REVIEW: Somebody to Love by Kristan Higgans @harlequinbooks

Book Description

Publication Date: April 24, 2012

After her father loses the family fortune in an insider-trading scheme, single mom Parker Welles is faced with some hard decisions. First order of business: go to Gideon's Cove, Maine, to sell the only thing she now owns—a decrepit house in need of some serious flipping. When her father's wingman, James Cahill, asks to go with her, she's not thrilled…even if he is fairly gorgeous and knows his way around a toolbox.Having to fend for herself financially for the first time in her life, Parker signs on as a florist's assistant and starts to find out who she really is. Maybe James isn't the glib lawyer she always thought he was. And maybe the house isn't the only thing that needs a little TLC….




About the Author

Kristan Higgins is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author and two-time winner of the Romance Writers of America RITA Award. Her books have been praised for their "genius level EQ, whippet-fast, funny dialogue and sweet plots with a deliciously tart edge" (USA TODAY). She lives in Connecticut with her heroic firefighter husband and two extremely advanced children, one shy little mutt and an occasionally affectionate cat.

SOURCE: PUBLISHER

MY THOUGHTS

LOVED IT

Parker and her son live off of her trust fund supplied by her father, but when her father is conivcted for insider trading, the funds dry up.  She inherits a house from a distant aunt where at least she will have a roof over her head and her career as a children's author puts food on the table. All except the house is barely inhabitable.  Enter James, a lawyer, who has been asked to help her out and she would really rather do without his help, but he is really cute and really handy.  James really represents everything from her "previous" life - aka - the trust fund years, and she wants to move on.  Of course, he has feeling for her, even if they are reciprocated at first.  At times, I really wanted Parker to wake up and see how right he is for her.  but since he is one of a pair of lawyers she refers to as Thing One and Thing Two, you know there is some distance between them.  


Higgans is one of my favorite romance authors since she always includes a  strong female character  with a sweet, clean romantic angle.  This story also revisits two of my favorite characters from Catch of the Day, Maggie and Malone.  The humor and believable dialogue are really what makes this book sparkle for me.  Parker is so spunky, and even though she has been brought up with money, she doesn't mind getting her hands dirty.  Parker is someone I wish I lived next door to!  If you enjoy Rachel Gibson, Jill Shalvis and Carly Phillips, this should be right up your ally.  

Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: HQN Books (April 24, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373776586
• ISBN-13: 978-0373776580

GIVEAWAY My Favorite Reads Hop WIN Calico Joe & I Suck at Girls

Welcome to the My Favorite Reads Giveaway Hop! 

This hop is hosted by: 

I Am a Reader, Not a Writer (HERE) 

Rachelle's Writing Spot (HERE)

There are over one hundred blogs participating and each has their own entry rules and geographic limits, so be sure to read the rules for each one.  This hop starts June 1st and and runs through June 6th,  midnight.

HERE IS WHAT I HAVE FOR ONE LUCKY WINNER:

ARC

ARC

WANT TO WIN THESE TWO ARCs?

(perfect for Father's Day!)

Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a mailing address that delivers the free areas of The Book Depository or Amazon.

Contest ends on 6.6.12 Winner will be chosen by Random.org on 6.7.12

Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.

This giveaway is sponsored by me and ONE set of books are available.

Complete the below form 
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GIVEAWAY Frequent Traveler by Pandora Poikilos WIN $50 to Amazon! #bookblast

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Catherine Dixon is everyone's dreamgirl. Girls want to be her. Men want to be with her. From her charming smile to her gentle voice, one always turns to take a second look at Cathy. Wherever she goes there isn't an ill-word spoken about her. Her job as Vice President of Communications at MoonStar, one of the world's top hotel chains is to make sure guests are happy to the point of perfection.

From the blue oceans of Antigua to the bustling streets of Vietnam, the racing adrenaline at the Green Hell, the devastating natural disaster in Japan and the stunning architecture in Germany, Cathy finds herself in a whirlwind of fine dining, plush clothes and sheer extravagance. But is perfection only a mask for untold disaster? In a job that deals so much with people, Cathy goes home to an empty bed. There are no pictures on her wall, no doting phone calls from a tongue tied lover and no family holidays to boast about.

What is Cathy's secret and how will her world change when the world knows? What is the significance of the blue pendant round her neck? Who is the mysterious man she is seen with every three months? What are the contents of the brown envelope delivered to her on the fifteenth of every month? Will her secrets ever catch up with her or will Cathy continue to sail alongside perfection in the world she has created for herself as a Frequent Traveller?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Pandora Poikilos has been writing for more than 10 years for various media which include newspapers, radio, television and various websites. 

A social media enthusiast who is passionate about blogging and finding her way around the virtual world, she wills away time in the real world by reading, writing and people watching. 

If you had to describe yourself using three words, it would be
- Damaged goods, Quirky, Loving.

You write so much about inspiration, who is the one person who has inspired you the most?
- Steve Jobs, Apple

What’s the ideal dream job for you?
- What I have right now. To write.

In conjunction, with the launch of MoonStar Luxury's new website (http://moonstarluxury.com/), we invite you to step into Cathy Dixon's world where more goodies, surprises and a little mystery awaits.


Frequent Traveller, the first book in the Cathy Dixon series will be free from 31 May to 4 June 2012.
 (Amazon link http://www.amazon.com/Frequent-Traveller-Cathy-Dixon-ebook/dp/B0067BKK6K)




Giveaway Details - 11 winners
Grand prize 1 x $50 Amazon.com voucher
10 x $5 Amazon.com vouchers




Terms and conditions
Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent's permission. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way affiliated with Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


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WoW Wicked Angels by Gena Showalter @genashowalter @HarlequinBooks

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.


This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Book Description

Publication Date: June 26, 2012 | Series: Angels of the Dark

Leader of the most powerful army in the heavens, Zacharel has been deemed nearly too dangerous, too ruthless—and if he isn't careful, he'll lose his wings. But this warrior with a heart of ice will not be deterred from his missions at any cost…until a vulnerable human tempts him with a carnal pleasure he's never known before.Accused of a crime she did not commit, Annabelle Miller has spent four years in an institution for the criminally insane. Demons track her every move, and their king will stop at nothing to have her. Zacharel is her only hope for survival, but is the brutal angel with a touch as hot as hell her salvation—or her ultimate damnation?

About the Author

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the acclaimed Lords of the Underworld series and more than thirty other books. She lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Visit her at GenaShowalter.com.

Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin HQN (June 26, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373776985
• ISBN-13: 978-0373776986

OHHH -- I can't wait for this one!  I need some sexy snark soon!  I love Gena's vampires and others, but now she takes on angels?   

BOOK REVIEW United Breaks Guitars by Dave Carroll @DaveCarroll @hayhouse

Book Description

Publication Date: May 15, 2012

 Songwriter Dave Carroll wasn’t the first person abused by an airline’s customer service. But he was the first to show how one person, armed with creativity, some friends, $150, and the Internet, could turn an entire industry upside down.
            United Airlines had broken Dave’s guitar in checked luggage. After eight months of pestering the company for compensation, he turned to his best tool—songwriting—and vowed to create a YouTube video about the incident that he hoped would garner a million views in one year. Four days after its launching, the first million people had watched “United Breaks Guitars.” United stock went down 10 percent, shedding $180 million in value; Dave appeared on outlets as diverse as CNN and The View. United relented. And throughout the business world, people began to realize that “efficient” but inhuman customer-service policies had an unseen cost—brand destruction by frustrated, creative, and socially connected customers.
            “United Breaks Guitars” has become a textbook example of the new relationship between companies and their customers, and has demonstrated the power of one voice in the age of social media. It has become a benchmark in the customer-service and music industries, as well as branding and social-media circles. Today, more than 150 million people are familiar with this story.
            In this book, you’ll hear about how Dave developed the “just do it” philosophy that made him the ideal man to take on a big corporation, what it felt like to be in the center of the media frenzy, and how he’s taken his talents and become a sought-after songwriter and public speaker. And businesspeople will learn how companies should change their policies and address social-media uprisings.
            Since “United Breaks Guitars” emerged, nothing is the same—for consumers, for musicians, or for business. Whether you are a guitarist, a baggage handler, or a boardroom executive, this book will entertain you and remind you that we are all connected, that each of us matters, and that we all have a voice worth hearing.

About the Author

Dave Carroll is a singer-songwriter and social media innovator from Halifax, Canada. Following his 2009 YouTube music video release called “United Breaks Guitars,” about his poor customer service experience with United Airlines, Dave’s career blossomed and he is now a highly-sought-after performer, content creator, author, keynote speaker, and consumer advocate.

Details

• Hardcover: 197 pages
• Publisher: Hay House (May 15, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401937934
• ISBN-13: 978-1401937935

SOURCE: PUBLISHER

MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT


Dave Carrolll has endured every musician's nightmare:  his guitar, his baby, was tossed and broken by the baggage handlers on a United flight.  He honestly tried to get satisfaction from the company, but they pretty much ignored him.   He wrote out a plan, which is really impressive, and followed through on each step that he thought out.  He would be polite, try to resolve the issue and settle for a sum which would not even begin to cover the repair.   So he did what any musician worth his salt, he wrote a song about it and put it on You Tube.  His only goal was to get a million views on a trilogy of songs documenting his quest for satisfaction. It received more than that in just four days.  


Carroll was thrown into a media whirlwind and knowing just enough, he bravely took it on and tried to get United to understand that the way they were treating their customers was wrong.  His battle with them became a text book case of consumer affairs and what not do in public relations if you are a major corporation in this day of social media.  I have to say that this book is exceptionally well written and very enjoyable.  What made it very special is that it tells a story and makes his experiences very easy to relate to.  I mean, who hasn't been abused by an airline, but the way Carroll responded should be a lesson for the consumer and the corporation.  The smart ones pay attention and try to fix it, especially in this day of social media where every one really has a voice.  

BOOK TRAILER & AUDIO EXCERPT A Dog's Journey by W. Bruce Cameron @MacmillanAudio

GIVEAWAY & BOOK REVIEW A Dog's Journey by W. Bruce Cameron @MacmillanAudio @wbrucecameron

Book Description

Publication Date: May 8, 2012

Buddy is a good dog.

After searching for his purpose through several eventful lives, Buddy is sure that he has found and fulfilled it. Yet as he watches curious baby Clarity get into dangerous mischief, he is certain that this little girl is very much in need of a dog of her own.

When Buddy is reborn, he realizes that he has a new destiny. He's overjoyed when he is adopted by Clarity, now a vibrant but troubled teenager. When they are suddenly separated, Buddy despairs—who will take care of his girl?

A charming and heartwarming story of hope, love, and unending devotion, A Dog's Journey asks the question: Do we really take care of our pets, or do they take care of us? More than just another endearing dog tale, A Dog's Journey is the moving story of unwavering loyalty and a love that crosses all barriers.

About the Author

W. BRUCE CAMERON is the New York Times bestselling author of A Dog's Purpose and 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, which was turned into the hit ABC series. He lives in California.

SOURCE:  PUBLISHER


MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT


Continuing Buddy's story from A Dog's Purpose, we meet him again near the end of his current life where he meets Clarity, Ethan's granddaughter. As his last act of selflessness, he saves the toddler from certain death when she falls into the pond, where her mother, Gloria, is sunbathing nearby.  Of course, she blames Buddy for pushing Clarity in the water.  So when Buddy is reincarnated as Molly, her finds a new life's purpose in guarding her.  Gloria is, in my opinion, one of the worst mothers ever.  She causes Clarity no end of pain in her selfish lifestyle even causing an eating disorder in this poor child.  The audio version really emphasizes the evil of Gloria, something that might be lost in the written word.  


Of course, Molly doesn't last long but long enough to keep Clarity going and without harm for this part of her teen years and dies in a car accident in which she is thrown from the seat.  After a quick respite, Max takes Molly's place where he learns he has a gift detecting cancer in humans when Clarity must do community service at a dog shelter.  Max is reborn as Toby and he literally chases Charity down since he knows that she desperately needs saving again.  Toby also retains the gift of cancer detection and saves her husband Trent from certain death as well.  


I adored this book and it will really tug at your heartstrings if you are dog lover.  I only cried twice during this one, I mean full on, tears when Clarity was really struggling with her life.  The dogs always brought it around full circle.  Dogs add such impact to your life in such a good way.  Bruce Cameron really has a gift at capturing a dog's personality and making this type of story truly believable.  These are special books.

Details

• Audio CD
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio; Unabridged edition (May 8, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1427222894
• ISBN-13: 978-1427222893

WANT TO WIN A COPY OF THIS AUDIO BOOK? 
(It has been used once)

Complete the below form 

Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a US mailing address 

(sorry, no PO Boxes)

Contest ends on 6.11.12 Winner will be chosen by Random.org on 6.12.12

Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.

This giveaway is sponsored by ME and ONE copy is available.


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BOOKHOUNDS Stacking the Shelves May 27, 2012 IMM

Stacking the Shelves is a new weekly post by TYNGA'S REVIEWS showcasing your new books!

Here is what I got in the last week:


FOR REVIEW 

BOOK WINNER Ten Beach Road by Wendy Wax

AND THE WINNER IS:




LESLIE


Be sure to stop by STOREY BOOK REVIEWS here








An email has been sent to the lucky person named above
The winner has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
Thanks to all who entered. 
PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM FOR THE EMAIL FROM BOOKHOUNDS @ HOTMAIL REQUESTING YOUR MAILING ADDRESS!

BOOK WINNER Love in Bloom

AND THE WINNER IS:


LORRETTALYNN

An email has been sent to the lucky person named above
The winner has 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
Thanks to all who entered. 
PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM FOR THE EMAIL FROM BOOKHOUNDS @ HOTMAIL REQUESTING YOUR MAILING ADDRESS!

Didn’t win? 
Order your copy from my Amazon link or start your shopping through one of my links and help support BookHounds:

Friday PhoDOGraphy

The meme that wouldn't die.....

Don't forget to stop by FRIDAYS WITH FRED over at Mina Burrows blog HERE!

REVIEW The Housewife Assassin Handbook by Josie Brown @josiebrownca

Book Description

Publication Date: May 12, 2011

Murder. Suspense. Sex. And some handy household tips.

Every desperate housewife would love an alias. Donna Stone has one, and it's government sanctioned. Oh sure, you need to be ruthless to take on Russian mafia bosses, rogue dictators, and terrorists set on destroying the world. But it takes real killer instincts to survive suburbia. Try juggling the fifth grade phone tree during a shootout with skinhead arms dealers, or driving carpool while being chased by Chinese double agents.

Donna’s life wasn’t always this complicated. Five years earlier she was just another woman with two preschoolers, a baby bump, and an adoring husband: Carl, with whom she lived happily ever after in a McMansion in the Orange County, California community of Hilldale. But Donna’s life was changed forever the night she delivered her baby: 

Carl’s car blew up on the way to the hospital.

Turns out Carl was an assassin for a black ops organization known as Acme Industries. The hit on Carl was carried out by the Quorum, a terrorist cell he was tracking. The Quorum’s motto: “Show me the money.” Governments do as they’re told—or suffer bloody consequences.

Carl left something behind that the Quorum wants badly. To protect herself and avenge Carl’s death, Donna joined Acme. Whereas her hostessing skills rival Martha Stewart’s, her marksmanship is second to none.

A good thing, too, because the Quorum has planted a sleeper cell in Hilldale. For Donna, that’s too close for comfort. Will she be able to save her family before the Quorum blows up Los Angeles?

Acme’s way of flushing out the Quorum is by “bringing Carl back from the dead.” But terrorism makes strange bedfellows--and brings new meaning to that old adage “Honey, I’m home…”

You can check out the first chapter on Goodreads HERE

About the Author

Josie Brown's novels are:

SECRET LIVES OF HUSBANDS AND WIVES (Simon & Schuster), which will be made into a dramatic television series for ABC by producer Jerry Bruckheimer. 

THE BABY PLANNER (Simon & Schuster)

THE HOUSEWIFE ASSASSIN'S HANDBOOK (Signal Press)

Her other novels are TRUE HOLLYWOOD LIES (Diversion Press) and IMPOSSIBLY TONGUE-TIED (HarperCollins). 

Non-Fiction Books by Josie Brown:

• The Complete Idiot's Guide to Finding Mr. Right
• Marriage Confidential: 102 Honest Answers to the Questions Every Husband Wants to Ask, and Every Wife Needs to Know
• Last Night I Dreamt of Cosmopolitans: A Modern Girl's Dream Dictionary

As a journalist, Josie's celebrity interviews and relationships trends articles have been featured in Los Angeles Times Syndicate International, Redbook and Complete Woman magazines, as well as AOL, Yahoo, AskMen.com, Divorce360.com, and SingleMindedWomen.com.

SOURCE: AUTHOR


MY THOUGHTS
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT 



Donna thinks her husband has a normal job that includes a LOT of travel but it affords her the life  she has always dreamed of and then Carl is declared dead while she is at the hospital delivering her third child, she finds out exactly what his job entailed as an assassin.  When the money runs out from his job, she finds out the strange truth about what Carl actually did and is drawn in a world of espionage and  terrorists.  I guess being a mother prepares you for coordinating attacks and being vicious and you can ask anyone who has ever been involved in the PTA.  She is hired by Acme Industries as an operative to help counteract the activities of the Quorum and other slime.  


So when Donna's "husband" returns to her life, it turns out to be Jack, another Acme operative that wants to use her as a front.  She tries to get to the bottom of exactly what happened to her husband.  There are more twists and turns in this plot than Mulholland Drive and if you have been in the car with me, just as fast!  Her partner in crime is now Jack but Donna can't exactly figure out which side he is on and every time she thinks she has the answer it is wrong.  This is a super sexy and fun read that you shouldn't miss!




How do I love this book, let me count the ways:


1. A kick ass woman that can literally kick ass as well as cook and clean.  Donna gives a whole new meaning to "taking out the trash". 


2. The book is set around Los Angeles, mostly in a gated community suspiciously like Coto de Caza, full of housewives that could be 'real" and for the setting alone, a big giant WIN!


3. Super Sarcasm, snarky dialogue and making fun of all that is wrong in the OC, politics, as well as current world affairs.  

THIS BOOK IS FREE OVER ON AMAZON 
UNTIL MONDAY, MAY 31!


Check out Josie's post about this HERE


click on the link below....

GIVEAWAY Splash into Summer Hop $10 Book Depository Credit

Welcome to the Splash Into Summer Giveaway Hop! 

This hop is hosted by: 

I Am a Reader, Not a Writer (HERE) 

Page Turners Blog (HERE) 

There are over two hundred blogs participating and each has their own entry rules and geographic limits, so be sure to read the rules for each one.  This hop starts May 25th and and runs through May 31st,  midnight.

HERE IS WHAT I HAVE FOR ONE LUCKY WINNER:

WANT TO WIN THIS GIFT?

Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a mailing address that delivers the free areas of The Book Depository or Amazon.

Contest ends on 5.31.12 Winner will be chosen by Random.org on 6.1.12

Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen.

This giveaway is sponsored by me and ONE gift code is available.

Complete the below form 
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BOOK REVIEW Of Poseidon by Anna Banks @byannabanks @mackidsbooks

Book Description

Publication Date: May 22, 2012

Galen, a Syrena prince, searches land for a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. It’s while Emma is on vacation at the beach that she meets Galen. Although their connection is immediate and powerful, Galen's not fully convinced that Emma's the one he's been looking for. That is, until a deadly encounter with a shark proves  that Emma and her Gift may be the only thing that can save his kingdom. He needs her help--no matter what the risk.

About the Author

Anna Banks grew up in a small town called Niceville (yes, really). She now lives in Crestview, Florida, with her husband and their daughter. This is her debut novel.

SOURCE:  PUBLISHER

MY THOUGHTS

LOVED IT

Emma is a klutz, pure and simple, so when she goes goes on vacation to Florida with her BFF, Chloe, she runs smack into the cutest guy she has ever seen.  Chloe is unfortunately attacked by a shark and Emma orders the shark away it listens!  She doesn't quite get this at first especially since Chloe dies of her wounds.  Galen, the cute dude, is searching for her but doesn't realize Emma is the one he is looking for until the incident.  He turns out to be Syrena (merman) and it turns out Emma is a decedent of Poseidon which gives her the ability to communicate with fish.  Which puts them on a crash course towards intimacy or at least Galen must convince her that she is special.  The story is told in alternating view points between Galen and Emma which is quite insightful.  

There are also wonderful secondary characters like Rayna, Galen's twin sister and her boyfriend, Toraf.  Rayna is a total you-know-what, while Toraf is a giant sweetie with the ability to track anything under the sea. Ok, stop singing the annoying Disney song right now!  And just like in a Disney film, the mothers are nonexistent.  Rayna speaks her mind and doesn't keep anything a secret which is something Galen is way too good at.  He must convince Emma that she is stronger than she thinks and her destiny is something that must be fulfilled.  Of course,  they fall for each other and it looks like they will never get together but like in any good fairy tale there are obstacles that each must overcome.  I have to say the chemistry between the two is extremely well done! 

Overall, I really enjoyed this sweet read.  This is only one of three mermaid tales that I have really enjoyed.  You can check out MaryJanice Davidson's adult one about Fred or Tera Lynn Childs' fantastic YA series about Lily.  There is a lot of heavy petting and a mention or two of alcohol but nothing really serious.  Um, launguage, yes, Emma does have a mouth at times but only at appropriate times.  I guess this is one for more mature teens.  I can't wait for the next one to arrive sometime in the future!  

 Details

• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (May 22, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1250003326
• ISBN-13: 978-1250003324