Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Review: Falling by Jane Green

Falling
by Jane Green

Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 384
Format: eARC
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  When Emma Montague left the strict confines of upper-crust British life for New York, she felt sure it would make her happy. Away from her parents and expectations, she felt liberated, throwing herself into Manhattan life replete with a high-paying job, a gorgeous apartment, and a string of successful boyfriends. But the cutthroat world of finance and relentless pursuit of more began to take its toll. This wasn’t the life she wanted either. 
 
On the move again, Emma settles in the picturesque waterfront town of Westport, Connecticut, a world apart from both England and Manhattan. It is here that she begins to confront what it is she really wants from her life. With no job, and knowing only one person in town, she channels her passion for creating beautiful spaces into remaking the dilapidated cottage she rents from Dominic, a local handyman who lives next door with his six-year-old son. 
 
Unlike any man Emma has ever known, Dominic is confident, grounded, and committed to being present for his son whose mother fled shortly after he was born. They become friends, and slowly much more, as Emma finds herself feeling at home in a way she never has before.
 
But just as they start to imagine a life together as a family, fate intervenes in the most shocking of ways. For the first time, Emma has to stay and fight for what she loves, for the truth she has discovered about herself, or risk losing it all. 


Kritters Thoughts: I have not read all of Jane Green's books, but of the books I have read, this one has vaulted to the top spot.

Emma has quit her New York job and moved out to to the country to Connecticut to live a different kind of life.  Dominic has lived his entire life in this town in Connecticut and when he rents out his grandparents cottage to Emma he has no idea how this tenant will change his life.  

I loved the concept of this book that at any age you can make a drastic change in your life and send your life down a different path.  It was almost a coming of age, but coming into a new age!  

I also loved that even at any age your parents have influence over the decisions you make.  I loved how when Emma returns to her parents home she is still impacted by their opinions of the potential future she sees for herself.  

I am not sure if this is correct, but the entire time I read this book I remembered an interview of Jane Green where I feel like after the end of her marriage she decides to get away rents a cottage and ended up marrying her landlord, so maybe internally I was giddy that this book was inspiration from her own change in her life.  Anyone know if I am correct?


Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Berkley NAL.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.


Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Review and Giveaway: Like a River From Its Course by Kelli Stuart

Like a River From Its Course
by Kelli Stuart

Publisher: Kregel Publications
Pages: 352
Format: ARC
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  An epic novel exposing the ugliness of war and the beauty of hope. The city of Kiev was bombed in Hitler's blitzkrieg across the Soviet Union, but the constant siege was only the beginning for her citizens. In this sweeping historical saga, Kelli Stuart takes the reader on a captivating journey into the little--known history of Ukraine's tragedies through the eyes of four compelling characters who experience the same story from different perspectives.

Maria Ivanovna is only fourteen when the bombing begins and not much older when she is forced into work at a German labor camp. She must fight to survive and to make her way back to her beloved Ukraine.

Ivan Kyrilovich is falsely mistaken for a Jew and lined up with 34,000 other men, women, and children who are to be shot at the edge of Babi Yar, the "killing ditch." He survives, but not without devastating consequences.

Luda is sixteen when German soldiers rape her. Now pregnant with the child of the enemy, she is abandoned by her father, alone, and in pain. She must learn to trust family and friends again and find her own strength in order to discover the redemption that awaits.

Frederick Hermann is sure in his knowledge that the Fuhrer's plans for domination are right and just. He is driven to succeed by a desire to please a demanding father and by his own blind faith in the ideals of Nazism.


To enter the giveaway.
Kritters Thoughts:  A unique look at World War II through a country that I haven't visited in life or fiction - Ukraine.  Told through multiple perspectives that take you into the real nitty gritty of war and how it affects all walks of life in the country where the war actually takes place.  

First, what really made me love this book was that not only did you hear from citizens in the occupied country but one of the perspectives was from a German soldier.  I am not sure if I have ever read a book that really portrayed why he felt that the war was necessary.  I am not sure he convinced me of his cause, but it was at least interesting to see it through his eyes.  

I also loved that this was more than a book about war.  It was a book about family relationships and love and loss all of those things in between.  Yes there was a war going on, but life also moves forward maybe differently but still moves forward while a country is at war.  I enjoyed reading about how these families were trying to keep it together and as many things as normal in the midst of chaos.

