Book Review: Summer Secrets

by: Jane Green

I was sent a hard copy to review from BookSparks PR for the Summer Reading Program.

I have to admit to being pleasantly surprised. I have been eying this book since it was released. I'm not a huge Jane Green fan, in fact I don't think I've ready anything of hers yet...but that has changed.

This book was so unique. The main character is a recovering alcoholic. She deals with her memories, she deals with the outcomes of her behavior. In the present she is trying to make up for not being available to her daughter. She also really misses her ex-husband. But instead of playing all sorts of manipulative games, that you regularly see in romance novels, Cat is honest about the whole thing. She recognizes that she messed up, and that he will either want her or not. She lets go of it, knowing she really can't control it.

Lots of things happen. In her late 20s she finds out the truth about her father. She finds sisters she never knew she had. She gets married, has a baby, loses everything to her drinking.

This book was mesmerizing. And so unique. Cat is my favorite character in a long time. I get the literary need to have those dramatic games that people play, the ones that in reality are messy. I liked that this story was far more realistic in dealing with the mess created by the mistakes that people also make every day.

I liked that Jane looked at how people view teenagers and parties, drinking, experimenting with drugs. There are a great number of people that think it's perfectly normal behavior. But is it? Should we write it off as a right of passage, or should we do more to teach our kids about the dangers associated with that behavior?

Book Review: Worthy

by: Catherine Ryan Hyde

My first BookSparks Summer Reading Challenge book. And I loved it!

It's no secret, I love books about lonely people finding each other. But I have never met a character I can relate to more than Jody. He is a very shy and quiet young man who gets fairly freaked out by people. Virginia is a waitress about to settle for a real jerk. Said jerk dumps her dog off by the lake because he can't handle the competition. Jody saves the dog and changes his name from T.Rex to Worthy. He knew someone was looking for the dog, but he thought it was the bad guy who dumped Worthy.

Jody and Virginia work out the dog situation...as they both love him and there's no clear legal precedent. Jody clearly needs him more than she does...but Jody does the decent thing and brings Worthy back to her, asking only that she let him keep his name.

They get thrown together and spend a lot of one on one time talking and figuring things out. She thought she was going to marry his dad before his dad died. Poor Jody lost his mother when he was a toddler, his father when he was 4, his grandmother some years later and finally his last family member...his grandfather dies early in this story. He has no one, and he's lost everything. Jody is jumpy, afraid of disappointing people, and prefers to be alone. But even so, he feels a crushing loneliness.

Virginia might just help with that, if he'll let her.

P.S. Catherine Ryan Hyde has written many books, including Pay it Forward which the movie was based on.

Book Review: At the Water's Edge

By: Sara Gruen

I was intrigued when I saw this is the same author of Water for Elephants. I just loved that book!

At first I wasn’t sure this story would hook me. It takes place during the early days of World War II. This is Maddie’s story. She is married to Ellis, who is best friends with Hank. Maddie thinks she is happy with all the drinking and parties. She sees nothing wrong with sleeping in separate rooms and the awkward physical side of things.

Then she finds something in Ellis’ room. Is he really in love with someone else? On top of the fact that she is concerned with how many of her pills he is taking, and the booze he is consuming on top of that. But most especially how rude he is to everyone - even her. Maddie finally gets fed up!

But she is stuck in Scotland during a war. She begs her father to help her get home, but she broke all sorts of rules getting there in the first place. There is no way home.

She has made friends with the hotel staff, she is possibly falling in love herself. And finally trying to think of what she wants out of life.

I couldn’t put this down once I got going. Oh the best part - Ellis and Hank were there to find evidence of the Loch Ness Monster!!! They really thought they’d find it.

It was similar to Water for Elephants in that it was dark, sweet, and mysterious. I felt terrible for Maddie...well for everyone, except Ellis...he was a complete a**!

Book Review: The Memory Journal

By: Steena Holmes

This short story is part of a boxed set called Sweet Talk. The authors are donating the profits to Diabetes Research. I’ve only read The Memory Journal. I am a big fan of Steena Holmes.

This story is taken from The Memory Child (and yes, I recommend it highly). It is a short story created to give us a feel for Charlie’s perspective. Diane is the main character of The Memory Child, Charlie is her sister.

