October Wrap Up

A few long books this month, but all enjoyable.

Happy Halloween

Photo courtesy of The Photo Image App 

and 

The Photo Collage App

COVER REVEAL for the Newest Gem by Patricia Sands!! ️

Spend the holidays in the south of France with your favourite characters from the Love in Provence series.

Everything was going so well with Kat and Philippe's new life together ... until it wasn't. Christmas? Noël? It had all become a conundrum.

Here's the first line of the story, "There are times when even the best novel can't keep your mind off a problem."

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Ebook available on Amazon, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble

ON

November 15, 2018

Print to Follow

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Contact Patricia Sands:

Website: 

www.patriciasandsauthor.com 

Amazon Author Page: 

https://amzn.to/2sJeWrv 

Facebook: 

https://www.facebook.com/patricia.sands.9 

Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/patricialsands

Tahoe Skydrop by Todd Borg

Technology definitely can be dangerous at times.  

Jon, a 10-year-old computer genius, found that out when he was kidnapped and Yardley LaMotte, the owner of Tahoe Robotics, found that out when he was killed for files on a flash drive.

We follow Owen McKenna as he investigates the death of Mr. LaMotte and the kidnapping of Jon.  As always his Largeness is with him, and we learn about Tahoe’s landscape, hiking on ice-covered slopes, and paragliding.

Fans of Mr. Borg will again be treated to tension, mystery solving, and marvelous detail as Owen climbs mountains, hides out in the woods, gets his own way, secretly sneaks up on killers, and uses every clue to come to solving yet another intriguing mystery.

Mr. Borg also gave some details about social and personal topics.

McKenna always has unique ways of rescuing characters as well as keeping the reader in suspense. 

Mr. Borg hopes that after reading about his attempted unique rescue, you will want to try paragliding.  I will pass on that sport. :) 4/5

This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.

Giveaway and Review of The Promise of Provence by Patricia Sands

 

Kat was happily married and had been for twenty-two years.

On the day of her twenty-second anniversary, she came home to the usual bouquet of flowers and the note from her husband.  The note definitely wasn’t the normal loving one.  This note was one saying he was in love with someone else and was leaving her.

Kat couldn’t believe it, but she had her mother and some terrific friends to help her through it all.

Kat moved in with her ailing mother who had lived through the horrors of WWII as a Jewish child and would never tell Kat about that time.  One day unknown to Kat, her mother wrote the events down with Kat being instructed by her mother to not read her mother’s account until she passed.

When she read her mother’s account, she cried and I did too.



As the months moved on, Kat decided she needed something different, and her cousin Andrea told her about a house swap program.  Kat decided to do a house swap, and found a farmhouse in Provence – see photos below

What a wonderful decision for Kat.

Ms. Sands’ marvelous descriptions have you right there with Kat enjoying the delicious food, the landscape, the views, the history of France, and the wonderful people.

THE PROMISE OF PROVENCE is a story of healing and finding yourself and your happiness.

Ms. Sands has written another beautifully told story that will have you wanting to make immediate plane reservations.  5/5

This book was given to me by the author and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.

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Photos:

Antibes and the Provence Area

Farmhouses

Photos courtesy of Patricia Sands

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Giveaway:

I am partnering with the author for this giveaway.

GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED...OUR WINNER IS:

PAM FROM TEXAS!!

CONGRATS!!

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USA ONLY

October 29 - November 5

Enter here

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Coming This Week

This week on Silver’s Reviews.

A review of TAHOE SKYDROP and THE PROMISE OF PROVENCE, and the monthly wrap up of books read in October.

Yellow Spines

Have you read any of these “yellow” books??

All are very good.

 

Green Books

Have you read any of these books?

I have read, reviewed, and enjoyed all of them.

Books By Diane Setterfield

Featuring books by Diane Setterfield.

THE THIRTEENTH TALE is one of my all-time favorites.

BELLMAN & BLACK is VERY Gothic.

ONCE UPON A RIVER...Gothic style again with intriguing, odd characters.

Have you read any books by this author?

Orange Spines

I have read and enjoyed all of them.  :)

Perfect for Halloween.

Giveaway and Spotlight of Another Life by Theodor Kallifatides

Photo Source

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All information in this post is courtesy Justine Sha of Other Press.

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Celebrating The Release Of:

ANOTHER LIFE: On Memory, Language, Love, and the Passage of Time

by

Theodor Kallifatides 

Translated by:

Marlaine Delargy

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Other Press Hardcover ∙ ISBN: 978-159051-945-5

On-Sale Date: September 25th, 2018 ∙ Price: $22.95

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“Down to the smallest comma, it’s a pleasure to read Another Life.”

—Svenska Dagbladet

“Wonderful…The strongest pages of Theodor Kallifatides’s writing—the delicate, finely philosophical—characterize his new work Another Life, a thin book with deep insights.”

—Arbetarbladet

“Kallifatides’s relationship to the words and the story resembles a fifty-year love affair.”

—Sveriges Radio

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Celebrated novelist, essayist, and poet Theodor Kallifatides explores a life of writing and an author’s place and space in a modern, ever-changing world as he feels progressively trapped in his increasing age between not being able to write and not being able to not write.

Kallifatides examines the liminal spaces between language and ideology, homeland and the immigrant experience, democracy and anarchy, the local and the global, and history and the present. He asks: how does one deal with a severe case of writer’s block at the end of a lengthy, prestigious literary career? What is there left to say to a world that changes so quickly and challenges one’s relevancy with each passing day? Was my life’s work meaningful?

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Praise for ANOTHER LIFE:

“Kallifatides has written an unusual and refreshing memoir that uses critical theory to explain an individual behavior. A fascinating look into a prolific author’s mind, especially welcome since there have not been enough English translations of his books.”

—KIRKUS REVIEWS

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“Charming…Slender in size, yet anything but slight in scope, this inviting meditation on age, writing and sense of place, beautifully translated into English by Marlaine Delargy, is witty, profound and thoroughly captivating….Kallifatides is a companionable and funny guide…So while Kallifatides ponders the dilemmas that plague Sweden and Greece and beyond—intolerance toward migrants, materialism, the growing propensity to offend others in the name of free speech—his manner is rueful, but not pessimistic…. [an] exquisite book…” 
 

—BOOKPAGE

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About The Book:

As Kallifatides ruminates on his own aging and the way it affects his writing, he observes the chaotic, combative Europe that surrounds him and contrasts it to his everyday routine with Swedish and Greek friends who keep him grounded in a simpler, more stable time. While Kallifatides studies the various culture wars and economic issues that have transformed his birthplace of Greece into a concerning mix of national crises waiting to implode, and looks on as his beloved Sweden moves towards privatized institutions and worrisomely intolerant views, he struggles with the frustration of his creative stasis. The personal and the political are synthesized in ANOTHER LIFE through the thoughts and reactions that Kallifatides presents, producing a bright, engaging memoir that highlights the inextricable link between a writer and his inspiration.

Full of profound questions on the nature of aging, writing, and the political and economic states of Europe, ANOTHER LIFE is a beautiful meditation on identity under the multifaceted labels and experiences we assign to each other, from the languages we speak, the beliefs and values we hold, and the lessons that we draw from our past selves. Kallifatides has composed a thoughtful memoir about the power of the external world on the work of a lifelong artist, and the reciprocity of this relationship.  More information on the author and translator are below.

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About the Author:

**Photo Credit:  Florence Montmare**

Theodor Kallifatides has published more than forty works of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry that have been translated around the world. 

Born in Greece in 1938, Kallifatides immigrated in 1964 to Sweden, where he began his literary career. 

As a translator, he has brought August Strindberg and Ingmar Bergman to Greek readers, and Giannis Ritsos and Mikis Theodorakis to Swedish ones. 

He has received numerous awards for his work in both Greece and Sweden. He lives in Sweden. 

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About the Translator:

Marlaine Delargy is best known for her translations of the work Henning Mankell, John Ajvide Lindqvist, and Kristina Ohlsson. 

She is also the translator of Therese Bohman’s Eventide and Drowned (Other Press). 

She serves on the editorial board of the Swedish Book Review. 

She lives in Shropshire, England. 

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GIVEAWAY: 

I am partnering with Justine Sha of Other Press for this giveaway:

CONTEST HAS ENDED...OUR WINNER IS LINDA FROM GEORGIA!!

CONGRATS!!

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USA ONLY 

Print Copy 

October 25 - November 1 

Enter here

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The Lies We Told by Camilla Way

 

Wishing for something and getting something unexpected happened to Beth and Doug.  They wished for a baby, and when she finally arrived, she was a frightening, evil child.

Wishing for a wonderful relationship was what Clara hoped for and thought that's what she had until Luke disappeared and she found out unpleasant things about him.

THE LIES WE TOLD has two stories which somehow are connected, but how they are connected is cleverly woven and a well-kept a secret.

Hannah, the evil child, was a very frightening story line.  The disappearance of Luke was not pleasant, but didn't seem as bad.  Hannah was the tie between both story lines, though.

THE LIES WE TOLD is so good you won't want to stop reading.  The plot is brilliant and tense in both stories and increases with each turn of the page and with each secret  and lie revealed.

The only way you can experience this amazing thriller is to read it yourself.  It is very twisted and very good, and you will be thrown off with each clue.

Those readers who like to figure out plots and usually do will most likely be baffled and incorrect in this case.

Read THE LIES WE TOLD so you can join in the discussion of this masterfully created book...the characters are quite cunning themselves...namely Hannah.  

Make sure you have a large block of time available when you start reading this book. 5/5

This book was given to me as an ARC by the publisher via NETGALLEY in exchange for an honest review.  All opinion are my own.

The Rain Watcher by Tatiana De Rosnay

 
Linden wondered why his mother organized a family get together in Paris for his father’s 70th birthday since his father didn’t like Paris.

In addition to his dislike of Paris, Paris was having torrential rainfall with threats of flooding. The rain and flooding continued throughout their time in Paris and throughout the book with worries it would be as bad if not worse than the Paris floods of 1910.

THE RAIN WATCHER brings together this family of four from Venozan, London, and San Francisco - no spouses or children - just the four of them.  We meet Linden from San Francisco who never got along with his father, Tilia from London who is unhappily married for the second time, and Paul and Lauren their parents. 

All the characters seemed to have something to hide, but you warmed up to them as the book continued.

The children had grown up in Venozan after their parents met when Lauren was on a vacation in France more than 30 years ago.  It was a whirlwind romance that had Lauren never going back to the states.

The family was still indifferent as always as they gathered together for breakfast and the rain continued to pour down.  Lauren insisted they were in a non-flood area of Paris and should continue with their celebration plans.

Their celebration was wonderful until something tragic happened at the restaurant and Lauren became ill as well.

Besides being part of family issues and seeing how people interact, there was a lot of interesting information about photography.  Linden was a famous photographer with a photo of his father taken years ago that made him famous.  There is also wonderful information about plants and gardening and Paris.

THE RAIN WATCHER is beautifully written and pulls you into the story line with Ms. De Rosnay’s marvelous storytelling skills and details about every situation. 

If you like rainstorms and family drama, this book will be of interest.  4/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NETGALLEY and in print in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.

House of Gold by Natasha Solomons

 

Greta had been a handful since birth with her governesses explaining that if she had been anything but a Goldbaum, she would be out on the street.

The Goldbaums always married distant cousins to keep the name, their power, and their wealth secure.

Greta was to marry her second cousin from London whom she never met, but she was fine with it because she was hoping this would take her away from her daunting mother and all her rules about proper behavior.

As I was reading, it seemed as if I were living in a fairy tale.  Every whim and want was satisfied for Greta and her family. The description of the mansions was unbelievable, and I laughed when one of the servants confessed she needed a map to navigate the home.

The writing style and the detail Ms. Solomons uses draws you into the story even though some of it is filled with politics and business dealings.  She adds enough family drama and interest of the era to keep you reading, but it did get tedious at times.

The characters were definitely depicted as true to this era and class, and they grew on you as you read.  Some you grew to like and others you grew to wonder why they acted as they did.

If you enjoy reading about aristocrats, politics, European history in the late 1800's/early1900's, war, and the non-public side of the wealthy, HOUSE OF GOLD will be of interest.

The book was well written, but was a bit long.  The characters - especially Greta - made the book.  She was a feisty, strong woman.  4/5

This book was given to me as an ARC by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.

