A Thousand Doors: An Anthology of Many Lives ~ My Thoughts #AThousandDoors #NetGalley

A Thousand Doors

A Thousand Doors: An Anthology of Many Lives
by J.T. Ellison,  Kimberly Belle, Laura Benedict, A.F. Brady, Paige Crutcher, Rebecca Drake, Heather Gudenkauf, Patti Callahan Henry, Joy Jordan-Lake, Alisha Klapheke, Kerry Lonsdale, Ariel Lawhon, Catherine McKenzie, Kate Moretti, Lisa Patton, Kaira Rouda
Print and e-book, 404 pages
Expected publication: November 5th 2018 by Two Tales Press

The day Mia Jensen died, she finally got to live.

WHAT IF…

We’ve all played the “what if” game. For Mia Jensen, “what if” is a fact of life. Dissatisfied with her choices, she often dreams about what could have been. Now she has the chance to know. But that knowledge is going to cost her dearly. Only through death can she fully realize the value of her life.

My thoughts about A Thousand Doors ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first line.)

First line—"The day Mia Jensen died dawned cold and harsh under a brittle sun that barely warmed the streets." 

Wow! I don't know if I've ever read a book like this one before. What an interesting premise—Mia dies at the beginning of the book, and as she is laying there dying, she has flashes of what her life could have been like if she'd made different choices. This book is so fascinating because it's each author's take on the direction that Mia's life could have taken, if only she'd made different decisions in her life.

Each chapter, written by a different author, gives their spin on how Mia might have possibly have lived her life. And each chapter is as varied as the individual author's storytelling style. Some of these authors I've read before and some of them were new to me. I liked how each story gave me a small taste of the author's work. That's what I love about anthologies, they allow me to visit some old favorites while also discovering some new authors. 

A Thousand Doors is such an interesting variety of stories and they are all so good and so different. J.T. Ellison, one of the authors and the editor, starts and ends the stories and ties the whole book up in a very satisfying way. 

"Regrets. Joys, Mistakes. So many lives to lead, to have led. So many lives to lose, and so many to gain."

I received A Thousand Doors from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. 

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It's Monday! What Are You Reading? October 29, 2018

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's an opportunity to visit other blogs and to comment on their reads. And ... you can add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date. And here we are!

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The weather here has been beautiful. I thought we were going to miss fall and go right into winter, but the temps have warmed up, the rain has stopped, and we've been able to get some patio, fire-pit time in. Love it! 

I had a great reading week, getting through several books this past week. Also, on Thursday one of my most favorite authors, Deanna Lynn Sletten, was able to attend our book club as we discussed her wonderful book Finding Libbie. I love all of her books, but Libbie really touched my heart and is—for now—my favorite of her books. Read my thoughts here. 

Everyone loved meeting Deanna and it was a very interesting evening, learning more about Libbie, Deanna, and the world of writing. Sadly, we forgot all about taking pictures so here's one from when I originally met her 3 years ago. 

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you all have a good week. Happy reading!

What I'm currently reading

Little Big Love
by Katy Regan

Miss Etta: A Novel

by Deanna Lynn Sletten

(audio-book)

Read my thoughts from when I read the book here.

What I recently finished

Wynn in Doubt
by Emily Hemmer

Night of Miracles

(Arthur Truluv #2)

by Elizabeth Berg

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

(The Adventures of Tom and Huck #1)

by Mark Twain

(audio-book)

What I am going to read next

The Suspect
by Fiona Barton

I really love my reading life!

What are you reading this week?

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The Here and Now by Ann Brashares ~ My Thoughts #TheHereAndNow #NetGalley

The Here and Now

The Here and Now by Ann Brashares
Print and e-book, 256 pages
Published April 8th 2014 by Delacorte Press

An unforgettable epic romantic thriller about a girl from the future who might be able to save the world . . . if she lets go of the one thing she’s found to hold on to.

Follow the rules. Remember what happened. Never fall in love.

This is the story of seventeen-year-old Prenna James, who immigrated to New York when she was twelve. Except Prenna didn’t come from a different country. She came from a different time—a future where a mosquito-borne illness has mutated into a pandemic, killing millions and leaving the world in ruins.

