Feuding families, a legacy to prove and redemption…
To fulfill a deathbed promise to her mother, Caitlin Neisson must face her fear of bulls to learn how to be a rodeo bull fighter in order to protect her bull riding-wannabe youngest brother. She also needs to find him a teacher before he puts himself in danger. Too bad the best man for the job is her family’s number one enemy. He has a bad attitude and an even worse reputation. To complicate matters, he’s sexy and she begins to suspect his bad boy reputation hides a warm heart that just might melt the ice in hers.
…there’s more at stake outside the rodeo arena
Bodie Hadley was nearly killed by a bull in a rodeo arena and carries the weight of guilt for the death of another. Can he gain redemption by helping Caitlin, a member of the family his family has been feuding with for decades? Or will the weight of additional guilt crush him if he refuses her plea?
My Review: I rated 4 out of 5 stars
This was such a great story. I loved how fierce Caitlin is. When she puts her mind into doing something, she doesn’t let even a near run with a bull stop her. She was a wonderful character that truly surprised you throughout the story. She went for what she wanted and that included the hot Bodie Hadley, who was off limits because of a feud between his and her family. In honor of keeping a promise to her mother and the support and love for her family, she was willing to sacrifice her fears of bull’s and put herself in danger, in order for her younger brother to become a bull rider. The chemistry between Bodie and Caitlin was right on. Will Bodie help Caitlin with the promise she made to her mom? You will need to read to find out. The book has some heartbreaking moments but it also had a mystery to solve after Caitlin had two near miss with two bulls and of course some hot sexy romance. I loved that I truly didn’t have a clue who the culprit was that was trying to harm Caitlin. The long time family feud reminded me of Romeo and Juliet. You serious need to pre-order this book.
Author Biography
Having never met an unhappy ending she couldn’t mentally “fix,” Leah Vale believes writing romance novels is the perfect job for her. A Pacific Northwest native with a B.A. in Communications from the University of Washington, she lives in Central Oregon, with a huge golden retriever who thinks he’s a lap dog. While having the chance to share her “happy endings from scratch” is a dream come true, dinner generally has to come premade from the store. http://www.leahvale.com/
Check out this book cover. It is very captivating and leaves you thinking maybe you should be very careful with that camera. If you love a book with suspense and secrets, then you need to make sure you pre-order this book. I will be reviewing this book soon, so keep an eye out for it.
Blurb
At the advice of her therapist, homicide survivor Harper Reynolds has traded her job as a crime scene photographer for a more peaceful life taking photographs of the natural world. But her hopes for a life surrounded by the serenity of the outdoors are dashed when she inadvertently captures a murder being committed in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. She flees the scene in fear–and loses the camera.
Former Green Beret Heath McKade is a reserve deputy in an understaffed county who has been called in to protect Harper, a childhood friend he is surprised to see back in the area. When Harper learns that the sheriff’s department can’t find any evidence of the murder she witnessed, she is determined to do what she can to see that justice is done. What neither Harper nor Heath could know is how many explosive secrets from the past will be exposed–or how deeply they will fall for each other.
In this suspenseful page-turner, bestselling author Elizabeth Goddard keeps you on the edge of your seat as you discover that uncommon justice lies just on the other side of fear.
Hester Thursby has given up using her research skills to trace people who don’t want to be found. A traumatic case a few months ago unearthed a string of violent crimes, and left Hester riddled with self-doubt and guilt. Caring for a four-year-old is responsibility enough in a world filled with terrors Hester never could have imagined before.
Finisterre Island, off the coast of Maine, is ruggedly beautiful and remote—the kind of place tourists love to visit, though rarely for long. But not everyone who comes to the island is welcome. A dilapidated Victorian house has become home to a group of squatters and junkies, and strangers have a habit of bringing trouble with them. A young boy disappeared during the summer, and though he was found safely, the incident stirred suspicion among locals. Now another child is missing. Summoned to the island by a cryptic text, Hester discovers a community cleaning up from a devastating storm—and uncovers a murder.