This Week On My Blog

Three reviews and one giveaway coming up this week.

I hope you can stop back.

Featuring Books by Charles Belfoure

I have read, reviewed, and enjoyed all of his books and had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Belfoure a few years ago.
 
All of his books are good, but my favorite is THE PARIS ARCHITECT.

Have you read any books by Mr. Belfoure?

Giveaway and Review of Seven Days of Us by Francesca Hornak

Photo Source
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All information in this post other than my review is courtesy of Lauren Burnstein of Berkley|Penguin Random House.

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Celebrating the paperback release of 
Francesca Hornak's book:

SEVEN DAYS OF US

with a REVIEW and GIVEAWAY

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MY REVIEW:

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Seven days of togetherness along with secrets and tension make up the Birch family's Christmas holiday this year.

Emma has a health secret.

Andrew has a really big secret from his past.

Olivia has something she has to keep secret while in quarantine.

Phoebe really doesn't have a secret but is very self centered.

Staying in Emma's family estate is a bit challenging since Emma doesn't like to change anything from when she spent time there as she grew up.  Things are old and decaying, and the technological side of it is very slow.

I wasn't sure what this book was going to be like at first, but once each chapter began to reveal things about each character, it became a very good read for me.

I laughed a lot as well as worried a lot.  The funniest thing was that each year they planted the Christmas tree back in the same spot and uprooted it again for the next Christmas.  The worries about their secret were intense for some of the characters, and I worried along with them.

SEVEN DAYS OF US was well written and a light read even though some of the issues were not light. The family grew on me to the point that I would have liked to be quarantined with them. 

An enjoyable read that will have you wondering what decisions you would have made about your secrets and situations.  SEVEN DAYS OF US also has some heart wrenching events.

Excellent debut novel - marvelous writing and detail as well as a great story line. 4/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.  

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GIVEAWAY:

I am partnering with Lauren Burnstein and Nicolette Yee of Berkley|Penguin Random House for this giveaway:

USA ONLY

October 18 - 25

ENTER HERE

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Giveaway and Spotlight of Forgetting Ophelia by Julia C. Gardner

Photo Source

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All information in this post is courtesy of the author, Julia C. Gardner

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Celebrating the October 8th 
release 
of

FORGETTING OPHELIA

by

Julia C. Gardner

Amazon Buy Link

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Praise for Forgetting Ophelia:

“An emotionally compelling story about love, the lies we tell, and new beginnings. I couldn't put it down!" - Robin Bielman, USA Today best-selling author

 "Lia is a brave, human, and affectionate heroine who will inspire and charm readers. An engaging read!" - K.S.R. Burns, best-selling author of The Paris Effect and Paris Ever After. 

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About The Book:

Ever-hopeful Lia thinks she’ll be with handsome, brooding Jake forever. Until one day he completely blindsides her and makes her question everything she knows…

Lia Townsend is expecting a ring and a trip to Hawaii for her fifth wedding anniversary. Instead, her husband, Jake, walks out on her. 

Out of the blue. Devastated, Lia vows to win back Jake and the perfect life they shared.

Because it was perfect, wasn’t it?

But as Lia searches for the truth behind Jake’s departure, cracks in the shiny varnish begin to show. And once she uncovers his secret, all that she once knew and believed in crumbles.

Lia’s eccentric mother, her best friend, and two vastly different men each pull her in new directions, and Lia attempts to push past the pain and start anew. 

But Jake isn’t gone for good. When an accident rocks the lives of their best friends, Lia and Jake are thrown together. 

Will Lia choose to salvage her old life with the man who broke her heart – or was everything they shared an illusion?

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About the Author:

I’m a lapsed marathon runner and former high school English teacher who traded in my classroom for a writing nook. 

The author of Lily by Any Other Name, Letters for Scarlet, and its prequel Guest List, I live in Southern California with my husband, two children, and three dogs. 

When I’m away from my computer, I can be found with a good book, a glass of wine, or a pair of running shoes. 

My best days feature all of the above.

Connect with Julia at the links below:

Website, Twitter, Facebookand Instagram.

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GIVEAWAY:

I am partnering with the author for this giveaway.

International Giveaway

E-book

October 17 - 24

Enter here

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