The Bride Wore Size 12, by Meg Cabot

Heather really wants the school year to go well for the college where she works.  She has about all the stress she can handle dealing with her upcoming wedding.  So, when a college student turns up dead before classes even start, her dreams of a peaceful year are shattered.  And as if this were not enough trouble, she is stuck dealing with a VIP student, misbehaving RAs, and her long lost mother sweeping back into town.  Just what every bride needs.

This is a book in a series, and sadly, I have not read any other books in the series.  In some ways, that matters, and in some ways, it does not.  I found Heather to be sufficiently developed as a character, as are the other supporting characters in the book; I did not feel like I missed out on any of that because I did not read the previous books in the series.  I think the characters and the story sufficiently stand alone.  

What I do think I missed out on is a deeper connection to Heather, particularly in regard to her self image.  A large portion of the series seems to be related to Heather's weight, hence the title, but it is barely mentioned in this particular book, so for me reading this as a stand alone book, the title makes very little sense.

The book is a fun story, and surprisingly lighthearted considering it deals with murder.  There is romance thrown in, and allusions to sex without actual sex scenes, so all in all it is pretty tame. It really was a pretty good chicklit flavored mystery.

I received a review copy courtesy of TLC Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.  See the rest of the tour here.

  

Girls No More, by Caryl Rivers

Life has certainly changed in the years since Peg, Constance, and Sean graduated from high school.  Sean completed seminary, and is now a priest.  Peg is a journalist who still secretly pines for Sean.  Constance is a wife and mother who is striking out on a journalistic career of her own.  This trio finds themselves mired in the politics of Vietnam era Washington D.C. where prejudices run high, politics is a man's game, and everyone has a dirty little secret or two.

This book is the sequel to a previous book I reviewed entitled Virgins.  I enjoyed both books immensely.  I particularly liked the historical setting of this book.  This country was in the midst of so much change, with the war, civil rights, the women's movement, and the sexual revolution.  The three main characters struggle with their identities as Catholics amidst this setting, and I think a lot of people who lived through this tumult can relate to the book.

I will say, the book is not for the faint of heart, and some conservative readers, especially conservative Catholics, may take a great deal of offense to some of the storylines.  But I think the storylines are realistic, and paint an honest picture of the struggles people have.  I was not bothered but the semi scandalous nature of the storyline.  The only thing I disliked was the subplot about a posh Jewish widow cavorting with a politician.  I guess I get what the intention was there, but I never found myself caring about her the way I did Peg, Constance, and Sean.

I received a review copy courtesy of TLC Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.  See the rest of the tour here.

  

All The Summer Girls, by Meg Donohue

Three best friends, Kate, Dani, and Vanessa, have left their carefree youth behind, but not forgotten.  Especially not the traumatic death of Kate's twin brother, Colin, the year before they all graduated from college.  Now, eight years later, all three women find their lives in a bit of turmoil.  Will a return to their summer haunt, and the scene of Colin's death, help them resolve their long standing issues?

This is one of those books that is probably going to appeal widely to mainstream readers.  It seems like it will be a huge hit for summer reading lists, and I bet many women will pore over it at the beach.  But I really really disliked it.  To me, it was a book about privileged, shallow women, with first world problems.  I could find nothing likable or redeemable about a single one of the three main characters.  They just seemed spoiled and selfish to me.  Basically, this book is what happens when the girls from Pretty Little Liars grow up, get married, and have careers.  And in young adult books, I can tolerate that shallowness, but not so much in contemporary adult literature.  Yet, as I said, many many readers adore this kind of book, so I understand I am in the minority here.

The heart of the story is not bad, and the writing is not bad for the most part.  There just was nothing remarkable about the book for me.  Chick lit is not my favorite genre to begin with, and when the book is pretty much standard fare, adding nothing new to the genre, my attention wanders.  Luckily the book is short, but even so, I felt like I was slogging through wet sand just to get to the end.  

Fans of chick lit will devour this book with glee.  But if you are looking for substance, you will probably find this wanting.

I received a review copy courtesy of TLC Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.  See the rest of the tour here.

  

The Cottage at Glass Beach, by Heather Barbieri

Nora's life is in crisis.  Her high profile politician husband has been cheating on her, and the scandal has rocked Nora's world.  She flees the public life in Boston, to the small island where she grew up.  Here she confronts the ghosts of her past, including the mysterious disappearance of her mother Maeve when Nora was just a child.

