Saturday, October 31, 2015

Cover Reveal: Stealing Light by Julie Cassar ‪‪#‎juliecassar‬ ‪#‎stealinglight #‎coverrelase


Stealing Light

Stealing Light by Julie Cassar 

"Tonight, everything could change. I wasn’t ready to let go of anyone just yet."

If you could change what you know is coming, would you? Cecelia Walker discovers an amazing ability deep within herself that gives her the power to change the future. When mysterious outsiders enter her life, she begins to question everything and everyone she once knew. 

Years earlier, CeeCee’s life changed forever the day her parents were killed in a horrific car accident. Suddenly extraordinary people and bizarre events began to seep into her very small world. Surviving for years on her addiction to coffee and running, life suddenly deals her a game-changing wildcard and all bets are off. Her magnificent Gift of Light awakens a tremendous dark power wanting to steal what is hers. 

Will Cecelia be able to change what she’s seen and set a new course? Has she met her otherworldly match against evil and found her true soul mate? Or, is nothing is as it seems as the power of darkness threatens to consume her and those she loves.



Coming soon!!


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Book Spotlight Giveaway! Live Wire (Myron Bolitar #10) by Harlan Coben


I have sooooo many books! I have a ton of print books and probably even more e-books. The Book Spotlight feature that I post every Saturday is a way for me to clear my shelves and to share some of the books I have. And to give someone else the opportunity to enjoy them.

This is another book that my daughter weeded from her collection. Live Wire is #10 in the Myron Bolitar series. Harlan’s next stand alone thriller Fool Me Once, will be released in March 2016.

Good luck and be sure to stop back next week!

Live Wire


Live Wire by Harlan Coben
Series: Myron Bolitar #10
Hardcover, 371 pages
Published March 22nd 2011 by Dutton

New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben proves once again that "nobody writes them better" in a thriller that asks a provocative question: Is a pretty lie better than the ugly truth?

Harlan Coben published his first Myron Bolitar thriller, Deal Breaker, in 1995, introducing a hero that would captivate millions. Over the years we have watched Myron walk a tight rope between sports agent, friend, problem solver and private eye, his big heart quick to defend his client's interests so fiercely that he can't help but jump in to save them, no matter the cost.

When former tennis star Suzze T and her rock star husband, Lex, encounter an anonymous Facebook post questioning the paternity of their unborn child, Lex runs off, and Suzze - at eight months pregnant - asks Myron to save her marriage, and perhaps her husband's life. But when he finds Lex, he also finds someone he wasn't looking for: his sister-in-law, Kitty, who along with Myron's brother abandoned the Bolitar family long ago.

As Myron races to locate his missing brother while their father clings to life, he must face the lies that led to the estrangement - including the ones told by Myron himself. If we thought we knew Myron Bolitar, Coben now proves we didn't. An electric, stay-up-all night thriller that unfolds at a breakneck pace, Live Wire proves that Harlan Coben still has the ability to shock us anew.


About the author


With over 60 million books in print worldwide, Harlan Coben’s last seven consecutive novels, Missing You. Six Years, Stay Close, Live Wire, Caught, Long Lost, and Hold Tight all debuted at #1 on the New York Times bestseller list and lists around the world. His books are published in 43 languages around the globe.

Coben is the winner of the Edgar Award, Shamus Award and Anthony Award – the first author to win all three – and he has received an eclectic variety of honors from all over the world. His novel Tell No One has been turned into a hit French film of the same name. His essays and columns have appeared in many top publications.

Harlan was born in Newark, New Jersey. He still lives in New Jersey with his wife, Anne Armstrong-Coben MD, a pediatrician, and their four children.

