Moonlight Gleam's Bookshelf

Never Too Far by Abbi Glines

noreply@blogger.com (Moonlight Gleam) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 21:00:03 PDT

Title: Never Too Far
Author: Abbi Glines

Publisher: Self-Published

Format: E-book

Publication Date: February 25th, 2013

Overall: 5/5

Source: Purchased

He had held a secret that destroyed her world.
Everything she had known was no longer true.
Blaire couldn’t stop loving him but she knew she could never forgive him.

Now, she was back home and learning to live again. Moving on with life… until something happened to send her world spinning once again.

What do you do when the one person you can never trust again is the one that you need to trust so desperately?
You lie, hide, avoid, and pray that your sins never find you out.

My Review:

*Disclaimer: This review contains spoilers!*

Never Too Far picks up right from the end of the previous novel in the series. Blaire is now living in her hometown of Sumit, Alabama after leaving Rush behind in Rosemary. Blaire is a total disaster after discovering all the secrets that her father was hiding. Then, she discovers that she has her very own secret that must be hidden from others; Blaire is pregnant!

I was refreshing that Never Too Far really moved things forward. I’m glad that Blaire ended up owning her secret and spilling it to Rush. It was the sweetest scene because Rush finally started thinking about Blaire and what was best for her and the baby. What did bother me was that while Rush was telling Blaire that he was going to take care of her, he kept putting others before her. Then, there was the whole Nan situation which was only exasperated because Abe finally came clean that Nan is NOT his daughter! The scene where Abe reveals this secret to Rush made me incredibly angry. Blaire’s whole world was shattered by that revelation, and Abe continued to keep that secret for months. Nan had always blamed Blaire for her unhappiness, however, Blaire wasn't the cause of it all; it was her mother.

I was also incredibly discouraged by Rush’s behavior in the end. I understand that Nan's his sister and that the situation was nerve-wreaking, however, he shouldn't have abandoned his pregnant fiancée. By refusing to talk to Blaire didn’t help Nan get better in any way. Honestly, if I was Blaire, I’d walk my pregnant self right out of that situation. I can’t imagine that Rush is ever going to change when it comes to his family, and Blaire can’t keep getting the short end of the stick. I mean, Blaire walked three miles home because Rush abandoned her when he got the call, and then he refused to call her for two weeks. He also missed the doctor’s appointment for the baby. It was completely irresponsible of Rush, and although he kept promising Blaire that he’s going to put her first, he’s doesn't. Rush hasn't had many people that he's cared about, so his need to take care of them is undesirable. I just wish he would begin to see that Nan doesn't care about him, not like he cares about her at least.

I won’t lie, the ending got me very excited, and I’m so thrilled to know the gender of the baby! However, I just feel like this book had some very unnecessary revelations just for the shock factor.

I can’t wait for Forever Too Far. Hopefully, it will redeem this middle novel and clear up this crazy situation.

Must Read! Highly Recommended!

**Please Note: This review is my honest opinion and I received no monetary compensation from it.**

Find Never Too Far online:

Official Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

Buy Abbi Glines online:

Goodreads | Official Website | Kindle | Amazon | Barnes&Noble

Cover Reveal: Blood Etangled by Amber Belldene

noreply@blogger.com (Moonlight Gleam) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:24:16 PDT

Hello everyone!
I am very excited to share with you all the cover of

Blood Entangled

by Amber Belldene!

About The Book:

Author: Amber Belldene

Title: Blood Entangled

Expected publication: July 23rd 2013 by Omnific Publishing

Series: Blood Vine #2

KOS MARAS’s orderly life is in shambles—he must distribute Blood Vine to a population of ailing vampires, but Hunters block him at every turn. To make matters worse, each night he watches over a temptingly beautiful woman sleeping in his bed. He is convinced love cannot last a vampire-long lifetime and an entanglement will only cause them grief, but he doesn’t have the heart to send her away.

From a long line of blood servants, LENA ISAAKSON is destined to serve a vampire, but a string of humiliating rejections thwarts her pleasure. When Kos shows her kindness, she hopes he will claim her. Instead he proves himself a coward in the face of love and sends her to serve another.

Will the dark seduction of a rakish new vampire finally bring Lena the pleasure she desires or deliver her into the hands of Hunters who want to destroy everything the Maras family has worked for?

Find Blood Entangled Online:
Goodreads | Amazon

About The Author:

Amber Belldene grew up on the Florida panhandle, swimming with alligators, climbing oak trees and diving for scallops…when she could pull herself away from a book. As a child, she hid her Nancy Drew novels inside the church bulletin and read mysteries during sermons—an irony that is not lost on her when she preaches these days.

Amber is an Episcopal Priest and student of religion. She believes stories are the best way to explore human truths. Some people think it is strange for a minister to write romance, but it is perfectly natural to her, because the human desire for love is at the heart of every romance novel and God made people with that desire. She lives with her husband and two children in San Francisco.

Find Amber Belldene on the Web: Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Happy Reading!

Aberrant Book Blitz: Author Interview With Ruth Silver + Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Moonlight Gleam) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:00:00 PDT

About The Author:

Ruth Silver is the best-selling author of Aberrant. The Young Adult/New Adult Romantic Dystopian Adventure, Aberrant is the first in a trilogy, released April 17th, 2013. Silver first began writing poetry as a teenager and reading heaps of fan fiction in her free time. She attended Northern Illinois University in 2001 and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Communication. While in college she spent much of her free time writing with friends she met online and penning her first novel, Deuces are Wild, which she self-published in 2004. Her favorite class was Creative Writing senior year where she often handed in assignments longer than the professor required because she loved to write and always wanted to finish her stories. Her love of writing, led her on an adventure in 2007 to Melbourne, Australia. Silver enjoys reading YA/NA novels and sharing her favorite books with other readers. She also enjoys photography, traveling and of most of all writing.

Find Ruth Silver on the Web:

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Interview:

What was the hardest part of writing Aberrant?

The hardest part was writing the characters suffering. I know that they will get through the pain - physical or emotional - and it will make them stronger, but it's still hard to torture your favorite character.

Who was your favorite character to write in Aberrant?

I had the most fun with writing Olivia. She's full of so many mixed emotions and traits that we're always learning something about who she is. She's not complacent. She has a mind of her own and likes to explore the world around her. She's curious by nature and it has the tendency to get her into trouble. She's complex, which makes her three-dimensional, but also incredibly caring and supportive of those she loves.

Why did you decide on making Aberrant into a series?

I felt like I had a huge story to tell. Something that would span across hundreds of thousands of words. That may not seem like a lot but when sending your novel to agents and publishers, there's a certain word count they're looking for in new authors and in young adult/new adult titles. The only way to properly tell the story, was to turn it into a trilogy.

Do you have the second and third book planned already?

Without getting into any specifics, yes! The next book, Moirai, will be available sometime in 2014. The first draft was finished last December but with the edits and some significant changes in Aberrant, I need to make the story flow a little smoother.

Can you tell us about one of these changes in Aberrant? What was added to the story?

Down to the final edits, I was adding details and shaping each character just a little bit more. I wanted the world that they're in and the cities to feel real. I wanted you to experience it, just as Olivia has for the first time. The very end of the Aberrant, I added a glimpse at what we can expect in the second novel. That was one of the final edits that was added, among many others.

About The Book:

Aberrant by Ruth Silver
Publication date: April 28th 2013 (paperback)
Genre: YA Dystopian

In the future Dystopian society of Cabal, the government instills equality for all and offers its citizens the perfect system. There is food, shelter and jobs for everyone. The one requirement is to follow the rules without question, including the government's match in marriage and "The Day of the Chosen", a lottery that randomly selects families to conceive children as natural means hasn't existed in generations. Following her eighteenth birthday, Olivia Parker accepts her requirement to marry her childhood best friend, Joshua Warren, and is eager to start her work assignment and new life when it all comes abruptly to an end as she's arrested and thrown in prison. The only crime committed, her existence. Olivia is unlike the rest of the world born not from "The Day of the Chosen." The truth haunts the government and puts her life in grave danger as one simple fact would destroy the perfect system.

With Joshua's help, Olivia breaks free of prison and is forced on the run. Together they set out to find the promised rebel town in search of a new home and new life together. Their situation seems less than promising as they reach the town of Haven. New rules and customs must be adhered to in order to stay. Leaving would mean most certain death in the large expanse of the Gravelands. Time is running out as the government mounts an attack to destroy Olivia and bury her secret with her. Thrown into a world unlike their own, they must quickly adapt to survive.

Find Aberrant Online:

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Book Excerpt:

Excerpt from Aberrant by Ruth Silver

We rounded the corner and my eyes caught sight of a line of young men stretching around council hall, extending for blocks. "What's going on over there?" I asked.

Landon's face perked up, a hint of a smile playing on his lips, "they're here for you, Olivia."

"Me?" I felt nervous and swallowed the bile rising in my throat.

Landon patted my back, as if he had the ability to reassure me. His touch was repulsive. I pulled away slightly from his grasp, my gaze still attached to the hundreds of young men lining up along the edge of the building and pushed back down into the street. "They're submitting their applications to date you."

"You're joking?" My eyes wide and mouth agape, I couldn't believe this was happening. "This is because of Joshua yesterday, isn't it?" It had to be the reason they found it necessary to punish me.

Landon sighed. He seemed agitated with me, short-tempered. "We've told you, Olivia, you can't be with Joshua."

I rolled my eyes, "yes and you've also told me I have three years to decide. What's all this!" I gestured towards the young men as I pushed them aside to walk through the main entrance, they were in my way.

"Hey! No cutting in line," one of the young men yelled before his voice faltered off realizing I wasn't there to apply. "Are you Olivia?" His voice echoed against the building as he took another step, further inching towards the foyer.

"It's none of your damned business!" I shouted back, my eyes glaring as I knocked Landon hard with my elbow. I knew it wouldn't win me any brownie points but I didn't care. I was beyond pissed. My feet clanked over the marble flooring. In the center of the room a table had been set up where the young men were fast approaching, one after another. "You're wasting your time," I called back to the woman hosting the event as she recorded their information in an oversized book.

"This way," Landon escorted me away from the line of bachelors towards the open door.

"Please, come in," the older wiry-haired woman gestured us inside and shut the door promptly behind us. All the noise and commotion from the main foyer disappeared inside the room.

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Fallen Too Far by Abbi Glines

noreply@blogger.com (Moonlight Gleam) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:00:09 PDT

Title: Fallen Too Far
Author: Abbi Glines
Publisher: Self-Published
Format: E-book
Publication Date: December 14th, 2012
Overall: 5/5
Source: Bought

To want what you’re not supposed to have…

She is only nineteen.

She is his new stepfather’s daughter.

She is still naïve and innocent due to spending the last three years taking care of her sick mother.

But for twenty-four year old Rush Finlay, she is the only thing that has ever been off limits. His famous father’s guilt money, his mother’s desperation to win his love, and his charm are the three reasons he has never been told no.

Blaire Wynn left her small farmhouse in Alabama, after her mother passed away, to move in with her father and his new wife in their sprawling beach house along the Florida gulf coast. She isn’t prepared for the lifestyle change and she knows she’ll never fit into this world. Then there is her sexy stepbrother who her father leaves her with for the summer while he runs off to Paris with his wife. Rush is as spoiled as he is gorgeous. He is also getting under her skin. She knows he is anything but good for her and that he’ll never be faithful to anyone. He is jaded and has secrets Blaire knows she may never uncover but even knowing all of that…

Blaire just may have fallen too far.

My Review:

Wow, Abbi Glines does it again! I remember now why I always purchase all of her written work.

Fallen Too Far opens with Blaire, heartbroken because her mother had just passed away. The only person she can ask for help is her scumbag father who abandoned Blaire and her mother after the death of her twin sister. Poor Blaire had been through so much tragedy in her nineteen years that she just broke my heart through the entire novel. Blaire tries so hard to be independent and take care of herself. Meanwhile, she’s busy trying to take care of everyone else, and Blaire has such a big heart that it hurts to even read how people try to take advantage of that. I admire that Blaire is someone that everyone can relate to. She isn’t perfect, and she has flaws of her own. Blaire is a little too ready to be intimate with Rush, especially because she's supposed to portray innocence. Blaire is also very naive, and she can get crazy angry; after all, she does pull a gun on Grant in the first chapter! However, despite all of that, Blaire is eminently likeable. She somehow exudes this wonderful personality that allows readers to connect with her personally.

One of my favorite scenes is when Blaire meets Bethy for the first time. It really shows how Blaire can pull people in and make them care about her. She really takes Bethy under her wing, and provides a confidence boost to help Bethy break out of the vicious dating cycle she’s been in. This also provides the catalyst for Blaire and Rush to stop dancing around each other.

Then, there's Rush, and oh my goodness, he is smoking! I’ve felt sex appeal in a character before, but Rush is truly swoon-worthy. The best thing about Rush is that there is depth to his character that other male leads don’t have. Rush also cares deeply for people, and he is incredibly loyal. There's a big shocking revelation at the end, although I can understand why Blaire feels betrayed. I can also understand and appreciate Rush’s loyalty to his family; except, why does the person he has to be loyal to be Nan? Nan is Rush’s sister, and she's the wicked witch of the East. At least, that’s how I felt when reading about her. She's an absolute terror, and I’m not sure why Rush feels the need to protect her; she acts like a spoiled brat.

I love that Abbi Glines’ writing style manages to draw you in and make you feel connected to the characters. Even the secondary characters end up making you adore them. This book had a twisting plot, and at the moment where a big secret is revealed, it truly surprised me. At the conclusion of the novel, readers will end up just as shattered as Rush and Blaire. The ending was very abrupt, so I’m dying to get the sequel, Never Too Far, which is currently available.

Must Read! Highly Recommended!

**Please Note: This review is my honest opinion and I received no monetary compensation from it.**

Find Abbi Glines online:

Official Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

Buy Fallen Too Far online:

Goodreads | Official Website | Kindle | Amazon | Barnes&Noble

Exclusive Facebook Fans Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Moonlight Gleam) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:34:54 PDT

Hello fellow Moonlight Gleamers!

In a few more weeks, Moonlight Gleam's Bookshelf will be transferring over to Wordpress and we don't want you to miss out on all our upcoming giveaways when the transfer occurs!

To make sure that doesn't happen, we're encouraging our followers to like our Moonlight Gleam's Bookshelf Facebook Page so that you can stay updated on all bookish things we'd like to share with you through this giveaway!

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Blog Tour: The Number by Sheenah Freitas + Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Moonlight Gleam) — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 21:00:05 PDT

Follow the tour!

About The Author:

A neek at heart, Sheenah Freitas has a love for the whimsical and magical. She looks to animated Disney movies and Studio Ghibli films for inspiration because of the innovative twists on fairytales, strong story structures, and character studies. When not writing, you might find her in a forest where she's yet to find any enchanted castles.

Find Sheenah Freitas on the Web:
Website | Facebook | Twitter

About The Book:

Title: The Number (Zincian Legend #2)

Author: Sheenah Freitas
Publication Date: March 13th 2013
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Paper Crane Books

Kaia disappeared for five years. Now she's back and her planet is on the brink of war.

The new "Numbers" program, created by the Tueors’ leader, tracks and isolates demigods. Kaia's friend, Catrina, refuses to take part, and that makes her the most dangerous Number of all.

It's Kaia's duty to gather and protect the treasures of the gods. But neither the treasures nor Catrina are what they appear to be.

As the day a dire prophesy foresees draws near, will Kaia reverse the gears of fate, or will everything she's ever loved be burned away by the flames of war?

Find The Number Online:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository | iTunes | Smashwords

Book Excerpt:

The Chosen narrowed her eyes and stayed firm. Derek sighed and repositioned her arm as he let loose another jet of water toward the underwater enemy. She steadied herself and closed her eyes one more time. Her body was warm with the goddess’ power and it swept and swelled through her and into the Tiruv. She shouted something—she wasn’t sure what she had just said—and opened her eyes. Invisible scythes of wind parted the waters just enough for them to see a small group of their enemy. They looked like old men who had stayed in the water for far too long. Their prune-like skin sagged, showcasing their skeletal bodies. They had long, shaggy blue hair and it was their yellow, reptilian-like eyes and webbed hands that proved they were anything but human.

Their eyes grew wide as the sea parted further. The scythes of wind billowed past several of them, but managed to slice one cleanly in two before the wind died down. The water threatened to crash together, but with a flick of his hand, Derek eased the water together, preventing another wave from colliding into the Nautilus.

A loud screech emitted from the ocean, deafening everyone. A vodianoi head popped up and peeked at them. He gave them all a ruthless smile and disappeared. The waters began to turn into a tight circle, swirling around them like being sucked into a drain.

With a flick of the Tiruv, a mighty wind reshaped itself and began pushing them away, but Kaia was too exhausted to keep up the force. It began to wane and the ship slowly moved backward toward the center of the whirlpool. Derek took a deep breath and muttered an incantation. The whirlpool weakened a bit, giving them just enough edge to sail away.

The two both collapsed from exhaustion. They leaned against one another, too tired to utter another word. Catrina hurried over to them. She leaned down, looking from one to the other, trying to see how fast they were declining.

Carlton peeled himself away from the mast. “That powah . . . where did ya get it from?” he asked Kaia, eyeing her curiously.

Don’t say anything, the voice warned.

“Why exactly are we taking ya to an island belonging to the mahfolk?”

Stay silent.

Kaia’s heart beat fast. She heeded the voice’s warning and looked away, staring dazedly at the floor. She couldn’t say much even if she wanted to. Her headache returned, erupting through her skull. She thought for a horrifying second that her head was going to split in half, but it somehow managed to stay together. It took everything she had not to scream out in pain and curl into a ball.

“Have ya heard o’ the little story about a blue-haired girl that people have been callin’ the Chosen? Rumah has it she’s goin’ around the world, in search o’ the treashahs o’ the gods. Those charms on ya bracelet matches the description o’ the treashahs. Thing is, I’ve decided to start lookin’ for these items myself. Somethin’ that powerful must be valuable, ya know?”

Kaia narrowed her eyes, glad that she was wearing a blonde wig. She had concealed her mark before she had went to the bar the previous night. She just wished she had a mirror to check if the amount of water that had splashed on her managed to wash away her makeup and reveal her mark. Carlton walked closer toward her, observing.

“Get away from her,” Catrina ordered. She stood up, aiming a dagger at his heart.

The Captain glanced in her direction. “Have ya forgotten about my first mate, woman?” he scoffed.

Naomi growled low, placing her body in a pounce position.

“Terrae obvolves!” Catrina shouted. Vines sprouted from the deck beneath Naomi, capturing her body just as she began to pounce. They wrapped around her torso and swirled upwards, capturing her hands and making it impossible for her to wriggle away. “You have no idea who you’re messing with.”

Kaia glanced at the Nekan’s body, hovering in midair, and spotted Magnar getting up. He was enraged at Catrina’s sudden display of power. Kaia opened her mouth to warn her friend about the goblin, but even doing that was too taxing. She lacked the energy for it. The goblin threw his club. It swooped through the air and hit Catrina squarely in the head. She fell, landing next to Derek. He scooted his body closer to her, grazing his fingers along hers and fell in a heap. Kaia leaned back against the railing now that she no longer had Derek’s support.

“Filthy half-breed!” Magnar spat as he hobbled over to retrieve his club.

The vines dissipated slowly, dropping Naomi gently onto the deck. She brushed herself off and walked toward Carlton to stand beside him. The Captain looked from the two unconscious forms to Kaia.

He smirked. “I believe I know exactly who I’m dealin’ with. There’s only one Numbah who can use abilities like that and last I heard she was wanted by the country o’ Lisburn. I have quite the bounty on my hands, don’t I?” He took a step toward Kaia. “We’ll continue this little quest to this precious little island ya want me to head to. Then ya shall come with me to collect these treashahs o’ the gods.”

“Why do you want the treasures so badly?” Kaia asked.

“Why, m’dear, don’t ya know? He who owns the treashahs, owns the world.”

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Book Spotlight: Wander Home by Karen A. Wyle + Book Excerpt!

noreply@blogger.com (Moonlight Gleam) — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 21:00:06 PDT

About The Author:

Karen A. Wyle was born a Connecticut Yankee, but moved every few years throughout her childhood and adolescence. After college in California, law school in Massachusetts, and a mercifully short stint in a large San Francisco law firm, she moved to Los Angeles. There she met her husband, who hates L.A. They eventually settled in Bloomington, Indiana, home of Indiana University.

Wyle has been a voracious and compulsive reader as long as she can remember. She majored in English and American Literature major at Stanford University, which suited her, although she has in recent years developed some doubts about whether studying literature is, for most people, a good preparation for enjoying it.

Wyle's voice is the product of almost five decades of reading both literary and genre fiction. It is no doubt also influenced, although she hopes not fatally tainted, by her years of practicing appellate law. Her personal history has led her to focus on often-intertwined themes of family, communication, the impossibility of controlling events, and the persistence of unfinished business.

Find Karen A. Wyle on the Web:
Twitter | Blog | Official Page | Goodreads | Amazon | Facebook

About The Book:

Title: Wander Home

Author:Karen A. Wyle
Publication Date: October 12th 2012

Death is what you make it. . . .

Eleanor never wanted to leave the daughter she loved so much. The overpowering urge to wander -- to search, without knowing what she sought -- drove her away. She left little Cassidy in her family's loving care. But Cassidy and the others died in an accident before Eleanor could find her way home.

Now, they are all reunited, in an afterlife where nothing is truly lost: places once loved may be revisited, memories relived and even shared. Surely this is a place where they can understand and heal. And yet, the restlessness that shaped Eleanor's life still haunts her in death -- and now, she find herself dreaming of a man she never met.

Somehow, she must solve the mystery of her life -- or none of them will be at peace.

Find Wander Home Online:

Kindle | Nook | Smashwords | Amazon | iTunes | iBookstore | Kobo

Book Excerpt:

[Excerpt from Wander Home by Karen A. Wyle]

This book is set in an afterlife: what sort of afterlife, the reader may decide.

Chapter One

Cassidy stood tall and watched the wave approaching. Fifteen was a good age for confronting the ocean. That morning she had been five years old, playing happily in her sandbox; from sand to beach, from beach to ocean waves, seemed a natural progression.

The wave loomed above her, glowing turquoise and green. She dove under the crest, through the surging water, and popped up behind the swell, bobbing in the follower waves. The water held her and rocked her; over the hiss and roar of the waves, she could hear the distant squawk of seagulls. All around was the smell of seaweed and salt and sunshine.

Once, her mother had held her, carried her, rocked her, surrounded her with love and safety. She had no idea how long it had been, but she remembered. Remembering, she let herself slip younger as she floated on the swells. But larger waves were coming, so she grew again, six, ten, sixteen; then caught a wave and rode it into shore.

Her grandparents and her great-grandmother were waiting for her. Great-Grandma was young today, slim and blonde and straight, standing like a dancer just before the music starts. Grandma Sarah and Grandpa Jack had chosen to be older, gray-haired, with the comfortable look of a couple who for years have weathered each other’s moods and followed each other’s thoughts.

Cassidy ran up the beach toward them. She slipped to eight years old as she reached them, so Grandpa Jack could pick her up and toss her in the air. The sun flashed in her eyes as she flew up, and again as she fell back toward his hands. He set her down again and flopped onto the sand, patting the space next to him. She sat, folding her legs tailor fashion; Great-Grandma flowed gracefully down to sit on her other side. Only Grandma Sarah remained standing, younger now, her hair in a long red braid.

Grandpa Jack and Great-Grandma both put their arms around her. Cassidy looked at Grandpa Jack. He was blinking as if he had something in both his eyes. She swiveled around toward Great-Grandma; Great-Grandma nodded toward Grandma Sarah.

Cassidy threw her head back, looking up at Grandma Sarah and squinting in the sun. Grandma Sarah squatted down in front of her. "Cassie, love, we have some news for you. Good, important news."

The seabirds were calling as if they wanted to be first with the message, whatever it was. Grandma Sarah leaned forward to kneel in the sand, reached out and took Cassidy's hands.

"It's your mother, sweetheart. She's coming. She'll be here soon. We'll all be seeing her again."

Cassidy felt herself getting smaller, small. She was two years old. She scrambled to her feet. "Mommy!" Her own shrill voice frightened her, and she called even louder, twisting from side to side, searching the beach and the water. "Mommy! MOMMY!"

Great-Grandma had slipped old, white hair shining in the sunlight, her cheeks pink, soft wrinkles in her face, smelling of flour. She pulled Cassidy close, crooning, "Hush, hush. It's all right, baby. Shhhh." Cassidy burrowed against her and breathed the comforting scent. She thought she might feel better if she got big again, but nothing happened.

She heard Grandpa Jack speak. "Mama, Sarah, let's go somewhere cozier." Then the sun, the waves, the seabirds were all gone, and they were in Great-Grandma's living room. She was snuggled up next to Great-Grandma on the big shabby couch. There were shortbread cookies on the coffee table. Grandma Sarah sat on Grandpa Jack's lap in the big armchair, Grandpa Jack playing with Grandma Sarah's hair.

"Cassidy, honey, it's time to be a big girl. We have more to talk about." Great-Grandma stroked her cheek, then kissed it.

Cassidy squeezed her eyes tight. "I'm trying. It's hard. Why is it hard?"

Grandpa Jack spoke. "Well, baby, you were just this age when your mama left. You're remembering it so hard, right now, that you're maybe a little stuck. Relax, honey, and know that everything's all right. It'll come."

Cassidy took a deep breath, and another, and another. Great-Grandma skootched away to give her room. Cassidy opened her eyes. She was thirteen years old. She reached for a cookie.

"There, that's better, isn't it?" Great-Grandma picked out a cookie for herself and took a hearty bite.

"When will she be here? When can I see her?"

Grandma Sarah brought Cassidy a glass of milk, then sat back down on Grandpa Jack's lap. "Honey, those are two different questions. She'll be here very soon, and you can see her just a little while after that. It's going to be —"

"Why can't I see her right away?" She didn't want to yell at Grandma Sarah, but she felt like yelling. It was always harder to be patient at thirteen. She slipped to twenty, but it felt wrong, too big, too grown up for a little girl missing her mother. She slid back to ten.

