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I know, I know .... I'm on a "hiatus." I'm taking a break from blogging because life is a steaming pile o' internetless crap .... except for on my phone or when I'm at work like I am right now. I would normally be, you know, working but this book is just too good to not share.
It will rip your heart out and probably do the tango on top of it.
It will lift your spirits so high you'll wonder if somehow the book is emitting helium.
It will make you laugh until you cry and then make you rush out to buy more tissues because the waterworks keep emerging when you least expect them.
A lot of the tears will be happy; a whole lot of them won't be. All of them will end up being worthwhile, though.
"First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros" is from the first paragraph or two of a book being read now (or in the future) and is hosted by Bibliophile by the Sea. "Teaser Tuesday" at The Purple Booker asks for a random line or two from anywhere in the book currently being read.
I know .... I'm supposedly on a self-imposed ban of sappy .... but I couldn't help myself with this one once I went to see what the 56% would have. After all, I don't necessarily have to read something to tease it, right?
And then the strangest thing happened.
I wanted to sap.
Without knowing anything about who he is or who she is? The quote I pulled for the Friday 56 was enough to make me want to dive into Keris Stainton's If You Could See Me Now head first. I just wish I had made the decision a few hours earlier because I'm so incredibly anxious to see where it's all going and likely won't be willing to sleep until it's finished.
It's that good.
No ... it's not good ... it's splendiferous. It's everything that I've needed without realizing it. It's making me sap again.
Oh. My. Gosh. If I thought that The Book of Beloved had knocked my socks off, then the follow up has taken my knickers, too.
Raissa James and Reginald Proctor have teamed up to form the Pluto's Snitch private investigation agency which specializes in supernatural spooky stuff. She can communicate with the dead and he's quite gifted at reading the living (don't ever get into a card game with the man unless you want to lose!). Together they've earned quite a reputation and are summoned to consult with Zelda Fitzgerald about a friend of hers in trouble.
We get to see a psychiatric hospital practicing treatments worthy of gothic horror movies, possible evil possessions, ghosts galore, and Raissa being awesome. Reginald isn't bad, but Raissa is pretty dang kickass. It's 1920 and she smokes, drinks, drives, protests, investigates the seedy underbelly of society and communicates with ghosts? I would love to see a movie or tv series made out of these!
First line: The bow of the steamboat Miss Vandy cut through the dark water of the Alabama River as we moved north against the current.
Faves on 4s:
4% - "Have you ever considered that maybe your dead don't want you pining for them? Maybe that's why they don't show up." It wasn't a thought that had occurred to me, but I liked it.
24% - Unbelievable. Nurse Brady was no one's fool, yet Reginald had charmed her into doing exactly as he wanted.
44% - I walked the perimeter of the room, calming myself, opening up to the possibility of some other entity in that space. My mouth was dry, and my heart beat furiously -- I was afraid.
64% - "Curses don't always work the way they're intended."
84% - Their eyes rolled up in their heads, revealing only the whites. "Go away." Jagged red lines appeared at their throats. They widened into horrible gashes, and blood poured out.
I know ... "First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros" from Bibliophile by the Sea is on vacation ... but I'm used to doing these two together so I'm just going to stick with it. "Teaser Tuesday" at The Purple Booker asks for a random line or two from anywhere in the book currently being read.
I started reading Summer at Buttercup Beach on my way in to work Monday night. I already knew the main characters somewhat, having had "met them" in Spring at Blueberry Bay. Roman's the brother of Bella, the heroine of Spring, and Freya's his best friend/employee at his glassworks shop. It was pretty clear in the last book that they were fighting feelings, because .... you know .... things are never simple.
I couldn't put this down once I started it (aside from getting my son ready for school). I carried my phone with me everywhere and even cut my post-work nap short so I could finish it and then try and find the right words for a good and proper review.
I can't do that, it seems, so instead I'm going to write an open letter of sorts to Holly. Oh, my dear Holly Martin. I don't know how you always seem to know just what I need from a book. It's as though you've been teaming up somehow with my Kindle app and, I don't know, maybe my cat (I'm fairly certain he at least has his own Twitter or Tumblr). You've somehow niggled your way into my very being.
Once again, you have delivered to me (via your brilliant publishers & NetGalley) a book that's hugged me close and let me snot all over its shirt (if a book wore clothing, that is) and whispered that everything really could work out in the end. You've made me shed an almost ridiculous amount of tears, followed by laughing until I snort beverages out of my nose, followed by more tears.
