Sunday, October 1

Review: The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See

Title: The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane
By: Lisa See
My Copy: Library
The BookWhisperer's Rating:

A thrilling new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa See explores the lives of a Chinese mother and her daughter who has been adopted by an American couple.

Li-yan and her family align their lives around the seasons and the farming of tea. There is ritual and routine, and it has been ever thus for generations. Then one day a jeep appears at the village gate—the first automobile any of them have seen—and a stranger arrives.

In this remote Yunnan village, the stranger finds the rare tea he has been seeking and a reticent Akha people. In her biggest seller, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, See introduced the Yao people to her readers. Here she shares the customs of another Chinese ethnic minority, the Akha, whose world will soon change. Li-yan, one of the few educated girls on her mountain, translates for the stranger and is among the first to reject the rules that have shaped her existence. When she has a baby outside of wedlock, rather than stand by tradition, she wraps her daughter in a blanket, with a tea cake hidden in her swaddling, and abandons her in the nearest city.

After mother and daughter have gone their separate ways, Li-yan slowly emerges from the security and insularity of her village to encounter modern life while Haley grows up a privileged and well-loved California girl. Despite Haley’s happy home life, she wonders about her origins; and Li-yan longs for her lost daughter. They both search for and find answers in the tea that has shaped their family’s destiny for generations.

A powerful story about a family, separated by circumstances, culture, and distance, Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane paints an unforgettable portrait of a little known region and its people and celebrates the bond that connects mothers and daughters. 



My first introduction to Lisa See was when I read, “Snow Flower and the Secret Fan.”  It was incredible eye-opening book that described the ways of the Chinese culture intertwined with the bond of childhood friendship. See continues describing the Chinese culture but intertwines the mother-daughter bond in “The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane.”

Wow…does this woman know how to write!  Immediately I found myself drawn to Li-yan and her Akha people.  Their lifestyle was fascinating and rough.  They manually labored from dusk to dawn and then some.  Every family member contributed for everything that they made was either sold or used to survive.  One would think that a rough childhood would deserve a smooth adulthood but in this story, you would be wrong.

While Li-yan grows, she finds herself facing multiple troubles in the sense of her future.  Following in her mother’s footsteps is harder than she realizes, especially when she rather continue her schooling and farther her education. Li-yan also falls in love with a young man who is her dream but her family does not approve of him.  She fights for her love only to have her love fight back.


This brings us to the most heartbreaking part of the book in my opinion.  Li-yan finds herself with child and knows the only choice that she has is to give her away.  I was hoping that this was the hardest thing that Li-yan would have to endure during her journey of life but unfortunately there is more hardship.  Without going into more detail, because reading it always half the surprise, I just want to say that this book was an emotional one for me.  To read the ups and downs of Li-yan’s life was heartbreaking as well as rewarding.

Sunday, August 27

Review: Beard in Mind by Penny Reid

Title: Beard in Mind
By: Penny Reid
Series: Winston Brothers #4
My Copy: Ebook from Publisher
The BookWhisperer's Rating: 

All's fair in love and auto maintenance.

Beau Winston is the nicest, most accommodating guy in the world. Usually.
Handsome as the devil and twice as charismatic, Beau lives a charmed life as everyone’s favorite Winston Brother. But since his twin decided to leave town, and his other brother hired a stunning human-porcupine hybrid as a replacement mechanic for their auto shop, Beau Winston’s charmed life has gone to hell in a handbasket.

Shelly Sullivan is not nice and is never accommodating. Ever.
She mumbles to herself, but won’t respond when asked a question. She glares at everyone, especially babies. She won’t shake hands with or touch another person, but has no problems cuddling with a dog. And her damn parrot speaks only in curse words.

Beau wants her gone. He wants her out of his auto shop, out of Tennessee, and out of his life.

The only problem is, learning why this porcupine wears her coat of spikes opens a Pandora’s box of complexity—exquisite, tempting, heartbreaking complexity—and Beau Winston soon discovers being nice and accommodating might mean missing out on what matters most.



Since the beginning in "Truth or Beard", I have always been curious about Beau.  I mean, he is written as the better of the twins, right?  He is the more sociable, he is kind, he is caring, he is a charmer through and through and never uses it for evil - only good, he is basically less surly than his twin Duane.  How could one not be curious about him?  And now enter his story and *fans my face* he was worth the wait!  Was he a Drew? (Confession - Drew is the love of my life!)  No - but his story is just as good.  

Beau and Shelly's relationship at first is rocky, really rocky.  No words are pleasant if there are any words being said at all.  Shelly calls Beau's face asymmetrical and Beau tells Shelly that she doesn't have to strip for him (he was a little confused on who she was at the time.)  Needless to say, they weren't best friends from the start.  However, when they both open their minds to each other and what is created was absolutely beautiful!

