The Orphan at the Irish Adoption House by Michelle Vernal

Mary-Kate never had an easy life.

She and her mother tried to make ends meet, and she was always hungry.

At six years old, her mother decided that the best place for her would be in an orphanage.

It wasn't the best place.  They worked her to the bone, but then her uncle who she didn't know existed took her to his home.

This was no better.  She was like the hired help and had to live in the barn.

Then she finally felt loved as a boy paid attention to her, and she became pregnant.

She was then sent to a home for unwed mothers where according to the nuns, she scrubbed and cleaned to cleanse her sins.

Better things do happen in this emotional read that is third in the series, but it is able to be read as a stand alone.

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book.  All opinions are my own.

This Week At Silver's Reviews

Hopefully winter is over!!  

Happy Reading This Week!!

FEATURING: THE FORGOTTEN SEAMSTRESS

LOVED THIS  BOOK. 

A quilt with a history. A quilt containing royal cloth. A quilt spanning a number of years. A quilt that told a story. 

FULL REVIEW: tinyurl.com/397h8wyz

This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page

Tilly gets a call from a bookstore telling her she has a book ready to pick up, but she doesn't understand because she didn't buy a book.

The bookstore owner suggested that she stop in so he can explain.

What a surprise!!  Her husband who had passed has surprise books scheduled to be delivered to Tilly every month for an entire year.

Tilly wants all the books, but the bookstore owner said he promised that he would only give them out one month at a time.

The books have a note from her husband that makes Tilly feel he is right there with her.  Each book has something to help her get back into reading and to help herself cope.

This was the sweetest read.  I was excited to see what book was next for Tilly and what adventure Joe wanted her to experience.

If you need an uplifting book with wonderful characters, please read this book.

You will get many book recommendations and also visit the Library Hotel in Manhattan.

The cover is as adorable as the book. 5/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book.  All opinions are my own.

We Were Never Friends by Kaira Rouda

Why would Roxy have a college reunion of soroity sisters/engagement party for her son at a place that is similar to the house where their friend drowned during college?

Well...Roxy always had to show off, but is her life as charmed as she makes it seem?

There are some secrets Roxy has been keeping since college days.  The others have secrets too.

What happens on this weekend?

For one - Roxy's husband announced they were getting divorced and then another guest drowns like many years ago.

It wasn't a biting-your-fingernails read, but one that was about friends who really were not friends, jealousy, blackmail, rich folks behaving badly, and secrets kept.  4/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book.  All opinions are my own.

Family Drama by Rebecca Fallon

We meet twins, Sebastian and Viola, who rarely saw their mother but are now watching her body lowered into the water.

Their mother was a soap opera star that came home infrequently and carried on a long distance marriage with Al her husband.

We go back and forth in time as we learn of the days before she met Al, when they are married, as her career takes off, when she has children, and when she gets sick.

It was very difficult to follow since the time kept changing as well as who was talking.

The writing is beautiful, but the storyline just didn't keep my interest.  3/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book.  All opinions are my own.

It's Not Her by Mary Kubica

Wow!!  Just Wow!!

Why did Elliott leave so early to go fishing?

Why didn't Courtney hear him leave?

Where is Reece?

Questions, questions, questions but no answers as to who killed Emily and Nolan as their daughter comes screaming back to Courtney's cabin.

We follow two vacationing families not thinking about it or knowing that their family members would be murdered.  Who would even think that?

All they were thinking about was having a relaxing break from everything.

We see life before and after the murder, where we think we know the characters were, and as we follow the investigation.

Who could have committed this horrific crime?

Who would think something like this could happen in a small town?

Ms. Kubica's newest has non-stop tension in this terror-filled, twisty read that has mostly unlikeable characters with secrets of their own, characters who lie, and a small town that also keeps secrets.

And what about the title?  What does it mean?

Prepare to stay up late and have your jaw dropping!! 5/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of the book.  All opinions are my own.

The Star Society by Gabriella Saab

We meet twin sisters, Aleida and Ingrid, during the war.

Aleida dances at a local studio owned by a Jewish woman.

When the Germans invaded the Netherlands, Ingrid and her boyfriend decide to escape but Aleida remains.

Neither girl told their mother about the escape because she was a Nazi supporter and was the lover of a German officer.

Aleida never knew if her sister escaped or was caught, but one day after the war, Ingrid knocked on her door in California.  They couldn’t believe they were together again.

