The Sunday Salon... with Books to Add to Your TBR List NOW!

Welcome to The Sunday Salon! It's the place where Book Bloggers from around the world share their bookish finds with one another in a virtual place called The Sunday Salon. Thank you to for Deb at ReaderBuzz keeping us all together on Sundays and hosting The Sunday Salon now! I also visited with Kim at The Caffeinated Reader, another Sunday gathering place for us bookish people called The Sunday Post!

It's been a crazy couple of weeks in South Carolina. 2 weeks ago, we had unbelievable cold weather AND lost our power for a few days because of the freezing rain we had. Freezing rain means ice on power lines and that means power lines coming down, along with trees. Dressing in lots of layers and under plenty of blankets got us through that, but it was not fun. And then a week later the temps got up into the 30's and this past week we saw 65! So, I have had enough of winter... Let's talk books.

For the past two weeks I have gotten some great books from some of my favorite publishers! Two of these books are from favorite authors and two are publishing their debut novels...

The Final Target by Nora Roberts... from the publisher: He showed up at Arden Bowie’s debut author appearance with a copy of her novel and an eager smile. He showered her with compliments and got her autograph. Then he came to her next event. And the one after that. Dustin was just an aspiring writer who wanted advice, Arden reassured herself. But after giving in to one of his incessant invitations and chatting with him over coffee, she discovered that ignoring her inner alarm bell had been a terrible mistake… An introvert at heart, Arden had long craved solitude—but now, after a harrowing assault, she finds herself hiding behind locked doors and startling at every sound. And her relief at his imprisonment is tempered by anxiety when Dustin’s wealthy mother helps to get him a paltry five-year sentence at a psychiatric facility. Arden decides to write a new story for herself, moving to a tiny Oregon town and befriending Gideon, an ex-LAPD detective. But while she learns to thrive, Dustin remains his delusional, twisted self, as fixated as ever and now seething with anger. He still believes Arden's purpose on earth is to serve and please him. And his job is to protect her. But who will protect her from him?

Nora Roberts never, and I mean never, fails to draw me into her stories. From the first few pages I knew this was going to be a great read! If you are a Nora Roberts fan, add this to your TBR list! St. Martin's Press will be releasing this on May 26th! And look for my full review in the next few weeks! (BTW, Did you know that Nora Roberts has written 225 novels!?!) Thank you St. Martin's Press for the ebook of The Final Target to read and review!

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Road Trip by Mary Kay Andrews... from the publisher: Maeve and Therese Dunigan are sisters--but the two have been estranged for years. They could not be more opposite: Maeve is the rule-follower and Therese is the rebel. But when their mother's death brings the family back together, the two find that they have inherited a painting--one that could be worth millions and could save each of them from the wolves at their door. The only issue is whether it’s real or a fake --and the only way they can prove that theirs is the real McCoy is to solve the mystery of how this portrait of an Anglo-Irish aristocrat made its way to their childhood home in Savannah, GA. This means a road trip--to Ireland, to their family roots, and to a mysterious crime that occurred generations ago. With tensions simmering, the two hit the road and find themselves on twisty lanes, in colorful villages, at local pubs, and with handsome men whose gift of the gab is surpassed only by their charm. Can Maeve and Therese actually survive the journey without killing each other? 

Believe it or not, this is my first Mary Kay Andrews book! And after reading over half this book in the last few days, she is now one of my favorite writers! OMG, this book is just great! I love the story, the characters the setting. Why haven't I read her before?! Another book coming from publisher St. Martin's Press on June 2nd. So after you finish reading The Final Target by Nora Roberts, you need to read Road Trip by Mary Kay Andrews. And then I need to start reading the Mary Kay Andrews backlist. Thank you again St. Martin's press for the eBook to read and review!

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A Fate Worse that Drowning by Sarah L. Hawthorn... from the publisher: A year ago, Elle made a deal with the devil to save her sister. Now, they live on a desolate spit of land beyond Halifax harbor. Elle, as lighthouse keeper, steers unsuspecting sailors to their destruction; those are the terms of her bargain. Liney need never know the cost. Her safety is worth every drop of blood. But a sinner's pact is not so simple. When the devil returns, demanding more – more shipwrecks, no survivors – Elle knows what she must do to keep Liney safe... Another ship. Another crew killed in the devil's name. Then a woman washes ashore. Is she a soul to be sacrificed, or part of a darker design? As Liney and the stranger grow closer, Elle faces an impossible choice: kill, and break Liney's heart, or forfeit her own soul.  Danger arises from all sides: the merciless sea, ruthless men on the mainland, and the infernal bargain itself…

Wow, talk about atmospheric and eery. Like a gothic ghost story, the author really captures the mood of the story and pulls you in. The writing is so fluid. Hard to believe this is a debut novel. I'm almost finished with this and can't believe how quickly I was turning those pages. This book will be published by Poisened Pen Press , a division of Sourcebooks, on July 21st. Review coming soon... Thank you Poisened Pen Press for a copy of the ebook to read and review!

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Dear Missing Friend by Susan McGuirk... from the publisher: Through letters exchanged across oceans and Manhattan streets, Irish immigrant Catherine McGuirk navigates love, ambition, and heartbreak. Torn between her seafaring husband, the suitor she once refused, and her own dreams, Catherine’s fate unfolds in an intimate, epistolary saga of passion, resilience, and 19th-century life.

Epistolary novels seem all the rage these days. I've always loved that style of book. AND this book is wonderful! Omg, the writing, the story, and the characters and all so well written, you feel as though you are taken back in time and living life thru the eyes of Catherine. If you love historical fiction, this book is for you. More about the book, and writer Susan McGuirk, when I review it (coming soon too!) Dear Missing Friend will be published by Sea Cow Press on May 19th! Thank you, Sea Cow Press, for the ebook to read and review!

