Future Tour: Death Turns a Trick by Julie Smith
Julie will be on tour January 7-21 with her mystery novel Death Turns a Trick Rebecca Schwartz, nice Jewish lawyer with a few too many…
Author Profile: Trish McCallan
Author Name: Trish McCallan
Website: http://www.trishmccallan.com/
Bio: Trish McCallan has been writing for as long as she can remember.
In grade school she wrote children’s stories, illustrating them with crayons and binding the sheets together with pencil-punched holes and red yarn. She used to sell these masterpieces at her lemonade stand for a nickel a book. Surprisingly, people actually bought them. Like, all of them. Every night she would have to write a new batch for her basket.
As she got older her interest changed to boys and horses. The focus of her literary masterpieces followed this shift. Her first full length novel was written in seventh grade and featured a girl, a horse and a boy. At the end of the book the teenage heroine rode off into the sunset . . . with the horse.
These days she sticks to romantic suspense with hot alpha heroes and roller-coaster plots. Since she is a fan of all things bizarre, paranormal elements always seem to find a way into her fiction. Her current release, Forged in Fire, was the result of a Black Dagger Brotherhood reading binge, a cold, a bottle of NyQuil and a vivid dream.
Titles: Forged in Fire, Forged in Ash, Yesterday’s Child
See my 4 star review for Forged in Fire
Check out Trish’s tour page!
Murder & Mayhem In Goose Pimple Junction by Amy Metz
Murder & Mayhem In Goose Pimple Junction by Amy Metz is a murder mystery set in a cute southern town. When Tess Tremaine moves to Goose Pimple Junction in hopes of starting a new life, she things that she has hit the jackpot. Then, she finds something that peaks her interest and soon finds herself investigating a seventy-five-year-old murder. Along the way she is thrown into the charming world of southern comfort and becomes instantly attracted to local celebrity, Jackson Wright. Will she be able to keep her wits about her as she investigates the murder further? Only time will tell, but she realizes soon enough that the closer she gets to solving the murder, the more dangerous things become. Is she ready to risk it all?
This book is probably the cutest book that I have read in quite sometime, and seeing how it is about a murder mystery, I never thought I would describe one that way. The mystery and intrigue are real, and Tess is such a hoot. I absolutely fell in love with her during the first few pages and Amy truly does capture the heart of the south and everything that it entails. It’s been a while since I’ve read a murder/mystery that I’ve enjoyed this much. I definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a little intrigue without anything too dangerous or gritty.
[Rating: 4.5/5]
On Tour: Blue Aspen by Tenaya Jayne
Tenaya will be on tour October 1-8 with her novel Blue Aspen IMAGINE YOU COULD HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANTED. . . WOULD YOU CHOOSE TO…
Sugarfiend by Caroline Burau
I received a copy of Sugarfiend from author Carolyn Burau in exchange for an honest review. I found this novel very interesting. This is the I think the third book I’ve read lately that has a unique format – more story-telling from the main character instead of a dialogue driven format. It worked for this book in my opinion. The heroine is Estelle Brown, a sugarfiend who just can’t say no to a box of chocolates…or syrup…or raw cookie dough. Her life starts to fall apart when her boyfriend dumps her for a bulimic model (again), her roommate and best friend leaves town suddenly, and her boss announces he is love with her. Estelle packs up everything and decides to chase after her best friend and bring her home but takes a detour, finds a hot mess duo of twin sisters who convince her to take a cruise with them, and hops aboard without looking back. While there, Estelle will learn lessons about life, love and if being skinny truly does mean being happy.
This book has a bit of everything – addiction, romance, sarcasm, love, and one woman being pretty darn confused in life. Sometimes it was a bit too all over for my taste; it was hard to keep up with everything that was happening. But Burau has a knack for story-telling, because even if I seemed a step behind Estelle, I still wanted to read fast to figure out what would happen next. If you don’t appreciate strong language or sexual scenes, this probably won’t be for you. But if you can find the lessons from the raw story that Burau gives us, I think you will enjoy this book too.
[Rating: 4]
Memories by Deanna Lynn Sletten
I received a copy of Memories for Deanna Sletten’s CLP Blog Tours stop. The book starts off with
Michael DeCara’s funeral, and then backtracks to tell the love story between him and
Danielle Westerly. I thought this was an interesting way to start a book, and it immediately reeled me in. I understand the title of the book, because the entire novel is made up of the memory of their journey, and the love they shared for one another. Michael was a wounded Vietnam War vet, and raised his daughter on his own when his wife left shortly after his hero’s return. Danielle fell in love with Michael when she was just eighteen, but he broke her heart – and hardened it for others. When they meet by chance years down the road, the sparks are still there. But the beginning of their love story isn’t smooth sailing – and will it all be worth it?
This book was quite the tear-jerker for me. At times I just wanted to pull my hair and say “just be together already!” There was a lot of miscommunication and incredibly sad situations that kept Michael and Dani apart, and it literally hurt me to watch them go through it. I credit that all to Sletten’s writing skills; making me feel I was a part of their world. Even though Memories could be incredibly sad at points, I appreciated this unique love story and really loved reading this book. I highly recommend it!