Prenna and the others who escaped to the present day must follow a strict set of rules: never reveal where they’re from, never interfere with history, and never, ever be intimate with anyone outside their community. Prenna does as she’s told, believing she can help prevent the plague that will one day ravage the earth.

But everything changes when Prenna falls for Ethan Jarves.

From Ann Brashares, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, The Here and Now is thrilling, exhilarating, haunting, and heartbreaking—and a must-read novel of the year.

My thoughts about The Here and Now ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first line.)

First line—"His dad had to work, so Ethan had gone fishing alone. Usually he just followed his dad through the woods to the deep bends of the creek, slapping at the prickers around his ankles.'

Okay, I have to admit here that I have not read any of the books in the popular Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series and this is the first book by Ann Brashares that I have read. What a wonderful story to introduce me to a new author. I'm so glad I discovered this one and I look forward to reading more.  

The Here and Now is an exciting story where Prenna and Ethan work together to find out what is the truth and what are the lies. Coming from another time, Prenna has 'rules' to live by, but are these rules in place to keep her safe or to hide the secrets of others? This is definitely a page turner, as together they face a scary present that may or not affect the uncertain future.  

I received The Here and Now from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. 

About the author

Ann Brashares grew up in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with three brothers and attended a Quaker school in the D.C. area called Sidwell Friends. She studied Philosophy at Barnard College, part of Columbia University in New York City. Expecting to continue studying philosophy in graduate school, Ann took a year off after college to work as an editor, hoping to save money for school.

Loving her job, she never went to graduate school, and instead, remained in New York City and worked as an editor for many years. Ann made the transition from editor to full-time writer with her first novel, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Ann and her husband live with their three children in New York.

Connect with Ann

Website | Facebook | | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

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Book Spotlight Giveaway! The Forbidden Door by Dean Koontz

I have sooooo many books! The Book Spotlight Giveaway feature that I post every Saturday is a way for me to clear my shelves and to share some of the many books I have. This feature is a way for my to cull my collection and to give someone else the opportunity to enjoy these treasures.

I love Dean Koontz's books and this is book #4 of his amazing Jane Hawk series. I ended up with an extra ARC copy and am passing it along. I've only read book #2, The Whispering Room—so far. Read my thoughts here. I'm excited to read the rest of the series! 

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Good luck and be sure to stop back next week!

The Forbidden Door

The Forbidden Door by Dean Koontz
Series: Jane Hawk #4

ARC, 480 pages
Published October 9th 2018 by Bantam

When this relentless rogue FBI agent comes knocking, her adversaries will have to answer—with their lives—in the latest thrilling Jane Hawk novel by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Corner.

“We’re rewriting the play, and the play is this country, the world, the future. We break Jane’s heart, we’ll also break her will.”

She was one of the FBI’s top agents until she became the nation’s most-wanted fugitive. Now Jane Hawk may be all that stands between a free nation and its enslavement by a powerful secret society’s terrifying mind-control technology. She couldn’t save her husband, or the others whose lives have been destroyed, but equipped with superior tactical and survival skills—and the fury born of a broken heart and a hunger for justice—Jane has struck major blows against the insidious cabal.

But Jane’s enemies are about to hit back hard. If their best operatives can’t outrun her, they mean to bring her running to them, using her five-year-old son as bait. Jane knows there’s no underestimating their capabilities, but she must battle her way back across the country to the remote shelter where her boy is safely hidden . . . for now.

As she moves resolutely forward, new threats begin to emerge: a growing number of brain-altered victims driven hopelessly, violently insane. With the madness spreading like a virus, the war between Jane and her enemies will become a fight for all their lives—against the lethal terror unleashed from behind the forbidden door.

Don’t miss any of Dean Koontz’s gripping Jane Hawk thrillers: THE SILENT CORNER • THE WHISPERING ROOM • THE CROOKED STAIRCASE • THE FORBIDDEN DOOR • THE NIGHT WINDOW (Coming Soon!)

Check out the whole series here.

About the author

Acknowledged as "America's most popular suspense novelist" (Rolling Stone) and as one of today's most celebrated and successful writers, Dean Ray Koontz has earned the devotion of millions of readers around the world and the praise of critics everywhere for tales of character, mystery, and adventure that strike to the core of what it means to be human.