I was reading a post on substack about reading more than one novel at a time. Different books for different moods. With all these books finding their way into my Kindle this past week, I was reading more than one book, alternating between Kindle and Kobo (I had to buy the later because I had an epub book I wanted to read). I'm finishing up Road Trip right now, and then I'll move on to finish the other books this week too. It was kind of interesting having more than one book going at a time.

 Do you have more than one book going at a time?

Weekly Wrap-up... (really 2 weeks!)

January 19th... Memoir Monday... It's a bit unusual to call a book of poetry a memoir, but in Billy Collins' case, his book of poetry Water, Water feels that way to me. Read about it by following this link to Memoir Monday.

January 21st...Review of Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burk.

January 29th... Review of Sisterhood: A Hydde St. Story by Maytal Zchut

Feb. 4th... Review of A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumbar

Feb. 6th... First Lines Friday (follow the link to read the first lines of a Romantasy the has all the word abuzz!)

Feb. 13th... First Lines Friday (follow the link to a Romantasy with a enemies to lover twist!)

What new books have you picked up lately?

Lots of great reading the last few weeks and it isn't even Spring yet! . I Hope you found something that piqued your interest! All of these books today have piqued mine. Come back this week for some reviews, First Lines and a great Monday Memoir!

Happy reading... Suzanne

Yesteryear by ..... a Review

Wow, my head is spinning a bit after reading the final pages of Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. Here's the dirt (Literally)...

Meet snarky Natalie Heller Mills, pioneer woman/tradwife, and social media influencer who shows her millions of followers how life is so much better on Yesteryear Ranch, with traditional values, hard work (those cows aren't going to milk themselves) and farm fresh produce. No one need know that the kitchen is actually a top of the line kitchen with all the modern conveniences a girl could want, that she has two nannies for her "perfect" children, and that the crops aren't quite organic. And to top it off, she hires a producer to make all her content absolutely perfect... then one day, Natalie wakes up to find herself pulled back in time to the 1850's, where Yesteryear Ranch is an honest to goodness working farm, with no electricity, no modern plumbing and no modern conveniences. Plus, she has children that call her Mama, but she has no idea who they are. But she remembers children, just not these children. The one constant in all this, is her husband Caleb... who seems the same, but doesn't seem "right". What the heck is going on?! Is this a bad dream? Is she going crazy? You'll be desperate to find out.

Yesteryear is dark, funny at times, and it's also very sad. Want to know the price of fame and an Instagram account with a zillion followers? Ask Natalie. The story goes back and forth between both "worlds", with Natalie as our narrator. As she navigates both stories, we see the struggle she has with being perfect for the camera and for the people around her. As the reader, we get to see the persona behind her mask... and it's a doozy! I found her snarky, judgmental, and conniving. I didn't like her at first because of all those things, but eventually she drew me into her world and I couldn't stop turning the pages. She is a really interesting character! What a story! (BTW, we also get to learn about Natalie before all the fame, and that's a story in itself.)

This is definitely a must read for 2026. The way the story played out, in what seemed like two parallel worlds, was so interesting. And you're going to want to meet Natalie for sure... P.S. Lots of great discussion for any book club. 

Put this on your TBR list! You'll have to wait a few months... 

Yesteryear will be published on April 7th, 2026 by Penguin Random House

Thank you Penguin Random House for the early access and eBook! I really enjoyed it!

#Yesteryear #Netgalley

Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid... A Review

I wasn't sure what to expect in Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid. A mix of historical fiction with romance added in. The love of flying? The love of "do great things"? The love of your life?

Right from the start we meet Joan, Donna, Lydia, and Vanessa, all women with diverse backgrounds, all women who qualify to enter the space program at NASA. The year is 1980. Before Sally Ride and before women went to space. These women must prove themselves... to the powers that be in NASA and to the men sitting next to them in the classroom. (It's a familiar story in that way) But what isn't familiar is the NASA program and the training that goes into it. What isn't familiar is a love story that is forbidden in many ways, and especially if you're going up in space. 

Taylor Jenkins Reid does an amazing job creating these complex characters in an equally complex world that she somehow opens up to us so that we are in that world learning what goes into the making of an astronaut. She packs so much information in that I have to look back at the book to remember it's only 337 pages. It's not dry information, it's exciting. She makes you understand why these women want to do this...

And then there are the relationships, because no matter what job you have, if you work alongside people there will always be relationships. We get to know these characters. Really get to know them. Which really makes their lives matter to us, the readers. And then there are a few relationships that really shine in this book, that make this book more than a ride into space.

First, Joan has a niece that she's "basically" raised since birth. Joan's sister is, well, you'll find out. Let's just say she isn't really the best mother. In her defense, she got pregnant at a young age. Joan is her niece's rock. Their story is a special one in the book. 

Then there is the story of Vanessa and Joan. I didn't expect that... 

"Happiness is so hard to come by. I don't understand why anyone would begrudge anyone else for managing to find it." ...Joan to Vanessa in Atmosphere

Slowly developed in the story is this friendship that changes into something bigger, something amazing, something very special. It's slow and shy at first. Then it evolves into the love story that everyone roots for. But this is 1980 and things aren't as open as they are now. There are stigmas and things that must be kept secret, especially at the white button down shirts office at NASA. So, their forbidden love story takes place behind closed door and out of the way places. It truly is wonderful how Taylor Jenkins Reid develops this love story. It's so touching that you really have to ask yourself, why would anyone object to two people loving each other?

