Tag Archives: Kimberly Duffy

Top 10 Tuesday — Essential Jobs!

10 Oct

Happy Tuesday! I have posted on this week’s topic, Bookish Jobs, before, so I am tweaking the topic again. 😉 Sometimes a character’s occupation is essential to the story line. If they hadn’t held these jobs, there would have been no story! I hope one of the books on my list piques your interest.

For more bookish jobs, please check out That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Essential Jobs

Circus Performer — The Weight of Air by Kimberly Duffy

Department of Defense Redactor — Broker of Lies by Steven James

Museum Curator — Roots of Wood And Stone by Amanda Wen

Musician — Everything is Just Beginning by Erin Bartels

Perfumer — Meet Me in Monaco by Hazel Gaynor

Pharmacist — Within These Walls of Sorrow by Amanda Barratt

Physicist — The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin

Spies! — A Shadow in Moscow by Katherine Reay

Top 10 Tuesday — Mothers And Daughters

12 Sep

Happy Tuesday! Today bloggers are tasked with coming up with favorite relationships. I have focused on sisters and on brothers before, but I don’t think I ever created a list of books that explore mother/daughter dynamics. Whether featuring the good, the bad, or the ugly, it’s almost always plenty complicated! There are positives as well, especially in terms of forgiveness and redemption. I hope you like my list.

For more relationship favorites, visit That Artsy Reader Girl

Top Books Featuring Mothers and Daughters

The Bookshop at Water’s End by Patti Callahan Henry

Haven Point by Virginia Hume

Her Daughter’s Dream by Francine Rivers

Her Mother’s Hope by Francine Rivers

Out of The Water by Ann Marie Stewart

The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery by Amanda Cox

A Silver Willow by The Shore by Kelli Stuart

The Weight of Air by Kimberly Duffy

When The Day Comes by Gabrielle Meyer

Top 10 Tuesday — Books That Defied My Expectations

5 Sep

Happy Tuesday! I hope you enjoyed your long weekend with some rest and reading. I traveled to Chicago to participate in the Windy City Saga Tour hosted by Jocelyn Green. It certainly defied expectations! It was such a fantastic trip filled with lots of reader-nerd fun. I was especially thrilled to meet in person many of my favorite authors. If you ever get the opportunity to join a literary tour, I heartily encourage it.

Speaking of defying expectations, my list today includes books I knew I probably would like, but didn’t realize how much I would love them. They are a mix of genres, so there is definitely something for everyone. I hope you find a book to love.

Top Books That Defied Expectations

Fatal Code by Natalie Walters

In This Moment by Gabrielle Meyer

The Lady’s Mine by Francine Rivers

The Librarian of Saint-Malo by Mario Escobar

The Long March Home by Tosca Lee And Marcus Brotherton

The Mistletoe Countess by Pepper Basham

The Weight of Air by Kimberly Duffy

When We Were Young And Brave by Hazel Gaynor

Where The Blue Sky Begins by Katie Powner

Within These Walls of Sorrow by Amanda Barratt

Top 10 Tuesday — Historical Romance

22 Aug

Happy 4th Tuesday of Read A Romance Month! Yes, August is officially read a romance month, and for my TTT genre freebie post I am featuring historical romance authors. I love the variety of time periods I can travel to in these novels. They are well-researched, filled with rich historical detail, and feature a happily-ever-after — something that history by itself does not always offer. 😉 I hope one of the books on my list sparks your interest.

For more great genre lists by bloggers, check out That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Historical Romance Authors And Their Books

The Mistletoe Countess by Pepper Basham

As Dawn Breaks by Kate Breslin

The Weight of Air by Kimberly Duffy

A Heart Adrift by Laura Franz

The Mark of The King by Jocelyn Green

A Return to Hawthorne House by Kristi Ann Hunter

Shadows of Swanford Abbey by Julie Klassen

The Thief of Lanwyn Manor by Sarah Ladd

The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin

The Pelican Bride by Beth White

Top 10 Tuesday — Audiobook Narrators

25 Apr

Happy Tuesday! Today TTT is talking favorite audiobook narrators. To be honest, I really only notice the narrators of the books I listen to when they are bad. LOL! I know that pacing is important and accents can make or break a good listen, but I guess if I find myself deep in the story and not paying attention to the narrator, then they are doing a good job. So today I am going to list the last 10 audiobooks I listened to that I loved — those will be my favorite narrators 😉 .

