To Read, or Not To Read

Thursday, May 30, 2019

0 Sometimes the most reliable person in your life is YOU: Week 6 of @Sync's summer #Audiobook program

Available for a Limited Time

Remember — grab these titles before they are replaced by a new pairing on 6/6/2019! While the title availability is time-limited, your listening time is not. Once you have downloaded the MP3 files, the audiobook is yours to keep and listen to at your leisure.

by Kerry Kletter | Read by Jorjeana Marie
Published by Penguin Random House Audio/Listening Library

Cassie O'Malley has spent the past two and a half years in a mental institution—dumped there by her mother, against her will. Now, at 18, Cassie emancipates herself, determined to start over. She attends college, forms new friendships, and even attempts to start fresh with her mother. But before long, their unhealthy relationship threatens to pull Cassie under once again. As Cassie struggles to reclaim her life, childhood memories persist and confuse, and Cassie must consider whose version of history is real, and more important, whose life she must save.

by Wendelin Van Draanen | Read by Alex McKenna
Published by Penguin Random House Audio/Listening Library

From the award-winning author of The Running Dream and Flipped comes a remarkable portrait of a girl who has hit rock bottom but begins a climb back to herself at a wilderness survival camp.

0 Review: The Royal Secret

The Royal Secret (The Love Letter in the UK)

by Lucinda Riley

Hardcover, 528 pages

Expected publication: May 21st 2019 by Atria Books

9781982121273

Summary

In this suspenseful and heart-pounding novel from New York Times bestselling author Lucinda Riley, an ambitious young journalist unravels a dangerous mystery that threatens to devastate the British monarchy.

My thanks to Atria and NetGalley for providing me with a review copy of the book. It in no way influenced my opinion.

My Thoughts

The Royal Secret (also called The Love Letter in the UK) by Lucinda Riley has had an interesting road to publication. In an Author's Note at the beginning of the book, Riley explains that she began writing The Royal Secret in 1998 under the title Seeing Double. 2000 was not the year for this book. With the "popularity of the monarchy being at an all-time low and the Queen Mother's centenary year," this book didn't see the light of day. A part of me wonders if it was because this book resembled some kind of truth that people in high places wanted to keep under wraps. Although, Riley does point out that this is a pure work of fiction with no similarity between the Queen and her family. Thankfully, 2019 is the year for this book, and as far as I'm aware, the road to publishing has been smoother this time around.

The Royal Secret begins at a slow but steady pace. Joanna Haslam is a reporter trying to catch her big break in the news business. At the last minute she is assigned to cover the legendary actor, Sir James Harrison's, funeral. At the funeral, she sits beside an elderly lady who has some kind of medical fit during the funeral. Joanna helps her home. A few weeks later she receives a mysterious letter in the mail from the little old lady, and from that point on, Joanna's life changes forever. She might have the scoop of a lifetime if she finds out the truth before it's too late.

At over 500 pages, this book seemed a little too long at times. Could it have been because I was impatient for all the pieces to fall into place? Maybe so. For the most part the plot moved along well. Riley had me guessing as to what was really happening. Part historical fiction/part political thriller, The Royal Secret is a book that is hard to put down. And the ending was so good. I didn't see it coming. Lots of twists and turns filled with adventure and romance. If you're looking for a beach read this summer, I highly recommend this book!

FIND LUCINDA RILEY ONLINE:

Website: http://www.lucindariley.com

Twitter: @lucindariley

Facebook: @Lucindarileyauthor

ORDER:

0 The 20th Century's Most Famous Wall: Week 5 of Sync's Free Summer #Audiobook Program

Available for a Limited Time

Remember — grab these titles before they are replaced by a new pairing on 5/30/2019! While the title availability is time-limited, your listening time is not. Once you have downloaded the MP3 files, the audiobook is yours to keep and listen to at your leisure.

by Jennifer A. Nielsen | Read by Kate Simses

Published by Scholastic Audiobooks

With the rise of the Berlin Wall, Gerta finds her family suddenly divided. She, her mother, and her brother Fritz live on the eastern side, controlled by the Soviets. Her father and middle brother, who had gone west in search of work, cannot return home. Gerta knows it is dangerous to watch the wall, yet she can't help herself. She sees the East German soldiers with their guns trained on their own citizens; she, her family, her neighbors and friends are prisoners in their own city. But one day on her way to school, Gerta spots her father on a viewing platform on the western side, pantomiming a peculiar dance. Gerta concludes that her father wants her and Fritz to tunnel beneath the wall, out of East Berlin. However, if they are caught, the consequences will be deadly. No one can be trusted. Will Gerta and her family find their way to freedom?

