Friday, June 28, 2019

Happy Birthday Linda!





This is our second year without our daughter on her birthday! She is missed everyday so much. I wonder what she would be getting this year if she were here. I wonder how much she would have changed in the last year. She loved Birthday cakes and loved all of us getting together. So I plan to get a birthday cake and eat it today!
I will eat cake and watch movies and read just to get through this day.
Today as you read this do something for someone just because you want to make them smile.
Linda would have been 31 years old today so I will do my best to do 31 things that will touch someone else in a special way.
I thank all of you for following my blog and commenting everyday! You all are the reason that I  get out of bed each morning. THANK YOU ALL!






Thursday, June 27, 2019

The Totally Invisible And Completely Original Me By Savanna Harm




Being a teenager is not an easy thing, but for seventeen-year-old Landen Wells, that is a total understatement. Landen finds herself in a state of confusion when her relationship with Finn, her childhood best friend, drastically shifts—causing a dramatic rift between them. It doesn’t help that Landen meanwhile is receiving torment from her long time bully, most popular girl in school, Amber Woods. With salvation normally found in running and a “secret” forest hideaway, Landen does her best to try and escape her current state of confusion. However, feelings become more complicated when a mysterious artist, Alec, finds his way into Landen’s life and a sort of romance blossoms. With everything being so different so fast she doesn’t know who means more to her: her lifelong best friend who’s now slipping away, or the boy who she has only just met but somehow feels as if she has known him forever. Two guys, one bully, and enough drama to last a lifetime. No amount of running will help Landen figure this one out.

Pick up your copy here...
 https://www.amazon.com/Totally-Invisible-Completely-Original-Me/dp/1798782782/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3VR0GW4YSN825&keywords=the+totally+invisible+and+completely+original+me&qid=1561420761&s=gateway&sprefix=The+Totally++invi%2Caps%2C142&sr=8-1

My Thoughts...
 Looking for your next young adult read? This may be a fun one for you.
It has a little bit of everything so you will have all the feels.
this would make a great gift for those high school girls that love to read. 
It is a 4 star read to share with those young adults that are book worms
 The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Thrive By Arianna Huffington






In Thrive, Arianna Huffington makes an impassioned and compelling case for the need to redefine what it means to be successful in today's world.

Arianna Huffington's personal wake-up call came in the form of a broken cheekbone and a nasty gash over her eye--the result of a fall brought on by exhaustion and lack of sleep. As the cofounder and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post Media Group--one of the fastest growing media companies in the world--celebrated as one of the world's most influential women, and gracing the covers of magazines, she was, by any traditional measure, extraordinarily successful. Yet as she found herself going from brain MRI to CAT scan to echocardiogram, to find out if there was any underlying medical problem beyond exhaustion, she wondered is this really what success feels like?

As more and more people are coming to realize, there is far more to living a truly successful life than just earning a bigger salary and capturing a corner office. Our relentless pursuit of the two traditional metrics of success--money and power--has led to an epidemic of burnout and stress-related illnesses, and an erosion in the quality of our relationships, family life, and, ironically, our careers. In being connected to the world 24/7, we're losing our connection to what truly matters. Our current definition of success is, as Thrive shows, literally killing us. We need a new way forward.

In a commencement address Arianna gave at Smith College in the spring of 2013, she likened our drive for money and power to two legs of a three-legged stool. They may hold us up temporarily, but sooner or later we're going to topple over. We need a third leg--a third metric for defining success--to truly thrive. That third metric, she writes in Thrive, includes our well-being, our ability to draw on our intuition and inner wisdom, our sense of wonder, and our capacity for compassion and giving. As Arianna points out, our eulogies celebrate our lives very differently from the way society defines success. They don't commemorate our long hours in the office, our promotions, or our sterling PowerPoint presentations as we relentlessly raced to climb up the career ladder. They are not about our resumes--they are about cherished memories, shared adventures, small kindnesses and acts of generosity, lifelong passions, and the things that made us laugh.

In this deeply personal book, Arianna talks candidly about her own challenges with managing time and prioritizing the demands of a career and raising two daughters--of juggling business deadlines and family crises, a harried dance that led to her collapse and to her "aha moment." Drawing on the latest groundbreaking research and scientific findings in the fields of psychology, sports, sleep, and physiology that show the profound and transformative effects of meditation, mindfulness, unplugging, and giving, Arianna shows us the way to a revolution in our culture, our thinking, our workplace, and our lives.

Pick up your copy here...
 https://www.amazon.com/Thrive-Redefining-Success-Creating-Well-Being/dp/0804140863/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1R3CS88W5TV5T&keywords=thrive+by+arianna+huffington&qid=1561416810&s=gateway&sprefix=Thrive+by%2Caps%2C145&sr=8-1

Arianna Huffington is the co-founder, president, and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post Media Group, and author of fifteen books.

In May 2005, she launched The Huffington Post, a news and blog site that quickly became one of the most widely-read, linked to, and frequently-cited media brands on the Internet. In 2012, the site won a Pulitzer Prize for national reporting.

