Review: The Girl Who Disappeared Twice by Andrea Kane

Goodreads: If she had only turned her head, she would have seen the car containing her daughter, struggling to escape her kidnapper. Despite years determining the fates of families, family court judge Hope Willis couldn't save her own. Now she's grasping at any hope of Krissy's rescue. She calls Casey Woods and her team of investigators, Forensics Instincts.

A behaviorist. A techno-wizard. An intuitive. A former Navy SEAL. Unconvential operatives. All with unique talents and reasons for joining Casey's group.

Able to accurately read people after the briefest encounter, Casey picks up signs of a nervous spouse, a guilty conscience, a nanny that hides on her cell. She watches as secrets creep into the open.

But time is running out, and the authorities are bound by the legal system. Not Casey's team. For they know that the difference between Krissy's coming back alive and disappearing forever could be as small as a suspect's rapid breathing, or as deep as Hope's dark family history.

Kritters Thoughts: Another great thriller that kept me turning pages until the end. Although, with this one I think I found the perp a little ahead of when I wanted because I was able to put the pieces together as they came instead of all at the end. I will not spoil the book because I think that it was semi easy to come to the conclusion as to who was a part of the crime.

A story wrapped around this family with a mom and dad who aren't the most attentive parents due to their high stress full time jobs find themselves looking for their daughter who has been kidnapped. The twist is the mother herself had a twin that was kidnapped at the early age of 6 years old. I loved the eeriness that kidnapping happened twice in this woman's life and how ironic that her name is Hope.

A psychological thriller that made me wonder how it was done instead of who because I cracked the code! I would pass this book along to those who enjoy the thrillers, no gore or mess, just a who dun it!

Rating:absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Pages: 400

Cover Challenge Jan-March: 1,000th Day of School

May in Review

The merry month of MAY! A great month of bookish things and reviews. I went to One More Page a few times for some signings and read some great books. I am looking forward to June - it will be packed with some great book tours, a few bookish things and of course the boy's graduation!

1. American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld
2. If I Stay by Gayle Forman
3. Don't Breathe a Word by Jennifer McMahon
4. Secrets of a First Daughter by Cassidy Calloway
5. Where She Went by Gayle Forman
6. Stilettos & Scoundrels by Laina Turner-Molaski

7. Morning, Noon & Night by Sidney Sheldon
8. Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

9. The Ten Best Days of My Life by Adena Halpern

10. Rally 'Round Green by Judy Christie
11. I'm Kind of a Big Deal: And Other Delusions of Adequacy by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor
12. Bright Before Us by Katie Arnold-Ratliff

13. Bumped by Megan McCafferty
14. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
15. Ordinary Beauty by Laura Weiss

Total Pages flipped: 5,210

Where Are You Reading?:
Madison, Wisconsin
Oregon
Washington, DC
New York City
Alkon, IL

Boston, MA
Southport, NC
Philadelphia, PA
Green, LA
Los Angeles, CA
San Francisco, CA

Scranton, PA

Princeton, NJ
Jackson, MS

How was your May?

Review: The Summer We Came to Life by Deborah Cloyed

Goodreads: Every summer, Samantha Wheland joins her childhood friends - Isabel, Kendra and Mina - on a vacation, somewhere exotic and fabulous. Together with their mixed bag of parents, they've created a lifetime of memories. This year it's a beach house in Honduras. But for the first time, their clan is not complete. Mina lost her battle against cancer six months ago, and the friends she left behind are still struggling to find their way forward without her.

For Samantha, the vacation just feels wrong without Mina. Despite being surrounded by her friends - the closest thing she has to family - Mina's death has left Sam a little lost. Unsure of what direction her life should take. Fearful that whatever decision she makes about her wealthy French boyfriend's surprise proposal, it'll be the wrong one.

The answers aren't in the journal Mina gave Sam before she died. Or in the messages Sam believes Mina is sending as guideposts. Before the trip ends, the bonds of friendship with her living friends, the older generation's stories of love and loss, and Sam's glimpse into a world far removed from the one in which she belongs will convince her to trust her heart. And follow it.

Kritters Thoughts: Well, an interesting read. I would have to begin to say that there is a definite audience for this book - I just don't think I am it.

A deep philosophical look at friendship, death and how those friendships shape who we are took me on a ride of like and dislike. I think after finishing it, I am on the side of the fence of not absolutely enjoying this one. Although, I love to read about women friendships and crave to hear about how we as women affect each other in good and bad ways - this book just didn't grab me and make me want to be a part of their circle.

