While My Sister Sleeps

Synopsis (from Amazon):  Once again New York Times bestselling author Barbara Delinsky brings us a masterful family portrait, filled with thought-provoking insights into how emotions affect the decisions we make and how letting go can be the hardest thing to do and the greatest expression of love all at the same time. 

Molly and Robin Snow are sisters in the prime of life. So when Molly receives the news that Robin has suffered a massive heart attack, the news couldn't be more shocking. At the hospital, the Snow family receives a grim prognosis: Robin may never regain consciousness. Feelings of guilt and jealousy flare up as Robin's family struggles to cope. It's up to Molly to make the tough decisions, and she soon makes discoveries that shatter some of her most cherished beliefs about the sister she thought she knew.

One (or more) Sentence Summary: Family drama, guilt, and secrets make a great read!

Would I Read Other Books by the Author:  Yes, I have heard great things about Barb's books and While My Sister Sleeps, didn't let me down.

Barbara Delinsky, author of BLUEPRINTS (2015), SWEET SALT AIR (2013), ESCAPE (2011), NOT MY DAUGHTER (2010), WHILE MY SISTER SLEEPS (2009), THE SECRET BETWEEN US (2008), and FAMILY TREE (2007), has written more than twenty-two bestselling novels with over thirty-five million copies in print. She has been published in twenty languages worldwide. Barbara's fiction centers upon everyday families facing not-so-everyday challenges. She is particularly drawn to exploring themes of motherhood, marriage, sibling rivalry, and friendship in her novels. 

A lifelong New Englander, Barbara earned a B.A. in Psychology at Tufts University and an M.A. in Sociology at Boston College. As a breast cancer survivor who lost her mother to the disease when she was only eight, Barbara compiled the non-fiction book Uplift: Secrets From the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors, a handbook of practical tips and upbeat anecdotes. She donates her proceeds from the sale of this book to her charitable foundation, which funds an ongoing research fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Barbara enjoys knitting, photography, and cats. She also loves to interact with her readers through her website at www.barbaradelinsky.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bdelinsky, on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/barbaradelinsky/, and on Twitter as @BarbaraDelinsky.

Amazon 

The Heist

Synopsis (from Amazon):  NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From Janet Evanovich, #1 bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum novels, and Lee Goldberg, bestselling author and television writer for Monk, comes the first adventure in an electrifying series featuring an FBI agent who always gets her man, and a fearless con artist who lives for the chase.
 
FBI Special Agent Kate O’Hare is known for her fierce dedication and discipline on the job, chasing down the world’s most wanted criminals and putting them behind bars. Her boss thinks she is tenacious and ambitious; her friends think she is tough, stubborn, and maybe even a bit obsessed. And while Kate has made quite a name for herself for the past five years the only name she’s cared about is Nicolas Fox—an international crook she wants in more ways than one.              
 
Audacious, handsome, and dangerously charming, Nicolas Fox is a natural con man, notorious for running elaborate scams on very high-profile people. At first he did it for the money. Now he does it for the thrill. He knows that the FBI has been hot on his trail—particularly Kate O’Hare, who has been watching his every move. For Nick, there’s no greater rush than being pursued by a beautiful woman . . . even one who aims to lock him up. But just when it seems that Nicolas Fox has been captured for good, he pulls off his greatest con of all: He convinces the FBI to offer him a job, working side by side with Special Agent Kate O’Hare.
 
Problem is, teaming up to stop a corrupt investment banker who’s hiding on a private island in Indonesia is going to test O’Hare’s patience and Fox’s skill. Not to mention the skills of their ragtag team made up of flamboyant actors, wanted wheelmen, and Kate’s dad. High-speed chases, pirates, and Toblerone bars are all in a day’s work . . . if O’Hare and Fox don’t kill each other first.

One (or more) Sentence Summary:  Fast pace, crafty con, dream team, and so funny you will catch yourself laughing out loud.  Well done!

Would I Read Other Books by the Author:  I have to read the others in the series.  The Heist is the first one!

Lee Goldberg is an ex-Navy SEAL, freelance Sexual Surrogate and a professional Daniel Craig impersonator.

Okay, that's not true. But he wants this biography to be really exciting, so pay attention. If things bog down, I've been instructed to add a car chase or some explicit sex.

