It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

The Its Monday! What Are You Reading meme is hosted at Book Journey.

Life…

So I have spent all week trying to catch up on the reviews I didn’t write while I was sick. Unfortunately I am still plagued by a cough and general exhaustion so its been slow going. I’ve also been kept busy preparing for my oldest daughters 17th birthday this Tuesday, hosting authors Karly Lane, Cathryn Hein and Kylie Griffin this Wednesday at my local library and planning for a Scout progressive dinner on Thursday night. Really there just aren’t enough hours in the day!

What I Read Last Week

The Glass Wives by Amy Sue Nathan

Flame Tree Hill by Mandy Magro

Saved by the Bride by Fiona Lowe

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

Vengeance Born by Kylie Griffin

New Posts

(click the titles to read my reviews)

Review: The Rules of Conception by Angela Lawrence ★★★

Review: The Glass Wives by Amy Sue Nathan ★★★★

Review: Dead Man’s Deal by Jocelynn Drake ★★★★

Review: Heartland by Cathryn Hein ★★★★1/2

Review: Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella ★★★

Review: Saved by the Bride by Fiona Lowe ★★★

Stuff on Sunday: Harlequins More Than Words Awards

What I Am Reading Today

There is no mercy in the demon realm. No escape. In this place of desperation and conflict, anyone who is not purebred is virtually powerless. Until a demon leader seeks to unify the races… With the alliance of the humans and the half-blood Na’Chi forged, the demon Na’Reish prepare for war by seizing human blood-slaves. Captured during a rescue mission-gone-wrong, Light Blade warrior Arek Barial finds himself claimed by a Na’Reishi female who offers him an unexpected choice. Raised in the elite ranks of a society she abhors, Imhara Kaal lives a dangerous double life as a Na’Reish Clan-leader and an advocate for a caste-free life that honors the Old Ways. Openly rebelling against the Na’Reish would mean her death, unless she can find an emissary willing to present her petition to the human Blade council. But Arek isn’t about to blindly follow a demon—despite the intense attraction growing between them. And while hatred for the Na’Reish is all he has ever known, Arek must learn to trust Imhara, or risk the destruction of all three races…

What I Plan To Read This Week

(click the covers to view at Goodreads)

Treachery becomes a habit.  London is in the grip of a stifling heatwave. The parched city has slowed to a claustrophobic shuffle and there’s no end in sight. Heroin-addicted investigator Catherine Berlin suffers while working the nadir of investigations: matrimonial. The city’s junkies are in the grip of a drought of a different kind. A strung-out ghost from Berlin’s past turns up on her doorstep: Sonja Kvist’s daughter is missing. Despite Berlin’s reluctance, Sonja reminds her of an old debt and Berlin agrees to search for the ten year old.  Berlin is back. Soon the hunter becomes the hunted – corrupt detectives are on Berlin’s tail chasing drugs she doesn’t have, a young girl is murdered and the matrimonial case unravels. The temperature keeps rising. A Bitter Taste is fast-paced, addictive crime spiked with grit and grunge.

Ellie Wilding has been running from her past, but when the residents of Half Moon Bay call for help she knows it’s finally time to return home. As an international photojournalist, she’s used to violence in war zones, but she’s shocked when it erupts in the sleepy hamlet on the north coast of New South Wales, threatening all she holds dear. Battle-weary Nicholas Lawson walked away from his military career leaving unfinished business. In a coastal backwater, that decision returns to haunt him. He remembers all too vividly his last lethal assignment in Afghanistan when Ellie’s sister, Nina, was shot and killed. Ellie’s been in his dreams ever since, even if she doesn’t remember him… As a storm rages and floodwaters rise, Ellie struggles to save her community. But who can she trust? Nick Lawson, the dangerously attractive stranger with secrets, or an old friend who’s never let her down?

