Fast Pitch

 

Author: Nic Stone

Publisher: Random House Children’s 

Year: 2021

🥎 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐲! 🥎

Shenice “Lightning” Lockwood comes from a long line of ball players. He dad, grandfather, and her great grandfather all played baseball and all might have made it to the pros. Shenice is the captain of her fast pitch softball team. She’s ready to lead her all Black team to the district championship and then onto the state tournament. Throughout her softball career, she was often one of the only Black faces on the field, so she’s always felt like she has something to prove. 

With the district tournament looming, Shenice discovers a mystery surrounding her great grandfather and how his baseball career was ruined. Can Shenice figure out what happened all those decades ago and lead her team to victory? 

I liked that Shenice loves playing her sport and that she likes school too. Shenice’s teammates are multifaceted characters too. Some girls on her team are into robotics and others like fashion and glamour. These girls work hard at their sport and they know they are good. I’m thrilled author @nicstone avoids some common sports troupe stories. It features supportive parents instead of obnoxious sports parents who push their kid to be the best. This isn’t a story about a girl fighting to play on a team full of boys. The main character doesn’t suffer a career ending injury. The team’s coaches are caring women who want the girls to be strong players and also good people. 

This is a fun and fast paced sports story with a big helping of mystery that will appeal to middle grade readers. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children’s for the digital review copy. 

Happy Tuesday! I’m waiting for an electrician to arrive to do some work. We’re starting a home reno project. Yikes! What are you doing this week? 

#fastpitch #nicstone #randomhousekids #netgalley #fastpitchsoftball #sportsstory #baseballhistory #mystery #racism #racisminsports #middlegradebooks #girlsplaytoo #girlssoftball #familysecrets #letgirlsplay #softballlife #familylegacy 

FLL Friend

 

“Reading brings us unknown friends.” - Honoré de Balzac

I missed posting yesterday because the day got away from me, but that’s okay. I had to make a trip to see my mom yesterday and that gave me the opportunity to drop off some books at a Free Little Library.  When I parked by the FLL, I could see a young man browsing the selections. I waited until he was done and was walking away before getting out of my car with my books. He turned around, noticed me and yelled “Are you putting those in the library? Can I see them?” He ran over to me and we spent a few minutes looking at the books I was donating. I asked him what kinds of books he liked to read. He said he was looking for how to manuals and spy novels. We talked about books for a few minutes and then he went on his way. Our chat was a bright spot just when I needed it. Books are good for the soul. 

How’s everyone’s week going? Any weekend plans you’re looking forward to? 

#freelittlelibrary #booksbooksbooks #bibliophile #bibliophilelife #bookworm #booknerd #bookstagram #readerlife #lovetoread 

My American Dream

 

Author: Lidia Bastianich 

Publisher: Vintage

Year: 2018

“Preparing, cooking, and sharing food are fundamental ways to show love and care for others; when you share food, you share life.”

Chef and restaurateur Lidia Bastianich recounts her life, immigration to America, and her career success in her autobiography My American Dream: A Life of Love, Family, and Food. Bastianich had an idyllic childhood on the Istrian peninsula. Her love of food and cooking came from her grandmother. She spent a lot of time on her grandparents’ small farm and learned to care for the animals, grow fruits and vegetables, and cook simple yet delicious meals. When Istria was annexed to communist Yugoslavia, her parents made decision to escape to Italy. The family spent two years living in a refugee camp before immigrating to the US. 

Lidia’s story of her life in their new country is one of hard work and taking risks. She worked in a variety of restaurants and absorbed as much knowledge of the business as she could. After getting married, she and her husband operated two small successful restaurants before opening a renowned NYC restaurant where Lidia served as the chef. She later went on to star in her own cooking show and has authored numerous cookbooks. 