I read this book in 24 hours in just three sittings and I couldn't put it down.  I hope that Kelli Stuart tackles a different topic or spot in time with this detail because it was both thoroughly entertaining and insightful.  


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Litfuse Publicity.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.








Monday, July 11, 2016

A new imprint!

Rarely do I do much more than review and chat about the books I am reading on this blog, but there is some exciting bookish news with one of my favorite publishing houses!

MIRA books is launching a new imprint that sounds right up my alley and I look forward to reading/stalking all of their catalogs!

The new imprint will be called Park Row Books and in the last paragraph of the press release below they highlight some of the authors already signed to the imprint and they are some of my favorite authors!

Every paragraph in this ramble has ended with an exclamation mark because I am more than excited, may be dancing that a dedicated imprint for good reading is on its way!






FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

INTRODUCING PARK ROW BOOKSA New Literary Fiction Imprint from MIRA Books

New York, NY, July 1, 2016—MIRA Books announced today the official launch of Park Row Books, an exclusive line of thought-provoking and voice-driven novels by both celebrated and new authors. Park Row Books will be led by Margaret Marbury, Vice President, General Fiction Editorial, and Erika Imranyi, Executive Editor. Park Row Books will publish unique voices and powerful stories that inspire discussion. Inaugural titles are slated for release in summer 2017.

“With the success of MIRA’s rapidly expanding literary fiction program, we decided to establish a dedicated imprint that focuses on the incredible novels we are publishing,” said Marbury. “Park Row Books allows us to create new opportunities for talented literary writers who want a boutique publishing experience with the support of a powerhouse commercial publisher.”
“We are aggressively growing our imprints that publish hardcover and trade paper original fiction,” said Loriana Sacilotto, Executive Vice-President, Global Publishing and Strategy at Harlequin. “Park Row Books is acquiring powerful and compelling novels by talented writers who are looking for a house that will shine a spotlight on their titles.”

The name Park Row Books was inspired by the landmark street that runs through downtown Manhattan and ends at the Woolworth Building, the former home of Harlequin’s New York office for many years. Once known as “Printing House Square” and the location of many of New York’s major newspapers, Park Row has a rich heritage of fostering free expression, creative ideas and important voices.

“MIRA Books has a long history as an industry leader when it comes to publishing commercial fiction,” said Imranyi. “The passion and innovation of the MIRA team is second to none and we have seamlessly parlayed our strengths as a commercial publisher into our literary fiction program. It is a great privilege to be spearheading the expansion of MIRA’s powerful list with the launch of Park Row Books, which will be an exciting destination for talented literary voices whose books have broad mainstream appeal.”

The launch title for Park Row Books is the blockbuster debut novel The Improbable Flight of Ginny Moon by Benjamin Ludwig, which Park Row acquired in a significant preemptive deal. The highly anticipated novel follows a recently adopted teenager with autism who is desperately plotting to get herself kidnapped by her birth mother. Told in an extraordinarily fresh and wholly unique voice, The Improbable Flight of Ginny Moon is a compulsively readable and unforgettable story about finding a place to belong in a world that doesn’t always add up. It will be published around the world in 11 territories and counting.

Park Row Books will also be home to the much-buzzed-about new novels by New York Times bestselling authors Mary Kubica and Heather Gudenkauf. Kubica’s book, a psychological thriller about a young widow’s pursuit of the truth in the wake of the devastating crash that took the life of her husband, takes readers inside the dark, twisted corners of a psyche plagued by grief. Her first novel, The Good Girl, has sold over half a million copies and has been published in two dozen territories worldwide. Gudenkauf’s next book, a high-concept crime thriller about a protagonist with profound hearing loss, features the bestselling author’s most compelling heroine to date. Gudenkauf’s first novel, The Weight of Silence, was an instant New York Times bestseller, spending 22 weeks on the list.

Other exciting titles forthcoming from Park Row Books include When I Think of You, from award-winning journalist and bestselling author Karma Brown, exploring how a woman’s life falls apart over a random act of courtesy; Hanna Who Fell from the Sky, a breakout literary novel set in the fascinating and unknown world of a polygamist society from award-winning Canadian author Christopher Meades; Undertow, by British journalist Elizabeth Heathcote, the much-buzzed-about debut domestic thriller in the vein of The Widow; and a new novel from Phaedra Patrick, the author of wildly acclaimed The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, that follows a down-on-his-luck jeweler whose life is changed when his estranged teenage niece makes a surprise visit to his quiet village.

