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Wednesday, February 28, 2018

A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole + a Giveaway

The emails from the so-called Kingdom of Thesolo were amusing at first, but Naledi Smith is fed up. Little does she know, the emails aren't some Nigerian scam. They're very real indeed. 

Naledi's parents both died when she was young, leaving her to be raised in the foster system. The shuttling from home to home left her with a feeling that no one wanted her - her theory of reverse velcro. And so she's made it on her own. Now, a grad student studying to be an epidemiologist, her education and career are her only focus. But then the smoking hot Jamal shows up at work and then in her apartment building and she finds herself beginning to entertain the idea that someone might finally stick. 

Jamal, aka Prince Thabiso of Thesolo, has been searching for Naledi for some time now. As children, they were betrothed in a ceremony witnessed by the goddess herself. And then Naledi disappeared. Now, both adults, Thabiso can't understand why she would abandon him, their kingdom, and her duties. And so, after tracking her down, he's decided to confront her about it. Except when they meet and she mistakes him for a fellow grad student, he can't resist the opportunity to get to know her - and she him - without his title getting in the way. 

A Princess in Theory kicks off Alyssa Cole's new Reluctant Royals series, and it is seriously fun!

If you hadn't noticed, other than dark, I'm drawn to fun. Cole's name wasn't new to me, she's comes highly recommended from folks in the know, but this was my first time reading her.

From the start, I loved the playful tone of this one. It kicks off with a string of the Kingdom of Thesolo emails, all claiming that Naledi is a long lost princess - which, of course, no woman would believe! And Naledi's first and only response to the emails is... appropriate and won me over even more. The thing that sealed the deal, though, was that Naledi is a scientist. An epidemiologist, to be specific. Which I loved!

Enter Prince Thabiso, who is definitely a playboy in every sense of the word. And yet, he too is a more than competent leader. He cares about his country, the fictional kingdom of Thesolo, and the future of the people he serves. And he sticks to that idea - that he is a servant of those people.

Of course, as the story progresses and the characters inevitably fall for one another, the twist is that that relationship is built on one big lie - Prince Thabiso's identity. And thanks to the publisher, I'm able to share a teeny taste of the book, right around the point when Thabiso tries to come clean...

“I need to tell you,” Prince Thabiso said between kisses, “who I am.”

Who I really am, he added silently.

“I know who you are,” Ledi said. She pulled off her t- shirt, revealing a soft, worn-looking gray bra cupping her silky brown breasts. “You’re the guy who learned to cook for me. The guy who’s made me laugh harder than I have in a long time. The guy who— ” She whispered the rest in his ear.

He chuckled and ran a fingertip over the lace that edged her bra. “I love that you speak so freely.”

“Only with you. I feel like my entire life has been me trying to keep everything to-gether, but right now I want to fall apart.”

He could see the want in her eyes. “I must tell you something, Ledi.”


But how could he?

I love, love, loved this book! It's smart and sweet and steamy! Basically, I think Alyssa Cole is brilliant and I can't wait to read more from her! And actually, the second book in the series, A Duke By Default, is due out this summer and will feature Naledi's best friend, Portia (though I'm already wondering if Portia's intensely awesome sister will be getting her own book as well). 

And because I loved this so much, I'm going to give away a copy! To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below before Monday, March 12. Open US only. 

Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Promise by Minrose Gwin + a Giveaway

Happy Tuesday, readers! Today I'm a stop on the TLC blog tour for Minrose Gwin's Promise

On Palm Sunday, 1936, a devastating tornado ripped through Tupelo, Mississippi. Dovey smelled the storm coming and was pulling in the wash when the winds kicked up. Sixteen-year-old Jo was just returning from church. 

Though the two share connections - both normal and dark - the tornado throws them together in a way they never could have expected. Jo's family has not been spared by the massive force of the tornado and Dovey, on her way to find her own granddaughter and great-grandson, learns that their own new baby has disappeared in the storm. The two are drawn together as they both search for their loved ones. But it's Jo who finds her brother first, promising to care for the boy no matter what. Even when his own mother won't claim him...

It's easy to see the biggest aspect of this story coming from a mile away. But it's not meant to be a twist. It is a story of loss and tragedy, and ultimately one of hope. 

Gwin's latest is based on a very real event. Dubbed the fourth most deadly tornado in US history, the author learned that the storm's body count was grossly inaccurate. Incredibly, only the white fatalities and injuries were counted - the affects to the black community in Tupelo were not tracked. 

The story is in part driven by this historical fact. It's also inspired by Gwin's own grandmother's stories about the storm as well as local coverage. Again, though, it's the human aspect and, in particular an attempt to give voice to the untold history of the storm, that is the story. 

