Summer's List by Anita Higman | New Novel News + GIVEAWAY

Summer's List
by Anita Higman

Published June 2015
Moody Publishers
Purchase: Summer's List

Life and love keep going awry for Summer Snow, until her grandmother sends her on an unexpected adventure with one Martin Langtree—a kind and quirky young man from Summer's past.

 

Get to know Anita...


Favorite place you’ve traveled to?
The Italian Alps.

What’s your favorite book?
To Kill a Mockingbird.

What's one chore you hate doing?
Dusting doodads all over the house.

 Leave a comment for Anita to be entered to win a copy of Summer's List!

Summer's List by Anita Higman | RE:View

Life isn't going the way Summer Snow had hoped it would. When faced with another disappointment in love and struggles at the children's bookstore she runs, Summer may just have a chance to change the course of her life when presented with a list lovingly composed by her granny.

Along for the ride, Martin Langtree not only gets the opportunity to go on an adventure, but rekindles a long-lost friendship. But could it become more than that?

I had high hopes for Summer's List by Anita Higman. I've enjoyed several of her novels in the past and the premise of this one sounded intriguing. A list to inspire adventure? Yes! A longtime friendship reunited? Yes! Unfortunately though, I was sadly disappointed.

Summer is mostly a loveable character and her relationship with Granny is sweet, but I felt as if the execution of this whole story was just slightly...off.

First, the dialogue throughout the whole book is much too formal. I understand it coming from Martin (an intelligent, geeky guy) but that trickled over into the other characters and created confusion for me. I also missed the sense of feeling and emotion that makes characters (and their relationships) jump off the page. It's the kind of depth that is imbued into a scene by details, descriptions, and thoughts. The chemistry was also mostly lacking between Summer and Martin, but when it was there it was fast, intense, and slightly out of the blue. It was also difficult to connect with the story because the reader was not accurately "dropped" into a characters head. Summer and Martin blurred on the page.

There were some great parts and creative ideas that I did enjoy, but overall I wasn't invested in the story even though I desperately wanted to be. Sad to say, I can't really recommend this, but I know others have read it and enjoyed it.

Rating: 2.8*
(I'm rounding up to 3* for Goodreads, Amazon, etc.)
Purchase: Summer's List

Book Description
(from Anita's website)

A dying wish alters the course of a young woman's life.

Life hadn't been easy for Summer Snow. In acts of selflessness-caring for her ailing parents and running her grandmother's bookstore-she had forfeited her youth and dreams for the needs of others. And the only tries she had at love... didn't turn out. She had the bookstore, she had her beloved granny, but she was missing something-or someone.

Opportunity strikes when Granny sends Summer on an unexpected adventure with one Martin Langtree, a kind but gangly young man from Summer's past. A childhood friendship is rekindled, a romance is sparked, and mysteries are solved in one magical Texas summer. Will Summer strike out on love again, or will things finally go her way?

With lovable characters and surprising twists, Summer's List is a simple delight.

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I received a free copy of this book for review purposes, but was under no obligation to read the book or post a review. I do so under my own motivation and the opinions I have expressed in this review are honest and entirely my own.

Anita Higman | Spread the Christmas Joy

Three Christmas Memories

My grandmother, Flossie Metzler, had the most wonderful imagination when it came to traditions, especially at Christmastime. She made certain that Christmas Eve was the most exciting night of the year for her grandchildren. She would even go outside in the cold night on Christmas Eve just to jingle some bells, so that we would know for sure that Santa had arrived with his sleigh. My grandparents had no fireplace for the jolly man in red, but somehow that didn’t matter. My brother and I had more than enough imagination to fill in the gaps. I’m sure we fell asleep dreaming of sugar plums and reindeer and, of course, Old St. Nick with his bundle of toys! That is, if we ever slept at all.

Long before video cameras were popular my father would record our Christmas mornings on cassette tapes. The tearing of paper, the squeals of delight, and hopefully the thank yous, were all recorded there. Decades later I still have those tapes tucked away in a box. This holiday season I think I’ll dig them out of the closet and share a few childhood Christmas memories with my own children.

Rarely does Houston get snow, and it’s even rarer for us to be gifted with a white Christmas. But a few years ago flakes began to fall all around our city on Christmas Eve. In nearby towns even more of the white fluffy stuff was reported. So, the next morning after our family had opened our presents and eaten our big meal we drove to the deepest snow we could find. We laughed and played until we’d had our fill. It was one of those serendipity Christmas days that will never be forgotten.

Merry Christmas!

***

Anita is offering up 2 copies of her novel A Question of Destiny.

Leave a comment to enter!

Best-selling and award-winning author, Anita Higman, has forty books published. She’s been a Barnes & Noble “Author of the Month” for Houston and has a BA in the combined fields of speech communication, psychology, and art. Anita loves good movies, exotic teas, and brunch with her friends.

Website: http://www.anitahigman.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAnitaHigman
Twitter: https://twitter.com/anitahigman

RE:View | Texas Wildflowers by Anita Higman

Set in four exotic locations in Texas and following the lives of the McBride sisters, Texas Wildflowers by Anita Higman will keep you entertained as well as intrigued! 

These four novellas set in Texas take on that "bigger than life" feeling almost everything in Texas has - they may be short, but they are not without rich flavor and sweet romance to boot.  I really enjoyed the pace of the stories.  Knowing that they are novellas, the plot tends to move more quickly than a full-length novel will, which allows you to complete a full story in one sitting if you have the time.  I recommend this compilation to anyone looking for a light read and who would enjoy a smattering of different locations and various characters tied together by family.  Anita does a good job of giving the sisters their own personalities and traits, as well as bringing in the "right" guy at the right time in their lives.

