tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7080023250973054052024-03-19T04:48:38.226-04:00Novel EscapesCome find your next great read...NovelEscapeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02607229564049147637noreply@blogger.comBlogger1185125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708002325097305405.post-84746541393785822662019-11-12T06:30:00.000-05:002019-11-12T06:30:00.531-05:00The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPX6TlnATcWmpHlzCd9yqy8jffytfznTfF9ElEbClCGhGTBXNLdOr7romgPf8OBZ4DnVtbf6a_Iiw-btFC9OfHdA0ht0VuKBdLUBO18Fpds14bH_fzTVncYdUWMaKJaVzOTWUWShGOsQ/s1600/the+graveyard+book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="306" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLPX6TlnATcWmpHlzCd9yqy8jffytfznTfF9ElEbClCGhGTBXNLdOr7romgPf8OBZ4DnVtbf6a_Iiw-btFC9OfHdA0ht0VuKBdLUBO18Fpds14bH_fzTVncYdUWMaKJaVzOTWUWShGOsQ/s320/the+graveyard+book.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After the grisly murder of his entire family, a toddler wanders into a graveyard where the ghosts and other supernatural residents agree to raise him as one of their own.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nobody Owens, known to his friends as Bod, is a normal boy. He would be completely normal if he didn't live in a sprawling graveyard, being raised and educated by ghosts, with a solitary guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead. There are dangers and adventures in the graveyard for a boy. But if Bod leaves the graveyard, then he will come under attack from the man Jack—who has already killed Bod's family...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Graveyard-Book-Neil-Gaiman/dp/0060530944/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1570556745&sr=8-1">Amazon</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/graveyard-book-neil-gaiman/1100258468?ean=9780060530945#/">Barnes&Noble</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Graveyard-Book-Neil-Gaiman-ebook/dp/B0011UJM48/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+graveyard+book&qid=1570556745&sr=8-1">Kindle</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/graveyard-book-neil-gaiman/1100258468?ean=9780061972652#/">Nook</a> <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/the-graveyard-book">Kobo</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Kathryn - 4 Star</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Completely outside of my usual genre this was an interesting read and I'm glad I'm in a book club that will push my boundaries! Firstly I don't often read stories that delve into the fantastical (apart from Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings) as I often spend half the novel getting my bearings on the new world and not focusing on the characters. However this book didn't require too much brain reconfiguration at first so I was able to focus on people and plot. It's a bit alarming that this tiny child finds himself being raised by a load of ghosts, but they are good ghost people and obviously care for their charge very much. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I wish we had had more details on the living accommodations and the practicalities of how they actually fed an alive child when they were dead.. but likely that was just my inability to just accept things as they were. The novel is a touch creepy, not because of the ghosts but because someone is clearly after this small child and there is a scene where he is chased by some foul creatures that made me feel very uneasy. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Despite my misgivings and nitpicking about the practicalities I was quite touched by this story. The kindness of strangers and the sense of community was very hopeful.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>All opinions are our own.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Connect with Neil Gaiman:</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.neilgaiman.com/">Website</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1221698.Neil_Gaiman">Goodreads</a></span></div>
<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span>NovelEscapeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02607229564049147637noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708002325097305405.post-69370882902517641762019-11-04T06:30:00.000-05:002019-11-04T06:30:13.040-05:00The Orphan Sisters by Shirley Dickson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytOb6J5ntMGpSdBymYYkqYwgxuhW_CpFQuZznPDFnWk56f5tY8x1sG6eSeCUtppbfweibm57Ys-MjTZdFMuhnBAzhnAg1G3ITJDyUEY-Hd7XD1RUacz34b5dTLAfcXOhF045DTIlYjhw/s1600/The+orphan+sisters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytOb6J5ntMGpSdBymYYkqYwgxuhW_CpFQuZznPDFnWk56f5tY8x1sG6eSeCUtppbfweibm57Ys-MjTZdFMuhnBAzhnAg1G3ITJDyUEY-Hd7XD1RUacz34b5dTLAfcXOhF045DTIlYjhw/s320/The+orphan+sisters.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1929: Four-year-old Etty and eight-year-old Dorothy are abandoned at Blakely Hall orphanage by their mother, never to see her again. With no other family to speak of, the sisters worship their beloved mam – confused and heartbroken to be deserted by her when they need her the most.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1940: Etty and Dorothy are finally released from the confines of Blakely Hall – but their freedom comes when the country is in the grip of World War Two and its terrors. Amidst a devastating backdrop of screaming air-raid sirens and cold nights huddled in shelters, the sisters are desperate to put their broken childhoods behind them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But trouble lies ahead. Dorothy must bid goodbye to her beloved husband when he’s sent to war and Etty must nurse a broken heart as she falls in love with the one man she can never be with.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Etty and Dorothy survived the orphanage with the help of one another and neither sister can forget the awful betrayal of their mother, which has haunted them their whole lives. But when a shocking secret about their painful childhood comes to light, will the sisters ever be the same again?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Orphan-Sisters-Shirley-Dickson/dp/1538701340/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1570555977&sr=8-1">Amazon</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-orphan-sisters-shirley-dickson/1130920733?ean=9781786817150">Barnes&Noble</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Orphan-Sisters-heartbreaking-gripping-historical-ebook/dp/B07JY7ZVBZ/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+orphan+sisters&qid=1570555977&sr=8-1">Kindle</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-orphan-sisters-shirley-dickson/1130920733?ean=9781786817143">Nook</a> <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/the-orphan-sisters-1">Kobo</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Kathryn - 2 Star</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In truth I was expecting more from this book. The premise was there to give a gritty account of the two sisters lives but in reality each period of their lives seemed incomplete for me. I wanted more from their time in the orphanage and more of their jobs once they grew out of the system. I wanted to know more about their daily lives as adults before we reached the point where they were dealing with more tragedy. And though I loved Dorothy's husband, I was unimpressed with the back and forth with Etty's love interest. The romance bored me and made the rest of the book less interesting. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There were some interesting moments such as the girls arrival and time at Blakely Hall and I liked the mystery surrounding their mother. I also did enjoy the relationship between the sisters. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm not sure quite where it went wrong for me, likely Etty's love life, but it just didn't keep me engaged as I had hoped. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Thank you to Bookouture for our review copy. All opinions are our own.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">Connect with Shirley Dickson:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/shirleydicksonbooks/">Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/shirleydwriter?lang=en">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18694854.Shirley_Dickson">Goodreads</a></span></div>
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NovelEscapeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02607229564049147637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708002325097305405.post-10740828377693973342019-10-28T06:30:00.000-04:002019-10-28T06:30:03.933-04:00Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpkUDvgGEnhES-wsf8zKli-ivVL7ri-Jie1hOyAP057U8w79ZWc_CWWGMzIIlgPpyV5_jpeVAZ1UJJP_DsckoxdvWneXQHgVxrtCkZgZ6_h8B3k_jVWMj6FMfGTWxdACPFxrsoj6zyFs/s1600/where+the+crawdads+sing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="221" data-original-width="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpkUDvgGEnhES-wsf8zKli-ivVL7ri-Jie1hOyAP057U8w79ZWc_CWWGMzIIlgPpyV5_jpeVAZ1UJJP_DsckoxdvWneXQHgVxrtCkZgZ6_h8B3k_jVWMj6FMfGTWxdACPFxrsoj6zyFs/s1600/where+the+crawdads+sing.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>4 Star</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life–until the unthinkable happens.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Where-Crawdads-Sing-Delia-Owens/dp/1984827618/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1569677819&sr=">Amazon</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/where-the-crawdads-sing-delia-owens/1127681226?ean=9780735219090#/">Barnes & Noble</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Where-Crawdads-Sing-Delia-Owens-ebook/dp/B078GD3DRG/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1569677819&sr=">Kindle</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/where-the-crawdads-sing-delia-owens/1127681226?ean=9780735219113#/">Nook</a> <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/where-the-crawdads-sing">Kobo</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Madison - 4 Star</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I had been hearing a lot of praise about this novel and thankfully it did not disappoint. Where the Crawdads Sing is set in Barkley Cove, a small quiet town on the North Carolina coast. The protagonist is Kya Clark, known by the townspeople as “Marsh Girl”. When she is six years old her Mother walks away and slowly the rest of her family leaves until she is left to fend for herself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There are several heartbreaking moments in this novel as Kya deals with being abandoned by her family, though the author does a good job of exploring the reasons behind this abandonment. Kya is a refreshingly strong female protagonist that even when being stubborn you find yourself always rooting for.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I found myself completely immersed in the descriptive nature writing in this novel with elegant prose and sweeping descriptions of the marsh and its wildlife. It felt fitting in light of the current climate crisis to have a main character that is literally raised by Mother Nature, and who is deeply grateful for her surrounding environment. Parallel to Kya's story of survival is also a mystery around the death of a town legend and golden boy Chase Andrews. I don't know that this novel would satisfy hardcore mystery fans, it is definitely a great combination of mystery, nature writing and historical fiction.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>All opinions are our own.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Connect with Delia Owens:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.deliaowens.com/">Website</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/authordeliaowens/">Facebook </a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7043934.Delia_Owens">Goodreads</a></span></div>
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klacebyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12135180221460723888noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708002325097305405.post-34447032832119911902019-10-21T06:30:00.000-04:002019-10-21T06:30:01.810-04:00The New Beginnings Coffee Club by Samantha Tonge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfkmbrfsdNm8-VF41ZGSamHhb5g23tkVAJ02nSHYsV1BfPIDJCfOtWOm95xSLS7-3AK38Xh2n5ozAHDUytBRGf2By5RdFNtKPmVWQuyxlzwekD_3-ufzBwOknSlIdSEmm29mMuF7rSoiU/s1600/new+beginnings+coffee+club.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="297" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfkmbrfsdNm8-VF41ZGSamHhb5g23tkVAJ02nSHYsV1BfPIDJCfOtWOm95xSLS7-3AK38Xh2n5ozAHDUytBRGf2By5RdFNtKPmVWQuyxlzwekD_3-ufzBwOknSlIdSEmm29mMuF7rSoiU/s320/new+beginnings+coffee+club.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>4 Star</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Everyone deserves a second chance…don’t they?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jenny Masters finds herself living the modern dream. Wife to a millionaire, living in a mansion and mother to Kardashian-obsessed ten-year-old April, there isn’t anything missing. Until, her whole world comes crashing down, forcing Jenny and April to leave behind their glittering life and start over with nothing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With village gossip following her wherever she goes, she finds refuge and a job in the new coffee shop in town. As the days pass Jenny fears she doesn’t have what it takes to pick herself back up and give April the life she always wanted to. But with the help of enigmatic new boss Noah, and housemate Elle, Jenny realises it’s never too late to become the woman life really intended you to be!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/New-Beginnings-Coffee-Club-heartwarming-ebook/dp/B06XQXB4JY/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=new+beginnings+coffee+club&qid=1570554397&sr=8-1">Kindle</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-new-beginnings-coffee-club-samantha-tonge/1126029961?ean=9780008239169">Nook</a> <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/the-new-beginnings-coffee-club-the-feel-good-heartwarming-read-from-bestselling-author-samantha-tonge">Kobo</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Kathryn - 4 Star</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is a sweet novel full of things to restore feelings of friendship and faith in humanity. I appreciated though that Jenny's daughter April was a typically self centered pre-teen with attitude I could recognize. There was certainly an element of reality injected into this novel mingled with the loveliness. A good start was Jenny's decision to get herself a new life as soon as she realized that she could not salvage her marriage. I adored that she didn't feel her new abode was beneath her recent status nor did she shy away from hard work, making friends with people she would not have known in her prior life and she didn't give her daughter any leeway in getting on with it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I often find myself a bit annoyed with leading ladies in stories of this nature but Jenny was different and I loved her and her colleagues. They were the best kind of people and she was so lucky to find them. I was also pleased that April wasn't left out of the story line, we are given her story even though the focus was on Jenny and I gleaned a little insight into my own children by reading about her.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A good story with some different takes and I enjoyed it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>All opinions are our own.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Connect with Samantha Tonge:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://samanthatonge.co.uk/">Website</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SamTongeWriter">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7305225.Samantha_Tonge">Goodreads</a></span></div>
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NovelEscapeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02607229564049147637noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708002325097305405.post-26124016892828595802019-10-14T06:30:00.000-04:002019-10-14T06:30:04.016-04:00No One Ever Asked by Katie Ganshert<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIpiwcZWkAnEfWu8Xexg7dvf2K-o7pmH8HE08v9J7lsOrSN7W6O3y_8wW927jwNADv704X2P9A4exhs1nlmryaRD-pHgAqNOSl0MJCNe5upC4Ppnvls-gCTN2qqDyxLYiJuslcWHMXJXk/s1600/no+one+ever+asked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="230" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIpiwcZWkAnEfWu8Xexg7dvf2K-o7pmH8HE08v9J7lsOrSN7W6O3y_8wW927jwNADv704X2P9A4exhs1nlmryaRD-pHgAqNOSl0MJCNe5upC4Ppnvls-gCTN2qqDyxLYiJuslcWHMXJXk/s320/no+one+ever+asked.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>4 Star</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When an impoverished school district loses its accreditation and the affluent community of Crystal Ridge has no choice but to open their school doors, the lives of three very different women converge: Camille Gray--the wife of an executive, mother of three, long-standing PTA chairwoman and champion fundraiser--faced with a shocking discovery that threatens to tear her picture-perfect world apart at the seams. Jen Covington, the career nurse whose long, painful journey to motherhood finally resulted in adoption but she is struggling with a happily-ever-after so much harder than she anticipated. Twenty-two-year-old Anaya Jones--the first woman in her family to graduate college and a brand new teacher at Crystal Ridge's top elementary school, unprepared for the powder-keg situation she's stepped into. Tensions rise within and without, culminating in an unforeseen event that impacts them all. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/No-One-Ever-Asked-Novel/dp/1601429045/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=no+one+ever+asked&qid=1570553718&sr=8-1">Amazon</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/no-one-ever-asked-katie-ganshert/1127120735?ean=9781601429049#/">Barnes&Noble</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/No-One-Ever-Asked-Novel-ebook/dp/B073R2XC82/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1570553718&sr=8-1">Kindle</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/no-one-ever-asked-katie-ganshert/1127120735?ean=9781601429056#/">Nook</a> <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/no-one-ever-asked">Kobo</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Kathryn - 4 Star</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>No one ever asked </i>by Katie Ganshert was a big surprised to me. Not only was I fully engrossed by the story but I was impressed with the tackling of such diverse points of view. This is my first read of this author and I was impressed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The three women come from different backgrounds and face different obstacles but all are affected by the same district reorganization of their schooling system. It was a tough subject to tackle and I think Ganshert did it with grace. I'm not completely sure all voices could be considered one hundred percent authentic but I found each one fascinating as I'm not in a position to relate to any of them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I tend to be inclined to give anyone the benefit of the doubt but even I had a lot of trouble warming to Camille. She epitomized everything that made me and still makes me nervous about the "cool" kids. The teacher, Miss.Jones, had me much more comfortable though I am not of the same background. I loved her attitude, her empathy towards all her students and her strength. And I related most to Jen who had finally realized her dream of being a mother and yet found herself floundering. The three stories overlapped but not in a way that seemed unnatural. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My only issue with the book was the "climax" which I found a bit contrived and obvious. I wish it had been a more subtle event.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The novel is worth reading for it's examination of the three very different lives which are tackled with great genuineness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Thank you to Waterbook for our review copy. All opinions are our own.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><b>Connect with Katie Ganshert:</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://katieganshert.com/">Website</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKatieGanshert/">Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KatieGanshert">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5197636.Katie_Ganshert">Goodreads</a></span></div>
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NovelEscapeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02607229564049147637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708002325097305405.post-59361530845687245102019-10-07T06:30:00.000-04:002019-10-07T06:30:05.580-04:00Fake Like Me by Barbara Bourland<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS_wOVhHY-AiOiqSFaOrp1vw4IUwALyNwqkJs0CqcpBYB0vxbRYP433mk5ljfBy9oX-Wsz1crntFOgRPRByWmpXh9YNMSph149XraUnLy7DLkKzBM7bxByWT2zwW4TMCVt8QLafGSisW8/s1600/fake+like+me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS_wOVhHY-AiOiqSFaOrp1vw4IUwALyNwqkJs0CqcpBYB0vxbRYP433mk5ljfBy9oX-Wsz1crntFOgRPRByWmpXh9YNMSph149XraUnLy7DLkKzBM7bxByWT2zwW4TMCVt8QLafGSisW8/s320/fake+like+me.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>4 Star</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After a fire decimates her studio, including the seven billboard-size paintings for her next show, a young, no-name painter is left with an impossible task: recreate her art in three months-or ruin her fledgling career.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Homeless and desperate, she flees to an exclusive retreat in upstate New York famous for its outrageous revelries and glamorous artists. And notorious as the place where brilliant young artist Carey Logan-one of her idols-drowned in the lake.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But when she arrives, the retreat is a ghost of its former self. No one shares their work. No parties light up the deck. No one speaks of Carey, though her death haunts the cabins and the black lake, lurking beneath the surface like a shipwreck. As the young painter works obsessively in Carey's former studio, uncovers strange secrets and starts to fall--hard and fast--for Carey's mysterious boyfriend, it's as if she's taking her place.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But one thought shadows her every move: What really happened to Carey Logan?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fake-Like-Me-Barbara-Bourland/dp/1538759497/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1569677578&sr=8-1">Amazon</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fake-like-me-barbara-bourland/1129707643?ean=9781538759516#/">Barnes & Noble</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fake-Like-Me-Barbara-Bourland-ebook/dp/B07J54DVNG/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1569677578&sr=8-1">Kindle</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fake-like-me-barbara-bourland/1129707643?ean=9781538759509#/">Nook</a> <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/fake-like-me-1">Kobo</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Sabrina-Kate - 4 Star</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another thriller that gripped my attention, I quite enjoyed Fake Like Me, despite not being into the art scene. I feel like if I was, I would have enjoyed it even more because it would have had that much more meaning.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The book had a lot of things that I wondered about, like were they things that were just added to the story, or were they actual facts? It did somewhat add to the overall mystery of the plot and I suspect that they had a basis in reality for those immersed in that scene.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The title could not have been more apt; but, as I think it over, it meant so many things in the book! A big, recurring theme was the authenticity of art and what that means. I can say I certainly learned a lot as far as those things go and how they are viewed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">An eye opening novel that taught me many things, Fake Like Me also surprised me in many ways, including how very much things can be changed to appear differently and the long lasting and numerous effects.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for our review copy. All opinions are our own.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Connect with Barbara Bourland:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.barbarabourland.com/">Website</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15752294.Barbara_Bourland">Goodreads</a></span></div>
klacebyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12135180221460723888noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708002325097305405.post-80662583578455572772019-09-30T06:30:00.000-04:002019-09-30T06:30:00.652-04:00The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVi-pXDBvyRPiSYogozWU-s1lmNNPAwdVthL4O4JcMG27yiTLyVb6dEsOHcI1IXl5osRvj-7eyU-niiNyKuSXKgdxJN8pswfCnrU9E_GrpYWM72nY1mzOyXvQwtP5gZBqwiYoOCVasV1M/s1600/the+mother+in+law.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVi-pXDBvyRPiSYogozWU-s1lmNNPAwdVthL4O4JcMG27yiTLyVb6dEsOHcI1IXl5osRvj-7eyU-niiNyKuSXKgdxJN8pswfCnrU9E_GrpYWM72nY1mzOyXvQwtP5gZBqwiYoOCVasV1M/s320/the+mother+in+law.jpg" width="217" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>3 Star</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">From the moment Lucy met Diana, she was kept at arm's length. Diana is exquisitely polite, but Lucy knows, even after marrying Oliver, that they'll never have the closeness she'd been hoping for.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But who could fault Diana? She was a pillar of the community, an advocate for social justice, the matriarch of a loving family. Lucy had wanted so much to please her new mother-in-law.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">That was ten years ago. Now, Diana has been found dead, leaving a suicide note. But the autopsy reveals evidence of suffocation. And everyone in the family is hiding something...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mother-Law-Novel-Sally-Hepworth/dp/1250120934/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1569676716&sr=8-1">Amazon</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-mother-in-law-sally-hepworth/1128526390?ean=9781250120939#/">Barnes & Noble</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mother-Law-Sally-Hepworth-ebook/dp/B07D2BJ2JQ/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1569676716&sr=8-1">Kindle</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-mother-in-law-sally-hepworth/1128526390?ean=9781250120946#/">Nook</a> <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/the-mother-in-law-5">Kobo</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Kathryn - 3 Star</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I am a big fan of Sally Hepworth. It began with The Secrets of Midwives and I've read everything she's written since. I like that she puts challenges into relationships that seem like they should be fairly simple to solve- but never are.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I enjoyed The Mother in Law simply because I was still doubting my assumptions right until the very end. Though one could assume certain things is valid, but that didn't take away from the suspense for me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Poor Lucy is so desperate for a mother figure and I felt so much empathy for her because Diana is very much surface supportive of the relationship even though she obviously is devoted to Oliver - in a slightly distant sort of way. The frustrating thing is that in hearing both sides there are missteps and misunderstandings that could likely have been cleared up if Oliver had sat them down or they'd gone to some therapy on how to communicate. Diana obviously is not an unkind person, she devotes much of her life to helping others. But she's tough on her daughter as well as Lucy. The mother daughter bond seemed to be fractured for her also. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Once you get into the history of Diana there is a lot of clarity about her upbringing that helps to show us why she is the way she is but it doesn't help make the end any better, except maybe for the reader! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On the whole the suspense was there for this book but I did find it more frustrating that their problems could have been solved with a bit more listening- hindsight indeed. I enjoyed it but it's not my favourite from this author.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Thank you to St Martin's Press for our review copy. All opinions are our own.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Connect with Sally Hepworth:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.sallyhepworthauthor.com/">Website</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sallyhepworthauthor/">Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/sallyhepworth">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8123141.Sally_Hepworth">Goodreads</a></span></div>
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klacebyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12135180221460723888noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708002325097305405.post-69267480857291030342019-09-16T06:30:00.000-04:002019-09-16T06:30:01.438-04:00My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>3.5 Star</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When Korede's dinner is interrupted one night by a distress call from her sister, Ayoola, she knows what's expected of her: bleach, rubber gloves, nerves of steel and a strong stomach. This'll be the third boyfriend Ayoola's dispatched in, quote, self-defence and the third mess that her lethal little sibling has left Korede to clear away. She should probably go to the police for the good of the menfolk of Nigeria, but she loves her sister and, as they say, family always comes first. Until, that is, Ayoola starts dating the doctor where Korede works as a nurse. Korede's long been in love with him, and isn't prepared to see him wind up with a knife in his back: but to save one would mean sacrificing the other... </span><br />
