Monday, September 22, 2014

A Brief Moment of Weightlessness TLC Book Tours + Giveaway

~ I received a copy of this book from the publisher or author to facilitate this review.  I received no compensation and opinions are 100% my own or my family. ~

Giveaway:  One lucky reader will win their very own copy of this book! If you’re interested, please just let me know in a comment below. Please be 13 years or older and have a U.S. mailing address. Please leave your email.  Winner will be randomly selected 9/30/14. Good luck.

Synopsis (from Amazon): A BRIEF MOMENT OF WEIGHTLESSNESS is a collection of short stories that illuminate the beauty and extraordinariness of "ordinary" lives. Each explores the human desire for connectedness and grace. The stories range from large upheavals such as how a marriage shifts when a spouse loses a limb or how a girl reconfigures her world when her father goes to jail, to smaller moments such as when a woman experiences wonder again on a visit to a nursing home with her child and their dog, or when a man finds redemption in the midst of tragedy after being bitten by his dying dog. These illuminating, heartbreaking, poignant, astute stories take on serious issues of death/dying, injury, infidelity, aftermath of war, estrangement and more, but without a sense of gloom that could overwhelm them. They often, though not always, find that glimmer of hope or opportunity without feeling forced, and they are told in a voice that can cut to the quick of a character or conflict, with endings that don't always resolve neatly. If it is the small moments that make up a life, then these stories, explore, dissect and celebrate those small moments that make all of our lives extraordinary.


One (or more) Sentence Summary:  Beuatifully written.  I have no idea how one would come up with such stories, but they really made me think about relationships and life.

Fast read/slow read:  Really fast read. 

Cover:  Beautiful, calming, weightlessness - perfect!
What Others Are Saying:  Check out what others are saying on the TLC Book Tours:
Monday, September 15th:  Bibliophiliac
Wednesday, September 17th:  Kahakai Kitchen
Thursday, September 18th:  A Bookish Way of Life
Monday, September 22nd:  Seaside Book Nook
Wednesday, September 24th:  A Lovely Bookshelf on the Wall
Thursday, September 25th:  Suko’s Notebook
Monday, September 29th:  Book Snob
Wednesday, October 1st:  Bookchickdi
Thursday, October 2nd:  Knowing the Difference
Monday, October 6th:  Svetlana’s Reads and Views
Wednesday, October 8th:  Patricia’s Wisdom
Thursday, October 9th:  Lit and Life
Monday, October 13th:  The Things You Can Read
Tuesday, October 14th:  Under My Apple Tree
Wednesday, October 15th:  5 Minutes for Books

In addition to writing short stories, Victoria Fish is pursuing her Masters of Social Work. Her stories have appeared in numerous literary magazines, including Hunger Mountain, Slow Trains, Wild River Review, and Literary Mama. She lives with her husband and three boys in the hills of Vermont. A BRIEF MOMENT OF WEIGHTLESSNESS is her first book.

Purchase Links

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

The Heiresses: A Novel





Synopsis (from Amazon): From Sara Shepard, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Pretty Little Liars, comes The Heiresses—a novel about the Saybrooks, a diamond family blessed with beauty and fortune yet plagued by a string of tragic and mysterious deaths.

The only thing more flawless than a Saybrook’s solitaire is the family behind the diamond empire. Beauties, entrepreneurs, debutantes, and mavens, the Saybrooks are the epitome of high society. Anyone would kill to be one of them. But be careful what you wish for, because if you were a Saybrook, you’d be haunted by secrets and plagued by a dark streak of luck.

Tragedy strikes the prominent family yet again on a beautiful morning in May when thirty-four-year-old Poppy, the most remarkable Saybrook of them all, flings herself from the window of her office. Everyone is shocked that someone so perfect would end her own life—until her cousins receive an ominous warning: One heiress down, four to go.

Was it suicide . . . or murder? And who will be next: Aster, the beautiful but reckless girl who’s never worked a day in her life—and who’s covering up her father’s darkest secret? Her older sister, Corrine, whose meticulously planned future is about to come crashing down around her? Perhaps it will be Natasha, the black sheep of the family who suddenly disinherited herself five years ago. Or maybe the perpetually single Rowan, who had the most to gain from her cousin’s death.

A gripping, edge-of-your-seat thriller about heiresses who must uncover a dark truth about their family before they lose the only thing money can’t buy: their lives.



One (or more) Sentence Summary: I absolutely LOVED The Heiresses.  There better be a second novel coming soon.  It reminded me of the Kennedy family meets Sex in the City.  

Favorite Character(s):  Oh, I can't possibly have a favorite.  They are all great and perfect for the book and setting.

Fast read/slow read:  Super FAST!  The best of chick lit!

Cover:  Can't imagine a different cover!  Just right.

What Others Are Saying:  
“A smart, delicious suspense novel filled with money, murder and well-heeled heiresses up to no good. Warning: You’re going to be up late tonight!” (Kate White, author of The Sixes)

The Heiresses is absolutely riveting, with more twists than a labyrinth and one of the most vivid cast of characters in contemporary fiction. Sara Shepard’s smart, funny voice--already beloved by legions of fans--shines brighter than ever. I’m recommending this book to everyone I know.” (Sarah Pekkanen, author of Catching Air)

“Sara Shepard has created a Pretty Little Liars for adults. . . . Perfect for a light beach read.” (Kirkus Reviews)

Would I Read Other Books by the Author: Yes, PLEASE write a sequel and publish it ASAP!


Sara Shepard is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling series Pretty Little Liars. She graduated from NYU and has an MFA from Brooklyn College. Sara has lived in New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Arizona, where the Lying Game series is set.

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Beyond Hollywood Strip - TLC Bood Tours + Giveaway

~ I received a copy of this book from the publisher or author to facilitate this review.  I received no compensation and opinions are 100% my own or my family. ~

Giveaway:  One lucky reader will win their very own copy of this book! If you’re interested, please just let me know in a comment below. Please be 13 years or older and have a U.S. mailing address. Please leave your email.  Winner will be randomly selected 9/14/14. Good luck.

Synopsis (from Amazon): Callie Lambert is the hottest starlet in Hollywood. With a hit TV show under her belt, the tabloid-targeted actress--christened one of “The 20 Most Tantalizing Angelenos”--leads a charmed life, hobnobbing with fashionistas in Paris and industry bigwigs in Los Angeles . She's sexy, sassy, and unsinkable....and currently unemployed. 

Beyond Hollywood Strip offers an inside look into the realities of being famous and beautiful, following Callie as she navigates the seedy underbelly of the entertainment industry. Juggling hunky ex-boyfriends, battling lawsuits from rival actresses, staying one step ahead of the press, organizing a charity event to honor her murdered friend…Callie’s got it all under control. But when she receives a mysterious letter from a young woman claiming to be her long-lost sister, Callie’s world begins to crack around the edges and all bets are off. 

An ode to the literary popcorn of Jacqueline Susann, Beyond Hollywood Strip is a steamy, action-packed ride down Sunset Boulevard. Better buckle your seat belt…it’s going to be bumpy... 


One (or more) Sentence Summary: I really liked that Beyond Hollywood Strip included both the "Hollywood" scene and "normal" life stuff.  The connection Callie had to her grandmother..loved it.  Finding out she has a sisterloved it.  Her lustful mistakeso real!

Favorite Character(s):  Callie was my favorite character.  She seemed to have it all together and didn't get caught up in the "Hollywood" scene.

Fast read/slow read:  I found Beyond Hollywood Strip to be an okay paced read.  I think if my "work life" was not so crazy at this time, it would have been a fast read.

Cover:  LOVE it!  So perfect for the book.
What Others Are Saying:  Check out what others are saying on the TLC Book Tours
Monday, August 18th: From the TBR Pile
Wednesday, August 20th: Steph the Bookworm
Thursday, August 21st: Mom in Love with Fiction
Monday, August 25th: Bewitched Bookworms
Thursday, August 28th:  The Suburban Eclectic Review – Book Spotlight
Wednesday, August 27th: Harlie’s Books
Monday, September 1st: Read – Love – Blog
Tuesday, September 2nd: Sveltlana’s Reads and Views
Wednesday, September 3rd: Shelf Pleasure -author guest post, “The Godmother”
Thursday, September 4th:  Three Girls and a Book Obsession
Friday, September 5th:  Seaside Book Nook
Wednesday, September 10th:  Traveling with T


Would I Read Other Books by the Author: Yes, in fact, I didn't know that Beyond Hollywood Strip was the sequel to Hollywood Strip.  I am going to read the first book.

The chronicles of Callie Lambert are loosely based on author Shamron Moore’s real life experiences as an actress and model. Shamron left her home state of Michigan to pursue the excitement of Los Angeles. She has appeared in numerous commercials, television shows and feature films. FHM named her one of the 100 Sexiest Women in the World. Nowadays, she prefers to focus on writing, one of her lifelong passions. Beyond Hollywood Strip is her second novel.

Connect with Shamron

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