She has been named to Time Magazine's list of the world’s 100 most influential people and the Forbes Most Powerful Women list. Originally from Greece, she moved to England when she was 16 and graduated from Cambridge University with an M.A. in economics. At 21, she became president of the famed debating society, the Cambridge Union.

She serves on numerous boards, including The Center for Public Integrity and The Committee to Protect Journalists.

Her book, Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder, debuted at #1 on the New York Times Bestseller list. Her 15th book, The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life One Night At A Time, on the science, history and mystery of sleep, will be published on April 5, 2016.

My Thoughts...
  Huffington wants to get this point across Stop surviving and start Thriving.
You will find that this book is very helpful and you will soon ( I hope) start to make small changes in your life.
So if you are ready for more then living and ready to start thriving this book is going to be a great asset to you. 
I gave this book 4 stars and I plan to slow down and reread it again each year.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Tuesday, June 25, 2019

The Road She Left Behind By Christine Nolfi




Crushed by guilt over the car accident that killed her father and sister, and torn apart by her mother’s resentment, Darcy Goodridge fled her family estate eight years ago and hasn’t looked back. Now an unexpected phone call threatens to upend what little serenity she’s found. Her nephew, Emerson, who was just a baby when his mother died, has gone missing. Darcy must return home and face her past in order to save him.
Once back in Ohio, Darcy realizes there’s more to Emerson’s disappearance—and to the sudden retirement of her mother, Rosalind—than meets the eye. As she works to make inroads with Rosalind, Darcy begins to unravel a decades-old secret that devastated her family and forced a wedge between her and Michael Varano, the man she left heartbroken when she vanished after the funeral. After carrying the scars of that fateful night for almost a decade, Darcy is determined to find closure, healing, and maybe even love where she lost them all in the first place—right back home where she belongs.

Pick up your copy here...
 https://www.amazon.com/Road-She-Left-Behind/dp/1542004217/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3E4RUTVAXI9FW&keywords=the+road+she+left+behind+by+christine+nolfi&qid=1561334183&s=gateway&sprefix=the+road+she+left+behind%2Caps%2C145&sr=8-1#customerReviews





Award-winning author Christine Nolfi provides readers with heartwarming and inspiring fiction. Look for her latest release, THE ROAD SHE LEFT BEHIND.

The Sweet Lake Series has been recognized by the International Book Awards, Royal Palm Literary Awards, Readers’ Favorite Awards, and Best Book Awards. Kirkus Reviews calls SWEET LAKE "an uplifting and charming story." Redbook calls the book "an enchanting story full of lovable characters."

The Liberty Series has been recognized by the Next Generation Indie Awards and Put Your Heart In A Book Awards. “TREASURE ME is sure to delight and entertain. It’s light and refreshing; your old fashioned feel-good novel.” --USA Today

"Please visit me at www.christinenolfi.com and continue the mail, tweets, and comments on social media. I cherish your support and love chatting with readers." ~Christine

www.christinenolfi.com
@christinenolfi on Twitter
christinenolfi on Instagram

My Thoughts...

 This is my second book by Nolfi and I can't wait for the next one.
I liked this one just as much as the first one. Romance, Family, and forgiveness, did I say a little romance also. I loved Emerson and Michael and Darcy. The story was sad but well you have the read the whole story. I did want the story to go on, It ended a little to fast for me.
Pick up a copy of this 4 star must read.
 The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Monday, June 24, 2019

Why She Lied By Julie Coons GIVEAWAY!



Will she have to lose her child to save her child?

The day she tells her boyfriend she’s pregnant, is the same day he tells her he’s been accused of molestation. His trial is set to begin the following day.

She needs answers…

To get them, she tricks her boyfriend into signing a release form, giving her full access to all of his legal documents. She uncovers the truth, he’s guilty.

To save her unborn child from this monster, she gets an abortion.

FIVE YEARS LATER and still rebuilding her life, Julie finds out her ex-boyfriend has just become the most wanted man in America, involved in human trafficking. When detectives ask for her help locating him, she gets drawn into a baffling mystery. What began as a seemingly simple search soon turns into a much darker reality.

Someone from her past is watching…

Bit by bit, the tapestry of her own secret childhood begins to unravel. What she learns about her past will haunt her forever: family isn’t always what it seems.

Can she help bring this predator to justice, or will she die trying?

WHY SHE LIED is a gripping psychological thriller full of mystery, intrigue, and buried secrets.

Pick up your copy here...
 https://www.amazon.com/Why-She-Lied-Riveting-Psychological/dp/1797907492/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2OKFCE1A4AVN8&keywords=why+she+lied+by+julie+coons&qid=1560563927&s=books&sprefix=Why+She+Lied%2Cstripbooks%2C316&sr=1-1

JULIE COONS lives in a small town in Oregon. THIS DOES NOT LEAVE THIS HOUSE was her debut memoir. Amy's bookshelf reviews awarded it the #1 position for top 10 books of 2018. Her second book WHY SHE LIED is based on a true story. Her books are written to lead a movement toward positive change. She tells the stories of her life with honesty and strength.
If you wish to connect, ask a question, or invite Julie to speak to your group or organization, contact her at: connect@juliecoons.com.
So much more coming in 2019! Julie also plans to make YouTube videos sharing more of her story. Subscribe to Julie's YouTube channel JULIE COONS and get to know her even better.
Website: juliecoons.com
YouTube: Julie Coons
Twitter: @JulieCoons1
Facebook: Julie Coons Author

My Thoughts...

I would say this was an interesting story but hard to read. I am not so sure if it was a true story as the cover states. 
Had this been a book from a traditional  publisher not self published I think it would have been mush better. The editor would have fixed the  fact that she jumps from first to the third person  throughout the whole book, it doesn't read professionally at all. So it is very easy to see why a traditional publisher is needed.
I gave this book 3 stars.
 The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Saturday, June 22, 2019

THE LONG GOODBYE: THE KARA TIPPETTS STORY Launches on Netflix tomorrow.







Best-selling Documentary

THE LONG GOODBYE: THE KARA TIPPETTS STORY 
Launches on Netflix June 23rd
 
“The impact of her life was huge. I’m blessed to know her.” - Joanna Gaines



Los Angeles, CA - THE LONG GOODBYE: The Kara Tippetts Story, a heartfelt story a woman thrust into the national spotlight through a terminal cancer diagnosis, will be available on Netflix Sunday, June 23. The film spent time at the #1 spot on the Amazon Documentaries chart, and remained in the Top 10 for over 6 weeks after it’s release.
 
 Kara Tippetts was a pastor’s wife, mother of four young children, and creator of a popular mommy-blog focused on parenting with kindness. Kara already had a loyal following when, at just 38 years old, she began facing and processing a cancer diagnosis on the site. Her blog and subsequent best-selling books became hallowed ground as people around the world were touched by her faith, honesty, and candor. 
 

 
 
With this incredibly raw documentary, Kara allowed the world to walk with her as she chronicled first what it meant to be a young wife and mother battling a disease, and then ultimately what it meant to live and die with love and dignity.
 
Shot in real-time and featuring Kara’s own vlogs and cell phone videos, this film offers an intimate, vulnerable look into a dying woman’s last days. The film also features Kara’s friends-including Ann Voskamp, Joanna Gaines, Ellie Holcomb, President of Focus on the Family Jim Daly, Dianne Derby from KKTV, and bonus features with Joni Eareckson Tada.
 
 
 
During her journey with cancer, Kara wrote and published three books, includin
g Just Show Up: The Dance of Walking Through Suffering Together, And It was Beautiful: Celebrating Life in the Midst of the Long Good-Bye and The Hardest Peace: Expecting Grace in the Midst of Life’s Hard, which won the 2015 ECPA Inspirational Book of the Year award. 
 
Additionally, Kara was thrust into the spotlight when a letter she penned to Brittany Maynard went viral.  In the letter, Kara asked Brittany to reconsider her choice to move to Oregon to participate in an assisted suicide. Kara’s was a gentle, hope-filled message that could only be shared between two young women whose lives would end too soon. 
 
Kara’s vulnerability had an incredible impact on tens of thousands of people and grew that community of support in surprising ways.  Faith influencers from around the globe began to find ways to assist Kara by sharing her posts, sending personal messages, serving the family’s needs, as well as just becoming her friend.  


This included filmmakers Jay and Sofia Lyons, who discovered Kara’s story through a facebook note from a friend. The couple simply felt led to do something for her. Sofia states how God led them down a path to create the film by a series of ‘breadcrumbs’, “First, we just wanted to do something special for Kara and her family. This evolved into creating a 7-minute video about her life, which ultimately opened up a conversation about fully documenting her last few months on earth.”
 
THE LONG GOODBYE also showcases footage from a house concert performed by Ellie Holcomb, a new arrangement of one of Kara’s favorite hymns by Selah, and an original song by Travis Cottrell. Additionally, one of the filmmakers, Sofia J., contributes 2 original songs written for the film including “I’ll See You Again.” 
 
In association with Freely, THE LONG GOODBYE: The Kara Tippetts Story was created by Jay Lyons Productions and is distributed through Ocean Avenue Entertainment.  THE LONG GOODBYE will be available June 23 on Netflix. http://karatippettsdocumentary.com/



Friday, June 21, 2019

Sunset Beach By Mary Kay Andrews



Pull up a lounge chair and have a cocktail at Sunset Beach – it comes with a twist.
Drue Campbell’s life is adrift. Out of a job and down on her luck, life doesn’t seem to be getting any better when her estranged father, Brice Campbell, a flamboyant personal injury attorney, shows up at her mother’s funeral after a twenty-year absence. Worse, he’s remarried – to Drue’s eighth grade frenemy, Wendy, now his office manager. And they’re offering her a job.
It seems like the job from hell, but the offer is sweetened by the news of her inheritance – her grandparents’ beach bungalow in the sleepy town of Sunset Beach, a charming but storm-damaged eyesore now surrounded by waterfront McMansions.
With no other prospects, Drue begrudgingly joins the firm, spending her days screening out the grifters whose phone calls flood the law office. Working with Wendy is no picnic either. But when a suspicious death at an exclusive beach resort nearby exposes possible corruption at her father’s firm, she goes from unwilling cubicle rat to unwitting investigator, and is drawn into a case that may – or may not – involve her father. With an office romance building, a decades-old missing persons case re-opened, and a cottage in rehab, one thing is for sure at Sunset Beach: there’s a storm on the horizon.
Sunset Beach is a compelling ride, full of Mary Kay Andrews' signature wit, heart, and charm.

Pick up your copy here...
 https://www.amazon.com/Sunset-Beach-Mary-Kay-Andrews/dp/125012610X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2CJF6DTDDK94X&keywords=sunset+beach+mary+kay+andrews&qid=1560989107&s=gateway&sprefix=Sunset+Beach%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-1

Mary Kay Andrews is the New York Times bestselling author of The High Tide Club, The Beach House Cookbook, The Weekenders, Beach Town, Save the Date, Christmas Bliss, Ladies' Night, Spring Fever, and Summer Rental, all from St. Martin's Press, as well as Savannah Breeze, Blue Christmas Hissy Fit, Little Bitty Lies and Savannah Blues, all Harper Collins. On May 7, 2019, St. Martin's Press will release her 26th novel, SUNSET BEACH

A former reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, she wrote ten critically acclaimed mysteries, including the Callahan Garrity mystery series, originally under her real name, Kathy Hogan Trocheck. The Callahan mysteries were recently re-released by Harper Collins, as Mary Kay Andrews writing as Kathy Hogan Trocheck.

A native of St. Petersburg, FL (and a diplomate of the Maas Bros. Department Store School of Charm), she started her professional journalism career in Savannah, GA, where she covered the real-life murder trials which were the basis of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

As a lifelong "junker" the author claims to know the location of every promising thrift store, flea market and junkpile in the southeastern United States, plus many parts of Ohio.

She has a B.A. in newspaper journalism from The University of Georgia (go Dawgs!), and is a frequent writing teacher and lecturer at workshops and book festivals.

Married to her high school sweetheart, she is the mother of two grown children and a proud grandmother. When not on book tour, she divides her time between Atlanta and Tybee Island, GA.

My Thoughts...

Are you looking for a beach read? I have found you the best one of 2019. It is full of romance, suspense and surprising twists you never see coming.
This book has it all. Andrews is the queen of beach reads and this book did not disappoint. I HIGHLY recommend this book.
Make sure before you head out on your vacation that this book is in your bag.
4.5 stars and I can't wait for you all to read it.
 The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.
 

Thursday, June 20, 2019

No Ocean Too Wide By Carrie Turansky


Between the years of 1869 to 1939 more than 100,000 poor British children were sent across the ocean to Canada with the promise of a better life. Those who took them in to work as farm laborers or household servants were told they were orphans--but was that the truth?

After the tragic loss of their father, the McAlister family is living at the edge of the poorhouse in London in 1908, leaving their mother to scrape by for her three younger children, while oldest daughter, Laura, works on a large estate more than an hour away. When Edna McAlister falls gravely ill and is hospitalized, twins Katie and Garth and eight-year-old Grace are forced into an orphans' home before Laura is notified about her family's unfortunate turn of events in London. With hundreds of British children sent on ships to Canada, whether truly orphans or not, Laura knows she must act quickly. But finding her siblings and taking care of her family may cost her everything.

Andrew Fraser, a wealthy young British lawyer and heir to the estate where Laura is in service, discovers that this common practice of finding new homes for penniless children might not be all that it seems. Together Laura and Andrew form an unlikely partnership. Will they arrive in time? Will their friendship blossom into something more?

Inspired by true events, this moving novel follows Laura as she seeks to reunite her family and her siblings who, in their darkest hours, must cling to the words from Isaiah: "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God".

Pick up your copy here...
 https://www.amazon.com/No-Ocean-Too-Wide-Mcallister/dp/0525652930/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1DM3EGX8T4GJS&keywords=no+ocean+too+wide+carrie+turansky&qid=1560559627&s=books&sprefix=No+Ocean+to+wide%2Cstripbooks%2C144&sr=1-3





Bestselling Inspirational Romance Author Carrie Turansky writes historical and contemporary novels and novellas set in England and the US. She has won the ACFW Carol Award, the Holt Medallion, and the International Digital Award. Readers say her stories are: "Heartwarming and inspiring! I couldn't put it down!" . . . "Touching love story. It captured me from the first page! Rich characters, beautifully written" . . . "My new favorite author!" Visit her website and sign up for her email newsletter at Carrie Turansky.com. Follow Carrie on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.

My Thoughts...

Historical Fiction fans are going to love this book.
It is written with so much heart and emotion. As with all of Turansky's books it was to short for me. I found my self wanting more and I was left with some unanswered questions. I am told that there will be more to come so this is the first book in the series. I can't wait for the next book in the series.
 Read this 4 Star book, that I recommend and share it with your book loving friends.
 The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.
 

Wednesday, June 19, 2019

Ever Faithful By Karen Barnett


Vibrant historic Yellowstone National Park comes to life in this romantic mystery about a man hiding the truth, braving the west to become something more--and the woman who must confront his deception.

A man who can't read will never amount to anything--or so Nate Webber believes. But he takes a chance to help his family by signing up for the new Civilian Conservation Corps, skirting the truth about certain "requirements." Nate exchanges the harsh Brooklyn streets for the wilds of Yellowstone National Park, curious if the Eden-like wonderland can transform him as well.
     Elsie Brookes was proud to grow up as a ranger's daughter, but she longs for a future of her own. After four years serving as a maid in the park's hotels, she still hasn't saved enough money for her college tuition. A second job, teaching a crowd of rowdy men in the CCC camp, might be the answer, but when Elsie discovers Nate's secret, it puts his job as camp foreman in jeopardy. Tutoring leads to friendship and romance, until a string of suspicious fires casts a dark shadow over their relationship. Can they find answers before all of their dreams go up in smoke?

Pick up your copy here...
 https://www.amazon.com/Ever-Faithful-Vintage-National-Parks/dp/0735289581/ref=sr_1_1?crid=C166XWN1RVJ3&keywords=ever+faithful+by+karen+barnett&qid=1560561056&s=books&sprefix=Ever+faithful%2Cstripbooks%2C153&sr=1-1





Karen Barnett is the award-winning author of The Golden Gate Chronicles (Out of the Ruins, Beyond the Ashes, and Through the Shadows) and Mistaken. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, two kids, and three mischievous dachshunds. When she's not writing, Karen enjoys photography, hiking, public speaking, decorating crazy birthday cakes, and dragging her family through dusty history museums. Oregon Christian Writers (OCW) honored her with the Writer of Promise Award in 2013 and a Cascade Award for her debut novel, Mistaken, in 2014. In 2016, she was named Writer of the Year by the prestigious Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference. Karen is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Oregon Christian Writers (OCW) and has been published in Guideposts and other national magazines.

My Thoughts...

 I have read all the books so far in the Vintage National Parks series.
This one might just be my favorite one so far. I really enjoyed traveling to Yellowstone park. Barnett knows her parks and the historical aspects are wonderfully written. 
I love romance and suspense in one book and you get that with Ever Faithful.
 Don't miss this book, if you have not read the first book that is fine they are stand alone books.
 The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Tuesday, June 18, 2019

The Woman in the Park By Teresa Sorkin and Tullan Holmqvist



When Manhattanite Sarah Rock meets a mysterious and handsome stranger in the park, she is drawn to him. Sarah wants to get away from her daily routine, her cheating husband and his crazy mistress, her frequent sessions with her heartless therapist, and her moody children.
But nothing is as it seems. Her life begins to unravel when a woman from the park goes missing and Sarah becomes the prime suspect in the woman's disappearance. Her lover is nowhere to be found, her husband is suspicious of her, and her therapist is talking to the police.
With no one to trust, Sarah must face her inner demons and uncover the truth to prove her innocence.
A thriller that questions what is real-with its shocking twists, secrets, and lies--The Woman in the Park will leave readers breathless.

Pick up your copy here...
 https://www.amazon.com/Woman-Park-Teresa-Sorkin/dp/0825308992/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1560557453&sr=8-1






Teresa Sorkin is a Television Producer with a passion for creating, writing, telling, sharing and producing great stories. She is the founder of Roman Way Productions, a production company with 32 projects in development. Teresa has produced shows and films for various networks and studios. Teresa received her degree in Marketing and Media from New York University (NYU) and Bocconi University in Milan. She studied Screenwriting at NYU. She was a journalist for RAI TV where she worked on entertainment and fashion hosting her own show for the network. When Teresa isn't working on the best next story, she spends time with her husband Ian and two children. This is her first novel.


https://teresasorkin.com/


My Thoughts...
 Where are my psychological thriller readers? This is a book that you can't put done. It's a fast read. You an read it in one sitting. You will never know that it is a debut book. You will never know that two people wrote it. It's one voice and a little bit of everything in one book.
I gave this book 4 stars and recommend it. Thank you suzyapprovedbooktours.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Monday, June 17, 2019

All Manner of Things By Susie Finkbeiner



When Annie Jacobson's brother Mike enlists as a medic in the Army in 1967, he hands her a piece of paper with the address of their long-estranged father. If anything should happen to him in Vietnam, Mike says, Annie must let their father know.

In Mike's absence, their father returns to face tragedy at home, adding an extra measure of complication to an already tense time. As they work toward healing and pray fervently for Mike's safety overseas, letter by letter the Jacobsons must find a way to pull together as a family, regardless of past hurts. In the tumult of this time, Annie and her family grapple with the tension of holding both hope and grief in the same hand, even as they learn to turn to the One who binds the wounds of the brokenhearted.

Author Susie Finkbeiner invites you into the Jacobson family's home and hearts during a time in which the chaos of the outside world touched their small community in ways they never imagined.

Pick up your copy here...
 https://www.amazon.com/All-Manner-Things-Susie-Finkbeiner/dp/0800735692/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1560558382&sr=1-1

After decades of reading everything she could get her hands on (except for See the Eel, a book assigned to her while in first grade, a book she declared was unfit for her book-snob eyes), Susie realized that she wanted to write stories of her own. She began with epics about horses and kittens (but never, ever eels).

It takes years to grow a writer and after decades of work, Susie realized (with much gnashing of teeth and tears) that she was a novelist. In order to learn how to write novels, she read eclectically and adventurously (she may never swim with sharks, but the lady will jump into nearly any story). After reading the work of Lisa Samson, Patti Hill, and Bonnie Grove she realized that there was room for a writer like her in Christian fiction.

