Welcome to another week of bookish fun. Join in with those who celebrate Mailbox Monday, hosted in February by Unabridged Chick; and What Are You Reading?, hosted by Book Journey.
MAILBOX MONDAY:
This week brought two review books in the mail…and a free download for Sparky.
1. The Day After Yesterday, by Kelly Cozy (From the Author)
The events of a single night can change a life forever, as musician Daniel Whitman discovers when he loses his family and home. Overwhelmed by grief, unable to find solace in his music or accept comfort from his friends, he flees up the California coast. Daniel thinks he’s leaving everything behind, but his journey will take him to the places and people that will help him find his way back. The Day After Yesterday is a story of hope, friendship, and the redemptive power of music.
2. Her, by Christa Parravani (Publisher)
A blazingly passionate memoir of identity and love: when a charismatic and troubled young woman dies tragically, her identical twin must struggle to survive
Christa Parravani and her identical twin, Cara, were linked by a bond that went beyond siblinghood, beyond sisterhood, beyond friendship. Raised up from poverty by a determined single mother, the gifted and beautiful twins were able to create a private haven of splendor and merriment between themselves and then earn their way to a prestigious college and to careers as artists (a photographer and a writer, respectively) and to young marriages. But, haunted by childhood experiences with father figures and further damaged by being raped as a young adult, Cara veered off the path to robust work and life and in to depression, drugs and a shocking early death.
A few years after Cara was gone, Christa read that when an identical twin dies, regardless of the cause, 50 percent of the time the surviving twin dies within two years; and this shocking statistic rang true to her. “Flip a coin,” she thought,” those were my chances of survival.” First, Christa fought to stop her sister’s downward spiral; suddenly, she was struggling to keep herself alive.
Beautifully written, mesmerizingly rich and true, Christa Parravani’s account of being left, one half of a whole, and of her desperate, ultimately triumphant struggle for survival is informative, heart-wrenching and unforgettably beautiful.
3. The Summer of France (e-book), by Paulita Kincer (From Book Blogger Paulita, at An Accidental Blog)
When Fia Jennings loses her job at the local newspaper, she thinks she’ll have the chance to bond with her teenage twins. As she realizes she may be too late to create the perfect family, she’s saved by a phone call from her great Uncle Martin who runs a bed and breakfast in Provence. Uncle Martin wants Fia to venture to France to run the B&B so he and his wife Lucie can travel. He doesn’t tell Fia about the secret he hid in the house when he married Lucie after fighting in World War II, and he doesn’t mention the people who are tapping his phone and following him, hoping to find the secret.
After much cajoling, Fia whisks her family to France and is stunned when Uncle Martin and Aunt Lucie leave the same day for a Greek cruise. She’s thrown into the minutiae of a running the B&B without the benefit of speaking the language. Her dreams of family bonding time fade as her teenagers make French friends. Kasie joins a local swim team, riding off to practice on the back of a scooter each morning, hips tucked next to the 18-year-old French boy who teaches her to smoke brown cigarettes and drink red wine. West accompanies a pouty French teenager around the city, playing his guitar in the town squares to earn spending money. Fia’s husband Grayson begins touring the countryside with a pretty French woman, and Fia resists the distractions of Christophe, a handsome French man. Why the whirlwind of French welcome, Fia wonders after she comes home from a day at the beach in Nice to find someone has ransacked the B&B.
Fia parses Uncle Martin’s obscure phone calls, trying to figure out this WW II hero’s secret. Can she assuage Uncle Martin’s World War II guilt and build the family she’s always dreamed of?
***
WHAT ARE YOU READING?
Here we are in a new week, contemplating what has come before…and what lies ahead. Eagerly ready to meander around the blogosphere, finding lovely books to add to our stacks, we bring our coffee and our conversation.
Last Week in My Blogging World:
On Monday, I wrote a Monday Potpourri: Musings post about some of my reading habits. Then I traipsed over the Story Corner to share A Lazy Monday: Books, Movies, & Creative Pursuits.
My Thursday Potpourri: Valentine’s Tidbits was obviously a nod to that day.
Over at An Interior Journey, I had winners at the 100 Followers Giveaway. And at Curl up and Read, there was a winner for the February Bookshelf Clearing Giveaway.
My Sweet Saturday Sample launched excerpts from another WIP, Defining Moments:
Finally…Saturday Potpourri: Quiet Reading, Feeding Sparky, and Surfing the Net.
Reading-Click Titles for Reviews:
1. The Year of the Gadfly, by Jennifer Miller
2. Blue Jeans & Coffee Beans, by Joanne DeMaio (Review will be up on 3/11 for blog tour stop – Rainy Days and Mondays)
3. Sign of the Times (e-book), by Susan Buchanan
4. Autobiography of Us, by Aria Beth Sloss.
What’s Up Next? Click Titles/Covers for More Info:
1. Emancipating Alice (e-book), by Ada Winder (review book)
2. After the Rain (e-book), by Karen White (Sequel Challenge)
3. Evil at Heart, Chelsea Cain (Sequel Challenge)
***
And that’s all I’m planning…but in case I have time on my hands, I have many more books on the stacks! I hope you’ll stop by and chat….and bring some coffee.
Her looks like an intense memoir! Have a good week, Laurel-Rain.
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I think so, too, Mary….thanks for stopping by and enjoy your week.
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You are in for some great reading it appears – enjoy your new books.
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Thanks, Diane…I’m very excited! Enjoy your week, too.
