It's Monday! What Are YOU Reading? - 6/12/2023

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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:

 

A BAKERY IN PARIS by Aimie K. Runyan - review will be on August 4.

 

LOVED IT!!  Don't miss it!!

 

 

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THE LAST MASTERPIECE by Laura Morelli - review will be on August 3.

 

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GONE TONIGHT by Sarah Pekkanen - review will be on August 1.

 

Slow buildup, but once it gets going, you won't want to put the book down.

 

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PROM MOM by Laura Lippman - review wil be on July 25.

 

VERY disappointed...very confusing and a lot of information that didn't seem necessary.

 

Didn't get good until the last 10%.

 

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THE PARIS AGENT by Kelly Rimmer - review will be on July 12.

 

Good but confusing at times.

 

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THICKER THAN WATER by Megan Collins - review will be on July 11.

 

Not a favorite.

 

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WHAT THE NEIGHBORS SAW by Melissa Adelman - review will be on June 20.

 

Not a bad read...a bit predictable, though.

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MY WORD AGAINST HIS by Lauren North - review is in the book's title.

 

Thriller fans won't want to miss this one...twists and turns that will make your head spin.

 

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THE LAST LIFE BOAT by Hazel Gaynor - review will be on June 13.

 

Oh my goodness...FANTASTIC as always.  LOVED IT, and I didn't know about this event.

 

HISTORICAL FICTION - WWII 

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THE PARIS DAUGHTER by Kristin Harmel - review is in the book's title.

 

FANTASTIC as always!!

 

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THE NEW MOTHER by Nora Murphy - review is in the book's title.

 

It's a good one...a slow burn that grows in intensity.  

 

It also addresses postpartum depression.

 

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THE LITTLE ITALIAN HOTEL by Phaedra Patrick - review is in the book's title.

 

A sweet read with lovable characters.

 

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THE WISHING GAME by Meg Shaffer - review is in the book's title.

 

A lovely, different read with lovable characters.

 

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THE REVENGE LIST by Hannah Mary McKinnon - review is in the book's title.

 

A twisty, chilling thriller that fans won't want to miss.

 

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Book Currently Reading:

 

FAMOUS IN A SMALL TOWN by Viola Shipman - review will be on July 2. 

 

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Books Up Next:

BEYOND BETRAYAL by Bette Lee Crosby - review will be on July 9.

 

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IN A QUIET ROOM by Amber Garza - review will be on August 7, 2023.

 

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DARK CORNERS by Megan Goldin - review will be on August 8, 2023.

 

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DEAD AND GONE by Joanna Schaffhausen - review will be on August 10.

 

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CALIFORNIA GOLDEN by Melanie Benjamin - review will be on August 11.

 

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A KILLER IN THE FAMILY by Gytha Lodge - review will be on August 12.

 

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NONE OF THIS IS TRUE by Lisa Jewell - review will be on August 14.

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THE TRADE OFF by Sandie Jones - review will be on August 15.

 

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NORTH OF NOWHERE by Allison Brennan - review will be on August 16.

 

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KISSING KOSHER by Jean Meltzer - review will be on August 29.

 

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THE ENEMY BESIDE ME by Naomi Ragen - review will be September 12.

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THE STRANGER UPSTAIRS by Lisa M, Matlin - review will be on September 26.

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BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CHRISTMAS by Mary Kay Andrews - review will be on September 27.

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THESE STILL BLACK WATERS by Christina McDonald - review will be on October 1.

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A TRAITOR IN WHITEHALL by Julia Kelly - review will be on October 3.

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THE INTERN by Michele Campbell - review will be on October 4.

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DREAMING OF WATER by A. J. Banner - review will be on October 10.

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THE PORCELAIN MAKER by Sarah Freethy - review will be on November 7.

 

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THE HEIRESS by Rachel Hawkins - review will be on JANUARY 9, 2024

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BYE, BABY by Carola Lovering - review will be on March 5, 2024.

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This Week at Silver's Reviews

Looks like a week you will want to be sure to stop by.

Hope to see you.

Spotlight of American Ending by Mary Kay Zuravleff

PHOTO SOURCE:
TYPORAMA
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AMERICAN ENDING

MARY KAY ZURAVLEFF

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ALL INFORMATION IN THIS POST IS COURTESY OF KATELYNN DREYER | PUBLICIST | KAYE PUBLICITY 

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A woman growing up in a family of Russian immigrants in the 1910s seeks a thoroughly American life.

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June 6, 2023

Blair Publishing

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PRAISE FOR AMERICAN ENDING:

 

“It’s small acts of inventiveness, generosity, and love that keep individuals going when hard times close in. This is the wisdom and warmth of American Ending, which resurrects a community of immigrants from a century ago in magical, living detail to tell a story that rings true in the present."―Oprah Daily

"As [the main character] Yelena comes of age and looks on as her family and neighbors stumble through a series of weddings and births (all with copious amounts of vodka), she begins to question whether this is the life for her. Zuravleff richly describes the hardscrabble setting, capturing the horrific working conditions, her characters’ will to provide for their families, and how all of it is stifling to Yelena. Fans of 20th-century immigrant stories ought to take a look."―Publishers Weekly

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ABOUT AMERICAN ENDING:

Yelena is the first American born to her Old Believer Russian Orthodox parents, who are building a life in a Pennsylvania Appalachian town. 

This town, in the first decades of the 20th century, is filled with Russian transplants and a new church with a dome. 

Here, boys quit grade school for the coal mines and girls are married off at fourteen. 

The young pair up, give birth to more babies than they can feed, and make shaky starts in their new world. 

However, Yelena craves a different path. 

Will she find her happy American ending or will a dreaded Russian ending be her fate?

In this immersive novel, Zuravleff weaves Russian fairy tales and fables into a family saga within the storied American landscape. 

The challenges facing immigrants—and the fragility of citizenship—are just as unsettling and surprising today as they were 100 years ago.  

American Ending is a poignant reminder that everything that is happening in America has already happened."

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mary Kay Zuravleff is the award-winning author of American Ending, inspired by all four of her grandparents, Russian Orthodox Old Believers who lived in the Appalachian mining town of Marianna, Pennsylvania, and made their way to Erie. 

Her third novel, Man Alive!, was a Washington Post Notable Book, and she is the winner of the American Academy’s Rosenthal Award and a multiple recipient of the DC Artist Fellowship. 

Born in Syracuse, raised in Oklahoma City, and educated in Houston and Baltimore, she lives in Washington, DC.

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The Little Italian Hotel by Phaedra Patrick

Who would pass up a trip to Italy?

Ginny, a radio show host who specializes in helping relationships, booked a trip for her thirtieth wedding anniversary, but when she told her husband about it, he answered with:  I want a divorce.

Heartbroken and embarrassed because she fixes everyone else's problems but didn't know about her own, Ginny spontaneously invites any four listeners on the trip with her.

Find out what happens as four strangers get to know each other and Ginny and her husband do too.

THE LITTLE ITALIAN HOTEL Is a heartwarming read that will have you falling in love with Italy and the characters who learned to care about others, learned to care about themselves, learned to not give up on their present-day situations, and learned to forget about the past.

Enjoy!! 5/5

This book was given to me by the publisher in print and via NetGalley for an honest review.

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AUTHOR BIO:

PHOTO CREDIT:  Samral Photography

Phaedra Patrick is the bestselling author of several novels, including The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, which has been translated into twenty-five languages worldwide. 

 

Her second novel, Rise and Shine Benedict Stone, was made into a Hallmark movie. 

 

An award-winning short story writer, she previously studied art and marketing and has worked as a stained glass artist, film festival organizer and communications manager. 

 

Phaedra lives in Saddleworth, UK, with her family. 

