My take on: S.E.C.R.E.T

Before diving into S.E.C.R.E.T by  L. Marie Adeline, I have to begin with a little disclaimer. If you're under 18, a prude, religious, or not a fan of erotica, I suggest you come back later.

Cassie Robichaud is content to be lonely. She toils her days away waiting tables at a failing eatery in New Orleans. At the end of a long shift, she heads home to her cat and an empty apartment. Her husband is dead, but their relationship was over long before his demise. Something is missing in her life, but she doesn't know what. After discovering a rather revealing notebook left in the cafe by a mysterious woman, Cassie is about embark on a journey that will change her forever!

What's in this notebook? It's filled with this woman's sexual fantasies. Sex with multiple partners at the same time, and that's just a small taste of what was in the notebook. Cassie isn't sure she should keep reading. It's an invasion of privacy right? Is she crossing a boundary? Or is she afraid to admit she's turned on by these fantasies? Does Cassie want these fantasies to become her reality?

Turn's out the owner of said notebook is a member of an underground society of women called S.E.C.R.E.T. This "club" is dedicated to helping women rediscover themselves. Yes, they do it through sexual fantasies but fortunately the book isn't all about sex. I like that there is a buildup, an actual storyline before plunging into Cassie's fantasies. At first, she's afraid to indulge. Before Cassie can become a full member of S.E.C.R.E.T, she has to go through several steps. With each step, Cassie earns another charm a special bracelet, which is given to all women in the club. Once all the steps are completed, she can choose to become a member of this society and help other women just like her or seek out a loving relationship.

Surrendering is the first step and the hardest for Cassie. Each step comes with a choice, and she isn't always sure of which way to turn. She isn't doing this alone, Cassie has a mentor, Matilda, to confide in. Whatever insecurities or uncertainties Cassie is having she can go to Matilda. But Cassie still has her doubts. What if people can notice the change in her? What if she runs into people she knows while indulging in her fantasies? Can she go through all of the steps? Is she really desirable? Can she truly see herself as desirable?

With each chapter, the change in Cassie is noticeable. She comes out of her shell. She becomes bolder and more confident. The book is more about female empowerment than sex. Yes, there are A LOT of racy scenes, but they don't overpower the central plot -- Cassie discovering her true self. The whole time I felt like I was reading a diary. Each chapter is Cassie's intimate thoughts. Even I began to wonder, "Should I be reading this?" But I kept going! This is the first in a trilogy, so I will definitely finish the other two books. In fact I already have them! Stay tuned!


Rating: Superb

Note: I received a copy of the book from Sullivan and Partners in exchange for an honest review.

My take on: The Idea of Him

I'm not quite sure what to say about my The Idea of Him by Holly Peterson. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. I guess "indifferent" is the best way to describe my experience with this book. Why? PACING!! The pacing was just off for me. It was hard to tell what the endgame was for this book.

Initially, the cover and the title caught my eye. Looking at that cover, there is definitely a story there. A woman pondering the state of her marriage? I'm always a sucker for family drama. It's easy to think that the marriage at the center of this plot is falling apart due to infidelity. But the title made me think that there could be more. Perhaps this woman had fallen in love with the idea of marriage, but didn't really think about the consequences? I had high hopes for this one.

Allie Crawford has a life most would envy, a job as a high-profile PR exec, two beautiful children, Lucy and Blake, and a successful husband. What could be wrong? It all starts with a casino chip falling out of her husband's pocket. Why does he have the casino chip? Who has he been gambling with? Was he with another woman? There could be so many reasons. Wade is trying to get more advertisers for his magazine, so maybe he was schmoozing with potential clients? An attractive and mysterious woman claims to have all the answers. According to this mystery woman, some of Wade's recent actions will destroy Allie's family. I was intrigued by this. This book was going to be more than just a standard chick-lit, there was going to be some mystery to it. But.............

I kept waiting for the payoff. A new man and an old flame further complicate things. Allie doesn't know which way to turn. Every time I thought the big reveal was coming, the author delved into Allie's complicated past. As a teenager, Allie survived a plane crash but her father did not. She has a best friend named James, whom she always thought was "THE ONE." I didn't mind the flashbacks, I think they added some depth to her character. I just think the flashbacks interrupted the flow of the present-day narrative. One moment Allie is in the present day, and the next she's daydreaming about the past. There didn't seem to be any clear cut transitions between the two narratives. You get me interested in one narrative, only to distract me with another.

I'm not always a fan of a non-linear book, and this is one of those times. I kept reading because I wanted the big payoff, but by the end I wasn't that satisfied. At 374 pages, the book felt longer than it should have.

Rating: Give it a try

Note: I received a copy of the book from the publisher (HarperCollins) as part of a blog tour with Premier Virtual Author Book Tours

My take on: Four Friends

After reading Four Friends, by Robyn Carr, I had to think about something. How well do I know my neighbors? I have lived in the same house for nearly 20 years, and I can honestly say I don't know much. I know some names, I know who lives where, I know whose car is whose, and .... that's about it. It's sad!

