My take on: Monarch Beach

What if you thought your entire marriage was a sham? What if you found out you've been betrayed by the person you loved the most for years? What would you do to change it? All those questions and more come about in Monarch Beach by Anita Hughes.

Heiress Amanda Blick thought her life was perfect. She's been married for 10 years and has an adorable eight-year-old son. She's made a nice life for herself in the quiet town of Ross, California. But in one moment Amanda will call into question her entire marriage.

Tuesday was supposed to be a good day for Amanda. Her son Max is at school and her husband Andre is working at his restaurant. Tuesday was the day Amanda set aside for herself. No PTA meetings or fund-raising to occupy her time. Nope! Tuesday was all about yoga and a muffin at her favorite cafe. But the cafe is out of her favorite strawberry muffin. So why not drop in on her gorgeous husband? Unfortunately, Amanda finds her husband with his legs wrapped around another woman. Too stunned to say anything, Amanda runs off in a fog.

Is this the first time? Is Andre in love with someone else? Is their marriage over? Amanda doesn't know what to do. She has spent the past decade-plus putting the happiness of others ahead of her own. She once dreamed of being a fashion designer. She was even accepted at Parsons, her dream school, but turned it down when she learned her father was dying. Amanda didn't want to look back on her life and regret not spending those last moments with her father. Going to college locally wasn't her dream, but to Amanda it was the right thing to do. When she meets Andre, he sweeps Amanda off her feet. It's like she's living in a fantasy land. After they get married, it seemed like Amanda lost herself in Andre. She gave up her own dreams, and became consumed with his happiness. She supported his dream of owning a restaurant. He won't accept financial help from his wife or her mother, he wants to do it on his own.

When Andre's dream finally comes true, Amanda is consumed with motherhood and Max's happiness. But what about Amanda? She has a best friend in Stephanie, who also happens to be Andre's business partner. It's Stephanie who opens Amanda's eyes about Andre. What Amanda witnessed wasn't the first of Andre's dalliances with other women. Reading it I thought, how many women will never know about their cheating husbands? Especially, if their favorite cafe DID have their favorite strawberry muffin that day? You could go through life eating strawberry muffins and not know what a scoundrel you've married.

Andre chalks up his infidelity to being French. Huh?!?!?! Is that an insult to French people? Don't they believe in monogamy. He comes across as such a JERK!! It's all about him. When Amanda and her mom take Max away to Laguna Beach for the summer, it's still all about Andre. Everything will go back to normal once Amanda realizes how much she loves her husband!!! Right!!!

While on vacation, Amanda explores what life could be like without Andre. She begins a relationship with Edward, a divorced lawyer turned restaurant owner. Wouldn't it make more sense to step outside of her comfort zone instead of getting involved with another foodie? It's a rebound relationship, what kind of future could they have? It's comfortable to be with Edward because he knows the pain of divorce. But once again it seemed like Amanda was forgetting her original purpose for the vacation. The trip was so her mother could get physically healthy and so Amanda could get emotionally healthy. How healthy is it to jump into a relationship when you're not even divorced yet?

I was very engaged in the whole story. I wanted to see how Amanda would get away from her jerk husband. I'm not married, but I'm sure there is a lot married and divorced women can relate to. How do you move on? What about the kids? Was the marriage a sham? Can you love again? However, I did feel that the resolution to Amanda's problems came too easily. Not everyone has the advantages she has. To understand what I'm talking about you have to read the book!!

Rating: Superb


Note: I received an e-galley from the publisher (Macmillan) at the author's request in exchange for an honest review.

My take on: Queer Greer

Greer MacManus is a girl in transition. She is about to begin her junior year of high school in a new town. She's separated from her best friend, Nick, for the first time. Her mother is too caught up in her own world to notice when something is wrong with Greer. Her father is caring and attentive, but only when he is in town. And on top of it all, she is in love. But who she is in love with causes Greer to question her sexuality.

Queer Greer by A.J. Walkley is a coming of age story that can appeal to everyone. Greer is like a lot of teenagers. One moment she knows what she wants and the next she doesn't. She wants to fit in, but is unsure how. She wishes she had someone to talk to, but is afraid to say too much.

Moving from South Carolina to Arizona, Greer no longer has Nick as a safety net. He's off to prep school in New York. They still speak to each other, but can't be there all the time. Her mom goes from work straight to the gym. Greer and her younger sister, Emmy, are left to their own devices. Her father is off saving the world, helping Mexican families cross the border into the U.S. Despite his absence, Greer believes her father cares more about her than her mother does. He asks about her swim meets, he cares about what she is feeling, and he notices changes in Greer. Her mother doesn't notice things unless they are forced upon her.

