The Sunday Salon... and Having a Summer Sister

Happy Sunday and 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 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! 

Even though the calendar doesn't say Summer is here yet, Summer is going strong in South Carolina! I have been madly re-potting and potting all those seed snails I grew this winter and have finally finished that part and am now lugging 40 lb bags of topsoil and organic garden soil into a new raised bed I bought. We have 2 other raised beds that were looking a little "tired" and I thought it would be nice not to have to bend down to get to those 12 inch high raised and bought a 26 inch high metal raised bed. What I didn't think about was how much dirt a 4 x 8, 26 inch high raised bed would need. Would you like to know how many bags of 1 cubic foot soil it needs? 69! OMG! I threw cardboard on the bottom, sticks, branches and then bought 20 bags of cheap topsoil to put in the bottom. My plants are waiting, but Summer is not. It is getting really hot here during the days... which reminds me of Summers past. My favorite reads. Summer just brings a different feeling to everything. Maybe it's because growing up when school let out for summer, we were free and carefree. Filling our days with adventures and happiness and friendships...

I was thinking about some of the books I read that brought those feeling back. I thought about Summer Sisters by Judy Blume. Have you read it? It's about 2 girls who went to school together, but didn't really know eachother. When school gets out, one of the most popular girls in the school asks one of the not so popular girls to go on summer vacation with her. This was the start of their life long friendship. And it was such an incredible read with that "spending time with your girlfriends during the summer vibe". So, today I thought I'd highlight books that bring back that "summer vibe spending time with your girlfriends"

Summer Sisters by Judy Blume... In the summer of 1977, Victoria Leonard’s world changes forever when Caitlin Somers chooses her as a friend. Dazzling, reckless Caitlin welcomes Vix into the heart of her sprawling, eccentric family, opening doors to a world of unimaginable privilege, sweeping her away to vacations on Martha’s Vineyard, an enchanting place where the two friends become “summer sisters.”

 Now, years later, Vix is working in New York City. Caitlin is getting married on the Vineyard. And the early magic of their long, complicated friendship has faded. But Caitlin begs Vix to come to her wedding, to be her maid of honor. And Vix knows that she will go—because she wants to understand what happened during that last shattering summer. And, after all these years, she needs to know why her best friend—her summer sister—still has the power to break her heart.

This broke my heart and brought tears to my eyes when I first read it, but it is such a good read. You feel yourself growing up with Victoria and Caitlin, and become invested in their friendship and their lives. If you have never read Summer Sisters, this is your sign that you should! Published by Dell in 1999.

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The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by... Carmen got the jeans at a thrift shop. They didn’t look all that great: they were worn, dirty, and speckled with bleach. On the night before she and her friends part for the summer, Carmen decides to toss them.

But Tibby says they’re great. She'd love to have them. Lena and Bridget also think they’re fabulous. Lena decides that they should all try them on. Whoever they fit best will get them.

Nobody knows why, but the pants fit everyone perfectly. Even Carmen (who never thinks she looks good in anything) thinks she looks good in the pants. Over a few bags of cheese puffs, they decide to form a sisterhood and take the vow of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants . . . the next morning, they say good-bye.

And then the journey of the pants — and the most memorable summer of their lives — begins.

All I can say, is this is a great book! Summer and friendships and growing up. Some friends just fit together. Published by Ember Publishing way back in 2003.

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This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki (illustrated by Jillian Tamaki).... Every summer, Rose goes with her mom and dad to a lake house in Awago Beach. It's their getaway, their refuge. Rosie's friend Windy is always there, too, like the little sister she never had. But this summer is different. Rose's mom and dad won't stop fighting, and when Rose and Windy seek a distraction from the drama, they find themselves with a whole new set of problems. It's a summer of secrets and sorrow and growing up, and it's a good thing Rose and Windy have each other. Gorgeous, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful story about a girl on the cusp of her teen age—a story of renewal and revelation.

Jillian Tamaki is a talented artist and her illustrations for This One Summer, who she collaborated to create with her sister Mariko, are wonderful. I enjoy graphic novels. Not the super hero kind, but the kind that tells a story of something I can relate to. This One Summer is that kind of story about "Summer Sisters". I read this a dozen years ago and it still remains in my summer heart today. Published by First Second Books, Read this! 

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The Summer List by Am Mason Doan... Laura and Casey were once inseparable: as they floated on their backs in the sunlit lake, as they dreamed about the future under starry skies, and as they teamed up for the wild scavenger hunts in their small California lakeside town. Until one summer night, when a shocking betrayal sent Laura running through the pines, down the dock, and into a new life, leaving Casey and a first love in her wake.

