Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Silence Interrupted

~ I received no compensation and opinions are 100% my own or my family. ~



Synopsis: Two months before Troye Saavedra’s senior year of high school, his father’s drinking problem skyrockets. When Troye’s parents make an impulsive move to Georgia in order to “help” him finish high school on a positive note, he is forced to leave behind everything he knows. Things couldn’t get worse for Troye. That is, until he meets three enigmatic teenagers: Adelaide, an independent violinist with radical ideas; Zaidan, fiercely loyal and always funny; and Arabella, a girl who harbors secret struggles. Together, the four friends try to pick up the jagged pieces of their lives without getting hurt themselves. An insightful tale of perseverance, Silence Interrupted is a young adult novel about the beauty and peril of traversing the world as a teenager.





Sania Shaikh is a junior at Cambridge High School. Inspired to write from a young age, she worked on Silence Interrupted, her debut novel, starting in eighth grade.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

Buy the Book:  Amazon


Simply Irresistible

~ I received no compensation and opinions are 100% my own or my family. ~


Synopsis (from Amazon): Georgeanne Howard leaves her fiancĂ© at the altar when she realizes she can't marry a man old enough to be her grandfather, no matter how rich he is. Hockey superstar John Kowalsky unknowingly helps her escape, and only when it's too late does he realize that he's absconded with his boss's bride. This bad boy isn't looking to be anybody's savior but his own. Still, a long night stretches ahead of them—a night too sultry to resist temptation.

Seven years later, Georgeanne and John meet again. She is on her way to becoming Seattle's domestic darling and he is past his hellraising days. Shocked to learn that he has a daughter, John's determined to be part of her life. Georgeanne has loved John since the moment she jumped into his car, but will he risk the wrath of his boss, and one final chance at glory, to prove that this time his love will be everlasting?


One (or more) Sentence Summary: Nice quick story with fun characters.  While very predictable it was enjoy and easy to read.  Love the hockey player theme.


Would I Read Other Books by the Author: Yes, I purchased Not Another Bad Date.  There are several others that look like they are great reads.


Rachel Gibson lives in Idaho with her husband, three kids, two cats, and a dog of mysterious origin. She began her fiction career at age sixteen, when she ran her car into the side of a hill, retrieved the bumper, and drove to a parking lot, where she strategically scattered the car's broken glass all about. She told her parents she'd been the victim of a hit-and-run and they believed her. She's been making up stories ever since, although she gets paid better for them nowadays.

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Suddenly Royal




Synopsis (from Amazon):  Samantha Rousseau is used to getting her hands dirty. Working on a master's degree in wildlife biology while helping take care of her sick father, she has no time for celebrity gossip, designer clothes, or lazy vacations. So when a duchess from the small country of Lilaria invites her to dinner, Samantha assumes it's to discuss a donation for the program. The truth will change the course of her life in ways she never dreamed . . .

As crown prince of Lilaria, Alex D'Lynsal has had his share of scandalous headlines, but the latest pictures in the press have sent him packing to America and forced him to swear off women. That is, until he meets Samantha Rousseau. She's stubborn, feisty, and incredibly sexy. Not to mention heiress to an estate in his country, which makes her everyone's front-page news. While Sam tries to navigate her new world of politics and wealth, she will also have to dodge her growing feelings for Alex. Giving in to them means more than just falling in love; it would mean accepting the weight of an entire country on her shoulders.


One (or more) Sentence Summary:  Suddenly Royal was a good and clean book.  It was a cute story that was pretty predictable.  If you are like me...anything "royal" is a good read.  

Would I Read Other Books by the Author:  I already have Reckless Royal on my TBR list!



Nichole Chase is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Suddenly Royal and Recklessly Royal. She lives in Georgia with her husband, little girl, superhero dog, Sulcata tortoise, and two cats. When not devouring novels by the dozens, you can find her writing, painting, crafting, or chasing her daughter around the house while making monster noises.

