Monday, September 29, 2014

Frightfall Read-a-Thon plans! Day 1 and 2

http://seasonsreading.blogspot.com/2014/09/frightfall-read-thon-time-to-sign-up.html
Welp, my impromptu read-a-thon ended yesterday, and now a new one begins today! WOOT WOOT!

The official dates for this event are September 29 through October 5. Guidelines for the read-a-thon can be found HERE. You have to read at least one book that's scary/thrillerish/or similar. Our Twitter hashtag is #FrightFall.

So what am I going to read?

  • The Leftovers
  • The Innocent Mage
  • Bite & Release
  • Throne of Glass
  • NOS4A2
So thems my plans.

I'll update my progress daily! 

Updates 1 & 2:
Book: The One
Progress: page 101
Notes: I  got stupid busy at work and had to put aside reading for the bill paying things. I am hoping today is going to be more reading heavy than work heavy, but oh well. I have to go where the money is...cuz ya..that doesn't make me sound whorish now does it? lol


Review: I Shall Be Near To You



I Shall Be Near to You 

 I Shall Be Near to You

  • Paperback: 336 pages
  • Publisher: Broadway Books (September 2, 2014)
In I SHALL BE NEAR TO YOU, McCabe introduces us to newlywed Rosetta Wakefield. More accustomed to working as her father’s farmhand and happiest doing what others might call “man’s work,” Rosetta struggles with how to be a good wife to her childhood beau and new husband, Jeremiah. When Jeremiah leaves home to join the Union army, Rosetta finds the only way she can honor Jeremiah is to be with her husband—no matter what..

Cutting off her hair and donning men’s clothing, Rosetta enlists in the army as Private Ross Stone so that she might stand beside her husband. Joining, however, is the easy part, and now Rosetta must not only live and train with her male counterparts as they prepare for imminent battle, but she must also deal with Jeremiah, who is struggling with his “fighting” wife’s presence, not to mention the constant threat of discovery..

In brilliant detail, inspired by the letters of the real Rosetta Wakeman, McCabe offers a riveting look at the day-to-day lives of these secret women fighters as they defied conventions and made their personal contributions to history. Both a tender love story and a hard look at war, I SHALL BE NEAR TO YOU offers a unique exploration of marriage, societal expectations, and the role of women in the Civil War through the lens of a beautifully written novel..


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 My Review:

This book had me from the first word. I do so love a female character with gumption and strength, and Rosetta was definitely a strong character! I really liked how she did what she thought was best, no matter the consequences and no matter what anyone said. Yes, the "disguising herself as a man" trope isn't new, but in this case it was done so well that it felt fresh!

I was pleased by the writing too! It's books like this that make me want to venture into Historical Fiction more often! The plot was seamless and delightful, and the characters were vivid. I will most likely read more from this author. 


A great read!

Saturday, September 27, 2014

~Contemporary Romance with a bit of HEAT~ Fat Girl by Leigh Carron

lc-fg-cover-front-large    
 Fat Girl by Leigh Carron 
 Genre: Romance (Contemporary, Steamy, Adult Content)

About Fat Girl:
Years after fleeing small-town Springvale, Illinois, Deanna Chase has picked up the pieces of her shattered heart and built a new life for herself as a child advocacy lawyer. Her food addiction is quasi under control, her secrets are buried, and she has even made a tenuous peace with her plus-size body.

Until… Micah Peters—the very sexy and now famous man she fled— walks through her office door and sends Dee reeling. His demand that she help a young boy caught in a custody battle will reunite her with the past she left behind. Torn between duty and self-preservation, Dee isn’t easy to convince. But when obligation wins, the former lovers get more than they bargained for—a searing passion that burns hotter than ever and startling revelations about what really happened the fateful night she left. Will the truth set Dee free to love again? Or will past hurts and lingering insecurities destine her to walk away from her heart again, this time for good?

 Fat Girl is the first book in this provocative two-part series about love and self-acceptance.  