But the past is impossible to escape, and now, after seventeen years away, Laura is pulled home and into a reunion with Casey she can’t resist—one last scavenger hunt. With a twist: this time, the list of clues leads to the settings of their most cherished summer memories. From glistening Jade Cove to the vintage skating rink, each step they take becomes a bittersweet reminder of the friendship they once shared. But just as the game brings Laura and Casey back together, the clues unravel a stunning secret that threatens to tear them apart…

The Summer List by Amy Mason Doan was published almost 8 years ago by Graydon House. I just reserved it at my local library! This sounds like a "Summer Sisiter" vibe and I'm looking forward to reading it!

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Girl's Girl by Sonia Feldman... Fifteen-year-old Mina’s whole world is her two best friends, but after an unexpected kiss, the established dynamics of their trio quickly unravel. Everything that was once shared openly, from clothes to secrets, now feels impossibly fragile. Loyalties shift and tensions simmer across the long days of this pivotal summer, where the girls have nowhere new to go and everything new to feel.

Looking back, an adult Mina traces the undercurrents of longing that shaped her first experience of desire. The rituals of girlhood—gossip, selfies, sleepovers, and videogames—become threads in a delicate, volatile web of intimacy, in which everything feels achingly fleeting and permanently etched. Loving one person, Mina learns, can change the way we love everyone else—including ourselves.

Published this week by The Dial Press, Girl's Girl by Sonia Feldman sounds like that summer spent with your girlfriends kind of vibe I love. This is on my TBR list and I'm hoping it meets all my expectations.

Weekly Recap... 

(or how did I miss reading all this the last 2 weeks!)

New Release Tuesdays... 

May 26th,  June 2nd and June 2nd part 2. A massive amount of great books just got released these past two weeks! Check out what you need to put on your TBR list!

First Lines Friday... 

May 26th & It's a Calamity... June 5th & A House Full of Ghosts. Great first lines from some new books you definitely need to put on your TBR list! Check out the first few lines and tell me if you'd keep reading!

Did you find books to add to your growing TBR list? I hope so! Share books that aren't on today's post that you love too! I'd love to hear about them! Have a wonderful week! And stop back this week for more great bookish things!

 Happy reading... Suzanne

The Sunday Salon and a Salute to The Men and Women in Uniform

The Sunday Salon is 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 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! 

Memorial Day is the day we remember the soldiers that gave the ultimate sacrifice. I want to thank them for their bravery and selflessness. Today I also wish to thank our men and women in uniform for their service, for their bravery, their selflessness as they protect us.

And in honor of Memorial Day, I'm highlighting 3 books that highlight that bravery...

The Women by Kristin Hannah... Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.

As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is over-whelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets―and becomes one of―the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost.

But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.

The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm’s way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era. 

Last May I wrote about my experience at The Wall That Heals, which came to my little town. And because of that experience and the person I met there I picked up The Women. Here's what I wrote last May...

This week, in my little town, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, The Wall That Heals came... displayed in a field, in beautiful farm land, not too far from where I live. The Wall That Heals is a replica of the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial that is in Washington, DC. It also is an educational center as the trailer that brings in the memorial is turned into a learning experience with displays and information that brings what the Vietnam Veteran's experienced to life.

Even though this is a 3/4 replica of the original memorial in DC, it still has the power to move anyone who sees it. The over 58,000 names displayed is enough to silence the room, but seeing how the Veterans who visit are moved by their visit, brought tears to my eyes. 

One of the facts I learned during my visit to The Wall was that there are only 8 women whose names appear on The Wall. These 8 women were all nurses that died while serving in the Vietnam war. And on the day I visited The Wall, I sought out these women to see their names among the many. I had their names and their locations on the wall. As I stood in front of one of the panels I was approached by one of the Veteran volunteers. He asked me if I had any questions, and if I'd like to do a rubbing of any of the names on the wall. I explained to him, that I did not have any relatives engraved on the wall, but that I was amazed how there were only 8 women on the wall. We got to talking about those women and their histories. He shared his story with me, and I thanked him for his service and told him I was glad that he was able to come home and glad he was okay. "Okay is a relative word" he tells me. And I understood what he meant without further explanation... but then a strange thing happened. This Vietnam Vet, a man in his 70's, tells me if I am interested in these women, I should read, The Women by Kristin Hannah. He went on to tell me, that even though it is fiction, it really tells the story, the experience, of one woman during her time in Vietnam. He originally picked the book up because of the cover, which shows a helicopter flying over palm trees. He read it because of it's story... 

Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War by Mark Bowden... On October 3, 1993, about a hundred U.S. soldiers were dropped by helicopter into a teeming market in the heart of Mogadishu, Somalia, to abduct two top lieutenants of a Somali warlord. The action was supposed to take an hour. Instead, they spent a long and terrible night fighting thousands of armed Somalis. By morning, eighteen Americans were dead, and more than seventy badly injured. Mark Bowden's gripping narrative is one of the most exciting accounts of modern war ever written--a riveting story that captures the heroism, courage and brutality of battle.

When Black Hawk Down came out in 1999, it was a massive best seller. I read it at the time, even though I was not, and still am not, a reader of war stories. But the writing was so compelling and I really thought it was  a great book.

Band of Brothers by Stephen E. Ambrose They came together, citizen soldiers, in the summer of 1942, drawn to Airborne by the $50 monthly bonus and a desire to be better than the other guy. And at its peak—in Holland and the Ardennes—Easy Company was as good a rifle company as any in the world.

From the rigorous training in Georgia in 1942 to the disbanding in 1945, Stephen E. Ambrose tells the story of this remarkable company. In combat, the reward for a job well done is the next tough assignment, and as they advanced through Europe, the men of Easy kept getting the tough assignments.

They parachuted into France early D-Day morning and knocked out a battery of four 105 mm cannon looking down Utah Beach; they parachuted into Holland during the Arnhem campaign; they were the Battered Bastards of the Bastion of Bastogne, brought in to hold the line, although surrounded, in the Battle of the Bulge; and then they spearheaded the counteroffensive. Finally, they captured Hitler's Bavarian outpost, his Eagle's Nest at Berchtesgaden.

They were rough-and-ready guys, battered by the Depression, mistrustful and suspicious. They drank too much French wine, looted too many German cameras and watches, and fought too often with other GIs. But in training and combat they learned selflessness and found the closest brotherhood they ever knew. They discovered that in war, men who loved life would give their lives for them.

This is the story of the men who fought, of the martinet they hated who trained them well, and of the captain they loved who led them. E Company was a company of men who went hungry, froze, and died for each other, a company that took 150 percent casualties, a company where the Purple Heart was not a medal—it was a badge of office.

This was a widely read book, but it really came into its' own when HBO adapted it to the screen i a 10 part mini series. 

There are also some great movies out there, one of which is The Six Triple Eight... 

The Six Triple Eight (Netflix)... Written and directed by Tyler Perry and directly based on the true historical story of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. Specifically, the screenplay was adapted from historian Kevin M. Hymel's article, "Fighting a Two-Front War", published in the February 2019 issue of WWII History magazine.The movie chronicles the real-life accomplishments of the only all-Black, all-female U.S. battalion to be deployed overseas during World War II. The 855 women were tasked with clearing a massive, years-long backlog of 17 million pieces of mail for American troops in Europe, which they successfully completed in just three months while battling systemic racism and sexism.While there are several historical fiction books that have been written about this unit—such as Kaia Alderson's Sisters in Arms—the film itself remains a direct adaptation of historical records and events.

This was an excellent movie!

Are you a war story reader? What books do you recommend?

I hope you all take a moment to remember our fallen soldiers and pray for our living men and women who have fought or are fighting or who have served during the times we were not at war. Thank you!... Suzanne

The Sunday Salon... Happy Mothers Day and "Mother"" Books

Happy Mothers Day!

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 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!

Happy Mothers Day to all the women who have nurtured us, taken care of us, and raised us ❤️! Here is my wonderful mother and me at the beginning...

We all have a mother, but there is so much more that giving birth that makes a mother, a mother... My mother took the time and patience to nurture me and help me grow into the woman I am today. I've known her for a very long time (more years than we both care to admit). She was and has always been my BFF. I am lucky that I can still pick up the phone and talk to my mom when I need advice or just to talk to her to hear her voice. Love you Mom, and Happy Mothers Day (I know she reads my posts and will be reading this one too!)

There have been a lot of books about "Mothers", so for today's Sunday Salon we have "Mother" books...

Mother, Mother by Zia Rayyan... 
Iris Blackwood always knew her mother didn’t love her. It’s why she left six years ago and never looked back. But when her aunt—her mother’s identical twin—and her stepfather die in a tragic accident, she’s forced to return home. The cruel woman she remembers is gone. In her place is someone who cooks breakfast with a smile and says, “I love you.” Iris wants to believe it’s real. But then she finds a journal in the attic. One that reveals her mother and aunt used to switch places all the time. And when her car mysteriously won’t start, she begins to fear the truth. She came home to the wrong mother. And now she may never leave.

