Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Book Review: Love and Other Subjects

by: Kathleen Shoop

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:
For every woman who thought she chose the wrong career…

In Love and Other Subjects Carolyn Jenkins strives for two things—to be the greatest teacher ever and to find true love. She’s as skilled at both as an infant chowing down with a fork. Carolyn’s suburban upbringing and genuine compassion for people who don’t fit effortlessly into society are no match for weapon-wielding, struggling students, drug-using colleagues, and a wicked principal.

Meanwhile, her budding relationship with a mystery man is thwarted by his gaggle of eccentric sisters. Carolyn depends on her friends to get her through the hard times, but with poverty-stricken children at her feet and a wealthy man at her side, she must define who she is. The reality of life after college can be daunting—the road to full-fledged adulthood is long and unscripted. Can Carolyn take control and craft the life she’s always wanted?

My first impression when I sat down to read this story was joy that it is a novel! My 2nd impression was, I love Carolyn! She is goofy, struggling with her career, and a bit socially awkward. I'm VERY socially awkward and I can't seem to figure out what I want to do with myself. Granted, she knew she wanted to be a teacher who makes a difference, but between the students and the principal, she was struggling through her first year.

"I made people laugh. Not because I was witty, but because I was ridiculous." - Carolyn in Love and Other Subjects.

When the story started, I kept waiting for her to quit and find a new career. She didn't seem to be a good fit, and she kept butting heads with Klein, the principal. She'd have to deal with him and then her students would do something horrifying. The stress she was under, I just gained so much respect for this character because she never gave up. She had a goal, and fought for it.

One evening, after having been shot in the foot with a BB gun, she met Jeep (aka Money). He was handsome and his very touch sent shock-waves through her body. She felt a "soul-slip"; which I think is the least cheesy soul-mate thing ever. But even this isn't perfect. They both keep messing up, too stubborn. I'll give him credit, he was very sweet and natural with her.

It's also really funny in many parts. Yes, crude, but I couldn't help but snort-laugh when she woke herself with very loud farts during her first sleep-over with Jeep. You end up wanting what's best for her, but who knows what that is? You just have to keep reading. I was nearly late for work last night, I just had to finish! lol

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Book Review: A Different Witch

by: Debora Geary

Available at Amazon

Synopsis:
A Note from Debora: For those of you who haven't discovered my witches yet, I invite you to start with book one, A Modern Witch. Some series can be read out of order - this isn't one of them :).

For the rest of you who have been eagerly awaiting this release... happy reading - and thank you!

..................

Witch Central welcomes everyone. Or does it?

Twenty months ago, Jamie and Lauren crashed a coven meeting in Chicago - a visit they barely remember. For Beth Landler, it was the moment that fractured her circle and awakened her need for an entirely different kind of magic.

The kind only found in Witch Central. If she can dig up the courage to go.

A Different Witch is book five of the top-rated A Modern Witch series. Light contemporary fantasy with a good dose of humor, a little romance, and characters you won't want to leave.

I agree with Debora's note, that's why I included it. You really should start with book 1, which I have also reviewed. Oh I have reviewed them all! They fall under paranormal, but not really romance. Plus they are light and fun, big problems that are still light compared to man-eating werewolves. I guess I'm saying, it's low on the violence and gore scale.

This is the 5th book in the Modern Witch series. There are a whole bunch of characters that we've been learning more about along the way, and new ones in each book that don't seem to go away quietly. The witches of Witch Central, what they call themselves in Berkley, CA...and a little bit from Nova Scotia. Having fully figured out how to transport through the Witch Central game, travel is no longer an issue.

I love how Debora can keep it fresh, in what is really the 8th book she's written about some of these people. And this was unique in that the new witch has Aspergers and was taken without warning. A cross between the fetching spell and the travel spell and Beth found herself way outside her comfort zone. Beth came through, though with less scaring than poor Nell. See, Nell is a fighter and she just doesn't know how to get through to Beth without succumbing to her own frustrations.

