tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78641220911840897072017-02-26T00:00:03.612-07:00No More Grumpy BooksellerAn ordinary man can... surround himself with two thousand books... and thenceforward have at least one place in the world in which it is possible to be happy. ~Augustine BirrellBecky LeJeunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030931605009567165noreply@blogger.comBlogger2777125NoMoreGrumpyBooksellerhttps://feedburner.google.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864122091184089707.post-49243699015902909792017-02-26T00:00:00.000-07:002017-02-26T00:00:03.619-07:00New Releases 2.28.17<a href="https://stacyalesi.com/2017/02/24/dare-you-by-jennifer-brown/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kz-SVoW6ZS4/WLDZqpZQnFI/AAAAAAAAOfk/LPbV9S6YoBkcIHRv5QTJEwNIcvPmsmAogCLcB/s320/30556254.jpg" width="213" /></a>Some of the new titles hitting shelves this week are:<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Golden Hour</i>&nbsp;by T. Greenwood<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Housekeeper </i>by Suellen Dainty<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Marked for Revenge</i>&nbsp;by Emilie Schepp<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Till Death</i>&nbsp;by Jennifer L. Armentrout<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">If I Could Tell You</i>&nbsp;by Elizabeth Wilhide<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Dead Letters</i>&nbsp;by Caite Dolan-Leach<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Bone Box</i>&nbsp;by Faye Kellerman<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Revenger&nbsp;</i>by Alastair Reynolds<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Fifth Element</i>&nbsp;by Jørgen Brekke<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Miss Treadway and the Field of Stars</i>&nbsp;by Miranda Emmerson<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Quicksand </i>by Malin Persson Giolito<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">One Blood Ruby</i>&nbsp;by Melissa Marr<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">10 Things I Can See From Here</i>&nbsp;by Carrie Mac<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Hate U Give</i>&nbsp;by Angie Thomas<br /><br />New on DVD:<br /><i>Doctor Strange</i><br /><i>Allied</i><br /><i>Moonlight</i><br /><i>Shut In</i><br /><i><br /></i>New reviews at Bookbitch.com:<br /><a href="https://stacyalesi.com/2017/02/24/dare-you-by-jennifer-brown/"><i>Dare You</i><b>&nbsp;</b>by Jennifer Brown</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NoMoreGrumpyBookseller/~4/It46l-fShk8" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Becky LeJeunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030931605009567165noreply@blogger.com0http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/2017/02/new-releases-22817.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864122091184089707.post-65274604468958771322017-02-23T00:00:00.000-07:002017-02-23T11:20:42.335-07:00Nova by Margaret Fortune<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26893468-nova" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Cg0Pd5lslbA/WK8iWCZGl8I/AAAAAAAAOfQ/5t_C3ctsQMUvyBeYyzKORJpKXhxCv_z_QCLcB/s320/26893468.jpg" width="191" /></a><a href="https://margaretfortune.wordpress.com/">Margaret Fortune's</a> debut is fabulous fun! The first in the Spectre War series (currently projected to be 5 books, I believe) begins as one thing and morphs into a completely different kind of story. But what kind is something I'm not going to give away. That said, I'm going to attempt to be somewhat vague in my review. So here goes:<br /><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;">Lia Johansen is a refugee with a secret. One of hundreds of POWs recently released as part of negotiations over a habitable planet called New Earth, Lia and her fellow prisoners are given temporary asylum on New Sol Station. But Lia isn't there for asylum. Lia isn't Lia at all. She's a walking bomb whose clock is counting down swiftly.</span><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span><span style="color: #4c1130;">Until it's not. Ready to go nova and take the entire station with her, Lia is given a reprieve when she proves to be a dud. But the stay is only temporary and she has no idea how long it will take for the final minutes of her clock to count down.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span><span style="color: #4c1130;">Her mission is complicated by two factors beyond the bomb's fickleness: one, she has no memory of her mission. Two, the memories she does have are the real Lia's. And when one of Lia's friends turns out to be living on New Sol, going nova begins to seem like a bad idea. </span><br /><br />We meet Lia as her transport is arriving at New Sol. Lia, the real Lia, was a citizen of Aurora Colony, one of many terraformed colonies throughout the expanse. When the colony fell, she and her family were taken to the Tiersten Internment Colony, as prisoners of the Tellurian Alliance, one of two governing factions that controls (and fights over) space.<br /><br />See the Tellurians and the Celestians have been fighting for ages over everything. And while new colonies are being terraformed for human habitation, the discovery of a seemingly Earth-like planet perfect for habitation as is, is the center of the current conflict between the two groups. Unfortunately, Lia and the other refugees were caught at the center of the conflict until just recently. A tenuous treaty has been negotiated, and the POWs have been released.<br /><br />But things aren't quite hunky dory, as evidenced by the fact that this Lia, our narrator Lia, is carrying a bomb meant to destroy New Sol!<br /><br />Unfortunately, whatever plan Lia is part of has gone massively awry. And with no knowledge of what the plan actually is, Lia isn't sure she wants to continue carrying it out. Especially when she's taken under the wing of Lia's old friend from Aurora, Michael.<br /><br />As her time on New Sol stretches out, Lia becomes close to Michael, even convincing herself that she can live some sort of life with an actual future.<br /><br />Lia is an unreliable narrator in that she doesn't know her own story. Her internal battle between what she thinks is her purpose and what she actually wants is one that propels the story from start to finish and each new piece of information she discovers about herself and the world she lives in proves to complicate things further for her.<br /><br />As her clock ticks down, the pacing of the story increases, leaving the reader wondering what fate Lia will choose and how this will affect the world we've come to know.<br /><br /><i>Nova</i>&nbsp;is an excellent start to a series. It's the kind of book that has huge cross over potential - a teen narrator in an adult SF tale that definitely appeals to both audiences. But there's a massive and fabulous twist beyond all of that that really makes <i>Nova</i>&nbsp;fantastic.<br /><br />Rating: 4/5<br /><br /><i>Nova</i>&nbsp;has been out in paperback for some time, but next month marks the release of the second book in the series, <i>Archangel</i>. So now's the perfect opportunity to catch up! Be sure to check back here next month as I'll be giving away a copy of <i>Archangel&nbsp;</i>here on the blog.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NoMoreGrumpyBookseller/~4/K3WTkTTfql0" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Becky LeJeunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030931605009567165noreply@blogger.com0http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/2017/02/nova-by-margaret-fortune.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864122091184089707.post-21682520818902329572017-02-21T00:00:00.000-07:002017-02-21T08:30:20.290-07:00The Drifter by Christine Lennon + a Giveaway<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30319967-the-drifter" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Gz-1fXRAAdM/WKxaUCOA7yI/AAAAAAAAOeg/1M1E-rIWM3wUFiVdRGh7o1a7X_hjXWeOwCLcB/s320/The%2BDrifter%2Bcover.png" width="212" /></a>Happy Tuesday, readers! Today I'm a stop on the TLC blog tour for Christine Lennon's debut, <i>The Drifter</i>. I am giving away a copy today, so be sure to read through to the end to enter the Rafflecopter.<br /><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;">One more semester. Just a few final months to go before the end of college and the next phase in Betsy's life. But the semester is not off to a great start. After crashing all summer in her friends' apartment, Betsy has become a third wheel.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span><span style="color: #4c1130;">She, Ginny, and Caroline met at rush and have been friends ever since, but things between Caroline and Betsy have become more than strained. Things were fine while Caroline was gone for the summer, but now she's back and things are weird as ever. To make matters worse, Gainesville has become the new stomping grounds for an apparent serial killer. In a town full of women, it's unlikely any of the three will ever cross his path. Or so they think.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span><span style="color: #4c1130;">Twenty years later, Betsy still hasn't recovered from the death of her friend. She's overly cautious and afraid of letting her daughter out of her sight. Things aren't helped when she receives an invite from a sorority sister to attend their twenty year reunion. If she's ever to move on with her life, it appears she'll have to face the horrors of her final months in Florida.&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><i>The Drifter</i>&nbsp;wasn't quite what I expected. It's being compared to Megan Abbott and M.O. Walsh, the latter of which is actually a pretty perfect comparison in retrospect.<br /><br />As with Walsh's debut, <i>The Drifter</i>&nbsp;is less a thriller than an examination of how events shape our lives. We're introduced to Betsy in 2010 as her daughter is beginning preschool, and it's clear that Betsy has issues. She's obsessed with background checks and security at the school and is even caught lurking outside. But what the school doesn't know is that Betsy's fear is grounded in a very real and tragic event - her best friend's murder.<br /><br />Cut to 1990 and everything is apparently, mostly, hunky dory. Betsy is carefree and happy, somewhat. Yes, the trio of friends is experiencing a rocky patch, but all is fairly normal. Except that two women have been murdered in their little college town.<br /><br />While we do get some chapters beyond Betsy's final months in college, much of the story is focused between August 22 and August 30, or the days leading up to the murder of one of Betsy's friends. From there, it's clear her life could only be influenced by that event. Understandably.<br /><br />From the description, I definitely did expect more of a thriller. And while <i>The Drifter</i>&nbsp;certainly has thriller leanings and aspects, it's more a coming of age tale about a woman whose life is affected by a great tragedy. It's also about healing from, and dealing with the guilt of, that event.<br /><br />To that end, <i>The Drifter</i>&nbsp;is not necessarily paced like a thriller. There's much more introspection and examination of the time leading up to the event. (As is the case with Walsh's title, hence the apt comparison.) And by honing in on the tiny details that make up the days leading up to and even beyond the crime in question, Lennon really gives readers a chance to get inside Betsy's life and mind. To experience the emotions and the uncertainty of those final days of college, the testiness of a close friendship, and the tragedy of loss.<br /><br />The book is set at an interesting time, in my opinion. 1990 did mark a significant change from the 80s. There was a different feel to everything: fashion, music, movies... I may be biased because I lived through it, but I'd say anyone my age likely feels the same. To set the tone, Lennon created a <a href="https://play.spotify.com/user/christinelennonthedrifter/playlist/3HBUmORiyTFANOdwsQk6Hl?play=true&amp;utm_source=open.spotify.com&amp;utm_medium=open">Spotify playlist</a>. I highly recommend listening along as you read as it really does create a great mood for the book. You can also check out a great guest post by Lennon over at <a href="http://www.bookclubgirl.com/book_club_girl/2017/02/guest-post-from-christine-lennon-author-of-the-drifter.html">BookClubGirl.com</a>.<br /><br />And now for the giveaway. To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below before Monday, March 6. Open US only.<br /><br /><a class="rcptr" data-raflid="a291a0b5190" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/a291a0b5190/" id="rcwidget_vgrzdsai" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br /><script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><br /><br />To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page here.