Sunday, May 20, 2012

In My Mailbox (71)



Another fabulous week in bookish and wedding things.  Our engagement pictures have been taken and we shall see how they come out, it was an interesting evening!  I had a wonderful time at the Gaithersburg Book Festival and already have the dates for 2013 on the calendar!


A meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

For Review:

There Goes the Bride by Holly McQueen  (Goodreads  Amazon)

Safe Within by Jean Reynolds Page  (Goodreads  Amazon)
Depression Cookies by Tia Silverthorne Bach and Angela Silverthorne  
     (Goodreads  Amazon)

Swapped:
The Buenos Aires Broken Hearts Club by Jessica Morrison  (Goodreads  Amazon)


Library:
Two Kisses for Maddy by Matthew Logelin  (Goodreads  Amazon)
The Woman He Loved Before by Dorothy Koomson  (Goodreads  Amazon)


Gaithersburg Book Festival:
Jeneration X by Jen Lancaster  (Goodreads  Amazon)
If You Were Here by Jen Lancaster  (Goodreads  Amazon)



Friday, May 18, 2012

Review: So Far Away by Meg Mitchell Moore

So Far Away by Meg Mitchell Moore 

Publisher: Little Brown and Co. 
Pages: 336 
Format: ARC 
Buy the Book: Amazon 




Goodreads:  Thirteen-year-old Natalie Gallagher is trying to escape: from her parents' ugly divorce, and from the vicious cyber-bullying of her former best friend. She discovers a dusty old diary in her family's basement and is inspired to unlock its secrets.

Kathleen Lynch, an archivist at the Massachusetts State Archives, has her own painful secrets: she's a widow estranged from her only daughter. Natalie's research brings her to Kathleen, who in Natalie sees traces of the daughter she has lost.

What could the life of an Irish immigrant domestic servant from the 1920s teach them both? In the pages of the diary, they will learn that their fears and frustrations are timeless.






Kritters Thoughts:  An interesting and new way to approach cyber bullying.  The hot topic was a part of this novel, but not the sole center, which I appreciated.  Natalie - a high school freshmen and Kathleen - a career woman who has lost both a daughter and a husband are an unlikely pair, but their relationship in this book was perfectly scripted.


Without any chapters, this book was interesting as it switched focus between the characters with strategic spacing.  Because the book switched between characters, the reader was able to get to know each character on their own turf, which made me fall in love with them in their own space.  I loved that Kathleen was given the opportunity to help raise another teenager, it was so fitting that she have a second chance.  At the same moment, I loved how Natalie was given another maternal figure to lean on until her mother was able to pull it together and re-enter her child's life. 


This book showed me once again that it definitely takes a village to raise a child - sometimes parents are inadequate or just not the answer to the problem that a child has, they may just need someone outside of the family to lean on through a difficult time.  A great book that both showed the destruction of family, but the reconstruction of a different kind of family.


Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Booksparks PR.  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. 

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Review: The Arrivals by Meg Mitchell Moore

The Arrivals by Meg Mitchell Moore 

Publisher: Little Brown and Co. 
Pages: 336 
Format: book
Buy the Book: Amazon




Goodreads:  It's early summer when Ginny and William's peaceful life in Vermont comes to an abrupt halt.

First, their daughter Lillian arrives, with her two children in tow, to escape her crumbling marriage. Next, their son Stephen and his pregnant wife Jane show up for a weekend visit, which extends indefinitely when Jane ends up on bed rest. When their youngest daughter Rachel appears, fleeing her difficult life in New York, Ginny and William find themselves consumed again by the chaos of parenthood - only this time around, their children are facing adult problems. 

By summer's end, the family gains new ideas of loyalty and responsibility, exposing the challenges of surviving the modern family - and the old adage, once a parent, always a parent, has never rung so true.






Kritters Thoughts:  One of those unique books about the workings of families that makes you want to call your own and tell them how much you love them!  With different reasons to return home, three adult children find themselves all under their parents roof with their own kids in the mix.  The drama quickly follows!


I am intrigued by birth order and how that affects families.  As a first born, I easily related to Lillian and her quest for perfection, no matter what situation she found herself in.  The other character that struck a chord with me was the mother, Ginny.  I could see my mother in her or her in my mother - it made this book even better than I could have imagined.  


I love family dramas, but this one was above the rest because the drama wasn't over the top - it was pitch perfect.  Each reader can see a characteristic from their own family in this one.  This book was my first by Meg Mitchell Moore, but I am already a huge fan.


Tomorrow I will review So Far Away by Meg Mitchell Moore.


Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel


April-June 2012 Challenge: Soak Up the Sun


Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Booksparks PR.  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. 

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Arranged Giveaway


A great book was reviewed yesterday and today I get to offer a giveaway copy to one of my readers!


Thanks to HarperCollins for providing the giveaway copy!


Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Review: Arranged by Catherine McKenzie

Arranged by Catherine McKenzie

Publisher: HarperCollins 
Pages: 390 
Format: book 
Buy the Book: Amazon 




Goodreads:  Anne Blythe has a great life: a good job, good friends, and a potential book deal for her first novel. When it comes to finding someone to share it with, however, she just can't seem to get it right.

After yet another relationship ends, Anne comes across a business card for what she thinks is a dating service, and she pockets it just in case. When her best friend, Sarah, announces she's engaged, Anne can't help feeling envious. On an impulse, she decides to give the service a try because maybe she could use a little assistance in finding the right man. But Anne soon discovers the company isn't a dating service; it's an exclusive, and pricey, arranged marriage service. She initially rejects the idea, but the more she thinks about it-and the company's success rate-the more it appeals to her. After all, arranged marriages are the norm for millions of women around the world, so why wouldn't it work for her?

A few months later, Anne is travelling to a Mexican resort, where in one short weekend she will meet and marry Jack. And against all odds, it seems to be working out-until Anne learns that Jack, and the company that arranged their marriage, are not what they seem at all.






Kritters Thoughts:  Chick lit with an incredible twist.  I was on a journey with Anne Blythe as she tries to figure out how she always ends up in bad relationships with great looking men.  With a little help from fate, she ends up calling what she thinks to be a dating service, but ends up being an arranged marriage company.  


The characters, the every city location, and the concept all kept me hooked in this story. I read it in 24 hours, I couldn't put it down for one moment!  From the first sentence, I wanted to know where Anne Blythe was going to end up.  Maybe I missed it, but I liked that I couldn't quite place where this book took place, it felt like it could have happened down the street or across the country.  The concept was not absolutely original, but with the twist that I can't divulge it took the story to the next level.


What I loved about this book is I thought I was headed down a certain path and then all of the sudden she flips a switch and the story goes down an even better road!  Even a reader who may not read most chick lit, should pick this one up immediately.


Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel


Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from HarperCollins.  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.  

Monday, May 14, 2012

Review: The Most Dangerous Thing by Laura Lippman

The Most Dangerous Thing by Laura Lippman 

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers 
Pages: 368 
Format: book
Buy the Book: Amazon  


Goodreads:  Years ago, they were all the best of friends. But as time passed and circumstances changed, they grew apart, became adults with families of their own, and began to forget about the past--and the terrible lie they all shared. But now Gordon, the youngest and wildest of the five, has died and the others are thrown together for the first time in years.
And then the revelations start.
Could their long-ago lie be the reason for their troubles today? Is it more dangerous to admit to what they've done or is it the strain of keeping the secret that is beginning to wear on them and everyone close to them? Each one of these old friends has to wonder if their secret has been discovered--and if someone within the circle is out to destroy them.


Kritters Thoughts:  What a different read - friends who were impacted by a significant occurrence in their past, they are just finding out what really happened and how it changes the past.  With three boys and two girls as best friends, you know there will be plenty of drama.  Two will hook up and two will find themselves mixed up in major trouble, what can you expect when a group with girls and boys tries to maintain a friendship through the high school years.


I loved the switch between telling the story through the past and the present, but the chapters of the past didn't give enough away to spoil the truly juicy ending.  I always love a story that spends some time in the past, so you feel as though you are getting the full story.  Although I was a little confused by the whole us and them, so I am conveniently skipping it. 


An interesting take on the suspense novel with only one death and a lot of relationships.  I kept reading wanting to know what these friends had experienced and who knew the whole truth and who knew only the partial truth.  


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

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from TLC Book Tours.  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.  



The complete tour:



Tuesday, May 1st: Wordsmithonia
Wednesday, May 2nd: Sara’s Organized Chaos
Thursday, May 3rd: Book Journey
Monday, May 7th: Life in Review
Tuesday, May 8th: Raging Bibliomania
Wednesday, May 9th: Life is Short. Read Fast.
Monday, May 14th: Kritters Ramblings
Tuesday, May 15th: Colloquium
Friday, May 18th: Laura’s Reviews
Monday, May 21st: Proud Book Nerd
Friday, May 25th: Book Him Danno!
Tuesday, May 29th: Drey’s Library


Sunday, May 13, 2012

It's Monday, What are you Reading? (71)

Not much reading done this past week, but quite the reading weekend!  The next week is going to be beyond crazy in my personal life - from two bookish events to our engagement shoot to a book festival and a concert, I haven't figured out how I am going to get through the week with my sanity intact!  


A meme hosted by Sheila at BookJourney. 

Finished this past week:

The Most Dangerous Thing by Laura Lippman
The Arrivals by Meg Mitchell Moore
So Far Away by Meg Mitchell Moore

Currently Reading:

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
   (yes, still trying to finish this one)
What the Dog Ate by Jackie Bouchard

Next off the TBR pile:


Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

In My Mailbox (70)



A video in which I ramble just a little and then share some books!

A meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren.

For Review:

Jennifer's Garden by Dianne Venetta (Goodreads  Amazon)

Lust on the Rocks by Dianne Venetta (Goodreads  Amazon)
Long Gone by Alafair Burke  (Goodreads  Amazon)
The Sixes by Kate White  (Goodreads  Amazon)
Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes  (Goodreads  Amazon)
One Breath Away by Heather Gudenkauf  (Goodreads  Amazon)


Swapped:
Promise Not to Tell by Jennifer McMahon  (Goodreads  Amazon)

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Blogiversary Round 2



So friends, family and most importantly followers, tomorrow is my 2nd bloggiversary! 
I can not believe two years has gone by and I am starting my third year in the blogging world.  I have read more great reads while blogging and I am excited to attend BEA for the first time this year in June.


To thank all my followers for their comments and community throughout the year - I will be doing a giveaway starting today for a signed copy of Jodi Picoult's Lone Wolf.  Please fill out the form below, this giveaway is for followers only, new or old.  


I am debating about a switch to WordPress, so please leave a comment if you have any tips, hints or thoughts.  Does WordPress really take your blog to the next level?



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