Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Waiting on Wednesday - The Sandcastle Girls; Chris Bohjalian


Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we are eagerly anticipating! Want to participate? Post your own WOW entry on your blog, and leave your link at Breaking the Spine. My pick is a new one coming out this summer from a favorite author:
The Sandcastle Girls; Chris Bohjalian
July 17th -Doubleday
(description)

The Sandcastle Girls is a sweeping historical love story steeped in Chris Bohjalian's Armenian heritage.

When Elizabeth Endicott arrives in Aleppo, Syria she has a diploma from Mount Holyoke, a crash course in nursing,  and only the most basic grasp of the Armenian language.  The year is 1915 and she has volunteered on behalf of the Boston-based Friends of Armenia to help deliver food and medical aid to refugees of the Armenian genocide.  There Elizabeth becomes friendly with Armen, a young Armenian engineer who has already lost his wife and infant daughter.  When Armen leaves Aleppo and travels south into Egypt to join the British army, he begins to write Elizabeth letters, and comes to realize that he has fallen in love with the wealthy, young American woman who is so different from the wife he lost.

Fast forward to the present day, where we meet Laura Petrosian, a novelist living in suburban New York.  Although her grandparents' ornate Pelham home was affectionately nicknamed "The Ottoman Annex," Laura has never really given her Armenian heritage much thought. But when an old friend calls, claiming to have seen a newspaper photo of Laura's grandmother promoting an exhibit at a Boston museum, Laura embarks on a journey back through her family's history that reveals love, loss - and a wrenching secret that has been buried for generations.

29 comments:

  1. I just finished one of his books which I thought rather thrilling! this sounds another good one.

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  2. I saw this on a publishers website a while ago and checked t out- sounds really interesting! I love a historical love story <3

    My WoW: http://pocketfulofbooksblogger.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/waiting-on-wednesday_28.html

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  3. This one does sound good. Chris Bohjalian has quite a range of topics for his books, doesn't he? I'll put it on my "watch" list for the summer.

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  4. I haven't yet read this author, but I've been wanting to....this one sounds like the perfect place to start. Thanks!

    Here's MY WOW POST

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  5. Oh, this sounds good. I didn't know he had a new book out. Love that cover, too!

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  6. I also have never read anything by this author, though I do have two of his books on my shelf. This one sounds exceptionally good too, and like something I could really lose myself in. Great spotlight on this one. It's going on my list!

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  7. I JUST saw something about this yesterday...had no idea he had a new one coming out. Love him! Great pick...

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  8. I don't think I've read anything by Chris Bohjalian, and it isn't what I usually read but this sounds really good. Thanks for the suggestion. Please check out my Wow!

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  9. You really have my interest peaked with this one!

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  10. I had no idea Bohjalian had a new book coming out! I think I will wait to read some reviews before I decide whether or not to read it.

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  11. This looks so good. I'll have to check it out. Thanks for posting! :)

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  12. I've read three books by this author and wasn't crazy about any of them. So I'll skip this.

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  13. I think I'll add this to my list. I've never read a book set in Armenia in any time period. Love a historical mystery too.

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  14. This might be interesting, if only because I don't know much about Armenia.

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  15. I recently discovered this and am curious about it. It certainly sounds like something that I would enjoy.
    - FABR Steph

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  16. I haven't heard of this book before. o.o But it really sounds promising! Thank you for sharing it with the rest of us!! :)

    Patricia // My WOW

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  17. My father's best friend was Armenian, and I always considered his family part of ours, because the war in Armenia had left them with so little family to speak of. I can't wait to read this!

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  18. This one sounds fantastic! I'm already looking forward to reading it. Thanks, Diane!

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  19. I'm going to be reviewing this around the release date and I can't wait! Great pick today Diane!

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  20. I haven't read any Chis Bojalian but I love the idea of marrying the present with historical fiction.
    I also love that you added me to your sidebar... Thank you Diane!

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  21. I'm so excited about this book. I just received an e-galley and I can't wait to read it.

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  22. I always marvel at just how many good ones you come up with!

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  23. I am impatiently waiting on this too! The cover is stunning.

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  24. I haven't heard about this one, but it sounds great.

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  25. I'm all over this one! How can he write faster than I can read his books???? I think it sounds great...love your choice!

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  26. This author really seems to mix things up. I still need to read his last book.

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  27. I'm very excited that Chris Bohjalian is coming out with a new book and it says really interesting. He is such a prolific author!

    Thank you for posting about this book, Diane!

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  28. Drawn by the title and the review, this is a must for me. Thanks!

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