March Reading Round-Up

Once again it has been an excellent month for reading.
I have been participating in a picture book research study – ReFoReMo so have read many picture books. So, this will really boost my totals!
It’s time to share what I have been reading this past month.
The total read for March was 59 books – 32 of them picture books! with the following breakdown:
Fantasy /Paranormal – 7
Historical Romance– 2
Romance – 10
Women’s Fiction – 4
Historical romance – 2
Historical – 1
Non-fiction – 2
Picture books – 32
(Diverse books – (2)
I will continue to record in more detail where the books originated – from the library, on my TBR shelves (bought/gifted or won), an e-book, or a charity read (Bought from a charity store). Here’s the breakdown
Library reads –45
TBR books –3
E-books – 10
Charity reads – 0

Here are the books read for my favourite challenges:
I read quite a few good books this month, but really didn’t check my challenges to see if they fit. It was a month to enjoy reading, what with the stress of social distancing – not worry about checking off challenges.

Popsugar Ultimate Reading Challenge (Through Goodreads)
#13 – Same title as movie/TV show, but not related: – What If? By Dani Wyatt
#19 – Set in country that starts with C (Canada) – Forever My Love by Mona Ingram
#32 – Book by WOC – More to Life by ReShonda Tate Billingsley

52 Books in 52 Weeks
#18 – Published in 2020 – Sisters by Choice by Susan Mallery
#21 – Set in country never visited (Australia) – Here Comes the Bridesmaid by Avril Tremayne

Monthly Key Word Challenge
The key word I used this month was: “In”
The Man I Fell in Love with by Kate Field
One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Monthly Motif
The theme this month was “Subgenres”
Genre Fantasy: Subgenre: Urban Fantasy: Shifting Shadows by Patricia Briggs

Diversify Your Reading
The theme for March was “Self-Help”
This wasn’t quite a self-help but offered a unique way to look at life.
The Book of Ichigo Ichie by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles

Favourite Reads
So many this month! Here are my top 10 (all rated 5 on Goodreads)

Here Comes the Bridesmaid by Avril Tremayne
Sisters by Choice by Susan Mallery
One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
City of Light and Winter Halo by Keri Arthur
The Bright Side of Disaster by Katherine Center
One by Jewel E. Ann
Chasing Cassandra by Lisa Kleypas
The Year That Changed Everything by Cathy Kelly
The Duchess in His Bed by Lorraine Heath

I am linking with the following:
Monthly Wrap-up(At Feed Your Fiction Addiction)

Best of the Bunch (at A Cocoon of Books)

Spread the Love (at As Told by Tina)

 

It’s Monday! What are You Reading?

It’s time once again for Kathryn’s weekly meme “It’s Monday! What are You Reading? “, at Book Date, where we share what we’re reading and have read over the past week.

What I Read Last Week
I read books 6 adult books (and 6 picture books, part of my pb study) – 1 paranormal, 2 woman’s fiction, and 3 contemporary romances.

Shifting Shadows by Patricia Briggs. This was an anthology of stories, mostly from the Mercy Thompson world, a world I was so glad to re-enter. All enjoyable.

 

One by Jewel E. Ann. I found this ebook difficult to put down – and loved the characters, dialogue and humour. A great romance (with some heat!) too.

 

The Bright Side of Disaster by Katherine Center. Another great book by this author who I admire.  (Favourite of the week)

 

Forever My Love by Mona Ingram. I have read a number of romance novellas by Ingram, from this series and have enjoyed them all.

 

More to Life by ReShonda Tate Billingsley. This was an okay read although I did like the message of following your dream.

 

What If? By Dani Wyatt. Another just okay read, although it met a category for Popsugar.

What I’m Reading Now (I’ve got several books on the go now)
Come Away With Me by Karma Brown
The Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate
The Book of Ichigo Ichie by Hector Garcia and Frances Miralles
Then There Was You by Miranda Liasson

What’s Up Next – STILL!
Keep it Moving by Twyla Tharp. Still reading a bit at a time
Becoming by Michelle Obama

 

Connect 5 Friday – Disabled Protagonists

 

It’s Friday once again and that means it’s time for Connect Five Friday, hosted at Book Date by Kathryn – the meme where we share five book/reading things that connect in some way.

