Review: Rally 'Round Green by Judy Christie

Goodreads: Lois and Chris are eager to settle into a calm married life, but that won't happen. While Green continues to recover from a horrendous tornado, the state of Louisiana announces plans to close Green's schools, citing poor academic performance and the area's shrinking population. Lois and Chris know the loss will crush the community and harm students forced to travel more than an hour to classes.

Despite warnings from her coach husband, Lois gets in the middle of the controversy, butting heads with a new teacher, who appears to be a spy for bureaucrats, and pushing the state Legislature with Mayor Eva and Molly, who walks to Baton Rouge in protest. The hotshot consultant sent in to monitor the school is none other than Mayor Eva's long-ago, almost-forgotten ex-husband, mixing up Eva's renewed friendship with Dub McCuller. The district's legal woes bring attorney Terrence to town, much to Dr. Kevin's delight. The highway continues to creep forward, raising more doubts about the future of Green, and Lois learns that to make lasting changes, she will have to refuse to conform but be transformed.

Kritters Thoughts: A cute little read about a small town that is in a fight to save the school that provides the entertainment and social center for the community. Coming from a very small town, three stop lights in all, I related closely to the ability for a school to be the heart of a community and without that school the community would fall apart.

An extremely large cast of characters which at times were very hard to keep straight. I almost made a cheat sheet to remind me who was married to whom, who was fighting with whom, and where each of them worked. I think this was the key aspect that made it hard for me to fall absolutely in love with the book. Everytime I set it down, it was even harder to pick up because I just wasn't sure where everyone stood in the context of the main character Lois.

A christian fiction that didn't beat me over the head with its bible verses and messages to urge the reader to "come to jesus." I enjoyed that this book was sweet and thoughtful, but not crazy christian fiction as some stories can become. A great read for the beach, but please start at the beginning of this series as it may help with the merry cast of characters.

As I was finishing this book, I found out it was the 4th book in a series, so I will have to go found the first three and read them now - such a bummer.

Rating:enjoyable, but didn't leave me wanting more

Pages: 256

Cover Challenge April-June: Me, Myself & I

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book via NetGalley.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Goodreads: Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.

Twenty-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black miad, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.


Kritters Thoughts: After all the hype, I had to take a bit before I read this one. When I heard the movie was coming out at the end of the summer, I knew I wanted to read it before the movie came out - so here it is.

Anyone who has not picked up this book - you are officially crazy. It does live up to all the hype! This complex story is told from three very different perspectives that help guide the story along its path. From 1962, a time when white women had help in their homes that consisted of black women that lived just beyond their privileged neighborhoods. The rare relationship that is formed between the women and between the help and the children of the home were written with perfect ease.

The relationship that Skeeter, Minny and Abileen form is unique. I loved how the story unfolded page by page. At first, I thought maybe the length was too much, but as I neared the end - I decided I was absolutely wrong. The length was perfect for the story that had to be told.

I would recommend this book to just about anyone. Of course, I think you should read it before the movie arrives in theaters in August.

Rating:absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Pages: 451

Cover Challenge April-June: Don't I Know You

Review: Life's a Beach by Claire Cook

Goodreads: Life's a bit of a beach these days for Ginger Walsh, who's single at forty-one and living back home in the family FROG (Finished Room Over Garage). She's hoping for a more fulfilling life as a sea glass artist, but instead is babysitting her sister's kids and sharing overnights with Noah, her sexy artist boyfriend with commitment issues and a dog Ginger's cat isn't too crazy about. Geri, her BlackBerry-obsessed sister, is also nearly over the deep end about her pending fiftieth birthday (and might just drag Ginger with her). Toss in a dumpster-picking father, a Kama Sutra T-shirt-wearing mother, a movie crew come to town with a very cute gaffer, an on-again-off-again glassblower boyfriend, plus a couple of Red Hat realtors, and hilarity ensues.

