ON VACATION:

I am out of the office and away from my computer. I am hanging out with my family and enjoying a Disney Cruise. Upon my return there will be lots of reviews. I hope you all have a great few weeks! 

#MMBBR #Review #SistersLikeUs #MischiefBay #Book4 @SusanMallery #FirstLine @HarlequinBooks @MIRAEditors ‏

The grass is always greener on your sister’s side of the fence…

Divorce left Harper Szymanski with a name no one can spell, a house she can't afford and a teenage daughter who's pulling away. With her fledgling virtual-assistant business, she's scrambling to maintain her overbearing mother’s ridiculous Susie Homemaker standards and still pay the bills, thanks to clients like Lucas, the annoying playboy cop who claims he hangs around for Harper's fresh-baked cookies.

Spending half her life in school hasn't prepared Dr. Stacey Bloom for her most daunting challenge—motherhood. She didn't inherit the nurturing gene like Harper and is in deep denial that a baby is coming. Worse, her mother will be horrified to learn that Stacey's husband plans to be a stay-at-home dad…assuming Stacey can first find the courage to tell Mom she's already six months pregnant.

Separately they may be a mess, but together Harper and Stacey can survive anything—their indomitable mother, overwhelming maternity stores and ex’s weddings. Sisters Like Us is a delightful look at sisters, mothers and daughters in today’s fast-paced world, told with Susan Mallery’s trademark warmth and humor.

#FirstLine ~ There wasn't s holiday on the calendar that Harper Szymanski couldn't celebrate, cook for, decorate, decoupage, create a greeting card about or wrap in raffia. 

I love Mallery as she writes books that make my heart happy. She writes books that are ones that you wish could be made into a show because her books are so binge worthy and so would the shows if the books were made into a TV series.  I love following the characters around and seeing how things work out for them. The setting and characters are those that they reader can relate to because she they real, flawed and engaging. This book is original and fun to read with topics that are both light and deep in perfect measure. 

Susan Mallery 

Susan Mallery is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of books about the relationships that define women's lives—romance, friendship, family. With compassion and humor, Susan keenly observes how people think and feel, in stories that take readers on an emotional journey. Sometimes heartbreaking, often funny, and always uplifting, Susan's books have spent more than 200 weeks on the USA Today bestsellers list, thanks to her ever growing legions of fans.

Critics, too, have heaped praise on "the new queen of romantic fiction." (Walmart) Booklist says, "Romance novels don't get much better than Mallery's expert blend of emotional nuance, humor, and superb storytelling," and RT Book Reviews puts her "in a class by herself!"

Although Susan majored in Accounting, she never worked as an accountant because she was published straight out of college with two books the same month, January of 1992. Sixteen prolific years and seventy-four books later, she hit the New York Times bestsellers list for the first time with Accidentally Yours in 2008. She made many appearances in the Top 10 before (finally) hitting #1 in 2015 with Thrill Me, the twentieth book in her most popular series, the Fool's Gold romances, and the fourth of five books released that year.

Susan lives in Seattle with her husband, two ragdoll cats, and a tattletale toy poodle. Her heart for animals has led Susan to become an active supporter of the Seattle Humane Society. Animals play a big role in her books, as well, as she believes they're an integral component to a happy life. Visit Susan online at www.SusanMallery.com.

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#MMBBR #Highlight #QuoteAcrosticFavorites #Series #PuzzleBooksforFun by #CharlesPreston #akaAssociates

“An absolute 'must' for all dedicated crossword puzzle fans...by a true master game maker is unreservedly recommended and a guaranteed source of hours upon hours upon hours of challenging entertainment!”

--Midwest Book Review

If You Like Crossword Puzzles, You’ll Love Acrostics

Created by former USA Today crossword puzzle editor Charles Preston, these 50 favorite acrostics reveal wise and witty sayings on lessons learned, enjoying life, and the value of experience.

Crack the clues in the word column; transfer them to the diagram; and discover quotations from people like Dave Barry, Lord Byron, Willa Cather, Pat Conroy, Gloria Steinem, and more.

