Now & Forever

Posted on November 3, 2014 by opesopinions

Author: Susane Colasanti
Publisher: Viking Juvenile
Genre:Contemporary Young Adult
Source: BEA

Goodreads: What if your boyfriend was the world’s biggest rockstar?

Sterling is crazy in love with Ethan. Not only is he the sweetest boy she’s ever met, but he’s an incredibly talented guitarist, singer, and songwriter. And since forever, he’s believed he has what it takes to be a star.

When Ethan becomes an overnight sensation, he’s thrown head-first into the glam world of celebrity-and so is Sterling. Before she knows it, she’s attending red-carpet premieres, getting free designer clothes, and flying around the country to attend Ethan’s monumental sold-out concerts.

It’s a dream come true…but whose dream is Sterling living? And what do you do when “forever” comes to an end?

Ope’s Opinion: This book started out as a very simple young love story. But I saw the characters grow apart and grow up at the same time. It felt like an empowerment for girls book.

It was great to see Sterling find out she needed to figure out what she wanted out of life before she shared her life with someone else. I thought there was a lot of subtle advise to young women in this book – the young girls need to find guys who adore them, not twist their lives around a boy.

One thing that was missing for me in this book was a positive adult role model. Sterlings Gram was the only adult I read about that was available.

I have two granddaughters – I would want them to read this book and hopefully see that loosing yourself in a boy is not a great idea. Hearing advice in a story is sometimes easier to absorb.

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

Ava and Pip

Posted on October 29, 2014 by opesopinions

Author: Carol Weston
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jaberwocky
Genre: Middle Grade
Source: BEA

Goodreads: An endearing tween story about friendship, family, identity, and inspiration

Outgoing Ava loves her older sister, Pip, but can’t understand why Pip is so reserved and never seems to make friends with others. When Ava uses her writing talents to help her sister overcome her shyness, both girls learn the impact their words and stories can have on the world around them.

Ope’s Opinion: I have to admit upfront that diary form is one of my least favorite ways to be told a story. It comes from only one point of view and your information is very limited.

The story of Bea, Ava and Pip was cute and meaningful. All of the references to palindromes became irritating. I felt like I was in English class instead of reading a story. I also thought the story was more for elementary classes then middle school classes. This was not one I think the parents will enjoy along with their student.

I did like that Ava and Pip learned some lessons. I thought Ava and Pip’s relationship was pretty normal for sisters. I also like the involvement of the parents. It was good to see Bea involved in some of the solutions for Ava and Pip.

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

Before the Storm

Posted on October 27, 2014 by opesopinions

Author: Steena Holmes
Publisher: Steena Holmes
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Source: Purchase

Goodreads: Fans of Jodi Picoult and Elin Hilderbrand will fall in love with this new series that sets the stage for her upcoming novel, Stillwater Rising, from NY Times bestselling author Steena Holmes.

Before the first shots are fired within the walls of Stillwater Elementary School, life went on as normal for five women who were close friends. Their monthly girls’ night was coming up and they couldn’t wait to get together. They all needed this night to run away and be carefree – from their husbands, their children, their church – with no expectations, no responsibilities, where they weren’t mothers or wives.

No one expected their lives to be torn apart, their friendships tested in one short minute when their town is rocked by a danger lurking in their tight-knit community.

This novella gives you a glimpse into the town of Stillwater Bay and its residents. You will see what their lives were like BEFORE the storm that rocked their little community descended upon them.

This is a novella and comes before Stillwater Rising and a portion of proceeds from this novella will be donated to KidsPeace.org to help stop school violence.

Ope’s Opinion: Do not read this book unless you have Stillwater Rising in your hands – which does not comes out until November 11, 2014. Where this novella leaves you will haunt you until you get your hands on Stillwater Rising.

I loved getting an inside look at each woman before the incident. It is interesting to see their relationships to each other, their husbands and their children. It will make reading Stillwater Rising even more meaningful, as soon as I get it.

Steena Holmes has been an author I do not even have to read the synopsis of her books – I just see her name and pick up the book. She is an amazing writer.

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

The Fragile World

Posted on October 24, 2014 by opesopinions

Author: Paula Treick DeBoard
Publisher: MIRA
Genre: Adult Fiction
Source: Harlequin MIRA

Publication Date: October 28, 2014

Goodreads: From the author of publishing sensation The Mourning Hours comes a powerful new novel that explores every parent’s worst nightmare.

