I enjoyed all the books I read.
Have you read any of these books?
Friday, January 31, 2020
Books Read in January
I enjoyed all the books I read.
Have you read any of these books?
Thursday, January 30, 2020
Spotlight and AUDIO giveaway of The Hunt by Jacqueline Terrill
Jacqueline Terrill is celebrating the release of her book:
THE HUNT
************
All information and the giveaway prize in this post are courtesy of the author, Jacqueline Terrill.
Jacqueline will provide and send the winner his/her audio book.
Jacqueline will provide and send the winner his/her audio book.
************
ABOUT THE HUNT:
After thirty years of marriage, Rachel observes herself amid a matrimonial nightmare.
While at first, she sought to write off Seth’s nighttime escapades and drinking as a midlife crisis, the local sheriff hands her a foreclosure notice because her mortgage hasn't been paid. Rachel perceives something is awry.
Devastated and needing space to reflect, Rachel accepts a respite from her best friend Lauren to hang at her cabin in the Allegheny Mountains for Thanksgiving, where she reconnects with Lauren, and her family.
When Rachel tries to understand Seth’s change of heart, the schemes of her husband, mother-in-law, and the entire Blackstone crew. The family she married into became an illusion.As her thirty-year marriage dissolves, Rachel realizes that getting into the Blackstone family is one thing, but getting out alive is another.
Desperate to get off of this roller-coaster ride without shattering, Rachel must figure out the shrewdest way to pull herself up out of this turbulent charade.Can she stay alive through the worst episodes that marred her down to her knees?
************After thirty years of marriage, Rachel observes herself amid a matrimonial nightmare.
While at first, she sought to write off Seth’s nighttime escapades and drinking as a midlife crisis, the local sheriff hands her a foreclosure notice because her mortgage hasn't been paid. Rachel perceives something is awry.
Devastated and needing space to reflect, Rachel accepts a respite from her best friend Lauren to hang at her cabin in the Allegheny Mountains for Thanksgiving, where she reconnects with Lauren, and her family.
When Rachel tries to understand Seth’s change of heart, the schemes of her husband, mother-in-law, and the entire Blackstone crew. The family she married into became an illusion.As her thirty-year marriage dissolves, Rachel realizes that getting into the Blackstone family is one thing, but getting out alive is another.
Desperate to get off of this roller-coaster ride without shattering, Rachel must figure out the shrewdest way to pull herself up out of this turbulent charade.Can she stay alive through the worst episodes that marred her down to her knees?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jacqueline Terrill is an Author of Romantic Suspense. She's a native of
Pennsylvania. For more than twenty years she was an Entrepreneur,
Business owner. She attended Shenango Valley School of Business, Gannon
University for Business Marketing, and attended Shenango Valley
Slackwriter's Group for four years until her book came to fruition.
In my spare time I wrote a recipe book for my children - Awesome Traditional Recipes. This is a great cookbook with step-by-step directions that are easy to make, and sure to be a win-win situation for you, and your family.
My husband Neil, my dog Cream, and my cat Oliver are the finest part of my everyday lifestyle. That goes without mentioning my children, and grandchildren. We live in Western Pennsylvania.
To read more about Jacqueline you can visit her website at: https://www.jacquelineterrill.com/ or follow her Author's Page on Facebook.
In my spare time I wrote a recipe book for my children - Awesome Traditional Recipes. This is a great cookbook with step-by-step directions that are easy to make, and sure to be a win-win situation for you, and your family.
My husband Neil, my dog Cream, and my cat Oliver are the finest part of my everyday lifestyle. That goes without mentioning my children, and grandchildren. We live in Western Pennsylvania.
To read more about Jacqueline you can visit her website at: https://www.jacquelineterrill.com/ or follow her Author's Page on Facebook.
************
GIVEAWAY:
I am partnering with the author, Jacqueline Terrill for this giveaway:
I am partnering with the author, Jacqueline Terrill for this giveaway:
USA and UK ONLY
January 30 - February 7
January 30 - February 7
Enter here
************
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Comparing Yearly Challenges
I always choose 50 books so it isn't stressful.
What about YOU...how do your years compare?
