Thursday, September 29, 2016

A Tale in Correspondence: Griffin and Sabine by Nick Bantock

Hi guys and gals!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

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Today, we're diving between the pages of THREE books from my own personal library.  They're Picture Books, but only just because they aren't meant for children, but rather the adult reading audience.  Curious?  You should be because if you were anything but, why I'm not certain you were the readers I thought you were.  (JK!)  When I happened upon them in a second hand store, the titles gave me pause.  I KNEW I had heard of them but until I picked them up for a lead through, I was failing to put two and two together.  I reached out, picked up the first volume and...remembered exactly what treasure this was the I had discovered, promptly purchased all three volumes and proceeded to read them cover to cover.  How did that adventure go?  Funny you should ask.  Ladies and gents, feast your eyes on today's books of choice...


Books 1, 2, and 3


by
Nick Bantock


This series reminds me of an adult version of The Jolly Postman (Or Other People's Letters) because that's just what this is...other people's letters, postcards, and correspondence combined with unusual works of art that as a whole tell a story of mystery, magic, intrigue, and love. 

The characters themselves present much of the mystery; after all, it's not often a psychic connection like they have is forged.  Even they are at a loss to explain it.  As time marches on, we learn more about both Griffin and Sabine, discovering their likes/dislikes, hopes and fears, strengths and weaknesses...once they get past the initial am-I-crazy-or-is-this-really-happening phase.  When they tried to reach other to each other, the curiosities only deepened, opening doors to possibilities you never considered, while still hoping that one day they would be together.

The presentation of the tale is a voyeurs pleasant dream, or a blast from childhood days; for me, it was the latter.  The simple act of turning the page and discovering what type of correspondence was waiting for me was smile inducing on its own.  Upon pulling out the "sent" item, there was great pleasure in examining the letter or postcard, both in content and artistic talent, and always something answered while leaving us with another question to ponder, thus continuing the circle of intrigue that leads us on a journey through three book's worth of near misses and unfortunate circumstance.


The Gryphon The Pharos Gate

While originally a trilogy, I am happy to report that I've now discovered a fourth AND fifth book in the series that promise to reveal just what readers were left wondering at the end of book three.  Seriously, there was a lot of head scratching, eyebrow raising, and vocalizing of the word WHAT after I finished all three titles and reached THAT ending.  Ugh!  If it had stopped then and there, I couldn't really claim any fandom for the works.  It was frustrating story wise (for now), but seriously, there is no beating the format of the book.  It's simply magical.  Looks like I'm hanging in there for the final two titles. Guess we'll see what happens...  ^-^

Be sure to check out the entire Griffin and Sabine series via Chronicle Books, available through your favorite brick and mortar stores or online options.

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

BLOG TOUR: The Goodbye Year by Kaira Rouda

Hi there!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're joining a TLC Book Tours promotion already in progress starring the latest release from author Kaira Rouda.  I had the pleasure of moderating a chat with Ms. Rouda a week or so ago over on the TLC Readers Facebook page.  We got into the inspiration for the story, found out whether any characters have real-life counterparts, and a whole lot more, so if you didn't have the chance to join us live, click on over for a read through at your convenience.  In the mean time, let's get to the book at hand, shall we?  Ladies and gents, it's time to welcome today's blog tour guest and book of choice...



by
Kaira Rouda
9781940716336
Sparkpress

About the book...
Melanie, a perfectionist mom who views the approaching end of parenting as a type of death, can’t believe she has only one more year to live vicariously through her slacker senior son, Dane. Gorgeous mom Sarah has just begun to realize that her only daughter, Ashley, has been serving as a stand-in for her traveling husband, and the thought of her daughter leaving for college is cracking the carefully cultivated façade of her life. Will and his wife are fine-as long as he follows the instructions on the family calendar and is sure to keep secret his whole other life with Lauren, the woman he turns to for fun (and who also happens to have a daughter in the senior class).


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Purchase Links

Amazon | Books a Million | Barnes & Noble



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Image result for empty nest

As the title implies, the tale centers around that all essential final year of high school, whether from a student perspective or parental role.  It's about all those rights of passage, those big steps towards the future, and the changes for the family members left behind...that latter part is better known as "empty nest syndrome".  The thing is...not all the "growing up" is done by the kids in this story.  There are PLENTY of high school style antics, dishonesties, and "what-were-you-thinking-or-were-you-even-thinking" moments for the adult characters as well, and the effects of their choices are just as long lasting and wide spread...not only for themselves but those connected to them.

There are many "starring" characters in this story, and I don't know about you, but sometimes if there is a plethora of characters to keep track of, I can lose a vein or two of how they relate to another in the story.  The author puts that dilemma to rest by including the seemingly-unneeded-but-oh-so-useful character tree in the front of the book. (THANK YOU!)  So, I'm going to take a page from the author and share a few of my thoughts through the families represented.


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The Bronson Family
Melanie - Wants her life to be perfect, her husband to be perfect, her sons to be perfect (especially Dane, seeing as Seth was "the ideal")...do you see a trend here?  All that self-imposed stress is knocking the family dynamic to shreds....and causing her to dive into the bottle a little TOO frequently.  Oh, and she's also the unofficial ear-to-lean-on apparently since everyone keeps spilling their secrets to her...guess they don't think twice since she's the new girl in town.
Keith - Loving husband and father, just trying to do the right thing by everyone...but things are still slipping through his fingers and if he doesn't play catch up fast enough, hearts are going to be hurt, and time with his younger son will be lost.
Seth and Dane - Brothers first, but unwilling competitors throughout their lives.  While Seth was presented as the pride and joy, Dane got the short end of the stick.  He wasn't a pure academic, more artistically inclined, but for some reason, that really irked his mom.  I was outraged at her shame when attending parent night and having to go to shop class.  So he took shop.  Does that make him any less?  Nope.  Not a bit.


The Nelson Family
Sarah -  I couldn't for the life of me understand how she let Jud make her over, especially the second time.  I just wanted to seriously punch him in the face.  She was a beautiful woman to start with....why change all of that?  So she could be a walking advertisement?  She handles herself and the situation that arises very well though, mad props for that and the connection she re-forged with her daughter.
Jud -  Utter butt.  I don't care how suave and smooth his "great-and-powerful" doctor-ness seemed, he was a butt with a capital "B".  I will give the high and mighty butthead this though, he really screwed up the situation with his family but the way he handled the reality of things with his daughter was admirable.  Still, it doesn't fix all the hurt and pain he caused.
Ashley -  Pretty great kid, despite her rebellious streak meant to throw her parental units off (aka the boyfriend).  She wandered off track a bit but has an awakening moment amid all the bigger troubles surrounding her that sets her back on the right path...and perhaps with a better partner this time.  *wink*


The Parker Family
Carol - Some would say she's a control freak; some may be right.  Thing is she doesn't deserve what she gets no matter how controlling she was of their daily lives and happenings.  A little too much order can be toned down, but what gets served to her is on the high end of crazy.
Will -  Meet "the high end of crazy".  Some would call him a player, others would say man-who**.  I prefer the latter for this guy.  *-*  He's in love with himself, hanging on to his playboy days any way he can with no regard for anyone other than himself.  He wants his cake and to eat it too.  Let's just say, his stroll down crazy lane ends up having him bite off more than he can chew...
Marni and Piper -  Sisters that just want their family to BE a family.  The latter is innocent as they can be, the former has her own secrets (she's a teen after all) but also carries the weight of one she knows about her parents.  I felt bad for them, especially what they stumble into, but trust me, you won't for too long because Marni definitely doesn't plan on letting things lie.


The Potts Family
David - A family man that is about to be clued into something he never imagined regarding those he holds nearest and dearest to his heart.
Lauren -  One of those "dearest" mentions, but not for long.  She's got one foot out the door and the other shoeless sharing a bed (well, not quite a bed per se, but a backseat, and several other locations) with someone that is not "her other half".  Oh Lauren, what a wicked web you've woven...hope you can live with the fallout.
Kiley -  "Interesting" kiddo that is anything but innocent and plays the blackmail card like a pro.  Let's just say, she's a key to the events about to incinerate the wholesome family unit so depended on by her father.


The Wilson Family
Zoe -  This is the mom we learn the least about; part due to circumstance, and part due to her self-involvement.
Collin - Of all the kiddos heading towards adulthood here, he's the one that has anger management issues, and gets into serious trouble he never saw coming.  Too blinded by rage that was better talked out than indulged in...




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In the end, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this read.  Who ever imagined the lives of the mostly privileged were fraught with such dark secrets?!  I mean, we only really know someone to the extent they allow us to see, but there are some pretty chilling twists for all the characters, regardless of age or supposed maturity, in this nod to senior year and empty nesting. 

Highly recommended for older teens through adults that may be going through similar moments in their lives as you read this, as well as those on the outside looking in because the personal connections forged with the characters are not exclusive to the experienced.


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About the author...


Kaira Rouda is a USA TODAY bestselling, multiple award-winning author of contemporary fiction that sparkles with humor and heart including HERE, HOME, HOPE and IN THE MIRROR. Her latest novel, THE GOODBYE YEAR, will be released in May of 2016. Her modern romance novels are set on beaches, including the Laguna Beach series, the Indigo Island series and coming soon, the Malibu series.

She lives in Southern California with her family and is at work on her next novel. After living in Columbus, Ohio, for most of her life, she now enjoys the beach whenever possible.





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Special thanks to Lisa at TLC Book Tours for the chance to bring this promotion to you as well as the copy for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, THIS TOUR, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now via Sparkpress, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!