by Romesh Ratnesar | Read by Wes Bleed

Published by Oasis Audio

On June 12, 1987, Ronald Reagan addressed a crowd of 20,000 people in West Berlin in the shadow of the Berlin Wall. The words he delivered that afternoon would become among the most famous in presidential history. “Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate,” Reagan said. “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” In this riveting and fast-paced audiobook, Romesh Ratnesar provides an account of how Reagan arrived at his defining moment and what followed from it. The audio is based on interviews with numerous former Reagan administration officials and American and German eyewitnesses to the speech, as well as recently declassified State Department documents and East German records of the president’s trip. Ratnesar provides new details about the origins of Reagan’s speech and the debate within the administration about how to issue the fateful challenge to Gorbachev. Tear Down This Wall re-creates the charged atmosphere surrounding Reagan’s visit to Berlin and explores the speech’s role in bringing about the fall of the Berlin Wall less than two years later. At the heart of the story is the relationship between two giants of the late twentieth century: Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev. Departing from the view that Reagan “won” the Cold War, Ratnesar demonstrates that both Reagan and Gorbachev played indispensable roles in bringing about the end of the U.S.-Soviet rivalry. It was the trust that Reagan and Gorbachev built in each other that allowed them finally to overcome the suspicions that had held their predecessors back. Calling on Gorbachev to tear down the wall, in Reagan’s mind, might actually encourage him to do it. Reagan’s speech in Berlin was more than a good sound bite. Twenty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, we can now see the speech as the event that marked the beginning of the end of the Cold War.

0 Review: The Jane Austen Diet

The Jane Austen Diet: Austen's Secrets to Food, Health, and Incandescent Happiness

by Jane Austen, Bryan Kozlowski

Hardcover, 304 pages

Published March 19th 2019 by Turner

9781684422111

My thanks to NetGalley and Turner Publishing for granting me a review copy of this book. I have not been compensated for this review. All opinions are my own.

Summary

With a multimillion-fan base, Austen is already a "lifestyle" celebrity: imitating her ideas on love and romance lie at the heart of her fabulous fame. In his newest literary romp author, Bryan Kozlowski offers a new twist on the Austen way of romancing life. The Jane Austen Diet, is the first retrospective look at the healthiest characters in classic literature and what they can teach us today.

My Thoughts

There are two things I want to get out of the way first. 1. Jane Austen did not co-author this book. While the author uses many excerpts and examples from her work, unless she rose from the dead, it is quite impossible for her to contribute to this book. 2. While I enjoyed reading this book, there is nothing groundbreaking as far as diets are concerned.

So what did Jane Austen know about dieting? Did she have secrets to staying healthy? Bryan Kozlowski gives readers an insight to the eating habits during the late 1700's/early 1800's. Did Austen's characters reflect her personal views on food and activity? Did she--gasp--eat carbs? Kozlowski uses excerpts from Austen's novels to make his argument. He covers everything from what they ate and when to happiness and nature.

I was fascinated by the research that went into this book. It helped me understand Austen and her books all the better. As I stated before, I didn't find anything groundbreaking in this book, but Austen's way of dieting is not a bad thing either. Who wouldn't want to take walks like Elizabeth Bennett? No cardio workouts here. Kozlowski also includes some Regency recipes, which I'm dying to try.

The Jane Austen Diet: Austen's Secrets to Food, Health, and Incandescent Happiness is not a bad way to go as far as diets are concerned. After all, who wouldn't want to live the Austen way?

0 Natural or man-made disasters can change what "home" means forever: Sync Week 4

Available for a Limited Time

Remember — grab these titles before they are replaced by a new pairing on 5/23/2019! While the title availability is time-limited, your listening time is not. Once you have downloaded the MP3 files, the audiobook is yours to keep and listen to at your leisure.

by Leigh Fondakowski | Read by Elisa Bocanegra, Gilbert Glenn Brown, Nicholas Hormann, Travis Johns, Jane Kaczmarek, James Morrison, Darren Richardson, Kate Steele, Mark Jude Sullivan

Published by L.A. Theatre Works

In April of 2010, British Petroleum gave orders to speed up production on its colossal drilling rig, the Deepwater Horizon. Despite the objections of many on the rig, safety measures were ignored or overlooked. On April 20th, the Deepwater Horizon exploded. Eleven men paid the ultimate price and countless thousands who call the Gulf Coast home found their lives irrevocably altered. Includes a conversation with Jim Morris, Managing Editor for the Environment and Worker Safety for the Center for Public Integrity. Spill is part of our Relativity Series, presented with major funding from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, bridging science and the arts in the modern world. Directed by Martin Jarvis. An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast recording, starring: Elisa Bocanegra as Arleen Weise, Andrea Fleytas Gilbert Glenn Brown as Obama, Jorey Danos, Christopher Pleasant Nicholas Hormann as Bob Bea, Pat O'Bryan, Gary Bartholemy, Wyman Wheeler Travis Johns as Keith Jones, Steve Bertone, Jonathan Henderson Jane Kaczmarek as Narrator, Lillian Miller James Morrison as Bill Anderson, Randy Ezell, Billy Nungesser Darren Richardson as Tony Hayward, Jimmy Harrell, Gordon Jones, Don Vidrine Kate Steele as Shelley Anderson, Jolene Danos Mark Jude Sullivan as Jason Anderson, Mike Williams Production Manager, Nikki Hyde. Music Supervisor, Ronn Lipkin. Associate Artistic Director, Anna Lyse Erikson. Editor, Julian Nicholson. Recording Engineer, Sound Designer and Mixer, Mark Holden for The Invisible Studios, West Hollywood. Recorded live in performance at UCLA’s James Bridges Theater in May 2018.

by McCall Hoyle | Read by Morgan Fairbanks

Published by Blink

From award-winning author McCall Hoyle comes a new young adult novel, Meet the Sky, a story of love, letting go, and the unstoppable power of nature. It all started with the accident. The one that caused Sophie’s dad to walk out of her life. The one that left Sophie’s older sister, Meredith, barely able to walk at all. With nothing but pain in her past, all Sophie wants is to plan for the future—keep the family business running, get accepted to veterinary school, and protect her mom and sister from another disaster. But when a hurricane forms off the coast of North Carolina’s Outer Banks and heads right toward their island, Sophie realizes nature is one thing she can’t control. After she gets separated from her family during the evacuation, Sophie finds herself trapped on the island with the last person she’d have chosen—the reckless and wild Finn Sanders, who broke her heart freshman year. As they struggle to find safety, Sophie learns that Finn has suffered his own heartbreak; but instead of playing it safe, Finn’s become the kind of guy who goes surfing in the eye of the hurricane. He may be the perfect person to remind Sophie how to embrace life again, but only if their newfound friendship can survive the storm.

2 A Murderous Malady by Christine Trent Excerpt and Giveaway

A Murderous Malady by Christine Trent

Publication Date: May 7, 2019

Crooked Lane Books

Hardcover & eBook; 336 Pages

Genre: Historical Mystery

For fans of Charles Todd and Deanna Raybourn comes Christine Trent’s second Florence Nightingale mystery.

Cholera has broken out in London, but Florence Nightingale has bigger problems when people begin dying of a far more intentional cause—murder.

The London summer of 1854 is drawing to a close when a deadly outbreak of cholera grips the city. Florence Nightingale is back on the scene marshaling her nurses to help treat countless suffering patients at Middlesex Hospital as the disease tears through the Soho slums. But beyond the dangers of the disease, something even more evil is seeping through the ailing streets of London.

It begins with an attack on the carriage of Florence’s friend, Elizabeth Herbert, wife to Secretary at War Sidney Herbert. Florence survives, but her coachman does not. Within hours, Sidney’s valet stumbles into the hospital, mutters a few cryptic words about the attack, and promptly dies from cholera. Frantic that an assassin is stalking his wife, Sidney enlists Florence’s help, who accepts but has little to go on save for the valet’s last words and a curious set of dice in his jacket pocket. Soon, the suspects are piling up faster than cholera victims, as there seems to be no end to the number of people who bear a grudge against the Herbert household.

Now, Florence is in a race against time—not only to save the victims of a lethal disease, but to foil a murderer with a disturbingly sinister goal—in A Murderous Malady.

Excerpt

The rain had stopped but the heat had not, leaving the city in a state of oppressive clamminess. The taxi dropped me off at the Belgrave Square cab stand. As I walked down the block toward the Herbert residence, I noticed there was a quality, highly polished landau sitting about a block beyond Herbert House. It stood out to me because the carriage’s coachman was sitting on the driver’s box, as if waiting for his passengers, yet there was a glamorous woman sitting in the carriage, patiently watching the house.

The carriage was neither pulled completely off to one side of Grosvenor Crescent nor attempting to pull into traffic.

I found myself slowing my own pace. Was I mistaken to think that the woman was observing my friends’ home?

It was then that the woman raised a pair of opera glasses to her eyes, pointing them directly at an upper window of the Herbert home.

I was outraged that someone thought she could spy on the secretary at war in such a brazen manner. I picked up my walking pace, intent on confronting the woman, especially when I considered that this might be the infamous Caroline Norton.

I neared the landau, not bothering to hide or be discreet, for I wished to catch this spy off guard. “Pardon me,” I said loudly, feeling disadvantaged for being so far below her.

The woman yelped in surprised and, keeping the glasses raised to her face, lowered them briefly to peer down at me.

“Sorry, ma’am,” her coachman said to his passenger, having also just taken note of me. “I didn’t see her.” Now he addressed me. “Madam, if I could ask you to move—”

“Who are you?” I demanded angrily, ignoring the man and not taking my eyes from the woman’s face, which was once again masked by the pearl-handled glasses.

With long, tapered fingers, she slowly lowered the glasses to her lap. An unusual, tight-fitting gold bracelet adorned her wrist.

I now stared up at a woman who was quite beautiful, with flawless skin, dewy sapphire eyes, and an erect, almost noble, bearing. Her dark hair was carefully sculpted beneath a large, feather-trimmed, sky-blue hat, which showcased her luminous eyes. She seemed neither flustered nor dismayed by the heat.

Yet, on closer inspection, I could see that despite her exquisiteness, she was clearly older than me and had pale shadows beneath those eyes. She reminded me of a rose discovered on a vine late in the season: so very beautiful compared to the withered-up blooms around it, but a little desiccated when plucked and viewed in one’s palm.

The woman blinked twice languidly. “I believe the appropriate question is who you are, madam,” she said, without the least hint of offense at my presence.

“I am Florence Nightingale, a friend of the Herberts. You appear to be studying their home.”

She smiled, those rosebud lips parting to show perfectly even white teeth. “You are mistaken. I am not studying their home, only their occupants. I don’t recall Sidney mentioning you.”

“But I have heard of you,” I said flatly. “I presume you are Caroline Norton.”

She tilted her head to one side. Naturally, she had a swanlike neck with not even a freckle interrupting its graceful line. “Does he speak of me?” Despite her languorous tone, I sensed an eagerness to her question.

“Only in a manner that makes me concerned for his good health and happiness. What do you wish to achieve, Mrs. Norton, perched out here like a peregrine falcon, waiting for your unsuspecting prey?”

Caroline was quiet for several moments, but even from the ground looking up, I could see her mind whirling behind her gaze. “It is impossible for me to wait, Miss Nightingale,” she said cryptically.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound

About the Author

Christine Trent is the author of the Florence Nightingale Mysteries, the Lady of Ashes historical mystery series, about a Victorian-era undertaker, and three other historical novels. Christine’s novels have been translated into Turkish, Polish, and Czech. She writes from her two-story home library, where she lives with her husband, four precocious cats, a large doll collection, entirely too many fountain pens, and over 4,000 catalogued books.

Learn more about Christine at www.christinetrent.com. You can also follow her on Facebook and Goodreads.

Giveaway

Thanks to the author, we have a signed hardcover to give away to a lucky reader. To enter, please leave a comment below and include your email address or an alternate way to reach out if you win.

Giveaway is open to US addresses only. Giveaway ends on May 21.

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, May 6

Interview at Let Them Read Books

Review & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, May 7

Review at Peppermint Ph.D.

Wednesday, May 8

Review at Proverbial Reads

Review at Impressions In Ink

Excerpt & Giveaway at Old Timey Books

Thursday, May 9

Guest Post at Short Book and Scribes

Friday, May 10

Review at Broken Teepee

Feature at The Book Junkie Reads

Review & Excerpt at Clarissa Reads it All

Saturday, May 11

Review at Donna's Book Blog

Sunday, May 12

Review at A Bookish Affair

Monday, May 13

Review at A Chick Who Reads

Feature & Giveaway at Queen of Random

Interview at Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots

Tuesday, May 14

Excerpt & Giveaway at To Read, Or Not to Read

Wednesday, May 15

Review at Historical Fiction with Spirit

Excerpt & Giveaway at Kimber Li's Blog

Thursday, May 16

Feature at CelticLady's Reviews

Review at History from a Woman’s Perspective

Friday, May 17

Review at The Lit Bitch

Saturday, May 18

Review at Just One More Chapter

Sunday, May 19

Review, Q&A, and Giveaway at Maiden of the Pages

Monday, May 20

Giveaway at Coffee and Ink

Review & Excerpt at Jathan & Heather

0 What do you do when ancient myths invade the here and now? Week 3 of Sync's summer of free audiobooks for teens

Available for a Limited Time

Remember — grab these titles before they are replaced by a new pairing on 5/16/2019! While the title availability is time-limited, your listening time is not. Once you have downloaded the MP3 files, the audiobook is yours to keep and listen to at your leisure.

Downloading Tips

Get the OverDrive App to access free SYNC audiobooks. The app is available for every major desktop and mobile platform.

by F.C. Yee | Read by Nancy Wu

Published by Recorded Books

The struggle to get into a top-tier college consumes sixteen-year-old Genie's every waking thought. But when she discovers she's a celestial spirit who's powerful enough to bash through the gates of heaven with her fists, her perfectionist existence is shattered. Enter Quentin, a transfer student from China whose tone-deaf assertiveness beguiles Genie to the brink of madness. Quentin nurtures Genie's outrageous transformation-sometimes gently, sometimes aggressively-as her sleepy suburb in the Bay Area comes under siege from hell-spawn. This epic YA debut draws from Chinese folklore, features a larger-than-life heroine, and perfectly balances the realities of Genie's grounded high school life with the absurd supernatural world she finds herself commanding.

by Julie Kagawa | Read by Joy Osmanski, Brian Nishii, Emily Woo Zeller

Published by HarperAudio

One thousand years ago, the great Kami Dragon was summoned to grant a single terrible wish—and the land of Iwagoto was plunged into an age of darkness and chaos. Now, for whoever holds the Scroll of a Thousand Prayers, a new wish will be granted. A new age is about to dawn.

2 The Strongman and the Mermaid by Kathleen Shoop Excerpt and Giveaway #TheStrongmanandtheMermaid #KathleenShoop #HFVBTBlogTours

The Strongman and the Mermaid by Kathleen Shoop

Publication Date: February 28, 2019

eBook & Paperback; 573 Pages

Series: The Donora Story Collection (Book 2)

Genre: Historical Fiction/Saga

Myscowa, Poland—1910
Once upon a time in tiny, rural Myscowa, Lukasz Musial competes in feats of strength against his lifelong nemesis to win passage to America. He leaves behind grinding poverty and despair, to seek the clear blue skies, and better life he sees on a postcard. Settled in Donora’s Polish community, Lukasz secures a coveted job in the wire mill, and is matched to marry Donora’s very own Polish princess. Life is set on course. The American Dream is nearly his.

Donora, Pennsylvania—1910
Mary Lancos is no princess. A tall, athletic girl who loves the water, she spends her days keeping house for families in town, digging coal out of a backyard seam and rowing her father across the Monongahela River for work. Mary is dependable, tenacious, and always ready to help when someone needs her. She dreams of a gas-heated home, a bedroom for each of her future children, and good meals on the table each night. To help make that happen Mary attends local dances, waiting for the few men who are taller than her to ask her to dance, hoping one of them is right for her.

An unexpected Christmas Eve visitor brings bad luck, and Lukasz’s world crumbles. Meanwhile, tension grows at the Lancos home when money is short and Mary’s dreams clash with her parents’ old world expectations. Just when Mary and Lukasz are at their lowest, they find themselves under an odd pink moonlit sky and Lukasz rescues Mary from a fall into frigid river water. The attraction between them is sudden and consuming, turning the pair onto an unexpected path. With mounting disapproval from Mary’s parents, and increased pressure on Lukasz, they must decide if love is enough to risk losing everything else that matters.

Available on Amazon