reecaspieces

Overview

An unforgettable and “fascinating tale” of an orphan turned WWII spy turned fashion icon in Paris (Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Diamond Eye).
Alix St. Pierre. An unforgettable name for an unforgettable woman. She grew up surrounded by Hollywood glamor, but, as an orphan, never truly felt part of that world. In 1943, with WWII raging and men headed overseas to fight, she lands a publicity job to recruit women into the workforce. Her skills—persuasion, daring, quick-witted under pressure—catch the attention of the U.S. government and she finds herself with an even bigger assignment: sent to Switzerland as a spy. Soon Alix is on the precipice of something big, very big. But how far can she trust her German informant…?

After an Allied victory that didn’t come nearly soon enough, Alix moves to Paris, ready to immerse herself in a new position as director of publicity for the yet-to-be-launched House of Dior. In the glamorous halls of the French fashion house, she can nearly forget everything she lost and the dangerous secret she carries. But when a figure from the war reappears and threatens to destroy her future, Alix realizes that only she can right the wrongs of the past …and finally find justice.

Review

Alix has been hired by Christian Dior to be the publicity director for his new design house. She immerses herself in the challenge. But, when she sees someone from her past, she knows she is in danger. She must do all she can to protect herself and the secret she must hang on to.

I absolutely adored Alix. She gets knocked down but she is never out! She has lost so much and she is struggling to overcome the lasting emotions from the war. And then there is Anthony. He is special, there is no doubt. And he has Alix’s back, even if she doesn’t think so.

I enjoyed the complexity of this novel. I had no idea how it would turn out. This is a story which had me guessing, wanting and expecting! And it did not disappoint.

Then there is Christian Dior. I loved learning about him and his antics. I am going to have to read more about this amazing man which surrounded himself with strong women!

Need a story which will leave you breathless…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel for a honest review.

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Overview

A Southern homecoming is always a little bitter, a whole lot sweet, and full of surprises.

Upon inheriting their sassy grandmother’s home and family bait shop, cousins Lanie, Jodi, and Becky Cornell return to Catfish, Texas, looking for a fresh start. Turns out living as roommates in Granny Lizzie’s tiny two-bedroom house and running the Catfish Fisherman’s Hut isn’t at all like the idyllic summers they spent as children on the banks of the Red River. The days are long and hot, the tourists demanding and rude. And then there’s Chris Adams, a local river guide who seems to have eyes only for Becky.

But Lizzie’s death has set in motion a chain of events that will cause a new generation of Cornell women to come together. And thanks to this chance inheritance, the Cornell cousins discover that sometimes an ending is really a new beginning .

Includes a Bonus novella The Third Wish by Carolyn Brown.

Praise for New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown:

“Loved it, loved it, loved it! What a great story!”―Joanne Kennedyfor One Lucky Cowboy

“Fans…will flip for this charming small-town tale.”―Woman’s World for The Sisters Café

“Fresh, funny, and sexy.”―Booklist for Love Drunk Cowboy

“Filled with quirky characters and a healthy dose of humor…yet the highlight of the novel is the sweet and sensual romance.”―Publishers Weekly for One Texas Cowboy Too Many

Review

The Cornell girls have just inherited their grandmother’s bait shop. They each have decided to stay and continue what every Cornell woman for generations has done, keep the bait shop going! Each of these young ladies have their own issues to come to terms with. But, with the help of each other, their strength shows through.

This is your typical Carolyn Brown story. I enjoy her books. They are a good palate cleanser. I have read quite a few thrillers lately and I needed something different. Now, like I said, it is typical. Nothing is ever new in her books. But I do enjoy the characters, the southern setting and the shortness. Yes, this story is short and sweet and it fit the bill! I needed this type of book to keep me out of a slump and on the right track.

Need a sweet, quick story…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 author of the “dark and devious…beautifully written” (Stephen King) Mirrorland comes a richly atmospheric thriller set on an isolated Scottish island where nothing is as it seems and shocking twists lie around every corner.

A remote village. A deadly secret. An outsider who knows the truth.

Robert Reid moved his family to Scotland’s Outer Hebrides in the 1990s, driven by hope, craving safety and community, and hiding a terrible secret. But despite his best efforts to fit in, Robert is always seen as an outsider. And as the legendary and violent Hebridean storms rage around him, he begins to unravel, believing his fate on the remote island of Kilmeray cannot be escaped.

For her entire life, Maggie MacKay has sensed something was wrong with her. When Maggie was five years old, she announced that a man on Kilmeray—a place she’d never visited—had been murdered. Her unfounded claim drew media attention and turned the locals against each other, creating rifts that never mended.

Nearly twenty years later, Maggie is determined to find out what really happened, and what the islanders are hiding. But when she begins to receive ominous threats, Maggie is forced to consider how much she is willing to risk to discover the horrifying truth.

