tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80464404093658283752024-03-17T23:00:27.106-04:00A Literary Vacation “That's the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet.” - Jhumpa LahiriColleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.comBlogger673125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046440409365828375.post-48947633717333892072018-09-18T00:00:00.000-04:002018-09-18T00:00:08.767-04:00Review: The Secret of the Irish Castle by Santa Montefiore <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks</b><br />
<b>Pub. Date: August 14th, 2018</b><br />
<b>Pages: 480</b><br />
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<b>Book Series: </b><br />
<b>Deverill Chronicles #3</b><br />
<b>Genre: Historical Fiction</b><br />
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<b><u>Synopsis</u></b></h3>
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<br /><b><i>International bestselling author Santa Montefiore continues the story of the Deverill family in the third book in her beautiful and moving Deverill Chronicles trilogy—perfect for fans of Kate Morton and Beatriz Williams</i></b><div>
<b><i><br /></i></b><br />1939: Peace has flourished since the Great War ended, but much has changed for the Deverill family as now a new generation is waiting in the wings to make their mark.<br /><br />When Martha Wallace leaves her home in America to search for her birth mother in Dublin, she never imagines that she will completely lose her heart to the impossibly charming JP Deverill. But more surprises are in store for her after she discovers that her mother comes from the same place as JP, sealing her fate.<br /><br />Bridie Doyle, now Countess di Marcantonio and mistress of Castle Deverill, is determined to make the castle she used to work in her home. But just as she begins to feel things are finally going her way, her flamboyant husband Cesare has other ideas. As his eye strays away from his wife, those close to the couple wonder if he really is who he says he is.<br /><br />Kitty Deverill has come to accept her life with her husband Robert, and their two children. But then Jack O’Leary, the love of her life, returns to Ballinakelly. And this time his heart belongs elsewhere.<br /><br />As long-held secrets come to light, the Deverills will have to heal old wounds and come to terms with the past if they hope to ensure their legacy for the future.</div>
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<u>What Did I Think About the Story?</u></h3>
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I doubt anyone has noticed but I've actually not been participating in blog tours for a number of months. It absolutely has everything to do with me having too much on my plate and nothing to do with any problems I've ever had with a blog tour, but there you are. I've been trying to take my time and just read what I want to read when I want to read it...it's been glorious! That being said, when I got the email that TLC Book Tours was offering up the final book in the Castle Deverill trilogy I knew I'd have to break my own promise to myself and sign up! I really enjoyed the first two books in the series and I just had to find out how the storylines for our various characters would play out.<br />
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<b>The Secret of the Irish Castle</b> picks up right where <b>The Daughters of Ireland</b> left off. Montefiore did an excellent job of filling in the events of the previous novels for those that did not read them while also advancing the storyline into new and often unexpected and devastating places. I will give it to the author, she is not afraid of putting her characters through the wringer and really making them suffer and sacrifice!<br />
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I won't say too much about the events within the story (what would be the fun in that?) but I will say that Montefiore brings this world of violent and windswept hills and passionate people to vivid life. She has such a lyrical way of writing so you can't help but picture everything right in front of you, making you feel like you are witnessing the events unfolding more than simply reading about it. It really is beautiful. Add in the paragraphs about the original Lord Deverill and the O'Leary woman who put a curse on his descendants, as well as the lovely snippets from the Deverill ghosts still living in the castle, and you've got a fascinating story that begs you to keep turning the pages just to see what you might discover next.<br />
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The storylines of the characters do wrap up in a satisfying way, with many being at least content if not happy and a few bittersweet endings thrown in for balance. What the majority of these characters come to realize is that forgiveness and love is the only way to find everlasting happiness, which is really a beautiful concept if you think about it. While I know this is meant to be a trilogy enough is left open that it could easily continue with at least one more book, especially given the fact that the new generation of Deverill and O'Leary descendants have quite a bit more to contribute. I, for one, will definitely be first in line to read any future books the author might write in this series! <br />
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<u>What Did I Think About the Cover?</u></h3>
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Like all other covers in this series this one is a beauty! I love the set up - with the traveling woman (which could be any number of our characters) staring across at that gorgeous castle - and the saturated colors just scream "Ireland!" to me. Simply stunning!<br />
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<b><u>My Rating: 4.5/5.0 </u></b><br />
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<b><i>Thank you to <a href="https://tlcbooktours.com/2018/08/santa-montefiore-author-of-the-secret-of-the-irish-castle-on-tour-august-september-2018/" target="_blank">TLC Book Tours</a> and <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062456908/the-secret-of-the-irish-castle/" target="_blank">HarperCollins</a> for a free copy of </i>The Secret of the Irish Castle<i> in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine alone. Be sure to continue below for more information about the book, the author, and the rest of the blog tour!</i></b></div>
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<b><u>Reviews of Other Santa Montefiore Books</u></b></h3>
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<a href="https://aliteraryvacation.blogspot.com/2016/09/tlc-book-tours-review-of-girl-in-castle.html" target="_blank">The Girl in the Castle (Deverill Chronicles #1)</a><br />
<a href="https://aliteraryvacation.blogspot.com/2017/08/tlc-book-review-daughters-of-ireland-by.html" target="_blank">The Daughters of Ireland (Deverill Chronicles #2)</a><br />
<a href="http://luxuryreading.com/beekeepersdaughter/" target="_blank">The Beekeeper's Daughter</a><br />
<a href="http://luxuryreading.com/secretsofthelighthouse/" target="_blank">Secrets of the Lighthouse</a><br />
<a href="http://luxuryreading.com/thesummerhouse/" target="_blank">The Summer House</a><br />
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<u>Buy the Book</u></h3>
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<a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062456908/the-secret-of-the-irish-castle/">HarperCollins</a> | <a href="https://amzn.to/2Plesl3">Amazon</a> | <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-secret-of-the-irish-castle-santa-montefiore/1127730952?ean=9780062456908#/">Barnes & Noble</a></div>
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<u>About the Author</u></h3>
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<br /><b>Santa Montefiore</b> was born in England. She went to Sherborne School for Girls in Dorset and studied Spanish and Italian at Exeter University. She has written sixteen bestselling novels, which have been translated into thirty different languages and have sold more than two million copies worldwide.<br /><br />Find out more about Santa at her <a href="http://santamontefiore.co.uk/">website</a>, and follow her on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/santamontefioreofficial/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SantaMontefiorebooks">Facebook</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/santamontefiore">Twitter</a>.<div>
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<u>TLC Book Tours Instagram and Review Schedule</u></h3>
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<u><b>Instagram Stops</b></u><br />
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<br />Monday, August 20th: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BmtZAmDlh3d/?taken-by=happiestwhenreading">Instagram: @happiestwhenreading</a><br />Wednesday, August 22nd: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bmya-bwl9xH/?taken-by=candaceclark22">Instagram: @candaceclark22</a><br />Friday, August 24th: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm4kwWuBPR1/?taken-by=readforevermore">Instagram: @readforevermore</a><br />Monday, August 27th: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BnAD5fyFNnH/?taken-by=thesunnylibrarian">Instagram: @thesunnylibrarian</a><br />Tuesday, August 28th: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BnBAG4Dli97/?taken-by=shereadswithcats">Instagram: @shereadswithcats</a><br />Thursday, August 30th: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BnH1EdHFJbR/?taken-by=my_book_journey_">Instagram: @my_book_journey_</a></div>
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<b><u>Book Review Stops</u></b></div>
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<br />Monday, September 3rd: <a href="https://stephaniesbookreviews.weebly.com/blog-tours/the-secret-of-the-irish-castle">100 Pages a Day…Stephanie’s Book Reviews</a><br />Wednesday, September 5th: <a href="http://www.confessionsofabookaddict.com/2018/09/blog-tour-and-giveaway-secret-of-irish.html">Confessions of a Book Addict</a><br />Monday, September 10th: <a href="http://achickwhoreads.blogspot.com/2018/09/tlc-book-tours-book-review-secret-of.html">A Chick Who Reads</a><br />Monday, September 10th: <a href="https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2018/09/the-secret-of-irish-castle-by-santa.html">Girl Who Reads</a><br />Tuesday, September 11th: <a href="http://booknaround.blogspot.com/2018/09/review-secret-of-irish-castle-by-santa.html">BookNAround</a><br />Wednesday, September 12th: <a href="http://www.literaryquicksand.com/2018/09/review-the-secret-of-the-irish-castle/">Literary Quicksand</a><br />Monday, September 17th: <a href="http://lauragerold.blogspot.com/">Laura’s Reviews</a><br />Monday, September 17th: <a href="https://booksandcatsandcoffee.wordpress.com/">Books and Cats and Coffee</a><br />Tuesday, September 18th: <a href="http://aliteraryvacation.blogspot.com/">A Literary Vacation</a><br />Friday, September 21st: <a href="http://familycorner.blogspot.com/">Diary of a Stay at Home Mom</a><div>
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046440409365828375.post-74486160642379680522018-09-12T00:00:00.000-04:002018-09-12T00:00:06.038-04:00Audiobook Review: The Outsider by Stephen King<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjtJeT5-oFGiBBlTfekiVpeUDGquklcY5ztrXhb2OlkfLjgZz73DxG7gD1UvS4deitCjjbJpSXN0KCxITBJd9c94bv89nM7qOKyoc2f1GgTLGV9N6ulb3Fww5_qpIg4iMPN9K78eb_9Vg/s1600/36374449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjtJeT5-oFGiBBlTfekiVpeUDGquklcY5ztrXhb2OlkfLjgZz73DxG7gD1UvS4deitCjjbJpSXN0KCxITBJd9c94bv89nM7qOKyoc2f1GgTLGV9N6ulb3Fww5_qpIg4iMPN9K78eb_9Vg/s320/36374449.jpg" width="320" /></a><strong>Publisher: Simon Schuster Audio</strong><br />
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<strong>P<strong>ub. Date: May 22nd, 2018</strong></strong><br />
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<strong>Length: 18 hours, 41 minutes</strong><br />
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<strong>Genres: Fiction / Horror / Mystery / Thriller</strong><br />
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<u>Synopsis</u></h3>
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<strong><em>An unspeakable crime. A confounding investigation. At a time when the King brand has never been stronger, he has delivered one of his most unsettling and compulsively readable stories.</em></strong><br />
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An eleven-year-old boy’s violated corpse is found in a town park. Eyewitnesses and fingerprints point unmistakably to one of Flint City’s most popular citizens. He is Terry Maitland, Little League coach, English teacher, husband, and father of two girls. Detective Ralph Anderson, whose son Maitland once coached, orders a quick and very public arrest. Maitland has an alibi, but Anderson and the district attorney soon add DNA evidence to go with the fingerprints and witnesses. Their case seems ironclad.<br />
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<strong><em>As the investigation expands and horrifying answers begin to emerge, King’s propulsive story kicks into high gear, generating strong tension and almost unbearable suspense. Terry Maitland seems like a nice guy, but is he wearing another face? When the answer comes, it will shock you as only Stephen King can.</em></strong><br />
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<u>What Did I Think About the Story?</u></h3>
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I always know when I pick up a Stephen King novel that I'm in for a hell of a wild ride. <strong>The Outsider</strong> is no different, taking this graphic and horrific murder in small town America and turning it on it's head with a supernatural element that I couldn't have guessed at if I tried.<br />
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The story initially presented seems impossible: a much beloved local hero is accused of viciously murdering and violating a boy, something that seems to be backed up by eyewitness testimony and DNA evidence no matter how much the accused swears he didn't do it and that he was actually out of town at the time. Then video corroborating his story shows up. How is this possible? How can a man seemingly be in two places at once? Here begins the real fun as Detective Ralph Anderson and others work to decipher what went on and who the real killer is. I won't say anything else about the plot as this is definitely one you'll want to see unfold for yourself.<br />
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I listened to this story as an audiobook and I think the narrator (<a href="https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Will+Patton&ref=a_pd_Fictio_c1_narrator_1&pf_rd_p=52918805-f7fc-40f4-a76b-cf1c79f7d10a&pf_rd_r=KHKAFWN243XPP8DDXZBP&" target="_blank">Will Patton</a>) did a good job of keeping the tension tight and the listener engaged throughout the many twists and turns the story took. He also did a great job of changing his voice to differentiate between characters and to give us some particularly unique voices, especially Holly Dibney, a character who appears in other installments of this "Finders Keepers" series. I actually didn't even realize this was part of a series until after I read <strong>The Outsider</strong>, but I've now added the rest of the series to my listening lineup. And Will Patton is again the narrator, so that's a wonderful surprise!<br />
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<strong>The Outsider</strong> has quite a lot more interesting aspects that I want to discuss but I'm wary to do so in case I give anything away. Just know that it's graphic at times but also filled with really interesting and relatable characters. The supernatural aspect is delicious and really takes this story down an unusual road that's entertaining to say the least. If you are already a fan of Stephen King's novels you will most likely really enjoy this one as well.<br />
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<u>What Did I Think About the Cover?</u></h3>
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It's definitely unsettling! It's also intriguing to see the world turned on it's head, making someone just picking it up wonder why that might be, and why the man's shadow has red eyes. Simple but effective for sure!<br />
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<strong><u>My Rating: 4.0/5.0</u></strong><br />
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<strong><em>I borrowed a copy of the audiobook version of </em>The Outsider <em>from my library's <a href="https://www.overdrive.com/" target="_blank">Overdrive</a> account. All opinions are mine alone. To find more information about the book, including other reviews and links to where you can purchase a copy, see Goodreads <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36374449-the-outsider" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</em></strong></div>
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046440409365828375.post-957862309870938072018-09-06T00:00:00.000-04:002018-09-06T00:00:08.239-04:00Cover Crush: The Fallen Architect by Charles Belfoure<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Hello, my name is Colleen and I am a cover slut. I know, I know....you aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover. I just can't help myself! A beautiful cover draws my eye every single time and I can't help but pick up the book it's dressing and see if the inside seems as intriguing as the outside. Sometimes it does, and sometimes a pretty cover is just a pretty cover. Either way, I love getting an eyeful! </b></div>
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<b>One of my favorite bloggers, Erin at <a href="https://historicalfictionreader.blogspot.com/">Historical Fiction Reader</a>, created a weekly blog post called Cover Crush and she and some other blogger friends are sharing their favorite covers each Thursday. You'll find my Cover Crush selection below and I'll link to everyone else's at the end of the post.</b></div>
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<b>So, without further ado, my Cover Crush this week is.....</b></div>
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<b>This is such a cool cover! There's so much texture and the saturation of color makes everything pop. I love the hands pulling up the red curtain and the way it not only crinkles up the curtain but the title as well...just really eye catching!</b></div>
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<b>You can find out more about the story behind this cover by reading the synopsis....</b></div>
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<i>In this riveting novel from The New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Architect, a man in disgrace finds that digging up the past is the only road he can take </i></div>
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Architect Douglas Layton has lost everything. The balcony of one of his beautiful music halls collapsed during a packed performance, killing dozens. Layton knows the flaw was not in his design; someone else must have caused the dreadful catastrophe. But with no proof and a hoard of furious Londoners screaming for blood, someone has to take the fall-and Layton finds himself facing a five-year prison sentence.</div>
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When he is finally freed, Layton is determined to start over. With a new name and identity, he takes a job as a set painter. But as Layton begins to discover dead bodies hidden within theatre halls across London, it soon becomes clear that something darker is chasing him. When he unearths a clue that ties the bodies to the disaster that ruined him, he knows that redemption is within his reach…unless the culprit gets to him first.</div>
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<b>Don't forget to check out what covers my blogger buddies are drooling over this week (updated as they become available):</b></div>
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Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede</div>
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Erin at Flashlight Commentary</div>
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Heather at The Maiden's Court</div>
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Stephanie at Layered Pages</div>
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Holly at 2 Kids and Tired</div>
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046440409365828375.post-20996065300479392842018-08-31T00:00:00.000-04:002018-08-31T00:00:03.006-04:00The Tip Of My Wishlist: More to Come in 2018!<div align="center">