This isn't an easy read. We know from the beginning that Jo's oldest brother is Dreama's child's father by force. We also know that Jo herself has suffered at the hands of her brother. Even his own family may publicly deny his crimes, but secretly pays Dreama money each month. And all of that's told before the storm even hits. 

While Promise may not be a happy tale or even a pretty one, it is one about human spirit and undying hope. Brought to life by Rose's lyrical prose and intricate detail, Promise is about race, women, and family all wrapped up in a retelling of one horrific event in Mississippi history. 

I'm giving away one copy of Promise today. To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below before Monday, March 12. 


To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page here. And for more on Minrose Gwin and her work you can visit her website here.

Purchase Links: HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
 

Sunday, February 25, 2018

New Releases 2/27/18

Some of the new titles hitting shelves this week are:

A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole

Green Sun by Kent Anderson

The Listener by Robert McCammon

The Strange Bird by Jeff Vandermeer

The Sea Beast Takes a Lover by Michael Andreason

Chicago by David Mamet

The Shape of Water by Daniel Kraus

The Hush by John Hart

Summer Hours at the Robbers Library by Sue Halpern

Winter Sisters by Robin Oliveira

Bone Music by Christopher Rice

All Out ed by Saundra Mitchell

Cadaver & Queen by Alisa Kwitney

People Like Us by Dana Mele

The Tangled Lands by Paolo Bacigalupi & Tobias Buckell

Daughter of the Siren Queen by Tricia Levenseller

New on DVD:
Coco
Murder on the Orient Express
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Darkest Hour
Just Getting Started

Friday, February 23, 2018

Short Fiction Friday: The Armored Saint by Myke Cole

Heloise knows the laws. She knows the rumors about demons. But it's been so long since anyone has seen one she's no longer sure if the laws or even the demons are real. What she does know is that seemingly innocent people are being butchered in the name of an antiquated law. Friends, family, anyone can be their next target. All it takes is a whisper of magic, or the crossing of the wrong person. 

I had the chance to snag an early copy of Myke Cole's latest at our regional trade show last fall and started reading it immediately. Before I knew it, I'd zipped through the whole thing! And of course now I'm waiting for more :)

Heloise follows the rules. Everyone does in her world because to toe the line even the tiniest bit can mean bringing down the wrath of the Order. They say they're hunting demons and they say that the use of magic brings the demons. But in reality, some of them revel in their power just a bit too much. And witnessing this one too many times pushes Heloise over the edge, making her question everything she's been taught to believe. But even questioning is enough to get a person condemned.

In truth, Heloise and those around her have never actually seen evidence of demons. Just gossip and rumors - and of course the devastating consequences of the Order's hunts.

Cole's latest may be short, but it packs a serious punch. The world is so finely detailed that you can feel the underlying unease that Heloise and those around her live with constantly. Of course, the book kicks off with an incident that makes that more than abundantly clear.

Heloise, like any teen, is coming into her own. She's learning to listen and observe and make her own decisions about things. She's also coming to realize that she herself may not be exactly what the Order believes she should be. These things combine to put her in a very uncomfortable position - can she, a person who for all intents and purposes has never done anything bad and wishes no harm to anyone be inherently bad as per the laws of her world?

Though the story is couched as fantasy, Heloise's struggle is one many can identify with. Especially in this day and age. And I loved her oh so completely!

The Armored Saint is wonderful and magical and dark and gritty. It's also incredibly thought provoking. Everyone should read it!!!

Thursday, February 22, 2018

In a Cottage In a Wood by Cass Green + a Giveaway

Neve has just about had it. She's been couch surfing at her sister's and knows her brother in law is at the end of his rope. She's also pretty sure her job is just about at its end too, especially considering they're prepping for a big buyout. She's pondering much of this as she makes her way home late one evening after a brief fling, when she comes across a woman on Waterloo Bridge. She looks cold and lost and Neve offers to help. But before she knows it, the woman jumps off the bridge.

A few weeks later, Neve discovers that the dead woman, Isabelle, has left her a cottage. It's all legal, according to Isabelle's lawyers, and, in spite of the circumstances, Neve thinks maybe it could be exactly what she needs to get her life straight. When she arrives, though, Neve realizes this cottage is definitely not a dream home or much-needed escape: There are bars on the windows and a dead bird in the kitchen, to start. Then Neve learns that Isabelle believed she was being watched. Given how things ended, Neve isn't sure what to believe, but she soon becomes convinced Isabelle may have been right!

Cass Green's latest is psychological suspense with great atmosphere.

Neve is immature and also a bit down on her luck. She and her boyfriend split, leaving Isabelle homeless and her bank account isn't any help in that matter. So she's staying with her sister's family. But Neve's penchant for late nights and hangovers doesn't really endear her to her sister's husband. Neve would have you believe he's unreasonable and overly stiff, but it doesn't take long for the reader to realize that Neve is a bit self absorbed.

