Review: And The Winner Is... by Erin Brady

Fun, witty and entertaining...Marty gives us laughs, love and an feel good story. The novel focuses on various perspectives and relationships written in Brady's unique style.  This chick lit novel is sure to please and I rate it 4 stars!

About the book:  Marty Peters is a young professional working as junior tax accountant for Staner, Warsaw and Bentley, a high power accounting firm in New York City. Marty hates her job of number crunching and secretly longs to pack it all in and follow her dreams of Hollywood fame and fortune. 

When both of those worlds combine through a series of comical misunderstandings and one missing screenplay, Marty finds herself as one of the accountants at Staner chosen to fly out to Los Angeles to attend the Academy Awards. 

Taking credit for "Until Tomorrow", a screenplay that does not belong to her, and falling in love with the handsome Egan Riley, the writer behind Until Tomorrow and the only person who stands in her way of living the life of paparazzi and movie premieres, Marty finds that she must make a choice between love or her fifteen minutes of fame on the red carpet.

Review: The Marriage Bargain (Marriage to a Billionaire #1) by Jennifer Probst

Here we ago again with another story of a marriage for convenience, but you know what this is a really GREAT book.  The book is about Nicholas and Alexa who are polar opposites who come together in marriage, each for their own reasons.  The story blossoms through trials and tribulations of their "marriage" but they end up getting something they never really truly bargained on... each other and true love.  The story was witty, well written, and you can't help but root for Alexa and Nicholas to finally open their eyes.  I am a true believer in opposites attract, life would be very boring otherwise.  So do yourself a big favor and pick up this book and read it. 

* I give it 4 stars.  

*Heat rating 3.5 out of 5

(no books will be reviewed for the blog with a heat rating over 4)

About the book:  A marriage in name only...

To save her family home, impulsive bookstore owner, Alexa Maria McKenzie, casts a love spell. But she never planned on conjuring up her best friend's older brother—the powerful man who once shattered her heart.

Billionaire Nicholas Ryan doesn’t believe in marriage, but in order to inherit his father’s corporation, he needs a wife and needs one fast. When he discovers his sister’s childhood friend is in dire financial straits, he’s offers Alexa a bold proposition.

A marriage in name only with certain rules: Avoid entanglement. Keep things all business. Do not fall in love. The arrangement is only for a year so the rules shouldn’t be that hard to follow, right?

Except fate has a way of upsetting the best-laid plans…

Review: Princess of Park Avenue by Daniella Brodsky

This is a fun chick lit book with a wonderful story.  The story encourages Lorraine to follow her dreams and to take control over her life in a way that she never imagined she could.  I enjoyed it and rate it 3.75 stars

Book Description

Publication Date: January 12, 2012

How far would you go to forget Mr. Wrong?

Anyone can see Lorraine Machuchi is no ordinary Brooklyn girl. Anyone except for Lorraine, that is. She’s been too busy obsessing over Tommy Lupo to notice. Living day to day on his confusing midnight phone calls and big-haired memories of their relationship in the early nineties, she’s given up any opportunity of leaving Brooklyn. And though she never saw the home she loves as a failure, there are lots of folks she’s pissed off by staying put—her mother, her dead grandmother’s ghost, not to mention the old Italian ladies who shake their heads at her in the pork store. And what’s worse, the very guy she tossed everything away for just told her he’ll never wind up with her—a girl who’s not going anywhere.

…Okay, so you might disapprove of her motive—changing for a guy. But then you probably haven’t seen Tommy with three shirt buttons undone. Besides, when Lorraine crosses the bridge to Manhattan she begins to realize she’s got a lot to offer. She starts coloring hair at a swank salon where they actually appreciate a little talent, even if you have to bend some rules to use it. She gets a fabulous Park Avenue sublet, even if it does involve chasing around a dog/horse named Pooh-Pooh. She meets a guy who’s actually…perfect, even if she might be too hung up on Mr. Wrong to notice. She’s asked to become the newest member of the Princesses, an elite group of Park Avenue’s most powerful socialites, even if the reasoning behind it might be a little fishy. Sure, their $400 cashmere sweaters, charity balls for poor girls with small boobs, and ‘sexy’ yoga are a bit over-the-top, but a Brooklyn girl can learn a lot by discovering her own inner princess…

*View Emily's Q&A with Daniella HERE

Book:

Kindle:

Review: Forgotten by Catherine McKenzie

I think this book was fantastic.  It really made me realize that life does move on without us and that we must live in every moment and strive for happiness, each and everyday!  

