The Accidental Bride by Denise Hunter

Bookworm Rating: 4

Synopsis: Shay Brandenberger is a survivor. She's lived through a crazy childhood, a failed marriage, and single parenthood-with her confidence intact. But not for long. Because when Shay participates in her town's Founder's Day wedding reenactment, she finds herself face-to-face with the one man who takes her breath away and leaves her weak in the knees: Travis McCoy. Travis is back in town after years way on the rodeo circuit. His one regret in life is breaking Shay's heart when they were high-school sweethearts. He's determined to get it right this time.So when their Founder's Day "marriage" is accidentally made official, Travis seizes the day. Can Shay put aside her pride to let Travis help her, or will their accidental marriage be dissolved before it can begin?

Review: This is the first book I’ve read by Denise Hunter, and it won’t be the last. I was pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed reading Travis & Shay’s story. Travis ditched Shay on their wedding day, and now fourteen years later he shows up wanting to win her back. I admit, sometimes I was pretty mad at Travis. Why are guys so dense? But, he really won me over. I thought he and Shay had great chemistry together. I could totally understand why Shay had some pretty thick walls up and I’m glad she made Travis work for it. This has two of my favorite kinds of plots, lost-love and marriage-of-convenience, what could be better? I thought the accidental wedding storyline was very believable. I really enjoyed how everything played out.

I didn’t realize that there had been a book before this, A Cowboy’s Touch, about Wade and Abigail who show up in this story. The Accidental Bride stands on its own, but I’m excited to go back and read Wade and Abigail’s story.

Release Date: January 3, 2012

The Kissing Tree by Prudence Bice

This was a really sweet read. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Georgie was forced to move away from her childhood home and always longed to return. After five long years she is finally able to return to her Grandfather in Colorado. Once back she immediately runs into her childhood crush and the fun really begins. Georgie is a really likable character. She speaks her mind and yet is very sweet and loving. She cares deeply for her family and friends. Our leading man, Ridge, is also very likable. They have nice chemistry together. The supporting characters are also enjoyable. I loved Georgie’s Irish grandfather and the loveable cowhands. Samantha and Dawson were also great.

I really enjoyed the story, the setting was nice. There is even a little adventure thrown in at the end which added a fun element to the story. It was a fun escape. The story did remind me of a book called The Touch of the Lover’s Moon by Marcia McClure, which is also about childhood sweethearts who are torn apart and then reunited years later.

Release Date: December 6, 2011

Midnight in Austenland by Shannon Hale

I was excited to receive an advanced copy of Midnight in Austenland. I enjoyed the first book and have looked forward to reading this companion novel. I really liked our heroine Charlotte. She was very easy to relate to. Her back story is sad, and it was nice to see the growth she goes through and by the end and the confidence she gained. Charlotte enjoys mystery novels and tends to let her imagination get away from her. As it turns out not all is what it seems at the park and Charlotte ends up right in the middle of her very own mystery. I liked the mystery elements in the story, it was fun. My only problem with the book is that it’s hard to tell what “reality” is. Since the people she interacts with at the park are mostly actors, I had a hard time telling what was real and what was fake, I guess that’s the point. But, even towards the end I still wasn’t sure. So, it’s hard for me to fall for the romance because I don’t know if it’s the actor or the “real person”. I really enjoyed the book though, it kept me going and again I really liked Charlotte and our hero. There were some fun swoon-worthy moments as well. I hope there are more books in the Austenland series!

Book One: Austenland
Book Two: Midnight in Austenland (January 3, 2012)

Cinder and Ella by Melissa Lemon

Cinder and Ella
By Melissa Lemon
Release Date: November 8, 2011

Synopsis: After their father’s disappearance, Cinder leaves home for a servant job at the castle. But it isn’t long before her sister Ella is brought to the castle herself—the most dangerous place in all the kingdom for both her and Cinder. Cinder and Ella is a Cinderella story like no other and one you'll never forget.

