The Paris Library by Jane Skeslien Charles

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet has it all: her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. When the Nazis march into Paris, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. Together with her fellow librarians, Odile joins the Resistance with the best weapons she has: books. But when the war finally ends, instead of freedom, Odile tastes the bitter sting of unspeakable betrayal.

Montana, 1983: Lily is a lonely teenager looking for adventure in small-town Montana. Her interest is piqued by her solitary, elderly neighbor. As Lily uncovers more about her neighbor’s mysterious past, she finds that they share a love of language, the same longings, and the same intense jealousy, never suspecting that a dark secret from the past connects them.

My thoughts-

I read a lot of historical fiction set during this war torn era. I like when there is a story in a different time period to help us better understand the character and to maybe add a little mystery. I loved the way this story was set up, introducing us to Lily and her lonely neighbor Odile in 1980's Montana. We see Odile as an adult and wonder what has brought her into this isolation and away from all of her family. The part of the story set in Paris in the late 1930's and early 1940's is heartbreaking as all WWII stories are, but I love that the theme of this story is Odile working at the American library and sharing these books even when she isn't supposed to. I also got quite a kick out of all of the fantastic books that were name dropped in this one. It would be a fun challenge to read all of the books mentioned in a year. At the end of the novel, the author talks about how some of these characters are based on real people, which makes the story even more compelling. I recmomend this book if you enjoy historical fiction, are a lover of classic books, or are a Francophile. 

The Little Bookshoop on the Seine by Rebecca Raisin

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

About the book-

When bookshop owner Sarah Smith is offered the opportunity for a job exchange with her Parisian friend Sophie, saying yes is a no-brainer—after all, what kind of romantic would turn down six months in Paris? Sarah is sure she’s in for the experience of a lifetime—days spent surrounded by literature in a gorgeous bookshop, and the chance to watch the snow fall on the Eiffel Tower. Plus, now she can meet up with her journalist boyfriend, Ridge, when his job takes him around the globe.

But her expectations cool faster than her café au lait soon after she lands in the City of Light—she’s a fish out of water in Paris. The customers are rude, her new coworkers suspicious and her relationship with Ridge has been reduced to a long-distance game of phone tag, leaving Sarah to wonder if he’ll ever put her first over his busy career. As Christmas approaches, Sarah is determined to get the shop—and her life—back in order…and make her dreams of a Parisian happily-ever-after come true.

My thoughts-

The beautiful cover of The Little Bookshop on the Seine alone would have drawn me in, but a novel set in a bookshop? in Paris? Yes, Please! Just by looking at the book cover I know many of the boxes I would tick to want to read something would be met. I absolutely loved the novel, having an small town American girl on an adventure in Paris, running a bookshop there tugged at my heartstrings. I once went to Paris many years ago with my family, and I have been pining over Paris nearly every day since. I hope to go back one day and spend more time enjoying the magic and romance of one of my favorite places on Earth, if not my most favorite. I enjoyed the varied characters that make up the bookshop staff and loved seeing their stories unfold. This was a cute romance novel that ties things up around Christmas time so this is the perfect sweet romantic novel to usher in the holiday season here in the U.S. I recommend this book to dreamers, romantics, and francophiles. 

Paris Hop! by Margie Blumberg (Book Review)

*Disclosure of material connection- I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

About the book-

On a visit to Paris for just one day, Grandma Goldie is eager to show her granddaughter, Aimee, how the city sparkles in the sun from the top of the Eiffel Tower. But the other joys of "Paree" create delightful detours along the way. Will this peppy pair make it to the tower before sunset? Find out in this charmingly illustrated rhyming tale about the City of Light . . . and happy surprises.

Our picture book includes a French-English glossary. 

The second book in our Travel Adventures with Grandma Goldie series will be published in October 2015.

My thoughts-

This was such a cute book! My husband and I love to travel. Sometimes we go places as a couple and leave the kids behind, but they are always on our minds. Since we also both love to read, if we go somewhere without them we get them a book about the area we were in. After we started that tradition, the kids also have a serious case of wanderlust and a fascination with geography, so sometimes we buy books about different places just for fun. One of my favorite places I have ever been is Paris and I love this little book. It is a great way to introduce children to the French language and to some of the historical and popular parts of Paris. It is cute and easy to read and the pictures are adorable. I know my little ones would pick this book to read often. I absolutely recommend Paris Hop! to parents of pre-school or young elementary aged children. Paris Hop! will broaden your children's horizons and open up a passion for other places and cultures. 

Links

Connect with Margie Blumberg on Facebook

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www.mbpublishing.com/margie-blumberg

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Escape Monthly Subscription Box heads to Paris for August! Sneak Peek at a product + 20% Off Coupon!

