Guest Review of To Be Where You Are by Jan Karon

Series: Mitford Years #14
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 19th, 2017
Buying Links: Amazon*Book Depository* | iBooks* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

#1 New York Times bestselling author Jan Karon returns with the fourteenth novel in the beloved Mitford series, featuring three generations of Kavanaghs.

After twelve years of wrestling with the conflicts of retirement, Father Tim Kavanagh realizes he doesn't need a steady job to prove himself. Then he's given one--but what, exactly, does it prove? Meanwhile, newly married Dooley and Lace face a crisis that empties their bank account and turns their household upside down. Is the honeymoon over? Is this where real life begins?

As the Mitford Muse editor stumbles on a quick fix for marital woes and the town grocer falls in love for the first time, Father Tim and Cynthia receive an invitation to yet another family wedding.

But perhaps the bottom line is this: While a star blinks out in the Mitford firmament, another soon blinks on at Meadowgate, and four-year-old Jack Tyler looks forward to the biggest day of his life--for now and forever.

Jan Karon weaves together the everyday lives of two families, and the cast of characters that readers around the world now love like kin.

2017 HoHoHo Read-A-Thon Sign-up Post

Yes! I've been waiting for this event since last year's ended. The HoHoHo Read-A-Thon is a week long event, hosted by the Caffeinated Reviewer, focused on reading books with winter or holiday themes. They can be any genre - romance, mystery, etc. - and any length.

There will be a Twitter party, games and challenges, and prizes. For all of the details, and to sign up, go here

As always, I have a lot of books that fit this theme. My list is an ambitious one and I likely won't finish them all, but that's part of the fun. :) Also, I tend to be a mood reader so the list is subject to change. I have almost 2 dozen unread holiday/winter books, most of them from previous years so I may read one not on the list below.

Slay Bells Ring by Karen Rose Smith (ebook, mystery) - Read 11/9 - 11/11. Review on 11/27
How the Finch Stole Christmas by Donna Andrews (ebook, mystery) - Started 11/14
A Wedding for Christmas by Lori Wilde (paperback,romance) - changed my mind 
Christmas in Destiny by Toni Blake (paperback, romance) - changed my mind
Burning Bright: Four Chanukah Love Stories (ebook,romance anthology)
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (audio book, classic)
The Chimes by Charles Dickens (audio book, classic) -  Listened 11/9
Holiday Wishes by Jill Shalvis  - Read 11/8
The Negotiator by HelenKay Dimon - Read 11/11. Review on 11/14
Murder for Christmas by Francis Duncan - Started reading 11/12
Sleigh Bells Ring by Jodie Griffin - Read 11/13

Bea Reviews Monsterland by Michael Phillip Cash & Michael Okon

Publisher: Michael Phillip Cash
Source: the author in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: October 3rd, 2015 
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Welcome to Monsterland – the scariest place on Earth. All guests can interact with real vampires in Vampire Village, be chased by an actual werewolf on the River Run, and walk among the dead in Zombieville.

Wyatt Baldwin, a high school student and life-long movie buff is staring bleakly at a future of flipping burgers. Due to a fortuitous circumstance, Wyatt and his friends are invited to the star-studded opening of Monsterland. In a theme park full of real vampires, werewolves and zombies, what could possibly go wrong?

Bea Reviews Hold Her Again by Shannon Stacey

Publisher: Carina Press
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: October 23rd, 2017 
Buying Links: Amazon* | iTunes* | Kobo | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

A country-music star returns home to win back the woman he loves in this charming holiday novella from New York Times bestselling author Shannon Stacey

Ava Wright isn't happy to see her high school sweetheart rolling into their hometown a few weeks before Christmas. He's only come back to bury his estranged father, but there's no way she'll be able to avoid him. No one can: he's become a country-music superstar since going solo and leaving Ava behind.

Jace Morrow grew up believing "money can't buy happiness" was something people said to make themselves feel better. But now he knows it's the truth: no matter how many number-one hits he has, he'll never recapture the magic of singing with Ava. Missing her—loving her—and living with making the wrong choice in life were what made him who he is.

When Jace is roped into being part of the town's annual Christmas party, he only cares about earning Ava's forgiveness. And though Ava's heart has never healed, she loved Jace too much and for too long to shut him out when he's hurting. As they fall in love all over again, they're both faced with choices for their future…and this time Jace intends to make the right one.

Growing the TBR Pile - November Books We're Anticipating

 

Growing the TBR pile is a new monthly feature where we share upcoming releases that we're excited about.

Bea Reviews If You Were Me and Lived in...the Ancient Mali Empire by Carole P. Roman & Mateya Arkova

Series: If You Were Me and Lived... 
Publisher: Carole P. Roman 
Source: the author in exchange for an honest review 
Release Date: December 13th, 2016 
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Join Carole P. Roman as she travels back in time to visit the exciting Ancient Empire of Mali in Africa during the 1300s. Learn about the varied customs and cultures. Travel to the past to discover what you would eat and do for fun. See the land and its rich history through the eyes of a youngster like you. Don't forget to look at the other books in the series so that you can be an armchair time traveler. 

Bea Reviews Pulse by Felix Francis

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: October 7th, 2017 
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository*  | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

New York Times-bestselling author Felix Francis is back in the newest thrilling adventure in the Dick Francis tradition.

A smartly dressed man has been found unconscious at the local racecourse and is rushed to the hospital, where he subsequently dies. But who is he? Where does he come from? He had no form of identification on him, and no one claims the body.

Doctor Chris Rankin, a specialist who treated the deceased--and who struggles with mental health issues--is intrigued by the nameless dead man, obsessed even, and starts asking questions. However, someone doesn't want the questions answered and will go to any lengths to prevent it, including an attempted murder. But when no one will believe that someone tried to kill Chris, the doctor is left with no option but to discover who the nameless man was and why he died . . . preferably before following him into an early grave.

Bea Reviews Truth Be Told by Kendra Elliot

Series: Rogue Justice #2
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: November 7th, 2017 
Buying Links: Amazon* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

A torrential two-day storm has cut off the small town of Solitude, Oregon, from the outside world. But for police officers Stevie Duncan and her husband, Zane, the ravages of nature have nothing on the nature of man. In the last forty-eight hours, a child was a mute witness to a double homicide; an unidentified body has washed up on the riverbanks; and now, at the foot of a submerged bridge, two FBI agents have been found shot to death inside their SUV. What’s worse, the young charge they were enlisted to protect has gone missing.

With the only exit out of town washed away, Stevie and Zane know that the murderer is trapped. But whatever’s going on in Solitude is far from over—because as sure as the receding water, the killer is going to resurface.