Cheryl's Book Nook

The New York Times bestselling authors of The Glass Ocean and The Forgotten Room return with a glorious historical adventure that moves from the dark days of two World Wars to the turbulent years of the 1960s, in which three women with bruised hearts find refuge at Paris’ legendary Ritz hotel. The heiress . . . The Resistance fighter . . . The widow . . . Three women whose fates are joined by one splendid hotel France, 1914. As war breaks out, Aurelie becomes trapped on the wrong side of the front with her father, Comte Sigismund de Courcelles. When the Germans move into their family’s ancestral estate, using it as their headquarters, Aurelie discovers she knows the German Major’s aide de camp, Maximilian Von Sternburg. She and the dashing young officer first met during Aurelie’s debutante days in Paris. Despite their conflicting loyalties, Aurelie and Max’s friendship soon deepens into love, but betrayal will shatter them both, driving Aurelie back to Paris and the Ritz— the...

A war bride awaits the arrival of her GI husband at the platform… A Holocaust survivor works at the Oyster Bar, where a customer reminds him of his late mother… A Hollywood hopeful anticipates her first screen test and a chance at stardom in the Kissing Room… On any particular day, thousands upon thousands of people pass through New York City’s Grand Central Terminal, through the whispering gallery, beneath the ceiling of stars, and past the information booth and its beckoning four-faced clock, to whatever destination is calling them. It is a place where people come to say hello and good-bye. And each person has a story to tell. Now, ten bestselling authors inspired by this iconic landmark have created their own stories, set just after the end of World War II, in a time of hope, uncertainty, change, and renewal…. Featuring stories from Melanie Benjamin, New York Times bestselling author of The Aviator’s Wife Jenna Blum, New York Times bestselling author of Those Who Save Us Am...

Inspired by Karen’s childhood summers spent at her grandmother’s house in Mississippi, where she would sit under the kitchen table and eavesdrop as the women in her family shared “southern sister girl talk,” A LONG TIME GONE is a touching story about the complicated relationships between mothers and daughters:  Bootsie, the Walker family matriarch with the tragic past; her daughter, Carol Lynne, whose struggles with drugs and the wrong men lead her far from home; and Vivien, the granddaughter determined not to repeat troubling family patterns.   Vivien Walker swore she’d never return to the Mississippi Delta as generations of Walker women had.  But reeling from her recent divorce, she heads back to the family home.  When a violent storm uncovers the remains of a long-dead woman buried in the backyard, Vivien vows to uncover her family’s secrets and break the cycle of loss that has haunted the Walkers for generations. My Review I have read many books by t...

Eleanor Murray lives with her sister and mom. She cares for her sister, especially since the accident that left Eleanor’s sister in a wheelchair. Eleanor gets a chance to break free when she is approached by her boss while playing down at the local bar. Her boss wants to hire Eleanor to care for his aunt. Eleanor agrees hoping that this will help free her conscience of the guilt she has for her sister. I am a fan of Karen White’s. Having said that, this book just did not do it for me. It did not make me jump up and smile. I stuck with it as long as I could but there was not reaction from me. I was neutral. Eleanor and Eve did not grab me like I wanted them too. This is a shame as I know that having read other books by this author that Mrs. White can write good books with great characters. Besides the characters I felt like this book really never picked up speed. It was monotone. However I am sure it got better the more you got into the book. I just could not get myself there....

Suzanne Paris is running away. Someone terrible is trying to find her. Suzanne is heading to Atlanta, when the bus stops at Walton, Georgia. Suzanne feels a strong pull towards this small town. Well it also does not hurt that the necklace that Suzanne’s mother gave her has the name R. Michael Jewelers, Walton inscribed on the back. Suzanne does not make the best first impression, especially on the mayor, Joe. After the Rain is the follow up to Falling Home. You do not have to read that book prior to reading this one. In fact, it has been a while since I read Falling Home that I did not realize in the beginning that this book was the follow up to Falling Home. One thing that I enjoy about Karen White’s books are her characters. Good or bad the characters do draw me into their world. When I say bad what I really mean is that the character may be a bad person but I still feel something towards them. Luckily for this book, there was not really any “bad” persons, other then the pers...

