To Conquer Mr. Darcy, Abigail Reynolds – Review
What if...
Instead of disappearing from Elizabeth Bennet's life after she refused his offer of marriage, Mr. Darcy had stayed and tried to change her mind?
What if...
Lizzy, as she gets to know Darcy, finds him undeniably attractive and her impulses win out over her sense of propriety?
What if...
Madly in love and mutually on fire, their passion anticipates their wedding?
In To Conquer Mr. Darcy, instead of avoiding Elizabeth after his ill-fated marriage proposal, Mr. Darcy follows her back to Hertfordshire to prove to her he is a changed man and worthy of her love. And little by little, Elizabeth begins to find the man she thought she despised, irresistible... - FROM AMAZON
ABOUT THE AUTHOR...Abigail Reynolds is a lifelong Jane Austen enthusiast and a physician. In addition to writing, she has a part-time private practice and enjoys spending time with her family. Originally from upstate New York, she studied Russian, theater, and marine biology before deciding to attend medical school. She began writing From Lambton to Longbourn in 2001 to spend more time with her favorite characters from Pride & Prejudice. Encouragement from fellow Austen fans convinced her to continue asking ‘What if…?’, which led to four other Pemberley Variations and her modern novel, Pemberley by the Sea. She is currently at work on another Pemberley Variation and a sequel to Pemberley by the Sea. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband, two teenaged children, and a menagerie of pets. - FROM AUTHOR SITE
Follow Abigail Reynolds BLOG , FACEBOOK , WEBSITE
FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS...I have to be honest, I just couldn't get past the first couple of chapters. I'd try to read, then would put it down, tried to pick it up again, then would put it down. It was rather an annoying cycle. I just couldn't get into this read. Is there a reason I couldn't get into it? I'm not quite sure. I did find the "new" Mr. Darcy a bit annoying as he went after Elizabeth and tried apologizing for his behavior (at least that's what I got from what I did read). He seemed to act like the lost puppy to me. Perhaps because I like the mysterious "bad boy" on the outside, softy on the inside when you get to know him. Am I saying the book was bad? Absolutely not! I just couldn't get through the first part of the book. Someone else might enjoy this adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice.
I DID however, enjoy her other book The Man Who Loved Pride & Prejudice which you can read more about here.
I received a copy of this book for review from SourceBooks.
All opinions are of my own.
The Life You’ve Imagined, Kristina Riggle – Review
Is the life you're living all you imagined?
Have you ever asked yourself, "What if??" Here, four women face the decisions of their lifetimes in this stirring and unforgettable novel of love, loss, friendship, and family.
Anna Geneva, a Chicago attorney coping with the death of a cherished friend, returns to her "speck on the map" hometown of Haven to finally come to terms with her mother, the man she left behind, and the road she did not take.
Cami Drayton, Anna's dearest friend from high school, is coming home too, forced by circumstance to move in with her alcoholic father . . . and to confront a dark family secret.
Maeve, Anna's mother, never left Haven, firmly rooted there by her sadness over her abandonment by the husband she desperately loved and the hope that someday he will return to her.
And Amy Rickart—thin, beautiful, and striving for perfection—faces a future with the perfect man . . . but is haunted by the memory of what she used to be.
Kristina Riggle's The Life You've Imagined takes a provocative look at the choices we make—and the courage we must have to change.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR...Kristina Riggle lives and writes in West Michigan.
Kristina has published short stories in the Cimarron Review, Literary Mama, Espresso Fiction, and elsewhere. She is also a freelance journalist writing primarily for The Grand Rapids Press, and co-editor for fiction at Literary Mama. Kristina was a full-time newspaper reporter for seven years before turning her attention to creative writing and freelancing. As well as writing, she enjoys reading, yoga, dabbling in (very) amateur musical theatre, and spending lots of time with her husband, two kids and dog.
Kristina is hard at work on her next novels from Avon/HarperCollins about complex family relationships. - PARTS TAKEN FROM THE AUTHOR'S WEBSITE
Follow Kristin on Twitter and Facebook.
FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS...The Life You've Imagined is about four women (Amy, Anna, Cami, and Maeve) and how they handled the life they're in. Riggle created real women who are connected with the other one way or another with real issues - abandonment, addiction, weight, and love. Each chapter alternates between each of the women and each voice is different. While reading The Life You've Imagined, one can't help BUT to look back in the past to SOMETHING that you wondered would have been like today if it was different back then. This is the type of book that when you put it down for a bit you wonder what will happen next in a particular character's life. Good women's fiction and one I'd recommend to other women wondering about their own life's circumstances.