<strong>If you're anything like me you've got a book wish list so long there is no way you will ever be able to read through it all. And, on top of that, it's never ending because you just can't stop adding more books to it! To try and organize myself I'm sharing 5 books from my wish list that I'm most excited to get to, usually with a common theme, on the last Friday of each month. I know a number of excellent bloggers who will be doing similar posts and I'll be sure to link to their posts as well so you can see all the goodies we're excited about and, hopefully, add a few new books to your own wish list. I'll also link the titles to </strong><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/"><strong><span style="color: #ff7bbd;">Goodreads</span></strong></a><strong> where you can read reviews and find the various ways to purchase a copy of the books if they sound like your style. I really hope you enjoy and let me know if you've read any of these or have others you would add to the list.</strong><br />
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<strong>This month I decided to share 5 books that sound amazing and that will be releasing before the end of the year. I so often find myself looking ahead to 2019 already and forgetting that there are still a ton of great books coming out in 2018. So here's to the rest of this year...there's still lots of excitement to come!</strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip1jDE-zMektY5mP0KSygPk_-OtPS9-NJEj0MK-6ADQjn2aqjHNTzqH5DFYeI7P1674DP4X9KIGuLETOEkmQdSvIGphFYsUGWeurWyh9BUjkz5jE2HL3_y93KDMLr5MSo0FTH-SoQXz7E/s1600/7767276.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip1jDE-zMektY5mP0KSygPk_-OtPS9-NJEj0MK-6ADQjn2aqjHNTzqH5DFYeI7P1674DP4X9KIGuLETOEkmQdSvIGphFYsUGWeurWyh9BUjkz5jE2HL3_y93KDMLr5MSo0FTH-SoQXz7E/s320/7767276.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>
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<strong><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7767276-bridge-of-clay?ac=1&from_search=true" target="_blank">Bridge of Clay</a></strong></div>
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The breathtaking story of five brothers who bring each other up in a world run by their own rules. As the Dunbar boys love and fight and learn to reckon with the adult world, they discover the moving secret behind their father’s disappearance. At the center of the Dunbar, family is Clay, a boy who will build a bridge—for his family, for his past, for greatness, for his sins, for a miracle. The question is, how far is Clay willing to go? And how much can he overcome?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg0n4jYTkPcujiHmNVfwcq_Chyc2HYeFhF4kYod0S7GcYhl52IQzGMcLwuaAbIIjPjn6bG_yzdxksaTBd0lyALelEc5Fb1qJI0VoDiATTKcxRCxKaS3vf_Mbv1pc07nvzsRBSZanl7I9Q/s1600/38909528.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg0n4jYTkPcujiHmNVfwcq_Chyc2HYeFhF4kYod0S7GcYhl52IQzGMcLwuaAbIIjPjn6bG_yzdxksaTBd0lyALelEc5Fb1qJI0VoDiATTKcxRCxKaS3vf_Mbv1pc07nvzsRBSZanl7I9Q/s320/38909528.jpg" width="213" /></a><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38909528-lady-of-a-thousand-treasures?ac=1&from_search=true" target="_blank">Lady of a Thousand Treasures</a></b><br />
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Miss Eleanor Sheffield is a talented evaluator of antiquities, trained to know the difference between a genuine artifact and a fraud. But with her father’s passing and her uncle’s decline into dementia, the family business is at risk. In the Victorian era, unmarried Eleanor cannot run Sheffield Brothers alone.<br />
<br />The death of a longtime client, Baron Lydney, offers an unexpected complication when Eleanor is appointed the temporary trustee of the baron’s legendary collection. She must choose whether to donate the priceless treasures to a museum or allow them to pass to the baron’s only living son, Harry—the man who broke Eleanor’s heart.<br /><br />Eleanor distrusts the baron’s motives and her own ability to be unbiased regarding Harry’s future. Harry claims to still love her and Eleanor yearns to believe him, but his mysterious comments and actions fuel her doubts. When she learns an Italian beauty accompanied him on his return to England, her lingering hope for a future with Harry dims.<br /><br />With the threat of debtor’s prison closing in, Eleanor knows that donating the baron’s collection would win her favor among potential clients, saving Sheffield Brothers. But the more time she spends with Harry, the more her faith in him grows. Might Harry be worthy of his inheritance, and her heart, after all? As pressures mount and time runs out, Eleanor must decide whom she can trust—who in her life is false or true, brass or gold—and what is meant to be treasured. <div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPpkGiIDj9M_jsJIq5HG1AYYL5-Ym6cQD75qR3mQ_oSXlkPdK59D-KpPZh5ExTCFas5ix3ivZm86Nhu6a6q7ntjcMdPikwuG5bTV1btohYdSAva4CDi0V56EI355BSD0sPg6Xa2i5AGk/s1600/37759128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="297" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPpkGiIDj9M_jsJIq5HG1AYYL5-Ym6cQD75qR3mQ_oSXlkPdK59D-KpPZh5ExTCFas5ix3ivZm86Nhu6a6q7ntjcMdPikwuG5bTV1btohYdSAva4CDi0V56EI355BSD0sPg6Xa2i5AGk/s320/37759128.jpg" width="200" /></a><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37759099-the-ragged-edge-of-night" target="_blank">The Ragged Edge of Night</a></b></div>
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For fans of All the Light We Cannot See, Beneath a Scarlet Sky, and The Nightingale comes an emotionally gripping, beautifully written historical novel about extraordinary hope, redemption, and one man’s search for light during the darkest times of World War II.</div>
<br />Germany, 1942. Franciscan friar Anton Starzmann is stripped of his place in the world when his school is seized by the Nazis. He relocates to a small German hamlet to wed Elisabeth Herter, a widow who seeks a marriage—in name only—to a man who can help raise her three children. Anton seeks something too—atonement for failing to protect his young students from the wrath of the Nazis. But neither he nor Elisabeth expects their lives to be shaken once again by the inescapable rumble of war. <br /><br />As Anton struggles to adapt to the roles of husband and father, he learns of the Red Orchestra, an underground network of resisters plotting to assassinate Hitler. Despite Elisabeth’s reservations, Anton joins this army of shadows. But when the SS discovers his schemes, Anton will embark on a final act of defiance that may cost him his life—even if it means saying goodbye to the family he has come to love more than he ever believed possible.<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1vxoyn6SnTtVzc7e-HDGcCX9XJdcEVv3ghyphenhyphen1xU5bIibOfNJqXbTIMzDfU1boykYJoeY9XNp3r4I4K3D_u9FcZ0Bad1LpNoMMELFF0F-ho6owa2LGptzCAwvcOdTcb7LJFYJQ7cgbctE/s1600/33255542.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="261" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1vxoyn6SnTtVzc7e-HDGcCX9XJdcEVv3ghyphenhyphen1xU5bIibOfNJqXbTIMzDfU1boykYJoeY9XNp3r4I4K3D_u9FcZ0Bad1LpNoMMELFF0F-ho6owa2LGptzCAwvcOdTcb7LJFYJQ7cgbctE/s320/33255542.jpg" width="208" /></a><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33255542-the-visitors?ac=1&from_search=true" target="_blank">The Visitors</a></b></div>
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Marion Zetland lives with her domineering older brother, John in a decaying Georgian townhouse on the edge of a northern seaside resort. A timid spinster in her fifties who still sleeps with teddy bears, Marion does her best to shut out the shocking secret that John keeps in the cellar.</div>
<br />Until, suddenly, John has a heart attack and Marion is forced to go down to the cellar herself and face the gruesome truth that her brother has kept hidden.<br /><br />As questions are asked and secrets unravel, maybe John isn't the only one with a dark side.<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwl6BNz_sWVluxQJOArJL85rKTzs208eLeFYIwZO2Vn5ImweLA4Hq-FtjRpe0NFykAErDNwZ5EVIhoN60OOEzygdgf5J5NxAzcwcPCXAUu_r6-lPVETfL4ks_EXG2qJCnFBJZ6Nnyq8jI/s1600/36796312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwl6BNz_sWVluxQJOArJL85rKTzs208eLeFYIwZO2Vn5ImweLA4Hq-FtjRpe0NFykAErDNwZ5EVIhoN60OOEzygdgf5J5NxAzcwcPCXAUu_r6-lPVETfL4ks_EXG2qJCnFBJZ6Nnyq8jI/s320/36796312.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36796312-when-the-lights-go-out" target="_blank">When the Lights Go Out</a></b></div>
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A woman is forced to question her own identity in this riveting and emotionally charged thriller by the blockbuster bestselling author of The Good Girl, Mary Kubica </div>
<br />Jessie Sloane is on the path to rebuilding her life after years of caring for her ailing mother. She rents a new apartment and applies for college. But when the college informs her that her social security number has raised a red flag, Jessie discovers a shocking detail that causes her to doubt everything she’s ever known.<br /><br />Finding herself suddenly at the center of a bizarre mystery, Jessie tumbles down a rabbit hole, which is only exacerbated by grief and a relentless lack of sleep. As days pass and the insomnia worsens, it plays with Jessie’s mind. Her judgment is blurred, her thoughts are hampered by fatigue. Jessie begins to see things until she can no longer tell the difference between what’s real and what she’s only imagined.<br /><br />Meanwhile, twenty years earlier and two hundred and fifty miles away, another woman’s split-second decision may hold the key to Jessie’s secret past. Has Jessie’s whole life been a lie or have her delusions gotten the best of her?<div>
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Check out these lovely blogs for more books to add to your wish list(updated as they become available):</div>
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Holly at 2 Kids and Tired</div>
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Stephanie at Layered Pages</div>
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Heather at The Maiden's Court</div>
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Erin at Historical Fiction Reader</div>
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Magdalena at A Bookish Swede</div>
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046440409365828375.post-53476263506419286542018-08-30T00:00:00.000-04:002018-08-30T10:54:59.666-04:00Cover Crush: Summer at the Garden Cafe by Felicity Hayes-McCoy<div align="center">
<strong>Hello, my name is Colleen and I am a cover slut. I know, I know....you aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover. I just can't help myself! A beautiful cover draws my eye every single time and I can't help but pick up the book it's dressing and see if the inside seems as intriguing as the outside. Sometimes it does, and sometimes a pretty cover is just a pretty cover. Either way, I love getting an eyeful! </strong><b><br /><br /><strong>One of my favorite bloggers, Erin at <a href="https://historicalfictionreader.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff7bbd;">Historical Fiction Reader</span></a></strong></b><strong>, created a weekly blog post called Cover Crush and she and some other blogger friends are sharing their favorite covers each Thursday. You'll find my Cover Crush selection below and I'll link to everyone else's at the end of the post.</strong><br />
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<strong>So, without further ado, my Cover Crush this week is.....</strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwsut0Gjv2jS_yifVLQ9EvZ3A7GYoJn0vpzhPtQb84rq_cdwQ3W7r8jbFedkKPDrMrLFvLpdhlYH5Y4nc8bkWO3kRnx5vdl3uTgzhU5s2RTEPrJHD5Wm8x4X2R7cxU8n5rzBqlMnN9tJE/s1600/38496272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwsut0Gjv2jS_yifVLQ9EvZ3A7GYoJn0vpzhPtQb84rq_cdwQ3W7r8jbFedkKPDrMrLFvLpdhlYH5Y4nc8bkWO3kRnx5vdl3uTgzhU5s2RTEPrJHD5Wm8x4X2R7cxU8n5rzBqlMnN9tJE/s400/38496272.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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<strong>Isn't this a great cover to sort of wrap up the summer months? It has so many components I find eye-catching: an old, musty book, a beautifully decorated china cup and saucer, and a fuzzy yet bright and GORGEOUS landscape of what I can only guess is somewhere in Britain. It's just bright and full of promise!</strong></div>
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<strong>Keep reading to find out what readers have in store when they turn this cover over and start reading the story behind it....</strong></div>
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<em><br />A heart-warming story about secrets between four generations of women and the healing power of books, love and friendship. <br /><br />The Garden Café, in the town of Lissbeg on Ireland's Finfarran Peninsula, is a place where plans are formed and secrets shared ...<br />But Jazz - still reeling from her father's disclosures about the truth of his marriage to her mother, Hanna - has more on her mind than the comings and goings at the café. Now isolated from friends and family and fixating on her new job at a local guesthouse, she's started to develop feelings for a man who is strictly off limits . . .<br />Meanwhile Hanna, Lissbeg's librarian, is unaware of the turmoil in her daughter's life - until her ex-husband Malcolm makes an appearance and she begins to wonder if the secrets she's carried for him might have harmed Jazz more than she'd realised.<br /><br />As things heat up in Lissbeg, can the old book Hanna finds buried in her own clifftop garden help Jazz?</em><br />
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<strong>Don't forget to check out what covers my blogger buddies are drooling over this week (updated as they become available):</strong></div>
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<a href="https://bookaholicswede.blogspot.com/2018/08/covercrush-huntress-by-kate-quinn.html" target="_blank">Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede</a><br />
Erin at Flashlight Commentary<br />
Heather at The Maiden's Court<br />
<a href="https://layeredpages.com/2018/08/30/cover-crush-the-glass-ocean-by-beatriz-williams-lauren-willig-karen-white/" target="_blank">Stephanie at Layered Pages</a><br />
<a href="https://2kidsandtiredbooks.blogspot.com/2018/08/covercrush-whisper.html" target="_blank">Holly at 2 Kids and Tired</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_mivH1tvhyphenhyphenLmKyjPy4wYWXeW_EyAMx8ps80CwZ6vSjUurYB2hsDvjUyC0YARLeAjVQj-A7zm84ptonPN05C4sai_rn8OE5pd64GJyr73mByOXWpbjKcAbfGLdM1wKzure686Vg_TlQ8/s1600/est+la+Vie%2521.png"><span style="color: #ff7bbd;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_mivH1tvhyphenhyphenLmKyjPy4wYWXeW_EyAMx8ps80CwZ6vSjUurYB2hsDvjUyC0YARLeAjVQj-A7zm84ptonPN05C4sai_rn8OE5pd64GJyr73mByOXWpbjKcAbfGLdM1wKzure686Vg_TlQ8/s400/est+la+Vie%2521.png" /></span></a><br />
Created by Magdalena of <a href="http://bookaholicswede.blogspot.se/"><span style="color: #ff7bbd;">A Bookaholic Swede</span></a></div>
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046440409365828375.post-33369428054089705812018-08-28T00:00:00.000-04:002018-08-28T00:00:08.516-04:00Release Day Review: Sold on a Monday by Kristina McMorris<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5IC9mZXlmSadrQXwfCwXKHtHP-4-jSn5ddftoYKkQ8HiXC1oXpNbttVUjksy-4ivg0afdi4f3D8UB16mMdnmh7vlZ9zcSY-LckuWXubizFDa1e8qhKVo06Ucxw0dDP_n4vOXV9v5V5tM/s1600/untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5IC9mZXlmSadrQXwfCwXKHtHP-4-jSn5ddftoYKkQ8HiXC1oXpNbttVUjksy-4ivg0afdi4f3D8UB16mMdnmh7vlZ9zcSY-LckuWXubizFDa1e8qhKVo06Ucxw0dDP_n4vOXV9v5V5tM/s400/untitled.png" width="266" /></a></div>
<strong>Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark</strong><br />
<strong>Pub. Date: August 28th, 2018</strong><br />
<strong>Pages: 352</strong><br />
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<strong>Genres: Historical Fiction</strong><br />
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<u>Synopsis</u></h3>
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<strong><em>From New York Times bestselling author Kristina McMorris comes another unforgettable novel inspired by a stunning piece of history.</em></strong><br />
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<strong>2 CHILDREN FOR SALE</strong><br />
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The scrawled sign, peddling young siblings on a farmhouse porch, captures the desperation sweeping the country in 1931. It's an era of breadlines, bank runs, and impossible choices.<br />
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For struggling reporter Ellis Reed, the gut-wrenching scene evokes memories of his family's dark past. He snaps a photograph of the children, not meant for publication. But when the image leads to his big break, the consequences are devastating in ways he never imagined.<br />
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Haunted by secrets of her own, secretary Lillian Palmer sees more in the picture than a good story and is soon drawn into the fray. Together, the two set out to right a wrongdoing and mend a fractured family, at the risk of everything they value.<br />
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<strong><em>Inspired by an actual newspaper photo that stunned readers across the nation, this touching novel explores the tale within the frame and behind the lens -- a journey of ambition, love and the far-reaching effects of our actions.</em></strong><br />
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<u>What Did I Think About the Story?</u></h3>
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This is my third Kristina McMorris novel and what I've learned from reading her books is that she can tell one hell of a gripping and heartbending story that involves the innocence of children and some interesting point in history, pulling you in and refusing to let you go until the very end. In this particular story we see the kinds of consequences that can result from what seems an innocent action and the horrific and often cruel things that can be done to people, especially children, when they don't have the resources or abilities to help themselves. It breaks your heart but then stitches it back together with a lovely ending filled with hope for the future. It's simply put a great read!<br />
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<strong>Sold on a Monday</strong> starts with a short chapter taking place after the main events of the story have already unfolded and the life-altering consequences have happened. We don't know exactly who's involved or what exactly happened, but we know it was terrible, causing bodily harm or death to at least one person. One of our main characters, Lily, is going to go back and tell us all the events that led here, all starting with one innocent photo. This beginning had me quickly turning the pages to see what exactly happened and how our characters could have possibly gotten here. The whole story is fully of action and drama, circling back around to this point in time and leaving me feeling quite satisfied with the ending. <br />
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I think my favorite aspect of the story would be learning about this quite unruly time in history and how what was going on in the greater world affected these characters. The year is 1931 and the country is dealing with Prohibition, mobsters, and hard times for many. Children are working dangerous jobs in mines, or ending up in orphanages or being sold when their parents can no longer take care of them for a number of reasons. Worse than that, some children are even being bought to be used as labor, a forced slavery being done "legally" under the guise of adoption, something I did not know had happened. Both our main characters, Lily and Ellis, are trying desperately to keep their jobs and advance in journalism when it's anything but easy to do. And, in Lily's case, she has to also deal with the lack of respect for woman and what they could do that was inherent during this time period. With so little work out there for people they have to do whatever they can to keep their jobs in order to survive. It's both an exciting and a violent time and I very much enjoyed navigating it with these characters.<br />
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I don't want to say too much more about the story in particular as not to give it away, but just know that it's touching and sweet and devastating and so many more things. There's a little bit of everything for readers to enjoy - from action to drama to romance to history - and the author even includes an author's note in the back that explains the picture that drove her to write this story. I'm always amazed when I can learn something new when reading historical fiction, especially set so recently in history, and I'm happy to say Kristina McMorris opened my eyes to things that I had no idea were going on. I now want to read more about it and that is always a great sign of a good historical fiction novel. Highly recommend! <br />
