May 29, 2014 · 6:58 am

Armchair BEA Beyond the Borders – Ways to Add Diversity To Your Reading

BeyondTheBorders

Today’s Armchair BEA topic has to do with all the different types of diversity in books, from varied genres to books written in different countries, from books by authors of color to books with LGBT characters. The recent outpouring of support for the We Need Diverse Books campaign suggests many bloggers feel strongly about diversifying our reading. As many bloggers have pointed out before me, one of the most amazing things about books is their ability to inspire empathy for even those very different from ourselves. Here are some of the strategies and resources which have helped me diversify my reading. Continue reading →

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Filed under Blogger Events

Tagged as , , diverse reading, genre, LGBT, translated fiction, we need diverse books

May 28, 2014 · 7:56 am

Silver Bay

19802590Title: Silver Bay
Author: Jojo Moyes
Source: from publisher via Netgalley
Rating: ★★★★☆
Review Summary: After reading this book and The Girl You Left Behind, I feel like I can count on Moyes to deliver a story with a tough moral dilemma, intriguing secrets, unique characters, and an emotionally moving plot – everything I hoped for in this book!

Although Liza and her daughter Hannah will always be haunted by their past, they’re happy with their life in Silver Bay. Liza loves the hotel where she lives with her sister, the freedom of the sea, the acceptance of her community, and her lack of romantic entanglements. All of these things are threatened by the arrival of the handsome Mike Dormer. Mike arrives expecting to make a quick visit to start the process of building a resort and move on. Instead he finds himself deeply involved with the inhabitants of Silver Bay, leading him to question his commitment to his business-focused life. Continue reading →

6 Comments

Filed under Fiction, Romance, Women's Fiction

May 27, 2014 · 6:16 am

Armchair BEA Author Interactions

AuthorInteractions

Before I started blogging, I didn’t pay any attention to author events or consider the possibility that I could interact with authors online. Since I started blogging, I’ve had so many fantastic author interactions, I don’t even know where to start. For this post, I’ll focus on in-person interactions and throw in some tips for having great author interactions as I go.

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Filed under Blogger Events

May 26, 2014 · 6:08 am

Armchair BEA Introduction

intro

Happy Memorial Day everyone and welcome to Armchair BEA! This is my first Armchair BEA, so I’m excited to join in, do some reading and some cheering, and get to know all of the wonderful bloggers involved. Here are my answers to the introduction questions so you can get to know me a bit too :)

Continue reading →

42 Comments

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Tagged as armchair bea, bea, , book nook, , , bookshelf, , survey

May 23, 2014 · 6:42 am

Non-Fiction Friday

NonFictionFriday2Non-Fiction Friday is a link-up where you can find all of the awesome non-fiction happenings of the week. Be sure to link-up your non-fiction posts too!

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Tagged as , , , , ,

May 22, 2014 · 6:38 am

Save the Date

18754866Title: Save the Date: The Occasional Mortifications of a Serial Wedding Guest
Author: Jen Doll
Source: from publisher via LibraryThing
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Review Summary: This memoir was like a collection of short stories which were hit-or-miss for me, with some funny or thought-provoking and others which were simply unrelatable.

Always the bridesmaid and never the bride, Jen Doll has been to a lot of weddings. As a bit of a party girl willing to do anything for a story, her wedding-going antics have given her many wild stories to tell. She uses these stories to thoughtfully ponder what weddings mean to us and what she wants out of life, while relating many humorous anecdotes.
Continue reading →

4 Comments

Filed under Humor, Memoir, non-fiction

Tagged as , , , , , ,

May 21, 2014 · 6:26 am

The Orphans of Race Point

The Orphans of Race PointTitle: The Orphans of Race Point
Author: Patry Francis
Source: from publisher for TLC book tour
Rating: ★★★★☆
Review Summary: Although I found the way some characters’ stories played out a bit disappointing, this book was so poignant and emotionally moving that I was swept away by it anyway.

From the moment Gus Silva’s mother dies, Hallie Costa feels strangely connected to him. Although he refuses to speak for months after, it’s Hallie who finally helps him start to return to normalcy. When a terrible tragedy befalls them at their senior prom, Hallie is willing to stay by Gus’s side. And when years later Gus is accused of murder, Hallie wants more than anything to believe he didn’t do it. However, it will take Milla, the daughter of a woman Gus was counseling, to help Gus escape the shadow of his past. Continue reading →

17 Comments

Filed under Fiction, Literary, Romance, Thriller