Tuesday, September 27, 2016

BOOK BIRTHDAY: The Trouble with Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis

Hi there!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're celebrating the BOOK BIRTHDAY of the latest addition to the Heartbreaker's Bay series from author Jill Shalvis.  It stars a sexy, spicy read sure to get you in the mood...for the holidays.  *smirk*  Get your mind out of the gutter because although there are sparks aplenty in this Rom Com of a read, there are also a lot of issues to work through, pasts to contend with and futures to be shaped.  So, if you're ready for a great addition to your must read list, I invite you to join me as we uncover the joys to be found in today's book of choice...



Heartbreaker Bay series, Book 2
by
Jill Shalvis
9780062448040
AVON

About the book...
If she has her way . . .

Willa Davis is wrangling puppies when Keane Winters stalks into her pet shop with frustration in his chocolate-brown eyes and a pink bedazzled cat carrier in his hand. He needs a kitty sitter, stat. But the last thing Willa needs is to rescue a guy who doesn’t even remember her . . .

He’ll get nothing but coal in his stocking.

Saddled with his great-aunt’s Feline from Hell, Keane is desperate to leave her in someone else’s capable hands. But in spite of the fact that he’s sure he’s never seen the drop-dead-gorgeous pet shop owner before, she seems to be mad at him . . .

Unless he tempers “naughty” with a special kind of nice . . .

Willa can’t deny that Keane’s changed since high school: he’s less arrogant, for one thing—but can she trust him not to break her heart again? It’s time to throw a coin in the fountain, make a Christmas wish—and let the mistletoe do its work . . .



AMAZON  |  iBOOKS  |  B&N  |  BAM  |  KOBO  |  GOOGLE PLAY




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Image result for mistletoe

SHOULD old acquaintance be forgot?
In this case,,,the answer is yes, most definitely!

Willa is a respected business woman with a collection of friends and coworkers carefully selected but indispensable.  She had a rough childhood and that gave her trust issues in most areas of her life.  The one place she's always been able to revel in love freely is with her chosen friends, and the four-legged friends she caters to in her store.  Whether giving Monster a bath, setting up for the nuptials between two canine companions, or selecting the right tiara for Petunia (who would never actually wear a tiara, despite her diva status), Willa is at home here, her heart at peace...at least until one uber hottie from the past becomes her present and just maybe her future.

That eye catching distraction is one Keane Winters.  He is...he is...let's just say he's more than easy on the eyes.  *wink wink*  Though Willa would rather forget him, she can't...and while it starts out stemming from a heartache from her past, it quickly morphs into an unexpected entanglement that has her in knots.  Will our semi-perpetual leading lady cling to the scars of yesterday, or will she allow herself the second chance she preaches everyone deserves?  Good questions, but alas, I shall not remove all uncertainties because really, where would the fun be in that?!?  You'll just have to get set up in your favorite reading spot and get ready to race through the pages to uncover just what trouble the yuletide sprig of green is stirring up now.


Image result for christmas tree lit up

With characters that will touch your heart, and a story that will set your night on fire (in more ways than the obvious), this is a must read for Contemporary Romance fans in the adult reader category.  A great read now or in the coming week's to get your holiday on with scorching hot results!  Still not convinced?  Well then, how's about a little peek between the pages?  Wish granted!



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~~ EXCERPT ~~

Image result for hearts on fire“You want to come upstairs, Willa?”
What she wanted was to put her hands back on his chest now that she knew it was as hard as it looked. Instead she gripped either side of her seat with white knuckles. “Of course not.”
“I think you do. I think you want something else too.”
“What I want,” she said as coolly as she could, “is dinner as promised.”
“Liar,” he chided softly.
“Well that’s just rude, calling your date a liar.”
“So it is a date.” His tone was very male and very smug. It should’ve pissed her off but instead it did something hot and erotic to her insides.
Clearly knowing it, he smiled at her and then dragged his teeth over his lower lip as he contemplated her.
Gah. She wanted to do that. And she wanted to do more too. She wanted him shockingly badly and suddenly she couldn’t remember why she shouldn’t. She tried to access her thought processes on the subject but her brain hiccupped and froze. Which surely was the only reason she let go of the death grip on her seat, slid her fingers into his hair, and . . . brushed her mouth over his.
He didn’t move, not a single muscle, but when she pulled back, his eyes had gone dark as night, piercing her with their intensity.
“Don’t read that the wrong way,” she whispered.
“Is there a wrong way to take it when a beautiful woman kisses you?”




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About the author...

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New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website, www.jillshalvis.com, for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.


SITE  |  FACEBOOK  |  TWITTER




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Special thanks to Kelsea at Sullivan and Partners, LLC for the ebook for review.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, the publisher, or those promotions on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title just hit store and virtual shelves today via Avon, so be on the lookout for it at your favorite retailers!

Until next time, remember...if looks good, READ IT!