Belinda’s Book Nook: Happy Mail – Sujata Massey’s New Book

January 8, 2015 by 2 Comments

happymailHello Everyone!

Ok, who doesn’t love getting packages in the mail? I am pretty sure I did one of those really girly squeals when I saw the package sitting on my front steps yesterday. I knew what it was before I opened it. I set it on the counter unopened and grabbed my new favorite tea mug my sister gave me this Christmas and began making some tea.  Then I rushed to the table, tore it open and proceeded to do a happy dance that almost spilled the tea!

Next, I took a picture to share my excitement on my Instagram and of course to use to share with my blogging friends. The book is called The Kizuna Coast: A Rei Shimura Mystery by the amazing Sujata Massey. Oh I am pretty sure I have told you on a past post how much I love this author’s works.

salarymanswifeI read her first book in this series while working at a news paper back in 1997. I loved the cover and my strong interest in Japanese culture since I was a child, compelled me to pick up the book. I went home and couldn’t stop reading. I remember reading into the night. I loved that Rei, was a strong character that allowed me to peek into the Japanese culture and learn while going on her mysterious adventure. I was hooked. I bought every book in this series since then. Each one providing me with not only a great story with strong characters (many who continue on in the series) but with new aspects of the Japanese culture.

So when found out a new book in the series, Kizuna Coast was coming out soon. I pre-ordered the e-book online since it was going to arrive earlier and then pre-ordered the book to keep with the rest of the books in the series.

Anyway, when I finally sat down to look at the book, I acted like such a book nerd. I held it in my hand and marveled at the feel of it in my hands. The cover is so gorgeous in person and the pages feel so good when you turn them. Now only a true book lover will appreciate these last comments so what I am trying to say is that I am so happy and look forward to reading the book.

Kizuna Coast Book Description

When an earthquake triggers a tsunami that floods Japan’s northeast coast, amateur sleuth Rei Shimura is pushed into her most rugged adventure yet.

It starts with an SOS from Rei’s beloved elderly friend, the antiques dealer Mr. Ishida, who’s trapped among thousands on the ravaged Tohoku coast. Rei rushes from Hawaii to blacked-out Tokyo, where she discovers Ishida Antiques may have been burglarized and its cuddly watchdog, Hachiko, needs a caregiver.

Rei and Hachiko board a bus full of disaster volunteers headed to the damaged town of Sugihama. Once there, they learn about the disappearance during the tsunami of Mr. Ishida’s antiques apprentice, Mayumi, a troubled young woman from a famous lacquer-making family.

Making use of her volunteer friends, as well as her knowledge of Japanese manners and antiques, Rei investigates Mayumi’s suspicious disappearance. Complicating the situation is a police force overwhelmed by counting the dead, and a stalker who’s set his or her own sights on Rei.

I will post a review on the book once I complete the book so stay tuned. I am currently reading a hunk of a book right now so it may be a little bit but definitely will review the book.

My day, was made yesterday with the delivery of this happy mail and today with the anticipation of reading it.

Have you had any happy mail lately?

Happy reading my friends!

Belinda

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Belinda’s Book Nook: Top Ten Anticipated Debut Novels of 2015

January 6, 2015 by 2 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Every week they post a new topic/top ten list and invite everyone to share their own answers. So here is my first go at it.

So many books are coming out but I thought I would share a small list of what I am looking forward to this year:

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1. Fairest by Marissa Meyer

Publication date: January 27, 2015

In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told.

Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?

Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now.

My Thoughts

I can’t wait! I loved the first three books and this one will hold me until the final book comes out in November 2015. I already pre-ordered it so I should receive it right around that date but I might hold off and read it later in the year since such a long wait for the final book.

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2. Tether (second book in the Many Worlds Trilogy) by Anna Jarzab

Publication date: Spring 2015

Tether, the sequel to Tandem, continues the captivating tale of rebellion and romance that spans parallel worlds.

My Thoughts

I just stumbled across the first book in Overdrive. I listened to the audiobook. and really enjoyed the concept.

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3. At the Waters Edge by Sara Gruen

Publication date: March 31, 2015

In her stunning new novel, Gruen returns to the kind of storytelling she excelled at in Water for Elephants: a historical timeframe in an unusual setting with a moving love story. Think Scottish Downton Abbey.

My Thoughts

What’s not to like. Historical fiction, love and a  touch of Downton Abbey, I’m in!!

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4. A Desperate Fortune by Suzanna Kearsley

Publication date: April 7 2015

For nearly 300 years, the mysterious journal of Jacobite exile Mary Dundas has lain unread — its secrets safe from prying eyes. Now, amateur codebreaker Sara Thomas has been hired by a once-famous historian to crack the journal’s cipher. But when she arrives in Paris, Sara finds herself besieged by complications from all sides: the journal’s reclusive owner, her charming Parisian neighbor, and Mary, whose journal doesn’t hold the secrets Sara expects.

My Thoughts

Oh man, I can’t say enough about Susanna Kearsley. I really enjoy her books. So I am game when a new one comes out.

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5. Orhan’s Inheritance by Aline Ohanesian

Publication  date: April 7, 2015

In her extraordinary debut, Aline Ohanesian has created two remarkable characters—a young man ignorant of his family’s and his country’s past, and an old woman haunted by the toll the past has taken on her life.

When Orhan’s brilliant and eccentric grandfather Kemal—a man who built a dynasty out of making kilim rugs—is found dead, submerged in a vat of dye, Orhan inherits the decades-old business. But Kemal’s will raises more questions than it answers. He has left the family estate to a stranger thousands of miles away, an aging woman in an Armenian retirement home in Los Angeles. Her existence and secrecy about her past only deepen the mystery of why Orhan’s grandfather willed his home in Turkey to an unknown woman rather than to his own son or grandson.

Left with only Kemal’s ancient sketchbook and intent on righting this injustice, Orhan boards a plane to Los Angeles. There he will not only unearth the story that eighty-seven-year-old Seda so closely guards but discover that Seda’s past now threatens to unravel his future. Her story, if told, has the power to undo the legacy upon which his family has been built.

My Thoughts

The story sounds interesting. I look forward to adding this one to my 7 Continent’s Challenge.

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6. Black Dove, White Raven by Elizabeth Wein

 Publication Date: 31 March 2015

A new historical thriller masterpiece from New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Elizabeth Wein.

Emilia and Teo’s lives changed in a fiery, terrifying instant when a bird strike brought down the plane their stunt pilot mothers were flying. Teo’s mother died immediately, but Em’s survived, determined to raise Teo according to his late mother’s wishes-in a place where he won’t be discriminated against because of the color of his skin. But in 1930s America, a white woman raising a black adoptive son alongside a white daughter is too often seen as a threat.

My Thoughts

I own Code Name Verity and have not read it yet but I love historical fictions and that one received so much praise. So I will add this to another from her that I will read.

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7. The Last Leaves Falling by Sarah Benwell

Publication Date: 5 May 2015

And these are they. My final moments. They say a warrior must always be mindful of death, but I never imagined that it would find me like this…

Japanese teenager, Sora, is diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). Lonely and isolated, Sora turns to the ancient wisdom of the samurai for guidance and comfort. But he also finds hope in the present; through the internet he finds friends that see him, not just his illness. This is a story of friendship and acceptance, and testing strength in an uncertain future.

My Thoughts

This sounds like a moving story that will open my eyes even more to ALS. I am very happy that this is a young adult book because it’s important for us all to learn more about this disease.

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8. Scarlett Undercover by Jennifer Latham (picked by Mandy C.)

Publication Date: 19 May 2015

A voice-driven mystery perfect for fans of Veronica Mars.

