Things Remembered by Georgia Bockoven

Things Remembered by Georgia Bockoven

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Reissue edition (October 16, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062195166
• ISBN-13: 978-0062195166

To face the future, a woman must let go of the past. . . .
Returning to her childhood home in the golden hills of Northern California means regret and pain for Karla Esterbrook. Yet she can’t refuse when her ailing grandmother, Anna, asks her to help settle her affairs. After all, Anna raised Karla and her younger sisters after their parents’ death twenty years before. But from the beginning a powerful clash of wills separated Karla and her grandmother, leaving them both bitter and angry.
Little does Karla know that a very determined Anna will do everything in her power to bridge the chasm between them. But can the wounds of the past truly be healed? For Karla, opening her heart could lead to more hurt—or perhaps to reconciliation . . . and a love the likes of which she has never known.

My Thoughts

I enjoy a good story about families especially ones involving sisters. When I read about the reissue of Things Remembered, I knew I would love to read this book.

Anna has raised her three granddaughters after they lost their parents at a young age. Karla, the oldest is the only one who really remembers her parents. She owns a coffee shop and is recovering from a failed marriage. Heather is the mother of two young boys and is expecting a new daughter. Grace, the youngest is a struggling actress.

Anna has been diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure and wants to tie up some loose ends while she can. Karla puts her life on hold to go to Anna to help settle her affairs. While spending time together, the two women face the past. Karla hopes to reconnect with the memories she has of her mother but has no intention of being warm and fuzzy with Anna. Karla is cold and all business. Anna is hoping to make amends.

While Karla is helping settle Anna's affairs, she meets Mark Taylor, a veterinarian and single father. Karla is not ready to give her heart to Anna nor Mark. She has walls up and she is not going to let anyone in! You could say she has a bit of a hip on her shoulder. Will Mark and Anna be able to break through the wall Karla has built?

I enjoyed this story. It was a nice read for a rainy day. It is a nice family story that has a bit of romance involved. The women are strong willed which kept me on my toes while reading the book. The ending left me satisfied and content.

The back of the book includes some recipes from the story and from the authors friends and family. That was a nice touch especially since I found myself very hungry every time there was a scene in which food was mentioned. There is also discussion questions in the back which makes it a nice read for your book group.

About Georgia Bockoven

Georgia Bockoven is an award-winning author who began writing fiction after a successful career as a freelance journalist and photographer. Her books have sold more than four million copies worldwide. The mother of two, she resides in Northern California with her husband, John.

I read this book for TLC Book Tours for my honest review.

After the Fog

After the Fog by Kathleen Shoop

Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace (March 7, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1469935708
ISBN-13: 978-1469935706

Summary

The sins of the mother… In the mill town of Donora, Pennsylvania, site of the infamous 1948 “killing smog,” headstrong nurse Rose Pavlesic tends to her family and neighbors. Controlling and demanding, she’s created a life that reflects everything she missed growing up as an orphan. She’s even managed to keep her painful secrets hidden from her loving husband, dutiful children, and large extended family. When a stagnant weather pattern traps poisonous mill gasses in the valley, neighbors grow sicker and Rose’s nursing obligations thrust her into conflict she never could have fathomed. Consequences from her past collide with her present life, making her once clear decisions as gray as the suffocating smog. As pressure mounts, Rose finds she’s not the only one harboring lies. When the deadly fog finally clears, the loss of trust and faith leaves the Pavlesic family—and the whole town—splintered and shocked. With her new perspective, can Rose finally forgive herself and let her family’s healing begin?

My Thoughts

When I was first approached to review this book, I had never heard of the "killing smog" of Donora. I love learning about historical events so I knew this was probably going to be a very interesting book for me. Before I even received the book in the mail, I was looking up Donora and the horrible smog that enveloped the town. It's both shocking and interesting. Once I received the book and started reading, I was hooked!

