Nisei by J.J. White

January 24, 2018

FTC: I received a free copy of this book from PJ Nunn in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are one hundred percent true and my own.

Nisei by J.J. White was a fantastic book. I read this book in a few hours because once I started reading the book, I didn’t want to put it down until it was done. I loved this book because it gave me another look into some of the things that happened during WWII. I did know that we put Japanese people into internment camps during WWII because as I have said before I love WWII so I know so much about it, and this is the first book I have read that talks about something that not many people know happened.

Anyway, let’s get back to my thoughts and feelings about this book. Like I said once I started reading this book I didn’t want to put it down because I was so interested in what was going to happen and how things were going to end up. I can’t say enough good things about this book because it is one that I will be keeping in my personal collection of books because I am sure I will want to reread it in the future. I also loved this book because it gave me insight into something that I didn’t know much about before I read this book. If you are looking for a new book to read I would for sure recommend this one to you especially if you love books that take place during WWII.

What books that take place during WWII do you love?

About The Book

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Government encouraged all eligible young men to enlist immediately in the fight against its enemies overseas—all eligible young men, except Japanese-Americans. Nisei is the story of Hideo “Bobby” Takahashi, a Hawaiian-born Japanese-American who must overcome prejudice, internment, and the policies of his own government to prove his loyalty to his country. Narrated by Bobby Takahashi and read by his son, Robert, forty-six years after Bobby’s death, the story details the young Nisei’s determination to fight honorably for his country and return to the young love he was forced to leave—a girl he cannot have because she is White.

About The Author

J. J. WHITE has had articles and stories published in several anthologies and magazines including, Wordsmith, The Homestead Review, The Seven Hills Review, Bacopa Review, and The Grey Sparrow Journal. His story, “The Adventure of the Nine Hole League,” was published in the Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine, Volume 13, and his story, “Lucky Bastard Club,” was published in the Saturday Evening Post, 2016 anthology. His debut novel, Prodigious Savant, was published in 2014 by Black Opal Books. His next novel, Deviant Acts, came out November 14, 2015, and was also by Black Opal Books. His latest novel is, Nisei, released June 30, 2016. He was nominated for the Pushcart Prize for his short piece “Tour Bus.” He lives in Merritt Island, Florida with his understanding wife and editor, Pamela.

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Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp

January 23, 2018

FTC: I received a free copy of this book from the author & Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are one hundred percent true and my own.

Before I Let Go by Marieke Nijkamp was a different book compared to books that I have been reading lately. I did read another book by this author last year you can click here to check out that review and book if you missed it. This book was different from the other one, and I think I liked this book even more than the first one I read by her. This book kept me on the edge of my seat throughout most of it because I wasn’t sure what was going to happen or where this book was going to end up. I spent most of the book wanting to know that why everyone in the town of “Lost” was acting so strange. There were quite a few spots in this book that made me take a step back and wonder what was really going on. Like when Corey was looking at a painting that Kyra had done before she died and in the painting, she (Kyra) was under the ice and come to find out that is how she actually died, so it took me by surprise. If you like YA fiction than I would for sure read this book because I am sure you will enjoy it.

About The Book

Best friends Corey and Kyra were inseparable in their snow-covered town of Lost Creek, Alaska. When Corey moves away, she makes Kyra promise to stay strong during the long, dark winter, and wait for her return.

Just days before Corey is to return home to visit, Kyra dies. Corey is devastated―and confused. The entire Lost community speaks in hushed tones about the town’s lost daughter, saying her death was meant to be. And they push Corey away like she’s a stranger.

Corey knows something is wrong. With every hour, her suspicion grows. Lost is keeping secrets―chilling secrets. But piecing together the truth about what happened to her best friend may prove as difficult as lighting the sky in an Alaskan winter…

About The Author

Marieke Nijkamp a storyteller, dreamer, globe-trotter, geek. She’s the author of THIS IS WHERE IT ENDS and the forthcoming BEFORE I LET GO.

Her short stories can be found in: PILGRIM PLAYWRIGHT GENIE GUARD, FERAL YOUTH, and THE RADICAL ELEMENT.

***

Please note I don’t respond to friend requests or messages on GR, but you’re always welcome to tweet or email me. 🙂

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The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel

January 19, 2018

FTC: I received a free copy of this book from Blogging For Books in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are one hundred percent true and my own.

The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel was a good book. I really enjoyed the authors writing and the characters in this book, but there was one thing that really bugged me about this book. Throughout the book, it went back and forth between now and the past. So one chapter would be talking about the history, and the next chapter would be taking place at the present time. This bugged me because I wished that the book would have gone in order, so it wasn’t jumping back and forth between current time and the past. I wished that I would know everything in order so that I wasn’t left wondering what the entire backstory was. I understand why the author wrote it like she did but it wasn’t something that I enjoyed reading. Like I said before I really enjoyed the authors writing and the characters in this book. I do think I will check out other books by this author in the future as well. I really enjoyed this book other than that one issue I told you about earlier. This book didn’t keep me on my end of my seat, but I wasn’t bored while reading it so if you enjoy thriller books than I would give this one a shot. If you do pick it up, let me know what you think about it.

About The Book

“Roanoke girls never last long around here. In the end, we either run or we die.”

After her mother’s suicide, fifteen year-old Lane Roanoke came to live with her grandparents and fireball cousin, Allegra, on their vast estate in rural Kansas. Lane knew little of her mother’s mysterious family, but she quickly embraced life as one of the rich and beautiful Roanoke girls. But when she discovered the dark truth at the heart of the family, she ran…fast and far away.

Eleven years later, Lane is adrift in Los Angeles when her grandfather calls to tell her Allegra has gone missing. Did she run too? Or something worse? Unable to resist his pleas, Lane returns to help search, and to ease her guilt at having left Allegra behind. Her homecoming may mean a second chance with the boyfriend whose heart she broke that long ago summer. But it also means facing the devastating secret that made her flee, one she may not be strong enough to run from again.

As it weaves between Lane’s first Roanoke summer and her return, The Roanoke Girls shocks and tantalizes, twisting its way through revelation after mesmerizing revelation, exploring the secrets families keep and the fierce and terrible love that both binds them together and rips them apart.

About The Author

Amy Engel is the author of THE BOOK OF IVY young adult series. A former criminal defense attorney, she lives in Missouri with her family. THE ROANOKE GIRLS (March 7, 2017), is her first novel for adults.

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The Melody of the Soul by Liz Tolsma

January 17, 2018

FTC: I received a free copy of this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are one hundred percent true and my own.

The Melody of the Soul by Liz Tolsma was a book that I love right from the start. I knew going into this book that I was probably going to like it and I am so glad that I did. I am a huge fan of any books that take place during WWII, so I always get worried that I will find a book that I don’t like. I love that the characters in this book aren’t Americans because it gives you a different view of the horrible things that happened during WWII. I am so glad that there are more books in this series because I fell in love with all of the characters in this book and the setting of the book. I have read few other books by this author, and I think I loved them just as much as I did this book. If you are a lover of books that take place during WWII than I would pick up a copy of this book because I am sure you will love it like I do.

What is your favorite genre of book to read?

About The Book

By 1943, Anna Zadok, a Jewish Christian living in Prague, has lost everything, including her career as a concert violinist and almost her entire family. The only person she has left is her beloved grandmother, and she’s determined to keep her safe. But protecting Grandmother won’t be easy–not with a Nazi officer billeted below them.

Anna must keep a low profile. There’s one thing she refuses to give up, though. Despite instruments being declared illegal, Anna defiantly continues to practice her violin. She has to believe that the war will end someday and her career will be waiting. Fortunately for Anna, the officer, Horst Engel, enjoys her soothing music. It distracts him from his dissatisfaction with Nazi ideology and reminds him that beauty still exists in an increasingly ugly world.

When his neighbors face deportation, Horst is moved to risk everything to hide them. Anna finds herself falling in love with the handsome officer and his brave heart. But what he reveals to her might break her trust and stop the music forever. . . .

About The Author

New York Times best-selling author Liz Tolsma is the author of Daisies are Forever, Snow on the Tulips, and the contributing author of A Log Cabin Christmas. When not busy putting words to paper, Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and children, all adopted internationally.

Connect with Liz: website, Facebook, Twitter

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Degrees of Love: A Novel by Lisa Slabach

January 10, 2018

FTC: I received a free copy of this book from iRead Book Tours in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are one hundred percent true and my own.

Degrees of Love: A Novel by Lisa Slabach was very well written, but I struggled with reading it. I say that because since this book is a romance novel, I got bored because even though I don’t know what is going to happen, I do know what is going to happen if that makes any sense. I am sure that if you don’t read a ton of books like I do that statement won’t make any sense. I did enjoy the characters in this book, and I really enjoyed the authors writing, but in the end, I was bored. If you are a huge fan of romance novels than I am sure you will love this book. I am just starting to realize that I need to stick more to mystery type books because I tend to be bored with another genre of books. I am going to hang onto this book so that I can pick it up in the future and see if my thoughts and feelings change any about this type of book.

About The Book

Book Title: Degrees of Love: A Novel by Lisa Slabach
Category: Adult Fiction, 344 pages
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Publisher: Bookbaby
Release date: Dec 1, 2017
Format available for review: print & ebook (mobi, PDF, ePub & gifted Kindle copy)
Will send print books to: Internationally
Tour dates: Jan 3 to 31, 2017
Content Rating: PG-13 + M (Adult themes including infidelity, occasional F-word, non-explicit sex scenes)

At thirty-six, Susan Sinclair has it all. She’s just been promoted to Senior Vice President of Mobile Banking at her firm, a prestigious position bringing fresh creative challenges and a hefty salary increase. Like the shiny new BMW in the driveway of the Silicon Valley home she shares with her husband, Matt, and their two beautiful boys, Susan exudes confidence and style.

Yet despite her success in juggling the roles of wife, mother, and businesswoman, Susan struggles with a secret dissatisfaction. Matt’s work in cutting-edge computer research pays less than her job, and with each advance in her career, he has grown more distant. But Matt refuses to admit there is a problem, and Susan forces herself to play along, determined to give her boys the close-knit family life she never had.

Then she meets her new boss, Reese Kirkpatrick. Working and traveling together, she and Reese become a crackerjack team, but little by little, pleasure mixes with business. For the first time in a long time—maybe ever—Susan feels seen and appreciated for who she is. Certain she would never allow their friendship to cross the line, Susan lets herself stray dangerously close to the edge.

A moment of weakness changes everything. Now, unable to stomach the façade her marriage has become yet unwilling to decimate her family by moving forward with Reese, Susan faces a choice that could cost her everything—including her children . . . but possibly bring her more than she can dream.

About The Author

Degrees of Love is Lisa Slabach’s debut novel. She is currently working on her third full-length manuscript and a collection of short stories inspired by her experiences growing up in a small farm community in Washington’s Yakima Valley. In addition to writing, Lisa works for a Fortune 500 Company, leading a sales team in the financial industry. She currently resides in Northern California with her husband and has two daughters, who are both pursuing careers in film. In her free time, she enjoys drinking wine with friends and cooking in her pink kitchen.

Connect with the Author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

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The Breathless by Tara Goedjen

December 20, 2017

FTC: I received a free copy of this book from Blogging For Books in exchange for my honest review. I received no other compensation and the opinions expressed in this review are one hundred percent true and my own.

The Breathless by Tara Goedjen was a book I picked up on a whim because I wanted to step out of my comfort zone. That being said I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this book and I am glad to say that in the end, I did enjoy the book. There were times that I was bored with what was going on in the book but those times passed quickly, and I wanted to keep reading so I could figure out what was going to happen next. I know that one of the main reasons I like this book so much is because I wasn’t able to figure out how it was going to end and what was going to happen next. This book did make me want to read other books in the genre because I really enjoyed this book. If you are looking for a book in the horror genre that would be appropriate for teenagers, I would pick this one up and give it to them for Christmas.

About The Book

No one knows what really happened on the beach where Roxanne Cole’s body was found, but her boyfriend, Cage, took off that night and hasn’t been seen since. Until now. One year—almost to the day—from Ro’s death, when he knocks on the door of Blue Gate Manor and asks where she is.

Cage has no memory of the past twelve months. According to him, Ro was alive only the day before. Ro’s sister Mae wouldn’t believe him, except that something’s not right. Nothing’s been right in the house since Ro died.

And then Mae finds the little green book. The one hidden in Ro’s room. It’s filled with secrets—dangerous secrets—about her family, and about Ro. And if what it says is true, then maybe, just maybe, Ro isn’t lost forever.

And maybe there are secrets better left to the dead.

About The Author

Tara Goedjen has a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Alabama and grew up in the South. The Breathless is her debut novel. She lives and writes in Monterey, California. To find out more about Tara and her novel, follow @TaraGoedjen on Twitter.