Kritters Ramblings

It's Monday, What are you Reading? (73)

2012-05-28T07:00:00.001-04:00

What a good reading week! I had some great books and some great reviews. With this holiday weekend, I was able to relax and read. It is Monday morning and I am planning on spending my entire day by the pool with a book in hand!

What was your holiday weekend like? Did you get a moment to read?

A meme hosted by Sheila at BookJourney.

Finished this past week:
The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty
Between You and Me by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
Ragdoll Redeemed by Dawn Novotny
The Cottage at Glass Beach by Heather Barbieri
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

Currently Reading:
One Breathe Away by Heather Gudenkauf
The Sixes by Kate White

Next off the TBR pile:

Clean Break by David Klein

A Whole New Blog

2012-05-26T07:00:00.000-04:00

As I plan a wedding, maintain this blog and keep a full time job, I thought why not join the review crew at Book Trib and start a blog over there too, RIGHT! I am already counting hours to see if I can add one or two each week, who is with me!

So it is true, as of Monday, I am blogging over at Book Trib. It will not be as much as this one because I must sleep a little daily or at least that is what the boy says! At this point my goal is to post a review there once a week. I am hoping after the personal life settles down to up the ante to twice a week.

So on Wednesdays, when I usually stay wordless here at Kritters Ramblings with pictures, I will be posting a review over at Book Trib - check it out and let me know what you think!

Review: The Cottage at Glass Beach by Heather Barbieri

2012-05-25T07:00:00.000-04:00

The Cottage at Glass Beach by Heather Barbieri

Publisher: HarperCollins

Pages: 320

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: Married to the youngest attorney general in Massachusetts state history, forty-year-old Nora Cunningham is a picture perfect political wife and doting mother. But her carefully constructed life falls to pieces when she -along with the rest of the world - learns of her husband Malcolm's infidelity.

Humiliated, hurt, hounded by the press, Nora packs up her daughters, Annie, seven, and Ella, twelve, and takes refuge with her maternal aunt on Burke's Island, a craggy spit of land off the coast of Maine. Settled by Irish immigrants, the island is a place where superstition and magic are carried on the ocean winds, and wishes and dreams wash ashore with the changing tides.
Just as she begins to regain her balance, her young daughters embark on a reckless odyssey of their own, a journey that will force Nora to find the courage to chart her own course-and finally face the truth about her marriage, her mother, and her past.

Kritters Thoughts: Centered around Nora, a woman who has just been devastated by her husband's affair that has gone public, she decides to go back to the last place where she felt safe. With the help of her aunt, she starts to put back the pieces and find a new direction to take for her life.

From the start I fell in love with the complexity of Nora, she was running from a bad situation, but ended up in the past that wasn't filled with true happy memories either. Her girls were portrayed in just the right way as a little distraction from the story at hand, but in the end became a very central focus. Then there was her Aunt Maire and who couldn't fall in love with a woman who was trying to help her niece pull it together and start a new path.

The one thing I wished for was more interaction in the beginning via phone with Nora's cheating husband. There were just a few phone calls and I wish we heard a little more of what was going on with him.

I loved this book and thought the story had heart and soul, but wasn't too over the top, it was just right. With the setting at the beach, this may be a great addition for your beach bag this summer!

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

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.

Other Tour Stops:

Tuesday, May 15th: 2 Kids and Tired

Wednesday, May 16th: Seaside Book Nook

Thursday, May 17th: Sarah Says Read

Friday, May 18th: My Two Blessings

Monday, May 21st: Savvy Verse & Wit

Wednesday, May 23rd: All Grown Up?

Thursday, May 24th: Paperback Princess

Friday, May 25th: Kritters Ramblings

Tuesday, May 29th: Bookstack

Wednesday, May 30th: A Cozy Reader’s Corner

Thursday, May 31st: My Bookshelf

Monday, June 4th: Life In Review

Tuesday, June 5th: Drey’s Library

Wednesday, June 6th: Good Girl Gone Redneck

Thursday, June 7th: Peeking Between the Pages

Monday, June 11th: Tiramisu Mom

Tuesday, June 12th: Wandering Thoughts of a Scientific Housewife

Friday, June 15th: Luxury Reading

Review: State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

2012-05-24T07:00:00.000-04:00

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

Publisher: HarperCollins

Pages: 384

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: A provocative novel of morality and miracles, science and sacrifice set in the Amazon rainforest--a gripping adventure story and a profound look at the difficult choices we make in the name of discovery and love.

Kritters Thoughts: Quite a different book than I normally read, but I was intrigued as I had never read a book by Ann Patchett. Marina is our main character and within the first chapter she finds out that a good friend and colleague has died while on a mission for their pharmaceutical company. She is challenged by her boss and the deceased's wife to go find out the details and get the dish on what is happening in the Amazon. Never to say no to a mission, Marina sets out to find Dr. Swenson, a former mentor and find out what exactly is happening in the Amazon.

At first, I wasn't falling in love with the story, I just wasn't sure if this would be my kind of book, but once she set sail for the Amazon, the book really started to pick up for me. Patchett takes her time to describe the surroundings, so the reader is easily able to find themselves swept into the Amazon - I could see what the characters were seeing.

I would call this an Indiana Jones adventure book for a female audience. It had all the feel of an adventure with two females at the lead. If you are a fan of science, mystery and intrigue, this Ann Patchett book would be worth picking up for your summer reading.

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 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.

Review: The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty

2012-05-23T11:00:00.000-04:00

The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty

Publisher: Riverheard Books

Pages: 384

Format: ARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: A captivating novel about the woman who chaperoned an irreverent Louise Brooks to New York City in 1922, and the summer that would change them both. Only a few years before becoming a famous actress and an icon for her generation, a fifteen-year-old Louise Brooks leaves Wichita to make it big in New York. Much to her annoyance, she is accompanied by a thirty-six-year-old chaperone who is neither mother nor friend. Cora Carlisle is a complicated but traditional woman with her own reasons for making the trip. She has no idea what she's in for: Young Louise, already stunningly beautiful and sporting her famous blunt bangs and black bob, is known for her arrogance and her lack of respect for convention. Ultimately, the five weeks they spend together will change their lives forever. For Cora, New York holds the promise of discovery that might prove an answer to the question at the center of her being, and even as she does her best to watch over Louise in a strange and bustling city, she embarks on her own mission. And while what she finds isn't what she anticipated, it liberates her in a way she could not have imagined. Over the course of the summer, Cora's eyes are opened to the promise of the twentieth century and a new understanding of the possibilities for being fully alive.

Kritters Thoughts: A glimpse into the past and a look at New York City before the depression through two completely different eyes. There is Cora who has been asked to be a chaperone, but this trip to New York City is more than the task at hand, it will take her back in time to a past that she has been trying to figure out. Louise is a young ingenue who wants to become a celebrity in theatre and film, her big break takes her from Wichita, Kansas to New York City.

I absolutely adored being able to see the change in times in both of these women's eyes. Although the book is told through Cora's eyes, the reader is given enough information to understand what Louise is thinking with how the world is evolving around her. The change in hemline is more than a fashion trend, it is also a change in the culture of women and how they will perceive themselves differently. I loved the strong female characters who were trying to figure out how they would fit within the changing times.

A historical fiction that didn't feel dated, which is my kind of read! I would recommend this book to the reader who is a little weary about historical fiction, an entertaining story that could take place at anytime.

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 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.

The Chaperone PERSONALIZED Giveaway

2012-05-23T07:00:00.000-04:00

Thanks to my friends at Penguin, I am able to giveaway a personalized signed copy of The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty. I will be headed to a cocktail party at BEA - promise to share all the details when I get back! &lt;p&gt;&amp;lt;a href="http://krittersramblings.wufoo.com/forms/k7x1a3/"&amp;gt;Fill out my Wufoo form!&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Review: Long Gone by Alafair Burke

2012-05-22T07:00:00.000-04:00

Long Gone by Alafair Burke

Publisher: Harper

Pages: 368

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: After a layoff and months of struggling, Alice Humphrey finally lands her dream job managing a new art gallery in Manhattan's trendy Meatpacking District. According to Drew Campbell, the well-suited corporate representative who hires her, the gallery is a passion project for its anonymous, wealthy, and eccentric owner.

Everything is perfect until the morning Alice arrives at work to find the gallery gone--the space stripped bare as if it had never been there--and Drew Campbell's dead body on the floor. Overnight, Alice's dream job has vanished, and she finds herself at the center of a police investigation, with the evidence mounting against her. To prove her innocence and uncover the truth, Alice must undertake a dangerous search for answers that entangles her in a dark, high-tech criminal conspiracy and forces her to unearth long-hidden secrets involving her own family . . . secrets that could cost Alice her life.

Kritters Thoughts: A true suspense thriller that had me sucked into it from the first page to the last punctuation. The story centers around Alice Humphrey who is the daughter of a famous director in New York City, she has been unemployed and is trying to find her own path out from underneath the family name. Along comes an opportunity that may seem a little shady but is also too good to pass up and with it will come the biggest unraveling of family drama that will end up changing everything she thought she knew about herself and her family.

At first with each chapter there was an introduction of an aspect of the story and at times it was hard to keep it all straight until they eventually started tying together, it got easier as I went along. Because there were a few stories developing at the same time, I was able to see the drama unfold from different angles - this element gave the story some depth to which it couldn't if the author only presented Alice's story from the beginning.

I absolutely loved where the book ended up and was surprised until the very end. I would recommend this book to readers who love a little suspense to keep them hooked to the book.

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

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.

It's Monday, What are you Reading? (72)

2012-05-20T19:00:00.000-04:00

How could this week have gone from crazy to ridiculousness? With something every night, a car making weird noises and my work computer on the fritz this week was beyond nuts. So getting books completed - I can't even believe it. How was your week? Did you have another crazy one?

A meme hosted by Sheila at BookJourney.

Finished this past week:
What the Dog Ate by Jackie Bouchard
Long Gone by Alafair Burke
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

Currently Reading:
The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty
Next off the TBR pile:
State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

In My Mailbox (71)

2012-05-20T07:00:00.000-04:00

Another fabulous week in bookish and wedding things. Our engagement pictures have been taken and we shall see how they come out, it was an interesting evening! I had a wonderful time at the Gaithersburg Book Festival and already have the dates for 2013 on the calendar!

A meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

For Review:
There Goes the Bride by Holly McQueen (Goodreads Amazon)
Safe Within by Jean Reynolds Page (Goodreads Amazon)
Depression Cookies by Tia Silverthorne Bach and Angela Silverthorne
(Goodreads Amazon)

Swapped:
The Buenos Aires Broken Hearts Club by Jessica Morrison (Goodreads Amazon)

Library:
Two Kisses for Maddy by Matthew Logelin (Goodreads Amazon)
The Woman He Loved Before by Dorothy Koomson (Goodreads Amazon)

Gaithersburg Book Festival:
Jeneration X by Jen Lancaster (Goodreads Amazon)
If You Were Here by Jen Lancaster (Goodreads Amazon)

Review: So Far Away by Meg Mitchell Moore

2012-05-18T07:00:00.000-04:00

So Far Away by Meg Mitchell Moore

Publisher: Little Brown and Co.

Pages: 336

Format: ARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: Thirteen-year-old Natalie Gallagher is trying to escape: from her parents' ugly divorce, and from the vicious cyber-bullying of her former best friend. She discovers a dusty old diary in her family's basement and is inspired to unlock its secrets.

Kathleen Lynch, an archivist at the Massachusetts State Archives, has her own painful secrets: she's a widow estranged from her only daughter. Natalie's research brings her to Kathleen, who in Natalie sees traces of the daughter she has lost.

What could the life of an Irish immigrant domestic servant from the 1920s teach them both? In the pages of the diary, they will learn that their fears and frustrations are timeless.

Kritters Thoughts: An interesting and new way to approach cyber bullying. The hot topic was a part of this novel, but not the sole center, which I appreciated. Natalie - a high school freshmen and Kathleen - a career woman who has lost both a daughter and a husband are an unlikely pair, but their relationship in this book was perfectly scripted.

Without any chapters, this book was interesting as it switched focus between the characters with strategic spacing. Because the book switched between characters, the reader was able to get to know each character on their own turf, which made me fall in love with them in their own space. I loved that Kathleen was given the opportunity to help raise another teenager, it was so fitting that she have a second chance. At the same moment, I loved how Natalie was given another maternal figure to lean on until her mother was able to pull it together and re-enter her child's life.

This book showed me once again that it definitely takes a village to raise a child - sometimes parents are inadequate or just not the answer to the problem that a child has, they may just need someone outside of the family to lean on through a difficult time. A great book that both showed the destruction of family, but the reconstruction of a different kind of family.

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from Booksparks PR. 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 Arrivals by Meg Mitchell Moore

2012-05-17T07:00:00.000-04:00

The Arrivals by Meg Mitchell Moore

Publisher: Little Brown and Co.

Pages: 336

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: It's early summer when Ginny and William's peaceful life in Vermont comes to an abrupt halt.

First, their daughter Lillian arrives, with her two children in tow, to escape her crumbling marriage. Next, their son Stephen and his pregnant wife Jane show up for a weekend visit, which extends indefinitely when Jane ends up on bed rest. When their youngest daughter Rachel appears, fleeing her difficult life in New York, Ginny and William find themselves consumed again by the chaos of parenthood - only this time around, their children are facing adult problems.

By summer's end, the family gains new ideas of loyalty and responsibility, exposing the challenges of surviving the modern family - and the old adage, once a parent, always a parent, has never rung so true.

Kritters Thoughts: One of those unique books about the workings of families that makes you want to call your own and tell them how much you love them! With different reasons to return home, three adult children find themselves all under their parents roof with their own kids in the mix. The drama quickly follows!

I am intrigued by birth order and how that affects families. As a first born, I easily related to Lillian and her quest for perfection, no matter what situation she found herself in. The other character that struck a chord with me was the mother, Ginny. I could see my mother in her or her in my mother - it made this book even better than I could have imagined.

I love family dramas, but this one was above the rest because the drama wasn't over the top - it was pitch perfect. Each reader can see a characteristic from their own family in this one. This book was my first by Meg Mitchell Moore, but I am already a huge fan.

Tomorrow I will review So Far Away by Meg Mitchell Moore.

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

April-June 2012 Challenge: Soak Up the Sun

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from Booksparks PR. 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.

Arranged Giveaway

2012-05-16T07:00:00.000-04:00

A great book was reviewed yesterday and today I get to offer a giveaway copy to one of my readers!

Thanks to HarperCollins for providing the giveaway copy!

&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;

Review: Arranged by Catherine McKenzie

2012-05-15T07:00:00.000-04:00

Arranged by Catherine McKenzie

Publisher: HarperCollins

Pages: 390

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: Anne Blythe has a great life: a good job, good friends, and a potential book deal for her first novel. When it comes to finding someone to share it with, however, she just can't seem to get it right.

After yet another relationship ends, Anne comes across a business card for what she thinks is a dating service, and she pockets it just in case. When her best friend, Sarah, announces she's engaged, Anne can't help feeling envious. On an impulse, she decides to give the service a try because maybe she could use a little assistance in finding the right man. But Anne soon discovers the company isn't a dating service; it's an exclusive, and pricey, arranged marriage service. She initially rejects the idea, but the more she thinks about it-and the company's success rate-the more it appeals to her. After all, arranged marriages are the norm for millions of women around the world, so why wouldn't it work for her?

A few months later, Anne is travelling to a Mexican resort, where in one short weekend she will meet and marry Jack. And against all odds, it seems to be working out-until Anne learns that Jack, and the company that arranged their marriage, are not what they seem at all.

Kritters Thoughts: Chick lit with an incredible twist. I was on a journey with Anne Blythe as she tries to figure out how she always ends up in bad relationships with great looking men. With a little help from fate, she ends up calling what she thinks to be a dating service, but ends up being an arranged marriage company.

The characters, the every city location, and the concept all kept me hooked in this story. I read it in 24 hours, I couldn't put it down for one moment! From the first sentence, I wanted to know where Anne Blythe was going to end up. Maybe I missed it, but I liked that I couldn't quite place where this book took place, it felt like it could have happened down the street or across the country. The concept was not absolutely original, but with the twist that I can't divulge it took the story to the next level.

What I loved about this book is I thought I was headed down a certain path and then all of the sudden she flips a switch and the story goes down an even better road! Even a reader who may not read most chick lit, should pick this one up immediately.

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from HarperCollins. 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 Most Dangerous Thing by Laura Lippman

2012-05-14T07:00:00.000-04:00

The Most Dangerous Thing by Laura Lippman

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Pages: 368

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: Years ago, they were all the best of friends. But as time passed and circumstances changed, they grew apart, became adults with families of their own, and began to forget about the past--and the terrible lie they all shared. But now Gordon, the youngest and wildest of the five, has died and the others are thrown together for the first time in years.

And then the revelations start.

Could their long-ago lie be the reason for their troubles today? Is it more dangerous to admit to what they've done or is it the strain of keeping the secret that is beginning to wear on them and everyone close to them? Each one of these old friends has to wonder if their secret has been discovered--and if someone within the circle is out to destroy them.

Kritters Thoughts: What a different read - friends who were impacted by a significant occurrence in their past, they are just finding out what really happened and how it changes the past. With three boys and two girls as best friends, you know there will be plenty of drama. Two will hook up and two will find themselves mixed up in major trouble, what can you expect when a group with girls and boys tries to maintain a friendship through the high school years.

I loved the switch between telling the story through the past and the present, but the chapters of the past didn't give enough away to spoil the truly juicy ending. I always love a story that spends some time in the past, so you feel as though you are getting the full story. Although I was a little confused by the whole us and them, so I am conveniently skipping it.

An interesting take on the suspense novel with only one death and a lot of relationships. I kept reading wanting to know what these friends had experienced and who knew the whole truth and who knew only the partial truth.

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 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.

The complete tour:

Tuesday, May 1st: Wordsmithonia

Wednesday, May 2nd: Sara’s Organized Chaos

Thursday, May 3rd: Book Journey

Monday, May 7th: Life in Review

Tuesday, May 8th: Raging Bibliomania

Wednesday, May 9th: Life is Short. Read Fast.

Monday, May 14th: Kritters Ramblings

Tuesday, May 15th: Colloquium

Friday, May 18th: Laura’s Reviews

Monday, May 21st: Proud Book Nerd

Friday, May 25th: Book Him Danno!

Tuesday, May 29th: Drey’s Library

It's Monday, What are you Reading? (71)

2012-05-13T19:00:00.000-04:00

Not much reading done this past week, but quite the reading weekend! The next week is going to be beyond crazy in my personal life - from two bookish events to our engagement shoot to a book festival and a concert, I haven't figured out how I am going to get through the week with my sanity intact!

A meme hosted by Sheila at BookJourney.

Finished this past week:

The Most Dangerous Thing by Laura Lippman
The Arrivals by Meg Mitchell Moore
So Far Away by Meg Mitchell Moore

Currently Reading:
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
(yes, still trying to finish this one)
What the Dog Ate by Jackie Bouchard

Next off the TBR pile:

Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

In My Mailbox (70)

2012-05-13T07:00:00.000-04:00

A video in which I ramble just a little and then share some books!

A meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

For Review:
Jennifer's Garden by Dianne Venetta (Goodreads Amazon)
Lust on the Rocks by Dianne Venetta (Goodreads Amazon)
Long Gone by Alafair Burke (Goodreads Amazon)
The Sixes by Kate White (Goodreads Amazon)
Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes (Goodreads Amazon)
One Breath Away by Heather Gudenkauf (Goodreads Amazon)

Swapped:
Promise Not to Tell by Jennifer McMahon (Goodreads Amazon)

Blogiversary Round 2

2012-05-12T07:00:00.000-04:00

picture source

So friends, family and most importantly followers, tomorrow is my 2nd bloggiversary!
I can not believe two years has gone by and I am starting my third year in the blogging world. I have read more great reads while blogging and I am excited to attend BEA for the first time this year in June.

To thank all my followers for their comments and community throughout the year - I will be doing a giveaway starting today for a signed copy of Jodi Picoult's Lone Wolf. Please fill out the form below, this giveaway is for followers only, new or old.

I am debating about a switch to WordPress, so please leave a comment if you have any tips, hints or thoughts. Does WordPress really take your blog to the next level?

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Review: A Gift for My Sister by Ann Pearlman

2012-05-11T07:00:00.000-04:00

A Gift for My Sister by Ann Pearlman

Publisher: Atria

Pages: 288

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: Tara and Sky share a mother, but aside from that they seem to differ in almost every way. When a series of tragedies strikes, they must somehow come together in the face of heartbreak, dashed hopes, and demons of the past. The journey they embark on forces each woman to take a walk in the other’s shoes and examine what sisterhood really means to them. It’s a long road to understanding, and everyone who knows them hopes these two sisters can find a way back to each other.

Kritters Thoughts: How strong is a bond between sisters, even if they are only half sisters? I think through this book you find that sharing a mom is a bond that can overcome almost anything. Tara and Sky are half sisters who have lived through quite a few disappointments in each of their lives, but they don't realize what emotions each sister has had to live through until a true tragedy hits and they are on a road trip of sorts.

Being a sister this book hit real close to my heart. Although my sister and I have not faced the level of personal struggle that these characters have, I saw in them the difference that sisters can be affected by the same situation.

Ann Pearlman does a magnificent job of switching between the two characters to show the full story, at one point the characters describe the same fight and how intriguing to see how each one "heard" the fight. The descriptions of feelings, people and places were just spot on, it made me feel like I could really see it, but I wasn't overwhelmed by it at all.

A sweet companion novel to The Christmas Cookie Club. It was great to see a larger story come out of a book that I loved so much that I plan on rereading during the holidays again this year.

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from Simon and 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.

Review: After the Fog by Kathleen Shoop

2012-05-10T07:00:00.000-04:00

After the Fog by Kathleen Shoop

Publisher: Create Space

Pages: 212

Format: eARC

Goodreads: The sins of the mother... In the steel mill town of Donora, Pennsylvania, site of the infamous 1948 "killing smog," headstrong nurse Rose Pavlesic tends to her family and neighbors. Controlling and demanding, she's created a life that reflects everything she missed growing up as an orphan. She's even managed to keep her painful secrets hidden from her loving husband, dutiful children, and large extended family.When a stagnant weather pattern traps poisonous mill gasses in the valley, neighbors grow sicker and Rose's nursing obligations thrust her into conflict she never could have fathomed. Consequences from her past collide with her present life, making her once clear decisions as gray as the suffocating smog. As pressure mounts, Rose finds she's not the only one harboring lies. When the deadly fog finally clears, the loss of trust and faith leaves the Pavlesic family-and the whole town-splintered and shocked. With her new perspective, can Rose finally forgive herself and let her family's healing begin?

Kritters Thoughts: Quite the depressing read, that took quite a few pages, or a lot, to get to the heart of the story. There were days upon days of our main character Rose complaining about life and her family and I just didn't see the book going anywhere at all. There was little set up for the town before the smog rolled in and would have liked more of an emphasis on how this city was going to be impacted by the disaster.

I was intrigued that this book was going to be centered around a disaster that affects the town, but it took way to long for the disaster to happen. The build up of the Rose's personal turmoil overshadowed the main star that I believed to be was the smog and the affect of it on this town.

The ending brought closure, but it took too much to get to the heart of the story. I appreciated where the story ended.

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

April-June 2012 Challenge: Secret Gem

Ebook Challenge 2012: 23 out of 25

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from Spark Point Studio. 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: Objects of My Affection by Jill Smolinski

2012-05-09T07:00:00.000-04:00

Objects of My Affection by Jill Smolinski

Publisher: Touchstone

Pages: 320

Format: eARC

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: A personal organizer must somehow convince a reclusive artist to give up her hoarding ways and let go of the stuff she’s hung on to for decades. Lucy Bloom is broke, freshly dumped by her boyfriend, and forced to sell her house to send her nineteen-year-old son to drug rehab. Although she’s lost it all, she’s determined to start over. So when she’s offered a high-paying gig helping clear the clutter from the home of reclusive and eccentric painter Marva Meier Rios, Lucy grabs it. Armed with the organizing expertise she gained while writing her book, Things Are Not People, and fueled by a burning desire to get her life back on track, Lucy rolls up her sleeves to take on the mess that fills every room of Marva’s huge home. Lucy soon learns that the real challenge may be taking on Marva, who seems to love the objects in her home too much to let go of any of them. While trying to stay on course toward a strict deadline—and with an ex-boyfriend back in the picture, a new romance on the scene, and her son’s rehab not going as planned—Lucy discovers that Marva isn’t just hoarding, she is also hiding a big secret. The two form an unlikely bond, as each learns from the other that there are those things in life we keep, those we need to let go—but it’s not always easy to know the difference.

Kritters Thoughts: Have you ever seen an episode of Hoarders or one of those organizational shows and wonder what really goes on behind the scenes? This book takes you in behind the scenes of a once famous artist and along with the main character, Lucy, we find out how a person can find themselves buried by their belongings. The main plot with a few sub plots were more than entertaining, enough for me to have to fight sleep to finish the book!

Lucy was adorable and quirky. I loved her inability to "practice what you preach". She could help Marva remove belongings and find value in people, yet Lucy was struggling through life with blinders on to many of her own personal situations. Even with a few twists that I wish had gone a different way, the writing was simple and sweet which I always find to be enjoyable.

A book that I would pass onto a variety of readers, although a chick lit, skeptics to the genre would adore this sweet story about a woman finding value in herself.

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

April-June Challenge 2012: Happy Birthday!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one copy of this book free of charge from Simon and 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.

Interview with Lindsay Paige

2012-05-08T11:00:00.000-04:00

After reading three books in her series, I am excited to share this interview I had with author Lindsay Paige. A young author who is definitely going to be an author in the spotlight for years to come.

1. What do you find yourself rambling about?

My books. Other people's books. Books that I haven't mentioned yet. :)

2. Are there characteristics of yourself in either of your characters - Jake or Emily?

Yes, in both. Jake's feelings towards his dad in Sweetness very much resemble my feelings towards my alcoholic father. As for Emily, we have similar taste in music, food, and boys to name a few. ;)

3. What has been the most exciting part about putting your books out into the public?

Getting feedback! I love hearing the variety of responses to my books.

4. What is your favorite part of the writing process?

Writing that first draft and finishing with a final draft. I love how I start with a simple idea and by the end, have a finished product.

5. What is next on your plate?

Up next for me? Well, I'm working on Don't Panic, in which the main character has anxiety as I do. I'm working on a paranormal romance with Elizabeth Waldie, as well.

Review: Whatever it Takes by Lindsay Paige

2012-05-08T07:00:00.000-04:00

Whatever it Takes by Lindsay Paige

Pages: 168

Format: eARC

Goodreads: Their first year of college isn’t what they expected. Emily is still struggling with the loss of her baby, while Jake seems to have no trouble with it at all. Emily is so conflicted about how to deal with the miscarriage. On top of that, she’s having nightmares.

Can Jake help his Sweetness? Will she allow him? Their relationship is suffering and Jake is determined to do whatever Emily asks of him. But when Emily makes a suggestion that she feels will help with her grief, could it tear the couple apart forever?

Kritters Thoughts: Book 3 in a series that started with two teenagers in high school who were falling in love. The reader was taken into the sweet and tender beginnings of their romance. The second book took you through some turbulent times as they try to settle into a relationship. Now in Book 3 Jake and Emily are headed off to college and working through the speedbumps of life.

I adored finding out what was going to be next for this couple - I became a fan of theirs and wanted to know how they would handle being out of the bubble of their parents' homes. They become true adults in this book having to handle very adult situations. A complete twist occurs near the end that took this book in a direction that I couldn't have predicted, I loved it.

So far with this series, I loved book one and definitely enjoyed book 3. I think this is a good YA series, but I would be wary about unsupervised reading, there may be a few sexy times that get a little hot and heavy.

Rating: the perfect YA read

book Challenge 2012: 27 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.

Review: I'm Yours by Lindsay Paige

2012-05-07T07:00:00.001-04:00

I'm Yours by Lindsay Paige

Pages: 108

Format: ebook

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: After the incident with Claire, Emily encounters more problems. Conrad is back with explanations and hope. Emily wants to give him a chance to explain himself. She can't help but wonder why he left. However, Jake isn't comfortable with Emily going out to eat with an old lover.

Will things be too much for Emily to handle? Will Emily do the one thing she knows best and withdraw? Will Emily and Jake's love for one another keep them from shattering?

Kritters Thoughts: The sequel to Sweetness but it didn't quite live up to the first one. I still loved the characters, but I just think it went a little too sexy. Call me a prude, but I am a fan of YA books that are more sweet than slutty.

I missed the little brother Drake in this one, maybe because he was absent for most of it, the book lost its quiet innocence from the first book that I adored.

Through all of my negativity, I am still interested in reading the third in the series.

Ebook Challenge 2012: 25 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.

Review: Sweetness by Lindsay Paige

2012-05-07T07:00:00.000-04:00

Sweetness by Lindsay Paige

Publisher: CreateSpace

Pages: 114

Format: ebook

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads: Emily wished she was invisible. But after moving to a new town with her dad, a charming boy makes it impossible for her to disappear. Despite her feelings of unworthiness, Emily soon finds herself drawn to the safety of Jake's world.

Good looking and the star of the hockey team, Jake has a lot going for him. What most people don't see is the difficult life he has at home. When quiet Emily steals his heart, Jake vows to help her discover she is worthy of love.

Just when the two of them realize the sweetness of their relationship, they are put to the test. Only together can they overcome their haunted pasts to fight for a future together.

Kritters Thoughts: Sometimes a YA book is sent to me and just by the synopsis alone, I know that even though I am not always the YA fan I am going to like it. From the very beginning, the reader meets Emily, a girl who is living with her father after some drama takes place while she was temporarily living with her mother. As the chapters switch to our other main characters point of view - Jake, he is your guys guy in high school who finds something interesting in Emily and just has to get to know her.

A great YA book that shows the drama of high school without feeling to whiny. You see Emily grow in this book through her interactions with Jake as he pushes her out of her shell. With realism, it didn't feel like life is always dandy as some books can seem to be.

With simple language and great characters, I would pass this YA book onto any high school reader.

Rating: the perfect YA read
(a new shoe has been added)

Ebook Challenge 2012: 24 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.

It's Monday, What are you Reading? (70)

2012-05-06T19:00:00.000-04:00

A good week that ended with a great weekend of reading, I just may finish one more tonight!!

A meme hosted by Sheila at BookJourney.

Finished this past week:
The House of the Wind by Titania Hardie
The Coffins of Little Hope by Timothy Schafferty
Daughters for a Time by Jennifer Handford
Keepsake by Kristina Riggle
A Gift for My Sister by Ann Pearlman

Currently Reading:
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
(took a pause on this one, hoping to finish soon)
The Most Dangerous Thing by Laura Lippman

Next off the TBR pile:
Arrivals by Meg Mitchell Moore