With death as a main focus, I continued to have negative thoughts. I didn't enjoy connecting the "other" world with the reality. Call me a realist, but I couldn't make the connection.

Again, I think there will be some readers who will enjoy this one. I am just left with thoughts that this book was not for me.

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

Pages: 320

Cover Challenge Jan-March: Seasons in the Sun (Summer)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (23)

Another Monday - but this one spent at home. I am cleaning, reading, organizing and getting ready for a short work week! A book club on Wednesday and still working on the photo wall project will keep this short week busy!

Currently Reading:

Ordinary Beauty by Laura Wiess

The Great Santini by Pat Conroy

Next on the TBR pile:

Skipping a Beat by Sarah Pekkanen

Whatcha reading?

Review: Bright Before Us by Katie Arnold-Ratliff

Goodreads: Facing the prospect of fatherhood, disillusioned by his fledgling teaching career, and mourning the loss of a fraught former relationship, 25-year-old Francis Mason is a prisoner of his past mistakes. But when his second-grade class discovers a dead body during a field trip to a San Francisco beach, Francis spirals into unbearable grief and all-consuming paranoia. As his behavior grows increasingly erratic, and tensions arise with the school principal and the parents of his students, he faces the familiar urge to flee - a choice that forces him to confront the character weaknesses that have shattered his life again and again - and to accept the wrenching truth about the past he's never been able to move beyond.

Kritters Thoughts: A short and sweet review - I wasn't a fan. A book that switched between two different voices - the first being the character being in the present and living, while the other he is talking to someone from his past and reminding them of things from their past. I had to read the first four chapters twice to get it.

I kept reading because I thought it could get better and I just couldn't figure out whether I just didn't like it or if I really didn't like it. After every page was read and I sat for twenty-four hours to stew on it, I have to say I didn't hate it, but I am not sure I could pass it along to my friends.

Rating:not such a good read

Pages: 272

Cover Challenge April-June: She's/He's My . . .

Armchair BEA - Blogging about Blogging!

Blogging - a hobby that I have come to love and find completely rewarding.

The questions that I want to answer are -

What are your tips for balance life and blogging?
I have come to find a very delicate balance between spending time with my dog and the boy and doing what I have come to love - blogging. Every week we have taped and watch American Idol on the weekends together, I find this to be the best time to break out the computer and blog. We are together, but I can do a few reviews and update all the websites.

There are quite a few book blogging events out there. Which are your favorites and why? How do they affect your blog directly?
I love to attend book signings at One More Page bookstore. I have been to a few around the D.C. area and I always enjoy listening to an author talk about their work. I also go to two book clubs - I love having others suggest reads and then chatting about them, I always get something different from others' perspectives.

These events affect my blog completely - I review books that ordinarily I wouldn't pick up and I have things to share with friends and followers.

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

Armchair BEA Blogger Interview

Hello! I had the great opportunity to interview Abigail at The Story Factory Reading Zone - head over to her blog to check out her reviews, memes and more.


Let's get on with the interview:

1. When and why did you start blogging?

In February 2006 I was an avid Queen fan, looking to air my views on a range of issues. I decided to follow the example of my hero Brian May and set up a blog. This latest for a while, I eventually became too busy and had to give up my blogging. 4 years later, in February 2010, I saw a post about blogs on BookCrossing. It reminded me of that earlier blog and the enjoyment I had using it. Since my main interest was now reading, I realised that having a book blog would give me somewhere to post and share my reviews with others. I never realised the extent of the community that I would become a part of.

2. What author would you do anything to meet?

I'm not really fanatical about authors themselves, I'm much more interesting in the actual writing and the words they create. Having said that, I'd love to meet Terry Pratchett. I love his Discworld books and have a collection of them displayed in my room. I am lucky enough to have already met Jasper Fforde, my most favourite author, at a book-signing a few months ago - I was surprised to find that I had trouble chatting with him despite having thought it would be easy.

3. Do you have any new exciting plans for the blog?

I'm hoping to increase the number of giveaways, initially mostly UK but expanding to international as money allows. I'd love to do some author interviews and features, so if you're an author or blogger who'd like to be featured please do let me know.

4. Have you had any ups and downs in your blogging?

The most exciting moments of my blogging are always when I hear from my readers, whether sharing their own related posts, agreeing or disagreeing with me. In contrast, my 'down' moments have been the two ocassions so far when I've run competitions and got no responses - I'm hoping that these will decrease in number as my blog gets better known.

5. Has there been an experience while doing this blog that stands out to you?

Doing the Dewey Readathon was an amazing experience. I surprised myself by managing to stay up reading for almost the whole thing. I also enjoyed connecting with the other participants and winning a prize or two.

