Jorie Loves A Story, is a blog that was inspired into creation due to a reader's love and passion for the written word. She reads bookish industry newsfeeds, keeps a pertinent eye on newly published authors, is readily eager to book travel to independent book shoppes, athenaeum libraries, historical landmarks of literary interest, and book festivals, conventions, or symposiums; absorbs herself into the written word, cherishing each book she comes across that has the ability to transport herself into another time, place, and world. This is her journey, as she uncovers one book at a time that leaves her musefully happy for the discovery.

Read my Introduction Post, to see where I am hoping to take Jorie Loves A Story. To help celebrate the launch of my blog, read my Launch Day post! Read how the Story of Jorie Loves A Story was knit together!

Visit my Guest Features, Interviews & Podcast Archive and learn about my style of betareading. Curious about my approach to reviewing books? Read my thoughts! *Hint!* it's hugged into my reaction of my first Gaiman essay! To gain perspective about how my readerly life changed a bit after my father's stroke, kindly read #StoriesOfJorie - specifically November 2016 + January 2017.

In February, 2020 I became a promotional influencer and reviewer for Once Upon A Book Club and LibroFM ALC. You can read about my journey for #onceuponabookclub per my announcement post - including finding out the coupon code I am sharing with my subscribers, followers and visitors. Whilst I announced my participation in the LibroFM ALC programme via #TheSundayPost.

I do not receive monetary compensation for my participation on blog book tours, non-tour reviews direct from publishers/authors/publicists, guest author features or cover reveals/book blitzs, etc. nor do I receive monetary compensation for my participation in Book Browse First Impressions, the LibraryThing Early Reviewer programme, NetGalley, LibroFM's ACL programme, Brenda S. Anderson's Street Team, Nicole Evelina's Street Team; Once Upon A Book Club and Crime Fiction Subscription Box (as an influencer of their products) or any participation I had in the past with other street teams or programmes. All books I receive from these sources are sent to me directly from the publisher, author, literary or publicity agent, touring company and/or NetGalley, LibroFM, Once Upon A Time Book Club and Crime Fiction Book Subscription Box. How I acquire the book (or book subscription box) and/or audiobook I am reviewing or the guest feature I am highlighting will be disclosed on the individual post.

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I disclose information about the books I receive in exchange for honest reviews to be in compliance with the FTC, but also for due diligence in informing my regular readers & visitors alike on where I obtained the books I am blogging about so that they are aware of where the materials originated.

To summarize: This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. Except for when I permit Guest Contributing Posts (i.e. by re-occurring special guest contributors (Bairbre & Christine) or by authors, editors, and others I select to feature.

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The owner of this blog is not compensated (she receives complimentary copies of books, audiobooks or book subscription boxes to review) to provide opinion on books, audiobooks or book subscription boxes she chooses to accept for review. Nor does the owner of this blog receive compensation to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner of this blog does not receive compensation (but does receive complimentary copies of a book, audiobook or book subscription box for review purposes), she always gives her honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or items. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers' own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.

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I do encourage social reading via the book links I include on my book reviews and showcases which route to LibraryThing. (my social reading site of choice) I'm a Library Advocate which is why I include a link routed to WorldCat the world's largest library catalogue where readers can find books world-wide which they can borrow from their local libraries if available to do so. I do share other links which I believe will benefit my readers and visitors; I do not receive anything in return for providing them.

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Tag: HarperCollins Publishers

Author Q&A | in conversation with #LoveINSPIRED Suspense novelist Darlene L. Turner discussing her newest novel “Border Breach”!

Posted Saturday, 4 April, 2020 by jorielov Border Breach, Harlequin Books, HarperCollins Publishers, Love Inspired Suspense (imprint) Harlequin 1 Comment

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!

You might be aware of my *slight!* addiction to reading #LoveINSPIRED Suspense novels?!

I generally gush over this imprint & the authors who pen the stories being published by Love Inspired during the Summer – specifically during *July!* as there is an INSPY readathon I’ve found I love to join which is a celebration of INSPY Lit wherein it is the kind of readathon where you can read at your own pace whilst marking off certain goals which allow you to put your hat into the giveaways which run all month long enabling you to potentially win a few new books by INSPY authors you might not have read as of yet! For me, its a win-win – as I love celebrating INSPY authors and I love reading Love Inspired! (big smiles)

Only a few times as a book blogger I’ve had the proper chance to champion the authors of this imprint by hosting one of their lovely blog tours. One in particular I was able to read & review – which was “No Safe Place” by Sherri Shackelford for Prism Book Tours. Thus, when I saw the “Border Breach” tour was accepting bloggers who wanted to interview the author – I knew I had to sign on as a potential host as next to reading the books, I love being able to interact with the authors directly!

I was happily selected to be a featured stop on the Border Breach blog tour! You might have previously seen an announcement of this new partnership during one of my Sunday Posts wherein I was sharing updates about new blogging and influencer opportunities I am undertaking this New Year, 2020.

Let’s talk moment about why I *love!* Love Inspired Suspense and the kinds of stories and/or series I’ve had the joy of discovering as I read my way through their backlist and frontlist titles! As this has become a bit of a passion project of joy between Mum and I – we love gathering new books by Love Inspired Suspense authors we’ve previously read or are curiously wanting to be reading next – and by ‘new’ books, I’m referring to us giving the books a bit more love themselves as the books are gently used and/or previously loved copies we’ve found via our local used book resources. These books sometimes have their spines damaged but the pages inside are clean and crisp and/or they are lovingly read so many times the pages feel textually touched by the many different readers who’ve found them before us!

Originally, I wanted to find a way for Mum to have a small break on her 12 hours shifts – as she’s in Home Health working with seniors and during the early years of my Dad’s stroke recovery she was working round the clock and on a seven day cycle whilst I was Dad’s caregiver helping him with his needs post-stroke (this was throughout 2017). I knew she loved reading the short novellas and novels from the previous publisher we both enjoyed for INSPY Fiction – which was known as Heartsong Presents – this predates the Love Inspired imprints by Harlequin! Knowing this – I thought maybe she might like a break from reading Contemporary & Historical traditional INSPY narratives and suggested she give Love Inspired Suspense a bit of a go!

The result was smashing as we both found a new imprint to LOVE reading together whilst we were discovering authors like Elizabeth Goddard (Mum’s top favourite), Laura Scott, Susan Sleeman (Mum enjoys her stories a bit more than I do), Lisa Harris, Lenora Worth and several others as we move in and out of their mini-series for Love Inspired Suspense and read their one-offs as well which are not serialised. Each time we find a new story or a new series – we get wicked giddy – wondering if it will be a new beloved author! For a good example – it is the Callahan Confidential series we both gush over the most (writ by Laura Scott) when it comes to getting the chance to tag team reading one of the series!

So you can understand why I was wicked thankful to be selected for this lovely blog tour! I was delighted having the chance to interview one of the authors and I am hoping to find a copy of her novel “Border Breach” at some point in the near future as it would be a delight of joy to read the book after hosting her interview! For now, I hope I’ve tempted you with a bit of curiosity about these Romantic Suspense novelists and their stories which are giving us more wicked good reads as a Mum and daughter reading team!

And, don’t forget this blog book tour is hosting a giveaway if you’re following the tour route!

Border Breach
by Darlene L. Turner

When drugs are smuggled across the border it’s their duty to stop the culprits…at any cost.

Forming a joint task force, Canada border officer Kaylin Poirier and police constable Hudson Steeves have one objective: take down a drug-smuggling ring trying to sell a new lethal product. But when the smugglers come after Kaylin and Hudson, this mission becomes more than just a job. Can they live long enough to solve the case?

Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9781335402776

Genres: Contemporary (Modern) Fiction (post 1945), Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Romantic Suspense, Suspense

Published by Love INSPIRED

on 1st April, 2020

Available formats: Ebook, Trade Paperback and Large Print

Converse via: #LoveINSPIREDSuspense, #LoveINSPIRED and #Suspense
as well as #INSPYRomance, #RomanticSuspense and #ChristianFiction

Posted Saturday, 4 April, 2020 by jorielov in Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Book Spotlight, Contemporary Romance, JustRead Publicity Tours, Reader Submitted Q&A

Blog Book Tour featuring an #INSPY author I used to interact with via Southern Belle View Daily! | “The Fifth Avenue Story Society” by Rachel Hauck

Posted Monday, 10 February, 2020 by jorielov HarperCollins Publishers, Rachel Hauck, The Fifth Avenue Story Society, Thomas Nelson 0 Comments

Acquired Book By: I started hosting with Prism Book Tours at the end of [2017], having noticed the badge on Tressa’s blog (Wishful Endings) whilst I was visiting as we would partake in the same blog tours and/or book blogosphere memes. I had to put the memes on hold for several months (until I started to resume them (with Top Ten Tuesday) in January 2018). When I enquiried about hosting for Prism, I found I liked the niche of authors and stories they were featuring regularly. This is how I came to love discovering the Harlequin Heartwarming authors & series as much as it has been an honour to regularly request INSPY stories and authors. Whenever I host for Prism, I know I am in for an uplifting read and a journey into the stories which give me a lot of joy to find in my readerly queue of #nextreads. It is an honour to be a part of their team of book bloggers.

I received a complimentary ARC copy of “The Fifth Avenue Story Society” direct from the publisher Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Why this blog tour reminds me of being engaged
with the Southern Belle View Daily community of INSPY authors:

It wasn’t too long ago I was an active commenter on author’s blogs (ie. 2012) wherein I had my first taste of what the book blogosphere involved and how readers were finding ways to interact directly with authors they had either read or were dearly hoping to read ‘next’. This predates when my vocabulary involved the term “TBR” and long before my own blog was as whispered dream which readily became a reality on the 31st of March (in 2013).

Just ahead of developing Jorie Loves A Story, I discovered Southern Belle View Daily (earlier in 2013) and it was happily bookmarked through my browser’s RSS feeds reader (remember that option?). I loved visiting with the authors who were at the helm of the blog: Lisa Wingate, Rachel Hauck, Julie Cantrell, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson and Beth Webb Hart were the original ladies I interacted with whilst Eva Marie Everson, Kellie Coates Gilbert, Amy Hill Hearth, Denise Hildreth Jones, Jolina Petersheim and Nicole Seitz joined them off/on over the years.

They would host interactive forum discussions on their blog and even the occasional bookaway – I won Beth Webb Hart’s Moon Over Edisto whilst during my first month of being a book blogger in 2013 I had the opportunity to review Lisa Wingate’s The Prayer Box which also became my first blog tour! Whilst getting Jorie Loves A Story off the ground and dealing with life as it was being lived whilst juggling my chronic migraines – I found I wasn’t able to maintain the connections I had established prior to being a book blogger on the author blogs I had frequented before launching my own blog. Therefore by the time I had the chance to return to Southern Belle View I learnt it was switching over to Facebook and that in effect knocked me out of joining them as I elected to become active on Twitter instead.

Through the years, I’ve grown attached to the series The Prayer Box began whilst I’ve had my eye on reading through all their stories and finding my favourites. Towards that end, I started by reading Kellie Coates Gilbert’s Texas Star series with A Reason to Stay. I still remember being involved with the now defunct Blogging for Books programme and finding one of Ms Tomlinson’s releases was available to request – however, I waited to long to decide to request it and it went to other readers! I learnt not to contemplate those choices too long afterwards, laughs.