The reason Ingrid is there is because she was assigned to find out if Aleida is a Communist, but Aleida has something else bothering her.

She stole files from the Nazi her mother was living with that will incriminate him for his war crimes, and she doesn't know if he is still alive and if he is looking for her.

When she gets messages that hint about times during the war, she knows he has found her.

What will happen to both sisters?

Hopefully nothing as bad as what happened during the war.

Will the Nazi confront Aleida and demand the files she stole?

The writing is beautiful as always with Ms. Saab's books.

THE STAR SOCIETY did take a bit of warming up to start, but the story ultimately will capture the attention of historical fiction fans and fans of Hollywood and you won't want to stop reading. 5/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book.  All opinions are my own.

It's Monday!! What Are YOU Reading? - 2/2/2026

                                         

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I hope you had a great reading week.

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This is a weekly meme hosted by Kathryn at BOOK DATE!

Post the books completed, the books you are currently reading, and the books you hope to finish at some point.

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Books Completed:

THE SISTERS OF BOOK ROW by Shelley Noble - review will be on March 3, 2026.

A wonderful history lesson with wonderful characters.

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SIX LITTLE WORDS by Sally Page - spotlight will be on February 28, 2026.

Couldn't get into this book.  Nice writing, but not connecting with the characters.

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PINKY SWEAR by Danielle Girard - review will be on February 26, 2026.

Not a bad read, but not great!! 

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ALL IN HER HANDS by Audrey Black - review will be on February 25, 2026.

Excellent writing and historical information, but a bit too long.

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A GOOD ANIMAL by Sara Maurer - spotlight will be on February 24, 2026.

Not my cup of tea.

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WHEN I KILL YOU by B. A. Paris - review will be on February 18, 2026.

Another good one by B. A. Paris

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A SOCIOPATH'S GUIDE TO A SUCCESSFUL MARRIAGE by MK Oliver - review will be om February 17, 2026.

A good one - you won't believe what she does, how she thinks of these things, and then gets away with them.

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FIREFLIES IN WINTER by Eleanor Shearer - spotlight will be on February 13, 2026.

Not for me.

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THE FOURTH PRINCESS by Janie Chang - spotlight will be on February 12, 2026.

Couldn't get interested.

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THE KEEPER OF LOST CHILDREN by Sadeqa Johnson - review will be on February 11, 2026.

Excellent as always!! 

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THE ORPHAN AT THE IRISH ADOPTION HOUSE by Michelle Vernal - review will be on February 8, 2026.

VERY good - emotional with wonderful characters.

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OURS IS A TALE OF MURDER by Nora Murphy - review will be on February 10, 2026.

It's good, but confusing.  I was still scratching my head after the last page.

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THIS BOOK MADE ME THINK OF YOU by Libby Page - review will be on February 6, 2026.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED this book, and what a cute cover!!

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WE WERE NEVER FRIENDS by Kaira Rouda - review will be on February 5, 2026.

Pretty good.

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THE STAR SOCIETY by Gabriella Saab - review will be on February 2, 2026.

A good one - from occupied Netherlands to Hollywood during the Red Scare.  Two sisters re-unite.

Don't miss it!!

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FAMILY DRAMA by Rebecca Fallon - review will be on February 4, 2026.

Too much jumping from one timeline to the next and too many people talking to keep track of, but I finished it.

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THE LIES WE TRADE by Kristine Delano - spotlight is in the book's title.

A very clever title because it is about Wall Street, but too much about the technicalities and confusing for me.

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MAKE IT OUT ALIVE by Allison Brennan - review is in the book's title.

Ohhhhh - DO NOT MISS THIS ONE if you are a thriller reader.   You won't want to put it down.

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THE FAIR WEATHER FRIEND by Jessie Garcia - review is in the book's title.

Oh...it's a good one.  A cozy mystery.

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ALL THE LITTLE HOUSES by May Cobb - review is in the book's title.

The cover drew me in, but it was like a soap opera with nasty characters.  

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A GREAT ACT OF LOVE by Heather Rose - spotlight is in the book's title.

Beautiful writing, but the back story was confusing.  

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THE TYPEWRITER AND THE GULLOTINE by Mark Braude - spotlight is in the book's title.

I didn't realize this was non-fiction.  

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SUCH A CLEVER GIRL by Darby Kane - review is in the book's title.

