The Christmas Wishing Tree by Emily March

Published: St Martin’s Press
Date: 25th September 2018
Format: e-ARC
Pages: 320
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

A man who loves adventure and the open sea, Devin Murphy returns for a short Christmas trip to his small hometown of Eternity Springs. Immersed in the joy and magic of the holiday season all around him, he doesn’t hesitate to play along when a young boy phones Santa to ask for a very special wish. Devin never guesses that a wrong number has the potential to make everything in his life so right. Jenna Stockton adopted Reilly when he needed a mother and she intends to keep him safe. A small town across the country called Eternity Springs seems like a good place to hide from their past without any complications —until sexy Santa himself discovers her secrets. When Devin proposes a daring plan to face down the danger together and defeat it once and for all, she is tempted. Maybe Devin really is capable of making wishes come true? Perhaps in a Christmas wish they’ll both find the miracle they’ve been looking for all along…

The Christmas Wishing Tree was a delightful read. I always love returning to Eternity Springs, and this time I was hooked by the tension engendered from what Devin might do. Would he remain in Australia or fit in with a special person and live in Eternity Springs?

Jenna and her son Reilly are being harassed quite seriously by a stalker, and after some nasty experiences they have ended up in Eternity Springs. And of course that’s the right place to come to when you are hurting. Celeste for a start will have something up her sleeve and there is a whole arsenal of very capable people who can look into this matter.

I enjoyed the characters, Devin of course is as soft as marshmellow – when it counts and Jenna is such a great mother. Reilly is delightful and his journey of discovering all about how Christmas counts and what its all about is perfect.

I loved the humor, as well as the range of emotions the story evoked in me. It was full of beloved characters from Eternity Springs, yet easily could be picked up as a stand alone.

Emily March Website                             Twitter: @EmilyMarchBooks
Facebook: Emily March                         Pinterest: Emily March

Buy Links:

Macmillan
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Books-a-Million
Indie Bound
Powells

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week.  It’s a great post to organise yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment, and er… add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye’s Blog   and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date. And here we are!

Jen Vincent, Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee of Unleashing Readers decided to give It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit – join them!

I seem to have accomplished quite a bit of reading this week without trying. The books almost read themselves!

I have quite a few reserves on at the library and five of them came in this past week and one now there still waiting to pick up. Feast or famine!

What I read last week:

I finished listening to this book, I enjoyed it and I can also tick off classic in my reading challenges.

I also read for review, I have reviewed this on NG and Goodreads and will on Amazon when it publishes but won’t here on the blog. I liked it – 4 stars.

This one came off my TBR, it has been there for a very long time! Tick off another challenge book.

And from the library these two books. Am American Marriage was good but not really my cup of tea. I just didn’t warm to the characters. Sorry! However I see it has been nominated for the long list of the 2018 National Book Award so another tick off for a reading challenge. The Desert Nurse I loved and what a gorgeous cover.

What I am reading at present:

So reading on through the library books!

And I started listening to

Up next:

 

Last Week Posts

Over the Teacups #10 with Kristan Higgins and Cathy Lamb

 

Over the Teacups #10 with Kristan Higgins and Cathy Lamb

Why? I like any book by Kristan Higgins so I was absolutely keen to read this one.

Plot This is about three friends who have weight issues and body image issues – their struggles and their joys. Their families and loves.

What Appeals to me? An extremely well written book that explores hugely important themes in today’s world. Like body image, attitudes around that, other people’s kindness and unkindness. It’s about family struggles too. Parenting.

This book is so sad and so funny at various spots.

It took me  a little while to like the woman characters, but they grew on me. I It really isn’t an easy book to read in some ways, its confrontative.

And so… I think its an extremely important book, and would be excellent as a book club read. So much to talk about you’d need a few sessions!

 

Why? I thoroughly enjoy any book ever written by Cathy Lamb. Thanks to a blogger I was introduced to her books. This one was one I had that I hadn’t read, its like saving up something special.

Plot  Boss Mom Jaden has loved her son Tate since he was born. Born to her sister Brooke (a drug addict). Tate has a large head, so he has had a good deal of teasing to deal with. But… he is the most loveable of characters. Jaden takes him as her own when Brooke walks out after his birth. Now he is seventeen and he so wants to fly, to play basketball, to be accepted by other. And Jaden is so against that because a knock to the head could cause serious problems for Jaden because he has a shunt going from his brain to his heart.

What Appeals to me? I totally love the characters that Cathy Lamb conjures up. They are so full of warmth and feeling. And humour! Irreverent humour. I love the way she explores and shares someone who is different and so fully a wonderful human being.  It invites us to be open and kind and accepting and really celebratory of all the differences in people.

And so… I do have one more book to read by Cathy Lamb, her one that is due out on the 30th of October titled The Man She Married. I don’t even know what its about. It doesn’t matter. Its written by Cathy Lamb. That’s all I need to know.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week.  It’s a great post to organise yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment, and er… add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye’s Blog   and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date. And here we are!

Jen Vincent, Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee of Unleashing Readers decided to give It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit – join them!

Do you visit around on the It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? link. I try to randomly choose where to go, so that I visit a variety of book blogs. I decide on a pattern and off I go.  It does have a little danger though, because invariably I end up with at least one or two books I really want to read!  Rush was one such book I met on my blog travels ( not necessarily this link up), and I decided to read. I would never have come across it otherwise. The blessing of the internet and how it is introduced me to so many books.

What I read this week.

I finished listening to Crimes Against a Book Club – a fun listen.

And I read these from the library and loved them.

I also read one review book, a new one in the Haven Point series by this author.

What I am currently reading.

One from the way back TBR pile on my bookshelves, randomly chosen, using random.org. Otherwise when I go to choose a random one, I wave my hand around, close my eyes and then point and then go “No, not that”. So I was tough, randomly chose a shelf then randomly chose a book!

And listening to my classic for a reading challenge – almost finished it.

Plans for my next read…

A review book from NetGalley

Between You And Me by Susan Wiggs

Published: William Morrow
Date: June 26th 2018
Format:  Hardback
Pages: 356
Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Caught between two worlds, Caleb Stoltz is bound by a deathbed promise to raise his orphaned niece and nephew in Middle Grove, where life revolves around family, farm, faith—and long-held suspicions about outsiders. When disaster strikes, Caleb is thrust into an urban environment of high-tech medicine and the relentless rush of modern life. Dr. Reese Powell is poised to join the medical dynasty of her wealthy, successful parents. Bold, assertive, and quick-thinking, she lives for the addictive rush of saving lives. When a shocking accident brings Caleb Stoltz into her life, Reese is forced to deal with a situation that challenges everything she thinks she knows—and ultimately emboldens her to question her most powerful beliefs.

Do you ever read a book slowly, especially as you get to the end. Read a few pages, walk away and do something else. And then go back. That’s what I did as I came to the final pages of this book. I just didn’t want to leave Reese, Caleb, Hannah and Jonah.

Both Reese and Caleb are similar in that parental expectations loom large in their respective lives. Reese is the only child of two very successful doctors… and they want to her too to climb to the top of the medical tree. But is it what she herself wants, where does her passion in medicine lie?

Caleb has lived his life in the Amish community, but only stays there because of a promise to his brother John to watch over Hannah and Jonah, his niece and nephew as they grow. His struggle revolves around what he really believes and what he has promised.

While this story situates the faith struggle in the Amish community, this question of what is true and right for a person, applies to any faith community I believe. Every religious group has its wonderful and positive attributes and… the darkness of beliefs somehow that have become twisted and well… stupid!  We all need to ask – what is life giving? And this story explores that very much.

So in short, a book that I identified with and really enjoyed.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? A Seasonal Change!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week.  It’s a great post to organise yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment, and er… add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye’s Blog   and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date. And here we are!

Jen Vincent, Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee of Unleashing Readers decided to give It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit – join them!

Well we are into Spring here in this part of the world and indeed I see a few blossoms appearing and bulbs are going wild. True to form we had a beautiful day for the first day of Spring, and then crash / bang, yucky weather since.

Congratulations to the final two winners for August on last week’s link up.

This book is on its way to Australia for Sam Still Reading

And this one all the way to Canada for Words I Write Crazy

And Happy Labor Day to all those celebrating that lovely long weekend. Soak it up.

What I read Last Week

Loved this one, short review will follow.

I also read this library book as planned

And then on to this first review book for the month.

What I am reading now…

This book by an Australian author, it was my turn for it at the library. As there are 27 people who have it reserved after me, I knew I wouldn’t get a renewal so it needed to have immediate reading! Love the cover. Can you tell its set mostly in Italy. And the book has such a nice clean new ring to it. The advantage of reserving it way ahead of it hitting the shelf!

I am still listening to Crimes Against a Book Club and enjoying it, wondering how it will all end!

Up next

Most likely this other library read, crisp new hardback. Yummy. This is a book I noted a few bloggers reading and liking so I am hoping as I have never read this author before.

Month in Review – August Reading Link Up

Welcome in to looking back at the reading accomplished and books explored during August. I look forward to seeing what many of you have been reading.

This month I chose to read only books I really wanted to read , no pressure of review books. I read slowly and just enjoyed! Really all reading should be like that, so I must remember that. As well no new authors this month, just my favourites.

As a celebration for August I am giving away one book from the Book Depository. One reader who links up with this post will randomly be chosen at the end of August. Thanks to all of you for joining in over the months.

Books Read in August   11

Sold on a Monday   Kristina Morris   5 stars
Best Beach Ever   Wendy Wax     5 stars
How to Keep a Secret   Sarah Morgan 5 stars
The Sugarhouse Blues   Mariah Stewart 4 stars    Audiobook
Her Royal Spyness Rhys Bowen  4 stars     Audiobook
A Royal Pain   Rhys Bowen  4 stars      Audiobook
Before and Again   Barbara Delinksy   4 stars
Good Luck With That   Kristan Higgins   5 stars
Between you and Me  Susan Wiggs 5 stars
A Different Kind of Normal  Cathy Lamb 5 stars
If Books Could Kill   Kate Carlisle  4 stars

Top Books for August

It was difficult to choose, as I thoroughly enjoyed everything I read this month.

 

 

 

 

 

Looking forward to reading in September

I intend reading some books to work towards completing some reading challenges as well as some review books. Persuasion is for a reading challenge and I have long wanted to try the Emily series since I was informed by Katherine over at I Wish I lived in a Library (and wouldn’t we all) at how good this series is.

 

Incoming Books

Gifts

Paperback Books Purchased… that last one is a hardback of Middlemarch – a goal for next year!

Kindle Book Purchased

Borrowed from the Library

Books from Edelweiss and NetGalley

Books Purchased with Credits from Audible

So how was your month?

Sold on a Monday by Kristina Morris

Published: Sourcebooks
Date:  28th August 2018
Format: e-ARC
Pages: 352
Genre: Historical Fiction
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

The sign is a last resort. It sits on a farmhouse porch in 1931, but could be found anywhere in an era of breadlines, bank runs, and broken dreams. It could have been written by any mother facing impossible choices. Inspired by an actual newspaper photograph that stunned the nation, Sold on a Monday is a powerful novel of love, redemption, and the unexpected paths that bring us home.

Sold on a Monday by Kristina Morris is the story of reporter Ellis, secretary to the Chief of a newspaper Lily, and the mother and children that Ellis takes a photo of and places in the newspaper for a story, not exactly on purpose. The title says “2 Children for Sale”. He didn’t intend it to happen like that but it has.

As a result two children are sold, a mother disappears and Ellis and Lily are left wondering.  Lily has a secret of her own, and a desire to be a writer if only she can break through the male barrier to that. And she is the persevering kind.

