This is based on a writer’s prompt from Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop.

I review all my books on goodreads. I hope you will follow me!

This book is of the young adult genre but don’t let that stop you. The principal of Opportunity High School ends assembly and the kids find out all the doors are locked…except for one where the shooter enters. This book is done in real time and shows the points of views from about five different kids, and how they are connected. It is a quick, fascinating read, I got into the characters, even the shooter’s, and I would recommend it.

The cozy mystery genre is one of my favorites and I am working my way through the Melanie Travis mystery series. When Aunt Peg’s husband dies and her prized poodle goes missing at the same time, she enlists her niece, single mom teacher Melanie’s help in figuring out how the two connect. This is the first book in the series. The characters are likable and engaging and the mystery held my interest. Only one warning: this series goes into detail about poodles and dog shows, so if you are not a dog lover you may want to skip it!

In 1959 writer John Howard Griffin does what people have called the unthinkable; ingests medication and exposes himself to ultraviolet light rays to become a black person. The first part of the book is his journal posing as an African American, exposed to the degradation, hatred and actual terror he experiences. The second part deals with the fallout, both from his supporters and his enemies. The book, especially his journal was really fascinating. I like to think we as a human race have come a long way since then but as we have seen with police officers shooting African Americans, we still have a while to go.

Twenty-two year old Grace Winters is one of the few lucky survivors of the sinking of the Empress Alexandra and is on trial. That’s all we know for now and then the book takes us to Grace in a lifeboat with 40 other people. Told from Grace’s point of view we get to know the varying personalities in the boat. It was interesting to know what was going on in Grace’s mind and what happens when human beings are trying to survive. Anything else I write would be a spoiler but I definitely recommend the book.

48-year-old Nantucket Islander Dabney Kimball Beech has an uncanny ability to tell which couples are meant to be together and which couples aren’t. In fact, she has 42 successful matches under her belt. The only one she was wrong about was her high school sweetheart, Clendenin, who chose to leave the island to pursue his dream of international journalism. Now after 27 years Clendenin is back and he is back for her. Some people may find this book cheesy but it really worked for me. It had just the right amount of romance, magic and tragedy and I would have stayed up all night reading it if I didn’t have to get up early the next morning!

So these are what have been on my nightstand lately. I hope you enjoy any of these books here that have sparked your fancy and again, I would love to be friends with you on goodreads!