This book was independently published back in 2025 and is a psychological thriller

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The Wrong Mother by Charlotte Duckworth... 
One mother on the run. A safe place to hide. But you can't escape the past forever. Faye is 39 and single. She's terrified she may never have the one thing she always wanted: a child of her own. Then she discovers a co-parenting app: Acorns. For men and women who want to have a baby, but don't want to do it alone. When she meets Louis through it, it feels as though the fates have aligned. But just one year later, Faye is on the run from Louis, with baby Jake in tow. In desperate need of a new place to live, she contacts Rachel, who's renting out a room in her remote Norfolk cottage. It's all Faye can afford - and surely she'll be safe from Louis there? But is Rachel the benevolent landlady she pretends to be? Or does she have a secret of her own?

Published by Quercus Publishing in 2023, this is a psychological thriller.

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The Mothers by Brit Bennett... 
It is the last season of high school life for Nadia Turner, a rebellious, grief-stricken, seventeen-year-old beauty. Mourning her own mother's recent suicide, she takes up with the local pastor's son. Luke Sheppard is twenty-one, a former football star whose injury has reduced him to waiting tables at a diner. They are young; it's not serious. But the pregnancy that results from this teen romance—and the subsequent cover-up—will have an impact that goes far beyond their youth. As Nadia hides her secret from everyone, including Aubrey, her God-fearing best friend, the years move quickly. Soon, Nadia, Luke, and Aubrey are full-fledged adults and still living in debt to the choices they made that one seaside summer, caught in a love triangle they must carefully maneuver, and dogged by the constant, nagging question: What if they had chosen differently? The possibilities of the road not taken are a relentless haunt.

In entrancing, lyrical prose, The Mothers asks whether a "what if" can be more powerful than an experience itself. If, as time passes, we must always live in servitude to the decisions of our younger selves, to the communities that have parented us, and to the decisions we make that shape our lives forever.

Published by Riverhead back in 2017, this is a literary fiction, coming-of-age story.

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For more recently published "Mother" books, you have The Mother Daughter Book Club by Susan and James Patterson and The Mother Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon. 

Do you have any suggestions 

for a good "Mother" book?!

Memoir Monday... A memoir about 2 women living together! A smash hit in South Korea.

New Books Tuesday... An amazing selection of 10 books!

First Lines Friday... A book that will have your head in the stars!

And that's all for this past week. Next week look for a review on a soon-to-be published book on Mahjong! Yes, I've secretly wanted to learn to play Mahjong for years. I recently signed up for an intro lesson, and then this book pops up from a publisher for me.to review! I've been studying this book and have to say, it has really taught me a lot! and I'll share that with y'all next week. Do you play Mahjong?

Hope you all have a wonderful Mothers Day and that you found some fun "Mothers" books here today! 

Happy reading... Suzanne

 

Fictional Faceplants and My Real Tomatoe Plants... This weeks' Sunday Salon

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!

This week marks the final re-potting of my Seed Snails before the actual transplanting into the raised bed garden (which needs some serious weeding!) The Seed Snails were a total experiment because I had never sowed seeds to grow anything indoors, but they actually sprouted and grew. They were a little leggy (skinny stems) because they were stretching for more light from the shelves I had them on, by one of the front windows. I did not have grow lights. But I opened the seed snails up and took half of the plants and put them into a new seed snail and added more dirt and buried those stems a little deeper and they came back stronger and happier (or at least I hope they were happier). The past few weeks I've been hardening them outdoors in a mini garden shed, and this week I'm going to re-pot some of them into their own pots to give some of them some more room.

And while I was dealing with my tomato plants, I noticed another trend in plants... Faceplants. Faceplants on book covers!?! Yes, it seems like it's a thing. The new hit series on Apple TV, Margo's Got Money Trouble based on the Rufi Thorpe book made me remember that my first library book from my new local library back in 2018 was an illustration of a girl faceplanted on a couch too... Which got me thinking about if there were other books with women faceplanted on their couch... and the answer is yes! Here are my top 3...

Margo's Got Money Trouble by Rufi Thorpe... As the child of a Hooters waitress and an ex-pro wrestler, Margo Millet's always known she’d have to make it on her own. So she enrolls at her local junior college, even though she can’t imagine how she’ll ever make a living. She’s still figuring things out and never planned to have an affair with her English professor—and while the affair is brief, it isn’t brief enough to keep her from getting pregnant. Despite everyone’s advice, she decides to keep the baby, mostly out of naiveté and a yearning for something bigger.

