Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Waiting on Wednesday #181: How to Find Love in a Bookshop by Veronica Henry


"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event which had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings.

Synopsis from Goodreads:

The enchanting story of a bookshop, its grieving owner, a supportive literary community, and the extraordinary power of books to heal the heart. 

Nightingale Books, nestled on the main street in an idyllic little village, is a dream come true for book lovers--a cozy haven and welcoming getaway for the literary-minded locals. But owner Emilia Nightingale is struggling to keep the shop open after her beloved father's death, and the temptation to sell is getting stronger. The property developers are circling, yet Emilia's loyal customers have become like family, and she can't imagine breaking the promise she made to her father to keep the store alive. 


There's Sarah, owner of the stately Peasebrook Manor, who has used the bookshop as an escape in the past few years, but it now seems there's a very specific reason for all those frequent visits. Next is roguish Jackson, who, after making a complete mess of his marriage, now looks to Emilia for advice on books for the son he misses so much. And the forever shy Thomasina, who runs a pop-up restaurant for two in her tiny cottage--she has a crush on a man she met in the cookbook section, but can hardly dream of working up the courage to admit her true feelings. 


Enter the world of Nightingale Books for a serving of romance, long-held secrets, and unexpected hopes for the future--and not just within the pages on the shelves. How to Find Love in a Bookshop is the delightful story of Emilia, the unforgettable cast of customers whose lives she has touched, and the books they all cherish.
 


Why am I waiting on this one? I love books about bookstores and libraries. I've worked in both in the past. This one sounds like it has an interesting assortment of customers. Couple that with the struggle to keep the store open and it sounds like a good book. Expected publication is August 15, 2017 from Pamela Dorman books.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Teaser Tuesday: Redder than Blood by Tanith Lee


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
 Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
 BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
I was able to become - not my father's son, or my family's irrelevant annoyance, let alone any villain's plaything - but Myself.  (location 47 on my kindle)
She was desire incarnate, genius rising like Venus on the waters of imagination. (location 51 on my kindle)
Both quotations are from the short story "Redder than Blood" which shares its name with the anthology of retellings. Redder than Blood is due out April 4, 2017 from DAW.
What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!
Disclaimer: The quotations come from an ARC of the book and may appear differently in the final copy.

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Teaser Tuesday: Southern Fried by Tonya Kappes


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
 Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
 BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
"You might just fit in here after all, Yank." She smiled back at him before she grabbed the steel round dough cutter and plopped out biscuits on a cookie sheet.
I swear I rolled my eyes so hard I saw my own brain. If the shoe were on the other foot and I'd said that to her, she'd have called my mama despite the fact that I was a twenty-eight-year-old woman.
~ 20% on my  Kindle: Viola talking to Deputy Finn, then Sheriff Kenni thinking to herself about their exchange.
What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!
Disclaimer: The quotations come from an ARC of the book and may appear differently in the final copy. Southern Fried, the second Kenni Lowry mystery, is expected to be out April 4, 2017 from Henery Press.

Monday, March 20, 2017

Review: If I'm Found by Terri Blackstock

Terri Blackstock, a best-selling author of Christian fiction, has another winner with If I'm Found, book two of the If I Run trilogy. If you haven't read book one, this review might have a few spoilers to it.

Casey Cox has been on the run since book one of the trilogy. In book one she found her friend's body and was framed for his murder by crooked cops. Book two picks up as she is running away again to avoid prosecution and probable death.

In addition to being pursued by the crooked cops, she is also being sought by Dylan Roberts, a private investigator who was hired by her friend's parents. Dylan says that he believes she is innocent and wants to help her. Casey is slightly skeptical. Both of them seek ways for her to clear her name and keep her safe.

The book is written with alternating points of view in different chapters. This works in part because each chapter is clearly labeled as to who is telling the story at that point. It's also effective because it lets us get into the different characters heads.

There are two interesting subplots. One is about Dylan's struggle with PTSD. The other has to do with Casey finding a suicide note and an abused girl. Both reveal more about the characters.

The book also has a small focus on the relationship Dylan and Casey have with their faith. In Casey's case, it is a question of establishing and developing faith. Dylan prays for Casey on at least one occasion.