And yet, she does take the time to try and help Isabelle. And she's rewarded for it. Sort of.

Neve, of course, imagines a cozy abode in the not so countryside - in other words, walking distance from anything she may need. Which isn't exactly the case. The cottage is gloomy and uninviting with metered electricity that requires regular topping off. Considering Neve has no mode of transportation and dwindling funds, neither bodes well for her. Plus, she stormed off in a huff without telling her sister that a. she's inherited a house and b. she's decided to take up residence there for a while.

So yeah, Neve's in the middle of nowhere with no car and barely any money. Oh, and no one knows she's there. Sounds like the start of a great adventure, right?

It is the start of a quick and fun read, whether you like Neve or not. The story draws you along easily and is, as mentioned, absolutely packed with atmosphere. In the end it turned out to be a bit of a lighter read that I'd expected based on the build, but one that I could easily see appealing to fans of both cozier leaning mysteries as well as darker thrillers.

I do have a copy to give away today. To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter before Monday, March 12. Open US only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, February 19, 2018

Comic Review - Bingo Love

Diving into comics has been a bit of an eye opening experience for me. I've binge purchased a ton of them at this stage, all based on recommendations from people who have been reading them WAY longer than I have. And let's face it, I have a lot to catch up on!

Comics have turned out to be perfect reading as my agenting work gets busier and busier. When I'm in the midst of edits and putting together pitches and need to get away for a bit, but don't have time for a full novel, comics fit in perfectly alongside the shorts and novellas that have been my go to for short breaks.

And it was in one of these breaks that I discovered Bingo Love! Newly released from Image, this comic is about true love that stands the test of time!

It's 1963 when Hazel Johnson meets Mari McCray. She glimpses the new girl across the bingo hall, but doesn't meet her properly until she's introduced in class the next day - and she's instantly smitten! Hazel is elated when the two become fast friends, but she also realizes she wants more than just friendship with Mari. And when it turns out Mari feels the same, she couldn't be happier! Unfortunately the two are torn apart when Mari's grandmother catches them kissing.

Decades later, the Hazel and Mari meet again - over bingo - and find their love is still as strong as ever!

This story has all the feels! I mean ALL THE FEELS!

Hazel and Mari are teens in the 60s and well aware of the fact that the timing is not right for them. But the betrayal by each of their families when their love is discovered is way worse. And so - and these aren't spoilers - the two women go on with their lives without one another.

We get the story from Hazel's perspective - we begin with her in 2038 as she begins recounting her story, jumping back to February 1963 when she first catches sight of Mari and she takes readers all the way through to her present day.

And because this is a comic, I have to talk about the illustrations! I adored the illustrations in this one - they're gorgeous! And, paired with the writing, give readers the full extent of the characters' emotions as the story plays out.

Now, what I hadn't realized was that prior to being picked up by Image, Bing Love started as a graphic novella from Inclusive Press funded through Kickstarter last year. In October, it was announced that Image had picked it up and now that brand spanking new mass released edition is out too! So this is a double yay for the folks behind this sweet story! And according to the comic itself there's to be at least two more pieces to the Bingo Love story.

Bingo Love does stand alone as a full story. The extras promised within its pages are just that, welcome extras, including Hazel's husband's story.

Full credits for Bingo Love are:
Writer: Tee Franklin
Artist: Jenn St-Onge
Colorist: Joy San
Letterer: Cardinal Rae
Editor: Erica Schultz

Sunday, February 18, 2018

New Releases 2/20/18

Some of the new titles hitting shelves this week are:

The French Girl by Lexie Elliott

The Clarity by Keith Thomas

The Italian Teacher by Tom Rachman

Sunburn by Laura Lippman

The Birthday Girl by Sue Fortin

The Armored Saint by Myke Cole

The One by John Marrs

Outpost by W. Michael Gear

Dreadful Young Ladies And Other Stories by Kelly Barnhill

Bingo Love by Tee Franklin & Jennifer St. One

Lumberjanes v8: Stone Cold by Kat Leyh & Shannon Watters

These Vengeful Souls by Kelly Zekas & Tarun Shanker

New on DVD:
Daddy's Home 2

Saturday, February 17, 2018

Pre Pub Book Buzz: Cross Her Heart by Sarah Pinborough

Oh, readers. You know by now there are a few names that pop up again and again and again on this blog and I'm super excited to be posting yet another Sarah Pinborough installment. And it's another pre pub book buzz, which means we have another new title to look forward to!

Here's a bit about Cross Her Heart from Goodreads:

‘Cross my heart and hope to die…’

Promises only last if you trust each other, but what if one of you is hiding something?

A secret no one could ever guess.

Someone is living a lie.

Is it Lisa?

Maybe it’s her daughter, Ava.