Dr. Cyrus Mills reluctantly returns home to rural Eden Falls, Vermont under dire personal circumstances to revive The Bedside Manor for Sick Animals, the failing veterinary practice of his recently deceased and long estranged father. Under the wing of his new mentor, Doc Lewis, Cyrus – who was previously a reclusive pathologist, far more comfortable with cold clinical facts than living, breathing animals (not to mention their quirky, demanding owners) – begins to learn what it takes to win the hearts of his pet patients and their owners. Cyrus has a simple plan: restore and sell his deceased father’s practice as quickly as possible and then leave the hometown that haunts him with difficult memories. Then his first patient, a down-on-her-luck Golden Retriever named Frieda Fuzzypaws, wags her way through the door, and suddenly life gets complicated. With the help of a Black Labrador gifted in the art of swallowing underwear, a terrier whose days are numbered, a Persian cat determined to expose her owner’s lover as a gold digger, and the allure of a feisty, gorgeous waitress from the local diner, Cyrus gets caught up in a new community and its endearing and eccentric residents, both human and animal. He grudgingly realizes that he may have misjudged his father and the rift that tore them apart, and if that’s the case, coming to terms with the past will be the only way he can face an uncertain future. And perhaps it’s not just his patients that need healing.

Destiny Road is about a sixteen year old girl Jessica, who is building up to making a most important decision. One that will affect the rest of her life. It is a story of decision, growth and acceptance. Jessica is sixteen when she meets Bill for the first time. Six months later she is moved away by her mother, to begin a new life, away from what she knows. Away from the man she is just realising she might have wanted in her life all along, her biological father. So begins Jessica’s journey of living with the choices made by herself and those around her.

While you are here…

Congratulations to:

Winner of  The Yearning by Kate Belle: Angelique

Thanks for stopping by, I’ll be along to visit you shortly!

 

Stuff On Sunday: Harlequins More Than Words Awards

More Than Words is a charitable program that honors women, real-life heroines, making a difference in their communities. Each year, three women are chosen from thousands of nominations, and Harlequin donates $15,000 to each of the winner’s charities of choice.

The nominations for the 2014 awards are now open

You can nominate someone by submitting a few sentences on the nominee, the charity she’s involved in, what inspires her, and how she’s inspiring others.
There’s a simple online form to fill out here: http://www.harlequinmorethanwords.com/nominate/
After the nomination process (open til August 9th), entrants are narrowed down to 5 finalists and the public votes for the 3 winners.

Additionally, the three winners are paired with a bestselling Harlequin writer, who turns their inspiring story into a novella that’s released to the public as a free e-book.

You can download these books inspired by past winners free from Harlequin’s website (click on the cover image)

 

Somewhere right now, a woman’s compassion is improving the quality of life in her community—not only for herself but for those she cares about most.

With each act of kindness, each word of support, she is proving that heroines do exist. And at Harlequin we believe her story should be told!

 

Review: Saved by the Bride by Fiona Lowe

Title: Saved by the Bride {Wedding Fever #1}

Author: Fiona Lowe

Published: Carina Press April 2013

Read an Excerpt

Status: Read from May 16 to 17, 2013 — I own a copy {Courtesy the publisher}

My Thoughts:

The residents of Whitetail, Wisconsin are struggling with the economic downturn after the small town’s main employer closed the doors and as acting mayor, Annika Jacobson is desperate to ensure her beloved home town survives. In a bid to secure new industry, Annika gate crashes the local summer home of Chicago businessman, Eric Callahan, during his daughter’s engagement party but her plans are thwarted by the billionaires son and second in command, Finn, who mistakes her for a devious journalist and has her arrested for break and enter. Annika’s not giving up that easily though and is determined to convince Finn, and his father, that Whitetail is a town worth saving.

Annika is an endearing heroine, though feisty, klutzy and determined she is also insecure and vulnerable after both her engagement and art career imploded in Chicago. Whitetail is not only her home town but also her sanctuary and she will make any sacrifice to ensure it’s future, including becoming Finn Callahan’s PA for the summer.

Living with his father, stepmother and young half brother while his sister plans her wedding and his mother convalesces in the guest house is not how Finn planned to spend his summer, but in order to manage the family business he has no choice. At least Annika provides a welcome distraction.

The attraction between Annika and Finn sizzles from their first disastrous meeting when they share a steamy kiss and heats up as they are forced to work together. They both quickly succumb to their desires but as Finn doesn’t believe in commitment and Annika isn’t willing to risk her heart after her last relationship ended badly, they agree to a ‘no strings attached’ summer fling. It’s an arrangement that suits them both until the line between lust and love begins to blur.

There is a lot going on in this novel apart from the development of the relationship between Annika and Finn. Finn’s family dynamics are complicated by a history of hurt and bitterness, and Finn resents playing at happy families. Meanwhile Finn’s sister, Bridie, is fretting over her lavish wedding plans and her fiance’s seeming disinterest.

Additionally, while Annika is pursuing business leads, an idea to market the town as a wedding destination that began as a temporary solution to their economic crisis is embraced by it’s residents much to Annika’s chagrin and she is hurt when her attempts to secure a manufacturing company’s interest are rejected by the townspeople.

Funny and heartfelt with appealing characters and a lovely small town setting, Saved By the Bride is a engaging contemporary romance by Australian born RITA award winning author Fiona Lowe. Fans who enjoyed Boomerang Bride will enjoy this start to Fiona Lowe’s new Wedding Fever series.

Available to Purchase

@Carina Press I @Amazon Kindle

and other good e-tailers

Click for my review

Review: Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella

Title: Wedding Night

Author: Sophie Kinsella

Published: Bantam Press May 2013

Read an Excerpt

Status: Read from May 08 to 09, 2013 — I own a copy {Courtesy the Publisher}

My Thoughts:

Wedding Night, the latest novel from popular chick lit author Sophie Kinsella, exhibits her trademark charm and penchant for absurd humour.
Her heroine is thirty year old Lottie Graveney who is devastated when the marriage proposal she is expecting from her long time beau Richard isn’t forthcoming. In fact he tells her he is not interested in marriage in the forseeable future and for Lottie that means the end of their relationship. She is still reeling from the break up when her ex boyfriend, Ben, gets in touch after more than a decade’s silence. As the pair reminisce about the summer they spent together on the idyllic Greek island where they met, Ben reminds Lottie of their pact to get married if they were both still single at thirty, confesses he never stopped loving her and proposes almost all in one breath. Lottie says yes and the pair decide not to wait arranging a no fuss registry wedding for just a few days hence. Lottie has only one condition – no sex until their wedding night. Despite the strenuous objections of Lottie’s sister, Fliss, and Ben’s best friend, Lorcan, the marriage goes ahead and the newlyweds jet off to Ikonos for their honeymoon, but Fliss isn’t about to let her sister make the biggest mistake of her life and she will do anything to stop them consummating the marriage.

Wedding Night is pretty much exactly what I expected from Kinsella, the plot is predictable, the characters largely OTT and yet it doesn’t seem to matter much because it’s all good fun, even if utterly unbelievable.
Where Wedding Night does differ from other novels I have read by Kinsella is the narrative told from two point of views. Lottie is the flaky, starry eyed heroine familiar to the author’s readers while her older sister, Fliss is a little more sensible and cynical. I liked Fliss a little more than Lottie though neither behave particularly well, Fliss is overzealous in her attempt to help her sister while Lottie makes a cascade of impulsive decisions.
As long as you don’t overthink it, there are some real laugh out loud moments as Lottie’s and Ben’s attempts to consummate their marriage are deftly thwarted by the hotel manager at the behest of Fliss including broken volume controls, intrusive butlers and a couples massage that causes Lottie to have a painful allergic reaction.

A lighthearted rom-com, Wedding Night is a amusing way to spend an hour or two when you don’t have the energy for anything more taxing. I didn’t think it’s Kinsella’s best but fans should still enjoy the familiar silliness.

Available to Purchase

@Random House AU I @BoomerangBooks I @Booktopia I @AmazonKindle

via Booko

@AmazonUS I @ AmazonUk I @BookDepository

Alternate Covers

Review: Heartland by Cathryn Hein

 

Title: Heartland

Author: Cathryn Hein

Published: Michael Joseph: Penguin May 2013

Read an Extract

Status: Read from May 04 to 05, 2013 — I own a copy {Courtesy the Publisher}

My Thoughts:

In Heartland, Callie Reynolds has spent eight years avoiding her family but her grandmother’s death necessitates her return to Glenmore, the property that was once Callie’s childhood refuge, and which now belongs to her. Intending to simply sell up and move on, Callie’s plans are quickly sabotaged by a warty horse, a mad goose, a frightened girl and her handsome neighbour, Matt Hawkins. But Callie is determined to do what she is sure is the right thing by her sister’s memory, even if it breaks her heart. A delightful novel, Heartland is Cathryn Hein’s third heart warming rural romance.

