The Last Summer at Chelsea Beach by Pam Jenoff

Summer 1941  


Young Adelia Monteforte flees fascist Italy for America, where she is whisked away to the shore by her well-meaning aunt and uncle. Here, she meets and falls for Charlie Connally, the eldest of the four Irish-Catholic boys next door. But all hopes for a future together are soon throttled by the war and a tragedy that hits much closer to home.

Grief-stricken, Addie flees—first to Washington and then to war-torn London—and finds a position at a prestigious newspaper, as well as a chance to redeem lost time, lost family…and lost love. But the past always nips at her heels, demanding to be reckoned with. And in a final, fateful choice, Addie discovers that the way home may be a path she never suspected.


My thoughts...well I loved it. Adelia "Addie" has come to America to live with her Aunt and Uncle. Her parents are still in Italy, but they send her over to protect her. Addie is taken to her Aunt and Uncle's beach house where she meets the Connally family. Four Irish Catholic boys. Over the years she becomes like a daughter/sister to the Connally family even with people looking at them because they are different. It makes no difference. Then Pearl Harbor. The eldest Connally boy, Charlie wants nothing more than to fight. Promises are made. The family is afraid of what war would mean especially with all the boys, but it is an unexpected accident that throws the future of the entire family into a tail spin. Addie runs. She runs to Washington and later to London not wanting to deal with her own grief.

Addie wasn't a character I really took too right off. She seemed always a bit of a misfit. As she slowly evolved into part of the Connally family, the more I took to her. When the unexpected accident occurs (sorry not going to ruin the book by telling you!) My heart breaks for Addie. Once again she is left alone--the little girl sent off on a boat without her parents. Addie doesn't sit around feeling sorry for herself, but takes off to Washington. When her past shows up, she takes off in order to protect her heart. She runs of to London and a possible new future. Ok I would LOVE to start giving some major story details, but I will refrain.

Basically, the story is a hit and miss love story. There is a war. There is devastation. Addie is trying desperately to help someone in a way she couldn't help someone she lost. All through the book I kept wondering if the two loves would find there way back to each other. Would she choose the new man who loves her and is desperate to help her? I got half way through this book and then couldn't put it down. What would happen? I sat reading thinking of course true love, young love wins...but then you see a love that is more devoted to her, more adult...is that enough? I won't tell you what happens, but I will tell you I was not prepared for how all things would end. It has a perfect and unexpected ending that I was personally thrilled with. A MUST READ!

Buy The Last Summer at Chelsea Beach by Pam Jenoff

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Follow Pam Jenoff

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As of December 1, 2009, According to The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), product reviewers on blogs must disclose whether they received products for free or received payment for their review. The books I review on this site (A NOVEL REVIEW) are sent to me by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. This is a very common practice. I never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are my own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica

A chance encounter sparks an unrelenting web of lies in this stunning new psychological thriller from national bestselling author Mary Kubica

She sees the teenage girl on the train platform, standing in the pouring rain, clutching an infant in her arms. She boards a train and is whisked away. But she can't get the girl out of her head...

Heidi Wood has always been a charitable woman: she works for a nonprofit, takes in stray cats. Still, her husband and daughter are horrified when Heidi returns home one day with a young woman named Willow and her four-month-old baby in tow. Disheveled and apparently homeless, this girl could be a criminal—or worse. But despite her family's objections, Heidi invites Willow and the baby to take refuge in their home.

Heidi spends the next few days helping Willow get back on her feet, but as clues into Willow's past begin to surface, Heidi is forced to decide how far she's willing to go to help a stranger. What starts as an act of kindness quickly spirals into a story far more twisted than anyone could have anticipated.


My thoughts...I will start with I devoured this book! I had an eye strain headache and still couldn't put it down! So so good. Why was it so good? Ok, well we get to know Heidi Wood at first. She is devoted to helping and care of the less fortunate. She spots Willow out in the rain with a baby. The girl and the baby haunt her. Its not like she sees her and brings her home the next day. Everything about this girl with a baby compels Heidi to reach out and help her. Her husband, Chris is a workaholic who seems oddly detached from his wife. He is in the marriage, but not fully vested. Their daughter Zoe is a preteen struggling to find her own voice with a mother who is very involved. You can see how Heidi is almost looking for something to fill her attention.

The novel is told with three viewpoints. First Heidi, then her husband Chris and last Willow. What I absolutely loved was Heidi and Chris share the story as it is happening though their eyes, but Willow tells the story from the end and from before meeting the Wood family (I know this sounds confusing, but it isn't and it really is what makes for the suspense!)

