blogging – Page 136 – Cindy's Love Of Books

Review/ The Bridge

Posted on December 9, 2016December 3, 2016 by Cindy

The Bridge by Karen Kingsbury
Published by Howard Books on October 23rd 2012
Pages: 258
Goodreads

Number one New York Times bestselling author Karen Kingsbury delivers an instant classic with this heartwarming Christmas story about a hundred-year flood, lost love, and the beauty of enduring friendships. Molly Allen lives alone in Portland, but she left her heart back in Tennessee with a man she walked away from five years ago. They had a rare sort of love she hasn’t found since.
Ryan Kelly lives in Nashville after a broken engagement and several years on the road touring with a country music duo. He can still hear Molly’s voice encouraging him to follow his dreams; Molly, whose memory stays with him. At least he can visit The Bridge—the oldest bookstore in historic downtown Franklin—and remember the hours he and Molly once spent there.
For thirty years, Charlie and Donna Barton have run The Bridge, providing the people of middle Tennessee with coffee, conversation, and shelves of good books—even through dismal book sales and the rise of digital books. Then in May, the hundred-year flood swept through Franklin and destroyed nearly every book in the store.
Now the bank is pulling the lease on The Bridge. Despondent and without answers, Charlie considers the unthinkable. Then tragedy strikes, and suddenly, everything changes. In the face of desperate brokenness and lost opportunities, could the miracle of a second chance actually unfold?
The Bridge is a love story set against the struggle of the American bookstore, a love story you will never forget.

The Bridge was a book I picked up last year on sale and never got a chance to read it so I was really happy that I was able to dig this out and read it this year.

Now I should say that I mistakenly decided to watch the movie before reading the book and I have to say that I regret doing that because I didn’t enjoy the book as much as I did the movie. I in fact ended up loving the movie much more.

I was having a hard time getting into the book and I honestly think that was due to the fact i just watched the movie before picking up the book to read. Its very rare for me to say I don’t like something and this is the time I am honestly saying I didn’t enjoy it but I really wanted to because it was all about books and who doesn’t love books and bookstores?

The Bridge is a bookstore in Tennessee that is run by our main character Charlie and his wife. I loved the idea behind the bookstore and the connection of the name to people. Books are the bridge to our lives.

The other main characters are Ryan and Molly who are in Tennessee going to college and they end up spending a lot of time in the reading room at the Bridge and end up falling in love. That is until Molly’s father gets wind of this budding romance and quickly puts a holt to it because he has his daughter’s life mapped out and having a boy interfer is not something he wants. So they eventually go their separate ways.

Then fast forward to when the floods destroy The Bridge and Charlie is in financial danger and at risk of loosing it all decides he can’t live any longer. He contemplates taking his own life because he think Donna would be better without him. To scared to go through with it he ends up in a accident that could take his life away from him.

Everyone rallies around Charlie in hopes that he will eventually come back. Can they save him and The Bridge before its too late?

Happy Halloween

Posted on October 31, 2016October 29, 2016 by Cindy

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Spotlight/ Three Amazing Things About You

Posted on October 30, 2016October 12, 2016 by Cindy

Title: Three Amazing Things About You

Author: Jill Mansell

Pub date: October 4, 2016

ISBN: 9781492618065

Hallie has a secret…doesn’t everybody?

Hallie doesn’t have long to live. And to make things even more complicated, she’s in love with a guy who’s seriously out of bounds. She’s never going to let him know, of course; she’s just going to enjoy every remaining moment of her crush. She’s also determined to spend her last months helping those who write into her Dear Rose column with problems of their own. Her doctors can’t fix her, but maybe she can fix a few other people’s dilemmas before it’s too late.

All our lives are full of choices, for better or worse. The amazing thing to see is how connected we all are—in ways we don’t even know. On occasion, we have the chance to see the ways we change one another’s lives for the better.

With over ten million copies sold, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author JILL MANSELL writes irresistible, funny, poignant, and romantic tales for women in the tradition of Marian Keyes, Sophie Kinsella, and Jojo Moyes. She lives with her partner and their children in Bristol, England.

