Happy New Year! 2024 has arrived whether we’re ready for it or not. I mean, seriously­—2024! Time just keeps marching ahead.

In the past, I’ve used January to set new goals, and launch new projects. How appropriate then, that I use this post to announce Pastore Publishing, something dear to my heart.

If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you know 2023 was a time of upheaval for me. As crazy as it was, it also cemented certain changes that have been building in my life for the last several years. Which leads me to Pastore, a new venture I’m undertaking with Staci Troilo and Joan Hall. In addition, I’m also adding a pen name (Wrenn Leone) that will be used for any writing and/or publishing I do with Pastore.

Why the name change?

Because Pastore is a faith-based blog. Along with Staci and Joan, I’m already established as a secular author. We each plan to continue to write and publish under our names (I am planning to release two new Mae Clair titles in 2024), but Pastore will be devoted to shepherding others in God’s Word. Any writing we do will be under our new pen names:

Mae Clair—Wrenn Leone
Joan Hall—Rachel Carroll
Staci Troilo­—Christina Amery

From our Home Page:
Who among us doesn’t need to be carried once in a while? At Pastore Publishing, we offer posts and materials to increase your faith, get you back on your feet, or introduce you to God’s Word. Welcome.

The world can be a confusing place, but God is faithful to sustain us regardless of the trials we face, or what takes place around us. Whatever the circumstance, He will never leave us. I’ve learned this first hand, as the last year resulted in a roller coaster of changes for me. Life changes. Most astounding—God was leading Staci and Joan on the same path I was following, at the same time, drawing us closer to Him.

PASTORE PUBLISHING will not appeal to everyone, but I hope you’ll consider joining us as we take turns sharing devotionals, poetry, inspirational posts, and reviews on everything from fiction and non-fiction books to apps, films, TV, music, and streaming. Today is launch day, but you’ll find plenty of content already published and populated on the site. If you chose to follow PP, you cam subscribe to receive notices whenever we post.

This is an exciting time for Joan, Staci, and me as we follow the prompting God has placed on our hearts. I will also continue to post here, on From the Pen of Mae Clair as usual. In closing, I want to wish you all of you a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!

PASTORE PUBLISHING

Comments on this post are closed, but feel free to comment on any post at Pastore Publishing.
Update: Apparently, I left comments open. Ooops! Oh, wow I’m happy to chat in the comments, so please drop me a line. I’m off to hit my morning exercise routine, but will pop in later to reply to any comments here, at at Pastore Publishing. Happy Thursday! 🙂

Okay, I lied—one two counts. If you read my post yesterday, you know I said I was going to close comments today, but I’ve decided to keep them open. I hope to pop online during my lunch break to catch up.

Secondly, this list contains more than five books, but I don’t believe I’ve ever had a harder time choosing favorites.

As usual, I did the Goodreads challenge and ended the year at 108 books read. From those 108, I’ve highlighted six. Since I’ve previously shared full reviews for most of the books listed below, I’m only resharing snippets. You can find my full reviews on BookBub, Goodreads, or Amazon along with the blurbs for each book. Click the links to connect to each book’s dedicated on Amazon.

HONORABLE MENTION
I just couldn’t fit this book into my top five, but it’s so dang good, I have to give it an honorable mention at number six.

THE MOONLIGHT SCHOOL
By Suzanne Woods Fisher

I have a fondness for stories set in Appalachia. The setting is always so rich and the characters wonderfully authentic. In this case, the year—1911—adds to the vibrancy of the novel. I was unfamiliar with Cora Wilson Stewart prior to reading this book but am now enamored of this woman who made it her mission to bring adult literacy to the backwoods of Kentucky and beyond.

In this fictional account, woven with fact, Cora’s cousin, Lucy agrees to spend six months as Cora’s assistant, unaware of the hardscrabble conditions she’ll encounter. From its colorful assortment of characters, including Brother Wyatt, a singing school master, to Finley James, a young man unconvinced education is for him, and Mollie McGlothin, an elderly woman who knows the history of the surrounding hollers better than any other—the lives of each individual effortlessly sweeps the reader into the pages.

Cora’s defining moment is in creating “moonlight schools”—teaching geared toward illiterate adults, held in the evenings. There is a moment at the end that brought tears to my eyes.

NUMBER 5
DAISY DARKER
By Alice Feeney

Each year on Halloween, Daisy Darker and her two sisters, along with her divorced parents, gather at Sea Glass—an old mansion cut off from the mainland every high tide—to celebrate her grandmother’s birthday.

Most of the characters (including an old friend who arrives unexpectedly by boat) detest each other and have closets full of skeletons, but they make a tantalizing melting pot. Reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None,” we’re treated to one puzzling murder after another, tension and suspicion ramping up among the surviving family members as each death occurs.

I’m usually pretty good about figuring out the killer but was caught off guard by the twisty turns at the end of this novel. Once I reached the end, I had to reanalyze what I’d read, revisiting earlier passages in order to appreciate the cleverness of the plot. I enjoyed Feeney’s Rock Paper Scissors but she outdid herself with Daisy Darker.

NUMBER 4
THE CHILDREN ON THE HILL
By Jennifer McMahon

I devour anything written by Jennifer McMahon, and consider this (along withThe Night Sister) one of her two best releases. Everything about this book appealed to me—the use of dual timelines, a mysterious treatment center, children playing at monster hunting, and a quasi-celebrity cryptid/monster hunter who scours the country in search of creatures for her podcasts.

Perhaps it’s the subject matter of monsters—real and imagined—that made this tale resonate so strongly. McMahon continues to prove she is a compelling storyteller with a deft touch for characters and atmosphere. I consider this tale, story gold!