My Review Ava Whalen marries Matthew Frazier. This does not make Ava's mother happy. Especially as Ava and Matthew will be starting their new life on St. Simon's Island. For someone who has a fear of the ocean, Ava is either brave or really in love. Ava can not explain it but she feels a connection to St. Simon's Island. It is here that she learns about who Matthew really is. Rumor has it that Matthew killed his wife. Could Ava be living with a murderer? I am a fan of Mrs. White. Her latest book, Sea Change, is one not to be missed. This book was party mystery, part intrigue, and part romance. I was more intrigued by the mystery part of the story then the present. It was not until about the second time that Ava had a flash back to the past that I figured out the mystery. Then I really got into this story even more. I like the concept of the mystery surrounding Ava and the past. If it was not for the mystery then Ava would be boring. Ava is the type of person...

A long-buried mystery comes frighteningly alive in New York Times bestselling author Karen White’s much-anticipated THE STRANGERS ON MONTAGU STREET, her new Tradd Street novel in stores November 1st (NAL Trade Paperback). The Tradd Street stories began in 2008 with the publication of The House on Tradd Street and the introduction of protagonists Melanie Middleton and writer Jack Trenholm. Writing it let Karen indulge her passion for Charleston and the region—its architecture, food,legends, people, rhythms—and embrace its haunted history. Readers responded with such enthusiasm that Karen began work on a second novel for Melanie and Jack, The Girl on Legare Street. It was published in 2009 and became her first New York Times best seller. Two years later, Melanie and Jack are back. They’re still fighting, still not a couple and still depending upon each other. Since the first book, Melanie has learned to accept the gift of her sixth sense, fallen in love with her mid-19th century Tradd St...

Cassie Madison was awaken by the ringing of the telephone. Nothing good comes from a ringing phone in the middle of the night. Cassie answers the phone to hear her estranged sister, Harriet’s voice. Harriet informs Cassie that their father had a heart attack and he is dying. Their father wants both of his girls home. Cassie has not been back home in a very long time. It is almost too painful for Cassie to consider the though of coming home as Harriet married Cassie’s boyfriend, Joe. Cassie is an aunt. Every time Cassie hears about the birth of another of Harriet and Joe’s children, it is like someone is ripping open old wounds that Cassie would like to keep closed. Sam Parker, an old blast from the past appears back in Cassie’s life. Cassie must make a choice between her boyfriend back home or Sam. Falling Home is an excellent book filled with love, loss, and engaging characters. You will want to pick up this book to read it over and over again. Karen White is a great storyteller. I th...

I want to thank Dorothy with Pump up your Book for letting me be a part of this blog tour. Piper Mills really didn't know her grandmother or hand real desire to know her. Years ago, Piper's own dreams of becoming an Olympic equestrian champion rider were crushed...literally. Due to a mis-calculation on Piper's part, her horse didn't quite clear the jump. Piper was thrown from her horse, only to have the horse land on her. Piper was lucky to have survived though she may not think so, since she had ridden a horse again. Who can blame her. Piper ends up heading back to Savannah, where she inherited her grand parents home as well as being the care giver for her grandmother. Piper finds some old torn pages from a scrapbook. She also located a secret room with a crib. Piper decides that her grandmother might actually have a story worth listening too. Unfortunately she passes away and the only other person alive, who knows the truth is not sharing anything. Piper realizes tha...

Booking Mama http://bookingmama.blogspot.com/2008/06/review-memory-of-water-and-book.html has a contest going on right now for The Memory of Water. Summary: On the night their mother drowns, sisters Marnie and Diana Maitland discover there is more than one kind of death. There is the death of innocence, of love, and of hope. Each sister harbors a secret about that night-secrets that will erode their lives as they grow into adulthood. After ten years of silence between the sisters, Marnie is called back to the South Carolina Lowcountry by Diana's ex-husband, Quinn. His young son has returned from a sailing trip with his emotionally unstable mother, and he is refusing to speak. In order to help the traumatized boy, Marnie must reopen old wounds and bring the darkest memories of their past to the surface. And she must confront Diana, before they all go under. -- Penguin Group USA I have a spare copy of THE MEMORY OF WATER to share with one lucky reader. Please leave a comment on th...