It's Monday, What are you Reading?

So I thought last week's reading was weak, boy was I wrong until this week happened and my reading was quite sad.  With book club, a load of work and spending time with the boy, this week went by way too fast.

A meme hosted by Sheila at BookJourney. 

Finished this past week:
A Wedding in Great Neck by Yona Zeldis McDonough
Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Married by Heather McElhatton

Currently Reading:
Sweat by Mark Gilleo


Next on the TBR pile:

Until My Soul Gets It Right by Karen Wojcik Berner

Across My Doorstop

Starting something new this week - I am going to share what came across my doorstop over the last few weeks.  Hopefully, I will get back to doing this each week, it is one of my favorite things to do for this blog.

What came across your doorstop?

For Review:
Falling Together by Marisa de los Santos  (Goodreads  Amazon)
Things Remembered by Georgia Bockoven  (Goodreads  Amazon)
The Good Woman by Jane Porter  (Goodreads  Amazon)

Birthday Gift:
Elixir by Hillary Duff  (Goodreads  Amazon)


Swapped:
Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Single by Heather McElhatton  (Goodreads  Amazon)
How Nancy Drew Saved My Life by Lauren Baratz-Logsted  (Goodreads  Amazon)
Driftwood Summer by Patti Callahan Henry  (Goodreads  Amazon)

Review: Better Than Chocolate by Sheila Roberts

Better Than Chocolate by Sheila Roberts

Publisher: Harlequin MIRA 

Pages: 400 

Format: ARC 

Buy the Book: Amazon 

Goodreads:  Sweet Dreams Chocolate Company has been in the Sterling family for generations, ever since Great-Grandma Rose literally dreamed up her first fabulous recipe. But now it looks as if they're about to lose Sweet Dreams to the bank—and that would be a disaster, not only for the family but for the town of Icicle Falls, Washington. Can Samantha, the oldest daughter and new head of the company, come up with a way to save it?  After Samantha does some brainstorming with her mother and sisters, inspiration strikes. They'll have a chocolate festival! Time's running out, but the Sterling women are determined and the town's behind them, so everything's bound to go smoothly….

Or not. Events seem to be conspiring against Samantha, and her mother's attempts to help aren't helping. To make matters worse, the fate of her company is in the hands of her archenemy, Blake Preston, the bank manager with the football-hero good looks. It's enough to drive her to chocolate. But Blake's also enough to convince her that (believe it or not) there's something even better than chocolate.



Kritters Thoughts:  For my introduction to Sheila Roberts, this was a fantastic read!  Set in a small town in Washington state, Samantha and her two sisters and mother are experiencing some personal and work tragedies.  Their mother has just buried her second husband and they are all hoping to resurrect their chocolate company that hasn't been doing well for awhile.  These ladies must work hard to come up with some money to pay off a bank loan that is being called in on a short notice.

There were relationships between mother and daughters, coworker relationships and potential romantic relationships - the author explored them all in such fun ways.  Being a daughter, I always love reading a book about the unique relationships different daughters can have with their mother.  As a working woman, I loved reading about Samantha as she took over the reigns for her family's business.  Finally, being a romance book, there was a little of the romantic relationships, but it was so perfectly fit into the book, so it was a part of the book, but not a main focus.

What a great way to start reading Sheila Roberts.  Have you read one by her?  What should I read of hers next?

Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Little Bird Publicity.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: What Happened to My Sister by Elizabeth Flock

What Happened to My Sister by Elizabeth Flock 

Publisher: Ballantine Books 

Pages: 304 

Format: ARC 

Buy the Book: Amazon  

Goodreads:  Nine-year-old Carrie Parker and her mother, Libby, are making a fresh start in the small town of Hartsville, North Carolina, ready to put their turbulent past behind them. Violence has shattered their family and left Libby nearly unable to cope. And while Carrie once took comfort in her beloved sister, Emma, her mother has now forbidden even the mention of her name.

When Carrie meets Ruth, Honor, and Cricket Chaplin, these three generations of warmhearted women seem to have the loving home Carrie has always dreamed of. But as Carrie and Cricket become fast friends, neither can escape the pull of their families’ secrets—and uncovering the truth will transform the Chaplins and the Parkers forever.


Kritters Thoughts:  This story picks up where Me & Emma ends, mother and daughter must pick up and move away from home and start somewhere new with nothing.  As heart wrenching as it was to read the first book and the abuse, but with the men out of the picture, this book was better.  Although her mother can be abusive, it wasn't as hard to read as the men in the first book.  

