What's in the mail

Melissa A:
Kismet by Luke Tredget from Little, Brown (e-book via NetGalley)
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty from Flatiron
All that Doesn't by/from Tracy Krimmer (e-book)
A Year of Extraordinary Moments by Bette Lee Crosby from SparkPoint Studio (e-book via NetGalley)

One Day in December by Josie Silver from Crown (e-book via NetGalley)
Heartbreaker by Claudia Dey from Random House
Unbroken Threads by Jennifer Klepper from Suzy Approved Book Reviews (e-book)
The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff from Harlequin (e-book via NetGalley)
The Size of Everything by Erin Cole with/from Jenna McCarthy (e-book)

Sara:
Relatively Normal by/from Whitney Dineen (e-book)
Last Call by/from Libby Kirsch (e-book)

Jami:
The Lies We Told by Camilla Way from Berkley (e-book via NetGalley)
Go to My Grave by Catriona McPherson from Minotaur Books (e-book via NetGalley)

Reviews at Amazon - July/August 2018

We're posting some reviews at our Amazon account, as either they've been sitting in queue for a while and deserve their time in the sun, fall under our featuring policy, or they're new reads that we couldn't wait to post at the blog. You can check them out at the links below. Hope we can help you find your next favorite book!

Melissa A:

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Sarahlyn Bruck's movie marathon...plus a book giveaway

We welcome Sarahlyn Bruck to CLC today. Her debut novel, Designer You, publishes tomorrow! We had our "designs" on it since we first heard of it months ago. Sarahlyn is here to finish out movie month and has a signed paperback, bookmark, postcard, and a Designer You measuring tape/level to give away.

Sarahlyn grew up in the Bay Area, and as an adult has bounced around the country a fair bit, finally landing in Philadelphia the summer of 2007, where she lives with her husband, daughter, and their dog, Jazzy.

Although lately her energy has been focused on writing novels, some of her short fiction can be found in publications such as Flash Me Magazine, Daily Flash Anthology, and Boston Literary Magazine. She is currently working on her next book.

When Sarahlyn is not writing, she teaches writing and literature full-time at Bucks County Community College. She likes working there quite a bit and feels pretty lucky to have the opportunity to do what she does. She also coaches writers for Author Accelerator, an online program that helps authors draft, revise, and pitch their books. The added bonus? She finds working with others on their writing helps me with my own. (Adapted from Sarahlyn's website.)

Visit Sarahlyn online:
Website
Facebook
Twitter 
Instagram 

Synopsis:
Pam and Nate were a couple who just couldn't get away from each other, sharing not only their bed, but also a successful lifestyle empire as DIY home renovators, bloggers, podcasters, and co-authors.

When Nate dies in a freak accident, Pam becomes a 44-year-old widow, at once too young and too old--too young to be thrust into widowhood and too old to rejoin the dating pool.

Now the single mother of a headstrong and grief-stricken teenager, Pam's life becomes a juggling act between dealing with her loss and learning how to parent by herself. On top of all that she also must reinvent herself or lose the empire that she and Nate had built so carefully.

It is time for Pam to seize the opportunity to step up as a mother, come out from behind Nate's shadow, and rise as the sole face of the Designer You brand, and maybe, possibly, hopefully, find love again. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

As a child of the 1980's, narrowing down my favorite movies to the top five was HARD! OK, here they are:

• Raiders of the Lost Ark
• The Breakfast Club
• Back to the Future
• The Princess Bride
• The Karate Kid

And horror movies:

• The Shining
•  Poltergeist
• A Nightmare on Elm Street
• Night School
• The Lost Boys (not certain it's horror, but I found it scary!).

Thanks to Sarahlyn for visiting with us and sharing her book (and swag) with our readers!

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

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Giveaway ends September 4th at midnight EST.

CLC Goes to the Movies

Since we talked about TV shows last month, we're sharing our favorite movies from various genres this time around. See what Melissa A and Jami recommend from some of their favorite genres!

Melissa A:

Top 5 Musical Movies

1. The Greatest Showman: Seeing it once is "never enough for me."

2. Little Shop of Horrors: I only like the theatrical release with the happy ending. Rick Moranis and Ellen Greene are perfect in the lead roles.

3. Grease: It's hard NOT to sing along with all the songs. I like Rizzo better than Sandy though.

4. Chicago: Fantastic adaptation of the stage production that added a new layer to the story.

5. Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again: I loved it enough to see it twice. And I sing the songs all the time.

Top 5 Movies Based on Books

1. Where the Heart Is (Billie Letts): One of my favorite movies of all time! It's such a comfort film too.

2. Wonder (R.J. Palacio): See my review.

3. Love, Simon (Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli): I loved the book and the movie did a great job bringing the characters to life. Nick Robinson was perfect as Simon. Some scenes and characters were left out or changed, but I enjoyed it overall.

4. Bridget Jones's Diary (Helen Fielding) The book was hilarious and the movie did it justice. Colin Firth was swoon-worthy. The first time I saw this movie, I was inspired to tell off a guy who had hurt me (emotionally).

5. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Ann Brashares): I never read the book, but I loved the movie! I cried so much from it too.

I haven't seen Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society yet, but am excited to check it out soon.

Jami:

Horror/thrillers and rom coms are my favorite genres in books and movies! Here are my top five in each:

For horror/thriller, I’m very particular. I don’t like slasher films like Saw, and I need a strong supernatural/paranormal component. In the order I saw them:

1. The Exorcist. Saw this on TV as an 11-year-old and it started my life-long love of all things supernatural. I even watched and loved the Fox series The Exorcist (sadly canceled), with Geena Davis playing a grown-up Regan. There’s nothing more disturbing than an evil child.

2. The Changeling. This 1980 film stars George C. Scott as a grieving composer who unwittingly moves into a haunted house. The reason why it’s haunted make it one of the most chilling movies in the genre.

3. Pet Sematary, 1989. Stephen King’s scariest book became his (in my opinion) most well-adapted film. I can only hope the new version is half as good.

4. The Sixth Sense. M. Night Shyamalan’s first and best twist. The horror is both the supernatural and the human.

5. Stir of Echoes. This film came out the same year as Sixth Sense and, with similar elements, got somewhat overshadowed, but the combination of supernatural and human horror makes this a strong genre offering.

All five of these films feature creepy, possessed, dead and reanimated kids. Hmmm.

And the romcoms (not in chronological order):

1. When Harry Met Sally. The most quotable rom-com ever, it was written by two screenwriters who wanted to write a movie about two singles who helped each other find their new loves. Surprise, the new loves turned out to be each other! With a stellar supportive performance by Carrie Fisher, this film features my favorite line ever: “When you decide you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want the rest of your life to start right now.” (Sadly, the inverse is also true.)

2. 13 Going on 30. Did you notice the house Matt and Jenna move into at the end is a real-life version of the dollhouse he gives her? This movie works on so many levels.

3. Never Been Kissed. Who wouldn’t want to go back to high school and do it all over again, this time knowing everything you missed back then?

4. Peggy Sue Got Married. See above.

5. Groundhog Day. Who wouldn’t want to live the same day over and over again, knowing…. Oh, never mind. I’m starting to sense a theme here.

Shakespeare once wrote that love is not love which alters when it alternation finds, but I think the real lesson here is, try to find a way not to make the same mistake twice!

Book Review and Giveaway: Counting on You

By Sara Steven

Math teacher Haleigh Parde has no desire to change her single status until she receives an invitation to her high school reunion. With her ex spreading rumors she needs a date and fast. Desperate times call for desperate measures and Haleigh finds herself meeting a blind date at a neighborhood bar called Amarillo Sour...

After watching Haleigh crash and burn, app developer Ian Henning makes her a proposition. If she'll provide honest feedback on his new dating app, he'll guarantee her a date to knock the socks off her former classmates. Even better, he—and the other Amarillo Sour regulars—will help her navigate the rocky road of dating.

Through setups ranging from awkward to absurd, Haleigh discovers her matchmaker might just be better than the matches. And Ian wonders if she's the answer to everything he's worked for professionally. Or is she something much, much more... (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads)

I enjoyed the unique story line to Counting on You; the need for a date for Haleigh’s reunion, her use of a newly developed dating app, all while forging new friendships within the type of bar that felt reminiscent of the Sam Malone days at Cheers. It was fun to see her break out of her shell while going on various dates, mostly cringe-worthy, scenarios that are carefully monitored by Ian. It’s in the crash and burn moments that we get to really see who Haleigh and Ian are as characters, and as potential love interests.

I could see spending time with the both of them, right there at the Amarillo Sour. They’re the type of characters who feel true to life, a skill Laura Chapman excels at. A subtleness into the budding relationship between them, an honesty that develops over time. The kind of relationship that we need to root for. And having gone to my own ten and twenty year reunions, I know how stressful and awkward it can be. Usually, the first thing out of a former classmate’s mouth is, “What do you do for a living?” followed by, “Are you married?” Haleigh feels the pressure of not feeling as though she measures up to certain standards where her love life is concerned, and it doesn’t help that her ex will be there.

Initially, we’re introduced to Haleigh and the situation with her ex as merely a rumors situation- he’s spreading them, she’s working hard at dodging them. As the story unfolds, we learn more on why this particular failed relationship was so damaging for Haleigh. Another string of moments that felt real, and honest. While the central romantic theme to this story is incredible, watching Haleigh transform took the prize for me, with serious character evolution that many of us can easily recognize, and identify with.

Thanks to Lola's Blog Tours for the book in exchange for an honest review. 

This is our stop during the book blitz for Counting on You by Laura Chapman. Read on for more information about of this book and there's an US only giveaway (through the tour). This book blitz is organized by Lola's Blog Tours. It runs from August 27th through September 2. See the tour schedule here.

Counting on You (Amarillo Sour #1)

By Laura Chapman

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Age category: Adult

Release Date: 28 August 2018

You can find Counting on You on Goodreads

You can buy Counting on You here:

- Amazon
- Barnes & Noble
- Kobo
- Google Play
- iTunes

About the Author:
Laura Chapman is the author of sweet and sexy romantic comedies. A born and raised Nebraska girl, she loves watching football, traveling, crafting, and baking. When she isn’t writing her next story, she is probably working at a museum by day and binge-watching Netflix with her cats Jane and Bingley at night. So, basically, she’s living large.

You can find and contact Laura Chapman here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Amazon
- Instagram
- Newsletter

Giveaway

There is a tour wide giveaway for the book blitz of Counting on You. One winner will win a Amarillo Sour Starter Kit, that includes two shot glasses, two coasters, a bottle opener and pens with the bar’s logo on them plus a $10 Amazon card. US Only.

For a chance to win, enter the rafflecopter below:

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Kristina McMorris breaks box office records...plus a book giveaway

We're pleased to have Kristina McMorris back at CLC today to celebrate the publication of her latest novel, Sold on a Monday. We've enjoyed her previous novels and are excited to read this one soon. Kristina is here to talk about movies today and she has one copy of Sold on a Monday to share with a lucky reader!

Since her debut, Letters From Home, released in 2011, Kristina McMorris' published works have expanded to include the novels Bridge of Scarlet Leaves, The Pieces We Keep, and The Edge of Lost, in addition to her novellas in the anthologies A Winter Wonderland and Grand Central. Her forthcoming historical novel, Sold on Monday, will be released September 2018. Rights to her books have also been sold to numerous foreign publishers, Readers Digest, Doubleday, the Literary Guild, and more.

A frequent guest speaker and workshop presenter, McMorris holds a B.S. in International Marketing from Pepperdine University. For her diverse achievements, she has been named one of Portland's "Forty Under 40" by The Business Journal. She lives with her husband and two sons in Oregon, where she is still sleep deprived but eagerly working on her next novel. (Bio adapted from Kristina's website.)

Visit Kristina online:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

Synopsis:
2 CHILDREN FOR SALE

The sign is a last resort. It sits on a farmhouse porch in 1931, but could be found anywhere in an era of breadlines, bank runs and broken dreams. It could have been written by any mother facing impossible choices.

For struggling reporter Ellis Reed, the gut-wrenching scene evokes memories of his family’s dark past. He snaps a photograph of the children, not meant for publication. But when it leads to his big break, the consequences are more devastating than he ever imagined.

At the paper, Lillian Palmer is haunted by her role in all that happened. She is far too familiar with the heartbreak of children deemed unwanted. As the bonds of motherhood are tested, she and Ellis must decide how much they are willing to risk to mend a fractured family.

Inspired by an actual newspaper photograph that stunned the nation, Sold on a Monday is a powerful novel of love, redemption, and the unexpected paths that bring us home. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

Check out the book trailer, giving more info about the heartbreaking newspaper photo that inspired the book.

My top five favorite movies from my childhood:

Goonies: I mean, really. Who doesn't remember the Truffle Shuffle, One-Eyed Willy's cool ship, Data's gadgets, the skeleton pipe organ, or Sloth's obsession with Baby Ruth? The fact that it was filmed on the beautiful Oregon coast, just a few hours from my childhood home, made it all the better.

The Dark Crystal: From emaciated, murdering birds and gigantic cockroach-like soldiers to enslaved pod creatures who get their liquid "essence" sucked out, the elements of this Jim Henson film wasn't exactly made for the Muppet Show crowd. But the movie was visually stunning and wholly captivating. I absolutely loved it.

E.T. the Extra Terrestrial: Admittedly, after seeing this one as a kid, I started making Reese's Pieces trails through the house and even tried to rig my Speak & Spell to contact cute, squatty aliens in space. But then, who didn't?? Seriously, though. The first time I saw Elliott on his bicycle while soaring past that enormous, glowing moon, with that perfect score playing in the background, I was spellbound.

The Sound of Music: Every Thanksgiving weekend for years and years, I remember this sweet, corny, wonderful musical playing on TV. (With commercial breaks back then, it must have taken a hundred hours to watch.) To this day, part of me still wants to dance the Laendler with Captain VonTrapp, leap through the gazebo like Liesl, and pull strings in the Lonely Goatherd puppet show. In fact, a few years ago I even won the costume contest at a Sound of Music sing-a-long movie night. My fabulous character? The "Girl in the Pale Pink Coat" puppet, thankyouverymuch.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory: I really, really wanted that golden ticket, folks. And to drink magical, floaty bubbles. And to watch Violet turn violet. But most of all, I just wanted to dance with the Oompa Loompas.

My top five favorite stupid movies:

Blades of Glory: This truly is the epitome of a great stupid movie. The "Fire and Ice" figure-skating routine alone is virtually impossible to watch without smiling and giggling, even as you're steadily losing IQ points.

Better Off Dead: Quotes from this classic have become staples in our house. Lines like: "Franch toast and franch fries." "Gee, I'm real sorry your mom blew up, Ricky." And our absolute fave: "I want my two dollars!"

Step Brothers: Yep, another Will Farrell movie, because ohmygoodness is that man funny. No matter how many times I see the collapsing bunk-bed scene, I burst into laughter, sometimes to the point of tears.

This is 40: Watching this right around forty years old, I found so many scenes utterly hilarious given the truth in them. I convinced my youngest sister and her husband to watch it too. At just thirty and with their first baby on the way, they declared it a horror flick capable of inducing severe depression and have apparently been cautious of my recommendations ever since.

Galaxy Quest: Here's yet another one that is just so silly, but how can anyone not laugh throughout it? Plus, the cast was phenomenal, Alan Rickman most of all.

Thanks to Kristina for visiting with us and sharing her book with our readers!

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway ends September 3rd at midnight EST.

Spotlight: The Things We Leave Unsaid

Is it the things we don’t say that haunt us the most?

Clare is anxious to start a family with adoring husband, Pete. When she takes on the seemingly simple task of obtaining her late mother’s birth certificate, she finds herself in a family history search that will challenge everything she thought she knew about her life.

Scarred by her parents' ill-fated marriage, Tessa lives by three rules – dating unavailable men, building her café into a food empire, and avoiding her father. However, when her carefully planned life is thrown into chaos, Tessa is forced to decide which of these rules she’s willing to break.

As Clare and Tessa’s paths cross and their friendship grows, can they both finally unlock their family secrets in order to realise their futures?

Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK

Megan Mayfair is a Melbourne-based writer who draws inspiration from her beautiful hometown and regional Victoria to create contemporary women's fiction, containing a big dash of romance and a spoonful of family intrigue.

With a background in public relations, copywriting and higher education, Megan is passionate about words and loves to bring them to life on the page. Megan holds a Master of Arts in professional communication and is a member of Romance Writers of Australia and Writers Victoria.

Megan is married with three children, loves a good cup of coffee and believes you can never have too many scarves. Visit Megan at her website and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.