Now, I am going to stop you right here.  I have a few things that I would like to say and I don't want to ruin anything for all of you but I also want to warn you that some slight spoilers are coming your way.

When I first read the synopsis of Beard in Mind, I thought it would be like every other book would be; wonderful and brilliant with a side of quirky.  I didn't know that we were going to get in really deep quirky territory with Shelly.  Never did I think that this wonderful character was going to have extreme OCD and anxiety.  Out of all of Reid's characters, Janie and Cletus seem to stick out the most.  Janie because of her list of random facts and Cletus because, well, he is just Cletus.  We never really got to see a Reid character so extremely vulnerable before and I must hand it to Penny, she did a brilliant job writing Shelly as such.  I found myself worked up when Shelly was worked up on the pages. I felt like I lived every fear with her and every worry with Beau when it came to her fears.  I didn't expect these two characters, especially Shelly, to be so deep.  And I should have; this is Penny Reid for Pete's sake!  I am always astonished with her ability to write in-depth and real human-like characters, complicated family issues, and budding romances.  

Even if you took Shelly and her extreme OCD and anxiety out of the picture, Reid still presented us with a wonderful story about Beau, a Winston sibling to the end.  His interactions with his friends and family show you what kind of beautiful human he is.  


I wasn't expecting this plot line.  I wasn't expecting these twist and turns. I wasn't expecting the absolute love I felt for Shelly and Beau.  And I wasn't expecting the more love I felt for the rest of the Winston gang and associates to grow either. But I got them and so much more that rounded this book into a favorite of mine because Penny Reid writes real people, guys!  And as real people, how could be not love them?

Wednesday, August 2

Release Day Blitz: Beard in Mind by Penny Reid

beard in mind RB banner

Beard in Mind, an all new standalone in the bestselling, romantic comedy Winston Brothers Series by Penny Reid, is LIVE!

BIM-cover (2)
All is fair in love and auto maintenance.
Beau Winston is the nicest, most accommodating guy in the world. Usually.
Handsome as the devil and twice as charismatic, Beau lives a charmed life as everyone’s favorite Winston Brother. But since his twin decided to leave town, and his other brother hired a stunning human-porcupine hybrid as a replacement mechanic for their auto shop, Beau Winston’s charmed life has gone to hell in a handbasket.
Shelly Sullivan is not nice and is never accommodating. Ever.
She mumbles to herself, but won’t respond when asked a question. She glares at everyone, especially babies. She won’t shake hands with or touch another person, but has no problems cuddling with a dog. And her damn parrot speaks only in curse words.
Beau wants her gone. He wants her out of his auto shop, out of Tennessee, and out of his life.
The only problem is, learning why this porcupine wears her coat of spikes opens a Pandora’s box of complexity—exquisite, tempting, heartbreaking complexity—and Beau Winston soon discovers being nice and accommodating might mean losing what matters most.
LIVE

Read Today!

(Free in Kindle Unlimited)
Add to GoodReads: https://goo.gl/hsTLLC
TEASER02

Enter the Giveaway!

BT-Giveaway.jpg



Meet Penny Reid:
PennyReidPenny Reid is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the Winston Brothers and Knitting in the City series. When she’s not immersed in penning smart romances, Penny works in the biotech industry as a researcher. She’s also a full time mom to three diminutive adults, wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja.


Connect with Penny:

Twitter: @ReidRomance

Monday, July 31

Review: The Darkest Sunrise & The Brightest Sunset by Aly Martinez

Title: The Darkest Sunrise & The Brightest Sunset

By: Aly Martinez

My Copy: Ebook from Publisher

The BookWhisperer's Rating:
Five Stars


Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me.
Whoever coined that phrase is a bald-faced liar. Words are often the sharpest weapon of all, triggering some of the most powerful emotions a human can experience.
“You’re pregnant.”
“It’s a boy.” 
“Your son needs a heart transplant.”
Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me.
Lies.
Syllables and letters may not be tangible, but they can still destroy your entire life faster than a bullet from a gun.
Two words—that was all it took to extinguish the sun from my sky.
“He’s gone.” 
For ten years, the darkness consumed me.
In the end, it was four deep, gravelly words that gave me hope of another sunrise. 
“Hi. I’m Porter Reese.”




Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me.
Bullshit.
Words destroyed me. 
“I’m sorry. She didn’t make it.”
“Daddy, he can’t breathe!” 
“There’s nothing more we can do for your son.”
Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me.
Lies.
Those syllables and letters became my executioner. I told myself that, if I didn’t acknowledge the pain and the fear, they would have no power over me. But, as the years passed, the hate and the anger left behind began to control me.
Two words—that was all it took to plunge my life into darkness.
“He’s gone.” 
In the end, it was four soft, silky words that gave me hope of another sunrise. 
“Hi. I’m Charlotte Mills.”




