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Showing posts from January, 2016

Review: The Tsar of Love and Techno by Anthony Marra

The Tsar of Love and Techno  by Anthony Marra Blurb from Goodreads : From the New York Times bestselling author of A Constellation of Vital Phenomena—dazzling, poignant, and lyrical interwoven stories about family, sacrifice, the legacy of war, and the redemptive power of art. This stunning, exquisitely written collection introduces a cast of remarkable characters whose lives intersect in ways both life-affirming and heartbreaking. A 1930s Soviet censor painstakingly corrects offending photographs, deep underneath Leningrad, bewitched by the image of a disgraced prima ballerina. A chorus of women recount their stories and those of their grandmothers, former gulag prisoners who settled their Siberian mining town. Two pairs of brothers share a fierce, protective love. Young men across the former USSR face violence at home and in the military. And great sacrifices are made in the name of an oil landscape unremarkable except for the alm

Waiting on Wednesday: One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine , that spotlights upcoming releases that you are eagerly anticipating. Today, I am waiting on:   One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid From Edelweiss : From the author of Maybe in Another Life—named a People Magazine pick and a "Best Book of the Summer" by Glamour and USA TODAY—comes a breathtaking new love story about a woman unexpectedly forced to choose between the husband she has long thought dead and the fiancé who has finally brought her back to life.   In her twenties, Emma Blair marries her high school sweetheart, Jesse. They build a life for themselves, far away from the expectations of their parents and the people of their hometown in Massachusetts. They travel the world together, living life to the fullest and seizing every opportunity for adventure. On their first wedding anniversary, Jesse is on a helicopter over the Pacific when it goes missing. Just l

Top Ten Books I Re-Read Every Year!

Top Ten Tuesday  is hosted by the fab ladies at  The Broke and the Bookish ! Are there any books you re-read every year?   I love freebie top tens!   I re-read the Love Me With Lies series and the Raven Cycle series every year and have since the first time I read the first book in each series.  What did you choose for your TTT freebie today?

Review: Jane and the Waterloo Map (Jane Austen Mysteries #13) by Stephanie Barron

Jane and the Waterloo Map (Jane Austen Mysteries #13) by Stephanie Barron Blurb from Goodreads : Jane Austen turns sleuth in this delightful Regency-era mystery November, 1815. The Battle of Waterloo has come and gone, leaving the British economy in shreds; Henry Austen, high-flying banker, is about to declare bankruptcy—dragging several of his brothers down with him. The crisis destroys Henry’s health, and Jane flies to his London bedside, believing him to be dying. While she’s there, the chaplain to His Royal Highness the Prince Regent invites Jane to tour Carlton House, the Prince’s fabulous London home. The chaplain is a fan of Jane’s books, and during the tour he suggests she dedicate her next novel—Emma—to HRH, whom she despises. However, before she can speak to HRH, Jane stumbles upon a body—sprawled on the carpet in the Regent’s library. The dying man, Colonel MacFarland, was a cavalry hero and a friend of Wellington’s. He

Waiting on Wednesday: White-Hot Hack (Kate and Ian #2) by Tracey Garvis-Graves

 "Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine , that spotlights upcoming releases that you are eagerly anticipating. Today, I am waiting on:   White-Hot Hack (Kate and Ian #2) by Tracey Garvis-Graves From Goodreads : Follow Kate and Ian to Washington as the next chapter of their lives together unfolds... I really liked the first book in this new series from TGG -- it was funny and unique!  There is no official release date yet for White-Hot Hack but I can't wait until it is released!! What books are you waiting on this Wednesday??

Review: Call Me, Maybe by Ellie Cahill

Call Me, Maybe  by Ellie Cahill Blurb from Goodreads : Clementine Daly knows she’s the black sheep. Her wealthy, powerful family has watched her very closely since she almost got caught in an embarrassing scandal a few years ago. So when Clementine’s sent on a mission to live up to the Daly name, politely declining isn’t even an option. Of course, the last thing Clementine does before departure is grab a stranger’s phone by mistake—leaving the hunky journalist with her phone. Soon his sexy voice is on the line, but he doesn’t know her real name, or her famous pedigree—which is just the way Clementine likes it. Despite all the hassles, Justin Mueller is intrigued to realize that the beautiful brown-eyed girl he met at the airport is suddenly at his fingertips. They agree to exchange phones when they’re both back in town, but after a week of flirty texts and wonderfully intimate conversations, Justin doesn’t want to let her go that easy

Review: Ever After (Nantucket Brides #3) by Jude Deveraux

Ever After (Nantucket Brides #3) by Jude Deveraux Blurb from Goodreads : Jude Deveraux’s eagerly awaited third novel in her blockbuster Nantucket Brides trilogy continues the spellbinding saga of the Montgomery-Taggerts, set on an island steeped in beauty and unforgettable romance. Life is anything but perfect for Hallie Hartley, a young physical therapist who has given up nearly everything—even her love life—for her beautiful blonde stepsister, Shelly. Though Shelly’s acting career has never taken off, she has certainly perfected the crocodile tears to get what she wants—which all too often means Hallie’s boyfriends. When Hallie arrives home early from work one fateful day, she makes two startling discoveries that will turn her life upside down: Not only has a mysterious relative left Hallie a house on Nantucket, but Shelly has been trying to steal it. Desperate to put her troubles behind her, Hallie impulsively flies to Nantucket.

Waiting on Wednesday: Defending Taylor (Hundred Oaks) by Miranda Kenneally

 "Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine , that spotlights upcoming releases that you are eagerly anticipating. Today, I am waiting on:   Defending Taylor (Hundred Oaks) by Miranda Kenneally From Goodreads : Taylor’s always felt pressure to be perfect. That’s what happens when you are a senator’s daughter. So when she’s kicked out of private school for covering for her boyfriend’s not-so-legal behavior, she is devastated. Things go from bad to worse as she joins what used to be her rival soccer team at Hundred Oaks High. The only person who seems to understand all that she’s going through is her older brother’s best friend, Ezra. But Ezra has secrets of his own. Will Taylor repeat past mistakes, or can she score a fresh start?  I love love love this series and I can't wait for this book, in particular, since I played soccer for 15 years!   Defending Taylor   i s scheduled for release on July 1 , 2016 ,   and I ca

Review: He Will Be My Ruin by K.A. Tucker

He Will Be My Ruin by K.A. Tucker Blurb from Goodreads : The USA TODAY bestselling author of the Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water series makes her suspense debut with this sexy, heartpounding story of a young woman determined to find justice after her best friend’s death, a story pulsing with the “intense, hot, emotional” (Colleen Hoover) writing that exhilarates her legions of fans. A woman who almost had it all . . . On the surface, Celine Gonzalez had everything a twenty-eight-year-old woman could want: a one-bedroom apartment on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, a job that (mostly) paid the bills, and an acceptance letter to the prestigious Hollingsworth Institute of Art, where she would finally live out her dream of becoming an antiques appraiser for a major auction house. All she had worked so hard to achieve was finally within her reach. So why would she kill herself? A man who was supposed to be her salvation . . . Maggie S

Waiting on Wednesday: Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye

 "Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine , that spotlights upcoming releases that you are eagerly anticipating. Today, I am waiting on:   Jane Steele by Lyndsay Faye From Goodreads : Reader, I murdered him.  A darkly brilliant Gothic retelling of Jane Eyre from the Edgar-nominated author of The Gods of Gotham.  Like the heroine of the novel she adores, Jane Steele suffers cruelly at the hands of her aunt and schoolmaster. And like Jane Eyre, they call her wicked - but in her case, she fears the accusation is true. When she flees, she leaves behind the corpses of her tormentors. A fugitive navigating London's underbelly, Jane rights wrongs on behalf of the have-nots whilst avoiding the noose. Until an advertisement catches her eye. Her aunt has died and the new master at Highgate House, Mr Thornfield, seeks a governess. Anxious to know if she is Highgate's true heir, Jane takes the position and is soon

2016 Discussion Challenge

Since I'm such a pro at discussion posts (see my first one ever HERE ), I've decided to sign up for  the 2016 Book Blog Discussion Challenge  hosted by   Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction   and  Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight ! I'm super excited! From the challenge: This challenge is to help get us discussing books and book blogging, so talk about whatever you want as long as it’s relevant to book blogging. Discussions can be book related or book blogging related (or generally blogging related – no discussions about things that are completely off-topic like travel or fashion, etc). Discussions can also be about you personally if it’s a get-to-know-you type post. You, too can sign up HERE !

Conversations With Myself (& Hopefully You): Are Authors Rushing to Publish Too Quickly?

If you can believe it, this is my first "discussion" post. I've always wanted to do a discussion post but I never knew where to start and I could never think of a topic that other bloggers didn't already address brilliantly.  That being said, nothing is new and I'm sure that this topic has been discussed by someone, somewhere but recently I read the latest book by my favorite author and the entire time all I could think was: ARE AUTHORS RUSHING TO PUBLISH TOO QUICKLY? Let me break it down for you.  First of all, I love self-publishing.  I think there are some amazing authors out there that wouldn't otherwise be able to get their books out without self-publishing.  Some of my favorite books in the past five years have been self-published.  I discovered Colleen Hoover, Chelsea Cameron, Emily Snow, Jessica Park, Tarryn Fisher, Autumn Doughton, Jillian Dodd, Rosalind James, Tammara Webber, Tracey Garvis Graves, and Mary Whitney, all through their se