Connect with Harlan





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Friday, October 30, 2015

Book Spotlight and a Giveaway! Borrow-A-Bridesmaid by Anne Wagener


Borrow-A-Bridesmaid

Borrow-A-Bridesmaid by Anne Wagener
E-Book, 292 Pages
Published June 8, 2015 by Simon & Schuster/Pocket Star

Piper is a recent college grad who decides to sell her body on Craigslist—as a hired bridesmaid. Her airport bookseller job just isn’t bringing home the turkey bacon, and no one’s going to pay her to analyze Milton’s poetry. Turns out, having an English literature degree from an upstanding university isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Piper’s Craigslist endeavor soon picks up steam, netting her clients such as Southern peach Stacey, whose interracial marriage causes a family feud, and Alex, a bride-to-be who’s so type A she’s type A-plus. Between fighting off matching T-shirt–wearing teams of “bustle bitches” at gown sales and learning more about fondant than the Cake Boss, Piper falls for Charlie Bell, the brother of a client. A fellow aspiring writer, Charlie’s the only person recently who’s encouraged Piper to follow her dreams. Not to mention, he’s pretty darn cute.

But when Charlie turns out to be the groom in one of her gigs—and set to marry the craziest bridezilla of them all—Piper must band together with her newfound friends and stop Charlie from making the biggest mistake of his life.


Purchase Borrow-A-Bridesmaid


About the author

http://annewagener.weebly.com/uploads/3/1/8/1/31812041/7219360.jpg?436

Anne Wagener is the author of Borrow-A-Bridesmaid, which was inspired by her own ten turns as a bridesmaid. When she's not writing, Anne is playing covers of 90s songs on her ukulele, reading, or eating too much ice cream. 

Connect with Anne



I have this book on my review schedule for early January but Anne is offering an e-book copy (Kindle, Nook, or iTunes) of her wonderful book right now. 

Thank you, Anne!
And I can't wait to read Borrow-A-Bridesmaid.



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Thursday, October 29, 2015

On Tour: The Memory Chair by Susan White


The Memory Chair


The Memory Chair by Susan White
Paperback and e-book, 155 pages
Published 2015 by Acorn Press

Thirteen-year-old Betony has always hated going to her cranky great-grandmother’s house. It’s old and stuffy and boring and the woodstove in the kitchen is always burning too hot. But her Gram doesn’t have any other family living close by on the Kingston Peninsula, so Betony ends up being dragged along all the time.

She’d rather be pretty much anywhere…until one day Betony sits on her Gram’s favourite chair. She is suddenly transported into the past, and is experiencing her Gram’s life as if it were in her own memory. At first Betony is excited and curious, and begins to develop a close relationship with Gram, even learning to cook and quilt. But after she has experienced a few more of her great-grandmother’s memories, she realizes she is slowly uncovering a terrible, shameful family secret.


Purchase The Memory Chair


My thoughts about The Memory Chair ~~

First of all, the cover. I love this cover and the simple, yet comfortable looking chair in the middle. It looks like a good reading chair to me. And it's full of memories. Sweet.

Betony has never been close to her great-grandmother, Gram, and she really doesn't like going to visit her. But when Betony sits in the big comfortable chair, she experiences parts of Gram's past as if they were her own memories. Through these memories, she comes to understand her Gram a little bit better and does what she can to heal the old woman and to bring the family back together.
'Each memory I had seen had brought me closer to Gram, and I now cared about her in a way I had never imagined possible.'
Part way through the book is the line 'I had never touched Gram before.' Reading that made me so sad, that this family could be so broken that this thirteen year old had never hugged her Gram. I loved watching the relationship between Betony and Gram grow and change.

I like the idea of remembering and sharing memories. I think it is really important for families to share memories and to keep the family stories alive. The Memory Chair is a wonderful story about the importance of family, the past, and forgiveness.

About the author


Sue White was born in New Brunswick and moved from one New Brunswick city to another. As a teenager her family moved to the Kingston Peninsula and she only left long enough to earn her BA and BEd at St. Thomas University in Fredericton. Settling on the peninsula, she and her husband raised four children and ran a small farm while she taught elementary school. Since retiring she is grateful to now have the time to work on her writing and the freedom to regularly visit her new granddaughter in Alberta.