Agents with manuscripts that feature strong, unique voices and groundbreaking content with mainstream appeal may send material to Erika Imranyi or Park Row Books editor Liz Stein.

About MIRA Books
MIRA Books is an imprint of Harlequin and features a lineup of some of the bestselling authors across North America as well as industry-anticipated debut authors. MIRA Books is committed to publishing the very best in commercial fiction, including women’s fiction, suspense and psychological thrillers, literary bestsellers, and historical. In 2015, 24 MIRA Books titles placed on bestseller lists (New York Times, USA TODAY and Publishers Weekly) for a total of 194 weeks. MIRA publishes approximately 100 books per year in hardcover, mass-market and trade paperback formats. 

About Harlequin
Harlequin (Harlequin.com) is one of the world’s leading publishers of books for women, with titles issued worldwide in as many as 34 languages and sold in up to 102 international markets. The company publishes more than 110 titles monthly and more than 1,300 authors from around the world. Harlequin is a division of HarperCollins Publishers, the second-largest consumer book publisher in the world, and has operations in 11 countries. For more information, please visit Harlequin.com and Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks. Follow Harlequin on Twitter:@HarlequinBooks.

#  #  #

Media Contacts:
Melanie Dulos                                                                                                   Shara Alexander
Sr. Manager, Corporate Communications                                             Director, Publicity
Harlequin                                                                                                            MIRA Books/Park Row Books
(416) 391-7008                                                                                                   212-207-7902
melanie.dulos@HarperCollins.com                                                          shara.alexander@HarperCollins.com



Sunday, July 10, 2016

It's Monday, What are you Reading?

A quiet weekend full of reading!   

A meme hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. 

Finished this past week:
Rainy Day Sisters by Kate Hewitt
Now and Then Friends by Kate Hewitt
Falling by Jane Green
Forever Fredless by Suzy Turner
Glory Over Everything by Kathleen Grissom
Like a River From its Course by Kelli Stuart

Currently Reading:
Since She Went Away by David Bell

Next on the TBR pile:
The Valley by Helen Bryan

Friday, July 8, 2016

Review: Now and Then Friends by Kate Hewitt

Now and Then Friends
by Kate Hewitt

Publisher: NAL
Pages: 368
Format: eARC
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Childhood best friends Rachel Campbell and Claire West have not only grown up, but after fifteen years, they've also grown apart...
 
After her father left, Rachel had to dedicate her life to managing her household: her two younger sisters, her disabled mother, and her three-year-old nephew. When Rachel’s not struggling to look after all of them, she makes her living cleaning the houses of wealthy families—inclulding the Wests, where a surprise now awaits her. . . .
 
A lifetime of drifting in other people's currents has finally left Claire high and dry. First it was her parents, then the popular crowd in school, and finally her fiancé. Now she’s returned to Hartley-by-the-Sea to recover. But running into Rachel brings back memories of past mistakes, and Claire wonders if she now has the courage to make them right.
 
Soon Claire’s brother, Andrew, asks Rachel to keep an eye on Claire, which is the last thing either woman wants. But as their lives threaten to fall apart, both Claire and Rachel begin to realize what they need most is a friend. The kind of friend they once were to each other, and perhaps can be again. . . .


Kritters Thoughts:  The second in a series, this story centers on Rachel and Claire who were friends in primary school, but grew apart before they ever left their small hometowns.  Rachel stayed there and has been the backbone of her family as her father left, her mother had a tragic accident and her sisters aren't quite stepping up.  Claire returns after a stint in rehab and a potential break up with a fiance and is trying to decide what is next for herself.  

Just as in the first book in the series, this book is told in alternating perspectives and both Rachel and Claire have the opportunity to tell their story.  And just like the first book in the series, the female friendships are the foundation of the story and of course there is romance involved, but the drama of their friendship is the center.  

Something I didn't mention yesterday was the setting.  I loved the small English town where news flies by lunch time!  I loved that even the characters that had grown up there were surprised that their news had spread around town so quickly.  

If there is a book three, I will definitely continue in this series, but I would maybe advise against reading it all in a row.  I read the first two in a row and it was fine, but the format and stories would get repetitive.  


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2016 Challenge: 19 out of 50

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Berkley NAL.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.


Thursday, July 7, 2016

Review: Rainy Day Sisters by Kate Hewitt

Rainy Day Sisters
by Kate Hewitt

Publisher: NAL
Pages: 368
Format: book
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Welcome to Hartley-by-the-Sea in England’s beautiful Lake District, where two sisters who meet as strangers find small miracles tucked into the corners of every day....

When Lucy Bagshaw’s life in Boston falls apart, thanks to a scathing editorial written by her famous artist mother, she accepts her half sister Juliet’s invitation to stay with her in a charming seaside village in northern England. Lucy is expecting quaint cottages and cream teas, but instead finds that her sister is an aloof host, the weather is wet, windy, and cold, and her new boss, Alex Kincaid, is a disapproving widower who only hired her as a favor to Juliet.

Despite the invitation she offered, Juliet is startled by the way Lucy catapults into her orderly life. As Juliet faces her own struggles with both her distant mother and her desire for a child, her sister’s irrepressible optimism begins to take hold. With the help of quirky villagers, these hesitant rainy day sisters begin to forge a new understanding…and find in each other the love of family that makes all the difference.



Kritters Thoughts:  Julie and Lucy are sisters, but only in formality.  They were not raised in the same home and only share the same crazy mother.  When Lucy's life falls apart she decides to escape across the pond to a small town in England where her sister owns a B&B.  As each of these sisters had very different but interesting relationships with their mother, I loved seeing both sides of the coin.

Told through both of their points of view, I loved getting to see the story move forward piece by piece from both of the sisters.  I appreciated that the author gave each sister their own story and both stories felt true.  I actually loved both equally!

There were a few times where I wanted to sit the characters in the room and say - YES you both had crappy childhoods for different reasons but lets gang up together against mom instead of against each other!  

Let me say that this is my kind of "romance."  There was a full plot surrounding these two sisters and also they each had interesting and honest love stories.  The love stories were just a part of their story as it should be!  I loved that the drama of their sister relationship took the forefront while the love was there but not front and center.  

Tomorrow, I will review book two which focuses on two different characters in this small town.


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Review: Little Girl Gone by Gerry Schmitt

Little Girl Gone
by Gerry Schmitt

Publisher: Berkley
 Pages: 336
Format: book
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  In the first Afton Tangler thriller, the unforgiving cold of a Minnesota winter hides the truth behind an even more chilling crime...

On a frozen night in an affluent neighborhood of Minneapolis, a baby is abducted from her home after her teenage babysitter is violently assaulted. The parents are frantic, the police are baffled, and, with the perpetrator already in the wind, the trail is getting colder by the second.

As family liaison officer with the Minneapolis P.D., it’s Afton Tangler’s job to deal with the emotional aftermath of terrible crimes—but she’s never faced a case quite as brutal as this. Each development is more heartbreaking than the last and the only lead is a collection of seemingly unrelated clues.

But, most disturbing of all, Afton begins to suspect that this case is not isolated.  Whoever did this has taken babies before—and if Afton doesn’t solve this crime soon, more children are sure to go missing . . .


Kritters Thoughts:  A baby goes missing and because of the high profile parents, the FBI and police are all brought in to find this baby and bring her home.  At the same time the reader gets to also see the story from the kidnapper and the motives behind the kidnapping.

I love mystery/thrillers, but I especially love them when I/the reader know more than the characters.  I enjoy reading when I get to watch the detectives put the puzzle pieces together and some I know since I am seeing the suspect's point of view and some I might not have seen through their eyes.  

Although I read this in the summer, I loved the fact that the cold weather of Minnesota impacted their investigation and I maybe would have loved reading this book even more if I read it when it was snowing outside at my house.  

I am excited that this is the first in a series and to start with it at the beginning.  I am absolutely going to look forward to the next read and see where Afton Tangler is in that book.