[Rating: 4.5]
My First 5K: Week 15: Training on Vacation
Two more weeks to go before The Color Run comes to Des Moines! My training schedule this week and next is a little shifted around. I usually run on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday’s, but we had a wedding out of town this weekend that my fiancé was in, and we will be on vacation starting next Friday visiting my family in North Carolina. When I go on vacations I almost always pack my athletic shoes and can usually fit in at least one for two workouts. The wedding this weekend wasn’t too bad, we left Friday morning and got home Sunday afternoon, so I simply did my Saturday run on Thursday. But next week will be a bit harder, and I’m not positive yet how my schedule will go. But I think it’s important to be conscientious of what your schedule looks like, because I know I would hate not working out or getting in at least two runs Friday- Tuesday (our vacation schedule) and then come home and have The Color Run happen in four days. But hopefully it will all work out and I’ll feel prepared on October 6 for the 3.1 mile run!
Below is my workout schedule for the week. Bold is what I would normally complete, non-bold is the 5K training.
Monday: Run 10 minutes, walk 10 minutes
Tuesday: Walk 15 minutes, 50 minute Billy Blank cardio DVD
Wednesday: Run 15 minutes, walk 15 minutes, 30 minute elliptical
Thursday: Walk 15 minutes, run/walk 3.1 miles
Friday: 20 minute treadmill run/walk
Saturday: Day Off
Sunday: 30 minute treadmill incline walk
In My Mailbox: Week of September 23
In Samantha’s Mailbox:
Title: A State of Jane
Author: Meredith Schorr
Received: Via CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: Jane Frank is ready to fall in love.
It’s been a year since her long term relationship ended and far too long since the last time she was kissed. With the LSAT coming up she needs to find a long term boyfriend (or husband) before acing law school and becoming a partner at her father’s law firm.
There’s just one problem: All the guys in New York are flakes. They seemingly drop off the face of the earth with no warning and no explanation.
Should she join her best friend Marissa in singlehood, making cupcakes and watching True Blood? Or should she follow her co-worker Andrew’s advice and turn the game back on those who’ve scorned her? As Jane attempts to juggle her own responsibilities and put up with the problems of everyone around her, she starts to realize that the dating life isn’t as easy as she originally thought.
Title: Maven Fairy Godmother: Through the Veil
Author: Charlotte Henley Babb
Received: Via CLP Blog Tours
Synopsis: Maven’s new dream job–fairy godmother–presents more problems than she expects when she learns that Faery is on the verge of collapse, and the person who is training her isn’t giving her the facts–and may be out to kill her. Will she be able to make all the fractured fairy tales fit together into a happy ending, or will she be eaten by a troll?
Title: All At Sea
Author: Heather Wardell
Received: From Heather Wardell
Synopsis: Melissa and Owen met on New Years’ Eve and he proposed on Valentine’s Day. Now it’s March, and they’re about to set sail on a two-week Caribbean cruise – and get married on the last day at sea. Though their relationship’s moving fast, Melissa’s wanted to be married for years and she knows the smart stable Owen is a great catch so she’s sure they’ll be fine.
At least, she’s sure until she meets his brothers on the cruise and discovers she’s dated both of them: Austin, the fun-loving flirt whose kisses still haunt her dreams, and Nicholas, the sweet horror movie fan whose lack of ambition upset her in ways she still doesn’t understand.
Melissa expected to spend tons of time onboard with her fiancé, but he instead spends nearly his every waking moment in the casino displaying a previously unseen love of gambling. This surprise, and the time she spends with Nicholas and with Austin, makes her question everything she thought she wanted.
Her relationship with Owen was just fine before, but suddenly ‘just fine’ doesn’t seem good enough to keep a marriage alive for a lifetime. Melissa has two weeks to decide: stay with Owen or jump ship.
In Sara’s Mailbox:
Title: Valentina Goldman’s Immaculate Confusion
Author: Marisol Murano
Received: Dan @ Hipso Media
Synopsis: Since her arrival in the United States from Venezuela, Valentina Goldman isn’t exactly living the American Dream. She’s living the American Nightmare. Her late husband, Max, has left her a young widow, a step-daughter whom Valentina didn’t want, and a bi-polar ex-wife. And oh, having given up her dream job in New York, Valentina is also unemployed in Arizona. Part “Bridget Jones Diary,” part “Modern Family,” “Valentina Goldman’s Immaculate Confusion” is the story of a woman trying to get a handle on her whacky life in America. In breathless, blog-like snippets, Valentina compares her own story with that of her eccentric sister, Azucena, who has bizarre troubles of her own down in the tropics. “Valentina Goldman’s Immaculate Confusion” is a funny and moving story about what happens when a passionate South American woman moves to the USA and, like so many of us, ends up with a life she never imagined.
Beauty Review: CoverGirl 24 Hour Lash Blast Mascara
Mascara Junkie is back! The latest mascara I gave a try was Covergirl’s 24-Hour LashBlast. It promises three things: volume lasting up to 24 hours, anti-smudging, and bold, intense volume. Does it last 24 hours? Honestly, mine does. When I know I am just going out for a few hours here and there, I won’t wear this mascara, because I find it pointless. I use it on the days where I know I’ll be out and about and not able to retouch up my makeup, so that is a definite plus. It is a bit hard to get off at night, but worth it for me when it actually stays on and (point two) doesn’t smudge or start to crease with my other eye makeup. Can we make it three for three? Actually, yeah. It does give me lashes volume – no length, but that is not what is promised here. I don’t think it will be a favorite mascara of mine mainly because I look for a lengthener too, but this product does what it says it will do, and for that, I am a happy customer.
[Rating: 4]
