Summerland by Elin Hilderbran Little Brown and Company June 2012 Format: Hardcover, 416 pages First line: Nantucket: the name of the island brought to mind rolling surf, cobblestone streets, the brick mansions of whaling captains, a battered Jeep Wrangler with a surfboard strapped to the roll bars. From the inside cover: A perfect summer night ends in a deadly crash – and four lives are changed forever. On a warm…
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Spring Fever by Mary Kaye Andrews Narrated by Kathleen McInerney Macmillian Audio 2012 Length: 15.5 hours From the back of the audio case: When you think the past is over and you’ve moved on in life, there’s no harm in catching a little spring fever…is there? Annajane Hudgens truly believes she is over her ex-husband, Mason Bayless, and she has absolutely no problem attending his wedding to Celia, the woman…
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It’s Monday What Are you Reading , hosted by Sheila, is the perfect way for me to begin my week and allows me to focus on what needs to be read and to see what I have or have not accomplished the previous week. I also enjoy discovering new books by visiting other participants blogs. Where did the week go and how is it that August begins this week? I…
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Tynga of Tynga’s Reviews is starting a new meme to spotlight the books we receive each week. Here’s what I got: For Review: Return to Willow Lake (e-book) by Susan Wigg This is Susan Wigg’s latest book in the Lakeshore Chronicles and I cannot wait to start reading it…I love this series! The Sweetness of Forgetting by Kristin Harmel…
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Gold by Chris Cleave Narrated by Emila Fox Simon & Schuster Audio 2012 Length: 11.5 hours From the back of the audio case: What would you sacrifice for the people you love? Kate and Zoe met at nineteen when they both made the cut for the national training program in track cycling – a sport that demands intense focus, blinding exertion, and unwavering commitment. They are built to exploit the…
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Here are the winners from my last 2 giveaways: CONGRATULATIONS to Lisa winner of Midnight Promises by Sherryl Woods ************************************************************* CONGRATULATIONS to Na winner of The Queen’s Vow by C.W. Gortner Random.org selected the winners. Thanks to all who entered the giveaway!
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Forbidden Falls by Robyn Carr Mira Books December 2009 Format: e-book, 384 pages First line: Recently ordained minister Noah Kincaid was surfing the Internet, killing time, when quite by chance, he happened to find a church being auctioned on eBay – in some little place he’d never heard of – Virgin River. Synopsis from B&N: Virgin River is abuzz with the news that a stranger bought the town’s abandoned church…
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That Holiday Feeling by Debbie Macomber, Sherryl Woods, Robyn Carr Mira Books October 2009 Format: e-book, 384 pages First line: “Dad, you don’t understand.” Synopsis from B&N: Silver Bells by Debbie Macomber In this classic story, Debbie brings those Manning men and Manning sisters home for a mistletoe marriage when a single dad finally says “I do.” The Perfect Holiday by Sherryl Woods Will bachelor Trace Franklin become a…
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Now available in paperback: About the book: Caleb’s Crossing is inspired by the life of Caleb Cheeshahteaumauk, the first Native American to graduate from Harvard College in 1665. Brooks first learned about him during her time as a Radcliffe fellow at Harvard in 2006. Caleb was from the Wampanoag tribe of Native Americans who lived on Martha’s Vineyard and this year Tiffany Smalley will become the second Vineyard Wampanoag to…
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Return to Rose Cottage by Sherryl Woods Mira Books November 2010 Format: Paperback, 488 pages First line: The headline said it all: Guilty Man Freed. Synopsis from B&N: New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Sherryl Woods draws you into the world of Rose Cottage, where the D’Angelo sisters reunite with family and find lasting love. The Laws of Attraction High-powered attorney Ashley D’Angelo has finally burned out. After…
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It’s Monday What Are you Reading , hosted by Sheila, isthe perfect way for me to begin my week and allows me to focus on what needs to be read and to see what I have or have not accomplished the previous week. I also enjoy discovering new books by visiting other participants blogs. Some of you might have noticed that I was basically MIA last week – and it…
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It’s Monday What Are you Reading , hosted by Sheila, isthe perfect way for me to begin my week and allows me to focus on what needs to be read and to see what I have or have not accomplished the previous week. I also enjoy discovering new books by visiting other participants blogs. It was a good week. I got some reading done, including finishing up 2 audio books…
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Wallflower in Bloom by Claire Cook A Touchstone Book June 2012 Format: Hardcover, 272 pages First line: My brother was dazzling, as usual. From the inside cover: From the acclaimed bestselling author of Must Love Dogs comes a winning and witty new novel about a woman who emerges from the shadow of her overbearing family and finds herself “dancing with the stars.” Deirdre Griffin has a great life; it’s just…