Unnerving, enthralling, and filled with gothic suspense, The Blackhouse is a spectacularly sinister tale readers won’t soon forget.

Review

Maggie has known her entire life that something is just not right with her. When she was 5 years old, she announced that she was a reincarnated man. This drew all kinds of media attention and bad allegations. Now, 20 years later Maggie has returned and she is wanting answers.

I enjoyed a great deal about this novel. The setting, the weirdness of Maggie and then roll in the past and you just have an all around good read. It does have a great many characters and that was a bit tough in places. But, that is just a minor issue.

Maggie really kept the story going for me. I wanted her to achieve her goal! I wanted to know everything. And the way the author kept me glued to the setting of this isle off Scotland…I felt like I was right there experiencing all the weather and the weird townspeople.

Need a creepy novel…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

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Overview

On rare occasions I read a book that reminds me of why I fell in love with storytelling in the first place. This is such a book.” —Stephen King

Peter Blauner’s epic Picture in the Sand is a sweeping intergenerational saga told through a grandfather’s passionate letters to his grandson, passing on the story of his political rebellion in 1950s Egypt in order to save his grandson’s life in a post-9/11 world.

When Alex Hassan gets accepted to an Ivy League university, his middle-class Egyptian-American family is filled with pride and excitement. But that joy turns to shock when they discover that he’s run off to the Middle East to join a holy war instead. When he refuses to communicate with everyone else, his loving grandfather Ali emails him one last plea. If Alex will stay in touch, his grandfather will share with Alex – and only Alex – a manuscript containing the secret story of his own life that he’s kept hidden from his family, until now.

It’s the tale of his romantic and heartbreaking past rooted in Hollywood and the post-revolutionary Egypt of the 1950s, when young Ali was a movie fanatic who attained a dream job working for the legendary director Cecil B. DeMille on the set of his epic film, The Ten Commandments. But Ali’s vision of a golden future as an American movie mogul gets upended when he is unwittingly caught up in a web of politics, espionage, and real-life events that change the course of history.

It’s a narrative he’s told no one for more than a half-century. But now he’s forced to unearth the past to save a young man who’s about to make the same tragic mistakes he made so long ago.

Review

Alex has left his family and joined an extremist Islamic group. The only person in the family he is in contact with is his grandfather. It is between these emails that his grandfather, Ali’s past unfolds. Ali wanted to be a Hollywood movie mogul. He got his chance when Hollywood came to town to film The Ten Commandments. But, the revolution was in full swing and Ali gets caught up in a political web which changes his life.

I have not read too many books about Egypt, especially one set in this time period. I enjoyed learning about this time in history. I never knew much about the revolution in this country. Add in the big Hollywood names of Cecil B. DeMille and Charlton Heston and this book really hit its mark.

This story had some great, intense, heartbreaking moments and wonderful history. The only reason for the 4 star rating is the every day details seemed abundant. But, that should not stop you. This is a story not to be missed!

Need a good Hollywood noir story…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

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

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Overview

Armed with only hazy memories, a woman who long ago witnessed her friend’s sudden, mysterious death, and has since spent her life trying to forget, sets out to track down answers. What she uncovers, deep in the woods, is hardly to be believed….

Maya was a high school senior when her best friend, Aubrey, mysteriously dropped dead in front of the enigmatic man named Frank whom they’d been spending time with all summer.

Seven years later, Maya lives in Boston with a loving boyfriend and is kicking the secret addiction that has allowed her to cope with what happened years ago, the gaps in her memories, and the lost time that she can’t account for. But her past comes rushing back when she comes across a recent YouTube video in which a young woman suddenly keels over and dies in a diner while sitting across from none other than Frank. Plunged into the trauma that has defined her life, Maya heads to her Berkshires hometown to relive that fateful summer—the influence Frank once had on her and the obsessive jealousy that nearly destroyed her friendship with Aubrey.

At her mother’s house, she excavates fragments of her past and notices hidden messages in her deceased Guatemalan father’s book that didn’t stand out to her earlier. To save herself, she must understand a story written before she was born, but time keeps running out, and soon, all roads are leading back to Frank’s cabin….

Utterly unique and captivating, The House in the Pines keeps you guessing about whether we can ever fully confront the past and return home.

Review

Maya is living in Boston and secretly trying to kicking a Klonopin addiction. But, when she sees a YouTube video of a young woman dropping dead in the presence of a man she used to know, it brings back some memories she would just soon forget.

Maya is a character that is a bit of a conundrum. I liked her but I felt she was a tad bit weird. But, as the story continues to unfold, the reader figures out why. And boy…it makes you think!

This story started strong and then slacked off a bit. Then it had a twist that I sort of guessed, but just didn’t know to what extent it would actually have on Maya. Maya was definitely affected and affected BIG TIME!

I really enjoyed the slow reveal of what actually happened to Maya. This was a twist I will not soon forget!

Need a book which will give you a surprise…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

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

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