Tuesday, January 28, 2020
Cartier's Hope by M. J. Rose
Vera was the daughter of a wealthy businessman, but she needed to hide this fact so she could work at being a journalist for the stories women were assigned, and according to her mother to not disgrace the family’s name because she didn’t comply with social norms of being a married woman and a wealthy woman who didn't work.
Vera was always looking for a story. The Hope Diamond would be a perfect one. What intrigued Vera was when she heard its background and its supposed curse.
Even more interesting than the Hope Diamond and what peaked her curiosity was when she found locked bookcases in her father's library and had no idea why her father would have locked books inside.
Mystery about the bookcase and the intrigue about the Hope Diamond kept Vera's journalistic mind going. Vera had been in a slump and didn't want to write any more, but after she found out why her father had books hidden behind books, the Hope Diamond story took second place but was going to help her with her father's secret. This made her realize it was time to get back to her life's work and find out why and who was behind her father's story and how to use the Hope Diamond to aid with the search for answers.
Ms. Rose made the reader aware of the challenges female journalists faced and what they had to put up with in the male-dominated profession. The female journalists had to put up with the worst stories, lower pay than their male counterparts, sexual favors if they wanted their name on a story, and not being treated the same or looked at for being as good as a male journalist.
M. J. Rose has a writing style that pulls you in along with her marvelous details and research.
Historical fiction fans will enjoy CARTIER'S HOPE as well as mystery fans and those readers who enjoy strong female characters.
And...there can't be an absence of some romance with all those gorgeous jewels, right?
ENJOY when you read CARTIER’S HOPE. It is an all-around "gem" of a read. 5/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Monday, January 27, 2020
Sunday, January 26, 2020
Saturday, January 25, 2020
FEATURING: THE PROMISE OF HOME by Darcie Chan
Letters
from the past that reveal hidden secrets and untold tales, a mansion
being restored, and all the wonderful characters from Ms. Chan's
previous novels.
FULL REVIEW HERE.
FULL REVIEW HERE.
Friday, January 24, 2020
Books Set In Paris
Books set in Paris are always good reads.
See what was said in this video about these four books set in Paris.
Go HERE for the video.
Thursday, January 23, 2020
FEATURING: A PARIS APARTMENT by Michelle Gable
Paris
in the late 1800's during the Belle Epoque, antique furniture and
paintings, and journals from an apartment's original inhabitant.
All of these things made A PARIS APARTMENT a book that will keep you glued to the pages.
All of these things made A PARIS APARTMENT a book that will keep you glued to the pages.
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Spotlight and Giveaway of Kidnapped on Safari by Peter Riva
Anna Sacca of FSBAssociates is celebrating:
KIDNAPPED ON SAFARI
************
Peter Riva is the author of Kidnapped on Safari. He has spent many months over thirty years traveling throughout Africa and Europe. Much of this time was spent with the legendary guides for East African hunters and adventurers.
He created a TV series in 1995 called Wild Things for Paramount. Passing on the fables, true tales, and insider knowledge of these last reserves of true wildlife is his passion. Nonetheless, his job for over forty years has been working as a literary agent.
In his spare time, Riva writes science fiction and African adventure books, including the previous two titles in the Mbuno and Pero Adventures series, Murder on Safari and The Berlin Package. He lives in Gila, New Mexico.
Information in this post is courtesy of Anna Sacca of FSBAssociates.
************
A gripping international thriller by Peter Riva.
************
************
ADVANCED PRAISE FOR KIDNAPPED ON SAFARI:
In Kidnapped on Safari, Peter Rivaoffers stiff competition in the thriller/adventure world with hero Pero Baltazar, nature documentary producer, sometimes CIA asset, loving husband, and fierce friend. In this novel, the third of a series on Baltazar’s world-saving exploits, it’s the fate of Tanzania that’s at stake. But first he must rescue beloved friend Mbuno’s nephew from unknown kidnappers and unravel one intrigue after another, peeling back layers of mystery involving drug traffickers, tribal rivalries, terrorists, Russian oligarchs, and the miasma of African politics, all while battling the perils of the bush. . . . Best of all, Riva delivers rat-a-tat action, rarely letting up, building to a nail-biter conclusion. Move over Jason Bourne. Baltazar is here.”
In Kidnapped on Safari, Peter Rivaoffers stiff competition in the thriller/adventure world with hero Pero Baltazar, nature documentary producer, sometimes CIA asset, loving husband, and fierce friend. In this novel, the third of a series on Baltazar’s world-saving exploits, it’s the fate of Tanzania that’s at stake. But first he must rescue beloved friend Mbuno’s nephew from unknown kidnappers and unravel one intrigue after another, peeling back layers of mystery involving drug traffickers, tribal rivalries, terrorists, Russian oligarchs, and the miasma of African politics, all while battling the perils of the bush. . . . Best of all, Riva delivers rat-a-tat action, rarely letting up, building to a nail-biter conclusion. Move over Jason Bourne. Baltazar is here.”
—Mary Glickman, bestselling author of Home in the Morning and National Jewish Book Award finalist for One More River
"This captivating story, involving Russian efforts to destabilize East Africa with the help of Boko Haram extremists, is in itself enough to chain you to your seat. Add to this Peter Riva’s soulful rendering of the African spirit, and you have an outstanding reading experience that will linger for a long time.”
"This captivating story, involving Russian efforts to destabilize East Africa with the help of Boko Haram extremists, is in itself enough to chain you to your seat. Add to this Peter Riva’s soulful rendering of the African spirit, and you have an outstanding reading experience that will linger for a long time.”
—Bob van Laerhoven, author of the international bestselling and award-winning Baudelaire’s Revenge and twelve other novels
"A clever and entertaining novel in an exotic setting. . . . Few books set in Africa give such a detailed description of settings and language as this one. . . . With an interesting plot and clearly described (and motivated) characters, this book betrays a writer very well at home in his craft.”
"A clever and entertaining novel in an exotic setting. . . . Few books set in Africa give such a detailed description of settings and language as this one. . . . With an interesting plot and clearly described (and motivated) characters, this book betrays a writer very well at home in his craft.”
—Guido Eekhaut, Hercule Poirot Award-winning author of Absinthe and Purgatory
"Kidnapped on Safari is a richly-detailed Pero Baltazar thriller set in Africa that quickly seduces the reader with authentic touches that could’ve been ripped from today’s headlines. Riva layers in confident authority on every page—whether he’s describing the flora (“…grass that would slice your hand”), fauna (“Lions, once fed, are always hungry”) or complicated geopolitical nightmares (Russia destabilizing the region via Boko Haram), Riva summons an almost cinematic expertise that never calls attention to itself. Likewise, his facility with multiple languages enables him to have characters speak in their native tongue—but always with concise translation—so the reader not only sees the magnificent scenery (and, yes, the squalor) but hears the poetry of the land. This is a whip-smart page-turner nearly impossible to put down once you begin reading.”
"Kidnapped on Safari is a richly-detailed Pero Baltazar thriller set in Africa that quickly seduces the reader with authentic touches that could’ve been ripped from today’s headlines. Riva layers in confident authority on every page—whether he’s describing the flora (“…grass that would slice your hand”), fauna (“Lions, once fed, are always hungry”) or complicated geopolitical nightmares (Russia destabilizing the region via Boko Haram), Riva summons an almost cinematic expertise that never calls attention to itself. Likewise, his facility with multiple languages enables him to have characters speak in their native tongue—but always with concise translation—so the reader not only sees the magnificent scenery (and, yes, the squalor) but hears the poetry of the land. This is a whip-smart page-turner nearly impossible to put down once you begin reading.”
—Robert Morgan Fisher, winner of the 2018 Chester B. Himes Fiction Prize and finalist for the 2019 John Steinbeck Award
"Crisp clear writing and a quick pace and an authoritative sense of the characters and of a compelling place." —Sharman Apt Russell, author of Knocking on Heaven's Door and John Burroughs Medal award winner
"Peter Riva’s singular ability to both entertain and inform is captured in this literary tour-de-force; a page-turner in every sense of the term.”
"Crisp clear writing and a quick pace and an authoritative sense of the characters and of a compelling place." —Sharman Apt Russell, author of Knocking on Heaven's Door and John Burroughs Medal award winner
"Peter Riva’s singular ability to both entertain and inform is captured in this literary tour-de-force; a page-turner in every sense of the term.”
—David Ariosto, author of This is Cuba: An American Journalist Under Castro's Shadow and executive producer of GZERO Media
"Peter Riva delivers again with a timely procedural thriller that will keep you up well past your bedtime. Set in East Africa, where the modern world coexists (not always peacefully) with ancient ways and traditions, this story seamlessly blends wonderful detail with relentless pacing in a nonstop adventure that you just can’t put down.”
