reecaspieces

Book Summary:

Filled with humor, family hijinks, and actual reading recommendations, The Book Haters’ Book Club features a messy group of people trying to save their local Indie bookstore — and who might just save each other along the way. This heartwarming, wildly entertaining novel is both a celebration of found family, and a love letter to booksellers and librarians everywhere.

Elliot, co-owner of Over the Rainbow Bookshop in Minneapolis, started The Book Haters’ Book Club—a newsletter of reading recommendations for the self-proclaimed “nonreader” – because he believed that it only takes the right book to turn a Book Hater into a Book Lover. Now, after they’re all reeling after Elliot’s sudden death, his business partner, Irma, has agreed to sell Over the Rainbow to a developer. When Irma breaks the news to her daughters, and Elliott’s romantic partner, Thom, they are aghast. Especially since Irma won’t explain why she’s so intent on selling.

Irma’s daughters and Thom conspire to save the bookshop. Even if it takes some snooping, gossip and (minor) sabotage, they won’t give up without a fight.

Review

Irma’s business partner, Elliott, has recently passed away. Irma waste no time in selling their book store. This sends red flags to Irma’s daughters, Laney and Bree, and Elliott’s partner, Thom. These three decide to investigate and find out exactly what Irma is hiding!

The cast of characters in this book cracked me up, especially Laney! She is snarky and she takes no prisoners where her mother is concerned. When these three get together and start investigating, I found myself laughing out loud at some of their antics!

This story started out strong and I was hooked on the book references and the snarky comments. I found myself grinning and reminiscing about authors I read growing. However, it did slow down a bit in the middle.

Need a good book with great book references…this is it! Grab your copy today!

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

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Author Bio:

GRETCHEN ANTHONY is the author of Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners, which was a Midwestern Connections Pick and a best books pick by Amazon, BookBub, PopSugar, and the New York Post. Her work has been featured in The Washington Post, Medium, and The Write Life, among others. She lives in Minneapolis with her family.

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Twitter: @granthony 

Facebook: Gretchen Anthony

Instagram: @gretchenanthony.writer 

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Overview

From the winner of the National Jewish Book Award—Ronald H. Balson’s An Affair of Spies tells of a spy mission to rescue a defector from Germany and prevent the Nazis from creating an atomic bomb.

Nathan Silverman grew up in Berlin in the 1920s, the son of a homemaker and a theoretical physicist. His idyllic childhood was soon marred by increasing levels of bigotry against his family and the rest of the Jewish community, and after his uncle is arrested on Kristallnacht, he leaves Germany for New York City with only his mother’s wedding ring to sell for survival.

While attending an evening course at Columbia in 1941, Nathan notices a recruitment poster on a university wall and decides to enlist in the military and help fight the Nazi regime. To his surprise, he is quickly selected for a special assignment; he is trained as a spy, and ordered to report to the Manhattan Project. There he learns that the Allies are racing to develop a nuclear weapon before the Nazis, and a German theoretical physicist is hoping to defect. The physicist was a friend of his father’s, and Nathan’s mission is to return to Berlin via France and smuggle him out of Europe.

Nathan will be accompanied by Dr. Allison Fisher, a brilliant young scientist who can speak French; he travels to her lab at the University of Chicago for a crash course in nuclear physics, then they embark on their adventure. Nathan and Allison soon develop feelings for one another, but as their relationship deepens they move ever closer to their dangerous goal. Will they be able to escape Europe with the defector and start a new life together, or will they fail their mission and become two more casualties of war?

An Affair of Spies is an action-packed tale of heroism and love in the face of unspeakable evil. Author Ronald H. Balson has applied his unmatched talent for evocative and painstakingly authentic storytelling to the high-stakes world of espionage and created his most thrilling novel yet.

Review

Nathan escaped Germany and is now in the United States Army. He is called to leave his regiment and become a spy for the atomic bomb program. He is being sent back to Germany with a civilian scientist to find out exactly what the Germans have achieved with their bomb program. But, it turns into a more dangerous mission than he first thought possible.

Nathan is a stand up guy and I fell for him! I love his protective instincts. And, let me tell you, when the situation gets tough, Nathan is a man you want on your side. And believe me, this situation gets tougher and more dangerous by the minute.

I was introduced to this author when I read Defending Britta Stein. This book is not as good as that one, in my opinion. But it is still a very good read. I loved the intensity and the drama. It was just a bit slow in places.

Need a story which will make you wonder what actually happened in Germany over the atomic bomb…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

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

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Overview

Set against the rich but often troubled history of Blacklands, Texas, during an era of pandemic, scientific discovery, and social upheaval, the novel offers a unique—yet eerily familiar—backdrop to a universal tale of triumphing over loss. 

Even as dementia clouds other memories, eighty-three-year-old Leola can’t forget her father’s disappearance when she was sixteen. Now, as Papa appears in haunting visions, Leola relives the circumstances of that loss: the terrible accident that steals Papa’s livelihood, sending the family deeper into poverty; a scandal from Mama’s past that still wounds; and Leola’s growing unease with her brutally bigoted society. 

When Papa vanishes while seeking work in Houston and Mama dies in the “boomerang” Influenza outbreak of 1919, Leola and her young sisters are sent to an orphanage, where her exposure of a dark injustice means sacrificing a vital clue to Papa’s whereabouts. That decision echoes into the future, as new details about his disappearance suggest betrayal too painful to contemplate. Only in old age, as her visions of Papa grow more realistic, does Leola confront her long-buried grief, leading to a remarkable family discovery that could offer peace, at last.

Review

Leola is a young girl when her father has a tragic accident and loses his arm. Life changes immensely for her. Her father leaves to go to Houston to find a job then disappears, then her mother dies. She and her sisters are placed in an orphanage and Leola struggles overcome what life has thrown at her.

This story is full of loss, family secrets and strength of will. Leola is a character in which you root for incessantly. And life just keeps crashing down on her but her strength roars through these pages and she never gives up hope!

I could not help but be captivated by all the tragedy and the life situations surrounding this family. This novel had me crying and wanting to come through the pages and protect everyone involved!

Need a book which will have you thinking about it long after it is over…THIS IS IT ! Grab your copy today.

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

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Overview

From the acclaimed author of Garden Spells comes a tale of lost souls, secrets that shape us, and how the right flock can guide you home.

Down a narrow alley in the small coastal town of Mallow Island, South Carolina, lies a stunning cobblestone building comprised of five apartments. It’s called The Dellawisp and it’s named after the tiny turquoise birds who, alongside its human tenants, inhabit an air of magical secrecy.

When Zoey Hennessey comes to claim her deceased mother’s apartment at The Dellawisp, she meets her quirky, enigmatic neighbors including a girl on the run, a grieving chef whose comfort food does not comfort him, two estranged middle-aged sisters, and three ghosts. Each with their own story. Each with their own longings. Each whose ending isn’t yet written.

When one of her new neighbors dies under odd circumstances the night Zoey arrives, she’s thrust into the mystery of The Dellawisp, which involves missing pages from a legendary writer whose work might be hidden there. She soon discovers that many unfinished stories permeate the place, and the people around her are in as much need of healing from wrongs of the past as she is. To find their way they have to learn how to trust each other, confront their deepest fears, and let go of what haunts them.

Delightful and atmospheric, Other Birds is filled with magical realism and moments of pure love that won’t let you go. Sarah Addison Allen shows us that between the real and the imaginary, there are stories that take flight in the most extraordinary ways.

Review

Zoey has recently left her father’s home to go to college. She has moved to a condo she inherited from her mother on Mallow Island, South Carolina. She meets all the weird neighbors and absolutely falls in love with the place. But, can she heal and overcome her past?

I fell for Zoey on the very first page. She is so young, but yet, she has some wisdom about her and she is so full of kindness. She is just one of the many characters which create this lovely story. I loved them all! They each bring their own tragedies and insecurities into this tale but they also bring their strengths.

No one does magic like Sarah Addison Allen. I have loved this author since her very first book and if you have not read her…you are missing out! All her books have characters which are damaged in some way or another. And there is alway just a touch of magic which just helps everyone see where life is supposed to lead them. This book tops the list!

Need a book which will make you smile and tug at your heartstrings…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

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

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Book Summary:

New York Times bestselling author Karen Robards returns with a riveting story of intrigue, deception and bravery in the face of war, inspired by Picasso’s great masterpiece Guernica:

On an April day in 1937, the sky opens and fire rains down upon the small Spanish town of Guernica. Seventeen-year-old Sibi and her family are caught up in the horror. Griff, an American military attaché, pulls Sibi from the wreckage, and it’s only the first time he saves her life in a span of hours. When Germany claims no involvement in the attack, insisting the Spanish Republic was responsible, Griff guides Sibi to lie to Nazi officials. If she or her sisters reveal that they saw planes bearing swastikas, the gestapo will silence them—by any means necessary.
As war begins to rage across Europe, Sibi joins the underground resistance, secretly exchanging information with Griff. But as the scope of Germany’s ambitions becomes clear, maintaining the facade of a Nazi sympathizer becomes ever more difficult. And as Sibi is drawn deeper into a web of secrets, she must find a way to outwit an enemy that threatens to decimate her family once and for all.

Masterfully rendered and vividly capturing one of the most notorious episodes in history, The Girl from Guernica is an unforgettable testament to the bonds of family and the courage of women in wartime.

Review

Sibi, her sisters and her mother have been in Guernica, Spain visiting family for quite a while. Sibi has been wanting to return to Germany because a civil war is raging around them. Her mother refuses. She is happy back home. This decision changes all of their lives.

Sibi is a young lady which stole my heart. After the tragedy at Guernica, she had to step up and be everything to her sisters. Then there is Griff! He actually saved Sibi in Guernica from a collapsed building. So, you can guess these two have a past and a future!

I love the history in this book. I had never heard about the attack on Guernica. I certainly didn’t know that the Germans did it! So, this book really had me researching! And if y’all follow this blog you know that I love a book that has me looking stuff up!

Now, that being said…I did feel this book was too long. This novel could’ve been shortened by maybe 50 pages. And the first half of the book was more captivating than the second half. And that could be because I was more fascinated with the Guernica section. This novel does have a little bit of everything…romance, war, espionage. I mean, what’s not to like!

Need a new take on a WWII novel…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

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

Author Bio:

Karen Robards is the New York Times, USA TODAY and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of fifty novels and one novella. She is the winner of six Silver Pen awards and numerous other awards.

SOCIAL:

Author Website: http://karenrobards.com/

TWITTER: @TheKarenRobards

FB: @AuthorKarenRobards

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Overview

In 1960s Memphis, a young mother finds refuge in a boardinghouse where family encompasses more than just blood, and hidden truths can bury you or set you free.

Sara King has nothing, save for her secrets and the baby in her belly, as she boards the bus to Memphis, hoping to outrun her past in Chicago. She is welcomed with open arms by Mama Sugar, a kindly matriarch and owner of the popular boardinghouse The Scarlet Poplar.

Like many cities in early 1960s America, Memphis is still segregated, but change is in the air. News spreads of the Freedom Riders. Across the country, people like Martin Luther King Jr. are leading the fight for equal rights. Black literature and music provide the stories and soundtrack for these turbulent and hopeful times, and Sara finds herself drawn in by conversations of education, politics and a brighter tomorrow with Jonas, a local schoolteacher. Romance blooms between them, but secrets from Mama Sugar’s past threaten their newfound happiness and lead Sara to make decisions that will reshape the rest of their lives.

With a charismatic cast of characters, The Two Lives of Sara is an emotional and unforgettable story of hope, the limitations of resilience and unexpected love.

Review

Sara is a new mother finding her way in life. She is living with Mama Sugar at her boarding house in Memphis. But, Sara soon learns she cannot out run her past and secrets really never stay hidden.

Sara and Mama Sugar are two fabulous characters and each are so different. I love Mama Sugar’s wisdom. And…Mama Sugar is not to be messed with! Sara, you just make her mad one time! So, you can just imagine these two together are forces to be reckoned with!

The setting of Memphis in the 60s is spot on. I knew exactly some of the streets and areas she mentioned in the book. Felt like I was right at home!

I love this author’s prose! She has some wonderful sayings that resonate with any reader. I adored her first book, Saving Ruby King. I fought hard to get a signed copy of that book! Now, that being said, this book is very good but it just has a few dead places in it. I wanted it to move much faster than it did.

Need a good read with relatable characters…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

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

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