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<u>What Did I Think About the Cover?</u></h3>
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It's heartbreaking, as is the story. I really think it's a great move to have the face hidden from view, making this young child representative of the unknown many who went through similarly horrible events. It's perfect for this story.<br />
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<u>My Rating:4.5/5.0</u></h3>
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<strong><em>I won a copy of </em>Sold on a Monday<em> in a giveaway on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KristinaMcMorrisAuthor/" target="_blank">author's Facebook page</a>. Thank you, Kristina McMorris! All opinions are mine alone. To find more information about the book, including other reviews and links to where you can purchase a copy, see Goodreads<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40216800-sold-on-a-monday" target="_blank"> HERE</a>.</em></strong></div>
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046440409365828375.post-64407415676862680562018-08-23T00:00:00.000-04:002018-08-23T13:44:58.457-04:00Cover Crush: The Latecomers by Helen Klein Ross<div align="center">
<strong>Hello, my name is Colleen and I am a cover slut. I know, I know....you aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover. I just can't help myself! A beautiful cover draws my eye every single time and I can't help but pick up the book it's dressing and see if the inside seems as intriguing as the outside. Sometimes it does, and sometimes a pretty cover is just a pretty cover. Either way, I love getting an eyeful! </strong><b><br /><br /><strong>One of my favorite bloggers, Erin at <a href="https://historicalfictionreader.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff7bbd;">Historical Fiction Reader</span></a></strong></b><strong>, created a weekly blog post called Cover Crush and she and some other blogger friends are sharing their favorite covers each Thursday. You'll find my Cover Crush selection below and I'll link to everyone else's at the end of the post.</strong></div>
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<strong>So, without further ado, my Cover Crush this week is.....</strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-2aKYUJ1OMWnK9BO8KeawK3cEYBuZuhUKNglUaV4NwTpxyj25pzXHYsytJYZg-EZOR__2mRo_PH4kD5grDzeIwC3i0k_njURm27SUcGkpchQfNc84L53M4UXOhJPV7GJ6OyHHIAGKmzY/s1600/39599881.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="306" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-2aKYUJ1OMWnK9BO8KeawK3cEYBuZuhUKNglUaV4NwTpxyj25pzXHYsytJYZg-EZOR__2mRo_PH4kD5grDzeIwC3i0k_njURm27SUcGkpchQfNc84L53M4UXOhJPV7GJ6OyHHIAGKmzY/s400/39599881.jpg" width="257" /></a></div>
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<strong>Like last week's pick this week's cover is gorgeous for it's soft focus and colors. While I can't say that it tells me anything about the story within I do think it's stunningly arranged and definitely something I'd want to learn more about.</strong></div>
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<strong>Shall we read the synopsis to hear what the story is about? I say we shall....</strong></div>
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<em>Set in New England over three generations, THE LATECOMERS mixes the world of Colm Tóibín's Brooklyn with the sweeping family sagas of Christina Baker Kline.<br /><br />In 1908, sixteen-year-old Bridey runs away from her small town in Ireland with her same-age sweetheart Thom. But when Thom dies suddenly of ship fever on their ocean crossing, Bridey finds herself alone and pregnant in a strange new world.<br /><br />Forced by circumstance to give up the baby for adoption, Bridey finds work as a maid for the Hollingworth family at a lavish, sprawling estate. It's the dawn of a new century: innovative technologies are emerging, women's roles are changing, and Bridey is emboldened by the promise of a fresh start. She cares for the Hollingworth children as if they were her own, until a mysterious death changes Bridey and the household forever. For decades, the terrible secrets of Bridey's past continue to haunt the family. And in the present day, after a strange blue bottle is found hidden beneath old wallpaper, the youngest Hollingworth makes a connection that finally brings these dark ghost stories into the light.<br /><br />Told in interweaving timelines and rich with detailed history, romance and dark secrets, Helen Klein Ross' THE LATECOMERS spans a century of America life and reminds us all that we can never truly leave the past behind. </em><br />
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<strong>Don't forget to check out what covers my blogger buddies are drooling over this week (updated as they become available):</strong></div>
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<strong><br /></strong><a href="https://bookaholicswede.blogspot.com/2018/08/covercrush-dangerous-collaboration-by.html" target="_blank">Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede</a><br />
Erin at Flashlight Commentary<br />
Heather at The Maiden's Court<br />
Stephanie at Layered Pages<br />
<a href="https://2kidsandtiredbooks.blogspot.com/2018/08/covercrush-wiregrass.html" target="_blank">Holly at 2 Kids and Tired</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_mivH1tvhyphenhyphenLmKyjPy4wYWXeW_EyAMx8ps80CwZ6vSjUurYB2hsDvjUyC0YARLeAjVQj-A7zm84ptonPN05C4sai_rn8OE5pd64GJyr73mByOXWpbjKcAbfGLdM1wKzure686Vg_TlQ8/s1600/est+la+Vie%2521.png"><span style="color: #ff7bbd;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_mivH1tvhyphenhyphenLmKyjPy4wYWXeW_EyAMx8ps80CwZ6vSjUurYB2hsDvjUyC0YARLeAjVQj-A7zm84ptonPN05C4sai_rn8OE5pd64GJyr73mByOXWpbjKcAbfGLdM1wKzure686Vg_TlQ8/s400/est+la+Vie%2521.png" /></span></a><br />
Created by Magdalena of <a href="http://bookaholicswede.blogspot.se/"><span style="color: #ff7bbd;">A Bookaholic Swede</span></a></div>
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046440409365828375.post-90444935235541953722018-08-21T00:00:00.000-04:002018-08-21T00:00:01.574-04:00Release Day Review: The Other Woman by Sandie Jones<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTEEPDTWFhUH4RF7ssK05pfoUv51uWd6nHseifwCnR6wE-flyhyphenhyphenFedzopEcHNIneTFQqCq_tPyfwB3b7JzIOMwPpLmNGN_TCQMeViSvmcKB-j_NwsDpCw2YNDqV48DJ0AbpezF8qSdj6U/s1600/36212848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTEEPDTWFhUH4RF7ssK05pfoUv51uWd6nHseifwCnR6wE-flyhyphenhyphenFedzopEcHNIneTFQqCq_tPyfwB3b7JzIOMwPpLmNGN_TCQMeViSvmcKB-j_NwsDpCw2YNDqV48DJ0AbpezF8qSdj6U/s400/36212848.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>
<strong>Pub. Date: August 21st, 2018</strong><br />
<strong>Publisher: Minotaur Books</strong><br />
<strong>Pages: 304</strong><br />
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<strong>Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Psychological Thriller / Mystery / Suspense</strong><br />
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<u>Synopsis</u></h3>
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<strong><em>A deliciously disturbing, compulsively readable debut domestic suspense--prepare to meet The Other Woman: there’s nothing she won’t do to keep you away from her son ...</em></strong><br />
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Emily thinks Adam’s perfect; the man she thought she’d never meet.<br />
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But lurking in the shadows is a rival; a woman who shares a deep bond with the man she loves.<br />
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Emily chose Adam, but she didn’t choose his mother Pammie. There’s nothing a mother wouldn’t do for her son, and now Emily is about to find out just how far Pammie will go to get what she wants: Emily gone forever.<br />
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<strong><em>The Other Woman is an addictive, fast-paced psychological thriller about the destructive relationship between Emily, her boyfriend Adam, and his manipulative mother Pammie.</em></strong><br />
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<u>What Did I Think About the Story?</u></h3>
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Oh my oh my oh my...what will we ever do with Pammie? She truly is the mother-in-law every woman has nightmares about and one, thankfully, most people never have to deal with. She's manipulative, sneaky, and just plain mean and, while things are definitely not exactly as they seem for much of the novel, she does make Emily's life a living hell from the moment she enters it. So is all the vitriol between these two women worth a read? Most definitely! Does it live up to the designation of a "fast-paced psychological thriller"? Well, yes and no.<br />
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What I initially enjoyed about this story was how, if not relatable than understandable, the story begins. While most women don't end up going down this terror ride of a relationship with their soon-to-be mother-in-laws, I think many can relate to at least experiencing themselves or witnessing some sort of rocky encounters with them. There is one encounter in particular - where Pammie purposely leaves Emily out of "family pictures" to make her feel like an outsider - that I can particularly relate to. However, thankfully, most mother- and daughter-in-laws find some sort of healthy balance between loving their shared human and not stepping into each other's territory. Well, not in this case! Pammie cranks it up to unimaginable heights, all the while making it seem like Emily is the mean/crazy one and somehow keeping Adam believing she's the one being wronged. Herein lies my problem: as the deception continues to grow so did my frustration with these characters, especially Emily.<br />
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As Pammie continued to ramp up her campaign against Emily, Emily continued to seem surprised and disappointed by what was being thrown at her and at a complete lose at what to do. Really, Emily? I kept wanting to scream at her "set up a camera or record your conversations so you have proof against her!!". Or, probably even more to the point of things, "demand your fiancée, who professes to love you over all things, support you more or get out!". She kept either letting mean things slide or trying to catch Pammie out and failing horribly and it just became too much to believe. She also acted like something of a doormat for Adam and forgave him every infraction until she clearly presented herself as all talk with so very little action. <br />
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Now, there is a twist in the last few pages that I kind of saw coming but still enjoyed. While it did end up explaining a lot of what happened in the rest of the story it still felt somewhat far-fetched. There are so many better ways the characters could have handled the situation that would have resulted in less hurt (mentally, emotionally, and physically) for just about everyone involved. I do get that this would not have made as interesting or "thrilling" a story but it would have definitely made it more believable. <br />
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<strong>The Other Woman</strong> was definitely a ride through crazy town and (sort of) back out again. While not filled with overly sympathetic or relatable characters I still couldn't help but keep reading how far they would all go to get what they wanted. Given the crazy antics in this story I'm really excited to see what the author might come up with next! <br />
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<u>What Did I Think About the Cover?</u></h3>
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The cover on the advance copy I received is a little darker around the edges but still focuses on this wedding dress in the window. It's a nice image - representing what should be a happy time for our couple - but I prefer the darkness of my cover to really show that malevolence lurking just at the edges. On this cover I like the slash running through "other", giving me, at least, that same sense of malice. It's a nice cover over all.<br />
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<strong><u>My Rating: 4.0/5.0</u></strong><br />
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<strong><em>I received an ARC (advanced reader copy) of </em>The Other Woman <em>from <a href="https://us.macmillan.com/minotaurbooks/" target="_blank">Minotaur Books</a>. All opinions are mine alone. For more information about the book, including other reviews and links to where you can purchase a copy, see Goodreads <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36212848-the-other-woman" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</em></strong></div>
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046440409365828375.post-10227318070499715932018-08-16T00:00:00.000-04:002018-08-16T16:09:44.480-04:00Cover Crush: The War Outside by Monica Hesse<div align="center">
<strong>Hello, my name is Colleen and I am a cover slut. I know, I know....you aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover. I just can't help myself! A beautiful cover draws my eye every single time and I can't help but pick up the book it's dressing and see if the inside seems as intriguing as the outside. Sometimes it does, and sometimes a pretty cover is just a pretty cover. Either way, I love getting an eyeful! </strong><b><br /><br /><strong>One of my favorite bloggers, Erin at <a href="https://historicalfictionreader.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff7bbd;">Historical Fiction Reader</span></a></strong></b><strong>, created a weekly blog post called Cover Crush and she and some other blogger friends are sharing their favorite covers each Thursday. You'll find my Cover Crush selection below and I'll link to everyone else's at the end of the post.</strong></div>
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<strong>So, without further ado, my Cover Crush this week is.....</strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrKMhsURZCEYt96hGzdYHA5hFJZUiRTZE66kcqdbE4e0c4EWNieYp-qZGTww5YnStzjEIZ6AhoOtYqOOjdpjsJhKODvBkOFoPZOoe58HL89QcvNNLfQLrPnshoXrK1VWsjKPTYyxl7G8c/s1600/39088477.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrKMhsURZCEYt96hGzdYHA5hFJZUiRTZE66kcqdbE4e0c4EWNieYp-qZGTww5YnStzjEIZ6AhoOtYqOOjdpjsJhKODvBkOFoPZOoe58HL89QcvNNLfQLrPnshoXrK1VWsjKPTYyxl7G8c/s400/39088477.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<strong>First off, I love the soft focus of this cover, with the dark border along the top drawing your eyes down. Given the barbed wire (perfectly framing the title, I might add) and airplanes in the top right hand corner you get the sense that this is a novel of war, with the clothes of the two women making me think it is probably set during WWII. I love when a cover can express for the potential reader what sort of story they might find within! This is definitely a cover I'd snatch up in a minute!</strong></div>
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<strong>Let's see how close my assessment of the cover is to what the story is really about....</strong></div>
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<em> A stunning novel of conviction, friendship, and betrayal from Monica Hesse, the Edgar Award-winning and bestselling author of Girl in the Blue Coat<br /><br />It's 1944, and World War II is raging across Europe and the Pacific. The war seemed far away from Margot in Iowa and Haruko in Colorado--until they were uprooted to dusty Texas, all because of the places their parents once called home: Germany and Japan.<br /><br />Haruko and Margot meet at the high school in Crystal City, a "family internment camp" for those accused of colluding with the enemy. The teens discover that they are polar opposites in so many ways, except for one that seems to override all the others: the camp is changing them, day by day and piece by piece. Haruko finds herself consumed by fear for her soldier brother and distrust of her father, who she knows is keeping something from her. And Margot is doing everything she can to keep her family whole as her mother's health deteriorates and her rational, patriotic father becomes a man who distrusts America and fraternizes with Nazis.<br /><br />With everything around them falling apart, Margot and Haruko find solace in their growing, secret friendship. But in a prison the government has deemed full of spies, can they trust anyone--even each other?</em></div>
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<strong>Don't forget to check out what covers my blogger buddies are drooling over this week (updated as they become available):</strong></div>
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<strong><br /></strong><a href="https://bookaholicswede.blogspot.com/2018/08/covercrush-daisy-jones-six-by-taylor.html" target="_blank">Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede</a><br />
Erin at Historical Fiction Reader<br />
Heather at The Maiden's Court<br />
<a href="https://layeredpages.com/2018/08/16/cover-crush-saving-phoebe-murrow-by-herta-feely/" target="_blank">Stephanie at Layered Pages</a><br />
<a href="https://2kidsandtiredbooks.blogspot.com/2018/08/covercrush-runaway-family.html" target="_blank">Holly at 2 Kids and Tired</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_mivH1tvhyphenhyphenLmKyjPy4wYWXeW_EyAMx8ps80CwZ6vSjUurYB2hsDvjUyC0YARLeAjVQj-A7zm84ptonPN05C4sai_rn8OE5pd64GJyr73mByOXWpbjKcAbfGLdM1wKzure686Vg_TlQ8/s1600/est+la+Vie%2521.png"><span style="color: #ff7bbd;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_mivH1tvhyphenhyphenLmKyjPy4wYWXeW_EyAMx8ps80CwZ6vSjUurYB2hsDvjUyC0YARLeAjVQj-A7zm84ptonPN05C4sai_rn8OE5pd64GJyr73mByOXWpbjKcAbfGLdM1wKzure686Vg_TlQ8/s400/est+la+Vie%2521.png" /></span></a><br />
Created by Magdalena of <a href="http://bookaholicswede.blogspot.se/"><span style="color: #ff7bbd;">A Bookaholic Swede</span></a></div>
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046440409365828375.post-14810318794784348052018-08-15T00:00:00.000-04:002018-08-15T00:00:04.457-04:00Review: The Fireman by Joe Hill<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIs-GfcF9JPFGXPbXKb6WDHYhsjxFxKi397SMOnQEKKYMgeEOSrOincyRdAJFw0DKe2vncRyubnKxiAro_-N6VD8_-YMuKmDvY8RLZjU3hxOPUEp0tpZ-khS0wB2lndMlEN6UY3EQrohI/s1600/29875363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIs-GfcF9JPFGXPbXKb6WDHYhsjxFxKi397SMOnQEKKYMgeEOSrOincyRdAJFw0DKe2vncRyubnKxiAro_-N6VD8_-YMuKmDvY8RLZjU3hxOPUEp0tpZ-khS0wB2lndMlEN6UY3EQrohI/s400/29875363.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
<strong>Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks</strong><br />
<strong>Pub. Date: January 3rd, 2017</strong><br />
<strong>Pages: 768</strong><br />
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<strong>Genres: Science Fiction / Horror / Thriller / Dystopian</strong><br />
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<u>Synopsis</u></h3>
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<strong>From the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of NOS4A2 and Heart-Shaped Box comes a chilling novel about a worldwide pandemic of spontaneous combustion that threatens to reduce civilization to ashes and a band of improbable heroes who battle to save it, led by one powerful and enigmatic man known as the Fireman.</strong><br />
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<strong><em>The fireman is coming. Stay cool.</em></strong><br />
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No one knows exactly when it began or where it originated. A terrifying new plague is spreading like wildfire across the country, striking cities one by one: Boston, Detroit, Seattle. The doctors call it Draco Incendia Trychophyton. To everyone else it’s Dragonscale, a highly contagious, deadly spore that marks its hosts with beautiful black and gold marks across their bodies—before causing them to burst into flames. Millions are infected; blazes erupt everywhere. There is no antidote. No one is safe.<br />
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Harper Grayson, a compassionate, dedicated nurse as pragmatic as Mary Poppins, treated hundreds of infected patients before her hospital burned to the ground. Now she’s discovered the telltale gold-flecked marks on her skin. When the outbreak first began, she and her husband, Jakob, had made a pact: they would take matters into their own hands if they became infected. To Jakob’s dismay, Harper wants to live—at least until the fetus she is carrying comes to term. At the hospital, she witnessed infected mothers give birth to healthy babies and believes hers will be fine too. . . if she can live long enough to deliver the child.<br />
