Weekly Wrap-Up – November 21, 2015

 

Welcome to my weekly wrap-up! Here is where you can see my books read during the past week, books I have added to my shelves, any bookish happenings and the like. I have linked to Stacking the Shelves, the Saturday Situation, the Saturday Review of Books, Talk of the Town, Bought, Borrowed & Bagged, the Sunday Showcase, Caffeinated Book Reviewer’s Sunday Wrap-Up and Mailbox Monday. So check out what I’ve been up to this past week.

 

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Books Added This Week

From NetGalley

 

Before the Fall by Noah Hawley. I have really developed  a love for psychological thrillers lately, this one sounds great. – On a foggy summer night, eleven people–ten privileged, one down-on-his-luck painter–depart Martha’s Vineyard headed for New York. Sixteen minutes later, the unthinkable happens: the passengers disappear into the ocean. The only survivors are Scott Burroughs–the painter–and a four-year-old boy, who is now the last remaining member of a wealthy and powerful media mogul’s family. Amid pulse-quickening suspense, the fragile relationship between Scott and the young boy glows at the heart of this stunning novel, raising questions of fate, human nature, and the inextricable ties that bind us together.

Seven Ways We Lie by Riley Redgate. Oh, I just love the sound of this one, such an interesting premise. – In Seven Ways We Lie, a chance encounter tangles the lives of seven high school students, each resisting the allure of one of the seven deadly sins, and each telling their story from their seven distinct points of view. Riley Redgate’s twisty YA debut effortlessly weaves humor, heartbreak, and redemption into a drama that fans of Jenny Han and Stephanie Perkins will adore.

Girls On Fire by Robin Wasserman. Dark YA tragedy, ’nuff said. – Hannah Dexter is a nobody, ridiculed at school by golden girl Nikki Drummond and bored at home. But in their junior year of high school, Nikki’s boyfriend walks into the woods and shoots himself. In the wake of the suicide, Hannah finds herself befriending new girl Lacey and soon the pair are inseparable, bonded by their shared hatred of Nikki. Starting – and ending – with tragedy, Girls on Fire stands alongside The Virgin Suicides in its brilliant portrayal of female adolescence, but with a power and assurance all its own.

The Restaurant Critic’s Wife by Elizabeth LaBan. I’ve really been enjoying the Lake Union Publishing women’s fiction offerings lately so I was happy to get this one. – In their new city of Philadelphia, Lila’s husband, Sam, takes his job as a restaurant critic a little too seriously. To protect his professional credibility, he’s determined to remain anonymous. Soon his preoccupation with anonymity takes over their lives as he tries to limit the family’s contact with anyone who might have ties to the foodie world…As Sam becomes more and more fixated on keeping his identity secret, Lila begins to wonder if her own identity has completely disappeared—and what it will take to get it back.

The Witches of Cambridge by Menna van Praag. I like witchy books and this one seems like a good mix of witchcraft and romance.  – Amandine Bisset has always had the power to feel the emotions of those around her. It’s a secret she can share only with her friends—all professors, all witches—when they gather for the Cambridge University Society of Literature and Witchcraft. Amandine treasures these meetings but lately senses the ties among her colleagues beginning to unravel. If only she had her student Noa’s power to hear the innermost thoughts of others, she might know how to patch things up. Unfortunately, Noa regards her gift as a curse. So when a seductive artist claims he can cure her, Noa jumps at the chance, no matter the cost.

Girl Last Seen by by Heather Anastasiu and Anne Greenwood Brown. More teen tragedy drama, yay! – Kadence Mulligan’s star was rising. She and her best friend, Lauren DeSanto, watched their songs go viral on YouTube, then she launched a solo career when a nasty throat infection paralyzed Lauren’s vocal chords. Everyone knows Lauren and Kadence had a major falling-out over Kady’s boyfriend. But Lauren knows how deceptive Kadence could be sometimes. And nobody believes Lauren when she claims she had nothing to do with the disappearance. Or the blood evidence…

From Edelweiss

 

Perfectly Broken by Robert Burke Warren. I like the premise of the rock star stay-at-home dad. – Grant, a middle-aged almost famous rock musician, must reconcile fatherhood, marriage, and unexpected tragedy in this evocative debut novel. His rock star days may be behind him, but stay-at-home dad Grant Kelly’s life is getting more interesting by the day. It’s the beginning of the post 9/11 era, and he and his wife and four-year-old son have traded a New York City apartment for a Catskills farmhouse, where ghosts from the past, worries for the future, and temptations in the present converge to bring about drastic changes in their marriage, their friendships, and their family.

The Last Boy and Girl in the World by Siobhan Vivian. YA end of the world, what’s not to like? – There’s a weird sort of bravery that comes from knowing there’s nothing left to lose. You might do things you normally wouldn’t. Or say things you shouldn’t. The reward almost always outweighs the risk. Almost.

From Amazon

Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. Trisha over at Yellow, Green, and Read All Over recommended this one to me and I’m glad she did. – 16-year-old Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on her favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. Dash, in a bad mood during the holidays, happens to be the first guy to pick up the notebook and rise to its challenges. 

Furiously Happy: A Funny Book About Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson. Grace over at Rebel Mommy Book Blog raved about this one, so I had to pick it up. – In Furiously Happy, #1 New York Times bestselling author Jenny Lawson explores her lifelong battle with mental illness. A hysterical, ridiculous book about crippling depression and anxiety? That sounds like a terrible idea. But terrible ideas are what Jenny does best.

November 9 by Colleen Hoover. I keep seeing this one everywhere and since I have not read anything by Hoover yet, I thought I’d start with this one. – Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day before her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist.

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout – Another one of Trisha’s (Yellow, Green, and Read All Over) recommendations. – When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up. And then he opened his mouth.

Soundless by Richelle Mead – One of my auto buy authors and one of my WoW‘s so I was glad to pick this one up. – For as long as Fei can remember, there has been no sound in her village, where rocky terrain and frequent avalanches prevent residents from self-sustaining. Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom…But soon Fei is awoken in the night by a searing noise, and sound becomes her weapon.

From Author

Mercer Street by John A. Heldt. I read Heldt’s The Mine a few weeks ago and enjoyed it, so I’m glad I have the opportunity to read another of his. – Weeks after her husband dies in the midst of an affair in 2016, Chicago writer Susan Peterson, 48, seeks solace on a California vacation with her mother Elizabeth and daughter Amanda. The novelist, however, finds more than she bargained for when she meets a professor who possesses the secret of time travel. Within days, the women travel to 1938 and Princeton, New Jersey.

The Broken Hearts Book Club by Lynsey James. James is one of my upcoming Author Tuesday participants, so I’m giving her newest book a read in preparation. Lucy Harper has always been good at one thing: running from her past. But when her beloved Nana Lily passes away she has no choice except to return to the one place in the world she most wants to avoid…One way or another, Lucy must finally face the past she left behind – or spend the rest of her life on the run…

From Target

 

Born of Defiance by Sherrilyn Kenyon – Kenyon is another of my auto buy authors so when I saw this one was out in paperback I snapped it up. – Born an Outcast, Talyn Batur has spent the whole of his life fighting against the prejudice of his people. An Andarion without a father is not something anyone wants to be…when old enemies align with new ones, it’s more than just his own life at risk. And more than just his homeworld that will end should he fail,

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Books Read This Week

 

Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

The Broken Hearts Book Club by Lynsey James

From Russia With Fangs by Molly Harper writing as Jacey Conrad and Gia Corona

The Imposter Queen by Sarah Fine

Fake Missed Connections by Brett Fletcher Lauer

Other Broken Things by C. Desir

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Bookish Happenings

My site redesign is done! I have been working slowly over the last month to totally re-do my site. Everything from the template, background, font and color scheme has been changed. I finally have everything set, so please let me know how you like it and if you find any bugs.

 

 

 

Up Next for Author Tuesday – November 24, 2015 – Kirker Butler author of Pretty Ugly. Kirker will be giving away a signed copy of Pretty Ugly!

I’ve teamed up with Christine Danielle over at Bibliophilic Madness for a buddy read of Smart Girl. I’ve never done a buddy read so I’m excited to start it.

I joined a newly formed book club with a Facebook womens group I am a part of. I’m looking forward to helping get it off of the ground.

I finished my 3 Quotes 3 Days Challenge! Day 1,  Day 2 and Day 3.

I have two giveaways going on currently and two more will be starting in the coming week.

2 copies of The Sister Pact — Ends Nov 30th, 2015

•One (1) winner will received a $25 Amazon Gift Card, a copy of Claire Daly: Reluctant Soul Saver, a book mark, a coffee mug, and some other stuff for ‘readers’ from the author (INT) • Three (3) winners will receive a copy of Claire Daly: Reluctant Soul Saver by Michele Brouder (INT) — Ends Dec 4th, 2015

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My Weekly Posts

• [15 Nov] Rooter by Teiran Smith ★★★½
• [16 Nov] The Mine by John A. Heldt ★★★½
• [16 Nov] Top Ten Tuesday – Top Ten Quotes I Loved
• [17 Nov] Author Tuesday Countdown – Kirker Butler author of Pretty Ugly
• [17 Nov] Waiting on Wednesday – Paper and Fire
• [18 Nov] 3 Days, 3 Quotes Challenge: Day 1
• [18 Nov] The Blackmail of Evelynn Faust by Shirley Anne Edwards ★★★
• [19 Nov] 3 Days, 3 Quotes Challenge: Day 2
• [19 Nov] NAKED: Stripped by a Man and Hurricane Katrina by Julie Freed ★★★★
• [20 Nov] 3 Days, 3 Quotes Challenge: Day 3
• [20 Nov] Guest Post – Tegan Wren
• [20 Nov] #FF Feature & Follow Time – Get Your Hop On! 11/20/15
• [21 Nov] Weekly Wrap-Up – November 21, 2015

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So how was your bookish week?

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