The Shadow Box by Luanne Rice

January 3, 2024January 2, 2024 / drbethnolan / Leave a comment

I recently received this title as a free gift for my kindle as part of the Kindle First Reads program through Amazon. I’ve only read one other Luanne Rice book but I loved this one! It was suspenseful and exciting. I read the whole thing in two days over winter break.

Here’s the scoop:

An Amazon Charts bestseller.

The Amazon Charts bestselling author of Last Day delivers a haunting thriller about how far one wife is willing to go to expose the truth―and the lengths someone will go to stop her.

After artist Claire Beaudry Chase is attacked and left for dead in her home on the Connecticut coast, she doesn’t know who she can trust. But her well-connected husband, Griffin―who is running for governor―is her prime suspect.

Just before the attack, Claire was preparing for an exhibit of her shadow boxes, one of which clearly accuses Griffin of a violent crime committed twenty-five years ago. If the public were to find out who her husband is, his political career would be over. Claire’s certain her husband and his powerful supporters would kill her to stop the truth from getting out.

When one of Claire’s acquaintances is murdered, the authorities suspect the homicide is linked to the attack on Claire. As the dual investigations unfold, Claire must decide how much she’s willing to lose to take down her husband and the corrupt group of elites who will do anything to protect Griffin’s interests and their own.

I need to find more novels by Luanne Rice! Happy Reading!!

The Audrey Hepburn Estate by Brenda Janowitz

January 2, 2024 / drbethnolan / Leave a comment

So I was going through my kindle and I came across this title which I had not read. I loved Brenda Janowitz’ Liz Taylor Ring and Grace Kelly Dress so I knew that I’d love this one, too. This story moved through time, telling the story of a young woman who grew up on a large estate where her mother was personal assistant to the estate owner, and her two best friends: the son of the chauffeur and the grandson of the estate owner.

There are several subplots in this story, so I had to make sure I was keeping track (I read this book all in one day because I loved it so much and wanted to see what would happen). I will say that once we got to the climax and resolution I was a bit disappointed in the draconian choices the characters made (but I guess the story had to wrap up somehow!).

Here’s the scoop:

One woman. Two childhood loves. The dazzling place where it all began.

“An exciting, emotional page-turner.” —KRISTIN HARMEL, New York Times bestselling author

A CBS New York Book Club Pick!

When Emma Jansen discovers that the grand Long Island estate where she grew up is set to be demolished, she can’t help but return for one last visit. After all, it was a place filled with firsts: learning to ride a bike, sneaking a glass of champagne, falling in love.

But once Emma arrives at the storied mansion, she can’t ignore the more complicated memories. Because that’s not exactly where Emma grew up. Her mother and father worked for the family that owned the estate, and they lived over the garage like Audrey Hepburn’s character in the film Sabrina. Emma never felt fully accepted, except by the family’s grandson, Henry—a former love—and by the driver’s son, Leo—her best friend.

As plans for the property are put into motion and the three are together for the first time in over a decade, Emma finds herself caught between two worlds and two loves. And when the house reveals a shattering secret about her own family, she’ll have to decide what kind of life she really wants for herself now and who she wants to be in it.

“Readers will find themselves engrossed by this absolute treat of a book.” —PAM JENOFF, New York Times bestselling author

Thank you to Harper-Collins for my review e-galley!

It’s my bloggiversary!!!

January 1, 2024 / drbethnolan / 2 Comments

So I was lying around and thinking my thoughts when I suddenly realized that I am having a big bloggiversary this month — 15 years! It hardly seems possible that I’ve been sharing info on what I’m reading for all those years! I noticed today that, just on Net Galley, I’ve been approved overall for 900 books (I started using Net Galley a few years into my blog) so that’s a lot of ARCs! I also get books from the library, I buy books, and I use Edelweiss; and of course many many people (and their publicists) send me ePubs of their books!

I thought it would be fun to think of how things have changed on the blog over the past 15 years.

