Review & Blog Tour: The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand

Nantucket itself, not counting the tourists, is a close knit community. Four couples are year-round residents and the best of friends: Ed & Andrea, Jeffrey & Delilah, Addison & Phoebe, Greg & Tess. They do everything together: holidays, weekends, fantastic vacations, everything. Andrea and Tess are cousins and their close relationship forms the heart of this group of eight, who call themselves "The Castaways." They have been together for years, through all of the ups and downs of life.

Lately, there has bit quite a bit of down. Greg is a music teacher at the high school and one of his students accused him of making advances. He denied it, of course, but Greg is a movie-star handsome musician and even his close friends, in their heart of hearts, believe him capable of it. So things have been rough, especially for Tess, but she and Greg are working through their issues and have planned a romantic sail to Martha's Vineyard to celebrate their twelfth anniversary.

Tragically, there is an accident during their sail, the boat capsizes and they are both drowned. Ed, the police chief, is left to deliver the devastating news, first to his wife and then to the rest of the group. The deaths of Greg and Tess rock the remaining six friends to their cores, exposing the hidden secrets and the cracks beneath the surface of their relationships. Grief is a process, affecting each of them in different ways and forever changing their bonds with each other.

This interesting novel explores the complex emotional ties of the friendships of couples, which differ greatly from any group composed of just one gender. The narrative switches between the six remaining Castaways as they reflect and remember their lives, process their feelings and try to move forward. The characters were all interesting and I liked the way their relationships were woven together to form the story as a whole. It's a perfect summer read, a great combination of both lighthearted fun and heartbreaking darkness.

For more information about the author and her books, please visit her website. There you will find book club information, "The Castaways" cocktail recipe and much more!

This review is part of a Blog Tour, for a complete list of participating blogs, click here. Many thanks to Miriam at Hachette for the book and adding me to the tour!

The Castaways is published by Little Brown. ISBN 978-0-316-04389-2.

Review and Blog Tour: Secrets to Happiness by Sarah Dunn

"Holly Frick had had the worst kind of divorce: the kind where you're still in love with the person who is divorcing you. Not "fond of," not "still attached to," not "building a life together" - hopelessly in love with. And it was a year ago exactly that Alex had left her, a fact that had somehow slipped her notice up until earlier that evening, when she went to hail a cab and saw the dried-out Christmas trees heaped in sad piles on the sidewalk. Alex had left her on January third. Kind of like a benevolent CEO who holds off on the pink slips until after the holidays."

Poor Holly. She can't seem to get over Alex, her novel was a flop and her career as a television writer is not going that well, either. For support she leans on friends. Unfortunately, those friends have a whole host of their own problems. Amanda and Mark are married and have a one year old son but Amanda is dissatisfied and considering an affair. Leonard, Holly's drug addicted television writing partner, can't get over the fact that he used to be a huge success and isn't anymore. Spence Samuelson, Holly's ex boyfriend from before she got married (and inspiration of the central character in her failed novel) is commitment-phobic with a ton of girlfriend troubles and an overbearing mother. How is this bunch ever going to help her?

Throughout the novel, Holly struggles with the difference between people doing what they want and what is right. What will make you happy? Doing exactly what you want, regardless of the effect on others? Doing the right thing and consoling yourself with your own goodness? I don't think those questions ever get answered.

I really enjoyed the author's writing style, she is witty and fresh and the book was a fast read. And I thought the premise behind the story was a good one. Unfortunately, it just wasn't a very good fit for me. I didn't understand why Holly was friends with someone like Amanda, though I thought Spence was a great portrait of a bachelor in his thirties who is just realizing that it isn't a great idea to live the rest of his life the way he did his twenties. His growing pains were the best part of the book, in my opinion. The whole story reminded me quite a bit of Sex in the City, a show which I seriously dislike, and that probably contributed to my feelings about it.

For a complete list of blogs participating in this tour, click here. The tour is actually on June 12, so you will find the reviews up then. You can find out more about Sarah Dunn and her books on her website. Thanks to Miriam at Hachette for sending this to me for review!