So Atmosphere navigates the story of going into space with the relationships of the people behind it. Joan and Vanessa is one part of the story, Joan and her niece are another part, the NASA program is another story and the other people training to become legitimate astronauts are another part of the story (and believe me there are more people to get to know besides Joan, Vanessa and Joan's niece Frances). The book is good. Taylor Jenkins Reid draws you in with her wonderful writing. The characters are wonderful and so is the plot. Atmosphere isn't a page turner as in a thriller where you desperately have to know what's going to happen next. It's a book that you'll enjoy spending time with, getting to know everyone and maybe even learning something on the way. And the ending... well, the ending... you'll just have to read it to experience that!

It's a book I would definitely recommend. I think it would be an interesting book club read too. Lots of good material to talk about...

Published by Ballentine Books and released on June 3rd, 2025

I give Atmosphere 4 spaceships! 

Book and Gift Basket Giveaway!!

 Have you read The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson yet?? 

I loved it and so did my reading group! 

And to celebrate celling over ONE MILLION COPIES, the publisher is having an amazing giveaway! A Kentucky themed gift basket and a signed first edition of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek!

  Here is the link to ENTER and read more about it. Good luck!

#TBT... What was I reading back in 2014?

It's fun to look back and see what books you've read a long time ago. Almost like reading a book you loved for the first time again, reflecting back to a book read a long time ago also sends us back to another time in our lives. What was going on in our lives when we were reading that book? 

February 7th, 2014. The book was Under The Wide And Starry Sky by Nancy Horan, about Robert Louis Stevenson and his wife, Fanny Van De Grift Osbourne, and I loved it! Here is the original review of Under The Wide and Starry Sky. The book I was reading back in 2014!

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Friday, February 7, 2014

Under The Wide And Starry Sky with Robert Louis Stevenson and Author Nancy Horan… A Review 

I am in love. Not with Under The Wide And Starry Sky by Nancy Horan, but with Robert Louis Stevenson and Fanny Van De Grift Osbourne. But if not for Nancy Horan's book, I would not have known Louis Stevenson or his feisty American wife, Fanny, so I must admit that I did love Under The Wide And Starry Sky too. How to put into words how good this book is… Just like one of Robert Louis Stevenson's adventure books, Under The Wide And Starry Sky took me to far away places, let me live and breath the South Pacific, and let me peek into the door of the souls of Robert Louis Stevenson and Fanny, two passionate individuals who did not want an ordinary life. This book was everything I had anticipated and so much more. It was an amazing love story, an adventure story, a story filled with passion, an artistic journey, a travel journal, a story filled with pain and tragedy, jealousy and unending love. It is one of the few books that I devoured the postscript, afterward and acknowledgements as well as the book itself. The research for this book, along with the keen writing abilities of Nancy Horan, makes this book so beautiful, so full of life. These are not 2 dimensional characters on the page, but living, breathing people, sharing their lives with the reader.

Under The Wide and Starry Sky is the love story between Robert Louis Stevenson, the author who gave us such classics as Treasure Island and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Fanny Van De Grift Osbourne, who flees the United States and her first husband to find artistic fulfillment in Belgium. The story develops in such a way that we experience both Louis and Fanny as individuals first. Fanny, full of artistic passion, running away from her philandering husband in America, young children in tow, first to Belgium and then to France. Tragedy follows Fanny to Europe, where she finally settles into a quiet life in France to recuperate. That quiet life erupts as the boarding house she settles in explodes with a colony of artists. This is where she meets the gregarious & passionate man named Robert Louis who falls madly in love with Fanny and wants desperately to be with her. Even though Fanny is 10 years his senior, Fanny succumbs to Louis' passionate, vivacious personality, but is that enough to sustain her and her young children? Torn between practicality and passion, the love story unfolds before your eyes in such an honest heartfelt way, that you are drawn in immediately to their lives and the passion between them. It is a passionate love story that will span decades and continents, and have you blindly turning those pages as you walk through the chapters of their lives.

Nancy Horan has done such a wonderful job of researching the lives of Robert Louis Stevenson and his wife, Fanny. And it's because of the wealth of correspondence, relationships and recorded adventures that this is possible. But making sense of it all, and shaping the story, their story, in such a way as to truly let the reader experience their lives is a remarkable talent. We are lucky that Nancy Horan possesses that talent, because the result is Under The Wide And Starry Sky, a love story, painted with the artists eye for beauty, that may have been lost in the pages of a dull biography just filled with places and dates in the hands of a lesser talent.

The Low Down… I was so wrapped up in the romance between Louis and Fanny. There were so many complications with Fanny being married for one, but also overcoming the prejudice of her being 10 years older. It was such an honest portrayal of a couple who loved each other through the test of time. But I also discovered a lot more about Robert Louis Stevenson than I had known before. I didn't realize he was a lawyer by education, or that he was so sickly throughout his childhood and adulthood. I never realized how much of an adventurer he really was, he really saw the world he wrote about. And the author really gives you the feel for an artist passionate about his art. I would say if you enjoy love stories, historical fiction, and if you are a reader and want to learn more about Robert Louis Stevenson's life, read this book! I learned so much. Though this is a work of fiction, there is so much truth behind the words. You will not be disappointed. Wonderful writing, and equally wonderful story.

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Do You Remember What Book You Were Reading in 2014?

Nancy Horan is a fantastic writer, who went on to write another great book called Loving Frank, about the love affair of Mamah Cheney and Frank Lloyd Wright. OMG, that book was also fantastic! And Nancy Horan came out with a NEW book this year called The House of Lincoln "which tells the story of Abraham Lincoln's ascendance from rumpled lawyer to U.S. president to the Great Emancipator through the eyes of a young asylum-seeker, fourteen-year-old Ana Ferreira, who arrives in Lincoln's home of Springfield from Madeira, Portugal." And the publishers, Sourcebooks Landmark, sent an eBook to my Kindle so that I could review it! I'm looking forward to sinking my teeth into another Nancy Horan book! Look for my review coming soon...

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi ... A Review

At the moment of finishing Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi, all I could think was "Wow"! What a breathtaking, sweeping novel. All of the characters were so incredibly alive off of the pages. The story, the landscapes, were all so incredibly rich with details and substance. I read this leisurely, enjoying every minute. I was captivated from the very start. A multi-generation tale that spans 300 years and two continents, starting in Ghana. 2 girls of the same mother, but whose lives took different journeys, of which one suffers in the throws of slavery. How did Yaa Gyasi pack all of this in, in one book without faltering?! I am sad that I am done, but I don't think this story will fade from my thoughts for a long, long time. READ THIS!

First Lines Friday

"My story begins on a sweltering August night, in a place I will never set eyes upon. The room takes life only in my imaginings. It is large most days when I conjure it. The walls are white and clean, the bed linens crisp as a fallen leaf. The private suite has the very finest of everything. Outside, the breeze is weary, and the cicadas throb in the tall trees, their verdant hiding places just below the window frames. The screen sway inward as the attic fan rattles overhead, pulling at wet air that has no desire to be moved. "
                                            ... Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate



Sisters and secrets and a girl who loves reading makes me want to read this. I enjoy historical fiction and Lisa Wingate brings us together with a "tale based on the true story of Georgia Tann, a director of an adoption agency, who kidnapped and sold children to the wealthy."

Dear Mrs. Bird... A Review

WWII London, a spunky little lady named Emmy, and a Dear Abby type advice column answered by a woman who doesn't like any "unpleasantness" make this lighthearted story, Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce a charmer...

Our heroine of the story, Emmeline, dreams of becoming a war correspondent someday, which leads her to answer a help wanted add for what she thinks is a major London newspaper. Not only answering the ad, but accepting the job without hearing one word about what it actually involved. What she finds out soon afterwards is that the job is not working for the newspaper, but for a subsidiary of the newspaper - Woman's Friend magazine and specifically for Henrietta Bird, the Ann Landers of Woman's Friend, who incidentally is not really a friend of any of the women who write in for help, because she doesn't like any letters with any "unpleasantness", which includes anything about Sex, War and Rock n' Roll (okay that last one didn't exactly exist back then, but you get my drift), and for which she orders Emmy to tear up and throw away any letters about "those topics". After reading so many letters, from so many women and girls looking for help and being categorically rejected by Mrs. Bird, Emmy decides to take matters in her own hand and starts answering them personally, under the guise of Mrs. Bird.

A nice cast of characters fill out the story and Emmy's life, including a BFF, a fiancé and quirky work mates, and paint a realistic picture of life in London during WWII with the tragedies, hopes & dreams, and the strength of the women left behind.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this sweet charming read to historical fiction fans. Emmy is a great character, so are her friends, and the story does a good job of immersing the reader in London during WWII. I enjoyed the premise of the story, where Emily decides she can't ignore those crushing letters that Mrs. Bird rejected. And there was a steady build up to see if Emmy was going to get caught answering those letters herself.  My only wish for a little more would be in developing Emmy's love interest, but putting that aside I would say it was a good read.

Dear Mrs. Bird is the debut novel of AJ Pearce, who was inspired by reading advice columns from women's magazines from the 1930's. A strong 3 1/2 stars from this reader!

First Lines...

Memory is a cruel thing. It lingers in dark trenches, whispering or withholding, waiting to creep into the no-man's-land of our dreams. It knows what we long to remember, and what we hope to forget. And it knows Hearsay and Imagination will cover any gaps. But I only knew what I had been told...

                ... The Echo of Twilight by Judith Kinghorn

WWI, Two women become unlikely confidants, a Secret... Historical fiction on my wishlist, published by Berkley Penguin and released Jan. 3rd, 2017!

The Sunday Salon and Girl Watching or 3 Women Writer's You Should Be Reading Now

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!!

Spring is trying to get through all the cold, rain and snow in Connecticut. One day it's in the 50's and then the temperature drops to the 30's the next day. We were suppose to get a little more snow this weekend, but as I am writing this, we haven't seen any more (thank goodness/hopefully not!). But as the days start to get longer and the weather starts to improve, (and I can actually see the sun) I start to feel that itch for Spring reading and new book releases. Yes, there are new book releases every month, but after the dreary winter, there just seems to be something special & fresh about books coming out in the spring. And I've got so many on my TBR list it is bursting! But today, let's look at 3 women writer's who have gotten a lot of attention recently. I read an interesting piece somewhere this week that put these women on a short, sort of emerging talent list. These women are getting a lot of press for their writing and their books coming out. Will they live up to their press?

Here are the 3 women and their books...

The Nest by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney... From Kirkus Reviews: Dysfunctional siblings in New York wig out when the eldest blows their shared inheritance. 