<br /><br />For more on Christine Lennon and her work you can visit her website <a href="http://christinelennon.com/">here</a>. You can also like her on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/christinelennonwriter">Facebook</a> and follow her on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/christinelennonplus2/">Instagram</a>.<br /><br />Purchase Links:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062457578/the-drifter">HarperCollins</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Drifter-Novel-Christine-Lennon/dp/0062457578/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=1487269463&amp;sr=8-2">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-drifter-christine-lennon/1123897699?ean=9780062457578">Barnes &amp; Noble</a><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uj76UNtHXSY/WKxaUKyI8-I/AAAAAAAAOek/e7PVxH7kB3E8jSj4dv8nDrgoVXTNIrT6ACLcB/s1600/tlc%2Blogo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uj76UNtHXSY/WKxaUKyI8-I/AAAAAAAAOek/e7PVxH7kB3E8jSj4dv8nDrgoVXTNIrT6ACLcB/s1600/tlc%2Blogo.png" /></a></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NoMoreGrumpyBookseller/~4/gUNW4WxK-a8" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Becky LeJeunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030931605009567165noreply@blogger.com4http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/2017/02/the-drifter-by-christine-lennon-giveaway.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864122091184089707.post-45917168305056535182017-02-20T00:00:00.000-07:002017-02-20T11:53:53.633-07:00The Chilbury Ladies' Choir by Jennifer Ryan<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30269104-the-chilbury-ladies-choir" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jiriiSbXl24/WKYwUJqEIPI/AAAAAAAAOc0/VELWPTIOJMo0qHpDXP1b-ELdPxH23pv-ACLcB/s1600/The-Chilbury-Ladies-Choir-Jacket.jpeg" /></a>Good morning, readers! Today I'm a stop on the TLC blog tour for Jennifer Ryan's <i>The Chilbury Ladies' Choir</i>.<br /><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;">With the men off to war, the Vicar of Chilbury has decided to shutter the local choir. But the women have a different idea. Together, with the help of an enigmatic new local music teacher, they form the Chilbury Ladies' Choir.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span><span style="color: #4c1130;">That's right, a choir featuring all women.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span><span style="color: #4c1130;">It may be unheard of, but in this time of need there's simply no other choice. And to be certain, this is indeed a time of need that calls for a choir. As the threat of war looms ever heavier over England as a whole, and the village of Chilbury in particular, music and the choir prove to be just the thing to keep up the town's spirits. And the women's spirits as well.&nbsp;</span><br /><br />Told through diaries, letters, and the occasional local announcement, Jennifer Ryan brings Chilbury and its citizens into vivid life.<br /><br />Our main narrators include Kitty Winthrop, an almost fourteen-year-old girl determined to become the best singer she can be; her sister, Venetia Winthrop, the village's seemingly remaining free-spirited troublemaker, who has her eyes set on a local artist as her latest conquest; Mrs. Tilling, a widowed nurse whose own son has just set off for the front; and Miss Edwina Paltry, a local midwife looking to make an extra pound any way she can.<br /><br />Kitty and Mrs. Tilling have both begun journals as per the suggestion of the same radio program. (According to Ryan, this was a very real effort during WWII to chronicle the happenings on the Home Front during the war.) Venetia, meanwhile, keeps track of her efforts to woo an artist through correspondence with her friend, (who everyone agrees is a terrible influence) living in London throughout the story. And Miss Paltry keeps up her own correspondence with her sister, outlining a plot that becomes more complicated and troublesome as her part in the story progresses.<br /><br />Together, and with a few extras, the happenings in Chilbury from March 26, 1940 through September 6, 1940 are outlined in great detail. And I do mean great. The characters run the gamut of personalities, ages, and social rank. We even get a bit of insight from a couple of men and a refugee who's been taken in as well.<br /><br />And while the choir is much of the focus, it's really the framework for the larger story of England's WWII Home Front - the hopes and dreams and fears of a people at war and the ever changing social structure brought about by that war.<br /><br />I quite adored this book! It is quite fabulous and heartfelt, making it the perfect read for any historical fiction fan. It's sweet, without being sappy, and it feels authentic in terms of both characters and scope. Definitely recommended!<br /><br />To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page <a href="http://tlcbooktours.com/2016/12/jennifer-ryan-author-of-the-chilbury-ladies-choir-on-tour-februarymarch-2017/">here</a>.<br /><br />For more on Jennifer Ryan and her work you can visit her website <a href="http://jenniferryanbooks.com/">here</a>. You can also like her on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JenniferRyanBooks/?hc_ref=SEARCH">Facebook</a>.<br /><br />Purchase Links:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Chilbury-Ladies-Choir-Novel/dp/1101906758/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1481749473&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=the+chilbury">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Chilbury-Ladies-Choir/Jennifer-Ryan/9781101906750?id=6806214300029">Books-A-Million</a> | <a href="http://tlcbooktours.com/2016/12/jennifer-ryan-author-of-the-chilbury-ladies-choir-on-tour-februarymarch-2017/%E2%80%9Dhttp://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-chilbury-ladies-choir-jennifer-ryan/1123805742?ean=9781101906750">Barnes &amp; Noble</a><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pVsU-mY3rrk/WKYwUB05-sI/AAAAAAAAOc4/ryHvVjcaIdYSGMKNmgRMvs2hxx4VfjmeACLcB/s1600/tlc-logo-resized.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pVsU-mY3rrk/WKYwUB05-sI/AAAAAAAAOc4/ryHvVjcaIdYSGMKNmgRMvs2hxx4VfjmeACLcB/s1600/tlc-logo-resized.png" /></a></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NoMoreGrumpyBookseller/~4/yRdG_85lFxk" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Becky LeJeunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030931605009567165noreply@blogger.com1http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/2017/02/the-chilbury-ladies-choir-by-jennifer.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864122091184089707.post-7349122447562328762017-02-19T15:22:00.000-07:002017-02-19T15:22:09.652-07:00New Releases 2.21.17<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29939230-a-conjuring-of-light" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2ZxIRjL2-x0/WKd5lSV4JBI/AAAAAAAAOd4/s8uxu11rtE0tMYQ5NKtzTw1zZtcFq637wCLcB/s320/29939230.jpg" width="213" /></a>Some of the new titles hitting shelves this week are:<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Drifter</i>&nbsp;by Christine Lennon<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Keeper of Lost Things</i>&nbsp;by Ruth Hogan<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Most Dangerous Place</i>&nbsp;by James Grippando<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Running </i>by Cara Hoffman<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">A Cast of Vultures</i>&nbsp;by Judith Flanders<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Orphan's Tale</i>&nbsp;by Pam Jenoff<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Fatal Option</i>&nbsp;by Chris Beakey<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">I See You</i>&nbsp;by Clare Mackintosh<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Book of Mirrors</i>&nbsp;by E. O. Chirovici<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">A Conjuring of Light</i>&nbsp;by V. E. Schwab<br /><br /><b style="font-style: italic;">Kings of the&nbsp;Wild </b>by Nicholas Eames<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Beautiful Broken Girls</i>&nbsp;by Kim Savage<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Dreamland Burning</i>&nbsp;by Jennifer Latham<br /><br />New on DVD:<br /><i>Nocturnal Animals</i><br /><i>Hacksaw Ridge</i><br /><i>Manchester By the Sea</i><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NoMoreGrumpyBookseller/~4/IAc3HmgTzrw" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Becky LeJeunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030931605009567165noreply@blogger.com0http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/2017/02/new-releases-22117.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864122091184089707.post-47091137836086058462017-02-18T00:00:00.000-07:002017-02-18T00:00:05.047-07:00Pre Pub Book Buzz: The Ghost Line: The Titanic of the Stars by Andrew Neil Gray<div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33099582-the-ghost-line" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iiXge1lpLng/WKd3d_EAFMI/AAAAAAAAOds/fb3dgJxaMPACZDwO_-M2RE6M6Bs_zXHKgCLcB/s320/33099582.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Ooh, readers! Today's pre pub title is one that I'm super looking forward to this year!<div><br /></div><div>It's no secret I've been a big fan of Tor.com's novellas. I've reviewed a number of them so far and have enjoyed each and every one immensely. I expect&nbsp;<i>The Ghost Line: The Titanic of the Stars</i>&nbsp;by Andrew Neil Gray will be no exception to that rule!&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's a bit about the book from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33099582-the-ghost-line">Goodreads</a>:</div><div><br /></div><span style="color: #4c1130;"><i>The Martian Queen</i> was the <i>Titanic</i> of the stars before it was decommissioned, set to drift back and forth between Earth and Mars on the off-chance that reclaiming it ever became profitable for the owners. For Saga and her husband Michel the cruise ship represents a massive payday. Hacking and stealing the ship could earn them enough to settle down, have children, and pay for the treatments to save Saga's mother's life.<br /><br />But the <i>Martian Queen</i> is much more than their employer has told them. In the twenty years since it was abandoned, something strange and dangerous has come to reside in the decadent vessel. Saga feels herself being drawn into a spider's web, and must navigate the traps and lures of an awakening intelligence if she wants to go home again.<br /><br />But the <i>Martian Queen</i> is much more than their employer has told them. In the twenty years since it was abandoned, something strange and dangerous has come to reside in the decadent vessel. Saga feels herself being drawn into a spider's web, and must navigate the traps and lures of an awakening intelligence if she wants to go home again. </span><div><br /></div><div>Tell me you're not dying to read this one yourself now!!!</div><div><br /></div><div><i>The Ghost Line</i>&nbsp;is due out in July from Tor.com.&nbsp;</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NoMoreGrumpyBookseller/~4/orKAk5T4g90" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Becky LeJeunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030931605009567165noreply@blogger.com0http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/2017/02/pre-pub-book-buzz-ghost-line-titanic-of.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864122091184089707.post-6125964709577361782017-02-14T00:00:00.000-07:002017-02-14T09:03:19.638-07:00The Dressmaker's Dowry by Meredith Jaeger<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30256253-the-dressmaker-s-dowry" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hw9TD1E59sw/WKMp-4ZBtuI/AAAAAAAAOcg/pkl9MI6rsBQRIwAZ1bvH1iabYiEaWPaKwCLcB/s320/The%2BDressmaker%2527s%2BDowry%2Bcover.png" width="211" /></a>Happy Valentine's Day, readers! Today I'm a stop on the TLC blog tour for Meredith Jaeger's debut, <i>The Dressmaker's Dowry</i>.<br /><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;">Sarah Havensworth has stalled on her novel. Writers block is one thing, but this is to be the thesis for her MFA! As if that weren't bad enough, Sarah also feels guilty about the lack of progress considering she's quit her job and let her husband support her through the endeavor. Though his family has plenty, she's all too aware that she doesn't quite fit the Havensworth mold, something her father-in-law's displeased attitude reminds her of any time the family gets together.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span><span style="color: #4c1130;">Fortunately, new inspiration strikes when Sarah stumbles upon a story of two missing dressmakers in nineteenth century San Francisco. Dumping the novel, Sarah returns to her journalist roots and decides to pen a narrative non fiction focused on the terrible working conditions in her city's past history, all the while telling the story of Hannelore Schaeffer and Margaret O'Brien, the two missing women. But as she investigates the century-plus old mystery, secrets new and old begin to threaten her marriage.