FEATURING: Girls' Night Out by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke

THRILLER - MYSTERY

Three friends with issues to resolve take a trip to Mexico to try to reconnect.

The issues seemed to compound rather than lessen. When one of the friends is missing the morning after a wild night of drinking, the tension between the two remaining friends continues and worsens as their fears mount.

The tension in the last 20% of the book definitely picked up my interest and my opinion despite the slow read until then. So instead of a 3/5, I am changing my rating to a 4/5.

FULL REVIEW: https://tinyurl.com/3rzanfp6

PUBLICATION DAY: JULY 24, 2018

All The Broken Places by John Boyne

We meet ninety-one-year old Gretel.

She has been keeping a secret her entire life.

We find out what it is as we see her during the war, during her youth, as she ages, and at her present age.

Her father was in charge of one of the concentration camps, and that bothers her.  She has always felt that she was complicit too.

Her life was good, but her secret was always in the back of her mind as she always tried to hide it.

She has lived in the same flat for almost her entire life, and when a new family moves in, they seem to be hiding things too.

Gretel makes friends with their son who seems to need saving.  If she can help him, will it make up for what she saw and felt she was responsible for during the war?

A powerful, beautifully written, heart wrenching read that historical fiction fans will devour.

The writing, the characters, and the story are phenomenal and come alive through the author's exquisite skill. 5/5

Beyond Summerland by Jenny LeCoat

The war has ended and the citizens of Jersey, Channel Islands, are waiting for their loved ones to return.

Some return, but the father of Jean Parris wasn't on the ship of returning soldiers.

A few days later they found out that he had perished in a prison from being arrested for a minor infraction.

Who was responsible for alerting the Germans that her father had a banned radio?

We then meet Hazel who didn't like Jean's father and who Jean is blaming for telling on her father.

But....when the two women meet, and Hazel finds out Jean has a secret, can they make a deal? 

They decided Hazel won't tell on Jean if Jean will tell the police that Hazel was not the informant.

Can they trust each other?

The book was a bit confusing because of going from one character to the other without any “notice,” but other than that BEYOND SUMMERLAND is another excellent, well researched read that makes you think that even though the war was over, was it really? 

Historical fiction as well as mystery fans will enjoy this book.  4/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Spotlight of Veridian Sterling Fakes it by Jennifer Gooch Hummer

PHOTO CREDIT:

TYPORAMA
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VERIDIAN STERLING FAKES IT

JENNIFER GOOCH HUMMER

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ALL INFORMATION IN THIS POST IS COURTESY JULIETTA THRON OF WUNDERKIND PR 

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A witty look at a hopeful young painter who finds herself embroiled in the world of art heists...and possibly responsible for the counterfeits needed to cover them up.

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July 1, 2024

Lake Union Publishing

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PRAISE FOR VERIDIAN STERLING FAKES IT:

"Too often novels involving art crime are heavy-handed, more dark heist than peppy caper. This one is a total joy to read. You'll shoot through from the first page to the last. Cinematic, light-hearted, with an endearing protagonist and some good twists--everything a good caper should be."—Noah Charney, best-selling author of The Art Thief

“What does it mean to be truly authentic? Veridian Sterling Fakes It is about all the ways we pretend and fool ourselves, be it with art, love or life, with a mother-daughter relationship so engaging, you’ll wish it were yours. Deliciously funny, movingly real, glitteringly smart, and so, so alive.”—Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of With or Without You and Days of Wonder 

“Jennifer Gooch Hummer paints a fun, fast-paced, twist on the art heist in Veridian Sterling Fakes It. Reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn’s role in How to Steal a Million in the best of ways, Veridian’s unintentional descent into a life of crime is a wild ride from beginning to end. Veridian Sterling may fake it, but Jennifer Gooch Hummer is the real deal as a rising voice in humorous fiction.”—Sara Goodman Confino, bestselling author of Don’t Forget to Write and She’s Up to No Good

"I honestly couldn't tell what captivated me more about Veridian Sterling Fakes It -- the twists and turns in the world of art crime, or the sheer relatability of being a fresh graduate from art school forced to work for a mercurial, toxic boss. At various points I had no idea what was going to happen next, but I knew I was along for the ride! This expertly crafted story from Jennifer Gooch Hummer made me feel like an insider to an exclusive club.”—Alicia Thompson, USA Today bestselling author of Love in the Time of Serial Killers

"In an entertaining update of the classic art heist, Jennifer Gooch Hummer immerses the reader in the vibrant New York art scene where old-school stolen Klimts and counterfeit Van Goghs jostle for space with the digital frontier of Non-Fungible Tokens and cryptocurrency. With crisp, evocative prose and an insider's eye, the author deftly navigates the glitz and greed of the contemporary art world in an engrossing tale of a young painter's quest for success.”—Carson Morton, author of Stealing Mona Lisa

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ABOUT VERIDIAN STERLING FAKES IT:

Freshly graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design, Veridian Sterling shops her art to every gallery in New York City.  Unfortunately, not one of them is interested, so she opts for a personal assistant role working for a difficult woman who has an old grievance with her mother.

No glitz, no glam, and definitely none of the money she needs to help her struggling mother finally realize her dream of starting her own business after having sacrificed everything for Veri to go to art school. So when she overhears her new boss discussing the impressive finder's fee for a lost Van Gogh, Veri takes matters into her own hands. Maybe her own artwork isn't celebrated, but she knows how to copy what is, and maybe those skills can help lead to a discovery.

