Book Review: Curve My Song

Author: Sarah Gai
Title: Curve My Song
Publisher: Mosh Publishing
Publish Date: May 12, 2014
Buy: Amazon

Book Blurb: 

Fall in love with this larger than life trio. Follow the Curvies as stumble through life, romance, drama and some plus size laughs.

Sassy full figured Bree Carson loves her life, her casual singing gigs and her two best friends, the cute chubby Skyla and the always feisty Elise. But still she feels like something is missing......

Taylor Cole returns to his home town after leaving a decade ago. When Bree and Taylor are thrust together, old sparks from the past reignite. Can Taylor break through the walls securely built around Bree's heart? Will Bree let him in?

Review: This was an adorable novella about three friends, known as Curvies. What set this story about 3 rather voluptuous gals, is the absence of diet talk. These girls are big and beautiful and they have self esteem in spades.

This story focuses and her longtime crush, Taylor.

There's a lot of matchmaking going on, some bets and a few misunderstandings. It equals a funny romp that's worth the hour or so that it will take to breeze through this story.

I really wished that Sarah would have written a longer story because the end was a bit hurried, and I would have loved to have more background, etc on the girls and the guys in their lives and even more so their moms, who really shaped the way their lives turned out.

I can't wait to read the next book.

Rating: 4 flowers

Book Review: Pet Peeves

Author: Virginia Hart
Title: Pet Peeves
Publisher: Harlequin Romance
Publish Date:  July 1993
Buy: Amazon

Book Blurb: 

It was raining cats and dogs!

Pets seemed to inhabit every corner of Arley's apartment building, even though the low-rise had a strict no-pets policy. And that forced Arley to do something she'd never done before--LIE. But it was also the first time she'd rescued two abandoned kittens and smuggled them into her home.

Now the other tenants--who'd formed a pet underground dedicated to keeping their animals secret from Ben Travis, the building's sexy owner--wanted her to convince Ben to change the rule. Arley knew that would be like a mouse trying to bell a cat, but she had to make the attempt. Even if her deception meant risking a more personal relationship with Ben...

Review: I'm a sucker for romances that involve animals, which is why I love Kristin Higgins and Jennifer Crusie.

This is one of those short romances that you can't help but love. Arley bumbles around while trying to hide the fact that she has 2 kittens from the owner, Ben Travis. The fact that he's a hottie, and all the women want him make things worse.

Oh and he's the guy that made the strict no pets policy.

I found it hysterical that there was a pet underground with the tenants, because when it comes to pet rules, most renters don't have a say with that sort of thing. The fact that this was such a huge issue in this book made it almost laughable at times.

Just about everyone in the building is hiding a pet!

Seriously?

I have to admit that after the pet ownership comes out in the open, things get really funny between Arley and Ben, and when a not so little "Rags" joins them, it gets funnier.

It isn't very realistic, but it makes for a sweet romance, if it is a little kooky at times.

This is a Harlequin Romance from the early 90s and it felt really dated to me.

Rating: 4 flowers

Book Review: Barnabas Collins In A Funny Vein

Author: Marilyn & Dan Ross
Title: Barnabas Collins In A Funny Vein
Publisher: Paperback Library
Publish Date: June 1969
Buy: Amazon

Book Blurb: 

Joke book for fans of the Dark Shadows tv show. "Hundreds of hilarious vampire jokes about Barnabas Collins -- the ghoul who has captured America's heart."

Review: I've been a fan of Dark Shadows for a very long time. The soap opera was cheesy and enjoyable in the same way that Passions was about a decade ago. Barnabas Collins In A Funny Vein, may not actually be very funny, its more punny than anything, but it is a snapshot of a simpler time.

The book will have you groaning and also giggling (probably in shame), but this isn't meant as literature. It isn't really meant as adult reading either if the puns are any indication.

For example

Is Barnabas a creative thinker?
Yes. If you listen to him, you will notice that he has a lot of new-fangled ideas. 

 It was a cute read for fans of the tv show.

Rating: 4 flowers

Book Review: Here In My Heart

Author: Anna DeStefano
Title: Here In My Heart
Publisher: Montlake
Publish Date: Sept 30, 2014
Buy:  Amazon
Review Copy Provided By: The author
Book Blurb: Live and work together, or lose everything that matters…

The ultimatum tilts Dru Hampton’s contented life in Chandlerville, Georgia, on its ear. The man that Vivian, her cantankerous boss and benefactor, wants Dru to partner with—live with—is Brad Douglas, who’s let Dru down every way a man can.