Or could it be her best friend, Marilyn?

It's sparse, I know. But the best thing about Pinborough's latest titles is the less you know going in the better!

This is the UK cover - and the book will be out there in May. Looks like it'll be released Stateside in September from William Morrow. 

In other Sarah Pinborough news, it looks like Netflix is adapting her most recent release, 13 Minutes! I can't wait!

Thursday, February 15, 2018

Mister Tender's Girl by Carter Wilson

Two time Colorado Book Award Winner Carter Wilson is back in what promises to be his breakout hit!

Carter Wilson's latest is a story literally ripped from the headlines. Inspired by the recent Slenderman killings, Mister Tender's Girl introduces readers to Alice, the daughter of a graphic novel writer who's creation inspired two twin girls to commit a heinous crime. Alice survived, but moved overseas. Her father abandoned his popular creation, vowing never to write another Mister Tender tale. He passed away shortly thereafter.

Now grown up, Alice has done her best to move past the crime that so defined her youth. She's changed her name and owns a semi successful coffee shop. But she still suffers from anxiety and panic attacks and has to be on guard at all times if she's to combat them.

And then a package arrives. A package that appears to be a new Mister Tender tale and includes a log in to a website that proves someone knows who Alice really is.

Mister Tender's Girl is a leave all the lights on, check your doors and windows kind of read guaranteed to keep you up at night wondering just who might be watching you!

This is, surprisingly, almost a bit of a slow burn. The story moves quickly, but it starts with the nagging fear that something is coming. Alice knows she's being watched but she doesn't know why or by who. Clearly, though, she knows being the subject of someone's obsession isn't good. The only reason anyone has to be interested in her is her status as a survivor of that long ago crime. And the girls responsible are in prison.

Or they were.

This is not actually based on the Slenderman case. I had the chance to meet Wilson at our regional trade show where he discussed how this story came to be. Apparently he heard the headline and that's pretty much it. It kicked off the idea and he avoided everything else about the case while he was writing. So while the kernel of the story is founded in that all too real crime, the book itself is all Wilson.

Which is kind of scary if you really think about it :)

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Look For Her by Emily Winslow

Oh, the week is halfway over! And today I'm a stop on the TLC blog tour for Emily Winslow's Look For Her.

Annalise Wood disappeared in 1976. Almost twenty years later, her body was found but her case was never solved. 

Fresh off leave thanks to PTSD and treatment, Morris Keene has returned to his job as a police officer in a somewhat different capacity. Partially retired thanks to injury, he's been drafted as part of a new cold case team and Annalise's case is to be his first. Back in 1992, when the body was discovered, DNA was found on an item of clothing found with the body. The DNA was tested and put into the database but no match was found. Until now. 

With former partner and new mom Chloe Frohmann by his side, Keene aims to finally lay the Wood case to rest. But that may be more complicated than it first appears.

Emily Winslow is another author that I was turned onto by a favorite author - though at this stage I can't remember the circumstances. I do know it was back when the second installment in the series, The Start of Everything, was released (Look For Her is actually the fourth entry in Winslow's Keene and Frohmann series). And since The Start of Everything was on my wishlist thanks to the recommendation, now seemed like a good time to read it as well. Which turned out to be a good decision considering all of the books in the series apparently take place over less than a year.

When I met Chloe and Morris in The Start of Everything, Morris was just returning to work after being injured on a case. He was still struggling with losing the use of the fingers on his right hand. And Chloe had just discovered she was pregnant.

When we begin Look For Her, Morris has been on leave after seeking treatment for PTSD, something he was just seeing signs of as The Start of Everything wound down and he's visiting Chloe and her newborn. There is a bit of bad blood between the two of them thanks to events that took place in the book in between, but Morris is finally ready to set that aside a bit and offers to take Chloe with him to interview the suspect in his new case. Of course, having been cooped up with no work to focus on, Chloe jumps at the opportunity (after her husband's suggestion)!

Morris is definitely my preferred character of the two, though the two irritate and grate at one another throughout. Morris's investigative style is a bit more intuitive, though, and Chloe comes across as quick to judge. In other words, they're a bit like a bickering couple and by the end of the book you feel like you know them both quite well!

I always find it funny when I end up reading books with unexpected connections. In this case, Emily Winslow used to create logic puzzles for Games magazine, a trait she shares with one of the main characters in Best Friends Forever.

Her experience with logic puzzles has served her well in plotting out suspense. This is the second book I've read in this series (back to back I might add) and her twisty turny plots are fabulous! I enjoyed working out the puzzle myself as Morris and Chloe investigate and even when I did figure it out first, still quite enjoyed seeing them work their way through the clues to the same conclusion.

I definitely recommend these if you're looking for a great new series to dive into. Each installment is fairly short and the suspense is such that they make for great one sitting reads!

