The Other Sister by Dianne Dixon

What They Say.....One sister has everything. Her twin hates her for it.

Would life be better without Ali? Probably. At least then people might think about Morgan. Ali's always gotten everything ― she doesn't even realize how much Morgan resents her.

Ali also doesn't realize that when she shuts Morgan out entirely, she will unleash a chain of events that show just how dangerous the underside of love really is. As their lives spin toward something neither one of them can control, a terrifying crime reveals how those who know us best can destroy us...or save us.

What I Say....Ali and Morgan are twins, but couldn't be more different.  Ali has lived a fairly charmed life, complete with friends, men, talent and beauty.  Morgan has struggled a bit more, and while I found her super annoying and clingy, I also found Ali to be not as perfect as she seemed.  In fact, all of the characters in this book were flawed in some way, which kept you on an emotional roller coaster of who you were rooting for, as they all seemed to take turns in being the villain and the victim.

Based on the book's description, I expected a much different story.  This book was much more complicated, focused on multiple characters, and Ali's rape wasn't the focal point of the story, but more like a plot twist.

The greatest change was Morgan's development from a weird, self-loathing, bitter person into one who not only accepted herself, but began letting others into her life in a positive way, including her sister.

Honestly, it seemed like this book couldn't decide whether it was a sister book, a thriller or a dysfunctional family book - and some of that choppiness made it difficult to know how to feel when the book ended.  

I enjoyed it and would read this author again.  Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!

Current Goodreads Rating 3.44

Closing Out 2016 - My Christmas Reading Roundup

Happy, happy New Year!!  I have taken a pretty significant break from blogging over the last month and a half.  Not for any reason except it began to feel more like work than I cared to do.  So I decided to just read for enjoyment, and not feel guilty when I didn't bog after I finished each one.

But the guilt lingered, so I thought about shutting the whole blog down.  But I've decided that the positives outweigh the negatives, and if I need to take little breaks, I will, but I actually find it to be a positive in my life.  

One of my favorite book bloggers encourages us to choose one word for each year (her awesome blog is here).  I've never participated before, but when one of my best friends posted something similar about choosing one word, I decided it was a sign that I needed to participate.

My word for 2017 is Joy.  I didn't want a word like commitment, or strength because those feel like work - and I do enough of that.  I didn't want an overall word like gratitude or happiness, because it feels too wide open - who wouldn't want to be happy? But really what does that mean?

I chose Joy because it feels like an active word.  You have to consciously, purposefully choose Joy every day.  It will lead to happiness and gratitude if I do it right.  

Over the last six weeks, I read a lot of Christmas books.  There were so many good ones!! But Holly Martin won for 2016.  Christmas Under a Cranberry Sky was my favorite out of so many good choices. I highly recommend all of these!

Christmas Under a Cranberry Sky by Holly Martin.....Piper Chesterfield lives a glamorous life travelling the world and reviewing the finest hotels. She calls nowhere home, she works alone and that’s how she likes it. For long ago Piper decided that to protect her heart she should lock it away. 

So when Piper’s next assignment brings her to the newly opened Stardust Lake Hotel for the festive season, the last person she expects to face is Gabe Whitaker, the man who broke her heart so completely she could never love again. 

But Piper isn’t the only one who has been frozen in time by heartbreak. Gabe hasn’t forgotten the golden-eyed girl who disappeared from his world without a trace. 

Now fate has reunited them on Juniper island, can the magic of Christmas heal old wounds? And can this enchanting town be the one place Piper can finally call home? 

Curl up with this gorgeously romantic tale and let the glistening snow and the roaring fires of Stardust Lake Hotel get you in the festive spirit this Christmas. 

Christmas in Paris by Anita Hughes.....Isabel Lawson is standing on the balcony of her suite at the

Hotel Crillon as she gazes at the twinkling lights of the Champs Elysee and wonders if she’s made a terrible mistake. She was supposed to be visiting the Christmas tree in the Place de la Concorde, and eating escargots and macaroons with her new husband on their honeymoon. 

But a week before the wedding, she called it off. Isabel is an ambitious Philadelphia finance woman, and Neil suddenly decided to take over his grandparents’ farm. Isabel wasn’t ready to trade her briefcase for a pair of rubber boots and a saddle.

