Kritters Ramblings

Review: First You Try Everything by Jane McCafferty

2012-02-27T07:00:00.000-05:00

First You Try Everything by Jane McCafferty

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Pages: 304

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: An engrossing tale of a marriage that’s falling apart and a wife who will stop at nothing to keep it together.

From their early days in college, Evvie and Ben were drawn to each other by feelings of isolation stemming from their wounded childhoods, passionate idealism, and zeal for music. Sheltered by their love, they weathered the challenges and trials of the imperfect world around them. But as the years passed, they grew apart. Now Ben has his sights set on a completely different kind of future—alone, or with someone else.

Convinced that Ben cannot live without her, Evvie begins to unravel, as she obsessively devises ways to reclaim the love that she cannot let go of. She gambles on a spectacularly dangerous scheme, one that may ultimately have devastating consequences.

Kritters Thoughts: There are books that are about sad or deep topics that make you think, but don't bring the mood down and then there are books that just quite bring the mood to the pits. This one is of the latter group. What a debbie downer that left me hoping that no one would compare me with Evvie and her crazy antics to get her estranged husband back.

Evvie went to the ends of the earth to try to repair her marriage that was holding on by a string until the string broke. She went above and beyond, hence the title to try to get her husband back in their home and in love with her. I respect her ideas to try to repair, but she did some crazy things.

I rarely read reviews of books before or during reading it, but this one made me stop and see if I was the only one that wasn't enjoying Evvie and her craziness. Maybe I am.

Has anyone else read this? Am I alone in my thoughts?

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

GR Cover Challenge 2012: What Is It? (music page)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from TLC Book 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 the other tour dates:

Tuesday, February 28th: Reading on a Rainy Day
Wednesday, February 29th: West Metro Mommy

It's Monday, What are you Reading? (61)

2012-02-26T19:00:00.000-05:00

What a great week, I had some great books arrive through my door and had quite the busy week in my personal life!

Check out my IMM video for all the details!

A meme hosted by Sheila at BookJourney.

Finished this past week:
Dark Lake by Louise Gaylord
Blue Straggler by Kathy Lynn Harris
Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult
Best Seller by Timothy Sagges

Currently Reading:
Redwood Bend by Robyn Carr
Left for Dead by J.A. Jance

Next off the TBR pile:

Voices of the Dead by Peter Leonard

In My Mailbox (63)

2012-02-26T07:00:00.000-05:00

An amazing week in books, but also an amazing week in my personal (non bookish life), check out the video to find out what my special news could be!

A meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

For Review:
How to Eat a Cupcake by Meg Donohue (Goodreads Amazon)
These Girls by Sarah Pekkanen (Goodreads Amazon)
More Like Her by Liza Palmer (Goodreads Amazon)
The Book of Lost Fragrances by M.J. Rose (Goodreads Amazon)

Swapping:
Welcome to the Real World by Carole Matthews (Goodreads Amazon)

Winnings:
Spin by Catherine McKenzie (Goodreads Amazon)

From Mom:
Picture Perfect by D Anne Love (Goodreads Amazon)
Secrets of a Shoe Addict by Beth Harbison (Goodreads Amazon)

Purchase:
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson (Goodreads Amazon)

Review: Blue Straggler by Kathy Lynn Harris

2012-02-24T07:00:00.000-05:00

Blue Straggler by Kathy Lynn Harris

Publisher: 30 Day Books

Pages: 178

Format: ebook

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: A blue straggler is a star that has an anomalous blue color and appears to be disconnected from those stars that surround it.

But this is not a story about astronomy.

Bailey Miller is "disconnected" from the cluster of her rural south Texas family. She has never quite fit in and now in her early 30s, she finds herself struggling with inner turmoil and a series of bad choices in her life.

Bailey's drinking too much (even for a member of her family), has a penchant to eat spoonfuls of Cool Whip, works in a job that bores her beyond description and can't keep a relationship longer than it takes for milk to expire in her fridge.

Even with the help of her two outspoken friends, Texas lass Idamarie and her quirky college pal Rudy, she's having a hard time.

So she packs up her Honda and heads out of Texas in search of herself and answers to secrets from her great-grandmother's past. The novel takes readers on a journey from San Antonio, Texas, to a small mountain town in Colorado and back again, as Bailey uncovers not only the secrets of her great-grandmother's life, but also some painful secrets of her own. All while finding love along the way.

Kritters Thoughts: With a very slow start, I was nervous that this little chick lit wasn't going to get going, but it finally picked up. Although, the main story line about Bailey finding out the truth history of her great-grandmother definitely took a back burner in the middle and then picked back up again. There were quite a few things I would rearrange in this little novella.

The characters were sweet, quirky and endearing and their development was fun to watch, but the plotline had some slow spots that made for a few bits of drag in the book. I wish that both the great-grandmother and the environmental issue had been developed more and each could have had more depth to them.

A little novella that was enjoyable.

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

GR Cover Challenge 2012: I'm Too Sexy for My (cowboy boots)

Ebook Challenge 2012: 14 out of 25

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from 30 Day 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: The Mediator by Michael Abayomi

2012-02-23T07:00:00.000-05:00

The Mediator by Michael Abayomi

Pages: 70

Format: ebook

Buy the Book: Amazon

Amazon: A wealthy businessman is brought back from the grave with dire consequences.

It was supposed to be a straight-forward operation. Ed’s memories had been extracted without any complications. A perfect stranger had been found to play host to those memories. All they had to do was implant Ed’s memories into the brain of the host. But with most novel experiments, things never go according to plan. Not when the perfect stranger turns out to be a homicidal psychopath. Now, Ed is a fugitive, running away from a murder he cannot even remember committing.

Kritters Thoughts: A little novella that packs quite a punch. Initially pitched as a science fiction, this book had many elements of a dystopian. With under 100 pages, this author is able to get the reader hooked on a story and resolve it without missing any pieces.

From page one, you are swept into this world where there is a sense of elitism and innovative technology that could both help and hinder the human race. John Davidson, a mediator, or as I would describe him a lawyer/police officer of sorts is caught up with a client from an old case with a new charge. He must get to the bottom of the mystery, but while uncovering some stones he may find some snakes.

For those who are enjoying the dystopian genre more and more like me - I would suggest picking up this ebook for a quick, light and entertaining read.

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

GR Cover Challenge 2012: Ego-maniac

Ebook Challenge 2012: 9 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.

The Source of All Things Giveaway

2012-02-22T07:00:00.001-05:00

Exciting news - The Source of All Things by Tracy Ross is out in paperback and Simon & Schuster wants to give away a copy!

I reviewed this back here at Kritters Ramblings.

This giveaway ends February 29th.

&lt;p&gt;&amp;lt;a href="http://krittersramblings.wufoo.com/forms/w7x2z1/"&amp;gt;Fill out my Wufoo form!&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Wordless Wednesday

2012-02-22T07:00:00.000-05:00

We got a couch! We have been sitting on a loveseat from my college days, so it was high time to get an adult sized couch!

Review: North of Hollywood by Rick Lenz

2012-02-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

North of Hollywood by Rick Lenz

Publisher: Chromodroid Press

Pages: 278

Format: ARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: Take a roller coaster ride through the life of a real Hollywood actor.

Rick Lenz is an actor who has made it in New York and Hollywood. You have seen him countless times on TV and in the movies. He has been a popular leading man as well as a character actor, consistently avoiding repetition in the roles he chooses. Lenz has played leads opposite some of entertainment’s biggest names, and has had recurring or guest starring roles on many of your favorite TV shows.

Yet his book is more than just an ordinary Hollywood insider story. Lenz is a terrific writer with a wicked sense of humor. Also a gifted artist and widely produced playwright, he uses his extraordinary storytelling skills to take you into his personal experiences with actors and entertainers we normally only hear about through the rumor mills, and to reveal real-life experiences of heartbreak, suspense, discovery and joy.

Kritters Thoughts: A little disjointed and not quite chronological were two things that made this book hard to read and hard to get into. With an insider look of Hollywood advertised, I was excited to read this one because I always love a little behind the scenes action.

Within each chapter there was a little semblance of cohesion and order, but not enough for this reader. Unfortunately, I was only able to recognize some of the actors mentioned in the book, so I couldn't get caught up in their personalities or the personal stories he shared.

This book would be a perfect read for the super film buff that knows quite their fare share of movie history.

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

GR Cover Challenge 2012: Dually

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.

James LePore Giveaway

2012-02-20T11:00:00.000-05:00

Thanks to the publisher and Partner in Crime Tours, one reader will win a SIGNED copy of James LePore's A World I Never Made. Please fill out the form below.

This giveaway ends February 29th.

&lt;p&gt;&amp;lt;a href="http://krittersramblings.wufoo.com/forms/r7x2x3/"&amp;gt;Fill out my Wufoo form!&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Review: Gods and Fathers by James Lepore

2012-02-20T07:00:00.000-05:00

Gods and Fathers by James Lepore

Publisher: The Story Plant

Pages: 300

Format:

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: Matt DeMarco is an accomplished Manhattan attorney with more than his share of emotional baggage. His marriage ended disastrously, his ex-wife has pulled their son away from him, and her remarriage to a hugely successful Arab businessman has created complications for Matt on multiple levels. However, his life shifts from troubled to imperiled when two cops – men he's known for a long time – come into his home and arrest his son as the prime suspect in the murder of the boy's girlfriend.

Suddenly, the enmity between Matt and his only child is no longer relevant. Matt must do everything he can to clear his son, who he fully believes is innocent. Doing so will require him to quit his job and make enemies of former friends – and it will throw him up against forces he barely knew existed and can only begin to comprehend how to battle.

Kritters Thoughts: With such an eerie cover, you can assume from the get go that this book will not be full of sunshine and rainbows. From the beginning the reader is hooked into a roller coaster of a story with a very large cast of characters that intermingle and switch sides from good to evil. At the center of this story is a father and son, the son Michael, not to be confused with the father who is Matt (I may have had some confusion!) is accused of murdering his girlfriend. Beyond the murder accusation is an international scandal between the United States and Syria which involves many people with some undercover dealings.

The hardest part of this book was keeping straight the large cast of characters, who was a FBI agent, a NYPD officer, pro-Syria, and so on. They each had an interest in the politics that were underneath the murder accusation. Having to diagram the characters was hard and took away from the flow of the book. If you can wrangle in all the characters, this book is a great who dun it with an international twist.

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

GR Cover Challenge 2012: All Smiles

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from Partner in Crime 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.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (60)

2012-02-19T07:00:00.001-05:00

What a stellar week in reading, I don't know how I did it with Valentine's Day and my long list of errands that I had to accomplish. I am even more excited that all reviews were completed too!

A meme hosted by Sheila at BookJourney.

Finished this past week:
Gods and Fathers by James LePore
MWF Seeking BFF by Rachel Bertsche
Defending Jacob by William Landay
First You Try Everything by Jane McCafferty
Life in Death by Harlow Coban

Currently Reading:
Dark Lake by Louise Gaylord

Next off the TBR pile:
Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult (so excited!)

In My Mailbox (62)

2012-02-19T07:00:00.000-05:00

A meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

For Review:
Heft by Liz Moore (Goodreads Amazon)
Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult (Goodreads Amazon)
Daughters for a Time by Jennifer Handford (Goodreads Amazon)
The House of the Wind by Titania Hardie (Goodreads Amazon)

Swapping:
One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson (Goodreads Amazon)
Strapless by Leigh Riker (Goodreads Amazon)
Being Nikki by Meg Cabot (Goodreads Amazon)

From Mom:
Full of Grace by Dorothea Benton Frank (Goodreads Amazon)
Shoe Addicts Anonymous by Beth Harbison (Goodreads Amazon)
Together Alone by Barbara Delinsky (Goodreads Amazon)

Review: MWF Seeking BFF by Rachel Bertsche

2012-02-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

MWF Seeking BFF by Rachel Bertsche

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Pages: 349

Format: eARC (NetGalley)

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: When Rachel Bertsche first moves to Chicago, she's thrilled to finally share a zip code with her boyfriend. But shortly after getting married, she realizes that her new life is missing one thing: friends. Sure, she has plenty of BFFs—in New York and San Francisco and Boston and Washington, D.C. Still, in her adopted hometown, there’s no one to call at the last minute for girl talk over brunch or a reality-TV marathon over a bottle of wine. Taking matters into her own hands, Bertsche develops a plan: Meeting people everywhere from improv class to friend rental websites, she'll go on fifty-two friend-dates, one per week for a year, in hopes of meeting her new Best Friend Forever.

Kritters Thoughts: Sometimes I can connect with books on a personal level, but this book hit straight to my heart and at times I was wondering whether she was talking about herself or me! I too recently moved for my significant other and yes, I have my mom and a cousin who is close to my age in town, but I do not have the friend group that I had back in Charlotte.

Rachel uses many different ways to meet people - speed friending, professional friend matcher and even a religious group meeting. I am not sure I could use all her tactics, but I loved how her confidence in talking to strangers grew; it made me want to start random chats with people I pass each day. Her struggle with keeping her new marriage a priority with this endeavor to find new friends was refreshing because many women (myself included) struggle with placing the people in their lives in a priority line up.

A perfect book for those in their late twenties, who do not have kids to make easy connections to new friends. The book clubs, the friends of friends and co-workers as friends have all been things that I have done in the past and continue to do to make lasting friendships in this new city that we live in.

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Ebook Challenge 2012: 12 out of 25

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from the NetGalley. 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: Love Lifted Me by Sara Evans & Rachel Hauck

2012-02-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

Love Lifted Me By Sara Evans and Rachel Hauck

Publisher: Thomas Nelson Publishers

Pages: 320

Format: eARC (Netgalley)

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: Jade never knew happily-ever-after would be this messy, loud . . . delicious.

Jade Benson embraces unexpected motherhood when her husband Max gains custody of his young son. As she and Max work out their newly formed family, an invitation to coach Texas high school football sends them on a journey.

Then a stranger reveals a painful secret, and Jade faces her hardest challenge yet. When she surrenders her heart to God and to her husband, Jade discovers the joy of love lifting her above her fears.

Kritters Thoughts: The third in a series of heart wrenching stories that have an air of Christian fiction, but do not shove their religious views in your face. Written together with country singer, Sara Evans, and well seasoned fiction author, Rachel Hauck - this series hits straight to the heart with each flip of the page.

With a gap in time between reading the second book and this third and final in the trilogy, it was still so easy to get back into Jade's life and be swept away by her struggles and extreme faith and forgiveness. As this is the third in the series, I can't talk too much about the specifics of this book because you must go read the first two before you dive into this one. Jade and Max are a couple that have real emotions and real experiences that help make this book enjoyable. This couple has trials and tribulations just as another other couple.

A job change, a big move, and the struggle to start a family are themes in this book that almost anyone who is reading can relate to, I felt Jade's struggle as she moves for Max to follow his dreams. Whether you are a fan of chick lit or women's fiction, this series would be a perfect start to a cold winter weekend.

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Ebook Challenge 2012: 11 out of 25

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from NetGalley. 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: Smitten by Assorted Authors

2012-02-15T07:00:00.000-05:00

Smitten by Assorted Authors

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Pages: 432

Format: ebook

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: Four friends devise a plan to turn Smitten, Vermont, into the country's premier romantic getaway-and each finds her own true love along the way.

With Smitten Lumber closing, residents wonder if their town can stay afloat. Then four friends and local business owners-Natalie, Julia, Shelby, and Reese--decide the town is worth saving. How will they do it? They'll turn Smitten into a honeymoon destination!

As Natalie, Julia, Shelby, and Reese work to save the town, each discovers romance in her own life. Meanwhile, the faith of a little child reminds the whole town what it means to have real faith in the God who is the always and forever Love.

Kritters Thoughts: With four unique christian fiction authors, I was excited about a different type of book where it is one continuous story with each author writing for a certain character. Although it fell a little short for me, it was a sweet tender story.

Four friends live in a small town in Vermont that is in the midst of crumbling due to a mill closing that has left many of its residents out of work. The women of the town come up with an idea to recreate their town into a vacation destination. Each small novella inside of this book is a story about one of the four friends and her contributions to the towns changing scene and their love story with an eligible bachelor in town.

With barely any conflict and a very sweet story - this book was charming, but didn't hold my attention. If you are a sweet kind of reader, then you will love this one.

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

GR Cover Challenge 2012: All Smiles

Ebook Challenge 2012: 5 out of 25

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.

Review: The Day I Shot Cupid by Jennifer Love Hewitt

2012-02-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

The Day I Shot Cupid by Jennifer Love Hewitt

Publisher: Voice

Pages: 208

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: Jennifer Love Hewitt is a self-proclaimed "love-aholic" and hopeless romantic (her middle name is Love, after all!). She has been lucky and unlucky in love, and lived to tell—and she's done it all in the spotlight. Much has been written about her love life—some true, most made up to sell magazines. Now Hewitt shares the real story of what she's learned navigating the dangerous dating waters.

In The Day I Shot Cupid, Hewitt offers her hard-won wisdom and tells us how to embrace love with both feet on the ground. First, we have to shoot Cupid. We have to believe that happily-ever-after is hard work—it's not all flowers and symphonies and floating hearts.

Kritters Thoughts: Short, sweet and to the point. This little book is chock full of tips, thoughts and ideas about dating and break ups. As a young lady that is in a relationship, I even enjoyed the reminder to be a little mysterious and to appreciate the good guy that I have in my life.

Jennifer Love Hewitt has been in the spotlight from a young age and so has her love life. Through this book she allows the reader a little behind the scenes peek into how she approaches new relationships and endures the break up. Even an ex (Jamie Kennedy) makes an appearance with a chapter on women's rear ends. I loved the women empowerment and the message that we are complete people even if we aren't in relationships.

If I didn't live with a boy, this would be the perfect book to put on the back of the toilet to encourage guests to pick up some relationship tips. I would almost compare this to a modern day Rules book where women can go to for the basic tips that a woman should now before, during and after a relationship.

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

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