Tuesday, August 30, 2016

When Audrey Met Alice





Synopsis (from Amazon):  Living in the White House is like being permanently grounded. Only with better security. 

First Daughter Audrey Rhodes can't wait for the party she has planned. The decorations are all set and the pizza is on its way. But the Secret Service must be out to ruin her life, because they cancel at the last minute, squashing Audrey's chances for making any new friends. What good is having your own bowling alley if you don't have anyone to play with?
Audrey is ready to give up and spend the next four years totally friendless--until she discovers Alice Roosevelt's hidden diary. The former First Daughter's outrageous antics give Audrey a ton of ideas for having fun...and get her into more trouble than she can handle.



One (or more) Sentence Summary:  I really like the concept of When Audrey Met Alice.  A great book for 7-8th graders.  I loved that Audrey Mom was the president (not her father)!  When drama of teenage girl, with the added pressures of being the president daughter, is mixed with history makes for a really good read.  

Would I Read Other Books by the Author: Yes I would.  I loved the modern times mixed with historical events.  I just realized that The Summer of Lost and Found was written by Rebecca.  I was just looking at it yesterday at Barnes & Noble.



Rebecca Behrens grew up in Wisconsin, studied in Chicago, and now lives with her husband in New York City, where she works as a textbook editor. Rebecca loves writing and reading about girls full of moxie and places full of history. When she's not writing, you can find her running in the park, reading on a beach, or eating a doughnut. Visit her online at www.rebeccabehrens.com.

Thursday, August 25, 2016

I Followed the Rules




Synopsis (from Amazon): Catriona Buchanan, a thirty-six-year-old journalist and single mother, lives a quiet life in Glasgow with her daughter Grace. Single for six years but for a handful of failed relationships with all the wrong men and a string of one-night stands, Cat decides she's had enough of her homegrown efforts to find love. Instead, she purchases the infamous dating bible The Ten Rules of Enticement, and vows to obey its advice to the letter and chronicle her experiences.


The novel follows Cat as she tries to discount everything she thought she knew about the dating world in her quest to become the kind of woman men desire to be with. Eventually, as her efforts are rewarded and she nets not one but two viable new love interests, Cat must decide whether pretending to be someone she's not is worth the payoff of having a man in love with her for all the wrong reasons.



One (or more) Sentence Summary:  I Followed the Rules was extremely funny.  The characters really make the book.  The Ten Rules of Enticement......I hope was totally made up! Humor + Sex + Great Characters = Must Read.



Favorite Character(s):  I really didn't have a favorite, because I adored them all.  


Fast read/slow read:  I listened to I Followed the Rules, but I would imagine it would have been a fast read for me.

Would I Read Other Books by the Author:  More please!  

Joanna Bolouri worked in sales before she began writing professionally at the age of thirty. Winning a BBC comedy script competition allowed her to work and write with stand-up comedians, comedy scriptwriters and actors from across the UK. She is the author of The List and she's had articles and reviews published in The Skinny, the Scottish Sun, the Huffington Post, and HecklerSpray. She lives in Glasgow with her daughter.


Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Secrets in the Sky

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



Synopsis (from Amazon):  No-one ever accused Sophie Campbell of being a coward. From caving trips to rooftop pranks, it appeared nothing could hold her back, especially once she landed a dream job promising travel all over the world. 

But Sophie’s jet-setting lifestyle is not what it seems and she’s been spending more time in the quiet English village of Saffron Sweeting than she cares to admit. When her beloved Great Aunt Wol dies suddenly, Sophie loses one of the few people who truly know her. As friends, family and an old flame gather for the funeral, questions soon follow. Worse, Sophie finds herself increasingly attracted to the man most likely to expose her secrets. Can she manage to guard her past, yet finally follow her long-held dream? 

Featuring both new and familiar characters, this stand-alone romantic comedy is set two years before Kindle best-seller Saving Saffron Sweeting. With side helpings of British tea, cake and wit, Secrets in the Sky explores how finding the courage to be yourself can be the toughest challenge of all.




