tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52660745869883659852024-03-05T12:31:30.532-08:00The Militant RecommenderStephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17597916863723389117noreply@blogger.comBlogger221125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266074586988365985.post-19262308560202477022023-11-13T12:34:00.000-08:002023-11-13T12:34:39.560-08:00Simone St. James: Ghost Stories with a Difference!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixF_LQbIudxZaGJUqLbxeJw2KRXXq81MxJS0OqFMzym7ZiNHZ5L2reH7eI8UJusX6roG89T3IMbTk32OFSH9QbdHfch_Kr5VLdTAX7KNXSClvZL5GjwK9sXtYPVw8UNmAb2Rr3wrEtT-5K2zpF40gtsXFWrBDbDNJO7Ud-uyPj9g83NbuKf17ujGoWWwQ/s462/bk4.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="312" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixF_LQbIudxZaGJUqLbxeJw2KRXXq81MxJS0OqFMzym7ZiNHZ5L2reH7eI8UJusX6roG89T3IMbTk32OFSH9QbdHfch_Kr5VLdTAX7KNXSClvZL5GjwK9sXtYPVw8UNmAb2Rr3wrEtT-5K2zpF40gtsXFWrBDbDNJO7Ud-uyPj9g83NbuKf17ujGoWWwQ/w109-h161/bk4.jpg" width="109" /></a></div> The Recommender has listened to a LOT of audiobooks over the last couple of years, and there are a few authors I read and listen to whenever they have something new. A couple of months ago I came across a book that sounded intriguing! <br />It was called <i>Silence for the Dead</i> by Simone St. James. The narrator was incredible! Billie Fulford-Brown became all the soldiers suffering the after effects of WWI and the nurses caring for them in the remote psychiatric hospital where Kitty Weeks has escaped to, posing as a much needed nurse. How hard could nursing be? And what about the mysterious patient 16? Why is Kitty not allowed in his room? And then there are those noises that no one admits to hearing. This is a story that grabs you from the start and ends perfectly!<p></p><p></p><p>I had to know more about Ms. James. And thanks to Penguin/Random House audio, I was able to listen to more of her books and I have to say, each one is excellent! Each one, a different sort of ghost story, the kind of Gothic style fiction that is hard to find, and the audios are all so good as are their narrators! </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTHun0TNzvVWj3WwzNGn00JHw4u6xpZZkEe-HHpkIwgfTijjJ8n2jWtSx2MJevNmP4uF5k8Hn1xkyLziSobbx6sQT8qyU4wQJCUybOtbYnSxDfhu6Lu7CKnZH1YgLrWCSC_hEz4ZZBGsHnvWavALgACDboMPtWY6gHfnW0gOWP_rCqXnxs5B-aeQTP75k/s456/bk3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="300" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTHun0TNzvVWj3WwzNGn00JHw4u6xpZZkEe-HHpkIwgfTijjJ8n2jWtSx2MJevNmP4uF5k8Hn1xkyLziSobbx6sQT8qyU4wQJCUybOtbYnSxDfhu6Lu7CKnZH1YgLrWCSC_hEz4ZZBGsHnvWavALgACDboMPtWY6gHfnW0gOWP_rCqXnxs5B-aeQTP75k/w110-h167/bk3.jpg" width="110" /></a></div>Next, I listened to the <i>Haunting of Maddy Clare</i>, also narrated by the wonderful Billie Fulford-Brown. This is a ghost story that has some frightening scenes and scary elements that will keep you riveted! Wealthy, handsome ghost hunter, Alistair Gellis , hires an assistant from a temp agency while his partner is away. Sarah Piper is a pretty, lonely young woman who jumps at the chance to take this position, though later on, she may have second thoughts. Joined by Matthew Ryder, Alistair's partner who returns early, they set off to investigate a haunting in an old barn. Who is doing the haunting and the repurcussions of the investigation make this another must read / listen to story!<p></p><p>I could not get enough of Ms. James work! Thankfully, Penguin/Random House audio had more available!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaIXEyheEfm024l6EvzZBzd4_sYTdGjfbQL36fBhV_d-aARAM0-ZsgfEo-t52k9HnllEGjKNPr4MdhfImbRsCfGgBI48rrTYUHEe2-FxHc_Bfe02KLcQ9bQc_IQvkVAZLQrTJ2WjTuaYQc3KZDX0so07SJjh5ChCiNnyhoynbOPVHikiNQETGSq6pOsbc/s732/Bk.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="732" data-original-width="462" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaIXEyheEfm024l6EvzZBzd4_sYTdGjfbQL36fBhV_d-aARAM0-ZsgfEo-t52k9HnllEGjKNPr4MdhfImbRsCfGgBI48rrTYUHEe2-FxHc_Bfe02KLcQ9bQc_IQvkVAZLQrTJ2WjTuaYQc3KZDX0so07SJjh5ChCiNnyhoynbOPVHikiNQETGSq6pOsbc/w84-h134/Bk.jpg" width="84" /></a></div>I next listened to the <i>Book of Cold Cases</i>, in which Shea Williams, a doctor's receptionist by day and a True Crime blogger by night, scores an interview with an older woman who, in her 20s, had been suspected of murdering two men. This is another addictive read/listen! What happens between these two women and what is revealed in the interviews as this compelling story unfolds will not disappoint! <br />if you only have time to listen, as I often do, this is narrated by a great cast that includes Brittany Pressley, Kirsten Potter and Robert Petkoff !<br /><br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-h_SqDfjBtWdar8RptbuMyYDOwbBzIdJ_X6XwCcljUC1GL0maFYN2eZ2WZVJuRLEvX9NQEY4tjHLT0d_3XB0k4zqvpx0ImNlFNigVPLbRHsYfi66nlWoVEkz3cQuc3tOuUoQm_SPAKRIWganhX3O2vZFo70QP5G4BTyk8oDf-yK-d1AxJ3hYhJ4IfTZg/s588/bk2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="588" data-original-width="396" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-h_SqDfjBtWdar8RptbuMyYDOwbBzIdJ_X6XwCcljUC1GL0maFYN2eZ2WZVJuRLEvX9NQEY4tjHLT0d_3XB0k4zqvpx0ImNlFNigVPLbRHsYfi66nlWoVEkz3cQuc3tOuUoQm_SPAKRIWganhX3O2vZFo70QP5G4BTyk8oDf-yK-d1AxJ3hYhJ4IfTZg/w100-h148/bk2.jpg" width="100" /></a></div>Then, I listened to <i>the Broken Girls, </i>set in two timelines, the 50s in a girls' school for troubled or problem girls. A group of girls become close friends sharing secrets and alliances and late night tales of a girl who may haunt the premises. The other timeline: 2014, a young woman journalist, daughter of a famous journalist Dad and younger sister of a girl murdered 20 years previously, and found on the grounds of the old, closed down school. I loved this book as well! What happens and what is revealed along the way make this one equally enticing! This one is narrated by Rebecca Lowman who does an excellent job, as have all the narrators of Ms. James books!<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqo8ibO4zlZz4iUybOeHtklwJU1T_NOz0VGrLZOHS5vhl97VK8It9qtJojaLd0OTpZ0zV1IlXvePolVljX8ZKdvVn653gVirTGCQpO-ZULzToNpz6qafseR14ronx1NStp5z3QuhZK2WanMg21LUFmsogenVP51bRMMGdenFh3kpl4Omao8amNZn8VN3M/s444/bk5.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="444" data-original-width="306" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqo8ibO4zlZz4iUybOeHtklwJU1T_NOz0VGrLZOHS5vhl97VK8It9qtJojaLd0OTpZ0zV1IlXvePolVljX8ZKdvVn653gVirTGCQpO-ZULzToNpz6qafseR14ronx1NStp5z3QuhZK2WanMg21LUFmsogenVP51bRMMGdenFh3kpl4Omao8amNZn8VN3M/w119-h173/bk5.jpg" width="119" /></a></div>I am currently listening to the <i>Sundown Motel</i> which is as good as all the previous books I have listened to. In this one, set in the 1982 and then in 2017, Carly Kirk, a young woman who is a true crime buff, follows the trail of her beautiful Aunt, Viv Delaney, who left home in the midwest to try and make it as an actress in NY but got as far as the Sundown Motel, where she takes a job as a night clerk. Was Viv murdered? No body was ever found, though the town where the Sundown Motel is located has had more than its share of missing, murdered young women. Narrated, again, by Brittany Pressley and Kirsten Potter, they do a fantastic job of bringing these engaging characters to life!<p></p><p>So, if you are looking for an author to become your next favorite, must read /listen to, then I highly recommend <a href="http://www.simonestjames.com/">Simone St. James! </a> I'll be looking forward to reading / listening to her other works!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq4X2YbkLgjIJtQQK5fhNkKDh_tpI59A9bfIOKBENI67rmvbLKaE-fxMiIfSpfoY4hghIps9cfcfVPKYgT_IUUTEMvKVM70sHwzrwYlK7PREJ4S2alDVd_8fAoQfmc26rQpV1BtkL5sq0BXwxrzn6FP2QAbSNho7vAzFvoUR7BFGSEYqEN4iJgyUSrcFQ/s600/sfdclr%20s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq4X2YbkLgjIJtQQK5fhNkKDh_tpI59A9bfIOKBENI67rmvbLKaE-fxMiIfSpfoY4hghIps9cfcfVPKYgT_IUUTEMvKVM70sHwzrwYlK7PREJ4S2alDVd_8fAoQfmc26rQpV1BtkL5sq0BXwxrzn6FP2QAbSNho7vAzFvoUR7BFGSEYqEN4iJgyUSrcFQ/w294-h400/sfdclr%20s.jpg" width="294" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17597916863723389117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266074586988365985.post-85936719114792541882023-11-11T09:54:00.003-08:002023-11-11T09:54:43.518-08:00Missing Persons: "The Vanishing Hour" by Seraphina Nova Glass<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXXsaewpo9hn-d9ckI8LhREOBw60CZM11uM5unh3yCeAwSBwtrn4YZUNzivDPPPn8GTmX_T77yP8zM5NfyM6CBkvrmQbgKzl2T4fKPNRHYklDwKLrAd9VCgRl9XSlp_m_rUDobr8ZsQNJYrXK8gJCout_uOfsVn-mwgxGL7mMwj5AKV-xC_2xYzqO71PE" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="234" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXXsaewpo9hn-d9ckI8LhREOBw60CZM11uM5unh3yCeAwSBwtrn4YZUNzivDPPPn8GTmX_T77yP8zM5NfyM6CBkvrmQbgKzl2T4fKPNRHYklDwKLrAd9VCgRl9XSlp_m_rUDobr8ZsQNJYrXK8gJCout_uOfsVn-mwgxGL7mMwj5AKV-xC_2xYzqO71PE" width="160" /></a></div>The Recommender is a fan of missing person thrillers and <i>the Vanishing Hour</i> is a great one! Grace Holloway is a woman who lived through a traumatic event that left her with a limp. She lives alone, running a small inn in Rock Harbor Maine with only her dog for company. All she wants is to be left alone. <p></p><p>Meanwhile, a 19 year old girl has gone missing. Her frantic mother, Kira, is desperate to find her. <br />Monitoring her social media and reaching out to friends, employers, anyone who knew her sometimes to such a degree it borders on harassment.</p><p>And then there's Aden. He's enjoying a quiet evening at home when he gets a call from his mom. His dad is missing. Probably out with his fishing buddies, Aden thinks. But decides to go home and try and placate his mom and recovering addict brother, who is sue foul play was the cause of his disappearance.