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Looks like a great line up of books! The Summer of France sounds especially good.
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I think so, too, Alita….glad you could stop by; enjoy your week!
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Wow — Her sounds good/dramatic! Enjoy all your reads!
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Yes, I think it will be, Audra…thanks for stopping by, and have a great week.
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I haven’t seen any of these before, but Her sounds like the one I’d most enjoy.
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Thanks for stopping by, Shoshanah…I’m looking forward to Her…and to the others. Enjoy your week.
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It looks like you had a busy week. Your next up and new books look really interesting. Have a good week!
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Thanks, Martha…I’m excited about the week…glad you could stop by. Have a good one!
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Ahhh, The Summer of France looks delightful 🙂 I hope you have a great week of reading!
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Doesn’t it? It was such a delightful surprise. Thanks for visiting, Jennifer…enjoy your week.
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Those stacks are never ending aren’t they!
Have a great reading week
Shelleyrae @ Book’d OUt
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Oh, isn’t that the truth, Shelleyrae? Glad you could stop by…enjoy your week!
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Good looking books. Her looks interesting. Enjoy!
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Yes, I believe it will be….thanks for stopping by, Mari, and enjoy your reading.
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The summer of France looks inviting!
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I am so looking forward to it, Mystica…thanks for visiting. Have a good week!
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Her has a gorgeous cover – enjoy!
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I love it, too, Sam…I always enjoy reading my print books so that I can luxuriate in the covers. The downside to reading on Sparky! No covers to see….sigh.
Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy your week.
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You got some great books The Day After Yesterday and Her have caught my interest. I didn’t know that after a twin dies, the survival rate of the other twin is 50%!
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I didn’t know that, either, Laura…how sad! I’d always heard that husbands and wives followed the deceased one within a year or so.
Thanks for stopping by, and have a great week.
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After the Rain sounds really good. I have Falling Home sitting on my shelf just waiting to be read!
Have a great week and enjoy all your books!!!
~Kristin @ Always With a Book
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I loved Falling Home…read it a couple of years ago, I think. It seems more recent, but I know how time flies by! I’m looking forward to After the Rain. Hope you enjoy Falling Home. Thanks for stopping by, Kristin.
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I have Her too and I’m intrigued by it – I hope we both love it.
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So do I, Kathy….it certainly has grabbed my attention and I love the cover and blurb.
Thanks for visiting…have a great week.
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Your books look inspiring! I am looking forward to reading more about Karen White’s new book. Enjoy your week.
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Thanks, Pat….I have enjoyed every Karen White book I’ve read…and I’m amazed that I only discovered her a few years ago. Glad you could stop by…have a great week.
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ENJOY your books…they look good.
Happy Mailbox Monday!!
Elizabeth
Silver’s Reviews
My Mailbox Monday
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Thanks, Elizabeth…I do like to mix things up….Hope yours live up to your expectations, too.
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After the Rain is my TBR list! It looks really good 🙂
Have a lovely reading week! What Are You Reading This Week @ The Brunette Librarian
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I can’t wait to read it, Brunette Librarian…enjoy your reads; and thanks for stopping by.
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They sound good, Her caught my eye.
http://tributebooksmama.blogspot.com/2013/02/mailbox-monday_18.html
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I like the look of Her, too. Thanks for visiting, Tribute Books Mama…enjoy your week.
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All these books look good to me! The Karen White one especially. What was the first one called? I bet it is on my lengthy wish list.
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The prequel to this one is Falling Home. Karen White also has the Tradd Street series…and maybe some others. Thanks for visiting, Lori, and enjoy your week.
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The Day after yesterday sounds like a heart-breaking story that’s also hopeful and life-affirming. Her sounds like another powerfully intense and heart-breaking story. This memoir really interests me because I’m a twin although fraternal not identical but I still find the relationship intriguing. Andany book that’s at least partially set in a beautiful part of France is worth reading. Enjoy!
Karen White’s book sounds wonderful and that cover is beautiful! Happy Reading!
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Thanks for stopping by, Amy…I agree that my books this week are captivating, with lovely covers. Hope you enjoy your week, too.
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A week end with Noah and now a lovely week to read!
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Yes…isn’t it great? And you’re enjoying your new kitty, right? Thanks for visiting, Patty.
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All the books look great, but The Summer of France has caught my eye. Enjoy your reading!
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Yes, I’m going to enjoy that one, Yvonne…thanks for visiting…have a great week.
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Looking forward to After the Rain too! Have a great week.
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Thanks, Nise…so am I! Enjoy your week….
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I’d like to have a summer of France…
Enjoy your week!
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It may be my only visit to France this year…lol. I am also expecting to luxuriate in the experience, Jen. Thanks for visiting.
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nice books, ooh another book by a blogger … cool,, I’m keen to see what you think, Have a great week and happy reading 🙂
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I am excited to read it, Teddyree…hope to read it soon. Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy your week.
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Summer of France has a pretty cover and sounds good too. Hope the writing lives up to the story line! x
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I agree, Wendy….it looks like the kind of read to savor. Thanks for stopping by.
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I’ve seen a lot of the book Her I hope it is as good as it has been built up to be – last week seems like it was jam packed for you I hope you have a fabulous week this week 😀
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Thanks, Fay…and I’ve been really noticing Her everywhere lately. Hope you enjoy your week.
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Thanks for popping over! And indeed she is EVERYWHERE! Well on the blogosphere! 😀
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