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Sunday 14 July 2013

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 15.7.13

It's Another Monday! What Are You Reading?
with  Sheila's Book Journey

Lots of reading and not quite keeping up with the reviewing !
Having such perfect days of sitting outdoors with a great book,
it's hard to break in on that with the indoor work of writing reviews...
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 Finished reading a couple this weekend and a few more during the week.
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In Golden Splendor by Michael K Reynolds
Fantastic historical - book 2 of the Heirs of Ireland - Releases today!  
Grab it and dig in to this saga's continuation.
Irish immigrant, Seamus Hanley, haunted by his past is a U.S. Army deserter  living alone in the wilderness of the Rocky Mountains in 1849.  After witnessing a deadly stage coach crash, he finds purpose in the scattered wreckage -- a letter with a picture of a captivating woman named Ashlyn living in San Francisco at the height of the Gold Rush.  Moved by her written plea for help, he abandons all and sets out on an epic journey across the wild and picturesque American frontier. While being pursued by those who want to hang him, Seamus encounters fascinating characters including a young Pauite Indian who makes the ultimate sacrifice helping Seamus to cross the snowy Yosemite Valley.
Battered but changed for the better, Seamus reaches San Francisco on Christmas Eve as the city burns ..
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Becker arrives in Lamorlaye, France, to begin the massive renovation of a Renaissance-era castle, he unearths a dark World War II history few in the village remember. The project that was meant to provide an escape for Becker instead becomes a gripping glimpse into the human drama that unfolded during the Nazi occupation and seems to live on in midnight disturbances and bizarre acts of vandalism.
Populated with a cast of complex characters, "Tangled Ashes" follows Becker's exploration of the castle's shadowy past as he seeks to cope with an unbearable present. From the virtually mute recluse who lives in the gatehouse to the feisty and enigmatic nanny of the owner's children, every one of the chateau's inhabitants seems to have something to hide and something to survive - none more so than Becker himself. - goodreads
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Author, Michele Phoenix, born in France to an American mother and  Canadian father, is an international writer with multicultural sensitivities. A graduate of Wheaton College, she currently works in Europe, at the boarding school she attended as a teenager. She has spent the past eighteen years there communicating her passion for writing, music and theatre to her students.  Further info: michelephoenix Cover: Lindsey Bridwell

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Fave UK chic lit author, Victoria Connelly, wrote one of my weekend reads -
Three Graces {A magical romantic comedy}
Carys Miller doesn’t believe in the aristocracy nor does she believe in the supernatural. So, when she finds herself married to Richard, 12th Duke of Cuthland, and living in his haunted house, she wonders if she’s going mad.
As the new mistress of Amberley Court, Carys discovers she’s now in charge of a house the size of a small village. She finds herself in the most unpopular of roles: a stepmother to young Cecily and Evie. Then there’s the formidable mother-in-law, the Dowager Duchess, who might once have been a society beauty but now possesses a frown which could freeze an ocean.
Carys desperately needs help but she doesn’t expect it to come from an eighteenth century duchess who simply refuses to leave Amberley.
Three Graces is a story about mothers, daughters, lovers and ghosts, and how the past, somehow, always manages to find its way into the present...
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Surprised by this classic from Canadian author, Jean Little.
Read [and reviewed] Mama's Going to Buy You A Mockingbird

Sensitive treatment of 11 year old Jeremy and his younger sister, summer vacationing at the lake with their paternal aunt, whilst waiting expectantly for their parents' to join them. Father is ill, but they haven't been told more. This is a ya journey through a parent's discovery of cancer and its impact on the family. Not at all morbid with realistic responses of Jeremy.  Befriending an ostracized student adds to the story's appeal.

Great cover!  and content definitely equal to the invitation to read.


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Looked forward to reading this follow up to Ashton Park by another
Canadian author, Murray Pura, and wasn't disappointed.  Family saga similar to Downtown Abbey,
The Danforths of Lancashire, have captured me - not unwillingly! 
Beneath the Dover Sky,  2nd of the series establishes some European ties that don't bode well for the 3rd novel, due in early 2014. Hitler's noise making has begun...
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Three other books read and reviews posted -
A Bride for All Seasons
The Promise of Provence
Rosemary Cottage - fabulous suspense - just released last week

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Thanks for checking in this week !
I'm off to a Weekend Festival later this week so I won't likely be able to post for next Monday.
Here's the scoop on the Lily Festival adventure for any
Margaret Laurence fans...?
Have a great week reading wherever you are =)
Safe travels !
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8 comments:

Kathryn T said...

The Three Graces sounds like a book I might follow up and see if it is my kind of read - suspect it might be.

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz said...

Weren't you the busy reader?! Wow!

Here's my It's Monday. Love to have you stop by!

Laura at Library of Clean Reads said...

You've read such great books! Every time I visit your blog, I'm jotting down book titles. I have Tangles Ashes but it's got a different cover. Enjoy your reading week!

Unknown said...

Tangled Ashes sounds amazing. I love dark and buried family secrets, and historical castles. Enjoy your reads this week!


Take a look at what I'm reading this week!

Kathy Martin said...

Nice assortment of books. I have read a couple of Jean Little's books and enjoyed them. Come see what I read last week at Inside of a Dog. Happy reading!

Brenda @ Its A Beautiful Life said...

It's been a long while since I've been to visit... haven't been blogging as much. So it was good to see what you are up to.

I note that you've been reading a book by Murray Pura. I haven't read anything of his yet, but I've been in touch with him recently as he is going to be our keynote speaker at our fall conference (InScribe Christian Writers' Fellowship) www.inscribe.org. Now I'll have to go look for that book you've been reading. (So when I meet him in person I'll be able to say I've read his books -- smile)

This week I'm reading and enjoying very much:

Maman's Homesick Pie, A Persian Heart in an American Kitchen
by Donia Bijan (memoir - 2011)

And on the side, ready to go, two books from the library:

The Art and Craft of Writing for Children, edited by William Zinsser, 2000

On Writing Well, The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction, 25th anniversary edition, by William Zinsser

Roses said...

Enjoy your books this week. I finished What the Spell? by Brittany Geragotelis (4/5 stars) last week. This week I'm reading Solaris by Stanislaw Lem, Fields of Elysium by A.B. Whelan, and OCD Love Story by Corey Ann Haydu.

Elizabeth said...

Looks like a good week. In Golden Splendor looks amazing. I love historical fiction.

ENJOY your week.

Elizabeth
Silver's Reviews
My It's Monday, What Are You Reading

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