In The Light Of What We See.

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in the light of 
what we see

Sarah Painter.

Publisher : Lake Union Publishing. 

Publication Date: April 1,2016.

Genre: Historical Suspense.
Format|Pages: E Book|328.

 Source:  Received  E Book from Publisher through Netgalley.

Brighton, 1938: Grace Kemp is pushed away by the family she has shamed. Rejected and afraid, she begins a new life as a nurse. But danger stalks the hospital too, and she’ll need to be on her guard to avoid falling into familiar traps. And then there are the things she sees…Strange portents that have a way of becoming real.



Eighty years later, Mina Morgan is brought to the same hospital after a near-fatal car crash. She is in terrible pain but recalls nothing. She’s not even sure whom to trust. Mina too sees things that others cannot, but now, in hospital, her visions are clearer than ever…



Two women, separated by decades, are drawn together by a shared space and a common need to salvage their lives.

*Thank you for Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for Electronic Copy, in exchange of a review *

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IN THE LIGHT OF WHAT WE SEE was the first novel that I read by SARAH PAINTER so when I came across it on Netgalley, I was not sure what to expect. The cover, the title and the summary is what drew me in and got me to pick up the novel, because I was curious about it. The cover of IN THE LIGHT OF WHAT WE SEE was first what drew me in, look at the way that girl is looking and the bright colors that are surrounding her, it’s absolutely stunning and cover itself has a mystery of its own. Then there is the title which has a mystery behind and as a reader, you can’t help but wonder if there is a meaning behind that title, and once I started to read it, all that meaning started to make sense to me. Now summary, the minute that I had read it and realized it was a historical and a medical novel, I knew that I had to read, those are the types of novels that I love. I was not disappointed, I believe that it was one of the best historical novels that I have read, this year. IN LIGHT OF WHAT WE SEE was magical and even if it was a fantasy, everything that happened felt real to me and I could not get enough of Grace & Mina’s stories.




Mark and Dr.Palmer were the two of characters that I couldn’t find myself to like. In beginning I did like Dr.Palmer but then I got a bad vibe about her, especially how he started acting with Grace, I had a feeling that there was something not right about him. He made me feel as uncomfortable as Grace felt when she was around him. I am glad that Evie took action right away, after Grace told her what happened. I know that if she didn’t, it could been much worse for Grace. I loved the friendship between the two of them, they had the bond that nobody could break. The bond that Evie and Grace shared was a true friendship. I was glad that Grace had somebody out there, to look out for her. As for Mark, I did not like him from a start, he was controlling first. I hated all the lies that he told her after she woke up after the accident, I knew that he was bad news then. To me it felt that he was obsessed with being with her and he took t advantage of her state. I hoped that Mira would figure out the truth and get away from him. I adored Steven and I could see how much he adored Mira from start and I just waited for Mira to see, that’s he’s the one she should be with and not Mark, and I felt like he was waiting for the same thing. There was a bond between two of them and unlike Mark, he treated her with respect and looked out for her.



I loved how stories went back and forth between Grace and Mira. You could see how being a nurse was different back then, everything for how they were treated and what they could do. To how it was to being a doctor now. But in a way Grace and Mira were the same, because they both could see something that was not there. It was like a warning of a danger that was approaching. It had him on the edge of the seat. Just like Grace had a bad feeling about Dr.Palmer, it seemed that sometimes Mira had those same thoughts about Mark, that something about him and them was not right. I am just glad that she realized and the remembered the truth about accident when she did, or I got a feeling that it might ended up worse for her than it had. IN THE LIGHT OF WHAT WE SEE was filled with so much suspense, which has a reader wondering what is going to happen next, if Mira would figure it all out. You will find yourself turning pages from a minute you pick up the novel, till you reach the end. You will find yourself drawn into this splendid story.



SARAH PAINTER created a beautiful, magical story about two women. You will fall in love with Grace & Mira’s stories. If you love historical novels with a supernatural mix, you will love IN THE LIGHT OF WHAT WE SEE a magical journey you will not forget.

Underwater.

☆☆☆☆

underwater

marisa reichardt.

Publisher : Farrar, Straus, & Giroux

Publication Date: January 12,2016

Genre: YA  Contemporary Romance 
Format|Pages: Hardcover|288.

 Source: Goodreads|Library. 

“It turned out I wasn't dying on the outside. I was only dying on the inside, where nobody could see.”

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Morgan didn’t mean to do anything wrong that day. Actually, she meant to do something right. But her kind act inadvertently played a role in a deadly tragedy. In order to move on, Morgan must learn to forgive—first someone who did something that might be unforgivable, and then herself.



But Morgan can’t move on. She can’t even move beyond the front door of the apartment she shares with her mother and little brother. Morgan feels like she’s underwater, unable to surface. Unable to see her friends. Unable to go to school.



When it seems Morgan can’t hold her breath any longer, a new boy moves in next door. Evan reminds her of the salty ocean air and the rush she used to get from swimming. He might be just what she needs to help her reconnect with the world outside. 

☂

An astonishing debut novel. I am blown away. It is one of those debut authors that I am glad that I decided to check out, and it made me wish that I check this book out earlier.



The writing, the characters and the emotions were amazing; each of them amazed me. Even though I have read novels about school shootings before, it was nothing like this one, considering that this took place after October 15th, and as a reader you got to see how someone dealt with it, after the tragedy. That was one of the things that I loved about it, fact that it was unique and school shooting is a hard subject to write about. MARISA REICHARDT found a way to hook the reader to Morgan’s story until the end. I wanted to see what would happen with Morgan, if she would come out of her apartment, if she would ever make it past her doorway, if she would even make the attempt to try and move past her comfort zone. I feel that if it was not for Brenda pushing her as far as she did. I loved how much Brenda cared about her, and wanted to help her. She was part of Morgan’s success.



Evan, I felt like he was part of her success as well. I loved how patient he was with her, expect that one time but then I can understand why he got annoyed with her. I also loved how supportive he was, especially when Morgan freaked out during her little brother’s play, he did not treat her any differently, instead he helped her to calm down. Evan was good for her, in a way he also helped her to overcome the tragedy that happened to her, even if it was not all the way, at least she was getting there. There were also her little brother, I just loved the relationship with him. It’s not often that siblings have the type of relationship that the two of them had, they adored one another. He’s another reason she got out as far as she did, because he wanted for her to see his play and she did, even if it was not all of it, at least she made the effort. She made it that far. I know that she is a fictional character but I was proud of her too. Morgan went a long way.





I loved the cover. How can you not look at it and not wonder about it? It fits Morgan’s story so well. I love the writing as well, it was lyrical and even thought it started out a bit slow for me, it picked fast and after that I could not get enough. I’m glad that I came across UNDERWATER , a debut that is worth checking out. I can’t wait to see what other adventures MARISA REICHARDT will come up with next. A story and characters that you will find yourself unable to forget.

Leaving Blythe River.

☆☆☆☆

Leaving Blythe river.

catherine ryan hyde.

Publisher : Lake Union Publishing.

Publication Date: May 24,2016.

Genre: Contemporary Adventure. 
Format|Pages: E ARC| 314.

 Source: Received from publisher, through Netgalley.

Seventeen-year-old Ethan Underwood is totally unprepared to search for his father in the Blythe River National Wilderness. Not only is he small, scrawny, and skittish but he’s barely speaking to the man after a traumatic betrayal. Yet when his father vanishes from their remote cabin and rangers abandon the rescue mission, suddenly it’s up to Ethan to keep looking. Angry or not, he’s his father’s only hope.



With the help of three locals—a fearless seventy-year-old widow, a pack guide, and a former actor with limited outdoor skills—he heads into the wild. The days that follow transform Ethan’s world. Hail, punishing sun, swollen rapids, and exhausting pain leave him wondering if he’s been fooled yet again: Is his father out here at all? As the situation grows increasingly dire, Ethan realizes this quest has become about more than finding his dad.



From the bestselling author of Pay It Forward comes a story of nature revealing human nature—the trickiest terrain. Navigating an unforgiving landscape, Ethan searches himself for the ability to forgive his father—if he finds him alive

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley, for providing me with E ARC, in exchange of review. 

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The stunning cover is what drew me to LEAVING BLYTHE RIVER and the title as well, how can you not look at the cover and the title and not wonder what it’s about? The photograph on the cover will draw you in all together, all those colors and way that he’s sitting on that horse. From that photograph, I could not help but wonder what is going to happen, before I even read the summary of the book. LEAVING BLYTHE RIVER will take you on an adventure that you will never forget. Every image was so vivid that I could imagine everything that Ethan and his friends went through in order to find his father. That takes a lot of courage to do what Ethan had to do, considering his relationship with his father. There were times as they were looking for him and there was still no sign of him, there was a thought that ran through me while I was reading if he was actually out there, or if the ranger had been right. I loved fact that Ethan did not give up, till he was sure that they covered every possible area where his dad might have been.



I was not a big fan of Noah, I hated how he hurt his wife and he didn’t even looked sorry when he was caught. Most of all I didn’t like how he treated his own son, it’s no wonder that Ethan wasn’t fond of him. I hated how he treated him after Ethan rescued him, and how he didn’t even believe that Ethan was reason he was alive. In a way I understand why he didn’t, considering how Ethan was before his father went missing. I had this feeling that he wasn’t even that grateful that he had rescued him. I also had same suspicion as doctor had, about the painkillers, he seemed to be wanting a lot of them and quite often too. There was a thought in back of my throat which had me wonder if this wasn’t the first time that he had done this. I wasn’t all that surprised when I found out that it wasn’t. I was glad for one thing, that Ethan finally found the courage to tell Noah how he feels about him and everything that happened.





LEAVING BLYTHE RIVER was the first novel that I read by CATHERINE RYAN HYDE and I have heard quite few positive reviews about this author’s books and now I can see why. Catherine takes your away in adventures of her characters, and I felt as I was there along with Ethan and his friends. I could not get enough, there wasn’t a moment where I didn’t wonder what was going to happen next, if they would find his father and if they would find him alive. Most of all I was curious how all of this was going to come to end. I had feeling that Ethan change most of all after that adventure in the wilderness, it not something that anyone can do. It takes courage and determination. The novel started out a bit slow for me, but it picked up within few pages and after that I was hooked. One of best adventure stories I have read, a type of story that you can see happening in real life. To me, it felt real. After this, I can’t wait to check out rest of her books and adventures.



Beautiful. Astonishing book about adventure, courage, friendship and forgiveness.

The Change Up Blog Tour, Giveaway + Review.

Readers looking for something a little different will love The Change Up by Elley Arden, a twist on the traditional billionaire romance.  

Title: The Change Up

Series: Arlington Aces #1

Author: Elley Arden

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: May 16, 2016

Publisher: Crimson Romance

Length: 66k words

Format: Digital

Digital ISBN: 978-1-4405-9151-8

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Synopsis

Commercial real estate mogul Rachel Reed is the one person her father can depend on, so when he walks into her Philadelphia office two weeks shy of her fortieth birthday to drop a personal and professional bomb, she rises to the occasion. She will help get his independent professional baseball team up and running before the inaugural season, and then … she will sell the team to recoup his substantial investment. It’s a tall order, but Rachel knows one thing for sure: a sexy nuisance from her past and a few acres of trees won’t stand in her way.

Former minor-leaguer-turned-landscaper Sam Sutter is surprised to find his brother’s ex in the woods behind the house he bought when he cashed out his signing bonus and said so long to baseball. He’s even more surprised to learn “his” trees are on her chopping block. There’s no way he’ll desecrate his nature-loving mother’s memory by letting that happen. But butting heads with the beautiful business woman is a tricky task that leads Sam to accept a position as head groundskeeper at her father’s stadium. Working under Rachel’s watchful, smoldering eyes might be Sam’s undoing.

She doesn’t know a thing about baseball. He swore off the sport ten years ago. But strange things happen when field dust gets in your veins.

Find out more at: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

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Excerpt
She thought about that for a minute, thought about him, standing there, looking at her like she was the only woman in the world, and the heat was undeniable. The attraction unmistakable. Sam Sutter was a mouth-wateringly beautiful man. Five years younger and without a discernible life plan, but damn it, libidos didn’t care about those things. And honestly, the only thing holding her back from taking out all her recent frustrations on his blessed body right now was the fact his crew was just outside the leftfield wall.

To neutralize the lust bubbling in her veins, she asked, “Do you miss baseball?”

He looked broadsided by the random question and didn’t rush to answer.

“I know that came out of left field …” she grinned at her cleverness, “but I’ve been wondering about it ever since the festival. When my dad was asking you about baseball, you looked very uncomfortable.” 

His gaze shifted away from her and anchored onto something in the grandstand, but then he shrugged like she hadn’t hit a nerve. “I was uncomfortable because I was worried about your father. I wasn’t sure what was going on. That’s all.” But his jaw pulsed, and she knew better.

“Sam …” She stepped closer, narrowing the space between them. “I saw that same look a minute ago when I asked you to help me out with the coaching prospects. You miss baseball. It’s okay to admit it. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t be human. God, you played every year of your life until you were how old? Just because you were ready to hang it up professionally doesn’t mean you don’t miss the game personally.” He looked at her then with a hurt in his eyes that seemed to be saying maybe he wasn’t as ready to hang it up as he pretended to be. 

“I miss some things more than others,” he said. “There’s a rush you get from playing the game.” Silence stretched out between them as the warm wind wrapped them in the sun-dried fragrances of spring. All the while, his eyes roamed her face until they focused on her lips. “Fortunately you can get that rush from other things.” 

“Like?” she asked, breathlessly, knowing damned well she was encouraging him.

“This,” he whispered before he leaned in and kissed her, a brush of his lips, soft as the breeze that carried the heated scent of his skin to her nose and then to her brain.

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My Review.

 I received digital ARC through publisher via Netgalley, in exchange of review.

Love, family and baseball. What is there not to love? The minute that I read the description and realized that this book dealt with baseball, I had a feeling that it would end up being a book I was going to enjoy. Baseball had been one of my favorite sports, since college. Even though I had never played it, I had seen few live games and I love it. Of course I loved fact that this book dealt with baseball, plus I love the name Arlington Aces. From start I found myself curious to see if Sam goes back to baseball , despite how Sam acted whenever baseball was brought up, I have a feeling that he missed it, even if he wouldn’t admit it at first. I think that if it was not for Rachel he might not even realized it how much he missed and might not got back into playing it. I could tell how much joy that it brought him and I hoped he would not quit when he heard the truth about the team, especially after getting back to it.

There were tension between Sam and Rachel from the start, and the way that two of them seemed to act with one another, and considering that she dated Sam’s brother Luke in past, I felt that it wouldn’t happen. As I read more, I finally started to see that there was not just tension between the two of them, but there much more. It wasn’t long where you could tell that the two grew to care for one another, especially Sam. He went after Rachel’s father after he got lost in woods and he did not give up till he found him. How can that not be love? Plus she helped him realize that it’s baseball that he wanted to do. Despite what Sam thought when he realized that team was being sold, I know that she loved him and I hoped that he would realize that soon. Before she left.

THE CHANGE UP started out a bit slow for me, I felt like it dragged in beginning, however it picked up fast and once it did, I could not get enough of it. I fell in love with the characters and the story. Also fact that it dealt with Alzheimer’s as well which is a hard subject and I saw how much her father declined and how fast and it even scared me. I couldn’t even imagine how it must felt to see your own father to decline like that. Also the cover, isn’t it beautiful? Even if you don’t read the summary I have a big feeling that the cover will attract your attention and make you curious. How can you not wonder about that couple in the cover? I feel like it tells part of the story.

Astonishing, heartwarming story about love, family, acceptance, hope and dreams. If you love sports with love mixed in, THE CHANGE UP is a story that you won’t forget. Afterwards you will finds yourself wondering what’s next for them. 

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Author Bio:

Elley Arden is a born and bred Pennsylvanian who has lived as far west as Utah and as far north as Wisconsin. She drinks wine like it’s water (a slight exaggeration), prefers a night at the ballpark to a night on the town, and believes almond English toffee is the key to happiness.

Elley has been reading romance novels since she was a sixteen-year-old babysitter, sneaking Judith McNaught and Danielle Steele novels off the bookshelves of the women who employed her. To say she’d been sheltered up to that point is an understatement. No one had ever told her women could live bold, love freely, and have sex lives that were exciting and fulfilling. (They don’t teach these things in Catholic school!) Now that she knows, she’s happy to spread the word. The women she writes about may be fictional, but the success, respect, and love they find on the page is a universal right for women everywhere.

Elley writes books with charming characters, emotional stories, and sexy romance. Visit The Bookshelf for a detailed listing.

You can also visit her online at the following places: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

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Giveaway.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway