Review: The End of Bliss by Rhonda Ringler Cutler

It's 1929, and Edith and Reuben Merkal, a couple from Long Island, are living the charmed life. Then the stock market crashes, ushering in the Great Depression. Reuben loses his construction business as well as the house he built for Edith and named 'Bliss.' The Merkals are victims of the times. Even so, they blame themselves and each other for their misfortunes. At first, Edith watches helplessly as a devastated Reuben does nothing about finding work. Eventually, she takes a job as a salesgirl, and comes to relish her growing independence. After Reuben reluctantly becomes involved with Sea Forth's small Jewish community as it fashions a response to an anti-Semitic incident, he begins to understand the reasons behind his life-long ambivalence toward his religion. His awakened sense of responsibility towards Europe's beleaguered Jewish population helps him put his own problems in perspective.

Paperback, 374 pages

Published March 28th 2013 by Fairlight Press

Genre: Historical fiction

Kristine's Thoughts:

* I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.* 

I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this book. I love historical fiction that takes me to a place that I don't know a lot about. This book takes you through the Great Depression, a era I have not read much about and tells the story of how one couple survives it.

The End of Bliss follows Edith and Reuben Merkal from 1929 to the summer of 1942 and details all of their fortunes and misfortunes along the way. It is told from both of their points of view which gives the reader a very strong understanding of their character and their emotional frame of mind each step of the way. Dysfunctional does not even begin to describe the relationship between these two.

I'll begin with my thoughts of Edith. I won't lie, I hated her character. She was shallow, superficial, self centred, money hungry not to mention a terrible wife and mother. For a person that came from very little, she quickly forgot her routes. She did very little to redeem herself in my eyes throughout the story.

I was back and forth when it came to Reuben. At first I liked him and then I didn't and then I did again. He wasn't a very good parent in the beginning like his wife but I felt that his character did do some growing with each turn of the page. 

What I enjoyed the most was following their journey as things continuously got worse and what they did to survive each time. It was incredible to read about peoples attitudes and how relationships can change by something as simple as your net worth. Without a doubt it was a terrible time.

I don't want to say much more about the story because I hate giving it away. I think fans of historical fiction will really enjoy this book like I did. I am very pleased that I had the opportunity to read it and I'm sure it is one that I will re-read throughout the years. 

  

About the Author

Rhonda Ringler Cutler’s 26 year banking career was challenging and often fun, plus took her to every continent, except Antarctica. Between that and raising her three sons, it left little time for her true passion—fiction writing. So one day, after much agonizing, she announced to her incredulous staff and boss that she was quitting to pursue a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. After obtaining her degree, she spent years wandering through a creative wilderness filled with false starts and dead ends. But tempted as she was to return to the safety of banking (not to mention the fat paychecks), she persevered and THE END OF BLISS, her debut novel, is the result.

In addition to her MFA from Goddard College, Rhonda has an MBA from Columbia University Graduate School of Business and BA from Barnard College. Rhonda and her husband, Anthony, divide their time between Newton, MA and Sydney Australia. When Rhonda is not writing, consulting on a pro bono basis to small businesses, or visiting her sons, currently living on three continents, she enjoys working out, knitting, cooking, and reading. 

Review: A Seaside Christmas by Sherryl Woods

#1 New York Times bestselling author Sherryl Woods takes you back to Chesapeake Shores for another heartwarming holiday season

As the only child of a single mom, Jenny Collins wanted nothing more than to be part of a large, rambunctious family like the O'Briens. Ironically, though, when her mother married into that family, Jenny found herself feeling more like an outsider than ever.

Now, after years in Nashville as an established songwriter, Jenny's drawn back to Chesapeake Shores to collaborate on a Christmas production, and to make peace with the past. As if that's not challenging enough, Caleb Green, the singer who broke her heart, has followed her to town, determined to win her back.

With the help of a little O'Brien holiday magic, will Jenny and Caleb find a way to make sweet music forever?

Hardcover, 288 pages

Published September 24th 2013 by Harlequin MIRA

 

Terri's Thoughts:

 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

 

I must admit that I was a little bit jaded going in to this read as I had originally requested it a month before Christmas so that I could profile it as part of a December Christmas theme on my blog and I was only accepted after Christmas was already over.  I was determined to summon up my last bit of Christmas spirit and hope that my disappointment would not impact my ability to review the book honestly.

 

I can say that I am glad that I went ahead with this read.  It was a touching story about forgiveness and the fear associated with forgiving.  I instantly fell in love with Caleb and his determination to win back Jenny's trust and heart.  He was the perfect book boyfriend that you wish you had.  Jenny on the other hand took a little more time warming up to with her grudge against her family.  I found it awfully juvenile considering she was an adult however it was written in to the pages that she was aware of this.

 

There was the perfect mix of hometown comfort, family and holiday spirit to make this story an enjoyable read.  Although the plot followed the usual formula typical of this genre it was a nice holiday read.  It was also a nice clean read without any explicit scenes that can sometimes be a distraction to the plot.

 

Although this is a Christmas story I found that it didn't matter that I had read it after the holiday's.  This story could be enjoyed anytime of the year.  It did however make me curious about the first nine instalments of the Chesapeake Shores series.  I will be sure to check them out.

 

 

About the Author

With two other careers to her credit before becoming a novelist and four states in which she's lived for extended periods of time, Sherryl Woods has collected friends and memories, along with way too much unnecessary junk.

"The friends are the only things I've brought with me through the years that really matter," she says. "I could probably live without one more chintz teacup, another tin-litho sandpail or another snowglobe, but I need those friends."

The theme of enduring friendships and families is always central to Sherryl's books, including her latest Chesapeake Shores series — THE INN AT EAGLE POINT, FLOWERS ON MAIN and HARBOR LIGHTS.

Author of more than 100 romance and mystery novels, Sherryl Woods grew up in Virginia. Over the years she had lived in Ohio and Florida, as well as California. Currently she divides her time between Key Biscayne, Florida and Colonial Beach, Virginia, the small, river-front town where she spent her childhood summers.

A graduate of Ohio State University School of Journalism, Sherryl spent more than ten years as a journalist, most of them as a television critic for newspapers in Ohio and Florida. For several years she also coordinated a motivational program for the more than 8,000 employees at the University of Miami-Jackson Memorial Medical Center.

Her first book, RESTORING LOVE, was published in 1982 by Dell Candlelight Ecstasy under the pseudonym of Suzanne Sherrill. Her second book, SAND CASTLES, under the pseudonym of Alexandra Kirk, was published later that same year by Bantam. She began using her own name when she moved to the Second Chance at Love line at Berkley Publishing. In 1986, she began writing full-time and also began her long career at Silhouette Books with the Desire title NOT AT EIGHT, DARLING, set in the world of television which she covered for so many years.

In addition to her more than 75 romances for Silhouette Desire and Special Edition, she has written thirteen mysteries — nine in the Amanda Roberts series and four in the Molly DeWitt series.

When she's not writing or reading, Sherryl loves to garden, though she's not at her best on a riding lawn mower. She also loves tennis, theater, and ballet, even though her top spin has long since vanished, she's never set foot on a stage, and she's way too uncoordinated to dance. She also loves baseball and claims anyone who's ever seen Kevin Costner in "Bull Durham" can understand why.


Website:  http://www.sherrylwoods.com/index.html    

 

Review: Secrets of the Speckled Oak by Dawn Alexander

Laura, a loving mother and wife, struggles over the fact of revealing difficult family secrets to her sons, Max and Alex. She laughs to herself at the thought of how closely her "real-life" resembles that of a "Lifetime Movie." She mulls over how difficult it would be to actually "tell" Max the entire story! When suddenly the answer to her dilemma strikes her! Laura elects to relive many of her joyful and heartbreaking events that helped to shape her life, by way of a letter! Laura lovingly writes a letter to her son, Max. She explains how not only heartbreak, but love has transformed her life into what it is today. Within the envelope of the letter, Laura places a special gift for Max and Alex to share, which the sons do not initially understand. Laura quotes scriptures from the Bible throughout her letter in hopes that it may aid her son Max through the "journey" of his mother's life. She hopes once he has completed the reading of the letter and her life story, he may understand even though life does not always turn out exactly how one may have it planned, does not mean the outcome will not turn out even better than he could have ever imagined!

Paperback, 232 pages

Published October 29th 2013 by "Outskirts Press" 

 

Kristine's Thoughts:

 

* I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

 

This book is an inspirational story about one woman's life from the age of fifteen to well into her adult years. It depicts her trials and tribulations through many parts of her life that she did not see as part of the future she had planned. Through Laura's eyes, the reader takes the journey along side her as she experiences first love, college, marriage, infertility, two premature births, a child with a disability, trust issues, infidelity, faith, starting over and more.

 

It was easy to feel what Laura was going through because it was told from her point of view. The feelings and emotions were very honest and truthful even when they didn't paint her in a positive light. Her accomplishments, struggles, failures and talk of faith were real and very easy to relate to. With very short chapters and an easy writing style the book can easily be started and finished in the same day.

 

I have one minor critique about the writing that I should mention. I found that there were an over abundance of exclamation marks within the writing and a few errors in some of the sentences that could be a little distracting. Having said that, I still very much enjoyed the story and was cheering and routing for Laura the entire way.

 

For anyone that is struggling with the cards that they have been dealt I think you should pick this book up and could really benefit from the message that it portrays. It was a very moving story that I am happy to have had the opportunity to review.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

 

Dawn was born to loving Southern Baptist parents from Mississippi. Dawn graduated from Mississippi State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education. She now teaches children (including her own son) with a variety of disabilities in a Special Education classroom. Dawn still resides in Mississippi and is married to the love of her life. Together they raise their two beautiful boys, who are the lights of their lives! Dawn enjoys writing inspirational fiction stories, in the hope that the stories may help others in similar situations.


Twitter-dawnalexander78
Facebook-https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDawnAlexander?fref=ts 

Review: I Shall Be Near You by Erin Lindsay McCabe

An extraordinary novel about a strong-willed woman who disguises herself as a man in order to fight beside her husband in the Civil War, inspired by a real female soldier's letters home
   Rosetta doesn't want her new husband Jeremiah to enlist, but he joins up, hoping to make enough money that they'll be able to afford their own farm someday. Though she's always worked by her father’s side as the son he never had, now that Rosetta is a wife she's told her place is inside with the other women. But Rosetta decides her true place is with Jeremiah, no matter what that means, and to be with him she cuts off her hair, hems an old pair of his pants, and signs up as a Union soldier.
   Rosetta drills with the men, prepares herself for battle, and faces the tension as her husband comes to grips with having a fighting wife. Fearing discovery of her secret, Rosetta’s strong will clashes with Jeremiah’s as their marriage is tested by war. Inspired by over two hundred and fifty documented accounts of the women who fought in the Civil War while disguised as men, I Shall Be Near To You is the intimate story, in Rosetta’s powerful and gorgeous voice, of the drama of marriage, one woman’s amazing exploits, and the tender love story that can unfold when two partners face life’s challenges side by side.

Hardcover, 320 pages

Expected publication: January 28th 2014 by Crown  

Terri's Thoughts:

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.  the expected publication date is January 28th 2014.

I literally just finished this read and all I can say is wow.  I was so moved by this story that I do not even know how I can begin to put any of my thoughts together.  I shall try however I fear that there is nothing I can write that will do any type of justice to how this story has moved me.

This is the story of Rosetta who disguises herself as a male so that she can enlist in the army to be with her husband.  The character of Rosetta was strong willed and stubborn and you couldn't help but like her instantly.  McCabe did a great job of having her speak like they would have in that time.  I felt is made Rosetta's character more real.  Although her stubbornness was at times annoying I think that at the end of the day it lent more strength and believability to her character.  Her love for Jeremiah was heartbreakingly pure and unyielding.  I could not even imagine putting myself in the situation she did.

I am not going to detail the stories plot.  I will say that this was a heartbreaking read and that it did provoke some tears.  It has been a long time since I have been able to cry in the pages of a novel and in my opinion it is a sign of a very well written and compelling story.  I am beyond thankful that I had the opportunity to read this book as it will remain with me for quite some time to come.

Lastly, worth a read is the author's notes at the end.  Although this was a fictional story McCabe explains that there was in fact a Rosetta who fought in the civil war and her letters home were the inspiration for this story.  She also mentions more than 200 women enlisted during this time.  The historical insight that she provides is a great addition to this read and allows us the reader to see the historical significance of these woman.

Thank you for the tears.  It was worth every one shed.

About the Author

ERIN LINDSAY McCABE studied Literature at University of California, Santa Cruz, and taught high school English before completing her MFA at St. Mary's College of California in 2010. She has taught Composition at St. Mary's College and Butte College and resides in Northern California with her husband and son and a small menagerie that includes one dog, four cats, two horses, ten chickens, and three goats.

Website:  http://www.erinlindsaymccabe.com
Twitter:  ErinLindsMcCabe
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/erinlindsmccabe  
   
 

Feature and Follow Friday #11

Feature & Follow Friday is a weekly meme that allows book bloggers to interact with each other and find new blogs! It has two hosts, Parajunkee and Alison Can Read. The rules are... 

• (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Hosts {Parajunkee & Alison Can Read}
• (Required) Follow our Featured Bloggers
• Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing. You can also grab the code if you would like to insert it into your posts.
• Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say “hi” in your comments and that they are now following you.
• If you are using WordPress or another CMS that doesn’t have GFC (Google Friends Connect) state in your posts how you would like to be followed
• Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don’t just follow, comment and say hi. Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don’t say “HI”
• If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love…and the followers
• If you’re new to the follow Friday hop, comment and let me know, so I can stop by and check out your blog.
•  

This week's question is...

 What were your favorite books of 2013?

In order to answer this question we had to go back and look at all of the books we read in 2013. We figured the easiest way to answer would be to list some of the books that we gave 5 stars to.

Kristine's list (in no particular order)
1. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
2. These is My Words by Nancy E. Turner
3. Rush Home Road by Lori Lansens
4. The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons
5. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
6. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
7. Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa
8. The Violets of March by Sarah Jio
9. Letters From Home by Kristina McMorris
10. The Bungalow by Sarah Jio
11. Me Before You Jojo Moyes
12. One Breath Away by Heather Gudenkauf
13. The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton
14. Blackberry Winter by Sarah Jio
15. Dance the Moon Down by R.L. Bartram
16. The Almond Tree by Michelle Cohen Corasanti
17. Hopeless by Colleen Hoover
18. Calling Me Home by Julie Kibler
19. Heart Like Mine by Amy Hatvany
20. The Housemaid's Daughter by Barbara Mutch
21. The Last Camellia by Sarah Jio
22. Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain
23. The First Lie by Diane Chamberlain
24. Morning Glory by Sarah Jio
25. If Forever Comes by A.L. Jackson 
I'll quit at 25!

Terri's List (in no particular order)
1. A Big Little Life: A Memoir of a Joyful Dog by Dean Koontz
2. True Colors by Kristin Hannah
3. The Bungalow by Sarah Jio
4. Blackberry Winter by Sarah Jio
5. The Housemaid's Daughter by Barbara Mutch
6. The Beach Trees by Karen White
7. The Violets of March by Sarah Jio
8. The Almond Tree by Michelle Cohen Corasanti
9. The Fault in our Stars by John Green
10. The Last Camellia by Sarah Jio
11. Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain
12. Rush Home Road by Lori Lansens
13. The Pieces We Keep by Kristina McMorris
14. The Midnight Rose by Lucinda Riley
15. The Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly
16. The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton

As you can tell we read a lot of the same books!

What were your favourite books?

Enter our giveaway for a signed copy of Humans of New York by author/blogger Brandon Stanton that we (Kristine from Twin Spin and The Reading Chic) got at his book signing in December in New York City. Check our post from January 1/14 for the picture!




    a Rafflecopter giveaway

That is our Feature and Follow Friday for this week! Comment down below if you're a new follower of ours with a link to your blog and we will make sure to follow you back. You can follow us via gfc, bloglovin, facebook and twitter.

 

Review: A Deeper Cut by Sheri Wren Haymore

When Hunter Kittrell and his beautiful friend, Miki, arrive in Beaufort, NC, for their summer stay, they decide to liven up the small town by pulling a harmless prank. That "harmless prank," however, quickly finds them deeply entangled in a blood bath face-off with a knife-wielding serial killer.

As the usually peaceful town is drawn into chaos, Hunter and Miki find themselves pulled more deeply into the investigation, and it turns out their connections to the murders may not be as tenuous as they seemed at first. As the investigation continues, burning questions bubble to the surface: Why is Hunter being framed for the murder? And why are there mentions of his long-lost father popping up all over town?

Everything comes crashing down to a startling conclusion on Hunter's 21st birthday, when he's finally forced to confront the truths he's been running from all his life.

Paperback, 344 pages

Expected publication: January 5th 2014 

Genre: Mystery/thriller

 

Kristine's Thoughts:

 

* I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

 

This book starts off with an introduction to Hunter and Miki. It was a little slow and I have to admit that I didn't fully understand their relationship and the way they interacted with each other. For a lack of a better description I found them a little robotic and stiff. Perhaps it was due to both of them being a little messed up. Hunter dealing with being abandoned by his criminal father at three years old and Miki dealing with parents who were not there emotionally.

 

It is when "The Cat" is introduced and people start turning up dead that the story takes an exciting turn. The story picks up the pace and as the reader I became more emotionally involved. I enjoyed trying to put the pieces together and figure out who the murderer was. What was the connection to Hunter and Miki and why were they trying to frame Hunter? I will admit that although there are many twists and turns and pieces to the puzzle I was able to figure it out before it was revealed. This is something that I pride myself in being able to do and has no bearing on the book itself. It also did not make me enjoy the book any less.

 

There are also some note-worthy characters in this book. Grayson Tucker, Amy and Granny Jen were all very strong characters that I enjoyed getting to know throughout the pages of this book. I especially liked Granny Jen with her strong will and insight. Also I liked how Hunter's character grew throughout the book and how he came into his own so to speak.

 

This story is kind of a coming of age story with a tall glass of suspense, murder, intrigue and a cast of unique and interesting characters. When all is said and done, I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to checking out some of Haymore's other works.

 

 

 

 

About the Author  

 

Sheri grew up in Mt. Airy, NC, and still lives thereabouts with her husband and a pup named Cercie. Together, they've made a living running a couple of small business, and made a life doing the things they enjoy-traveling, hiking, camping, kayaking. Sheri loves music and yoga, inventing gourmet meals from random ingredients, laughing with friends, and most especially spending time with her daughter. A graduate of High Point University, she has burned more pages than most people will ever write, and is currently scribbling a third novel, which may or may not survive the flames.

 

Website-http://www.sheriwrenhaymore.com  

Giveaway: 1 signed copy of Humans of New York by Brandon Stanton

Twin Spin and The Reading Chic are starting the New Year off by giving away a signed copy of Humans of New York by author/blogger Brandon Stanton. We had the opportunity to meet him when he was doing a book signing in New York City in December and decided to get a copy of his book signed to give away. Wishing you all a happy and healthy 2014 and good luck!


Below is a (not so great) picture of the book that we are giving away getting signed by Brandon. The Reading Chic is on the left with the black hat and I (Kristine from Twin Spin) am on the right with the grey hat.

a Rafflecopter giveaway