SPOTLIGHT: Books on my Wishlist

There are always books I want to read, but can't always review in a timely manner. This summer there were two books I really wanted read, but just couldn't accept review copies (but they are both on my wishlist!) I've been following other bloggers out there and they are giving very positive reviews for both books. 

I thought it would be fun to spotlight some books that we would love to get our hands on!

THE SILENT WIFE A Novel

A. S. A. HARRISON

A psychotherapist with a small private practice, Jodi likes things orderly and predictable, mapped out well in advance. Jodi's husband Todd, a thriving entrepreneur, is intuitive, spontaneous, and fond of taking risks. Their home, a sumptuous waterfront condo on North Westshore Drive in Chicago, has spacious rooms, plush carpets, and an unimpeded view of the lake stretching to the horizon. Jodi takes pleasure in the tranquil routines of her life: walking the dog by the water, seeing her few, carefully selected clients, practicing her culinary skills, and enjoying a martini with Todd when he gets home from work. Todd's success in business makes their comfortable life possible, and for this Jodi is willing to overlook his occasional indiscretions. She is good at keeping silent and giving him space, makes a habit of turning a blind eye … until the day comes when he goes too far.

Jodi loves her life, and she's willing to kill for it.

THE SILENT WIFE is a finely wrought, emotionally charged psychological thriller about a marriage in the throes of dissolution, a couple headed for catastrophe, concessions that can't be made, and promises that won't be kept.


Elizabeth George (Believing the Lie): "A.S.A. Harrison knocks it out of the park with her first novel The Silent Wife. With a spare, elegant, and deft hand, she paints two dueling psychological portraits of longtime live-in lovers who become putative killer and hapless victim in a tale that no one is likely to forget any time soon. I couldn't put this book down."

Sophie Hannah (Kind of Cruel): “SUPERB… As a novel about the dark side of marriage and relationships, it's better than Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl. A must read for anyone who is occasionally ruthless, reckless or psychologically weird - and anyone who loves clever books with depth and heart.”

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The Never List

by Koethi Zan

For years, best friends Sarah and Jennifer kept what they called the Never List:  a list of actions to be avoided, for safety. But one night, against their best instincts, they accept a cab ride with grave, everlasting consequences. For the next three years, they are held captive with two other girls in a dungeon-like cellar by a connoisseur of sadism. Ten years later, at thirty-one, Sarah is still struggling to resume a normal life, living as a virtual recluse under a new name, unable to come to grips with the fact that Jennifer didn't make it out of that cellar. Now, her abductor is up for parole and Sarah can no longer ignore the twisted letters he sends from jail. Finally, Sarah decides to confront her phobias and the other survivors—who hold their own deep grudges against her. When she goes on a cross-country chase that takes her into the dark world of BDSM, secret cults, and the arcane study of torture, she begins unraveling a mystery more horrifying than even she could have imagined.  Sarah must ultimately move through her own terror to protect and preserve herself—and others.


“This is one scary throat-grabber, about two best friends who make one stupid decision and pay for it for the rest of their lives. As twisted and terrifying as any novel in years.”
—Parade

“This fast-paced, disturbing thriller boasts a chilling premise as well as a layered first-person narrative full of shocking twists and turns.”
—Library Journal

“Zan's first novel is a haunting depiction of the emotional scars left on women held in captivity.” 
—Kirkus Reviews

“Zan's debut novel is shocking and disturbing. The intense psychological thriller combines a horrifying plot, well-developed characters, thought-provoking psychoanalysis and some great phrasing. Read it if you dare.”
—RT Reviews, 4 ½ stars: Top Pick

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Tell me what's on your summer wishlist?

Emma's Secret by Steena Holmes

Reviewed by Charlotte Lynn

Emma has been returned to her parents, Megan and Peter, and her two older sisters, Hannah and Alexis after being kidnapped two years ago.   The family is struggling with her return.   They are trying to be a family again but each person is fighting their own fears.   Megan takes on the blame of Emma's kidnapping and fears it will happen again.    Peter fights his fear that his wife's anger will tear their family apart.   The two sisters fight to find their places in this family.  One ignoring Emma and one protecting Emma.