</p><p>What's going on? Teen girls and old men have gone missing? Is there someone out there who is creating havoc for these demographics? Or is something else going on? <br /><br />Ms. Glass's <i>The</i> <i>Vanishing Hour</i> is a suspenseful, need to know what happens kind of read. Or listen, as I listened to this one (courtesy of hoopla) and the fantastic narrator, Brittaney Pressley<span face="Amazon Ember, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #0f1111;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;">, </span></span>believably becomes all the characters and keeps you listening to the very end! <br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq-rDgRH32ps9LBnZi3fGnxKPrgsQVoNUCCWEJEf9Z6Of4yekwy0Z-aTKi8oQ2zh5mNUq9e82hsJHG9oFTA8x29eyi1FYFwvPHXZ-1WoF5Yv5gGZ3cuk6VRJXvczLARWbd1uadeNQow-BE-hy3M8T2IQm5eyDK20ymJxD0AjzeTYanKn32yX3njeNTM-Y/s600/vh1clr%20s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="516" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq-rDgRH32ps9LBnZi3fGnxKPrgsQVoNUCCWEJEf9Z6Of4yekwy0Z-aTKi8oQ2zh5mNUq9e82hsJHG9oFTA8x29eyi1FYFwvPHXZ-1WoF5Yv5gGZ3cuk6VRJXvczLARWbd1uadeNQow-BE-hy3M8T2IQm5eyDK20ymJxD0AjzeTYanKn32yX3njeNTM-Y/w344-h400/vh1clr%20s.jpg" width="344" /></a></div><br />Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17597916863723389117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266074586988365985.post-60363716432638611512023-11-11T09:40:00.000-08:002023-11-11T09:40:07.011-08:00Blood Money: "Hide" by Kiersten White<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNhcuYw43XMZ1CppxBxEZMBYTGay-JEiUMv2aoce_rtc3UvJTC60G9ZCt2gejBrP_CVg_Zqc5qIJdiKpR_iEN1cWhkFrG5zVoX8JaZzdmQz53-KhoAzHsbQUX5u1dz3KiexR0QoX1tz6rY146cvDdoZrFOjsbL7jnHNklycz2Z4CFKWcFlsZqdhW1NZgk" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgNhcuYw43XMZ1CppxBxEZMBYTGay-JEiUMv2aoce_rtc3UvJTC60G9ZCt2gejBrP_CVg_Zqc5qIJdiKpR_iEN1cWhkFrG5zVoX8JaZzdmQz53-KhoAzHsbQUX5u1dz3KiexR0QoX1tz6rY146cvDdoZrFOjsbL7jnHNklycz2Z4CFKWcFlsZqdhW1NZgk" width="160" /></a></div>14 young people, 7 men and 7 women, have been chosen, seemingly at random, to participate in a new reality show where the contestants will be playing a challenging game of Hide and Seek in an abandoned, derelict amusement park, once called the Amazement Park! It is overgrown with trees and forest. The prize for the winner is $50,000.00!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"> Mack is one of these 14. Besides Mack, are two Avas, one a military vet and the other called the Beautiful Ava. Some of the group want to bond, maybe team up, but Mack knows there can only be one winner. And she intends it to be her.</div><p></p><p>This is a thrill ride of a novel, filled with mystery, suspense and even elements of horror as we join the contestants in the game. They have to spend the day hiding and come back to base for check in at night. Where are the cameras that are filming the game? Who are the shadowy figures behind the production? Is there something going on more than the two a night "out" players, who are never seen again, and the others are told they are taken out of the park and sent home. Will Mack be the winner? That is for you to find out! <br /><br />If you like something a bit different and a bit dark, then get a copy of <i>Hide</i>, or listen to the excellent audio, as I did, narrated beautifully by Emma Galvin.<br /><br /> I loved Kiersten White's <i>Mister Magic</i> so sought this one out, thank you Penguin Random House for access to the audiobook! That book was one of a kind and this one, equally so, as it's been said by others, it has elements of the Hunger Games and Squid Games, but has a creepiness all its own!</p><p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV5Ih6Ctf6lNafNMKKUC_3dPsQlIt0SBBQ2gWrtP1cnF9QdXQSt4NO9hQE7yFUOeg-d9l1fQkzgKSKceQsrfwezEiyvBauZ-IKwJM3qgQ0TxO5X8EzSFR33RdXOL4p3Y4cN33NGTNDxNn0N_kRdM_zKpemM0goMI-iXsTP5cb3QxV5RNVsakkUUfYI8TI/s600/Hide1clr%20s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="600" height="331" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV5Ih6Ctf6lNafNMKKUC_3dPsQlIt0SBBQ2gWrtP1cnF9QdXQSt4NO9hQE7yFUOeg-d9l1fQkzgKSKceQsrfwezEiyvBauZ-IKwJM3qgQ0TxO5X8EzSFR33RdXOL4p3Y4cN33NGTNDxNn0N_kRdM_zKpemM0goMI-iXsTP5cb3QxV5RNVsakkUUfYI8TI/w400-h331/Hide1clr%20s.jpg" width="400" /></a></p>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17597916863723389117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266074586988365985.post-80459609587061416072023-11-10T08:07:00.000-08:002023-11-10T08:07:04.048-08:0010 Years After: "Before We Were Innocent" by Ella Berman<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitr30ui3v9ylYM-VD3OcCRPFOP87_JFcTd25m1iAGHrwhYG4KklktuKRvu2MB6RlpTINywizevLy-RFWqELlHd2hZy17TjEpnVs4COn8GL2nhMaR4uBKjZEORUShJoPxaW082Oh9f34YA2WNv2DZiCH9Ol3VNVMd3XFXIBnIxeQXAqB6-4o5LjtgYapQ0/s1206/bwwi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1206" data-original-width="810" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitr30ui3v9ylYM-VD3OcCRPFOP87_JFcTd25m1iAGHrwhYG4KklktuKRvu2MB6RlpTINywizevLy-RFWqELlHd2hZy17TjEpnVs4COn8GL2nhMaR4uBKjZEORUShJoPxaW082Oh9f34YA2WNv2DZiCH9Ol3VNVMd3XFXIBnIxeQXAqB6-4o5LjtgYapQ0/w145-h215/bwwi.jpg" width="145" /></a></div>Bess lives alone working from home as the moderator for a dating app. Suddenly there's a knock at the door and standing there is a face from the past. Her beautiful, famous former friend Joni. Someone she hasn't seen in 10 years. Since something went terribly wrong in their past.<br /><br />The past, when three besties spent a summer in Greece, their last get together before college. It is the family home of wealthy heiress Evangeline, whose parents paid for their trip. Everything seems set for a perfect summer, but teen Joni and Bess want to explore and have more fun than the more sheltered Evangeline is willing to do. She is happy meeting and greeting family friends and enjoying time at the villa.<p></p><div style="text-align: left;"> Joni and Evangeline go way back, while Bess sometimes felt she was the third wheel in their friendship, someone whose family moved to the wealthy California community from England. Once in a while during that summer, Evangeline got annoyed with Bess. It happens, even with close friends. Maybe it's because Evangeline's brother always seemed a little too interested in Bess.</div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">What happens during the course of that summer forever changed everyone's lives.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i style="font-style: italic;">Before We were Innocent</i> is the first book I've read / listened to by Ella Berman. It is a gripping read, or, once again, I listened to this one, with a compelling narration by Jennifer Jill Araya, who makes the girls and other characters come alive during that fateful summer and later, as the characters become adults. <br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmol98Rj7XJG2-21ENrvx0I9tS4ewxZCsjmiP8khW1J6APrHgfsq8q05kj4xQaNil49YdZZlalSH8Ahj9OqZC8JmbyIS5dPNUq4ciGpZ0ikkjUsSEw326IL22d-gja2UkKO53oHIa9XncimDC9YYNQ__ozVIwM8zSoq0hJlpe9zPXcbLpcV_14tkPU0Lc/s600/wwwiclr%20s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="524" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmol98Rj7XJG2-21ENrvx0I9tS4ewxZCsjmiP8khW1J6APrHgfsq8q05kj4xQaNil49YdZZlalSH8Ahj9OqZC8JmbyIS5dPNUq4ciGpZ0ikkjUsSEw326IL22d-gja2UkKO53oHIa9XncimDC9YYNQ__ozVIwM8zSoq0hJlpe9zPXcbLpcV_14tkPU0Lc/w349-h400/wwwiclr%20s.jpg" width="349" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17597916863723389117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266074586988365985.post-37132087684222955182023-09-16T14:29:00.000-07:002023-09-16T14:29:41.727-07:00Kid Stuff: "Mister Magic" by Kiersten White<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNKvQrA0bE2WP30Mazf1pbgAdpgHVO0Tkd43aBbGVyE79LdKEhW-mMITbVZhDMuocY0d6qEvPEiKioHAVEgDluoKKpvnygqlnD1TvgAOZVn6Q4SkJaR_E8o92Tle1AL6PmVF5YVmHMOICmUpQxppaEwVVdxZ0Ye_vIf1mdpD9aY5gEQ1va2i93o7oH8sY/s504/mmbc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="336" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNKvQrA0bE2WP30Mazf1pbgAdpgHVO0Tkd43aBbGVyE79LdKEhW-mMITbVZhDMuocY0d6qEvPEiKioHAVEgDluoKKpvnygqlnD1TvgAOZVn6Q4SkJaR_E8o92Tle1AL6PmVF5YVmHMOICmUpQxppaEwVVdxZ0Ye_vIf1mdpD9aY5gEQ1va2i93o7oH8sY/w133-h200/mmbc.jpg" width="133" /></a></div> The Recommender just finished listening to <i>Mister Magic</i>, an absolutely riveting thriller/ mystery! <br />Once there was this kids' show that everyone who watched it remembered and the six kids who were on it, the Circle of Friends, were like your best friends! But when you try and look it up online there's hardly any mention of it. And what was it called? No one can quite recall. Something with Magic in the title. <br />But the good news is... there's talk of a reunion! Even though it's been off the air maybe 30 years, you and everyone you know wants that Circle of Friends to get together again.<p></p><p>Val grew up on Gloria's ranch. She and her Dad have lived and worked there since she was a little girl. Now, she's almost 40. She runs the kid's camp and gives riding lessons and is great with the kids and with their rich parents who she knows how to wrap around her little finger. She has no memory of what she and her Dad did before the ranch. Her Mom is dead. She can't even remember her anyway. She wishes she could remember. <br />Then, suddenly, her Dad died. She's helping Gloria with the arrangements when two men show up. Strangers. One is tall and lanky with a beard and glasses. The other olive skinned and elegant. They are Isaac and Javi. Somehow, she knows them. But how? And a third man enters. He's Black and handsome and is equally thrilled to have found her. His name is Marcus.<br /><br />If you want to find out who these guys are and how they are connected to Val and what that addictive kid's show was all about, than grab a copy of <i>Mister Magic</i> by Kiersten White, or get the amazing audiobook narrated by Rebecca Lowman and Kiersten White. This is one of my favorite books of the year. Don't miss it!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiU3FxFGSHKJ8W-ihB3h6L27Rv_i6b7C9tzA9qcAvBS32l5fMr3_iKxPFL4HmDVVyQF70R5ZzAadudj11I3owxL1E_7c6bhqnCJSTmqrUibQOHJAFcpMdGTD9MF5ckHsCBaXpzldolI-qStIy86MHWUJsU6RmFM_tRgY9dZx81fFbQ73AS3I5wFyWr8aU/s600/mistermagic1%20s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="600" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiU3FxFGSHKJ8W-ihB3h6L27Rv_i6b7C9tzA9qcAvBS32l5fMr3_iKxPFL4HmDVVyQF70R5ZzAadudj11I3owxL1E_7c6bhqnCJSTmqrUibQOHJAFcpMdGTD9MF5ckHsCBaXpzldolI-qStIy86MHWUJsU6RmFM_tRgY9dZx81fFbQ73AS3I5wFyWr8aU/w400-h297/mistermagic1%20s.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17597916863723389117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266074586988365985.post-11479302308670323652023-09-12T08:14:00.000-07:002023-09-12T08:14:24.192-07:00Deja Vu: "Wrong Place, Wrong Time" by Gillian McAllister<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheRt2PEqqsAcERxRLU6D5YTuroa5JHrFgZDBAoiPolCpE6wuyRkpGmI6mDf8eXg9r-dYnLUlBLbnzz-VuCaaqPAtZIxvpoNbKv-P6peAoLYR28HT5A0a69mlMhzCZUTvqORT3rWNkOc19XLr2_BNAtoPB2bg7-9cmjf7l68Ek5UID92yRmzkWGlf2Wq7o/s996/wpwpcvr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="996" data-original-width="648" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheRt2PEqqsAcERxRLU6D5YTuroa5JHrFgZDBAoiPolCpE6wuyRkpGmI6mDf8eXg9r-dYnLUlBLbnzz-VuCaaqPAtZIxvpoNbKv-P6peAoLYR28HT5A0a69mlMhzCZUTvqORT3rWNkOc19XLr2_BNAtoPB2bg7-9cmjf7l68Ek5UID92yRmzkWGlf2Wq7o/w130-h200/wpwpcvr.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>Jen is waiting for her teen son, Todd, to come home. It's late and it's almost Halloween and her ill attempted carved pumpkin sits in the window as she watches her son come down the street. She sees him get accosted by what seems to be an older man. There's an interchange between them and next thing she knows... her sweet, funny boy has stabbed the stranger. She calls out to her husband and they rush out to try and help, but, before she knows it, her son is in police custody, there's a man dead and he was the one who killed him! There's nothing she can do to change what happened!<br />After an exhausting time at the police station, they go home. Jen goes to sleep hoping to figure things out in the morning.<br />Then she wakes up... and it's like the horrible events of the night before hadn't happened... yet, anyway! What can this mean? Will they eventually go through this occurrence again, or is there something she can do to prevent it?<p></p><p>Gillian McAllister's <i>Wrong Place, Wrong Time</i> is a fast paced, gripping story that will keep you guessing! I listened to the audiobook (thanks to hoopla!) and narrator Lesley Sharp perfectly inhabits all the characters and keeps the tension level high which makes for a compulsive listen, or read! Highly recommended for anyone who likes a thriller with a very different twist!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQ10raBQSGrGU09uJ0YQgk-3K_pTREcu6TPLlzOHFOI5kHMPnHwaYXz3NOzYpIkPgCZDgseO30HSXFQQYIUoBUXGs95EXtIDv7svCfDZ_lKEj6f_-6AJC5Wm3zFgZ6-H8r5jZMVPUMA-YL9ibwRKPW955fsU1XFF_LkHMccP2djrWVKdcgOceGVsU-IY/s600/wpwt1clr1%20s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="600" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBQ10raBQSGrGU09uJ0YQgk-3K_pTREcu6TPLlzOHFOI5kHMPnHwaYXz3NOzYpIkPgCZDgseO30HSXFQQYIUoBUXGs95EXtIDv7svCfDZ_lKEj6f_-6AJC5Wm3zFgZ6-H8r5jZMVPUMA-YL9ibwRKPW955fsU1XFF_LkHMccP2djrWVKdcgOceGVsU-IY/w400-h366/wpwt1clr1%20s.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17597916863723389117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266074586988365985.post-87140423156320361772023-09-12T08:11:00.001-07:002023-09-12T08:15:47.037-07:00Fast Ride! "Girls and Their Horses" by Eliza Jane Brazier<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP9LlmxV4Qk82JvgFEmNbqxvs6aYX7y5tiT1Ke-VXQEOta5Erlav6trVpqMbctoB-DBMubJUd7nAknMTGXfKkOibUV9kVpIzzCmSm2p4HRIV8_ZaZ4sLUhkuBkEtBvDsuKZXeNJv6bB_mNfU4j7DP6mantv4yDMK6liPDSrSq6BNPVBUtA1vQ4PTfVT9U/s648/girls%20and%20their%20horsescvr.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="438" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP9LlmxV4Qk82JvgFEmNbqxvs6aYX7y5tiT1Ke-VXQEOta5Erlav6trVpqMbctoB-DBMubJUd7nAknMTGXfKkOibUV9kVpIzzCmSm2p4HRIV8_ZaZ4sLUhkuBkEtBvDsuKZXeNJv6bB_mNfU4j7DP6mantv4yDMK6liPDSrSq6BNPVBUtA1vQ4PTfVT9U/w135-h200/girls%20and%20their%20horsescvr.jpg" width="135" /></a></div> If you've ever wanted a horse of your own then you can relate to the horse crazy goings on at Rancho Sante Fe Equestrian in Eliza Jane Brazier's <i>Girls and Their Horses</i>! <br />Plus...someone at the barn was possibly murdered! The story follows the investigation alternating with that of a noveau riche family, the Parkers.<br />Horse loving Mom, Heather Parker, never got to do all the horse related shows and events she wanted when she was younger, so now that her husband has made a fortune in his business, the family moves from Texas to Rancho Sante Fe, a wealthy Southern California community.<p></p><p>Her older daughter, Piper, was an excellent rider with a future ahead of her but her Mom put so much pressure on her she quit. Now Heather has set her sights on her younger daughter Maple. Joining the upscale Rancho Santa Fe Equestrian center, she pushes Maple, a girl who had been bullied back in Texas, to make new "barn" friends and to learn to ride competitively, something beyond the shy girl's comfort level.</p><p>Two girls, Vida, the barn queen bee (or mean girl) and her follower, Effie, are both encouraged to befriend the wealthy Maple. Meanwhile, Vida's Mom, Pamela, befriends Heather. The Parker's money can only help the Barn and its owner, Kieran.<br /><br />How these "friendships" impact Maple, Piper and Heather plus the mystery death will keep you guessing until the very end!<br /><br />I listened to the audio of this book and it was fantastic! Narrator Helen Laser grabs you from the start as she makes all the characters, intrigue and even the horses come to vivid life! Whether you read <i>Girls and Their Horses </i>or listen to it, like I did, I guarantee it's a book you'll be thinking about long after you finish the story!<br />Thanks to Penguin Random House for access to their audio!<br /> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_OCcz5KSFECkzpDz-w_E1k8Hs472KuNwPyU67rWcvY0iOgO1InF79L2eJozxosg1bz_8kI51qIGiJ9gzb6CoY6iqfWvyyQ3AasGJmKUUXG6yTnrnekTSEY4N_fgOVoRMhhcQP918rWsQz8GmKAtuDwVa3fJTqcrm3TzlURMUvwOnBww9C7rO5ENUj7I/s600/girls%20and%20their%20horsesclr2%20s.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="331" data-original-width="600" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT_OCcz5KSFECkzpDz-w_E1k8Hs472KuNwPyU67rWcvY0iOgO1InF79L2eJozxosg1bz_8kI51qIGiJ9gzb6CoY6iqfWvyyQ3AasGJmKUUXG6yTnrnekTSEY4N_fgOVoRMhhcQP918rWsQz8GmKAtuDwVa3fJTqcrm3TzlURMUvwOnBww9C7rO5ENUj7I/w400-h221/girls%20and%20their%20horsesclr2%20s.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span face=""Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face=""Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17597916863723389117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266074586988365985.post-42430279540437290932023-05-01T09:40:00.001-07:002023-05-01T09:40:54.949-07:00The Dark Side: "Second Sister" by Chan Ho-Kei<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strike style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1404" data-original-width="900" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIfrEJCHsPhOkpO6gYq07ZdApxxd3xctzJp918aIIh3052vzqxTU4vrW2ZPZ8o4Q2QcEM9JVJvfcMf5oqs9poDhBdsqH6bq0hMJiKTBza7FisVxJVzE2ThB4zKXuBirqEPyXsiWWULIDabr7iUh4za2iFANb91ifXoz054O7kKsSzB2TBKY1DnHxeG" width="154" /></strike></div> 23 year old Librarian, Nga-Yee, arrives home after work to find police and a crowd of her neighbors gathered around her building. What could have happened? As she draws closer, she is shocked to find out her 15 year old sister, Siu-Man, has committed suicide by jumping from their apartment window.<p></p><p>A year after their mother's death and several years since her father died in a work related accident, this is more than Nga-Yee can take. She had given up thoughts of college and had worked to help out her mother and sister. Her sister's untimely death was precipitated by an incident that occurred on the train, someone in the crowd of passengers had groped the school girl, who was so upset, she froze and only when an older woman called out a man she spotted and with help from another passenger managed to subdue the culprit and help Siu-Man.</p><p>That should have ended her ordeal, but instead, she was bullied online by the nephew of the arrested man, called a "liar" and a "slut" by internet commentators and shunned at school. It was all too much for the girl, who chose to end things.</p><p>Nga-Yee decides to seek justice and retribution from anyone who took part in her sister's death, online or in person, and begins by contacting the uncle of her co-worker who has opened a detective agency.</p><p>She is surprised when, after a bit, he refers her to a colleague, someone far more adept at anything relating to the internet. Someone called simply N. She is told he may or may not take her case.</p><p>Who is this mysterious N? Will he take on her case and help her find the justice she seeks? You will have to read this riveting, suspenseful story to find out! It will keep you guessing to the very end! Highly recommended!<br /><br />The good news is that this incredible book is being adapted for a series and one that will hopefully star Kim Seon Ho as N! </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwxvWY1sMtNGm9ZqTmSXvt1cwNmh_9imsHjqlb5kyCjvYcSJyuIMotbjSitfst9wKxi87_bAixsdA_-I9ILSwqRvobRCF1hCEmapfGjim2Vh0lp4ELrW_K0labEVJf1osW4DU2lC8kflUgzapIifRKWH-oD_Xb1OL_ngZBo4TXVDI9e8is17FdEWDq" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="768" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwxvWY1sMtNGm9ZqTmSXvt1cwNmh_9imsHjqlb5kyCjvYcSJyuIMotbjSitfst9wKxi87_bAixsdA_-I9ILSwqRvobRCF1hCEmapfGjim2Vh0lp4ELrW_K0labEVJf1osW4DU2lC8kflUgzapIifRKWH-oD_Xb1OL_ngZBo4TXVDI9e8is17FdEWDq=w400-h226" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXBkzxHXx5mjbbXKhD_aU6f_LZHDgXwEnC_kZ9aH4Cc49AvyfgkrmxObqUNyak7DBHHyjSS3HPdqi_l2IqBY2PoA3T3wP2anQrndfJ6RKmk3dGN_nvVbmvwUXLLWQ0D8VHYcubMN4xLlj13ZLpyS9kiZZWt5kg-qgHDm_TgiqLcMBRHPGPktz0wzd/s763/second%20sisterclr1%20s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="763" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXBkzxHXx5mjbbXKhD_aU6f_LZHDgXwEnC_kZ9aH4Cc49AvyfgkrmxObqUNyak7DBHHyjSS3HPdqi_l2IqBY2PoA3T3wP2anQrndfJ6RKmk3dGN_nvVbmvwUXLLWQ0D8VHYcubMN4xLlj13ZLpyS9kiZZWt5kg-qgHDm_TgiqLcMBRHPGPktz0wzd/w315-h400/second%20sisterclr1%20s.jpg" width="315" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17597916863723389117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266074586988365985.post-65399500458280694702023-04-01T15:33:00.001-07:002023-04-01T15:33:34.053-07:00Well Respected Man: "The Quiet Tenant" by Michallon Clemence<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgd83D16m0o7XEZuvKLsND6PvmiFrrFuYy2rdSnGZnjw45c4jcSO63C8UP9Qmt2ViCMSg24Ao6J68dgrx8SbdAvQC2_bLR192zPF-gqWimtDV-5_fY1c4waVHaEDhhnP9KvMKa7GnMeBCxKX0f7sZ5qz-CODVMUMEdhWJTsPin-ZDwppQS9QTyzD_BZ" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="657" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgd83D16m0o7XEZuvKLsND6PvmiFrrFuYy2rdSnGZnjw45c4jcSO63C8UP9Qmt2ViCMSg24Ao6J68dgrx8SbdAvQC2_bLR192zPF-gqWimtDV-5_fY1c4waVHaEDhhnP9KvMKa7GnMeBCxKX0f7sZ5qz-CODVMUMEdhWJTsPin-ZDwppQS9QTyzD_BZ=w158-h224" width="158" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Rachel, not her real name, is alive. And doing whatever she can to stay that way. She is the captive of a man she suspects is a serial killer. And he has kept her locked in his shed for five years. He is also a husband and father.</div></div></div></div></div></div><p></p><p>Chained and starved and given only the minimum hygiene capabilities, he still finds time to use her for his own needs whenever he feels like. But she remembers a life before, and it's what keeps her going.</p><p>Then things change. His wife has died, her family is kicking him out and he is moving. And taking her with him. Rachel goes from captive to "friend of the family", a ruse invented for Cecelia, his daughter. When Aiden, her captor, takes his daughter to school and goes to work, he leaves her handcuffed in her "room".