Ellis does make good from the story that goes with the photo, but… he is a man of conscience and so begins a journey that he and Lily undertake to ensure that the sold children are safe and thriving. What they find out disturbs them enough to have them undertake a sometimes quite dangerous mission to recover the children.

The story is one that kept me engaged the whole way through. It was both sad and heartwarming and I really liked both the setting and the characters. Very satisfying.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #150

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week.  It’s a great post to organise yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit and comment, and er… add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye’s Blog   and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date. And here we are!

Jen Vincent, Teach Mentor Texts, and Kellee of Unleashing Readers decided to give It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit – join them!

You might notice #150 in the title today. This is not #150 of IMWAYR, this link up has gone on for years.  However #150 is the number denoting how many weeks I have been hosting it. So a little more on that  later.

Last week’s book of choice winner was Amy from Nerdy Reader Girl  #31 on the linky. She has chosen what looks like a creepy, police detective mystery/thriller…

Well August is coming to an end and this week will see it moving on! In September as I read I intend keeping an eye on some of the my reading challenges. It will be back to some review books, but only one a week. I am becoming far more ruthless choosy about what I will take up to review.

I celebrated my birthday this past week. There is nothing more endearing than a three year old singing me Happy Birthday via video. She is such fun. Then later she asked her mother where the party was! Because birthdays always have parties attached when you are three!  She’d be disappointed in coffee out with your sisters!

This week marks #150 of my hosting this link up so I am going to have a book giveaway to celebrate, plus its still August so I am doing one more for that as well.

So that’s two opportunities this week on the post, and then September ordinary rolls round! The days are already lighter here and I have even dug in a little of the lupin and mustard in the vegetable garden.  Emphasis on the little, as I do it in small chunks

What I read last week:

I listened through pretty quickly to this second book in the series. When I am quilting a quilt that’s a time when I do a lot of listening. Oh dear! quilt finished now so listening time not so often in the coming week!  Anyway #2 in the series and fun. But will take a rest from them now.

These two books. Before and Again which explores the sadness and guilt of loosing a child in a car accident. And Good Luck with That which explores some very important themes to ponder about body image, and so much more.

What I am reading at present:

And I am listening to

Up next:

Most  likely will be this one from the library

Last Week Posts

Night Magic Emilie Richards

Night Magic by Emilie Richards

Published: Emilie Richards
Date: 15th August 2018
Format: e-ARC
Pages: 335
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Source: Author

Skeeter is more than the maverick people usually see. The man who sells caricatures on Jackson Square has caught the eye of a gallery owner in New York, and now he can create the art he really wants to–if he’s willing to make the leap. Skeeter must make another leap. He and Daffy have met before, and their latent attraction ignites immediately. Still, before they can move forward, Skeeter has to tell her the truth about his past. And Daffy, who has specialized in short-term relationships, must now face the reason why. As Daffy and Skeeter delve deeper into the world of voodoo, danger is all around them. They must find a way to stop the exploitation of Daffy’s client. But as they do, will they be able to overcome their own difficult pasts to find a future they can share?

Night Magic rounds out the New Orleans Nights trilogy by Emilie Richards. This is an entirely new book, the previous two were updated and republished. This one completes a series I was so happy to have the opportunity to read. Thanks to the wonderful phenomenon of Indie publishing.

I had loved Skeeter – especially in book one, and so it was with anticipation of a book I’d enjoy I opened up Night Magic. I had been hoping that Skeeter would still have a bit of the bad boy in him, but truly I don’t really think he ever was. He has a heart of gold and incredible talent as an artist. As well he’s open to a new relationship.

Daffy is a psychologist trying to crack open the world of a small group of teenage girls who are very tight lipped. She’s good at her job, astute and caring. But… she herself has some left over issues from childhood that truly are holding her back.

The baddie in this story? Well that would be one of the other characters and a whole lot of hokum pokum voodoo hoodoo.  It’s a race against time to track down the person, place and time to uncover who and what is at the root of the mysterious goings on.

Full of New Orleans flavour this is a highly entertaining and satisfying story. And… I got my wish – this story ended just as I was hoping.