6. Do you have any tips or lessons learned from other bloggers?

The most important things I have learnt are: to make sure you network, to try to spend regular time on your blog, and how to create google forms.


Thank you so much for the answers Abigail, it was great to hear about another book blogger's experiences!

Armchair BEA - Best of 2011

2011 - My first full year of blogging and a year where I try to diversify my reading! I started reading memoirs and even enjoyed some dystopian novels. I may not branch out to read every genre, but I am enjoying reading some different reads.

If I were at BEA - I would pick up:

A Grown Up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson

The Next Always by Nora Roberts

Miracle Cure by Harlan Coben

Hand Me Down World by Lloyd Jones

Waking Up in Dixie by Haywood Smith

and many more!!

I can't wait to see what everyone comes home with. I will of course be adding loads of them to my wishlist!

Armchair BEA - who are you?

Hello! I am Kristin from Kritters Ramblings and I just finished my first whole year of blogging!

I have attended quite a few author signings and bookie events this past year. I am hoping to make it to BEA next year - starting to save the pennies!

I live and blog from Alexandria, VA - a suburb of Washington, D.C. and I am excited to spend the week getting to know bloggers, learning some tips and of course, growing my wish list! I will be attending the National Book Festival, just steps away in D.C. in September - with my mom by my side I love to attend all the bookish things I can find!

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.

In My Mailbox (32) and It's Monday, What are you Reading?

A fun week, not so much in the mailbox, but a few purchases. A very fun week ahead with Armchair BEA and a project finishing up at the house - to share in a future Ramble.

In My Mailbox - A meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It's Monday, What are you Reading? a meme hosted by Sheila at BookJourney.

Here is another video with the mailbox and the reading:

Paperbackswap:

Dreaming in Technicolor by Laura Jensen Walker

A Goodwill trip:

Sister by A. Manette Ansay

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld

The Man of My Dreams by Curtis Sittenfeld

The Last Time They Met by Anita Shreve

Currently Reading:

Bumped by Megan McCafferty

Next to come off the TBR pile:

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

The Ramble - An Evening with Sarah Pekkanen and Eleanor Brown

An evening that started with barbeque at Rocklands and ended with The Dairy Godmother, but the middle was the best part! Another great event at One More Page bookstore.

Mom and I went to see Eleanor Brown and Sarah Pekkanen promote their latest books, chat, answer questions and of course sign books! What a treat!

These two ladies were charming, entertaining and most of all a joy to chat with. With two separate lines we were able to spend time separately with each author and we made the most of it. We found out some details about their next books and shared stories with both about our love for the theory of birth order.

It was another great night with wine and books - a girl can't go wrong!

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

Wordless Wednesday

Happy almost Anniversary to my sister and her hubs!

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

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (22)

After creating my first vlog and posting it yesterday, I spent most of Sunday working on it, so my reading this weekend has been on the lower side. The boy and I were able to go to Mount Vernon for their spring wine festival on Saturday - such fun!!

This next week I should have some downtime to read and am making a special trip to One More Page on Thursday to see Eleanor Brown and Sarah Pekkanen - so excited!

Hope you had a good week and weekend of reading!

A meme hosted by Sheila at BookJourney.

Currently reading:

Rally 'Round Green by Judy Christie

The Ten Best Days of My Life by Adena Halpern

Next on the list:

Skipping a Beat by Sarah Pekkanen

In My Mailbox (31)

A great week in book adventures and another great week to come!

A meme hosted by The Story Siren.

Alright friends - my first vlog, what do you think?

Barnes and Noble:

Nanny Returns by Emma McLaughlin

Skipping a Beat by Sarah Pekkanen

The Promised World by Lisa Tucker

Any Minute by Joyce Meyer

Bookmooch and Paperbackswap:

Just Peachy by Jill Winters

Going in Circles by Pamela Ribon

Love and Meatballs by Susan Volland

Goodreads Win:

Bright Before Us by Katie Arnold-Ratliff

1 year old!

Friends, family and followers - it is officially my first bloggiversary!!! Yes, Friday the 13th.

Kritter tid bit - I have turned 16 and 21 on Friday the 13th, the 13th is a lucky number for me!

Who knew a year ago, I would start writing reviews and keep at it for a whole year! And to be honest, I am so hooked. I love the book blogging community and I have started building relationships with some great publishers, publicists and authors!

So a traditional first anniversary gift is paper - so this past Wednesday I took myself (and my mom for Mother's Day) to a local used book store - Already Read Used Bookstore and purchased: