Cover Crush: Darkwater Secrets by Robin Caroll

Posted on July 12, 2018 by layeredpages

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.

Darkwater Secrets by Robin Caroll

Gilead Publishing

Christian, Mystery & Thrillers

Pub Date 17 Jul 2018

Description

A murder investigation uncovers sordid secrets and haunting mistakes

The Darkwater Inn stands tall and proud in the French Quarter, the hub of New Orleans. Bourbon Street is bustling, and General Manager Adelaide Fountaine has her hands full with a hotel at capacity. She, along with everyone else, is shocked when a body is found: a hotel guest stabbed with a kitchen knife.

Detective Beau Savoie, Adelaide’s childhood friend, is on the case. As Beau digs into the victim’s past, he unearths a shocking connection between Adelaide and the murdered guest. Beau is hurt that his friend—the woman he’s quietly loved for years—kept the truth from him. To make matters worse, the stress of the investigation has sent Adelaide right into the comforting arms of her coworker Dimitri. But Beau can’t press Adelaide too hard . . . he’s keeping secrets of his own.

Can Adelaide and Beau afford to hide from the truth with a killer on the loose?

My Thoughts:

It’s been a while since I’ve featured a cover crush! What’s up with that? Crazy I know. Let’s do this.

The title and colors of the layout caught my attention and then I looked closer and saw underneath the layers of colors, New Orleans buildings. Oh, yes…how cool is that?!

Great cover and I love thrillers so I am curious about this one!

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

New Beginnings for Layered Pages

Posted on July 2, 2018 by layeredpages

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Layered Pages will now be a blend of literature (Book Sales Starting on Friday), art, photography, and fashion! Be sure to tell your friends all about the new changes to Layered Pages!

My latest listings on Poshmark is now live! 10 listings in all! Be sure to check this out and my other items in my closet! Make a bundle and get 15% OFF 3 or more items from this closet! Poshmark Website

Use my code ARTSYCOUTURE42 to sign up for Poshmark and get a $5.00 credit!

This past weekend I was going to get my art on but I did not get a moment to do so! Very frustrating but I shall make up for it soon and share with you all my upcoming creations.

What I’m reading: Sailing Lessons by Hannah McKinnon

On the shores of Cape Cod, the Bailey sisters reunite with their long-lost father for a summer of hope and forgiveness in this heartfelt novel from the author of the “sharp and evocative” (Kirkus Reviews) Mystic Summer, The Lake Season, and The Summer House, sure to appeal to “fans of Elin Hilderbrand” (Booklist).

Wrenn Bailey has lived all her life on Cape Cod with her mother Lindy, older sister Shannon, and younger sister Piper. Growing up, life was dictated by the seasons with sleepy gray winters where only the locals stayed on, followed by the sharp influx and colorful bustle of summer tourists who swept up the elbow of the Cape and infiltrated their small paradise.

But it wasn’t just the tourists who interrupted Wrenn’s formative years; her father—brilliant but troubled photographer Caleb—has long made a habit of drifting in and out of his girls’ lives. Until the one summer he left the Cape and did not return again.

Now, almost twenty years later, Caleb has come back one last time, suffering from pancreatic cancer and seeking absolution. Wrenn and her sisters each respond differently to their father’s return, determined to find closure. But that means returning to the past and revisiting old wounds—wounds that cause the tightknit Bailey women to confront their own wishes and wants, and admit to their own wrong-doings over the years. In a place that brings both great comfort and great pain, the Bailey sisters experience a summer on the Cape that promises not only hard endings, but perhaps, hopeful new beginnings.

What I’m listening to: Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman-Fabulous so far!

“A psychological thriller that captivated me from page one. What unfolds makes for a wild, page-turning ride! It’s the perfect beach read!”—Reese Witherspoon (Reese’s Book Club x Hello Sunshine book pick)

A shocking discovery on a honeymoon in paradise changes the lives of a picture-perfect couple in this taut psychological thriller debut–for readers of Ruth Ware, Paula Hawkins, and Shari Lapena.

If you could make one simple choice that would change your life forever, would you?

Erin is a documentary filmmaker on the brink of a professional breakthrough, Mark a handsome investment banker with big plans. Passionately in love, they embark on a dream honeymoon to the tropical island of Bora Bora, where they enjoy the sun, the sand, and each other. Then, while scuba diving in the crystal blue sea, they find something in the water. . . .

Could the life of your dreams be the stuff of nightmares?

Suddenly the newlyweds must make a dangerous choice: to speak out or to protect their secret. After all, if no one else knows, who would be hurt? Their decision will trigger a devastating chain of events. . . .

Have you ever wondered how long it takes to dig a grave?

Wonder no longer. Catherine Steadman’s enthralling voice shines throughout this spellbinding debut novel. With piercing insight and fascinating twists, Something in the Water challenges the reader to confront the hopes we desperately cling to, the ideals we’re tempted to abandon, and the perfect lies we tell ourselves.

Cover Crush: The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox

Posted on June 28, 2018 by layeredpages

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 Fox The 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

Posted on June 21, 2018 by layeredpages

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 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

Posted on June 20, 2018 by layeredpages

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

Posted on June 14, 2018 by layeredpages

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 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

Posted on June 13, 2018 by layeredpages

The 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

Posted on June 7, 2018 by layeredpages

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 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

Cover Crush: The Last Daughter by Ann Turner

Posted on May 31, 2018 by layeredpages

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 Last Daughter

by Ann Turner

Troubador Publishing Limited

Matador

Historical Fiction, Romance

Pub Date 04 Apr 2018

Why is Rose transported back in time, to the London of 1666? What waits for her there? Will she ever be able to return back to the present day?

Recovering from her father’s death, Rose books into a small London hotel. On one of her explorations, she meets and strikes up a friendship with Alan, vicar of St Mildrith.

During her stay at the Hotel Aragon, Rose encounters Julia, a ghost who has been searching through the centuries for the last daughter, the only woman who can help her. Having found Rose, the spectral Julia spirits her to Pudding Lane, only days before a fire breaks out in a nearby bakery. This scares Rose, and she insists Julia returns her to her own time. Evaluating what has happened to her, Rose asks Alan to join her, and Julia takes them back to the London of 1666.

They become involved in a plan to help Julia, daughter of the third wealthiest man in London escape an arranged marriage, as she has met and fallen love with an ambitious apprentice baker, Adam.

A fire with dire consequences for London breaks out in Pudding Lane. Can Rose and Alan, whose friendship is slowly developing into love, without either realising it, survive and escape the ravenous fire and return to their own time? Or will they be trapped forever in the London of King Charles II.

Will Julia and Adam succeed in their audacious plan to marry, despite the cavernous divide of their different lives?

My thoughts:

I’m not really into romance stories but the premise looks good and I love the cover. Pictures of clocks always catches my eye.

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

Cover Crush: The Time Rescuers by Alan Crosby

Posted on May 24, 2018 by layeredpages

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 Time Rescuers

by Alan Crosby

Matador

Children’s Fiction, Sci Fi & Fantasy

Pub Date 25 Apr 2018

Time travel. Nobody really believes in it, but when Claire, Gerald and Wally wake to find themselves trapped in a strange, glass dome, they’re forced to face the fact that a) it exists and b) there’s stranger still to come.

Lifted from a place of danger, somehow each have been whisked through time to…here. Their one common memory before blacking out is a silver globe spinning in the air, and when it reappears, a spirit life form inhabiting the object is revealed. Axolear, their rescuer, tells of their parents, who have been taken by the Nephilites, an alien race responsible for the destruction of Axolear’s kind. Now they have their sights set on earth and Axolear seeks vengeance upon them, but needs the help of these three to do it.

He aims to bring about a confrontation with this evil empire with only himself and the Remnant of his race. Determined to save their parents – and now in spirit forms themselves – the three teens embark on this mission, little knowing the pitfalls and catastrophes that lie in wait. And what about Axolear – can they trust him? And if they don’t, what worse events could be in store?

A story of trust and keeping faith in someone even when it seems the most illogical thing to do, The Time Rescuers is a clever twist on a classic storyline of time travel, alien abduction and intergalactic war! Readers aged 12+ will enjoy this thrilling and emotionally-satisfying adventure.

My thoughts:

Any book covers with clocks on it has my vote! Great cover and what seems perfect for the premise.

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