Dean R. Koontz has also published under the names Leigh Nichols, Brian Coffey, David Axton, Owen West, Deanna Dwyer and Aaron Wolfe.

Dean, the author of many #1 New York Times bestsellers, lives in Southern California with his wife, Gerda, their golden retriever, Elsa, and the enduring spirit of their goldens, Trixie and Anna. ~ Goodreads

Connect with Dean

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

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Book Blitz! All That Matters by Tracy Krimmer ~ Excerpt, Trailer, and a Giveaway! #AllThatMatters

Welcome to my stop for the book blitz for All That Matters by Tracy Krimmer. This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours and runs October 23-24. See the whole tour schedule here.

All That Matters by Tracy Krimmer

Series: All That #3

Genre: Contemporary Romance/ Women’s Fiction

Age category: Adult

Release Date: October 22, 2018

Dory Walker finally has both feet on the ground and looks forward to one thing only--becoming Mrs. Harris Malone. Her wedding is coming up, and she's put her music career behind her for good so she can focus on what's important in her life. Family comes first.

Harris Malone is getting used to his young daughter living over an hour away but now faces a new challenge--unemployment. With a wedding in a few months, he's in need of money, and he’s not sure how he’s going to find it.

But as Dory and Harris plan their happy future together, a trail of lies follows them. From secrets to hidden truths, every aspect of their relationship will be tested. Will they say "I do," or will a web of deceit force them into saying "I don’t?”

Purchase All That Matters

Amazon | B&N | Kobo

iTunes | All vendors

Excerpt

“How are you doing?” I rubbed Harris’s arm, knowing the day had to be bittersweet for him. He didn’t desire to take over the store as his dad had originally planned so it almost came as a blessing when Randy was forced to sell due to his debts. Still, Harris had spent the better part of almost a year mentally preparing for the takeover that now wouldn’t happen.

“Okay. I’m not sure what tomorrow will bring, though. I came here to work almost every day for more than a decade. What am I supposed to do with myself?”

As much as I wanted to, I didn’t have an answer to his question. I had a better idea than anyone what it meant to feel lost, and only over the past month and a half had I finally found myself. I thought I ached for a music career again but as I spent more time on stage, backstage, and on the tour bus I realized my life belonged in Sycamore Bay. My cosmetology degree was being put to good use at Lila’s salon, and now with another stylist, Zoe, added to the payroll, business boomed. I made decent money in hourly and tips and my health didn’t suffer because of it. In fact, I couldn’t even recall the last time my endometriosis flared up.

“Give it time, Harris. You’ll figure all of that out.”

“Yeah, maybe.” He touched his hand to my chin and tipped my face so I stared into his chestnut eyes. Wiping a stray brown hair away from my face and tucking it behind my ear, he added, “but we have a wedding to plan. I don’t want to cut corners anywhere. You deserve your dream wedding.”

How did I get so lucky as to be with a man like Harris? “I’m marrying you. That is my dream.” It had been for years. I crushed on him through all of high school and once we shared a kiss I thought that was it. It wasn’t though, and we went our separate ways. We’d found each other again, and I planned never to let him go.

He pressed his lips to mine and for a moment I forgot we were at the store. My knees weakened and my heart rate increased. He did that to me every single time.

“I see you two are still together.”

We turned our heads and my throat dropped into my stomach when Mandy Glab stood in front of us, a half of a smile on her face. After six months in prison, I hadn’t expected her beauty to overwhelm me. Before being sent away on vandalism charges—of Malone Hardware nonetheless—I’d never seen her without makeup, always looking perfect with every outline of her lipstick and stroke of her eyeshadow. Today wasn’t any different. Her hair was longer now, and her skin was its natural tone, not the slightly bronzed look she borrowed from a bottle.

“What are you doing here?” Harris pulled me to him as if not doing so would cause me harm. “Part of your release is that you not step foot in this store—and it’s still Malone Hardware for another few hours—and you aren’t within five hundred yards of my father. Do I need to contact your parole officer?”

Barely out from behind bars and already she violated her parole. Mandy did whatever she wanted. That was a fact the entire community of Sycamore Bay knew.

Trailer

You can watch the book trailer for the
All That series here on Youtube.

All That Glitters - book #1



“A has-been country music star. A divorced dad from a small town. Almost a decade of bottled up passion...”



Amazon | B&N | Kobo

iTunes | All vendors

All That Doesn't - book #2



“Can the bond between Dory and Harris survive these turbulent times?”



Amazon | B&N | Kobo

iTunes | All vendors

About the author

Tracy Krimmer loves coffee, popcorn, Drew Barrymore, and the movie Saving Silverman. She enjoys reading great books (of course) and writing realistic characters for you to enjoy. When she listens to music she prefers the 80s and 90s music she grew up on. In a typical day you’ll find her writing at one of her favorite spots--on the couch, at the kitchen table, or at her favorite hometown coffee shop.

Connect with Tracy

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Reader Group

Goodreads | Amazon | Bookbub | Instagram

Pinterest | Newsletter

There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of All That Matters. One winner will win a $10 Amazon Gift Card. For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below.

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It's Monday! What Are You Reading? October 22, 2018

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's an opportunity to visit other blogs and to comment on their reads. And ... you can add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date. And here we are!

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We've been enjoying a beautiful week here this past week. Temps in the 60's so that means some patio time with the neighbors, which has been wonderful. Saturday we went to a birthday party, so it was fun to see some of the family again. Sunday started off as a lazy day but we did get some work done on my library. We are trying to get the painting done this week but all the prep before we get to that point is so tedious. If it EVER gets done, I'll be sure to post pictures. I love it already, even without the walls painted. 

I've been trying to work through my NetGalley list and get my percentage up. I was bad about requesting so many books awhile back and really fell behind. So for the older books on my list, I put them in page number order and have been reading the lower paged books first, since they are faster reads. I'm getting some crossed off and staring to feel better about my NetGalley TBR list. This seems to be working for me. How do you decide what to read next? I'm sure everyone had long lists and big piles!  

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you all have a good week. Happy reading!

What I'm currently reading

Night of Miracles
(Arthur Truluv #2)
by Elizabeth Berg
I love this author's work!

Miss Etta: A Novel

by Deanna Lynn Sletten

(audio-book)

Read my thoughts from when I read the book here.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

(The Adventures of Tom and Huck #1)

by Mark Twain

(audio-book)

What I recently finished

The Here and Now

by Ann Brashares

Finding Libbie

by Deanna Lynn Sletten

Book club this week and the author is joining us!! I love this story and you can read my thoughts here.

What I am going to read next

Bayou, Whispers from the Past

(Bayou #2)

by Lauren Faulkenberry

I really love my reading life!

What are you reading this week?

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The Art of Hiding by Amanda Prowse ~ My Thoughts #TheArtOfHiding #NetGalley

The Art of Hiding

The Art of Hiding by Amanda Prowse

Paperback and e-book, 290 pages
Published July 18th 2017 by Lake Union Publishing

What would you do if you learned that the life you lived was a lie?

Nina McCarrick lives the perfect life, until her husband, Finn, is killed in a car accident and everything Nina thought she could rely on unravels.

Alone, bereft and faced with a mountain of debt, Nina quickly loses her life of luxury and she begins to question whether she ever really knew the man she married. Forced to move out of her family home, Nina returns to the rundown Southampton council estate—and the sister—she thought she had left far behind.

But Nina can’t let herself be overwhelmed—her boys need her. To save them, and herself, she will have to do what her husband discouraged for so long: pursue a career of her own. Torn between the life she thought she knew and the reality she now faces, Nina finally must learn what it means to take control of her life.

Bestselling author Amanda Prowse once again plumbs the depths of human experience in this stirring and empowering tale of one woman’s loss and love.

My thoughts about The Art of Hiding ~~ 

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)

First line—"Nina caught the red light only a spit away from the entrance to the boys' school. It was a regular frustration at the beginning of the day and something she tended to see as an omen. Green light, good day. Red light, bad day."

Nina's world is rocked to the core when she finds out that her husband is killed in a car accident. That's just the start of the unraveling of her whole life. 

Finn had promised her a life free of worry, a good life for her and their children. Finn had lied.  

