Book Spotlight and Giveaway - The Lost History of Dreams by Kris Waldherr

Book Synopsis

A post-mortem photographer unearths dark secrets of the past that may hold the key to his future, in this captivating debut novel in the gothic tradition of Wuthering Heights and The Thirteenth Tale. 

All love stories are ghost stories in disguise. 

When famed Byronesque poet Hugh de Bonne is discovered dead of a heart attack in his bath one morning, his cousin Robert Highstead, a historian turned post-mortem photographer, is charged with a simple task: transport Hugh’s remains for burial in a chapel. This chapel, a stained glass folly set on the moors of Shropshire, was built by de Bonne sixteen years earlier to house the remains of his beloved wife and muse, Ada. Since then, the chapel has been locked and abandoned, a pilgrimage site for the rabid fans of de Bonne’s last book, The Lost History of Dreams. 

However, Ada’s grief-stricken niece refuses to open the glass chapel for Robert unless he agrees to her bargain: before he can lay Hugh to rest, Robert must record Isabelle’s story of Ada and Hugh’s ill-fated marriage over the course of five nights. 

 As the mystery of Ada and Hugh’s relationship unfolds, so does the secret behind Robert’s own marriage—including that of his fragile wife, Sida, who has not been the same since the tragic accident three years ago, and the origins of his own morbid profession that has him seeing things he shouldn’t—things from beyond the grave. 

Kris Waldherr effortlessly spins a sweeping and atmospheric gothic mystery about love and loss that blurs the line between the past and the present, truth and fiction, and ultimately, life and death.

 

Here is the exclusive Book Trailer...

 

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound

 

Author Bio

Kris Waldherr is an award-winning author, illustrator, and designer. She is a member of the Historical Novel Society, and her fiction has been awarded with fellowships by the Virginia Center of the Creative Arts and a reading grant by Poets & Writers. 

Kris Waldherr works and lives in Brooklyn in a Victorian-era house with her husband, the anthropologist-curator Thomas Ross Miller, and their young daughter.

 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | BookBub 

 

Giveaway

Kris is hosting a The Lost History of Dreams giveaway worth $220! The gift package includes a Campo Marzio pen gift box with calligraphy nibs and ink, a handcrafted Lover's Eye pendant, bookmark and bookplate, and a signed copy of The Lost History of Dreams.

 

Learn more at http://www.losthistorybook.com/sweepstake.html.

Dear Abby - Dog Songs: Bird Dog by The Everly Brothers (1958)

Dear Friends,

I'm glad you stopped by today!  I have another "dog" song to share with you today.  This song is called "Bird Dog" and it's by The Everly Brothers.  It was a hit on both the country and pop charts in 1958, so it is an oldies song now.   The Everly Brothers were Don and Phil.  They spent most of their growing up years in Iowa and Tennessee.  They were discovered by country music great Chet Atkins, a friend of the family.  They later had great success in the 1950's, touring with Buddy Holly, and into the 1960's.

"Bird Dog" is a song about a boy named Johnny who is a "bird dog," trying to steal the singer's girlfriend away from him.   It was remade later by the Newbeats (1966), glam rockers Mud (1975), and the Bellamy Brothers (1978).

Of course, I have to tell you that although this song isn't ACTUALLY about a dog, I wanted to listen to it because it had "Bird Dog" in the title.  Bird dogs are dogs that hunt game -- pointers, retrievers, and spaniels.

I found an old video of the song in a medley with another Everly Brothers hit called "Till I Kissed You."  I hope you enjoy it!



I would love to hear from you in the comments, below.   I look forward to visiting again next week with you!

Love,

Abby xoxoxo 

Book Review - California Girls by Susan Mallery

Book Synopsis
The California sunshine’s not quite so bright for three sisters who get dumped in the same week…

Finola, a popular LA morning show host, is famously upbeat until she’s blindsided on live TV by news that her husband is sleeping with a young pop sensation who has set their affair to music. While avoiding the tabloids and pretending she’s just fine, she’s crumbling inside, desperate for him to come to his senses and for life to go back to normal.

Zennie’s breakup is no big loss. Although the world insists she pair up, she’d rather be surfing. So agreeing to be the surrogate for her best friend is a no-brainer—after all, she has an available womb and no other attachments to worry about. Except…when everyone else, including her big sister, thinks she’s making a huge mistake, being pregnant is a lot lonelier—and more complicated—than she imagined.

Never the tallest, thinnest or prettiest sister, Ali is used to being overlooked, but when her fiancé sends his disapproving brother to call off the wedding, it’s a new low. And yet Daniel continues to turn up “for support,” making Ali wonder if maybe—for once—someone sees her in a way no one ever has.

But side by side by side, these sisters will start over and rebuild their lives with all the affection, charm and laugh-out-loud humor that is classic Susan Mallery.

 

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

My Review 
California Girls is the story of three sisters.  Finola's husband leaves her just as she is about to go on air with her perky morning talk show ... and interview what turns out to be his much younger girlfriend.   Zennie breaks up with a man she likes but doesn't love, and then decides to be a surrogate mother for her best friend.  Ali is engaged and her fiance breaks up with her by sending his brother Daniel over with the message.

I wanted to read this book from first mention.  I always enjoy Susan Mallery's books and liked the theme of sisters and the title California Girls.  It sounded like a good beach read.

I immediately was interested in the story of the three sisters.  The author did a great job at creating three very distinct characters.  The book follows all three storylines separately - and their lives together - and it is so well done.  Ali is my favorite of the sisters.  She is such a girl-next-door, relatable character.  She always felt overshadowed by the glamorous (but self centered) Finola and the very accomplished, athletic Zennie.  I loved Daniel too and enjoyed his relationship with Ali.

As I was reading, I kept thinking that this book would make a good movie too.  I have been casting the movie in my head and think it would be good with Reese Witherspoon as Finola, Bryce Dallas Howard as Zennie, and Emma Stone as Ali.  Now Nancy Meyers just needs to decide to direct!

I recommend California Girls for fans of women's fiction and for anyone looking for a highly enjoyable beach read or weekend book to relax with.  This is a really fun read!

Author Bio

#1 NYT bestselling author Susan Mallery writes heartwarming, humorous novels about the relationships that define our lives-family, friendship, romance. She’s known for putting nuanced characters in emotional situations that surprise readers to laughter. Beloved by millions, her books have been translated into 28 languages.Susan lives in Washington with her husband, two cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Visit her at SusanMallery.com.

Connect with Susan

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Book Spotlight and Giveaway - Beach Blanket Homicide (Whispering Bay Mystery) by Maria Geraci

Book Synopsis

Everyone agrees that Lucy McGuffin bakes the best muffins in Whispering Bay, but she’s got another talent, one that she’s tried her whole life to hide. Lucy can always tell when a person is lying or telling the truth. Being a human lie detector isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Especially when you don’t really want the answer to the universal question: Does this dress make my butt look too big?

When Lucy is hired to cater the grand opening celebration of the city’s new community center, she stumbles across the dead body of Abby Delgado, a prominent member of the Sunshine Ghost Society. Lucy’s brother, Father Sebastian, a local priest, is the last person to have seen Abby alive. Convinced he’ll be breaking a confidence, Sebastian refuses to cooperate with the police, forcing Lucy to put her skills to the test to save her brother’s good name.

Enter the town’s new hotshot deputy, Travis Fontaine. Travis doesn’t want an amateur like Lucy snooping around his turf, so he offers her a deal. He’ll stay out of her kitchen if she’ll stay away from his crime scene. But Lucy isn’t about to let her brother’s fate rest in the hands of an arrogant cop. Good thing she has her best friend Will and her new little rescue dog, Paco, to back her up, because its up to Lucy to figure out what everyone in the quaint little beachside town is hiding.

Author Bio
Maria Geraci writes quirky, fun, romantic women’s fiction and cozy mysteries. She’s a two time RITA® Finalist, as well as a finalist in the National Readers’ Choice Awards and Romantic Times’ American Title Contest. She lives in central Florida and is always on the lookout for the perfect key lime pie recipe (but not the kind they served on Dexter).

Author Links
Website – http://mariageraci.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MariaGeraciBooks
GoodReads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2869532.Maria_Geraci
BookBub – https://www.bookbub.com/authors/maria-geraci
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/authormariageraci/

Purchase Link – Amazon

Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Dear Abby - Dog Songs: "I'll Be Doggone" by Marvin Gaye (1965)

Dear Friends,

I have a great oldies song to share with you today.  It's not really about a dog but it has "doggone" in the title -- "I'll Be Doggone" by Marvin Gaye (1965). 

This was a classic Motown song, produced by Smokey Robinson and written by Smokey Robinson, Pete Moore, and Marv Tarplin.  It was a hit and reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.   This song was later covered by a number of artists, including Paul Revere and the Raiders, 1960's model Twiggy, and Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead.

Interesting trivia -- the Funk Brothers, Motown studio musicians, played on this song.  If you have not seen the documentary about them, Standing in the Shadows of Motown, my Momma recommends it highly.

I got curious about the word "doggone" and where it came from (after all, it features the word DOG, so it is a word I need to know!).   This word was first used in 1819 and it is a more polite synonym for the word "damn" - like "dang" or "blasted."   (Oops, sorry about that, Momma -- I know this is a family friendly blog!)  The things you can learn online -- and all because of this song!

Here is a video of the song:



Do you know this one?  It's an oldie but goodie.

I hope you have a good weekend ... I look forward to catching up again next week!

Love,
Abby xoxoxo