Author Archives: opesopinions

Best Kept Secret

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Author: Amy Hatvany
Publisher:  Simon & Schuster              best
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Source:  Purchased

 

 

Goodreads:  Cadence didn’t sit down one night and decide that downing two bottles of wine was a brilliant idea.

Her drinking snuck up on her – as a way to sleep, to help her relax after a long day, to relieve some of the stress of the painful divorce that left her struggling to make ends meet with her five-year old son, Charlie.

It wasn’t always like this. Just a few years ago, Cadence seemed to have it all,a successful husband, an adorable son, and a promising career as a freelance journalist.But with the demise of her marriage, her carefully constructed life begins to spiral out of control.Suddenly she is all alone trying to juggle the demands of work and motherhood.

Logically, Cadence knows that she is drinking too much, and every day begins with renewed promises to herself that she will stop.But within a few hours, driven by something she doesn’t understand, she is reaching for the bottle – even when it means not playing with her son because she is too tired, or dropping him off at preschool late, again.And even when one calamitous night it means leaving him alone to pick up more wine at the grocery store.It’s only when her ex-husband shows up at her door to take Charlie away that Cadence realizes her best kept secret has been discovered.

Heartbreaking, haunting, and ultimately life-affirming, Best Kept Secretis more than just the story of Cadence,it’s a story of how the secrets we hold closest are the ones that can most tear us apart.

Ope’s Opinion:  This is a book with a heavy subject.  It seems on the surface that this book is about alcoholism – and it is.  But is also about any secret that is kept, that could be harmful.  When you share your difficulties they loose their stronghold and you can find others to help.

Amy Hatvany writes in such a way that you feel her words – not just read them. The story is told from Cadence’s point of view.  It flipped back and forth from present to past without any subtitles, but you could figure it out.

Although this may be a hard read, it is worth each moment you spend with these characters.  It will open your eyes to the struggle of addiction and the support needed to become whole again.

Rating: Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.            de9fc-4chairs

Having My Baby

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Author: Theresa Ragan
Publisher:  Createspace                               having my baby
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source:  BEA

 

Goodreads:  “Mr. Baylor,” the officer said, “have you ever met either of these women?”

Derrick’s mind was numb, but somehow he managed to say, “No. Never.”

“You’re making the ladies nervous, and truthfully, you’ve got me wondering too–what is your business with this woman?”

Derrick pried his gaze from the woman’s stomach and raised his eyes to hers. “She’s having my baby.”

Growing up, Jill Garrison never daydreamed about having the perfect wedding. Instead, she dreamt about having a baby. Boy or girl, it didn’t matter. Unfortunately, her fiancé can’t have children. Determined to realize her lifelong dream of having a baby, Jill spends years searching for a company (CryoCorp) that provides high quality donor sperm. Everything is right in Jill’s world until her wedding day when her fiancé leaves her at the altar to be humiliated before friends and family. She doesn’t waste any time moving from New York City to California to start over. And she keeps her appointment with Cryocorp. She may never have the wedding or the husband, but nothing is going to stop her from having a baby. She’s tired of everyone telling her what to do. The baby she’s carrying is hers and hers alone. Nobody can take that away from her.

Or can they?

Ope’s Opinion:  This is a very unlikely scenario, but it was so much fun to read.  You should go into this book with the mind set of just enjoying it, not thinking it could be real.

I think this book should be made into a Hallmark movie.  It is so cute, easy to read and just enjoyable.  The characters are fun to follow.  It is pretty predictable, but that is part of the charm of this book.

The Baylor family is a large one. I would love to read about the rest of them in another book by Theresa Ragan.

Rating: Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.            de9fc-4chairs

Megan’s Hope

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Author:  Steena Holmes
Publisher: Steena Holmes
Genre: Contemporary Woman’s Fiction   megan's hope
Source:  Author

 

 

Goodreads:  What is normal when a kidnapped daughter returns home?
Emma is now home and Jack, the man Emma calls Papa is part of their family. Life should be good, right?
Except Jack is dying and no one is quite ready to say goodbye.

This novella follows the life of Jack and Emma throughout the past year and if you thought your heart had already broke while reading Finding Emma and Emma’s Secret – get ready.

You’ll need kleenex and lots of it.

Each of the monthly stories found in this novella were available to Steena’s newsletter subscribers as a special bonus but now they are available for everyone. Enjoy!

Ope’s Opinion:  Well, Steena Holmes has done it again!  She had me in tears partly through this novella and really crying at the end.

Mostly what I want to say about this book is READ IT!!!  If you have not read Steena’s books before pick one up and start reading – actually you may want to pick up more then one because once you finish the first one, you will  immediately want the next one.

This is the end of Emma’s story.  It has been a wonderful series.

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

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….  On a Bookshelf near you!

In February I hope to read….

how to

Publication Date:   February 24, 2015
Publisher: Zondervan

Goodreads:  Prince Stephen came to America to escape responsibility. But what he found complicates his life more than ever.

Corina Del Rey is happy with her life in Melbourne, Florida. She spends her days engrossed in her career as a journalist and has her sights set on climbing the corporate ladder if for no other reason, to distract herself from her dissolving family. But when she is confronted with the past she fought so hard to put behind her, she struggles to make sense of her future.

Prince Stephen of Brighton Kingdom has moved on since the tragic death of his buddies in Afghanistan. A star professional rugby player, he has no intention of looking over his shoulder at what could ve been.

But when a notice arrives in the mail requiring his and his wife s appearance before the courts to dissolve their marriage, he must deal with the questions rumbling around in his heart. He thought his marriage had been annulled long ago, but his memories of Corina Del Rey remain close. Does he still love her? Can he even find her? Above all, can he tell her the truth about that fateful night in Afghanistan seven years ago? If he does, he might really lose her forever.”

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

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

War of the Wives

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Author:  Tamar Cohen
Publisher: MIRA                                war
Genre:  Adult Fiction
Source: Emer Flounders

 

 

Goodreads:  Think marriage means happily ever after? Think again…

Selina and Lottie are complete opposites. Where Selina is poised but prudish, Lottie is quirky and emotional. Selina is the dutiful mother of three children and able manager of their stylish suburban home. Lottie lives with her eccentric teenage daughter in a small city apartment fit to bursting with color and happy chaos. But these women also have one shocking similarity: they’re married to the same man…and they’ve just found out he’s dead.

Selina has been married to Simon Busfield for twenty-eight years, Lottie for seventeen. Neither knew a thing about the other until the day of Simon’s funeral, where the scandalous truth is revealed in front of everyone they know. Another wife, another family… And they’ve only just scratched the surface of Simon’s incredible betrayal.

With dark humor and razor-sharp wit, Cohen expertly unravels a story of deception and betrayal, where two very different families will discover they are entwined in ways that will change them all forever.

Ope’s Opinion:  The synopsis of this book really intrigued me.  I am not a huge fan of British writing or humor, so I was a little hesitant to read this.  The British writing is not overwhelming, but at times I felt like the story rambled on.

The two wives are so different.   As the wives moved through the stages of denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance, the book moved through their lives.  It had double meaning – accepting the death of their husband and accepting the fact that the other one existed.  It was an interesting way to look at the situation.

The ending had it’s twists.  It was kind of sad.  The epilogue tried to tie things up.  I am not sure it felt complete to me.

Rating:  Three Chairs – I like this book enough to suggest it to a friend or two.a85cf-3chairs

 

Always on My Mind

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Author:  Susan May Warren
Publisher:  Tyndale House Publishers            always
Genre:  Christian Fiction
Source: Shelf of Kristin of
              Kritters Ramblings

 

 

Goodreads:  After a failed dig in Honduras, aspiring archaeologist Casper Christiansen heads home to Minnesota to face his unresolved feelings for Raina Beaumont, the woman of his dreams. But when he arrives unannounced on her doorstep, he receives the shock of a lifetime: Raina is pregnant with someone else’s baby.

Heartbroken, especially when he discovers the identity of the baby’s father, Casper tables his dreams and determines to be dependable for once, helping his older brother, Darek, prepare the family resort for its grand reopening. Casper longs to be the hero of at least one family story, but a never-ending Deep Haven winter and costly repairs threaten their efforts—and the future of the resort.

Worse, one of Casper’s new jobs constantly brings him into contact with Raina, whom he can’t seem to forget. A tentative friendship begins to heal fresh wounds, but can they possibly overcome past mistakes and current choices to discover a future together?

Ope’s Opinion:  This is my first book off my daughter Kristin of Kritters Ramlbings shelf.  My challenge this year is to read one book a month off her shelf.  Well, this is an awesome way to start the year.  This book was very, very good.

If you have not read Susan May Warren, you should check her books out.  The Christiansen family has been fun to follow.  This is the fourth book.  It is helpful to read the other three, but Susan May Warren does a really good job of catching you up, if this is your first book.

Raina and Casper are the center of this book, but the rest of the family has a lot going on.  It was fun to see all the stories advanced.

I would have given this book five chairs, but I felt like Raina’s and Caspers on and off relationship drug out just a little long for me.  It was obvious they were in love.

I am really looking forward to her next book on the Christiansen family.

Rating: Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.
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The Truth About Twinkie Pie

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Author: Kat Yeh
Publisher:  Little, Brown books for Young Readers     twinkie pie
Genre:  Middle Grade
Source:  BEA

 

 

Goodreads:  Take two sisters making it on their own: brainy twelve-year-old GiGi (short for Galileo Galilei, a name she never says out loud) and junior-high-dropout-turned-hairstylist DiDi (short for Delta Dawn). Add a million dollars in prize money from a national cooking contest and a move from the trailer parks of South Carolina to the Gold Coast of New York. Mix in a fancy new school, new friends and enemies, a first crush, and a generous sprinkling of family secrets.
That’s the recipe for The Truth About Twinkie Pie, a voice-driven middle grade debut about the true meaning of family and friendship.