At school Greer makes friends, but she slowly develops into two personalities. Football jock and pot-head Cameron is attracted to Greer, but she can't figure out why. Becca, who is also captain of the swim team, also sees something in Greer. Becca and Greer quickly become friends. Greer feels a deeper connection with Becca than with Cameron, but she doesn't understand it. In public, it's easier to be with Cameron because no one will look at them funny. With Becca, Greer measures her words and expressions of affection. In private, it's easier to explore her feelings for Greer. She's lying to Cameron about her relationship with Becca, but it gets harder and harder to hold off his advances. Becca is comfortable in her own skin, and doesn't care what people think. She wants a relationship with Greer, but not in secret. But Greer cares what people think. She's not ready to really be "out" there with Becca.

What will her parents think? What will Emmy think? What will the future be like? Internally, Greer is a mess. Is she really in love with Becca? Is she in love with Cameron or is it just easier to be with him? Is she gay or is she bisexual? Her methods of coping with the turmoil are dangerous. Like any teenager, she's unsure of what to do. It doesn't matter which side of the fence she picks someone will get their feelings hurt. There's no easy answer for Greer.

Throughout the book I kept waiting for Greer to make a decision. I know her character is a teenager, but she seemed a little weak. Sometimes it seemed like Greer was waiting for someone to tell her what to do. She needed to be tougher, and in a way Becca was trying to make her stronger. Becca wasn't pushing her to be gay, she was pushing Greer to stand up for herself. Greer has to search internally and discover the person she is meant to be.

Regardless of sexual orientation, this is a book all teenagers can relate to. A new kid in town trying to make friends, feelings of self-consciousness, experimenting with drugs and alcohol, absentee parents, and discovering your first love who can't relate to that?

Rating: Superb


Note: I received an e-book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

My take on: Otherwise

After a devastating loss, Delilah Gray is returning to her childhood home. If you can really it a home. Her grandmother, Meema, has passed away and has left Delilah with a huge burden. Meema was a hoarder, and now Delilah is left with the mess. But there is more than just garbage in Meema's little cottage. When we meet Delilah, she just magically appeared in the town of Green Lake. How did she get there? Is she really there?

But I have to be honest, the hoarding angle is what drew me into Otherwise by Jennifer B. White. I don't get hoarding from that cover. I'm thinking Twilight when I look at that cover. But fortunately this story isn't about vampires. 

Cleaning out Meema's house is no easy task. Or is it? Cleaning supplies show up in the house out of nowhere. Who put them there? The house is eventually cleaned one day, but then days later it's trashed again. What is going on? How is that even possible? There has to be a force greater than man at work here. A clean home doesn't become hoarded over night.

The town of Green Lake is rather strange. Flower shop owner Winnie can see her dead husband. The mysterious Shane pops out of nowhere every time Delilah is around, and he disappears just as quickly. Delilah feels a strong attraction to Shane, but doesn't understand the attraction. What does Shane do for a living? Where does he live? Why does he really want to be around Delilah? I'm left wondering what is he hiding? Why is he so mysterious? A "friend" of his, Casimir, is equally mysterious. He comes and goes much like Shane.

Delilah knows something is going on in town. But she can't put her finger on it. She is dealing with the loss of her daughter Kendall. In the midst of her grief, Delilah has an unbelievable vision. She sees Meema in the house. How? Why? Is she going crazy? What is real and what isn't? I had a hard time figuring that out, and so was Delilah. Winnie and Shane shed a little light on the situation. Green Lake is no ordinary town. I saw it as a town for wandering souls. They're not ready to leave the physical earth, they still want to feel like they are apart of the world. As the Keeper, Casimir helps the dead make a choice to between the physical and spiritual world. Shane is the gravedigger for lost souls, helping them find a final resting place. And, as the Sender, Winnie helps souls on their journey into the after life.

Everyone seems to have a place, but what is Delilah's place? She doesn't understand what's going on. Who is real? Who is dead?

This was a departure for me. I tend to gravitate to books based in reality, which sometimes made it hard for me to connect with the book. But there are a lot of good elements in the book. The town is very mysterious and unusual. You start wondering what is real and what isn't? Is there a future for Delilah and Shane? Will Delilah overcome her grief? It's a paranormal story, but with some human touches mixed in. Give it a whirl!!