Her first novels Paint Chips (2013) and My Mother's Chamomile (2014) have contemporary settings. While she loved those stories and especially the characters, Susie felt the pull toward historical fiction.

When she read Into the Free by Julie Cantrell she knew she wanted to write historical stories with a side of spunk, grit, and vulnerability. Susie is also greatly inspired by the work of Jocelyn Green, Rachel McMillan, and Tracy Groot.

A Cup of Dust: A Novel of the Dust Bowl (2015), Finkbeiner's bestselling historical set in 1930s Oklahoma, has been compared to the work of John Steinbeck and Harper Lee (which flatters Susie's socks off). Pearl's story continues with A Trail of Crumbs: A Novel of the Great Depression (2017) and A Song of Home: A Novel of the Swing Era (2018).

What does she have planned after that? More stories, of course. She's a junkie. She couldn't quit if she wanted to.

My Thoughts...
 Wow, the characters and the setting were so real to me. This was my first book by Finkbeiner but not my last one I 'm noe on the lookout for more books by her.
Oh the tears fell through out this book on more than one occasion. But this is a book that I will reread and it is a book I HIGHLY recommend.
I gave this book 5 stars and I plan on sharing it with many of my friends.  If you get a chance read this book.
 The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.
 

Friday, June 14, 2019

My Dearest Dietrich By Amanda Barratt GIVEAWAY!








A staggering love illuminating the dark corners of a Nazi prison

Renowned German pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer is famous for his resistance to the Nazi regime and for his allegiance to God over government. But what few realize is that the last years of his life also held a love story that rivals any romance novel.

Maria von Wedemeyer knows the realities of war. Her beloved father and brother have both been killed on the battlefield. The last thing this spirited young woman needs is to fall for a man under constant surveillance by the Gestapo. How can she give another piece of her heart to a man so likely to share the same final fate? Yet when Dietrich Bonhoeffer, an old family friend, comes to comfort the von Wedemeyers after their losses, she discovers that love isn't always logical.

Dietrich himself has determined to keep his distance from romantic attachments. There is too much work to be done for God, and his involvement in the conspiracy is far too important. But when he encounters a woman whose intelligence and conviction match his own, he's unprepared for how easy it is to give away his heart.

With their deep love comes risk--and neither Dietrich nor Maria is prepared for just how great that risk soon becomes.

Based on detailed historical research, this true love story is at once beautiful and heartrending. My Dearest Dietrich sheds new light on a world-famous theologian . . . and the woman who changed his life.

Pick up your copy here...
 https://www.amazon.com/My-Dearest-Dietrich-Novel-Bonhoeffers/dp/0825446058/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2MOXFSY77FRR3&keywords=my+dearest+dietrich&qid=1559955487&s=gateway&sprefix=My+Dearest+Di%2Caps%2C146&sr=8-1





ECPA best-selling author Amanda Barratt fell in love with writing in grade school when she wrote her first story—a spinoff of Jane Eyre. Now, Amanda writes romantic, historical novels and novellas, penning stories of beauty and brokenness set against the backdrop of bygone eras not so very different from our own. Her novel My Dearest Dietrich: A Novel of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Lost Love, releases from Kregel Publications in June 2019.

She’s also the author of My Heart Belongs in Niagara Falls, New York: Adele’s Journey, as well as seven novellas with Barbour Publishing. Two of her novellas have been finalists in the FHL Reader’s Choice Awards.

Amanda lives in the woods of Michigan with her fabulous family, where she can be found reading way too many books, plotting her next novel, and jotting down imaginary travel itineraries for her dream vacation to Europe.

Connect with her on Facebook and visit her online at amandabarratt.net.

My Thoughts...
This was such a difficult subject to write about. We all love stories of Love and loss but this one took a few days for me to take in.  I really don't have the words for this book. I want to YELL read it for yourself to everyone. It was a hard one but Barratt did an outstanding job writing it.
I gave this book 5 stars and I HIGHLY recommend it.
 The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Thursday, June 13, 2019

Solving for M By Jennifer Swender GIVEAWAY!




When Mika starts fifth grade at the middle school, her neat life gets messy. Separated from old friends and starting new classes, Mika is far from her comfort zone. And math class is the most confusing of all, especially when her teacher Mr. Vann assigns math journals. Art in math? Who's ever heard of such a thing?

But when challenges arise at home, Mika realizes there are no easy answers. Maybe, with some help from friends, family, and one unique teacher, a math journal can help her work out problems, and not just the math ones.

Debut author Jennifer Swender delivers poignant prose and illustrator Jennifer Naalchigar brings Mika's journal to life in this perfect equation of honesty plus hope that adds up to a heartwarming coming-of-age story.