My Thoughts: For those of you who follow my blog you know how much I love fairy tales, and Cinderella happens to be my favorite. I was first drawn to this book because of the title and cool cover. I was excited to see what Melissa did with my favorite fairytale. I thought it was really unique to have two characters named Cinder and Ella instead of just Cinderella. Ella is our main character and she has to go through many obstacles throughout the book to find her happy ending. I’m looking forward to reading this with my little girl when she gets old enough.

Interview with Melissa Lemon:

Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I am married and have three beautiful girls. I play three musical instruments—the piano, cello and guitar—and I am so grateful for that ability because music is a huge calming influence in my life. I do have a secret wish, however, to learn two more: the violin and the Native American flute. I like to read, but I LOVE to write. I also love gray, cloudy, stormy, rainy days.

What made you want to write a YA novel, and what inspired Cinder and Ella?
I prefer to read YA novels myself, but I also just love that age group. I really enjoyed that period of my life—even with its challenges—and it is fun to go back once in a while through a character or story. Cinderella was always a character that I related to because she is just a regular girl who is trying to do her best despite everything. I think that when I got older, though, and saw first hand how difficult it is to make it in the real world, my favorite fairy tale began to feel flawed.

What is the hardest part in writing a book? And what did you learn from writing Cinder and Ella?
The hardest part of writing a book for me is rewriting, especially when you get to the tenth draft or so. One of the things I learned from writing Cinder and Ella is that I can write a book in three weeks if I have a good outline and have thought out the plot well. Then I learned it takes me a year and a half to do rewrites.

What do you think of the cover? Did you play a role in choosing the cover?
I love the cover! My publishing company asked for ideas and input. My first idea was to do the main characters and my second idea was to do something with the trees. I am glad that they went with the trees because, along with the title, it gives a clue that there is something different about this Cinderella story.

What three words would you use to describe Cinder and Ella?
Different, fun, meaningful

Cinder and Ella will be released November 8, do you have any teasers for our readers?
“For a time, the family was happy. The father and mother found joy in their daughters, played with them while they were still small, took the time to tuck them in at night, and treated them all as precious jewels. The sisters played together well and grew in friendship and love, with only the occasional sisterly squabble, like when the eldest would rip the youngest daughter’s favorite toy from her hands merely to see her wail. But, as we all know, happiness does not always last. As the sisters grew older, an evil came upon the kingdom. And while they did not know it, the prince who had started the works of darkness would change the fate of their entire lives.”

If Cinder and Ella were to be made into a movie, who would you cast as your characters?
I think I would like to see some new faces, but Claire Danes would make a great Cinder.

Do you have a particular place to write? Do you like peace & quite, or prefer to have music playing?
Peace and quiet! The location doesn’t matter that much, but I do prefer to be alone. Another thing that helps is for my work area and surrounding space to be clean. Writing out in nature is probably my favorite, though; it is more peaceful, helps me clear my head, and is optimal for inspiration.

Who are your favorite authors? Favorite books?
AUTHORS: Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Lois Lowry, Shannon Hale BOOKS: A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, At the Back of the North Wind by George McDonald, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Can you tell us about any current projects you’re working on?
One of my favorite projects I’m working on is a YA science fiction about a boy who finds a portal to a very strange place.

Melissa Can be Found here:

Melissa Lemon
Melissa's Facebook fan page
Melissa on Twitter
Melissa's author blog
Melissa's author page on Goodreads

Outside In by Maria V. Snyder

Genre: YA Fantasy (Dystopian)
Publication Date: April 1, 2011
One Word Review: Intense
Author Website: www.mariavsnyder.com

First Line: “My world changed in a heartbeat.”

GoodReads Synopsis: Me? A Leader? Okay, I did prove that there's more to Inside than we knew. That a whole world exists beyond this cube we live in. And finding that led to a major rebellion - between worker scrubs like me and the snobby uppers who rule our world. Make that ruled. Because of me, we're free. I thought that meant I was off the hook, and could go off on my own again - while still touching base with Riley, of course. He's the one upper I think I can trust. But then we learned that there's outside and then there is Outside.