Soon Hester begins to connect the crime and the missing children. And as she untangles the secrets at the center of the small community, she finds grudges and loyalties that run deep, poised to converge with a force that will once again shake her convictions about the very nature of right and wrong . . .
PRAISE FOR THE MISSING ONES
“A brilliantly composed mystery…a hurricane of suspense with squalls of twists that’ll just take your breath away. A salty, stormy and seductive read.”
– Mario Giordano, author of Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions and Auntie Poldi and the Vineyards of Etna
“Darkly textured and gorgeously twisted, this atmospheric novel of suspense proves Edwin Hill is a major talent. A master class in setting and character, and with penetrating psychological insight, this story is seamless and surprising and devastating—as turbulent and unpredictable as a New England gale.”
Hank Phillippi Ryan, best-selling and award-winning author of THE MURDER LIST
My review: Rated 4 out of 5 stars
A mystery that will keep the secrets hidden til the very end. Another mystery thriller that will leave Hester running to for her life, while protecting others. So much was going on in this story. We get to see the background story on Daphne and the reason for leaving her daughter and family behind. Two children go missing in Finisterre Island, it will leave you mind boggling on who could possibly steal a child in a small island? You will find drugs are taking over the island and cops cannot be trusted. The plot was well thought out. The characters will leave you loving or hating them. Hester will continue to be superwoman in a world that will rage all it’s hate and anger at her. Overall, people just don’t change and they have a closet full of skeletons. Great mystery with plot twist throughout the whole novel. Don’t forget to read book one Little Comfort.
Author Biography
Edwin Hill is the author of the critically-acclaimed Hester Thursby mystery series. His first novel, Little Comfort, was nominated for an Agatha Award for best debut. The second in the series, The Missing Ones, will be available in September of 2019.
(A note from the author on rating other writers: I used to be more critical of writers’ work but these days only rate books that I’ve read and liked, and mostly give fives. Once in a while, I’ll throw in a four to a well-established author whose earlier work was even better than their current work. Anything below a four, I keep to myself.)
One lucky winner will win this box, that will include all the fun swag, two books and the fabulous tote from Celadon Books. Please follow my blog and leave a comment below. Good Luck!!
Every Christmas, millions of children leave cookies out for Santa Claus. What they may not know is that many many years ago, Santa’s grandma made cookies for Santa, and now every year Santa now makes cookies for Mrs. Claus, the elves and his reindeer. So, when we leave cookies for him, we’re honoring Santa’s family tradition!
But when Santa’s family cookbook goes missing, Santa is unable to make cookies for his family. He is very sad and even considers skipping Christmas. Luckily for Santa (and for kids all around the world), a little girl finds the cookbook, and with the help of America’s Test Kitchen, inspires families from all over the world to help Santa and his family have a happy holiday!
My Review: Rated 4 out of 5 stars
The magic of believing and working together to help keep Christmas alive. Poor Santa misplaces his family cookbook. Right before Christmas he always bakes his favorite cookies to give to family, friends, elf’s and even his reindeer. His book is found unexpectedly by Abigail, who finds out the cookbook she found is from her favorite person, Santa Claus. She comes up with a magnificent plan that helps Santa with getting the cookies he needed to make, plus gives him back his precious book. I loved the plot. Definitely, a lot of thought went into the idea. The illustrations are so vivid, colorful, fun and gorgeous. It comes with Santa’s famous Krinkle Cookies recipe in the back, so children can bake with their family. Enjoy, some cookies while reading the book.
Your local Barnes & Noble will be meeting on September 10th at 7 pm, to talk about Inland by Téa Obreht. Pick up the book to read before event. If you want to check out event without reading the book, that’s great also. You can meet new friends and see the process for the book club. Happy reading!!
Goodreads Blurb
The New York Times bestselling author of The Tiger’s Wife returns with “a bracingly epic and imaginatively mythic journey across the American West” (Entertainment Weekly).
In the lawless, drought-ridden lands of the Arizona Territory in 1893, two extraordinary lives unfold. Nora is an unflinching frontierswoman awaiting the return of the men in her life–her husband, who has gone in search of water for the parched household, and her elder sons, who have vanished after an explosive argument. Nora is biding her time with her youngest son, who is convinced that a mysterious beast is stalking the land around their home.
