Kritters Ramblings

Review: Falling Fast by Lucy Kevin

2012-02-13T07:00:00.000-05:00

Falling Fast by Lucy Kevin

Publisher: self-published

Pages: 136

Format: nookbook

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: When Alexa is sent by a magazine to be an undercover contestant on the reality TV series "Falling For Mr. Right" she assumes the worst part of the assignment will be having to act like a brainless bimbo to try and win the affection of an arrogant guy who is out looking for his fifteen minutes of fame. Color her shocked when it turns out that not only are several of her fellow contestants intelligent, funny women...but that Brandon - aka Mr. Right - isn't at all the kind of man she thought he'd be.

What's Alexa supposed to do when instead of digging up dirt for her cover story, she finds herself falling way too fast for the man she's supposed to tear apart in her first big feature story?

Kritters Thoughts: As we approach Valentine's Day, I thought it would be perfect to share a sweet story that is light and fun, but also has a little love in it. Centered around a young woman who isn't quite sure about herself and hasn't had the best of luck in the dating world. Through the stories, she comes to find out that first you must love yourself before you can be loved by anyone - a lesson that is best learned through mistakes!

A sweet novella that takes you behind the scenes of a dating show and to be honest, this book could be called fluff, but it was interesting to think how honest this behind the scenes glance could be. With a little twist at the end, this book was lent to me by my sister and if she takes the time to read a book and send it my way, then any female should read it.

Yes, it is February and I believe this book would be perfect to load on your new ereader for the upcoming beach season, it is just around the corner. A chick lit with fun, romance, and a lot of heart - the perfect recipe.

Rating: perfect beach read

GR Cover Challenge 2012: Primary Colors

Ebook Challenge 2012: 2 out of 25

It's Monday, What are you Reading? (58)

2012-02-12T19:00:00.000-05:00

An eventful weekend - celebrated my sister's birthday with the family and spent the night at my parents house. It was fun to get a little family time in and Charlotte loves the extra attention from a toddler and my parents, my dad is a great doggie masseuse!

A meme hosted by Sheila at BookJourney.

Finished this past week:
The Mediator by Michael Abayomi
Pieces of Us by Margie Gelbwasser
Love Lifted Me by Sara Evans
Mother of the Bride by Lynn Michaels

Currently Reading:

Gods and Fathers by James Lepore
MWF Seeking BFF by Rachel Bertsche

Next off the TBR pile:
First You Try Everything by Jane McCafferty

Review: The Sausage Maker's Daughters by AGS Johnson

2012-02-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

The Sausage Maker's Daughters by AGS Johnson

Publisher: BiblioFile Press

Pages: 400

Format: ARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: The sausage maker's youngest daughter is heading for the fight of her battle-scarred life. It's the era of the counterculture and Vietnam. But twenty-four-year-old Kip Czermanksi is nowhere near her home in California. She's in a jail cell in her hometown in Wisconsin awaiting a court appearance in the mysterious death of her ex-lover, who happened to be her brother-in-law. Given her father is the small town's leading citizen; Kip isn't overly worried, at first. But the personal grudge the DA holds for all the Czermanskis is about to find a foil Kip. What follows is a wild ride through Kip's present predicament and her past. She'll come to regret leaving her life in LA, regardless of the good reason for which she returned, when family dynamics and sibling rivalries, magnified by her counterculture attitudes and feminist beliefs, lay Kip's life bare before the courtroom. Distrusting her legal team, her rebellious history well known, things both personal and legal spiral out-of-control. It doesn't look good for Kip Czermanski.

Kritters Thoughts: Very rarely does a book completely take me away and this one absolutely did. I was a little put off by this synopsis, but hopefully I will convince you all that this is one to go out and grab immediately.

From the beginning you are introduced to the baby of the family - Kip who is very different from her three older sisters who all have blonde hair and are all praised for their beauty. Kip is the younger sister that has taken on the problems of the family, but after college she escaped to California to start a new. She ends up back in Wisconsin and in the middle of family drama. Of course, as I always say, I can't reveal too much because it is worth the read.

I loved the combination of family trouble and a who dun it mystery. Two of my favorite plots combined makes a complete story, a wonderful story. I am passing this book onto everyone I know, this could be one of my top 5 of 2012 and we are only in month 2 of 2012.