Follow the others touring with TLC Books and Kristina Riggle...
- Thursday, August 19th: Sara’s Organized Chaos
- Monday, August 23rd: Lisa’s Yarns
- Thursday, August 26th: Reading at the Beach
- Wednesday, September 1st: Rundpinne
- Thursday, September 2nd: Helen’s Book Blog
- Wednesday, September 8th: Book Club Classics!
- Monday, September 13th: All About {n}
- Wednesday, September 15th: Thoughts From an Evil Overlord
- Tuesday, September 21st: Book Addiction
- Thursday, September 23rd: Confessions of a Bookaholic
Be sure to check out the book club discussion about the book with Jen from Devourer of Books.
Holly’s Inbox: Scandal in the City, Holly Denham/Bill Surie – Review
Dear Holly, isn't it shocking...?
Things are finally going Holly Denham's way: she's in love, she's getting the recognition she deserves at work, and her friends and family have graciously opted to avoid disaster for the moment.
Just when Holly is starting to settle into her new life, scandal erupts and Holly finds herself-and her in box-at the center of a gossip whirlwind that threatens everything she's worked so hard for.
Written entirely in emails, this follow-up to the UK smash hit Holly's Inbox will keep you glued to its pages as the scandal running rampant in the city threatens to ruin Holly's hard-earned and long-awaited happiness. - FROM THE BOOK BACK
ABOUT THE AUTHOR...Holly Denham is the pen name of Bill Surie, the owner of a placement service for receptionists and secretaries in London. He started the www.HollysInbox.com as a place to serialize his first novel. He currently lives in England and Spain with his wife and daughter. You can also find Holly on facebook and twitter!
FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS...Don't let this thick book intimidate you - like the first one in the book, it's entertaining and time flies VERY quickly with the e-mail format. If you read the first one Holly's Inbox, you'll be excited to see Tricia, Aisha, Jason, Claire, Toby, and Holly (of course) come back for more. Denham/Surie had me rooting Holly on and wanting to give her hugs, wanting to go out and play with her best friends, smacking the office bitch, and thumping her boyfriend in the head for not thinking, yet ecstatic and hand pumping in the end. Now I'm wondering...will Holly be back???
Last year I was lucky to snag an author guest post. You can read that here.
Thanks to Bill for contacting me to find out if I'd be interested in reading his second book. Thoroughly enjoyed it!
I received a copy of this book for review. All opinions within this post are mine.
Paula Deen’s Savannah Style, Paula Deen & Brandon Branch – Review
Hi, y'all! Savannah is a very special place to me and my family. For years I have brought thr flavors of my kitchen to you.; now it's time you got to know my hometown the way I do. I was born in Albany, Georgia, but Savannah became my "forever" home when I moved here in 1987. The wonderful old buildings and timeless Southern traditions just clicked with me, and I've never wanted to leave...
I'm so happy to be able to show you my Savannah in this book - my own home, lots of my friends' beautifully decorated houses, and some of my favorite places and things that are special to me and I hope will be special to you. - from the Introduction (FROM THE BOOK BACK)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR...She is the quintessential American success story, a best-selling author and a television show host, a tastemaker to the stars and to the everyday housewife and family. She is Paula Deen, a down-home, strong willed mom who overcame personal tragedy, long odds, financial and physical challenges to carve one of the most effective and wide ranging entertainment brands that exists today. A brand that is idyllic, inspiring, fun and very much American. - Read more about Paula on her website...
Follow Paula on...Twitter...Facebook...her website...
FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS...Reading this book was like having Paula Deen in the room with me. How fun would that be to have her in my own home? Like Paula, I just love getting a sneak peak into the home of someone else. Paula Deen's Savannah Style is home interior decorating book that showcases homes in Savannah,Georgia and with the help of Brandon Branch from "Style Secret" tips are shared to help others achieve the elegance of Savannah. The book is broken out mainly by season and then by room, furniture type, and/or theme.
I've never been to Savannah myself so I am not able to say if what she shows us of Savannah, Georgia is typical, but I do say that seeing her book wants me to visit there as I love the different looks of Savannah home style. Can you imagine an old Southern style home with an elaborate wrap around porch and a lovely cozy outdoor seating area? How about a secret garden tucked away where you can sneak away in peace? Oh I can...one day...on day I'll have that. I'm in love with the old yet cozy look. Some of the homes she shares with us are cute, some fun, some I only dream of having, and some well...just seem a bit unusual (yeah the whole seashell furniture look and oyster shell chandelier just isn't my thing).
