Terrific Tuesday 10.29.13

It's that day again, Terrific Tuesday, which means that we all survived Manic Monday {kudos all around, especially if yours was anything like mine!} but more importantly it means we get to feature another book we've read in the past that we thought was a terrific read worth talking about!!

By April:

I had no trouble at all picking a feature book for this week!  As I scrolled through my Kindle library I saw the cover of this book and immediately remembered almost word for word the line that gave the book its title and I thought being able to quote a book six months after reading it is a pretty good sign that it is worth sharing!!  Thanks for obliging me this little moment of nostalgia with A Different Blue by Amy Harmon!!

"Blue Echohawk doesn't know who she is. She doesn't know her real name or when she was born. Abandoned at two and raised by a drifter, she didn't attend school until she was ten years old. At nineteen, when most kids her age are attending college or moving on with life, she is just a senior in high school. With no mother, no father, no faith, and no future, Blue Echohawk is a difficult student, to say the least. Tough, hard and overtly sexy, she is the complete opposite of the young British teacher who decides he is up for the challenge, and takes the troublemaker under his wing."

Several things from this book made a lasting impression on me.  First, I learned so much from Wilson's {the young British teacher} class lessons and it wasn't the least bit boring, as it usually is for this so.not.a.history.fan!!  And while that was not at all the point of this book, it is without a doubt a romantic fiction novel, I think my exact words to someone I was recommending this book to were "I can think of a few history classes I would've done much better in if this book was written a few decades sooner!"  And honestly, I've read Running Barefoot by the same author as well, and I would say the exact same holds true for that book, Amy Harmon is truly gifted in her ability to teach you something under the guise of a love story....it kinda reminds me of how my mom used to make my kids pancakes with peas and carrots in them when they were babies!

Wilson assigns his class the task of writing their own history throughout the term, and the very first sentence Blue writes not only draws Wilson to Blue, but draws the reader into this story if you weren't already! 

[I am not sure of the original creator of this graphic to give a proper credit]

But the line I really loved from this book is the one I mentioned as the title's namesake, when Wilson says to Blue:

“I keep wishing you had a better life... a different life. But a different life would have made you a different Blue. And that would be the biggest tragedy of all.”

Ahhhh, right?!  This was a really tender love story, and it really satisfied my craving for a meatier, heavier story than some of the steamier, lighter contemporary romances I'd been reading.  And I'm even more excited at the end of this post that I chose this book to feature this week because when I went to Google to get the cover picture above I stumbled upon a NEW book, released a week ago and sounds equally {or more!} UHmazing, that I now can't wait to read by the gifted Ms. Amy Harmon!!

If you've read A Different Blue, or are now planning to {hint, hint!} we'd love to hear what you think in the comments below or in our Terrific Tuesday post on Facebook!!  Have a Terrific Tuesday!

Terrific Tuesday 10-22-2013

In a bit of a brainstorming session between the two of us (which generally includes a phone call and multiple texts back and forth between our children screaming our names or carting them around) we have decided to add a weekly blog entry called Terrific Tuesday. Terrific Tuesday will not be a review per say, but just a book that we have read in the past that we would like to recommend you read.....therefore making the author and their book-yep, you guessed it, TERRIFIC! These books may be a year or more old, but sometimes those oldies but goodies can get lost in our searching shuffle and reading an old one can turn us onto an author we weren't all that familiar with. So ladies (and a few good men), lift up your glasses and Cheers because:

Jen:
So, our first entry is a fantastic author by the name of Jennifer Close. I was introduced to her through a friend who knew I loved reading, but when you have small kids, you have small snippets of time that you can actually quickly open your book and get a quick fix. (Mine was typically faking the need to tinkle while sitting on the bathroom floor allowing myself a good 5 minutes of solitude......and luckily I'm past that now!) So, this book was actually perfect for where I was in my life.

This amazing book is so perfect because it reads very much like a group of short stories....which for the busy person is a total bonus! The story follows three girls who are coming to terms that everyone around them is getting married. And for those who have been there, going to bridal shower after bridal shower, we know how it seems like it may never end-or ever be you! The stories follow their lives as they deal with job changes, lost loves, and watching virtually everyone around them get married. There is lots of laughter as well as some heartbreak to balance the book's mood.

It was a quick easy read, which is why it was a painless choice for what book to list first. So, let us know what you think after reading. Tell us why you loved it........and if you would recommend it to your friends. And as always.......Happy Reading!

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith, aka: JK Rowling

Review by Jen

Wow. When I heard about this book, it was probably after many popular magazines had already done reviews of it, but before anyone realized that JK Rowling had written it. In her defense, it doesn't surprise me that she would write in an anonymous pen name, as many people can only see her as "that lady who wrote Harry Potter and is wealthier than the queen of England." But I'm here to tell you, do not. let. it. phase. you.