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Convinced that his do-gooding wife has made him sick, Jakob becomes unhinged, and eventually abandons her as their placid New England community collapses in terror. The chaos gives rise to ruthless Cremation Squads—armed, self-appointed posses roaming the streets and woods to exterminate those who they believe carry the spore. But Harper isn’t as alone as she fears: a mysterious and compelling stranger she briefly met at the hospital, a man in a dirty yellow fire fighter’s jacket, carrying a hooked iron bar, straddles the abyss between insanity and death. Known as <strong>The Fireman</strong>, he strolls the ruins of New Hampshire, a madman afflicted with Dragonscale who has learned to control the fire within himself, using it as a shield to protect the hunted . . . and as a weapon to avenge the wronged.<br />
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In the desperate season to come, as the world burns out of control, Harper must learn the Fireman’s secrets before her life—and that of her unborn child—goes up in smoke.<br />
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<u>What Did I Think About the Story?</u></h3>
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At this point, if you follow my blog at all, you are probably aware that I've become somewhat of a fangirl of Joe Hill. Over the last year or so I've been trying to read my way through his novels, short stories, and his comic book series (seriously, I'll say it again, listen to the audiobook of Locke and Key for the best audiobook I've still ever listened to), and if I haven't yet experienced them all I've at least purchased copies to read when I can. With all this being said I've now got pretty high hopes for any of his work I pick up, which can sometimes be a good thing and can sometimes lead to disappointment. Well, I'm happy to say that, with <strong>The Fireman</strong>, he exceeded everything I was expecting and gave me my favorite of his novels yet.<br />
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The synopsis above gives a pretty good overview of what the novel is about. What it doesn't describe is how well thought out and drawn this apocalyptic world Harper finds herself in is, with people reacting and acting just as you'd probably imagine. The world becomes a burning nightmare, full of scared people made vicious and often heartless by this fear, or simply by the fact that they are now able to let their inner monsters out without fear of reprisals. Balanced against this are a few people who stay true to at least part of their goodness, trying to survive without succumbing to the evilness around them. It's all just a completely immersive experience that is simply terrifying for how real it feels and how easily you could see something like this happening (at least the people's reactions).<br />
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All of the characters, whether you like them or not, are phenomenal as well. Harper, in particular, was a favorite. She's somehow gritty and mild-mannered at the same time...think of a Disney character as written by a horror novelist. She loves to sing and keep positive and find the light at the end of each tunnel, even when it's obscured by fire and smoke. She is determined to find a safe place for her baby at any cost, all while also retaining her humanity as much as possible. Even the spore itself becomes its own character, controlling it's hosts and making many of them display a mob-like behavior as a sort of mechanism for survival. We get to learn so much about this spore, along with all of the characters, that I couldn't help but be completely invested in how this madness could possibly end (which I found pretty realistic and somewhat sad).<br />
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<strong>The Fireman</strong> is a hefty tome of realistic terror and one that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. At it's core it is an epic journey of one woman's search for a safe place for her child and the remarkable people (good and bad) that she encounters along the way. It's full of hope, humor, horror, and sadness. It's a look at humanity, as well as the loss of it, and the idea that, no matter how hard life gets, it can continue with a lot of determination and a little bit of singing. Highly recommend!<br />
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<u>What Did I Think About the Cover?</u></h3>
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It's absolutely perfect for this story. Clearly the fire shown is prevalent and important to the overall story (I especially love the charred outlines) and I love how it is incorporated throughout the cover, including in the title and the author's name. <br />
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<strong><u>My Rating: 5.0/5.0</u></strong><br />
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<strong><em>I purchased a copy of </em>The Fireman <em>for my own library. All opinions are mine alone. To find more information about the book, including other reviews and links to where you can purchase a copy, see Goodreads <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29875363-the-fireman" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</em></strong></div>
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<u>Reviews of Other Books by Joe Hill</u></h3>
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<a href="https://aliteraryvacation.blogspot.com/2017/10/review-heart-shaped-box-by-joe-hill.html" target="_blank">Heart-Shaped Box</a></div>
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<a href="https://aliteraryvacation.blogspot.com/2017/12/review-strange-weather-by-joe-hill.html" target="_blank">Strange Weather</a></div>
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<a href="https://aliteraryvacation.blogspot.com/2016/06/audiobook-review-locke-and-key-by-joe.html" target="_blank">Locke & Key</a></div>
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<a href="https://aliteraryvacation.blogspot.com/2017/12/audiobook-review-horns-by-joe-hill.html" target="_blank">Horns</a><u></u></div>
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<br />Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046440409365828375.post-53551405095111434372018-08-13T00:00:00.000-04:002018-08-13T00:00:00.732-04:00Audiobook Review: Dark Water by Robert Bryndza<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOi6t-VcvKB2AHMIcSUVaqqcVLl2T5slMWSqIctu9RFCiYhMttZXceGP4vPP2lzcf_VWYeswlc38kP1rvDmwE-Gy7dNg0dRkqmiDsQidGlV7NJbbfoi04vul5TT_K0MpNxxVzYgClcnE/s1600/32802477.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikOi6t-VcvKB2AHMIcSUVaqqcVLl2T5slMWSqIctu9RFCiYhMttZXceGP4vPP2lzcf_VWYeswlc38kP1rvDmwE-Gy7dNg0dRkqmiDsQidGlV7NJbbfoi04vul5TT_K0MpNxxVzYgClcnE/s320/32802477.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<strong>Pub. Date: October 20th, 2016</strong><br />
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<strong>Publisher: Bookouture</strong><br />
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<strong>Length: 8 hours, 55 minutes</strong><br />
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<strong>Genres: Contemporary Fiction / Crime Drama / Thriller / Mystery</strong><br />
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<strong>Book Series: Erika Foster #3</strong><br />
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<u>Synopsis</u></h3>
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<strong><em>Beneath the water the body sank rapidly. She would lie still and undisturbed for many years but above her on dry land, the nightmare was just beginning.</em></strong> <br />
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When Detective Erika Foster receives a tip-off that key evidence for a major narcotics case was stashed in a disused quarry on the outskirts of London, she orders for it to be searched. From the thick sludge the drugs are recovered, but so is the skeleton of a young child. <br />
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The remains are quickly identified as seven-year-old Jessica Collins. The missing girl who made headline news twenty-six years ago. <br />
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As Erika tries to piece together new evidence with the old, she must dig deeper and find out more about the fractured Collins family and the original detective, Amanda Baker. A woman plagued by her failure to find Jessica. Erika soon realises this is going to be one of the most complex and demanding cases she has ever taken on. <br />
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Is the suspect someone close to home? Someone is keeping secrets. Someone who doesn’t want this case solved. And they’ll do anything to stop Erika from finding the truth. <br />
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<strong><em>From the million-copy bestselling author of The Girl in the Ice and The Night Stalker, comes the third heart-stopping book in the Detective Erika Foster series.</em></strong> <br />
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<u>What Did I Think About the Story?</u> </h3>
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The Detective Erika Foster series has made it's way to the top of my "I really need an exciting audiobook listen" list and, with <strong>Dark Water</strong>, the third story in the series, the mystery and drama jumps up a notch. As the synopsis says, Erika is again presented with a historic case that will test every fiber of her resolve and abilities, a case that could bring her and those she cares about closer and closer to danger. At the same time the reader/listener has a front row seat to Erika's continuing process of mourning her husband (who died in the field as part of an investigation that Erika led) while also craving companionship and contact. She's tough as nails, always ready to act first and ask for forgiveness later, but also funny and vulnerable and caring. She's the full package and the exact sort of character I can't help but go back to over and over again.<br />
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I think what I love most about this series is that the same characters you begin enjoying in book one come back in subsequent installments, with a few added here and there to expand your appreciation of this world that author Robert Bryndza has built. The team that Erika has built around herself is excellent, each adding their own personality to the mix and giving you a little bit of everything - drama, humor, aggravation - all within the scope of a strict and ordered law enforcement system. There are rules to be followed, but that doesn't mean Erika doesn't create a little wiggle room when needed for her team to solve the case.<br />
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I also really enjoy learning more about British crime procedures. For this particular case, Erika and her team are forced to cypher through boxes upon boxes of evidence from the original Jessica Collins disappearance case, something that, while absolutely necessary in case there are clues hidden within that information, takes an incredible amount of time, time which wears on Jessica's family and the media at large as everyone is desperate to know how Jessica ended up in that quarry. It's fascinating and the author does a great job of showing you the police work that is actually behind these sensational sorts of cases. <br />
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I can't forget to mention how wonderful the narrator of the Detective Foster series is. <a href="https://www.audible.com/search?searchNarrator=Jan+Cramer&ref=a_search_c3_lNarrator_1_2_1&pf_rd_p=e81b7c27-6880-467a-b5a7-13cef5d729fe&pf_rd_r=QTFDTMP232Q7FSGAS7C7&" target="_blank">Jan Cramer</a> gives personality and differentiation to each of the characters, making it so I'm not sure I would want to experience an Erika Foster novel without her. Her skills at narration combined with Robert Bryndza's excellent writing just make this such an enjoyable experience. <br />
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<strong>Dark Water</strong> is a wonderful edition to Erika Foster's story. It advanced her personal story - and those of her team - while also presenting a new case for the reader/listener to puzzle over. I will fully admit that I did not guess at what happened to Jessica Collins or who was involved in her disappearance and death. I am itching to listen to the next installment and see what kind of excitement Erika (and Bryndza) will bring to us next.<br />
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<u>What Did I Think About the Cover?</u></h3>
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It's perfect, as are the other covers in this series! I seem to be drawn to covers with people under water, so this one in particular is eye-catching for me. Whoever is in charge of coming up with these covers is excellent.<br />
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<strong><u>My Rating: 4.5/5.0</u></strong><br />
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<strong><em>I purchased a copy of </em>Dark Water <em>for my own library. All opinions are mine alone. To find more information about the book, including other reviews and links to where you can purchase a copy, see Goodreads <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32802477-dark-water" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</em></strong></div>
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<u>Reviews of Other Books in the Erika Foster Series</u></h3>
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<a href="https://aliteraryvacation.blogspot.com/2016/10/audiobook-review-girl-in-ice-by-robert.html" target="_blank">The Girl in the Ice (Book One)</a></div>
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<a href="https://aliteraryvacation.blogspot.com/2017/02/audiobook-review-night-stalker-by.html" target="_blank">The Night Stalker (Book Two)</a></div>
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046440409365828375.post-31883198092187598622018-08-09T00:00:00.000-04:002018-08-09T10:00:37.049-04:00Cover Crush: The Sisters of the Winter Wood by Rena Rossner<div align="center">
<strong>Hello, my name is Colleen and I am a cover slut. I know, I know....you aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover. I just can't help myself! A beautiful cover draws my eye every single time and I can't help but pick up the book it's dressing and see if the inside seems as intriguing as the outside. Sometimes it does, and sometimes a pretty cover is just a pretty cover. Either way, I love getting an eyeful! </strong><b><br /><br /><strong>One of my favorite bloggers, Erin at <a href="https://historicalfictionreader.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff7bbd;">Historical Fiction Reader</span></a></strong></b><strong>, created a weekly blog post called Cover Crush and she and some other blogger friends are sharing their favorite covers each Thursday. You'll find my Cover Crush selection below and I'll link to everyone else's at the end of the post.</strong></div>
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<strong>So, without further ado, my Cover Crush this week is.....</strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuUKjk-ixEzxs7hDf_VRpUFbTczHUslz9TMNJI7cme9oNi6y4cdH5deIt4ZSVCYtbJBfE8epFpUIKmnSaSc3JZcDArZ07UnMWHeVj9n36qQbd8XJ_m4MzWWe17EuD2vL7W907AzIhln8/s1600/37854049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="318" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRuUKjk-ixEzxs7hDf_VRpUFbTczHUslz9TMNJI7cme9oNi6y4cdH5deIt4ZSVCYtbJBfE8epFpUIKmnSaSc3JZcDArZ07UnMWHeVj9n36qQbd8XJ_m4MzWWe17EuD2vL7W907AzIhln8/s400/37854049.jpg" width="270" /></a></div>
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<strong>This is another case of a cover that is so intricately woven with imagery and beauty that I can't stop looking around for new things to see! The golden color against the black backdrop makes everything stand out and gives it a sense of richness and glamour. The design makes such a lovely frame for the title and I just think who ever came up with this cover is an artist.</strong></div>
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<strong>Let's read on to see what the story is about...</strong> </div>
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<em><br />Captivating and boldly imaginative, with a tale of sisterhood at its heart, Rena Rossner's debut fantasy invites you to enter a world filled with magic, folklore, and the dangers of the woods.<br /><br />Raised in a small village surrounded by vast forests, Liba and Laya have lived a peaceful sheltered life - even if they've heard of troubling times for Jews elsewhere. When their parents travel to visit their dying grandfather, the sisters are left behind in their home in the woods.<br /><br />But before they leave, Liba discovers the secret that their Tati can transform into a bear, and their Mami into a swan. Perhaps, Liba realizes, the old fairy tales are true. She must guard this secret carefully, even from her beloved sister.<br /><br />Soon a troupe of mysterious men appear in town and Laya falls under their spell-despite their mother's warning to be wary of strangers. And these are not the only dangers lurking in the woods...<br /><br />The sisters will need each other if they are to become the women they need to be - and save their people from the dark forces that draw closer. </em></div>
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<strong>Don't forget to check out what covers my blogger buddies are drooling over this week (updated as they become available):</strong></div>
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<a href="http://bookaholicswede.blogspot.com/2018/08/covercrush-letter-writer-by-dan.html" target="_blank">Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede</a><br />
Erin at Historical Fiction Reader<br />
Heather at The Maiden's Court<br />
Stephanie at Layered Pages<br />
<a href="http://2kidsandtiredbooks.blogspot.com/2018/08/covercrush-where-hope-begins.html" target="_blank">Holly at 2 Kids and Tired</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_mivH1tvhyphenhyphenLmKyjPy4wYWXeW_EyAMx8ps80CwZ6vSjUurYB2hsDvjUyC0YARLeAjVQj-A7zm84ptonPN05C4sai_rn8OE5pd64GJyr73mByOXWpbjKcAbfGLdM1wKzure686Vg_TlQ8/s1600/est+la+Vie%2521.png"><span style="color: #ff7bbd;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_mivH1tvhyphenhyphenLmKyjPy4wYWXeW_EyAMx8ps80CwZ6vSjUurYB2hsDvjUyC0YARLeAjVQj-A7zm84ptonPN05C4sai_rn8OE5pd64GJyr73mByOXWpbjKcAbfGLdM1wKzure686Vg_TlQ8/s400/est+la+Vie%2521.png" /></span></a><br />
Created by Magdalena of <a href="http://bookaholicswede.blogspot.se/"><span style="color: #ff7bbd;">A Bookaholic Swede</span></a></div>
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046440409365828375.post-79865292558000095782018-08-07T00:00:00.000-04:002018-08-07T00:00:10.037-04:00Release Day Review: Rust & Stardust by T. Greenwood<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9CKjVVi6nXf81MFe6G6tINSQWz60dI4UwhFV80nja44GYgePDrLYxFw7A6pDMn9ihvHpxYUYxwsMQwA-80UOBdi-gA0L4D2t_PkSQk2cGSmnurwiwYfm_OvD9X-RoO7GvRQocFpE640E/s1600/36249634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9CKjVVi6nXf81MFe6G6tINSQWz60dI4UwhFV80nja44GYgePDrLYxFw7A6pDMn9ihvHpxYUYxwsMQwA-80UOBdi-gA0L4D2t_PkSQk2cGSmnurwiwYfm_OvD9X-RoO7GvRQocFpE640E/s400/36249634.jpg" width="262" /></a><strong>Publisher: St. Martin's Press</strong><br />
<strong>Pub. Date: August 7th, 2018</strong><br />
<strong>Pages: 352</strong><br />
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<strong>Genre: Fiction / Biographical Fiction / Historical Fiction</strong> <br />
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<u>Synopsis</u></h3>
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<strong>Camden, NJ, 1948</strong>. When 11 year-old Sally Horner steals a notebook from the local Woolworth's, she has no way of knowing that 52 year-old Frank LaSalle, fresh out of prison, is watching her, preparing to make his move. Accosting her outside the store, Frank convinces Sally that he’s an FBI agent who can have her arrested in a minute—unless she does as he says. <br />
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This chilling novel traces the next two harrowing years as Frank mentally and physically assaults Sally while the two of them travel westward from Camden to San Jose, forever altering not only her life, but the lives of her family, friends, and those she meets along the way.<br />
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Based on the experiences of real-life kidnapping victim Sally Horner and her captor, whose story shocked the nation and inspired Vladimir Nabokov to write his controversial and iconic Lolita, this heart-pounding story by award-winning author T. Greenwood at last gives a voice to Sally herself.<br />
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<u>What Did I Think About the Story?</u></h3>