Secrets to Happiness is published by Little Brown, ISBN 978-0-316-01358-1

Review & Giveaway: One Deadly Sin by Annie Solomon

It seems that every small town has at least one dirty little secret. (Mine certainly does, it was publicly and famously brought to light in the 1950s, the ripple effects are still felt today).

Redbud, Tennessee has a big black angel in the cemetery and a deep, dark secret. Twenty years ago, the accountant of the Hammerbilt plant (the town's big employer) was accused of embezzling and committed suicide. Charles Swanford hurtled himself off of the edge of the town quarry, leaving behind a widow who descended into madness and a troubled ten year old daughter. The black angel marks his grave.

Now that little girl is grown up and she is determined to find out the truth behind her father's death. Edie Swann appears to be a wild child, with her skimpy clothes, tousled hair and Harley motorcycle. She has never believed in her father's guilt and isn't above a little intimidation to get what she wants. With a list of names and a bag of tiny black angels, she blows into town and lands herself a bartending job at the local bar. Soon she is anonymously distributing those tiny angels to the first few names on that list.

Until a run in with the local police chief, Holt Drennan, starts to unravel all of Edie's plans. She didn't expect to become involved with anyone but she can't deny the strong attraction she feels for Holt. As the two become better acquainted, it becomes clear that there is going to be more between them than just an attraction. A relationship with Holt has one big problem. Holt's Dad, James, is the last name on Edie's list.

And somehow the recipients of Edie's angels have started dying. If Edie wants to preserve her own life and a future that she never realized she wanted, she must find out the truth behind Redbud's secret before it is too late.

This book is a treat, a great example of romantic suspense. The characters are well rounded and interesting and the mystery satisfyingly knotty. I enjoyed every page and read the last third of the book without putting it down. It is perfect for those who like an engaging mystery or a sizzling romance and would make a great addition to your summer reading list!

For more about Annie Solomon and her books, check out her website.

This review is part of a Blog Tour. For a complete list of participating blogs, click here.

One Deadly Sin is published by Forever, a division of Hachette. ISBN 978-0-446-17844-0

So, would you like to win a copy? The generous Anna at Hachette has provided me five copies of to give away. To enter, just leave me a comment here. Please make sure there is an email address so that I can contact you if you win! Three extra entries to anyone who becomes a follower (or follows already), blogs about this giveaway or tweets it on twitter. (If you do any of these, please leave a separate comment to let me know). Enter until midnight eastern on May 20. Winners will be drawn at random and must have a US or Canada mailing address (no PO Boxes). My thanks to Anna and Hachette for providing my review copy!

Review & Blog Tour: Follow Me by Joanna Scott

Sally Werner is sixteen years old in the fall of 1946 and has spent her life working hard, her parents are farmers and evangelists. At a church picnic, her twenty three year old cousin Daniel offers her a spin on his motorcycle. Impulsive Sally is thrilled to go but after a short ride he forces himself on her. Of course, pregnancy follows. She is smart enough to resist the offered (insisted on) marriage.

But she can't stand the aftermath and when her baby boy is only two days old she leaves him in his basket on the kitchen table and runs. Following the course of the Tuskee River north from its source, not even going very far, she ends up in Fishkill Notch, Pennsylvania. There she finds caring, helpful folks who open their arms and homes to her. Then she meets a young man named Mole and she is convinced her life is just beginning.

When tragedy strikes Sally pulls herself together and moves north again, into New York and farther up the river, inventing a new name for herself. This pattern will be repeated each time bad luck or hard times come into her life.

Along the way she has another child, a daughter and eventually a granddaughter, too. The guilt Sally carries over the abandonment of her son eventually prompts her to search for him and the consequences of that search will change not only her life but the lives of those she holds dear.

This is the story of a woman who, though she is far from perfect, spends much of her life trying to redeem herself for a mistake she can't forget.

The author's writing has a lovely tone to it and the narrative just sweeps the reader along. It is a well written, thoughtful story about the decisions that must be made in life and the paths through the consequences.

Follow Me is published by Little Brown. ISBN 978-0-316-05165-1

Many thanks to Miriam at Hachette Book Group for sending me this review copy!