"Peter Riva delivers again with a timely procedural thriller that will keep you up well past your bedtime. Set in East Africa, where the modern world coexists (not always peacefully) with ancient ways and traditions, this story seamlessly blends wonderful detail with relentless pacing in a nonstop adventure that you just can’t put down.”
—Jeff Crook, author of The Sleeping and the Dead
"A romp through modern Kenya and beyond, featuring interesting characters and putting Africa on display with vivid scenes and a local's knowledge of place. The story is filled with twists and turns, spiced with the tribal dialects. Added to the mix, an intriguing plot involving the CIA. A rousing adventure that highlights the people of Kenya and a mystery revolving around one of the planet's most horrid crimes. Well written and enlightening, Kidnapped on Safari is highly recommended.”
"A romp through modern Kenya and beyond, featuring interesting characters and putting Africa on display with vivid scenes and a local's knowledge of place. The story is filled with twists and turns, spiced with the tribal dialects. Added to the mix, an intriguing plot involving the CIA. A rousing adventure that highlights the people of Kenya and a mystery revolving around one of the planet's most horrid crimes. Well written and enlightening, Kidnapped on Safari is highly recommended.”
—Ron Lealos, author of Pashtun and Don't Mean Nuthin'
"Peter Riva has skillfully crafted a rousing and topical adventure with the spirit of a blockbuster and the soul of a literary thriller. Riva lets us experience the wonders and dangers of deepest East Africa using all the senses. Pero Baltazar and his trusted guide Mbuno will again stop at nothing to do what’s right, and the world could use more of them.”
"Peter Riva has skillfully crafted a rousing and topical adventure with the spirit of a blockbuster and the soul of a literary thriller. Riva lets us experience the wonders and dangers of deepest East Africa using all the senses. Pero Baltazar and his trusted guide Mbuno will again stop at nothing to do what’s right, and the world could use more of them.”
—Steve Anderson, bestselling translator and author of The Preserve
"An amazing piece of writing—so exciting. An incredible page turner—and such a convincing and riveting plot that so resonates in today's political climate. . . . [Peter Riva has] an amazing mind to be able to hold so much in it as he creates his story. The plot here is so convoluted and complicated, and yet Riva keeps all the treads moving together. . . . I loved it.”
"An amazing piece of writing—so exciting. An incredible page turner—and such a convincing and riveting plot that so resonates in today's political climate. . . . [Peter Riva has] an amazing mind to be able to hold so much in it as he creates his story. The plot here is so convoluted and complicated, and yet Riva keeps all the treads moving together. . . . I loved it.”
—Mona Houghton, author of Frottage & Even As We Speak
************
ABOUT KIDNAPPED ON SAFARI:
Expert safari guide Mbuno and wildlife television producer Pero Baltazar are filming in Northern Kenya when they receive news that Mbuno’s son, Ube, himself an expert guide, has been kidnapped while on safari 500 miles away in Tanzania.
What follows is a hunt to find Ube and bring his captors to justice. Their trek takes them through the wilderness where they trace the kidnappers back to an illegal logging operation clear-cutting national park forests manned by sinister Boko Haram mercenaries. There, they find not only Ube but also a shocking revelation that has terrifying and far-reaching consequences.
Exciting and expertly plotted using facts ripped from news headlines, Kidnapped on Safari is a gripping, edge-of-your-seat thriller set in East Africa.
************Expert safari guide Mbuno and wildlife television producer Pero Baltazar are filming in Northern Kenya when they receive news that Mbuno’s son, Ube, himself an expert guide, has been kidnapped while on safari 500 miles away in Tanzania.
What follows is a hunt to find Ube and bring his captors to justice. Their trek takes them through the wilderness where they trace the kidnappers back to an illegal logging operation clear-cutting national park forests manned by sinister Boko Haram mercenaries. There, they find not only Ube but also a shocking revelation that has terrifying and far-reaching consequences.
Exciting and expertly plotted using facts ripped from news headlines, Kidnapped on Safari is a gripping, edge-of-your-seat thriller set in East Africa.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Peter Riva is the author of Kidnapped on Safari. He has spent many months over thirty years traveling throughout Africa and Europe. Much of this time was spent with the legendary guides for East African hunters and adventurers.
