It's Monday! What Are You Reading? September 16, 2019

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

What I'm currently reading

Relatively Happy

(Relativity #3)

by Whitney Dineen

Pub date 9/18

The Little Shop of Found Things
(Found Things #1)
by Paula Brackston

Calculated In Death
(In Death #36)
by J.D. Robb
Narrated by Susan Ericksen

What I recently finished

The House At Riverton

by Kate Morton

This is our book club read this month.

Lift and Separate
by Marilyn Simon Rothstein
Narrated by Donna Postel

What I am going to read next

29 Seconds
by T.M. Logan

I really love my reading life!

What are you reading this week?

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Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!

Book Spotlight Giveaway! Wonder by R. J. Palacio #Wonder

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.

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Good luck and be sure to stop back next week!

Wonder

Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Hardcover, 315 pages
Published February 14th 2012 by Alfred A. Knopf

I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.

August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face.

Wonder, now a #1 New York Times bestseller and included on the Texas Bluebonnet Award master list, begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.

About the author

R. J. Palacio was born and raised in New York City. She attended the High School of Art and Design and the Parsons School of Design, where she majored in illustration with the hopes of someday following in the footsteps of her favorite childhood author-illustrators, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Maurice Sendak, and the D'Aulaires.

She was a graphic designer and art director for many years before writing Wonder. We're All Wonders, which is based conceptually on the themes of her novel, represents the fulfillment of her dream to write and illustrate her own picture book. R.J. is also the author of Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories and 365 Days of Wonder: Mr. Browne's Book of Precepts.

She lives in Brooklyn, where she is surrounded by magical water towers, with her husband, their two sons, and their two dogs, Bear and Beau.

Connect with R. J.

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!

The Women of Great Heron Lake by Deanna Lynn Sletten ~ My Thoughts and a Giveaway! #TheWomenOfGreatHeronLake

The Women of Great Heron Lake

The Women of Great Heron Lake by Deanna Lynn Sletten

Historical Fiction, 321 pages
Published September 10th 2019 by Deanna Lynn Sletten
Cover Design by Deborah Bradseth of Tugboat Design

From the author of the bestselling historical novel, Miss Etta. 

Two strong women, generations apart, living parallel lives.

When Marla Madison’s husband dies, she realizes her life has become very small. Her daughter is grown and Marla has spent the past two decades focused on his friends, his interests, and his home. Feeling lost, she throws herself into fixing up the one-hundred and fifty-year-old family manor on the lake. She soon discovers an old journal in a secret drawer and is instantly intrigued. The handwritten book tells the tale of another Mrs. Madison from over a century ago, the first woman to live in the lake manor. As Marla reads the journal, she discovers that her life parallels that of the woman who wrote those words decades ago and Marla finds inspiration from her strength.

1875 - Alaina Carlton was content to become a spinster until her beloved father introduces her to Nathaniel Madison, one of the most prosperous men in St. Paul, Minnesota. Even though she values her independence, Alaina is intrigued by this man who pursues her. When they marry, she believes she’s found a man who will treat her as an equal, but soon realizes that isn’t entirely true. From their mansion on the illustrious Summit Avenue to their manor at Great Heron Lake, where the rich and powerful play, her life is no longer her own. But fifteen years and two children later when Nathaniel grows ill, she takes her rightful place where women weren’t allowed in order to secure her children’s inheritance and her future.

An inspiring family saga of two determined woman who found meaning in their lives by following their passions and not allowing society, or propriety, to hold them back.

My thoughts about The Women of Great Heron Lake ~~

(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—"Marla sat in the stuffy, closed-up bedroom watching each labored breath her husband took. He was almost gone; she knew the end was near."

I love the idea of connections between generations, stories of people or things that come together over time and mesh, for whatever reason. The Women of Great Heron Lake does just that.

After Marla's husband dies, she is at a loss as to what to do with herself. She has lived her husband's life and in his shadow for so many years. As she starts to change the house they lived in, she finds a journal written by another Mrs. Madison, many, many years ago. As the house changes, so does Marla. As she reads the old journal, she finds similarities between her life and and the life of a woman who lived in the late 1800's. The words in the journal speak to Marla and help her move forward. 

This is a story full of interesting, evolving relationships and strong women who stand up for themselves in a time when that wasn't done or when it goes against what society expects of them. As the women grow and change, they discover their own strengths and learn to do what makes them happy. 

One of my favorite parts of the book was how the book group embraced Marla and read the journal together as they discovered how Alaina's life unfolded. The women were so accepting of Marla and helped her get her priorities and life figured out. They became so important to her—women supporting women. 