After the Fog tells the story of Rose and her family. Rose was raised in an orphanage and has struggled to get to where she is today. She has a husband and two teenage children and she is the community nurse. She juggles being a homemaker while serving the community as the townspeople. In the meantime, the killing smog of 1948 is covering the town making people sick without them even realizing what is happening to them. As Rose tends to the townspeople while trying to secure funding for the Community Nursing Program, her past comes back to haunt her. Rose is challenged in ways she never imagined.

I found Rose to be an amazingly strong woman even though I found her difficult to like at times. At times I found her cold. Other times I felt sorry for her. I did find myself hoping all would turn out well for Rose and her family. I found myself reading After the Fog into the wee hours hours of the morning, just to find out how Rose's story would end.

While reading this book, you can tell that Kathleen Shoop has done much research on Donora and it's killing smog. My hats off to her for writing a great story set in such a horrible, historical event. It made for a great setting for the story. I felt as though I had gone back in time and was walking the smoggy streets of Donora alongside Rose. I got an eerie feeling reading the book which is how I imagined the people of Donora felt at the time. The author nailed the setting perfectly!

I really enjoyed this book and think it would make for a great and interesting book club selection. I have not yet read Kathleen's debt novel, The Last Letter but it is going on my wish list. She is an author I will be keeping an eye on in the future.

About the Author
After the Fog is the second novel by bestselling Kindle author Kathleen Shoop. Her debut novel, The Last Letter, garnered multiple awards in 2011. A Language Arts Coach with a Ph.D. in Reading Education, Kathleen lives in Oakmont, Pennsylvania with her husband and two children.



Thank you to Kim from Book Sparks PR for allowing me to read and review this wonderful book!



I received this book for my honest opinion which in no way influenced my review.

What Happened To Hannah

Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Original edition (February 7, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 006208478X
ISBN-13: 978-0062084781

Summary

As a teenager, Hannah Benson ran away from home in order to save herself. Now, twenty years later, the past comes calling and delivers life-changing news: her mother and sister have passed away, leaving Hannah the guardian of her fifteen-year-old niece.

Returning home to bitter memories and devastating secrets, Hannah must overcome her painful past to pave a future with her niece, the last best chance at a family for both of them. She begins to create a new, happier life with her niece and rekindles a relationship with Grady Steadman, one of the few people she’s ever called a friend.

But she can’t forget what she cannot forgive, or lay to rest those ghosts that will not die. Will love and trust—and the truth—give her the strength to stand her ground and fight for what she deserves?

My Thoughts

This book is a good character driven novel. Those who enjoy stories of abused characters that have overcome their abuse will enjoy this book.

Hannah escapes her family and abuse as a teenager. She is a successful adult who seems very well rounded when she receives a phone call telling her her mother has passed away and she is now the guardian of a teenage niece named Anna, that Hannah had no idea existed. She returns home to take care of her family's affairs and meet and care for Anna.

As a reader, you know Hannah has been abused and she left her home but the mystery revolves around what happened to Hannah the fateful night she left. Hannah has not been back since. As Hannah cleans out her mother's home, she also cleans out the memories which seem to haunt her from that horrible night. The story goes back to when Hannah was a teenager which is intertwined with the present day story. Not to worry though. The storyline is easy to follow.

There is a romantic storyline also. Hannah is reacquainted with Grady, her high school sweetheart. Hannah is not ready to welcome back anyone from her past as she has moved on and in her eyes has put the past behind her. Grady is sure Hannah is hiding something from her past that needs to come out. There is a tension between them but is it because they still have feelings for each other or is it because Grady is just doing his job as the local sheriff?

I enjoyed reading about Hannah's life. She was a strong willed child and woman who did what she had to survive. She was an easy character to like. I felt bad that as a child, the community turned a blind eye to the abuse happening in her home. I'm sure this happens everyday but it sure was hard to stomach as I became involved with Hannah and her story.

The story kept me reading and wanting more until I got to the satisfying ending. I would recommend this book to book clubs as there is much there to discuss. It's an excellent read for those who like to read about dysfunctional families and those who have overcome abusive situations.


