Welcome to some bookish fun today as we share Book Beginnings, hosted by Rose City Reader; and as we showcase The Friday 56 with Freda’s Voice.
To join in, just grab a book and share the opening lines…along with any thoughts you wish to give us; then turn to page 56 and excerpt anything on the page.
Then give us the title of the book, so others can add it to their lists!
If you have been wanting to participate, but haven’t yet tried, now is the time!
What better way to spend a Friday?
Today I’m spotlighting a book I purchased a few months ago: The After Wife, by Gigi Levangie Grazer.
Beginning: (Prologue)
“Hi, my name is Hannah…and I’m a widow.”
Three in the morning. Again. Like any good therapist, my bathroom mirror has infinite patience.
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56: There was so much I wanted to know. Was there heaven and hell? Was Anna Nicole Smith sorry she missed the reality show craze? And John, where was John?
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Blurb: L.A. is no place for widows. This is what forty-four-year-old Hannah Bernal quickly discovers after the tragic death of her handsome and loving husband, John. Misery and red-rimmed eyes are little tolerated in the land of the beautiful. But life stumbles on: Hannah’s sweet three-year-old daughter, Ellie, needs to be dropped off at her overpriced preschool, while Hannah herself must get back to work in order to pay the bills on “Casa Sugar,” the charming Spanish-styled bungalow they call home.
Fortunately, Hannah has her “Grief Team” for emotional support: earth mother and fanatical animal lover Chloe, who finds a potential blog post in every moment; aspiring actress Aimee, who has her cosmetic surgeon on speed dial; and Jay, Hannah’s TV producing partner, who has a penchant for Mr. Wrong. But after a series of mishaps and bizarre occurrences, one of which finds Hannah in a posh Santa Monica jail cell, her friends start to fear for her sanity. To make matters worse, John left their financial affairs in a disastrous state. And when Hannah is dramatically fired from her latest producing gig, she finds herself in danger of losing her house, her daughter, and her mind.
One night, standing in her backyard under a majestic avocado tree, in the throes of grief, Hannah breaks down and asks, “Why?” The answer that comes back—Why not?—begins an astounding journey of discovery and transformation that leads Hannah to her own truly extraordinary life after death.
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What do you think? Does this story pique your curiosity? I hope you’ll stop by and leave your comments and links.
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Definitely interested. A situation unfortunately common
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Yes, I found this one at B & N, and it seemed to call to me from my stacks! Thanks for stopping by, Mystica.
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Hmm. Intriguing. 🙂
Here’s mine:
Book Beginning@EverythingNyze
Book Blogger Hop: November 7th-13th
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Thanks for stopping by, Nyze, and I am curious enough to start reading this one soon.
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The title pulled me in. And what about the mirror? That is interesting.
THANKS for sharing, and have a great reading weekend.
Elizabeth
Silver’s Reviews
My Book Beginnings
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Yes, it reminds me of those “affirmations” people say into their mirrors. Thanks for stopping by, Elizabeth.
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Sounds refreshingly different. I’d like to know more.
My Friday post: http://www.bookclublibrarian.com/2014/11/friday-focus-friday-56-book-beginnings.html
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I am a sucker for anything set in LA, as people living there often need to engage in self-discoveries. LOL
Thanks for stopping by, Catherine.
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This sounds good.
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Thanks for stopping by, Lisa…enjoy your weekend!
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The first thing that caught my eye was the title and the play on words, reading the synopsis I’m further intrigued by Hannah and her situation. I already feel how overwhelmed she must be feeling. Thank you so much for sharing and have a lovely weekend.
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Yes, Alicia, I love the play on words, too…eager to start reading it. Thanks for stopping by.
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Is tis an older book? I swear I read this years ago!
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It came out in 2012, so in that sense, yes. I just bought it a couple of months ago at B & N…bargain table…LOL.
Thanks for stopping by, Patty.
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I’ll argue that Anna Nicole Smith could have had a rocking reality show. Shoot. Great pick for a quote!
Here’s my Friday 56: http://samannelizabeth.wordpress.com/2014/11/07/friday-56-7-nov-2014/
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Thanks, Sam, I liked finding that tidbit, too. Glad you could stop by.
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I hear great things about this author, but have yet to read any of her books. Interesting quotes!
Check out my Friday 56
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I enjoyed The Starter Wife by this author…and there was even a TV show for a while. Thanks for visiting, Lisa.
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This sounds like a fascinating book. I like the comparison of her mirror to a therapist, and the name of the bungalow appeals to me too — “Casa Sugar.” Sounds like my kind of story. I find lots of good books at the B&N bargain table too!
Thanks for leaving a comment on my blog today.
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I buy bargain books there to appease my conscience about doing most book shopping online…I definitely want to support bookstores when I can! Thanks for stopping by, Sandra.
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I love the cover art on this one and the snippet made me chuckle. I’ll have to remember the line, ‘my bathroom mirror has infinite patience.’ 🙂
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Yes, I like that line, too, Lady D…thanks for stopping by!
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I’ve never put much thought into a mirror holding much patience before, but now that I think of it, it truly does! I love when authors dig these small nuggets from our minds 🙂
Hope you enjoy this one Laurel 🙂
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Me, too, Claudia…and I liked the conversation the character had with it.
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I probably would’ve passed this by if I had just seen the cover and title but the blurb sounds pretty interesting and I love the excerpts. Hannah sounds like a very likable character. Definitely someone you’d want to root for!
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It’s funny what draws us to books…for me, the catchy title and the author’s name, followed by the blurb. The cover didn’t grab me, but it’s pretty enough. Thanks for visiting, Katherine.
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Fun cover and sounds like a fun read.
Happy weekend!
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I am looking forward to it, Freda…glad you could stop by!
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Mirrors are infinitely patient. 😀 I like the snippets and the cover, it looks fun.
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Definitely! Thanks for stopping by, Bea.
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This sounds like a book I’d like. I’m going to add it to my wishlist.
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Thanks, Yvonne, and I hope you enjoy your pick, too.
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That has grabbed my attention. I will have to add that one to my TBR. Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks, Sharon…so good to have you visit!
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Hmmm…those sound like an interesting mix of questions. 🙂
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I agree, Lauren…thanks for stopping by!
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I do love that beginning. I’ve been debating with myself about this one for a while now. This makes me believe I should just go ahead and read it! Thanks for sharing. And thanks for the blog visit.
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I love finding books on the bargain table, as they are often ones I had wanted to read, but didn’t buy at the time they came out. Hope you enjoy it, Joy, and thanks for visiting.
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The mention of Anna Nicole Smith made me laugh for some reason …
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Yes, that was unexpected, wasn’t it? Thanks for stopping by, Aloi.
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Wow what a fascinating beginning! Definitely grabs your attention! Thanks for stopping by my blog! 🙂
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I agree, Crafty Book Sheeps…and thanks for visiting. Enjoy your week!
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