Now, at twenty, Margo is alone with an infant, unemployed, and on the verge of eviction. She needs a cash infusion—fast. When her estranged father, Jinx, shows up on her doorstep and asks to move in with her, she agrees in exchange for help with childcare. Then Margo begins to form a plan: she’ll start an OnlyFans as an experiment, and soon finds herself adapting some of Jinx’s advice from the world of wrestling. Like how to craft a compelling character and make your audience fall in love with you. Before she knows it, she’s turned it into a runaway success. Could this be the answer to all of Margo’s problems, or does internet fame come with too high a price?

Blisteringly funny and filled with sharp insight, Margo’s Got Money Troubles is a tender tale starring an endearing young heroine who’s struggling to wrest money and power from a world that has little interest in giving it to her. It’s a playful and honest examination of the art of storytelling and controlling your own narrative, and an empowering portrait of coming into your own, both online and off.

Published by William Morrow in 2024

how hard can it be? by Allison Pearson... Look, I was doing OK. I got through the oil spill on the road that is turning forty. Lost a little control, but I drove into the skid just like the driving instructors tell you to and afterwards things were fine again, no, really, they were better than fine.Kate Reddy had it all: a nice home, two adorable kids, a good husband. Then her kids became teenagers (read: monsters). Richard, her husband, quit his job, taking up bicycling and therapeutic counseling: drinking green potions, dressing head to toe in Lycra, and spending his time―and their money―on his own therapy. Since Richard no longer sees a regular income as part of the path to enlightenment, it’s left to Kate to go back to work.

Companies aren’t necessarily keen on hiring 49-year-old mothers, so Kate does what she must: knocks a few years off her age, hires a trainer, joins a Women Returners group, and prepares a new resume that has a shot at a literary prize for experimental fiction.

When Kate manages to secure a job at the very hedge fund she founded, she finds herself in an impossible juggling act: proving herself (again) at work, dealing with teen drama, and trying to look after increasingly frail parents as the clock keeps ticking toward her 50th birthday. Then, of course, an old flame shows up out of the blue, and Kate finds herself facing off with everyone from Russian mobsters to a literal stallion.

Surely it will all work out in the end. After all, how hard can it be?

Published by St. Martin's Press in 2018

Lynn Ly is Doing Just Fine by Thao Votang... Told with deadpan humor and brutal honesty, this debut novel follows Vietnamese American Linh Ly’s unraveling as she reckons with the traumas of both her past and present.

When twenty-seven-year-old Linh Ly’s recently divorced mother begins dating a coworker, Linh is determined to make sure he is worthy of her mother. She’s seen the kind of men her mother ends up with—she grew up watching her unreliable and volatile alcoholic father as her mother worked two jobs to make ends meet. Linh is certain that her mother can’t do this on her own, but what begins as genuine worry quickly turns obsessive.

Following her mother and spying on her dates becomes part of Linh’s routine, especially after a university shooting at Linh’s work that leaves her feeling adrift—at least her mom’s dating life gives her something to focus on. Linh doesn’t exactly have a life of her own (dating or otherwise) and figures the best course of action is action—not how she handled the shooting: curl up in a ball and wait it out.

Linh is slowly forced to reconcile the image of her mother from her childhood with the woman she’s getting to know as an adult. Growing up Vietnamese in the middle of Texas with a broken household taught Linh a certain guarded way of living—one she never quite left behind.

Published by Alcove Press in 2024

Have you read any faceplant books?

How about planning on growing any tomato plants?

Here are some Honorable Mention Faceplant Covers...

BTW, did you notice the Careering by Daisy Buchanan cover? It's the same image as the cover for Linh Ly is Doing Just Fine! 

(Click on the links, they'll take you to the post!)

Memoir Monday... Strangers by Belle Burden. "He wanted it, he wanted me. And then he didn’t."

New Book Tuesday... Part One and Part Two (Because there were too many new good books coming out this week!)

In My Mailbox... Wow, I received some great reading from publishers this past week! Check out what came into my mailbox (and eReader).

Book Review for Blood Bound by Ellis Hunter... OMG, if you love Romantasy, you need to read this. If you have never read Romantasy, but want to try some, you need to read this! I just loved this book, and I just started reading romantasy. Read my review!

New Book Announcement... Did you love The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger?! Then you need to read this post! 

First Lines Friday... You'll want to pack your bags for this one!

A Little Library Love... I share my library loot this week!

Kindle Deal...For romantacy readers! If you want to read Dire Bound before book 2 hits the shelves on Tuesday, have I got a Kindle deal for you!

That does it for this week! Have you found your next read here? How about finding a spark to start some tomato plants? Share any great reads you found this week!

Happy Reading... Suzanne

 

The Sunday Salon... If Only Animals Could Talk... Oh, I'm Sorry, They Do!

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 is officially hot is South Carolina! All week long I've been enjoying the warm weather with my gardening adventures. My seed snails are coming along after I opened them up and gave them all a little more room by transferring half of them to their own seed snails. Today or tomorrow I will be repotting them in their own individual pots.  And it's been a fun reading week too! I finally finished The Beheading by Rebecca Lehmann and loved it! I finished listening to Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth and loved that too! AND I discovered some fun reading... told in the animal's POV (point of view)...

Pony Confidential by Christina Lynch... In this one-of-a-kind mystery with heart and humor, a hilariously grumpy pony must save the only human he’s ever loved after discovering she stands accused of a murder he knows she didn’t commit.

Pony has been passed from owner to owner for longer than he can remember. Fed up, he busts out and goes on a cross-country mission to reunite with Penny, the little girl whom he was separated from and hasn’t seen in years.

Penny, now an adult, is living an ordinary life when she gets a knock on her door and finds herself in handcuffs, accused of murder and whisked back to the place she grew up. Her only comfort when the past comes back to haunt her is the memory of her precious, rebellious pony.

Hearing of Penny’s fate, Pony knows that Penny is no murderer. So, as smart and devious as he is cute, the pony must use his hard-won knowledge of human weakness and cruelty to try to clear Penny’s name and find the real killer.

This acutely observant, feel-good mystery reveals the humanity of animals and beastliness of humans in a rollicking escapade of epic proportions.

I came across this and it sounded so fun. I've seen some mixed reviews, but I actually was able to download the audiobook from my library, so I'll be listening to this, this week. I'll let you know.

The book was published by Berkley last November. The audiobook was released by Penguin Audio.

Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann... "This funny and surprising mystery stars a new breed of detectives you’ve got to read to baaaaa-lieve'.

Something is not right with George the shepherd. His sheep have gathered around him outside the cozy Irish village of Glennkill to assess the situation. George has cared for the sheep, reading them books every night, and now he lies pinned to the ground with a spade. His flock, far savvier about the workings of the human mind than your average sheep, sets out to find George’s killer, led by Miss Maple, the smartest sheep in Glennkill (and possibly the world).

Her team of investigators includes Othello, who was rescued from the Dublin Zoo; Mopple the Whale, who is always hungry and remembers everything; and Zora, an existential ewe—just to name a few. Together, the sheep discuss the crime late into the night, and their speculations vary wildly. Determined to unravel the mystery, they embark on furtive missions into the village, where they encounter a hoof-full of two-legged suspects. There’s Ham, the terrifying butcher who smells of death; Rebecca, the secretive village newcomer; and Father Will, a sinister priest the sheep call God.

With wit and heart, this clever international bestseller is a mystery to chew on—and savor.

You might have heard me mention this book before. I had it for a First Lines Friday post way back at the beginning of January. I have the book and have been meaning to read it BEFORE the movie! The movie is called The Sheep Detectives, it stars Hugh Jackman and it's coming out to theatres May 8th. I better get a move on... 

Published by Soho Crime in February of 2025

Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton... "In this hilarious, "dazzling" romp, a foul-mouthed crow is humanity's only chance to survive a zombie apocalypse–think Watership Down meets Dawn of the Dead (Mona Awad, author of Bunny).

S.T. is a bird of simple pleasures: hanging out with his human owner, Big Jim, trading insults with Seattle's wild crows (i.e. ""those idiots""), and enjoying the finest food humankind has to offer: Cheetos ®. But when Big Jim's eyeball falls out of his head, S.T. starts to think something's not quite right.

With no choice but to abandon his old life and venture out into a frightening new world with his trusty steed Dennis (a loyal but dimwitted dog), S.T. discovers that the neighbors are devouring one other. Humanity's extinction has seemingly arrived, and the only one determined to save it is a cowardly crow whose only knowledge of the world comes from TV–What could possibly go wrong?"

I recently found this book while I was googling books from the animal's POV. This popped up with all rave reviews. It was also nominated for an Audie award for its' audiobook. I'm tempted to use one of my Audible credits so I can listen. The paperback is available at my local library though... hmmm, anyone read or listen to this?

Published by Grand Central Publishing in July of 2020

Memoir Monday... Jumper Cables by Lee B. Dean... "A memoir of mourning an unforgettable girl, offering a raw portrait of survival and redemption."

New Release Tuesday... 3 books that are yummy, a second-chance romance, and a midlife reinvention. 

Another New Release and now in my eReader! Cleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead by Mia Nguyen. You need to read about this book!