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I have to admit that I have not read Nabokov's Lolita and was not aware of Sally Horner and what she went through before reading <strong>Rust & Stardust</strong>. Now that I've read this story I know I will never forget Sally or her tragic experience. This novel is told with such tenderness and heartache, as well as a rawness that feels so real and all the more devastating because of it. It gives voice to a little girl who's life was unthinkably painful and yet hopeful.<br />
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The synopsis above gives you the basic outline of the story. What the synopsis doesn't tell you is just how sweet, open, and innocent Sally's voice is in the beginning. She's a lonely, poor girl who is desperate for friends as her home life is wanting after her sister has gotten married and moved out, leaving Sally alone with a mother crippled by her own arthritis and lacking of choices or resources. Sally tries to take a notebook as a sort of initiation into a group of rich girls who could never have known the devastation their joke on Sally would bring about. When she's taken by Frank LaSalle, a master at manipulation, she doesn't know how to get herself out of the situation that he's pushed her into. So goes the story and, as it unfolds, with so many people coming into contact with Sally and endless chances for someone, anyone, to do something to rescue her, her voice changes and she continues to lose her inward innocence and hope. I won't say too much more in case anyone doesn't know how Sally's story ends up, but I found it to be beyond sad and tragic, even when it seems hope might be about to surface for her at last. I so wanted everything to be different for Sally, but real life isn't built on only happy endings and the author kept to the facts as much as possible. <br />
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The story is told through a multitude of perspectives, from Sally herself, her mother, her sister, a little girl she wanted desperately to be friends with, and a myriad of people who Sally met and touched as she and LaSalle moved across the country. If you are anything like me you will scream at some of these people who are so close to helping rescue Sally and will want to rescue her yourself, if only able to. I felt physically sick reading about LaSalle and thinking about the irrevocable harm he did to this poor girl!<br />
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I should warn readers that this can be graphic and hard to read at times. This story is, after all, about the kidnapping and abuse of a minor and those that are triggered by these sorts of situations should be forewarned. For those that are able to, I think it's important for readers to learn about Sally and what she experienced, not only so her voice is not forgotten but in the hopes that maybe her story can help others see warning signs and act to prevent other young girls from going through the same thing.<br />
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While I can't say I "enjoyed" reading <strong>Rust & Stardust</strong> I so appreciated getting to learn Sally's story. The author includes an excellent author's note at the end of the story that details the fact from the fiction, which I always appreciate. T. Greenwood should be commended for bringing Sally's voice to life as she did such an amazing job of giving a wide-ranging and all-encompassing view of what this sweet little girl went through. I know I'll never be quite the same. <br />
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<u>What Did I Think About the Cover?</u></h3>
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This cover perfectly represents some important aspects of the story which you won't discover until you read it. But, after finishing the book, I find this cover to be touching and poignant and bittersweet. I love it!<br />
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<strong><u>My Rating: 4.0/5.0</u></strong><br />
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<strong><em>I received an advanced ebook copy of </em>Rust & Stardust <em>in order</em> <em>to participate in the <a href="https://www.bookofthemonth.com/" target="_blank">Book of the Month</a> Reader's Committee selection process. All opinions are mine alone. To find more information about the book, including other reviews and where you can purchase a copy for yourself, see Goodreads <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36249634-rust-stardust" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</em></strong></div>
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<strong><u></u></strong><br />Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046440409365828375.post-40551423221089416192018-08-02T00:00:00.000-04:002018-08-02T13:11:09.762-04:00Cover Crush: The Captives by Debra Jo Immergut<div align="center">
<strong>Hello, my name is Colleen and I am a cover slut. I know, I know....you aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover. I just can't help myself! A beautiful cover draws my eye every single time and I can't help but pick up the book it's dressing and see if the inside seems as intriguing as the outside. Sometimes it does, and sometimes a pretty cover is just a pretty cover. Either way, I love getting an eyeful! </strong><b><br /><br /><strong>One of my favorite bloggers, Erin at <a href="https://historicalfictionreader.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff7bbd;">Historical Fiction Reader</span></a></strong></b><strong>, created a weekly blog post called Cover Crush and she and some other blogger friends are sharing their favorite covers each Thursday. You'll find my Cover Crush selection below and I'll link to everyone else's at the end of the post.</strong></div>
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<strong>So, without further ado, my Cover Crush this week is.....</strong></div>
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<strong>I find this cover to be both captivating and disturbing. The vividness of the red cloth around this young woman's eyes against the paleness of her skin immediately draws my eye to the fabric and, on top of it, the title. I also love the scratched up layer over the image...it makes me think of a long forgotten, or much handled, photo. It's simply striking!</strong></div>
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<em>The riveting story of a woman convicted of a brutal crime, the prison psychologist who recognizes her as his high-school crush—and the charged reunion that sets off an astonishing chain of events with dangerous consequences for both <br /><br />As an inmate psychologist at a state prison, Frank Lundquist has had his fair share of surprises. But nothing could possibly prepare him for the day in which his high school object of desire, Miranda Greene, walks into his office for an appointment. Still reeling from the scandal that cost him his Manhattan private practice and landed him in his unglamorous job at Milford Basin Correctional Facility in the first place, Frank knows he has an ethical duty to reassign Miranda’s case. But Miranda is just as beguiling as ever, and he’s insatiably curious: how did a beautiful high school sprinter and the promising daughter of a congressman end up incarcerated for a shocking crime? Even more compelling: though Frank remembers every word Miranda ever spoke to him, she gives no indication of having any idea who he is.<br /><br />Inside the prison walls, Miranda is desperate and despairing, haunted by memories of a childhood tragedy, grappling with a family legacy of dodgy moral and political choices, and still trying to unwind the disastrous love that led to her downfall. And yet she is also grittily determined to retain some control over her fate. Frank quickly becomes a potent hope for her absolution—and maybe even her escape.<br /><br />Propulsive and psychologically astute, The Captives is an intimate and gripping meditation on freedom and risk, male and female power, and the urges toward both corruption and redemption that dwell in us all.</em><br />
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<strong>Don't forget to check out what covers my blogger buddies are drooling over this week (updated as they become available):</strong></div>
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<a href="http://bookaholicswede.blogspot.com/2018/08/covercrush-miss-violet-and-great-war-by.html" target="_blank">Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede</a><br />
Erin at Flashlight Commentary<br />
Heather at The Maiden's Court<br />
<a href="https://layeredpages.com/2018/08/02/cover-crush-the-deserving-by-efren-obrien/" target="_blank">Stephanie at Layered Pages</a><br />
Holly at 2 Kids and Tired<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_mivH1tvhyphenhyphenLmKyjPy4wYWXeW_EyAMx8ps80CwZ6vSjUurYB2hsDvjUyC0YARLeAjVQj-A7zm84ptonPN05C4sai_rn8OE5pd64GJyr73mByOXWpbjKcAbfGLdM1wKzure686Vg_TlQ8/s1600/est+la+Vie%2521.png"><span style="color: #ff7bbd;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_mivH1tvhyphenhyphenLmKyjPy4wYWXeW_EyAMx8ps80CwZ6vSjUurYB2hsDvjUyC0YARLeAjVQj-A7zm84ptonPN05C4sai_rn8OE5pd64GJyr73mByOXWpbjKcAbfGLdM1wKzure686Vg_TlQ8/s400/est+la+Vie%2521.png" /></span></a><br />
Created by Magdalena of <a href="http://bookaholicswede.blogspot.se/"><span style="color: #ff7bbd;">A Bookaholic Swede</span></a></div>
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046440409365828375.post-63483170584702008802018-07-27T00:00:00.000-04:002018-07-30T15:12:20.534-04:00The Tip of My Wishlist: Found on the Book Depository<div align="center">
<strong>If you're anything like me you've got a book wish list so long there is no way you will ever be able to read through it all. And, on top of that, it's never ending because you just can't stop adding more books to it! To try and organize myself I'm sharing 5 books from my wish list that I'm most excited to get to, usually with a common theme, on the last Friday of each month. I know a number of excellent bloggers who will be doing similar posts and I'll be sure to link to their posts as well so you can see all the goodies we're excited about and, hopefully, add a few new books to your own wish list. I'll also link the titles to </strong><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/"><strong><span style="color: #ff7bbd;">Goodreads</span></strong></a><strong> where you can read reviews and find the various ways to purchase a copy of the books if they sound like your style. I really hope you enjoy and let me know if you've read any of these or have others you would add to the list.</strong></div>
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<strong>I recently noticed that I spend a lot of time browsing the<a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/" target="_blank"> Book Depository</a> website. I've even gotten a few friends addicted to the site. I often find that I prefer the covers of the UK version of books and, therefore, end up adding many, many editions from there to my wish list. Below I've included 5 such books, recently discovered on the site and which I now long to get my hands on!</strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1u9yy8QvBv5006dYzh0WrxmJAlZgixYg8Abw6R7obqMpin_tgD9KGfx547Q9ngptgMEzyEx6oVlLaulWTOFLLhyQD-iGpKjXtjd5BwWelthYbnQLaBNhJt5cOO-sWwUk1aAbyH8W7Ag/s1600/31123443.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1u9yy8QvBv5006dYzh0WrxmJAlZgixYg8Abw6R7obqMpin_tgD9KGfx547Q9ngptgMEzyEx6oVlLaulWTOFLLhyQD-iGpKjXtjd5BwWelthYbnQLaBNhJt5cOO-sWwUk1aAbyH8W7Ag/s400/31123443.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>
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<strong><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31123443-london-lies-beneath" target="_blank">London Lies Beneath</a></strong></div>
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<strong><em>In August 1912, three friends set out on an adventure. Two of them come home.</em></strong></div>
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Tom, Jimmy and Itzhak have grown up together in the crowded slums of Walworth. They are used to narrow streets, the bustle of East Lane market, extended families weaving in and out of each other's lives. All three boys are expected to follow their father's trades and stay close to home. But Tom has wider dreams. So when he hears of a scouting trip, sailing from Waterloo to Sheppey and the mouth of the Thames - he is determined to go. And Itzhak and Jimmy go with him.</div>
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<strong><em>Inspired by real events, this is the story of three friends, and a tragedy that will change them for ever. It is also a song of south London, of working class families with hidden histories, of a bright and complex world long neglected. London Lies Beneath is a powerful and compelling novel, rich with life and full of wisdom.</em></strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifCmBruzuhf-7SA5zrMXCNVXXDoYSNL_G_YsMJj57yOQC17j2ExV4zcTYXLwL72urlFNG4MXuWUNzq2Lk03qg_Yj4kFTUPRcs8NMzSFHys7AZfiivM08pJ9DDTRHb4dB8fL6dz_df_8Gc/s1600/38406621.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="311" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifCmBruzuhf-7SA5zrMXCNVXXDoYSNL_G_YsMJj57yOQC17j2ExV4zcTYXLwL72urlFNG4MXuWUNzq2Lk03qg_Yj4kFTUPRcs8NMzSFHys7AZfiivM08pJ9DDTRHb4dB8fL6dz_df_8Gc/s400/38406621.jpg" width="261" /></a></div>
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<strong><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38406621-the-hour-of-separation" target="_blank">The Hour of Separation</a></strong></div>
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<strong><em>March 1939</em></strong><br />
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Estelle is the headstrong daughter of Fleur, a Resistance legend who disappeared during the Great War, supposedly killed while helping Allied soldiers to escape.<br />
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Christa, an only child, longs to break free from the constraints of London suburbia, and fantasises about the ethereal Belgian heroine who saved her father.<br />
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When Estelle comes looking for the truth about the mother she believes deserted her, an intense friendship grows between the two young women. Estelle invites Christa to De Eikenhoeve, her family's idyllic country estate. There, Christa encounters Estelle's two brothers - brooding, tempestuous Robbe and dependable, golden-haired Pieter - and during that long hot summer, passions run high. When war breaks out Christa is forced to return home, but not before she has done something she will regret for the rest of her life.<br />
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Christa arrives back in England a changed woman, while Estelle decides to follow in her mother's footsteps and join the Resistance. Little do they dream that Fleur was betrayed by someone close to them, and that the legacy of this betrayal will have heartbreaking consequences for them all.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGkMYqXsUzLPFvzKKjK9Idu1cSAK_9N2y7vdWQXXdp6MWtNAsg6Pq2XARgW6HFsMQPnA3XciF_NvWGTsnuay8Zeh9-poM-8tGA8MGtfAxzePDsCmLT4A9eJrM7HCqazeAS7DKi4q7macI/s1600/7711771.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="261" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGkMYqXsUzLPFvzKKjK9Idu1cSAK_9N2y7vdWQXXdp6MWtNAsg6Pq2XARgW6HFsMQPnA3XciF_NvWGTsnuay8Zeh9-poM-8tGA8MGtfAxzePDsCmLT4A9eJrM7HCqazeAS7DKi4q7macI/s400/7711771.jpg" width="260" /></a></div>
<strong><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7711771-chocolate-cake-with-hitler" target="_blank">Cake with Hitler</a></strong><br />
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<strong><em>"My turn!" says Uncle Leader, who has been watching us. He wants his photograph taken with me too. "You, Helga Goebbels, are my favourite girl in the whole world," he says. "If only you were 20 years older!" He leans over me, his smell like the furniture in the servants' quarters. The photographer is laughing. Papa is laughing. But I don't take any notice. I turn right away and stare at the camera.</em></strong><br />
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Chocolate Cake with Hitler tells the remarkable story of Helga Goebbels, twelve-year-old daughter of the Nazi Party's head of propaganda, who spent the last ten days of her life cooped up in Adolf Hitler's bunker in Berlin.<br />
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As defeat closes in on the Germans, life in the bunker becomes increasingly fraught. There's chocolate cake every day for tea with Uncle 'Leader', but Helga cannot help noticing that all is not well among the grown-ups. Her parents grow more and more distracted and tense, the bunker grows daily more empty and, as even the soldiers who have been guarding them take their leave, Helga is faced with a terrible truth. Perhaps her golden childhood has not been all that it seemed...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh70FNVbA2fKooJPuHyjIAULIoWY1sn43rUK8UHwNPmv83-NMMJeXBCDjCkeMc6ePwVRuCnvf8ONQ7Er7RcsklkFDv344n5ac9wGyGzvK43AbwR8HxL-F8OVN-hWxE36UDIIjmyqQdFu3Q/s1600/39098246.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="297" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh70FNVbA2fKooJPuHyjIAULIoWY1sn43rUK8UHwNPmv83-NMMJeXBCDjCkeMc6ePwVRuCnvf8ONQ7Er7RcsklkFDv344n5ac9wGyGzvK43AbwR8HxL-F8OVN-hWxE36UDIIjmyqQdFu3Q/s400/39098246.jpg" width="250" /></a><strong><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39098246-the-corset" target="_blank">The Corset</a></strong></div>
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<strong>The new Victorian chiller from the author of Radio 2 Book Club pick, The Silent Companions.</strong><br />
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<strong><em>Is prisoner Ruth Butterham mad or a murderer? Victim or villain?</em></strong><br />
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Dorothea and Ruth. Prison visitor and prisoner. Powerful and powerless. Dorothea Truelove is young, wealthy and beautiful. Ruth Butterham is young, poor and awaiting trial for murder.<br />
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When Dorothea's charitable work leads her to Oakgate Prison, she is delighted with the chance to explore her fascination with phrenology and test her hypothesis that the shape of a person's skull can cast a light on their darkest crimes. But when she meets teenage seamstress Ruth, she is faced with another theory: that it is possible to kill with a needle and thread. For Ruth attributes her crimes to a supernatural power inherent in her stitches.<br />
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The story Ruth has to tell of her deadly creations – of bitterness and betrayal, of death and dresses – will shake Dorothea's belief in rationality and the power of redemption.<br />
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Can Ruth be trusted? Is she mad, or a murderer?<br />
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<strong><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36582334-the-tattooist-of-auschwitz" target="_blank">The Tattooist of Auschwitz</a></strong><br />
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<strong><em>For readers of Schindler's List, The Man Who Broke into Auschwitz and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas comes a heart-breaking story of the very best of humanity in the very worst of circumstances.</em></strong><br />
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<em>I tattooed a number on her arm. She tattooed her name on my heart.</em><br />
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In 1942, Lale Sokolov arrived in Auschwitz-Birkenau. He was given the job of tattooing the prisoners marked for survival - scratching numbers into his fellow victims' arms in indelible ink to create what would become one of the most potent symbols of the Holocaust. <br />
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Waiting in line to be tattooed, terrified and shaking, was a young girl. For Lale - a dandy, a jack-the-lad, a bit of a chancer - it was love at first sight. And he was determined not only to survive himself, but to ensure this woman, Gita, did, too.<br />
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So begins one of the most life-affirming, courageous, unforgettable and human stories of the Holocaust: the love story of the tattooist of Auschwitz.<br />
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<strong>Check out these lovely blogs for more books to add to your wish list(updated as they become available):</strong></div>
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<strong><br /></strong><a href="http://2kidsandtiredbooks.blogspot.com/2018/07/5-books-i-want-to-read-provence.html" target="_blank"> Holly at 2 Kids and Tired</a><br />
Stephanie at Layered Pages<br />
