The Reluctant Widow by Georgette Heyer

Genre: Regency/Mystery

Publication Date: 1946

One Word Review: Good

Synopsis: In The Reluctant Widow, Elinor Rochdale, a young woman of good birth but straitened circumstances, sets out to accept a position as a governess and ends up plunged into a tangle of foreign intrigue instead. Elinor's adventure begins when she inadvertently mistakes the carriage waiting at the coach stop for one sent by her prospective employer, Mrs. Macclesfield. She finds herself carried to the estate of one Ned Carlyon, who Elinor mistakes for Mr. Macclesfield. Carlyon, meanwhile, believes Elinor to be the young woman he hired to marry his dying cousin, Eustace Cheviot, in order to avoid inheriting Cheviot's estate himself. Somehow, Elinor is talked into marrying Eustace on his deathbed and thus becomes a widow almost as soon as the ring is on her finger. What starts out as a simple business arrangement soon becomes much more complicated as housebreakers, uninvited guests, a shocking murder, missing government papers, and a dog named Bouncer all contribute to this lively, frequently hilarious tale of mistaken identities, foreign espionage, and unexpected love set during the Napoleonic Wars.
--GoodReads

Kathy’s Review: I was excited when I started reading this and realized it had a little mystery thrown into the mix. Although I enjoyed the story at times it was a little slow and I admit to skimming over some rather long passages here and there. I was a little let down in the ending, kind of anti-climatic and things were tied together a little too quickly. I enjoyed Lord Carlyon and Elinor’s banter throughout, I liked that she was falling in love with him while at the same time hating him. The love story took a back seat to the mystery and other characters and I wish it would have been developed a little more. It was still an enjoyable a read and I am curious to see what her true mystery novels are like.

Click here for Jessica's review.

Bookworm Rating: 3

Truly, Madly by Heather Webber

Genre: Mystery

Publication Date: February 2010

One Word Review: Enjoyable

Author Website: www.heatherwebber.com

First Line: “There comes a time in every girl’s life when she realizes her father isn’t perfect.”

Synopsis: Meet Lucy Valentine; sassy, fabulously original…and psychic. Lucy hails from a long line of matchmakers known as Valentine INC. According to family legend, the Valentines have been blessed by Cupid with the ability to help couples find true love. Trouble is Lucy’s powers were zapped away by an electrical surge and now all she can find are lost objects. But what good is that in the matchmaking world? Lucy is about to find out when she tries to solve a murder and winds up falling into a romance of her own. --GoodReads

Kathy’s Review: This is my first Heather Webber book and I have to say after reading “Truly, Madly” I will be checking out her other series. I really enjoyed the story and characters. I liked that it took place in charming Boston, and had just a touch of magic. I liked the history of Cupid and the family matchmaking business, with a mix of mystery. Lucy was a fun character; she’s pretty easy going and quick witted. I liked her “ability” to find lost things, and I think it will be a great set-up for future books. I also liked that there were a couple different mysteries going on at the same time, which kept me guessing until the end. I liked the love interest; I think they’ll be a good match. I guess there is a touch of the “romance novel” in here, in that it seems a little more like lust at first site, but I think they will take things slow and hopefully build a good relationship. This was a fun romantic mystery to read during February!

Bookworm Rating: 4

Dear John by Nicholas Sparks (movie reivew)

Last night was opening for the new Nicholas Sparks movie Dear John, starring Channing Tatum (Yum) and Amanda Seyfried. I had planned on seeing this movie anyway, but thought it would be a nice one to add to my Read the Book, See the Movie challenge. I actually read the book about two years ago and to be honest, I didn’t like it. Actually, I didn’t like the ending. I think Nicholas Sparks is a pretty good writer, I just don’t always like where he takes his stories. I do like his movies though and I think I own all of them. I remember when The Notebook was made into a movie they had made a few changes from the book, which made it better in my opinion. So, I was curious to see what changes they would make to Dear John. Luckily, I think all the changes were an improvement and I really ended up liking the movie…loads more than the book. Of course that may be because Channing Tatum is easy on the eyes, or maybe because I liked how everything ends up in the movie.