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Tynga of Tynga’s Reviews is starting a new meme to spotlight the books we receive each week. Here’s what I got: For Review: Better than Chocolate by Sheila Roberts Oh yeah…this is definitely my type of read, although I’m not sure there are too many things that are really better than chocolate! Be sure to stay on the lookout for this review due out this fall –…
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The Last Queen by C.W. Gortner Ballantine Books May 2009 Format: Paperback, 400 pages First line: I was thirteen years old when my parents conquered Granada. From the back cover: In this stunning novel, C. W. Gortner brings to life Juana of Castile, the third child of Queen Isabel and King Ferdinand of Spain, who would become the last queen of Spanish blood to inherit her country’s throne. Along the…
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Death du Jour by Kathy Reichs Narrated by Bonnie Hurren Chivers Audio Books 1999 Length: 13 hrs, 30 min From the back of the audio case: March in Montreal: it is a bitterly cold night and in the eerie silence of an old church, forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan digs carefully. She is there to exhume the remains of a nun who died in 1888 and is now proposed for…
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I am pleased to welcome C.W. Gortner, who wrote The Queen’s Vow to Always With a Book. You can read my review of her book here and be sure to enter the giveaway below for a chance to win a copy of The Queen’s Vow along with a painted Spanish fan – see below for details! About the author: C.W. Gortner is the author of The Last Queen, The Confessions…
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The Queen’s Vow by C.W. Gortner Ballantine Books June 2012 Format: Hardcover, 400 pages First line: No one believed I was destined for greatness. From the inside cover: No one believed I was destined for greatness. So begins Isabella’s story, in this evocative, vividly imagined novel about one of history’s most famous and controversial queens—the warrior who united a fractured country, the champion of the faith whose reign gave rise…
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After a short break, I am happy to announce that my monthly giveaways are back. This month there are 5 selections: Private #1 Suspect By: James Patterson Format: Hardcover My review Big Sky Country By: Linda Lael Miller Format: ARC Paperback My review A Sheetcake Named Desire By: Jacklyn Brady Format: Paperback My review Knock Out By: Catherine Coulter Format: Paperback My review Inseparable By: Dora Heldt Format: Paperback…
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It’s Monday What Are you Reading , hosted by Sheila, isthe perfect way for me to begin my week and allows me to focus on what needs to be read and to see what I have or have not accomplished the previous week. I also enjoy discovering new books by visiting other participants blogs. Well, for all my good intentions of getting a lot of reading done last week, it…
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Tynga of Tynga’s Reviews is starting a new meme to spotlight the books we receive each week. Here’s what I got: For Review: Gold (audio) by Chris Cleave This is the latest by Chris Cleave and it deals with the Olympics. Big Sky Mountain (e-book) by Linda Lael Miller This is the next in Linda Lael Miller’s…
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By Hook or By Crook by Betty Hechtman Berkley Prime Crime June 2009 Format: Paperback, 272 pages First line: Nobody noticed the bag at first. From the back cover: Yarnaholic Molly Pink has become known in Tarzana, California, for her sleuthing skills, thanks to the help of her crochet group. But the latest mystery may be too much for these stitchers to unravel… There’s nothing the Tarzana Hookers love more…
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The Masque of the Black Tulip by Lauren Willig New American Library October 2006 Format: Paperback, 464 pages First line: I bit my lip on an “Are we there yet?” From the back cover: Modern-day graduate student Eloise achieved the academic coup of the century when she unmasked one of history’s greatest spies, the Pink Carnation, who saved England from Napoleon. But now she has a million questions about the…
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I am pleased to welcome author Sherryl Woods to Always With a Book. Her latest book, Midnight Promises, is now available. You can read my review of her book here. Today Sherryl is talking about her Sweet Magnolia series. Be sure to enter the giveaway at the end of this post! Whether you’re a longtime reader of my Sweet Magnolias series or just discovering it with the latest trilogy…
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Midnight Promises by Sherryl Woods Mira Books July 2012 Format: Paperback, 384 pages First line: The bride wore a cocktail-length, off-the-shoulder gown in shimmering off-white satin and an antique lace mantilla – a family heirloom – reluctantly provided by her soon-to-be mother-in-law. From the back of the book: When Elliot Cruz first courted struggling single mom Karen Ames, it was a romance worthy of any Sweet Magnolia fantasy. The sexy…
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It’s Monday What Are you Reading , hosted by Sheila, isthe perfect way for me to begin my week and allows me to focus on what needs to be read and to see what I have or have not accomplished the previous week. I also enjoy discovering new books by visiting other participants blogs. Last week was a busy week with Audio Book Week and Jenn over at Devourer of…
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Here are my reading stats for June! Books read: 16 Books I read (reviewed ones have * and link to review; books not yet reviewed will be linked up once review is posted.) Two for the Dough* by Janet Evanovich Big Cherry Holler* by Adriana Trigiani The Weird Sisters* by Eleanor Brown The Secret Keeper* by Sandra Byrd Karma* by Karly Phillips Three to Get Deadly* by Janet Evanovich Whiplash*…
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Tynga of Tynga’s Reviews is starting a new meme to spotlight the books we receive each week. Here’s what I got: For Review: Midnight Promises by Sherryl Woods Sherryl Woods is releasing three new books in her Sweet Magnolia’s series and I was lucky enough to get ARCs of all three. I can’t wait to catch up the Sweet Magnolia gang! This is book 8 in the series. Catching Fireflies by…
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Whiplash by Catherine Coulter Jove Books, New York July 2011 Trade Paperback, 433 pages First line: Erin used her third-generation lock picks. From the inside cover: When Yale professor Dr. Edward Kender’s father undergoes chemotherapy for colon cancer and the supply of the critical drug Culovort suddenly runs short, Kender hires P.I. Erin Pulaski to prove that something more sinister is going on at Schiffer Hartwin Pharmaceutical. On the same…
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From the back of the audio case: Bang, bang, she’s back! Stephanie Plum, the tough-talking, mace-packing female bounty hunter from New Jersey, has returned to thrill and amuse listeners in the third book of this acclaimed series. Best-selling author Janet Evanovich creates an outrageously high-spirited romp through the gritty Trenton landscape. Cursed with a disastrous new hair color and unable to shake Lula – a 230-pound former prostitute and bounty…
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Today is the final discussion post for Audiobook Week 2012. I want to thank Jen at Devourer of Books for hosting a great week of discussions centered around audiobooks this week. Here’s today’s discussion topic: Where do you learn about great audiobook titles? Find reviews? Buy your audiobooks? Share your secrets with the rest of us! I get the majority of my audiobooks from the library – both in…
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First line: Shane Stryker was determined enough to never walk away from a fight and smart enough to know when he’d been beat. From the back cover: Horse whisperer Shane Stryker is done with passion. This time around, he’s determined to meet someone who will be content with the quiet life of a rancher’s wife. And the fiery pint-size redhead who dazzles him at the local bar definitely does not…
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June is Audiobook Month and Jen at Devourer of Books is hosting a special week dedicated to audiobooks this week. Today’s discussion topic is about narrators: Who are your favorite narrators and why? What do you look for in a narrator? Have a preference between male or female narrators? Alternate suggestion: Narration preferences: single narrator, multiple narrators, full cast, etc? I have to say that I don’t usually pick…
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Welcome to day three of Audio Book Week! I’ve been having a great time visiting the audiobook blogging community and have gotten lots of tips for what to include in audio reviews to make them stand out and be helpful for others when it comes to picking audio books. Today is the mid-week meme. Current/most recent audiobook: I’m currently listening to 2 audio books: * in the car: Spring…
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Summary from Goodreads: There is no problem that a library card can’t solve. The Andreas family is one of readers. Their father, a renowned Shakespeare professor who speaks almost entirely in verse, has named his three daughters after famous Shakespearean women. When the sisters return to their childhood home, ostensibly to care for their ailing mother, but really to lick their wounds and bury their secrets, they are horrified to…
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June is Audiobook Month and Jen at Devourer of Books is hosting a special week dedicated to audiobooks this week. Today’s discussion topic is about reviewing audiobooks: Discuss the essentials of audiobook reviewing. What do you make sure to include? What do you want to see when you read other people’s reviews? This is an area that I tend to struggle with as I haven’t really made much distinction in…
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From the back of the audio case: Stephanie Plum, the sassiest, spunkiest female bounty hunter in America (or at least New Jersey) is back to take on her second case. She’s armed with attitude and outrageous fashion sense – not to mention stun guns, defense sprays, killer flashlights, and her trusty .38 – and all the determination a neophyte bounty hunter can muster. In Two for the Dough, she’s after…
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June is Audiobook Month and Jen at Devourer of Books is hosting a special week dedicated to audiobooks this week. This is my second year participating and I can’t wait to see what’s in store all week! The first discussion topic for this week is “2011-2012, Your Audiobook Year.” And the description for this discussion topic is: Are you new to audiobooks in the last year? Have you been listening…
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It’s Monday What Are you Reading , hosted by Sheila, isthe perfect way for me to begin my week and allows me to focus on what needs to be read and to see what I have or have not accomplished the previous week. I also enjoy discovering new books by visiting other participants blogs. Last week marked the end of the Spring Reading Thing hosted by Caterina at Callapidder Days…
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Tynga of Tynga’s Reviews is starting a new meme to spotlight the books we receive each week. Here’s what I got: For Review: Raising Wild Ginger by Tara Woolpy I had received an arc e-copy of this book a while ago, which I read and provided Tara a review blurb for the book. I was thrilled to see that my blurb is on the back cover of the book – how cool!!!…
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Please join Rose City Reader every Friday to share the first sentence (or so) of the book you are reading, along with your initial thoughts about the sentence, impressions of the book, or anything else the opener inspires. Please remember to include the title of the book and the author. I’m reading Wallflower in Bloom by Claire Cook: My brother was dazzling, as usual. “Do. You. Have. Passion?” he roared.…
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First line: Dare Barron heard the commotion in the police station center earlier as his least favorite offender was brought in on a drunk and disorderly charge. From the back cover: Office Dare Barron has had a crush on Liza McKnight ever since he was a teenager. But despite his lifelong attraction, the closest he’s ever come to interacting with Liza is watching her regularly bail out her brother down…
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If you’re coming from the blog tour, welcome! Below you’ll find the next excerpt of Big Sky Country and the link to tomorrow’s piece as well. If this is your first stop on the tour, you’ll need to start from the beginning to get the whole excerpt. Go here, to see the full list of blog tour stops. First line: “You weren’t at the funeral,” Slade Barlow’s half brother, Hutch…
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Another reading challenged has come to a close. As you can see from my list, I finished reading 19 out of the 20 books I had listed. I was also able to read an additional 19 books during this time that were not on my original list. That puts my total number of books read from March 20 to June 20 to 38 books!!! Here’s my original list (all books…
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First line: The rain is coming down on this old stone house so hard, it seems there are a hundred tap dancers on the roof. From the back cover: It’s been eight years since Ave Maria Mulligan married Jack MacChesney, moved up into the hills, and dug her roots in even deeper. In this enthralling second installment in the Big Stone Gap series, their honeymoon haze has evolved into a…
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It’s Monday What Are you Reading , hosted by Sheila, isthe perfect way for me to begin my week and allows me to focus on what needs to be read and to see what I have or have not accomplished the previous week. I also enjoy discovering new books by visiting other participants blogs. This is the last week of the Spring Reading Thing reading challenge hosted by Catrina over…
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First line: Tori Sinclair had always prided herself on being a relatively calm person – the kind of woman who kept a cool head and a professional demeanor at all times. From the back cover: Tori Sinclair is basking in the warmth of her new circle of friends. That is until local author Colby Calhoun reveals an unflattering secret about the town’s historic past. He soon finds that when you…
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Tynga of Tynga’s Reviews is starting a new meme to spotlight the books we receive each week. Here’s what I got: For Review: Spring Fever (audio) by Mary Kaye Andrews This is the newest from Mary Kaye Andrews. I’ve a few of her other books and find them to be quite fun! Purchased: The Diary of Darcy J. Rhone (free e-book) by Emily Giffin…
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First line: “Everyone, shut up!” From the inside cover: The first time she speaks to him is at midnight. Seven-year-old Autumn Backman needs a hero. When she sees Special Agent Dillon Savich on TV after he’s brought down bank robbers in a Georgetown bank, she knows she’s found him. She called Savich, but she didn’t use the phone. They were burying dead people in my daddy’s grave … they’re coming…
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From the back of the audio case: In her bestselling novels Kristin Hannah has plumbed the depths of friendship, the loyalty of sisters, and the secrets mothers keep. Now, in her most emotionally powerful story yet, she explores the intimate landscape of a troubled marriage with this provocative and timely portrait of a husband and wife, in love and at war. All marriages have a breaking point. All families…
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