Once again, you have given me believable characters to love and root for. You've developed an amazing couple who are able to overcome past foibles and future fears to reach that happily ever after that seems so elusive at times. And even though we all know that it's where they'll end up, it isn't so contrived and cliched in its telling that is feels like you've just called it in.
So thank you, yet again, Holly. Every time I open one of your books my romantic sappy side grows a little bit stronger and my pessimistic side weakens. If you're ever in my area, I owe you a drink.
This isn't the book I'm actually reading at the moment ... but I'm saving all teasers for that one until it's publication date, so I'm teasing what I'll be reading next instead -- Miles Gibson's Einstein. It was a random NetGalley grab for me, but it sounds interesting and the opening and 56% mark are encouraging for it living up to that.
I normally pair Book Beginnings with Friday 56, but today I'm only doing the beginning. I didn't want to snip the first paragraph down and, really, it's all I needed to know that I had a great book on my hands!
Bad Housekeeping is fourth Maia Chance book that I've read and the first in her new Agnes and Effie Mystery series. Unlike her other two series, this one has a contemporary setting and stars 28-year-old Agnes (who is definitely a kindred spirit for me) and her great-aunt, Effie. They live in a fictional town on a fictional lake in the not-at-all fictional Finger Lakes region of New York. (Instant love for me here since I live oooh so close!) The two of them are hilarious and their blossoming relationship is far from boring. They snark at each other and practically everyone else on a regular basis and while I can see how this could get on some people's nerves, I love the snark. It's almost like a satirical cozy with so many over-the-top situations and shout-outs to some of the great pop culture mysteries -- Nancy Drew, Murder, She Wrote, Magnum PI, and my beloved Velma Dinkley. In fact, with the addition of Agnes' cousin and high school crush, it's almost like a dogless Scooby gang!
From the very beginning I knew that this was going to be another hit for Maia Chance. By the time I reached the end, I was anxious for the next book in the series! Of course, I'll have to wait a while... Bad Housekeeping comes out on June 13th!
When 28-year-old Agnes Blythe, the contented bifocals-wearing half of an academic power couple, is jilted by her professor boyfriend for the town Pilates instructor, her future is suddenly less than certain. So when her glamorous, eccentric Great Aunt Effie arrives in town and offers a job helping to salvage the condemned Stagecoach Inn, what does Agnes have to lose? But work at the inn has barely begun when the unlikely duo find the body of manipulative Kathleen Todd, with whom Agnes and Effie both have recently had words. Words strong enough to land them at the top of the suspect list.
The pair have clearly been framed, but no one else seems interested in finding the real murderer and Agnes and Effie's sleuthing expertise is not exactly slick. Nevertheless, they're soon investigating a suspect list with laundry dirtier than a middle school soccer team's and navigating threats, car chases, shotgun blasts, and awkward strolls down memory lane.
In Bad Housekeeping, the first novel in the Agnes & Effie cozy mystery series by Maia Chance, danger mounts, deadlines loom, ancient knob-and-tube wiring is explored, and the ladies learn a thing or two about the awful, wonderful mistake that is going back home.
Take any word I have ever used to describe a book that I have absolutely loved and apply it here.... and then grab a thesaurus and look up words I haven't thought to use yet and apply those also. Erica Taylor's A Suitable Affairdeserves all of the good words and even ones that haven't even been created yet. (And Amberjack Publishing does, as well, for publishing this glorious book and making it available on NetGalley so I could read it before its release .... which just so happens to be today so go buy it!)
It's captivating and enthralling and hilarious and luscious and .... captithrallious??? Sure. Captithrallious. That almost covers it, but even that doesn't seem good enough.
Elizabeth and Darcy? Eh. Emma and Knightley? Nah. I'm over here swooning hardcore over Susanna and Westcott. I didn't even skim over the steamier bits and you know that never happens! It's a fabulous romance with a bit of mystery mixed in and Susanna and Ian kept me guessing and laughing and aww-ing all the way.
Even the supporting characters are amazing and had me begging the author on Twitter to tell me that we'll be seeing them again (and we will! Huzzah!)! I want prequels and sequels and .... sidequels? What have Susanna's siblings been up to while she's been running around being the heroine of this story? I need to know everything about everybody ... and, quite possibly, make up some more words along the way.
I know, I know ... "First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros" from Bibliophile by the Sea is on vacation ... but I'm used to doing these two together so I'm just going to stick with it. "Teaser Tuesday" at The Purple Booker asks for a random line or two from anywhere in the book currently being read.