 Now available at Amazon.com/Kobo/Smashwords   

Praise for Fat Girl
An addictive, steamy read.” —Wynne Channing, best-selling author
 “This was one HOT, emotional, and all-around EXCELLENT contemporary romance!” — Romance Novel Giveaways
 “This is one of those books that sucks you in and keeps your interest until the very end.” —Jodie's W.I.N.E. List
 “Emotional and captivating!” — CrazyDaisyBookWhore
“This was a refreshing, real story that had me captivated from the first page. Dee and Mick were wonderful characters full of real flaws, real strengths and real passion.”  — Beth S
A Story with Hope, Heat, and Heart.” — KarinK
 “A brilliantly written, steamy, sexy, thought-provokingly wonderful novel.” — Olivia P “A MUST READ!!!” — Christine K    

About Me:
An American living in Canada. Chocolate snob. Recovering yo-yo dieter. Devoted mom and wife, blessed with a brilliantly witty daughter and unintentionally humorous husband. My wacky family feed my creativity and fuel my passion. Most nights, you will find me either curled up with a great book or, more often, sitting at my computer, tapping out the countless visions in my head. To me, there is nothing better in a narrative than perfectly flawed but strong characters and intense romance that is sexy, deep, and sensual. Mm…I liken such stories to a box of Godiva. Decadent and delicious! You can’t stop at just one. In fact, I’m now hard at work on my next novel—A Naked Beauty, the conclusion to Fat Girl.    

Stay Connected at:  
Website: http://www.leighcarron.com  
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leighcarronebooks?ref_type=bookmark Twitter:@LeighCarron    

Giveaway:  
An ecopy of Fat Girl at each stop, and four tour prizes:

 1) A signed paperback copy of Fat Girl , bookmark, and $20 Visa gift card,
2) a $15 Amazon gift card, 
3) $10 Body Shop gift card, 
and 4) $10 Starbucks gift card.  
  a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Friday, September 26, 2014

Drink Good Coffee and Read *good* Books A-Thon (last update..updated)

I made a fancy button thingy! Lookit me! All growed up!

So I am slowly falling behind on my TBR stack, and well...that's never a good thing. (Doesn't help I keep BUYING new books, but anyhoodle!) So what's a gal to do? Well if you are a nerdlette like me, you make your own freaking read-a-thon!

So what if you do it by yourself! You gotta warm up your eye holes for the October thon anways! 

So starting now (3pm CST) until Midnight (ish) on Sunday, I will be risking my eye sight to cut down my TBR stack! Reading and drinking insane amounts of caffeine and nerding out! You CAN read with me, or you can just point and laugh as I slowly slip into a reading/caffeine induced insanity! Your call! 

Here goes!

1st Book:
(Finishing Reading)
The Selection by Kiera Cass
Starting Page: 96
Finished:YES!
Thoughts: I loved it so so much! I bought the second book in the series! *See I told you I do stupid things like buy new books when I don't need to!*

2nd Book:
The Elite by Kiera Cass
Starting Page: 1
Finished: YES! Book 2 woot woot!
Thoughts: OMG! I knew that I was enjoying this series, but dang how good it is? AMAZEBALLS good! So yeah, on to book 3! (Another new purchase but I don't even give a fudge!)

3rd Book: 
The One by Kiera Cass
Starting Page:  1
Finished: No
Thoughts: So good!

UPDATE THE FINAL:
I read a total of 2 1/2 books this weekend! I would have read more, but there was booze and new shows to watch! I did feel super awesome amazing about reading my 2 1/2 though! Even though, 1 and 1/2 of them were bought instead of from my TBR stack! Oh well. The FrightFall readathon is on! I'll get more knocked off this week!

WOOT WOOT!





Anything beyond a 4th book is just ridiculous, but given the right amounts of insanity and coffee I may just do it? Who knows!? Check back later to see if I am still alive/functioning!


Review ~Bitter Greens by Kate Forsyth ~




Publication Date: September 23, 2014
Thomas Dunne Books
Hardcover; 496p
ISBN-10: 1250047536
Genre: Historical/Fantasy/Fairy-Tale Retellings
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The amazing power and truth of the Rapunzel fairy tale comes alive for the first time in this breathtaking tale of desire, black magic and the redemptive power of love

French novelist Charlotte-Rose de la Force has been banished from the court of Versailles by the Sun King, Louis XIV, after a series of scandalous love affairs. At the convent, she is comforted by an old nun, Sœur Seraphina, who tells her the tale of a young girl who, a hundred years earlier, is sold by her parents for a handful of bitter greens…

After Margherita’s father steals parsley from the walled garden of the courtesan Selena Leonelli, he is threatened with having both hands cut off, unless he and his wife relinquish their precious little girl. Selena is the famous red-haired muse of the artist Tiziano, first painted by him in 1512 and still inspiring him at the time of his death. She is at the center of Renaissance life in Venice, a world of beauty and danger, seduction and betrayal, love and superstition.

Locked away in a tower, Margherita sings in the hope that someone will hear her. One day, a young man does.

Award-winning author Kate Forsyth braids together the stories of Margherita, Selena, and Charlotte-Rose, the woman who penned Rapunzel as we now know it, to create what is a sumptuous historical novel, an enchanting fairy tale retelling, and a loving tribute to the imagination of one remarkable woman.

My Review:
My review is going to be short and sweet.

I will start off by saying that this book was deelightful. It had pretty much everything you could want in a fairy tale "re-telling" and then some! The writing is superb. The characters are awesome and beautifully written, and well..it just kept me happy throughout.

This story was far more than I expected. This book is simply magical! I swear to all that is holy and good that if you enjoy re-tellings this is the NEXT one you should read!

Buy the Book

About the Author

Kate Forsyth wrote her first novel at the age of seven, and is now the internationally bestselling & award-winning author of thirty books, ranging from picture books to poetry to novels for both adults and children. She was recently voted one of Australia’s Favourite 20 Novelists, and has been called ‘one of the finest writers of this generation. She is also an accredited master storyteller with the Australian Guild of Storytellers, and has told stories to both children and adults all over the world.
Her most recent book for adults is a historical novel called ‘The Wild Girl’, which tells the true, untold love story of Wilhelm Grimm and Dortchen Wild, the young woman who told him many of the world’s most famous fairy tales. Set during the Napoleonic Wars, ‘The Wild Girl’ is a story of love, war, heartbreak, and the redemptive power of storytelling, and was named the Most Memorable Love Story of 2013.

She is probably most famous for ‘Bitter Greens’, a retelling of the Rapunzel fairy tale interwoven with the dramatic life story of the woman who first told the tale, the 17th century French writer, Charlotte-Rose de la Force. ‘Bitter Greens’ has been called ‘the best fairy tale retelling since Angela Carter’, and has been nominated for a Norma K. Hemming Award, the Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Fiction, and a Ditmar Award.

Her most recent book for children is ‘Grumpy Grandpa’, a charming picture book that shows people are not always what they seem.

Since ‘The Witches of Eileanan’ was named a Best First Novel of 1998 by Locus Magazine, Kate has won or been nominated for numerous awards, including a CYBIL Award in the US. She’s also the only author to win five Aurealis awards in a single year, for her Chain of Charms series – beginning with ‘The Gypsy Crown’ – which tells of the adventures of two Romany children in the time of the English Civil War. Book 5 of the series, ‘The Lightning Bolt’, was also a CBCA Notable Book.
Kate’s books have been published in 14 countries around the world, including the UK, the US, Russia, Germany, Japan, Turkey, Spain, Italy, Poland and Slovenia. She is currently undertaking a doctorate in fairytale retellings at the University of Technology, having already completed a BA in Literature and a MA in Creative Writing.

Kate is a direct descendant of Charlotte Waring, the author of the first book for children ever published in Australia, ‘A Mother’s Offering to her Children’. She lives by the sea in Sydney, Australia, with her husband, three children, and many thousands of books.

For more information please visit Kate Forsyth’s website and blog
You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads.


Tuesday, September 23, 2014

~Destiny's Wish by Marissa Dobson~ COVER REVEAL

Hopes-Toy-Chest2 
Hope's Toy Chest, the first book in the Cedar Grove Medical series, is now out for pre-order. The pre-order price is discounted to only $0.99.  

Blurb:
At thirty-one, Kingsley Mathews has been named the head of the pediatric oncology department at one of the best children’s hospitals in the country—Ceder Grove Children’s Hospital. His life is dedicated to his patients—until one Christmas when he learns there’s more than his work. Chelsea Waters lost her daughter two years ago on Christmas Day to a rare form of childhood cancer. Her career was over, then her marriage. Now all she has left is Hope’s Toy Chest. The toy drive she started in the memory of her daughter has become her everything. When she ends up flat on her back in a pile of snow, she begins to wonder if there’s room in her heart for anything more. Could the doctor who worked so feverishly to save her daughter bring the meaning of Christmas back into her heart?

Sunshine Press ~ Kindle ~ Nook ~ Smashwords ~ All Romance Ebooks ~ Kobo
Print: Sunshine Press ~ Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble
Ceder Grove Print Books
DestinysWish 
Cover Reveal: Destiny's Wish - Book Two 

Single mother Nora Horton has the weight of the world on her shoulders. After her husband died while serving his country, she was left alone to raise their beautiful daughter, Destiny. She was able to pick up the pieces and move on for her daughter, but when Destiny’s cancer returns, Nora isn’t sure she can handle it any longer. She’s not certain she can be strong for her daughter when she’s falling apart inside. Doctor Brian West is a pediatric cardiologist at Cedar Grove Children’s Hospital and has seen many sick children during his years there. He’s always been able to do his job without letting it get to him because he knows that if he’s distracted for even a minute, someone could die because of him. When he stumbles upon Nora, the recognition is instant and he can’t distance himself from her or her sick little girl, especially not when the little girl tells him her wish. A sick child’s dying wish isn’t meant for her mother’s ears this time...because she wants her mother to have someone to love. 
 
Release Date: February 3, 2015

Monday, September 22, 2014

~New Release~ Wrecked by Shyla Colt September 22nd


 




Blurb
You can’t have love without trust, so Lefty never looked twice at a woman. Betrayed at a young age, the only people he trusts are his brothers in the Dueling Devils motorcycle club. The boys took him in and showed him the meaning of family and loyalty. Then he broke his own rule, and slept with the same woman more than once. She became a habit, and he got ensnared by the Island beauty who ruled her strip club with an iron fist. The problem is Gia’s not interested in anything serious.

The minute Gia Hughes began to trust Lefty, she knew she was in too deep. The smart thing would’ve been to walk away, but the chemistry between them was too powerful. Then he started asking for more, and she was forced to run from the only thing she ever really wanted, a place to belong.  The skeletons buried in her closet need to stay buried to keep her safe, but all too soon that decision is taken out of her hands.


This month three lucky winners subscribed to the newsletter will win prizes!  We have brand new Dueling Devil T-shirts and bumper stickers.

~If you enjoyed the Dueling Devils series, you may want to pick up a copy of  her full length M.C. Novel, Wesson Rebels M.C. Book one: Always

See what readers are saying
~ This is a rude, crude, dirty, raw, and gritty book that I devoured from the first page to the last.

~ If you are a Sons of Anarchy fan, you'll love this story. Told from multiple points of view throughout time, this story weaves a journey of angst, pain, friendship and love. You'll be pulled in from the first word! I couldn't put it down!!

~ If the cover doesn't say it all, strap on your seat belts and get ready for the ride preferable on a motorcycle lol cause baby Ms Shyla holds no punches in this one, i love mc reads and my girl added her own spin taking it up another notch!!