Ope’s Opinion:  This book had a lot of twists and turns you didn’t expect.  It made me keep reading.  The story itself kept my attention.

I did not think this was a book I would want my middle grade student to read.  I think this is for an older audience.   GiGi’s voice was not consistent.  At times I felt like she was a thirteen year old and other times she was much older.

The writing was easy to read and follow.  The characters were likable and well developed. Overall, it was an enjoyable read.

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

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Author:  Cynthia Weil
Publisher:  Soho Teen
Genre:  Historical Fiction                     I'm glad
Source:  BEA

 

 

Goodreads:  Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and songwriting legend Cynthia Weil’s extraordinary YA debut opens the secretive doors of the Brill Building-the hit factory that changed history. Part Mad Men, part Grace of my Heart, part murder mystery, I’m Glad I Did is a coming-of-age story at an unforgettable cultural tipping point: the summer of 1963.

JJ Greene, a gifted 16-year-old songwriter, defies her lawyer parents by secretly applying for a job in the famed Brill Building-the epicenter of songwriting for a new genre called rock-n-roll. But their warnings about the evils of the music industry prove far darker than she imagined when she finds herself at the heart of a cover-up that involves hidden identity, theft, and possibly murder.

Ope’s Opinion:  I do not read historical fiction very often, so if I like one – it must be exceptional.  This book falls into that category for me.  It was well written, easy to follow, had characters I liked and cared about.  It stayed very true to the time period it was written in.  

The mystery was fun to follow and attempt to figure out.  It was a little unrealistic at times, but still an enjoyable part of the book.

Rating:  Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.
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The Summer of Letting Go

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Author: Gae Polisner
Publisher:  Algonquin Young Readers                  letting go
Genre:  Young Adult
Source:  BEA

 

 

Goodreads:  Just when everything seems to be going wrong, hope and love can appear in the most unexpected places.

Summer has begun, the beach beckons and Francesca Schnell is going nowhere. Four years ago, Francesca’s little brother, Simon, drowned, and Francesca is the one who should have been watching. Now Francesca is about to turn sixteen, but guilt keeps her stuck in the past. Meanwhile, her best friend, Lisette, is moving on most recently with the boy Francesca wants but can’t have. At loose ends, Francesca trails her father, who may be having an affair, to the local country club. There she meets four-year-old Frankie Sky, a little boy who bears an almost eerie resemblance to Simon, and Francesca begins to wonder if it’s possible Frankie could be his reincarnation. Knowing Frankie leads Francesca to places she thought she’d never dare to go and it begins to seem possible to forgive herself, grow up, and even fall in love, whether or not she solves the riddle of Frankie Sky.

Ope’s Opinion:  This book was very hard to rate and review.  Through most of it, I did not get into it.  The ending redeemed itself, but I still had some issues with it.

This is suppose to be a young adult book – the writing was on the young adult level, but the issues in the story line seemed to be much too mature for a young adult reader.  I don’t think young adult readers should be in the middle of parents figuring out if one of them is having an affair.  Another issue I felt was too adult for young readers was the whole question about reincarnation.

I am not sure what all Francesca let go of this summer.

On the positive side, I did like that Francesca had a good relationship with Frankie.  Although, she did not treat Lisette like she should have, it was nice to see the female friendship in this book.

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

Little Jimmy Says, Same is Lame

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Author:  Jimmy Vee
Publisher:Atlas Press                 same as lame
Genre:  Children’s Books
Source:  Alyssa Livolsi

 

 

Goodreads:  “It is your uniqueness that’s really the seed. Embrace it! Exploit it! And you will Succeed.”

Little Jimmy is a small guy with a BIG mission… help people realize how special they really are.

Why is everyone trying so hard to fit in when there is so much uniqueness to celebrate?

Jump in and follow the miniature ringmaster through his circus-inspired world of weird, where normal is ordinary, and ordinary is boring.

In these fun-filled pages you’ll discover what makes you unique and why being different is actually cool.

So hurry, hurry! Come one, come all! Step right up. Kids of all ages, shapes and sizes are welcome and special in Little Jimmy’s wondrous and wacky world.

Read this book and prepare to be amazed at what you see in the mirror the next time you take a look! 

Emma’s Opinion:   Emma and I both enjoyed this book.  It was a wonderful rhyming book about being different.  Emma and I are actually on the short side ourselves, so we could relate to this book.  It was fun to ask her about different children in her class.  She actually didn’t realize they were each different.  Children ( at least Emma ) think all people are alright just the way they are.  

The illustrations really added a lot to the story.  It made Emma ask me questions about the other people on the pages.  It was fun to talk to her about being proud of who she is.  She sort of looked at me like of course I am!

Rating:  Five Fingers
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