I have quite enjoyed Kat French's The Bed and Breakfast on the Beach, which really hasn't surprised me at all. See, Kat French = Kitty French and thanks to Melody Bittersweet she has quickly become one of my favorite chick lit authors. I hit the request button for this on NetGalley so hard I actually scared my cat a bit.
This has so much of the same sense of fun and snark as my beloved Chapelwick Mysteries. There's a bit more romance which makes up for the lack of ghosts (although I was kind of hoping one would show up in the cellar), and I have to admit that some of the steamier scenes were almost skimmed over. Luckily there weren't too many and they weren't too long. (You know how I am about stuff like that in my books!)
All three of the main characters play off each other beautifully. The friendship between Winnie, Stella and Frankie was truly one of the highlights for me. It seemed that Winnie's individual story got a bit more attention than the others, but not so much to have me think of the other two as backup ... much. Maybe a little. I still quite enjoyed the book, though, and definitely wouldn't mind making another trip to Villa Valentina in the future!
Winnie, Stella and Frankie have been best friends forever. When their lives unexpectedly unravel, they spontaneously decide to buy a gorgeous B&B on a remote Greek island. Drenched in hot sun, Villa Valentina is the perfect escape from reality. But when Winnie meets Jesse, their brooding neighbour, she finds that Greece is full of its own complications – not least how attractive he is… Meanwhile, Frankie and Stella are discovering that Villa Valentina has its own secrets – starting with the large supply of gin in the cellar and the arrival of a famous rock band. A band with one very good-looking member who just might distract Frankie from thoughts of her husband…
If you've been around me at all, it likely doesn't shock you to be told that I'm a ginormous anglophile. I frequently lament being born on the wrong side of the pond and have already informed my son that his life goal should be to get a good enough job to be able to send me on a cruise across the Atlantic. You probably have also figured out already that I'm a bit of a history nerd .... but ....
I kind of feel like I need to hang my head in shame for a moment or two.
When it comes to English history? I've only ever really paid attention to anything pre-1400s and post-1700s. I'm not quite sure how, but I've pretty much skipped 300 years of anything more than just basic knowledge.
Lynda M. Andrews is changing that, though, with Elizabeth, The Witch's Daughter. I knew (thanks to my basic knowledge) about Elizabeth I being "The Virgin Queen" and the daughter of Henry VIII. I knew he went through wives like some monarchs went through ... well ... not toilet paper because that's only been around since the mid- to late-1800s. You know what I mean, though. It was fascinating for me to get a glimpse into what her life might have been like growing up with a distant father and a revolving door of stepmothers after her own mother had been killed when she was just a toddler. She went from being told that the was a princess and would some day be Queen to a subject much like any other -- under the rule of her own half-brother and then her half-sister. She went from feeling in control and cherished to scrutinized and threatened. The poor girl was on a roller-coaster before they even existed!
I quite fell for Bess. She felt fiercely independent because she had to be and, at the same time, had a deep longing to have someone she could depend on as she probably would have been able to depend on her mother under normal circumstances. She did have Kat Ashley, her governess and companion for much of her early life, and that relationship was a joy to read .... most of the time. Any relationship Elizabeth had with anyone was bound to be rocky since she had such enormous trust issues and, as Kat pointed out on several occasions, she was definitely her father's daughter when it came to stubbornness and temper.
Really, my only complaint about this book is that I flew through it far too quickly. Granted, even if it was twice as long I'd still probably feel like it was too short. It's okay, though, because now I feel like I have to catch up on the missing 300 years worth of England's history via books, movies, and television series. It'll be the gift that keeps on giving.
First Line: I hold Josh's TI-84 in my left hand, press a few buttons just for show and wait for the vision to come.
Faves on 4s:
4% - I focus on accomplishments I can master: running a six-minute mile, solving the Riemann hypothesis, picking up dropped items with my feet.
24% - I talk about how, in a world of shades of gray, sometimes it's nice to have black-and-white answers.
44% - I touch his jacket or his phone and once I even place my hand lightly on his arm, because skin-on-skin fractals are the strongest and clearest. Slowly I've started to put together his puzzle.
64% - If family history seemed complicated before, now it seems like an episode of One Life to Live.
84% - "God, you make even Chebyshev method sound dirty."
Ramble:
Eva is just a normal high school senior. Well, she is if "normal" means being a math genius pastor's kid with quadruplet toddler siblings and not really caring about "teenage girl things" like shopping, school dances, makeup or dating.
Oh yeah.
There's also that little thing about her getting visions (sortof -- more like senses of feelings -- she refers to them as "fractals") about people whenever she touches them or something close to them. One of the things that makes her such an excellent math tutor, for example, is that all she has to do is touch the other student's calculator and she gets a sense of where their difficulty lies. More personal objects like jewelry, clothing and cell phones tell her a lot more so she avoids touching them -- and other people -- as much as she can. Her hope is that she'll get in to a good college (and get the scholarships needed to afford it), study neuroscience and cure herself. That's really her one focus (aside from helping to care for her siblings, of course).
Then she meets Zenn.
Eva and Zenn are more than a bit adorable as they get to know each other. "Adorkable" might actually be a better phrase. He's the tall, dark and handsome type. He has a similar sense of humor (there's a whole bit about sheep after they first meet that I'm still chuckling to myself over), is an amazing artist, and the only item of his that seems to set her off is his jacket. For the first time ever she feels like she can feel safely.
Right.
It couldn't possibly be that easy.
So, of course, it isn't.
It's beautiful and funny and heartbreaking and so much more gray than black-and-white. I'm so glad I decided that I wanted to check for a different "Z" title for my alphabet challenge and that this was available on NetGalley when I did. I'll definitely be watching for future books by Wendy Brant!
First Line: I wasn't sure how long I'd been sitting in the tree -- I think it was a long time cos my leg was going numb from trying to balance on the branch.
Faves on 4s:
4% -- I'd stood at the window, looking out over all the gardens of all the houses in See Saw Lane and I'd felt something wonderful was about to happen. I'd felt suddenly as if my life was about to change.
24% -- 'Corpus Christi,' said the priest, which means 'Body of Christ'. We had to let the wafer melt because Sister Aquinas said that if we chewed it, it would be like putting a knife in God's heart.
54% -- They didn't have to be dripping in diamonds and pearls to get noticed, there was just something about the way they held themselves that said 'I'm rich'. Whereas poor people spent their time apologizing for breathing.
84% -- None of us knew what was going to happen, none of us knew the moment we'd end up in the bottom of a smelly bucket, we just joined in the dance until the music stopped.
I wasn't sure at first if I was even going to read it. It's the third of Taylor's Brighton Girls Trilogy and I haven't read the other two (yet). I was bummed when I saw it on NetGalley and instantly fell in love with the cover because you know how I am about reading things out of order. Luckily, this time, there's been a trick. While this is the third in the series, it's also first chronologically. Once I found that out I hopped back onto NetGalley and hit the request button. Once I received my approval I flew through the book I had been reading and then lost myself in the pages (or screens, since it's on my phone) of this one.
And now I'm a mess.
This is one of the hardest reviews I've had to write so far. There must be somebody chopping a ton of onions nearby and that's why my eyes have been watering so much. This book, after all, was far too beautiful and, at times, hilarious to be making me ugly cry.
It must be onions.
It's the story of Maureen O'Connell and we follow it through her eyes from her childhood in 1930 through World War II and her young adulthood. It tells of growing up on the council estates in Brighton with a mother who worked full time and a father who wasn't well (though, as a girl, she didn't know how or why). Her sister, Brenda, was just a couple of years younger and there were also aunts and uncles nearby -- one pair wonderful and other not so much. On Maureen's first day of school she and Monica become best friends and not long after they meet Jack and Nelson. Before she had ever even spoken to him, Maureen knew that she and Jack were destined to be together.
This book is so .... just .... real. It's like reading someone's diaries or memoirs rather than a piece of fiction. Sandy Taylor gave life to these characters in such a way that I want to meet their children and grandchildren (or at least follow them on Twitter). Jack, Nelson, Maureen and Monica would have been similar in age to my grandparents. And, of course, Brenda. Oh gosh how I love Brenda! She reminds me so much of one of my grams younger sister, Clara. A sweet little riot she was! And the two of them together was, undeniably my favorite relationship in the whole book.
I'm still a sniffly mess. I'm a sniffly mess who then remembers something that made me snort my coffee out of my nose by laughing too hard. Now I'm a sniffly giggly mess.
I was going back through to grab my quotes for "Faves on 4s" and accidentally hit the 20% mark where Maureen and Brenda are at church lighting a candle for Nelson ... and Maureen's "exchange" with the Blessed Virgin Mary:
Now I realize that maybe you don't go in for murder but I'm hoping you might know someone who does. Perhaps you could have a word with that sinner who was hanging on the cross next to Jesus. You must know each other pretty well by now.
