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Wednesday, July 31, 2013

The Glass Wives by Amy Sue Nathan- Six Sentence Bookish Thoughts



cover image via goodreads.com

What The Glass Wives is about:
When a tragic car accident ends the life of Richard Glass, it also upends the lives of Evie and Nicole, and their children. There’s no love lost between the widow and the ex. In fact, Evie sees a silver lining in all this heartache—the chance to rid herself of Nicole once and for all. But Evie wasn’t counting on her children’s bond with their baby half-brother, and she wasn’t counting on Nicole’s desperate need to hang on to the threads of family, no matter how frayed

I am riding the fence about The Glass Wives and how I felt about it when I finished the last page. It certainly gave me a lot to think about and I wondered what I would've done if I was in the position of Evie. I liked that towards the end of the story she actually gets a backbone and starts living her life. But the rest of the story had me bored at parts and wishing that Nicole's character was given just a little bit more depth. What I did appreciate was how the author portrayed divorce and death when it happens to young children. Seeing and understanding it from their  perspective was refreshing. And of course, I did question myself at the end in regards to what makes a family??

Recommend? Overall, it was a good read. Nothing stellar or earth-shattering, just a good book that would make a great beach read or when you're in need of something easy to read. This is the author's debut work and I would certainly read more by her in the future.

Source: St. Martin's Griffin via NetGalley
ebook288 pages
Published May 14th 2013 by St. Martin's Griffin


Six Sentence Bookish Thoughts #121
© 2013, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Tuesday Intro- Orphan Train


My Tuesday Intro pick is from Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline. I have a review coming up on Thursday for TLC and wanted to share the intro with my friends.


Prologue
I believe in ghosts. They're the ones who haunt us, the ones who have left us behind. Many times in my life I have felt them around me, observing, witnessing, when no one in the living world knew or cared what happened.
  I am ninety-one years old, and almost everyone who was once in my life is now a ghost.

Would you keep reading based on this opening?

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Mailbox Monday and It's Monday....What Are You Reading?


Mailbox Monday 
is a gathering place for readers to share the books that
came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. 
Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

cover image - www.goodreads.com

Whoever created the cover for The Vicar's Wife book did a fantastic job because it lured me in and made me want to know more about it. After reading the synopsis, I just knew that I had to read it!! Thanks NetGalley for feeding my addiction!
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Hosted by
We discuss the books that we've read 
and what we're planning to read for the week.

Read and talked about last week:
Against the Wall- sexy romance with great characters!
Somewhere Between Luck and Trust- first read by this author and will be coming back for more!
His Majesty's Hope- loved Maggie in this one and can't wait for the next book!

Bookish Thoughts to share this week:
The Glass Wives
One Day in Apple Grove
Orphan Train - TLC Book Stop

Upcoming reads:
Whatever my little heart desires! August is Summer Kindle Cleaning Month here at LITT and I'm so looking forward to making a dent in my reader!! But August also will be a month where my oldest son, Mitch, is coming back to the States!! Yay!! And then Marc is headed off to college. I'm sure life will impact my reading time but honestly, I don't care at all...I'm beyond excited!!

Friday, July 26, 2013

His Majesty's Hope by Susan Elia Macneal- Six Sentence Bookish Thoughts


cover image via NetGalley

What His Majesty's Hope is about:
Maggie Hope returns to embark on a clandestine mission behind enemy lines where no one can be trusted, and even the smallest indiscretion can be deadly.World War II has finally come home to Britain, but it takes more than nightly air raids to rattle intrepid spy and expert code breaker Maggie Hope. After serving as a secret agent to protect Princess Elizabeth at Windsor Castle, Maggie is now an elite member of the Special Operations Executive—a black ops organization designed to aid the British effort abroad—and her first assignment sends her straight into Nazi-controlled Berlin, the very heart of the German war machine. Relying on her quick wit and keen instincts, Maggie infiltrates the highest level of Berlin society, gathering information to pass on to London headquarters. But the secrets she unveils will expose a darker, more dangerous side of the war—and of her own past.

Maggie Hope is back and even better than before! Book three takes the reader deep into Germany and finds Maggie's life on the line more than once. I was impressed by Maggie's bravery in accepting the job of being dropped into enemy territory and becoming a spy. She's such a smart cookie but there were a few instances where I wanted her to stop thinking she was so invincible, but that just added to the tension in the story. Many twists and turns, encounters with her "dead" mother, and always questioning who to trust, made this a great addition to the series!!

Recommend? YES! I honestly think it's the best of the books yet! Maggie's grown-up a bit in this one, experiences serious life-altering events, and realizes that life is precarious at best.

Source: Bantam via NetGalley
ebook352 pages
Published May 14th 2013 by Bantam
Maggie Hope Mystery #3


Six Sentence Bookish Thoughts #120
© 2013, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Somewhere Between Luck and Trust- Six Sentence Bookish Thoughts

cover image via NetGalley


What Somewhere Between Luck and Trust is about:
Cristy Haviland served eight months in prison, giving birth behind bars to the child of the man who put her there and might yet destroy her. Now she's free again, but what does that mean? As smart as she is, a learning disability has kept her from learning to read. And that's the least of her hurdles. Georgia Ferguson, talented educator, receives a mysterious charm bracelet that may help her find the mother who abandoned her at birth. Does she want to follow the clues, and if she does, can reticent Georgia reach out for help along the way? Both women are standing at a crossroads, a place where unlikely unions can be formed. A place where two very different women might bridge the gap between generations and education, and together make tough choices.Somewhere between the townships called Luck and Trust, at a mountain cabin known as the Goddess House, two very different women may even, if they dare, find common ground and friendship.


I love stories where women are empowered to take control of their lives and to believe in themselves. This story was everything that I really love in women's fiction when it revolves around friendships, adversity, hope, and faith. Each woman involved in this book had their own issues and backstory, which they used to help Christy start to realize that she could actually achieve her deepest dreams and desires for a better life. Georgia's mysterious birth captured my imagination and I was emotionally  involved in her search for her biological mom. The direction that the author took with Georgia's story was really authentic and I appreciated the honest way it all ended for her.

Recommend? Yes, but I've been told that you really should read One Mountain Away before this one because it builds the framework of the women involved in running The Goddess House. I will certainly be picking up more books by this author!

Source: Mira via NetGalley
ebook400 pages
Published July 1st 2013 by Mira Books



Six Sentence Bookish Thoughts #119
© 2013, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Against the Wall by Rebecca Zanetti- Six Sentence Bookish Thoughts


cover image via NetGalley

What Against the Wall is about:
Never challenge a cowboy in the courtroom…Surveying the proposed site for a high-end golf course should have been a breeze for spunky Landscape Architect Sophie Smith. But when this born-and-bred city girl is suddenly—and quite literally—swept off her feet by a sexy cowboy on horseback, she realizes that the country life has some serious (and seriously steamy!) possibilities. That is, until she finds out exactly who her smokin’-hot wrangler really is.Cowboy and Tribal lawyer Jake Lodge is desperately trying to block the development. And if that means playing hardball—and being every inch the shark lawyer—so be it. But Sophie is a distraction he didn’t expect. A distraction that makes his blood burn.

No one that has been reading my blog will be surprised that I enjoy a racy novel or two three from time to time. I decided to take my chances and request Against the Wall because I love cowboys and most especially cowboys that are also Indians with long black hair, chiseled bodies, eyes you can get lost in,  and ICE, I need ICE in here!! Sorry, I get a bit carried away, now where was I? The story was good, the characters were actually pretty well developed, and I loved the family dynamics. The connection between Jake and Sophie was intense, but it was also filled with tenderness and a sense of fun!

Recommend? I most certainly would, especially to my friends that are looking for new authors to explore who deliver a contemporary romance with quality writing!

Source: Entangled via NetGalley
ebook181 pages
Published March 25th 2013 by Entangled: Brazen


Six Sentence Bookish Thoughts #118
© 2013, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Mailbox Monday and It's Monday..What Are You Reading- Tuesday Edition!


Mailbox Monday 
is a gathering place for readers to share the books that
came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. 
Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.


Wow! I mean look at that stack of books, friends!! Jill (Rhapsody in Books) is such a generous soul and when she noticed my new obsession with Robyn Carr she contacted me to see if I would want some of her books. Of course I said YES!! The box arrived yesterday and I couldn't believe all of the titles that she packed in there for me!! I do believe that I will be highlighting these books in the months to come!! Thanks again, Jill!!!
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Hosted by
We discuss the books that we've read 
and what we're planning to read for the week.

Read and talked about last week:
The Newcomer - loved returning to Thunder Point!
Whistling Past the Graveyard- another great Southern fiction book!

Bookish Thoughts to share this week:
Against the Wall by Rebecca Zanetti
Somewhere Between Luck and Trust
His Majesty's Hope

Upcoming Reads:
~ I'm still winging it and loving the spontaneity of choosing a title that fits my mood. I will be picking up Chocolat for sure this week for Paris in July. Other than that I'm reading what works for me!

Friday, July 19, 2013

Whistling Past the Graveyard by Susan Crandall - Six Sentence Bookish Thoughts

cover image via goodreads.com

What Whistling Past the Graveyard is about:
In the summer of 1963, nine-year-old spitfire Starla Claudelle runs away from her strict grandmother’s Mississippi home. Starla hasn’t seen her momma since she was three—that’s when Lulu left for Nashville to become a famous singer. Starla’s daddy works on an oil rig in the Gulf, so Mamie, with her tsk-tsk sounds and her bitter refrain of “Lord, give me strength,” is the nearest thing to family Starla has. She fears Mamie will make good on her threat to send Starla to reform school, so Starla walks to the outskirts of town, and just keeps walking. . . . If she can get to Nashville and find her momma, then all that she promised will come true: Lulu will be a star. Daddy will come to live in Nashville, too. And her family will be whole and perfect. Walking a lonely country road, Starla accepts a ride from Eula, a black woman traveling alone with a white baby. The trio embarks on a road trip that will change Starla’s life forever. She sees for the first time life as it really is—as she reaches for a dream of how it could one day be.


Whistling Past the Graveyard actually took me by surprise. I didn't expect to love Starla and Eula quite so much, but darn it, I did. Their story captured my heart and my imagination and I couldn't help but tear through this book in a day. I love Southern fiction and this story rates up there with Beth Hoffman, Joshilyn Jackson, and Jenny Wingfield's works.

Recommend? Absolutely. It's such a heartfelt story of friendship, love, acceptance, and paints a pretty true picture of the race relations during the early 1960's.

Source: NetGalley via Gallery Books
ebook320 pages
Published July 2nd 2013 by Gallery Books




Six Sentence Bookish Thoughts #117
© 2013, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

The Newcomer by Robyn Carr- Six Sentence Bookish Thoughts


cover image via goodreads.com


What The Newcomer is about:
Single dad and Thunder Point's deputy sheriff "Mac" McCain has worked hard to keep his town safe and his daughter happy. Now he's found his own happines with Gina James. The longtime friends have always shared the challenges and rewards of raising their adolescent daughters. With an unexpected romance growing between them, they're feeling like teenagers themselves-suddenly they can't get enough of one another. And just when things are really taking off, their lives are suddenly thrown into chaos. When Mac's long-lost ex-wife shows up in town, drama takes on a whole new meaning. Mac and Gina know they're meant to be together, but can their newfound love withstand the pressure?


I really and truly enjoyed, The Newcomer, and was excited to see that the story didn't just revolve around Mac and Gina, but also incorporated Cooper and Sarah. The stories blended seamlessly and it felt like coming home.

Recommend? Absolutely. I believe this is a series that many will enjoy, especially when the hustle and bustle of everyday life just needs to be forgotten for a while. Thunder Point is a place you will want to visit time and time again! And did I mention the men are pretty hot??

Source: NetGalley via Mira Books
ebook368 pages
Published July 1st 2013 by Mira Books




Six Sentence Bookish Thoughts #116
© 2013, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Mailbox Monday and It's Monday...What are you reading?


Mailbox Monday 
is a gathering place for readers to share the books that
came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. 
Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

photo image courtesy of NetGalley/Random House
Everyone is buzzing about this book and when I read Ti's love for this one I had to have it!  Night Film is one title that I can't wait to get to this summer!
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Hosted by
We discuss the books that we've read 
and what we're planning to read for the week.