This was my book club’s read for the month. Lidia certainly has a heartwarming and interesting story to tell. Her themes of family and hard work resonate throughout the book. This is not a cookbook full of recipes, but the descriptions of the simple meals she prepared with her grandmother and then the food served at her restaurants are mouthwatering. I found her explanation of the differences between Italian American and classic Northern Italian dishes was really interesting. This is perfect for fans of Lidia’s tv series or foodies looking for a heartfelt of story of one woman’s love and determination to share the cuisine of her childhood. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Are you a foodie? Do you love to cook? I’m go through phases. Some weeks I like to cook and other times I don’t want to bother and I’m happy with a bowl of cereal for dinner. 

#lidiabastianich #knopfbooks #cooking #immigration #restaurantlife #restaurantuer #chef #cheflife #autobiography #memior #italianfood #italiancooking #bookstagram #backlistbook

Hard Cash Valley

 

Author: Brian Panowich 

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Year: 2020

Arnie Blackwell is a life-long loser who just made a big score. He lands in Florida with a suitcase full of cash and plans for the high life. Then he is brutally murdered. 

Dane Kirby, a retired arson investigator now working for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, is called in to assist the FBI’s investigation of Blackwell’s death and help find Blackwell’s missing young brother. 

Dane is a man haunted by the deaths of his wife and daughter. His grief is palpable like a weight around his neck. He’s tried to move on, but he’s too guilt ridden and grief-ladened. Dane is paired with Roselita Velasquez, a perceptive and tough FBI agent. The investigation and search for for eleven year old William Blackwell takes Dean back to his hometown and up into Bull Mountain. Long buried secrets surface and Dane must confront his own demons along with psychopathic killer and FBI agents with their own agendas to try to save the boy and get off the mountain alive. 

Author Brian Panowich has crafted a masterwork of modern-day rural Southern noir. At just under 300 pages, Panowich sows together a intricate crime novel filled with vicious and bruised characters. His writing is brutally real and economical. He’s pared the story down so that he doesn’t waste a word and the reader doesn’t get lost in any extraneous fluff. The result is an intense, gritty, and heart-pounding crime drama. But his setting and characters and don’t suffer because of the author’s economy of words. The characters are expertly drawn and there is a real sense of place. Dane is such a vivid character. He’s a good man full of such heartbreak, guilt and grief that it’s a wonder he gets out of bed each morning. You can’t help but hope Dane can find some kind of peace as he races to save an innocent boy. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#hardcashvalley #brianpanowich #minotaurbooks #crimefiction #noir #arsoninvestigation #missingperson #georgia #southernnoir #bookrecommendations #fbi #greatread #fivestarread #asburgersyndrome #grief #fbispecialagent #thrillerbooks 

Take Me with You When You Go

 

Authors: David Levithan and Jennifer Niven

Publisher: Random House Children’s

Year: 2021

Two months shy of her high school graduation, 18 year-old Bea disappears without a trace. She couldn’t take her abusive stepfather and uncaring mother one more day. So she left, but she left behind her younger brother Ezra. 

The story is told through a series of alternating emails between Ezra and Bea. The siblings have a lot of emotions to unpack. Their mom has seeming turned against them since marrying her second husband. Their stepfather has made the household a nightmare of emotional and physical abuse. They haven’t heard from their biological dad since their parents split up. It’s a lot. But authors David Levitation and Jennifer Niven know how to write teen characters with care and emotion. Bea discovers she is not totally alone and that there are good people willing to help. Ezra learns that he doesn’t have to carry his burdens alone and to open up to those who care for him. 

The email format of the book makes for short chapters and a quick read. Bea and Ezra come across as realistic teens- impulsive, petulant at times, scared, and yet still hopeful. This is perfect for teen readers looking for realistic fiction and fans of the authors’ previous works. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to @netgalley , the authors, and random house children’s for the review copy of the ebook. Take Me with You When You Go publishes Aug. 31st. 

We’re on the road today. Our son in law graduates from the police academy today. What’s new with you? 

#takemewithyouwhenyougo #davidlevithan #jenniferniven #randomhousechildrensbooks #siblings #dysfunctionalfamily #emotionalabuse #runaway #teenfiction #comtemporaryfiction #realisticfiction #yabooks #yafiction #ireadya #lqbtq #netgalley #giftedbook #bibliophile #publishingsoon #bookstagram #readreadread 

Alone

 

Author: Megan E. Freeman

Narrator: Gail Shalan

Publisher: Simon Audio

Year: 2021

🎧𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄🎧

Thank you @simon.audio for the #giftedbook. 

Could you survive all by yourself in a deserted town without electricity or cell service? 

Alone, by debut author Megan E. Freeman, is a novel in verse about a girl who finds herself in a desperate situation. Maddie makes a plan with her two best friends for a secret sleepover at her grandparents unoccupied apartment. When her friends can’t make it, Maddie stays at her grandparents anyway. She wakes up the next morning to frantic voicemails from her parents and her small Colorado town deserted. She quickly turns on the tv to discover her town was evacuated due to an unnamed eminent threat and all the citizens have been relocated to…somewhere. Maddie quickly goes in search of her family and anyone else who could help her. She is the only one left and she’s cut off from everyone. Maddie must make a plan to survive, to find enough food and water to last until she is rescued, to survive the brutal Colorado winter. 

Maddie is smart and resourceful. She takes in her neighbor’s dog George so she has some companionship to ease her loneliness. She gets books from the library about survival. She makes mistakes, but she learns how to deal.  Kudos to the author for including Maddie getting her first period and how lonely it makes her without her mother there with her. Most novels don’t often address bodily functions but this little scene makes the character and her isolation real and it’s something teen girls can relate to. 

This is quick and engrossing read with short chapters. Narrator Gail Shalan does a superb job giving Maddie a voice full of strength, sadness, and wonder. Middle grade and teen readers will identify with Maddie’s loneliness and her determination to survive. This is perfect for fans of Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet, Jean Craighead George’s My Side of the Mountain, or the I Survived series. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#alone #meganefreeman #gailshalan #simonaudio #audiobook #audiobookstagram #audiobooksofinstagram #middlegradebooks #survivalfiction #novelinverse #middlegrade #mglit #teenbooks #yabooks #middlegradedfiction #debuteauthor #colorado #loneliness #survive #bibilofile #bibliophile 

Billy Summers

 

Author: Stephen King

Narrator: Paul Sparks

Publisher: Simon Audio

Year: 2021

🎧𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄🎧

Thank you Simon Audio for the #giftedbook. 

Billy Summers is a gun for hire. He was a sniper in the military and now it’s his profession. But he only takes jobs where the target is a bad person. Billy is ready to retire, but he’s offered one last job. And the money being offered is good- maybe too good. He decides to take the job even though his gut says walk away. He really should have walked away. 

King is a master storyteller and this narrative just flows. It’s part character study and part slow burning thriller. We see how Billy changes while waiting for the target on this last job. Billy is forced to put down temporary roots while waiting and suddenly finds himself having neighbors and making friends. His cover story is he’s a writer working on a book. And secretly, Billy has always wanted to try to write and now he has the opportunity. I loved the book within a book concept. Billy’s writing becomes just as important to him as completing the job. 

Nothing is ever easy and this last job sends Billy on a hero’s journey of survival, payback, and redemption. King knows when to ramp up the tension, tug at the heartstrings, and adds just a dash of spectral weirdness to keep readers on their toes. Narrator Paul Sparks does an outstanding job bringing the story to life. There’s a plethora of characters and he does exceptional work giving them all a distinct voice. King’s writing is sharp and makes an engrossing and compelling page turner. Add this one to your TBR. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

Happy Friday! 😀 Any plans for the weekend? I’m visiting my parents on Sunday. 

#billysummers #stephenking #paulsparks #simonaudio #audiobook #audiobooksofinstagram #bookrecommendations #bibliophiles #readerlife #giftedbook #herosjourney #hitman #sniper #greatreads #booksta #booklove #bookworm #fivestarbook 

Dead-End Jobs

 

Editor: Andy Rausch 

Publisher: Down and Out Books 

Year: 2021 

It’s #thrillerthursday! 

Dead-End Jobs is short story anthology all featuring contract killers. Some hitmen in the stories are seasoned professionals and others are just starting out. The locations in the stories range from cities to backwoods rural areas and even a bucolic resort. The list of authors is varied and includes Joe R. Lansdale and Max Allan Collins. 

This was a Twitter made me buy it moment for me. S.A. Cosby, author of the best-seller Razorblade Tears, tweeted about how good this book is, so I had to give it a try. I liked that it was a collection of short stories from indie publisher Down and Out Books  I wasn’t familiar with some of the authors, so It was nice to get a sample of their writing style through these short stories. This was a fun escape into the seamy world of guns for hire and is perfect for fans of hard-boiled crime fiction. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What’s going on in your little corner of the world? Looks like rain here most of day. When I took the dogs out earlier, only one wanted to go for a walk. The other stayed under the covered part of the deck and watched us go off in the rain. 

#deadendjobs #hitman #anthology #shortstories #indiepress #indiepublisher #downandoutbooks #gunforhire #assassin #crimefictionthriller #crimefiction #hardboiledthriller  #twittermademedoit #kindle #amazonkindlebooks #booknerd #bookstagram #contractkiller #bibliophile #bibliophilelife #joerlansdale #maxallancollins #quarry 

The People We Meet on Vacation

 

Author: Emily Henry

Publisher: Berkeley Books

Year: 2021

There were two reasons why I bought this book:

🏖Bookstagram made me.

🏖 I wanted to update the books at our beach house  and realized there weren’t any romance books on the shelf. 

I’m not a romance reader, but I caved and read this one. It’s a friends to lovers story about two friends who take a trip somewhere every summer. The friends are complete opposites. Poppy is all bright colors, big city, and live out loud. Alex is khakis and button down shirts, small town living, and a bit shy. 

Poppy and Alex are fun and likable characters. Their vacation destinations sounded fabulous. I thought it took way to long for them to realize they were in love with each other and admit it. I got bored waiting for them to admit that they really loved each other. Maybe I’m just too impatient, but I thought the book could have been about 50 pages shorter without taking anything away from the overall narrative. Sweet characters, great vacation locations, a nice romance,  but just a tad too long and slow in places for me. I think I’m better off sticking with thrillers ans d mysteries.  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I hope a guest or two will pick it up off shelf at our rental sometime and enjoy it. I’m looking forward to discussing this with with the @thereadingteapot and @rjs.readingnook this weekend. Can’t wait to hear their thoughts! 

What’s last book you read or bought because bookstagram made you do it? 

#thepeoplewemeetonvacation #berkleybooks #beachread #romace #romacebooks #friendstolovers #bookworm #booknerd #bookstagram #vacation #travel #palmsprings #alwaysreading #booksbooksbooks 

Sleeping Bear

 

Author: Connor Sullivan

Narrator: Hillary Huber 

Publisher: Simon Audio

Year: 2021

🎧𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄🎧

Thank you @simon.audio for the #giftedbook. 

 

It’s been a minute since I read an espionage thriller, so I was excited to dive into Sleeping Bear, a debut novel by @connor_sullivan_author. The story follows Army veteran Cassie Gale. She’s grieving the death of her husband (also a veteran) and is about to start a new job in Alaska when she disappears from her campsite, leaving her wounded dog there alone. Alaska is a huge and deadly territory and authorities believe Cassie doesn’t want to be found. It wouldn’t be the first time someone disappeared in Alaska and there isn’t enough manpower to search for everyone who goes missing. But Cassie’s dad knows better and rounds up family and friends to begin a search. When Cassie’s sister is kidnapped, he soon discovers there’s more to the disappearances than anyone realizes and his past plays a big part of the mystery. He must now confront an old Cold War enemy to try to save his daughters. 