"Cassie, you were so young when you got here, only six years old. You weren't set in your ways yet — you expected to learn new things every day, to have adventures and surprises. Coming here was just another and bigger adventure. But it's different for older people. It's more of a shock. We think it'd be best if Great-Grandma welcomes her first, and explains things."

"How long will that take?" Cassidy swallowed tears and washed them away with a gulp of milk.

Great-Grandma moved back over and hugged her. "Not as long as it will feel to you. I'll bring her to see you as soon as I can."

Eleanor felt very strange. Where was she? The pain that had seized and crushed her heart had vanished. She had been in an ambulance; but wherever she was now, the space was not in motion, and everything was quiet. And she could breathe again, freely and easily — no longer gasping for air, but breathing in and out as she had done for twenty-nine years.

And the room around her kept changing. One moment it looked like a Red Cross donor center, one of the many at which she had given blood from time to time. Then the cot became a bed in a motel room: a room with orange and brown plaid curtains, a tan shag carpet, a small television, a double bed and one hard chair. She had been in that room just once, years ago, and had never wanted to see it again. And now appeared a room from long ago, with pale blue walls and a white window shade, white wooden furniture, a small and overflowing bookshelf; and Eleanor found herself sitting up in a single bed with a wooden bedstead, feather pillows, and a lavender quilt.

Grandma's house! Whenever she spent the night at Grandma's, it had been in this room. A room in a house that someone had bought and torn down, years ago, to put up a big modern showpiece, a blue and copper box with patios instead of grass.

Something lay lightly on her shoulder. It was her hair, long again, its chestnut color restored. And her shoulder and arm were curved, cushioned — no longer gaunt from months of neglecting her needs.

Eleanor felt a sudden urgency to get out of bed, to get up and go downstairs while this was still Grandma's house, before she found herself back in the horrible motel room. She pushed back the quilt and stood up, looking around wildly; then ran to the door, threw it open and stood, breathing hard, in the hall near the worn wooden stairs. She waited to stop trembling before walking slowly to the stairs and down to the lower floor. She could hear someone moving around downstairs, in the kitchen, opening and closing cupboards or drawers.

At the foot of the stairs, she stopped, clutching the banister. For four years she had stayed away, in hotel after friend's couch after cheap apartment, assuming that home and family would always be there waiting for her. And then, after the car crash, when it was too late and they were gone, she had longed so desperately and hopelessly to see them all again — Cassidy most of all, of course, but also Mom and Dad and Grandma. She had wanted so much to tell them how she loved them, to apologize, to try to explain. Now, in this impossible place, she might have that forfeited chance — and she had no more idea than ever what to say.

The stairs ended in the front hallway. The kitchen was toward the back, past the living room. Eleanor walked with small hesitant steps into the living room, stopping to touch the armchair, the couch, the coffee table. There was the framed poster from Grandma's ballet company, advertising one of their galas. Under the poster, on the mantelpiece, stood the row of photographs.

Dad and his brother, camping in their back yard, lying in the blue tent with their heads sticking out of the flap and grins on their grimy faces. Mom and Dad on their wedding day, with Mom in her gown and Dad in his tuxedo, both in climbing harnesses, hanging from a cliff wall somewhere in Argentina. Grandma and Grandpa on their fiftieth wedding anniversary. Then a much older photo of a much younger couple: Amanda and Stan, no one's grandparents yet, in black and white, standing near an old-fashioned car.

And then the picture that made her turn away, turn back, and walk closer, reaching out: Eleanor, on the living room couch, holding tiny baby Cassidy, just two weeks old.

"Is that you, dear?"

Eleanor froze in place. She forced herself to speak. "G-Grandma?"

"In the kitchen, Nory. Come on. It's all right."

Eleanor headed on into the kitchen. There sat her grandmother, looking just the same — soft white hair, soft wrinkled face, flowered apron, thin rounded shoulders. Eleanor stumbled forward as Grandma got up from her chair. They stood for a moment, face to face, Eleanor speechless, Grandma seeming to feel no need for speech.

Eleanor found her voice. "Grandma. I'm so sorry. Oh, God, I'm sorry." She started to cry.

Grandma opened her arms. "Oh, Nory. We'll talk about that later. Come here and hug me just as hard as you can! and then sit down. I've made some good strong coffee. Pour yourself a cup. I've got things to tell you."

[end of Chapter One]

Happy reading until next time!

Stacking The Shelves (42)

noreply@blogger.com (Moonlight Gleam) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 21:00:06 PDT

Welcome to Stacking The Shelves hosted by my awesome friend Tynga at Tynga's Reviews. This is where we can showcase the books we are adding to our shelves each week, sharing our excitement for our newest titles, and discover new books in the process!

Rules From Tynga's Page:

Create your own Stacking The Shelves post. You can use my official graphic or your own, but please link back to Tynga’s Reviews so more people can join the fun!

You can set your post any way you want, simple book list, covers, pictures, vlog, sky is the limit!

I am posting Stacking The Shelves on Saturdays, but feel free to post yours any day that fits you.

Visit Tynga’s Reviews on Saturday and add your link so others can visit you!

Visit other participants link to find out what they added to their shelves!

Here's what Crimson & I got over the last few weeks!:

Lucy's Books:

For Review:
Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier [Book Depository]
The Great & Calamitous Tale of Johan Thoms by Ian Thornton [Book Depository]
Horde by Ann Aguirre [Book Depository]
Anatomy of a Boyfriend by Daria Snadowsky [Book Depository]
Anatomy of a Single Girl by Daria Snadowsky [Book Depository]
The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau [Book Depository]
Confederates Don't Wear Couture by Stephanie Kate Strohm [Book Depository]

For Review (NetGalley):
Consume by Melissa Darnell [Book Depository]
Dare You To by Katie McGarry [Book Depository]
The Truth About You & Me by Amanda Grace [Book Depository]
Ink by Amanda Sun [Book Depository]
The Necromancer's Apprentice by R.M. Prioleau [Goodreads]
Ruby's Fire by Catherine Stine [Goodreads]
The Wrong Girl by C.J. Archer [Book Depository]
Secret for a Song by S.K. Falls [Goodreads]
Will in Scarlet by Matthew Cody [Book Depository]
Mortality by Kellie Sheridan [Book Depository]
Forsaken By The Others by Jess Haines [Book Depository]
Hunted by Kevin Hearne [Book Depository]
The Scourge by A.G. Henley [Goodreads]
Eyes Ever to the Sky by Katie French [Book Depository]
Ignite by Erica Crouch [Goodreads]
Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend by Louise Rozett [Goodreads]
The Fallen Prince by Shea Berkley [Book Depository]
Sometimes Never, Sometimes Always By Elissa Janine Hoole [Book Depository]
Viral Nation by Shaunta Grimes [Book Depository]
Shadowlark by Meagan Spooner [Book Depository]
Gwynneth Ever After by Linda Poitevin [Goodreads]
Indelible by Dawn Metcalf [Book Depository]
Skin by Donna Jo Napoli [Book Depository]Dark Child by Adina West [Book Depository]
TAKING BACK FOREVER by Karen Amanda Hooper [Goodreads]
Spartan Frost by Jennifer Estep [Goodreads]
Enamoured by Shannon Curtis [Goodreads]
Phantom Eyes by Scott Tracey [Book Depository]

I would like to say a special thank you to the following publishers for giving me the amazing opportunity of reading and reviewing their novels showcased in this week's Stacking The Shelves:

Raincoast Books
Simon & Schuster Canada
Daria Snadowsky
Harlequin Enterprises Austrailia & UK
HarlequinTEEN
FluxPatchwork Press
Random House Publishing Group
Kensington Books
Entangled Publishing
PENGUIN GROUP: Berkley, NAL / Signet Romance, DAW
Lerner Publishing Group
Linda PoitevinAmazon
Children's Publishing
Pan Macmillan
Starry Sky Publishing

Crimson's Books:

Bought:
That Summer by Sarah Dessen [Book Depository]
School Spirits by Rachel Hawkins [Book Depository]
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen [Book Depository]
The Great Gatsby x2 by F. Scott Fitzgerald [Book Depository]

Borrowed:
The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There by Catherynne M. Valente
[Book Depository]

Taken by Erin Bowman [Book Depository]

Wonder by R.J. Palacio [Book Depository]

Flip by Martyn Bedford [Book Depository]

First Day on Earth by Cecil Castellucci [Book Depository]

What I Was by Meg Rosoff [Book Depository]

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton [Book Depository]

The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr [Book Depository]

The Program by Suzanne Young [Book Depository]

Loki's Wolves by K.L. Armstrong & M.A. Marr [Book Depository]

What did you get this week?

Happy Reading!