As I never quite ‘let go’ of following their literary careers, I found out about The Fifth Avenue Story Society prior to the announcement of the blog tour via Prism Book Tours. I was going to fetch a copy of it from my local library when the invite came into my Inbox. Talk about a serendipitous day!I was overjoyed I could host one of the authors I knew previously but also, this would mark my first story by Ms Hauck I could finally read and I couldn’t wait! I also always see a hawk when I pronounce her name (big smiles) as it was the only way I could remember how to say it aloud! The fact as a wildlife photographer I’ve been blessed to capture hawks IRL through my lens is an added bit of serendipity.

You could say I feel like as I move closer to entering my seventh year as a book blogger this New Year 2020 – I am coming full circle! To my roots as a reader, to the foundation I set down as a blog commenter and as a writer reclaiming her pen and her inspiration to write her own stories. It is an exciting year and one I already feel has become memorable! How lovely I get to kick-off February’s Romance & Women’s Fiction reads with Ms Hauck’s new book!

On my connection to Rachel Hauck:

I discovered Southern Belle View Daily in early 2013 during the times I engaged with the lovely ladies who were ‘behind’ SBV I came to appreciate conversing with all the Belles, including Rachel Hauck. I was a regular visitor and commenter – up til a certain point as once my blog Jorie Loves A Story launched live in August, 2013 I was not able to visit as regularly as I had previously. In the years since 2013 I have been more at a distance from directly engaging with Ms Hauck (though a few times via Twitter as I recall?) and have followed her releases from afar always hoping to start reading them. One thing which prevented me from starting to read the Belles works of Fiction is that they were not always readily available via my local libraries.

I am disclosing this, to assure you that I can formulate an honest opinion, even though I have interacted with her through Southern Belle View Daily and/or Twitter; as I treat each book as a ‘new experience’, whether I personally know the author OR whether I am reading a book by them for the first time.

The Fifth Avenue Story Society
by Rachel Hauck
Source: Publisher via Prism Book Tours

An invitation to join The Fifth Avenue Story Society gives five New York strangers a chance to rewrite their own stories.

Executive assistant Lexa is eager for a much-deserved promotion, but her boss is determined to keep her underemployed.

Literature professor Jett is dealing with a broken heart, as well as a nagging suspicion his literary idol, Gordon Phipps Roth, might be a fraud.

Uber driver Chuck just wants a second chance with his kids.

Aging widower Ed is eager to write the true story of his incredible marriage.

Coral, queen of the cosmetics industry, has broken her engagement and is on the verge of losing her great grandmother’s multimillion-dollar empire.

When all five New Yorkers receive an anonymous, mysterious invitation to the Fifth Avenue Story Society, they suspect they’re victims of a practical joke. No one knows who sent the invitations or why. No one has heard of the literary society. And no one is prepared to reveal their deepest secrets to a roomful of strangers.

Yet curiosity and loneliness bring them back week after week to the old library. And it’s there they discover the stories of their hearts, and the kind of friendship and love that heals their souls.

Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9780310350927

Genres: Contemporary (Modern) Fiction (post 1945), Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, INSPY Realistic Fiction, Literary Fiction

Published by Thomas Nelson

on 4th February, 2020

Format: Paperback ARC

Pages: 400

Published by: Thomas Nelson (@ThomasNelson)
an imprint of HarperCollins Christian Publishing (@HCChristianPub)

Converse via: #FifthAvenueStorySociety, #RachelHauck & #TNZFiction
as well as #INSPYFiction and #WomensFiction

About Rachel Hauck

Rachel Hauck is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA TODAY bestselling author of The Wedding Dress, which was also named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times and was a RITA finalist. Rachel lives in central Florida with her husband and pet and writes from her ivory tower.

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

Posted Monday, 10 February, 2020 by jorielov in 21st Century, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Flashbacks & Recollective Memories, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Introspective Literary Fiction, Literary Fiction, Modern Day, Multiple POV, New York City, Post-911 (11th September 2001), Prism Book Tours, Realistic Fiction, Southern Belle View Daily

Blog Book Tour | “A Girl’s Guide to the Outback” by Jessica Kate

Posted Tuesday, 4 February, 2020 by jorielov A Girl's Guide to the Outback, HarperCollins Christian Publishing, HarperCollins Publishers, Jessica Kate, Thomas Nelson 0 Comments

I received a complimentary ARC copy of “A Girl’s Guide to the Outback” direct from the publisher Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Why I wanted to read this novel:

For the past two Summers I’ve participated in an INSPY readathon during July whilst I’ve been hosting for PRISM for nearly three full years now. I’ve seen my fellow book bloggers lamenting about the stories they’ve read about Jessica Kate (including Rissi) whilst I haven’t had the chance to sample her Contemporary Romance styling for myself. When I read the premise behind this novel I felt it was a good fit for me as a reader because I *love!* stories set in the Australian Outback!

This is partially why I was overjoyed sharing my #mustreads for 2020 during last week’s #TopTenTuesday as Janet Gover is releasing her new book “The Lawson Sisters” and she’s the Australian author who introduced me to Contemporary Australian Romances with her “Flight to Coorah Creek!” (and thus, launched the #CoorahCreek series!) I’ve been meaning to expand my search for stories set in Australia however, its been a bit slow going as my local libraries aren’t always able to request stories published elsewhere from the states until last year when my requests for UK publishers started to gain some traction. This year, I’m determined to find Canadian & Australian authors/publishers to request and see if I can read more of the fiction originating out of those countries.

I already have shared how devastating the news about the Australian bushfires have been on my own heart & soul. The news is never easy to handle on a good day, but finding out about the wildlife & the natural environs which are charred reminders of the wreck a bushfire can create in such quick-swift course is beyond heartbreaking; it is also why I started off January without the focus for reading and a mood set against blogging because my heart was elsewhere. I barely read throughout January and it is within February I am aiming to get my feet back into reading. This marks one of the first stories I’ve been able to read this New Year 2020 and I am hoping to find many throughout February which will re-jump me back into the joy I have sharing my readerly life with my dear hearted readers & visitors alike.

There is a heavy somberness reading about Australia but as its a country I’ve had mates & fond memories of friendship from the past inasmuch as my attachment to the Australian Zoo and the conservation efforts of the Irwin family; I also love Australian Literature. This is why I was eagerly excited about finding one of Jessica Kate’s novels appealling to me this New Year and I was hopeful it would be a good jumpstart towards reading more authors from this country I’ve been smitten with ever since I first saw The Man from Snowy River as a young girl who loved riding horses!

A Girl's Guide to the Outback
by Jessica Kate
Source: Publisher via Prism Book Tours

How far will a girl go to win back a guy she can’t stand? This funny, sweet, and romantic story proves that opposites do attract—and that God has a sense of humor.

Samuel Payton is a passionate youth pastor in Virginia, but below the surface, he’s still recovering from the blow of a failed business and insecurities he can’t shake. His coworker, start-up expert Kimberly Foster, is brilliant, fearless, and capable, but years of personal rejection have left her defensive and longing for a family. Two people have never been more at odds—or more attracted to one another. And every day at work, the sparks sure do fly.

When Kimberly’s ambitious plans for Sam’s ministry butt up against his risk-averse nature, Sam decides that obligations to family trump his work for the church. He quits the ministry and heads home to Australia to help his sister, Jules, save her struggling farm. As Kimberly’s grand plans flounder, she is forced to face the truth: that no one can replace Sam. Together they strike up a deal: If Kimberly comes to work on Jules’s dairy farm and lends her business brains to their endeavor, then maybe—just maybe—Sam will reconsider his future with the church.

As Kimberly tries her hand at Australian farm life, she learns more about herself than she could’ve ever expected. Meanwhile Sam is forced to re-evaluate this spunky woman he thought he already knew. As foes slowly morph into friends, they wonder if they might be something even more. But when disaster strikes the farm, will Sam find it within himself to take a risk that could lead to love? And will Kimberly trust God with her future?

Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9780785229612

Genres: Contemporary (Modern) Fiction (post 1945), Contemporary Romance, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Romance Fiction

Published by Thomas Nelson

on 28th January, 2020

Format: Paperback ARC

Pages: 358

Published by: Thomas Nelson (@ThomasNelson)
an imprint of HarperCollins Christian Publishing (@HCChristianPub)

Converse via: #GirlsGuideToTheOutback, #JessicaKate & #TNZFiction
as well as #ContemporaryRomance & #INSPYRomance

About Jessica Kate

Australian author Jessica Kate writes inspirational romances with wit, sass, and grit. Jessica is a screenwriting groupie, cohost of the StoryNerds vlog and podcasts, and her favorite place to be—apart from Mum and Dad’s back deck—is a theme park. She has traveled North America and Australia, and samples her favorite pasta wherever she goes—but the best (so far) is still the place around the corner from her corporate day job as a training developer. She loves watching sitcoms with her housemates and being a leader in a new church plant.

Posted Tuesday, 4 February, 2020 by jorielov in 21st Century, Australia, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Contemporary Romance, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, Modern Day, Post-911 (11th September 2001), Prism Book Tours, Romance Fiction

#MyYASummer Book Review | “Summer by Summer” by Heather Burch | #ReadingIsBeautiful No.2 (part of #YASRC 2015)

Posted Friday, 21 June, 2019 by jorielov Blink YA Books, HarperCollins Focus, HarperCollins Publishers, Heather Burch, Summer by Summer 0 Comments

I had fully intended to read my #ReadingIsBeautiful selections hugged closer to the months when the books were meant to be reviewed (Summer of 2015), however, those of whom have caught my posts relating to circumstances which wicked out hours and derailed my attempts to read along with the rest of the book bloggers who took up the same challenge are already in the loop realising my readings of these stories will come quite a bit later than planned (by a few years).

To recap the events for those who are visiting me for the first time,
please direct your attention to the following posts:

You can read a fuller disclosure of my readings of these novels on my review for “Vote for Remy” in the top anchour section of the post.This marks my six review overall spilt between #SRC2015,#ReadingIsBeautiful (the YA selections) and #FRC2015, however, it is the fifth Summer Reading Challenge selection I am reading.

Acquired Book By: I originally found BookSparks PR Spring 2014, when I came upon the Summer Reading Challenge a bit too late in the game. I hadn’t forgotten about it, and was going to re-contact them (in Spring 2015) to see if I could join the challenge in 2015 instead. Coincidentally, before I sorted this out, I was contacted by one of their publicists about Linda Lafferty’s Renaissance historical novel, “The Shepherdess of Siena”.

I started to participate in #SRC2015 during Summer 2015 until lightning storms quickly overtook my life and the hours I could give to the reading challenge. Summer ended hard and with a newfound resolve to pick up where I had left off, I posted as many reviews on behalf of BookSparks blog tours and/or the three reading challenges I had committed myself to participate inside (i.e. #SRC2015, #ReadingIsBeautiful (YA version), and #FRC2015).

I am unsure if I can resume hosting with BookSparks once my backlogue is erased, however, my main motivation in resuming where I left off was to ‘meet the stories’ even if my days of being a blogger with BookSparks ended the day I couldn’t keep up with the reviews when life interrupted my postings. I continue to hope as my reviews arrive on my blog the authors and the publisher(s) will forgive my delays. Life kept interfering with my plans to read these novels – in late 2016 my Dad had his stroke, 2017 marked his year of recovery and in 2018 I had ten months of health afflictions. I simply didn’t have a lot of time to re-attach into the stories despite re-attempting to read them off/on for the past few years.

I received a complimentary copy of “Summer by Summer” by BookSparks. By participating in the #SRC2015 – this is the YA version of that 2015 challenge called #ReadingIsBeautiful – I am reading the novels in exchange for my honest reviews; whether I am receiving a complimentary copy or borrowing them through my local library. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

My selection process for #sRC2015 + #Yasrc directly:

I made four selections for the #YASRC challenge – they were spilt rather evenly between Fantasy and Contemporary YA, as I made two selections for each genre. The interesting bit is that I hadn’t realised Summer by Summer was a Clean Reads selection for young adult (or adult) readers who are seeking a gentler side of YA. One of my personal contentions for reading YA as an adult reader and as a Prospective Adoptive Mum in the future, is how adult YA is becoming. Meaning, it is hard to find YA written for a true young adult reader – wherein, there isn’t strong language or overtly graphic violence. Whenever I find stories of YA which have vulgarity inclusive to their narratives, I either mention it directly on my reviews, find those stories to be DNF’d and/or they fall into what I place as a category for Upper YA due to the rather adult situations, strong language and/or other inclusive depictions of life I’d categorise as being nearly ‘outside the YA genre’ altogether.

What is beautiful about accidentally finding Blink YA Books is that this is a publisher who is striving towards keeping YA “YA” by the definitions that I appreciate myself for the genre! You can read more about how they’re doing this on their Info Page about their publishing practices. I personally can’t wait to read more stories by them as a result!

Especially as I’m an active reader of YA (and Middle Grade stories) inasmuch as the fact I’m a hybrid reader who moves between mainstream and INSPY markets. It is an uplift of joy to realise there are publishers out there who get why a lot of us like YA for what it can give not just young adult readers but for adults like myself who have re-discovered the beauty of YA Reads (hence why #iReadYA is a lovely tag, too) for the joyfulness of reconnecting with a part of our readerly lives we still love to discover today as older adults. Secondly, as a future parent I am also mindful of the stories I’d like to encourage my children to read themselves and as a book blogger I’ve been able to garnish a list of stories I would feel comfortable allowing them to read.

The reason I did select Summer by Summer was due to the premise involving a nanny on vacation to South America. I love stories involving nannies and au pairs – not just in fiction but in films, such as the Gregory Harrison Au Pair series of films on the previously known Fox Family Channel starring opposite Heidi Noelle Lenhart. Each Summer since 2015 I’ve been striving to focus on this novel and I can’t even count how many times its been prominently featured on my bookshelf or compiled into my #SummerReads selections for each of those Summers. For whichever reason, it remained a firmative fixture of my backlogue of Reviews until this Summer, 2019.

Summer by Summer
by Heather Burch
Source: Publicist via BookSparks

Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9780310729631

Genres: Contemporary (Modern) Fiction (post 1945), New Adult Fiction, Upper YA Fiction, Young Adult Fiction

Published by Blink YA Books

on 7th April, 2015

Format: Trade Paperback

Pages: 288

Listen to the synopsis as shared by the author:

Published By: Blink (@BlinkYABooks)
an imprint of HarperCollins Focus

Note on classification of genre: Although this was marketed for YA audiences, I felt upon reading the synopsis again for the first time in a few years combined with the context of the opening bridge of the novel – this felt like it fits better within the branch of Upper YA and/or New Adult. Especially considering Summer isn’t a young teenager – she’s employed as a nanny, a young woman who started the job as an eighteen year old and soon celebrated her nineteenth birthday.

Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook

Converse via: #SummerbySummer & #ReadingIsBeautiful + #YASRC

About Heather Burch

Read the author's biography on her site.

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

#BeatTheBacklist 2019
#MyYASummer
#ReadingIsBeautiful
#SRC2015 | BookSparks
2019 Backlogue Reviews

Posted Friday, 21 June, 2019 by jorielov in 21st Century, Agnostic (Questioning & Searching or Unsure), Animals in Fiction & Non-Fiction, Balance of Faith whilst Living, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Book Review (non-blog tour), Christianity, Coming-Of Age, Contemporary Romance, Content Note, Flashbacks & Recollective Memories, Grief & Anguish of Guilt, Inspirational Fiction & Non-Fiction, INSPY Realistic Fiction | Non-Fiction, Life Shift, Mental Health, Modern Day, Mother-Son Relationships, New Adult Fiction, Post-911 (11th September 2001), PTSD, Realistic Fiction, South America, Suspense, Teenage Relationships & Friendships, Upper YA Fiction, Young Adult Fiction

Author Interview | Discussing writing a Historical Mystery within the pages of “The Silent Woman” (Book One: Cat Carlisle series) with Terry Lynn Thomas

Posted Thursday, 16 May, 2019 by jorielov Cat Carlisle series, HarperCollins Publishers, HQ Digital, Terry Lynn Thomas, The Silent Woman 0 Comments

Hallo, Hallo dear hearts,

I originally had planned to listen to the audiobook version of “The Silent Woman” via my Scribd subscription (which I use for the #AudioReads) as I found it to be a better listening experience which suited my budget a bit better right now than Audible. As I started to listen to the narrator perform the story, I had a rather surprising reaction to the narrator’s approach at presenting the story; hence why I asked a question regarding the narrator in this interview.

To be completely transparent, I had trouble settling into the context of the story-line due to the narrator directly to where I truly felt this could be a case of where the narrator killed the book for me which has happened in the past.

Not wanting to let go of the participanting on the blog tour and trying to hold onto the curiosity I had about the Cat Carlisle series – I decided to swich from an audiobook review to an author interview rather than featuring both for the tour. After I gather some distance from the story – I am going to see if I can seek out a copy in print via my local library – to see if having my own imagination and interpretation of the author’s written voice might lend a different takeaway.

It is hard when you have this one version of the story and can’t shift into an alternative immediately to tell the difference between the two – however, in the past, I was first introduced to Phillipa Keyworth in print & lateron found I much preferred her stories in audiobook. Her narrator changed my entire impression of her style of Historical narratives – in that train of thought, I am thinking perhaps for whichever reason, the opposite is true? Perhaps I am better to read the Cat Carlisle series in print and let go of the idea of an audio version which in my eyes did not justify the series Ms Thomas has written.

I am truly overjoyed to be presenting this convo I shared with Ms Thomas – who took her time to answer my questions – digging into the heart of Cat Carlisle and giving all of us a better first impression on what this series can reveal to us as we’re reading it. I also wanted to highlight her writerly life and which Historical novelists she personally enjoys reading – as let’s face it, those of us who love to disappear into the historic past can NEVER have too many recommendations!

Be sure to brew your favourite cuppa

& settle into a comfy chair whilst you enjoy this interview!

The Silent Woman (Interview)
by Terry Lynn Thomas
Narrator: Jan Cramer

Would you sell your secrets?

Catherine Carlisle is trapped in a loveless marriage and the threat of World War Two is looming. She sees no way out… that is until a trusted friend asks her to switch her husband’s papers in a desperate bid to confuse the Germans.

Soon Catherine finds herself caught up in a deadly mixture of espionage and murder. Someone is selling secrets to the other side, and the evidence seems to point right at her.

Can she clear her name before it’s too late?

Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ASIN: B07KCKN37Z

Also by this author: The Silent Woman (Spotlight)

Genres: Cosy Historical Mystery, Crime Fiction, Feminist Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction

Published by HarperCollins Publishers, HarperCollins UK, HQ Digital

on 18th November, 2018

Format: Audiobook | Digital

Length: 7 hours and 36 minutes (unabridged)

Published By: HQ Digital UK (@HQDigitalUK)
an imprint of HarperCollinsUK (@HarperCollinsUK)

The Cat Carlisle series: