Monthly Archives: June 2018

Cover Crush: The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox

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I am not a cover designer but I can agree that cover layouts play an important role in the overall presentation of stories and I must admit, often times I first judge a book by its cover.

The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester FoxThe Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox

Paperback, 368 pages

Expected publication: October 2nd 2018 by Graydon House

An astonishing debut from an exciting new voice in historical fiction, The Witch of Willow Hall delivers memorable and atmospheric witchcraft themes, resulting in an addictive story about strange powers, fierce love, family secrets, and how the past haunts us in ways that demand to be seen.

Perfect for fans of Alice Hoffman (The Rules of Magic), Susanna Clarke (Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norell) and Deborah Harkness (A Discovery of Witches), readers will devour this immersive historical novel and root for a heroine who must struggle to come to terms with her place in the world, and the surprising doors a newfound power can open.

Two centuries after the Salem witch trials, there’s still one witch left in Massachusetts. But she doesn’t even know it.

Take this as a warning: if you are not able or willing to control yourself, it will not only be you who suffers the consequences, but those around you, as well.

New Oldbury, 1821

In the wake of a scandal, the Montrose family and their three daughters—Catherine, Lydia and Emeline—flee Boston for their new country home, Willow Hall.

The estate seems sleepy and idyllic. But a subtle menace creeps into the atmosphere, remnants of a dark history that call to Lydia, and to the youngest, Emeline.

All three daughters will be irrevocably changed by what follows, but none more than Lydia, who must draw on a power she never knew she possessed if she wants to protect those she loves. For Willow Hall’s secrets will rise, in the end…

My thoughts:

I love the design and tones of this cover and how the woman’s dress flares out a bit to give a dramatic feel. The house behind her looks haunting and atmospheric that you want to explore or can tell holds many secrets and hiding places. Great book cover.

Stephanie M. Hopkins

Cover Crush is a weekly series that originated with Erin at Flashlight Commentary.

Other great cover crushes from my fellow book bloggers: 

Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede
Colleen at A Literary Vacation
Heather at The Maiden’s Court
Holly at 2 Kids and Tired

 

Cover Crush: The Shanghai Wife by Emma Harcourt

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I am not a cover designer but I can agree that cover layouts play an important role in the overall presentation of stories and I must admit, often times I first judge a book by its cover.

The Shanghai WifeThe Shanghai Wife by Emma Harcourt

Paperback

Publication: June 18th 2018 by Harlequin Enterprises (Australia)

Forbidden friendship, political conspiracy and incendiary passion draw Australian woman Annie Brand deep into the glamour and turmoil of 1920s Shanghai.

Shanghai, 1925: Leaving behind the loneliness and trauma of her past in country Australia, Annie Brand arrives to the political upheaval and glittering international society of Shanghai in the 1920s. Journeying up the Yangtze with her new husband, the ship’s captain, Annie revels in the sense of adventure but when her husband decides the danger is too great and sends her back to Shanghai, her freedom is quickly curtailed. Against her will, Annie finds herself living alone in the International Settlement, increasingly suffocated by the judgmental Club ladies and their exclusive social scene: one even more restrictive than that she came from. Sick of salacious gossip and colonial condescension, and desperate to shake off the restrictions of her position in the world, Annie is slowly drawn into the bustling life and otherness of the real Shanghai and begins to see the world from the perspective of the local people, including the servants who work at her husband’s Club. But this world is far more complex and dangerous than the curious Annie understands and unknowingly, she becomes caught in a web of intrigue and conspiracy as well as a passionate and forbidden love affair she could not have predicted: one with far–reaching consequences…

My thoughts:

What is not to love about this cover design? This cover draws a reader in to find out more about the story and from what I read of the book description above, I am adding this story to my wish-list!

Stephanie M. Hopkins

Cover Crush is a weekly series that originated with Erin at Flashlight Commentary.

Other great cover crushes from my fellow book bloggers: 

Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede
Colleen at A Literary Vacation
Heather at The Maiden’s Court
Holly at 2 Kids and Tired

Thrift With Me

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Me in March 2018

I haven’t posted in a while except for my cover crushes. Why? Because I have been taking a few weeks to regroup and work on coming up with some new post ideas for the fall time and I have noticed social media has been showing signs of the Summer slowdown! Today I want to talk about something a little off topic from what I normally post about. Here it goes…

It pays to be kind to workers in Goodwill stores or at any retell store for that matter! The Goodwill store near me is in East Cobb outside of Atlanta, Georgia and I shop in there frequently for BOOKS and what-not. The store is clean and the staff are kind and helpful. I’m not going to lie; the prices are high but they have special deals every week and I want to give a bit of advice to people who shop there and complain to the staff about prices. When I am shopping in the store, if I see clothing that has dropped on the floor by me or anyone, I pick it up and hang it back nicely. When I see a worker needing to get to the spot I am at to hang something up, I move over for them and say hi and ask how they are doing. When I am ready to check out, I take the hangers off the clothing and sort the clothing by the color tags. When I go up to the register and see that the cashier is tired, I take with them and I also let them know I appreciate them and their hard work. I used to work in retail and I have worked in the marketing business for years and I know all to well how hard these people work for little pay and appreciation. Yesterday I went in the store to find some summer tops and found some great brands that were practically brand new or gently used. I will list those brands below. Anyhow, I was helpful to the people working there and chatted with them and a few of the customers when they asked me if there were any specials going on. I guess it didn’t go unnoticed because I got a big discount on every clothing I bought plus the senior citizens discount and I just turned 42 years old. Kindness goes a long way.

Brands I bought: Women’s Tops

Vera Wang

ARIAT Polo

Zella

Nike

Banana Republic

J.Jill

Lucky Brand

Caia

*Most of the tops tags were current clothing lines.

I love thrill of finding good deals! Lots of people do not realize how important it is to thrift. Many items end up in the landfills and that is not a good thing! Recycle, Recycle, Recycle! Waste not, want not.

Best to you all!

Stephanie

Cover Crush: Love and Other Consolation Prizes by Jamie Ford

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I am not a cover designer but I can agree that cover layouts play an important role in the overall presentation of stories and I must admit, often times I first judge a book by its cover.

Love and Other Consolation PrizesLove and Other Consolation Prizes by Jamie Ford

From the bestselling author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet comes a powerful novel, inspired by a true story, about a boy whose life is transformed at Seattle’s epic 1909 World’s Fair.

For twelve-year-old Ernest Young, a charity student at a boarding school, the chance to go to the World’s Fair feels like a gift. But only once he’s there, amid the exotic exhibits, fireworks, and Ferris wheels, does he discover that he is the one who is actually the prize. The half-Chinese orphan is astounded to learn he will be raffled off–a healthy boy “to a good home.”

The winning ticket belongs to the flamboyant madam of a high-class brothel, famous for educating her girls. There, Ernest becomes the new houseboy and befriends Maisie, the madam’s precocious daughter, and a bold scullery maid named Fahn. Their friendship and affection form the first real family Ernest has ever known–and against all odds, this new sporting life gives him the sense of home he’s always desired.

But as the grande dame succumbs to an occupational hazard and their world of finery begins to crumble, all three must grapple with hope, ambition, and first love.

Fifty years later, in the shadow of Seattle’s second World’s Fair, Ernest struggles to help his ailing wife reconcile who she once was with who she wanted to be, while trying to keep family secrets hidden from their grown-up daughters.

Against a rich backdrop of post-Victorian vice, suffrage, and celebration, Love and Other Consolations is an enchanting tale about innocence and devotion–in a world where everything, and everyone, is for sale.

My thoughts:

Such a pretty atmosphereic looking cover. The premise looks interesting and I do like ready stories that take place in the era the story is set in. Hmm….thinking about adding this to my reading never ending reading pile.

Stephanie M. Hopkins

Cover Crush is a weekly series that originated with Erin at Flashlight Commentary.

Other great cover crushes from my fellow book bloggers: 

Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede
Colleen at A Literary Vacation
Heather at The Maiden’s Court
Holly at 2 Kids and Tired
Meghan at Of Quills & Vellum

 

Book Spotlight: The Summer List by Amy Mason Doan

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The Summer ListThe Summer List by Amy Mason Doan

HARLEQUIN – Graydon House Books (U.S. & Canada)

Graydon House

General Fiction (Adult), Women’s Fiction

Pub Date 26 Jun 2018

I received this book on NetGalley and really looking forward to reading it soon. The premise is a but different from what I normally read, so that is good.

Stephanie M. Hopkins

Description:

In the tradition of Judy Blume’s Summer Sisters, The Summer List is a tender yet tantalizing novel about two friends, the summer night they fell apart, and the scavenger hunt that reunites them decades later—until the clues expose a breathtaking secret that just might shatter them once and for all.

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…

Mesmerizing and unforgettable, Amy Mason Doan’s The Summer List is about losing and recapturing the person who understands you best—and the unbreakable bonds of girlhood.

 

Cover Crush: Ink and Bone (The Great Library #1) by Rachel Caine

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I am not a cover designer but I can agree that cover layouts play an important role in the overall presentation of stories and I must admit, often times I first judge a book by its cover.

Ink and BoneInk and Bone (The Great Library #1) by Rachel Caine

Kindle Edition, 352 pages

Published July 7th 2015 by NAL

In an exhilarating new series, New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine rewrites history, creating a dangerous world where the Great Library of Alexandria has survived the test of time.…

Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the Library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly—but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden.

Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the Library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from illegal books obtained by his family, who are involved in the thriving black market. Jess has been sent to be his family’s spy, but his loyalties are tested in the final months of his training to enter the Library’s service.

When his friend inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe that knowledge is more valuable than any human life—and soon both heretics and books will burn…

My thoughts:

I really like this love and title. The premise looks interesting too. A cover with a picture of old books will always have my vote.

Stephanie M. Hopkins

Cover Crush is a weekly series that originated with Erin at Flashlight Commentary.

Other great cover crushes from my fellow book bloggers: 

Magdalena at A Bookaholic Swede
Colleen at A Literary Vacation
Heather at The Maiden’s Court
Holly at 2 Kids and Tired
Meghan at Of Quills & Vellum