Kritters Thoughts: A story with woman who is trying to find her true passion while figuring out what her future will hold. The cast of characters was hilarious and entertaining - her family made the book even more enjoyable. As I have stated before, I have a sister and I enjoy reading about sister relationships - these two made me laugh out loud because I saw me and my sister a few years down the road in their shoes. As the sister obsessed about her upcoming birthday, I giggled as I may obsess about things in my life.

A love triangle which I always enjoy mdae this book a page turner. Sometimes I am sure which guy I want her to end up with and then I would flip a few pages and I was stumped - I had no clue which one would be the best in the end. Between the artsy glassblower and the methodical electrician from the movie set, I just couldn't decide who best fit her. As the story unfolded, I am glad the end came as it did and how it happened.

It may have beach in the title, but that isn't the only reason why I put this book into my beach read list. A light and easy great read that I would recommend to pack in your beach bag. NOTE - I don't have a clue why it was titled as such, didn't quite fit the story.

Rating:perfect beach read

Pages: 272

Cover Challenge April-June: Doubles

Review: The Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman

Goodreads: Be careful what you wish for. A small town librarian lives a quiet life without much excitement. One day, she mutters an idle wish and, while standing in her house, is struck by lightning. But instead of ending her life, this cataclysmic event sparks it into a new beginning.

She goes in search of Lazarus Jones, a fellow survivor who was struck dead, then simply got up and walked away. Perhaps this stranger who has seen death face to face can teach her to live without fear. When she finds him, he is her opposite, a burning man whose breath can boil water and whose touch scorches. As an obsessive love affair begins between them, both are forced to hide their most dangerous secrets - what turned one to ice and the other to fire.

Kritters Thoughts: A book that flowed like a stream consciousness - which unfortunately I wasn't a fan of. The story overall was intriguing, but because of the writing style, it wasn't my favorite.

The use of strong adverbs made me fall in love with her descriptions of the "effects" of lightning strike survivors. I adored the relationship between the brother and sister and how the early death of their mother affected the both of them in two totally different ways. But through these likes, I still had a hard time reading and enjoying this one.

I would only recommend this book to those who love things that are artsy. Imagery and visualization would be key when reading this book.

Rating:enjoyable, but didn't leave me wanting more

Pages: 211

Cover Challenge April-June: The Royal Flush

Off the Shelf Challenge 2011: 13 of 50

Review: Lipstick Jungle by Candace Bushnell

Goodreads: Lipstick Jungle weaves the stories of Nico O'Neilly, Wendy Healy and Victory Ford, numbers 8, 12 and 17 on The New York Post's list of "New York's 50 Most Powerful Women."

But this 21st Century New York, and to get ahead and stay ahead, these women will do anything, including jeopardizing their personal and professional relationships. Take for example, Nico, editor-in-chief of Bonfire magazine, who betrays her boss to rise to the top of the entire magazine division at media mega-giant Splatch-Verner. As president of Paradour Pictures, Wendy may be poised to win an Oscar for her 10-year labor-of-love, Ragged Pilgrims, but her marriage is in shambles and her children care more about a $50,000 pony than their mother. And for single, 43-year-old fashion designer Victory, pleasing tough critics may be more important than ever finding the real relationship she's convinced herself she doesn't need.

Kritters Thoughts: First, I must admit that I haven't had the pleasure of reading Sex and the City, so this is my first adventure with Candace Bushnell. I thoroughly enjoyed this book with three females as the center. I loved that each character was unique, but their friendships with each other were genuine and I could imagine how they became friends and why they stayed friends.

A story of their adventures in New York and the trials that women face. I absolutely adored how the women in this story were successful and powerful. It was interesting to read how the men in their life reacted to their successes. I enjoy reading books were the men are put into a different position and how the dynamics of the family must change due to the role reversals.

A great chick lit that made me want to continue reading Candace Bushnell. A must read for all chick lit fans.

Rating:definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Pages: 496

Cover Challenge April-June: All Made Up

Review: The Secret Society of the Pink Crystal Ball by Risa Green

Goodreads: In a world where nothing is certain, a little magic couldn't hurt . . . right?