Heather at The Maiden's Court<br />
Erin at Historical Fiction Reader<br />
<a href="https://bookaholicswede.blogspot.com/2018/07/wishlist-july-most-wanted-2019.html" target="_blank">Magdalena at A Bookish Swede</a></div>
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046440409365828375.post-42023434059400381462018-07-26T00:00:00.000-04:002018-07-26T12:31:27.398-04:00Cover Crush: The Maker of Swans by Paraic O'Donnell<div align="center">
<strong>Hello, my name is Colleen and I am a cover slut. I know, I know....you aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover. I just can't help myself! A beautiful cover draws my eye every single time and I can't help but pick up the book it's dressing and see if the inside seems as intriguing as the outside. Sometimes it does, and sometimes a pretty cover is just a pretty cover. Either way, I love getting an eyeful! </strong><b><br /><br /><strong>One of my favorite bloggers, Erin at <a href="https://historicalfictionreader.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Historical Fiction Reader</a></strong></b><strong>, created a weekly blog post called Cover Crush and she and some other blogger friends are sharing their favorite covers each Thursday. You'll find my Cover Crush selection below and I'll link to everyone else's at the end of the post.</strong></div>
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<strong>So, without further ado, my Cover Crush this week is.....</strong></div>
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<strong>I LOVE the yin and yang feel of this cover. It's so simple and yet so beautifully elegant. There really isn't much more to say about it, is there? It's simply gorgeous!</strong></div>
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<strong>What could this story possibly be about....</strong></div>
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<em>It is no small matter, after all, to create something—to make it so only by setting down the words. We forget the magnitude, sometimes, of that miracle.<br /><br />Mr Crowe was once the toast of the finest salons. A man of learning and means, he travelled the world, enthralling all who met him.<br /><br />Now, Mr Crowe devotes himself to earthly pleasures. He has retreated to his sprawling country estate, where he lives with Clara, his mysterious young ward, and Eustace, his faithful manservant. His great library gathers dust and his once magnificent gardens grow wild.<br /><br />But Mr Crowe and his extraordinary gifts have not been entirely forgotten. When he acts impetuously over a woman, he attracts the attention of Dr Chastern, the figurehead of a secret society to which Crowe still belongs. Chastern comes to Crowe’s estate to call him to account, and what follows will threaten everyone he cares for. But Clara possesses gifts of her own, gifts whose power she has not yet fully grasped. She must learn to use them quickly, if she is to save them all.</em></div>
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<strong>Don't forget to check out what covers my blogger buddies are drooling over this week (updated as they become available):</strong><br />
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<a href="http://bookaholicswede.blogspot.com/2018/07/covercrush-gardener-of-eden-by-david.html" target="_blank">Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede</a><br />
Erin at Historical Fiction Reader<br />
Heather at The Maiden's Court<br />
Stephanie at Layered Pages<br />
<a href="http://2kidsandtiredbooks.blogspot.com/2018/07/covercrush-magic-of-ordinary-days.html" target="_blank">Holly at 2 Kids and Tired</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_mivH1tvhyphenhyphenLmKyjPy4wYWXeW_EyAMx8ps80CwZ6vSjUurYB2hsDvjUyC0YARLeAjVQj-A7zm84ptonPN05C4sai_rn8OE5pd64GJyr73mByOXWpbjKcAbfGLdM1wKzure686Vg_TlQ8/s1600/est+la+Vie%2521.png"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_mivH1tvhyphenhyphenLmKyjPy4wYWXeW_EyAMx8ps80CwZ6vSjUurYB2hsDvjUyC0YARLeAjVQj-A7zm84ptonPN05C4sai_rn8OE5pd64GJyr73mByOXWpbjKcAbfGLdM1wKzure686Vg_TlQ8/s400/est+la+Vie%2521.png" /></a><br />
Created by Magdalena of <a href="http://bookaholicswede.blogspot.se/">A Bookaholic Swede</a></div>
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046440409365828375.post-62372130974731997682018-07-24T00:00:00.000-04:002018-07-24T00:00:10.250-04:00Audiobook Review: After Anna by Lisa Scottoline<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrvmivnkcKAhyG-1iLC_Dyvh42RvpznJ_ZC_CVrLzHDq3Env1IbqjR5VXnn9sD3lu3StsI0W5OmLQ9OEVmlG-iR9EH8GdI7nXQFhBz82rbIBpbFob5WJLnPLWY_FV_r-IgyLiZEyGnNdA/s1600/51e7c15EzhL__SX342_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="342" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrvmivnkcKAhyG-1iLC_Dyvh42RvpznJ_ZC_CVrLzHDq3Env1IbqjR5VXnn9sD3lu3StsI0W5OmLQ9OEVmlG-iR9EH8GdI7nXQFhBz82rbIBpbFob5WJLnPLWY_FV_r-IgyLiZEyGnNdA/s320/51e7c15EzhL__SX342_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<strong>Publisher: Macmillan Audio</strong><br />
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<strong>Pub. Date: April 10th, 2018</strong><br />
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<strong>Length: 10 hours, 51 minutes</strong><br />
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<strong>Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Mystery / Suspense / Family Drama</strong><br />
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<u>Synopsis</u></h3>
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<strong><em>Nobody cuts deeper than family...</em></strong><br />
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Noah Alderman, a doctor and a widower, has remarried a wonderful woman, Maggie, and for the first time in a long time he and his son are happy. But their lives are turned upside down when Maggie’s daughter Anna moves in with them. Anna is a gorgeous seventeen-year-old who balks at living under their rules though Maggie, ecstatic to have her daughter back, ignores the red flags that hint at the trouble that is brewing. Events take a deadly turn when Anna is murdered and Noah is accused of the crime. Maggie must face not only the devastation of losing her only daughter, but the realization that her daughter's murder was at the hands of a husband she loves. New information sends Maggie searching for the truth, leading her to discover something darker than she could have ever imagined.<br />
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<u>What Did I Think About the Story?</u></h3>
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<strong>After Anna</strong> is an interesting mystery, one that starts after the main situation - Anna's murder - has already occurred. Going back and forth in time, the reader is at first led to see what happened through the eyes of Anna's mother, as well as the trial and aftermath through Noah's point of view. The reader is then exposed to a twist that turns everything on its head, leading to a shocking discovery that I never saw coming.<br />
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Each chapter of the first two-thirds of the book alternates between Maggie "before" - when her estranged daughter reaches out to Maggie after her father's death - and Noah "after" - when he is charged with Anna's murder. I thought this was a great way to develop the story as it almost gives it the feeling of two separate stories converging into one. In Maggie's storyline we get to see how her ex-husband used her post partum psychosis against her, lying and keeping her daughter from her even after she had recovered. This leads Maggie, once she has Anna back in her life, to ignore red flags and put her daughter above everyone else, even her husband and her step-son. In Noah's story we see his trial unfold and have to determine if his statements of innocence are true, even when the evidence against him seems to be mounting and mounting. Then that twist I mentioned starts the final one-third of the story, changing everything and leaving me, at least, wondering how I didn't see it coming (and I really didn't!). It's quite a twist, one that keeps twisting until an ending that was satisfying, if a bit unrealistic.<br />
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The narrators of the story - we get two, one for Maggie's portions and one for Noah's - did a pretty good job of keeping the two storylines flowing towards each other and keeping me engaged. I have to admit that the narrator for Maggie, at times, somewhat grated on me, but I still can't decide if that is mainly due to her actual voice or the actions and dialogue written for her. Maggie, as a character, did some things that really got on my nerves and seemed pretty unrealistic. For example, at one point she's at a police station getting some unexpected information (this is a big understatement but I don't want to give anything away) and she demands to go along on what will surely be a very dangerous police matter....and the police let her tag along! This felt so far-fetched (along with some other actions) that I lost some appreciation for the story. The big twist that we discover seems somewhat unlikely by itself, adding Maggie's wild behavior to it doesn't help it feel at all like something relatable or something that would actually happen. Part of what I first enjoyed about the story was how these ordinary people had their lives completely destroyed by what happened to Anna, something that could, inevitably, happen in real life. Adding situations and reactions that I can't conceive of ever happening just took away from some of that enjoyment. <br />
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<strong>After Anna</strong> is definitely a twisty tale. While I didn't love it I did enjoy being surprised by the big revelations. This might be a case of a story that would have been better read and not listened to, I've still not decided. I've read another book by Lisa Scottoline and remember really enjoying it, so I'll definitely give her another try in the future! I'd recommend this to anyone who likes twists and turns that don't necessarily need to be too realistic.<br />
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<u>What Did I Think About the Cover?</u> </h3>
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I think it's a pretty great cover for the story. The girl turned away and against a darkening backdrop gives it a sense of eeriness, and the fact that she's walking away from the lit-up houses makes her seem separate from that world (all of which fits). I love the slash down the middle as well, giving it texture and even more of a sinister feeling.<br />
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<strong><u>My Rating: 3.5/5.0</u></strong><br />
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<strong><em>I borrowed a copy of the audiobook version of </em>After Anna<em> from my library's </em></strong><a href="https://www.overdrive.com/"><strong><em>Overdrive</em></strong></a><strong><em> account. All opinions are mine alone. You can find more information about the book, including other reviews and links to where you can purchase a copy, on Goodreads <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39827552-after-anna" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</em></strong> </div>
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<br />Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046440409365828375.post-45755144665713364392018-07-19T00:00:00.000-04:002018-07-20T14:18:12.571-04:00Cover Crush: Little Do We Know by Tamara Ireland Stone<div align="center">
<strong>Hello, my name is Colleen and I am a cover slut. I know, I know....you aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover. I just can't help myself! A beautiful cover draws my eye every single time and I can't help but pick up the book it's dressing and see if the inside seems as intriguing as the outside. Sometimes it does, and sometimes a pretty cover is just a pretty cover. Either way, I love getting an eyeful! </strong><b><br /><br /><strong>One of my favorite bloggers, Erin at <a href="https://historicalfictionreader.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Historical Fiction Reader</a></strong></b><strong>, created a weekly blog post called Cover Crush and she and some other blogger friends are sharing their favorite covers each Thursday. You'll find my Cover Crush selection below and I'll link to everyone else's at the end of the post.</strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinTnnhYmW1Ksh1VCkNQE3Od5hJyzc8UoZZDAMuyMOKI9Mt0bOuOKKYOtfdcNezk-_elRbsVg-OiI-fo7BiRnuic-BIIxJmpJtR-n2XjJ96E9JmrQb93hQHXp0AEtaf_o8iBmAaUfS8xL4/s1600/29924360.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinTnnhYmW1Ksh1VCkNQE3Od5hJyzc8UoZZDAMuyMOKI9Mt0bOuOKKYOtfdcNezk-_elRbsVg-OiI-fo7BiRnuic-BIIxJmpJtR-n2XjJ96E9JmrQb93hQHXp0AEtaf_o8iBmAaUfS8xL4/s400/29924360.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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<strong>The texture on this cover is delicious! I feel like I could reach out and move around the pieces. The colors are eye-catching and I love the little houses hiding within the swirls. Just a really cool cover all in all!</strong></div>
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<strong>Let's see what the story is about....</strong></div>
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<em> <em><br />Next-door neighbors and ex-best friends Hannah and Emory haven’t spoken in months. Not since the fight—the one where they said things they couldn’t take back.<br /><br />Now, Emory is fine-tuning her UCLA performing arts application and trying to make the most of the months she has left with her boyfriend, Luke, before they head off to separate colleges. Meanwhile, Hannah’s strong faith is shaken when her family’s financial problems come to light, and she finds herself turning to unexpected places—and people—for answers to the difficult questions she’s suddenly facing.<br /><br />No matter how much Hannah and Emory desperately want to bridge the thirty-six steps between their bedroom windows, they can’t. Not anymore.<br /><br />Until their paths cross unexpectedly when, one night, Hannah finds Luke doubled over in his car outside her house. In the aftermath of the accident, all three struggle to understand what happened in their own ways. But when a devastating secret about Hannah and Emory’s argument ultimately comes to light, they must all reexamine the things they hold true.<br /><br />In alternating chapters, a skeptic and a believer piece together the story of their complex relationship and the boy caught somewhere in the middle. New York Times best-selling author Tamara Ireland Stone deftly crafts a moving portrait of faith, love, and friendship.</em></em></div>
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<span id="freeText1350839834942512068"></span><strong>Don't forget to check out what covers my blogger buddies are drooling over this week (updated as they become available):</strong></div>
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<a href="http://bookaholicswede.blogspot.com/2018/07/covercrush-trial-of-lizzie-borden-by.html" target="_blank">Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede</a></div>
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Erin at Historical Fiction Reader</div>
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Heather at The Maiden's Court</div>
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<a href="https://layeredpages.com/2018/07/19/cover-crush-the-rain-watcher-by-tatiana-de-rosnay/" target="_blank">Stephanie at Layered Pages</a></div>
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<a href="http://2kidsandtiredbooks.blogspot.com/2018/07/covercrush-rent-collector.html" target="_blank">Holly at 2 Kids and Tired</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_mivH1tvhyphenhyphenLmKyjPy4wYWXeW_EyAMx8ps80CwZ6vSjUurYB2hsDvjUyC0YARLeAjVQj-A7zm84ptonPN05C4sai_rn8OE5pd64GJyr73mByOXWpbjKcAbfGLdM1wKzure686Vg_TlQ8/s1600/est+la+Vie%2521.png"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_mivH1tvhyphenhyphenLmKyjPy4wYWXeW_EyAMx8ps80CwZ6vSjUurYB2hsDvjUyC0YARLeAjVQj-A7zm84ptonPN05C4sai_rn8OE5pd64GJyr73mByOXWpbjKcAbfGLdM1wKzure686Vg_TlQ8/s400/est+la+Vie%2521.png" /></a></div>
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Created by Magdalena of <a href="http://bookaholicswede.blogspot.se/">A Bookaholic Swede</a></div>
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046440409365828375.post-84577964461398758622018-07-17T00:00:00.000-04:002018-07-17T00:00:02.111-04:00Release Day Review: Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiu63XARQZufnFo3ndBm-mZ0WvOaSonv19lZOgk3yF4D0MtMtpJe3RKiEk1Oqvg3VB2BspHHPlH2e-ZjlaBaAECTJPVeKBz7DV4A76QrofYbyqXGaPcdGHE_SNB1pS5X_aoi6bbz9yE74/s1600/35410511.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="262" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiu63XARQZufnFo3ndBm-mZ0WvOaSonv19lZOgk3yF4D0MtMtpJe3RKiEk1Oqvg3VB2BspHHPlH2e-ZjlaBaAECTJPVeKBz7DV4A76QrofYbyqXGaPcdGHE_SNB1pS5X_aoi6bbz9yE74/s400/35410511.jpg" width="261" /></a><strong>Publisher: St. Martin's Press</strong><br />
<strong>Pub. Date: July 17th, 2018</strong><br />
<strong>Pages: 320</strong><br />
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<strong>Genres: Contemporary Fiction / Suspense / Family Drama</strong><br />
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<u>Synopsis</u></h3>
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<strong><em>Sweetness can be deceptive.</em></strong> <br />
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<strong>Meet Hanna.</strong><br />
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She’s the sweet-but-silent angel in the adoring eyes of her Daddy. He’s the only person who understands her, and all Hanna wants is to live happily ever after with him. But Mommy stands in her way, and she’ll try any trick she can think of to get rid of her. Ideally for good.<br />
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<strong>Meet Suzette.</strong><br />
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She loves her daughter, really, but after years of expulsions and strained home schooling, her precarious health and sanity are weakening day by day. As Hanna’s tricks become increasingly sophisticated, and Suzette's husband remains blind to the failing family dynamics, Suzette starts to fear that there’s something seriously wrong, and that maybe home isn’t the best place for their baby girl after all.<br />
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<u>What Did I Think About the Story?</u></h3>
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<strong>Baby Teeth</strong> is quite a unique work of fiction. I don't think I've ever come across a character like Hannah before. The reader knows from the beginning that there's something kind of off about her, but it takes turning page after page to discover just how sinister this little girl really is. And while I can't say that this was as 'thrilling" as I was expecting I can say that it took me on an interesting ride that went places I never would have thought possible given that one of our main characters is a small child.<br />
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The story alternates between Hannah and Suzette's points of view and I can easily say that Hannah's were the most interesting. Her portions are terrifying for their simplistic and honest insanity...she simply wants her mother to go away and leave her and her daddy alone and will do anything to make that happen. It comes across as almost a game to her and she doesn't see any problem with harming someone else to get what she wants (which isn't only her mother by the way...there is a particularly horrid incident at a school that results in an injured mentally handicapped child). Her mind is just so twisted and the author did an excellent job of getting into that mind and voicing the inner monologue in an age-appropriate way.<br />
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I unfortunately didn't find Suzette's voice nearly as interesting. At first it was intriguing watching her battle between her maternal instincts and hopes for her relationship with her daughter and the little monster she actually had, but after a while this back and forth dilemma grew a little tiresome. I kept wondering why Suzette didn't set up a hidden camera to catch her daughter in action, or, when she would growl or pretend she was possessed by the spirit of a dead witch (the only time she talked, by the way), why Suzette didn't record her daughter to prove to her husband that she wasn't making her daughter's bad behavior up. I won't even go into how annoying I found the husband as he wish-washed his way through his interactions with both his wife and his daughter. It's pretty bad that things had to progress to the level they did before he believed that his daughter was, in fact, a psychopath. <br />