Christine currently lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, Austin, who has been her biggest fan and the key to her success. They have two beautiful children.

Connect with Susan


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Wednesday, October 28, 2015

What the Heart Remembers by Bette Lee Crosby


What the Heart Remembers

What the Heart Remembers by Bette Lee Crosby
Series: Memory House Collection #3
Expected publication: November 17th 2015 by Bent Pine Publishing

Max Martinelli spent her junior year of college in Paris, and fell in love. Julien was a wickedly handsome young man who was crazy in love with her, or so she thought. He was a free-spirited artist and she an aspiring architect—impressionable, young, and standing on the brink of womanhood.

That was over three years ago but the memory of him still haunts her. Max’s life is stuck on hold because she can’t stop wondering what would have happened if she had gone back. Was Julien simply part of the magic of Paris? Or was he meant to be her destiny?

After a New Year’s Eve party that ends in disaster and bad dreams, Max decides to find out once and for all. She is going to return to Paris and search for Julien. But will her search bring forever after happiness or a truth so ugly it will change her life forever?


Preorder from iTunes 
Available from other bookstores coming soon.

My thoughts about What the Heart Remembers ~~

I love all of Bette's stories and the characters in them, but I think some of my favorites are the ones in the Memory House series. What the Heart Remembers is book #3 and in this book, we learn more about Max and her memories of her time in Paris. Her life has been in limbo, waiting for her love, Julien to contact her. It's been three years since she has heard from him. She decides to head to Paris to find him, to make sure nothing has happened to him. But if she goes back, will she find things to be as wonderful as she remembers, or do memories change over time and we remember things as we want them to be?
'People who think they’re in love are blind to anything but what they want to see.'
I love my trips back to Memory House where I get to revisit the wonderful people I have come to love and enjoyed spending time with in the past. Good old Ophelia is still going strong and offers her support and love to the new residents of Memory House.
'I spent most of my ninetieth year waiting to die. Now I’m wishing I had that year back. Instead of worrying about dying, I’d be celebrating the fact that I’m still living.'
Annie and Oliver, the new owners of Memory House take a minor but supporting role is this story, which is centered on Max. But we see enough of them to feel like we are 'catching up' with their lives. Annie and Max are good friends and Annie knows Max has to take this trip, but that doesn't stop her from worrying.
'When you’re afraid someone you love is going to be hurt, doing nothing is the hardest thing in the world.'
Max learns a lot about Julien, and about herself, while she is in Paris. I loved watching her grow and look for her happiness. And this story made me want to take a trip to Paris someday ... some day, sigh.

As always, Bette's books are so full of wisdom and wonderful words to live by. I find myself marking so many passages when I read her stories. Her stories are just so beautiful and it is so easy to fall in love with the people she has created. I look forward to going back to visit Memory House again, sometime soon.
'As I stood there thinking about all that was lost, I started realizing I hadn’t lost anything. I still had all my memories.'
About the author


USA Today Bestselling and Award-winning novelist Bette Lee Crosby's books are "Well-crafted storytelling populated by memorable characters caught up in equally memorable circumstances." - Midwest Book Review

The Seattle Post Intelligencer says Crosby's writing is, "A quirky mix of Southern flair, serious thoughts about important things in life and madcap adventures."

Samantha from Reader's Favorite raves, "Crosby writes the type of book you can't stop thinking about long after you put it down."

"Storytelling is in my blood," Crosby laughingly admits, "My mom was not a writer, but she was a captivating storyteller, so I find myself using bits and pieces of her voice in most everything I write."

It is the wit and wisdom of that Southern Mama Crosby brings to her works of fiction; the result is a delightful blend of humor, mystery and romance along with a cast of quirky charters who will steal your heart away. Her work was first recognized in 2006 when she received The National League of American Pen Women Award for a then unpublished manuscript. She has since gone on to win nineteen awards for her work; these include: TheRoyal Palm Literary Award, the FPA President's Book Award Gold Medal, Reader's Favorite Award Gold Medal, and the Reviewer's Choice Award.