Not a favorite...too long, too many characters.

 

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SUCH SHELTERED LIVES by Alyssa Sheinmel - spotlight is in the book's title.

Not my cup of tea.

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NO ONE WOULD DO WHAT THE LAMBERTS HAVE DONE by Sophie Hannah - spotlight is in the book's title.

Confusing.

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IT'S NOT HER by Mary Kubica - review is on Goodreads, but other reviews will be on February 3, 2026.

SO GOOD - DO NOT MISS THIS ONE!!  Might be her best one yet!!  :)

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Book Currently Reading:

THE BOOKSTORE DIARIES by Susan Mallery- review will be on March 4, 2026.

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Books Up Next:

WHERE THE GIRLS WERE by Kate Schatz - review will be on March 5, 2026.

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MISSING SISTER by Joshilyn Jackson - review will be on March 9, 2026.

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IT GIRL by Allison Pataki - review will be on March 10, 2026.

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SPRING MELT by Lori Duffy Foster - review wil be on March 11, 2026.

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THE ONLY ONE WHO KNOWS by Lisa M. Matlin - review will be on March 13, 2026.

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WITHOUT A CLUE by Melissa Ferguson - review will be on March 16, 2026.

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YOU DID NOTHING WRONG by CG Drews - review will be on March 17, 2026.

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THE HOUSE OF HIDDEN LETTERS by Izzy Boom - review will be on March 19, 2026.

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HARRIET HATES LEMONADE by Kim McCollum - review and blog tour will be on March 22, 2026.

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THE HIRED MAN by Sandra Dallas - review will be on March 31, 2026.

 

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KILLING ME SOFTLY by Sandie Jones - review will be on April 1, 2026.

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THE BARN IDENTITY by Diane Kelly - review will be on April 6, 2026.

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LOVE BY THE BOOK by Jessica George - review will be on April 7, 2026.

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WHATEVER HAPPENED TO EDDY CRANE by Kate Crane - review will be on April 8, 2026.

 

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MEET ME IN ITALY by Brenda Novak - review will be on April 13, 2026.

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TOO CLOSE TO HOME by Seraphina Nova Glass - review will be on April 14, 2026.

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EXTRA SAUCE by Zahra Tangorra - review will be on April 15, 2026.

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MAD MABEL by Sally Hepworth - review will be on April 21, 2026.

LIAR'S CREEK by Matt Goldman - review will be on April 22, 2025.

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THE MOUNTAINS WE CALL HOME by Kim Michele Richardson - review will be on April 23, 2026.

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THE HOTEL GUEST by Rosemary Hennigan - review will be on April 28, 2026.

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MS. MEBEL GOES BACK TO THE CHOPPING BLOCK by Jesse Q. Sutanto - review will be on April 29, 2026.

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THE ISLAND CLUB by Nicola Harrison - review will be on April 30, 2026.

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SUMMER STATE OF MIND by Kristy Woodson Harvey - review will be on May 5, 2026.

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A LITTLE BIT BAD by Cassandra Neyenesch - review will be on May 7, 2026.

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THE HOPE KEEPER by Heather Webb - review will be on May 19, 2026.

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GOOD JOY, BAD JOY by Mikki Brammer - review will be on May 20, 2026.

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A SPRINKLE OF SWEET SEREDIPITY - review will be on May 21, 2026.

LOVE her books.  Adorable cover.

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THE WINDSOR AFFAIR by Melanie Benjamin - review will be on June 2, 2025.

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MARION by Leah Rowan - review will be on June 3, 2025.

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BEACH THRILLER by Jamie Day - review will be on June 9, 2026.

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LOST IN THE SUMMER OF '69 by Eliza Knight - review will be on June 11, 2026.

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THE BURNING SIDE by Sarah Damoff - review will be on June 16, 2026.

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IT COULD HAVE BEEN HER by Lisa Jewell - review will be on June 23, 2026.

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THE STORY KEEPER by Kelly Rimmer - review will be on July 21, 2026.

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MEET IN PARIS by Kristin Harmel - review will be on July 28, 2028.

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BUYER BEWARE by Catherine Ryan Howard - review will be on July 29, 2026.

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THE WOMEN IN WHITE by Sarah Pekkanen - review will be on August 4, 2026.

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HOW TO FIND ROMANCE IN A BOOKSHOP by Poppy Alexander - review will be on August 18, 2026.

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