Goodreads Monday: Rainbirds by Clarissa Goenawan

Goodreads Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren’s Page Turners. To take part, you simply choose a random book from your TBR and show it off. Don’t forget to check out Lauren’s Goodreads Monday blog post to share your Monday selections.

33026565I first heard of Rainbirds when I read the Brunette Biblio’s review of the book that I immediately added it to my TBR: so you can imagine how thrilled I am that it’s a March Book of the Month selection!

Obviously it was my March choice and I should be getting it any day now. Woohoo!

Rainbirds by Clarissa Goenawan
Publish date: March 6, 2018 by Soho Press
Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BOTM $9.99 add on
Category: Mystery, Fiction, Contemporary

Goodreads Synopsis:

Clarissa Goenawan’s dark, spellbinding literary debut opens with a murder and shines a spotlight onto life in fictional small-town Japan.

Ren Ishida is nearly finished with graduate school when he receives news of his sister Keiko’s sudden death. She was viciously stabbed one rainy night on her way home, and there are no leads. Ren heads to Akakawa to conclude his sister’s affairs, still failing to understand why she chose to abandon the family and Tokyo for this desolate town years ago.

But Ren soon finds himself picking up where Keiko left off, accepting both her teaching position at a local cram school and the bizarre arrangement of free lodging at a wealthy politician’s mansion in exchange for reading to the man’s catatonic wife.

As he comes to know the figures in Akakawa, from the enigmatic politician to his fellow teachers and a rebellious, alluring student named Rio, Ren delves into his shared childhood with Keiko and what followed, trying to piece together what happened the night of her death. Haunted in his dreams by a young girl who is desperately trying to tell him something, Ren struggles to find solace in the void his sister has left behind.

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Book Review: Bachelor Girl by Kim Van Alkemade

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4 disco balls

Expected publication: March 6, 2018 by Touchstone
Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
Category: Historical Fiction

Another great book cover, wouldn’t you agree?

I started reading Bachelor Girl on my trip home from vacation. After reading a little over 2 hours during my flight home I noticed I only got 13% of the way through. 1) Either I am a very slow reader, or 2) this is a long one. I am going to go with #2: the paperback is 416 pages (kindle is listed at 432).

I enjoyed this read and didn’t mind the length, its just not one of those you can plow through in two days. If you could, well then I change my initial answer to #1 – I am a slow reader.

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Book Review: By the Book by Julia Sonneborn

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Super cute vacation read!

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5 disco balls

Published: February 6, 2018 by Gallery Books
Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
Category: Womens Fiction, Chick-lit, Retelling

I was super bummed when I got the NetGalley rejection email from my request to read the arc of this book. The synopsis looked like a fun, lighthearted read so I wound up pre-ordering on Amazon (and waited a month for the pub date!). I had never done that as usually a rejection email makes me a bit sour on the book (hey, just being honest).

But enough of my ramblings, lets get to the part you want to hear: why I rated it so highly! Read More »

Book Review: The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor

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4 disco balls

Published: January 9, 2018 by Crown Publishing Group
Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BOTM $9.99 add on
Category: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

I took The Chalk Man by C.J. Tudor with me on vacation: what a travel companion it was. Holy moly creepy. At first you don’t really recognize the creepiness, but then bam! Like what was that? Who can I talk about this with? (obviously I will not discuss it here – not going to spoil anything for you) For my suspense fans, you need to read this. Read More »

Talk to Me: Do Not Finish (DNF) Books

featured photo cred: Intelligence is sexy

So, the other day I was reading a book that I won on Goodreads. There was not much in the synopsis but enough for me to believe it was a romance of some sort between an employee and her forbidden boss (he’s rich and powerful and he pursues her – you know the drill). Well, I got a whole heck of a lot more than that (lets just say it made 50 Shades seem PG-13). At the 27% I knew I didn’t like this book and wanted to put down. But, since I won it in a giveaway I thought I should at least get to 50% so I can give a rating and move on.

Move on? I always tell myself I want to do that but then I get to the 50% mark and say “I already came this far, try and finish the book…”Read More »

Goodreads Monday: An Elephant in the Garden by Michael Morpurgo

Goodreads Monday is a weekly meme hosted by Lauren’s Page Turners. To take part, you simply choose a random book from your TBR and show it off. Don’t forget to check out Lauren’s Goodreads Monday blog post to share your Monday selections.

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An Elephant in the Garden
by Michael Morpurgo
Published: October 25, 2011 by Feiwel & Friends (first published 2009)
Purchase: Amazon or Barnes & Noble

Goodreads Synopsis:

With Lizzie’s father fighting in World War II, her mother takes on the job of a zoo keeper to provide for her family. Lizzie, her mother, and her eight-year-old brother Karli have become especially attached to an orphaned elephant named Marlene. The bombing of Dresden is imminent and soon, so the zoo director explains that as a precautionary measure all the animals must be destroyed so that they’re not running wild through the city. Lizzie’s mother persuades the director to allow Marlene, the elephant, to come stay in the family’s garden.

As predicted, Dresden is bombed, and the family, including Marlene, is forced from the city. Lizzie and her family aren’t alone. Thousands of Dresden residents are fleeing to find somewhere safe to stay. Lizzie’s mother has to find a different route out of the city to keep the elephant and the children safe from harm. Once they reach the abandoned home of their relatives, they come across Peter, a Canadian navigator who, by putting himself at risk of capture to save the family, gains their trust.

This unlikely grouping of family, elephant, and enemy turned ally come together beautifully to illustrate the importance of love, resolve, and hope.

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Jamie Quinn Mystery Collection, Books 1 – 3 by Barbara Venkataraman

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Published: September 4, 2014
Purchase: Amazon Box Set is $3.49, for all 3 stories that is a steal! $0 if you have kindleunlimited (From February 19 – 23, 2018, the box set is free!)
Category: Novella, Mystery, Suspense

Meet Jamie Quinn, a lawyer who practices family law yet finds herself in the middle of a few criminal cases (one that hits a bit too close to home). She recently lost her mother, took a sabbatical from work and suffers from insomnia. In Book 1, she is forced back into work mode when her cousin is accused of murder.

Read more to view my reviews for Books 1, 2 and 3. I received an ebook of the Box Set from the author, Barbara Venkataraman, in exchange for my honest review. Read More »

Book Review: The Story of Our Lives by Helen Warner

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2.5 disco balls

Published: February 1, 2018 by Graydon House
Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
Category: Fiction, Chick lit

It started out slow and bit all over the place; after I invested a bit of time into it I became more engaged in the story. Boy was there loads of drama. And, the drama kept on coming even when you wanted to cover your eyes and will it to stop. (Why Emily, why?!)Read More »

Book Review: Should’ve Been You by Nicole McLaughlin

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fire fire on the flame meter

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4 disco balls

Published: January 30, 2018 by Swerve
Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble ($2.99 Kindle & Nook)
Category: Romance, Novella
#3 of the Man Enough Series

I came across this book after reading DJ Empress’ review on her blog, Books and Bindings, and knew I would probably enjoy it! As you know, or will now know, I am a sucker for sugary romances – and a series to boot!Read More »

Book Review: A Lady’s Guide to Selling Out by Sally Franson

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3 disco balls

Publish date: April 10, 2018 by Dial Press
Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
Category: Fiction, Chick lit

Casey Pendergast works for the man, but its not her true passion. At 28, she makes a very good living and as all the material things she wants. She finds herself in a few moral dilemma’s as her PR company aims to use artists to promote products they wouldn’t normally use: in essence selling out. She herself selling out as she is essentially doing the same thing. There is a strong lesson here on the power of social media.Read More »