Meet Scarlett, a smart, sarcastic, kick-butt, Muslim American heroine, ready to take on crime in her hometown of Las Almas. When a new case finds the private eye caught up in a centuries-old battle of evil genies and ancient curses, Scarlett discovers that her own family secrets may have more to do with the situation than she thinks — and that cracking the case could lead to solving her father’s murder.

Jennifer Latham delivers a compelling story and a character to remember in this one-of-a-kind debut novel.

My Thoughts

A  young adult featuring a minority, well that’s just very rare. So I will definitely support diversity in all genres.  I like the idea of a mystery and I did enjoy Veronica Mars back in the day.

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9. Winter by Marissa Meyer

Publication date: November 24, 2015

This book will feature Cinder and Snow White and will take place on the moon.

My Thoughts

No cover yet. A long wait for the final book in this series. I hate the long wait but will read Fairest later in the year to stretch it out.  Ok, so I might actually read it when I get it later this month but you can’t blame a girl from trying to have a little patience.
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10. Walking with the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement by John Robert Lewis , Michael D’Orso

Publication date: February 10, 2015 (This is a re-issue in paperback. It was originally published in 1998)

An eloquent, epic firsthand account of the civil rights movement by a man who lived it-an American hero whose courage, vision, and dedication helped change history. The son of an Alabama sharecropper, and now a sixth-term United States Congressman, John Lewis has led an extraordinary life, one that found him at the epicenter of the civil rights movement in the late ’50s and ’60s. As Chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), Lewis was present at all the major battlefields of the movement. Arrested more than forty times and severely beaten on several occasions, he was one of the youngest yet most courageous leaders.

My Thoughts

More non-fiction for me. I want to mix it up this year and read more non-fiction and this is one man I know little about but is so important.

Well I hope you enjoyed my list. Are there any good books you know that are coming out in 2015? Please share. I’m always looking for another book to add to my list of reads.

Happy Reading!

Belinda

 

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Belinda’s Book Nook: 2015 Reading Resolutions

January 5, 2015 by 2 Comments
  • Read a total of 34 books.Last year, I had a goal on Good Reads to read 24 books. Which I think is a lot for me. I read slow and I have a lot going on. So an average of 2 books a month seemed a good effort. Well I actually surpassed that goal and read 33 books.  What I don’t want to do is to make this fun time a chore so I am not going to go too crazy on the number because I feel the experience of a book should be cherished.  So I will raise the number by one for this year. If I meet it – Yeah! If I don’t – no worries. Just grateful to be able to read.
  • Read 12 non-fiction books. Looking at last year, I explored new genres and didn’t do as much historical fiction and non-fiction as I would have liked. So this year, I would like to challenge myself to read more non-fiction.
  • Complete four series: 

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer – Loved the first three books. Waiting for Fairest to be released this month.

The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons – I own these books but never read them. Hoping to jump into them this year.

Firebird (Slain Series) by Susanna Kearsley – I can’t say enough good things about Susanna Kearsley. Just love her books. Firebird is the second in the series. Not sure how many more but I’ll be there.

Century Trilogy by Ken Follett – Talk about big book intimidation. This one is it. I have wanted to read this trilogy for some time now. I plan to read it on my Nook because I think I might experience carpal tunnel holding that big hunk of book.

  • Read at least 3 debut novels. I can’t say that I rush to get many books when they are first released. I mean let’s face it, new books are very expensive.  But I did do it once last year and really enjoyed it so I will carefully select 3 this year to read.
  • Write at least 6 discussion posts in 2015. Now that I have restructured my website to have a dedicated link to my Book Nook, I can really share more. So I am excited about the possibilities and hope you will join me on this adventure.
  • Leave 2 comments per week on other book blogger sites. Listen, I am notorious for book blog peeping. I love reading them. I enjoy hearing other people share their love of books online. But I rarely and I mean rarely post a comment.  That’s definitely going to change this year.
  • Read at least 3 spiritual books. I am, officially, a collector of spiritual books. I just want them. But now I’m going to read them. Not to say I haven’t read any but the number of unread is larger. So this year, I am going to get my read on and make it happen.
  • Read at least 3 books by African authors. Another thing I do is collect a lot of books by African Americans and African authors but haven’t read nearly as much as I have. Changing that this year!
  • Read at least 1 classic books. I could go on a tangent about what classifies a book as a classic but I wont (for now) and just say, I have a few and I’m going to read at least one.
  • Read a book that is set in a country from each of the 7 continents (Asia, North American, South America, Europe, Africa, Antartica, Australia). This will be fun. I am already a member of a group in Good Reads called Around the World in 80 Books and I plan on using their extensive list to help me locate books in regions I typically don’t have.