He created a TV series in 1995 called Wild Things for Paramount. Passing on the fables, true tales, and insider knowledge of these last reserves of true wildlife is his passion. Nonetheless, his job for over forty years has been working as a literary agent.
In his spare time, Riva writes science fiction and African adventure books, including the previous two titles in the Mbuno and Pero Adventures series, Murder on Safari and The Berlin Package. He lives in Gila, New Mexico.
************
GIVEAWAY:
I am partnering with Anna Sacca for this giveaway.
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED.
I am partnering with Anna Sacca for this giveaway.
Contest has ended.
Our winner is:
Laurie from Michigan
CONGRATS!!
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED.
USA ONLY
January 22 - 29
January 22 - 29
Enter here
************
Tuesday, January 21, 2020
Monday, January 20, 2020
TODAY'S PROMPT: MAGICAL SETTING
Thank you to eggs of Litsy:
#NEWYEARNEWYOU
@eggs
Today’s Prompt: MAGICAL SETTING
Who doesn't love a book that has a bookshop in it?
Hazel Gaynor's books are always magical whether there is magic in them or not.
FULL REVIEW HERE.
Sunday, January 19, 2020
Prompt: LOST
Thank you to eggs of Litsy:
#NEWYEARNEWYOU
@eggs
Today’s Prompt: LOST
American servicemen and women, New Guinea, and WWII, are the backdrops for Lost in Shangri-La.
FULL REVIEW HERE
Saturday, January 18, 2020
A Pink Cover
Thank you to eggs of Litsy:
#NEWYEARNEWYOU
@eggs
Today’s Prompt: A PINK COVER
The book was as sweet as the icing on Issy’s cupcakes. It will leave you with a cozy, warm feeling.
FULL REVIEW HERE
Friday, January 17, 2020
Spotlight and Giveaway of The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray
Berkley/Penguin Random House is celebrating the paperback release of:
THE CARE AND FEEDING OF RAVENOUSLY HUNGRY GIRLS
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Information in this post is courtesy of Dache Rogers of Penguin Random House.
************
NOW AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK!
NOW AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK!
The poignant and emotionally affecting debut novel by CNN journalist Anissa Gray, THE CARE AND FEEDING OF RAVENOUSLY HUNGRY GIRLS (Berkley Trade Paperback Reprint; January 14, 2020) will be available in paperback this January.
Embraced by booksellers and librarians and endorsed by authors like Terry McMillan and Delia Owens, the novel is a powerful exploration of what it means to be middle class in today’s America—and what it feels like to be an outsider in your family and community.
Embraced by booksellers and librarians and endorsed by authors like Terry McMillan and Delia Owens, the novel is a powerful exploration of what it means to be middle class in today’s America—and what it feels like to be an outsider in your family and community.
************
PRAISE FOR THE CARE AND FEEDING OF RAVENOUSLY HUNGRY GIRLS:
"The inequities of the justice system, the fortitude of women of color, and the bittersweet struggle to connect are rendered ravishly in this bighearted novel." —Oprah Magazine
"The inequities of the justice system, the fortitude of women of color, and the bittersweet struggle to connect are rendered ravishly in this bighearted novel." —Oprah Magazine
"Gray's nuanced, lyrical debut is a moving examination of the ties that bind and—nearly as often—bless."—People
“[An] intimate family saga sure to appeal to fans of Tayari Jones and Celeste Ng.”—Entertainment Weekly
"Masterful debut...a poetically written story.”—Delia Owens, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Where the Crawdads Sing
“I was immediately taken by the power and honesty of Anissa Gray’s voice. She is a writer to watch, and this debut is not to be missed!”
“[An] intimate family saga sure to appeal to fans of Tayari Jones and Celeste Ng.”—Entertainment Weekly
"Masterful debut...a poetically written story.”—Delia Owens, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Where the Crawdads Sing
“I was immediately taken by the power and honesty of Anissa Gray’s voice. She is a writer to watch, and this debut is not to be missed!”
—Terry McMillan, New York Times bestselling author of I Almost Forgot About You and Waiting to Exhale
“If you enjoyed An American Marriage, read The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls...an absorbing commentary on love, family and forgiveness.”—The Washington Post
“As in Tayari Jones’s best-selling An American Marriage, Gray uses imprisonment as the backdrop for a disarmingly compelling story that skirts easy answers and sentimentality. Conversational in tone and difficult in subject, Care and Feeding tells not just an American story but several important ones.” —Vogue
“If you enjoyed An American Marriage, read The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls...an absorbing commentary on love, family and forgiveness.”—The Washington Post
“As in Tayari Jones’s best-selling An American Marriage, Gray uses imprisonment as the backdrop for a disarmingly compelling story that skirts easy answers and sentimentality. Conversational in tone and difficult in subject, Care and Feeding tells not just an American story but several important ones.” —Vogue
************
ABOUT THE CARE AND FEEDING OF RAVENOUSLY HUNGRY GIRLS:
************
The
Butler family has had their share of trials—as sisters Althea, Viola,
and Lillian can attest—but nothing prepared them for the literal trial
that will upend their lives.
Althea,
the eldest sister and substitute matriarch, is a force to be reckoned
with and her younger sisters have alternately appreciated and chafed at
her strong will. They
are as stunned as the rest of the small community when she and her
husband, Proctor, are arrested, and in a heartbeat the family goes from
one of the most respected in town to utter disgrace. The worst part is,
not even her sisters are sure exactly what happened.
As
Althea awaits her fate, Lillian and Viola must come together in the
house they grew up in to care for their sister’s teenage daughters. What
unfolds is a stunning portrait
of the heart and core of an American family in a story that is as
page-turning as it is important.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Anissa Gray is a Senior Editor at CNN Worldwide and a contributor to Emmy and DuPont-Columbia award-winning coverage of some of the most consequential stories of our time.
PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie J. Heath
Anissa Gray is a Senior Editor at CNN Worldwide and a contributor to Emmy and DuPont-Columbia award-winning coverage of some of the most consequential stories of our time.
She began her career at Reuters as a reporter, based in New York, covering business news and international finance.
Born in St. Joseph, Michigan, Gray studied English and American literature at New York University.
She lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her wife.
************
GIVEAWAY:
I am partnering with Dache Rogers of Penguin Random House.
I am partnering with Dache Rogers of Penguin Random House.
USA ONLY
January 17 - 24
January 17 - 24
Enter here
************
Thursday, January 16, 2020
Review and Giveaway of The Vineyards of Champagne by Juliet Blackwell
Rosalyn works for a vineyard in Napa, California, and is told she has
to go to Champagne, France. Who wouldn't want to go to Champagne,
France - well...Rosalyn isn't too excited about going.
On her flight over, Rosalyn meets Emma who has found letters from a soldier and a woman that corresponded during the war. She asked Rosalyn to help her put all the letters together and to make some sense out of them, but Rosalyn declines the offer. She said she has to do what her employer asked her to do.
When Rosalyn finds one of the letters in her bag that Emma must have not picked up after they all fell to the floor, she becomes interested in the correspondence as she translates the letters through all the grime and worn out and unable-to-be translated words.
Rosalyn wishes she would have told Emma she would help her. She could do that if she gets organized and finds the business card Emma had given her.
Translating these letters would be much more interesting than going from one local wine producer to the next trying to drum up business.
I tend to agree with Rosalyn....I would prefer dealing with the letters to uncover the past than dealing with wine makers. I always enjoy books that have the characters finding items from the past that uncover secrets and a past life.
Readers get a marvelous glimpse of France’s quaint, cozy homes, the warmth of the French people, and the history of Champagne and how its citizens coped during the war.
If you love champagne, history lessons, learning about wine making in France, unraveling secrets, reading old letters, exploring old houses, meeting marvelous characters, and being treated to a terrific story line, do not miss reading THE VINEYARDS OF CHAMPAGNE.
Juliet Blackwell has given us another pull-you-in read.
THE VINEYARDS OF CHAMPAGNE will have you falling in love with the characters and the Champagne Region of France, and have you looking at how you need to focus on making yourself happy. 5/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
GIVEAWAY:
CONTEST HAS ENDED.
I am parterning with Danielle Kier of Penguin Random House for this giveaway.
On her flight over, Rosalyn meets Emma who has found letters from a soldier and a woman that corresponded during the war. She asked Rosalyn to help her put all the letters together and to make some sense out of them, but Rosalyn declines the offer. She said she has to do what her employer asked her to do.
