2015 - 100+ Books

Rodin’s Lover by Heather Webb & Giveaway (US/Canada)

January 28, 2015 by Darlene

Rodin’s Lover by Heather Webb is a fascinating journey back in time. It takes us into the lives of sculptors Auguste Rodin and Camille Claudel and sweeps us through their passionate and often volatile relationship together.

Camille Claudel was not your typical woman of the 1800’s. Not only was she a talented sculptor; she was also fiercely independent and determined to succeed as an artist in a man’s world. Growing up with a mother who never showed her love and constantly berated her for one reason or another only made Camille strive harder for the future she wanted.

Meeting the great artist Auguste Rodin changes Camille’s life forever. He not only makes Camille his apprentice but also his muse. The attraction between the two is magnetic and inspires them both to create amazing works of art. Not all is perfect in their relationship though. For years Rodin has lived with a woman called Rose who has taken care of him and given him a son. Despite his troubled relationship with her he is unwilling to leave her. This sparks a fierce jealousy in Camille who believes if Rodin loved her as much as he claims to he should be able to leave Rose and make her, Camille, his whole life. It is not to be and eventually the volatile nature of their relationship and the pressures of trying to succeed in the male dominated art world pushes Camille to the edge of madness and beyond.

Rodin’s Lover is a beautifully written book and steeped in history. From the first to the last page I was fully drawn into the lives of Camille and Auguste and enjoyed every minute. In fact this novel prompted me to do further reading on both characters because I was so intrigued by them and their art. Rodin’s Lover is perfect for those who enjoy historical fiction and will also appeal to those who enjoy novels about dramatic relationships. Highly recommended!

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GIVEAWAY – OPEN TO US & CANADIAN RESIDENTS

1 paperback copy up for giveaway.

*CLICK HERE* and fill out the form to enter

Draw Date February 14/15

Rules (as per Tour Co.)
– Must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US & Canadian residents only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.

Source: Digital review copy provided by the publisher for an honest review. Giveaway sponsored by the tour co. No compensation was received.

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Rise and Shine by Rodica Licsari

January 17, 2015 by Darlene

Rise and Shine by Rodica Licsari is a wonderful children’s book with the sweetest illustrations! Just looking at this adorable cover will give you an idea of the illustrations inside. Although this book is for children aged 5-12, as an adult I found it very informative and interesting. It’s all about bees and boy did I learn a few things. For instance did you know bees have five eyes? I didn’t but I do now and it was little facts like this that made this such an enjoyable reading experience.

To share this book with a child would be a treat! I can imagine their wonder and excitement over the busy bee’s lives, not to mention their curiosity over all the busy doings of the bees. So many of the things in this book made me smile like when the mother bee is trying to get Tiny Bee out of bed and all she does is turn over and cover her eyes with one of her wings. Too cute!

The illustrations are so bright and vivid – they truly are beautiful and so very cute. There are pictures of the Nanny Bee with the little bees, Tiny Bee still in bed or sweeping up the floor in her apron, and this is just a few of them. To say the least I was taken with the story and the pictures completely.

Highly recommended for little readers and their parents! A really delightful little story!

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I’m going to link my review up to Booking Mama‘s Kid Konnection which is featured every Saturday. If you have a post relating to a children’s book, middle grade or young adult from the last week head on over and you can participate too!

Source: Digital copy received from the author for an honest review. No compensation was received.

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Island Fog by John Vanderslice & Giveaway (US/Canada)

January 16, 2015 by Darlene

Island Fog by John Vanderslice is an intriguing and dark collection of eleven short stories and since I enjoy the darker side of things I enjoyed it. The stories of Island Fog are linked together by the setting of Nantucket Island and the theme of the stories themselves and they range from 1795 to 2005 so the historical aspect of this collection is especially interesting. Island Fog is a novel to savor slowly – pick it up, read a story, and then reflect on it before indulging in the next one. The dark tone has made many of these stories hard to forget.

The first five stories are historical in nature. They deal with the Quakers, Native Americans, racism and more. The following six stories focus more on the island and its inhabitants. I really enjoyed these stories and the disturbing quality to some of them. Of course I liked some of the stories more than others but a few personal favorites were On Cherry Street which is about a woman who decides she may not be as distressed about being a widow as she should be. Another was Taste which is a very twisted story and that’s all I can say about it without giving away something important about it. Needless to say it is still foremost in my mind. The last I’ll share as a favorite was called Island Fog. This one combines magical realism and illusion with what one perceives as their true desires and just what they’ll give up to achieve them. Yet another story that has stayed in my thoughts.

John Vanderslice definitely has an exquisite way with words, thoughts, and feelings. Even in a short story he manages to draw you fully into the story and the characters portrayed in it. As much as these stories are centered on Nantucket Island they are also about people and the things that drive us in our lives.

Recommended for those who enjoy short story collections and literary fiction. I very much enjoyed it and look forward to reading more from the author.

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GIVEAWAY – OPEN TO US & CANADIAN RESIDENTS

1 copy of Island Fog up for giveaway

*CLICK HERE* and fill out the form to enter

Draw Date January 31/15

Source: Digital review copy received from the author for an honest review. No compensation was received.