Read and talked about last week:
Just One of the Guys- loved it big time!
The Wanderer (Thunder Point #1)- great summer read!
Always Watching- just an okay read for me which bummed me out.

Bookish Thoughts to share this week:
The Newcomer
Whistling Past the Graveyard

Upcoming reads:
I am just loading up the next NetGalley book that is on my Kindle. I'm trying not to think too hard about the book choice and just going with the flow. So far it has been working for me!!

Friday, July 12, 2013

Always Watching by Chevy Stevens- Six Sentence Bookish Thoughts

cover image via Goodreads.com

What Always Watching is about:
In the lockdown ward of a psychiatric hospital, Dr. Nadine Lavoie is in her element. She has the tools to help people, and she has the desire—healing broken families is what she lives for. But Nadine doesn’t want to look too closely at her own past because there are whole chunks of her life that are black holes. It takes all her willpower to tamp down her recurrent claustrophobia, and her daughter, Lisa, is a runaway who has been on the streets for seven years. When a distraught woman, Heather Simeon, is brought into the Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit after a suicide attempt, Nadine gently coaxes her story out of her—and learns of some troubling parallels with her own life. Digging deeper, Nadine is forced to confront her traumatic childhood, and the damage that began when she and her brother were brought by their mother to a remote commune on Vancouver Island.  What happened to Nadine?  Why was their family destroyed? And why does the name Aaron Quinn, the group’s leader, bring complex feelings of terror to Nadine even today? 

Chevy Stevens quickly became a favorite author of mine with her gripping debut, and equally impressive follow up book. So with that in mind, I was eagerly anticipating her newest release.  Well folks, I'm sad to say that this one was just okay for me. There wasn't really a lot of suspense, and honestly, I hated the first person narrative. On top of that, there was wayyyy too much tragedy for one person and coincidences gushing from every sentence. I just didn't buy it, which made me very sad.

Recommend? Well, if you've read her other two works, then of course, you will want to read this one. IMHO, I just felt that it didn't come close to her other stories. Maybe my expectations were too high? If you haven't read Chevy, I can highly recommend Still Missing and Never Knowing. Those two books made me want to read in the bright sun of the day because of the scare factor!

Source: St. Martin's Press via NetGalley
ebook352 pages
Published June 18th 2013 by St. Martin's Press



Six Sentence Bookish Thoughts #115
© 2013, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

The Wanderer (Thunder Point #1) by Robyn Carr- Six Sentence Bookish Thoughts

cover image via goodreads.com


What The Wanderer is about:
Nestled on the Oregon Coast is a small town of rocky beaches and rugged charm. Locals love the land's unspoiled beauty. Developers see it as a potential gold mine. When newcomer Hank Cooper learns he's been left an old friend's entire beachfront property, he finds himself with a community's destiny in his hands. Cooper has never been a man to settle in one place, and Thunder Point was supposed to be just another quick stop. But Cooper finds himself getting involved with the town. And with Sarah Dupre, a woman as complicated as she is beautiful. With the whole town watching for his next move, Cooper has to choose between his old life and a place full of new possibilities. A place that just might be home

You all read it here first.....I'm moving to Thunder Point! I simply loved everything about this book. The characters were so real with problems that every day people encounter. And the men....holy moly ladies, I'm telling you I was swooning by the end of this book, especially knowing that more great male characters are coming up in book two and three. I could spank myself (or maybe Cooper could do that?) for not reading Carr's books earlier. I'm hooked!

Recommend? Yes. This is a great series that honestly has it all...great characters, location, believable plot, and lots of heart!

Source: Harlequin via NetGalley
ebook255 pages
Published March 26th 2013 by Harlequin


Six Sentence Bookish Thoughts #114
© 2013, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Just One of the Guys by Kristan Higgans- Six Sentence Bookish Thoughts

cover image via Goodreads.com

What Just One of the Guys is about:
Being one of the guys isn't all it's cracked up to be...So when journalist Chastity O'Neill returns to her hometown, she decides it's time to start working on some of those feminine wiles. Two tiny problems: #1--she's five feet eleven inches of rock-solid girl power, and #2--she's cursed with four alpha male older brothers. While doing a story on local heroes, she meets a hunky doctor and things start to look up. Now there's only one problem: Trevor Meade, her first love and the one man she's never quite gotten over--although he seems to have gotten over her just fine. Yet the more time she spends with Dr. Perfect, the better Trevor looks. But even with the in-your-face competition, the irresistible Trevor just can't seem to see Chastity as anything more than just one of the guys

I do believe that almost every time I review one of Kristan's books I swear it's my favorite. Well, guess what? This one really is! I adored Chastity because she wasn't a typical sexy female. She had heart, guts, smarts, and she loved with unabashed loyalty. This one is at the top of my fave list, well that is until I review her next book!

Recommend? Do I really have to answer that question? Of course, because Kristan writes smart, sexy, and totally fun contemporary romance stories. How could you go wrong?

Source: Public Library


Six Sentence Bookish Thoughts #113
© 2013, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Mailbox Monday and It's Monday....What Are You Reading?



Mailbox Monday 
is a gathering place for readers to share the books that
came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. 
Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

cover images via NetGalley and Publishers


What can I say? I'm hopeless! Once again NetGalley Naughtiness has struck. But check out those titles....can you blame me????


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Hosted by
We discuss the books that we've read 
and what we're planning to read for the week.

Read and talked about last week:
The Virgin Cure- so glad that I listened to fellow book bloggers and read this author! 

Bookish Thoughts to share this week:
Just One of the Guys
The Wanderer
Always Watching



Came home for a few days, regrouped and now we're back up north enjoying 4 more days on the lake, canoeing, and fishing! Hope everyone had a fantastic 4th of July and a great week to come!

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

The Virgin Cure by Ami McKay- TLC Book Tour


cover image via www.goodreads.com

What The Virgin Cure is about:
Set on the streets of Lower Manhattan in 1871, The Virgin Cure is the story of Moth, a girl abandoned by her father and raised by a mother telling fortunes to the city's desperate women. One summer night, twelve-year-old Moth is pulled from her bed and sold as a servant to a finely dressed woman. It is this betrayal suffered at the hands of her own mother that changes her life forever.

The Virgin Cure immersed me in the world of the terrible plight many women and children suffered living in Lower Manhattan in the late 1800's. McKay writes with a deft hand and allows the story to unfold without apology. My heart broke at the options Moth had or rather, didn't have. Knowing that the conditions and the treatment of women and children was quite factual, made this a hard read, but interwoven within the pages was a story of hope.  Dr. Sadie was that hope, and her role as a female doctor was so important to this story and honestly to history.

Recommend? Absolutely. This is an important story that needs to be read, talked about, researched, and acknowledged. Life in the inner cities during the late 1800's - early 1900's was depressing, fraught with illness and death, utter poverty, and horrible transgressions against women and children. Reading this book has caused me to read more about this time and has also bolstered my respect for these people who managed to claw their way out of that miserable existence.

Source: Harper for TLC Book Tours


Disclaimer: Thank you to TLC Book Tours for sending me a review copy. I was not compensated for my review. My thoughts on this book were in no way influenced by the author or publicist.They are my personal reflections based solely on MY experience while reading this novel.


© 2013, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Monday, July 1, 2013

Mailbox Monday and It's Monday...What Are You Reading?


Mailbox Monday 
is a gathering place for readers to share the books that
came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. 
Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.

cover images via NetGalley and Goodreads
Yes, friends, I have been bad. I wish I could come up with a clever excuse for adding more NetGalley books to my list, but I'm all out. I have no restraint and click impulsively!!

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Hosted by
We discuss the books that we've read 
and what we're planning to read for the week.


Read and talked about last week:
The Last Camellia- another well-written story from Jio
The Great Gatsby- great narrator but the story was just okay for me.
It Had to Be You- probably my favorite Shalvis book to date!

Bookish Thoughts to share this week:
The Virgin Cure- TLC Tour book



Hubby and I are up north at the camper so I will be absent from commenting on blogs for a little while. Hope everyone has a wonderful 4th of July (for all my friends here in the States) and I will catch up when we return home!