Here are some thoughts:

When I started my blog I did so because I was sending a lot of emails of book suggestions to families and friends (who asked for them) and I wanted to just write it all once and have it in one place. I thought perhaps a few others may follow me, too. Little did I expect to grow a following!
When I started blogging I was not working full time and I would take at least an hour to craft a thoughtful summary and discourse on a title. Now I have zero time to blog and if I do have free time, I spend it reading. I have my blog time down to early morning Saturdays and Sunday afternoons when I write and then schedule my posts for the upcoming week or two. I focus on the publisher or publicist-provided description, a picture of the cover, a blurb about the author, and a few words on if I liked it and why.
I only do positive reviews. This is for two reasons: one, if I don’t like a book I don’t finish it (and if I don’t finish it, I don’t review. It’s that simple); two, years ago a blogger was stalked by an author that she gave a bad review to. No thanks! I just toss a book I don’t like and move on.
Over the years I added “spotlights”. This is my way of featuring a book without having to read it. I especially like to do this for new/indie authors. I can’t read everything, but I like to give a shout out.
When I started I had to say no to self-published works. Why? Because they were SO bad! But times have changed and the industry has changed. Many hybrid houses and self-publishing houses provide editorial services, etc. that result in good reads!
I tried adding a podcast – I had to teach myself how to do it (not too hard) but honestly, no one listened to it and it was a time suck. I also did Litsy – another time suck. And I am tempted to do Bokstagram, but again, more time that I do not have! Maybe when I retire…
I have met so many wonderful people. There are a lot of kindred spirits out there and I was so thrilled to find so many wacky and wonderful readers who were just like me. Actually many of these people read much more than me, making me not seem like the freak that most people think I am. Which leads me to book clubs. One very sad reason I started my blog is because I had been “uninvited” to two different book clubs, simply because I read a lot. And loved talking about books. And wanted to talk about books. With enthusiasm. And people felt I was some dorky freak. I actually got a phone call from one group that I had joined and really really liked to say that I “made people feel insecure” by how many books I knew about and was not welcome any more. So I figured my blog was just that – mine. If you don’t like it, move along!
I never accept money. And folks have offered it. But that’s not how this truly works. How can I honestly say if I like a book or not if there is money involved? (Cue memories of Psychology 1 class).
I’m not big and famous, and I’m okay with that. Some blogger friends have thousands, if not tens of thousands, of followers. I have hundreds. And that’s okay. I do not need the pressure of 10,000 people looking at what I do and say regularly. Or contacting me. I actually was surprised and pleased in the past to be at BEA in NYC and having numerous folks looking at my nametag and exclaiming, “Hey! It’s Beth! from Beth’s Book-Nook! We love you!” Weird but wonderful!!

My Hearing, My Way by Dr. Stacey Armas

January 1, 2024 / drbethnolan / Leave a comment

This fall, Dr. Stacey Armas reached out to me to see if I’d like to read her new book for young people with hearing loss: My Hearing, My Way. If you know me personally, you may know that our daughter, Anne, has an auditory processing disorder that results in her having difficulty hearing in non-quiet environments and she wears hearing aids. So instead of me taking a closer look at this book, I sent it on to Anne.

Here’s what Amazon says about it:

Written by Dr. Stacey Armas, a pediatric audiologist and passionate advocate for children with hearing loss, “My Hearing, My Way” delivers a powerful message in a delightful way. By following children with hearing devices as they turn them into unique accessories that reflect their individuality, children learn valuable lessons about celebrating their differences and empowering young readers to embrace their own uniqueness.

This charming and empowering children’s book encourages children to take pride in wearing their hearing aids with the aim of improving hearing device use and thus reducing the negative consequences of untreated hearing loss, such as academic challenges, speech and language delays, and social-emotional issues.

Perfect for families, educators, and young readers, “My Hearing, My Way” offers a unique blend of self-expression, confidence-building, and hearing health advocacy. Audiologist Dr. Stacey Armas’ expertise and dedication to the field make this empowering children’s book an invaluable resource for promoting acceptance, encouraging full-time hearing aid use, and fostering a positive mindset toward hearing loss. See more children’s books on hearing loss and other resources at LittleListeners.org

What did Anne think? Well, she wrote to me right away and said that this book made her cry. Clearly, it resonated with her! She said that her younger self would have loved to have had this book when she got her hearing aids. So that sounds like a very definite thumbs up!

I looked at the book, too, and I really like how books like this promote representation. Children need to see themselves in books, on television, in their teachers/doctors/coaches/etc. This story did a great job of portraying a variety of characters that children can relate to.

Thank you for sharing your book with us, Dr. Armas!

Here’s some info from Dr. Armas’ website: https://littlelistenerspublishing.org/

You can find her books there and/or on Amazon.

Harper-Collins Blog Tour for: Two Dead Wives

December 28, 2023 / drbethnolan / Leave a comment

I’m thrilled to be part of the tour for this new Adele Parks novel: Two Dead Wives. This one kept me guessing and on the edge of my seat! I stayed up late reading it so I could see what happened. If you know me, you know I love suspenseful mysteries – this was a great one!

Here’s the scoop:

TWO DEAD WIVES

Author: Adele Parks

ISBN: 9780778333579

Publication Date: December 26, 2023

Publisher: MIRA

18.99 US | 23.99 CAN

Buy Links: NOT affiliated with BBNB

Social Links:

Author Website: https://www.adeleparks.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialAdeleParks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/adeleparks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adele_parks/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/45427.Adele_Parks

Author Bio:

Adele Parks, Hon Grad, photographed at home in Guildford for The Graduate magazine

Adele Parks was born in North Yorkshire. She is the author of twenty-one bestselling novels. Over four million UK copies of her work have been sold, and her books have been translated into thirty-one different languages. Adele’s recent Sunday Times number one bestsellers Lies, Lies, Lies and Just My Luck were short-listed for the British Book Awards and have been optioned for development for TV. She is an ambassador of the National Literacy Trust and The Reading Agency, two charities that promote literacy in the UK. She is a judge for the Costa Book Awards. Adele has lived in Botswana, Italy and London and is now settled in Guildford, Surrey. In 2022 she was awarded an MBE for services to literature.

Book Summary:

Lost. Missing. Murdered? How do you find a woman who didn’t exist?

It’s a case that has gripped a nation: A woman with a shocking secret is missing, presumed dead. And her two husbands are suspects in her murder.

DCI Clements knows the dark side of human nature and that love can make people do treacherous things. You can’t presume anything when it comes to crimes of the heart. Until a body is found, this scandalous and sad case remains wide open.

Stacie Jones lives a quiet life in a small village, nursed by her father as she recovers from illness, and shielded from any news of the outside world. But their reclusive life is about to be shattered.

How are these families linked, and can any of them ever rebuild their lives in the wake of tragedy?

Thank you for my copy and for having me as part of the tour! I would LOVE to see this one on television some time!

Harper-Collins Blog Tour for The Weekend Retreat

December 26, 2023December 23, 2023 / drbethnolan / Leave a comment

I’m super excited to be part of the blog tour for this new title by Tara Laskowski, The Weekend Retreat. This was a suspenseful read, focusing on a family coming together to celebrate a birthday, but some people are going to end up dead. What is the backstory on these characters? Who hates them so much that they are ready to kill? Grab this one to find out – I promise you won’t be able to put it down!

Thank you for my copy and for making me part of the tour!

THE WEEKEND RETREAT

Book Summary:

Every year, the illustrious Van Ness siblings, heirs to a copper fortune, gather at their lush winery estate for a joint birthday celebration. It’s a tradition they’ve followed nearly all their lives, and now they are back with their significant others for a much-needed weekend of rest and relaxation, away from the public spotlight.

With lavish comforts, gorgeous scenery, and indulgent drinking, the trip should be the perfect escape. But it soon becomes clear that even a remote idyllic getaway can’t keep out the problems simmering in each of their lives. As old tensions are reignited, the three couples are pushed to the edge. Will their secrets destroy them, or will they destroy each other first? And who’s been watching them from beyond the vineyard gates?

When a torrential rainstorm hits, plunging them into darkness, the answers prove all too deadly…

Author: Tara Laskowski

ISBN: 9781525811456

Publication Date: December 26, 2023

Publisher: Graydon House

18.99 US | 23.99 CAN

Buy Links: NOT affiliated with BBNB

Social Links:

Author website: https://taralaskowski.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/TaraLWrites/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tara.laskowski.9

Author Bio:

TARA LASKOWSKI is the author of The Mother Next Door and One Night Gone, which won an Agatha Award, Macavity Award, and Anthony Award, and was a finalist for the Mary Higgins Clark Award, Left Coast Crime Award, Strand Critics’ Award, and Library of Virginia Literary Award. She is also the author of two short story collections, Modern Manners for Your Inner Demons and Bystanders, has published stories in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine and Mid-American Review, among others, and is the former editor of SmokeLong Quarterly. Tara earned a BA in English from Susquehanna University and an MFA from George Mason University and currently lives in Virginia. Find her on Twitter and Instagram, @TaraLWrites.

Spotlight on PASSAGE by Angus Wardlaw

December 23, 2023December 23, 2023 / drbethnolan / Leave a comment

Here’s an interesting one that’s come my way! Passage by Angus Wardlaw which tells the story of Britain’s worst Polar expedition disaster.

Here’s the scoop:

‘PASSAGE’ by Angus Wardlaw.

Published in hardback by Daredevil Books.

Clothbound hardback edition with dust wrapper, 408 pages including map illustrations.

ISBN 978-1-7393932-2-9

Dimensions 235 x 164 x 27 mm

RRP UK £25.95

RRP US $29.95

Will be available direct from Daredevil Books or all good bookshops.. and of course Amazon!

Wardlaw, a descendant of Captain Francis Crozier who commanded the HMS Terror, sister ship to the HMS Erebus on the expedition, has meticulously researched all that is known about the fate of this ambitious but doomed enterprise.‘I am directly related to Francis Crozier, captain of HMS Terror, and have long been fascinated by what happened to him and the other 129 men who perished on the expedition. ‘PASSAGE’ tells their story.’

Popularized by the BBC TV series ‘The Terror’, there remains a high level interest in this story prompted by the continuing hunt for information on the fate of the luckless crews, the exploration of the wrecks and the recent auction by Sotheby’s of fourteen rare daguerreotypes of the crew from 1845 which had been sitting in storage for 178 years and were sold at public auction in September for £444,500.The wrecks of HMS Terror and HMS Erebus were finally located in the Arctic waters off Canada in 2014 and 2016.There is lots of great information about the expedition to be found at the Royal Museums Greenwich site.

Story Synopsis
On 19th May 1845 the Royal Navy launches its most technologically advanced Arctic expedition ever in the hope of finding the fabled Northwest Passage: a direct trade route to the Far East that could bring untold wealth to the British Empire. But, just as the expedition is on the brink of astonishing success, nature cruelly threatens to crush the ships and stretch the crews of Erebus and Terror to the limits of human endurance. With the temperature plummeting, the body count rising and little hope of rescue, their troubled leader has no option but to abandon ships with his freezing, sick and starving men and begin a brutal 500-mile death march across the High Arctic.This is the true, epic story of the brotherhood and heroism of 129 souls who must pass through the very darkest of places in their struggle to survive as told by the great-great-great-great nephew of Francis Crozier, captain of HMS Terror.

About The Author
Angus Wardlaw comes from a naval family and as a descendant of Francis Crozier has long been fascinated by his naval forebear and the fate of the expedition. Following a career in the military where he specialised in intelligence and reconnaissance, Angus became an award-winning advertising creative director in London and New York. He is now an author and lives on a boat in London.