The tragic death of Callie’s sister, Hope, has been a burden Callie has carried for almost a decade. She has avoided anything that could give her more than a fleeting moment of contentment, punishing herself due to misplaced guilt. Focused on her goal of selling the property and donating the proceeds to the foundation established in her sister’s name as some kind of restitution, Callie is surprised to find herself reluctant to let go of Glenmore. I sympathised with Callie who was struggling under the weight of so much pain and self recrimination. Though fragile and vulnerable, Callie is not weak or helpless and I loved that Hein allowed Callie to find her way forward at a natural pace.

Callie’s journey towards forgiving herself is supported by the relationship she develops with Matt. The romance between the emotionally crippled Callie and physically scarred Matt is written beautifully. Matt is kind and patient with an emotional strength earned from overcoming a difficult childhood and his experiences in Afghanistan. He is just the type of hero that appeals to me and I was half in love with him myself. Though their relationship is sweet and tender, there is also a delicious simmering of desire, and more importantly they are what each other needs and there is a genuine sense of respect between them.

The animals featured in Heartland have their own personalities and play an vital role in the story. Honk, the recalcitrant goose, adds hilarity to temper the more sober themes. Phantom, aka ‘Warty-Morty’, helps Callie overcome her fear of attachment and is instrumental in curing Lyndall’s fear of horses. Patch, the puppy Callie begrudgingly accepts as a gift, assists Callie to process her guilt over the death of her sister.

With Heartland, Cathryn Hein has written a wonderful, moving story exploring the themes of grief, guilt, family and love. It will definitely be on my favourites list for 2013 and I am happy to recommend it.

Available to Purchase

@Penguin Au I @BoomerangBooks I @Booktopia I @Amazon {Kindle}

via Booko

 

My Review

 

Review: Dead Man’s Deal by Jocelynn Drake

 

Title: Dead Man’s Deal {The Asylum Tales #2}

Author: Jocelynn Drake

Read Book Extras

Published: Harper Voyager May 2013

Status: Read from May 07 to 08, 2013 -I own a copy {Courtesy the publisher}

My Thoughts:

I had hoped to get my hands on a copy of Angel’s Ink before reading this, the next book in Drake’s Asylum Tales series but I didn’t quite manage it. Thankfully Dead Man’s Deal worked surprisingly well as a stand alone and I gratefully escaped into a world of magic, monsters and mayhem.

Dead Man’s Deal features Gage Powell, a wizard who turned his back on his training in order to escape the horrifying politics of his fellow magic wielders in the Ivory Towers. He makes his living as a tattoo artist in Low Town whilst forced to submit to strict conditions laid down by the Towers upon the threat of execution. Gage works hard to keep his head down but when the ruling class hears rumours of a rebellion amongst the general population that even leveling an entire city doesn’t quell, they are eager to blame Gage and now he, and everyone he cares about, is under threat unless he can survive long enough to strike a deal.

In Drake’s world, wizards and witches rule with sadistic impunity while humanity and other races suffer their whims. Children who exhibit magic skills, like Gage did, are forcibly removed from their parents with all further contact denied and are brought up amongst their own kind, apprenticed to mature wizards and witches. It’s a competitive, cut throat environment which breeds arrogance, entitlement and casual viciousness and in Dead Man’s Deal, Drake shares snippets of Gage’s past to reveal the horror of his childhood.

Gage’s determination to overthrow his destiny is his prime motivator but not at the cost of another’s life if he can avoid it. While Gage would like nothing more than to dismantle the Ivory Towers, in Dead Man’s Deal he is forced to stop the rebellion led by the Dark Elf, knowing that his brethren will destroy everything to suppress the dissemination of the coordinates of their towers. As Gage tries to capture the Elf he also has to deal with Tower assassins, jealous fae and the surprise arrival of his long lost brother. It’s a fast paced, action packed plot mired in magic and violence relieved by Drake’s wicked sense of humour and his passionate romance with his girlfriend, Trixie, an elf.