The Women of Great Heron Lake is a captivating tale of loss, friendship, discovery, fate, growth, and strength—a story spanning over 100 years. This is historical fiction at its best and is definitely one everyone should pick up. I loved it and highly recommend it!

About the author

Deanna Lynn Sletten is the author of Maggie's Turn, Finding Libbie, One Wrong Turn, Miss Etta, and several other titles. She writes heartwarming women's fiction and romance novels with unforgettable characters. She has also written one middle-grade novel that takes you on the adventure of a lifetime. Deanna believes in fate, destiny, love at first sight, soul mates, second chances, and happily ever after, and her novels reflect that.

Deanna is married and has two grown children. When not writing, she enjoys walking the wooded trails around her home with her beautiful Australian Shepherd or relaxing on the lake in the summer.

Deanna loves hearing from her readers. 

Connect with her here—

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!

Release Day! The Women of Great Heron Lake by Deanna Lynn Sletten ~ Giveaway! #TheWomenOfGreatHeronLake

Happy Release Day!!



The Women of Great Heron Lake

The Women of Great Heron Lake by Deanna Lynn Sletten

Historical Fiction, 321 pages
Published September 10th 2019 by Deanna Lynn Sletten
Cover Design by Deborah Bradseth of Tugboat Design

From the author of the bestselling historical novel, Miss Etta. 

Two strong women, generations apart, living parallel lives.

When Marla Madison’s husband dies, she realizes her life has become very small. Her daughter is grown and Marla has spent the past two decades focused on his friends, his interests, and his home. Feeling lost, she throws herself into fixing up the one-hundred and fifty-year-old family manor on the lake. She soon discovers an old journal in a secret drawer and is instantly intrigued. The handwritten book tells the tale of another Mrs. Madison from over a century ago, the first woman to live in the lake manor. As Marla reads the journal, she discovers that her life parallels that of the woman who wrote those words decades ago and Marla finds inspiration from her strength.

1875 - Alaina Carlton was content to become a spinster until her beloved father introduces her to Nathaniel Madison, one of the most prosperous men in St. Paul, Minnesota. Even though she values her independence, Alaina is intrigued by this man who pursues her. When they marry, she believes she’s found a man who will treat her as an equal, but soon realizes that isn’t entirely true. From their mansion on the illustrious Summit Avenue to their manor at Great Heron Lake, where the rich and powerful play, her life is no longer her own. But fifteen years and two children later when Nathaniel grows ill, she takes her rightful place where women weren’t allowed in order to secure her children’s inheritance and her future.

An inspiring family saga of two determined woman who found meaning in their lives by following their passions and not allowing society, or propriety, to hold them back.

Congratulations Deanna

on the release today of

The Women of Great Heron Lake!

I loved this story! My thoughts will be posted tomorrow. Stop back then to check it out and in the meantime, scroll down the page to enter the giveaway for an Amazon gift card! 

About the author

Deanna Lynn Sletten is the author of Maggie's Turn, Finding Libbie, One Wrong Turn, Miss Etta, and several other titles. She writes heartwarming women's fiction and romance novels with unforgettable characters. She has also written one middle-grade novel that takes you on the adventure of a lifetime. Deanna believes in fate, destiny, love at first sight, soul mates, second chances, and happily ever after, and her novels reflect that.

Deanna is married and has two grown children. When not writing, she enjoys walking the wooded trails around her home with her beautiful Australian Shepherd or relaxing on the lake in the summer.

Deanna loves hearing from her readers. 

Connect with her here—

Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*********************

Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? September 9, 2019

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 just got back from a week in the Black Hills. And while hubs fished, I read. And read. And read. It was so nice to get lost in some wonderful books! Now back to reality. Also, I need to write up some reviews. A bunch will be coming soon. 

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

What I'm currently reading

The Little Shop of Found Things
(Found Things #1)
by Paula Brackston

Lift and Separate
by Marilyn Simon Rothstein
Narrated by Donna Postel

What I recently finished

Life on Loan

by Ashley Farley

Pub date 10/8

Wildflower Hope
(The Wildflower House #2)
by Grace Greene
Pub date 9/24

The Silent Patient
by Alex Michaelides

Love in Charge: Powerful Women, Powerful Love
by Jules Dixon, Laura Chapman, & Michelle Morgan

What I am going to read next

The House At Riverton
by Kate Morton
This is our book club read this month.

I really love my reading life!

What are you reading this week?

*************************

Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!