Now I can't imagine bringing home a young girl off the streets into my home the way Heidi does, but it doesn't take long before we begin to understand Heidi's underlying reasoning. Heidi seems to bask in taking care of Willow's baby. Chris is suspicious and wants the girl out of the house. Then the story begins to spiral! While the story seems to be getting out of control, we are at the same time learning about Willows dark past--still the pieces aren't making any sense...then BAM the story explodes! I will leave it at that. A summer must read! Highly recommending!

Buy your copy of Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Follow Mary Kubica

Facebook | Twitter | Website

As of December 1, 2009, According to The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), product reviewers on blogs must disclose whether they received products for free or received payment for their review. The books I review on this site (A NOVEL REVIEW) are sent to me by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. This is a very common practice. I never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are my own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

Colore Chalk Markers

Chalk Markers By Colore - 6mm Bullet and Chisel Tip - 8 Pack Bright Vibrant Colors

(as per Amazon website) 

★ FREE BONUS: One Silicone Pen Holder, Color Of Pen Holder Varies (pink, yellow, green, blue, orange). Also receive a second FREE GIFT: Electronic PDF Copy Titled 'All You Need To Know About Chalk Markers'.

★ FEATURES: Dual Tip Design Liquid Chalk Ink Pens, Reversible Between Bullet and Chisel Tip. Colore Chalk Marker Nibs are MADE IN JAPAN, ensuring best quality for drawing and writing. Available in 8 vibrant colors including purple, white, blue, yellow, orange, pink, red and green.

★ WIDE RANGE OF USE: home or car windows, mirrors, smooth and non-porous chalkboard or whiteboard, bistro or restaurant menu board, business presentation in office, paint laminated wood, chalkboard labels or stickers for organizing your kitchen mason jars and containers, creative fun drawing for your kids, Property FOR SALE signboards, car windows for auto dealership, erasable LED writing board on cafe and basically any smooth and non-porous surfaces.

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★ IMPORTANT NOTE: Colore Dry Erase Markers Set works best on non-porous surfaces such as glass, plastic or acrylic containers and chromed metal. ALWAYS test on a small area first to see if it wipes off before continuing on your project. As most chalkboards and blackboards on the market are porous, it is advisable that you check the surface is smooth and non-porous for easy cleaning. Check out our Customer Reviews below who have chosen Colore Chalk Markers and are satisfied by our premium quality and excellent customer support which you will too by clicking the Add to Cart button!

I was sent a set of these Colore Chalk Markers by the company to review. I have never used Chalk Markers before, so I was very interested in trying them. I was really excited when I received them and started playing with them right away. You need to really give them a good shake to get started and I had to turn the tip around. I had an old chalkboard, so I used them on that. I LOVE the bright beautiful colors on the black contrast. They really pop! I used a wet cloth to wipe them off and everything wiped off. I also used them on a white board and they wiped off with a wet cloth. I like the option of having both the rounded tip for a thicker line or chiseled tip for writing.

After using these for the first time, I was suspicious of how well they would work a few days later. I just gave them a good shake and they worked great. This time I used them while making flashcards for my daughter on colored paper stock. I wanted to use markers, but they were bleeding through to the other side. I tried the Colore Dry Erase Marker set and they worked perfectly! No bleeding on the other side!I have found the more you use them them better and better they work.

Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica

A chance encounter sparks an unrelenting web of lies in this stunning new psychological thriller from national bestselling author Mary Kubica

She sees the teenage girl on the train platform, standing in the pouring rain, clutching an infant in her arms. She boards a train and is whisked away. But she can't get the girl out of her head...

Heidi Wood has always been a charitable woman: she works for a nonprofit, takes in stray cats. Still, her husband and daughter are horrified when Heidi returns home one day with a young woman named Willow and her four-month-old baby in tow. Disheveled and apparently homeless, this girl could be a criminal—or worse. But despite her family's objections, Heidi invites Willow and the baby to take refuge in their home.

Heidi spends the next few days helping Willow get back on her feet, but as clues into Willow's past begin to surface, Heidi is forced to decide how far she's willing to go to help a stranger. What starts as an act of kindness quickly spirals into a story far more twisted than anyone could have anticipated.


My thoughts...I will start with I devoured this book! I had an eye strain headache and still couldn't put it down! So so good. Why was it so good? Ok, well we get to know Heidi Wood at first. She is devoted to helping and care of the less fortunate. She spots Willow out in the rain with a baby. The girl and the baby haunt her. Its not like she sees her and brings her home the next day. Everything about this girl with a baby compels Heidi to reach out and help her. Her husband, Chris is a workaholic who seems oddly detached from his wife. He is in the marriage, but not fully vested. Their daughter Zoe is a preteen struggling to find her own voice with a mother who is very involved. You can see how Heidi is almost looking for something to fill her attention.

