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Showing posts with label Natalie D. Richards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Natalie D. Richards. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 18, 2024
Top Ten Tuesday: Bright, New Up-and-Comers (Part One)
Today's TTT prompt is: Top Ten Books On My Summer TBR List. Seasonal TBR lists are my favorite. I always get excited when I spy these prompts coming up! It's fun for me to not just plan out what I want to read in the upcoming season but also to see what everyone else has in their queues. Since I just posted about the books I'm planning to read for the 20 Books of Summer Challenge, though, I feel like I've already covered this topic. Luckily, I've got more than enough titles to fit next week's prompt—Top Ten Most Anticipated Books Releasing During the Second Half of 2024—so I'm going to skip ahead a bit and make this Part One of Two for that topic. Confused yet? Ha ha.
As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.
Top Ten Most Anticipated Books Releasing During the Second Half of 2024 (Part One)
1. 49 Miles Alone by Natalie D. Richards (available July 2)—In this YA thriller, two cousins head into the Utah backcountry for a four-day hiking/camping trip. After several mishaps leave them shaken, injured, and low on supplies, they're thrilled to come upon a couple who offers their help. The pair seems friendly enough until some late night confessions cast suspicion on one of them. When they both disappear one morning, the cousins are left confused and alone in the unforgiving desert. What is going on? How are they going to get help? And what kind of threats await them as they try to find their way out of the wilderness?
2. When the World Fell Silent by Donna Jones Alward (available July 19)—It's 1917 and the world is engulfed in war. Wanting to do her part, Nora Crowell of Halifax, Nova Scotia, enlists in the Canadian Army Nursing Corp. Newly widowed, Charlotte Campbell is living with her soldier husband's dismissive relatives, finding joy and solace only in her baby daughter. As the war rages on, the two women's lives collide in a surprising way, bringing both heartache and hope to both.
3. Maria: A Novel of Maria von Trapp by Michelle Moran (available July 30)—With World War II still very much fresh on everyone's minds, Oscar Hammerstein is asked to help produce a musical based on the life of Maria von Trapp, an Austrian nun who becomes a governess and then the wife of her wealthy employer. When Austria is overtaken by Nazis, the von Trapp family risked their lives to flee the country. The story has dramatic potential, even if Rogers and Hammerstein will have to romanticize Maria's tale a bit. When the real Maria reads the script, she's furious. Determined to set the record straight, she tells her true story to Hammerstein's secretary since the man Himself is not available.
4. Return to Wyldcliffe Heights by Carol Goodman (available July 30)—Agnes Corey, a junior editor at an indie publishing company, gets the enviable assignment to transcribe the sequel to a blockbuster novel that was published thirty years ago. After that phenom, the author was blinded and scarred in a mysterious fire, then became a recluse, hiding away in her estate, which was once a psychiatric hospital. The more time Agnes spends there with the enigmatic author, the more intrigued she becomes with the story she's transcribing, which seems to be more than just fiction...
5. My Salty Mary by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows (available August 20)—I adore the Jane/Mary books with their playful alternate history/fantasy plots, upbeat narration, and colorful characters. They're never dull! The newest installment combines The Little Mermaid fairy tale with the life of real-life lady pirate Mary Read. Our Mary is a mermaid who's rescued by the crew of a pirate ship captained by Blackbeard himself. When he dies, she sees her opportunity to became the Pirate Queen. Anyone who tries to stand in her way or tell her a girl can't be a pirate can just walk the plank already. Nothing and no one will stop Mary from getting what she wants.
6. Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty (available September 10)—On an ordinary day aboard an ordinary plane flight, a group of passengers is given an extraordinary gift—they learn how and when they are going to die. Although it seems like a silly party trick, people soon begin perishing exactly as "The Death Lady" said they would. How will this knowledge change how the remaining passengers live their lives? What will they do with this illuminating information? What would you do knowing the same?
7. A Split Second by Janae Marks (available October 1)—In this middle-grade mystery, Elise goes to sleep on her birthday and, somehow, wakes up six months later. Although no one else seems to notice anything is awry, everything has changed. Her friends aren't talking to her, she's somehow been signed up for photography club, and her former BFF is acting all chummy again. Elise has no idea what is going on. How can she fix things for her future self? Can she ever go back to the way things were?
Marks is also a contributor to a middle-grade short story anthology called Black Girl Power which comes out on November 12. I'm in for that one as well, especially since I'm the adoptive mother of a mixed-race daughter who very much embraces her Black girl power!
8. The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin (available October 8)—It's 1940 and two puzzle-loving siblings are hard at work trying to solve the mysteries surrounding them. While Jakob Novis joins other codebreakers at Bletchley Park who are trying to crack the Nazis' Enigma cipher, his younger sister, Lizzie, is determines to figure out the truth behind their mother's disappearance. The more the siblings study both, the more they begin to think the two might be linked somehow. With time running out, they need to solve both puzzles, and fast.
9. Misery Hates Company by Elizabeth Hobbs (available November 5)—Marigold Manners is a strong, independent woman, even if she no longer has a penny to her name. With her parents dead and her academic ambitions dashed, she has little choice but to answer a summons from a mysterious relative. Arriving at a crumbling pile full of reclusive relations, she determines to modernize their lives. Marigold's efforts end in murder, mayhem, and a police investigation with her at its center. It's up to the accused to find out what really happened before she winds up behind bars.
10. Heist Royale by Kayvion Lewis (available November 12)—I thoroughly enjoyed Thieves' Gambit, the first book in Lewis' new series about a teen from Barbados who comes from a notorious family of thieves. Although she would like to get out of the game and attend college like a normal person, Ross finds herself embroiled in the biggest gamble of her life. With her family's future hanging in the balance, she must rely on the one person she knows she can't trust to help her save them—no matter the cost.
There you go, ten upcoming releases I can't wait to read. Which new titles are you eagerly anticipating? I'd love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
Tuesday, June 07, 2022
Top Ten Tuesday: Isn't It About Time?
Rainbow Stevie over at The Idealistic Daydream is one of my favorite book bloggers. Her posts are always fun, as are her thoughtful comments here on BBB. Not surprisingly, her prompt idea—Top Ten Books With a Unit of Time in the Title (seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, eternity, etc.)—which was chosen for today's TTT, is one that sounded enjoyable to complete, although it ended up being a little tougher than I thought it would be. I used Goodreads to find units-of-time books that are on my TBR pile mountain mountain chain. I've included a few of them on lists before, but most of these should be new mentions.
If this topic sounds like a fun one to you, hop on the TTT party train. It's a good time, I promise! Just click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the details.
Top Ten Books On My TBR List With Units of Time in the Title
- in no particular order -
1. The Deadly Hours by Susanna Kearsley, C.S. Harris, Anna Lee Huber, and Christine Trent—This appropriately-titled novel, which consists of four linked stories, follows the path of a gold watch that is both priceless and cursed as it makes its way from owner to owner wreaking havoc along the way.
2. Ten Years in the Tub: A Decade Soaking in Great Books by Nick Hornby—What could be better than a book about books by an acclaimed, well-loved author?
3. The Disaster Days by Rebecca Behrens—Hannah Steele is babysitting her neighbor's kids when a violent earthquake rocks the tiny island they live on. With the bridge connecting the island to the mainland blocked, help is not on the way. A terrified Hannah is now in charge of keeping two little kids safe in a chaotic situation—without electricity, a cell phone connection, or her inhaler. What is she going to do?
4. 15 Minutes of Flame by Christin Brecher—This is the third book in a cozy mystery series starring a Nantucket candlemaker. I haven't read the first one yet, but hopefully it will be enaging enough that I want to read the next installments.
5. These Days by Lucy Caldwell—Set in 1941 Ireland, this novel focuses on the relationship between two sisters as they fight to survive the Belfast Blitz.
6. When Time Stopped by Ariana Neumann—Also set in 1941, this Holocaust memoir is about a daughter's search for answers in her family's experience in Nazi Berlin and Prague. This one is a little bit of a cheat since it has "time" in the title instead of a unit of time, but oh well...the book sounds fascinating.
