Goodreads Review: The God of the Woods

 

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

in 1975, Amid the beauty of the Adirondacks, a summer camp created for the children of the elite promises fun and safety. When the owner's daughter goes missing one morning, multiple people in and around the camp and the surrounding areas are viewed as possible suspects. While looking for the young girl, the mystery of her older brother who disappeared 14 years earlier is reopened and unearths the secrets and lies of one ruling family and the people who served them faithfully.

Upon seeing the sheer width of this book, I was nervous that I wouldn't finish. Once I got through the first section I couldn't put it down! Never has a book held my attention like The God of the Woods. Cold cases are some of my favorite mystery's and when I saw that is going to be a generation jump story (plots that go back and forth between decades), my interest was definitely piqued. Having a little decade key at the beginning of each chapter was very helpful too.

The story is told from multiple POV and that really helped to get a better understanding of the characters and how they are so deeply impacted by these disappearances. Unlike most mysteries there is no real villain which really surprised me. A lot of people who made terrible mistakes, but the fact that there is no actual villain pulling the strings made the story so much more real and believable. There are characters that are extremely likable and really despicable characters, and it's really left up to the readers as to how one wants to view each person that is caught up in this madness.

Happy Easter!

"From death came life, from sorrow came joy; this is the hope of Easter."

~ Aloo Denish Obiero

This is beautiful!

Inklings ~ March 2026

Welcome to March Inklings 🍀

1. At any time during the month, on your own blog post a scene from a book or film that matches the prompt.

2. Link-back to Heidi's blog with a link to you Inklings prompt. 

March's prompt

A scene in a heavy rainstorm in book or film

Welcome April

April is a reminder that life is a beautiful, ever-renewing cycle.

~ E.E. Cummings

Derry Girls (2018-2022)

L-R: James Maguire, Michelle Mallon, Erin Quinn, Orla McCool and Clare Devlin

The life of a teenager is hard but growing up in a war-torn country fueled by political and religious prejudice...well that's not exactly ideal living. In the mid 90s the town of Londonderry (or just Derry), Northern Ireland is a prime location for bombings and riots from the warring catholic/protestant sides, and also never-ending trouble from 16-year-old Erin Quinn and her best friends. Whether it's sneaking out to a concert (in spite of an escaped polar bear), getting rid of drug infused scones, stressing about their exams, endless conflict and confusion amongst their families and even getting arrested, it's safe to say that there's never a dull moment in Derry.

Content Warning: There is a lot of swearing in this show and sexual content that is more or less implied!

The Adventures of Merlin: Season 3

12 years ago, I wrote the season 2 review for Merlin, thinking that the season 3 review would be following shortly afterwards...

So now here we are...

Anyways, my husband (who knows nothing about Arthurian legends), and I are going through the series, and it has been the best rewatch experience for me! I had totally forgotten what a comfort watch this show is and what sold the show was the very believable bromance between Arthur and Merlin, which gets better and better with every season.

Goodreads Review: A Conjuring of Valor

A Conjuring of Valor: Book Two by J.C. Wade
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Valor - great courage in the face of danger, especially in battle

A few months after the events of The White Witches Daughter and Lady Edyth Ruthven nee DeVries is trying to adjust to her new life in the Scottish Highlands. It is not an easy task as she is seen as an English outsider. Although she was acquitted of her crime of witchcraft, she is still looked upon with suspicion due to her medical knowledge of herbs and brews.

Edyth's fiery sister-in-law, Catriona (Cait), faces a future of uncertainty as her brother arranges her to be married to a man she has never met all in the name of family protection and clan unity. However, Cait's defiant spirit and competitive nature might be more than either family bargained for.

Finally, Ewan Ruthven's loyalty and leadership come under fire when the English invade his family lands. Caught between the two warring nations, Ewan's every move is scrutinized and any decision he makes for his family, and his people could cost them their livelihoods and even their lives.

The second installation was exciting and emotional and admittedly, I found the shorter chapters made the read much easier. While Edyth and Ewan are still the main leads, Ewan's younger siblings are beginning to emerge with their own stories as well. However, how many children are actually in the Ruthven family? Every several chapters it seems like, yet another obscure Ruthven child is mentioned. Then again, I was almost finished with The White Witches Daughter before I realized that Ewan and Iain were brothers. All that to say, family stories are some of my favorite genres and I'm enjoying learning more and more about the Ruthven clan.