This is part survival story and part old school CIA vs KGB action-packed thriller. The pace is fast and there’s a huge nefarious Russian plot the quickly unfolds. The narration by @hillaryoutloud is on point and she easily tackles the Russian accents. This is perfect for fans of old school Tom Clancy or Vince Flynn and Brad Thor. Sleeping Bear is available now. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Do you like espionage thrillers? Back in the day, I read tons of Robert Ludlum. I think his books started me on the path to loving thrillers and mysteries. 

#sleepingbear #connorsullivan #simonaudio #hillaryhuber #debutauthor #espionagethriller #espionage #alaska #russia #thrillerfiction #cia #kgb #alaskawilderness #missingpersons #audiobook #audiobookstagram #audiobookreview #giftedbooks 

Shit, Actually

 

Author: Lindy West

Publisher: Hachette Books

Year: 2020

Happy Tuesday! 

Love movies and need a good laugh? Look no further than Lindy West’s Shit, Actually. West re-watched some beloved popular movies and pokes fun at the glaring plot holes and movie silliness. This is a quick read and it’s a hoot! I laughed out loud reading her takes on Love, Actually, The Lion King, Harry Potter, Forfest Gump, The Notebook, Face/Off, and Twilight among others. 

West looks at how these movies hold up. This was just a fun, light read for me. It was nice to reminisce about these movies. Perfect for any movie lover or anyone looking for some irrelevant humor. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🎬 With all the different streaming services now, I feel like I’m probably missing lots of movies. What are your recent favorite movies? What do you recommend? 

#lindywest #hachette #movies #plotholes #cinema #humorousbooks #loveactually #thenotebook #twilight #forrestgump #thelionking #librarybook #funnybooks #needagoodlaugh #alwaysreading #bibliophile #bibliophilelife #bookrec #amazonkindle #booksta #bookstagram #bookstagrammademedoit 

Currently Reading

 

Happy Sunday! 

Here’s my #coffeeandcurrentlyreading except I my caffeine source isn’t coffee. I’m reading Dead-End Jobs: a Hitman Anthology. It’s a collection of short stories all featuring a hitman (or woman). I’m a few stories in and I’m enjoying it. I’m not familiar with most of the authors so it’s a good way to find some new to me authors to check out. 

We’re on the last leg of our trip home today. I think the dogs are looking forward to getting back to their own backyard. 

How are you spending today? 

#currentlyreading #shortstories #anthology #hitman #assassin #shortstorycollection #andyrausch #maxallancollins #kindle #amzaonkindle #alwaysreading #bookworm #booknerd #bibliophile #bibliophilelife #booksbooksbooks #allduerespectbooks 

The Guncle

 

Author: Steven Rowley

Publisher: Putnam Books

Year: 2021

Is there anyone on bookstagram who hasn’t read The Guncle yet? 

This book is about family, love, grief, letting go but not forgetting, and allowing yourself to be happy even when your heart is still breaking. 

Patrick, the main character, steps up to care for his young niece and nephew after their mother dies and their dad checks himself into rehab. Patrick knows grief after losing his partner in a car accident. He feels he can give the kids space to grieve for their mother. And of course while he’s helping the kids, they are helping him re-engage with the world Patrick has isolated himself from after losing the love of his life. 

🦩The characters are wonderful and real. A less talented author could have let the characters fall into easy cliches. Instead, author Steven Rowley loving crafts multi dimensional characters that you instantly love. 

🦩The story if full of heart and love. 

🦩There’s a lot of humor too. I laughed and I cried. 

🦩 I started reading it on my kindle and then switched over to the audiobook. Rowley narrates the audiobook and does a fantastic job! 

🦩This is a perfect summer read. And summer isn’t over yet, so you still have time to read this truly heartwarming book. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I read this a few weeks ago for our #SpontaneousGroupRead  hosted by the awesome @andrea.c.lowry.reads and I loved our discussion. 

It’s our last full day at the beach. Spending tonight packing, tidying up the house and deciding what audiobook to listen to when we hit the road tomorrow. What do you have going on this weekend? 

