Insomnia may keep some folks awake all night, but ‘Insomnia’ the book is a great way to pass the time while you’re waiting for the ever elusive REM sleep…

April 12, 2022April 12, 2022 momlovesreading01Leave a comment

😵‍💫Insomnia may keep some folks awake at night, but what better way to pass the time than by reading today’s featured new release!

Happy Pub Day to Sarah Pinborough & her latest release, ‘Insomnia’, a twisty, imaginative, brilliantly addictive, thriller that will keep you up all night—in a good way—flying through the pages of this gripping, suspenseful new release.

“If you loved Behind Her Eyes, prepare to be totally and utterly blown away by Insomnia. Sarah Pinborough is a twisted genius.” — Lisa Jewell

IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT, MADNESS LIES . . .

Emma can’t sleep.

CHECK THE WINDOWS.

It’s been like this since her big 4-0 started getting closer.

LOCK THE DOORS.

Her mother stopped sleeping just before her own fortieth birthday.
She went mad and did the unthinkable because of it.

LOOK IN ON THE CHILDREN.

Is that what’s happening to Emma?

WHY CAN’T SHE SLEEP?

Readers either loved it or they didn’t, but when it came to Pinborough’s debut thriller, ‘Behind Her Eyes’, released in 2017, I LOVED it! I gasped outloud when I read those final few pages, then went back & reread them again. It totally blew me away! The premise was fresh, very unique, & so many levels of crazy, I thought about it long after I read it.

The Netflix adaptation was pretty good as well, but not as fab as the book IMHO. I feel like if you hadn’t read the book previously, before watching the limited series, you’d be a little confused (my husband totally was when he watched it with me, but I clued him in on the basics, but had to hold back on giving away that cray-cray ending!).

They did leave a few things out & changed a couple scenes here & there. ‘Behind Her Eyes’ is definitely a book I recommend often to thriller readers who haven’t read a bajillion of them & can guess every outcome by the end of the first chapter like I often can these days. (But I couldn’t back then, so this book rocked my world! 🤯📖🙌🏻)

As you can see from my Instagram photo at the top of this post, I have all of Sarah Pinborough’s adult novels & ‘13 Minutes’, which is one of her young adult novels. I think ‘Behind Her Eyes’ is still my favorite thriller by the New York Times Bestselling author, but I’d say ‘Insomnia’ is definitely the new contender for 2nd favorite.

📖In this twisty, mind-bending thriller, Emma Averell worries that her crippling insomnia is a sign that she’s slowly going insane—like the mother she’s worked so hard to leave in her past.

Emma Averell loves her life—her high-powered legal career, her two beautiful children, and her wonderful stay-at-home husband—but it wasn’t always so perfect. When she was just five years old, Emma and her older sister went into foster care because of a horrific incident with their mother. Her sister can remember a time when their mother was loving and “normal,” but Emma can only remember her as one thing—a monster. And that monster emerged right around their mother’s fortieth birthday, the same age Emma is approaching now.

Emma desperately wants to keep her successful life separate from her past, so she has always hidden her childhood trauma. But then she’s unable to sleep, and now losing time during the day, also one of the first symptoms her mother showed. Is the madness in her blood, just as her mother predicted? Could she end up hurting her family in her foggy, frenetic state? Or is she truly beginning to lose her mind?

‘Insomnia’ & Sarah Pinborough’s other novels, are available now wherever books are sold.

You can add ‘Insomnia’ to your Goodreads list by clicking HERE.

You can give my Instagram post about the book some LIKE love by clicking HERE. (PS: Be sure to check out THIS post while you’re there, to enter my latest GIVEAWAY for another fantastic new release.)

You can also use BookStoreLink to find ‘Insomnia’ & any other book you’re in the mood for at a nearby or online independent bookstore.

Sarah Pinborough is a New York Times bestselling, Sunday Times Number one & Internationally bestselling author who is published in over 30 territories worldwide. Having published more than 25 novels across various genres, her books include Behind Her Eyes, now a smash hit Netflix limited series, Dead To Her, now in development with Amazon Studios, and 13 Minutes and The Death House in development with Compelling Pictures. Sarah lives in the historic town of Stony Stratford, the home of the Cock and Bull story, with her dog Ted. Her next latest novel, Insomnia, is out now.

(*The above book graphics are courtesy of the publisher ©️William Morrow —an imprint of Harper Collins publishers)

Book Reviews · Memoirs · Nonfiction

It’s Self-Care Sunday! What are you reading?

April 10, 2022April 10, 2022 momlovesreading01Leave a comment

💁🏼‍♀️It’s Self-Care Sunday! What inspirational, self-care or self-help book do you recommend most often to others or maybe turn to time & time again yourself for a little perspective pick-me-up?