When Erin Channing's favorite aunt dies, Erin is bequeathed a pink crystal ball and a set of weird instructions. Granted, Aunt Kiki (aka Aunt Kooky) always lived "outside the box." But now Erin and her two best friends are convinced that the pink crystal ball holds the key to their future- or at least the key to getting dates . . . .

Consider your fate to be sealed . . .

Kritters Thoughts: A cute read worth grabbing off the bookshelf. A girl is given "power" through a crystal ball where she can help change her future, thanks to her aunt who has recently passed away. I fell in love with this YA book from start to finish.

An easy read with a main character and sub characters that grab your attention from the first page. I was drawn to these three girls and loved their differences, but knew their friendship was genuine even with their different family backgrounds. I loved the ups and downs of the plot that seemed realistic, yet with a twist of magic the story kept evolving.

The play on "Mean Girls" was a great addition to the plot. The dueling girl groups with funny nicknames were hilarious and the voodoo dolls and trickery between them was just fun to read.

A great light girlie read that was perfect for a day by the pool.

Rating:absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Pages: 320

Cover Challenge April-June: Bling! Bling!

Off the Shelf Challenge 2011: 14 of 50

Review: Dreams Unleashed by Linda Hawley

Goodreads: It's the future year of 2015, where technology governs life. No one on the globe is free from being tracked through government RFID. The worldwide underground organization, GOG, is the one group equipped to fight against citizens' loss of privacy. Ann Torgeson is a technical writer working for a tidal energy company - living a seemingly normal life in the Pacific Northwest - when her vivid dreams turn real. Is her training as a paranormal CIA agent when she was nineteen years old now altering the doorway between her subconscious and reality? When Ann starts to dig into her past, her present begins to unravel, leading the reader through events that twist and turn everything upside down.

Kritters Thoughts: Read in one day between two sittings, this book was filled with ups and downs. There were things that I absolutely loved about this book that kept me flipping pages or pushing the next button on the Nookster. And then there were two things that I wasn't absolutely gung ho about.

Start with the things I would have changed to end with what I loved. There were parts of this book that made mention of the current political environment, including Obama, our financial crisis and the going ons in the world. Maybe I am naive, but being in the year 2015, I wish that this part was either left out or made more fictional instead of so realistic and truthful. The other part that maybe I wouldn't change is the ending. (I am not a spoiler) But we are left with a major cliffhanger and by gosh, I would have rather a little more closure before heading into book 2 in the series.

Now onto the good stuff. I loved the dystopianish part of being a future world where the government is taking more and more control. It is sad, but being tracked through my drivers' license doesn't scare me, so they know that I am headed to the grocery store. I guess I don't mind because I don't find myself getting into trouble and so what if the gov't knows that I am headed into work or to a dog park. But with my mind set I still loved the book and the issues it brings up with how much control should a gov't have in our citizens' lives.

A read for the women and men folk. I think if you are politically minded you may enjoy it a little more - being in DC, I find myself a little more interested in the going ons of our nation's capital. I had a hard time picking a shoe category for this one - so I went with the heels.

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Pages: 264

Cover Challenge April-June: Plain Jane

Review: Keep the Change by Steve Dublanica

Goodreads: In America, tipping is (usually) avoidable, but not thinking about voluntary gratuities is completely impossible. Every day, we are confronted with awkward decisions about who to tip, how much to pay for different services, and even how to share our loot. There is no doubt that we succomb: Each year, we Americans spend $66 billion on tips, but as Waiter Rant author and blog keeper Steve Dublanica knows from hard experience, tipping behavior ranges widely from patron to patron and from profession to profession. To test the waters, or more specifically the outstretched palms, Dublanica traveled the continent, inquiring about handout habits everywhere he went. The venues fit almost every description; from working class bars and family restaurants to barbershops, beauty salons, public bathrooms and strip clubs.