I am not sure what I would do if I came back from a trip and found out everyone I know and love had thought I was dead for quite some time.  Emma, the main character, faces just that when she arrives home from a trip (urged by her mother on her deathbed) to Africa.  This novel is smart, funny and often nerve wracking and frustrating.  Can you imagine trying to gain back everything in your life when some have moved on and forgotten you?  This novel brings us on a thought provoking journey of rediscovering what is really important and taking hold of what is rightly ours!  I really enjoyed it and rate it 4.5 stars.   

About the book: Emma Tupper, a young lawyer with a bright future, sets out on a journey after her mother’s death: to Africa, a place her mother always wanted to visit. But her mother’s dying gift has unexpected consequences. Emma falls ill during the trip and is just recovering when a massive earthquake hits, turning her one-month vacation into a six-month ordeal. 

When Emma returns home, she’s shocked to find that her friends and colleagues believed she was dead, that her apartment has been rented to a stranger and that her life has gone on without her. Can Emma pick up where she left off? Should she? As Emma struggles to recreate her old life, everyone around her thinks she should change – her job, her relationships, and even herself. But does she really want to sacrifice everything she’s working so hard to gain?

Review: Dash & Lily's Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

I loved this book.  I am going to start by saying I gave it 5 stars.  It was original  fun and exciting.  It had some great elements that I feel are needed in a great 5 star book:  great characters that you can relate to, a setting and time that is familiar, an interesting story that keep you turning pages and some twists and turns along the way...this book had all that and then some!  I loved the whole premise of this book and I encourage everyone to read it, especially this winter....Also, do you not just LOVE the cover?!

Book Description

Release Date: October 11, 2011

“I’ve left some clues for you.
If you want them, turn the page.
If you don’t, put the book back on the shelf, please.”

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the New York Times bestselling authors of Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written a love story that will have readers perusing bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.

Review: Learning to Swim by Sara J. Henry

What would you do if you saw what you think is a child being thrown overboard? Would you jump in and find out for sure? What would you do if you then rescued a child that was thrown overboard? Well Troy Chance dives in without thinking twice and her whole life changes as a result. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It was original, well paced and had some great twists and turns. I found myself putting myself into to Troy's shoes...what would I do in the same circumstance? I really enjoyed this novel and I am looking forward to the next book in the series A Cold and Lonely Place: A Novel by Sara J. Henry (Feb 5, 2013).


Book Description:
“If I’d blinked, I would have missed it. But I didn’t, and I saw something fall from the rear deck of the opposite ferry: a small, wide-eyed human face, in one tiny frozen moment, as it plummeted toward the water.”

When she witnesses a small child tumbling from a ferry into Lake Champlain, Troy Chance dives in without thinking. Harrowing moments later, she bobs to the surface, pulling a terrified little boy with her. As the ferry disappears into the distance, she begins a bone-chilling swim nearly a mile to shore with a tiny passenger on her back.
     Surprisingly, he speaks only French. He’ll acknowledge that his name is Paul; otherwise, he’s resolutely mute.
     Troy assumes that Paul’s frantic parents will be in touch with the police or the press. But what follows is a shocking and deafening silence. And Troy, a freelance writer, finds herself as fiercely determined to protect Paul as she is to find out what happened to him. What she uncovers will take her into a world of wealth and privilege and heedless self-indulgence—a world in which the murder of a child is not unthinkable. She’ll need skill and courage to survive and protect her charge and herself.  
     Sara J. Henry’s powerful and compelling Learning to Swim will move and disturb readers right up to its shattering conclusion.

Review: How Will You Measure Your Life by Clayton M. Christensen, James Allworth and Karen Dillon

Our decisions and choices are based upon our life experiences, knowledge, and current situation.  This book does not provide if "x" happens then "y" should be the response.  It instead provides concepts used in current business models and helps the reader to understand how to apply them to their own situation and personal life.  The book is well written and provides great examples to highlight the concepts being presented.  The book reads extremely fast, as I read the entire book on a flight from Minneapolis to Phoenix.  My overall take away from this book is that you should not measure your life based on your current situation.  Rather one must keep the "big picture" overall assessment of who we are and what we want to be remembered as, as the guiding force that we fall back on when forks in the road appear.   I give this book 5 stars. 