NUMBER 3
THE RECKONING AT GOSSAMER POND
By Jaime Jo Wright

A positively gripping story! This is my third book by Jamie Jo Wright, and it certainly won’t be my last. As usual, she’s created a complex plot spanning two timelines (1907 and present day), and characters who lingered with me long after I’d closed my Kindle. Both mysteries are intriguing, but the characters from 1907 and the strange occurrences that took place—obituaries sent to a newspaper prior to the actual deaths of two town citizens, the appearance of unorthodox twin revivalists, and a town steeped in secrets—were mesmerizing.

It took me several days to read the first half of the book (other commitments kept interrupting), but I blew through the last half in a single sitting. If you like twisty mysteries with historical overtones, amazing characters, and detailed genealogies, don’t miss this riveting novel.

NUMBER 2
THE PREMONITION AT WITHERS FARM
By Jaimie Jo Wright

I requested an ARC of this title because I’m addicted to dual timeline mysteries, and I loved the idea of the early twentieth century setting (for the past timeline) and the hint of spiritualism woven into the plot. Goosebumps abound! From the descriptions of carriage rides and nighttime walks on country roads lined by towering corn stalks, to the eerie use of the nursery rhyme Cock Robin, my skin prickled.

After finishing, I immediately looked up the author, signed up for her newsletter, bought the paperback copy, and ordered more of her previous books.

NUMBER 1
THE PRINCE AND THE PRODIGAL
By Jill Eileen Smith

I read this book in February of 2022, and it had a lot of challengers during the year, but it still holds as my favorite. A retelling of Joseph’s story from the Old Testament, it parallels his life with that of his older brother Judah.

This is a story of family. Of brotherhood, forgiveness, and redemption. Strength in the face of adversity, healing, and most of all, the belief that God is ever faithful and will deliver. Old Testament fiction is one of my favorite genres. I rank this book as a favorite, not only in the genre, but among my favorite reads of all time. I will certainly go back and read this again. A superb retelling of Joseph’s story and one I highly recommended. 

I’ve already finished my first read of 2023 and am still mulling over how I feel about it. In the meantime, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the above.

Have you read any of these books? Do any of them appeal to you? What was your favorite read of the past year?

Today’s reviews are for books that had been on my reading radar for some time. I’d read Ruth Ware before, but for some reason hesitated on snatching up In a Dark, Dark Wood. I eventually grabbed it through Libby.

The Midnight Man intrigued me the moment it was released, but I had so many other books on my reading plate, I kept putting it off. Then BookBub sent me notice of a .99c deal, and I had to snatch it up. Apparently, it’s the first book in a new crime series, and if this one is any indication of what lies ahead, I can’t wait for the next!

IN A DARK, DARK WOOD
BY RUTH WARE

This book wasn’t exactly what I expected. Leonora agrees to attend a hen party for an old friend—one she hasn’t seen or spoken to in ten years. Because of last minute cancellations, the group ends up being very small, just six people, including the intended bride. The setting is a large contemporary home tucked deep in the woods.

I loved the descriptions of the house which features walls and walls of glass windows. Because the author drives those images home in scene after scene, I was really hoping for those towering windows to have more impact in the story. The atmosphere of both home and woods really pervades the first half of the book, which held me enthralled. There are squabbles during the hen party, old wounds reopened, even a few moments with a Ouija board.

The second half of the book deals with Leonora waking up in the hospital, trying to recall the events that led to someone being killed. That half is a bit plodding and I found myself wishing things would move at a faster pace.

The author does a good job of making each person a suspect in the killing, so I really had no idea who the culprit was prior to the reveal. Kudos for that. Kudos too, for placing the answer in plain sight but nestling it so cleverly I never picked up on the obvious. When the revelation comes it’s an “ahhh!” moment. So… great first half with a fantastic setting, clever close, but some plodding to get there. Also, I feel like the Ouija board incident was left hanging. Overall, 3.5 stars rounded to 4 for review purposes.

AMAZON LINK

THE MIDNIGHT MAN
Slayton Thrillers #1
BY CAROLINE MITCHELL

Oh, the creep factor! Give me a spooky abandoned old house with a name like Blackhall Manor, an infamous history involving a grisly murder/suicide and an urban legend twined with a game played on Halloween, and you’ve hooked me as a reader. That’s exactly what Caroline Mitchell did with The Midnight Man, a crime thriller with a supernatural twist. From the first chapter—suspense on steroids—to the mind-boggling and thoroughly satisfying conclusion, I was riveted.

Detective Sarah Noble has returned to the force after a long absence and a ruined marriage that negatively impacted her job. She struggles with the censure of her peers while trying to adapt to a lesser role in the department.

On Halloween, fifteen years after the murders in Blackhall Manor, five girls receive an anonymous invitation to play a game in the old house which will summon the Midnight Man (think ghostly games, like Bloody Mary). Only four of the girls make it home.

Despite trying to keep a low profile, Sarah has ties to the old house she’s managed to keep secret from most everyone. As the danger ramps up, she’s caught up in a net that tangles her past with the game the girls played and Blackhall Manor itself. In addition, her friend, Maggie, has a seven-year-old son who has the gift of sight. Elliott sees visions he doesn’t understand, dark and macabre images that terrify him. With Elliott’s help, Sarah must piece together the mystery and put an end to the darkness of Blackhall before it claims more victims.

This is a creepy, atmospheric story that oozes suspense with every scene. There’s a full roster of suspects to keep you guessing about culprits. Everyone’s life overlaps in various ways for a plethora of knots in what makes a twisty little thriller. The reveals at the end come like a stack of dominos, one toppling upon the other for a staggering conclusion. I read this book in two days, irritated when real life intervened and pulled me away from the story. The best news—although this is a complete tale, it’s also the first in a new series by the author. I eagerly look forward to the next!

AMAZON LINK