Here are some of the other stops on the blogtour (I wish I could list them all, but it is a very long list!):

Medieval Bookworm
Bermuda Onion
Peeking Between the Pages
Write for a Reader
Drey's Library
Marta's Meanderings
My Friend Amy
S. Krishna's Books
Savvy Verse and Wit
Diary of an Eccentric
A Novel Menagerie

Blog Tour and Giveaway: The Kitty Norville Series by Carrie Vaughn

Katherine - Kitty - Norville was just a normal college student when she was attacked by a werewolf. Guess how you become a werewolf? That's right...get bitten. Her world is turned upside down as she learns to live with the new set of rules that her life now entails. She must contain the wolf inside, learn to handle her heightened strength and sharpened senses.

Her nighttime job as radio DJ seems perfect for her new lifestyle. She is content selecting and playing her favorite music until a chance on air comment about the existence of vampires suddenly has the phone lines lighting up. Seems there are a lot of folks out in radio land who want to know more about the supernatural or have interesting stories to tell. Kitty has a bit of personal experience, not to mention a personal interest, in the topic and it turns out that she has a lot to say.

So, Kitty's radio show, The Midnight Hour, is born and is an immediate success. But, unfortunately for Kitty, it is hard to maintain your anonymity when you are a famous radio personality. The local werewolves are jealous and other supernatural folks are unhappy about having their centuries of quiet existence shattered by a lone werewolf. There are some major complications coming Kitty's way!

This series currently consists of six books:

Kitty and the Midnight Hour

Kitty Goes to Washington

Kitty Takes a Holiday

Kitty and the Silver Bullet

Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand

Kitty Raises Hell


I got into the tour just a bit late and was afraid that I wouldn't be able to read more than one of the books before today. To my surprise, I zipped through the first three and I am halfway through number four! The word for this series is FUN! They are action packed and exciting, I'm blowing through them because I can't seem to put them down. Kitty is an interesting and independent character that is growing and finding her way as the series progresses. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Listen to the Blog Talk Radio interview with Carrie Vaughn, visit her blog and her website.

Okay, now for the REALLY great part. If you would like to win all SIX books, the ENTIRE series so far...I just happen to have a set to give away! So, if you would like to enter, just leave me a comment here, please include your email address if it is not part of your ID. For three extra entries you can become a follower (if you are one already, you are all set), tweet the giveaway on twitter or blog about it and link back here. If you do any of these, please leave me a separate comment to let me know. Winner will be drawn at random and must have a US or Canada mailing address (no PO Boxes, please). Enter until midnight on April 8. Good luck!

Many thanks to Miriam at Hachette Book Group for sending me the books!

See what others on the blog tour thought of the Kitty books:

Booking Mama

Books Amy Reads

Cafe of Dreams

Cheryl's Book Nook

A Circle of Books

Amateur de Livre

Cindy's Love of Books

Confessions of a Romance Book Addict

Drey's Library

Stephanie's Books

Book Thoughts by Lisa

Bananas 4 Books

Medieval Bookworm

Foreign Circus Library

Jenn's Bookshelf

Ms. Bookish

My Friend Amy

Write for a Reader

Amber Stults

Literary Feline

Wrightys Reads

Book Zombie

Fiction to Fruition

Wendi's Book Corner

Darby's Closet

In Bed With Books

This Book for Free

Gramma's Reads

Sam's Book Blog

Book Series Reviews

Books by TJ Baff

Review: Galway Bay by Mary Pat Kelly

At sunrise on June 23, 1839, her sister Maire's wedding day, Honora Keeley stands on the Silver Strand of Galway Bay and gazes out. The Bay is her home and her family's livelihood since her father is a fisherman in the village of Bearna. She is sixteen years old and pledged to the church. She will join the convent as a novice nun in a few months, a great honor to so poor an Irish family as the Keeleys.

But that morning will change the course of Honora's life. Out of the sea, fresh from an early swim, walks a beautiful young man, tall, dark haired. Michael Kelly. Within the space of an hour there is no going back, fate has brought them together and they are determined to be married.