 

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BUY LINKS:

 

HarperCollins

 

BookShop.org 

 

Barnes & Noble

 

Amazon 

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SOCIAL LINKS:

 

Author Website: https://www.phaedra-patrick.com/ 

  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/phaedrapatrick 

 

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/phaedrapatrick/   

 

GoodReads

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/phaedrapatrick 

 

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Spotlight of A Little Ray of Sunshine by Kristan Higgins

PHOTO SOURCE:
TYPORAMA
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A LITTLE RAY OF SUNSHINE

KRISTAN HIGGINS

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ALL INFORMATION IN THIS POST IS COURTESY OF KRISTIN CIPOLLA | PUBLICIST | BERKLEY | PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE.

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To read a Higgins book is to appreciate life in all its beautiful, messy glory. 

 

This summer, she delivers her most heartfelt novel yet—a Cape Cod-set stunner that explores what it means to be a mother.

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 June 6, 2023

 Berkley Trade Original

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PRAISE FOR A LITTLE RAY OF SUNSHINE:

 

“A raw and genuine look at motherhood, A Little Ray of Sunshine is a lovely ode to love in all of its many forms, family lost and found.” —Ashley Poston, New York Times best-selling author of The Dead Romantics

"An uplifting story of love and gratitude—not to mention frustration, fear, and failure—in all forms of family."—Kirkus Reviews

"Higgins (Out of the Clear Blue Sky, 2022) returns to Cape Cod in this multigenerational story about the enduring bonds of family…Higgins deftly navigates her characters’ complex emotions, including both Harlow and Monica’s points of viewthroughout the book. The women’s inner lives are presented authentically, allowing the reader to understand the mixed feelings of joy, fear, love, and guilt that both women experience. Side stories and romantic subplots add depth and humor, but the emotional journey is the star of this comforting-as-a-cozy-sweater story. Hand this one to fans of Susan Wiggs and Jennifer Weiner."—Booklist 

**PRAISE TAKEN FROM THE BOOK'S AMAZON PAGE** 

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ABOUT A LITTLE RAY OF SUNSHINE:

35-year-old bookstore owner Harlow Smith lives an intentionally quiet life.  

 

Which means her world is flipped upside down when a teenager walks into the bookstore and announces that he is the biological son she gave birth to and placed for adoption while in college. 

 

That heartbreaking decision was a secret to all in her life but her best friend and college roommate.

 

Matthew Walker asked that his family spend the summer before he leaves for college on Cape Cod for one reason: to meet Harlow Smith. 

 

He didn’t share his plan with his adoptive parents, Monica and Sanjay Patel, so they are nearly as shocked as Harlow.

 

Both Harlow and Monica struggle with their rapidly changing roles in Matthew’s life. Monica raised him, but feels abandoned by Matthew’s quickly developing relationship with Harlow. 

 

What scares her the most is that on some level, she knows Matthew has been searching for Harlow his whole life. 

 

What if there isn’t room enough in his heart for both of them?

 

Harlow is overjoyed at the opportunity to finally be involved in her son’s life, but she’s possessed by what ifs.  

 

What if she kept her baby?  

 

What if she told her family?  

 

What if she never met Monica and Sanjay? 

 

Placing Matthew for adoption gave him a life she never could have provided, but she’s plagued by guilt and regret. How can they make up for lost time?

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Kristan Higgins is the New York Times, USA TODAY and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than twenty novels, wKristan Higgins is the New York Times, USA TODAY, Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than twenty novels. 

Her books have been translated into more than 20 languages and have sold millions of copies around the world. 

Kristan has been praised for her mix of “laugh-out-loud humor and tear-jerking pathos,” which the author attributes to a diet high in desserts and sugar-based mood swings.

Kristan’s books have received dozens of awards and accolades, including starred reviews from People Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Good Morning America, Kirkus, the New York Journal of Books, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, National Public Radio and Booklist. 

She personally responds to every reader letter she receives, even the mean ones.

Kristan is the mother of two ridiculously good-looking children and the grandmother of the world’s cutest baby. 

She lives in Connecticut and Cape Cod with her heroic firefighter husband, a rescue mutt and indifferent cat. 

In her spare time, Kristan enjoys gardening, easy yoga classes, mixology and pasta.

To sign up for Kristan's always entertaining newsletter, visit www.kristanhiggins.com.

