Crazy Thing Called Love by Molly O'Keefe

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Crazy Thing Called Love
By Molly O’Keefe
Published by Bantam Books
February 2013
ISBN: 978-0-345-53369-2

Book provided by Random House and reviewed for LibraryThing.com


Surprise!



Two high-school sweethearts marry and prepare for a life together. Billy Wilkins is a rising star in the hockey league with a bright future playing his dream, but the cost he ends up paying is his wife, Madelyn. They grow apart until one day Madelyn decides to divorce him. Over the next 15 years, Madelyn builds her dream in a journalism career and Billy succeeds as a famous hockey player. Fifteen years later, Billy Wilkins has reached the end of his career and agrees to a guest spot on Madelyn’s popular morning show, much to Madelyn’s dismay.

This is the first of Molly O’Keefe’s books that I have read, and I must confess, I had thoughts of not reading another as I read the first half of this book. I was bored with story of lost-ex-husband-chasing-popular-and-self-sufficient-yet-pathetic-ex-wife. I found the characters to be flat and uninteresting, and the continuing self-imposed prison Madelyn put herself into due to the pain Billy put her through 15 years ago was tedious. I wanted to scream “get over it already”.

I felt this until, midway through the book, Ms. O’Keefe threw her readers a little curveball. This little curveball (which would be a spoiler, so I won’t divulge) brought a plot to the book that I then found myself liking the characters and the growth I was now seeing. This situation change seemed to give the author more to work with and opened up doors for Billy and Maddy to evolve and become more interesting. I began to wonder what was going to happen next, which kept me turning the pages.

All in all, I would say don’t judge this book by the first 100 pages. The author is setting a scene, which is valuable, however, I do believe it could have been accomplished in fewer pages. How the author wraps up this story does make the book worthwhile. I believe I will read another of Ms. O’Keefe’s books.

A Bride in the Bargain by Deeanne Gist

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

A Sweet Romance


In the 1850s, Joe Denton had a wife and planned to settle in Seattle. He acquired a considerable amount of land through a deal with the government. His wife died before she could join him, and the judge in town tells Joe he has to give up half his land due to the stipulation in the deal that he must have a wife. Either produce a death certificate for his dead wife, or produce another wife. That was the order. Joe couldn’t produce a death certificate due to a records fire, so his only other option to save his land – and the last 10 years of his hard work – is to produce a new wife. Asa Mercer is arranging marriages, and Joe Denton begrudgingly signs up to be a groom.

Anna Ivey is tired of working for a letch and living alone in post-Civil War Maine. She decides to travel by sea to Seattle and become a cook. Asa Mercer, her means of travel, allows her to believe she is travelling to take on the job as cook, not as a bride. All is well until Joe and Anna meet and Anna refuses to marry.

A Bride in the Bargain is a captivating historical romance which follows the typical boy meets girl, boy and girl fall in love, boy and girl can’t be together for whatever reason, and all ends well. However, Deeanne Gist is able to create characters that draw you into the tale and invest your emotions in their lives. The secondary characters are just as endearing as the hero and heroine, and there is no surprise that the couple and their friends must stay together in order not to disappoint the reader. The author does break from the traditional mold and adds a little twist, just when you think the story is coming to an end. An unforeseen complication arises and takes hold of the reader until the close of the book. A enjoyable, romantic read which I highly recommend.

And the winner is....

Sunday, July 19, 2009

I recently advertised a book giveaway on FrugalReader to give away my ARC copy of Gloria Mallette's "Sassy", which I loved!

I completed the drawing this morning, and here is my post to the forum over at FrugalReader.


Ok, ladies and gentlemen, the drawing is over...
The list of contestants is (in order of comment):
1. icedream
2. JoanneR
3. dmbuffy
4. mama2skyjax
5. Lenda
6. JDobs

And the winner is.....

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 3 Powered by RANDOM.ORG


dmbuffy!!! Congratulations Dayna!!

And, to thank everyone for participating in my very first ARC giveaway (which helps me get more ARCs:-), everyone (including ConnieJ) will get to choose either a book from my shelf or a credit from me. Dayna -- choose another book in addition to Sassy, or a credit to go with it.

Thanks again everyone!!

Review: Sassy by Gloria Mallette

Monday, July 6, 2009

Sassy by Gloria Mallette
Published by Gemini Press
May 2009
ISBN: 978-0-9678789-3-5

Romance, Suspense...Whodunnit?



Sassy Davenport writes successful romance novels for a living, but what she writes comes from her imagination, not her experience. Her current relationship is unremarkably bland and unfulfilling. Then, she meets a handsome architect at her latest book signing and her love life begins to take on a more interesting appeal. After falling head over heels, she is forced to ask herself if she has made a horrible mistake – is this wonderful man truly the brutal murderer he is accused of being, or is this a terrible case of mistaken identity?

Gloria Mallette has succeeded in writing a book so captivating this reader didn’t want to put it down. From page one, the author plunges the reader directly into the crux of the story and grabs her attention. On page ten I ask myself rhetorically, “how is this going to play out?” The suspense is constant, and just when you think the author has given herself away, it’s time to think again – or is it?

Ms. Mallette has included a wide range of feelings and emotions in her characters: hate, anger, love, compassion, jealousy. Some of her characters have them, and other characters evoke them. She’s used shock, suspense, romance, mystery, sympathy and even repulsion to draw in the reader to abandon the lukewarm attitude of a moderate novel, to the eager, anticipating climax of an intense story.

Review: Pack Your Bags...Go U.S.A. by Kimberley Weaver and Allyson Murphy

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Pack Your Bags...Go U.S.A. by Kimberley Weaver and Allyson Murphy
Illustrated by Maria K. Holdren
Published by Sorella Books (www.sorellabooks.com)
ISBN-13: 978-0976735106
ISBN-10: 0-976735105




Travel the States!


Each of the 50 United States is represented in the colorful and simply organized pages of Pack Your Bags…Go U.S.A. Presented in alphabetical order, each state has a page dedicated to its picture, capital city, nickname, state flag, state flower, state bird, and an additional little tidbit about that state. In California, you could visit the Golden Gate Bridge; in Maine, you could go canoeing on the Allagash River.

This is a beautifully compiled tribute to the United States of America. The authors have done a fantastic job of piecing together the various facts about each state and putting them into a very well organized and illustrated book for children and adults alike. Each page is filled with color to engage young readers, as well as vibrant photographs to enhance the journey your child will take while turning these pages. The layout of the information is kept simple and basic, and does not overwhelm the reader with too much information, while providing many interesting facts at the same time.

Intended for young children, adults interested in learning more about the U.S. and each state would also benefit from this fact-filled book.

Review: Silent on the Moor by Deanna Raybourn

Friday, February 20, 2009

Silent on the Moor by Deanna Raybourn
Published by MIRA Books
ISBN-13: 978-0778326144
ISBN-10: 0-778326144
Available March 2009

Lady Julia does it again!


Lady Julia Grey is at it again. Nicholas Brisbane tells her to stay away, but she ignores his request and heads with her sister to his newly-inherited estate. She arrives to find the previous family still inhabiting the grounds, with Brisbane maintaining a discreet distance. Not long after her arrival, Lady Julia is asking questions and wondering why Brisbane chose this estate, with this family, when both are succumbing to the ruins that can only come from a fallen fortune and neglect. What Lady Julia discovers is that she has insinuated herself in the middle of a mystery, and she continues to unravel the threads to understand the man she has come to love.

Silent on the Moor is the third book of Ms. Raybourn’s Lady Julia Grey mysteries. I must confess that I haven’t read the first two installments, so I was a little disappointed when I realized this novel had less romance than it did mystery – I was expecting lots of romance. I was wondering why Nicholas had such a bit part, and when he was in the story, it wasn’t very in-depth. I found it difficult to believe in their relationship because there wasn’t any chemistry between the two characters, and the author didn’t seem too concerned with developing the romance. It wasn’t until I started looking for the first two books did I realize their history has already been established and I had missed the boat. I highly recommend reading the first two books first if you’re interested in the development of the relationship, but it isn’t necessary if you’re more interested in a very intriguing, keeping-you-guessing, mystery.

Ms. Raybourn kept me guessing through this book and I really enjoyed the character of Lady Julia. I found myself looking forward to my time reading when this book was waiting for me, and I began looking for books one and two as soon as I finished the last page.

