal type of reading material. For some reason, I was drawn to try it –

I got the Kindle version of this book in August 2023. I think I read it cover to cover in three days, even though it’s some 500+ pages long. It was THAT good. Then I read it again, slowing down – now that I knew what happened – to enjoy the nuances. I had ‘met’ Simon on a website and wrote to him to tell him how much I enjoyed his book. He was very gracious. 😀

I am the last one in the review section on Amazon – being an “unidentified Kindle User” – I said –

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5.0 out of 5 stars Give yourself the gift of reading this book.

Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2023

Format: Kindle

“First, this is a story with non-stop action. I had to stop and REST in places! Second, there are characters you CARE about. Third, there is a real understanding of compassion and love, between spouses, between parents and children, between friends, and even between people and computers. I love the unique turn of phrases and the sense of humor. I loved experiencing the growing interaction between the characters, the change as they opened up, showing their feelings more and more. The dedication to the mission. The valiant Ellie. I highly recommend you give yourself the gift of this book. And the SASS!”

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Now it’s come out in the new ‘Deluxe Edition’ with nice artwork between the sections and a really nice cover shown above.

I still have it on my Kindle and will read it a third time when I finish the RG Ryan Jake Moriarity series I’m re-reading now.

I highly recommend Simon’s book.

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December 27, 2025 · 2:05 am

My World of Books

Nora Roberts – The Lost Bride Trilogy

I finished the trilogy a couple of days ago. A young woman inherits a mansion from a relative she didn’t know she had, and discovers it’s haunted. She and her friends try to rid the mansion of the malevolent ghost who wants the mansion for herself.

I recommend this highly. I liked the people Nora created. Strong, intelligent, talented young woman who don’t shy away from a fight. Caring men who become part of the group help the women in their quest. I would love to know these people in real life. The story compelled me to keep reading – just one more chapter when I should have been doing something else. I just didn’t want to put my Kindle down. I’ve provided a link above to the trilogy on Amazon.

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I have told you about R.G. Ryan, one of my ‘new’ favorite authors. He’s active on X, newly active to Substack, plus has written many books, one series of which is the Jake Moriarity series, about a man ‘who finds people.’ I read six of the books in the series, and then found that R.G. had written a “Prequel,” so downloaded that and read it, and then wanted to re-read the six books again. The first in the series is “Watercolor Dreams.” I’m now re-reading book 2, “Finding Wonderland.”

I am thoroughly intrigued by the main character, Jake Moriarity. He is tough when he needs to be – even ruthless – and yet is brought to tears by situations involving his family and friends. In each book you learn more about him. His friends and relatives are people you would want to know. The group is fiercely loyal to each other. I find the series fascinating. When I finish the six books I have (not counting the “Prequel: The Last Happy Summer”) I will pester RG to provide more.

Happy reading!

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September 19, 2025 · 12:14 am

My Favorite Book?

Best Book Monkey

One of the things I miss about our former home in Arkansas is my book collection. We had bookshelves in every room and all of them were overflowing. That didn’t keep us from buying more or downloading more onto our Kindles…

We brought our Kindles to Thailand, and Brian pronounced them ‘ancient,’ as soon as we were settled. After my husband’s stroke and eventual placement in a nursing home, Brian bought him a new, simplified Kindle without all the bells and whistles that we thought he could operate. That turned out not to be the case, so we brought it home for me to use.

It’s very straight-forward and I like it a lot. Brian transferred the books I had on the old one to the new one. This is faster, easier to read, lighter weight. I stopped paying for the Unlimited plan, since I was paying more for that monthly than I would if I bought the books outright. I’m not reading as much because I simply run out of time. I can still find some free books to try, when I don’t know the author and am not interested in showing my support yet.

I put it in my carrier when we go to the cafe to get out of my housekeeper’s way on Friday afternoons. I switch between reading and sketching, and the time passes quickly.

Right now I’m enjoying the latest book in the “In Death” series by J.D. Robb/Nora Roberts. It’s called, “Framed in Death,” and I’m thoroughly enjoying it. (This is book # 61 in the series. #62 will be available in February.)

I learned to read when I was 5 because I had the wonderful example of my parents and older brother reading all around me. I’ve been a voracious reader ever since – except for while I was pursuing my Master’s Degree as a Reading Specialist. THAT is a program designed to kill anyone’s love of reading! It took me two years after getting my degree to be able to pick up a book to read for pleasure without tensing up and feeling I would be ‘tested’ on all the details of the book when I finished.

One of the things I tried to do when I ran my own reading clinic for several years in Tulsa was to get my students to realize what joy they would find when they unlocked the key to reading well. Once we figured out the skills they were missing and what kinds of things interested them, we used their interests to fill in the blanks and they were on their way, grinning. It’s amazing how hard a boy will work on phonics, figuring out how to chop up a long word into a word he could pronounce and use, when it’s tied to reading a comic book starring one of his favorite characters. Some of our girls enjoyed reading about clothes available in teen magazines. Everyone seemed to get a kick out of reading cartoons of any kind.

I consider reading one of the many gifts we humans have in life. We can learn things we need or want to know. We can follow directions to make things we can use or can give as gifts to others. We can dive into a world filled with intriguing characters who live in a world totally different than ours, making our problems fade away for a while.

Thankfully, there are ways to enjoy reading without spending a lot of money or needing a lot of space to store books. I love the idea I saw about people building library boxes on poles in their neighborhoods, putting books inside they thought others might like. These are completely free. The idea spreads, others bring books to share. Everyone wins. 😁

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August 9, 2025 · 2:47 am

This and That 8-9-2025

kaylishop.com

I have inherited the new, simplified-design Kindle that Brian bought for my husband. Harvey has always been a voracious reader, but this is one of the many ways he has changed since his stroke. He can’t handle the simplified Kindle, and he seems to be unable to dive into a book anymore. He has two paperbacks by his favorite authors on the table beside him, but he isn’t reading.

I’m enjoying the new design. It doesn’t have any bells and whistles, just larger, clearer type and ease of use. I can throw it in my carrier when we vacate my place for my housekeeper. I really enjoy being able to do that. I am enjoying “Inheritance” by Nora Roberts right now, the first of a trilogy.

We went to visit Harvey today. He announced he had taken a new wife. He said her name is Amaterasu. He said that she is the daughter of Ka Pook, Harvey’s former 24 hour nurse, who has taken a new position in Bangkok. She is 18, tall and beautiful. Harvey said they had a quick ceremony since the marriage was a business arrangement, since she could go to the States if she married a citizen. He didn’t seem to worry about bigamy, or my reaction to the marriage. He was concerned about making arrangements at the airport.

I asked him if, since women seemed to be throwing themselves at his feet, finding him irresistible, if he planned to marry wife #3. He looked at me and said, “I’ll take it as it comes.”

Later we Googled the name, discovering that she is the Japanese sun goddess, a central figure in Shinto mythology. Apparently, he ‘met’ her on TV.

At home, I’m watching the skies, trying to get my laundry dry on the balcony. I brought in several dry things earlier, then rescued some other stuff a few minutes ago from a sudden rain, only to put the them out again about 10 minutes later. Doing laundry during the rainy season in Thailand teaches one to be alert and fast moving. 😁

I sketched several things while we were at the cafe staying out of my housekeeper’s way yesterday. I plan to draw some more thank you cards to leave for her plus start painting some of the sketches.

I hope you’re having a good day and finding reasons to smile.

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November 28, 2024 · 9:45 am

Just Let Me Finish This Chapter!

JoAnne White-Pinterest

I guess you would call me a voracious reader. I have always loved books, from the time I was a young kid, sitting on the floor, looking around the living room in my parents’ home. My dad was pouring over a book from the library on geology, his secret career wish (though he was a top advertising creator on the radio in Tulsa OK, winning awards.) My mom was working the Sunday New York Times Crossword Puzzle and CryptoQuote. She was actually able to FINISH both most weeks. My older brother was reading one of his treasured comic books. I couldn’t hold it in any longer and said plaintively, “I wish to HELL I could read!” Happily, my parents ignored my language. My mom motioned for me to join her in her chair and proceeded to start teaching me.

I have a group of favorite authors. My home is full of wonderful books, though I try to use my Kindle as much as possible because if I don’t, we’ll have to get a bigger house!

My newest favorite author is R. G. Ryan. He has created a series of books centering around Jake Moriarity, a ‘finder of people.’ I discovered Ryan on X, followed him, and tried the first book in the series, Watercolor Dreams. To say I loved it is a vast understatement. I was sucked into the world he created, really liked the people and wanted more.

His newest in the series is called, “The 5th Doctor”.


I went to Amazon and downloaded it late yesterday evening. When my husband wanted me to come to bed, I was saying, “Just let me finish this chapter!” I finally went up to bed around 2am. I’m still having a bit of trouble getting anything else done today because I’d like to get back into it.