&nbsp;</span><br /><br />The premise of&nbsp;<i>The Dressmaker's Dowry</i>&nbsp;is an intriguing one and I quite enjoyed Sarah's attempts to solve a hundred-year-old mystery. Chapters alternate between Sarah and Hanna, illustrating the events of 1876 alongside Sarah's investigation.<br /><br />This was an easy one to get sucked into and I thought it was a lot of fun. That said, it was also a bit too easy. Details about Sarah and the other characters are conveniently placed, sometimes awkwardly so, and some pieces of the story definitely come together in a way that's not quite believable. None of the characters is very deeply developed, either, which was a shame because I quite liked both Hanna and (especially) Sarah and would have liked more out of both of them.<br /><br />While the plot certainly could have benefitted from a bit more complexity, at the moment I must admit that easy breezy is kind of what I needed. I recognize the flaws in <i>The Dressmaker's Dowry</i>&nbsp;but it hit me at the right time and I quite enjoyed it in spite of that.<br /><br />Historical fiction fans in search of something a bit on the light side will enjoy this first outing from Jaeger.<br /><br />To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page <a href="http://tlcbooktours.com/2017/02/meredith-jaeger-author-of-the-dressmakers-dowry-on-tour-february-2017/">here</a>.<br /><br />For more on Meredith Jaeger and her work you can visit her website <a href="http://www.meredithjaegerauthor.com/">here</a>. You can also like her on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/MeredithJaegerAuthor/">Facebook</a> and follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/Meredith_Jaeger">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/meredithjaegerauthor/">Instagram</a>.<br /><br />Purchase Links: <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062469830/the-dressmakers-dowry">HarperCollins</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dressmakers-Dowry-Novel-Meredith-Jaeger/dp/0062469835/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=1486328611&amp;sr=8-1">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-dressmakers-dowry-meredith-jaeger/1123836890?ean=9780062469830">Barnes &amp; Noble</a><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M7YRqIx7zlg/WKMp-7634yI/AAAAAAAAOcc/iXWxV1pQKrIWptZb1hnCmh2RHkvRbC6nACLcB/s1600/tlc%2Blogo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M7YRqIx7zlg/WKMp-7634yI/AAAAAAAAOcc/iXWxV1pQKrIWptZb1hnCmh2RHkvRbC6nACLcB/s1600/tlc%2Blogo.png" /></a></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NoMoreGrumpyBookseller/~4/bgwLF7crXlw" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Becky LeJeunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030931605009567165noreply@blogger.com2http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/2017/02/the-dressmakers-dowry-by-meredith-jaeger.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864122091184089707.post-20008770516689055272017-02-13T00:00:00.000-07:002017-02-13T09:04:43.621-07:00Dragon Springs Road by Janie Chang + a Giveaway<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29938354-dragon-springs-road" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eoZTaUwz2F0/WKHYECfhkEI/AAAAAAAAOb4/pQpnp8jfdUIvhMZPazufuPpANFfsLg65ACLcB/s320/Dragon%2BSprings%2BRoad%2Bcover.jpg" width="213" /></a>Good morning, everyone! Today I'm a stop on the TLC blog tour for Janie Chang's latest, <i>Dragon Springs Road</i>. I am giving away a copy of <i>Dragon Springs Road</i>&nbsp;so be sure to read through to the end to enter.<br /><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;">Jialing and her mother lived together happily for years. Their home, the Western Residence of a larger estate, was their own and only Jialing's mother ventured out for the things they needed. And though her mother had left before, she always came back.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span><span style="color: #4c1130;">That changes the year Jialing turns seven. This time, her mother leaves and never returns. As it turns out, the estate has been sold to a new family, one that, upon discovering the orphaned Jialing, agree to take her on as a bond servant. With the Yangs, Jialing has a home, food, and even a friend. But as the years pass and Jialing becomes older, she realizes that she won't be able to rely on the Yangs forever. And the prospects of any other Shanghai girl aren't necessarily open to Jialing. See, Jialing is <i>zazhong</i>&nbsp;- Eurasian.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span><span style="color: #4c1130;">With the surprising guidance of a fox, Jialing comes into her own and decides the first thing to be done is to find her mother. But as hurdle after hurdle is thrown her way, the world around her becomes more tense. The government is overthrown, the economy suffers, and Jialing's future becomes more unclear.&nbsp;</span><br /><br />In&nbsp;<i>Dragon Springs Road,</i>&nbsp;Janie Chang once again combines history, culture, and lore in a story about &nbsp;courage, friendship, and identity. The book is set between the years of 1908 and 1920, a great period of change and upheaval for China. And while that's not the main focus of the story, those changes affect Jialing even when she's too young to notice them.<br /><br />Jialing has little interest in much of those happenings, especially in her early years. She's waiting for her mother to return. That she'll return is something young Jialing never doubts, but as she grows older it becomes clearer to her just how little she even knows about her mother. She knows the name of the man who owned the estate they lived on. She knows her mother was there with his blessing, likely as his mistress. And she knows when they left. Not much for a girl determined to track someone down to go on.<br /><br />Honestly, the setting and Jialing's own mixed parentage provide a backdrop for a story that really could have been much darker for our heroine. Instead, Jialing, who is quite clever in her own right, finds a surprising ally in a fox spirit that resides on the estate. That spirit shows Jialing its own history while guiding her to opportunities and people that have great impact on the girl's life. The challenges she faces do make her stronger and, though there are dark threads throughout the tale, her story is ultimately a hopeful one.<br /><br />I absolutely adore Janie Chang's writing. Her debut, <i><a href="http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/2014/03/three-souls-by-janie-chang.html">Three Souls</a></i>,&nbsp;was a definite favorite of mine and <i>Dragon Springs Road</i>&nbsp;easily joins ranks alongside its predecessor. Chang is a wonderful storyteller, weaving history and fiction together in such a way as to enhance the understanding of one and the enjoyment of the other without fail. Diving into her work is a truly wonderful experience!<br /><br />And now for the giveaway! To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below before Monday, February 27. Open US only.<br /><br /><a class="rcptr" data-raflid="a291a0b5189" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/a291a0b5189/" id="rcwidget_tqhjdeu4" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br /><script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><br /><br />To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page <a href="http://tlcbooktours.com/2017/01/janie-chang-author-of-dragon-springs-road-on-tour-january-2017/">here</a>.<br /><br />For more on Janie Chang and her work you can visit her website <a href="http://www.janiechang.com/home">here</a>. You can also like her on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JanieChangWriter">Facebook</a> and follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/JanieChang33">Twitter</a>.<br /><br />Purchase Links: <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062388957/dragon-springs-road">HarperCollins</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Springs-Road-Janie-Chang/dp/0062388959/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1483039973&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=dragon+springs+road">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dragon-springs-road-janie-chang/1123672776?ean=9780062388957">Barnes &amp; Noble</a><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WFJ_-0BGko8/WKHYEXtYNXI/AAAAAAAAOb8/bT4OVauw0Kw3sOryypylij39GAs5gW3pgCLcB/s1600/tlc%2Blogo-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WFJ_-0BGko8/WKHYEXtYNXI/AAAAAAAAOb8/bT4OVauw0Kw3sOryypylij39GAs5gW3pgCLcB/s1600/tlc%2Blogo-2.png" /></a></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NoMoreGrumpyBookseller/~4/eDiLhUtkR1Q" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Becky LeJeunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030931605009567165noreply@blogger.com8http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/2017/02/dragon-springs-road-by-janie-chang.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864122091184089707.post-86259409969443734822017-02-12T00:00:00.000-07:002017-02-12T00:00:26.747-07:00New Releases 2/14/17<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28243032-we-are-okay" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wyxBbWz2x7M/WJ9ywcOx00I/AAAAAAAAObo/KtfHn_dlnJ4kjZJnZnpVFKu-PUlAh6xUACLcB/s320/28243032.jpg" width="207" /></a>Some of the new titles hitting shelves this week are:<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Chilbury Ladies' Choir</i>&nbsp;by Jennifer Ryan<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Shimmering Road&nbsp;</i>by Hester Young<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Among the Ruins</i>&nbsp;by Ausmet Zehanat Khan<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Winter of the Gods</i>&nbsp;by Jordanna Max Brodsky<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Nearness of You </i>by Amanda Eyre Ward<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Undesired</i>&nbsp;by Yrsa Sigurdardóttir<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Fortunate Ones</i>&nbsp;by Ellen Umansky<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Young Wives Club</i>&nbsp;by Julie Pennell<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">All That's Left to Tell</i>&nbsp;by Daniel Lowe<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Gilded Cage</i>&nbsp;by Vic James<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Last Night at Tremore Beach</i>&nbsp;by Mikel Santiago<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">American Street</i>&nbsp;by Ibi Zoboi<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Valiant</i>&nbsp;by Lesley Livingston<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Last of August</i>&nbsp;by Brittany Cavallaro<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">We Are Okay</i>&nbsp;by Nina LaCour<br /><br />New on DVD:<br /><i>The Arrival</i><br /><i>The Edge of Seventeen</i><br /><i>Bleed For This</i><br /><i>Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk</i><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NoMoreGrumpyBookseller/~4/WcqBfLz7DWs" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Becky LeJeunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030931605009567165noreply@blogger.com0http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/2017/02/new-releases-21417.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864122091184089707.post-15186762713906561302017-02-11T00:00:00.000-07:002017-02-11T13:17:35.957-07:00Pre Pub Book Buzz: Among the Lesser Gods by Margo Catts<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31213003-among-the-lesser-gods" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cGIFkKav7KE/WJ9iAt8QIOI/AAAAAAAAObY/6CsZ8OB7wQc-GEC1yZftVmi1FlOId0gzwCLcB/s320/31213003.jpg" width="213" /></a>I have a confession about today's pre pub title - I've already read it (twice!). It was one of the very first manuscripts I read at the agency and it blew me away!<br /><br />I know what you're thinking - that I'm biased because she's repped by the agency I work for. Nope. Not one bit. It's just a freaking good book. And you don't have to take my word for it - it's already earned great blurbs and five star reviews. It was also featured at this year's Winter Institute, so I expect booksellers will be chiming in with advance praise as well. So see, it's not just me :)<br /><br />Here's a bit about the book from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31213003-among-the-lesser-gods">Goodreads</a> to whet your appetite:<br /><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;">Elena Alvarez is living a cursed life. From the deadly fire she accidentally set as a child, to her mother’s abandonment, and now to an unwanted pregnancy, she knows better than most that small actions can have terrible consequences. Driven to the high mountains surrounding Leadville, Colorado by her latest bad decision, she’s intent on putting off the future. Perhaps there she can just hide in her grandmother’s isolated cabin and wait for something—anything—to make her next choice for her.<br /><br />Instead, she is confronted by reflections of her own troubles wherever she turns—the recent widower and his two children adrift in a changed world, Elena’s own mysterious family history, and the interwoven lives within the town itself. Bit by bit, Elena begins to question her understanding of cause and effect, reexamining the tragedies she’s held on to and the wounds she’s refused to let heal.<br /><br />But when the children go missing, Elena’s fragile new peace is shattered. It’s only at the prospect of fresh loss and blame that she will discover the truth of the terrible burdens we take upon ourselves, the way tragedy and redemption are inevitably intertwined—and how curses can sometimes lead to blessings, however disguised.</span><div><br /></div><div>This is the kind of book that really gets to you. The characters are wonderfully rendered, as is the setting. Which makes sense because <a href="https://margocatts.com/">Margo Catts</a> is local to Colorado. It's also a super emotional read, so have your tissues ready!</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Among the Lesser Gods</i>&nbsp;hits shelves in May from the Arcade imprint of Skyhorse.</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NoMoreGrumpyBookseller/~4/C0Rj2G8JK34" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Becky LeJeunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030931605009567165noreply@blogger.com0http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/2017/02/pre-pub-book-buzz-among-lesser-gods-by.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864122091184089707.post-74443012725780557622017-02-07T00:00:00.000-07:002017-02-07T07:59:24.697-07:00The Possessions by Sara Flannery Murphy<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30256250-the-possessions" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CvYgvdUKEiU/WJnawZLAT-I/AAAAAAAAOaw/vkzogbCuXNkI05xCin2KMfahgadQWxdCACLcB/s320/The%2BPossessions%2Bcover.png" width="210" /></a>Good morning, readers! Today I'm kicking off the TLC blog tour for Sara Flannery Murphy's <i>The Possessions</i>.<br /><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;">For five years now, Edie has been employed by the Elysian Society. Here, workers called bodies offer themselves up to the dead and the living - playing host to the deceased and giving their family and loved ones a chance to reunite and work through their grief. No one stays as long as Edie, but she has her reasons. And it's really just a job: there are procedures and rules to keep everyone safe - no suicides, no touching - and of course only scheduled interactions.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span><span style="color: #4c1130;">Edie never gets attached and never breaks the rules. Until now. A new client has brought out a new emotion in Edie. Desire. And whether that desire is Edie's or the client's dead wife's, Edie begins to act on it. But as Edie becomes more wrapped up in this couple and their story, she also finds that the wife's death isn't as clear cut as it may initially have seemed. The circumstances are mysterious, to say the least, and Edie has starts to have flashbacks that seem to be the woman's own memories.&nbsp;</span><br /><br />Wow! <i>The&nbsp;Possessions </i>is, regardless of how you feel about it overall in the end, an entrancing and intriguing read.<br /><br />I thought it was fantastic. The idea that people like Edie offer themselves up as hosts to the spirits of the dead is a strange one to consider. Would you? Or would you be a client, meeting regularly with your channeled beloved? Edie is the body we really get to know, and again she does have her reasons for working at Elysian Society (which are part of the story as well). It's clearly a job that's not meant for everyone, though. Bodies come and go and no employee comes close to Edie's five years there.<br /><br />There's a starkness to Sara Flannery Murphy's writing that I found incredibly intriguing. Edie is not one to wax poetic about anything. And as our narrator, she controls the story, sharing what she sees and knows with the reader. Don't get me wrong, she gives us plenty of detail about her job and her world, but she also keeps a lot to herself. For me, it added to the suspense of the tale.<br /><br />And there is plenty of suspense. Not only is Edie's newest client potentially hiding something (yeah, he maybe could have murdered his wife!), there's another murder that's caught the attention of everyone around the Elysian Society. The body of a girl found in an abandoned house just before it was to be torn down is a story that winds its way through <i>The Possessions</i>. Again, as Edie catches pieces of the headlines and such. And they mystery of that death becomes a bigger part of Edie's story as the book progresses.<br /><br />What's interesting, too, about <i>The Possessions</i>&nbsp;are the questions it brings up. Again, if this were a service that was offered would you partake? At one point, a character notes that Elysian Society doesn't allow suicides because they won't force those departed to come back when they so clearly wanted to leave. The comment is countered by the question as to whether any of the departed want to come back. And because Edie isn't present during the actual encounters, we don't really know what goes on between these deceased and the people paying to communicate with them...<br /><br />Again, I thought <i>The Possessions</i>&nbsp;was fabulous! Really an amazing debut!<br /><br />To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the TLC tour page <a href="http://tlcbooktours.com/2017/02/sara-flannery-murphy-author-of-the-possessions-on-tour-february-2017/">here</a>.<br /><br />For more on Sara Flannery Murphy and her work you can visit her website <a href="https://saraflannerymurphy.com/">here</a>. You can also like her on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/saraflannerymurphyauthor/">Facebook</a> and follow her on <a href="https://twitter.com/sflannerymurphy">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/saraflannerymurphy/">Instagram</a>.<br /><br />Purchase Links: <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062458339/the-possessions">HarperCollins</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Possessions-Novel-Sara-Flannery-Murphy/dp/0062458329/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=1486157445&amp;sr=8-1">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-possessions-sara-flannery-murphy/1123837260?ean=9780062458322">Barnes &amp; Noble</a><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Nt5-b3i84QU/WJnawabf9bI/AAAAAAAAOas/lDeBx8Kl2M8tObfwH2DtxPTnYnnvLewuwCLcB/s1600/tlc%2Blogo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Nt5-b3i84QU/WJnawabf9bI/AAAAAAAAOas/lDeBx8Kl2M8tObfwH2DtxPTnYnnvLewuwCLcB/s1600/tlc%2Blogo.png" /></a></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NoMoreGrumpyBookseller/~4/GCWZJKRgYLc" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Becky LeJeunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030931605009567165noreply@blogger.com2http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/2017/02/the-possessions-by-sara-flannery-murphy.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864122091184089707.post-3256546960980127792017-02-06T00:00:00.000-07:002017-02-06T00:00:14.008-07:00The Fifth Letter by Nicola Moriarty + a Giveaway<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30363336-the-fifth-letter" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cNJY2Hqr9uo/WI9_E_nB67I/AAAAAAAAOZc/EiXtx1BgTlceSqXhJ0PzTbh85TeGzl8eACLcB/s320/30363336.jpg" width="212" /></a><span style="color: #4c1130;">Joni, Deb, Eden, and Trina have been taking an annual trip together for years. And Joni is determined to see the tradition survive.</span><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span><span style="color: #4c1130;">The girls met when they were twelve - when their teacher announced that each of them, all C last names, also shared the same zodiac sign. That was when Joni knew it was meant to be. But as they've each grown, started careers and families, it seems their friendship has begun to wear. Recalling a pact they'd made to write letters to one another in a shared notebook, the women decide to do a one off on their latest trip: each is to write down one secret, anonymously, to be shared with the group.</span><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span><span style="color: #4c1130;">But one of the women has a secret she regrets. A secret she tries to hide by swapping and destroying her original letter. Unfortunately, Joni finds the letter's remains and it's bad enough to potentially ruin everything.&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><i>The Fifth Letter</i>&nbsp;explores the friendship of four women. They've known each other since they were twelve - so now, in their mid thirties, over half their lives. I've been in need of some light escapism reading and&nbsp;<i>The Fifth Letter</i>&nbsp;most definitely fit the bill.<br /><br />Deb is an insurance investigator, married with one kid. Eden is a performer who supplements her income with homes sales trends (Tupperware and such) and is married with two kids of her own. And Trina teaches PE and is married, with her own toddler. Joni, who writes for a popular website, fell behind a bit and has only been married for two years now. No kids.<br /><br />When the story begins, Joni is sitting in a confessional booth ready to pour her heart out to the attending priest. And pour she does! She tells him all about her own woes as well as the friends' history, the trip, the letters, and her dilemma in finding the fifth letter. See, Joni isn't sure what to do. If she mentions it to any of the other women, it could very well be the woman who penned it in the first place. But she can't let it rest either, because for Joni, who is going through some things personally, the group and their friendships with one another are simply too important to throw away.<br /><br />The letter in question is pretty damning and would literally ruin the bond the friends have shared. But as the friends each read one another's actual letters, the tensions between them begin to run high anyway.<br /><br />Joni is our narrator, for the most part, so she is the one the reader is given the most chance to get to know and connect with. But I really thought that Moriarty did a wonderful job fleshing out the other three women through Joni's eyes as well. Joni is a true and fast friend and because she relies so heavily on the group and the friendship, she pays attention to the women around. Of course this doesn't mean that she isn't grossly wrong about which letter belongs to which woman. Her own issues color her perception just a bit...<br /><br /><i>The Fifth&nbsp;Letter</i>&nbsp;is a mostly fun and light read. A book about friends growing older and growing apart, and, to an extent, realizing your dreams and finding your place in the world.<br /><br />While&nbsp;<i>The&nbsp;Fifth Letter</i>&nbsp;isn't <a href="http://www.nicolamoriarty.com.au/">Nicola Moriarty's</a> true debut, it is the first of her titles to be released here in the States, making her the third Moriarty sibling whose books have hit our shores. And I predict she'll be equally welcome and beloved as Liane and Jaclyn!<br /><br />And now for the giveaway! To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below before Monday, February 20. Open US only.<br /><br /><a class="rcptr" data-raflid="a291a0b5188" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/a291a0b5188/" id="rcwidget_4zt38aoi" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br /><script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NoMoreGrumpyBookseller/~4/iZJSCgQeT1c" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Becky LeJeunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030931605009567165noreply@blogger.com9http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/2017/02/the-fifth-letter-by-nicola-moriarty.