STANDALONE SUNDAY

 

Standalone Sunday is a fun feature created by Megan at Bookslayerreads where each Sunday you feature a standalone book (not part of a series) that you loved or would recommend. There’s so much focus on books that are part of a series… she thought it’d be nice to focus on some standalone novels, too!

Feel free to join in on this weekly feature by creating your own Standalone Sunday post! And be sure to check out Megan’s very creative blog and leave a link in her Standalone Sunday comments section so she can add your blog to the list

My Standalone Pick this week is:

FROM GOODREADS:

Eva Esch and her sisters are in a predicament. With the passing of their widowed mother, Eva’s older brother plans to move his growing family into the Eden Valley farmhouse where they all grew up, leaving little room for his three single sisters. Unless they marry within the year, the only apparent option is for two sisters to go to Indiana to live with an elderly great aunt. Eva hopes to be married, but she isn’t sure she wants to give up her sweet shop for the life of a farmer’s wife. And she can’t see how her prospects would be any better in Indiana.

When younger sister Lily disappears in the night, leaving only a brief note, Eva fears she has been wooed away from the People by an outsider. And when Jed Stutzman, a young Amish buggy maker from Ohio, shows up at Eva’s market stand in Lancaster with a photo of a Plain young woman, Eva’s world begins to tilt.

 

 

 

MY REVIEW:

I’ve always enjoyed reading books by Beverly Lewis and THE PHOTOGRAPH is exactly why. I finished it in two sittings and was emotionally invested from the first page, in all of the characters and their troubles. Eva Esch and her sisters Lily and Frona have been missing their parents who both passed recently. The girls are lost without them and Lily, the youngest, is really struggling. She disappears during the night and her sisters haven’t a clue as to where she is.

 

One day at an auction, Eva meets Jed Stutzman who is visiting from Ohio. Jed can’t help but think he has seen Eva before but doesn’t say anything to her about it. Eva and Jed spend as much time together as they possibly can for one week because Jed will be returning to Ohio. They became friendly during that time and both think they have feelings for each other until Eva sees the photograph that Jed has been carrying around in his wallet. The photograph that changes everything between them. THE PHOTOGRAPH tugged at my heart and had me praying that Lily would find her way back to her sisters. The girls really missed their parents and it was so beautiful how their neighbor Naomi tried to step in and help the girls deal with what was going on in their lives. Naomi was their Mom’s best friend and she misses her as much as the girls do. It was wonderful how the whole community came together and tried to keep Eva and Frona’s spirits up while they worried over Lily. When Jed met Eva at the auction I knew he would be perfect for Eva, and I just wished he was honest with her up front. I love Beverly Lewis’ way of writing and she always keeps me hooked until the last page.

 

DRAGONFLY WISHES BY PENNY HARMON

 

Dragonfly Wishes

Penny Harmon

Received from Author

 

Callie Daniels life is spinning out of control. Her husband Chris has only been gone for a year. He died in a car crash rushing to the hospital to be with their son, Cooper. DRAGONFLY WISHES starts out with Callie sitting on Cooper’s hospital bed, telling her he is ready to go. You see, Cooper has leukemia and after trying everything to save his life, they are out of time. The conversation Callie has with Cooper will have you reaching for the tissues and holding back the heart ache you are going to be feeling. Penny Harmon writes so beautifully that you feel as if you are right there in the room with Callie and Cooper, saying goodbye to this brave little boy.

 

One night after Cooper has left her and Callie is a total mess, she drinks way too much and takes a few of Chris’s old sleeping pills. They expired so she takes a few of them and hope they work. She is in the middle of over dosing when she swears she sees Cooper. He is telling her to call 911 because she has things she still has to do. Oh my God, grab another tissue and be prepared to do some serious crying. My heart broke over and over for Callie and what she was feeling and dealing with. How much heartache can a person take? DRAGONFLY WISHES is exactly why I love Penny Harmon’s books. She always leaves me with a big smile on my face and screaming for more. That’s how wrapped up I get into her writing. Penny is one of my very favorite go to authors and I devour her books like a fine box of chocolates. I try to take my time and read slowly to make it last, but usually half way through I lose all control and flip the pages like a mad woman!!

 

Penny Harmon has once again left me in tears and crying for more. I now know I will devour everything this awesome author writes and do it all easily with a smile on my face and tears in my eyes. I really loved DRAGONFLY WISHES Wow wow wow!! From the very first page I was emotionally invested in Callie and I just wanted her to be happy and to smile again. She was so devastated when her life was turned upside down once again and I cried when she cried and I love when an author does that to me. I felt like I was right there with her and I was holding my breath at the end of DRAGONFLY WISHES praying nothing bad was going to happen. Please, you have to give Penny Harmon a try! You won’t be sorry. I can’t wait to read more by one of my very favorite authors.

REVIEW: THIS ADVENTURE ENDS BY EMMA MILLS

This Adventure Ends

Emma Mills

Oh my gosh! THIS ADVENTURE ENDS is such a cute and heart warming coming of age story! This is only my second time reading Emma Mills, but she sure knows how to warm my heart! I was instantly hooked on all of the characters and emotionally invested on their lives and troubles. Sloane has just moved from New York to Florida and doesn’t have any friends…..yet! At a school party, she meets twins Gabe and Vera and her life is never going to be the same.

THIS ADVENTURE ENDS is a fast paced YA contemporary story with a lovable heroine and a great bunch of friends. When ever Sloane doesn’t know how to handle her emotions or a situation, she makes fun of it and let me tell you, this girl is seriously funny. She had me giggling and snorting through out this lovely book, sometimes to the point where I had tears in my eyes. Her friends are hilarious at times too and you will find yourself wishing for more interactions with the ever so colorful Frank Sanger, just like I was. Sloane believes the twins have everything they could possibly want in life until she actually gets to know them, but she grows to care about them and realizes they are the one adventure her life was missing.

When a painting that the twins mom had done before she passed away, turns up missing Sloane takes it upon herself to find the painting called The Dream. THIS ADVENTURE ENDS takes Sloane to a few different states tracking down this painting. Sloane really grows throughout her travels and she becomes a true best friend. She is sarcastic but in a good funny way and her friends come to love her as much as she comes to love them. Something that isn’t easy for Sloane.

I loved Emma Mills first book, First & Then, and THIS ADVENTURE ENDS is exactly why. YA contemporary is one of my most favorite genres and Emma does it so well. I find myself not being able to put her books down. She hooks me right from the very first page and never lets me go. I loved all the characters as well as the one liners and teasing they all took part in. All of Sloane’s friends are very relatable and are exactly the kind of friends I would have loved to have had back in high school.

 

Have a great weekend and thanks for reading!!

OFF THE GRID FOR A FEW DAYS

okay, so I’m going to be brutally honest here and hopefully I don’t lose any followers over this, but I have to get all this crap off my chest. My head is going to explode.

 

My husband had a great job in January and financially, we were starting to recover. Our bills were being paid, we had two cars, life was good.

 

Until the day he had a heart attack.  His cardiologist told him to make some life changing decisions or he was going to be dead next time…….omg!! He told him his job and driving to California week after week was too much for his 56 year old body. So after he recovers he tells his boss he can longer travel and you  know what happens..he gets fired…….

 

Our lives have been some spinning out of control ever since……No pay check since the beginning of February…..he was doing some repair work in the garage to get some cash but it was never enough…….a couple of weeks ago my mini van was repode……..

 

The week after our electric was shut off.  My husband goes to his friend next door to borrow the money to get the electric turned back on, which we were very grateful that he helped us out.  Well, after a week, the guy starts texting my husband many many times a day……”where’s my money” and my husband keeps telling him as soon as we get it we will pay you back.  This goes on and gets worse and worse everyday. He threatens to run us out of the neighborhood and how he is going to ruin us……..well, my husband got a new job two weeks ago. AWESOME!! We are on the road to recovery right? Nope!! Before he can even get his first paycheck, the neighbor is relentless and my husband has another episode with his heart and I call 911……

 

Three days later he comes home but not before the neighbor is texting him while he is in the hospital about to have surgery.  Meanwhile, we get served a five day notice from our landlord who just happens to be good friends with the neighbor.  Our May rent still has not been paid, even though we explained about the health issues, and as soon as Brian got his check, we would get caught up…..yup, not good enough!! We went to court today and got evicted.  Then after court my husband and two kids go to the grocery store and when they come out of the store, the car is gone…..repode.

 

I’m sick over the whole thing……..luckily my husband’s boss is very nice and is helping us out.  Saturday we will be moving into a three bedroom apartment and regrouping…….Our rent will be much cheaper, they have four swimming pools there, and our kids have friends that live there also.  We are fighters, we will get through this and recover.  We aren’t bad people, I promise……..we still plan on paying back the psycho neighbor and the landlord, we just ran out of time………

 

Anyway, I’m sorry this is so long, but I needed to get it all out.  I’m a strong woman but the heart can only take so much.  I don’t know how long it will take cable to come and hook up our internet and all that so I might be missing for a few days……..

 

I hope you all have a good weekend and thanks for reading if you still are

 

I will be back……..

 

Susan

 

THROWBACK THURSDAY

 

Throwback Thursday meme is hosted by Renee@It’s Book Talk and is a way to share some of your old favourites as well as sharing books that you want to read that were published over a year ago. You know, the ones waiting patiently on your TBR list while you continue to pile more titles on top of them These older books are usually much easier than new releases to get a hold of at libraries and elsewhere. If you have your own Throwback Thursday recommendation feel free to jump on board, you’re welcome to use Renee’s pic as well. If you’d just link back to her @ It’s Book Talk she’d so appreciate it.

 

Today I’m showcasing a book that I read a few years ago and loved!

 

 

FROM GOODREADS:

 

After losing her fiancé in a tragic accident, Veronica Fisher finds solace in the old recipes stored in her mother’s hope chest—and in a special visitor who comes to her bake stand to purchase her old-fashioned raspberry pies.

Veronica Fisher knows how lucky she is to be marrying her best friend. Seth Lapp is kind, hardworking, and handsome—but most importantly, he loves Veronica.

When an accident on the job steals Seth away from her, a heartbroken Veronica is certain she will never love—or be loved—again. Yet when she discovers a batch of forgotten recipes and opens a bake stand to sell her Mammi’s raspberry pies, Veronica picks up a regular customer  who gives her heart pause.

Jason Huyard was with Seth when he lost his life—a memory that haunts him still. So when he seeks out the grieving fiancée to convey his condolences, the last thing he expects—or wants—is to fall in love. Nonetheless, Jason soon finds himself visiting Veronica’s bake stand every week . . . and it’s for more than the raspberry pies.

Now, as Veronica’s heart thaws, Jason can’t bring himself to tell her he was there when Seth died. Can he ever reveal where he was on the day her life derailed? Or will his secret rob them of the second chance at love they both want?

 

 

 

 

MY REVIEW:

 

Veronica Fisher is a mess. Her fiancé Seth has just died in a tragic barn accident, and he was her one true love. She is deeply rooted in her Amish faith but can’t understand why God took away the love of her life. While cleaning out her attic, trying to stay busy and not deal with her grief, Veronica finds an old recipe box from her Grandmother. The raspberry pie recipe is what brings hope and a second chance to Veronica’s life. My heart was breaking so much for Veronica and all she was going through. I wanted to give her a great big hug and at the same time, shake her a little and make her see what was waiting for her if she would just open up her eyes and heart. THE FORGOTTEN RECIPE is the first book in the Amish Heirloom series.

 

Jason Huyard was Seth’s best friend. He was in the barn when the accident happened and has been dealing with a lot of grief and guilt over Seth’s death. He finds himself wondering if he could have saved Seth’s life and has been having nightmares over it. He knows in his heart that it was Seth’s time to go home to God, but he can’t seem to help himself, wondering if things could have been different. THE FORGOTTEN RECIPE is going to pull at your heart as Jason tries to deal with the memories of Seth that are haunting him constantly. He tries to keep this secret from Veronica, but he knows he must tell her even though he is afraid of how she will react when she hears it.

 

I have been enjoying Amy Clipston’s stories for many years and THE FORGOTTEN RECIPE is exactly why. The twists and turns in Veronica and Jason’s lives pop up when you least expect them. Amy pulls you right in and makes you feel as if you are right there experiencing all the heart wrenching feelings her characters are. When I hear Amy Clipston has a new book coming out, I run to it. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite Amish authors, and I devour her stories very quickly. I love how her stories allow me to escape my reality and puts me right in the middle of Amish country.

 

 

REVIEW: NO ONE BUT YOU BY BRENDA NOVAK

 

No One But You

Brenda Novak

Received from Netgalley

NO ONE BUT YOU is the second book in the Silver Springs series by Brenda Novak. Silver Springs s a small town in Southern California.

NO ONE BUT YOU is the story of Sadie and Dawson. Sadie left her husband one year ago and is raising their son pretty much on her own. Her husband Sly, is a police officer in Silver Springs and is making her life a living hell. He will do anything to get her to come back to him, but Sadie isn’t having any of it. Sly is a controlling and harasses Sadie over and over again. How much more can she take? She lives in a tiny guest cottage with second hand furniture and tries to get by on her small salary she makes as a waitress at the local diner. Soon she finds out about a job out on a remote farm. She needs to make more money! Someone needs a caretaker for their sister. Here she meets Dawson.

Dawson just got out of prison after a year. He was accused of murdering his adoptive parents, but after a year of trials, he was acquitted. Now he is back on the family artichoke farm trying to get it ready for his disabled sister to move back home. He did not kill his parents, but no one in town believes him. They all look at him like they know he got away with murder. That is until he meets Sadie. NO ONE BUT YOU is all about Sadie and Dawson trying to put their lives back together. Sadie accepts the job from Dawson and they work on putting the farm back together. Vandals did a lot of damage while he was away. Sly is not happy with this arrangement and let’s them both know about it. Once Sadie and Dawson get to know each other, their story really takes off. Sly begins to harass both of them and the things he does are unbelievable as a police officer!

The suspense and twists and turns in NO ONE BUT YOU will have you staying up late to finish! While it is the second book in the series, you don’t have to read the first one to enjoy this one. It works quite well as a stand alone. The pace of the story is perfect, not too fast and not too slow. I really think I liked this book better than the first one and I loved that one. Just the right amount of mystery, suspense, and romance to keep me hooked on each and every page. I can’t wait to continue with this series.

 

Have a great day and thanks for reading!

 

COVER REVEAL: DRAGONFLY WISHES BY PENNY HARMON

OMG!! Will you just look at this cover? Isn’t it gorgeous? So excited to get to read and review once again for Penny Harmon!! I just love her books and if you haven’t read her yet, you really do need to!!

 

Callie Daniel’s had it all – a handsome and loyal husband – a sweet and loving son. When death comes knocking at the door twice and they are both taken from her, Callie is suddenly struggling to find a reason to continue with her own life.

During an accidental overdose, she discovers that maybe her son is not lost to her forever when she sees a vision and her journey to understand what happens after death takes top priority.

In the middle of Callie’s quest to deal with her grief, she uncovers a secret that she just can’t ignore. These secrets lead her on a journey to understanding more about life than she ever expected to know.

 

Dragonflies Wishes

 

ABOUT PENNY HARMON

While I have been writing since I can remember, it wasn’t until 2006, after my kids were grown, that I decided to take my writing seriously. I have written for newspapers and magazines, and I have had several short stories published. In January of 2016, I finished my first novella Complicated Inheritance and am now working on a romance to come out in March of 2016 which is the first of a series.

I get asked the question of “Why romance?” a lot. The answer is easy. Most romance novels have a Happy Ever After (HEA) and who doesn’t like a HEA? I can remember being ten and eleven years old and stealing my mother’s romance novels to read. Of course, back then, they weren’t as steamy as today’s romance novels. Whether you read contemporary romance or historical romance, the one thing you will find is they have a great plot and they leave you with a good feeling inside when you’re done.

I started writing romance stories when I was young…unfortunately, I never chose to do anything with them until now. Of course, the majority of my writing was lost in moves, but the ideas are still there.

I love to hear feedback from readers and you can email me at pennyharmonauthor@gmail.com. Looking forward to hearing from you!!!

Have a great day everyone and thank you for reading!!

WAITING ON WEDNESDAY #4

WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam @ Taking on a World of Words.

 

To participate, all you have to do is answer the following questions:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

I’m finally getting into doing weekly memes now. I have always loved this amazing meme and decided to finally do it. Won’t you join me if you don’t do this one already?

 

WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING?

 

 

WHAT DID YOU RECENTLY FINISH READING?

 

 

 

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’LL READ NEXT?

 

 

 

WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING? LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS DOWN BELOW.

 

Have an awesome day and thanks for reading!!

500 Followers!!

Congratulations on getting 500 total follows on Susanlovesbooks!

Your current tally is 501.

I just want give a huge thank you to all of my blog followers! I hit 500!!!

I have loved getting to know you all and I look forward to getting to know more about you!

I’ve only been blogging since August but I can’t imagine ever stopping! It’s so much fun sharing our love of books with each other!!

Have a great day and thank you again!!

Oh on a side note, this will be our first ten days of 100+ temps……..hell has arrived in Arizona!!