Voices in the Sanatorium by Amy Lynn Walsh

 

About the Book

Book: Voices in the Sanitorium

Author: Amy Lynn Walsh

Genre: Historical Mystery, Women’s Fiction

(This is not horror or paranormal.  Readers will have no trouble falling asleep after reading this!)

Release Date: October 2022

Relocating from Manhattan, teenage Aislyn must adjust to life near the abandoned West Mountain Sanitarium. One night, Aislyn joins new friends in the old ruins — and seems to return home with a different personality. Not long after Aislyn purchases a diary written almost a century ago by Bridget, a young patient recovering from tuberculosis on the sanitorium grounds, strange things begin to happen.

 

Click here to get your copy!

 My Review:

This book is more suspense and what-ifs and what-abouts, with history and mystery and family drama issues than anything that could be classed as "scary". It's a dual timeline story that is told from a first-person POV and it's actually a very interesting story. The author did some more unusual things with this story. Take one stressed and troubled teen, who moved to the middle of nowhere, with her parent's marriage on the rocks, and add in a diary that makes old ruins and long gone people into something much more current and different, and then you have some of what this book did. It's really nice the way the author interconnected it all, the issues, the past, the present, and some future as well. What I didn't like was the ending was very fast and feels like I'm still missing something, but maybe it's made to do that! 

4 Stars 

About the Author

Amy Walsh writes historical and contemporary romance, mysteries, speculative fiction, and women’s fiction.  She  is a 5th-grade writing teacher in an urban public school.  Amy and her husband, Patrick, have three children. Amy considers herself greatly blessed in the roles God has given her as an earthling, including aspiring wordsmith, teacher of youngsters, nature appreciator, tea aficionado, avid dessert fan, book fanatic, lover of family and friends, and Christ follower.

More from Amy

Mam’s Apple Cinnamon Scones with Maple Cinnamon Glaze

These are the scones Katherine’s mother makes the morning their new friend Cadence comes for an Irish tea.  This time of fellowship marks a turning point in the plot of Voices in the Sanitorium.

The dough:

2 3/4 cups flour

1/3 cup granulated sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 stick of softened butter

1 diced small apple

3/4 cup cinnamon chips (optional)

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup applesauce

 

For best results, follow the steps below.  However, if you are as busy as Katherine is with four children and a thriving Irish textile business, you can just melt the butter in the microwave and throw all the ingredients together at once, and these scones will still be delicious.

 

• In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon.
• Mix in the butter just until the mixture is crumbly
• Stir in the chopped apple and cinnamon chips.
• Mix the eggs, vanilla, and applesauce in another bowl, then add these to the dry ingredients.
• Make sure you have parchment paper or have floured your baking sheet.
• Drop scoops of the dough onto the baking sheet. (about ¼ cup scoops)
• Bake for 20 minutes at 425 degrees or until golden brown

Notes:

If pressed for time, Mam just makes drop scones.  When guests are coming, she forms the dough into a circle about ¾ inch high, cuts the dough into pie pieces on the parchment paper, then gently pulls the pieces apart and uses her fingers to form them into perfect isosceles triangles.

Sometimes Mam puts the dough into the freezer after forming it on the baking pan.  She says freezing dough for a half hour makes them softer.  Katherine has never noticed a difference.

Glaze:

• 1 ½ cup powdered sugar,
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 ½ Tablespoons maple syrup

If the glaze needs to be thickened, add more powdered sugar.  If it is too thick, add more syrup, cream, or milk.  You can put it in the microwave for about fifteen seconds if it starts to get firm while you wait for the scones to come out of the oven.

Blog Stops

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, October 17

Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, October 18

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, October 19 (Author Interview)

Avid Reader Nurse, October 19

Texas Book-aholic, October 20

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 21

Locks, Hooks and Books, October 22

Connie’s History Classroom, October 23

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 24

Denise L. Barela, October 25

Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, October 26

Blogging With Carol, October 27

For Him and My Family, October 28

Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 29 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, October 29

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, October 30

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Amy is giving away the grand prize package of $40 Amazon card, a hardcover copy of the book, and historical memorabilia related to the West Mountain Sanitarium in 1931!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/28796/voices-in-the-sanitorium-celebration-tour-giveaway