As mentioned, there are currently four books in the series. They can actually be read as standalones very easily - you might have some spoilers for previous entries, but you can definitely dive in at any point. Here's the full title list if do you want to start from the beginning:

The Whole World
The Start of Everything
The Red House
Look For Her

In addition to the series, Winslow is also the author of Jane Doe January, a memoir. All of the titles are available thanks to the good folks at Harper Collins.

To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page here.

For more on Emily Winslow and her work you can visit her website here. You can also like her on Facebook.

Purchase Links: HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble


Tuesday, February 13, 2018

What I'm Reading: The Queen of Hearts by Kimmery Martin

Happy book birthday to Kimmery Martin whose debut, The Queen of Hearts, hits shelves today! I'm currently in the midst of this one, so here's a bit about the book from Goodreads:

Zadie Anson and Emma Colley have been best friends since their early twenties, when they first began navigating serious romantic relationships amid the intensity of medical school. Now they're happily married wives and mothers with successful careers--Zadie as a pediatric cardiologist and Emma as a trauma surgeon. Their lives in Charlotte, North Carolina are chaotic but fulfilling, until the return of a former colleague unearths a secret one of them has been harboring for years.

As chief resident, Nick Xenokostas was the center of Zadie's life--both professionally and personally--throughout a tragic chain of events in her third year of medical school that she has long since put behind her. Nick's unexpected reappearance during a time of new professional crisis shocks both women into a deeper look at the difficult choices they made at the beginning of their careers. As it becomes evident that Emma must have known more than she revealed about circumstances that nearly derailed both their lives, Zadie starts to question everything she thought she knew about her closest friend.


Martin has a smooth style and a wonderful voice that really pulls you into the story! You are going to love these characters and their tale - and if my recommendation isn't quite enough to convince you, check out the blurb one of my favorite authors gave it:

"In The Queen of Hearts, debut author Kimmery Martin brings humor and insight into this exploration of friendships and secrets set in the fascinating world of practicing doctors. Sure to be a hit with fans of JoJo Moyes and Liane Moriarty."—Catherine McKenzie, bestselling author of Hidden and The Good Liar

See! 

Added bonus: Martin is a physician as well as a writer, which means she's super talented (for one) and her characters feel authentic because they are!

Monday, February 12, 2018

Best Friends Forever by Margot Hunt

Welcome back, everyone! Today is my second stop on the TLC blog tour for Margot Hunt's Best Friends Forever.

Alice and Kat have been friends ever since an opportune meeting in the airport. They were in New York - Kat after a trip to buy art for her gallery and Alice and her kids after a visit to her parents' - both flying back to Florida on a way delayed flight, and ended up sitting next to each other in the terminal. The chatted and commiserated with one another over martinis and that was that. But then Alice saw Kat drop her wallet at baggage claim, swooping it up and returning it to a thankful Kat. 

Three years later, they're as close as ever. 

But now Kat's husband is dead and the police are questioning Alice. Howard, Kat's husband, was drunk when he fell off their balcony. Alice thought it was a tragic accident, but the police are treating it like a homicide. And Kat's not returning her calls.

Hunt's debut is a fast and fun read that will make you wonder just how well you really know your friends!

From the start, we know Howard was a drunk. We know Kat was in London when he died. And we know Howard fell from the balcony. The police say they have a witness who claims otherwise, though, and Alice is the one they turn their eye to for answers.

Alice's marriage isn't what it used to be but she loves her family and her kids. Her friendship with Kat, though, gave her a chance to get away sometimes. Lunches with someone she could talk to about anything. And it seemed Kat felt the same.

But then why is Kat avoiding Alice? Why is Kat's family keeping Alice from seeing her? And why are the police harassing Alice in the first place?

Hunt does a great job building the suspense and teasing out details about the characters' lives. Kat and Alice seem so mundane when the story begins but as we get to know them, we understand they're hiding things.

As the story progresses, the timeline switches from present to past, bringing readers back three years to when Kat and Alice met. The past timeline progresses forward as the investigation does, and the two timelines weave together to bring us to the final pages. I loved the way the story played out, even when I did have my suspicions about what the eventual conclusion would be.