This book had a little extra with another character taking center stage and a voice to parts of the book.  At times, we had another narrator in the mother of young Cricket - Honor.  I absolutely adored having another perspective on the story and someone else to take the story to a new place.  It made this sequel beyond the first book.  

My review of the prequel - Me & Emma was posted here on Kritters Ramblings on September 20th.  


Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from TLC Book Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Review: The Salt God's Daughter by Ilie Ruby

The Salt God's Daughter by Ilie Ruby 

Publisher: Soft Skull Press 

Pages: 352 

Format: eARC 

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Set in Long Beach, California, beginning in the 1970s, The Salt God’s Daughter follows Ruthie and her sister, Dolly, as they carve out a life in a place filled with meteorological myths and exotic folklore, where female rites of passage are met with startling discoveries. Raised by a mother drawn to the ocean and guided by the moons, their heritage is a mystery and with their mother often absent, they are forced to confront the social and sexual mores of the time on their own as they search for true love and a home. Ruthie's daughter, Naida, is born into this conflicted landscape with a secret she tries to keep hidden as she seeks out the father she never knew. 


Kritters Thoughts:  First, what an interesting book.  This one was quite out of my normal reading habits.  The language the author used brought me back to my college reading days with the word imagery floating in my head.  Centered around a mother daughter who have life experiences way beyond what I have had and they challenged me to appreciate the many things that I have not had to go through due to an excellent family and friends.  

Ruthie and Naida, mother and daughter, are two women who have definitely fought life uphill and I think both can say that in the end they succeeded in finding true happiness.  Both women had definite trials to overcome, but with the power of female friendships you see these women come to love life just as it is.

I think this book was a little challenging in the words the author chose and at times it was hard to follow, but in the end it was worth the work and every once in awhile I like a book that takes me out of my usual element.

Rating: definitely a good read, but can't read two in a row

Ebook 2012 Challenge: 50 out of 25

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from Spark Point Studio.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

It's Monday, What Are you Reading?

It was quite the week of evening free time with the boy working quite a few nights, which was nice to have some time after a full day of work to curl up and read.  These next two weeks will be crazy on the work front, so hoping to have a few quiet moments to read a book or two.

A meme hosted by Sheila at BookJourney. 

Finished this past week:
Better Than Chocolate by Sheila Roberts
A Whisper to a Scream by Karen Wojcik Berner
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Things Your Dog Doesn't Want You to Know by Hy Conrad and Jeff Johnson
Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Single by Heather McElhatton

Currently Reading:
Jennifer Johnson is Sick of Being Married by Heather McElhatton
A Wedding in Great Neck by Yona Zeldis McDonough

Next on the TBR pile:

Sweat by Mark Gilleo

Review: Dancing Naked in Dixie by Lauren Clark

Dancing Naked in Dixie by Lauren Clark

Publisher: Monterey Press

Pages: 280

Format: ebook

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  Travel writer Julia Sullivan lives life in fast-forward. She jet sets to Europe and the Caribbean with barely a moment to blink or sleep. But too many mishaps and missed deadlines have Julia on the verge of being fired. 

With a stern warning, and unemployment looming, she's offered one last chance to rescue her career. Julia embarks on an unlikely journey to the ‘Heart of Dixie’—Eufaula, Alabama—home to magnificent mansions, sweet tea, and the annual Pilgrimage. 

Julia arrives, soon charmed by the lovely city and her handsome host, but her stay is marred by a shocking discovery. Can Julia's story save her career, Eufaula, and the annual Pilgrimage?


Kritters Thoughts:  Our main character, Julia Sullivan has been traveling the world for her job as a magazine writer.  Upon returning from her latest adventure she is surprised by a new boss who is someone familiar.  He decides to send her to a small town in Alabama on a small assignment, with trepidation she goes and a story begins.  From the first page, I loved this Julia character, I wanted to read on to find out what mishaps she would endure and who she would meet.  The author unraveled her story perfectly from beginning to end.

My favorite character beyond our girl Julia was the town of Eufaula itself - the people, the places it reminded me why I miss the South.  Currently in Northern VA - some may call part of the South, but I completely disagree.  I miss the weather, the way people are and the pace of life.  This author portrayed a southern small town with class and poked a little fun, but didn't make a mockery of it as I have read in the past.  Although quite a few mishaps happened to Julia, the end result was a great book with heart and soul.  

What a perfect light read to end the beach season.  I definitely have my eyes out for the next Lauren Clark book.  


Rating:  perfect beach read

Ebook 2012 Challenge:  49 out of 25

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from ABG Reads Book Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.