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Archive for January 2013

Troubles and Treats by Tara Sivec BOOK REVIEW

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Amazon Book Description:

Drew and Jenny have spent years being the envy of their friends with their out of control sex lives - well, not really. Mostly it makes their friends want to throw up in their mouths a little.

With two little kids and two busy lives, for the first time, Drew and Jenny aren't on the same page in the bedroom. Drew will stop at nothing to get his previously amorous wife back in the sack, and Jenny will do anything for a full night of sleep.

Carter and Claire, and Jim and Liz are their usual (un)helpful selves and are full of advice for the

discontented duo, wanting nothing more than to help restore order to the usually happy couple's lives.

In the third and final installment of the Chocolate Lovers Series, will Drew and Jenny find the spark that's been missing in their marriage, or will the trouble they're having cause a stickier situation than the time Jenny poured honey all over Drew and he fused himself to a tree?

BOOK REVIEW:

SOOOOOOOOOO…… Where should I even start…..Let me first say, I haven’t EVER read a Series of books that has been hot/sexy and so freaking FUNNY all at the same time…. AND for clarification of FUNNY, I mean tears in your eyes, my side hurts I’m laughing so hard. While reading this book late one night, I was laughing so hard my kitten seriously was looking at me like I was losing my mind (Sorry House for disturbing your beauty sleep at 2 am).

This book is Drew and Jenny’s Story. Now from the first two books, I already loved these two characters (This just brought it home for me). How do I put this, they are not your vanilla/normal couple (serious common sense is lacking at moments!!). For example, let’s put up a sex swing in our bedroom but instead use it as a baby swing (def a WTH moment in this book!)

Despite everything in their lives, Drew/Jenny have always had one thing going for them SEX! To their friends (also I’m just going to add all readers of this series as well) they have to be the some of the FREAKIEST people EVER! Well they also are parents now and yes it’s taken a toll on their sex life. In this book we WITNESS the extent these two are willing to go through to get the sexual fire back in their marriage….. AND yes I say WITNESS because as you read this…..GEEZ there are certain scenes that will probably imprint on your brain. I will never forget the baby making/explosive diarrhea bathroom scene. (I’M serious….nope not giving it away LOL).

As you witness the crazy things drew/jenny do to get the spark back in their marriage, you also get to see how truly in sync they are with each other. This was a huge part for me at the end, because in the beginning I was really thinking these two people don’t need children.

The supporting characters in this book were awesome and equally as funny (Carter/Claire and Jim/Liz). However, the Kids and Drew’s father (the drill sergeant in my mind) win the award for best supporting characters! So I’m going to take the time now to say I LOVE GAVIN!! This kid is FREAKING Hilarious! There is one part of this book were the men are babysitting the children and the little girls get their heads/hair stuck together. Oh NOOOO what do you do now?

“Get me some scissors, a razor blade, jar of peanut butter, and some safety goggles.” “I got this one.” – Gavin

Like the rest of Mrs. Sivec’s books in this series only one word can be used to describe this one, HILARIOUS! Despite all the insanely funny things happening in this book the reader does get to see the true love drew/jenny have for each other. This couple really makes you think, YUP there is really someone for everyone. For the sake of me not wanting to give anything else away, I’m going to stop writing NOW. PLEASE read this book and laugh as hard as I did.

GREAT JOB MRS. SIVEC on a wonderful series.

RATING: 4.5 STARS/A

Cheers,
Dr. Books

http://www.amazon.com/Troubles-Treats-Chocolate-Lovers-ebook/dp/B00AFZ7Q6G

http://www.tarasivec.com/

http://www.facebook.com/TaraSivec.authorpage

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Erin's Mini Review Corner: Up In Flames by Nicole Williams book Review

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Up in flames By: Nicole Williams

This book shows the relationship struggles between a small town girl (Elle) and her boyfriend (Logan) that she's dated since she was 16. Her life gets turned upside down when a smoke jumper (Cole) enters her life and they instantly have an attraction for one another. But Cole is the live life day by day, adrenaline seeking kinda guy. So I enjoyed reading to see if the small town girl throws everything she has ever known up in flames for the "bad" boy!!

Overall this was a good Book.

Rating: 4 Stars

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January Book Club Read: TASTING NEVER by CM Stunich Book Review

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Amazon Book Description:
"Never Ross wants to be loved.
It's that simple, but it's not that easy."

Never is a girl with a broken soul who doesn't date nice guys and can't seem to go to bed at night without crying herself to sleep. She doesn't need any complications in her life, especially not when they're attached to a man that could be her emotional twin.

Ty McCabe can't stand Never the first time he meets her. He's aware that the feeling's mutual and the two don't think they'll ever see each other again, but when fate takes a hand and puts them both in the wrong place at the wrong time, Ty and Never form a tentative friendship that opens the door on their dark sides and shows them what it's like to live in the light.

"Sometimes, the only way to go forward, is to take a few, careful steps back."

