ENDS OCTOBER 31 AT MIDNIGHT
READ PINKTM WITH THE WENDY WAX BOOK CLUB GIVEAWAY!
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Wendy is offering one book club the opportunity to receive 10 copies of the READ PINK ™ edition of TEN BEACH ROAD for their group and a visit with Wendy at an upcoming meeting via Skype or by phone. The winning club will be chosen at random. Please be prepared to share your group’s name and some history about your group. Enter
Title: The Shortest Way Home
Author: Juliette Fay
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Published: October 2012 – Penguin
Paperback: 416 pages
Synopsis: Sean has spent twenty years in Third World war zones and natural disaster areas, fully embracing what he’d always felt was his life’s mission. But when burnout sets in, Sean is reluctantly drawn home to Belham, Massachusetts, the setting of Fay’s much-loved Shelter Me. There, he discovers that his steely aunt, overly dramatic sister, and quirky nephew are having a little natural disaster of their own. When he reconnects with a woman from his past, Sean has to wonder if the bonds of love and loyalty might just rewrite his destiny. Completely relatable, The Shortest Way Home is another perfect serving of a slice of life from the irresistible Fay.
My take: Sean Doran’s back is killing him and he’s feeling burnt out after years of nursing in third world countries. He takes a break and heads home to Belham, Mass. What he finds when he arrives home are family members who need him just as much, if not more, than the people he left in Africa. He also has to face the reason why he left home to begin with: Huntington’s disease – the cause of his mother’s early death. Has he managed to escape it? Will other family members be diagnosed with it? It hangs over him constantly.
Juliette Fay’s characters stole my heart from the first page. I understood Sean’s motivation, his sister Deirdre’s frustration, and his nephew Kevin’s issues. I loved Aunt Vivvy, Cormac the baker, and Rebecca, a former classmate and friend. By the time I finished reading The Shortest Way Home I felt like they were all family members – that’s how real they seemed. Completely relatable – as stated in the synopsis.
It really is a slice of life novel and it left me hoping Juliette Fay will write another “Belham novel” someday soon. I’m going to want an update on all of the Dorans!
Disclosure: Review copy provided by the publisher. I was not compensated for my review.
Hosted at Mailbox Monday blog in October
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I bought:
City of Women by David R. Gillham
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Blackberry Winter by Sarah Jio
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Thanks to Kathy @ Bermudaonion:
One Last Thing Before I Go by Jonathan Tropper (audio)
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For Review:
Saving Each Other by Victoria Jackson & Ali Guthy
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What was in your mailbox?
The past week was a good one. I’ve been reading some wonderful books – actually, 2012 has been a great year for fiction, hasn’t it? I posted my thoughts about Love Anthony by Lisa Genova. For fun I listened to an older Lisa Kleypas novel. I also read Joanne DeMaio’s lovely Whole Latte Life for an upcoming blog tour.
Earlier in the week I drove across state to visit my parents. The fall colors were fantastic. Here are a couple of pics my dad took:
The house on the right is where I grew up
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A view of the back yard. See the green space after the sidewalk ends?
There was a swimming pool in that spot for thirty years!
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What have you been reading lately that you recommend? If you’re in the path of Hurricane Sandy, stay safe!
Title: Love Anthony
Author: Lisa Genova
Narrator: Debra Messing
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Published: September 2012 – Simon & Schuster Audio
8 cds – approximately 9 hours
Synopsis: Olivia Donatelli’s dream of a “normal” life shattered when her son, anthony, was diagnosed with autism at age three. Understanding the world from his perspective felt bewildering, nearly impossible. He didn’t speak. He hated to be touched. He almost never made eye contact. And just as Olivia was starting to realize that happiness and autism could coexist, Anthony died.
Now she’s alone in a cottage on Nantucket, separated from her husband, desperate to understand the meaning of her son’s short life, when a chance encounter with another woman facing her own loss brings Anthony alive again for Olivia in a most unexpected way.
Beth Ellis’s entire life changed with a simple note: “I’m sleeping with Jimmy.” Fourteen years of marriage. Three beautiful daughters. She had never felt so alone. Heartbroken, she finds the pieces of the vivacious, creative person she used to be packed away in a box in her attic. For the first time in years, she uncaps her pen, takes a deep breath, and begins to write. The young but exuberant voice that emerges onto the page is a balm to the turmoil within her, a new beginning, and an astonishing bridge back to herself.
In a piercing story about motherhood, autism, and love, New York Times bestselling author Lisa Genova offers us two unforgettable women on the verge of change and the irrepressible young boy whose unique wisdom helps them both find the courage to move on.
My take: My first experience with Lisa Genova’s books was Still Alice. Genova took the reader into the life of a woman diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease. In Love Anthony the main character is Olivia whose son (on the autism spectrum) has passed away. She feels incredible guilt for various reasons – not the least of which is how her son died.