Here's the real story. Lee Goldberg writes books and television shows.

Janet Evanovich is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Stephanie Plum series, the Fox and O’Hare series with co-author Lee Goldberg, the Knight and Moon series, and the Lizzy and Diesel series as well as twelve romance novels, the Alexandra Barnaby novels, Troublemaker graphic novel, and How I Write: Secrets of a Bestselling Author.

Amazon 

Cinderella Pact

Synopsis (from Amazon):  When Nola Devlin is turned down for her dream job because she's overweight, she decides to become thin-or, at least, pretend to be. The alter ego she creates-the thin, British, hip, and did we mention thin Belinda Apple-is a smashing success who is offered movie proposals, national television appearances and even dates...though no one's met her in person, of course.

Then Nola takes Belinda a bit too far, and is forced to join "The Cinderella Pact" and drop the pounds. As the weight comes off, however, Nola's problems begin to mount.

One (or more) Sentence Summary: OMG - just found out that Cinderella Pact was made into a Lifetime movie - Lying to be Perfect.  I MUST find it and watch!  I found Cinderella Pact to be a great chick-lit book with real guts.  There are SO many of us out there struggling with being over weight.  I have blamed my extra pounds from pregnancies, however, given my three kids are 14 and 13 (twins), I think that excuse is about 13 years too old and over used!  However, the book is not just about weight loss and the three different approaches the ladies take, it is a great love story/chick lit times 3.  

Would I Read Other Books by the Author:  I most certain would.  Sarah has a ton of books that I can't wait to go read.  In fact I have Kindred Spirits, that got buried on the back of the bookshelf and I re-discovered (just like Cinderella Pact) when we moved!

It's also my fourteenth novel, but my first for young adults after writing mysteries and stand alones, one of which, THE CINDERELLA PACT, became the Lifetime Movie - LYING TO BE PERFECT. Of all these, SMART GIRLS has been my favorite to write because not only was I a "smart girl," but so were my daughter and her friends who, like me, grew tired of playing second fiddle. I figured the time had come for our kind to receive the kudos, the attention and the boys. The bad girls had hogged center stage long enough.

Today, I live in Vermont with my husband, a lawyer, and son, Sam, an upcoming high school junior. My daughter, Anna, is a senior at Bryn Mawr College where there are A LOT of smart girls. Also, there's Fred, my five-year-old basset hound and between you and me, the love of my life.

Amazon 

The Year We Turned Forty

Synopsis (from Amazon):  If you could repeat one year of your life, what would you do differently? This heartwarming and hilarious novel from the authors of The Status of All Things and Your Perfect Lifefeatures three best friends who get the chance to return to the year they turned forty—the year that altered all of their lives, in ways big and small—and also get the opportunity to change their future.

Jessie loves her son Lucas more than anything, but it tears her up inside that he was conceived in an affair that ended her marriage to a man she still loves, a man who just told her he's getting remarried. This time around, she’s determined to bury the secret of Lucas’ paternity, and to repair the fissures that sent her wandering the first time.

Gabriela regrets that she wasted her most fertile years in hot pursuit of a publishing career. Yes, she’s one of the biggest authors in the world, but maybe what she really wanted to create was a family. With a chance to do it again, she’s focused on convincing her husband, Colin, to give her the baby she desires.

Claire is the only one who has made peace with her past: her twenty-two year old daughter, Emily, is finally on track after the turmoil of adolescence, and she's recently gotten engaged, with the two carat diamond on her finger to prove it. But if she’s being honest, Claire still fantasizes about her own missed opportunities: a chance to bond with her mother before it was too late, and the possibility of preventing her daughter from years of anguish. Plus, there’s the man who got away—the man who may have been her one true love.

But it doesn’t take long for all three women to learn that re-living a life and making different decisions only leads to new problems and consequences—and that the mistakes they made may, in fact, have been the best choices of all…

One (or more) Sentence Summary:  I really liked the concept of going back in time and making "new choices."  I would love to do it; however, I am not sure going back to 40 is the year I would pick.  I would love to go back to 20!  

The Year We Turned Forty is about three best friends whose birthdays are close in date.  The three ladies are dealing with different scenarios that they go back to and make different choices.  I listened to The Year We Turned Forty via Overdrive and found it enjoyable!

Would I Read Other Books by the Authors:  I would read another book by this duo!  In fact, I have Your Perfect Life on my Kindle, which reminds me, I have to charge that thing....hard to get any reading done on a dead battery!

Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke have been best friends for over 25 years and survived high school and college together. The authors of three novels, their newest, THE GOOD WIDOW, will be published by Amazon’s Lake Union Publishing in May 2017. Liz lives in San Diego, CA with her husband and two children. Connect with Liz and Lisa at www.lizandlisa.com.

Amazon 

Eligible

Synopsis (from Amazon):  NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Wonderfully tender and hilariously funny, Eligibletackles gender, class, courtship, and family as Curtis Sittenfeld reaffirms herself as one of the most dazzling authors writing today.

This version of the Bennet family—and Mr. Darcy—is one that you have and haven’t met before: Liz is a magazine writer in her late thirties who, like her yoga instructor older sister, Jane, lives in New York City. When their father has a health scare, they return to their childhood home in Cincinnati to help—and discover that the sprawling Tudor they grew up in is crumbling and the family is in disarray.

Youngest sisters Kitty and Lydia are too busy with their CrossFit workouts and Paleo diets to get jobs. Mary, the middle sister, is earning her third online master’s degree and barely leaves her room, except for those mysterious Tuesday-night outings she won’t discuss. And Mrs. Bennet has one thing on her mind: how to marry off her daughters, especially as Jane’s fortieth birthday fast approaches.

Enter Chip Bingley, a handsome new-in-town doctor who recently appeared on the juggernaut reality TV dating show Eligible. At a Fourth of July barbecue, Chip takes an immediate interest in Jane, but Chip’s friend neurosurgeon Fitzwilliam Darcy reveals himself to Liz to be much less charming. . . . 

And yet, first impressions can be deceiving.

One (or more) Sentence Summary:  While I enjoyed the story line (take off from the bachelor - post life) and the Bennet sisters, my favorite thing about the book was its location!  Most of the book takes place in Cincinnati.  I lived in the area from 2001- 2008 and just moved back a year ago.  I LOVED all the references, even down to the street names; and yes, Skyline Chili is something you have to grow up with....I think of it as spaghetti with meat sauce and chili spices!  The story line is good too as it takes us through the five Bennet sisters' lives and ups and downs of love.  How Mr. and Mrs. Bennet ended up where they were financially drives me crazy, though.  I don't understand how people end up that way and don't change course before its too late. 

Would I Read Other Books by the Authors:  I would read more books by Curtis Sittenfeld for sure.  In fact Prep has been on my list to read books.  I also read American Wife years ago.  

Curtis Sittenfeld is the bestselling author of the novels Prep, The Man of My Dreams, American Wife, and Sisterland, which have been translated into twenty-five languages. Her nonfiction has been published widely, including in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Time, and Glamour, and broadcast on public radio’s This American Life. A native of Cincinnati, she currently lives with her family in St. Louis.

Amazon 

What Alice Forgot

Synopsis (from Amazon): From the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, The Husband's Secret...

A “cheerfully engaging”* novel for anyone who’s ever asked herself, “How did I get here?”Alice Love is twenty-nine, crazy about her husband, and pregnant with her first child. So imagine Alice’s surprise when she comes to on the floor of a gym (a gym! She HATES the gym) and is whisked off to the hospital where she discovers the honeymoon is truly over—she’s getting divorced, she has three kids, and she’s actually 39 years old. Alice must reconstruct the events of a lost decade, and find out whether it’s possible to reconstruct her life at the same time. She has to figure out why her sister hardly talks to her, and how is it that she’s become one of those super skinny moms with really expensive clothes. Ultimately, Alice must discover whether forgetting is a blessing or a curse, and whether it’s possible to start over…

One (or more) Sentence Summary: What Alice Forgot was hidden in the back of TBR shelf.  Moving a year ago, I am going box by box and reading all my books that were meant to be read a long time ago!  What Alice Forgot was very thought provoking for me.  Do I like the person I am now, of the person 10 (okay maybe 20) years ago?  I have lots of "wrongs" that I would like to "do-over."  At the same time, those "wrongs" helped me become who I am today.  So confusing eh?  

Would I Read Other Books by the Author:   What I didn't realize is who wrote What Alice Forgot.  I have Truly Madly Guilty and The Husband's Secret on reserve!

Liane Moriarty is the Australian author of six internationally best-selling novels, Three Wishes, The Last Anniversary, What Alice Forgot, The Hypnotist’s Love Story and the number 1 New York Times bestsellers: The Husband's Secret and Big Little Lies.

The Husband's Secret has sold over three million copies worldwide, was a no. 1 UK bestseller, an Amazon Best Book of 2013 and will be translated into over 40 languages. CBS Films has acquired the film rights. 

With the launch of her novel, Big Little Lies, which has sold over one million copies in the US alone, Liane became the first Australian author to have a novel debut at number one on the New York Times bestseller list. An HBO series based on the book is currently in production with Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon and Shailene Woodley playing the three lead roles.

Liane’s newest novel, Truly Madly Guilty, will be released in July 2016. 

Liane lives in Sydney with her husband, son and daughter. You can find more at www.lianemoriarty.com and www.facebook.com/LianeMoriartyAuthor

Amazon 

Landline

Synopsis (from Amazon): IF YOU GOT A SECOND CHANCE AT LOVE,

WOULD YOU MAKE THE SAME CALL?

As far as time machines go, a magic telephone is pretty useless.

TV writer Georgie McCool can't actually visit the past -- all she can do is call it, and hope it picks up.

And hope he picks up.

Because once Georgie realizes she has a magic phone that calls into the past, all she wants to do is make things right with her husband, Neal.

Maybe she can fix the things in their past that seem unfixable in the present. Maybe this stupid phone is giving her a chance to start over ...

Does Georgie want to start over?

From Rainbow Rowell, the New York Times bestselling author of Eleanor & Park andFangirl, comes this heart-wrenching - and hilarious - take on fate, time, television and true love.

Landline asks if two people are ever truly on the same path, or whether love just means finding someone who will keep meeting you halfway, no matter where you end up.

One (or more) Sentence Summary:  Quick and entertaining with a very unusual phone.  What a new and refreshing idea - a magic phone.  

Would I Read Other Books by the Author: I have read a few of Rainbow's books. Attachments was my first and my daughter and I really liked Eleanor and Park.  I would like to read Fan Girl and Carry On.

Rainbow Rowell writes books. Sometimes she writes about adults (ATTACHMENTS and LANDLINE). Sometimes she writes about teenagers (ELEANOR & PARK, FANGIRL and CARRY ON). But she always writes about people who talk a lot. And people who feel like they're screwing up. And people who fall in love.

When she's not writing, Rainbow is reading comic books, planning Disney World trips and arguing about things that don't really matter in the big scheme of things.

She lives in Nebraska with her husband and two sons.

Amazon 

How to Raise a Smart Ass + Giveaway

~ I received no compensation and opinions are 100% my own or my family. ~

Synopsis: How to Raise a Smart Ass is a funny, witty, rollicking ride through the joys of early parenthood. The so-titled “Best Butt Wiper in the World” delights audiences by recounting tales of ninja nurses, naughty knights, and super-duper poopers. Whether you’re a proud parent or you aspire to populate the world with tiny terrors of your own someday, this book will have you laughing out loud, or at a minimum buying lots of sanitizer. Kids are messy.

One (or more) Sentence Summary:   I don't know where to start.  How to Raise a Smart Ass was so unbelievably funny, I couldn't get enough.  I would have to say, my favorite part was the move to Rochester.  I moved there in 2008 (moved again in 2015 but not to Oklahoma!) and totally agreed with her comments.  Stories about the two girls were so cute and hilarious.  My son is 14 and my twins are 13 and I still could related to How to Raise a Smart Ass and get a really good laugh along the way.  This would be make a GREAT holiday gift for anyone with children.  

Would I Read Other Books by the Author:  Oh my gosh, absolutely....where can I get my hands on another?  Okay, maybe not the Bar Exam book...but any other.  Please, please, please write another.

Lucia Walinchus is an award-winning journalist, author and ice hockey addict. She has written more than 500 articles for various publications throughout her career and was recently named to the 2016 Fulbright Berlin Capital Program. She has been featured as a guest speaker on CNN and is a contracted freelancer for the New York Times. Walinchus currently lives in Oklahoma because she enjoys wide, flat golf courses that make her think she isn’t actually that bad.

Buy the print book:  Amazon ~ Blurb

Buy the eBook: Amazon  ~  Barnes & Noble  ~ iBooks ~

​                          Kobo ~ Google Play

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What I Know For Sure

Synopsis (from Amazon): As a creative force, student of the human heart and soul, and champion of living the life you want, Oprah Winfrey stands alone. Over the years, she has made history with a legendary talk show - the highest-rated program of its kind, launched her own television network, become the nation's only African-American billionaire, and been awarded both an honorary degree by Harvard University and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. From all her experiences, she has gleaned life lessons―which, for fourteen years, she's shared in O, The Oprah Magazine's widely popular "What I Know For Sure" column, a monthly source of inspiration and revelation.

Now, for the first time, these thoughtful gems have been revised, updated, and collected in What I Know For Sure, a beautiful cloth bound book with a ribbon marker, packed with insight and revelation from Oprah Winfrey. Organized by theme―joy, resilience, connection, gratitude, possibility, awe, clarity, and power―these essays offer a rare, powerful and intimate glimpse into the heart and mind of one of the world's most extraordinary women―while providing readers a guide to becoming their best selves. Candid, moving, exhilarating, uplifting, and frequently humorous, the words Oprah shares in What I Know For Sure shimmer with the sort of truth that readers will turn to again and again.

One (or more) Sentence Summary:  I listened to What I Know For Sure and really liked that it was narrated by Oprah herself. Hearing Oprah read the book, was fantastic.  What I Know for Sure would make a great gift and is a beautiful book (inside and out!).

Would I Read Other Books by the Author:  How can you not read things Oprah publishes?

Through the power of media, OPRAH WINFREY has created an unparalleled connection with people around the world. As host and supervising producer of the history-making The Oprah Winfrey Show, editorial director of O, The Oprah Magazine, and the CEO of OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, she has entertained, enlightened, and uplifted millions of viewers for more than twenty-five years. Her accomplishments as a global media leader and philanthropist have established her as one of the most respected and admired public figures today.

Amazon 

Sex, Lies and Online Dating

Synopsis (from Amazon):  She explained the trouble with Valentine's Day (as if you didn't know!) Now Rachel Gibson tells all about . . .

Sex . . .

What is it about men anyway? Bad cars, bad jobs, even bad teeth—nothing convinces them that they can't snare a Size Two Babe with a D-cup chest. And after way too many internet dates with men named "luvstick" and "bigdaddy182," Lucy Rothschild should know.

Lies . . .

But sitting across from her now is "hardluvnman," and he seems different—sensitive, honest, and hot! He says he's a plumber, while Lucy claims she's a nurse! She's really a mystery writer, dating online while researching her next book. Hey, everyone lies a little, don't they?

And Online Dating . . .

But Quinn's really an undercover cop hunting down a serial killer, and he sees Lucy as his top suspect. And while he could really go for this smart, sexy woman with the killer bod—if that's the only thing "killer" about her—he knows he needs to wine and dine her and discover the truth. Hey, he realizes the dating scene can be deadly—but this is ridiculous!

One (or more) Sentence Summary:  Very cute, very chick-lit type of book - just what I like.  Chick-lit + handsome cop + mystery murder = great book.  Great humor with the online dating "losers."  I listened to the book on Audio and enjoyed on my drive back and forth to work!

Would I Read Other Books by the Author:  Yes, I actually have two of her books on my TBR shelf.  I have been doing really well getting through my TBR list since the move a year ago.  

With the publication of New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Rachel Gibson's first book, readers discovered one of contemporary romance's freshest voices. Four of her novels were named among the Top Ten Favorite Books of the Year by Romance Writers of America.  

Rachel's storytelling career began at the age of sixteen when she ran her Chevy Vega into the side of a hill, retrieved the bumper and broken glass from the ground, and drove to her high school parking lot. With the help of her friend, she strategically scattered the broken pieces and told her parents she'd been the victim of a hit and run. They believed her, and she's been telling stories ever since.  

When not writing, you can usually find Rachel hunting for the perfect shoes, or on the tennis court where she is a solid 2.5. Someday she hopes to hit the ball half as many times as she swings and misses.

Amazon