I absolutely loved this book, for a lot of different reasons.  First of, the writing and storytelling are so vivid, there were times when I thought I actually was at the beach.  Honestly, for anyone who has ever really connected with the ocean, this book will put you right back in that moment.  The writing is delicious, really it is, with such intimate descriptions of the scenes.  The author does an excellent job of setting the scene and creating the story world of Burke's Island.  I wanted to be there, on the beach.

I also really liked the plot.  A common complaint among other reviewers of the book is that the story lacked a satisfactory conclusion.  However, I see this as a strength of the book.  Divorce and loss of all kinds usually does lack a satisfactory conclusion, so for me, this made the book all the more believable.  I feel like Nora's story is still developing, she is still growing, so how could we possibly expect to know where she ends up?  She is still getting there.  I also like the mythological quality to the story, drawing on a lot of celtic lore.  The lack of certainty makes it feel all the more magical and mythological.  

I feel like this book is a perfect summer read.  I can imagine many a reader sitting on their own patch of beach following Nora's journey.  And for those of us who cannot make it to the beach this summer, this book is the next best thing.

I received a review copy courtesy of TLC Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.  See the rest of the tour here.

  

The Time of My Life, by Cecelia Ahern

Lucy is a bit of a mess.  She is hung up on her ex, driving a hunk of junk, living in a flat the size of a postage stamp, and in a mediocre job.  And she constantly lies to everyone, about everything.  So, when Lucy receives an invitation from the personification of her life, of course she tries to weasel out of it.  But, Lucy's Life must be dealt with, as she soon finds out.

This book was just a little too much for me.  The concept, that one's life is personified and perpetually audited or manipulated by that person was just a little too cutesy for me.  The writing style in the book (at nearly 500 pages) was a little too wordy for me.  Lucy as a character was a little too wacky for me.  The substories going on were a little too many for me.  In short, this book, for me, was just too much of nothing.

I did not like Lucy as a character; it is hard for me to like anyone who lies so much.  And though the story was set up for her to redeem herself, I never did find her redeemable.  For me, the thing that saved the book was the character of Lucy's Life.  While I disliked the concept of the personification of a life, the actual character is warm, and charming, and perhaps the most likable thing about the book.  All I could think, as I read it, was that if this book were ever made into a movie, I think David Tennant (of Doctor Who fame) would be the perfect selection for Lucy's Life.  He was who I pictured the entire time I read the book.  And that is what made finishing the book bearable.  And just a note, I would totally watch a movie version of this, particularly if David Tennant did play Lucy's Life.  I can see this being a very cute movie.

Fans of very light chick lit will probably like this book much more than I did.  I can see how it would be a light, funny read, but it just did not connect with me.

I received a review copy courtesy of TLC Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.  See the rest of the tour here.

 

All You Could Ask For, by Mike Greenberg

Katherine is a 40 year old Wall Street executive.  Brook is a wife and mother of twins.  Samantha is a female athlete who just married a politician.  None of these women seem all that similar.  Each has her own life, her own drama, and her own way of coping.  But eventually, these women realize they have something very important in common, something that will change their lives.

I have super mixed feelings about this book, because the first half of the book and the second half each had a very different effect on me.  I adored the first half.  We meet the women, we learn the gossip, we watch their fairy tale/soap opera stories unfold before us.  It is intimate, and genuine, and I honestly came to adore all three women.  I felt like each woman's story connected with me, and I could not WAIT to see where this was headed.

Then, I started the second part, and felt like I had been punched in the gut, and while I suspect that was the author's intention, I can tell you, I really disliked it.  By the end of the book, I had reconciled a bit with the way the rest of the story turned out for both Samantha and Katherine, but I really disliked the rest of Brook's story.  It felt like I was complicit in her lie, and I hated that.  

In general, I really enjoyed the writing of this book.  Had I gone into this book blindly, I would have never thought this book was written by a man, let alone a man who works at ESPN, the epitome of machismo.  I felt that the female characters were well written, and well developed early in the story.  I felt like they were also realistic; the characters had depth and dimension.  They reminded me of women I know personally.  So, I greatly admire the author's writing style, I just did not like the second half of the book as much as I did the first half.