I recommend the whole series of Jake Moriarity books. The characters are people you would want to know, and feel you DO know, with the relationships evolving from book to book. The plots are always interesting with plenty of heart-stopping action, but the thing that draws ME is R.G. Ryan’s sense of humor and humanity. The first makes me snort from time to time as I read and the second make me tear up.

I recommend you start with the first book in the series, Watercolor Dreams and enjoy them in order.

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if YOU’LL discover a new favorite author, too.

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April 28, 2024 · 9:59 am

Jake Moriarity Novels

R. G. Ryan – Amazon

There is a group of 6 books on Amazon comprising the Jake Moriarity series by R. G. Ryan. You can click on the link above to go there, but I have to warn you. If you enjoy strong, interesting people who confront scary situations, risking life and limb in order to save people in bad situations and right grievous wrongs in doing so, you may become addicted, as I have.

Jake Moriarity is a complex man. He insists that his work is ‘finding people,’ rather than the labels people would like to use, such as ‘private detective’. He’s very skilled and smart, with a special ability to see a crucial bit more than normal people might in a given situation, making the difference between success and failure. He’s a loner, but is very close to a chosen few and their interactions will make you tear up.

R.G. Ryan is a good writer. He crafts interesting stories for these wonderful characters. He is witty, with interesting turns of phrases. He has a strong sense of the ironic, making me snort sometimes from the sarcasm in one breath, then becoming quite touched a sentence or two after that. (My favorite lines in #6 are, “Weeping ensued. Treysi cried as well.”)

I just finished #6 and have downloaded #7. I follow him on X (the former Twitter). He told me that “Here Be Darkness”, #9 should be out by the first week in June, and that he started #16 a couple of weeks ago. I keep reading several books in-between treating myself to one of his because I don’t want to run out. :0)

Try him -if you don’t mind adding an addiction.

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September 27, 2023 · 3:27 pm

Finding Home

Finding Home – A Connolly Family Novel by Katie Ocasek

I just finished reading this book and enjoyed it a lot. It’s a story of a waitress and an architect who have both made choices in the past that proved to be so hurtful they had closed themselves off emotionally.

Katie has created interesting, real people in this book that I grew to care about. They had real reasons for doubting their judgment when it came to choices involving love and family. They are both intelligent and honorable, caring about others close to them, making their choices even harder. A character I particularly liked was Fran, the owner of the restaurant where Morgan, the waitress, worked.

I recommend this book and hope that Katie will write more in this Connolly Family series.

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September 22, 2023 · 9:34 am

Fasting as Fast as I Can

I read Intermittent Fasting for Seniors by Norah Halstead yesterday. Since I’m having real trouble losing weight and I am definitely a ‘Senior,’ I wanted to know what she thought.

She presented 3 choices as to methods of fasting. I didn’t even realize I had a choice! I think I’m going to try the one where I fast from 8pm until the next day at noon.

She also discusses taking into account your health condition or concerns, any schedules on taking your medicines, and, of course, talking to your doctor to make sure it’s a good idea for you. She stresses eating healthy whole foods during your ‘eating window.’

There is a good section on sources for the information she provides so that you can read further or clarify anything you would like.

If you’re considering this alternative to a diet, or addition to one you’re already on, reading this book may sway you one way or the other.

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September 4, 2023 · 9:52 am

Stayin’ Young – A Review

Stayin’ Young – Routines for a Healthy Lifestyle by Norah Halstead

We are older before we know it. Do you have a plan for facing your ‘more mature’ senior years feeling healthy and able to stay active? Neither do I. I just kind of slid into my dotage, doing whatever each day, denying that I might need to actually have a ‘plan.’

Norah Halstead puts the parts you should be considering into one place. There are other books on specifics as to which exercises, or particular nutrition facts to meet your particular needs, but this is a ‘standing-back’ over-all starter book for the areas you need to concentrate on so that you don’t fall victim to the ‘use it or lose it’ syndrome. She covers nutrition, exercise, the importance of social interaction, mental exercises, relaxation and more.

There were two things I particularly liked in her book:

1) there is a section on her suggestions for good sources of experts on particular areas if you want to learn more.

2) There is also a section on relaxation techniques – an area that I’m dealing with on a daily basis right now.

