reecaspieces

Overview

In a world of burning books, one woman will risk everything to keep stories alive.

Berlin, 1933. The vibrant cultural heart of Germany is darkening under the shadow of the Nazi regime. For Helene Nathan, one of the first female librarians at a prestigious German library, the books she cherishes are no longer just sources of knowledge–they are targets. As the government begins its systematic purge of literature, compiling lists of “forbidden” works and orchestrating public book burnings, Helene realizes she cannot stand by as her world turns to ash.

Determined to resist the encroaching tyranny, Helene and her colleagues embark on a perilous mission of secretly collecting and hiding the very books slated for destruction. It’s a dangerous act of defiance in a city where every neighbor could be an informant and the Gestapo are a constant, looming threat. Her quiet rebellion is especially complicated by the fact that Helene is half-Jewish, and Rudolf Kummer, a ruthless Nazi official, seemingly has a personal vendetta against her.

As the stakes escalate and friends and neighbors begin to disappear, Helene must decide how much she is willing to sacrifice. Her fight is not just for the pages she saves, but for the very soul of her country and the freedom to think.

Based on the heroic true stories of librarians who fought back, Library of Forbidden Books is a gripping tale of courage, the profound power of literature as resistance, and one woman’s struggle to preserve humanity in the face of absolute evil.

Review

Berlin, 1933. The vibrant cultural heart of Germany is darkening under the shadow of the Nazi regime. For Helene Nathan, one of the first female librarians at a prestigious German library, the books she cherishes are no longer just sources of knowledge–they are targets. As the government begins its systematic purge of literature, compiling lists of “forbidden” works and orchestrating public book burnings, Helene realizes she cannot stand by as her world turns to ash.

I enjoy a tale based on true facts. And with the strong female lead of Helene, you cannot go wrong with this one. It is full of drama and it relates to the world today. But, I did feel it was full of needless information.

I love this author. My favorite book by him is The Teacher of Warsaw.

Kathleen Gati narrates this wonderful historical fiction novel. She does a good job. She may be a bit overly dramatic in places but enjoyable nonetheless!

Need a story that may teach you a thing or two…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Overview

What if your own family history turns out to be a terrifying lie? Every family has its story, and this one’s deadly. Two sisters. One secret. And a race against time to find the explosive truth in this twisty and captivating thriller by USA Today bestselling author Hank Phillippi Ryan.

The sole survivors of the fiery plane crash that killed their parents, Eliza Ramsey and her sister Bea share an unbreakable bond. But now, on the eleventh anniversary of the tragedy, Bea fails to retrieve her pre-teen daughter from a sleepover at Eliza’s.

Eliza knows her sister would never leave her precious Piper behind, and fears the worst. But did Bea plan her own disappearance?

The Ramseys’ lives have already crashed and burned once. Now, Eliza discovers she’s the only one who can protect her niece from the horrifying legacy of her family’s sinister history. Together, the two must prevent their lives from going up in flames once again.

A missing mother. Her frightened daughter. And a sister on a desperate search for a happy ending. But someone knows the deadly key to their shared past, and won’t stop until they’ve written a devastating final chapter. Mother, daughter, sister—stranger.

Review

The sole survivors of the fiery plane crash that killed their parents, Eliza Ramsey and her sister Bea share an unbreakable bond. But now, on the eleventh anniversary of the tragedy, Bea fails to retrieve her pre-teen daughter from a sleepover at Eliza’s. Eliza knows her sister would never leave her precious Piper behind, and fears the worst. But did Bea plan her own disappearance?

I loved all the twists and turns in this tale. And let me tell you, there is a LOT of speculation. This just leads the reader to make wild guesses. And I had quite a few wild guesses. The only adult character I was “sort of” sure of was Eliza. But there were a few places I even had my doubts about her. I love a thriller that keeps me in speculation mode! And the ending twist….YES!