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864122091184089707.post-36616533137996218102017-02-05T12:22:00.000-07:002017-02-15T08:19:22.526-07:00New Releases 2/7/17<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28575699-a-tragic-kind-of-wonderful" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XupfgsW8UeA/WJTYcwwa3HI/AAAAAAAAOac/52vTBA53fZQlFNxZqr9TfqWHe1q4tcvKgCLcB/s320/28575699.jpg" width="214" /></a>Some of the new titles hitting shelves this week are:<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Devil Crept In</i>&nbsp;by Anna Ahlborn<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Lost Woman</i>&nbsp;by Sara Blaedel<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Stolen Child</i>&nbsp;by Lisa Carey<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Possessions</i>&nbsp;by Sara Flannery Murphy<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Impossible Fortress</i>&nbsp;by Jason Rekulak<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">My (Not So) Perfect Life</i>&nbsp;by Sophie Kinsella<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Desperation Road</i>&nbsp;by Michael Farris Smith<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">All Our Wrong Todays</i>&nbsp;by Elan Mastai<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Under the Knife</i>&nbsp;by Kelly Parsons<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">What&nbsp;You Break</i>&nbsp;by Reed Farrel Coleman<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Young Widower's Handbook</i>&nbsp;by Tom McAllister<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">What You Don't Know</i>&nbsp;by Joann Chaney<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">A Separation</i>&nbsp;by Katie Kitamura<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Universal Harvester</i>&nbsp;by John Darnielle<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Burning World&nbsp;</i>by Isaac Marion<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Always</i>&nbsp;by Sarah Jio<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">To Catch a Killer</i>&nbsp;by Sheryl Scarborough<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Rise of Fire&nbsp;</i>by Sophie Jordan<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Empress of a Thousand Skies</i>&nbsp;by Rhoda Belleza<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">A Tragic Kind of Wonderful</i>&nbsp;by Eric Lindstrom<br /><br />New on DVD:<br /><i>The Take</i><br /><i>Trolls</i><br /><i>Loving</i><br /><i>Desierto</i><br /><i>The 9th Life of Louis Drax</i><br /><i>Frank &amp; Lola</i><br /><i><br /></i>New reviews at Bookbitch.com:<br /><a href="https://stacyalesi.com/2017/01/31/behind-her-eyes-by-sarah-pinborough/"><i>Behind Her Eyes</i>&nbsp;by Sarah Pinborough</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NoMoreGrumpyBookseller/~4/1ToE-wT3djM" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Becky LeJeunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030931605009567165noreply@blogger.com0http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/2017/02/new-releases-2717.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864122091184089707.post-27587805137843251702017-02-04T00:00:00.000-07:002017-02-04T00:00:07.917-07:00Pre Pub Book Buzz: Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal<div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32075853-erotic-stories-for-punjabi-widows" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-drlQwXbBUX4/WJTWMoFJ7EI/AAAAAAAAOaQ/Xj-emrpL9nAdJ-3bh5vWesfNIHzLqzh0ACLcB/s320/32075853.jpg" width="213" /></a>Readers, I imagine a title like today's Pre Pub Book Buzz pick brings to mind a certain kind of read. I mean <i>Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows</i>... a title like that is going to draw your attention, that's for sure!&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>It certainly grabbed my attention. As did the absolutely fabulous cover and the description, all of which earned it an immediate spot at the top of my must read list.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Here's a bit about the book from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32075853-erotic-stories-for-punjabi-widows">Goodreads</a>:</div><div><br /></div><span style="color: #4c1130;"><i>Every woman has a secret life . . .</i><br /><br />Nikki lives in cosmopolitan West London, where she tends bar at the local pub. The daughter of Indian immigrants, she's spent most of her twenty-odd years distancing herself from the traditional Sikh community of her childhood, preferring a more independent (that is, Western) life. When her father's death leaves the family financially strapped, Nikki, a law school dropout, impulsively takes a job teaching a "creative writing" course at the community center in the beating heart of London's close-knit Punjabi community.<br /><br />Because of a miscommunication, the proper Sikh widows who show up are expecting to learn basic English literacy, not the art of short-story writing. When one of the widows finds a book of sexy stories in English and shares it with the class, Nikki realizes that beneath their white dupattas, her students have a wealth of fantasies and memories. Eager to liberate these modest women, she teaches them how to express their untold stories, unleashing creativity of the most unexpected and exciting kind.<br /><br />As more women are drawn to the class, Nikki warns her students to keep their work secret from the Brotherhood, a group of highly conservative young men who have appointed themselves the community's "moral police." But when the widows gossip offers shocking insights into the death of a young wife a modern woman like Nikki and some of the class erotica is shared among friends, it sparks a scandal that threatens them all.</span></div><div><br /></div><div>This is not <a href="https://ballijaswal.com/">Balli Kaur Jaswal's</a> debut, but it is the first of her titles to come to my attention and I think you'll agree that it sounds amazing!&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows</i>&nbsp;is out in the States in June from William Morrow and in the UK in March from HarperCollins UK.&nbsp;</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NoMoreGrumpyBookseller/~4/1kOgFWMx6p8" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Becky LeJeunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030931605009567165noreply@blogger.com0http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/2017/02/pre-pub-book-buzz-erotic-stories-for.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864122091184089707.post-2639455213165668932017-02-02T00:00:00.000-07:002017-02-02T00:00:26.516-07:00Caraval by Stephanie Garber<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27883214-caraval" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VxHIl7Rlb2M/WFvuAJKROyI/AAAAAAAAOR0/hwb45-cQGoY2FE3AorEd1HIRQ1gU6fydwCLcB/s320/27883214.jpg" width="210" /></a><span style="color: #4c1130;">For years, Scarlett wrote to the infamous Caraval Master Legend in the hopes that he would bring his famed performers to the Isle of Trisda. Their mother had abandoned them, their father had turned cold, and it was their Nana's stories of the magical Caravel that kept Scarlett and her sister, Donatella, amused. Not only that, the tales allowed the girls to dream.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span><span style="color: #4c1130;">Years passed, though, with no answer from Legend. Escape from Trisda is always on their minds, however, and it seems it will finally come to pass with Scarlett's betrothal. And it's this, that finally prompts a response from Legend. Now, Donatella has gone missing, part of Legend's twisted game, and it's up to Scarlett to follow the clues and find her. Her only hope for saving them both is winning the game, but this game and its players don't play fair or follow the rules.&nbsp;</span><br /><br />Oh, <i>Caraval</i>. Stephanie Garber's debut is probably one of the most anticipated of the new year. That anticipation, though, may have been my own downfall in the reading.<br /><br />Scarlett and her sister have basically been held prisoner by their father since their mother left. And there's been no trace of Paloma in all that time. Their literal only hope for escape is Scarlett's marriage, and the girl is determined not to see it put at risk no matter what. And that includes being put at risk by the one other thing she's always hoped and dreamed for: attending Caraval.<br /><br />But her stubborn sister has other ideas. So not only are they part of a game, Scarlett fears inevitable repercussions at the hands of her father and the very possible breaking of her betrothal as well. But Scarlett and Tella have only ever had each other, and that bond means that the sisters will do anything for one another.<br /><br />Caraval is a magical and wonderful and, as Scarlett discovers, terrible place. Held on an island far from her home, the entire landscape is enchanted. The game is played at night and time passes much differently while in the game. Garber's imagery is amazing. The whimsy and sorcery of Caraval is beautifully and horrifically described, coming to life through Garber's narrative and is definitely a highlight of the tale.<br /><br />Sadly, I wasn't as enchanted by <i>Caraval</i>&nbsp;as I'd expected to be. It's set up with a bit of a cliffhanger ending and some plot elements that aren't fully tied up - in particular, the tunnels that promise madness and the multiple incidents involving a woman in a gray dress that are never really explained - I assume these will be fodder for the next installment. There was also a general feeling while I read that the story dragged a little and should have ended earlier than it actually did.<br /><br />Scarlett as a lead was enjoyable. Seeing her try to tease out the meaning of the various clues was definitely a highlight - as was her meeting of various side characters (I loved Aiko!). But &nbsp;my biggest issue with the story was Tella. She was so infuriating! At no point did she win me over, unfortunately, and so there was a part of me that really wasn't rooting for Scarlett to win the game in the end!<br /><br />So while the concept was wonderful and most of the execution fine, this debut was unfortunately missing just a bit of magic for me. The elements I liked in the tale were strong enough to keep me interested and invested. It was really only the end that lost me but I'll likely hop on board with the follow up nonetheless.<br /><br />Rating: 3.5/5<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GY_X3OqFp_0/WFvt9fZQeMI/AAAAAAAAORs/ix4Egbo3Mlc981FUDJ3RLYxopkAJLdkkQCLcB/s1600/334rfrn.jpg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GY_X3OqFp_0/WFvt9fZQeMI/AAAAAAAAORs/ix4Egbo3Mlc981FUDJ3RLYxopkAJLdkkQCLcB/s200/334rfrn.jpg.png" width="200" /></a></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NoMoreGrumpyBookseller/~4/1o7ZHwLRxgY" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Becky LeJeunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030931605009567165noreply@blogger.com0http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/2017/02/caraval-by-stephanie-garber.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864122091184089707.post-8582726563796995602017-02-01T00:00:00.000-07:002017-02-01T00:00:09.108-07:00A Q&A With Cecelia Galante + a Giveaway<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27064423-the-odds-of-you-and-me" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8yMVclGzONI/WJEhzRLtvRI/AAAAAAAAOZs/VX1rtFkbK0oHeIcyxCmjiFZCesg2EgzLACLcB/s320/27064423.jpg" width="212" /></a>This week marks the release of Cecelia Galante's latest, <i>The Odds of&nbsp;You and Me</i>. Thanks to the publisher I have a great Q&amp;A with the author to share with you today - and I'm giving away a copy of <i>Odds</i>&nbsp;as well!<br /><br />But first, here's a bit about the book from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27064423-the-odds-of-you-and-me">Goodreads</a>:<br /><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;">Thirteen days. That’s all Bernadette, “Bird,” Sincavage has left to go until she’s done with her probation and can be free again. Free from making payments to the supermarket she wrote bad checks to. Free from living at home with her overzealous mother who’s constantly nagging her about attending church again. Free to give her four-year-old son, Angus, the normal life he deserves. Her impending freedom and move to Moon Lake, where she’s plunked down a deposit on a brand new apartment, is so close she can almost taste it. What trouble could she possibly get into in just 13 days?<br /><br />But trouble does follow in the form of James Rittenhouse—someone she worked with a few years ago. At first, Bird is stunned to see James make the evening news when he’s arrested for assaulting someone in a local bar. But that’s nothing compared to the shock she gets when she discovers James hiding out in an abandoned church choir loft. Somehow he escaped police custody, broke his leg, and got his hand on a gun, which he’s now pointing at her.<br /><br />Although Bird doesn’t tell anyone she saw James, there’s no way she’s helping him. She can’t screw up her probation or her second chance for a new future. And she has her son’s welfare to think about. Still. If only she could stop thinking about the terrified look in James’ eyes and the fact that he’s hurt. If only she could forget that once, long ago, James helped her out, and she owes him a debt like no other. <br /><br />Will Bird jeopardize her future for someone who helped her out in the past? A past that holds secrets she’s not quite sure she’s ready to face? Or will she turn a blind eye and learn to live with the consequences?</span><div><br /></div><div>This one is currently topping my TBR and I can't wait to dive in!</div><div><br /></div><div>And now for the Q&amp;A:</div><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>Did you learn anything new or surprising while writing your latest book?