Book Review:

When I picked this book a while back for our January book club read of the month I really didn't know what to expect. After reading this book words like DEEP and RAW come to mind. The issues Mrs. Stunich touched on in this book are serious and you don't see addressed very often. At least I haven't read a book that screams "Calling all sex addicts"! No but in all seriousness the book had me drawn in from the first chapter.

This is the story of Never and Ty. Both are seriously messed up with some pretty deep/dark issues. Both use sex as an outlet to numb the pain there feeling inside. What they don't expect however is to fall in LOVE. When you have lived most of your life in the dark, when the light finally starts to shine through its takes a while for you to adjust.

Mrs. Stunich did a great job of taking us on Never and Ty's journey toward the LIGHT. Along the way the BUMPS they had were quite entertaining at times and very sad at others. These are two young people that are seriously broken (lives of neglect, prostitution, an witnessing tour father's murder....geez) but with a great gay best friend, a crazy SEX group therapy counselor and each other,they fight for there lives back!

Out of all the issues that were discussed in this book child prostitution really stuck out to me. I really liked this book BUT I wish we could have heard more of Ty's story (what was told, HEARTBREAKING). I can't wait to read book #2 to see how the rest of Ty and Never's story continues. This was a quick and good read. Good job Mrs. Stunich!

Cheers,
Dr. Books

Rating: B/4

http://www.amazon.com/Tasting-Never-say-ebook/dp/B00ASBE7YQ

http://www.cmstunich.com/

http://www.facebook.com/cmstunich

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Daynight by Megan Thomason BOOK REVIEW

AMAZON BOOK DESCRIPTION:

“Sure to win over YA readers looking for a dangerous, dystopian adventure story” —Kirkus Reviews

"Gripping young adult dystopian novel; compelling conflicts; high stakes; powerful narrative; surprises keep coming; strong writing; page-turner; engaging characters; Readers will be hungry for the sequels.”—BlueInk Review (starred review)

Meet The Second Chance Institute (SCI): Earth’s benevolent non-profit by day, Thera’s totalitarian regime by night. Their motto: Because Everyone Deserves a Second Chance at Life(TM). Reality: the SCI subjects Second Chancers to strict controls and politically motivated science experiments like Cleaving—forced lifetime union between two people who have sex. Punishment for disobeying SCI edicts? Immediate Exile or death.

Meet Kira Donovan. Fiercely loyal, overly optimistic, and ensnared by the promise of a full-ride college scholarship, Kira signs the SCI Recruit contract to escape memories of a tragedy that left her boyfriend and friends dead.

Meet Blake Sundry. Bitter about being raised in Exile and his mother’s death, Blake’s been trained to infiltrate and destroy the SCI. Current barrier to success? His Recruit partner—Miss Goody Two Shoes Kira Donovan.

Meet Ethan Darcton. Born with a defective heart and resulting inferiority complex, Ethan’s forced to do his SCI elite family’s bidding. Cleave-worthy Kira Donovan catches his eye, but the presiding powers give defect-free Blake Sundry first dibs.

Full of competing agendas, romantic entanglements, humor, twists and turns, daynight is Megan Thomason’s debut young adult dystopian novel and first in the daynight series.

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Book Review:

Since I posted this FREE Amazon book a few days ago one of the selling points that caught my attention was "calling all hunger games fans".... AND yes I love the hunger games series. So I decided to give this book a quick read between my surgery cases (yes oh the delays of the operating room).

This book uses the concept of a parallel universe. At first I thought ok interesting... Then as I began to read the book, the concept kept me more confused then anything in the beginning. I had to stop on multiple occasions in the beginning and think about what I read. One of the things that drew me in to this book was its told from 3 different POV (Kira, Ethan, and Blake).

One the main character in this book is KIRA. Kira was the goody two shoes girl next door, perfect boyfriend (so she thought), future laid out in front of her type of person. Then one day everything in her life EXPLODES (literally). Who sweeps in to save the day? The Second Chance institute….. Let’s stop and talk about this crazy group for a minute…..think cult vs. secret government society. Well with Kira’s life in shambles/looking for a change she signs on as a SCI recruit not knowing the actual definition of what that truly means until it’s to late.

Well along the way she has some pretty hot supporting characters. Let’s begin with Ethan. He is the SCI spy sent to observe Kira from A FAR….let’s just say that plan was a BUST. The chemistry between Ethan and Kira was one of the first things that hit you in this book. The comparison the book made between to the two men in Kira's life made me think of Ethan as the “safe choice” in the beginning BUT towards the end he Surprised me!! For Ethan think HOT, Law student, future politician (maybe senator, governor, who knows even president…yes the SCI has deep pockets).The other main character in this book was Blake. Think bad boy with an ulterior motive. Along with his father, he is planning revenge on the SCI for the death of his mother. The one thing Blake doesn't count on is developing feelings for Kira. Oh I smell a LOVE TRIANGLE!!!

This book started slow/confusing for me BUT as it continued to play out…. Let’s just say I couldn't stop turning the pages fast enough. The whole concept of a second chance in life after death was a good start but what made it REALLY GOOD for me was the conspiracy theory/government secrets! The twists in the books gave me some WOW moments. Let’s see where to begin…..the CLEAVING process (I cant even begin to explain this, just read it..), Jerry Springer moments of THE FATHER/MOTHER really is, and oh Ya…. a government stealing your eggs to impregnate your friends to better the race (def a WTH moment).

During the book I felt sorry at times for Kira, Ethan and Blake. How do you respond to finding out majority of everything you've known in life is a lie? As I said before this book started slow/confusing for me but when it picked up I had plenty WOW moments. This book was a good start to a series. I can’t wait to read book 2!! I seriously want to write more but for fear I will give something away I’ll stop here.

GOOD JOB Mrs. Thomason

Rating B/4 STARS

Cheers,

Dr. Books

http://www.facebook.com/daynight.series?fref=ts

http://www.facebook.com/meganthomason

http://www.amazon.com/daynight-ebook/dp/B00A6NG014

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ONE on ONE with CM Stunich author of Tasting Never

ONE on ONE with CM Stunich

1. Where Were you born and where do you call home?

I was born and raised in a tiny, little town called Eureka, CA, home of the redwood forest and some of the most beautiful but horrifyingly deadly beaches. It's pretty isolated – you can either drive to San Francisco, CA or Eugene, OR for entertainment, both of which are several hours away – but I think it really helped shape the person I became. The people were very tolerant of others, at least in my experience. There wasn't much bullying or anything of the like. Of course, one can only handle so much of a small town, so I eventually left and found myself here in Eugene. I really like it, but I think, at heart, that I'm a wanderer so I may very well pick up and move sometime soon!

2. Tell us about something that has just/recently happened in your life that you would like to share?

This might sound sort of lame, but I'm really excited about it so here goes... My birthday is in February, so I've decided to get myself a dog as a present! Woo hoo! I'm home all day, so I figured it would be a good fit for me. I have a whole truckload of cats, so they may not be as thrilled about this as I am, but they'll have to get over it. I'm considering getting a pair of pups (from the shelter, of course...don't get me started on animal overpopulation!) and naming them Ty and Never... Is that cheesy? Okay, maybe it is, but I might just do it anyway!

3. If you had to sum up Tasting Never in 30 or less words, what would you say?

Dark, tortured beauty torn from my soul and bled across a page. It's all the heartache I ever had in one book.

(Yes, I'm a big sap. You can totally call me on it! ;) )

4. If you gave Never and Ty an opportunity to speak for themselves, what would they say?

Never: Seriously, sometimes I wonder why I gave this chick my whole life story, opened up for her when I couldn't to anyone else. Except for Ty, of course, always for Ty. But C.M. Is a different monster, someone who can see inside my head, someone that knows everything. Here's to hoping she doesn't tell my little secret.

Ty: I don't know how Never feels about telling her story, but I know how I feel about telling mine. I'm not ready, not yet. I know a lot of you have been wondering about me … my past … all the horrible things I've lived through, all the horrible things I've done, but I just can't f*cking face it. Not now, not yet.

5. If your book was made into a TV series or Movie, what actors would you like to see playing your characters? Please Send me pics lol!!!

OMG! I'm so terrible with this kind of stuff! Okay, let me give it a shot. I'm not big into Hollywood stuff, so I don't know actors/actresses, but there is a picture of a girl I saw for sale that looks just like Never, minus the red and black hair. As for Ty, wow, it's hard for me to put a picture of a real person to that name because the image in my head is so clear, nothing seems to match up! If anyone has any ideas though, I would love to see 'em, and if I find one that connects with me, I'll send you a small prize. ;)

6. List 3 books you just recently read and would recommend to readers?

1. “Scar Night” by Alan Campbell

This book is bizarre. I'm not going to lie. It took me quite a while to get into it and still, sometimes I struggled to understand exactly what was going on, but there were some epic scenes in there that took my breath away. It was unlike any fantasy novel I had ever read. This dude is not afraid to take chances and shake things up. I just bought book two, so we'll see how that goes!

2. “The Changelings” by Elle Casey

I'm a big Elle Casey fan, and have read pretty much all her books, so it's not surprise that I had to reread this one! I'm not going to give anything away, but she is wicked awesome. I actually think our writing styles are pretty similar, so that could be part of the reason her books to call to me, but pick one up and give it a shot, if you like one, you'll want them all.

3. “Putting Makeup on Dead People” by Jen Violi

I have been super busy and haven't had the chance to do a whole lot of reading, but I did get this book from Barnes and Noble the other day and finished it in two sittings. There are some issues I have with the book, but overall it's a nice, quick read that touches on topics of death and loss. It doesn't go too deep, but it does nudge you to do some thinking which is great.

7.What is Your Favorite Wine?