I received this book for my honest review from Amazon Vine

The Replacement Wife

  The Replacement Wife by Eileen Goudge  

• Paperback: 482 pages
• Publisher: Open Road E-riginal (March 27, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1453258140
• ISBN-13: 978-1453258149

Summary

 Camille Hart, one of Manhattan’s most sought-after matchmakers, has survived more than her fair share of hardships. Her mother died when she was a young girl, leaving her and her sister with an absentee father. Now in her forties, she has already survived cancer once, though the battle revealed just how ill-equipped her husband Edward is to be a single parent. So when doctors tell Camille that her cancer is back—and this time it’s terminal—she decides to put her matchmaking expertise to the test for one final job. Seeking stability for her children and happiness for her husband, Camille sets out to find the perfect woman to replace her when she’s gone.

 But what happens when a dying wish becomes a case of “be careful what you wish for”? For Edward and Camille, the stunning conclusion arrives with one last twist of fate that no one saw coming.

 At once deeply felt and witty, The Replacement Wife is an unforgettable story of love and family, and a refreshing look at the unexpected paths that lead us to our own happy endings.

 My Thoughts

  I am always attracted to a book that has a beautiful wedding dress on the cover so this book caught my eye instantly. As soon as I read the description, I knew this book was one for me! It did not disappoint. I found the story to be much different than what I was expecting. It was a pleasant surprise for me.

 There were times while reading this novel that I was highly disappointed in all of the characters involved. Camille is a matchmaker and is good at what she does. When she finds that she has cancer for the second time, she takes it upon herself to set her husband, Edward up with someone who will be there for him and their children when she passes on. Camille pushing a new woman on her husband and family was hard to read even though a part of me understood that she loved her family enough to want them taken care of in her absence. Edward disappointed me at times too. I wanted him to stand up for himself and stop Camille from picking out his next wife.

There are a few suitable women who are introduced in the story, some more likeable than others but each brought a uniqueness to the story. I enjoyed getting into the heads of all of the characters. It is such a different situation to read about. I can say the story really tugged at my heartstrings!

 The story takes an unexpected twist in the end. Even though it is not the ending I imagined, it is a satisfying ending. If you want to know more, you'll have to pick up a copy of the book and read it. This is a book you will want to read without reading any spoilers.

 I look forward to reading more of Eileen Goudge books as I enjoyed this one very much!



 I received a copy of this book from Open Road Media through Netgalley for my honest review

Maisie Dobbs

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear

Reading level: Ages 18 and up
Paperback: 294 pages
Publisher: Penguin Books (May 25, 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0142004332
ISBN-13: 978-0142004333

I have been looking forward to reading Maisie Dobbs for quite some time. I have heard so many great things about Maisie and just knew she was a character I would enjoy! When Trish at TLC Book Tours invited me to join in on Maisie Month, I was very excited to start at the very first book in the series!

When Maisie is 13, she loses her mother and her father sends her into service to help make ends meet. Maisie grows into a young lady and when the Great War begins, she becomes a nurse on the Front.

In 1929, Maisie opens her own detective agency. Her first case is the kind of case she doesn't really wish to pursue but takes the case on anyway. She really wants meaty cases. Mr. Davenham is suspicious of his wife. He feels she is not being faithful to him. The case takes Maisie to a cemetery where Mrs. Davenham visits a grave marked only with the first name of Vincent. As Maisie watches Mrs. Davenham in the cemetery, she notices many gravestones marked only with a first name. Curious about the men buried there, Maisie investigates further. She uncovers a farmhouse called The Retreat, where soldiers who cannot rejoin society in the war reside. Maisie senses something wrong and she digs deeper into The Retreat and it's occupants. She is determined to find out what goes on at The Retreat.

The story goes back in time to Maisie's past through flashbacks, but the book flows beautifully. As a reader, we get to know how Maisie got to where she is and the trials and tribulations she has gone through.

I fell in love with Maisie. She is gentle yet tough. She is one of those endearing characters who stays with you long after the last page. I know I look forward to reading many more of Maisie's adventures. I highly recommend Maisie. She is quite a unique gal!

Jacqueline Winspear

Jacqueline Winspear is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Among the Mad and An Incomplete Revenge, as well as four other Maisie Dobbs novels. She has won numerous awards for her work, including the Agatha, Alex, and Macavity awards for the first book in the series, Maisie Dobbs. Originally from the United Kingdom, she now lives in California.

I received this book from TLC Book Tours for my honest opinion.

The Orchid House

The Orchid House by Lucinda Riley

Paperback: 464 pages
Publisher: Atria Books; Original edition (February 14, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1451655789
ISBN-13: 978-1451655780

Summary

Spanning from the 1930s to the present day, from the Wharton Park estate in England to Thailand, this sweeping novel tells the tale of a concert pianist and the aristocratic Crawford family, whose shocking secrets are revealed, leading to devastating consequences.

As a child, concert pianist Julia Forrester spent many idyllic hours in the hothouse of Wharton Park, the grand estate where her grandfather tended exotic orchids. Years later, while struggling with overwhelming grief over the death of her husband and young child, she returns to this tranquil place. There she reunites with Kit Crawford, heir to the estate and her possible salvation.

When they discover an old diary, Julia seeks out her grandmother to learn the truth behind a love affair that almost destroyed the estate. Their search takes them back to the 1940s when Harry, a former heir to Wharton Park, married his young society bride, Olivia, on the eve of World War II. When the two lovers are cruelly separated, the impact will be felt for generations to come.

This atmospheric story alternates between the magical world of Wharton Park and Thailand during World War II. Filled with twists and turns, passions and lies, and ultimately redemption, The Orchid House is a beautiful, romantic, and poignant novel.

My Thoughts

This story surprised me! I really didn't expect this story to grab me the way it did. The story starts out with a grieving widow and mother who just can't seem to find the will to move on with her life. Julia is a pianist who has lost her husband and son in a horrible accident.

When Julia attends an estate sale at the home her grandparents lived and worked at, she is given a diary that the new owner believes belongs to her grandfather. Kit, the new owner of Wharton Park, and Julia are not exactly strangers. Julia spent much time at the estate where her grandfather grew orchids. Julia returns the diary to her grandmother, Elsie who was a house maid at Wharton Park. Elsie and Julia take a trip back in time through Elsie's memories. Elsie's story takes Julia back in time to World War II where family secrets begin. The story goes back and forth from WWII to the present.

There are many layers to this story and many important characters in this book. I did not have any trouble following along with the story or the characters. I attribute this to the author's wonderful writing! The characters are well defined and I felt as though I knew them well. Sometimes when books have too many characters and go back and forth in time, it can be a bit confusing. Not this book! It was very well written.

There are many twists, turns and secrets in this book to keep the reader fully engaged. Just when I thought I knew where the story was going to go, something unexpected would happen. It kept me on my toes! It's definitely a page turner!

This book reminds me a bit of Downton Abbey as the estate, Wharton Park is much like a character in the story. The estate plays a huge role in the future of all of the characters, both past and present.

I look forward to reading more from Lucinda Riley. This book was originally published in Europe under the title Hothouse Flower.



I received this book from Netgalley for my honest review.

Baker Towers by Jennifer Haigh

Baker Towers by Jennifer Haigh

ABOUT BAKER TOWERS

Bakerton is a community of company houses and church festivals, of union squabbles and firemen’s parades. Its neighborhoods include Little Italy, Swedetown, and Polish Hill. For its tight-knit citizens — and the five children of the Novak family — the 1940s will be a decade of excitement, tragedy, and stunning change. Baker Towers is a family saga and a love story, a hymn to a time and place long gone, to America’s industrial past, and to the men and women we now call the Greatest Generation. It is a feat of imagination from an extraordinary voice in American fiction, a writer of enormous power and skill.

MY THOUGHTS

This book captured my eye when it was first published. I love covers that have a nostalgic vibe to them. The colors on the cover are muted and somewhat drab which gives a clue to the atmosphere of the story. I don't mean that in bad way.