Crosby's published works to date are: Memory House (2015), Passing through Perfect (2015), Wishing for Wonderful (2014), Blueberry Hill (2014), Previously Loved Treasures (2014), Jubilee's Journey (2013), What Matters Most (2013), The Twelfth Child (2012), Life in the Land of IS (2012), Cracks in the Sidewalk (2011), Spare Change (2011).

Connect with Bette



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Monday, October 26, 2015

On Tour: Illusion of an Ending by Danielle Soucy Mills and an Excerpt


Illusion of an Ending


Illusion of an Ending by Danielle Soucy Mills
Print and e-book, 200 pages
Published by Aerial Awareness Media
Genre: Visionary & Metaphysical Fiction

Three peoples’ life stories intertwine with a synchronistic twist.

Jimmy Pollaski, a young man at the peak of his potential, dies suddenly in a motorcycle accident. As his spirit hovers above his lifeless body, he calls out to his mother, Patricia, only to find that his words are inaudible. He then promises to find some way to transmit his message to the world of the living.

It is no coincidence that Lorrena Shaw can see him, along with other spirits—a gift that Lorrena’s mother shuns. After her mother suddenly announces that they will abandon their home in Connecticut to care for Lorrena’s grandmother—a grandmother she has never known—Lorrena inevitably finds herself in the same small Massachusetts city where Patricia resides.

As their paths unite, Lorrena discovers the unbearable grief that haunts Patricia’s every move. Now, not only must she convince Patricia that her son’s soul has survived the fatal crash, she must also travel beyond space and time to access the Akashic Records, the library of all of Human Existence, and write their stories as one—a story that ultimately shatters the boundaries between life and death.

If you liked The 5 People You Meet in Heaven or The Celestine Prophecy, you’ll love Illusion of an Ending.

For more information

My thoughts about Illusion of an Ending ~~
'Every day of my life, I lived a new death.'
How about that for an opening line? It captured my attention for sure. Illusion of an Ending is a beautiful story about what the afterlife might be like and how those who are gone aren't really gone, they're just experiencing the next phase in their existence.

Jimmy dies unexpectantly in a motorcycle. His mother is struggling with this loss and feels guilty. A lot of things have to happen to connect her with the person who will ultimately help her heal. Are these things all just coincidence or are there mystical forces in place to help the healing?
'But here, James, we exist in our most radiant forms. We are beings of energy and light, able to instantly transform into whatever look we please.'
This story is a wonderfully written story about what might be possible when we or our loved ones pass away. I love the idea of the beautiful world that Jimmy's soul rises to and I especially love the idea that we can communicate with those who have left us.
'If there is anything I must get through your head while I have the chance, it's that there are no ends. Don't you see? The endings are only illusions. They are not real.'
I was totally drawn to this passage in the book. It is a bit of wisdom passed on to Jimmy's mother by the elderly woman she is taking care of in the nursing home. What a wise woman.
'Our paths in life are no highway. Now and again, we all think we're speeding along fine, the wind catching our hair, hitting our face with a warm careening gesture. Then, boom! We realize we are going the wrong way or we blink our eyes and suddenly we're driving down a road laced with pebbles, with one big boulder in the way. No matter our tight grip on reality, we begin to feel absolutely powerless. We recognize there's nothing we can do but turn around and keep moving. We go and go, and maybe we pause once in a while, but we never stop growing. And in that sense, we are more powerful than we often recognize.'
This is a beautiful story about the afterlife and communicating with our loved ones who have passed one, a very uplifting way of thinking about the sad topic of death. I loved it and loved the way it made me think about the possibilites.

Prologue

Jimmy Pollaski

“Unable are the Loved to die
For Love is Immortality,”
— Emily Dickinson

Every day of my life I died a new death.
As the years turned me from child to teenager to adult, I remember wondering what it would feel like to die. How would I know when it happened?