I just finished a very enjoyable romance with a protagonist with only one leg. Lake lost her leg in a car crash and was able to overcome it and thrive. I realized that I had read a number of books with a main character who had lost a leg, although they were all men. (The most famous – Captain Ahab of Moby Dick fame, a book though, that I have not read.)
Here are 5 books with One-legged Protagonists

One by Jewel E. Ann – loved the characters, the humour, the moxy of Lake and the spot-on dialogue. Much to enjoy about this book (and a free ebook at that!)

 

Sea Glass Island by Sherryl Woods. Can Samantha help her  old crush Ethan? Enjoyable romance

 

Lip Service by Susan Mallery. Skye and Mitch have a past – can they overcome the road blocks? Another good romance from Mallery, second in her Lone Star Sisters series.

 

Dakota Home by Debbie Macomber. Heartwarming romance about Maggie and Jed.

 

Run by Eric Walters. This is a Middle Grade novel, that blends fact with fiction, featuring the Canadian hero, Terry Fox, along with the young protagonist Winston. An excellent read.

Guest Post – Linda Rosen

As part of the WOW blog tour for Linda Rosen’s book “The The Disharmony of Silence”, Linda has agreed to share with us how to write about a made-up setting.

Welcome Linda!

How to Write About a Made-Up Setting
In fictional settings, the reader’s mind will be a blank canvas. They have never been to the place you are writing about. Therefore, the writer must use specific vivid details to create the setting.
She needs to transport the reader into the story. To accomplish that, I like to use the image of a camera, one with a zoom lens. Bring it in close, describe what you see through the lens.
Using the five senses: touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing will help create a distinct setting.
In my writing, I start with the sense of sight. What do I want my readers to see? What images will captivate the time and place?
In the first chapter of my novel, The Disharmony of Silence, I have two of my characters, Ida and her eleven-year-old daughter Lena, setting the dining room table for the Passover seder. It is 1915. The mahogany dining room set, the breakfront with leaded
glass, and a cut crystal bowl as the centerpiece all evoke the period, as does the lace tablecloth that Lena tugs in frustration when she learns the Roths aren’t joining them, as they have every year since coming to America. A Formica table, vinyl cloth and Lucite bowl would not do the same.

Continuing with the sense of hearing, and also using my novel’s first chapter, I wrote about the elevated train on the corner and how it rattled the open window.” The use of the words “click clack” in chapter one makes the reader actually hear the train. It being elevated, not running on modern tracks, continues to invoke the time period.

It is also fun, and very rewarding, to play with smell and taste. In my novel there are several chapters which will, hopefully, have you tasting the food being cooked. For example, in chapter one, Ida is preparing a pot roast. “The scent of beef with carrots and potatoes simmering on the stove, suffused with savory herbs, perfumed the air.” Lena’s “taste buds tingled as she schemed up ways…” Can you smell it? Don’t you want to take a bite of that succulent beef? Yet, smell might not always be wonderful. Imagine writing about stepping in dog poop or having to visit a port-a-potty at a tennis match. Nothing lovely comes to my mind! For those odors (notice I used odor rather than scent or aroma) I would use words like stench or stink.
Distinctive words also help create setting.

For the last sense, touch, imagine using words such as feathery, cushiony, downy instead of soft. They are more evocative, as are dense, firm, rigid and solid rather than hard. There are many words to elicit this sense.
Whether the made-up setting is a town, country, bedroom, dining room, etc, the description must set the reader’s feet solidly in place. Using the five senses will do that though the choice of words to bring those senses to the fore is even more important.
One of my favorite books, always on my desk in easy reach, is the thesaurus. I never used Roget in school, all those years ago. If I had, maybe my compositions would have gotten an A instead of a B+.

 

Thank you Linda for these wise words on creating a setting. Your advice will certainly improve our writing.

Be sure to check out other stops on the WOW blog tour for Linda’s amazing tour. Check here for my review of her historical book.

 

It’s Monday! What are You Reading?

It’s time once again for Kathryn’s weekly meme “It’s Monday! What are You Reading? “, at Book Date, where we share what we’re reading and have read over the past week.

What I Read Last Week
I read books 6 adult books (and 11 picture books, part of my pb study) – 2 paranormal. 1 woman’s fiction, 1 historical fiction, 1 fantasy and 1 historical romance.

 

Magic Graves by Jeaniene Frost and Ilona Andrews. Two favourites, two enjoyable novellas.

 

Sisters by Choice by Susan Mallery. Loved the interplay between the three cousins and how they help each other with the challenges they face.

 

The Disharmony of Silence by Linda Rosen. I read and reviewed this historical fiction and found the dual timeline and mystery very intriguing. (You can check my review here)

 

City of Light by Keri Arthur. I picked this up at a library sale as I had never read any of her books. Now I’m caught up in this series and enjoying this fantasy world.

 

Into the Dreaming by Karen Marie Moning. This was a reread, also a library sale book, and I enjoyed it as much as the first time.

 

Chasing Cassandra by Lisa Kleypas. This is Kleypas’ latest in her Ravenal historical romance series and it pulled me as the rest have.

What I’m Reading Now
Shifting Shadows by Patricia Briggs
The Book of Ichigo Ichie by Hector Garcia and Frances Miralles
Then There Was You by Miranda Liasson

What’s Up Next
Keep it Moving by Twyla Tharp. Still reading a bit at a time
Becoming by Michelle Obama

 

WOW Blog Tour for “The Disharmony of Silence” by Linda Rosen

I am honoured to be part of the WOW! Women of Writing Blog Tour for Linda Rosen’s novel The Disharmony of Silence, which I read and am now reviewing.
(Please note: I received a free copy in exchange for my honest review.)

My Review:

Linda Rosen has written a fascinating dual historic novel, that draws the reader into the mystery of where the cameo broach that belonged to present day Carolyn’s mother, came from. After the death of her mother, Carolyn feels so alone and so she sets out on a search for answers and possibly family. She seeks connections and Rosen has us wondering by the end of the novel – just what constitutes family?

I was caught up in the stories of Carolyn and Kate in the present and Lena in the past. I loved learning about Jewish customs and language and especially about Seder and Shabbat. The novel was multi-layered, with twists and turns and with many interesting characters.

This was an intriguing novel, keeping us wondering who was related to whom and if there could ever be a positive resolution.

I highly recommend this novel.

 

About the Author

Linda Rosen, fitness professional turned writer, lives with her husband splitting their time between New Jersey and Florida. She was a contributor to Women in the Literary Landscape: A WNBA Centennial Publication for the Women’s National Book Association and has had stories published in Foliate Oak and Crack the Spine, both in their online magazine and print anthology. Follow her at http://www.linda-rosen.com.

About the Novel

In her desperate quest for family, Carolyn Lee is determined, against all advice, to reveal the shocking eighty-four-year-old secret she uncovered…until she realizes that “family” means more than blood.

In 1915, jealous, bitter Rebecca Roth cuts all ties with her life-long friends, the Pearls. Eight years later, Rebecca’s son and young Lena Pearl begin keeping company in secret. Rebecca agrees to a truce when the couple marries. But the truce is fragile. Rebecca’s resentments run deep.

In 2010, Carolyn Lee, fitness instructor and amateur photographer, must come to grips with the fact that her mother’s imminent death will leave her alone in the world. While preparing her childhood home for sale, she realizes for the first time that her mother’s antique brooch is identical to the one pinned to the lady’s dress in the painting hanging above the fireplace. Coincidence or connection? Carolyn is determined to find out. What she discovers has the potential to tear lives apart or to bring her the closeness and comfort she longs for. It all depends on how she handles her newfound knowledge.

Print Length:

Genre: Women’s Upmarket Fiction

Publisher: Black Rose Writing

ISBN-10: 1684334306      ISBN-13: 9781684334308

The Disharmony of Silence is now available to purchase at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.

 

 

Be sure to check out all the stops along the tour.

— Blog Tour Dates

 

March 2nd @ The Muffin

What goes better in the morning than a muffin? Grab your coffee and join us as we celebrate the launch of Linda’s blog tour The Disharmony of Silence. Read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of the book too!

http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com

 

March 4th @ A Writer’s Life

How much does setting matter in a novel? Author Linda Rosen talks about this very subject over at Caroline’s blog today. You can also enter to win a copy of her book The Disharmony of Silence.

http://carolineclemmons.blogspot.com/

 

March 6th @ 12 Books

Make sure you visit Louise’s blog and read her review of Linda Rosen’s book The Disharmony of Silence. You can also enter to win a copy of the book as well!

http://www.12books.co.uk/

 

March 7th @ Lori Duff Writes

Be sure to stop by Lori’s blog today and you can read her review of Linda Rosen’s book The Disharmony of Silence.

https://www.loriduffwrites.com/blog/

 

March 8th @ Bring on Lemons

Visit Crystal’s blog today and you can read a review written by her daughter Carmen about Linda Rosen’s book The Disharmony of Silence. Don’t miss it!

http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/

 

March 10th @ Author Anthony Avina’s Blog

Make sure you visit Anthony’s blog today where you can read his interview with author Linda Rosen.

https://authoranthonyavinablog.com/

 

March 11th @ A Storybook World

Blogger Deirdra Eden spotlights Linda Rosen’s book The Disharmony of Silence.

http://www.astorybookworld.com/

 

March 13th @ Lori’s Reading Corner

Stop by Lori’s blog today and you can read a fitness inspiring post by author Linda Rosen! She shares some tips about strength training while reading audiobooks. You can also enter to win a copy of Linda’s book The Disharmony of Silence.

http://www.lorisreadingcorner.com/

 

March 14th @ Boots, Shoes and Fashion

Stop by Linda’s blog today and you can read her interview with author Linda Rosen. Don’t miss it!

http://bootsshoesandfashion.com/

 

March 15th @ Choices

Make sure you stop by Madeline Sharples’ blog today and read Linda Rosen’s blog post about inspiring your creative self by getting outdoors. Don’t miss it!

http://madelinesharples.com/

 

March 16th @ Reviews and Interviews

Visit Lisa’s blog where she interviews author Linda Rosen about her book The Disharmony of Silence.

http://lisahaseltonsreviewsandinterviews.blogspot.com/

 

March 17th @ Coffee with Lacey

Grab some coffee and join Lacey over at her blog today. She reviews Linda Rosen’s book The Disharmony of Silence.

https://coffeewithlacey.com/

 

March 18th @ Author Anthony Avina’s Blog

Visit Anthony’s blog again today and read his review of Linda Rosen’s book The Disharmony of Silence. Don’t miss it!

https://authoranthonyavinablog.com/

 

March 19th @ AJ Sefton’s Blog

Make sure you visit author AJ Sefton’s blog today and read a review of Linda Rosen’s book The Disharmony of Silence.

https://www.ajsefton.com/book-reviews

 

March 20th @ Beverley A. Baird’s Blog

Looking for a new book to add to your reading list? Make sure you visit Bev’s blog today and read her review of “The Disharmony of Silence.” You’ll want to add it to your list!

https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/

 

March 21st @ Bookworm Blog

Visit Anjanette’s blog today and you can read her review of Linda Rosen’s book The Disharmony of Silence.

https://bookworm66.wordpress.com/

 

March 22nd @ 12 Books

Are you part of a book club? Author Linda Rosen shares fun activities you can do for your book club. Don’t miss this fun, inspiring post!

http://www.12books.co.uk/

 

March 23rd @ Cassandra’s Writing World

Make sure you visit Cassandra’s blog today and read her review of Linda Rosen’s book The Disharmony of Silence.

https://cassandra-mywritingworld.blogspot.com/

 

March 25th @ Beverley A. Baird’s Blog

What do you do if you are writing about a made-up setting? Make sure you visit Bev’s blog today and you can read Linda Rosen’s guest post where she shares her advice.

https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/

 

March 26th @ Lady in Read Writes

Stop by Vidya’s blog today and you can read her review of Linda Rosen’s book The Disharmony of Silence.

https://ladyinreadwrites.com/

 

March 27th @ Jessica Belmont’s Blog

Over at Jessica’s blog today, you won’t want to miss her review of Linda Rosen’s book The Disharmony of Silence. You can also enter to win a copy of the book as well!

https://jessicabelmont.wordpress.com/

 

March 28th @ Bookworm Blog

Stop by Anjanette’s blog again today and you can read her interview with author Linda Rosen.

https://bookworm66.wordpress.com/

 

March 30th @ It’s Alanna Jean

What does your writing space look like? Author Linda Rosen shares her tips for setting up your writing space over at Alanna Jean’s blog.

http://itsalannajean.com/

 

April 3rd @ Joyful Antidotes

Make sure you stop by Joy’s blog today where she reviews Linda Rosen’s book The Disharmony of Silence.

https://joyfulantidotes.com/
April 5th @ Teatime and Books

How much do you love revising? Does it spark joy? Linda Rosen shares her thoughts on the joy of revising over at the blog Tea Time and Books.

http://teatimeandbooks76.blogspot.com/

 

Connect 5 Friday – Debut Novels

It’s Friday once again and that means it’s time for Connect Five Friday, hosted at Book Date by Kathryn – the meme where we share five book/reading things that connect in some way.

With the arrival of spring, and the reality of CoVid19 requiring us to shelter in place (to flatten the curve for sure, but also my hubby has a compromised immune system and i can’t chance him getting sicker than he is), I decided I needed to focus on reading the huge TBR books on my shelves. Our libraries are closed so this is a good time to do just that.

So here are 5 Debut novels I want to read, on my TBR shelves

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams

 

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

There There by Tommy Orange

 

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

 

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

 

Which one should I read first? Thoughts on the books above?

Top Ten Tuesday – Spring TBR

Time once again for Top Ten Tuesday, that bookish meme hosted at “That Artsy Reader Girl.”

The topic this week is “Spring 2020 TBR”
Spring will officially be here in just a matter of days, although the weather here in Ontario has definitely been spring-like for weeks. Crazy weather for sure.
With our libraries closed now here in Ontario at least until April 6th, my Spring TBR will be books that I already have on my shelves, so that I can give them away once read (thus making room for more!) Most of them have been on my TBR lists for some time.

My Spring 2020 TB

Fiction:

 

A Man Called Ove by Frederik Backman

 

A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

 

Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Universe by Douglas Adams

 

A Better Man by Louise Penny

 

A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult

 

Non-Fiction

Becoming by Michelle Obama

 

Open Heart Open Mind by Clara Hughes

 

Into the Abyss by Carol Shaben

 

Mourning Has Broken by Erin Davis

 

On Writing by Stephen King

 

It’s Monday! What are You Reading?

It’s time once again for Kathryn’s weekly meme “It’s Monday! What are You Reading?“, at Book Date, where we share what we’re reading and have read over the past week.

What I Read Last Week
I read books 10 books – 1 paranormal. 1 woman’s fiction, 3 contemporary romances, 1 historical fiction and 4 picture books.

 

One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost. I enjoyed this second book in her paranormal series as much as the first. Now will be the challenge to find the rest of the series.

The Year That Changed Everything by Cathy Kelly. Three women share the same birthday but very different lives. So enjoyed this.

 

The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson. Would you tell the truth about taking in 3 kids if you had just met someone new? A charming romance.

2 books by Avril Tremayne

Here Comes the Bridesmaid. I first read this romance when it was a finalist of the SYTYCW contest several years ago. It was my choice, although it didn’t win. It was published though and so I bought the book and read it again. After the upheaval all over the past few weeks, I had need of a humorous book and I remembered this. I loved it as much as the first 2 times I read it. Quirky characters, snappy dialogue, humour and a first-rate romance.

The Dating Game. Thoroughly enjoyed this romance as well. Sarah agrees to be painted by David, but is determined to keep her distance.

 

The Duchess in His Bed by Lorraine Heath. Another new author, this time an historical romance and yes, I really enjoyed it. Anxious now to read more of her work.

4 Picture Books – all 5* reads:

Once Upon a Goat by Dan Richards and Eric Barclay
Bear Came Along by Richard T Morris and LeUyen Pham
Here We Are by Oliver Jeffers
Spend It! By Cinders McLeod

What I’m Reading Now
Chasing Cassandra by Lisa Kleypas
Shifting Shadows by Patricia Briggs

What’s Up Next
Keep it Moving by Twyla Tharp. Still reading a bit at a time
Becoming by Michelle Obama

 

Connect Five Friday – Books with Letter in the Title

It’s Friday once again and that means it’s time for Connect Five Friday, hosted at Book Date by Kathryn – the meme where we share five book/reading things that connect in some way.

I finally finished a group of books that had the word letter in the title (and most involved a letter or letters in the book). It took me a year to finish the five but I really enjoyed the books I read – from romance to mystery to inspirational.

5 Books That have Letter in the Title (all 5* reads)

The Girl in the Letter by Emily Gunnis. This was a bit of a thriller, a mystery and an eye-opener. I knew about homes for unwed mothers but not about the horrible treatment of these young women and their babies. The novel moved back and forth in time and was a disturbing, but excellent read.

 

The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros. What would you do if you were tasked with fulfilling the last request from your best friend? This was such an amazing read.

 

The Secret Letters of the Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin S. Sharma . The main character must collect talismans around the world – and in his travels encounters many different people. Found it inspiring.

 

The Love Letters of Abelard and Lily by Laura Creedle. This YA novel is heartbreaking as these two neurodivergent teens’ relationship develops.

 

Love Letters by Katie Fforde. Laura must organize a festival – and everyone believes she has a reclusive author has the headliner, an author she deeply admires. What could go wrong? Loved it.