Review: The Tutu Ballet by Sally O. Lee

Thursday, January 1, 2009

The Tutu Ballet
Story and Illustrations by Sally O. Lee
Published by Booksurge Publishing
ISBN: 978-1439209165
A special thank you to ijustfinished.com

Embrace the Differences


The Tutu Ballet is a delightful story of Ms. Berry and her four young ballet students who are preparing for their class ballet recital. Ms. Berry’s students are Mirabel the mouse, Fillippo the fox, Belinda the bear, and Harriett the hare. During the classes, Ms. Berry finds that each of her students has his or her own interest in one particular area of the ballet, and is not particularly talented in the other areas. Ms. Berry is able to overcome this dilemma by organizing the recital in such a way that each student is able to use his or her own talent to play a special part, and the play ends in a grand success, much to the parents’ delight.

As you may have guessed, The Tutu Ballet takes place in the forest where the resident animals send their children to Ms. Berry’s class to learn the ballet. Each student is a different type of animal represented in the forest, and each of these characters displays a strength in one area, and weaknesses in others. Ms. Berry is presented with the daunting task of preparing these students for the recital where they should all be performing the same ballet moves and following the same instructions. Unfortunately, Ms. Berry must improvise as not all of her students are able perform all of the same moves. Ms. Berry develops a format where each individual may remain an individual, perform his or her talents, and still emerge with a wonderfully successful ballet recital.

Ms. Lee writes an endearing tale that teaches young children the beauty of keeping an open mind and embracing the differences of others. Allowing others to excel where they do best and combining each individual’s strengths can result in a spectacular result. Not everyone can do everything perfectly, and not everyone must do everything perfectly in order for a project to be a success. Working together and bringing your own talents to the table, no matter how different they are, makes everyone involved a winner. This lesson is simply told, and beautifully illustrated, by Ms. Lee herself.

Happy New Year! And I don't do resolutions...

Well, Happy New Year everyone! Today is the day of new beginnings. Getting everything right this time around that we didn't quite get right in 2008. But, I'm here to tell you it isn't happening in my house. New Years' resolutions aren't for me, and I'll tell you why. It's the pressure. I'm a firm believer in treating each day as a new opportunity to improve on the day before this one. The resolutions just add more pressure to be perfect, and I refuse to succumb to my need to be perfect. Yesterday didn't go well? I didn't make it to the grocery store? I forgot to submit my book review? I haven't mailed my Christmas cards and it's already January 1st? Well, that's ok because today is a new day, and tomorrow is a new day, and so on. Babysteps. I will just take those babysteps to improve myself no matter what date it is. So, goodbye resolutions and hello 2009!

Review: Johnny Big Ears, The Feel-Good Friend by John Paul Padilla

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Johnny Big Ears, The Feel-Good Friend
By John Paul Padilla
Published by Dorrance Publishing Co., Inc.
ISBN: 978-0-8059-74966

Besting the Bully!


Johnny Big Ears is a five-year old boy who is getting ready to begin Kindergarten. Prior to the first day of school, Johnny’s mom cuts his hair and he realizes he has big ears. He begins to wonder what other kids will think of him and how he will be treated because he isn’t perfect. He decides it doesn’t matter what they think; he has big ears and he knows he is special regardless of how he looks. In Johnny Big Ears, John Paul Padilla takes us along with Johnny on his adventure to his first day of school. As expected, Johnny runs into bullies on the schoolyard and we are able to witness how he handles himself, what he thinks, and how he resolves the situation.

From the beginning of the story, we know Johnny feels special because his family has instilled in him the sense that he is a one-of-a-kind individual and they love him exactly as he is. When he realizes he isn’t perfect, he knows it’s okay because it’s those imperfections that make him so special. The author gave Johnny confidence and self-respect which helps him to decide not to be a victim in the schoolyard and to maintain respect for himself. This story teaches children to be strong, to walk away, and to know that not everyone will always like you – and that is okay.

Something I found to be strange in this story is how the author used a character’s imperfections in the naming of that character. I was taken aback when the principal is named Mrs.Wrinkles because she has wrinkles. Charlie Freckles has many freckles on his face. I found this to be somewhat inconsistent with the author’s message. The message of a person not being defined by his or her imperfection is wonderful, however, the author chose to give these characters names which drew attention to, and in effect, defined those characters by the very traits that might make them feel insecure.

The only other issue I found with this book is actually in presentation, not actually in the story itself. I found my children lost interest when there were no pictures on the page with which to associate the words I was reading aloud. They lost focus and I could tell they were having a difficult time keeping with the story. For children, I do believe the visual with each page helps to drive the message to heart and they are more likely to remember and recall the story and its teaching.

