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Sunday, December 18, 2016

Sunday Post, Mailbox Monday and It's Monday, What Are You Reading? Dec 19 Edition


Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba at Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.

My youngest sister is arriving today from Switzerland! We have a freezing rain alert here in the Quebec region, so I hope they de-ice the runway well. It's been brutally cold here the past week and we got lots of snow. I'm dreaming of beaches...

I made tiramisu yesterday for our family get-together today when my sister arrives. Looking forward to my mom's homemade ravioli. And of course my sister always brings delicious Swiss chocolate!




Mailbox Monday was created by Marcia who now blogs at To Be Continued. It is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Mailbox Monday now has a permanent home on its blog. Link up to share your MM.

I'm anxious to read these goodies in my mailbox:


Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

The author of Bird in Hand and The Way Life Should Be delivers her most ambitious and powerful novel to date: a captivating story of two very different women who build an unexpected friendship: a 91-year-old woman with a hidden past as an orphan-train rider and the teenage girl whose own troubled adolescence leads her to seek answers to questions no one has ever thought to ask.

Nearly eighteen, Molly Ayer knows she has one last chance. Just months from "aging out" of the child welfare system, and close to being kicked out of her foster home, a community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping her out of juvie and worse.

Vivian Daly has lived a quiet life on the coast of Maine. But in her attic, hidden in trunks, are vestiges of a turbulent past. As she helps Vivian sort through her possessions and memories, Molly discovers that she and Vivian aren't as different as they seem to be. A young Irish immigrant orphaned in New York City, Vivian was put on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other children whose destinies would be determined by luck and chance.

The closer Molly grows to Vivian, the more she discovers parallels to her own life. A Penobscot Indian, she, too, is an outsider being raised by strangers, and she, too, has unanswered questions about the past. As her emotional barriers begin to crumble, Molly discovers that she has the power to help Vivian find answers to mysteries that have haunted her for her entire life - answers that will ultimately free them both.

Rich in detail and epic in scope, Orphan Train is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of second chances, of unexpected friendship, and of the secrets we carry that keep us from finding out who we are.



Life is a Cabernet: A Companion Wine Novella to The Winemakers by Jan Moran

From Jan Moran, the author of The Winemakers from St. Martin’s Press, comes a riveting novella that’s as rich and irresistible as a fine cabernet wine.

Napa Valley, 1956: Years ago, after Juliana Cardona’s fiancé was killed in an army ambush, she didn’t know if she could ever find the strength to risk love again. Now Juliana, who has a passion for winemaking, is determined to build her own business as a wine publicist and create an independent life.

But when Juliana holds a press event in San Francisco, she meets a mysterious winemaker, Henri Laurent, who is everything she never thought she’d find again. However, Juliana is shocked to discover that Henri is hiding a long-buried secret that threatens to devastate their budding relationship.

In order to find happiness and the life she’d once thought was gone forever, she must find the strength to uncover tragedies and face the troubled past with the man she loves—but only if her heart can risk the chance of love once more.

This is a companion novella to The Winemakers, a full-length historical romance novel from St. Martin's Press.

A gift from the author:

47 Mind Hacks for Writers by Karen Dimmick and Steve Dimmick

Has writer's block or procrastination stopped you writing?

Is your inner critic sabotaging your success and making you think your writing is dreadful and no one would ever read it?

Imagine, no more procrastinating. No more interruptions. No more feeling you're not good enough to be the writer you long to be. No more conflicts with family. No more writer's block.

Awareness + Solution = Mind Hack

Rather than "feel good inspiration", 47 Mind Hacks for Writers takes you through the simple steps you need to shift your mindset so you can write on your terms.

We asked over 100 writers what their biggest obstacles were around writing. This book gives you a mind hack for each one.

DISCOVER 47 Mind Hacks that Will Make You a More Productive Writer

The book will help you:
  • Put an end to writer's block… forever
  • Uncover the real reason you're procrastinating and start writing today
  • Discover a fun way to get your family to help you reach your writing goals
  • Stop feeling like you're not good enough
  • Shut down the overly-critical self-talk that holds you back
Karen & Steve Dimmick have been using belief change techniques, coaching and Neuro-Linguistics since 2004, and have been helping authors since 2007.

"Essential reading for writers ready to go pro." – Tom Morkes, CEO of Insurgent Publishing

You know what life hacking is, now it's time to hack your mind, get out of your own way and be the writer you know you can be.

These were free Kindle books:

Let's Hug: 15 Hugs for Beginners by Efrat Shoham

There must be over a millions ways to say "I love you" or "I care about you", but with a single hug, even without words, you can simply feel it. This book is for toddlers, and encourages children and adults alike to try out all possible types of hugs. It's everyone's gain.

It took seconds for the sweet testers who accompanied the writing of this book to adopt these 15 ways of showing love, to give and receive it. And our testers are not alone. Recent studies reveal that Oxitocin, the most fun hormone available, also known as the Love Hormone, is released into our bodies when we hug.

Hugs are proven to have a generally positive healing and relaxing effect, since they increase calm and happiness, reinforce our self esteem, and support our sense of connection to those who are close to us. If you'd like to validate these studies, go ahead and hug.

This book was beautifully illustrated by Yuval Israeli, and it's the second creative collaboration between Yuval Israeli and Efrat Shoham.




Perception: A Sci-Fi Dystopian Mystery Romance by Lee Strauss

The PERCEPTION series is a YA dystopian romance that takes place in the not too distant future. A world scarred by climate change, natural disasters and impending wars, a society where scientific breakthroughs cause class divisions. Zoe and Noah explore the differences that bring us together or tear us apart.

The first book of the PERCEPTION trilogy, 17year-old Zoe Vanderveen is a GAP—a genetically altered person. She lives with other equally beautiful people who have prolonged life-spans in the security of a walled city on the water. Tragedy tears Zoe from her perfect world when her brother Liam goes missing. It turns out that the only man who can help her, is the one who she should trust the least.

Noah Brody is a natural who lives on the Outside. He leads protests against the GAPs and detests their contributions to the increasing class gap. He doesn’t like girls like Zoe, and he has good reason not to trust her, but drawn by motives he doesn’t yet understand, he helps her take on the Outside.





It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet up and share what you have been, are and about to be reading over the week. It's a great post to organise yourself. It's an opportunity to visit and comment, and er... add to that ever growing TBR pile! So welcome in everyone. This meme started with J Kaye's Blog and then was taken up by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at the Book Date.

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20 comments :

  1. I can tell you're very excited to see your sister! What a wonderful Christmas treat. Enjoy your new books!

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  2. Thanks Kathy! She travels Europe extensively so she's used to warmer weather now and doesn't like coming here in winter. But she misses us too much to stay away.

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  3. I hope you have a great time with your sister when she arrives. You got some great books. :)

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  4. I love tiramisu! And I thoroughly enjoyed Orphan Train.

    Mind Hacks looks good, too. Enjoy your time with your sister... and thanks for sharing.

    Here are MY WEEKLY UPDATES

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    1. Yes, it's my favorite dessert. I use mascarpone cheese, which is expensive, and this time of year it's always on sale at Costco. I read so many great reviews for Orphan Train that I'm eager to read it.

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  5. Swiss chocolate and homemade ravioli sounds pretty good! It's been cold here in Michigan but I imagine colder there in Quebec... hope the week ahead isn't bad weather- wise. Perception looks good, the genetically altered person part got my attention, and Orphan Train looks good too. I remember seeing Love, Lies and Spies around, hope it's a good read!

    Have a super week!

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    1. Seems like we have similar weather. Montreal is on the most southern point of Quebec so it's warmer than most regions in Canada, except for Toronto which is more South. Thanks for stopping by Greg!

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  6. Your family dinner sounds wonderful - I love tiramisu! Have a wonderful time.

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  7. YAY! I hope your sister had a great time in Switzerland and homemade Ravioli sounds awesome!

    Here’s my Sunday Post!

    Ronyell @ Rabbit Ears Book Blog and join in this week’s Book Photo Sundays!

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    1. She lives there now, so her visit is a real treat for us. We had a great meal tonight. Nothing beats my mom's cooking. :-)

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  8. Enjoy the family time with your sister and the homemade tiramisu sounds divine!

    I have heard so many good things about The Orphan Train, I must read it some day soon.

    Best wishes for a lovely week.

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  9. I really enjoyed The Orphan Train - I listened to the audio version some time back now. Ah I would love it to be freezing at Christmas, but I guess there can be too much of it. Hope they do clear the ice for your sister to land.

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  10. Mind Hacks for Writers? I'll have to check that one out! The Orphan Train looks interesting too. Enjoy your books, and happy holidays.


    My It's Monday! What Are You Reading? post.

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    1. Yeah, I'm curious about Mind Hacks too. I met the author. She's lovely.

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  11. Hope you have a wonderful time with your sister. Happy reading!

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  12. ENJOY your sister!!

    Homemade ravioli sounds delish!!

    Have a great week, and Merry Christmas!!

    Elizabeth
    Silver's Reviews
    My Mailbox Monday

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  13. These books sound interesting! Here is my IMWAYR: http://shoshireads.weebly.com/home/its-monday-what-are-you-reading-mailbox-monday

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  14. Isn't it funny how we always wish for weather we don't have - here in Australia my Mum and I were just saying how nice it would be to have a cold Christmas for once! Love, Lies and Spies sounds like fun - happy reading.

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  15. Lots of good things here! Hope your sister arrives safely and that you have a great visit. I have Orphan Train on my TBR list for 2017. The Cabernet cover looks 'luscious'. The Hugs book looks -- huggable! And the cover of Loves, Lies and Spies caught my eye too. Enjoy your visiting and ready and have a very Merry Christmas!

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Thank you for commenting! I appreciate your feedback.

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