Black-Eyed Susans by Julia Heaberlin

Black eyed Susans by Julia Heaberlin

Photo Credit: Ballantine Books- Aug 11

This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration.

Black-Eyed Susans

Summary from Goodreads:

I am the star of screaming headlines and campfire ghost stories.
I am one of the four Black-Eyed Susans.
The lucky one.

As a sixteen-year-old, Tessa Cartwright was found in a Texas field, barely alive amid a scattering of bones, with only fragments of memory as to how she got there. Ever since, the press has pursued her as the lone surviving “Black-Eyed Susan,” the nickname given to the murder victims because of the yellow carpet of wildflowers that flourished above their shared grave. Tessa’s testimony about those tragic hours put a man on death row.

Now, almost two decades later, Tessa is an artist and single mother. In the desolate cold of February, she is shocked to discover a freshly planted patch of black-eyed susans—a summertime bloom—just outside her bedroom window. Terrified at the implications—that she sent the wrong man to prison and the real killer remains at large—Tessa turns to the lawyers working to exonerate the man awaiting execution. But the flowers alone are not proof enough, and the forensic investigation of the still-unidentified bones is progressing too slowly. An innocent life hangs in the balance. The legal team appeals to Tessa to undergo hypnosis to retrieve lost memories—and to share the drawings she produced as part of an experimental therapy shortly after her rescue.

What they don’t know is that Tessa and the scared, fragile girl she was have built a  fortress of secrets. As the clock ticks toward the execution, Tessa fears for her sanity, but even more for the safety of her teenaged daughter. Is a serial killer still roaming free, taunting Tessa with a trail of clues? She has no choice but to confront old ghosts and lingering nightmares to finally discover what really happened that night.

Continue reading

Literary Friday, ya’ll…

literary friday

Hello! It’s supposed to be HOT this weekend- so hydrate, folks!!!

 

  1. Deep South Magazine and their #literaryfriday: A shout-out to Traveling With T’s BLACK-EYED SUSANS giveaway, news about upcoming festivals, Atticus Finch and more!

 

2. Mom’s Small Victories is giving away THE ONES WE TRUST by Kimberley Belle! Continue reading

{Guest Post} Scott Wilbanks, The Lemoncholy Life Of Annie Aster, Talks About Characters

It's a Guest Post day

Today, at Traveling With T, I have a special guest post!!!! Scott Wilbanks, author of The Lemoncholy Life Of Annie Aster, is here to talk about characters- specifically why readers have 1 character they relate to, 1 character they love and why the 2 are rarely the same!

Read on for more about Scott’s theory!  Continue reading

The Last Summer at Chelsea Beach by Pam Jenoff

the last summer at chelsea beach by pam jenoff

Photo Credit: Harlequin Books July 28th

This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration.

The Last Summer at Chelsea Beach

Adelia Monteforte is put on a ship headed to America by her mother and father. The plan is for her aunt and uncle to provide a place for Adelia to live, far away from Italy, as life has grown to be hazardous there during war time.

Moving to America, living with her aunt and uncle, learning about different ways and thoughts between Italy and America- keep Adelia’s days full, as she’s trying to get accustomed to her new surroundings.

When she makes the acquaintance of her neighbors in the summer home, the Connally boys, Adelia does not know then how much life is about to change and how she will become close to all the boys- as they all begin to love her in their own way. Continue reading

The Ones We Trust by Kimberly Belle

the ones we trust by kimberly belle

Photo Credit: Harlequin Books

This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration.

The Ones We Trust

Summary from Goodreads:

When former DC journalist Abigail Wolff attempts to rehabilitate her career, she finds herself at the heart of a US army cover-up involving the death of a soldier in Afghanistan — with unspeakable emotional consequences for one family. As the story of what happened comes to light, Abigail will do anything to write it.

The more evidence she stumbles upon in the case, the fewer people it seems she can trust, including her own father, a retired army general. And she certainly never expected to fall in love with the slain soldier’s brother, Gabe, a bitter man struggling to hold his family together. The investigation eventually leads her to an impossible choice, one of unrelenting sacrifice to protect those she loves.

Beyond the buried truths and betrayals, questions of family loyalty and redemption, Abigail’s search is, most of all, a desperate grasp at carrying on and coping — and seeking hope in the impossible.

 

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

I read Kimberly’s debut, THE LAST BREATH, last year and enjoyed it very much! So, I was excited to read THE ONES WE TRUST. Continue reading

The Time WriterRhiannon and I Met in Birmingham….

meeting writerrhiannon in birmingham

 

Gosh, I am SO late in writing this post- This happened back in MAY! But, better late than never, right?

A few months ago, Rhiannon (@writerrhiannon) and I were talking about meeting up. A weekend opened up and then the debate began as to where this needs to happen. Atlanta was discussed as it’s close to her (she lives in the Atlanta area) and I’m around a 6-7 hour drive. Then I just casually threw out Birmingham because it was a good halfway point. A little research into Birmingham confirmed that this would be a good place for a meet-up.

As the weeks went by, we did some planning- mainly finding a place to stay (Cobb Lane B&B) and then just kind of said we’d play it all by ear. With us only going to be in town for Friday night and heading back to our respective homes Saturday afternoon- we just wanted to have an open schedule- not be rush, rush, rush to do SO many things. Continue reading

Every Secret Thing by Laura Lippman

Every Secret Thing by Laura Lippman

Photo Credit: Goodreads

This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration.

Every Secret Thing

It’s a normal day. A day where a birthday party happens. A day where little girls have fun!

By the end of the day, though, two little girls will be on a path that will change their lives forever.

Fast forward seven years…

Alice and Ronnie have been released from prison. Both girls have been told that it’s best if they stay away from each other- just to be on the safe side. Continue reading