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Joy Street by Laura Foley

January 14, 2015 by Darlene

Joy Street is a short and beautiful little book of poetry that portrays in a very honest way the later years in Laura Foley’s life. Having lived her earlier years in a traditional marriage she has chosen to live the later part of her life with her partner Clare who had also once been part of a traditional marriage. I love that the two have found such joy in each other despite dealing with Clare’s illness. The poems cover a wide range of things in the author’s life from her father’s wartime years, children, relationships, pets, to the sorrow of dealing with a loved one’s illness.

I liked that the poems are short and to the point. The beauty and sensuousness of the poetry shines through in the sparseness of the words used and many times that is so much more powerful than using more words. They portray the emotions, the awkwardness, the love and the pain that all of us feel at some point in our lives. Joy Street is about finding what joy you can in this world wherever you can and that truly touched my heart.

I had quite a few favorite pieces but I’ll share just one…

No GPS Necessary

I love you, I say, as we leave the hotel room,

as we take the elevator down,

and stroll city blocks

to the hospital,

as we walk the antiseptic corridors,

and she’s wheeled away,

as I return to Joy Street,

where yesterday

she said those words to me.

I love how this piece of poetry reflects both the pain and ultimate joy in the love that the author shares with her partner. I’m looking forward to reading more of the author’s work after experiencing the moving beauty of Joy Street.

Other tour stops with TLC Book Tours
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Buy: Amazon, Amazon Canada, B&N
Author Links: Website

Source: Digital review copy provided by the publisher for an honest review. No compensation was received.

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Mercy Snow by Tiffany Baker (Audiobook)

January 13, 2015 by Darlene

Mercy Snow by Tiffany Baker is one of the She Reads Books of Winter. I’ve read one other of Baker’s books and really enjoyed it so I was looking forward to this one. Mercy Snow was a fantastic book for me! I listened to the audiobook which is read by Christine Lakin and she does a great job. I haven’t had the pleasure of listening to her before but I wouldn’t hesitate to in the future. She has a great voice for telling stories!

Mercy Snow takes place in Titan Falls, New Hampshire and is a small town brimming with secrets. The residents are a tightly woven bunch that doesn’t readily accept outsiders. Not even outsiders that have been in the town for over twenty years and married to the owner of the paper mill – the paper mill that keeps the town running. That is the life of June McAllister who with all of her money and power still can’t seem to find a foothold in the community no matter how hard she tries

At the opposite end of power is poverty and that is the life of Mercy snow and her family who have just moved onto their dead father’s land much to the town’s disgust. They aren’t wanted there. Even more so when one fateful night there is a tragic school bus crash and Zeke Snow’s crashed truck is found not far from the scene. The Snow’s are nothing but trouble and the town blames Zeke and set out to find and convict him of the tragedy.

Not all is as it seems though as June McAllister soon learns when she unearths some disturbing evidence related to the crime. Her mission is to ensure she keeps her family and their power over the town intact. This means finding the Zeke boy, having him arrested, and getting rid of the rest of the Snow’s as well. What she doesn’t expect is how resourceful Mercy Snow can be in order to protect her own family.

Mercy Snow is a really good story with a hint of magic that I loved. It’s a beautifully told, well crafted story that I really enjoyed – especially in audio. Highly recommended!

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Be sure to enter for your chance to be one of the five lucky winners to win a whole set of the She Reads Books of Winter which includes: The Magicians Lie by Greer Macallister, Mercy Snow by Tiffany Baker, The Dress Shop of Dreams by Menna van Praag, and The Good Girl by Mary Kubica. *CLICK HERE TO ENTER*

Source: Library copy.

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The Good Girl by Mary Kubica (Audiobook)

January 9, 2015 by Darlene

The Good Girl by Mary Kubica is one of the She Reads Books of Winter and yet another winning book club choice! The Good Girl is Kubica’s debut novel and it is a well written and intensely exciting psychological thriller. I was absolutely glued to this book from the first page to the very unexpected and surprising ending. I listened to The Good Girl on audio and what a fantastic production. It is narrated by multiple voices – Lindy Nettleton, Johnny Heller, Tom Taylorson, and Andi Arndt and together they really bring this story alive. I felt like I was watching a really good movie that I just couldn’t’ tear myself away from. I loved it!

Mia has always been the bad daughter in her family and always locking horns with her prominent father James who is a judge. One fateful night Mia decides to go home with a man she meets in a bar looking only for a one-night stand. What she gets instead is kidnapped. Colin, her abductor, is supposed to deliver her to someone but decides instead to take her with him to a remote cabin in Minnesota. Meanwhile at home Mia’s mother is struggling with her daughter’s disappearance and wondering why James doesn’t seem more upset. He’s of the mind that this isn’t the first time that Mia has done something crazy and he insists that she’ll show up sooner or later. But Mia is gone … there is no ransom request … What has happened to Mia and where is she?

What follows is the story being told in multiple narratives – that of Mia, Eve, Gabe, and Colin, and in before and after segments. While that may seem like it would be confusing it isn’t at all. I’m amazed at how seamlessly Kubica wove this story together. The Good Girl is one of those books that grabs you from the beginning and has you guessing and racing to the end to see what really happened.

Highly recommended for those who enjoy psychological thrillers and mysteries!

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Source: Library copy.

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