Confessions of a Hungry Bibliophile

Happy Holidays!

noreply@blogger.com (Sheryl) — Tue, 25 Dec 2012 16:52:00 +0000

It's been awhile, everyone! I'm bombarded with work and had to set some things aside to handle it. I hope everyone, regardless of how you decide to celebrate the holidays, has a wonderful Christmas Day and a Blessed New Year! I hope no one wakes up and has this under the tree, either.

Blog Tour – Dewitched: The Untold Story of the Evil Queen by E.L. Sarnoff

noreply@blogger.com (Sheryl) — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 14:23:00 +0000

After serving time for Snow White’s attempted murder, the Evil Queen is about to get a makeover. Just not the kind she expected. Thinking she’s being sent to a luxurious spa that will enable her to restore her beauty and recapture her title, Fairest of All, Jane Yvel instead finds herself at Faraway, a rehab center that caters to fairy-talelanders addicted to evil.

Upon confronting her love-hate relationship with her magic mirror, she is sent back to the world of happily-ever-after. Her goal: to discover the true meaning of beauty. Her assignment: to work for Marcella, a demanding Princess-In-Waiting. Jane finds herself irresistibly drawn to Marcella's dashing fiancé, Prince Gallant, and his exquisite seven-year old daughter, Calla Rose. Will the Evil Queen who had no heart end up with a heart that’s broken?

Wickedly funny, darkly shocking, and deeply moving, DEWITCHED unravels the Snow White story as we know it and will make you see the evil legend in a new light as she rewrites her life.

When I first started reading this book I wasn’t really sure what to think. It started off much like the regular fairy tale does, but then the Evil Queen lands in rehab. A very nice twist, if I do say so. The therapy portion of the rehab was sometimes funny and sometimes a little sad. What I enjoyed seeing the most was all of the other fairy tale characters who wound up in rehab beside her. Rumpelstiltskin and Captain Hook were my favorites because they were portrayed much as they are in the old fairy tales, but with a nice modern twist on their personalities.

When she finds herself out of rehab and employed as a lady-in-waiting, Jane still has murderous thoughts, but I think everyone does sometimes. How she handles the demanding almost princess decides whether she is able to return home or if she is sent away again.

I enjoyed this modern update to an old fairy tale. This was a very creative take, almost like Shrek. One of my only issues with this book was the very short sentences that were sprinkled throughout the book. Almost all of them were declarative “I will!” “A ha!” (those aren’t actual quotes, just examples), so it made reading this sometimes feel very choppy. Overall, though, I think people who enjoy fairytales will enjoy this story.

Follow the rest of the tour

http://www.clpblogtours.com/2012/07/dewitched-by-el-sarnoff.html

Author Bio:

Ellen Levy-Sarnoff, writing under the name E. L. Sarnoff, has enjoyed a prolific career in the entertainment industry, creating, writing, and producing television series, including the original Power Rangers. She lives in Los Angeles with her Prince Charming-ish husband, twin princesses, and a bevy of pets. She’s also a not-too-evil stepmother. When she’s not writing in her PJ’s, she likes to dress up and pretend she’s Hollywood royalty.

DEWITCHED: The Untold Story of the Evil Queen is Ellen's first novel. The sequel, UNHITCHED, will be available on October 29, 2012.

Connect with EL Sarnoff!

http://www.elsarnoff.com/

http://www.facebook.com/ElSarnoff

https://twitter.com/elsarnoff

elsarnoff@gmail.com

Buy the Book!

http://www.amazon.com/Dewitched-Untold-Story-Queen-ebook/dp/B0089YA7W0

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dewitched-el-sarnoff/1112316812?ean=2940044729957

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/178067

http://www.amazon.com/DEWITCHED-Untold-Story-Evil-Queen/dp/0615673163/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345914940&sr=1-6&keywords=Dewitched

JW Bull - Guest Post - Food For Thought

noreply@blogger.com (Sheryl) — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 13:32:00 +0000

I'm so excited to have JW Bull, Author of Pickin' Tomatoes guest posting on the blog. Continue reading after her post to see a review of her newest novel! I loved it!

Food for Thought

When I graduated from Furman University in South Carolina, I had no clue about what I wanted to do with my life. My college degree was in violin performance but I was not ready to join a symphony or teach. So, I went job hunting in my home town, Charlottesville, Virginia and stumbled upon Lavande Restaurant. They were looking for a sous chef and I was looking for a job. Did I know how to cook anything, let alone French food? Of course not. But I was young and attractive, and that, I’m embarrassed to say, was probably the reason they hired me. The French like to flirt. Thus began a year and a half of tumultuous French cooking that would influence my life forever. I would become the cook I always wanted to be and my experiences in their kitchen would become golden nuggets of inspiration for future novels and life.

Technique. Everything we did at Lavande was old school technique. Microwaves, appliances, and store bought conveniences were unheard of. Cream was whipped daily by hand (it takes something like twenty minutes to whip it with a whisk and you develop muscles you never knew you had), baby carrots were carved meticulously with a paring knife into perfect little shapes (I cut every finger probably a billion times. Had I thought of using protective rubber gloves like my character, Maggie Malone in Pickin’ Tomatoes, I would have. Bygones…), and stock – ah, stock… Our mornings were spent roasting carcasses of every type of creature with a medley of vegetables for hours in a huge oven – smearing their toasting, roasting bones with tomato paste and painstakingly turning everything for even heat distribution. After that, the dried up remains were scraped off the pan and popped into a stew pot with a variety of liquids and herbs to become homemade stock. Let me just tell you, weight, complexion, and hairstyle are not your friends when you are a sous chef. Every bite of food gets tasted and every inch of skin and hair gets steamed. You finish up your day (actually your night because sous chefs never leave before 11 pm.) looking like a broiled stuffed tomato with frizzled hair as a condiment.

There are Some Things I Will Never Cook. The French love a variety of entrées and appetizers and Lavande was no exception. The prep work for a French kitchen is huge. Duck breast had to be filleted, rabbit deboned, rack of lamb cut up, myriads of fish cleaned and pounds and pounds of shrimp deveined and peeled – and that’s only naming a few of the chores. But I’ve got to say, nothing really affected me until we got to the lobster. Who doesn’t love lobster? Me. Me. Me. I love to eat it, but I will never be able to cook it, not after working at Lavande. Gille’s technique (the chef of Lavande) for cooking lobster was to throw the live lobster on the grill and watch it scamper around until it died (needless to say, years of therapy for me, years of therapy…). This of course became the inspiration for my infamous “Sparky” the lobster scene in Pickin’ Tomatoes.

Becoming a Chef. Tempers and wine flowed freely in our kitchen. Not a day went by, when French insults weren’t volleyed back and forth between the owners of the restaurant and Gille and quite a bit of French wine wasn’t consumed. I spent my time keeping my head down, trying to stay under the radar, doing my work and drinking water. One of my favorite Julia Child quotes is, “The best way to execute French cooking is to get good and loaded and whack the hell out of a chicken.” And I agree with it, wholeheartedly, but only in the luxury of my own home. Although Gille drank copious amounts of wine and his creativity and cooking bravado increased in the kitchen, unfortunately, for me, wine didn’t improve my cooking skills one iota, nor did whacking the heck out of a chicken. However, what did improve my cooking skills was time. After a while, I learned knife skills, cooking skills, and multitasking skills. I learned how to order from local farms, check stock, and run a kitchen. In short, I became a chef.