7. The Second Mother by Jenny Milchman—Needing a new start in a place where no one knows her secrets, Julie Weathers accepts a position as a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse on a remote island in Maine. It's not long before Julie realizes she's made a grave mistake...
8. Six Months Later by Natalie D. Richards—I found a copy of this time-slip novel while packing up my bookshelves. It's about a high schooler who falls asleep in study hall and wakes up six months later, with her whole world changed. What in the world happened while she was sleeping?
9. Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come: An Introvert's Year of Living Dangerously by Jessica Pan—This book sounds entertaining and oh-so-relatable.
10. The Gilded Hour by Sara Donati—Another book I rediscovered while cleaning off my bookshelves, this historical is about two female cousins who spend their days helping New York City's most desperate people during its glitziest era.
There you go, ten books I want to read that have units of time in their titles. What do you think? Have you read any of these? Which books did you choose to highlight? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will happily return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
Saturday, December 12, 2020
Snowy Thriller Doesn't Quite Live Up to the Promise of Its Premise
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
A student at a special arts high school in San Diego, 18-year-old Mira Hayes is heading home to Pittsburgh to spend the holidays with her mother. Christmas Day will be the first anniversary of her mom's twin sister's death and Mira knows her mom's anxiety and depression will be through the roof. Mira needs to be there for her. As her plane descends into Newark, however, Mira gets some bad news: worsening winter weather has grounded all flights out. Phoning home only increases her worry about her mother's mental health, so when Mira's glamorous seatmate from the plane offers her a ride home in the car she and some friends are renting, Mira accepts.
It doesn't take many hours on the road for Mira to realize that something is not right with the situation. Not only are her four fellow passengers not friends with each other, but they're actually complete strangers. As the weather grows increasingly stormy and important items—like cell phones and laptops—go missing from the car, Mira finds herself more and more cut off from the outside world with people she's finding harder and harder to trust. With no way to contact her mother or anyone else, she's not just nervous, she's terrified. Discovering alarming secrets about each of her traveling companions only increases her fear. Although the storm outside is nasty and threatening, it's nothing compared to the danger Mira faces inside the car ...
The premise of Five Total Strangers, the newest YA novel by Natalie D. Richards, is a simple but compelling one. When I first read the plot summary, I knew I had to read this book. Unfortunately, the promise of the premise didn't pan out as well as I wanted it to. The novel is definitely atmospheric, with a tense, unsettling vibe that makes the story deliciously suspenseful. That's what kept me reading. It certainly wasn't the characters, who are almost wholly unlikable. As far as plot goes, the tale is engrossing and compelling, even if a lot of it feels contrived. Not all of the plot elements make logical sense—some of them go nowhere at all while others never come full circle. In spite of these irritants, Five Total Strangers sucked me in and kept me turning pages. I didn't end up loving it like I wanted to, but I liked it well enough to keep reading. Overall, it was just an okay read for me.
(Readalikes: Reminds me a bit of No Exit by Taylor Adams)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
To the FTC, with love: I bought a copy of Five Total Strangers with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.
Tuesday, August 18, 2020
Top Ten Tuesday: The Next Few in the Queue
Back in the good ole days before COVID-19 struck (otherwise known as February), I wasn't much of a t.v. watcher. I tuned in to Call the Midwife while I folded laundry, but that's about it. Then came lockdown, which saw me picking up an old hobby—cross-stitching—which I like to do while watching the tube. Other than the occasional movie on Netflix, though, the few shows I watch are on PBS and CBS All Access (Genealogy Roadshow, anyone?). I realize no one really cares about my viewing habits, but I'm telling you all this to explain why, once again, I went rogue with today's Top Ten Tuesday topic of Top Ten Book Series That Should Be Adapted Into Netflix Shows. My mind is drawing a complete blank on this one!
I hate to skip TTT, so today I'm striking out on my own topic-wise. Upon realizing yesterday that I'm just about to finish my 100th read of the year, I've been contemplating which 100 I should read next in order to complete my goal of reading 200 books in 2020. I realize that I'm unlikely to actually hit 200, although I've come close over the years. Still, it's fun to think about which books I want to read before the end of the year. A list of 100 might be a *tad* excessive, so I'm just going to give you the next ten in my queue.
