Red Seal Rosa Kwon Easton

We meet MiYoung and Ko-chan (Soonho) as they escape from Japan to Manchuria in 1943 and keep moving to avoid what is going on.

We follow them as they struggle to survive.  Ko-chan had to leave his grandparents and then his uncle and then friends.

It was a difficult, heartbreaking life for a child and a heartbreaking read.  He couldn’t understand why his mother did the things she did and their relationship was pretty much always tense.

The book was about starting over, living without and in poverty, making choices, and family.

You will become attached to both characters and hope for the best as you read of all their trials and tribulations.

Historical fiction fans will enjoy this book and especially those who are fans of the history of Korea and Japan.

It was a bit difficult with the foreign names and the length, but the storyline will keep your interest.  4/5

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

The Undercover Bookshop by Katherine Reay

Emma has left London and arrived in the small village of Great Rollright.

She is expecting to be assisting in the general store but her boss suggests they use part of the store for a bookshop.

All is well until Emma decides she needs some cooking lessons.  She is taken under the wing of Ursula.

Ursula is an outcast because she and her husband are German.

Emma finds out things while in Ursula's kitchen that her sleuthing skills lead her to thinking Ursula and her husband are working for the Soviets. Why else would Ursula have a five-foot antennae on her house.  It definitely isn't to watch her shows.

Emma follows Ursula as she sees her leaving notes in a hole in a tree in a town where Ursula says she goes shopping.

What a fun, clever read even though there are some undesirable characters - you will love Emma and be entertained at her detective work as well as be happy she has found Charlie.

THE UNDERCOVER BOOKSHOP is a delightful read with characters you would love to meet.  5/5

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

The Memory of Borrowed Books by Meg Anderson

A heartfelt book about the love of books and libraries. 

Claire is the librarian of Foxhollow Bay Library that is over 100 years old and about to be demolished.

Claire has to find a way to keep the board from tearing down the library.

One day she saw a door that was not there before.  Is it a mirage or is it real?

She finds out it is real and is filled with books that come alive, books that transport her to another time, books that tell stories, and books that hold memories inside.

Claire gets drawn in as she sees magic happen and as memories come through the books.

Could this hidden room save the library and the people in it? If so, how?

Two people the library did save were Claire and Julian - find out about how it saved them in this marvelous debut with writing that reads like a seasoned author.

Ms. Anderson makes you feel every emotion the characters have as this very clever, interesting storyline has you reading longer than you had planned. 5/5

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

Spotlight of Cutie Pies By The Slice by Kimberly Nixon

PHOTO COURTESY OF TYPORAMA

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CUTIE PIES BY THE SLICE

KIMBERLY NIXON

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ALL INFORMATION IN THIS POST IS COURTESY OF LYDIA JACOBSON, ASSISTANT PUBLICIST OF PR BY THE BOOK.

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October 6

Roots and Wings Press, LLC

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For fans of The Calamity Club and The Briar Club, Cutie Pies by the Slice is a historical fiction that balances heart and grittiness.

It follows twenty-year-old Lila Young as she sets out to build a life of her own by opening a neighborhood pie shop.

As the business grows, so does Lila’s confidence, while customers become friends and friends become the chosen family she’s always longed for.

But Kimberly doesn’t romanticize the Depression-era.

When Lila discovers her thriving business has unknowingly become entangled in organized crime, she must confront betrayal, complicated loyalties, and forgiveness.

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PRAISE FOR CUTIE PIES BY THE SLICE:

"A warmhearted, irresistible page-turner. Nixon makes appealing use of Lila's baking as both an emotional touchstone and a measure of her growing independence. A tender, satisfying celebration of resilience and chosen family. Readers will cheer Lila's hard-won confidence."--The Prairies Book Review

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ABOUT CUTIE PIES BY THE SLICE:

Some people inherit a family. Lila Young has to build one from scratch.

When twenty-year-old Lila arrives in a small Midwestern town, hoping for a fresh start with her older brother, she discovers she’s more alone than ever. Determined to make a life of her own, she opens Cutie Pies by the Slice, where neighbors gather over coffee and strangers slowly become the family she’s always longed for.

As the pie shop flourishes, so does Lila’s confidence. Agnes and Maggie become the sisters she never had, and Vern—a quiet, dependable man who faithfully carries her daily bank deposits—becomes someone she learns to trust.

Then Lila uncovers a devastating secret: without her knowledge, her thriving business has become entangled in organized crime. As hidden loyalties surface and those she loves are drawn into dangerous choices, she must decide whether broken trust can be rebuilt—and whether forgiveness is worth the risk.

Set during Prohibition and the Great Depression, Cutie Pies by the Slice is a heartfelt novel of resilience, redemption, and chosen family. Filled with unforgettable characters, small-town charm, and the comforting aroma of fresh-baked pie, it celebrates the quiet courage of ordinary people who discover that the sweetest things in life aren’t inherited—they’re earned.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kimberly Nixon believes every family has stories worth telling.

Drawn to forgotten histories, resilient women, and the ties that bind generations, she writes historical fiction inspired by the remarkable lives of ordinary people. 

Her award-winning novels, Rock Bottom, Tennessee and Rock Bottom Rising, grew from the true story of her grandmother’s felony conviction in 1925 Tennessee.