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

GR Cover Challenge 2012: Nature-ally

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from JKS Communications. I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: Nobody's Child by Austin Boyd

2012-02-10T07:00:00.000-05:00

Nobody's Child by Austin Boyd

Publisher: Zondervan

Pages: 336

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: Meet… Laura Ann McGehee—Determined to honor her father’s dying request, the young West Virginia woman will do whatever it takes to save the family farm, including using the one remaining financial resource she has—her body.

Sophia McQuistion—Thanks to the unusual sacrifice of a woman she has never met, she carries the child she could never conceive.

Ian Stewart—In Laura Ann’s time of need, he’s more than just a close friend. He is a source of grace, a man who loves Laura Ann through her many trials.

When unusual circumstances place Sophia’s baby in Laura Ann’s care, Laura Ann is now the virgin mother of her own biological son. The media call him “Nobody’s Child.” But somebody wants him badly enough to steal the baby. Weaving together bioethics and faith, Nobody’s Child dramatizes a future that is already upon us with consequences we can no longer avoid.

Kritters Thoughts: Are you looking for that book to curl up with on a snowy weekend? This one is the perfect one to keep you cuddled under a blanket just wondering what is coming up on the next page. The reader starts in the midst of a young woman's struggle as her father is battling for his life. Set in a small town in West Virginia, I found it interesting to read a story set somewhere that I have never been and in a setting (family farm) that I have no connection to. The descriptions of farm and small town life were beyond vivid. From the first page, you are hooked into this story.

Laura Ann must work hard to keep her family's farm. She goes to some extreme measures, of course, I can't share because that would obviously spoil your reading. With conquering a farm, the weather and unexpected visitors, this book takes on a life of its own. There is even an evil villain in her Uncle Jack.

A piece of women's fiction that is sweet and pure while also absolutely entertaining. A read fit for any age because this story can hit home to any reader.

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

GR Cover Challenge 2012: Reflections

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from the author. I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Guest Post: Dorothy James

2012-02-09T07:00:00.001-05:00

Today I have the pleasure of sharing a guest post from Dorothy James, author of A Place to Die. You can grab her book here at Amazon.

Stashing Granny
Yesterday I read an article in the Huffington Post by Ann Brenoff with the provocative title: ”Stashing Granny in a Backyard Shed “ (http://tinyurl.com/7l5yr87). Today there are already pages of comments. It is a catchy title and the pitch is humorous: “ . . . as much as you love Mom, you really don’t want her under the same roof . . .” The “backyard shed” turns out to be a do-it-yourself construction kit for a $60,000 largely pre-fabricated house, not the worst idea to save your mother from “the assisted living place with the awful medicinal smell.” However the many comments, pro and contra, illustrate what a hot topic this is.

What caught my eye, and at first glance turned my stomach, was the phrase “stashing Granny.” Consider yourself for a moment if you can, not as a son or daughter with a parental or grandparental problem, but as a Granny or Grandpa. Do you want to be stashed?

This question is close to my heart because I have written and published a murder mystery called “A Place to Die,” set in a retirement home in Vienna. I did this in the first instance because it occurred to me that a retirement home was an ideal setting for a murder mystery – a large country house, a set of characters who weren’t going anywhere, who because they were by definition old had long lives behind them full of stories and secrets, lives that stretched back to the Vienna of the Nazi and post-Nazi period, a fascinating time to explore. I gave myself a fictional entrée into this world through an American baby-boomer-age couple visiting the husband’s mother who has been “stashed” in the home. I did not of course think of this word at the time, but it is true that the mother is not happy about being there and she is there because her family cannot cope any longer with her living alone.

The novel is not really about this quite common dilemma – it is a murder mystery and the plot centers on the detection of the crime. But in writing the novel, where the suspects as well as the victim are all old, some older than 90, I found myself delving into their lives, thoughts and feelings, seeing them not as items in the lives of others, people to be “stashed” somewhere out of the way, but people of pride and passion, happiness and misery, pettiness and greatness. People, in other words, just like the rest of us.

Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-08T07:00:00.000-05:00

Miss Charlotte and her beaver cuddled up for a good night of sleep!

Review: Lovesick by Spencer Seidel

2012-02-07T07:00:00.000-05:00

Lovesick by Spencer Seidel

Publisher: PublishingWorks, Inc.

Pages: 376

Format: ARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: A teenage boy is found on Portland Maine’s Eastern Promenade Trail holding the dead body of his best friend and the murder weapon. Forensic psychologist Lisa Boyers is called in to interview the disturbed young man, and her jailhouse interviews reveal more about her troubled, violent past than she bargained for.