Love Anthony is also about another woman – Beth. Her life has done a 180 and she’s working through how to go forward. Genova connects the two woman in an intriguing way. They help each other discover that unconditional love is not a one way street and forgiveness may be part of healing.
I liked how Genova’s story wrapped up – maybe not with a beautiful bow but tied up nicely just the same. I appreciated the author’s comments about autism at the end of the book. Recommended.
Debra Messing’s performance was good. Her voice was easy to listen to and I thought she voiced the characters adequately.
Disclosure: I received a review copy of the audiobook from the publisher via Audiobook Jukebox. I was not compensated for my review.
Title: The Homecoming of Samuel Lake
Author: Jenny Wingfield
Genre: Fiction
Published: July 2012 – Random House Trade Paperbacks – 352 pages
Synopsis: Every first Sunday in June, members of the Moses clan gather for an annual reunion at “the old home place,” a sprawling hundred-acre farm in Arkansas. And every year, Samuel Lake, a vibrant and committed young preacher, brings his beloved wife, Willadee Moses, and their three children back for the festivities. The children embrace the reunion as a welcome escape from the prying eyes of their father’s congregation; for Willadee it’s a precious opportunity to spend time with her mother and father, Calla and John. But just as the reunion is getting under way, tragedy strikes, jolting the family to their core: John’s untimely death and, soon after, the loss of Samuel’s parish, which set the stage for a summer of crisis and profound change.
In the midst of it all, Samuel and Willadee’s outspoken eleven-year-old daughter, Swan, is a bright light. Her high spirits and fearlessness have alternately seduced and bedeviled three generations of the family. But it is Blade Ballenger, a traumatized eight-year-old neighbor, who soon captures Swan’s undivided attention. Full of righteous anger, and innocent of the peril facing her and those she loves, Swan makes it her mission to keep the boy safe from his terrifying father.
With characters who spring to life as vividly as if they were members of one’s own family, and with the clear-eyed wisdom that illuminates the most tragic—and triumphant—aspects of human nature, Jenny Wingfield emerges as one of the most vital, engaging storytellers writing today. In The Homecoming of Samuel Lake she has created a memorable and lasting work of fiction.
My brief take: Oh my goodness! What a wonderful novel! I loved being immersed in the southern setting and I loved the Lake family. Jenny Wingfield’s characters and story completely pulled me in.
My heart was captured by Swan. She had a remarkably mature empathy for the people in her life but expressed it in such an age-appropriate way that it made me smile. My heart went out to her as shocking events unfolded but I was left feeling uplifted and optimistic for what the future would hold for her.
Swan is the main character but the other members of her family (immediate and extended) are interesting and endearing. They could probably each have their own novel – and I would want to read them!
The Homecoming of Samuel Lake will be on my 2012 Favorites list. Highly recommended.
Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher. I was not compensated for my review.
Hosted at Mailbox Monday blog in October
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I bought:
Mariana by Susanna Kearsley
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The Financial Lives of the Poets by Jess Walter
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For review:
Vanity Fare by Megan Caldwell
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Love Anthony by Lisa Genova – audiobook
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Giveaway win:
A Georgette Heyer giveaway win from Sourcebooks
via Jennifer at Literate Housewife
Envious Casca; Royal Escape; The Quiet Gentleman
What was in your mailbox?
Title: Better Than Chocolate (Icicle Falls #1)
Author: Sheila Roberts
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Published: September 2012 – Harlequin MIRA
Paperback 400 pages
Synopsis: How sweet it isn’t!
Sweet Dreams Chocolate Company has been in the Sterling family for generations, ever since Great-Grandma Rose literally dreamed up her first fabulous recipe. But now it looks as if they’re about to lose Sweet Dreams to the bank—and that would be a disaster, not only for the family but for the town of Icicle Falls, Washington. Can Samantha, the oldest daughter and new head of the company, come up with a way to save it?
After Samantha does some brainstorming with her mother and sisters, inspiration strikes. They’ll have a chocolate festival! Time’s running out, but the Sterling women are determined and the town’s behind them, so everything’s bound to go smoothly….
Or not. Events seem to be conspiring against Samantha, and her mother’s attempts to help aren’t helping. To make matters worse, the fate of her company is in the hands of her archenemy, Blake Preston, the bank manager with the football-hero good looks. It’s enough to drive her to chocolate. But Blake’s also enough to convince her that (believe it or not) there’s something even better than chocolate.
My take: The synopsis along with the cute cover sold me on Sheila Roberts’ latest novel. Better Than Chocolate is the story of how the Sterling women try to save the family chocolate company despite numerous roadblocks.
Roberts has a knack for incorporating timely issues in her novels. Better Than Chocolate is a cautionary tale about what can happen when women aren’t involved with the financial and legal details in their marriage and/or family business. Sisters and mother pull together to save the business in an unconventional way that could also end up helping their quaint tourist town. Roberts used just the right amounts of humor and tension to pace the story perfectly. If I’d had the time, I would have read it straight through in one sitting.
I thoroughly enjoyed Better Than Chocolate and look forward to the next book in the Life in Icicle Falls series.
Disclosure: I received a review e-galley from the publisher via NetGalley.
The Avon Social Reader
New App integrates with Facebook to allow advance excerpts, sharing, and DRM-free purchasing
New York, NY – October 16, 2012 –Around the world, women are reading in new ways, often online or on a device, and sharing what they read via social media outlets. In many cases, Facebook has become a key part of the equation. Consumers are spending hours each day browsing the latest headlines while interacting with their friends, families and acquaintances through the platform. Now, leading romance publisher Avon Books is piloting a free Facebook app, AvonSocialReader.com, which will give readers the chance to read excerpts from Avon’s latest books, share their favorites with friends, and discover new content based on what their friends are reading. Up to 20 percent of each book will be available to read, and once a book is browsed in the app, a person can choose to have that book show up in their News Feed or timeline for friends to see. There will also be clickable buy links to DRM-free editions of the selected Avon books from allromanceebooks.com. Consumers can also choose to purchase DRM-enabled versions of the books at other online retailers.
A recent online consumer survey indicated that romance readers are highly active in the digital arena, purchasing e-books and sharing information via social channels. Many of the respondents pointed to Facebook as being the center point of their social/digital sharing world. “Many are using apps to share the news stories that they are reading online instantly with their friends,” says Liate Stehlik, Senior Vice President and Publisher of William Morrow and Avon Books. “The recent word-of-mouth phenomenon surrounding Fifty Shades of Gray confirms that women are talking about the books they are reading in equal measure. Thus, Avon worked to create a simple way for friends to connect on Facebook over the books they are most passionate about.”
She continues, “The Avon Social Reader is a fun, user-friendly way for readers to sample an interesting mix of excerpts posted to this Facebook app every month, and then virally spread the news about what they are reading via social media.”
Partnering with allromanceebooks.com allows Avon, for the first time, to offer a DRM-free option to their authors and readers, “a publishing capability many of them had asked us to pursue,” Stehlik says. The files can be delivered as secure Adobe ePub -book editions. Bestselling author Tessa Dare expresses her excitement, saying, “I know that DRM can be a frustration for honest, paying readers who just want to purchase and read books on their preferred devices. Avon’s experiment will help me reach a new segment of the digital readership.” New York Times bestseller Cathy Maxwell says, “I’m excited that readers will now have a new way to get the inside scoop on our books – and what a great, easy way to share with all of their friends on Facebook!”
The Avon Social Reader is intuitive and easy to use. Fully integrated within Facebook Platform, the app enables readers to flip from status updates to a book excerpt that a friend is reading with one quick click. The more they use the app and interact, the better it gets!
The Avon Social Reader will be launched out via Facebook today, with excerpts and buy links for the following titles:
Facebook® is a registered trademark of Facebook Inc.
More information about The Avon Social Reader is available online at Avon’s Facebook page,www.facebook.com/avonromance or via the direct link, www.AvonSocialReader.com.
About HarperCollins Publishers HarperCollins, one of the largest English-language publishers in the world, is a subsidiary of News Corporation (NYSE: NWS, NWS.A; ASX: NWS, NWSLV). Headquartered in New York, HarperCollins has publishing groups around the world including the HarperCollins General Books Group, HarperCollins Children’s Books Group, Zondervan, HarperCollins UK, HarperCollins Canada, HarperCollins Australia/New Zealand and HarperCollins India. HarperCollins is a broad-based publisher with strengths in literary and commercial fiction, business books, children’s books, cookbooks, mystery, romance, reference, religious and spiritual books. With nearly 200 years of history HarperCollins has published some of the world’s foremost authors and has won numerous awards including the Nobel Prize, the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award, the Newbery Medal and the Caldecott. Consistently at the forefront of innovation and technological advancement, HarperCollins is the first publisher to digitize its content and create a global digital warehouse to protect the rights of its authors, meet consumer demand and generate additional business opportunities. You can visit HarperCollins Publishers on the Internet athttp://www.harpercollins.com.
You may have noticed things have been quiet here lately. A few pre-scheduled posts aside, I haven’t been reading much in the past month. My 5 month old grandson Jack was in the hospital for over a month and passed away on October 6. As ill as he was, we expected him to get better and go home. I feel so fortunate that my husband and I were able to be with Jack and my daughter and son-in-law during most of the past several weeks. If you pray, please keep Jack’s parents and our entire family in your prayers.
Jack’s funeral was outdoors not too far from his home in Maine. The photo was taken by my sister before the service.
October host: Marcia at Mailbox Monday
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I bought:
River Jordan by August Trobaugh
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Giveaway win:
The Making of Us by Lisa Jewell
Thanks to the publisher and Dar at Peeking Between the Pages
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Review books:
The Shortest Way Home by Juliette Fay
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Better Than Chocolate by Sheila Roberts
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What was in your mailbox?
Bookfan 