The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery

The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery

 by Amanda Cox

4 stars. Thank you to Revell, a division of Baker Publishing, for sending me this book to read and review. 

A story that shows how the secrets we keep definitely impact our lives and others. Three strong women share their story and secrets through the pages. Glory Ann, aka Nan to Sarah and mother to her daughters Rosemary and Jessamine, is where the story begins and the secrets start. Her high school love is enlisted in the army and goes to Vietnam. Shortly after he leaves he dies in battle and she comes to the realization she is pregnant with his child. Her parents pretty much disown her. I can’t give away too much but she is taken away and an arranged marriage is set up to save her parents face and Glory Ann only goes through with it to give her unborn child (Rosemary) the best life she can. 

I thought the story flowed very easily and I liked the way the author went back and forth between present day and the past to tell the story in full. 

This is my second read by Amanda Cox. Look forward to more by her in the future. 

A Christmas in the Alps

 

A Christmas in the Alps 

By Melody Carlson

3 stars. Thanks to Revell, a division of Baker Publishing for sending me this book to read and review. 

First I think this sort of read is best read in the season. It would have been more enjoyable if I was curled up by the fire with a cup of cocoa. Instead I read this book in 24 hours, of which most of the time the temp was 90. Kind of hard to get in the Christmas mood when it’s so humid out. 

I liked the premise: Simone Sophia Beaumont, who’s named after her great grandmama, finds a letter after her namesake’s passing that had never been opened and is addressed to her. The letter sends her on a treasure hunt in Avre, France. (When I looked Avre, France up in Google it is a River that runs close to the Italy,Switzerland, and Germany border- the Alps- not an actual city). 

The trip is filled with meeting new family she wasn’t aware she had and also a young man who is traveling to learn about the old art of watch and clock making. You guessed right that young man is of interest to Simone Sophia in more than a platonic way. 

I liked the story, but felt there could have been much more depth and exploration of both plot and character development. It read very quick ( around 160 pages) and left me wanting more to this story.