The one thing that is known by all people: she is an amazing storyteller. The way she introduces you to charcters and makes you feel like you immediately love or loathe them is so surreal. This book is really no different. She introduces you to a plethora of characters in this book too, but you will have no problems keeping track of them, as they are weaved so intricately through the story that you can easily keep up.

The story begins with the police outside of Lulu Landry's flat, with her body laying on the ground below her balcony. It seems to be an apparent suicide, but why would the popular and famous supermodel want to commit suicide? The police do their investigation and determine that for whatever reason, the beautiful Lulu did kill herself by jumping off the balcony.

We are quickly introduced to Cormoran Strike. He is a previous English military vet and is currently living his life as a leg amputee in England and a private investigator. The other thing which makes "Strike" so interesting is that he is the bastard son of an old rock and roll star.

Robin has been searching for work after moving with her fiancé and is placed in Strike's PI office as the receptionist. She is mostly intrigued about what Strike's life is like, mainly because as she first enters the office, she is welcomed by a screaming female who is aiming her rage at Strike. She looks around the office and notices that his clothes and other "belongings" are in the office as well. Does he live there? Who was that girl?

John Bristow suddenly enters Strike's office and wants Strike to investigate the death of his supermodel sister Lulu, as he is convinced that it was not a suicide, but a murder. Strike thinks that Bristow may be a bit on the crazy side, as the police already did extensive research to determine this a suicide. But with little money to his name, bills piling up, a receptionist he can barely afford, and a large money advance offer from Bristow-he could not afford to decline.

The story then goes on to follow Strike investigating the death of Lulu to determine whether the police missed critical information to determine whether this was indeed suicide or an actual murder. It also follows Robin, the receptionist, as she is quickly pulled into the allure of investigative work. And Strike and Robin's relationship is a backdrop to the entire storyline, but never feels forced or out of place.

The thing about this story is that I was guessing who or what I thought the final chapter would bring. But I can honestly say that she does such a remarkable job keeping you on your toes and guessing as you are introduced to each character and what their relationship to Lulu was. The ending I never saw coming, and it was one of those moments I was left thinking, "Huh......now THAT is the way to turn a story."

I hate to reveal too much because honestly, I think it could take away from the sincerity of the mystery. A great mystery is only great when you get to travel the path along with the author and characters. Therefore, I will stop here and just say this, great mystery is done well by so few authors, but I am happy to add her to the likes of so many others I have enjoyed in the past and I cannot wait for her next installment as author Robert Galbraith.

Blog Tour: Remember When Trilogy

The Remember When Blog Tour

We were dying to participate in this tour because quite frankly, Tina Torrest is one of our favorite authors. She is just one of those girls who you know was way cooler than you in your 80's high school days and her words on paper have captivated our hearts.

For those of you who haven't read the Remember When series, trust us when we tell you.....you are missing out! And believe me, if you haven't heard about her books, you will soon, as the story of Trip and Layla is spreading like wildfire through the mouths of avid readers alike.

We were asked to do an auther interview and we were more than happy to participate. Thinking of silly and serious questions to ask over the course of a week was a difficult challenge. But after a lot of thought we finally came up with our best five.

1. Was it the awesome bangled bracelets and Vanilla Ice that made you decide to set the series in the 80's and 90's?
Ha! I can't think of a sillier time to revisit. You?

-No, we love the 80's, it was one of the greatest periods of our lives!

2. If you were Layla, which Hollywood actor would be YOUR Trip?
I have crushed on Brad Pitt forever. We're talking "Growing Pains" days, here. (Trip's his own guy, but I definitely threw a little Brad in there.)

-Ironically, while reading, we could somewhat imagine a Brad Pitt type character in our minds!

3. Did your husband propose with something amazing like your ring in an old Charlie Brown lunchbox?
No!! We'd just bought our first house together. One random day, he just pulled a ring out of his pocket and dropped to his knee in the hallway. I'd just gotten out of the shower and was wearing a ratty T-shirt and a towel on my head! I could have killed him. I still bust his chops and tell him he owes me a "movie proposal" someday.

-Absolutely!! Or at least a proposal like you would write in your books.....or the one Trip is going to do for Layla, right? Right?

4. What was your most favorite item that you treasure from the 80's?
Wow. Tough call. I'm a bit of a packrat with that stuff. But I guess I'll go with my "Born in the USA" concert T-shirt. I still have it and it was a great show!

-That's a great item to keep and a Jersey boy as well. Nothing better for you to hang on to!