Rating: Give it a try


Note: I received a copy of the book from the publisher (OakIvy) in exchange for an honest review.

It's Monday, what's on the cover?

It's been a while since I've done this. It's Monday, what's on the cover? Every season of Hoarders I say I'm not going to watch but I do anyway. Every season they find a new way to gross me out. So a book about an "organizer" trying to help a hoarder was right up my alley. In Objects of My Affection by Jill Smolinski Lucy Bloom is trying to jumpstart her career as an organizer. But her first real client is a handful. So far reading it is right out of an episode of Hoarders, except we get to see the personal side of the organizer. The cover of the book is kind of cute. If only the clean up were as simple as the cover indicates!!

An Unquenchable Thirst by Mary Johnson chronicles her 20 years as a nun with the Missionaries of Charity. I'm not sure what the petals on the cover mean yet, but so far I like the book. I could NEVER be a nun. The amount of restrictions she goes through in this book would break me.

My take on: Dancing Naked in Dixie

On the outside Julia Sullivan has it all. As a travel writer, Julia jet sets from one exotic location to another. She's hardly in the office. She snaps a few pictures, writes a few paragraphs, and her "job" is done. She has a boyfriend. Julia has a life that most would covet, but a new assignment forces her to take a hard look at her life. Instead of frolicking on the beach Julia is headed to the deep South, where she will be Dancing Naked in Dixie by Lauren Clark.

No she's not literally naked, although the thought has crossed Julia's mind, but she will have to drop all her preconceived notions and embrace the small town of Eufaula, Alabama. Julia sees the assignment as punishment. Her new boss, David, who also happens to be her estranged father, sees the assignment as a form of redemption. Julia thinks her you know what doesn't stink!!! She's been late with assignments and missed deadlines. Her head has been in the clouds. She's the star of the magazine, they can't get rid of her. But she's not indispensable. She has to take this assignment or join the unemployment line.

Eufaula sounds like every small town I've ever read about. Everyone knows everyone. Everyone knows each other's business. Julia is very much a fish out of water. In just a few days she gets mixed up in all kinds of adventures. My favorite involves sweet tea. I think some of you know where I'm going with this. I'm not from the South, but I have a lot of family in the Bible Belt and I know not to gulp down sweet tea. If you know what's good for you, get unsweetened tea and then add sugar. As a true Yankee, Julia doesn't know that and almost chokes. I had to laugh because everyone around her is ready to call a doctor.

Shug Jordan is Julia's guide during her trip. Of course he is easy on the eyes, but he has a girlfriend, Mary Katherine, who struck me as Mary Kay on acid. Julia is there just to work, but Mary Katherine makes sure to mark her territory. Julia doesn't want to get too personal anyway. She wants to get the lowdown on the town and get out as quickly as possible. A few times she imagines what it might be like to have her claws in Shug instead of Mary Katherine. Shug even introduces Julia to his family. His family, like most people in town, look at Julia like she is an alien. But like most New Yorkers she wants everything done fast. There is no time to stop and relax with Julia. No time to take stock of things, which is how she's led her life up until this point.

After her mother died, she didn't give her father a chance to explain his reasons for leaving the marriage. She just wanted to be done with David. Her boyfriend Andrew always wants to discuss their relationship, but Julia always has an assignment to deal with. Shug wants to take his time and let Julia truly experience Eufaula, but all she can think of is her flight out. Is there something wrong with the people around her? Or does Julia really need to slow down and take a breath?

"Spending time, here in Eufaula, has helped me realize that barreling through life at a breakneck pace -- while exciting, sometimes glamorous, and always loads of fun -- has been, at best, a distraction. A useful tool in avoiding personal introspection or thoughts of the future."

Being in Eufaula opens Julia's eyes, but is she ready to make changes? Does she finally realize that it's ok to enjoy the little things in life?

Overall, I enjoyed the story. There were some parts toward the end that seemed a little out of place in a Southern romance. I won't give everything away, but it involves exploding houses!!

Rating: Superb


Note: I received an e-book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

My take on: A Lighter Shade of Gray

Mental illness. Friendship. Love. Murder. I like those elements...in books. A Lighter Shade of Gray by Devon Pearse has all three. And it's semi-autobiographical, which is why our main character is also named Devon. Throughout the book, I was wondering what was fact and what was fiction?