The novel is told with three viewpoints. First Heidi, then her husband Chris and last Willow. What I absolutely loved was Heidi and Chris share the story as it is happening though their eyes, but Willow tells the story from the end and from before meeting the Wood family (I know this sounds confusing, but it isn't and it really is what makes for the suspense!)

Now I can't imagine bringing home a young girl off the streets into my home the way Heidi does, but it doesn't take long before we begin to understand Heidi's underlying reasoning. Heidi seems to bask in taking care of Willow's baby. Chris is suspicious and wants the girl out of the house. Then the story begins to spiral! While the story seems to be getting out of control, we are at the same time learning about Willows dark past--still the pieces aren't making any sense...then BAM the story explodes! I will leave it at that. A summer must read! Highly recommending!

Buy your copy of Pretty Baby by Mary Kubica

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Follow Mary Kubica

Facebook | Twitter | Website

As of December 1, 2009, According to The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), product reviewers on blogs must disclose whether they received products for free or received payment for their review. The books I review on this site (A NOVEL REVIEW) are sent to me by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. This is a very common practice. I never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are my own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

The Summer of Good Intentions by Wendy Francis + Giveaway

Cape Cod summers are supposed to remain reassuringly the same, but everything falls apart when three sisters and their families come together for their annual summer vacation—and they are carrying more secrets than suitcases.


Maggie is the oldest. She feels responsible for managing the summer house and making sure everything is as it always has been. But she’s hurt that her parents’ recent divorce has destroyed the family’s comfortable summer routines, and her own kids seem to be growing up at high speed. Is it too late to have another baby?

Jess is the middle sister. She loves her job but isn’t as passionate about her marriage. She’s not sure she can find the courage to tell Maggie what she’s done—much less talk to her husband about it.

Virgie is the youngest, her dad’s favorite. She’s always been the career girl, but now there’s a man in her life. Her television job on the west coast is beyond stressful, and it’s taking its toll on her—emotionally and physically. She’s counting on this vacation to erase the symptoms she’s not talking about.

The Herington girls are together again, with their husbands and kids, for another summer in the family’s old Cape Cod house. When their mother, Gloria, announces she’s coming for an unscheduled visit—with her new boyfriend—no one is more surprised than their father, Arthur, who has not quite gotten over his divorce. Still, everyone manages to navigate the challenges of living grown-up lives in close quarters, until an accident reveals a new secret that brings everyone together in heartbreak… and then healing.

I love summer beach reads and The Summer of Good Intentions by Wendy Francis sounds like the perfect book! I have one copy of The Summer of Good Intentions by Wendy Francis to giveaway! All you need to do is comment by telling me your favorite summer vacation spot and you need to leave me your email address! This giveaway is for US addresses only and no po boxes :) I will pick a winner Tuesday, July 28 by 8am central. The winner will have 72 hours to email me back with their address. Good luck! Oh and if you tweet about the giveaway you get an extra entry just leave me a second comment and make sure to add @anovelreview1 in the tweet :D


















As of December 1, 2009, According to The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), product reviewers on blogs must disclose whether they received products for free or received payment for their review. The books I review on this site (A NOVEL REVIEW) are sent to me by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. This is a very common practice. I never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are my own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

The Idea of Love by Patti Callahan Henry

As we like to say in the south: "Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story."

Ella's life has been completely upended. She's young, beautiful, and deeply in love—until her husband dies in a tragic sailing accident while trying save her. Or so she'll have everyone believe. Screenwriter Hunter needs a hit, but crippling writers' block and a serious lack of motivation are getting him nowhere. He's on the look-out for a love story. It doesn't matter who it belongs to.

When Hunter and Ella meet in Watersend, South Carolina it feels like the perfect match, something close to fate. In Ella, Hunter finds the perfect love story, full of longing and sacrifice. It's the stuff of epic films. In Hunter, Ella finds possibility. It's an opportunity to live out a fantasy – the life she wishes she had because hers is too painful. And more real. Besides. what's a little white lie between strangers?

But one lie leads to another, and soon Hunter and Ella find themselves caught in a web of deceit. As they try to untangle their lies and reclaim their own lives, they feel something stronger is keeping them together. And so they wonder: can two people come together for all the wrong reasons and still make it right?

