Tuesday 7 October 2014

Blog Tour: Live For Today by Sandra Steiner.



"Lily looked over her shoulder and, seeing no one, began to relax. It was just her imagination. It had to be, didn’t it? She could not remember a time when she did not feel as though someone was watching her."

  Live for Today 

Spring Island Trilogy #2

Sandra Steiner 


Lily looked over her shoulder and, seeing no one, began to relax. It was just her imagination. It had to be, didn’t it? She could not remember a time when she did not feel as though someone was watching her.

Sitting on the beach watching the calm water always seemed to help to ease the panic. The waves were gently lapping against the driftwood on the beach. The sound of the seagulls was soothing. The smell of the salty ocean air was comforting. So why couldn’t she just relax? Today, it did not seem to be working.

Last night the dreams had kept her awake through most of the night. If only she knew what they meant. She was so tired of them. They had plagued her for her entire life, as long as she could remember anyhow. Today was a day filled with questions, and she just wanted answers. All her life she had worked at blocking memories.
Maybe it was time for her to lay her past to rest. The idea of it terrified her, and she really wasn’t sure why. She wanted to move forward in her life; it was time.


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Lily made the drive out to the ferry’s loading area. There were ferries that went every couple of hours or so. As she waited in line for the ferry to take her to the mainland, her mind drifted to her dreams. She pulled out her dream journal and began to make notes about what she knew about her past. It was difficult at first to think about it. But it was necessary. She knew that now. She had been keeping the journal for a while now; the counsellor had suggested that it might highlight some of the recurring events and make things easier to figure out.
Her mother’s name: Andrea Gail Hayes Her father’s name: Tyson John Hayes The town she was born in: Rollingway Birthday: 28 August 1980
Birth name: Corina Lily Hayes; now uses Lily Gordon (adoptive family name)
Vague memories of: Forest?
 Roses
.  Hiding in dark cupboard
She couldn’t remember much more, not yet at least.



This is the second book in The Spring Island Trilogy and another likeable read from Ms Steiner. Having read Cherish The Past, it was comforting to be taken back to Seaside and be reacquainted with some familiar characters.

We follow Lily on her search to find her identity. There are gaps in her childhood memory. So on the advice of her councillors, begins writing a dream journal. Lily hopes the journalling will provide clues in her nightmares, to help her remember events from her past. When they do, she leaves the island she calls home and embarks on a journey, where shocking discoveries and revelations lead to totally unexpected family ties and a surprising legacy.

A lot of detailed information is revealed throughout the story. At times it was a bit overwhelming to keep up with it all, as evidence is found and puzzle pieces start fitting together. Sandra is exceptionally gifted in her ability to set a scene with her beautiful descriptive writing. However I also wanted to hear and feel how the characters reacted, to understand the range of emotions they felt.

Overall a cosy and heartwarming read and I'm looking forward to reading the final part of this beautiful trilogy in my future.

3½ Stars


***arc received in exchange for an honest review***




Cherish the Past (Spring Trilogy Book #1)

Excerpt

Angie sighed. A small smile began to form as she recalled the moments that led up to this incredible feeling. Life was good-no, life was amazing. It hadn't always been, but today at forty-six, it sure was. She had reached a good space in her life. She was content, in love, at peace with her past, and excited about her future. Tomorrow she was marrying her soul mate. She had nearly given up hoping she would find him.
He had actually prayed that she would find him before his birthday. Or so he said, and she had no reason not to believe him. As she sat on the beach watching the waves roll in, the memories of a lifetime came crashing in, reminding her to cherish the past . . .

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Sandra Steiner relocated to Vancouver Island in 2010 to pursue a dream of living near the ocean.  She met her soul mate Cory in the spring of 2013 and a short six months later they were married. They combined lives, homes, children, and fur babies to create a life they both love.  They are both creative individuals and as Sandra writes, Cory composes music for an upcoming CD.
There are parallels in Sandra's writing and real life, that's true. However, the motive for writing her novels is to inspire her readers to be strong, independent women. Sandra believes if you believe in yourself, anything is possible. The novels are suitable for teen through adult readers. Both of Sandra's novels have been well received, and Cherish the Past has recently been awarded the gold seal of literary excellence!

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