The Kaufmans have always considered themselves a normal, happy family. Curtis is a physics teacher at a local high school. His wife, Kathleen, restores furniture for upscale boutiques. Daniel is away at college on a prestigious music scholarship, and twelve-year-old Olivia is a happy-go-lucky kid whose biggest concern is passing her next math test.

And then comes the middle-of-the-night phone call that changes everything.Daniel has been killed in what the police are calling a freak accident, and the remaining Kaufmans are left to flounder in their grief. The anguish of Daniel’s death is isolating, and it’s not long before this once perfect family find themselves falling apart. As time passes and the wound refuses to heal, Curtis becomes obsessed with the idea of revenge, a growing mania that leads him to pack up his life and his anxious teenage daughter and set out on a collision course to right a wrong.

An emotionally charged novel, The Fragile World is a journey through America’s heartland and a family’s brightest and darkest moments, exploring the devastating pain of losing a child and the beauty of finding healing in unexpected ways.

Ope’s Opinion: The beginning of the book grabbed my attention. It made me want to keep reading. It was a bit sad, but I wanted to see where the story was going to go.

The middle was a road trip that was very long and tedious. There was too much detailed description with not enough really happening. At one point the mother was looking for the father and she just happened to know where he was at each turn – it felt unrealistic.

The ending is not anything you could figure out or guess ahead of time. The ending sort of frustrated me – can’t explain without giving too much away. The story was wrapped up at the end.

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

Rock Angel

Posted on October 22, 2014 by opesopinions

Author: Jeanne Bogino
Publisher: Prashanti Press LLC
Genre: New Adult
Source: Book Sparks

Goodreads: Shan is young, beautiful, talented, and addicted to heroin in Rock Angel, a novel that follows her meteoric rise to guitar goddess stardom in the 90’s. She is discovered in New York by a handsome, arrogant musical genius named Quinn, and sparks fly between them when he hires her as lead guitarist of his band. Although Quinn is accustomed to bedding a different groupie every night, he can’t ignore his deepening feelings for his new band mate. From gritty Greenwich Village clubs to L.A.’s Troubadour; gigging and touring the country to the cover of Rolling Stone, Rock Angel is infused with the passionate music and intense sexual chemistry of Shan and Quinn. Shan must work out her personal demons and learn to trust Quinn enough to love him, but still remain true to the music that has always been her salvation. A hot, hard-driving story set in an intoxicating world of sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll, Rock Angel is the first novel by author, Jeanne Bogino.

Ope’s Opinion: I liked all the inside view of the music industry. I also liked the realistic way the author dealt with addiction. It was written in a way that made you really root for Shan to beat and stay away from the drugs. In the music business it doesn’t seem like it would be easy to stay strong. I know sex, drugs and rock and roll are usually expected to be together, but there was too much description of the sex scenes.

I love the cover of this book. I think I would like to frame it! I really like it when the cover represents the book, but doesn’t give anything away.

The story was a little long and drawn out for me – which I know is realistic with addiction, but hard to read some times.

I hear there is another book coming out called Angel on High. I will be interested to see where she takes the story.

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

Touring in Nashville

Posted on October 20, 2014 by opesopinions

I went to the Ryman Auditorium for the tour there.

This is downtown Nashville.

This is on the stage at the Ryman Auditorium.

Next we went to the Grand Ole Opry!
This is the auditorium.
This is one of the dressing rooms at the Opry.

These are pictures of Kristi and I on the Grand Ole Opry stage.

Then we went to Chuy’s to eat. If you like Mexican it is an awesome stop!

Downtown Nashville

Posted on October 15, 2014 by opesopinions

Our trip to Nashville started in our suite.

This was waiting for us when we checked in! Yum!!

We went for a walk down Broadway.

We went to a nice restaurant called the Standard.

I bought a guitar ornament to bring back home for my memories.

We went to the bridge bar at the hotel.

This young girl was singing at the bridge bar. She was amazing.

The Battle of Darcy Lane

Posted on October 10, 2014 by opesopinions

Author: Tara Altebrando
Publisher: Running Press Kids
Genre: Middle Grade
Source: BEA

Goodreads: It is summertime, and twelve-year-old Julia Richards cannot stand the anticipation. Everyone on Darcy Lane seems to be holding their breath waiting for the cicadas to emerge, but what Julia and her best friend, Taylor, want is some real excitement. Which arrives in the form of a new neighbor named Alyssa, who introduces a ball game called Russia . . . and an unwelcome level of BFF rivalry.

Suddenly nothing stands unchallenged—not Julia’s friendships, her crush, or her independence. But while Julia realizes that she cannot control all the changes in her life, she hangs onto the hope that everything will go in her favor if she can just win one magnificent showdown.