Connect with Nichole www.nicholechase.com  http://www.facebook.com/author.nicholechase
Twitter: @NicholeChase

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

A Long Walk to Water




Synopsis (from Amazon): The New York Times bestseller A Long Walk to Water begins as two stories, told in alternating sections, about two eleven-year-olds in Sudan, a girl in 2008 and a boy in 1985. The girl, Nya, is fetching water from a pond that is two hours’ walk from her home: she makes two trips to the pond every day. The boy, Salva, becomes one of the "lost boys" of Sudan, refugees who cover the African continent on foot as they search for their families and for a safe place to stay. Enduring every hardship from loneliness to attack by armed rebels to contact with killer lions and crocodiles, Salva is a survivor, and his story goes on to intersect with Nya’s in an astonishing and moving way.




One (or more) Sentence Summary:  I have really, really struggled with this review.  I am terrified I will not do the book or Salva justice.  A Long Walk to Water is an AMAZING book and so beautifully written.  My son read it in 7th grade when we still lived in Rochester, New York area. He came home from school and told me he had to read the book.  He was so surprised that I pulled my copy off my shelf.  I had not read it yet.  I immediately got to it.  He too, loved the book. He even got to go to Monroe Community College where the author Linda Sue Park and Salva spoke.  I was so upset I couldn't attend.  You can check it out here:



I had no idea that when Salva came to America, his American family lived in the area.  He also went on to college and Monroe Community College.  All of this was right under my nose and I didn't know about it.  I then had a flash back to being a church and Salva talking to us about his story and his project, Water for South Sudan.  I was even more in aww. 


This past year, my daughters needed a book to read for a school report.  I suggested A Long Walk to Water.  They loved it too.  I have recommend the book to several others in the Rochester area and realized I needed to write a review and let others know what an amazing book it is and what things Salva is doing in Sudan.  

I recommend that everyone, regardless your age, to pick up a copy of A Long Walk to Water and recommend it to others.  It is truly a wonderful read.
Would I Read Other Books by the Author: Absolutely.  I did know she also lived in Rochester.  How did I not know this amazing author lived in my area.  I really want to read A Single Shard and When My Name Was Keoko.



Linda Sue Park is the author of the Newbery Medal book A Single Shard, many other novels, several picture books, and most recently a book of poetry: Tap Dancing on the Roof: Sijo (Poems). She lives in Rochester, New York, with her family, and is now a devoted fan of the New York Mets. For more infromation visit www.lspark.com.


Thursday, December 15, 2016

Something Borrowed




Synopsis (from Amazon):  Rachel White is the consummate good girl. A hard-working attorney at a large Manhattan law firm and a diligent maid of honor to her charmed best friend Darcy, Rachel has always played by all the rules. Since grade school, she has watched Darcy shine, quietly accepting the sidekick role in their lopsided friendship. 

But that suddenly changes the night of her thirtieth birthday when Rachel finally confesses her feelings to Darcy's fiance, and is both horrified and thrilled to discover that he feels the same way. As the wedding date draws near, events spiral out of control, and Rachel knows she must make a choice between her heart and conscience. In so doing, she discovers that the lines between right and wrong can be blurry, endings aren't always neat, and sometimes you have to risk everything to be true to yourself.

The smash-hit debut novel for every woman who has ever had a complicated love-hate friendship.



One (or more) Sentence Summary: Great chick-lit book with substance. Best friend drama, maid-of-honor sleeping with groom to be and more.

Would I Read Other Books by the Author:  Yes, I have read a few of Emily's novel and have a list of others I would like to read.



Emily Giffin is a graduate of Wake Forest University and the University of Virginia School of Law. After practicing litigation at a Manhattan firm for several years, she moved to London to write full time. The author of seven New York Times bestselling novels, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, Baby Proof, Love The One You're With, Heart of the Matter, Where We Belong, and The One & Only, she lives in Atlanta with her husband and three young children. Visit www.emilygiffin.com.

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Mini Shopaholic



Synopsis (from Amazon): Becky Brandon thinks that having a daughter is a dream come true: a shopping friend for life! But two-year-old Minnie has a quite different approach to shopping. The toddler creates havoc everywhere she goes, from Harrods to her own christening. On top of everything else, Becky and Luke are still living with her parents (the deal on house #4 has fallen through), when suddenly there’s a huge nationwide financial crisis.
 
