Review: Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison

Title: Here Lies Bridget

Author: Paige Harbison

Genre/Audience: Young Adult

Publication: 2011

Source: Library

Summary:  Bridget Duke is a mean girl. A very, very mean girl. She also happens to be the ruler of her high school - girls want to be her, guys want to date her, etc. Then, a new girl appears at school, and people stop worshipping Bridget like they did before. So one night, Bridget, feeling desperate and anxious of losing her crown, drives too fast and crashes her car. She ends up in limbo, where all the people she's hurt the most appear in front of her to judge her and decide her fate. She's forced to relive certain incidents but this time, seeing things from their perspectives. She will attempt to fix all the horrible things she's done but the question remains: can they forgive her? Is 'sorry' enough to fix the past?

My Thoughts: The concept for this story was interesting, but I feel like I've seen it before... like in Before I Fall, by Lauren Oliver. You know, the mean girl dying and reliving the past to try and fix it and live instead. So yeah, it didn't seem entirely original to me. I thought it was pretty fast paced and I was interested to see how it would all turn out. However, I had some problems with the book. First and foremost was Bridget. She was unrealistically mean. I know that there are really nasty and mean girls (trust me, I went to high school with a few of them), but Bridget was beyond brutal to the point that I couldn't really see someone doing a lot of the things she did. Additionally, when she went back to relive the most horrendous moments, she decided to change in the blink of an eye. Someone as mean and nasty as she was does not just see their meanest moments one more time and realize how bad they are. I really do enjoy stories where someone changes their ways to become a better person, but I like to see a real transformation occur, not 'insta-change,' like Bridget. I do think this book will appeal to many YA readers as it did have a cool concept, but I personally felt it was a bit flawed. I certainly didn't dislike it, but I would have liked to see more of a transformation and a somewhat toned down Bridget. I will read more books by Paige Harbison if she writes more in the future. This was a good debut effort. And by the way, I love and adore her mother, author Beth Harbison, who wrote a favorite of mine, Shoe Addicts Anonymous, and many others.

My Rating: 3/5

Review: The Final Note by Kevin Alan Milne

Title: The Final Note

Author: Kevin Alan Milne

Genre/Audience: Contemporary, romance, adult

Publication: 2011

Source: Library

Summary: While studying abroad for college, Ethan and Anna fall in love while Ethan plays his guitar on the streets for money. Just a short time later, when they get married, they are very much in love, and hope to be together for the rest of their lives. Ethan promises on their wedding day that he will write Anna her own song for their first anniversary. Flash forward a few years, and Ethan has still not written that song. Instead, he works long, late hours to provide for his family, and the relationship is falling apart. Then, one night, a tragic accident involving Anna tears their family apart. While Ethan wonders if Anna will ever recover, he thinks about his regrets and sorrow for the decisions he's made over the last few years. He hopes that he can finish Anna's song, and that she'll be around to hear it.

My Thoughts: What a breathtakingly beautiful story about love, loss, regret, and ultimately, forgiveness. It broke my heart and brought out so many emotions for me. I am such a sucker for a good love story and this was a great one. The love was so realistic, true, and intense and I really appreciated that. These are the kinds of stories that have always made me believe in real love. While it could be a bit cheesy at times, sometimes, I have to admit, I really love the cheese! Anna was amazing and sweet. She loved when Ethan played the guitar for her, and always left a "True Love Note" in his strings after every time he played. Ethan could be a jerk at times, but after the tragedy, his true character was once again revealed, like at the beginning of the novel. Together, they endured many things such as miscarriages, and setbacks early on in their marriage and I thought this was really true to life. I also thought the first part of the book was really cool, where it showed the two of them in Europe beginning their courtship. If you're a fan of Nicholas Sparks, I strongly suggest you pick up a copy of this book. I've already put his other books on hold at my library and can't wait to read them!

My Rating: 4.5/5

Dewey's Readathon: My Stats and Intro

Hi everyone! I am starting a couple of hours late, but I am starting now, so here we go! This is my first ever readathon, despite having been a book blogger for over two years. I am also not the fastest reader, so I won't be reading mountains of books like some of you can. :( But, I will do my best. Below are my stat updates and my intro. I can't read the whole time because I have a midterm to take (phooey!).

STATISTICS

Pages Read: 140
Time Read: 2.5 hours
Books:
*The Final Note by Kevin Alan Milne (previously started, finished today).
*Here Lies Bridget by Paige Harbison (started today, currently reading).
Final Update: Epic fail? My goal was to read for a measly 6 hours, but I only read 2.5. I had to take a midterm then go to a Halloween party. Next year, I will try my hardest to have the day completely cleared. But honestly, I don't really think I failed because if I hadn't been doing the readathon, I wouldn't have read 2.5 hours - probably less than one since it was a busy day. I did have fun though, and look forward to participating in the next one!

1)Where are you reading from today?

Rochester, NY.

2)Three random facts about me…

I love animals and people who rescue them. I have a rescue dog, Dakota.
I love the show Dexter like crazy. I want to marry Michael C. Hall.
I love the color combination brown and pink.

3)How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?

TWO! I know, lame! Slow bookworm over here.

4)Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)?

Um, I am a baby when it comes to sleep so I can't partake in the overnight bit (lame), plus I have to take a midterm. My goal is 6 hours.

5)If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, any advice for people doing this for the first time?

This is my first time. Advice welcome here!

Review: Tassy Morgan's Bluff by Jim Stinson

Title: Tassy Morgan's Bluff
Author: Jim Stinson
Genre/Audience: Fiction, adult
Publication: 2011
Source: Library

Unfortunately, Tassy Morgan's Bluff fell really flat for me. I loved the sound of it on the back - small town, quirky inhabitants - but it wasn't what I was expecting. I love small town feel in novels and wish I lived in a small town (think Stars Hollow from the Gilmore Girls), but that feeling didn't come through in this book. See, what I like about small towns is the connectedness and the sense of community, everyone knowing everyone, and general friendliness, but that was lacking here. A lot of people didn't know each other, and most of them were quite mean and petty.

But let me back up a little. Tassy Morgan, a recently divorced and rather lonely painter, is the main character and she lives on a bluff overlooking a beach. The bluff is weakening and her home is in serious danger of falling apart - it's already tilting because of the crumbling bluff. She wants to knock it down and rebuild. However, Margaret Nam, her arch nemesis (for mostly unknown reasons), is part of the town board, and disputes Tassy's plans. During Tassy's battle with the town board, she meets her new neighbor, ex-lawyer, Linc, with whom she begins a romantic relationship. So, there isn't really a whole lotta plot here, and that's okay usually, because I LOVE character driven novels... buuuut, I didn't like the characters nor did I think they grew in any way. There was one character, Orson, a gay owner of an art gallery, who I really liked, but he wasn't featured enough. The other characters I either didn't like, or just didn't care for or about at all.

So yes, this book was, for the most part, a disappointment to me and moved quite slowly. I didn't hate it, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, and if there were to be a sequel, I would probably give it a pass.

My Rating: 2/5

Review: A Stolen Life by Jaycee Dugard

Title: A Stolen Life: A Memoir
Author: Jaycee Dugard
Genre/Audience: Memoir, autobiography, adult
Publication: 2011
Source: Library

I'm sure most of you know about Jaycee Lee Dugard, who was kidnapped at age 11, in 1991. She was finally rescued after 18 years, in 2009. While on her way to school, just minutes from her home, Phillip Garrido, and his wife, Nancy, kidnapped her off the street and shoved them into their vehicle. For 18 years, they kept Jaycee hidden in their backyard and brainwashed her into thinking it would be unsafe if she ever tried to leave. They wouldn't even let her speak her real name. They made her dependent on them both physically and emotionally, and even made Jaycee feel empathy for them. Phillip also repeatedly forced Jaycee to have sexual relations with him, and she gave birth to his two daughters while in captivity, the first at age 14.

I believe that this memoir is the first time Jaycee has spoken at great length about her 18 year ordeal. I cannot even begin to fathom what she went through. While reading her story, I couldn't even imagine something like this had really happened, but it did. It sickens me that the man who ruined her entire life is the father of her children. It also sickens me that Phillip made the girls refer to Nancy as their mother, and Jaycee as their sister. The Garrido's are truly disturbed and twisted people and I hope they get what they deserve in jail.

This story is heartbreaking, disturbing, and worst of all, true. I highly recommend it. Everyone should know the truth about what this poor girl endured, and who better to hear it from then Jaycee herself? I am so happy she is working towards taking her life back. This story is a true testimony to what the human spirit can endure when faced with the unthinkable.

My Rating: 5/5

Review: Rock Star's Girl by J.F. Kristin

Title: Rock Star's Girl

Author: J.F. Kristin
Genre/Audience: Chick-lit, adult
Publication: 2011
Source: For review, CLP Tours

Summary: Emily Watts, 26 year old freelance writer and fashion website owner, just wants to have a fun night out at her friend Jesse's concert. Instead, she meets rockstar, Cory Sampson, and after agreeing to go out on a date with him, makes entertainment headlines. Soon, Emily is famous, just for dating a rockstar, and does not enjoy being thrust into the limelight. When rumors erupt that she's been cheating on Cory with Jesse, she's not ready to face the kickback from Cory's fans, who publicly call her out, call her names, and grow to hate her. Now her career is going down the drain as fast as her love life. Is either man right for her, or is she being used as a career booster for one or both of the guys? Can she save her own career and her reputation before it's too late?

My Thoughts: Insider stories are always fun and interesting to me. This story takes place in the L.A. music scene and I enjoyed the inside glimpse not only of the music scene, but also that of celebrity life and tabloid entertainment writing. Emily lives in a dog eat dog world where people will do anything to get the story or to find fame and things get vicious fast. I liked Emily's character a lot, and how she was an independent, self-made woman who followed her dream. She was shocked by her sudden fame and didn't know how to deal with it, or the pitfalls of her relationship(s). I particularly liked the articles that appeared throughout the book with gossip about Emily and her romance. The love triangle was interesting as well and I honestly didn't know who she would or would not end up with. Jesse was a bit hard to like, but Cory was more likable, though it was hard to know whether or not he was genuine. In Emily's Hollywood world, it's hard to tell the fake from the real. All in all, I thought this was a pretty fun read. While it isn't incredibly thought provoking, it's a good choice for a light, escapist read. It moved a little slowly for me, but I liked the story and would definitely read something from J.F. Kristin again.

My Rating: 3/5

My New Love! Presenting... DAKOTA!

Hi friends, I haven't been around much lately, but I have a good reason. Really. I promise. See this face?
That's Dakota, my new doggy boy! Dakota is a Bichon Frise/Pekingese mix, 4 years old, 15 pounds, and so affectionate. He loves belly rubs, Denta Stix, stealing hearts, and going and lying in bed before we're even in there. And since you're wondering, yes, he does in fact have a fabulous, world class underbite. My boyfriend and I adopted him from one of our local animal shelters on Friday and I am in loooove. Really. I am just smitten with my little munchkin man. I missed him all day today when I was at work, our first day apart. :(

So, I've been busy helping Dakota get adjusted to his new home. He is really happy here, and I am beyond happy to have him. He has completely stolen my heart. The only problem? He cries desperately when we have to leave him alone. :( It makes me incredibly sad.

Anyways, I'm still reading, OF COURSE, but haven't been able to as much during Dakota's adjustment period. He's really beginning to settle in here, so things will be back to normal around the blog pretty soon, but just cuter. ;) Expect lots of pictures of my little man.

Our little family.

See... Dakota reads with mom! What a good doggy!

Creation of a Cover!

I was happy to meet author, Laurie Boris, this year at BEA and hear about her new book, The Joke's On Me. The cover is really cool and different so I was intrigued. She told me she and her husband made it and I was so impressed! Want to know how it was created? Read on!

About That Cover by Laurie Boris

I write the books in the family, but my husband, Paul Blumstein, paints the pictures. In his long career, Paul has illustrated enough covers for a whole shelf of books, and for almost twenty-five years, I’ve had the pleasure of watching each design blossom on his drawing table. (And, much to his embarrassment, of pointing them out to random people whenever I spy his work in bookstores.) So when 4RV Publishing’s publisher, Vivian Zabel, agreed to take on The Joke’s on Me, I hoped I’d be allowed to choose him as my cover artist.

I wrote, “I hoped” because back then, there were several things I knew for sure. There was no tooth fairy, it was not possible for me to watch Casablanca without blubbering up a storm, and new authors have no input into their cover artist or design, and sometimes even the title.

Fortunately, the underlying philosophy of my publisher is that they work closely with authors and illustrators to produce a quality product in alignment with the author’s vision. We agreed from the start that my working title needed a makeover, so together we brainstormed to develop something catchier. When I rather timidly offered my husband’s services, 4RV’s art director, Aidana WillowRaven, asked for some samples, and gave him the green light.

It helped that his whimsical, quirky style fit the tone of the book. It helped that before devoting my life to writing, I was a graphic designer, and began my career at Syracuse University Press laying out book covers. So Paul and I were tasked with working together on a cover design. It also helped that he read the book in an earlier draft, so he knew the story.

One day we were batting a couple of ideas around. Because the book has more than its fair share of tomato metaphors (I have this thing for tomatoes), I suggested including tomatoes or tomato sauce in some shape or form in the design. Since Frankie, my protagonist, was a stand-up comic, one concept included splashing a tomato across the cover, the classic symbol of audience disapproval. (My one bit of violence in The Joke’s on Me is a marinara rampage, but I don’t want to give too much away.) We worried that it would look too much like blood. While that might work for a James Patterson novel, it’s not what this story is about, even if we spot-varnished the seeds so it was clearly a squashed tomato and not O negative.

Paul suggested just using a couple of tomatoes–one representing younger sister Frankie, the Hollywood stand-up comic, and one for Jude, the older Goldberg sister, an ex-hippie and serial divorcee.

I liked it. It felt clean and simple, and satisfied my tomato lust.

So he went to the farmer’s market and picked out a few pretty tomatoes. He shot them with his digital camera, then pulled it into Photoshop and began to play. Tomato Frankie got movie star sunglasses; Tomato Jude got a peace sign and some love beads. He paired this with fun, but very readable fonts. I hesitated about the white cover. After I’d done a little recon work (a trip to Barnes & Noble) and scanned through my book collection, it seemed like nearly every novel in my genre had a full-bleed (printing runs off all sides of the page) cover.

“But that’s just the thing,” Paul said. “The white will make it stand out.”

In the end we left that choice up to Aidana and Vivian. They also preferred the white.

Tomato Jude and Tomato Frankie went into the produce bin to await final approval. When everyone signed off, Paul chopped our “love apples” (as tomatoes used to be called) into a delicious tomato and cucumber salad, and we ate them.

In the end, we couldn’t tell which tomato was Jude and which was Frankie, who lent the sweetness and who lent the tang, but that’s the magic of tomato salad. It all becomes one.