My thoughts...Patti Callahan Henry writes with perfect Southern charm. She writes the South how I see it and feel it. Ella Flynn has had a rough time lately. Her husband left her, her job sorta sucks and she lives in a less than par apartment. When Hunter Adderman or aka Blake Hunter introduces himself as a freelancer writing about small southern towns, Ella shares a different picture of her life. Believing this was a one time only meeting-what could it hurt? Their story begins with a lie, then another lie and another. Both spinning stories to the other. They begin building a friendship on falsehoods and half truths. All the while, Ella is trying to get her real life on track to what she believes is her ideal life. Hunter/Blake is looking to put his career back on track. Their friendship is a true friendship, a true connection built on untruths. Soon enough the house of cards falls down all around them. The feelings are real, but where can that lead to when you can't trust the other.

I overall enjoyed THE IDEA OF LOVE. It was well written, but it fell short for me with the two main characters. I very much enjoyed all the supporting characters and secondary stories. I just couldn't really connect to Ella. I didn't dislike her, but I didn't find her compelling. She has this great guy, but she is obsessed with an idea. It wasn't until she started getting a backbone that I could root for her. It just seemed like everyone in her 'real' life treated her poorly and without any respect from her former Bff, her boss, and someone else (you have to read the book to find out who). Then you know Hunter/Blake is lying to her too. Sorta using her and yet falling for her or her story? So I couldn't really like him cause he believes her sob story, but he is still willing to use it. This was definitely a different sort of love story. Like I said, I really enjoyed Henry's writing and the stories surrounding the main story. I just didn't love it. I will definitely read more from her and I'm sure others will really enjoy the story--it was more I didn't enjoy the concept of the story.

The Idea of Love by Patti Callahan Henry

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Follow Patti Callahan Henry

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If you are interested in reading THE IDEA OF LOVE please go over to my friend Jency's blog where she is giving a copy away! Writer's Corner!

As of December 1, 2009, According to The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), product reviewers on blogs must disclose whether they received products for free or received payment for their review. The books I review on this site (A NOVEL REVIEW) are sent to me by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. This is a very common practice. I never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are my own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

Saving Grace by Jane Green now in paperback!

Grace and Ted Chapman are widely regarded as the perfect literary power couple. Ted is a successful novelist and Grace, his wife of twenty years, is beautiful, stylish, carefree, and a wonderful homemaker. But what no one sees, what is churning under the surface, is Ted’s rages. His mood swings. And the precarious house of cards that their lifestyle is built upon. When Ted’s longtime assistant and mainstay leaves, the house of cards begins to crumble and Grace, with dark secrets in her past, is most vulnerable. She finds herself in need of help but with no one to turn to…until the perfect new assistant shows up out of the blue.  To the rescue comes Beth, a competent young woman who can handle Ted and has the calm efficiency to weather the storms that threaten to engulf the Chapman household. Soon, though, it’s clear to Grace that Beth might be too good to be true. This new interloper might be the biggest threat of all, one that could cost Grace her marriage, her reputation, and even her sanity.  With everything at stake and no one to confide in, Grace must find a way to save herself before it is too late.

Powerful and riveting, Saving Grace will have you on the edge of your seat as you follow Grace on her harrowing journey to rock bottom and back.

My thoughts...there is a reason Jane Green has published so many books, she is fantastic. Saving Grace is an I can't put this book down kinda novel! I really liked Grace. At first, I wasn't sure what to make of her relationship to Ted...I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see where it would lead. Then we meet the new assistant and I never trusted her, but Grace really wasn't a fool--but then the story just explodes in a way I really wasn't expecting. Wow. I mean wow. I was really proud of the leaps Grace went through and how wonderfully Green pulled everything together. Nothing felt rushed, Grace always seemed true to who she was. I would love to mention another character who I totally loved, but that would be a spoiler! I will also mention Green brings about a discussion of medication in this novel that should be a discussion we should be having in our society.

I believe the books description really gives you a good idea of what the novel is about, so I am really just letting you know this was a great read. I highly recommend Saving Grace.

Follow Jane Green

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It's You by Jane Porter

From the USA Today bestselling author of the Brennan Sisters novels comes a heartwarming story about finding love and strength, even in the darkest moments…

In the wake of a tragedy that tore her life down to the foundations, Dr. Alison McAdams has lost her way. So when she’s summoned to Napa to care for her ailing father, she’s not sure she has anything to offer him—or anyone else.

What Ali finds in Northern California wine country is a gift—an opportunity to rest, and distance from her painful memories. Most unexpectedly, she finds people who aren’t afraid of her grief or desperate for her to hurry up and move on.

As Ali becomes part of her father’s community, makes new friends of her own, and hears the stories of a generation who survived the Second World War, she begins to find hope again. In a quest to discover the truth about another woman’s lost love, she sets off on a journey across oceans and deep into history. And in making sense of that long-ago tragedy, Ali is able to put together the broken pieces of her heart and make new choices that are right for her.