One (or more) Sentence Summary: I really liked that Secrets in the Sky took me back to Saffron Sweeting.  I really enjoyed going on this adventure with Sophie.  I can't believe she kept secrets from so many.  The whooper of secrets, I didn't even see coming until the words jumped off the page.  It really tied the whole book together.

Favorite Character(s):  Aunt Wol since she was so full of love and wisdom. I can't not mention Tom as well, hot and rich!


Fast read/slow read:  Just right.  Left me wanting to read another chapter, but knew it would be waiting for me after work.

Would I Read Other Books by the Author: I would and did.  I read her first book Saving Saffron Sweeting (click here for review).  I was so happy when Pauline reached out to me and asked if I would be interested in reading her latest novel, Secrets in the Sky....of course I would!

British by birth, Pauline Wiles now lives in northern California. While she doesn’t miss the grey skies of Blighty, she does experience occasional yearnings for afternoon tea and historic homes. Her work has been published by House of Fifty, Open Exchange and Alfie Dog Fiction. Her debut novel, Saving Saffron Sweeting, was a quarter-finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.




Thursday, August 18, 2016

Before Ever After

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


Synopsis (from Amazon): "A smartly written romance, mystery and historical adventure all wrapped up in a page-turner that will have you guessing until the very end." – Adena Halpern, author of The Ten Best Days of My Life 
 
Three years after her husband Max's death, Shelley feels no more adjusted to being a widow than she did that first terrible day. That is, until the doorbell rings. Standing on her front step is a young man who looks so much like Max–same smile, same eyes, same age, same adorable bump in his nose–he could be Max's long-lost relation. He introduces himself as Paolo, an Italian editor of American coffee table books, and shows Shelley some childhood photos. Paolo tells her that the man in the photos, the bearded man who Paolo says is his grandfather though he never seems to age, is Max. Her Max. And he is alive and well.
 
As outrageous as Paolo's claims seem–how could her husband be alive? And if he is, why hasn't he looked her up? – Shelley desperately wants to know the truth. She and Paolo jet across the globe to track Max down–if it is really Max– and along the way, Shelley recounts the European package tour where they had met. As she relives Max's stories of bloody Parisian barricades, medieval Austrian kitchens, and buried Roman boathouses, Shelley begins to piece together the story of who her husband was and what these new revelations mean for her "happily ever after." And as she and Paolo get closer to the truth, Shelley discovers that not all stories end where they are supposed to.


One (or more) Sentence Summary: WOW! I absolutely LOVED this book.  Before Ever After wrapped its words around my heart and didn't let go.  What an amazing story about love.  There is also a lot of creative history woven into the story as well.  Before Ever After left me breathless and wanting a sequel so badly.  

Favorite Character(s):  Max was my favorite character, but they all had such a special part of the story.  Rose was just too funny and brought a ton of humor to the story at all the right spots.


Fast read/slow read:  I read Before Ever After in 4 days....a new record for me.  Yes, I am tired and wish I could nap all day instead of going to work!

Cover:  So perfect and beautiful.

Would I Read Other Books by the Author: Oh yes, I would!  I am so sorry, that I didn't read Before Ever After when Samantha sent it to me a while ago.  Somehow it got pushed to the back of the TBR shelf.  As I unpacked the boxes that contained my TBR after the move (11 months ago), I have discovered so many great reads.  Before Ever After is at the top of my list of great reads I "re-discovered" while unpacking!


In an alternate universe, I am Dr. Who's faithful companion, traveling through time with him and constantly rearranging furniture on the TARDIS. In this one, I'm a professional daydreamer, a wife, and a mom to two not-so-little humans and a Golden Retriever named Tennant. Oh, and yeah, I also write books.

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Killing Monica

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



Synopsis (from Amazon): This is the book fans of Candace Bushnell have been waiting for. From the author of Sex and the CityLipstick Jungle, and The Carrie Diaries comes an addictive story about fame, love, and foolishness that will keep readers enthralled to the very last enticing scene.