Her children’s book, A Visit from Grandypants, celebrates the joy of family across generations.

Kimberly lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband, Paul, and is always searching for the next story hidden in her family’s past.

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FOLLOW THE AUTHOR ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Instagram

Website

Facebook

Goodreads

FOLLOW PR BY THE BOOK:

Instagram

Facebook

You Tube Video about PR by the Book

It's Monday!! What Are YOU Reading? - 10/5/2026

                                         

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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:

REVENGE PLOT by Stephanie Wrobel - spotlight will be on November 12.

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WHEN THEY FIND ME by Carter Wilson -  spotlight will be on November 11, 2026.

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PEREGRINE HILL by Nina De Gramont - spotlight will be on November 10, 2026.

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SUNFLOWER SEASON by Danica Nava - spotlight will be on November 4, 2026.

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THE FRIDAY BOOKSHOP by Sawako Natori - spotlight will be on November 3, 2026.

Couldn't get connected to the storyline or the characters.

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THE CALAMITY CLUB by Kathryn Stockett - No review, but I finally took the plunge into this 600-page doorstop.  :)

Very good - great characters.

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COZY LITTLE CHRISTMAS by Rae Anne Thayne - review will be on October 29, 2026.

A sweet read with characters you will love.

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THE PIANO TEACHER OF MONTPARNASSE by Heather Morris - review will be on October 23, 2026.

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MISSING MOLLY by Natalie Barelli - review will be on October 21, 2026.

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THE DIARY AT THE IRISH ADOPTION HOUSE by Michelle Vernal - review will be on October 22, 2026.

A good read!!

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BAD GIRLS GO EVERYWHERE by Ellen Sherman - spotlight will be on October 16, 2026.

Too many antics by the main character that I couldn't connect with the storyline and main character.

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MURDER ON 34TH STREET by Mariah Fredericks - review will be on October 12, 2026.

A light, entertaining read about Macy's and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade - someone threatens to kill Santa.

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RED SEAL by Rosa Kwon Easton - review will be on October 8, 2026.

Historical fiction about Korea during their turmoil during WWII.

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THE STORY BAKER by Carsten Henn - review will be on October 13, 2026.

A very enjoyable, heartfelt read with characters that will stay with you.

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THE UNDERCOVER BOOKSHOP by Katherine Reay - review will be on October 7, 2026.

Very good - a delightful read with characters you would love to meet.

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THE MEMORY OF BORROWED BOOKS by Meg Anderson - review will be on October 6, 2026.

Ohhhh...this book is so good.  Don't miss it!!

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A DEADLY ENTANGLEMENT by Cathy Pegau - spotlight is in the book's title.

Not connecting with the storyline.

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BLUE JEAN SUMMER by Maggie Gates - review is in the book's title.

A cute read with cowboys!! :)

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THE BOOKSHOP WOMAN by Nanako Hanada - spotlight is in the book's title.

Wasn't connecting with me.

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I'LL BE WATCHING YOU by Allison Brennan - spotlight is in the book's title.

Disappointed - I normally like her books.

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Book Currently Reading:

THE BOOKER REBELLION by Susan Palmer - review will be on November 20, 2026.

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Books Up Next:

EVERY SECRET THING by Susanna Kearsley - review will be on November 26, 2026.

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ALL THE LITTLE SECRETS by May Cobb - review will be on November 21, 2026.

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MURDER UNABRIDGED by P. J. Nelson - review will be on December 1, 2026.

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THE MAGIC OF CHAMOMILE COTTAGE by Heather Webber - review will be on December 2, 2026.

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THE BUREAU OF UNKNOWN FATES by Gaëlle Nohant - review will be on December 8, 2026.

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RABBIT, RABBIT by Jennifer E. Smith - review will be on December 15, 2026.

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THEY ONLY FOUND HER by Emy McGuire - review will be on December 16, 2026.

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DARLING YOU'RE NEXT by Marlee Bush - review will be on January 5, 2027.

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TAKE BACK THE NIGHT by Heather Gudenkauf, Kaira Rouda, and Kimberly Belle - review will be on January 12, 2027.

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THE GOLDEN CHILD by Lucinda Berry - review will be on Janaury 13, 2027.

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BAD HONEYMOON by Jessie Garcia - review will be on January 19, 2027.

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SCREAM CITY by Hannah Norrissey - review will be on January 26, 2027.

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PLAY ME ONCE by Mary Desch - review will be on January 27, 2027.

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THE BOOKBINDER'S CODE by A. D. Bell - review will be on January 28, 2026.

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MARIA, MARIA by Jennifer Galvao - review will be on February 2, 2027.

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LIGHT THE WAY by Monica West - review will be on February 3, 2027.

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THE SOCIETY OF FORGOTTEN WIVES by Pam Jenoff - review will be on February 4, 2027.

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SOMEWHERE, SOMETHING INCREDIBLE by Susan Meissner - review will be on February 9, 2027.

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FIVE MORNINGS AT THE BOOKSHOP by Shea Ashdown - review will be on March 9, 2027.

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THE ENIGMAS by Emilia Hart - review will be on April 6, 2027.

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EMERALD LAKE by Nita Prose - review will be on April 7, 2027.

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