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Words by Webb
Words by Webb is a blog about writing, reading, baking and plants - with a little bit of who knows what thrown in for fun.
You can contact me at jodiwebb9@gmail.com


Review of How Can I Help You Today?
Thanks to Partners in Crime Book Book Tours and author Julia L. Rule for the opportunity to read How Can I Help You Today? Ever since I received this book I could not get Julia L. Rule off my mind. Not because of her book (not true, OF COURSE because of her book - scroll down for my review) but also because she has no online presence. I didn't even get an author's pic to post. Which of course has made me obsessed with her. Is Julia L. Rule her real name? (Probably not). Did
jodiwebb9
2 days ago3 min read


Review of When Women Talk
Thanks to WOW Women on Writing Blog Tours and contributing author Elle Mott for a copy of When Women Talk. Have you ever read an anthology and thought, "Why wasn't I a part of this?" My writer brain was screaming this when I heard about When Women Talk. You can check out an author interview and enter to win a book giveaway HERE. You also check out my review of Elle's creative nonfiction: Marie Conner: A Leading Lady HERE. More About When Women Talk Ever wish you could call y
jodiwebb9
Oct 153 min read


A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Library
If you've read my blog for any amount of time you probably know that I LOVE my library. All libraries. I actually visit libraries on my vacations. You may think I'm crazy but have you ever been in a library that is a boat? I seem to have gotten off track. I was on my way to the library this Saturday to pick up the latest Janet Evanovich for my mom. As I walked down the sidewalk a man got out of a van and he was carrying a huge tray piled high with baked potatoes (I know this
jodiwebb9
Oct 123 min read


Review of The Restoration Garden
I keep saying I dislike dual timeline stories but I keep reading them. Of course I don't have much choice because I love historical fiction and dual timelines are everywhere! The writer in me is wondering...are dual timelines the best way to format historical fiction, the easiest way, the way most readers enjoy it? Why am I seeing so many books with dual timelines (or the occassional triple timelines!)? Ok, tiny rant over. Up next is - you guessed it - a historical fiction wi
jodiwebb9
Oct 83 min read


Banned Books Week
Not every book is my cup of tea. When my children were growing up there might have been books I didn't want my kids to read because of their age. But I looked at those as my reading choices and my parenting choices. It never even occurred to me to try and ban a book for an entire school district or community. Sadly, we seem to be living in opposite world now where books are banned wily-nilly, often for random reasons by people who haven't even read the whole book. My family w
jodiwebb9
Oct 52 min read


The Me I Used to Be
Thanks to WOW blog tours for the chance to read my first Kristan Higgins book! Friendship, longstanding feuds, jealousy, love, grief, betrayal, guilt - this book has it all. You can read my review HERE and learn more about the book below. More About The Me I Used to Be Back in senior year, Audrey, Micah, Jasmine, and Beck were the Core Four: the lucky one, the beautiful one, the smart one, the sporty one. They had color-coded dreams, inside jokes, and a lifelong friendship th
jodiwebb9
Oct 23 min read


Review of The Harlot of St. Cecelia's
Darcy Graves is back today with my review of her debut book The Harlot of St. Cecelia's. If you're a fan of Jacqueline Winspear’s Maisie Dobbs series, this could be your next mystery series. You can read my author interview and enter the giveaway HERE. More about The Harlot of St. Cecelia's London, 1923. American expat librarian Eden Brior thinks things are bad when she is accidentally locked overnight in the St. Cecelia’s Library vault with the charming and unreliable Simon
jodiwebb9
Sep 303 min read


Meet Darcy Graves
Thanks to Partners in Crime blog tours for the opportunity to interview author Darcy Graves about The Harlot of St. Cecelia's. Check out my review next week. Don't miss the first book in the Inspector Garrett mystery series - complete with buttoned up Englishman, curious American expat and beautiful French actress. Don't miss the giveaway at the end of this post. Jodi: I’m with you on the Golden Age of Detective Fiction. Love it! If you could be one detective from the Golden
jodiwebb9
Sep 247 min read


Reading Something New
Thanks to WOW Blog Tours and author Sherri Dodd for a copy of Moonset on Desert Sands. In Book 2 of the Murder, Tea & Crystals trilogy, Arista and her aunt are temporarily uprooted from their California home for Arizona. Judging from the lush descriptions (that I sometimes had to read multiple times, just to relish in the images the language conjured up) Arizona must be a breathtaking place. Lately, I've been loosening up my "read a series in order" rule but I fell I must rei
jodiwebb9
Sep 155 min read


What's Your Favorite Bookshop Book?
To my immense pleasure, I've received my copy of Receipts from the Bookshop by Katie Clapham- that was just released in the US/Canada last week. Yes, what started as a quirky Substack started by a bored bookshop owner/author is now an actual book. And it is hilarious! What reader wouldn't want to see the reality behind our universal dream - to have our own bookshop? I ordered my copy through bookshop.org and they are having a special to celebrate the release. Use the promo co
jodiwebb9
Sep 141 min read


Review of The Economy Always Gets Better
True confessions, when I heard about the WOW Women on Writing Blog Tour for The Economy Always Gets Better, I flashed back to my high school economics class. Sadly, about the only thing I remember is that Mr. P. had a yardstick and roamed the aisles as he chatted -- and occasionally smacked the desk of a sleeping student. In general, it was a nerve-wracking class. Apologies to Mr. P. but I retained a lot more reading this book. And no worries that the crack of a yardstick hit
jodiwebb9
Sep 105 min read


Review of Looking Past Dementia
Thanks to WOW Blog Tours and author Marysue Moses for a review copy of Looking Past Dementia. If you're of a certain age you might remember the TV ad Is it Live or is it Memorex? Apologies to the ad men of the 1980s, but now we're asking a new question: Is it normal aging or is it dementia? Looking Past Dementia helps us answer that question as well as figure out what comes next. More About Looking Past Dementia: Learning from Those Who Live with It In Looking Past Dementia,
jodiwebb9
Sep 93 min read


Review of The Cotton Queen
Thanks to my beach hosts who had an entire bookshelf full of books to choose from, including The Cotton Queen. I love a Southern setting which is so different from my northeastern US life so The Cotton Queen was fun, especially for the waning days of summer. And props to Pamela Morsi who started out as a romance writer and, when she found romance less in demand, made a successful switch to the more general stories of women's fiction. More about The Cotton Queen The road away
jodiwebb9
Sep 35 min read


Moonset on Desert Sands
Let's celebrate the first day of autumn (meteorologically speaking) with a return visit from author Sherri Dodd. Sherri is back with a WOW Blog Tour of the second book in her Murder, Tea & Crystals trilogy Moonset on Desert Sands which just happens to take place in the fall (ending at Halloween as all witch-y books should). If you missed my earlier reviews, you can find a review of Murder Under Redwood Moon, the first book in the Murder, Tea and Crystals trilogy, HERE. And I
jodiwebb9
Aug 314 min read


Review of The Ending Writes Itself
I'm a sucker for island mysteries. But, to tell the truth, I picked up this book at my local library because the title intrigued me: The Ending Writes Itself. More About The Ending Writes Itself Six authors. One private island. Seventy-two hours to write the ending that will change their lives. Arthur Fletch, one of the world’s bestselling novelists, is a reclusive genius known for his iconic protagonists and fiendish twists. When six struggling authors are invited to spend a
jodiwebb9
Aug 272 min read


Love a good mystery?
If you love reading a good mystery, thriller or adventure you might want to follow Partners in Crime tours HERE. I do review plenty of their titles and interview their authors here on Words by Webb but if you want to see (and enter giveaways) for ALL THE TITLES join their email list. And before August slips away...enter their Super Giveaway where everyone wins an ebook and some people win a box full of books. What a way to end the summer! Check out my post about the August Gi
jodiwebb9
Aug 251 min read


Review of Ladies in Waiting
If you love Jane Austen, are suffering withdrawal from Bridgerton (or your fav historical drama) or just love an unexpected twist on the romantic heroine, have I got a book for you! Anthology, actually. Check out the Ladies in Waiting: Jane Austen's Unsung Characters book trailer - complete with beautiful gowns and dancing couples - HERE More About Ladies in Waiting Celebrate Jane Austen’s classic novels with this short story anthology starring forgotten characters as they ex
jodiwebb9
Aug 132 min read


Welcome to Rose Island
Thanks to WOW Women on Writing Blog Tours and author Liz Wanic for a copy of Under Cover of Chaos. You can check out my book review HERE. But today I'm answering the tour's writing prompt: Where would you live that’s off the beaten path? Welcome to Rose Island As anyone who knows me can tell you, off the beaten path would be the perfect way to describe where I already live. Not just my house but the whole area is...well, off the beaten path. It's not a place many people make
jodiwebb9
Aug 113 min read


Review of Grandpa Day
No, I am not a Grandpa. But I am a Grandma (actually I'm a Nanny since my mom is the infinitely cooler Nan). But I thought, Hey, I can read this book and just use the ideas in my life as a Nanny. Thanks to Partners in Crime Book Book Tours and author Perry Solomon for the opportunity to read Grandpa Day - even though I'm not a Grandpa. More About Grandpa Day Becoming a grandfather opens the door to one of life’s most meaningful family relationships. In Grandpa Day, Perry Solo
jodiwebb9
Aug 63 min read


Review of Under Cover of Chaos
Thanks to WOW Women on Writing Blog Tours and author Liz Wanic for a copy of Under Cover of Chaos. You can check out an author interview and enter to win a book giveaway HERE. Come back next week for my answer to a writing prompt by the author. More about Under Cover of Chaos “… a fast-paced thriller that plunges the reader into the morally complex world of a UN humanitarian mission in Bangui...a must-read for fans of thrillers with high-stakes political undertones.” –Kim McC
jodiwebb9
Aug 44 min read
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