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Madison- 3.5 Star</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This book catches your eye, with a provocative title and stunning cover art. It is a unique, quirky and quick read. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">D</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">espite the title, this book is not a gripping thriller but rather a character study focusing on issues of family, loyalty and societal expectations of beauty. Braithwaite examines how our society treats those it deems beautiful through the character of the younger sister Ayoola. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Everything is easier for Ayoola because of her looks, and her life has always been consequence free. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The difficulty I had with this novel is that the younger sister Ayoola seemed unbelievably obtuse and cruel, and therefore I struggled to picture this character existing in real-life. I did find the author was successful in demonstrating the complicated bond between family. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The older sister, Korede was written in such a way that you could deeply feel for her plight, especially if you understand the bond that siblings can have, but at the same time her complacency in her sister’s behaviour is frustrating. It is an intriguing take on codependency and rivalry amongst family. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Overall, I did enjoy this novel but I would not rave about it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>All opinions are our own.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Connect with Oyinkan Braithwaite:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://oyinkanbraithwaite.com/">Website</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/oyinbraithwaite?lang=en">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14713014.Oyinkan_Braithwaite">Goodreads</a></span><br />
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<br />klacebyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12135180221460723888noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708002325097305405.post-26650168578674684342019-06-21T06:30:00.000-04:002019-06-21T06:30:00.268-04:00Washington Black by Esi Edugyan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: #d0e0e3; color: purple; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Please welcome Madison- our newest reviewer! </span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i style="background-color: #d0e0e3;">Please see the bottom of our review policy page to contact her for your review requests.</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIxjDA0P2mD1G_pwry87rhSdgzkrMIF8_HbuvUFML2vqNjBro9JVGzhV0qT0eQJjq49RRjFTs_hO4NOpNiEsSAo9V4HTwgNk69bGo8UG0DkOJqaX4AG1z7CiWTXlEBYoqGBQlosPZBT_A/s1600/washington+black.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="308" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIxjDA0P2mD1G_pwry87rhSdgzkrMIF8_HbuvUFML2vqNjBro9JVGzhV0qT0eQJjq49RRjFTs_hO4NOpNiEsSAo9V4HTwgNk69bGo8UG0DkOJqaX4AG1z7CiWTXlEBYoqGBQlosPZBT_A/s320/washington+black.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;"> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4 Star</span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Washington Black is an eleven-year-old field slave who knows no other life than the Barbados sugar plantation where he was born. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When his master's eccentric brother chooses him to be his manservant, Wash is terrified of the cruelties he is certain await him. But Christopher Wilde, or "Titch," is a naturalist, explorer, scientist, inventor, and abolitionist. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He initiates Wash into a world where a flying machine can carry a man across the sky; where two people, separated by an impossible divide, might begin to see each other as human; and where a boy born in chains can embrace a life of dignity and meaning. But when a man is killed and a bounty is placed on Wash's head, Titch abandons everything to save him. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What follows is their flight along the eastern coast of America, and, finally, to a remote outpost in the Arctic, where Wash, left on his own, must invent another new life, one which will propel him further across the globe. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Washington-Black-Esi-Edugyan/dp/0525563245/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=washington+black&qid=1560967313&s=gateway&sr=8-1">Amazon</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/washington-black-esi-edugyan/1125397996?ean=9780525563242#/">Barnes & Noble</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Washington-Black-Novel-Esi-Edugyan-ebook/dp/B01MRWLJW5/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1560967313&sr=8-1">Kindle</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/washington-black-esi-edugyan/1125397996?ean=9780525521433#/">Nook</a> <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/washington-black">Kobo</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Madison- 4 Star</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I highly recommend reading Washington Black by Esi Edugyan. When I began reading this novel, all I knew was it was set in the 19th century, and narrated by Washington Black – a slave boy born on a plantation in Barbados. What I discovered was a grand historical adventure story that takes you all over the world. I could not put this book down and found myself excitingly waiting until the end of the day when I could curl up in bed and find out what was going to happen next in the life of Washington Black. Esi Edugyan tackles themes of friendship, family and what is means to be free. The protagonist Washington Black possesses scientific and artistic skills that allow him privileges that others born into slavery would not be afforded. He muses “I had long seen science as the great equalizer. No matter one's race, or sex, or faith - there were facts in the world waiting to be discovered. How little thought I'd given to the ways in which it might be corrupted.” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was very impressed with how Edugyan recreated a time she did not live with such vivid detail, certainty and elegance. Each character was realistic and complex with Washington Black, the narrator, being someone you could relate to even if you share no common characteristics. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My only complaint would be that I found the ending fell a little bit short for how grand and epic the rest of the story had been.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/EsiEdugyan/">Facebook</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/245590.Esi_Edugyan">Goodreads</a></span></div>
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NovelEscapeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02607229564049147637noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708002325097305405.post-70588568891357124052019-05-31T06:30:00.000-04:002019-05-31T06:30:03.799-04:00Return to the Little Cottage on the Hill by Emma Davies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0cW_wGLfnFQKqYINUzauBIGL1jELChw1c13WpDsd6iZEZN-iTBXvmQU7cTgfTkOafWIzl_ehxrWcLx7keTAfQJZRbh2qjH9YgAIx2VYmw5KqWqOo2FA2iqykw64JrTIs7lACxFjpCHEI/s1600/return+to+the+little+cottage+on+the+hill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0cW_wGLfnFQKqYINUzauBIGL1jELChw1c13WpDsd6iZEZN-iTBXvmQU7cTgfTkOafWIzl_ehxrWcLx7keTAfQJZRbh2qjH9YgAIx2VYmw5KqWqOo2FA2iqykw64JrTIs7lACxFjpCHEI/s320/return+to+the+little+cottage+on+the+hill.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>3.5 Star</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It has been a difficult few years for thirty-year-old Megan Forrester, completing her apprenticeship and trying to maintain a long-distance relationship with her gorgeous boyfriend, Liam. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">She’s returned home to compete in a local craft competition. The prize is the chance to design beautiful new gates for the estate at the bottom of the hill, a job which could secure her future in the village forever. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As the contest gets underway, Megan is devastated when a rival design turns out to be almost identical to hers. Someone in the close-knit community must have leaked her sketches, but who? Is it the same person spreading heartbreaking rumours about Liam? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Down to the last few left in the competition, Megan throws her heart and soul into a show-stopping final piece… but will winning even matter when the truth about Liam is finally revealed? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Return-Little-Cottage-Hill-absolutely/dp/1786815036/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1554410305&sr=8-1">Amazon</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/return-to-the-little-cottage-on-the-hill-emma-davies/1128931550?ean=9781786815033">Barnes & Noble</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Return-Little-Cottage-Hill-absolutely-ebook/dp/B07DHVJX33/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Return+to+the+Little+Cottage+on+the+Hill&qid=1554410305&s=gateway&sr=8-1">Kindle</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/return-to-the-little-cottage-on-the-hill-emma-davies/1128931550?ean=9781786815026">Nook</a> <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/return-to-the-little-cottage-on-the-hill">Kobo</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Kathryn - 3.5 Star</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I read this novel a little while ago so am writing my review without the benefit of it being freshly on my mind- not recommended as the details are a bit fuzzy. However, sometimes it actually just helps you to remember how you felt about the story overall rather than being picky about little things. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For starters I remember being fascinated by the blacksmith trade and the running of the big house more than the characters and their inter-minglings. This is likely due to the fact that this is book three of the same series and I may have missed some of the details of the people running the house. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I remember thinking that I needed to seek out the first two books to really get into the series. It can certainly stand alone but I did feel that I was missing a certain level of feeling for them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The personalities are all warm and lovely though and I was rooting for them all to succeed in their various pursuits. I felt a bit lacklustre about the romances, but truly that's ok with me as the friendships and the depth of the ventures kept me entertained.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The were a number of storylines to keep me entertained and I felt very much engrossed with the plot and hopeful for all those involved. I also found myself very visually aware of the setting which I always appreciated! Definitely interested in the other novels in the series. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Thank you to Bookouture for our review copy. All opinions are our own.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><b>Connect with Emma Davies:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.emmadaviesauthor.com/">Website</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007703897546">Facebook</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8418016.Emma_Davies">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/EmDaviesAuthor">Twitter</a></span></div>
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NovelEscapeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02607229564049147637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708002325097305405.post-12069568245759650622019-05-17T06:30:00.000-04:002019-05-17T06:30:13.595-04:00The Shop Girls of Lark Lane by Pam Howes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSJ_wcSMwQQrPbQlp8IUw1Gsz8UEHhLLckUdnmMMk2hPJASLbWDbiG1Brfrj-kBNHH3yIctwdjcN-ImuE-PYXcEpfN6AyKZ60L2X4ZmSc24aUBJbdJU6WaYicP9JXpKzLBWag-u8FPjU/s1600/the+shop+girls+of+lark+lane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="305" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjSJ_wcSMwQQrPbQlp8IUw1Gsz8UEHhLLckUdnmMMk2hPJASLbWDbiG1Brfrj-kBNHH3yIctwdjcN-ImuE-PYXcEpfN6AyKZ60L2X4ZmSc24aUBJbdJU6WaYicP9JXpKzLBWag-u8FPjU/s320/the+shop+girls+of+lark+lane.jpg" width="205" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>3 Star</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Liverpool, 1945. As the war draws to a close, Alice and Terry Lomax are building a new life with their young daughter Cathy. After years away fighting, Terry is a stranger to his daughter and must work hard to win her trust and love. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Alice and old friend Sadie work in the haberdashery of Lewis’s department store, where bomb damage scars the walls and rationing is still in force. Yet Lewis’s remains open, a sign of strength in the midst of Liverpool’s post-war ruins. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Though memories of those lost in the war are fresh, Alice and Sadie look forward to the future. But then a tragic accident leaves Alice a widow, and the father of Sadie’s child – a man she hoped never to see again – is back in Liverpool… </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With Alice struggling to start again alone, and Sadie desperate to protect her son, can these two shop girls overcome their troubles and keep their hopes alive – even with all the odds against them?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Shop-Girls-Lark-Lane-heartbreaking/dp/1786814714/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1554409277&sr=8-1">Amazon</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-shop-girls-of-lark-lane-pam-howes/1129986850?ean=9781786814715">Barnes & Noble</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Shop-Girls-Lark-Lane-heartbreaking-ebook/dp/B07HB1FVSV/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+shop+girls+of+lark+lane&qid=1554409277&s=gateway&sr=8-1">Kindle</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I am a fan of Pam Howes because she creates characters that seem perfectly placed, with depth and warmth but also weaves into the narrative some serious challenges. I really enjoyed the last series I read from her (The Liverpool Girls) so I was hoping for the same immersion into this novel. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Howes gave Alice a really difficult start and an even more challenging middle. Her husband returning from war to be killed so shortly afterwards was heartbreaking so I was immediately entrenched in the hardship that was about to follow for her. But her choice to allow herself to be pursued by another man, a friend of her husband, seemed doomed from the start and I couldn't quite get my head or heart to see it the way Alice did. Her life was difficult without remarrying but I was not a fan of the new man. I was also frustrated because her life without a husband didn't seem to be insurmountable, she had support from her brother, friends and her mother in law. It's perhaps a sign of the times that the need for a husband would have her still choose someone with red flags rather than be alone. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But what I loved most about the story was Alice's love for her brother, her daughter and her friends. This is really a novel of friendship and family relationships rather than romance. The strength of all the women is apparent. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Thank you to Bookouture for our review copy. All opinions are our own.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Connect with Pam Howes:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4097443.Pam_Howes">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PamHowes1">Twitter</a></span></div>
<br />NovelEscapeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02607229564049147637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708002325097305405.post-66583725474626518152019-05-10T06:30:00.000-04:002019-05-10T06:30:00.963-04:00Stranded on a desert island with Bo Kearns<div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Please welcome Bo Kearns, author of Ashes in a coconut, as she tackles our Desert Island Interview!</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bo Kearns is journalist and writer of fiction, is the author of Ashes in a Coconut, a novel set in Indonesia, where he lived for three years. He is a feature writer with Northbay biz magazine and the Sonoma Index-Tribune newspaper. His short stories have won awards—First Prize, Napa Valley College writing contest, Honorable Mention-Glimmer Train Fiction Open competition, and Finalist- Redwood Writers On the Edge genre competition. Other works have been published in the annual California Writers Club Literary Review, Napa Valley Writers First Press, The Red Wheelbarrow Literary Magazine and Sonoma: Stories of a Region and Its People. He is a UC Naturalist, beekeeper, avid hiker and active supporter of conservation causes. He lives in the wine country of Sonoma with his wife. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Connect with Bo:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> <a href="https://www.bokearns.com/">Website</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18894708.Bo_Kearns?from_search=true">Goodreads</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #e06666;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #e06666;">Bo Kearns Stranded on a Desert Island</span></b></span></div>
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<b>If you could only have one book with you, what would it be?</b><br />
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The aptly named One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Márquez. I could read the engaging, complex, weird family saga over and over again while waiting for help to arrive.<br />
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<b>What one luxury item would you want to be stranded with?</b><br />
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A top-of-the-line hammock.<br />
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<b>What is the one practical item you would want to have with you to use?</b><br />
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A machete. I could use it to slash off the tops of coconuts and drink the refreshing milk while swaying in the hammock, reading Solitude.<br />
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<b>Would you enjoy the solitude, even briefly, or would it drive you crazy?</b><br />
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I’m a social person. Briefly would be okay. After a few weeks I’d invent a character and we’d have a chat.<br />
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<b>If you could be stranded with one other person, who would you want it to be?</b><br />
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The ghost of Carl Sagan. We could gaze at the clear night sky and the brilliant stars, while discussing the mysteries of the universe and the possibility of extraterrestrial life.<br />
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<b>What modern technology would you miss the most?</b><br />
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A toss up— my electric toothbrush or my laptop.<br />
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<b>What food or beverage would you miss the most?</b><br />
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A glass of crisp, cold California Chardonnay to sip with my sashimi catch-of-the day.<br />
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<b>How many days do you think you would cope without rescue?</b><br />
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By nature I’m optimistic. I could hang in there as long as ships appeared on the horizon, even if they passed me by.<br />
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<b>What is the first thing you would do when rescued?</b><br />
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Have a group hug—me, my wife, my daughter and my dog.<br />
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<b style="text-indent: -13.5pt;">What would be your first Tweet or Facebook update upon your return?</b><br />
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You won’t believe what happened to me!<br />
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<b><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: x-large;">Ashes in a coconut</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Set in 1983, when Laura Harrison sets aside her fashion design career to follow her banker husband, Jack, to Jakarta, hoping the effort will save her marriage. She has a bad feeling about it all, though. There, he struggles with different rules and corrupt business people while she thrives, joining the effort to save the rain forest and orangutans. But when Jack considers funding development in the rain forest, and when his business associates turn frightening, all Laura's premonitions seem less far-fetched. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ashes-Coconut-Bo-Kearns/dp/1945181508/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=ashes+in+a+coconut&qid=1554400983&s=gateway&sr=8-1">Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=noveesca04-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1250042119" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ashes-in-a-coconut-bo-kearns/1130033826?ean=9781945181504">Barnes & Noble<img border="0" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=7nhd8xJ7r7U&bids=239662.9781250042118&type=2&subid=0" height="1" width="1" /></a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ashes-Coconut-Bo-Kearns-ebook/dp/B07PZ8Q1RN/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1554400983&sr=8-1">Kindle<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=noveesca04-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00AQUTNI4" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></a> </span><br />
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NovelEscapeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02607229564049147637noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708002325097305405.post-78652396345017926672019-05-03T06:30:00.000-04:002019-05-03T06:30:02.786-04:00The Single Mums' Mansion by Janet Hoggarth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Amanda Wilkie unexpectedly finds herself alone with her three children in a rambling Victorian house in London. Her husband leaves them, claiming he's just 'lost the love', like one might carelessly lose a glove.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A few months later, Amanda's heavily pregnant friend, Ali, crashes into her kitchen announcing her husband is also leaving. So, after Ali's baby Grace is born, they both move into Amanda's attic. And when Jacqui, a long-lost friend and fellow single mum, starts dropping by daily, the household is complete.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Getting divorced is no walk in the park, but the three friends refuse to be defined by it. And, as they slowly emerge out of the wreckage like a trio of sequin-clad Gloria Gaynors singing 'I Will Survive', they realise that anything is possible. Even loving again...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Single-Mansion-Janet-Hoggarth-author/dp/1788548620/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1554400294&sr=8-1-fkmrnull">Amazon</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Single-Mums-Mansion-bestselling-feel-good-ebook/dp/B0798RQJNH/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?crid=1ALF7BMB14HVI&keywords=the+single+mums+mansion&qid=1554400294&s=gateway&sprefix=the+single+mums+%2Caps%2C144&sr=8-1-fkmrnull">Kindle</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-single-mums-mansion-janet-hoggarth/1129218689?ean=9781788545686">Nook</a> <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/the-single-mums-mansion">Kobo</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Kathryn - 3.5 Star</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I quite enjoyed this book but it wasn't what I was expecting. Far from light-hearted it actually had some quite serious situations in it that had me questioning the genre I thought I was reading. It's entirely possible that I'm a bit far removed from the situation of single parenting and dating with children! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I liked Amanda and her attitude towards her children and her friends. Despite being in a quite precarious position she does tend to just get on with things while still questioning everything she's doing. I would be the same I think. Her ex is a most confusing character and he's not exactly helpful about his intentions. Her mum friends each come with baggage of their own which was realistic and well plotted to enhance the story. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The book definitely takes on all the emotions from the heartbreak (for me it was particularly hard for Amanda's children) to the chaos and laughs of trying to find a new normal. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My only issue was that the partying evenings seemed a bit out of place with the rest of the feel of the story and the characters.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Connect with Janet Hoggarth:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JanetHoggarthAuthor/">Facebook</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1088292.Janet_Hoggarth">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/janethauthor?lang=en">Twitter</a></span></div>
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NovelEscapeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02607229564049147637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708002325097305405.post-17690392256371733652019-04-26T06:30:00.000-04:002019-04-26T06:30:04.863-04:00At the Wedding by Matt Dunn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>3 Star</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Livia’s been planning her wedding to Jed for ages. Now, at the venue in beautiful Barcelona, with her dress pressed and the guests all on their way, she’s only left one tiny detail until the last minute: letting the groom know he’s about to get hitched.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But as far as Jed’s concerned, they’ve been bumping along just fine for ten years and even have a baby on the way, so why spoil things with an ‘I do’? Especially when he’d really rather not.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Meanwhile the guests are arriving with plenty of baggage of their own. Fading reality star Liam’s still on the lookout for a plus-one; Rachel’s has refused to come—and dumped her into the bargain; and divorcee Patrick’s date is more of the ‘mid-life crisis’ variety.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But as the ceremony approaches, and with no sign of Jed, there’s only one thing on all of their minds: will there be a bride and groom at the wedding?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/At-Wedding-Matt-Dunn/dp/1503902463/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1554400032&sr=8-1-fkmrnull">Amazon</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/at-the-wedding-matt-dunn/1127944648?ean=9781503902466">Barnes & Noble</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/At-Wedding-Matt-Dunn-ebook/dp/B0791DCQ19/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?crid=113RKVQPFFCSQ&keywords=at+the+wedding+matt+dunn&qid=1554400032&s=gateway&sprefix=at+the+wedding%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-1-fkmrnull">Kindle</a> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Kathryn - 3 Star</i></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Truthfully as I was reading At The Wedding I was completely involved in the plot. It was intriguing and eventful throughout and I sped through it. But... it turned out mostly as you would expect which was a touch disappointing given the amount of suspense drawn into those couple of days. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My other issue was that I think it was partially supposed to be fun (as well as heartfelt). While funny in parts I can't actually say I was laughing out loud and I think there may have been room for some more silliness and shenanigans given the scene. I was also mildly concerned that I didn't really feel for the two main characters. I found them frustrating and could not get on board with the hold up in getting married. Perhaps this is because I am the marrying kind though and I should not expect others to be?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A good aspect was that I was as interested in the supporting characters as much as the main couple which is tricky to accomplish in a fast paced read and I appreciated that. I like Matt Dunn's writing and overall felt that this novel was entertaining and provided some food for thought about how people's minds work.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Thank you to Lake Union Publishing for our review copy. All opinions are our own.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Connect with Matt Dunn:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://mattdunn.co.uk/">Website</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mattdunnwrites">Facebook</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/344037.Matt_Dunn">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/mattdunnwrites">Twitter</a></span></div>
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<br />NovelEscapeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02607229564049147637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708002325097305405.post-48109901732643067152019-04-18T06:30:00.000-04:002019-04-18T06:30:10.205-04:00RX by Rachel Lindsay<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVaPmrWiR2P2eJnO8arWvMW9vp90sEy1aik_5c0awDzyG1R7yCJtb751OY3dcUdCIikGv-a3CS1Uq5ES1NEyJp-AtFuLRTH0gtpB5pVoKU5twPMFjCMjOhAFuplFDm_-AU-2VFZ_1VaU/s1600/RX.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuVaPmrWiR2P2eJnO8arWvMW9vp90sEy1aik_5c0awDzyG1R7yCJtb751OY3dcUdCIikGv-a3CS1Uq5ES1NEyJp-AtFuLRTH0gtpB5pVoKU5twPMFjCMjOhAFuplFDm_-AU-2VFZ_1VaU/s320/RX.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>4 Star</i></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In her early twenties in New York City, diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Rachel Lindsay takes a job in advertising in order to secure healthcare coverage for her treatment. But work takes a strange turn when she is promoted onto the Pfizer account and suddenly finds herself on the other side of the curtain, developing ads for an antidepressant drug. She is the audience of the work she's been pouring over and it highlights just how unhappy and trapped she feels, stuck in an endless cycle of treatment, insurance and medication. Overwhelmed by the stress of her professional life and the self-scrutiny it inspires, she begins to destabilize and while in the midst of a crushing job search, her mania takes hold. Her altered mindset yields a simple solution: to quit her job and pursue life as an artist, an identity she had abandoned in exchange for medical treatment. When her parents intervene, she finds herself hospitalized against her will, and stripped of the control she felt she had finally reclaimed. Over the course of her two weeks in the ward, she struggles in the midst of doctors, nurses, patients and endless rules to find a path out of the hospital and this cycle of treatment. One where she can live the life she wants, finding freedom and autonomy, without sacrificing her dreams in order to stay well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/RX-Rachel-Lindsay/dp/1455598542/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=RX&qid=1554398922&s=gateway&sr=8-7">Amazon</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rx-rachel-lindsay/1127784917?ean=9781455598540">Barnes & Noble</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/RX-Rachel-Lindsay-ebook/dp/B078W6SJ7J/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1554398922&sr=8-7">Kindle</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rx-rachel-lindsay/1127784917?ean=9781455598533">Nook</a> <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/rx-4">Kobo</a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Sabrina-Kate - 4 Star</i></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I don't often read memoirs, nor do I really read graphic novels. This book has been hanging around on my side table for a couple months now, waiting for me to pick it up. For some reason it spoke to me, possibly because the author now lives in Burlington,Vermont, which is one of my favorite places.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It didn't take me very long to get through it, even with the time I stopped to peruse the drawings in more detail. I felt compelled to slow down and take my time with this book, probably partly because the art spoke to me on it's own but also partly because of the subject matter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mental illness is something I'm not very comfortable with, probably because I don't feel like I know enough about it but also because I know everyone's experience is, or can be, vastly different. I felt like I didn't understand where the author was coming from at times with her reactions but I also don't suffer from her disease and I also don't have to worry about health care coverage.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So this book opened my eyes about what this type of experience could be like and what challenges a person may go through. I really appreciated her candor and bravery in sharing something so very personal as it was most probably very difficult to do.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for our review copy. All opinions are our own.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Connect with Rachel Lindsay:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.rachellivesherenow.com/">Website</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18578863.Rachel_Lindsay">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/RLindsayComics">Twitter</a></span></div>
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NovelEscapeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02607229564049147637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708002325097305405.post-3104122490794383762019-04-12T06:30:00.000-04:002019-04-12T06:30:01.184-04:00The Lost Carousel of Provence by Juliet Blackwell<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwS8kHUsEdg4TYtyuALxIUvPV5tu4C9pkAoo3ZcG_T3G-qRtXhXVYoBnd3G_Z7GoD9oxpuyRe0KJTkhWtwqfQM_Q6dXjzx_NMjsHx5M2rVCqPAlottk6kF4OR0TSmYDYGoljrWRnoPxn4/s1600/The+lost+carousel+of+provence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwS8kHUsEdg4TYtyuALxIUvPV5tu4C9pkAoo3ZcG_T3G-qRtXhXVYoBnd3G_Z7GoD9oxpuyRe0KJTkhWtwqfQM_Q6dXjzx_NMjsHx5M2rVCqPAlottk6kF4OR0TSmYDYGoljrWRnoPxn4/s320/The+lost+carousel+of+provence.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>4 Star</i></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Long, lonely years have passed for the crumbling Château Clement, nestled well beyond the rolling lavender fields and popular tourist attractions of Provence. Once a bustling and dignified ancestral estate, now all that remains is the château's gruff, elderly owner and the softly whispered secrets of generations buried and forgotten.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But time has a way of exposing history's dark stains, and when American photographer Cady Drake finds herself drawn to the château and its antique carousel, she longs to explore the relic's shadowy origins beyond the small scope of her freelance assignment. As Cady digs deeper into the past, unearthing century-old photographs of the Clement carousel and its creators, she might be the one person who can bring the past to light and reunite a family torn apart. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Carousel-Provence-Juliet-Blackwell/dp/0451490630/ref=sr_1_1?crid=T363TE83HD5C&keywords=the+lost+carousel+of+provence+by+juliet+blackwell&qid=1554397571&s=gateway&sprefix=the+lost+carousel+of+p%2Caps%2C145&sr=8-1">Amazon</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-lost-carousel-of-provence-juliet-blackwell/1127620511?ean=9780451490636#/">Barnes & Noble</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Carousel-Provence-Juliet-Blackwell-ebook/dp/B0782SGJRD/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1554397571&sr=8-1">Kindle</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-lost-carousel-of-provence-juliet-blackwell/1127620511?ean=9780451490643">Nook</a> <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/the-lost-carousel-of-provence">Kobo</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Kathryn - 4 Star</i></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This novel drew my eye because of the title. How does one lose a carousel exactly? I am quite a sucker for historical fiction and so this seemed like a natural fit for me. I also quite like novels that cover two time frames because I enjoy waiting to fill in of the pieces and the multi character plot lines. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The character development in The Lost Carousel was mostly in the present and the past was used to unravel the present preoccupations. In actual fact though I didn't become drawn into the people for quite a long time in this book- was more interested in the financial intrigue and present implications for the family at the center. I liked Cady but she didn't really form the central plot. The central plot was the castle for me as I was drawn into its' rooms, the history and the stories it told. The building's history was what made me turn the pages. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If that's not your deal then maybe this isn't the novel for you as it's perhaps a bit slow moving? But I was fascinated!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Thank you to Berkley Publishing for our review copy. All opinions are our own.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><b>Connect with Juliet Blackwell:</b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.julietblackwell.net/">Website</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Juliet-Blackwell/88917411021?ref=ts">Facebook</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2924930.Juliet_Blackwell">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/JulietBlackwell">Twitter</a></span></div>
NovelEscapeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02607229564049147637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708002325097305405.post-35372224114949115872019-04-05T06:30:00.000-04:002019-04-05T06:30:05.057-04:00I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx7pGpYLbEodqxNOG7DoYs9BVG_SpWwC1U-CR3J7tFvwomPMfjcPisgDSeIvawlXFUY989NunrRa6dVe-z_w2UAaHUdMecOXXs4DfEYZozfgTeM_7eVMa_3ALAf3FYKaFXy-5pqpJ44w0/s1600/I+owe+you+one.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx7pGpYLbEodqxNOG7DoYs9BVG_SpWwC1U-CR3J7tFvwomPMfjcPisgDSeIvawlXFUY989NunrRa6dVe-z_w2UAaHUdMecOXXs4DfEYZozfgTeM_7eVMa_3ALAf3FYKaFXy-5pqpJ44w0/s320/I+owe+you+one.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>2 Star</i></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fixie Farr has always lived by her father’s motto: “Family first.” But since her dad passed away, leaving his charming housewares store in the hands of his wife and children, Fixie spends all her time picking up the slack from her siblings instead of striking out on her own. The way Fixie sees it, if she doesn’t take care of her father’s legacy, who will? It’s simply not in her nature to say no to people.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So when a handsome stranger in a coffee shop asks her to watch his laptop for a moment, Fixie not only agrees—she ends up saving it from certain disaster. Turns out the computer’s owner is an investment manager. To thank Fixie for her quick thinking, Sebastian scribbles an IOU on a coffee sleeve and attaches his business card. But Fixie laughs it off—she’d never actually claim an IOU from a stranger. Would she?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then Fixie’s childhood crush, Ryan, comes back into her life and his lack of a profession pushes all of Fixie’s buttons. She wants nothing for herself—but she’d love Seb to give Ryan a job. And Seb agrees, until the tables are turned once more and a new series of IOUs between Seb and Fixie—from small favors to life-changing moments—ensues. Soon Fixie, Ms. Fixit for everyone else, is torn between her family and the life she really wants. Does she have the courage to take a stand? Will she finally grab the life, and love, she really wants?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/I-Owe-You-One-Novel/dp/1524799017/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1554396451&sr=8-1">Amazon </a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/i-owe-you-one-sophie-kinsella/1128957594?ean=9781524799014#/">Barnes & Noble</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/I-Owe-You-One-Novel-ebook/dp/B07DZKDJ2K/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1554396451&sr=8-1">Kindle</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/i-owe-you-one-sophie-kinsella/1128957594?ean=9781524799021#/">Nook</a> <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/i-owe-you-one-4">Kobo</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Kathryn - 2 Star</i></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I'm a fan of Sophie Kinsella and I've come to expect certain things from her novels- a few really good laughs, empowerment of our main character and strong relationships. Unfortunately this one did not deliver for me. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I suppose I somewhat liked Fixie but I was immensely frustrated most of the read which made me slightly dislike her too. While I understood that Fixie was herself a work in progress, was learning to find her voice and stand up for herself, I didn't really want to dislike all the other characters in the novel quite as much as I did! They were almost universally horrendous and as far as I could tell there wasn't really a good reason for it except gross selfishness. Fixie seemed much smarter than the rest and this doormat behaviour just didn't mesh for me with the rest of her personality. She was single-handedly trying to run and revive her family business so obviously she was someone with power in there somewhere? I was also most frustrated by their mother who seemed to have picked a favored child based on nothing? (Not that one should have a favourite of course but at least choose the one that is kind and loving?). I couldn't even get on board with the romance in the novel- it was truly confusing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I fear I am being overly judgmental, I do apologize, but I just did not get out of this novel what I had been hoping for or expecting. I will, of course, read any Sophie Kinsella that passes my way and likely this is a one off set of feelings from of my favourites.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Thank you to Random House for our review copy. All opinions are our own.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Connect with Sophie Kinsella:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.sophiekinsella.co.uk/">Website</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SophieKinsellaOfficial">Facebook</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6160.Sophie_Kinsella">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/KinsellaSophie">Twitter</a></span></div>
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NovelEscapeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02607229564049147637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708002325097305405.post-52146203204602950572019-02-22T06:30:00.000-05:002019-02-22T06:30:09.746-05:00The Girl from Berlin by Ronald H.Balson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6i4et2RuCAoactP4xtscp-Mk08imy8_IqaQxAvBtqROKbWaBToISeVde1v7lHcaU4JtS9zSkxfEAHv8ZSIIL8u9mfieSje7665iYoL2GHgYhyphenhyphenzcxp7OJtJUMQhADxcLs06KlcNqS0ET4/s1600/the+girl+from+berlin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="309" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6i4et2RuCAoactP4xtscp-Mk08imy8_IqaQxAvBtqROKbWaBToISeVde1v7lHcaU4JtS9zSkxfEAHv8ZSIIL8u9mfieSje7665iYoL2GHgYhyphenhyphenzcxp7OJtJUMQhADxcLs06KlcNqS0ET4/s320/the+girl+from+berlin.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>5 Star</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">An old friend calls Catherine Lockhart and Liam Taggart to his famous Italian restaurant to enlist their help. His aunt is being evicted from her home in the Tuscan hills by a powerful corporation claiming they own the deeds, even though she can produce her own set of deeds to her land. Catherine and Liam’s only clue is a bound handwritten manuscript, entirely in German, and hidden in its pages is a story long-forgotten…</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ada Baumgarten was born in Berlin in 1918, at the end of the war. The daughter of an accomplished first-chair violinist in the prestigious Berlin Philharmonic, and herself a violin prodigy, Ada’s life was full of the rich culture of Berlin’s interwar society. She formed a deep attachment to her childhood friend Kurt, but they were torn apart by the growing unrest as her Jewish family came under suspicion. As the tides of history turned, it was her extraordinary talent that would carry her through an unraveling society turned to war, and make her a target even as it saved her, allowing her to move to Bologna―though Italy was not the haven her family had hoped, and further heartache awaited.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What became of Ada? How is she connected to the conflicting land deeds of a small Italian villa? As they dig through the layers of lies, corruption, and human evil, Catherine and Liam uncover an unfinished story of heart, redemption, and hope―the ending of which is yet to be written.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Berlin-Taggart-Catherine-Lockhart/dp/125019525X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1549045848&sr=8-1">Amazon</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-girl-from-berlin-ronald-h-balson/1127766133?ean=9781250195258">Barnes & Noble</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Berlin-Taggart-Catherine-Lockhart-ebook/dp/B079DVNWN2/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1549045848&sr=8-1">Kindle</a> <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/the-girl-from-berlin">Kobo</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-girl-from-berlin-ronald-h-balson/1127766133?ean=9781250195265#/">Nook</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Kathryn - 5 Star</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have enjoyed many novels now by Ronald H. Balson partly due to the historical twists and partly because I enjoy the relationship of Catherine and Liam. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">They are this time in Italy trying to help a friend's aunt trace the ownership of the land she's been living on for most of her life. Someone is claiming title which would have her evicted and she's sure the land is hers. The study weaves through the history of the original owner via her daughter's diary of sorts and explores the land grab traits of the nazi party all accross Europe during the second world war. Through the diaries the thread of ownership is eventually explained though I was constantly trying out my own theories. (,I find this happens to be a lot reading these novels.). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I cannot give away the ending so I will say that the author is very good at creating suspense, empathy and intrigue in a readable fashion. He also includes aspects of history that may not be well known but paint more depth to history we are already aware of. I'm sure to keep reading these.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Thank you to St.Martin's Press for our review copy. All opinions are our own.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><b>Connect with Ronald H.Balson:</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://ronaldbalson.com/">Website</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RonaldBalson">Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ronbalson">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4029839.Ronald_H_Balson">Goodreads</a></span></div>
NovelEscapeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02607229564049147637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708002325097305405.post-69134531952287565052019-02-15T06:30:00.000-05:002019-02-15T06:30:10.503-05:00Stranded on a desert island with Stephen Evans<div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Please welcome Stephen Evans, author of The Island of Always, as he tackles our Desert Island Interview!</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlL3T2c95NIw8jb8lPFUrMcNe4SrZ5Ivasm0U4S_s_Sb-NmHQhFjLBymEt60Jl0HtTsLURRoAxa8rnD6nwxhgBsDma5djVs8nPTbp2bYXXysm8liQ-qWNg09uw9W-xU-aVAgIJgpsTFw/s1600/2013more+147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></a><b><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"></span></b><b><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b><b><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;">About Stephen:</span></span></b><br />
<span style="color: #26282a; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-indent: 48px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "noto serif" , serif; font-size: 19px;">Stephen Evans is a playwright and the author of several books, including </span><em style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-family: "Noto Serif", serif; font-size: 19px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Marriage of True Minds</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "noto serif" , serif; font-size: 19px;">, </span><em style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-family: "Noto Serif", serif; font-size: 19px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A Transcendental Journey</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "noto serif" , serif; font-size: 19px;">, Painting Sunsets (available 12/2018) and </span><em style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; color: #333333; font-family: "Noto Serif", serif; font-size: 19px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Island of Always (available 1/2019)</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "noto serif" , serif; font-size: 19px;">.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Connect with Stephen:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> <a href="https://www.istephenevans.com/">Website</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/iStephenEvans">Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/@istephenevans">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7867139.Stephen_Evans">Goodreads</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: #e06666;"><br /></span></b></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: #e06666;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: #e06666;">Stephen Evans- Stranded on a Desert Island</span></b></span></span><br />
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<b style="text-align: left; text-indent: -13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="text-indent: -13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you could only have one book with you, what would it be?</span></b></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">My father used to read Swiss Family Robinson every year. That might be handy.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What one luxury item would you want to be stranded with?</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">A really comfortable chair.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What is the one practical item you would want to have with you to use?</span></b></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -13.5pt;">“A towel has immense psychological value.” </span></div>
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<b style="text-indent: -13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Would you enjoy the solitude, even briefly, or would it drive you crazy?</span></b></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -13.5pt;">It would drive me crazy after a few decades.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you could be stranded with one other person, who would you want it to be?</span></b></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -13.5pt;">Katniss Everdeen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div>
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<b style="text-indent: -13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What modern technology would you miss the most?</span></b></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -13.5pt;">My laptop. Though writing in sand may not be less permanent. </span></div>
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<b style="text-indent: -13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What food or beverage would you miss the most?</span></b></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -13.5pt;">“Many’s the long night I’ve dreamed of cheese -toasted, mostly”.</span></div>
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<b style="text-indent: -13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">How many days do you think you would cope without rescue?</span></b></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -13.5pt;">How many do I have?</span></div>
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<b style="text-indent: -13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What is the first thing you would do when rescued?</span></b></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -13.5pt;">Depends on who rescued me.</span></div>
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<b style="text-indent: -13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What would be your first Tweet or Facebook update upon your return?</span></b></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -13.5pt;">Vacation photos.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Island of Always</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Minneapolis environmental atttorneys Nick Ward and Lena Grant are no longer partners in law and marriage. But neither Lena's heart nor Nick's imagination can seem to accept that fact. As Nick pursues ever-wilder animal rescue schemes, Lena continues to rescue him. But who will rescue her?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; line-height: 19px;"><b>Available at:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Island-Always-Stephen-Evans/dp/0991575970/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1549045340&sr=8-1">Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=noveesca04-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1250042119" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-island-of-always-stephen-evans/1128803101?ean=9780991575978">Barnes & Noble</a><img border="0" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=7nhd8xJ7r7U&bids=239662.9781250042118&type=2&subid=0" height="1" width="1" /> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Island-Always-Stephen-Evans-ebook/dp/B07DBFK295/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1549045340&sr=8-1&keywords=the+island+of+always">Kindle</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=noveesca04-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00AQUTNI4" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/the-island-of-always">Kobo<img border="0" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=7nhd8xJ7r7U&bids=314157.100099781250034717&type=2&subid=0" height="1" width="1" /></a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-island-of-always-stephen-evans/1128803101?ean=9780991575961">Nook<img border="0" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=7nhd8xJ7r7U&bids=239662.9781250034717&type=2&subid=0" height="1" width="1" /></a> </span><br />
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NovelEscapeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02607229564049147637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708002325097305405.post-59308599953874952522019-02-08T06:30:00.000-05:002019-02-08T06:30:00.927-05:00A Gift from the Comfort Food Cafe by Debbie Johnson<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-UNZLm3kgNNO-FqfLYF9H46Ii4Hyhp-wPBnhWoa8z7jaoeFxkNtnEyCU0QZIM2FucZZq8qFY0hzg24R9eVyqmQQFdwXNA5w4qOeUp1Rz0l2YkwPudvNlg4DfsPE6wVFz58ZcvpZSBH94/s1600/a+gift+from+the+comfort+food+cafe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="310" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-UNZLm3kgNNO-FqfLYF9H46Ii4Hyhp-wPBnhWoa8z7jaoeFxkNtnEyCU0QZIM2FucZZq8qFY0hzg24R9eVyqmQQFdwXNA5w4qOeUp1Rz0l2YkwPudvNlg4DfsPE6wVFz58ZcvpZSBH94/s320/a+gift+from+the+comfort+food+cafe.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>4 Star</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Christmas has never been Katie Seddon’s favourite time of year. Whilst everyone else shares memories of families coming together and festive number ones, the soundtrack to Katie’s childhood wasn’t quite so merry.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But since she moved to the village of Budbury on the gorgeous Dorset coast, Katie and her baby son have found a new family. A family who have been brought together by life’s unexpected roads and the healing magic of a slice of cake and a cupful of kindess at the Comfort Food Café.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This year, Katie’s new friends are determined to give her a Christmas to remember, and with a gorgeous newcomer in town, Katie’s Christmas wish for a happy home for her son might just come true.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gift-Comfort-Food-Caf%C3%A9-Cafe/dp/0008258856/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1549044425&sr=8-1">Amazon</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gift-Comfort-Food-Caf%C3%A9-heartwarming-ebook/dp/B07BYZCXGH/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1549044425&sr=8-1&keywords=a+gift+from+the+comfort+food+cafe">Kindle</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-gift-from-the-comfort-food-caf-debbie-johnson/1129662110?ean=9780008258863">Nook</a> <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/a-gift-from-the-comfort-food-cafe-celebrate-christmas-in-the-cosy-village-of-budbury-with-the-most-heartwarming-read-of-2018">Kobo</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Kathryn- 4 Star</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Took me a bit of time to get used to the first person narrative and oddly it was also a bit longer before I felt the character of Katie. I suspect it's because we started off with her voice describing her past and then quickly jumped to the present. I found the leap a bit brusque. However I loved Katie so much that this was quickly forgotten as I embraced her loving nature as well as her vacillation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's no wonder at all that she has a hard time letting people in and she's trying to protect her little boy from the chaos she grew up in. She's in full mama bear mode which only served to show that you can make your life what you wish, despite how you were raised. Saul is adorably three and his enthusiasm would many anyone's heart open up. The lovely lovely people in the village and cafe are also warmers of the soul and made my spirit happy. There's also the very appealing Van who sends Katie into confusion- he was ideal and perfectly appropriate also. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There isn't really a character out of place in this novel- except Katie's parents. Much as I wanted to accept them the way they were I just couldn't make myself see their side. Especially on Christmas Eve. That entire scenario made me really angry. I admired that Katie was a bigger person than I am.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Overall this novel will spark your hope in humanity and the triumph of the human spirit. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Thank you to Harper Impulse for our review copy. All opinions are our own.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Connect with Debbie Johnson:</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.debbiejohnsonauthor.com/">Website</a> <a href="http://facebook.com/debbiejohnsonauthor">Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/debbiemjohnson">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7829765.Debbie_Johnson">Goodreads</a></span></div>
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<br />NovelEscapeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02607229564049147637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708002325097305405.post-6586605678070376562019-01-11T06:30:00.000-05:002019-01-11T06:30:02.846-05:00The Secrets We Keep by Kate Hewitt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFDzV4FcvzU6IGbq9m2MzLGZF3V9Uuw1dO9hi4rvXvAmygxCZ_NnjcZknYSU9N01vWtSyYSyQznRM8SpWtSrfUR73F_cR6mOzbN7wbLJoZXPrHpTCNEFuYGMebK8qtCMmjKIchV5phx_Q/s1600/the+secrets+we+keep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFDzV4FcvzU6IGbq9m2MzLGZF3V9Uuw1dO9hi4rvXvAmygxCZ_NnjcZknYSU9N01vWtSyYSyQznRM8SpWtSrfUR73F_cR6mOzbN7wbLJoZXPrHpTCNEFuYGMebK8qtCMmjKIchV5phx_Q/s320/the+secrets+we+keep.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>4 Star</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When Tessa arrives at the little house by the lake with her two children Ben and Katherine, it is an escape. For all of them. Never mind that the rental house is a bit small – it’s theirs for the summer. A place to hide… </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Their isolation is disrupted when they meet the family from the big house next door. Three children Charlotte, Zoe and Max and their glamorous mother Rebecca – who seems absolutely determined to invite Tessa in to their lives. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But Rebecca is harbouring a dark secret of her own. One that will put not only her family at risk, but Tessa’s too. And when she discovers she has no option but to leave her children for several weeks, Tessa feels like the only person she can trust. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Suddenly Tessa finds herself living a life she could only have dreamed of. Wealth, a large brood of children, and Rebecca’s handsome husband Josh visiting at weekends. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But even as powerful bonds are forming between them, secrets have a way of catching up with people. And as the summer comes to an end, who will learn to love again and who will risk losing everything? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-We-Keep-gripping-emotional/dp/178681630X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1542915102&sr=8-1">Amazon</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-secrets-we-keep-kate-hewitt/1129784314?ean=9781786816306">Barnes & Noble</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-We-Keep-gripping-emotional-ebook/dp/B07DLWQNGT/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1542915102&sr=8-1&keywords=the+secrets+we+keep">Kindle</a> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Kathryn - 4 Star</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The introduction of Tessa and her children was so well done that I could picture the kids and their moods and even the faces they were making. They were so well painted I was entirely hooked and emotionally drawn into their situation. The picture isn't filled in though and the gaps take the entire novel to slip into place. That could be a little frustrating at times mostly because motive for certain actions are unclear for so long. That is how we do suspense though! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Tessa is an interesting juxtaposition of confident and unsure. She is intimidated by her seemingly perfect neighbour Rebecca and yet finds herself running two households and all the kids lives with ease when she is needed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The two women become really close... to be honest though I was never really comfortable with their relationship. It may have felt more authentic from the inside but from the outside it made me nervous. And there was reason to feel that way... but I'm not going to give it away. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The novel is slow burn with cautious intensity and I loved the intrigue and the bonds between women and mothers. I wish I could have known what happened further down the line on their lives.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I loved this book by Kate Hewitt but wished there had been a few more ends tied up!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Thank you to Bookouture for our review copy. All opinions are our own.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Connect with Kate Hewitt:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://kate-hewitt.com/">Website</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Kate-Hewitt/62076283485">Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/katehewitt1">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1269244.Kate_Hewitt">Goodreads</a></span></div>
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NovelEscapeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02607229564049147637noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708002325097305405.post-78425937902657643622019-01-04T06:30:00.000-05:002019-01-04T06:30:03.418-05:00Dear Mrs.Bird by A.J.Pearce<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfaBOaHTqvI8SHj5uNC8PxAafgjv6euRNaBw0X-ZDxw2dvh3Ir_x1G0WOrAIdSjXLCdDvhhwU8v9UG28JIZRSKFoGZalc6hry9iynJTqh4uxOUGWnF4nVDEMprmv2Lla_2c2Huc0LdK8I/s1600/dear+mrs+bird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfaBOaHTqvI8SHj5uNC8PxAafgjv6euRNaBw0X-ZDxw2dvh3Ir_x1G0WOrAIdSjXLCdDvhhwU8v9UG28JIZRSKFoGZalc6hry9iynJTqh4uxOUGWnF4nVDEMprmv2Lla_2c2Huc0LdK8I/s320/dear+mrs+bird.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>5 Star</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">London 1940, bombs are falling. Emmy Lake is Doing Her Bit for the war effort, volunteering as a telephone operator with the Auxiliary Fire Services. When Emmy sees an advertisement for a job at the London Evening Chronicle, her dreams of becoming a Lady War Correspondent seem suddenly achievable. But the job turns out to be typist to the fierce and renowned advice columnist, Henrietta Bird. Emmy is disappointed, but gamely bucks up and buckles down.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mrs Bird is very clear: Any letters containing Unpleasantness—must go straight in the bin. But when Emmy reads poignant letters from women who are lonely, may have Gone Too Far with the wrong men and found themselves in trouble, or who can’t bear to let their children be evacuated, she is unable to resist responding. As the German planes make their nightly raids, and London picks up the smoldering pieces each morning, Emmy secretly begins to write letters back to the women of all ages who have spilled out their troubles.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dear-Mrs-Bird-AJ-Pearce/dp/1501170066/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1539904753&sr=8-1">Amazon</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dear-mrs-bird-aj-pearce/1127208728?ean=9781501170065#/">Barnes & Noble</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dear-Mrs-Bird-AJ-Pearce-ebook/dp/B078M5C5ZM/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1539904753&sr=8-1">Kindle</a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dear-mrs-bird-aj-pearce/1127208728?ean=9781501170089#/">Nook</a> <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/dear-mrs-bird-1">Kobo</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Kathryn - 5 Star</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I loved this one! At one point my ereader stopped working and I couldn't get it to reboot - I was so frustrated I had to procure myself a new one asap. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The story has a modern feel for a historical novel for me- it felt like the plot moved quickly and was easily read but was firmly set during WWI. I immediately loved Emmy, her energy, her optimism and her determination. A force to be reckoned with she did her best to make the best of being Mrs.Bird despite not really feeling the part. Unfortunately, her desire to help didn't entirely work out and I felt for her when her optimism started to dwindle and she questioned herself. Apart from the writing job she also juggles a voluntary position for the war effort and some lovely friends who added a lot to her personality. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The appeal to this book for me wasn't just the job but the whole package. The development of characters and storyline didn't miss a beat and it was a good perspective on women in the workforce during the period that I hadn't investigated before.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for our review copy. All opinions are our own.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Connect with AJ Pearce:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.ajpearce.com/">Website</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=aj%20pearce%20writes">Facebook</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5230303.A_J_Pearce">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ajpearcewrites">Twitter</a> </span></div>
NovelEscapeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02607229564049147637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708002325097305405.post-21267198949039646092018-12-28T06:30:00.000-05:002018-12-28T06:30:03.484-05:00Stranded on a desert island with Reyna Marder Gentin<div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Please welcome Reyna Marder Gentin, author of Unreasonable Doubts, as she tackles our Desert Island Interview!</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlL3T2c95NIw8jb8lPFUrMcNe4SrZ5Ivasm0U4S_s_Sb-NmHQhFjLBymEt60Jl0HtTsLURRoAxa8rnD6nwxhgBsDma5djVs8nPTbp2bYXXysm8liQ-qWNg09uw9W-xU-aVAgIJgpsTFw/s1600/2013more+147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></a><b><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"></span></b>
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<b><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: large;">About Reyna:</span></span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #26282a; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-indent: 48px;">REYNA MARDER GENTIN grew up in Great Neck, New York. She attended college and law school at Yale. For many years, she practiced as an appellate attorney representing criminal defendants who could not afford private counsel. Reyna studies at the Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College, and her fiction and personal essays have been published in The Westchester Review and online. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #26282a; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-indent: 48px;">UNREASONABLE DOUBTS is her first novel. She lives with her family in Scarsdale, New York. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Connect with Reyna:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> <a href="http://www.reynamardergentin.com/">Website</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reynamardergentin/?modal=media_composer">Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/reynagentin">Twitter </a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17728796.Reyna_Marder_Gentin">Goodreads</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: #e06666;"><br /></span></b></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: #e06666;">Reyna Marder Gentin Stranded on a Desert Island</span></b></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you could only have one book with you, what would it be?</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Old Testament. It’s all in there. But if that wasn’t available, I’d go with a boxed set of Harry Potter – does that count as one book?</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What one luxury item would you want to be stranded with?</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A really decadent, firm pillow-top mattress. No way am I sleeping on the ground. I’m so grumpy when I don’t get a good night’s sleep.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What is the one practical item you would want to have with you to use?</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Although I only lasted one semester as a pre-med in college, I guess I would want a first-aid kit. But it would not be pretty if I needed to use anything other than a band-aid.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Would you enjoy the solitude, even briefly, or would it drive you crazy?</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I think if I knew I was going to be rescued in a definite period of time, like 24 hours, I would probably enjoy the time alone. But if it were open ended, I’d be too consumed with anxiety to enjoy it for more than about 10 minutes.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you could be stranded with one other person, who would you want it to be?</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Definitely my husband of 27 years. No one makes me laugh like he does, and keeping my sense of humor would be key.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What modern technology would you miss the most?</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My computer. Between my writing and my addiction to email and Facebook, I would find it hard to exist for any length of time without my computer.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What food or beverage would you miss the most?</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is probably a kind of ordinary answer, but I honestly believe pizza is the perfect food. I don’t eat it as often as I’d like because it gives me cheese coma, but I love it.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">How many days do you think you would cope without rescue?</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I would be okay for maybe two or three days. But after that, without a hot shower (yes, I know there is water all around me – that is not the same as hot shower), I’d be desperate for civilization.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What is the first thing you would do when rescued?</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">See answer to question 8.</span><br />
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<b style="text-indent: -13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What would be your first Tweet or Facebook update upon your return?</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Be the first to order Unreasonable Doubts, a fantastic debut novel by an author who was stranded on a desert island!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Unreasonable Doubts</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jaded New York City Public Defender Liana Cohen would give anything to have one client in whom she can believe. Dozens of hardened criminals and repeat offenders have chipped away at her faith in both herself and the system. Her boyfriend Jakob’s high-powered law firm colleagues see her do-gooder job as a joke, which only adds to the increasing strain in their relationship. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Enter imprisoned felon Danny Shea, whose unforgivable crime would raise a moral conflict in an attorney at the height of her idealism―and that hasn't been Liana in quite a while. But Danny's astonishing blend of good looks, intelligence, and vulnerability intrigues Liana. Could he be the client she’s been longing for―the wrongly accused in need of a second chance? Is he innocent? As their attorney-client relationship transforms into something less than arm’s length, Liana is forced to confront fundamental questions of truth, faith, and love―and to decide who she wants to be. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large; line-height: 19px;"><b>Available at:</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Unreasonable-Doubts-Reyna-Marder-Gentin/dp/1631524135/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1542914287&sr=8-1&keywords=unreasonable+doubts+reyna+gentin">Amazon</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=noveesca04-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1250042119" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unreasonable-doubts-reyna-marder-gentin/1127883223?ean=9781631524134">Barnes & Noble<img border="0" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=7nhd8xJ7r7U&bids=239662.9781250042118&type=2&subid=0" height="1" width="1" /></a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Unreasonable-Doubts-Reyna-Marder-Gentin-ebook/dp/B0798LG8X8/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1542914287&sr=8-1">Kindle</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=noveesca04-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00AQUTNI4" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> <a href="https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/unreasonable-doubts-a-novel/9781631524141-item.html?ikwid=unreasonable+doubts+reyna+gentin&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0">Kobo<img border="0" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=7nhd8xJ7r7U&bids=314157.100099781250034717&type=2&subid=0" height="1" width="1" /></a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unreasonable-doubts-reyna-marder-gentin/1127883223?ean=9781631524141">Nook<img border="0" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=7nhd8xJ7r7U&bids=239662.9781250034717&type=2&subid=0" height="1" width="1" /> </a></span><br />
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NovelEscapeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02607229564049147637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708002325097305405.post-78878642144171249562018-12-21T06:30:00.000-05:002018-12-21T06:30:03.563-05:00The Break by Marian Keyes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>4 Star</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Amy's husband Hugh says he isn't leaving her.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He still loves her, he's just taking a break - from their marriage, their children and, most of all, from their life together. Six months to lose himself in south-east Asia. And there is nothing Amy can say or do about it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yes, it's a mid-life crisis, but let's be clear: a break isn't a break up - yet . . .</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, for Amy it's enough to send her - along with her extended family of gossips, misfits and troublemakers - teetering over the edge.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For a lot can happen in six-months. When Hugh returns if he returns, will he be the same man she married? And will Amy be the same woman?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Because if Hugh is on a break from their marriage, then isn't she?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Break-Marian-Keyes/dp/0718179730/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1539907748&sr=8-4">Amazon</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Break-Marian-Keyes-ebook/dp/B06XHRQFR5/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1539907748&sr=8-4&keywords=the+break">Kindle</a> <a href="https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/the-break-14">Kobo</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Kathryn- 4 Star</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Oh Marian Keyes how I love your writing! A fan for almost 20 years I was a little bit in awe to listen to her Q&A in Toronto this past year. Like seeing someone in real life that you didn't believe was real. But I was also a bit hesitant to read The Break- I had a feeling that this one was going to make me question things and I was right. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I didn't find it dark which maybe says something about me. I found it sad and upsetting and I found it frustrating but not dark. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I actually liked that Amy and Hugh were not pretending (at least not inwardly). They both had a lot of feelings and though Hugh was mostly physically absent for the novel even he was able to impart his emotional state and why he was making his decisions via backstory and his thoughts upon his return. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Amy felt everything she was feeling with honesty and her path of hurt and anger, even apathy, was natural. I felt myself fighting for them and yet wanting them both to be free. I also loved the daughters and Amy's extended family which provided some giggles.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">On the whole The Break delivered something new, something that provoked thought and something that even provided inspiration. Once Amy had moved past the devastating hurt she was able to examine her own strength and even find solace in the marriage that had broken down.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All opinions are our own.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Connect with Marian Keyes:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://www.mariankeyes.com/">Website</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MarianKeyes/">Facebook</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6104.Marian_Keyes">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MarianKeyes">Twitter</a></span></div>
<br />NovelEscapeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02607229564049147637noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-708002325097305405.post-69869296382618813642018-12-18T06:30:00.000-05:002018-12-18T06:30:05.275-05:00Would you rather....with Jacquelyn Middleton<div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Please welcome </b><b>Jacquelyn Middleton, author of Until the Last Star Fades.</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></b>
<b><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jacquelyn Middleton:</span></span></b><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEithDFOXxO8hNhW3CmqcU2aS7N9ot-jwp8hYP_5Y9aqXRGxc7RNLTsleHWTbYv6aI3ZjTQlBVgTjge1ypdXBj4irvgwQ5lUzilaMW4n_RV4RBYfqZGK3SGuwYsdAYvMtQ9xoqCTqzI4LFs/s1600/McDonough+author+ph%2340111F0.tif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEithDFOXxO8hNhW3CmqcU2aS7N9ot-jwp8hYP_5Y9aqXRGxc7RNLTsleHWTbYv6aI3ZjTQlBVgTjge1ypdXBj4irvgwQ5lUzilaMW4n_RV4RBYfqZGK3SGuwYsdAYvMtQ9xoqCTqzI4LFs/s1600/McDonough+author+ph%2340111F0.tif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jacquelyn Middleton is the award-winning author of LONDON BELONGS TO ME, LONDON, CAN YOU WAIT? and UNTIL THE LAST STAR FADES. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">LONDON BELONGS TO ME (a contemporary coming-of-age story) won an honourable mention in the mainstream/literary fiction category of the 25th Annual Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Awards, and LONDON, CAN YOU WAIT? (contemporary romance) captured the GOLD prize in the ROMANCE category of the 2018 Independent Publisher Book Awards. UNTIL THE LAST STAR FADES, her latest novel, blurs the line between women's fiction and contemporary romance.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jacquelyn is also a national award-winning freelance writer with articles published by several of the most popular magazines, newspapers, and websites in North America including USA Today, Canadian Living, Best Health, National Geographic Travel, Psychology Today, The Toronto Star, Reader's Digest, Chatelaine, Today's Parent, and Flare. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">She previously worked in television broadcasting and lives in Toronto with her British husband, however, she spends much of her time in London, walking in the footsteps of her characters, hanging out with friends and family, going to plays, and soaking up the atmosphere in her favourite neighbourhoods. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Follow Jacquelyn on Twitter (@JaxMiddleton), Instagram (@JaxMiddleton_Author), or Facebook (JacquelynMiddletonAuthor), and visit her website at JacquelynMiddleton.com</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">Connect with Jacquelyn:</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.jacquelynmiddleton.com/">Website</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JacquelynMiddletonAuthor/">Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/JaxMiddleton">Twitter</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15343495.Jacquelyn_Middleton">Goodreads</a></span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">Would You Rather... </span></b><br />
<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>with Lisa Doyle</b></span><br />
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<b>Chips, chocolate or cheese?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>How is this a question? Chocolate all day long! Then, cheese (Grilled cheese! Aged cheddar on white bread sandwiches!), and chips would be last. I have chocolate every day.<br />
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<b>Bridget Jones, Becky Bloomwood or Carrie Bradshaw?</b><br />
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Sex and the City is one of my all-time favourite TV shows so I’d have to go with Carrie Bradshaw (even though I’m more of a Charlotte York). I love Bridget Jones, too, because LONDON and all things British are totally me.<br />
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<b>Wine, beer or vodka?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>None of the above. I don’t drink. The taste has never appealed to me<br />
<b><br /></b><b>Camping or spa vacation?</b><br />
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Neither! I don’t mind staying in a cottage by a lake, but camping is too far out of my comfort zone. Spas aren’t my thing either. I don’t like people fussing around me for massages, facials, manicures—they ramp up my anxiety (I actually had a panic attack once during a cosmetics makeover that ended with an in-store fainting spell. Ta da!)<br />
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<b>Dogs or cats?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>Dogs are everything! I’ve had dogs all my life and I’m mum to Zoey, a Schipperke who I love more than life itself.<br />
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<b>Coke or Pepsi?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>I rarely drink soft drinks/pop, but sometimes a Coke hits the spot.<br />
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<b>Coffee or tea?</b><br />
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Hot chocolate! With all the marshmallows.<br />
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<b>Dine out or take away?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>Both! Dining out when the weather’s nice, but when it’s minus thirty degrees Celsius and snowy here in Toronto, someone please bring me a take away. Lucky for me, my husband is always willing to oblige.<br />
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<b>High heels, sneakers or flip flops?</b><br />
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Sneakers. Comfort overrules fashion for me. The pain of aching feet shows on your face! I own so many pairs of running shoes. I’m always on the hunt for old school Nike styles, especially when I visit the UK.<br />
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<b>Physical Book or ebook?</b><br />
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Physical book. I’m a fan of flipping physical pages, feeling the weight of a book in my hands, the beauty of a colourful cover.<br />
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<b>Pen or pencil?</b><br />
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Pen. I’m a huge stationery and office supplies geek.<br />
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<b>Drama or comedy?</b><br />
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Both, but I lean more towards drama. I love a story I can connect with and makes me cry. Crying is good. Never feel embarrassed to let your emotions take over.<br />
<b><br /></b><b>Lipstick, lipgloss or chapstick?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>Lipstick. I don’t like the feel of gooey lips or having my hair stick to them (sorry, gloss).<br />
<b><br /></b><b>Facebook or Twiter?</b><br />
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I used to love Twitter but it’s a massive Debbie Downer nowadays. So much complaining, very little joy. My favourite thing about Facebook is my readers group, Keeganites United. I love hanging out in there. My readers are wonderful people and we have a lot of fun together. My favourite social media is Instagram. Pretty photos win every time.<br />
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<b>Plot your entire novel or fly by the seat of your pants?</b><br />
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Plot! I do in-depth work on all my characters as well as the plot before I dive in and write a single sentence.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: x-large;">Until the Last Star Fades</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">COULD YOU BE THE ONE WHO CHANGES EVERYTHING?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In her senior year at NYU, Riley Hope appears to be on top of the world. With a loving mother who makes Lorelai Gilmore look like a parenting slacker, ride-or-die friends, and a long-time boyfriend destined for the National Hockey League, she puts on a smile for the world. But behind it, she’s drowning. Racked with fears for the future, she battles to stay afloat amid life in the shadows of a heartbreaking illness.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And then, Ben Fagan comes crashing into her life. Twenty-three-years-old, British, and alone in the Big Apple after a disastrous pilot season in LA, the struggling actor is looking for an escape: booze, mischief, sex—minimum commitment, maximum fun—anything to avoid returning across the pond. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As they form an unlikely bond, Riley keeps her reality from Ben so that he remains a happy refuge. But how long can she hold back the truth…and is Ben keeping his own secrets, too?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 19px;"><b>Available at:</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Until-Last-Fades-Jacquelyn-Middleton/dp/0995211787/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1542913193&sr=8-1">Amazon<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=noveesca04-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0985352086" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/until-the-last-star-fades-jacquelyn-middleton/1129526493?ean=9780995211780">Barnes & Noble<img border="0" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=7nhd8xJ7r7U&bids=239662.9780985352080&type=2&subid=0" height="1" width="1" /></a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Until-Last-Fades-Jacquelyn-Middleton-ebook/dp/B07H9LW2QH/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1542913193&sr=8-1&keywords=until+the+last+star+fades">Kindle<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=noveesca04-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00OGNOWY2" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></a> <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/until-the-last-star-fades-jacquelyn-middleton/1129526493?ean=2940156148042">Nook<img border="0" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=7nhd8xJ7r7U&bids=239662.2940150533639&type=2&subid=0" height="1" width="1" /></a> <a href="https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/until-the-last-star-fades/9780995211797-item.html?ikwid=until+the+last+star+fades&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=1">Kobo</a> </span><span style="color: #660000; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 19px;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="color: #660000; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 19px;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="color: #660000; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 19px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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