</b><br /><br />I did, actually. The most obvious were all the strange facts I researched for James’ Curious Facts and Data book. Sometimes research for a book can be tedious, but the incredible information I uncovered for this one, including how the human heart beats more than 100,000 times a day, and that there is an actual name for the metallic way the air smells after it rains, were so interesting that it never felt like work. It was just so much fun! <br /></span><div><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>How would you say the landscape in which you grew up (i.e. the region, culture, family)&nbsp;has shaped you as a writer? </b><br /><br />I always sigh a bit when I get this question because I know I’ll have to go into a lot of strange detail about my somewhat unusual background (born into and raised in a fanatically religious cult for the first fifteen years of my life in upstate New York) but I’ve also learned that sometimes it’s is not the physical place or the culture that shapes people who end up writing – it’s the books along the way. At least that was true for me. I’d be errant if I said that growing up without a solid relationship to my parents has influenced several storylines in my books, (including this most recent one) but I’m also pretty sure I became a writer because my eleventh-grade English teacher, who may have noticed that I was a little bit out of my element, having just moved from the cult into the “real world,” left a copy of <i>The Catcher in the Rye</i> on my desk. <br /><br />I read the novel in a day, finishing the last chapter inside the school’s bathroom stall, weeping uncontrollably. In a world where almost nothing made any sense, here was someone who told the truth – no matter how ugly or scary or funny it was – without worrying whether or not others would stop loving him if he did. Was that how things worked out here? Were we really allowed to write and say things that might make us look weak or even downright crazy? Because if it was, I knew that day, that it was all I ever wanted to do with the rest of my life. And it still is. <br /><br /><b>What is the difference between a fleeting idea you have for a book, which you eventually forget or discard, and one that gets you putting pen to paper, so to speak?&nbsp;</b></span></div><div><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br />I’m not sure if there is a difference between the two. I’d say it’s more of a seed and soil analogy; almost all of my ideas that have eventually led me to the page have always started off as a fleeting thought of some sort. Sometimes it’s not even an idea; it’s just a character who has found herself in a ridiculously interesting situation. That might be the glimmer of the idea. The one that gets to the page is the one that keeps on glimmering, day after day, week after week, until it gets so bright you’ve got to put the damn thing down before you go blind. <br /><br /><b>Who or what inspires your characters? Do you have a particular type of character that fascinates you? </b><br /><br />If I admitted to all the people I’ve known over the years who have influenced a character of mine in some way, I’d probably get in a lot of trouble! I’ve rarely based a character completely off someone I know; the process is more of an organic one, in which I start off thinking of someone and then watch as the character flourishes into someone in her own right. It happens like that all the time, and it always amazes me when it does, because the finished character is almost nothing like the original one I had in my head. The process is just incredible. <br /><br />As for characters that fascinate me, I’d have to say the angry ones. Or more accurately, the ones that aren’t afraid to be angry or piss people off. I LOVE writing characters like that, probably because I am the polar opposite of them. It’s freeing to live vicariously through someone else for a while, even if it’s just on the page. <br /><br /><b>What is the best piece of advice you have received that has influenced you as an author? </b><br /><br />Best advice I’ve ever received as a writer: Sit down and write.&nbsp;</span></div><div><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br />Best advice I’ve ever received as an author: Don’t take no for an answer. <br /><br /><b>What is the most important thing you want readers to take away from your book? </b><br /><br />Probably what I discovered while writing it: that God and parents and everything that goes with them are nothing without love.&nbsp;</span></div><div><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span></div><span style="color: #4c1130;"><b>ABOUT THE AUTHOR: CECILIA GALANTE</b>, who received an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Goddard College, Vermont, is the author of six young adult novels and a children’s chapter-book series. She has been the recipient of many awards, including an NAIBA Best Book of the Year, and an Oprah’s Teen Read Selection for her first novel, <i>The Patron Saint of Butterflies</i>. <br /> <br /> She lives in Kingston, Pennsylvania with her three children.</span><div><br /></div><div>Big thanks to the publisher for providing the Q&amp;A today!&nbsp;<i>The Odds of You and Me</i>&nbsp;is out on shelves now!<div><br /></div><div>And now for the giveaway! To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below before Monday, February 13. Open US only.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div><div><a class="rcptr" data-raflid="a291a0b5187" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/a291a0b5187/" id="rcwidget_3apqqeaw" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a></div><div><script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></div></div></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NoMoreGrumpyBookseller/~4/Mws6gV5yYCs" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Becky LeJeunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030931605009567165noreply@blogger.com5http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/2017/02/a-q-with-cecelia-galante-giveaway.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864122091184089707.post-56500681373419106862017-01-31T00:00:00.001-07:002017-01-31T00:00:15.429-07:00Wintersong by S. Jae-Jones<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24763621-wintersong" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dZn6nH7oXDY/WI0XO6WV5BI/AAAAAAAAOYs/Qgj3s-K0UekDk_QxwTHW33IUYk3lQF8GACLcB/s320/WINTERSONG_Cover%2Bimage.jpg" width="212" /></a><span style="color: #4c1130;">Liesl grew up on tales of the Goblin King. Tales spun by her grandmother and built on an old system of beliefs Leisl's own parents have long snubbed.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span><span style="color: #4c1130;">But when Liesl's own sister is taken by the Goblin King himself, she realizes the tales are all too true. Now it's up to her to sacrifice everything to save her beloved sister. But how can she outwit the ultimate trickster, much less one intent on finding and keeping a bride?</span><br /><br />S. Jae-Jones combines elements of <i>Labyrinth&nbsp;</i>and the Persephone myth in her masterfully unique debut. But she turns both on their heads, basing it in an actual historical setting - well an actual historical setting for the pieces that take place in the "real" world, that is. And it's pretty cool, as well. Steeped in historical Austrian culture and music, the story makes use of folklore with a definite David Bowie leaning.<br /><br />Liesl is the daughter of husband and wife innkeepers/musicians. But her father has long given over his own talent in lieu of the bottom of a bottle. Now the family fame and fortune rests squarely on the shoulders of Liesl's little brother, who is set to audition for a musician of extraordinary talent.<br /><br />But Liesl has her own musical aspirations. Aspirations she keeps under lock and key and secret from everyone except her brother. Her hidden talents are what the Goblin King thirsts after. As it turns out (we learn in the prologue but it takes Liesl some time to remember), Liesl has known the Goblin King since she was a child.<br /><br />But the Goblin King is a trickster. Liesl is the one he wants, but takes her sister as bait.<br /><br />The imagery in <i>Wintersong</i>&nbsp;is amazing! The Underworld is at once beautiful and creepy, as evidence by the far away vs close looks at the decorations in Liesl's own chambers there. And again, the Goblin King is a trickster. But he allows Liesl herself to see the truth of things, increasing the horrors of the world tenfold.<br /><br />For someone who grew up watching <i>Labyrinth</i>, the idea of a sort of <i>Labyrinth </i>retelling is awesomely appealing, but with understandable reservations. Readers, I have to say that S. Jae-Jones does the world and the legend justice, all the while making it 100% her own!<br /><br /><i>Wintersong</i>&nbsp;is chillingly cool with just the right blend of dark fantasy and steamy romance to appeal to a broad audience. It doesn't officially hit shelves until next week, but trust me you'll want to hit your local bookstore that day to snatch up a copy!<br /><br />For more on S. Jae-Jones and <i>Wintersong</i>, be sure to check out her website - especially <a href="https://sjaejones.com/blog/2016/wintersong-wednesday-the-origin-story/">this post </a>about the origins of <i>Wintersong</i>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GCcSJvvuOFU/WI0XTex36iI/AAAAAAAAOYw/vIv66oAFTfIIUX15Xdi41eAqbEQUgAtDwCLcB/s1600/DAC%2B2017.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GCcSJvvuOFU/WI0XTex36iI/AAAAAAAAOYw/vIv66oAFTfIIUX15Xdi41eAqbEQUgAtDwCLcB/s200/DAC%2B2017.png" width="200" /></a></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NoMoreGrumpyBookseller/~4/0i_p0zh7poo" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Becky LeJeunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030931605009567165noreply@blogger.com0http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/2017/01/wintersong-by-s-jae-jones.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864122091184089707.post-13175642239114856702017-01-30T00:00:00.000-07:002017-02-21T17:00:38.109-07:00Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28965131-behind-her-eyes" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r-zyN5a6Q8I/WFv3UgjH23I/AAAAAAAAOSE/-D5d4vtAEpgZLZOb2FGYLpWPAEhQ2P8HwCLcB/s320/28965131.jpg" width="210" /></a><span style="color: #4c1130;">Single mom Louise has met a man. Sadly, after an evening's flirtation she discovers not only that he's married but that he's her new boss. Awkward! Embarrassed, Louise is determined that it go no further than the one kiss on the first night. After an unfortunate incident that involved hiding from his wife in the office bathroom, Louise stresses to David the two of them should be no more than boss and secretary.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span><span style="color: #4c1130;">And so when she accidentally runs into the glamorous and surprisingly friendly Adele, even learning that she's David's wife doesn't deter Louise from becoming her friend. And the more she gets to know Adele, the more she gets to know a side of David that's quite different from the persona he displays in the office. As Louise is pulled further and further into relationships with both of the spouses, she is forced to decide where her loyalties actually lay. She's also forced to face the fact that either David or Adele - or both - are not quite what they seem.&nbsp;</span><br /><br />I've been quite a fan of Pinborough's work for quite some time now, readers. Some of you know this and some of you (hopefully more than the one I know about) have sought out her work.<br /><br />If not, you probably will now.<br /><br /><i>Behind Her Eyes</i>&nbsp;is poised to be Pinborough's real break into the US mainstream readership. I normally wouldn't say that, but it's clear from the marketing this one is getting that that's the expectation. And I'd be pleased as punch if that ended up being the case!<br /><br />A love triangle, a tale of manipulation, and something more spoilery if I were to mention it, <i>Behind Her Eyes</i>&nbsp;is part psychological suspense and all Pinborough!<br /><br />The story alternates between Louise and Adele, giving readers an opportunity to see both sides of their story. It also alternates timelines a bit, offering a then and now look at Adele. And as the story progresses it becomes more and more twisted, leaving the reader quite unsure who to trust in this narrative.<br /><br />You may have noticed another part of the marketing for this one involves the hashtag #WTFthatending. So I'd gone into this one knowing something super messed up was in store. And I thought I'd figured it out. Nope! I was happily and partially wrong about the twist this one was taking, which of course I loved.<br /><br />Pinborough is a master talent. Her writing is fun and snarky, twisted and manipulative, and oh, so freaking smart! Smartly plotted and smartly paced - grabbing the reader and pulling them along into stories that start off (in cases like this one) fairly innocently before becoming a dark rabbit hole of secrets and surprises.<br /><br />I can't recommend this one highly enough. If you've read her, you'll not be disappointed. If you haven't discovered her, you'll (hopefully) become as big a fan as I am!<br /><br />An added bonus on my end, I had the chance to listed to part of this one on audio and I have to say the narrators are wonderful! You can check out a sample of that audio <a href="https://soundcloud.com/macaudio-2/behind-her-eyes-by-sarah-pinborough-audiobook-excerpt">here</a>.