#theguncle #stevenrowley #penguinaudio #gpputnamssons #grief #family #lqbtq #niece #nephew #grieving #audiobook #ebook #kindlebooks #audible #bookreview #bookrecommendations #bookstagram #greatreads #booksworthreading #bibliophile 

The Other Passenger

 

Author: Louise Candlish

Narrator: Steven Mackintosh

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Year: 2021

🎧𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄🎧

Thank you Simon Audio for the gifted copy. 

Jamie and Clare live in a large, beautiful house in a posh section of London. Clare has a successful career in real estate. Jamie recently lost his white collar job, but he’s content with his current job in a coffee shop. Clare thinks Jamie needs a better job and it’s starting to put a strain on their relationship. 

Clare introduces Jamie to her young colleague Melia and her partner Kit. Jamie and Kit become fast friends when they start commuting to work together via the ferry. Melia and Kit are in debt up to their eyeballs and are jealous of the lavish home Clare and Jamie share- even though Clare’s parents actually own the house. 

When Kit disappears one night on the way home from work, Jamie becomes the number one suspect. A passenger witnessed Jamie and Kit having a scuffle of the ferry, but Jamie insists on his innocence. Soon Jamie’s secrets come to light and his life starts unraveling. He finds himself caught in a web that he might not escape. 

This is a twisty atmospheric novel full of lies and deception that pulled me and and kept me guessing. Jamie, the main character, is a flawed man. He seems like a regular guy, but scratch the surface and you’ll be surprised at what’s underneath. Louise Candlish keeps the tension crackling throughout this modern day noir story. Steven Mackintosh does a fantastic job narrating the book which is told all from Jamie’s point of view. The single POV works particularly well here. This is a layered story full of deception, schemes, and lies and following along with only Jamie’s POV as he puts the pieces together keeps the suspense ratcheted up. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The weather report for the rest of the week is rain, rain, and more rain. We could get 6 to 10 inches of rain in the next few days. ☹️ We haven’t decided if we’ll head home early or stay. What’s the weather doing in your corner of the world? 

#theotherpassenger #lousiecandlish #simonaudio #london🇬🇧 #londonlife #watertaxi #ferry #thrillerfiction #suspense #noir #missingperson #audiobook #audiobooksofinstagram #audiobookreview #bookrecommendations #bibliophile 

Shop Local

 

Happy August! 😎

We visited Island Bookstore  in Corolla, NC yesterday. We always stop in this lovely indie bookstore when we’re at the beach. I picked up Hard Cash Valley by Brian Panowich and this cute t-shirt. This book has been on my GoodReads want to read list ever since Crime Reads mentioned it as a best new paperback last April. Happy to finally get my hands on it. 

Synopsis: Dane Kirby is a broken man and no stranger to tragedy. As a life-long resident and ex-arson investigator for McFalls County, Dane has lived his life in one of the most chaotic and crime-ridden regions of the south. When he gets called in to consult on a brutal murder in a Jacksonville, Florida, motel room, he and his FBI counterpart, Special Agent Roselita Velasquez, begin an investigation that leads them back to the criminal circles of his own backyard.

Arnie Blackwell’s murder in Jacksonville is only the beginning – and Dane and Roselita seem to be one step behind. For someone is hacking a bloody trail throughout the Southeast looking for Arnie’s younger brother, a boy with Asperger’s Syndrome who possesses an unusual skill with numbers that could make a lot of money and that has already gotten a lot of people killed—and has even more of the deadliest people alive willing to do anything it takes to exploit him.

As Dane joins in the hunt to find the boy, it swiftly becomes a race against the clock that has Dane entangled in a web of secrets involving everyone from the Filipino Mafia to distrusting federal agents to some of hardest southern outlaws he’s ever known.

What are you reading to kick off the month? I’m still reading The People You Meet on Vacation. 

#hardcashvalley #brianpanowich #minotaurbooks #obx #islandbookstoreobx #indiebookstore #independentbookstore #shoplocal #beachread #bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #alwaysreading #bibliophile #bibliophilelife #readerlife #bookworm #booknerd