Kathy’s Review: Wow. I really enjoyed this book, as much as or more so than the first one. I really looked forward to Outside In and was excited when I received a copy to review. I really loved Trella, she is a great heroine and was fun to read. The story sucks you in and even though I had a million other things to do, I kept reading and would squeeze in reading time whenever I could. I’m definitely on Team Riley, he is a great leading man and thought he and Trella had great chemistry together. I really enjoyed the story and was kept on the edge of my seat. I don’t know if there will be another book, but I sure hope so!!!

I had to drop a star because of a couple “love” scenes between Trella and Riley. They weren’t too descriptive, but went a little too far for my taste. I guess to me it made their relationship seem more like “lust” then “love”, but at the same time I did feel like they loved each other and I was rooting for them the whole time. Anyway, take those out and this would have been a very clean read.

Bookworm Rating: 4

Reading Order:
Book One: Inside Out
Book Two: Outside In
Book Three:

The Golden Spiral by Lisa Mangum

Genre: YA Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Publication Date: May 2010

One Word Review: Good

Author Website: www.lisamangum.com

First Line: “The middle passage.”

GoodReads Synopsis: The hourglass door has closed behind Dante, sending him back in time to hunt down Zo, Tony, and V. Almost immediately, things start to change and Abby’s worst fears are realized when Zo begins targeting her past specifically. With each new change that ripples into her present, Abby’s life continues to spiral out of control. As Abby’s world fractures around her, she must face a terrible truth: either Dante didn’t make it through the door, or he is lost forever. So with Dante’s blueprints in hand, she begins construction on a new door, a new time machine that will either save Dante – or doom him.

Kathy’s Review: I think I enjoyed this one more than the first book. I admit, I still have a hard time picturing all the time travel elements (the river, the darkness, etc), but I did enjoy seeing all the changes Zo was making. Not that I approve of his bad behavior, but it added an interesting element to the story, how Abby’s past was changing and the effects it had on her and her family. I like Abby, she’s a good heroine and smart. I even liked Dante this time around. Maybe since their relationship has been established I found it easier to believe in them. There were some interesting twists and a lot of set up for the final book. Overall, I enjoyed the story and I think if you liked the first book you will really like this one as well. It definitely ends with you wanting more and I’ll be looking forward to reading the last book, The Forgotten Locket, next summer.

Book Source: Thanks to Shadow Mountain for letting me review this book!

Bookworm Rating: 3.5

Hourglass Door Trilogy:
Book One: The Hourglass Door
Book Two: The Golden Spiral
Book Three: The Forgotten Locket (Summer 2011)

If you could travel through time, where/when would you go?

Always a Bridesmaid by Elaine Hopper (author interview)

Genre: Romance

Publication Date: March 2010

One Word Review: Good

First Line: ““Well, well…Hell finally froze over,” Troy Youngwolf drawled as he blocked Breanna’s way.”

Synopsis: Hell has finally frozen over. After nine long years, Breanna Parker has come home to be her sister's maid of honor. Just her luck that the first person she runs into is her ex-fiance, Troy Youngwolf—the man who eloped with her ex-best friend and broke her heart. Now a widowed father and sheriff of their Florida home town, sexy bad boy Troy wants another chance and won't take no for an answer. However, every time Breanna looks at Troy or his little girl, her heart breaks anew. She can hardly wait for her sister to get hitched so she can escape back to her urban family in Ft. Lauderdale. The risk is too high that Troy may discover her most closely held secret, one with the potential to destroy them both…perhaps this time forever. –The Wild Rose Press

Kathy’s Review: My only complaint…it was too short! I would have loved if the book was a little longer and we could really get to know Breanna and Troy a little better, and have a little more detail into their past relationship and what went wrong, having said that I still really enjoyed the story. In some ways it almost reminded me of Jane Austen’s Persuasion, where our leading characters were young and madly in love, and because of outside influences they are separated. After the disastrous end to their engagement, Breanna leaves town and doesn’t return until eight years later, for her sister’s wedding. She is thrown back into Troy’s company and both have to figure out their feelings and uncover some deep secrets. I thought Breanna and Troy had great chemistry together. I had started out not liking Troy, but as you start to see things from his perspective you can’t help but feel sorry for him and I ended up rooting for him by the end. I still wasn’t happy with his choices and think things could have been handled a little better. Anyway, it was a fun quick read and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a little romance.

Bookworm Rating: 3.8

Book Source: The Wild Rose Press, a huge thanks to Elaine for contacting me and sending me her book!

Author Interview

Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I love to write, read, and watch movies. In short, I love stories, in particular romances. When I'm not reading or writing, I blog and Twitter, I walk, swim, and hang out with my kids. I also work full-time as a customer service manager for a charity. I also absolutely love cats. If I had to come back as anything other than a human I would be a cat. One of my books even features a talking cat. I'm also a Trekkie and Star Wars fan and I'm ex-Air Force, so I'd love to be a crewmember on a starship in some futuristic universe.

I’m always curious where an author comes up with her characters names, how did you choose Breanna and Troy?
My daughter has a friend named Breanna who's a really cute young woman. As per Troy, I always liked Troy Donahue, especially in "A Summer Place".

What is the hardest part in writing a book? Where do you get your inspiration?
I don't know which is worse - the sagging middle or edits. I used to HATE edits.

Inspiration comes from everywhere. Once my oldest child got into a lot of trouble at school - hacking into the computer and changing the Vice Principal's password to "Jack Ass". The VP was ready to chew nails and ready to kill us. I was scared but everyone else found it hilarious and I ended up plotting a story around it. Also, the school wound up hiring my child to work on their computers. I keep my ears and eyes open and I take lots of notes that I might not use on the current story, but probably will use in a future story.

What do you think of the cover? Did you play a role in choosing the cover?
I love the cover. The artist holds my highest regard. And I definitely helped in designing the cover. By that I mean I filled out a cover art request form. I let the artist know the story is set in South Florida on a ranch and should probably depict a Floridian flavor which she did by adding a palm tree or two. So far, all my publishers ask me to fill out cover art request forms for each of my book.

What three words would you use to describe Always a Bridesmaid?
Angsty. Emotional. Fun. (not necessarily in the same parts of the book)

The book is based on Breanna and Troy’s somewhat messed-up relationship, and it seems everyone likes to give them advice on what they should do. What’s the best advice you’ve received about dating or marriage? And the worst?
I think the best advice I had was to follow my heart. The second best was to stay away from DD. (Don't ask. :) )

Since I love movies almost as much as books, I often picture the book a movie while I’m reading. If Always a Bridesmaid were to be made into a movie, who would you cast as your leading characters?
Maybe Lou Diamond Philips as Troy. Breanna? Let me think. Usually I have my books cast into movies from the beginning. Can you tell I'd love to have my books made into movies? This time, I have to think about the cast. Patsy would be played by Amy Adams. Mandy Moore would probably make a good Breanna if she wore her hair long and dark brown.

Do you have a particular place to write? Do you like peace & quiet, or prefer to have music playing?
I write a lot at Borders and Barnes & Nobles. Talking disturbs me when writing. Strangely enough, singing doesn't. So I plus into my MP3 player to songs I know very well that block out other noise but doesn't get in the way of my creativity.

Who are your favorite authors? Favorite books?
I like Stephen King, Stephen White, Karen Robards, Sheryl Woods, Tawny Weber, Holly Jacobs, Merline Lovelace, Brynn Paulin...

My favorite book is "The Stand" by King.

Can you tell us about any current projects your working on?
I'm working on a sweet contemporary romance about another couple getting a second chance. The hero's young son is in dire need of a bone marrow transplant and the heroine just happens to have a perfect match - her daughter, his half-sister whom she never told the hero about after he married someone else without warning.

Where can we find you?
Elaine Hopper
Twitter: @elaine_hopper
To read an exceprt or purchase the book click here.

My Ridiculous, Romantic Obsessions by Becca Wilhite (Author Interview)

Genre: Fiction

Publication Date: March 3, 2010

One Word Review: Good

Bookworm Rating: 3

Author Website: www.beccawilhite.com

First Line: “Mom pulls her new toy, a talking GPS directions-thingie up close to her eyes.”

Synopsis: Sarah Howard's first year at the university is everything and nothing she expected especially when a very cute boy named Ben starts to show interest in her. Sarah feels like she's an average, normal, everyday girl. So, when Ben begins to take interest in her, Sarah is in denial. For one thing, last year she was deeply crushed and humiliated by Jesse James a guy who she thought liked her. She's determined not to get burned again. But in her heart of hearts, what she really wants is a Jane Austen kind of romance. Ridiculous, right? That kind of romance doesn’t exist anymore . . . or does it? Sarah is smart and fun to be around and even pretty, despite her Medusa-like red curls. She even plays the guitar. (So does Ben!) Yes, Sarah is everything Ben has wanted. He's crazy for her, but Sarah is just not getting it. She's playing hard to get, and if she s not careful, she s going to lose a real hot gentleman -- her 21st-century Mr. Darcy--GoodReads

Kathy’s Review: This was a fun Valentine read about how Sarah and Ben fell in love. I thought it was a cute story and had some funny moments, awkward moments, tender moments and just an overall enjoyable read. I liked Ben’s character, he was a sweet guy and you could tell he was crazy about Sarah from the start. Sarah was a bit insecure throughout the book, never really thinking she was good enough for Ben. They have some misunderstandings along the way but it all ends up how it’s supposed to.

Thanks to Shadow Mountain Publishing for sending me the book.

Author Interview

Can you tell us a little about yourself?
What's a better way to get to know about someone that to know what they love? So here are some things I love: Tulips. White bread. My kids. Reading funny books. Buttered popcorn. Birds (natural ones, outside -- no pets). Reading serious books. My husband. Sweaters. Cinnamon bears. Scarves. Memoirs. Getting mail. Good hair days. Toenail polish. Successful writing days (a thousand words, none of them stupid -- that's the goal).

What made you want to write a YA novel, and what inspired My Ridiculous, Romantic Obsessions?
I love YA. I love taking the "first" journeys with the characters. And maybe I can relate to teens better than some adults I know... When I started working this story, I wrote a scene that appears in the middle of this book. Sarah's character was so clear to me, her needs and her neuroses and the funny voices in her head, that I just had to get her on paper.

What is the hardest part in writing a book? And what did you learn from writing My Ridiculous, Romantic Obsessions?
I have to remind myself every day that it's the writing that matters. Some days the writing is good (clever, funny, witty) and some days it's just an exercise in self-control: sit. type. stay sitting. keep typing. And although those days are no fun, it's still good for the writing muscles.

What do you think of the cover? Did you play a role in choosing the cover?
Covers are amazing, aren't they? My cover designer, Sheryl Dickert Smith, does a gorgeous job, and they found the most adorable girl for the cover. I love it tremendously. (But to tell you the truth, the photo surprised me, because in my head Sarah looks, shall we say, VERY different.) The publisher sends me a mock-up, and I say (honestly) "It's lovely." Because, guess what. I'm the word person. Someone else gets to be the cover person, and that works for me.

What three words would you use to describe My Ridiculous, Romantic Obsessions?
Funny, quick, (and whatever that word is that means it makes you squirm in sympathy - do you know that word?)

Do you have a particular place to write? Do you like peace & quite, or prefer to have music playing?
I have 4 very adorable kids, and this year they are all in school (!) so I get a quiet hour early in the morning before everyone wakes up (either to write or exercise) and then the Kindergarten half of the school day. That time is ALL MINE. I have a really great Mac in the office that will play any music I ask for, but I get so distracted by it that I find myself singing along or writing plots that match the songs. So I turn off the music and refuse to answer the phone (unless I really need a distraction) until I've made my writing goal for the day.

Who are your favorite authors? Favorite books?
It's sort of like asking me to choose my favorite child, you know? Except harder, because I only have 4 kids! But really, I love so many kinds of books. In YA, I bow before Sharon Creech and Kate DiCamillo. Picture books? Mo Willems. Classics? I love Jane Austen with my whole soul. In general, the best book I've read in the last 5 years is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.