There are obstacles. Michael is not a fisherman, has no land or money. But, despite the problems, they are wed and they are happy. Maire is not, she is quickly widowed and then is forced to become a servant to a tyrant landlord. She is the one bleak spot in the otherwise happy life of the Kellys. They have a small farm at the top of a hill overlooking the Bay and, though the work is hard and the rent high, they manage to feed their growing family and find joy together.

"I was used to the give-and-take of a large family, where one broke in on the other, splintering sentences, bouncing thought away from meaning. But Michael and I listened to each other, each waiting as the other found words for what we'd never said before, never even thought before, giving shape to dreams and to fears. I'd no idea I was such a worrier - the ifs and buts that flowed out of me. Michael teased them away."

And then the unthinkable happens. In 1845 the potato harvest, the staple of the Irish peasant diet, is blighted and rots in the ground. The hunger and suffering that winter is terrible. When the potato crop fails two out of the following three years, the result is millions of deaths. The landlords and the British rulers do not care and attempts to help are mired down in bureaucracy and are ineffectual.

Honora watches her children starve, her neighbors die, and she dreams of finding the means to escape, to buy passage to another place where her family can live and grow: America. She is far from the only one, the ships are filled with Irish immigrants trying to find a better life. The voyage is dangerous and many die before they even reach North America. But some make it and they send back the means for the next one to escape. An entire race of people, trying to rescue each other.

She does escape, with her family and Maire's. Not without losses and terrible grief, but Honora has strength of spirit, strength of character, strength of will to sustain her loved ones and find a place where they can prosper.

All great historical fiction is rooted in fact and Galway Bay is no exception. Mary Pat Kelly is the great-great-granddaughter of Honora Keeley Kelly. The author has followed the great Irish storytelling tradition and created this fictionalized account of her own ancestors, an epic saga of one family's journey through one of the darkest hours in human history. It is a story of faith, of family lore and ancient tales, of great suffering and the triumph of the human spirit.

I am, as so many Americans must be today, part Irish. This book brings home the terrible destruction of the Great Hunger in a way that has never been clear to me before. Because it is personal story, one family's struggle that could be any family from that place and that time. Fiction, maybe, but with the weight of truth behind it.

Read Mary Pat Kelly's inspiring letter, visit her blog and her website. There you will find more about this book, plus information and inspiration for looking into your own family story, your ancestry.

Please join us at 11 AM Eastern Time on Tuesday, March 17th for a live St. Patrick's Day interview with Mary Pat Kelly on Blog Talk Radio!

See what everyone else on the blog tour thought about Galway Bay:

http://2kidsandtiredbooks.blogspot.com/

http://athomewithbooks.blogspot.com/

http://book-thirty.blogspot.com/

http://readersrespite.blogspot.com/

http://www.myfriendamysblog.com/

http://bermudaonion.wordpress.com/

http://www.acircleofbooks.blogspot.com/

http://www.corinnesbookreviews.blogspot.com/

http://lorisbookden.blogspot.com/

http://www.bookthoughtsbylisa.blogspot.com/

http://teddyrose.blogspot.com/

http://libraryqueue.blogspot.com/

http://allisonsatticblog.blogspot.com/

http://cherylsbooknook.blogspot.com/

http://luanne-abookwormsworld.blogspot.com/

http://bookingmama.blogspot.com/

http://enroutetolife.blogspot.com/

http://www.marjoleinbookblog.blogspot.com/

http://peekingbetweenthepages.blogspot.com/

http://cafeofdreams.blogspot.com/

http://jennsbookshelf.blogspot.com/

http://thebookczar.blogspot.com/

http://www.writeforareader.edublogs.org/

http://linussblanket.com/

http://booksbytjbaff.blogspot.com/

http://www.caribousmom.com/

http://hiddenplace.wordpress.com/

http://www.chikune.com/blog

http://librarygirlreads.blogspot.com/

http://diaryofaneccentric.blogspot.com/

http://savvyverseandwit.blogspot.com/

http://www.kayespenguinposts.blogspot.com/

http://writebyfaith.blogspot.com/

http://www.frommipov.blogspot.com/

http://booksiesblog.blogspot.com/

http://www.bookbargainsandpreviews.com/reviews/history/galwaybay.htm

http://wendisbookcorner.blogspot.com/

http://www.thisbookforfree.com/

http://abookbloggersdiary.blogspot.com/

Review AND Giveaway: Drood by Dan Simmons

On June 9, 1865, while traveling by train to London with his secret mistress, 53-year-old Charles Dickens--at the height of his powers and popularity, the most famous and successful novelist in the world and perhaps in the history of the world--hurtled into a disaster that changed his life forever. Did Dickens begin living a dark double life after the accident? Were his nightly forays into the worst slums of London and his deepening obsession with corpses, crypts, murder, opium dens, the use of lime pits to dissolve bodies, and a hidden subterranean London mere research . . . or something more terrifying?Just as he did in The Terror, Dan Simmons draws impeccably from history to create a gloriously engaging and terrifying narrative. Based on the historical details of Charles Dickens's life and narrated by Wilkie Collins (Dickens's friend, frequent collaborator, and Salieri-style secret rival), DROOD explores the still-unsolved mysteries of the famous author's last years and may provide the key to Dickens's final, unfinished work: The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Chilling, haunting, and utterly original, DROOD is Dan Simmons at his powerful best.

The narrator of this spooky tale is Wilkie Collins, Victorian novelist and great friend of Charles Dickens. He has quite a story to tell. In the aftermath of a terrible train accident that he was lucky to escape, Dickens claims to have met an eerie, ugly figure by the name of Drood:

"Perhaps the unimaginable began when he was clambering down the steep embankment. Suddenly appearing next to him was a tall, thin man wearing a heavy black cape far more appropriate for a night at the opera than an afternoon's voyage to London on the tidal train. Both men were carrying their top hats in one hand while grabbing at the embankment for balance with their free hands. This figure, as Dickens later described to me in a throaty whisper during the days after the accident when his voice 'was no longer my own,' was cadaverously thin, almost shockingly pale, and stared at the writer from dark-shadowed eyes set deep under a pale, high brow that melded into a pale, bald scalp. A few strands of greying hair leapt out from the sides of this skull-like visage. Dickens's impression of a skull was reinforced, he said later, by the man's foreshortened nose - 'mere black slits opening into the grub-white face than a proper proboscis' was how Dickens described it - and by small, sharp, irregular teeth, spaced too far apart, set into gums so pale that they were whiter than the teeth themselves."

This meeting marks a great change in Dickens' life. His health begins to decline and he embarks on a series of nighttime tours through the darkest areas of underground London, called Undertown, in search of the elusive Drood. His friends and family notice his peculiar behavior and his increasing interest in the macabre.

Wilkie, who is plagued by constant pain which he attributes to rheumatic gout, has his own issues. He is addicted to opium, in the form of laudanum, to dull the pain and allow him the freedom to live his life. Charles often insists on Wilkie's presence on his midnight jaunts, which allows Wilkie to discover hidden opium dens. As a result, his addiction becomes much more severe.

Charles Dickens' obsession with Drood is contagious, Wilkie is drawn in and is soon deeply involved in the sinister occurrences that surround Drood and his minions. He tells himself that he is doing it for Charles, out of concern for his friend's mental health, but when he starts to believe in Drood himself the story takes on an entirely different aspect.

Dan Simmons has given us a dark, deliciously creepy narrative that any Victorian ghost story aficionado will savor. Indeed, I think Victorians themselves would be right at home reading this novel. The eerie atmosphere and gothic suspense strongly reminded me of that classic American writer, Edgar Allan Poe.

Drood is published by Little Brown. ISBN 978-0-316-00702-3

Miriam at Hachette Book Group has provided me with three copies of this book to give away. If you would like to enter, leave a comment here with the title of your favorite ghost story. Two extra entries for anyone who blogs about the giveaway, tweets on twitter or becomes a follower of my blog. If you do, please leave me a separate comment to let me know. Enter until midnight eastern on March 13. Winners will be drawn at random and must have a US or Canada mailing address (no PO Boxes)

Here is a list of everyone participating in the Early Bird Blog Tour....stop by and read their thoughts on Drood!

http://hiddenplace.wordpress.com

http://book-thirty.blogspot.com/

http://bermudaonion.wordpress.com/

http://www.writeforareader.blogspot.com

http://thebookczar.blogspot.com

http://www.acircleofbooks.blogspot.com

http://luanne-abookwormsworld.blogspot.com/

http://www.bookthoughtsbylisa.blogspot.com

http://AllisonsAtticBlog.blogspot.com

http://linussblanket.com

http://www.chikune.com/blog

http://cafeofdreams.blogspot.com/

http://readingtoolate.net

http://www.myfriendamysblog.com

http://jennsbookshelf.blogspot.com/

http://ABlogofBooks.blogspot.com

http://Cherylsbooknook.blogspot.com

http://shootingstarsmag.blogspot.com

http://www.savvyverseandwit.blogspot.com

http://bestbookihavenotread.wordpress.com

http://www.bookishruth.com/

http://www.bookingmama.blogspot.com/

http://martasmeanderings.blogspot.com

http://dreyslibrary.blogspot.com

http://www.myspace.com/darbyscloset

Review: Love and Other Natural Disasters by Holly Shumas

In the middle of a family Thanksgiving, Eve Gimbel overhears her husband, Jon, on the telephone. She can tell by the tenderness in his voice that he is talking to another woman. She is devastated. Ten years together and she never had a clue that Jon might be losing interest. Their life has seemed exactly the same as it always was. They have a young son and Eve is only a month from giving birth to their second child.

Jon immediately denies any physical infidelity, but he has been building a relationship with this woman through email and phone calls for more than a year. Without Jon knowing, Eve accesses his email records and reads everything that he and the other woman have written to each other. The knowledge she gains compel her to insist on a trial separation.

While they are apart both Jon and Eve eventually discover that their marriage wasn't what it should or could have been. They both fell into easy roles that, like a bad habit, became second nature to each of them. They learn that a dynamic relationship takes real work and they must decide if they are willing to invest that in each other and their family.

What is cheating? That is the interesting question that Holly Shumas poses in this novel. Is an emotional betrayal worse than a physical one? In our society, infidelity is generally considered to be a sexual affair. In this case, though, Eve is most hurt that Jon is giving the light, fun part of himself, that she knew in their early days together, to someone else. To her, a physical fling might even have been easier to forgive than his emotional entanglement with another woman.

I thought this was a smart, well written story that educates in the guise of entertainment. It imparts the important message that communication, self-awareness and honesty are vital for a successful relationship. It is one of those things that is difficult in practice, which is why there are professionals out there to help with rough patches. Holly Shumas is a licensed marriage and family therapist and her knowledge shines through in her novel. Her website is here.

This would be a fantastic book for reading groups, there is plenty of material for discussion! The Reading Group Guide is here.

Love and Other Natural Disasters is published by 5 Spot. ISBN 978-0-446-50477-5

Order Love and Other Natural Disasters from Amazon

See what everyone else thought! Here's the list of the blog tour participants:

http://www.writeforareader.edublogs.org

http://www.bermudaonion.wordpress.com

http://booksamyreads.blogspot.com

http://cafeofdreams.blogspot.com/

http://ablogofbooks.blogspot.com/

http://www.acircleofbooks.blogspot.com

http://athomewithbooks.blogspot.com

http://www.myfriendamysblog.com

http://bookingmama.blogspot.com/

http://2kidsandtiredbooks.blogspot.com

http://www.skrishnasbooks.com

http://enroutetolife.blogspot.com/

http://www.anovelmenagerie.com

http://printedpage.us

http://cindysloveofbooks.blogspot.com/

http://luanne-abookwormsworld.blogspot.com/

http://bookopolis.blogspot.com

http://www.bookthoughtsbylisa.blogspot.com

http://exlibrisbb.blogspot.com/

http://jennsbookshelf.blogspot.com/

http://www.marjoleinbookblog.blogspot.com

http://linussblanket.com

Review: Flirting With Forty by Jane Porter....Read the book, watch the movie!!

It is Christmas and Jackie is having a rough time. She has been divorced for a year and is struggling to raise her two small children while watching her ex strut around with his new hot girlfriend. As if that wasn't enough, in a few short weeks she will be turning the big 4-0. It's a low point, no question.

Fortunately Jackie has friends that love her. They are all married friends from her pre-divorce days but still, they are supportive. When one of them insists on a girls weekend in Hawaii to celebrate the dreaded birthday, Jackie reluctantly agrees. It seems par for the course that her friend has to cancel at the last minute but insists that she go on alone. By herself. Fun, fun, she thinks.

But once there, it's quite nice. Warm sun, blue water. And the surprising surf instructor, Kai, who shows a flattering interest in Jackie. He's gorgeous, ten years younger, but they hit it off and soon a vacation fling has been flung. But to Jackie it feels like more than that. Now she is arranging her schedule so that she can return to Hawaii and spend more time with Kai. Never mind that she has responsibilities, that it can never work out between them. A little happiness after the difficulties that Jackie has been through is what she desperately needs.

This is the story of a woman recreating herself, breaking out of the sameness of her life and learning to reach for the happiness and joy that everyone deserves. It is a thoughtful but fun book that I greatly enjoyed. Jane Porter has a nice way of blending the serious with the playful. Thanks so much to Miriam at Hachette Book Group for sending it to me for review!

This book was made into a movie starring Heather Locklear. It will premiere December 6th at 9pm eastern/8pm central on Lifetime. I'll be watching with my popcorn, how about you? Click on the movie banner below for more info on the movie.

Visit Jane Porter's Blog!

BUY BOOKS FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Flirting With Forty is published by 5 Spot. ISBN 978-0-446-69726-2

Order Flirting with Forty from Amazon

Review: Life After Genius by M. Ann Jacoby (plus GIVEAWAY!)

What could drive a brilliant young man to leave college eight days before graduation, without his degree, and return to his hometown to work in the family Mortuary business?

Being a genius is a difficult thing. For Theodore Mead Fegley, it has brought him nothing but grief. He started high school at the age of twelve, finished in three years, and started college at the age of fifteen. He has always been younger and smaller than everyone else. And, of course, the victim of taunts, ridicule and pranks for his entire school career. He is thrilled to go to college, where he thinks he will be among equals, learned individuals who will value his intellect. Poor kid, how wrong he is.

To facilitate the brand new start Theodore feels he is getting with college, he starts to go by his middle name, Mead. Unfortunately, the very first day he is reminded, yet again, that he is different from everyone else and does not fit in. Girls are too old for him, he is too young for drinking and partying, he has little in common with other young men on campus. His life is lonely and friendless. His only real friend, his cousin Percy, is off pursuing his dream of baseball glory. Percy sends a constant stream of postcards to Mead, letting him know what is going on in his life. But since Mead has no friends he doesn't really know how to BE one, so he never responds to Percy's postcards.

Mead excels at mathematics and spends his college career working on solving the Riemann Hypothesis, a 150 year old mathematical theory. When Herman, a wealthy and attractive fellow math student, befriends Mead it seems a little strange to him that this guy would want to spend time with him. But Herman offers to help Mead on the Riemann Hypothesis so, against his better judgement, Mead allows himself to go along with Herman's schemes. The results will force Mead to change, come to some important realizations about life and to see his parents and family through new eyes.

With Life After Genius, M. Ann Jacoby has written a wonderful story about the process of growing up. It is not enough to be smart, maturity lies in the ability to put aside your selfish concerns and do what is better for others, both people you love and people you may not like very much. She reminds us all about the discomforts of our school days when all we wanted was to be included, be liked, be part of the "in" crowd. You will fall in love with Mead Fegley, a sweet and awkward boy who learns the most important part of being a man.

If you would like to win a copy of Life After Genius, please leave a comment here with a short note about why you would like to read this book. You will receive two additional entries if you blog about this contest and link back here. One winner will be drawn at random. Contest will run through 11:59 pm eastern time on November 8. Winner must have a mailing address in the US or Canada (no PO Boxes). Make sure you leave an email address if you do not have an ID that contains contact information!

Many, many thanks to Miriam Parker at Hachette Book Group for including me in the Early Birds Blog Tour for this book and for providing the copy for the giveaway!!

Visit M. Ann Jacoby's website here.

Order Life After Genius from Amazon