My Name Is Memory: LFB Reviews

Week 2 and 3:
My Name is Memory
Adult Action/Adventure/Romance
by Ann Brashares

I loved the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants books. LOVED them. My copies have been read and re-read and passed on and passed back. And I'm always curious how an author with a well-known series of YA books moves on to something else afterward--like J.K. Rowling after Harry Potter. My Name is Memory came into the Library Friends Bookshop three weeks ago, and I hadn't read it, so into my bag of goodies it went.

Although Sisterhood is considered YA, this book is not. It is, however, an adult book with a YA bent, as the book opens up with two high school kids around the time of graduation. Daniel 'remembers' Lucy from a previous life...in fact from many, many previous lives...but she does not remember him.

It's a cool concept, starting their relationship in ancient civilizations, and then following their connections from life to life, never quite connecting in the right age-level or circumstances. Always close enough that he could be with her, but not close enough that they could be together as a couple. Though the concept is fantasy, the lives are told in very real terms, and the two fall in love in various ways throughout many different centuries and settings.

But then there's the evil older brother Joaquim, who also remembers, and who has made it his purpose through time to hurt Daniel through his infatuation with Lucy.

The story dances through time until modern day, when the three come together a final time to determine their fates.

I very much enjoyed this book, but the ending...not so much. I don't think it can be compared to the Sisterhood books, as it's such a different premise, but Ms. Brashares still writes with a quiet, lyrical style. I loved how the stories mixed and mingled, with different situations each time, but I felt the ending did not suit the intensity of the story.  I hope that's because Ms. Brashares is setting it up for a sequel, but I'm not sure the storyline warrants it. I guess we will all have to wait to find out.

On a scale of Total Keeper (10) to Back to the Library Friends Bookshop Post-Haste (1)?

I give it a 6/10. I'll keep it, but would have liked a better conclusion to what was a fabulous love story through time. 


Brenda

Book Release! All the Way Home

Adult romance BY KIM MILLS

So a while back (five years ago? Maybe more?) I started following a sassy Canadian soldier's wife (@reccewife) on Twitter. She shot from the hip, and told it like it was, and I liked her style. Her resolution to treat people to dinner while her husband was deployed was intriguing. And her blog posts were poignant and real.

Fast forward a few years, and Kim and I have become virtual friends through several other platforms, including a group of Canadian military bloggers on Facebook. She recently MC'd a national event to mark the 25th Anniversary of Canadian Military Family Services. And her name has been mentioned more than once since I arrived in the US--she had spoken the year before to Canadian military families here in the US National Capitol region.

While managing a busy family, a well-visited blog, speaking engagements and a meaningful life as a military spouse, Kim has written a novel--a Canadian military romance novel, to be exact. And I'm so happy to be able to support her as she releases it to the public today. In her words:

"I wrote this book because I wanted to read a story about average Canadian combat soldiers and the people who loved them during the war in Afghanistan.

I’m hoping that maybe there’s a few others out there who were looking for stories like that, too." 

Kim's bio:

Kim Mills intended to grow up to be a psychologist with a loft apartment and 3 cats. Instead she dropped out of college and married a teenage soldier and had babies. No one ever asks her to speak on career day.

After working and volunteering in Social Services for years, Kim began writing in 2011 on what is now the Canadian military family blog She is Fierce. Somehow, that led her here. No one is more surprised than she is.

You can find Kim with the childhood sweetheart she's been married to for over 15 years, along with her 3 kids and their border collie Trooper, making home wherever the army sends them.

ALL THE WAY HOME is book one of a series of books (The Way Home Series), and today is it's Book Birthday! 

More about the book (from Amazon):

Juliette has been walking through life broken and hurting for years, always relying on her friend Tavish to be there for her when she needs him. As soon as he met her, Tavish knew he would do anything for her, that is, until he enlists in the infantry and leaves town, and possibly Juliette, for good.
Soon the events of 9/11 change everything, and an upcoming deployment to Afghanistan prompts him to reconnect with Juliette 5 years later. Despite the time apart she soon finds herself leaning on him again as their reunion leads to something much more. That’s when tragedy strikes during his deployment, and Tavish comes home shattered. Is Juliette strong enough to offer him the support he has always given her? Will it be enough for both of them to find their way home?

All The Way Home is a Canadian-based military love story, the first in the Way Home series but is a stand-alone with it's own HEA. 

This book is intended for audiences 18+. For those dealing with combat related PTSD, some scenes may be triggering. 


You can purchase ALL THE WAY HOME on Amazon. And find out more about Kim on her blog: She is Fierce which is well worth a read.

Congratulations Kim!

Brenda

Teaser Tuesday: SKIN

Ahhhh. Coffee by my side, warm golden retriever at my feet, kids at school, hubby at work and a whole day of writing and organizing things ahead of me. Nice.

Step one is to get some blog posts up and running. I spent most of the pre-Christmas build up getting Dependent's 2nd Edition back up and online, so I thought I'd give my new release some love today. 

Here in Virginia it's cold and snowy and as much as it's nice to see the snow, I'm missing warm days on the beach. I love my golden retriever foot-warmer, but hot sand is so wonderful! And a nice cold lemony drink....sigh. I'm also working on the sequel to Skin...and the northern Atlantic beaches aren't so warm in October and November. Brrr! No wonder I need that coffee.

PEI in summertime...

To fortify you on the cold, dark days of winter, here's a little beachy teaser from Chapter 1 of Skin:

...When I get to the edge, Declan’s puny frame is already knee deep in one of the pools, and all I can think about is how good the water will feel on my toes. Wet sand is not satisfying at all. I want the real thing.