Diane has been dealt a terrible blow, losing her husband and unborn child in the same car accident. Charlie went back to Africa where she works as a volunteer nurse, thinking Diane was on the mend.

Things are not going well, so Charlie must leave her fiance and return to Diane’s side. While Diane does need Charlie, Charlie needs to decide if she can or even should let Dr. Marcus out of her life.

I liked this story more for the characters than the flow. It seemed too rushed and parts did confuse me. But I did care about Charlie’s choices. Plus it was interesting to see how severe Diane’s breakdown really was.

Book Reviews: The Last Policeman books 2 & 3

Countdown City

by: Ben Winters

Henry Palace is back! He is no longer officially a policeman, but he hasn't given up his detective ways. His old babysitter's husband is a missing person, in a world full of missing people and little infrastructure to find anyone. Henry knows it isn't likely he'll find the guy, and even if he does, he has no authority to force him to come back.

Everyone thinks Henry has lost it. Why is he even bothering? The end is drawing ever closer and chances are the guy just went "bucket list."

But something just feels off about this. And I think that if Henry doesn't keep busy, he knows he'll slowly go mad. I'm glad he gets to visit with his sister in this one. It really was as well paced and well written as the first book.

World of Trouble

by: Ben Winters

I read this immediately after Countdown City. The end of the world is getting even closer. There is no electricity, the water is now gone as well. People are having a hard time finding food, clean water, and anything else they might need. Henry has left the safety of his old coworkers compound and is traveling to find his sister. This really broke my heart. Henry was driving himself psychically and emotionally to the edge. You wonder if he'll even survive.

I loved the point that Henry makes, that as the end draws closer, people become frustrated with sleep. Death is literally at your doorstep, wouldn't you be frustrated at the wasted time of sleep? This book really deals with the end and how different people deal. Henry and his traveling companion mark the towns they go through. Some are deserted, some have people holed up in their homes fully bearing arms, and some people decide to just work together and enjoy the company.

I feel Henry's loneliness. Even though he's traveling with someone, it isn't someone he fully trusts. They are using each other, but to what ends?

Will Henry solve his final mystery before the asteroid hits?

Book Review: Pie Girls

by: Lauren Clark

Searcy in the beginning of this book, seemed like she belonged on an episode of "True Housewives" and I think even she would admit that. Her world comes crashing down when her husband tells her he doesn't want to be married anymore. She has to find a new place to live, and her lavish lifestyle is OVER! When her Mama calls and asks her to come home to help out, she jumps at the chance to escape until she can figure things out.

Once she is home, things really start to fall into place for her. Although her mother isn't well, and the business is failing. Searcy finds a strength she didn't know she had to help the people she loves.

I liked this book. I truly did. It moves super fast and easy. A great beach read with some very sweet romance included. I can't help but feel that it also went too fast. There's no real explanation for Searcy's complete personality change. She was still completely snobbish when she got home. Then, poof, she's all down to earth and can't believe how spoiled she'd acted the previous 10 years or so. There were some big moments and they just never got the attention they deserved. It was rushed. But still, I would say it was worthy entertainment.

Book Review: The Girl on the Train

by: Paula Hawkins

How did I not know this was a mystery/thriller??? I mean seriously...I was expecting a happy story. Then when I started to read and it wasn't happy, I figured, oh chick lit. She'll get her poop together and then we'll all be happy.

I'd classify this as a thriller.

Rachel rides the train into London every day. Not to work, but to hide that she no longer has a job. When she looks out where she used to live...she focuses on a few houses before her old place. In a way to avoid looking at her old life that she just can't seem to get over. She makes up this whole story of the couple that lives there. Then one day, she sees the woman she has named Jess with another man. Rachel is furious, how could Jess do that to her wonderful husband? When Jess ends up missing, Rachel feels it is her duty to come forward with what she knows.

The story also follows Meagan, the missing woman and Anna the new wife of Rachel's ex-husband. But I feel, after reading it all, that really Rachel is the key figure. Maybe I just like her the best - lol. Oh did I mention Rachel drinks way too much and Anna is about ready to get a restraining order on her? And yet, I still like her better...

This book just whipped by keeping me on the edge of my seat until the very end. In the beginning it's not real exciting, more of laying the groundwork for the true ride at the end. Like Gone Girl, this story just grabbed me and kept me guessing until the very end.

Book Review: The Godforsaken Daughter

by: Christina McKenna

I've been toying around with the idea of reading The Misremembered Man by this author, so when I saw this on NetGalley to review, I snapped it up. I'm so glad I did.

Some people don't like books about sad and lonely characters. And Ruby is both sad and lonely. She has a bit of a Cinderella quality to her, as both her mother and twin sisters treat her horribly. She used to help her father on their farm in Ireland, but he has since died and her mother sold off all the animals. Ruby is forced to remain indoors as her mother's caretaker. Her sisters come home on weekends and tease her all the more.

Her life changes when she finds the witchcraft items her grandmother left in the attic. Ruby finds confidence with the goddess Dana. Although I was bothered by the 22 card tarot - that's only the Major Arcana! But beyond that, seems Christina did her homework. This is by no means the majority of the story. It is merely something that helps Ruby find herself and gain strength. Once she meets the good doctor, she begins to heal. She also meats Jamie, another lonely soul. He has good people in his life though, and once they (Rose & Paddy) meet Ruby, the matchmaking begins.

I hate how Ruby is treated by her family, but there is that comfort when she meets people who have her back. She's needed that since her father died. She didn't realize her own worth. But once that confidence kicks in, look out!

There is a side story with the psychiatrist. Dr. Henry Shevlin has come to this small town to escape his own loneliness. His wife left him and he just can't stand the memories anymore. I didn't care for this story as much, as their relationship seemed one-sided and inappropriate. But you do get the feeling that Dr. Henry does truly love this woman, and only wants to know she is safe.

I just discovered this is the 3rd book in a series. #1 is The Misremembered man and #2 is The Disenchanted Widow. That should tell you that this works as a stand along novel. I'm seriously going to have to check out the other 2.

Book Review: Wait for the Rain

by: Maria Murnane

A not so newly divorced woman is going on vacation with her college friends to celebrate turning 40. That she is turning 40, that her teenage daughter doesn't seem to need her anymore, that her ex-husband is getting remarried, all have her feeling lost. She already has felt that way for years. With being a mother, leaving her career behind, failing as a wife...failing to have more children. She isn't sure who she is anymore, or what happened to who she wanted to be.

Daphne is the main character, a friendly lady who gets along with just about anyone she meets. She has been working part-time in a flower shop since the divorce. It gets her out of the house, but I don't think it fulfills her. I'd be curious to see what she gets up to once she is home.

Skylar, her ambitious best friend, is an over-worked software person. I'm not really sure what she does, but she spends most of her waking hours doing it, even on vacation. But it's her boss's home, and the reason they are all there. She does take off, but we are left wondering if she is where she wants to be. Even she wonders, will she one day regret all the time spent working and having no one to come home to?

And finally, there is KC, their hyper 3rd mate. She teaches fitness classes, participates in a soccer league for adults, and is the best step-mother she can be to her husband's grown boys. No kids of her own, but she is fine with that as she didn't even expect marriage.

Daphne is the clear center here, with so much to clear up and move on from. I loved the vacation vibe in this story, and was so pleased with how Daphne handled herself even when she was unsure. I liked the honesty that her and her hook-up treated each other with. She both relaxes and grows on this vacation. Is there going to be more stories with these women? I don't know, but I'll be first in line if there is.

Giveaway Results - Letter From Paris

by: Thérèse

Thanks to everyone who entered.

Ok, only 3 people. But I bet you 3 liked your odds!

I assigned numbers 1, 2, 3 based on your place in the comments. I then found a random number generator online. That took a little bit, Random.org doesn't seem to offer that anymore. Anyway, here we are: Congratulations Amanda S.

Giveaway: Letter from Paris

Thérèse

From Goodreads:

India Butler’s journey to America put her life on a new track. Now a trip to Paris threatens to derail her – or to make things all they are supposed to be. With a new job, a new friend, a potential new lover...and an old lover, India is dealing with nearly as much as she can handle. But that’s only the beginning.

The infectious sequel to India’s Summer, Letter From Paris is witty, glamorous, incisive, and refreshingly real.

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If you'd like to win a copy of this novel, leave a comment telling me where you dream of visiting. A winner will be selected on Friday, March 6, 2015.

And of course if you'd like to pick up a copy of India's Summer or Letter from Paris, see these links.

Book Review: The Secret Life of Wishful Thinking

by: Lindy DeKoven

Not bad...not great, either. It's a fine story that would probably be classified as Women's Fiction. There is some romance here, but mostly we are dealing with Kenzie's healing from an humiliating experience early on in her career and her mother's death. Her best friend Gemma is trying to reconnect with her birth father. And there is a small story line with Kenzie's employee, Sarita and the biggest customer of the Track, Brynne.

Sarita is into the Goth scene and wants to sing, also she doesn't want to get married. Her father is not down with any of this. Brynne is very old fashioned. She went to a southern college, married well and never looked back. But did she make the right choices?

We follow these women, and it is interesting. I will say I had a hard time putting it down. It was a good story, fairly well written with decent flow.

I guess my only downside is that it was pretty vanilla. Nothing that happened was a surprise and it all wrapped up as expected. I would say it's a good beach read. Not too demanding of the reader. The one thing that really, really bugged me was the number of times the author took a short cut on her sentences. Skipping the "I" or "I'm" that generally makes a complete sentence and starting right with the verb. "Happy you showed up." "Excited to start this project." Not exact quotes but after a few hundred pages, this was driving me insane. Not enough to stop reading, but come on girl! Complete sentences in a book! People might text like that, but we haven't started talking like that, have we?

Product Review: ORROUS & CO Legacy Collection Earrings

A representative from ORROUS & CO Legacy Collection contacted me and asked if I would review some earrings. I was sent 3 pair that I picked out, but they were given to me in exchange for an honest review. As far as I know, they only sell on Amazon.

This company is pretty well on the ball. They are good with communicating and they shipped these to me pretty fast. I've had them for a few weeks now. I have a pretty serious allergy with earrings, and honestly it gave me pause when they first contacted me. I hate getting earrings that I love and then I can't wear them. Call me surprised, but this was not the case. I really am surprised because they aren't very expensive. Good job guys! (The company said they are indeed nickel free)

They come in a velvet jewelry box protected by a card-stock sleeve. I was really impressed, they take their jewelry seriously. Even thought it is affordable costume jewelry, they took that much care with packaging. This might be a point where it is obvious I don't buy much jewelry - lol.

I will say this, if you are looking to add to your collection or need an affordable gift idea, these are pretty great.

18k Gold Plated White Shell Pearl with Cubic Zirconia Snowflake Drop Earrings

I'll be blunt, I asked for white gold on all of them. I'm not sure if they were out, but these are yellow gold. They are still really pretty, and they aren't too heavy. I do really like them.

Good communication, though. I told them the issue and they immediately sent out the pair I'd asked for. I love, love, love these in white gold. So, great product and great communication.

18k Gold Plated Cubic Zirconia Cushion Shape Halo Stud Earrings

From what I received these are my favorite, even though the post one one of them was bent! They are classy and light. I wear these during my teaching days, but they are great for dress up, too. I'm wearing them right now! No pain and I feel pretty. I contacted the company about the bent post and they apologized and immediately sent out a new pair. Great communication.

18k Gold Plated White Shell Pearl with Cubic Zirconia Clover Drop Earrings

These are my next favorite. I have worn them around, and they aren't too dangly. They sit well without a lot of movement. I think they are beautiful, and again no pain from extended wear. These would be great for a formal evening.

I had to contact them about other earrings. They are great with communicating and taking care of problems. I give the company an A+ as well.

Book Review: The Only Thing Worse Than Witches

by: Lauren Magaziner

I won this book on Goodreads. They ask that you review it, but it's not required. I was so impressed when it arrived. First of all I didn't know I had won - thanks for letting me know, Goodreads! Second, she autographed it. It said something about bunnies and friends. That became clear as we read the book.

At first I wasn't that impressed. It was so out there with silly names and the kids vs. adults theme. Rupert is in the 5th grade and he has the worst teacher ever! The kids aren't allowed to be friends, they aren't allowed to talk to each other either in school or out of school. She keeps kids late, and even days at a time as punishment. Poor Rupert, his mother doesn't even believe him. She is a very busy woman, working 3 jobs to support them as a single mother. I guess it's not a big deal to kids, but it really tickled my curiosity. What's the story there? What happened between his father and mother? But a father never is mentioned.

One day, immediately after his mother forbid him to have anything to do with the witches in town, he finds an ad for a witch's apprentice. He meets Witchling two. They don't have names until they pass their BAR exam. And Witchling Two needs all the help she can get. This is when the story takes off for me. She is so goofy that we are all laughing. Again, my husband was sucked in and at the end he was just as upset that we had to stop. That really puts this up to 5 stars for me. It was slow for me, but only for me. CW loved it from the first moment. It even prompted him to ask his teacher why she never reads about witches.

Back to the story; it happens to be against the rules for a Witchling to hang around a human boy. Or maybe it was the sharing of spells. I don't really know, but they ran into a bunch of trouble just for being friends. But I loved it because she needed a friend more than an apprentice. She neeeded someone who cared about her, listened to her problems, and didn't care if she was a talented witch or not. He needed a friend, because his teacher had virtually left him all alone. Witchling Two gives him the confidence to stand up for himself, regardless of the consequences. If you've ever felt lonely, you will relate to these two wholeheartedly.

Oh, and did I mention, Witchling Two is terrified of bunnies? The girl has a serious phobia. She had us laughing a lot. An entertaining read for adults and children alike.

Book Review: Eight Hundred Grapes

by: Laura Dave

This book kept me guessing. There was a romance aspect, but who? Georgia's story begins with her engaged to an English man. He hurt her in the beginning and you really want to hate him. But you can't, she can't. Are they getting married or not? She ran to her father's vineyard to get away from him. There she meets Jacob. He is buying her father's vineyard, much to her dismay.

So, even though there is tension there, you know she is going to end up with one of them. But who? I liked that it wasn't terribly predictable. I don't know, maybe it was knowing who she ends up with. But the ride there was interesting.

It's a story about family and faith. About taking the safe path, or putting yourself out there to chase your dreams. I really felt the passion that Georgia and her father had for the vineyard. And I also enjoyed the family dynamics. Everyone is incredibly close, but at the same time there is so much tension about things unsaid.

I felt this story had some slow spots, but overall the story did grab me. It's a little bit romance and a lot of bits women's literature.

Book Review - The Knockoff

by: Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza

I absolutely fell for Imogen Tate. I'm not a person who is into fashion, but the feeling of being overwhelmed, of being left behind can be universal...especially with women. She had a beloved assistant, Eve, who left to go to Harvard Business School. When Imogen returns from fighting breast cancer, she finds Eve has returned and that absolutely everything about her beloved magazine has changed. Everything is online, there is no longer going to be a print version, and Eve undermines every single decision that Imogen tries to make.

Here's what I love about Imogen: she's a career woman who prioritizes her family. Yes, she has a nanny, but that nanny is also one of her best friends. She treats everyone kindly, and gives the benefit of the doubt, at least until she can't. She doesn't give up. Glossy is her baby, she loves her job and she loves that magazine. She is willing to fight for it. I am amazed at how she puts aside her feelings of being overwhelmed by technology and embraces it with the help of all her friends.

Here's what I love about Eve: nothing, that woman is horrible. I can't give away too many details, but clearly she is trying to force Imogen out. She is the worst kind of entitled crap, and she is impossibly rude because of it. I hate her, and that's really all I can say. I would go on and on, but no, I have to stop before I ruin everything.

It's a far richer story than I initially gave it credit for. It isn't another shallow fashion diva story. It's like tiramisu when you were just expecting white cake. Surprise!

Book Review - Fluff Dragon

by: Platte F. Clark

This is book 2 of a 3 book series. The first book is Bad Unicorn - and yes, I encourage you to read it. It was a fun book and it gives the back-story. I don't think this would do well as a stand alone story. So seriously, stop reading this and go read Bad Unicorn if you haven't already, I'll wait.

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Welcome back! Now in Fluff Dragon we are introduced to some new creatures. Fluff Dragons, of course, which are dragons that accidentally "put their clothes on inside out." We know dragons can take on human form, sometimes when turning back it goes wonky and their scales are facing in, and when that happens the Escutcheon's Scale keeps reflecting the magic back in and they get really small and they are really stuck.

Fire Kittens, Loki and Moki to be exact. Moki is hilarious! He's overly excited by everything, seriously everything. Even prison excites him. Lesson to be learned here, about living in the moment. Moki is the happiest character, by far.

Max is in trouble, now that they have traveled back to their own time, the Codex is no longer working. It randomly sparks at Max and he can't read anything. It has killed his magic. But he uses the downtime when they are trying to fix it to memorize the names of spells, he's a really bright kid. Now if they can only get the Codex working again and defeat Rezormoor Dreadbringer, in order to save the dragons.

It's another fantasy novel for kids but filled with so much zany adventure that adults are sure to love it, too. I'm not just saying that, my husband groaned just as much as my 9 year old did when story time was over. lol

Book Review - Saint Odd

by: Dean Koontz

Uggg - that last Odd Thomas book! I was both excited by and dreading this book. I've loved all the Odd Thomas stories. Odd is a superhero, I don't care what he thinks. If nothing else, his unwavering ethics earn him that title. He must do the right thing, no matter the danger. He sees dead people, and occasionally helps them cross over, but that is not even the main thing he does.

Mainly, he fights evil. Serious, child sacrifice and mass murder kind of evil. He uses his gifts in this war. He finds allies as well. For all he's seen, he believes that people are generally good and must be protected from the growing evil in the world.

For his final battle, Odd returns to his home in Pico Mundo, New Mexico. He wants to see the people he cares about, but he also knows that something big and bad is going to happen and he has to try to stop it. It's a mystery. He doesn't know the what, the when, or the how. He barely understands the why. (Because evil, that's why!)

I enjoyed this as much as any of the others. You don't have to read them all, but you might not understand some of the people he is talking about that are from previous novels.

Book Review - The Coincidence of Coconut Cake

by: Amy E. Reichert

**Publication Date: July 21, 2015**

This is exactly the kind of romance novel I adore. It has a truly rich story without the tired romance formula of boy and girl do not get along. There is tension here, but it's unique.

We've got a fine chef named Lou, trying to build a successful restaurant. Then there is Al, who is a food critic. He reviews Lou's restaurant on the night she breaks up with her fiancè. Being that he uses an alias and she goes by Lou instead of Elizabeth, they fall in love before either realizes who the other is. BTW - his review was not good and Lou has begun to lose her restaurant because of it.

I never thought that was such a bad thing, her heart really wasn't in it. It wasn't HER food. She was following a menu her fiancè told her to feature.

You just know eventually one of them is going to figure it out, but you also know it will be really painful. You can't help but love Al and Lou, and just adore them together. They make each other better. She literally gets him to fall in love with Milwaukee, a city he loathed in the beginning. He's an English man, who either wants a larger city or somewhere home. He gives her real love. Even though they are taking it slow, he truly listens to her and encourages her. He isn't trying to make her into what he wants, like her ex did.

Lou is strong, Al is sweet. It makes for one hell of a nice novel. Plus you get a recipe for Coconut Cake!

Book Review: Llewellyn's Complete Dictionary of Dreams

Dr. Michael Lennox

**Release date: May 8, 2015**

What a fun book! I think it's a bit much to say it's a complete dictionary, but no one asked me to come up with the title. It has many little bits in alphabetical order. A little bit of everything.

I've been looking up my dreams in this for a few weeks now. I think it is too simplistic. For example, and here I am sharing my dream. I dreamed my children turned were zombies. I was afraid to be near them but I couldn't be without them either. Then they changed into wolf pups. I felt immense relief. I looked up zombies, and it said I "may be lacking passion or life force...where the process of living is devoid of any joy or vibrant energy." I can see that, I struggle with depression. But there is no any deeper interpretation given being that they were my closest family members. Seems to me that just a random zombie vs. my children would be very different meanings.

Wolf - "When the wolf appears in a dream, you are being guided by very strong forces who know their way around the darker recesses of the psyche." Now that confuses me. I really don't know what to make of that. Does that mean that even though I'm feeling troubled, I have help? Or maybe that I need to relax and know I'll get through whatever is troubling me?

It's an interesting book, but I don't think it's really that clear on dream interpretation. Not when there is so much more going on in dreams than one symbol at a time. Things happen, and this is full of objects, people, places and animals. But don't hold that too much against this book. Most dream interpretation books have this downfall. They give you the symbols and meanings and leave you to put it all together. All in all, I would recommend this if you are looking for a starting point in interpreting your dreams. I would say get this and start keeping a dream journal. Together, it may work beautifully.