I felt such empathy for Nina and her predicament. She has to try to protect her home and her sons all while trying to live with the mess her husband left behind. All three of them go through such a hard time and have to start living a different, difficult life from what they had led before.

Through it all, Nina learns that is a strong, capable woman who can take care of herself and her family and ultimately have a happy life. Oh, but what a journey to get to that knowledge.  

I received a copy of The Art of Hiding from Lake Union Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

About the author

Amanda Prowse was a management consultant for ten years before realising that she was born to write. Amanda lives in the West Country with her husband and their two teenage sons.

Connect with Amanda

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram

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Book Spotlight Giveaway! Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

I have sooooo many books! The Book Spotlight Giveaway feature that I post every Saturday is a way for me to clear my shelves and to share some of the many books I have. This feature is a way for my to cull my collection and to give someone else the opportunity to enjoy these treasures.

I read Eleanor & Park awhile ago and I'm still thinking about it. This was the first book that I have read by Rainbow Rowell and I really enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to reading more of her books. 

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Eleanor & Park

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Hardcover, 328 pages
Published February 26th 2013 by St. Martin's Press

Two misfits.
One extraordinary love.

Eleanor... Red hair, wrong clothes. Standing behind him until he turns his head. Lying beside him until he wakes up. Making everyone else seem drabber and flatter and never good enough...Eleanor.

Park... He knows she'll love a song before he plays it for her. He laughs at her jokes before she ever gets to the punch line. There's a place on his chest, just below his throat, that makes her want to keep promises...Park.

Set over the course of one school year, this is the story of two star-crossed sixteen-year-olds—smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try.

About the author

Rainbow Rowell writes books. Sometimes she writes about adults (Attachments and Landline). Sometimes she writes about teenagers (Eleanor & Park and Fangirl). But she always writes about people who talk a lot. And people who feel like they're screwing up. And people who fall in love.

When she's not writing, Rainbow is reading comic books, planning Disney World trips and arguing about things that don't really matter in the big scheme of things.

She lives in Nebraska with her husband and two sons. ~ Goodreads

Connect with Rainbow

 Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram

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Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage ~ My Thoughts #BabyTeeth #StMartinsPress

Baby Teeth

Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage
Print and e-book, 320 pages
Published July 17th 2018 by St Martin's Press

Sweetness can be deceptive.

Meet Hanna.

She’s the sweet-but-silent angel in the adoring eyes of her Daddy. He’s the only person who understands her, and all Hanna wants is to live happily ever after with him. But Mommy stands in her way, and she’ll try any trick she can think of to get rid of her. Ideally for good.

Meet Suzette.

She loves her daughter, really, but after years of expulsions and strained home schooling, her precarious health and sanity are weakening day by day. As Hanna’s tricks become increasingly sophisticated, and Suzette's husband remains blind to the failing family dynamics, Suzette starts to fear that there’s something seriously wrong, and that maybe home isn’t the best place for their baby girl after all.

My thoughts about Baby Teeth ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)

First line—"Maybe the machine could see the words she never spoke. Maybe they blazed in her bones. Maybe if the people in the white coats blew up the pictures they'd see her thoughts, mapped like mountains and railroad tracks, across her ghostly skull. Hanna knew nothing was wrong with her. But Mommy wanted them to look. Again."

Oh. My. Gosh! What a creepy story. What a creepy, evil, little girl! How can anyone be so conniving and evil, let alone being only seven years old? Everything about this story is so wrong but yet all of that wrongness was what made me want to keep reading and what made me not want to put the book down.

The suspense and twists in this book are unreal and kept me on the edge on my chair the whole time. I have been recommending Baby Teeth to anyone and everyone I know who loves psychological thrillers because this book totally fits the bill.

It is also amazing to me that this is a debut novel. I'm excited to see what the author creates next!

I received an ARC of Baby Teeth from St Martin's Press in exchange for my honest review.

About the author

An author of dark and suspenseful novels, Zoje lives in Pittsburgh, PA. Her debut novel Baby Teeth (St. Martin's Press) was released 17 July 2018. It will be released in the UK as Bad Apple (Transworld) on 9 Aug.

Connect with Zoje

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram

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