Book Description

Release Date: May 15, 2012

In 2010 world-renowned innovation expert Clayton M. Christensen gave a powerful speech to the Harvard Business School's graduating class. Drawing upon his business research, he offered a series of guidelines for finding meaning and happiness in life. He used examples from his own experiences to explain how high achievers can all too often fall into traps that lead to unhappiness.
The speech was memorable not only because it was deeply revealing but also because it came at a time of intense personal reflection: Christensen had just overcome the same type of cancer that had taken his father's life. As Christensen struggled with the disease, the question "How do you measure your life?" became more urgent and poignant, and he began to share his insights more widely with family, friends, and students.
In this groundbreaking book, Christensen puts forth a series of questions: How can I be sure that I'll find satisfaction in my career? How can I be sure that my personal relationships become enduring sources of happiness? How can I avoid compromising my integrity—and stay out of jail? Using lessons from some of the world's greatest businesses, he provides incredible insights into these challenging questions.
How Will You Measure Your Life? is full of inspiration and wisdom, and will help students, midcareer professionals, and parents alike forge their own paths to fulfillment.

*To read Emily's Q&A with Karen Dillion, click HERE

Heaven Should Fall by Rebecca Coleman: Blog Tour

WATCH THE TRAILER BELOW!!!

It’s blog tour time! Rebecca Coleman is back on BookTrib, celebrating the kickoff of her new book, HEAVEN SHOULD FALL.

So trot along on the blog tour and make sure to click through to every blog in the order listed to get the full first chapter– you won’t want to miss it!

GET TROTTING HERE or below....

“Does Dad know you’ve been living with a black guy?”

“What do you think?”

Elias laughed and straightened up again, still looking at the picture. “That’s Stan,” he repeated.“He’ll be in and out this weekend. You can take the futon and I’ll sleep on the floor. Stan’s got enough blankets in the closet for an army.”

“Nah, I’ll take the floor.”

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ABOUT THE BOOK:  Alone since her mother’s death, Jill Wagner wants to eat, sleep and breathe Cade Olmstead when he bursts upon her life—golden, handsome and ambitious. Even putting college on hold feels like a minor sacrifice when she discovers she’s pregnant with Cade’s baby. But it won’t be the last sacrifice she’ll have to make.

Retreating to the Olmsteads’ New England farm seems sensible, if not ideal: Jill and Cade will regroup and welcome the baby, surrounded by Cade’s family. But the remote, ramshackle place already feels crowded. Cade’s mother tends to his ailing father, while Cade’s pious sister, her bigoted husband and their rowdy sons overrun the house. Only Cade’s brother, Elias, a combat veteran with a damaged spirit, gives Jill an ally amidst the chaos, along with a glimpse into his disturbing childhood. But his burden is heavy, and she alone cannot kindle his will to live

The tragedy of Elias is like a killing frost, withering Cade in particular, transforming his idealism into bitterness and paranoia. Taking solace in caring for her newborn son, Jill looks up to find her golden boy is gone. In Cade’s place is a desperate man willing to endanger them all in the name of vengeance…unless Jill can find a way out.

Click on the dates below to find that day’s excerpt. The additional links lead to even more reviews, author Q&A’s and guest posts, and giveaways!

October 1, 2012

The signs for Baltimore-Washington… [read more]

I braced the dowels… [read more]

_______________ 

October 2, 2012

I bet he’s dying… [read more]

 _______________

October 3, 2012

“Nah. He’s a cool guy… [read more]

“Yeah, but it’s almost gone… [read more]

 _______________

                                               October 4, 2012

His brow creased above… [read more]

We navigated the labyrinth… [read more]

 _______________

October 5, 2012

Young mothers strained to see… [read more]

 _______________

October 8, 2012

Then the door opened… [read more]

One soldier after another… [read more]

 _______________

October 9, 2012

For a year now… [read more]

 _______________

October 10, 2012

The image was tacked… [read more]

Elias almost never wrote… [read more]

 _______________

October 11, 2012

“Thanks” and “Elias” were scrawled… [read more]

 _______________

October 12, 2012

Sometimes when Cade and I… [read more]

Additional content here

 _______________

October 15, 2012

As Elias extracted himself… [read more]

“This is Jill Wagner… [read more]

 _______________

October 16, 2012

Thanks for all the packages… [read more]

_______________

October 17, 2012

We separated while the soldiers… [read more]

 _______________

October 18, 2012

Cade unlocked the door… [read more]

 _______________

October 19, 2012

He dropped his bag into… [read more]

After a minute he said… [read more]

Additional content here

…and here.

 _______________

October 22, 2012

“What do you do, Jill?”…[read more]

 _______________

October 23, 2012

“We both run too”… [read more]

 _______________

October 24, 2012

“It wasn’t long before”… [read more]

Cade, whose ambition for… [read more]

 _______________

October 25, 2012

Cade, unlocked the door… [read more]

“What in the hell is that?”… [read more]

_______________

October 26, 2012

“Does Dad know…?” [read more]

 _______________

October 29, 2012

“No way. You just got back” [read more]

 _______________

October 30, 2012

I looked quizzically at Cade… [read more]

That was the last I saw… [read more]

 _______________

October 31, 2012

It was not attraction I felt… [read more]

  ********************************************************************

An amazing, compelling novel about tragedy, family and ultimately... survival.  The characters are real, flawed and engaging.     You will become engrossed in the novel and the journey it takes you on.  I recommend it and rate it 4 stars!

Millicent Marie by Karen Pokras Toz: Blog Tour

Bio:  Karen Pokras Toz is a writer, wife and mom. Karen grew up in Connecticut and currently lives outside of Philadelphia with her husband and three children. In June 2011, Karen published her first middle grade children’s novel for 7-12 year olds called Nate Rocks the World, which won First Place for Children’s Chapter Books and the Grand Prize Overall in the 2012 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards, as well as placing first for a Global E-Book Award for Pre-Teen Literature. In 2012, Karen published the second in the Nate Rocks series, Nate Rocks the Boat, followed by middle grade novel, Millicent Marie Is Not My Name. Karen is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI).

 Connect with Karen:

Website:  www.karentoz.com
Blog: http://kptoz.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/karenptoz
Twitter: www.twitter.com/karentoz
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5009570.Karen_Pokras_Toz
Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/karentoz

Summary:  Twelve-year-old Millicent Marie does not like her name. After all, she was named for a woman who died more than fifty years ago and was not the most loveable member of the Harris family. Her friends call her Millie, but when she writes in her diary she refers to herself as Amanda – the name she always wished she had.

When Millie’s younger brother finds her diary on her computer, he decides to publish it as a blog for the entire world to see, including the boy Millie has a crush on. In the midst of all the mayhem, Millie/Amanda discovers she is suddenly Springside Elementary’s most sought after sixth-grade mystery gossip and advice columnist.

But not all is fun and games, as Millie quickly learns, once she realizes feelings are at stake. Nobody, least of all Millie, expects things to turn out as they do in this tale of friendship and respect.

Q.  What inspires your writing?

I write in the hopes of getting more kids interested in reading, by writing about real life issues that affect kids today. I pull from my own memories and from the stories my own children tell me about school, friends, and overall daily happenings. From there, I try to add humor, while still concentrating on the underlying themes.

Q.  What is your favorite thing about being an author?

Readers!  I love hearing from children, parents, educators, reviewers and anyone else who has enjoyed my books. I especially love hearing from a parent who tells me their reluctant reader is asking for more!

Q.  What is the toughest part of being an author?

Definitely time management. Being an author is so much more than just writing a book. Publishing and marketing activities take a tremendous amount of time as well.

Q.  If you could not be author, what would you do/be?

Well I do actually have another job. Three months out of the year, I work as a tax accountant. I love it – but people always look at me funny, when I tell them. I guess being a tax accountant/children’s author is not the common combination!

Q.  What would the story of your life be entitled?

Hectic!  In addition to being a writer (& accountant), I am a mom to three great, but very busy kids. My two teens are always on the go and my six year old is a bundle of energy. But, I wouldn’t trade my crazy life for anything!

Q.  What is your favorite book of all time?

It’s always so difficult to pick just one! However, I think when it comes down to it, it’s pretty hard to beat To Kill A Mockingbird.

Q.  What character from all of your book are you most like?

In my Nate Rocks books, Mrs. Rockledge, Nate’s mom is a bit of a Martha Stewart wanna-be who fails miserably, but has no clue that she can’t cook or sew or craft. That’s all I’m saying.

Q.  What is your favorite season?

I love spring (minus the allergy part). I’m a spring gardener, meaning, I get all enthusiastic about gardening. I plant and plant and plant, and then go out every day with a microscope to see if anything has grown yet (not really, but I do go out several times a day to examine my plants – my neighbors think I’m nuts.) I do this through June, until I get thoroughly bored with the activity, at which point, my husband usually takes over.

Q.  What inspired your book cover(s)?  Or what is your favorite book cover and why?

Let me start out by saying I have THE most amazing cover artist, Deana Riddle of Book Starter. I say artist because all of my covers are original artworks created by Deana. For each of them, we work together to come up with concepts, but it is really Deana who is able to reach into my mind and come up with the exact image I had envisioned. I love them all.

Q.  Are you working on something new?

Yes, I am working on the third book in the Nate Rocks series – which will be released in 2013. After that, I have an idea for another book for girls.

Q.  Anything you want to say to followers of this blog or those that are just stopping by?

I started writing funny and yet educational books to prove to my own reluctant readers that reading is awesome! Encouraging the child in your life to read everyday is the best gift you can give. Thanks so much for inviting me to your blog today!

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Tour Schedule

Oct. 11 Loves 2 Reads - Character Guest Post, Review, & Swag Giveaway http://lovez2read.blogspot.com
Oct. 12 Alchemy of Scrawl - Author Interview, Review, & Swag Giveaway http://alchemyscrawl.com
Oct. 13 Living, Learning, and Loving Life - Review & Swag Giveaway http://www.livinglearninglovinglife.com
Oct. 14 Double the Fun Day
Book Him Danno - Review & Swag Giveaway http://bookhimdanno.blogspot.com/
Lindsay and Jane's Views and Reviews - Review & Author Interview http://lindsayandjaneviewsandreviews.blogspot.co.uk/
Oct. 15 So I'm Fifty - Character Guest Post, Review, & Swag Giveaway soimfifty.blogspot.com
Oct. 16 Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave - Author Guest Post http://tweedling.com
Oct. 17 Geo Librarian - Character Guest Post, Review, & Swag Giveaway http://geolibrarian.blogspot.com
Oct. 18 Rumor Has It - Character Guest Post, Review, & Swag Giveaway rumorhasitummhmm.blogspot.com
Oct. 19 Book Lovers Paradise - Character Guest Post, Review, & Swag Giveaway http://bookloversparadise.blogspot.com
Oct. 20 Fairday's Blog! Author Guest Post http://thesecretdmsfilesoffairdaymorrow.blogspot.com/
Oct. 21 Vixie's Stories - Character Guest Post & Swag Giveaway http://vickiejohnstone.blogspot.co.uk/
Oct. 22 Ali's Bookshelf - Author Guest Post, Review, & Swag Giveaway http://alisbookshelfreviews.blogspot.com/
Oct. 23 The Bunny's Review - Character Interview, Review, & Swag Giveaway http://bunnysreview.com
Oct. 24 Larkin's Book Bloggers - Author Guest Post, Review, & Swag Giveaway http://blogs.ellingtonschools.org/larkin/
Oct. 25 Mrs. Mommy Booknerd's Book Reviews - Author Interview & Swag Giveaway Http://mrsmommybooknerd.blogspot.com
Oct. 26 Someday, When I'm Famous... Author Interview, Review, & Swag Giveaway http://www.MLGarrett.blogspot.com
Oct. 27 It's About Time Mamaw - Author Interview, Review & Swag Giveaway http://itsabouttimemamaw.blogspot.com/
Oct. 28 Q&A with Karen Pokras Toz at Goodreads.com http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/75504-q-a-with-karen-toz
Oct. 29 Mom Does Reviews - Character Interview, Review, & Swag Giveaway http://www.momdoesreviews.com
Oct. 30 Kid Lit Reviews - Character Guest Post & Swag Giveaway (Review on 10/31) http://kid-lit-reviews.com
Oct. 31 Italian Brat's Obsessions - Character Guest Post, Review & Swag Giveaway http://itlnbrt.com

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THE PRIZES!!!!!!

Big Prize

Prize Description

Individual swag pack: bookmarks, sticker, notepad, magnet, keychain, & signed postcard

Grand Prize: swag pack plus tote bage, mug, and Amazon Gift Card

Enter the giveaway below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Buy Links:
Amazon (print and ebook) http://amzn.to/UyX0oA
Barnes & Noble (print and ebook) http://bit.ly/QlEejj