📚Some of my favorite self-care or inspirational books that I’ve read lately are ‘Feeding the Soul’ by Tabitha Brown, ‘What I Know For Sure’ by (my Queen!) Oprah Winfrey, ‘The Four Agreements’ by Don Miguel Ruiz, & today’s featured, upcoming 4/12 release, ‘Brighter By the Day’ by the beloved host of Good Morning America & NYTimes bestselling author Robin Roberts.

📖‘Brighter By the Day: Waking Up to New Hopes & Dreams’ is a guide to instilling hope & optimism into readers’ lives, infusing their days with Robin’s quintessential warmth, positivity & encouragement. I loved this little gem & you will, too! Thank you @grandcentralpub for my gift copy!

“We stay on the positive path by shifting our gaze a little at a time, until all we see is the horizon.”-Robin Roberts , ‘Brighter By the Day’

🌞Over the last 16 yrs as the esteemed anchor of Good Morning America, Robin Roberts has helped millions of people across the country greet each new morning, gracing our screens w/ heart & humility. She has sought to bring a bit of positivity into each day, even in the most trying of times. Now, she shares w/ readers the guidance she’s received, her own hard-won wisdom, & eye-opening experiences that have helped her find the good in the world & usher in light—even on the darkest days.

🌞Drawing on advice & knowledge she gleaned from conversations w/ loved ones, spiritual practices, & life experiences, Robin offers a window into how she feeds her own mind, spirit, & soul & invites readers to do the same. With a deeply personal touch, she explains that just like any skill, optimism requires practice & demonstrates how we can shift our mindsets & give ourselves permission to let our best intentions take root & be true.

🌞Full of profound insight & the compassion to meet readers wherever they are on their journey, this contemplative & uplifting read is a breath of fresh air that will bring a dose of joy into your daily life.

📖‘Brighter By the Day’ is available on 4/12/22 wherever books are sold. Visit my Instagram post HERE & show it some LIKE love! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!😊

#brighterbytheday #robinroberts #nonfictionbooks #wisewordstoliveby #newreleasebooks #goodmorningamerica

Book Reviews · Chick Lit · Family Drama · MomLit · Parenting books · WomensFiction

When several of your favorite mom-com authors blurb on a book, you know you’re going to love it! And I did!

March 28, 2022March 28, 2022 momlovesreading01Leave a comment

💁🏼‍♀️Welcome to Mom Life Monday! If you’re a mom, especially to a daughter, you’re going to love this upcoming 4/5/22 release & want to get it pre-ordered & on your TBR lists ASAP. And the cover is super cute, too!

📚I’m a huge fan of women’s fiction, more specifically “mom-com” or “mom-lit”, which is like “chic-lit’s” cool mom. Like Amy Poehler once said in one of my fave movies, ‘Mean Girls’, “I’m not like a regular mom. I’m a cool mom!” Me, too, Amy. Me, too! (At least I think so…🤔)

🐓’Welcome to the Neighborhood’ by Lisa Roe is a heartwarming & life-affirming story of family dynamics, mother/daughter relationships, & second chances—perfect for fans of Maria Semple, Laurie Gelman & Abbi Waxman. I’ve read & loved all of Waxman’s books, so I was excited to read Lisa Roe’s debut novel after seeing Abbi’s blurb, which I think sums up the book perfectly:

📖As the saying goes, be careful what you wish for…

After years of struggling to make ends meet, Ginny, a single mom from Queens, falls for a hard-working & loving man, & relishes the idea of moving w/ her quirky 11-yr-old daughter, Harri, to his home in an upscale New Jersey suburb. Though she’s never been impressed by material things, she is thrilled that getting a second chance at love comes w/ the added bonus of finally giving Harri everything she never could before.

And then she meets the neighbors.

Ginny is quickly thrust into the complicated realities of a neighborhood defined by the ever-shifting alliances of PTA moms, Real Housewife contenders, & their mean-girl daughters. When the neighbors’ secrets, back-stabbing, & bad behavior take a devastating toll on her daughter & new marriage, Ginny must decide what really matters—& protect it at all costs.

🗣What other authors have said about ‘Welcome to the Neighborhood’ by Lisa Roe:

“We need Lisa Roe’s side-eye on navigating a new marriage, a quirky child and a fresh start for everyone, with neighbors who put it all at risk. Warm, funny, heartwarming, and heartbreaking.”―Ann Garvin, USA Today bestselling author of I Thought You Said This Would Work

“A heartfelt and endearing story about keeping one’s feet firmly planted while simultaneously dreaming big.” ―Kathleen West, author of Are We There Yet?

“A love letter to mothers of tweens everywhere.”—Kelly Harms, bestselling author of The Seven Day Switch

“A must-read. Readers will cheer for Ginny as she stands her ground.”—Jamie Beck, Wall Street Journal bestselling author

Click HERE to visit Lisa Roe’s webpage (which is beautiful!)