I did not read Finding Emma, the book telling the story of he kidnapping, but do not feel that I lost anything  in this book.   I felt Megan's fear and understood her anger.  She had a hard time by having Emma in her sight at all times and by doing this did not give her other family enough attention.  When she figured out that she had to stay focused to find Emma and now that she is back she had to learn to do more planning ahead I could see the ah ha moment happening.  I felt that was a turning point in her life and the life of her family.   Although there were other moments in the book I would consider ah ha moments I felt this was a big one for her.

Peter was an interesting character.  The fact that he never really lied to Megan but did not tell her some very important things that she deserved to know did not endear him to me.  I got it...I understood why he felt he could not confide in Megan but all he managed to do was push her farther away and cause more issues in their family.    His patience with Emma was monumental in his relationship with her.   I feel like he understood her better than anyone else.  He understood her struggles with coming back to the family even though she was loved and adored by the couple that kidnapped her.   I was happy that Emma had his calmness in her life.

This is a novel that will tug at our heart and make you wonder how you would handle this horrible situation.    I pray that I will never have to find out but enjoyed reading Megan and Emma's story.

Purchase Emma's Secret by Steena Holmes

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The books we review on this site (A NOVEL REVIEW) are sent to us by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. This is a very common practice.  We never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are our own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

The 5W's of Lori Spielman + Giveaway

WHO? Who are you besides a writer?  
I’m a wife, a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a step-mother, an Amma (step-grandmother), a friend, a speech pathologist, a guidance counselor, a sailor, a runner, a teacher, and someone who loves to laugh.


WHAT? What do you enjoy doing other than writing in your spare time? 
I love sailing, walking, reading and baking. But I have to say, my favorite activity is sitting around a table with cold drinks and good food, laughing and chatting with friends or family.


WHEN? When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I remember a job interview when I was about 22 years old. The interviewer asked me to tell him my wildest fantasy. (I know, can you believe it? Sooo inappropriate and creepy!) I probably disappointed him when I revealed that my wildest fantasy would be to live on the ocean and write a novel. It was the first time I’d ever articulated my writing fantasy. But that’s all it was then: a fantasy. Since childhood, I’d always loved telling and writing stories, but I never imagined I’d be a “real” writer. As I was nearing 40, I began writing a YA novel, and loved it so much I had to tear myself away from the computer each night. That’s when I re-discovered my passion for writing and started taking it seriously.


WHERE? Where do you write?
I have a cozy office where I keep my laptop, but more often than not I take it to our sunroom or family room. I did a fair amount of the rewriting of The Life List on our sailboat, which was fabulous. The final revisions were done while my husband and I were on sabbatical in Washington, New Orleans, and Chicago.


WHY? Why do you write?
I realized at an early age that I could express my feelings much better in writing than by verbalizing. So, I write to express myself, to entertain, to fulfill a need to create, to escape, to explore a little deeper, and to connect with others.

Thank-you so much for sharing your 5w's with us, Lori! I have to admit that was a creepy interview question, lol, but that would so be my exact answer too!

If you are like me, you've been reading some amazing reviews of Lori's debut book THE LIFE LIST! I am so excited to offer a giveaway copy to one US resident! Here is a little bit about her book:

THE LIFE LIST by Lori Spielman

(GoodReads) In this utterly charming debut — one woman sets out to complete her old list of childhood goals, and finds that her lifelong dreams lead her down a path she never expects.

1. Go to Paris

2. Perform live, on a super big stage

3. Have a baby, maybe two

4. Fall in love 

Brett Bohlinger has forgotten all about the list of life goals she’d written as a naïve teenager. In fact, at thirty-four, Brett seems to have it all—a plum job at her family’s multimillion-dollar company and a spacious loft with her irresistibly handsome boyfriend. But when her beloved mother, Elizabeth, passes away, Brett’s world is turned upside down. Rather than simply naming her daughter the new CEO of Bohlinger Cosmetics, Elizabeth’s will comes with one big stipulation: Brett must fulfill the list of childhood dreams she made so long ago. 