Kritters Thoughts: A book that is more than a suspenseful who dun it. This book begins with one friend dead, one friend missing, and one friend in jail with the police assuming that he had orchestrated the entire scene. But did he. With this main story there is one underneath that involves the forensic psychologist who is asked to interview the suspect and get to the bottom of the story. These two plotlines were intertwined so well, that the reader was able to effortlessly flow from one story to the other.

You fall in love with the suspect, Paul, but you want to know how these friends ended up in such tragedy. Every once in awhile, a book can take you away where it is beyond impossible to put it down - so was this book. With an ease of reading, the story was able to take center stage.

So many twists and turns, this book ended in completely different spot than I expected, but I loved it. For those who love a little mystery in their lives, this is the perfect book to curl up with and hours later you will realize that you are mere pages from the end.

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

GR Cover Challenge 2012: Holidays

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from Media Muscle Tours. I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Check out this link to find other bloggers participating in the blog tour.

Review: Outside the Lines by Amy Hatvany

2012-02-06T07:00:00.001-05:00

Outside the Lines by Amy Hatvany

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Pages: 352

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: When Eden was ten years old she found her father, David, bleeding out on the bathroom floor. The suicide attempt led to her parents’ divorce, and David all but vanished from Eden’s life. Since childhood, she has heard from him only rarely, just enough to know he’s been living on the streets and struggling with mental illness. But lately, there has been no word at all.

Now in her thirties, Eden decides to go look for her father, so she can forgive him at last, and finally move forward. When her search uncovers other painful truths—not only the secrets her mother has kept from her, but also the agonizing question of whether David, after all these years, even wants to be found—Eden is forced to decide just how far she’ll go in the name of love.

Kritters Thoughts: A book where mental illness takes center stage, but the reader gets a full picture with this read - from both the person fighting the illness to the family that is affected by the highs and the lows of the disease. The format of this book was a perfect way to share the story both what is currently happening to the full story of the past.

From the beginning we meet Eden who has been severely damaged by her father's battle with a mental illness. She has struggled with her romantic relationships and can not find fulfillment at her job. Throughout the book you read the past from both her perspective and her fathers and learn why she has come to be the adult she is now. I absolutely loved reading the perspective of her father and having moments in his head as he tried to conform to society's standards and be a father and a husband.

A story that hits you deep in your heart and makes you want to rescue her from her expectations of a father that can't live up to them. I fell hard into this book and was swallowed hole by the story. I couldn't put down if I tried!

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from Simon & Schuster. I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

It's Monday, What are you Reading? (57)

2012-02-05T19:00:00.000-05:00

What an interesting week of reading! February has started and we may have an extra day this year, but this short month always feels rushed.

A meme hosted by Sheila at BookJourney.

Finished this past week:
The Day I Shot Cupid by Jennifer Love Hewitt
Elizabeth the Queen by Sally Bedell Smith
The Sausage Maker's Daughters by AGS Johnson
North of Hollywood by Rick Lenz

Currently Reading:
Mother of the Bride by Lynn Michaels
Next off the TBR pile:

Gods and Fathers by James Lepore
Life in Death by Harlow Coban

In My Mailbox (61)

2012-02-05T07:00:00.000-05:00

Busy weekend, so must skip the vlog this weekend. Will be back next weekend!

A meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

For Review:
Whole Latte Life by Joanne DeMaio (Goodreads)
First You Try Everything by Jane McCafferty (Goodreads Amazon)

Swapping:
Notes From the Backseat by Jody Gehrman (Goodreads Amazon)
Loose Screws by Karen Templeton (Goodreads Amazon)

Winnings:
Bond Girl by Erin Duffy (Goodreads Amazon)

The Ramble: BEA 2012

2012-02-04T07:00:00.000-05:00

BEA 2012! Can you believe that just 4 months from today BEA and BBC begins?

And I will be there (along with my mom!)!!

That is right folks, I am going to my first ever BEA. By the time it rolls around, I will have completed 2 full years of blogging and book sharing. I can not wait to go and see what lies ahead for the book industry and meet some faces that I have only communicated with through the web.

I need advice. What to bring, what not to bring. How to keep it all organized? I can't wait to get to planning.

Mom and I will be taking the train in from VA and we are excited to have 4 days of bookish events, people and things!

Review: Bittersweet Surrender by Diann Hunt

2012-02-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

Bittersweet Surrender by Diann Hunt

Publisher: Thomas Nelson Publishers

Pages: 320

Format: ebook

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: Carly Westlake is living the dream. She spends her days at a spa (okay, so she owns the place), she's dating a hunk, and she's surrounded by chocolate-milk chocolate, her favorite-that she uses for the chocolate facials that made her spa famous.

But when long buried secrets threaten Carley's business and her friendship with business-partner Tom, she fights like crazy to keep the dream-and the illusions-afloat.

It takes a miracle of grace to get Carley to finally make that bittersweet surrender to love and real life.

Kritters Thoughts: A chocolate spa, cancer survivor, friendships, and family should make for a great girlie read to start the Valentine's Day season, but this book fell short in many ways. The main character Carly has survived it all - father passed away, breast cancer survivor, best friend passing away and step mother moving in, with all this tragedy the book started out in a low and depressing state. The reader follows Carly as she is trying to put pieces back together, but it takes quite awhile for the chips to fall, a little too long.

Without being so glum, I just didn't enjoy this one and I was prepared to fall in love at page one. When a book is slow to start and doesn't pick it up, it is hard to keep chugging along. I kept wanting the story to get going, but I was left in the same place with her fussing about her physical appearance or stressing about life. The sweet ending helped the book, but didn't make me cross the fencing to loving this book.

Rating: enjoyable, but didn't leave me wanting more

Ebook Challenge 2012: 8 out of 25

GR Cover Challenge 2012: Recognized

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from BookSneeze. I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A Birthday to Celebrate

2012-02-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

Today is my lil sis' bday! So along with the groundhog arriving today, we also have a birthday to celebrate!

She is a mom, wife, crafter and homemaker. She is talented and creative and rarely puts herself first. We are complete opposites and most times we compliment each other - we can make a very balanced team. I can organize the heck out of something, but she cares about the looks of it.

She always dreamed of being a mom and thanks to the arrival of Miss Emma, she lives the dream each day.

So this post is to say Happy Birthday to the little one!

January: The Beginning

2012-02-01T07:00:00.000-05:00

January 2012 was a great start to a wonderful reading year! I can't believe I finished 17 books, this is going to be one heck of a good year! How was your first month into 2012?

Books Completed:
1. In One Year and Out the Other by Assortment of Authors
2. The Secret of Lies by Barbara Forte Abate
3. The Crown by Nancy Bilyeau
4. Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
5. Falling Fast by Lucy Kevin
6. Adventures in Funeral Crashing by Milda Harris
7. Jackpot by Jackie Pilossoph
8. Ketchup is a Vegetable by Robin O'Bryant
9. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
10. Holly's Inbox by Holly Denham
11. Smitten by Assorted Authors
12. The Priest and the Peaches by Larry Peterson
13. Lovesick by Spencer Seidel
14. Bittersweet Surrender by Diann Hunt
15. Nobody's Child by Austin Boyd
16. Still Alice by Lisa Genova
17. Outside the Lines by Amy Hatvany

Total pages read, clicked, and flipped: 5,667

Where Have I Been Reading?:
Long Island, NY
London, UK (2)
New York City, NY (2)
San Francisco, CA
Palos Hills, IL
Chicago, IL
Mt Pleasant, SC
Stowe, VT (2)
Portland, ME
Morgantown, WV
Boston, MA
Seattle, WA

Review: Holly's Inbox by Holly Denham

2012-01-31T07:00:00.000-05:00

Holly's Inbox by Holly Denham

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Pages: 672

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: System alert: Inbox full of scandal, romance, and office hilarity!

Meet Holly Denham. It's her first day as a receptionist at a London investment bank and inexperienced Holly is struggling. How's a working girl supposed to have a love life with a demanding job, crazy friends, a dysfunctional family, and gossipy colleagues? Not to mention that Holly's been keeping a secret from everyone - and the past is about to catch up with her.

An affair with a sexy VP heats things up at the office, but when Holly's first flame (who, she thinks, left her in the lurch) gets a job at the same company, complications abound and Holly's inbox becomes a daily source of drama, laughter and scandal.

Kritters Thoughts: Can you tell a lot about someone from their email inbox? I knew this before reading this book, but I know it even more now! The reader is swept into a story that is filled with unique characters and fun circumstances. Through emails you meet the main character Holly and her friends and co-workers. I loved the change in formatting, it was different from the usual novel and was beyond entertaining.

Yes, this book is over 600 pages, but never fear with emails being the format of this book, it breezes by you and you can't believe that you are 200 pages in and already a third of the way through the book. Some may have some fear in this different formatting but with the subject of emails as headers, there is some distinction between each conversation and it gets so good that it is hard to put it down.

For your ultimate chick lit reader, this is a perfect book to swap among friends, even better for those readers that are in the work force who may enjoy the work humor a little more!

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel
(need to get it in this case)

GR Cover Challenge 2012: Buttons

Review: Ketchup is a Vegetable by Robin O'Bryant

2012-01-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

Ketchup is a Vegetable by Robin O'Bryant

Publisher: Greenforge Books

Pages: 264

Format: ebook

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: If you don’t have anything nice to say about motherhood, then… read this book. Robin O’Bryant offers a no holds barred look at the day to day life of being a mother to three, running a household and the everyday monotony of parenting.

It’s not always pretty but it’s real. Whether she's stuffing cabbage in her bra… dealing with defiant yet determined daughters… yelling at the F.B.I... or explaining the birds and the bees to her preschooler… you’re sure to find dozens of humorous and relatable situations.

From the creator of Robin's Chicks, one of the South’s most popular blogs on motherhood, misunderstandings and musings, comes a collection of essays that will not only make you laugh and cry, but realize that you’re not alone in your journey.

Sit back and relax, pour yourself some “mommy juice,” throw a fresh diaper on your baby and deadbolt the bedroom door to keep your kids out… because once you start reading you'll be too busy wiping away tears of laughter to wipe anybody's butt.

Kritters Thoughts: Have you ever read a book and literally laughed out loud so hard that you started crying? From page one this book had me laughing and crying and the boy starring at me strangely! Although I am not a mom and this is most definitely a mom book filled with stories from birds and bees talk to horrible road trips with infants and toddlers, I found the humor through knowing a bunch of moms and how life can be out of control.

This book starts with a perfect prologue to set up "the characters" and help the reader start out the book with full knowledge of who the author is and the family that she will be sharing about throughout the entire book. Then through a collection of short stories, each with a theme or topic, you are taken through all of the hazards that moms encounter while trying to raise a family. A perfect book for moms because each chapter is contained within itself, so you can start chapter one and finish the last chapter 3 years later!

I immediately forwarded this title to all my friends and family who are moms and maybe even a few that aren't starting a family just yet. I can't wait to hear how the can commiserate with her stories of life as a mom.

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Ebook Challenge 2012: 4 out of 25

GR Cover Challenge 2012: Recognized

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from the author via Women's Literary Cafe. I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

It's Monday, What are You Reading? (56)

2012-01-29T19:00:00.000-05:00

I am spending today in Richmond, VA, visiting with a great friend from college and her baby girl! I haven't seen her in over a year so this will be a day full of fun girl chatting!

It was a quieter reading week with other things taking up time, but that is how life goes.

A meme hosted by Sheila at BookJourney.

Finished this past week:
Still Alice by Lisa Genova
Outside the Lines by Amy Hatvany

Currently Reading:
Elizabeth the Queen by Sally Bedell Smith
A Place to Die by Dorothy James

Next off the TBR pile:
The Sausage Maker's Daughters by AGS Johnson

In My Mailbox (60)

2012-01-29T07:00:00.000-05:00

A wonderful week of review copies! I love sharing what came across my way over the week, share what came your way in the comments below!

A meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

For Review:
The Sausage Maker's Daughters by AGS Johnson (Goodreads Amazon)
North of Hollywood by Rick Lenz (Goodreads)
Best Seller by Timothy B Sagges (Goodreads Amazon)
Patchwork of Me by Gregory G Allen (Goodreads)
Outside the Lines by Amy Hatvany (Goodreads Amazon)
Lia's Guide to Winning the Lottery by Keren David (Goodreads Amazon)
The Red Book by Deborah Copaken Kogan (Goodreads Amazon)

Swapping:
The Stepmother by Carrie Adams (Goodreads Amazon)
True Love by Lurlene McDaniel (Goodreads Amazon)
Girl From the South by Joanna Trollope (Goodreads Amazon)

The Ramble: Introvert or Extrovert?

2012-01-28T11:00:00.000-05:00

Earlier today I posted a review about a book that describes a change in our country where extroverts are now the only hire able personality and introverts don't feel as accepted.

As I believe most of my followers are book people, we are stereotyped to be introverted, less sociable. Maybe that is a generalization, but when I took my Meyers Briggs before I headed off to college, I was a pure bred EXTROVERT. As I get older I can see my need for quiet time to recharge the batteries and my quiet time usually includes a book. Although, I still think I am as extroverted as the day I headed off to college.

In the same breath, some of my closest friends and maybe even the boy are introverted and crave that time at home and it is even a necessity. I respect that we all can't have an activity to go to every night of the week and a full schedule isn't a positive thing in everyone's minds, but just maybe we are all both.

Yes, I tend to lean towards the extroverted ways and love to be in a group and around people. But thank goodness for those quiet nights with the pup, fireplace, chai tea and a wonderful book - some weeks the mere thought of that list makes me cry happy tears of joy. I guess I have a little introvert tendencies.

Where do you stand on this issue?

Review: Quiet by Susan Cain

2012-01-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking
by Susan Cain

Publisher: Crown

Pages: 352

Format: ARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: At least one-third of the people we know are introverts. They are the ones who prefer listening to speaking, reading to partying; who invent and create but prefer not to pitch their own ideas; who favor working on their own over brainstorming in teams. Although they are often labeled “quiet,” it is to introverts we owe many of the great contributions to society—from Van Gogh’s sunflowers to the invention of the personal computer.

Passionately argued, impressively researched, and filled with the indelible stories of real people, Quiet shows how dramatically we undervalue introverts, and how much we lose in doing so. Susan Cain charts the rise of “the extrovert ideal” over the twentieth century and explores its far-reaching effects—how it helps to determine everything from how parishioners worship to who excels at Harvard Business School. And she draws on cutting-edge research on the biology and psychology of temperament to reveal how introverts can modulate their personalities according to circumstance, how to empower an introverted child, and how companies can harness the natural talents of introverts. This extraordinary book has the power to permanently change how we see introverts and, equally important, how they see themselves.

Kritters Thoughts: After reading this book, I feel I must say, Yes, I admit I am an extrovert and I like it. I have moments where I need to take a break from it all and hibernate, but in my heart, I love to be out and around people. I am surrounded by introverts on a daily basis and maybe I don't quite understand what makes them tick and what they need on a daily basis.

This book not only shows what introverts need in relationships, but also at the workplace. The final chapter is a complete source for parents and teachers on how to interact with introverted children. I think the author does a great job of making valid points and using interesting research to back up and explain each point. Although this is non-fiction and has a little bit of an academic approach, it reads much easier than a textbook and is a worthy read.

I would recommend this book to both introverts and extroverts. I think the extroverts need to learn how to adapt around introverts, while the introverts need to find the confidence in their own personality traits.

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

GR Cover Challenge 2012: It Matches!

Off the Shelf Challenge 2012: 2 out of 50

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from the author. I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: The Priest and the Peaches by Larry Peterson

2012-01-27T07:00:00.000-05:00

The Priest and the Peaches by Larry Peterson

Publisher: Tribute Books

Pages:

Format: ebook

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: Historical fiction novel set in the Bronx in the mid-1960s

Take a seven day journey with the five, newly orphaned Peach kids, as they begin their struggle to remain a family while planning their dad's funeral.

They find an ally in the local parish priest, Father Tim Sullivan, who tries his best to guide them through the strange, unchartered and turbulent waters of "grown-up world." A story that is sad, funny, and inspiring as it shows how the power of family love and faith can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Kritters Thoughts: A book that starts at a low point in a depressing situation and slowly but surely gets weirder and weirder. A family of five siblings - one girl and four boys, have buried their mother, grandmother and now their father, so they must band together and create a new family unit. Throw in a noisy neighbor that works for Child Protective Services and a priest who uses all sorts of stories to explain away many a things - this book is just cooky.

This weird mix of characters and plot line that takes place all within a week is such a rollercoaster that I just wasn't enjoying. The writing was awkward and at times I was drawn in and then other hand it was choppy and not entertaining. A little historical and an interesting cast of characters, this book is made for those who need a little entertainment, but are not your serious readers.

Rating: enjoyable, but didn't leave me wanting more

GR Cover Challenge 2012: Love You Like a Long Song

Ebook Challenge 2012: 6 out of 25

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from the author and Tribute Books. I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: Adventures in Funeral Crashing by Milda Harris

2012-01-26T07:00:00.000-05:00

Adventures in Funeral Crashing by Milda Harris

Publisher: Smashwords

Pages: 148

Format: ebook

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: Sixteen year old Kait Lenox has a reputation as the weird girl in her high school, mostly because of her ex-best friend turned mean popular girl, Ariel, but maybe it has a little to do with the fact that Kait has a hobby crashing funerals. At one of these, Kait is outted by the most popular guy in school, Ethan Ripley. Yet, instead of humiliating her for all the world to see, he asks for her help, and Kait finds herself entangled in a murder mystery. Not only is the thrill of the mystery exciting, but more importantly Ethan knows her name! A little sleuthing is well worth that!

Kritters Thoughts: Every now and then a YA book review is sent my way and I accept because with each read, I enjoy the YA genre more and more. This is another example of a highly entertaining YA read that us adults can also enjoy. From the beginning the reader is introduced to Kait, a high schooler who has lost her mom to cancer and finds a connection with her when she crashes funerals. This may sound crazy, but when she attends a funeral she ends up in the middle of a murder mystery that makes her confront all sorts of fears.

I absolutely love books that have twists and turns and the reader is kept in the loop throughout. Nothing like the killer being a character that shows up in the end - no good. Not the case with this one, this author had the ability to give out facts, but let the reader take their imagination to find out who our killer is in the end. This is worth reading to the very last page.

A book that is perfect for the high school reader who loves a little mystery, a little romance and may even be a reluctant reader. A warning to the the young readers, there is mention of heroin overdoses and through the reading, these are proved wrong. I in no way condone the use of any illegal substances, but I think that the topic is covered well in this book.

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

GR Cover Challenge 2012: Don't Judge a Book By Its Cover

Ebook Challenge 2012: 3 out of 25

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from the author. I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Interview: Heather Wardell

2012-01-24T07:00:00.000-05:00

Today, I have the pleasure of sharing the answers to some questions I sent to Heather Wardell. I have reviewed two of her books here on Kritters Ramblings - Live Out Loud and Blank Slate Kate. I am definitely a fan of hers and loved sending questions her way. Without further ado . . .

1. What do you find yourself rambling about?

Crocheting, which I love and do constantly. I'm nearly always wearing something I've made (currently I have on fingerless mitts and a shawl) (and other clothes :). I play clarinet and two years ago took up drumming, so I talk about music a lot. I run half-marathons and talk/complain about running with my sister, my main running buddy. My cat Trinity, who is gorgeous and elegant in a chunky way. :) My books, to anyone who'll listen and when they've all run away to anyone who can't escape me. :)

That was a free-form rambling session. This explains why I edit out any ramblings from my books. :)

2. You have written quite a few books that I would categorize in the chick lit genre, would you ever consider writing in another genre?

I would consider it if the right idea came along, but at this point my ideas just seem to come out in my usual genre. Someone once asked Stephen King why he writes horror novels and he said, "What makes you think I have a choice?" I feel rather the same way: the ideas that catch my attention have all been under the chick lit/women's fiction umbrella.

3. When becoming an author, did you have any speedbumps along the way? If so, how did you overcome them?

I'm unusual in that only months after finishing my first book in 2005 (which is now my free-to-download book "Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo") I became a full-time writer by the grace of my husband. I had no idea how difficult it can be to sit down at the desk every morning and go to work inventing people and a world for them. Over the years I've gotten better at shaking off the "what if today's the day I learn I have no idea what I'm doing?" feelings, and I have worked hard to get myself into that desk chair nearly every day (Monday to Friday, I take weekends off) but there are days when I just can't do it. On those days I go to Starbucks - something about being out of the house makes it easier for me to work (or maybe it's the caffeine!)

Other than that, I had a lot to learn about how to plot a book, effective editing, and character development, and once I began self-publishing there were all those "little" things like creating book covers and formatting text for ereaders. I read at least one writing-related book a month to keep developing my skills, because I want each book to be better than the one before it.

4. When looking at your female leads, do you put a piece of your own personality into the characters?

Most definitely, even when I try not to. :) Writing in the first person, I really feel what's happening to my lead character, and I think because of that we end up connected enough that part of me ends up in her. It's only part, though; each of the lead characters is (I hope) her own woman.

5. Which book do you hold near? Which one was the hardest to complete?

Will it surprise you to know that the answer is the same book? "Planning to Live", in which the main character Rhiannon is trapped in a car in a blizzard, is probably the book with the most like-me lead character. She is goal-oriented to a fault and obsessed with her weight, and while writing that book I toned down both of those things in myself. That book literally changed my life, and so I will always have a deep connection to it. But oh, was it ever hard to write. I had to look at what Rhiannon did, at what I also did, and articulate why it wasn't right for her. It wasn't right for me either and I came to learn that, but it was a struggle just as it is for Rhiannon. Interestingly, "Planning to Live" has the most mixed of my reviews. The people who love it, LOVE it, but its haters are equally vehement. I still love it, though, and I always will.

6. What is your favorite part of the writing process? And why?

I love the brainstorming and outlining stage. It's like a big puzzle with the pieces spread all around the room and no picture on the box, and I have to dig through all the bits and somehow form a coherent plot out of it. It's occasionally wildly frustrating but overall it's a crazy and fun ride.

My least favorite part is actually the first draft, I think because the translation of what I see in my head to words is not always easy or perfect. Once the words are written, though, I can edit and polish and tweak them, and I greatly enjoy that.

7. What is next on your plate?

My plate has three sections, like one of those little-kid plastic plates. Since I work on multiple books at once, I give them codenames so I don't get confused. Flying Squirrel, in second draft at the moment, features a doormat of a woman who finds her inner and outer strength while training for a marathon. Gemstone, done in first draft and waiting to be edited, focuses on an Internet columnist who takes on a project to be "good to herself" for thirty days and soon realizes that "good to yourself" is a much deeper concept than she'd thought. Finally, in early January I started the first draft of Hippo, in which a woman arrives on what's to be her wedding cruise only to realize she's dated both her fiance's brothers and still has feelings for them both.

Thank you so much for letting me share my ramblings with your readers! My book "Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo" is always a free download, and "Seven Exes Are Eight Too Many" is available for free this week (Jan 23-27) exclusively on Kindle. I'm happy to answer any questions or comments your readers have, so I'll pop back in between writing sessions.

Thank you again to Heather Wardell for answering questions.

Review: Blank Slate Kate by Heather Wardell

2012-01-23T07:00:00.000-05:00

Blank Slate Kate by Heather Wardell

Publisher: CreateSpace

Pages: 232

Format: ebook

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: Waking up with a strange man is scary. Realizing you lost fifteen years of your life overnight? That's terrifying. With her memories from seventeen to thirty-two gone, Kate has no idea who she is and where she belongs. As she begins to fall for the man who found her, she wonders if she forgot those years for a reason. Should she keep trying to retrieve her original self, or start a new life?

Kritters Thoughts: Have you seen the movie 13 Going on 30, well this book starts quite close to the main theme - missing out on a few years and now trying to live in a whole 'nother world. The comedy of someone waking up and missing out on 15 years and going from a world with very little technology to our world of tweeting, iphones and internet was very fun to read. This is where the story begins, but it ends in a different spot - and I am all the more glad for it!

With twists and turns, this book ended up being much more than I thought it would be and I enjoyed the deeper story that was beyond her losing her memories. Kate, the main character, has two men who are trying to help her find her memories and make new ones. She is trying to unlock the past to find out why she has such a strained relationship with one of the men. This review may sound general, but there are some great aspects of this book that I just don't want to spoil, so I don't want to be too wordy in my review.

A perfect chick lit read for the new year to remind us to keep our memories close because they can be easily lost. I would definitely recommend this book to all my readers who love a great chick lit with a little love triangle action.

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from the author. I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (55)

2012-01-22T19:00:00.000-05:00

What a great crazy week! I celebrated a one year anniversary for One More Page bookstore, my local independent on Thursday. But with a quieter week, I got quite a lot of reading done!

A meme hosted by Sheila at BookJourney.

Finished this past week:
Smitten by Assorted Authors
Holly's Inbox by Holly Denham
The Priest and the Peaches by Larry Peterson
Lovesick by Spencer Seidel
Bittersweet Surrender by Diann Hunt
Nobody's Child by Austin Boyd

Currently Reading:

A Place to Die by Dorothy James
Catch and Release by JT Twerell

Next off the TBR pile:

Why I Shot Cupid by Jennifer Love Hewitt