When a famous art dealer takes her under his wing (and his charming driver takes her interest), Veri realizes she's in deeper than she expected, and quite possibly with the wrong people. With her mother's dreams and her own future at stake, Veri will have to pull out every trick she can think of to wipe her canvas clean and erase the mess she's created before she goes down for someone else's crimes.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jennifer Gooch Hummer is the award-winning author and screenwriter for her debut novel, Girl Unmoored, which has been optioned for film.

Her forthcoming novel, Veridian Sterling Fakes It, will be published in July 2024 by Lake Union Publishing.

She is also the author of Operation Tenley, the first book in her middle grade fantasy series, which was a Kirkus Best Book of 2017.

Raised in Boston, Jennifer graduated from Kenyon College with a B.A. in English and moved to Los Angeles where she read scripts for major talent agencies and production companies.

Jennifer currently lives in Southern California with her husband, three daughters, and two rescue dogs.

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Connect :

Website: https://jennifergoochhummer.com/

X/Twitter: @JGoochHummer

Facebook: Jennifer Gooch Hummer

Instagram: @jenniferghummerwrites

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Mailbox Monday - 7/1/2024

 

BOOKMAIL THAT ARRIVED THIS WEEK.

WHAT ARRIVED FOR YOU?

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On Tuesday, June 25, I received:

1.   THE HIDDEN BOOK by Kirsty Manning, courtesy of William Morrow, William Morrow Paperbacks, and NetGalley.

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On Friday, June 28, I received:

1.  TAHOE RESCUE by Todd Borg, courtesy of the author.

A print copy.

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It's Monday!! What Are YOU Reading? - 7/1/2024

                              

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I hope you had a great reading week.

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This is a weekly meme hosted by Kathryn at BOOK DATE!

Post the books completed, the books you are currently reading, and the books you hope to finish at some point.

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Books Completed:

HOUSE OF GLASS by Sarah Pekkanen - review will be on August 6.

Ohhh...it's good.  Don't miss it.

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RETURN TO WYLDCLIFFE HEIGHTS by Carol Goodman - review will be on July 30.

A bit confusing and some paranormal, but a good storyline.

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WHEN THE WORLD FELL SILENT by Donna Jones Alward - review will be on July 22.

Excellent read!!

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THE PERFECT SISTER by Stephanie DeCarolis - review will be on July 19.

A good thriller - a little slow at first, but the ending twists are worth the wait.

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STORM WARNING by David Bell - review is in the book's title.

A character-driven book - good, but not his best.

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ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY by Jamie Day - review will be on July 16.

A bit slow at first, but turns out to be a good thriller.

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THE BURNING by Linda Castillo - review will be on July 11.

Excellent thriller.

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LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTER by Kimberly McCreight - review will be on August 2.

Not a favorite - very confusing, and no likeable characters.

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LENNY MARKS GETS AWAY WITH MURDER by Kerryn Mayne - review will be on July 9.

LOVED IT - add it to your TBR!!  A loveable main character - great debut!!

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BEYOND SUMMERLAND by Jenny LeCoat - review wil be on July 3.

LOVE this author's books.  

It didn't disappoint...the only complaint was it was a bit confusing when it switched from one character to the other, BUT fabulous storyline and research.

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A HAPPIER LIFE by Kristy Woodson Harvey - review is in the book's title.

Ohhhh...so good!!  

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THE YEAR OF WHAT IF by Phaedra Patrick - review is in the book's title.

Good as always, but I have liked her others better.

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Book Currently Reading:

ALL THE WAY GONE by Joanna Schaffhausen - review will be on August 13.

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Books Up Next:

TAHOE RESCUE by Todd Borg - review will be on August 3.

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THE HOUSEKEEPER'S SECRET by Iona Grey - review will be on August 14.

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THE HIDDEN BOOK by Kirsty Manning - review will be on August 15.

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THE FULL MOON COFFEE SHOP by Mai Mochizuki - review will be on August 20.

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THEN THINGS WENT DARK by Bea Fitzgerald - review will be on August 27.

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RED RIVER ROAD by Anna Downes - review will be on August 28.

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THE BOOK SWAP by Tessa Bickers - review will be on September 4.

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THE PARIS UNDERSTUDY by Aurelie Thiele - review will be on September 10.

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THE BOOKLOVER'S LIBRARY by Madeline Martin - review will be on September 11.

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A PLACE TO HIDE by Ronald H. Balson - review will be on September 17.

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THE HITCHCOCK HOTEL by Stephanie Wrobel - review will be on September 24.

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THE NIGHT WE LOST HIM by Laura Dave - review will be on October 1.

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BETRAYAL AT BLACKTHORN PARK by Julia Kelly - review will be on October 2.

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THE LOVE ELIXIR OF AUGUSTA STERN by Lynda Cohen Logiman - review will be on October 8.

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THE PRESIDENT'S LAWYER by Lawrence Robbins - review will be on October 9.  

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THE SUNFLOWER HOUSE by Adriana Allegri - review will be on November 12.

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WHAT SECRETS STAY by CherAnn Wright - review will be on December 1.

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WHAT THE WIFE KNEW by Darby Kane - review will be on December 10.

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THE FRENCH WINEMAKER'S DAUGHTER by Loretta Ellsworth - review will be on December 11.

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THE LOST HOUSE by Melissa Larsen - review will be on January 14, 2025...NO COVER YET.

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THE FAMILY INSIDE by Katie Garner - review will be on January 28, 2025.

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TOUGH LUCK by Sandra Dallas - review will be on April 29, 2025.

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