Grief-stricken, Brett can barely make sense of her mother’s decision. Some of her old hopes seem impossible. How can she possibly have a relationship with a father who died seven years ago? Other dreams (Be an awesome teacher!) would require her to reinvent her entire future. For each goal attempted, her mother has left behind a bittersweet letter, offering words of wisdom, warmth, and—just when Brett needs it—tough love. 

As Brett struggles to complete her abandoned life list, one thing becomes clear: Sometimes life’s sweetest gifts can be found in the most unexpected places.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Outcast by Jolina Petersheim

The Outcast by Jolina Petersheim has a modern day twist to a the classic THE SCARLET LETTER. (GoodReads) Raised in an Old Order Mennonite community, Rachel Stoltzfus is a strong-willed single woman, content living apart from mainstream society until whispers stir the moment her belly swells with new life. Refusing to repent and name the partner in her sin, Rachel feels the wrath of the religious sect as she is shunned by those she loves most. She is eventually coerced into leaving by her brother-in-law, the bishop.
But secrets run deep in this cloistered community, and the bishop is hiding some of his own, threatening his conscience and his very soul. When the life of Rachel’s baby is at stake, however, choices must be made that will bring the darkness to light, forever changing the lives of those who call Copper Creek home.

The story begins midpoint. Rachel has already given birth to her child, and is already feeling the scorn of her Mennonite community. Her parents are not there with her, she had come to TN to help her twin sister while she was on bedrest. From the their beginning you realize the scorn her brother-in-law, Tobias King feels for her--how desperately he wants her out of his home. The first chance he gets he sends her on her way, separating her from her twin. Rachel begins to make a new life for her and her son, but soon finds herself needing those she has left behind. Is there a way to help her? Will Tobias allow her sister, Leah to help?

THE OUTCAST is a story that gets better and better with each page. Told in alternating voice of Rachel and the 'all seeing all knowing' Amos (Tobias' father who has recently passed away). When I first started reading the story, I felt like how is this a modern day retelling when the backdrop of the story is a Mennonite community? The way Petersheim weaves the two worlds together really really surprised me. When I was reading I felt a sense of how it would be for them to move in between their two world. I felt such compassion for Rachel and her sister, and I found myself surprised near the ending feeling compassion for Tobias. I loved all of the characters, I couldn't get enough of this book. I didn't want to put it down, I didn't want it to end.

You are going to love this book. Be ready to enter an amazing new world, but make sure you have a box of kleenex for this journey.  I am highly recommending THE OUTCAST! Pssst and I'm looking forward to learning more about Petersheim's next book!

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Buy your copy of The Outcast by Jolina Petersheim

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I came across this giveaway for The Outcast over on goodreads, so I wanted to share!

GoodReads Giveaway!

Love and Other Subjects by Kathleen Shoop

Reviewed by Charlotte

 Carolyn Jenkins wants only to find true love and be a great teacher.  She struggles with both.  Carolyn teaches at a school where guns and violence occur often and the students struggle in every subject.    But she refuses to give-up on her students and goes above and beyond to help them learn.  Carolyn’s love life seems to take off when she meets Jeep (yes, his real name), but of course it can’t be easy.   When Carolyn meet.

Jeep’s six sisters, all named Mary, the relationship heads towards failure.

I started this book just after the school shooting in Connecticut and was not sure I could finish it.  The first chapter has a young boy pulling a gun on a fellow classmate.  I then decided I would read a little bit farther to see where it would head hoping for the best.  I finished it and am so glad that I stuck with it.

This is a romance story, but more of a story of a new teacher who goes above and beyond to let her students succeed without forcing them to give up who they are.   Every student she has in her classroom has an issue.  The issues go from parents who have drug problems to not being able to read.  With every issue Carolyn’s strong will and strength shine through.  I also enjoyed seeing Carolyn learn to relate and understand the students better after she visits every students house.

Of course, there is Carolyn and Jeep’s romance.  I wasn’t sure at first if this would be a relationship or a one night stand.  When it turned into a true relationship I was thrilled.   I was also glad when she kicked him to the curb when his psychotic sisters made fun of her and he sided with them not sticking up for her.  The ending was the best. LOVED IT!

