Happy Tuesday and happy St. Patrick’s Day! Today TTT bloggers are sharing books with green covers. I am hitting the review archives and my TBR shelves to bring books featuring greens of all shades. Some of the covers have more green than others, but I felt that green is what first strikes the eye.
Today’s topic is fitting not only for the holiday, but because my yard is GREEN! It’s cold today (for central Georgia) but flowers are in bloom and the trees are full of new leaves. Such a beautiful day! I hope you have one too, plus some reading inspiration.
Happy Tuesday! Today’s TTT topic is a Genre Freebie with a little something extra. Basically authors are choosing a genre which incorporates a specific element. I am going with Southern Fiction that has a coastal location. So if you love a southern novel and want a book with a beach-y vibe, I have you covered. I hope you find one to love!
I absolutely loved The Bitter End Birding Society by Amanda Cox. I think it’s my favorite of all her books, and that’s saying a lot! If you haven’t read it, put it on the top of your TBR. If you have read it and liked it as much as I did, or you enjoy character-driven novels and/or books with a strong sense of place, check out a few more book recommendations.
The Light on Horn Island by Valerie Fraser Luesse
Just when her life comes crumbling down, she discovers secrets that could shape her future–and heal her past.
When Edie Gardner’s life in New York falls apart, her grandmother Adele “Punk” Cheramie coaxes her back to tiny Bayou du Chêne, Mississippi. Edie spent many happy summers there, a stone’s throw from untamed Horn Island, where she once found love. Can she now demystify the island’s strange new light?
Punk and her colorful friends introduce Edie to the Trove, a fascinating gallery and antique shop. Like Horn Island’s light, The Trove has appeared out of nowhere. Its proprietor, with a gift for discerning his customers’ needs, gives Edie a Victorian parlor game that asks players a series of personal questions, which is harmless fun at first. But Edie and her grandmother’s circle find that the game has a way of uncovering secrets, including a heartbreak that has haunted one of the women for decades. Banding together, this Southern sisterhood is determined to find answers that will bring healing, hope, and happiness–and maybe explain the transcendent illumination of a wild and windswept barrier island.
A Place to Land by Lauren K. Denton
Violet Figg and her sister Trudy have lived a quiet life in Sugar Bend, Alabama, since a night forty years ago that stole Trudy’s voice and cemented Violet’s role as her sister’s fierce and loyal protector. Now Trudy spends her days making sculptures from found objects and speaking through notes written on scraps of paper, while Violet runs their art shop, monitors bird activity up and down the water, and tries not to think of the one great love she gave up to keep her sister safe.
Eighteen-year-old Maya knows where everyone else belongs, but she’s been searching for her own place since her grandmother died seven years ago. Moving in and out of strangers’ houses has left her exhausted. After seeing a flyer on a gas station window for a place called Sugar Bend, Maya chooses to follow the strange pull she feels and finds herself on the doorstep of an art shop called Two Sisters.
When a boat rises to the surface of Little River in the middle of the night, the present and no-longer-buried past collide, and the future becomes uncertain for Maya, Violet, and Trudy. As history creeps continuously closer to the present and old secrets come to light, the sisters must decide to face the truth of what happened that night forty years ago, or risk losing each other and those they’ve come to love.
The Stories We Carry by Robin W. Pearson
A small-town bookstore owner finds herself at odds with a newcomer bent on disrupting her quiet life in this Southern women’s fiction novel by award-winning author Robin W. Pearson.
Glory Pryor has carved out a life for herself in Gilmore, North Carolina, cultivating a community around her bookstore, By the Book. While her business is a success, she carries the weight of stories of her own she’s never told anyone. She holds out hope that one day her estranged brother will turn up on her doorstep so she can finally learn where he’s been all these years. Glory’s husband Eli thinks she has her arms wrapped too tightly around the could-have-beens, and that it’s time for them to let go of the store as they head into their retirement years. Glory has different opinions on that—she’s not ready to give up the dream she’s built just yet. Then Adelle Simonette shows up with her young son, Bennett, and Glory’s carefully controlled life begins to crumble.
Newly widowed Adelle Simonette is a single mother trying to find her footing and navigate parenting her young son. Lost in her grief, one thing she’s certain of is that she needs to confront Glory Pryor and everybody who knows her because the woman’s been living a lie. Adelle thinks it’s high time Glory made things right. But Adelle’s finding it hard to tell the truth . . . and there will be no going back once she does.
In the wake of deeply personal grief and loss, two women reckon with a lifetime of silence and secrets to find a path forward toward healing, hope, and restoration.
The Light on Horn Island by Valerie Fraser Luesse was a big hit with my book club. We all loved it! If you are looking for multi-generational women’s fiction with some mystery and history, then this book is for you! If you have already read it and would like more books like it, here are a few reading recommendations.
On Moonberry Lake by Holly Varni
Cora Matthews’s life is a mess. A broken engagement and the unexpected death of her mother have left her wondering if things will ever return to normal. Whatever “normal” is.
It certainly isn’t what she finds at Moonberry Lake. After she receives her family’s dilapidated lakefront lodge as an inheritance–with a surprising condition attached–Cora finds her life overrun by a parade of eccentric neighbors who all have something to say and something to teach her.
As Cora works to put her life back together, she must decide if she is willing to let go of the past, open her heart to love, and embrace the craziest version of family and home she could ever have imagined.
A Place to Land by Lauren K. Denton
Violet Figg and her sister Trudy have lived a quiet life in Sugar Bend, Alabama, since a night forty years ago that stole Trudy’s voice and cemented Violet’s role as her sister’s fierce and loyal protector. Now Trudy spends her days making sculptures from found objects and speaking through notes written on scraps of paper, while Violet runs their art shop, monitors bird activity up and down the water, and tries not to think of the one great love she gave up to keep her sister safe.
Eighteen-year-old Maya knows where everyone else belongs, but she’s been searching for her own place since her grandmother died seven years ago. Moving in and out of strangers’ houses has left her exhausted. After seeing a flyer on a gas station window for a place called Sugar Bend, Maya chooses to follow the strange pull she feels and finds herself on the doorstep of an art shop called Two Sisters.
When a boat rises to the surface of Little River in the middle of the night, the present and no-longer-buried past collide, and the future becomes uncertain for Maya, Violet, and Trudy. As history creeps continuously closer to the present and old secrets come to light, the sisters must decide to face the truth of what happened that night forty years ago, or risk losing each other and those they’ve come to love.
The Songs That Could Have Been by Amanda Wen
After a tailspin in her late teens, Lauren Anderson’s life is finally back on track. Her battle with bulimia is under control, her career is taking off, and she’s surrounded by a loving family. Then a chance meeting with Carter Douglas, her first love and the man who broke her heart, leads to old feelings returning with new strength. And suddenly her well-balanced world is thrown off kilter.
Now a TV meteorologist, Carter is determined to make amends with Lauren. After all, she still owns his heart. But the reasons they broke up aren’t lost–and those old demons are forcing him toward the same decision he faced in the past. He isn’t sure he’s courageous enough to make a different choice this time around.
When Lauren’s elderly grandmother, Rosie, begins having nightmares about a man named Ephraim–a name her family has never heard before–a fascinating and forbidden past love comes to light. As Lauren and Carter work to uncover the untold stories of Rosie’s past in 1950s Wichita, they embark on a journey of forgiveness and second chances that will change their lives–and Rosie’s–forever. Along the way they’ll learn that God wastes nothing, his timing is perfect, and nothing is beyond his grace and redemption.
Today’s TTT topic is beach reads. A beach read can mean different things — a romance with a tropical setting, an escape book, or an engaging whodunit. My list includes books all that plus they literally have beach settings! 😉 You’ll find a variety of genres — there’s something for everyone.
Happy June! While summer has not officially commenced, here in the Sunny South it is definitely in full force! Today’s TTT challenge is a Summer Freebie. I am listing books with Summer in the title — I can’t believe I haven’t done this before. I have read most of the books on the list, but there are a few that are still on the TBR wishlist. Hope you find one to love.
My book club chose a favorite author for our October read. Lauren K. Denton’s books have always generated great conversations, but I think the discussion around A Place to Land was our best yet. It received a unanimous thumbs-up from my group.
Violet Figg and her sister Trudy have lived a quiet life in Sugar Bend, Alabama, since a night forty years ago that stole Trudy’s voice and cemented Violet’s role as her sister’s fierce and loyal protector. Now Trudy spends her days making sculptures from found objects and speaking through notes written on scraps of paper, while Violet runs their art shop, monitors bird activity up and down the water, and tries not to think of the one great love she gave up to keep her sister safe.
Eighteen-year-old Maya knows where everyone else belongs, but she’s been searching for her own place since her grandmother died seven years ago. Moving in and out of strangers’ houses has left her exhausted. After seeing a flyer on a gas station window for a place called Sugar Bend, Maya chooses to follow the strange pull she feels and finds herself on the doorstep of an art shop called Two Sisters.
When a boat rises to the surface of Little River in the middle of the night, the present and no-longer-buried past collide, and the future becomes uncertain for Maya, Violet, and Trudy. As history creeps continuously closer to the present and old secrets come to light, the sisters must decide to face the truth of what happened that night forty years ago, or risk losing each other and those they’ve come to love.
Born and raised in Mobile, Alabama, Lauren K. Denton now lives with her husband, two daughters, and one fluffy dog in Homewood, just outside Birmingham. In addition to her fiction, she writes a monthly newspaper column about life, relationships, and how funny (and hard) it is to be a parent. On any given day, she’d rather be at the beach with her family and a stack of books.
My Impressions:
How do family secrets determine relationship dynamics? Can you sacrifice without losing your identity? These questions and more were asked in A Place to Land by Lauren K. Denton. Women’s fiction set in Alabama, this is truly a novel of the South. From the description of the river that runs through the town of Sugar Bend, to the small town feel, to the characters, you know you are in the South from the first page — and that’s a good thing. The story revolves around two 60ish women, Violet and Trudy, who are bound together by more than sisterhood. Their stories and those of supporting characters unfold as Denton spins a tale of lost opportunities, regret, and a glimmer of hope for a different future. I loved all the characters, but especially Violet who gave up so much for her younger sister. Should she have? That’s a question for readers to ponder. My book club talked about that a lot. The underlying mystery that is slowly revealed kept us turning the pages. We were all surprised by the ending, and by the time the book was finished we wanted much more. The author gave us clues to how the characters’ journeys would progress, and we loved putting our own spin on it, finishing with a most happily-ever-after.
I loved A Place to Land and recommend it, especially for book clubs.
Recommended.
Great for Book Clubs.
Audience: Adults.
(I read this book through the Kindle Unlimited program. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
Happy Tuesday! I considered not participating in today’s TTT — too much thinking required 😉 and I wasn’t sure I had much change in my reading habits over the past years. However, I did think about it and discovered that along with changes in my real life, my reading life followed suit. It’s been 5 years since my husband sold his business to a corporate buyer and he started working for the man. 😉 I was suddenly and gleefully out of a job (change #1). Then two of my children married (change #2) and two grandchildren were born (change #3). My husband went from working 5 days a week to 4 days a week to 3 days a week (big change #4). So here I am with seemingly endless time on my hands, but it has been filled with more travel, more husband together time, and with seeing family a little more often. That means reading slowly shifted in priority. I used to read well over 100 books a year. I am currently 7 books behind in a 75-book Goodreads Challenge. I know, 50 plus books already read this year is way over the national average, but it is certainly a change for me.
All that being said, I really have changed my reading habits. My list details some of those changes and the books that fit them.
I used to read everywhere and have 3 books going at the same time — one audiobook, one ebook, and one physical book. Now I occasionally read more than one book at a time, but for the most part I read just one.
Current read: A Place to Land by Lauren K. Denton
I used to go on solo road trips to see my daughter play college soccer while her dad stayed home and worked. A lot of my time spent in the car included an audiobook. I also found myself doing chores in longer blocks of time that I passed with an audiobook — not so much any more. I haven’t listened to an audiobook in forever. I have one started that I need to finish.
Audiobook to finish: The Gardins of Eden by Rosey Lee
My choice of books has changed a bit too. My go-to will always remain mystery/suspense, but I find I gravitate to historical fiction more often now.
The last historical fiction book I read: The American Queen by Vanessa Miller
Years ago I chose to read more for pleasure, than have-to (review books).
The last book I read because I wanted to: Something Borrowed by Rachel Scott McDaniel, Allison K. Pittman, and Susie Finkbeiner
I joined another book club in order to read outside my box. This has been so much fun. My small group chooses historical fiction featuring strong (and real) female characters.
The last book we read: Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles
Happy Tuesday! Today’s TTT is all about brags and confessions. When thinking about this topic I have to admit I felt a little bit ashamed about all the books I haven’t read yet. But I have had some accomplishments in my reading life too. So this list will be a balance of things I need to work on and some wins that I can feel good about. And let’s be honest — reading should bring joy not guilt! My list highlights some great books too — hope one sparks your interest.
Top Bookish Brags And Confessions
First The Brags
I am fairly well-read and count many classics as my favorite books. I have read both The Count of Monte Cristo and Moby Dick and loved both!
I almost always find the book better than the movie. While the movie version of The Count of Monte Cristo was horrible, Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers was very well-done. You also need to read The Mountain Between Us by Charles Martin before seeing the movie. And if all you know is the movie, read the book now!
Through my book club I have discovered very good books that I would not have normally picked up for a variety of reasons. Two of those are The Women by Kristin Hannah and The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon.
Now for The Confession 😉
I have a lot of books. I mean a lot. More than I want to count. Physical books, ebooks, audiobooks — you name it! It’s only an out of control problem if I don’t live another 573 years LOL! I am really trying to whittle them down, but since I quit working 5 years ago I seem to have less time to read. Ask your old friends, it really is a thing. 😉
Here are some of the books that have recently entered my house that I need to read! They are for book club and review, so I’m pretty confident they will be read in a few weeks.
I was going to add another confession, but really this encompasses all of my book issues — can’t resist a pretty cover, have to acquire a favorite author’s latest book, have to support indie bookstores, etc.
This month’s book club pick is A Place to Land by Lauren K. Denton. Denton is a favorite for Southern and women’s fiction. We look forward to getting to know the people living in Sugar Bend, Alabama!
Violet Figg and her sister Trudy have lived a quiet life in Sugar Bend, Alabama, since a night forty years ago that stole Trudy’s voice and cemented Violet’s role as her sister’s fierce and loyal protector. Now Trudy spends her days making sculptures from found objects and speaking through notes written on scraps of paper, while Violet runs their art shop, monitors bird activity up and down the water, and tries not to think of the one great love she gave up to keep her sister safe.
Eighteen-year-old Maya knows where everyone else belongs, but she’s been searching for her own place since her grandmother died seven years ago. Moving in and out of strangers’ houses has left her exhausted. After seeing a flyer on a gas station window for a place called Sugar Bend, Maya chooses to follow the strange pull she feels and finds herself on the doorstep of an art shop called Two Sisters.
When a boat rises to the surface of Little River in the middle of the night, the present and no-longer-buried past collide, and the future becomes uncertain for Maya, Violet, and Trudy. As history creeps continuously closer to the present and old secrets come to light, the sisters must decide to face the truth of what happened that night forty years ago, or risk losing each other and those they’ve come to love.
Born and raised in Mobile, Alabama, Lauren K. Denton now lives with her husband, two daughters, and one fluffy dog in Homewood, just outside Birmingham. In addition to her fiction, she writes a monthly newspaper column about life, relationships, and how funny (and hard) it is to be a parent. On any given day, she’d rather be at the beach with her family and a stack of books.
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