Pandy "PJ" Wallis is a renowned writer whose novels about a young woman making her way in Manhattan have spawned a series of blockbuster films. After the success of the Monica books and movies, Pandy wants to attempt something different: a historical novel based on her ancestor Lady Wallis. But Pandy's publishers and audience only want her to keep cranking out more Monica-as does her greedy husband, Jonny, who's gone deeply in debt to finance his new restaurant in Las Vegas. 

When her marriage crumbles and the boathouse of her family home in Connecticut goes up in flames, Pandy suddenly realizes she has an opportunity to reinvent herself. But to do so, she will have to reconcile with her ex-best friend and former partner in crime, SondraBeth Schnowzer, who plays Monica on the big screen-and who may have her own reasons to derail Pandy's startling change of plan.

In KILLING MONICA, Candace Bushnell spoofs and skewers her way through pop culture, celebrity worship, fame, and the meaning of identity. With her trademark humor and style, this is Bushnell's sharpest, funniest book to date.

One (or more) Sentence Summary:  I had a feeling through the whole book that PJ was Candace and SondraBeth is Sarah Jessica Parker.  Just like the fans in the book, they didn't want Monica "to die," I felt the same way about Sex and the City (honestly about Lipstick Jungle and The Carrie Diaries).  Killing Monica was another true chick-lit read.

Fast read/slow read:  Fast read.

Would I Read Other Books by the Author:   Yes, I love Candace Bushnell.  I love her books as well as the TV shows that have come from them.  I always read the books first!



Candace Bushnell is the internationally bestselling novelist whose first book, Sex and the City, was the basis for the HBO hit series and blockbuster movie. She is the author of seven novels, including Lipstick Jungle and The Carrie Diaries, which were made into popular TV series. She is the winner of the 2006 Matrix Award for books and a recipient of the Albert Einstein Spirit of Achievement Award.

Thursday, August 11, 2016

I Take You

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


Synopsis (from Amazon):  Meet Lily Wilder: New Yorker, lawyer extraordinaire, blushing bride. And totally incapable of being faithful to one man.

     
Lily’s fiancé Will is a brilliant, handsome archaeologist. Lily is sassy, impulsive, fond of a good drink (or five) and has no business getting married. Lily likes Will, but does she love him? Will loves Lily, but does he know her? As the wedding approaches, Lily’s nights—and mornings, and afternoons—of booze, laughter and questionable decisions become a growing reminder that the happiest day of her life might turn out to be her worst mistake yet.
    
Unapologetically sexy with the ribald humor of Bridesmaids, this joyously provocative debut introduces a self-assured protagonist you won’t soon forget.


One (or more) Sentence Summary:  I really got hooked after a few pages.  Lily pulled me right into the story.  Lily and Will have so much in common and don't even know it.  Lily's family is a hoot too....all her stepmoms, Dad and Gran.  She is a successful women who literally plays (and works) like a man.  She loves men and booze!

Favorite Character(s):  All of them.  Together they made the book.

Fast read/slow read:  Really fast.

Would I Read Other Books by the Author:  I would love read another book by Eliza Kennedy.


ELIZA KENNEDY attended the University of Iowa and Harvard Law School, where she was an editor of the Harvard Law Review. After graduation she served as a law clerk for a federal judge, then practiced litigation for several years at a prestigious Manhattan law firm. She lives in New York with her husband and son. This is her first novel.



Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Dad is Fat




Synopsis (from Amazon):  In Dad is Fat, stand-up comedian Jim Gaffigan, who’s best known for his legendary riffs on Hot Pockets, bacon, manatees, and McDonald's, expresses all the joys and horrors of life with five young children—everything from cousins ("celebrities for little kids") to toddlers’ communication skills (“they always sound like they have traveled by horseback for hours to deliver important news”), to the eating habits of four year olds (“there is no difference between a four year old eating a taco and throwing a taco on the floor”). Reminiscent of Bill Cosby’s FatherhoodDad is Fat is sharply observed, explosively funny, and a cry for help from a man who has realized he and his wife are outnumbered in their own home.

One (or more) Sentence Summary:  Dad is Fat, is to flippin' funny.  Water coming out of your nose funny.  

Would I Read Other Books by the Author:  A follow up book would be fantastic.


JIM GAFFIGAN is a Grammy nominated Comedian, New York Times Best Selling author, top touring performer, and multi-platinum selling father of five. In May of 2013, Jim’s first book ‘Dad is Fat’ was released by Crown Publishing debuting on the New York Times bestsellers list at #5 and remained in the top 20 for 17 weeks. His second book Food: A Love Story will be released on October 21, 2014 under the same imprint. His fourth hour-long special “Obsessed” premiered on Comedy Central on April 27th, 2014 becoming the most-watched stand-up special since April 2013. The album, by the same title, debuted at #11 on the Billboard Top 200, and charted #1 on iTunes giving Gaffigan four albums in the Top 10 Comedy Albums on iTunes. At the 2014 American Comedy Awards he was awarded Best Concert Comedian. Gaffigan lives in New York City with his wife Jeannie and their five children.

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Shopaholic to the Rescue



Synopsis (from Amazon): #1 New York Times bestselling author Sophie Kinsella returns with another laugh-out-loud Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood) adventure: a hilarious road trip through the American West to Las Vegas.
 
Becky is on a major rescue mission through the American West to Las Vegas! Her father has vanished from Los Angeles on a mysterious quest with the husband of Becky’s best friend, Suze. Becky’s mum is hysterical; Suze is flat-out desperate. Worse, Becky must tolerate an enemy along for the ride, who she’s convinced is up to no good.

Determined to get to the bottom of why her dad has disappeared, help Suze, contain the dreaded Alicia, and reunite her fractured family, Becky knows that she must marshal all her trademark ingenuity. The result: her most outrageous and daring plan yet!
 
But just when her family needs her more than ever, can Becky pull it off?




One (or more) Sentence Summary: There is nothing about Becky I don't like.  The Shopaholic books are just too funny.  Chic-lit at its best.  I absolutely loved the rescue through the west to Las Vegas to rescue Becky's dad.  Becky's mum and Janice are absolutely hilarious.  LOVED it! Must read!

Favorite Character(s):  Becky and Suze, of course!

Fast read/slow read:  So, fast....I can't get enough of the Shopaholic series.

Would I Read Other Books by the Author: I always read Sophia Kinsella's books as soon as they come out.  She can't write fast enough!


Sophie Kinsella is the author of the bestselling Shopaholic series, as well as the novels Can You Keep A Secret?, The Undomestic Goddess, Remember Me?, Twenties Girl, I’ve Got Your Number, and Wedding Night. She lives in England.

Saturday, August 6, 2016

Shopping for a Billionaire





Synopsis (from Amazon): When mystery shopper Shannon Jacoby meets billionaire Declan McCormick with her hand down a toilet in the men’s room of one of his stores, it’s love at first flush in this hilarious new romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Julia Kent.



One (or more) Sentence Summary: Too funny.  I think if you put Becky (from Shopaholic series) + Stephanie Plum + sexy millionaire = a real good book.  I listened to Shopping for a Billion and the narrative made the book even funnier.  


Would I Read Other Books by the Author: Shopping for a Billionaire is a series and I have gotten through #3 and love them all.  There are still 3 others I can't wait to listen too.






New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Julia Kent writes romantic comedy with an edge, and new adult books that push contemporary boundaries. From billionaires to BBWs to rock stars, Julia finds a sensual, goofy joy in every book she writes, but unlike Trevor from Random Acts of Crazy, she has never kissed a chicken. She loves to hear from her readers by email at jkentauthor@gmail.com, on Twitter @jkentauthor, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/jkentauthor . Visit her blog at http://jkentauthor.blogspot.com


Amazon |  Audible

Right now at Amazon - Kindle version is free!