My thoughts...I am an absolute fan of Jane Porter and IT'S YOU is just one more reason why. Dr. Alison McAdams was one of those characters I was automatically drawn to. Life has hurt Ali. She is broken inside, she wants to be better, but at the same time she knows her pain is what reminds her how not to get hurt again. How do you heal after the loss she has gone through? How do you get past it? In Napa, she finds a sort of peace. She is surrounded by her mother's home and her fathers presence. It is through some of her fathers new friends where Ali learns there are many pains and losses in the world. There is a way to heal and not forget. 

Porter writes with such heart. I felt Ali's pain. I felt Ali's anger. I could feel the struggle she was going through--would living mean forgetting? Even the relationship with her dad connected me to Ali. Their relationship was far from perfect, not too good not to bad. Ali seems to be trying to move forward, but how do you do that after you've been through such devastation? It is only through another woman's story where Ali can begin to find the courage to live again. 

A honest portrayal of love and loss. Once I got into the first chapter or two the story just moved right along at a really good pace. If you've read Porter's Brennan Sisters series you will be thrilled to learn Dark Horse Winery is a destination in IT'S YOU! I really enjoyed Porters newest novel and I loved reading about a part of history rarely spoken about. I'm a huge fan of dual storylines (past/present), so I really enjoyed the second storyline. It never took over from Ali's story and was a perfect amount to make you feel the connection Ali felt. If you are looking for an enjoyable book for the holiday weekend I saw grab a copy of IT'S YOU by Jane Porter!

It's You by Jane Porter 

Barnes & Noble | Amazon

Follow Jane Porter 

Website | Facebook | Twitter

As of December 1, 2009, According to The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), product reviewers on blogs must disclose whether they received products for free or received payment for their review. The books I review on this site (A NOVEL REVIEW) are sent to me by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. This is a very common practice. I never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are my own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

Eight Hundred Grapes: A Novel by Laura Dave + a chance to win a visit from Laura!

There are secrets you share, and secrets you hide…

Growing up on her family’s Sonoma vineyard, Georgia Ford learned some important secrets. The secret number of grapes it takes to make a bottle of wine: eight hundred. The secret ingredient in her mother’s lasagna: chocolate. The secret behind ending a fight: hold hands.

But just a week before her wedding, thirty-year-old Georgia discovers her beloved fiancé has been keeping a secret so explosive, it will change their lives forever.

Georgia does what she’s always done: she returns to the family vineyard, expecting the comfort of her long-married parents, and her brothers, and everything familiar. But it turns out her fiancé is not the only one who’s been keeping secrets…

I can't wait to start reading Laura's newest novel! Here are a few fun things to check out from Laura Dave and Simon & Schulster to enhance EIGHT HUNDRED GRAPES!

Nothing goes better with a good book than a glass of wine! What wine would go best with Laura Dave's new novel Eight Hundred Grapes? Check out the selected trio of classic

Sonoma wines to enhance the reading experience.

Joy in a Glass

*******Simon & Schuster have a sweepstakes with a chance to win a visit from Laura herself, as well as a gift card to Harry & David (Laura will visit 1 book club in NYC—Manhattan and Brooklyn only—1 book club in Los Angeles, and will Skype with 1 book club located anywhere in the U.S.)!  To enter, you must post a message on Twitter about EIGHT HUNDRED GRAPES using the hashtags #EightHundredGraps and #entry, and fill out the sweepstakes form.

Video of Laura Dave reveals to secret to the Ford family’s legendary lasagna

Reading Group Guide

Laura Dave is the author of the critically acclaimed novels The First Husband, The Divorce Party, London Is The Best City In America, and the forthcoming Eight Hundred Grapes. Dave’s fiction and essays have been published in The New York Times, ESPN, Redbook, Glamour and Ladies Home Journal.

Dubbed “a wry observer of modern love” (USA Today), Dave has appeared on CBS’s The Early Show, Fox News Channel’s Fox & Friends and NPR’s All Things Considered.  Cosmopolitan
Magazine recently named her a “Fun and Fearless Phenom of the Year.”

Three of her novels have been optioned for the big screen with Dave adapting Eight Hundred Grapes for Fox2000.

The Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley

Publication Date: May 5, 2015
Atria Books
Formats: eBook, Hardcover
Pages: 480

Series: Book One, The Seven Sisters
Genre: Historical Fiction

Internationally bestselling author Lucinda Riley returns with THE SEVEN SISTERS, the first novel in a spellbinding new series (seven books in all) inspired by the ancient myth of the Seven Sisters of Pleiades. THE SEVEN SISTERS takes readers from the shores of Lake Geneva to modern day Rio de Janeiro to bohemian Paris of the 1920s in a sweeping saga of passion, sacrifice, and the enduring power of art.