Sheriff’s deputy Brad Douglas has come a long way since his rebellious youth. He’s back home to care for Vivian, his ill grandmother. He’s stayed out of Dru’s way all these years to make up for the hurt he once caused her. Now, the delightfully mischievous Vivian’s dying wish is for them to rebuild at least a working relationship together…and she’s betting on them rediscovering much more.

The family business and the Douglas home that Dru and Brad both cherish will be sold if they don’t resolve their differences. Can these childhood sweethearts make up and reclaim each other’s hearts before it’s too late?

Review: This is a sweet romance that will tug at your heartstrings at every turn. I'm not usually a real fan of second chance stories, when someone has pined after someone for years, in this case seven. All these teenage angsty crushes show up a bit much, but with Anna DeStefano's novella, you have two characters you really can't help but root for.

Brad is really a perfect guy, and as the story progresses, it is hard to imagine anyone hating him for any reason. He's a bad boy turned good, and he's precious and smart and what most gals want in a hero. Dru is feisty and doesn't want to trust Brad after something he did 7 years ago.

This two are at each other's throats but are forced together by the real star of the book, Brad's grandmother, Vivian, who is now on hospice, and has one last wish she wants them to fulfill. I loved Vivian. So feisty and so wonderful. You know she's going to die, but that doesn't stop you from crying when it happens, especially as there was someone that loved her but didn't let her know until it was too later.

The other star of the book is Lisa, one of the Dixon's foster children. She has ADHD and is always ending up in some form of trouble. I loved her. I just wanted to hear someone tell her that they loved her to make her feel like she wasn't going to be cast aside from yet another foster family.

There were so may wonderful characters in this short book, and all of them well developed. I can't wait for the next book in this series.

Rating: 4 flowers

Book Review: Take Me

Author: Maisey Yates
Title: Take Me
Publisher: Harlequin Presents
Publish Date: June 1, 2014
Buy: Amazon

Book Blurb: 

Where it all began…

As the son of a high-powered attorney, Travis Beringer has never wanted for anything…except the elusive Sydney Davis. But everything changes in an instant with the shocking death of her roommate, Sarah Michaels, and suddenly Sydney is in his arms, desperately seeking oblivion.

Encased within a sensual web of desire, Travis and Sydney delight in every erotic touch they've fought for so long. But what will happen when the dust has settled and the harsh light of day ushers in a reality neither is prepared to face?

Review: I wanted to read this short little prequel the Fifth Avenue trilogy before diving into the rest of the books. I'm glad I did in some ways, however after finishing this little teaser story (its only about 50 pages), I felt Syd and Travis deserved a longer story.

Here's what I loved about the story:

Syd and Travis are bff's. Its always great when the couple are friends first. Its a rich boy poor girl kinda thing too.

The sex is smoking hot. The naughty bits of this story are hotter than the average Presents love scene. In fact, they seemed to cross over into Blaze territory.

It really sets the stage for what's to come.

This is what I wasn't so keen on:

Sarah's death seemed to get pushed under the rug for all the naughty bits.

Your other bff commits suicide and you shag your best male friend? I just can't realistically believe that along with the love declaration after sex. Oye.

It is still a good bedside read leading up to the next three books.

Rating: 3 flowers

Book Review: All At Sea

Author: Heather Wardell
Title: All At Sea
Publisher: Createspace
Publish Date: Sept 6, 2012
Buy: Amazon

Book Blurb: 

Melissa and Owen met on New Years' Eve and he proposed on Valentine's Day. Now it's March, and they're about to set sail on a two-week Caribbean cruise - and get married on the last day at sea. Though their relationship's moving fast, Melissa's wanted to be married for years and she knows the smart stable Owen is a great catch so she's sure they'll be fine.

At least, she's sure until she meets his brothers on the cruise and discovers she's dated both of them: Austin, the fun-loving flirt whose kisses still haunt her dreams, and Nicholas, the sweet horror movie fan whose lack of ambition upset her in ways she still doesn't understand.

Melissa expected to spend tons of time onboard with her fiancé, but he instead spends nearly his every waking moment in the casino displaying a previously unseen love of gambling. This surprise, and the time she spends with Nicholas and with Austin, makes her question everything she thought she wanted.

Her relationship with Owen was just fine before, but suddenly 'just fine' doesn't seem good enough to keep a marriage alive for a lifetime. Melissa has two weeks to decide: stay with Owen or jump ship.