I thought the casting was well done, the location and scenery were beautiful and overall I thought the movie was very enjoyable. I’ve caught myself thinking about it during the day and even look forward to seeing it again. I’m glad I went with a group of friends, rather than my husband who I fear would have been complaining in my ear they entire time. It has its slow parts, some parts that made me mad and others that made laugh, and of course a couple scenes where I *almost* cried. I think this is a definite chick-flick that most girls will really enjoy.

Synopsis:
An angry rebel, John dropped out of school and enlisted in the Army, not knowing what else to do with his life--until he meets the girl of his dreams, Savannah. Their mutual attraction quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah waiting for John to finish his tour of duty, and John wanting to settle down with the woman who captured his heart. But 9/11 changes everything. John feels it is his duty to re-enlist. And sadly, the long separation finds Savannah falling in love with someone else. "Dear John," the letter read...and with those two words, a heart was broken and two lives were changed forever. Returning home, John must come to grips with the fact that Savannah, now married, is still his true love--and face the hardest decision of his life. --GoodReads

Altared Plans by Rebecca Talley

Genre: LDS Fiction

Publication Date: June 2009

One Word Review: Good

Author Website: www.rebeccatalley.com

First Line: “Her wedding day.”

Synopsis: The perfect day. The perfect marriage. The perfect groom. What could go wrong? Caitlyn has been preparing for her perfect wedding all her life. But when her fiancé abandons her at the altar, Caitlyn vows she'll never love again. Going to BYU doesn't make that easy, however, and avoiding all social contact can only last so long. When her bishop calls her to be the mom of her Family Home Evening group, Caitlyn is suddenly thrust into surprising circumstances that leave her flustered the attention of two unwanted suitors. Travis, the FHE dad, has plans to woo Caitlyn by using his cowboy charms while Chase has his own ideas for dating her. Will Travis or Chase change her mind about love? Or will it be déjà vu? Follow Caitlyn through all the flirtatious looks, dates, ex-girlfriends, and unexpected surprises.--GoodReads

Kathy’s Review: I was surprised with this one. I thought it would be fairly predictable and the story would unfold a certain way and I’m glad it had a few twists and ended up totally different than I was expecting. I enjoyed the characters and reading about Caitlyn’s story. Caitlyn is understandable jaded after being ditched at the altar; I can see why she would be so resistant to dating again. I admit I was a little upset by how fast she fell in love again (after three dates) and it really did seem like a rebound thing. I just didn’t think they spent enough time together to really fall in love or even get to know each other. Personally, I think it would have been a little more believable if they had dated for at least a few weeks before everything else happened. I think if things are really right then taking some time to date will only make your relationship stronger. I’ll get off my soap-box, but I will say that even though I would have tweaked a few of the story lines, I still thought it was well written and I enjoyed it.

Bookworm Rating: 3

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.

When Mike Kissed Emma by Christine Marciniak

Genre: Teen Lit

Publication Date: July 2009

One Word Review: Good

Bookworm Rating: 3.5

First Line: “I walked right into him.”

Synopsis: Emma Landon has a plan: she's going to be in the high school musical and sing the most romantic song possible to her boyfriend. She's not looking for the lead, just a decent part where she and Trevor can dance together on stage. The plan starts to unravel when she gets the starring role, and playing opposite her is not her perfect boyfriend, but the school loner, Biker Mike. When Mike kisses Emma at the school dance, everything changes. Emma must figure out what is more important-the way things look or something deeper. --GoodReads

Kathy’s Review: This was a fun romantic read to help get you in the mood for Valentine’s. It’s a cute story about Emma and Mike falling in love while working on a school play together. I was excited that they were doing a production of the Sound of Music. Whenever my brothers weren’t forcing me to watch Star Wars or Indiana Jones I would watch The Sound of Music. I LOVE it. So, I really enjoyed that aspect of the book. It has a predictable storyline, but it was still enjoyable to read. I guess the message is that we shouldn’t judge people, and I totally agree people aren’t always what they seem and you never know a persons circumstance. However, I also think you should make a conscience effort on how you present yourself. You can’t be upset if you dress like a dirt-bag and people treat you like a dirt-bag, IMO.

I liked Emma, Mike, and Caitlyn. Although Caitlyn kind of disappears from the story toward the end, and all of Emma’s friends are fickle and unlikable. Especially Lauren, she was like a rollercoaster, I never knew if she was mad at Emma or they were BFFs. It really is a cute story, very clean and definitely worth the read.

Similar Reads:

Fame, Glory and Other Things on my To Do List by Janette Rallison
The Hourglass Door by Lisa Mangum (with a fantasy twist)

Stupid Cupid by Rhonda Stapleton

Genre: Teen Lit

Publication Date: December 2009

Author Website: www.rhondastapleton.com

One Word Review: Fun

First Line: “So”—Janet glanced down at my resume—“Felicity. You’d like to be a matchmaker. Can you give me more detail why?”

Synopsis: Felicity's no ordinary teen matchmaker...she's a cupid! Felicity Walker believes in true love. That's why she applies for a gig at the matchmaking company Cupid's Hollow. But when Felicity gets the job, she learns that she isn't just a matchmaker...she's a cupid! (There's more than one of them, you know.) Armed with a hot pink, tricked-out PDA infused with the latest in cupid magic (love arrows shot through email), Felicity works to meet her quota of successful matches. But when she bends the rules of cupidity by matching her best friend Maya with three different boys at once, disaster strikes. Felicity needs to come up with a plan to set it all right, pronto, before she gets fired...and before Maya ends up with her heart split in three.--GoodReads

Kathy’s Review: I really enjoyed this book; it was a perfect read for February. I liked the whole “cupid” angle and thought it was fun seeing Felicity matching her fellow classmates up. There were some funny scenes; one line pops into mind about apples that had me laughing out loud, which wasn’t a good thing since I was sitting at the DMV at the time. Felicity, Maya and Andy were fun to read about and I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

I would have liked a little more background story on Cupid’s Hollow, the history of cupids, and maybe a better reason why Felicity was hired (like a family history, sheer talent…something). I also would have liked to see a few more matches, one a week was a little low and Felicity never really spent any time “in the office” or working on her profiles. I guess I would have liked to have seen her working more?

There is some swearing and one scene of underage drinking. But overall, it was really clean.

Reading Order:

Book One: Stupid Cupid
Book Two: Flirting With Disaster
Book Three: Pucker Up

Waiting on Wednesday + Author Interview

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selections are:

A Match Made in High School
By Kristin Walker
Release Date: February 4, 2010

Synopsis: When the principal announces that every senior must participate in a mandatory year-long Marriage Education program, Fiona Sheehan believes that her life can’t get any worse. Then she marries her “husband”: Jerky jock Todd, whose cheerleader girlfriend, Amanda, has had it in for Fiona since day one of second grade. Even worse? Amanda is paired with Fiona’s long-term crush, Gabe. At least Fiona is doing better than her best friend, Marcie, who is paired up with the very quiet, very mysterious Johnny Mercer. Pranks, fights, misunderstandings, and reconciliations ensue in an almost Shakespearean comedy of errors about mistaken first impressions, convoluted coupling, and hidden crushes. --GoodReads

Why I’m Waiting: So, this one “called” to me the moment I saw it pop up on GoodReads. The description sounds like loads of fun, and I love the “arranged marriage” plot for high school students. I couldn’t help thinking back to my HS days and who I would have enjoyed partnering with for this kind of project. I think the cover is pretty cute as well.

Kristin Walker was nice enough to do an interview for me. I enjoyed her answer about what she learned from writing MATCH. It was a lot of fun getting to know her and I hope y’all enjoy the interview as well. Thanks again Kristin!

Interview with Kristin Walker:

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I'm lucky enough to be a stay-at-home mom to three boys. My kids are hysterical and give me lots of story ideas. I started writing so I could have a creative outlet (and possibly a supplemental income) while I was home with them. I was an actor pre-kids, and I nearly became a nurse before my second son came along. But once I started writing, I became obsessed with it and with getting published. And now I am! And it only took ten short years.

What made you want to write a YA novel, and what inspired A Match Made in High School?
I worked up in age-range from picture books to young adult. I've always loved YA novels, but I wasn't sure I could write one. I finally realized that if I wanted to get published, YA was the way to go. So I gave it a shot. Now I LOVE writing for teens. MATCH came about because I was determined to write a funny YA. The teenage years can be difficult and depressing. Teens need some laughs, too.

How did you chose your characters names?
I'm terrible at names and titles. It wasn't until I was revising the first draft that I realized I had three characters named Carl. But I've always loved Fiona. If I'd ever had a daughter, I probably would have named her that. Johnny Mercer popped into my head, and I later found out that Johnny Mercer is the name of a famous lyricist. I figure I must have heard that at some point in my life and some little neuron was still connected to it. And how cool that both Johnny Mercers are into music? For the rest of the names, I used the names of my friends' children. My brother had twin girls during edits, and I had to sneak their names in there!

What is the hardest part in writing a book? And what did you learn from writing A Match Made in High School?
For me, the hardest part of writing a book is finding time to do it. That was especially the case before I was published. I felt guilty taking time away from other responsibilities, especially the boys. But it was (and is) important to me to have something of my own. One of the things I learned from writing MATCH is that I could do it. I'd never written something so long and complicated before. And the caliber of YA novels out there is very high. It's very hard not to put too much pressure on yourself. I absolutely stink at that. But line for line, I slowly built the novel. There was no instant gratification, that's for sure. Writing is all about delayed gratification.

What do you think of the cover? Did you play a role in choosing the cover?

I love my cover! It's so inventive and eye-catching, and uses my favorite colors. I had absolutely nothing to do with it, other than asking for a couple adjustments to the photographs. I never would've been able to visualize something like that on my own, let alone create it. Mad props to the art department geniuses at Penguin! They even let me add pictures of two teen family members. So cool!

What three words would you use to describe A Match Made in High School?
Funny, sassy, yummy

Match will be released tomorrow (February 4th), do you have any teasers for our readers?
Here's the cover copy:

CONGRATULATIONS!

YOUR SCHOOL HAS INVITED YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN A

REVOLUTIONARY MISGUIDED COURSE CALLED

TRYING THE KNOT!

When a mandatory course forces Fiona to “try the knot” with super-jock Todd Harding, she’s convinced life couldn't get any worse. Until her crush is paired with her arch enemy (otherwise known as Todd’s obscenely hot, slightly sadistic girlfriend). But that’s nothing compared to her best friend’s fate – a year with the very goofy, very big Johnny Mercer.

A series of hilarious pranks leave Fiona wondering: is there something her “best friend” hasn’t told her? Could there be more to Johnny Mercer than an awesome music collection? And most intriguing, could Todd Harding have a heart beneath his pretty-boy exterior?

If Match were to be made into a movie, who would you cast as your characters?
I have several struggling actors as friends, so it's hard for me to answer that question! But I can say that I'd want the leads to be totally unknown actors. There could be a couple bigger-names as secondary characters, you know...for box-office draw. :)

Do you have a particular place to write? Do you like peace & quite, or prefer to have music playing?
I'm pretty good at tuning out noise, but I do prefer quiet. It's so easy to get distracted. I have a laptop, so I usually hole-up in my bedroom and write.

Who are your favorite authors? Favorite books?
There are so many.Any thing from Lucy Maud Montgomery, Richard Peck, Annie Proulx, and JK Rowling. Also John Green's books, Louis Sachar's... And of course, my Debs and Tenners sisters like Kristina Springer (THE ESPRESSOLOGIST), Mandy Hubbard (PRADA AND PREJUDICE), Saundra Mitchell (SHADOWED SUMMER), and Suzanne Young (THE NAUGHTY LIST)

Can you tell us about any current projects your working on?

Right now I'm putting the finishing touches on a middle grade paranormal manuscript. I'm also developing another YA for Razorbill.

Where can we find you?

Website
Twitter
Facebook
Myspace
LiveJournal
Blog
10’ers (2010 Authors)

An Improper Suitor by Monica Fairview

Genre: Fiction, Regency Romance

Publication Date: August 2008

Author Website: www.monicafairview.co.uk

One Word Review: Swoon-worthy

First Line (almost, it takes place in the first chapter): “Choose your own husband: or marry a rake.”

Synopsis: A lady in possession of an independent fortune has no need for a husband. Miss Julia Swifton, secure in that belief, has made no attempt to search for one, even after three seasons in London. That is until her grandmother, an advocate of women's rights, rises from her deathbed and threatened, of all things, to marry her to a notorious rake, Lord Thorwynn.Shocked into action, Julia launches into a search for an intelligent, scholarly husband who will suit her. On her way she has to rescue a fallen 'angel,' save a rake from being forced into marriage, defeat an unscrupulous gamesmaster who needs to seduce her for money, and avert a friend's disastrous runaway marriage.Fortunately, she does not have to do it alone. Even if her companion, Lord Thorwynn, is the last person she would ever want to marry... --Goodreads

Kathy’s Review: I want to thank my friend Deb for recommending this one, I really enjoyed it. Also, I just wanted to mention that the only copy my library had was large print, and I couldn't decide if the book was flying by because of the story or because the print was so big?

Anyway, I thought it was better than what the synopsis portrayed. I expected the threat of engagement/marriage to play a bigger part in the story, but it was kind of left by the wayside early on. Which wasn’t really a bad thing; the story was fun and had a few twists and turns along the way. Julia was a fun character, smart and outgoing. She was also trying to figure out who she was and what she really wants out of life. Lionel (Lord Thorwynn) was also a lot of fun to read. He was charming, brooding and also trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his life. In reality, I don’t think a “rake” would be able to change his ways so easily, but in this setting it was very believable. The dialog and interaction between Julia and Lionel was a lot of fun, they had good chemistry together. I liked that the story switched between the two narratives so you could really see what they thought of each other. I image by “romance” standards this would be considered pretty mild, and overall I think it was pretty clean, but there were a couple racy innuendos. A fun regency romance that reminded me a bit of Georgette Heyer.

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading. It is open to anyone and is a fun way to get a taste of different books. The rules are simple and everyone is welcome to participate.

1. Grab your current read.
2. Open to a random page.
3. Share two “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.
4. Be careful NOT to include spoilers (you don’t want to ruin the book for others.)
5. Share the title and author so that other TT participants can add the book to the TBR lists if they like your teaser.
6. After completing your post, return to Should Be Reading and add a link in their “comment” section.

An Improper Suitor
By Monica Fairview
Page 220

“I should remind you, Lord Thorwynn—Lionel—that I am not a lady you are attempting to seduce, or a light-skirt you are dallying with. I am your future wife.”

28 Days of Winter Escapes

I saw this post on Angieville and decided I had to post about it as well. HarperTeen is hosting a fun activity for the month of February. Everyday in February a new book will be featured and available for giveaway on their official site. To enter all you have to do is answer a simple poll question, and you may just win an autographed copy of the book! Once a week a larger prize will be available, including an iPod Touch. The featuredauthor will be found on participating blogs to discuss their books. Angie will be hosting Rachel Hawthorne on February 20th!