It's Monday! What Are You Reading? October 14, 2024 #IMWAYR

    

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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Well, I leave for TN tomorrow. Hopefully my flights go well. I am so excited to see the kids! I don't know how much I will be online, or how much reading I will get done but family time is more important, right? Especially when I don't see them very often. Wish me luck!

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

Happy reading!

What I'm currently reading

The Other Mrs.

by Mary Kubica

e-book from my collection for a couple of challenges

Published February 2020

The Haunting of Maddy Clare

by Simone St. James

print from my TBR shelves, because it seemed appropriate for the season

Published March 2012

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

by Taylor Jenkins Reid

audio-book from my shelves

Published June 2017

Great Expectations

by Charles Dickens

e-book from my shelves/my slow read

First published July 30, 1860

What I recently finished

A Wish in the Wind

(The Wishing Tree Series Book 17)

by Kay Bratt

eARC from the author for review

Pub date ~ October 17

Girl, Uncoded: A Memoir of Passion, Betrayal, and Eventual Blessings

by Brandi Dredge

print ARC for review

Pub date ~ October 22

What I am going to read next

Rolling Toward Clear Skies

by Catherine Ryan Hyde

eARC for review

Pub date ~ November 12

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!

Release Day! Echoes of Us by Joy Jordan-Lake ~ My Thoughts #EchoesOfUs @GoSparkPress

Happy Release Day!

Echoes of Us: A Novel by Joy Jordan-Lake

Historical Fiction, 463 pages
Published October 8, 2024 by Lake Union Publishing

From the bestselling author of Under a Gilded Moon comes the soaring story of an unlikely friendship of three men and one extraordinary woman and the legacy they built—if their own secrets don’t destroy it.

In the midst of World War II, a Tennessee farm boy, a Jewish Cambridge student, and a German POW forge a connection that endures—against all odds.

But now everything that Will Dobbins, Dov Silverberg, and Hans Hessler fought for is at risk as their descendants clash for control of the corporation they founded together. In an attempt to remake its tattered corporate image, the firm hires event planner Hadley Jacks and her sister Kitzie to organize a reunion for the families on St. Simons Island, Georgia, the place that changed all three men’s lives forever.

As Hadley and her sister delve into the friends’ past, they uncover the life of the courageous young woman who links them all together…and the old wounds that could tear everything apart.

Told in dual timelines spanning World War II and the present, Echoes of Us follows the ripple effects of war, the bonds that outlast it, and the hope that ultimately carries us forward.

My thoughts about Echoes of Us ~~

(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—"April 7, 1942 - Off the coast of St. Simons Island, Georgia / At twilight, the U-boat rises to just below the surface, its periscope spearing up through the waves."

I love historical fiction stories. I'm especially drawn to stories centered around World War II, I've read quite a few. I loved Echoes of Us for the fact that it gives a little bit of a different spin to the war story. 

This one is basically centered in the southern states of the US and revolves around four people, three men from different countries and backgrounds, and one woman who connects them all. She had such a huge effect on all three men and they remained friends for life. She was the one who bonded them together. 

Told in dual timelines, the past where the main characters meet and form their friendships, and the present, when the whole truth comes out during a party to celebrate them and their accomplishments. I loved getting to know all of the characters and marvel at their strength and determination in the hard times. 

I savored every bit of Echoes of Us and am excited to read more of this author's stories. I highly recommend this one to all lovers of historical fiction!

I received an ARC of Echoes of Us and this is my honest opinion of the book. 

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About the author

Joy Jordan-Lake is the #1 Amazon bestselling author of thirteen books, including A Bend of Light; Under a Gilded Moon, a 2023 North Carolina Reads selection; A Tangled Mercy, an Editors’ Choice recipient from the Historical Novel Society; Blue Hole Back Home, winner of the Christy Award for Best First Novel; and three children’s books.

Raised in the foothills of the southern Appalachians, Joy spent many the summer vacation on St. Simons Island, Georgia, a place of heartbreaking and surprising history. She holds two master’s degrees and a PhD in English and has taught literature and writing at several universities. Now living outside Nashville, she is startled to find only the ten-pound rescue pup still living at home full time, the kids launching to college, getting married, and building careers of their own. She and her husband console themselves with hiking to waterfalls and traveling to story-worthy settings.