5. Do you believe that there is always a place in a person's heart for their first love that will never be fully healed?
Oh, hell yes. I have a few "first loves" that will always stay in my heart. Doesn't everybody? But I wouldn't trade my last love for any one of them ;)

-We agree, those first loves remain a special memory that can be fun to look back on, but the current loves are the ones that totally steal our heart.....

We are extremely excited for the last installment of the trilogy, Remember When 3, due this fall. Fans have been waiting to find out how Layla and Trip's journey will end. Will first love win? Will they find happiness with other people? Only T Torrest knows this answer, but we are waiting anxiously to flip open that first page and devour what we hope will be our happy ending to a couple we have fallen helplessly in love with.

Author Bio:

T. Torrest is a New Adult fiction writer from the U.S. She has written many books, but prays that only a handful of them will ever see the light of day. Her stories are geared toward readers of any age that know how to enjoy a good laugh and a dreamy romance.
She likes pina coladas and getting caught in the rain. She's not much into health food, but she does enjoy talking about herself in the third person.
A lifelong Jersey girl, she currently resides there with her husband and two boys.




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The Wishing Place by Mindy Haig

Reviewed by April

A truly unique story by up and coming author Mindy Haig, The Wishing Place is hard to force fit into any one literary genre, but has elements of both fantasy fiction and coming of age romance. But no matter its intended audience, it was a nice little break for me from some of the more intense or steamy stories that have been filling up my Kindle app lately and I was honored to do this courtesy review!!

Valerie meets Nickolas when they are just 8 years old, and she knows right from the beginning that he is something special, somebody important, because that is exactly what she had wished for right before he arrived and joined her in The Wishing Place. And that magical place, nestled away in a snug little spot somewhere on the realm between dream and reality, always answered every wish and gave her anything she wanted, but only for the time spent in The Wishing Place...only until she woke up. So is Nick only part of the dream too, or is he part of a reality that hasn't happened yet...her future? One thing Val does know for certain, seeing Nick in The Wishing Place at night is the only thing that gets her through her the days of her sad and lonely childhood.

The story alternates between Nick and Val's perspectives although it seemed much more Val's story the further it progressed. While Nick gave me a little bit of a 'too good to be true' vibe, I chose to read him instead as a saving grace for my two young daughters' inevitable future with boys and the hope that little Nick's do in fact exist in our world too!! That said though, I did feel like maybe the story should have started further along than 8 years old because I never felt like their dialogue was truly child like and their thought process was maybe a little too ahead of their time. I was intrigued at the route Haig took with Val's abusive mother and stepmother, because so often it is the dad that is portrayed as the mean parent in divorce situations that it made this an interesting, and well executed, perspective to read.  

On the other hand, I did find myself struggling to connect with the latter parts of the book when Val has graduated and moved away to college, though I understood that the author's intent with bringing Levi into her life was for Val to come to realize that family doesn't have to adhere to traditional definitions and its really the people who love and support you who make up your family, and that is definitely a lesson worth sharing so I was happy to see Val find that peace after the childhood she endured. However, I felt that the storyline with Apache was somewhat incongruent with the atmosphere of the book, and honestly that more calm feel to the first portions of the story is what made it such a pleasant winding down the day read for me, so I personally would have preferred not to be introduced to the harshness of Apache at all, and I had a hard time reconciling the choices and happenstances of his storyline to the original plot of The Wishing Place and Nick and Val. That's not to say everyone would feel the same, he definitely shows versatility in character development on Haig's part and he definitely counters the peaches-and-cream sweetness of the softer characters to bring balance to the book too, so take my dislike of him with a grain of salt! I was excited for the story to get back to answering whether or not Val and Nick would in fact meet in real life and found myself entranced in the story again, the suspense for this potential moment was nurtured perfectly by Haig, so much that I was holding my breath in parts in hope and anticipation of how this could be brought to fruition outside of The Wishing Place!

As I eluded to before, The Wishing Place is not a mainstream read but its not so far fetched that you really have to let your grasp on reality go by the wayside to enjoy either. There is not a lot of intimacy in this book, though still not appropriate for younger readers, so it gave me a chance to read and free up the hand I've had to use to fan myself while reading some of my latest downloads!  No seriously, I was happy to have been given the opportunity to read something this different, and it put a smile on my face every time Nick and Val wished for something silly like a life-size Lego world and having it appear before them, because I spent a lot of time daydreaming about something very much like The Wishing Place myself as a kid (that's why they are called dreams right?!) and I was tickled to read of an author taking that idea and making something more out of it!! Thank you Mindy Haig for your creative and talent laden debut novel!!