Then, like it’s some big event that I’ve been waiting my whole life for, I step in. 

The water reacts. 

It’s like a brain slap. A sense of recognition hits me, and a roll of emotion I’m not ready for swells up from under my feet, shocking me right to my chest. I gasp and step back, almost tripping over my own feet in my haste. 

Hmmm...what's happening there? If you want to read more, and haven't already purchased my latest YA, you can find Skin on Amazon HERE. Don't forget to review it when you've finished!

Happy Tuesday!

Brenda

Summer of Selkies GIVEAWAY!

It's time! 

Summer is here, school is out, the beaches are warm and it's time for a giveaway! And you know what book would be great to take in your beach bag? SKIN! You could put it there for free! All you have to do is go to Goodreads and follow the links to register. Offer available in both Canada and the US.

And you have a whole month to enter! Giveaway ends on July 27th.

GOOD LUCK!

 

 

    Goodreads Book Giveaway

 

   

       

   

   

     

          Skin

     

     

          by Brenda Corey Dunne

     

     

         

            Giveaway ends July 27, 2016.

         

         

            See the giveaway details

            at Goodreads.

         

     

   

   

    Enter Giveaway

Coming soon: SKIN Giveaway!

It's almost time for another GIVEAWAY! 

Summer is here and starting Monday I'll be hosting a giveaway for THREE books through Goodreads to celebrate!

Enter between June 27th and July 27th. And yes, Goodreads patrons in both CANADA and the U.S. can apply!

It's easy...just click on the links to enter. Don't forget to add SKIN to your to-be-read shelf. Share with your friends! Good Luck!

 
 

    Goodreads Book Giveaway

       

       Skin by Brenda Corey Dunne
       
Giveaway ends July 27, 2016. See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

    Enter Giveaway

Blog Tour: The Fall of Our Secrets

Today I'd like to welcome Tracy Gardner Beno to the blog! Tracy has just released her novel The Fall of our Secrets, an adult mystery with romance, relationships and some serious emotion. The book follows childhood friends as they are reunited and rekindle their friendship as adults, eventually unravelling secrets and dealing with what is revealed.

Tracy agreed to a quick interview, so here goes:

Hi Tracy, thanks for visiting the blog! So, I'm curious...What caused you to first discover you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve been writing since I was a kid. I started with song lyrics to short tunes I’d come up with on my guitar or piano. Sometime around the age of 13, I began writing short stories and poems. I loved English class throughout school, always felt like the weird kid because I’d get excited about book reports and creative writing assignments. In spite of that, I never entertained the idea of being a writer. My parents were both teachers, and my mom is a practical woman. She loves to write and has such an engaging voice, but she raised her two daughters to seek career paths that would allow us to easily support ourselves. After working for years as a Registered Nurse, and having my second child, I sat down at the computer one day and just started typing. The words poured out of me. I had an idea for a story about two friends, and I found once I had the first few paragraphs down, I couldn’t stop thinking about the characters. I’ve since completed two more novels. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to nurture my love of words, my addiction to writing. I know I will be writing long into my life, it’s something I just can’t resist.

I know that feeling....Could you name at least one person who is or was influential in the writing of THE FALL OF OUR SECRETS and in what way?

This is a tough question, but I like it! There were a few influential people. When I was little, I had a childhood friend who moved away, and in an age before texting, facetime, snapchat, etc, we lost touch. I loved her and her family, and I always missed her and wondered what her life was like. I should point out here that in spite of my leanings toward mystery romance novels, my literary roots are deeply grounded in the darker side of fiction; I grew up on Stephen King. When I began writing again as an adult, I took a sweet childhood long-lost friend idea and twisted it into something dark, departing quickly from any resemblance to my real childhood friend.

One other person gets credit for me actually finishing The Fall of Our Secrets. Friend Rocsana invited me to join her book club a few years ago. I’ve never joined a club in my life. Not quite sure what made me say yes, but we began talking books, and when she asked to read the story I’d written, I was ashamed to admit I’d written all but the last few chapters. She is the reason I finished the story, at least when I did. Who knows how long I might have taken, procrastinator that I am!

Nothing like a good friend to help you along! What is coming up next for you in your writing career?

I have two stories in progress. One is a follow up to the coming of age novel I recently finished. The coming of age story explores nineteen year old Danni’s struggles after losing her twin, falling in love with the wrong man and finally finding the right one. The sequel is exciting for me, as I became so attached to Danni and her BFF Tommie and can’t wait to accompany them for “what happens next.”

The other book is a contemporary women’s fiction about a mother and her teenage daughter who are forced to start new lives in the stark beauty of Alaska, each discovering lost pieces of themselves they hadn’t realized were missing.

Thank you so much, Tracy for visiting. And good luck with your book!

Intrigued? You can buy Tracy's book here! And here's a little more about Tracy...

Tracy Gardner Beno is a Metro Detroit native who has lived in and around small, rural communities like those described in The Fall of Our Secrets. Her stories draw readers in with recognizable characters and real emotion, seasoned with intrigue and a dash of humor. She loves spending time with her husband and two children, reading, writing, and catching her favorite bands in concert as often as possible. She works as a Registered Nurse in her day job and when she's not writing novels she contributes short stories and articles to Verite Magazine where she's a staff writer.

You can find out even more about Tracy on her website: http://www.tracygardnerbeno.com.

Or on Facebook or Twitter!

Brenda.