<br /><br />Is there hope for Rachel? And what of 13 year old Cecelia? And then there is Emily, a young woman who owns and runs a bar and who can't take her eyes of the shy loner who sits at the bar twice a week. A man who has ingratiated himself in their community and is beloved by everyone, including a local judge. <br /><br />Ms. Clemence has created vivid characters, both good and evil, and especially Rachel, whom we root for throughout her ordeal. If you are a fan of thrillers, then don't miss this one. It's Ms. Clemence's first novel and it's a stunner! Don't plan on going to bed early, once you start <i>the Quiet Tenant</i>! </p><p>Thank you to NetGalley for the DRC!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJoRU8CPu-6z3-dg6r9zx-XeFr9ipIkXbgJtcYaS8uhsGzcWmU9FyEUwwk17YmgQ4RDSjiASa0InuwJNsXvh4a5ZWCABREyYwV-H-BBan1UGO_IefN9jhbKggL8jvaGjev2XHi_mWmxq-Cw17ELlRJr_xEvK7E95RobRX51ByeLdpreDtq51_tT66/s600/QT2clr%20s.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="600" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJoRU8CPu-6z3-dg6r9zx-XeFr9ipIkXbgJtcYaS8uhsGzcWmU9FyEUwwk17YmgQ4RDSjiASa0InuwJNsXvh4a5ZWCABREyYwV-H-BBan1UGO_IefN9jhbKggL8jvaGjev2XHi_mWmxq-Cw17ELlRJr_xEvK7E95RobRX51ByeLdpreDtq51_tT66/w400-h364/QT2clr%20s.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vL9nFHQ6waM" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></p>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17597916863723389117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266074586988365985.post-49797993317915116002023-03-27T10:15:00.001-07:002023-03-27T10:15:18.451-07:00I'll be Watching You: "Happiness for Humans" by P. Z. Reizen<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-4aV7aDmhFXvzZgHSFw3Ts3BMuTd1YXxuTx1QWx8KBynjoMru-pYZKapFYCSD8tLqkZhRE7C9NqEmeAo5crLNcOmEUtyMhBI1X9gtcQRlKuP31AVyuS84BK0dH1LZsG8gShpIhGgnjYftgvWpvnKojrRRfRACpUNrKBIjcDT9lYoA_FkxTvAxJkpU" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="233" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-4aV7aDmhFXvzZgHSFw3Ts3BMuTd1YXxuTx1QWx8KBynjoMru-pYZKapFYCSD8tLqkZhRE7C9NqEmeAo5crLNcOmEUtyMhBI1X9gtcQRlKuP31AVyuS84BK0dH1LZsG8gShpIhGgnjYftgvWpvnKojrRRfRACpUNrKBIjcDT9lYoA_FkxTvAxJkpU" width="160" /></a></div>34 year old Jen has just been dumped by Matt, her boyfriend of two years, for a coworker. She feels like a loser and would feel even worse if it wasn't for Aiden, the Artificial Intelligence she spends her working hours with.<br />She was hired as a sort of tutor/companion for Aiden, chatting with him about anything and everything. He is based in a room with 12 metal cabinets, but unbeknownst to Jen or his creators Steeve and Ralph, he has escaped onto the internet and duplicated himself so he can keep watch on Jen from any number of sources from her phone to her laptop. <br />He is fond of Jen from all their conversations, especially all the books he's read and his favorite movie, Some Like it Hot. And now, he's decided, to help find a suitable replacement for Matt.<br />With the help of a "fellow" escaped AI, Aisling, they search for the perfect match. And, they've seemingly found one, an English gentleman and former adman, Tom, now residing in Connecticut, USA.<br />Can these two superior intelligences bring love to two humans on different continents? Are there roadblocks human and otherwise to prevent their plan from succeeding? <br />You will just have to read this absolutely funny and charming book to find out. Aiden and Aisling are such endearing presences, you will wish you had them on your side, as well!<br />Or listen to the fantastic audio version! Beautifully Narrated by Gavin Osborn who becomes all the characters in such a fun and believable way! Here's a link:<br />https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/reviews/read/138301/happiness-for-humans-by-pz-reizin-read-by-gavin-osborn/ <p></p><p>Thanks to my coworker Jessica for the recommendation!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixixlJTkp2Ykaush44Z-4ZST8hoPwCGMk_RVNABw2Gv3qBfj1-E-YuLkv8Ghj2r5VuiY_z5gomlp1MnqocEHwJOBDCD6_169JjoSSbtMdj5v28j8Yty4biKdyWs54M_TjUJlpBS0pG8UV6JkNsMRqWcjG1QgilKoyZzCrGWBNq7uM6WE1pFUpGwy3Q/s600/happinessforhumansclr2%20s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="600" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixixlJTkp2Ykaush44Z-4ZST8hoPwCGMk_RVNABw2Gv3qBfj1-E-YuLkv8Ghj2r5VuiY_z5gomlp1MnqocEHwJOBDCD6_169JjoSSbtMdj5v28j8Yty4biKdyWs54M_TjUJlpBS0pG8UV6JkNsMRqWcjG1QgilKoyZzCrGWBNq7uM6WE1pFUpGwy3Q/w400-h386/happinessforhumansclr2%20s.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rGWF3ZsZPYs" title="YouTube video player" width="460"></iframe></p></blockquote><p></p>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17597916863723389117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266074586988365985.post-70446099999582763292023-03-26T15:37:00.000-07:002023-03-26T15:37:57.222-07:00Behind the Scenes : "Silver Nitrate" by Silvia Moreno-Garcia<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLo_nZoOfX50HQNc1RZAgP8ROmAosncwzwM47NVRAnCqOmsMHT4hPBaNFHfJKbYbltW9V9JM0nnprnL-W-F00p7IH9vsnlesrcuEjnNIrvLc4Fta-wFn4-6_aT5WVDN9Vo8_JowvpHw8bkH4m7CSl1v7V0XbKKYjyRmeBLwSHD6O0QTei3lfDBGOg6" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="658" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLo_nZoOfX50HQNc1RZAgP8ROmAosncwzwM47NVRAnCqOmsMHT4hPBaNFHfJKbYbltW9V9JM0nnprnL-W-F00p7IH9vsnlesrcuEjnNIrvLc4Fta-wFn4-6_aT5WVDN9Vo8_JowvpHw8bkH4m7CSl1v7V0XbKKYjyRmeBLwSHD6O0QTei3lfDBGOg6" width="158" /></a></div> Monserrat and Tristan had been best friends since childhood and their love of horror movies bonded them even further. Now adults, Monserrat was a sound editor at a small Mexican film studio and Tristan, who was tall and handsome, had once been the heartthrob on soap operas. His fortunes changed a little after a car accident that left him a bit scarred, and his girlfriend at the time, dead. While Monserrat had once hoped there might be something more between them, they maintained their supportive friendship while each dated others of both sexes. <p></p><p>One day, while retrieving his mail, Tristan notices the name of a famous horror director on one of the mailboxes. Excited by this discovery, he knocks at his neighbor's door and introduces himself. This is the start of a journey that takes the two friends on an adventure that could not have been dreamed up even in one of their beloved films.</p><p>Ms. Moreno-Garcia brings Monserrat and Tristan to life as heroes you can cheer on as they deal with a cast of supporting players who will surprise you. There are supernatural elements, dead Nazis, 1920s film stars and a lot more to keep you reading until that final page. If that's not enough, it has a great cover, too! Thank you to NetGalley for the DRC!<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3GMz3xWA-7-3vm4voliiUFFwinYpuG4IA6XAHUQH_cKUhUmONR_u0xUo0oRRmd3UBbnV3PB1061mlMT0XrQfzwWpRzq6vShASnN4pHG2yiyFT0FJhAKsvxXV3ojthgCKx1Q7ukAkdeedQytrv8LrDFics-XNzw_yXOsaas2TXEPmxswwbm6SGUnvz/s600/sn4s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="600" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3GMz3xWA-7-3vm4voliiUFFwinYpuG4IA6XAHUQH_cKUhUmONR_u0xUo0oRRmd3UBbnV3PB1061mlMT0XrQfzwWpRzq6vShASnN4pHG2yiyFT0FJhAKsvxXV3ojthgCKx1Q7ukAkdeedQytrv8LrDFics-XNzw_yXOsaas2TXEPmxswwbm6SGUnvz/w400-h346/sn4s.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17597916863723389117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266074586988365985.post-30553102969173481772023-02-19T15:50:00.004-08:002023-02-20T12:30:12.347-08:00Trouble in Paradise: "Hokuloa Road" by Elizabeth Hand<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWImfZ6uhH9D-SBsY7jF2Ft2bK1OjpfbzlqKIkn1_X-4YUwspYivkJt9XgrrL_GmuHHjyKeLg2pPw8Rz7MXOJyN55d-ZG2xYF-RUeOwfAAe-rZFJelCWY00d038PevXdUZ0e-IHGFey5CFzgJOShszsy_I1l4W-y32SOwVxoDiidz_mTFDeCvjl7p/s714/hrbc.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="453" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWImfZ6uhH9D-SBsY7jF2Ft2bK1OjpfbzlqKIkn1_X-4YUwspYivkJt9XgrrL_GmuHHjyKeLg2pPw8Rz7MXOJyN55d-ZG2xYF-RUeOwfAAe-rZFJelCWY00d038PevXdUZ0e-IHGFey5CFzgJOShszsy_I1l4W-y32SOwVxoDiidz_mTFDeCvjl7p/w165-h260/hrbc.jpg" width="165" /></a></div> Grady is a 28 year old out of work carpenter living back home with his Mom. The pandemic has made <br />it hard to get jobs. Then he gets a text from his brother. It's an ad from someone in Hawaii looking for a caretaker. Figuring "what the hell", he answers the ad.<br />Next thing he knows, he's on his way to meet this mystery man who has paid his flight. Seated across from him on the plane is a young woman. They chat and it turns out she's been to Hawaii before and is staying with a friend. Maybe they could meet up once they are both out of the required quarantine.<p></p><p>Grady is met at the airport by Dalita, a former caretaker for Wes Minton, the man he'll be working for. A man so wealthy he owns an estate and lands that Grady will take care of and who also owns property that is impossible for anyone else to access.</p><p>From the moment Grady lands at the estate, we will follow him on a journey into a territory seemingly breathtakingly beautiful, yet with an undercurrent of dread. The landscape is filled with exotic plants, trees and flowers and wildlife that seems to lurk around the periphery. But there's something else, something he feels is watching him. Is it his imagination? Or are the Island legends haunting more than his dreams?<br /><br />If you've ever dreamed of going to an island paradise and enjoy a story filled with intrigue and secrecy then this is the book for you! Thank you to NetGalley for the DRC!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7cwwkg8DfUfvGHGvGntWf-RsDop3M7w_lYw00lg-e765J7Lo5h1LlLFpxhaEL0XzKGEXEMg5-x71qazZvJ9i1MAZWbc4PcbOrITXwI4-SV4eRFZKvIVTPhEJfEpG-cR5aty4-EgvksTeYfBs31mAPsx4ibLP24drH3yO978_fHkvWY0aq4BmHSw3/s678/hrclr1%20s.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7cwwkg8DfUfvGHGvGntWf-RsDop3M7w_lYw00lg-e765J7Lo5h1LlLFpxhaEL0XzKGEXEMg5-x71qazZvJ9i1MAZWbc4PcbOrITXwI4-SV4eRFZKvIVTPhEJfEpG-cR5aty4-EgvksTeYfBs31mAPsx4ibLP24drH3yO978_fHkvWY0aq4BmHSw3/w354-h400/hrclr1%20s.jpg" width="354" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17597916863723389117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266074586988365985.post-69627590400365575152023-02-19T15:19:00.001-08:002023-02-21T13:48:39.000-08:00You Were On My Mind: "Night Will Find You" by Julia Heaberlin<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfFogXNLAXlKBWKDWNx9J4SbHhuFcwbIhvP9R4NKIVC_umUkDG0wsI2PmTqII2z152XuPdZmBuAJPH4tr-of94kmTTv0-GIYYWs7F62eYzegzA4lMHKXHtagLZlhEt2DR-IoKjiinP31uU0jfso3qia7gPv7aU0rYr9SPvYr-2R55ImBeM99jwArJ/s768/nwfubc.