Would I know if something was wrong? Would I know if they were celebrating something? Do any of us really know what goes on behind closed doors? Or do we let people see what we want them to see?

Why all the the questions? Simple, at the heart of this book is a friendship between four women. Three of them have been friends for years, and one has recently come into the fold. All four of them have a story to tell.

Gerri is the rock of the group. She and her husband, Phil, run their family like a well-oiled machine. With three kids, one of them always makes sure they are around. They both have demanding jobs. Sometimes there isn't time enough time to give their relationship or their sex life the attention it deserves. But, as far as Gerri is concerned their marriage is rock solid ... or is it.

Andy's latest marriage has just fallen apart. Her husband would rather live like a single man. She can never pick the right man, but the right man might be right in front of her. Her handyman, Bob, isn't the type of person she would normally be attracted to. He is bald and has a little extra weight around the middle. She always goes for the pretty boy, but after just a few chapters I was screaming "HE'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!!" Ok, I wasn't screaming.

Sonja is a little out there. She's one of those New Age-types. You know the kind who want to cleanse your aura, burn sage, and feed you grass for dinner. If I had to live with a person like that, I would go bonkers. But if a person like that was just a friend, perhaps I could learn to tolerate them. Sonja's husband on the other hand, has had enough. The collapse of her marriage throws her completely off track. She couldn't see it coming. There's an order to her life. Who is she without her orderly New-Age life? Is there something wrong with her?

BJ has lived on the street for a year, but no one knows much about her. But a crisis with Sonja forces everyone to see a different side of her. She has her own story, too. She's a single mother, raising two kids. The person that they usually ignore or just said a passing greeting to, is a caring person just like the rest of them.

I'm not married (yet!), but a lot of the situations seemed very realistic. After finding out her husband had an affair (don't worry that's not really a spoiler), Gerri begins to wonder how she missed the signs. Even though the affair was two years ago, it's hard for her to get past the betrayal. Is it her fault? Is it his? Or both? It seemed a little far-fetched that three marriages, on the the same street would all fall apart at the same time. But once I got passed that, I did enjoy the book and you will too!

Rating: Give it a try

Note: I received an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review for Little Bird Publicity

My take on: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

Sometimes when I read a book and I'm not quite sure where it's going I give up. But sometimes, I keep going. The end of each chapter reveals another layer about the characters. Sometimes I'm disappointed with the ending, but sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised.

With The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, by Gabrielle Zevin, I was pleasantly surprised!

A quirky book about a quirky bookseller who loves books? In my opinion, that's often a recipe for success.

When it comes to books, A.J. Fikry is a bit of a snob. He's more likely to read books by F. Scott Fitzgerald than James Patterson. After the recent death of his wife, he feels a closer connection to books than people. I can totally understand that. I'm not a hermit, but sometimes I would rather read a book over anything else.

A.J. is set in his ways. He is pulling away from all the people in his life, including his sister-in-law, Ismay, and Officer Lambiase, a friend and fellow bookworm. Why pull away from people when his business is all about people? Island Books, the only bookstore located in a small island town, is financially-strapped and people are essential to his business. Sales rep Amelia Loman tries her best to get A.J. excited about the upcoming books in her catalog, but his shell is just too tough to crack. After just one trip, Amelia wonders if her passion is wasted on a stubborn man like A.J.

After a long day, A.J. retreats to his small apartment above the store and drowns himself in alcohol. It's during one of those drunken stupors that A.J.'s life changes forever. His prized copy of a rare and valuable Edgar Allan Poe is stolen. Tamerlane, a legendary work by Poe, held a special place in his heart. He might have never sold it, but he liked to look at it and admire it. Maybe life will go on without it. Soon after the theft a special delivery arrives for A.J. What is it? Or who is it?

I don't think it's a spoiler by saying this next part because it happens early in the book. Who or what could force a stubborn, middle-aged widower out of his funk? If you think hard, I'm sure you could guess. A.J. is hardly ever around children, but a toddler named Maya will change everything he thought he knew about himself and the world. Maya brings A.J. out of his shell. He starts to have faith in people again. Life has more meaning and purpose. Even Amelia starts to notice a change, A.J. is finally willing to listen to her. He even starts to see the woman behind the quirky clothes.

There is a lot to love about this book, but it really took me until the end of the book to get it. Each chapter begins with a critique on some of the books A.J. has read. I wasn't sure what the point of that was -- until I got to the last 40-50 pages. I can't tell you what that is because that would spoil the book. But at the end, everything made sense. The book unfolded just as it should -- and I was pleasantly surprised!

Rating: Superb

Note: I received a copy of the book from the publisher (Algonquin Books). The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry was the April book club selection for She Reads. 

My take on: We'll Always Have Paris

An obsession with death led author Jennifer Coburn to embark on the journey of a lifetime with her daughter, Katie. From Paris, to London, to Italy, to Spain, to Amsterdam, and Paris again, We'll Always Have Paris details their eight-year odyssey of love, laughter, and family.

Ever since the death of her father, Jennifer has always had a fear dying young. In the book, her dad comes off as a little eccentric. He seemed to dream big, even if those dreams weren't realistic. He also seemed like a person you would want to have a drink with and just listen to him talk. I can see why Jennifer missed him so much. Jennifer was still in college at the time of his death, leaving her with a fear of dying young. A fear that remained with her even after giving birth to her own child.

How does one conquer that fear? Of course the answer is to go to Paris, London, Italy, Spain, Amsterdam, and Paris again. To some it might sound impulsive. When I first heard about this book, I thought it was impulsive. Her husband, William, reminded her that the bathrooms and the kitchen in their home needed repairs. According to William, Jennifer has always had "kitchen envy." I can relate to "kitchen envy." Whenever I see a fancy kitchen on TV, I always imagine myself cooking in it. But if I had a choice between a new kitchen and a trip across Europe, it would be a very difficult choice. After reading the book, I don't think this journey was a choice for Jennifer, it was something that had to be done.

Katie was only eight when they made their first stop in Paris. My first thought, how many eight year olds would or could appreciate a trip like this? Katie didn't come across as a typical eight-year-old. She comforted her mother with the tenderness of an adult and made witty comments on cue. How many kids her age would say, "I get Paris"? I've been to Paris twice, and don't know that I could say that. She's very much an old soul, but still had the exuberance of a child when speaking about Harry Potter books.

My favorite moment? When Jennifer and Katie are on the train to London and they end up sitting across from English actress Thandie Newton. They had a very nice conversation, and one moment made me bust out laughing. Let's set the scene, Katie is reading the latest Harry Potter book and makes an observation. What? .... "Ron Weasley just ejaculated!" Of course Katie misspoke, but it was certainly a cute moment.

I don't normally read books like this, but I'm glad I did. I can see the appeal people have for travel memoirs. It's not so much about the physical journey as it is about the emotional one. Jennifer Coburn's writing has an easy and engaging flow to it. With each chapter, I wanted to keep reading. I wanted to know where Jennifer and Katie ended up. To all the mothers and daughters, let Jennifer Coburn take you on a journey of love, laughter, family, and of course Paris!

Rating: Superb

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

Please welcome Jennifer Coburn !!

Here are a few questions I had for Jennifer Coburn, author of We'll Always Have Paris.
A review of the book will be posted tomorrow!

The cover is so cute, did you get to have input on the cover?

I didn’t have any input, but I absolutely love the cover.

If you had to do it over again, is there anything you would change? Travel to a different city? Wait until Katie was older? Etc.

I have very few regrets, but I do have two, both from our Italy trip. And both regrets were over what I didn’t do, which I think is a good thing for me to remember.

When Katie and I were in Florence, I skipped the Gucci-Prada factory tour, and I can’t imagine what I was thinking! I could have gotten some real steals, but I was so scared of overspending that I didn’t even go. I wish I’d given myself a little more credit. Surely I could have limited my spending. Then a week later in Venice, I decided not to buy tickets to see Elton John in San Marco Square. For the life of me I can’t imagine why I was so stingy. Katie and I now use the term “Elton John” for a situation when you should buy something, but don’t and will surely regret it later. I was looking at some jeans recently and when I put them back on the rack, Katie asked, “Are you sure this isn’t an Elton John situation?”

Which destination was your favorite and why?

I think I liked Florence the best because the city is so walkable – and every day was a new surprise. On our way to see Michelangelo’s David at the Academia, we came across a music school that was conducting final exams for opera students. We spent the next two hours watching twentysomethings with pierced eyebrows and Motley Crue t-shirts singing Puccini. And the David … gasp!

Does your husband feel left out of this bonding time or does he like having the house to himself?

I think he enjoyed his time alone at home. He did a lot of hiking and spending time with friends.

On a lighter note, do you still have kitchen envy? Or are you ok with all the traveling you and Katie have done?

In an ideal world I could have my beautiful kitchen and travel, but I feel I made the right choice for us. We have a beautiful home because there’s a lot of laughter and joy. But we also have a ton of repairs to make still.

In five words or less how would you describe your travels with Katie?

Lessons from a young Buddha.

BookExpo America: I will miss you this year!

I have come to a decision. As much as I want to, I can't go to BookExpo America this year. In previous years past BEA has been a great experience for me.

For the past four years, the coming of spring meant I would get to meet interesting people, sit in on interesting panels, and get A LOT of great books.

But a lot of things have changed for me in the past four years. I was laid off at the end of 2011, leaving me to wonder what the next chapter would be for me. I have always been a big time bookworm, so I decided to go back to school. Getting accepted into a Masters program for book publishing was a big triumph for me. If I didn't get into grad school, I didn't have a backup plan. Fortunately, I did not need one. Career-wise, things have finally started to turn around for me. After three internships, the last one has turned into a full-time position. Can you imagine how I felt after hearing I had been hired?

A new job, also comes with new choices. I really, really, really, want to go to BEA, but it's too early for me to be taking time off. I have a lot to learn about my new position. So......maybe next year BEA. (update: Aisha I see your comment!! Thank you! I guess with all the extra stuff in this post, it's hard for me to comment in the section below!)