When Neil suggested she use their honeymoon tickets for herself, she thought it would give her a chance to clear her head. That is until she locks herself out on the balcony in the middle of winter. Thankfully her neighbor Alec, a French children’s illustrator, comes to her rescue. He too is nursing a broken heart at the Crillon for the holidays. With a new friend by her side, Isabel is determined to use her time in the city of lights wisely. After a chance encounter with a fortune teller and a close call with a taxi, she starts to question everything she thought was important.Christmas in Paris is a moving and heartwarming story about love, trust, and self-discovery. Set during the most magical week of the year, the glorious foods and fashions of the most romantic city in the world are sure to take your breath away.  Current Goodreads Rating 3.03.

The Cosy Christmas Teashop by Caroline Roberts.....From sleigh bells to wedding bells . . .

After a rocky start, Ellie Hall baked her way into everyone’s hearts at Claverham Castle – even the miserly Lord Henry was won over – and the run-down teashop regained its old sparkle.

Now Ellie has upgraded cupcakes for fairytale masterpieces as the proud caterer for an ever-growing list of weddings at the castle. The teashop team love baking to the tune of happy ever afters, but can they pull together when a certain bridezilla pushes them all to boiling point?

Christmas is just around the corner, and a last minute booking threatens to snow the team under. Ellie and her hunky hubby Joe have their own Christmas dreams to chase, but they’re determined to pull through and give this special couple the winter wonderland wedding they deserve.

Will Christmas at the Cosy Teashop be a showstopper to remember?  Current Goodreads Rating 3.97.

The Christmas Cake Cafe by Sue Watson.....Heart-warming and hilarious, a story that will make

you laugh, cry and bring a smile to your face.  Get ready for another deliciously amazing Christmas treat from Sue Watson….As the Prosecco chills and Bing Crosby croons, Jen Barker just knows that her long-term boyfriend is about to propose.  But instead of a diamond ring nestled in her champagne flute, Jen finds cold flat rejection.  Her once perfect life and dreams of a husband and family seem even further from reach.
A working holiday to the Swiss Alps with her younger sister Jody might not be the Christmas Jen had it mind, but it offers her the chance to recharge her batteries and recover from heartbreak.

When Jen meets handsome ski instructor Jon Zutter her hopes for a happy-ever-after seem within her grasp again. Jon is kind and gorgeous and as they bond over Sachetorte at the picturesque Cake Café, Jen thinks he might just be her perfect man. But a relationship with him comes with a catch – and there are some things even cake can’t fix.

As the snow falls and Christmas approaches, could this be the place that restores Jen Barker’s faith in love?  Current Goodreads Rating 3.9.

All I Want For Christmas by Jenny Hale.....Christmas comes once a year . . . But true love comes once in a lifetime.

 

Snowflakes are falling, there’s carol singing on every corner, and Leah Evans is preparing for a family Christmas at her grandmother’s majestic plantation house in Virginia. It won’t be the same now that her beloved Nan is gone, but when Leah discovers she has inherited the mansion, she knows she can give her daughter Sadie the childhood of her dreams. 

But there’s a catch. Leah must split the house with a man called David Forester. Leah hasn’t heard that name in a long time. Not since they were kids, when Davey was always there to catch her. 

Now David is all grown up. He’s gorgeous, successful, and certain of one thing: Leah should sell him her half of the house. 

They can’t agree, but as they share memories over wine by the log fire, Leah notices a fluttering in her stomach. And by the look in his eyes, he’s starting to feel it too. Will it be Leah or David who must give up their dreams? Or, with a little bit of Christmas magic, will they finally understand Nan’s advice to them both about living life without regrets … and take a chance on true love? Current Goodreads Rating 4.11

Winter Storms by Elin Hilderbrand.....Some of the stormy weather of the past few seasons seems

to have finally lifted for the Quinns. After a year apart, and an ill-fated affair with the Winter Street Inn's old Santa Claus, Mitzi has returned to rule the roost; Patrick is about to be released from prison; Kevin has a successful new business and is finally ready to tie the knot with Isabelle; and best of all, there's hopeful news about Bart, who has been captured by enemy forces in Afghanistan. That doesn't mean there aren't a few dark clouds on the horizon. Kelley has recently survived a health scare; Jennifer can't quite shake her addiction to the drugs she used as a crutch while Patrick was in jail; and Ava still can't decide between the two lovers that she's been juggling with limited success. However, if there's one holiday that brings the Quinn family together to give thanks for the good times, it's Christmas. And this year promises to be a celebration unlike any other as the Quinns prepare to host Kevin and Isabelle's wedding at the inn. But as the special day approaches, a historic once-in-a-century blizzard bears down on Nantucket, threatening to keep the Quinns away from the place--and the people--they love most. Before the snow clears, the Quinns will have to survive enough upheavals to send anyone running for the spiked eggnog, in this touching novel that proves that when the holidays roll around, you can always go home again.  Current Goodreads Rating 3.82


One Wish in Manhattan by Mandy Baggot.....Christmas: it's the most wonderful time of the

year...to fall in love The temperature is dropping, snow is on its way and Hayley Walker is heading for New York with one wish... to start over. 

With her daughter Angel, Hayley is ready for adventure. But there's more to New York than twinkly lights and breathtaking skyscrapers. Angel has her own Christmas wish - to find her real dad. 

While Hayley tries to fulfil her daughter's wish, she crosses paths with billionaire Oliver Drummond. Restless and bored with fast living, there's something intriguing about him that has Hayley hooked. 

Can Hayley dare to think her own dreams might come true - could A New York Christmas turn into a New York Forever? 

Travel to the Big Apple this Christmas and join Hayley and Oliver as they realise life isn't just about filling the minutes... it's about making every moment count. Current Goodreads Rating 4.19

A Cornish Christmas by Lilly Graham.....At last Ivy is looking forward to Christmas. She and her husband 

Stuart have moved to their perfect little cottage by the sea - a haven alongside the rugged cliffs that look out to the Atlantic Ocean. She’s pregnant with their much-longed for first baby and for the first time, since the death of her beloved mother, Ivy feels like things are going to be alright. 

But there is trouble ahead. It soon emerges that Stuart has been keeping secrets from Ivy, and suddenly she misses her mum more than ever. 

When Ivy stumbles across a letter from her mother hidden in an old writing desk, secrets from the past come hurtling into the present. But could her mother’s words help Ivy in her time of need? Ivy is about to discover that the future is full of unexpected surprises and Christmas at Sea Cottage promises to be one to remember. 

This Christmas warm your heart and escape to the Cornish coast for an uplifting story of love, secrets and new beginnings that you will remember for many Christmases to come. Current Goodreads Rating 4.02

Faithful by Alice Hoffman

Publish Date: November 1, 2016

What They Say.....From the New York Times bestselling author of The Marriage of Opposites and The Dovekeepers comes a soul-searching story about a young woman struggling to redefine herself and the power of love, family, and fate.

Growing up on Long Island, Shelby Richmond is an ordinary girl until one night an extraordinary tragedy changes her fate. Her best friend’s future is destroyed in an accident, while Shelby walks away with the burden of guilt.

What happens when a life is turned inside out? When love is something so distant it may as well be a star in the sky? Faithful is the story of a survivor, filled with emotion—from dark suffering to true happiness—a moving portrait of a young woman finding her way in the modern world. A fan of Chinese food, dogs, bookstores, and men she should stay away from, Shelby has to fight her way back to her own future. In New York City she finds a circle of lost and found souls—including an angel who’s been watching over her ever since that fateful icy night.

Here is a character you will fall in love with, so believable and real and endearing, that she captures both the ache of loneliness and the joy of finding yourself at last. For anyone who’s ever been a hurt teenager, for every mother of a daughter who has lost her way, Faithful is a roadmap.

Alice Hoffman’s “trademark alchemy” (USA TODAY) and her ability to write about the “delicate balance between the everyday world and the extraordinary” (WBUR) make this an unforgettable story. With beautifully crafted prose, Alice Hoffman spins hope from heartbreak in this profoundly moving novel.

What I Say....Alice Hoffman.  She is hands down one of my all time favorite authors. But I didn't love The Dovekeepers (my mom loved it) and The Museum of Extraordinary Things and I was really worried.  I liked the books, but I didn't LOVE the books.  So I skipped The Marriage of Opposites because I didn't want to find out that my love affair with all things Hoffman was over.

When I got a copy of Faithful, the description intrigued me, because it didn't look like it was historical like the two I was indifferent towards.  I decided to give it a try,

I was absolutely mesmerized.  I couldn't put it down and I finished it in under two days - and these were work days.

Shelby is a typical teen until the night that changed her life.  Now trying to live with the guilt of being the driver in a car accident that has left her best friend in a vegetative state, Shelby is living with a guilt too great to move forward.  But Shelby finds out, as we all do, that no matter how sad you are, no matter how empty you are, life moves forward and you get pulled along.

I think one of the things I love about Hoffman's characters is that there is never some giant epiphany where things suddenly get better.  It's more about tiny seismic shifts from the everyday situations that we all face.  It's the choices you make in facing them that define who you are.

This story reminded me of another Hoffman favorite, The Third Angel.  If you haven't read that one, put it on your list.  Add Here on Earth.  One of the trademarks of Hoffman's writing is that at the end, the story all comes together and you are left deeply satisfied, because you always care way too much about the characters in an Alice Hoffman novel.   


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Weekly Book Haul.....November 13, 2016

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly book meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, The Sunday Post is another great site hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer.  The Sunday Salon is a Facebook page where great readers share what they've read this week and Mailbox Monday is a weekly roundup of the new books people have received.

Can I get a hallelujah that the election is over?  Not that the days after it were any easier, but I'm so hopeful that we can put all of the ugliness behind us.   It's been so overwhelming at times, that I'm being very careful about what I'm reading right now.  So it's almost all Christmas themed chick lit.  Nothing but relaxation, and pure escapism.

So I added a few more just for the holidays.....

The Cosy Christmas Teashop by Caroline Roberts.....From sleigh bells to

wedding bells . . .

After a rocky start, Ellie Hall baked her way into everyone’s hearts at Claverham Castle – even the miserly Lord Henry was won over – and the run-down teashop regained its old sparkle.

Now Ellie has upgraded cupcakes for fairytale masterpieces as the proud caterer for an ever-growing list of weddings at the castle. The teashop team love baking to the tune of happy ever afters, but can they pull together when a certain bridezilla pushes them all to boiling point?

Christmas is just around the corner, and a last minute booking threatens to snow the team under. Ellie and her hunky hubby Joe have their own Christmas dreams to chase, but they’re determined to pull through and give this special couple the winter wonderland wedding they deserve.

Will Christmas at the Cosy Teashop be a showstopper to remember?

All I Want for Christmas by Jenny Hale....Christmas comes once a year . . .

But true love comes once in a lifetime. 

Snowflakes are falling, there’s carol singing on every corner, and Leah Evans is preparing for a family Christmas at her grandmother’s majestic plantation house in Virginia. It won’t be the same now that her beloved Nan is gone, but when Leah discovers she has inherited the mansion, she knows she can give her daughter Sadie the childhood of her dreams. 

But there’s a catch. Leah must split the house with a man called David Forester. Leah hasn’t heard that name in a long time. Not since they were kids, when Davey was always there to catch her. 

Now David is all grown up. He’s gorgeous, successful, and certain of one thing: Leah should sell him her half of the house. 

They can’t agree, but as they share memories over wine by the log fire, Leah notices a fluttering in her stomach. And by the look in his eyes, he’s starting to feel it too. 

Will it be Leah or David who must give up their dreams? Or, with a little bit of Christmas magic, will they finally understand Nan’s advice to them both about living life without regrets … and take a chance on true love?

Heartbreak Hotel by Jonathan Kellerman.....At nearly one hundred years

old, Thalia Mars is a far cry from the patients that child psychologist Alex Delaware normally treats. But the charming, witty woman convinces Alex to meet with her in a suite at the Aventura, a luxury hotel with a checkered history. 
            
What Thalia wants from Alex are answers to unsettling questions—about guilt, patterns of criminal behavior, victim selection. When Alex asks the reason for her morbid fascination, Thalia promises to tell all during their next session. But when he shows up the following morning, he is met with silence: Thalia is dead in her room.
When questions arise about how Thalia perished, Alex and homicide detective Milo Sturgis must peel back the layers of a fascinating but elusive woman’s life and embark on one of the most baffling investigations either of them has ever experienced. For Thalia Mars is a victim like no other, an enigma who harbored nearly a century of secrets and whose life and death draw those around her into a vortex of violence.

Weekly Book Haul.....November 6, 2106

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly book meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews, The Sunday Post is another great site hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer.  The Sunday Salon is a Facebook page where great readers share what they've read this week and Mailbox Monday is a weekly roundup of the new books people have received.