Yep. Maureen is trying to arrange a hit via the Holy Mother.
Probably the most splenderific (it's a word. Really. I just wrote it.) thing about this -- the thing that makes it the most "real" -- is how the thought patterns and use of language advances as the ages of the characters do. The beginning reads like an adolescent is telling the story and it matures as she does.
I am absolutely in awe of Sandy Taylor and look forward to reading more from her. I think I might wait a handful of months before I dive in to The Girls from See Saw Lane -- if only to give my tear ducts (and my coffee filled nasal passages) time to recover.
I absolutely loved Leslie Nagel's first Oakwood mystery, The Book Club Murders, so I jumped at the chance to get the second one as soon as I saw it on NetGalley! Of course, since I've been reading an advanced copy any quotes may be different in the final version ... and the fact that I received my copy for free has had no influence over whether or not I enjoyed it.
And oh boy did I ever enjoy it!!!
"The house reeked of death."
That's how it starts and how great of a first line is that?!?
The house in question is Mulbridge House -- the once grand and stately home in a secluded wooded area of Oakwood. Augusta Mulbridge died 18 months ago and the house is being cleared out and much of its contents auctioned off by a close friend of Charley's family, Calvin Prescott. The heirs want to knock the house down and turn it over for a new housing development. The local preservation society wants to turn it into a museum. Charley just wants the vintage clothes and accessories to help stock her shop, Old Hat Vintage Fashions.
When Charley and her good friend (whom I quite fell in love with in the first book) Dmitri go to Calvin's to pick up her auction winnings, they find Calvin dead. Because of the events from the first book, Charley is all gung-ho about putting her detecting skills to use again to find out who killed her friend ... and her boyfriend, police detective Marc Trenault, is all gung-ho to keep her out of it (and out of danger). She promises not to get involved, but doesn't really mean it and is soon uncovering potential motives and suspects and pulling her friends along for the ride.
[from the 33% mark of the uncorrected proof -- final copy may differ]
A sure-fire way to my nerdish little mystery-loving heart? Toss in good Scooby references. (I just want to be Velma!)
I probably don't have to tell you how frustrated Marc gets with Charley. Even without reading either book you can probably imagine. I totally get it, too. I love cozy mysteries. I've been reading them for years and will probably continue to do so until I can read no more. The heroines (as the main character is almost always female) frustrate the bejeebers out of me, too, more often than not. They never seem to consider the danger they're putting themselves and their loved ones in by getting involved and sometimes I just want to grab one by the shoulders and shake some sense into them! Charley seems to be worse than most just because of the sheer multitude of people who seem to flock to her in support as potential innocent bystanders.
I still pretty much adore her and her cohorts and her family and this series in spite of my urge to shake some sense into her. Leslie Nagel makes it difficult not to become part of Charley's gang, sifting through the red herrings attempting to uncover the truth ... and I still want to be Velma.
I nabbed A Fine Madness off of NetGalley and then, of course, realized that it's the third in a series and went to grab the other two. I am so glad that I did!
1. Mad For Love Publisher: ERB Publishing (March 26, 2016)
First Line: Marie Chantal Amelie du Blois never felt more French than when she was in London.
Marie (Mignon to friends and family) is the daughter of Charles du Blois who, much to her dismay, is a master art forger. It's 1790 and the two live in London, largely on the money he has earned selling his copies. One night when her father is out at an exhibit showcasing one of their family heirlooms (also a forgery created by her grandfather), Mignon catches a thief in their house. He happens to be gorgeous and he also happens to be Rory Cathcart -- an expert at detecting forgeries for Christie's. His friends tipped him off about du Blois and he was there to investigate more than steal. Of course, he couldn't tell Mignon that -- especially not when she later approaches him to have him help her steal her own statue from the exhibit before it can be studied for authenticity ... by Mr Cathcart.
A note at the beginning of the book indicates that it was written in homage to one of my all-time favorite movies, How To Steal A Million, starring Audrey Hepburn and Peter O'Toole.
This had me worried at first because retellings are so often horrid, but Essex did a beautiful job (and included some of my favorite bits of dialogue!). It's also just enough different to have held my interest and make me curious about Rory's friends -- the men who will be the leads in the rest of the series!
First Line: Lady Quince Winthrop had always known she was the unfortunate sort of lass who could resist everything but temptation.
This time we're revisiting the Robin Hood legends in 1792 Scotland with Lady Quince Winthrop standing in for Robin and Rory's friend Alasdair taking the Sheriff of Nottingham role. The two have history together as Alasdair used to court her older sister. Now she's all grown up (after all, it's 1792 and 19 was considered grown up) and he's working as a Member of Parliament. He has been tasked with stopping the thefts happening in the area while home tending to the castle he has recently inherited from his grandfather. Of course, she's the thief he's looking for.
Alasdair had a bit of a scandalous time in his youth and has worked hard to over come it, but there's something about Quince that makes him feel that being so serious isn't necessarily a good thing. Of course, considering who Quince is and what she does, it isn't necessarily a good thing to have her be any sort of influence in his life. At least, it wouldn't be in real life, probably. Luckily for them, they live in a book where two wrongs may not make a right but several may ... and they each do several wrongs along the way.
It's a fun romp with snark galore from both parties. You know how much I love my snark! It felt a bit too long and dragged out at times -- I would have been pleased as punch with it being half the length like Mad for Love -- but all-in-all it was still an enjoyable read.
First Line: Elspeth Otis had never particularly liked birthdays.
It's June of 1792 and, at the ripe old age of 24, Elspeth Otis is officially a spinster. She has even received a birthday present of a little cap like spinsters are so known to wear by the spinster aunts she lives with. She also, though, receives a great big trunk from an aunt she never knew existed -- her father's sister, Lady Augusta Ivers. Lady Ivers had been writing and sending gifts and invitations for Elspeth to visit her in Edingburgh for Elspeth's entire life. Her spinster aunts, however, thought it best to keep this from her. They would have continued to do so had the trunk not arrived when Elspeth was present. Her aunts did refuse the trunk and when the delivery driver said that he was told to take it back to Lady Ivers if that happened, Elspeth insisted that he take her as well. I fell in love with her instantly!
Meanwhile, back in Edinburgh, Rory's half-brother Hamish has been given an ultimatum by their father : find a wife in under five weeks time or be cut off financially. Hamish doesn't want an arranged marriage. He doesn't have any interest in marriage at all, really, but if he doesn't want to settle for anything less than marrying for love like Rory did. He also doesn't want to be destitute, though, so when Lady Ivers approaches him with a business proposition regarding the republication of her late brother's scandalous (and censored) novel, he more or less jumps at the chance.
While Hamish is tasked with cleaning up the published novel, Elspeth is urged to finish the partial manuscript that was left in the trunk. You can pretty much already see where this is headed, can't you? It heads there splendidly, too, with the right amount of angst and the right amount of romance to overcome it.
Ella isn't having a very easy time of it. Her ex-husband is living up to his name (Dick), her 78-year old mother is sexting and online dating, her almost-grown children are jetting off to see the world, and her world seems to be caving in around her. When her aunt dies and she finds out that she's been left part of the family business she loved so much growing up -- an ice cream cafe at the beach -- she takes the chance and makes a change for herself, at least for the summer. It turns out that her share isn't anything that she had expected and that there are long-held family secrets and scandals just waiting to be discovered in the little seaside village.
I absolutely fell in love with Ella, the family's solicitor Ben, and especially Ella's Mum (who reminds me so much of a favorite great-aunt or two!). My heart broke for her as things crumbled and soared when they were looking up. No tears were shed while reading, but only just barely. Oh, all right ... there were tears, but no full-blown ugly crying. Okay, so maybe I came close as the secrets were revealed ... and maybe once or twice with Ben ... but I didn't go all snotty on my shirt sleeves. Really. No sleeves were damaged in the reading of this book ... although I did snort my Coke Zero onto some paperwork on my desk a few times from laughing.
Yep! Ella's Ice-Cream Summer has it all. There's sweet romance, family mystery, comedy, and some of the most amazing sounding ice cream! It's being released from Bookouture next week -- on May 11th -- just in time to get in the summer spirit. Sue Watson is quickly coming one of my favorite chick lit authors and Ella's Ice-Cream Summer is the next best thing to actually being at the beach with ice cream cone! It may be even better since it's unlikely you'll get sand in your pants just by reading.
Once I finished Rachel McMillan's The White Feather Murders (Tuesday's teaser post has been updated with my ramble), I needed something a bit more lighthearted and decided that Eric Bower's middle grade historical fantasy/adventure/western/steampunk/mystery/whatever would be it. I initially nabbed The Magnificent Flying Baron Estate off of NetGalley for John, but since he's currently wrapped up in something else he's been reading, I decided to hop on it first. It sounded too good to pass up! Happily, it was just the comic relief I was in need of. It's clever and funny and I'm fairly certain that my son is going to adore it ... and then he'll likely recommend it to his friends (boys and girls as it's got something for everyone ... at least for the younger "everyone"s). It's not as ageless as some "middle grade" books are (*cough*Robin Stevens*cough*), but it has been a bit of fun to almost take my mind off of the heartbreak of finishing one of my favorite series.
"First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros" is from the first paragraph or two of a book being read now (or in the future) and is hosted by Bibliophile by the Sea. "Teaser Tuesday" at The Purple Booker asks for a random line or two from anywhere in the book currently being read.
My son has been on Spring Break all week and I've still had to work my usual full-time overnight gig so, as you can imagine, I'm oh-so-very thankful that my work week is coming to a close. My plan for the next 2 1/2 days? Pajamas, blanket, and The White Feather Murders by Rachel McMillan! I absolutely adore Rachel and the dynamic duo of Merinda and Jem (and, of course, Ray and my dear sweet lovable Jasper). I already know that I'm going to love it, but I'll be sure to verify as much once the weekend lovefest comes to a close!
Friday 56 (today is 56% from the digital ARC) is hosted at Freda's Voice &
Book Beginnings (share the first few sentences) is at Rose City Reader.
It took me a bit longer than usual to really sink my teeth into this one but I'm blaming that largely on the lack of sleep & focus thanks to my son being on break from school this whole past week. Once I was rested up some, though, I started again and couldn't put it down willingly until it was finished.
The world is changing rapidly around our wonderful quartet of Merinda, Jem, Ray and Jasper (my dear, beloved Jasper). It's the summer of 1914 and World War I has begun in Europe. Toronto's large immigrant population (Ray included) is under constant scrutiny and harrassment from those who fear they may side with the enemy. (Gee, sound familiar?) There is a group, known as the Cartier Club, that is trying to fight for the rights of the immigrants. When the members start getting murdered (with white feathers left behind -- used to symbolize cowardice), our foursome gets shaken to the core.
While the mystery part of this outing was gripping and kept me guessing, the real treasure here is the interaction and introspection of our main characters. Each of them struggles with who they've been, who they are, and who they want to be in the world. It's simultanteously heartbreaking and uplifting.
Friday 56 (today is page 156 from the paperback) is hosted at Freda's Voice &
Book Beginnings (share the first few sentences) is at Rose City Reader.
I have a confession to make : I stopped reading the ebook I received from NetGalley of this on Thursday morning. (Well, except for the bus-ride in to work Thursday night. I just couldn't NOT read a little bit more.... Anstey is positively addictive!) BUT I did so because I knew that on Friday I'll be receiving the actual book in the mail from Amazon and it's so flipping good that I know I'll want to finish it up with it actually in my hands flipping the pages in the comfort of my recliner and pajamas.
That's a good reason, right?
(The page 156 above is thanks to the "Surprise Me!" preview pages on Amazon. I can't wait to find out what's going on!!! But, of course, I can ... because I need that book in my hands!)
Oh, and in case you were wondering, it's a standalone novel. It has the same general feel and era as Love, Lies and Spies, but it isn't necessary to read one before the other. You know that I'm a bit obsessive about reading things in the proper order and here it's really okay if you don't!
***UPDATE -- 16 APRIL 2017***
I was spot-on over needing this book as an actual book. I even took it to Easter lunch at my sister-in-law's to read and had a good chuckle over the amazement that I had my head in an actual book instead of just my phone or tablet.
This book is needed on my shelves and will, without a doubt, be re-read over the years just as my Jane Austens have been and will be. Anstey, once again, has penned a delicious Regency romance with a tinge of intrigue -- this time around Miss Lydia Whitfield. Her father had passed on years earlier and she has been managing her family estate with the assistance (or lack thereof) of her mother's brother. When a disagreement about the management forced the involvement of her solicitor to get involved, the solicitor's clerk (and soon-to-be apprentice) Mr Robert Newton entered the picture.
Oh, Robert.
My adoration of this man so far surpasses my previous longings for a Mr Darcy or a Colonel Brandon. From this day forward, all of my Regency daydreams will be his... at least, until Anstey's next book is released.
I adored Carla Burgess' first book, Marry Me Tomorrow, and when I saw that she had a new one coming out I rearranged my planned reading in order to lose myself in it as soon as NetGalley said it was on my shelf. To be honest, I didn't think it would be possible for Burgess to come up with another couple that I would love half as much as I loved Emily and Sam, but then I met Elena and Daniel.
Burgess has another absolute winner with Stuck With You. Elena has pined for years over Daniel and has been replaying one perfect memory the whole time (in spite of living with her boyfriend, Alex, for the past two years). They were teeneagers. He was about to go traveling, she was heading off to university and, amazingly, he asked her to dance, kissed her, and they never saw eachother after that.
Until, several years later when they're 25, the elevator breaks down at the supermarket with the two inside.
I don't know if you have an "if only" in your past but if you don't you'll just have to take my word for the fact that all of Elena's pinings even years later? Yep. They can most definitely happen. I'm 41 with a long-term partner and child and I still "if only" and "what if" about one particular "almost" from my awkward teens! That may be one of the reasons why Elena and Daniel have joined Emily and Sam on my list of "favorite book couples" -- they're so relatable and hopeful and put a big ol' goofy grin on my face (and prompted me to listen to quite a lot of The Doors and think of my particular "almost.").
Now ... for the next book could we find out what happens with Rachel? Maybe a Zach update? And, of course, more of Sam, Emily, Elena & Daniel!
This is my 6th Holly Martin book and each one of them has been given five stars .... but only because that's as high as Goodreads and Amazon goes. If I could give more I would because Holly has certainly earned it! Once again I've been blessed by the fabulous folks at bookouture with an advanced copy of her latest, Spring at Blueberry Bay. Of course, this has had no influence on how much I've adored this book.
I've found that each time I open a Holly Martin book my heart grows a little bit bigger and my faith in happily-ever-after gets renewed a little bit more. In fact, that faith in happily-ever-after is really behind this book.
from Amazon:
Of course, the description doesn't do it justice ... nor will my little rambling thoughts. It's being released on Friday (April 7th), though, so you don't have long to wait to fall in love yourself! Since, though, this is supposed to be a "proper review" (as if any of my reviews are ever proper), here are some of my thoughts, jotted down along the way:
Bella has so much baggage I suspect there's a birthmark shaped like Louis Vuitton's monogram somewhere on her bum.
Isaac has everything a lit-crush should. His own baggage (duffle bag size in comparison to Bella's full travel set), strength, tenderness, a wicked sense of humor, and even a tinge of geek (he does, after all, excel in gaming).
Hope Island is the newest Holly Martin locale that makes me want to pack my bags and move yesterday. The details were so vivid, I feel like I could step foot off the ferry tomorrow and not get lost.
Be aware of speakerphones! They can be hilariously dangerous things.
Thou shalt not read Holly Martin books when thou art supposed to be sleeping. Before you know it you'll be howling with laughter and the jig will be up and everyone will know that you're up, too.
Thou shalt not read Holly Martin books at work when others may be around. The possibility of being asked a hundred times "are you sure you're okay?" because tears can unexpectedly stream down your face is very real.
I need more Bella & Isaac ... and Rocket and Alfie and Rome and Eden and Dougie and Freya and even Claudia. (Claudia must have some kind of backstory, right?) Oh! And Elsie and Roger! (They're so stinking cute!)
Bascially, summer can't get here soon enough. The next Hope Island book is supposed to be out then and I can't wait to revisit this glorious location and its wonderful residents!
If you're in need of a good cry mixed with some good laughs, this is a book you'll want to get your hands on. It's sad and hopeful and angry and beautiful and .... well, it runs the whole gamut of emotions. I've really come to care about the characters and already know that I would love to see them again in another book.
(A Life Without You is being released by Aria on April 1st 2017. I received a review copy via NetGalley.)
Friday 56 (today is 56% from the digital ARC) is hosted at Freda's Voice
& Book Beginnings (share the first few sentences) is at Rose City Reader.
Touching, funny, and bittersweet, this is a story that will make you laugh, cry, and call your best friend to tell her you love her.Dee and Jen have been best friends since their days of teenage crushes, bad 90's make-up and huge hair.
They’ve passed every milestone of their lives together and now in their thirties own a successful boutique, sharing a bond that is as strong as the closest of sisters.
Until one day everything changes.
Dee is gone, killed by a reckless driver, leaving Jen to face the harsh reality of a world without her.
Jen vows to honour Dee’s dreams and take care of everything and everyone she loved.
Until she realises that sometimes the only way forward is to let go of the past.
