BLACKBERRY WINTER by Sarah Jio

Blackberry Winter

Sarah Jio

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Sarah Jio fast became one of my fave new authors when she hit the scene with her first book Violets of March and then BOOM suddenly, she had another book, The Bungalow out like IMMEDIATELY after. I was like, THIS GIRL CAN WRITE! Fast and Beautifully!

And here we are out with her THIRD novel already and it's called Blackberry Winter and I've got like 40 pages left but I wanted to share it with you on the book's birthday so here is a little glimpse of what I think about it:

Blackberry Winter is a beautiful mix of history, mystery and romance ... it tells the alternating stories of Vera Ray, who in 1933 leaves her little boy at night to go to work at a hotel. When she returns, there has been a snowstorm, and her son is missing.

Decades later, to the day, May 2, Claire Aldridge wakes to discover there has been a snowstorm, and her boss at the newspaper assigns her an article to write about the storm that hit in 1933. What she finds in her research will change her life forever.

Sarah amazes me with her talent to tell stories that go from the olden days to now, and it's so very hard to put her books down - you read one chapter, and think, "I've got to get some sleep," but you are dying to find out what happens next! This is how you'll feel as you tear through the pages of Blackberry Winter and you discover what really happened the nights following May 2, 1933.

A beautiful book about love, sorrow, loss.

And here is the back-of-the-book blurb:

In Blackberry Winter--taking its title from a late-season, cold-weather phenomenon--Jio continues her rich exploration of the ways personal connections can transcend the boundaries of time.

Seattle, 1933. Single mother Vera Ray kisses her three-year-old son, Daniel, goodnight and departs to work the night-shift at a local hotel. She emerges to discover that a May-Day snow has blanketed the city, and that her son has vanished. Outside, she finds his beloved teddy bear lying face-down on an icy street, the snow covering up any trace of his tracks, or the perpetrator's.

Seattle, 2010. Seattle Herald reporter Claire Aldridge, assigned to cover the May 2 "blackberry winter" storm and its twin, learns of the unsolved abduction and vows to unearth the truth. In the process, she finds that she and Vera may be linked in unexpected ways...

This trailer might be just one of the most saddest I've ever seen! But beautifully so!

Blackberry Winter Trailer

To enter to win a copy of Blackberry Winter (and I'll be choosing TWO winners for this one since I scored an extra copy so lucky for you guys!), tell me a fun winter memory! Here's mine -- I grew up in Tampa, Florida and it snowed when I was in second grade. Everyone STILL remembers that big "snowstorm" in Tampa that happened in 1976!

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AMY HATVANY BOOK WINNER!

Congrats to equinn726... you have won Best Kept Secret, Outside the Lines and The Language of Sisters

by Amy Hatvany! 

Please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com with your full name and address so I can have your books mailed to you!

NEW TO BOOKING WITH MANIC?  

If you're new to Booking with Manic, thank you for stopping by! We love new readers! Some notes - If you're entering to win a book, please use an identifying name and it's usually a great idea to include an email, which I will never give out to anyone else. You can only enter once please. You'll need to check back here in about a week or so to see if you've won the book -- I will highlight the winner's name at the top of this post, or tell you where you can find the winner's name at the top of this post. Most books are supplied directly through publishers, publicists and the authors. Winners will receive books directly from the publisher or author within 3 weeks from the time you provide me with your address, unless I send you the book (sometimes I will). Sorry, but we can only ship to U.S. and Canada so if you're from another country, thank you for coming by to read and discover new authors, but we can't send you a book. Any questions on how I run the blog or suggestions on who you would like to see featured, please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com. Thank you for your support!

Featured Author: AMY HATVANY! Win Her Books!

Congrats to the Winner of Amy's 3 Novels:
equinn726 
Please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com so I can send you your novels!


** Note: Previous book winners announced at the end of this post! **

Featured Author:

Amy Hatvany

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Today's post is an extra special one as the author I'm featuring has gratefully offered to give to one winner a batch of all her books, which happens to be BEST KEPT SECRET, OUTSIDE THE LINES and THE LANGUAGE OF SISTERS, all by the very talented Amy Hatvany.

I discovered Amy when her first book came out, Best Kept Secret and have been waiting anxiously for each and every book since. Her characters are beautifully crafted and flawed, and I love this trait about them. At the heart of each story is something particularly pretty sad, yet realistic, and she colors each story in a way that is relatable. I just really enjoy her books so much and I wanted to make sure that if you haven't had a chance to read an Amy Hatvany book, or ALL THREE, that you learn more about her, and maybe you'll have another chance to win her books here today!

You might want to follow her on Facebook too -- you can practically smell her kitchen -- she's always talking about these incredible yummy things she's whipping up! I don't know how she has time to cook and bake in between writing all of these wonderful novels! (Check out amazing recipes on her website here!)

Which reminds me, she's got another book coming out in March called Heart Like Mine  which is NOT to be missed! Don't worry, I'll have it here on Booking with Manic for ya!

Best Kept Secret:

At the center of this novel is Cadence, a single-mom who is trying the best that she can to get through her days raising a whirlwind of a happy little boy and working in freelance writing. When life becomes more and more difficult, and she starts suffering from insomnia, and work is not coming for her, a glass of wine at night helps her to sleep. That glass of wine becomes two and three, which then turns into a couple of bottles a night. Within a year, she is a full-blown alcoholic on the verge of losing the most important thing in her life: her son Charlie.

I was drawn to this book for so many reasons. As a mom to three children very close in age, I know what it’s like to need something to calm the nerves when you’re at your wit’s end, when you think you might blow a gasket over spilled milk. This book hit home for me, and I’m very confident that Best Kept Secret will unearth feelings in every single woman who’s ever had a sip of wine, or felt like she’s not doing the best job at motherhood, or maybe has been unsure about everything in life she thought she had a handle on.

Outside The Lines is a gorgeous book and a heartbreaker as I’ve mentioned before, but one that will have you fall in love with all of her characters. It’s the story of Eden and her search for her father, who deserted her when she was a young child because of his mental illness.

I loved this story because it’s told from Eden’s perspective when she was a young girl, and also when she is a grown woman. It also tells her father’s perspective too. This was one of those perfect-ending books, in a way that it ended perfectly, if not wrapped up in a perfect bow. Amy has a knack for storytelling and she has created a beautiful family portrait in Eden and David’s story in Outside The Lines.

The Language of Sisters is the story of Nicole, who leaves home for 10 years because she's unable to deal with her family - her sister is placed in a home for the mentally disabled and she's not able to forgive her mother. Her father has left the family. Nicole leaves to try to make a career and a life for herself as far away as possible, distancing herself from those she loves the most.

Circumstances bring her back to her sister, and she's forced to confront her past. Unbeknownst to Nicole, she's about to receive the most beautiful gifts she'll ever get just by coming home.

If you'd like to be entered to win all THREE of Amy's novels, leave a comment telling me you would like to win them, and please make sure you leave an identifying name that's UNIQUE so if you win you'll know it's YOU when I announce the winner later in a future post! : ) …

Which brings me to …

WINNERS from last week's three books!

If you are one of the winners of these previous books, please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com with your full name and address so I can get you your book! Congratulations!

INDIA's SUMMER: 

Donna W.

HOW LUCKY YOU ARE: 

Kimberly Pearlman

A GIRL LIKE YOU: 

 BlueStarBrite

NEW TO BOOKING WITH MANIC?  

If you're new to Booking with Manic, thank you for stopping by! We love new readers! Some notes - If you're entering to win a book, please use an identifying name and it's usually a great idea to include an email, which I will never give out to anyone else. You can only enter once please. You'll need to check back here in about a week or so to see if you've won the book -- I will highlight the winner's name at the top of this post, or tell you where you can find the winner's name at the top of this post. Most books are supplied directly through publishers, publicists and the authors. Winners will receive books directly from the publisher or author within 3 weeks from the time you provide me with your address, unless I send you the book (sometimes I will). Sorry, but we can only ship to U.S. and Canada so if you're from another country, thank you for coming by to read and discover new authors, but we can't send you a book. Any questions on how I run the blog or suggestions on who you would like to see featured, please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com. Thank you for your support!

INDIA'S SUMMER by Thérèse

Click this link to find out who the winner is: 

LISTED AT THE BOTTOM OF POST!

India's Summer

Thérèse

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A little glimpse into the behind-the-scenes life of LA!

If you've ever been curious about what the real LA lifestyle might be like, then you'll really enjoy India's Summer. If you're a fan of the more stylish lifestyle and Rodeo drive and shopping and fashion, there's plenty of mention of the finer things in life in this great end-of-the-summer read as well!

India's Summer has been blurbed by some very famous people, including these stars below you might be interested in!

“India’s Summer avoids the familiar clichés of LA and yet captures the character of the city so well.”– Orlando Bloom

“India’s fascinating character is what makes India’s Summer a compelling read. she is trying to make a big shift in her life, in her career, in the choices she’s making. She’s funny, clever and vulnerable and you are rooting for her every step of the way.”– Goldie Hawn

Here's the back of the book blurb:

India Butler, single and about to turn forty, who travels from London to LA to reinvent herself. In a world illuminated by the flashbulbs of the paparazzi, she discovers the true meaning of “having it all’ while spending the summer with her sister Annabelle, a famous Hollywood actress, and her brother-in-law, a legendary rock musician.

 

They welcome India into their opulent, fast-paced lifestyle, whisking her from fabulous fundraisers to parties each more opulent than the last. This does nothing for India’s confidence and she maintains a wry detachment until she begins dating Adam, a gorgeous A- list actor. In an attempt to appear more successful she lies to him about her career.

Disaster strikes and India is drawn behind the veneer of Hollywood glitz and glamor and into Hollywood’s private lives. As her illusions about the perfection of their LA lifestyle fade away, India has an epiphany about her own real talents.

India is in her element until her new life in LA unravels.

Read an Excerpt HERE.

Since India made a big change in her life at the age of 40, tell me, if you're not yet 40, do you think about a big change in your life when you get there? If you have already turned 40, what did you do to celebrate? For my 40th, Mr. Manic and I went to Playa de Carmen for 5 days -- lotsa fun!

Did you enter to win HOW LUCKY YOU ARE yet? Click HERE!

And don't forget to enter to win A GIRL LIKE YOU! Click HERE!

NEW TO BOOKING WITH MANIC?  

If you're new to Booking with Manic, thank you for stopping by! We love new readers! Some notes - If you're entering to win a book, please use an identifying name and it's usually a great idea to include an email, which I will never give out to anyone else. You can only enter once please. You'll need to check back here in about a week or so to see if you've won the book -- I will highlight the winner's name at the top of this post, or tell you where you can find the winner's name at the top of this post. Most books are supplied directly through publishers, publicists and the authors. Winners will receive books directly from the publisher or author within 3 weeks from the time you provide me with your address, unless I send you the book (sometimes I will). Sorry, but we can only ship to U.S. and Canada so if you're from another country, thank you for coming by to read and discover new authors, but we can't send you a book. Any questions on how I run the blog or suggestions on who you would like to see featured, please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com. Thank you for your support!

HOW LUCKY YOU ARE by Kristyn Kusek Lewis

Click this link to find out who the winner is: 
LISTED AT THE BOTTOM OF POST!

How Lucky You Are

Kristyn Kusek Lewis

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If you enjoy books by Emily Giffin and Marisa de los Santos (TOTALLY UP MY ALLEY, RIGHT?!?!), you will love How Lucky You Are by Kristyn Kusek Lewis, a book about friendship and the pressures of what life throws your way. (Well, not 'your' way technically, but the characters' way!)

So many authors I admire have recommended this book, (Sarah Jio, Meg Mitchell Moore to name just two!) and although I have yet to read it, it is nearing the top of my To Be Read pile and I'm very anxious to get the quiet time to sit and discover the story of the three women in Kristyn's story.

Here is what How Lucky You Are, which is something I need to remind myself a lot lately, because while things have been a bit hard for our family personally, I know we're still very, very lucky!

How Lucky You Are is an engaging and moving novel about three women struggling to keep their longstanding friendship alive. Waverly, who’s always been the group’s anchor, runs a cozy bakery but worries each month about her mounting debt. Kate is married to a man who’s on track to be the next governor of Virginia, but the larger questions brewing in their future are unsettling her. Stay-at-home mom Amy has a perfect life on paper, but as the horrific secret she’s keeping from her friends threatens to reveal itself, she panics. As life’s pressures build all around them, Waverly knows she has some big decisions to make. In doing so, she will discover that the lines between loyalty and betrayal can become blurred, happy endings aren’t always clear-cut, and sometimes you have to risk everything to gain the life you deserve.

Read an excerpt HERE of How Lucky You Are! 

Tell me how you've been lucky lately and you'll be entered to win a copy of How Lucky You Are!

And don't forget … if you didn't enter to win yesterday's book, A GIRL LIKE YOU, click HERE to leave a comment to win that book too! Good luck!

And tomorrow I'll have ANOTHER BOOK as well! I'm on a roll this week huh!??! LOL

NEW TO BOOKING WITH MANIC?  

If you're new to Booking with Manic, thank you for stopping by! We love new readers! Some notes - If you're entering to win a book, please use an identifying name and it's usually a great idea to include an email, which I will never give out to anyone else. You can only enter once please. You'll need to check back here in about a week or so to see if you've won the book -- I will highlight the winner's name at the top of this post, or tell you where you can find the winner's name at the top of this post. Most books are supplied directly through publishers, publicists and the authors. Winners will receive books directly from the publisher or author within 3 weeks from the time you provide me with your address, unless I send you the book (sometimes I will). Sorry, but we can only ship to U.S. and Canada so if you're from another country, thank you for coming by to read and discover new authors, but we can't send you a book. Any questions on how I run the blog or suggestions on who you would like to see featured, please email me at stephanieelliot@gmail.com. Thank you for your support!