Meanwhile, Lurie is a former outlaw and a man haunted by ghosts. He sees lost souls who want something from him, and he finds reprieve from their longing in an unexpected relationship that inspires a momentous expedition across the West. The way in which Lurie’s death-defying trek at last intersects with Nora’s plight is the surprise and suspense of this brilliant novel.
Mythical, lyrical, and sweeping in scope, Inland is grounded in true but little-known history. It showcases all of Téa Obreht’s talents as a writer, as she subverts and reimagines the myths of the American West, making them entirely–and unforgettably–her own.
Reviews
“This is no boilerplate Louis L’Amour yarn–there are ghosts, camels and other fantastical elements.”—Newsday (Best Summer Books 2019)
“The long-anticipated second novel from Téa Obreht transports readers to the Wild West through the juxtaposed stories of a frontierswoman whose husband and sons have gone missing, and of an outlaw on the run.”—Bustle
“Magnificent . . . brings to mind similar effects in, say, Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude or Toni Morrison’s Beloved.”—The Times Literary Supplement
“Obreht masterfully intertwines [Nora’s and Lurie’s] seemingly unconnected stories with the rich prose, nods to history, and elements of magical realism she’s known for.”—Real Simple
“It will enchant lovers of lyrical prose and the mythical American West.”—Harper’s Bazaar
This month, I’m currently reading way too many books to even keep up. I read a little of each, but it seems like I will never be done. What are you currently reading. Look below to see the titles I’m currently reading 🙂
NOS4A2 by Joe Hill
Goodreads Blurb
NOS4A2 is a spine-tingling novel of supernatural suspense from master of horror Joe Hill, the New York Times bestselling author of Heart-Shaped Box and Horns.
Victoria McQueen has a secret gift for finding things: a misplaced bracelet, a missing photograph, answers to unanswerable questions. On her Raleigh Tuff Burner bike, she makes her way to a rickety covered bridge that, within moments, takes her wherever she needs to go, whether it’s across Massachusetts or across the country.
Charles Talent Manx has a way with children. He likes to take them for rides in his 1938 Rolls-Royce Wraith with the NOS4A2 vanity plate. With his old car, he can slip right out of the everyday world, and onto the hidden roads that transport them to an astonishing – and terrifying – playground of amusements he calls “Christmasland.”
Then, one day, Vic goes looking for trouble—and finds Manx. That was a lifetime ago. Now Vic, the only kid to ever escape Manx’s unmitigated evil, is all grown up and desperate to forget. But Charlie Manx never stopped thinking about Victoria McQueen. He’s on the road again and he’s picked up a new passenger: Vic’s own son.
Sea Witch Rising by Sarah Henning
This Cover is Amazing
Goodreads Blurb
Runa will not let her twin sister die. Alia traded her voice to the Sea Witch for a shot at happiness with a prince who doesn’t love her. And his rejection will literally kill her—unless Runa intervenes.
Under the sea, Evie craves her own freedom—but liberation from her role as Sea Witch will require an exchange she may not be willing to make. With their hearts’ desires at odds, what will Runa and Evie be willing to sacrifice to save their worlds?
Told from alternating perspectives, this epic fairy tale retelling is a romantic and heart-wrenching story about the complications of sisterhood, the uncompromising nature of magic, and the cost of redemption.
The Better Sister by Alafair Burke
Goodreads Blurb
Though Chloe was the younger of the two Taylor sisters, she always seemed to be in charge. She was the honor roll student with big dreams and an even bigger work ethic. Nicky was always restless . . . and more than a little reckless—the opposite of her ambitious little sister. She floated from job to job and man to man, and stayed close to home in Cleveland.
For a while, it seemed like both sisters had found happiness. Chloe earned a scholarship to an Ivy League school and moved to New York City, where she landed a coveted publishing job. Nicky married promising young attorney Adam Macintosh, and gave birth to a baby boy they named Ethan. The Taylor sisters became virtual strangers.
Now, more than fifteen years later, their lives are drastically different—and Chloe is married to Adam. When he’s murdered by an intruder at the couple’s East Hampton beach house, Chloe reluctantly allows her teenaged stepson’s biological mother—her estranged sister, Nicky—back into her life. But when the police begin to treat Ethan as a suspect in his father’s death, the two sisters are forced to unite . . . and to confront the truth behind family secrets they have tried to bury in the past.
The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware
This book is getting quite scary at night. Don’t read before bed.
Goodreads Blurb
When she stumbles across the ad, she’s looking for something else completely. But it seems like too good an opportunity to miss—a live-in nannying post, with a staggeringly generous salary. And when Rowan Caine arrives at Heatherbrae House, she is smitten—by the luxurious “smart” home fitted out with all modern conveniences, by the beautiful Scottish Highlands, and by this picture-perfect family.
What she doesn’t know is that she’s stepping into a nightmare—one that will end with a child dead and herself in prison awaiting trial for murder.
Writing to her lawyer from prison, she struggles to explain the unravelling events that led to her incarceration. It wasn’t just the constant surveillance from the cameras installed around the house, or the malfunctioning technology that woke the household with booming music, or turned the lights off at the worst possible time. It wasn’t just the girls, who turned out to be a far cry from the immaculately behaved model children she met at her interview. It wasn’t even the way she was left alone for weeks at a time, with no adults around apart from the enigmatic handyman, Jack Grant.
It was everything.
She knows she’s made mistakes. She admits that she lied to obtain the post, and that her behavior toward the children wasn’t always ideal. She’s not innocent, by any means. But, she maintains, she’s not guilty—at least not of murder. Which means someone else is.
The Missing Ones by Edwin Hill
Goodreads Blurb
Hester Thursby has given up using her research skills to trace people who don’t want to be found. A traumatic case a few months ago unearthed a string of violent crimes, and left Hester riddled with self-doubt and guilt. Caring for a four-year-old is responsibility enough in a world filled with terrors Hester never could have imagined before.
Finisterre Island, off the coast of Maine, is ruggedly beautiful and remote—the kind of place tourists love to visit, though rarely for long. But not everyone who comes to the island is welcome. A dilapidated Victorian house has become home to a group of squatters and junkies, and strangers have a habit of bringing trouble with them. A young boy disappeared during the summer, and though he was found safely, the incident stirred suspicion among locals. Now another child is missing. Summoned to the island by a cryptic text, Hester discovers a community cleaning up from a devastating storm—and uncovers a murder.
Soon Hester begins to connect the crime and the missing children. And as she untangles the secrets at the center of the small community, she finds grudges and loyalties that run deep, poised to converge with a force that will once again shake her convictions about the very nature of right and wrong . . .
The Bull Rider’s Second Chance by Leah Vale
Amazon Blurb
Feuding families, a legacy to prove and redemption…
To fulfill a deathbed promise to her mother, Caitlin Neisson must face her fear of bulls to learn how to be a rodeo bull fighter in order to protect her bull riding-wannabe youngest brother. She also needs to find him a teacher before he puts himself in danger. Too bad the best man for the job is her family’s number one enemy. He has a bad attitude and an even worse reputation. To complicate matters, he’s sexy and she begins to suspect his bad boy reputation hides a warm heart that just might melt the ice in hers.
…there’s more at stake outside the rodeo arena
Bodie Hadley was nearly killed by a bull in a rodeo arena and carries the weight of guilt for the death of another. Can he gain redemption by helping Caitlin, a member of the family his family has been feuding with for decades? Or will the weight of additional guilt crush him if he refuses her plea?
*Barnes & Noble Members only until Saturday, August 24th
If you’re a B&N member the sale starts today. You can shop online or at your local store. If you aren’t a member, what are you waiting for? The fee is 25.00 a year and you save so much, plus free shipping. I spend hundreds at B&N and have saved so much, plus you receive coupons 🙂 In store offer is a free tote bag, when you purchase 3 books. The bag is adorable and great to carry your books everywhere you go. Here is the link to shop online https://www.barnesandnoble.com/b/book-haul/_/N-2r5n
10 Ways to Get the Most Out of the B&N Book Haul by Nicole Hill
Grabby hands at the ready, folks: the time has come for another earth-shattering, shelf-quaking #BNBookHaul! Saturday, August 24 through Monday, September 2, select titles—including new releases, bestsellers, paperbacks, kids’ favorites and more—are available for 50 percent off at Barnes & Noble, both in stores and online.