Upon the death of their wealthy, enigmatic father, Maia D’Apliese and her sisters convene at their family home, a secluded estate on the shores of Lake Geneva. Each of the sisters had been adopted at birth from a different part of the globe. Maia, the eldest, is the first to learn of their adoptive father’s death. Confusion is added to her grief when the sisters — Maia, the beauty; Ally, the leader; Star, the peacemaker; CeCe, the pragmatist; Tiggy, the nurturer; and Electra, the fireball – gather to hear the reading of the will. Their father has left each of his daughters a simple clue about her birthplace.

Until now, Maia has constructed her life so that she does not have to leave the safety of the family nest. But spurred by her father’s final bequest, Maia embarks on a journey to Rio de Janeiro to discover the truth of her origins. In Rio, Maia is accompanied by Floriano Quintelas, a novelist and amateur historian, who is intrigued to discover that Maia is apparently descended from the Aires Cabrals, an aristocratic Portuguese family who have been prominent in the country for the past two centuries. Together, they delve into her complex family history, a quest that is helped by their discovery of the crumbling mansion where an elderly woman – Maia’s biological grandmother — is on the verge of death. When the old woman’s caretaker secretly slips Maia a stack of old letters, an astonishing family history unfolds.

My thoughts... L O V E D  I T!  I'll be honest and say I really wasn't sure what to expect when I read how the book was inspired by the myth of the Seven Sisters of Pleiades, but then I read the rest of the books description and thought it does sound good. Well it is very very good! The main character in this book is Maia, now she is kind of an odd character as she basically still lives at home and doesn't seem to truely be living life more like hiding from it. For me, I didn't really connect on some levels with her at first. I mean I liked her well enough, but once she takes flight from her beloved home in Lake Geneva and heads to Rio she begins to grow wings. It's once she is in Rio Lucinda Riley puts forth Izabela's story.

Now Izabela's story had me. I mean I could barely put the book down and when I did I was surprised by how much I had read! I was completely smitten with Izabela, she is beautiful and a devoted daughter. For me, it is her story that steals the show. However, as Maia also gets to read Izabela's story Maia grows. It is like new life is breathed into her and before I knew it I couldn't put down the novel while reading Maia's story either.

Oh and a big surprise that took me completely off guard, as well as a few teasers for the next book. I can't wait to read! Oh and there are a couple of side mentions in the story that I am pretty sure will come back into the story, I can not wait to find out! Oh and you get to know a little about all the sisters, so I am so excited to get to know each of them even more. I was hooked on THE SEVEN SISTERS and I am ready for book two! I absolutely LOVED this book and am highly recommending you add it to your must read summer books!

Praise for The Seven Sisters

“A brilliant page-turner, soaked in glamour and romance.” -The Daily Mail

“Riley launches her most ambitious andexciting writing project to date……a labyrinth of seductive time-switchstories, the enchanting brand of novel writing which has made Riley one of thebest women’s fiction authors on the market… An epic start to an epic series.” -The Lancashire Evening Post

Buy The Seven Sisters 

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

About the Author

Lucinda Riley was born in Ireland and during her childhood travelled extensively abroad, particularly to the Far East to visit her father.

Moving to London she became an actress working in film, theatre and television. Five years ago she designed and built a house on the island of Koh Chang in Thailand, where her father had purchased land many years before. Her passion for history combined with her love of travel, and Thailand in particular, inspired her to write her novel Hothouse Flower, published by Penguin in November 2010.

She currently lives in Norfolk and France with her husband and four children.

For more information please visit Lucinda’s website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Goodreads.

More Titles from Lucinda Riley

The Orchid House

The Lavender Garden

Girl on the Cliff

The Italian Girl

The Midnight Rose

The Seven Sisters Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, June 1

Review & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages

Spotlight & Giveaway at A Novel Review

Tuesday, June 2

Review at Just One More Chapter

Spotlight at Let them Read Books

Wednesday, June 3

Review at Always With a Book

Review & Giveaway at 100 Pages a Day

Thursday, June 4

Review at Book Nerd

Review at The Lit Bitch

Saturday, June 6

Interview & Giveaway at Bibliophilia, Please

Sunday, June 7

Spotlight & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More

Monday, June 8

Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!

