#NewClassicReads Blog Hop 2013!

Welcome to the Classic Reads Blog Hop!

Firstly I am delighted to be part of this Classic Reads blog hop sponsored by Terri Giuliano Long, Rachel Thompson, Molly Greene and Christine Nolfi.

I LOVE all sorts of books so this was a chance for me to get to know a host of new books.

The question that come to mind is What Makes A Classic Read?

I cannot say I have the answer to the question but I have my answer at the moment.

I suppose for me I fell in love with Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird as a teenager. It was one of the set books that I had to study and I had never read it before. What drew me into the world Harper describes was not only the description, but rich language, the viewpoint of the child and the character's who highlighted different aspects of humanity. The issues of how we treat people who are different to us struck home and has stayed with me. The book encompasses themes of prejudice, interracial relationships, stereotyping and discrimination all through the eyes of a child.

I am delighted that my children have it as a set book so I have been able to revisit this with them too. Each time I reread it I discover something new, something fresh that really makes me think!

Here is a flavour of the sponsors books. I am sure you will agree there is something for everyone!

Mark of the Loon - Molly Greene

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Mark-of-the-Loon-ebook/dp/B00838H1OY

 Synopsis: What happens when a workaholic serial remodeler falls in love with an old stone cottage built by an ornithologist and his eccentric Irish wife? If you’re Madison Boone, you kick your budding romance with handsome Psych Professor Coleman Welles to the curb and lose yourself in a new project.
Madison renovates distressed homes in addition to her busy real estate sales career. When she hears about a quaint house on a private tract of land overlooking Lake Sonoma, she climbs in the window for a private tour and falls in love with the place. Good fortune enables her to purchase the Blackburne’s property, but far more than a new home and lush gardens await discovery during this renovation.
As Madison works on the remodel, she’s drawn into an old love story with dangerous consequences. She unearths buried secrets and discovers herself in the process. Good thing she has three wise, hilarious friends to advise her along the way! Mark of the Loon is the skillful combination of history, mystery, and romance in a novel that explores deep friendship, choices, and how individuals cope with loss.

In Leah's Wake - Terri Giuliano Long

Link: http://www.amazon.com/In-Leahs-Wake-ebook/dp/B0044XV7PG
Synopsis: A Story of Love, Loss, Connection, and Grace

At the heart of the seemingly perfect Tyler family stands sixteen-year-old Leah. Her proud parents are happily married, successful professionals. Her adoring younger sister is wise and responsible beyond her years. And Leah herself is a talented athlete with a bright collegiate future. But living out her father’s lost dreams, and living up to her sister’s worshipful expectations, is no easy task for a teenager. And when temptation enters her life in the form of drugs, desire, and a dangerously exciting boy, Leah’s world turns on a dime from idyllic to chaotic to nearly tragic.
As Leah’s conflicted emotions take their toll on those she loves—turning them against each other and pushing them to destructive extremes—In Leah’s Wake powerfully explores one of fiction’s most enduring themes: the struggle of teenagers coming of age, and coming to terms with the overwhelming feelings that rule them and the demanding world that challenges them. Terri Giuliano Long’s skillfully styled and insightfully informed debut novel captures the intensely personal tragedies, victories, and revelations each new generation faces during those tumultuous transitional years.
Recipient of multiple awards and honors, In Leah’s Wake is a compelling and satisfying reading experience with important truths to share—by a new author with the voice of a natural storyteller and an unfailingly keen understanding of the human condition…at every age.

Second Chance Grill - Christine Nolfi

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Second-Chance-Liberty-Series-ebook/dp/B009Y4ZSFK

Synopsis: Dr. Mary Chance needs a sabbatical from medicine to grieve the loss of her closest friend. But when she inherits a struggling restaurant in Liberty, Ohio she isn’t prepared for Blossom Perini. Mary can’t resist falling for the precocious preteen—or the girl’s father. The bond they forge will transform all their lives and set in motion an outpouring of love that spreads across America.
Welcome back to Liberty, where the women surrounding the town’s only restaurant are as charming as they are eccentric.
Second Chance Grill is the prequel to Treasure Me, 2012 Next Generation Indie Awards Finalist, which The Midwest Book Review calls “A riveting read for those who enjoy adventure fiction, highly recommended.”

Broken Pieces - Rachel Thompson

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Broken-Pieces-ebook/dp/B00AR0T74S

Synopsis: Welcome to bestselling author Rachel Thompson's newest work! Vastly different in tone from her previous essay collections A Walk In The Snark and The Mancode: Exposed, BROKEN PIECES is a collection of pieces inspired by life: love, loss, abuse, trust, grief, and ultimately, love again.

You can find out more here:http://terriglong.com/blog/classic-reads-blog-hop-2013/

a Rafflecopter giveaway So why not hop along to blogs and find  more Classic Reads!