(Even better: B&N members get the VIP treatment, with exclusive access to this book bonanza beginning tomorrow, August 22.)
The whole book, half the price. Finally, math works for us all. You can find #bookhaul deals in your local store and online at bn.com/bookhaul.
Looking for more reasons to embrace the blowout? Are you excited but also the teensiest-bit overwhelmed by the vast bounty of new reads available to you? Here are 10 ways to ensure get the most bang for your Book Haul buck.
1. Plan Ahead The world has a lot of books and, we’re betting, so does your to-read list. Get started on the right foot by poring over the list of titles featured in the sale broken down by genre. There are books here for all types of readers, including fiction across all genres (from mysteries and thrillers, to history and memoirs!), highly bingeable YA novels, and some of our favorite sci-fi and fantasy books of the year so far. Of course, you’ll still undoubtedly be seduced by a beautiful, unexpected book cover or three, but at least this way, you’ll be aiming to pick up a solid list of essentials while you do it.
2. Stay Hydrated Does this need explanation? Heavy books + moving quickly = sweaty recipe for dehydration. You don’t want to pass out in the aisle. It’s poor Book Haul etiquette to make fellow patrons step over you—prone, legs splayed, hands clutching a hefty biography.
3. Clear Your Shelves If you have not already done so, now is the time to KonMari those bookshelves to make room for new books, all of which will most certainly spark joy.
4. Don’t Skip Arm Day If you’re shopping in store, you’re going to need a bigger basket—and all the upper-body strength you can muster. Unless you’re just buying novellas, in which case, carry on.
5. Also Don’t Skip Leg Day When hoisting your finds onto the counter at checkout, you should always lift with your legs.
6. Use the Buddy System Best way to maximize bargain-hunting efficiency? Divide and conquer. Bring your spouse or significant other, your best friend or a parent. Split the list and split up. Tip for those with children, they’re great assets for hitting the low shelves—and also for carrying overflow books. It’s character-building.
7. Test Your Wi-Fi Strength Online shoppers, we have all been there, waiting for the page to load so you might gaze upon your cart and delight in it. This is not the time to waste any precious seconds. Be somewhere with a stable, free-flowing internet connection. Like, the fancy coffee shop down the street. Or your parents’ house.
8. Explore a New Genre Enough with the logistics. These deals offer the perfect opportunity to pick out reads you might be too nervous to buy otherwise. Curious about breaking into romance for the first time? Never really delved into sci-fi? Now’s your chance to bring home some beauties and broaden your reading horizons at half the cost.
9. Treat Yourself For far too many of us, it’s much easier to buy a gift for someone else than for yourself. Throw that thinking out the window during #BNBookHaul and use the huge savings as an excuse to buy yourself that book (or ten) you’ve been meaning to read for far too long. You deserve it.
10.Buy. All. The. Books! And Tote Them Away While supplies last, buy any 3 eligible books and get an exclusive Book Haul tote bag to, er, haul them home in. Consider it a practical, environmentally conscious badge of honor. (The advice is universal, but this one’s an in-store-only deal.)
The schedule will be posted in early Fall. If you click on the names below you will be taken to the page that provides the author’s biography and the day they will be presenting. Here is the link to event https://bostonbookfest.org.
You will get two chances to enter. You can follow my blog and leave a comment below. The second entry will be in my FB Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/384315168432021/. The group is closed, so no one enters that isn’t a book lover. Please request to join and I will add you. I will have the post pinned at the top of my FB Group, just need to leave a comment. One winner will win a shirt with my blog name with your size choice. Depending on entries they might be a raffle for two, we will see. Thanks, for all your support.
FabulousReader4Ever 