Truth be told, I am not a wine person! LOL! I can't tell the difference between a “good” wine and a “bad” one – that all taste the same. That's not to say that I won't drink wine or don't enjoy a glass, I'm just saying that I'm not going to be invited to Napa Valley anytime soon! Personally, (and if you know me at all, you know what's coming) I like Jager. Yes, Jager, that nasty stuff that tastes like black licorice, but is so relaxing that it should be illegal. ;)

8. Is there an Author that you would really like to meet in person?

I would love to go to a convention and meet up with all the Indie authors I've read/met recently. They are so inspiring and hard working and generous. I'd be hard pressed to name them all because there are so many, but I have to say that my list includes: Jillian Dodd, Adam Gaffen, Elle Casey, Sara King, Karen Amanda Hooper, Jessica Sorensen, and Amanda Heath. (If your name isn't here, it doesn't mean you're not awesome...I just have too many to list but love y'all!)

9. What authors have inspired your work?

This might sound kind of cheesy, but every author I read inspires me in some way. Truth be told, I am definitely an urban fantasy lover so my big thanks have to go to Laurell K. Hamilton for her Anita Blake series. The first dozen books are burned into my brain, and I can't seem to find anything that matches up to them! Anyone that puts heart and soul into their work, those are the folks I really look up to.

10. Ebook, Paperback or Hardcover?

Paperback! Hands down! There is no question, and there's no reasoning with me. =) Truly though, I am grateful to eBooks for all the opportunities they've opened up for me. Without them, I don't believe this whole Indie revolution would be happening, but I just hate the formatting. When I see my paperbacks, I want to cry because they're so beautiful, but it's so hard to translate that to eBook format. Oftentimes, I lose fonts/graphics that made the paperback look so magical. Also, you can't sniff eBooks and any good book lover worth their salt knows that all new books must be smelled. ;)

11.Are you currently working on any upcoming projects?

Heck yes! The second book to Tasting Never, Finding Never, is coming out on February 2nd, 2013 which is just over a week away! After that, I have two quickie Valentine's shorts, and then a very special secret project New Adult novel. This year, I am going to be one busy chick. If you read a lot, come find me because I am going to try to keep you in a minimum of three new books a month! I have a backlist of projects on my computer that need to see the light of day and I'm also a write-a-holic. ;)

12.Have we heard the last of TY and Never?

No! Absolutely not! Book two comes out on February 2nd, and then book three on March 2nd of 2013. After that, I may write Noah Scott's story (if you've read the book, you'll know who this is!) and possibly a book or two from one of Never's sisters POVs. So stay tuned!

Thanks For Chatting Mrs. Stunich!!

CHEERS,
Dr. Books

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Erin's Mini Review Corner : Meet ERIN

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Hi my name is Erin Ashcraft. I have 2 kids, daughter that is 15 ( going on 30) Kelli and a son that is 12 Austin. When I'm not busy working or doing my motherly/ wife duties I love to read!!!!! ( that is my guilty pleasure) . My crazy, awesome, hyper friend Melannie White decided that since I loved to read as much as her( also I love her blog she's doing ) that I should write a mini reviews! So hope you enjoy!

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ERIN'S Mini Book Review: Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stacey

Amazon Book Description:

When Keri Daniels's boss finds out she has previous carnal knowledge of reclusive bestselling author Joe Kowalski, she gives Keri a choice: get an interview or get a new job.

Joe's never forgotten the first girl to break his heart, so he's intrigued to hear Keri's back in town—and looking for him. He proposes an outrageous plan—for every day she survives with his family on their annual camping trip, Keri can ask one question.

The chemistry between Joe and Keri is as potent as the bug spray, but Joe's sister is out to avenge his broken heart, and Keri hasn't ridden an ATV since she was ten. Who knew a little blackmail, a whole lot of family and some sizzling romantic interludes could make Keri reconsider the old dream of Keri & Joe 2gether 4ever?

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

Book Review

This books gets 5 gold stars from me! This is the first book I read of hers and lets just say after reading this one I have downloaded three more!

This book was REAL! It talked about what happens in everyday life, which HEY everyone can relate to....BUT it showed you what can happen when two high-school sweethearts(Keri and Joe) that were meant to be,fell apart! Of course they get pushed back together and try to at least just be around each other....As this story unfolds we see Joe/Keri not only try to tolerate being around each other BUT also try to rekindle that old high school flame. This book really had me thinking sometimes what the crap is Keri thinking BUT.......

Rating: 5 Stars

http://www.amazon.com/Exclusively-Yours-The-Kowalskis-ebook/dp/B006IIWY0M/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1359237326&sr=1-1&keywords=exclusively+yours

http://shannonstacey.com/books/exclusivelyyours/

http://www.facebook.com/shannonstacey.authorpage

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ONE on ONE with Kaitlyn Davis (Midnight Fire Series)

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

ONE on ONE with Kaitlyn Davis author of the Midnight Fire Series

1. Where Were you born and where do you call home?

I was born in Westchester, New York and now I live in The Big Apple! But my heart will always belong to South Carolina where I spent every summer growing up!

2. Tell us about something that has just/recently happened in your life that you would like to share?

I bought a couch! It's the first piece of non-TARGET furniture I've ever owned! I finally feel like my career is taking off and I allowed myself one splurge—and what better splurge than a comfortable sofa to sit and write on. The old lumpy piece of junk I'm chilling on now is going curbside :)

3. If you had to sum up The Midnight Fire series in 30 or less words, what would you say?
Heart-pumping action. Heart-stopping romance. Characters you will fall in love with and scenes that will keep you reading until dawn. What else could you want in a series?

4. If you gave Kira, Tristan and Luke an opportunity to speak for themselves, what would they say?
Hm, that's a tough one because they're all so opinionated! It would definitely depend on the topic. Here are some love angles, my favorite:

Tristan on Kira: Love of my life but always just a little out of reach.
Luke on Kira: Pain in the ass… but hopefully my pain in the ass.

More than anything, I hope they would say that I'm doing their story justice!

5. If your book was made into a TV series or Movie, what actors would you like to see playing your characters? Please Send me pics lol!!!
I'm so bad at this… so I'm cheating and deferring to my fans! I ran a giveaway about this on my blog a little while ago, and these were some of the top choices:

Kira – Emma Watson, Hayden Panetierre, Emma Stone
Tristan – Ian Somerhalder, Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson
Luke – Alex Pettyfer, Lucas Till, Robert Hoffman

Here's a link to the post if you want to see photos! http://kaitlyndavisbooks.blogspot.com/2012/09/blaze-giveaway-winners.html

6. List 3 books you just recently read and would recommend to readers?
Easy by Tammara Webber – Fantastic contemporary romance that seamlessly weaves together hard struggles and swoon-worthy romance.

The Fault in our Stars by John Green – An amazing story about a girl with terminal cancer who still finds it within herself to fall hopelessly in love.

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick – Ridiculously unputdownable romance! I fell in love with Jase, the male lead.

(Clearly I've been on a bit of a contemporary romance kick! The only magical world I've wanted to think about while writing Scorch is the one I created!)

7. What is Your Favorite Wine?

Anything white and mildly fruity! Recently, I've been enjoying an inexpensive but crazy-tasty chardonnay from the Chateau San Michele Winery.

8. Is there an Author that you would really like to meet in person?
In a dream world, I would DIE to meet J.K. Rowling. I am a total Harry Potter nut—I've reread the entire series more times than I can count and I gobble down any extras I can find! And with The Casual Vacancy out, I would especially love to ask her how she was able to move on from Harry and bring new characters to life.

9. What authors have inspired your work?

So so many! Everything I read inspires me in some way, good or bad, helping me decide what sort of books, characters and plots I love the best. Some of my favorite authors include J.K. Rowling, Tamora Pierce, Cassandra Clare, Robert Fiest, and Lynne Ewing.

10. Ebook, Paperback or Hardcover?

Paperback! I love reading paperbacks on the beach during the summertime. But recently I've been reading eBooks almost exclusively because there are so many great self-published authors I want to try out. Self-publishing opened me up to this whole other book-world and I've found some great reads that way. Helps save some travel space and money too :)

11. Are you currently working on any upcoming projects?

Right now, I'm just concentrating on Scorch! I don't want anything to distract me from writing the perfect ending my Midnight Fire Series deserves! But, like all authors I'm sure, there are some new ideas percolating in the back of my mind, just waiting to be typed.

Come May, I'll have some more information for all of my readers!

12.What can readers expect from Scorch?

A mind-blowing, completely unpredictable, but hopefully satisfying end to my series! I'm sure everyone will love it. And hopefully my Team Tristan AND Team Luke fans will be happy with how the love triangle turns out! If not…I'm a little nervous about getting some hate mail :)

Thanks so much for this fun interview! I hope you enjoyed getting to know me better! It's been wonderful working with you!

Thanks for stopping by Mrs. Davis!!!

CHEERS,
Dr. Books

https://www.facebook.com/KaitlynDavisBooks

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Girlchild by Tupelo Hassman BOOK REVIEW

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Girlchild by Tupelo Hassman

Amazon Description:

Rory Hendrix is the least likely of Girl Scouts. She hasn’t got a troop or even a badge to call her own. But she’s checked the Handbook out from the elementary school library so many times that her name fills all the lines on the card, and she pores over its surreal advice (Uniforms, disposing of outgrown; The Right Use of Your Body; Finding Your Way When Lost) for tips to get off the Calle: that is, the Calle de las Flores, the Reno trailer park where she lives with her mother, Jo, the sweet-faced, hard-luck bartender at the Truck Stop.

Rory’s been told that she is one of the “third-generation bastards surely on the road to whoredom.” But she’s determined to prove the county and her own family wrong. Brash, sassy, vulnerable, wise, and terrified, she struggles with her mother’s habit of trusting the wrong men, and the mixed blessing of being too smart for her own good. From diary entries, social workers’ reports, half-recalled memories, arrest records, family lore, Supreme Court opinions, and her grandmother’s letters, Rory crafts a devastating collage that shows us her world even as she searches for the way out of it.

Tupelo Hassman’s Girlchild is a heart-stopping and original debut.

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Book Review:
I actually got this book recommendation from one of my favorite blogs BOOKS ON THE NIGHTSTAND. As so many of there recommendations are AWESOME, this one was right up there with the rest of them. If I had to think of one word to describe this Debut novel it would be UNIQUE. Not going to lie the writing style kind of threw me for a loop in the beginning.......BUT as the book continued with its insane circles/riddles, I fiurged out that's what kept me drawn in to keep reading.

This story is the tale of Rory Dawn Hendrix a young girl raised in a trailer park (the Calle) who society has deemed White Trash. Rory tells us her story from a small child to about 15 years old and GEEZ what a story. The way this book reads was almost like a diary/snippets into her life (Which was very fustrating at times!!). In the beginning I thought ok I've heard/read this type of story before etc.....BUT trust me not the way Mrs. Hassman tells it (unique).

As we follow Rory's life in this book, we see she comes from a family of "feebleminded" women (Remember this word!!!) or at least that's what the state/world has deemed them.

“In the recent past, however, feebleminded was considered scientific and used to describe the congenital deficit of stupidity." ---Rory

The women in her family are typically knocked up at fifteen, toothless ( yup you heard me right), and high school drop outs. Rory's different, the women in her family see it, neighbors, teachers etc. ( Her IQ is through the roof). Despite her circumstances, we see Rory struggle in the book for self identity. Can she be more than what the world has deemed her a "febbleminded" Hendrix woman? My mom (a teacher) once told me if a person calls a child for example stupid enough, how long will it take before that child believes it? My heart seriously hurt for Rory in this book.

Through the struggles of growing up in the Calle, Rory has her handbook of life along for the ride (Non other then the GIRLSCOUT HANDBOOK). I'm just going to stop here and say I was a girlscout when I was younger and how this child applied her situations in life in relation to the handbook is mind boggling (
Again good job Mrs. Hassman).

“I hold on to my Handbook because nothing else makes promises like that around here, promises with these words burning inside them: honor, duty, and try”--- Rory

The big situations in this book that stood out to me where RAPE and NEGLECT (trust me there were plenty more). There were so many times in this book I just wanted to ring her mothers neck. However, as I kept reading I had to ask myself if the mother was raised the same way (Experiencing some of the SAME SITUATIONS Rory went through) when will this vicious cycle stop ( Me frustrated and shaking my head).

The highlight of this book came for me in the form of a history lesson! One of supporting characters in this book was Rory's best friend Vivian Buck. Viv was just like Rory in so many ways. Viv moved away from the Calle and later in life Rory finds out she died not soon after. Rory always knew she would see Viv again(Her mother's words of wisdom) and she does in the form of a class project based on the AMENDMENTS.I don't want to give to much away but lets just say combine "feeble minded with Supreme Court decision BUCK vs BELL (Seriously mind boggling!!!)Watching Rory fight for all the third generation "febbleminded" young women through her class paper had me screaming you Go Girl!

As this book plays out we see Rory struggle to figure out her place in this world. Does she belong to the Hendrix class of women the state/world had classified as "febbleminded" or is she the one to exceed expectations/prove everyone wrong? As the book ended I was reminded of something Rory's grandmother said:

“These stones are like the women in our family, some disconnected, some lost, but each part of a greater chain and each beautiful in its own way. There were once many strands, but here are all that remain. It will be up to you to keep them together”--- Rory's Grandma

This book was a difficult read for me. Difficult in the sense of how the story was told, UNIQUE. At certain points in this book I felt like circles were being run around the topics at hand. With that being said, I also feel that because of the uniqueness Mrs. Hassman used to tell this story that's what made it memorable.

Good job Mrs. Hassman!

CHEERS,
Dr. Books

Book rating: A/4.5 stars

http://tupelohassman.com/
http://www.facebook.com/Tupelo.Hassman
http://www.facebook.com/BooksOnTheNightstand

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SIMMER (midnight fire series book #2) by Kaitlyn Davis BOOK REVIEW

Saturday, January 19, 2013

AMAZON Book Description

"Slowly, like a whisper almost blown away in the wind, two words streaked across her mind: 'Kiss me.'"

Kira may have survived the eclipse, but her troubles are far from over. She's headed to Sonnyville with one goal in mind: to learn more about her parents. But with Luke and Tristan competing for her heart and Diana gunning for her head, time is running out on the search for her mother. And the closer Kira gets to answers, the more terrified she becomes. The conduits fear her, the vampires fear her, and Kira is starting to wonder if maybe they're right...

Simmer is the second book in the thrilling Midnight Fire Series. It is approximately 65,000 words.

Book Review

IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IGNITE (Book #1) STOP READING NOW!!!

Well as we now know book #1 ended with Kira waking up from a Coma after saving Luke’s life (yup SACRIFICE…..thank goodness for the epilogue…geez) and Diana telling her that her MOTHER IS ALIVE. This book starts out with us seeing Kira packing to go to Sonnyville. Sonnyville is Luke’s home town of Protectors; the council has finally decided that its time for Kira’s training to move forward. Well Kira gets a surprise in Sonnyville; her grandparents are amongst the towns people (her mother’s parents and her grandfather is actually on the COUNCIL itself).

Some things definitely stand out in this book, one of them is the changes in LUKE and Kira’s relationship. Since she saved his life she senses him now and can even hear his thoughts without him speaking……yup its gets even weirder because LUKE wants to be more then friends (FIST PUMPS in the AIR….you guys know how much I love a good LOVE TRIANGLE). As this story continues we see Kira struggle to process all the new emotions she begins to feel.

Well you might ask were Tristan is when all this is happening….He’s still being the hot bad boy vampire but just IN LOVE NOW (sigh). He is own a mission to find DIANA and help located Kira’s mom. I’m just going to say this man has some serious PATIENCE he’s very aware something is different between Luke and Kira. He never pushes her, he waits in hope she will come clean with him. OH but LUKE has made it clear to him may the best MAN win (nope not giving it away).

The secondary characters in this book made this story flow so well. These characters gave us sneak peaks into some important information from the past. Let’s just say Kira’s mom is REALLY STILL ALIVE and the person that has her ROCKS Kira/Tristan’s world (nope not giving it away).

In this book Kira showed more maturity, strength and if you can believe it more self sacrifice then the last. I liked this book better than book 1 (ignite). The book flowed well from the beginning and didn't slow down. Again Good JOB MRS. DAVIS!

Off to read book #3 Blaze

Rating: A-/4.5 stars

Cheers,

Dr. Books

http://www.amazon.com/Simmer-Midnight-Fire-Series-ebook/dp/B007R82KLK/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1358644366&sr=1-1&keywords=simmer

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Heaven and Hell by Kristen Ashley BOOK REVIEW

Thursday, January 17, 2013

AMAZON Book Description:

After making a bad decision when she was very young, Kia Clementine finds herself in hell. Then, suddenly, within the time it takes for a shotgun to blast, her hell changes. Completely. Then out-of-the-blue she sees Sampson Cooper, her celebrity crush. A man the whole world knows is decent. A man the world knows is loyal. A man the world knows is good. All of these very unlike her now dead husband.

He’s sitting at a table right next to hers. And she catches his eye.

Terrified of the interest Sam shows in her, Kia finds the courage to go out with him. Not long after, she shares her dark secrets and Sam shares that he’ll stop at nothing to gain her trust.

As Sam leads Kia to heaven, Kia realizes that Sam is living his own hell. But although he gives her beauty and she gives him everything, he withholds his trust.

Even with all the beauty Sam shows her, Kia wants it all. But Sam forces Kia to make a heartbreaking decision and only she can decide. It’s all or nothing.

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

Book Review:

This book was AMAZING. Kristen Ashley is one of my FAVORITE authors and as always she didn't disappoint this time. This book touched on a little of everything. We see mental/physical abuse,trust issues, NEW BEGINNINGS, and of course LOVE.

Kia married her high school sweetheart. Instead of a life full of wonderful memories with her husband (Cooter, yes that's really his name) she was living a nightmare, that leaves her a BROKEN woman. Until one day the police arrives on her door step to inform her that Cooter has been murdered.....AND not just murdered by anyone but by the husband of her arch nemesis from high school (yes Cooter was sleeping with the enemy). Well finally free of his fists and steel toe boots she gets another SHOCK from a life insurance company. She is now millions of dollars richer, her loser husband took out a life insurance policy on himself (OR so she thought, nope not giving it away). With her world spinning out of control Kia gets away by traveling to ITALY for her dream vacation. Little does she know that over breakfast, she will set eyes on the man of her dreams, SAMPSON COOPER!

Sam Cooper is the the hot ex colts quarterback and military bad boy! After an unexpected sharing of a table at breakfast, let the FIREWORKS begin. As this book progresses we see Kia and SAM's relationship go from great moments to down right heart breaking ones! Though Kia has a lot of baggage, Sam also has his own demons that add to the strain on their relationship.

As if there personal lives and trust issues etc aren't enough to deal with, they find out that Kia's dead husband/dead husband's lover put a hit out on her life. OH NO it gets better....AND the hit man is still looking to finish the job (yes Cooter is still screwing with her from the grave).

This action packed romance kept me on the edge of my seat. One of the great things I loved about this story was the supporting cast. Luci is the widow of Sam's best friend. Through Lucy this book touches on the topics GRIEF, true friendship and unexpected love.

I LOVED everything about this book! Don't get me wrong the chemistry between Sam and Kia was off the charts but it didn't overshadowed the deeper story Mrs. Ashley was trying to tell. We see two people literally living in hell due to the circumstances life has thrown there way..... BUT they do find a piece of Heaven with each other!

"Everywhere I've been since he's been gone, I thought was heaven."--Kia

"Anywhere is heaven as long as it's anywhere with you."--Kia

"Heaven is you too,baby."--Sam

Please read this book you want regret it! Great job Mrs. Ashley!