I really enjoyed Dead Man’s Deal and Drake’s creation of her gritty, unique world. Gage is a great hero with many admirable traits and he is supported by a cast of interesting characters and the story has may eager to know what happens next. This series is a must for fans of urban fantasy.

 

Available To Purchase

@Harper Voyager I @AmazonUS I @BookDepository

Review: The Glass Wives by Amy Sue Nathan

 

Title: The Glass Wives

Author: Amy Sue Nathan

Published: St Martins Griffin May 2013

Status: Read from May 12 to 13, 2013 — I own a copy {Courtesy publisher/Netgalley}

My Thoughts:

I’ve been following Any Sue Nathan’s blog, Women’s Fiction Writers for a while, appreciating it’s focus on an often maligned genre that I enjoy. When I discovered her debut novel, The Glass Wives, available for review on Netgalley I jumped at the chance to read it.

In the Glass Wives, the unexpected demise of Richard Glass threatens to shatter Evie’s hard won, post-divorce equilibrium. While supporting her eleven year old twins, Sophie and Sam, as they mourn the loss of their father, Evie is forced to confront not only her changing circumstance but also Richard’s legacy, his widow (once mistress), Nicole, and her infant son, Luca.
Prompted by financial complications, her children’s affection for their half sibling and the young widow’s neediness, Eve reluctantly invites Nicole and Luca to live with her in a temporary but mutually beneficial arrangement.

Within the framework of this unusual set up, Nathan explores the idea of family and it’s changing definition in modern day society. While Evie initially thinks Richard’s death frees her from ongoing contact with Nicole, she hadn’t considered the bond between her children and their half sibling. It creates an interesting connection between the widow and the ex wife which Nathan dissects with compassion and keen insight into the situation’s unique challenges.
Friendship, trust, forgiveness and moving on are other themes explored in The Glass Wives. Evie is forced to reconcile her relationships and her hopes for the future with the baggage of her personal experience.

The characters of The Glass Wives are well drawn and easy to relate to. I greatly admired Evie and her decision to deal with a difficult situation as gracefully as possible. I doubt I could be so generous to my ex husband’s mistress, even under such desperate circumstances. I found it hard to develop much sympathy for Nicole, even when her tragic history was revealed. I do think her motivations were a little confusing at times and I never really developed a sense of who she was. Laney and Beth, Evie’s best friends, provided much needed levity and warmth through out the book whilst still playing devil’s advocate Evie’s decisions and opinions.

Well written, The Glass Wives is a thought provoking, enjoyable debut novel exploring the challenges of defining family and love in a time of social change.

Available to Purchase

St Martins Press I @AmazonUS I @BookDepository

Review: The Rules of Conception by Angela Lawrence

 

Title: The Rules of Conception

Author: Angela Lawrence

Published: MIRA: Harlequin Australia May 2013

Read an chapter sampler

Status: Read on May 03, 2013 — I own a copy {Courtesy the Publisher}

My Thoughts:

Debut author Angela Lawrence explores a woman’s desire for motherhood in The Rules of Conception. Rachel Richards is in her mid thirties, single (again), financially secure and wanting to be a mother. Worried time is running out, she makes the choice to go it alone. Rachel begins to investigate her options, eventually choosing a ‘known donor’ but the conception of her plan turns out to be much easier than it’s execution.

I was intrigued by the premise of The Rules of Conception, primarily because I have a friend currently considering her options. Like Rachel, none of her relationships have worked out and as she approaches forty her biological clock is ticking ever louder. There are so many factors for her to consider and I hoped that Lawrence would provide some insight into the journey.

I found the viability of the varied options Rachel explores really interesting, from co parenting arrangements to the purchase of anonymous donor sperm from abroad. They each have their pro’s and con’s, raising issues I hadn’t given much thought to.
Eventually Rachel determines that a ‘known donor’ is the right choice for her and her search leads her to Digby, a man who wants to father a child but not raise one. Armed with a list of questions and a legal contract Rachel is sensible about the process in an attempt to control the situation, but her narrow focus doesn’t allow much room for variations of her circumstances.

What I do think the story lacked was emotion, Rachel is focused on her plans but there is no real sense of excitement or apprehension from her about the pregnancy, birth or her general circumstances until very near the end. She never seems to daydream about her baby’s future, muse about what he/she will look like or debate baby names neither does she seem concerned about the baby’s health or worry much about Digby’s honesty, even when he disappears. Most everyone is supportive of her decision and I think the story could have benefited by having a character to really challenge Rachel.

Most of the angst in the story involves Rachel’s relationship with her horrific boss, a situation that definitely evokes sympathy and which her pregnancy threatens to exacerbate, yet even that fizzles out to a bland truce.

The Rules of Conception is interesting, entertaining and I thought Lawrence wrote sensitively about the practical issues involved in the process of choosing single parenthood. It is a thought provoking story and as such I will be passing it on to my friend.

Available to Purchase

@Harlequin I @BoomerangBooks I @Booktopia I @Amazon Kindle

via Booko

 

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

The Its Monday! What Are You Reading meme is hosted at Book Journey.

Life…

Ugh, I have been horribly sick this past week, I spent a few days in bed feeling revolting, barely able to move everything was aching so much and would have stayed there longer if I could except it was my oldest son’s 9th birthday during the week so I had to suck it up to host a family dinner, and then his birthday party for his friends on Saturday. And yesterday was Mother’s Day, I slept til noon, spent a hour reading the papers, rang my mother to wish her a happy day and then thought I better make an attempt to catch up on all the work I had let slide during the week. Not only the housework suffered but also the blog as though I had more time to read, when I wasn’t sleeping, I didn’t have the energy to sit at the computer and write reviews.

A mother’s work is never done!

The cake I made for Makyah’s birthday party – his favourite book series is Zac Power

What I Read Last Week

The Yearning by Kate Belle

Dead Man’s Deal (The Asylum Tales #2) by Jocelynn Drake

Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella

Austenland by Shannon Hale

Witch Fire (Burn Mark #2) by Laura Powell

Wong Way To Marry by CA Poulter

Anthem for Jackson Dawes by Celia Bryce

New Posts

(click the titles to read my reviews)

AWW Feature & Giveaway: Kate Belle and The Yearning

Review & Giveaway: The Yearning by Kate Belle ★★★★1/2

What I Am Reading Today

Evie and Nicole Glass share a last name. They also shared a husband.  When a tragic car accident ends the life of Richard Glass, it also upends the lives of Evie and Nicole, and their children. There’s no love lost between the widow and the ex. In fact, Evie sees a silver lining in all this heartache—the chance to rid herself of Nicole once and for all. But Evie wasn’t counting on her children’s bond with their baby half-brother, and she wasn’t counting on Nicole’s desperate need to hang on to the threads of family, no matter how frayed. Strapped for cash, Evie cautiously agrees to share living expenses—and her home—with Nicole and the baby. But when Evie suspects that Nicole is determined to rearrange more than her kitchen, Evie must decide who she can trust. More than that, she must ask: what makes a family?

What I Plan To Read This Week

(click the covers to view at Goodreads)

Welcome to Whitetail, Wisconsin, future home of Weddings that WOW! As acting mayor, Annika will do anything to revive the economy of the town that’s been her refuge ever since her art career imploded and her fiancé walked out. Even if it means crashing an engagement party to talk business with the bride’s billionaire father. But the evening starts with a kiss from a gorgeous stranger—and ends with a night in jail. Finn Callahan can’t believe his sister is getting married, not after their parents’ disastrous track record. And he’d rather be anywhere than working from his family’s vacation home. Until he catches a leggy blonde sneaking in the window, and suddenly telecommuting for the season is very appealing.
Unable to resist their mutual attraction, Annika and Finn are soon mixing business and pleasure—just for the summer. Too bad Annika’s heart missed the memo about not falling in love…

Kirsty Mitchell is ready to come home. After a tragic accident that left her scarred, she fled overseas. Now, three years later, she’s finally returning to Flame Tree Hill, her beloved family farm. But at twenty-five Kirsty isn’t prepared for the terrifying new challenge ahead: breast cancer.Kirsty’s never been a quitter and that’s not about to change. But can her budding romance with local vet Aden bear the strain? As she battles with chemotherapy and as her past threatens to overwhelm her, Kirsty realises you can never take anything – or anyone – for granted. Drawing strength from her family and the beauty of Far North Queensland, Kirsty finally understands what
she must do.

So, then. You want a story and I will tell you one…Afghanistan, 1952. Abdullah and his sister Pari live with their father and stepmother in the small village of Shadbagh. Their father, Saboor, is constantly in search of work and they struggle together through poverty and brutal winters. To Adbullah, Pari, as beautiful and sweet-natured as the fairy for which she was named, is everything. More like a parent than a brother, Abdullah will do anything for her, even trading his only pair of shoes for a feather for her treasured collection. Each night they sleep together in their cot, their skulls touching, their limbs tangled. One day the siblings journey across the desert to Kabul with their father. Pari and Abdullah have no sense of the fate that awaits them there, for the event which unfolds will tear their lives apart; sometimes a finger must be cut to save the hand. Crossing generations and continents, moving from Kabul, to Paris, to San Francisco, to the Greek island of Tinos, with profound wisdom, depth, insight and compassion, Khaled Hosseini writes about the bonds that define us and shape our lives, the ways that we help our loved ones in need, how the choices we make resonate through history, and how we are often surprised by the people closest to us

Her lineage is both a blessing and a curse… There is no mercy in the demon realm. No escape. In this place of desperation and conflict, anyone who is not pure bred is virtually powerless. Until an unlikely champion is born…  

While you are here…

Congratulations to:

Winner of  Peace, Love and Khaki Socks. Emma

Enter to Win The Yearning by Kate Belle. Closes May 19th

Thanks for stopping by, I’ll be along to visit you shortly!

 

Review & Giveaway: The Yearning by Kate Belle

 

Title: The Yearning

Author: Kate Belle

Published: Simon and Schuster May 2013

Status: Read from May 05 to 06, 2013 — I own a copy{Courtesy the author}

My Thoughts:

” I need your eyes to see, your hands to touch, your spirit to acknowledge that which I hold most deeply and secretly in my heart. My yearning for you.”

A shy teenage girl writes scented letters of longing to her new high school English teacher and neighbour, the handsome and charming, Solomon Andrews. From her bedroom window she watches and hopes for him to notice her.
Solomon is flattered by his young student’s attention, and though wary of another scandal, he finds himself unable to resist her passionate adoration.
While Solomon justifies their affair as his “ultimate and ecstatic gift” to her, the girl believes he is her soul mate, her one and only true love.
When they are discovered and separated she clings to the to the idea that she and Solomon are destined to be together. It is a belief that she cannot relinquish, and well into adulthood the yearning for him remains.

The plot of The Yearning extends beyond the scandalous affair between a teacher and a student, even beyond the a sensual coming of age story of an unnamed teenage girl in love with with a twenty something year old man. It is a compelling exploration of the nature of love, of lust, of longing and desire and how our early experiences with these emotions affect the way in which we resolve them as adults.

For the girl – now a woman, the affair leaves her endlessly searching for a lover able to stir the same feelings within her. It’s an obsession that sabotages her relationships with other men, and even when she submits to Solomon’s absence and marries Max, she is not free of their decades old connection. If she can’t find some way to relinquish her teenage fantasy happiness will always elude her.
For Solomon, whose introduction to sex was divorced from love or even affection, the craving for attention, physical satisfaction and control of his emotions has him at the mercy of his libido. The value of an emotional connection, love if you will, escapes him not only in his relationship with the girl but in all his relationships to follow.

Belle’s lyrical prose ensures The Yearning avoids becoming a tawdry, sensationalist tale of sexual exploitation. Both Eve and Solomon are able to give voice to the motivation behind their feelings and desires. The author captures the excitement and confusion of lust and love with raw honesty. Eve’s letters and diary entries are the romantic, sensual ravings of a young girl in the throes of intense infatuation. Solomon’s musings, though indisputably self serving, are thoughtfully revealing. It is important to know that the descriptions of various sexual unions are at times explicit but not without purpose.

Beautifully crafted, The Yearning is an evocative, sensual novel exploring the connection between love and desire.

Learn  more about Kate Belle, The Yearning and enter a giveaway for a signed print edition by clicking HERE

The Yearning is available to purchase

@ Simon & Schuster AU I @Boomerang Books I @Booktopia I @Amazon Kindle I @iTunes

Via Booko I @ your local independent bookshop