<br /><br />Rating: 5/5<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NoMoreGrumpyBookseller/~4/GBqFt5OKkXU" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Becky LeJeunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030931605009567165noreply@blogger.com3http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/2017/01/behind-her-eyes-by-sarah-pinborough.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864122091184089707.post-74178605895450583572017-01-29T11:51:00.000-07:002017-01-29T11:51:00.694-07:00New Releases 1/31/17<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27064423-the-odds-of-you-and-me" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XPfl9oim01A/WIpJ5OsknII/AAAAAAAAOYY/5UAcb4DsKR0EaMKZ8rFojZKzp2Uwb0L8QCLcB/s320/27064423.jpg" width="212" /></a>Some of the new titles hitting shelves this week are:<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Behind Her Eyes</i>&nbsp;by Sarah Pinborough<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Things We Have In Common</i>&nbsp;by Tasha Kavanagh<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Odds of You and Me</i>&nbsp;by Cecelia Galante<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">My Husband's Wife</i>&nbsp;by Jane Corry<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">I Liked My Life</i>&nbsp;by Abby Fabiasch<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">4321</i>&nbsp;by Paul Auster<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Girl in the Garden</i>&nbsp;by Melanie Wallace<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Killing Kate</i>&nbsp;by Alex Lake<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Night Bird</i>&nbsp;by Brian Freeman<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Caraval</i>&nbsp;by Stephanie Garber<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Wait For Me</i>&nbsp;by Caroline Leech<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Edge of Everything</i>&nbsp;by Jeff Giles<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Silver Stars </i>by Michael Grant<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">How to Break a Boy</i>&nbsp;by Laurie Devore<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Blood of Wonderland</i>&nbsp;by Colleen Oakes<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Careful Undressing of Love</i>&nbsp;by Corey Ann Haydu<br /><br />New on DVD:<br /><i>Queen of Katwe</i><br /><i>Masterminds</i><br /><i>Jack Reacher: Never Go Back</i><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NoMoreGrumpyBookseller/~4/mMCt7QvRpVQ" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Becky LeJeunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030931605009567165noreply@blogger.com0http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/2017/01/new-releases-13117.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864122091184089707.post-53083303890241593132017-01-27T00:00:00.000-07:002017-01-27T00:00:06.014-07:00Short Fiction Friday: Passing Strange by Ellen Klages<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31372178-passing-strange" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kS_Ojy-dwxg/WDjoIs8J8hI/AAAAAAAAONk/pA8JfO38KZUVlVHMn6f3Up1ICIfo_hAkQCLcB/s320/31372178.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #4c1130;">Helen Young is on a mission, a final mission before she dies. It's a secret she's held close for many years, one born of love and magic. A secret rooted in a promise made one night, long ago, in San Francisco.</span><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span><span style="color: #4c1130;">The year was 1940 and the time was not kind to Helen and her friends. But San Francisco allowed them some freedom, especially a bar called Mona's. There, Helen and her friends could enjoy drinks and entertainment alongside the tourists who came to see the novelty of women dressed as men. The Circle - Helen, a lawyer; Franny, a mapmaker with more than a little magic on her side; her lover, Babs; Haskel, an artist known for pulp magazine covers; and Emily, aka Spike, a singer - knew all too well the difficulties and politics of their era. But none of them expected a very real threat to one of their own. And so, they banded together to form a plan. A plan that wouldn't come fully to fruition until generations had passed.</span><br /><br /><i>Passing Strange</i>&nbsp;is a tale about love and the lengths you'll go to to protect the ones closest to you. But it's also an homage to the history of San Francisco.<br /><br />Set against the backdrop of the World's Fair, Klages deftly brings this bygone era of The City by the Bay to vivid life. Through the eyes of Helen, Haskel, and Emily, Klages gives readers a taste of the magic of the fair, Chinatown, and even the food (oh, the food!) as well as the social atmosphere of the day.<br /><br />And while magic plays a role in the tale, it takes a bit of a backseat to the rest of those elements. In particular the rules and restrictions the group live by day to day. Today, we're lucky enough to realize these laws are unfair, to say the least, and actually pretty ridiculous by any standard. But to break these rules and get caught was a risk for anyone in their position. The women, all lesbians or at least bi, were considered deviants by society's mores, which we know wouldn't begin to change during most of their lifetimes.<br /><br />And yet, it doesn't stop them from living their lives.<br /><br />And it's just one of the facets of these characters, one piece of the whole that Klages has built for each of them. Helen, as mentioned, is a lawyer at a time when women definitely weren't respected in that profession (or most any). Polly, who we meet later on in the story, is Franny's cousin, an obviously brilliant girl who wants to study science but is limited to universities that will actually admit women. Haskel practices her profession anonymously, as time makes it clear, with most assuming the artist responsible for her work was a man.<br /><br />I loved these characters and their story. To be honest, though, they had to win me over a bit. We meet Helen at the start, in present day, and it's clear she's up to something. Something in no small part that includes a bit of revenge. And I adored her! Just absolutely adored her! I was prepared to spend the whole novella alongside her, and was a bit disappointed when that wasn't the case. Bravo to Klages for introducing a character that elicited that strong of a response pretty immediately! Fortunately it didn't take long for me to realize that each of Klages characters would win me over the same way Helen had.<br /><br />There are dark undertones to <i>Passing Strange</i>. And not subtle ones either. But like the magic, they take something of a backseat to the endearing love story that's at the heart of the tale.<br /><br />Rating: 4/5<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NoMoreGrumpyBookseller/~4/t3aHbcEFSVo" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Becky LeJeunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030931605009567165noreply@blogger.com0http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/2017/01/short-fiction-friday-passing-strange-by.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864122091184089707.post-70153024002532091352017-01-26T00:00:00.000-07:002017-01-26T11:49:56.530-07:00The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living by Meik Wiking<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30531895-the-little-book-of-hygge" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Az2LE0k5K-g/WIpD7IuCnDI/AAAAAAAAOYI/fMvQckNxYoAcmECItyUKN3Fhh6wfr7RPACLcB/s320/30531895.jpg" width="224" /></a>It's a well-known fact that the Danes are some of the happiest people on the planet. No, really. It's been tested and proved time and again. One of the reasons can be attributed to <i>hygge</i>&nbsp;- pronounced <i>hoo-ga</i>.<br /><br />But what is hygge? It's a noun, verb, and adjective that basically boils down to "...a sense of comfort, togetherness, and well-being."<br /><br />In <i>The Little Book of Hygge</i>&nbsp;Meik Wiking, CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, has set out to share the idea of hygge with the world and spread the happiness that is so prevalent in Denmark. And while the idea is hard to translate 100%, my own take on it is basic coziness.<br /><br />The idea is to create spaces and situations that exude comfort. Whether that's curling up with your favorite book and a warm blanket or inviting a few friends over to share a meal by the fire is up to you and your needs at the time.<br /><br />Hygge isn't an idea that's new to me. I'd first come across the concept in an article about how Danes get through long, dark winters. As someone who suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder, I can't even imagine living in a place where winters are more miserable than Colorado. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of people who enjoy winter - and Colorado is by no means the worst place to experience it. Personally, though, I'd be happiest if I could spend all of my time on a tropical, sunny island with frequent rain storms!<br /><br />You can imagine, then, that the idea of incorporating elements of hygge into my own life are appealing, to say the least.<br /><br />I do wish that I could go out and buy an entire house worth of Danish furniture to really max out the hygge feeling in my abode. Fortunately, while that's not an option for me, it's also not necessary. While Wiking does advocate for comfy chairs and various design elements, he also explains that hygge can be as simple as lighting candles at the end of your work day and treating yourself to a nice piece of chocolate. Game nights, movie nights, and potlucks with friends or coworkers (hygge in the office!) are all other suggestions as are outdoor activities. In other words, attainable things for all of us.<br /><br /><i>The&nbsp;Little Book of Hygge</i>&nbsp;is a fun and inspirational. Less a book to sit down and read and more a simple collection of suggestions for personal comfort and well-being - something I have no doubt many people can benefit from right about now. It's certainly got me thinking about things I can do here to make the cold months and short days a bit less daunting! And of course, as a total book junkie, I can definitely get behind anything that advocates for books as comfort :)<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NoMoreGrumpyBookseller/~4/NpYerpRuY5k" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Becky LeJeunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030931605009567165noreply@blogger.com0http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-little-book-of-hygge-danish-secrets.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864122091184089707.post-46688932086405785742017-01-24T00:00:00.000-07:002017-01-24T07:08:51.163-07:00This Is Not Over by Holly Brown<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29938372-this-is-not-over" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nxux69jHVX4/WIdfPZcqj5I/AAAAAAAAOX4/1MPcuHBL_v019u1qBpBYgLrfieZGf5QJwCLcB/s320/This%2Bis%2BNot%2BOver%2Bcover.jpg" width="211" /></a>Hi, readers! Today I'm a stop on the TLC blog tour for Holly Brown's latest, <i>This is Not Over</i>.<br /><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;">Dawn and her husband are frequent users of Getaway.com. For Dawn, staying in someone's home, rather than a hotel, allows her to imagine this is her life. It allows her to fully immerse herself in the trip and enjoy all her own getaway has to offer. Until the vacation is over, that is. But her experience in Miranda's Santa Monica home was less than stellar. So when she receives a snide email from Miranda, stating that due to a rather large stain left on the bedsheets, Dawn will be losing half of her deposit, Dawn is immediately offended.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span><span style="color: #4c1130;">For Miranda, the Santa Monica home is more than just a little extra income. She is, after all, the wife of a doctor. No one would expect that she'd need money on the side. But Miranda has been funneling the money into an effort to care for her son - in secret. So when Dawn's anger pushes her to leave a three star review, Miranda begins to worry it'll drop her reservations. But every attempt to convince Dawn to take the review down is met with increasing anger and as the situation spirals out of control, Miranda is forced to consider extreme measures.&nbsp;</span><br /><br />I love the premise of <i>This is Not Over</i>. The prevalence of short term rentals as an alternative to hotels has undoubtedly become hugely popular. And yes, it does allow for a certain amount of homeyness that a hotel doesn't. But you know, those drab cookie cutter hotels do have regulations, and managers, and places you can take your complaint should something like being charged an exorbitant amount for a set of replacement sheets should happen...<br /><br />I have to say I really did not like Dawn or Miranda. These are two women who, if met in real life, would drive me out of my mind! And watching them go to war was less of the thriller I'd expected and more annoyed amusement - honestly (and I kind of hate to admit it) waiting for each of them to get what they deserved for spending so much time bullying one another was part of the best anticipation of the read.<br /><br />In both cases, their story starts out simple. Dawn is married to a patient and supportive man who encourages her to go back to college. They rent, he works for the family business, and Dawn is allowed to focus all of her efforts on school. So their trips are real treats for themselves. And Dawn does take offense to what she believes is a stab at her quality of person and life when Miranda implies they've ruined a set of sheets in her rental.<br /><br />Miranda, a respectable doctor's wife and volunteer, has taken sole responsibility for her parents' old home in the wake of her father's death and her mother's need for assisted living. And because of a strained relationship between her son and her husband, it does allow her the freedom to lend the boy a hand every now and again. Plus, she really couldn't see herself selling the abode - it meant so much to her parents. With so many glowing recommendations for her rental, though, Dawn's review stings more than just a little.<br /><br />Of course as the story continues we get to know these characters more fully. Neither is a pillar of their community - they each have flaws and quirks in their own right. And they each nag at one another, making the situation much worse than it needs to be. And then things around each of them, beyond their own picking at one another, begin to crumble.<br /><br />I did quite enjoy the build of this tale. Brown, a marriage and family therapist, adds to each character in layers, revealing their secrets and their proclivities more fully in each chapter. There is no good guy here. Nor is there really a bad guy. Just two sides of an argument spun madly and wildly out of control. And they both seemingly realize it, considering they keep much of what's happening to themselves, adding to the mess.<br /><br />So the moral of the story, kids, is this: focusing all of your effort and attention on ruining someone else's life is bad for you!<br /><br />To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page <a href="http://tlcbooktours.com/2017/01/holly-brown-author-of-this-is-not-over-on-tour-january-2017/">here</a>. And for more on Holly Brown and her work, you can like her on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/hollybrownauthor/about/">Facebook</a>.<br /><br />Purchase Links: <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062659590/this-is-not-over">HarperCollins</a> | <a href="https://www.amazon.com/This-Not-Over-Holly-Brown/dp/0062456830/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1484193378&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=this+is+not+over">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/this-is-not-over-holly-brown/1123199217?ean=9780062659590">Barnes &amp; Noble</a><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W98SWdlGnPg/WIdfPZyI6II/AAAAAAAAOX0/_EYSjIkdEIcEY7RoeXzZkYlUsn1X7vx4gCLcB/s1600/tlc%2Blogo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W98SWdlGnPg/WIdfPZyI6II/AAAAAAAAOX0/_EYSjIkdEIcEY7RoeXzZkYlUsn1X7vx4gCLcB/s1600/tlc%2Blogo.png" /></a></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NoMoreGrumpyBookseller/~4/XqEJRya5du0" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Becky LeJeunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030931605009567165noreply@blogger.com3http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/2017/01/this-is-not-over-by-holly-brown.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864122091184089707.post-57691909029693524412017-01-22T00:00:00.000-07:002017-01-22T00:00:21.376-07:00New Releases 1/24/17<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30037871-the-ethan-i-was-before" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MZ4a_UfbdJU/WIFQHlvmLOI/AAAAAAAAOXM/qnZiSrxPZv0ZKXKXNYHPbUA2Ad52Hv_KgCLcB/s320/30037871.jpg" width="211" /></a>Some of the new titles hitting shelves this week are:<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The House of Fame</i>&nbsp;by Oliver Harris<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Fifth Petal</i>&nbsp;by Brunonia Barry<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Fifth Letter</i>&nbsp;by Nicola Moriarty<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">This is How It Always Is</i>&nbsp;by Laurie Frankel<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Girl Before</i>&nbsp;by J P Delaney<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Clownfish Blues</i>&nbsp;by Tim Dorsey<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">No Man's Land&nbsp;</i>by Simon Tolkien<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Eleventh Grave in Moonlight</i>&nbsp;by Darynda Jones<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Department Zero</i>&nbsp;by Paul Crilley<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">A Night In With Grace Kelly</i>&nbsp;by Lucy Holliday<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Perfect Little World</i>&nbsp;by Kevin Wilson<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Skill of Our Hands</i>&nbsp;by Steven Trust &amp; Skyler White<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Death's Mistress</i>&nbsp;by Terry Goodkind<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">City of Saints &amp; Thieves</i>&nbsp;by Natalie C. Anderson<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">The Ethan I was Before</i>&nbsp;by Ali Standish<br /><br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">After the Fall</i>&nbsp;by Kate Hart<br /><br />New on DVD:<br /><i>The Monster</i><br /><i>Sugar Mountain</i><br /><i>Inferno</i><br /><i>The Light Between Oceans</i><br /><i>The Handmaiden</i><br /><br />New reviews at Bookbitch.com:<br /><a href="https://stacyalesi.com/2017/01/18/her-every-fear-by-peter-swanson/"><i>Her Every Fear</i>&nbsp;by Peter Swanson</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NoMoreGrumpyBookseller/~4/Dg3WpWItb_c" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Becky LeJeunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030931605009567165noreply@blogger.com1http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/2017/01/new-releases-12417.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864122091184089707.post-18721908266885093342017-01-21T00:00:00.000-07:002017-01-21T00:00:33.744-07:00Pre Pub Book Buzz: When the English Fall by David Williams<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30753989-when-the-english-fall" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nzSUG_w0OTk/WIFNDagNc2I/AAAAAAAAOXE/6sxSuvIAMlMUPRy0zc73C8JofFeEHSP4gCLcB/s320/30753989.jpg" width="213" /></a>Earlier this month, BN posted a list of "<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/sci-fi-fantasy/the-17-most-anticipated-sci-fi-debuts-coming-in-2017/">19 Science Fiction Debuts We Can't Wait to Read in 2017</a>." And while there are a few titles on the list that were already on my radar, many of the titles were new to me - and I quickly added them all to my must have list :)<br /><br />One of those is a debut called <i>When the English Fall</i>&nbsp;by David Williams. Here's a bit about the book from <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30753989-when-the-english-fall">Goodreads</a>:<br /><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;">When a catastrophic solar storm brings about the collapse of modern civilization, an Amish community in Pennsylvania is caught up in the devastating aftermath. Once-bright skies are now dark. Planes have plummeted to the ground. The systems of modern life have crumbled. With their stocked larders and stores of supplies, the Amish are unaffected at first. But as the English (the Amish name for all non-Amish people) become more and more desperate, they begin to invade Amish farms, taking whatever they want and unleashing unthinkable violence on the peaceable community.<br /><br />Seen through the diary of an Amish farmer named Jacob as he tries to protect his family and his way of life, <i>When the English Fall</i> examines the idea of peace in the face of deadly chaos: Should members of a nonviolent society defy their beliefs and take up arms to defend themselves? And if they don’t, can they survive?</span><div><br /></div><div>You know I'm never one to pass up a post apocalyptic tale, so when I had the chance to get my hands on a copy of this one for review, I pounced. And while I almost never have the chance to read this early, I couldn't resist diving in this week.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Readers, it doesn't hit shelves until July, but it is pretty fantastic! Definitely one to watch for this summer. (And hopefully a good sign for the rest of the titles on the list!)</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NoMoreGrumpyBookseller/~4/E0otcR73gZE" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Becky LeJeunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030931605009567165noreply@blogger.com1http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/2017/01/pre-pub-book-buzz-when-english-fall-by.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7864122091184089707.post-83823498249770740482017-01-20T00:00:00.000-07:002017-01-20T00:00:01.235-07:00Short Fiction Friday: Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31450908-down-among-the-sticks-and-bones" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EnWzIZSVSO0/WH5ybatcoWI/AAAAAAAAOWk/27m5XPjnomEVJeAd370zzKANZ7R2je0MQCLcB/s320/31450908.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><span style="color: #4c1130;">Jack and Jill's parents had certain expectations about parenthood. Unfortunately, this meant that for much of the girls' early lives their parents enforced their own ideas about who and what they each should be: Jacqueline was to be neat, tidy, and pretty - a perfect daughter for a society driven mother; Jillian (their parents didn't believe in nicknames) was sporty and active - the son her father was disappointed not to have. They were not coddled, they were not loved, they were not even encouraged to find solace and comfort in each other. And so it's no surprise that their door appeared, whisking them away to the Moors.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span><span style="color: #4c1130;">The Moors was not a welcoming place. In fact, it was one filled with monsters and evils. Some of them less obvious than others. There, the girls defied their raising. One taking up residence under the roof of a scientist, the other becoming the groomed heir to a Master who reigned with nothing less than terror over the surrounding village. But they were there because they wanted to be.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="color: #4c1130;"><br /></span><span style="color: #4c1130;">Until their door appeared once again.&nbsp;</span><br /><br />So obviously if you've read <i><a href="http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/2016/04/short-fiction-friday-every-heart.html">Every Heart a Doorway</a></i>, then you know this is a prequel story. Jack and Jill are already in residence at Eleanor West's Home for Wayward Children when Nancy arrives in the aforementioned story. If you haven't read it, no fear you can start here!<br /><br />This is the story of Jack and Jill's door. The world they disappeared into before being sent to Eleanor. And what a world it is! It's the stuff of Universal monster movies, literally. Vampires, werewolves, a mad scientist, and sea creatures galore. It's a dark and dreary world, one that only the most miserable children would see as a salvation from the real world.<br /><br />And miserable is a good way to describe Jack and Jill.<br /><br />Sure they have a decent life. They're provided for and live in comfort. But they're not allowed to be themselves. They're not allowed to even discover who the real Jack and Jill are or could be. This is what life in the Moors allows them.<br /><br />In a series with infinite possibilities,&nbsp;<i>Down Among the Sticks and Bones</i>&nbsp;is a worthy and wonderful follow up to&nbsp;<i>Every Heart a Doorway</i>!As with the previous installment, McGuire once again wows with rich and detailed world building and characters that are full of depth and emotion.<br /><br />If you haven't had the chance to start this series, now is the perfect time. You can dive in with either tale and join the crowd of readers now desperately looking forward to the third installment!<br /><br />Rating: 5/5<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/NoMoreGrumpyBookseller/~4/JwGxW3SqMfI" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Becky LeJeunehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01030931605009567165noreply@blogger.com0http://nomoregrumpybookseller.blogspot.com/2017/01/short-fiction-friday-down-among-sticks.html
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