Review: I don't think there's a book by Heather Wardell that I don't love. This book is no exception. Owen and Melissa are about to be married on a family cruise, only Melissa didn't know Owen's family until she stepped on board the ship.

Big surprises! She's dated both of Owen's brothers.

More surprises! Owen spends more time in the ships casino than he does with her.

Melissa finds herself spending more time with her ex, Nicholas, than her soon to be hubby.

Uh oh!

I wanted Melissa to show some more spunk, with Owen. I think she let him off way too easily with his gambling.

I wanted to like Owen, but it was impossible not to love Nicholas and even Austin better. They both seemed to have more chemistry with Melissa.

It drove me crazy trying to figure out who she was going to chose in the end. (I'll admit, I had a favorite)

If you are a fan of great women's fiction, you have to give this book a try!

Rating: 5 flowers

Book Review: A Quilter's Holiday

Author: Jennifer Chiaverini
Title: A Quilter's Holiday
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publish Date: Nov 3, 2009
Buy: Amazon

Book Blurb: 

The Elm Creek Quilters are home for the holidays in this heartwarming Christmas story from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini.

For the Elm Creek Quilters, the day after Thanksgiving marks the start of the quilting season, a time to gather at Elm Creek Manor and spend the day stitching holiday gifts for loved ones. This year, in keeping with the season’s spirit of gratitude, Master Quilter Sylvia Bergstrom Compson Cooper is eager to revive a cherished family tradition. A recent remodeling of the manor’s kitchen unearthed a cornucopia that once served as the centerpiece of the Bergstrom family’s holiday table. Into it, each Bergstrom would place an object that symbolized something he or she was especially thankful for that year. On this quilter’s holiday, Sylvia has invited her friends to continue the tradition by sewing quilt blocks that represent their thankfulness and gratitude.

As each quilter explains the significance of her carefully chosen block, stories of love and longing for family and friends emerge—feelings that are also expressed in the gifts they work on throughout the day. An early winter storm blankets Elm Creek Manor in heavy snow as the quilters find new meanings in their best-loved traditions and new reasons to be thankful. A Quilter’s Holiday is a story of holiday spirit, in its truest, most generous sense.

Review:  This is book 15 in the Elm Creek Quilters series, and I really like how Jennifer changed things up from some of the previous books. This one takes the focus away from Sylvia and puts it on the ladies that come to the manor to quilt.

I loved everyone's stories. Gwen, Gretchen, Diane as well as the new cook, Anna, who we met in The Quilter's Kitchen get to shine.  All of these women have something to give and we learn that as we see what brought them to Elm Creek Manor. Oh and we also get more of Sarah and Matt, who are expecting twins now!

Chiaverini lets us see some marital issues, as well as people trying to hold on to traditions and making new ones through past actions. Each woman has a special story and you really will come to love them. I think I loved Gwen and Gretchen the most. Gwen made her mistakes but was able to overcome those and we hear how one woman really influenced her life. Then there's Gretchen who has a wonderful ability to give of herself.

Sylvia also gets some good news in regards to her cousin Elizabeth's family. That really brings a tear to your eye, because Jennifer Chiaverini really drives home how much Sylvia loved this cousin in most of the books.

This book was set on the days following Thanksgiving. Almost all of the Elm Creek books revolve around the year end holidays. I loved the discussions of food for the pot luck lunch that the ladies have for their special get together after the holiday.

This was such a sweet cozy read. I always look forward to reading about the quilting ladies.

Rating: 5 flowers

Book Review: File M For Murder

Author: Miranda James
Title: File M For Murder
Publisher: Berkley
Publish Date: January 31, 2012
Buy: Amazon

Book Blurb: Athena College's new writer in residence is native son and playwright Connor Lawton, known for his sharp writing- and sharper tongue. After an unpleasant encounter, librarian Charlie Harris heads home to a nice surprise: his daughter Laura is subbing for another Athena professor this fall semester. It's great news until he hears who got her the job: her old flame, Connor Lawton...

Fearing competition for Connor's affections, one of his admirers tries to drive Laura out of town. And then, before Connor finishes the play he is writing, he is murdered- and Laura is the prime suspect. Knowing she's innocent, Charlie and his faithful sidekick, Diesel, follow Connor's cluttered trail of angry lovers, bitter enemies, and intriguing research to find the true killer before his daughter is forever cataloged under "M"- for murderer.

Review: File M For Murder is book 3 in the Cat In The Stacks mystery series. I have to admit, I fell in love with the kitty cat on the cover. I'm a sucker for cozy mysteries with cats or dogs in prominent roles. I loved Diesel from the start, but Charlie was harder for me to warm up to. I give props to Miranda for writing the cat as a real character with a great kitty personality.

Having a male character as the amateur sleuth in a cozy series is something different. I was intrigued by that, however, I found Charlie to be a bit bland and his two children Sean and Laura to be very unrealistic and a bit too good to be true.

What I did like about the book was the mystery. Miranda definitely kept you guessing and at the end she leaves you a little bit shocked too, by a secret that's revealed. There's also more than one mystery to solve as the story goes on, and that's what really kept me turning the pages, even though I didn't really like Charlie.

Now to qualify why I'm not too terribly keen on Charlie. He's an overprotective father, but his actions just don't come across well. He also feels a lot older than he actually is. A man in his 50s really shouldn't be such a fuddy duddy and that's really how Charlie feels to me. He should still have spunk or at least appear with it.

This is fairly early on in the series, so I will probably check out the newer books. Plus I really love Diesel. (That's the crazy cat lady in me!)

Rating: 3 flowers

Book Review: The New Year's Quilt

Author: Jennifer Chiaverini
Title: The New Year's Quilt
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Publish Date: Nov 13, 2007
Buy: Amazon

Book Blurb: 

As each holiday season approaches, some revel in welcoming the New Year ahead; others quietly mourn the passing of time gone by. "We can't hold on to the past," says Master Quilter Sylvia Compson, "but we can keep the best part of 'Auld Lang Syne' in our hearts and in our memories, and we can look forward to the future with hope and resolve." As Sylvia, a late-in-life newlywed, has discovered, love can enter our lives at any age. Yet before she can truly delight in her present happiness, she must face the sorrow hidden in her past -- her own role in the tragic circumstances that left her estranged from her sister, Claudia, until it was too late to make amends. Vowing not to repeat the mistake with her new daughter-in-law, Amy, who opposed Sylvia's marriage to her father, Andrew, Sylvia must convince Amy that family is more precious than pride. As Sylvia takes up a quilt for the season, begun and abandoned over six years, she recalls the New Year's Eve festivities of her youth at Elm Creek Manor as a member of the Bergstrom family. She titles the quilt "New Year's Reflections," after her belief that year-end reflections precede resolutions. The quilt blocks she chooses commemorate the wisdom that no one can ever be truly alone if she keeps the memory of those she loved and those who loved her alive in her heart. The New Year's Quilt is a novel to enjoy today and to treasure anew each holiday season.

Review: I have to admit, I'm addicted to this series. I absolutely love visiting with Sylvia and looking back on her life.

Sylvia has married again, late in life, and her new husband's family doesn't approve of the match. At first, I thought this story was going to revolve around Andrew's family, particularly the daughter that isn't all for the match, but it wasn't. That conflict really only happened in the last 30 pages.

What this story really chronicled were the years after the death of Sylvia's first husband, as well as parts of her life when she was a girl.

In this book, we learned a bit more about Sylvia's mother, who died when she was a young girl. I really love the scenes from Sylvia's past in these books. She is such a remarkable character, wonderful and full of flaws, just like everyone. She's stubborn but sweet, full of love and regrets.

As we get to know Sylvia, we also get to know her sister Claudia. With each book, I long for Jennifer to write a book from Claudia's point of view. I'd love to learn her side of the story.

Like all the other Elm Creek novels, this book is a bit fluffy, but it is good fluff, the kind of fluff that makes you feel good.

I highly recommend this series to anyone that likes family sagas and heartwarming stories.

Rating: 5 flowers

Book Review: The Fat Woman Mystery

Author: Sandra Noble
Title: The Fat Woman Mystery
Publisher: Tuxedo Press
Publish Date: Aug 29, 2013
Buy: Amazon

Book Blurb: 

Margaret Henze O'Brian, a widow, lives in a small Iowa town, in a big old house, with her cat Ruby. She considers herself half German and half Conehead. German, because that's her heritage, and Conehead because of her mass consumption of calories. The Fit Girls, Margaret's diet support group, think her recent weight gain is the result of depression over her husband, Harry's, death. Margaret thinks they're wrong, she's fine, "Just fine, thank you" Margaret has more than her diet to think of after she stumbles over a body, and a friend is accused of murder. In trying to clear her friend of the crime, Margaret finds a lot more than rice cakes on her plate. Not wanting to be left out of the excitement the Fit Girls join Margaret in her attempt to solve the crime, and are soon immersed in small town scandal, gossip, and mystery. Creeping through corn fields, window peeking, and tailing suspects may be more than the average reader of 'Modern Maturity' magazine deem proper, but Margaret finds it exhilarating. And when two handsome men seem interested in her ample body, life is suddenly fascinating. Now if only Margaret can stay alive long enough to enjoy this new lease on life.

Review: Before I say anything about the story, I have to say one thing, this book needed some editing. Lexus was misspelled every time the car was mentioned and there was one section of a chapter that was repeated in the Nook format.

That said, if you can step away from that Sandra Noble really did deliver a fast, fun cozy mystery, with some other sleuthing going on, on the side.

I loved Margaret and her friends in The Fit Girls. They were fun and their struggles with weight really brought some "real life" to the story.  I loved Sara and Karen because they really were different and they were different in their struggles with weight.

I also loved Ryan, Margaret's high school sweetheart and cop. I think what was great about Margaret and her friends is that though they are big girls struggling with their weight, they were accepting of themselves and  Margaret gets noticed even though she's curvy. Woo to the hoo for that. I always hate authors that won't let the girl get the guy if she's overweight.

The mystery was a great one. A prominent lawyer found murdered near the house of his former lover. (Margaret literally stumbles over the body). The story revolves around Margaret trying to clear the good name of his wife, who has no alibi.

A lot of laughs ensue.

This really was a short fun read, which would be fabulous if the problems in editing were fixed.

Rating: 5 flowers

Book Review: The Christmas Quilt

Author: Jennifer Chiaverini
Title: The Christmas Quilt
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Publish Date: Nov 8, 2005
Buy: Amazon

Book Blurb: 

When Christmas Eve comes to Elm Creek Manor, the tenor of the holiday is far from certain. Sylvia Bergstrom Compson, the Master Quilter, has her own reasons for preferring a quiet, even subdued, Christmas. Her young friend Sarah McClure, however, takes the opposite view and decides to deck the halls brightly. As she explores the trunks packed with Bergstrom family decorations that haven't been touched in more than fifty years, Sarah discovers a curious Christmas quilt. Begun in seasonal fabrics and patterns, the quilt remains unfinished.

Sylvia reveals that the handiwork spans several generations and a quartet of Bergstrom quilters -- her great aunt, her mother, her sister, and herself. As she examines the array of quilt blocks each family member contributed but never completed, memories of Christmases past emerge.

At Elm Creek Manor, Christmas began as a celebration of simple virtues -- joy and hope buoyed by the spirit of giving. As each successive generation of Bergstroms lived through its unique trials -- the antebellum era, the Great Depression, World War II -- tradition offered sustenance even during the most difficult times. For Sylvia, who is coping with the modern problem of family dispersed, estranged, or even forgotten, reconciliation with her personal history may prove as elusive as piecing the Christmas Quilt.

Elm Creek Manor is full of secrets, from a Christmas tree with unusual properties to the sublime Bergstrom strudel recipe. Sylvia's tales at first seem to inform her family legacy but ultimately illuminate far more, from the importance of women's art to its place in commemorating our shared experience, at Christmastime and in every season.

Review: I've read a few of Jennifer Chiaverini's books, but I don't think I've loved one as much as I have this one.

The story is told in the present and in flashbacks and by the time the last page is turned there will be a tear or two in your eyes. (In my case, I was crying like a baby.)

I love emotional family stories, and this was absolutely perfect. It blends tradition, with trials, love and forgiveness, as well as dealing with regrets.

I absolutely loved Sylvia. My heart ached for her many times through the course of her life. Her sister, Claudia, I wanted to pop in the nose. She was a snot nosed brat, who seemed to grow up into a snot nosed adult.

The sibling rivalry between the two is priceless and heartbreaking. As events in the present bring back memories from Sylvia's past, it is easy to see why she might not be as into Christmas as her friend Sarah. Though as the story unfolds, it is easy to see why she wants Sarah to reconcile with her mother.

Sylvia truly had a life that was full of sadness, though their were good times as well. It is just a shame that she had to reconcile with memories rather than people.

A beautifully written holiday story that anyone can appreciate.

Rating: 5 flowers

2014 Just For Fun Reading Challenge

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