Barbara Weaver

If this book were edited, I would likely give it 4 stars (maybe even 5). But it is so difficult to read and understand, that I nearly gave up after the first or second chapter. Instead, I started it over and made corrections on my Kindle. I HAD to make the corrections, sometimes literally in order to figure out who was talking, and who they were speaking to. Two stars is a full star more than I'd have given this book, if I hadn't corrected the errors in order to know WHAT THE DICKENS the author is saying, who is speaking, and sometimes even what the subject is. After fighting through 2 chapters, my options had been either to give up, or to start over, and correct every error. I started over. There is not one page that didn't have either a grammatical error, or something that makes it impossible to know who is speaking. While doing the corrections, I found myself liking the story itself, and liking the way that the author helps us to connect with the characters. But WITHOUT the corrections, I felt totally lost. Clueless. Confused. In one paragraph, he makes a statement that is enclosed in double quotation marks, followed by a sentence enclosed in single quotations marks, continues with a statement that somewhat clarifies what the person is thinking that is not a quote, then ends with a sentence enclosed in single quotation marks. I am now here reviewing it, with two hopes. One is that the author will CORRECT the errors. Once I complete reading it and send him my copy of his book, maybe he'll consider making corrections. My other hope, is that people won't be put off by my pitiful 2 star review ( which is actually a full star more than I'd have given it, if I hadn't corrected the errors in order to know WHAT THE DICKENS the author is saying, who is speaking, and sometimes even what the subject is). Without commas, complete sentences, and indented paragraphs, this book is, in my opinion, not readable. I'm hoping that the author will continue to write (I ACTUALLY LIKED THIS STORY) ... but will consider accepting that HE may not need simple things like commas and either indenting or putting a space between paragraphs, as well as having complete sentences. He is a story teller, for sure. But story WRITING is the goal, yes? Get yourself an editor, young man. Or even just a grammar checker on your word processor.

This is a delightful series, as well as unusual (or unlikely?) and funny and constantly making me laugh. I seldom give 5 stars, and this book was a bit short, so I almost went with 4 stars. However, I know that at some point, I'm going to start at the beginning and read all of the series ... probably aloud, to my hubby. Any book I can do that with, deserves 5 stars.

I seldom give 5 star ratings, but this is a Young Adult mystery that I found surprisingly dear. There was teen angst, budding friendships between a boy and his soon-to-be new stepsister, and his difficulty and doubts about the new man in his widowed mother's life. I greatly enjoyed the interplay between each of the characters.

As always, Debora Geary delivers a delightful experience. Reading her books envelops the senses. This is witchcraft in the truly exciting way of imagination, joy and wishfulness that makes us want to have it all be true. I'm stingy with my five star reviews, but I find myself reading all of her book s more than once and just loving all that they deliver. Weirdly, however, this ONE book has some very odd problems in the Kindle format. I think there must be dozens of times that a word is hyphenated as it scrolls to the next line, when there is only one letter left (-s for instance.) I haven't seen this before ... and there must be 15 or more of them. It doesn't harm the story, of course ... but ... how very odd.

I wrote a review on another site, prior to reading the final story in this series and learning that the author has in fact been a prison chaplain (as is the main character in the series). He also portrays himself in the book as an alcoholic who has stopped drinking. As the wife of an alcoholic who I helped to stop drinking over 30 years ago, I felt he did a wonderful job of "BEING" the alcoholic who has chosen to not drink. That he did it without having the story lose its fresh approach, deserves mention. I give out very few 5 star reviews, compared to the number of books I read (which is often five or six in a week). But when I instantly buy another book by that author means it's time to poke the 5-star button. Kudos to Michael Lister. He has just become my favorite mystery or true crime writer.

A Harvest of Bones is a story of families, cats, magic, love, sorrow, worry, and Hallowe'en. It is a little bit history, a little bit magic, and a little bit mystery. It isn't deep and dark, isn't tense or exciting, but it is a sweet story with a smattering of love-story and historical romance. I'd give it 3 stars (disclaimer ... I only give Harry Potter 4).