Kritters Thoughts: What an insightful book! From the author of Waiter Rant, which I will soon pick up - he dives into the details of tipping for every profession. A topic that affects every person in the USA - how much should I tip?

I thought going into reading this book that I knew a lot about who to tip and how much to tip - in some cases this book proved me right and in other cases I was so wrong. I loved how he designed the hotel chapter, to go through how each job should be tipped by means of the order that you meet them when you check into a hotel - doorman to maid and beyond. There were some jobs that I couldn't believe were tipped at all and then learning about those who rely 90% on tips, unbelievable. So I will be keeping this book on hand for future reference and to loan out to others.

A recommendation for male and female of all ages. Even an interesting read to give to a recent college grad who is entering the world of paying all bills on their own, even ones that include tips.

Rating:definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Pages: 320

Off the Shelf Challenge 2011: 12 of 50

Cover Challenge April-June: I Heart Shopping!

Review: Declaring Spinsterhood by Jamie Lynn Braziel

Goodreads: What can you do when your family harps on you to get married (already!), when your delicious and alluring ex-boyfriend - cheater to the core - believes that you've fallen for another guy and sets out to woo and conquer (again), and when you suddenly realize that you have fallen in love with your best friend, the guy whose shoulder has always been available . . . but is presently being enjoyed by another woman? Braziel explores the world of 30-something single women, the pressures they face to tie the knot, and what happens when that knot begins to feel more like a noose. In the world of Emma Bailey, nothing is sacred. Including, and most especially, marriage.


Kritters Thoughts: A great chick lit read to break my reading slump. I read this after a few downers and loved the cute, sweet story. A woman who is surrounded by a family that is counting her biological clock for her. She decides to end her dating disasters and become an old maid at a young age. Just as she makes this decision she is having feelings for a "friend" and a previous fling.

A great book with a love triangle - a girl at the center trying to find herself and what she wants in her mate and two guys who waffle between wanting her as a friend or lover. As triangles always do, I spent the entire book trying to decide which guy I would rather and which guy she should end the story with. No spoilers - but I am sure glad she ended it all with the one.

A sweet story that will put a smile on your face. A little twist at the end sends the closing pages into a whirlwind that you just can't predict, but can't wait to find out where it will all end. A pefect book to take on a trip to the beach or pool - the sweet story will perfectly accompany the day in the sun.

Rating:perfect beach read

Pages: 284

Cover Challenge April-June: Wedding Season

Review: Ordinary Beauty by Laura Weiss

Goodreads: How can you make someone love you when they won't?

And what if that person happens to be your mother?

Sayre Bellavia grew up knowing she was a mistake: unplanned and unwanted. At five months shy of her eighteen, she's become an expert in loneliness, heartache, and neglect. Her whole life she's been cursed, used, and left behind. Swallowed a thousand tears and ignored a thousand deliberate cruelities. Sayre's stuck by her mother through hell, tried to help her, be near her, be important to her even as her mother slipped away into a violent haze of addiction, destroying the only chance Sayre ever had for a real family.

Now her mother is lying in a hospital bed, near death, ravaged by her own destructive behavior. And as Sayre fights her way to her mother's bedside, she is terrified but determined to get the answer to a question no one should ever have to ask: Did my mother ever really love me? And what will Sayre do if the answer is yes?

Kritters Thoughts: A hard book from the start for many reasons. A deep and dark subject matter with very rough characters and I just couldn't get into the story at the beginning, but once in the middle, I couldn't stop.

A young adult who has endured the hardest childhood, but through it all is still able to find a hope for a different and better future for herself. I was straight appalled at the life she had to live with an abusive and alcoholic mother. It hurt me so much to see her stay there through all of the abuse because no child should have to live through the words she heard from her mother. With the ups and the downs, I was clueless as to how this book would end.

At first, I wasn't so sure on how it was written. You meet Sayre in present day, but there are short glimpses into her past and then towards the middle you find out the details of her past. As I refuse to ruin this book - the way the story unfolds is priceless.