Best Friends Forever is a super quick read that was the perfect thing for a lazy weekend hiding out from the cold. Plus, it's set in Florida so I could almost imagine myself in that beachy setting alongside Alice and Kat. Or maybe peeking through their windows would be more appropriate :)

For more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page here

For more on Margot Hunt and her work you can visit her website here. You can also like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter

Purchase Links: Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

Sunday, February 11, 2018

New Releases 2/13/18

Some of the new titles hitting shelves this week are:

Mrs. by Caitlin Macy

White Houses by Amy Bloom

The Invention of Ana by Mikkel Rosengaard

The Philosopher's Flight by Tom Miller

Olympus Bound by Jordan Max Brodsky

Island of Pies and Soldiers by Sara Ackerman

Look For Her by Emily Winslow

Gunpowder Moon by David Pedreira

The Plea by Steve Cavanagh

The Lost Girls of Camp Forevermore by Kim Fu

Song of a Captive Bird by Jasmin Darznik

The Queen of Hearts by Kimmery Martin

Mister Tender's Girl by Carter Wilson

Madness is Better Than Defeat by Ned Beauman

A Dangerous Crossing by Ausma Zehanat Khan

Don't Skip Out on Me by Willy Vlautin

Hotel Silence by Audur Ava Ólafsdóttir

Starlings by Jo Walton

#PrettyBoy Must Die by Kimberly Reid

Honor Among Thieves by Rachel Caine & Anne Aguirre

The 11:11 Wish by Kim Tomsic

New on DVD:
Wonder
Roman J. Israel, Esq.

Friday, February 9, 2018

Girl Unknown by Karen Perry

It's Friday already. This week really flew by!

Today I'm a stop on the TLC blog tour for Karen Perry's Girl Unknown.

David and Caroline have gotten through something of a rough patch lately. A big renovation on their house that came with no small amount of stress and the fact that Caroline was having an affair (a flirtation, she calls it), pushed their relationship and greatly affected their trust for one another. And only time will heal this further. 

But one morning a student arrives in David's office claiming he's her father. And it seems likely it's true. If they trust her, how will allowing this new girl into their lives affect everything they've struggled to hold on to?

So first, this isn't the kind of secret child story you might think it is. David was in college when he met Linda, he and Caroline were split up. So the revelation of a daughter by this woman isn't a threat to their marriage in THAT way. And I don't think it's spoilers to reveal that, considering we find out within the first 50 pages.

Though, Girl Unknown is something of a short read!

It's a dense read, though. A psychological suspense rather than a rip roaring thriller. And the tension builds slowly.

Caroline and David are an average couple when we meet them. They've struggled and they've come out the other side. David is a professor and Caroline is back at work after years away. Their main point of stress at this stage - normal, everyday stuff aside - is David's mother's health.

But then this girl arrives. Claiming she just wanted David to know. Claiming it was easy and logical because she had to go to college anyway and there he was. And well, of course things aren't that easy at all!

Girl Unknown is a slow build, but it so worth it. Bonus tip: if you're a fan of Tana French, you'll want to check this one out. Karen Perry - is actually a pseudonym for writing team Karen Gillece and Paul Perry - earned a blurb from the genre favorite and thank her in the acknowledgements too!

To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official tour page here. And for more on Karen Perry and their work you can like them on Facebook.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Thursday, February 8, 2018

The Story of Our Lives by Helen Warner + a Giveaway

Hi, readers! Today I'm a stop on the TLC blog tour for Helen Warner's The Story of Our Lives. Note there is a tour wide giveaway on this one, so be sure to read through to the end for the Rafflecopter.

Best friends Sophie, Emily, Amy, and Melissa have been thick as thieves since their college days. Now that they're all out on their own, and even though they do see each other occasionally, they've made a tradition of getting together for a girls' weekend each year.

But as the years go by and each of their lives becomes more complicated:

Emily has never come clean about her son's father and being a single parent becomes difficult when she's challenged in a way she never could have imagined.

Amy has met the perfect man, but it soon becomes clear to her friends that something isn't quite right in her home life.

Melissa has always been freewheeling and free spirited, but her drinking and drug use is a growing cause for concern for the others.

And Sophie, who seems to have it all, struggles to find happiness in her family and home life.

Warner begins this story of friendship with the girls' summer in 1997 and it's made clear in just a few pages how strong the bond is between the four girls. And though we're plopped into their lives post college, we do get pieces of their earlier story as the book progresses.

Each set of chapters is divided by a year, taking the story through to 2012. There are fights, break ups, make ups, babies, weddings, and all sorts of everything in between. It's literally, as the title suggests, the story of their lives!

Or at least a short story of their lives, obviously there's quite a bit before and quite a bit to come, all things considered.

I loved the friendship between these women. They each have their flaws and they each have their issues, but they work through a lot of those side by side, supporting one another in the way only the closest of friends and family can! There are ups and downs throughout the book, so it's not an all the time feel good read, but there is a satisfactory end that I think qualifies it as such - feel good.

As mentioned, there is a tour wide giveaway on this one. To enter, simply follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page here. And for more on Helen Warner and her work, you can visit her website here.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble




Monday, February 5, 2018

Sunday Silence by Nicci French

Good morning, everyone! Today I'm a stop on the TLC blog tour for Nicci French's latest, Sunday Silence. (See, see, Sunday is out!)