So that is list of reading resolutions for 2015. Do you have any?

Happy reading!

Belinda

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2014 Year in Review of Books

December 31, 2014 by 2 Comments

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I set my goal with GoodReads to 24 books. Let’s face it, I’m not the fastest reader, I have two young boys, and I have my own craft business.  So I figured 24 would be a decent goal of two books per month. I really dove into my reading this year. I read during pickup, read before bed each night and listened to books on tape while at work.  So I was more than pleased to see I exceeded my goal. Above are screen shots from the books I read in 2014:

The Numbers

  1. Number of Books You Read: 33
  2. Genre You Read the Most from: Young Adult fiction

The Books

  1. Best book you read in 2014? The Time in Between by Maria Duenas and The Fifth Wave by Rick Yancey (Sorry had to pick two.)
  2. Book you were excited about & thought you were going to love more but didn’t? The Evolution of Mara Dyer. I enjoyed the first book. It was so strange and unexpected. It was a mystery and I wanted to see how it played out but then this second book in the series, just turned me off. So much so that I didn’t bother with the next book.
  3. Most surprised (in a good way) book of 2014?  Unspoken (The Lynburn Legacy #1) by Sarah Rees Brennan.
  4. Book you talked about the most to people in 2014? Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles book 1) by Marissa Meyer. I started reading this book while on a weekend away with my girlfriends and couldn’t put it down. I went into it with no expectations and came away with a smile. I love the re-telling of fairy tales and this book and the next two in the series did it in such a fun way.
  5. Best series you started in 2014? The Lunar Chronicles.
  6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2014? Rick Yancey (author of The Fifth Wave and Infinite Sea) I love science fiction and haven’t read anything in years. I would say this was a more young adult Science fiction but one none the less. I really got pulled into this world and constantly questioned myself while reading it about what I would do if I were there.
  7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read?  This year, I explored the Young Adult genre. I started watching booktubers on Youtube and many were young adults.  Although I am not a young adult, I found that there are quality books in this genre. Some people my age (which need not be discussed) often shy away from these books or simply dismiss them and group them as one category that is inferior. I don’t approach books that way. If a book sounds interesting, I will try it.   As with adult literature there are all sorts of sub-genres (sci-fi, romance, mystery, dystopian,etc.) within young adult books. This year, I set aside many books on my TBR and explored a variety of young adult literature. As with adult literature, there are some I liked and some I did not.  That said, I had a great time with the books I selected. Hmmm the best one from this genre would have to be Cinder. The cover alone peeked my curiosity. I also had my first experience with a graphic novel. I borrowed Amulet from the library and was so impressed with the graphics I read book 2 as well. Unfortunately book 3 never seemed to be in when I went so I did not complete the series but I enjoyed exploring a new genre and format.
  8. Most action-packed, unputdownable book in 2014? The 5th Wave. OMG. I loved this book. It pulled me right in and I ran right out as soon as the second book was released to continue on the roller coaster ride. Book 3 where are you?
  9. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2014? A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray. I saw this on book tube and I immediately pre-ordered it from Amazon. When it arrived at my doorstep and I opened the book, I gasped at how pretty it was even more so in person.  I love the colors and the buildings in Russia. Oh how amazing. I remember finishing what I was reading fast so I could start this one.
  10. Most memorable character in 2014? I thoroughly enjoyed the characters from The Lunar Chronicles. They had so much personality. I can’t choose just one. I loved Paul Markov in A Thousand Pieces of You.
  11. Most thought-provoking book in 2014? The Strength in What Remains. This book opened my eyes even more to the immigrant experience in this country as well as the struggle and genocide in Burundi. Deo’s story will always have a place in my heart and my hope is more people will read this book and find ways to help.
  12. Book that shocked you the most? There were some dark scenes in Ruins of Lace that I didn’t like reading. A bit too graphic for my taste.
  13. Best 2014 debut you read? A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray. Oh from the start, I was hooked. I enjoyed the main concept of the story and the romantic love of the Russian Paul Markov. The book had me guessing for a bit and the scenes were written vividly into my imagination. I look forward to book 2.
  14. Most vivid world/imagery in a book you read in 2014? Again I believe A Thousand Pieces of You transported me to the various locations.
  15. Book that made you cry or nearly cry in 2014? This would have to be a tie between Strength in What Remains, Elizabeth and Hazel. As an African American myself, I felt particularly drawn to these books.  I felt sadness and then inspiration to find ways to help.
  16. Hidden gem of the year?  Tandem by Anna Jarzab.  New nothing about it going into it. I listened to the audio book and oh this young adult science fiction totally hooked me. I love the whole concept and was eager for more when it ended. Only to find out the next book wasn’t released yet.
  17. Most unique book you read in 2014? The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Scwalbe. This was a book club selection. I had scene it online but never picked it up. But I am so happy that our bookclub picked it because I thoroughly enjoyed it. I never read a book like this where the author tied a bookclub (of two) and their selections to the timeline of his mother’s last years of her life. My mother passed away in 2007 and this book brought up a lot of emotions from me. I highly recommend it especially if you love books and you have lost a loved one.

The Blogging

  1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2014? This year, was the first time I started following a few book blogs.  I am hoping next year, I will actually comment on their sites: Mom With a Book – I like her reviews and I love that she uses wine glasses to rate the books. Books in the City – I like the variety on this blog and she even reviewed a cookbook. Yummy!  ReadEng. Didi’s Press – I started by subscribing to her YouTube channel and love the diversity in her selections and the quality and frankness of her reviews. So Obsessed With – I love her series and her love of books and book things comes through on her blog. I also subscribe to quite a few Booktubers and love watching their hauls for new books.
  2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2014?  I think the one I reviewed Elizabeth and Hazel.
  3. Best event that you participated in 2014?  I didn’t participate in anything this year but I had two occasions that made me act like a school girl. One of my favorite author’s Sujata Massey  and I corresponded via Goodreads and email this year. I can’t tell you how much this meant to me. I have been reading her books since her first, The Salary Man’s Wife (Rei Shimura Mysteries, Book 1). I highly recommend her books. The Rei Shimura Series are mysteries steeped with a whole lot of Japanese culture. You feel immersed from the start. I have always had a strong love for Japan and loved learning more while following this character throughout the series. And the second occasion is when I wrote a review for The End of Your Life Book Club and I sent an email to Will Scwalbe, the author and he read my blog post and sent me the nicest email.  I was so excited. So despite I couldn’t find any local book events, I did encounter two amazing authors.
  4. Best bookish discover? Bookoutlet and Bookdepository. Wow what great prices these sites have. I even tried their scratch and dent books and most of the time the blemish is so small you can’t even see them.
  5. Reading challenges in 2014? I met my 2014 book goal on Good Reads. I am not going to obsess about reading a high number in 2015 so much rather focus on the quality of the experience while reading books I choose. The author’s spend so much time writing these books and I am sure they would cringe to think a reader rushed threw their book just to meet a reading goal.

Well I will be back in the new year with new book features and more reviews.  Have a safe and happy new year my friends.

Sending blessings your way!

Belinda

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