The story of the Novak family is not bright and cheery by any means. It is the story of a family who doesn't have an easy life. The Novaks live in a home owned by the company mine where Stanley Novak is a coal miner. The book begins with the death of Stanley. The story then focuses on the family and their survival. Life is not always pretty for them.

There are five Novak children. They all struggle in the way most blue collar families struggle. Some will do whatever it takes to leave the coal mining community and not end up like their father. The story meanders through all five children's lives as they become adults. Their saga is still on my mind long after I have finished the book.

The story is a quiet one. It doesn't move at break neck speeds, but at a slow pace, which reflects the time the story is set in. The story kept me captivated, even though it moves quietly and carefully.

Jennifer Haigh writes beautifully and her storytelling is wonderful. Her descriptions paint vivid pictures that I won't soon forget. Her glimpse into life in Baker Towers is both haunting and intriguing. I would love to see a second book so I could spend more time with the Novak family. This was my first Jennifer Haigh novel and certainly won't be my last.

I highly recommend this book and Jennifer Haigh's other novels.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jennifer Haigh is the author of the New York Times bestsellers The Condition; Baker Towers, winner of the 2006 PEN/L.L. Winship Award for outstanding book by a New England author; and Mrs. Kimble, which won the PEN/Hemingway Award for debut fiction. Her short stories have appeared in the Atlantic, Granta, the Saturday Evening Post, and many other publications. She lives in the Boston area.



Many thanks to TLC Book Tours for sending me this wonderful novel and allowing me to be part of the tour. Jennifer Haigh and her books are on tour this month. Be sure to check out the other tour posts here.

I received this book as part of the tour for my honest review.

Home Front

Home Front by Kristin Hannah

Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press (January 31, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312577206
ISBN-13: 978-0312577209

In her bestselling novels Kristin Hannah has plumbed the depths of friendship, the loyalty of sisters, and the secrets mothers keep. Now, in her most emotionally powerful story yet, she explores the intimate landscape of a troubled marriage with this provocative and timely portrait of a husband and wife, in love and at war.

All marriages have a breaking point. All families have wounds. All wars have a cost. . . .

Like many couples, Michael and Jolene Zarkades have to face the pressures of everyday life---children, careers, bills, chores---even as their twelve-year marriage is falling apart. Then an unexpected deployment sends Jolene deep into harm’s way and leaves defense attorney Michael at home, unaccustomed to being a single parent to their two girls. As a mother, it agonizes Jolene to leave her family, but as a solider she has always understood the true meaning of duty. In her letters home, she paints a rose-colored version of her life on the front lines, shielding her family from the truth. But war will change Jolene in ways that none of them could have foreseen. When tragedy strikes, Michael must face his darkest fear and fight a battle of his own---for everything that matters to his family.

At once a profoundly honest look at modern marriage and a dramatic exploration of the toll war takes on an ordinary American family, Home Front is a story of love, loss, heroism, honor, and ultimately, hope.

My Thoughts

Kristin Hannah does it again! You will need your tissues when you read this!

This story addresses some important issues. Jolene is a mom and wife but she also serves in the National Guard. When she is deployed to Iraq, she leaves behind her daughters and unhappy husband. I could feel the pain that our service members must feel when they have to leave their loved ones behind. They hurt but have to keep their heads on straight to do their job. Not an easy thing to do. I found myself admiring Jolene for her strength!

Michael is Jolene's husband. He struggles with his life being up ended. Michael is assigned a case where an ex-soldier has killed his wife. His client is not talking which makes his job difficult. To top it off he has to take care of his daughters while his wife is deployed.

I won't give away any more of the story. It would spoil it for the reader. This book is emotional and at times heart wrenching. It gives a look into the families who are left behind when a service member is deployed. My husband is retired military so I remember those difficult times. This book gives us a different look as mom is the one who is being deployed. The reader also gets to see what it is like for the service member when they are deployed.