Joy loves to connect with readers. You can visit her at www.joyjordanlake.com.

Connect with Joy

Website | Goodreads | Instagram | Facebook | 

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Release Day! Love Is for the Birds by Diane Owens Prettyman ~ My Thoughts #LoveIsForTheBirds @shewritespress @GoSparkPress

Happy Release Day!

Love Is for the Birds by Diane Owens Prettyman

Southern Fiction, 304 pages
Published October 8, 2024 by She Writes Press

For fans of Mary Alice Monroe’s The Beach House comes a heartwarming story from women’s fiction author Diane Owens Prettyman about second chances as two people find a pathway out of their grief—directly in the aftermath of a hurricane.

The Texas beautiful yet unpredictable.

A beach town destroyed. Her mother’s candy store swept away. This is what Teddy Wainsworth faces when she returns to Bird Isle. Meanwhile, Jack Shaughness, owner of a popular barbecue restaurant chain and widower still grieving the death of his wife, receives permission to cross over to the island with a smoker full of brisket to feed hurricane survivors. Soon after arriving, he meets Teddy and immediately finds himself drawn to her—which makes him feel he is betraying his wife. When the two find a lost dog, Jack convinces Teddy to take the dog home while they attempt to find the owner, creating a bond that brings them closer.

In the wake of the hurricane, Bird Isle residents fear the Aransas Wildlife Refuge will not be ready for the whooping cranes’ annual migration south. Seeing that Jack has important connections and a love for the island, they enlist him to help restore the habitat of the endangered cranes before they fly to Padre Island for the winter. With their rescued dog always nearby, Teddy and Jack work side by side to rebuild Bird Isle for the return of the whooping cranes. But Jack is harboring a secret that may ruin everything he and Teddy are creating—and he won’t be able to keep that secret forever.

My thoughts about Love Is for the Birds ~~

(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—""Not all storms come to disrupt your life, some come to clear your path.' So said Anonymous, who was obviously not convinced enough of this truth to claim it."

Love is for the Birds took me to the ravaged little beach town of Bird Isle. Buildings and home were destroyed, as well as its people being broken. As these broken people come together to save and rebuild the town, they find ways to heal themselves. 

I loved the characters of Teddy and Jack, both of them being caring and compassionate people who are just treading water, trying to get through the day-to-day lives they are in. They both have issues that make opening their hearts challenging. It was gratifying to watch the two of them try to heal each other. 

I truly enjoyed Love is for the Birds and will definitely be watching for more books by this author. This is a fabulous story by Diane Owens Prettyman. 

I received a copy of Love Is for the Birds for review and this is my honest opinion of the book. 

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“Love, grief, secrets, and finding one’s place in the world are combined in this debut novel. This sweet book is brimming with small-town Texas charm!”—Catherine Drake, author of The Treehouse on Dog River Road

“A charming story as sweet as fudge and as tangy as barbeque about two people struggling to move past loss to find happiness.”—Risa Leigh, author of Surrender at the Border

“The author's effortless prose, gift for characterization, and genuine affection for the Texian littoral will satisfy her faithful fans and win new readers.”—Bill Cotter, author of The Splendid Ticket

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About the author

Diane Owens Prettyman is the author of the romantic adventure story Thin Places and the twentieth-century historical novel Redesigning Emma. She is also a frequent contributor to the Austin American-Statesman. She stays true to her belief that every story has a happy ending, though perhaps sometimes, maybe even often, one has to wait for the perfect finale. 

Diane lives just a few hours’ drive from the Texas Gulf. She is an avid boogie boarder and spends her summers in the water. Her husband and two black standard poodles provide her room and board in Austin, Texas.

Connect with Diane

Website | Goodreads | Amazon

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Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? October 7, 2024 #IMWAYR

   

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! 

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

Well, my trip to Tennessee is still on. I fly into Asheville, which is now possible at this point. The issue we will have is traffic leaving the city. Since most of the highways and bridges are still out, access in and out is limited. I am sure it will take us longer than it normally would, but I am so excited to see all my family!

Where my son lives is doing okay. They finally have water after a week. I am so proud of my son and his family for all of the volunteer work they have been involved with, helping those still in so much need. My DIL has such a compassionate heart and I know hers is breaking hearing the stories of what others are going through. Keep that area in your thoughts and prayers. 