With people having to cut back, Becky decides to throw a surprise party for Luke to cheer everyone up. But when costs start to spiral out of control, she must decide whether to accept help from an unexpected source—and therefore run the risk of hurting the person she loves. Will Becky be able to pull off the celebration of the year? Will she and Luke ever find a home of their own? Will Minnie ever learn to behave? And . . . most important . . . will Becky’s secret wishes ever come true?



One (or more) Sentence Summary: Becky is one of my many favorite characters I love to read.  Sophie Kinsella is the "Queen of chick-lit."  Mini makes the book in Mini Shopaholic and is a typical two year old.  Laugh out load, too funny and quick wit makes all the Shopaholic books one of my favorite series.   


Would I Read Other Books by the Author:  Of course, I have read all the Shopaholic novels and a ton of other Sophie's


books.  I LOVE them all.



Sophie Kinsella is a writer and former financial journalist. She is the number one bestselling author of Can You Keep a Secret?, The Undomestic Goddess, Remember Me?, Twenties Girl, I’ve Got Your Number and Wedding Night, the hugely popular Shopaholic novels and the Young Adult novel Finding Audrey. She lives in London with her husband and family. She is also the author of several bestselling novels under the name of Madeleine Wickham. Visit her website at www.sophiekinsella.co.uk.

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

You Know When The Men Are Gone




Synopsis (from Amazon):  Through fiction of dazzling skill and astonishing emotional force, Siobhan Fallon welcomes readers into the American army base at Fort Hood, Texas, where U.S. soldiers prepare to fight, and where their families are left to cope after the men are gone. They'll meet a wife who discovers unsettling secrets when she hacks into her husband's email, and a teenager who disappears as her mother fights cancer. There is the foreign born wife who has tongues wagging over her late hours, and the military intelligence officer who plans a covert mission against his own home.
Powerful, singular, and unforgettable, these stories will resonate deeply with readers and mark the debut of a new talent of tremendous note.



One (or more) Sentence Summary:   Amazing....well done look into Army families and the impact of those left behind.  I lived in Jacksonville, Florida for 9 years and had many Navy families as neighbors.  I saw the impact as their spouses prepared for months out to seas, but this was pre-war time.  I watched what they went through and it takes a special kid of family to endure it all.  I can't imagine adding war to the dynamics.




Siobhan Fallon is the author of You Know When the Men Are Gone, which was listed as a Best Book of 2011 by The San Francisco Chronicle, Self Magazine, Los Angeles Public Library, Janet Maslin of The New York Times, and won a 2012 Indies Choice Honor Award, the Texas Institute of Letters Award for First Fiction, and the 2012 Pen Center USA Literary Award in Fiction. Her collection of stories about the families of Fort Hood, Texas, during an Army brigade’s deployment to Iraq, has been called "the explosive sort of literary triumph that appears only every few years" by New York Journal of Books, “a terrific and terrifically illuminating book" by The Washington Post, a "searing collection" by Entertainment Weekly, and “fascinating” by O, The Oprah Magazine. Theatrical productions of her stories include performances by Word for Word in San Francisco and Stories on Stage in Denver. More of Siobhan’s work has appeared in Women’s Day, Good Housekeeping, New Letters, Publishers’ Weekly, NPR’s The Morning Edition, Huffington Post, and she writes a fiction series for Military Spouse Magazine. Siobhan has an MFA from the New School in NYC. For more about Siobhan, please go to: www.siobhanfallon.com

Friday, December 2, 2016

Think Twice



Synopsis (from Amazon): Is evil born in us―or is it bred? That is the question at the heart of this penetrating novel from blockbuster New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline

Bennie Rosato looks exactly like her identical twin, Alice Connelly, but the darkness in Alice's soul makes them two very different women. Or at least that's what Bennie believes―until she finds herself buried alive at the hands of her twin.
"So engaging you can't help but read it in one sitting."―Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Meanwhile, Alice takes over Bennie's life, impersonating her at work and even seducing her boyfriend in order to escape the deadly mess she has made of her own life. But Alice underestimates Bennie and the evil she has unleashed in her twin's psyche. Soon Bennie, in her determination to stay alive long enough to exact revenge, must face the twisted truth that she is more like Alice than she could have ever imagined…and by the novel's shocking conclusion, Bennie finds herself engaged in a war she cannot win―with herself. With its blistering speed, vivid characters, and perplexing moral questions, Think Twice is a riveting emotional thriller that will keep readers breathless until the very last page.