Food for Thought. But, people move on, as they always do. I got married (Lavande catered my wedding), my husband and I moved to Florida, I went back to the violin, and I lost touch with Lavande. Years later, I heard Lavande closed down. It’s funny how life works. How experiences can grow roots in your life. How those roots can merge and produce a new flower. I never imagined I would become a chef but I did. I never dreamed I would become an author but I have. And look what I have produced . . . Pickin’ Tomatoes, a novel with recipes. Pretty amazing food for thought…

Author Bio:

J. W. Bull lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and two sons. Although she has worked as a sous chef for Lavande Restaurant, she currently is a private violin teacher and a member of The Georgia Symphony. She is also finishing another novel, Musical Chairs, a mystery involving Maggie’s cousin—Molly Malone, plucky part-time symphony player and fulltime Irish fiddler. It’s a hilarious spoof on symphonies, Irish fiddling, and mysteries that continues the Malone saga.

JW Bull - Pickin' Tomatoes Blog Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Sheryl) — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 13:29:00 +0000

This book was thoroughly enjoyable and had me laughing out loud several times. It follows Maggie, a woman going through a divorce from a philandering husband and a mom of a new baby. She is desperately looking for a job and decides to enter a columnist contest for a cooking magazine. The only thing? She has no idea how to cook.

Maggie actually wins the contest and is now a relationship/cooking columnist for a national magazine. However, her boss believes she is a French-trained chef, single and has no children. What results is a very Julia/Julia type story where Maggie is attempting to use 2 world renowned cookbooks to teach her how to cook. It never goes very well, but she somehow manages to stumble around enough to pick up fans across the nation.

However, she can't keep the secret up forever and pretty soon the jig is up.

I really enjoyed this one. Like any new parent, we sort of stumble around life, trying to figure out how to raise our children right and do the best we can with what we have. Maggie is likeable and witty and her baby is adorable. One thing I found especially cute was that she calls her daughter Kitty Cat. I call my daughter the same thing or Kit Kat (she's Katherine with a 'k').

Connect!

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A Hiatus

noreply@blogger.com (Sheryl) — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 14:59:00 +0000

Hello everyone!
I've decided to place my blog on hiatus during the summer months. I know that I owe some people some reviews so you will see some periodic posts as I sort through the rest of those but once they are finished, I will not be updating for quite awhile. After summer is over, I may possibly begin to review again but I haven't fully made up my mind about that.
While I love to read and review, I have recently overextended myself and now what once was fun is turning into a chore. I am now working full-time as a Legal Writer and the job keeps me very busy the entire week. In addition, I review for three other sites, run a local book club and also write on the side in the eventual hopes of becoming a published author. I also have three kiddos and a husband. Guess who rarely gets any sleep trying to take care of all of those things? Yep...this gal :)
So, I appreciate those who've signed up for my blog and interact with me. You all are awesome! If I decide to permanently pull the plug on this blog, I will put out another message. In the meantime, keep an eye out. I'll still have periodic posts until my review pile is finished, they just won't be on a daily basis...most likely once a week or thereabouts.

Nearly Departed in Deadwood - Ann Charles

noreply@blogger.com (Sheryl) — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 13:22:00 +0000

So sorry for not posting yesterday! My wireless went down and you’da thought the world ended. It’s back up now and all is right with the world. Just got back from Ohio where I was visiting my cousin and my aunt. We drove to New Springfield where my aunt maintains 9 acres of pristine gardens. It’s amazingly beautiful there and I’m still not sure how she does it…a labor of love that’s for sure. I’ll post some pics of that later.

This book came as a recommendation to me and my old age has caused my brain to fizzle out because I can’t remember who recommended it. Thanks whoever you are! This book was definitely a winner and I can see how it scored the awards it did. This book was a recipient of the 2010 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense and the 2011 winner of the RWA Golden Heart for Best Novel with Strong Romantic Elements.

This is definitely not your usual type of mystery and reminded me a little bit of the Darynda Jones books. It’s part romance and party mystery which, as long as it’s written well, is okay be me. And this one certainly was. One of the very first lines in this book is “"The first time I came to Deadwood, I got shot in the ass." So, you can see where it goes from there.

Basically, the book follows Violet Parker, a down on her luck realtor who absolutely has to make a sale or risk losing her job. She has a slimy co-worker named Ray (seriously, what a jerk!) and a colorful cast of characters in this one. Harvey, the old curmudgeon who meets her at the door with a gun, is portrayed absolutely brilliantly and soon becomes a major character in these books. Her love interest is Doc, a bit of a strange bird at first, but apparently super hot (which normally makes it okay).

Violet is caught up in some strange dealings in Deadwood, what with Doc’s strange behavior, child abductions and rumors of ghost hauntings. She pretty much stumbles her way through this mystery with wit and pizzazz. I definitely enjoyed these books and think that Ann Charles has a winning series on her hands.

One thing I didn’t care for was the cover. Seeing it made me think zombies were in this book. I hate zombies and the blue tights or whatever she was wearing are a little bizarre and made me think about braaaaiiinnnns. But…no zombies and actually, not too much paranormal activity until the very end. Those two things were really the only disappointments. Definitely recommend this one!!

Overall Rating -

Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Sheryl) — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 15:07:00 +0000

Good morning everyone! I was craving blueberry muffins this lovely Sunday. I've made a recipe floating around in cyberspace called "To Die For Blueberry Muffins." Although almost 5,000 people believe those muffins are to die for...I am not one of them. So I scrounged around the internet for awhile and found these beauties. They're a little different, requiring the butter and sugar to be creamed, so it seems more like a cake than a muffin but...who cares??? They're delicious. I used organic berries in this recipe and sprinkled the top with Demerara sugar. Other than that, I didn't change a thing!

Hope everyone has a blessed Sunday.

JORDAN MARSH BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

1/2 cup butter

2 cups unsifted flour

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups large fresh blueberries

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons sugar (for top of muffins)

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy; add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

In a second bowl, combine all dry ingredients. (You can use an electric mixer to combine the dry ingredients thoroughly at this point so that you won't need to overmix once the wet and dry ingredients are combined.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter and sugar mixture along with the milk and vanilla.

Optionally, mash 1/2 cup of the blueberries, and stir in by hand (this will turn batter a light shade of blue and add a touch of blueberry flavor, but this step may be skipped, if you wish). Add the remaining whole berries and stir in gently by hand.

Spray a 12 muffin baking pan with Baker's Joy (or other non-stick spray). Fill greased muffin cups.

Sprinkle sugar on top of unbaked muffins (we like to use Turbinado sugar for sprinkling the tops).

Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes. Cool in pan. Run a knife around the edge of each muffin after several minutes to free it from the pan and cool on wire racks. Muffins may be brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with sugar, if desired.

At our test kitchen, we sometimes sprinkle blueberry muffin tops with cinnamon sugar or ground hazelnuts or spread with lemon or vanilla icing and top with thinly sliced almonds.

Tip: If you have trouble with blueberries settling to the bottom try tossing them in flour before adding to the batter. It may just be that your batter is too thin. Another trick is to fill muffin cups 1/4 full with batter which hasn't had blueberries added to it yet; then stir the blueberries in and continue to fill the muffin cups. This way you won't start out with blueberries at the bottom!

Variation: Substitute 3/4 cup rehydrated Craisins for the same amount of blueberries. To rehydrate Craisins, soak for 15 minutes in rum or warm water.

Novel Spotlight: Carol Tibaldi's Willow Pond

noreply@blogger.com (Sheryl) — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 11:00:00 +0000

The Roaring Twenties crumble into the Great Depression. Bootlegging is flourishing. Virginia Kingsley, New York's most successful speakeasy owner, is queen of that castle. Rudy Strauss wants to help with her business. Virginia, wisely suspicious, refuses.

He shifts his trademark toothpicks to the other side of his mouth and asks about her niece, Laura, and Laura’s nineteen-month-old son, Todd. Virginia warns him off, but Rudy is intrigued. Laura is movie star beautiful but it is her ex-husband, Phillip, who is an actor. Laura, a writer, is devastated when Todd’s nanny calls, hysterical, saying Laura’s son has been kidnapped.

Carol Tibaldi was born and raised in Bayside, New York and attended Queens College of the City University of New York. She loves to travel and has lived in London and Los Angeles. For twenty five years she worked as a newspaper reporter and covered the crime beat. She is a history buff and loves to research different time periods having a special affinity of the prohibition era and the Civil War. Willow Pond is her first novel and she is hard at work on the sequel.

Connect with Carol!

Amazon: http://amzn.to/AthqHg
Amazon paperback: http://amzn.to/KOfH3w
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/cat5149
FB: http://on.fb.me/H9e2VW
Website: www.caroltibaldi.com
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/H595Aj

Shaman, Friend, Enemy by M. Terry Green

noreply@blogger.com (Sheryl) — Thu, 31 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Patients with fractured souls, clients threatened by deadly ancestor spirits, and now the paparazzi–it’s all in a day’s work for techno-shaman Olivia Lawson. Livvy has rocketed to the top of the shaman world, bringing old friends with her but also attracting new enemies. Even as her career soars, her personal life spirals downward. Broken bonds of love finally force her to confront the terrible secret of her beginning in shamanism. Despite being attacked by dark shamans and navigating a spiritual plane that seems out of control, Livvy’s single-minded quest steers her into dangerous territory and puts her on a collision course with those dearest to her. No longer interested in walking a fine line, Livvy discovers that–when the one thing you need is the one thing you can’t have–you’ll risk everything.

M. Terry Green has convinced me that the talent in the self-publishing pool is limitless. I was very impressed with this novel, both in plot and in editing. Reading this book was really like walking into a brick and mortar store and picking up one of the big 6 books off of the shelf.

This is the second book in the Olivia Lawson, Techno-Shaman series and it was unlike anything I’ve ever read before. I do enjoy shaman books and, in fact, one of my favorite series is a shaman series by C.E. Murphy. However, this series is a little different and reminds me a little bit of steampunk because the shamans use goggles to enter into the spiritual planes instead of drums, rattles and trances.

I also have to say Olivia’s romantic interest…kinda cool and a little surprising. I’m finally glad to see a non-alpha chest beater in an urban fantasy novel. It will be interesting to see how their relationship turns out, especially with all the dire warnings against seeing each other.

I thought the villain was well drawn in this novel as well and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see more of her. She was the kind you love to hate. She can do terrible things, but then the author hits you with her kryptonite and it’s like seeing a cute puppy who has just torn up your favorite shoes and all you can say is, “Awww.”

Overall, I thought this was a wonderful book and not one that I would have ever believed was self-published. While I think there is a great pool of self-pubbed authors out there, I do believe that M. Terry Green is probably the best I’ve read so far.

Overall Rating -

Jillian Medoff Guest Post - Top 5 Writer Habits to Avoid Procrastination

noreply@blogger.com (Sheryl) — Mon, 28 May 2012 15:18:00 +0000

Top 5 Writer Habits to Avoid Procrastination

Although these aren’t “habits” in the traditional sense, they’re great ways to avoid procrastination.

1. Author envy. Nothing can motivate you to write (and by that I mean nothing motivates me) more than seeing another author hit the bestseller lists, particularly if she is someone I know, particularly if she’s more connected than talented, particularly if she’s kind of a bitch. Throw in some glowing reviews, a multi-city book tour, and a movie deal, and you’ll be glued to your chair (and by that I mean I will be).

2. Stop before you climax. Let’s say you’re having a good writing day and the words are just flowing from your fingers. The best way to close out a day like that is to stop right in the middle of your most exciting scene. I’m serious. Shut off your computer and walk away. You’ll be less inclined to procrastinate the next day if you’re feeling good about your work.

3. Don’t use an outline. What I love best about writing novels is the joy of discovery. When I start a new book, I have only a vague idea of where I want to end up, and I never know how I’m going to get there. I write the way I read, getting caught up in the characters as they reveal themselves to me. Needing to know what happens next is a great motivator.

4. Allow yourself to procrastinate for a set amount of time. After ten minutes of folding socks or checking Facebook, that’s it—you’re done. Time to go to work.

5. Kill the Internet. I’ve been a member of the Writers Room in NYC for almost twenty years. It’s a quiet work space with no phones allowed. You can access the Internet, but I don’t allow myself. I get more work done there than anywhere else in the world because there’s nothing else to do.

Catch up with Jillian Medoff, author of I Couldn't Love You more:

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I Couldn't Love You More - Jillian Medoff Blog Tour

noreply@blogger.com (Sheryl) — Mon, 28 May 2012 15:09:00 +0000

Which child would you save? A decision no parent can even fathom.

Eliot Gordon would do anything for her family. A 38-year-old working mother, she lives an ordinary but fulfilling life in suburban Atlanta with her partner, Grant Delaney, and their three daughters. The two older girls are actually Eliot's stepdaughters, a distinction she is reluctant to make as she valiantly attempts to maintain a safe, happy household . . .

Then Finn Montgomery, Eliot's long-lost first love, appears, triggering a shocking chain of events that culminates in a split-second decision that will haunt her beloved family forever. How Eliot survives-and what she loses in the process-is a story that will resonate with anyone who has ever loved a child. With hilarious honesty, wrenching depth, and a knockout twist, I COULDN'T LOVE YOU MORE illuminates the unbreakable bonds of family and reveals the lengths we'll go to save each other, even as we can't save ourselves.

This was a very enjoyable read, as well as a quick one. Eliot is a likeable, yet human protagonist who is flawed just like the rest of us. Her partner, Grant, is also likeable although I couldn’t help but think he was also relatively weak, especially when it came to footing the bill for his ex-wife.

The daughters are all typical of a blended family and their portrayal is honest and heart-wrenching. When tragedy occurs, Eliot is forced to make a tough decision that ends up tearing her family apart. Although I think the majority of people would make the same decision that she does, the others involved can’t help but judge her for choosing one over the other.

I couldn’t help but think that Finn was sort of thrown in there as a wrench to keep this story together. While he does act as a catalyst for the things that have gone wrong, there is no real resolution to his character. Without giving spoilers away, he seems to appear when convenient and disappear when convenient as well.

The only thing I didn’t really understand is the description of the “knockout twist” in this book. I didn’t experience that at all so I am unsure about what that was. Overall though, this book is an open and honest portrayal of a loving family that experiences tragic circumstances. I think this novel will appeal to a wide variety of audiences, but especially to those who have blended families.

Overall Rating -

Blog Tour - A Contented Mind: Love, Hope and the Complicated Mess of Redefining One's Life by Samantha Hoffman

noreply@blogger.com (Sheryl) — Sat, 26 May 2012 13:26:00 +0000

*Review copy provided by the author*

Sometimes it takes seeing the dream before we find the courage to face the nightmare.

When young, our greatest fears are of the shadow figures that live within our sleeping mind. As we age, we discover what's most frightening is a life not fully lived, desires left unfulfilled and a past that keeps us tethered in darkness.

Without realizing it, bestselling author Meg Scott, stepped into the life of her dreams. A new beachfront home on the West Coast; a far cry from her secluded home shared only with her faithful Irish setter on Martha's Vineyard. A gig playing violin with a world renowned rock band about to depart on a European acoustic tour; friends that easily became the family she lost when young. And upon shaking hands with the band's drummer, Jadon Hastings, love and desire she'd never known beyond the stories she wrote.

All too often, shadow figures arrive camouflaged as friends, and those who profess love are worse than those that once haunted our childhood nights.

Under a hazy California sun, Meg's dream sits in clear view. To make it her own, she'll have to confront not only her past, but her future. In doing so, she discovers - those you trust - can't always be trusted.

I thought this book had quite a bit of promise but it ended up being a read that I felt myself critiquing more than enjoying. While I thought Meg and Jadon had good chemistry, they were extremely uncommunicative until almost the end of the novel when all of a sudden when it seemed like they couldn’t get enough words in. I also thought they were on the angsty side using phrases like ‘I’d die without you,” “can’t live without you,” etc. Those are just examples and not direct quotes. For two adults, this type of dialogue was a little off-putting and didn’t ring true.

There was also constant head-hopping in this book. By that, I mean it was hard to keep up with whose head you were in because one minute you’d be hearing Meg’s thoughts, then another it would be Devon’s and then Chick’s, with no benefit of a page break or a new chapter. It made for a very jarring and sometimes confusing read.

The build-up of the antagonist was, in my opinion, a little strange as well. For quite a long time, there is no indication that anything is wrong with him, only that he loves Meg (which there’s nothing wrong with that). All of a sudden when he’s introduced to the band, no one likes him but no one can put their finger on it. So, now we know that there’s a good possibility he’s not a good guy, but it was kind of dumped in our lap.

Several other issues existed in this book that could have been caught with a good editor. When Meg is on tour and she wakes up in her hotel room with Devon, she opens the door to find Erin there. However, she never heard anything nor was there any indication of the doorbell ringing or anyone knocking on the door. All of a sudden she wakes up, says “Who could that be?” and rushes to the door. Things like this take me out of the book and ruin a good reading experience for me.

Also, the climax of this book had absolutely nothing to do with the antagonist and seemed to be very random. The vast majority of novels have a formula and that is the antagonist is there throughout the novel trying to take something away from the protagonist. This culminates in a showdown between them but this doesn’t happen in the climax. A small showdown occurs between the antagonist and Meg. He exits stage left, comes back after the random climax with threats but then leaves again. Then it’s over. I just thought this was very strange considering he had absolutely nothing to do with the trip they went on and it was a completely random accident.

There were just too many problems with this book for me to have an enjoyable reading experience. While I think some people will enjoy this story, it was not something that grabbed me or sucked me in. I thought there was a lot of promise in this book, especially with the musical descriptions but, overall, there was too much angst between Meg and Jadon and in their internal dialogues and too many mistakes in the manuscript for me to fully recommend this one.

Overall Rating -

Author Bio
Samantha started writing books as a child. Although those roughly hewed works are kept under lock and key, they possess the same need to understand life as her current novels. In the past, Samantha has written numerous columns on health and spirituality for a local newspaper. Currently, she writes the popular blog: Insanity - A Writer’s Commentary On All Things, as well as two novels: A Contented Mind, it’s sequel, Chasing Nirvana, and the children’s chapter book series: Dainty Delaney. Currently she is at work on her third novel. On May 18th, 2012 Samantha will be featured in Art & Entertainment section of The Traverse City Record Eagle newspaper.
Life can get rough at times, loving oneself shouldn’t be. That, in a nutshell, is the message that is imbued within the books Samantha writes.
Connect with Samantha!
www.bysamanthahoffman.com www.bysamanthahoffman.com/buy_now/

Paint Me True - E.M. Tippetts

noreply@blogger.com (Sheryl) — Tue, 22 May 2012 18:45:00 +0000

Review copy provided by the author

Eliza Dunmar is about to turn thirty-one and fears her best days are behind her. Soon she'll be too old to attend church in a singles ward, her career as a painter is no longer considered cool, and she feels too old to use the excuse that she's "just starting out" to explain why she still can't pay the bills. The only man interested in her is a scruffy, video game addicted nerd who is the first to admit that they are all wrong for each other.

When her beloved Aunt Nora calls from England and begs her to visit, Eliza leaps at the chance. Even better? Nora had the perfect romance with her late husband and is eager to share the tale. As Eliza sets out to immortalize this courtship in a series of paintings, she learns a lesson that will change her outlook on life and love forevermore.

I will be the first to admit I know nothing about the Mormon religion so this book intrigued me because I always love to learn new things. However, when I started to read it, I became immersed in the story. Eliza is Mormon and beginning to feel her age so she grudgingly dates a man she is embarrassed to be seen with. After he breaks up with her, Eliza feels more of a hit to her ego than her heart. She is pretty shallow at the beginning of the novel but the author gives her wonderful character growth throughout until we see her in the end as a mature and more thoughtful woman.

When her Aunt Nora calls her and asks her to visit England, Eliza readily agrees. What results is a series of lessons for her that show even the most picturesque fairytales on the outside can be completely different on the inside. Eliza learns some hard lessons about herself and the people she loves. She realizes that sometimes a fairytale doesn’t involve a white horse and a free dinner and can sometimes just involve loving someone as they are, warts and all.

I really enjoyed this one and I also liked learning about Mormon culture. If you enjoy reading inspirational romance, I would definitely recommend this one.

Overall rating -

Author E.M. Tippetts - http://www.emtippetts.com/

Marie Astor - Lucky Charm Excerpt

noreply@blogger.com (Sheryl) — Fri, 18 May 2012 12:39:00 +0000

This is a repost from last week because I accidentally posted it too early! Double the fun, right?

It was so quiet inside the chateau that Annabel could hear the panels of the wooden floor squeaking under her feet – the kind of noise that made you think of ghosts. The place was dimply lit with electric lights that were put into the candelabras instead of candles, and Annabel clasped Etienne’s hand tightly for fear of stumbling.

“Are we all alone in here?” she whispered.

“Don’t worry – I assure you that it’s perfectly safe.” Etienne put his arm around her. “I know the way well – we will not get lost.”

Within a matter of seconds Annabel’s apprehension evaporated as she became absorbed by the magnificence of the place: regal paintings in gilded frames, ornate fireplaces and antique furniture. It was like walking through time, but unlike most museums, this place felt alive, as though there were still people living there.

“Do you know that there is a legend about this place?”

“No – I have no idea. I don’t think I ever even saw the chateau mentioned in any of the guidebooks.”

“That is because it is still privately owned and is not open to public tours.” Etienne halted.

“Tell me about the legend,” Annabel urged him.

“Well, the legend goes as follows: the nobleman who originally built this castle was very rich; he was in love with one of the queen’s ladies in waiting – the girl was of a noble family, but she was an orphan and the queen had granted her protection, which really meant that the queen completely controlled her fate. The nobleman wanted to marry the girl, but the queen herself had an eye for the nobleman, and when he refused to be the queen’s lover, she married the girl off to an old count. The count was so old that he could barely walk, let alone consummate his marriage, but despite the being incredibly decrepit, he continued clinging to life. It was then that the nobleman ordered a five-mile underground passage to be dug under the chateau so that he could see his love in secret, and that was how they met for ten years, until the old bugger died.”

“And then what happened?”

“The nobleman married his true love.”

“And the queen did not object?”

“She was impressed by the purity of love between the nobleman and the girl – you see, the story of the underground passage only became known much later.” Etienne smiled. “Of course some say that this is nothing but a story and the secret passage was put in by one of the later chateau owners to see his many lovers behind his wife’s back – I guess people choose to believe the story they like the most.”

“I prefer the first story.”

“Me too.”

They walked through a succession of rooms, each more opulent than the next until they reached a dining room.

At first Annabel proceeded to examine the room’s interior as she did with all the other rooms until she noticed that the long, rectangular dining table was set with food. She looked up questioningly at Etienne.

“I thought you’d never notice.” He grinned. “Shall we?” He motioned for her to take a seat at the table.

“You mean to tell me that this is for us?” she exclaimed in half disbelief.

“Guilty as charged.” Mischievous sparks danced in Etienne’s eyes – he was clearly enjoying the effect of his surprise.

“But is this even allowed? There are historical artifacts all over this place - what if food gets spilled or something?”

“Then we’ll just have to be very careful.” Etienne pulled out a chair for her and took his seat beside her. “First things first.” He reached for the bottle of champagne in the ice bucket and expertly popped the cork. Then, he filled Annabel’s glass as well as his own. “To a wonderful night.”

Author Info

Follow the rest of the blog tour - http://www.clpblogtours.com/2012/04/lucky-charm-by-marie-astor.html

Marie Astor is the author of contemporary romance novels Dance Me to the Stars, On the Rim of Love, and Lucky Charm, and a collection of short stories A Chance Encounter and Other Stories.

Marie’s latest contemporary romance novel, Dance Me to the Stars, has been selected in the first round of entries in the General Fiction category in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel contest this year.

Currently, Marie is working on her next novel – a first installment in her romantic suspense series.
Websites and Social Media:
Author Website: www.marieastor.com
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Marie-Astor/e/B004EBDX9Q/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/marieastorcollection
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4665230.Marie_Astor
Twitter: @marieastor
Books by Marie Astor:

Dance Me to the Stars – a contemporary romance about finding one’s perfect match.
http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Me-Stars-Contemporary-ebook/dp/B0078IPNCW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1334533879&sr=8-3
On the Rim of Love – a contemporary romance about the unexpected power of love.
http://www.amazon.com/Rim-Love-Contemporary-Romance-ebook/dp/B005TOWI7K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322449445&sr=8-1
Lucky Charm – a humorous contemporary romance about love, luck and friendship.
http://www.amazon.com/Lucky-Charm-Contemporary-Romance-ebook/dp/B005BZL3L4/ref=pd_sim_kinc_2?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2
A Chance Encounter and Other Stories – a short story collection about love and everyday life.
http://www.amazon.com/Chance-Encounter-Other-Stories-ebook/dp/B004E112TO/ref=pd_sim_kinc_2?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2

*I have not read this book and was provided the excerpt by the author

Jenn Bennett Guest post - Top 5 Hottest Chefs!

noreply@blogger.com (Sheryl) — Tue, 15 May 2012 11:30:00 +0000

My Top Five Sexiest Chefs

Confessions of Hungry Bibliophile celebrates a love of food and books, which is pretty fantastic. Folks who've read my Arcadia Bell series might've noticed that my hero, Lon Butler, knows his way around a kitchen. In KINDLING THE MOON, he cooks Cady a rich and comforting meal of wine-braised short ribs and potatoes. This is probably when Cady really started falling for him—you know, stomach being a direct route to someone's heart, and all that. Totally true.

And since I myself am a self-professed foodie as well as an author, I thought I'd give you a rundown of some of my favorite professional chefs. I mean, come on: what's hotter than a man with kitchen skills? Sometimes I fantasize about how awesome it would be to come home to someone who could whip me up a perfect

soufflé. Then I think about all the long hours chefs have to work, and how everything in their lives comes second to their careers. So maybe the reality of a chef-y boyfriend isn't quite up to par with my fantasies (and I'm sure my husband is happy about this), but who says a girl can't dream? So, with that in mind, here's a list of some of my favorite hot chefs.

1. Johnny Iuzzini: Former executive pastry chef for the acclaimed Jean Georges in NYC, James Beard Award winner, Top Chef Just Desserts host. He's got this 1950s greaser look, which is cool. But he also has this playful boy-next-door appeal and a sexy lisp. His desserts are highly refined and unusual. After spending his day controlling everything in the kitchen, I think he'd be submissive in the bedroom. I would totally tie him up.

2. Sam Mason: Tall, lean former WD-50 pastry chef, host of IFC's Dinner With the Band, owner of fancy aioli shop Empire Mayo w/Elizabeth Valleau. He's like a gazillion feet tall, skinny, covered in tattoos, and has this awesome deep voice that could talk you into doing anything. He was on the cover of NY Mag last month, for an article they did on his new mayo shop. I'd totally lick gourmet mayonnaise off his chest. Just sayin'.

3. Anthony Bourdain: Author, former chef, host of No Reservations, all around bad boy. The sexiest thing about Tony is his shockingly witty mouth combined with his ability to be genuinely humble: he's an ass, but he's also a nice guy. I love a paradox. I also love his hot Italian wife, Ottavia Busia, who seems to hold her own against his wit. I imagine the two of them must have some awesome sex. I'd like to watch.

4. Marcus Samuelsson: Owner of the highly acclaimed Aquavit and Harlem's Red Rooster, James Beard Award winner, cookbook author, food activist. This suave Swedish chef now lives in NYC, and uses his cooking cred to raise awareness and money for food-related causes. He seems intelligent, soft-spoken, and intense. And his smile is pretty freaking dazzling. He has a certain nice-guy appeal that probably translates to Hot in Bed. I'm just guessing.

5. Susur Lee: Owner of in Lee in Toronto, author, Top Chef Masters finalist. Susur was born in Hong Kong and has a terribly moving story (I mean, tear-jerker!) about immigrating to Canada with his first wife, who later died in a terrible airplane accident. His entire life's story is just plain inspirational. Disciplined, hard-working, self-made survivor. Family man. Long hair. So hot.

Review of Summoning the Night: An Arcadia Bell Novel by Jenn Bennett

noreply@blogger.com (Sheryl) — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:33:00 +0000

MAGICAL TRICKS. DEMONIC TREATS.

After narrowly escaping her fate as a sacrificial scapegoat, Arcadia Bell is back to normal. Or at least as ordinary as life can be for a renegade magician and owner of a tiki bar that caters to Earthbound demons. She’s gearing up for the busiest day of the year—Halloween—when a vengeful kidnapper paralyzes the community. The influential head of the local Hellfire Club taps Cady to track down the fiendish bogeyman, and now that she’s dating red-hot Lon Butler, the Club’s wayward son, she can hardly say no.

Cady and Lon untangle a gruesome thirty-year trail of clues that points to danger for the club members’ children. But locating the person behind the terror will require some metaphysical help from Cady’s loyal bar patrons as well as her potent new Moonchild powers—and she’d better figure it out before the final victim disappears and her own darkest secret becomes her biggest enemy.

I was lucky enough to score an ARC of Jenn Bennett’s newest, Summoning the Night: An Arcadia Bell Novel. Her debut was absolutely stellar and I jumped at the chance to read this one a little early!

This book is just as awesome as its predecessor, Kindling the Moon, and I truly believe that Arcadia Bell is climbing up through the ranks of other awesome urban fantasy characters (elbows to the face and knees to the groin all perfectly acceptable in this fight) to take her place towards the top.

Cady is a great protagonist, likeable and smart. But just as soon as she settles back into daily life after a nefarious plot by her parents, all hell breaks loose…again. Cady and Lon (her smoking hot demonic lover) are investigating the kidnapping of Hellfire Club member’s children and trying to stop a psychopath from leaving more bodies in his wake.

Cady and Lon are one of my favorite urban fantasy couples. They don’t have any angst between them which, in my opinion, kills my love for other book characters out there. They are involved in a solid and honest relationship with very little secrets between them. And…how cool is Jupe?? I have to admit, having a kid in an urban fantasy novel at first struck me as a little weird but in this book, he moves from being a minor character into a major one. To be completely honest, I liked him so much I was completely okay with that. Plus, he has a VERY cool, yet utterly scary knack which he has to learn to deal with and to not abuse. I almost cringe to think about that much power in a kid’s hands so I can almost feel the fact that this will come up again in the next few books.

The plot in this one didn’t grab me as much as the first one did but I still thought it was a very solid second edition to the Arcadia Bell series. I highly recommend this one and the one prior to it, Kindling the Moon.

Also, the author of this book, Jenn Bennett, will be guest posting tomorrow on the blog about hot chefs so stay tuned!!

Overall Rating -

First Grave on the Right - Darynda Jones

noreply@blogger.com (Sheryl) — Sun, 13 May 2012 12:58:00 +0000

I was in Barnes and Noble and saw the second book in this series in the new release paperback area. It looked interesting so I scrounged around and found the first one. So glad I did! This is an excellent series and will appeal to those who like humor and mystery. There are also romantic elements (and some steamy moments) but the majority of the story revolves around Charley, who just happens to be the Grim Reaper.

She sees dead people. All the time. Even in the shower, which happens to be funny and yet also slightly creepy. This book won the Golden Heart a few years ago and I can definitely see why. Charley Davidson is a super witty and snarky heroine. Pretty much every paragraph has some type of humor in it which makes for a very funny and quick read.

Without any spoilers, there is another major character in this book that Charley has been seeing in her dreams. He’s not exactly human but when Charley figures out exactly what he is, it’s a major rut rowe moment. She’s addicted to chocolate, caffeine and sarcasm which means she’s the kind of gal I’d probably be friends with.

Each book in this series revolves around Charley solving a murder, hence the mystery portion, while also trying to figure out what the heck the entity showing up in her dreams is. What results is a zany ride resulting in lots of laughter and fun. I loved this book and the rest of the series! Anyone who has the nads to name their breasts Danger and Will Robinson is A-okay in my book.

Highly recommend this series!

Overall Rating -

Orange and Vanilla Scented Bundt Cake - Taken from Bon Appetit Desserts

noreply@blogger.com (Sheryl) — Sun, 13 May 2012 01:38:00 +0000

This recipe? Amazing. Yep. You must run to the kitchen now and get your bundt cake on. Don't blaspheme the cake either and use bottled juice and jarred peel. Use the real deal and put some elbow grease into it. Your tummy will thank you for it.
On another note, I've been catching up on some blogs. New book review tomorrow (First Grave On the Right) and HUGE news! Jenn freaking Bennett will be guest posting on March 15th!! Okay, her middle name is not freaking but you know what I mean. She writes the amazing Arcadia Bell series and I was blessed enough to receive an ARC of the newest book in the series. I'll post a review on that Monday and her post on Tuesday. Stay tuned for this one. She's talking about hot chefs! And not temperature wise, if'n youse know what I mean.

The Recipe: Orange and Vanilla Scented Bundt Cake
( Makes 1 bundt cake or 26 mini-bundt cakes)
Cake
3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (2 teaspoons vanilla can be substituted, if in a pinch)
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 large eggs
2/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2/3 cup buttermilk (To make your own buttermilk — 2/3 cup regular milk with 2 teaspoons white vinegar mixed in. Let sit for 10 minutes).
Glaze
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
Icing
2/3 cup powdered sugar
4 teaspoons (roughly) freshly squeezed orange juice
For the Cake:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350° F. Butter and flour 12-15 cup Bundt pan. Whisk flour, salt, and baking soda in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and orange peel in large bowl at low speed to release essential oils from peel. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into sugar mixture and beat to blend well. Add butter and beat until light. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in orange juice (mixture will look curdled). Stir in flour mixture, then buttermilk. Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top. Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 50 minutes.

For the Glaze:
Meanwhile, boil orange juice, sugar, and butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1/2 cup, swirling pan occasionally, about 5 minutes.
Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes ( less for mini-bundts). Using small sharp knife, cut around the sides and center tube of pan to loosen cake. Turn cake out onto rack and brush with glaze. Cool completely.

For the icing:
Place sugar in small bowl. Mix in orange juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, until thick pourable consistency forms. Drizzle icing over cake. Let stand until icing sets.

Marie Astor Blog Tour - Lucky Charm Excerpt

noreply@blogger.com (Sheryl) — Wed, 09 May 2012 12:30:00 +0000

“Are we all alone in here?” she whispered.

“Don’t worry – I assure you that it’s perfectly safe.” Etienne put his arm around her. “I know the way well – we will not get lost.”

“Do you know that there is a legend about this place?”

“No – I have no idea. I don’t think I ever even saw the chateau mentioned in any of the guidebooks.”

“That is because it is still privately owned and is not open to public tours.” Etienne halted.

“Tell me about the legend,” Annabel urged him.

“And then what happened?”

“The nobleman married his true love.”

“And the queen did not object?”

“I prefer the first story.”

“Me too.”

They walked through a succession of rooms, each more opulent than the next until they reached a dining room.

“I thought you’d never notice.” He grinned. “Shall we?” He motioned for her to take a seat at the table.

“You mean to tell me that this is for us?” she exclaimed in half disbelief.

“Guilty as charged.” Mischievous sparks danced in Etienne’s eyes – he was clearly enjoying the effect of his surprise.

“But is this even allowed? There are historical artifacts all over this place - what if food gets spilled or something?”

Author Info

We're Not Young - Parody

noreply@blogger.com (Sheryl) — Sat, 05 May 2012 23:29:00 +0000

A Saturday funny instead of a book post. I'm embarrassed to say I'm guilty of several of these things...

Making Piece: A Memoir of Love, Loss and Pie

noreply@blogger.com (Sheryl) — Thu, 03 May 2012 19:31:00 +0000

I chose this book because it was about food and anyone who knows me knows just how much I like food. Especially when it’s baked goods. Get between me and a freshly baked pie? Prepare to be steamrolled.

I enjoyed this book and it was a quick read but I didn’t experience the real up and down emotions that many people talk about with this book. For me, it was just a story about a woman enduring a loss similar to one that many people experience every day. Was it sad? Some parts were. Did it make me cry? No, it sure didn't.

However, there was one part that I enjoyed immensely. When they were filming the reality show and stopped to give out free pie, that part got me. Food brings people together, ya’ll. I’ll argue that until my last breath. Forget this McDonald’s, fast-food convenient society. If you bring people together in a room and place food in front of them that uses good wholesome ingredients and it reminds someone of their grandma, you’re going to see a difference in the world. The world may just be your living room, or in the case of this book, a street corner, but you’re still going to see a change in people. The author was able to show for a brief instant that even though we are all so extremely different, at heart we’re all the same…and we sure do love us some pie.

So, take that as you will. I enjoyed the book but the story of her and her husband didn’t move me as much as some other memoirs have. I recommend this book because I thought it was good but if you’re looking for a tear-jerker or something you’re going to remember for a long time, I don’t think it would be this book.

Overall Rating -

Terri Giuliano Long Guest Post: On Reading Habits and Reading as a Writer

noreply@blogger.com (Sheryl) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 18:30:00 +0000

I'm honored to have Terri Giuliano Long guest posting today!! I asked her about her reading habits, what books she enjoys the most, what's on her nightstand and how she relates to reading as a writer.

Thank you so very much for hosting me, Sheryl! It’s an honor to be here today!
As a child, I spent countless hours in my attic bedroom, reading. My mom once told me she’d worried about me when I was a child, because I spent so much time alone in my room. The truth was, I was always lost in a book.
That love of reading has stayed with me through adulthood. Although my current schedule allows little free time, I read whenever I can. Last Christmas, my children gave me a Kindle. I love the look and feel of books, the weight and the smell. I didn’t think I’d like the Kindle, but it’s been a godsend. Instead of lugging 10 – 12 books in my suitcase whenever we travel, paying airline overweight fees, I carry my eReader.
An eclectic reader, I’ll try almost any genre – though, I admit, I have yet to read Steampunk - and I’ll give any book a shot, if the blurb catches my eye. I enjoy books that offer insight into our lives and daily struggles. The short story writer Andre Dubus is a favorite. I memorized the end of “A Father’s Story,” his masterful story about a father and daughter, for a graduate class; years later, I still hear the rhythm and cadence of his language. Jessica Treadway, winner of the Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction for her latest collection, Please Come Back To Me, also writes gorgeous, evocative stories.
Susan Straight’s elegant novel A Million Nightingales, another favorite, tells the moving story of a beautiful young slave girl in nineteenth century Louisiana. Sold upriver, Moinette is repeatedly assaulted and must rely on her intelligence to survive. This powerful story stayed with me long after I’d finished reading. All three authors, I feel, are grossly underappreciated.
The Road, by Cormac McCarthy is my all-time favorite, the book I’d take to a desert island. This powerful novel transports us to a gray post-apocalyptic world, where humans have been reduced to animal instinct--for inhabitants of this new world, murder and cannibalism are a means of survival. Within this harsh environment, McCarthy gives us a tender, elegantly rendered father and son. This dark story ends with the promise of renewal and hope.

I also adore Stephen King. I love Chick Lit, 40s Noir, and murder mysteries. My guilty pleasure: the Shopoholic series, which my daughter Elizabeth convinced me to read. And I just devour thrillers and police procedurals.
For the last year, my husband and I have divided our time between the East and West Coasts; with all the travelling, my schedule has been hectic. The time crunch limited my reading, so I’ve focused on the amazing work of my indie author friends – Susan Salluce, Rachel Thompson, Amber Scott, Shelli Johnson, Ann Charles, David Brown, Michael Burns, Tess Hardwick, Emlyn Chand, Christine Nolfi, Rob Guthrie, Melissa Foster, Cynthia Harrison, and others. Margot Livesey, another brilliant writer, was one of my grad school professors. Her new novel, The Flight of Gemma Hardy, tops my Kindle list.
Reading as a Writer
In grad school, reading Saint Maybe, I fell in love with Anne Tyler. I read Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant, Breathing Lessons, The Accidental Tourist, Ladder of Years, and then went backward and read most of her earlier books.
Reading Anne Tyler’s early work inspired me – because I didn’t care for all the books. I never finished If Morning Ever Comes, her first novel. Please don’t get me wrong: Anne Tyler is a brilliant writer. Still, there is a clear progression from her earlier to her later work, when she won the National Book Critic’s Circle Award (The Accidental Tourist) and the Pulitzer Prize (Breathing Lessons).
Throughout school, I’d read only “big” books; on my own, I read top literary novelists, such as Anne Tyler. The books intimidated me. Although I worked - and continue to work - hard at developing my craft, I couldn’t imagine coming close to Anne Tyler or John Updike or Margaret Atwood. Reading If Morning Ever Comes, seeing the early efforts of a master, gave me hope.
Today as a writing teacher, I remind my students that we start somewhere. My shelves are lined with books on craft. My favorites include: On Writing, Stephen King, What If? Ann Bernays and Pamela Painter, Writing Fiction, Janet Burroway, and The Art and Craft of Novel Writing, Oakley Hall. For inspiration, I reread Barbara Ueland’s wonderful book If You Want to Write.
For writers, reading is our most important tool. Reading, we learn to use language and internalize the various aspects of style and voice. Reading also helps us to hone our craft. To solve a problem in my writing, I always turn to a book. I’ll read or reread a passage, analyze the technique the writer used, and incorporate it or, more often, adjust it to suit my story.
Reading entertains me, takes me on a journey, and carries me to new worlds. Reading helps me understand life, gives me an escape, and teaches me to write. I owe my passion for writing to my lifelong habit of reading.

Author Bio

Terri Giuliano Long is a frequent blog guest. A contributing writer for IndieReader, she’s written for news and feature articles for numerous publications, including IndieReader, the Boston Globe and the Huffington Post. She lives with her family on the East Coast and teaches at Boston College. In Leah's Wake is her debut novel. For more information, please visit her website: www.tglong.com

Connect with Terri!

Website: www.tglong.comBlog: http://terriglong.com/blog/Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tglongwritesTwitter: @tglong

Her first novel is Leah's Wake.

Bared to You - A Crossfire Novel by Sylvia Day

noreply@blogger.com (Sheryl) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:32:00 +0000

Review Copy provided by NetgalleyWow. I am not even sure what to say about this book. I am a fan of Sylvia Day and have read quite a few of her books. While they are always pretty steamy, this one punches steamy in the face and then kicks it a few times for good measure. This story had my mouth dropped open in shock from almost the second I opened my book and me looking anxiously around to see if anyone was peering at my e-reader (I read this at the airport and on the plane).

Synopsis of Bared to You

Our journey began in fire...

Gideon Cross came into my life like lightning in the darkness-beautiful and brilliant, jagged and white-hot. I was drawn to him as I'd never been to anything or anyone in my life. I craved his touch like a drug, even knowing it would weaken me. I was flawed and damaged, and he opened those cracks in me so easily...

Gideon knew. He had demons of his own. And we would become the mirrors that reflected each other's most private wounds... and desires.

The bonds of his love transformed me, even as I prayed that the torment of our pasts didn't tear us apart...

I have never read another book like this, most likely because erotica is not a genre that I enjoy. However, I didn’t quite realize this was part of the erotica genre until I was completely swept up in the book.

Both of these characters are extremely flawed. So flawed that most people probably would be in the loony bin drooling type of flawed. I was at turns appalled and sickened by Eva and Gideon yet Day didn’t lose me because she also made the characters extremely vulnerable.

Both Gideon and Eva had terrible things happen to them in their childhood and it makes them completely screwed up adults. While they were functioning and working, they also struggled internally with serious emotional conflict.

Putting them together was like throwing water into a boiling pan of grease. They are terrible for each other, yet, exactly right. A normal woman would run screaming away from someone like Gideon. He’s controlling, overbearing and tips right over the border of concerned right into stalker territory. Some of the things he did to Eva were crazy. Like crazy does not pass go and heads straight into jail type of crazy.

Eva is irrationally jealous and insecure. Together, they are a volatile combination of emotion and smoking hot sex.

I have to be honest with the readers of this blog. This book will not appeal to everyone. After I finished it, I had an overwhelming need for a shower and a sandpaper scrub. However, you cannot deny the magical writing fingers of Sylvia Day. She has created a completely original cast of characters who are so screwed up that you end up rooting for them in the end. This book is unlike anything I have ever read before. I don’t believe I’ll pick up the second, only because I was so disturbed by the first. I can guarantee, though, that I will never forget the characters of Gideon Cross and Eva.

Overall Rating -

One to skip - Strange Neighbors by Ashlyn Chase

noreply@blogger.com (Sheryl) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 02:28:00 +0000

He's looking for peace, quiet, and a little romance...

There's never a dull moment when hunky all-star pitcher and shapeshifter Jason Falco invests in an old Boston brownstone apartment building full of supernatural creatures. But when Merry MacKenzie moves into the ground floor apartment, the playboy pitcher decides he might just be done playing the field...A girl just wants to have fun...

Sexy Jason seems like the perfect fling, but newly independent nurse Merry's not sure she's ready to trust him with her heart...especially when the tabloids start trumpeting his playboy lifestyle.Then pandemonium breaks loose and Merry and Jason will never get it together without a little help from the vampire who lives in the basement and the werewolf from upstairs...

I was lured into this book because I am an unabashed cover whore. How cute is this cover??? Alas, it does not live up to its promise. This is one to skip, folks. While I was at Romantic Times, I kept seeing an easel with the covers of the books in this series and me being an ooohhhhh shiny person, I had to have it immediately. I purchased it at the book fair, got about 79 pages into it and threw it down in disgust.

It's just really...weird. It promises a lighthearted romantic romp but the main characters have the libido of teenagers and the dialogue to match it. The sex scenes are weird and oddly pornographic for a novel like this. As soon as I read the possibility of her "sitting" on his face and him mistaking it for "sh*tting" I was done. Every character in this book is oddly flat and 79 pages into it we still don't know what everyone is only that they may be afflicted with something or they're oddly pale. I recommend skipping this series. Since I didn't finish the books and have no plans to pick up another in this series, I am not rating it. If you want to check it out, head to the library.

Book Trailer, Synopsis and Excerpt of YA Paranormal Romance - Taste

noreply@blogger.com (Sheryl) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 15:51:00 +0000

Coming soon from Crescent Moon Press and the lovely Kate Evangelista, a new YA paranormal romance entitled, Taste

Synopsis of Taste:

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
ISBN: TBD
Length: Novel
Publication Date: May 2012
Cover art by: Liliana Sanches
Published by: Crescent Moon Press

At Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans.

When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn’t realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud

Taste Excerpt

I mentally stomped on the intimidation their perfection brought into my mind and said, “Excuse me.”
The group froze, startled by my words. The girls had their brows raised and the boys stopped mid-speech, mouths agape. They stared at me with eyes the shade of onyx stones.
I smiled and gave them a little wave.
The boy a step ahead of the rest recovered first. His stunning features went from shocked surprise to intense interest. He reminded me of a hawk eyeing its prey. I gulped.
“A Day Student,” he said, his eyes insolent and excited.
Something about the way he said “Day Student” made my stomach flip. “Excuse me?”
They snickered. The boys looked at each other while the girls continued to stare, muffling their laughter by delicate hands. I seemed to be the butt of some joke.
“You broke the rule.” The boy’s grin turned predatory.
The students formed a loose semi-circle in front of me. My gaze darted from face to face. Hunger filled their eyes. The image of lions about to chase down a gazelle came to mind. I mentally shook my head. I was in the mountains not the Serengeti for crying out loud.
I took a small step back and cleared my throat. “Can any of you give me a ride back to the dorms?”
The boy wagged his forefinger like a metronome. “Ah, that’s unfortunate for you.”
One of the girls pinched the bridge of her nose. “Eli, you can’t possibly—”
“It’s forbidden, Eli,” another boy interrupted, pronouncing the word “forbidden” like a curse.
The nervous murmur at the pit of my stomach grew louder. Six against one. Not good odds. Instinct told me to cut my losses and run. Bad enough I faced expulsion, now it seemed like weird, beautiful people who’d suddenly appeared on campus wanted to beat me up. No, scratch that. Judging from the way they studied me, beating me up wouldn’t satisfy them. Something more primal prowled behind their looks.
I definitely wasn’t going down without a fight. Years of self-defense and hand-to-hand combat classes had me prepared. While other children from rich and important families got bodyguards, I got defense training. But I think my father meant for my skills to go up against potential kidnappers, not against other students who may or may not be crazy. Oh God! Maybe I stepped into a parallel universe or something when I reentered Barinkoff.
“None of the students are supposed to be on campus,” I said. Then, realizing my mistake, I added, “Okay, I know I’m not supposed to be here either. If one of you gives me a ride back to the dorms, I won’t say anything about all this. Let’s pretend this never happened. I didn’t see you, you didn’t see me.”
“We’re not ordinary students,” Eli answered. “We’re the Night Students.”
He’d said “Night Students” like the words were capitalized. I didn’t know Barinkoff held classes at night. What was going on here?
Eli smiled with just one side of his mouth and said to the group, “She’s right, no one will have to know. We’re the only ones here. And it’s been so long, don’t you agree?”
The rest of them nodded reluctantly.
“What’s been so long?” I challenged. I fisted my hands, ready to put them up if any of them so much as twitched my way.
“Since the taste of real flesh passed through my lips,” Eli said. He came forward and took a whiff of me then laughed when I cringed.
“Flesh.” Yep, parallel universe.
“Yes,” he said. “And yours smells so fresh.”
Someone grabbed my shoulders from behind and yanked me back before I could wrap my mind around the meaning behind Eli’s words. In a blink, I found myself behind someone tall. Someone really tall. And quite broad. And very male.
I realized he wore the same clothes Eli and the other boys did. Not good. He was one of them. Although… I cocked my head, raking my gaze over him. He seemed born to wear the uniform, like he was the pattern everyone else was cut from. My eyes wandered to long, layered, blue-black hair tied at the nape by a silk ribbon. Even in dim light, his hair possessed a sheen akin to mercury.
I looked down. The boy’s long fingers were wrapped around my wrist like a cuff. His fevered touch felt hotter than human standards, hot enough to make me sweat like I was standing beside a radiator but not hot enough to burn.
“I must be mistaken, Eli,” the boy who held my arm said in a monotone. “Correct me. Did I hear you say you wanted to taste the flesh of this girl?”
A hush descended on us. It had the hairs at the back of my neck rising. How was it possible for the atmosphere to switch from threatening to dangerous? Unable to help myself, I peeked around the new guy’s bulk. Eli and his friends bowed. They all had their right hands on their chests.
“Demitri, I’m sure you misheard me,” Eli said.
So the guy standing between me and the person who said he’d wanted to taste me was named Demitri. I like the sound of his name. Demitri. So strong, yet rolls off the tongue. Definite yum factor.
“So, you imply I made a mistake?” Demitri demanded.
“No!” Eli lifted his gaze. “I did no such thing. I simply wanted to show the girl the consequences of breaking curfew.”
“Hey!” I yelled. “Don’t talk about me like I’m not here!”
Demitri ignored my protest and continued to address Eli. “So, you threatened to taste her flesh.” His fingers tightened their grip around my wrist. “In the interest of investigating this matter further, I invoke the Silence.”
All six students gasped, passing surprised glances at one another.
Before I could ask about what was going on, Demitri yanked me down the hall toward the library. But why there? Oh, maybe we were getting my things. No, wait, he couldn’t have known about that. Everything was too confusing now.
Eli and the others didn’t try to stop us when we passed them. Demitri’s cold command must have carried power. Handsome and powerful, never a bad combination on a guy.
We reached the heavy double doors in seconds. He jerked one open effortlessly. I’d needed all my strength just to squeeze through that same door earlier. To him, the thick wood might as well have been cardboard. I raised an eyebrow and mentally listed the benefits of going to gym class.
“Why are we here?” I asked after my curiosity overpowered my worry. I’d almost forgotten how frightened I’d been right before Demitri showed up. I wasn’t above accepting help from strangers. Especially from gorgeous dark-haired strangers with hot hands and wide shoulders.
Demitri kept going, tugging me along, snaking his way deeper into the library. I had to take two steps for every stride his legs made. I tried to stay directly behind him, praying we didn’t slam into anything.
He stopped suddenly and I collided with him. It felt like slamming into a wall.
“Hey,” I said, momentarily stunned. “A little warning would be nice!”
He faced me, and I gasped. His eyes resembled a starless night, deep and endless. Their intensity drilled through me without pity, seeming to expose all my secrets. I felt naked and flustered beneath his gaze.
“You could have died back there,” he warned.
A lump of panic rebuilt itself in my throat.

Author Kate Evangelista