Kristin Hannah always makes me see two or three sides to every story and this book is no different. She can take a character you are pretty sure you will hate and make you see things through their eyes. She does her research when she tackles a new book and subject. As a reader, I appreciate the work and research she puts into each story. I felt so many different emotions reading this book, which I pretty much read in one day. You can't put this one down! This is a book I won't soon forget. I look forward to Kristin Hannah's next novel!

I received this book for my honest review

The Thorn And The Blossom by Theodora Goss

The Thorn and The Blossom: A Two-Sided Love Story by Theodora Goss

Hardcover: 82 pages
Publisher: Quirk Books (January 17, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 159474551X
ISBN-13: 978-1594745515

Summary

One enchanting romance. Two lovers keeping secrets. And a uniquely crafted book that binds their stories forever.

When Evelyn Morgan walked into the village bookstore, she didn’t know she would meet the love of her life. When Brendan Thorne handed her a medieval romance, he didn’t know it would change the course of his future. It was almost as if they were the cursed lovers in the old book itself . . .

The Thorn and the Blossom is a remarkable literary artifact: You can open the book in either direction to decide whether you’ll first read Brendan’s, or Evelyn’s account of the mysterious love affair. Choose a side, read it like a regular novel—and when you get to the end, you’ll find yourself at a whole new beginning.

My Thoughts

This is a beautiful novella. The book is accordion-bound and tells two sides of a wonderful love story. The book is housed in a gorgeous slip cover. The artwork is stunning. This is one book I highly recommend buying the print version versus the e-book edition. The quality of the paper and cover are extraordinary! I tried to get a picture so you could see how beautiful the book is but these photos do not do the book justice!

One side tells the story from Evelyn's viewpoint. Evelyn travels to Cornwall for a week, where she meets Brendan in a bookstore. They both discover their common love for medieval literature. The love story between Evelyn and Brendan is full of magical twists and turns and reads much like a fairy tale, but it is an adult read. I don't want to give much of the story away. You really want to be surprised and experience this book as you read it. If I tell you too much, it will spoil the book for you which would be a shame! It is a short story at about 39 pages for Evelyn's side of the story. As soon as I finished Evelyn's story, I had to flip the book over to see how Brendan saw their story. I would recommend reading Evelyn's story first and following it up with Brendan's story, which is 38 pages in length. I was left wanting a bit more when I finished Evelyn's story and was thankful to have Brendan's side to read next. This is a quick read for an afternoon.

The writing and storytelling are stunning and charming. I could imagine Cornwall and forests in my mind as I read along. I was surprised that I got to know the characters so well in such a short story. The book does not feel rushed at all despite its length. The reader will have to use their imagination as they read this book. It is a modern fairy tale with a magical and romantic side.

This would make a wonderful gift for someone who appreciates unique books or one who appreciates romantic fairy tales. It is a book I will be proud to display on my bookshelves and one I know I will enjoy time and time again! It is a truly enchanting gem of a book!

I received this book through Amazon Vine for my honest review.

ARC Reading Challenge

I have done this challenge two years in a row now and really find it works well for me. I love seeing what ARCs my fellow challenge readers are reading and what they think of them. I will start myself at the Bronze Level but will more than likely move up as I read. Teddy at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time hosts the challenge. Here is what Teddy says about her challenge:

This is the original ARC Challenge That I created in 2010,I hope all of you ARC Readers will join me again in 2012 for the ARC Reading Challenge. I welcome old and new participants. I don't know about you, but my ARC pile is way too big. The only change this year is with the levels.

Note: I use the term "ARC" loosely,any book a publisher or author gives you with the expectation that you review it, counts for this challenge.
The Levels

Level Bronze: .a. All of us who have or will have less than 12 ARCS must read all of the ARCS we have. Note, that if you have 11 ARC's and then receive a 12th one you will be bumped up to catagory b.

b. All of us who have or will have 12 or more than 12 ARCS must read and review at least 12.

Level Silver: Read 24 ARCS

Level Gold: Read 30 ARCS

Level Platinum: Read 35 or more ARCS

So go on over to Teddy's blog and sign yourself up!