First, though, a quick reminder to click on over to That Artsy Reader and give Jana, our lovely host, some love. I encourage you, as always, to join in the TTT fun. It really is a good time that you don't want to miss.
Top Ten Books I Plan to Read Next
1. Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah—This is cheating a little because I'm actually just about done with this novel. Someone (was it you?) mentioned last week how much they liked this one and while reorganizing some books in my office area, I came across my copy. When I started the book, I thought I knew exactly where the plot was going. Now, I'm not so sure ... I'm a Hannah fan and The Winter Garden shows why. It's engaging, interesting, surprising, and enjoyable.
2. Death in Kew Gardens by Jennifer Ashley—I enjoy Ashley's upstairs/downstairs mysteries starring Kat Holloway, the most sought-after cook in Victorian London. I'm going to be reading #4, Murder in the East End, soon for a blog tour, but I need to read this one—the third installment in the series—first.
3. Murder in the East End by Jennifer Ashley—When Kat hears that children are going missing from a local foundling hospital and that their nurse has been murdered, she can't stay away from the intriguing case. Can the cook find the killer before she becomes his/her next victim?
4. The Children's Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin (available January 12, 2021)—I read David Laskin's fascinating non-fiction book about this horrifying tragedy not long ago. I'm interested to see how the story is told in a novel. I've got an e-ARC of this one, which sounds intriguing but sad (of course).
5. Five Total Strangers by Natalie D. Richards (available October 6, 2020)—This YA thriller is about Mira, who is desperate to get home for the holidays. When her flight is canceled at the last minute, she's forced to rely on the generosity of another passenger, who offers Mira a seat in the car she and a few others are renting. As the weather worsens, she finds herself trapped in an increasingly terrifying position with a group of people she doesn't know at all. Sounds like a heartwarming holiday yarn!
6. What You Wish For by Katherine Center—I've enjoyed both of the Center novels I've read so far, so I'm definitely up for her newest. It centers around Samantha and Duncan, educators who were once lovers. When Duncan is hired to be the principal at Sam's new school, she's not sure how to handle the awkward situation. As the school faces challenges on every side, the two must navigate their own hurdles. Center's novels are always engrossing and upbeat, so I'm excited to see what she does with this one.
7. The Big Easy and Other Lies by Melanie Jacobson—I met this charming author of contemporary romances back in 2012 when she was my mentor for a writing workshop at the Storymakers Conference. Back then, she talked about a book she was planning to write about a teen who's determined to win a fashion designing contest, even if the only materials she has at her disposal are whatever she can find in her guardian's hoarding piles. It sounded good then and it sounds good now that the e-book has been published. You can read it for free with Kindle Unlimited or buy it, like I did, for the bargain price of $4.99. It will come out in paperback soon-ish, but I couldn't wait!
8. You Belong Here Now by Dianna Rostad (available April 21, 2021)—This one doesn't come out for quite a while still, but I have an e-ARC of it that I'm excited to read. The story concerns a trio of children who are put on an orphan train headed west. They jump off before the last stop, winding up at a ranch in Montana where they must prove their worth to a taciturn spinster. You know I love me a good historical novel and this one sounds like just the ticket.
9. These Healing Hills by Ann H. Gabhart—I heard about this historical novel from someone's TTT list sometime in the last month or so. Was it yours? It concerns a young woman who's crushed after receiving a "Dear John" letter from her WWII soldier boyfriend. In search of a new start, she heads to Appalachia to train as a nurse/midwife in the unforgiving hills. Adventure, heartache, and romance ensue.
10. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah—On a visit to The Strand a couple years ago, I picked up this gem. I rediscovered it during the reorganization of books I mentioned above. I'm hoping to get to it soon.
There you have it, the next ten books I'm hoping to read. What do you think of my list? Have you read any of these? Do any of them pique your interest? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will return the favor on yours.
Happy TTT!
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