Pick up your copy here...
 https://www.amazon.com/Solving-M-Jennifer-Swender/dp/1101932902/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?crid=1IEFHKL4A4NA4&keywords=solving+for+m+by+jennifer+swender&qid=1559441540&s=gateway&sprefix=Solving+for+M%2Caps%2C1037&sr=8-1-fkmr0

Jennifer taught elementary school students for over a decade before turning to writing full-time. Together with her husband, Paul DuBois Jacobs, she is the author of several picture books and early chapter books. She also develops curriculum materials for students and teachers. Her debut middle-grade novel, Solving for M, will be available May 28, 2019 from Crown Books for Young Readers. Jennifer lives with her family in Massachusetts. Find her online at jacobsandswender.com.

My Thoughts...

I love these books for the young ones this one was for 8-13 year olds and it was such a fun read. Fifth grade , Math  teacher who wants the students to keep a math journal for all the challenging problems and things that need deep thinking. How much fun is this going to be.
This is a must read for your little ones.
I gave this book 4 stars and I HIGHLY recommend it.
 The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Over The Line By Kelly Irvin GIVEAWAY!





“You have something we want. We have something you want.”
Gabriella has never forgiven her former fiancé, homicide detective Eli Cavazos, for breaking her heart. Then a man she’s never met shows up at her restaurant, a bullet in his chest and her brother’s name on his lips. Gabby soon realizes this man is connected to a powerful ring of criminals who know far too much about her.
Against her better judgment, Gabby turns to Eli for help in finding her brother. When she receives a cryptic text from her brother’s cell phone, she realizes she is in deep and may be dragging Eli down with her. With her brother nowhere to be found and pain from her past threatening to overwhelm her, Gabby wonders how she will make it through this unexpected quest unscathed—or alive.
Taking us into the heat of Laredo, Texas, the secrets of a gun-smuggling ring, and the tensions on both sides of the border, Over the Line will keep you guessing until the last page.

Pick up your copy here...
 https://www.amazon.com/Over-Line-Kelly-Irvin/dp/0785223142/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=3IFI1DU5QZ6VA&keywords=over+the+line+by+kelly+irvin&qid=1559957789&s=gateway&sprefix=Over+the+line+b%2Caps%2C257&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

Best-selling novelist Kelly Irvin's latest book is Beneath the Summer Sun, the second book in her Amish romance series, Every Amish Season, from Zondervan/HarperCollins Christian Publishing. This four-book series delves into the lives of four Amish women linked by life altering experiences that bring them together as wives, mothers, and grandmothers in the small town of Jamesport, Mo. The first book, Upon a Spring Breeze, received critical acclaim from the Library Journal: "A moving and compelling tale about the power of grace and forgiveness that reminds us how we become strongest in our most broken moments."

Kelly Irvin is also the author of The Amish of Bee County series, which includes the critically acclaimed The Beekeeper's Son. Publishers Weekly called the first book in the series a beautifully woven masterpiece and Romantic Times Magazine called Kelly a storyteller extraordinaire. It was followed by The Bishop's Son and The Saddle Maker's Son, which is an ECPA bestseller.

A two-time ACFW Carol finalist, Kelly's novellas have been included in numerous anthologies, including An Amish Summer, The Amish Christmas Gift, An Amish Market, an Amish Christmas Love, and Amish Quilt.

She also penned the Bliss Creek Amish series and the New Hope Amish series, both published by Harvest House Publishers. Love Still Stands, the first book in the New Hope series, debuted in September 2014, and the follow-up, Love Redeemed, released March 1, 2014. The final book in the series, set in Branson, MO., was A Plain Love Song, released in July 2014.

The Bliss Creek Amish series, set in Kansas, includes To Love and to Cherish, A Heart Made New, and Love's Journey Home.

In the New Hope series, familiar characters from Bliss Creek move to Missouri to start a new district and a new life.

Kelly is also the author of two romantic suspense novels, A Deadly Wilderness and No Child of Mine, set in San Antonio, Texas. Two more romantic suspense novels are on the horizon, with the first, Tell Her No Lies, slated for publication by Thomas Nelson Publishing in January 2019.

Kelly recently contracted with Zondervan for a new 3-book series set in Montana. More details to come!

The Kansas native is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and the ACFW San Antonio local chapter Alamo City Christian Fiction Writers, as well as Romance Writers of America (RWA) and Sisters in Crime.

A graduate of the University of Kansas William Allen White School of Journalism, Kelly wrote nonfiction professionally for thirty years. She studied for three semesters at the University of Costa Rica, learning the Spanish language. As a journalist, she worked six years in the border towns of Laredo and El Paso, where she was exposed to culture and language that serves as fodder for her fiction writing. She has written hard news, features, entertainment pieces, restaurant critiques, editorials, and weekly columns. Writing awards include the Silver Star Award from the Texas Mental Health Association for articles pertaining to mental health and numerous awards in news, feature, and editorial writing from the Texas Press Association and Texas Press Women.

Kelly retired in 2016 from her position of 22 years as public relations manager for the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department, where her duties included writing and designing an employee newsletter, writing news releases, collaborating on marketing campaigns, coordinating ribbon-cuttings and groundbreakings, coordinating press conferences, updating the web site, and acting as a media spokesperson.

Kelly has been married to photographer Tim Irvin for more than 30 years, and they have two young adult children and two grandchildren. In her spare time, she likes to write short stories, read books by her favorite authors, and visit the babies.
For more information, visit http://www.kellyirvin.com

My Thoughts...
  This book is full of non-stop action that takes place in Texas. What could be better? You are going to love Irvin's writing. I love Irvin's suspense books so much.
You must read this 4 star book and share it with your Texas fans.
 The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Tuesday, June 11, 2019

The First Mistake By Sandie Jones



From Sandie Jones, the author of the Reese Witherspoon  Hello Sunshine Book Club Pick and New York Times bestseller The Other Woman, comes an addictively readable new domestic suspense about a wife, her husband, and the woman who is supposedly her best friend.

THE WIFE: For Alice, life has never been better. With her second husband, she has a successful business, two children, and a beautiful house.

HER HUSBAND: Alice knows that life could have been different if her first husband had lived, but Nathan’s arrival into her life gave her back the happiness she craved.
HER BEST FRIEND: Through the ups and downs of life, from celebratory nights out to comforting each other through loss, Alice knows that with her best friend Beth by her side, they can survive anything together. So when Nathan starts acting strangely, Alice turns to Beth for help. But soon, Alice begins to wonder whether her trust has been misplaced . . .
The first mistake could be her last.

Pick up your copy here...
https://www.amazon.com/First-Mistake-Sandie-Jones/dp/1250192021/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3QRDFGRKLEZRG&keywords=the+first+mistake+sandie+jones&qid=1559956137&s=gateway&sprefix=The+First+Mistake%2Caps%2C186&sr=8-1


 Sandie Jones has been a freelance journalist for over 20 years, interviewing celebrities such as Justin Timberlake, Isla Fisher, Simon Cowell and Naomie Harris.

Her debut novel, The Other Woman, is a psychological thriller about the destructive relationship between a woman and her partner's mother.

If Sandie wasn't an author she'd be an interior designer as she has an unhealthy obsession with wallpaper and cushions!

She lives in London, England, with her husband and three children. 


My Thoughts...



A true friend will always be there to catch you when you fall , or will they? In this 4.5 star read Jones has done it again The First Mistake is even better than The Other Woman. I read it in a couple of hours never putting it down. I was captured from the very first chapter. This is a 2019 must read. We all want a thriller that will thrill us, right? This is your book.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.





























































Monday, June 10, 2019

Christmas Joy By Nancy Naigle GIVEAWAY signed copy!




From USA Today bestselling author Nancy Naigle, Christmas Joy is a heartwarming Christmas story about family, friendship and finding love in unexpected places.

Joy Holbrook might be all work and no play, but that changes when her Aunt Ruby takes a fall that lands her in a rehabilitation center before the holidays. Joy takes a leave of absence from her job as a market researcher to run the family farm, even though the timing may hinder her chance at garnering the promotion of her dreams.
Ben Andrews isn’t your average accountant. He also happens to be the handiest man in Crystal Falls. He’s helped his elderly neighbor, Ruby Johnson, decorate for the annual Christmas Home Tour―and win―the last several years. He’s not about to let some drop-in niece break their winning streak.
Ruby seems overly concerned about Joy being able to handle Molly. Under the impression she’s referring Molly the bunny that is one of the menagerie of animals, Joy’s not worried at all until the next morning when a little girl named Molly shows up. For the sake of her aunt, Joy is forced to partner with Ben while Ruby is on the mend to help with preparation for the Christmas tour and, in the process finds her career-focused heart dreaming of a family.
Will the magic of Christmas help her to open her heart and find her everlasting joy?

Pick up your copy here....
 https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Joy-Novel-Nancy-Naigle/dp/1250106079/ref=sr_1_1?crid=32T26HC3LOHYG&keywords=christmas+joy+nancy+naigle&qid=1559958531&s=gateway&sprefix=Christmas+Joy%2Caps%2C194&sr=8-1

USA Today bestselling author Nancy Naigle whips up small-town love stories with a dash of suspense and a whole lot of heart. She began her popular contemporary romance series, Adams Grove, while juggling a successful career in finance and life on a seventy-six-acre farm. She went on to produce works in collaboration with other authors, including the hilarious southern fiction G Team series. A Romance Writers of America Honor Roll author, her books have been translated in multiple languages and received favorable reviews from major trade journals.

In 2018, Crown Media brought two of Nancy's novels to life. Christmas Joy premiered on Hallmark Channel 11/3/18. Hope at Christmas premiered on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries. She also novelized two Hallmark Original Movies set in the town of Evergreen, bringing the whole story and bonus epilogues to Hallmark fans.

Now happily retired from a career in the financial industry, she devotes her time to writing, antiquing, and horseback riding with friends. A Virginia girl at heart, Nancy now calls North Carolina home.

Download a complete list of Nancy's books at www.NancyNaigle.com, then stay up to date with future releases by joining Nancy's free newsletter -or-visit her on facebook and twitter (@nancynaigle)

Hugs and happy reading~

My Thoughts...
 First let me tell you all the Hallmark Movie was good. But the book was much better.
I like books about family and friendship, But I really love books about finding LOVE. Naigle does not disappoint at all. You have to read this 4 star Christmas romance before watching the movie.
Christmas in June is fun and I am sharing a signed copy to one very lucky blog follower.  
 The Mary Reader received this book from the author for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.