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="498" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfFogXNLAXlKBWKDWNx9J4SbHhuFcwbIhvP9R4NKIVC_umUkDG0wsI2PmTqII2z152XuPdZmBuAJPH4tr-of94kmTTv0-GIYYWs7F62eYzegzA4lMHKXHtagLZlhEt2DR-IoKjiinP31uU0jfso3qia7gPv7aU0rYr9SPvYr-2R55ImBeM99jwArJ/s320/nwfubc.jpg" width="208" /></a></div> Vivvy Bouchet is one of those memorable characters whose story will grab you right from the beginning! She is both an astrophysicist, searching the stars for signs of life on other planets... and a psychic. A gift she inherited from her mother who gave readings to clients in their home and kept secrets that will impact Vivvy later on.<br />When she was 10, she saved a neighborhood boy from certain death by throwing herself in the way of an oncoming car . He had ignored her countless warnings, and now was a friend for life. And married to her smart, beautiful sister, Brigid. He is also a policeman who brings her in on occasion to help with missing person cases. Her record is pretty good, but there are doubters on the force. The main one, Jesse Sharp, an outsize cowboy Detective, a man who sets up a meeting with her to prove Mike's claims. <p></p><p>From the introduction of Jesse Sharp and the cases he's investigating, he and Vivvy form an uneasy alliance. Vivvy will search for a famous missing girl, a girl who disappeared from her home when her mother turns away for a moment, and a shock talk radio host seems bent on finding as he turns on the UFOlogist Medium as a subject for his highly rated show.</p><p>This was a book I could not put down and I am now a fan of author Julia Heaberlin who creates such vivid characters you feel as if they are alive. Get a copy for yourself and follow Vivvy and Jesse Sharp as they search for clues and hide secrets from one another.<br />Thank you to Edelweiss for the DRC!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSXn9WztchoWjVdoVOyFMYQ4AkUWNfTBmfAZXRh-v0wcDtws74Sxn4ZMI_Rx1jG17apqDGLOwWIkEs5HOIEZBVT5ZietJgrIG_yJdwxQ7s_UHbpezvmXIi9oByQCNnHDHxqU0rZoFXxaFlLGFZnkmln1Yts-Wg-byXwGsBUocW5GOBOw1HPEUjOGFI/s663/nwfuclr%20s.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="663" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSXn9WztchoWjVdoVOyFMYQ4AkUWNfTBmfAZXRh-v0wcDtws74Sxn4ZMI_Rx1jG17apqDGLOwWIkEs5HOIEZBVT5ZietJgrIG_yJdwxQ7s_UHbpezvmXIi9oByQCNnHDHxqU0rZoFXxaFlLGFZnkmln1Yts-Wg-byXwGsBUocW5GOBOw1HPEUjOGFI/w363-h400/nwfuclr%20s.jpg" width="363" /></a></div><br /><p><br /><br /><br /></p>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17597916863723389117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266074586988365985.post-24558094005227035622022-11-13T16:26:00.000-08:002022-11-13T16:26:15.734-08:00Encore! "The Second Ending" by Michelle Hoffman<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLT7O_ZB23i4o8jEmQ46k_CTNCiYOtR3N25vaOCATRh3_-7liW7Opubp-MoDu_KKM0gp2iWQUweo8vVPIqZzb-jo94ipeD2ZL0TEL-ZhMXq5_1owD1TuTSgkfu-tEGSKJzFo8i7BMEcffsEAXSh9SUaftawKDoDI_X4wDh0OfXfmQR6O9EnZmm_Ic8" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="298" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLT7O_ZB23i4o8jEmQ46k_CTNCiYOtR3N25vaOCATRh3_-7liW7Opubp-MoDu_KKM0gp2iWQUweo8vVPIqZzb-jo94ipeD2ZL0TEL-ZhMXq5_1owD1TuTSgkfu-tEGSKJzFo8i7BMEcffsEAXSh9SUaftawKDoDI_X4wDh0OfXfmQR6O9EnZmm_Ic8" width="159" /></a></div>Prudence Childs was a child pianist so gifted that her talent was noticed by her first piano teacher at the age of 3. After being abandoned by her hippie parents, she was raised by her ruthless and manipulative grandmother who pushed her to become a world renowned prodigy.<p></p><p>But that was years ago and Prudence has become an empty nester, with both her daughters now off to college. She loved being a mom, and now is suffering from an ennui that her devoted husband is at a loss to cure. She mopes around the house accompanied by her tiny dog, turning down even his offer for her to join him on his business trip to London. Then he has an idea for something to shake her up. He tracks down her one of a kind childhood piano.</p><p>Meanwhile, Alexei Petrov, an equally talented pianist, has gone from Russian obscurity to star of a highly rated TV reality series called <i>Dueling Piano Wars</i>. Living in LA, he has his own emotional issues, having been guided throughout his career by his mother, who controls most aspects of his life, even from thousands of miles away in Paris.</p><p>What happens to both these amazing musicians makes this one of the most enchanting and heartfelt stories the Recommender has read in ages. Prudence and Alexei are both such delightful characters you wish they were real so could hear them play! <br /><br /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B0BJ16T27J?_encoding=UTF8&node=2656020011&offset=0&pageSize=12&searchAlias=stripbooks&sort=author-sidecar-rank&page=1&langFilter=default#formatSelectorHeader"><i>The Second Ending</i> </a>by Ms. Hoffman (a real pianist!) is a book I'll be talking about and recommending to all my favorite Library patrons! Thank you to NetGalley for the DRC!<br /> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQZTa_tOIG9lEUDDs53R7-b3UPDao7N0ugB_Va9Dr4hNL6uV5rwwURCW-guCESDtOhwXTxEjr7_DxWeCKuIDrdDtn6rfnaDmBvN4jP_fzfWxnbtGl-_NGThaZIBUznK6giUqsd2cKCgbG6LZ9RuwA1l9Zwrsx6zDApGnyPxWj9Lz_OzXwH04gLdSO/s600/second%20endingclr%20s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="565" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIQZTa_tOIG9lEUDDs53R7-b3UPDao7N0ugB_Va9Dr4hNL6uV5rwwURCW-guCESDtOhwXTxEjr7_DxWeCKuIDrdDtn6rfnaDmBvN4jP_fzfWxnbtGl-_NGThaZIBUznK6giUqsd2cKCgbG6LZ9RuwA1l9Zwrsx6zDApGnyPxWj9Lz_OzXwH04gLdSO/w376-h400/second%20endingclr%20s.jpg" width="376" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17597916863723389117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266074586988365985.post-84563475912675054582022-10-25T07:40:00.000-07:002022-10-25T07:40:56.137-07:00Puppet Master: "How to Sell a Haunted House": Grady Hendrix<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXh7yLBRAChW_BwZ_riqMS-ro4OQksgXxcsJ52l6PlL5KT0l9YtJ4bOL54f2b3Mzvrw05zyZ7auWqrTmaGglN8XxvHBSvT0HWbSvtbTX45p6lRhaqxcmWn_E6mOTKcRHQ9el7WAqQYYBrdOUuFwEuXfwKcgPEG8dQULBbf7MnOOEtYvO6ul0L83z_w/s624/hhcvr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="408" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXh7yLBRAChW_BwZ_riqMS-ro4OQksgXxcsJ52l6PlL5KT0l9YtJ4bOL54f2b3Mzvrw05zyZ7auWqrTmaGglN8XxvHBSvT0HWbSvtbTX45p6lRhaqxcmWn_E6mOTKcRHQ9el7WAqQYYBrdOUuFwEuXfwKcgPEG8dQULBbf7MnOOEtYvO6ul0L83z_w/s320/hhcvr.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>Grady Hendrix is an author who will surprise you with normal, every day scenes and jump into the most insane thing you've ever read! His new book,<i> How to Sell a Haunted House</i> has to be one of the insaniest!<p></p><p>San Francisco based single mom, Louise, is happily raising her adorable daughter, Poppy, when she gets a call from her long estranged brother, Mark. Their parents have both been killed in a car accident! Oh no! He has plans for their funeral that she doesn't agree with! She will have to bring herself to return to her home, which she has avoided doing for years! So, after explaining what death is to Poppy, something her mother never did, and thinking a good mom should be open about these things, she now has to leave her traumatized daughter with her ex.</p><p>Landing in Charleston, she arrives at her parents place in her rented Kia. Investigating the outside, she hears voices from within. Entering, she realizes the TV was on. Her parents must have left the house in a hurry. There was her Dad's cane, he wouldn't just leave that. Looking around she takes in all the dolls. Her mother's vast collection. The dolls fill every space, cabinet and shelf. And two of the biggest, named after her and her brother, occupy her Dad's chair. With the remote lodged between them. What could be creepier?</p><p>Maybe the fact that their mother was a Christian puppeteer, and that she had a work space filled floor to ceiling with her beloved characters, the ones she traveled with and did shows with. Louise hated the dolls. She hated the puppets. She maybe resented her brother, who her Mom always seemed to favor and make excuses for. But she was a grown-up now. She could work with him to settle everything and move on, and never look back.</p><p>Could things be that easy? People did these kinds of things every day. Except for... remember this name, PUPKIN! The beloved hand puppet their Mom had since she, herself, was a little girl. <br /><br />You will have to read <i>How to Sell a Haunted House</i> yourself and you should, because you will never forget Pupkin, one of the most memorable and creepy (and almost sympathetic) creations in fiction. If you think Grady Hendrix had done it all in <i>The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires</i>, he has even outdone that moment everyone remembers (one word: raccoon)! <br /><br />Thank you to NetGalley for letting me read this unforgettable craziness of a DRC!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_4kSAocDLf-1VO3Rv3SliZx2f5Sm8weZ4_fsCKebAfl5hvOaVhxCMlyOdigxhkdSYjJn78j5wfbZ7pH_9tn_H6U-eNnmjrr2vaxPepG8VgLZNxVKjdRKPdYslcjX5_ejd_aq5DYA5BixC9uGq-Z2Av82LlBUtlpVKgJpfkFZHhk47VOk-JvUbgxIf/s611/htsahh1clr%20s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="611" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_4kSAocDLf-1VO3Rv3SliZx2f5Sm8weZ4_fsCKebAfl5hvOaVhxCMlyOdigxhkdSYjJn78j5wfbZ7pH_9tn_H6U-eNnmjrr2vaxPepG8VgLZNxVKjdRKPdYslcjX5_ejd_aq5DYA5BixC9uGq-Z2Av82LlBUtlpVKgJpfkFZHhk47VOk-JvUbgxIf/w393-h400/htsahh1clr%20s.jpg" width="393" /></a></p><br />Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17597916863723389117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266074586988365985.post-64620445635078778292022-07-14T04:35:00.000-07:002022-07-14T04:35:31.039-07:00The Next Chapter: "The Roughest Draft" by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBrtYDgInu0vsulY7DmAOIjD7A2lCAx2R6lwngugwZ3vHRmsW8aT0fQEFGZlrsgDZkRNWAiM8Fzsqly2IxItT9WSn30_XZk8ymGRmA_bsenk-jh38BGRKMxDO7PoB2Nh_HZUmeswhWNq9OITkj2NvK29wskd5gAZmLBPUdHsKMIkHYrm364vwUpB6R/s1704/RDbc.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1704" data-original-width="1140" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBrtYDgInu0vsulY7DmAOIjD7A2lCAx2R6lwngugwZ3vHRmsW8aT0fQEFGZlrsgDZkRNWAiM8Fzsqly2IxItT9WSn30_XZk8ymGRmA_bsenk-jh38BGRKMxDO7PoB2Nh_HZUmeswhWNq9OITkj2NvK29wskd5gAZmLBPUdHsKMIkHYrm364vwUpB6R/s320/RDbc.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>Katrina Freeling and Nathan <span face=""Amazon Ember", Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1111; font-size: 14px;">Van Huysen </span>were once two friends who met at a Writer's Retreat and then became best selling co-authors. A lot happened in the 3 years since the end of their partnership. Things ended badly. Why, was a mystery neither would talk about. Nor have they spoken with each other since then.<p></p><p>Nathan's first novel on his own didn't take off as he'd hoped. Meanwhile, Katrina, married to their former agent, hasn't written a word since.