**AUTHOR INFORMATION AND PHOTO TAKEN FROM AUTHOR'S AMAZON PAGE**

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Spotlight of Starring Adele Astaire by Eliza Knight

PHOTO SOURCE:
TYPORAMA
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STARRING ADELE ASTAIRE

ELIZA KNIGHT

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ALL INFORMATION IN THIS POST IS COURTESY OF KATELYNN DREYER OF KAYE PUBLICITY.

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USA Today bestselling author Eliza Knight returns with a story full of glitz and glam as she delves into the life of Adele Astaire. 

Starring Adele Astaire tells the story of the spirited and talented woman who served up smiles and love both on and off the stage—with and without her also famous brother Fred Astaire— along with a determined young dancer with rags-to-riches dreams.

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June 6 

William Morrow

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PRAISE FOR STARRING ADELE ASTAIRE:

"Fascinating, well-researched historical details about the lives of women in show business, many famous people, and World War II make this an emotionally satisfying retelling of the simultaneously privileged and tragic life of a real but mostly forgotten superstar. Will resonate with readers interested in show business, dance, and the history of women’s lives from the 1920s to World War II." — Library Journal

"The Mayfair Bookshop is a moving, touching tale of a Bright Young Thing turned bookseller/author and her quest to find fulfillment, inspiration, and love in the chaos of the WWII home front. Eliza Knight brings Nancy Mitford to life as an appealing and uncertain young heroine in the days before she is burnished by fame and success—you cannot help but cheer her toward her destiny!"— Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Rose Code

"Starring Adele Astaire peels back the layers on Adele Astaire’s life beyond the stage while highlighting how ferociously an intrepid dreamer must fight for an edge into the spotlight. Eliza Knight’s in-depth research brings these stories to life in exquisite, vibrant detail that will captivate readers everywhere." — Madeline Martin, New York Times and international bestselling author

"Just as Adele Astaire received standing ovations for her performances, so too does Eliza Knight deserve to be similarly acclaimed for this book. I can’t believe I’d never heard of this incredible woman and I loved how the novel shone a well-deserved spotlight on this less famous but exceptionally talented Astaire sibling. Bravo Eliza Knight – and please take a bow. You’ve written a showstopper of a story.”  — Natasha Lester, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Orphan

“Impeccably researched and beautifully written, Starring Adele Astaire is a peak behind the curtain of what it was like to be a woman and a performer in the 1920s-1940s. Eliza Knight explores the timeless question of whether a woman can truly have it all in this fascinating novel filled with love, heartbreak, resilience, and ultimately friendship.” — Jillian Cantor, USA Today bestselling author of Beautiful Little Fools

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ABOUT STARRING ADELE ASTAIRE:

A spirited rising stage star…

Adele Astaire was a glittering, glamorous star, dancing with her brother, Fred, endearing herself to audiences from New York to London. But although she is toasted by royalty and beloved by countless fans, Adele Astaire has dreams of a loving husband and a houseful of children. And when she meets Lord Charles Cavendish, her wishes may just come true—but at what cost?

 A determined young dancer …

Ever since Violet Wood could walk she’s wanted to dance on the London stage. Befriended by Adele, filled with ambition, she is more than willing to make the sacrifices it will take to becomes a star herself, and her rags-to-riches hopes are within reach. But the road to fame is never easy.

Two women with unquenchable spirit …

From the fast-paced world of roaring 20s New York to the horrors and sacrifice of wartime London, Adele's and Violet’s lives intertwine, and each must ask themselves is fame worth the price you must pay?

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

"Eliza Knight is an award-winning and USA Today bestselling author. Her love of history began as a young girl when she traipsed the halls of Versailles. 

She is a member of the Historical Novel Society and Novelists, Inc., and the creator of the popular historical blog, History Undressed. 

Knight lives in Maryland with her husband, three daughters, two dogs and a turtle."

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FOLLOW HER ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

https://elizaknight.com/ 

https://twitter.com/ElizaKnight

https://www.instagram.com/elizaknightfiction/

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