The pace of the book is fast for the most part increasing towards the end as things come to a head. Even though you can pretty much tell "whodunit," how it will be resolved is still up in the air. Casey has to decide if she will trust Dylan among other things.

I had not read book one. I had no trouble getting into book two and up to speed on what was going on. Things are not totally resolved at the end of this book. It will leave you anxious to have book three in your hands.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. It's a good thriller. I would read book three to find out what happens next. It's well-written suspense.

If I'm Found is due to be released March 21, 2017 from Zondervan.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Waiting on Wednesday #180: Spoonbenders by Daryl Gregory


"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event which had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings.

 Synopsis from Goodreads:

A generations-spanning family of psychics--both blessed and burdened by their abilities--must use their powers to save themselves from the CIA, the local mafia, and a skeptic hell-bent on discrediting them in this hilarious, tender, magical novel about the invisible forces that bind us. 

The Telemachus family is known for performing inexplicable feats on talk shows and late-night television. Teddy, a master conman, heads up a clan who possess gifts he only fakes: there's Maureen, who can astral project; Irene, the human lie detector; Frankie, gifted with telekinesis; and Buddy, the clairvoyant. But when, one night, the magic fails to materialize, the family withdraws to Chicago where they live in shame for years. Until: As they find themselves facing a troika of threats (CIA, mafia, unrelenting skeptic), Matty, grandson of the family patriarch, discovers a bit of the old Telemachus magic in himself. Now, they must put past obstacles behind them and unite like never before. But will it be enough to bring The Amazing Telemachus Family back to its amazing life?


Spoonbenders is due out June 27, 2017 from Knopf.

Why am I waiting on this one? It seems like it will be an unusual story. And it says there is humor as well as tenderness. I'm all for it being a little weird with humor. Not sure yet how I feel about the tender parts, but I envision it overall being enjoyable.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Review: These Ruthless Deeds by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas

When I was approved to read These Ruthless Deeds by Swoon Books through NetGalley, I ordered book one, These Vicious Masks, to read as soon as possible. It was a good idea. Book #2 pretty much picks up where Book#1 leaves off,

Evelyn and Miss Grey are trying to find and help other people with powers. Things go awry as they try to rescue a young woman with telekinesis from an insane asylum. The Society of Aberrations steps in and helps to rescue them. In turn, the Society tries to recruit them.

Evelyn is seriously wary of the Society after events in book one with a rogue agent claiming to be working for the society, but engaging in repugnant acts on his own. While Captain Goode claims the society had nothing to do with the other's actions, Evelyn is still erring on the side of caution until she finds out there may be a way to help Mr. Braddock deal with his disastrous power of making those around him sick. This she thinks might be worth joining the Society.

Meanwhile, her parents have returned to London with money found by her father's accountant. It appears her reputation has been restored. A Lady Atherton comes forth with her son and suggests that Evelyn participates in the little season. And she appears to be involved with the Society of Aberrations as well.

Evelyn goes on missions for the society along with her friends and some of the other members of the Society. There are surprises in store both during the missions and aside from them.

Evelyn is as enjoyable as she was in the first book. She is caring, but snarky at times. She has a solid group of friends on which to rely. And there is a little bit of a love triangle between her, Mr. Kent, and Mr. Braddock. I enjoyed the characterization of her friends as well.

The pace of the book is faster than book one. It leads up to a major scene which both resolves some problems and introduces more, paving the way for a third book in the series.

Altogether, the book is well written. the emphasis is on the action rather than the romance. It still reads as book one advertises a bit like "Jane Austen meets the X-Men." There is fun, and there is tragedy. To say more would be spoilers.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. I like the characters and the pacing as well as the mystery of just what the society is up to. There is also another mystery that becomes apparent after a while. I would recommend the book for people who enjoy a blend of science fiction/fantasy with their historical literature. A certain amount of suspension of disbelief is required, but not so much that it can't be done. I would recommend reading book one in the series before reading book two. And I am seriously looking forward to book three. The end of These Ruthless Deeds has a little bit of a cliffhanger to it. I want to see the situational troubles wrapped up and the interpersonal problems resolved.

Teaser Tuesday: If I'm Found by Terri Blackstock


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
 Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
 BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
"There is real evil in this world. I've seen it up close. Hiding for the rest of my life would be an acceptable cost for avoiding that evil. If only it weren't everywhere..."
~ 5% through on my Kindle
Would you keep reading? 
What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!
Disclaimer: The quotations come from an ARC of the book and may appear differently in the final copy. If I'm Found is due out March 21, 2017 from Zondervan. It's book 2 in the If I Run series.

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Waiting on Wednesday #179: Southern Fried by Tonya Kappes


"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event which had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings

Synopsis from Goodreads:

In the South, it’s better when the food is fried and the secrets kept buried… 

After the dead body of a beloved Cottonwood resident is found tangled up in an electric fence, Sheriff Kenni Lowry has a hunch that somethin’ ain’t right. Her investigation heats up with a fierce cook-off competition, a euchre game where the intel is sweeter than the brownies, and a decades-old family recipe that may just be the proof in the pudding. 

The icing on the cake: Kenni is fighting an attraction to her recently sworn-in deputy sheriff, and election season is hot on her tail. When the killer comes after who she holds most dear, even her poppa’s ghostly guidance might not be enough to keep her and her own out of the frying pan.


Southern Fried is due out April 4, 2017 from Henery Press.

Why am I waiting on this one? I love a good humorous mystery. And I like it even better if it takes place in a southern setting. And Henery Press has a knack for publishing humorous mysteries. 

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Review: These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas

The title reminds me of a line from the Billy Joel song, The Stranger: "We all have a face that we hide away forever." The only difference is that in the process of the book some of the masks are slowly stripped away.

Billed as "Jane Austen meets the X-men," the book pretty much lives up to its hype. It is a story set in the Victorian era, but with individuals with special powers. There are 3 groups. One is the group that doesn't know that much about their powers and is on the naive side. The second group knows, uses, and sometimes exploits their powers or the powers of others. And then there is a third group with no special powers.

Evelyn has come to London in search of her sister  Rosamund who disappeared under mysterious circumstances. On the way she meets Mr. Kent who arranges for her to stay with his sister and his parents and promises to aid in finding Rose. Evelyn meets Sebastian Braddock. Mr. Braddock claims that Evelyn and her sister both possess special healing powers. And he wants Evelyn to heal someone close to him. In return, he will help seek out Rosamund.

The book is very much a missing person mystery. Rosamund is gone and presumed in danger by Evelyn. After all wouldn't she take her medicine kit with her if she left voluntarily?

There is also a touch of romance. There is not quite a love triangle. The focus though is on finding Rose. There are dangers both mundane and extraordinary in the course of the search.

Evelyn especially is of interest. She doesn't care much for her role in society as a young unmarried woman. And she detests attending balls with her mother trying to set her up with some young man. She argues that there must be more to life. Her sister is milder in manner and appears to go along with her mother's designs at least at the ball in the beginning.

The ending was a surprise to me. I wanted to know what was going to happen next. It could be read as a standalone, but it will leave you wanting more. Thank goodness the second book in the trilogy comes out March 14, 2017 from Swoon Reads.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. It's a good mystery with a touch of romance and a touch of the gothic. It is a YA book, but I found it enjoyable as an adult as well.

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Teaser Tuesday: These Ruthless Deeds by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas


Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by The Purplebooker.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
 Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
 BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Even after living with her for the two months where I was not ... the easiest houseguest, I still wasn't quite used to her limitless patience. "You don't wish to know what I was doing, mysteriously traveling to another country?"

She turned her gray eyes to meet mine. "I suspect it's rather important work, which leads me to believe that London society would have objections and a little discretion is necessary. I wouldn't want to cause any more trouble."

~ Evelyn talking to Mae about 11% into the book on my Kindle. The quotations come from an ARC of the book and may appear differently in the final copy.

What's your teaser this week? Share it or a link in the comments. Are you enjoying your book? Let us know! Happy Reading!


Monday, March 6, 2017

Quickie Review: Big Mushy Happy Lump by Sarah Andersen


Big Mushy Happy Lump by Sarah Andersen is a second "Sarah's Scribbles" collection. The strips are full of honest vignettes that are frequently funny. I especially liked the slightly longer strips that were mixed with prose. "Sadie - How I learned to get over myself and love cats" was one such set of strips. Sarah's apartment is overrun by mice. So, she borrows her mother's kitten. Cuteness ensues.

The longer set of strips on "I Don't Know How to Be a Person" have insight into social anxiety and overthinking. It's interesting to see this topic handled here since Allie Brosh and Jenny Lawson also have taken a run at similar topics. It's well done and truthful.

But it is not all serious. There is plenty to laugh or smile about in the pages here.

I give this collection 4 out of 5 stars.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Sunday, March 5, 2017

Review: Winter of the Gods by Jordanna Max Brodsky

In book 2 of the Olympus Bound trilogy, Selene and Theo are once again drawn into an investigation of murders that appear to be the work of a cult. There is a twist, though. Whoever is doing this isn't picking their victims at random. They are choosing them from among the Olympian gods.

The setting for the book is the Christmas season in modern-day New York City. Funny to set a book about the Olympians during a time period centered around celebrating the birth of Christ. But, the timing ends up playing a part in the story.

The mystery of the sacrifices has Selene, aka Artemis, distrusting even more than usual. She questions whether or not it could even be a member of her family performing the sacrifice in order to regain lost power. Overall, it's a good mystery.

Theo is trying to keep up with Selene and help solve the murders. Two of his close friends become involved in the investigation. I felt a little overwhelmed by all of the info given regarding circumstances and symbols during the investigation as a result of their research. It's all good information and impressive, but I felt like there was a little too much. It slowed the pace of the story even though it leads to an epiphany.

The characters are well drawn, particularly Selene and Theo. Their romance seems to suffer a little in this book. I think they aren't really listening to each other, which seems quite possible considering one is immortal-ish and one is definitely mortal. And I liked the addition of  Hephaestus to the story as more of an important character than in the last book.

I give the book 3.5 stars. Overall, it's a good book. Just a little slow in spots where there was a lot of information given.  If you're a fan of urban fantasy or the Greek gods, then you might enjoy this book. You might be able to read this as a standalone, but it would be better to have the background from book one. The ending definitely has room for things to continue in book three. I am looking forward to seeing where the author goes with Theo, Selene, and the rest of the pantheon.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Waiting on Wednesday #178: Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew Sullivan


"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event which had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings

Synopsis from Goodreads:

When a bookshop patron commits suicide, it’s his favorite store clerk who must unravel the puzzle he left behind in this fiendishly clever debut novel from an award-winning short story writer.

Lydia Smith lives her life hiding in plain sight. A clerk at the Bright Ideas bookstore, she keeps a meticulously crafted existence among her beloved books, eccentric colleagues, and the BookFrogs—the lost and lonely regulars who spend every day marauding the store’s overwhelmed shelves.

But when Joey McGinty, a young, beguiling BookFrog, kills himself in the bookstore’s back room, Lydia’s life comes unglued. Always Joey’s favorite bookseller, Lydia has been bequeathed his meager worldly possessions. Trinkets and books; the detritus of a lonely, uncared for man. But when Lydia flips through his books she finds them defaced in ways both disturbing and inexplicable. They reveal the psyche of a young man on the verge of an emotional reckoning. And they seem to contain a hidden message. What did Joey know? And what does it have to do with Lydia?

As Lydia untangles the mystery of Joey’s suicide, she unearths a long-buried memory from her own violent childhood. Details from that one bloody night begin to circle back. Her distant father returns to the fold, along with an obsessive local cop, and the Hammerman, a murderer who came into Lydia’s life long ago and, as she soon discovers, never completely left. Bedazzling, addictive, and wildly clever, Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore is a heart-pounding mystery that perfectly captures the intellect and eccentricity of the bookstore milieu and will keep you guessing until the very last page.


 Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore is due out June 13, 2017 from Scribner.

Why am I waiting on this one? I enjoy stories that take place in bookstores. And if it's a good mystery, so much the better.

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!