Now, as I ascend over my body lying lifeless in the hospital bed, I see everything at once, know everything at the same time. My mother stands over me, her head low. She’s waiting for a sign to assure her that I’ll be okay. My father sits behind her. His mind is racing, face blank. He never knows the right way to calm her down. Outside, the San Diego sun warms the day to a pleasant seventy-four degrees.
I feel nothing but a rush of energy as the light around me grows brighter. Life isn’t flashing before my eyes, like they say, but showing up in pieces that remind me things will not carry on as they were. I begin to recall events throughout my lifetime where I believed I was coming so close...to a close.
I thought once that dying would be like breaking my elbow after my bicycle flew out from under my eight-year-old body. Pain shot up my arm, folded under at an unnatural angle. Still alive years later, I swore that death would be like the feeling of my lungs collapsing as my track coach yelled, “Only ten more miles!” I thought death loomed after a fifteen-minute swim in November’s North Atlantic, purple shaking lips and rubber skin. When that wasn’t death, I was sure it would arrive the morning after kicking kegs in the woods as the night transformed into dawn.

I recognize my mother’s worry that if the beer didn’t kill us, maybe it would have been the eighty-foot jumps into the quarry’s cavernous waters. The lofty shadows of trees drifted over our drunken heads, stars blinking through the branches. Our bodies floated in the cool water. Our sobriety was the only casualty then. The intoxication never shut me down completely, not even when my eyes shook to a close, opening again four hours later to the sun pouring rays at me as generously as I had let the alcohol flow down my throat. Head pounding, thinking in broken thoughts. Yes, finally, this had to be it. Really dying.
Now I know that these times were only attempts at escape, the way my mother closes her eyes but the world remains around her, the way people are unable to fully detach from the hurt and vulnerability which tie us hand-in-hand to life. We persevere, countless moments of pain leading us to this final moment of release.
Twenty-five years gone by, but it’s my time.
“Mom, I’m okay! I’m right here!” My voice stifles as if I’m talking into layers of sheets that I can’t lift.
My mother’s chin rises. She pulls her cell phone from her pocket.
Thousands of miles away, my sister looks out her window at the snow-covered scenery. The streets are caked in thick ice. She’s clutching the phone to her face, her eyes red and puffy as she dabs them with tissue.
The hospital staff urged my friends to go and rest hours ago. I see them asleep on the couches, the silent glow of the television lighting up the living room.
“I know you can’t hear me now, but I will find a way. There is a way,” I tell them.
It’s only a matter of time before the days align. My path has led me here, the wind pressing against my face, the motorcycle’s engine roaring beneath me. The earth and the ocean smear together at seventy miles per hour. Paths of everyone on Earth diverging, and intersecting.
I watch my mother collapse into the chair beside my dad, his arm cradling her descent. The doctor stands above them. All at once, I feel the delicate hand of my grandmother, its warmth transferring through my body like a comet grazing the sky with a sudden, hot glow. She’s been waiting for me.
My mother’s face contorts. She tosses her face into her hands, head shaking back and forth.
“My story isn’t over, Mom,” I say. “The beginnings and the endings aren’t real. I promise, I will tell you the true story—our story.”
As I speak, the scene closes in around me, forming a tunnel of astounding radiance. Shards of illumination multiply without hurting my eyes.
Today I am dying, yet I feel more alive now than ever before as the world around me fades to light.

About the author

Danielle Soucy Mills is the award-winning author of children’s book, Tina Tumbles and Visionary & Metaphysical novel, Illusion of an Ending. A lover of books since childhood, she studied English and creative writing at Rhode Island College, before moving to California to earn her M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Chapman University.

She enjoys writing books for both children and adults which inspire, encourage, and delve into our Divine purpose for being. Danielle has made guest appearances on The Nancy Ferrari Show on iHeart Radio, The Writer’s Divine Den Radio Show, and has been featured in Bellésprit Magazine. She currently resides in San Diego with her wonderful husband, Jesse, and her ever-growing collection of books.