Sadly this is apparently the penultimate entry in the series :(

When a body is found beneath the boards of her very own floor, Frieda Klein finds herself the center of a criminal investigation. 

No, it's not the first time she's been involved in a criminal investigation. And no, it's not even the first time she's been the focus of the investigation as a potential suspect. In fact, it's just the latest in a game of cat and mouse that's been going on much too long. The killer, Frieda is certain, is the same man she's warned authorities about for years now. A man who's been stalking her, leaving behind clues that lead straight to Frieda. A man everyone else believes is dead. But Frieda knows the truth. The question is, can she finally convince the police before she herself becomes a victim?

A running theme in this series has been the growing contention between certain members of the police force and Frieda herself. As a consultant, she was a trusted ally and solved many cases for the authorities. And she still has friends on her side who know this to be true. And yet, there are certain people who have done their best to undermine her efforts and chip away at her credibility. We've seen this before in the series. We've also seen, time and again, Frieda plead her case that Dean Reeve is not indeed dead.

Both of these are at the center of Sunday Silence, the seventh book in this smart and seriously fabulous series! And of course it ratchets up the tension of the book. As a reader who's been by Frieda's side for so many years, we have the insider track. We know what Frieda knows, that Dean Reeve is alive and has been taunting authorities for years.

Balancing that tension is the fact that Frieda's circle of friends is steadfast. And the fact that the authors have spent fair time building that supporting cast is one of the things that makes this such a great series. Each character is carefully drawn and wonderfully fleshed out. And that includes Dean Reeve.

While Reeve has been at the periphery of a number of installments at this point, it's clear the series is building up to a big showdown between him and Frieda. And unfortunately, with just one more installment to go, it's certain that's coming soon. The final book in the series, Day of the Dead, releases in July and I have to admit that I don't want it to end! 

Mystery fans in search of a rich series should definitely add this series to their "Must Read" list. The plots are so intricately planned and clearly put together with each following story in mind - the attention to detail is phenomenal. Honestly, you just can't go wrong with this series!

I do recommend starting from the beginning, if only so you can experience the full emphasis of the character relationships and the way the overall arc builds (though each one can be read as a starting point without too much trouble), so here's the series list in order:

Blue Monday
Tuesday's Gone
Waiting For Wednesday
Thursday's Child
Friday on My Mind
Dark Saturday
Sunday Silence
Day of the Dead (forthcoming)  
To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official tour page here.

For more on Nicci French and their work you can follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

Purchase Links: HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Sunday, February 4, 2018

New Releases 2/6/18

Some of the new titles hitting shelves this week are:

The Bookworm by Mitch Silver

Only Child by Rhiannon Navin

The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

Force of Nature by Jane Harper

The Unforgotten by Laura Powell

Semiosis by Sue Burke

The Glass Forest by Cynthia Swanson

The Innocent Wife by Amy Lloyd

Tarnished City by Vic James

Unknown Girl by Karen Perry

By the Book by Julia Sonneborn

The Fear Within by J. S. Law

Child of a Mad God by R.A. Salvatore

Only Killers and Thieves by Paul Howarth

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

The Undertaker's Daughter by Sara Blaedel

How to Stop Time by Matt Haig

This Fallen Prey by Kelley Armstrong

Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce

You Will Be Mine by Natasha Preston

The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

American Panda by Gloria Chao

Broken Beautiful Hearts by Kami Garcia

The Last To Let Go by Amber Smith

The Apocalypse of Elena Mendoza by Shaun David Hutchinson

Shadowsong by S. Jae Jones

New on DVD:
Suburbicon
Only the Brave
A Bad Mom's Christmas

Saturday, February 3, 2018

Pre Pub Book Buzz: The Lido by Libby Page

I know it may seem like a heartwarming read would be outside of my reading preferences, but that's very much not the case. As any mood reader can tell you, my reading taste is totally dependent on my mood. And right now I'm definitely in the mood for something feel good!

Libby Page's The Lido seems like the perfect thing! Here's a bit about the book from Goodreads:

Kate is a twenty-six-year-old riddled with anxiety and panic attacks who works for a local paper in Brixton, London, covering forgettably small stories. When she’s assigned to write about the closing of the local lido (an outdoor pool and recreation center), she meets Rosemary, an eighty-six-year-old widow who has swum at the lido daily since it opened its doors when she was a child. It was here Rosemary fell in love with her husband, George; here that she’s found communion during her marriage and since George’s death. The lido has been a cornerstone in nearly every part of Rosemary’s life.

But when a local developer attempts to buy the lido for a posh new apartment complex, Rosemary’s fond memories and sense of community are under threat.