The Beheading by Rebecca Lehmann... My Review

New Book Announcement for Jeffery Deaver! It's called The Collateral Heart and brings back Lincoln Rhyme! Read about it here!

First Lines Friday... It's definitely something to puck about!

My Audiobook Review of Mad Mabel... You won't want to miss this one!

New Romantasy Release Announcement... Godbound by Masha Sova.

That is how my week went... How about you?! What great reading did you do or great books did you find?

I hope you found something interesting here this week! And until next time... Happy Reading, Suzanne

The Sunday Salon and Villains, Vengeance & Midnight Magic: Meet My Latest Book Obsessions

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!

We are finally out of the cold in South Carolina! The last possible frost was suppose to be April 8th and my seed snails are officially enjoying the big bold outdoors. I put them in our little greenhouse Friday night and Saturday morning they still looked very happy. We are actually suppose to be in the high 80's during the day all this coming week. I've been enjoying the breeze on the front porch in the early evenings finishing The Beheading by Rebecca Lehmann. I'm in the last 40 pages now and am trying to read as fast as I can to see what happens! It's been a great read so far. I'll be posting my review next week, but let's just say it's bordering on 5 stars depending on if the ending lives up to the rest. If you like historical fiction, with a little bit of... I don't know... horror? fantasy? What would you call Anne Boylen getting her head chopped off and she wakes up to the horror of her head between her knees?

Also this past week I got a new spine bookcase. My favorite space saving bookcase and I needed one. Of course I've been finding so many great books lately, I filled it up immediately! Not only did I fill my new bookcase up, but I've been filling my Kindle up too! What, may you ask, did I fill up my Kindle and my bookcase with? Here are the top 4 this week...

The Ending Writes Itself by Evelyn Clarke (aka V.E.Schwab & Cat Clarke)... Six authors. One private island. Seventy-two hours to write the ending that will change their lives...

Arthur Fletch, one of the world’s bestselling novelists, is a reclusive genius known for his iconic protagonists and fiendish twists. When six struggling authors are invited to spend a weekend on his private Scottish island, they arrive to discover a shocking secret: Arthur Fletch is dead . . . and his last book is unfinished.

Desperate to publish the novel, Fletch’s agent and editor have summoned these writers in the hope that one of them will imagine a worthy ending for this final book. To sweeten the deal, they are offering an irresistible prize: in addition to ghost-writing the last chapter––for a mind-boggling sum––they will also help the lucky writer successfully re-launch their own career, guaranteeing future bestsellers. The catch: the writers have just seventy-two hours to finish Fletch’s magnum opus.

It’s the perfect plot. All it needs is a killer ending.

This book got a lot of hype when it became known that 2 well known writers put their heads together and wrote this... and no one knew who the writers were. When it was revealed that it was none other than V.E. Schwab and Cat Clarke, it got even more hype, probably more so because of V.E. Schwab. In any case, this is suppose to be a fun romp and I am definitely looking forward to cracking the spine on this one. Published by Harper Collins and on released this past Tueday... 

Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab...

This is a story about hunger.

1532. Santo Domingo de la Calzada.

A young girl grows up wild and wily—her beauty is only outmatched by her dreams of escape. But María knows she can only ever be a prize, or a pawn, in the games played by men. When an alluring stranger offers an alternate path, María makes a desperate choice. She vows to have no regrets.

This is a story about love.

1827. London.

A young woman lives an idyllic but cloistered life on her family’s estate, until a moment of forbidden intimacy sees her shipped off to London. Charlotte’s tender heart and seemingly impossible wishes are swept away by an invitation from a beautiful widow—but the price of freedom is higher than she could have imagined.

This is a story about rage.

2019. Boston.

College was supposed to be her chance to be someone new. That’s why Alice moved halfway across the world, leaving her old life behind. But after an out-of-character one-night stand leaves her questioning her past, her present, and her future, Alice throws herself into the hunt for answers . . . and revenge.

This is a story about life—

how it ends, and how it starts.

This book has gotten a lot of buzz since it was published last June by Tor. And it still is getting lots of praise. V.E. Schwab is a writer who creates these amazing worlds  & characters and is considered a historical fantasy writer. This book has been on my wishlist for a long time, and I finally bought it! I can't wait to read it!

A Stage Set for Villain by Shannon J. Spann... The gods are dead. All that’s left are the Players. The performers of the Playhouse are as worshipped as they are feared, their enchanting shows bending hearts, minds, and even reality itself. Vicious, godlike, lethal. Eighteen-year-old Riven Hesper knows the dangers better than anyone, after her own encounter with a Player resulted in a curse that is slowly killing her.