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Towards the end the action really picks up and I was excitedly waiting to see how everything would resolve itself....to come to the end of what felt more like a cliffhanger than any real ending. I really hope there is a sequel because, if not, the ending left me really disappointed. <br />
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All in all, <strong>Baby Teeth</strong> is, as I said in the beginning, really unique. I love when an author comes up with something different, something that makes me remember why I like reading. Hannah is definitely a character to remember, I just wish her mother and father were as dynamic as she was. I will definitely pick up the sequel if it comes out because I need to know what surprises Hannah might have in store next!<br />
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<u>What Did I Think About the Cover?</u> </h3>
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I think it's subtle but great! The advanced copy I received actually had the lollipop intact on the cover and, once you turned the cover over, you saw the image of the shattered candy. I love this as it perfectly represents something that looks so innocent, but that can be shattered into a million pieces - as is occurring with this family. <br />
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<strong><u>My Rating: 3.5/5.0</u></strong><br />
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<strong><em>I received an ARC (advanced readers copy) of </em>Baby Teeth <em>from <a href="https://us.macmillan.com/publishers/st-martins-press" target="_blank">St. Martin's Press</a>. All opinions are mine alone. To find more information about the book, including other reviews and links to where you can purchase a copy, see Goodreads <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35410511-baby-teeth" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</em></strong></div>
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046440409365828375.post-63937036401015383112018-07-12T00:00:00.000-04:002018-07-12T16:07:43.746-04:00Cover Crush: A People's History of the Vampire Uprising by Raymond A. Villareal <div align="center">
<strong>Hello, my name is Colleen and I am a cover slut. I know, I know....you aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover. I just can't help myself! A beautiful cover draws my eye every single time and I can't help but pick up the book it's dressing and see if the inside seems as intriguing as the outside. Sometimes it does, and sometimes a pretty cover is just a pretty cover. Either way, I love getting an eyeful! </strong><b><br /><br /><strong>One of my favorite bloggers, Erin at </strong></b><a href="http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot.com/"><strong><span style="color: #ff7bbd;">Flashlight Commentary</span></strong></a><strong>, created a weekly blog post called Cover Crush and she and some other blogger friends are sharing their favorite covers each Thursday. You'll find my Cover Crush selection below and I'll link to everyone else's at the end of the post.</strong></div>
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<strong>So, without further ado, my Cover Crush this week is.....</strong></div>
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<strong>This is such a simple cover but I just can't stop looking at it. I think it's the eye staring out at me! I think the bright red definitely makes me think of blood, especially next to the huge words "vampire" under the eye, and I love that white is used for the wording so it really stands out. I think the uncluttered cover also gives the illusion of a history book. But there again is that eye that won't look away! I don't know, I just like it!</strong></div>
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<strong>Let's see what this "history" book has to teach us...</strong></div>
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<span id="freeText2258217515817488674"><em>A virus that turns people into something somehow more than human quickly sweeps the world, upending society as we know it.</em><br /><em>This panoramic thriller begins with one small mystery. The body of a young woman found in an Arizona border town, presumed to be an illegal immigrant, walks out of the town morgue. To the young CDC investigator called in to consult the local police, it's a bizarre medical mystery.<br /><br />More bodies, dead of a mysterious disease that solidifies their blood, are brought to the morgue, and disappear. In a futile game of catch-up, the CDC, the FBI, and the US government must come to terms with what they're too late to stop: an epidemic of vampirism that will sweep first the United States, and then the world.<br /><br />Impossibly strong, smart, poised, beautiful, and commanding, these vampires reject the term as derogatory, preferring the euphemistic "gloamings." They quickly rise to prominence in all aspects of modern society: sports, entertainment, and business. Soon people are begging to be 're-created,' willing to accept the risk of death if their bodies can't handle the transformation. The stakes change yet again when a charismatic and wealthy businessman, recently turned, decides to do what none of his kind has done before: run for political office.<br /><br />This sweeping yet deeply intimate fictional oral history--told from the perspectives of several players on all sides of the titular vampire uprising--is a genre-bending, shocking, immersive and subversive debut that is as addictive as the power it describes.</em></span></div>
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<strong>Don't forget to check out what covers my blogger buddies are drooling over this week (updated as they become available):</strong></div>
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<strong><br /></strong><a href="https://bookaholicswede.blogspot.com/2018/07/covercrush-melody-of-secrets-jeffrey.html" target="_blank">Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede</a><br /> Erin at Flashlight Commentary<br /> Heather at The Maiden's Court<br /><a href="https://layeredpages.com/2018/07/12/cover-crush-darkwater-secrets-by-robin-caroll/" target="_blank">Stephanie at Layered Pages</a><br /> <a href="https://2kidsandtiredbooks.blogspot.com/2018/07/covercrush-lake-como.html" target="_blank">Holly at 2 Kids and Tired</a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_mivH1tvhyphenhyphenLmKyjPy4wYWXeW_EyAMx8ps80CwZ6vSjUurYB2hsDvjUyC0YARLeAjVQj-A7zm84ptonPN05C4sai_rn8OE5pd64GJyr73mByOXWpbjKcAbfGLdM1wKzure686Vg_TlQ8/s1600/est+la+Vie%2521.png"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_mivH1tvhyphenhyphenLmKyjPy4wYWXeW_EyAMx8ps80CwZ6vSjUurYB2hsDvjUyC0YARLeAjVQj-A7zm84ptonPN05C4sai_rn8OE5pd64GJyr73mByOXWpbjKcAbfGLdM1wKzure686Vg_TlQ8/s400/est+la+Vie%2521.png" /></a><br /> Created by Magdalena of <a href="http://bookaholicswede.blogspot.se/"><span style="color: #ff7bbd;">A Bookaholic Swede</span></a></div>
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046440409365828375.post-84330928631703629192018-07-11T00:00:00.000-04:002018-07-11T00:00:12.407-04:00Audiobook Review: Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKqu5o2lzvQqulBA_kkuKaPuN-4ozHQhIYOIghiuAK-wussOPNL7aV_-7jl_OgTUnMFglrV0kQC9LbjfraMm5d5j1UFcgdWXJu0QoONRqSZ2XHA28rnd5iQ3DNX87vdQUl-veOubWDV0/s1600/26877849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKqu5o2lzvQqulBA_kkuKaPuN-4ozHQhIYOIghiuAK-wussOPNL7aV_-7jl_OgTUnMFglrV0kQC9LbjfraMm5d5j1UFcgdWXJu0QoONRqSZ2XHA28rnd5iQ3DNX87vdQUl-veOubWDV0/s320/26877849.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<strong>Pub. Date: October 20th, 2015</strong><br />
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<strong>Publisher: Hachette Audio</strong><br />
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<strong>Length: 17 hours, 58 minutes</strong><br />
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<strong>Series: Cormoran Strike #3</strong><br />
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<strong>Genre: Fiction / Mystery / Thriller / Crime Drama</strong><br />
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<u>Synopsis</u></h3>
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When a mysterious package is delivered to Robin Ellacott, she is horrified to discover that it contains a woman's severed leg. <br />
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Her boss, private detective Cormoran Strike, is less surprised but no less alarmed. There are four people from his past who he thinks could be responsible - and Strike knows that any one of them is capable of sustained and unspeakable brutality. <br />
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With the police focusing on the one suspect Strike is increasingly sure is not the perpetrator, he and Robin take matters into their own hands and delve into the dark and twisted worlds of the other three men. But as more horrendous acts occur, time is running out for the two of them.... <br />
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<strong><em>Career of Evil is the third in the highly acclaimed series featuring private detective Cormoran Strike and his assistant, Robin Ellacott. A fiendishly clever mystery with unexpected twists around every corner, it is also a gripping story of a man and a woman at a crossroads in their personal and professional lives.</em></strong><br />
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<u>What Did I Think About the Story?</u></h3>
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<strong>Career of Evil</strong> is my favorite Cormoran Strike novel yet! I feel like I can't get enough of Strike or Robin and love seeing each of their characters, as well as their relationship together, develop and grow from book to book. In this novel we really get to see further into their personal histories and how those experiences have influenced the development of their personalities. Both of them have gone through some very dark situations, situations that, in Strike's case, lead around to the case at the center of this story.<br />
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As you can read from the synopsis, there is a serial killer/body mutilator sending body parts to Robin along with taunting messages that tie back to Blue Oyster Cult lyrics. Strike's mother, an infamous rock groupie who died of a drug overdose years before, was a fan of the group and this instantly puts Strike on alert that the killer is somehow tied to his and his mother's past. As Strike searches for the various men who he sees as suspects we get to peek into his sad and torturous childhood with his mother and her rotating group of "boyfriends" who, often, treat Cormoran, his sister, and his mother horribly. For me this really solidified Strike's personality and why he's often somewhat withdrawn and impersonal with those that get too close to him. He's built a wall up around his heart and it isn't easy for him to let people in, even when he does, deep down, care for them and want to protect them.<br />
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While this is all going on we get to know Robin Ellacott better as well. We learn the shocking and devastating reason she quite college and the dark secret she's been trying to hide from Strike, scared that, if he knew, he'd fire her from the only job she's ever truly loved. We see why she fights so hard to be strong and independent, and seen as such by those around her. We see her relationship with her fiancée take some unexpected turns, turns that kept me personally glued to the page as much as the investigation. <br />
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The narrator once again did an exceptional job of giving all these characters distinct voices, voices I'm very much going to miss as I wait for the (fingers crossed) next installment in this series. I should mention that <strong>Career of Evil</strong>, as well as the rest of the series, is filled with quite a bit of graphic imagery, situations, and profanity. While this doesn't bother me I wanted to mention it so people who do have a problem with those sorts of situations are aware. <br />
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I really do hope there are more books in this series to come out. I've listened to each audiobook this year and I'm now a little sad that I don't have another to listen to. I definitely recommend this series for those that enjoy a gritty murder mystery and ones that have characters that are both humorous and troubled in particular. <br />
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<u>What Did I Think About the Cover?</u></h3>
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Much like the cover of <strong>The Silkworm</strong>, it doesn't really represent this story very well. However, it does add that touch of mystery you'd expect from this sort of story, so I do like that.<br />
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<strong><u>My Rating: 4.5/5.0</u></strong><br />
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<strong><em>I borrowed a copy of the audiobook version of </em>Career of Evil <em>from my library's </em><a href="https://www.overdrive.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff7bbd;"><em>Overdrive</em></span></a><em> account. All opinions are mine alone. You can find more information about the book, including other reviews and links to where you can purchase a copy, on Goodreads <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26877849-career-of-evil" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</em></strong></div>
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<br />Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046440409365828375.post-6759290311075818742018-07-10T00:00:00.000-04:002018-07-10T00:00:02.254-04:00Release Day Review: Somebody's Daughter by David Bell<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQicZvrA1ul3reD-omJ9h0IKW_VsWG529u1jDgoD_JbdPGlJeQcKAgelIv4o0AxTkm9VqhgzTUhHhUuZU7Bg7mqbVZYXdfmwGqssEspYpkqAEZpYLWhAm62oMEZceXov8SOdbebeFBkGU/s1600/36617457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQicZvrA1ul3reD-omJ9h0IKW_VsWG529u1jDgoD_JbdPGlJeQcKAgelIv4o0AxTkm9VqhgzTUhHhUuZU7Bg7mqbVZYXdfmwGqssEspYpkqAEZpYLWhAm62oMEZceXov8SOdbebeFBkGU/s400/36617457.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<strong>Pub. Date: July 10th, 2018</strong><br />
<strong>Publisher: Berkley Books</strong><br />
<strong>Pages: 432</strong><br />
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<strong>Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Mystery / Thriller / Family Drama</strong><br />
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<u>Synopsis</u></h3>
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<strong><em>In the pulse-racing new suspense novel from the bestselling and acclaimed author of Bring Her Home and Since She Went Away, the life of a little girl rests in the hands of the father who never even knew she existed...</em></strong><br />
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When Michael Frazier's ex-wife, Erica, shows up on his doorstep pleading for help, she drops a bombshell that threatens to rip his family apart: Erica's nine-year-old daughter is missing--and Michael is the father. Unable to quickly determine if Erica is telling the truth, and unwilling to leave the little girl's fate to chance, Michael has no choice but to follow the elusive trail of the child he has always wanted and never knew he had.<br />
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But finding Felicity comes at a price--the closer Michael gets to the truth, the further into jeopardy his marriage falls and the faster his family begins to unravel. As lies that span a decade bubble to the surface and the window for Felicity's safe return closes, Michael will have just a few short days to decide who can be trusted and who is hiding the truth.<br />
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<u>What Did I Think About the Story?</u></h3>
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While I have a number of David Bell books on my shelves, <strong>Somebody's Daughter</strong> is, in fact, the first I've read. The synopsis makes it sound so mysterious - <em>is Felicity Michael's daughter? Where is the girl? Why did her mother never tell Michael about her before she disappeared?</em> - that I jumped in and entered the Goodreads giveaway for an advanced reader copy. Lo and behold I won! The story ended up being quite an interesting and twisty mystery, even though there were some aspects of it that kept me from loving the book overall.<br />
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The book is divided up into short chapters that alternate between the POV's of Michael, his wife, Angela, and one of the detectives on the case, Detective Griffin. I did very much enjoy the short chapters as they made for easy stopping places and always seemed to leave off with a little cliffhanger that made you want to keep reading. With this being said, while both Michael and Angela's chapters flowed well and felt essential to the storyline, I wasn't as captivated by Griffin's chapters. She has her own current issues that, while they make her sympathetic to what the characters are experiencing, felt, to me, like extra storyline that could have been left out of what I felt was an already too long book. So much extraneous detail and so many characters were involved that I just kept thinking that this would have been more thrilling to me if it was edited down a bit.<br />
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I don't want it to sound like I didn't enjoy the story at all, because I really did. There were a lot of delicious twists along our way to discovering where Felicity was, who had taken her, and whether or not Michael was actually her father. I, for one, was completely surprised when the characters found Felicity and discovered not only who took her but why she was taken. I always love when a book can surprise me and this one definitely did! I also really liked that the story was nicely wrapped up in the end, with all the answers I had remaining answered and a nice little hint at what the characters could look forward to in the future. <br />
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<strong>Somebody's Daughter</strong>, while not a page-turning thrill-fest for me, was a well thought out, twisting mystery that I enjoyed getting to the eventual bottom of. I liked the ending and, by the last page, enjoyed my overall time spent with the characters. I'm still very much looking forward to my other David Bell books and am curious to see how they stack up to this one. <br />
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<u>What Did I Think About the Cover?</u></h3>
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I think it's very cool. I'm not positive who the woman is, but I love how we're seeing her through a sort of kaleidoscope, giving you a sinister sort of feeling of confusion and mystery. It's a great cover for a story such as this!<br />
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<strong><u>My Rating: 3.0/5.0</u></strong><br />
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<strong><em>I received an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of </em>Somebody's Daughter <em>from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> and <a href="http://www.penguin.com/publishers/berkley/" target="_blank">Berkley Books</a>. All opinions are mine alone. For more information about the book, including other reviews and links to where you can purchase a copy, see Goodreads <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36617457-somebody-s-daughter" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</em></strong></div>
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046440409365828375.post-79726371153985994832018-07-05T00:00:00.000-04:002018-07-06T11:31:39.685-04:00Cover Crush: All the Ever Afters by Danielle Teller<div align="center">
<strong>Hello, my name is Colleen and I am a cover slut. I know, I know....you aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover. I just can't help myself! A beautiful cover draws my eye every single time and I can't help but pick up the book it's dressing and see if the inside seems as intriguing as the outside. Sometimes it does, and sometimes a pretty cover is just a pretty cover. Either way, I love getting an eyeful! </strong><b><br /><br /><strong>One of my favorite bloggers, Erin at </strong></b><a href="http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot.com/"><strong><span style="color: #ff7bbd;">Flashlight Commentary</span></strong></a><strong>, created a weekly blog post called Cover Crush and she and some other blogger friends are sharing their favorite covers each Thursday. You'll find my Cover Crush selection below and I'll link to everyone else's at the end of the post.</strong></div>