I highly recommend Love and Other Subjects.  It is easy, fun, witty, and eye opening to some of the everyday problems teachers have to deal with.

Buy Love and Other Subjects by Kathleen Shoop

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The books we review on this site (A NOVEL REVIEW) are sent to us by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. This is a very common practice.  We never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are our own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

The Wishing Tree by Marybeth Whalen

Reviewed by Charlotte Lynn

Ivy Copeland Marshall finds out that he husband, Elliott, is cheating on her.   She runs back to her estranged mom and sister at their family beach house.    Her sister,Shea, is planning her wedding that is happening very quickly since it is being televised.    In Ivy's return to Sunset Beach, North Carolina Ivy comes face to face with her ex-fiancée, Michael.    Some feelings are rekindles and need to be dealt with.

In order to win Ivy back Elliott takes to twitter and posts his apologizes, posts about their past, posts hopes for their future.   All to win her back.

As Ivy works on the family tradition of the wishing tree for Shea's wedding she reads the wishes for the happy couple and realizes that her plans for the future may be different than what she originally planned.

Before reading The Wishing Tree I had never heard of this tradition.   After reading I would have loved to have it at my wedding.    What a great tradition.   A great way for the guests at your wedding to share their advice and wishes for the happy couple.

Ivy is a real character.   In that I mean she lives a real life.   A life that she thought was going exactly as she planned and then gets thrown so far off the track she doesn't know which end is up.   I felt horrible for her when she found out her husband was cheating on her and applauded her going home to work on her feelings and not just brushing it aside and taking him back.    But when she got home I was really scared that all her doubts would get the best of her and she would throw the love of her life away.   Her family all supported her but yet gave her the space and time to make her own decisions without pressuring her.  I was amazed by how strong Ivy is.  She dealt with a cheating husband, an ex-fiancée, a family that she was estranged with, and yet still managed to get it all back in order and have the wedding go off perfectly.

Marybeth Whalen wrote an amazing story of a woman faith and love.   It was a story of a woman's journey of forgiveness, her own and those she cares about.   I had tears.  I laughed.   And I read, not being able to stop.    This is the perfect summer book.

Purchase The Wishing Tree by Marybeth Whalen

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The books we review on this site (A NOVEL REVIEW) are sent to us by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. This is a very common practice.  We never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are our own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

Call Me Zelda by Erika Robuck

Reviewed by Laura Kay

The arrival of the famous Zelda Fitzgerald to a Baltimore Psychiatric hospital forever changes the life of her nurse, Anna Howard. Anna has a past all boxed up in her bedroom closet where she'd like to keep it. Her work and weekend trips to her parents are her life, until Zelda walks in. 

Zelda is sometimes perfectly normal, but things turn so quickly.She seems to be trying to separate her identity from her famous husband, F. Scott Fitzgerald --she is literally trying to write her own story. The longer Zelda is in the hospital the more drawn to the Fitzgerald's Anna becomes. Her friendship with Zelda begins to change who Anna is in ways Anna never expected!

I honestly knew little to nothing about Zelda Fitzgerald before reading CALL ME ZELDA. I really enjoyed Robuck's use of a fictitious nurse to tell a behind the scenes fictional account based around what we can learn about the couple. I, myself was fascinated with the Fitzgerarld's turbulent relationship, they ran hot, they ran cold--their's was a crazy love story. I was always left wondering what the real story between them was. 

I was immediately drawn to Anna or her story, but the more drawn into their life she became...the more she seemed to come alive. It was like their overabundance of energy and life fueled her. Her friendship with Zelda opened Anna up. Just as soon as I found myself enjoying Anna's story, I wanted to pull her back before---and wow what an ending! 

As soon as I put the book down, I jumped on to google to look up pictures of Zelda and to learn more about her. I wanted more Zelda! I was captivated by the store and with Robuck's beautiful writing. I am highly recommending CALL ME ZELDA!

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The books we review on this site (A NOVEL REVIEW) are sent to us by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. This is a very common practice.  We never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are our own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert -- Official Book Trailer

Exciting news I wanted to share!  #1New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Gilbert has released a book trailer to THE SIGNATURE OF ALL THINGS, her first novel in over 12 years.

THE SIGNATURE OF ALL THINGS

By Elizabeth Gilbert

Viking; On-sale October 1, 2013

As Alma's careful studies of moss take her deeper into the mysteries of evolution, the man she comes to love, a mysterious painter of orchids named Ambrose Pike, draws her into the opposite direction – into the realm of the spiritual, the divine, and the magical.  Alma is a clear-minded scientist of dogged perseverance, Ambrose a utopian artist who longs for purity and communion.  But what unites this couple is a shared passion for knowing – a desperate need to understand the workings of this world and the mechanisms behind all of life.  She is a witness to history, as well as a maker of history herself.  She stands on the cusp of the modern, with one foot still in the Enlightenment Age.

The Widow Waltz by Sally Koslow

Reviewed by Laura Kay

Georgia Waltz has a comfy life. A fabulous apartment over looking Central park, great daughters, jewels, art and most importantly she is still madly in love with her husband, Ben. But when Ben suddenly dies everything about Georgia's life begins to unravel. After a visit with the family attorney, Georgia and her daughters find out the money--the money is gone and that isn't all Ben was hiding from his family. 

Daughters, Nicola and Louisa (Luey) are no longer sure of what their futures will look like as their whole way of life is suddenly gone plus one of them has a secret! The three women must pull together to make the best of the situation, each finding inner strength. 

I really felt for Georgia. She has just lost her husband and then her whole world begins falling apart. Not only is there no money, but it doesn't make sense why there isn't any money. It just wasn't like Ben. So not only is she dealing with grief, but she is no longer sure what to think of her husband anymore. 

This is a story about finding your stronger self, the self you didn't know you even had. This isn't a high drama page turner, it is a very well written story about characters filled with love, pain and discovery. I know I really connected with Georgia on multiple levels, I could see myself and this made the story more real. I even connected with the girls as they grieved their father.

Don't miss this inspiring, witty and very touching story of THE WIDOW WALTZ. 

The Widow Waltz by Sally Koslow

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The Widow Waltz by Sally Koslow

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The books we review on this site (A NOVEL REVIEW) are sent to us by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. This is a very common practice.  We never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are our own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley

Reviewed by Charlotte Lynn

The Firebird by Susanna Kearlsey is the July She Reads online book club book of the month.   

Nicola and Rob have a special gift.  The gift of being a psychic.  When Nicola touches an object she can get a glimpse of its past.   Rob’s gift is more powerful.  He can see the past without any physical connection.  Together they follow a young girl, Anna, through her life from Scotland to Belgium and onto Russia to find the answers of The Firebird.

This novel has it all.  Supernatural, history, and romance.  Never have I read a book that wove it all together so seamlessly.  The jump from the past to the present happens so easily that it appears as one continuous story, but truthfully you are getting two stories in one amazing novel.

Story one is Nicola and Rob.  Nicola works to improve her psychic abilities and accept that she is different.  Rob tries to force Nicola to embrace her differences and learn to do more with her abilities.  On top of all this psychic stuff there is the undeniable attraction between them.  The sparks flew but they both knew they had to tread carefully.

Story two is the story of The Firebird and Anna.  Anna’s story happens during a turbulent time.  A time of spies, kings, counts, and empresses.  The secrets of her past that she had to keep secret made my head spin.   I cannot imagine as a young girl having to live a life of lies like she did and not get tripped up often.  As Anna grew up she became a strong independent outspoken woman.  I was intrigued by Anna and the world she lives in.

The Firebird has rich details and is easy to read and enjoy.  This is not a steamy romance but had enough that I was left with a warm cozy feeling.  I very much enjoyed this historical romance fiction novel and will recommend it to all.  

Purchase The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley

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The books we review on this site (A NOVEL REVIEW) are sent to us by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. This is a very common practice.  We never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are our own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.