Wow!!!!

We all know that I have loved every one of Aly Martinez's books; like, just loved them.  They are the kind of books that engage every emotion you can have throughout the pages and still make you smile through the anger and tears.  This duo right here did just that and so much more.

Charlotte and Porter's story about killed my soul and I feel like I need some cuddle time with Porter after finishing the last page.  Heck, let's be honest, I need some cuddle time with Porter after finishing every page of these two books because he was just that amazing.  He was the absolute perfect character on so many levels. Porter loved his children with all of his heart and wanted nothing but the best for them.  His family was close and supportive when it came to the special care that Travis needed, even when it meant grilling hamburgers at a cookout to smooth talk Dr. Charlotte Mills into see his son.  When Charlotte comes along, he becomes much more. He was way beyond charming, attentive and attractive.  He knew darkness lived inside of her because it lived inside of him as well. Together they drew each other in and were able to shine the tiniest of light into a world full of pain and it was beautiful.  

To hear their stories utterly broke my heart.  I literally had a hard time continuing these books because while I loved them with every ounce of me, the way Martinez wrote them made it all seem so real and I got extremely upset on the character's behalf.  This to me just shows you what an awesome author Aly Martinez is...I became depressed because my beloved characters were facing some hard times! 

And while I want to talk about what went down in these books, the sideswipe of plot that kicked me in the heart, I CAN'T! Because all of you need to experience it like I did and feel all the feelings.  Trust me on this one, you won't be disappointed with this series, with Martinez's writing, with the characters, and with the anguish, love, drama, and support these pages hold.

Just a little spoiler:

"Porter: Confession: I wish I would have kissed you tonight.

My heart stopped and my stomach dipped as I read it three times before finding the courage to reply.

Me: You did.
Porter: No. Not like that. I'm talking about one where you'd spend the rest of your night touching your bruised lips, and I spend the rest of mine desperately trying to memorize the way you tasted."

Tuesday, July 25

Social Media Blitz: The Lucky Heart by Denver Perry

Today we have the pre-order blitz for The Lucky Heart by Devney Perry! Be sure to preorder your copy now!

Title: The Lucky Heart

Author: Devney Perry

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Day: August 15th

About The Lucky Heart:

Life on his ranch could be their future. If they can overcome their past.



Felicity’s life story reads like the script to a bad soap opera. Girl’s high-school boyfriend becomes a drug addict. Girl falls for boyfriend’s best friend. Girl leaves them both behind only to return home years later for murdered ex-boyfriend’s funeral. Now she’s back home in Montana, ready to start fresh. She’s got a long list of amends to make and relationships to rebuild, including one with the man who has owned her heart for sixteen years.



Silas doesn’t need much. He’s got a great horse, close friends and the Lucky Heart ranch, but something has always been missing. He’s not an idiot. He knows the missing piece is Felicity. And now that she’s returned to Prescott, he’s got a second chance to win her heart. This time, the only thing standing in his way is history. Drudging up the past is going to be about as painful as playing tug of war with barbed wire. But if they can heal old wounds, he’ll get the girl he should have had all along.

Preorder Today!

Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Paperback


Check out the trailer:




About the Author:



Devney lives in Montana with her husband and two children. After working in the technology industry for nearly a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to enjoy a slower pace at home with her kids. She loves reading and, after consuming hundreds of books, decided to share her own stories.


Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter


Enter Devney’s Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, July 13

Release Day Launch: The Darkest Sunrise by Aly Martinez


Today we are sharing the release for The Darkest Sunrise by Aly Martinez. It is the first book in a contemporary romance duet, and is it available to read for FREE on KindleUnlimited!

Be sure to follow Aly's newsletter for exclusive news about the duet.







The Darkest Sunrise (The Darkest Sunrise Duet, #1)

Buy it Now

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU

Synopsis:

Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me.

Whoever coined that phrase is a bald-faced liar. Words are often the sharpest weapon of all, triggering some of the most powerful emotions a human can experience.

“You’re pregnant.”

“It’s a boy.”

“Your son needs a heart transplant.”

Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me.

Lies.

Syllables and letters may not be tangible, but they can still destroy your entire life faster than a bullet from a gun.

Two words—that was all it took to extinguish the sun from my sky.

“He’s gone.”

For ten years, the darkness consumed me.

In the end, it was four deep, gravelly words that gave me hope of another sunrise.

“Hi. I’m Porter Reese.”


----------------------------

The Brightest Sunset (The Darkest Sunrise Duet, #2)

Coming July 27th

Pre-order it Now

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU

----------------------------

You won't want to miss this amazing series!

---------------------

AUTHOR INFORMATION:



Originally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her four young children.

Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, mystery leggings, and baked feta. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person.

She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.




AUTHOR LINKS:

InkSlinger-Blogger banner-New