reecaspieces

Overview

It is May 2014, and Dr. Klara Lieberman—forty-nine, single, professor of archaeology at a small liberal arts college in Maine, a contained person living a contained life—has just received a letter from her estranged mother, Bessie, that will dramatically change her life. Her father, she learns—the man who has been absent from her life for the last forty-three years, and about whom she has long been desperate for information—is dead. Has been for many years, in fact, which Bessie clearly knew. But now the Polish government is giving financial reparations for land it stole from its Jewish citizens during WWII, and Bessie wants the money. Klara has little interest in the money—but she does want answers about her father. She flies to Warsaw, determined to learn more. 

In Poland, Klara begins to piece together her father’s, and her own, story. She also connects with extended family, begins a romantic relationship, and discovers her calling: repairing the hundreds of forgotten, and mostly destroyed, pre-War Jewish cemeteries in Poland. Along the way, she becomes a more integrated, embodied, and interpersonally connected individual—one with the tools to make peace with her past and, for the first time in her life, build purposefully toward a bigger future.

Review

Klara has just discovered her mother has lied to Klara her whole life. Klara has been told that her dad left them, abandoned her. When the truth is, he was killed in a train accident. When Klara discovers the truth, she immediately takes a sabbatical from her job as a professor and travels to Poland to uncover her father’s past and to reconnect with his family. It is not as easy as she expects.

Klara has been neglected for most of her life by her mom. So, my heart really went out to her when she discovers the truth. But, this does not stop her. I loved her tenacity and her intelligence. She also has some hang ups from her childhood and she struggles to overcome these challenges as she tries to navigate her new world.

This story is full of self-discovery history, mystery, family drama and a little bit of romance. I enjoyed the setting of Poland and especially the family history and emotional tales of the Holocaust.

Need a novel about family that is full of history and drama…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

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Overview

Secrets are revealed and forbidden sparks ignited in this sizzling Sunrise Cove standalone, a tale of enemies to lovers, redemption, missing treasures, and love—by romance superstar and New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis.

Anna Moore didn’t just wake up one day and decide to go on a wild quest—especially since her life no longer lends itself to wild anything—so how in the world does she end up racing against the clock with Owen Harris, a sexy, enigmatic adventurist, to prove her beloved dad innocent of stealing a million-dollar necklace? 

It’s all Wendy’s fault. Her older, bossy sister, who’s seven months pregnant and on bed rest in their small Lake Tahoe hometown, is desperate to clear their departed dad’s name. Owen, though, is convinced he’s guilty as hell and wants to return the jewelry back to its rightful owner—his elderly great aunt. Together Anna and Owen go on a scavenger hunt for clues to the past (with Wendy remotely along for the ride via an earbud, supplying a running wry commentary to boot).  

On opposing sides and suspicious of each other as they are, Anna and Owen still can’t deny the inexplicable and explosive chemistry between them on this heart-stopping adventure, the outcome of which will prove the necklace isn’t the only thing stolen—their hearts have been as well.

Review

Anna and her sister, Wendy, have come across an old coin in their Dad’s stuff. Their dad passed away and they are just now getting to go through some of his items. Come to find out, this coin was part of a big heist years ago. Enter Owen! Owen’s aunt is the victim of the robbery and he is bound and determined that Anna return everything her dad supposedly stole.

Jill Shalvis has become a staple in my reading life. I love her snarkiness and her characters. This book is exactly what I was hoping for. I needed a good summer escape and this one fit the bill!

I think my favorite part of this book is Wendy. Wendy is enormously pregnant with triplets and she cannot assist Anna with her quest to clear their father. So, she comes up with an excellent plan. She makes Anna put earbuds in and keep the phone line open so she can hear everything. And believe me…she has some of the best one liners…especially when Anna and Owen heat up!

Need a book the take to the beach to captivate you from start to finish…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

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Book Summary: 

An engrossing and atmospheric debut that follows young Weatherly Wilder as she uses her unique gift to solve her cousin’s mysterious murder and prove her own innocence, set in the beautiful wilds of Appalachia and imbued with magic realism.

In a small town in rural Georgia, Appalachian roots and traditions still run deep. Folks paint their houses blue to keep the spirits way. Black ferns grow, it’s said, where death will follow. And Weatherly Wilder’s grandmother is a local Granny Witch, relied on for help delivering babies, making herbal remedies, tending to the sick—and sometimes serving up a fatal dose of revenge when she deems it worthy. Hyper-religious, she rules Weatherly with an iron fist; because Weatherly has a rare and covetable gift: she’s a Death Talker. Weatherly, when called upon, can talk the death out of the dying; only once, never twice. But in her short twenty years on this Earth this gift has taken a toll, rooting her to the small town that only wants her around when they need her and resents her backwater ways when they don’t—and how could she ever leave, if it meant someone could die while she was gone?

Weatherly’s best friend and cousin, Adaire, also has a gift: she’s a Scryer; she can see the future reflected back in a dark surface, usually her scrying pan. Right before she’s hit and in a bicycle accident, Adaire saw something unnerving in the pan, that much Weatherly knows, and she is certain this is why the mayor killed her cousin—she doesn’t believe for a moment that it was an accident. But when the mayor’s son lays dying and Weatherly, for the first time, is unable to talk the death of him, the whole town suspects she was out for revenge, that she wouldn’t save him. Weatherly, with the help of Adaire’s spirit, sets out to prove her own innocence and find Adaire’s killer, no matter what it takes.

Review

Well! This is not your usual story! Weatherly has a unique gift. She is a death talker. She can talk people out of dying. Being from rural Georgia and the Appalachian mountains, Weatherly is used to superstitions and strange behavior. Her grandmother is considered a witch of the region and has raised Weatherly but she has also used her and her gift. When Weatherly’s cousin Adaire was hit by a car and killed, Weatherly knows she must use everything in her power to find out what happened even if it alienates everyone around her.

I really enjoyed this unique novel. I was captivated by Weatherly and her gift. Talk about a strange family and strange situations. Weatherly is truly gifted, but she is also a bit abused by her grandmother. As she gets older, she realizes, her grandmother has not been truthful and has kept many secrets.

This story is rich with superstitions and a bit of the supernatural. It also has fabulous characters and a good mystery to boot!

Need a unique tale with a bit of sorcery…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

Author Bio:

Dana Elmendorf was born and raised in small town in Tennessee. She now lives in Southern California with her husband, two boys and two dogs. When she isn’t exercising, she can be found geeking out with Mother Nature. After four years of college and an assortment of jobs, she wrote a contemporarty YA novel. This is her adult debut.

Social Links:

Author website: https://www.danaelmendorf.com/p/home.html 

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12099732.Dana_Elmendorf  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danaelmendorf/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanaElmendorfAuthor/ 

Buy Links:

HarperCollins: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/in-the-hour-of-crows-dana-elmendorf?variant=41105349050402 

BookShop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/in-the-hour-of-crows-original-dana-elmendorf/20588600?ean=9780778310495

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/in-the-hour-of-crows-dana-elmendorf/1144020590?ean=9780778310495 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=in+the+hour+of+crows&i=stripbooks&crid=2L6W8I50ZU8NA&sprefix=in+the+hour+of+crow%2Cstripbooks%2C93&ref=nb_sb_noss_2 

Overview

Wingate’s stellar latest (after Before We Were Yours) explores a centuries-long legacy of missing child cases. . . . Her portrayal of the region’s history, culture, and landscape enthralls. Wingate is at the top of her game.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours comes a sweeping novel inspired by the untold history of women pioneers who fought to protect children caught in the storm of land barons hungry for power and oil wealth.

Oklahoma, 1909. Eleven-year-old Olive Augusta Radley knows that her stepfather doesn’t have good intentions toward the two Choctaw girls boarded in their home as wards. When the older girl disappears, Ollie flees to the woods, taking six-year-old Nessa with her. Together they begin a perilous journey to the remote Winding Stair Mountains, the notorious territory of outlaws, treasure hunters, and desperate men. Along the way, Ollie and Nessa form an unlikely band with others like themselves, struggling to stay one step ahead of those who seek to exploit them . . . or worse.

Oklahoma, 1990. Law enforcement ranger Valerie Boren-Odell arrives at newly minted Horsethief Trail National Park seeking a quiet place to balance a career and single parenthood. But no sooner has Valerie reported for duty than she’s faced with local controversy over the park’s opening, a teenage hiker gone missing from one of the trails, and the long-hidden burial site of three children unearthed in a cave. Val’s quest for the truth wins an ally among the neighboring Choctaw Tribal Police but soon collides with old secrets and the tragic and deadly history of the land itself.

In this emotional and enveloping novel, Lisa Wingate traces the story of children abandoned by the law and the battle to see justice done. Amid times of deep conflict over who owns the land and its riches, Ollie and Val traverse the rugged and beautiful terrain, each leaving behind one life in search of another.

Review

This is told in two different time periods. And for me, the present day was the most enjoyable. This is rare for me. But I really enjoyed Valerie. She struggles as a single mother and a new woman on the National Park Team. She handles these challenges with strength and intelligence.

Then there is 1909 Oklahoma. Ollie and Nessa leave an abusive situation and head up to Winding Stair Mountain. Every twist and turn lead these young girls into danger. But, boy…Nessa! She does not take no for an answer and she does not let grass grow under her feet. She knows they are in danger and she is the only one that can get them there.

This story is emotional and intriguing. Ollie and Nessa and their flight for safety will tear your heart up. Then there is Valerie. She is determined to find out what is going on in her National Park!

Need a good mystery with fantastic characters…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

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

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Overview

The smoldering connection between Maggie and Samir sparks into flame at London’s International School in London Falling, now available for the first time in print!

When Maggie Carpenter left the seductive glitz of London for summer break in her small South Carolina hometown, she walked away from the most intense encounter of her life. But now that she’s returned to the International School—and sexy, privileged Samir Khouri is once again close enough to touch—she can’t help but remember the attraction, the drama…the heartbreak.

Samir can’t afford to fall for someone so far removed from his world, not when his time in London is running out. It’s his last chance at freedom before he returns home to Lebanon, where he’ll be expected to follow in his father’s footsteps. But when a scorching secret hookup with Maggie becomes a temptation neither one can resist, they’ll both have to fight to survive the consequences…if they want a future together.

Review

Maggie has fallen for Samir, her best friend’s brother. But, he comes from a different world. He is expected to go back to Lebanon and follow in his father’s footsteps. Samir’s time in London is coming to a close. Can these young lovers survive the consequences if they fight to stay together.

Y’all know I very seldom read a blurb. Well, I should have read this one. I really enjoy this author and I saw her name on this book and jumped at it. This is not exactly what I expected. It is almost a young adult romance.

Y’all take this review with a grain of salt and you read it for yourself! First off, I was not in the mood for a romance! I am a moody reader so there were several places I almost eye-rolled. Also, this is part of a series, I have not read the others in the series and I probably should have before this one! I did not feel very connected to the characters and I wanted them to make better decisions.

I feel like this is a rant but it was just unexpected content for me. And that is on me! And I do enjoy this author, just not this series by her. Read this and form your own opinion.

Need a romance set in London…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

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