Better than Chocolate

My Rating:  Great Read

Synopsis:  Sweet Dreams Chocolate Company has been in the Sterling family for generations, ever since Great-Grandma Rose literally dreamed up her first fabulous recipe. But now it looks as if they're about to lose Sweet Dreams to the bank—and that would be a disaster, not only for the family but for the town of Icicle Falls, Washington. Can Samantha, the oldest daughter and new head of the company, come up with a way to save it?

After Samantha does some brainstorming with her mother and sisters, inspiration strikes. They'll have a chocolate festival! Time's running out, but the Sterling women are determined and the town's behind them, so everything's bound to go smoothly….

Or not. Events seem to be conspiring against Samantha, and her mother's attempts to help aren't helping. To make matters worse, the fate of her company is in the hands of her archenemy, Blake Preston, the bank manager with the football-hero good looks. It's enough to drive her to chocolate. But Blake's also enough to convince her that (believe it or not) there's something even better than chocolate.

My Review:  First of all I LOVE chocolate. Better than Chocolate had my name written all over it!  I enjoyed this read!  Better than Chocolate is filled with great characters (loved Blake!), engaging story, and some yummy recipes!  Icicles Falls Moose Munch.....oh my!

I am not much of a romance reader, and Better than Chocolate is more of a chick lit book (my favorite genre!).  I wanted to keep reading to see how Samantha and Sweet Dreams pulled through.  I enjoyed the town businesses coming together to benefit all, but especially sweet Dreams.  Not only did the town businesses pull together, but so did Samantha and her sisters.

I had no problem imagining myself all around Icicle Falls.  The descriptions of the shops, restaurants, Sweet Dreams, etc. were just so clear to me.  If only I could really find such a place.  I loved all the detail around the festival too. 

Better than Chocolate is the first book in the "Life in Icicle Falls" series.  In the back of the book is chapter 1 from the next book....Merry Ex-mas!  I think it is another hit!  I would love to read it and look forward to Merry Ex-mas and others in the series.

Meet the Author:  Sheila Roberts lives on a lake in the Pacific Northwest. Her novels have appeared in Readers Digest Condensed Books and have been published in several languages. Her book Angel Lane, was an Amazon Top Ten Romance pick for 2009 and her holiday perennial, On Strike for Christmas was made into a movie for the Lifetime Movie Network. You can visit Sheila on Twitter and Facebook or at her website (http://www.sheilasplace.com).

Purchase it:  You can purchase Better than Chocolate today on Amazon for $7.99 

Lasso the Stars - TLC Book Tours

Rating: Good Read

Synopsis:  If you’ve ever wondered if angels exist, Lasso the Stars is about to convince you that they do. Or at the very least, make you hope they do. In gentle, softly written language a powerful story emerges:

Dina’s doctor has delivered the most difficult diagnosis of all: her cancer is terminal. She is calm in the face of this devastating news and begins to evaluate her life while taking contemplative walks each day in the autumn sunshine.

Things are definitely winding down for her until, one day, she meets an intriguing stranger. “The man had an easy-going smile. A pair of aviator sunglasses rested on his nose. His dusty Levi’s covered long legs that ended in well-worn cowboy boots . . . He stepped down off the gate and held his hand out. “Gil,” he said, with a grin.

Dina is immediately attracted to the lean and weathered cowboy, who treats her with such respectful compassion. As for Gil, he finds himself not only admiring her courage but enjoying her company. Gil introduces Dina to a delightful world of horseback rides and picnics. Despite her illness, she begins to feel new energy surge through her as she responds to Gil, who is so attentive in her time of need.

At home, Dina and her sister, Rachel, share stories of growing up. Dina’s goal is to leave her family with happy memories. The reader will laugh with them, then at them, and even tap their deepest sorrow, all while the love story between Dina and Gil continues to develop on many levels.

The tenderness Dina feels for her family blends softly with the new love she feels for the man in her life. But instinctively she knows Gil must be her secret. Who would believe a woman in her condition could meet such a man?

Dina and Gil enter a relationship where sexuality between them simmers, then boils over, all underpinned by exquisite tenderness and caring. When Dina finally tells Rachel of her relationship, her sister thinks that, due to the cancer medications, Dina is hallucinating and attempts to restrict Dina’s daily wanderings.

Dina’s health continues to deteriorate, even as she finds ways to see Gil. What a blessing that, at the end of her life, she has met a man who’s such an angel! But as fall turns to winter, the promise of love begins to unravel, and questions arise that require answers. Soon Dina and Gil are faced with all the ways in which their new love is forbidden. Will they be able to lasso a future together? The answer will surprise you.