***

Rosy McBride faces something no woman wants to - being left at the alter by her husband-to-be.  Woven in this story are themes of family and the idea of looking outwardly when sometimes you'd rather not face "real life".  

For Lily McBride, a counselor with her own business, life appeared to be handing her something impossible.  When a potential client not only sparks Lily's astute counselor mind but also her romantic interest she must face the vows she's made as a counselor and make one of the hardest decisions.

Violet McBride is nothing like her online persona.  She is neither romantic nor daring in her lifestyle.  Happy to settle for the idea of companionship rather than love, she faces a shock when Morgan boldly enters the picture.  Will she give in to her less-than-practical side?

Giving up her job due to moral principles, Heather finds herself faced with a new resolve - to tell the truth, no matter what.  Will this help her or get her into more trouble?  Evan Finch also enters the picture with a random request that may just send them into a whole new life together. 

***

If you missed my interview of Anita on Wednesday, make sure and check it out [here].

__________________________

I received a free copy of this book for review purposes, but was under no obligation to read the book or post a review. I do so under my own motivation and the opinions I have expressed in this review are honest and entirely my own.  

Anita Higman {Writer Wednesday}

My guest for today is author Anita Higman:

Best-selling and award-winning author, Anita Higman, has over thirty books published (several coauthored) for adults and children and has four more books releasing in 2013. She’s been a Barnes & Noble “Author of the Month” for Houston and has a BA degree, combining speech communication, psychology, and art. Anita loves good movies, exotic teas, and brunch with her friends.

How to connect with Anita...
Website: anitahigman.com
Facebook: Anita Higman - Reader Page
And on Twitter


Author Interview | Anita Higman
[Anita had some questions prepared so they will differ slightly from previous interviews.]

You & Writing

Tell us a bit about Texas Wildflowers
...Texas Wildflowers is a 4-in-1 novella collection through Barbour Publishing. Each novella is set in an exotic location in Texas. They are lighthearted romances, and they’re all tied together with the four McBride sisters.

Which of the four novellas was the most fun to write? ...They were each fun to write in their own way, but my favorite character was Lily, the counselor, in Forget Me Not Lily. She was quirky and fun, relatable and loveable. At least that’s what I hope readers will feel.

Was it hard to write four separate stories and keep them fresh?
...That task was very hard, because it is so easy to repeat plot elements and character traits and bits of dialogue. I had to constantly check myself to make sure the stories and characters were as unique as they could be.

All these novellas are set in Texas. Are the towns and parks real?
...Yes, in fact one of the novellas is set in Big Bend National Park, where my husband and I went on vacation. So, when you read about the characters on certain trails, they’re real, and we hiked them!

Did you have a favorite book when you were a child?
...I loved fairytales. Cinderella was my favorite.

Do you have a vacation spot you’d love to visit?
...I’m dreaming of Ireland. My husband and I plan to travel there next summer. Can’t wait! Then I’m going to use the emerald isle as a setting in one of my novels.

How long have you known you wanted to be a writer?
...When I was very young (I don’t remember my age) I started working on a novel about a man from Mars who wanted to go to college in New York. I never finished that novel, but it left an impression on me. I knew deep down that telling stories was my dream, even though I didn’t get around to fulfilling it until I was in my thirties.

When readers finish the last page of Texas Wildflowers, what do you want them to come away with?
...I would love for them to be inspired, challenged, and entertained. If I accomplished even one of those things I would feel my writing time wasn’t wasted.

You

What are 5 things that your readers might not know about you?
...While I was in college I tried working in a pillow factory. I was terrible at it. I got so weary with the repetition I started yakking with the woman next to me. We got reprimanded over and over until I quit. I discovered one thing from that college job—talking is something I excel at.
...I once won a hog-calling contest at a banquet. I was not embarrassed, but I should have been.
...I have a bird phobia, and yet I love birds! (That is, from a distance.) My house is filled with the fake kind—prints on the walls, statues, and general bird doodads. Go figure.
...I keep some interesting treasures near me when I write—a wooden jewelry box my son made me when he was in school, a candle from the 1960s, a hat once owned by a famous mystery writer, the inner parts of a music box, a birthday card that plays The Twilight Zone theme song, and an old family toy helicopter that says, “Going up.”
...Thirty-four years ago I rappelled off a cliff alongside the man I was dating. We kissed in mid-air while dangling off that cliff. I ended up marrying that man, and we've celebrated our 33rd wedding anniversary!

Where do all your ideas come from?
...Ideas flood in from everywhere—while I’m running errands, or chatting with a friend, or drifting off to sleep. I have pieces of paper all over the place with scribbles about book ideas and characters and titles. Sometimes I can’t read my notes later. I need a full-time assistant to help me stay organized. Any volunteers?

What's your favorite snack to eat when writing?
...Nuts & popcorn

Do you believe in New Year's resolutions? If so, care to share one of yours?
...Yes, I believe in New Year's resolutions. One resolution this year will be to spend more time studying the Bible.

What is one thing you're looking forward to in 2013?
...Traveling to Ireland for a vacation and for research.
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Thank you, Anita!  That was a great interview.  I love the fact that you admit it was hard to write four different novellas and keep them separate and unique! And here I thought it was just me ;)  I'm looking forward to the new books you have coming out this year - I bet they will be just as good as Texas Wildflowers.  I'm also excited for Friday when I'll be posting my own review of Texas Wildflowers - make sure you check back so you don't miss it!