 

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix

Title: HorrorStör
Author: Grady Hendrix
Publisher: Quirk Books
Expected publication: September 23rd 2014
Paperback: 240 pages
ISBN13: 9781594745263




 My Review: 

HorrorStör is a seriously fun book. It's a quick read with a very unique visual style. Obviously it's supposed to look (on the outside) like an IKEA catalog and is littered on the inside with descriptions and pictures of furniture. I really loved the concept of this story. The plot sounded so very interesting.

The book was fun. The story was creepy at times and interesting, but there were a few issues from the start. I did like the characters, but I didn't really feel like they were given as much development time as I'd like. When the shizz hits the fan, I was kind of hard pressed to care about anyone besides Amy and Basil. I sorta kind of cared about Ruth Anne, but that was just because she was like that sweet crazy Aunt in everyone's family. Character development was really sorely lacking in this book.

The other big thing was the set up. It took waaaay too long for things to get started. I understand that setting up the plot is super important. I get that totally, but it really took too much time to build tension. By the middle of the book the really creepy bits were being thrown at us out of seemingly  nowhere. I really though that Josiah was pretty darn terrifyingly insane, and definitely was a good bad guy, but I think he could have been used a lot more than the penitents to creep things up. I felt like he was pretty underused.

I did have fun with this one though, I really did. It was creepy fun. It really reminded me of House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski, which is a book that I think did the whole "shifting and changing house/store to mess with your brain and drive you crazy" schtick, so very well. Whereas, HoLs was a bit too long in my opinion,  HorrorStör seemed too short. I think it would have been so much better with maybe another 50+ pages. (Although it probably would have been too thick to fit with the catalog theme?)

Amazon (Pre-Order) | Barnes & Noble (Pre-Order)

 

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Blog Tour: Meet Me In Barcelona by Mary Carter





Title: Meet Me in Barcelona
Author: Mary Carter
Publisher: Kensington
Pages: 352
Genre: Mainstream fiction
Format: Paperback/Kindle/MP3 CD, Audiobook, MP3 Audo, Unabridged


Purchase at AMAZON

A surprise trip to Barcelona with her boyfriend, Jake, seems like the perfect antidote to Grace Sawyer's current woes. The city is dazzling and unpredictable, but the biggest surprise for Grace is discovering who arranged and paid for the vacation.

Carrie Ann wasn't just Grace's foster sister. Clever, pretty, and mercurial, she was her best friend—until everything went terribly wrong. Now, as she flees an abusive marriage, Carrie Ann has turned to the one person she hopes will come through for her. Despite her initial misgivings, Grace wants to help. But then Carrie Ann and Jake both go missing. Stunned and confused, Grace begins to realize how much of herself she's kept from Jake—and how much of Carrie Ann she never understood. Soon Grace is baited into following a trail of scant clues across Spain, determined to find the truth, even if she must revisit her troubled past to do it.

Mary Carter's intriguing novel delves into the complexities of childhood bonds, the corrosive weight of guilt and blame, and all the ways we try—and often fail—to truly know the ones we love.

