The Sunday Salon and Taking The Plunge.. 3 Books Where You End up Somewhere You Never Want to Be...

 Welcome to The Sunday Salon and The Sunday Post! It's that day of the week bloggers from all over the internet get together virtually in a large gathering place called The Sunday Salon and talk books!  And at The Sunday Post, which is a weekly meme hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer, in which more bloggers share their bookish news!

Another beautiful day in Connecticut! There is a cool breeze in the air, that just reminds me that I am alive and that nature is calling my name. But nature can be cruel too... And that's what today's Sunday Salon is about: Nature being cruel whether by challenging us to survive the icy waters of the ocean, the terror of a tsunami, or surviving a disaster like what happened on the Hindenburg... These are fictional stories, though, and stories that have gotten a lot of Buzz from the reading community recently. So, let's take a look at these books... Let's take the plunge...

Before The Fall by Noah Hawley... On a foggy summer night, eleven people-ten privileged, one down-on-his-luck painter-depart Martha's Vineyard on a private jet headed for New York. Sixteen minutes later, the unthinkable happens: the plane plunges into the ocean. The only survivors are Scott Burroughs-the painter-and a four-year-old boy, who is now the last remaining member of an immensely wealthy and powerful media mogul's family. With chapters weaving between the aftermath of the crash and the backstories of the passengers and crew members-including a Wall Street titan and his wife, a Texan-born party boy just in from London, a young woman questioning her path in life, and a career pilot-the mystery surrounding the tragedy heightens. As the passengers' intrigues unravel, odd coincidences point to a conspiracy. Was it merely by dumb chance that so many influential people perished? Or was something far more sinister at work? Events soon threaten to spiral out of control in an escalating storm of media outrage and accusations. And while Scott struggles to cope with fame that borders on notoriety, the authorities scramble to salvage the truth from the wreckage. Amid pulse-quickening suspense, the fragile relationship between Scott and the young boy glows at the heart of this stunning novel, raising questions of fate, human nature, and the inextricable ties that bind us together. 

I have seen this book on numerous review sites, all with great pre-publication praise. This was also a staff pick for best summer read from Publisher's Weekly, where it also told me that Grand Central Publishing called it "The thriller to read in 2016". I just downloaded the eGalley and I am thrilled! I thought the writing was good when I read a sample and by page 21 the crash has happened and the story starts to slowly take off from there. I'll be diving into this one this weekend! Published by Grand Central Publishing, this is going to be released May 31st!

Flight of Dreams by Ariel Lawhon... On the evening of May 3rd, 1937, ninety-seven people board the Hindenburg for its final, doomed flight to Lakehurst, New Jersey. Among them are a frightened stewardess who is not what she seems; the steadfast navigator determined to win her heart; a naive cabin boy eager to earn a permanent spot on the world’s largest airship; an impetuous journalist who has been blacklisted in her native Germany; and an enigmatic American businessman with a score to settle. Over the course of three hazy, champagne-soaked days their lies, fears, agendas, and hopes for the future are revealed. Flight of Dreams is a fiercely intimate portrait of the real people on board the last flight of the Hindenburg. Behind them is the gathering storm in Europe and before them is looming disaster. But for the moment they float over the Atlantic, unaware of the inexorable, tragic fate that awaits them. Brilliantly exploring one of the most enduring mysteries of the twentieth century, Flight of Dreams is that rare novel with spellbinding plotting that keeps you guessing till the last page and breathtaking emotional intensity that stays with you long after. 

There was a lot of press for this book when it came out at the end of February, but has since died out. I picked up a copy because I read a sample and loved the writing. It just drew me in. I don't want to say it's a light read, but the story just flows from the voice of the characters as you get to know them and learn about the time frame. Definitely take a look at this one if you enjoy historical fiction! Published by Doubleday, this is available now from your local bookstore!

Two If By Sea by Jacquelyn Mitchard... Just hours after his wife and her entire family perish in the Christmas Eve tsunami in Brisbane, American expat and former police officer Frank Mercy goes out to join his volunteer rescue unit and pulls a little boy from a submerged car, saving the child’s life with only seconds to spare. In that moment, Frank’s own life is transformed. Not quite knowing why, Frank sidesteps the law, when, instead of turning Ian over to the Red Cross, he takes the boy home to the Midwestern farm where he grew up. Not long into their journey, Frank begins to believe that Ian has an extraordinary, impossible telepathic gift; but his only wish is to protect the deeply frightened child. As Frank struggles to start over, training horses as his father and grandfather did before him, he meets Claudia, a champion equestrian and someone with whom he can share his life—and his fears for Ian. Both of them know that it will be impossible to keep Ian’s gift a secret forever. Already, ominous coincidences have put Frank’s police instincts on high alert, as strangers trespass the quiet life at the family farm. The fight to keep Ian safe from a sinister group who want him back takes readers from the ravaged shores of Brisbane to the middle of America to a quaint English village. Even as Frank and Claudia dare to hope for new love, it becomes clear that they can never let Ian go, no matter what the cost. A suspenseful novel on a grand scale, Two If by Sea is about the best and worst in people, and the possibility of heroism and even magic in ordinary life. The fight to keep Ian safe from a sinister group who want him back takes readers from the ravaged shores of Brisbane to the middle of America to a quaint English village. Even as Frank and Claudia dare to hope for new love, it becomes clear that they can never let Ian go, no matter what the cost. A suspenseful novel on a grand scale, Two If by Sea is about the best and worst in people, and the possibility of heroism and even magic in ordinary life.

I tried to resist this book for a long time. It received such amazing praise, but I still wasn't sure. I think it was the part where the boy that survives and is rescued/kidnapped by the protagonist is suppose to have "an extraordinary telepathic gift" that kind of made me "roll my eyes" (just a little). But, I read the beginning of the story and really liked the writing, so I'm willing to see where the story goes. On my wishlist! Published by Simon & Schuster, this is available right now at your local bookstore!

Weekly Wrap-up... Only one more week and National Poetry Month will be over. Have you been enjoying all the poetry and poetry related posts?! This year I've been more enthused about sharing poetry than previous years, though I don't know why exactly. But this past week was filled with poetry "stuff"...

*Monday... This is How You Celebrate National Poetry Month
*Tuesday... What the Living Do, poem by Marie Howe
*Wednesday... 5 Tips for Poetry Performance by Renee   LaTulippe
*First Lines Friday... The Last Painting of Sara De Vos by Dominic Smith.

Question... Do You Read "Disaster" Books, and if so, Has it Changed the Way you Feel About Flying, Swimming, Sailing, etc?

Next week I'll be wrapping up National Poetry Month with a special poem by Donna Marie Merritt, that if you are an animal lover, you will want to read! And if you're a dog lover, you HAVE to come back and read! Donna is a special person and I'll be reviewing her book, Her House, next week. She has also agreed to come to my reading group one night and read & discuss her poetry! Yay! That will be happening in June, and I'll be posting about all about it then. It will be interesting because I have a few "poetry haters" in my group, that I think will soften their opinions after meeting and hearing Donna.... And speaking of reading groups, this months my group will be reading The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney. I'm a little over a third the way through and am really enjoying it! It's a really good read. The characters are so well written and their interactions are so real. I should be reviewing it in a couple weeks, but suffice it to say it's a keeper.

What are you reading this week?! And what interesting bookish things are you taking the plunge with? I'd love to hear about it! Until then...

Happy Reading... Suzanne