So, if you’re like me, and have basically ignored the whole idea of planning to age gracefully – just hoping for the best – this is a book that can get you started on at least THINKING about having a plan, with the areas that will become more and more important to you.

I’ve included a link above to her book on Amazon.

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August 29, 2023 · 9:35 am

To Be A Chair

“Everyone has a chair. That thing you are bound to or unwillingly defines you. An element that makes you different from the rest. One that you have little choice in the matter. What’s YOUR chair?”

At 16, she was in a horrific car accident that caused her to live the rest of her life in a wheelchair. Instead of feeling sorry for herself (although of COURSE she did at times) she stood back (mentally) assessed her situation, decided what she wanted to change and DID IT. Over and over again. And is still doing it.

This is a real memoir. Honest. Sometimes hard to read. It’s inspiring because something that could have limited the rest of her life, killing her hopes and dreams, was actually a springboard to all she would do and become.

I highly recommend when i grow up i want TO BE A CHAIR – a memoir by Ryan Rae Harbuck.

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August 15, 2023 · 10:10 am

Star Gazing

The Last Flight of the Starleap by Simon Panneton

Something about a post on Twitter recently had me reading a SciFi/Fantasy book about the adventure of 12-year-old Ellie, an orphan who has run away from life and seems to be trying to simply curl up and disappear.

This is not my normal reading matter. The characters and situation grabbed me, though, sucking me in, making me care and keep reading to find out what happened next. It’s 528 pages and I finished it in 3 days. I’m still reverberating, still full of all kinds of emotions.

The action was such that I was forced to take breaks to catch my breath. I laughed at unexpected humor, even in scary situations, that grew throughout the adventure. And, as situations do with real people, some things made me tear up and cry. I appreciated unique descriptions and turns of phrases. They made me notice, but added richness, rather than distracting from the story.

An unexpected gift was that Simon Panneton is a real person. I posted that I was reading his book and he ANSWERED. This is his first book, now published and ready for sale on Amazon (link above). He actually cared what I thought. Yeah. I know. Amazing.

I expect this is the first of what will be a long, successful career. I highly recommend The Last Flight of the Starleap. It is well worth your time. I’m now twisting Simon’s arm, holding his nose to the grindstone, trying to get him to write more as quickly as possible.

@spanneton on Twitter – Simon Panneton – The Last Flight of the Starleap

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February 22, 2019 · 2:12 pm

The Help


The Help by Kathryn Stockett

This is one of my favorite books. If you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it.

Kathyrn Stockett writes in a deceptively simple manner, painting wonderful pictures of the three strong women in the book and their relationship. She paints a first-hand account of life in Mississippi in the 60’s with all its wonders and shortcomings. You’re immersed in a world you may or may not find familiar, but you care about the women. You wince went hurtful or ugly things happen. Your heart goes out. It’s real. A strong story of the power of people to make a difference.

I read the book years ago, and then got the movie that was made from the book. Both are wonderful and should be treasured.

I don’t know if Kathryn Stockett has written more since this, her first novel, but I’m going to find out.

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July 23, 2016 · 11:52 am

Furry Logic

FurryLogic

Furry Logic, 10th Anniversary Edition: A Guide to Life’s Little Challenges Kindle Edition

by Jane Seabrook (Author)
I love to find a new author. Recently I took advantage of a sale on Amazon and bought a Kindle Fire. To celebrate, I bought a book which had color illustrations that was suggested by BookBub – a service suggested by my sister-in-law, Mary Lou.  (Both of us prefer books that you can hold, and turn the pages of, and keep, if you like, in a bookshelf, rather than the cloud, but I love the ebooks because you can try new authors without spending a fortune. I will then purchase what I consider a REAL version for my collection.)
The book above is a 10th anniversary edition of a whole series of beautiful books by Jane Seabrook. She gathers quotes she loves, and then does watercolor illustrations to go with them. I absolutely LOVE this book! Not only do we agree on what makes a wonderful quote, but Jane Seabrook’s illustrations make my mouth water. The one on the front of the book above gives you a taste of her talent. As you can see, she’s an expert in fur, whiskers and texture. Simply wonderful!
Here’s an example: The quote is, “Smile first thing in the morning.” This illustration – and the remainder of the quote – follow.
getitoverwith
I highly recommend this book, and the rest of the series. I plan to buy this one again, as a REAL book, and collect all the rest.  The books are a delight, maybe making you laugh aloud, as I did. I’ll also study the fabulous illustrations, hoping some of her talent will rub off on me… :0)

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