All in all, it was another fantastic story in a long line of them. These really are quite easy to take. Not a lot of violence or even sex, I would let my teens read them without pause.

Additional note - if you have a Nook instead of a Kindle, you can purchase the Kindle version and send your receipt to Debora. She will then get you an ePub copy for your Nook.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Tarot Review: The Housewives Tarot

by: Paul Kepple and Jude Buffum

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:
Within This Box Lie The Secrets of Domestic Empowerment

Begin your journey by lifting the lid, dealing out your fate, and understanding the hidden messages of The Housewives Tarot. Through images of dinnerware (Pentacles), martini glasses (Cups), mops and brooms (Wands), and much more, these tarot cards can answer all of life’s most challenging questions. The enclosed instruction book will show you how to interpret all 78 cards and provides useful advice on giving a reading.

Includes:
78-card Tarot Deck

Instruction Book

I have to say this Tarot comes across as more kitsch than anything else. But I loved seeing the pictures on Mrs. B's Facebook page. So when the opportunity came up to review the deck for Quirk, I jumped at the chance. Ok, I begged. lol I have to say, it's the most accurate Tarot deck I've used. I think part of it is the imaging. Look at the Devil card - Devil's Food Cake. Every image screams 1950s-1960s household...not just housewives. It's loaded with vintage pop culture that many of us will understand more easily than the images that are more...how do I put this..artsy-fartsy? ;-)
I'm saying, in this modern world, this deck is fun and it works. I've done simple readings, just past-present-future, and each one has been accurate and eye opening. I also adore the recipe box the cards come in. There are actual recipes, and separators for the deck between the Major and Minor Arcana and of course the instruction booklet. There are real recipes included, and the layouts included in the booklet are housewife style. Remember the 3 card reading I just mentioned? It calls to place the cards sideways and renamed it "The Neapolitan." There's also "The Dinette" which looks like a place setting at your dinner table. If nothing else, it's the most unique deck and set of instructions that I've ever seen in the world of Tarot. And I'm one to spend ages in that section at my local pagan store.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Book Review: Blueblood

by: Matthew Iden

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:
Four unrelated murders. Nothing special in Washington DC. Not even good enough to make the evening news. But then a concerned police lieutenant approaches retired homicide detective Marty Singer with a simple fact that changes everything.

They were all cops.

In a race to stop the killings, Marty tackles the case from the outside, chasing the killer from deadly Southeast DC to the heart of the Virginia gangland, on a mission to stop the spilling of yet more Blueblood.

I beta-read and reviewed the first Marty Singer book, A Reason to Live. I thought it was excellent. I went through a phase of reading all the Michael Connelly books I could get my hands on. I also adore Jonathan Kellerman. My point being I love a well-written, gritty, crime novel. Iden does not disappoint. I honestly would put him up there with those 2 authors, and better than some others. Any publisher that didn't sign this guy should be regretting it now. The Marty Singer novels are superb.

Marty Singer, if you remember from the 1st novel, is a retired homicide detective fighting cancer. It means, our hero is unique. He has the knowledge and the experience as a 1st rate detective, but his illness leaves him easily tired and weakened overall. It means that, not only are you on the edge of your seat wondering who-done-it, but you are wondering if Marty is going to be able to complete the case with or without assistance. Not to mention wondering how his cancer is doing.

And I'm not lying when I say I was on the edge in this one. At one point I thought I was to the wrapping up stage. And this tends to be where I get bored. And I started relaxing and just wanted to see what Marty still had to do and if there'd be more news from his Doctor, when something so shocking took place I literally jumped.

It's the 2nd novel in the Marty Singer series, and fully worth the read. And BTW folks, that's not all he's done. He has several short story collections and other books that I found free at Amazon. Probably not free anymore, but reasonably priced since he's a self-published author. A diamond in the ruff, for sure!

Friday, January 11, 2013

Guest Blog:How My Fading Eyesight Taught Me to Focus on What Counts

Guest Post written by: Ingrid Ricks

I’ll never forget my dad’s words to me shortly after I was diagnosed with the degenerative eye disease, Retinitis Pigmentosa.

We were on the phone and I was nursing a water glass filled with wine, trying to numb my fear and terror over the future that awaited me. We’d had a tension-filled conversation, with me snapping at my dad every time he asked a question or tried to make conversation. Finally, after a long minute of silence, he had one last thing to say.

“Look, I know what you are going through is hard,” he said, his tone careful and measured. “I admit that losing my eyesight would be really tough. But let me tell you something I know for sure. I know that when something is taken away from you, something else is given to you in its place.”

It took every ounce of control I had not to slam down the phone. I didn’t know what possible good could come out of going blind, and it angered me that he had the nerve to suggest such a thing. But nearly nine lesson-filled years later, I’ve discovered that my dad was right. As a direct result of my fading eyesight, I’ve learned to see what counts in life and to make every moment count—a gift that no amount of vision loss can take from me.

For more than a decade I had dreamed of writing my coming-of-age memoir and resuming the social issues journalism career I loved. I had crossed over into the more lucrative, certain profession of marketing and PR to put my husband through law school and then felt trapped in that career when our two daughters came along and bills mounted. I wanted to write my book so much my gut ached. But I convinced myself it wasn’t the responsible thing to do.

Then my eyesight started closing in on me, and it occurred to me that I didn’t have forever and that the time to embrace life and start living it was NOW.

I wish I could say my epiphany was immediate. But it was actually years in the making. First I had to confront personal fears and terrors. I had to travel to Africa to write about AIDS orphans and gain perspective on what real suffering was. I had to learn to let go of my controlling ways, to trust my husband and work as a team. In the end, I had to heed a life lesson from our two daughters.

Three years ago, shortly before my forty-third birthday, the two of them were joking around and decided to do a parody of me as an old woman. They bent over, pretended like they were walking with a cane, and in the most crotchety voice they could muster, they both shouted, “My book, my book. I have to finish my book!”

It was the final push I needed. With my husband’s encouragement and full support, I cut back on my client work and gave myself permission to go after my dream. The journey since then has been amazing. I published my coming-of-age memoir Hippie Boy: A Girl’s Story in October 2011 and shortly afterward was invited to form an author partnership with an English teacher at a nearby alternative high school, where we used Hippie Boy as a guide to help at-risk teens write and publish their personal stories in a powerful anthology, We Are Absolutely Not Okay: Fourteen Stories by Teenagers Who Are Picking Up the Pieces.

I now divide my time between book writing and continuing my work with at-risk teens. I’ve re-prioritized my relationship with my husband and daughters and I wake up every day determined to embrace every moment I have.

What my journey with my blinding eye disease has taught me is that no one is immune to disease or death, life can change in an instant and all we have for certain is Now. So we better make NOW count.

More than anything, that’s the message I hope readers will take away from my new memoir, Focus.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Amazon / B&N

Thank you Ingrid, that was a great post. This was exactly what I loved from the book, how you really took a good hard look at your priorities and started shifting them. I'm sure it's a process you are still working on.

Now, dear readers, who would like to win a copy of Focus? Just leave a comment to be entered. Do you want extra entries? All right, just do the following and leave a comment when you complete each entry. I'll do a drawing next Friday.

Follow my blog.
Subscribe to Ingrid's blog - http://ingridricks.com/blog/
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Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Book Review: Focus - A Memoir

by: Ingrid Ricks

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:
In her powerful memoir FOCUS, Ingrid Ricks delves into the shock of discovering at age thirty-seven that she was in the advanced stages of Retinitis Pigmentosa, a devastating degenerative eye disease that doctors said would eventually steal her remaining eyesight. FOCUS takes readers into Ingrid’s world as she faces the crippling fear of not being able to see her two young daughters grow up, of becoming a burden to her husband, of losing the career she loves, and of being robbed of the independence that defines her.