I was looking for a book to help me teach my kids about bullies in school. I think this story is a good one to that end, and is surely going to spark in-depth conversations that are important for parents to have with their children about respect for oneself and others.

Review: La Vida Vampire by Nancy Haddock

Thursday, August 14, 2008

La Vida Vampire by Nancy Haddock
Published by Berkley Books
ISBN: 978-0-425-21995-9

Light and Fun Mystery


Francesca Marinelli is a 227 year old vampire who has been imprisoned underground for over 200 years. She is discovered in the 21st century and must now learn to cope with the change in times. She chooses to take a job as a tour guide for ghost tours, but trouble begins on her very first day. Not long after her new job begins, one of her clients from the first tour is found dead at the beach with vampire-like marks on the body, and Francesca becomes a suspect.

Nancy Haddock has written a fun and thoroughly enjoyable mystery surrounded by light humor and a little bit of romantic suspense. More of a lighthearted chick-lit read than a dark and violent one, I found it very hard to put down. The protagonist, Francesca, is an easy character to like as she is just trying to “live her afterlife” and mind her own business. Deke Saber is the ex-vampire hunter assigned to investigate and guard Francesca as the mystery is solved, and he becomes a very likeable character as well once he sees Francesca for who she is as opposed to what she is. I definitely recommend this book to any fan of chick-lit fiction with a little paranormal thrown in for added intrigue.

Review: Don't Hex With Texas by Shanna Swendson

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Don't Hex With Texas by Shanna Swendson

Published by Ballantine Books

ISBN: 978-0-345-49293-7

So Refreshing and Fun!

In Book Four of Shanna Swendson’s Enchanted series, Katie Chandler returns to her small hometown in Texas for a little respite from her crazy life in New York. No sooner does she settle in to her old job at her father’s feed and seed store does she start to observe some strange happenings in her tiny little town. After some investigating, she decides it’s time to call New York and get some backup – and wouldn’t it be nice if Owen showed up? Well, much to Katie’s delight, Owen does show up, and Katie’s mom is just a few steps shy of planning the wedding. Katie and Owen pretend their relationship is serious in order establish a cover story for his presence in town, but Katie wonders if his visit could be more than just business. Katie and Owen reunite to defeat the dark magic brewing in Texas, and perhaps a reunion of another sort?

Shanna Swendson does it again! I loved the first three books of this series and couldn’t wait to read number four, and I was not disappointed. Ms. Swendson continues her lighthearted take on magic and the paranormal, and again I was drawn into the story and didn’t want to put the book down. We were introduced to more of Katie’s family – and so was Owen – and found humor along the way. We are also introduced to Katie’s childhood friend, Nita, who is as boy-crazy as they come and a great addition to the cast of characters. I was a little disappointed as to how Ms. Swendson molded Owen into such a workaholic, and how it was very hard to "read" his feelings, but, unfortunately, I do think it was necessary as a part of his character to keep the book true to Owen and the rest of the series. This book had less romantic suspense than the other three books, and it also explored Katie’s family history of the immune and relation to the magic realm.

**SERIES ALERT** Here is my plea to keep this series alive! According to http://www.shannaswendson.com/, the fifth book in the series is underway, however, it doesn’t look promising that the publisher will publish it. If you want to see the fifth book published, sales need to start rising for books 3 and 4. Request them at your bookstores and your libraries. I, personally, have this book on my keeper list. I borrowed all 4 of the first books, and now I plan to buy them. Visit Ms. Swendson’s website for more details.

Review: Summer Blowout by Claire Cook

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Summer Blowout by Claire Cook
Published by Hyperion (Voice)
ISBN: 978-1-4013-2241-0

A Light and Satisfying Read

Bella Shaughnessy is a young, attractive divorcee who works with her family in her father’s salon. She comes from an interesting family background – her parents are divorced (her father, three times), her half-sister slept with her now ex-husband while they were separated, her brother is happily married to a man, and her father insists on making their family Italian, when they are really Irish. Bella is frustrated with men, her sister, and her family for how she is treated, and she decides it’s time to keep something for herself. She meets Sean Ryan at a college campus vendor fair and he convinces her she should create make-up kits and hand them out at these fairs. This becomes Bella’s project for herself and no one else. Will she be successful? Will she find peace in her life? Will she find fulfillment in her new endeavor? Will she finally find love, or will she decide her career is her new, true love?

These questions are all answered for the reader in Claire Cook’s latest novel, Summer Blowout. I found this book to be somewhat simple and superficial, and that is why I liked it. Ms. Cook didn’t spend a lot of time and pages analyzing each character until the reader was bored stiff – she kept the content light and humorous, and gave the reader just enough to be able to enjoy the story. While many readers may find fault with the lack of depth, I found this to be just what the doctor ordered as I sat in bed after a long day and just wanted to read “brain candy”. And I find the most surprising pleasure is the little beauty secrets she gives the reader along the way. Some of them I already knew, but some of them I am going to try! Great job Claire Cook!

Review:Scarecrow Finds a Friend by Blume J. Rifken

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Scarecrow Finds a Friend by Blume J. Rifken
Illustrated by Carl W. Wenzel
ISBN: 9780979694806

True Friendship!

Tally is a friendly witch who befriends Scarecrow and grants him one wish. After some time, Scarecrow and Tally realize Tally is losing her flying powers, and it is probably due to too many wishes being granted. Scarecrow offers to help her get her flying powers back, and they set out with a plan to make that happen.

Scarecrow Finds a Friend is a delightful story about friendship and helping friends when they have problems. Ms. Rifken shows companionship and depth of character in just a few short pages, and offers children an illustration on how a small gesture can mean so much to those you love. The illustrations by Mr. Wenzel are beautifully drawn and alive with vibrant colors which complement the story perfectly. This is a gorgeous book which I couldn't wait to read to my children, and my kids screamed "again, again" as soon as the last page was read.

Review: Songs for the Missing by Stewart O'Nan

Monday, July 28, 2008

Songs for the Missing by Steward O'Nan

Published by Viking Adult

ISBN: 978-0670020324

The Effects of One Woman

Kim Larson is a teenage girl who lives at home with Mom, Dad, and younger sister, Lindsay. She is popular in school, she has a boyfriend, a job, and is making plans to head off to college. Until, one day, she disappears. Her family, friends, and neighbors are frantic to find her -- and make some additional discoveries about themselves along the way.

Songs for the Missing was my first Stewart O'Nan book, and I liked it. I wasn't sure what to expect other than it would probably be a depressing novel, but I found I enjoyed reading it and I enjoyed anticipating the next chapter with each page I read. I had to keep reminding myself I was reading fiction and couldn’t just go to the Internet and look up the end of the story, although I was extremely tempted to read the last page halfway through the book. I was kept in suspense, and that suspense kept building as I learned about each new detail of Kim’s disappearance. Although O’Nan’s purpose wasn’t to write a thriller that focused on the disappearance of teenager Kim Larson, but to write a story that focused on the effects that disappearance had on those around Kim; he focused on the impact Kim’s life, and the uncertainty of her return, had on those around her. Kim’s family and friends were left to discover her secrets and deal with each other’s reactions to her absence. It took me awhile for it to sink in that finding Kim wasn't O'Nan's purpose -- his purpose was more about the relationships of those who knew and loved her. I had some trouble reconciling that in my mind, since I just wanted a happy ending, and it did drive me to distraction as I kept wondering -- will they find her? Is she alive? Do they find her, but too late? This is where I blame myself, not the author, for that distraction. I think Stewart O'Nan did a fabulous job with this one.

Love To Read, Not Fond of the Homework

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

When I was in school and was required to read novels and write a book report, I didn't care for it. I remember The Hobbit was assigned reading one year, and I waited until the last night to read it. I wasn't interested, so I procrastinated, and procrastinated, until the night before it was due rolled around. It was that night I decided I wanted to learn how to speed read. Of course, I'm sure I turned every page in that book, but I don't recall a single concept or character that I read. When I look back on those school days, I can't help but wonder if I would have enjoyed the reading more had I not been required to write about, and analyze, what I had read. It was too much work.

So, who would have thought that now, all these years later, I would find myself poised in front of a computer, deciding to make reviewing books my hobby? An amazing turn of events indeed!

Just getting started!

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Today I am learning how to set up my own blog! I know...exciting LOL. Please bear with me as I learn how to get this ball rolling.

I've been doing a great deal of reading lately, and decided I wanted a place to put down my thoughts about the books I've read. Whether they are old releases or new, advanced copies or final releases, regardless of genre, I would like to express my opinions and hopefully get some discussion going. I would like to promote the books and authors I like, as well as the sites I like to frequent that revolve around the literary works.

So, come on in and speak freely (no foul language or flaming please!) Everyone is welcome, as long as you behave:-)

Denise