Review: The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving

The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving by Jonathan Evison
Genre: Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 290 (Hardcover)
Source: Publisher: Algonquin Books
Author's Website | Twitter | Facebook
Buy it: Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Book Depo

Description:

Benjamin Benjamin has lost virtually everything--his wife, his family, his home, his livelihood. With few options, Ben enrolls in a night class called The Fundamentals of Caregiving, where he is instructed in the art of inserting catheters and avoiding liability, about professionalism, and on how to keep physical and emotional distance between client and provider. But when Ben is assigned to tyrannical nineteen-year-old Trevor, who is in the advanced stages of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, he soon discovers that the endless mnemonics and service plan checklists have done little to prepare him for the reality of caring for a fiercely stubborn, sexually frustrated adolescent with an ax to grind with the world at large. Though begun with mutual misgivings, the relationship between Trev and Ben evolves into a close camaraderie, and the traditional boundaries between patient and caregiver begin to blur as they embark on a road trip to visit Trev's ailing father. A series of must-see roadside attractions divert them into an impulsive adventure interrupted by one birth, two arrests, a freakish dust storm, and a six-hundred-mile cat-and-mouse pursuit by a mysterious brown Buick Skylark. Bursting with energy, this big-hearted and inspired novel ponders life's terrible surprises and the heart's uncanny capacity to mend.

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Review: Home Front

Home Front by Kristin Hannah
Genre: Women's Fiction, Military, Contemporary
Pages: 388 (Hardcover)
Source: Publisher
Author's Website | Blog | Facebook
Buy it: Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Book Depo

Description:

All marriages have a breaking point. All families have wounds. All wars have a cost. . . .

Like many couples, Michael and Jolene Zarkades have to face the pressures of everyday life---children, careers, bills, chores---even as their twelve-year marriage is falling apart. Then an unexpected deployment sends Jolene deep into harm’s way and leaves defense attorney Michael at home, unaccustomed to being a single parent to their two girls. As a mother, it agonizes Jolene to leave her family, but as a solider she has always understood the true meaning of duty. In her letters home, she paints a rose-colored version of her life on the front lines, shielding her family from the truth. But war will change Jolene in ways that none of them could have foreseen. When tragedy strikes, Michael must face his darkest fear and fight a battle of his own---for everything that matters to his family.

At once a profoundly honest look at modern marriage and a dramatic exploration of the toll war takes on an ordinary American family, Home Front is a story of love, loss, heroism, honor, and ultimately, hope.

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Review: Attachments

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Chick-lit, Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 321 (Hardback)
Source: Won in a giveaway
Author's Website | Twitter

Description:

Beth and Jennifer know their company monitors their office e-mail. But the women still spend all day sending each other messages, gossiping about their coworkers at the newspaper and baring their personal lives like an open book. Jennifer tells Beth everything she can't seem to tell her husband about her anxieties over starting a family. And Beth tells Jennifer everything, period. When Lincoln applied to be an Internet security officer, he hardly imagined he'd be sifting through other people's inboxes like some sort of electronic Peeping Tom. Lincoln is supposed to turn people in for misusing company e-mail, but he can't quite bring himself to crack down on Beth and Jennifer. He can't help but be entertained-and captivated- by their stories. But by the time Lincoln realizes he's falling for Beth, it's way too late for him to ever introduce himself. What would he say to her? "Hi, I'm the guy who reads your e-mail, and also, I love you." After a series of close encounters and missed connections, Lincoln decides it's time to muster the courage to follow his heart . . . even if he can't see exactly where it's leading him. Written with whip-smart precision and charm, Attachments is a strikingly clever and deeply romantic debut about falling in love with the person who makes you feel like the best version of yourself. Even if it's someone you've never met

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Review: More Than Words Can Say

More Than Words Can Say by Robert Barclay
Pages: 400 (ARC Paperback)
Source: TLC Booktours


 Description:
Chelsea Enright never expected to inherit her grandmother's lakeside cottage deep in the Adirondacks—a serene getaway that had been mysteriously closed up decades ago. This is no simple bequest, however, because when Chelsea finds her grandmother's WWII diaries, she's stunned to discover that they hold secrets she never suspected . . . and they have the power to turn her own life upside down. Even more surprising is the compelling presence of local doctor Brandon "Yale, and Chelsea soon finds her "short stay" has stretched into the entire summer. She cannot put this cottage and her family's past behind her easily—and the more she learns about the woman her grandmother truly was, the more Chelsea's own life begins to change . . . and nothing will ever be the same again.

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Mini-Review: The Girl Who Chased the Moon

The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Magical Realism
Pages: 180 (Ereader)
Source: eLibrary

Description:

Emily Benedict came to Mullaby, North Carolina, hoping to solve at least some of the riddles surrounding her mother’s life. Such as, why did Dulcie Shelby leave her hometown so suddenly? And why did she vow never to return? But the moment Emily enters the house where her mother grew up and meets the grandfather she never knew—a reclusive, real-life gentle giant—she realizes that mysteries aren’t solved in Mullaby, they’re a way of life: Here are rooms where the wallpaper changes to suit your mood. Unexplained lights skip across the yard at midnight. And a neighbor bakes hope in the form of cakes.

Review: The Love Goddess' Cooking School

The Love Goddess' Cooking School by Melissa Senate
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 326 (Paperback)
Source: Purchased based on Kelly's @ Bookend Diaries Review
Author | Facebook | Twitter

From GoodReads:

Holly Maguire's grandmother was the Love Goddess of Blue Crab Island, Maine–a Milanese fortune teller who could predict the right man for you, and whose Italian cooking was rumored to save marriages. Holly has been waiting years for her unlikely fortune: her true love will like sa cordula, an unappetizing old-world delicacy. But Holly can't make a decent marinara sauce, let alone sa cordula. Maybe that's why the man she hopes to marry breaks her heart. So when Holly inherits Camilla's Cucinotta, she's determined to forget about fortunes and love and become an Italian cooking teacher worthy of her grandmother's legacy. But Holly's four students are seeking much more than how to make Camilla's chicken alla Milanese. Simon, a single father, hopes to cook his way back into his daughter's heart. Juliet, Holly's childhood friend, hides a painful secret. Tamara, a serial dater, can't find the love she longs for. And twelve-year-old Mia thinks learning to cook will stop her dad from marrying his phony lasagna-queen girlfriend. As the class gathers each week, adding Camilla's essential ingredients of wishes and memories into every pot and pan, unexpected friendships and romances are formed–and tested

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Review: Taste of Salt

Taste of Salt by Martha Southgate
Genre: Literary Fiction, Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 281 (Paperback)
Source: Publisher Algonquin Books
Author Website | Twitter | Facebook

From the Back Cover:

Josie Henderson is most at home in and around water, and as a senior-level black female scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, she is practically alone in her field.  But in building this impressive life for herself, she has tried to shed the one thing she cannot: her family roots back in Cleveland.  When Tick, her brother and childhood ally against their alcoholic father, arrives on her doorstep fresh from rehab and teetering on teh edge of a relapse, Josie must finally face her family's past--and her own patterns of addiction.

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Review: Money Can't Buy Love & Giveaway

Money Can't Buy Love by Connie Briscoe
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, African-American
Pages: 287 (Hardback)
Source: TLC Book Tours and Publisher
Author's Website | Twitter | Facebook | Blog

Book Jacket:

Lenora Stone used to say if she didn’t have bad luck, she wouldn’t have any luck at all. At age thirty-eight, instead of socializing with Baltimore’s A-list, she photographs them for Baltimore Scene, a glossy magazine filled with beautiful people who, unlike Lenora, never have to worry about car trouble and overdue bills. As much as she’d love to slam the door on her overbearing boss, quitting isn’t an option. She’s barely making her mortgage payments and, though her condo might not be a palace, it’s hers. Lately even things with her boyfriend Gerald haven’t been right. They’ve been together for three years and he can’t seem to ask the one question she’s been waiting for. But what Lenora doesn’t know is that her luck is about to change…

Just when she thinks things can’t get worse, Lenora wins the jackpot in the Maryland lottery. In a heartbeat, all her dreams become possible
...
As her life starts to come together, the things Lenora holds dear begin to fall apart. Has her world really changed for the better, or does fortune come with a heavy price?

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Review: In Search of the Rose Notes

In Search of the Rose Notes by Emily Aresenault
Genre: Mystery, Adult Fiction
Pages: 369 (paperback)
Source: TLC Booktours and Publisher
Resources: Author's Website

Back Cover:

At age eleven, Nora and Charlotte re the best of friends--until their teenager babysitter Rose, disappears under mysterious circumstances.  They decide to "investigate," using paranormal theories and techniques they glean from a hand-me-down collection of Time Life books.  But their search goes nowhere, and leaves both girls distraight and angry with each other.

In her late twenties. Nora is drawn back to her old neighborhood, and to Charlotte, when Rose's bones are found.  She was probably murdered, and Charlotte is adamant that they solve the crime.  Nora--who was the last known person to see Rose alive--is forced to reconsider her memory of the events surrounding the disappearance, and her own troubled adolescence following those fateful days.  And she's not sure if she's read to face the secrets that begin to surface.

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Mini-Review: In Between Lies

In Between Lies by Shawna Hill
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Cultural (African-American)
Pages: 144 (ereader)
Source: Author
Facebook | Website

From Amazon:

After a devestating break up with her cheating fiance, Savannah Summers delves into her work as the Assistant to the VP of Production in a marketing/production company. Finding refuge in work and her best friends, she finally decides to try her hand at love one more time. This time around she vows to not give her whole self as before and keep her heart closer and guarded more than ever before. Kevin Styles is a smooth, handsome Meterologist at a local news station and is somewhat a local celebrity in his own right. When it comes to women, playing his cards right is his forte and he is just the man to wine and dine her. However, a known player to his heart, he's looking for the right woman to "tame" his wild ways. Just when things are going perfect, Naomi Sanders, a blast from Kevin's past blows through and the drama and lies begin. Shattered trust and betrayal is inevitable. Can their blooming relationship withstand Naomi's tactics, or should Savannah cut her losses and run?

My Rating:

Quick Thoughts: Surprising.  Drama.  Crazy.  Unexpected.
When I started reading I found myself rolling my eyes and feeling like the story was something I had seen before.  I felt like I knew exactly how the story would go and expected to be bored.  While I didn't connect with the characters, I found that I was completely wrong and this is not a predictable read.  It reminds me of one of those Real-Word of [insert city here] where you don't necessarily like the housewives but the drama and craziness is so addictive, you tune in because you can't help it.  I thought of it as a train-wreck that I couldn't take my eyes from (not the writing but the plot).  If you give this one a try, stick through the first 60 pages or so.   You'll be pleasantly surprised.  Read this one if you just can't help but like drama and craziness.

Review: The Stormchasers

The Stormchasers by Jenna Blum
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 369 (paperback)
Source: Publisher
Resources: Author's' Website | Facebook

From the Backcover:

As a teenager, Karena Jorge always took care of her twin brother, Charles, who suffers from bipolar disorder.  Obsessed with the weather and enraptured by its unpredictability that seems to mirror his own impulses, Charles grows increasingly unstable, until Karena finds herself caught between her loyalty for her brother and fear for her own safety.  When a terrifying storm chase with Karena ends with deadly consequences, the twins are torn apart, and Karena's life is changed forever.  Two decades later, Karena is forced to confront the dark secret from her past and track down her estranged brother before he does further damage to himself or to someone else.  She embarks on an odyssey that will test the strength of their sibling bond and give her an unexpected chance at love and redemption.

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Review: Minding Frankie

Minding Frankie by Maeve Binchy
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 295 (Ereader)

From GoodReads:

Baby Frankie is born into an unusual family. Her mother is desperate to find someone to take care of her child and she doesn't have much time. Noel doesn't seem to be the most promising of fathers but despite everything, he could well be Frankie's best hope. 
As for Lisa, she is prepared to give up everything for the man she loves; surely he's going to love her back? 
And Moira is having none of it. She knows what's right, and has the power to change the course of Frankie's life ...but Moira is hiding secrets of her own.

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Review: The Violets of March

The Violets of March: A Novel by Sarah Jio
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 304 (paperback)


From Amazon:

A heartbroken woman stumbled upon a diary and steps into the life of its anonymous author.
In her twenties, Emily Wilson was on top of the world: she had a bestselling novel, a husband plucked from the pages of GQ, and a one-way ticket to happily ever after.

Ten years later, the tide has turned on Emily's good fortune. So when her great-aunt Bee invites her to spend the month of March on Bainbridge Island in Washington State, Emily accepts, longing to be healed by the sea. Researching her next book, Emily discovers a red velvet diary, dated 1943, whose contents reveal startling connections to her own life.

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Mini-Review: The Peach Keeper

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 180 (Ereader)

Except from Goodreads Summary:

Willa has lately learned that an old classmate—socialite do-gooder Paxton Osgood—of the very prominent Osgood family, has restored the Blue Ridge Madam to her former glory, with plans to open a top-flight inn. Maybe, at last, the troubled past can be laid to rest while something new and wonderful rises from its ashes. But what rises instead is a skeleton, found buried beneath the property’s lone peach tree, and certain to drag up dire consequences along with it.

My Rating:

Quick Thoughts: Second chances.  Frienship.  Love.  Secrets.  Peaches

This is a story of regrets and secrets.  Focusing on the importance of friendship, there is a bit of romance, a touch of magic, and a hint of darkness.  I don't know why, but I originally thought this book was YA (this is what happens when you don't read the back cover) and I was pleasantly surprised to find a completely different story.  I loved that all the characters were likeable and complicated.  I especially enjoyed the vivid writing that created images that made me smile inside and out.  While the story doesn't sound that special, Sarah Addison Allen has introduced a story with an interesting setting, loveable characters, and well integrated plot.  And isn't that cover gorgeous?

This is my first Sarah Addison Allen book and I definitely want to read more.  Have you read book written by her?  What did you think?  Anyone else read this one?  I'd love to hear thoughs :)

 

Guest Review From Jade: Something Blue

Introducing Jade from Sort of Beautiful.  I don't know how I found Jade's blog but I absolutely love it. The name was inspired by Twilight's New Moon and it focuses on books with "other facets of entertainment sprinkled in."  Click here to find out more about Sort of Beautiful.  I personally enjoy Jade's review very much.


This is post is a new experience for us both.  This is my first guest blogger and this is her first guest post.  Please join me in welcoming Jade.  Thanks Jade for sharing this wonderful book review :)



**QUICK WARNING: If you haven't read Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin, I wouldn't read the Synopsis or the Review unless you don't mind spoilers.**

Something Blue by Emily Giffin
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Chick-Lit
Pages: 368
Sequel to Something Borrowed | Review to Something Borrowed

Synopsis (typed exactly from the back of the book):
Darcy Rhone has always been able to rely on a few things: her beauty and charm.  Her fiancé Dex.  Her lifelong best friend Rachel.  She never needed anything else.  Or so she thinks until Dex calls off their dream wedding and she uncovers the ultimate betrayal.  Blaming everyone but herself, Darcy flees to London and attempt to recreate her glamorous life on a new continent.  But to her dismay, she discovers that her tried-and-true tricks no longer apply-and that her luck has finally expired.  It is only then that she can begin her journey toward redemption, forgiveness, and true love.

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Review: Exposure

Exposure by Therese Fowler
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Literary Fiction
Pages: 366 (Hardback)
Source: Publisher (Ballentine Books)
Author's Site | Discussion: When Books Meet Life
Available May 3, 2011

Book Flap:

Amelia Wilkes's strict father does not allow her to date, but that doesn't stop the talented, winsome high school senior from carrying on a secret romance with her classmate Anthony Winter.  Desperately in love, the two envision a life together and plan to tell Amelia's parents only after she turns eighteen and is legally an adult.  Anthony's mother, Kim, who teaches at their school, knows--and keeps--their secret.  But the couple's passion is exposed sooner than planned: Amelia's father, Harlan, is shocked and infuriated to find naked pictures of Anthony on his daughter's computer.  Just hours later, Anthony is arrested.
Despite Amelia's frantic protests, Harlan uses his wealth and influence with local law enforcement and the media to label Anthony a deviant who preyed on his innocent daughter.  Spearheaded by a zealous prosecutor anxious to turn the case into a public crusade against "sexting," the investigation soon takes an even more disturbing and destructive turn.
As events spiral wildly out of control and the scandalous story makes national news, Amelia and Anthony risk everything in a bold and dangerous attempt to clear their names and end the madness once and for all.

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Review and Giveaway: Something Borrowed

Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
Genre: Chick Lit, Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 341 (paperback)


Back cover:

Meet Rachel White, a young attorney living and working in Manhattan.  Rachel has always been the consummate good girl--until her thirtieth birthday, when her best friend Darcy throws her a party.  That night, after too many drinks, Rachel ends up in bed with Darcy's fiancé.  Although she wakes up determined to put the one-night fling behind her, Rachel is horrified to discover that she has genuine feelings for the one guy she should run from.  In her wildest dreams (or worst nightmare?) this is the last thing on earth Rachel could ever have imagined happening.  As the September wedding date nears, Rachel knows she had to make a choice.  In doing so, she discovers that the lines between right and wrong can be blurry, endings aren't always neat, and sometimes you have to risk all to win true happiness.

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My Review:
First and foremost, I don't know what made me buy this book but I'm glad I did.  I hardly ever read chick lit or anything contemporary because I tend to get caught up on crazy things like societal norms and various themes and issues that is not relevant to the book.  I get all huffy and end up talking to my husband for hours about how life isn't fair for some reason or other.  On top of that, it is a book about cheating.  So ummm... hear are my morals and feelings about cheaters getting all riled up.  But for some reason I bought and read this book.  ANYWAYS...

I really enjoyed this book.  Rachel and Darcy has been friends forever so I thought I would feel so bad for Darcy but I didn't.  I appreciated Rachel for her morals and for her struggles and Darcy just irritated me.  I know many selfish girls like her.  But this book isn't about mean girls and when certain actions are justified, but it is a book about life and struggles.  It was nothing like I expected.  It was well-written and refreshing.  You pick it up and just can't put it down.

AND... For the Giveaway...

Mini-Review: Last Dance at Jitterbug Lounge

Last Dance at Jitterbug Lounge by Pamela Morsi

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 441 (paperback)

Sometimes the sweet sounds of remembered melodies can reignite the heart...

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