A book for young and old alike - I had moments where I was angry and moments where my heart ached for this girl. A definite read, just take a moment to get into the meat of the story.

Rating:definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Pages: 320

Cover Challenge April-June: 4, 5 and 6

Review: Safe Haven by Nicolas Sparks

Goodreads: When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family.

But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her . . . a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo's empathic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards . . . and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.

Kritters Thoughts: Nicholas Sparks - a genre of his own. Sweet love stories with an added element of drama. I have laughed and cried in every one of his books. I have been made fun of for reading his books, but I will always be a fan of Sparks' books.

A woman who has a rough past has relocated to a small town in NC outside of Wilmington to start a new life. She gets a job at a local restaurant and starts renovating a cottage on the beach. After living in this small town for awhile, she falls in love with a man with two kids who lost his wife due to a disease.

As my sister was advised, if you get two thirds of the way through this book, you should sit and finish it. The last 70 pages are hard to put down - so make time to finish it one sitting. I am not sure the men would enjoy this one or most of his books, but the ladies will definitely enjoy this tender and dramatic read.

Rating:absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Pages: 340

Cover Challenge April-June: Tried and New

Review: The Ten Best Days of My Life by Adena Halpern

Goodreads: A heavenly novel about what truly matters in life.

In this hilarious and heartwarming first novel, twenty-nine-year-old Alexandra Dorenfield suddenly finds herself in heaven after an unfortunate encounter with a Mini Cooper. The seventh - and highest - level of heaven to be exact. Her dog Peaches is with her; she is reunited with her beloved grandparents; she has the wardrobe of a movie star; and she lives in the house of her dreams next door to a handsome guy. This is heaven!

But there's a catch. Alex must prove she led a fulfilling existence by writing an essay on the ten best days of her life - or she will be demoted to a lower level of heaven, where the clothes are last year's styles, the men aren't quite as handsome, and worst of all, Peaches and her family won't be nearby.

Kritters Thoughts: A sweet read with a dark subject - death and the afterlife. Stepping back and taking a look at the book and the subject matter, I realized that this was a cute way to approach the subject of does your life matter and what are you doing to better the world around you. In a twisted way, I was inspired to evaluate where I spend my time, money and emotions - do they help those around me or am I wasting it all away?

Before I dive into a deep though provoking, off topic tangent - the book. A girl just my age is walking her pup and is hit by a car and they both die - tragic, but she ends up in heaven and what a heaven it is! She is surrounded by all the things she wished and coveted while on earth plus more. BUT she has to write an essay about her ten best days and prove that she deserves to stay where she is. This is where the meat of the story unravels and you learn about her from her childhood to the day she dies.

I absolutely adored the way the story was told. I loved learning about her life through her account of her best days and the stories that evolved. I think women should pack this in their beach bags and take a few hours to soak up the sun and read this one this summer.

Rating:perfect beach read

Pages: 272

Cover Challenge April-June: Morning, Noon & Night

Off the Shelf Challenge 2011: 11 of 50

Review: Skipping a Beat by Sarah Pekkanen

Goodreads: Julia and Michael meet in high school in their small, poverty-stricken West Virginia hometown. Both products of difficult childhoods - Julia's father is a compulsive gambler and Michael's mother abandoned his family when he was a young boy - they find a sense of safety and mutual understanding in each other. Shorty after graduation they flee West Virginia to start afresh. Now thirty-somethings, they are living a rarified life in their multi-million-dollar, Washington, D.C. home. From the outside it all looks perfect - Julia has become a highly sought-after party planner, while Michael has launched a wildly successful flavored water company that he sold for $70 million.

But one day Michael stands up at the head of the table in his company's boardroom - then silently crashes to the floor. More than four minutes later, a portable defibrillator manges to jump-start his heart. Yet what happened to Michael during those lost minutes forever changes him. Money is meaningless to him now - and he wants to give it all away to charity. A prenuptial agreement that Julia insisted upon back when Michael's company was still struggling means she has no claim to his fortune, and now she must decide: should she walk away from the man she once adored, but who truthfully became a stranger to her long before his near-death experience - or should she give in to her husband's pleas for a second chance and a promise of a poorer but happier life?