I swear it still doesn't seem like fall to me.  It's still in the high 80's here, my Chicago Bears have the wackiest schedule ever this year - so far, barely any Sunday games, and the Halloween candy i bought melted in my car, so I had to buy more.  Then I only got 4 trick or treaters!  That was super sad because I love seeing the little kids dressed up and how excited they are.  I got two little kids and two young teens.  I gave them both handfuls of candy, then gave up for the night.

I don't usually write mean reviews, it's just hard for me to do since I have such great respect for anyone who takes on the work of writing a book.  But sometimes I do give constructive feedback, because otherwise how do you improve your skills?  I'm actually pretty snarky by nature in life, so I try to keep that in check in my blog.  

I recently gave a honest, but respectful review of an author that I really like.  It wasn't negative by any means, but I did say it wasn't my favorite by her.  Then this week, I got turned down for her newest novel.  So now I've been a little thoughtful about this.  Is it better to just gush so you don't end up on the bad list for ARC's?  I'm not sure that I can not be honest.  So if you don't like, do you just skip the review?  That doesn't seem right either.  I'm not sure how the real bloggers handle it, this is just a hobby to me.

The Guests on South Battery by Karen White......New York Times 

bestselling author Karen White invites you to explore the brick-walked streets of Charleston, where historic mansions house the memories of years gone by, and restless spirits refuse to fade away...

With her extended maternity leave at it's end, Melanie Trenholm is less than thrilled to leave her new husband and beautiful twins to return to work, especially when she's awoken by a phone call with no voice on the other end—and the uneasy feeling that the ghostly apparitions that have stayed silent for over a year are about to invade her life once more. 

But her return to the realty office goes better than she could have hoped, with a new client eager to sell the home she recently inherited on South Battery. Most would treasure living in one of the grandest old homes in the famous historic district of Charleston, but Jayne Smith would rather sell it as soon as possible, guaranteeing Melanie a quick commission. 

Despite her stroke of luck, Melanie can't deny that spirits—both malevolent and benign—have started to appear to her again. One is shrouded from sight, appearing whenever Jayne is near. Another arrives when an old cistern is discovered in her backyard on Tradd Street. 

Melanie knows nothing good can come from unearthing the past. But some secrets refuse to stay buried...


The Other Wives Club by Shari Low....Three women thrown together on a

surprise Mediterranean cruise to celebrate a milestone birthday of the man they all once loved. What could possibly go wrong? 

Tess Gold - the current wife. When Tess married Drew Gold, she knew his two ex-wives were still in his life.  Now Drew has planned a luxury cruise to celebrate his birthday ... and the former Mrs. Golds are all coming too. 

Mona Gold - the second wife. When it comes to style, fashion editor, Mona, never puts a Louboutin wrong.  Now it’s time to reclaim the only man she ever really loved ... if she can tempt Drew away from his new wife for a second time. 

Sarah Gold - the first wife, the original. When Drew left her for Mona, Sarah’s emotions went into hibernation.  Now she’s decided to shave those legs and start living again...

To Love and To Cherish by Lauren Layne....Sex and the City meets The

Wedding Planner in The Wedding Belles, a contemporary and witty romance series about three high-powered New York City women who can plan any wedding—but their own.

Alexis Morgan has spent the past eight years devoted to turning her tiny start-up into Manhattan’s premiere wedding planning company, The Wedding Belles. Now that her business is thriving, it’s time to turn towards her much neglected personal life, and Alexis approaches her relationships like she does everything else: with a plan. Not a part of that plan is Logan Harris, the silent partner in the Belles, and the one person who’s been there for her since the very beginning. But Alexis needs someone fun, and Logan’s all business, all the time—except when a late night at the office ends with an unexpected kiss that leaves the usually cool and together Alexis reeling.

Logan has lusted after Alexis since the day he walked into the tiny Harlem apartment that used to double as her office. But the ambitious wedding planner has always been untouchable...until now. Alexis has made it clear that she’s on the dating market—and equally clear that he’s not in the running. But when Alexis finds herself in need of a date for her sister’s last minute wedding in Florida, Logan knows it’s the perfect time to show Alexis that there’s more to him than numbers and spreadsheets—and beneath the pinstripes and glasses lies a hot-blooded heartthrob. As Florida’s sultry days turn into even hotter nights, Logan’s out to convince Alexis that the fling of a lifetime could just maybe turn into forever...