Tuesday, June 9

Review at CelticLady’s Reviews

Review at Ageless Pages Reviews

Wednesday, June 10

Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Thursday, June 11

Review at She is Too Fond of Books

Friday, June 12

Review at A Novel Review

Review at A Literary Vacation

Spotlight & Giveaway at To Read, or Not to Read

As of December 1, 2009, According to The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), product reviewers on blogs must disclose whether they received products for free or received payment for their review. The books I review on this site (A NOVEL REVIEW) are sent to me by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. This is a very common practice. I never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are my own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

Spotlight: Those Secrets We Keep by Emily Liebert

From the author of  You Knew Me When  and  When We Fall

Three women. Three lives. Three secrets.

On the surface, Sloane has the perfect life—an adoring husband, a precocious daughter, and enough financial security to be a stay-at-home mom. Still, she can’t help but feel as though something—or someone—is missing....

Hillary has a successful career and a solid marriage. The only problem is her inability to conceive. And there’s a very specific reason why....

As the wild-child daughter of old family money, Georgina has never had to accept responsibility for anything. So when she realizes an unexpected life change could tie her down forever, she does exactly what she’s always done: escape.

When these three women unite for a three-week-long summer vacation in beautiful Lake George, New York, even with the idyllic location as their backdrop, the tensions begin to mount. And they quickly discover that no secret can be kept forever...

I will be reviewing this book soon and I can't wait to start reading it! 

Click here to read the first chapter of Those Secrets We Keep

Buy your copy of Those Secrets We Keep by Emily Liebert

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About Emily Liebert 

Emily Liebert is an award-winning author and TV personality. Her new novel, Those Secrets We Keep, published on June 2, 2015. 


She's currently putting the final touches on her fifth book, Some Women, set to release on April 5, 2016.

Emily's first book, Facebook Fairytales, is available across the globe. Her debut novel, You Knew Me When (Penguin), published on 9/3/13 to rave reviews! And her second novel, When We Fall (Penguin Random House), published on September 2, 2014! 

Emily is featured often in the press, by outlets such as: Today Show, The Rachael Ray Show, Anderson Cooper, FOX News, Good Day New York, The Couch, Oprah Radio, Martha Stewart Radio, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, InStyle, OK!, Nylon, Ladies’ Home Journal, Woman’s World, WWD, Woman’s Day, The New York Post, The Washington Post, The New York Daily News, The Chicago Tribune, Boston Herald, and The Huffington Post.


She has also served as a spokesperson for Microsoft, appearing on TV and radio stations nationwide. 

Follow Emily Liebert

Website | Facebook | Twitter

The Status of All Things: A Novel by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke

What would you do if you could literally rewrite your fate—on Facebook? This heartwarming and hilarious new novel from the authors of Your Perfect Life follows a woman who discovers she can change her life through online status updates.

Kate is a thirty-five-year-old woman who is obsessed with social media. So when her fiancé, Max, breaks things off at their rehearsal dinner—to be with Kate’s close friend and coworker, no less—she goes straight to Facebook to share it with the world. But something’s changed. Suddenly, Kate’s real life starts to mirror whatever she writes in her Facebook status. With all the power at her fingertips, and heartbroken and confused over why Max left her, Kate goes back in time to rewrite their history.

Kate's two best friends, Jules and Liam, are the only ones who know the truth. In order to convince them she’s really time traveled, Kate offers to use her Facebook status to help improve their lives. But her attempts to help them don’t go exactly as planned, and every effort to get Max back seems to only backfire, causing Kate to wonder if it’s really possible to change her fate.

In The Status of All Things, Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke combine the humor and heart of Sarah Pekkanen and Jennifer Weiner while exploring the pitfalls of posting your entire life on the Internet. They raise the questions: What if you could create your picture-perfect life? Would you be happy? Would you still be you? For anyone who’s ever attempted—or failed—to be their perfect self online, this is a story of wisdom and wit that will leave you with new appreciation for the true status of your life.

My thoughts...Loved! Such an enjoyable novel! As my kids are constantly underfoot, I am finding it harder to read. THE STATUS OF ALL THINGS is the perfect summertime book. You simply fall into the story and there isn't a needless amount of overwriting--just good fun storytelling. Kate is relateable character to anyone who may post a wee bit too much on Facebook and who may make sure when posting a status reveals our awesome selves (cough cough). She can't help it everyone else seems to having amazing facebook worthy lives. Well everything gets tripped up when her fiance Max ends things at the rehearsal dinner. 

Seriously? What is a girl to do? She just wants to go back in time to fix everything--a status posted and poof she gets her second chance! In fact, whatever she posts happens. Umm that is a lot of power! With a whole lot of unexpected consequences. 

I gobbled THE STATUS OF ALL THINGS up! I could totally get Kate-I mean she just wanted to keep her life on track! I loved her friends Jules and Liam they brought the much needed reality check into Kate's life while still trying to be supportive. They also brought a good balance to the story itself, both brought their issues without weighing down Kate-who was completely focused on one thing only. I also loved the character Ruby, who was the fairy godmother type. Her presence was an ever reminder that there forces out there larger than our own wants and everything we do has a consequence. I just really loved it. It was fun without losing sight of real life. Reminding us how real life isn't the pretty picture we all try to paint on facebook.

Follow Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke

Website | Facebook | Twitter 

Buy The Status of All Things: A Novel by Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

As of December 1, 2009, According to The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), product reviewers on blogs must disclose whether they received products for free or received payment for their review. The books I review on this site (A NOVEL REVIEW) are sent to me by publishers, authors or downloaded from Netgalley. This is a very common practice. I never take payments for these reviews and all the reviews on this site are my own thoughts and feelings and are not influenced.

The Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley spotlight & giveaway

Publication Date: May 5, 2015
Atria Books
Formats: eBook, Hardcover
Pages: 480

Series: Book One, The Seven Sisters
Genre: Historical Fiction

Internationally bestselling author Lucinda Riley returns with THE SEVEN SISTERS, the first novel in a spellbinding new series (seven books in all) inspired by the ancient myth of the Seven Sisters of Pleiades. THE SEVEN SISTERS takes readers from the shores of Lake Geneva to modern day Rio de Janeiro to bohemian Paris of the 1920s in a sweeping saga of passion, sacrifice, and the enduring power of art.

Upon the death of their wealthy, enigmatic father, Maia D’Apliese and her sisters convene at their family home, a secluded estate on the shores of Lake Geneva. Each of the sisters had been adopted at birth from a different part of the globe. Maia, the eldest, is the first to learn of their adoptive father’s death. Confusion is added to her grief when the sisters — Maia, the beauty; Ally, the leader; Star, the peacemaker; CeCe, the pragmatist; Tiggy, the nurturer; and Electra, the fireball – gather to hear the reading of the will. Their father has left each of his daughters a simple clue about her birthplace.

Until now, Maia has constructed her life so that she does not have to leave the safety of the family nest. But spurred by her father’s final bequest, Maia embarks on a journey to Rio de Janeiro to discover the truth of her origins. In Rio, Maia is accompanied by Floriano Quintelas, a novelist and amateur historian, who is intrigued to discover that Maia is apparently descended from the Aires Cabrals, an aristocratic Portuguese family who have been prominent in the country for the past two centuries. Together, they delve into her complex family history, a quest that is helped by their discovery of the crumbling mansion where an elderly woman – Maia’s biological grandmother — is on the verge of death. When the old woman’s caretaker secretly slips Maia a stack of old letters, an astonishing family history unfolds.

Praise for The Seven Sisters

“A brilliant page-turner, soaked in glamour and romance.” -The Daily Mail

“Riley launches her most ambitious andexciting writing project to date……a labyrinth of seductive time-switchstories, the enchanting brand of novel writing which has made Riley one of thebest women’s fiction authors on the market… An epic start to an epic series.” -The Lancashire Evening Post

Buy The Seven Sisters 

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

About the Author

Lucinda Riley was born in Ireland and during her childhood travelled extensively abroad, particularly to the Far East to visit her father.

Moving to London she became an actress working in film, theatre and television. Five years ago she designed and built a house on the island of Koh Chang in Thailand, where her father had purchased land many years before. Her passion for history combined with her love of travel, and Thailand in particular, inspired her to write her novel Hothouse Flower, published by Penguin in November 2010.

She currently lives in Norfolk and France with her husband and four children.

For more information please visit Lucinda’s website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Goodreads.

More Titles from Lucinda Riley

The Orchid House

The Lavender Garden

Girl on the Cliff

The Italian Girl

The Midnight Rose

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The Seven Sisters Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, June 1

Review & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages

Spotlight & Giveaway at A Novel Review

Tuesday, June 2

Review at Just One More Chapter

Spotlight at Let them Read Books

Wednesday, June 3

Review at Always With a Book

Review & Giveaway at 100 Pages a Day

Thursday, June 4

Review at Book Nerd

Review at The Lit Bitch

Saturday, June 6

Interview & Giveaway at Bibliophilia, Please

Sunday, June 7

Spotlight & Giveaway at Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More

Monday, June 8

Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!

Tuesday, June 9

Review at CelticLady’s Reviews

Review at Ageless Pages Reviews

Wednesday, June 10

Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Thursday, June 11

Review at She is Too Fond of Books

Friday, June 12

Review at A Novel Review

Review at A Literary Vacation

Spotlight & Giveaway at To Read, or Not to Read