Coming Soon ….

Posted on May 30, 2014 by opesopinions

… On a Bookshelf near you!

This is my pick for reading in June.

Publication Date: June 24, 2014
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Goodreads: A touching new novel from Elin Hilderbrand in which a dying woman sets out to find love for those closest to her – before it’s too late

Dabney Kimball Beech, the 48-year-old fifth generation Nantucketer, has had a lifelong gift of matchmaking (52 couples still together to her credit). But when Dabney discovers she is dying of pancreatic cancer, she sets out to find matches for a few people very close to home: her husband, celebrated economist John Boxmiller Beech; her lover journalist Clendenin Hughes; and her daughter, Agnes, who is engaged to be married to the wrong man.

As time slips away from Dabney, she is determined to find matches for those she loves most – but at what cost to her own relationships? THE MATCHMAKER is the heartbreaking new novel from Elin Hilderbrand about losing and finding love, even as you’re running out of time.

What is coming soon …. to a bookshelf near you?

Let me know – I am always looking for a good read!

BEA – Blogger Expectations Abound

Posted on May 28, 2014 by opesopinions

BEA – we are here!!
I wish you could hear my excitement!!

Today is the blogging conference.
There is so much I want to learn and people I want to meet.

There are sessions to choose from, with bloggers experience to learn from. I am hoping you will see some changes on my website after I absorb all this information.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before

Posted on May 26, 2014 by opesopinions

Author: Jenny Han
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Source: Purchased

Goodreads: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is the story of Lara Jean, who has never openly admitted her crushes, but instead wrote each boy a letter about how she felt, sealed it, and hid it in a box under her bed. But one day Lara Jean discovers that somehow her secret box of letters has been mailed, causing all her crushes from her past to confront her about the letters: her first kiss, the boy from summer camp, even her sister’s ex-boyfriend, Josh. As she learns to deal with her past loves face to face, Lara Jean discovers that something good may come out of these letters after all.

Ope’s Opinion: This book was such a good read! I love the relationship between the sisters. They loved each other, but they also struggled to get along.

Learning who you are, who you like and who you can trust is all part of growing up. In this book you saw Lara Jean and sisters go through all that without the advantage of having a mother to guide them.

At the end, I wanted more… a sequel, an update, something to show us where all three girls are now.

Rating: Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.

Cure for the Common Breakup

Posted on May 23, 2014 by opesopinions

Author: Beth Kendrick
Publisher: NAL Trade
Genre: Chick Lit
Source: BookSparks

Goodreads: Welcome to Black Dog Bay, a tiny seaside town in Delaware known as “the best place in America to bounce back from your breakup.” Home to Better Off Bed-and-Breakfast, the Eat Your Heart Out bakery, and the Whinery bar, Black Dog Bay offers a haven for the suddenly single.

Flight attendant Summer Benson lives by two rules: Don’t stay with the same man for too long and never stay in one place. She’s about to break rule number one by considering accepting her boyfriend’s proposal—then disaster strikes and her world is shattered in an instant.

Summer heads to Black Dog Bay, where the locals welcome her. Even Hattie Huntington, the town’s oldest, richest, and meanest resident, likes her enough to give her a job. Then there’s Dutch Jansen, the rugged, stoic mayor, who’s the opposite of her type. She probably shouldn’t be kissing him. She definitely shouldn’t be falling in love.

After a lifetime of globe-trotting, Summer has finally found a home. But Hattie has old scores to settle and a hidden agenda for her newest employee. Summer finds herself faced with an impossible choice: Leave Black Dog Bay behind forever, or stay with the ones she loves and cost them everything..

Ope’s Opinion: Save this book for your trip to the beach this summer. It is a very light, easy beach read! It is a predictable ending with a few twists along the way.

The main character Summer is fun to follow through her transformation from globe trotter to finding a home. She is often snarky and keeps people at a distance. You do want her to find happiness.

There is a cast of other characters that add interest to the story. They are realistic and fun to get to know. It would be great to have a sequel that focused on one of the other people in Black Dog Bay or another person who comes to town like Summer did.

Rating: Three Chairs – I like the book enough to suggest it to a friend or two.