Lasso the Stars is a tender, sensual and hopeful book, leaving the reader with ideas to ponder long after the last page is turned.

My Review:  This seems to be a difficult review for me to write.  The synopsis pretty much sums it up. Given I am struggling with this review, I will start with the positives.  I thought the overall storyline  was a very sweet/romantic different view of death.  I lost my mother to leukemia in 2006 and I hope that she found her angel and it was a man who loved her as much as we all loved her.  I have never read a book like Lasso the Stars and I liked the concept of it.  I did think I would cry a lot through Lasso the Stars, but actually only cried at the very end.  It is sad, because Dina is dying, but it is not a gut wrenching book.  Also, you know going into it that Dina is dying.

So what is bothering me about Lasso the Stars?  You know I hate this, but I have to be honest.  I couldn't figure out what time period the book took place in.  I think it is current time, based on the sister, Jill.  Her busy career, life, on the go, mother of young kids, etc. lead me to be think it was current time.  Also, the use of the cell phones.  However, when I think of Dina and Rachel, I think it was maybe 1940's?  It seems Dina never has experienced love, Rachel still living at home in a very naive way, her relationship/dating of the doctor, Dina's "relationship" with Gil, Gil and the doctor seemed very "old fashion." However, they had cell phones.  I just couldn't reconcile this silly little detail in my mind.  Usually things like this don't bother me.

Gil....I didn't care for him...wow, I can't believe I said that about an angel.  He was very hard for me to follow and understand.  I couldn't stand that he started out most his sentences with Y'all.  It confused me every time.  English/writing/grammar are not my strengths at all, but I believe "Y'all"  is not used properly through out the book.  For some reason, it "interrupted" my reading and didn't flow for me.

Overall, it is a good book and if you liked the synopsis....you will enjoy Lasso the Stars.

Meet the Author:  Linda Nielsen (L.L. Nielsen) lives in an old gold mining town in the Sierra Foothills.  She has been published in magazines and newspapers.  Her ideas are often developed while walking in the mountains close to her home.  her writing companion is a reformed feral cat named Tank.  This book was inspired by the insightful and eccentric stories told by friends she has known who have battled against cancer.

Purchase it:  You can purchase Lasso the Stars at Amazon for $14.99 ($7.99 Kindle version).

TLC Book Tours:  Please visit the other blogs below for additional reviews.  From what I have read so far, most highly recommend Lasso the Stars.


Monday, September 17th: Maureen’s Musings
Tuesday, September 18th: Never Too Fond of Books
Wednesday, September 19th: Life in Review
Monday, September 24th: Seaside Book Nook
Wednesday, September 26th: WV Stitcher
Monday, November 19th: StephTheBookworm
Tuesday, November 20th: she treads softly
Wednesday, November 21st: Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews
Monday, November 26th: Lesa’s Book Critiques
Tuesday, November 27th: The Book Bag
Wednesday, November 28th: Knitting and Sundries
Thursday, November 29th: Paperback Princess
Friday, November 30th: But Doctor I hate Pink
Monday, December 3rd: Tina’s Book Reviews
Tuesday, December 4th: Mary’s Cup of Tea
Wednesday, December 5th: Sidewalk Shoes
Thursday, December 6th: Luxury Reading

Ten Girls to Watch

My Rating: Great Read

Synopsis:  A radiant debut novel about stumbling through the early years of adulthood— and a love letter to the role models who light the way.

Like so many other recent graduates, Dawn West is trying to make her way in New York City. She’s got an ex-boyfriend she can’t quite stop seeing, a roommate who views rent checks and basic hygiene as optional, and a writing career that’s gotten as far as penning an online lawn care advice column.

So when Dawn lands a job tracking down the past winners of Charm magazine’s “Ten Girls to Watch” contest, she’s thrilled. After all, she’s being paid to interview hundreds of fascinating women: once outstanding college students, they have gone on to become mayors, opera singers, and air force pilots. As Dawn gets to know their life stories, she’ll discover that success, love, and friendship can be found in the most unexpected of places. Most importantly, she’ll learn that while those who came before us can be role models, ultimately, we each have to create our own happy ending.

My Review:  I really liked Dawn.  She is a recent graduate and struggling to make ends meet in NYC.  She lands a job, through a connection at her ex-boyfriend's party.  It is his new girl friend that introduces Dawn to her new boss!  How unusual!  

Her new job is following up on where the past winners of the Charm magazine's "Ten Girls to Watch" contest are today.  She interviews so many amazing women and learns how they have all used their own talents to be successful.  Success is defined in so many ways.  I think Dawn grows a lot throughout the book as a part of her research/interviews.

I love that she works in a basement and no one is around in "the archives." Well, almost no one! I have no experience in that, but could picture it so clearly.  Dawn seems to be the type of person that makes the best out of any situation - which is success in my book any day!  

I really enjoyed Charity Shumway's debut novel, Ten Girls to Watch and am looking forward to reading other books she writes!

Meet the Author:  Charity Shumway received an MFA in Creative Writing from Oregon State University and a BA in English from Harvard University. Her writing has appeared in Glamour, where she reported on the fiftieth anniversary of the magazine’s “Top Ten College Women” contest, Ladies Home Journal, and Fitness, among others. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Purchase it:  You can purchase Ten Girls to Watch from Amazon for $15.00 ($10.20 prime members and $9.99 Kindle version).

The Candidate - TLC Book Tours + Giveaway

My Rating:  Great Read

Synopsis:  The novel begins with an assassination attempt. On a freezing winter’s night Jack Hodges, a little-known U.S. presidential candidate, speaks at a sparsely-attended town hall meeting in Iowa. It is a few weeks before the Iowa caucus, the first contest in the nomination process to be a candidate for President. 

Hodges is a charismatic former general with a dedicated team of believers including campaign staffer Mike Sweeney. But the campaign is a disaster. Ignored by the media, his candidacy barely registers in polls. Everyone assumes the established frontrunner, Virginia Governor Harriet Stanton, will easily win. 

But that single night in Iowa transforms the race. A female assassin waits for Hodges to take the stage. As he speaks a shot rings out. She misses but the incident propels Hodges – who heroically shield his wife from the gunfire- on to the front pages. Yet no one knows the identity of the shooter. Police arrest a mysterious dark-haired woman but she refuses to say a single word. Her name, age, even her nationality, is a mystery. 

Finally people pay attention to the Hodges campaign. Guided by his outspoken and outrageous campaign manager, Dee Babineaux, Hodges becomes a passionate, outsider rebel candidate pitted against Stanton, the lifetime career politician. Crowds now flock to his rallies inspired by his powerful message of hope and change. 

But as Hodges’ campaign climbs in the polls, Babineaux realises it is vital to discover the identity of the mysterious woman who tried to kill him. She gives the task to Mike Sweeney, a true believer in Hodges’ cause. He must find out the woman’s name and history before anyone from Stanton’s campaign or the media does. As Sweeney uncovers more and more information, Hodges’ campaign, guided by the ruthless genius of Babineaux, goes from strength to strength. By the time Sweeney finds out the true identity of the would-be assassin, he faces a choice that could effectively determine who could be the next President of America. 

Paul Harris, who has spent almost a decade covering American politics for The Observer and The Guardian, uses his own experience of reporting on the campaign trail to shine a light into the too-often murky world of American politics. His real world insights take the reader right into the heart of a fight for the White House

My Review:  The Candidate blew me away from the start.  Using an election as the backdrop provided a compelling and immediate draw for me.  As The Candidate unfolds, it becomes clear that all the "sleezy" things we hear about campaigns are about to come true in this story.  I was pulled into the story and couldn't get enough of the campaign manager that wants to bury the dirt, to the "all-too clean" candidate's wife that will do anything to keep the campaign going.

The Candidate is book is fast paced and a very quick read.  The chapters are on the short side, with breaks throughout - just the kind I like!  The Candidate will keep you in suspenses all the way to the end.  I recommend it, 100%!

Meet the Author:  PAUL HARRIS is a US Correspondent for the British newspapers The Observer and The Guardian. He lives in New York and writes about all aspects of American political and cultural life. The 2012 race is the third US presidential election he has covered, including 2008’s epic primary battle between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Prior to being posted in the US, Harris was a journalist in Britain and Africa. He has covered conflicts in Iraq, Pakistan, Sudan, Somalia, Burundi and South Africa. His experiences covering the civil war in Sierra Leone formed the inspiration for his first novel, THE SECRET KEEPER. He is glad to have swapped writing about war zones for the equally exotic but slightly less life-threatening world of American politics.

You can connect with Paul Harris on his website and twitter.

You can purchase The Candidate on-line at Amazon for $14.95.

Giveaway:  I am so happy to let you all know the publisher has authorized me to host a giveaway.  One lucky winner will receive their own copy of The Candidate!  Complete the form below.  
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Please stop by the blogs below to for more reviews of The Candidate:

 Tuesday, September 4th:  West Metro Mommy 

Wednesday, September 5th:  Broken Teepee 

Monday, September 10th:  Peppermint Ph.D. 

Wednesday, September 12th:  Mockingbird Hill Cottage 

Thursday, September 13th:  Crazy for Books 

Monday, September 17th:  Kritter’s Ramblings

Tuesday, September 18th:  Staircase Wit

Wednesday, September 19th:  Seaside Book Nook

Thursday, September 20th:  No More Grumpy Bookseller

Friday, September 21st:  It’s a Crazy, Beautiful Life

Monday, September 24th:  Ted Lehmann’s Bluegrass, Books, and Brainstorms

Wednesday, September 26th:  Fiction Addict

Thursday, September 27th: Proud Book Nerd

Monday, October 1st:  Book Addict Katie

Wednesday, Oct. 3rd:  The Blog of Litwits

Blood Eye (Raven: Book 1) - TLC Book Tours

My Rating:  Good Read

Synopsis:  In a thrilling adventure of brotherhood, warfare, and treachery, Giles Kristian takes us into ninth-century England, a world of darkness, epic conflict, and an unforgiving God served by powerful priests. On ships shaped like dragons, bristling with oars and armor, Jarl Sigurd and his fierce Norsemen have come in search of riches. And riches they are promised, by an English ruler who sends Sigurd and his wolves to steal a holy manuscript from another kingdom. Osric, an orphan boy, sees beyond the terror of these warriors, and somehow knows the heathens’ tongue. Renamed Raven, rechristened in blood, he will join them. They are his people. And they will be his fate.

My Review:  Blood Eye is a fast-paced historical fiction that is loosely set around a Norse invasion of 793 A.D. This tale tells of conquest, treachery and the blood-lust of the Norsemen.  Blood Eye also delves into the beliefs of the Christian and Norse Gods.

I thought of Conan the Barbarian and the changes he goes thru after being captured by Thulsa Doom, as Raven was transformed into one of the Norsemen.  Blood Eye also brought back memories from Michael Crighton's book, Eaters of the Dead, which is based on the diary of Ahmad ibn Fadlan's.  

I am looking forward to the release of Raven: Sons of Thunder - Book 2.

Meet the Author:   Having Viking ancestors himself, Giles Kristian believes that the story of Raven has always been in his blood—waiting, like the Norsemen, for the right time to burst upon the world. The Raven series has been published to great acclaim by Transworld in the UK. Giles Kristian currently lives in Leicestershire, where he writes full-time, though he enjoys nothing better than working in his family cottage that overlooks the mist-shrouded Norwegian fjords.

You can connect with Giles Kristian on his website, Facebook and Twitter. 

You can purchase Blood Eye, Raven - Book 1 on-line at Amazon $7.99 ($7.99 Kindle version).

Make sure you check out other TLC Book Tours stops for more reviews:

Tuesday, August 28th:  Wordsmithonia

Wednesday, August 29th:  Unabridged Chick

Thursday, August 30th:  Twisting the Lens

Tuesday, September 4th:  Broken Teepee

Thursday, September 6th:  The Written World

Monday, September 10th:  No More Grumpy Bookseller

Wednesday, September 12th:  Proud Book Nerd

Thursday, September 13th:  Chaotic Compendiums

Friday, September 14th:  Just a Girl Geek – author guest post

Monday, September 17th:  Bookish Whimsy

Tuesday, September 18th:  Seaside Book Nook

Wednesday, September 19th:  Total Fangirl

Thursday, September 20th:  Nerds in Babeland

Monday, September 24th:  Dark Faerie Tales

Tuesday, September 25th:  Books Without Any Pictures

Wednesday, September 26th:  Fiction State of Mind

Thursday, September 27th:  Just Joanna

Amazon September Deal - 5 Star, Must Read!

I just saw on Amazon that Daughter for a Time is only $1.99 (Kindle version and free for Prime members) for the month of September.  This was a 5 star - Must Read book for me!  I loved this book.  You can read my review here.

Don't you love the Amazon deals?  Do you have any you would recommend?  If so, please leave a comment below.  I so enjoy reading a great book!

Have a great week!

Book Blogger Hop

1. Post on your blog answering this question:

Highlight one of your favorite reviews from the past month! 

2. Enter the link to your post in the linky list  (enter your Blog Name, Genre you review, and direct link to your post answering this week’s question; failure to do so will result in removal of your link).

 3. Visit other blogs in the list, spending quality time getting to know the people you are visiting. Don’t just visit the post with the question, but click around and read some of the blogger’s other content, too! This Hop isn’t about the number of people you can visit, but the quality of each visit. Readers – find a new blog to read by clicking through the links in the list!

My Answer:

I have to go with Souviens by Barbara Darling Saxena.  I keep going back to Souviens for other blog hop answers.  Souviens is just that good.  If you haven't gotten my hints yet.....buy Souviens, you won't be sorry!

See me review here.