When the Playhouse announces the spectacle of a lifetime—a chance for one mortal to steal a Player’s immortality—Riven sees her last chance to live. Desperate for answers, she infiltrates the competition. There, she finds Jude, the Playhouse’s brilliant, merciless Lead Player, whose charm is as dangerous as his Craft, and strikes a deadly bargain to save her life.

But with time running out and the Playhouse’s secrets unraveling into a disturbing picture, Riven faces a grim possibility: she might not be the hero of her story after all. In fact, she may be the villain.

Because the Playhouse doesn’t just tell stories. It rewrites them.

And Riven’s might end in blood.

I had heard so many.

This was an immediate sensation on social media. Published this past February by Entangled Publishing, it was recently scooped up by Amazon MGM Studios for a major project down the road. I downloaded a copy for my Kindle, which is only $7.99 right now, and started reading it. OMG, I was immediately drawn into the story and the setting is so unique. Definitely pick this up if it sounds like your kind of read or if you want to try some romantasy and you have a Kindle, because who knows when that price will go to "normal" Kindle pricing, which is generally around $14.99! (remember when they were all priced at $9.99!?)

Starside by Alex Aster... Enter the world of Starside, where swords wield magic and power is not inherited...but claimed.

Hundreds of years ago, a brutal war split a land in two. Starside is the realm of magic and immortals—the descendants of the gods, living in a power-rich paradise. Stormside is where mortals fight for scraps of that magic.

Every fifty years, the gates between them open, and fifty challengers are allowed to journey across Starside on a deadly quest to access a pool of magic that can heal, grant wealth, or extend life. Everyone has their reasons for entering, but Aris has only one: vengeance. As a child, a goddess set fire to her village, killing her family. Aris isn’t after the gods’ magic—she’s going to kill them.

First, she must survive the Culling, the king’s deadly competition to choose his fifty challengers. An orphaned blacksmith’s apprentice, Aris doesn’t have the superior weapons of the heirs from the Great Houses. But the greatest swords—ones that contain power—are not inherited or bought, they are claimed, by both sides. And when Aris claims a great sword, it makes her not just a real competitor—but a target.

Getting past the gates is only the beginning. Starside is deadlier than it seems. If the ancient creatures, magic-wielding beasts, and bloodthirsty immortals weren’t dangerous enough, a new peril has even immortals fearing what rises from the ground at night. With a blade most would kill to claim, Aris can’t trust anyone. Especially not Harlan Raker, the merciless and mysterious king’s guard who betrayed her years ago—and who may now be the key to her survival.

But Aris is hiding a secret tied to her family’s death. And when it’s revealed, not even the gods will be able to stop what’s coming…

I first found Alex Aster when she was promoting her "enemies-to-lovers" rom-com, Summer in The City, which was published last March. Since then it seems, she's been on a writing spree with YA Fantasy, and that's where we find her today, but she's stepping out of the YA Fantasy genre and into the "adult" Romantasy genre with Starside. This book has been all over TikTok and Instagram with many MANY 5 star ratings. I have no idea what I'm getting myself into, but it sounds like a great read and I put it on my wishlist when it came out in March. Recently I've been obsessed with these Romantasy books and I'm looking forward to starting this one soon. Published by Avon, March 31st (and I did tell you about it then, but I couldn't resist it when I finally saw it in person 😁. Did I tell you how pretty it is?!)

THOSE were some of the books I picked up this week. What about you?! Did you bring home any new books this week?

Now that we've talked about the new books I picked up, let me share what happened on the blog the last two weeks in case you missed anything...

Memoir Monday 3/30... Let's Hear it For The Girls! Memoirs from the ladies of a certain age (my age! )

Memoir Monday 4/6... Get Your Scalpel ready for this one!

New Book Tuesday 3/31... Magic, Destiny & Rising Stars You Need Now!

New Book Tuesday 4/7... New Releases and It's Stacked!

First Lines Friday 4/3... You'll Lose Your Head Over These!

First Lines Friday 4/10... Get Ready to be Swept Away!

Indie Next Pick for April... No Surprise Here and You Don't Want to Miss it!

Comedian Gillian Cosgriff... Sings us a little song about stress relieve (book related!) You really need to listen to this 😄.

What am I Listening To?... OMG! Old Lady Curmudgeon and a Great Narrator!

Happy Easter!... And a reading of Peter Rabbit.

I hope you found something to dig your teeth into... or at least found a good book! Share your good books right here in the comments! I'm always looking for recommendations!

Have a great week and Happy Reading... Suzanne