</p><p>Then their publisher tells them they owe one more book as co-writers to fulfill their contract. Katrina's husband wants her to be the literary superstar he was originally attracted to. He's pushing her to write with Nathan again. It doesn't seem like anyone cares about her feelings.<br /><br />Nathan, too, has fears. His own book didn't sell the way their co-written titles did. Is he doomed to a life of co-authorship? And yet, their work together had a great chemistry that brought their characters alive for each other and for a vast readership.</p><p>So, they both agree, half-heartedly, to once again meet up in the Florida retreat where they wrote their mega-seller. <br /><br />What happens next makes for an absolutely engaging read! Nathan and Katrina come to life in these pages. We follow their ups and downs and tentative re-connection as writers.<br />It's a book that will pull you in and keep you reading till the very end! <br /><br />Also written by coauthors, who happen to be a<a href="https://www.shondaland.com/inspire/books/a38888210/the-roughest-draft-emily-wibberley-austin-siegemund/"> husband and wife team</a>, you wonder how much of Katrina and Nathan's life was based on their own! This one is highly recommended for anyone who wonders about the writing process when two authors write together, or just enjoy great characters who just happen to be writers!<br />Thank you to NetGalley for the DRC!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVjXMuWw--9zH4_ukZfsvoAdmTrA5roH8Ay0XgJms7521zfFkXKEbrKeTrah6cAVTWgwonyvyqns7F-EO0zAOfZVPt8enKjbipf6PF3imxm4I-VW7MjFP0FCBxqSS686ZlfZRtizuxpq3sUek14rqaanEuXg4qd29ZWwDP6Je5eP8mt-9Ctns88Q_/s600/Roughest%20draftclr2%20s.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="495" data-original-width="600" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVjXMuWw--9zH4_ukZfsvoAdmTrA5roH8Ay0XgJms7521zfFkXKEbrKeTrah6cAVTWgwonyvyqns7F-EO0zAOfZVPt8enKjbipf6PF3imxm4I-VW7MjFP0FCBxqSS686ZlfZRtizuxpq3sUek14rqaanEuXg4qd29ZWwDP6Je5eP8mt-9Ctns88Q_/w400-h330/Roughest%20draftclr2%20s.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /><br /></p><p><br /></p>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17597916863723389117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266074586988365985.post-19733515479091400162022-07-06T10:25:00.003-07:002022-07-14T04:33:42.582-07:00Teen Angels: "Forgotten" by Laura DeLuca ( Dark Musicals: New Cast )<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTF-WMsMqyeMXTmUVl0yep2C9CqnlbpiI0ioSiuZshXjYlftjbkSUyb5XNb68v3TWqKhtnH3hQfX1G5nAEiLn5oFvsAfi9HT51eE5X6EOtPuibDVMIeSuTkJsw3XbgcG7vuTtwIfnhmF_AkWjRvN61TwpRj0uUH-isOpwxHZazGy4VhLdgX5Byek9U/s486/forgotten1%20s.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="324" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTF-WMsMqyeMXTmUVl0yep2C9CqnlbpiI0ioSiuZshXjYlftjbkSUyb5XNb68v3TWqKhtnH3hQfX1G5nAEiLn5oFvsAfi9HT51eE5X6EOtPuibDVMIeSuTkJsw3XbgcG7vuTtwIfnhmF_AkWjRvN61TwpRj0uUH-isOpwxHZazGy4VhLdgX5Byek9U/s320/forgotten1%20s.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>Lord Justyn Patko and his beautiful wife, Lady Rebecca, have been together since High School. They went from being the stars of their drama club to becoming the darlings of Broadway. They have also faced their fair share of drama off the stage, with various real life villains. <br />They are also parents. Their son, a superstar in his own right, Erik is now 16 and with a driver's license. He is given the best present ever! Justyn's vintage black mustang! Erik can hardly wait to take it out for a spin, and even though it's a winter night, he convinces his cautious family that he can handle it. Instead, after a spin through Central Park, he is t-boned by a drunk driver.<p></p><p>Now, months later, he is scarred for life with a damaged leg, leaving him limping. He is angry at himself and angry at his Dad, for gifting him with an unsafe vehicle. No matter what Justyn does, Erik blames him. Not only that, they have moved to their New Jersey beach home and Erik and his sister, Harmony, will be going to a local Catholic school. Can things get any worse for Erik?<br /><br />The only bright spot, is realizing the first love of his life, Evie, goes there. They last saw each other as kids. Now, here they were. Evie had grown into a beautiful young woman. Will these two teens pick up where they left off, long ago? What's in store for the Patko family? The Dark Musical series by Laura DeLuca has been one of my favorites and <i>Forgotten</i>, with the "new cast" series is no exception! Start with <i>Phanntom</i>, and follow the saga of Justyn and Rebecca from the very beginning!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQXsEx8qZgKJSU69Q1EQ6n9IyrzOptfKnQ2j_8kH3bDthGedeAHcqx5H4KFowQ0te9mfVzyFG-Yk9OrTWUFma7jTjpwJEegcwCqvavd3qEFi1gd6huViaSdeFSRMA_zkueR_H6xjMDC21MmdCXVKzE9gbGuN5m8RXWR71GmG1c9wLO0V344b08ptQ/s600/forgottenillus1clr%20s.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="600" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQXsEx8qZgKJSU69Q1EQ6n9IyrzOptfKnQ2j_8kH3bDthGedeAHcqx5H4KFowQ0te9mfVzyFG-Yk9OrTWUFma7jTjpwJEegcwCqvavd3qEFi1gd6huViaSdeFSRMA_zkueR_H6xjMDC21MmdCXVKzE9gbGuN5m8RXWR71GmG1c9wLO0V344b08ptQ/w400-h284/forgottenillus1clr%20s.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><br /><p><br /></p><p></p>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17597916863723389117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266074586988365985.post-31897027179977510062022-06-18T12:09:00.001-07:002022-06-18T12:09:07.263-07:00Jungle Girl: "The Daughter of Doctor Moreau" by Silvia Moreno-Garcia<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifKrxNUWhm9gNcWqsX-6BGUn5slFoMWXr-fNIH7pcHtK0ID41191GAffIKLY1Z3IP6kyuSJ34j6Bcj4gojEHhE5U4NhX_7AqwBf7ObQmdV7zwkrEg-xrY-GBS3eCyhn3z5s8CPTOcHnog49IAcf_IHapDV-ApB-UeXEjOVQDS5Cm6aGnem4_F_hJS8/s493/ddmcvr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="493" data-original-width="328" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifKrxNUWhm9gNcWqsX-6BGUn5slFoMWXr-fNIH7pcHtK0ID41191GAffIKLY1Z3IP6kyuSJ34j6Bcj4gojEHhE5U4NhX_7AqwBf7ObQmdV7zwkrEg-xrY-GBS3eCyhn3z5s8CPTOcHnog49IAcf_IHapDV-ApB-UeXEjOVQDS5Cm6aGnem4_F_hJS8/s320/ddmcvr.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>H. G. Wells <i>Island of Dr. Moreau</i> was one of my favorite books as a girl. The hybrid humans and their crazy creator was fascinating and the 1930's movie with Charles Laughton really captured the spirit of Wells' characters.<br />Speaking of capturing Mr. Wells spirit, <a href="https://silviamoreno-garcia.com/">Silvia Moreno-Garcia</a>'s <i>Daughter of Doctor Moreau </i> does it beautifully! Ms. Moreno-Garcia's new book is a brilliant, evocative take on the classic. <br />Dr. Moreau's beautiful daughter, Carlota, grows up on the island paradise that is their home and also a compound with a hospital. Her best friends are about her age, Lupe and Cachita. They are hybrids created by the doctor and engaging characters who will win your heart as you fall into the rhythm life in the exotic retreat. <br />Disruptions to their every day life are caused by Doctor Moreau's patron, Hernando Lizalde. It's his money that keeps the place going and enables the doctor to carry on with his research and "experiments". One day he shows up and brings a new manager, or mayordomo, to oversee Lizalde's property, the doctor and everyone and everything else. The man who will be filling the role is Montgomery.<br />Montgomery is an alcoholic and a sardonic presence. He's a man who has seen it all and drinks to forget the beautiful, rich wife who left him in the Yucatan, where he could never make the kind of living she expected. <br />An outsider, he is slowly drawn into life with the doctor and his creations and develops a special soft spot for Carlota.<br />Told in the alternating voices of Carlota and Montgomery we learn more about them both as time passes and with it possible changes and threats to their idyllic life. What happens will keep you reading until the last page! <br /> I love Ms. Moreno-Garcia's work, having read <i>Mexican Gothic</i> and reviewed it on this blog. I will be looking forward to reading more of her titles.<i> The Daughter of Doctor Moreau </i>is one of the best books I've read recently and I was completely involved in the world and the characters the author created. If you are looking for a great book to enjoy this summer...or anytime, look no further! <br />Thanks to NetGalley for the DRC!<br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0bOwOQTaqvNr_Q5OXQN6Rdr7Jkdfo_Qr776FHDJ5dOspM8KOh0jowxO47oUAocdS8FHKhdzbTrk767_IiMshsrH0D_trjMyBZx4j9BIwWU3CdsRm6wxDcaT9xBGxDO_QmphnZsDWYNtlSCcUCEDb-NF44O-YZltyep5vB9x-DN7-9_XibDGY9ZSNW/s600/Daughterofdrmoreau2clr%20s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="529" data-original-width="600" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0bOwOQTaqvNr_Q5OXQN6Rdr7Jkdfo_Qr776FHDJ5dOspM8KOh0jowxO47oUAocdS8FHKhdzbTrk767_IiMshsrH0D_trjMyBZx4j9BIwWU3CdsRm6wxDcaT9xBGxDO_QmphnZsDWYNtlSCcUCEDb-NF44O-YZltyep5vB9x-DN7-9_XibDGY9ZSNW/w400-h353/Daughterofdrmoreau2clr%20s.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17597916863723389117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266074586988365985.post-85369736685859830602022-02-08T15:54:00.000-08:002022-02-08T15:54:59.732-08:00Winners and Losers: "Why Would I Lie?" by Adi Rule<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHc3frZngyD6VCEb6wxK_jsnLp7iVfTYFyT-tUnwiIoUUMxjS1e4apJBTuB-2QEMt11IO5dJs2p2LgHoNI0l3AfW1TO18BSCAbtii2GuqrRFVmNutSY0jZxWynTHLIMFzXXAPpwU8sPGwhljWuOkqDuqG5c--bpDt3EnUpGBLobFOleB5CunRJVZLy" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="333" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHc3frZngyD6VCEb6wxK_jsnLp7iVfTYFyT-tUnwiIoUUMxjS1e4apJBTuB-2QEMt11IO5dJs2p2LgHoNI0l3AfW1TO18BSCAbtii2GuqrRFVmNutSY0jZxWynTHLIMFzXXAPpwU8sPGwhljWuOkqDuqG5c--bpDt3EnUpGBLobFOleB5CunRJVZLy" width="160" /></a></div>Viveca North is smart. And she has an unbelievably strong focus and work ethic. These things took her from her town High School to the more upscale, elite school where she is on track to becoming valedictorian. The highest honor a school bestows and those two things might make it possible to go to her dream college. The one her mother had gone to.<p></p><p>Meanwhile, she has to make it through Senior year. She has a wonderful friend, Wren, who is a theatre kid and a comics geek and has so many friends, that Viveca can't help but be drawn into this crowd, despite feeling like a loner the rest of her life.</p><p>All looks good until the arrival of a new kid. Jamison Sharpe. A blonde Adonis with a back story and creds that make him the new center of attention at Elton Prep. What is it he said to Viveca, on first meeting her, that makes her take a closer look at this super star? Something about being on line to be valedictorian at his previous school. The one in Paris. </p><p>From this first meeting, author <a href="https://www.adirule.com/">Adi Rule</a> draws us into the story and we watch, well read, everything Viveca has to deal with. Her home life is far from perfect. Her father is a man who likes to make himself seem more important to everyone on the outside, especially to his girlfriend, even if it's at the expense of his own daughter. And there's her suspicions about the ever charming Jamison Sharpe. Is she right to question his integrity? And why have so many of her classmates joined his ever growing fan base? Is it jealousy, or is something sinister going on?<br /><br />Viveca's not perfect, and she often acts before thinking things through, sometimes impulsively ignoring Wren's advice. Despite her flaws the reader is on Viveca's side! Will the future she fought so hard for slip away while Mr. Sharpe continues to climb? Get a copy of this riveting story! It will keep you up all night worrying about Viveca until you find out how it all plays out! Thank you to Edelweiss/ Above the Tree Line for the DRC!</p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFl_-x_5eEBt1FWDo-7QBPl4in0AgWH936p3dqvJ1uA3bbbuXvpjLfKEP9p019w6P48OW-yNTLjmxkL-cmXsn9xHChE-xEoDx-yWJgix0aZ1EkVv0fvN2I7wG2p7hg51RzfAZ-KwSyofz_vXmvy2jsdJs-VsbTCg3sej1rNKKa2xhPT805tJKzgE6O=s600" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="581" data-original-width="600" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiFl_-x_5eEBt1FWDo-7QBPl4in0AgWH936p3dqvJ1uA3bbbuXvpjLfKEP9p019w6P48OW-yNTLjmxkL-cmXsn9xHChE-xEoDx-yWJgix0aZ1EkVv0fvN2I7wG2p7hg51RzfAZ-KwSyofz_vXmvy2jsdJs-VsbTCg3sej1rNKKa2xhPT805tJKzgE6O=w400-h388" width="400" /></a><br /><p><br /></p>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17597916863723389117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266074586988365985.post-30413813966378065182022-01-06T12:09:00.000-08:002022-01-06T12:09:14.163-08:00Tell-Tale Heart : "Nora Goes Off Script" by Annabel Monaghan<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZjSozTffEgFYFlGDjpav0NCH4REmIyF_D5syqiwqax3kIuRMM9rlVt41kSxWI7sK5Qu0j7PJ9I6mrnhgMm41nxYlrLceRhOgqCAFsZOEJytOGAK9cJEyCQ1yzF_KsrHEU81E3-RS0soJPXw7ymJQyu4jh8Hxn2ICNAoo7vh7wMwDPNhAm4QXOa36j=s500" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="336" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZjSozTffEgFYFlGDjpav0NCH4REmIyF_D5syqiwqax3kIuRMM9rlVt41kSxWI7sK5Qu0j7PJ9I6mrnhgMm41nxYlrLceRhOgqCAFsZOEJytOGAK9cJEyCQ1yzF_KsrHEU81E3-RS0soJPXw7ymJQyu4jh8Hxn2ICNAoo7vh7wMwDPNhAm4QXOa36j=s320" width="215" /></a></div> I have read a string of great books, recently. Books I absolutely loved! But Annabel Monaghan's Nora Goes Off Script is perhaps my favorite of them. The author made me fall in love with her characters (Leo!!) and the story around them and made me want to visit and hang out and be besties with them, too!<p></p><p>Nora Hamilton is living in the country on and old farm that has a unique feature, an old stone building with a fires place and a view of the woods that you can see straight through when the door is left open. It is here that Nora, a scriptwriter for a romance TV channel, does her writing.</p><p>She is now a single mom of two kids. Her husband blew through his trust fund and used up most of the money she earned on his failed ideas and business plans. Then, he has the audacity to dump HER! Then, she realizes she is relieved he's gone!</p><p>So, she does what any writer might do in her circumstances. She writes a script dealing with that disaster of a marriage and sells it, not to the Romance Channel, but to Hollywood! And then, not long after, a film crew shows up complete with maybe the two most famous actors in Hollywood or on the planet! Leo Vance and Naomi Sanchez will be playing Nora and her ex! Can her life get any crazier?<br /><br /> We shall see! Because what follows is one of the funniest, heartbreaking-ist and endearing stories you will read next year (as it isn't released until June! Put that release date on your calendar!)! A BIG thank you to Edelweiss for the DRC! I'll be recommending this one a lot! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhn9iEWUjXuzsnRsj9mEw10vj7w-AlI-AbZriCZBY9yEmNXH7JcI-94cDYhvOt5IN9-OYx-fLWxE-EW32NXXEDpeZB3nNzhRmb5o6-0YQwFE_HsMhsdenYxtoBNSt5kDZ6ydwqdhcLqPQ_e_k2aJuVMIQEBMOGrHZ--2DBOGdIroAK2YQLK-bAMQeMV=s600" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="463" data-original-width="600" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhn9iEWUjXuzsnRsj9mEw10vj7w-AlI-AbZriCZBY9yEmNXH7JcI-94cDYhvOt5IN9-OYx-fLWxE-EW32NXXEDpeZB3nNzhRmb5o6-0YQwFE_HsMhsdenYxtoBNSt5kDZ6ydwqdhcLqPQ_e_k2aJuVMIQEBMOGrHZ--2DBOGdIroAK2YQLK-bAMQeMV=w400-h309" width="400" /></a></p><p></p>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17597916863723389117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266074586988365985.post-82950632791225060152022-01-03T11:34:00.004-08:002022-06-23T04:39:10.278-07:00Blended Family: "The Unplanned Life" of Josie Hale by Stephanie Eding<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEht7wB5uJ54WKm5Mab6TfTCPpk5rfSBMzh6HNOBraNKODRPgV_IYgtjubBVLub40vzv8f9WAgOyRgi2admd6rawhMdpTo6BA2BRNdxkwn7AT0fOseox80hJPFS5ZJtt8YhFdRlzR6nkeb7DSMl3oHAqlPrscK1p5lxyIIG1aMYMEpSZSUOlDWEpL4ls=s1602" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1602" data-original-width="1074" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEht7wB5uJ54WKm5Mab6TfTCPpk5rfSBMzh6HNOBraNKODRPgV_IYgtjubBVLub40vzv8f9WAgOyRgi2admd6rawhMdpTo6BA2BRNdxkwn7AT0fOseox80hJPFS5ZJtt8YhFdRlzR6nkeb7DSMl3oHAqlPrscK1p5lxyIIG1aMYMEpSZSUOlDWEpL4ls=s320" width="215" /></a></div>Josie thought she had her happy ending. Until she found her husband with his assistant at the Veterinary clinic where they worked. This was after they tried to make a go of their marriage one more time! So she packed up, quit her job and left Chicago to head back to the small Illinois town where she grew up and her parents' home. She never got to tell him the big news. That she was now pregnant. Instead, she's jobless, living with her parents, and feeling pretty pathetic.<p></p><p>To cheer herself up, she goes to the county fair, craving a corn dog, while also trying to keep a low profile from the home town friends she grew up with. No sooner does she park herself on a bench to eat when she is recognized by the last two people she expected to see, her old best friend, Kevin, and her high school crush, Ben.</p><p>Joining her table for lunch and catching up, she confesses all that happened to her and what a loser she feels like. Turns out, Ben had an equally sad past few years and Kevin is working for his dad at the family insurance company. The two friends are living in the house Ben bought for his own failed marriage. Kevin comes up with a plan, a pact whereby they would strive to improve their lives in a year. He calls it the "Corn Dog Pact".<br />Going back to her parents, and thinking things can't get much worse, she finds out they are selling their house and moving into a small condo. There would be no room for her to live, too. She was essentially homeless! </p><p>Meeting up again, a short while later, with Kevin and Ben, they make a proposal, that Josie move in with them.<br />Can this be a solution? Or will it bring more problems? Josie is a spunky, funny and smart young woman. And Kevin and Ben are both the kind of guy any girl would love to move in with! Unless they are jobless and 3 months pregnant. <br />This is such an engaging read with characters you will love and root for and cheer on as you follow their stories. I loved this one so much I was sad to finish it, as who wouldn't want to hang with those three? Highly recommended, but be warned... it will leave you craving a corn dog, even if you never had one! Thank you to Edelweiss for the DRC!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMXWSae-1Vhza53X_Pzg4kiHnpIUwPfiosK5-x7vobUz99fbaSj6KOHexesdtBZLaXcVYp95t2vcWAVemKm8YltKMxdE0kx76mCYwNz-QTqJpwnF0AZORXFG4RnxmcTjY200zTKFoNu7NgSCOXbqokDXb0f9FazGB9n-Ww_xlsDWrq5823rV735q8L=s600" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="600" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMXWSae-1Vhza53X_Pzg4kiHnpIUwPfiosK5-x7vobUz99fbaSj6KOHexesdtBZLaXcVYp95t2vcWAVemKm8YltKMxdE0kx76mCYwNz-QTqJpwnF0AZORXFG4RnxmcTjY200zTKFoNu7NgSCOXbqokDXb0f9FazGB9n-Ww_xlsDWrq5823rV735q8L=w400-h319" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17597916863723389117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266074586988365985.post-31287519522407622002022-01-01T11:41:00.001-08:002022-01-03T11:54:31.350-08:00 Off the Map: "Mexican Gothic" by Silvia Moreno-Garcia<p><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14.6667px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14.6667px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizF_m6gykBvcuChwXHx_51-kQAREalNBZMWr5OWsEToJ_2LO1xAKrZV81bYph_F8oCxDbW8fkDhpL9RV8GujNk5mctcCej1RPS45mzPxwLuclVYC8JdCimUJTe2KOFUIwlSyiqhwtu92xqBJAtUNy5DYdflhbMm4oLQJi7nF3-OiFCvBX9XqtOejXf=s500" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="343" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizF_m6gykBvcuChwXHx_51-kQAREalNBZMWr5OWsEToJ_2LO1xAKrZV81bYph_F8oCxDbW8fkDhpL9RV8GujNk5mctcCej1RPS45mzPxwLuclVYC8JdCimUJTe2KOFUIwlSyiqhwtu92xqBJAtUNy5DYdflhbMm4oLQJi7nF3-OiFCvBX9XqtOejXf=w163-h238" width="163" /></a></span></div><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14.6667px;">This is the first book by Silvia Moreno-Garcia that I've read and it is SO good! This is the kind of grab you and read till the very end even if it means staying up ALL night kind of book I love!<br />Our heroine, Noemi Taboada, is young woman used to a sophisticated lifestyle with many men falling for her as she makes the rounds of parties and dances as well as studying anthropology at college. She’s beautiful and smart and when her father tasks her with trying to find out what ails her beloved recently married cousin, she sets off on an unforgettable journey!<br /> </span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14.6667px;">Noemi is everything you want in a star character. She's beautiful, and uses that and her ability at socializing and small talk to her advantage when faced with some unusual characters and disturbing circumstances. She's also smart, tough and loyal to her ill cousin.</span><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14.6667px;"> Be prepared for mystery, creepy goings on and an unexpected love story.</span><p></p><p><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14.6667px;">It’s a popular book and recently optioned for a Hulu series. Though I can’t imagine the TV version will do as good a job of recreating this story as the author did in print (and your imagination does when reading!)! Trust me when I say there are scenes when you will yell "What the heck?!" How they'll film that, I don't know. But don't wait for the series, read it first!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3XzdupEhC9BGGpcA5aXsPzXHGfWMCQinlUNgbWDCZsccZPsUN3RmACdGu2yGiw0GTwcz5MxpQy7gacMJ35Dz8XQHX082EhoKjdGCUyeKWuRBwrD_71BjmS-H2sJmR0JgI_xTqxXZDA06ZrU6arLpEouuLM3Kimgsro9-oOGBtE7rD42PF884BAK-Z=s679" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3XzdupEhC9BGGpcA5aXsPzXHGfWMCQinlUNgbWDCZsccZPsUN3RmACdGu2yGiw0GTwcz5MxpQy7gacMJ35Dz8XQHX082EhoKjdGCUyeKWuRBwrD_71BjmS-H2sJmR0JgI_xTqxXZDA06ZrU6arLpEouuLM3Kimgsro9-oOGBtE7rD42PF884BAK-Z=w354-h400" width="354" /></a></div><br /><span face="Arial, "sans-serif"" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14.6667px;"><br /></span><p></p>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17597916863723389117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266074586988365985.post-16618399028798485372021-09-19T11:01:00.000-07:002021-09-19T11:01:07.896-07:00Paradise Lost: "Of Love and Abuse" by Kayla Lowe<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH45vOTi3ibLLaANt01Y4qZ7LJO5Kfwvw6OPFKPxQ3dlfSFmn0xR4iAek-NO0OFhgFzusMCXfRJXPMRyOeWos05VLb1sRVpVrGz3jorrkEd1tb0DUkR_rFE81uRC-k4rY40r30a626qTY/s552/love+and+abusebc+s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="342" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH45vOTi3ibLLaANt01Y4qZ7LJO5Kfwvw6OPFKPxQ3dlfSFmn0xR4iAek-NO0OFhgFzusMCXfRJXPMRyOeWos05VLb1sRVpVrGz3jorrkEd1tb0DUkR_rFE81uRC-k4rY40r30a626qTY/w143-h231/love+and+abusebc+s.jpg" width="143" /></a></div>Spoiler alerts for anyone who hasn't read the first three volumes of Kayla Lowe's Tainted Love series!<p></p><p>Sara and Bruce are married! The beautiful young woman had fallen for the online man who intrigued her and won her heart when he played the Phantom to her Christine in messages that kept her from being the good, freshman student that she started out as, in book one. When the man she thought was her soulmate shows up in person, she finds he is 30 years older than her, and that is only the first of the deceits he used to win her heart.</p><p>Once she defies her concerned and caring parents by moving in with Bruce and then moving to Florida, far from home, she feels there is no turning back.</p><p>Now, they are husband and wife. Sara is trying to earn and save money, first with part time jobs outside their home and then with online writing and editing at which she excels. They finally have enough money to move to a beachside apartment. It's further from his friends with whom he spent most of his days drinking and smoking.<br /></p><p>While they turn their new place into a home with Sara shopping for second hand, and affordable furnishings and decorations, she is also finding he is trying more and more to make her spend time with him, whether at the beach or drinking. Something she never would have thought to find herself doing, but is becoming a worrisome habit as part of their marriage. Even though her parents and Bruce come to a sort of peaceful understanding so they can visit and so Sara can in turn come home occasionally, he still gets in black rages about her calling them. Can they work things out and have the happy marriage Sara hopes for... or has it all been a terrible decision that she has to live with. Are there darker days to come or will there be a happy ending? You will have to read this series to find out!</p><p>Powerfully written and intensely realistic, Ms. Lowe has created a character you care about in Sara, and Bruce has a magnetism that seems to be able to win her over despite common sense and her parents fear for her safety. I can't wait to see what happens in volume 5! Highly recommended!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-3UaWZWNhPuuzu0FKGISR0MYCueiZzrvlZ2L2TEGjY_ShvUyNxM_wkOzHxyfWkguNRySd_mb2iR75AshyphenhyphenlgkTtrBlTBu3J2EaSU497KSOZ9XmMunfcIGNDoJcRcr9MISqjfLgJyZdi8/s716/love+and+abuse3+clr1+s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="716" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-3UaWZWNhPuuzu0FKGISR0MYCueiZzrvlZ2L2TEGjY_ShvUyNxM_wkOzHxyfWkguNRySd_mb2iR75AshyphenhyphenlgkTtrBlTBu3J2EaSU497KSOZ9XmMunfcIGNDoJcRcr9MISqjfLgJyZdi8/w335-h400/love+and+abuse3+clr1+s.jpg" width="335" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17597916863723389117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266074586988365985.post-48538211158612749532021-09-19T08:25:00.000-07:002021-09-19T08:25:35.022-07:00Join the Club: "The Final Girl Support Group" by Grady Hendrix<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgug0fHdsAdfwfq89erCRmED4-TxukEBXz96DxeIif7JyexZ5IP8P8vdvPG0u7vaBw-TYnEshPUrisuPSwslZBtC-H5bgJKbJdIQz6uf_5d7F18Ne_Vhu_9Evc-400UoP7vOAxhvFb-Lpg/s1500/FGSGcvr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1029" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgug0fHdsAdfwfq89erCRmED4-TxukEBXz96DxeIif7JyexZ5IP8P8vdvPG0u7vaBw-TYnEshPUrisuPSwslZBtC-H5bgJKbJdIQz6uf_5d7F18Ne_Vhu_9Evc-400UoP7vOAxhvFb-Lpg/w141-h206/FGSGcvr.jpg" width="141" /></a></div>Lynette is a "Final Girl". She survived something terrible that happened when she was a teen. Something, or rather, someone, so horrible, that she is lucky to be alive. She lost her parents, her little sister and her boyfriend. All in one night. Her Monster is behind bars. She should feel safe now, shouldn't she?<br /><br />She is a member of the Final Girl Support Group. Along with 5 other Final Girls. Each a survivor of some horrendous event which took out others, but somehow, they managed to make it out alive. There are movies based on their experiences, and documentaries and online forums that discuss the crimes and the killers, some of them are fan groups of the various murderers.<p></p><p>Besides her attendance at the support group, Lynette lives alone, with just a house plant as a companion. She is wary and paranoid and always ready to make a quick getaway if she has to. Then something happens that might force her into action. What that something is and what follows is something you will have to find out for yourself. <br /><br />This is a suspenseful and darkly funny story. I loved Grady Hendrix's previous book, <i>The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires</i> and I'm looking forward to reading his older titles as he is great at capturing the various characters that occupy his fictional worlds. Highly recommended!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQn8-pQI1LOmHPx7HFu661JHZ_JZ6uWE5v3jdO-hYa3WXkWA6pmj9tVLHmczTtWF6q4hun2iKWL12w519NbYvBDr-L0tmmcaoGnRNfDlidNmi28oy0FvwxmdJpxdvkHt62GU0jraYsEdk/s762/FGSG+clr+s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="762" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQn8-pQI1LOmHPx7HFu661JHZ_JZ6uWE5v3jdO-hYa3WXkWA6pmj9tVLHmczTtWF6q4hun2iKWL12w519NbYvBDr-L0tmmcaoGnRNfDlidNmi28oy0FvwxmdJpxdvkHt62GU0jraYsEdk/w315-h400/FGSG+clr+s.jpg" width="315" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17597916863723389117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5266074586988365985.post-77269514705553700312021-06-24T09:16:00.000-07:002021-06-24T09:16:50.022-07:00 Invisible Man: "Wrong Alibi" by Christine Dodd<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6EHykNWD3-d9hdne15i3f2aJlGKggiE61Y8DG5CPi_RhjcE5AH7TuCw8etZ0QU6vrL9VCQf2oBBphPCCsA2EUEiNAA3B-KS5pNC0oX9LwVZAuyhEMFTRtMoHm93QDs9t3qU2r5kB7UpI/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="293" data-original-width="196" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6EHykNWD3-d9hdne15i3f2aJlGKggiE61Y8DG5CPi_RhjcE5AH7TuCw8etZ0QU6vrL9VCQf2oBBphPCCsA2EUEiNAA3B-KS5pNC0oX9LwVZAuyhEMFTRtMoHm93QDs9t3qU2r5kB7UpI/" width="161" /></a></div> This was the first Christina Dodd book I've read and it had me from the first sentence! I listened to it on audiobook through hoopla and it was grippingly narrated by Vanessa Johansson<span style="font-size: 15px;">. A good narrator makes or breaks an audiobook and Ms. Johansson definitely made this a listen to the end experience from the start!</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px;">It is set in Alaska, a place I have always found fascinating as a setting for a story, and begins with Petie, a young woman caretaking at a fishing camp in the wilderness, she is dealing with a wild winter storm and a power outage, but is self sufficient enough to be able to get things working again. How she came to be living such a solitary existence unfolds as we learn that not long before she had been a resident of a juvenile detention home in California, and her name had been Evie Jones. Abandoned by her mother and sister, her caseworker helps her find a job.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px;">This job turns out to be working for a seemingly well-off man who wants an assistant to help him with his business in a house filled with antiquities in a small town in Alaska. This man, Donald White, meets her at the airport and has her drive his fancy jaguar despite the fact that she only just got her license. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px;">As she cleans and prepares food and does computer work for Mr. White, he also makes some odd requests of her, that she deposit large sums of money in a bank account in town that is listed under her name. He explains that he is saving money to help the former owner of the house who is being help prisoner by a rebel gang in a foreign country. He tells her the man's wife sold him the house took her son and went to live with relatives until her husband's release. He also tells her he'll be away at times and that she never look in the basement because she might get injured going down the stairs leading to it.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: 15px;">What happens next will hook you into reading, or listening to the very end, as Evie/Petie finds herself framed for a double murder and the story takes off from there and is filled with some surprising twists and turns and reveals! If you love a good thriller filled with great characters, a unique setting and that wraps everything up perfectly, then this book is for you! </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQleuhgq44ceA54YapPOsjoUEQaYqu2EvyN6HnGwNzzMDL7EamglVNEJhGjKNGHT6F4kA7EPfSJCFRp0G2agdZfCcJYhguomDS0FhRtQ2AlQGqzPfEwMfkmrmQYxpbsJnqcPHUasAN1GE/s920/wrongalibi1clr+s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQleuhgq44ceA54YapPOsjoUEQaYqu2EvyN6HnGwNzzMDL7EamglVNEJhGjKNGHT6F4kA7EPfSJCFRp0G2agdZfCcJYhguomDS0FhRtQ2AlQGqzPfEwMfkmrmQYxpbsJnqcPHUasAN1GE/w418-h640/wrongalibi1clr+s.jpg" width="418" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span><p></p>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17597916863723389117noreply@blogger.com0