Click HERE to add ‘Welcome to the Neighborhood’ to your Goodreads list. (Add me as a friend while you’re there!)

Click HERE to goto BookStoreLink & pre-order/find the book at a local indie bookstore.

Click HERE to visit Lisa Roe on Instagram (PS: Don’t forget to visit me on Instagram, too, & be sure to check out my latest giveaway in a previous post.

After graduating from the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University & spending many years as an advertising creative director & copywriter in New York City, Lisa Roe accepted the tougher job of stay-at-home mom & turned to writing fiction — mostly to entertain her kids, but then to tell her own stories. A classic first born, a reluctant empty nester, & a Dr. Doolittle wannabe, Lisa lives in New Jersey with her husband & three incorrigible dogs. Welcome to the Neighborhood is her debut novel.

About ME · Book Reviews · Giveaway · Thriller

It’s been a long time since I’ve blogged and it’s a lonnnng weekend…so how about a GIVEAWAY?

March 26, 2022March 26, 2022 momlovesreading01Leave a comment

👩🏼‍💻It’s been a hot minute or two (ok, it’s been a couple months🤭) since I did a blog post, but holy cannoli, I’m getting one done today!
And it’s GIVEAWAY time & It’s going to be a long weekend indeed! My kids are on spring break, but since the weather is awful, we’re doing some fun things indoors, like reading! We’re currently reading ‘Stuart Little’ together & will watch the movie version once we’re done.

🥣We’re also going to do some baking together as well, & I’m surprising them with their own chef hats & aprons. They’ll be so excited to get them since ‘Ratatouille’ has been one of their favorite movies since they were little-little, & they had toddler sized chef costumes back then. I’ll be posting pictures for sure.🧑🏼‍🍳🧑🏼‍🍳

📚What are you reading this weekend? I’m currently reading & loving ‘The Long Weekend’, the upcoming 3/29 release from New York Times bestselling author Gilly Macmillan. It’s twisty, fast-paced, & engaging, & I can’t wait to get back to it this evening. Thank you @williammorrowbooks for my gift copy!😘

📖In this pulse-pounding thriller, a group of women travel to the most remote place in England for a weekend escape, only to discover a startling note that one of their husbands will be killed before they return home.

About the book:
Three couple.
Two bodies.
One secret…

Dark Fell Barn is a “perfectly isolated” retreat, or so says its website when Jayne books a reservation for her friends. A quiet place, far removed from the rest of the world, is exactly what they need.

The women arrive for a girls’ night ahead of their husbands. There’s ex-Army Jayne, hardened and serious, but also damaged. Ruth, the driven doctor and new mother who is battling demons of her own. Young Emily, just wed and insecure, the newest addition of this tight-knit band. Missing this year is Edie, who was the glue holding them together, until her husband died suddenly.

But what they hoped would be a relaxing break soon turns to horror. Upon arrival at Dark Fell Barn, the women find a devastating note claiming one of their husbands will be murdered. There are no phones, no cell service to check on their men. Friendships fracture as the situation spins wildly out of control. Betrayal can come in many forms.

This group has kept each other’s secrets for far too long…

😁Sounds really great, huh? You can click HERE to add it to your Goodread’s list.

In 2020, Gilly Macmillan released ‘To Tell You the Truth’ which I read last year. Click HERE to add that one to your Goodreads.

📖About ‘To Tell You the Truth’:
Lucy Harper has a talent for invention…
She was nine years old when her brother vanished in the woods near home. As the only witness, Lucy’s story of that night became crucial to the police investigation. Thirty years on, her brother’s whereabouts are still unknown.

Now Lucy is a bestselling thriller writer. Her talent for invention has given her fame, fortune, and an army of adoring fans. But her husband, Dan, has started keeping secrets of his own, and a sudden change of scene forces Lucy to confront some dark, unwelcome memories. Then Dan goes missing and Lucy’s past and present begin to collide. Did she kill her husband? Would she remember if she did?

Finally, Lucy Harper is going to tell us the truth.
Cross her heart.
And hope to die.

💁🏼‍♀️I have an extra paperback copy of ‘To Tell You the Truth’ to give away & as a bonus, the winner will get to pick another book (or 2!) from a big stack of other suspense/thrillers I’ll post a pic of when their name is announced. So 3 books total, 1 winner!

📲To enter, you’ll need to goto my Instagram page, (@mom_loves_reading) which you can do by clicking HERE.
The giveaway runs 3/26-3/31/22, is U.S. only (sorry international friends🥲)& is not affiliated w/ IG or the publisher. If you do enter, Best of Luck & May the odds be ever in your favor!

💻About the author: Gilly Macmillan is the internationally bestselling author of seven novels including WHAT SHE KNEW, THE PERFECT GIRL, ODD CHILD OUT, I KNOW YOU KNOW and THE NANNY, and TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, & THE LONG WEEKEND.
A former art historian and photographer, Gilly studied at Bristol University and the Courtauld Institute of Art in London. She lives in Bristol, UK, with her husband and three children.

Blog Tour · Book Reviews · Booksparks · Family Reading · Fiction · Giveaway · YAbooks · Young Readers Books

It’s the season of giving, so I’m hosting another GIVEAWAY and this one’s geared towards the tween-agers…

November 20, 2021November 20, 2021 momlovesreading01Leave a comment

*GIVEAWAY time! Do you have a tween-ager in the household, or maybe a niece, babysitter, or a friend with a daughter who enjoys reading? Then you’ll love today’s featured book & giveaway!

Last yr I did a promo for Cindy Callaghan’s novel, ‘Saltwater Secrets’, (*click HERE to see Instagram post) & loved it so much, I bought a copy for a friend’s daughter & she loved it! Being the super, sweet kid she is, she wanted to pass it on to another reader to enjoy as well. So today’s giveaway is for a copy of ‘Saltwater Secrets‘ & also 3 items featured in Callaghan’s 10/12 novella, ‘The Girl Who Ruined Christmas’: a pair of low-top Hello Kitty socks, a red Chuck Taylor shoe keychain, & a Harper Hollow Falls Christmas Countdown calendar that be reused again & again. All you have to do to make this an even MORE fantastic gift is get a copy of ‘The Girl Who Ruined Christmas‘ to add to the box. Thank you Cindy for my gift copy! (which I’m totally keeping!)

Cindy’s other wonderful tween novels include the ‘Just Add Magic‘ series that was made into an Emmy nominated Amazon series; the bestselling ‘Lost in…’ series that included books like ‘Lost in London‘, ‘Lost in Hollywood‘, ‘Lost in Ireland‘ & more; & the stand-alone, tween mystery, ‘Sydney MacKenzie Knocks’em Dead‘, which sells out every year around Halloween.

Now, let’s talk about Cindy Callaghan’s latest novella, released last month, ‘The Girl Who Ruined Christmas‘. It’s adorable, witty, warmhearted, & good ol’ festive fun! This should 100% be made into a Hallmark movie since it’s perfect for the whole family & could be watched while making sugar cookies like Mrs. Crispin, a character in the book. The book also has Stars Hollow from ‘Gilmore Girls’ vibes which makes it even more delightful & as cozy as hot cocoa!

Imagine you’re a tween visiting a small town that loves nothing more than its prize fir—a perfect Christmas tree destined for the White House. Now picture yourself accidentally destroying that tree, making you public enemy number one. Lastly, imagine that to repay your debt, you have to remain in said town for the Christmas season.
That’s what happens to Brady Bancroft.

When Brady ruins Harper Hollow Fall’s prize tree, she’s sentenced to stay in the holiday-festooned town for the month of December. At first, she couldn’t be more depressed about the whole situation; but during her month there, she is surprised to discover that there’s much more than pine needles to the little town holding her captive. In the end, Harper Hollow Falls reminds Brady of the true meaning of Christmas—and she, in turn, saves the town.

To help give one lucky follower get a boost on their holiday shopping, I’m giving away a copy of Cindy Callaghan’s novel, ‘Saltwater Secrets’ as well as 3 items featured in ‘The Girl Who Ruined Christmas’ (*see above for info). All you have to do to enter is go to my Instagram page (@mom_loves_reading) to enter. Click HERE to go there now.

Click HERE to visit Cindy Callaghan’s website & read more about her other amazing books.

Click any of the highlighted book titles above to add them to your Goodreads TBR lists.

Cindy Callaghan is the award-winning author of eleven middle-grade novels including JUST ADD MAGIC & JUST ADD MAGIC 2: POTION PROBLEMS, which were made into an Emmy-nominated Amazon Original series now in its fifth season & distributed world-wide via Nickelodeon. She’s well-known for the best-selling Lost In… books: LOST IN LONDON, LOST IN PARIS, LOST IN ROME, LOST IN HOLLYWOOD, & LOST IN IRELAND. Her Agatha award-winning stand-alone SYDNEY MACKENZIE KNOCKS ‘EM DEAD sells out every year around Halloween. Her 2020 book SALTWATER SECRETS, which is nominated for an Agatha Award, won Delaware Press Association & National Federation of Press Women’s awards, & two International Book Awards, is set up by a major studio. Her newest book THE GIRL WHO RUINED CHRISTMAS, (October 2021), & the upcoming MY BIG HEART-SHAPED FAIL, (September 2022), are actively being shopped to producers, networks & streamers along with Cindy’s robust portfolio of original features & series. A Jersey girl at heart, Cindy lives in Delaware with her family and rescued-pets.