Connect with Danielle



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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? October 26, 2015


Hello! Welcome to It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? This weekly meme, hosted by Book Date, is where we share what we have read this past week and what our plans are for the upcoming week. It’s a great way to see what others are reading and to discover books to add to your own To Be Read list. You never know where that next great read may come from!

Click on the book image to read more on Goodreads. 

What I'm currently reading/listening to

The Memory Chair
by Susan White

A 6th Bowl of Chicken Soup for the Soul
by Jack Canfield

The Language of Hoofbeats 
by Catherine Ryan Hyde (audio-book)

What I recently finished reading

Illusion of an Ending
by Danielle Soucy Mills
My thoughts will be posted later today.


What the Heart Remembers (Memory House #3)
by Bette Lee Crosby 
My thoughts will be posted soon.

Snow Deer and Cocoa Cheer
by Joanne DeMaio
Read my thoughts here.

What I am going to read next

A Rare Nativity
by Sam Beeson
I love when the Christmas stories start showing up.

I really love my reading life!
What are you reading this week?


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Release Day! Clutch: a Novel by Lisa Becker and a Giveaway!

Happy Release Day!




clutch



clutch: a novel by Lisa Becker
Kindle Edition, 140 pages
Publication dare: October 26th 2015

clutch: a novel is the laugh-out-loud, chick lit romance chronicling the dating misadventures of Caroline Johnson, a single purse designer who compares her unsuccessful romantic relationships to styles of handbags – the “Hobo” starving artist, the “Diaper Bag” single dad, the “Briefcase” intense businessman, etc.

With her best friend, bar owner Mike by her side, the overly accommodating Caroline drinks a lot of Chardonnay, puts her heart on the line, endures her share of unworthy suitors and finds the courage to discover the “Clutch” or someone she wants to hold onto.

Get Your Copy!


About the author

In addition to clutch: a novel, Lisa Becker is the author of the Click Trilogy, a contemporary romance series comprised of Click: An Online Love Story, Double Click and Right Click.

She’s written bylined articles about dating and relationships for “Cupid’s Pulse,” “The Perfect Soulmate,” “GalTime,” “Single Edition,” “Healthy B Daily” and “Chick Lit Central” among others. She lives in Manhattan Beach, California with her husband and two daughters.

To learn more, visit www.lisawbecker.com

Connect with Lisa


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Saturday, October 24, 2015

Book Spotlight Giveaway! Heartbreaker (Buchanan-Renard #1) by Julie Garwood


I have sooooo many books! I have a ton of print books and probably even more e-books. The Book Spotlight feature that I post every Saturday is a way for me to clear my shelves and to share some of the books I have. And to give someone else the opportunity to enjoy them.

This is another book that my daughter weeded from her collection. I think I may have read some of Julie's books way back when, but I have not read any of this series. Number 13 in this series is due out in 2016. She is a very popular, prolific author.

Good luck and be sure to stop back next week!

Heartbreaker


Heartbreaker by Julie Garwood
Series: Buchanan-Renard #1
Hardcover, 432 pages
Published July 1st 2000 by Atria

Bless me father, for I will sin....

In the still shadows of the confessional, a madman tauntingly reveals his plan for a murder he is going to commit, pulling Father Thomas Madden into a twisted game by disclosing his next intended victim: Tom's sister, Laurant. In a frantic race to protect her, Tom calls upon his best friend, elite FBI agent Nick Buchanan, to track the predator who is closing in on Laurant. Now, as an electrifying attraction grows between Laurant and Nick, so does the danger -- and one false move will cost both of them everything that matters.

Let New York Times bestselling author Julie Garwood take you on a thrilling excursion into the soaring heights -- and the darkest impulses -- of the human heart.


About the author


With more than 35 million books in print and 26 New York Times bestsellers, Julie Garwood has earned a position among America's favorite fiction writers.

Born and raised in Kansas City, MO, Ms. Garwood attributes much of her success to growing up in a large family of Irish heritage. "The Irish are great storytellers who relish getting all of the details and nuances of every situation. Add in the fact that I was the sixth of seven children. Early in life, I learned that self expression had to be forceful, imaginative, and quick," says Ms. Garwood.

She began her writing career when the youngest of her three children entered school. After the publications of two young-adult books, she turned her talents to historical fiction. Her first novel, Gentle Warrior, was published by Pocket Books in 1985. Since then, she has branched into other genres including contemporary romantic suspense. Today, her name appears regularly on the bestseller lists of every major publication in the country, and her books are translated into dozens of languages around the world. Her bestselling novel For the Roses was adapted for the Hallmark Hall of Fame television movie Rose Hill.

Ms. Garwood lives in Leawood, KS and is currently working on her next novel.

Connect with Julie





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Thursday, October 22, 2015

The Blue Jay by Michelle Schlicher

The Blue Jay

The Blue Jay by Michelle Schlicher
Print and e-book, 207 pages
Published: September 20, 2015 by Michelle Schlicher

A debut novel about a young woman and a young boy scarred by abandonment who find they share an unlikely bond.

Josie McCray was eight years old when her mother left. Now a young teacher, she guards her heart carefully but finds herself pulled to mentor a child in need.

Payton Runnells was 12 when his mother left. Now in foster care, he’s slow to trust anyone but senses that Josie might somehow understand the grief that grips him.

As Josie and Payton lower their walls and forge a friendship, they begin to open themselves up to all life has to offer.

 

My thoughts about The Blue Jay ~~ 

First of all, don't you just love this cover? I know I do! 

And then the story is just amazing! I fell in love with Josie and Payton and I loved watching their relationship grow. What a great friendship they had and they were really good for each other. 

Josie's mother left when Josie was just 8 years old. No explanation, just walked out of her life. That's got to be tough on a little girl and how could she not put walls up around herself to protect her heart? 
'But your mother always had a piece of herself that she kept hidden away. When I first met her, she was a firecracker, but she would also get quite morose at times, and I would have a hard time trying to snap her out of it. It was like she went away in her mind for a bit. She always came back, but as time went on, it took longer for her to find the cheery part of herself again.'
Josie is a good teacher and she loves her job, but she feels like she wants to do more with her life so she starts thinking about becoming a mentor. She is immediately drawn to Payton's story, which is so similar to her own. Payton's mom left him standing outside of school when he was just 12 years old. 
'She didn't stop - why didn't she stop.'
As Josie and Payton get to know each other and start to build some trust, they teach each other so much about life, love, and forgiveness. Their experience is an example of mentoring done right. It's not all smooth sailing but they are there for each other. And they learn so much from one another.  
'She was finally living it, finally a participant and not just a spectator.'
I also loved the relationship that Josie had with Louis, an older gentleman she meets on a plane. Louis has cancer and the two of them develop a friendship while he is in the hospital undergoing his treatments. He has lived a long life and is a very wise man. He becomes a great friend to Josie. 
'Change was happening all the time. She couldn't stop it. And, really, she didn't want to.'
There is only one negative comment I need to make about The Blue Jay. The story was fabulous, with great characters. I just wish it would have been a longer story, so that I could have spent more time with everyone and could have watched their relationships develop even more. Ok, so maybe that's not so negative. 

Anyway, great job Michelle, on your debut novel. I look forward to reading more of your stories. 

I received a copy of The Blue Jay from the author in exchange for my honest opinion. 


About the author


Michelle’s debut novel, The Blue Jay, was released in September 2015. Michelle Schlicher is an American fiction writer and the author of The Blue Jay.

A graduate of Iowa State University, she subsequently worked for the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau for six years in the communications and marketing department. During that time she became involved with a local mentoring organization, which had a huge impact on her life and became the foundation for which The Blue Jay is based.

Michelle grew up in Iowa and still resides there with her husband and two children.

Connect with Michelle


 

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