Ultimately, FOCUS is about Ingrid’s quest to fix her eyes that ends up fixing her life. Through an eight-year journey marked by a trip to South Africa to write about AIDS orphans, a four-day visit with a doctor who focuses on whole-body health, a relationship-changing confrontation with her husband and a life-changing lesson from her daughters, Ingrid learns to embrace the moment and see what counts—something no amount of vision loss can take from her.

When I reviewed Hippie Boy, I told you I didn't even know it was a true story until I had finished reading it. Ingrid really does have a flair for words. She came to me and asked if I'd like to review it. I remembered her and knew for a fact I would love to read anything she writes. So here we are. And if you come back on Friday, she has sent along a guest post and a giveaway of her book Focus.

So, back to the book. Ingrid is writing about her degenerative eye disease, Retinitis Pigmentosa - which I'd never heard of before. She was going blind, slowly. And I wonder if that's worse. You are constantly aware of your field of vision getting smaller and smaller by degrees. She really does paint a vivid picture of the roller coaster of emotions.

Well, like most strong women, she wasn't willing to just accept the diagnosis and crawl into a corner. Her husband started problem solving and they moved into the city she she could use public transportation for anything she couldn't walk to. And she found a new doctor with alternative treatments. While it didn't cure her eyes, she did really come so much further than her journey through her childhood.

The fun thing in this book was reading about her desire to finish her memoir, Hippie Boy. She kept putting it off until her whole family was sick of hearing about it. There was a scene where her daughters were pretending to be her as an old woman saying, "My book! I need to finish my book!" and it was like a slap in the face. And then she made it happen. I'm glad she did, it was so good.

The not so comfortable bits were seeing things that I do that aren't helping me in my life there in print form. This memoir will make you laugh, cry, and think...much more than you probably want to. But it's totally worth the time and effort. And really, it's not much time. This woman has a way of grabbing you by the eyes and holding on until she's ready to let go.

I freaked out when I had forgotten the timeline I promised to review it in. I started reading it on Tuesday night. I finished it Wednesday morning during my workout. Seriously, like 2 hours. While I get that it's only 100 pages long, that time still went by incredibly fast - not a boring moment in here. And a funny little twist, she also talked about stem cells. She needs to talk to Amy from Monday! lol

Monday, January 7, 2013

Book Review: This is How I Save My Life

by: Amy B. Scher

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:
Fueled by her self-created motto "when life kicks your ass, kick back," a fiery 20-something woman with a debilitating, often misdiagnosed disease ventures to a tiny clinic in India for a controversial embryonic stem cell treatment. In hopes of saving her miserably failing body, she finds not only a world full of wandering cows, cultural mayhem and radical medical treatment, but also a piece of her life that she never even knew she was looking for.

Join Amy as she takes you on her heartwarming and often hilarious journey, wildly grasping at hope for health while still trying to remain focused on the journey. Find out how this experimental and widely criticized treatment saves her life. And, learn the life altering lesson Amy had to travel more than 10,000 miles from home to discover. A powerful and uplifting story of sheer determination when all hope appears lost. For anyone who believes in (or doubts) the existence of miracles and the infinite power of self-healing.

The book is brilliant. I'm in awe of this woman who spent so long losing a battle with Lyme Disease. She went to India for stem cell treatment. The stem cells used, are from a single embryo that was donated to the doctor from a couple who had embryos made up for fertility treatment. When they reached success, they wanted to give something back.

It's a very easy going book, being that it's mostly made up of blog entries that Amy wrote while undergoing treatment. And reading about her healing is just amazing. Why are we not doing this here???

It's also a wonderful study of the culture shock when a San Francisco gal goes to one of the largest cities in India, Delhi. I'm still in love with India, but I'm less eager to move there. lol

Amy doesn't really pull any stops. She's working her butt off to get rid of the Lyme and all the things that go along with it, and she's sharing it all right here with us.

Friday, January 4, 2013

Book Review: The Last Policeman

by: Ben Winters

**I received a review copy from Quirk Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Some people like Jersey Shore, and some like Survivor...me, I secretly love Post-Apocalyptic stories (movies or books). This is unique, it's Pre-Apocalyptic. There is a meteor heading for the Earth, and scientists know it's pretty much going to wipe everything out.

So the question becomes, what would you do? People that have gone off to do the things they always wanted to before they die are said to have "gone bucket list." And there are tons of suicides and people quitting their jobs left and right. Personally I enjoyed all the corporations folding.

The thing is, you still gotta eat and everything of course gets really expensive. So there are also a lot of people still working. The central character in The Last Policeman is a young man who really isn't long out of the academy. He is promoted to detective because...well...who else is there? He comes upon a suicide that just doesn't sit right with him. But we are kept guessing, is it a murder or is this cop just looking to investigate before the end comes?

It's well written, fast paced and way better than the Jane Austen mash-ups. His book Bedbugs was really good too. This guy does a much better job on his own, that's all I'm saying. So go pick up a copy if you think you can handle this dark and lonely tale.

This is the first book in the Last Policeman Trilogy - see my reviews of 2 & 3 here.

**This post was originally published on January 4, 2013, it was updated to fulfill a new review request**

Book Review: The Last Policeman

Friday, December 21, 2012

Book Review: Saturday Night Cleaver

by: Karen Cantwell

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:
Poor Barb. She just can't stay out of trouble, no matter how hard she tries. But this time she has a good reason: family friend Colt Baron has gone missing. When soccer mom, Barbara Marr, and her ex-FBI husband, Howard, begin following clues in a search for their treasured pal, they find themselves crashing a rather racy sort of party – a soiree for swinging couples. Awkward. What they learn there is...interesting. But the question is, does the information lead them to Colt?

This fourth book in the Barbara Marr Murder Mystery Series teams Barb with her handsome husband Howard in yet another rollicking and hilarious suburban fiasco..

If you've been a follower of this blog, or my Facebook page, then you already know I love Karen Cantwell. She's a wonderful lady and a wonderful author. I look forward to her Barbara Marr mysteries more than any other series I can think of.

Want to know a big moment for me? I was asked to Beta read this one. Oh yeah, I was squealing like a little girl. But she ran out of time so I only got a review copy. Yeah, I'm not complaining.

It's great. Barbara finds herself in trouble, again. But this time she's with her husband. And he's not telling her no, or keeping her out of it. He has her help him. I think he's stir crazy, honestly. There are more surprising angles than ever before, and you will be shocked right to the very end. And best of all? It also stays pretty silly.

So you will laugh and laugh and gasp. ;) Right now it's only $1.00, easy investment for some relaxation during these holidays.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Guest Blog: Tale of a Kindle Convert

Guest Post written by: Libby Mercer

I never thought I’d do it. About a year and a half ago, I remember being on the tube with some friends of mine. We were on our way home after a birthday drinks ‘do, and my friend, Samir, was showing me his e-reader. I can’t remember which model it was – or even which brand – but I do remember my reaction.

I wrinkled my nose and started spouting off about how I stare at my laptop screen all day, and the last thing I wanted to do was to forsake my beloved paperbacks for yet another electronic screen. Surely those little screens couldn’t be good for the eyes. All my life, I’d relished the ritual of getting into bed with a good old-fashioned printed, paper book. I couldn’t imagine getting into bed with a silly electronic reader. The very idea!

Fast-forward about a year and my debut novel, Fashioning a Romance, had been contracted and published… in the digital format only. I still felt that paper books were best, but I knew I had to get with the times. I bought a Kindle – the most basic kind I could find – and let me tell you something shocking, folks: I haven’t purchased a printed book since.