When Rosalyn finds one of the letters in her bag that Emma must have not picked up after they all fell to the floor, she becomes interested in the correspondence as she translates the letters through all the grime and worn out and unable-to-be translated words.
Rosalyn wishes she would have told Emma she would help her. She could do that if she gets organized and finds the business card Emma had given her.
Translating these letters would be much more interesting than going from one local wine producer to the next trying to drum up business.
I tend to agree with Rosalyn....I would prefer dealing with the letters to uncover the past than dealing with wine makers. I always enjoy books that have the characters finding items from the past that uncover secrets and a past life.
Readers get a marvelous glimpse of France’s quaint, cozy homes, the warmth of the French people, and the history of Champagne and how its citizens coped during the war.
If you love champagne, history lessons, learning about wine making in France, unraveling secrets, reading old letters, exploring old houses, meeting marvelous characters, and being treated to a terrific story line, do not miss reading THE VINEYARDS OF CHAMPAGNE.
Juliet Blackwell has given us another pull-you-in read.
THE VINEYARDS OF CHAMPAGNE will have you falling in love with the characters and the Champagne Region of France, and have you looking at how you need to focus on making yourself happy. 5/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
GIVEAWAY:
CONTEST HAS ENDED.
I am parterning with Danielle Kier of Penguin Random House for this giveaway.
USA ONLY
JANUARY 16 - 22
ENTER HERE
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
The Better Liar by Tanen Jones
The opening page has Leslie finding her estranged sister, Robin. It definitely wasn’t a meeting she expected because her sister is dead.
Leslie needed to find her sister because according to their father's will, they both have to appear together to receive their inheritance.
Leslie really doesn’t know what to do after seeing her sister, so she runs out of the building and comes up with the idea of not telling anyone her sister is dead. No one will know Robin is dead because she changed her name after she ran away ten years ago.
By coincidence, Leslie meets another girl, Mary, who looks like her sister, and another idea pops up after after meeting Mary. Why not see if this girl will pretend she is Robin, and Leslie will share the inheritance with her.
The girls go back-and-forth and Leslie finally convinces Mary to pretend to be Robin. We find out that might have been the worst idea Leslie ever had.
We meet quite a few liars and characters keeping secrets in this book.
THE BETTER LIAR kept me reading because I wanted to find out what the characters were up to.
This book has a creative story line with twists and a great ending, but it was quite confusing. 3/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Review and Giveaway of How Quickly She Disappears by Raymond Fleischmann
HAPPY PUB DAY!!
Elisabeth and her sister Jacqueline tell their tale in alternating chapters of when they were children together and then today where Elisabeth tells her tale of being alone and without her sister even though she has a husband and daughter. She never got over losing her sister.
Looking for her sister for twenty years was an obsession for Elisabeth and also someone else.
Her sister Jacqueline went missing when they were young and was never found. The news this stranger had was unbelievable.
Could Elisabeth believe this stranger when he had just killed a man?
Could Alfred be the man who took Jacqueline?
Could Alfred be the man who lured Jacqueline with his gifts of money and travel tickets?
Could Elisabeth really be wasting her precious time with her daughter and husband while looking for clues and listening to Alfred's story that he knows where Jacqueline is as he drew her into his schemes and away from her family?
Elisabeth made me nervous with her obsession with Alfred and how she was pulled into what he asked her to do to find her sister. Alfred was a manipulator.
Someone was hiding something, and Elisabeth seemed to be ruining her life for something she really wasn't sure of.
HOW QUICKLY SHE DISAPPEARS was very well written with words that pulled you in and that had a gripping, mesmerizing, menacing tone.
HOW QUICKLY SHE DISAPPEARS will be enjoyed by historical fiction and mystery fans, readers who like secrets, readers who enjoy not really knowing the background of the characters and what makes them "tick," and trying to figure it all out.
Will you be able to figure it all out?
Will you be able to handle the tension?
Will you be able to stop turning the pages? 5/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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Contest has ended.
Our winner is Margie.
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Thanks to everyone who entered.
GIVEAWAY:
I am partnering Dache Rogers of Penguin Random House for this giveaway.Contest has ended.
Our winner is Margie.
CONGRATS!!
Thanks to everyone who entered.
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