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Before

“Hey, hi, how’s things? What are you up to?”

Hallie brightened at the sound of Bea’s voice. “You really want to know? OK, I’ll tell you. But I’m warning you now, you’re going to be so jealous.”

“Fire away.”

“I’m in Venice, sitting at a table outside Caffè Florian in St. Mark’s Square. The sun is shining, church bells are ringing and the waiter’s just opened a bottle of ice-cold Prosecco.”

“Is the waiter handsome?”

“What do you think? This is Venice! Of course he’s handsome. He’s giving me one of those handsome-waiter looks,” said Hallie. “With his eyes.”

“Hmm, and is he listening to you saying this?”

“It’s fine, he doesn’t speak a word of English. I may seduce him later. He has a look of Bradley Cooper about him.”

“Sure you don’t mean Tommy Cooper?”

“Shut up.”

“Are there pigeons there?”

“Yes, loads.”

“My mum went to St. Mark’s Square once. A pigeon did a poo on her head.”

“Lovely.”

“She was so mad,” said Bea. “She’d had her hair done specially for the trip. I wouldn’t stick around there if I were you. Get out while you can. Those Italian pigeons are evil.”

“Fine, you’ve convinced me. I’m going to jump into my helicopter now and fly home.”

“I think you should. Shall I come over after work this evening?”

“That’d be good.”

“Around seven then. See you later. Bye-eee!”

Hallie put down the phone and straightened her duvet, which had gone crooked again. She pulled herself into a more comfortable sitting position and did her best to adjust the pillows too. There was a definite art to staying in bed and not having to endlessly rearrange yourself, and she’d yet to master it. Back-arching, shoulder-stretching, bottom-wiggling and neck-tilting all played their part.

Having stretched and wriggled and gotten herself half sorted, Hallie looked out at the indigo sky as darkness fell. It was the week before Christmas, and multicolored fairy lights were being switched on. From here, she had arguably the best view of the village: to the left, the high street; to the right, the River Windrush with its low stone bridge and the row of honey-colored shops, hotels and houses on the other side of the water. She could watch everyone coming and going, keep track of people she knew, and also view the progress of tourists making their way around Carranford, the self-styled jewel in the north Cotswolds’ crown.

Not so many visitors during the winter months, of course, but still enough to keep the people-watching interesting and the tourist-friendly shops open. A coachload were currently milling around, taking endless photographs, diving in and out of shops and buying souvenirs they didn’t need, as well as Christmas presents for friends and relatives back home. By the looks of things, plenty of them would be opening a festively wrapped umbrella this year, printed with scenes of Carranford. Bea must have sold over a dozen today alone.

Eight days to Christmas. Hallie tried not to wonder if this one might be her last, basically because such thoughts were unanswerable and never helpful. Apart from anything else, the answer was always possibly.

Then again, that applied to everyone on the planet.

Book Spotlight/ Love You Dead

Posted on October 12, 2016October 12, 2016 by Cindy

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Love You Dead (Pan Macmillan; October 4, 2016; $27.95) is the twelfth thrilling crime novel in Peter James’s Roy Grace series.

An ugly duckling as a child, Jodie Bentley had two dreams in life – to be beautiful and to be rich. She’s achieved the first, with a little help from a plastic surgeon, and now she’s working hard on the second. Her philosophy about money is simple: you can either earn it or marry it. Marrying is easy, it’s getting rid of the husband afterwards that’s harder, that takes real skill. But hey, practice makes perfect . . .

Detective Superintendent Roy Grace is feeling the pressure from his superiors, his previous case is still giving him sleepless nights, there have been major developments with his missing wife Sandy, and an old adversary is back. But worse than all of this, he now believes a Black Widow is operating in his city.

One with a venomous mind . . . and venomous skills. Soon Grace comes to the frightening realization that he may have underestimated just how dangerous this lady is.

About the Author

Peter James is the #1 international bestselling author of the Roy Grace thriller series. Before writing full time, James lived in the U.S. for a number of years, producing films including The Merchant of Venice, starring Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons and Joseph Fiennes. A TV adaptation of the Roy Grace series is currently in development, with James overseeing all aspects, including scriptwriting.