I received a review copy courtesy of TLC Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.  See the rest of the tour here.

  

A Cupid Kind of Day, by L.A. Dale

Lily is so not into Valentine's Day this year.  Still nursing a broken heart from her last serious relationship, she would rather sit at home than be around mushy couples in love.  When her favorite pair of shoes lands her in front of a dreamy man, however, her prospects for the holiday begin to look up.

What an adorable little novella this is!  Most people have suffered through at least one Valentine's Day as a singleton, I know I have.  It can be depressing, and it does get a little obnoxious seeing your workmates with their flower deliveries and giant stuffed bears.  So, I really felt myself relating to Lily right from the start.  It is amazing how in so little time, the author is able to fully develop Lily as a character, including her backstory, and endear her to the readers.

The story is full of good old fashioned Hollywood style romance.  The plot of the story is as sweet as a box of chocolate and not nearly so hard on the hips.  I found myself really enchanted by both the story and the characters, despite the short length of the story; the writing is that engaging.  And the ending is simply adorable.

Now that I am married, romantic stories like this appeal to me so much more.  However, this story is perfect for people who find themselves single on Valentine's Day, because it gives them a shot of hope.  Well done.

I received a review copy of this book courtesy of the author in exchange for my honest review.

The Chocolate Money, by Ashley Prentice Norton

Bettina is the daughter of chocolate heiress Babs Ballentyne.  Life with Babs is unconventional, to say the least.  She is overtly sexual, and has sexually explicit conversations with her preteen daughter.  She pushes the lines of decorum and good taste.  She uses men as toys in the game of life.  So why, then, is Babs so shocked when, as a teenager, Bettina ends up doing the same exact thing?

I have read a lot of stories involving dysfunctional mother-daughter relationships, but this one took the cake.I have very mixed feelings about this book.  On the one hand, the story is certainly compelling, but on the other hand, a lot about this book truly disgusted me.  The sexual nature of this book is one of pure shock value, and really weakened the book overall.  While the sex itself was somewhat central to the story, the gross language describing it was unnecessary, particularly in the beginning of the book being narrated by 10-11 year old Bettina.  Hearing sexually explicit things (including the see you next Tuesday word) coming out of the mouth of a preteen in relation to her mother is gross and disturbing.  And frankly, I find that aspect of the story to be child abuse and reason enough for Babs to have lost custody of Bettina.  But I digress.

I actually liked the plotline surrounding Babs' affair and its effect on Bettina.  There were some twists thrown in that I was not expecting, and I think that is what kept me going with this book.  The part of the book where Bettina is a teenger was a bit tamer.

I was drawn to the Mommy Dearest comparison regarding this book.  This book does not measure up to Mommy Dearest.  Joan Crawford would have never acted as trashy as Babs Ballentyne.  Some people may really love this book and its salacious nature, but it really was not for me.

This book is from my personal library; all opinions are honest and original.

Kiss the Morning Star, by Elissa Janine Hoole

Still dealing with her mother's tragic death, Anna sets off on a road trip with her best friend, Kat.  The girls follow their wanderlust, under the guidance of a book by Jack Kerouac, searching for life and proof of God's love.  Along the way, Anna confronts her fears, her emotions, her relationship with her father, and her entire concept of love.

This is your typical road trip story, only involving teen girls.  I am not sure many parents would allow their teenagers to take a road trip like this, but given that Anna's father is mired in mourning, I am willing to suspend disbelief on that detail.  In general, I found the characters of Anna and Kat to be a little flat and boring.  I never really felt like we learned much about them, nor do I feel like their characters were really pushed to confront themselves, or each other.  The questions and situations the girls encounter are pretty standard; religion, sexuality, drug use, love. And I felt in terms of those issues, this book really did not bring anything new to the table.

One thing I did actually like about this story was the exploration of love, romance, and sexuality in a way that was not limited to gender or conventional labels.  In a world where we are so quick to pigeonhole someone as gay, straight, or bisexual, it was refreshing to see a young adult book that indicates those labels do not matter quite so much, and love matters so much more.

I think a lot of young adults will like this book, and it will certainly appeal to readers with wanderlust of their own.  If you like road trip stories, this is a great book for you, I personally just found it a little boring.

I received a review copy courtesy of the Amazon Vine program, in exchange for my honest review.

The 90 Day Rule, by Diane Nelson

Jess never expected her life to be undergoing such major changes at her age.  After many years playing the dutiful and supportive wife, she finds herself on her own upon the discovery of her husband's infidelity.  She takes up residence with her daughter, who is away at college.  Immediately Jess is tossed into the world of university life, graduate school, basketball, and, surprisingly, love.

I am always tickled to see strong female characters representing women not typically featured in literature, so I really love the character of Jess.  She is so... normal.  Middle aged, not insect thin, and starting over in life, Jess looks like more women than most of the barbie doll characters served up in chick lit or romance books. I think Jess, as a character, gives hope to women who are in similar life situations; women do not need to put up with bad relationships, nor do they need to act like life is over, even when a twenty some year marriage may be.

I like the story a lot.  It is light, and fast paced, so it is pretty easy to get sucked into the story.  I sat down to start it, and before I knew it I was 70 pages in.  It is a completely unique kind of romance story, one that looks more like real life than most others I have read.  It is sexy without being smutty, something I always appreciate.  And I love that a middle aged woman, with an adult child, can still be portrayed as being sexy.  

I think the book will appeal to fans of chick lit, and romance readers with open minds.  The characters may not be a tiny blond with a heaving bosom and a man with long flowing locks, but they still heat up the page.

This book is from my personal library, all opinions are honest and original.

Vanity Fare, by Megan Caldwell

Molly is in a precarious situation.  She is separated from her husband Hugh, who recently lost his job, and has no mean to support their son, Aiden.  Luckily, Molly is hired to do some freelance copy-writing for a soon to be opened bakery.  Between playing Power Rangers, dealing with some extreme narcissists  scrounging up money to pay for therapy, and trying to rescue her mother from her own financial dire straits, Molly discovers much about herself, including a love for forbidden tasty morsels of various kinds.

This is, quite possible, one of if not the best piece of chick lit I have ever read.  In general, chick lit tends to be hit or miss for me, and often seems trite and dumbed down.  Not this book; there are son many references and parallels to major literary works that it was like a treasure hunt.  I loved all the puns on the titles of classic works, as well as the Byronic hero in the form of the character Nick.  

The characters in this story really pop.  I love Molly and all her neuroses.  She does not fit the mold, in so many ways, and that is what makes her so adorable.  She shows her vulnerability, and becomes all the stronger for doing so.  Similarly, the character of Nick is easy to adore.  I loved his character being revealed in layers.  Even the supporting characters are quite vivid, without being a distraction.

I just found there was so much to love about this book.  Discussion of delicious sweets?  Check.  Discussion of classic literary works?  Check.  A lovable if bumbling female protagonist you cannot help but root for, the perfect amount of romance and steam, and a healthy dose of snark?  Check, check, and check.  Add to this the bonus of several amazing recipes at the end of the text!  This is a great read for lovers of classics looking for something lighter to break the monotony, as well as tried and true chick lit lovers.  This delicacy is best served with a nice hot cup of coffee.  

I received a review copy courtesy of TLC Book Tours in exchange for my honest review.  See the rest of the tour here.

 

As I Wake, by Sarah DiCello

Danielle has been in a terrible accident, but what is more upsetting to her is that her travel to her past life in Cape May seems to be over.  Dani knows without a doubt that her past life as Caroline is no longer a part of her life, and mourns this.  But before she knows it, she begins traveling to yet another past life, this time as Elizabeth in 1920's New Orleans.  Once again, people from her life as Dani show up in her life as Elizabeth.  As Dani tries to learn more about her special ability to travel this way, she learns family secrets and the key to her future.

In this second book in this series, we learn significantly more about Dani as a character.  When I reviewed the first book, I mentioned I liked the past life portions of the book better than the present.  But in this sequel, I must say, I just really liked the entire story.  I felt that the balance between past and present was perfect.  The past portions of the story moved at a faster pace, which makes sense, since most readers will already be familiar with the fact that Dani time travels in her dreams.  I really liked seeing the deeper link between Dani's past lives and her present.  It made Dani's character really come alive for me, and made me really care about her so much more.

I found the story to be a complex, and richly written.  Dani is mourning the ending of one past life, trying to sort out another past life, and dealing with the reality of her present life.  It is a lot to take in.  When one character takes on multiple identities and names, it can get confusing for readers sometimes.  Yet in this book, we have multiple characters taking one multiple identities and names, and never once was I confused.  Past and present run parallel.  

I love that this book is highly romantic, with a decent amount of steaminess, without being to overly sexual.  Fans of romantic fiction will enjoy the book, and it is appropriate for both teen readers and adult readers.  I great book to read over your holiday break!

I received a review copy of the book courtesy of the author in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Coming of Age...AGAIN, by Carol Mizrahi

Sometimes, friendships last a lifetime.  This is certainly the case for Sylvia, Barbara, Irene, and Rochelle.  They met as girls, and their friendships have continued through all the various stages of life.  Now in their " early sixties, the women anticipate their "coming of age" moments and major life transitions are over.  They could not be more wrong.  Luckily, they always have each other for support during major life moments.

This book was so much fun to read, I read it straight through, snickering and giggling all the while.  I really loved how the author set the stage during the prologue, introducing the four main characters, and discussing how the friendships developed over their lifetime.  In just a few paragraphs, these characters were well developed, their personalities fleshed out in a way that helps ups prepare for each woman's story to come.

The characters are all Jewish women, and there seems to be a lot of Jewish wisdom and humor injected into this book.  While I am not Jewish, my brother is, and I really appreciated this aspect of the book.  I imagine my brother would be howling with laughter if he read this book.  There is so much heart in this story, I would love to have these women as friends.

I think there are some important life lessons in these women's stories.  My favorite is Rochelle, and they symbolism of the butterfly in her story.  Fans of chick lit will love this story, as will fans of humorous stories of everyday life.  This book was the perfect way to spend my Sunday morning.

I received a review copy courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review.

What Happens on Sunday, by Laurie Koozer

Pittsburgh is a great many things.  But above all, Pittsburgh is the home of the Steelers, and during football season, life itself seems to revolve around the games.  Steeler football touches all aspects of life, as we see through the tales of several woman.  Their ages and positions in life all vary, but the one thing the have in common, for better or worse, is that their lives are impacted by Steeler football.  Set against the backdrop of the 2005 NFL season, we watch all of these women taking their own journeys, as the Steelers try to journey to the Superbowl.

I am going to say, up front, that this book will be best appreciated by someone familiar with Pittsburgh.  The city, with all her nuances and quirks, is as much a character in this book as the women whose stories we follow.  The book is chock full of Pittsburgh references that would leave an outsider's mind spinning.  But for me, someone who became a Pittsburgher, not by birth but by choice, and spent the 2005 football season living in my first Pittsburgh apartment, this book was simply fantastic, and brought back a lot of memories of that season.  

The female characters are solidly developed.  One of my favorite subtleties of this book is the way all 6 of the main female characters spill over into each others stories, in tiny little ways.  That is exactly how life in Pittsburgh is; it is a big city with a small town feel, everyone seems connected.  I thought that to be clever, and really skillfully woven into the stories without seeming artificial or contrived.

Each woman has her own story to tell, whether she is a newlywed, a divorcee, a high school student.  Each woman deals with her own issues.  The book as a whole seems to deal with the way women interact, with each other, with men, and with a city so obsessed with football.  The book paints a pretty accurate picture, in a tongue in cheek way, of the mania of Steeler fans.  On the surface, the characters (and the city herself) may seem a little silly, being so focused on football, but once you spend some time with them both, you will see that the people are full of heart.

I think this book is the perfect book for any Steeler fan, particularly females.

I received a review copy courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review. 

 

Second Chance Grill, by Christine Nolfi

After the death of her best friend, Mary needs to take a break from her medical practice.  She finds herself in Liberty, Ohio, having inherited her aunt's restaurant.  Mary decides to reopen the restaurant, and takes on the task of running it, temporarily, until she is able to return to medicine.  But, something unexpected happens when Mary befriends a young girl named Blossom, and Blossom's father Anthony.  Suddenly, nothing is going as planned, for everyone involved.

I was so excited to learn a second book was being released in this series set in a small Ohio town.  Having grown up in a small Ohio town, the setting is one that speaks to me quite deeply.  The characters are so vivid, and reminiscent of the people I knew growing up.  I really liked Mary's character, I found her genuine and robustly developed.  And the interactions between Mary, Blossom, and Anthony are really quite touching.

I liked that this story has the aspects of romance, and passion, but were still moderately tame and in good taste.  I also liked that the romance was merely one aspect of the story.  There are several subplots which are rich stories in their own right, while still contributing well to the overall story of the novel.  The book was an engaging read, prompting me to read it cover to cover in one sitting.  I think that this book will appeal to fans of small town stories, as well as romances and dramatic novels.  All in all, an excellent read.

I received a review copy courtesy of the author in exchange for an honest review.

Virgins, by Caryl Rivers

Growing up Catholic girl can be a little trying, as Peggy is able to prove.  Not only does she have to worry about the trials of her all girls high school, but her main squeeze is someone who plans to be a priest.  How will she ever lose her virginity this way?  Add to this a sudden loss, a change in her closest friendships, and the upcoming high school graduation, and you will see that coming of age, while uproariously hilarious, can also be a bit painful.

I really enjoyed this book, and found myself able to relate to parts of it.  While I grew up Catholic, I never attended Catholic school, and I came of age after Vatican II, but at the heart of things, all Catholic girls, to some extent, were a little like Peggy.  I think that is why I related to her character so well.  I dated a few boys who considered the priesthood, and trust me, it is pretty trying.

While the story is set in an unfamiliar era, so much of the things at the heart of the story are quite familiar.  The main focus of the story is Peggy's ability or inability to resolve the changing relationships in her life, with her family, friends, and boyfriend.  She is stuck in an awkward place between little girl and grown woman, and throughout the story we watch her slowly cross the divide.  

While there is a lot of discussion of sexuality in the book, I did not find it smutty, nor did I think it inappropriate for older teen readers.  While some teens may find the story a little hard to relate to, due to the timeframe of the setting, I still think many would enjoy this book.

I received a review copy of this book courtesy of TLC Book Tours in exchange for my honest opinion.  You can view the rest of the tour here.

 

On the Island, by Tracey Garvis Graves

Anna plans to spend her summer tutoring a teenage boy named T.J., to help him catch up to his peers after battling cancer.  The family, and in turn Anna, will be spending the summer in the Maldives.  As Anna and T.J. travel to their destination, tragedy strikes, and they crash, and end up stranded on an uninhabited island.  After a few days, it becomes clear that no rescue is going to happen, at least not anytime soon, so Anna and T.J. are forced to survive in the only ways they know how.

I went into this book skeptical.  The back cover makes it pretty obvious that a romance is going to develop between Anna and T.J., yet when we first meet him he is around 16, and she is 30.  This seems so unlikely, despite all the reports of student teacher relationships in the past few years.  I was convinced that this storyline would seem unbelievable, and in some ways, it still is, but somehow, it sort of works.  And I so not know why.

Anna and T.J. are not terribly well developed as far as characters go, though I will say the chapters in T.J.'s voice are surprisingly more convincing than those in Anna's voice.  The author nails the voice of a sexually charged teenage boy.  The story moves quickly, covering an extensive chronology in a relatively small number of pages, so I never got bored by the story, despite the fact that nothing action packed really happens once they reach the island.  There are a few minor crises, which are conveniently and quickly resolved (often in ways not terribly believable).  And the last third of the book deals with what happens when the characters form a romantic attachment.  In many ways, it feels as if the writing is expository, right up until the last few pages.

I cannot explain it.  The book is not terribly deep, and the writing is good but not great.  And yet I found myself hooked, and I think a lot of romance fans will find the same happens to them.

I received a review copy courtesy of the publisher.

 

As I Close My Eyes, by Sarah DiCello

At the tender age of 18, Danielle has her whole life ahead of her, when suddenly, an accident has her contemplating the life she has behind her.  After a boating accident, Danielle begins having odd dreams of a woman named Caroline who lived over a hundred years prior.  It quickly becomes apparent that Danielle actually was this woman, and the people in her present day life have counterparts in the past as well.  Danielle becomes obsessed with learning about her past life, and determining if it was real.

I thought this was a really great concept, one that I have seen similarly employed in other books.  I like the juxtaposition of past and present, and the idea that everyone has a past/future counterpart.  It makes me wonder what it would be like to live in the past.  I actually enjoyed the "past" parts of the book more than the present.  I felt like the storyworld was more vivid, and the rich details made it seem more real.  Similarly, I was much more interested in the stories of the past characters.  I felt like the transitions between the scenes of the past and present were smooth, and one never wondered who we were seeing, Caroline or Danielle

While I did like Danielle as a character, I felt like the modern portions of her story were not as well developed, and therefore a little less realistic.  She meets a man, and boom they are in love, meeting each others' families and such.  I mean, sure, I guess that could happen so quickly, but I could not help but feel like the relationship seemed to lack enough substance to ignite so quickly.  In direct contract, I thought the relationship between Robert and Caroline in the past seemed to have an incredible amount of depth.  Similarly, I found myself wanting to learn Ben's version of the whole story.

I found the ending to be pretty surprising, with the last sentence being a bit of a twist.  This, coupled with what appears to be some unfinished business with other characters, leads me to believe there will be a sequel to this eventually.  All in all, a quick, engaging read, perfect for a little vacation reading.  I think fans of romance novels, particularly historical romance, will enjoy this unique book.

I received a review copy courtesy of the author.

Zo White and the Seven Morphs, by Barbara Silkstone

Zo White makes her living as an aerial acrobat, while seven men in morphsuits run around on the ground below her, acting as hypemen for the crowd of the Grimm Brothers Cirque.  When a tragic accident occurs during practice, it becomes clear that Zo is being targeted by a killer, and the Morphs decide to protect her.  This unlikely group gets involved in deadly situation including murder, drag queens, intrigue, turtles, mobsters, and some of the worst real estate ventures ever.  Who is behind all this deception, and more importantly, who are the men behind the morphsuits?

If you are looking for a fun read, a book that does not take itself too seriously, a story full of lighthearted comedy and heartwarming charm, then look no further.  Another book in the "Fractured Fairytales" series, this book is obviously a modern reimagining of the Snow White story.  But unlike with the Disneyfication of fairy tales, this version of Snow White is no wimp.  She is athletic, and crafty, and a total spitfire.  She would never waste her time merely singing with the birds, though she does spend quite a bit of time washing turtles.  I quite enjoyed Zo's character; she made me laugh at her antics, but more importantly, I rooted for her to have her own version of a happy ending.

Although the plot is humorous, it is also full of murder, mystery, and intrigue.  I find that, because of this, it is probably a lot closer to what fairy tales were originally intended to be.  This is obviously not a story for children, but really, neither were most of the original fairy tales.  I found the book to be quite witty, and I loved the subtle little references to many other fairy tales scattered throughout the book.  The book moves quickly, so readers need to stay on their toes.  At the end of the story, it will feel like you have been on a wild ride.  And like any ride, some will love it and some will hate it.  I went into this book looking for a flippant, slightly irreverent, funny alternative to the cookie cutter princess heroine.  And I think the book delivered just that.

I received a review copy courtesy of the author.

The Kissing List, by Stephanie Reents

Traveling through the rugged terrains of love and sex is never easy, but traveling these territories while trying to preserve friendships is even trickier.  We watch a group of women navigate relationships with various, and at times the same, men, as well as their relationships with each other.  These are their stories.

The idea behind this collection of short stories is that we follow a group of women through various stages of their lives (college, young adulthood, engagements, long distance romances, terminal illness, etc).  However, I found not a single of the females in the book to be well developed or the least bit memorable as characters.  I had difficulty remembering who was who, how they were related, and any previous stories in which she was involved.  In short, I found this book to be a hot mess.

I felt like the author tried to hard to be edgy.  She would use expletives, not to give a rhythm or cadence of realism to the dialogue, but to be shocking.  She had explicit and taboo sex scenes for the same reason.  The plot and dialogue of many of the stories felt flat and stilted.  Nothing intrigued me about any of these women or their stories.  Some of the stories were fairly well written, but all in all I just found myself incredibly disappointed.  Particularly because the summary featured on the jacket and on commercial website indicates the book to be a cohesive collection following 4 women through their romantic travails, much like Sex in the City.  What you get, instead, is a hot hot mess.

I received a review copy courtesy of the Amazon Vine program.