Book Excerpt:
Carrie Ann. The words felt like two gunshots to the chest. Just hearing that name come out of her mother’s mouth made Grace’s heart start tripping. She almost shot out of her chair. “I’m Grace,” she said. “Gracie Ann.” Her voice cracked. “Dad?” she said. “She’s confused, honey. The past and the present, it’s just one big, ugly glob.” Pinpricks of shame began forming at the base of Grace’s spine. “I’m not confused,” Jody said. “Carrie Ann came to visit me.” “My God,” Grace said. This time she did shoot out of her chair. Carrie Ann was the only girl foster child the Sawyers had ever taken in. At first she had been like a sister to Grace. “Who is she married to now?” Jody said. “I can’t remember.” “Pay no attention to her, Gracie,” Jim said. “Why can’t I remember?” Jody pressed on her temples with her index fingers, as if she could squeeze the memory out of her head. Grace took a step toward her mother. “When did she come and visit you, Mom?” “Grace, I told you she didn’t,” Jim said. “Don’t egg your mother on.” “I’m not egging her on, Dad, but if Carrie Ann was here, I want to know about it.” Her father whacked his newspaper on the side of his chair. “I told you she wasn’t! And I should know. I’ve been sitting right here!” “She’s still such a pretty girl,” Jody said. “She asked about you, Grace. She asked me all sorts of questions about you.” Jim got up and threw up his arms. “She’s out of her mind!” He began to pace. “Dad,” Grace said. “Hush.” Her mother suddenly became very still, which meant she was listening. Grace took her father by his arm and led him back to his chair. “I’m sorry. She won’t remember me saying it.” “That’s not the point.” “I can’t help it. Carrie Ann this - Carrie Ann that. I thought we’d put that nuisance behind us for once and for all. Is this what it comes to? Reliving your worst nightmare?” “I’ve never heard you speak so harshly about Carrie Ann,” Grace said. Her mom was the one who used to say the worst things about Carrie Ann. She said Carrie Ann was evil. She said Carrie Ann was a curse that would follow all of them to their graves. Once she even said there wasn’t enough Lysol in the world to get rid of that stain. And each insult cut into Grace like her mother was saying it about her. Her sister. Of sorts. Her own Dickens-like drama. Carrie Ann was the best thing that had ever happened to Grace, and she was the worst. She’d been out of their lives for nearly fifteen years. And Grace had spent every one of them trying, and failing, to put the past behind her. She turned to her father. “Why didn’t you tell me?” “Tell you what?” “That Mom's been talking about her.” “Because I don’t want to dredge up all that nonsense. It’s her damn medication. I keep telling the doctor it’s making her worse, and he won’t listen to me.” Her father slammed his fist on the arm of the chair. “These people think just because we’re old that we’re stupid. She wouldn’t be so forgetful if she cut down on some of those pills. How do I know that? Because she’s my wife. Because I’ve been married to this woman for forty-four years. You know what he said to me?” “Who?” “That snot-nosed doctor, that’s who!” “What did he say?” “Put me in my place. In front of my wife. ‘You’re a psychotherapist, correct? Not a psychiatrist? You don’t prescribe medication?’ That’s what the snot-nosed so-called doctor actually said to me. Can you believe that? Some twenty-year-old who just started wiping his own ass. I’m telling you she’s on too many pills! Makes her soupy. He won’t listen to me!” “It’s okay, Dad. Calm down. It’s okay.” “I can’t bear hearing her talk about Carrie Ann. Your mother's the one who told us never to mention Carrie Anne's name again." Forbid us. Forbid us to ever mention her name again. “I know, Dad. I’ll talk to the doctor. Calm down.” “I always wanted to go to Spain,” Jody said. She turned off the television and patted the side of the bed. So she’d heard and understood the conversation. God, the brain was a mysterious thing. Grace went over and sat down. “You never told me that.” “I would hardly share that with a stranger.” I’m your daughter! She wanted to shout. But her mother couldn’t help it. “Just keep talking,” her father said. “At least she’s not dredging up ghosts, or drooling over naked stud muffins.” And now Grace couldn't believe her father had just said “naked stud muffins.” Maybe getting away for a bit wasn’t such a bad idea. Grace turned back to her mother. “Why did you always want to go to Spain?” “My mother went to Spain. All by herself. When she was in her seventies.” “I know,” Grace said. It had been just after Grace’s grandfather had died. Her grandparents were supposed to take the trip together. Everyone thought Annette Jennings would cancel the trip. Instead, she buried her husband and packed her bags. Little Annette who had never been outside of her home state. Grace had had many conversations with her grandmother about that trip. She was proud of her too. “It was really something,” Jim said. “Because in those days seventy wasn’t the new fifty or whatever the kids say today. Seventy was seventy.” “Tell me about it,” Grace said. Jody Sawyer straightened up, and her eyes seemed to take in more light. “Well, it’s not like it is now. Women didn’t travel alone back then. Wasn’t that brave? My mother sent me a postcard from Madrid of a beautiful tango dancer in a red dress. The dress was made of actual material—beautiful red silk right on the postcard. I’ll never forget it. She’d only written one sentence on the back. ‘Robert would’ve loved the landing.’ My father was very picking with landings and always impressed when the pilot pulled off a smooth one. Anyway. As soon as I got that postcard I knew my mother was going to be all right. ‘Robert would have loved the landing.’ After she died I spent hours just touching that silky red dress with the tips of my fingers and imagining my mother dancing in the streets of Spain.” Jody Sawyer looked up and swayed her upper body slightly as if watching her faraway self dance. Then she looked down at her hands, twisting the bed sheet. “Look how ugly and wrinkled I am now.” “You’re not ugly and wrinkled, Mom. You’re beautiful.” “I wish I had that postcard now.” Her mother looked up into space. “I lost it.” Grace hesitated. Did she, or didn’t she? Grace opened the bedside drawer and took out the postcard. Her mother was right. The dress was silky. Grace handed it to her mother and watched her eyes light up. Next her mother gently outlined the edge of the dancer’s dress with the trembling tip of her right index finger. Her fingernail was misshapen, the peach paint flaking. Grace would have to see if they could bring in a manicurist. Jody looked at Grace, her eyes clear and bright. “Gracie Ann you have to go. Film everything. I’m dying to see Barcelona through you.” Grace must have looked stricken, for her mother laughed and then put her hand over her heart. “Sorry, no pun intended.” Like antennas being manipulated for a clearer signal, sometimes her mother tuned in perfectly. Jody Sawyer laughed again, and Grace couldn’t help but laugh with her. “Mom.” “Make me feel like I’m there,” Jody said, closing her eyes. “Help me shut out this hospice. Let me see beautiful Barcelona.” She took Grace’s hand and held it. “Do it for me. I’ll feel like I’m with you. Bring a camera. And your guitar,” she added. “You never know.” When Grace still didn’t answer, her mother opened her eyes, and lifted Grace’s chin up with her hand like she used to do when Grace was a child. “Be brave, Gracie Ann. Just like my mother.” “Like my mother too,” Grace whispered back.

My Review:

This was a very nice surprise! I did not expect this book to be so .. grabey (I couldn't think of another word!) ! I felt pulled in almost instantly, and didn't want to put the novel down for one second! The story flows pretty swiftly and doesn't lag.


I enjoyed the mix of genres in this one. There's family drama, mystery, a bit of a thriller edge to it as well. It certainly felt like a unique read. The characters were all really developed and unique too. I didn't feel like I quite knew what to expect by anyone! That element of surprise really got me and kept me hooked.

Meet Me in Barcelona is definitely a unique story and a fun read!


Giveaway

Mary Carter is giving away 3 books including My Sister's Voice, Three Months in Venice and Sunnyside Blues!

Terms & Conditions:
  • By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.
  • One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter to receive one set of three books by Mary Carter.
  • This giveaway begins August 4 and ends on October 31.
  • Winners will be contacted via email on Monday, November 3.
  • Winner has 48 hours to reply.
Good luck everyone!

ENTER TO WIN!







Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Review: Abe Lincoln: Public Enemy #1

(from Goodreads)
Paperback, 350 pages
Published October 5th 2013 by Lowtide Books

When John Wilkes Booth shoots Lincoln with a bullet cursed by the notorious Chicken Man, a local voodoo practitioner, he unwittingly sets in motion a chain of events extending far into the future. Instead of killing Lincoln, the bullet puts the president into a coma for sixty-eight years, his body remaining limber and ageless. When he awakens in 1933, Abe Lincoln is a man out of time, a revered icon...and a political pariah. FDR and J. Edgar Hoover not only do not want him around, they want him to retire. But their plan to be rid of him backfires and Lincoln is on the run, a fugitive from justice.