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

Happy reading!

What I'm currently reading

Girl, Uncoded: A Memoir of Passion, Betrayal, and Eventual Blessings

by Brandi Dredge

print ARC for review

Pub date ~ October 22

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

by Taylor Jenkins Reid

audio-book from my shelves

Published June 2017

Great Expectations

by Charles Dickens

e-book from my shelves/my slow read

First published July 30, 1860

What I recently finished

Lookin' for Love

by Susen Edwards

print ARC for review

Pub date ~ October 15

Echoes of Us

by Joy Jordan-Lake

print ARC for review

Pub date ~ October 8

Beneath the Carolina Sun

by Ashley Farley

(Sandy Island #2)

eARC from the author for review

Pub date ~ October 22

What I am going to read next

The Haunting of Maddy Clare

by Simone St. James

print from my TBR shelf for a challenge

Published March 2012

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!

New Release! Miss Moonchild Starbeam by Joanne DeMaio ~ My Thoughts #MissMoonchildStarbeam @JoanneDeMaio

Congrats Joanne

on the recent release of

Miss Moonchild Starbeam!

Miss Moonchild Starbeam by Joanne DeMaio

Series: The Seaside Saga #22

Women's Saga, 292 pages

Published September 17, 2024 by Joanne DeMaio

From New York Times bestselling author Joanne DeMaio comes Miss Moonchild Starbeam, Book 22 of The Seaside Saga.

As turmoil swirls for some in the emotional waters of Stony Point, others take to the skies. Elsa DeLuca, once known as Miss Moonchild Starbeam, is reuniting with a dear friend on a special California trip. But while Elsa has flowers in her hair, her travel companion Celia has an aching in her heart. Which is why Shane's secretly come along, too. 

Can the getaway offer hope and healing? Still, as the wind cries off the beautiful Bay, it whispers sadness.

And The Seaside Saga continues.

The Seaside Saga on Goodreads

The Seaside Saga on Amazon

My thoughts about Miss Moonchild Starbeam ~~

(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—"Maris reaches for the whiskey bottle. She slides it closer. Using two hands then, she lifts that bottle."

The Seaside Saga continues with another installment, Miss Moonchild Starbeam. This wonderful series reads like a soap opera with lots of love, adventure, and drama. This time we are whisked away to California as Elsa reconnects with an old friend and Celia hopes to reunite with someone from her past.

Elsa's trip is full of memories as she and her friend relive their past and have a relaxing time. On the other hand, Celia's trip, while it's enjoyable spending time with her daughter and Shane, is also full of trepidation and worry as she comes face-to-face with her past. What will the outcome be? 

Once again, I was swept up in the worlds of the residents of Stony Point. I love each visit to that interesting community and its people. I'm always excited to go back. And as always, I am left with wanting more when I finish each story. 

I highly recommend this series, I've loved every single one of the stories and getting to know all of the characters of this amazing community. If you have not picked up these books yet, you really should. You will come to love this community and these people as much as I do. 

I received a copy of Miss Moonchild Starbeam from the author and this is my honest opinion.

The Shack, book #23, is scheduled 

to be released on March 3, 2025!

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If you're new to The Seaside Saga, the reading order is below. Written like an ongoing TV show, it's a revolutionary series following the same tangled group of beach friends from book-to-book.

About the author

Joanne DeMaio is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary fiction. She enjoys writing about friendship, family, love and choices, while setting her stories in New England towns or by the sea.

Joanne’s books include the New York Times Bestseller Blue Jeans and Coffee Beans, the first in her ongoing and groundbreaking Seaside Saga. These eleven (and counting) novels journey with a group of beach friends, much the way a TV series does, continuing with the same cast of characters and their storylines from book-to-book.

Joanne’s winter novels have also received much acclaim. These heartwarming standalones are set in the same snowy New England town. Snowflakes and Coffee Cakes became a USA Today Bestseller, and has been featured in national magazines and Six Flags theme parks.

In addition, Joanne’s debut novel, Whole Latte Life, won first place in a competition at BookExpo America and was named a Kirkus Reviews Critics’ Pick. Her other novels have appeared in Redbook, First for Women magazine, Southern Living, USA Today and more. ~ Author's website

Connect with Joanne

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram

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Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!