Welcome to "Laurie Here - Contemporary Fiction and MORE - Book Reviews"! Join me and let's escape life into the wonderful world of books getting lost between the covers where the lives of the characters live and their amazing stories take place for a little while! Let's learn about the authors, too! I write "honest" book reviews about my experiences and tell you how the trip was! You may want to follow along with me, too! Leave a comment while you're here, too!
Saturday, August 20, 2016
#StackingtheShelves #47! Blog updates and week's end for 8-20-16!
Thanks to our Sponsor, Tynga's Reviews!
First, let's find out HOW Stacking the Shelves works!
Hello everyone! It's that time of week again, that time to do an awesome "SHOW AND TELL" of the books I have been given, from authors, from publishers, I bought, borrowed, or received somehow, the library, a yard sale, or some way this past week! I LOVE showing books off like this! This is one of MY favorite posts to write!!
I also use THIS POST EACH WEEK to do somewhat of a wrap-up AND to post my NEW REVIEWS, NEW GIVEAWAYS, and whatever else I should bring to your attention!
After you are done reading HERE, click on the Sponsor's name up above and see THEIR post for Stacking the Shelves, too! They have a link-up with OVER 100-200 other blogs that also participate!
I'm also finding OTHER PLACES TO LINK UP TO AS WELL! I'm finding these places from other blogs, and they are GREAT ideas! The following NEW one is Talk of the Town where we can add ALL THINGS BOOKISH! Check it out! I still plan on joining in on other link-ups, too, I just haven't had the chance to do it all yet! I'll get there!!
I will also be linking this post AND my reviews to Saturday Situation as well from now on, too! That is a place to link ALL THINGS BOOKISH! I'm anxious to start posting there!! Check it out, too!
Hello Everyone!!!
WHEW! IT IS HOT, HOT, HOT OUTSIDE! I CANNOT STOP SWEATING INSIDE with the air and a fan on!! I am NOT a fan of the heat at ALL! I HATE the heat, to be honest! Although, maybe that is because I am in my home state of Michigan! Most of us do not like the HOT heat, and it's a good thing, too, because this is NOT the state to live in if you want HOT HEAT! We will have mild temperatures starting September 18th, and I cannot WAIT for those temps!! The low 60's are PERFECT for me!! I ONLY set my heat through the winter at 67! I know that sounds COLD, but it's NOT! Our house is on the small side, and that really makes it comfortable in here, unless you dress like my son does, in shorts! No, for 67 thru the three seasons, you must wear warmer clothing!
Let's hit the books!
I hope you ALL had some WONDERFUL reading this week!!! I sure did! I even got to read a friend's NEW writing!!! I have a friend who likes to write, and they had me read some of their writing for them to get my opinion about it!! Oh, yeah! It was wonderful!!! I don't know if they are going to self publish it or not, but I LOVED it!! It's a secret under wraps, too, so I CAN'T say a word about it . . . or else!! My lips are SEALED!!! If they want to write more, I would LOVE it!!
I'm currently reading an "in-between" book for review, At the Water's Edge, a novel by Sara Gruen. She also wrote Water for Elephants. I wanted to read this when it first came out, and NOW, I finally get the chance in-between books for review! I do have to put this book down and finish up some other books, so this is why I call these kinds of books, "in-betweens"!
I like this book, and am enjoying it very much. It's nice to have your own book you want to read for these very short times when we reviewers don't have to be reading a book for review! I like this and will do it again!
So far, this book takes place during WWII with Maddie just having married Ellis, and her husband, Ellis, avoiding the draft for the war ON PURPOSE, along with his friend, Hank. I guess when money can't buy you away from the Government, you have to find health issues or injuries in some way to help keep you from NOT being drafted, however, they both have taken quite some heat and being accused of intentionally avoiding the draft. They do stand up for themselves and their health issues that have kept them out of the war, but you know since they are from money, they do NOT want or feel as if "they" should be going out into the front lines to fight! They'll do anything to avoid fighting! One of them is claiming color blindness (of which his wife who is the main character secretly tested him on this so SHE knew!) and his friend claims he has, along with the doctor, flat feet. From what I understand back in WWII they did so much MORE walking than in any other war that yes, flat feet would not make it. I found that interesting. Instead of staying in the states, Maddie did decide to ride along on a warship to go to Scotland and while her husband and his friend do search for the Loch Ness monster. The ride to Scotland was horrendous and she was so sick! The days are long for her as she stays back at the Bed and Breakfast (or what we would now call it) and her husband and his friend go out interviewing people about the monster and they go monster searching. They do quite a bit of drinking while looking for this monster, in addition to being quite upset now because they have completely failed with everything so far, but they still have a little time left there. They are also somewhat stuck there right now, too, as the air raids of the war have increased, too. Maddie, the wife, is the one who deals with the most of everything back where they are staying, involves herself in apologizing for her husband and his friend's behavior. She has also decided to help run this place by doing some housekeeping to help who have become her friends now. It's really good. Currently I am into the book at 60% and once finished with this book, I will be writing a FULL review about this book, so you'll get to learn more about it and where this story goes!
What's going on at the blog?
A GIVEAWAY!!! "BACK TO THE BOOKS" $250 CASH GIVEAWAY! NOW to 9-7! Come on over and enter HERE!! OR You can click on the photo for this Giveaway in the LEFT SIDE COLUMN! Good luck!!
REVIEWS THIS PAST WEEK:
I Will Send Rain, a novel by Rae Meadows - 5 Stars! You can read the review HERE!
The Regulars, a novel by Georgia Clark - 4 Stars! You can read that review HERE!
I MUST apologize!! I had "Who Do You Love" by Jennifer Weiner ALL READY to "write" the review, and it slipped my mind! I'm SO SORRY!!! I WILL have it written this week! PROMISE!!!
I made a 2nd mistake, too! I'm BAD!!! The One Man by Andrew Gross releases on Tuesday, August 23rd, so my review WILL be POSTED ON that date which is 'THIS' Tuesday coming up! This is a book you would probably NEVER think "I" would read! It's not! However, it is SO GOOD! I would recommend this book to anyone, as long as you can handle ALL of the death and despair of World War II. I know for a LONG while I just could NOT read one more book about it, but this book is rather unique. They are looking for this one man. He and one other man are the ONLY two people on earth that have their life's work with them and are being protected. The work this one man has is with this man, and the best part is even the Nazi's/German's don't know this man! He should be safe, until the day the Nazi's raid their town! This man's work is strong enough that the PAPERWORK, if seen, could start more wars! He NEVER should have been taken by the Nazi's, but he was, and ALL of his belongings were burned. This man's work was information that someone wanted and knew about, and now with it burned and no longer existing, the hunt is on against time before the Nazi's gas this man and kill him just like they have done to so many other people. This man is in Auschwitz, the worst camp there is. Spies are sent in to find him.
Okay! This is where the book gets SUPER good! This is why I like it! Again, catch this review THIS More to follow!
REVIEWS THIS COMING WEEK:
The One Man by Andrew Gross TUESDAY, AUG 23rd!
Who Do You Love by Jennifer Weiner THURSDAY, AUG 25th!
eBooks I still have to review (does not include print books):
(This is for my benefit, to be able to see the books I need to review and FAST!)
Now and Then Friends by Kate Hewitt
Don't You Cry by Mary Kubica
The Goodbye Year by Kaira Rouda
Lost Among the Living Simone St James
The Loved Ones by Rachael Herron
Somewhere Out There Amy Hatvany
The Return of the Witch by Paula Brackston
Tough Justice Exposed (1 of 8) by Carla Cassidy
The Witches of Cambridge by Menna Van Praag and
The Passenger by Lisa Lutz
NEW BOOKS I RECEIVED THIS WEEK!
Yes! I HAVE received a few NEW books this week! I am OVER THE MOON that I received Little Boy Blue by MJ Arlidge, an author from the UK who writes Thrillers that you CANNOT PUT DOWN!!! I had to sign up and WISH FOR IT!! (Wish for the book from the publisher!!) and I had about given up on being chosen to review it! I've read and reviewed all four previous books of his, and FINALLY I GOT WORD I WAS CHOSEN TO REVIEW IT!!!! I'M SOOO HAPPY!! EXCITED!!! And YES! I HAVE started it already!!! I HAD to read a few chapters of it to find out what this one is going to be about!! This one is going to be about . . . are you ready??? Okay! Sadomasochism! Wow! That's HARD to spell! You know, S&M. NO! I wasn't looking forward to reading ABOUT THAT! This author's writing is AMAZING!!!! THAT is what I'm looking forward to reading!! He can write about anything and I'll read it!! It's really not so bad, so calm down!! There has been NOTHING sexual about it yet, and probably won't be, just the serial killer (ALL of this author's books are about serial killers on the loose, and Detective Inspector Helen Grace in a city in England is out there to CATCH THESE PEOPLE!) is completely into it and it in full dress of a Dominate. They say this guy works with a second person, so I wonder if the second person is a submissive or if they consider the people they catch as the submissives? I'm not sure yet! We'll find out! This is Book 5 in this wonderful series! Remember this book started out with Eeny Meeny! That was the book that got me HOOKED! I LOVE this author!!! One more thing! The names of the books always stands for something, and I was figuring if someone turns blue, then they are being strangled, and YEP! I was right! This serial killer is into strangulation of it's victims. This book IS ALREADY AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AND TO READ RIGHT NOW!Here is the cover of the book!
Little Boy Blue, A Detective Inspector Helen Grace novel by MJ Arlidge
Liar's Key, A Sharpe and Donovan novel #6 by Carla Neggers
Release Date: August 30th! I 'just' got this book yesterday, so I know I will not be able to get this book read as well in just a few more weeks! It WILL be read and reviewed IN September! It WILL BE AFTER September 7th and later. I'll need time to read it. Currently I have to finish I have 3 more books to read! promised three other publishers/authors that I WILL post my reviews on Sept 1st and the 6th, then I have one more book to review after that, Missing Pieces, THEN I WILL be able to get to this book STILL IN September! I have 2 more books for September and I still have my To Read list to attack!! In time!!
(From the Library Journal, they describe this book as if you like reading Lisa Jackson and Lisa Gardner, then you will LOVE reading this Author!) I have not heard about this author yet, so it will be FUN to try this book out!
Thank you for stopping by! I hope you got some ideas for reading! I HOPE you remember to ENTER THE GIVEAWAY!! Also, come back by Tuesday and Thursday for the NEW REVIEWS!
LEAVE A COMMENT IF YOU WOULD LIKE! Tell us what YOU are reading!!
I'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK!
Laurie
6 comments:
I LOVE Comments so please leave one! After I review the comments and make sure they are NOT SPAM - I HAVE BEEN BOMBARDED WITH SPAM - YOUR COMMENTS WILL BE PUBLISHED HERE! Thanks SO MUCH for your patience and for leaving a comment!!! Comments are ALWAYS welcomed, YET THEY WILL NOT LINK TO GOOGLE+ EITHER DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF SPAM!!! When I say this blog is experiencing SPAM, we are talking 30+ comments PER DAY that are spam! Please understand!! Again, thank you!!
It's been really really hot here, but finally is starting to cool down a bit. Thank goodness, I'm so ready for fall! Hope you have a great week!
ReplyDeleteCheck out my Sunday Post
Heat. It's SO hot here the air keeps running, and I am late to answering your comment, so it is well into September already now! Sept 7th, just after Labor Day and summer is still here and strong! STRONG with the humidity, especially! I'm glad it cooled down a bit by you, and HOPE it stays cool for you! I am also SO READY for Fall! The temps to cool down and the gorgeous trees!! Thanks for the well wishes for the upcoming week! I will stop by your house for your post!!
DeleteThanks much!
Laurie
nice
ReplyDeleteThank you for the compliment!!!
DeleteLaurie
Liars keys look good. I read Little Boy Blue and loved it. Happy reading and enjoy. Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteHi Stacey!
DeleteI'm so glad you loved Little Boy Blue! I SO look forward to reading it!! Yes, Liar Liar was VERY good! I LOVE M J Arlidge for his thrillers he writes! Once you start, as you well know, you cannot stop reading his books!!
Keep enjoying his writing as I will be as well!
Thanks for stopping by!!
Laurie