I know, huh? I never could have predicted that I would end up opting for the digital books over the printed books, but that’s exactly what happened. And I love my Kindle. No longer do the covers of my paperbacks get bent and scratched up from being tossed around inside my backpack. No longer do I have to lug around the extra weight of books in my suitcase when I travel. No longer am I making my cramped apartment even less hospitable by adding to the piles of books cluttering my front hall.

And as shocking as it is, these days I even prefer reading the Kindle in bed. You see: I’ve got this new system for when I’m really tired. I position the Kindle cover so that it forms a triangle and set it up on the bed. I don’t even have to hold it as I read. Of course, since I started doing this, I’ve fallen asleep with the Kindle on – and with the light on – more than a few times, but that’s okay.

All in all, I’m so glad I opened my mind to the world of e-readers. And I must also give a nod to the fabulous instant gratification aspect of ordering an e-book and being able to read it right away. In my case, the gratification is not quite instant. Because my Kindle is such a basic model, it’s only got Wi-Fi, so if I’m at home and have just ordered a book that I’d like to read right away, I have to go stand in front of the Starbucks down the street from me to pick up their signal. I know many of the more tech-savvy readers out there will shake their heads in disbelief, wondering how I can be so behind the times? I say: baby steps, my friends. I’ve only just arrived in the world of digital reading, so I’ll stick with the basic model for now. So far, it’s serving me just fine.

About the Author:

Born and raised in the Midwest, Libby Mercer’s adventurous spirit kicked in after graduating from high school, and she’s since lived in Boston, NYC and London. San Francisco is the city she currently calls home. For several years, Libby worked in fashion – first as a journalist and then as a shopkeeper. She also dabbled in design for a while. Even through the crazy fashion years, Libby never let go of her dream of being a published author, and has since developed her signature writing style, crafting quirky chick lit/romance hybrids. Fashioning a Romance was her first published novel, and Unmasking Maya will be her second. Libby has a third novel, The Karmic Connection, scheduled for release in 2013.

Links:

Blog: http://libby-mercer.blogspot.com
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16147861-unmasking-maya
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LibbyMercer1
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Libby-Mercer-Author/184901528274900
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Unmasking-Maya-ebook/dp/B00AN7CCV0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355471953&sr=8-1&keywords=unmasking+maya

Monday, December 17, 2012

Book Review: Unmasking Maya

by: Libby Mercer

Available at Amazon

Synopsis:
Fresh from a career-killing scandal, New York fashion girl, Maya Kirkwood, arrives in San Francisco to reinvent herself as a fine artist. She's offered the opportunity to create an installation at the Silicon Valley headquarters of a hot new tech company. Fabulous, right?

Not so much.

She can't stand Derek Whitley - wunderkind software genius and CEO of the company. Hot as he may be on the outside, inside the man is a cold, unemotional, robotic type. Way too left-brained for her right-brained self.

As Maya and Derek get to know each other, however, their facades begin to crack. She catches her first glimpse of the man behind the superhuman tech prodigy, and he starts to see her as the woman she used to be. But is this a good thing? Once that last secret is revealed, will it bring them closer together or will it tear them apart?

Once I realized this was a romance, I was set to be bored and annoyed. No offense, dear readers, but I'm not a fan of romance novels. I love chick lit, but not romance. It's not always such a clear line, though.

However, I promised to review this so I stuck it out. And as it turned out, I actually enjoyed myself. It has a very fast pace and you will get through it quickly. Unmasking Maya would be a perfect vacation read.

The characters aren't developed as much as they could be, and that's why I think it falls more into Romance. Maya is not her real name, as she's trying to distance herself not only from the New York scandal but the scandal of her father that also left her feeling vulnerable through her teens.

While Derek is supposed to come across as this computer nerd type, he's always polite and considerate. Maya, however, is understandably gun-shy when it comes to ambitious men.

So if you are looking for a story to leave you feeling warm and fuzzy, this one will fit the bill.