Determined to reach Chicago and retrieve the small fortune left in trust for him by his long-dead son, Lincoln discovers that Hoover has confiscated all his money, leaving him destitute. With Bureau of Investigation agent Melvin Purvis in hot pursuit, Lincoln finds his way to a hobo camp where he befriends a young runaway, who agrees to accompany the former president back to Washington. There Lincoln hopes that Hannah Wheelhouse, the Chicken Man's granddaughter, can help him find the peace he longs for.

Then fate deals Lincoln another strange hand when he and the boy end up as hostages to infamous bank robber John Dillinger. Instead of leaving them by the side of the road after the robbery, Dillinger takes a liking to Lincoln and invites him to join the gang, promising him he'll get all his money back.

Will Lincoln survive long enough to recapture his fortune and get away, or will he be hunted down in a manner unbefitting a martyred President?






 My Review: 

This was quite a strange book, and I mean that in a very good way. I enjoyed it very much! I kind of went into this thinking it would be a certain kind of read and got something else entirely! I again, mean that in a good way. This plot could have turned out so very cheesy, but it did not. I really do enjoy how Anthony and Walker told a very usual, but thought provoking story. I started to wonder what other historical figures would react/think if removed from their time and brought into a different one. SO much geeky fun!

Okay, so back to the story. I thought it flowed very smoothly. I enjoyed the way the writers handled Abe and made him out to be a fleshed out character and not someone stuck in the pages of a history book. There are other historical figures woven through, and I thought that was just darn spiffy!

From start to finish, this was my face.










 I love the way this book was written! It should definitely be a movie! So to Mr. Anthony and Mr. Walker...stand up and take a bow! This is one heck of a book!




TLC Review: The Angel of Losses by Stephanie Feldman


Angel of Losses


The Angel of Losses
• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Ecco (July 29, 2014)
 
The Tiger’s Wife meets A History of Love in this inventive, lushly imagined debut novel that explores the intersections of family secrets, Jewish myths, the legacy of war and history, and the bonds between sisters.

When Eli Burke dies, he leaves behind a mysterious notebook full of stories about a magical figure named The White Rebbe, a miracle worker in league with the enigmatic Angel of Losses, protector of things gone astray, and guardian of the lost letter of the alphabet, which completes the secret name of God.

When his granddaughter, Marjorie, discovers Eli’s notebook, everything she thought she knew about her grandfather—and her family—comes undone. To find the truth about Eli’s origins and unlock the secrets he kept, she embarks on an odyssey that takes her deep into the past, from 18th century Europe to Nazi-occupied Lithuania, and back to the present, to New York City and her estranged sister Holly, whom she must save from the consequences of Eli’s past.

Interweaving history, theology, and both real and imagined Jewish folktales, The Angel of Losses is a family story of what lasts, and of what we can—and cannot—escape.
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Stephanie FeldmanAbout Stephanie Feldman

Stephanie Feldman is a graduate of Barnard College. She lives outside Philadelphia with her husband and her daughter.


My Review: 

Okay I'm going to say this straight out the gate, I know very very very little about Jewish folklore. I really loved the family dynamics, the history and the way the writer slide the folklore in. It was fun to read, got me in the feels a few times, and wasn't like anything I've read before.

I wouldn't say this was a "quick" read, but it is one that will make you wanna sit down for a few hours with it. That's what I did, and it didn't feel like that long either!

Were there flat notes for me? Yeah, there was one that got me. I don't know if it's because I read and ARC or what, but the switching of the viewpoints (between the notebook and present day) left me a bit confused a few times. This did snatch me back to reality here and there, but I was eager to get back into the story.

All in all I would say that this was a very solid read. I will definitely keep my eye out for more from Stephanie Feldman. If you are looking for a family drama/folklore-y kind of tale then this is one you should definitely check out!