The narrator, Stevi Incremona, took me just a bit to get used to. I felt she was a overly dramatic at first. But, she redeemed herself with her voice for Piper. If you follow me at all, you know children’s voices drive me crazy in an audio narration book but Stevi did a good job!

Need a twisted story…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Overview

small-town bookseller finds that fate has taken to writing romance in this delightfully cozy love story about making your own happy ending—perfect for fans of Laurie Gilmore and grumpy/sunshine love stories! 

Emma Rogers-Li is having her worst chapter yet. She’s lost her friends, her apartment in Manhattan, and a jerk of an ex. When a job opens to run a bookshop in the quirky small town of Heart’s Hope Crossing, Vermont, Emma jumps at the chance to start over. For the first time in years, she feels like she’s finally calling the shots in her own life … until she runs smack into Hunter Hall.

According to town legend, it’s fate—couples who meet (or collide) at that corner are meant to be. And while Emma doesn’t believe the town gossips now convinced she and Hunter are meant for each other, something about the tall, gruff forest ranger sends her completely off-balance. Falling in love with Heart’s Hope Crossing might be the best thing to happen to Emma.

But Hunter has a complicated past of his own when it comes to love. Can they both take one last chance on a perfect happily-ever-after?

Review

Emma Rogers-Li is having her worst chapter yet. She’s lost her friends, her apartment in Manhattan, and a jerk of an ex. When a job opens to run a bookshop in the quirky small town of Heart’s Hope Crossing, Vermont, Emma jumps at the chance to start over. For the first time in years, she feels like she’s finally calling the shots in her own life … until she runs smack into Hunter Hall.

Boy! Hunter is a great character. I could just picture him. He is grumpy but hot and wears a ranger uniform. See…you are already picturing him in your mind.

I loved Emma’s easy going nature. She handles everything “in stride”, especially her new boss, Granny. Granny tickled me on more than one occasion. And you can bet, the town loved to see Emma and Hunter together. They kept the town talking.

This is an adorable read with a great setting of Vermont in the fall. Plus, the small town, and of course, the adorable characters add so much charm. I will say, the story itself could have been a little bit shorter. It was just a few pages too long.

Katharine Chin is the narrator of this cute read. She did a very good job!

Need a charming romance for the fall… THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest opinion.

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Overview

For decades, the women of Wester House have unsettled and fascinated their small, timeless North Carolina town. Their home is full of whispers, old griefs, and uncanny knowing. But when Willamena Wester reaches out to the granddaughter she once pushed away, long-buried truths begin to stir.

1976: Restless young Willamena falls for a stranded musician who brings freedom and the promise of another life to her carefully controlled world. Their brief, incandescent love story promises to escape the pull of the Wester legacy until Willamena makes a fateful choice that changes her life forever.

Present day: Returning home is the last thing Bailey Wester wants. Yet as she reconnects with Willamena, the grandmother she feared, Bailey begins to understand the love, heartbreak, and impossible choices that shaped the women in her family and realizes the past may not have been trying to haunt them after all. A luminous novel filled with Sarah Addison Allen’s stunning prose and signature blend of romance, Southern charm, and wonder, Paper Ghosts reminds us that in order to have the future we really want, sometimes we need to live with the past, and not let go of it.

Review

For decades, the women of Wester House have unsettled and fascinated their small, timeless North Carolina town. Their home is full of whispers, old griefs, and uncanny knowing. But when Willamena Wester reaches out to the granddaughter she once pushed away, long-buried truths begin to stir.

I have a been a fan of this author for years! And this book did not disappoint!

The dynamic between Bailey and her grandmother, Willamena, intrigued me from the start. Willamena is an inigma. She has certain rules and a very strange connection to her house. This gives the story a bit of a gothic feel!

But, this is more than just a family drama full of secrets. This also has a bit of a mystery, a love story and it is full of southern appeal. It also might have a ghost or two thrown in for fun😜.

I enjoyed this narrator, Marin Ireland. She did a great job with the voices!

Need a good family drama with a little bit of everything…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Overview

Against the sunlit backdrop of Italy, five expats discover each other—and rediscover themselves—in a charmingly funny and poignant novel by the author of An Unfinished Story and A Spanish Sunrise.

Tucked away on a cobblestone street in enchanting Bologna, Italy, is the only English bookstore in the city. It’s owned by prickly Sandy Cooke, who keeps love, and even romantic fiction, at a distance. Her employee, timid and hopelessly optimistic Moira, dreams of transforming the struggling shop into a vibrant community hub. Against the odds, one Bolognese summer, it becomes a haven for fellow expats at their own crossroads.

Bianca is a psychotherapist escaping both a breakdown and withering reviews of her new self-help book. On her heels is her father, George, wrestling with retirement—and regrets. He’s had a few, but the light of his life has always been his daughter. Then there’s Harold, a young and awkward barista from Denver recovering from his first belly-flopping high dive into love. Maybe it’s time for reinvention.

At the only English bookstore in Bologna, paths converge for five damaged souls who discover that healing doesn’t require much—just honest connection and an open heart.

Review

Tucked away on a cobblestone street in enchanting Bologna, Italy, is the only English bookstore in the city. It’s owned by prickly Sandy Cooke. Bianca is a psychotherapist escaping both a breakdown and withering reviews of her new self-help book. On her heels is her father, George, wrestling with retirement—and regrets. Then there’s Harold, a young and awkward barista from Denver recovering from his first belly-flopping high dive into love. Maybe it’s time for reinvention

As you can tell, there are quite a few characters running around in this novel. But the author pulls this together really well. I will say, the story line I liked the least was Bianca and her father. Or rather, I just didn’t like Bianca. She does redeem herself in the end. But I wanted to pop her one on more than one occasion. But I did enjoy grumpy Sandy and George with all his to do lists.

I appreciated these narrators, Barrie Kreinik and David de Vries. They had very good distinction with all these characters.

Need a sweet story with a great setting…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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Overview

From New York Times bestselling author J.T. Ellison comes a suspenseful domestic thriller about identity, revenge, and the dangerous secrets kept hidden from the ones we love most.

It’s the holidays, and photographer Brooklyn Locke is bound for Italy with her husband, Trey, and their two children. But when Trey vanishes from the airport, missing their connecting flight, their impromptu vacation—and life as she knows it—begins to unravel.

Desperate to find her husband, Brooklyn accepts help from a stranger on the same flight, Eden Barrow. But Eden soon makes a shocking claim. She is the sister of Trey’s first wife, and ten years ago he was the main suspect in her murder.

Struggling to comprehend these accusations, fate delivers one more blow: a violent accident that leaves Brooklyn fighting for her life. With nowhere else to turn, Brooklyn leans on Eden for support. But each kindness feels too rehearsed, feeding her doubts about Eden’s motives and Trey’s true past.

Brooklyn has her own dark history she’d rather forget and confronts an unsettling possibility. Her life is not what it seems, and the truth is a trap—laid by someone waiting for the perfect time to strike.

Review

It’s the holidays, and photographer Brooklyn Locke is bound for Italy with her husband, Trey, and their two children. But when Trey vanishes from the airport, missing their connecting flight, their impromptu vacation—and life as she knows it—begins to unravel.

J.T. Ellison has been one of my favorite thriller authors ever since I read Good Girls Lie! That book is still my favorite! But this book is pretty dang good too!

I enjoy a smart read…and this one has you chasing ideas and suspects. And don’t get me started on all these twists and turns. You really do not know who to trust. I mean…the husband, Trey, he has some major secrets. Then there is Eden…you need to read this to find out!

I love a good tag team of narrators! And these are the best…Brittany Pressley, Samara Naeymi, MacLeod Andrews, Saskia Maarleveld, Hillary Huber.

Need a twisted tale to get your blood pumping… THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest opinion.

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