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<strong>So, without further ado, my Cover Crush this week is.....</strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg97LuIgmy-kROGlIr9ZIPGuRc3FFyIAkcu8_V4Vl34hmyLleiNT248HPzvlUXPmfeAZMq9DA46xS6OC3YNNZGYcVSXX0b_ovR305PAPTNyR1j_xY9Fz1yMbr9fTgQRtoqpz1qdZUYGb_g/s1600/36099691.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg97LuIgmy-kROGlIr9ZIPGuRc3FFyIAkcu8_V4Vl34hmyLleiNT248HPzvlUXPmfeAZMq9DA46xS6OC3YNNZGYcVSXX0b_ovR305PAPTNyR1j_xY9Fz1yMbr9fTgQRtoqpz1qdZUYGb_g/s400/36099691.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<strong>It's really hard to decide where to begin describing what I love about this cover, but I'll try! The colors are so lovely and bold that, even with all that is going on, everything feels very distinct and defined. I love the detailed, swirling vines, leaves, and curlicues around the outside, drawing the eye within it to that unwinding scroll, castle, and intriguing red profile in the center. We've even got the glass slipper and hourglass to complete the visual representation of the story within. It's just perfect!!</strong></div>
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<strong> Why don't we read the synopsis to find out more about what we have to look forward to reading...</strong></div>
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<em>In the vein of Wicked, The Woodcutter, and Boy, Snow, Bird, a luminous reimagining of a classic tale, told from the perspective of Agnes, Cinderella’s “evil” stepmother.<br /><br />We all know the story of Cinderella. Or do we?<br /><br />As rumors about the cruel upbringing of beautiful newlywed Princess Cinderella roil the kingdom, her stepmother, Agnes, who knows all too well about hardship, privately records the true story. . . .<br /><br />A peasant born into serfdom, Agnes is separated from her family and forced into servitude as a laundress’s apprentice when she is only ten years old. Using her wits and ingenuity, she escapes her tyrannical matron and makes her way toward a hopeful future. When teenaged Agnes is seduced by an older man and becomes pregnant, she is transformed by love for her child. Once again left penniless, Agnes has no choice but to return to servitude at the manor she thought she had left behind. Her new position is nursemaid to Ella, an otherworldly infant. She struggles to love the child who in time becomes her stepdaughter and, eventually, the celebrated princess who embodies everyone’s unattainable fantasies. The story of their relationship reveals that nothing is what it seems, that beauty is not always desirable, and that love can take on many guises.<br /><br />Lyrically told, emotionally evocative, and brilliantly perceptive, All the Ever Afters explores the hidden complexities that lie beneath classic tales of good and evil, all the while showing us that how we confront adversity reveals a more profound, and ultimately more important, truth than the ideal of “happily ever after.”</em></div>
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<strong>Don't forget to check out what covers my blogger buddies are drooling over this week (updated as they become available):</strong><br />
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<a href="http://bookaholicswede.blogspot.com/2018/07/covercrush-jaguars-children-by-john.html" target="_blank">Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede</a><br />
Erin at Flashlight Commentary<br />
Heather at The Maiden's Court<br />
Stephanie at Layered Pages<br />
<a href="http://2kidsandtiredbooks.blogspot.com/2018/07/covercrush-ive-been-thinking.html" target="_blank">Holly at 2 Kids and Tired</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_mivH1tvhyphenhyphenLmKyjPy4wYWXeW_EyAMx8ps80CwZ6vSjUurYB2hsDvjUyC0YARLeAjVQj-A7zm84ptonPN05C4sai_rn8OE5pd64GJyr73mByOXWpbjKcAbfGLdM1wKzure686Vg_TlQ8/s1600/est+la+Vie%2521.png"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_mivH1tvhyphenhyphenLmKyjPy4wYWXeW_EyAMx8ps80CwZ6vSjUurYB2hsDvjUyC0YARLeAjVQj-A7zm84ptonPN05C4sai_rn8OE5pd64GJyr73mByOXWpbjKcAbfGLdM1wKzure686Vg_TlQ8/s400/est+la+Vie%2521.png" /></a><br />
Created by Magdalena of <a href="http://bookaholicswede.blogspot.se/">A Bookaholic Swede</a></div>
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046440409365828375.post-29411296775442049992018-06-29T00:00:00.000-04:002018-06-29T00:00:07.393-04:00The Tip of My Wish List: It's Pre-Order Madness!<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>If you're anything like me you've got a book wish list so long there is no way you will ever be able to read through it all. And, on top of that, it's never ending because you just can't stop adding more books to it! To try and organize myself I'm sharing 5 books from my wish list that I'm most excited to get to, usually with a common theme, on the last Friday of each month. I know a number of excellent bloggers who will be doing similar posts and I'll be sure to link to their posts as well so you can see all the goodies we're excited about and, hopefully, add a few new books to your own wish list. I'll also link the titles to </strong><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/"><strong><span style="color: #ff7bbd;">Goodreads</span></strong></a><strong> where you can read reviews and find the various ways to purchase a copy of the books if they sound like your style. I really hope you enjoy and let me know if you've read any of these or have others you would add to the list.</strong></div>
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<strong>I very rarely pre-order books as I never seem to find the time to read the books right when they come out. However I recently noticed that I had in fact pre-ordered a number of books from some of my favorite authors, and thus a wish list post was born! I am so excited for these books to come in and am counting down the days for all of them!</strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwJVcwxcvE-nX7KYbEzmT8iz0O0TOYrdR6f4_jkjYp30qxFRjltGgYD7gHtJLMnNGXiUM3itRZwJQZvyNIN69epOB9m86R9NR7rCqKDql1z8h3LF_UtgLGHZKVkWop_G0p_pOvonZuZBE/s1600/34673626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="298" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwJVcwxcvE-nX7KYbEzmT8iz0O0TOYrdR6f4_jkjYp30qxFRjltGgYD7gHtJLMnNGXiUM3itRZwJQZvyNIN69epOB9m86R9NR7rCqKDql1z8h3LF_UtgLGHZKVkWop_G0p_pOvonZuZBE/s400/34673626.jpg" width="260" /></a><strong><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34673626-just-before-i-died" target="_blank">Just Before I Died</a></strong></div>
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<strong><em>Why did you do that to me Mummy, don’t you love me?</em></strong><br />
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Kath lives with her husband Adam and daughter Lyla in a desolate stone longhouse deep in Dartmoor National Park. She likes her life the moors are beautiful, if bleak and she counts herself as happy, even if they struggle with money, and work, and her daughter's shyness.<br />
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But one day Kath wakes up from a coma, with a vague memory of a near-fatal car accident. She hugs her daughter close, likewise her husband Adam. But there’s something wrong. Adam seems furious with her and Lyla is acting evermore strangely. They should be delighted to see her alive, snatched from certain death. But they won't meet her gaze<br />
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Then Kath learns that the car crash wasn't an accident, and her whole life collapses into a world of panic, and danger.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxE7kdNMT9k8mXOD0ktAMIhWl2PGhnJDL23bWoDOXAf1FtVMdYKjeYBEYQqdphg9XTKpxW3KJPZGC-oxVo8NFj4HywiLQgrtUjp-RltME5S-qC7_HxvCWgsrgnow8rYWUEOnhXdQc8H8/s1600/36478626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="295" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxE7kdNMT9k8mXOD0ktAMIhWl2PGhnJDL23bWoDOXAf1FtVMdYKjeYBEYQqdphg9XTKpxW3KJPZGC-oxVo8NFj4HywiLQgrtUjp-RltME5S-qC7_HxvCWgsrgnow8rYWUEOnhXdQc8H8/s400/36478626.jpg" width="247" /></a><strong><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36478626-watching-you" target="_blank">Watching You</a></strong><br />
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<strong><em>Gripping psychological suspense from the number one bestselling author of Then She Was Gone, as what begins as an innocent crush develops into a dangerous infatuation.</em></strong><br />
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You’re back home after four years working abroad with a brand new husband in tow.<br />
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You’re keen to find a place of your own. But for now you’re living with your big brother, camped out in his spare bedroom.<br />
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And then – quite unexpectedly – you meet the man next door.<br />
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He’s the head teacher of the local high school. He’s twice your age. And he’s devastatingly attractive.<br />
Soon you find you’re watching him. All the time.<br />
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But what you don’t know is that someone is watching you.<br />
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Or that what has started as an innocent crush is quickly turning into an obsession as dark as it is deadly.<br />
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<strong><em>Family secrets, illicit passion and an unexplained murder lie at the heart of Lisa Jewell’s gripping new novel. </em></strong><br />
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<strong><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38530939-the-clockmaker-s-daughter" target="_blank">The Clockmaker's Daughter</a></strong><br />
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<strong><em>A rich, spellbinding new novel from the author of The Lake House—the story of a love affair and a mysterious murder that cast their shadow across generations, set in England from the 1860's until the present day.</em></strong><br />
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<strong>My real name, no one remembers.<br />The truth about that summer, no one else knows.</strong><br />
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In the summer of 1862, a group of young artists led by the passionate and talented Edward Radcliffe descends upon Birchwood Manor in rural Oxfordshire. Their plan: to spend a secluded summer month in a haze of inspiration and creativity. But by the time their stay is over, one woman has been shot dead while another has disappeared; a priceless heirloom is missing; and Edward Radcliffe’s life is in ruins.<br />
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Over one hundred and fifty years later, Elodie Winslow, a young archivist in London, uncovers a leather satchel containing two seemingly unrelated items: a sepia photograph of an arresting-looking woman in Victorian clothing, and an artist’s sketchbook containing the drawing of a twin-gabled house on the bend of a river.<br />
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Why does Birchwood Manor feel so familiar to Elodie? And who is the beautiful woman in the photograph? Will she ever give up her secrets?<br />
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<strong><em>Told by multiple voices across time, The Clockmaker’s Daughter is a story of murder, mystery, and thievery, of art, love and loss. And flowing through its pages like a river, is the voice of a woman who stands outside time, whose name has been forgotten by history, but who has watched it all unfold: Birdie Bell, the clockmaker’s daughter.</em></strong><br />
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<strong><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38927017-daughters-of-the-lake" target="_blank">Daughters of the Lake</a></strong><br />
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<strong><em>The ghosts of the past come calling in a spellbinding heart-stopper from the “Queen of the Northern Gothic.”</em></strong> <br />
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After the end of her marriage, Kate Granger has retreated to her parents’ home on Lake Superior to pull herself together—only to discover the body of a murdered woman washed into the shallows. Tucked in the folds of the woman’s curiously vintage gown is an infant, as cold and at peace as its mother. No one can identify the woman. Except for Kate. She’s seen her before. In her dreams…<br />
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One hundred years ago, a love story ended in tragedy, its mysteries left unsolved. It’s time for the lake to give up its secrets. As each mystery unravels, it pulls Kate deeper into the eddy of a haunting folktale that has been handed down in whispers over generations. Now, it’s Kate’s turn to listen.<br />
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As the drowned woman reaches out from the grave, Kate reaches back. They must come together, if only in dreams, to right the sinister wrongs of the past.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-2l2v0oboinun_dNDdy2GRXTUqRAjo_GEHBXNthFdsiChtS87tdiP3uzOH7Py2qd11XyOhhnxjqrbSiK6rp86D8s-Frn4mLA4xyVVKDeosknUrUmFLd2y4P2NJqg5wyN4KklX389daw/s1600/39072210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="318" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-2l2v0oboinun_dNDdy2GRXTUqRAjo_GEHBXNthFdsiChtS87tdiP3uzOH7Py2qd11XyOhhnxjqrbSiK6rp86D8s-Frn4mLA4xyVVKDeosknUrUmFLd2y4P2NJqg5wyN4KklX389daw/s400/39072210.jpg" width="267" /></a><strong><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39072210-a-spark-of-light?ac=1&from_search=true" target="_blank">A Spark of Light</a></strong><br />
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The warm fall day starts like any other at the Center—a women’s reproductive health services clinic—its staff offering care to anyone who passes through its doors. Then, in late morning, a desperate and distraught gunman bursts in and opens fire, taking all inside hostage.<br />
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After rushing to the scene, Hugh McElroy, a police hostage negotiator, sets up a perimeter and begins making a plan to communicate with the gunman. As his phone vibrates with incoming text messages he glances at it and, to his horror, finds out that his fifteen-year-old daughter, Wren, is inside the clinic.<br />
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But Wren is not alone. She will share the next and tensest few hours of her young life with a cast of unforgettable characters: A nurse who calms her own panic in order save the life of a wounded woman. A doctor who does his work not in spite of his faith but because of it, and who will find that faith tested as never before. A pro-life protester disguised as a patient, who now stands in the cross hairs of the same rage she herself has felt. A young woman who has come to terminate her pregnancy. And the disturbed individual himself, vowing to be heard.<br />
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Told in a daring and enthralling narrative structure that counts backward through the hours of the standoff, this is a story that traces its way back to what brought each of these very different individuals to the same place on this fateful day.<br />
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<strong><em>Jodi Picoult—one of the most fearless writers of our time—tackles a complicated issue in this gripping and nuanced novel. How do we balance the rights of pregnant women with the rights of the unborn they carry? What does it mean to be a good parent? A Spark of Light will inspire debate, conversation . . . and, hopefully, understanding.</em></strong><br />
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<strong>Check out these lovely blogs for more books to add to your wish list(updated as they become available):</strong><br />
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Holly at 2 Kids and Tired<br />
Stephanie at Layered Pages<br />
Heather at The Maiden's Court<br />
Erin at Flashlight Commentary<br />
Magdalena at A Bookish Swede</div>
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<br />Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8046440409365828375.post-68006002843319979632018-06-28T00:00:00.000-04:002018-06-28T13:38:05.751-04:00Cover Crush (Summertime Edition): Secrets in Summer by Nancy Thayer<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Hello, my name is Colleen and I am a cover slut. I know, I know....you aren't supposed to judge a book by it's cover. I just can't help myself! A beautiful cover draws my eye every single time and I can't help but pick up the book it's dressing and see if the inside seems as intriguing as the outside. Sometimes it does, and sometimes a pretty cover is just a pretty cover. Either way, I love getting an eyeful! <br /> <br /> One of my favorite bloggers, Erin at </strong><a href="http://flashlightcommentary.blogspot.com/"><strong>Flashlight Commentary</strong></a><strong>, created a weekly blog post called Cover Crush and she and some other blogger friends are sharing their favorite covers each Thursday. You'll find my Cover Crush selection below and I'll link to everyone else's at the end of the post.<br /><br />For the month of June I've decided to gear my Cover Crushes towards all things Summer. I just can't think of much else right now and each of the covers I'll share this month will make you long to dip your toes in the water as much as I do!<br /><br />So, without further ado, my Cover Crush this week is.....</strong></div>
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<strong>Can't you just feel the wind whipping through your hair?? This is such a pretty picture, with the lovely-dressed woman on her pink bike with her basket full of brightly-colored flowers! And that blue sky...not a cloud to taint the day. This looks like my ideal vacation spot and I very much wish I could just climb right in!</strong></div>
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<strong>Let's see what summer secrets this story is hiding....</strong></div>
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<em>The queen of beach books (The Star-Ledger) returns to the shores of Nantucket in a novel about one memorable summer when flirtations flourish, family dramas play out, and scandalous secrets surface.<br /><br />Memorial Day weekend means that seasonal visitors have descended on the glamorous island of Nantucket. For year-round resident Darcy Cotterill, it means late-night stargazing in the backyard of the beautiful house she grew up in and inherited from her beloved grandmother. It s also Darcy s chance to hit the beach and meet her new summertime neighbors. But the last person the thirty-year-old librarian expects to see staying next door is her ex-husband, Boyz, along with his wife, Autumn, and stepdaughter, Willow.<br /><br />Darcy must also navigate the highs and lows of a new romantic relationship with local carpenter Nash Forester even as she becomes smitten with handsome vacationer Clive Rush, a musicologist in town to write a book and visit family. And she finds herself pulled into the concerns of Boyz, Autumn, a charming elderly neighbor, and an at-risk teen.<br /><br />As the season nears its end, Darcy must decide her next move: retreating to the comforts of her steady and secure island life, or risking it all for a chance at true happiness. </em></div>
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<strong>Don't forget to check out what covers my blogger buddies are drooling over this week (updated as they become available):</strong><br />
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<a href="https://bookaholicswede.blogspot.com/2018/06/covercrush-in-absent-dream-by-seanan.html" target="_blank">Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede</a><br />
Erin at Flashlight Commentary<br />
Heather at The Maiden's Court<br />
<a href="https://layeredpages.com/2018/06/28/cover-crush-the-witch-of-willow-hall-by-hester-fox/" target="_blank">Stephanie at Layered Pages</a><br />
<a href="https://2kidsandtiredbooks.blogspot.com/2018/06/covercrush-whisper-beach.html" target="_blank">Holly at 2 Kids and Tired</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_mivH1tvhyphenhyphenLmKyjPy4wYWXeW_EyAMx8ps80CwZ6vSjUurYB2hsDvjUyC0YARLeAjVQj-A7zm84ptonPN05C4sai_rn8OE5pd64GJyr73mByOXWpbjKcAbfGLdM1wKzure686Vg_TlQ8/s1600/est+la+Vie%2521.png"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_mivH1tvhyphenhyphenLmKyjPy4wYWXeW_EyAMx8ps80CwZ6vSjUurYB2hsDvjUyC0YARLeAjVQj-A7zm84ptonPN05C4sai_rn8OE5pd64GJyr73mByOXWpbjKcAbfGLdM1wKzure686Vg_TlQ8/s400/est+la+Vie%2521.png" /></a><br />
Created by Magdalena of <a href="http://bookaholicswede.blogspot.se/">A Bookaholic Swede</a><br />
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Colleen Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04976640192696124574noreply@blogger.com0