*Disclosure- this post contains affiliate links. 

Escape Monthly has been one of my favorite subscription boxes for  a while now. I love the idea of a vacation in a box. I can not always afford to venture off to the places I would love to go, but I can get this box and have some of the local things from places show up on my doorstep! There have been many escape boxes since they started sending them out around a year ago. There have been escapes to Hawaii, Napa Valley, Las Vegas, Ireland, India and many others, but the box I have been waiting for since I signed up is headed my way this month- Paris! I think you would be hard pressed to meet any person that likes to travel that does not have Paris on their travel bucket list. I am extremely blessed that I have actually had the opportunity to visit when I was younger. The problem with that is that I have been itching to go back ever since. It is the most beautiful place I have ever seen. I hope to go back some day, but in the meantime I am happy to have a little piece of Paris arrive at my house in a few weeks!

The picture above is a sneak peek at one of the items that will be included in the box. The lotion alone is worth more than half of what you will pay for the box (and that is if you pay full price for the box...I have a nice coupon code that will take 20% off your subscription FOR LIFE making it even more affordable!) Just look at that lotion container. It SCREAMS Paris and makes me super excited to see what else will be included in this awesome box!

Perhaps the ABSOLUTE coolest thing about Escape Monthly, is that each month one lucky subscriber will actually win a vacation to the destination! I am always up for traveling anywhere, but I will cross all of my fingers and toes this month. Whoever wins the Paris Escape is one lucky person indeed!

For 20% off of your subscription (for life!) enter coupon code CRISTIMARASHI at checkout! If you have not tried Escape Monthly yet, this is definitely the month to do it! You will fall in love with. "

Announcing the winners of The Sweetness of Forgetting giveaway!

I am so happy to announce the THREE lucky winners who have won autographed copies of The Sweetness of Forgetting by Kristin Harmel. Hold tight to your autographed copies ladies- I have a feeling Kristin Harmel will only continue to get better from here!

The winners are:

Melissa M.

Maria S.

Ani W.

Congrats ladies! Come back and let me know what you think!

If you didn't win and would like to purchase a copy of the book it is now available at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.

Thanks to everyone who entered!

Don't forget to add The Sweetness of Forgetting to your "To Read" list on Goodreads! 

The Sweetness of Forgetting by Kristin Harmel Book Review + Giveaway!

Hope McKenna is 36 and in many ways her world is crumbling down around her. She lost her mother to cancer, her hopes of a law career are pretty much dead, her husband has left her for a much younger woman and her beloved grandmother Mamie is suffering deeply from the throngs of Alzheimer's disease.

Hope is running her grandmother's bakery on Cape Cod, raising her pre-teen daughter and trying to understand what Mamie is trying to tell her about her own past. Mamie's revelations send Hope on a trip to Paris to learn of secrets her grandmother has held inside for seventy years. She learns of the tragic events her grandmother endured that shaped how her life turned out.

I have read a massive amount of novels this year. I guess it comes along with the territory of being a huge lover of fiction and getting absolutely lost in stories. I can say without a doubt that The Sweetness of Forgetting would be my pick for favorite book I have read so far in 2012...and I have read some pretty good novels. This was a refreshing story in so many ways. It was filled with things I am interested in- The Holocaust, baking, and getting to know characters not only in the present, but also in the past. This was a novel I couldn't put down. I wanted to know what Hope was going to find out about Mamie's life. I felt sorrow for both when reading about the terrible things each had endured in her life. It was especially interesting to me learning of Mamie's woes and how the tragedies that befell her in her youth shaped every essence of her being as an adult. This was a well written story, with characters you can definitely sympathize with and that you will find yourself wanting to know more about . I practically read this in one sitting. If I didn't have 3 little ones to look after, I absolutely would have finished it in one day. I think this is going to be HUGE for Kristin Harmel. I absolutely  recommend The Sweetness of Forgetting to anyone who is interested in fiction that takes a peek into history, who enjoy romance or tragedy or who like to bake! One of the coolest things about this novel is that Mamie's recipes are sprinkled throughout the book. I know there were several that made me think, "Oh, I definitely have to make that" while I was traveling through this story with Hope.

If my review isn't enough to make you want to read this wonderful novel (although I hope that it is) Marie Claire also included it in their Summer 2012 reading guide!

I am so thrilled to announce that I have 3 AUTOGRAPHED copies to give away to you to, my awesome readers, to celebrate the August 7th release date of The Sweetness of Forgetting! 3 winners will receive their very own autographed copy of the novel. This is one giveaway you definitely want to enter! Check out the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclaimer- I received a complimentary copy of The Sweetness of Forgetting from Simon & Schuster. I was not required to wirte a positive review. All opinions stated above are 100% my own.