One (or more) Sentence Summary: I love the character Bennie Rosato and Think Twice was another great book featuring her.  Creepy, evil, face pace, Lisa Scottoline style makes this a really good read!


Would I Read Other Books by the Author: In the past I have enjoyed Scottoline's books.  I forgot how much!  I know she has several books out that I haven't read and have added them to my TBR list!.


Lisa Scottoline is the New York Times bestselling author of seventeen novels including her most recent, THINK TWICE, and also writes a weekly column, called Chick Wit, for The Philadelphia Inquirer. Lisa has won many honors and awards, notably the Edgar Award, given for excellence in crime fiction, and the Fun Fearless Female Award from Cosmopolitan Magazine. She also teaches a course she created, called Justice and Fiction at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and regularly does speaking engagements. There are twenty-five million copies of her books in print, and she is published in over thirty other countries.Lisa graduated magna cum laude in three years from the University of Pennsylvania, with a B.A. degree in English, and her concentration was Contemporary American Fiction, taught by Philip Roth and others. She graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. She remains a lifelong resident of the Philadelphia area, where she lives with her array of disobedient pets.

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

While My Sister Sleeps





Synopsis (from Amazon):  Once again New York Times bestselling author Barbara Delinsky brings us a masterful family portrait, filled with thought-provoking insights into how emotions affect the decisions we make and how letting go can be the hardest thing to do and the greatest expression of love all at the same time. 

Molly and Robin Snow are sisters in the prime of life. So when Molly receives the news that Robin has suffered a massive heart attack, the news couldn't be more shocking. At the hospital, the Snow family receives a grim prognosis: Robin may never regain consciousness. Feelings of guilt and jealousy flare up as Robin's family struggles to cope. It's up to Molly to make the tough decisions, and she soon makes discoveries that shatter some of her most cherished beliefs about the sister she thought she knew.



One (or more) Sentence Summary: Family drama, guilt, and secrets make a great read!


Would I Read Other Books by the Author:  Yes, I have heard great things about Barb's books and While My Sister Sleeps, didn't let me down.



Barbara Delinsky, author of BLUEPRINTS (2015), SWEET SALT AIR (2013), ESCAPE (2011), NOT MY DAUGHTER (2010), WHILE MY SISTER SLEEPS (2009), THE SECRET BETWEEN US (2008), and FAMILY TREE (2007), has written more than twenty-two bestselling novels with over thirty-five million copies in print. She has been published in twenty languages worldwide. Barbara's fiction centers upon everyday families facing not-so-everyday challenges. She is particularly drawn to exploring themes of motherhood, marriage, sibling rivalry, and friendship in her novels. 

A lifelong New Englander, Barbara earned a B.A. in Psychology at Tufts University and an M.A. in Sociology at Boston College. As a breast cancer survivor who lost her mother to the disease when she was only eight, Barbara compiled the non-fiction book Uplift: Secrets From the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors, a handbook of practical tips and upbeat anecdotes. She donates her proceeds from the sale of this book to her charitable foundation, which funds an ongoing research fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Barbara enjoys knitting, photography, and cats. She also loves to interact with her readers through her website at www.barbaradelinsky.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bdelinsky, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/barbaradelinsky/, and on Twitter as @BarbaraDelinsky.

Friday, November 25, 2016

The Heist






Synopsis (from Amazon):  NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From Janet Evanovich, #1 bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum novels, and Lee Goldberg, bestselling author and television writer for Monk, comes the first adventure in an electrifying series featuring an FBI agent who always gets her man, and a fearless con artist who lives for the chase.
 
FBI Special Agent Kate O’Hare is known for her fierce dedication and discipline on the job, chasing down the world’s most wanted criminals and putting them behind bars. Her boss thinks she is tenacious and ambitious; her friends think she is tough, stubborn, and maybe even a bit obsessed. And while Kate has made quite a name for herself for the past five years the only name she’s cared about is Nicolas Fox—an international crook she wants in more ways than one.              
 
Audacious, handsome, and dangerously charming, Nicolas Fox is a natural con man, notorious for running elaborate scams on very high-profile people. At first he did it for the money. Now he does it for the thrill. He knows that the FBI has been hot on his trail—particularly Kate O’Hare, who has been watching his every move. For Nick, there’s no greater rush than being pursued by a beautiful woman . . . even one who aims to lock him up. But just when it seems that Nicolas Fox has been captured for good, he pulls off his greatest con of all: He convinces the FBI to offer him a job, working side by side with Special Agent Kate O’Hare.
 
Problem is, teaming up to stop a corrupt investment banker who’s hiding on a private island in Indonesia is going to test O’Hare’s patience and Fox’s skill. Not to mention the skills of their ragtag team made up of flamboyant actors, wanted wheelmen, and Kate’s dad. High-speed chases, pirates, and Toblerone bars are all in a day’s work . . . if O’Hare and Fox don’t kill each other first.




One (or more) Sentence Summary:  Fast pace, crafty con, dream team, and so funny you will catch yourself laughing out loud.  Well done!

Would I Read Other Books by the Author:  I have to read the others in the series.  The Heist is the first one!


Lee Goldberg is an ex-Navy SEAL, freelance Sexual Surrogate and a professional Daniel Craig impersonator.

Okay, that's not true. But he wants this biography to be really exciting, so pay attention. If things bog down, I've been instructed to add a car chase or some explicit sex.

Here's the real story. Lee Goldberg writes books and television shows.


Janet Evanovich is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum series, the Fox and O’Hare series with co-author Lee Goldberg, the Knight and Moon series, and the Lizzy and Diesel series as well as twelve romance novels, the Alexandra Barnaby novels, Troublemaker graphic novel, and How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author.


Monday, November 21, 2016

Cinderella Pact




Synopsis (from Amazon):  When Nola Devlin is turned down for her dream job because she's overweight, she decides to become thin-or, at least, pretend to be. The alter ego she creates-the thin, British, hip, and did we mention thin Belinda Apple-is a smashing success who is offered movie proposals, national television appearances and even dates...though no one's met her in person, of course.

Then Nola takes Belinda a bit too far, and is forced to join "The Cinderella Pact" and drop the pounds. As the weight comes off, however, Nola's problems begin to mount.



One (or more) Sentence Summary: OMG - just found out that Cinderella Pact was made into a Lifetime movie - Lying to be Perfect.  I MUST find it and watch!  I found Cinderella Pact to be a great chick-lit book with real guts.  There are SO many of us out there struggling with being over weight.  I have blamed my extra pounds from pregnancies, however, given my three kids are 14 and 13 (twins), I think that excuse is about 13 years too old and over used!  However, the book is not just about weight loss and the three different approaches the ladies take, it is a great love story/chick lit times 3.  

Would I Read Other Books by the Author:  I most certain would.  Sarah has a ton of books that I can't wait to go read.  In fact I have Kindred Spirits, that got buried on the back of the bookshelf and I re-discovered (just like Cinderella Pact) when we moved!


It's also my fourteenth novel, but my first for young adults after writing mysteries and stand alones, one of which, THE CINDERELLA PACT, became the Lifetime Movie - LYING TO BE PERFECT. Of all these, SMART GIRLS has been my favorite to write because not only was I a "smart girl," but so were my daughter and her friends who, like me, grew tired of playing second fiddle. I figured the time had come for our kind to receive the kudos, the attention and the boys. The bad girls had hogged center stage long enough.

Today, I live in Vermont with my husband, a lawyer, and son, Sam, an upcoming high school junior. My daughter, Anna, is a senior at Bryn Mawr College where there are A LOT of smart girls. Also, there's Fred, my five-year-old basset hound and between you and me, the love of my life.