Acclaimed author Tara Altebrando’s middle-grade debut features a voice that is true to the adolescent experience, where everything is felt acutely in a whirlwind of all-or-nothing emotion.

Ope’s Opinion: Tara Altebrando really knows how to write from a young middle grade perspective. I think any one in that age range would enjoy this and I think any parent would approve their child reading this book.

This is a realistic look at how friendships grow and change. It also showed the pain of letting a friend go when that relationship doesn’t work anymore. Julia’s summer was full of learning experiences.

I was impressed with Altebrando’s writing of the parents. It seems a large number of books for young teens leave the parents out of the picture. In this book Julia has two wonderful involved parents, who also have a great relationship. It is great to read about parents who are setting a good example for their children.

The ending felt satisfying to me, but also open ended. I hope that means we will see Julia again. I would like to know how she does when she gets back into the school routine.

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

In Your Dreams

Posted on October 8, 2014 by opesopinions

Author: Kristan Higgins
Publisher: Harlequin HQN
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: Little Bird Publicity

Publication Date: September 30, 2014

Goodreads: Emmaline Neal needs a date. Just a date—someone to help her get through her ex-fiancé’s wedding without losing her mind. But pickings are slim in Manningsport, New York, population 715. In fact, there’s really only one option: local heartthrob Jack Holland. Everyone loves Jack, and he won’t get the wrong idea…. After all, Jack Holland would never actually be interested in a woman like Em. Especially not with his beautiful ex-wife creeping around, angling to reunite ever since he rescued a group of teens and became a local hero.

But when the wedding festivities take an unexpectedly passionate turn, Em figures it was just one crazy night. Jack is too gorgeous, too popular, to ever end up with her. So why is she the one he can talk to about his deep, dark feelings? If Em is going to get her dream man, she’ll have to start by believing in him…

Ope’s Opinion: It was a lot of fun reading about the Holland family updates and more about Jack’s story. Kristan Higgins writes stories that make me keep reading and anxiously wait for her next book.

I found it refreshing to read a wonderful love story without all the explicit sex scenes. It was nice to read about a realistic relationship. They obviously were physically attracted to each other, but all the sexual details were left out – really nice! Loved that part of the book.

The middle of the book drug on just little longer then I wish it had. Not enough for me to put the book down and not want to read it – just ready for it move along a little faster.

The ending was expected and exactly what I wanted. Ready to read another one of her books. May go back and see if I can find one I haven’t read yet.

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

Truth Be Told

Posted on October 6, 2014 by opesopinions

Author: Hank Phillipi Ryan
Publisher: Forge Books
Genre: Mystery
Source: BEA

Publication Date: October 7, 2014

Goodreads: Truth Be Told, part of the bestselling Jane Ryland and Jake Brogan series by Agatha, Anthony, Mary Higgins Clark, and Macavity Award-winning author Hank Phillippi Ryan, begins with tragedy: a middle-class family evicted from their suburban home. In digging up the facts on this heartbreaking story—and on other foreclosures— reporter Ryland soon learns the truth behind a big-bucks scheme and the surprising players who will stop at nothing, including murder, to keep their goal a secret. Turns out, there’s more than one way to rob a bank.

Boston police detective Jake Brogan has a liar on his hands. A man has just confessed to the famous twenty-year-old Lilac Sunday killing, and while Jake’s colleagues take him at his word, Jake is not so sure. But he has personal reasons for hoping they’ve finally solved the cold case.

Financial manipulation, the terror of foreclosures, the power of numbers, the primal need for home and family and love. What happens when what you believe is true turns out to be a lie?

Ope’s Opinion: This book moved really fast. As a matter of fact it was moving so fast in the beginning I felt like I needed a play card to keep track of who was who. At first it flipped from one scene to another and I was having trouble keeping up with everyone. As I got to know the characters and who was involved with who, it became easier to hop from scene to scene.

This is my first book by Hank Phillipi Ryan, so some of these characters that have been introduced in earlier books, I was not familiar with. That may have been helpful in the beginning of this book. Once the story got going, I didn’t feel like I missed too much from previous books.

I enjoyed the pace of this book. It kept me reading when I was suppose to be doing other things! So before you start this book, make sure you have time just keep reading.

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.

Category Archives: Book Opinion

Now & Forever

Ava and Pip

Before the Storm

The Fragile World

Rock Angel

Touring in Nashville

Downtown Nashville

The Battle of Darcy Lane

In Your Dreams

Truth Be Told