Some Noteworthy Books Released March 22, 2016

categories: General Blog Posts
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Fool Me Once

#1 New York Times bestseller Harlan Coben delivers his next impossible-to-put-down thriller.
 
In the course of eight consecutive #1 New York Times bestsellers, millions of readers have discovered Harlan Coben’s page-turning thrillers, filled with his trademark edge-of-your-seat suspense and gut-wrenching emotion. In Fool Me Once, Coben once again outdoes himself. 
 
Former special ops pilot Maya, home from the war, sees an unthinkable image captured by her nanny cam while she is at work: her two-year-old daughter playing with Maya’s husband, Joe—who had been brutally murdered two weeks earlier. The provocative question at the heart of the mystery: Can you believe everything you see with your own eyes, even when you desperately want to? To find the answer, Maya must finally come to terms with deep secrets and deceit in her own past before she can face the unbelievable truth about her husband—and herself.

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James Patterson introduces his hilarious new heroine, Jacky Ha-Ha, a class clown who makes people laugh with her so they can’t laugh at her.

With her irresistible urge to tell a joke in every situation–even when she really, really shouldn’t–twelve-year-old Jacky Ha-Ha loves to make people laugh. And cracking wise helps distract her from thinking about not-so-funny things in her life, like her mom serving in a dangerous, faraway war, and a dad who’s hardly ever home. 

But no matter how much fun Jacky has, she can’t seem to escape her worries. So one starlit night, she makes a promise to keep her family together…even if she has to give up the one thing that makes her happy. But can she stop being Jacky Ha-Ha, if that’s who she really is?

#BookReview The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson

categories: 9/10, Book Review, General Fiction, Women's Fiction
#BookReview The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson Title: The Bookseller

Author: Cynthia Swanson

Published by: Harper Paperbacks on Mar. 22, 2016

Genres: General Fiction, Women's Fiction

Pages: 368

Format: Paperback

Source: Purchased

Book Rating: 9/10

The Bookseller follows a woman in the 1960s who must reconcile her reality with the tantalizing alternate world of her dreams

Nothing is as permanent as it appears . . . 

Denver, 1962: Kitty Miller has come to terms with her unconventional single life. She loves the bookshop she runs with her best friend, Frieda, and enjoys complete control over her day-to-day existence. She can come and go as she pleases, answering to no one. There was a man once, a doctor named Kevin, but it didn’t quite work out the way Kitty had hoped.

Then the dreams begin.

Denver, 1963: Katharyn Andersson is married to Lars, the love of her life. They have beautiful children, an elegant home, and good friends. It’s everything Kitty Miller once believed she wanted—but it only exists when she sleeps.

Convinced that these dreams are simply due to her overactive imagination, Kitty enjoys her nighttime forays into this alternate world. But with each visit, the more irresistibly real Katharyn’s life becomes. Can she choose which life she wants? If so, what is the cost of staying Kitty, or becoming Katharyn?

As the lines between her worlds begin to blur, Kitty must figure out what is real and what is imagined. And how do we know where that boundary lies in our own lives?

Review:

I loved this book.

This book was intriguing, insightful and intelligent. It gripped me from the beginning and it kept me enthralled till the very end.

It is a story that makes us think about the choices we make, the power of imagination, and our brain’s remarkable ability to cope.

This was well written and very unique. It is definitely a great choice for book clubs and it will certainly be on my “Must Read List” for 2016.

This book is available now.

Pick up a copy from your favourite retailer or from the following Amazon links.

Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon Canada

 

For more information on Cynthia Swanson, visit her website at: integritymodern.com

or follow her on Twitter at: @cynswanauthor

 

#BookReview House Broken by Sonja Yoerg

categories: 8.5/10, Book Review, General Fiction, Women's Fiction
#BookReview House Broken by Sonja Yoerg Title: House Broken

Author: Sonja Yoerg

Published by: NAL on Jan. 6, 2015

Genres: General Fiction, Women's Fiction

Pages: 336

Format: Paperback

Source: Borrowed

Book Rating: 8.5/10

In this compelling and poignant debut novel, a woman skilled at caring for animals must learn to mend the broken relationships in her family.…
 
For veterinarian Geneva Novak, animals can be easier to understand than people. They’re also easier to forgive. But when her mother, Helen, is injured in a vodka-fueled accident, it’s up to Geneva to give her the care she needs.
 
Since her teens, Geneva has kept her self-destructive mother at arm’s length. Now, with two slippery teenagers of her own at home, the last thing she wants is to add Helen to the mix. But Geneva’s husband convinces her that letting Helen live with them could be her golden chance to repair their relationship.
 
Geneva isn’t expecting her mother to change anytime soon, but she may finally get answers to the questions she’s been asking for so long. As the truth about her family unfolds, however, Geneva may find secrets too painful to bear and too terrible to forgive.

Review:

I really liked this book.

This is a thought-provoking story that delves into the complexities and dysfunction of family relationships, including the long-lasting effects of secrets and the art of forgiveness.

It is written from the perspective of three different characters, Geneva, Geneva’s mother, and Geneva’s daughter, which allows the story to flow seamlessly between past and present.

It is a well written, insightful, bittersweet novel with real characters and a realistic ending.

This was part of my book club and I think it was a good pick.

 

#BookReview Midnight Lily by Mia Sheridan

categories: 7/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance
#BookReview Midnight Lily by Mia Sheridan Title: Midnight Lily

Author: Mia Sheridan

Published by: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform on Mar. 1, 2016

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 242

Format: eBook

Source: Purchased

Book Rating: 7/10

Holden Scott is the prince of professional football. At least he was before he lost it all . . . or more to the point, before he threw it all away. Now he’s out of a job, out of the public’s good graces, and perhaps just a little out of his mind. So when a friend offers up his remote lodge in the wilds of Colorado, giving Holden some time away to get his life back on track, he can hardly say no. The last thing he expects is to see a beautiful girl in the woods—one wearing a white, lace dress who appears in the moonlight, and leaves no footprints behind. Is she a dream? A ghost? A product of his muddled imagination? Or something entirely different? 

Midnight Lily is the haunting love story of two lost souls reaching for each other in the dark. A tale of healing, acceptance, and the worlds we create to protect our own hearts. It is a story of being lost, of being found, and of being in the place between. 

THIS IS A STAND-ALONE SIGN OF LOVE NOVEL, INSPIRED BY VIRGO. Non-Paranormal, New Adult Contemporary Romance. Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

Review:

I read this book as I saw it was the trending title on Goodreads last week.

I have to say it was a little different then I expected.

I don’t want to give anything away, but what I will say is that it was an interesting read. I think the idea was extremely unique and imaginative.

Throughout the story and even now that I have finished it, I’m still trying to understand and figure everything out. So it definitely left a lasting impression. However, saying that, I found the flow of the story to be a little disjointed.

For fans of Mia Sheridan this is definitely different then her usual stories, but it is still worth a read.

 

50 Books On My To Read List for 2016

categories: General Blog Posts

50 Books I Want to Read 2016

  1. Crazy Rich Asians – Kevin Kwan
  2. A Hundred Summers – Beatriz Williams
  3. A Year of Marvellous Ways – Sarah Winman
  4. The Liar – Nora Roberts
  5. Christmas on Primrose Hill – Karen Swan
  6. Dead Wake – Erik Larson
  7. The Garden of Letters – Alyson Richman
  8. What We Find – Robyn Carr
  9. The Lake House – Kate Morton
  10. Most Wanted – Lisa Scottoline
  11. Darkness – Karen Robards
  12. Nobody But You – Jill Shalvis
  13. The Summer Before The War – Helen Simonson
  14. A Desperate Fortune – Susanna Kearsley
  15. The Forgetting Time – Sharon Guskin
  16. The Last Mile – David Baldacci
  17. The Fortune Hunter – Daisy Goodwin
  18. Secrets of a Charmed Life – Susan Meissner
  19. The Nightingale – Kristin Hannah
  20. Troublemaker – Linda Howard
  21. Lost & Found – Brooke Davis
  22. Private Rio – James Patterson & Mark Sullivan
  23. The Bookseller – Cynthia Swanson (READ) 9/10
  24. The Weekenders – Mary Kay Andrews
  25. The Pursuit – Janet Evanovich
  26. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – J K Rowling
  27. Station Eleven – Emily St. John Mandel
  28. Pretty Girls – Karin Slaughter
  29. Best of My Love – Susan Mallery
  30. The Little Paris Bookshop – Nina George
  31. Here’s to Us – Elin Hilderbrand
  32. The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry – Gabrielle Zevin
  33. Best Kept Secret – Amy Hatvany
  34. Trauma – Michael Palmer & Daniel Palmer
  35. The Apartment – Danielle Steel
  36. First Comes Love – Emily Giffin
  37. A Great Reckoning – Louise Penny
  38. Honolulu – Alan Brennert
  39. The Golem & Jinni – Helene Wecker
  40. Winter Bloom – Tara Heavey
  41. Flawless – Heather Graham
  42. The Obsession – Nora Roberts
  43. Poisonous – Allison Brennan
  44. The Winter Sea – Di Morrissey
  45. Truly, Madly, Guilty – Liane Moriarty
  46. Ordinary Grace – William Kent Kruger
  47. Fool Me Once – Harlan Coben
  48. About Grace – Anthony Doerr
  49. Landline – Rainbow Rowell
  50. The Time In Between – David Bergen

#BookReview Private Paris by James Patterson & Mark Sullivan

categories: 8/10, Book Review, Mystery/Thriller
#BookReview Private Paris by James Patterson & Mark Sullivan Title: Private Paris

Author: James Patterson, Mark T. Sullivan

Series: Private #10

Published by: Little Brown and Company on Mar. 14, 2016

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 411

Format: Hardcover

Source: Borrowed

Book Rating: 8/10

Paris is burning–and only Private’s Jack Morgan can put out the fire.

When Jack Morgan stops by Private’s Paris office, he envisions a quick hello during an otherwise relaxing trip filled with fine food and sightseeing. But Jack is quickly pressed into duty after a call from his client Sherman Wilkerson, asking Jack to track down his young granddaughter who is on the run from a brutal drug dealer.

Before Jack can locate her, several members of France’s cultural elite are found dead–murdered in stunning, symbolic fashion. The only link between the crimes is a mysterious graffiti tag. As religious and ethnic tensions simmer in the City of Lights, only Jack and his Private team can connect the dots before the smoldering powder keg explodes.

Review:

I liked this book and generally enjoy the “Private” series.

It had a good plot and interesting characters.

It was quick-paced, had short chapters, and was easy to read.

I would recommend it and look forward to the next book in the series.

 

#BookReview Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith

categories: 9/10, Book Review, Mystery/Thriller
#BookReview Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith Title: Child 44

Author: Tom Rob Smith

Series: Leo Demidov #1

Published by: Grand Central Publishing on Mar. 31, 2015

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 480

Format: Paperback

Source: Purchased

Book Rating: 9/10

In a country ruled by fear, no one is innocent.

Stalin’s Soviet Union is an official paradise, where citizens live free from crime and fear only one thing: the all-powerful state. Defending this system is idealistic security officer Leo Demidov, a war hero who believes in the iron fist of the law, but when a murderer starts to kill at will and Leo dares to investigate, the State’s obedient servant finds himself demoted and exiled. Now, with only his wife at his side, Leo must fight to uncover shocking truths about a killer–and a country where “crime” doesn’t exist.

Review:

I really liked this book.

It was dark. It was gritty. At times it was downright disturbing. But this book is a great mystery.

Smith uses this novel to take us deep into the historical and political nightmare of Stalin’s Russia to catch a killer. And with incredible imagery delves into the hardships and cruelty endured by the people of that time.

It is an intriguing, interesting, well written story with lots of twists and turns. Don’t miss it. It’s hard to put down.

#BookReview The Total Package by Stephanie Evanovich

categories: 7.5/10, Book Review, Contemporary Romance
#BookReview The Total Package by Stephanie Evanovich Title: The Total Package

Author: Stephanie Evanovich

Published by: William Morrow on Mar. 15, 2016

Genres: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 256

Format: Hardcover

Source: Borrowed

Book Rating: 7.5/10

The New York Times bestselling author of Big Girl Panties and The Sweet Spot is back with a funny, sweet, and sizzling novel about the game of love, in which a hot quarterback must figure out how to score big with a beautiful and talented media analyst after a heartbreaking fumble.

Star quarterback, first-round draft-pick, and heartthrob Tyson Palmer has made a name for himself with his spectacular moves. When the head coach of the Austin Mavericks refuses to let him waste his million-dollar arm, Tyson makes a Hail Mary pass at redemption and succeeds with everyone . . . except Dani, whose negative comments about his performance draw high ratings and spectacular notices of her own.

Dani can’t forgive Tyson’s transgressions or forget the sizzling history the two of them shared in college, a passionate love Tyson casually threw away. And even more infuriating, he doesn’t realize that the bombshell with huge ratings is the cute girl whose heart he once broke.

But can a woman trying to claw her way to the top and a quarterback who knows all about rock bottom make it to the Super Bowl without destroying each other? And what will happen when Tyson—riding high now that he’s revived his career—realizes he needs to make an even more important comeback with Dani? Can he make some spectacular moves to get past her defenses—or will she sideline him for good?

Review:

After having read Stephanie Evanovich’s other two books and enjoyed them, I was really looking forward to reading this one and it didn’t disappoint.

This story is a second-chance, comeback story, complete with humour and romance with a football backdrop.

The plot moves nicely, the characters are likeable, and the story is heartwarming, fun, and interesting.

I liked it and would definitely recommend it. I think it would be a great beach read.

 

Struggling with The Marriage of Opposites

categories: General Blog Posts

So I really liked Alice Hoffman’s “The Dovekeepers” and “The Museum of Extraordinary Things” but for some reason I just can’t get into “The Marriage of Opposites”.

I’ve picked it up and started it twice and have once again put it down.

I’m going to move on to some other books for now, but I will definitely come back to it and give it another try.

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#BookReview 14th Deadly Sin by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro

categories: 7.5/10, Book Review, Mystery/Thriller
#BookReview 14th Deadly Sin by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro Title: 14th Deadly Sin

Author: James Patterson, Maxine Paetro

Series: Women's Murder Club #14

Published by: Little Brown and Company on May 4, 2015

Genres: Mystery/Thriller

Pages: 384

Format: Hardcover

Source: Borrowed

Book Rating: 7.5/10

Detective Lindsay Boxer and her three best friends are back and recovering from the events that pushed them all to the edge.

After her near-death experience, Yuki is seeing her life from a new perspective and is considering a change in her law career. San Francisco Chronicle reporter Cindy has healed from her gunshot wound and has published a book on the infamous serial killers she helped to bring down. Lindsay is just happy that the gang are all still in one piece.

But a new terror is sweeping the streets of San Francisco. A gang dressed as cops are ransacking the city, and leaving a string of dead bodies in their wake. Lindsay is on the case to track them down and needs to discover whether these killers could actually be police officers. Maybe even cops she already knows…

Review:

I liked this book.

It was an easy read, flowed nicely and was entertaining.

Is the plot somewhat weaker than some of the other WMC books? Maybe. After all it is book #14 in the series.

Saying that, however, I still think it’s worth the read.

 

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