Rating: A/5 stars

Cheers,
Dr. Books

http://www.amazon.com/Heaven-and-Hell-ebook/dp/B006R6JVH4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358469464&sr=8-1&keywords=heaven+and+hell

http://www.kristenashley.net/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kristen-Ashley/83283039199

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ONE on ONE with Author Suzanne Wright: Wicked Cravings (The Phoenix Pack Series #2)

ONE on ONE with Author Suzanne Wright:

Wicked Cravings (The Phoenix Pack Series #2)

1.Where Were you born and where do you call home?

I was born and raised in Liverpool, England where I still live with my husband and two children.

2. Tell us about something that has just/recently happened in your life that you would like to share?

So many things have been happening that still have me pinching myself: the books doing well, the publishing deal, the kind reviews. I’ve no idea why I’m getting so much good luck – I’ve got so much karma to burn off it isn’t even funny.

3. If you had to sum up Wicked Cravings in 30 or less words, what would you say?

I am so bad at this. Pitching a 125,000 word in one line is hard for me. Um…Pack Beta Dante Garcea always kept a distance from rebellious Jaime Farrow, but then a secret forces them to confront the danger within their pack—and the cravings taunting them both. See, bad at it.

4. If you gave Dante and Jamie an opportunity to speak for themselves, what would they say?

Dante would probably complain that Jaime persists in being messy, and she would probably snort at him and suggest he stop being a neat freak – not sure whether that would be before or after she destroyed his shoe rack that she hates.

5. If your book was made into a TV series or Movie, what actors would you like to see playing your characters? Please Send me pics lol!!!

Wow, I’ve no idea. I already have pictures of these people in my head so it would be kind of hard to imagine someone else being them. I know who I’d love to play Greta, though – Trey’s antisocial and mostly evil grandmother. Comedian Catherine Tate often does a character, ‘Nan’, who is absolutely vile yet hilarious.

6. List 3 books you just recently read and would recommend to readers?

I haven’t read that many recently because I’ve been concentrating so hard on finishing my own. Um…Silver Tongue by Marie Harte, Tangle of Need by Nalini Singh, and (though I don’t think this was recently released but I recently read it) The Bunny and The Bear by Eve Langlais.

7. What is Your Favorite Wine?

I don’t actually drink alcohol – it doesn't get along very well with my epilepsy medication – but I’d imagine I’d be a big fan of any red wine.

8. Is there an Author that you would really like to meet in person?

Well, I know he doesn't really consider himself as a writer as such, and I know he’s known for way more stuff than writing, but I’d really like to meet Quentin Tarantino. I love his imagination. And I want it.

9. What authors have inspired your work?

All authors inspire me because there is so much more to writing than to actually come up with a story, and the process is hard and time-consuming, and anyone who sticks with it shows a dedication that I admire.

10. Ebook, Paperback or Hardcover?

That’s actually a hard one. I love ebooks – particularly since I wouldn't have room in my house for the amount of books that are on my Kindle – but I’ll always love paperbacks. That new book smell always makes me smile.

11.Are you currently working on any upcoming projects?

Yes, I’m just starting the third book of The Phoenix Pack series, which is Shaya and Nick’s story.

12.Have we heard the last of Dante and Jamie?

Definitely not. They’ll be in the background in most, if not every one, of the following books in the series.

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

Thank You Mrs. Wright for taking the time to Chat!

Please check out her blog for updates.

http://suzannewrightsblog.blogspot.com/

Also for those who haven't read Feral Sins.... READ IT you wont be disappointed!

http://www.amazon.com/FERAL-SINS-Phoenix-Pack-ebook/dp/B007GR28XC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358466718&sr=8-1&keywords=feral+sins

Wicked Cravings is set to release 4/16/13....You can pre-order now on amazon!!

http://www.amazon.com/Wicked-Cravings-Phoenix-Series-ebook/dp/B009XDDVMO/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1358466798&sr=1-1&keywords=wicked+cravings

CHEERS,

Dr. Books

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Wine Relaxation and MY Kindle

Archive for January 2013

Troubles and Treats by Tara Sivec BOOK REVIEW

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Erin's Mini Review Corner: Up In Flames by Nicole Williams book Review

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

January Book Club Read: TASTING NEVER by CM Stunich Book Review

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Daynight by Megan Thomason BOOK REVIEW

ONE on ONE with CM Stunich author of Tasting Never

Erin's Mini Review Corner : Meet ERIN

Saturday, January 26, 2013

ERIN'S Mini Book Review: Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stacey

ONE on ONE with Kaitlyn Davis (Midnight Fire Series)

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Girlchild by Tupelo Hassman BOOK REVIEW

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

SIMMER (midnight fire series book #2) by Kaitlyn Davis BOOK REVIEW

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Heaven and Hell by Kristen Ashley BOOK REVIEW

Thursday, January 17, 2013

ONE on ONE with Author Suzanne Wright: Wicked Cravings (The Phoenix Pack Series #2)

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