MY 10 FAVORITE READS OF 2023

December 20, 2023December 23, 2023 / drbethnolan / 2 Comments

While I read a LOT of books, and post about those I enjoyed or are featuring, I always have some that stand out as favorites.

Here, in no particular order, are my Top Ten favorites from 2023:

Daughters of Nantucket by Julie Gerstenblatt (HF)

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver (audiobook)

Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese (HF)

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell (audiobook)

The Spectacular by Fiona Davis

Unsettled by Patricia Reis

Veil of Doubt by Sharon Virts (HF/mystery)

The Lioness by Chris Bohjalian

Only the Beautiful by Susan Meissner

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett (audiobook)

But wait! There’s more! I was thinking that I can’t do my favorites reads without mentioning one other audiobook that I LOVED: The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post by Allison Pataki.

For My Ears: TOM LAKE by Ann Patchett (Narrated by Meryl Streep)

December 20, 2023 / drbethnolan / Leave a comment

I loved this audiobook so much! First it centers in part on theater and the actors involved in a production of Our Town, but it’s also a story about family and identity; and it is a reminder that parents have had a full life often before they became parents. Meryl Streep’s narration is spot on perfection (no surprise!) and listening to this while I was commuting was engaging yet relaxing.

Here’s the scoop:

In the spring of 2020, Lara’s three daughters return to the family’s orchard in Northern Michigan. While picking cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the story of Peter Duke, a famous actor with whom she shared both a stage and a romance years before at a theater company called Tom Lake. As Lara recalls the past, her daughters examine their own lives and relationship with their mother, and are forced to reconsider the world and everything they thought they knew.

Tom Lake is a meditation on youthful love, married love, and the lives parents have led before their children were born. Both hopeful and elegiac, it explores what it means to be happy even when the world is falling apart. As in all of her novels, Ann Patchett combines compelling narrative artistry with piercing insights into family dynamics. The result is a rich and luminous story, told with profound intelligence and emotional subtlety, that demonstrates once again why she is one of the most revered and acclaimed literary talents working today.

I got my copy through Audibile with my monthly credit.

Harper-Collins Blog Tour for THE VACATION by John Marrs

December 17, 2023 / drbethnolan / Leave a comment

I’m always thrilled to be part of the Harper-Collins blog tours, and this fall there were SO MANY good books from which to choose.

If you know me, you know I like suspenseful mysteries that are not overly violent/gory, so The Vacation was the perfect blend of mystery and suspense for me!

This was my first John Marrs book, but it won’t be my last. I know he is a favorite author of many readers. I did find that there were a lot of characters in this novel (and I read on my kindle so I can’t easily flip back), but it was suspenseful, which is something I love for my late night reading!

Thank you for my ePub and for making me part of the tour!

Here’s the overview:

THE VACATION
Author: John Marrs
ISBN: 9781335006042
Publication Date: 12/19/2023
Publisher: Hanover Square Press
18.99 US | 23.99 CAD

Buy Links: NOT affiliated with BBNB

Social Links:

Author website: https://www.johnmarrsauthor.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnmarrs.author/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/johnmarrsauthor/?ref=bookmarks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/johnmarrs1

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@johnmarrs.author

Book Summary:

How far would you run to escape your past?

Venice Beach, Los Angeles. A paradise on earth. Tourists flock to the golden coast and the promise of Hollywood. But for eight strangers at a beach-front hostel, there is far more on their minds than an extended vacation. All of them are running from something. And they all have secrets they’d kill to keep…

This holiday-set read is a compulsive and addictive thriller, perfect for fans of T.M. Logan.

Author Bio:

John Marrs is an author and former journalist based in London and Northamptonshire. After spending his career interviewing celebrities from the worlds of television, film and music for numerous national newspapers and magazines, he is now a full-time author. His books include No1 bestseller and Netflix series The One, The Passengers, award winning What Lies Between Us and The Good Samaritan. Follow him at www.johnmarrsauthor.co.uk , on Twitter @johnmarrs1, on Instagram @johnmarrs.author and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/johnmarrsauthor.