For more from discriminating audiobook listeners, check out That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Favorite Audiobook Narrators

Breach of Honor, written by Janice Cantore, narrated by Melie Williams

Crossfire, written by Lynette Eason, narrated by Sara Sheckells

Every Word Unsaid, written by Kimberly Duffy, narrated by Pilar Witherspoon and Sneha Mathan

Healing Skye, written by Janet W. Ferguson, narrated by Connie Shabshab

Heirlooms, written by Sandra Byrd, narrated by Melie Williams

The Kitchen Front, written by Jennifer Ryan, narrated by Jasmine Blackborow

Next Year in Havana, written by Chanel Cleeton, narrated by Kyla Garcia and Frankie Maria Corzo

The Souls of Lost Lake, written by Jaime Jo Wright, narrated by Kathryn Markey

Turn to Me, written by Becky Wade, narrated by Barbara McCulloh

When We Were Young And Brave, written by Hazel Gaynor, narrated by Rosie Jones and Imogen Church

Book Review — The Weight of Air

29 Mar

Kimberly Duffy has done it again! The Weight of Air, an historical novel with a circus setting!, is an incredible read. It’s one of those books I was swept into from the start. And it has so much — rich historical detail, intriguing characters, and, above all, heart. I loved it and highly recommend it. Find out all the details below, plus more of my very inadequately expressed thoughts.

Two women–bound by blood, torn apart by circumstance–find together that true strength comes in many forms.

In 1911, Mabel MacGinnis is Europe’s strongest woman and has performed beside her father in the Manzo Brothers Circus her entire life. When he dies unexpectedly, she loses everything she’s ever known and sets off in the company of acrobat Jake Cunningham in hope of finding the mother she thought was dead.

Isabella Moreau, America’s most feted aerialist, has given everything to the circus. But age and injury now threaten her security, and Isabella, stalked by old fears, makes a choice that risks everything. Then her daughter Mabel appears alongside the man who never wanted to see Isabella again, and she is forced to face the truth of where, and in what, she derives her worth.

As Mabel and Isabella’s lives become entangled beneath the glittering lights and flying trapeze of Madison Square Garden, their resiliency and resolve are tested as they learn the truth of what it means to be strong.

Kimberly Duffy is a Long Island native currently living in Southwest Ohio. When she’s not homeschooling her four kids, she writes historical fiction that takes readers back in time and across oceans. Her books feature ahead-of-their-time heroines, evocative settings, and real-life faith. Kimberly loves trips that require a passport, recipe books, and practicing kissing scenes with her husband of 20 years. He doesn’t mind.

You can find Kimberly at:

http://www.kimberlyduffy.com

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKimberlyDuffy/

https://www.instagram.com/kimberlyduffyauthor/

My Impressions:

I’m warning you, The Weight of Air is so much better than my words can express. 😉 It’s one of those books that elicits so many feelings that prove difficult to translate in a review. So, I’ll try to be succinct and clear — but just know, you definitely want to read this book! First the setting: it’s the circus of the early 1900s. Duffy’s descriptions of the big top, the backstage rooms, and the people who inhabited that very special world transported me smack dab in the middle of it all. The story follows a mother and daughter separated for 20 years. Mabel, at 6 feet tall, is dubbed the strongest woman in the world. Her mother, Isabella, is an aging aerialist past her peak. What characters they are! Damaged and flawed and defined by their own and others’ expectations, prejudices, and motivations. While I certainly cannot bend iron bars or fly through the air without trepidation, I could relate to those women on various levels. There are a number of men in their lives (living and dead) who exert influence (good and bad) over them, but it is in making their own way that they find freedom. Two of the male characters, Robert and Jake, I liked very much. But they were not saviors, though they did extend so much grace. They were flawed just like the rest of us, and I cheered their own growth. A few of the themes include grace, forgiveness, and finding strength in Christ when we are at our weakest. A solid historical novel, The Weight of Air, also has elements of women’s fiction and romance. The romance between Mabel and Jake is sizzling sweet — just an FYI for those who like that in their books. 😉 I think this novel would make an excellent book club selection — the well-drawn characters, rich historical detail, the storyline, the setting, and the truths expressed offer so much to discuss. Grab some friends and read it together!

Highly Recommended.

Great for book clubs.

Audience: adults.

(Thanks to Bethany House for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

Top 10 Tuesday — 2023 Spring TBR

14 Mar

Happy Tuesday! Spring has definitely arrived in central Georgia. All the pollen! I am not sure how there can be so much! LOL! But the blooming trees and shrubs, the green grass, and the warmer temps are surely welcome. Today I am sharing my Spring TBR. It’s a rather short list since I am trying to read on a whim. But I have my eye on a few to add to the list later. This list is a mix of book club, review, and just because books. I hope you can find one to add to your TBR.

For more bloggers’ Spring TBR lists, check out That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top 2023 Spring TBR

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

America’s First Daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie

Finding Me by Kathryn Cushman

Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton

A Novel Proposal by Denise Hunter

The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin

The Vanishing at Castle Moreau by Jaime Jo Wright

The Weight of Air by Kimberly Duffy

First Line Friday — The Weight of Air

17 Feb

Happy Friday! I am featuring The Weight of Air by Kimberly Duffy today. Duffy consistently delivers well-researched historical fiction with an exotic locale. This time she sets her story in the circus! I have heard great things about this novel, especially the mother-daughter relationship that is explored. Can’t wait to get into it!

Here’s the first line:

“You are sure you don’t want me to go with you to the station?” Bram asked.

Two women–bound by blood, torn apart by circumstance–find together that true strength comes in many forms.

In 1911, Mabel MacGinnis is Europe’s strongest woman and has performed beside her father in the Manzo Brothers Circus her entire life. When he dies unexpectedly, she loses everything she’s ever known and sets off in the company of acrobat Jake Cunningham in hope of finding the mother she thought was dead.

Isabella Moreau, America’s most feted aerialist, has given everything to the circus. But age and injury now threaten her security, and Isabella, stalked by old fears, makes a choice that risks everything. Then her daughter Mabel appears alongside the man who never wanted to see Isabella again, and she is forced to face the truth of where, and in what, she derives her worth.

As Mabel and Isabella’s lives become entangled beneath the glittering lights and flying trapeze of Madison Square Garden, their resiliency and resolve are tested as they learn the truth of what it means to be strong.

Happy Release Day — The Weight of Air

7 Feb

Happy release day to Kimberly Duffy! Her newest historical novel, The Weight of Air, releases today. It’s a circus book (how fun!) and so much more. It’s also a novel about mother/daughter relationships. You might want to consider doing a buddy read with your mom or daughter. See all the details below.

Two women–bound by blood, torn apart by circumstance–find together that true strength comes in many forms.

In 1911, Mabel MacGinnis is Europe’s strongest woman and has performed beside her father in the Manzo Brothers Circus her entire life. When he dies unexpectedly, she loses everything she’s ever known and sets off in the company of acrobat Jake Cunningham in hope of finding the mother she thought was dead.

Isabella Moreau, America’s most feted aerialist, has given everything to the circus. But age and injury now threaten her security, and Isabella, stalked by old fears, makes a choice that risks everything. Then her daughter Mabel appears alongside the man who never wanted to see Isabella again, and she is forced to face the truth of where, and in what, she derives her worth.

As Mabel and Isabella’s lives become entangled beneath the glittering lights and flying trapeze of Madison Square Garden, their resiliency and resolve are tested as they learn the truth of what it means to be strong.

Kimberly Duffy is a Long Island native currently living in Southwest Ohio. When she’s not homeschooling her four kids, she writes historical fiction that takes readers back in time and across oceans. Her books feature ahead-of-their-time heroines, evocative settings, and real-life faith. Kimberly loves trips that require a passport, recipe books, and practicing kissing scenes with her husband of 20 years. He doesn’t mind.

You can find Kimberly at:

http://www.kimberlyduffy.com

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKimberlyDuffy/

https://www.instagram.com/kimberlyduffyauthor/

Top 10 Tuesday — Most Recent Additions To The NetGalley Shelf

27 Dec

Despite my TTT post last week listing all of the books I would love to have Santa pre-order, I have yet to receive them. My immediate family hasn’t had Christmas together yet, but I don’t anticipate any book gifts in my future. Most of them think I have enough books already. 😉 But I have been diligently adding to my NetGalley shelf and those are the books I am spotlighting today. I have quite the range of great books. Hope you find one to love!

For more book shelf additions, check out That Artsy Reader Girl.

Ten Most Recent Additions to My NetGalley Shelf

Body of Evidence by Irene Hannon

Broker of Lies by Steven James

The Cairo Curse by Pepper Basham

Daughter of Eden by Jill Eileen Smith

The Metropolitan Affair by Jocelyn Green

A Novel Proposal by Denise Hunter

The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin

The Weight of Air by Kimberly Duffy

What Happens Next by Christina Suzann Nelson

The Year of Jubilee by Cindy Morgan