Includes 50 favorite puzzles on topics including “Freedom at Last,” “No Guess Work Here,” and “Observations.”

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#MMBBR #Review #JustBetweenUs by #RebeccaDrake @AuthorRDrake ‏@StMartinsPress #FirstLine

About JUST BETWEEN US​

Alison, Julie, Sarah, Heather. Four friends living the suburban ideal. Their jobs are steady, their kids are healthy. They’re as beautiful as their houses. But each of them has a dirty little secret, and hidden behind the veneer of their perfect lives is a crime and a mystery that will consume them all. 

Everything starts to unravel when Alison spots a nasty bruise on Heather’s wrist. She shares her suspicions with Julie and Sarah, compelling all three to investigate what looks like an increasingly violent marriage. As mysterious injuries and erratic behavior mount, Heather can no longer deny the abuse, but she refuses to leave her husband. Desperate to save her, Alison and the others dread the phone call telling them that she’s been killed. But when that call finally comes, it’s not Heather who’s dead. In a moment they’ll come to regret, the women must decide what lengths they’ll go to in order to help a friend.

Just Between Us is a thrilling glimpse into the underbelly of suburbia, where not all neighbors can be trusted, and even the closest friends keep dangerous secrets. You never really know what goes on in another person’s mind, or in their marriage.

#FirstLine ~ Prologue: Funerals for murder victims are distinguished from other services by the curiosity seekers.

Holy man, this book was amazing. I loved it. I was totally immersed in this twisty, turny story. It was thrilling and engaging and one of those books that keeps you at the edge of your seat. It was well fleshed out and the build up to the conclusion, was nothing short of fantastic. Such a oroginal book and one I will not soon forget. A must read for all lovers of a good thriller with a great plot and unforgettable characters. 

About the Author

REBECCA DRAKE

REBECCA DRAKE is the author of the novels Don’t Be Afraid, The Next Killing, The Dead Place, which was an IMBA bestseller, and Only Ever You, as well as the short story “Loaded,” which was featured in Pittsburgh Noir. A graduate of Penn State University an

Praise for JUST BETWEEN US

"A twisty, domestic thriller [...] tense, bombshell-laden, and action-packed." — Publisher's Weekly

"Female friendships flourish, then falter, under the weight of chance events underlaid by secrecy and deceit [...] Drake shows a sure hand in spinning suburban thrillers." —Booklist

"Fans of Liane Moriarty and B.A. Paris are going to love this twisty, diabolical suburban thriller. Clear your evening, you won't be able to put it down." — J.T. Ellison, New York Times bestselling author of Lie to Me

"Rebecca Drake's Just Between Us is a stunner - a tense, twisty thriller about four ordinary women that begs the question: When a friend is in trouble, and all you want to do is help, how can everything go so terribly wrong?" — Karen Dionne, author The Marsh King's Daughter

"Rebecca Drake's Just Between Us is a riveting thriller that reveals the dark heart beating in the middle of American suburbia. Every character in this rich novel has a secret, and the secrets get deeper and darker as the pitch-perfect plot unfolds. This is a stunning story of friendship and the tangled lies that bind four women together. Don't miss it!" — David Bell, author of Bring Her Home

#MMBBR #Review #BetweenMeAndYou #AllisonWinnScotch @aswinn #LakeUnionPublishing @AmazonPub

From New York Times bestselling author Allison Winn Scotch comes an honest, touching, and funny exploration of falling in and out of love, told from two perspectives—one rewinding history, one moving it forward—and each with bias and regret.

When their paths first cross, Ben Livingston is a fledgling screenwriter on the brink of success; Tatum Connelly is a struggling actress tending bar in a New York City dive. They fall in love, they marry, they become parents, and they think only of the future. But as the years go by, Tatum’s stardom rises while Ben’s fades. In a marriage that bears the fallout of ambition and fame, Ben and Tatum are at a crossroads. Now all they can do is think back…

A life of passion, joy, tragedy, and loss—once shared—becomes one as shifting and unpredictable as a memory. As the pieces of their past come together, as they explore the ways love can bend and break, Ben and Tatum come to see how it all went wrong—and wonder what they can do now to make it all right.

MY REVIEW: 

#FirstLine ~ I told myself that if she showed, that would be the sign I needed.

Photo: Kat Tuohy Photography

I adored this book. Winn Scotch has again delivered with a book that captures the audience through amazing characters, richness and depth in story and such universal topics. Winn Scotch is not afraid to really dig into topics that hit a cord with readers and force them to look inward and examine their own lives. I could not put it down and wanted to talk to others about this book. I think this book will make a great book club selection because there is so much to talk about and it is one of those reads that will cause emotional reactions. Another hit by a very gifted writer. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:   Allison Winn Scotch is the bestselling author of six novels, including IN TWENTY YEARS, THE THEORY OF OPPOSITES, and TIME OF MY LIFE. Her seventh novel, BETWEEN ME AND YOU, will be released on January 9th, 2018. In addition to fiction, she pens celebrity profiles for a variety of magazines, which justifies her pop culture obsession and occasionally lends to awesome Facebook status updates. She lives in Los Angeles with her family. For more about her and her books, go to allisonwinn.com or follow her on Twitter at @aswinn.

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#EVERLESS by @Sara_Holland was my #firstread in #2018 http://amzn.to/2lhI6JS #amreading #YA w/ @BookSparks & @HarperTeen

Everless by Sara Holland is available NOW Get the book being hailed as one of the great YA reads of 2018! "Sara Holland is a fierce storyteller. Everless gives new and terrifying meaning to the phrase running out of time." —Stephanie Garber, New York Times bestselling author of Caraval

Buy Now This book was FANTASTIC and was an amazing way to kick off my reading in 2018!!!

In the kingdom of Sempera, time is currency—extracted from blood, bound to iron, and consumed to add time to one’s own lifespan. The rich aristocracy, like the Gerlings, tax the poor to the hilt, extending their own lives by centuries. No one resents the Gerlings more than Jules Ember. A decade ago, she and her father were servants at Everless, the Gerlings’ palatial estate, until a fateful accident forced them to flee in the dead of night. When Jules discovers that her father is dying, she knows that she must return to Everless to earn more time for him before she loses him forever.

Enter the EverlessGiveaway Enter Now

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Tweet Now #EVERLESS by @Sara_Holland is going to the top of my 2018 #TBRpile! http://amzn.to/2lhI6JS #amreading #YA with @BookSparks and @HarperTeen

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#MMBBR #Review #MrMommyBooknerd #DemonCrown #SigmaForce by @jamesrollins @Morrow_PB @WmMorrowBooks

                                                                                                                                                   

The Demon Crown by James Rollins

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

MR MOMMY BOOKNERD'S REVIEW Reading for me is not my go to relaxation activity nor would I describe myself as an avid reader of novels. The Sigma Force Series however has always drawn my interest. The format of the series is known commodity and doesn’t stray from its winning formula. Winning however doesn’t always equate to dominating. I enjoyed The Seventh Plague, but it didn’t hold my interest as past Sigma Force novels.

Demon Crown dominated. Rollins tied together fascinating history of an American institution, the lost ways of the Japanese samurai, WWII, biology, geology, entomology, plus the action, suspense, and adventure that would be expected from a secret government agency charged with protecting the interest of the United States and the world.

Demon Crown captivated my attention and forced me to finish this novel. The story’s constant twist, change of scenery, nonstop action created a movie in my mind that would not turn off and had me wondering what is next. Plus, hordes of wasp, prehistoric wasp is a scary thought. Humans have an innate fear of insects and Rollins masterfully takes the first-person role as you get to see the specific thoughts of this primate creature whose soul purpose is to replicate. The imagery and symbolism is incredible and is well placed throughout the novel.
5 out of 5 and a must read

View all my reviews