As Kate dives deeper into the lido’s history—with the help of a charming photographer—she pieces together a portrait of the pool, and a portrait of a singular woman, Rosemary. What begins as a simple local interest story for Kate soon blossoms into a beautiful friendship that provides sustenance to both women as they galvanize the community to fight the lido’s closure. Meanwhile, Rosemary slowly, finally, begins to open up to Kate, transforming them both in ways they never knew possible.

Am I right, or am I right? Does this not sound like the perfect thing for anyone looking for a book with all the warm and fuzzies? Plus, it's being touted as a good one for Frederick Backman fans. 

The Lido is out in July from Simon and Schuster.


Friday, February 2, 2018

The Bleak and Empty Sea by Jay Ruud

Hi, everyone! It's Friday and today I'm a stop on the TLC blog tour for Jay Ruud's The Bleak and Empty Sea.

Tristram is dead and so is his lover, La Belle Isolde. It seems Tristram was stabbed with a poisoned spear but the death of Isolde just as she arrives to heal him is suspect, and Merlin's not the only one who believes it so. Guinevere herself also believes something suspicious is going on and it's up to Merlin, with the help of his assistant, Gildas, to find out the truth. But as their investigation unfolds, a number of potential suspects stands in there way, not least of which includes Tristram's own wife and her brother, who was supposed to be Tristram's faithful friend.

I am a bit of a fanatic when it comes to Arthurian tales. So even though this is the third in a series, I really wanted to hop on board with the tour. And not only is this King Arthur, but it's also Tristan - Tristram, here - and Isolde!

I can't say that murder mystery was where my own imagination ever took the mythology, and yet it does seem fitting. Ruud is clearly knowledgeable about even the most detailed intricacy of the history and story most of us are at least a bit familiar with. And this even minor familiarity will help you navigate the story.

In terms of plot and style, however, I found The Bleak and Empty Sea to be a bit dry and possibly overly influenced by academia. In other words, it's wordy and dense and sometimes hard to follow. Nevertheless, I think fans of more serious historical mysteries will find a lot to love here, with extra bonus points if you happen to be an Arthur and Merlin fan! For me, it didn't quite have the pacing I needed right at this moment - but admittedly, my family is on baby watch as a little niece or nephew is literally making their entrance into the world any minute, so I needed something a bit more gripping to distract me from that :)

To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page here. And for more on Jay Ruud and his work, you can visit his website here.

Purchase Links: Encircle Publications | Amazon

Thursday, February 1, 2018

The Chalk Man by C. J. Tudor + a Giveaway

Hi, everyone! Today I'm a stop on the TLC blog tour for C. J. Tudor's The Chalk Man.

1986: Eddie and his friends were twelve years old the year the Chalk Man came into being. Between the five of them, it started as a way to send secret messages: leaving chalk men and symbols for each other in corresponding colors. And then chalk figures began showing up around town, alongside increasingly brutal crimes.  The year, and the crimes, hit a gruesome finale with the discovery of a beheaded girl's body. 

2016: Tthe chalk figures are back. Eddie receives a letter at the same time one of their group returns to town to discuss the possibility of writing a book about that terrible year. And then one of the old gang is found dead. It could be an accident, but a letter just like Eddie's is found on the body. Has the past returned to haunt Eddie and his friends? And if it has, will they finally be able to unmask the identity of the Chalk Man?

I quite enjoyed this one. When I started, I thought it was going to be a quick read - and indeed it begins with a scene that seemed to set the tone for a fast-paced and shockingly gory read. And yet, that really wasn't the case. After that scene, an accident at the town fair when Eddie is twelve, the book became a bit more of a slow burn.

Chapter alternate between past and present, with Eddie leading the way on a dark trip down memory lane. See the discovery of the girl's body would seem to be the worst a tween could possibly face, but unfortunately that's not true here. 1986 is a particularly bad year that has long lasting ramifications, not the least of which is Eddie's "collecting" habit.

Eddie also admits to having a bit of a drinking habit in 2016 as well. He's a teacher who's never married and lives in his childhood home with a lodger much younger than he is. He and two of the others remained in their hometown and occasionally meet up even though Eddie doesn't feel they're friends in the true sense of the word. And yet, they are inextricably linked by the happenings of 1986.

Which becomes even more clear as the book progresses.

Though I expected quick and got simmering instead, I found I loved the progressing build and the chance to spend more time with the book than I'd anticipated.

I should also add that this book has been on my radar for well over a year now. A little bird in the publishing industry mentioned it to me after having read it in manuscript form and I immediately added it to my must have list. That much lead time means a whole lot of expectation, so I'm very glad that the book was able to live up to that - of course, the bird in question has great taste, so I never doubted I would love it!

Thanks to the publisher, I have one copy to give away on the blog. To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below before Monday, February 19. Open US only and no PO boxes please.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page here.

For more on C. J. Tudor and her work you can like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble