Mailbox Monday! 11/23/20

 

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:
Leslie @ Under My Apple Tree 
Serena @ Savvy Verse And Wit
Martha @ Reviews By Martha's Bookshelf 

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                THANKS to everyone for keeping Mailbox Monday alive. 

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I hope you had a good mailbox.

I had an AMAZING mailbox!!

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Received November 17th

1: THE UNWILLING by John Hart

Courtesy of Netgalley and St Martin's Press

2: THE CABIN by Jasinda Wilder

Gift to self. It sounds great!

Received on November 18th

3: SNOW IN SUMMER by Laura Kemp

Courtesy of contest on Instagram

4: WHEN THE STARS GO DARK by Paula McLain

Courtesy of NetGalley & Random House Publishing

5: ETERNAL by Lisa Scottoline

Courtesy of NetGalley and Penguin Group

6: OUTBOUND TRAIN by Renea Winchester

I bought this one. Sounds very good.

November 19th I received: 

7: TURN BACK TIME by Annette G. Anders 

Courtesy of the author. It was a gift.

Week of reading! 11/20 - 11/27

 

I had a great reading week and next week will be too!

What have you read? What are you going to read?

Mine: Read/reviewed or reading.

LOSS LAKE by Amber Cowie

THE STRANGER IN MY BED by Karen King

THE LONGSHOT by

Laura McNeill

(Lauren Clark)

THE BOOK OF TWO WAYS by Jodi Picoult

A LIFE WITHOUT REGRETS by

Marci Bolden

Reviews are always on my blog!

Book Blogger Hop November 20th - 26th

 

 The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Jennifer @ Crazy-For-Books. It is now hosted by Billy @Coffee Addicted Writings. Each week the hop will start on a Friday and end the following Thursday. There will be a weekly prompt featuring a book related question. The hop’s purpose is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to your own blog. 

Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer this week asks

Today's question: 

Have you ever started reading a book and suddenly realized you've already read it?

My Answer:

I have not. But I have read books that sounded almost the same. I hate when that happens. 

Book beginnings on Friday. 11/19/20

 

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City Reader. 

The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. 

Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

My book beginnings: 

The lake seemed like an impossible ocean. Though it was nestled in the hollows of the northern mountains just as Mallory Dent had expected, its endless expanse was nearly beyond her understanding. 

From 56%:

She smoothed her simple black dress over her hips, looked at herself in the mirror, and told herself to let go of the past. Both Graham and Cynthia were gone.

This was such a good book. One I highly recommend!

LOSS LAKE by Amber Cowie

 

A new town, a new life, and a new home—with an absolutely chilling lakefront view.

From the author of Rapid Falls comes another totally engrossing novel of suspense and whodunit.

Mallory moved to Loss Lake after the death of her husband. She needed a new beginning. A new start to the rest of her life. How was she to know what awaited in this quaint town. It seemed everyone in McNamara knew her before she even spoke. Before she even got settled completely. Then there was the drowning on her newly bought property. Was Mallory hiding something or was she innocent. Did she know more than she told. Or was this something way more sinister. 

This book will grab you from the start and won't let go. From the first time you meet these people you will wonder about them. What kind of secrets are they keeping and what really happens in Loss Lake. Is it really a monster or is someone causing things to happen. 

The people in this town are likable. They seem to be there for each other no matter what and even if they dislike you they are there. So many strange things happen and so much is going on. From a blizzard to some truths being told you will wonder who is doing what. And is Mallory the innocent person she appears to be. Is she a grieving wife or something more. I liked Mallory regardless of what you may find out. I just did. I liked all the characters in this story. 

It kept me wondering all the way through. Was it realistic that so many people had drowned in Loss Lake or was something on the unearthly side working here. You will have to read this book to find out. Believe me it is so well worth the read too. One of the best. I liked it even better than Rapid Falls and it was great. 

This is one close knit community. You either fit in or move on I suppose. They do take care of their own. It seemed like almost everyone was related in some ways. There are a lot of secrets going on in McNamara but you'll find the answers in the pages of this book to all. It's very well written and makes you feel like you are right there. The descriptions are done so well you feel like you are in the house Mallory bought or the store Kylie owns. Even the cop, Joel, is one to wonder about though. Mallory questions everything and finally finds the answers she needed to move on with her life.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #AmberCowie, #LakeUnion for this ARC. This is my own true review.

5/5 stars and a high recommend. This book was great.

A FRENZY OF SPARKS by Kristen Fields

 

From the author of A Lily in the Light comes a poignant story of innocence lost and what it means to grow up too fast. (I loved A LILY IN THE LIGHT)

I loved A Lily in the Light, but this one to me was even better. It's a very emotional story. A story that hits so close to my heart. A bit too close. 

This is the story of a family. A family in Queens, NY in the 1960s. Dealing with so much. Cousins who are so close and get in trouble and finding their way in life. A thirteen year old girl who has the no worries at all yet. This year will be a big test for all of these kids. As one does bring drugs into the midst. One isn't strong enough to handle it at all. One thinks he's smart enough to be a boss on his own. They are all just stupid children in a world where things are hard enough. Nothing good can come from this. Families turning on each other. Kids hurting each other. It's a horrible cycle that won't stop until someone is dead or someone ends up in prison. Or both.

This story is so realistic it's like living it, not reading it. It's like you are in the pages with these people. Feeling the things they feel. The happiness. The sadness. The many ups and downs. What each family is dealing with and how it separates them. Where they were once so close they become distance. Secrets are kept yet each knows all. Whispers are everywhere. The horror of what can happen. What will happen and what does happen in one family. How a mother and father deal with things. How they seem to make a huge difference in their children yet to me it was just a parent being a parent and being there for the child who had gone astray. The one that needed the help while the other did good things. It's not a matter of one being loved the most. It's about not wanting to lose either.

This book will rip your heart out. It will make you weep. It's a raw and emotional story of families. Loss, love, happiness and how drugs affect each.

This story hit me hard. Right in my heart. I lost a brother to drugs. He tried so many times to stop. He had a heart of gold. The kindest person you would ever meet. But his addiction was bigger than him. It was bigger than me. It was bigger than anyone. I miss him every day. Drugs took my brother. 

Thank you #NetGalley, #KristinFields, #LakeUnion for this ARC. This is my own heartfelt review.

5/5 stars and a big recommendation. 

It's Monday! What are you reading? 11/16/20

 

I hope you had a great reading week.

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This is a weekly meme hosted by Kathryn at BOOK DATE! 

Post the books completed, the books you are currently reading, and the books you hope to finish at some point.

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What I read this past week:

1: TO TELL THE TRUTH by Gilly Macmillan

Review posted

2: A FRENZY OF SPARKS by Kristin Fields

Review coming Sunday or Monday

3: THE LONGSHOT by Lauren Clark

4: LOSS LAKE by Amber Cowie

5: THE STRANGER IN MY BED by Karen King

6: THE BOOK OF TWO WAYS by Jodi Picoult

7: THE PUSH by Claire McGowan

8: A LIFE WITHOUT REGRETS by Marci Bolden

9:  THE ARCTIC FURY by Greer Macallister

10:  WILDFLOWER GRAVES by Rita Herron

 

11: DARK FALLS by Gregg Olsen

12: TAKE IT BACK by Kia Abdullah

13: COLD WIND by Paige Shelton

14: THE WICKED HOUR by Alice Blanchard

15:  MY NAME IS ANTON by Catherine Ryan Hyde

16: COME TOMORROW by Tess Thompson

17: WATCH HER by Edwin Hill

18: LITTLE WISHES by Michelle Adams

19: THE LAST TO SEE HER by Courtney Evan Tate

20: THE NATURE OF FRAGILE THINGS by Susan Meissner