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Berkley NAL.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Review: Everywhere and Every Way by Jennifer Probst

Everywhere and Every Way
by Jennifer Probst

Publisher: Gallery Books
Pages: 367
Format: eARC
Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Ever the responsible eldest brother, Caleb Pierce started working for his father’s luxury contracting business at a young age, dreaming of one day sitting in the boss’s chair. But his father’s will throws a wrench in his plans by stipulating that Caleb share control of the family business with his two estranged brothers.

Things only get more complicated when demanding high-end home designer Morgan hires Caleb to build her a customized dream house that matches her specifications to a T—or she’ll use her powerful connections to poison the Pierce brothers’ reputation. Not one to ignore a challenge, Caleb vows to get the job done—if only he can stop getting distracted by his new client’s perfect…amenities.

But there’s more to icy Morgan than meets the eye. And Caleb’s not the only one who knows how to use a stud-finder. In fact, Morgan is pretty sure she’s found hers—and he looks quite enticing in a hard hat. As sparks fly between Morgan and Caleb despite his best intentions not to mix business and pleasure, will she finally warm up and help him lay the foundation for everlasting love?
 


Kritters Thoughts:  HGtv meets romance for this book.  My first Jennifer Probst book, but obviously not my first romance book and it had been a long time since I had tried a new romance author.  

The Pierce brothers have been through a lot.  They lost their mother in a tragic accident and now their father has unexpectedly passed away.  In their father's will, they must live in the same home and turn a profit to be able to keep the business.  At the same time Morgan is working for a celebrity couple and must have the Pierce brothers build their home.  

Unlike the romance readers that I have come to follow and love, this book lacked a little in the plot department.  The foundational plot was great, but I felt like it was lacking in a few spots and the sexy times took over.  I am not a prude and get that their are sex scenes in romance, but in this one it felt as though they overpowered the plot of the book.

I am not sure I will read on in this series, I may give it one more shot, but I was just disappointed in the lack of plot/character development where the author put more focus on the sexy times and lust each character had for the other.

If you are a romance reader that can forgo a little plot for some sexy, then this may be more your speed!

Rating: enjoyable, but didn't leave me wanting more

Review 2016 Challenge:  18 out of 50


Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Sullivan and Partners.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Monday, July 4, 2016

Happy Fourth of July!

For the second year in a row we will be celebrating the 4th of July at Nationals Park watching baseball!  

One of my favorite places to be!

Happy Fourth of July!!


Sunday, July 3, 2016

It's Monday, What are you Reading?

We are in the middle of a holiday weekend that is full of baseball for me!  I am hoping to read a few more before its back to work on Tuesday.

A meme hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. 

Finished this past week:
The Hummingbird by Stephen P Kiernan
The Gilded Years by Karin Tanabe
Everywhere and Every Way by Jennifer Probst
Little Girl Gone by Gerry Schmitt

Currently Reading:
Rainy Day Sisters by Kate Hewitt

Next on the TBR pile:
Now and Then Friends by Kate Hewitt

Friday, July 1, 2016

June in review


June was interesting.   Work was crazy.  The home life was crazy.  Thank goodness I got a ton of reading done!


1. Sunshine Beach by Wendy Wax
2. Flight Patterns by Karen White
3. Radio Girls by Sarah-Jane Stratford
4. By the Numbers by Jen Lancaster
5. Midnight at Tiffany's by Sarah Morgan
6. Sleepless in Manhattan by Sarah Morgan
7. Forever Beach by Shelley Noble
8. A House for Happy Mothers by Amulya Malladi
9. June by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore
10. Keep You Close by Lucie Whitehouse
11. Liar Liar by MJ Arlidge
12. Riverbend Road by RaeAnne Thayne
13. All Summer Long by Dorothea Benton Frank
14. 25 Sense by Lisa Henthorn
15. Everybody Rise by Stephanie Clifford
16. The Sweetheart Deal by Polly Dugan
17. The Space Between Sisters by Mary McNear
18. The Hummingbird by Stephen P Kiernan
19.  The Gilded Years by Karin Tanabe
20.  Everywhere and Every Way by Jennifer Probst



Total pages read, clicked, and flipped: 7,056

Where Have I Been Reading?:
Florida (2)
London (2)
Chicago, IL
New York City, NY (3)
India
Ohio
Southampton, England
Charleston, SC
Idaho
Los Angeles, CA
Portland, OR (2)
Minnesota
Poughkeepsie, NY
New York

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