Devon gave up on love 10 years ago. Her mother has long battled mental illness, and Devon will do anything to avoid that path. I thought she sacrificed her own happiness out of fear. Yes mental illness is inherited, but I'm not a firm believer in acting on what might happen. Rather than take a chance on happiness and love, Devon is just waiting for the shoe to drop. Not everything is gloomy for Devon, she has a close group of friends, including her best friend Cassandra (a.k.a. Cass) Sloane.

At times, Devon and Cass seemed more like family than friends. In the beginning, Devon attends a birthday party with Cass' family. She just seemed like another member of the family. They were quick to point out Devon's lack of cooking skills. She's included on the family banter. There is no hiding problems in the family from Devon, especially, Marcus, the abusive boyfriend of Cass' sister Monique. That part really grabbed my attention. The rest of the Sloane family is ready to pounce on him at any moment, but Monique is too afraid to stand up for herself. I was right there with the rest of the family. "Hit him! Hit him! Hit him!" Character-wise it was no big loss when he was murdered. Not that I'm an advocate of murder, but there is just no attachment to abusive characters. There was an attachment to Cass, who is accused of his murder. Devon wants anything to prove her friend's innocence, but it forces her to face her fears. Her fear of ending up like her mother.

In theory, all of that made for a good plot. But as the book progressed I got a little confused. Her mother's roommate claims to know something about Marcus' murder. I just thought, why even go there? There's too much going here. Devon's fears of mental illness alone could have been enough. Adding Cass and her family to the mix makes things a little more complicated, and then you add her mother's roommate. It was also a little long for my taste. It's not a bad book, but it just wasn't my cup of tea.

Rating: Give it a try


Note: I received an e-copy as part of a tour with TLC Book Tours

My take on: A Long Way From You

Kitsy Kidd is a true fish out of water. She is stepping out of her comfort zone in Broken Spoke, Texas, and pursuing her dreams in New York City. She ends up finding more than she bargained for in A Long Way From You by Gwendolyn Heasley.

I had to do a double take on that name. Kitsy Kidd?!?! In the first couple of chapters, the alliteration was starting to bug me. I thought it was a misprint at first because this was an uncorrected e-galley. But I was wrong. It didn't help that her brother's name is Kiki Kidd. Once I got past the name, Kitsy started to grow on me.

Kitsy is just 17, but she is used to working for everything. She is more of a parent to her little brother Kiki than their mother Amber. She is captain of the cheerleading squad, but is in no way interested in being the popular girl around school. Amber is between jobs, and can often be found drowning her sorrows in alcohol. It's up to Kitsy to keep the family together. She works every shift she can at the local Sonic, despite all the snickers she gets from the town mean girl. Appearances mean nothing to Kitsy, making sure her brother gets to school, and has food and clothes is more important. When she can, Kitsy dotes on her boyfriend, Hands (no that's no his real name it's Clint). Hands is supportive, but every other word out of his mouth is about football.

Kitsy is always doing things for everyone but herself. That sounds like a lot of people, young and old. But now Kitsy is getting a chance to put herself first. As a budding artist, Kitsy is given the opportunity to study at Parsons for the summer. A summer in New York is a dream, but what about Kiki, Amber, and Hands? Taking time for herself will be harder than she realizes. Her sponsors in New York, the Corcorans and their daughter Corrinne, are like family.

Kitsy seemed very wide-eyed and naive, like a lot of people who have lived in a small town all their life. It's cute at first, especially when she accidentally takes the PATH train to New Jersey instead of towards the Village. But after a while the fish out of water story got a little annoying. I was thinking, "Grow up Kitsy!!"

Of course no story like this would be complete without a little romance. Tad, a musician with an affinity for the arts, starts to dominate Kitsy's thoughts. Is it the bright lights of the city that are distracting Kitsy or does she really have feelings for Tad? It's hard to know. Her whole world is in Broken Spoke, she doesn't know any other way of life. Will she be content being the girlfriend of a small-town guy like Hands? Or is Tad and his big-city dreams what Kitsy really needs? 

Kitsy is finally getting a chance to pursue her dreams, but at what cost? Maybe being in New York is giving Kitsy a chance to finally discover who she really is. But being New York is also leading Kitsy away from the girl she used to be. Which girl does she want to be? All in all, this is a cute story worth reading.



Rating: Give it a try


Note: I received an e-galley from Little Bird Publicity in exchange for an honest review.