Kritters Thoughts: After meeting the author and discussing the book at book club at One More Page bookstore, I can now say I love this author and this book even more. A story set near my home with two characters that throughout the book, I both loved and hated. Julia, a woman who grew up in a volatile household and was always trying to ensure that her future was better than her past. Michael, a hardworking guy who as time has passed spends more time at his office than at his home. Their communication was basically absent and their relationship was more like roommates than lovers.

I adored this story and I will absolutely refrain from spoiling such a good ending - so this may be short and sweet. At this time in my life this was a perfect read as I have recently grown accustomed to the boy being away and I have learned to fill the time with more of the hobbies that I enjoy. When our journey ends which is soon, I will have to relearn how our lives mesh and we will be able to restablish our relationship. As Julia has done, I have learned to lean on a close friend for companionship during the week (and the pup of course) I understood Julia's struggle to try to understand how to be back in a relationship and learn to trust her feelings with him.

I can't say more because I loved this book and I want everyone to go find it and read away. The writing was easy for a day at the pool or curled up indoors. It was definitely one where you sit down to read and then hours just easily pass by. A great reflection on the relationship we have and the value we must hold in building and nuturing each relationship from friends to husbands to family.

Rating:definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Pages: 327

Cover Challenge April-June: Springtime

Review: Bumped by Megan McCafferty

Goodreads: When a virus makes everyone over the age of eighteen infertile, would-be parents pay teen girls to conceive and give birth to their children, making teens the most prized members of society. Girls sport fake baby bumps and the school cafeteria stocks folic-acid-infused food.

Sixteen-year-old idential twins Meldoy and Harmony were seperated at birth and have never met until the day Harmony shows up on Melody's doorstep. Up to now, the twins have followed completely opposite paths. Melody has scored an enviable conception contract with a couple called the Jaydens. While they are searching for the perfect partner for Melody to bump with, she is fighting her attraction to her best friend, Zen, who is way too short for the job.

Kritters Thoughts: What a read - before starting this book, I was set to read my second dystopian and in the back of my mind was my love for Delirious by Lauren Oliver. Yes, this was a dystopian, but there is no way to compare or contrast this book with that one. So I ended up reading another book in the genre, but enjoying another aspect of it.

A world where a woman beyond the age of 18 loses the ability to have children or so they think. Adults must rely on teenagers to grow their family. A responsibility that any teenager should not bear on their shoulders for fear that it may get out of hand - and in this book it does. These girls are put into positions that make them grow up faster than they should have and completely changes their ability to slowly grow from young girl to young adult.

In a video on Goodreads, the author speaks about the craze about young girls getting pregnant and how that was the first thing that started her brainstorm that created this book. Although, the underlying theme is teenage pregnancy, I think the larger message is that our teenagers should not be put into positions to make adult decisions. Instead teenagers should still be making safe decisions that don't gravely impact the rest of their lives. I may be taking away a completely different message than intended.

A book for young adults. A definite read for women of the older generation as well.

Rating:definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Pages: 336

Cover Challenge April-June: Don't I Know You?

Review: I'm Kind of a Big Deal by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor

Goodreads: Whether she's driving a limo for former Family Ties star Justine Bateman, dancing in the dark for a rarely seen Bob Dylan music video, or stalking a bachelor reject from TV's Love Connection, Stefanie Wilder-Taylor is kind of a big deal - at least in her own mind. Smart, screwy, and scathingly funny, her tell-all essays capture every cringe-worthy moment of her kind-of famous life. From bombing as a stand-up comic for born-again Christians, to winging it as a singing waitress in an Italian restaurant, to posting open letters to Angelina Jolie and David Hasselhoff, this unstoppable L.A. transplant refuses to give up on her dreams - no matter how ill-advised - and shows us a side of Hollywood better kept hidden.

Kritters Thoughts: A snarky collection of stories to create a great memoirish read. Some of the stories were down right hilarious - I may have laughed out loud, but there were a few that fell below the line. A great book to read by the beach or in spurts over the summer.

My absolute favorite was the story of her getting a tattoo or at least trying. Her thoughts and reactions would be exactly like mine. I couldn't get a tattoo if you paid me for two reasons: I couldn't make a decision on what I would want or where I would want it, so it's a no go for me.

If you are a reader of Jen Lancaster - this would be a great one to add to your collection. For women who love the snarky humor, I would add this to your summer reading list. A quick and short review, but definitely a book to pick up.

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Pages: 256

Cover Challenge April-June: Two in One

Review: Between Here and Forever by Elizabeth Scott

Goodreads: Abby accepted that she can't measure up to her beautiful, magnetic sister Tess a long time ago, and knows exactly what she is: Second best. Invisible.

Until the accident.

Now Tess is in a coma, and Abby's life is on hold. It may have been hard living with Tess, but it's nothing compared to living without her.

She's got a plan to bring Tess back though, involving the gorgeous and mysterious Eli, but then Abby learns something about Tess, something that was always there, but that she'd never seen.

Abby is about to find out the truth isn't always what you think it is, and that life holds more than she ever thought it could.

Kritters Thoughts: An emotional read that kept me turning pages or clicking the next button on my nook until the very end. A tale of two sisters that hit close to home with one sister a perfectionist and the apple of her parents eyes and another sister who feels like she just lurks in the shadow and will never live up to the spot her sister has left vacant.

I felt like I was on an emotional rollercoaster with one moment hoping that the sister woke up from her coma and at the other moment just wanting her family to choose to end the suffering. I still don't know where I sit, but without ruining the story, I can honestly say that I am not sure whether I liked the path the author chose.

I don't always dive dip in my reviews about the normal book review topics - but just this once I have to talk about the character development of Abby, the younger sister. It was such a joy to see her develop from the sister in the shadow to her own full person, with her own thoughts and opinions. I felt as though I was taken through a complete journey of her discovering how she fit in the world. I loved it.

As far as who I would pass this book onto - I think my age group would enjoy the read, but it would definitely be a great book for our high school and college readers who may find themselves in Abby's shoes trying to find where their place is amongst their family and friends.

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Pages: 256

Cover Challenge April-June: 4,5, and 6

Review: Stilettos and Scoundrels by Laina Molaski

Goodreads: Presley Thurman, a sassy, thirty-something red-head, was looking to reinvent herself. She didn't allow the fact that she was recently fired bother her - she was ready to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a writer. Presley is a lover of shopping and Starbucks, and even though she sometimes has bad taste in men, she always had great taste in clothes. Not looking back on corporate America Presley decided to follow her dream. With her feisty nature and spirit to not "sweat the small stuff," she was ready to tackle any challenge (even if she had no idea how she would pay her bills).

When her friend Trevor offered her a job with his online magazine to interview public figures, she jumped at the chance. However, the new job turned into something unexpected when the US Senator she was slated to write about was murdered - in her home town!


Kritters Thoughts: A wonderful and quirky who dun it with a chick lit spin! I fell in love with Presley Thurman from page one and couldn't wait to hear all about her adventures. The large cast of characters was hard at times to remember who was linked with whom, but once it was all settled I couldn't find out who was the killer and why they committed the murder. I had my thoughts and debated a few times, but in the end she got me and I couldn't wait to find out all the details!

The one thing that I didn't fall in love with was the random times it switched to another's persons thoughts or head. I would be reading along and then all of the sudden I would be hearing how a different character was thinking about what they were encoutering with Presley. A little confusing and made for some moments of wonder.

I would absolutely recommend it to those who love a little suspense and love a little chick lit when they pick up a book. Any murder using a shoe is worth reading in my book!

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Pages: 312

Cover Challenge April-June: Shoe Addict

Read and reviewed for Nurture Virtual Book Tourz.

Review: Secrets of a First Daughter by Cassidy Calloway

Goodreads: Morgan is a National Disaster.

Morgan Abbott couldn't be happier. Super-cute Max has quit her Secret Service detail to be her (secret) boyfriend, and the annoying Brittany Whittaker has been ousted from class president, leaving the post open for Morgan! Life is pretty sweet.

Now Morgan just has to tackle college applications - but she has too much else to juggle that looking that far ahead seems impossible! Good thing she's graceul under pressure . . . well, sometimes.

A trip to London should be just the thing to take her mind off all the craziness, but true to form, chaos follows Morgan wherever she goes - and the trip turns into an international disaster. Can she make it right? Or will she cause a royal mess?

Kritters Thoughts: What a sweet sequel! A story of a girl who is falling in love with a guy that she is not supposed to and she is the first woman president's daughter. All of this wrapped up in a story with fun and mahem.

The sequel to Confessions of a First Daughter - so I won't divulge too much because you must read it first to fall in love with the sequel. Although there are some repeats, so this could possibly be a stand alone, I think that reading the first book is too cute to pass up.

I would pass this book and the first one onto females of all ages - cute and sweet the younger would enjoy a bit more, but even us older ladies can enjoy a story about a girl trying to decide where her life will go after high school ends.

Rating:absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Pages: 208

Cover Challenge April-June: Promise Not to Tell

Review: Confessions of a First Daughter by Cassidy Calloway

Goodreads: Morgan Abbott has no social life and no privacy, and her every screwup makes front page news. That's what happens when your mom's the president of the United States - and Morgan is sooo over it. But now her mom needs a presidential stand-in! With the help of Morgan's cute new secret service agent, a little makeup, anda lot of family resemblance, she's soon seeing things from the other side of the desk.

Kritters Thoughts: A cute little YA read. I quickly soared through this book with just over 200 pages. A funny and quirky story about a girl who is in the middle of her senior year and trying to cope with the cool crowd when she doesn't fit in. At the same time, she is the daughter of the first female president at a time of unrest in Mexico.

A story filled with moments of comedy and endearment. I loved reading about a woman president and her unique relationship with her husband and daughter. How interesting to hear about how a woman is handling the pressure of the presidency and her family. The parts where the daughter was interacting with her secret service detail were beyond entertaining. Being from DC, I was drawn to this story because I could imagine where they were and what was going on.

A book that I would recommend to girls of all ages. As soon as I found out it had a sequel, I promptly ordered it.

Rating: perfect beach read

Pages: 224

Cover Challenge April-June: Grey's Anatomy

Review: Don't Breathe a Word by Jennifer McMahon

Goodreads: On a soft summer night in Vermont, twelve-year-old Lisa went into the woods behind her house and never came out again. Before she disappeared, she told her little brother, Sam, about a door that led to a magical place where she would meet the King of the Fairies and become his queen.

Fifteen years later, Phoebe is in love with Sam, a practical, sensible man who doesn’t fear the dark and doesn’t have bad dreams—who, in fact, helps Phoebe ignore her own. But suddenly the couple is faced with a series of eerie, unexplained occurrences that challenge Sam’s hardheaded, realistic view of the world. As they question their reality, a terrible promise Sam made years ago is revealed—a promise that could destroy them all.

Kritters Thoughts: What a twisted, crazy weird story. The synopsis reeled me in hoping for a story about a girl that goes missing and her brother who is finding clues 15 years later. This may have ben the underlying premise of the story, but the inclusion of a weird fairy story that has been passed down from former generations made for a weird book that I couldn't put down. I flipped page to page to find out how the story all fit together, but I was definitely disappointed by the inclusion of this weird underlying story of a fairy land.

Short and sweet this time - a good book in the mystery aspect, but I definitely did not enjoy all the fairy talk. I would only recommend this book to those who enjoy the supernatural and the mystery.

Rating:enjoyable, but didn't leave me wanting more

Pages: 464

Cover Challenge April-June: Initially Speaking