In an arresting prologue to this generous, absorbing novel, Leo Plumb leaves his cousin’s wedding early, drunk and high, with one of the waitresses and has a car accident whose exact consequences are withheld for quite some time. To make his troubles go away, Leo pillages a $2 million account known as “The Nest,” left by his father for the four children to share after the youngest of them turns 40, though in a sweet running joke, everyone keeps forgetting exactly when that is. Leo’s siblings have been counting heavily on this money to resolve their financial troubles and are horrified to learn that their mother has let Leo burn almost all of it. A meeting is called at Grand Central Oyster Bar—one of many sharply observed New York settings—to discuss Leo’s plans to pay them back. Will Leo even show? Three days out of rehab, he barely makes it through Central Park. But he does appear and promises to make good, and despite his history of unreliability, the others remain enough under the spell of their charismatic brother to fall for it. The rest of the book is a wise, affectionate study of how expectations play out in our lives—not just financial ones, but those that control our closest relationships. Sweeney’s endearing characters are quirky New Yorkers all: Bea Plumb is a widowed writer who tanked after three stories that made her briefly one of “New York’s Newest Voices: Who You Should Be Reading.” Jack Plumb, known as “Leo Lite” in high school to his vast irritation, is a gay antiques dealer married to a lawyer; truly desperate for cash, he becomes involved in a shady deal involving a work of art stolen from the ruins of the World Trade Center. Melody, the youngest, lives in the suburbs in a house she’s about to lose and is obsessed with tracking her teenage twins using an app called Stalkerville. The insouciance with which they thwart her is another metaphor for the theme of this lively novel.

What I Think... This has gotten a lot of buzz and a starred review from Kirkus. I wish I could have read a sample of this, but could not find one sentence anywhere. The story sounds fun, and a nice visit in New York City. I always like reading about places I am familiar with, and I'm looking forward to sampling the writing. On my TBR list!

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As Close To Us As Breathing by Elizabeth Poliner...  multigenerational family saga about the long-lasting reverberations of one tragic summer.

In 1948, a small stretch of the Woodmont, Connecticut shoreline, affectionately named "Bagel Beach," has long been a summer destination for Jewish families. Here sisters Ada, Vivie, and Bec assemble at their beloved family cottage, with children in tow and weekend-only husbands who arrive each Friday in time for the Sabbath meal. During the weekdays, freedom reigns. Ada, the family beauty, relaxes and grows more playful, unimpeded by her rule-driven, religious husband. Vivie, once terribly wronged by her sister, is now the family diplomat and an increasingly inventive chef. Unmarried Bec finds herself forced to choose between the family-centric life she's always known and a passion-filled life with the married man with whom she's had a secret years-long affair.
But when a terrible accident occurs on the sisters' watch, a summer of hope and self-discovery transforms into a lifetime of atonement and loss for members of this close-knit clan. Seen through the eyes of Molly, who was twelve years old when she witnessed the accident, this is the story of a tragedy and its aftermath, of expanding lives painfully collapsed. Can Molly, decades after the event, draw from her aunt Bec's hard-won wisdom and free herself from the burden that destroyed so many others?

My Take on this... This is not a debut novel, but you might think of it as her debut. Elizabeth has published one other book, really a 233 pages novella called Mutual and Life Casualty in 2010, and a slim book of poetry called What You Know in Your Hands, along with having her poems published in various places. As Close To Us As Breathing is the culmination of her hard work, and is foretold to be a summer hit. After reading a long sample, I liked the writing, but I wasn't blown away by it. And I wondered if all the references to Shabbos, minyan's and the like will confuse rather than enamor the non-Jewish reader. (Being Jewish and actually having some relatives like this made me smile). I'm putting this on the "Borrow" list for now.

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The Girls by Emma Cline... Girls—their vulnerability, strength, and passion to belong—are at the heart of this stunning first novel. 

Northern California, during the violent end of the 1960s. At the start of summer, a lonely and thoughtful teenager, Evie Boyd, sees a group of girls in the park, and is immediately caught by their freedom, their careless dress, their dangerous aura of abandon. Soon, Evie is in thrall to Suzanne, a mesmerizing older girl, and is drawn into the circle of a soon-to-be infamous cult and the man who is its charismatic leader. Hidden in the hills, their sprawling ranch is eerie and run down, but to Evie, it is exotic, thrilling, charged—a place where she feels desperate to be accepted. As she spends more time away from her mother and the rhythms of her daily life, and as her obsession with Suzanne intensifies, Evie does not realize she is coming closer and closer to unthinkable violence, and to that moment in a girl’s life when everything can go horribly wrong.

My Thoughts... Though it doesn't say it, it sounds like the Manson Family, and sure enough upon further reading about the book, The Girls by Emma Cline is suppose to be loosely based on them. But it's the 60's right, and this novel is suppose to paint a portrait of the time and the common-of-age of the women who grew up from this era. Sounds like an interesting read, although I really don't need to read any more about the Manson family. But if Emma Cline can throw me back to the 60's and let me relive the craziness, it might be worth it. Though, the central core of the story is suppose to be the friendship of 2 girls.

I couldn't find a sample of the writing here, either, so I'm hoping that it's as good as predicted. There were 12 publishing houses bidding on the rights to this book with Random House finally winning out with the promise of 2 more books from Cline (for a total of a $2million contract!). Whew, that sure is a gamble if the writing doesn't resonate with a whole lot of readers, so I'm betting it's good. On my TBR list.

And just for fun, here's an interesting article from Vulture.com about Emma Cline entitled, 13 Facts About Emma Cline and Her $2 Million Dollar Manson-Family Novel.

Question?... Do you look forward to new books coming out in the Spring?

Recommended Reading... (Historical Fiction anyone?!)
This past week, I downloaded a wonderful historical fiction book called, The Edge of Lost by Kristina McMorris and am totally absorbed! The writing is so incredible that you feel as though you are in the story surrounded by the sights and sounds of New York City in the 1920's. At least that's where I am now. I've been to Alcatraz and to Dublin and then took a trip on a passenger ship to NYC, where the words of a little girl seeing the statue of liberty for the first time, left me in awe. The people, the neighborhoods, the feel of the times, even the food are so well painted. I am only about 1/3 of the way through, but have no problem recommending this book if you are a historical fiction fan.
Here's a blurb about it from BookPage: McMorris has made a name for herself with beautifully written World War II fiction. Kristina McMorris evokes such a strong sense of place in her writing that to open her books feels less like reading and more like traveling. Her absorbing new novel, The Edge of Lost, opens on Alcatraz Island in 1937, where on a foggy night the warden’s 10-year-old daughter has gone missing. An inmate working in the warden’s greenhouse is hiding information about where she is. We are quickly zipped back to 1919 Dublin, meeting Shanley Keagan, a 12-year-old orphan whose vicious Uncle Will forces him to perform in pubs for spare change. Shan grabs an opportunity to get on a ship to America, scrabbling to forge a future in New York. How those two storylines intersect is at the heart of this epic, deeply felt tale of struggle and second chances, where Shan goes from a boy with dreams of Broadway to an inmate who “waited for the steel bars to slam” while he served 15 to 25 years.

The best part right now is, The Edge of Lost is only $2.99 for the Kindle Book! I put a link on the book title if you're interested. The paperback is under $9 too. Just such a good book and I'm really enjoying it!

Library Loot...
This week I checked out two new books from the library! First book was Be Frank with Me by Julia Claiborne Johnson, a charmer about a recluse author who lost all her money from a ponzi scheme like Bernie Madoff and has to write a new book in order to eat, and what is not yours is not your by Helen Oyeyemi, a collection of short stories all around the idea of keys. I've read the first few chapters of Be Frank with Me and am definitely charmed. One liners, old Hollywood glamour and Alice, a 24 year old assistant sent to make sure the recluse author actually writes the novel make it a fun read, and I look forward to reading it in the coming week.

Last Week...

• Memoir Monday highlighted The Art of the Memoir by Mary Karr
• I posted about & joined the Take Control of Your TBR Pile hosted by Kim at The Caffeinated Reader. (of course my library books cannot be included in this challenge! Oh well)
• I took the Goodreads Leap Day Challenge of reading an extra book this year! Check out what I read by following the link.
• I joined in on Mailbox Monday and talked about what great books came my way last week.
• On Tuesday was the Release Blitz for America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie. Take a peek at what the book is all about AND enter the giveaway! 
• First Line Fridays gave us a peek at The Case of Lisandra P. by Helene Gremillon.

Around the World... or at least the internet

Here are a few articles I found around the internet that I thought were interesting...

• Fleeting Wonders: Crayon Makers Stressed Out By Coloring Craze

• Where's The Color In Kids' Lit? Ask The Girl With 1,000 Books (And Counting)

• 10 Books That Will Change How You Think About Fairy Tales

*Next Month... Just a quick heads up here for April, which is National Poetry Month! Do you like reading poetry? How about writing poetry? One way to participate is joining in on Poem in Your Pocket Day, which is April 21, but as April gets nearer we'll talk more about some of the events that will take place. I am not a huge poetry reader, but I do enjoy reading poetry from time to time. And a lifetime ago, I actually wrote poetry.

Okay, I am off to help celebrate my mom's birthday(shhh... she's turning 81!) with cake and books! She's a voracious reader ( I guess that's where I got it from) so, I bought her books! I can't say what I got her here (she reads my blog), but it's a whole bunch of murder mystery/psychological thrillers that I'm sure she'll enjoy!

Hope you found some great reading here today! Share what books YOU found this week! I'd love to here about them!

Happy reading... Suzanne

America's First Daughter Release Week Blitz!

AMERICA’S FIRST DAUGHTER is a compelling, richly researched novel by bestselling authors Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie. Drawing from thousands of letters and original sources, the authors reveal the fascinating, untold story of Martha “Patsy” Jefferson Randolph, Thomas Jefferson’s eldest daughter.  Patsy was one of the most influential women in American history: not only the progeny of a founding father – and the woman who held his secrets close to her heart – but a key player in the shaping of our nation’s legacy.  And her story is one seldom told, until now. 

About AMERICA’S FIRST DAUGHTER:

In a compelling, richly researched novel that draws from thousands of letters and original sources, bestselling authors Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie tell the fascinating, untold story of Thomas Jefferson’s eldest daughter, Martha “Patsy” Jefferson Randolph—a woman who kept the secrets of our most enigmatic founding father and shaped an American legacy.

From her earliest days, Patsy Jefferson knows that though her father loves his family dearly, his devotion to his country runs deeper still. As Thomas Jefferson’s oldest daughter, she becomes his helpmate, protector, and constant companion in the wake of her mother’s death, traveling with him when he becomes American minister to France.

It is in Paris, at the glittering court and among the first tumultuous days of revolution, that fifteen-year-old Patsy learns about her father’s troubling liaison with Sally Hemings, a slave girl her own age. Meanwhile, Patsy has fallen in love—with her father’s protégé William Short, a staunch abolitionist and ambitious diplomat. Torn between love, principles, and the bonds of family, Patsy questions whether she can choose a life as William’s wife and still be a devoted daughter.

Her choice will follow her in the years to come, to Virginia farmland, Monticello, and even the White House. And as scandal, tragedy, and poverty threaten her family, Patsy must decide how much she will sacrifice to protect her father's reputation, in the process defining not just his political legacy, but that of the nation he founded.

How About a Peek Inside? Here's an Excerpt...

“And what of our future . . . ?” I asked.

Mr. Short smiled. “If you could give up all thoughts of the convent, our future depends upon the orders your father is awaiting from America. Your father has asked that in his absence, I be appointed in his place as chargé d’affaireswith commensurate salary. If I receive such an appointment, then I can present myself to your father as a worthy suitor. Otherwise, I’m afraid he’ll consider me a wandering wastrel without employment.”

“He would never!”

Mr. Short chuckled mirthlessly. “You think not? I have in my possession a letter from your father lecturing me on the need to build my fortune. The most memorable line reads: This is not aworld in which heaven rains down riches into any open hand.”

How churlish of Papa, but had I not, from the youngest age, also received letters filled with his lectures? “You mustn’t worry, Mr. Short. If my father requested your appointment, then it’s sure to come. But until it does, how can I be sure of your intentions in asking for my love?”

I didn’t expect him to laugh. “You’re Jefferson’s daughter, to the bone. You want evidence. Well, give me the chance and I’ll give you the proofs you require—both of my love and of the world you should love too much to abandon even for God. I wouldn’t have you enter a convent, much less love, in ignorance.”

“What do you think me ignorant of?”

With mischief twinkling in his eyes, he stopped, drawing me into a grove of trees. Beyond us, in the ditch, we heard boys playing a ball game in the dim lamplight. Somehow, in the dark, Mr. Short’s fingertips found my cheeks, and his mouth stole over mine. This first kiss was soft and tender. As if he feared frightening me. Nevertheless, it shocked me. It was like my heart was a loaded cannon he’d held fire to, and it threatened to shoot out of my chest. But I wasn’t frightened and I didn’t pull away. Instead, it seemed quite the most natural thing to kiss him back, mimicking what he did, glorying in every soft, sweet sensation.

At the feel of my lips teasing softly at his, he groaned and pulled back. “Oh, my heart . . .”

The sweet taste of him still on my lips, our breaths puffing in the night air, I asked, “Have I done something wrong?”

He held my cheeks in his hands. “The error was all mine. I’d beg your pardon if I could bring myself to regret it, but I never want to regret anything with you, so tonight I must content myself with one kiss.”

Only one? I wanted to lavish a thousand kisses on his face. Hislips, his cheeks, his ears. The desire was a sudden hunger, a desperate plea inside me echoing like the cry of peasants for bread.

“What if I’m not yet content? Wasn’t kissing me meant to be the proof of your intentions?”

“No, Patsy. Kissing you, then stopping before satisfaction, is the proof of my intentions, which I hope you’ll see are honorable and directed toward your happiness.”

*******

Like what you read?! You can find a copy at...

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1oT6IZw

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/1oT6Hon

iBooks: http://apple.co/1Kz82KS


Kobo: http://bit.ly/1Q19xyl

Add it to your Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25817162-america-s-first-daughter

*******

Advanced Praise for America’s First Daughter:

“America’s First Daughter brings a turbulent era to vivid life. All the conflicts and complexities of the Early Republic are mirrored in Patsy’s story. It’s breathlessly exciting and heartbreaking by turns-a personal and political page-turner.” (Donna Thorland, author of The Turncoat)

“Painstakingly researched, beautifully hewn, compulsively readable -- this enlightening literary journey takes us from Monticello to revolutionary Paris to the Jefferson White House, revealing remarkable historical details, dark family secrets, and bringing to life the colorful cast of characters who conceived of our new nation. A must read.” (Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author of The Accidental Empress)

*******

Here's a little about the authors, Stephanie and Laura...

About Stephanie Dray:

STEPHANIE DRAY is an award-winning, bestselling and two-time RITA award nominated author of historical women’s fiction. Her critically acclaimed series about Cleopatra’s daughter has been translated into eight different languages and won NJRW's Golden Leaf. As Stephanie Draven, she is a national bestselling author of genre fiction and American-set historical women's fiction. She is a frequent panelist and presenter at national writing conventions and lives near the nation's capital. Before she became a novelist, she was a lawyer, a game designer, and a teacher. Now she uses the stories of women in history to inspire the young women of today. 


              Website | Newsletter | Facebook |Twitter | AMERICA’S FIRST DAUGHTER Website 

                                                                  
About Laura Kamoie:

Laura Kamoie has always been fascinated by the people, stories, and physical presence of the past, which led her to a lifetime of historical and archaeological study and training. She holds a doctoral degree in early American history from The College of William and Mary, published two non-fiction books on early America, and most recently held the position of Associate Professor of History at the U.S. Naval Academy before transitioning to a full-time career writing genre fiction as the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty books, Laura Kaye. Her debut historical novel, America's First Daughter, co-authored with Stephanie Dray, allowed her the exciting opportunity to combine her love of history with her passion for storytelling. Laura lives among the colonial charm of Annapolis, Maryland with her husband and two daughters

       Website | Newsletter | Facebook |Twitter | AMERICA’S FIRST DAUGHTER Website 

The Publisher is giving away some great swag! Two lucky winners, chosen from all the entries from all the blogs hosting the blitz, will win signed copies of America's First Daughter, a tote, and a notebook. Winners will be notified directly by publisher and books will be sent directly from publisher too. Good Luck! Enter below...

                                                              a Rafflecopter giveaway

*BTW, America's First Daughter is published by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins.

The Sunday Salon and What Should I Read Now?

Welcome to The Sunday Salon! It's the day of the week we kick back and relax, and virtually talk about the books we've found this week that we just HAVE to read! And I've found a few this week that made their way into my ever growing library and a few that are going right on that wish list… But how do we choose what we're going to read next? Are you ever influenced by what you just read?

The book club I started over 10 years ago is still going strong. We've added a member or two, lost a member, but the original 5 are still there (although one is in Florida, but she joins us via Skype). Originally I picked out the selections, but quickly decided everyone should get a chance to pick a book they want the group to read. This took the pressure off me in finding the "perfect" book every time and also opened up my reading to choices I would not have made. This month's book club selection was The Devil in The White City by Erik Larson. I had heard long ago that this was a good read, but just never got around to reading it. Although, when I first opened up the book I could not get into it. OMG, it was so boring it was a struggle to get through the first page. But then I have to remember that I just read an incredible suspense thriller. Was that the problem? Was the Erik Larson book so different in style that I just couldn't adjust? I think so, because after struggling with the book, I suddenly couldn't stop reading it and after finishing it this week I can enthusiastically say I really enjoyed it! So, how do we choose what we're going to read next? And do we need a breather before we start another book? I know quite a few people who pick up a book immediately after putting down a book. I'm not that way unless it's part of a trilogy or continuation. I need to enjoy "the moment" after finishing a book, especially a great book. And maybe taking that breather will help when changing "styles" of books. The Devil in The White City was certainly not a thriller, but how exciting it was to be in 19th century Chicago building the Worlds Fair and meeting all sorts of people like the guy who designed Central Park, or The Flat Iron Building, or made the first Ferris Wheel or even made Cracker Jack, not to mention meeting one of the world's most infamous serial killers that settled in Chicago while the fair was there. So, after taking a "breather", I've found some books that are vying for the next reading position…

Circling the Sun by Paula McLain… Transporting readers to colonial Kenya in the 1920s, Circling the Sun brings to life a fearless and captivating woman—Beryl Markham, a record-setting aviator caught up in a passionate love triangle with safari hunter Denys Finch Hatton and Karen Blixen, who as Isak Dinesen wrote the classic memoir Out of Africa. Brought to Kenya from England as a child and then abandoned by her mother, Beryl is raised by both her father and the native Kipsigis tribe who share his estate. Her unconventional upbringing transforms Beryl into a bold young woman with a fierce love of all things wild and an inherent understanding of nature’s delicate balance. But even the wild child must grow up, and when everything Beryl knows and trusts dissolves, she is catapulted into a string of disastrous relationships. Beryl forges her own path as a horse trainer, and her uncommon style attracts the eye of the Happy Valley set, a decadent, bohemian community of European expats who also live and love by their own set of rules. But it’s the ruggedly charismatic Denys Finch Hatton who ultimately helps Beryl navigate the uncharted territory of her own heart. The intensity of their love reveals Beryl’s truest self and her fate: to fly

Maybe this is because I just read a historical fiction book that this book appealed to me, but this has gotten so much great press that I have to read it. I also enjoy books with strong female protagonists and Beryl Markham seems to fit the bill with that too. But when I opened the first pages I felt like I was gently swept up in the arms of the book and placed in far off Kenya. The book telling its' story in such a manner that I was totally relaxed and listening intently. Some say this is going to be the "it" book in 2015, but we have  a long way to go before declaring that.

Night Sisters by Jennifer McMahon… Once the thriving attraction of rural Vermont, the Tower Motel now stands in disrepair, alive only in the memories of Amy, Piper, and Piper's kid sister, Margot. The three played there as girls until the day that their games uncovered something dark and twisted in the motel's past, something that ruined their friendship forever. Now adult, Piper and Margot have tried to forget what they found that fateful summer, but their lives are upended when Piper receives a panicked midnight call from Margot, with news of a horrific crime for which Amy stands accused. Suddenly, Margot and Piper are forced to relive the time that they found the suitcase that once belonged to Silvie Slater, the aunt that Amy claimed had run away to Hollywood to live out her dream of becoming Hitchcock's next blonde bombshell leading lady. As Margot and Piper investigate, a cleverly woven plot unfolds—revealing the story of Sylvie and Rose, two other sisters who lived at the motel during its 1950s heyday. Each believed the other to be something truly monstrous, but only one carries the secret that would haunt the generations to come.

I loved Jennifer McMahon's book Dismantled! I also have read Island of Lost Girls for book club. She's a really good writer and always surprises me with her plot twists. I haven't picked her up in a while, but when I saw this book coming out, I could not resist. Sounds like it's going to be a fun read and has that signature plot twist that will make us go, "wow".

The President's Shadow by Brad Metzler… To most, it looks like Beecher White has an ordinary job.   A young staffer with the National Archives in Washington, D.C.,, he’s responsible for safekeeping the government’s most important documents…and, sometimes, its most closely-held secrets. But there are a powerful few who know his other role. Beecher is a member of the Culper Ring, a 200-year old secret society founded by George Washington and charged with protecting the Presidency. Now, the current occupant of the White House needs the Culper Ring’s help.  The alarming discovery of the buried arm has the President’s team in a rightful panic.  Who buried the arm? How did they get past White House security?  And most important:  what’s the message hidden in the arm’s closed fist? Indeed, the puzzle inside has a clear intended recipient, and it isn’t the President.  It’s Beecher, himself.
Beecher’s investigation will take him back to one of our country’s greatest secrets and point him towards the long, carefully-hidden truth about the most shocking history of all:  family history.

I'm usually not the political thriller type, but I did like Angels and Demons by Dan Brown (no, I never did read The DaVinci Code, although I did see the movie), and this is suppose to be similar in type of book… secret societies, long buried secrets and a race to find the truth before something happens to ruin the country. After reading Greg Isles and the first two books in the Natchez Burning trilogy,  and really loving the writing, I thought I'd try Brad Metzler. This just came out and piqued my interest. I'm stepping out of the box for this one, but think it will be worth it!

So there you have it, three very different styles. Historical fiction, mystery and political thriller. I think I'm going to take a brief breather and pick up Night Sisters first. I'll let you know how it goes. What have you found this week to read?! And do you need a breather after a good read? I'd love to hear all about it!

More great books coming next week…

Happy Reading… Suzanne