3 chairs

Keep Quiet

Posted on May 21, 2014 by opesopinions

Author: Lisa Scottoline
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Mystery
Source: St.Martin’s Press

Goodreads: New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award winning author Lisa Scottoline is loved by millions of readers for her suspenseful novels about family and justice. Scottoline delivers once again with Keep Quiet, an emotionally gripping and complex story about one man’s split-second decision to protect his son – and the devastating consequences that follow.Jake Buckman’s relationship with his sixteen-year-old son Ryan is not an easy one, so at the urging of his loving wife, Pam, Jake goes alone to pick up Ryan at their suburban movie theater.　 On the way home, Ryan asks to drive on a deserted road, and Jake sees it as a chance to make a connection. However, what starts as a father-son bonding opportunity instantly turns into a nightmare. Tragedy strikes, and with Ryan’s entire future hanging in the balance, Jake is forced to make a split-second decision that plunges them both into a world of guilt and lies. Without ever meaning to, Jake and Ryan find themselves living under the crushing weight of their secret, which threatens to tear their family to shreds and ruin them all. Powerful and dramatic, Keep Quiet will have readers and book clubs debating what it means to be a parent and how far you can, and should, go to protect those you love.

Ope’s Opinion: Keep Quiet is a fast paced, intense read. I was literally sitting on the edge of the couch flipping pages as quickly as I could read. This story will make you think about your split second decisions, how far will you go to protect your child and what does hiding the truth do to you?

The Buckman family feel real. They have flaws, don’t always get along and need to communicate better. You want to see them heal and unite, but it seems like there is too much to overcome.

There was a constant dilemma going on – wanting the truth to come out and protecting the characters. It made you keep reading to the very end. There were several turns you won’t see coming. At certain points, I found myself holding my breath to see what was going to happen next!

What an amazing read – Lisa Scottoline does it again!

Rating: Five Chairs – This book is so good it will be passed on and on and on….

Best Friends, Occasional Enemies

Posted on May 19, 2014 by opesopinions

Author: Lisa Scottoline
Francesca Serritella
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Non Fiction
Source: Purchased

Goodreads:

In Best Friends, Occasional Enemies, New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline and her daughter, Francesca Serritella, are the best of friends—99.9% of the time. They’re number one on each other’s speed dial and they tell each other everything—well, almost everything. They share shoes and clothes—except one very special green jacket, which almost caused a catfight.In other words, they’re just like every mother and daughter in the world. Best friends and occasional enemies. Now they’re dishing about it all: their lives, their relationship, and their carb count.

Lisa on Being a Mom: Motherhood has no expiration date. Francesca lives in the city, and I worry about her all the time. My daughter moved out, so why am I still lactating?

Francesca on Being a Daughter: My mother is always right. Just ask her.

Ope’s Opinion: I did enjoy Lisa’s and Francessca’s sense of humor. Mothers and daughters writing style are very similar. I have two daughters and I am about Lisa’s age, so I could really relate to her. There are some things that are universal to certain ages!

I have enjoyed so many of Lisa Scottoline’s books, it was nice to hear about her life with her mother and daughter. It was interesting to hear her daughters perspective too. It made me wonder about my daughters perspective on things I have done or said.

I am more a fiction reader, but this was a nice change of reading.

Rating: Three Chairs – I like the book enough to suggest it to a friend two.

Lola and the Boy Next Door

Posted on May 16, 2014 by opesopinions

Author: Stephanie Perkins
Publisher: Speak
Genre: Young Adult
Source: Purchased

Goodreads: Lola Nolan is a budding costume designer, and for her, the more outrageous, sparkly, and fun the outfit, the better. And everything is pretty perfect in her life (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the negihborhood. When Cricket, a gifted inventor, steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

Ope’s Opinion: Lola is a quirky character with a lot going on in her life. It was interesting to watch her relationships grow and change. Anna and St. Clair are a part of this story. It was nice to see them again. I loved Anna and could relate to her. Lola was hard to relate to.

I would be interested in hearing more about Lindsey and Charlie. I like that Lindsey put her education before a boyfriend. I also thought it was great that she wanted to be friends with Charlie, then see what happens. I would prefer Lindsey or Anna as role models to Lola’s example.

Stephanie Perkins knows how to write a story that makes you want to keep reading and reading. I am looking forward to reading Isla and the Happily Ever After.

Rating: Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.

Pressed Pennies

Posted on May 14, 2014 by opesopinions

Author: Steven Manchester
Publisher: Story Plant
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Source: Story Plant

Goodreads:

Rick and Abby grew up together, became best friends, and ultimately fell in love. Circumstance tore them apart in their early teens, though, and they went on to lives less idyllic than they dreamed about in those early days. Rick has had a very successful career, but his marriage flat-lined. Abby has a magical daughter, Paige, but Paige’s father nearly destroyed Abby’s spirit.

Now fate has thrown Rick and Abby together again. In their early thirties, they are more world-weary than they were as kids. But their relationship still shimmers, and they’re hungry to make up for lost time. However, Paige, now nine, is not nearly as enthusiastic. She’s very protective of the life she’s made with her mother and not open to the duo becoming a trio. Meanwhile, Rick has very little experience dealing with kids and doesn’t know how to handle Paige. This leaves Abby caught between the two people who matter the most to her. What happens when the life you’ve dreamed of remains just inches from your grasp?

PRESSED PENNIES is a nuanced, intensely romantic, deeply heartfelt story of love it its many incarnations, relationships in their many guises, and family in its many meanings. It is the most accomplished and moving novel yet from a truly great storyteller of the heart.

Ope’s Opinion: Pressed Pennies is a slow paced, sweet story to savor. The end of the story was predictable, but there were some twists and curves along the way. It was a good story to read.

The characters felt like someone you might know. They had flaws that made them relatable. Even if you have not been divorced, you can see how it effects all those around it. This story shows a mothers need to put her child above all else.

Steven Manchester wrote another awesome story worth the read.

Rating: Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.

It Had To Be You

Posted on May 12, 2014 by opesopinions

Author: Susan May Warren
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Genre: Contemporary Christian Fiction
Source: Kristin of Kritters Ramblings

Goodreads: Eden Christiansen never imagined her role as her younger brother Owen’s cheerleader would keep her on the sidelines of her own life. Sure, it feels good to be needed, but looking after the reckless NHL rookie leaves little time for Eden to focus on her own career. She dreamed of making a name for herself as a reporter, but is stuck writing obits–and starting to fear she doesn’t have the chops to land a major story. If only someone would step up to mentor Owen . . . but she knows better than to expect help from team veteran and bad-boy enforcer Jace Jacobsen.Jace has built his career on the infamous reputation of his aggressive behavior–on and off the ice. Now at a crossroads about his future in hockey, that reputation has him trapped. And the guilt-trip he’s getting from Eden Christiansen isn’t making things any easier. But when Owen’s carelessness leads to a career-threatening injury and Eden stumbles upon a story that could be her big break, she and Jace are thrown together . . . and begin to wonder if they belong on the same team after all.

Ope’s Opinion: This is the second book of the Christiansen Family. It is so captivating from the beginning to the very end. I enjoyed not only the main characters, but all the secondary people as well.

Eden and Jace feel like real people with flaws and misunderstandings. It is a predictable story of their romance, but the bumps along the way made me not want to put the book down.

Susan May Warren brought God into the story without making it feel preachy or pushy. You could see the characters question their faith and question God. You could also see their faith grow in each other and in God.

I am ready for another Susan May Warren book!

Rating: Five Chairs – This book is so good it will be passed on and on and on …..

I Really Do Miss Your Smile

Posted on May 9, 2014 by opesopinions

Author: Susan May Warren
Publisher: Susan May Warren Fiction
Genre: Contemporary Christian Fiction
Source: Kristin of Kitters Ramblings

Jace has built his career on the infamous reputation of his aggressive behavior—on and off the ice. Now at a crossroads about his future in hockey, that reputation has him trapped. And the guilt-trip he’s getting from Eden Christiansen isn’t making things any easier. But when Owen’s carelessness leads to a career-threatening injury and Eden stumbles upon a story that could be her big break, she and Jace are thrown together . . . and begin to wonder if they belong on the same team after all.

Ope’s Opinion: This was a perfect prequel to the Christiansen family. It was a sweet read. It amazes me how even with a few words Susan May Warren can convey such a deep wonderful love story.

If you aren’t sure you would like Christian Fiction – this the book to read. It is a short and full story, but not pushy with faith. Warren always does a great job of making it known that God is there in such a gentle way.

Now I am ready to see how the Christiansen family continues.

Rating: Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.

Ope's Opinions

Blogging about books, life, and the beach.

Monthly Archives: May 2014

Coming Soon ….

BEA – Blogger Expectations Abound

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before

Cure for the Common Breakup

Keep Quiet

Best Friends, Occasional Enemies

Lola and the Boy Next Door

Pressed Pennies

It Had To Be You

I Really Do Miss Your Smile