James’s novella ‘The Perfect Murder’, started its world stage premiere in 2014, and his first Roy Grace novel Dead Simple has now been adapted for stage, and will tour the UK in 2015. In 1994, in addition to conventional print publishing, James’s novel Host was published on two floppy discs and is now in the Science Museum as the world’s first electronic novel.

Famed for his in-depth research, in 2009 James was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Brighton in recognition of his services to literature and the community, and in 2013 he was awarded an Outstanding Public Service Award by Sussex Police with whom he rides along regularly. He has also been out many times with the NYPD and the LAPD in the US and with many other police forces around the world, as well as doing extensive research with offenders in prisons and psychiatric institutions. He has served as two-times Chair of the Crime Writers’ Association and is a board member of the US International Thriller Writers.

He has won numerous literary awards, including the publicly voted ITV3 Crime Thriller Awards People’s Bestseller Dagger in 2011 and was shortlisted for the Wellcome Trust Book Prize for Perfect People in 2012. James’s novels have been translated into thirty-six languages and three have been turned into films.

All of his novels reflect a deep interest in the world of the police, with whom he does in–depth research and has unprecedented access, as well as science, medicine and the paranormal. A speed junkie, who in his teens was selected to train for the British Olympic Ski Team, he holds an international motor racing license and switches off from work by racing his classic 1965 BMW. James divides his time between his homes in Notting Hill in London and near Brighton in Sussex.

Visit Peter James’s Website: http://www.peterjames.com

Visit Peter James on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/peterjames.roygrace

Visit Peter James on Twitter: https://twitter.com/peterjamesuk

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All previous books in the series and the new novel, Love You Dead, will now be available for the first time in the U.S. through Pan Macmillan and Independent Publishers Group. We are thrilled to be bringing this series to the American public.

We are offering a major giveaway to all who participate for the chance to win the whole Roy Grace series with a boxed set of the first 10 books, as well as the two most recent books that were published after the box set came out.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/f55991722/?

Book Promo/ The Rift Uprising

Posted on October 5, 2016October 12, 2016 by Cindy

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Normal seventeen-year-old girls go to high school, binge watch TV shows all weekend, and flirt with everyone on the face of the Earth. But Ryn Whitaker is trying to save it.

Ryn is a Citadel. A soldier. A liar. Ryn and her fellow Citadels were specially chosen and trained to guard a Rift—one of fourteen unpredictable tears in the fabric of the universe that serve as doorways to alternate Earths. Unbeknownst to her family, Ryn leaves for school each day and then reports for duty as an elite, cybernetically-altered soldier who can run faster, jump farther, and fight better than a Navy SEAL—which comes in handy when she’s not sure if axe-wielding Vikings or any number of other terrified and often dangerous beings come through the Rift. A fine-tuned weapon, Ryn is a picture-perfect Citadel. But that’s all about to change.

When a young man named Ezra is pulled through the Rift, Ryn finds herself immediately drawn to him, despite her training. What starts as a physical attraction quickly grows deeper, and Ezra’s curiosity throws Ryn off balance when he starts questioning the Rifts, the mysterious organization that oversees them, and the Citadels themselves—questions that lead Ryn to wonder if the lies she’s been telling her family are just the surface of a much bigger lie told to her. As Ryn and Ezra desperately try to get to that truth, they discover that each revelation blurs the line between the villains and the heroes even more.

ABOUT AMY S. FOSTER

Amy S. Foster is a celebrated songwriter, best known as Michael Bublé’s writing partner. You might recognize her work in his four hit singles, including “Home” and “Haven’t Met You Yet.” She has also collaborated with Destiny’s Child, Diana Krall, Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban and a host of other artists. She is also the author of the novel When Autumn Leaves. When she’s not in a studio in Nashville, Amy lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family. Amy is the daughter of singer B.J. Cook and the legendary music producer, David Foster. Fun fact about Amy: Her extended family tree includes Bella and Gigi Hadid, Sara and Erin Foster and Brody and Brandon Jenner, and Clay Aiken! The Rift Uprising, her YA debut, will be released on October 4, 2016.

Crush/ Corrigan Falls Series

Posted on September 28, 2016October 12, 2016 by Cindy

Crush Flash Sale: Corrigan Falls Raiders Series

Did you know that between Monday, September 26, 2016 and Sunday, October 2, 2016, all of the books on Entangled Teen’s Crush imprint will be on sale for the sweet price of $0.99? For those of you who don’t already know, Crush, one of Entangled’s first teen category romance imprints, is all about engaging, irresistible first-love stories set during the characters’ teen years. Crush specializes in heart-stopping feelings and never-ending drama, ranging from funny to emotional, flirty to dark. Whether set in the halls of a high school, at a beach resort, or studying abroad, and whether it features a girl falling for her brother’s best friend next door, a forbidden summer camp romance, or a nerd pretending to date the star quarterback, our teen category romances will leave you grinning…and in love with your next book crush!

Today, we’re spotlighting the short, sweet & swoony YA romances that make up the Corrigan Falls Raiders Series, which is the first series that we’ve published that is all written by one author – Cate Cameron. Each book is, once again, written in dual POV from the perspectives of Karen and Tyler; Claudia and Chris; and Natalie and Toby. Now, without further ado, here are the books that comprise the Corrigan Falls Raiders series:

Center Ice by Cate Cameron

The hometown hockey hero won’t know what hit him…

Karen Webber is in small-town hell. After her mother’s death, she moved to Corrigan Falls to live with strangers—her dad and his perfect, shiny new family—and there doesn’t seem to be room for a city girl with a chip on her shoulder. The only person who makes her feel like a realhuman being is Tyler MacDonald.

But Karen isn’t interested in starting something with a player. And that’s all she keeps hearing about Tyler.
Corrigan Falls is a hockey town, and Tyler’s the star player. But the viselike pressure from his father and his agent are sending him dangerously close to the edge. All people see is hockey—except Karen. Now they’ve managed to find something in each other that they both desperately need. And for the first time, Tyler is playing for keeps…

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains adult language, underage drinking, sexual situations, and crazy squirrels. It may cause you to become a fan of hockey—or at least hot hockey players.

Playing Defense by Cate Cameron

Sixteen-year-old Claudia Waring has never kissed a boy. Never been popular. Never been to a hockey game. All that’s about to change. Assigned to tutor Chris Winslow, a prank-loving, gorgeous hockey player, Claudia’s perfectly planned life immediately veers off course. And she kind of likes it. But as fun as Chris is, she knows she’ll never fit in his world.

After his latest prank lands him in hot water, Chris has to get serious about school or lose hockey. Not an easy thing for someone as carefree as the defenseman. The biggest problem, though, is how much he wants to help his cute, buttoned-up tutor loosen up a little. But while confidence has never been a problem for him, around Claudia, Chris is all nerves. Why would a girl as smart as her ever fall for a jock like him?

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains adult language, swoon-worthy kisses, and sexy hockey players. It may cause you to watch a hockey game…or ten.

Winging It by Cate Cameron

Natalie West and Toby Cooper were best friends growing up, on and off the ice. But when Toby’s hockey career took off, their friendship was left behind. Now Natalie has a crazy plan to land her crush—Toby’s biggest rival—and she needs Toby’s help to pull it off.

When Nat asks Toby to be her fake boyfriend, he can’t say no. Not when it means getting his best friend back. Natalie is all grown up now, and spending time with her—even when it’s just playing hockey together—stirs up a lot of feelings, old and new. Suddenly pretending to be interested in her isn’t hard at all…if only she wanted him and not enemy.

Hockey tore them apart. Can it put them back together?

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains adult language, ice-melting kisses, and a swoon-worthy hero. This fake relationship romance will have you wishing for a hockey player of your own…

Love YA hockey romances? Don’t miss Erin Fletcher’s All Laced Up, which releases on October 10, 2016!

Crush Flash Sale: Creative HeArts Series

Posted on September 27, 2016September 28, 2016 by Cindy

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Crush Flash Sale: Creative HeArts Series

Today, we’re spotlighting the short, sweet & swoony YA romances that make up the Creative HeArts Series, which is another multi-authored series, but which is set in Austin, TX…mostly at NextGen Academy. Each book is, once again, written in dual POV from the perspectives of Sloane and Tru, Willa and Finn, Mariely and Cabot, and Dahlia and Keegan. Now, without further ado, here are the released books that comprise the Creative HeArts series:
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Ten Things Sloane Hates About Tru by Tera Lynn Childs
When life gives you a blank canvas, make art.

Sloane Whitaker hates everything about moving to Texas. She hates leaving behind her friends and half her family in New York, starting over senior year at Austin’s NextGen Academy, and having to say she lives in Texas. Most of all, she hates that it’s all her fault. If she wants to earn her way back to the Big Apple, she has to prove she can still be the perfect daughter.

Which means no vandalism art, no trouble at school, and absolutely no Tru Dorsey, her serial screw-up neighbor, who loves nothing more than pushing her buttons.

But from the moment he vaults onto the roof outside her bedroom, there is something about him that makes her want to break every rule. Suddenly it’s not the ten things she hates about Tru that are at the top of her list. It’s the ten reasons she doesn’t want to be without him.

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains vandalism in the name of art, art in the name of love, and love for a boy too charming to ever hate.

crushhowwillagothergroove How Willa Got Her Groove Back by Emily McKay

When your life feels like a bad movie, rewrite the script.

When Willa Schofer’s father comes home from a business trip with an über-famous new fiancée, Willa’s senior year blows up in paparazzi-fueled flames. Overnight, she has a new house, a new car, and a new soon-to-be stepbrother—the unbelievably hot, unbelievably arrogant, Finn McCain. Thank god he’s constantly pushing her buttons, or she might do something irresponsible. Like fall for the jerk.

Just when Willa’s decided to avoid him for, oh, ever, Finn lands in the center of her senior project team. Seriously—how hard is it to shake a guy? At least her work on the project snagged the attention of the (second) hottest guy in school. He might only be into her because of her famous stepmom, and he’s not quite as exciting as a certain annoying housemate, but at least she’s allowed to crush on the guy.
Because crushing on your annoying stepbrother? So not cool.

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains an unbelievably hot bad boy, an unbelievably famous actress, and all the drama that comes with adding both to your family. Oh, and a forbidden flirtation with a soon-to-be stepbrother.

crushcrazystupid Crazy, Stupid, Fauxmance by Shellee Roberts

After Mariely Hinojosa and Cabot Wheeler both break up with their significant others at the same party, Mariely sees a way to get even with both of their exes. Everyone knows that the best way to get over a breakup is a hookup—a fake hookup, that is. Three weeks, all fun, no strings, and definitely no heartbreak at the end.

But somewhere between the sweet hand-holding and melt-your-mind kisses, their fake relationship starts to feel less like an act and more like the real thing…but Mariely’s a free-spirited girl from the other side of the tracks, and Cabot’s the hot trust-fund guy from the Hills.

They’d never work for real…

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains a kickass heroine, a boy so hot he’ll make you shiver, and a falling-in-love story fit for the big screen. You’ll want to settle in and have the popcorn ready.

crushthesecretlife The Secret Life of a Dream Girl by Tracy Deebs

Hiding in plain sight is harder than it looks…

Dahlia Greene—aka international pop superstar Cherry—is undercover as a normal high school student. She just wants to experience what real life is like, so when she overhears hottie Keegan Matthews nervously talking about liking a girl, she sees the perfect opportunity to live a real life and play a little matchmaker. What was not part of the plan was falling for a guy she can never tell the truth.

Keegan Matthews has been secretly crushing on Dahlia ever since she started at his school. Sure, Dahlia thinks he’s crushing on some other girl—not realizing his Dream Girl is actually her—but he figures, play along with her tips to woo someone else, let her get to know him, and then make his move. But with so many secrets in the mix, their romance is doomed from the start…

Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book contains adult language, references to drinking and drugs, and a kiss so steamy it’ll fog up your eReader.

And don’t miss Falling for the Girl Next Door, the next installment in the series by Tera Lynn Childs, coming to retailers on November 14, 2016!

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