Monthly Archives: September 2014

Coming Soon….

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…. On a Bookshelf near you!

In October I hope to read…

reunion

Publication Date:  October 7, 2014
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Goodreads:  Heartbreak and hilarity come together in this story of a far-flung family reunited for one weekend by their father’s death, by the author of the highly acclaimed The Fates Will Find Their Way.

Five minutes before her flight is set to take off, Kate Pulaski, failed screenwriter and newly-failed wife, learns that her estranged father killed himself. More shocked than saddened by the news, she reluctantly gives in to her older siblings’ request that she join them–and her many half-siblings, and most of her father’s five former wives–in Atlanta, their birthplace, for a final farewell.

Written with huge heart and bracing wit, REUNION takes place over the following four days, as family secrets are revealed, personal deceits are uncovered, and Kate–an inveterate liar looking for a way to come clean–slowly begins to acknowledge the overwhelming similarities between herself and the man she never thought she’d claim as an influence, much less a father. Hannah Pittard’s “engaging and vigorous”* prose masterfully illuminates the problems that can divide modern families-and the ties that prove impossible to break.

What is coming soon …. to a bookshelf near you?

Let me know – I am always looking for a good read!

Jane’s Melody

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Author:  Ryan Winfield                 jane
Publisher: Atria Books
Genre:  New Adult
Source: BEA

 

Publication Date:  October 7, 2014

 

Goodreads:  What boundaries would you cross for true love? 

That’s the question a grieving mother must answer when she takes in a young street musician she believes can shed light on her daughter’s death—only to find herself falling for him. A sexy but touching love story that will leave you both tantalized and in tears, Jane’s Melody follows a forty-year-old woman on a romantic journey of rediscovery after years of struggling alone.

Sometimes our greatest gifts come from our greatest pain. And now Jane must decide if it’s too late for her to start over, or if true love really knows no limits.

Ope’s Opinion:  Let me start this review telling you my perspective – I am a mother of two grown daughters.  So I can relate to Jane’s perspective.  

 I can’t imagine not talking to either of my daughters for a year ( not saying it couldn’t happen, just can’t imagine what it would be like ).  Next, I can’t imagine loosing one of my daughters – that must be excruciatingly painful.  This book started out very sad and slow.  I had great sympathy for Jane.  I could understand her trying to figure out what her daughters life was like before she died.

I can see how Jane would want to know Caleb.  She thought he had answers to what her daughters life was like before she died. Having said that it was hard for me to jump from her grief to her wanting to have a relationship with Caleb.   Their age difference seemed like a very unlikely relationship.  Also, her being an educated working woman, I can’t imagine her wanting to be with a man off the streets.

The next chapter is in Jane’s life is the book called Jane’s Harmony.

Rating: Three Chairs – I like the book enough to suggest it to a friend or two.
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When I Fall in Love

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Author:  Susan May Warren                      when i fall
Publisher:  Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Genre:  Contemporary Christian Fiction
Source: Kritters Ramblings 

 

 

Goodreads:  Hawaii was the last place Grace Christiansen ever imagined she’d vacation, much less fall in love. But when her family surprises her with a cooking retreat in paradise, she is pulled—or maybe yanked—away from her predictable, safe life and thrown headfirst into the adventure of a lifetime.

Max Sharpe may make his living on the ice as a pro hockey player, but he feels most at home in the kitchen. Which is why he lives for the three-week culinary vacation he takes each year in Hawaii. Upon being paired with Grace for a cooking competition, Max finds himself drawn to her passion, confidence, and perseverance. But just when Grace dares to dream of a future beyond her hometown, Max pulls away.

Wrestling with personal demons, Max fights against opening his heart to a love he knows he should never hope for. And as his secrets unfold, Grace is torn between the safe path in front of her and what her heart truly desires. If love means sacrificing her ideal happily ever after, Grace’s faith will face its toughest test yet.

Ope’s Opinion:  Reading a Susan May Warren book is like opening the door on a spring day.
– The story is fresh.
– The Characters slowly open.
– The setting is inviting.

Susan May Warren is consistent.  I know when I open a book by her I will be in for an awesome journey.  This book is like her others.  It is such a breath of fresh air to read a story about characters who do not use foul language and no explicit sex scenes.  There are real relationships in this book.  People who want to know and care about each other.  

From page one, I wanted to just sit on my deck and keep reading until the last page was flipped, then I wanted to start another Susan May Warren book!!  As long as she writes I will be reading!

Rating: Five Chairs – This book is so good it will be passed on and on and on…..
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Wait for You

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Author:  J. Lynn            wait
Publisher:  J. Lynn
Genre: New Adult
Source:  Purchased

 

 

Goodreads:   Some things are worth waiting for…

Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing…

Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet…

But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she’s has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?

And some things are worth fighting for…

Ope’s Opinion:  I am struggling with the new genre New Adult.  I was really hoping to find some new exciting authors to read.  I haven’t had much success so far.  I did like Colleen Hoover’s book, but I have not found another author in this genre that I am willing to read their second novel.  I did not find this book captivating at all.  I finished it because I was stuck in an airport and on an airplane.  

The characters are suppose to be in college, but they are not intelligent enough to use anything, but foul language.  Their conversations are are frustrating.  Cam and Avery have the same “will you go out with me” conversation over and over again.  The secondary characters are stereotypical – gay best friend and best girlfriend who wishes the guy was into her – nothing wrong with either character, but not new or interesting.

The mystery is not really a mystery ( easily figured out in the very beginning ) and I don’t think the subject was really dealt with directly.

The one positive thing I can say is that I thought the title was very fitting.

Rating:  Two Chairs – I may have one friend who might like to read this book.
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Ten Tiny Breaths

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Author: K.A. Tucker            ten
Publisher:  Papoti Books
Genre:  New Adult
Source:  Purchased

 

 

Goodreads:  Kacey Cleary’s whole life imploded four years ago in a drunk-driving accident. Now she’s working hard to bury the pieces left behind—all but one. Her little sister, Livie. Kacey can swallow the constant disapproval from her born-again aunt Darla over her self-destructive lifestyle; she can stop herself from going kick-boxer crazy on Uncle Raymond when he loses the girls’ college funds at a blackjack table. She just needs to keep it together until Livie is no longer a minor, and then they can get the hell out of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

But when Uncle Raymond slides into bed next to Livie one night, Kacey decides it’s time to run. Armed with two bus tickets and dreams of living near the coast, Kacey and Livie start their new lives in a Miami apartment complex, complete with a grumpy landlord, a pervert upstairs, and a neighbor with a stage name perfectly matched to her chosen “profession.” But Kacey’s not worried. She can handle all of them. What she can’t handle is Trent Emerson in apartment 1D.

Kacey doesn’t want to feel. She doesn’t. It’s safer that way. For everyone. But sexy Trent finds a way into her numb heart, reigniting her ability to love again. She starts to believe that maybe she can leave the past where it belongs and start over. Maybe she’s not beyond repair.

But Kacey isn’t the only one who’s broken. Seemingly perfect Trent has an unforgiveable past of his own; one that, when discovered, will shatter Kacey’s newly constructed life and send her back into suffocating darkness.

Ope’s Opinion:  This is the first book of K.A. Tucker in a series called Ten Tiny Breaths.  This book introduces you to Kacey, Livie and host of apartment dwellers.  The focus is on Kacey and Livie.  The apartment dwellers are interesting people.  

I really like how K.A. sets up the stages ( chapters ) to see how Kacey is making her progress through the loss of her parents, boyfriend, and best friend.  It is also interesting to see how she copes and reacts as apposed to her sister who was not in the car.

I didn’t care for all the foul language.  It did not add anything to the story or the characters personalities. The ending sort of frustrated me. I do not want to give anything away for those who plan to read it – but I just didn’t like it.

Rating:  Three Chairs – I like the book enough to suggest it to a friend or two.

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Maybe Someday

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Author:  Colleen Hoover       maybe       
Publisher:  Atria Books
Genre: New Adult
Source: Purchased

 

Goodreads:  At twenty-two years old, aspiring musician Sydney Blake has a great life: She’s in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her good friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers Hunter cheating on her with Tori—and she is left trying to decide what to do next.

Sydney becomes captivated by her mysterious neighbor, Ridge Lawson. She can’t take her eyes off him or stop listening to the daily guitar playing he does out on his balcony. She can feel the harmony and vibrations in his music. And there’s something about Sydney that Ridge can’t ignore, either: He seems to have finally found his muse. When their inevitable encounter happens, they soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one…

Ope’s Opinion:  This is the first Colleen Hoover book I have read.  I have another one on my bookshelves and I will be reading it soon!!  This book kept my attention the whole time I was reading it.

 A few of the twists and turns are really surprising.  The whole story is somewhat predictable, but in a very positive way.  It ended the way I wanted it to, it just got there in an unexpected way.  This is not your typical love story.  It is even better!!!

This New Adult genre is about the transition from being depend to independent adults. It is an interesting time period when people are finding out who they want to be.  If you like that time period of life, you will enjoy books in this category.  I do find there is too much foul language in it.

 

Rating: Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.
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The Last Breath

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Author:  Kimberly Belle                        last
Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
Genre:  Mystery
Source:  BEA

 

Publication Date:  September 30, 2014

 

Goodreads:  From a remarkable new voice in suspenseful women’s fiction comes an emotionally searing drama about a woman who risks her life to discover the devastating truth about her family…

Humanitarian aid worker Gia Andrews chases disasters around the globe for a living. It’s the perfect lifestyle to keep her far away from her own personal ground zero. Sixteen years ago, Gia’s father was imprisoned for brutally killing her stepmother. Now he’s come home to die of cancer, and she’s responsible for his care—and coming to terms with his guilt.

Gia reluctantly resumes the role of daughter to the town’s most infamous murderer, a part complete with protesters on the lawn and death threats that are turning tragedy into front-page news. Returning to life in small-town Tennessee involves rebuilding relationships that distance and turmoil have strained, though finding an emotional anchor in the attractive hometown bartender is certainly helping Gia cope.

As the past unravels before her, Gia will find herself torn between the stories that her family, their friends and neighbors, and even her long-departed stepmother have believed to be real all these years. But in the end, the truth—and all the lies that came before—may have deadlier consequences than she could have ever anticipated…

Ope’s Opinion:  There are some good things about this book.  It had some really good twists and turns you will not see coming.  The tension kept me reading.  The relationships made me invested in knowing who committed the crime.

The things that made me not give this book more chairs were the foul language was over the top,unnecessary.  The sex scenes were too explicit and did not add to the story at all.  I was disappointed in the ending.  I also think too much time was spent on the characters in bed instead of building relationships and figuring out who committed the crime.

Overall, a good mystery.  Just a little too much of the book was spent on other aspects then the crime.

Rating: Three Chairs – I like the book enough to suggest it to a friend or two.
3 chairs

The Fine Art of Pretending

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Author:  Rachel Harris                          art
Publisher:  Spencer Hill Contemporary
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
Source: BEA

 

Publication Date:  September 30, 2014

 

Goodreads:  According to the guys at Fairfield Academy, there are two types of girls: the kind you hook up with, and the kind you’re friends with. Seventeen-year-old Alyssa Reed is the second type. And she hates it. With just one year left to change her rank, she devises a plan to become the first type by homecoming, and she sets her sights on the perfect date—Justin Carter, Fairfield Academy’s biggest hottie and most notorious player.

With 57 days until the dance, Aly launches Operation Sex Appeal and sheds her tomboy image. The only thing left is for Justin actually to notice her. Enter best friend Brandon Taylor, the school’s second biggest hottie, and now Aly’s pretend boyfriend. With his help, elevating from “funny friend” to “tempting vixen” is only a matter of time.

But when everything goes according to plan, the inevitable “break up” leaves their friendship in shambles, and Aly and Brandon with feelings they can’t explain. And the fake couple discovers pretending can sometimes cost you the one thing you never expected to want.

Ope’s Opinion:  Oh, what a cute young adult read!  The story is a little predictable, but in a perfectly awesome way.  Seeing the story from both the girls ( Aly ) and the boys (Brandon) perspective really gave made this fun to read.

It was great to see Aly figure out who she really is and what she really wants.  I think young girls think what they look like and who their boyfriend is defines them.  This book really brought out the fact that Aly had to find herself before she could be comfortable with her friends.

I also think Brandon was portrayed as most boys in high school are – mostly interested in sports and friends.  Girls are a complication they don’t always know how to deal with!  It was great to see Brandon struggle with his feelings.

I would recommend this to a young adult reader.  I think they could relate to the characters, the story will keep their attention and it has an appropriate amount of romance in it.  There is a little more foul language then needed to be there, but not over the top.

 

Rating:  Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.
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Anatomy of a Misfit

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Author: Andrea Portes                     anatomy
Publisher:  Harper’s Children
Genre: Young Adult
Source:  BEA

 

 

Goodreads:  This emotional, hilarious, devastating, and ultimately triumphant YA debut, based on actual events, recounts one girl’s rejection of her high school’s hierarchy—and her discovery of her true self in the face of tragedy.

Fall’s buzzed-about, in-house favorite.

Outside, Anika Dragomir is all lip gloss and blond hair—the third most popular girl in school. Inside, she’s a freak: a mix of dark thoughts, diabolical plots, and, if local chatter is to be believed, vampire DNA (after all, her father is Romanian). But she keeps it under wraps to maintain her social position. One step out of line and Becky Vilhauer, first most popular girl in school, will make her life hell. So when former loner Logan McDonough shows up one September hotter, smarter, and more mysterious than ever, Anika knows she can’t get involved. It would be insane to throw away her social safety for a nerd. So what if that nerd is now a black-leather-jacket-wearing dreamboat, and his loner status is clearly the result of his troubled home life? Who cares if the right girl could help him with all that, maybe even save him from it? Who needs him when Jared Kline, the bad boy every girl dreams of, is asking her on dates? Who?

Anatomy of a Misfit is Mean Girls meets The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and Anika’s hilariously deadpan delivery will appeal to readers for its honesty and depth. The so-sad-it’s-funny high school setting will pull readers in, but when the story’s dark foreboding gradually takes over, the devastating penultimate tragedy hits like a punch to the gut. Readers will ride the highs and lows alongside funny, flawed Anika — from laughter to tears, and everything in between.

Ope’s Opinion:  Let me start with explaining my rating for this book – I think I am the wrong reader for this book.  I do think some teens will really relate to and like Anika.  I think she was very negative and sort of a snob in her own way.  She may have had a rough life ( lots of us do ), but that made a shell on her that made me jsut not really care for her character enough to want things to be better for her.

The writing was another stumbling block for me.  The descriptions of people were hard to relate to.  I don’t think there was a positive description, except maybe Anika’s mother.  I believe the word “like” was over used in this book.  The way the students talked about other students was offensive.  Even if this is realistic, I don’t think I want to encourage teens to read this and reinforce that language.

The ending of this book was hard to get to, but almost made me give this book three chairs instead of two.  So you may be willing to read through it to get to the end.

 

Rating:  Two Chairs – I may have one friend who might like to read this book.

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Capitol Hell

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Author: Jayne J. Jones & Alicia M. Long             capitol hell
Publisher:  Beaver’s Pond Press
Genre:  Women’s Fiction
Source: BEA

 

 

Goodreads:  When recent college graduate Allison Amundson, a small town girl from South Dakota, lands the highly sought after job of scheduler to the newly-elected and rising star of the United States Senate, Senator Anders McDermott III, she thinks she is on the fast track to success.

However, she quickly learns that crazy co-workers, a high maintenance boss, an over-the-top family and an unexpected Presidential bid make Capitol Hill seem even more dysfunctional than portrayed on TV. In fact, it is Capitol Hell.

The second Allison sets foot in the prestigious Senate Russell Building, things begin to go awry. Allison soon realizes her co-workers consist of a Chief of Staff who has little to no control over the antics in the office, a Press Secretary who is not only pompous, but who is constantly primping and preening, and worst of all the Senator himself, who cares more about his rise to fame than the people of Minnesota.

As Allison struggles to juggle a new career, her blooming love interest in Cam (a quiet but loyal Legislative Assistant), and her ever-declining bank account, she is comforted only by her co-worker Janet, a fireplug who spends the majority of her time on-line dating, trying to land a Senator of her own.

Just as Allison and Janet begin to figure out the ins and outs of Capitol Hill, their lives are turned upside down when Senator McDermott announces his bid for President of the United States. Soon, Allison and Janet find themselves at the center of one of the craziest campaigns in history, and hilarity ensues.

This off-beat, funny novel captures and shares what it is like to be a young staffer working on Capitol Hill.

Ope’s Opinion:  If you have spent any time in Washington, DC, or Capitol Hill, or interested in political insights – you will really want to read this book.  It will keep your attention from beginning to end.  It has some humor  – some so close to realistic it made me giggle.

The authors of this book obviously had insider information – it was interesting and informative as well as entertaining.  I am sure Allison’s office mates are similar to office mates everywhere – you may relate to some of them.

There were some unanswered questions left at the end.  Does that lead us to a sequel?

Rating: Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.
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