Mailbox Monday

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles, and humongous wish lists!!

Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia @ A Girl and Her Books, has a permanent home now at Mailbox Monday.

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Here’s a shout out to the administrators:
Emma @ Words And peace

Serena @ Savvy Verse And Wit
Martha @ Reviews By Martha's Bookshelf 

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                THANKS to everyone for keeping Mailbox Monday alive.

1: ANGLES OF THE RESISTANCE by Noelle Salazar

courtesy of publisher via NetGalley

THE MARSH QUEEN by Virginia Hartman

 

MY THOUGHTS

Where to start. Unfortunately I just did not enjoy this book. It was not horrible but it was also not great. To compare it to Where the Crawdads Sing is very misleading. It's nothing like that book. The only thing the two have in common is the marsh. That is all in my opinion.

This is about a woman, Loni, who returns to her hometown to help her brother take care of their mother who broke her wrist and is in the beginning stages of dementia. First let me say that I would not have gone back to help. She, the mother, treated Loni like she was very unwanted. She was not kind to her as a child or as an adult. Sometimes you just have to walk away and stay away. Of course then this would not have been much of a story. Loni is determined to get to the bottom of what really happened to her dad when she was only twelve years old. He drowned in the marsh. Or he committed suicide. Or was it murder... Lots to choose from right. No one in this town seems to like her or want to help her. Her brother is oblivious to what happened as he was just a baby when it happened. Their mother never let them talk about their dad after it happened. Just buried her head in the sand so to speak and go on with life. 

There is a mystery here and I figured it out quite fast. To me it was just obvious. But that may not be the case for others. While I didn't particularly enjoy this book it did have some good things. Adlai was the owner or operator of the canoe rental stand and it seems him and Loni finally started talking a bit. Maybe a bit of romance there. Although I found him to be a tad hateful. But that could just be me. Seems a lot of others loved this book. That is great for the author for sure. I think it was well written for the most part. It was interesting to learn things about birds. It just didn't grab me and didn't make me have any of the great feels like books should do. 

Thank you #NetGalley, #VirginiaHartman, #GalleryBooks for this ARC. This is my own true feelings about this book.

3 stars and I recommend you read it for yourself and decide what you think. It just didn't do it for me.

SYNOPSIS

For fans of Where the Crawdads Sing, this “marvelous debut” (Alice McDermott, National Book Award–winning author of The Ninth Hour) follows a Washington, DC, artist as she faces her past and the secrets held in the waters of Florida’s lush swamps and wetlands.

Loni Murrow is an accomplished bird artist at the Smithsonian who loves her job. But when she receives a call from her younger brother summoning her back home to help their obstinate mother recover after an accident, Loni’s neat, contained life in Washington, DC, is thrown into chaos, and she finds herself exactly where she does not want to be.

Going through her mother’s things, Loni uncovers scraps and snippets of a time in her life she would prefer to forget—a childhood marked by her father Boyd’s death by drowning and her mother Ruth’s persistent bad mood. When Loni comes across a single, cryptic note from a stranger—“There are some things I have to tell you about Boyd’s death”— she begins a dangerous quest to discover the truth, all the while struggling to reconnect with her mother and reconcile with her brother and his wife, who seem to thwart her at every turn. To make matters worse, she meets a man in Florida whose attractive simple charm threatens everything she’s worked toward.

Pulled between worlds—her professional accomplishments in Washington, and the small town of her childhood—Loni must decide whether to delve beneath the surface into murky half-truths and either avenge the past or bury it, once and for all.

The Marsh Queen explores what it means to be a daughter and how we protect the ones we love. Suzanne Feldman, author of Sisters of the Great War, writes that “fans of Delia Owens and Lauren Groff will find this a wonderful and absorbing read.”

THE NIGHT SHIP by Jess Kidd

 

MY THOUGHTS

WOW.. I mean WOW.. This book is my first by this author. It is a very intense and sad story. Actually it's two stories in one. One is in 1628-29 and the other in 1989. So many years apart. It's kind of like the later year is history repeating itself in ways. Although it's about the people from the ship Batavia. The child in particular. 

My favorite line: GIL STRETCHES OUT HIS TOES. SOMETHING LIES ON THE BEDSHEET. HE SITS UP TO INVESTIGATE AND FINDS GREEN BROCADE, FOLDED NEATLY, RICH AND FESTIVE IN HIS TORCHLIGHT. (This is my favorite for reasons only known to me. It just touched my heart.)

A little nine year old girl named Mayken... What she went through after losing her mom and being sent to her father whom she has never met. Headed to Australia. What happens on this ship and after it wrecks is horrible. It's very sad. Not in a cry your eyes out way, though you probably will in places, but in a how horrible that this really happened kind of way. The things that these people went through trying to survive. The horrors and the many many deaths. 

A young, nine year old boy Gil.. He lost his mother. He was sent to his grandpa, the only family he had left. This young boy is a free spirit. His mother never really gave him anything except to let him be who he was. Unrestricted it seems. He could dress and act however he wanted. He was not given things like cars or trucks. Or anything that most normal boys had. He had an imagination though and that could come to hurt him in this new faraway land. 

Mayken is said to be a ghost on the island where Gil lives. The people of the island believe it. He knows that there was a ship that wrecked many years ago and that there are possible bones and treasures buried on the island. The people on the island are not very kind to Gil. They think him strange. Especially some of the young boys and their dad. 

You will love both Mayken and Gil. Also Gil's pet turtle Enkidu. He's a very old turtle that Gil loves and takes the best care of. Gil and his grandpa go through a lot before they actually become friends but once they do it's a great relationship. 

There are quite a few characters in this story but not confusing to keep up with. The only problem I had was pronouncing their names. Boy they were tough ones. Some of these characters are so likable and some not so much. Some are downright cruel and horrid. Some are compassionate and caring. Things will happen that will make you cringe. Make you sad and possible cry. Toward the end I was ugly crying. But it's still a good story. One I'm so glad I read. I did not know anything about this era. This ship and these people. Now I've learned something new and I love that.

Thank you #NetGalley, #JessKidd, #Atria for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

5 huge stars and a very high recommendation. 

SYNOPSIS

Based on a true story, an epic historical novel from the award-winning author of Things in Jars that illuminates the lives of two characters: a girl shipwrecked on an island off Western Australia and, three hundred years later, a boy finding a home with his grandfather on the very same island.

1629: A newly orphaned young girl named Mayken is bound for the Dutch East Indies on the Batavia, one of the greatest ships of the Dutch Golden Age. Curious and mischievous, Mayken spends the long journey going on misadventures above and below the deck, searching for a mythical monster. But the true monsters might be closer than she thinks.

1989: A lonely boy named Gil is sent to live off the coast of Western Australia among the seasonal fishing community where his late mother once resided. There, on the tiny reef-shrouded island, he discovers the story of an infamous shipwreck…

With her trademark “thrilling, mysterious, twisted, but more than anything, beautifully written” (Graham Norton, New York Times bestselling author) storytelling, Jess Kidd weaves “a true work of magic” (V.E. Schwab, author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue) about friendship, sacrifice, brutality, and forgiveness.

Mailbox Monday

 

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles, and humongous wish lists!!

Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia @ A Girl and Her Books, has a permanent home now at Mailbox Monday.

 ************

Here’s a shout out to the administrators:
Emma @ Words And peace

Serena @ Savvy Verse And Wit
Martha @ Reviews By Martha's Bookshelf 

************

                THANKS to everyone for keeping Mailbox Monday alive.

1: THE QUEEN OF DIRT ISLAND by Donal Ryan

courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley

2: DON'T OPEN THE DOOR by Allison Brennan

courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley

3: THE INSTITUTION by Helen Fields

courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley

A PLACE TO LAND by Lauren K. Denton

 

MY THOUGHTS

After reading two previous novels by this same author I knew I had to read this one. Hurricane Season and The Summer House were both so good. Both five star reads. Both set in the southern part of Alabama. Books set in my home state tend to call my name. This book is the same. Set in Sugar Bend, AL and close to Mobile among other places it's realistic and a very touching story.

Two sisters, Violet and Trudy, are all each other have. Their mother left when they were in high school and their alcoholic dad died in a car accident not long after. The mother made Violet, who was the oldest, promise to take care of and protect her younger sister Trudy. Of course Violet promised. Little did she know that her life was about to make such a huge chance. Violet would do almost anything for her sister. It was her job after all to protect her and keep her safe. She had promised. 

Trudy was the youngest of the two sisters and was beautiful. The boys loved her and she caught the eye of the most adored man in town, Jay Malone, who owned a chain of Ice Cream stores. He had girls working for him and had his pick of any of them but he chose Trudy. Jay was a charmer. He was who everyone wanted to be like. He was the nicest man you'd ever meet. Trudy felt honored to become his wife. Violet could finally go on with her life and build a life with the man she loved also. 

Forty years go by and it's only the Figg sisters, Violet and Trudy. They live alone in a small cottage and run a shop where Trudy makes beautiful things she finds. Everyone loves the things she makes. Violet runs the shop while Trudy makes things. They work good together. Trudy hasn't spoken in forty years. Not since something awful happened and devastated her. 

This is the story of the lengths sisters will go to for each other. The things they will give up for each other. Even giving up their freedom. Being there for each other above all others. Even true love. These two sisters have a big secret that they won't share. All is good until the boat comes to the surface. Then their lives change forever. 

This book is great. It's heartwarming and sad. It's one that makes you hold your breath wondering what will come next. Not a thriller but it will give you thrills. Skin tingling thrills. I truly disliked these girls mother. She was selfish in the worst way. To put such a big thing on her oldest daughter was not only unfair, it made life impossible for her to live. She spent all her time worrying and that is just wrong. Of course if the mother had not of left there would be no book so there's that. I still could not stand the mother. She was selfish.

There are several great characters in this book. I loved them all except the mother and Jay. Those two were foolish. The descriptions are great. The sandy beaches. The shells. The shops. You feel at home in Sugar Bend, Alabama. Like you belong.

Thank you #NetGalley, #LaruenKDenton, #HarperMuse for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

5 stars and a very high recommendation. It's a beautiful story of love and hope.

SYNOPSIS

A hidden past isn’t past at all.

Violet Figg and her sister Trudy have lived a quiet life in Sugar Bend, Alabama, since a night forty years ago that stole Trudy’s voice and cemented Violet’s role as her sister’s fierce and loyal protector. Now Trudy spends her days making sculptures from found objects and speaking through notes written on scraps of paper, while Violet runs their art shop, monitors bird activity up and down the water, and tries not to think of the one great love she gave up to keep her sister safe.

Eighteen-year-old Maya knows where everyone else belongs, but she’s been searching for her own place since her grandmother died seven years ago. Moving in and out of strangers’ houses has left her exhausted. After seeing a flyer on a gas station window for a place called Sugar Bend, Maya chooses to follow the strange pull she feels and finds herself on the doorstep of an art shop called Two Sisters.

When a boat rises to the surface of Little River in the middle of the night, the present and no-longer-buried past collide, and the future becomes uncertain for Maya, Violet, and Trudy. As history creeps continuously closer to the present and old secrets come to light, the sisters must decide to face the truth of what happened that night forty years ago, or risk losing each other and those they’ve come to love.

USA TODAY bestselling author Lauren K. Denton delivers another distinctly Southern story that shimmers with beauty and possibility.

“Denton is a masterful storyteller who makes magic on every perfect page.” —Kristy Woodson Harvey, New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Veil

SHE'S GONE by David Bell

MY THOUGHTS

I've read a few of David Bell's books but this is my first YA novel by him. I usually do not read YA but this one caught my attention and I thought I would give it a try. I did enjoy it. I thought it was good even though I am far from being a YA. Still not sure if I will read more YA though. Depends on who writes them I suppose.

This book is centered around a young man names Hunter who was in a horrible car wreck. His girlfriend Chloe is missing and everyone assumes he did something to her. Or maybe she was kidnapped. Or wondered off somewhere hurt and confused. Hunter was hurt pretty bad and is suffering from memory loss. He can't remember the wreck nor anything after it. He barely remembers going to the homecoming dance where this supposedly all started. Some say that Hunter and Chloe had a big fight that night and think that is why he did something to her. 

This book is a fairly quick read. In my opinion it's well written. A little bit much in places but that is always expected for an ARC especially. I think David Bell did a good job of wrapping things up and keeping me in suspense. I did think it was one person who caused the wreck but I was kind of wrong. I also figured out who actually did do it but was uncertain. It didn't take a thing away from this book for me though. There were enough surprises along the way to keep me turning the pages. I hated that a certain person was murdered but do understand why. I think Hunter was a typical teen who wanted to know what happened to his girlfriend and handled the lashing out from his piers fairly well. It's to be expected with all the social media among high schoolers. They are both unforgiving and quick to forget. You just never know what a teen is going to do or say in certain situations. 

This book will definitely appeal to teens. I think it was a good read. I really enjoyed Hunter and his younger sister. They are close and that is always good. Their dad is a bit aloof but when it comes down to it he is there for his kids. Again, this book was pretty good. 

Thank you #NetGalley, #DavidBell, #SourceBooksFire, for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

4 stars. I recommend it to anyone that enjoys a good mystery and somewhat edge of your seat book. Especially younger people. It's really a good one.

SYNOPSIS

A new page-turning thriller from USA Today bestselling author David Bell.

When a girl disappears, who do you suspect?

When 17-year-old Hunter Gifford wakes in the hospital on the night of homecoming, he's shocked to learn he and his girlfriend, Chloe Summers, have been in a terrible car accident. Hunter has no memory of the crash, and his shock turns to horror when he is told Chloe's blood has been found in the car—but she has disappeared.

Back at school, his fellow students taunt him, and his former best friend starts making a true-crime documentary about the case—one that points the finger directly at Hunter. And just when things can't get any worse, Chloe's mother stands in front of the entire town at a candlelight vigil and accuses Hunter of murder.

Under mounting pressure from the police, Hunter takes matters into his own hands by questioning anyone who might know the truth and posting videos to prove his innocence. When Hunter learns he and Chloe were seen arguing loudly outside the dance, he faces a sickening possibility. Was he angry enough to kill the person he loved?

THE EDGE OF SHATTERED by Kimberky Kearns "Spotlight and Giveaway"

 

Book Details:

​Book Title:  On The Edge of Shattered: A Mother’s Experience of Discovering Freedom Through Sobriety by Kimberly Kearns
Category:  Adult Non-Fiction (18+),  252 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir, Self-Help
Publisher:  Glass Spider Publishing
Release date:  November  2022
Content Rating:  PG-13 + M: Intended for adults only, contains information on alcoholism   

Book Description:

​Before she stopped drinking for good, Kim was lying to herself and everyone she knew about her daily habit—sneaking morning sips of vodka behind her husband’s back, emptying bottles of wine and hiding the evidence from her family, and convincing herself that nothing was wrong and everything was under control. Until she realized that it wasn’t, and that her dishonesty could cost her everything she loved. What would happen to her marriage if things continued in this way? And how could she be a mother to her young children if she remained trapped in this cycle of abuse? Deciding she had to make a change, Kim threw herself into a new life of sobriety seven months into the Covid-19 pandemic. But only after severing the chains of bondage did she realize how much work there was still to do. Opening the doors to buried memories and past traumas was only the beginning. Throughout her journey to sobriety, Kim would come to terms with the secrets and lies told by her parents and loved ones, allowing her a clarity and freedom she never before thought possible.

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Meet the Author:

Kimberly Kearns is a wife to an incredible husband and a mother to three beautiful children. She currently lives in Need-ham, Massachusetts. She continues to tell her story of sobriety and inspire others every day on her blog at kimberlykearns.com, and through her Instagram account @asoberandstrongmom. Kimberly co-hosts the podcast The Weekend Sober and is a writer for the Webby Award-winning narrative podcast F*cking Sober: The First 90 Days. Writing has always been an escape for Kimberly, even as a little girl. Being able to express herself in words and getting lost in her imagination has served as a source of comfort to her as far back as she can remember. 

connect with the author: website ~ instagram ~ facebook  ~ bookbub ~ goodreads

ON THE EDGE OF SHATTERED Book Tour Giveaway