As a lover of books, I'd have to say my favorite chapter of the book was Book Nooks. Floor to ceiling walls covered with shelves of books and a sleigh style velvet settee had me drooling!! All in all, I enjoyed this "Savannah style" home interior book and have a couple ideas in mind for some minor home decorating in my own home. This one's a keeper for the shelves...
A copy for review was provided.
Hero, Cheryl Brooks – Review
HE IS THE SEXIEST, MOST IRKSOME MAN SHE'S EVER ENCOUNTERED...
Micayla is the last Zetithian female left in the universe. She doesn't know what's normal for her species, but she knows when she sees Trag that all she wants to do is bite him...
HE HAS SEARCHED ALL OVER THE GALAZY FOR A WOMAN LIKE HER...
Trag has sworn he'll never marry unless he can find a Zetithian female. But now that he's finally found Micayla, she may be more of a challenge than even he's able to take on... - FROM THE BOOK BACK
ABOUT THE AUTHOR...A native of Louisville, KY, Cheryl Brooks graduated from the Kentucky Baptist Hospital School of Nursing and then went on to earn a BSN from Indiana University. Horse crazy from the time she knew what a horse was, her family moved to rural Indiana in 1989. Since then, she's managed to accumulate four horses and five cats. She's been working full-time as a critical care nurse for more than thirty years which can be exciting, but she's itching for a different kind of excitement!
As a writer, she finds that any fantasy you have can come true if you just write it down!She's been keeping her friends entertained with her books for a number of years, and self-published a book in 2006, but Slave is the first of her books to be published with Sourcebooks Casablanca.
Her other interests include cooking, gardening, singing and guitar playing. I'm really hurt that The Eagles got back together without me! - ALTERED SLIGHTLY FROM CHERYL BROOKS' AUTHOR PAGE
Find Cheryl at her website, blog where she posts some yummy pictures (NOT for anyone under 18...NUDE photos!), and you can even find her on Facebook (Cheryl Brooks).
FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS...Hero is the last installment in Brooks' series The Cat Star Chronicles. All 6 could easily be read separate from the previous books but all the more fun when all read. At #6 she definitely had me hating to see the end. Now I want to know what will happen with the Zetithian race! Who wouldn't purr with delight (and heat) from this one? I know I did! Best of all she ended with a strong and independent female! Of the books I've read in the series, this one and Fugitive had to be my favorites.
You can see my previous reviews and interview with Cheryl Brooks at:
- Author Guest Post...Jan 12, 2010
- Fugitive - Review...Jan 5, 2010
- Outcast - Review & Author Interview...May 28, 2009
NOTE...this is a VERY erotic fantasy book. Not for those who get squeamish when it comes to a very passionate "romp".
UPDATE...Cheryl just informed me there are 3 more to come in the series!! YIPPEE!!
Virgin is the next one which will be out Spring 2011. YES!
Sourcebooks provided me a copy of this book for review.
The Hypnotist by M.J. Rose – Review & Giveaway
An FBI agent, tormented by a death he wasn't able to prevent, a crime he's never been able to solve and a love he's never forgotten, discovers that his true conflict resides not in his past, but in a…Past Life.
Haunted by a twenty-year old murder of a beautiful young painter, Lucian Glass keeps his demons at bay through his fascinating work as a Special Agent with the FBI's Art Crime Team. Currently investigating a crazed art collector who has begun destroying prized masterworks, Glass is thrust into a bizarre hostage negotiation that takes him undercover at the Phoenix Foundation—dedicated to the science of past life study—where, in order to maintain his cover, he agrees to submit to the treatment of a hypnotist.
Under hypnosis, Glass travels from ancient Greece to 19th century Persia, while the case takes him from New York to Paris and the movie capital of world. These journeys will change his very understanding of reality, lead him to question his own sanity and land him at the center of perhaps the most audacious art heist in history: the theft of a 1,500 year old sculpture from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
International bestselling author M. J. Rose's The Hynpotist is her most mesmerizing novel yet. An adventure, a love story, a clash of cultures, a spiritual quest, it is above all a thrilling capstone to her unique Reincarnation novels, The Reincarnationist and The Memorist. - FROM THE BOOK JACKET
ABOUT THE AUTHOR...M.J. Rose, is the international bestselling author of 11 novels and f two nonfiction marketing books. Her suspense novel The Reincarnationist inspired the TV series Past Life, which can be seen on FOX Broadcasting. A founding board member of International Thriller Writers, Rose is also founder of the first marketing company for authors, AuthorBuzz.com. She runs two popular blogs: Buzz, Balls & Hype and Backstory. - FROM THE BOOK JACKET
FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS...The Hypnotist is the 3rd (and my first) book in Rose's Reincarnation series. The first chapter had me sucked in, then the 2nd two had me a little confused. However, once I got past a couple chapters, the book re-grabbed my interest with the past life concept thrown in with the thrill of solving a crime in the "present". For those interested in suspense, detective stories, and reincarnation, grab the series. I think I now need to do some detective work on my end to find the previous two books in the series.
One of these days I'd definitely love to be hypnotized to look into my past lives (I'm thinking I must have multiple ones!). How interesting that would be...
NOW THE GIVEAWAY...Thanks to TLC Books and M.J. Rose, I get to give away ONE copy to of The Hypnotist to a lucky Book Faery Reviews reader (US/Canada addresses only). This giveaway will last til the end of August 2010.
To enter (please leave a comment for EACH entry as I use a # randomizer):
- MANDATORY - Become an e-mail or RSS subscriber of The Book Faery Reviews (See top right sidebar).
- MANDATORY - Leave a comment telling me what you think you would be / where you'd live in a past life. (I'd be from the Medieval time as a healer/protector!)
- Tweet about this giveaway - "@farrah1230 from #tbfr is giving away a copy of The Hypnotist by M.J. Rose here: http://bit.ly/9c3eHo"
- Share this giveaway on your blog or social media profile page (Facebook, Myspace, LinkedIn, etc).
This book was provided for review for one of the TLC Book Tours.
The Wild Irish Sea, Loucinda McGary – Review
Drawn to a force he can't resist...
Former police officer Kevin Hennessey is running from his past-choosing to battle smugglers instead of dealing with his personal demons. When a desperate, rain-drenched American woman appears on his doorstep with wild tales of danger, Kevin is drawn to helping her, despite his reservations...
She never saw him coming...
Amber O'Neill knew without a doubt that her brother was in mortal danger. Rushing heedlessly to the rocky shores of Ireland, Amber was stunned to find her rescue mission derailed by a gorgeous, but deeply flawed Irishman...
The tumultuous sea, the intertwined fates of the coastal villagers, and unearthly tales of a hidden selkie prince bring Kevin and Amber together in a connection of mind, body, and soul that neither can deny...
FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS...Reading the book back had my interest peaked in hopes of a good magical love story. But to be honest I found my interest going up and down throughout the book. It took me longer than I had hoped to read because of this. I didn't find telepathy to be that magical and the story entwined with seals that walked around as humans was just that. I expected a seal to actually magically turn into a human and had hoped that some of the main characters were indeed theses "selkies". The danger plot of smugglers had me somewhat interested but then I felt the chase and danger wasn't as adventurous as I expected. This book might peak the interest longer in another reader but for me it's not one I'd read again. The Wild Irish Sea was an ok book in my mind if looking for a love/danger book to read.
This book was provided to me for review from Sourcebooks.
Seven Year Switch, Claire Cook – Review
Just when Jill Murray has finally figured out how to manage on her own, her ex-husband proves that he can't even run away reliably. After seven long years missing in action, he's back - crashing into the man-free existence Jill and her ten-year-old daughter have built so carefully. What's a good mother to do? To a child, even a deadbeat dad is better than no dad at all.
Jill's life just hasn't turned out quite the way she planned. By now, she'd hoped to be jetting around the world as a high-end cultural coach. Instead, she's answering phones for a local travel agency and teaching cooking classes at the community center.
Enter free-spirited entrepreneur Billy, who hires Jill as a consultant for an upcoming business trip. Is their relationship veering off in a new direction? And what about her ex? Jill couldn't possibly still have feelings for him...could she? Suddenly, her no-boys allowed life is anything but.
They say that every seven years you become a completely new person, but Jill isn't sure she's ready for the big change. It takes a Costa Rican getaway to help her make a choice - not so much between the two men in her life, but between the woman she is and the one she wants to be. - Book Jacket
Find Claire on Facebook, Twitter, and on her website.
FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS...Cook's book was a very fast read and an enjoyable one. I felt I could relate to the main character even if I hadn't experienced all she'd gone through. Quick read for the beach indeed!
Watch the Seven Year Switch Trailer here...
Copy of the book was provided for review.
How To Be An American Housewife, Margaret Dilloway – Review
HOW TO BE AN AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE is about the strong pull of tradition, and the lure and cost of breaking free of tradition. Set in California and Japan, it tells the story of Shoko, a Japanese woman who married an American GI as a way of improving her and her family’s fortunes, moved with him to the States, and tried to learn how to be a proper American housewife; and her grown daughter Sue, who finds her own life as an American housewife is not at all what her mother would have wanted for her, or even what Sue had hoped for herself. When Shoko’s illness prevents her from making a long-awaited trip to Japan to be reunited with her brother, she asks Sue to go in her place, and the trip changes both women’s lives in unexpected ways. With beautifully delineated characters and unique entertaining glimpses into Japanese and American family life and aspirations, this is also a moving mother and daughter story. Interspersed with quotations from Shoko’s guide to being an American housewife, this is a warm and engaging novel full of surprising insight. - FROM THE AUTHOR SITE
The inspiration behind How To Be An American Housewife
Reading Group Guide for How To Be An American Housewife
ABOUT THE AUTHOR...Margaret Dilloway is a stay-home mom and writer who recently relocated to Hawaii with her three kids and husband. Follow Margaret on Twitter, Facebook, and through her blog.
FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS...How to Be an American Housewife was written from a Japanese mother's point of view and her half American daughter's as she travels to Japan to look for her mother's brother. Shoko shares with the reader and her daughter the story of her life. How she grew up, the Japanese customs, and how she assimilated to America. Growing up in a Filipino/American family with a father who was in the Navy I understood what it was like for Suiko (Sue) and could remember how things were for my mother as she learned the American ways to try to fit in while trying to keep her culture alive with her. I enjoyed reading the stories of when Shoko was younger but I had hoped to hear more from Taro's side as well. Still a good read about family and culture and one I was able to read in one evening.
How to Be an American Housewife releases August 5th, until then, follow along with the TLC Book tour stops:
- Monday, July 12th: Luxury Reading
- Tuesday, July 13th: A Bookworm’s World
- Wednesday, July 14th: Simply Stacie
- Friday, July 16th: Peeking Between the Pages
- Monday, July 19th: Life of a Busy Wife
- Tuesday, July 20th: At Home with Books
- Wednesday, July 21: The Book Faery
- Thursday, July 22: Brunette on a Budget
- Friday, July 23rd: Bookalicious
- Monday, July 26: The Literate Housewife
- Tuesday, July 27: Rundpinne
- Wednesday, July 28th: Books, Movies, and Chinese Food
- Thursday, July 29th: Diary of an Eccentric
- Friday, July 30th: Bookgirl’s Nightstand
- Monday, August 2nd: Savvy Verse and Wit
- Tuesday, August 3rd: Redlady’s Reading Room
- Wednesday, August 4th: The Brain Lair
- Thursday, August 5th: Crazy About Books
I received a copy of this book for review. Receiving a copy did not influence my opinion in any way.
The I HATE TO COOK Book – Giveaway & Review
Fifty years ago, Peg Bracken wrote THE I HATE TO COOK BOOK - and helped change women's lives forever. At that time her message was a revolutionary one for housewives: You don't need to spend all day in the kitchen to host parties or feed your family. Cooking can be easy and, more important, it's okay if you'd rather be doing something else!
Now this updated and revised edition introduces Peg's delicious recipes - along with her wry sense of humor - to a whole new generation of women. While we're no longer expected to slave away in the kitchen, more than ever, women (and men!) still need meals that taste like great home cooking and can be prepared with minimal effort. Peg's mouthwatering recipes are quick and easy - and many dishes, like her "Stayabed Stew," can be popped into the oven and ignored for an hour or so while you take a nap. Best of all, they all come salted with Peg's side-splitting and timeless humor.
Updated for today's pantries and with a touching foreward from Peg's daughter Jo, THE I HATE TO COOK BOOK is sure to fill your kitchen with wonderful smells and even more wonderful laughter - whether you hate to cook or not!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR...Peg Bracken spent her life writing when she could, cooking when she had to, and seeing the world as only she could see it. In her passing, she leaves behind nine books, a multitude of articles, columns, pieces of light verse, and a family whom she loved...and who loved her.
Johanna Bracken is a retired entrepreneur who devotes considerable time and resources to various charities, including working with incarcerated men and women, supporting primate sanctuaries, and of her local chapter of the American Red Cross. She and her husband live in Long Beach, California, with their growing brood of dogs and cats.
FROM THE BOOK FAERY REVIEWS...Never have I read a cookbook beginning to end. Who does that? Normally we just read the recipes that caught our eye in the table of contents. However, this cookbook was actually rather entertaining! Not only did it contain some easy recipes that could be thrown together (in many cases, literally), but the writing in between the recipes had me grinning and at some times laughing. The only thing I wish was different was that it was spiral bound to make keeping open a page easier. Otherwise, this one's a keeper for my cookbook shelves.
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